diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore index 1c18d74..5b84411 100644 --- a/.gitignore +++ b/.gitignore @@ -6,3 +6,6 @@ *.o .DS_Store .token + +env/ +geval/ \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/bayes.py b/bayes.py new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2800c43 --- /dev/null +++ b/bayes.py @@ -0,0 +1,33 @@ +from sklearn.naive_bayes import MultinomialNB +from sklearn.feature_extraction.text import TfidfVectorizer +from sklearn.preprocessing import LabelEncoder +from sklearn.pipeline import Pipeline + +with open('train/in.tsv') as f: + data_train_X = f.readlines() + +with open('train/expected.tsv') as f: + data_train_Y = f.readlines() + +with open('dev-0/in.tsv') as f: + data_dev_X = f.readlines() + +with open('test-A/in.tsv') as f: + data_test_X = f.readlines() + +data_train_Y = LabelEncoder().fit_transform(data_train_Y) +model = Pipeline(steps=[('tfidf', TfidfVectorizer()),('bayes', MultinomialNB())]) + +clf = model.fit(data_train_X, data_train_Y) + +with open('train/out.tsv', 'w') as writer: + for result in clf.predict(data_train_X): + writer.write(str(result) + '\n') + +with open('dev-0/out.tsv', 'w') as writer: + for result in clf.predict(data_dev_X): + writer.write(str(result) + '\n') + +with open('test-A/out.tsv', 'w') as writer: + for result in clf.predict(data_test_X): + writer.write(str(result) + '\n') \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/dev-0/in.tsv b/dev-0/in.tsv new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5503a3f --- /dev/null +++ b/dev-0/in.tsv @@ -0,0 +1,5272 @@ +In which case, tell them I'm in work, or dead, or down the shops. They can come back in when they've got Professor Brian Cox with them. If only cause I want to meet him and steal his hair. 1328302967 +Put me down as another for Mysterious Universe. Those dudes are brilliant. 1347836881 +The military of any country would never admit that UFO's have taken down our most powerful weapons. 1331905826 +An example would have been more productive than a downvote, I think. 1315584834 +sorry, but the authors of this article admit that the study is limited and flawed. Also, upon peer review, the study is found to be fallacious. It says this towards the end of the article, a point to which the majority of people usually fail to read. \n\nalso, 463 people is NOT, in any way, compelling evidence for a causal relationship. 1347389166 +"Are you afraid of science in general, or just the kind you read about on the internet?" 1303864529 +Well, I know it can decrease intraocular pressure, but as for *cancer...*\n\nThe only data I'm aware of relating marijuana to cancer is that it's an antiemetic and an appetite increasing drug. Which, while very good for patient health, are not directly related to the cancer itself, as much as a treatment of the adverse reactions of chemotherapy/radiation treatment (unless if the cancer is in the GI system, or is making weird hormones...).\n\nIf you have any information indicating that marijuana helps in cancer/HIV treatment *other* than as an antiemetic/appetite increasing medication, could you please provide it? I mean, I'm all for it's responsible use, but I don't want to go around spreading misinformation, especially if I'm going to one day be in the medical field. 1318558797 +That could be anything. Why even bother... 1285029343 +what was the joke? he deleted it 1337651956 +Its the landing and taking off that/'s hard, and those things will do do that for you as well. The pilots, for the most part, are there in case shit happens.\n\nBTW stalling a Cessna is fun as hell. 1336941346 +I guess you are posting this for us to make fun of? \n\nThis is the exact type of post you should be the most skeptical of.\n\nsome random blogger, with little evidence and cute graphs claims huge multinational conspiracies.. without leaks.. and no one educated in the subject has caught it.. but this armchair hero, has discovered their dastardly plans.\n\n\nanyways, yall have noticed that big money, and big power are the ones most against socialism. And al gore has as much to do with global warming as sally struthers has to do with starving kids in africa.. they are fucking proponents, that is all.\n\n 1354303743 +Nice to read! Good on you! 1327505975 +Why do these keep getting so many upvotes? This is dumb. That's not a liberal thing, that's a ridiculous thing. Aura is not a liberal concept.\n\nWhat the fuck. 1324754810 +My friend has this Orion's Belt scar on her ankle. She doesn't know where she got it, but it's been there as long as she can remember. This is curious seeing as it's the configuration of the pyramids of Egypt and the Mayans. Does anybody have similar scars anywhere on their bodies? 1352692705 +I may not like Rebecca Watson, but I don't wish her ill health. Be honest with me - do you have mental problems? 1310511050 +Thanks man, I'll check it out right now. 1338662076 +The Montreal police already have a file on him full of evidence. They've said they can't do anything on threats alone; he has to act before they can intervene. This came up back when PZ Myers drew attention to him on Pharyngula back when Dennis showed up at a big atheist convention in Montreal.\n\nMichael Wheeler has called his mother to let her know what he's doing, though, which is hilarious. 1312986449 +See, that's how I feel about it. It's in schools and shit. Utter absurdity. He moved out a couple months ago. 1296496890 +TL;DR - Refueling plane during training exercises. 1331650609 +Thanks for the post. I have seen his stuff around but never the whole story. The pictures on their own are hard to swallow but you get the whole picture and its a very well documented case. Bought the book now I'm off to look for the documentary....if it's even out yet.\n 1352827910 +I want the mp3! 1292645868 +Mmm salted silicon chips. 1346719096 +Unfortunately, there are no scientists currently modding or significantly contributing to online communities dedicated to the serious and sober research/discussion of UFO and related phenomena, that I am aware of. Those who are doing the talking, including Reddit, Above Top Secret, Open Minds, Coast to Coast, Nighthawk Zone, Cryptomundo, Talk Paranormal, MUFON forum and many, many others represent, at best, somewhat self-educated interest groups with relatively little knowledge and significantly more fluff. In other words, they all have a pretty crummy signal-to-noise ratio. It is always best to just read the literature first and come to these fora with a bulking arsenal of books and research under your belt. All that takes time and, let's face it, most folk are not willing to make the effort to gain that depth of knowledge.\n\nI'm going to do you all a huge favor and point you to a blog from perhaps the greatest UFOlogist still living, though he would never admit to it as he is a deeply modest and innately spiritual fellow. He is also one HELL of a UFO researcher. You won't hear this guy on Coast to Coast. He doesn't have a book out yet (Soon, or so I hear) but his blog pretty much covers the phenomenon from start to end with some incredible new and interesting insights. He is a retired university professor who has recently had to stop posting due to family, and other, time constraining circumstances. Here it is.\n\nThe Big Study:\n\nhttp://thebiggeststudy.blogspot.com/\n\nGo to the archive at the bottom of the page, beginning with 2009, and start there. I guarantee you should consider this a full and comprehensive course on the history and events of UFOlogy (with some other seemingly random and eclectic topics thrown in for full measure)\n\nThis guy has either worked with directly or personally known nearly every UFOlogist you've ever heard of, and many of them still go to this guy for advice and research. You won't find a better resource for UFO knowledge and history on the internet. Good hunting and your welcome. 1286948760 +Noticed that after I had already posted. 1322581165 +[They are working on that with some like the Harrier](http://johns-jokes.com/afiles/images/harrier-jump-jet.jpg) some body parts move/change\n\n\n[And other like the Osprey but mostly just the wings move](http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/4/2/0/1166024.jpg)\n\n\nAnd do a google for '[shape shifting aircraft](http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/09/08/us-aviation-uav-morphing-idUSTRE6874DL20100908)' 1307855100 +Any way to make a quick buck.\n\n>Active Ingredients: Purpose\n>\n>Conium maculatum 6X: light sensitivity, aching **Literally Nothing**\n>\n>Natrium muriaticum 6X: blurred vision **Literally Nothing**\n>\n>Ruta graveolens 6X: eyelid spasms, eyestrain, pressure **Literally Nothing**\n>\n>Senega officinalis 6X: aching, dryness, eyestrain, light sensitivity **Literally Nothing**\n>\n> \n>\n>Other Information:\n>\n>Active ingredients are manufactured according to homeopathic principles.\n>\n> \n>\n>Inactive Ingredients:\n>\n>Borate buffer **Used to keep a neutral pH**\n>\n>Purified water **Good ol' water**\n>\n>Silver sulphate (as preservative) **Not sure if it's actually a preservative. It seems to be a reagent in silver plating, also the permissible occupational exposure limit is .01 mg/m^3 is and the [chem sheet](http://datasheets.scbt.com/sc-203379.pdf) states that "If applied to the eyes, this material causes severe eye damage."**\n>\n>Sodium nitrate **Food preservative**\n\n 1322515324 +Hey, anything is possible. Maybe i hallucinated government drones. 1340585280 +Sometimes people remember things differently than what actually happened. Sometimes friends screw with you. 1322026977 +[lol, now I get it](http://www.reddit.com/r/AdviceAnimals/comments/oim75/cant_we_just_talk_about_this/) 1326675840 +http://dfwparanomalresearchteam.tumblr.com/ and our tumblr 1347412307 +Steven Novella over at [Skeptic Blog](http://skepticblog.org/2011/01/31/homeopathy-pseudoscience-at-the-huffpo/) takes this article on a point by point basis and shows just how full of fail it is and, boy, is it full of fail.\n\n*edit*\n\nThe wiki page for Luc Montagnier goes into some detail over his new research interests and the controversy surrounding it. He's showing all the signs of quakitude, self publishing, claims of persecution, etc. Further, *even if* his research turned out to be 100% correct...it would have zero baring on the effectiveness of homeopathic medicines which can only be determined through clinical trials (like any other medicine). 1298475479 +I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm not a photographer, this picture was taken with my iphone, actually.\nThis is my first time posting to paranormal because I was curious as to what I snapped.\nI was with my mom, and as I said her back was turned. 1350323398 +I don't follow. It's not a harmless preference, like preferring blue over red. Not trusting doctors can get you killed. It can even get others killed, as is happening now with the lack of immunizations causing diseases to spread. \n\nSharing information and discussing ideas with people might save their lives. 1319489710 +Damn. My hypothesis is shot. 1302539976 +Technically, you are correct. All "organic" literally means is carbon-based, and using the same term to mean "food grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers" is really a misnomer -- but I'll be darned if I can come up with an alternative. "Organic" will probably remain its nom de plume until someone figures out a better three-syllable-or-less term for it.\n\nThat said, calling it a "meaningless label" is inaccurate, because there are U.S. agricultural standards regulating what can and can't be called organic food, which growers have to meet or exceed. Those standards are available [here](http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop). So anything labeled "USDA organic" is grown by different rules than standard U.S. agriculture. That usually means grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers.\n\nI've seen some interesting arguments for and against each. Chemical pesticides used today are probably safe to consume long term in the small quantities that remain on washed produce; you're not hearing about people keeling over dead from toxic shock at younger ages if they spent their lives eating food grown with chemical pesticides. On the other hand, DDT and pesticides like it that are now banned from use were once thought to be perfectly harmless, so an argument could be made that eating food without any pesticide residue is a perfectly rational way to avoid the issue entirely.\n\nChemical fertilizers are basically just synthetic nitrogen fixers and do exactly the same thing that manure, fish meal, and other natural fertilizers do. And synthetics are a lot easier to produce. On the other hand, natural fertilizers return a lot more raw organic (as in, carbon-based) material to the soil alongside the nitrogen, so you get less [leaching](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaching_%28agriculture%29) and [soil erosion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erosion#Soil_erosion_and_climate_change).\n\nTo me, it seems likely that the health and environment benefits of so-called "organic" farming are small, but not negligible. It would be nice if there was a method of producing synthetic nitrogen that also replenished the organic matter density of soil. 1292361483 +I for one have tried a number of different types of beers and have tasted differences in each one I've tried 1323788826 +Hah! I googled the wrong rag, sorry. Maybe you can look it up yourself. 1332183524 +according to one man I spoke to recently, all they need to do to cure cancer is "eat better". 1356556789 +Amazing video. Looks like this one also involves a coverup by the FAA. 1331433213 +>the signal-to-noise ratio here is too low.\n\nThis is about the clearest phrasing of that sentiment I've ever seen.\n\nThank you. 1351176487 +Totally agree. It's sad when people speak of survival shows, Bear Grylls comes up first. I try to explain that if they want to see a serious survival experience, with an honest guide and safe, logical information, watch anything Les does. \n\nFucking love that guy. I only wish he started making shows when he was younger. Imagine how much more information he would have to share. 1354744679 +the 33% that believe in psychics in the poll at the end concerns me 1352083172 +I worked for Whole Foods. Its not a "health food" store. Its a store where the food is more expensive because the manufacturers don't cut corners. Its more like a "fine foods" store marketed as a "health food" store. The food is delicious. 1299444492 +Many thanks indeed for all this really interesting contextual information! 1290570220 +Somewhat short answer: homeopaths want to give u medicine watered down so that 1 in 10^30 parts is actual medicine and the rest is water.\n\nAnalogy:\nThe entire planet earth is 6 x 10^24 kg.\n\nThis means if you took **1 kg** of medicine and mixed it with about **1,600,000 earths** (or more than 4 suns), that's the ratio homeopaths are trying to get u to take as medicine. (anyone feel free to correct my math) 1342313722 +Are you saying logic does apply to theism? Or are you saying that logic should apply to theism? If we agree that logic should apply that doesn't mean it does in practice. I fall into the camp where I think skepticism is a science based endeavor and that things falling outside the realm of science do not apply. Again, the age old question of where skepticism fits with regard to atheism. It may simply be a matter of personal opinion as to the meaning of the word skeptic. Bear in mind logic does apply to religious claims (young earth creation) but theism by its very nature has infinitely movable goal posts. And these movable goal posts are perfectly feasible within the theist construct without causing the worldview to break. How can logic apply in such a situation? Not saying that is how it should be, just saying that is how it is. That is why my personal opinion is that the original post is atheist in nature not skeptical. Also please note that I chose the word theism for a very specific reason. I didn't say Christianity, Islam, Hindi or even religion. 1298574901 +I don't know man. \n\nThat would be the fastest moving satellite I've ever seen. 1304182715 +Oh, my mistake. He's only got a Ph.d in Clinical Neurology. 1326848493 +I think it would be stupid to have the government protect an animal that might be non existent,since nobody has ever even come close to capturing one or killing one. 1353900645 +Oh. I see. You think your rational explanations are wrong despite falling back on them as evidence of your rationality.\n\nYou got an answer, but it wasn't the one you were fishing for. Just go ahead and say that you think there is a portal to hell in your bedroom instead of tiptoeing around the point. 1354723031 +I think they live in the ocean, and come to the surface to examine us every once in awhile. 1332824603 +I am going to assume that the lawyer involved didn't actually sue because the wifi was giving cancer...probably some sort of loophole in the law that these guys found and are trying to game by connecting wifi with cancer somehow.\n\nIn the end I want to see the school counter sue for the cost of court at least. 1340494039 +Pretty much anything by The Caretaker:\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fafEPuR1WUM\nOr this tune by Alan Clark that appears on 'Most Haunted':\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwh_erf37vY\n 1355076513 +Homeopathy *is* recognized in many European countries. There are Homeopathic hospitals in England and it's probably more accepted is Germany. 1336326641 +It floats like a ballon 1334295720 +My fellow Americans, Puddlewonderful is hott. God bless the United States of America. 1304314736 +Phew. I feel better now. Also, your username is awesome. 1351776760 +Didn't I [just](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/m4wgn/top_10_worst_antiscience_websites/) post this a month ago? 1324268556 +I think that's [pretty much](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularity) the idea. Though the idea is that if we can produce AI even slightly more intelligent than our us, then it could produce slight more intelligent AI than that and so on. 1335057195 +I disagree. I can't find it now, but there was a study done where a largish group of people was shown 2 lines, one obviously longer than the other. One member of the group was not in on the joke, and answered correctly that the longer of the two was longer. Everyone else, however, had been instructed to answer in the opposite. \n\nIn many cases, the person would give in an agree, because they just assumed they were wrong, as the crowd must know best. \n\nThe conviction of being demonstrably right and yet ignored is different than someone being ignored while simply shouting his conviction. Even if both come out in feelings of frustration, they just aren't the same thing. 1325885432 +Gates is consistently hilarious, but also doesn't seem to balk at doing some fairly dangerous things. I don't see a single night's investigation of any phenomena doing much good, but they have turned up some things like the aforementioned footprint. 1333507789 +Ive always attributed mine to the idea that your mind purposefully induces paralisis(i beg forgiveness for spelling errors) and i just become conscious before the chemical is fully removed from my neurosystem. Im not a brain scientist or rocket surgen, so dont believe me. And the first time for me i swear i heard a demon posses me and felt like i was being possessed. Thank god the internet was here or i might have believed it and driven myself over the edge. 1341771486 +its sugar deposits. hence bruising on fruit. 1346594496 +so wtf did this dude say? i can't find any info on it. i know it was only supposed to be a preview of his findings but you would think there would be something interesting revealed. 1329695164 +I told them that I am not close minded, it's just that I have already heard all of their arguments and they are not convincing. But hey, I'm a dick because I am not convinced by their shitty arguments, but they are not by ignoring mine. You gotta love double standards. 1340028745 +Isn't there multiple pictures and videos of this? 1351042302 +Sounds like he will be just fine, in fact. Praying for him anyway! 1282599595 +The notch's are probably a unique deformity in the mirror used. 1329847061 +Missile test. 1324837349 +It's streaming live from Old South Pittsburg Hospital in TN. 1335578483 +Beat me to it. :( 1296699056 +Can't wait for the accurate [FIXED] with the third column, followed by "It was just a joke, nerd" replies to it. 1330059670 +Music is not absolutely subjective though, there are reasons why something is good or bad, mostly based on the experience of the musicians. For example, if I wrote a song right now, it would fucking suck, and that's a fact. Because I have not spent a lot of time on music and developing skill. Listening to music is also a certain skill, which is why little kids listen to shite. 1299027692 +That must have been a low ceiling cloud. 1342401101 +Actually, no, I'm not arguing anything in terms of homeopathy. At all. Don't give a fig about it. My point has been that the placebo effect - regardless of the trigger, whether it be sugar pill or whatever - is a testable, verifiable, scientifically repeatable effect that, at it's base, is a mental ability shown to exist, if not in any one individual, across the human race.\n\nRandi didn't specify that mental abilities had to be supernatural or that they had to be provable in any given person, only that they had to be scientifically verifiable. The placebo effect is a mental power. Give an inert substance to a test population who have been tested as suffering from any ailment and a sizable fraction will show improvement. Every medical experimenter knows this and allows for it in their results. They don't know what mental ability causes it but it happens.\n\nAnd that would meet all of Randi's challenge's criteria.\n\nThat's all I'm saying.\n\nNo need to go off on a homeopathy. 1304174208 +no, it's what he's saying. This looks exactly like damaged negative, which can have any shape, or even writing. 1330833580 +They might not all be after control and domination. Just like there are charitable human factions I would predict there are benevolent or charitable alien factions too. Especially when the convergence of singularity technology and universal ethics happens in a species. 1336144567 +> but changing from an undeveloped to a developed country happens once in a country's lifetime, unless their society is destroyed. Begin in a constant state of change doesn't mean that it changes from developed to undeveloped all the time...\n\nK, agree to disagree. We'll see if Europe is able to recover from its debt problems.\n\n> Your goal seems to be to get everyone working. I have to ask, why?\n\nThe goal is for everyone to be sufficient for themselves without foreign Aid. If that takes working, then so be it. It'd be great if all economies were successful enough as to not require people working, but i don't think we're there yet.\n\n> However, with sweat shops, it is a self-defeating move. The mere act of working in them detracts from the quality of life.\n\nSource?\n\n> Disease is rampant, as is death.\n\nSource?\n\n> People live to work and work to live. It's a useless life. \n\nSource?\n\n> Why try to implement a system in which people suffer more, compared to the current system, where we have some unemployment, which also happens in societies that do have child labor and sweat shops. In fact, because you enlarge the job pool (including children), your unemployment goes up.\n\nSource? Source? Source?\n\n> And yes, minimum wage laws do "force jobs" to other places, but it also makes the US one of the richest people of the world.\n\nExcept for all those poor people on Welfare that can't even get a job to start with...\n\n> Owners of large factories and big corporations aren't really suffering, and implementing sweat shops might give a few people jobs, but they would get less money overall. \n\nSource?\n\n> The only people who benefit from sweatshops are the owners (at least in the developed world). That is why owners implemented them, after all. Sometimes, their interests add up, but most of the time, they do not.\n\nSource? 1342224390 +Oh thank you. You really changed my worldview. 1299372445 +I'm there too! 1336236102 +Yeah not the music but the name. Damn near certain I remember the name "Florence and the Machine" specifically cuz I thought it would be unusual to have a female lead singer in a metal band (how young and ignorant I was). Best explanation I have so far is I actually heard "Rage Against The Machine" and my memory is just messing up on me, as much as it feels like it can't be. It **has** to be. 1352826425 +I see many words here, but I am not exactly positive what I just read. 1338341056 +Go and ask one of the old shop keepers in town. Something like this was bound to be gossip worthy. 1345238358 +Wikipedia does it better than I ever could. If you find it interesting, I would recommend r/psychonaut and Deoxy.org, they make for a lot of interesting reading often regarding that subject. 1328350641 +I think they *should* be called "doctor", actually. It seems incongruous to award the honorific to any PhD, but not to others who have also earned different doctoral degrees (lawyers, DNPs, pharmacists, etc.). 1331602819 +> Now the legal stuff.... I am required to state the following: You must be 18 years old to purchase. Psychic, paranormal, haunted and/or magical items are for **entertainment purpuses only**. I am not responsible for any paranormal activity you may **or may not experience**.\n\nAlways in the fine print... 1281485615 +You're getting some harsh responses.\n\nI just want to say thanks for the effort :) 1344430093 +CGI... 1294667461 +oh I see, no I didn't read any of the other comments, and I didn't read the link either, I just popped in to share that little snippet, it stands alone :) 1281880425 +Stars do that. They really do change colours. They do it because they are producing the light. In fact, one way you can tell a planet from a star is planets don't twinkle. Just a steady light. Stars twinkle, planets don't. 1329204427 +woo, snarktastic! 1283016077 +The main difference was that the organic milk was UHT- from a box and the regular milk was from the usual gallon jugs. \n\nBut the purpose wasn't to determine if organic milk was superior to regular milk, but rather to determine which of the available milk products I preferred in my latte. It didn't matter *why* I preferred X to Y. I don't care about chemicals- chemicals are one of my 5 food groups, along with sugar, salt, fat, and alcohol. I liked X better- *a lot better*, and that turned out to be the organic.\n\n 1338478290 +On the talk page on Relativity, Andy Schafly has made it quite clear that he takes the page seriously... Jesus' miracles disprove relativity because they apparently worked faster than the speed of light. 1288741585 +Wow, you are condescending. You said that military organization has "always been hierarchical." This is not true. You're shifting the argument to something that is more convenient for you to defend. 1332110740 +My friend's old chiropractor was a former Playboy playmate of the month. Not that it speaks to her intelligence, but it was pretty funny. 1317178351 +Holy crapolla, Batman! It appears that any fertilized egg would be considered a person, since they define the fetus and human rights at fertilization. So when they try to get you pregnant in the lab by fertilizing the egg first, they could get the death penalty if it doesn't take. Really? 1299677865 +its peculiar that it is such an unpleasant segment that keeps replaying. That sounds awful. Do you suppose this segment keeps playing as a form of PTSD? 1352075605 +How are you? 1288448486 +I think I will laugh like a maniac if it turns out aliens are real and have visited. There's been so many witnesses and sources saying so, but for the mass of the worlds population, its just sci fi. Dumb bastards. 1342790323 +I don't challenge the belief in reiki/healing touch. My mother has severe, untreatable chronic pain from her illness. I know logically that having me sit there and put my hands on her only curbs her discomfort by placebo, but it's also one of the few comforts for her that I have control over. She uses a massive range of real evidence-based medicine in addition; if she didn't, that's when I'd start having a problem. 1309627695 +Yeah, you are definitely right, bad ideas die hard, but hopefully some of the more moderate supporters will sway. I am probably being overly optimistic regarding my faith in humanity though. 1302583791 +http://www.huliq.com/10282/ufo-sightings-reveal-more-strange-metal-boxes-along-coastal-beaches I guess the British Government documented similar boxes in Sri Lanka.\n 1329107865 +Experts are incredibly important, or did you expect that you'd be able to fit all the knowledge in the world inside that little head of yours in your short little life? 1334678013 +Yup, I get these from time to time, especially when I'm over-tired. 1340089088 +For example, he says that we don't understand electricity, no one does, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The explicit message is that electricity is a wondrous mystery. The implicit meaning is that anyone who tells you differently is full of baloney, and clearly making things up, so don't trust them! But there are actually many, many people (physicists and electrical engineers and chemists) that do very much understand electricity. They know exactly what it is, and how it behaves, and why it does the seemingly magical things it does.\n\nSo if you were to take this guy at his word, and distrust the people who have spent their lives studying these phenomena, then the moment they started saying, "no, but look, THIS is how it works, we checked!" you'd turn around and say, "pssh, no one understands electricity, and the fact that you think you do makes you delusional and not worth listening to." 1348711382 +They stuck the three of us in the same room so they could make sure we wernt drinking they were hard asses about under aged drinking, but we drank our asses off when we hit 21 1345249150 +Yes, but even more skeptical of the assertion that we don't, given the paucity of evidence. 1253059965 +Why do none of these have sufficient explanations even for crazy shit?\n\nSo the Ring UFO, was it an actual ring or funky cloud?\nSeems like there was quite a few shots of what is clearly a cloud and the black ring is superimposed. Were the others ones also supposed to highlight where this cloud is or meant to be the actual UFO?\n\nHollow Earth? People actually believe this shit? So the earth is actually a small Dyson Sphere? Wouldn't the atmosphere be sucked towards the core, and not adhering to the inner wall? What of the expansion and contraction of gas? How do we account for the gravitational pull of the Earth, if it was hollow it'd have a much smaller pull. \n\nSky Hum? Sounded an awful lot like some kind of industrial sound. Far off mining, explosions/blasting, aircraft, weapons test, etc... 1339026489 +[imgur link](http://imgur.com/469a4.jpg) to just the article and comments. \n\nFull page [imgur link](http://imgur.com/rn6Jx.jpg) to get the feel of the site/page.\n\nLet's not give them any more ad dollars or site traffic please. 1283080976 +Best quote ever. 1356891592 +Best quote ever. 1343684863 +This whole thing terrifies me. I just can't get over how childish that logic of dilution is, when it is so obvious that that lets them sell sugar pills at pharmaceutical prices. Don't people know that "anecdotal evidence" means "this is really shady"? 1311807106 +In all seriousness, you *are* part of the problem. Disagree with her, dislike her if you will, but maintain a level of discourse higher than that. 1321152939 +This isn't intended to sound as ghoulish as it does, but: I want to see more recent deaths! 1350807532 +Monsanto is hated because their business practices are evil. Not because GMOs are bad. They aren't. 1330122273 +I find it funny... my Deja Vu I always feel coming... it's like... I know what's coming... and I think... I'm not going to do what I know comes next... except then suddenly that's exactly what I did in my Deja Vu... and my thoughts about fighting my Deja Vu are part of my Deja Vu.\n\nLike the whole time travel piece... if you traveled back in time to tell yourself something... you'd already know it. 1334770600 +Wow. Thanks. I certainly didn't expect that. I am still new to reddit, but it still blows me away just how ready people here are to genuinely give...\n\nIt almost certainly won't be happening for the next few months anyway; though we will see what happens at TAM - that is going to be something of a big event for us, where we will get some really good feedback and exposure and be able to finally assess our path much more effectively (and hopefully pick up a few advisors to help us out along the way) 1338223537 +Or as juno said he has a financial incentive to purport supposed benefits even though evidence is lacking. Or in his words\n\n"I have a business where I teach people to exercise and use the paleo diet to shed body fat and remove the symptoms of many auto-immune diseases, BTW."\n\nI'm not saying the diet does work for losing weight but it simply could be that a restrictive diet (no matter the specifics) + exercise generally results in weight loss. Usually short term though since the majority of people go off their diet eventually.\n\nhttp://motivatedandfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Diets_dont_work.pdf\n\nand here is a small albeit interesting study that could use some follow up experiments\n\nhttp://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1105816\n\n 1329639568 +s/riend/ather 1292860293 +You apparently deleted your two links before I could respond to them?\n\nI've read the first link before. It's not a condemnation of the WAPF but rather an argument against "holistic dental practices" or whatever, right? I have never seen the WAPF advocate any of those dubious practices. Like I said, their articles from trained biologists on, say, trans fats, on wheat and its effects on human metabolism -- these articles are rock solid, and I challenge you to show me otherwise.\n\nThe second comes from a vegetarian source. I agree with some of the things it says about Sally Fallon. And yes, the WAPF has a very anti-vegetarian bent. But, it's very inaccurate to say that the WAPF condemns the use of whole grains. \n\nIn fact, one of the biggest complaints in the from the Paleo diet camp is that the WAPF **advocates** the consumption of whole grains **when properly prepared via soaking, sprouting, fermenting, etc. and other "traditional techniques."** Some of the more strict Paleo people prefer to avoid these grains altogether, while some of the more permissive Paleo/Primal people are all for it. \n\nNone of these articles have attacked the credibility of the WAPF's core message on its own merits. As I understand it, the WAPF advocates\n\n* a diet based on real foods\n\n* preferably based on high quality meats and dairy; local, fresh vegetables and fruit; \n\n* rich in fat-soluble vitamins ADEK, \n\n* relatively high in omega-3 fatty acids, low in omega-6 fatty acids\n\nLook, I'm not a WAPF fanboy. I don't particularly care for their rhetoric, I think some of what they do is misguided, and I think the organization does a lot of things other than what Price advocated. But every time I see criticisms of the WAPF on here, I never see anything substantive. \n\nLike I said, the science-based articles from Masterjohn and Enig are golden. I have yet to see a credible criticism of their work. \n\nThe links you posted were:\n\nhttp://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/holisticdent.html\nhttp://www.vegsource.com/news/2009/11/reflections-on-the-weston-a-price-foundation.html 1290098083 +> I down voted you because you came on r/ufos to say that extra terrestrials dont exist because cameras. \n\nOK... Aliens aren't visiting Earth because of a heck of a lot more than just cameras... For instance, faster than light travel is physically impossible, and without it, the journey here would take almost forever (and require an insane amount of energy). Of course, warp drive is theoretically possible (but would require even more energy). And, just how did the aliens know we were here? Unless they lived within roughly 60 light years, they couldn't possibly know that. And, there aren't very many planets within that distance... 1348379110 +Your user name is hilariously relevant. 1346311579 +I think it all depends on how you define "perpetual motion". The green water in the flask is cool, but even if it works a presented, it won't be "perpetual" due to evaporation. Once enough liquid evaporates to chnage the weight of the water pushing down, the machine will stop. 1356804338 +Thanks for keeping this up, by the way. It's rare for people who've been targets of skepticism to be so open to criticism, and it shows integrity, which i do appreciate. (EDIT: Of course it's fascinating to me as well. Hope that's obvious.)\n\nI'll say that i'm skeptical of some of the responses you've shared. Precise acupoints are part of the historical and theoretical basis for acupuncture; if the precision turns out not to matter, what reason is there to support the theory of meridians at all? The acupuncturist's response that there may be an unlimited number of acupoints makes the theory itself basically useless. It sounds very much like an example of [special pleading](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_pleading). The fingertip acupoint objection to the negative EFT study sounds similar, especially given that the precision of points has been shown not to matter much in other applications.\n\nEssentially it comes down to this: It will always be possible to come up with an explanation for each problem with a hypothesis (like meridian theory) while maintaining that the hypothesis is true. (Carl Sagan wrote a [great illustration](http://www.users.qwest.net/~jcosta3/article_dragon.htm) of this principle.) We must decide for ourselves when the explanations become too cumbersome, too elaborate, or too implausible to be of any use, and the better explanation is that the hypothesis itself is wrong. (I'm invoking Occam's razor; have you come across it already?)\n\nAs a side note, there's a subtlety in the language that might be contaminating our dialogue, and i might be guilty of it myself. There are studies that *show evidence for* EFT, and there are studies that *do not show evidence for* EFT. It's not quite right to say that a study shows that EFT works or proves EFT, or to say that another study shows that EFT doesn't work or disproves EFT.\n\nAnyway, i took a closer look at [these studies](http://eftuniverse.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=#anxiety) on anxiety. Are there other studies on EFT for anxiety that you've come across other than the list at your third original link? It turns out that the literature there is weaker than i thought before. Basically, what needs to be shown for EFT to be accepted as a practice is that it is at least as good as, if not better than, standard psychotherapeutic methods. Of the 15 articles listed under "Anxiety", in three (3, 7, 8) the patients were self-selected, making the "study" just a collection of testimonials; two more (4, 6) were pilots; two others (5, 15) still used no controls; three others (1, 9, 10) used no treatment as a control (meaning, they compared EFT to no treatment, rather than an alternative treatment); one (12) compared EFT to a placebo version of itself; and one (13) was not a study. Of the three remaining that compared EFT to alternative treatment, two found either no difference (2) or inconsistent results (11). Only the [14th study](http://eftuniverse.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3570&Itemid=2071) found EFT to be superior to an alternative ([progressive muscular relaxation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_muscle_relaxation)). So, as it seems to me, the existing literature suggests that EFT is no better than other methods, or at least there is no reason to conclude *from* the literature that EFT is better, at relieving anxiety. 1343018825 +You misunderstand the definition of coercion. Threats of violence are coercive. False advertising isn't forcing anyone to buy the product. Thus it is not coercive. If you're so concerned about fraud, then sign a contract with the seller stipulating they will be held liable in a private court of arbitration if their product does not perform as stated. 1309658351 +I just might trust you if you could spell. 1354147571 +I Support Richard Dawkins Foundation. 1279644901 +Debates can go on forever...this ongoing [Intelligent Design](http://www.facebook.com/Teach.Intelligent.Design/posts/480441078201?ref=notif&notif_t=feed_comment#!/Teach.Intelligent.Design) debate is getting pretty ridiculous.\n\n 1294033638 +Agreed. The problem rises when people fill in the blanks. I know there are power structures out there that conspire, but I don't claim to know their motives or actual agendas. For the most part I think it is like the quote you posted. A lot of it is informal. People don't need to plot and plan behind closed doors when their interest converge. Its a collective phenomenon dictated by the rules and incentives of society. 1346311684 +A probability. My parents and lots of their friends are anti-vaxxers (luckily they got into it after my sister and I got most of our childhood vaccines) \n\nThey see it as black or white. Vaccines = bad. They don't understand the details and don't really want to. When faced with someone who doesn't even want to understand their own opinion, there's nothing you can do but ignore them and try to make sure they don't get control. 1355826260 +When the hell did they re-legalize mechanically separated beef and where do I get me some? 1332946586 +I am a firm believer. \nNever saw one myself. And I believe 99.999% of all sightings are one of three things; misidentified natural phenomenon, misidentified man-made devices, or flat out hoaxes. However there is that .001% that just don't fit any of the three. There are several well known reports by reliable people that just cant be explained. Four in particular stand out off the top of my head. \n\n[Japan Air Lines flight 1628 incident](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Air_Lines_flight_1628_incident)\n\n[Lonnie Zamora Incident](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonnie_Zamora) (by the way I have visited and photographed this site, and some of the physical evidence still exists nearly 50 years later)\n\n[Betty and Barney Hill abduction](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_and_Barney_Hill_abduction)\n\n[Rendlesham Forest incident](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendlesham_Incident)\n\n**Edit** \n\nI have seen an aircraft that doesn't fit any known conventions once. However I am sure that it was one of ours. (US Black project.) 1314326581 +An open mind is important. But only to a reasonable extent. Should I keep an 'open mind' that Reddit is really run by aliens, and that logo is a sign of their true nature? No, of course not. There's no reason to. In my opinion it's completely obvious that this is art being created by people. 1244070271 +Looks like a coin toss! 1330406173 +Yeah... suicide girls needs fake reddit accounts for traffic.\n\nNo.\n\nIt is obviously in skeptic because she is from the show myth busters, a highly skeptical show on Discovery. 1301547187 +If you're around the Terre Haute area (my hometown!), check out the Terre Haute Historical Museum and Mogger's Brewery (best restaurant in town). At the museum, the upstairs has a room full of porcelain dolls (I shit you not), which is simply creepy on the best of days, but sometimes the eyes/heads have moved. Every time I go in there, I ALWAYS feel like I'm being stared at. And with Moggers, there's been a TON of sightings, weird feelings, temperature changes, etc. Its a very historic building in the oldest part of town. 1327262550 +In terms of the burial at sea: They had to take the body in order to confirm the identity. Once you have it, what do you do with it? If they held on to it, it would be seen as desecration. It makes sense that Saudi Arabia would reject the offer, as they wouldn't want a terrorist shrine in their country. \n\nWhether it's a proper Islamic burial may be questionable, but given the circumstances, it was probably seen as the least disrespectful alternative. \n\nI think the story *was* questioned. My first thought was, "Oh, really? That's convenient." And then my second thought was that making a claim like that without being absolutely certain would be unbelievably stupid. I don't trust Obama as far as I can spit, but I don't think he's an idiot either. 1304556352 +I'm aware. I'm at an MD school in the US right now and I rotate in hospitals where DOs work and they all seem perfectly capable to me. In Canada that's definitely not the case though, which is why this article (and the people here) are treating it like an issue of alt medicine woo rather than normal medical mismanagement. 1335372206 +>Stephens said there are only two possible explanations for Sasquatch sightings in the U.S. One is the sightings are simply hoaxes and the other is there are large unidentified primates hidden in the woods and mountains.\n\nThat we have never found any bones of so they must be the only primate with cartilage instead of bone. They are all apparently the **ONLY** primates that live exclusively solitary lives so they must have some sort of magical sex-radar that brings them together when they mate. You heard me magical sex-radar. I discovered it. I am now a big foot expert. Pay me History Channel. 1338497736 +That hurts. 1302914449 +Upvote for "codswallop" (which I had never heard before but looked up) 1317306782 +I never knew that much about them, except one in university who was upset, like seriously upset I didn't believe in God. To each their own for me, but I was like damn....\n\nMy brother was with Assembly of God for a bit... so yeah I understand the cultish aspects. Glad to hear you broke out. 1353525838 +You went to a thing and ran into the guy responsible for that thing? Amaz!ng. 1311477779 +Possible, however I asked her and my grandma about the layout of the house and both said the phone was in the kitchen and my mom slept upstairs and down a hall. It's unlikely, but possible. 1326751296 +You're my boy, Blue! 1311558941 +The flu has yet to significantly harm you... But it does harm others. What if you pass it on to someone who is immune-compromised? 1335060681 +I have no idea what the "pre 2009" thing is, but it sounds like "pseudo-astrology". 1295076517 +Just wanted to comment and upvote so you know that someone is paying attention and appreciates any pics or accounts you may follow up with. 1352574161 +um...what does one use as as placebo for sugar? 1295413967 +This is really cool... I would like to see another witness video though. Surely someone else saw this... 1329931093 +Ah-hah, well said! 1304616808 +That's just your reptilian brain being a dick.\n\nEDIT: The reptilian brain is also known as the hind brain. 1332273292 +Just think about it. If this was true, do you think the government would let you use the water? Despite most of reddit's hate for the government it does do good things. 1345242664 +>Does a cat have any real understanding of enjoyment in regards to where it places itself?\n\nEveryone who's had a cat can probably answer this one with a "very likely yes".\n\n>They are simple mammals without much comprehension aside from how to find food, mate, shit and sleep.\n\nActually, because they are such good hunters, cats (even in the wild) spend a lot of time idling. It is theorized that all that free time helps develop cognitive processes. Though not as trainable as dogs, they are said to be of similar intelligence.\n\nThey are also highly territorial and "possessive", i.e. they do have a territorial concept of ownership of places but also some objects. It seems likely the cat could definitely consider the box as part of his possessions.\n\nBut, yeah, this really doesn't have anything to do with /r/skeptic... :-) 1349540980 +Would haunt my flat by doing crazy shit all over the night and in the morning my victim would wake up with a tpast made for him. 1323717850 +He said he put his hand down..... 1334851787 +The report contains analysis of mostly eyewitness accounts.\n\nThe point is that there is a huge gap between an unidentified object in the sky and that object belonging to visitors from another planet. Something that you seem to have a problem grasping. 1349508912 +( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 1353396138 +http://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/890bq/ya_know_what_im_callin_it_dr_amy_tuteur_md_of/ 1259705016 +But then nothing is ever "no" and response in the negative has a "... but unlikely" after it. 1305573602 +"Boy did I enjoy that intelligent, well written, and incredibly insightful article by Jenny McCarthy."\nSaid noone ever. 1350747439 +Very possibly. I've driven down that freeway at the time this had been shot many times for the past 6 months. I've seen very similar objects. They all occurred in a time frame between about when this was shot and mid July. They all did similar things: disappear and reappear, move in direct lines(vertical and horizontal) in abrupt bursts, and slowly move down the coast.\n\n\nOne separate story was during a blackout we had about 10 months ago or so. I was on the phone with my girlfriend when I started to see the lights. There were 4 flocks of 3 lights flying in a triangle formation. One flock would appear and disappear as it flew in a straight path, only to reappear and vanish for good... but the next one would perfectly emulate the last, appearing and disappearing in the same exact area... That was my first truly WTF experience... the GF was telling me I'm just freaking out about some plane. \n 1347713751 +I've got AstronomyCast, Skeptic's Guide To The Universe, SGU 5x5, QuackCast, Chariots of Iron and Atheist News in my subscriptions. They all deliver. 1299794303 +Same thing happened to me, They're everywhere! 1340309152 +Just respond with [this video of a robotic hummingbird built for DARPA](http://youtu.be/NuD1WKHsggs?t=1m20s). I wonder if the engineers who built this sat around and thought really hard until it sprung into reality or if they followed the laws of physics to help them build this beauty? 1340400448 +It's rather, if not entirely subjective. 1337137116 +This is where I like to use the word "suspect" instead of "believe".\n\nI strongly suspect that there is life on other planets, but until we have good evidence I don't believe it. 1328351687 +ScienceDaily is pretty much just press releases - so you're not going to get much (any) critical analysis there. 1294215804 +>I would keep an open mind about the Ouija board, you and whoever accompanies you has to believe it works\n\nThis is where it falls apart. People die of voodoo because they believe it works. That doesn't mean that voodoo is an authentic, repeatable, infallible ritual practice. All it means is that the human brain is affected strongly by believing in something.\n\nIf I truly, with all my heart, believed that every time the person across this office sneezed, that I would get nauseous and throw up, then I would very likely become nauseous and throw up everytime that person sneezed. But that *does not mean that their sneezing causes my vomiting*. It means that my *belief* causes the vomiting. It's an *extremely* important distinction.\n\nThings are either real or they are not real, and if personal belief is required in order for it to "work," then it doesn't actually work. In the soon-to-be-immortal words of astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson: "The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it." *That* is what makes something real. Your perception, your belief, your preconceived notions are irrelevant. It is true with or without you. Truth doesn't care about you one tiny little bit. The ouija board, clearly, is only effective if you believe it to be so, and that means it's your perception that makes it "real," and that means that it isn't actually real. 1335458681 +The fnords reference is excellent and well-appreciated. The truth of the matter is that we are hardly credulous over at the Lamp. We are definitely aware of the occult and of the various interpretations of the global conspiracy dedicated to the total domination of every living man woman and child of this earth from now until eternity's dusk. But that doesn't make any of us more motivated to believe in the Corn Demon - probably less so, given what the Occult Elite are capable of.\n\nIt just as surely doesn't mean there's no such thing. I'm still inclined to think this is a metaphor for INS, either overt or unconscious and Jungian. And it may be a social workers' ploy to motivate interest in the plight of migrant workers. I'm not sure that would be a bad thing, either. What I do know is that it's unlikely somebody ran over the fence, since that property belongs to what looks to be a fairly prosperous farmer, and I'd think the Sheriff's department would already have been called out to the site. Unless the deputy lied to us, which is absolutely a possibility.\n\nYour point about the culturally-ingrained forces that encourage some Latinos to understand reality as embracing the supernatural was both cogent and wholly appropriate.\n\nR 1344636558 +> To be eligible for a refund, together with return postage, you will need to return a genuine Power Balance product along with proof of purchase (including credit card records, store barcodes and receipts) from an authorised reseller in Australia.\n\nThey have provided enough hoops to jump through to effectively evade paying out for their misleading conduct. Fuckers. 1294083033 +They don't even know how to use paint. Plus it went straight from the phone to the computer. I checked all the apps and he didn't have any worth noting. I just want to find the pic of the girl to recreate this to prove to my brother that it's fake. And if i can't then it's just only a little creepy, but still unrealistic. 1332431262 +> decades even\n\nNo, the first Disclosure Project [press conference](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;cd=5&amp;ved=0CEEQtwIwBA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7vyVe-6YdUk&amp;ei=WJPNTauRJOLo0QHAv9ngDQ&amp;usg=AFQjCNGH8DinrHiRStVSXu5hhU3A1xTr0g&amp;sig2=mURW8s3v4kaHy4md2yJMyg) was held in 2001. \n\nI think many, many people in the Disclosure Project have divulged whatever evidence they have, including [John Callahan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_w1OPgoR5M). There is surely no 'smoking gun' but to say they haven't put forth any evidence is a bit misleading. 1305317917 +not to mention the conspiracy theorist shite as a whole... 1309300711 +smarter then you dude 1318671249 +>f you don't already believe in the paranormal and have experience with it, this post isn't for you.\n\nLet me know if you change your mind. 1344359488 +it does sound looped, but my parents dogs sound looped as well. Its the same celebration every time. 1277392688 +If you are looking for more information the following links may be helpful. \n\nJoint Chiefs Of Staff report - http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/ufo/joint_chiefs_staff_report.pdf \n\nDocument explaining how the documents were released and whom they were sent to at the time - http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/ufo/us_gov_iran_case.pdf 1345731119 +Not downvoted because you raise some points that are worth addressing.\n\nAn ad hominem is an argument against *a position* grounded in negative qualities of someone who holds it. The article would be making an ad hominem if, for instance, it claimed that we should believe in anthropogenic global warming simply because the people arguing against it are unreliable or corrupt. The article is instead making the case that Lindzen is unreliable and corrupt, and that he is a poor representative of the scientific community or of scientific thinking. It seems to me that their case is legitimate, if not airtight.\n\nMuch more importantly, dissecting the claims and credentials of specific deniers is not necessariy in order to simply observe that a scientific consensus has been arrived at, slowly and carefully, over several decades, due to the accumulation of a vast body of evidence that has won over almost every legitimate skeptic. Pretty much anyone who confidently asserts that global warming is fiction is either negligibly informed or a bona fide denier. Asserting that global warming is happening is not "advocacy"; it is science. 1330279177 +Sticky sweat for higher friction combined with the fact they're leaning backwards a bit so the object can rest on them. 1330840328 +Tylrbob and squirrelbones are geniuses that only want to teach and show others the truth. Listen to these sage men and learn from their wisdom. 1315544262 +I'm sure he does. I havent asked him about it because he likes to talk. \n\nHe will go on and on even to other topics without noticing if I care or letting me get a word in. I don't think its necesarily intentional but its annoying enough that I try not to talk/debate with him that much. 1345681094 +I feel like this subject comes up every two months here, and people fail to realize it's an optical illusion caused by our atmosphere... 1343513744 +Caffe latte means coffee and milk, it's a simple drink. Italians are not nearly so pretentious as Americans ordering coffee by fucking up Italian.\n\nEdit: I love coffee. I hate coffee "culture". 1319134235 +This has been happening to me for years and I've only had two people witness it first hand. A month ago and I went for a walk in my neighborhood with my boyfriend and 8 went out in a row when I walked underneath. One didn't come back on right away and when I walked back under it it came back on.\nNo one ever believes me, so I stopped telling people about it until they see it happen! 1350830704 +Just say, "where does it say that?" 1336308671 +To be a hard core truther you got to strip your gear down. 1336902404 +Never said we would. But...\n\n<Gets behind podium> I want to see a world in which pure shit-peddlers are the exception, not the norm. I want to see a world where at least some of the kids out there aren't just *told* not to bullshit their way through life, but have parents who model the minimized-bullshit lifestyle.\n\n<Raises volume> I want to see a world where lying sacks of shit are revealed for the oozing, festering stinkpiles they are.\n\n<Thumps podium> My fellow Americans! I want to see a world where empirical evidence is valued, and faith devalued. I want to see a world where "believe this because I say so" isn't enough! Where parents, freed from the shackles of bullshit themselves, turn against the very idea of inflicting it on their children!\n\n<Takes a deep breath> Thank you. And Morgan Freeman bless. 1312412674 +Aw! There's also an experimental variation of this method that I call the Mr. Charles Gambit, but haven't tried it out on anyone yet. Basically same thing, except that you announce every stage of it to the person. i.e. "I've caught you in contradicting statements X and Y. The discomfort you are experiencing right now holding these two contradicting ideas at the same time is called 'cognitive dissonance', in a moment you're gonna try to Z in order to exclude Y from contradicting with X"\n\nMight come off as arrogant, so use at own risk! 1343343163 +You're making the claim that I'm a solipsist and I'm supposed to tell you why you're wrong? The burden of proof is on you, friend... 1328457725 +Google Dr. Jonathan Reed, although I believe it's been a proven hoax, still a neat video to watch. \n\n[I know it's myspace, but here's a ton of stuff about it. A little one sided though.](http://www.myspace.com/528233814) 1334944305 +We went to the petstore to buy some feeder fish. The girl fished them out of the tank and into the baggie and counted 5 (5 for a dollar), the cashier counted 5 and rung us up.\n\nOn the way home my son said Hey, there's 6 in here. My wife verified, yep there's 6 not 5. Cool, a free one!\n\nWe got home and put them in the turtle tank (an occasional treat) and he started chasing them. There were now 7 fish, further verified after he had eaten a couple (easy to see) there were still 5 left. We all counted them separately several times. I was confused. 1341775950 +Except that not all skeptics are atheists, and vice versa. 1323542919 +Go for it. I'd imagine there are many, many people who work on tv shows that think the show is garbage. Heck there are people in every field that think that the company they work for is worthless. 1305573658 +Get real. You're having some trouble over on another thread. This post is the equivilent of a brat yelling "I'm gonna tell on you!" 1354810421 +^ a b c Lamberg M, Hausen H, Vartiainen T. Symptoms experienced during periods of actual and supposed water fluoridation. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1997;25(4):291–5. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0528.1997.tb00942.x. PMID 9332806.\n^ a b c d e f g h i Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations for using fluoride to prevent and control dental caries in the United States. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2001;50(RR-14):1–42. PMID 11521913. Lay summary: CDC, 2007-08-09.\n^ a b c d e f g h i j k Pizzo G, Piscopo MR, Pizzo I, Giuliana G. Community water fluoridation and caries prevention: a critical review. Clin Oral Investig. 2007;11(3):189–93. doi:10.1007/s00784-007-0111-6. PMID 17333303.\n^ a b Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–2008. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved December 7, 2010.\n^ a b Taricska JR, Wang LK, Hung YT, Li KH. Fluoridation and defluoridation. In: Wang LK, Hung YT, Shammas NK, editors. Advanced Physicochemical Treatment Processes. Humana Press; 2006. (Handbook of Environmental Engineering 4). doi:10.1007/978-1-59745-029-4_9. ISBN 978-1-59745-029-4. p. 293–315.\n^ a b WHO Expert Committee on Oral Health Status and Fluoride Use. Fluorides and oral health [PDF]. 1994.\n^ a b c Hobson WL, Knochel ML, Byington CL, Young PC, Hoff CJ, Buchi KF. Bottled, filtered, and tap water use in Latino and non-Latino children. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007;161(5):457–61. doi:10.1001/archpedi.161.5.457. PMID 17485621.\n^ a b c d e Petersen PE, Lennon MA. Effective use of fluorides for the prevention of dental caries in the 21st century: the WHO approach [PDF]. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2004;32(5):319–21. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0528.2004.00175.x. PMID 15341615.\n^ a b Parnell C, Whelton H, O'Mullane D. Water fluoridation. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2009;10(3):141–8. PMID 19772843.\n^ a b c d e f g h i National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia). A systematic review of the efficacy and safety of fluoridation [PDF]. 2007 [cited 2009-10-13]. ISBN 1864964154. Summary: Yeung CA. A systematic review of the efficacy and safety of fluoridation. Evid Based Dent. 2008;9(2):39–43. doi:10.1038/sj.ebd.6400578. PMID 18584000. Lay summary: NHMRC, 2007.\n^ a b c d e f g h McDonagh M, Whiting P, Bradley M et al. A systematic review of public water fluoridation [PDF]; 2000. Report website: NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. Fluoridation of drinking water: a systematic review of its efficacy and safety; 2000 [cited 2009-05-26]. Authors' summary: McDonagh MS, Whiting PF, Wilson PM et al.. Systematic review of water fluoridation [PDF]. BMJ. 2000;321(7265):855–9. doi:10.1136/bmj.321.7265.855. PMID 11021861. PMC 27492. Authors' commentary: Treasure ET, Chestnutt IG, Whiting P, McDonagh M, Wilson P, Kleijnen J. The York review—a systematic review of public water fluoridation: a commentary. Br Dent J. 2002;192(9):495–7. doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.4801410a. PMID 12047121.\n^ a b c d e Fawell J, Bailey K, Chilton J, Dahi E, Fewtrell L, Magara Y. Fluoride in Drinking-water [PDF]. World Health Organization; 2006. ISBN 92-4-156319-2. Environmental occurrence, geochemistry and exposure. p. 5–27.\n^ a b c d e f g Jones S, Burt BA, Petersen PE, Lennon MA. The effective use of fluorides in public health. Bull World Health Organ. 2005;83(9):670–6. PMID 16211158. PMC 2626340.\n^ a b CDC. Ten great public health achievements—United States, 1900–1999. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1999;48(12):241–3. PMID 10220250. Reprinted in: JAMA. 1999;281(16):1481. doi:10.1001/jama.281.16.1481. PMID 10227303.\n^ a b c d Burt BA, Tomar SL. Changing the face of America: water fluoridation and oral health. In: Ward JW, Warren C. Silent Victories: The History and Practice of Public Health in Twentieth-century America. Oxford University Press; 2007. ISBN 0-19-515069-4. p. 307–22.\n^ a b Sellers C. The artificial nature of fluoridated water: between nations, knowledge, and material flows. Osiris. 2004;19:182–200. doi:10.1086/649401. PMID 15478274.\n^ a b c Division of Oral Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC. Water fluoridation statistics for 2006; 2008-09-17 [cited 2008-12-22].\n^ a b c d e f g The British Fluoridation Society; The UK Public Health Association; The British Dental Association; The Faculty of Public Health. One in a Million: The facts about water fluoridation. 2nd ed. Manchester: British Fluoridation Society; 2004. ISBN 095476840X. The extent of water fluoridation [PDF]. p. 55–80.\n^ a b c d e Selwitz RH, Ismail AI, Pitts NB. Dental caries. Lancet. 2007;369(9555):51–9. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60031-2. PMID 17208642.\n^ a b Ethics:\nMcNally M, Downie J. The ethics of water fluoridation. J Can Dent Assoc. 2000;66(11):592–3. PMID 11253350.\nCohen H, Locker D. The science and ethics of water fluoridation. J Can Dent Assoc. 2001;67(10):578–80. PMID 11737979.\n^ a b c Cheng KK, Chalmers I, Sheldon TA. Adding fluoride to water supplies [PDF]. BMJ. 2007;335(7622):699–702. doi:10.1136/bmj.39318.562951.BE. PMID 17916854. PMC 2001050.\n^ a b c d Armfield JM. When public action undermines public health: a critical examination of antifluoridationist literature. Aust New Zealand Health Policy. 2007;4:25. doi:10.1186/1743-8462-4-25. PMID 18067684. PMC 2222595.\n^ a b National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. The story of fluoridation; 2008-12-20 [cited 2010-02-06].\n^ a b Ripa LW. A half-century of community water fluoridation in the United States: review and commentary [PDF]. J Public Health Dent. 1993;53(1):17–44. doi:10.1111/j.1752-7325.1993.tb02666.x. PMID 8474047.\n^ Gibson-Moore H. Water fluoridation for some—should it be for all?. Nutr Bull. 2009;34(3):291–5. doi:10.1111/j.1467-3010.2009.01762.x.\n^ Hudson K, Stockard J, Ramberg Z. The impact of socioeconomic status and race-ethnicity on dental health. Sociol Perspect. 2007;50(1):7–25. doi:10.1525/sop.2007.50.1.7.\n^ Vargas CM, Ronzio CR. Disparities in early childhood caries. BMC Oral Health. 2006;6(Suppl 1):S3. doi:10.1186/1472-6831-6-S1-S3. PMID 16934120. PMC 2147596.\n^ a b Griffin SO, Jones K, Tomar SL. An economic evaluation of community water fluoridation [PDF]. J Public Health Dent. 2001;61(2):78–86. doi:10.1111/j.1752-7325.2001.tb03370.x. PMID 11474918.\n^ a b Petersen PE. World Health Organization global policy for improvement of oral health—World Health Assembly 2007 [PDF]. Int Dent J. 2008;58(3):115–21. PMID 18630105.\n^ Horowitz HS. Decision-making for national programs of community fluoride use. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2000;28(5):321–9. doi:10.1034/j.1600-0528.2000.028005321.x. PMID 11014508.\n^ a b c d e Reeves TG. Centers for Disease Control. Water fluoridation: a manual for engineers and technicians [PDF]; 1986 [cited 2008-12-10].\n^ a b c Lauer WC. Water Fluoridation Principles and Practices. 5th ed. Vol. M4. American Water Works Association; 2004. (Manual of Water Supply Practices). ISBN 1-58321-311-2. History, theory, and chemicals. p. 1–14.\n^ Nicholson JW, Czarnecka B. Fluoride in dentistry and dental restoratives. In: Tressaud A, Haufe G, editors. Fluorine and Health. Elsevier; 2008. ISBN 978-0-444-53086-8. p. 333–78.\n^ Division of Oral Health, National Center for Prevention Services, CDC. Fluoridation census 1992 [PDF]. 1993 [cited 2008-12-29].\n^ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Engineering and administrative recommendations for water fluoridation, 1995. MMWR Recomm Rep. 1995;44(RR-13):1–40. PMID 7565542.\n\n 1318789593 +One of the key errors I find in the concept of machines making humans "obsolete" is that idea that machines are more efficient than humans by default. Look at what we need to survive and what we built with these little means. Compare that to running a machine. A single EMP strike could wipe out an entire machine population in one blow. A single virus could destroy a perfectly connected computer network. It's the "randomness" of life and humanity in particular that makes it so damn robust. Not perfect but perfectly tuned to this planet's environment.\n\nAlso, in the end, what will this super-intelligent machine being do? What's its motivation? Who will *define* its motivation? It will never be more than a tool and an extension of mankind's ideas. Maybe we will eventually send our brain waves to host bodys on Mars. But I doubt that we will let robots teach our children or write our music. 1282438455 +Single-use seeds as a concession to the wackos who thing GM is going to invade never occurred to me until you pointed it out.\n\n... Which is why I don't take everything I see in a documentary on Netflix as fact. 1340480643 +Right? It does seem like the UFO downvote brigades are either on vacation or have lost a bit of their following. 1342789723 +i was gna say what that guy said but then i was like whoahhhhhhh duuuuuude\nEDIT: you might want to check theblueprins if you can find them but i suspect that if they are eleven steps they will show eleven steps and before if you had checked they probably would have shown ten steps. a deja vu is when they change something int he matrix. 1341808287 +This ghost must love that window. 1341149791 +Nothing new - I submitted this [3 years ago](http://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/7cq0m/fema_firefighters_manual_covers_ufo_attacks/). Hopefully that puts readers' minds at ease that an attack isn't likely imminent! It was (and is) an odd thing to have in there, but probably defendable as an exercise in thinking outside the box about potential disasters. 1343408953 +http://youtu.be/Y6PNhkHfrcQ 1345704719 +People will only stop being suckered when they stop being suckers. 1308070872 +He's a YEC, how much sense do you expect? 1353537567 +I assume you meant to post this in a different subreddit? 1299484243 +EDIT: here's the best document I got: [FBI report on UFOs in New Mexico](http://vault.fbi.gov/hottel_guy/Guy%20Hottel%20Part%201%20of%201/view)\n\nFrom the report:\n>An investigator for the Air Force stated that 3 so-called flying saucers had been recovered in New Mexico. They were described as being circular in shape with raised centers, approximately 50 feet in diameter. Each one was occupied by three bodies, but only three feet tall, dressed in a metallic cloth of a very fine texture.\n\nA recent author has spun this as Russian children sent over by Stalin to freak the US out and cause a reaction similar to 'War of the Worlds'. That seems unlikely to myself, in that they would have done far better to fly into NYC or some other large city to promote such a feat - not the desert wilderness in the middle of nowhere.\n\nI don't think there is really a definitive 'smoking gun'. We have [FBI reports of an unidentified disc coming down that is public knowledge](http://vault.fbi.gov/Roswell%20UFO/Roswell%20UFO%20Part%201%20of%201/view). We have countless mysterious videos that can be construed as dozens of explanations. We have high-level government and military people from all over the world who claim to have witnessed or experienced these craft in action, often doing incredible things. This evidence would be more than enough if we were dealing with any other subject on an academic level. We produce conjecture based on ancient history based on far greater assumptions, yet teach it as if we intimately know.\n\nThe key here is 'evidence'. The problem with UFO evidence is that it is given an extra layer of skepticism it must pass through because of the cultural connotations attached to the subject. It cannot be good enough to be mysterious and unexplained, we now demand incontrovertible truth that these things exist. \n\nSo lets start peeling back the layers. Who is involved that we can be sure of? The government. The government obviously wants nothing to do with the subject, as seen from the white house response to the Disclosure petition. This is the reason I cannot give you the hard evidence you want; it is not in the interest of those who hold it. That being said, there is a LOT of information out there to those who are willing to search for the truth. I think due to your skeptical nature it is best discovered by yourself, as I don't think you will take my opinion very seriously anyways :P\n 1321640854 +They better bring this shit up. 1327549753 +I like to think that there are several different species in our galaxy and they are simply waiting for us to meet their standard of technological advancement before they come introduce themselves. 1335920875 +Great read! I hope more people spend the time to read this because it was well worth the time, in my opinion. 1345227873 +Objectivity is not the issue. Their rights to practice cannot infringe upon another's rights. The law ought to be uniformly applied or it is worthless. If there is no unalienable right against discrimination then there is no reason to codify religious freedom to discriminate. Secular folk can easily discriminate against the religious at will and religious folk can routinely discriminate against differing religious folk as well.\n\nEdit: I wanted to elaborate because I think this is an important issue and I was using my phone when I replied. The key here is to understand that their may be no objective unalienable right from discrimination but when people's rights are protected on a secular level it also protects the rights of religious people. The religious do not need special protections from the likes of those who would infringe upon them. They already have Constitutional protections against that, just like everyone else. And any special protections they might garner cannot cause them to be able to infringe upon another. Otherwise, we risk creating a special religious class of people. Since we are in principle a classless society that would not do. And I say "principle" because we are not objectively a classless society. There are no objective natural laws that would preclude class structures. However, if religious folk decide they have the right to infringe upon others based on their personal or institutional beliefs then they must accept the risk of the other edge of the blade. Many conflicts have started because idiots like these insisted on special privileges that infringed upon others. 1337726460 +That sums it up really. Misrepresentations of science and scientists. 1294330766 +Hah! Yeah me too, as somebody else suggested there would have to be receipts, credit-card transactions, phone calls, texts etc. 1354724671 +Damn 2%ers. Takin' all the science from the 98%. 1336686577 +Does the quesadilla underneath the soup pot come into play at all? If so, I'm in. 1329158672 +I'm really glad someone has had a similar experience. It's a weird and unsettling feeling. Here's hoping it never happens again, whatever the hell happened. 1349217510 +Pretty much dominated by measles 1320043256 +I've always wanted one :'( 1330132745 +I would pay for "Homeopathy the musical". 1333765786 +What type of switch mechanism does this light-switch use? (i.e. is it a 'rocker switch' where you can see if it's up or down? Or is it electronic?) Is it in series with another circuit? (i.e. is there another light-switch in another part of the house which operates the same light? Like maybe a string pull switch) \n\nDoes the garage have a movement sensor for it's light?\n\nThere is a logical explanation, it's just a matter of working out what is happening. Do not rule out that someone might be lying or mistaken. 1325008214 +well, i'm a lifelong nader voter. he isn't running this year, obviously. the only point upon which we disagree is nuclear power. since i'm not able to vote for him anymore, i want to prioritize voting for an atheist. because, seriously, religion shouldn't play ANY part in government, but it always does anyway. if a person is capable of believing the superstitious madness of a religion, then it is totally a factor because it underscores their reasoning at least and will affect policy at worst.\n\nEDIT: spelling 1345501876 +It definitely seems to be the common thread in abduction/contactee cases. I think it's interesting, in that it both proves, and disproves the phenomena:\n\n If they are visiting, and giving advice about where we are heading, it makes sense that those warnings are consistent;\n\n If it is all in the mind, paranoid delusions, general psychological conditions, then it would also be consistent, because individual types of pathology share common features.\n\nA conundrum indeed! 1334704378 +That's not racism. That's just because no one has given aqueducts any mystical meanings. I don't think ancient structure alone is sufficient for that show, I think it has to be *mysterious* as well. 1331624123 +Wait but how are we talking to them if we haven't had death flashes or memorable accidents? 1354456610 +I was surprised to see that your article focuses on the "don't be a dick" aspect of the talk because within the talk itself the "dick" part appears to play a fairly minor role. Perhaps it was more a reaction to other peoples reactions than a response to the talk itself?\n\nThe structure of his talk suggests that the talks purpose was not to lay down an eleventh commandment and then have lawyers contemplate what does and does not qualify as dickish behaviour. Instead, the goals were:\n\n1. To make people reflect on what they are trying to achieve in skeptical conversations.\n2. Put forward the proposition that if a person views you as a hated adversary then they are far less likely to change their position.\n\nThe "dick" comment only comes in as a corollary to these first two point. It is not that being a dick is inherently bad. It is just that if your goal is to change a persons mind then you should not act like a dick towards them because doing so makes it less likely that you will accomplish your stated goal.\n\nViewing things from this perspective clears up some of the questions asked in your blog post.\n\nIf you are chilling out with a skeptical friend is it inappropriate to say "Psychics are bullshit" because that might be a bit dickish? Answer: It is totally irrelevant whether or not the act is dickish because you are not trying to change your friends mind. You are trying to vent or engage in intellectual masturbation or something else. Being a dick in this context does not hinder you accomplishing your goal.\n\nIs it still ok to be aggressive given that aggression does not necessarily imply dickishness? Answer: Again, it does not matter whether aggression is or is not dickish. The only thing that is important is whether or not aggression runs counter to your goal. If being aggressive is dickish then yes it will be bad if your goal is to convince someone to change their mind. However, an approach can still be counter productive even if it is not dickish. Speaking in German does not make me a dick but if the person I am trying to persuade does not understand German then my breath is wasted. Aggression should be judged on its own merits in relation to each persons goals. 1299623477 +The difference between MMS and ClO2 in the water is that the ClO2 in the water has more than likely decomposed into chlorine and oxygen. MMS advocates are telling people to drink it a couple of minutes after mixing it - therefore there will be ClO2 left in. Also, it's generally multiple doses per day. 1288303629 +hrm... I now receive the anti-snopes propaganda... "Snopes lied!!!" Which was also easy to debunk... 1297873082 +Cool! Thanks for sharing. 1342540558 +TIL drinking lots of water prevents aging. 1323824708 +It reminds me of Animal Planet's "Finding Bigfoot" show. My first thought upon seeing a preview was "Shouldn't it be called 'Not Finding Bigfoot'?" I might even watch a show like that. Likewise, a course which seeks out scientific explanations for perceived ghost encounters would be fascinating, OTOH running around with a "Trifield Natural EMF Meter"... not so much. 1309635989 +This. Whether it gets called "intellectual lag" or the "test gap," it appears to have everything to do with *sociological* factors (and, at worst, *cultural* factors) rather than genetics. 1325746089 +**_INFANT?_** **&#3232;\\_&#3232;**\n\nBones aren't even fully developed at that age; couldn't they do some permanent damage "adjusting" them? And for that matter, what do they think is wrong with a baby that makes them require that "treatment", anyway? 1331596012 +Where in CO did you see it?\n\nedit: in defense of this comment, it was asked before the toplevel comment describing where OP saw it. 1325194897 +LOL, sounds like you are implying some things about NY :) 1345585045 +Can I ask about your physical scars? I am not a medium, but I know of a few that I would actually trust and I'm interested in finding out how that would happen. While I have seen welts and scratches related to PK attacks, and I had some marks on my own leg that I carried for a few years that I could not explain following what I believed to be a paranormal event, I am under the understanding that more permanent damage is not typical.\n\nIn the meantime, Mary Ann Winkowski's site: [http://maryannghostbuster.com/](http://maryannghostbuster.com/)\n\nPsychic support, a resource mainly for parents but seems to have some good information and might be able to refer you to a larger support network: [http://www.perceptivechildren.org/](http://www.perceptivechildren.org/)\n\nPsychic support group [http://www.experienceproject.com/groups/Have-Psychic-Experiences/121954](http://www.experienceproject.com/groups/Have-Psychic-Experiences/121954) I have been in other groups on this site and they are hit and miss, but hopefully this one is a good one. It looks like there are quite a few posts.\n\nI wish I could give you more personal help, but all I can go off is what I've studied. My third eye opens up every once in a while but I wouldn't say I'm experienced and its not often. 1344225912 +Dude, spoiler alert. 1344590564 +[Betteridge's Law of Headlines](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge's_Law_of_Headlines)\n\n> "Any headline which ends in a question mark can be answered by the word 'no'".\n\nThough I think it's fairer to say that the words "in general". 1347830440 +I just have trouble feeling sympathy for someone who died of their own stupidity, especially when they encouraged others to engage in similar stupidity. 1338422682 +Weather balloon for sure. 1260413855 +Yes, and yes. \n\nBut are they watered down fools and Nazis? 1349387834 +While I've personally entertained both Libertarianism and Anarchism (I did some Black Bloc shit, read Bukhanin and Goldman, etc.) I feel that Marx adequately critiqued anarchism and it's feasibility. It is anabstraction: Useful to measure states against, but not realistic as a model. 1313572347 +http://i.imgur.com/jj36c.jpg 1356627930 +Haha that would be pretty awesome 1356630734 +Since they supposedly manifest where we can see them and where they can supposedly act, then they are subject to well understood physical law\n\nHowever, there is no possible mechanism for ghosts to act and manifest in the ways described, therefor they don't exist. 1315584891 +What a ridiculous straw man argument. The vast majority of those skeptical of the global warming movement oppose not the science, but the proposed remedies, which in themselves are anti science. If you are concerned about global warming you should be advocating research into geo engineering, which is never advocated among professional doomsayers. That is anti science. 1350396157 +I've opened a new Paranormal Database and while I have not created a iOS or Android application...yet, this should be responsive to those systems. We are looking for your true Paranormal stories such as Ghost Stories, UFO Reports, Cryptozoology sightings, and Paranormal Articles.\n\nMore categories will be forthcoming. \n\nRead or share your own Paranormal Experiences with Parabased! 1345133713 +Yah you wouldn't think that an alien would speak in a British accent or use popular terminology from what people thought of aliens as back then. 1341211964 +Agreed...they are very skeptical too, which is refreshing. 1326779041 +Because people want to see extreme long range forecasts far beyond the ability of meteorologists to predict and most people don't know what a load of shit almanacs are. 1348365134 +okay, everybody .. concentrate 1315843530 +What AMA? link? 1344119607 +Have you read both? Quite different. 1304542240 +Ya know, I don't know what a snicker sounds like. What I imagine when I hear that word is a type of laugh I've never heard someone make. This information is useful to nobody. 1299060303 +Time does alter per planet. The length of day / year is not synchronized. Therefore it is difficult to get a precise time of anything that happened in the past. Everything is estimated *edited* in relation to Earths timeframe.\n\nMy car analogy had a bit missing, doh. I ment to add that, say the car was pressurized and gravity adjustments. They would age slower than those on the outside. 1354131042 +"the blimp scenario" \n\nWell played. 1343536861 +I've always thought that "those things you hold to be true" are your beliefs, regardless of how you arrived at them. Skepticism comes in when you evaluate or re-evaluate your beliefs. Some people seem to draw some parallel between belief and faith, but I've never connected the two, except in the minimal sense that all belief, even scientific ones, need to rely on a certain level of faith (or maybe "trust" is a better word). 1312827897 +Fibromyalgia. \n \nYes, it's real; no, it's not psychosomatic; yes, there is research to prove it. 1341615850 +What makes you so certain about these things, is there any evidence? Without presenting any evidence people are likely to be dismissive. 1353258840 +Does Chopra remind anyone else of that one shit-head lemur from the movie Madagascar? 1354131969 +It's more that he's pressing towards the foot that is off the ground to lose balance and towards the one that is on the ground to show that it "works" 1330605203 +That's Britain for you. The snake oil salesman's dream country. 1330567148 +Greer is a paid shill, along with the entire Disclosure Project. Not saying the military officials are faking what they saw, but I do believe they are misguided into thinking that UFOs are aliens. 1343890656 +I would not cheat on your woman at this point... 1324942578 +Soooo not knowing what every nut and bolt is called on a bike makes a person not be able to ride safely? Got it.\n\nMario Andretti better be able to build a race car from scratch, then. 1355679562 +If that makes you depressed, this'll make you suicidal. Enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtU5q4z-xXc&feature=share 1307355086 +The glitch isn't having cancer, the glitch is him having dreams about being really sick, and then being sick. Another glitch has it being 1st generation cancer in the 40s (grandma), second generation had cancer in his 30s (uncles), and now him in his 20s. If it wasn't for his dream state, he never would have thought to check himself for cancer, thus leading to a very sick OP.\n\nReading comprehension isn't too bad when you aren't looking to troll someone 1347242071 +*So* much better with [this.](http://lab.arc90.com/experiments/readability/) 1286332855 +[It seems to be a frequent surprise to those in /r/skeptic that chiropractic treatment has a dubious and unscientific history.](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/warou/at_a_half_marathon_medical_personnel_services/c5bt64m) 1341891247 +hilarious. 1341174614 +> Please refer to thers "documented cases" and leave personal experience out of science.\n\nUnderstand that Science would be useless without personal experience. Please refer to a remedial English book and leave shitty grammar out of proper spelling. 1346925739 +[One more](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vqf0eM39Us). Shows a triangular object at very high speeds way above a jetliner. 1307301743 +Okay.\n\nThe majority of medical conditions seen by doctors in the United States are lifestyle-related. Unfortunately, the medical system in the United States is weighted heavily towards acute conditions and weighted heavily against chronic ones. A hospital is a great place if you have pneumonia or a broken arm or need stitches. It's not the best place if you have insomnia because all your doctor can really do in the amount of time he has to treat you is give you pills and tell you to take naps when you can.\n\nNaturopathic medicine, [despite this subreddit's incessant need to turn it into Hitler](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/ct1xb/the_wootastic_ralternativehealth_has_vanished/c0v1bet?context=2), presumes that the patient can heal themselves with the proper guidance and assistance. We now live in a culture where pretty much everyone would benefit from an extra hour of sleep, for example, but none of them are making time for an extra hour of sleep unless their doctor orders it. And he'll help them out by giving them Ambien.\n\nThe overwhelming majority of my wife's patients have issues related to food allergy, stress and environmental factors. Whereas most of her clients would be treated with anti-depressants and anti-inflammatories, she treats them through determining what they're allergic to and what they can do to remove the antagonists from their lifestyles. And, while doing it, she does a full health and medical workup on them including bloodwork, medical history and physical (her initial patient visits are an hour and a half) and, if need be, refers out to psychiatrists, psychologists, dieticians, oncologists, gynecologists, ultrasound technicians, pathology labs, obstetricians and general practitioners, all of whom are happy to take her calls because she's a doctor, practicing medicine, with a license.\n\nOh, I'm sorry. I mean "it's all money bitchez homeopathy is the path to richez!" Better? 1352746418 +Holy water is allowed.. note the bolded part of the email FTA below:\n\n>"'It's important to note that **items that** have a tangible value for the item itself and **may also be used in metaphysical rites and practices** (ie jewelry, crystals, incense, candles, and books) **are allowed** in most cases,' Hoff wrote."\n 1345213812 +Scientists don't need to debunk, magicians already know how those tricks are performed and some of them do debunk those gurus and such. 1301802974 +It's a really common mis understanding that the people who are not making outrageous claims must debunk the evidence of those making outrageous claims. The opposite is true, if you make an extraordinary claim then you must prove to me that it is true, it is not up to me to prove you wrong. I already know you are probably wrong because you are making an extraordinary claim, by definition your claim demands a ton of evidence and is probably incorrect. 1288937042 +That, I did. \n\nI'm just attempting to sort out the fact from fiction. Because I know a lot of pseudo-science pushers enjoy over using the term. 1342896533 +Just curious, what kind of scientist is he? 1333582466 +Yeah, you're right. My apologies. 1292010863 +If the quote could be attributed to someone else, and I could prove it, that would be "concrete" for me. 1332892327 +Something that could never hurt us, like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man? 1317989526 +I guess you could go cynical, cook up your own snake oil, and get in on that action. 1327519357 +For example, one could make perfectly logical arguments about the attributes of god, but only if you assume a priori that god is real. I have a Christian friend that does this. His arguments are sound; but his beginning position is flawed. That's not a fallacy. 1318199751 +Srsly,,, I can't find it either 1344602857 +That's silly. 1305313651 +Because if aliens are capable of incredible technology, I'm sure they're capable of simple evidence manipulation. If a photograph is REQUIRED for absolute proof, the the aliens will make sure that it won't be validated. How do I know this? Well if you're looking at agendas, then it seems like it always was in the alien's agenda to stay hidden. 1352319454 +You really should re read my comments. I have not made any positive claims that chiropractic medicine works. I simply challenged your positive claims about the alarming sensationalist rhetoric you use ie "russian roulette". I have not been defensive in any way. My comments have been straight forward and even keel. I have exhibited no emotion or negativity towards you in this entire conversation. You on the other hand... \n"you are this.." "you are that.." 1349536175 +I need to go to bed. I misread as NOKIA chocolate. 1340835738 +Fair enough. Maybe you will just need to see one yourself. That's okay, it's understandable. Seeing is believing.\n\nWhat I DO NOT understand is why people waste their time posting and masturbating over these bullshit 'could be anything light in the sky 10 miles away' videos when they could instead be studying and discussing important cases like O'Hare, Rendelsham, Phoenix, Gulf Breeze, Belgium, etc etc.\n\nInstead these guys would rather argue with fellow current believers about videos that will NEVER be seen as noteworthy. Why do you think the general skeptical public doesn't take UFOs seriously when UFO believers focus on stupid shit like this instead of credible and compelling videos and cases? \n\nI turn into a dick because it's basically undoing any respect that serious researchers already struggle to earn, and it is undermining efforts to educate the public. It's already chased a few people out of this subreddit, too. Luckily r/UAP is a great place to educate yourselves. 1317359390 +This facebook idiot was literally just quoting from a commercial for the most recent anthony hopkins movie. 1294808174 +>but are spelt the same.\n\nI think you meant "speld". "Spelt" is a type of grain. 1349373617 +As he points you towards the Oscillococcinum that costs $19.99. 1342898774 +I'm not saying that OBE is absolutely terrible, just that you don't need to be an idiot to oppose it and that there are valid reasons to. 1343675257 +http://www.reddit.com/r/NolibsWatch/comments/qubkm/oh_robotevil_what_have_you_done/ 1355366846 +Exactly, but it still leaves both sides thinking they're right. 1344654472 +"[citation needed]" 1349560627 +we have a 4 month old. i sometimes wonder if she's gonna do it. 1303241937 +Even nuttier: Hahnemann started out using bibles. And he didn't want his bottles to be delivered by horse because the shaking might over-potentiate the medicine. 1334223117 +Also Vampires are intelligent beings, Cage certainly is not that. 1316753268 +This. 1310391823 +This. 1326452080 +This. 1328940520 +This. 1333936198 +This. 1351518568 +This. 1285893016 +That would be a false analogy. Dog breeds have actively been shaped by an intelligence for a desired purpose. Humans have been shaped by natural selection for the sole purpose of reproduction/survival. Outside of sociological and cultural study, race is a meaningless term. [here](http://youtu.be/teyvcs2S4mI) is a good overview in which the presenter cites sources and offers suggestions for further reading 1356388049 +This is why I'm canceling my TIME subscription. 1326854016 +The problem here is your presupposition that "any sensible military leader in 1950 would consider it important." Isn't it possible that the event was looked into, found to be inaccurate or hoaxed, then discarded as not of significance? Isn't it also possible that they had other things to do and didn't get around to it? Isn't it also possible that the report was found to be lacking in critical details and deemed to be not worth the resources?\n\nYou are starting with the assumption that there is more to this, but without evidence there is no reason to believe that. How would you go about distinguishing between these two possible realities?\n\n1. There are more related documents and the government is withholding them.\n2. No more related documents exist, despite your belief that more exist.\n\nPerhaps you feel differently, but I think that without evidence it is not possible to distinguish between the two possibilities. I'm not denying the possibility that more documents *could* exist, but until evidence is presented for their existence it is irrational to think they do.\n\nEven if they released more documents related to this, would you really be satisfied? The follow-up could simply say the informant was a liar and to disregard the previous report. Would you accept that as truth, or would you be inclined to say it is a doctored report meant to obscure the true investigation? 1302536668 +You mean to tell me there is no FSM? 1274988065 +And where did they get that idea from? 1338153075 +I love My Ghost Story! The creepiest one for me was the episode with the cat/monkey thing that jumps on the bed. 1352867612 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_fluoridation_in_the_United_States\n\nLooks like the federal government recommends fluoridation but does not require it (I imagine the "states' rights" crowd would frown on a federal mandate). At least 30% of the population of the US has unfluoridated water it seems. 1337791445 +> Judging by the quality of the crap posted to this subreddit, no. \n\nFeel free to contribute what you believe to be not-crap to this subreddit. Just sayin'. 1306246986 +oh thanks for that! 1283259732 +Cheremoya is exceptionally tasty, I will give it that. 1354057645 +And the question of whether there is a higher power will finally be answered for all of humanity. 1269049596 +But, they have "Fun, bumpy, educational tractor rides" (only £2) ! It must be exciting ! 1282990473 +> medicine where the efficacy is too low to distinguish from placebo.\n\nFTFY 1319737857 +I haven't researched the specific case, but it should be fairly legit. The dogs have such a keen sense of smell they detect a hormone or some shit that is present in cancer patients with a certain type of cancer.\n\nAnd yes, "or some shit" is about as scientific I am going to get. 1296612293 +I thing to consider is how does the other side see it. I never minced words with my parents about my lack of faith. She initially took it as me saying "you are a fucking moron" when what I said was "I don't share the same beliefs as you, I don't think there is a god." It is an affront to their way of life. By simply stating it we offend them deeply, the way a Creationist offends us, or at least just me. 1279680592 +How can be people afraid that gamma radiation can give them cancer when they see light all the time.\n\nNot that cellphones/wifi are dangerous, but it doesn't excuse you from making a wholly incorrect argument. A constant magnetic field is something else than electromagnetic waves with positive frequency. 1289241146 +>SHE DIDN'T WANT A FORMAL DEBATE!\n\nShe is free to ignore comments ya know.\n\n>go down to the local mosque and start telling people why their beliefs are ridiculous.\n\nAre you really trying to compare criticizing Islam in a mosque with discussing woo on reddit? Do you honestly not see the difference?\n\n>Oh, because IT'S RUDE. Because it's UNCALLED FOR. BECAUSE IT'S UNWELCOME.\n\nIt's only rude if you are condescending. Whether it's uncalled for or not depends on the perceptions of those involved. Whether or not it's unwelcome is irrelevant in this case. The poster was free to ignore mafoo's comments. \n\n>You don't follow someone and keep peppering them with questions and refutations of their beliefs and the beliefs of those they're associated with until they lose it. If she was trying to push her homeopathy views on you, hey you know what, lace into her, because it's pseudo science. But you all went out looking for a fight, then came back to r/skeptic crowing about your "victory". It's fucking childish.\n\nWe're talking about a reasonable discussion in one thread. Where the hell are you getting this harassment shit from?\n\n 1298698237 +Yeah, sometimes I get a little too over-enthusiastic on stuff like this, and don't catch myself before I hit save. So sorry about that.\n\nI hope you had a fun time there though, is there any way to get inside?\n 1354224407 +Scaredest. The only reason I clicked the link. Was not disappointed. 1351354586 +I've been a paramedic for six years and we often have to turn off the lights in the back when doing a "12-lead EKG" because it picks up the 60Hz signal. Moving and talking will *completely* screw up a 12-lead analysis.\n\nNow a regular 4- or 5-lead "monitoring" EKG won't be disturbed by nearby electronics, and it will only be momentarily effected by movement and talking, but a "diagnostic" 12- or 14-lead EKG will be rendered useless until you have an electronically clean environment in most cases. And I'm not talking about old equipment either, I'm talking about new Lifepack and Zoll monitors. 1272417332 +Check this guys other YouTube videos. He is an amateur magician but also uses a fake gorilla suit in one of his videos. Occam's razor is the easiest explanation, unless that Porcupine begins to move in another video. 1262535625 +The short answer is no.\n\nThe word "frequency" should have your bullshit meter ringing, it's a fad word that is used a lot but doesn't really mean anything. I would say it's the same with "atomic level". It sounds fancy but what does it actually mean?\n\nAnd about curing incurable diseases; if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.\n\nBooks worth reading are [Trick or Treatment](http://www.amazon.com/Trick-Treatment-Undeniable-Alternative-Medicine/dp/0393337782/ref=pd_sim_b_1) and [Suckers](http://www.amazon.com/Suckers-Alternative-Medicine-Makes-Fools/dp/0099522861/ref=pd_sim_b_4). 1281371398 +Why don't you give us an example of a monopoly that is allegedly not government-sustained and we'll point out exactly how it *is* government-sustained? 1315375225 +That wired article is profoundly interesting. In particular:\n\n> By the late '90s, for example, the classic antianxiety drug diazepam (also known as Valium) was still beating placebo in France and Belgium. But when the drug was tested in the US, it was likely to fail. Conversely, Prozac performed better in America than it did in western Europe and South Africa. It was an unsettling prospect: FDA approval could hinge on where the company chose to conduct a trial.\n\nAnd:\n\n> Placebo-activated opioids, for example, not only relieve pain; they also modulate heart rate and respiration. The neurotransmitter dopamine, when released by placebo treatment, helps improve motor function in Parkinson's patients. Mechanisms like these can elevate mood, sharpen cognitive ability, alleviate digestive disorders, relieve insomnia, and limit the secretion of stress-related hormones like insulin and cortisol.\n\nSo, it's important to note that the placebo effect isn't just in the mind of gullible patients. It releases very real chemicals that have real physiological effects.\n\nIt would be very interesting to see how skeptics react in double-blind placebo trials versus how the average person reacts. I would bet the farm that a highly religious person who answered in the affirmative when asked if they feel the direct intervention of a god in their lives would be a high-responder to placebo.\n\nDrug companies may need to start profiling test subjects to more effectively filter out the placebo effect, since it has become stronger and harder to beat. 1347797264 +> Not really sure the point of my story, just thought i would share.\n\nObjectively grading things of subjective quality is a really fucking stupid idea? 1354745212 +Anyone can claim something, they don't need to be given the benefit of the doubt. Look through his comments in the thread. First he claimed that this was his first real sighting, only to comment further down that he's seen triangle craft and experienced loss of time with them. OP is a liar. Even a fuzzy picture would have been nice, but nope. 1347740256 +And Penn & Teller did a blind test taste with a few different fruits between organic and normal and tha majority of the people preferred the normal food stating that it tasted better. 1302791373 +I feel like the worst thing a school can do is prevent a child from learning to think for themselves. It's kind of despicable that the state of texas thinks "Education" is limited to memorizing facts. I remember a college history class where we were asked about the magna carta. A student immediately responded that it was signed in 1215. When the teacher asked what was significant about it, they had no answer. 1340943268 +Let us develop/advance/kill ourselves off on our own.\n\nVisit the island to pick up spare food (just as was done with cattle by captains in the big wooden sailing ship days).\n\nStay at arms' length to watch and make sure they don't change the way we are progressing.\n\nStay at arms' length to observe and only intervene if we look like we are fucking up bit time.\n\n\nStay at arms' length to watch until we advance enough for them to involve themselves in our culture.\n\n\nStay at arms' length to watch while eating popcorn so they can enjoy the show.\n\nStay at arms' length to gather spare parts.\n\nStay at arms' length to silently direct and guide and modify/improve us.\n\n 1334712922 +That was kind of painful to read. What an idiot. When she can't respond with facts she turns to an emotional appeal, she completely ignored James' evidence of the past debate and investigations and then she all but flat-out denied that measles can be fatal. This little example of her poor reading comprehension in particular annoyed me:\n\nJames,\n\n>...introduction of MMR in 1988, notifications and deaths fell still further. The ten years following the introduction of MMR saw 18 deaths\n\nSue\n\n>Actually, James, the Office of National Statistics and the Health Protection Agency says there have been four deaths from measles in the last twenty years...\n\nYeah, stupid. He said 18 deaths from 1988-1998 and you're talking about 1992-2012. How can you actually think that is a valid response? 1340494194 +to me it looks like a bunch of helium balloons tied together drifting on an air current, but the lights I can not explain! 1316478246 +[Bullshit](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBMnEtkHzHQ) 1348318243 +I really wish people who do this sort of investigation would post links/citations. Without doing the same research, I have no way of knowing whether the investigator is any more legit than the scammer. 1295762420 +wow that amazing, what some people do to get in front of the camera is unreal, then after the documentary done and then the see it realize that they look like complete nobs. and that when the lawyers come in ; )\n\ncan you give me a tiny hint (or pm me) of what film it was? \n\nyou don't have to, i'm just too damn curious >: D.......thats my curious face. 1350492409 +Well said. Indeed, the detection and correction of errors are always the result of continued application of skepticism and science, almost never by blindly deciding "orthodoxy" is all wrong. 1289978282 +Perhaps "a conspiracy of crazy with a smidgen of misinformed thrown in". 1314129586 +Yeah, I felt this way about the previous Zeitgeist films. While there are credible facts in all, there's still some bunk, and that's disappointing for a number of reasons. Namely, if someone can find obvious untruth in something like this, it discredits the whole thing.\n\nWith that said, I'm glad that someone out there is putting these kinds of theories forward to be tested by the intelligent public. 1296690824 +I agree, that first link you mentioned definitely looks like a high altitude plane illuminated by the setting sun.\n\nEh, I'm not so convinced by much in the 'debunked video,' though. 1319590377 +While I too am concerned that /r/skeptic sometimes drifts toward /r/atheism as a anti-theism circlejerk, I'd say this blog article is relevant. It addresses validity of the young earth creationist story from a scientific standpoint. That makes it relevant.\n\nThat said, the blog's name isn't the best and might send the wrong message. 1354516440 +"Kinetic energy" in the context of relativity usually means mc^2 * (1 - gamma), so it's 0 when a particle is at rest. It isn't really "kinetic" energy if it doesn't have that property. What E=m tells us is that for a particle at rest, it's energy is equal to its mass, period. That's total energy, not kinetic energy. Note that potential energy doesn't really have a meaningful definition at this level of physics. 1332927348 +Well said. Thank you. 1329568321 +Simplest reason: they are not in our part of the universe.\n\nAssuming anything more than that is just wild speculation. 1335151809 +I'm for this philosophy, but on the condition that we can at least advocate correcting the factual misconceptions spreading within the proponents of raw milk, or drinking pastuerized, homogenized, non-Organic, etc. \n\nI think this article is at least sticking to facts, but simply concluding with a philosophy you disagree with, and that's your right as well as theirs, but they made their point with many certifiable facts in tow.\n\nI can't say the same about proponents I know of raw milk, who all get their information from friends, and tell me I'm poisoning myself with run-of-the-mill milk, or how raw milk has unique health benefits. Yesterday organic was the cure, but raw is the new black. Many do it because they think it's superior for other reasons than it is.\n\nMy point is there's a ton of homogenized bullshit spreading on this topic, and strictly supporting a more factually-based education of proponents would certainly not hurt, even if you don't go as far as recommending against drinking it due to health risks.\n\nAs far as your philosophy, though, I'm a smoker, and I hate people telling me I'm going to die of cancer. I'm educated on that topic, and I made my choice, and to hell with anyone who tells me I can't risk my life. If I told you I do it for health benefits, though, you might think differently of me. 1318407541 +Indeed. Why else would he refer to Randi as "The Amazing Randi" instead of just "James Randi"? 1252692489 +Yea, there was a tremendous amount of inbreeding in the Egyptian royal family. I had a National Geographic with an article on the study of mummies identifying 34 direct ancestors (I can't remember the exact number) the majority of pairings were between sons who married their sisters, producing children who then married each other having daughters who matured that then married their grandfathers/uncles as second or third wives, producing more children who married other offspring that were simultaneously their cousins/nieces/sisters/brothers. The string of genetic deformities this inbreeding produced was intense. 1321597331 +>professional association\n\nThat's just another name for a trade organization. They have no authority to issue certifications or licenses. 1346091125 +Thanks, I've actually just started her book. Very good stuff. 1314259850 +> You are quoting CNN. \n\nNo, actually I read the research paper and the data (can't tell you the figure number because I don't have access right now) shows that both yoga and stretching are equal in their benefits. That is exactly what the line you quoted states. \n\nLook at it this way. There are three possibilities: \n\n1. yoga (Y) > Stretching (S); \n2. Y = S; or \n3. Y < S.\n\nThe statement you quoted says "Y > S is not true". You are assuming this means that Y < S. If you look at the paper, the data shows that Y = S. \n\nThe fact that stretching is just as good as yoga is an important finding. The particular stretching regimen they used is atypical but the study definitely shows that just the physical aspects of yoga are sufficient for the benefit and not the spiritual or other pseudoscience, magical aspects can be thrown out of the window.\n\nEdit: Re-worded my response because I just realized that you wrote the article for Skeptical Science. 1319628039 +How sure are you that no student has ever complained about the content of the course? Or even that a student would complain in a circumstance where the content is questionable? \n\nYou can't dismiss the criticisms as unfair or untrue because of the source. The critique stands on its own merit. 1330530342 +The "robot with feelings" idea is interesting, and has been explored in fiction many times. I think it was in an Asimov story, where a robot explains what he means with 'pleasant', something like 'my decision-making processes become more straightforward, allowing for a faster reaction time; I interpret that as pleasant.'\n\nI think the main problem would be our empathy. Unless robots are programmed to express their feelings in a way that we can recognize, we would be impaired to properly interact with them. 1342717800 +I have cited his statements in this thread. Please read those. 1326657690 +I think you may be one of the only people that seek comfort in the basement. Haha. 1345063498 +My friend that sits directly beside me had the exact same experience. 1355098982 +My mom buys that crap ...\n\nDon Cherry's commentary is only useful within the context of the NHL. 1326546700 +This is actually really interesting 1295553191 +Many people use "homeopathic" to mean "herbal" or to mean non-Western medicine. It really shouldn't be surprising that the people who would use this aren't often the most careful with terminology. \n\nFrom the article:\n\n> Mr Monsellato, 52, of the southern Italian town of Tricase, close to Lecce, has been a doctor of alternative medicine for more than 20 years. He is honorary president of Italy's Homeopathic Sinergy Association and an expert on acupuncture.\n\nSounds like they just like anything that isn't too "Western". 1319414294 +Sadly, that's not the way vaccines work. They don't make you immune, they just reduce the chance of an infection when you are exposed. They are most effective when everyone who can get vaccinated does so. When the community as a whole has reduced susceptibility to the virus, everyone's chances of being exposed at all go way down, and the virus is less likely to get a foothold in the population. This is what we call "herd immunity". When you get pockets of people who refuse to get vaccinated, they aren't just putting themselves at risk. They increase the chance of exposure for everyone around them, reducing the overall effectiveness of the vaccine. Then we start seeing outbreaks. We're seeing this more and more in the last 10 years with things like measles and pertussis (whooping cough). 1316720780 +In the U.S., there are far more black professional football and basketball players than there are white. This is determined by ability almost exclusively. Whether this was a result of recent selective breeding or thousands of years of development in Africa, we don't know. Or at least I don't know.\n\nIt is possible that through the same mechanism, black people may be smarter or dumber (on average) than non-blacks in the U.S. It is not socially acceptable to perform this type of testing, so we probably won't know for a long time, if ever. In fact, it is not even socially acceptable to talk about this type of testing (intelligence by race), so I look forward to a large number of downvotes for mentioning it. 1326177547 +Riding high on assumptions, you are. 1335116757 +I wouldn't worry about it. Come what may. 1330064470 +To be somewhat fair to Steve, your diet can prevent or encourage the spread of cancer. It has been found in studies that cancers require a lot of sugars to thrive.\n\nPg. 217 of Good Calories Bad Calories, "In the early 1980s, cancer researchers discovered that tumor cells also overexpress IGF (insulin-like growth factor) receptors, just as they overexpress insulin receptors. The surfaces of tumor cells have two to three times as many IGF receptors as healthy cells, which makes them all the much more responsive to the IGF in their immediate environment.\n\nThis is another way in which cancer cells gain their all important survival growth advantage, suggests Derek LeRoith, whose laboratory at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases did much of this research. The extra insulin receptors will cause cancerous cells to receive more than their share of insulin from the environment which will convey to the cell more blood sugar for fueling growth and proliferation; the extra IGF receptors will assure that these cells are supplied with particularly forceful commands to proliferate. Another critical role of IGF in the development of cancer may be its ability to inhibit or override the cell suicide program that serves as the ultimate fail-safe mechanism to prevent damaged cells from proliferating"\n\nIn short, cancer cells have lots of receptors to factors in the body spurred on by insulin and IGF (which are very similar in effect and structure). IGF concentrations change slowly over time compared to insulin however, so one must keep their diet fairly regular to keep this in check. Shutting down these receptors in mice caused cancer cells to pretty much totally be supressed from growth.\n\nThis stuff could be outdated, but diet can have an influence, though the role of IGF is apparently controversial, as is much in cancer research I would imagine (though do not know). 1318001971 +Thank you, I think they debunked it neatly enough for me. 1306360473 +Nope. I read over that whole page a good 3 times today. I would've noticed. It's in the middle of a word. 1351048380 +The word Yoga is ancient but the activity now described as yoga has it's origens in the 1960s. Which would explain how 60s it seems. 1347839023 +It's quite clear... that guy is the Joker. 1348014976 +No, I did not say that Occam's razor = aliens. \n\nI am saying that it is much more reasonable to hypothesize that the myths and legends are all based on the same past event, rather than to make the leap that many different stories wildly separated people just, by some wild coincidence, have almost identical narratives. To me that smacks more of religion than science.\n\nSo if we assume that the stories are based on a past event, given the technological level of the ancient story tellers, what could account for that "event". Obviously nothing of this Earth in that time period. \n\nSo, assuming a real "event", we are left with two choices for the source of the "event". 1: They really were supernatural beings. 2: They were flesh and blood beings. \n\nWhich is more likely?\n\nIf they were flesh and blood, where did they come from? Certainly no one in the ancient world could fill the bill. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n 1322016956 +Hi. Can someone please explain why they put it in the water? I've heard it benefits your teeth but wouldn't you just have to hold it in your mouth and spit it out if this were the case? Interested to any recommended peer reviewed studies etc. on this issue I can be forwarded to also, there is a lot of bumph out there. Thanks. 1337797559 +Why are all Biblical studies professors anti-bible? I have never understood this... 1313121157 +It seems highly doubtful that she'll give him any of the prescribed medicines for recovery. 1297532267 +"Remote viewing" actually closely fits with this. I really wanted a good term to tie to this, so that might help lead me to this specific process.\n\nThe [wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_viewing) on remote viewing also has a lot of good stuff in it to send my friend, specifically since I think he mentioned a few of the stories in here, and really meant Stargate when he mentioned MKULTRA. 1333604053 +Did you notice any physical changes? Like was your haircut different, scabs or something that disappeared? I guess I am wondering if your body is technically a year older than it should be, or if you glitched into your younger body and only your mind is a year older. 1336584559 +That shit is insane. I was going to buy some for a hiking trip but decided against it when I realized I'd be supporting *crazy*. 1330038578 +Hey Romeo. I guess that it's kind of a subjective matter, but I think you're giving a little too much leeway to the concept of what a jet aircraft should look like.\n\nI happen to have a little figurine that's meant to actually represent a jet aircraft. I've taken a picture of it and placed it with the so called "Golden Flyer" so that you can see a direct comparison:\n\nhttp://www.dumbassguide.info/images/sitedisplay/jet_goldenflyer_comparison.jpg\n\nNow, I've already admitted that there's a very basic general similarity (I'm the dumbass who did that podcast, in case you were confused by the name I go by here). The wings, tail, and body are *kind of* similar in general location\n\nBut I think you need a lot more than that in order to call this Golden Flyer "eerily reminiscent of modern day fighter jets". It seems to me that when you compare this object to something that's actually meant to represent a modern day fighter jet, the term "eerily reminiscent" doesn't really hold up. 1292049847 +This has absolutely nothing to do with scepticism. 1321940552 +In fact 'seeing ghosts' is the LEAST reported phenomenon in 'hauntings', mostly it's just noises and feeling of dread, as well as the occasional "moving shadow", which isn't what you are referring to I believe 1327957524 +1) parallel reality, you two guys shared different pasts. \n\nor\n\n2) you are confused or dreamed it 1338558114 +Damnit! For some reason I can't [reach PubMed](http://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). Have you gone and [done a search](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed)?\n\nMy first though it that it seems pretty much like nonsense. Light turning into biochemical energy? I thought photosynthesis was pretty much only the purview of plants... Humans have a few photosensitive parts (eyes, and our skin responds in a few ways). I've not heard of joints or muscles responding to light.\n\nEdit: Adding link to the [Quackwatch/Devicewatch](http://www.devicewatch.org/reports/lllt.shtml) entry. It's pretty telling (if not conclusive) that the primary search results on Google are device sellers, not literature. Blech. It's starting to look like a duck... Or at least pretty fringe-y. 1291617922 +It's so weird that you guys have been word leaders in every field of science for decades, yet your state school systems seems so backwards at times. 1296200923 +I don't see what this has to do with spirituality. Many people "successfully accept that we have been visited by aliens" because they use their brains, they understand probability and evidence suggesting that we have been visited. 1310938555 +I can't decide if I want him or Dan Dennett as my daddybear - or hell, as my grandpa. 1334659443 +They're valuable to them, and that's the point - the value isn't rational or intrinsic, but it is deeply entrenched. 1328299831 +"Nazis mentioned already? Okay. Well, as long as we're linking to logical fallacy definitions (?) you are giving a beautiful example of a reductio ad absurdum or more specifically, Reductio ad Hitlerum. Your comparison is irrelevant because we are discussing the policy of taxation, not genocide."\n\nHe's not using fallacious logic, it's an apt analogy. \nIf the law of the land should always be followed, as you implied than that applies to all countries and to all times, therefore Nazi Germany's crimes against the Jews was just the law of the land and the jews that didn't consent to it could just have left, according to your implication.\nIt's a valid analogy. 1325473118 +Im honored! (OP) and behind you on this one, go get hitched! Suitably in Nevada! 1283153967 +it would be a step in the right direction, you'll need to prove the log is undoctored and accurate to the best of ones abilities. 1298085591 +Le shrug. You can believe what you like. Good stories are good stories. 1323048543 +Growing up in Utah, I was told by at least a dozen people that fluoride was used as a gas by Hitler to keep the Jews docile in the camps, etc. Almost all of these people also believed that the fluoride gas was released in the camps by turning fluoridated water into steam.\n\nI bet these people had an absolute shit-fit when Batman Begins came out.\n\nEvery time I tried to dig up the origins of this bullshit being so prevalent in Utah, it seemed to come back to the John Birch Society. Pretty much every scientifically ignorant "theory" I ever heard growing up there is part of the Birch agenda. 1349623484 +Last friday I had a great conversation that lasted 3 hours over a couple of beers with an acquaintance. We agreed on practically nothing from politics, economics, organic food, woo, etc.\n\nBut we both left the conversation greatly satisfied, our friendship strengthened and an intellectual discussion richer. Everyone around us thought that we were on the verge of getting into a fist fight, while the two of us felt we just had the intellectual equivalent of sex.\n\nI think the key is to engage in a discussion on the level that the other person is able to follow. If you think you are in a formal debate, while the other person thinks it is a school yard bullying session - you won't get anywhere.\n\nIf the other person does not value truth, the scientific method, logic and rationality, then the conversation is doomed from the outset. 1355253836 +looks like a lot of "those guys" are here too. including me :D 1350583077 +Thanks for the link. I was confused when brain surgeon Charles Teo made comments on Australian TV recently saying that in his experience he had been seeing a higher incidence of tumours in the area of the brain close to the right ear, which he attributed to mobile ('cell') phone use. I had been vaguely aware of studies which concluded that mobile phones were not dangerous, and here he was stating the opposite! 1323853804 +Neither are relevant, asshole. One deals with the ideals of Nazism and Adolf Hitler, whereas the other is in regards to the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). 1329105332 +It certainly isn't a science lab. 1356033593 +The [actual paper](http://websites.psychology.uwa.edu.au/labs/cogscience/Publications/LskyetalPsychScienceinPressClimateConspiracy.pdf) is pretty entertaining, and builds on a [growing body of evidence](http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22conspiratorial+thinking%22&hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&as_ylo=2000&as_yhi=) that belief in one conspiracy theory is correlated with belief in other conspiracy theories (almost as if certain people just aren't that great at the whole "bullshit/logical-fallacy detection" thing). Anecdotally this makes perfect sense, but it's nice to have the idea confirmed with some actual research. 1355333635 +Hijack: Engine Down the band? Good. 1304433728 +UFOs does not equal aliens. UFOs do, in fact, exist. Whether they are prosaically explained or anomalous is a question for critical thinkers and science. 1342810818 +I think you are making a logical mistake by implying that "the most qualified" has to be worth anything at all. Just because someone has a high level of *relative* expertise, does not mean that they really have any expertise.\n\n 1261026016 +It's amazing how many "smart" people completely lack the ability to think critically about anything. Sure, they memorized a lot of facts and processes in school, but if you ask them to actually think about things critically, they get nowhere. 1350059257 +you should be able to make a entity that way. 1323141089 +WWJD-energy bracelets, two in one. Book it. 1317528660 +And today *I* learned that some people can't spell the word 'today'. 1344881589 +Check out the link. I don't know about the veracity of its claims., but it postulates that if modern farming technology were deployed to Africa almost the entire continent is farmable and it could be a net exporter of food instead of a starving continent. 1333319196 +Seems to me there's at least a couple things to be proven for me to believe this app's claims.\n\n* Does body movement correspond to wakefulness?\n\nThis seems to be false. During [NREM sleep](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep#NREM_sleep)'s stage 1, the body sometimes experiences [hypnic jerks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnic_jerk). You experience stage 1 sleep both as you move to deeper stages of sleep, and as you rise back out of them. Thus the app may sense a movement due to a hypnic jerk as you're falling deeper into sleep, not waking up.\n\n* Is wakefulness the best time to end your sleep cycle?\n\nI didn't see any specific citations from a quick search. There's many studies that describe a lengthy list of negative effects of sleep deprivation, but that's when sleep is prevented or routinely interrupted. If you are otherwise getting sufficient sleep throughout the night, it's unlikely you'll have any of those serious sleep deprivation effects from an interruption of your last REM cycle. But will it make you less happy or less energized?\n\n\nIf you feel you want better sleep, or to feel better when you wake up, I bet you'll find more useful changes by reviewing your ["sleep hygiene"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_hygiene), [reducing caffeine intake](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine-induced_sleep_disorder), and [exercising regularly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exercise#Sleep).\n\nI've been particularly interested in recent studies of [light and circadian rhythms](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm#Light_and_the_biological_clock). When blue light roughly matching the intensity of an overcast day strikes the retina it can advance or delay the body's internal clock, and that affects the onset of sleep. This effect can accumulate and cause one's circadian rhythm to drift farther from the typical day/night cycle. It's something to consider when staring at a monitor or smartphone at night. You may be sabotaging your sleep. 1334696051 +The font is a crime against humanity. I had to copy and paste the shit into Word to make it readable. I'll bet most people are not so curious. 1322499291 +I was watching that BBC documentary on time called, funnily enough, Time, and in one episode there the host went into great detail talking about how our whole perception of the speed of time is greatly affected by a small gland in our bodies.\n\n[Here's a link](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTx6ha6fRwo&feature=related) to the start of it. I love the experiment where they show how adrenaline makes time slow down for the observer. 1328440262 +Can you please go into detail on what you mean by calling creationists liars. That's a pretty bold claim to throw around, given how religion impacts peoples perception of reality. 1346867088 +Prior to about 5-10 years ago, someone who was a gay trans man was literally almost never allowed to transition. There are plenty of gay and bi trans men (me, for instance). I think I'd be bi no matter what, but it's possible I am out about it because after coming out as trans and transitioning, a little thing like sexual orientation doesn't seem as big a deal. Most cis bi men seem to, on the other hand, be shall we say circumspect about who they tell (aka on the DL). I really doubt there are more gay and bi trans people I think we just tend to be more out about it. 1323385996 +Right? Glad someone else thought so. A little cheesy but I loved the idea. 1351519665 +Yeah. Phone auto correct is too strong 1355737838 +I don't mean to argue with the hivemind here, but this is hardly crazy talk. \n\nThere is a ton of evidence to show that quantum effects occur in natural processes. The processing of scent, photosynthesis, bird migration, etc. That the mechanism behind consciousness could have quantum mechanical underpinnings is hardly the sort of woo that should be dismissed out of hand.\n\nIt's of course wise to expect to see evidence that supports the theory, but it's not really all that far out there.\n\nWe shouldn't just discard potentially interesting study on the basis that a specific field is rife with bullshit. It doesn't help when he's going on things like What The Bleep Do We Know, but it's not at all uncommon for someone to be on a documentary where the overall subject matter misrepresents their view. The Great Global Warming Swindle is a good example.\n\nFor the record, I'm just talking about the overall theory of consciousness having quantum properties or mechanisms. The near death experience, consciousness in the universe, thing... that's all pretty wacky.\n\nOh, in looking around I discovered another article referencing the same theories. Note the date. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2005/may/19/badscience\n\n 1351697618 +If I was trying to paint you as anything I would have said "you" and not "he." That's how pronouns work. *You* can stop taking things so personally. 1342896648 +Bravo! 1286867353 +Good! I was hoping with all of the wikileaks crap someone would drudge up some UFO information. I don't think anything came up about that, though. 1350418683 +I took a tour of the ship when I was a lad where they show you all the "hotspots" of activity. I thought it was pretty hokey until we got to some of the crew quarters. I'd been walking a little ahead of the main group, so about 4-6 feet ahead of the rest, when I heard a woman say "don't worry" right by my ear. I said "about what?" thinking it was the tour guide, then I noticed she was a good 8 feet away out in front of the group. No one else was really talking or anywhere close enough to me for it to have been simple chatter. This was loud, and right by my head. Hands down the best ghost tour ever. 1349678340 +Whats the TL:DR of this? 1350866880 +That's a space peanut. 1330101254 +This has happened to my quite a few times in the house I'm currently living in. Probably once every few months I'll see a shadow moving around. One time specifically I saw a shadow walk up to my bedroom and peak in, and I thought someone else must have just gotten home, but no. That, along with other experiences, has me thinking there's a spirit in my home. 1350070697 +>More regulation is better than letting a bunch of quacks run amok. \n\nExcept that all they're regulating here is requiring naturopaths to have a sufficient "education" in naturopathy (a lateral move at best) and restricting the procedures they can perform (a definite boon). However, all Joe Uninformedcitizen knows is that the Alberta goverment said naturopaths are medical professionals, so he's all the more likely to seek one out (and hopefully he at least goes to one that's "accredited") instead of seeing an actual, y'know, trained medical professional. *All* the snake-oil peddlers will see an uptick in business as belief that magic-whatever will cure what ails you spreads, and I don't know that the fact that some woo-peddlers will be certified as being less-harmful to your health than others is all that big a win given the costs. 1343318731 +Yes, because in the scientific world, there is more incentive in publishing risky results very fast than being thorough... 1333457106 +Yeah, I mean it wasn't ALL crap, I guess. They certainly didn't break any new ground though. 1322863559 +I would love to shop at the whole foods you're shopping at. All the ones in my area are significantly more expensive in every respect than my other local grocery stores.\n\nHowever, if I'm looking for a specific product, like a variety of cheese, or Organic Chocolate milk (Holy hell that stuff tastes amazing.) they're guaranteed to have it. It's a bit of a catch 22 though, because I'm not a fan of supporting a store that sells so much alternative medicine bullcrap. 1349190971 +And another thing. From your reply I can conclude you did not read my post properly and you certainly didn't understand it. You flicked over it quickly. It's insulting that you didn't even bother to read it before you replied. *tsk tsk. 1326800400 +It looks like a drunk guy with a blanket wrapped around him staggering across the yard. 1334373986 +Now that's funny. That's not what I meant but going back and reading it, that is fucking hilarious. I'm leaving it. 1351226832 +Well, as they stated in the video, it is just extremely efficient, using gravity as the power source, but eventually, it will wind down. Making a device that runs for 3 days isn't terribly difficult. Making one that runs for 3 years, more so. \n\nI don't think the horseshoe magnets are actually doing anything like the inventor states. The ball is perpendicularly located and ~8 inches away when they're up, which is supposed to propel the ball, but move them down ~1 in and suddenly they have no effect on the ball's momentum? I used to do a lot of patent work and very often we'd have inventors that would describe their inventions, but at one step, they would describe something that broke the laws of physics or was just plain ridiculous, and we'd be forced to figure out what the hell was really going on. The device does not work the way the inventor thinks it does. \n\nThe overhead magnets, springs and pendulums are doing all the work. The horseshoe magnets may actually be serving as a brake when the ball passes in front of them. You'd need speed readings at every angle to really figure out what's affecting what. 1350236727 +I disabled adblock but I still don't live in the USA. Help? 1313701218 +Yes, but hunted by who? Perhaps the guy jumanjii? 1340652881 +Allow me about 15 hours or so when I have more than my droid to make a full rebuttal, if you would be so kind. 1296726159 +I don't see it as anything to be afraid of, I see it as some sort of a message your buddy sent to you go get you to think differently about physical reality. Maybe he opened your matrix capsule and was splashing water on your face. I see the brain as a tuning device, sounds like he altered the frequency at which your thought are vocalized into sound. Perhaps like spinning a record faster. Anyway hope you enjoyed the gift, now take it and figure out how this could be possible given our current understandings about physical reality. 1332546239 +Keep shadowboxing. 1355116977 +I'm Catholic, and I think this subreddit is pure evil and you are all going to roast in hell!\n\nHaha JK. I love /r/paranormal. 1345507346 +Oops: you forgot to say "in my opinion". Because you don't seem to be aware that this is all it is: an opinion. Which is also why nobody listens to posts like these. You come off as righteous, which nobody needs. 1253496996 +Belief in astrology == instant turnoff. 1309566280 +Ha. But seriously, if it's not Quantum that begs the question, how does it work? I NEED TO KNOW!!!!!!! 1313589339 +Compared to now yeah it kinda was. Lots of things championed by Reagan and Bush would be called socialist by the Tea Party. 1351921053 +experimental craft created by the worlds governments. however, if that is the case then technology as we know it has already been far exceeded by government scientists for quite a while now if they are capable of creating machines that can do what has been reported for years now. 1321537274 +you sir, just blew my mind. Totally right. 1333993785 +I've been practicing meditation daily for about two years now. I heard a man say that when his solar plexus becomes large enough to touch his root chakra or sacral chakra, he is able to produce an electric shock through his hands. I have attempted to energize my chakras for spoon bending and moving small objects through telekinesis. With out much success my focus went else where. The funny thing is my girlfriend gives me the most amazing energy in my penis/genitals/prostate area when she flirts with me. She really is on an elevated level sexually. Maybe my sacral chakra is just overly active and giving me the necessary energy for moving objects through telekinesis. Thank you, that made sense to me. Now to keep practicing and be patient and I may learn some control. 1343707230 +Well I don't know enough about the history to make an argument in detail, this argument is made from Hitchens' research on the topic.\n\nHe made the case that it's not that simple and straightforward. 1344559116 +[Not even close](http://conservapedia.com/Soccer#Soccer_and_socialism) 1314412718 +You read tarot cards? Can you tell me the name of the person i will meet and be happy with? Do tarot cards work like that? 1318455346 +Well you have to keep it up for a bit :P First week I didn't wash wasn't too great either (understatement) 1351800131 +The one that's up there is WAY too large and interferes with the page layout. I'd take this guy's over that one. Maybe add a trenchcoat and change the font of "reddit" to matrix style letters. 1326482916 +> I know that many of my peers hold—as I myself did—to the theory that the brain, and in particular the cortex, generates consciousness and that we live in a universe devoid of any kind of emotion, much less the unconditional love that I now know God and the universe have toward us. But that belief, that theory, now lies broken at our feet.\n\nThis guy can't have been such a great scientist after all, if one personal experience causes him to throw years of research out of the window.\n\nOccams razor comes to my mind... 1349718849 +You realize the OP didn't editorialize their title right? 1351015082 +and related lecture [here](http://potomacinstitute.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1076:special-cns-lecture-october-21&catid=65:past-events&Itemid=94) 1333133997 +My experience with GPs is that they send you to a specialist to find the root cause. 1335332952 +At first glance, I thought they looked like razor blades. Remember: down the street, not across the tracks. 1321823693 +Oh Raelian? 1318911081 +The point of my reply is that I liked Dawkins and his writings much more when he was advocating science and reason. Now it seems he spends most of his time attacking religion. I'm not making any claims about religion.\n\nHe is often rude and condescending, considered bad behavior by most. I'm not saying he's wrong, or that it's wrong to question someone's faith and call them on their bullshit. I just think it could be done with more humanity and compassion. My biggest gripe about the New Atheist movement is that it often lacks civil discourse. 1351112318 +Hitler ate sugar! 1340293844 +It's between the box set and the bed frame. 1345913063 +Email him my post. :)\nThanks for the compliments. 1291092187 +For some reason all I see is the lady [doing this](http://gifsoup.com/view4/1090080/jump-on-it-o.gif) with the plant. 1327507494 +worked fairs and out of a friends' shop. If you do it for money your a pro. 1318467797 +It would have to be pink slime and beef, not chicken. But my first-hand knowledge comes from the pet supply industry, where I highly recommend avoiding even the dog foods that use by-products (which is what they call the stuff that goes into pink slime), because of the lower protein and nutritive values.\n\nBut as to [pink slime](http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/03/27/pink-slime-deconstructed/) in particular:\n\n>But, is it nutritious? Consumers can certainly make valid arguments regarding LFTB’s content: there’s less overall “functional” protein than that found in other meat products. An analysis conducted at Iowa State University (A.S. Leaflet R1361) found two-and-a-half times more insoluble protein (77% vs. 30%) relative to soluble proteins in ordinary ground chuck. Nutritionally, our gut bacteria digest much of what we cannot, but there’s a good bet that we can’t get as much value from insoluble proteins (collagen and elastin, found largely in tendons, ligaments, and cartilage) as from their soluble siblings (myosin and actin, usually associated with muscle tissues). \n\nThe various vitamins and such will of course be different, but that's also dependent on what the animal was eating. Any place putting pink slime in their ground meat is using incredibly low-quality meat to begin with, so lowering the nutritive value even further seems unwise. 1333638485 +>the debate would quickly reduce to one about things like material properties - which have clear values and are hard to argue about.\n\nUnless maybe the WTC towers were built of materials that weren't meticulously tested and analyzed before assembly... which they weren't. It would devolve into an argument over the exact hardness of the bolts in the outer frame, the ductility of the rivets on the trusses, etc. 1290698803 +Nice! This one's crammed with stuff: A Siamese cat, a human face, a standing woman in a hat, and two other small dogs; one appears to be a Scottish terrier, and the other a chihuahua. Any idea who's projecting this? 1341714231 +How many someones?\n\nIt's "someone's", not "someones". \n\n Someone means more than one someone.\n Someone's means someone is or someone has.\n 1351226629 +I found out how it works, if that can net me some karma back. Apparently it's a hell of a lot more caustic than most other OTC treatments. 1352768626 +Yeah he must do. He's obviously not malicious, or he'd be destroying things and taunting you. He's probably a lonely kid who just wants some company. \nAt least you know his name now and when you hear something moving or a voice, you can say hi to him etc. \nI'm weird, but I've always wanted a ghost like that. Unfortunately I've only experience malicious entities :-/ Now I try to ignore them lol 1351214092 +A lot of people are pointing out that this might be an April Fool's Joke because of the timing, but [Colantotte](http://www.colantotte.jp/global/) appears to be a real company with an actual (as in *existing*, not *functional*) [product](http://www.trionz.com/) that you can really [buy](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_3_5?url=search-alias%3Dhpc&field-keywords=trion+z&sprefix=trion%2Caps%2C285) today. \n\nLooking up "Colantotte" or "Arc Quest Co.,Ltd" (heh, the "arc" thing gave me pause though) there does seem to be [some](http://news.priorsmart.com/double-reef-llc-dba-ionloop-v-arc-quest-l39w/) [interesting](http://patents.justia.com/2005/06913663.html) [stuff](http://www.metoview.com/traders-6/company/arc-quest-co-ltd.html) out there that indicates this is all real. Real *bullshit*, but still not an April Fool's Joke.\n\nIf it's a joke, someone spent a LOT of time on it. 1331923094 +Being from and currently in Texas, I call bullshit on your story. :) 1299613805 +By "EVERYONE" I mean all the press outlets. 1337211713 +Most non-pop celebrities who are still alive, even ... 1352138439 +That is not what OP did. He complained to the manager as if the gym was responsible for some personal offense against him which they could only rectify by taking the sign down. If I was the manager I'd have told him to get bent too. There is nothing about being a skeptic that necessitates being a giant douchebag. 1327596138 +How did the sighting end? Did they fly off?\n\nToo bad you didn't get a picture. I'm curious to see what you saw.\n 1349879085 +That clip is from this slick 1956 docudrama. You can imagine all the great chrome beasts gathering at the drive-in on Friday night.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bGTLtdwPHM 1331077813 +Just a plane at very high altitude. The blinking is its identification lights and the orange color comes from its reflection of the sun. Notice how its at about sunset/sunrise light time, the plane is probably still high enough to hit the sun.\n\nDismissed 1312796213 +apparently the company that made the ad pirated the song 1344991393 +Thanks for that. 1348326537 +try "you forever" available here: http://www.lobsangrampa.org/research.html 1347130445 +Unless you work for the NWO this is why I love Reddit - concise, logical delivery of facts. Thank you. 1298066299 +the study that was made up? 1347041032 +It is dangerous because believing in fairy tales past age 8 is sad\n\nit makes the person less able to make intelligent decisions in politics and their personal lives and both of those things end up affecting me\n\nIt's dangerous because you end up with religious nut-jobs running the country and claiming they are acting in gods will...and some of those Angel loving idiots you were content to let believe their little fantasy, they sign right up to be on the death squads, because their reality says they will live forever in paradise.\n\nIt's dangerous because ignorance and lies are just as powerful as the truth, and if you don't fight for your side...you will lose 1325004756 +Haha! Except I emailed Steve about this a few days ago. I WIN! 1303658470 +Actually it goes both ways whether you like it or not. You can't make empirical claims if you don't have empirical evidence. Not unless you want to be called a pseudoskeptic.\n\nI also believe you did not understand my post. You don't have to believe in spirits, and you can say that "there is no evidence for spirits" to refute anyone's claim that they have seen one and you would be correct to say so. However, you can't say "There are no spirits" for then you are making a claim. 1348126368 +This city (Boulder) wants to Municipalize its electric grid - basically buy the network from Xcel Energy and run it themselves. I think it ultimately will be good for the city but I want to propose that Boulder tax every use of the word "Energy" that doesn't equate to the ability to move an object in a potential field and use the proceeds to pay for the municipalization. 1344823993 +so, speculatively, this is a reverse engineered space ship just randomly cruising in formation with some decommissioned f-14 jets while being filmed by the calmest cameraman ever. honestly it just seems very artificial. 1313887524 +I'm confused on that part, though. How is the Bible eyewitness testimony? Perhaps the Gospels could be considered such (if there are persuasive reasons to conclude that the authors whose names are attached are actually the authors), but certainly the book of Genesis can't be counted as such, even by Christians, since no human existed to witness creation! So what exactly does "eyewitness testimony" mean to these people? I'm very confused. 1335562387 +DAE else notice this part:\n\n> "There are a number of hypotheses on the table, and the evidence for none of them is convincing." [See Photos of Fairy Circles]\n\nIt's like they're saying, "We don't know. Why don't you try to figure it out from looking at photos on your computer." This is where stupid ideas come from. 1340934432 +I think QualiaSoup's video on the same subject is much better:\n\n[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7xt5LtgsxQ](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7xt5LtgsxQ)\n\nIt lays out the rational basis for secular morality, rather than just Bible-bashing as this video does. 1316467533 +Then it wasn't as liberal as you think. 1324683992 +That's what Discovery, History, TLC (after it was purchased) started out as. The road to profit is, however, paved with crap. One of the reasons I was happy to leave my career in tv docs. 1351769631 +Yup. There's always dissenters and non-believers, but the fundamental method is to exert a social pressure. 1343540719 +first thing people will do is over react , OMG what do they want ? OMG its a big bug kill it !! OMG ive seen alien rape porn its going to rape my daughter kill it ! OMG its going to rape my wife kill it ! OMG its going to rape my son kill it ! OMG its going to rape me kill it ! OMG it wants our oil quick invade its planet and rape them before we kill it with fire..... 1333322475 +Building 7 always bothered me... \n\nedit:\n\nSeriously, I am not being a dick, but if you want to explain why a building that didn't get hit by a plane fell EXACTLY like the two others next to it that did, then tell me and cure my ignorance instead of downvoting and moving on.(similar construction methods/materials etc + fire = building collapse?)\n\nIs the point not discussion? I get it this video is a hoax, great, so tell me why I should just accept the building 7 fell without the jet fuel to increase burning temp to melt steel etc etc.\n\nHelp someone out and dont just scoff and downvote. Learn me skeptics and cure my ignorance. 1345512963 +Perhaps the website threw me off. 1320714448 +I had a long, painful discussion with a person about the swine flu pandemic some weeks ago. We were coming along quite nicely, until she suddenly dropped the homeopathy bomb. That's when I realized that it wouldn't matter what I said anyway, because this person is evidently able to believe _anything_, as long as she wants to. 1259570711 +I find it hard to believe that we live in world where people who believe David Icke's lies actually exist.\n\n 1303582905 +They probably already are.\nHere is one of the main misconceptions that seem to perpetuate: that ET's would show themselves completely in the same 3 dimensions as we are.\nWho says they aren't existing in higher dimensions, and all we see and/or detect are 'derivatives' in our own 3rd dimension? 1332405138 +Same here. I admire that he's confident, and I view it as a sign of respect that someone would be so straight with me about what he thinks. I can't stand meek people, but somehow everyone else here does. \n\nYeah, no one is infallible; he got something wrong. Woopty-fuckin-doo. 1330311787 +He needs to stop trying to vaccinate himself from bloggers. 1323924229 +More fun: Cracked's Dan O'Brien had [an entire column](http://www.cracked.com/blog/dont-listen-to-jenny-mccarthy/) basically calling McCarthy retarded about the whole vaccine thing, and I also touched on it in [#5 of this article](http://www.cracked.com/article_18416_5-things-media-loves-pretending-are-news.html) that I wrote. 1301783699 +He didn't just predict the winner, he predicted which way every state would go. 1352300366 +> Chiropractic care is the only thing option that's ever been offered to me\n\nThat's kind of a hallmark of snake oil, isn't? It's a panacea for everything we can't fully cure yet.\n\nHow many homeopaths did it take to cure smallpox?\n\n> acknowledges the scientific studies proving that fibromyalgia exists\n\nThat's kinda the rub, isn't it? While most are sure something matching the symptoms of fibromyalgia exists, we aren't quite certain it's not somewhat psychosomatic in origin. The fact that SSRI's have efficacy in resolving fibromyalgia suggests there's at least some psychological component to some cases. This psychological component will be well out of the scope of a chiropractor. 1337667908 +Someone!, Inform Lord Helmet! 1332046399 +King me! 1269079465 +Matt Taibbi FTW. 1321462023 +Right, but it's not these people who'll die, it's their children. The fact that these people are willfully putting their children's lives on the line is the atrocious part, because *they'll* survive. Not the innocents who got dragged into this by sheer accident of birth. It's the parents who are making these horrible horrible decisions, and they don't have to suffer for them, so they won't feel the consequences until it's far too late.\n 1329628929 +So...that's at least 53 individuals who match the DNA profile. 1/53 (1.9%) chance of being Osama? 1304367664 +OK. Then I say this:\nI think while calling someone or something stupid, people shouldn't use the word "Ain't", which makes them look ignorant, therefore weakening their criticism. \nBetter? :) 1294427176 +> reliable sources\n\nThere's the trick. 1353768144 +That complete article is bullshit, no doubt, just that bacon had its own paragraph made me laugh out to be honest. 1326696823 +Slow clap anyone? Wrong, yes, but had she gotten away with it, I would have included a "Genius, yes". Nice try though. 1274108602 +UNICEF is one of the best NGOs out there. 90% of their funding goes directly to their programs. The claim that less than 5¢ on the dollar goes to their programs is patently absurd, and the UNICEF US fund CEO's salary is about 1/3 what this image claims.\n\nhttp://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=4617\n\nhttp://www.bbb.org/charity-reviews/national/children-and-youth/united-states-fund-for-unicef-in-new-york-ny-1982/all 1355092677 +I used to do a lot of these things when I was in high school. I am probably down for something like this as long as we don't run the risk of legal problems from trespassing. Not in the mood for a legal headache 1318001587 +What?!! You mean doctors can be just as dumb as the rest of us?!\n\nA group of researchers did a massive meta analysis of >100 studies in 1996, and found no significant correlation between the lunar cycle and birth rate, and between the lunar cycle and crime or mental illness, which is a similar myth. That doesn't mean it's impossible, but seeing how no plausible mechanism has ever been introduced for why it would work, I personally am uninspired. 1313434940 +This would make a great book. A tale of a connection so strong between a father and son that not even time itself can limit their relationship. Great story, upvoted for sure! 1326493044 +Could be confirmation bais. \n\nIf you look for an effect, you'll notice everything that confirms it, and ignore anything that doesn't.\n\n 1343559898 +Aw you poor thing. It must be hard hearing about inequalities in our society. 1347383716 +I think you mean same effect, not opposite effect. 1343847079 +Precisely. Smoking and alcoholism are pretty much at play in each and every Spontaneous Human Combustion case.\n\nYou pass out with a lit cig in your hand, your clothes catch on fire, and the wick effect takes over from there.\n\nI won't deny that a world in which a human _could_ spontaneously burst into flame might be a more interest one to live in, though. With or without Brad Dourif chewing you out.\n\n(For those who don't get the Dourif comment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lNSLXEb3iU&feature=related Short and succinct, I promise) 1316834134 +I've had my own sighting and yet I'm still skeptical. What I saw was incredible; two pin-points of light, like stars, chasing each other across half the sky, darting back and forth and pulling off instantaneous stops and full reversals, lasting for about 30 seconds but long enough for my dad to see it too. It was like nothing I've ever seen. That being said, I don't know what it was, and that's about it. I know full well that when I tell other people they're likely not to believe a word of it, or at least present a sort of healthy skepticism of the sort that I also employ when reading about or hearing reports of other people as well.\n\nTLDR; It's okay to believe as long as you're critical about it. As soon as you stop being critical about it, the worse the signal-to-noise ratio gets. 1323763381 +>at that speed no time passes for the photon.\n\nThat's not quite right either. It doesn't really make sense to talk about how much time passes "for a photon" (generally accepted to mean "in the photon's rest frame) because the photon doesn't *have* a rest-frame. To make the statement more precise, we say that there is no Lorentz-invariant parametrization of a photon's trajectory. What that means amounts to basically the same thing: that photons can't evolve between their emission and their absorption, e.g. they can't spontaneously decay. 1332927067 +[Still one of the most unsettling things I've ever heard, fake or not](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4pu9RPHgr0) 1354586360 +As a user of Napster in the late 1990s, and a file swapper with my friends before that, I can confirm that a record company made me do it. 1345469956 +Who's the ethnocentric elitist again? 1331444865 +The Atlanta airport is, apparently, the busiest airport in the entire world, so just from a pure statistical position, yeah, it would also be the number one destination for people who drank milk at breakfast.\n\nI'd also add that many, many flights terminating anywhere in the South have to connect through Atlanta. I was flying to Memphis and had to watch helplessly as we flew past Memphis, on to Atlanta and then back to Memphis. When I asked about it the stewardess said:\n\n"Oh sweetie, we have a sayin' in the South... 'Even when you die, you still have to connect through Atlanta.'" 1341816162 +That was one of my favorite scenes from that movie. I watch it for the same reasons. 1356372840 +Series I episode 9? That surely couldn't mean season 1, if so that'd be an incredibly old episode. 1320452870 +Your mom doesn't need a debunking she needs medication. 1301899909 +This is a great page that talks about how the mythical figure Jesus came about and talks about the fallacies behind Jesus-based apologetics.\n\nhttp://www.truth-saves.com/chapter4.php?section=3 1306432699 +you have like a filter, that filters out not important informations (the lamp was obviously not important to you). So you can't remember because your brain didn't think it's an important memory. 1334648463 +Google it. Apparently he's pretty common. Be careful, man. 1340093997 +when i was about 5 i was staring down my grandparents hallway in theyre appartment into my room, theyre room is across from the bathroom, i saw a tall figure slowly walk by a shadow, i thought my eyes were messed up so i checked the room if my grandfather walked by turns out grandmother and grandfather were on the porch 1350171197 +gamerlen is right. People who are tricked or forced into cults (by being socially outcast -with the other "SP"s- or by threats of eternal damnation) aren't at fault, and they aren't weak minded idiots. The dead 20 year old, the dead 32 year old, and the dead 21 year old are the victims here! Three deaths in nine months....and this still hasn't gotten the attention it deserves. \n\nThe people who are denied methadone, forced to deal with withdrawal, and put in saunas for pseudo-science-woo reasons -those people are victims too. \n\nAnd by the sounds of other reports from people who have escaped Scientologist facilities [(e.g. the Freewinds cruises)](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-28/woman-27imprisoned27-on-scientology-cruise-ship/3700390)...not all of them had a choice in going, or the option of leaving. 1354936618 +Is there a single legitimate medicine, marijuana aside, that you *can't* OD on? Isn't that why all pill bottles are covered in warnings and have the poison control number on them? 1348054671 +Doesn't necessarily have to be 'bumping the cord.' If there was a loose connection somewhere (inside the lamp or in the cord or in the plug) even a slight vibration could have screwed up the connection. This happens to me sometimes with my mp3 player if I'm not careful to secure the headphone jack properly. Every time I move, the sound can cut out in one or both ears or get softer in one or both ears depending on how I move.\n\nAs for the white blob, one thing that popped into my head is a light spot. Maybe you were sitting such that you had a bright light just barely in your peripheral vision. When you started moving your eyes, the light appeared to move because the spot stayed in one spot in your vision while you looked around. After a second or two of looking around, your eyes adjusted and the spot went away. 1337831841 +OP, listen I know this may sound a little strange but please do more research before trying to "call" these things. A great many people who have had encounters regret it for the rest of their life. I'm not telling you what to do. I'm merely suggesting doing some deep research in the subject before opening yourself to anything for which you do not have any defensive measures or reasonable understanding. 1352790265 +Until this post I was unaware of that skeptic was a community or really could be. Forget all the trolling for a moment and think about the other positions, they don't require being a skeptic such as atheist, feminist, etc. \n\nSkeptic is pealing back everything another would propose as a truth, that is all. skeptic does not bound itself to trolling, threatening, atheism or anything else including a community. In binding the skeptical process and position is to hijack the process and disposition to memes. It is as useless as this entire thread, and the provocation of threats. 1351168960 +"Contains active hydrogen." Yes. It is woo. It is, at best, a $4000 water filter. 1312216342 +Haha. Brilliant! Thanks for the report, I'll get Craig (dev) on to it! 1341032659 +Last I checked I never claimed reading and driving a car were legal or even a thing, I said listening to the radio in a car or talking to another passenger. Thank you for not reading and contemplating my argument and instead only listening to your confirmation bias. 1356980480 +I was recently informed the show has gone from "We found this and this, we couldn't explain them." to "HOLY SHIT THIS PLACE IS HAUNTED!"\n\nWhich, honestly made me very sad. I loved this show because they never really said any place was haunted. They found an interesting point of data, and then attempted to determine what caused it. If they could find no cause, they left it at that; Undetermined.\n\nNow, apparently it's just commercialized typical fake BS... And, like I said, that mad me legitimately sad. It felt like finding out your favorite teacher from elementary school had died. 1352544481 +"Shit" is real. Extraterrestrials visiting Earth... not real. 1352965312 +>and as religion is a form of politics\n\nDon't scare me like that... :-( 1345420115 +> A lot of the stories in this subreddit (the ones that aren't just made up) are probably due to false memories or errors in perception.\n\nCan't speak for anyone else, but I started documenting all the glitches, because my rational brain understood it might be false memory. It is true that every time a memory is accessed and recalled, it changes in some minor way. So I document like a good scientist.\n\nErrors in perception -- that's a bit trickier. \n\n 1326565121 +The fact the world isn't ending doesn't preclude people doing things that might make emergency situations. 1355861103 +I grew up in the Fairfax area and had a boyfriend in HS that lived on Clifton Rd. We used to go down the bridge and never had any interesting experiences. \n\nI was always more worried about the people who have the house at the end of the bridge coming out and yelling at us (which they did) for loitering and being disruptive kids. 1340609801 +I guess my question is whether or not there's any proof of its actual effectiveness. 1325198261 +If the death toll is >1; it's too many! 1304909532 +Two issues with this: first, peas should be in the dead flesh area, and second, donuts should be elevated to super food. Other than that, pretty informative. 1346448972 +I just fail to see how these people's ads are more dangerous than Budweiser's. \n\nThat is, I think we should either overhaul the entire system or allow everyone the same rights of public bullshittery. 1303353611 +:( I only recently moved to Vancouver! 1346220613 +I think it's a confusion over the fact that one of the breakdown products of aspartame is methanol. Not the alcohol as we know it, but an alcohol. As you say the amounts are minute, and easily handled by our bodies. 1330916401 +What sort of credulous bullshit is this? 1317051475 +Related: I usually wear my Ryan Giggs shirt whenever Manchester United are playing. Also used to make sure that everything red (like lighters, bottles, cigarette packs etc.) were standing upright, because it would somehow help the team. You know... Just so it wouldn't be MY fault if they lost. 1332175289 +> Yet not a single person saw anything resembling controlled demolition. Odd.\n\nWho would have seen it that didn't die? What does controlled demolition look like that these people could have seen? Is it possible to hide it? From outside the building, there are experts in demolition that have said there was evidence that it looked like demolition. Also, there were people who reported hearing pops similar to what could have been controlled demolition. It could have been something else too though.\n\n\n 1314657711 +Put the tip of your mouse cursor over one of the black dots on the WSF. That dot stays in the same place relative to the camera until at one point it starts moving to the upper left. That movement starts at same time and direction as the speck of debris's change in direction. \n\nIt's clear that the Shuttle started moving down and to the right (when looking aft). From the camera's POV, the WSF and speck moved up and to the left. At the same time. Being much closer, the change is more obvious with the spec of debris.\n 1321654241 +I don't believe that there is any individual that can singularly control legislature. I do believe that an individual can have significant influence on legislature but that to say they control it is over stating the type of influence they have. 1304623803 +Amongst all this vitriol I can't help but feel concerned for her children. Belligerent ignorance does not create a health environment for them to grow up in. 1351122009 +Just posted it there. Sorry about that! :P I saw the post about the little girl in the spinning chair and figured mine was in a similar vein. 1326486305 +okay. Leonard Peltier. I don't really care if he did it - what was going on at that time was totally different. There were dozens and dozens of murders of anti-government activists on that reservation that year, none of them investigated because of a lack of manpower. at the same time the FBI had its highest ever concentration of agents per capita. This isn't an issue of a single man, its the issue of an incredibly f'd up situation where we believe the government murdered dozens of individuals, then threw all the attention on one guy who may or may not have fought back. 1279252379 +Ok, I did not realize there was a difference between homeopathy and herbal remedies. 1327945830 +You are absolutely correct. I had a girlfriend who believed 9/11 was an inside job, and I spent a majority of the time she spouted about it trying to bring her to reason.Monsanto, 9/11, alien bases on the far side of the moon, alien sightings by ex-naval intelligence. (William Cooper)It seems to be the socially repressed that get hooked on these ideas. Lack of acceptance by your peers feels better when they are in fact under you, being blind to the truth you had to look so hard for. (lol) 1342544734 +Nice try but it is obviously a chinese lantern reflecting headlights of a car. 1329928132 +Periodic Video of chemists annoyed by the idea that "chemicals" are nasty. www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6ZsYCnlvPs 1316571774 +Yes, necessarily. If they are willing to lie about one, you know they are willing to lie about the other...\n\nIf you were a juror in a murder trial, and a witness answered 10 questions - and you knew he was lying about 6 of them - would you trust his testimony on the other 4??? 1346547972 +Have an upvote, sir. Reddit, my brother. Brother, Reddit. 1347259381 +There are a bunch of jets flying over the Denver area as well.\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/Denver/comments/12yvf1/jets_over_lakewood/ 1352657812 +That whole area was kind of a mess of mostly USSR but also Finnish and Swedish submarine and general underwater playground during the cold war. Most conspiracy theories about it is more about what the USSR pulled off there and to a lesser degree what Sweden/Finland pulled off or did to monitor it. It's certainly overstated to a huge degree, but there seems to be enough incidents to say more then nothing happened (most of what happened: everyone tested subs and sub detection equipment in a closed loop). 1311980935 +and the gold 1330773910 +Yes, but that is not correct. I have been a Libertarian and active in the Libertarian community since about 2005. They've always hated Bush, and my brand of anarcho-capitalism ususally scares off more moderate libertarian miniarchists. Your assumptions are completely baseless. Then you said Rand Paul is the closest thing to a Libertarian elected last cycle, even though he does not self-identify as Libertarian and Libertarians do not consider him one of their own. He may represent the libertarian wing of the Republican party, but thats about it. He's still a Republican. \n\nEdit: And frankly, reddit used to be one of the freindliest places on the net for Libertarians, until Digg fell and there was a huge influx of unread political theorists who came rushing into /politics. 1306185250 +"How does it stand to reason that any video that follows the first must be faked? This mindset is completely alien to me. It's very simple logic: if I film you, then fake a second video of you, are you fake?"\n\nHow does your analogy come close to even applying If I am claiming the first video is fake but in your analogy you imply that it is necessarily real. You talk of simple logic and then post that?\n\nA better analogy would be if you fake a video of me doing something (just as we know the first video of the Jerusalem event is fake) and then someone else posts a video of me doing the same exact thing, but from another angle.\n\nIf the second video is real, how did the first video get faked without ever seeing the second video before anyone else? If they had access to the second video of me doing that why would they even fake the video in the first place.\n\n 1300797945 +Seasquatch DSV 1327211596 +It's satire. [There was just a post about this on r/Australia](http://www.reddit.com/r/australia/comments/qorfc/my_brother_thinks_the_questioner_is_being_serious/c3z8liq). 1331358170 +From what I can tell their "peer reviewed studies" are studies performed by homeopaths and reviewed by homeopaths. 1331924011 +Take a look around conspiratard. You might learn something. 1291344897 +I highly doubt he's alive. I agree that it'd be very foolish to make the claim we killed him if he was alive and not under our control. But I think it's possible he died some time ago. 1304383620 +Who gives a damn when there is no control group. They all look pretty much the same to me. 1328072661 +Parents who vaccinate should be raising a stink about sending their children to a school full of unvaccinated kids. It's a public health issue. 1329599112 +I am neither a psycho, an asshole and an idiot, but so far you've given everyone else a reason to believe that you are all of these things. So please stop acting like a psycho, an asshole and an idiot and **please don't respond to this message**. 1351440432 +I am neither a psycho, an asshole and an idiot, but so far you've given everyone else a reason to believe that you are all of these things. So please stop acting like a psycho, an asshole and an idiot and **please don't respond to this message**. 1351521207 +This type of reasoning was funny when it was used to justify flying-spaghetti-monsterism. When these guys try to invoke it seriously, it just makes me sad. 1316831225 +what the fuck? 1345464780 +That was precisely my point : what is "safe" ? safe for whom ? 1319543027 +My sister was talking about the new fitness facility she works at and how it includes acupuncture and chiropractic "medicine". After about 15 minutes of me explaining why I think both are completely useless and going on a bit of a tangent of "there's no such thing as harmless pseudoscience" etc. she frustratedly proclaims: "You're such a skeptic! Why do you have to be so cynical about everything??"\n\nI thanked her for the compliment, then tried to understand why wanting proof of a claim makes me a cynic.. 1309926809 +Thanks for the link! But that is exactly why it was so interesting to me. The way Hall depicts them is much more realistic. Family groups and day to day life. And the way he dictats the stories comes across as he is telling the truth, from memory. But of course i have to admit there is no real proof except for the memoir that he kept. 1327843504 +Min.us is much better. It doesn't strip exif and supports much larger photos without compression.\n\nIf you absolutely need to transfer something in perfect condition then don't use an image host. Just about every host that's dedicated to images will mess them up in some way. Use a traditional file host like Mediafire or Depositfiles in those cases (although that's excessive for this situation). 1350336470 +Oh, just typical "I don't have to answer for myself because I'm anonymous" internet stuff. It's fine, I was expecting it. I'm actually surprised it didn't start sooner than it did. 1343606372 +Ah, got it, thanks. I have no idea about the nutritional and/or therapeutic value the oil may have. 1345238321 +A vaugely similar story, i went into a phoneshop to arrange getting my phone upgraded and i was told that i needed to sort out an appointment to do so.\nThe woman asked me when was a good day and then went to tap it into the computer, then she just stopped and looked at me and said that the computer already had the exact same appointment for the exact same date with me. I had absolutely no memory of going in there to sort it out, but then i also found a reminder in my phone for it!\nIt was bloody strange but i was more embarrased by the queue of people chuckling at me so i hotfooted it out of there with a red face. 1339345194 +Maybe he was and I just haven't seen the videos, I mainly have just watch his debates and read his books. I don't think he is seen as infallible, I think most people who like him disagree with him on his politics, and even more on his views of feminism/women. 1329887987 +Whatever truths exist beyond earth, I really hope we are not alone in the universe. That is for some reason scary to think about. All those empty planets and shit. Damn 1345252168 +>Could you calm down for 2 seconds and stop being so combative?\n\nI'm chill as a cucumber. But I'm only still here to be combative with people, as I've already been persuaded against homeopathy by some of the earliest comments.\n\n>I'm not even the person that made the comment so I'm not actually calling myself witty.\n\nYeah I realized that after I commented. I don't really keep track of who I'm responding too.\n\n>I'm just pointing out that the guy didn't say anything close to what you interpreted\n\nLook... Imagine he had asked me to do some difficult physical task and I replied with "I'm not Superman". Do you think that I actually, literally expected him to have been thinking that I was a superhero from another planet? No.\n\nThink it over.\n\n>There's a lot of people here trying to help you and I've noticed you've been given a few of them quite the attitude.\n\nThey had attitude. I already thanked the people trying to help me politely, and they did help me. I am convinced. 1333648164 +Uh, the top rated comment is asking her to prove it. Sounds good to me. 1342462813 +What about "stage" hypnotism, where the hypnotist vaguely waves his hand in front of volunteers who then promptly fall into a deep sleep? Are they all in on the act, or is the suggestive power/placebo effect enough to actually put them under?\n\nI've always assumed that if it is just suggestion, every so often you'd get a die-hard skeptic who goes up on stage knowing full well it's bullshit and just stands there with a shit-eating grin on their face after being "hypnotised". But for some reason it never seems to happen. 1307507216 +That you all very much for the varying advice and opinions. I will ask my mother if she has seen anything since she's still living in the house. I haven't said anything to her because i don't want to sound crazy. But maybe she's seen it to.\n\nThanks again! 1339982247 +Was hoping you'd save me the time as I'm really not invested into this :(\n\nI'll be sober sometime tomorrow and will check it you rmeind me\n\n 1306317148 +Yes, that is the latest piece of crap being debunked - if you actually cared to read about it you could have seen at the very top:\n\n> *According to David Middleton, "Pat Michaels debunked this particular Warmist myth back in 2008". **In reality, it was Patrick Michaels' article which was debunked - by Dennis Schmitt, the discoverer of Warming Island. The rebuttal was given at the invitation of Andrew C. Revkin who posted it in this article. It is in the nature of some people to ignore rebuttals and just keep churning out the same old 'not happening' and 'natural cycles' climate change myths as if there had never been any scientific evidence against them.** This creates a need for ever stronger rebuttals, which we seek to establish here.*\n\nBut I guess that your [fear of Cognitive Dissonance](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance) is stopping you from reading anything posted here - [a very good way to expose you as a 'fake skeptic'](http://www.reddit.com/r/climateskeptics/comments/kwgys/skeptics_did_i_miss_something_had_anyone_ever/c2ns2be)! 1317741780 +yes, please I'd like to be able to read these articles.\n\nThis opens up the question of whether the subject needs to be consciously aware that a chemical is in their environment, or whether it only requires that they be subconsciously aware of its presence.\n\nHopefully soon there will be studies on the effectiveness of different neurological therapies at treating the MCS symptoms. 1316499693 +Their only purpose was to be on reddit 1245707830 +>As somebody who is very interested in the phenomenon it's an insult to my intelligence when somebody decides to yell wolf without looking into it or using reason.\n\nMaybe you need to just take a moment and get over yourself. \n\nThere are a lot of people in the world who are just becoming aware of this stuff. Educating them and discussing the 'why' of it usually works better than calling them a fucking moron. JMO.\n\nI should add that 99.5% of redditors think we are ALL fucking morons here in r/UFO. 1295995354 +When you came back to your body, you took that guy up your poop-chute, didn't you? 1321153329 +You can be skeptical and still be wrong. However, *being a skeptic* is different than *being skeptical*. \n\nIt's about evidence, regardless of where it comes from. I think it would be helpful if you clarified what specific issues you are concerned with. Admittedly, trying to argue that the earth being an oblate spheroid is wrong because it is the "official theory" won't go very far here. 1289766822 +I've always struggled with this idea. Lazar never really wanted to profit from his story, no books, no movies, and he only had an out-of-date and cheap personal website. His employment/school history was disappeared except for a single pay-stub from los alamos labs. His friends confirmed the story of lazar showing them where the UFO's fly around. He passed multiple lie detector tests. He has no interest in the ufo "community", in fact he declines every interview and remains private.\n\nI can't think of any motivation to lie about all this. Oh well, just another fascinating story that leaves more questions than answers. 1335936139 +It is on no way drastic. Of your GF were to receive a note like that, and you don't know who wrote it, its defiantly better to be safe than sorry. 1344715448 +And so I remain free, ever to live in fear of exposure as a free thinker and stretcher of boundaries. To hide, cower even, amongst the masses. 1314413740 +My apologies as the camera *clearly* wasn't set up ON the volcano. I apologize for the wrong word. It is fixed now.\n\nNow that we are done dissecting the use of a single word in my post....\n\nWho filmed this? Why did they set this up? Were they a scientist (vulcanologist?), when did they film this? With what equipment did they use? Etc, etc....\n\nIf you would rather focus on a single word in my comment then maybe you aren't focusing on the right concepts here. 1315247459 +I read somewhere that the ringing is actually something you hear when one of your brain cells die. 1348415398 +Because western medicine isn't diverse [at all] (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/about/biographies/biosg.html)... 1329825438 +I have nothing to add just wanted to say I have been watching your videos and had to subscribe.. Great job.. You make me laugh and I really enjoyed your reason rally video. I hope to make it to the next one and if I see you there you can hang with me and my brother. You have gained a fan today, sir.. Keep those videos coming. :) 1343248394 +My god, kimchee is like crack cocaine. The most addictive thing ever. I would open the fridge and wolf down some, do some errands, the open the fridge again and slurp slurp urghllmmnnffffglp...\n\nGood thing I eventually emptied the whole jar. 1340234977 +nope. hes talking aboit the guy that foumd a safe in his dads hotel, thrn cut a deal with oprah. 1339470370 +I understand what you're saying. I wasn't claiming that her experience was evidence just because she is scientifically-minded, I was just mentioning it because it seems interesting. I am actually unaware of the vast majority of evidence against the immunization/autism link (or even the supposed evidence that supports it - but I'm assuming that is non-existent outside of anecdotes), so after work I will start doing some research. \n\nI completely agree with you on all accounts. I'm just struggling with this situation. 1288976403 +One here. I love em, they're the myths of our time. They've taught me lots of healthy skeptical things such as never to trust anyone just because they speak with authority and can fire off strings of facts to back themselves up. When you've watched someone list in intimate compelling detail the many species of alien that they are in regular contact with then you end up giving even the most compelling orator a sideways glance. 1327798469 +In that regard, I imagine we're not any worse than any other non-science publication that attempts to write about science in an accessible manner. However, we're more entertaining and have more aesthetically pleasing genitals. 1333052947 +"How did we get these and know they are real??" "God said so, and magic" 1356850545 +I believe it's a combination. Much like how life varies in form on Earth, surely, life outside of Earth would vary similarly. We may have space faring civilizations with similar capabilities as ours, or we may have beings that have transcended physical space. The scale is huge. It does not benefit us to limit our understandings to "hyper-dimensional" or "flying saucers", as again, life varies and life in the Universe most certainly varies. 1326969302 +>... bs, bs, bs, but no intrinsic magnetic field.\n\n[It still has a magnetic shield](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Venus#Induced_magnetosphere). Are you trollling?\n\n 1351572442 +It's an overburdened for-profit system, and high-risk liability laws keep away a lot of good OBGYNs. Women's health needs some major focus in this country, and healthcare needs some fucking reform, but running back to the dark ages isn't the answer. I'm sure you agree, I just wanted to add my two cents. 1327729903 +No it wasn't. If a scientific breakthrough like that was made, bricks would have been shat. The source where you read that was either biased or misleading. 1335065935 +Non science should not be debated in science class. 1340914863 +I place my skepticism above my politics, to some extent. So while I'm a (small l) libertarian, I very much dislike Paul for some of his blatantly anti-science views. 1314035978 +[Karl Pilkington meets a human magnet!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ81b_0ZxtI) 1352837226 +A lot of the aspartame-specific references seem to be written by two MDs. MDs are not biochemists, and clinical research is usually of such poor quality as to not be worth reading. 1294264201 +> if anybody with any expertise can enlighten me on that I'd be grateful.\n\nWithout a lot more details it'd be pure speculation. I've got a bunch of guesses, but it'd probably be better to wait for some more facts. I hope we get some. 1335311640 +I can't read it either. Anyway, I sign a contract with my oil company annually where I will pay whatever their rate is up to a certain maximum price. If it goes over that price, then I simply pay that maximum. The "catch" is that the rates below that max will be slightly higher than the market rate. It's not so much a scam as a bit of a gamble. If prices skyrocket, I'm not affected. If they are low, I pay a little more. Maybe this is the type of thing we're looking at? 1317386089 +I enjoy your user name. Very well done. 1325943667 +Stoners are often nice, intelligent people, but really unless you're also a stoner they tend to make absolutely terrible friends, at least in my experience. 1325292961 +lol im a girl. and i was smoking a j at the time haha 1344943287 +The dude in the jumpsuit really does look almost exactly like him 1344872217 +Shhhhhhhhhhhhh ;) 1348310799 +At how many men does a social contract become valid? 1343100925 +I think there are some things that are worth thinking about in this talk - for instance, that sounds can be considered like visual art in that there can be foreground, background, hues, shades, positive and negative space. Also, there's no doubt that there are various kinds of sounds that people will prefer, and can help reduce stress levels and increase well-being.\n\nWhere I am skeptical is in his apparent connection with real physical health effects, in which it sounds like he attributes more than merely feeling better because the nice sounds are relaxing.\n\nEven more dubious is the attempt at making this scientific by invoking an evolutionary explanation for preferring certain kinds of sounds.\n\nOr that a compressed audio stream forces us to "fill in" the lost data; I have a hard time even understanding that one. 1285509540 +You should probably shove the leaves off the other side 1353821842 +I can see that nylon webbing destroying my feet. I'll stick to my Brooks shoes and barefoot workouts. 1349454425 +*This* *is* *an* *automatically* *generated* *TL;DR*, [*original*](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/16/science/earth/in-heartland-institute-leak-a-plan-to-discredit-climate-teaching.html) *reduced* *by* *88%*.\n\n> Leaked documents suggest that an organization known for attacking climate science is planning a new push to undermine the teaching of global warming in public schools, the latest indication that climate change is becoming a part of the nation&#039;s culture wars.\n\n> Heartland did declare one two-page document to be a forgery, although its tone and content closely matched that of other documents that the group did not dispute.\n\n> The documents raise questions about whether the group has undertaken partisan political activities, a potential violation of federal tax law governing nonprofit groups.\n\n[**Extended Summary**](http://www.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/psjzj/in_heartland_institute_leak_a_plan_to_discredit/) | [FAQ](http://www.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/pbcxq/faq_autotldr_concept/ "Version 0.9, ~3764 TL;DRs so far.") | [Theory](http://www.reddit.com/r/TheoryOfAutotldr/comments/phhg5/official_autotldr_theory_discussion/) | [Feedback](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%23autotldr "PMs and comment replies will be read by the bot admin, constructive feedback is welcome.") | *Top* *three* *keywords*: document^#1 Climate^#2 group^#3 1329414341 +The statement that "the food supply is being controlled by a few handful of individuals" doesn't follow from this diagram. This is a map of corporate ownership, not individual power. The CEO of Kraft can't just call up someone at Motts and tell them to stop making apple juice. 1349811902 +lost me at 'green and red lights' 1342533004 +See, because he's a basketball player, and because you proclaimed yourself a "competent skeptic" (meaning that you read skeptic blogs and go to /r/skeptic to get upvotes), you gave yourself permission to view the sighting "for" Deron Williams. Even though he said it obviously wasn't lightning, he should have also said it wasn't a transformer explosion. 1352690567 +I don't think you fully understand this meme. 1349378604 +Sure.\n\nBut I'll just point out that all I said was that it was an annoying misuse. Not that I didn't understand what was meant. Just that the sloppy use of language annoyed me, and I think is actually a sign of sloppy thinking on the part of these people.\n\nI think that this kind of misuse has lead to an irrational fear of "chemicals". I'm not the only one that is irritated by this sloppy use of the word 'chemicals', there is a group, I think it might be the Royal Society, that have offered a huge monetary prize for someone that can provide an object that can be held in one's hands that isn't made of chemicals. 1316439522 +This was acknowledged in the heading of the post, where /u/logic11 said "(part of)".\n\nBut that's hardly important. The message is the Atheist community is rotting. That's why I left. 1347373341 +You could also watch the Carl Sagan Tribute Series (think Symphony of Science, but without the autotune):\n\nhttp://milkywaymusings.tumblr.com/videos\n\nMary Jane was a significant contributor to the production of these videos :) 1289000517 +Very true. I've found, though, in my own experience, that I have much better form both walking and running without shoes on. It's actually one of the few things that's helped me recover from really bad knee problems (patellofemoral syndrome). \n\nAs a scientist, though, I must of course include the standard disclaimer that I have just given you anecdotal evidence. I'd really like to see more legitimate studies in this vein. 1316122370 +http://i.imgur.com/tz2hG.png 1355696984 +This was my initial thought, but the article states that the researchers controlled for caloric intake. 1348018879 +It's a joke. 1309637818 +It's a joke. 1311974821 +Common conspiracy trope. Think 9/11 Truthers, Faked Moon Landing, MIB, Area 51, etc...\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_helicopter\n\n 1339193014 +If the claim is anything beyond they smell nice, then yes, it's woo.\n\n[This page is especially bad.](http://www.doterraoil.com/wellness.html) 1347660979 +I have a real turd in my panties over these "second hand account" stories and things that happened to a family member at the turn of the century. \n\nI suggest we keep it to first person accounts only. You can't account for a bug in someone else's program 1326604895 +The fundamental difference between MD's and DO's (which hasn't changed) is that MD's only learn science based medicine whereas DO's also have to learn the quackery that their profession was founded on. \n\nWhat has changed is that DO's practice this quackery less and less today (though not entirely and the AOA will viciously defend any DO who does still practice it) and in the US they are *functionally* equivalent to an MD (whereas most of the rest of the world classifies it strictly as alternative medicine). 1337363817 +I agree, could be a trick of light. But still no other photos to see what is going on.\n\nAnd if footprints were concrete evidence than there would be no dispute over bigfoot. 1340064582 +By not lying to her just so she can feel "normal" around other kids... which means she'll get used to defending herself against other peoples' irrational beliefs... 1296087865 +Dude, by posting all of that info about ur dads military career, it wouldn't be hard to pinpoint who he was and who you are...discretion 1345416235 +:/ I am *to* now,\n\nedit:\nMwhaha, dance puppets dance!! 1354129007 +Yes, of course, with the state of UFO study in America it's always possible that the Govt. is lying. But there's not a lot of evidence for it, and explanations like "they responded differently because it wasn't immediately apparent the object was, in fact, a downed balloon" tend to ring more true that sophisticated cover ups. I'm not saying that Mogul was definitely the identity of the object, I'm just saying its the most likely scenario, in my opinion, proposed thus far. Barring evidence, I can't jump to more grand conclusions.\n\nBut you're right. There are individual aspects of the story, changed over years, that have risen questions about how true it is. In general, though, those "holes" in the story have not been so substantial as to invalidate the stories.\n\nHell, it could have been a secret munitions experiment for all we know. But I wouldn't assume it was until I was shown the appropriate evidence.\n\nLike you, I'm no expert. I just want the realm of ufology taken seriously, so we need to be particularly vigilant about separating fact from hypothesis. 1302223420 +I got into an argument like this with someone who is convinced that hemp oil is the miracle cure for everything based on the anecdotes of a guy named Rick Simpson. The guy has no background in science, and has zero proof for his wild claims. And because I questioned that, I got told that I believe everything "Big Pharma" says and that I'm a sheep, blah blah. \n\nYou can't argue with these people. 1353364417 +Why is it so dark near the top? 1330252189 +When you make a post you automatically up-vote it yourself. It's like the karma game on hard mode. 1345229472 +I'm assuming you might have been sleeping on your back and sneezed up, so it rained back down on you? But then I guess you'd expect to see some on your pillow too... 1344350363 +Depends on the nature of the signal. I was presuming something obviously intelligent. Prime numbers would be nice :) 1337658808 +Whilst I don't like Ron Paul, the fact is *he is* a doctor.\n\nNo true Scotsman people, jesus. 1326647425 +As you are entitled to your opinion that is fine.\n\nhttp://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread385474/pg1 1332174875 +This kind of stuff always makes me think of the movie [AByss](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096754/)\n\nStill is a great movie I think. 1283976469 +Also ours was not disturbed by a helicopter so we were able to view it for an extended period of time and from our distance we knew this thing had to be HUUUUGE! 1342319996 +It was only a joke. I was 'getting into character' about the whole matrix thing, and pretending that you were naive to believe that these *obvious* glitches in the gigantic simulation in which we all live were actually harmless technological glitches (of course, that's what *they* would want you to think such glitches are...)\n\nEDIT: to be clear: I don't really think you are '*so* naive' 1342649932 +Maybe its that your friends are not a good enough representative sample of society. Your conclusion was rushed. 1335086704 +Right, because I equate unidentified flying objects with aliens. You must be new here. 1343841526 +Right? Mine are no where near this complicated and awesome. 1328902088 +They sound ridiculous most of the time...but they only have to be right once. 1349371194 +Here's a good lesson in developing a good sense of skepticism. For example, check this statement:\n\n>In general, the **one ton of gaseous expulsion created by a grass-fed cow is estimated to trap twenty-three times the amount of heat as that of a factory cow** – a.k.a, producing twenty-three times the amount of greenhouse gas. At the same time, grass-fed beef is generally agreed to be fattier than corn-fed beef.\n\nThe author was nice enough to provide us a [source](http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-21-on-cow-burps-meat-and-methane) for this information, so let's check it. Lo and behold, the source says:\n\n>Bovine gas (the burps more so than the farts) is problematic because cattle, jolly cud-chewing ruminants that they are, digest their food through enteric fermentation, which emits **methane, a gas approximately 23 times better at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.**\n\nThat's right, the 23X number is a comparison between carbon dioxide and methane, not between corn-fed cows and grass-fed cows. Now, either the author has a severe reading comprehension problem or is being purposefully disingenuous. In fact, just read a little more in that same [source](http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-21-on-cow-burps-meat-and-methane):\n\n>What was surprising (at least to me) is that grazing, grass-fed cattle--those happy cows we all like to celebrate, and some of us (hi, Ed) like to eat--will, according to Eshel, emit **four to five more methane than corn-fed cattle.** *But wait -- that doesn't mean that you should reach for a CAFO burger. "There are many reasons why grass-fed is superior," says Eshel. "I don't want anyone to think that greenhouse gas is the be-all and end-all. We have so many environmental problems."* 1310532464 +Yeah, nasty stuff. Watch out for Dihydrogen Monoxide as well. That stuff will REALLY mess you up!\n\nI've never met a sick person who wasn't hooked on the stuff! 1284665406 +Actually, with some govt. run systems you have the options, with others you don't.\n\n> Not with my money.\n\nPrivate insurers are doing it with your money, just like public insurers.\n\nYou can more or less choose your private insurer -- you have a point there. But if all the good choices pay for quackery, then you end up in the same place.\n\nI don't know how much the latter is the case. 1257458224 +The Germans have a word for what just happened: Fremdschämen. 1339662682 +What does statistics tell us? Do people tend to hang alone or in pairs? Why do they do the things they do? From what you are telling me, you do things that make you happy. \n\nAnd regarding choices... Not matter how big or small, you can always do a choice once. If I really want a chocolate shake after dinner today and get one, then I get chocolate shake after dinner today. If after one sip I change my mind and get a vanilla instead then I am not making the choice one more time, I am making a new choice. Point is that we can never know how life would have been with us taking the other choice. \n\nYou tell me, your wife and yourself that you would be perfectly (btw, careful with that word) happy if you had not decided to be with her, but that is extrapolation. It might have sucked as well.\n\nI have many happy memories from things I've done alone, but it does not come close to the amount of good memories together with someone. Be that with friends, unknowns, a dog or a significant other. It's not important that it's with a life long partner at its not always because of what others do. But for some reason most of the happy memories I have was together with others. I am not alone I this. \n\nThere is no guarantee that others would be much more happy all alone in the world. It could well be someone would love that. I think they would be abnormal compared to the average though. 1320756517 +**UFO OP, UFO.** 1315661539 +Where's the strawman? From the article, "'A seven-year-old girl was sacrificed by two persons superstitiously believing that the act would give a better harvest,' Narayan Das, the police chief of Bijapur district, told AFP by telephone," and "Police said the men had confessed to the crime." 1325459464 +He very well might have reversed his opinion on that. I don't know. I'm reluctant to assume he's suddenly shining a skeptical light on everything though. However, I would LOVE to be wrong on this. I like Bill when it comes to atheist issues and (many) political issues... If he were to become a voice for rational thought too, that would be amazing. 1356242557 +I'm wearing my Mystic Mayan Power Cloak right now, just in case. 1323271006 +No. That was an example of baiting.\n\nThat was a simple insult. You accusing me of simply being pedantic instead of addressing what I say, however, is a perfect ad hominem.\n\nThank you for playing. 1351969190 +When would a demolition crew, who would have needed weeks of unrestricted access to the building and who also would have had to do a lot of welding/cutting of main columns, etc, have had the chance to do this in a building that was used on a daily basis by thousands of people without anyone noticing? The only time this could have been done is during the construction of the buildings, and if thats the case the dynamite would have had to be over 20 years old and would have never gone off. \n\nThe myth of the 'hyper-competent government' covers all aspects of the 9/11 shit, unless people really think G.W.Boosch was a genius super villain, the government could have never have pulled off and inside job on 9/11. I'm absolutely convince that the children who think this have just seen too many movies and read too many comic books, and thats really fucking sad. 1286996485 +Upvote for point #1.\n\nAny actual interference by God is a violation of free will. 1276864808 +If water has memory, wouldn't it kill us when we drink it? 1297901389 +The idea isn't to stop using fossil fuels entirely, it is to continue transitioning away from them, towards renewables.\n\nThe problem with the economic argument against a reduction in the use of fossil fuels is that the calculated costs of inaction (both in economic and human terms) are much higher than those of mitigation.\n\nThe technology is already there, and keeps improving. We need to step up the transition and push for political action. Even China has indicated it would be willing to sign a binding agreement on emissions by 2020...it's not an impossible task, even if it's not going to be easy. 1353799848 +What does Friday the 13th have to do with it? Doesn't anyone win on any other day? 1326557516 +>There are people with enough money but not enough sense to fund this shit?\n\nThere are enough idiots to make this a succesful bussines. Remember people buy into homeopathy. 1301190858 +Me and my canine teeth disagree strongly with the article. 1334884947 +Lol fair point I guess. This became quite the tangent from a discussion about sugar ;) 1344878046 +It was gone. I kind of got home put the groceries away. Went to my Xbox. Plop. Look and there it was. 1333551766 +Anyone whose interest was peaked by jaxxil_'s comment could give this Rationally Speaking podcast episode a listen: [RS46 - The Varieties of Skepticism](http://www.rationallyspeakingpodcast.org/show/rs46-the-varieties-of-skepticism.html) 1353282177 +Has she been checked for Lyme disease? Might be a dead end but worth a look.\n\nhttp://www.lymeinfo.net/multiplesclerosis.html\n\n\n 1306771983 +Mirror 1356214025 +My advice: your brother is too young for the cigs. 1332396568 +It may. Most insects dislike being sprayed by water. It's kinda an "active" repellent in that you have to continually spray insects as they land on you. Could be a fun game if you're into tediousness. 1340456801 +here's the [permalink to the thread](http://www.reddit.com/r/DoesAnybodyElse/comments/d82rq/dae_absolutely_despise_the_taste_of_most/c0y90ac).\n\n[Have a listen](http://tinyurl.com/skeptoid-fluoridation) to the skeptoid episode concerning water fluoridation. 1283388881 +Perhaps not "by being hardcore atheists", but there are plenty of atheist whack-jobs out there who would let someone die for any plethora of reasons. These people just happened to use a reason connected with religion, even though almost all others would not. 1320250355 +Impeccable timing....like the delay for flight 93 that prevented it from ever coming close to its target? 1320939673 +luckily, you only get chickenfox once. 1335991327 +Fair enough. I don't have trouble believing his stories, but the old "money first, information second" attitude makes me think twice. Still, the circumstances of his 'suicide' are a bit suspicious. I can't think of a good reason why his physical evidence wasn't analyzed (other than simple dishonesty), but it's interesting that all his samples and quite a few photos were gone when they found his body. Oh well. 1340390721 +I think you need to learn how to spell.\n\nUm, "at his son's birthday", not "at his sons birthday". Come on. You're not typing on a cell phone. This is not that hard.\n 1324839499 +It depends on your perception of 'sinister', and whether you consider a less sinister explanation to directly indicate the truth. Looking at human history, I find no indication to suggest that there is any depth humanity can not sink to ( nor either any height it can not rise to). Whos to say who's right when looking at the evidence, but yourself. 1329872763 +He did it live though 1252588182 +touché lol 1315793139 +I'm guessing that slipping would also be a given for your friend, as well, if he were running with you in such conditions? 1317579702 +How do you think they get to the location of whatever it is they are wanting to do? Say they talked to you and decided to check on family, what then? Poof and they disappear? That brings up another question for me, could they interact with the physical world enough to get in a vehicle I wonder?\n\nOn another note, has any persons religious views came into the conversation when they spoke to you? Have any spoke of their god/gods? Are you religious?\n\nSorry for all the questions, just a few I hadn't seen asked and was curious about. 1333954163 +http://www.cnes-geipan.fr/\n\nhttp://www.online-translator.com/\n\nhttp://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/GEIPAN 1347033464 +Which, again, contributes to the strawman paradigm we all tend to carry around about the subject. \n\nI think if we were going to really attack this topic we would need to spend a lot of time defining terms and abstracting things out in a way that mitigates pedantry. 1355609299 +I recall some guy from some bullshit anti-smoking/anti-drug propaganda organization doing that trick in high school where he had one of the largest football players hold his arm out and he pushed down. Then he made him hold a cigarette in his lips and did the same thing but different so he pushed down. He even repeated the second attempt and told him to resist harder but hold the cigarette in place. \n\nHaving smoked for about 6 years by the time I witnessed the presentation, I knew damn well that it was a trick and I was very tempted to challenge him but I was always the quiet and shy type (not to mention that I didn't want to announce in front of the whole school that I smoked heavily) so I just ignored it. 1309963462 +I agree with a lot of your position, but I feel you are making your argument unnecessarily combative. \n\nConsider this: both over regulation and under regulation, can be damaging, either economically, competitively,environmentally.\n\nIt can also lead to results the opposite if the intent behind the legislation.\n\nI am uncertain fracking is all that great or bad, but it is alleged to be responsible for methane (powerful greenhouse gas) release, that is not factored into the intent of carbon cost plans.\n\nIt looks to me like some energy companies see the current carbon economy climate as incentive to push into previously less viable fields (more expensive) and extraction technologies for gas over coal and oil.\n\nIt's clear that regulation and free markets are a complex beast.\n 1355529055 +Yeah, I would like to know what they mean when they say the missiles could not be launched. Sounds fishy all around. 1285622952 +Yep, that's the one. Thank you :) 1329872785 +I don't like to side with Chopra's mumbo jumbo, however this isn't really the intent of his statement. What I gathered from his words is he meant using our imaginations, as it were, to visualize an image from memory. Yes we can see what a cat sees by reading those particular cells. The true question is when we imagine an image and visualize it does it stimulate our brains in the same- or similar manner. I don't know if that's ever been proven, although I wouldn't be surprised if there's some paper showing strong correlations.\n\nIt would also certainly depend on the subject's brain. Someone with synesthesia may have a much easier time creating imagery which they interpret as seeing. I only know of one case, but her imagination is quite vivid and she has told me visualizing to her is quite comparable to seeing. I am different: conjuring images, like the rose or my mother's face, is difficult for me. There are vague shapes and colours but nothing quite so clear and representative as others have described to me. 1340001836 +I see that you are a genetics major. By any chance do you have any other resources on the topic of GM Crops. I am unfamiliar with the topic and writing a report on it for school. Most of the stuff I have read is very biased. This comment was the first thing that has helped my understanding. Thanks! 1354594676 +People do have different learning styles. However, the theories regarding these styles, how they relate, what causes them, and how best to accommodate them as an educator--should be considered educated suggestions more than they should be considered scientifically sound.\n\nResearch shows that students learn more, and retain longer, when the information is presented in a variety of formats. There are a few good reasons why this is true, regardless of learning styles.\n\n 1254528862 +This is a much better version of that Ghost Hunters game show on Sci fi. I usually find myself laughing as a group messes up or make them self look stupid. It's not a bad show though. 1313080810 +We live on Vancouver island. We were also looking west over the pacific. 1345534389 +> They also use ozone instead of chlorine for the most part to disinfect, which produces far less carcinogenic byproducts.\n\nGood thing ozone isn't [toxic](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6376815). 1338749111 +Hey, there. I have several similar experiences, one of them happened exactly 2 years ago. I was visiting my mom in Bosnia and stayed in our house. I was out with my cousin to the local bar and had 5 Heinis (these are the little bottles of Heineken pipi/girl beer). I admit I was slightly drunk/tipsy. Anyways I get home, my mom is already asleep and I go to the first floor where my room is, get ready for bed and lay down. Just a year ago we had central heating installed, so back then it was wood ovens for heating. I usually didnt touch it, because I have no clue about making fires... \n\nIt was not unusual that late at night my mom would come upstairs and add some more wood to the fire. So I lay down, tipsy ditsy and start to doze away, laying on my left side with my face toward the door of the room.\nRight next to it, to the left is the heating oven. I hear the door opening and someone coming in. I'm not paying attention, thinking it would be my mom adding to the fire... Well, it wasn't my mom. 'It' closes the door and moves past the oven and stands on the other end of my bed, watching over me. I notice and want to turn around but I can't move. I want to say something, I am scared but only mumbling comes out of me. I couldn't turn nor scream... I feel it watches me and I don't know why, initially I was scared shitless but pretty quickly I calm down and fall into a very deep sleep. \n\nThe next morning, remembering what happened, I would ask my mom if she came upstairs to add wood, but she said she didn't. \n\nI know what it was or better, who it was. My dad died in the house in 2005. He had two strokes in 2000 and since then had Alzheimers and Dementia. Five years later he died from a lung pneumonia that was discovered too late. \n\nWhen I was a kid he used to come into my room, when I was about to go to sleep, to tell me not to have my knees bent otherwise I wouldn't grow any taller (actually I stayed pretty short) and then he would tuck me into my blanket and leave and I would fall asleep.\n\nI took great comfort in hoping/knowing that it was him who came bye to look after me. To see if I would have grown any taller maybe. I was looking for signs from him ever since he died and there it was. Or maybe I was just drunk... \n 1356735588 +mermaids in burka's 1304537709 +And I asked him for his evidence that I was wrong and got nothing, and it was obvious early on oftheblah was completely convinced witchcraft wasn't real and his beliefs were deep seated only in science, and at that point I realized that the debate was a dead end because even if God came down from heaven and shook his hand he would say it isn't real because Neil Degrasse said so or because it wasn't in his science text book, and It's obvious you're the same way,that's why you're holding a torch for oftheblah or you're him using a throwaway. btw why did I have to explain myself again? wasn't all this obvious enough for you to see in the original comments or are you trolling me too? 1335610884 +Probably nothing but does kinda look like a sad old man face 1343654419 +Reminds me of story Green-light. An atheist liberal pacifist democrat evolutionist muslim feminist socialist gay jew communist catholic unionist abortionist professor (and a member of the ACLU and NAACP) was bitching at a college class and she told the class that she was a strong independent menstruating womyn and she was going to prove that there is no GOD (peace be upon him). She screamed, “GAWD, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I’ll give you 15 human minutes, and I’m glad all those people died on 9/11! Also all men are rapists and I have abortions for fun.”\n\nTen earthling minutes went by. She kept taunting God (peace be upon him), saying, “Here I am, GAWD, if that is your real name. I’m still waiting. Is my strong, powerful, and financially independent vagina too much for your patriarchy? You stupid man!”\n\nShe got down to the last couple of minutes and a brave, patriotic, pro-life marine just returned from the War of Independence and honorably discharged and newly registered in every class backflipped up to the professor, hit her full force in the face with a spinning flying drop kick (with metal as fuck jet-boots on), and sent her flying from her platform through two panes of glass, two twin towers, a pile of cans, a young mother pushing a baby carriage, a nun and a pile of boxes. The professor struggled up, obviously shaken, with three broken legs, two broken arms, a broken jaw, a broken skull, 12 broken ribs, internal bleeding and a missing spine. She bitched, “What’s the matter with you? Why did you do that? Are you afraid of a strong beautiful black womyn? You stupid Christian, I only worship my vagina!”\n\nThat marine replied, “GOD (peace be upon him) was busy watching over MY buddies engaged in combat in the coke wars (Never forget). So… he… sent… ME!”\n\nThe professor cried a single tear and said “I was wrong to want equal rights for homosexuals, women and minorities. Barry Hussain Osama is a Muslim socialist atheist and he hates America. I am now pro-life, pro-guns, and pro-capital punishment”. The professor then burnt her copy of Origin of the Species, shaved her legs, put her bra back on, and started to make the marine a sandwich. “If Trayvon Martin didn’t want to die he should not have been wearing a hoodie!”\n\n“Welcome to the Republican Party” Said the Marine.\n\nThe students applauded and all registered with the Republican party that day and accepted Jesus as their lord and savior. An eagle named “Small Government” flew into the room and perched atop the American Flag (where it shed a single tear).\n\nThat professor was Richard Elizabeth Dawkins. That college class was The Beatles. That young mother was Sarah Palin. That nun was Michele Bachmann. That eagle was Ron Paul. That marine’s name? Albert Einstein. 1355540636 +Yeah, always read the labels and see what kind of medicine it is, ding dong. 1294139843 +I already did last night, nothing but tossing and turning. 1338440655 +he does the bait and switch... for jebus! 1352682238 +Most of these claims about alleged golden ratio relationships and golden spirals in nature are spurious, or simply outright false.\n\nThese pages debunk and discuss some of the more common claims:\n\n* [Fibonacci Flim-Flam](http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/pseudo/fibonacc.htm)\n* [The Myth That Will Not Go Away](http://www.maa.org/devlin/devlin_05_07.html)\n\nIf you're looking for something more in-depth, Mario Livio's book [_The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number_](http://books.google.com/books?id=bUARfgWRH14C) is a highly recommended read: it covers all the things that make the golden ratio legitimately interesting, alongside debunking all the things that don't. 1338295300 +I'd ask what _is_ "natural aluminium" and what's the difference with non-natural aluminium. 1318543961 +This is not the same thing as alpha and beta brain waves. \n\nAlso I'm surprised that you mention alpha and beta radiation but don't say anything about the much more dangerous gamma radiation. 1339672914 +While there are a fair share of skeptics who frequent r/ufos, there are plenty of tin foil hat wearing weirdos too, this is evident in the amount of garbage that gets posted to this subreddit from time to time. r/uap is a better place for constructive thought on this subject IMO. 1342713467 +Tim Minchin sums up my anger towards this show\n\n"What are we fucking two? Do we actually believe horton heard a who?"\n 1261536692 +I like to think that in the alternate universe of the show, the science is real. In our universe though, not so much :/ 1282101154 +Of course. I have every right to lie about products I sell, although it's not in my best interest. It wouldn't take long for people to find out I'm full of shit and stop buying them, and to organize boycotts or public defamation. The lost revenue from losing my customers' trust is almost certainly more than anything I could make from a short period of false advertising. 1286227756 +>good bits\n\nthat's selective, innit?\n\nfor me, it's more of a framework/themes thing. also, baggage of tradition. 1337099576 +In France, a [guy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_All%C3%A8gre), a scientist (also former politician, and former minister -*not* the religious kind), was a loud denier, so the science academy was asked to issue a final opinion on the issue to settle it. And their conclusion was : there is no doubt that climate is changing, that the cause of the change is most likely mankind, and that shit is about to hit the fan.\n\nAnd for my opinion on the whole thing, yes, it's quite real, no, nothing will happen. Corporations will do whatever is good for the next shareholder's meeting, states will do whatever is good for the next (poll, meeting with the corporate supporters, election)... \nThe whole thing will run it's course unimpeded. And I see it more or less this way :\n\n* 2025, first country (an archipelago in the Indian ocean) to disappear because of rising sea levels. Stops being a news story after about 5 weeks. \n* 2026, emergency meeting of the G30. Nothing much happens after many declarations of goodwill. \n* 2029, first large scale *water war* between India and China after China diverts most water from what's left of the Himalayan glaciers to its territories leaving all territories south of the mountain range dry. \n* *at this point you're really going to wish you're already dead* (although I could easily continue the story beyond that point)\n 1292270530 +I like [Psychic Tanya](http://photos.lasvegassun.com/media/img/photos/2011/08/22/Tanya-ShaneONeal_t650.jpg) better. 1315591643 +Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey both published their retarded vaccines-cause-autism screeds on there, for starters. 1285784421 +Why so political? Because I hate it when politics are influenced by woo. 1311942895 +It's more than shorthand, it's the lack of effort you put into your posts. Like for instance, you misspelled "determines" and dropped the 'g' in "typing". Whereas the people responding to you have taken the time and care to respond in a clear manner.\n\nNot to mention you fail to capitalize a few of your sentences, but make sure to capitalize UFO.\n\nAnd what do you bring as evidence and proof? Hearsay. And "regression therapy". You know what the problem with regression therapy is? It relies on our imperfect memories. Memories that are highly susceptible to suggestion. 1340043362 +I was just reading some especially bad websites and they literally pulled out a half-quote from someone and then in a later section bashed that person's reliability. It was pretty epic. 1339049886 +It's worth noting that chemical castration is reversible by just not continuing the medication. 1346855374 +I just stopped. It was maybe a once/twice a month type thing, but it just sort of stopped happening. 1343028003 +AVN... I was thinking Adult Video News. Carry on. 1249684271 +> Studies have to be paid for. So, find out who is paying for the study.\n\n> The person doing the study, what do they do for a living ? If they are a politician, what are their leanings ? If they are a uni researcher, what is the gist of the their main body of work ?\n\nI'm sorry, but I think this is **very** bad advice. I would have had no problem if you said: If there are flaws in a study you could, if you like, try to look at these things to find a motive. But it doesn't work the other way round and in my personal opinion is the reason for a lot of this conspiracy bullshit (a study financed by a pharmaceutical company where it concludes that a product made by this company works as intended is automatically disqualified - that's not how science works).\n\n> The information itself. Is it scientifically sound ? Is it reproducible ? Is the sample size big enough ? Is it representative ? Is there a control group (if the study warrants).\n\nThe problem I have with this is, that it is getting next to impossible to be at a level to judge these things in all sciences. You are fooling yourself if you think you can look at every study or every paper and form an opinion on it.\n\nI hate to say it, but for the most part we have to rely on experts. We have to rely on scientists in the field who know what they're talking about. And you have to trust the other scientists that they will speak out if someone in their field is bullshitting the public (and they do that - just look at the NASA study on arsenic-based life forms or the cloning scandal in Japan a few years ago). 1343657918 +I don't know if religion would collapse like a lot of people expect. I mean the Pope said extraterrestrial life is not evidence against Christianity. If they believed it before I don't see why they wouldn't after. 1325604158 +You've obviously never been with a squirter. I was with an Olympic-level squirter for over a year. I can assure you I know what her squirt fluid and pee looked and tasted like, and the squirt is definitely not pee. This pee/squirt equivalency bullshit is produced by pointy-headed academics with no grasp of the real world, or sex for that matter. 1324667603 +Maybe we should give it a bit more time? It's only been, what, less than a week?\n\nI think it was very silly, on the level of 'rods' and paranormal photos of 'orbs', but in the interest of objectivity I think we should give it a bit more time. 1352864468 +Nobody is getting up and saying "Stop saying that!" They're getting up and saying "You're wrong!"\n\nBecause free speech means freedom to disagree. 1321895928 +Newton? 1344613467 +I don't read the rage comics either, just as I don't parttake in every other facet of atheism. I don't feel the need to call something "retarded" (which is ableist, btw) and other insults just because I don't share it or like it. I avoid insults, my critics revel in them. 1324046217 +Awesome, but probably fake. Like the [alien mummies.](http://www.ufocasebook.com/tinyalienchile.html) 1318550651 +Most of it. I can only really speak to the topic of yoga though. Yoga merely means to yoke oneself to God. There have been hundreds of forms of yoga over the centuries. For many of those forms, including the modern form, the most important aspect of the practice is breath control. Believe it or not, stretching is considered very much secondary to breathing. Diet can also be a huge part of yoga. Hell, sex can be a huge part of yoga. You can't do those last parts of yoga in a classroom. The author qualifies all this by saying "yoga as we know it today." Well, which of the hundreds of forms of yoga? What about the ones which are nothing like what we would consider to be yoga? There is no one form of yoga. There are hundreds of forms of yoga. The article is nonsense. It's a poorly constructed argument, and it's poorly researched. \n\nI'd tend to agree that Aton LaVey invented Satanism. Also, I always thought that the Ouija board started as a board game, or a parlour game. Do people honestly believe otherwise? I don't know. I don't know anyone with a brain who would claim that all of these things are "ancient" at any rate. It's kind of a tacky premise to begin with, but it is a Cracked article. 1310069637 +you can't just throw everything that you don't want to believe/look up into the same bag; the new age bag in this case\n\nthat's doing what non-ufologist are doing to all ufo-related subjects even if it has nothing to do with one-another\n\ni won't express myself about vibration and all that; but I have looked up enough to believe free energy devices are possible but have been suppressed since forever\n\n[this is NOT what i'm talking about but is just a wink](http://geometrybox.com/file/114) 1329233283 +Maybe they'll accept a homeopathic payment.\n\n$19.99 at a dilution of 30C... any mathematicians want to work that out? 1315387477 +Can you tell me why I believe in Bigfoot? 1327107757 +I had to do the same thing. My son had blood in his stool, and when there wasn't, it was green and runny (it's supposed to be yellow and kind-of oatmeal-like). When I took him to the doctor's, he told me to go easy on the dairy products. Within a couple of weeks of eliminating dairy products, his issues were solved. His little rash also went away, and he also didn't cry half as much anymore. \n\nI stayed off dairies for about 18 months and my son still has some issues when he eats too much dairy products. 1346076846 +Here is the audio if you haven't heard it already. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14MJXC0h4TU&feature=youtube_gdata_player 1351010245 +Could be, but judging by one bit of the YouTuber's video description a kite doesn't sound likely.\n\n> It flew off to the north after about 45 minutes and disappeared.\n\nOf course, there's always the possibility he's lying about that part since it's not on video. 1339524099 +Because it's interesting to note that Sagan's opinion on the subject isn't as clear cut as skeptics would like to believe. It's also *very* noteworthy that his recommendation was that the phenomenon is worthy of further study. Not that it was bunk and everyone should go home, but instead continue to gather data in hopes of formulating a solid conclusion based on *science.*\n\nI'd be willing to bet that most people didn't know he testified in a [1968 Congressional hearing](http://www.ufoevidence.org/documents/doc1987.htm) on the matter. 1331941294 +I'm guessing the OP didn't read the article mistook their use as a kooky medical treatment. MDPV is essentially just a more dangerous cocaine, though. 1326529800 +Priceless 1354285211 +Christ, haven't these people been subjected to enough, and now we're giving them crap medical treatment.\n 1347484637 +Do you not think it is realistic that even in a highly advance future people will still hold on to supernatural possibilities to explain the unknown? 1348862150 +"If man were merely a random product of evolution in some place on the margins of the universe, then his life would make no sense or might even be a chance of nature," he said.\n\nI was about to call the pope a tool. But he's right. Life doesn't make sense. 1303716634 +Honestly, I think stuff like this gets written by people who feel a need to prove themselves intellectually, but aren't actually intellectual.\n\nThey probably have some deep psychological issue and have been bowled over in the past and really impressed by people who *sound* smart. Whether or not the speaker actually was smart, or the listener even grasped the topic being discussed.\n\nSimilarly, they probably want other people to be as impressed by them.\n\nUnfortunately, they aren't of an intelligent mindset. By giving off these type of words (construct, geometrical, conscious primal currents) they give the illusion that they are talking about well-defined "scientific" ideas and have a firm grasp of the concepts. It's kind of a cop-out. Goal achieved, no work necessary.\n\nIt's pathetic.\n\n**TLDR** Really they're just spewing words to give the illusion of intelligence. 1289319541 +I think it's irrational to place your own gods above all others and make yours so holy and sacred, and others as "voodoo". Can you be specific in the exact differences between miracles and magic? What about some examples? 1324399462 +This has gotta be a troll, Obviously a fish!! The mods should be kicking shit like this out of this sub reddit.... 1325640171 +My girlfriend and I have both seen a ghost cat that lives with us. It's all black and disappears in direct light. It plays with our two living cats, chasing them and running around the house. It's become another member of the family. 1352230454 +I'd say!\n\n 1336142187 +Haha. No blame on you, but as you've seen it happens all too often! 1338160965 +Oh hi spicy_ckicken_wings. 1313870600 +This line of argument about crop circles has been around for as long as crop circles have, and I'm sure someone has done legitimate research on this point. I don't have any links handy, though. But more importantly, you're not going to see that kind of rigorous research from BLT Research. 1330484270 +Scientists don't know everything. 1331898782 +The government probably used alien technology gathered from the Roswell UFO crash to fake it.\n\n/s 1356289376 +Just a minor quibble; here in the UK (and New Zeland and Australia) osteopath is a protected title and the training is purely evidence based medicine. They're regulated and, critically, their training does not stem from the debunked theories of [Vertebral Subluxation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertebral_subluxation). 1291209521 +Me --> ROTFLMFAO 1321565048 +i know the feeling i used to get this quite alot, i get it sometimes now, i'd get a random scene and maybe some audio, and several months down the line this happens, if i remember correctly, people call it "future sight" 1317308113 +Could you give a source for that please? I'd be interested to incorporate that into my arsenal of knowledge. 1326051746 +Of course they were. 1331538041 +There seem to be a lot of sightings lately with a similar theme. If these are real, there is probably some kind of message in the formations. Maybe an intergalactic "hello". \n\nIf we could show a coherent message in these sightings, it would link them together undeniably. Can we put together a compilation and ask the geniuses on Reddit to take a crack at it? 1291059055 +George W. Bush went to Yale, this man went to Harvard. It all makes sense. 1335582061 +It's possible, but I was sitting in the house and I do remember hearing a motorcycle go by. 1340259149 +Well, yeah, they don't have a pharmacy, and I don't think they sell ANY traditional nation-wide brands. They don't have ms. baird's bread, they don't have Coke, and they don't sell tylenol or advil.\n\nBut if you looked harder I bet you'd find aspirin! 1349189601 +You know, it's probably pretty safe to dismiss any claim at all that's prefaced with "Alex Jones says". 1337140401 +I saw three UFOs tonight, the ones that hover over cities in the triangle shape. They were bright blue, they slowly moved towards the city (Minneapolis) and then they disappeared. It was a magical experience. did anyone else see them? 1288406447 +Whew-- they are lucky the Earth doesn't generate any electomagnetic fields on it's own... I mean, if there was something like fluid iron that made up a large portion of the interior whose movement led to a dynamo effect that produced magnetic fields on the surface... man, they wouldn't be able to go to West Virginia to escape it! 1315954402 +The funny/sad/good thing about this video is that the footage is actually decent. \n\nThe commentary, oh dear. 1353359223 +Wow this is dumb 1351269482 +Last July I was camping high in the Appalachian mountains along the Kentucky-West Virginia border. At about 4 am I had to take a shit, so I walk about 200 yards across the clearing just inside the treeline. As I'm relieving myself in the pitch black I notice that all the insects and frogs down by the creek fell silent. Then I start to hear these really heavy footsteps. They get closer and closer and then they stop. Whatever it was stopped about 20-30 feet away from me and started grunting, whooping and throwing rocks. So I shined my flashlight in the direction of the sounds and rock throwing and all I see is two huge red eyes about 9 feet up in the trees and a flash of reddish-brown fur. When I shined my light whatever it was took off howling. I went back when it was light out and found some 16 or 17 inch tracks, snapped tree branches (12 feet off the ground), and the grapefruit sized stones near my shit-hole. I packed up camp and got the fuck out of there. I don't think I've ever been that terrified in my life. \n\ntl;dr I think I saw a Bigfoot while I was shitting in the woods last summer. 1336069675 +Should have walked up to the guy and asked, "Are you a wizard??" 1306629095 +I am a scientist and not involved in the paranormal in any way, spare the fact that I find it interesting from a mythology standpoint. \nThat being said, when I was going through puberty light bulbs would burn out or flicker, cups would fly of counter-tops, and once a crystal bowl exploded. I looked into it, then, and many of the explanations I found dealt with "poltergeist" activity-- the notion that one's own internal conflicts are becoming manifested through manipulating the outside world subconsciously/telekinetically (sp?). \nNow...THAT having been said, what I really there are natural explanations for all these things, even if they aren't readily apparent. For example, replacing the wall clocks' batteries from the same faulty batch or the change in atmospheric moisture content and temperature leading to more resistance within the lighting fixtures COULD account for what you're describing. As for me, a draft can knock over a stack of cups and a rapidly cooling crystal bowl can explode (as it was just taken out of the dishwasher). IMHO\nTL;DR: There are likely natural explanations for what you are describing, but when we're worked up b/c of the day-to-day stuff, it all seems more overwhelming and somehow connected. \n 1317261479 +Can't tell if real or nosleep... 1350603540 +Technically, nothing is a settled issue. And given how unfounded these counterarguments seem, I remain skeptical of their skepticism. 1348752591 +100% serious. I was 16 at the time. I'm trying to rationalise it but I really don't know. 1335647902 +It appears you don't know the difference between anecdotes and data.\n 1304284208 +What I was wondering is how people who have been blind since birth can describe these "visuals." They're not going to know what "white" is or what "light" is, so how are they going to say they saw a white light? 1319678738 +I have seen those shadows that you speak off. One time I saw a shadow that seemed to be a person, it had the outline of a tall individual and his figure was darker than the night and it ran towards my bedroom. Went in checked everywhere, no one to be found. I did not fall sleep easily that night. But if I learning anything from it was that I should not be afraid. Now I am waiting to see it once more and chase it, understand it and find out what it may be if I can. Kinda weird I know. 1350090926 +Thanks for sharing. =) 1256057208 +AWOOHH.. 1350816903 +Thanks for the pertinent links to a great site dopp3l. \n\n\nI think Grant Cameron has more FOIA docs and info on that site than 99.9% of all ufo researchers(with the exception of [Greenwalds Black Vault](http://www.theblackvault.com/m/articles/category/UFO%20Phenomena)) could accumulate working together,... and Goldwater is a dying breed unfortunately,...a motivated US Senator,... 1339622613 +I have no control over up or downvotes, but i'm not in argument with you. All I was saying is that they do seem like the same event, and if not, it would be a repeat performance of apparently the same maneuvers. \n\nObviously by existing back in Dec. 16, 2009, your date takes precendence; that being said, it doesn't invalidate that this is an alternate perspective of either the same event or a very similar future event in the same place. 1317258633 +Isn't it obvious as shit that the cat is simply swatting at something off-camera, and not the television? 1327523925 +I wish my food would multiply like that. 1356642903 +Sometimes I think that people would rather defend something that is clearly nonsense then admit that they were fooled by it. 1283812321 +The field is real, but the science behind it is complete bullshit.\n\nFurther reading: http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100526/full/465412a.html\n\n"Simply put, people (including professional lie-catchers with extensive experience of assessing veracity) would achieve similar hit rates if they flipped a coin," 1282099922 +oh sorry. lol I thought I had posted the ling in there my baddd\nhttp://dfwparanomalresearchteam.tumblr.com/ 1344291480 +That goes with my theory that the paranormal wont bother you when your high 1352710459 +> “Those students who are not magical are not typically those who enjoy going to parties,”\n\nSince when does happiness equal going to a party? I happen to be a little bit introverted, but that doesn't automatically make me depressed. Seems like this article is making some very large assumptions about what makes human beings happy. 1341856900 +Wow, awesome! I wasn't expecting a legitimate reply. Upvotes to you, kind sir! 1326462653 +Does our universe exist? Is it possible to truly know anything about it? Does a god exist?\n\nScience deals with the empirical and falsifiable. 1346359675 +There is middle ground here. I tend to agree that the light source is on the other side of the glass - I thought at first it was a flashlight reflecting but the refraction has convinced me otherwise. But I don't think it's the Star Family. \n\nIt's just a distorted rising light, nothing can be determined from that. Most likely explanation I think is some sort of electrical arcing.\n\nAgain another video where the phenomenon moves out of frame and the camera doesn't follow it. What's with these shitty photographers? \n 1342289309 +Seriously man the whole experience was so weird that I find myself thinking about it randomly playing it through my mind trying to figure out what happened. One thing I forgot to mention was when we left for lunch the other employees were also clocking out but nobody seemed to understand what I was talking about and were acting like lunch just started when we got back. 1354044468 +Interested but too lazy to google. What's the rest? 1341031570 +As a holder of a doctorate in computational chemistry, you should be telling us how to compute those stats! 1319126171 +And I shall deliver...\n\nOne night, Dani and I just chilling with some battlefield 3 going on, and his graduated sister shows up and has a party for all her grad friends. I know most of them, so it was really cool until I noticed the wierd stuff..\n\nFirst, Jackson tells me something, and his body is bent over all awkwardly. After I came out of the bathroom, I turn to see the EXACT same thing, no differences at all.\n\nAt this same party, I get put in charge of music because every one else is getting hammered. I do a Spotify playlist that I thought I was familiar with, until the songs changed and the lyrics were about a grad party getting broken up by the cops. I changed genres completely, only to hear the same thing basically. I closed the blinds on the massive bay windows just as a police cruiser pulls into the neighborhood.\n\nNot terribly strange, but noteworthy nonetheless. 1342227143 +This is awesome, thank you for sharing 1334267198 +Yes, I think we all have this problem. 1285361078 +probably more like 5 people. 1289787034 +I am the yellow name/black avatar. 1306456106 +'Wrong' about what? What their lying eyes told them? They could be wrong about their *explanations* of an event, but how can they be wrong about what they've witnessed? 1333834578 +a) I did provide a simple, concise explanation. I pointed out the use of the word "our."\n\nb) I wanted to clarify the name of the philosophical position d3sperad0 was illustrating to anyone else who might be reading.\n\nAt this point I would expect anyone who was interested in the thread to simply look up "solipsism" and "epistemological idealism" on their own. We're using the internet, after all.\n\nThank you for apologizing for your assumption and for revealing your true intentions. 1322446262 +To be fair guys, I think he means taking the person into the reactor itself, not that the plant is unsafe. But hey, continue your impulse downvoting. 1354090069 +no idea, I doubt I'll ever know. I can't really listen to that voicemail anymore except for when I'm drunk. 1326612708 +We are probably talking about the products of a Mr Bushmills or Mr Jameson here. A few of those and you'll be able to talk the hindlegs off a donkey too! 1273175568 +Sure it is. In the US, we've replaced use of that term with the phrase "African-American", because it was considered offensive. However, the phrase that we have come to use is not applicable outside of America. In this instance, the acceptable word in Spain is *negro*, which is the word that was originally replaced for being offensive. Irony. 1352322991 +In a sense adult boosters are even MORE important, as we may not even show signs of having a particular virus/disease. 1311098565 +I've heard some convincing arguments that de-leading gasoline and access to abortion are the two reasons that the crime rate plummeted late in the 20th century.\n\nIt's awfully hard to prove this sort of thing, though.\n\n-- edit,\n\nSpecifically, airborne lead generally lowered the cognitive functions of people and raised neurological disorders including lower control of impulses. One of the effects was increased likelihood of committing a crime. Lowering lead intake made people more stable.\n\nChildren of mothers who can't take care of them or do not wish to tend to have problems, including fitting into society and following its rules. Abortion greatly reduced the number of children who had insufficient maternal guidance. 1349815822 +Could it anger it? Yes. \n\nHowever, the signs of protection are there to protect you. \nUnless its fairly strong, it would be unable to do anything. Stronger usually dont bother with you unless you have some talent with the occult. 1350299322 +more experienced = more money paid 1326097664 +Call Sam and Dean, they dealt with one at some point. 1355219921 +The only thing that made me skeptical was the reddit design, but maybe that was just a coincidence 1348868264 +The top post right now is,\n\n>To those who are going to post negative things on this page\nWould you please refrain from it, this is "NOT" a scam or any form a way of getting or asking people for their hard earned money or their support this is a page for exposure for Jesse and his condition ... at the whanau/families discretion this is the direction we have chosen and the direction we see best for the life of Jesse.\n\n>Wether you or anybody else think or believe we should be heading somewhere else please email Cameron, Shane or Michelle to discuss this in a private forum ...\n\n>This is a page for Jesse and his well being and health so if it is not supportive of our efforts please look somewhere else\n\n>Thank you.\n\nI want to post "dear, you are not the scammers, you are being scammed". But I am just ... well... I just can't do it. Maybe I will drop a private message to them. 1330844207 +I am now honor-bound to find an apt application of the word "phallacy."\n\nMaybe the next time people start talking about average penis sizes... no, gotta do this right.. 1331676275 +if it prevents from getting actual treatment, like it did my mom, it can. I'm generally pretty chill, but people being stupid like this about medicine will make me blow a fuse. 1277491650 +That's a horrible dream, but I don't believe it has anything to do with demons. Young children scratch and claw themselves in their sleep all the time, even more when they're having bad dreams. Considering the dream you had, I have no problem believing that you scratched the hell out of yourself. I believe it was a case of night terrors. Anyone who's had them would likely agree with me. 1339085750 +Are you...dumb or something? Do you not know what christianity is? It's believing christ died and came back. That's...literally it. 1347498377 +faith != trust 1285528941 +Ok, we can have a discussion, but only if you stop with the victimization bullshit. You're not being downvoted because you blasphemed against our god of modern medicine. Your initial comment strongly implied that we only differentiate medicine from alternative medicine based on what pharmaceutical companies decide to produce. *That* is why you were downvoted. You did not say anything profound or challenging or about healthy skepticism.\n\n\nNow.\n\n>Are you going to have a doctor say "you should eat two cloves of garlic a day"?\n\nA doctor recommending that you alter your diet is not at all unusual, but that is not alternative medicine. That is just normal nutritional advice. Eating garlic to promote health or avoid a certain condition is fine. But that is not the same as claiming garlic is an alternative to a tested medicine as a cure for a specific disease. People learned to eat citrus fruits to avoid scurvy. The medical test would be if someone did a proper double blind study to show that the rate of scurvy is much lower or eliminated in the group eating the fruit. It's not medicine, it's nutrition. Knowing what is and is not healthy to eat also requires the scientific method. That is only one claim. Eating citrus fruits reduces or eliminates your risk of scurvy. If you want to claim that they also protect against the flu, then you need another study to test that claim. And if you say it will cure you once you've been infected, then it is being claimed as a medicine and that claim also needs to be tested.\n\n\nSo, 2 questions:\n\nWhat are the proposed benefits of garlic?\n\nWhat studies do you have to support each specific claim?\n\n\n>Labeling a field as categorically stupid and employing stereotypes as justification is completely against the idea of skepticism.\n\nHow exactly did I use a stereotype as justification for anything? 1319761387 +yeah that is interesting..... waiting for the follow up 1311327499 +As have I. The only issue I take with that episode is that when you drink too much, you "just have to stop drinking" (or something to that effect). While this certainly applies to most people (like Randy), it's not the case with everyone. Some alcoholics actually need help because they are so physically addicted that simply stopping isn't really an option. \n\nMinor gripe aside, I love that episode. 1321658855 +Yeah, could be! \n\nI have another one very similar to that in that last one in the set. Unforunately imgur doesn't let you zoom far enough in to see it but it's green at this point and looks like 6 individual lights perfectly aligned 3x2. 1355940781 +Yeah this is interesting. 1356274228 +Child abuse. 1320269166 +Unless you are a strict deist, then there is quite a bit of evidence against the existence of most every definition of God...since the claim of existence is a scientific claim, it must be weighed according to probability and certainty according to the evidence. If you believe in logically defined definition of God, then you must also believe in Russell's teapot as well as the invisible dragon in my garage. 1305573212 +Deleting all the stupid people works too. 1344875442 +That's weirder than there BEING UFOs and E.T.s 1330332378 +Looks a bit like a mirror. 1347304415 +No, the wikipedia article is wrong. But it has since been [edited](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gary_McKinnon&oldid=518490216), so that's a moot point.\n\nMoreover, if he was able to view the image, was it not technically already downloaded to his computer? It would take him roughly 10 hours to download a 256MB file using a 56k modem. In other words, he would have to somehow reduce the file size in order to view it. 1350567978 +Aliens ARE REAL. 1319951483 +Holy shit, this went through my head when reading the title:\n\n>I was walking down the street when cell phone tower.\n\nAwesome story. 1327366315 +To be honest, I don't think this is a UFO. I think this is one of those new drones that some police forced are using around the world now. The drone I'm speaking of uses propellers - perhaps counter rotating propellers - and is used to observe crowds. \n\nSomething like this: http://www.anunews.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/aa-drone-unmanned-police-drone.jpg 1323843998 +is it cold 1325215767 +tl:dl *What are they, why are they, what do they mean?* 1316444191 +im glad good job. its amazing that someone was actually willing to listen. 1313354070 +Ohhh wow. I'm so embarrassed for them. But they deserved it! 1349080027 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbVdyPZiOLM\n\nYou can edit your self posts, you know. 1340760487 +shape changing ballon that doesn't tumble or rise? sure thing brah. 1295985496 +go for it then, and make a nice website too 1283799920 +She's also for Homeopathy.\n\n> "We will promote complimentary health care – through support of chiropractic, naturopathic, homeopathic, and other non-western practices. The Green Party of Canada recognizes the value of good health as a fundamental human right, and also the key to the most vibrant, inclusive and sustainable Canadian society possible."\n\nTechnically it is not officially Elizabeth May's opinion, but it *is* supported by The Green Party of Canada. 1317229489 + I seriously dont see what the big deal is. They use the most sophisticated training equipment and technology science can give them so basically it becomes who has the best genes. Screw why not allow the drugs and monitor them for abuse or overuse and keep it to uze within responsible limits. I d love to see where science could take the human body. 1345947638 +Edit: should have just used telepathy to make your point. 1316223644 +He's referred to as an "almost teenager". Could be anywhere from 10 to 13. 1351452962 +what you encountered is known in physics as a [closed time-like curve.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed_timelike_curve) basically, you enter an area of spacetime that is so warped that you end up traveling back in time to the exact point in which you entered the curve. since you immediately start at the curved point in spacetime, there is (theoretically) no way to escape such loops. you continue travelling faster and faster through the curve until eventually you reach the speed of light. \n\nobviously, you found a way out of the loop, so good for you! you broke physics. 1346041501 +Randi is such a douche bag. 1284754763 +Quackcast has a nice [episode](http://www.quackcast.com/spodcasts/files/podcast_31.mp3) on this crap\nbtw, its nice to see another mycologist here 1248802600 +Did he forget to take it? 1274099825 +Is that from something? Or are you just clever and funny. 1334032900 +At least someone understands my feelings! 1341273251 +It was dinosaurs. 1341069497 +Someones dreaming here. Let me provide seven reasons why Disclosure will never happen.\n\n1. We are barking up the wrong tree. The govt is no longer in possession of the info we`re pushing to get disclosed. The US govt itself is a false construct, a fake choice of two parties that act as one entity, designed to make us believe that somewhere there is a civilized structure to society that looks out for the better interests of the public, when in reality, the govt does little more than provide laws and protections for the corporations in the hopes that the success of those corporations provides the security and needs of the people, that the govt claims to be responsible for. Unfortunately the corporate psychology has no such intent, unless it feeds their bottom line. Disclosure doesnt feed that bottom line,...therefore there is no real impetous to acheive it.\n\n\n2. The majority of the historical documentation & info that the govt may have had, has long since been purged. When we have former heads of the CIA like Bush Sr, who, when asked about what the govt knows about the UFO subject, was cryptically quoted as saying, "You don't know the half of it,...(/sinister grin)". Do you really think someone like Bush Sr., who has an enourmous sense of entitlement, the position of power, and belief that the info would have serious reprocussions on his society, wouldnt destroy as much of that info as possible to maintain plausible deniability? I maintain that info simply no longer exists. I know that's what I would do with a secret that I believed was too dangerous to risk leaking.\n\n\n3. Physical evidence has been deligated to privatized industry. Any resources(tech, info or biological), from crashes or theoretical tech exchanges, has been firmly locked up & diseminated over so many tech generations, in black budget shell companies, such that there is no longer any clear indication of where that resource originated from. Furthermore, a privitized company has no obligation to reveal any of that info. Make no mistake on the issue; even sighting reports now being deligated to the privatized domain,...(brilliant move imo). How can we expect to get disclosure from a corporation that has no interest in sharing the resources that the govt has provided them for research & development. May as well ask Batelle to tell us where the inspiration for Nitinol came from,...\n\n\n4. We've already lost alot of the 'old time' witnesses to the original crimes. The US govt made the clear & informed decision to keep the subject from the public back in the 50s(perhaps earlier). I'm sure the continued delaying actions on disclosure come from hoping they can put it off indefinately, or at least, ideally, until there is no one left from that era to hold directly responsible. 25 year NDAs help, and the testimony from such dated sources have a very limited impact, as witnessed by the lack of MSM coverage of the UFOs & Nukes disclosure last week.\n \n\n5. Disinformation will keep the boat a rockin until it sinks. The Ufological community is, at best, in disarray. There are too many cooks pulling in too many directions to ever get anywhere. People like Greer, Project Cameltoe, Maussan, Icke and Hoagland, are doing far more damage(perhaps purposefully in some cases), than convincing people to take a serious look at the subject in an objective manner. The fact that people still flock to these disinfo mongers and charlatans tells me(and perhaps the powers that be) that we are indeed still gullible sheep, and that there really is no need for disclosure until we stop believing every pile of BS lobbed at us no matter how high or steaming it is, or how much it stinks. The truth may be every bit as unbelievable as the lies, but why stop now if the lies are still working,...?\n\n\n6. MSM is tied to the corporatocracy directly. NWO theories aside, there are only a handful of media conglomerates on the planet and they all have to deal with respective govt bodies. While UFO stories may serve to attract customers, and perhaps make the sheople feel like the issue is moving forward, this is still playing the delay game, and we swallow it over and over,... If MSM really considered UFOs a news story, there would be followups on every UFO sighting reported instead of a 3min segment and the end of the broadcast for filler. MSM has no time to reveal hoaxes or report on genuine unknowns in followups, it doesnt feed their bottom line. They have no real interest in revealing info that could bring down their religious institutions, law makers and greatest advocates, bring them embarassment, resentment or reveal them as outright liars. All of this would shake the status quo one way or another & that's not their job; their job is to make money.\n\n\n7. The govt has no definative answers. Disclosure already has happened. It's just burried in that same mound of BS, like the 2001 Disclosure movement; it's up to you to decide what's real and what isn't, but the govt has already had all their secrets spilled by someone at sometime. Good luck getting any further clarification of the facts from the people who want to maintain plausible deniability,...\n\n\nOn the other hand, France had disclosure long ago with the Cometa report,...wake up people, I'm not sure what your expecting here but you're sure to be disappointed if you can't see the truth has already been revealed; albeit amidst a heaping, steaming pile of BS,... 1286135888 +> I don't think this is by any means analogous. If me not wearing a helmet could cause you harm, then it might work.\n\nWhy are you talking about other people all of a sudden? You said:\n\n> its a "better safe than sorry" precaution\n\nIt would also be safer to wear a helmet while driving a car. Why don't you do that? I'm asking if the "better safe than sorry" excuse actually has any merit. It has to some extent. But after 20 years it's getting silly.\n\n> With this comment, you have exposed your ignorance on the topic\n\nAre you fucking stupid? I told you what the content of the video was because you felt the need to comment without actually watching it.\n\n> Strange; your armchair half think/intuition didn't anticipate the electromagnetic spectrum, huh?\n\nI'm happy that someone who "feels qualified" chimed in and graced us with his wisdom. Go ask engineers what they think about cellphones and laptops in airplanes. Please. 1335214283 +Too stupid even for the video version? Wow, this must be a record even for the deniers!\n\nIn plain words Lindzen Choi 2011 **ass**umed ocean energy variation is only about 2 times bigger than the variation from the clouds, while Spencer Braswell 2011 **ass**umed a ratio of 0.5. The observational data shows that the ratio is somewhere around 10-20 (meaning 20 to 40 times more than the values **ass**umed by Spencer). 1315582811 +What everything I've been linked to seems to say is that "It works short term, but no one quite knows why."\n\nThat's very convincing... 1291692302 +Also, the most important factor here is that it wouldn't take *our governments* to hide an alien presence. They could very well do it themselves, and with more ease than we think. 1332163030 +Indeed, the Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo 14, Ed Mitchel, is a major whackjob (UFO's, conspiracies, Physic phenomena) and that didn't stop him from been a major figure in the space program. 1281172474 +da-de-du -double post 1328558859 +Meh, I don't watch it for the "evidence" anymore. I watch it as a comedy. Those guys make me laugh.\n\nDo they help the paranormal field? Not really. Kind of makes us all look like jack-asses. BUT they are testing new equipment which is showing it to us that we may not have known about before hand. One piece of my equipment I've gotten as a direct result of watching that show. Hopefully soon I can add a second. 1348520378 +Or it could be aliens. Or even Dracula! 1333595612 +`a xor b` is equivalent to `(not(a) and b) or (not (b) and a)`. 1288645811 +This is the only one I'm aware of as well. 1352268592 +Were you there?\n\nIs it possible that she carved them into herself?\n\nIf it is possible, then you should try to help her, as her friend, if you don't mind me saying so. 1337654068 +Can't wait to see this! 1343966854 +They make it almost sound like aliens. 1356055613 +I dropped out of college because of my peers. When it became clear to me that I was sitting in a room with a bunch of people unable to draw conclusions from what was presented to them I got up and left. I was almost more upset by the fact that instructors accepted this as par for the course and were willing to work with it. 1311097362 +I always ask folks who are into that crap "If you were having a heart attack, would you go to the holistic homeopathic hospital, or a real hospital?" 1356721134 +it consisted of two thin metal rods, both bent into an Lshape 1305935729 +Dry? Really, I found it hilarious, especially his retelling of the Carlos Hoax.\n\nMore than that though, he's gentle and compassionate. He's concerned about the dangerous of credulity and I think that would make it the book I'd recommend for someone not familiar with skepticism.\n\nThat said, I haven't read Shermer's book, and he can be quite compassionate too actually. 1344823912 +sigh, here is your evidence. I await your confirmation that everyone is delusional or crazy. http://www.disclose.tv/action/viewvideo/81461/SECRET_ACCESS__UFOs_On_The_Record__FULL_/\n\nIf only laziness was not so common among deniers who accuse people. Well you were right about extraordinary evidence at least. 1328117482 +I think someone posted a video a while ago that was "Homeopathic Tech Support" or something like that. Using pyramids to get rid of viruses ect. Damn, I wish I could find it. 1347033487 +What? I'm serious man. I've never watched\nThat movie. 1325721616 +Again, you're absolutely right. The problem is, to ever begin to explain anything you need a hypothesis, an educated guess that in some ways assumes things that are presently not fact. Often the people who make the biggest leaps in science make some outrageous claims through educated guessing mixed with observation, then testing.\n\nYou may not like the concept of science doesn't know everything but it's the truth. Science *can* explain everything but presently doesn't. Until then we make educated guesses, observe and test. 1282447375 +You've got to be kidding... 1313689235 +According to one of my teachers, Elsevier has a 36% profit margin. I haven't checked his figures, but I suspect he would know.\n\nI believe this is a short-term windfall profit due to the shift from print to digital media. The journals and the databases are making out like bandits while they can. 1316314554 +Can't do that, sir. We'd have to call every religulous holiday the same. Imagine the confusion. 1305118001 +That a policy that can result in the death of women is a worse thing than a policy that might not prevent a far smaller number of sexual assaults, or that all men should not be judged on the actions of some men, apparently. 1347381319 +Well, points for using the apostrophe properly. 1331607201 +No, you're fine. Wikipedia is a fine stepping stone. If other people can't take the time to go through Wiki's sources or do their own research, that's on them. 1335733295 +You lack imagination. I was using mine. \n\n\nI can argue the veracity of photos as well. The moon landing only exists in photos, it never was real. Just an illusion. I need tangible evidence. ( facts: moon rocks exist on earth, tracks exist on mars, mirrors can be placed by robots) Prove that man walked on the moon. Go. 1344006323 +From the article:\n>*Was it a meteor? He’d heard there was a green meteor shower taking place from 6 to 9 p.m. that evening — **but no way was it supposed to show up in the earth’s atmosphere**.*\n\nThe article makes my brain hurt. The author tosses the meteorite argument out completely by saying that "no way was it supposed ot show up in the earth's atmosphere." This completely ignores the sole ingredient of a meteor shower, namely meteors burning up in the earth's atmosphere. Just like what appears to be happening in the very poor quality picture.\n\nOn top of that the author's allusion to the "father of three and his 10 y.o. daughter" seems to be a backhanded way of discounting any questions of credibility. I offer this [wiki article involving a father and his children and a hoax...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_boy_hoax) as food for thought. Sorry but the source needs either vetting or corroboration - the author offers none. 1301969624 +Figures. It's freaky crap. I'm wondering how many more people remember that. 1327200551 +Having lit Chinese Lanterns recently, from my experience, they stay in the air for about 2 minutes before extinguishing and floating to the ground. Unless there are different kinds which last longer, I would not blame lanterns. Still, I doubt these are actual UFOs they filmed. 1354341682 +There is also a reflection in his glasses that looks like a flat-screen monitor.\n\nMy searches also keep leading me to a guy named Gerald Celente, which leads me to think this is a marketing ploy. 1352755441 +I have never seen a flare go off personally but this thing went up then it would mosey back down and it moved side to side too. Eventually it started going up again. If I can get a video of this filmed close to a big monitor I could actually show you (based on the flames and luminescence) the way it traveled. 1347622009 +Aw. I know another one on this thread that was debunked, but I didn't bring it up. I don't want to ruin the fun of the legend, you know? I'm going to check out the link. 1347061464 +pretty good, but what's with the neckticles in the last panel 1282681743 +\nThe vaccine has a limited duration. Your immunity fades over time, so a vaccination for a disease you receive at 5 (or whatever) will be protecting you in your childhood, but is weaker by the time adulthood rolls around (I was finishing high school). \n\nThe doctor was being tongue-in-cheek. The whole idea behind inoculation in the first place is that your immune system can prevent you from coming down with diseases you've already had. The principle behind many vaccines is the idea of giving you a "killed" virus that your body can form antibodies to, but won't result in full-blown disease. \n\nIf someone contracts the disease, they'll eventually have similar immunity, but this isn't necessarily as helpful as being vaccinated from a herd standpoint. If they contracted it, they're producing and spreading the virus while they're ill. For instance, the exchange student spreading the virus resulted in several of us contracting pertussis and missing months of school. \n\nHowever, the few of us that got sick before this was clamped down on were all older high school students. For the purposes of a respiratory illness, we were practically adults. Less healthy targets could wind up dead (and many in the world do). Even if you don't die, pertussis can last about three months. There's also secondary issues that can be caused by having it, rib fractures, and so on (if death weren't enough). 1327324381 +I'll be there! Can't wait :) 1340994334 +It was a fungus. You can find the story on http://www.adn.com under Alaska stories 1313911653 +nobody wants to take responsibility 1328719082 +There's a big difference between dead and *mostly dead*. ~Miracle Max 1346462100 +Interesting happenings, thanks for taking the time to share! I think it would be interesting for you to put aside your fears for a bit and delve deeper into meditation, since "thinking about it" can only take you so far. If you ever do, please write an update! 1353287432 +Thank Xenu. I really loathe that show. 1349367043 +By chance did your version of the phantom menace not have jar jar binks in it? Worst character ever? if so, your reality was downgraded... :) 1340328975 +>No, it is the process of genetic manipulation itself which damages the plant\n\nThis is pretty baseless. There are also many possible processes for genetic manipulation. \n\n>They all suffered from a process that damages the genome.\n\nThis is highly subjective. With the infinite number The number of possible changes is essentially infinite. To say that anything would be "damage" is rather absurd.\n\nBasically any possible problem is an engineering problem that depends very much on the specifics of the modifications.\n\n 1279826599 +One more thing; you of all people here should realize that skepticism has a much deeper and more profound philosophical tradition of both outward and *inward* doubt that has been usurped in name by the Randi-worshipping skeptics of the secular/atheistic variety. 1241570500 +The figure looks to be transparent against the trees in the background. Also, the person who shot it isn't going to say if it was a bigfoot or not. he just encountered one of the most mysterious things that he can't even give a better description of the encounter for the news?..wtf 1338682097 +That's a pretty genius idea. I've little doubt that such a show would at least get one full season, if not more. All the people that I've met that love the ghost hunting shows also love the house hunting / fixing shows. It's a perfect match! 1288574807 +If I believed there was a God who was judging my life and would decide if I spent eternity in heaven or hell, I would damn well be thinking about Him every single minute of every single day. I would devote my life to him.\n\nAll those so called Christians who just see God as a hot water bottle for a little bit of comfort and who spend most of their lives doing "more important things" aren't very serious about their religion. Their lack of devotion to something that they putatively claim is so important makes me doubt that they believe any of it really. 1338914152 +Exactly! And even if those proposed remedies are harmless on their own, they may interact with drugs that the doctors have prescribed. The fact that her behaviour is unethical is enough to report her, even if it doesn't cause harm to the patient in *this* instance. 1311351827 +sound like one of those complex seizure things that make people go on auto pilot for long perioids of time. 1353881861 +I'm glad skeptic weighted in on this, I voted no, despite many of my peers urging a yes from everyone. I came to a no vote with doing a ton of research -- I found not only is GMO safe, the testing they do on the crops are insane -- more testing than, say, what the meat industry does to test for disease.\n\nAn article called GMO "the climate denial of the left". I think I agree. And this article states it bluntly; it's hatred for a multinational. Sure, Monsanto is shitty. But these scientists -- they work hard. And Monsanto, at the end of the day, is still a company. They aren't going to risk putting out a crop that has an allergen and lose a ton of business. The fact is GMOs are safe and the crops Monsanto provides seeds for thrive -- and the yes voters just infurating, somehow.\n\nBetter idea: this movement has legs. Start a regulatory commission that can test if something is GMO-free, everyone kick in a few sheckles to pay for this non-profit. Your organic grocier will eat up this label. And it doesn't depend on the government regulating it.\n\nIt's so perfect it already exists. 1352478485 +Whew...that brought back memories. 1300068310 +It is probably best to avoid discussing these things with them... unless they are blowing big chunks of money on it or putting their health at serious risk, in which case it might be worth the effort to translate the specific literature appropriate to the situation. 1279316712 +True I am thinking its a overexposed construction light. 1302884710 +Thank you for your fantastic reply. Your arguments are really... non existent. 1329484978 +But it is funny because he had a secret. Guess what it was. Guess.\n 1308821969 +*Why are they still pouring? IT'S FULL!* 1346018774 +I tend to ask what other things were being done as well as what ever "healing" ... people especially kids too young to understand...so probably too young to actually tell you whats wrong as well so we are usually guessing as to what the problem is... do just get better sometimes. 1292957231 +It's at times like that that we need to say, in our best John Cleese voice, "But… *this isn't an argument!*" 1312269266 +Interesting how the article was commented [by the local deniers](http://www.reddit.com/r/climateskeptics/comments/11fwl8/global_warming_stopped_16_years_ago_reveals_met/). Also in [science](http://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/11gpxj/global_warming_stopped_16_years_ago/) deniers seem to be very present :)\n\nBut today [I had already lost too much time with a moron that can hardly do basic arithmetic](http://www.reddit.com/r/climateskeptics/comments/11ghbs/wheres_the_anthropogenic_global_warming_signal_in/) so enough for me :( 1350247198 +That's what I mean - even a hypersonic object would leave a contrail which was not completely straight over those sort of distances due to upper atmospheric winds. 1311995052 +Sucks to admit, but thank you for making that clear right away. 1343180221 +http://circleinstitute.com/works/1_recovering/images/11-8_djinn.jpg 1313509293 +what the fuck? I'm an Aries. I AM OUTRAGED!!!!!!\n\nseriously though, how silly. 1324641011 +I've told people I was lactose-intolerant for years because I hated the taste and it made my stomach hurt to drink regular milk (which was true, but it didn't bother me too much if I drank it with food). Cheese and yogurt didn't bother me as much, but then I became vegan to try to clear up a blood sugar problem and several months later accidentally ate some cheese cooked into a soup at a restaurant. My sinuses started immediately filling up and my eyes were watering, and then the waiter told me that they added a lot of cheese. Maybe I really was intolerant! 1273759179 +Yeah.. Soon we'll make an awful cheesy TV movie about how they met.\n\nOh, wait, Hollywood beat us to it. 1303070712 +Now turn around so I can cup the other side. 1316670998 +People who use the internet? 1337769352 +I'm glad you calmed down more as you finished writing the title. 1342376581 +JEEEZ! I'd better stock up then. 1245244728 +Holy crap, someone on the Internet admitted he was mistaken! Well, I guess it would be in /r/skeptic of all places.\n\n> The term "ambient" means something akin to "from the environment" .... therefore, not man-made.\n\nEh, as a photographer to clarify a little we'd still call it "ambient" if it's man-made. It just has to be a part of the environment such as the lights that are usually in the ceiling of a building or the street lamps along the road. If you bring a light specifically for the purpose of shooting a portrait or something (or in this case see a "psychic orb" emitting its own light) then we're not talking ambient anymore. 1345139202 +> it seems like Neil is making points without backing or research on the subject\n\nThat's what always bothered me about this particular Neil Tyson clip. Just the other day it [was posted to /r/videos](http://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/itvtt/neil_tyson_how_to_prove_the_alien_origins_of_a_ufo/) and had received a ton of upvotes. Never once does he reference any historical case data or even hint that there have been some truly unexplained events. But that won't stop non-believers from using the video as a sure-fire way to dismiss UFOs as bunk. It's a shame, really. 1311253038 +I'd vote for Joe Biden as Miss Teen USA.\n\nIf I had the opportunity to rig that contest to make Joe Biden win, I would take it. 1354111763 +And yet you skeptics refuse to believe in the power of quantum entanglement and hoe it can enrich your lives through its holistically fluctuating energies which are derived from the mapping of holographic bio-field enhancers (using the heisenberg uncertainty principle of course). \n\nWhen will you open your all seeing third eyes!?! 2012 is upon us!!\n\n\n\n...I'm JohnnyMi25 and I approve this message\n\n 1323698349 +HOw can you be sure that she is telling you the truth? 1332739633 +On the contrary, I think it simplifies the issue. When you say you're an agnostic atheist you're stating you don't know but don't personally believe. That's a clear starting point for further discussion about the nuances in your position. \n\nSimply saying "I'm an agnostic" doesn't really say much about belief and, honestly, it's only now being used by atheists who don't like to call themselves atheists because they think it has negative connotations or (and I see this more often) people who want to feel intellectually superior to both theists and atheists by sitting on the fence pretending there's no dichotomy. 1308115242 +Yeah, I seem to remember hearing a talk (maybe from TED) about how being able to cook food really makes us apart from easy classification at all. 1353119485 +This. Couldn't have said it better myself so upvote for you my friend. 1326256261 +[Watts up with that](http://wattsupwiththat.com/) 1324218219 +I'm not sure if they check immunization records as late as high school. To the best of my knowledge, I only heard about our cases. From my diagnosis, and talking to her later - she said she'd gotten it from her younger brother and they thought it was just a really bad cold (sick a few months, etc.). She was from Columbia. I can't speak to their vaccination program, though pertussis is on the list of "routine" boosters/vaccinations to have before traveling there.\n\n 1327448893 +No longer available in the UK after they went a little heavy on the [bromate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasani#United_Kingdom). 1291359252 +People are douchebags on the internet. We call them out. Therefore we are douchebags.\n\nNice logic for someone who calls himself skeptic. 1351184798 +I wish I spoke Spanish. The video looks like it could have been faked, but since I couldn't understand anything, I couldn't tell what the source of the video is. Does anyone know? 1355108876 +I'm a computer technician, and I assure you that they do not use binary at all. \nWouldn't it be obvious to children if that were the case? 1347580712 +>But that rather begets the question, why not just see a physiotherapist, or an MD? \n\nBecause the excess for my chiropractor, who is a qualified physio also, is $10. The excess for my physio is $22. \n\n 1329456727 +Thanks for linking to that. I think I understand the concept of stabilization. Correct me if I am wrong but is the idea to erase the shake of the camera operator Maybe I want to believe or something but in this stabilised version he cites the wobbly ufo as evidence of cgi but it looked to me as though the stationary buildings shook also.\n [related The Cure for Fundamentalism: Why the Bible Cannot be the "Word of God"](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054H1XJ6?ie=UTF8&tag=polidebanews-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0054H1XJ6). 1309077813 +Isn't it usually AFTER you've bought the house do you find out an un natural death has occured? I recently read somewhere that haunted homes sell for much cheaper than otherwise not haunted homes. 1237893758 +Why do you oppose that part, given it's talking about drugs? Of which [/r/psychonaut](/r/psychonaut) does. 1324995198 +Point being. Case studies have been a great way to develop hypotheses, but are not sufficient in proving or disproving them. experimental procedure is required to support a theory with statistical evidence. 1319768544 +What are you, the [reddit police](http://i.imgur.com/N9alv.jpg)? 1302572395 +Witnesses describe seeing a column of water under the object which matches [other UFO/water sightings](http://www.waterufo.net/PIufoW.php)\n\nI think most people are capable of identifying fire-fighting helicopters that use [buckets](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_Navy_drops_water_from_a_helicopter-borne_firefighting_bucket.jpg) to haul water 1327300226 +Mine happens to be Dalmatian. I heard Sharks and Dalmations go together very well, if they respect the differences in needs when it comes to habitat. 1281883952 +That one may be BS, but [this one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A25FRpkbDxU) isn't ;) 1296901871 +Most conspiracy theories are not even theories anymore most have been accepted by perpetrators within to a degree where they dont even care what people know. I.e Rokafella,Rothchild, and corporations like Goldmen sachs. i follow information related to conspiritorial matters and ive seen enough to penetrate skepticism towards so called theories(some are i get that). I think if you don't want to believe something or its against your understanding cognitive dissonance seems to come into play. \nIm gunna look into the guy hottel case i didnt even know it had been debunked, cheers for the heads up anyway.\nThis might be well far out for your liking im undeniable a spiritualist,and am very much into jungian Psychology and Stanislav grof's work. Also experiencing hallucinogenics im intuned in transpersonal/religious nature. Anyway i've been reading Ra material Law of one and its been so enlightening and has really made coherent connections/correlations to extra terrestrial presence. Research what the books about and give me your thoughts. 1344109379 +I'm losig tem all, oe by oe! elp! 1321285585 +Truly amazing 1348714012 +Actually, I don't. 1335316408 +crop circle is irrelevant. What is up with the FABULOUS PONY in the distance??!? 1340715688 +yeah that happend to me with this meteor that came sunday. I dreamt i was somwhere in the mountains with my class, and then there was like an earhquake. i ran outside and the i saw the meteor in the sky!\nI told this story to my Parents before this even happend, and i told them that i think a natural desaster is going to happen. 1335267691 +10, 9, 8, 7, ....\n\nNote: You reposted something from FtB, how is that any way controversial or questioning of their beliefs? Atheism+ is an extension of FtB. 1349919056 +900 calories is a starvation diet. \n\nThis has to be one of the dumber ideas for losing weight. 1350073334 +"Yeah, just shut up and pass it over man" 1326636724 +I think I might write it out as sort of an AMA on r/ufos. That way, I can tell my story to the right audience and will [undoubtedly] get much better direct questions. :) I didn't know anyone'd want to hear it. 1318211394 +This should be in youtube, anybody seen it?\n\nEdit: I started looking for it, and ended up watching a debate... and I thought I'd be getting some work done today.. sigh 1354031476 +If only there existed a Shift key. Think of the uses! 1325765145 +So this is the History channel that I hear Americans talking about? 1293928205 +I'd upvote ya twice, ya glorious bastard. 1355568776 +>Pure ad hom.\n\nNo, it isn't. It is a statement of the fact that I'm *skeptical* about the claim by the Heartland Institute that the document is a fake. Considering they are a mostly a Lobbying/PR outfit (i.e. they are paid to lie), I don't see any reason to believe what they say at face value.\n\n>like the downvote I get every time I see a reply from you\n\nPeople who complain about downvotes are losers. I get downvoted all the time, do you see me complaining about it?\n\nEDIT: just in case that wasn't clear enough, I did just call you a loser. 1329346699 +About what specifically? 1320940977 +That seemed really fake. 1295714879 +As per usual, the comments section take a lot of wind out of your sails. Some people are just too invested in their delusions to be willing to consider that they're wrong. 1331479476 +Well, to be honest; it was working better at first. We would go out a lot and share some laughs, there was real intimacy. But, eventually life caught up with us. Swamp gas has children from a previous relationship with Weather balloons so it made my position more difficult in her life. Eventually, we parted ways. I'm starting to see others now. I have a date with No Comment tonight and was talking online with Chinese Lanterns earlier today so fingers crossed. 1342815128 +Did the fillings just appear? Most folks get cavities first, then go to the dentist to get the fillings. I think you've found a time and money saving shortcut! 1338780643 +I feel it is called magic so that a persons belief can be swayed in a different way. I think that when a young person is shown something, and told that it is magic, that person can hold it close with their true beliefs as something very special.\nTelling a young person that these abilities are really them picking out subtle non verbal clues could perhaps not hold the same special importance in belief structure as "magic".\n 1345000765 +I was taught evolution in primary school. And it was in the late 70s\n\nDo they really don't teach it nowadays in the UK? I can believe anything from the US, but, hey, the UK????\n 1314922879 +There are [other sources](http://www.touregypt.net/construction/) if you don't like that particular link. [This one](http://www.livescience.com/1554-surprising-truth-great-pyramids-built.html) discusses some evidence that many of the pyramid stones were cast, rather than quarried, which I thought was pretty clever. 1343733225 +Go back, get video. 1319457994 +Too true, although Phil should have used "Scientists are from Earth, the public is from Uranus." 1319051837 +The only thing we really have to go on is his sense of certainty- and he seems VERY certain, although it proves nothing...time can only tell. 1223411123 +Explanations and sources are always preferable to statements of opinion.\n\nCare to elaborate? 1312978278 +> "The White Sands case had puzzled many skeptics, because\nthe Pentagon had cleared the published report. The author,\nCommander R. B. McLaughlin, was a regular Navy officer. As\na Navy rocket expert, he had been stationed at the White Sands\nRocket Proving Ground in New Mexico. In his published article\nhe described three disk sightings at White Sands.\n\n>One of the disks, a huge elliptical craft, was tracked by scientists\nwith precision instruments at five miles per second. **That’s 18,000\nmiles per hour. It was found to be flying fifty-six miles above\nthe earth.**"\n\nVery eerie stuff indeed. Also, most of the material in the book is quite believable. 1334880203 +"Something like 80-90 per cent are people mistaking things like Venus for UFOs."\n\nNote that Venus is now near the Sun and will [transit the 5th of June.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit_of_Venus,_2012) 1337587097 +Bare trees signify exhaustion/depression. Trees can be indicators of a cycle in your life, like something ending. 1317687140 +I'm pissed at this "Quackwatch guy is a quack!"-silliness at a much more basic level: Being biased doesn't make you a quack. Talking half-truths, untruths or just bullshit does.\n\nOr: Being a quack makes you biased, but being biased doesn't make you a quack. 1289846981 +>In support of a general disposition towards conspiracist ideation, Douglas and Sutton (2011) showed that **endorsement of conspiracy theories was associated with people's willingness to engage in a conspiracy themselves when deemed necessary** 1355483339 +Not necessarily. It may be that helmets increase the severity of torsional injury to the neck, on account of the greater leverage afforded by the thickness of the helmet. It is also possible that a helmet may impair vision or hearing in ways.\n\nI'm not claiming that helmets are definitely bad for you for any of these reasons, but the burden of proof remains on helmet proponents to show that they are definitely good for you. 1318702745 +The US also has a higher rate of overweight or obese mothers, which is associated with all kinds of problems during pregnancy and birth. 1297560286 +>If you show me any studies suggesting that we can focus on one aspect without any other processes interfering, please let me know.\n\nI am suggesting the opposite. We cannot focus on one sense and disregard other senses. However we can still focus on a certain memory or emotion, even with other processes "interfering". I seriously don't see how is this even an issue for discussion. If you can't even focus on an issue or emotion, how can you do any form of therapy at all. In fact, how do you even manage daily living? \n\nThis is what was taught by the founder of EFT Gary Craig and what I practice for myself and with my clients. You can see it for yourself [here](http://www.wikihow.com/Use-the-Emotional-Freedom-Technique-(EFT). \n\nI am not sure why you are asking for studies that show how a therapeutic technique is carried out. Are there even such studies? \n\n 1343143070 +Is /r/skeptic turning into /r/atheism now?\n\nWhat do you want, a pat on the back? A cookie? 1337324355 +Pretty much this, its why capitalism works (most of the time) 1336068392 +Thanks for the info. I did not know Kombucha was so well endowed with B-12. But being vegan, I usually get my B-12 via supplementation. However, I have also read that B-12 can stay in the body for quite a long time, therefore ones potential for going deficient is less than what they might think. But, I was quite malnourished when I was getting the shots *eating disorder*. 1322971565 +This is why we still live in the Dark Ages: the guys that made the original crop circles came forward in 1991 to confess to the world that it was they that constructed the circles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crop_circle#Creators_of_crop_circles\n\nYet 18 years later people are still in awe of this simple device. \n\nIf volume II of the Bible was ever discovered proving the whole thing to be a good bed-time story, people would still flock to the church on Sunday.\n\nWhat's that expression, 'there's none so blind that refuse to see'.\n\n\n 1246750409 +Exactly. I mean, there are chemicals that can kill HIV/AIDS on surfaces, but I don't plan on drinking it if I ever get either. 1354105845 +I been wanting to call someone yea. I doubt it was telekinesis. Lol 1333042941 +I don't get it. Since when is hitting on a girl in an awkward manner a terrible, horrible, despicable thing to do, akin to attempted rape? \n\nI make awkward passes on a weekly basis. I wish someone would have told me about this earlier. The girls I hit on should also be informed that they're being horribly objectified, and the portion that accept my advances should be shamed for encouraging my objectifying, misogynistic, *predatory* behavior. 1310000361 +>No need to apologize, I was looking forward to a point by point reply :)\n>\n>But because of your need to apologize, I'm assuming it might be a reflection on how you think about these long responses so now I feel the need to apologize.. sorry about the length!\n\nAh, I was more concerned about you and other readers (though by now there are probably not many still reading this). Personally, I'm happy with long replies.\n\n>It's true, there are a lot of unknowns, but on the other hand, there is also a lot of data pointing a certain way. And let's not forget the learning experience, it would be a huge opportunity whether it succeeds or not to put some theories (as theoretical as the theory of evolution or gravity) about human behavior to the test.\n\nYep, that was what I meant in my previous reply about an experiment - how do you do an experiment like this? You would need complete buy-in (so to speak) of all the individuals in the experiment area, and also to prevent people from outside the experiment area from taking advantage. So you would need to basically have a large commune to do it, and to prevent selection bias (most of those who take part would already have bought into the system), it would need to be populated by people that already live in the area. And it would need to run for decades. You would also need to have a contingency plan for failure, since you would need to revert to a currency-based economy, and there would no longer be any traditional businesses in the area to employ people, so it would probably take decades just to return it to something like it was previously.\n\nAlso, if it's an experiment of an RBE and not just a sociological experiment, you need to be able to ensure that all the resources you need are in the area - some resources are currently hoarded by certain countries (returning to helium, the US holds the vast majority of the worlds limited resource, and it's required for coolant for things like MRI scanners). Having to ship in resources may upset the economic part of the experiment.\n\nSo, it'd be a very difficult experiment to do, and I'm not sure many leaders will want to risk their political careers to implement it.\n\n>So with that in mind, it's not about if it is possible to turn around people today (though that could work for the most part I assume, and we're already doing this by exposing people to this information) but it's generational thing, the education and environment of the children (think of the children! :)).\n\n:)\n\nYep, I agree - if it works at all, it'd likely take centuries. Not that it's a reason not to do it, I'm sure we both agree that just because you'll never see the pay-off doesn't mean it's not worth doing it for future generations (though not everyone will see it that way).\n\n>I have met a surprisingly growing number of people that tell me that our system will eventually change itself to a RBE, and that there is no real need for what TZM does.\n\nYou mean spontaneously, without anyone actively working towards it? Interesting - how so?\n\n>But to answer more specifically, education can change people so they live a life free of waste (or keep it in mind and motivate them to do something about it) and share resources instead of hoarding them. Education would make it clear to them that it is in their personal interest to behave that way. And what benefits them (a more clean, healthy environment, less crime) benefits others automatically.\n\nYep, education would work to a certain degree, but what we'd need to change is the consumerist attitudes I referred to previously - people would need to be convinced that they don't necessarily need the latest and greatest things, and to use resources responsibly. Would we be able to change attitudes to the extent that, when it comes time for currency to be abolished, there's very few who will act as people generally do now?\n\n> It's all about intelligent management. There are today already alternatives to certain resources, and I don't mean exact replacements, we might have to do with less so we can do more. And I'll exaggerate with my example but you'll get the point, maybe instead of a solid gold chain you could have a gold plated chain (with comparable weight/feel). Not that people would actually want a gold chain in a RBE, this is just an exaggeration :)\n\nWell, I don't have any jewellery at all (I've never seen the point), but yes, I see what you mean :)\n\nBut at the same time, it's hard to tell if alternatives can be found for all the resources we need (as opposed to want) in the future. Different elements and compounds have different properties, and an application may only ever be able to use that particular one - such with MRI scanners, as I mentioned for helium above.\n\n(Yes, helium is scarce, but it's also cheap, so instead of helping to save lives it gets wasted on party balloons, and hardly anyone realises the implications. Sad, isn't it?)\n\nBut anyway, these will run out whether we stick with a CBE or switch to an RBE, as we agreed, so there's little real debate between us here.\n\n>I get this. And I wonder how that experiment would've looked if there was no money involved and equal access. Those are 2 components that have a very big impact on any system. Would it have failed as much? Would it have failed at all? I don't know, but it's food for thought.\n\nGood question, I wonder that myself, and I'm not sure that we can really ever know. But that's not to compare communism and an RBE - they're both socio-economic and political models, but they differ in many ways.\n\n>I agree completely. And you might have already distilled my view on this, it's not because we don't know the outcome beforehand that we shouldn't at least try it. Eyes on the prize, and its a very attractive prize (world peace, comfortable lives, equal opportunities, no slavery (payed/unpayed) or prostitution (of any kind)).\n\nWell, I can't argue that it's a great prize if it works out. But the risks of failure need to be taken into account as well. I'm not so sure that it's as simple as going ahead and trying it, I think we need more evidence of its feasibility and to put measures in place to recover a CBE (in some form) if it fails, before we go ahead and do it.\n\n>Unless it costs more to do a complete recovery :) If you can't make any money by solving the problem, why solve it? That's the profit motive for ya ;)\n\nPoint taken :)\n\nTo be honest, I'm not sure if it's possible to completely recover more (or indeed, all) of the material, not being in that industry.\n\n>True, it might make things more complex if you have to also keep in mind the recycling part of a product. But if we're not living in a system where you only have a certain budget/time (to market, being faster than your competitor) for R&D and need to cut corners to make it, things will look very different.\n\nYes, but what I mean is, while part of the reason things are designed the way they are is because of time and budgeting constraints, part of it is also because they need to be designed that way or they wouldn't work at all. You can design things better to allow more of them to be recycled, but there's a limit.\n\n>Also, in a RBE, collaboration would be to the benefit of this facet of product design. Instead of having thousands of different corporations with their own R&D and patents, having a world collaboration of all those minds.. imagine the possibilities, it's easy to see the potential benefit(s) in this.. like for example the learning opportunities!\n\nTrue, collaboration would be beneficial, and it would be good not to have to worry about who's going to rip off your IP (as a creator of IP, I'd *really* like that). But we need to be careful not to let that thought blind us - we'd need to consider everything before steaming ahead. 1317844853 +But make sure to dilute the medicine down to 1 part per 1,000,000 kibbles. 1272237489 +Morpheus....is that you? 1343217621 +Apparently in order for you to take my objections seriously here, I'm going to have read *Discourse* to see for myself what the difference between that and *Meditations* is.\n\nBut Meditations is still very much one of Descartes' influential works, and it still very much reflects what his philosophy his. And in *Meditations,* he **does** argue for the existence of God using ontological arguments, and he **does** claim that the existence of God is the way that we can consider reality to be true and break free from the Skeptical position. You cannot separate the views expressed in *Meditations* from the views expressed in *Discourse* that easily.\n\nYou do realize that Empiricism is considered to be one of the philosophical underpinnings of the scientific method, right?\n\nAnd your claim about the universe is that it is impossible to create something without external rules is why that video is a sufficient rebuttal: because it provides a possible explanation for how the universe could have come about from nothing, without requiring external rules to create it.\n\nYour claim was that it is impossible, the video refutes that. The fact that it ends with an admission of not knowing is irrelevant, because of course we don't know for certain. We can't know for certain. But mathematically and physically, there is no reason it is not impossible.\n\n(Of course, I've failed to mention so far the obvious ludicrousness of the universe requiring something to be exist first in order for the universe to have been created. What created the previously existing thing? What created whatever created that? And so on up to infinity. Eventually you have to reach something that was not created, or you have an infinite chain of creation that itself was not created by anything. In either case, why assume that our universe was created, instead of being something which did not require creation?) 1355430952 +Anything anyone has to say about deciphering an alien language is going to be pure speculation. I just don't subscribe to a Star Trek-style anthropocentric notion of alien species and languages. 1346569424 +The obnoxious behaviors we associate with A+ existed before A+ formally assembled. The Skepchick community has been rife with it for a long time. The reason some people, who could rightfully be called bullies (or just dicks) have been picking on "Surly Amy" is because of these behaviors.\n\nYay, Amy has worked to send people to TAM in the past. That is great, but that doesn't make her immune from criticism. FFS, the cliquey Skepchick crowd has been saying awful things about the "old white men" that have worked their asses off for decades, but as soon as someone hurts one of their little feelings by criticizing their tendency to act like victims, they go down like a Brazilian soccer player. It's just more of this deplorable shit:\nhttp://puu.sh/148rI\n\nI haven't heard anyone say that they don't want people from all areas of the spectrum to take part in the atheist community. What people are decrying is that this sub-set seems more interested in establishing themselves as victims first, and demanding up front that they be treated as a protected class. It's fucking obnoxious. When Eugenie Scott goes up on stage and presents, I do not have any thoughts about her gender. At all. It only became an issue in my head when Rebecca Watson started issuing Fatwas against casual flirting because she was personally tired of the attention she had been getting - attention which she had in the past appeared to take in stride and even enjoy.\n\nOh, there I go again, "blaming the victim". 1347379367 +Love the ICP fallacy. \n\nFucking magnets, how do they work? 1327310848 +> you do realise that the video provides proof that chi exists\n\nAre you trolling or just plain dumb? 1281190742 +Not really, but good point, whatever floats your boat and all that. 1320548251 +You don't have shit. You have skewed studies that show a slanted, national propagandized study. For example, the Japanese study on mmr and autism is bunk because the Japanese heavily "urge" other vaccinations prior to mmr. The danish study is also similarly skewed. You people are so stupid, and your methods of propaganda are getting old. You use the same bullshit chopped-and-diced crap as the "omg, the arctic ice shelf is melting!!111one" and leave off the images of the arctic ice shelf growing. Of course, the stupid sheeple-zombies that don't know shit freak out and want everyone to engage in a carbon tax-and-trade system. 1283193658 +Jesus christ, try to control your temper. It's hard to focus on what you're saying when you snap like an angry child. 1314224015 +Not only Russia, my sister heard it in Rio de Janeiro, the thing with these sounds is that it is really easy to just ignore and keep watching tv. 1323423510 +Although there does seem to be [a pleasant rumbling...](https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Boobquake) 1305098063 +You really don't have to worry.\n\n1. You are likely young and your body will survive just fine eating half the calories (or less) than the average American eats. In fact there is evidence that calorie restricted diets can help prolong life.\n\n2. You would be hard pressed to give yourself a vitamin deficiency unless you are literally starving. There is free basic food everywhere. \n\n3. Human beings have lived 100,000 years on diets FAR FAR FAR worse then anything you might have to expereince.\n\n4. So cheer up, loose some weight and save some money. My expereince is that reducing your calories is a good thing. 1329342349 +If go to your local park, the nearest forest, etc, you will probably find that 80-90% of all the plants you see are non-native. The natural balance has already been greatly disturbed by the introduction of invasive species, and bad land management. It's great that you want to help restore some sort of natural balance to the ecosystem, but GMO crops have virtually no impact on that. 1345076489 +No, I think this one was shorthand for the ascii-picard. 1339598896 +thanks. Most excellent.\n\nWhere did you find this?\n\ntoo much UFO stuff are things that go away when you have quality photography, data, etc. 1309530764 +Thanks for the advice. I've heard some debates over tape recorders vs digital recorders and was wondering if one is better than the other. 1340480959 +I can't help but wonder if the patients in the study thought the researchers were lying to them. Scientific studies have a history of deception that even most laymen are aware of. So I don't think the people in the study were 100% sure it was a placebo. I don't know how I would control for that though. It would have been interesting to compare the effects of knowing it was a placebo versus not knowing.\n\nAlso,\n\n>Nope, it still works.\n\nFrom the actual study:\n\n>Conclusion\n\n>Placebos administered without deception may be an effective treatment for IBS. Further research is warranted in IBS, and perhaps other conditions, to elucidate whether physicians can benefit patients using placebos consistent with informed consent.\n\nNot as unequivocal. There were only 80 patients, after all. I'm going to remain skeptical of this claim for now. 1344041590 +Interesting... I'm a huge fan of the SGU but I really can't say the same about This American Life... I still subscribe to it but find that many stories don't interest me. Another podcast in a similar vein that I find much more appealing than TAL is the Radiolab podcast. 1288051935 +Just a quick search, all of [these planes](http://911research.wtc7.net/pentagon/analysis/compare/jetcrashdebris.html) were almost completely incinerated. 1304499425 +This is a proper glitch story. None of this ghost shit that should be in /r/thetruthishere 1335750277 +Interesting. I am quite certain this is man mand however as it has two flashing lights on either side, like all man-made aircraft. This is to help determine if it is coming towards you, or moving away, depending on the orientation of the lights.\n\nEDIT: Nice catch IntimateShine. 1323796596 +Yes, it is true that placebos vary in efficacy based on a large number of variables (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo#Expectancy_and_conditioning). That, however, does *not* mean that acupuncture is anything more than a placebo, which is what you were arguing above. Sham acupuncture (both with needles in the "wrong" points, and with fake needles in the right ones) works just as well as "real" acupuncture. 1326058280 +And your point is... what? [An organic pheromone-based pest management system](http://extension.psu.edu/ipm/resources/nrcs/programs/conventreefruit/pheromonemating/at_download/file) doesn't pollute groundwater and, more importantly, is [pest-selective.](http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/pesticides-blamed-for-bee-decline-6296322.html) Many organic farmers prefer to use trap systems, while others use rotational planting and [intercropping.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercropping) You're eager to criticize organic farming, but you haven't bothered to substantiate anything you've said. You don't seem to know much about organic farming. 1338697390 +Well, I for one love and embrace science. Anyone with a sense of wonder should realize that science is one of the greatest developments of our species. Technology allows us to grapple with our environment, but science allows us to broaden the scope of our awareness, allowing us to create new technologies. \n\nTo discredit it because it doesn't play nice with our worldview is to stagnate intellectually. \n\nBut by the same token, when people begin to treat science as ideology - another world-view - they tend to defend it with the same vehemence that others defend religious beliefs. The scientific consensus becomes irrefutable fact, holy writ. \n\nIn reality, you look at even our most fundamental theories like the Big Bang, and a lot of what we know is based on conjecture. There's a plethora of observable evidence that directly contradicts the big bang, though it remains our best explanation for how the universe came to be. Theories like Inflation arise to answer some of these anomalies, but there's not mechanical explanation for why the universe would suddenly expand more rapidly and then slow again - all we know is that for the big bang to have produced the universe we see, it must have happened. \n\nThe point is, science is in flux. It's constantly open to re-interpretation, and that's a good thing. It means the more we learn, the more opportunities we have to learn. 1353780271 +I always thought of vampires as a way for early society to find a way to explain sex offenders and molesters without delving into to the ugliness of reality.\n\n 1352406777 +fake or not we aren't the only intelligent beings in the universe. 1341421226 +I still have a hard time believing "most American atheists" could be considered to be skeptics. Atheism by itself is not entirely incompatible with irrationality. 1313096903 +lmao.. so lame I just had to upvote you 1290167217 +How far away did she live? I used to use my portable phone in middle school to listen in on neighbors' conversations. I had it down to a science. \n\nIf she lived within a two block radius or so, it's plausible that you were just communicating over the air and not via a telephone signal. Of course, this isn't at all likely -- unless you were BOTH on 49 MHz phones that were tuned to the exact same channel. 1327250559 +No correct answer ... vote for the folks you really like 1308761905 +Wow that's an amazing experience! I've had a few of my own, more than enough to make me believe that they do exist. 1334794961 +Can't wait for another 4 years of war escalation, evisceration of civil and human rights, torture, and indefinite detention without trial. 1313890668 +You make a valid point, but they also make no claims of "absolute fact". They more or less parrot the information in the linked article, to boot. I'll also point out that I didn't upvote them, whereas I downvoted nmoline (and thus tried to provide an explanation for my downvote).\n\n[Here's a comment that I did upvote.](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/ywf37/the_american_academy_of_pediatrics_today_reversed/c5zfm4n) 1346076625 +What did it look like outside of the window? \n\nLooked like a reflection to me... 1318611663 +Wow, I didn't realize my discussion with you was hostile? I was just discussing. I'm sorry if the way I came across in text seemed angry or argumentative.\n\nI have nearly three years of study in psychology and sociology. I'm not by any means an expert, but I *have* looked at the literature. This Münchausen by Internet is, in fact, a disorder, just as the other disorders I've mentioned. Yes, they are faking various illnesses, for reasons such as getting attention or sympathy. That is, in itself, a psychological disorder. So no, I'm not wrong. A person who functions "normally" in society does NOT create illnesses - a person who has a psychological problem does. Münchausen and Münchausen by Proxy are both also disorders. If you looked at the literature regarding Münchausen itself, and related issues, you'd have seen that.\n\nSorry for engaging in discussion with you. 1337859538 +Rebuttal's fine. Being a dick wasn't necessary. 1326711528 +Ifeelyahbro.jpg 1328451974 +Can someone please amuse me as to what the point of this post is? 1355339321 +someone should post those clowns the mexican military footage with the infrared formation 1342674275 +I'm a vegan who knows many people in the AR community in my hometown. It scares me how intertwined animal rights and pseudoscience are. It's taboo and off-limits to question any tenet of the dogma, be it health, animal testing, organic foods etc.\n 1287245025 +Chhattisgarh has a population of 20.7 million people. I would argue that two children an one innocent adult murdered for no reasons is in par with statistics of any more educated area of similar population. Basically those people are serial killer psychopaths and just use their belief for justification. \n\nThen I read this in Wikipedia:\n\n> ... in recent years, 2,500 women accused of witchcraft were murdered by stoning, hanging and beheading by neighbours. \n\n:-( 1325498087 +boo hoo 1335848883 +I'm not sure what is going to happen on 12/21/2012, but it inspired this 30 second [youtube video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak_ollSPaZM) 1354585111 +If I had a shit-ton of money, what I would do is make a camera especially for UFO's. Here's how it would work.\n\nUser would set up the camera on a tripod. Camera would have a computer in it, or maybe an Android device, Raspberry Pi -- whatever. You'd point the camera in the general direction and the computer would try to target that. A laser would help it target, and would also try to determine distance. (I guess it would need *two* lasers then).\n\nThe camera would have infrared, and be very light-sensitive. I don't know much about cameras, but that's what I would do. \n\nYour video is not nearly as bad as you think it is. I can stabilize it, but I'll need a few hours. If I have to do any real work today, it will wait till the weekend. 1352381297 +Oh, wow. 1347379511 +That's pretty sweet. I'd be a proud dad if my kid did that. 1312411149 +I'm going to make a similar movie about how the world actually works. How we're all stuck at work watching these entertaining things that aren't actually true and how we're getting old and eventually dying in front of the tv. 1337632322 +Wait, you have had experience with ghosts and supernatural entities and then became an atheist??? 1336119799 +Yeah, that's true too. I was watching *Ascent of Man* and there's a whole episode basically dedicated to the serrated scythe. Though I guess that's confounding manufacturing and agriculture. Seems they're intertwined in ways that should be "worshipped" too, :P 1314553546 +I'm a big fan of the series, but I haven't watched the new season due to the cast being swapped. 1356882921 +That question is equivalent to asking if a homosexual is "incurable". It is very unlikely that you will be changing anyone's sexual inclinations, but people are quite capable of not acting on them. Also, as a politically correct disclaimer, no offense was meant in the comparison. 1328828775 +1. Why does government have to spend money? Why can't we just let people spend money on what they want to buy? There is no reason why the govt needs to invest in R&D, companies are already free to research new technologies. If they lack the capital, they can go to banks, investment firms or companies that would be interested in a partnership etc and apply for a loan or some other agreement to develop their technology. This ensures that the loans are only given out to people and ideas with potential and if it fails it's their loss, not the government's loss. My argument is that millions of brains of private people and companies are better at reading the market and producing what people want than the government, to argue otherwise is to suggest that central planning (aka socialism) is the ideal.\n\n2. Yep! The US Dollar is currently the reserve currency which is a huge benefit and arguably will not last. Watch the US's credit rating drop as the world realises that the US cannot pay their debts just like Greece.\n\n3. Got anything to back this up? Any tax given back can be used for people to get out of debt or spend buying things. Why is that a bad investment?\n\n4. Yes they are. You think if we imposed a tax on say all fast food, that the fast food restaurants will just shrug and let the tax eat into the entirety of their profits? You would see a number of different things. A) Fast food places putting their prices up to cover the extra cost. B) Fast food places reducing the quality of their food even further to cut costs. C) Fast food places shutting down because they can't turn a profit anymore, why bother operating?\nThis is just an hypothetical example but you can see how it would increase the price of burgers, make them crappier and also reduce the availability of them. Directly influencing consumers.\nA increase in corporate taxes would have the same effect over the entire country, it's just much more transparent. 1351982574 +Decapitation would reduce the incidence of brain cancer to zero. 1330723423 +Your delusional consistency is remarkable. 1290774039 +I missed this post! Yayyyy for internet. I love Tim Minchin. <3 Saw him here in Portland, and he was *just* as amazing in person as he is .. everywhere else. I got to hug him. ;;\n\nFangirl mode OFF! :) 1322125303 +You actually may have to be born in the United States. There's no clear case law on it, but:\n\nYou must be natural born, not naturalized. According to the US DoS Foreign Affairs Manual (7 FAM 1113, ACQUISITION OF U.S.\nCITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH), definitions\n\n>Naturalization is “the conferring of nationality of a state upon a person after birth, by any means whatsoever” (Section 101(a)(23) INA) or conferring of citizenship upon a\nperson (Sections 310 and 311 INA). Naturalization can be granted automatically or\npursuant to an application.\n\nNow, those born on American soil (7 FAM 1114, ):\n\n>a. Until 1866, the citizenship status of persons born in the United States was not\ndefined in the Constitution or in any federal statute. Under the common law rule of jus soli--\nthe law of the soil-persons born in the United States generally acquired U.S. citizenship at\nbirth [see section 7 FAM 1116.1-1 ]. ...\n\n> b. This rule was made part of the Civil Rights Act of April 9, 1866 (14 Stat. 27) and, 2 years later, it was adopted as part of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.\n\nAcquire citizenship _at birth_, and are therefore natural born.\n\nOn the other hand (7 FAM 1111.2, Citizenship):\n\n>(2) Jus sanguinis (the law of the bloodline ), a concept of Roman or civil law under\nwhich a person’s citizenship is determined by the citizenship of one or both parents. This\nrule, frequently called “citizenship by descent” or “derivative citizenship”, is not embodied in\nthe U.S. Constitution, but such citizenship is granted through statute. As laws have\nchanged, the requirements for conferring and retaining derivative citizenship have also\nchanged.\n\nPeople who are born to American parents are _not_ citizens at birth (unless also born on American soil), and are therefore granted citizenship status statutorily. If we apply this to our definition of naturalization above, then it's _possible_ that people who are citizens solely by virtue of blood may be considered naturalized.\n\nThis is further backed up by ACQUISITION OF U.S. CITIZENSHIP BY\nBIRTH ABROAD TO U.S. CITIZEN PARENT (7 FAM 1131.6-2 Eligibility for Presidency):\n\n>a. It has never been determined definitively by a court whether a person\nwho acquired U.S. citizenship by birth abroad to U.S. citizens is a naturalborn\ncitizen within the meaning of Article II of the Constitution and,\ntherefore, eligible for the Presidency. 1306522883 +I didn't ask for any. 1349643603 +> This demonstrates a lack of understanding of the fact that chiropractors utilise a range of treatments, including postural advice, reassurance and exercise.\n\nSo, in addition to giving people massages, you tell them to sit upright and get some exercise? Why do I need a chiropractor for that? \n\n> This overlooks the fact that many accepted medical interventions have little or no research evidence to support them.\n\nWTF? Name them. If they are "medical treatments" they need to be tested also. 1245195438 +or so help me.... 1326566062 +You constant reliance on a meaningless appeal-to-authority, arrogance, and pretense of some sort of 'special knowledge' indicates **you are immune to logic**. Especially when you rely on logical fallacies.\n\nUnfortunately, your faith is so deeply ingrained that anything that counters it will be taken as proof that you somehow know more or know better. Like it's some sort of mystical knowledge. It isn't. 1287016731 +As a Swiss, I feel offended.\n\nHah. 1329509893 +You are looking at it from a 3rd dimensional bias. If you train your mind to see it it from the 6th, you'll realize this is actually a stairway that you are looking up at as it reaches up into the distance. You have to climb up it. 1346433795 +Awesome quote, "Craig Eversley, a quantum physicist at Berkley commented that he would rather fall down the stairs and crack his head open on a rock than read Deepak Chopra’s latest book, because “It would be less embarassing if someone saw me doing it.""\n\nI'm definitely using that one in the future. 1292457374 +"Meat tastes Great, Cows are stupid."-Heard that a few too many times. \n 1340753699 +> Perhaps the video in question itself sources legit info. Does the PDF give specific citations?\n\nNo it does not. It says things like "according to the UN" and "according to the MPAA" with no specifics or references section. \n\n> Ad hominem?\n\nMy comment is to do with the vagueness and utter uselessness of citing YouTube as a source, they may have well cited "The Internet" 1328118858 +Thank you.\n\n>I recommend reading Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World\n\nBeautiful book. 1343926945 +That the universe must surely be finite in expanse. I *know* everything we have points to it being infinite, but my mind does not want to believe it. 1307110504 +Magnets. Same old shit, different brown bag. 1273656281 +How does it work? 1339808849 +65% is still too low to me. 1351802629 +MLK didn't talk about tolerance. I'm pretty sure he never mentioned it once. He fought for equality, respect, and fairness in the treatment of all races and peoples. Tolerance is a petty thing compared to all that. 1307817188 +The exact same thing has happened to me my whole life. 1328677850 +They aren't. There has been no MSRA that's been documented that's started in livestock. Countries that have experimented with limiting antibiotics given to livestock (like Denmark) have not seen reductions in the spread of MSRA. 1347162542 +So you're saying that people using it as a term for a severe smashing of the other contributes to people actually raping each other? Bullshit. That's the kind of post-modernist nonsense that really boils my blood. It says, you cannot use this word colorfully or in this context because another meaning of the word is this over here - and that meaning is horrible and shows an ugly side of humanity. 1351172740 +What makes you think so? 1350549963 +What makes you think so? 1267878550 +tweet tweet!\n 1340860187 +It seems to be doing fairly well here, but I reposted this again. 1302577828 +I remember it wasn't a very common name, it very may have possibly been the coincidence of a lifetime though. Still doesn't explain them using the same phone number and order. 1356930644 +http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ana.21743/full\n\nhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mus.21533/abstract\n\nhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mus.21521/abstract\n\nTry using Google scholar next time\n\nhttp://scholar.google.com.au/scholar?hl=en&q=Dr+Steven+Novella&as_sdt=1%2C5&as_ylo=2007&as_vis=0\n\nIt looks like he has been co-author on heaps of stuff which I would expect. Very few people release work in just their own names in modern academia. Especially not something as complex and cooperative as medicine. \n\n*edit - oh.. and excellent taste in podcast you show there. ;)\n\nBut yeah.. leaning to do a good search for academic papers can be tricky. You might also try pub-med\n\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed\n\njust type his name in the search field and a couple variations on it. Eg: Steven Novella, S Novella, etc... I get a whole page of publications like that. 1294878129 +Now THIS is a good idea. :D Haha! 1269152717 +"In every country and every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot.... they have perverted the purest religion ever preached to man into mystery and jargon, unintelligible to all mankind, and therefore the safer for their purposes."\n— Thomas Jefferson 1344552747 +Well, the Catholics have no official problem with evolution. The Catholic Church does a lot of good science and history research. I don't like the Catholics totally (especially since they denied the whole "we have guys who touch the little boys" thing for so god-damned long)..... But I have a lot of respect for some aspects of the Catholic Church. Some aspects. 1296220437 +I feel that way right now. I have been joking about the whole alien thing but now...now this is the coolest fucking thing EVER! 1291273673 +If its thinning your worried about, another thing to focus on is the tightness of your scalp... You should be able to move it around quiet easily... If the skin gets too tights it constricts blood flow and the follicles start to die out. So while you have hair scalp massages are a good idea... Your stylist may have mentioned minerals because of the condition of your hair... Hard water and soft water can dry hair out if your not balancing the PH levels with good shampoo and conditioner. It's a tricky thing that thinning hair... I wish you luck!! 1354164616 +Please see my posts at\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/r6iwk/remember_how_yesterday_i_was_very_skeptic_at_the/c43fet0 1332356748 +Ha they conspired to turn it over to the town so they would not pay the real estate taxes of about 25K per year:) 1344029011 +Well, give us some credit; the lemurs don't do the logging themselves. \n\nI think you have to consider that an alien race would have multiple interests. So, saying they have an interest in us or an interest in some material, they don't have to be mutually exclusive. You have to be practical and consider, though, that even an advanced alien race is probably still governed by basic economic needs. Gold, or whatever other material, might be in scarce supply throughout the universe. It would thus influence where you decided to set up a colony or puppet species/government. \n\nExample: the United States has multiple interests, one of which is humanitarian aid and development. But above all, there is economics. And so while various countries around the world are suffering from civil war, starvation, genocide and the like, chances are the US usually only intervenes in those that pose a threat to our economic stability (read: have lots of oil).\n\nInterestingly enough, the gold harvesting theories could explain why contact has been minimal. Aside from the natural concerns of not wanting to destroy human culture and delusions of free will, the aliens would also not want to reveal their *needs*. If we knew they wanted/needed material goods from us, we'd have a strategic leverage point against them.\n\nWhy pay for the cow when you can mutilate it for free? 1305932325 +Not so true: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xex9wu_the-placebo-effect-knee-surgery_tech 1333491638 +> Kinesio tape is different, he says, because *it lifts the skin* to assist this lymphatic flow, which, in turn, reduces pain and swelling.\n\nCall me a stupid, reductionist, mechanistic physicist who knows nothing about medicine - but how can something that sits *on* the skin at the same time *lift* the skin? 1341313607 +I don't feel that "footprints, his alleged bed and possible hair samples" should be considered indisputable proof or a confirmation of existence. 1318262301 +Someone taking me to the airport and showing me the spraying equipment built into/on a commercial airplane. And the holding tanks of the millions of gallons of "chem" agent. 1329931824 +Haha I mean no one knows that I feel bad. 1353439899 +I have to disagree in this case. His subtle mannerisms give it away. He struggles with the story and then catches himself, gets back into character, makes a remark, and then back with unconfident struggle of lying. Another tell is how he keeps trying to sway from the story and looks uncomfortable and gets back into his computer. Compare this with all the other rehearsed and delusional stuff he says, and its clear 1346905021 +My doctor asks what I've been eating every time I go to him. 1335662184 +Guess he should blame god for all his outs.\n\n Can’t we silence these Christian athletes who thank Jesus whenever they win and never mention his name when\n they lose? You never hear them say, “Jesus made me drop the ball” or, “The Lord tripped me up behind\n the line of scrimmage.”\n -George Carlin 1312341028 +You can't throw people away for the rest of their lives for murder unless they actually had malice and wanted to kill the child. Justice has to be measured and appropriate. If you have a justice system where your own personal pet peves are punished worse than other forms of manslaughter, then you'd have an unfair system indeed. \n\nBasically, wanting them to suffer worse punishment for manslaughter because you personally hate *their* reason more than other reasons is the same as people who also want *their* own personal vendettas carried out through the justice system. It's the same path that racists and religious fundamentalists take. What would be the difference between *your* religiously-based punishment and *their* religiously-based punishment? No, how about we instead punish people for the crimes that they actually commit? This couple committed manslaughter, and they are being punished for that crime.\n\nThese are the facts: their negligence criminally caused the death of their child. They didn't have malicious intent, and their culpability didn't meet the criteria of a worse or lighter charge than manslaughter.\n\nI'm really glad that the general sentiment in the comments here seems to completely disagree with you. It's a good thing that your "they should suffer worse because their religion is dumb" idea isn't popular. If you want to promote skepticism in the world, please do it through the marketplace of ideas, and not by demanding blood. Thanks. 1320342161 +It's more of the same. That stuff is called "Spidertech" which is a company that does nothing but manufacturer the stuff 'pre-cut' for easy application. \n\nIt's amazing to me the amount of woo in the olympics. I've seen this silly tape as well as cupping and such. Why does anyone buy into this BS? 1344005785 +Hah, amazing. Love Steven Fry and just starting watching this a couple weeks ago. Currently part way into season 3. 1292093183 +>5. Only the top students should consider becoming math and science teachers. No C students allowed.\n\nConsider who the best coaches are in most sports. They were not the star players. In baseball, for example, the best coaches have been career minor league catchers and the like. 1340364123 +>Obviously if we didn't feel it was necessary we wouldn't believe such experiments were morally justified anymore.\n\nRight. You wouldn't get a pointless experiment approved by an ethics board. 1343178265 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty33v7UYYbw 1285263033 +Determinism has already been shown to be defective in areas of quantum mechanics, so it's not an absolute. (Not getting into woo here, just pointing out that determinism is not absolute. We all know quantum effects don't directly apply to the macro level.)\n\nWhen you consider chaotic systems, which, unlike quantum effects, *do* directly apply to the macro world that we're all aware of, it is readily apparent that completely accurate predictions of behavior depend upon the ability to measure values with infinite precision, which is not possible. Because of this, I would argue that determinism is not absolute at the macro level either. Lacking the ability to measure with infinite precision, we will never be able to completely predict behavior. This makes the reality of the situation approximate free will. I would argue that it's indistinguishable from free will, and in fact equal to free will in the same way that 0.9999... == 1.\n\nBecause we *appear* to have free will, I argue that the assertion that we do have free will should be the null hypothesis. I believe that the burden of proof is on the determinists in this case, which so far remains unmet. Every argument I've really heard from them is based on the assumption that determinism is absolute, and we already know it isn't. 1264254994 +Not even that it can be used for power, but what it is in general.\n\nI actually don't think most people would know that it's an element on the periodic table. 1337328793 +My room is not far from where she left I could here it shut. 1337265148 +>I am not trying to portray hard evidence.\n\nThis is *exactly what I take issue with.* You're throwing someone under the bus because you have a feeling about something with shitty evidence at best to support it, and you're doing this on a *skeptic* board, a community that's ostensibly devoted to evidence-based decision making. 1355520590 +Haha exactly XD. 1346529462 +I've seen personally the strong libertarian bias.\n\nIn any case, rationally, the amount of time someone put into something is an incredibly weak argument if it is an argument at all. It only weakly excludes the middle between 'something worth that time' and 'utter bullshit'. How's about results? edit: actually, can you just link a few works on rationality that you consider good. E.g. you mentioned formalizing rationality. Can you link any formalisms?\n\nA year or so back their site used to boast that they are applying insane amount of science, which was fairly hilarious but I see that they removed the obviously childish bits. 1347120482 +>The Psychic Twits\n\n 1352260429 +This is the thing that bothers me. The FEMA camp and the martial law. My dad feeds into that crap a little bit but he doesn't even realize Alex Has been saying this crap for 20 years and it's never happened. He only heard about Gw Bush and now Obama. I always say they were wrong about Bush declaring martial law and killing everyone they are wrong about Obama. But he is convinced! 1337178437 +I think that's what he wanted you to say first. 1319188201 +I'll file this under: Conspiracy Theories I don't need to care about. 1340866710 +I'm just wondering if you have an article that is more current than 3 years ago. Are they solving the problem or is the problem getting worse?\n\nBut I guess being inquisitive is a bad thing on a forum for skeptics. 1333642853 +She has looked at things I'm sure. 1323826112 +Yeah but aliens so there 1330446758 +**B** Warning: Midnight Meat Train movie spoilers inside.\n\n!!\n\nOh shit. I just read the [Wikipedia on Midnight Meat Train](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Midnight_Meat_Train).\n\nDamn. That is a pretty damn cool twist, man. I gotta say I kind've didn't really expect to see that coming.\n\nPretty darn cool.\n\nOkay, now that being said, I will still say that THIS particular scenario, I wouldn't necessarily say is one to "fear".\n\nThis is the deal: Reptillians are said to be the *original* terrans. They are said to call us humans THE ALIENS because they say they were here first and we are "newcomer babies" to this planet.\n\nThere is actually a bit of data on Repitillian information, not the least of which deal with the things that the African Shaman Credo Mutwa explains in detail. Yeah. For the most part, reptillians do pretty much seem to suck.\n\nBut, you know what? WE suck. We human beings are sucky, shitty, ignorant assholes. I mean why is it exactly that we say and feel Reptillians suck and are mean and scary? It's because they treat us like we treat COWS. So what's the big fucking deal then? What's going on here is that we're getting the kind of treatment that we give untold MILLIONS of animals every year.\n\nHonestly I'd say serves us right.\n\nWe need to get our act straight. If we figure our shit out, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, etc, then we won't have much to fear. We would really be growing far past all this Reptillian stuff, etc. I don't feel there's much to fear even if Reptillians ARE real and they ARE using human beings as a food source like we use cows.\n\nWe are not our bodies. We are not human beings. We are spiritual identities that happen to be taking human physical shapes to manifest on this planet.\n\nWe need to focus and work from *that* place, and if we do, we will concentrate more on tending to and developing THAT true self - the spiritual self that is not dependent upon the physical body or organism.\n\nWhen one begins to understand this kind of reality and works toward focusing there, then the whole Reptillian thing - although I admit it can be pretty disconcerting (even if fake, to say nothing about how downright harrowing it would be if it is REAL) - is *still* nothing to ultimately fear in and of itself.\n\nIt is an obstacle to work and develope *through* - not something to fear and keep you from growing and moving forward. 1339442813 +i think the most obvious thing is that in the picture you can clearly see how dry the soil is in the dead plant. they just didn't water it. 1335415256 +Oh man... That song in the link... so great. Hilarious. 1323998287 +True, I guess I tend to group sugar pills with homeopathy 1332626835 +In [this book](http://www.amazon.ca/Trick-Treatment-Alternative-Medicine-Trial/dp/0593059042). 1333905157 +Imagine the fun I've had since I realized I'm an Ophiucus. :) 1319354316 +Please post the original pictures if you wish to disprove the people saying it's on. You will be able to tell if anyones watching. 1341634514 +Since when were chemical engineers more reliable at history then historians? That's like grabbing a Psychologist and say "see he thinks global warming is false." 1356449108 +More likely fake than not. 1320947744 +Good point Meg... The new book written to aid the PTSD population of our military should be written by some rational person without the need to push a dogma and fear on the already burdened minds of these brave men and women! \n\nCan we start a petition with a selection of potential authors and have people toss it about, for the military to digest? Perhaps contacting some noteworthy authors in the field and asking them to write about this topic to aid in recovery...? 1313693783 +Makes sense to me. Thanks! 1328279938 +Has this been reported on by any news agency that doesn't lead with Amy Winehouse? 1311476785 +I don't get it. Why isn't the facilitator going to jail for making false rape claims? 1294997163 +This show is also one that got me into the paranormal. This and the X-files back in the day... 1354593830 +Asimov, Clarke, Sagan, and now Martin Gardner. He was one of the giants. \n 1275148574 +Wings are generally not as solid and reflective (translucent) as the body. 1355029485 +i just came here to say that your choice of font sucks. 1330557379 +I know bugs and most bugs don't fly like someone flicked them into the air. Though in some spots i see how it could look clearly like a horse fly. The only thing I wonder is the smoke and fire bursts the hairy man points out. There is not enough evidence here to say this is a UFO and the area looks much to populated that something like a UFO in the sky would go unnoticed by everyone else. I'm for the theory of incredibly small aliens drinking and driving. 1353370403 +The Sagan will be with you... *always*. 1285161072 +I got it out of a book, so I unfortunately assumed it was his original. If it is that guys then I wasn't aware he was being quoted. \n\nNot that two people can't come up with the same simple statement though.\n\n\nEdit: Also, the exact quote seems to be in contention for him. "Faith is a wonderful thing, but doubt gets you an education." Anyways, I'm just nitpicking.\n 1285550930 +That was kind of my point when I said this:\n\n> If you're implying that they don't prescribe steroids during some cancer treatments, you're incorrect.\n 1329936540 +The fact that the church is using a fake miracle to make money. It should be exposed, those giving are probably the least able to afford a donation. He is exposing an outright fraud. 1334239665 +Thanks! 1268416282 +Thanks! 1308769384 +Thanks! 1311619946 +Thanks! 1311976455 +Thanks! 1326755492 +Thanks! 1329498915 +Thanks! 1329705754 +Thanks! 1329920328 +Thanks! 1330785249 +Thanks! 1331479414 +Thanks! 1332870914 +Thanks! 1333306508 +Thanks! 1334641014 +Thanks! 1335717377 +Thanks! 1337912238 +Thanks! 1338148381 +Thanks! 1340263152 +Thanks! 1341058741 +Thanks! 1343466874 +Thanks! 1343594869 +Thanks! 1344899228 +Thanks! 1348805374 +Thanks! 1349462984 +Thanks! 1351781101 +Thanks! 1352579705 +Thanks! 1352826770 +Thanks! 1352937377 +Thanks! 1354110517 +Thanks! 1354408855 +Thanks! 1356330433 +Thanks! 1273764670 +Thanks! 1274645896 +Thanks! 1281448272 +Thanks! 1288147806 +Thanks! 1288992468 +Thanks! 1289355570 +Thanks! 1289840230 +Thanks! 1295300651 +Thanks! 1297762795 +Thanks! 1303882746 +Thanks! 1304733778 +Thanks! 1309480318 +Thanks! 1309912843 +Thanks! 1310085539 +Thanks! 1311957538 +Thanks! 1312744547 +Thanks! 1316099089 +Thanks! 1316140039 +Thanks! 1316595630 +Thanks! 1316805611 +Thanks! 1317317368 +Thanks! 1317662202 +Thanks! 1319058646 +Thanks! 1319935288 +Thanks! 1324493092 +Thanks! 1324941414 +Thanks! 1325715063 +Thanks! 1330864173 +Thanks! 1331078244 +Thanks! 1331951789 +Thanks! 1332514811 +Thanks! 1332637080 +Thanks! 1333010315 +Thanks! 1333943904 +Thanks! 1337793771 +Thanks! 1339518160 +Thanks! 1342727138 +Thanks! 1343467398 +Thanks! 1347135530 +Thanks! 1347319277 +Thanks! 1348600831 +Thanks! 1348879040 +Thanks! 1350177016 +Thanks! 1350559107 +Thanks! 1350965458 +Thanks! 1353512679 +Thanks! 1356454524 +I'm not impressed by the footage (for me it seems a little weird), but with the kids screams, which are astonishing. If the video is fake, those kids deserve an Oscar. It's a shame that non-fluent portuguese speakers are missing that.\n\nALSO, I didn't make the video. :) 1346508577 +Yes, the book is called by ''The Buddha In Daily Life: An Introduction to the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin''. Richard Causton. 1311275458 +Yes. If you're getting it more than once every day or so, it's a sign of epilepsy. This doesn't mean that the OP necessarily has epilepsy, but it is definitely worth checking. 1333338040 +I tried this for about a month. Fira week was terrible. But after that, I felt fucking awesome all the time. Every half hour felt like a full 8 hour sleep. Also had lucid dreams all the time. I stopped because I got a girlfriend and wanted to sleep with her. 1323682772 +Holy shit, I had never considered how many nutjobs she spawned. You're right! 1330105411 +[Mind bullets!](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_krgnz7Uy9K1qa2q7do1_400.gif) 1345081114 +I am still not seeing it.\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman 1315767779 +It does make way more sense to think of this whole thing as a coincidence, but it just seemed so weird at the time. \n\nWhat's most striking to me about the experience was that I was so sub-consciously deliberate in my walking to the attic and opening the door, despite the fact that consciously, I intended to do something totally different.\n\nAlso, I'm about 97% sure I didn't leave the light on; It was someone else. 1354359147 +Jez,\n\nThis is a practice any person can try for themselves and evaluate it's legitimacy first hand. This isn't something you have faith in. This is a practice that can generate real world results you can observe and others can as well. \n\n 1350672100 +Are you sure this isn't just a dentist office in a hurricane? 1356313922 +fires in colorado:\n\nhttp://dfs.state.co.us/NFIRS.htm\n\ncrime statistics are out there too, etc. contact the police department or city hall.\n\nhowever, I'm sure your mortgage company requires you to have suitable insurance to cover the building....since it's theirs until you pay it off :-)\n\nif you're worried about the cost of theft insurance, just pick a policy with a high deductible and it should be pretty cheap. 1299894159 +[Oh please.](http://jordankinley.com/gif/backpedal.gif) 1330645873 +its not so much an attack on the her as a victim, although she is an idiot, but an attack on the stupid naivety of religious followers in which they believe nonsense and put massive trust and responsibility on the unqualified and unskilled. you see it in all religions and cultures, and its the reason there are still people being needlessly oppressed and abused around the world with issues ranging from child rape to dangerous genital mutilation, from barbaric executions to suicide bombings. stupid people buy into stupid stone age religious ideas sold by men in costumes and are then shocked when it all bites them in the arse. 1343066066 +Guys! CHILL OUT!!!\n\n"American Ghost Hunter" was filmed almost TWO YEARS AGO.\n\nWhen you are producing and editing a movie PLUS shooting episodes of "Paranormal State", things take a bit longer. They had NO studio help and did everything themselves. 1307249884 +Did your submission really need the detour over that link collector site? 1310601853 +>If you cannot correlate the data, that is not anyone's fault but your's.\n\nI'll believe your calculations are correct when I'll read them in peer-reviewed literature.\n\nIn any case, you missed the glaring error of logic in your little exercise, as I demonstrate below.\n\n>Well sited stations return temperatures markedly different than the alarmist modified temperatures of the generic stations. \n\nI'm wondering if I should tell you or just wait until you realize it yourself. Here's a hint. Earlier, you said:\n\n>*The NCDC 144 station Climate Reference Network provides that the result for July is 2 degrees lower than the previous record.*\n\nNow I ask you, when was the previous record you refer to made?\n\n>The excuse that the data must be manipulated\n\nYou know that belief in conspiracy theories is a sign of mental health problems, right?\n\nAnyway, I'll give you a few minutes to figure why your argument is complete crap and come back later to reveal it to posterity.\n\n**Edit**: if anyone else wants to take a stab, go right ahead, I'll come back later tonight. 1344563647 +I haven't checked the thread. Was there overwhelming support (upvotes etc) for the shitty comments only? \n\nEven then, it might still be a shitty (heh) generalization depending on how many unique redditors participated and how many subscribers /r/atheism has. 1325082371 +But the problem is, even genuine/potentially genuine submissions are trolled. 1355865062 +I use olive oil instead of conditioner because it makes my burly skeptic beard soft and not greasy... :c why is this silly? 1343977510 +Why didn't his chakras/spirit guide/celestial animal tell him he was doing it wrong? 1341421350 +"The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading science-based nonprofit advocacy group"\n\nyet\n\nthey are "working for a healthy environment and a safer world".\n\nThey manage to discredit themselves in the first sentence of their own introduction. Science and advocacy are not related at all. Science does advocate anything. You can interpret scientific evidence and advocate policy based on that but the 2 are independent of each other. So they're trying to create a healthier environment and they are conducting science that supports their pre-disposed position? 1348415211 +My neighbors claimed to see orbs floating around the street then shooting up into space while they were having a smoke. They said the two orbs were white balls.\n\nWitnesses are nut-bags amirite amirite? 1343921745 +After being deployed for 11 months near Kirkuk at FOB McHenry (the most heavilly mortared FOB in Iraq at the time, baby!) I can safely say that the medics who favored acupuncture quickly abandoned the practice once a serious injury came in. 1331703031 +That's actually really interesting, and could explain much. 1351398863 +I've had this argument in various forms over the last few years. I'm genuinely not interested in having it again. Thanks. 1348834157 +Well, in some cases he never responded, in others he ignored it and went on to spam other articles, and in at least a couple cases, he forwarded our objections (Mnementh's and my own) on to the man himself, and we got responses which were also easily torn apart. 1288706562 +Hi. Your story gave me the face-chills I get when I'm reading/hearing certain stories like this. I don't know if the chills amount to anything but my own reaction to what I'm reading, or if it's an indicator of an awareness of something more, but it's a thing that's always happened to me. 1353501931 +You're looking at the wrong object. Watch the video. 1332248212 +What the fuck? Who buys upvotes? Who even knows *how* to buy upvotes? Is it so hard to believe people like something that you don't? \n\nA better question, what are you even doing on /r/skeptic if you make such an accusation with absolutely no evidence other than your own emotions and childish rage? Would the highest upvoted comments me criticising the article if I were using something like that? I doubt it.\n\nPeople who do that have sites with *advertisements* on them, and they profit from it like that. This has no advertisements, only original content, so I can't see where you're getting this idea from other that you find it **so** difficult to believe that others like things that you don't, that you resort to something like this.\n\nWow. Just. Wow. You're that far gone. Not worth reasoning with. 1314004526 +I believe that you are correct about it being the NewLeaf. It was several years ago that I read the book (and several years previously that he must have done this), and some details are sharper than others. 1331420194 +Alright here's the problem.\n\nThat device is going to generate hydrogen using electrolysis POWERED BY YOUR CAR'S BATTERY. The battery gets it's energy from the running of the motor and the burning of gasoline. Generating the hydrogen is going to actually REDUCE your gas mileage. \n\nSome of that energy (the conversion to hydrogen is inefficient) will be put back into the engine when the hydrogen is burned. Obviously though because this is a closed loop you can only hurt the vehicle's gas mileage by doing this. 1291091636 +Sure a lot of serious folk around here. 1313923317 +I came here to post that quote. When I read it I clutched my chest and went "Oh *Asimov*! <3". 1283133191 +What does your post have to do with the subject of the original post? The OP is about improving a clinical trial system that is already in place, not whether or not people and corporations should be free to buy/sell whatever they like without the product having been tested first. Maybe you should take your comment over to /r/freemarket, because it doesn't appear to belong here. 1311828045 +Lacking some details but my best guess is that it's just your eyes playing tricks on you. I have a teddy bear sitting on the windowsill in my bedroom and damn near every time I come in I think its one of my cats. I'm willing to bet your eyes glanced on something and your brain decided it was a cat. 1326991407 +My money is still on his only brain malfunction being the need to concoct stories such as that found in his post in order to make his life more interesting. \n\nWhich is good news for him, psychologically speaking. 1328057955 +I sense another libel lawsuit in the making! 1331343402 +we were one of the last countries to accept plate tectonics for the same reason. It really should be a thing this country should be embarrassed of.\n\nsource a short history of nearly everything. Bill Bryson. 1331526119 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wZSeTKDBP4&feature=youtube_gdata_player 1341969551 +Ask her how any such thing would get a picture to someone else? It's not as though most people plug their televisions directly in to their cable modems... 1301910042 +One of my favorite bands, Epica, is coming out with a new concept album called "Design Your Universe".\n\n>The album title, 'Design Your Universe', deals with new breakthroughs in quantum physics. It proves that we are all connected to each other on subatomic level. Also, it shows that we can create or at least influence matter with our thoughts… a very interesting fact. Because it changes everything for us, our whole worldview collapses once you accept these facts and integrate them in your lives. So this had to become the new album title.\t\n[wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_Your_Universe)\n\nTheir music is fabulous and I'll probably end up seeing them in concert, but I won't be agreeing with this album >_< 1249716735 +I drank a glass of water and almost died. They had to give me an Everclear IV to lower my BAC. 1356654569 +I notice that he's pretty hostile to people sometimes, it's like *dude, chill out* 1346662522 +Sorry, who said the missile was of alien origin? Looks like it came up from the surface.\n\nAlso, why would it need propellant to maintain velocity in a vacuum - it could easily have reached that speed, using propellant earlier and then simply maintained its trajectory. \n\nYou haven't explained the coherent patterns in the other video or the fact that the 'dust' follows a path and stop dead in line with the other 'dust particles'.\n\nYou aren't very good troll, are you? 1343977226 +I am not able to fully understand this article. Could someone smarter than me throw it in layman? I can grasp space time concepts, but this was a little hard to visualize. 1342963324 +> I grew up in a house in [Aurora](http://www.ufocasebook.com/Aurora.html), Texas, and not only did I live close to where the purported alien crashed, but my father built our house with our back fence to where the windmill was knocked down by the craft. (EDIT: also, our house was a few hundred yards from the cemetery where it was buried)\nRaised in a religious home, but I always had my thoughts about what "God" was capable of creating if he made us. Then as I slowly drifted away from those ideas and towards a logic and reason based life, those ideas began to evolve.\n\n\n\n**Actual Story**\n\nOne year, my parents went on vacation and I was left at home with my cousin watching me for a few nights. I was about fourteen years old at the time (2005). Little did they know, he had barely been there at all because of his dutiful party schedule. Three nights in a row, I recall having the most peculiar dreams I've ever experienced. Firstly, I never remember falling asleep. Not before that and never since then have I been able to recall the last moments before drifting off, but these nights were different. I remember seeing the normal bright vivid colors on the back of my eyelids but then suddenly after about 10 minutes they slowed and stopped. It was as if my eyes were open in a completely pitch black environment with no sound whatsoever. I'm not sure if it was just quiet in my room, but eventually I couldn't even hear my heartbeat. Two white lights began to creep in from a distance, but it felt more warm than bright. I could *feel* the light, more than see it. Then for some reason my brain knew it was sleeping or something, so it may have gone into dream mode.\n\nFor about thirty seconds, I felt like my body was weightless, then another bright light that I could actually see in my dream more than feel came into view. Everything went black for a split second and then I felt myself extremely cold, but still lying down. Things became fuzzier after my body feeling came back, but I still felt like I was dreaming, just not in control of what I was doing. Then, something fucking crazy happened. I see the two lights again coming in from the side and as they get closer, they dim out and there are two faces with translucent black eyes staring at me. I immediately knew it was a dream but was so excited that I was dreaming about aliens that I wanted to go along with it. Normally when I do that in dreams, I'm awoken, but this one was weird.\n\nThey continued their warm presence which was all I could really describe what I felt at the time, and all I wanted to do was ask them questions. I could hear myself asking them in my head but I couldn't talk, and (just like the 'god' voice people hear in their heads) I heard soothing sounds and what sounded like words made of electricity or energy. It wasn't like a voice or a resonance of vocal chords, but more like frequencies emitted that I could kind of sense.. Really hard to explain.\n\n\nThis continued for maybe twenty minutes at most and then my dream went back to black. Woke up feeling great but wished I had dreamt more, as long as I had slept and all. \n\n\nThis would be shrugged off normally, but if you remember from above, nearly the *exact* same dream occurred for two nights after that. The *feelings* more than visuals, the inexplicable voices in my head, the drifting off to sleep consciously.. I don't know what happened to me, and I've never really written it out before, so I'm going to assume it was a dream until they come back this year. Haaah. 1327766393 +Shame avoided, great show! 1288057089 +It's on CW at 1:30am. 1350480527 +["Electrogravitics is a *failed* hypothesis proposed by Thomas Townsend Brown"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrogravitics). This /r/ can handle the reality wikipedia toes the party line.\n\nHere's [two](http://peswiki.com/index.php/Main_Page) [sites](http://www.zpenergy.com/index.php) I like, and a [related project](http://www.americanantigravity.com/). 1306327749 +I did my version of this as a mind map - I really should post it sometime. \n\nIt's hilarious. 1318006477 +Dude, nobody knows what you're talking about.\n\nRon Paul is definitely anti-vaccination. If you support doing something that makes something not work then you are against it.\n\n"Ron Paul isn't against traffic lights, he just feels that people should be given the choice to follow them or not."\n\nLike vaccination, traffic lights only work if everyone follows them. Whether he has technically said the words that he is anti-vaccination is just a matter of semantics, he is in favor of policies that make them pointless. 1326675202 +If you watch south park, he's the subject of the episode "the biggest douche in the universe" 1314728716 +Just in case some of you skeptics weren't already convinced! \n\nAlso, check out his response to objections: http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/essays/courtenay2.htm\n\nand his article Creationism in the Science Curriculum: http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/essays/creationism.htm 1355090326 +I've seen plenty of giant plastic bags get swept around in the wind currents of giant stadiums. They act exactly like the object in the video. Sorry, I know you desperately want to believe it's something more. 1315847862 +The alien theory is much more entertaining. 1284155942 +First thing I would do is try to shake it's hand. IMO they have been studying us for longer than we think and would know a hand shake means no threat. Afterwords I would give him/her/it a grand tour of my house, as any respectful human would do. I would answer any question they had, if any. Only then would I begin to ask them the works of the universe and if there's a reason why they are here. So in other words, I would treat them as if they were my own, and would expect the same from them. Even if it means being kicked in the balls as a form of "Hello". 1352240418 +Obligatory "The truth is out there." 1332269631 +> he was saying that the British royal family sacrifices and eats toddlers in a Satanic ritual to gain their powers\n\n\nIt's true. I've seen it. Also batboy was there and bigfoot and the loch ness monster and twelve UFOs. 1352419493 +>logic does not apply when it comes to theism\n\nI honestly don't see how this is a defensible statement, any more than "logic does not apply when it comes to astrology".\n\nPlease elaborate. 1298571624 +An interesting description of a shooting star (meteor).\n 1354745503 +And what should we have respect for? What makes something respectable?\n\nHaving it be made up, unverifiable, and unfalsifiable isn't giving me a lot of reason to respect it. 1322694309 +[Yes they do.](http://www.garda.ie/controller.aspx?page=36) 1344185629 +Thank you. I gave you his home page on thought you might be interested in other subjects he covers.\n\nIf you click on Noreen Renier on his home page it takes you to the page you linked to.\n\nEither way, you're there. 1281469898 +That seems like one of the more plausible explanations actually. Doesn't explain a thing though... except maybe why we're obsessed with having nice lawns. 1312269864 +I know there was one author who claimed to have some kind of space brothers knowledge in a series of books, but when the actual members of his tribe were asked about it, they said it wasn't true.\n 1333471958 +glad it was already said, but Wikipedia's first definition is as follows, which actually sounds very logical and reasonable and has nothing to do with alternative medicines with 0,0001% of some herb as the active ingredient:\n\n>Holistic health is a concept in medical practice upholding that all aspects of people's needs, psychological, physical and social should be taken into account and seen as a whole 1332952017 +YOU WILL ASK NORTH KOREA NOTHING ABOUT LABOR CAMPS THAT DON'T EXIST HOW DARE YOU INSINUATE THAT BEST KOREA IS ANYTHING OTHER THAN A WORKER'S PARADISE!!!\n\n/end caps-lock-apalooza 1330504194 +USO didn't catch on, so I'm afraid ULO doesn't have much hope either. People already know them as UFO's, no matter if they're in the sky, under the water, on the ground, or in outer space. 1303097010 +He may be an expert on Lord of the Rings, but who says he's an expert on how that story actually relates to reality? 1305591318 +no drugs at all.. and how could it have been like this for over 2 weeks now by smoking something or eating something? 1339955719 +This guy is browsing /r/jailbait. Don't help this jerkoff! 1323709788 +Holy Roman Empire. \n\nNeither HD, nor Pretty Good (many of these are debunked or natural/man-made phenomena), nor a compilation. Wait. The last one is true. 1347516681 +I'm 23 and it was in 2008 but I know that phenomenon. I'm not trying to dismiss every possibility to make it more mysterious than it is. But, what you're talking about is the audible frequency range getting smaller as you get older. So correct me if I'm wrong but that means I would stop hearing really high pitched and really low pitched sounds... 1334406356 +no. thats the sad thing. anyone deluded enough to believe this stuff is either a follower or a so completely far gone that any charisma. leadership and organisational ability is drowned out by being absolutely out of their mind.\n\nthat's why its silly and dangerous to portray murderous tyrants as insane. they aren't. they are just ahead of the curve. we would do well to remember that the next time we elect one. 1269043317 +I'm not refuting the (purported) evidence, but take a look at this:\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/un5on/i_thought_you_guys_might_like_this_video_its/\n\nEyes on the skies! 1339122140 +please refer to the NIH's and Hopkin's most recent studies involving acupuncture and pain relief, fertility, mental and emotional health...etc. also, be aware that the education some of us receive includes more allopathic medical training in the first two years than the majority of RNs. we spend more time in clinical settings in the US and abroad than a Hopkins student. we are mastering not only the utilization of herbal remedies (where all pharmaceuticals are originally based), manual manipulation of joints and muscle, trigger point massage (used in allopathic medicine based on chinese medicine), psychological counseling, and dietary training. Now, I fully agree that there are frauds and fakes out there but i do what i do because after being offered a full ride to Hopkins, I decided to pursue a more wholistic approach. afterall, something that has withstood the test of 4000 years must have some validity. and while i know it is anecdotal, without chinese medicine I would not be alive...fortunately, i have helped several hundred people around the country with the skills i have gleaned. please do some research before you bag it completely. although i understand the skeptic mind, I'd like to remind you that any good skeptic and scientist is beholden to at least test the hypothesis they pose. 1318754515 +Is there a rule against being here? I just like to read the stuff people post. I find it interesting. 1356971790 +I think that speech must be almost absolutely free, but people should be encouraged (but not coerced) through example, education, etc. to use their speech responsibly. In fact, I would say that the law as it stands is pretty effective, the only thing I would change is to make people slightly more liable for their words. In this case, for instance, I think that the parents of sick children, whose children who either did get vaccinated or were medically unable to get vaccinated should be able to sue figureheads of the anti-vax movement. (That is not to say they can not currently, I just think that that is the most important way to combat such nonsense) 1317696525 +\nThe first videos look like some type of Crane or Heron, similar to this http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z257/americanwildlife/Bird/great-blue-heron.jpg\n\nThe third "video" just shows a pterodactyl looking object but it doesn't move its head or body or anything. Looks like a remote controlled plane. 1287067619 +Sounds like you have a story to tell! And I think it belongs here, yep. 1326834025 +We should question everything and approach each post with the idea that it's NOT paranormal. When all "normal" explanations have been exhausted, we can confidently say that the experience is actually paranormal. Any trustworthy investigator will tell you that.\n\nConversely, if someone posts a story about their personal experience, don't be a dick and tell them it's bullshit. Help them understand why it may or may not be legit, and show some respect and decency. 1355865863 +Good. Let's hope they do. Otherwise, they'd be delusional. 1344123973 +Thinking about it now, it kind of makes sense right? 1322073843 +Well hey, what can you say? Loosing a lighter is inevitable. 1335762239 +it doesn't say it was carried here by a balloon -_-. 1302384367 +That the substance in question is not what the business mentioned in the OP is selling and has not been proven to be effective in humans. 1350236536 +Not sure why everyone's disagreeing with you. That's some pretty solid evidence right there. 1319525192 +CRTs emit a high pitched squealing noise. 1315927342 +I love this casein/glue argument. They like to ignore the fact that many "excellent glues" are made from things like rice and flour. You know what I use to make my books? A mixture of flour and water. Flour + water + heat + stirring = quite a sturdy book glue. So maybe you shouldn't be eating fried dough or bread anything while drinking water... b/c you know, glue. ... and all glue is always toxic... Oh and if only they knew just how many things casein was used in. It's used as a binding agent in anything from medicine to nail polish to soy cheese (which a lot of people mistakenly consider to be vegan). 1346015360 +he wasn't working for the BBC 1353376197 +Do you have a source for that? I have friends who believe the Chinese live longer and better than us in the West. 1297025306 +1. Hold still, while simultaneously freaking the fuck out.\n2. Ask if it spoke English. If so, well enough. I'd try and communicate with it. If not, proceed to 3. \n3. Attempt, through the use of math, to demonstrate to the alien that I am a sapient being. Being that I'm absolutely horrible at anything besides arithmetic, that might not work out so well, but that's about it. 1352245711 +1. Hold still, while simultaneously freaking the fuck out.\n2. Ask if it spoke English. If so, well enough. I'd try and communicate with it. If not, proceed to 3. \n3. Attempt, through the use of math, to demonstrate to the alien that I am a sapient being. Being that I'm absolutely horrible at anything besides arithmetic, that might not work out so well, but that's about it. 1352245744 +I'm kind of surprised that there is so much support on /r/skeptic for this movement. I'd never heard about it before today, but watching their lectures, reading their literature, and seeing interviews with the Venus Project's founder, all lead me to the same conclusion. **This is a movement, not of scientists, but science fans.** They have no grasp on the reality of what they are saying. \n\n[This is the Venus project](http://thevenusproject.com/index.php) that is being promoted by the Zeitgeist Movement. You'll notice that they will give you an e-book in exchange for your email address. [This is that e-book.](http://thevenusproject.com/index.php) Read it; it is full of vagaries and wishful science fandom. Now, watch [a 1974 interview with the founder of the project](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVOPkGAtt48), and author of the aforementioned e-book. If your woo-dar isn't going off yet, take a look at [a project](http://www.rbefoundation.com/) to work out the details of resource-based economy. Finally, notice [this section](http://www.rbefoundation.com/documentaries.php?c=2) of the REBEF site. This doesn't seem to be a movement of critical thinkers. 1314225445 +The comments are worth a read, especially when the king of quackery Dana Ullman starts in, and promptly leaves when pressed into a logical corner. 1340117718 +Yes, I think we could probably turn to Reddit's front page to find an example or two of ways in which the government or some regulatory body has failed to make provisions for expected eventualities (something about BP and the Gulf of Mexico maybe?)\n\nI don't understand your "death panels" reference. I'm Canadian, I'm not afraid of socialized medicine. And I do understand the importance of vaccines in public health. I'm just wary of giving any body the right to interfere in personal health decisions. 1301518778 +>Not sure if you're taking the piss\n\nI'm quite serious. Confirmation bias happens when something happens infrequently, but is given more significance than it deserves. OP is talking about something that happens very frequently, not to mention that these abilities run in her family. It strikes me as rather absurd to chalk it up to confirmation bias and call it a day. 1326848135 +Honestly, it's okay. I would love to see proof. I would love to see you succeed. 1335471389 +James Randi busted this back in the '80s. \n\nHe's my hero. 1222008800 +The funny thing is that (justified) nerd-rage over overpriced cables goes back to before HDMI was even widespread. For years there have been articles claiming to show that even expensive analog cables aren't worth the extra money (beyond a certain level). 1331449861 +The point is not propaganda, the point is that the US is even more of a threat to, say, Iran than Iran is to the US. \n\nIt's incredible how demanding Americans are when it comes to foreign policy. The world is expected to trust whatever government may command the US nuclear arsenal with their lives, however when it comes to non-US countries, people like Harris start arguing pre-emptive genocide before they would trust another nation with the power they currently hold over any other. 1269689617 +Randi often gives the award to a respectable scientist who doesn't deserve it. Dr. Oz has performed thousands of intricate heart surgeries and came to understand that research science doesn't hold all the answers to healing the heart. What has Randi ever accomplished as a scientist that earns him the credentials to belittle such a dedicated and knowledgeable physician? 1304541017 +A lot of his other stuff is spot on. He generally speaks with an erudite wit. Also, being serious about the reptile thing is what has kept the anti-defamation league from suing him. So maybe it's a cover, maybe he did a pile of hallucinogenics and believes this, maybe it's a metaphor for the greedy and primitive violence that is part of humanity. After all, we all do have a lizard brain hiding out underneath our higher brain. \n\nhttp://www.ted.com/talks/peter_ward_on_mass_extinctions.html 1248636459 +Most of the complaints I've seen have been about the use of ammonia. 1350585663 +It's happened to me before. It's very, VERY rare, but it happens. 1334436503 +I'm also interested in finding out whether or not you can 'connect' with specific spirits or if they just come to you? 1349070779 +It was the Gremlins! Now we're in trouble! 1340582584 +So, do you feel that psychic phenomenon somehow *can't* be demonstrated experimentally or that it simply hasn't been? If it's the former, I can see the problem. Actually, I can see the problem with the latter as well, but I'm willing to listen to evidence.\n\nEdit: Also, of course stating that "psychic phenomena... does occur in human beings" on a skeptical forum is going to be greeted with hostility. 1309812141 +You are right that "all" is a bit strong. However, the reason people think that they have any effect at all is because researchers can never bring themselves to more certainty than "it is highly unlikely that homeopathic remedies have any effect", even if they contradict laws of physics and chemistry. People interprent "very probably have no effect" as "could possibly have some effect". People need to be taught that when a scientist says "it is highly improbable this homeopathic remedy will cure you" he means it in the same way as when he says "it is highly improbable that a narwhal will materialize in front of you and start singing christmas carols". Any sane person would know the narwhal thing would never happen .. but one could not know that _for sure_. \n\nAs for people using "homeopathy" to describe anything other than substances so diluted that they are unlikely to contain a single molecule of the original substance.. I haven't really heard about that before. 1300719151 +Don't say that in r/Science they'll bite your head off... 1337700405 +>What "happened" was that he propositioned her in a way that way that was implicitly (if unintentionally) threatening. \n\nI do not see how it was implicitly threatening... at all. In fact he said "don't take this the wrong way", said he found her interesting, asked her for coffee. My point is that if someone finds that implicitly threatening... it's a personal problem, not a societal one... or maybe it is societal problem, just the other way around. \n 1310338286 +For your list, the first n in my name is lower case...\n\nSince insurance is tax-deductible while ... money isnt, that artificially increases the price of insurance by pushing the supply/demand curve, since people are able to spend more on insurance.\n\nAs someone who pays for insurance out of pocket, its a lot.\n\nIf, otoh, this tax was reinstated, the price would go down due to the simple laws of economics (many could not afford insurance at that price, therefore the price would go down the demand curve).\n\nBut I appreciate you knowing so much that you don't have to make logical arguments, you can use faux-common-sense to magically ignore reality.\n\nAlso, I would assume you are a capitalist, this is a capitalist solution, let the market sort this shit out, don't try to pick winners. Personally, as someone who is relatively healthy (and has a medical background) I have no problem paying for healthcare out of pocket, and consider the presidents mandate to be quite vexing, but at least taxing it will bring the private cost of insurance back into balance with the cost via organized health plans. 1283578815 +In the fist half-minute, the narrator explains that by today's science, *light particle wave packets form matter*. Really dude, not quarks but light forms atoms ? Can't really listen from that point on. 1299691118 +The problem with the Monty Hall problem is that we are much better at avoiding trickery than we are at doing math.\n\nOn a real gameshow, you assume that opening another door and asking if you want to switch is *optional*, and the host is trying to trick contestants sometimes. Under this analysis, you might deduce that the host wouldn't offer you a chance to switch unless you *had* picked the car.\n\nBut this isn't the setup of the Monty Hall problem: to get the standard "you should switch" argument to work, you need the assumption that the host's probability of showing you a goat and asking if you want to switch is independent of whether you have initially chosen the car or not.\n\nFor example, suppose that the host only offers contestants a chance to switch if they already have chosen the car. If that's how the host acts, you should never switch. As another example, suppose that most contestants switch when offered the chance to do so, that the show's producers have a fixed number of cars they want to give away, and that the producers have told the host to try to give away the right number of cars. If that's the case, then you should guess whether the show has been giving away lots of cars, and choose whether to switch accordingly.\n\ntl;dr: The standard analysis relies on the host's behavior being independent of your initial choice. People don't generally do that outside of math problems. 1297186496 +Interestingly enough, we could survive on only meat. \n\n[This](http://www.jbc.org/content/87/3/651.full.pdf) is a study done by two men who ate nothing but animal parts for an entire year and were perfectly healthy. \n\nI honestly think the only major health issue as far as food goes in the Western world is over consumption. Vegans are proof that we can do without meat, that shows we can do without everything else, and the dietician that lost all that weight by eating nothing but twinkies and vitamins showed even on shit we can still lose weight. \n\nIf only we had an ounce of self control. 1334890099 +It says in the comments she won't burn it for fear of 'angering the spirit attached to it'. So why doesn't she throw it away? "We spent money and intend to get money back"? They spent $50. Not a big loss if this supposedly haunted dress is such a big terrifying hassle. People sell bs 'haunted' items on ebay all the time to drive up the price. I remember someone selling two ghosts in a bottle for $10,000 a few years ago. 1348270648 +I watched Richard Saunders do a live version of this at Tam Oz, and quite a few people have been replicating it to educate people about this. \n\nAlso, don't forget you can get your own [placebo bands](http://skepticbros.com/placebo-bands/) for much cheaper than the brand name one, and they work just as well! 1291081905 +>I thought the paranormal put off alot of Electro Magnetic Fields?\n\nThere's no evidence of this. If you have any, please share. 1345579610 +Search for this topic on r/fitness. I believe it's been touched on there a few times. Wish I could provide more info, but it's been awhile since I read anything about it. 1350066071 +can you clarify this? I'm not sure I get what you're getting at... 1332375607 +Your doctor is clearly an idiot. Only crazy shiny bracelets can stave off diabetes. 1287700835 +The creep-factor is as much from the near-humanity of it as from any predatory features. The unnaturally thin, deformed limbs and head suggest illness or death, which triggers a whole other set of ingrained aversion responses. \n\nAlso there's some "uncanny valley" effect there, where something not-quite-right is more disturbing than something clearly different from us. That sort of 'alien' feeling is heightened by having it move like a quadruped despite having human-like anatomy (this also feeds into the predator thing, as most predators are quadrupeds).\n 1338997505 +Don't know whether to upvote or downvote this article. According to the latest from Penn, the Salon article is not correct. Here's his latest tweet:\n\n"The article is wrong. I didn't start the MLK quote and I didn't do it on purpose. I checked before posting but not enough. My mistake" 1304549146 +Just continuing the thought.\n\nA functional heuristic can give rise to a bias. Biases affect experience. At every point in the process from the sensory effect down to the bias there is potential to change perception. Memories are mostly experiential and it stands to reason that their perceptive component is very significant. 1351631318 +The problem I have isn't in the thought that people try to do something like the idea behind NWO. I have a problem with the absurd notion that anyone would be capable of it, even if they had the necessary influence and power (which would require a level of cooperation that I am skeptical of). The simple truth is that we incredibly shitty at predicting our own culture(s). The idea that someone would even know how to do it is simply ludicrous, especially considering that the source of the knowledge that would enable it, scientific research, does not seem to be highly valued by those in position to make use of it. 1302632058 +7- Mostly because we are quite capable as a species of deluding ourselves into almost anything that makes our world-view fit with what also profits us. 1301657711 +Your statement is the exact opposite of what the article stated. 1345058585 +>Nutritional science indicates that fasting for extended periods leads to starvation, dehydration, and eventual death.\n\nHold the fucking phone. WHAT? I need to make a few phone calls, and quick. 1335456575 +[related](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aura_%28symptom%29) 1311133513 +pure speculation: someone was trying to connect with you on some level. who did you give school photos to? They must have used it as a bookmark and traded in the book. :) 1340396122 +hey, I have to take a vision test to drive a car, and I theoretically have to prove that I know how to drive it safely without running other people down (although that's a subject that's up for debate, since driving tests in this country are pathetic as far as actually determining whether or not someone is a safe driver, but that's for another debate). I own two shotguns (not entirely by choice - they've been in the family for generations) and never had to take a test to legally own them when they passed from dad to me, never had to prove that I could see (which seems, you know, important. Would suck if I shot the wrong blur because I was nearly blind). My SO has guns that she bought herself, and never had to take a vision test for them, and since they're hunting rifles, never had to take the classes/tests/etc that you'd have to take to carry a concealed handgun. \n\n\nBTW, many municipalities forbid you from having unregistered cars on your property - mainly to keep people from having junker cars up on blocks in the driveway and bringing property values down. So the argument can be quite successfully made that cars are far more regulated than firearms. Hell, many places have required vehicle inspections to make sure that your car is safe. My shotguns have never been inspected by any experts to see if they're safe to use (and in truth, they probably aren't. They haven't been fired or cleaned since I was a little kid, and have been sitting in basements and attics un-cased since then).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe concealed-carry requirements don't apply, because I can't conceal my car while driving around. Better to look at open carry laws. 1356036339 +I wish this was an AMA because I would ask how anyone in her field takes Bill Birnes seriously. 1315112681 +Well, at least where I am it's not included in my taxes. My water and electricity both come from a distinct semi-governmental organization. \n\nBut we are essentially in agreement. Water's cheap in a developed nation, such that the bottle is likely more expensive than the water. 1321810791 +Are you kidding? At that strength, it'll kill you. Or make you immortal. Probably both. 1301651071 +I'd say "That's no argument", but then... We're talking about creationists. 1330263627 +Read Oliver Sacks's The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. There is a story in there about a woman who lost all sense of her body and had to consciously will herself to do every movement. So many things we take for granted as givens are the work of our brain not so much reflecting reality as interpreting it. Something like that is going on in the experience you relate. 1354365312 +The Indian suicide thing is quite crap.\n\nIf you look at the figures really closely over the last 10 years the rate is no higher than students and housewives in India.\n\nIt is probably going to get worse though because the media has focused on the issue and now the government is giving the family of the suicide victim compensation. so they have incentive to commit suicide. \n\n 1325609021 +I would love for the title to have included some warning that I was about to see a mutilated animal. 1314995323 +Actually the benefits to our national healthcare FAR out weigh the "Waste of taxpayer money" that is the miniscule fluoridation of the water supply. 1337795148 +I like that the climate and environment of a country that never raised cattle prior to us bringing them there is getting the credit for this and not the anal-retentive devotion to perfection that the japanese are known for. Kobe beef is delicious because the meat is extremely well-marbled and the cows get very little excercise. It's also expensive because the japanese are spending ten times as much money feeding the cow. The implication that the same techniques can't be replicated out of japan is disingenuous to the extreme and it just shows that the aritcle writer is a food snob, not a skeptic or a scientist. 1334506966 +Well, not really for painkillers - I generally lean toward ibuprofen or acetaminophen, which are sold in bottles with enough doses to last a couple of years. Mullein in syrup form is about the only thing I take that's an actual *herb*. 1304017777 +Turn off the tv 1356964282 +this is quickly becoming my favorite subreddit. 1344994985 +Please feel free to pursue [this survey of human evolution](http://www.pnas.org/content/104/52/20753) for details... 1345775353 +Lot's of random things help fight some cancers. It's hard to say what is possible. 1345246587 +Hahah, well now you know, I guess? No worries mate. 1329224627 +That is an insect. 1249656295 +WAKE UP!!!!!! 1252813857 +Would you consider though, as the article does, that "angels / demons" are simply less specific, less scientific names for things like multiple personality disorder, mania, obsession... meaning that they don't go away?\n\nIf you take the belief out of religion what phenomena still do remain? Religion was invented, for lack of a better word, to explain strange phenomena in some sort of orderly fashion to the so called "primitive minds". If you throw away all the dogma the original phenomena still exist, the challenge is to explain these types of experience without the religious framework in terms of psychology neurobiology or whatever else causes these bizarre occurrences. 1243442796 +It seems like person B is just referring to anecdotal evidence. \n\nI don't need to see an acupuncturist (X) to know that there is no mechanism by which acupuncture should work (Y). 1305906781 +>Not necessarily; different studies in evolutionary studies have shown there to be a common theme between attractiveness and things like facial symmetry, specific proportions and hair texture.\n\nThings are still only as beautiful as we perceive them to be. That we are biologically pre-disposed to like certain features does not change that; it just explains overall patterns in things humans see as beautiful.\n\n>If you wanted to do something from a completely objective point of view it would be seeing how common the occurrences of such traits are in a specific race.\n\nBut that's almost irrelevant. How people rate attractiveness is much more important information. If people rate blacks as less attractive even though they are perfectly symmetric and have perfect facial ratios, then that is valuable information and not something you pick up on just by measuring people.\n\n>if we are to assume that the study can be based on opinionated statistics yet still be labelled as objective)\n\nThe statistics are not opinionated, the statistics are measuring opinion. And that's fine, because beauty is just a type of opinion. 1306367032 +While not reliable enough to base vital judgments on their readings alone, polygraphs *do* provide *some* insight into whether someone is acting deceitful. It isn't just a prop, it is a tool with its own limitations to be used in conjunction with other tools (including your own ability to read body language). 1351536143 +That is actually really sad. he might still be alive today, having made 30 more years worth of music. God Damnit. 1329023014 +Than they wouldn't be writing shit in corn fields or drawing attention to themselves by turning off their cloaking devices while they fly around. \n\nThink about it, we are only a few years away from being able to successfully render invisible (cloak) any object, including a moving one. There are working prototypes already. The fact that UFO's aren't cloaked mean that they were either A) Produced here on earth where cloaking isn't yet a viable technology), or B) They want to be seen, therefore no prime directive. 1351874822 +> This statement is false. I need only provide one example that falsifies (b). Lets say a company produces electricity from a nuclear reactor and dumps the waste into a water supply. Some of the people (lets say 1,000) that drink the water get cancer and have to pay $1,000 each for a cure. Total cost to society of power plant: 1 million.\n> Lets say a coal plant could have produced the same amount of electricity but without the deaths, but would have cost the company .1 million more. You can even assume if you like that it would cause .5 million in damage to society from asthma if you like.\n\nLet's assume that travel by airplane is less safe than travel by car. (Check figures of deaths by nuclear plants vs deaths by coal power plants, you'll see how this fits right in)\n\nLet us now proceed to draw an irrelevant conclusion that does not reflect reality because the assumptions are flat out disconnected from reality.\n\nLet us now pretend that I have made a cogent, relevant post.\n\nLet us now pretend that I am being downvoted because my contribution to this post was logical and meaningful.\n\nLet us now complain about me being downvoted three times in a single thread. \n\n:-) 1315375472 +That's a great question. My best guesses would be: respected sources. ie. Snopes, wikipedia, /r/AskScience, etc... \n\nI know if I hear the Mythbusters explains that the EM from Power lines is safe I'll likely just believe it. But if I hear the same thing from Fox & Friends I'll assume they're either lying or guessing. 1313497287 +I'm interested to see if there will be any comment about the elevator mishap on this weeks SGU. At this point, I wouldn't mind if she never showed up again. 1310148074 +10,000 reports, taking up 6,700 pages. Dont worry it took me a second also. 1342583029 +That's nice of you to say! Thank you.\n\n>Have you looked into the idea that a ghost could be a psychic imprint of a consciousness rather than the "soul" itself?\n\nI'd have to know what this means, really, in order to talk about it. By "psychic imprint," do you mean that ghosts could be physical manifestations of our consciousness, and that our consciousness is capable of interacting with people/places/things after our bodies have died? 1344602929 +Why should they suppress such books and movies? The subject is already ridiculed in the mainstream media, there's no need to conceal it, the public will not believe it anyway. That's a very strong weapon, mind you. 1338304140 +>Since the evidence overwhelmingly supports the theory of man-made global warming\n\nWhat evidence? \n\nWe put an extremely small amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and \nit happen to get warm for an extremely short while.\n\nThat is not evidence. \n\nMangled, manipulated climate models. \n\nThat is not evidence.\n\nEvidence is the money trail leading from government to so called climate science. That is evidence.\n\nShow me a model where you plug in todays data, run it backward\nand get an accurate result for some known past date.\n\nThat would be evidence. That would be some damn good \nevidence, but we'll never see it, will we.\n 1354402659 +My favorite podcasts are really diverse.\n\n* Metalinjection - For listening to funny potsmoking metalhead.\n\n* DistortedView - For listening to.. well, distorted news and laugh at horrible stuff\n\n* PC gamer - For the gamer side of me\n\n* SGU - For the skeptic side of me.\n\n* Naked Scientists - For the British skeptic side of me. 1272035929 +There's no need to consider all possible possibilities separately. Take them all together, and remember them as a nudge to consider the extraordinary. There's no need to start every statement with "Je pense, donc je suis" and derive everything from there, but completely ignoring anything else is a bad habit as well.\n\nWhat *proof* does he have that his brain glitched? None whatsoever. It's merely the most likely hypothesis, within his worldview. An animist might consider the trick of a spirit the most likely hypothesis, within his worldview. I sincerely think that being aware that we so often accept the most likely hypothesis in good faith, without proof, improves the quality of thought. 1254175349 +Well.... they do really make them :( \nhttp://www.ritecare.com/homeopathic/guide_firstaid.asp 1326531437 +Oscillococcinum is probably the most sly homeopathic medicine there is. It has all the dress of an allopathic remedy: big unrecognizable name, [professional packaging](http://www.ritecare.com/images/oscillo_6.jpg), and a little tube of pills with special administration procedures. To top it off, it has the added appeal of being a medicine that basically amounts to eating sugar. I was surprised, though, when I first found out it was homeopathy. 1314035716 +Because people really love their dogs and get desperate when Fido is in pain.\n\nProtip: Johnson's Medicated Food Powder. Shake it all over the dog. Fleas flee it. 1342030630 +Might be a little more appropriate in /r/nosleep. 1349712439 +I see you there, ponymoticon. And I offer brohoofs, fellow skeptic.\n\n/unrelated 1323092576 +My phone can allow WiFi use in airplane mode but it always asks first. 1307964630 +Agreed. Nutjobs give skeptics a bad name. When it comes to facts, there aren't two sides to hear out. 1289593815 +Perhaps! But since it was only a drop, maybe he was just shaking off. ;) 1356546258 +I shat myself just reading the comment. 1348108941 +I have been eating mussels since I was 8 or so and love them. Unless they smell bad, I eat them all. It's actually pretty easy to see if something has gone bad when you are dealing with seafood. 1286047131 +I think anyone who watched that video is qualified. A psychogenic disorder that only manifests when cameras are around? Hmmm. 1323352728 +You're quite right. I wasn't trying to suggest that OP's story couldn't have been real, just providing a relevant tidbit. 1335159739 +A placebo *is* a mystical health thing. Or at least a mysterious health thing. The placebo effect is really interesting. 1327335188 +its called pareidolia 1356196892 +I personally think skepticism cant be something that is bestowed onto others, rather something you need to find out for yourself. \nHearing about quackery and charlatans might raise awareness of it, but until you lose money, see friends/family losing money or at the very worst see your own or somebody else's health deteriorate as a result of things like homoeopathy or spiritual healers, you can't really appreciate the real need for skepticism in life. \n\nAtheism is something that can be bestowed onto others though. To teach a child the origins of the universe, without the need for fruity metaphores and stupid mythos, you can get across a logical, well cited, factual explanation for it that cannot be refuted. \n\nUnfortunately people can find more and more slippery ways to trick you into getting your money and until you see it happen to you and yours, you won't fully appreciate the real need for skepticism.\n\nWhereas atheists have a lot of skepticism towards any rhetoric a religious person throws at them or anything anybody says that sounds like it was cited from scripture, atheism doesn't really have any connections to general skepticism, as a lot of atheists tend to have general secular beliefs that could adhere to a lot of this pseudo science bullshit. 1341782814 +It's a cheap additive which is a result of a large industrial process. Its a component which any reasonable consumer wouldn't expect in their ground beef - this being pieces of beef and fat of a particular percentage ground up and packaged. And because this beef required disinfecting, it's obviously not a wholesome ingredient in the first place. \n\nSince the use of this was not listed in the ingredients, it's a component which the processor is obviously not proud of using.\n\nAll of these factors lead any reasonable consumer to feel cheated and abused. It reminds all consumers that getting the most money from them is the one and only goal of any large food processor and/or retail operation.\n\nIt's one thing to add this to a product like hot dogs which are produced with trimmings and scraps and then ground an homogenized. It's another to add this as a hidden component.\n\nI look forward to heavy and costly class-action suites against Cargil and other mega-food processors and markets. 1332896492 +yeah, good luck holding on to that belief. the hivemind has spoken. 1335042918 +yeah.... im not seeing anything 1344799438 +Don't forget the abandoned mental hospital in Malboro 1317994190 +There's a vast gulf between "milk is not a wonder-food" and "milk is bad for your health." Many of this article's arguments lie soundly on the former side of said gulf, while its conclusions lie on the latter.\n\nFor what it's worth, the dairy industry does tend to sell its product with questionable health claims. But I wouldn't make a strong claim about its health effects without some kind of study, say a comparison between lactose tolerant/intolerant folks. 1353344361 +Yes give money to the homeopaths that will show them. 1297204994 +I saw a UFO once. Then it was identified.\n\nIt's a massive jump from UFO to alien space craft, and one of those idiots said it's unreasonable to expect stronger evidence than testimony. Perhaps. But it's still completely irrational to jump to the conclusion that they were extraterrestrial space craft without compelling evidence. All you can state is that it was, at least for you, a UFO. 1302307646 +Tho I agree that psychiatrist have been overdiagnosing and over medicating people without necesity, calling autism a made-up condition is completely false and disrespectful to those who have to deal with this.\n\nThe fact that there are assholes who will take advantage of our lack of understanding of the causes and inner workings of this condition doesen't change that some families do have to go through this dificulty. 1327058726 +Why is that ghost foot casting a shadow? So fake it hurts 1356367952 +>Skeptics don't deny climate change.\n\nNo, because they accept the evidence behind anthropogenic climate change.\n\n>Most of us agree with the global warming alarmists\n\nUse of the word "alarmist" betrays you agenda. People who accept the current science are not alarmists.\n\n>We are also skeptical of the alarmists' catastrophic predictions.\n\nDefine "catastrophic predictions." The current science indicates a climate sensitivity of 2 to 4.5C, which a likeliest value of 3C, for a doubling of CO2.\n\n>This article explains the global warming debate\n\nNo, that article is a piece of anti-science propaganda similar to those you post daily on /r/climateskeptics. It is quite revealing that you always post links to blogs and Conservative-leaning organizations, but not from actual scientists.\n\nWhat I find really pathetic is how you always use the same copy/pasted responses to make it sound as if you are a rational and reasonable contributor to reddit, when it takes only a few minutes of reading your actual submissions to understand you're nothing but a propaganda relayer.\n\nOh, and you still managed to change the subject. Every time you do, you confirm my original point (and further show the folks at [/r/skeptic](/r/skeptic) how you guys really aren't skeptics at all - after all, they only have to read you past comments to see what you really think of them). Undoubtedly you'll avoid responding in your next post as well, followed by another of your pre-canned responses, I imagine.\n\nPerhaps you don't realize how much you sound like an actual PR hack. If you haven't considered this as a career choice, then you definitely should. Your lack of intellectual integrity makes you the perfect candidate for the job. 1332742429 +Woo is woo, it maters not who shovels it. 1351734906 +I don't know, if you have a tumor on your head and you decide to not see a doctor does that make the weirdo you decided to see responsible for your illness getting worse? \n\nIf anything it seems like you are just priming yourself for a Darwin award. 1346682951 +I saw the same type of object over my high school in central Florida, last year. It popped up in the sky multiple times, shifted colors, and made seemingly impossible maneuvers. Everyone chalked it up to an RC 'copter; which, was bullshit. \n\n**EDIT**: Here's what I was seeing, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES9ArxfCaWc. I didn't take the video, but it's identical to the object I was seeing. 1356307150 +I can't argue with you because I do not have any information to claim in contrary, however, the only "evidence" we have of ET visits have been overwhelmingly positive. Naturally, the sensational "I twer probed in my butt parts!" and alien invasion genre movies are very extremely accessible to the general public, some of the fringe religions and spiritualists (including the Hopi Indians, modern followers of the Aztec religions and some eastern cultures to name a few) view visitation as direct contact with their deities. It does come down to personal belief because there are no hard facts to refer to, but my understanding which has been built through a lifetime of curiosity about life (within and outside our planet) and spiritual growth has led me to believe that our 'first contact' will likely be positive. A positive outlook on visitors to our planet will undoubtedly lead to a positive interaction if and when that interaction occurs. 1352154386 +It might be that he uploads about two videos a year (if you're lucky). 1332697769 +How on earth do you rob a gun depo? Surely they have.. defence? 1355748532 +That seems like a good idea; GF should let her know times have changed, and young women are not the helpless flowers they used to be; besides, you love GF and would never hurt her. Girls in the dorm will be all right without her, and would like to help her get home to her folks; it's okay to go toward the brightest light she can see now. The Ouija is not necessary for this, and I don't know if having the suitemates present, or yourself, would help or not. 1355361504 +Here's another possible explanation: It didn't happen. I've heard of this story before, but I've been unable to find any credible source that supports the original account. 1301938206 +The best advice for most OP's in this subreddit 1336570219 +It is still better looking and easier to read than most other paranormal sites, which look like they're from the Angelfire days...\n\nAt least they took the time to look professional. 1351787249 +That's actually what makes it so damnably popcorn-worthy (and me trying to eat healthy!)—that homeopathy's arbitrary, make-believe rules are considered too stringent and unwieldy for the average naturopath to find profitable, so they should be simplified in order to bring them into line with the arbitrary, make-believe rules which govern the rest of naturopathic canon.\n\nIt's like kids at a birthday party ganging up on the one kid who wants to play Monopoly when the rest of them would rather stick with Candy Land. 1339786158 +He certainly wouldn't have to. Just consider the ingredients in major brand leaders of counterpart products.\n\nJif Peanut Butter? No HFCS. Welch's Jelly? Yes to HFCS\n\nFrench's Yellow Mustard? No HFCS. Heinz Ketchup? Yes to HFCS\n\nPost Honey Bunches of Oats? No HFCS. Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats? Yes to HFCS\n\nEven my local grocery store's ice cream is flavor dependent on whether or not it has it, and remember, that's the cheap stuff.\n\nJust about everything he's mentioned, as far as I've noticed and I've been paying attention, agrees with what dbe's statements suggest. I don't see it in chips, bread, canned food of any kind I've used, powdered drink mixes, juices, yogurt or mayonnaise. Breakfast cereals are about 50/50. \n\nYour reaction to dbe's post suggests you're not in the habit of reading food labels too often. 1344919310 +Were did the tire go? It would not of rolled far. 1355737075 +I can't bring myself to drink milk. No allergies, it just grosses me out that it's milk from another species. Ugh. 1346006022 +>But to think that humans are the pinnacle of civilization not just on Earth but in the entire galaxy is pretty arrogant in my opinion.\n\nOh, definitely. I couldn't agree with you more. But that has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not those Temple vids are real or not.\n\nOf course I don't know either, if they are or aren't. I'd like them to be, and maybe you are right. Personally I strongly suspect that they are a hoax based upon a multitude of similar incidents over the years that were initially praised/hyped and then eventually disproven, but I also honestly think that, regardless, it matters less than you think because videos will *never* be considered proof of UFOs. Ever. There are already many vids out there that are very compelling and probably very real. Ones that many people also think are fakes.\n\nEither way I don't need to be sure about these tapes, but that may be because I am convinced about the reality of UFOs for other reasons. Just don't lose your own beliefs if these are eventually shown to be fake. It has no bearing upon the reality of the phenomenon. 1297488709 +UPDATE: UFO becomes IFO.\n\nSpecifically a very unexciting old PA28/Piper Cherokee with a strobing banner under the wings.\nChopper cameraman fooled.\n\nNot a good day for us UFO enthusiasts.\n\nhttp://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=51021&catid=2\n\nhttp://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N56414.html\n\nhttp://flightaware.com/live/flight/N56414 1227647638 +I don't think its about understanding, it more about acknowledging. The more of us that now, the more stupid the government looks, that sort of thing. 1340841564 +It wasn't astounding or anything, it was a catchy little country tune with a message that wasn't about drinkin a six pack, driving pick up trucks, or your wife leaving you. 1279081565 +You've demonstrated that eating slightly more than the recommended daily amount of fruit is better than soda with junk food. *slow clap* I am in awe of your intelligence. \n\nHowever, I didn't say that fruit is worse than or as bad as soda, nor did I say fruit in reasonable amounts. I said fruit in large amounts can be bad for you in response to a statement implying that there was no way someone could get too much sugar from eating fruit. \n\n\n 1343533589 +a bit larger nit to pick: the back is not just a mechanical structure, and definitely is not a lawnmower. and if my lawnmower was broken, i would not "turn it over, try the wheels, do things to find out what works."\n\ni would call a chiropractor! 1327472577 +Your brain does a lot of strange things before you fall asleep. Read about "Old Hag Syndrome". A lot of people have it. Totally normal. 1343089725 +Precisely.. But seriously, the SNR on the audio is ridiculous. Either the people making this video were using top classified military technology ahead of its time (and even then going on what we know of development of digital tech back then, the bit / sampling rate is way too high), or this is fake. 1352801464 +were the fuck is the follow up post? 1353226823 +It's similar to step 6 in that instructable, but it's a 14-minute sequence that uses I think 8 or 10 different frequency pairings throughout it. It's essentially doing the same thing. The Ganzfeld effect using straight sensory deprivation is different, however, since it takes time to "kick in", whereas using the Brain Machine causes instant visual hallucinations. No need to wait, just flip the switch. 1320912594 +*NO MORE QUESTIONS!* 1309838932 +There are some pretty interesting videos out there, but the lack of mass sightings in urban, American cities is a little frustrating. I stay interested in UFOs thanks to a sighting I personally had a few years ago. I do wish that there was more new and credible evidence out there, but I will follow Ufology for a long time regardless. 1329402982 +That's a good point. I'll use better judgement next time. 1342151848 +\nYou might want to consider a new room, with a new roommate. 1344125382 +Just because it is possible to postulate something, does not mean it is reasonable to do so. \n\nThe simplest solution is that they are hearing noises from something mundane like an aircraft, or construction work. The fact that there exists multiple videos of similar sounds from the billions of hours of video available does not make a strong case.\n\nThere is very little reason to suspect that these noises are related. They could be related, but that still gives you no reason to suspect that they are not mundane phenomenon. This is [auditory pareidolia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareidolia), combined with [The Pattern Seeking Fallacy](http://blog.asmartbear.com/pattern-seeking-fallacy.html)\n\nI was dismissive because of how preposterous it is to ascribe importance to meaningless stimulus. Were someone to start collecting videos of sunsets during which there is a cloud formation that is snowman shaped, would you assume that this was noteworthy? *But look at the videos, they are coming from all over the world, and they all have the same snowman shaped cloud!*\n\n 1326819099 +this sentence demonstrates intolerance of alternative religions and violates the first amendment. \n\n/sarcasm 1320190834 +You're right, but the tetrahedra form helices. I suppose that is what they are referring to. 1322588370 +Real, human caused, but do not think we should do anything about it 1294768860 +yeah definitely. actually I think they're blinking satellites, inside balloons, that are tied to weather balloons, that a 12 year old taped flares too. 1326297246 +[Explanation](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6tu22yikh1rxukuoo2_250.jpg) 1343517486 +And this, my friends, is called a fallacy fallacy!\n\nI did address what you said. I said you were being pedantic, and overly critical of the wording, because the wording was pretty much saying what you're saying. Just not as pedantically.\n\nI feel so sorry for you if you studied philosophy and this is all you got out of it - the art of being a pedant. Can I have a double cheeseburger meal, large size, with diet coke please? kekekekeke 1351969444 +They did a good job with the "Funny how" bit. 1316175542 +Everytime I see stuff like this, I think that it is really possible that aliens are protecting us from big catastrophes which would destroy the earth.\n\nWho knows. It is a really fast object. But I dont think it is a missile either. 1351361289 +What the... how is this even remotely considered a glitch? A glitch is a short-lived fault in a system, not a coincidence. 1345658387 +Sure you can...just let me grab my strap-on. 1345642893 +I was scanning the website and thinking, "why would people believe this?" \n\n\nThen I saw that it is purportedly Japanese. 1324965809 +It's alright dopp. Keep on posting. You provide a great deal of content. And you are dead on right. 1311437873 +Hey, my gut instinct is better than your so-called "facts". GTFO. 1354198106 +I seriously considered that I may have been seeing things. Even now, it's no entirely out of the question...but for what it's worth, I've never used mind altering drugs and I'm a pretty rational and logical person. I've never been able to explain this, though. 1332557400 +So.... It's a Clearly Canadian? 1351278850 +So, you just flat-out think it's unreasonable, when someone does something that makes you feel uncomfortable and unsafe, to mention it and ask other people not to do it? 1321166998 +Teeth missing for a few days...didn't bother to ask. Probably a molar. 1312399346 +To be fair, if you burn yourself you're *meant* to douse it in heaps and heaps of water. 1300687366 +I don't think so. I can clearly make out a combed-back hairstyle and even glasses, I think. It's too defined and humanoid to be a misinterpretation of light. Either way, this almost made me jump when I saw it.\n\nEDIT: I opened it and increased the exposure. By doing this you can clearly make out the facial features. This is definitely interesting. \n\n[Semi-not safe for sleep](http://imgur.com/n1XYY.jpg)\n\nEDIT EDIT: It looks Asian and also it looks like an elf. Santa's watching! You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not shout; I'm telling you why! SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN\n\nEDIT EDIT EDIT: I now see something on the wall that look like a china cabinet. It could be china-ware. But the question is, why is the face very defined, and the other things in the perceived cabinet not bright and clear? I don't see any evidence of a flash either. 1356218354 +Please speak for yourself. 1320315053 +The cameras are big mostly to house all the live broadcast hardware. 1353203675 +Thanks :) 1304611066 +Thanks :) 1313420488 +Thanks :) 1338227762 +Thanks :) 1340202217 +My point exactly. And since we are not used to seeing reality in this way it makes identifying whatever you capture on tape a lot harder. 1345364155 +I wonder what the size of the largest star in the universe is and how our sun compares to it in size? \n 1334252553 +Funny thing about Zicam. I just heard on the latest SGU that the guy who makes Zicam is now in legal trouble for importing and selling a [non-FDA approved remedy for bird flu](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/06/02/state/n135609D39.DTL).\n\nAs far as homeopathy (and other alternative "medicines") go, the only rule they have to follow is not making specific claims to treat or cure disease. They get around this by making weaselly claims to do things like "boost the immune system." They also carry a disclaimer on the packaging that says something to the effect of, "This product is not meant to treat or cure any disease" in super tiny small print. So, legally, you can't do anything about homeopathy or herbal remedies unless they specifically claim to treat or prevent disease. 1308721338 +Show him this.\n\nPenn and Teller MLM Episode [Part 1](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y60XdZJG83U) and [Part 2](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m_4S5BtIbk) 1301458975 +We had a full blood Chow named Sheena, she was given to my mother by my father on mothers day the year I was born. Well about 10 years ago Sheena got really sick the vets couldn't do anything for her because she was pretty old, The day before we were scheduled to take her in to put her to 'sleep' she didn't wake up.. Sadly Sheena had passed in her sleep. Well, as creepy as this sounds Sheena used to sit next to my moms couch and would scratch her self you'd hear the jiggle of this little charm/name tag she had. We still have the couch and if you sit on the right cushion at night you can sometimes hear a "jiggle" of a chain or what sounds like change. This has actually brought my mother to tears before and I've heard her say "Go to sleep Sheena" and it would stop. 1340610401 +I think so. Plus I'm actually fond of them when they're not being insane (which, post-baby, seems to be all the time, but I think that is common with a lot of people) 1309536982 +No charges were filed; the judge agreed that this was a blatant provocation.\n\n[Bart Sibrel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bart_Sibrel) is a crackpot douche bag who has a history of stalking astronauts.\n 1289572510 +I never espoused the belief that no life forms exist which do not use DNA as their hereditary material; only that we cannot say with certainty that they *do* exist. 1291273268 +That really is a nice message and its great it made you feel better. 1345306929 +Most are doubtful, some are dangerous. Drinking other people's breastmilk is sharing a fluid, so there's a risk of disease including HIV. These risks are outweighed by the immunological benefit conferred on the infant, but probably not worth it for an adult.\n\nChemo and transplant patients are likely to have things going on with their immune systems which makes breast milk (or other non-pasteurized substances) a bad idea. Applying breast milk to a serious burn seems like a bad idea as well.\n\nI don't have any research on this; maybe I am wrong. However I would suggest the onus of evidence is on the claimant. 1299564469 +it is one of the problems that make me wonder if this is more of a "yelling fire in a crowded theatre" free speech problems.\n\nits even worse in a way. People with autistic children are desperate not only for a cure but a reason. You have doctors saying "most of the increases in autism are simply due to us expanding the def and more people getting checked for it' WHich isnt very satisfying.\n\nand then you have this idiot, saying VACCINES DID THIS TO YOUR CHILD. and the parents saying "oh shit we did get them vaccinated" and they have a "why".. they are made with mercury, and the parents go "ooo mercury, that explains a lot, remember mad hatters were mad due to mercury"\n\nit's insidious, it plays on their desperation and it is dangerous. (plus we do have a problem when companies like Merck, hide the fact that their own inhouse scientists were saying their drug causes heart problems and them withholding that info. THIS SHIT, as well as their stupid slap on the wrist for getting people killed, helps the anti vaxxers spread their misinformation)\n\n\ni'm just not sure how to stop anti vaxxers from yelling fire in a crowded theatre without creating a dangerous slippery slope.\n\n 1350749734 +Thanks, this is great. I didn't realize how much I'd value these answers until you asked the question. I'll just add the podcasts I've been listening to myself.\n\nScience:\n\n* Dr. Kiki's Science Hour - Dr. Kirsten Sanford\n* Material World - BBC Radio 4\n* Quirks and Quarks - CBC Radio\n\nPhilosophy / History / Religion:\n\n* Ideas - CBC Radio\n* In Our Time - BBC Radio 4\n* Philosopher's Zone - ABC Radio National\n* Tapestry - CBC Radio\n\nSkepticism:\n\n* MonsterTalk - Skeptic Magazine\n* Skepticality - Skeptic Magazine\n* The Reality Check - The Ottawa Skeptics\n\nOther:\n\n* Spark - CBC Radio (technology and society)\n* Radio Free Burrito - Wil Wheaton (general geek)\n* The Age of Persuasion - CBC Radio (media and advertising)\n 1299870469 +How much do you want to bet that one or more of his patients Googled his name and came across your blog posts? She's scared that this will hurt his business, and she's lashing out. 1323896352 +It was? I thought it was on Fox. 1322752623 +I'd keep going but every time I look further into actual homeopathic remedies(which each of those are) I lose more faith in humanity and its getting tiring. Also what is up with them and quartz its literally the second most common mineral in the earths crust. [This](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartz_oscillator) is still the coolest thing quartz does. 1290614342 +Nope, I don't see a round object. I see a really really big tornado. 1336583907 +Love it. If only there was an explanation for the similar noises here in Ontario. 1318548882 +I didn't realize Ali G used /r/paranormal 1326884029 +Personally, I think it's just an extension of their gullibility. 1336816676 +Why do you say that? I'm not really aware of any solid predictions IQ scores can make with respect to groups, but with individuals the predictive ability of IQ scores is incredible. 1350177859 +I was really hoping to find a little note somewhere, saying "It's a joke, guys! Don't worry!" Of course, there wasn't one. 1290568856 +He sure does. I've bought all three, and asked him if he'd make a doodle on the 3rd one. It was a sort of... conehead looking confused dude with stars circling his head. 1330497447 +Whoever put this together has no clue about objective reality.\n\nIf the government issued interest-free money, how would that eliminate taxes? Does he suppose the government would just print more money whenever it was needed, say to build roads?\n\nThat'd trigger rapid inflation. It's called [Zimbabwenomics](http://longorshortcapital.com/zimbabwenomics-pioneers-even-freer-trade.htm).\n\nDoes he suppose the government would just cease to exist?\n\nThen whence our new roads? Magic?\n\nDoes he suppose the government would stop issuing new currency at some point? \n\nDeflation.\n\nIssue some US Notes to this fellow and direct him to buy a clue.\n\nAs far as relevance to Presidential assassinations? It's a safe bet the Fed didn't assassinate Lincoln, since it didn't exist until 1913. 1312480593 +I'm already sick of this story. It's been everywhere I look all week. Those people are morons. 1334778473 +He's presenting it exactly the same way the other side would.\n\nStatistics are a way to tell a story. And most people are going to use them to argue their point, and ignore them when they do the opposite.\n\nDon't let them argue influenza vaccine, make the argument about polio. 1333977690 +Atheism is just a natural bi-product of proper skepticism.\n\nAnd there's more than enough of The Amazing Randi to go around. 1328118391 +True story... I forgot about those subreddits. That is some crazy shit.\n\nBut it just goes to show that if that content is still around on reddit, the nuts spouting tripe in /r/conspiracy should have to right to post their content as well. 1291059100 +No, I just get called closed-minded. 1280599258 +And that's why I posted this in /r/skeptic and not /r/bullshit or /r/alternativemedicinescam or the like. A more critical evalulation of this procedure is needed. 1290402452 +Here you go...\n\nhttp://www.dvdactive.com/images/reviews/screenshot/2004/10/pdvd_008_copy2.jpg 1328540774 +Seriously, I'm stumped what's her obsession with cutting things in half, and how tires work, and how fast she could do a mile, and converting it to miles a minute?!\n\nI think it is important to understand her thought process, because how else can we deal with people who's understanding seems to be so fundamentally flawed.\n\nor troll? 1332114813 +Haaha, imagine that! I would mind fuck with everyone on a daily basis if I had a twin :P 1337879501 +The problem is most parents who are scared of vaccines are going to refuse whatever age their kids are. 1297125293 +> It wasn't clear to me whether you were being skeptical of helmet use per se or of helmet laws. Sort of a mishmash of both, then?\n\nI became skeptical of the usefulness of mandatory helmet laws.\n\nThe data for helmets being useful in certain types of accident is convincing but there data showing that helmets reduce the percentage of riders who suffer head injuries is not.\n\nMy theory for Australia, and I can't find any good data for this either way, is that people were already wearing helmets in situations that made sense. So the mandatory helmet law here really only discouraged people that weren't at a high risk.\n\nIt's a political no-go area here. Most people will never question it and politician's simply aren't interested. It's lead to some fairly heated discussions about the Melbourne bicycle share scheme's lack of success.\n\n> Have you seen the IIHS data?\n\nI had not, thank you. That's exactly the kind of data I was looking for.\n\nI'd really like to also see data comparing rates before and after mandatory helmet laws are introduced. What little we have for Australia and New Zealand shows no meaningful change. There aren't any other countries with helmet laws as strict as either of ours. We're often actually used as an example of the folly of such laws internationally, it seems. 1311809556 +Bad diet kills. Our cultures current dramatic over-emphasis of carbs and nutrients and "natural" is distracting from actual healthy nutrition. For what its worth, I think this is the best food-related web page I've seen in ages. 1333579014 +No. Rebecca Watson publicly berated the guy to his face in a crowd full of people at a conference where she was *supposed* to be talking about something worthwhile. The guy was not given the chance to defend himself and so posted to his blog, which enjoys a fraction of Watson's readership and doesn't really qualify as a reasonable chance of defending himself. \n\nThe point is this: If you disagree with Watson you're a misogynist and no longer deserve being treated respectfully. 1310588569 +I pick DunksOnShaq next. 1259553605 +Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed my story. If you like I could take some pictures of the mirror, my room, and the hallway where she was standing if you like? Btw that link is actually to my own personal forum. Its brand new and I'm looking to start bringing in some new members - if you are interested :) 1318540140 +that not what you've been saying you've been asking a ridiculous question of "what would it take". This is called a valid side of an argument. take notes. But the likely hood of them being fake is a lot less than of them being real. 1302222496 +Yeah, now that you mention it, shooting lighting out of your fingers isn't that impressive when you're standing on a space station that can shoot planet destroying lightning without using any magic at all. 1285337869 +I really do think that we should be pointing out a lack of skepticism in the reddit community where ever we see it. Reddit as a whole usually is quite skeptical, but we should make a point of calling it out when the community isn't. 1323464777 +I respectfully disagree. Or it really depends on the makeup of the jury. There is plenty of credible and convincing testimony. There is a great deal of photographic and video. But there is no physical crime scene evidence. There is no extraterrestrial craft we can go visit at the Smithsonian... Yet. Much to my personal dismay I might add. 1310746892 +That was creeeepy. And just as it finished, a random piece of fluff floated in my peripheral vision making me jump out of my chair. thanks. 1351535632 +You're right. Implicit in my argument was another premise and here I can make it explicit:\n\nP2: The best president ought to be reelected for as many terms as allowable\n(and I suppose P3: Reelecting Obama is allowable) 1328820970 +Not necessarily. When I still worked in TV news, we called that "Teleprompter Eye." Interns and new anchors would look quite a bit like that when staring into the camera. They were so amped up about being on camera and getting it right that they wouldn't blink. It was especially bad when they were reading their script on the prompter, but even when there wasn't a prompter, they'd still do it.\n 1340224461 +You've probably heard of him. He wrote the Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comic book series, among many others. He's a pretty brilliant guy. 1309225211 +Wow... Super, super bad science. The second paragraph:\n\n"Finding only one case of the disease in the investigation of hundreds of Egyptian mummies, with few references to cancer in literary evidence, proves that cancer was extremely rare in antiquity. The disease rate has risen massively since the Industrial Revolution, in particular childhood cancer – proving that the rise is not simply due to people living longer."\n\nQuestions that immediately come to mind:\n\n* Who was being mummified? Everyone? Or just certain people?\n* Out of that number, how many of those mummies exist today?\n* Is an analysis of cancer in ancient literature in any way valid?\n\nI don't know about the first two, but the third I'd have to answer with a resounding "NO!" While you might find some references to cancers that are visible growths on the skin, damn near every other kind of cancer is going to be a "wasting disease" or something of that sort in the literature of old, and entirely useless for an analysis like this. 1287118713 +You have a degree in baloney! 1326746005 +Aye, That be the magic teleportin' lady o England.\n\nBut seriously, weird glitch 1326715670 +1. Clock Reset.\n\n2. Dream. 1345202430 +I thought both the Mythbusters and Penn and Teller bullshit episodes on the Lie Detector fell way way to short of actually going into why the lie detector is actually a lie and why even the lie itself is pseudoscience. 1317408186 +It looks like somebody has already answered it, and was promptly accused of being a shill. 1319737686 +Any credibility to this goes out the window cause you were stoned. I smoke up too but never in the same day that I'm investigating because your mind has a tendency to matrix alot of stuff when being influenced by thc or whatever your drug of choice is 1335314533 +"Young Living Rose essential oils" probably doesn't have a frequency of 320 Mhz though. 1350161353 +Seeing him live in May! Can't wait! 1304073372 +Why you guys hating? Several people felt better after taking them! Several!\n 1329849742 +wow that sounds really interesting. Listen if you want to join, then send me an email at logicbomb.main@gmail.com so we can work out the details and see what projects you can help with or create. 1321307522 +Here's the worst part:\n\nA libel suit like this is a covert shifting of the burden of proof. \n\n WDDTY says "Sunbeams cure diabetes."\n Singh says: "There's no evidence of that. You're fooling people."\n\nWhat WDDTY *should reply*: \n\n a) oh you're right, we don't have evidence, we'll retract that, or \n b) no, we do have evidence, and here it is!\n\nInstead, with a lawsuit, what they're saying is: \n\n Saying that we're fooling people is libel *until you prove that we are in fact fooling people*. \n\nNow Singh has to make a case for the sun *not* curing diabetes. He's been given the burden of proof. If he fails, his claim is defamation. What the actual * * * * Libel should be about unfounded attacks on a person (or, I guess, an organization). The proper questioning of ideas and vocal concern about the consequences of those ideas *is not libel*. 1349338136 +The world would be a better place if everyone thought about what they said and how they said it as carefully as you do. (Or in the case of online discourse, what they wrote.) 1341595613 +One of the big reasons is because of religion. You tell some of these hardcore religious people that hey, there are others, where are they in your holy book. It brings up alot of problems. Also, when we find out there are aliens, people will start realizing that the government isn't the most powerful thing in the world, madness would ensue. 1343280461 +There is a complete list (and I mean COMPLETE) here.\nhttp://skeptools.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/how-many-skeptic-podcasts-are-there-please-help-me-find-them-all/\n\nBTW, Righteous Indignation is, sadly, no more. But the newest is Consequence by the JREF. \n\nYou can get a lot of info by browsing old episodes of podcasts as well, look for those with topics you like.\n\nTwo I NEVER miss as soon as they come out: Skeptics with a K and Monster Talk. 1340991114 +While I didn't *know* that Santa was fake, I set traps for him every year so that I finally *could* know one way or the other. 1322355594 +I gave you an upvote for creep-factor. Even if you only edited this file, I am still thoroughly creeped. Have you experimented with it since then? 1338938200 +i've had to take the myers-briggs, DISC, and something else i don't quite remember. each time i thought it was stupid and more or less watered down choose-your-own-adventure astrology for human resource departments.\n\nmy experience has shown them to be bullshit shortcut weeding devices to sort out candidates, which i suppose i can understand why HR departments seem to be smitten by them. \n\nso, no. not science.\n\nalthough i may concede that my reaction to the tests might identify me as a sociopath. 1355374761 +I would love to talk to one of these people and see how they justify their beliefs. \n\nAnyone know where I can meet one? 1294608177 +How is "Quantum Medicine" in any way scientific-sounding? haha 1297094577 +I recall a reporter starting an interview with Nelson Mandela on his visit to the US, going "As an African-American..." and he interrupts her to say "I am just an African."\n 1352306938 +I believe it was just to show he found it in a trustworthy location, not in like a reflexolgy institute or something 1349992802 +Special pleading. 1338608577 +Wow, I had this too when I was a kid. Just with ancient Greek, I shit you not. It was a meaningful sentence or two, but my mum lost the paper which said what I have said. Same thing with my bro, only with Spanish.\n\nEDIT: Oh, and I should mention, neither one of us have ever had any contact with either of these languages, except maybe Spanish through those soap operas my grandma likes to watch. 1332202140 +No, he's crow. 1346561286 +My coworker saw one of these and got it on video. It looked like a crazy ass blue UFO but it turned out a local RC plane store had a group that rigs their planes with blue led's like this. 1349715353 +Seriously. Best new sub-reddit of 2012, mark my words! 1326821505 +Paint 1333636986 +There would be something to be said for going through with this experiment. Would you have any sound at all on the CD, like white noise, or just silence (and leave it to the person's imagination)? 1304635824 +Along w/ what I mentioned in the post I also tried speaking to it just like you said. I don't know if this was the reason why nothing happened last night but it may be a contributing factor. Right now we are taking this night by night which brings up another point I had not mentioned: these happenings have only occurred at night. 1351103424 +Thanks TheTartanDervish! You are the first person so far who responded to me that have actually experienced this technique, though you don't know it as EFT. I have heard of EFT practitioners bringing EFT to [Rwanda](http://www.eftuniverse.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4333) as well as to [veterans](http://www.nwmedicalhypnosis.com/documents/The%20treatment%20of%20combat%20veterans%20using%20EFT.pdf) so I believe that what you experienced is indeed EFT even if the instructor didn't call it by that name. \n\nDifferent practitioners may teach EFT in different ways, so I don't know how did you learn it, but when you were told to do the tapping, were you asked to focus on the triggering memory or the feelings of panic at the same time? If you were, then even if you were partially distracted by the tapping, a part of you will still be connected to the memory or feeling. At least this is how I teach EFT to my clients, by asking them to focus on the issue while tapping. I would be interested to know how you used the technique. \n\nI don't know how you define the word "treatment", but to me, the fact that it provides relief makes it a treatment, and there is scientific evidence for EFT as a form of therapy which I mentioned in my original post. May I know why would you be skeptical of EFT as a treatment? \n\nMay I know what was your experience of EFT? It's ok if it's too personal to share, but I am sure there are others who would be interested to know. 1342971260 +That very interesting. I'll keep my eyes open for any news on the next jackpot winner. 1330601583 +How did you feel when you saw him, was it unsettling or peaceful? Did you get the urge to warn them? Or did you get the feeling that everything would be fine? \n\nMaybe ask if they are open to the idea of spirits before telling them you saw a deceased loved one enter their home. 1344966396 +Do omega-3 fatty acids neutralise cancer? Cool. 1346646297 +The thing about this, is that skeptics never give a shit when they're wrong. They'll go with a theory with decades, then it turns out it was another misidentification altogether, and they're still gonna be like "I told you so!". \n\nIn my opinion this is more likely a piece of glitter that got caught in the wind. The tumbling action and the two sides of bright reflection is more likely in this case. 1353518255 +As I understand it the consensus on Valerian root in ordinary pill form for sleep is a wee bit more positive, than Vitamin C for a cold. I have taken it for my own insomnia, and I at least feel as though it had a calming effect on me, but my mind was still so busy and anxious that it didn't have any really positive effect for my sleep. So I just switched back to marijuana :P Pricier, but no skepticism required lol. That shit works.\n\nAlso you might consider taking the valerian root in conjunction with melotonin pills. When I took them together for a few days it did seem to help me more than just the valerian. 1321828282 +It's not THAT bad here man. 1355092837 +I suspect the you are a on a soap box. I am not interesting in being a foil for you. 1302155040 +Whoa.. I'll try this out - *thank you* 1336113687 +Oh man, I'm sorry to hear that. I can actually almost relate, my last grandmother passed away a couple of months ago too :( I'm sure your grandmother is now in a happy and better place. My cousin had a dream about my grandmother, my cousin had planned (and did have) her wedding in May and my Grandmother couldn't make it til then :/ but my cousin had a dream where my grandmother said to her "it's alright, i'll be there at your wedding." And that was before she had passed. I'm sure they all have moved on to better places. 1345146146 +Timmy, are you there? 1352869645 +[Only men in my family....](http://i.imgur.com/f7EXB) 1347472885 +Um... did you actually watch that video? He's a 4Life distributor trying to recruit people. 1335300139 +Facts are controversial?\nI don't want to live on this planet anymore. 1321393254 +The risk of complications may be low statistically, but were a complication such as obstetric hemorrhage to occur, it could be almost immediately fatal. \n\n5 minutes to the hospital is too long in that scenario.\n\nSome might argue that 5 minutes is too far to the hospital in lots of non-childbirth related cases that are statistically more likely to occur. My personal opinion, though, is this: Why risk it when the outcome could be your child being born motherless?\n\nI would rather have all the medical facilities immediately accessible to address any complications the mother or child might experience. Still not a 100% guarantee of survival, but should complications arise, it drastically increases the odds for both mom and kiddo. 1298064128 +There is a gulf of insanity between the average mildly-religious person who wants to believe they won't die and someone has a plan for the universe, and the full-blown psychotic who actually thinks demons are running around causing headaches and sucking gay dicks.\n\nInsofar as skepticism is largely about public education, it might be worth recognizing the distinction. It's hard to know where to begin with the latter group; it might be a complete lost cause. 1353979636 +actually it doesn't, because how they're constructed is not an isolated concern. The mode of creation is connected to other issues about crop circles that aren't settled by simply arguing that human constructed circles have been documented. 1312231178 +Micro-economics might be like meteorology, but macro-economics should be more like climatology and it isn't. I've seen more predictive power come out of long term global climate studies than economics. 1309142989 +I have seen the original post, but your comment has worth the repost. 1326065621 +If you read Thunderf00t's subscriber base, you'd agree with everything except the homosexual part. 1350619143 +lol I just got done arguing with that Daemonicus idiot from another thread...\n\nHe's biggest fucking retard I've ever met. 1311040533 +>Would you be concerned if a scientist said that "Evolution is true"?\n\nYes, because it is an equally ridiculous statement. I'd do the same if anyone said the same of the Standard Model or Relativity.\n\n>Which means that AGW deniers are not acting in a rational, skeptical manner, because they are greatly exaggerating the probabilities that AGW is incorrect in order to make it appear as if the theory is controversial, and not well-supported.\n\nI disagree. Any whiff of dissent is met with pretty brutal personal attacks in a manner that is unbecoming to science. 1328287153 +People who hoax do damage to legitimate research. 1351815682 +Sorry, just not entirely certain if that was a "yes" or a "no"... 1356382808 +I used to work at a plant that processed flax for paper... we tried running hemp through the mill a few times in the past, but it's strength makes it very difficult to work with and as a result does cost substantially more to process. 1342123269 +The show is not too bad, though. However, I don't know if I have it in me to watch another "LOST"-type show. 1285167780 +I understand the other criticisms to my interpretation, but I am sorry, I don't understand this one. Are you saying that sharing knowledge is arrogant, or that everyone's knowledge is equivalent? I don't feel like I said that at all. 1336653357 +Not by itself it doesn't. You need other things like sodium as well. 1321934747 +I have no interest in debating you about the merits of lack thereof of a subreddit with ~1 million subscribers. It is entirely irrelevant to the discussion at hand.\n\nYou chose, for no apparent reason, to degrade and denigrate the members of a different subreddit in an entirely unrelated discussion. \n\nMy response was to politely suggest that you were displaying the very traits that you were ascribing to others, and then recommend that you take a good long look at yourself and your behavior.\n\nIf you truly believe that this makes me a "superior denigrating asshole", then the issue is with you, not me.\n\nAgain, look to yourself and stop blaming others for your actions. 1342673802 +Also don't little kids see weird paranormal shit? \nI don't really mind it. I'm don't believe in any religion but I'm spiritual and believe in bad entities. The story I just posted is the only good entity I've ever experienced. I guess that's just because I like scary shit. Oh well 1342942207 +No it's not. Extreme experiences induced by hallucinogenic drugs can suggest legitimate (if rash) hypotheses. Real stupidity would be to deduce that these experiences are conclusive proof rather than avenues of inquiry. Blackmore went ahead and probed such avenues, accepted the randomness of her results and after years of research admitted to being wrong. This, I call guts. Her only fault is buying too quickly into the hypotheses suggested by her experiences with drugs, something that, more often than we would like to admit, we are all guilty of. 1284890364 +What a beautiful, positive and joyful religion Catholicism is... 1342911644 +Funny - the people doing the hiring don't have any experience finding ghosts either. 1346350141 +Like Stross, I take a skeptical view of the time table put forth by Kurzwiel and all the utopian promises made by the singularitarians. The movement smacks too much of wishful thinking and something to fill a void for people who are atheist only out of fashion than a true non-belief.\n\nUnlike the author, I however do believe that something like the singularity could occur. My reasoning is this: I, you and everyone we know and who has ever lived are examples of what we (loosely and with much debate) define as 'intelligent'. Now disregarding any unprovable supernatural elements, you and I are mere patterns of atoms and electricity. There are people undoubtedly 'smarter' than us who are just slightly altered versions of the same pattern. They're over six billion samples of intelligence on this planet right now, that came about with no other influence other than nature's. If patterns like ours can sprout up with only evolution as a guide, than creating something like us artificially should be possible.\n\nIf we fully understand the pattern that defines 'us' and gain the technology to replicate the pattern and alter it: We'll have something we created that is more intelligent than the creators which is then capable to create another even more intelligent entity. This is the biggest step towards the post-singularity infinite rate of technological progression.\n\nIt doesn't necessarily have to be a computer program as a genetically modified clone could just as easily get the ball rolling. As long as we create something smarter than us, it doesn't matter if the pattern resides on a server somewhere or inside a skull.\n\nI can't imagine placing a timetable on this and I think anyone who does is just yanking our chain to sell books and seats at expensive seminars. The singularity just means: anything past this point is unpredictable. It doesn't mean instant utopia, eternal life and some form of demi-godhood for you. It just means: "Undefined."\n\nOh and by the way, Accelerando sucked. There's a lot better singularity Sci-Fi out there with more likable characters.\n\n**tl;dr:** I think the singularity could happen, but there's a lot of noise in the signal. Beware people who claim to know when it'll occur or want to tell you all about how awesome it is for a nominal fee.\n 1309053417 +most likely a bit of something left over from a shipwreck, like an old ship boiler or something. 1320945115 +lol feels like they're out in full force today... 1291433990 +It's not a street light i have a far off picture and there isn't a street light.\n 1341147709 +Look more into what?\n\nLook, you're asking me to present a thorough case using only primary evidence for a set of scientific discoveries being discovered only by humans without the help of Aliens. I can't present this case. I also know that you can't present a persuasive case to the contrary. \n\n I can however point you to every other scientific breakthrough in the history of humanity, discoveries that required moments of brilliance and departures from generally held thoughts, that were sometimes so revolutionary that they may have appeared to come out of nowhere. Was Godel inspired by Aliens when he discovered his Incompleteness Theorem? Was Einstein just copying Aliens when he proposed General and Special Relativity? Did Darwin get his ideas for Natural Selection from Aliens? If your argument is that Aliens helped us create the semi-conductor because it "came out of nowhere", then every other scientific discovery that seemingly "came out of nowhere" was also given to us by Aliens, or your argument is flawed. I don't need to give you an extensive history of the transistor to show that your argument is, quite frankly, bullshit. I just need to apply your general argument to the wealth of Humanity's scientific discoveries and show a contradiction.\n\nAs for holding "UFOs to sme crazy level of standards", I don't think I am. I think it's reasonable to expect some form of consistent, testable evidence before reaching a definitive conclusion. \n\n 1329000727 +I'm a merchant mariner and this show drives me nuts because it props up people that are using very dangerous tactics. Regardless of what you think about the politics surrounding whaling or the Antarctic whale sanctuary, they are endangering the lives of people.\n\nI personally think that the discovery channel supporting them is very irresponsible because of how dangerous they are to people. 1311439700 +So I downloaded the ghostradar app for iphone. It seems pretty fake but i swear before it said pot and i heard a pot clank in the kitchen sink. It was still daylight, I was alone, and I ran outside like a baby. 1314749530 +Could try that, thanks. 1347126723 +Essentially, it must've been a controlled demolition, because...... it looked like a controlled demolition? 1315773235 +Pat Tillman, Jessica Lynch, Suicide epidemic among veterans (see below), government hiding true debt levels (see below), the fact that social liabilities are "off-budget" (illegal), and plenty of others, but I have to run. \n\nhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/13/cbsnews_investigates/main3496471.shtml\n\nhttp://www.news.com.au/business/breaking-news/us-government-hiding-true-amount-of-debt/story-e6frfkur-1225926567256#ixzz106MjZzOz 1285161682 +I had a key come off of my keychain ring while in my pocket once. *HOW DID IT DO THAT?!* 1337183757 +Agreed, also, they make neat apps on android and im sure iphone that will record all night but only start recording when it hears sound. Nifty for this or sleep talking/dreams, etc. 1354866819 +I wouldn't say it was a huge benefit to the US to get involved in Afghanistan and Iraq. It furthered the administration's foreign policy goals, but in the long run turned out to be a costly mistake with no clear victory. As I said, if the goal had been to remove the Taliban and Saddam all along, an event like 9/11 was not necessary to carry that out. They simply seized on the opportunity when it presented itself.\n\nIt doesn't hurt to be skeptical but I believe we have established by now that the US government did not have a role in planning or carrying out the attacks. There is simply no proof. 1354827524 +Yes! I'm from Cleveland and the Mansfield Reformatory is crazy! Definitely check that place out. 1350370549 +I love Ancient Aliens. I had an opportunity to interview Phillip Coppens from the show about some of the questions I had....Here's a YouTube link if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdg20HA_rTQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player 1349374590 +I would like to know more about this. 1281147475 +Wait, is something wrong with yoga? 1335647794 +Passwords solve that problem easily, and soon every kid will have a smartphone with internet access. 1329202679 +How did he do the trick in the video then since there was no paper involved? Were the audience members just in on it? 1346379766 +I agree it would be nice to have one irrefutable piece of evidence put forward, but in the meantime... there's an eye-opening exercise at hand that is to put 'all the pieces together', that serves as evidence just the same; all the evidence ever collected over the years...reports, accounts, testimonies, research initiatives, photos, videos...all of that accounts for evidence of a genuine phenomenon, whether pathological or otherworldly in nature. \n\nThat's worthy of more research and open discourse, imo. Contemplating random photos and videos will always send us in a worthless tailspin. 1322944952 +I like this wiki, but this article in particular doesn't have any scholarly links to support its claims. I believe them, of course, but if I'm going to show her a site, I want to make sure she can't shoot it down because it doesn't have support. Maybe I'll check out the credentials of the editors? 1346881164 +On Day 4 after Matt sees the injuries on his leg, did you guys just drop the topic and continued playing or did you talk about it? What did you talk about? How did you feel? 1344867340 +I have a ton of gadgits but my core kit includes: a digital voice recorder with external microphone, video camera with infra red/ultra violet, illuminators for the camera, a digital still camera, a still film camera, EMF detector, flashlight, and pen and paper.\n\nSince you are starting out you don't need all the fancy stuff yet. Learn how to use the basics first then add on new toys. Learn to observe your surroundings and to always be aware of what is going on around you. That alone will take you further than any equipment can. 1344537141 +> But just think how we could save the world by teaching starving people to do dishes!\n\nI thought we were already doing that? 1277686542 +The story doesn't seem legitimate. The man without a country doesn't mention the name of the country, as they most certainly would've taken note of. 1354226915 +This seems like the movie *Donnie Darcko*. A guy who is told by a creepy bunny costume the world will end in october 31st I think... Anyway, he soon discovers in the movie that wormholes occur and appear randomly anywhere in the universe. As long as you have a metal craft (according to the movie), you could safely travel through time. Reading these kinds of things make me think that it could be possible to do without. 1352693538 +Strange things have been known to happen near I-29N. 1339162743 +If the only source is the FDA, then you aren't very much of a skeptic. The FDA has approved many things that turn out to be harmful later. They are bought by the people they regulate, just like every other regulator. 1341970413 +I myself am atheist, yet I have a strong belief in ghosts. Less of a spirit idea than the escape of an energy that is connected to an area or community. 1341462808 +Next on the agenda: let's talk about the dangers of [dihydrogen monoxide](http://www.dhmo.org/msdsdhmo.html)! 1339593251 +If their belief in Santa was to tech pseudo-science that can be dangerous, you should speak the fuck up or you are just as guilty. 1318452725 +If you can say that then you run with the moron crowd. 1336389728 +I watched The Doctors TV program the other day and they recommended rubbing Epsom salt in the scalp before showering as a help with dandruff. That seems like a more effective use of Epsom salt in a warm bath.\n 1295419884 +Your logic is based on the current definition of slander.\nEdit: I should expand on that. "Social" truths are subjective by nature. How confident are we that a lawyer couldn't "objectively" prove that a social truth was slandered in a court room? 1316991557 +I'd wanna know why he sued his girlfriend for killing his rose bush :/ 1342567770 +Thanks a lot! Always looking for some new places to explore within a days drive. 1331591301 +Goddamn mobile reddit. This is in response to the Dudley rd. post. 1347376850 +http://www.channelguidemagblog.com/index.php/2011/09/23/long-island-medium-theresa-caputo-talks-to-my-dead-mother-for-real/\n\nThis is just cold reading...... 1317934348 +Perhaps they should start a scheme whereby audiophiles can specify how much they'd like to pay. Of course there's a lot of cachet in spending more than those other suckers. 1263937737 +>If you disagree that CO2 is not a greenhouse gas and that we should not attempt to reduce emissions your are purposely murdering our planet.\n\nThese are opinions not actions. Opinions don't hurt anything, only actions do. Emitting CO2 in an unsustainable way murders the planet, believing this is false does nothing of the kind. 1333725884 +I am trying to raise the question, and you may take it as an attack if you like. \nIt seems like even raising a legitimate question, which him owning slaves in a government that he headed, in which the ruling class owned 93% of the wealth, and owned serfs or slaves, certainly is. It is also reported in multiple sources that his party owned approximately 6,000 slaves. When I raise the question, though, I am attacked as though I have an ulterior motive or something. Or people accuse me of being a Chinese sympathizer, when I think that the Chinese government is one of the worst in history.\n\nNobody should be beyond question, and it seems as though he is. Even posting a differing viewpoint elicits anger and scorn from nearly anyone on Reddit, much in the way criticism of Mother Teresa used to before all those stories came out. Instead of researching it, everyone of the 50+ sources I have shown to others have been dismissed, and I have been accused of bias. I don't know of many other public figures that get this level of loyalty and support without question. It seems fishy, when he said that he lied for years about taking the CIA's money and guns to train guerilla fighters, after denying for 50 years that he did it.\n\nLet me ask you why you think I'm attacking him when all I'm doing is raising legitimate questions? And why does it "seem painfully obvious?" It is a 6 word, direct question I asked. How could you read into it what my motive was?\n\nI am merely a skeptic who is allergic to bullshit, and I don't care what a person's status is. 1353912085 +I have a couple of these kids living in my house. My sons have super dark eyes, so dark it's almost impossible to tell where the pupil ends and the iris begins.( I also have the same eyes.) Good to know I'm right when I say they are acting like little monsters 1335294964 +Oh man. Something does not want me to see these pictures. I logged in with Facebook and it's just blinking and refusing to load! 1331090789 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWoNAagCbsM 1319257738 +Maybe because he was "Trespassing"? 1351522147 +Did you even read the article? 1349279376 +Did you even read the article? 1354431573 +They meant sodium chloride... move along. 1241387625 +Bromine was exactly the answer I got when searching for an answer to this a few months ago. At high dilutions, it wouldn't irritate his hands and would warm up just fine, I suspect. 1309630668 +I hope that soon we can get rid of the cultural belief that fit = thin, lazy = fat. It's really just how much food you eat, nothing else. Of course it's harder for the very fat to exercise, but that seems to be the only actual correlation. 1345908117 +Yes, and that is not equivalent to "Islam is the only source of Middle Eastern problems." But it is pretty similar to "Islam is the major source of problems in the Middle East."\n\nIf I edited the image to clarify that it is the major source of problems in the Middle East, would you then agree with this post and what I've been saying all along??\n\nBecause I feel like the major source of animosity in this thread, is the fact that people think I am claiming if we just get rid of religion, somehow the Middle East will become Europe---never do I say that. I am simply saying that Islam is a major source of problem and we shouldn't be so reluctant to dismiss the influence of religion has on these countrys' tragic situations. 1347871351 +> but it was indicative of a larger problem that is a big deal, and which was made evident in the responses to Watson's comments.\n\nNo, it wasn't indicative. \n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clustering_illusion\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_sharpshooter_fallacy\n\n 1351154529 +You don't seem to be able to argue either side effectively from where I'm sitting. Your links certainly don't do the job. 1341321781 +Nothing about this is stupid. Everyone has their own take on things. I personally dont like the word "Psychic" or honestly believe in them (but I am open to the idea for obvious reasons. I just have a hard time with people who pray on peoples money during times of loss.) \n\nIt is very well possible that she was there guarding you from your accident. And I have read when people have near death experiences or extremely traumatic experiences, that they experience a "quick connection" with the other side. \n\nWhile I am in no way shape or form an expert on this, but I think it could happen. \n\n* and im glad to hear you are okay after such a scary accident :( 1333899574 +It's because it's a Silly Con Watch 1305658710 +perhaps the glass was poorly placed in the cupboard and a very slow slippage occurred. perhaps there was a small earth tremor which knocked over the glass. perhaps a shift in air pressure. perhaps the house shifted on its foundations. perhaps the dog bumped into the cupboard.\n\nmaybe i am an idiot but doesn't wave function and superposition apply to sub atomic particles and not objects such as glasses in cupboards? 1342783427 +Possibly I was more strident than I should have been, I still can't tell since it's 5:40AM and my blood is dangerously low on caffeine. As you say, drug references are a staple of mass media throughout the western world and much as I abhor the concept of commercial prisons I don't think a sinister conspiracy is required to explain the graph I linked above. 1336107195 +Tagged you as "legitimately thinks milk is a carcinogen". 1328526324 +"Are you that starved for recognition that you have to put your entire post in quotes and then attribute it to yourself?"\n\n-The most insightful person on the internet 1339708503 +I took the time to look up the "founders" of higher criticism or as he called it, the critical historical method, I saw that of the one of the first men to apply that kind of reasoning to the study of the bible, was a catholic priest. He was very controversial on many of his views (advocate of free will and stuff) but he was still a priest. I think a priest, even one who fancies himself as a philosopher born of the age of reason, will hardly apply any form of criticism in a way that would be so detrimental to his faith. Using “reason” in this way is quite convenient when it comes to validating one’s “holy” texts. Then again, the man could have been without bias… because the Church is well known for that. 1306446780 +From the article: \n\n> The helmets shielded their wearers from radio waves over most of the tested spectrum ... but, surprisingly, amplified certain frequencies: those in the 2.6 Ghz ( allocated for mobile communications and broadcast satellites) and 1.2 Ghz (allocated for aeronautical radionavigation and space-to-Earth and space-to-space satellites) bands. \n\nExcuse me? They're saying that a simple piece of foil can *amplify* a signal? Where exactly is the power for this amplification coming from? \n\nNow, I could believe that a conical shaped foil hat might focus radiation that leaks in from below since it will "trap" it inside the hat... \n\nAnyway, any paranoid person with a little bit of sense knows that the only truly effective tinfoil setup is one that covers the whole body, going all the way to the ground. That way you have a full body Faraday cage (with the ground, being a fairly good conductor and *somewhat* thick, acting as the final side).\n\nThe only downside of this getup is that you can be mistaken for a very shiny futuristic member of the KKK. 1349123216 +Just because you have never had experences, dosent mean others havent. You quite possibly could have, and never recgonized them as such, your not open to it. A lot of people arent. I know what i have experenced in my life and after seeing my dead ex boyfriend in my back seat, in my mirror, telling me to pull over right now, ( and beleive me ,I did) and watched a semi go through a the redlight. If I hadent of pulled over at that moment. I would have gone through the green light on my side and been hit by that 18 Wheeler dead on. THAT was all the proof I needed. 1344011298 +I found a [link](http://www.amazon.com/12-Piece-Sand-Water-Playset/dp/B0080XVB2A) for you. 1347749798 +Lol'd 1350267738 +I don't think you understood what the article was about. 1289960184 +I happy for you guys for sticking to healthy eating habits. \n\nSimply addressing the logic behind this diet. Modern agriculture is not bad, is not causing illness, and athletes are not better off if they avoid rice. \n 1292294189 +Atheism isn't "Patriotic". It is the non-belief in God or Gods. Period.\n\nOne can be an Atheist and be extremely Partiotic or a complete traitor. 1341357215 +So OBEs are not related to astral projection?\n 1320325251 +which i did, before going here:\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/gzlto/simple_question_suicide_post_has_this_been/\n\ni even get less of a reply.\n\ni should have formulated my question this way: how can a plank bend wheat without breaking it? 1304097599 +YES!!! PLEASE! 1349815418 +Okay, it's more like a teacher. She has a Masters and this stuff is definitely not curriculum material. 1332005009 +Well, does it? 1318536291 +In all likelihood, it's probably a bug. 1344211545 +I'm sorry, you might have confused heavy metals with something like riacin. You see, they aren't. Hooray! Because it is not uncommon to ingest various heavy metals throughout your lifetime for a variety of reasons. Such as a penchant for predatory fish perhaps. God only knows, but, thankfully, heavy metals aren't dangerous unless certain thresholds are exceeded. Else, there would not likely be one Japanese person who could form sentences due to mercury poisoning. 1256737290 +[The Long Run Blog](http://thelongrunblog.wordpress.com/) 1334288600 +I think you meant 93% of dumb people and 98% of people who can talk. \n\nDumb means you can't talk 1342160501 +As if they need more people wasting their time and making life harder for them. See: Wyclef Jean's Yele charity bullshit 1350902781 +Protip: They are made by people. 1283451218 +for fuck's sake. I explained this on another thread(s).\n\nHomeopathic quacks will do _both versions_.\n\nwith the stupidest people they will say that you dilute a poison to cure a poison.\n\nWith others, they say you dilute a medicine in order to increase it's potency because water 'remembers' what's been in it.\n\nIt's about the money.\n 1279052215 +Yes I do. They are exploiting people in the same way. 1305346285 +What! Huffpo publishing unverified bullshit!? THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS 1278544195 +I believe it may have to do with blood pressure/flow. 1340058741 +As a skeptic I really don't have an opinion about acupuncture besides knowing that there is no substantial evidence or logic for how or why it works. I'm very willing to listen if new evidence or a new theory of acupuncture comes to light.\n\nThat being said, why go chasing after something that, by your own admission, is just barely able to show any appreciable effect? Why throw billions at CAM when there are far more promising therapies and drugs on the horizon?\n\nI guess I'm just lost on why someone would defend something that's really not that big of a deal. 1346292533 +Zero. No chance. \n\nPeter Panic summed it up pretty well. 1340742510 +Firstly, it’s called a [*doom*buggy](http://www.doombuggies.com/).\n\nSecondly, your description of the location of your mom and sister doesn’t make sense to me; at Disneyland in California, the doombuggies turn left to face the hitchhiking ghosts, so the doombuggy in front of you with your mom and sister would then have been to your right.\n\nIn any case, do you have a source for the story of the death of the teenager? 1341959613 +Sounds like breatharianism. Well, Breatharians supposedly live on air rather than sunlight, but you get there by the same method.\n\nhttp://whatstheharm.net/breatharianism.html 1298067474 +Just for the record, I haven't downvoted you. I believe that there are ET vehicles, I believe they can be caught on camera - but that doesn't mean I turn off common sense. \n\nYou seem to do, though. And you try to make it sound like I say pretty much the opposite of what I do. I think people are right to downvote you. 1351280890 +Or wearing a hat and riding about in a tank lookign like snoopy. 1319016809 +TL;DR? 1291527145 +This may be weird to most of you if not all of you, but when I went to school in the... ahhhemm.. 1960's, our straw wrappers, not the straws, were sweet tasting. Yeah, they were so sweet, us kids would chew the paper of the straw. Why would these wrappers be tasting so sweet? I don't know, but I did hear some rumors of them being sweetened with aspartame. What's with that? Was this a testing ground? Were we guinea pigs for the product? I am only now questioning this since I see no need for aspartame to be used in straw wrappers, and the sweetness is still in my memory and I can assure you it was aspartame. 1278716785 +might want to observe 'rational', poster of this, is the same guy. 1288248336 +I agree....seems like something significant happened so it would be nice to see and judge for ourselves. 1242856221 +It's likely a higher being interacting with you and extremely likely (IMO) to be one of your guides or something. It's easy to develop a fear initially (I definitely did) but once I got into reading/understanding these things, those fears quickly subsided. Best way to look at it... imagine a loving, mentor-like parent who you unfortunately cannot remember at the moment trying to get your attention and strengthen the connection between the two of you. 1346551517 +Awesome. A bit about my confirmation bias: I've had pot 6 times in 8+ years and haven't cared for it. I much prefer alcohol. A couple of times I've had pot because I was traveling, forgot my painkillers, ended up in a bad situation, and the only painkillers strong enough people had on them were medical pot, which works, but is short lived and kind of annoying. One thing that I have found to be fascinating about pot is how drastically different some strands are. It is almost like pot is multiple different types of drugs under one name.\n\nAnyways, the study doesn't go over brain chemistry, or 'brain damage' yet it implies as much. I think people forget that IQ change in a person is tied to personality, not genetics, and therefor to look at IQ change you look towards personality change not brain development. The idea that minors have a lower IQ from something physical and not something tied to a personality change seems unreasonable, yet implied, which is kind of annoying.\n\nI'm not doubting the study, but more the implications.\n\nWhat do you think of my perspective? 1346350345 +You're right, our president wouldn't have the spine to do that, such an action would require change. Instead he will continue playing the same old game and keep it a secret. 1328080646 +Here's what happened in plan layman's terms: The solar radiation from the CME (coronal mass ejection, aka solar flare) hit dust particles being left in the wake of an extremely hot planet with no atmosphere to keep all the surface dust contained when an meteoroid hits. This dust is being pulled along by the magnetosphere, thus when the solar radiation hit the ionized particles and was refracted through the magnetosphere, we see a phenomenon very similar to what we on earth label an aurora. 1323429202 +The basis for chiropractic theory - subluxation is completely false. There is no such thing. So, what do you think of someone that trains in an occupation for which the very basis is false? 1322339806 +Came here to say exactly this. 9/10 "paranormal investigations" are done for the sole purpose of people scaring themselves, with any "evidence" being largely anecdotal. \n\nI'm not saying ghosts don't real, but most ghost hunts are just for fun. 1341039333 +*\\*sigh*\\* I seem to have taken this thread as my crusade *du jour*. Be that as it may, I might as well proceed.\n\nConsidering that the Norwegian Medical Association is a member or the WMA, I'm pretty sure that you, too, adhere to the principles of the [Declaration of Helsinki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Helsinki) and it's later revisions, that state e.g. that:\n\n*"The benefits, risks, burdens and effectiveness of a new method should be tested against those of the best current prophylactic, diagnostic, and therapeutic methods. This does not exclude the use of placebo, or no treatment, in studies where no proven prophylactic, diagnostic or therapeutic method exists."*\n\nThis means that controlling with only a placebo - i.e. a sham treatment with no physiological effects - is *unethical* if there is an already effective treatment available. Otherwise, the use of a placebo is only acceptable if the treatment studied is *"for a minor condition and the patients who receive placebo will not be subject to any additional risk of serious or irreversible harm"*. \n\nYou cannot study e.g. a cancer medicine with half of the subjects only getting saline injections - that would be a death sentence to those unlucky enough to be in the control group.\n\nThis doesn't mean that the studies do not take into account the placebo-effect, but that they just do not use an actual placebo.\n\nThere is no need to test each drug against a *bona fide* placebo to determine that it fulfills the effectiveness requirement you mention. If you test against a prevailing treatment you pretty much know already that if you do better than it, you certainly do better than a placebo. Broadly speaking, the success rate requirement only really applies to somewhat suspicious treatments trying to get approval to be called a medicine, like herbal remedies - e.g. whether [echinacea extracts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinacea) can be called medicine or not. Nobody wants to develop a drug that is e.g. overall less effective as a painkiller as ibuprofen - a drug like that would never go into production from economic reasons alone, even if it somehow gained approval (which it wouldn't).\n\nI swear I'm not making this up, these are international treaties and guidelines, to which each individual Medical Association has agreed. Check with your friend, I'm pretty darn sure they'll agree with me. 1326136771 +? | You should change the upvote and downvote signs to question marks on this subreddit\n------------- | -------------\n** ¿ ** | \n\n 1309473609 +The [Cash Landrum Incident](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash-Landrum_incident) is, in my mind, the best example of what you're looking for.\n\nMultiple eyewitnesses, measurable physical effects, and evidence of government involvement from reliable sources. \n\nI've been to the site once. It's a surprisingly isolated area, despite being so close to Houston. Definitely creepy too. 1346712731 +I worked summer jobs on a biodynamic (Demeter certified) farm for years during high school and can attest your introduction to the topic is quite spot on. While the 'organic farming' bit always made sufficient sense to me, seeing the farmer dowsing amidst the cauliflowers made me question his sanity. 1330276098 +Wow... I consider myself pretty well versed in all things UFO, but it never occurred to me that Rendlesham and the Cash Landrum case were separated by only a few days. That's quite the interesting coincidence. 1344565866 +I could imagine myself crapping my pants if that were to happen to me, freaky stuff. 1336309180 +My issue was with your first sentence. Theism is about belief. Gnosticism is about knowledge.\n\nStrong atheism is "I believe there is no God (or no gods)."\nGnostic atheism is "I know there is no God (or gods)." 1288376197 +Sorry, where is the proof? Was there a voice mail left from an alien, on an ancient Mayan Nokia phone?\n\nDon't get me wrong, I want to believe and thing there is life out there, but please stop saying we have effing evidence unless E.T. shows up and says, "Yo". 1331684203 +I don't care about chiropractic at all.\n\nThe thing about acupuncture in regards to cronic pain is that there are a few big and independent studies that show that it actually does help.\n\nWhat doesn't make a difference is where you shove the needles, as long as you pierce the body.\n\nCheck this out, it's an artical on a large study done by german health insurcance companies to evaluate the viability of acupuncture:\nhttp://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spiegel.de%2Fspiegel%2Fprint%2Fd-32565481.html\n 1326043112 +Exactly! Every Ghost hunter-ish show is way too dramatic and 'hokey' IMHO. I'd love to watch A group of ex-Navy Seals or Army Rangers systematically go through a place that is 'haunted'. 1334124116 +You can learn to spot the person who doesn't care if they're telling the truth or not because when they write to try to convince, they just list a bunch of things that they think might change your mind. There's no structure, no organization, no plan - and no attention to whether any of the things contradict each other.\n\nSomeone who actually cares about the answer sets up the question, identifies whatever factors it might depend on, forms a plan to investigate, and draws some conclusions. 1317752056 +My skeptic brain is confused by this wizard I see. Rethinking factuality of LOTR. 1300559936 +Is this really any worse than relying on prayer to heal an injury or cure a disease? It's all a bunch of clap-trap. 1335514197 +TheCookieMonster posted [this video](http://www.reddit.com/r/MMA/comments/bi43j/ki_master_vs_mma_old_video_but_im_posting_it/c0mvkvk?context=1) which may shed some light. 1269568321 +I don't recall whether or not my insurance covers homeopathy, but it does cover Christian Science practitioners. &#3232;\\_&#3232; 1342741595 +Being dumb? Like taking vitamin pills that you don't need? Yeah. 1314453663 +Yea. To get banned from /r/mediation you have to be really a kook.\n\nNut wasn't a strong enough term I'm sorry to say. 1351367551 +I'm not 100% sure myself but it's something that should be added to the general conversation. 1287560267 +Let's do it! 1304750864 +Or a medicine! 1321909803 +That's why it says "undergraduates." And 52 is not a "small" sample size. 1325647929 +(It's worth noting that the video mostly focuses on the question of safety of artificial sweeteners, not efficacy for weightloss. That doesn't make these points less valid, but is relevant for any redditors wondering what the video is all about.)\n\n> Several large scale prospective cohort studies found positive correlation between artificial sweetener use and weight gain. The San Antonio Heart Study examined 3,682 adults over a seven- to eight-year period in the 1980s [18]. When matched for initial body mass index (BMI), gender, ethnicity, and diet, drinkers of artificially sweetened beverages consistently had higher BMIs at the follow-up, with dose dependence on the amount of consumption. \n \nCorrelation, not causation. I thought I was in /r/skeptic here? I am disapoint. \n \nOver-eaters tend to consume a lot of things, including sodas (diet or otherwise). Skinny, health-conscious people avoid sodas (diet or otherwise). Thus, being fat will lead you to drink more sodas (diet or otherwise). Artificial sweeteners might indeed make you fat, but this study does not in any way prove that.\n\n> In addition, consensus from interventional studies suggests that artificial sweeteners do not help reduce weight when used alone [2,25]. BMI did not decrease after 25 weeks of substituting diet beverages for sugar-sweetened beverages in 103 adolescents in a randomized controlled trial, except among the heaviest participants\n\nSwitching to diet soda didn't work...except when **it did work**.\n\n> double blind study subjected 55 overweight youth to 13 weeks of a 1,000 Kcal diet accompanied by daily capsules of **aspartame or lactose placebo**. Both groups lost weight, and the difference was not significant. Weight loss was attributed to caloric restriction\n\nUm...no one is saying that artificial sweeteners miraculously cause weightloss. I'm pretty sure the claim is that replacing sugar with an artificial sweetener -- assuming all other variables remain static -- will result in reduced caloric intake, which then results in weightloss. Comparing aspartame to a placebo and having both groups lose the same weight in fact suggests that aspartame does NOT lead to weight-gain.\n\n> Similar results were reported for a 12-week, 1,500 Kcal program using either regular or diet soda [28]. Interestingly, when sugar was covertly switched to aspartame in a metabolic ward, **a 25 percent immediate reduction in energy intake** was achieved [29]. \n\nHey, look at that.\n\n> Further, the research in this review indicates that artificial sweeteners do not activate neurological satiety loops in the same way as sucrose, *meaning they actually increase appetite*\n\nNo, the study says they **may** contribute to increased appetite. Sounds like a hypothesis to me, not a conclusion.\n\nAlso, why *should* a zero-calorie drink trigger your full satiation response? You aren't satiated at all. Is there any indication that it SUPPRESSES a satiation response, if consumed during a meal? There's nothing in your excerpt at all. Nothing that supports the idea that artificial sweeteners would lead to binging or cravings.\n\nBTW, the normal pathway (as I understand it) for a satiation response is Grehlin, which is produced by a drop in blood sugar, which normally comes after an insulin response. Artificial sweeteners don't produce an insulin response, which is (one of the reasons?) why that chain fails, which is a GOOD THING -- because an insulin response would: \n* Lead to an inappropriate fall in blood sugar, resulting in an actual, acute craving \n* Trigger fat cells to store fat (and to prevent them from releasing energy from fat), which would res \n 1311965910 +i don't think this Dr. Nathaniel Jeanson, in all his time at harvard learned anything. to him biology was probably verbatim regurgitation of things he read with out actually allowing them to sink in, he most likely spent the whole time just going through the motions until he graduated. i want to know where he was on the ratio of pass to fail when he sat his finals, i wouldn't be surprised if he only just scraped through. 1335588966 +>Often the news media use the words "highly diluted" when in fact homeopathy is just highly delusional. \n\nGreat line. :D 1283382057 +That was in reference to her blog, she frequently write about publications and takes them out of context. If you then correct her in the comments, she'll delete the comment, ban you, and update saying since no one disputed her she must be right; even though anyone will tell you that's not how a skeptic acts. \n\nAnd then there was the elevator incident when some guy asked her for coffee while waiting for an elevator and she just flipped the fuck out; Richard Dawkins even got involved and wrote a letter she over reacted, and she went on diatribe about how he being a man he could never understand how traumatic it was for her. 1346204674 +What is the paranormal connection exactly? 1310213173 +There might be evidence that any unsubstantiated claim occurred. But this guy presented none. That's why it is a story. 1352401092 +nope. 1354397063 +There is definitely a conspiracy of reality against christianity. Trillions upon trillions of particles are conspiring to behave according to laws that go against christian dogmas and canon. They all seem to communicate almost instantly with invisible waves to coordinate their actions. If that's not a large scale conspiracy against religion, I don't know what it is. 1344611346 +>my ringtone was bohemian rhapsody\nI signed in on three accounts to upvote this. 1329121191 +This is why I cannot stand when the media reports on video games. It's very clear they have no actual understanding of what video games look like or what it's like to play them. I have even seen actual news report something like, "Grand Theft Auto, a game in which players are rewarded points and gold coins for killing cops". That's a slight paraphrase but very close to the actual quote. 1356005411 +Not sure, but this site is highly known here, maybe thats why?\n\nWelcome though. 1334835166 +I love how they make it look like cake and cookies are better for you than steak or turkey. 1346445372 +How government should work. 1343257769 +Or maybe the UFO flap that happened in the 40-60s that started the whole flying saucer thing has faded and real sightings are much less frequent... 1348530771 +Not clear what you consider *real* evidence. I find that people who call themselves *skeptics* have generally made up their mind beforehand, and frankly you come off like you are spoiling for an argument. 1313510696 +Check in particular the Pambakian family. 1328362004 +Must be a spaceship then. Just look up space debri on wikipedia to get an idea how much random junk is orbiting earth. I don't want to burst your bubble but its most likely debri. 1346774404 +I'm constantly amazed that women aren't ranting day and night with rage about how they're often portrayed and the messages their media representatives give them. 1294485416 +I am a woman and an atheist. If a man, or anyone for that matter, did the same thing as the man in the elevator indecent I would decline and just go on with my life. I see that there is no issue with what this man did. Words are words. He didn't even speak rudely. He never threatened her or intimidated her in any way. Not even one physical touch. In my opinion as a woman this is meaningless. If a person asks me if I want to play baseball with them, but I just took the bar I would turn them down to rest. The two are the same in my mind. 1351116053 +Again, I'm not limiting this to marijuana smoking. [Here](http://www.emedicinehealth.com/smoke_inhalation/article_em.htm), [here](http://burningissues.org/health-effects.html), I didn't read through all of the sources on this [one](http://www.drugscience.org/Petition/C2B.html) but it appears sound. Again, I'm not knocking marijuana, the message trying to be portrayed is smoke=bad. Vaping and edibles should be the preferred method. 1332797923 +I just got of the phone with a buddy of mine who as a biology/general science teacher had some pH test paper lying around. Lemon juice (fresh squeeze) came in at a pH of 2 to 3. Since the chart didn't specify whether it would be just the juice or the lemon as whole he popped half a lemon in a blender and tested it at a pH of about 4. \nThe point you made about distilled water seems to have been sufficiently discussed in the thread you linked to, so I don't see how that justifies your observation that 'there is no scepticism here'. 1339624465 +lol. i read that as " Christiano Ronaldo claims end of the world is on May 21 2011". 1304980932 +Dawkins is DEFINITELY a liberal! 1306594175 +There ARE weapons of mass destruction in blah blah blah. People lie someitmes. 1304503910 +you are not verbose, but you are a gent. great post. 1331825455 +>7. If you can pedal a bicycle at an average of 10 mph, how long would it take to reach the moon riding your bicycle taking a three hour break every fifth hour?\n\nIt would take just over 4 years\n\nWhat the fuck does this have to do with Darwinism?\n\nI was gonna say that. 1307725492 +back in the day, Perry DeAngelis was a pretty good reason too. RIP 1310043170 +I guess I'm mainly looking at the 2nd box in the first panel ("Because for each thing...").\n\nThe protagonist's choice not to make fun of people comes not from the humility and self-awareness of understanding that he himself does not know many things, but rather the idea that his knowledge is special and obscure and so, gosh, all those regular ol' folks out there can't be expected to know what I know!\n\nIt is entirely possible that I am reading far too much into this and/or projecting and/or misinterpreting and/or need to cut back on coffee. 1336589592 +The orwellian use of the word "complementary" has nothing to do with the fact that it complements a primary treatment regimen. Treatments are not singular entities, in the same way that most diseases are not discrete problems with singular etiologies. Alt-med nutters use the word because it makes it seem like they aren't trying to deny the earth is round and revolves around the sun. It's like "intelligent design." 1319521920 +Best thing that comes to mind is your camera flash plus the quickness he needed to take the pic caused a bit of a blur. I personally have had that happen on both my iPhone and a regular camera. I also have never captured anything close to a ghostly phenomenon on film (but I have had more than enough personal experiences.) That being said, I have to ask: why should it freak you out that it might be a spirit? 1354947522 +That is freaky. There's a Highway that leads up to a place called Genting Highlands in Malaysia. Apparently stuff like this happens pretty often there. It is said that the people seen crossing or running across the road are victims of fatal accidents that have happened there. Maybe what you saw was a spirit of a victim? Or maybe just one passing by... 1334395177 +I know! That's some hateful shiznit, eh wot! 1315797305 +Derren. 1331133979 +>You are confusing the serious complications from the smallpox study with general complications.\n\nLike I said, I don't know what these complications are. I'm a physicist. Please provide me something to work with here. What is a complication from a vaccine? I've read a lot of literature about the field, I'm not totally ignorant of vaccines. But, I'm not sure what you think a "complication" is. Could you please be more clear about this? I'm actually genuinely curious. I'm merely being skeptical of your claims. I think this is the right subreddit for that, right?\n\nAlso, I never claimed that the US one is better than the European one. I more or less assume that they are the same until proven otherwise. I think that burden is on you, not on me. You're the one claiming that there is a benefit, yet you admit that you have no real evidence of that other than a conversation or so that you've had with people about "complications" that they have had. I don't know anyone who has had complications from vaccines here in the US. Could you please explain this to me? 1316112149 +So you agree that they can't explain it then right ? 1356303637 +The fuck is this? 1323601236 +The fuck is this? 1289532587 +^ this guy right here is using his brain. This is the stuff. 1348106757 +Forget it. He cannot recover. He is mentally ill and needs some kind of medical attention - but will never seek it. 1347287008 +We live in America unfortunately :T one of her old friends is a Wiccan but sadly, he's not the brightest of people. At the moment, I'd say it's fairly low key other than some malevolent giggling we heard a couple weeks ago, which I have to say scared the crap out of me XD 1341335551 +looks like some type of sanding/blasting media:\n\nhttp://www.kingspolishing.com/pro_detail.aspx?contentid=814\n\nThey even list a 'tri-star' shape, but there's no photo. 1343809586 +This, unfortunately.\n\nThis. 1332274169 +"He made us in his stupid image."\n\nSuddenly, the existence of creationists makes sense. 1321546921 +I guess I should spell it out. Conservative sources like those listed above tend to either\n\n1. Shed doubts on anthropogenic global warming\n2. Downplay the negative effects that it has\n3. Shed doubt on our ability to do something about it\n4. Or shed doubt about the degree of anthropogenic global warming.\n\nThe UCS is in the business of sheding light on just how bad global warming is an strongly advocates doing something about it. It's no wonder they aren't fond of more conservative publications like these. It's analogous to a bunch of jews rating arab news agencies. 1348425919 +I really have never tried or know the answer, but can one easily change their IP address? 1317508466 +I know an actual astrologer who does readings. He draws out all the charts by hand and is deeply into it. He is of course insane. 1319393472 +I'm no expert on Asia, but I'm pretty sure they eat mammals there too. 1289329739 +It just doesn't make science. 1300868355 +For fuck's sake. Anyone can disprove the minute details that this shit debunks, and anyone who is looking to disprove this movie on a whole will go "Oooh a link that aligns with my sheltered worldview! TL;DR The movie was complete and utter bullshit and that's that!"\n\nThe truth will set you free, and if you think everything in this movie was conspiratorial coincidence ask yourself this: What does this man and the organization that created this movie have to gain from "tricking" you into believing this? He's the heir to Procter and Gamble! \n\nNow ask what the establishment/Illuminati/13 families/Dark Occultists/Banks/Corporations/whatever-the-fuck-you-want-to-call-the-people-screwing-over-EVERYONE-else has to gain from the lies they spin? Everything: Us as slaves, the wealth of the world, and power.\n\nOpen your eyes, wake up, and realize the truths that are right in front of your faces. 1338328644 +I think there's room for both approaches and that both can be persuasive in different ways. It all depends on who you're trying to convince. Are you trying to convince the guy who is convinced that magic water fixed him? If so, you won't get very far by insulting him. Are you trying to convince the audience to whom this guy is trying to sell his magic water? Well then making him look like an ass would be one of the easiest ways to convince them. 1344609702 +I've been around the internet for a long time, and nearly everyone that sends out stupid threats is 14 or a total troll. If there are some people that are serious, they're idiots; however, they're likely a very small, yet vocal minority.\n\nI just don't take internet threats at all seriously. 1351135509 +Some poor kid is looking for that because they dropped it while shopping with there momma:-/ 1342301311 +Woman's son= man 1306110989 +So really it should be 'survival of the sexingest'? 1335084327 +Doesn't have to be that way. People will believe any stupid shit as long as you give them some sort of logical-sounding reason. My relatives read somewhere that freezing water before drinking it changes its crystal structure for a better one. When I told them that once you unfreeze it the crystals will be gone anyway they fell back to "at least this kills bacterias and the newspaper said its good for you" and continued to do so anyway. 1317226738 +Looks like they were smoking 1331898020 +Pfff... if they were really "max strength," the capsules would be coloured red. :-) 1338818998 +Pretty sure that's [Redmond](http://i.imgur.com/YRkXO.jpg), not California. 1343148203 +Mm. That definitely is interesting. I wonder what it was... 1343476847 +If it was not be tested on animals, it was tested on poor people.\n\nI don't buy anything that was not tested on animals. 1331838754 +This stagnant growth is a property of cost effectiveness and political attractiveness, no? In the U.S., at least, nuclear power was a non-starter for decades because of political pressure from environmental groups. Ironically, this forced US power generation largely to coal, which is about the most environmentally disastrous source of energy imaginable. 1328558121 +So in your opinion, society is irrelevant and we shouldn't care about things like racism or sexism as long as we aren't directly affected by it? 1351179224 +Interesting. I just watched the [original](http://youtu.be/2w0myRrAewA) video, and a few things struck me. This one seemed to be drifting quite a bit. The one I saw traveled at a constant speed at level altitude. Even the speed and direction(s) of the tumbling were constant. I probably should have described it before as being as it was as if it was spinning on multiple axes. The video will give me something to think about, though. Thanks! 1321810112 +Fake 1270980562 +Fake 1293603479 +Fake 1326097948 +Fake 1326736075 +Fake 1331787811 +Fake 1335752959 +Fake 1345741568 +Fake 1304532094 +It's an ironic page that was meant to show you the face of God. 1297796317 +I have lightly dleivered, check /r/paranormal now. 1341467221 +I have lightly dleivered, check /r/paranormal now. 1341467228 +I have lightly dleivered, check /r/paranormal now. 1341467238 +I have lightly dleivered, check /r/paranormal now. 1341467261 +Barrett has [previously responded to Bolen](http://www.quackwatch.com/11Ind/bolen.html) and has, in fact, filed a libel suit or two based on thing Bolen has posted and others have re-published. Many of the claims being made a provably wrong, and he has won several settlements.\n\nRead Barrett's rebuttal and decide for yourself. From my perspective, it looks like Bolen has a bone to pick and dosen't have the truth on his side. 1287637661 +Where can I see your recordings? 1341504071 +This has taught me some important lessons. First, that I can become immune to psychic attack by having my tongue "in the wrong position". Also that if that doesn't work, I can always fight off psychic attack by raising up my big toes. \n\nThe excuses people come up with when their woo is proven wrong is both amazing and rather sad. 1330571054 +The "victim" sounds like the dumber one. 1346645750 +they have a mini alien they are doing something to at the end. they were messin with the eye socket. 1356697373 +There is clearly the danger of legitimizing someone's view by accepting to debate them. And perhaps that risk is large enough to warrant declining such a debate.\n\nI do however think it would be hilarious to tackle creationists by arguing them from the point of view of alternative creation standpoints. \n\n"What nonsense! Clearly humanity wasn't created by Cannanite wargod Jahwe, everyone knows full well that Men were created from the vegetable world by the gods Odin, Hoenir and Lodur. One day the three gods were travelling across the barren earth and came across two trees with life-less twisted trunks. Odin shaped each of the trees into a man and a woman, and gave each of them breath. Hoenir gave them a soul and the ability to reason. Lodur gave them warmth and the fresh colours of life. The man was called Ask and his wife was Embla, and they proceeded to create the race of man."\n\nThis is clearly evident if you compare the genetic material of plants and humans, there are clear genetic similarities which point to humans having been created from trees. Silly christians! 1347549731 +For the gods' sake, they're having to confirm remains by DNA due to the nature of the crash and the condition of the remains. Who the fuck tries to give an 11-yr-old hope in that situation? 1355441694 +It has been in clinical trials for almost a decade now, it is a real thing. \n\nAny sort of HIV fighting aspects of it have not been nearly as well researched (if at all), as the article mentions. 1333493130 +Fully agree on this point. When the student group I advise did a [protest](http://skepticink.com/gps/2012/11/16/protesting-pseudoscience-a-how-to-guide/) of John Edward last spring, I brushed up on my cold reading skills beforehand. I did 10-12 readings and got some really nice hits, shocking most people and showing em how it was all trickery. 1356400162 +The only thing this video is good for is studying logical fallacies.\n\n"Jet cirrus" clouds, what she means is "jet stream cirrus clouds." Four and a half minutes into the video and she has already proven to me that she is irreputable source. She has demonstrated that she doesn't know what she is talking about. She has proven herself to be credulous. Far from compelling, sorry. 1325905430 +The focus on women's reproductive health. It's politicized and ghettoized. Many women's health issues are taboo to talk about, or deemed "gross," but we have tons of boner pill ads all over the place. 1329154780 +Doesn't really look like a fish. For one thing I can't see any fins that would propel it that quickly in any conventional fashion.\n\nIf it had just moved away at a slow speed it would have been more mundane, but that thing just *took off*. 1240812827 +Cat type eyes - nope.\n\nEmits blue green light from them - nope\n\nCan see in the dark - highly unlikely he has any better perception that other people. 1327462933 +I believe the story to be true so far as his personality completely changing, but my (completely uninformed) guess is that it didn't actually turn him gay - he was previously homosexual, but forced himself to think he was straight and act accordingly. The stroke could have affected his inhibitions, or robbed him of cognitive resources he had previously devoted to try and suppress his sexuality. \n\nBut who knows; there's evidence that there are not just hormonal, but structural differences in parts of the brains of homosexual versus heterosexual males. Perhaps trauma to certain areas could alter someone's sexual orientation. I really want to see a case study for this. 1320904069 +Dunno. Going by the nearest thing to empirical evidence we have, deities and apparitions choose to manifest almost exclusively to peasants and nomadic camel traders. Don't think that theologians even get a look in. 1274058942 +Someone say my name? 1341521694 +That does makes sense for all we know there could be someone pulling open off camera. 1327422537 +do you remember why you were saying that? 1326522199 +>And then my second thought was that making a claim like that without being absolutely certain would be unbelievably stupid.\n\nI've said it before, but it bears repeating: The Bush administration was *absolutely certain* that Iraq had WMDs, and it turns out they didn't. And nobody even cared. 1304560948 +You are welcome. I hope you have a better day tomorrow. 1331861195 +this was on the front page the other day, and is a dead animal up in the beams rotting away in a rotting old house.\n\nwhy is this here? 1346005499 +Thanks for the in depth and thoughtful reply. I'm a bit off my tits at the moment, so please forgive me if my answer appears disjointed. Its refreshing to hear someone from the skeptic community acknowledging that despite the mass of conspiracy data, there will be nuggets of truth with in it. \n\nI think every perspective has a piece of the puzzle.\n\nI dont think its really fair to say the conspiracy community is quite as autonomous to say they all say the same thing - some will say they know the truth, some are asking for the truth - and there is a cross over in data shared between the conspiratorial community and the "secular" crowds, and despite its cultic appearance, the people and the perspectives involved in the conspiracy community are incredibly varied and differ substantially on deeper inspection.\n\nI guess my criticism comes from the appearance that the skeptical community is usually quicker to deride the conspiracies than take a deeper look - but perhaps your answer has helped me consider something else...\n\nPerhaps it's a case of the loudest voices in each camp making noises which risk us making basic assumptions about the groups they represent.\n\nI think the vacuum of truth that comes from a knowing mistrust of official sources, as you've rightly acknowledged in your initial paragraph has created an inadvertent power vacuum for competing perspectives on reality - and the antagonism that exists on both sides is a consequence of this jostling for views in putting the world to rights.\n\nRegardless of the accuracy of perspective held up by either party, (or the perspective dismissed by either) I've sensed having gone through a full-blown "awakening" to the information in myself, that the need to defend it (and ultimately proselytise it) was in part an unrecognised product of doubt I still had in my mind about the information. I'd suggest that the same applies to those in the skeptic community who appear to spend more energy ridiculing the conspiratorial community than having a good hard look at what the data is saying. \n\nAs you say, there is so much we just dont know.\n\nI'm interested in building bridges through these competing perspectives because I often find myself seeing correlation between both sides, having passed through an intense phase of information gathering and becoming quite frankly quite intoxicated by it at times.\n\nNever the less, I've found myself passing through it with a growing sense of ambivalence to both skeptics and conspiratorials alike - it's occurred to me through the process that there are more fruitful and bigger fish to fry than screaming till you're blue in the face with someone doing the same back. It's all interesting information.\n\nI cant find a bigger question than "what is the nature of mind?" these days, and that question has superceded really my entire fascination with the NWO/Conspiracy lore.\n\nAnyway, thanks again for taking time to reply, best wishes and thank you for your efforts dissolving the fence between the camps....maybe it's all about what we identify with at the end of the day.\n\nPeace\n;) 1306623804 +/r/atheism is its own cult. Not all cults are religious in nature, yo. The have a pretty strict code of conduct there. If you don't agree with them may Great Old Ones help you. 1353075695 +This really is the bias test for /r/skeptic\n\nThis sort of submission is why I'm here. We need more critical thought and less circlejerking. \n\nBad studies? Poor methodology? Corruption? Just because the FDA or a pharmaceutical company says something is safe or effective, it doesn't mean we shouldn't be sceptical. Remember what happened here the next time someone makes a claim. It could be a homeopathic study or a pharmaceutical study. Don't just back up a source uncritically because you like the outcome. That's religion at that point. 1329827333 +Clearly he is neither an Academic or Historian, he is just some crazy old fucker that managed to drum up some second rate media attention. 1350812572 +>1) that many of the people making threats are members of the skeptic community, who seem to think it's acceptable to make threats, because:\n\nIt's just as likely they are opponents of the skeptical community and wish to discredit it. See creationists, acupuncturists, global climate change deniers, and so on.\n\n>2) the skeptic community is much quicker to condemn her for talking than they are to condemn the people who threaten to rape her.\n\nI'm sorry. That sounds like complete bullshit and stinks more of a personal opinion than an established fact. 1351129696 +> The sound track\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73PnAymHAHk\n\n...in case anyone wonders 1310204379 +Alright, seriously? \n\nYeah, obviously this girl isn't familiar with the hivemind because then she would have steered far and clear from posting this to reddit.\n\nBut, really? You guys were just assholes. There was no call to completely out her and attack her like that. You WERE attacking her for simply posting about a festival, not even HER festival. Seriously, what the fuck? Way to further the terrible circlejerk reputation r/atheism already has on the rest of reddit. Way to fucking respect her right to invite people to something she's interested in. Just because you don't want anything to do with it, does not give you a license to e-thug her to tears. Polite discourse does not involve attacking someone until they're at their wit's end. Not only that, but you are misconstruing the festival itself, the majority of which is Yoga, music, and food. Sounds like a good time honestly.\n\nShutting down her voice because some gullible people might be taken in by a few things the festival (not her) have to offer is akin to that annoying nice guy, white-knight, all-women-are-fragile-flowers bullshit.\n\nFuck you.\n\nYou should apologize to her and for making this additional post. 1298655967 +oh, you.\n\n*ruffles hair*\n\nscamp 1332289223 +Can't make out anything the guy is saying. 1336967134 +I found some here: http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread760104/pg1\n\nI like that second vid, where the object hesitates and then continues. 1318050258 +I posted the video of Current's explanation because the OP posted a video by him, not because he is some sort of authority on structural engineering. If you're looking for more information, I'd suggest an explanation released by Ramon Gilsanz P.E. and S.E. writing for [Structure Magazine](http://www.structuremag.org/Archives/2007-11/SF-WTC7-Gilsanz-Nov07.pdf) as for your claim that the government hasn't released an explanation, you're full of shit. Here is a PDF of [The National Institute of Standards and Technology Report on the Collapse of Building 7](http://www.nist.gov/customcf/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=861610)\n\n 1315750013 +What if I told you, that's what the IT world is becoming. 1347049249 +Deepak Chopra isnt a scientist- He is a self help guru. Does he claim to be anything else? 1323611461 +> I never mailed any threat to anyone's house. Please stop telling lies about me. I am not a liar. `-jcm267`\n\nWait, you're calling *me* a liar because I sourced [something that *you* wrote/confessed?!](http://i.imgur.com/7siJt.jpg) HAHAHA!!!\n\n> I paid like $3 for the address of some kid who I was in a lot of classes with in college and **who I didn't always get along with** (this kid was a nice guy but **completely insane** and **I just couldn't help myself but push his buttons**) so that **I could send a kazoo that I bought with my winnings at Dave & Busters** ***to his current address***.\n\nSo are you lying now or then? 1356560389 +You go to any web site where you can post comments and you will see this. The internet enables the "locker room" and "sewer" jokes to be displayed out in the open with no repercussions. 1325654809 +I just saw him at a performance a couple weeks ago. He was somewhat weak from a round of chemotherapy, so perhaps his spare time is minimal. 1307197158 +Sounds like a double standard to me. I don't see how some could be angry for being objectified after posing semi-nude or marketing themselves as "the sexy skeptic." It's like if I marketed a drug to cure a disease, then got pissed when people used the drug to cure their disease. 1310430293 +Damn, I hope it's not Xenu. The very last thing I want my last words to be is, "damn it, the Scientologists were right!" 1355942989 +Since, I'm a skeptic, I want to first hear the numbers from various different labs, what Dr. Oz reported, and what the FDA approves as safe levels, BEFORE I arrive at any judgment.\n\nI think there are worse things Dr. Oz has done, than this. 1316184957 +Haha! Those crazy vodka laden Russians. 1355137010 +You can't prove that a living, breathing, metallic pink-and-purple-polka-dotted elephant doesn't live in space orbiting Pluto, completely unprotected.\n\nDo you ever say 'but I cannot assuredly say that I'm 100% sure that elephant does not exist'?\n\nEver?\n\nWhy does God get the benefit of the doubt - but not the elephant? There's not one shred of evidence that says God is more likely to exist than that elephant. So, why do you have to hedge your bets with God, but not everything else? 1351061657 +I actually used to tell people I built my diet around my assumptions of what a hunter/gatherer diet would be like until all of the paleo people started telling me I was wrong because their illogical extremes made all the difference... it's good to find out that this isn't what paleo diet researchers are pushing. 1347627138 +You’ve “defined” chiropractic with a century old definition. That’s the logical equivalent of defining current medical practices with Victorian standards. It’s asinine, and it exposes your bias.\n\nHealthcare, like all science, is reliant upon self-revision and does not rely on doctrine like your example of religion does. Physio, for instance, has only adopted spinal manipulation as a form of treatment relatively recently.\n 1330028377 +Aww, it's alright. It was pretty cool while it lasted anyway. 1333041906 +Scenario: \n\nPerson A drinks a single beer, observes funny lights in the sky (which have a rational explanation other than men from outer space), and shares it with person B who was not witness to the event.\n\nPerson B smells the beer on his breath, and decides that he must be drunk. Dismisses his story as the ramblings of a drunkard and tells third parties that person A was drunk.\n\nWould this not be an ad hom? Remember, truth here is subjective. 1347499815 +> GM foods are annoying in many ways, but most of the good arguments against them are about how 3rd world farmers are forced into massive debts by companies selling GM foods.\n\n[Citation needed] 1333171656 +She digs up woo because there's massive profit in it for her, too. She's a 'stamp of approval' that people are willing to pay good money for. Don't think for a second that she doesn't know it's all bullshit. She keeps selling the snake-oil because it helps her brand too. It's a vicious cycle. 1346738836 +> Ouch. It worries me to think that fans of this book might honestly believe that situations like this are dictated by thoughts.\n\nTragically, I've heard people make that very claim and attempt to defend that position, usually with an unintentionally condescending attitude along the lines of: *"Oh those poor people, they're the cause of their own suffering by focusing on the negative and not making their dreams a reality. If only they understood."*. \n\nCome to think of it, I'm not sure that any of those people even read The Secret. This bullshit did not begin with that book and has been around under other names like 'the law of attraction' or 'the power of intent' for a long, long time. 1313121308 +It's funny because of eugenics. 1330139735 +I would sort by relevance so you get more videos people liked (since you already have selected videos from today) 1299936521 +You are joking, right?\n\nWhat do you think "side effect, possibly fatal," means?\n\nOr do you never watch TV with all those ads for western medicine? 1349063877 +I always advocate polygraphs(even though I know they can be dead wrong sometimes) for witnesses, but after listening I am 90% convinced these people believed what the were saying. Some were definitely scared of what they saw. 1350727030 +The obnoxiously high amount of contingent variables which led to the development of technological civilization on our planet leaves me doubting that there is any place like Earth with Earth-like beings out there in the universe. I know the universe is big, but given the limited sample size of known instances of life I'm not convinced that there are any good reasons to believe that the evolution of intelligent life has occurred more than once. Even if it did happen, or is going to happen elsewhere, someone has to be first. That could be us.\n\nI'm more partial to possibility of bacteria-like organisms. Given what we know about life as it arose on our own planet it seems a lot more reasonable. But until we get a second data point (i.e. life arising somewhere outside Earth) all we can do is wildly speculate. 1296089000 +> TIL That during the filming of The Exorcist, many actors were injured, the set burned down, a priest was brought in many times to bless the set, and the actor who played Burke, Jack MacGowran, died from influenza. (found on r/TIL) coincidence?\n\nSure that you want to base your finding on a sample size of one? A ridiculous comedy of errors may happen on the set of every movie. In fact, knowing Hollywood, I wouldn't be surprised to discover that this were the rule, and not the exception. 1355108919 +Lmao at using "Satanic invocation" and then calling Jewish mysticism "mumbo-jumbo hebrew shit"\n\nLearn your fucking roots. 1351410516 +Traditionally Inuit and Masai don't live sedentary lifestyles. 1299616171 +It is trivially easy. Measuring earth-propagated sound was a key part of my job, and it's easily achievable with very cheap equipment you could buy off the shelf for maybe 100 bucks. You could measure any non easily-audible sound with a very cheap geophone. 1307888476 +I can't wait to see James Randi's face when he's forced to hand over $1mln to this group after they comprehensively prove the power of prayer. \n\nOr maybe not 1346606645 +The authors rate each included study on multiple factors (proper control group, sample size, proper statistical analyses, using reliable measures, etc) on a scale from 1-16 (low to high). Of the 66 included publications, there are none that score above a 12. In fact, the average score is just 6.3. As with most meta-analyses, garbage in = garbage out. 1298225154 +Bad ideas are bad. 1342070639 +It would be entertaining to watch you explain why free association and you being prevented from involuntarily injecting people is wrong. Tip: Crying heard immunity doesn't cut it. 1347492073 +To use your example, let's say a dozen people saw a dog walk through your yard and someone has video of it leaving the footprints.You'd have someone claiming that the witnesses were paid by the police chief with the paw print boots and that he faked the video. \n\nThere is a point where it doesn't make any more sense to hold on to contradictory beliefs, let alone add more of them. Some people don't seem to be able to let their beliefs go because they're so sure the official story is a conspiracy/cover-up. There's a strange inability to jettison the lame hypotheses, especially when they're proven to be lame, and other lame hypotheses being added to consideration just because they contradict the official story.\n\nIt's one thing to consider a handful of contradictory beliefs when you just don't know and you're looking for an answer, but it's something else entirely when you cling to those beliefs in the face of evidence or answers that you don't like. 1329759423 +it's not that it's improbable. it's that all the people putting those claims forward are (more or less) crackpots. if they would only stop dreaming up stuff, we wouldn't have to deal with it. scifi is sweet and all, but don't take it into real life. 1340031729 +I find this a total stretch of plausibility. Otherwise known as bullshit. 1329083533 +Seriously? You can't figure out the difference? You can't see the difference between believing something, that is taught to you from birth and most of society around you also believes, vs. simply doing stupid things?\n\nSorry, but if you can't even figure that out, there really isn't much use discussing anything further. 1330328411 +Thank You. 1331090026 +Are you sure someone else isn't home? Say, someone they don't trust with taking care of the cat... 1343982759 +Aw, thanks. I've only been dealing with this stuff for 6 months, but I have had 7 spiritual encounters in that time frame.\n\nAm I dead wrong on any of these things? Or are there any insights you have that you'd like to add? I'm always seeking to increase and correct my knowledge on these things. 1323803118 +Um, no, actually r/skeptic is generally *pro*-vaccine due to the scientific evidence. 1262294636 +[PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Bovine%20colostrum%22) does not agree with you.\n\nSince I don't have an account, I can't read all the results of those studies but I can confirm you that research has been done. Now if only someone could give us the results. 1311338973 +Where, exactly, do you get that statistic? 1342701729 +I've never talked about it online anywhere before, I was just adding my personal experience - feel free to ask me anything about it :) 1344264008 +Huh, there's at least 3 viewpoints (over shoulder, wider from left, and facing richard) cycled between in the videos, granted they're all a bit crappy in terms of 'professional interview' style, but they do the job. 1339251022 +I ve looked into that sight,so let me get this correct.. I should believe a president of the United States met the aliens just cause some guy wrote that? hmm... it took me some time to get to the point in my life that I dont need religion,this my friend is just the same.I should believe something someone said to someone? with no hard evidence? no data? no research? cmon.. I would be the first one to jump from happiness if aliens appeared .. (good or bad,fuck it) but I cant believe something this far stretched. 1349454813 +At the moment, I lack the desire to fully respond to this, but I want you to know that I agree wholeheartedly with you. I believe ET, under the same laws of physics that we experience here, would develop not only similarly to us, but would most likely follow a very direct path along evolution's line. Every creature needs its basic senses. To see, an eye needs to be evolved. To move, appendages. To hear, auditory receptors, etc. \n\nEverything we perceive here, we would undoubtedly be able to perceive on another earth-like planet. After all, we aren't the *only* place in the universe where our laws of physics apply. \n\nPeople are so quick to assume that *we* are the ones who stand out. I for one think we are a very naive and self-absorbed race, and we have a long way to go... Oh what I'd give to just travel the stars and nudge intelligent life along. 1328503053 +Also, if eating grains were bad for people, we would have died out thousands of years ago. \n\nKnow why cities like London and Rome are thousands of years old? Because they lie in geologically stable areas. \n\nKnow why humans have survived for tens of thousands of years without modern medical knowledge? Because we learned what was safe to eat and stuck with it. Mammoth good. Wheat good. Juniper leaves bad. Get it? 1268106807 +Dismiss it if you will.\n\nWhistleblowers on ETs are abundant and have since been killed.\n\nYou don't have to believe they are among us but...I would rather listen to people that lost their lives trying to get the information out for the greater good than people who are skeptics. 1345135425 +Do you have any opinion on the Nazi Bell machine? True/False? If it was true, they were definately up to something sinister. 1317128554 +I agree with everything you said, but I wanted to point out that the author is a "she." 1287430348 +Both of your assumptions of me are incorrect. It just seems that every skeptic tries to come up with an immediate invalid explanation. I apologize, but that display could not possibly be bats or moths. If you see a plane fly overhead, you can clearly see that it is a plane by the way it behaves: lights, straight balanced flight path, and lack of flapping to create lift. You can tell it isn't a bird. That is an observation made based on experience and you see it as fact. It is how our minds view the world. If some full grown man sat beside you, pointed at the plane and said "That's a blue jay!" or "That's a moth," you would suspect he is either dicking with you or somehow mentally incompetent. Or, he simply views the world so very differently. Either way, you can tell the difference between a plane and a bird. I, and people not clouded by complete skepticism or a lack of knowledge, can tell you with %100 certainty that the objects in those videos(regardless if it was sky divers, extra terrestrial life, or a government test ship)that those objects were not moths or bats by the way they appear and behave due to our knowledge of the observable universe. 1333068376 +That's what he's trying to do by asking a forum of supposed skeptics for their input. \n\nAnd if the health defects have been found, but not through peer reviewed studies then how have they been found? Anecdotal evidence? Supposition? "Studies" with undisclosed parameters?\n\n\nAlso regarding more effective cancer treatments: [citation needed] 1294244391 +There is a hilarious "documentary" on Netflix called ["Paul McCartney Really is Dead: The Last Testament of George Harrison"](http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Paul_McCartney_Really_is_Dead_The_Last_Testament_of_George_Harrison/70144861?trkid=2361637). Check it out; it takes the conspiracy deeper than any other "source" I've found. 1340896842 +This is why he says we, and all we create, are nature. Everything in the past has led us to where we are now.\n\nI'm fond of the idea that our "consciousness" is actually us in the 4th dimension, and we are like a slug, composed of all states of our life from birth to death. I always kept the idea of us separate though, you are one slug, and I am another slug. His metaphor about the hand passing through the second dimension was really eye opening to me. I know the concept of a 3d object passing through a 2d plane, but to think we are all just fingertips of a larger hand connected in a higher dimension is awesomely comforting. Damn you pseudo-religion! 1344993413 +looks HAARP related... 1344782900 +Lol i think club would be the right word for them. I also am deeply fascinated by Egyptian culture especially the pyramid's and the sphinx. I personally think that they didn't build them using slave labor they either had assistance by terrestrial or extraterrestrial entity's or they used a technology that has somehow been lost in time.\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/Paranormal/comments/kayx6/in_1923_a_small_100_pound_man_hand_cut_moved_over/ 1316939001 +>From what I've read, acupuncture has statistically significant results for some conditions - mostly relief of pain.\n\nI haven't read any peer reviewed, methodologically stringent study (eg. properly blinded, randomized, large N, etc.) that showed acupuncture had any effect that differed significantly from acupuncture placebo/sham groups. In other words, the studies (so far) illustrate that the efficacy of acupuncture are easily attributable to the placebo effect. If you know of studies that say otherwise, do share.\n\n>Acupuncture is a poor choice for the author to be critical of here because it has statistical significance above sugar pill placebo, relieving some instances of chronic pain where other treatments did not help.\n\nI have read about some interesting studies done recently that show that non-invasive or small placebos differ in effect compared to larger or invasive placebos (I haven't read the studies as of yet, so I cannot say that these differences were significant, or that they were significant). Ben Goldacre just did an interesting TED talk where he described such a graded placebo effect: with regard to placebo "efficacy", small sugar pill < large sugar pill < salt water (saline) injection. This is suggestive that placebos that are perceived by the patient as being more invasive tend to have a greater effect than those that are perceived as less invasive. But be mindful that we are still comparing placebos to placebos, and this evidence does not yet validate or justify placebos as being used as bona-fide medical treatments, especially for serious conditions. Also be mindful that such results are new, as we are just starting to dig into (with science, that is) what the placebo effect is and how it actually works.\n\nThat said, Novella is not declaring that placebo is bunk (his very first sentence implies the opposite). Rather, he is saying that people have a poor understanding of what the placebo effect is, and what it is not, and we should be careful claims that exploit this ignorance. He is also illustrating exactly why we should be wary of anecdotal claptrap (take a look at what ranza is serving up, for instance). 1317569721 +Questions like "how can snakes and bushes talk?" and "how do people walk on water?" 1355000200 +Those are both just mp3s I opened with audacity. The top was obviously digitally mastered and distributed because that's the only way to get the sound so uniformly loud (That's not the point though because it would sound just as bad if the same thing was done with analog equipment). The bottom is a rip of a 70's record, though it could have easily been done digitally today. \n\nI would have no problem with the loudest sound wave hitting 0db; the problem comes when you amplify every part of the song to make it as loud as it can possibly be because that flattens out the song and makes it sound like garbage, regardless of how good the song really is. Bands and labels do it at the expense of sound quality because they don't want anybody else to be louder than them, and the music industry is still failing (not that I'm implying causation). Many classic bands are re-releasing their old albums with this mastering. I have Black Sabbath's original records (as mp3s) and also their remastered versions of the same songs (also as mp3s with the same bit rate as the mp3s of the originals). The originals sound great but the remasters sound terrible. 1343570987 +If something happens once, it surely happens again. Its the rule of nature. 1340031573 +You should post this in /r/askscience 1343216512 +If I was a doctor I would recommend that shit. Placebo for the win! 1268871496 +More importantly, would they have hilariously high-pitched voices? 1354284595 +Yeah, how ironic would it be if AOL had to tell the HuffPo how the world really is... 1297088387 +On R/conspiracy, they say Iran is only a pariah because they don't have a Rothschild controlled central bank! It has nothing to do with the oppressive theocracy.\n\nYou can't even make this shit up. 1320958097 +Fabulous, thanks for the info! 1317941477 +[Yes, this page is also good](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy)\n\nAny thoughts on my example though? 1281148664 +You said they looked like the Phoenix lights. What else am I supposed to go on? 1344574828 +>shot while eating out with a model\n\nWhere to start.... 1274850563 +[Here's an article following up on his comments] (http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111002053618/simpsons/images/b/b1/Hi.jpg) 1355433017 +Functional Medicine is a legit field. FM has a focus on holistic practices and things like diet, in addition to conventional medical practices. I really doubt that that M.D.s that use FM believe in homeopathy.\n\n 1300840798 +Im almost 100% it was weather balloon safety lights. After some thought, I recall a TV show called Fact or Faked where they covered this exact same thing. I'd post a link for you, but I'm typing this on my phone and it's a bit of a hassel to find it. \n\nI kinda liked Cloverfield btw. 1336359241 +"this is not a hoax and I am not an actor."\n\nOh, OK. 1344786144 +Wow. A guy with a gun shooting a guy without a gun CANNOT be self-defense. What kind of country is this? 1333592113 +And you think it's going to differ an order of magnitude?\n\nA median doesn't have that enough deviation for that study to apply to one can. 1313520319 +No way 1297439217 +Do I still need the MMR if I know for a fact I will never have children? 1341048486 +I bet it would work quite well over here too.\n\nWell, less on the burglar thing... that tends to lead to gunshot wounds or a baseball bat upside the head. 1304071163 +You people need to learn to read. I think Monsanto is despicable... what they do with GMOs is despicable... but being anti-GMO because of Monsanto is lunacy... it's equivalent to being against programming languages because people write computer viruses. 1325914251 +First off, check the usernames. I'm not SaoJoao, the person who said the things you are arguing against. I'm the third party that read the thread and saw where some of the confusion was coming from.\n\n\n\nSecond, I understand that you are trying to "prove that it happens." The problem is that that is completely meaningless - something happening and something being likely or probable are completely different, which is why anecdotal evidence is ignored. If you want to show that fraud or misdiagnosis is likely or the most plausible explanation, it would serve you better to provide statistics, hard numbers, or solid studies on the prevalence of these events, instead of individual anecdotes of times you've seen it happen. I've seen a computer with a mouse nest inside of it, but that doesn't mean I assume that's the cause every time I see a computer crash - I check for the statistically more likely causes before the one I've anecdotally encountered.\n\n\n\nThird, I'm not sure if it's intentional, but I feel your tone is coming off as somewhat abusive and insulting, which is unwanted and unhelpful. Sorry if I've misread you in that regard; text can be unclear at times. 1323368708 +Point taken good sir. I merely have one last question. Weren't all planes grounded at that point in time? Except obviously the CNN helicopter which apparently doesnt give a fuck. 1311182267 +Thank you for the explanation. I realized that last question was sketchy as soon as I posted it. 1348024984 +My friend, his name is Aladdin. 1351479293 +You, OP....are a curious individual but sometimes hesitant to ask questions, as they sometimes get you in trouble. You're affable, but often hold part of yourself back, seldom comfortable revealing your entire self even to the people you love. Speaking of love, your love life has occasionally been a challenge and you have had occasional trouble meeting or even fully understanding your sexual desires. You consider yourself a largely rational person, but your emotions may play more of a role in your thinking than you are sometimes comfortable with. You have suffered financial difficulties in the past, and know what it's like to struggle to make ends meet, but that's changing with time and you have a bright financial future ahead.\n\nHow am I doing so far? ;) 1338860192 +Dude's a neurologist and assistant professor. At Yale. And he puts out a kick-ass podcast. Weekly.\n\nMake time for Reddit! 1303351716 +Nowhere do they quote her as saying that she wants to prove the doctors wrong by demonstrating that alternative cures work; nothing that she says even remotely resembles that sentiment. In addition to continuing chemotherapy per her doctors' orders, she's also pursuing alternative treatments, and that's all there is to this story. That fact alone is utterly unremarkable. As a true skeptic, I would try alternative treatments unless reliable studies had concluded that they do not help at all, and many of the treatments she's trying have not been studied. If modern science is telling her she's definitely going to die relatively soon, then I think it's completely rational for her to try treatments which have not yet been deemed ineffective by science, even if they end up hastening her death.\n\nThe only thing she says which expresses disagreement with her doctors is that she believes that their estimation of the time she had left before death was inaccurate, which apparently it was. \n\nThis submission is stupid. 1339302363 +Hahaha. I've never been told I was closed-minded by a psychic. That must be a majestic experience. Along with the followup "well, I'm open to the possibility that psychics are frauds." 1318827069 +I hope in the future people can discuss culture and genetic differences without worrying about sounding racist. As per your oriental = aliens hypothesis: They did a sketch on Mr. Show w/ Bob and David about San Francisco that made the same claim. 1306902548 +To be fair, they use *bad* scientists to do this. They pre-judge a situation, don't properly investigate it, blunder into the unknown and an alien they didn't think would be hostile eats them alive as a result.\n\nThey should show it in high school science classes as a warning about what happens if you assume things. 1340976311 +>How can this community pretend to be skeptics but believe blindly in global warning?\n\nThat's because we don't blindly believe in it, rather we accept it is very likely to be true (and very unlikely to be false) given the compelling empirical evidence supporting it, as well as the lack of evidence against it.\n\n>The whole idea of being a skeptic is being skeptical of everything.\n\nTo be skeptical does not mean to doubt everything, all the time, it means not believing things that aren't supported by evidence.\n\nDoubting everything all the time quickly makes life unlivable.\n\nhttp://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Pyrrhonism\n\n>I could just as easily post a link saying ' energy band denier mis-reports facts about energy bands', shouldn't we be skeptical about both sides?\n\nOne isn't skeptical of a "side." If one side is supported by scientific evidence while the other isn't, then a skeptic's role isn't to place himself in the middle. 1330663345 +yes, part of why i joined r/skeptic 1295166097 +You do realize that not vaccinating your kids is everybody's business, correct? 1309894317 +Funny stuff. :) 1314803568 +I'd like to address this: "Even where fad diets work, it's not because the fad diets worked, but because they happen to, among everything else they push, comply with these points."\n\nSo, if a diet makes you lose weight because you eat less, the diet itself didn't actually work, it just made you eat less?\n\nEdit: I think the first paragraph of your post is awesome, though. 1339709629 +>There, I'm finished. Hurry up and downvote the fuck out of me so nobody will see this. \n\nWhy can't you just post a comment without this childish rant at the end? 1317200682 +Happy ending? 1330242682 +I promise that I do not. I just lay the slightest amount of disagreement, and try to edge my classmates to follow through. 1312687790 +As has already been mentioned it's Adam Curtis' documentary "The power of Nightmares" which aired on BBC 2 in 2004 (according to Wikipedia).\n\nIn terms of how credible it is, i would also be interested in other opinions on this. His documentaries are definitely not considered "fringe" and he's not an Alex Jones or anything and although his documentaries have an editorial tone he backs everything up with facts, references and tons of archival footage (not a plus in the "should i believe him" column but makes for very good documentary films).\n\nI find Adam Curtis to be pretty trustworthy factually and most criticisms are attacking his ideology or politics (perfectly reasonable but subjective judgements).\n\nWhen looking up that air date on Wikipedia I found out that he called Michael Moore "a political agitprop film-maker" which made me like him more, although doesn't affect his credibility obviously.\n\nedit: I didn't mention that the person who posted this clip (sans context) to Youtube with the headline "BBC Now Admits AL Qaeda Never Existed" is an idiot 1299112851 +Let me translate for you: despite claims of objectivity, gugulo is not listening to what you're saying, and just assuming that his pet explanation has to be correct, so anything you say will just bounce off his complacent assumption that you're just some poor, confused thing. \n\nI'll quote: "*He sees me typing a number obviously longer than the area code. I freeze, realizing what I had just done. The customer looks confused, and I say sorry can you repeat the number? He does and it matches the one I typed.*" \n\nThat's nothing like a schematic memory error. That's glitchy.\n\nAlso, steer well clear of anyone who suggests that James Randi is anything other than a crusading materialist zealot and crashing self-publicist. He's the kind of idiot who gives scientific objectivity a very, very bad name. 1349704972 +Sure, it very well could be a model. Point is that it is an UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT. It isn't a cgi hoax and represents something real in the sky.\n\nIf we knew what it was we wouldn't be debating it. 1310220232 +You gotta root for the home team. 1296731697 +All I can say is that when I was a kid(about 7 or 8 or so) I had strep throat for the first time and I had a very high fever and I began to hallucinate and felt like I was falling infinitely, so if I had a kid I would be terrified of that happening to them. Fevers don't seem like anything to fool around with. 1351727890 +as another commentor said, his formula would benefit from definition of terms. 1334681159 +Same same.\n\n\nRational part of my brain says it's hoakum and the guy clearly has some other kind of agenda.\n\n\nParanoid mental part of my brain wonders if "god" will see I'm generally quite a nice person and let me in on some kinda "new player friendly" mode.\n\n\n\nI've never really cared about religeon, that's not to say I believe or not, I just don't care. 1305892406 +That's fine but you made a blanket statement in your initial comment, you said ufos is a belief system, you should have said people who claim to know ufos are aliens are involved in a belief system. I agree with you there because no one can definitevly say what ufos are providing a real mystery exists (imo there is a real mystery but involves a very small percentage of ufos). 1320081855 +I thought they did it in orbits of the galaxy, so 26000 years? 1331420628 +wow i wanna hang out with yous guys. 1315592073 +Good to start with some facts on the table, thank you 1351525583 +Too colorful, didn't read 1326575519 +It _is_ a leaf. 1315692630 +https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Wiki_markup\n\nEnjoy. 1342200420 +Most convincing?\n\nA) You don't know how the universe was created.\n\n*(Yes, I know it isn't that great. But he asked for their best argument.)*\n\nAnd the best argument you never hear them say:\n\nB) God is a temperamental childish prankster god who likes to screw with us and play hide and go seek and other games, much like a kid with a magnifying glass likes messing with an ant hill. 1303092035 +I have vivid and lucid dreams very often, which I guess is different than astral projection, because I am aware I am dreaming but usually don't have good control and my thought is slugglish. Typically once I know I'm dreaming I start 1. flying around 2. conjuring a hot guy up to have sex with. Not even kidding, it always happens. I even have a "check" in my dreams to tell if I'm dreaming. I either "hover" above the ground or walk through walls/ceilings. Last night I kept hovering over the ground to convince my friend that I didn't actually hit his car and that I was dreaming him and the whole situation up. Weird.\n\nAnyway, wanna know my fool proof tip for starting lucid sleep? Go to bed. Wake up about two hours before you normally get up, then go back to sleep. I always have extremely vivid or lucid dreams when I do this. Another tip is to "check" if you're dreaming during your waking life, like, every time you touch a doorknob, ask yourself "is this a dream?" Eventually you will do this in your dreams. I started doing this way back when I was a teen and I'm pretty sure that's why I have such crazy dreams now. Also, certain foods tend to help, lots of dairy or spicy food can affect your dreams. I know you're asking about AP but learning to control your dreams is pretty awesome. 1343939130 +I always thought it had something to do with where they came from. 1345570899 +from yale.edu\n"Primary sources provide first-hand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation. They are created by witnesses or recorders who experienced the events or conditions being documented. Often these sources are created at the time when the events or conditions are occurring, but primary sources can also include autobiographies, memoirs, and oral histories recorded later."\n\nHow does the above video testimony not qualify? If your still not satisfied, how about this.\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkO0lZ7BZJc\n\nHonestly I thought this was a place for skeptics, not people who ignore solid evidence because it doesnt fit in with preconceived notions.\n 1340671737 +if we dont know what it is, it could be anything, including an alien spaceship. So no, that would not be a whole other conversation. 1331976806 +They do. 1296192660 +They do. 1324350827 +I have a very good friend who is in marketing. He is also a (diagnosed) sociopath.\n\nThese things are probably related!! 1334438986 +> >The question is, is your beer noticeably better if you were to use cold tap water vs hot tap water?\n\n>The problem is I can't use the hot tap water to make beer right now because I have to keep the temperature low enough that the yeast doesn't die when I add it.\n\nSo that would be a *Yes* to sequentious' question? 1332543581 +I just picked 80% out of nowhere, it doesn't have any specific meaning. But, in order to have much practical application, it would need to be higher than 50%, right?\n\n\nBeing just over 50% doesn't make something accurate, does it? I wouldn't be comfortable arresting 5 people correctly and 5 incorrectly for such a serious crime.\n\n\nIn any case, I would still eat my hat if she guessed over 50% correctly out of a batch of 500. 1332911125 +I used to watch Real Time ever week, but when he went on his flu vaccine rant, I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. 1333505257 +The alternative seems to be to believe every claimant that comes along without using a shred of critical thinking. \n\nThis destroys the community altogether by undermining the research effort's credibility with anyone who doesn't believe the subject, and removing the possibility of actually discovering the truth. To do the latter you actually have to use critical thinking to separate truth from fiction. \n\nThe UFO research community is full of hoaxers and the deluded. They are holding back discovering the truth. Let's get rid of them. What's the problem with that? 1348630926 +I kind-of work in a complimentary field and you wouldn't believe how they get around the legalities so they can say/push that shit on people. It's incredibly unethical. 1313319330 +The problem is that meaning opf 'conspiracy' has been distorted over time to have connotation of being some sort of global thing. In fact, conspiracies do happen all the time. They happen any time a small group of people get together to secretly do something If you don't believe that people, in fairly large numbers on the planet, form agreement between two or more others to break the law or take some sort of covert against someone or something else at some future point, then you're not paying attention to how people are. 1346350020 +>As we unfold the awesome gift of who and what we are, as supreme physiological beings and forms, our avatar abilities will naturally unfold along with the vastly expanded perceptual framework to both our planetary and cosmic existence.\n\nWait, so this is Scientology? 1282742657 +This is a nice list but I would be interested in learning more about why and how these orbs manifest. Specifically, I have always been amazed by the "blue pearl" that is sometimes associated with spiritual development and some meditative states. I have seen these orbs before in purple and red colors as well, but had always considered them to be "spirtual" phenomena. My initial belief was that orbs are more traditionally associated with ghosts and other paranormal phenomena, but maybe that isn't always the case? 1324064373 +The açai berry thing would be far more suited to just "Try our berries, they're tasty." \n\nDo they really need to go through all the trouble of faking medical cures and diet programs? 1334423848 +Neither the headline nor the article ever claim that the drug caused the infection. They do focus on the drug because it is relatively new, but explicitly state that\n\n>there's a risk of infection with any sort of injection, even in a hospital. 1326520559 +I stopped when he talked about helium exploding. The only way to get that to "burn" would be through fusion. Not that I have to tell you fine people that. 1353393587 +This is an example of [samadhi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi) which I was introduced to by improvising music.\n\nThis is a taste of what meditation strives to bring about in normal day-to-day life. Meditation is very similar to that feeling you get, but rather than having it apply to solely welding, to existence. 1275337801 +Yeah, he read it better. 1333182056 +Well actually, due to relativity, he wouldn't reach light speed until he accelerated for.... approximately eternity. To us, he would get really really close to light speed (99.9999+%) but never quite there. To him, he would always be accelerating at 1g.\n\nLet's not talk about the forces need to keep that up though.... 1343695801 +Not even philosophy class. The ONLY place it has ANY room is some sort of comparitive religion class. Or Sunday School. 1332422968 +No shit. Ouch.\n\nYou'd think with all that cash he'd buy a gun and do it like a man. 1317760652 +nothing to do with ufos but its a hell of a lot more complex that just a line, there is a sort of grid with many more ancient structures. 1323065305 +Well, thanks for all that. Like I clearly said, I'm not able to competently debate this one due to a lot of emotional attachment (indeed, snake-oil cancer cures are where I cut my skeptic-teeth). Maybe the "patently false" statement...that one I'd retract. "Unproven conjecture", I'd replace it with that one.\n\nAnyhow, the real heart of what I'm saying is that the way this is presented should raise bullshit flags for even the most mediocre skeptic. I'll admit I wasn't clear with that... 1338591726 +Imagine those little glaring eyes HERE please. 1295730350 +Those commies polluting our bodily fluids... 1319300302 +The something imbalance hypothesis is just today's manifestation of old thinking fallacy (recall all the woo concerning imbalance in life force).\n\nThe brain is much more complicated. You can have not enough *receptors* for instance. Then you can take a totally unnatural drug that is in totally unnatural way blocking the re-uptake of neurotransmitters that latch to those receptors, resulting in totally unnatural imbalance between its production and removal, and then you'll feel better. \n\nOr you can have low connection strength somewhere upstream of that, or you may simply live in a rather depressing environment, or anything. Either way this re-uprate inhibitor will get you feeling better. So will a sugar pill if you think it helps, and it will be almost as effective.\n\nThere's nothing per-se wrong with totally unnatural solutions, except the marketing perspective. For marketing it is far better to say that there is some balance that is off, which is being made right by the drugs. To equate mood with chemicals and to make you form a mental model of something like diabetes. \n\nBottom line is, we do not understand disorders like depression, and we treat them by prescribing drugs that have opposite (mood lifting) effect. That's it. The same thing we'd do 1000 years ago - recommend 'em some euphoric drug (we didn't have double blind trials back then but we sure knew what the psychoactive drugs were). The chemical imbalance is the sales pitch, the same pitch medicine sellers have been making from long before we figured out what chemical elements were. If someone has a problem you don't understand, and your medicine solves it, the best pitch you can ever make is that your medicine is correcting things to normal. Now this sales pitch is outdated - we have a glimpse of the immense complexity of the issue which does not admit any chemical imbalance model.\n\nedit: better article detailing how it is primarily just a sales pitch and public image rather than an accepted hypothesis per se: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/99356.php 1348729270 +I couldn't agree more and it's a shame. It would be borderline impossible to keep the public's faith after something like that but it could be quite advantageous. What if every time a minor drug was prescribed half the time it was a placebo. We get on-going massive scale research and people aren't significantly disadvantaged. 1269871132 +was the person taking the picture smoking? 1302487749 +@ 0:05 in the audio recording there is male voice saying something. 1341500907 +Oh come on now. You can't just say "compound A has similar effects to compound B, so they must do the same thing!" Skepticism is great, but this line of thinking is dismissive and...well, shitty. Look up vinpocetine. Look up AC-11. Actually, look up all of the components of the supplement you're badmouthig. Maybe even try a bottle. Then come back and tell us how it's the same thing as a cup of green tea. 1337665652 +yes it is 1312559571 +yes it is 1315530248 +yes it is 1312564683 +what i have no time for are the people that dismiss without looking into stuff, people who dismiss UFO's and any conspiracy theories, the 9/11 offical story and so on, they dont want to look for truth they just want to believe whatever mainstream tells them. I cant stand those people 1331694981 +>I have no affiliation with either the right or the left as my beliefs and values align closest to Libertarians.\n\nLibertarians are truly objective as the only political leaning not colored by bias. Got it. 1354468460 +I don't see how ["Two wrongs make a right"](http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/two-wrongs-make-a-right.html) is necessarily a logical fallacy since "right" and "wrong" are not defined in concrete terms. I'm not saying that two wrongs can make a right, merely that without defining a moral framework you can't claim it to be a logical fallacy. I wouldn't be shocked to hear of a conception of right and wrong where "two wrongs make a right" might apply even if I don't subscribe to it. The conception of morality in terms of justice via punishment for example has a similar sentiment. You could define morality in terms of "treating others as they treat others" as well, and while I may not agree I can certainly see right and wrong defined in such terms. The difficult part would be making it apply as a general rule, but the examples stated on the page don't even allow for "two wrongs can make a right under conditions X, Y, Z."\n\n:Cue appeals to authority to prove me wrong.: 1283193097 +The program airs from 1-5 AM Eastern time, with the section on the lie detector beginning at 2 AM. 1323135377 +Could you calm down for 2 seconds and stop being so combative? I'm not even the person that made the comment so I'm not actually calling myself witty. I'm just pointing out that the guy didn't say anything close to what you interpreted, hence it's unfair to jump down his throat for something that's entirely in your head. There's a lot of people here trying to help you and I've noticed you've been given a few of them quite the attitude. 1333609010 +There are only 5 posts on the blog till now, but the blog in chronological order will basically make the case + give updates as it has developed after posting. 1331246006 +I know you've gotten a lot of other responses but I can show you one flaw that couldn't have come about after the fall, it had to have come about before humans were in their current form.\n\nBe warned, they dissect a giraffe in it.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cH2bkZfHw4\n\nSo no. A lot of the flaws only make sense as old stuff from what we once were. Even via random mutation there is no reason that nerve would spontaneously change from a sane path to one like that. there was a reason for it to be like that in the past that no longer applies. \n\nchanging it to a path that makes sense doesn't have a strong enough reason for selection (no one dies from it and if it was fixed via a random mutation theirs no reason it would make them more likely to have children) to change in any reasonable time frame.\n\n 1308735006 +Thanks for the sources, I'll check them out 1330327518 +Maybe Einstein travelled back in time to rip his paper off? 1335813529 +> They're not so good when attempting to debunk scientific studies.\n\nI didn't see them attempting to debunk any scientific studies. Actually they usually *refer to* scientific studies to debunk stupid ideas people has, and they did *precisely* that in this show.\n\nAnd the way your comment was worded, although ambiguous, seemed to imply not that scientific studies and experiments are not biased (which by the way, also are biased!), but that scientists aren't, and many people do assume this to be the case (including many scientists), which is why I might trust Penn more than I trust many scientists: because he is more honest with himself and the world about his biases. 1249680665 +Ouija boards, not even once! (seriously, I wish people would stop using those and stop with the stupid blood magic) 1318317659 +Oh yeah and for the record people like you disgusts me. "i should contact 'the catholics' <- this makes me cringe" Wow. 1350414518 +No I gave three guesses of what I think it might be, I didn't basically said it could be anything. 1326167462 +In my opinion there's a rather large distinction between a metaphysical claim of a supernatural thing guiding evolution and the physical claim of young-Earth creationists. It's only a minor point of hers though. 1340124841 +"You want to know something? We are still in the Dark Ages. The Dark Ages — they haven't ended yet."\n\n-Kurt Vonnegut in "Deadeye Dick" 1329698137 +Naw, northern New Englander born & raised. 1339251202 +William Colburg, http://www.micro-a.net/experience.php , a propulsion engineer (ctrl+F his name for credentials), had this to say about him.\n\n*"Just surfing around and found this site which contains many\nreferences to this huxter.\n\nI am a propulsion engineer and I can tell you with great\ncertainty that David is NOT a propulsion specialist or "rocket\nscientist" as he is so often labeled. He knows virtually\n_nothing_ about propulsion systems save a few buzz words that he\nconsistantly uses incorrectly.\n\nHe in fact makes exactly the same mistakes as made on "Extreme\nMachines" and the Discovery"s excellent series on Rockets! He\ncouldn't be doing last minute cramming now could he? Mistakes\nand all?\n\nI know this is old hat information now, but this guy is so far\nout in misrepresenting himself that it deserves to be brought to\nlight once again.\n\nBill Colburn"*\n\nI'm not an engineer, but when people like him have things like this to say about Adair, I find it hard to argue with them.\n\nThere's actually a pretty good email trail on http://ufoupdateslist.com/1998/aug/m01-010.shtml that discusses his credibility. I haven't read all of it, but it seems like most people are pretty skeptical of his claims. The fact that I find his name beside Philip Corso makes me somewhat skeptical myself.\n\nLong and short, I haven't formulated much of an opinion on him as of yet, but I'll do some more research tonight and talk to some of my connections. 1348605993 +BUT AT THAT STRENGTH, WON'T IT DEHYDRATE ME? I'M SCARED! 1301635354 +Yup Slenderman is fake, sorry bro. It's always amusing seeing people talk about him or having experiences with him when he doesnt even exist. 1324551949 +Not really. Stupid and easily duped people will take their ersatz miracles wherever they can get them, logic be damned. It's sad, but that's how it goes. 1307651521 +orly? 1351040950 +Gotta love that she's so fucking sue happy that this couldn't get published and that disclaimer had to be placed at the top. I know I don't have much risk as some anonymous commenter on Reddit, so this is hardly a grand gesture, but whatever. \n \nSally Morgan, you are a sickening human being. You are consciously defrauding the grief-stricken and hopeless for the sole purpose of monetary gain. Everything you do, from your deceitful 'performances' to your enthusiastic use of the legal system to silence your critics should be offensive to anyone with even a partially functioning moral compass. 1330540521 +GMO: Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the crops. 1331257386 +[I linked to this topic in my original post.](http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/dr8zb/jesse_ventura_is_a_fearmongering_conspiracy_nut/) 1287342311 +>Even though you might think you're a mind reader, you're not...\n\nYou don't know that. :-)\n\nSeriously, I was asking a question, not making an affirmation. That's whey there's a question mark ("?") at the end of the sentence.\n\n>What exactly do you mean by "scientific truth"? Are you referring to your belief in agw?\n\nNo, I'm referring to the goal of attaining scientific truth. Please don't make this about your adolescent "we can't prove anything" argument again, I'm not interested. 1329337658 +I have mixed feelings about this.\n\nChiropractics are just scammers, it's an overglorified kind of massage and can be downright dangerous.\n\nOn the other hand people often either feel sick or that something is wrong when nothing is actually wrong or have an illness they can pretend they don't have with a placebo. In both cases it is surely better for a chiropractor to do his or her thing to make the hypochondriac patient feel better.\n\nOf course this justifies astrology and other retarded things.\n\n\nIn any case Singh has my support, keep fighting the good fight. Fighting for the truth is seldom a bad thing. 1242393358 +Here's her whole reason, with citations. If you can poke holes in it, I'd be glad to send the info to her myself. \n\nhttp://greenparty.ca/blogs/7/2011-07-28/twitter-fire-storm-and-why-i-said-what-i-said-about-wifi 1311959093 +Well, when i read the intp page, its like reading an operation manual for myself. 1338741496 +did you watch the video? He shows the skull of humans both normal and deformed and the the paracas elongated skulls are too long and different from human skulls in several ways 1333680852 +Yes, and it can be very, very bright. Also the lingering trail left behind is a dead give away that it was a meteor. I was very fortunate to observe a weird phenomenon where when a meteor explodes in the atmosphere you hear the boom first and then you see it. Chances of witnessing this phenomenon is slimmer than winning the lottery twice, in a row. I'm gonna go buy a ticket. 1330130441 +So what did he say?\n\nThat guy's the Britney Spears of UFO abductees. 1327940908 +my netbook cried a little when i read this. totally worth it though 1318079288 +Wrong. That's not science. When conducting a scientific investigation you gather evidence and then form conclusions. If you're wanting imagination to drive research then you invariably end up creating conclusions and then gathering evidence to support them. That's where ufology has gone wrong. After the first few cases gained publicity researchers started looking for evidence to support their conclusions while disregarding items that contradicted them. 1326514338 +Having new digital & encrypted channels is going to to matter if someone finds your frequency and overpowers your signal with garbage. 1331354671 +This was my second podcast ever, started listening about six years ago. Just wanted to say hello, thank you for how prolific you've all been, and ask if it's ever weird doing regular stuff with Steven given he seems to know everything about everything? 1346229487 +Check out this website! http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/\n\nI've been in a documentary phase for whatever reason and this has been a great source for me. 1347558208 +What does r/skeptic have to say about the scientific methods applied by Mr. Stubbs? 1318353787 +The Harvard article implies that the main concern for that is the plastic melting. In my experience while corn gets hot, it doesn't get boiling water hot, and I've never had the plastic melt to the corn. On the other hand, I'd be inclined to avoid it, or at lest avoid overheating it. 1307498219 +The really frightening thing to me is: the calender on my wall ends December 31 2009! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh what is going to happen?\n\nGASSP\n\nThe end is nigh... 1245350753 +try using [this web client](http://webchat.freenode.net/) or download your own stand-alone client. [mIRC](http://www.mirc.com/) is pretty awesome once you get it set up. We'd be happy to help you. Hope to see you there :) 1337050076 +Depends... what's your star sign? 1334581833 +I'm happy to say I was there for this talk. He was, ahem, amazing. 1279693240 +Ah, yeah, I mis-worded my response. \n\nYou explained it really well however. 1350427360 +I am not saying it is real in any way. Why do you think it is a fake? 1314901581 +Honestly, a sliced piece of garlic placed in my ear worked for me on a couple of occasions. I know that's not scientific, but I swear it did. I was skeptical but desperate the first time I tried, and all I can guess is that the fumes put out by the cut end of the garlic must have somehow interfered with the swelling or the nerves or something. To be clear, it quickly stopped hurting - in about 10 - 15 minutes after hurting for a few hours. I don't know if that was because the infection got better or whether it just helped the symptoms. 1351732411 +Something is definitely fishy about this. 1336272075 +Now we must all shoot ourselves. 1343608109 +Please read my response to a comment that stated I was a little too drunk and he said I had a holy spirit of a protector in me. Thanks. 1317267966 +Don't forget that when the flame inside the chinese lantern gets extinguished, it is supposed to fall to the ground. Don' think it'll keep floating about for long. 1337399284 +is the blue spiral going towards the ground, coming from the ground, or is actually behind the white spiral and going into space? 1260409713 +Very interesting and thanks for the info, I've used Audacity, works pretty good. Reason I asked was because I've caught some EVPs on my iPhone using the voice memos app, worked but terrible at managing long recordings. I'll definitly look into that recorder. 1339982816 +No acid involved...but I was walking around my neighborhood the other night a good [6] on weed...and I was really freaked out by a strange sound coming from my neighbor's house. "What the fuck *is* that!?" I was thinking. "Is he using a power drill at 11PM on a Saturday?" After a couple minutes contemplation it finally occurred to me that it was his AC unit. 1317084002 +You spend half an hour of your life each day just standing the dirt? That's probably not something you would find in "The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People" 1331451971 +Well done whatever it is. The only question I have is why does he have the camera running and pointed at the ground. 1326725855 +go to jkcinema.com for the full length flash version! 1331361170 +More than that, you desperately want the slick sales website to be true. You don't want to believe the stuff that's saying no one can fix your child.\n\nPeople with cancer can understand the hell out of information about their cancer. It focuses the mind beautifully. It's just that they want to survive. 1356575569 +[What the hell, dude?](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/o9amj/the_red_flags_of_quackery_v20/c3flj1k) Within 24-hours you go from saying that downvotes are not for disagreeing with a statement, to claiming against me that...\n\n> r/Skeptic does not adhere to Reddiquette on downvotes. A downvote here simply indicates disagreement with your opinion. \n\nYou don't get to have it both ways. You probably get away with this sort of hypocrisy on a regular basis, though, don't you? 1326231105 +Its a toy! 1275450066 +[This is what's next.](http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090407173704/avatar/images/archive/1/16/20101227162259!Fire_Nation_airships.png) 1344909427 +haha, well, the aliens are assholes excluding us from their nightclub. 1329934955 +In before someone replies with "This is how bad CO2 is." 1274005346 +* Jokes about the earth being 10,000 years old.\n\n* Jokes about evolution being only a theory. 1274455483 +please? D: 1332016664 +They waste *your* time? ~~What a jerk.~~\n\nEdit: Not really for me to decide. 1338657186 +"I don't do science, science does me."\n\nCan't say I've heard that one before. But giggity. 1327364222 +My grandparents and my mom always tell me they'll pray for me for the upcoming test. \nI reply that if that's the case, then I don't need to study for it anymore!\n\nWe all laugh, for different reasons. 1303265340 +Hey, as long as you agree it isn't really science, I'm satisfied. However, I obviously disagree with you that any observations made under unscientific conditions have meaning. It's impossible to establish controls and, without controls, it's impossible to assign meaning to any result. 1317668484 +Oh, and by materialism standards mind is just matter and soul is not on some separate plane. Will that imply that the mind is just the brain, so if I find out how the brain constitutes the mind and replicate the brain by those standards I would essentially copy the mind right? 1354081167 +There is a broad range of commenters here. Very few here use actual science. Some imagine they do simply because they question things or cast doubt, but saying "this looks shopped" isn't "sciencey". 1349127426 +Were you on fire, by chance? 1314468033 +the reason for the existence of a language is to convey one idea to another person. if you were able to understand what i wrote which you were it means that my version of that language did everything it was required to no un-nessesary effort need be put in. 1353559092 +I saw a video about this. When you're not wearing the bracelet, he pushes down and away from your feet, and when you're wearing it he pushes down and towards your feet. It's almost impossible to stand up when he's also pulling your arm away from your body, but it's easy when he's pushing in and helping you stand up. 1309910368 +Exactly, if you're only teaching rote memorization you may as well close the school and save some money. That's not useful for anything at all, *especially* when so many people have an Internet-enabled computer in their pocket that can pull up information like that in under 20 seconds. Any high school that *isn't* all about teaching critical thinking skills is a waste of space. 1340967691 +You're funny. :-) 1354893089 +I really doubt that anod those have been tested to a have guaranteed effect, anyone can just say that it does 1347914686 +Terrible, had almost nothing to do with science. 1311950824 +This form (Neuroendocrine, I think it's called) is much more operable. 1318673367 +It's dust really close to the lens. If you notice it's all in front of the image, they don't interact with the image. It's not like they go from the front to the back of the image. They all stay at the front. 1342842711 +Are you lot seriously trying to convince me that all water tastes the same? Do you read the same words I do here? 1321836443 +Proof or schizophrenic 1351049827 +She forgot something and went back. 1339270678 +Just out of curiosity, what MW2 map/where on it? 1341982903 +They guy looks like the villan from a horror movie. 1298166797 +Of course! What you just said is fairly scientific, actually. You can't rule anything out, but you must be honest about probabilities, and how new discoveries affect said probabilities. If evidence for one thing continues to shrink the possibility of another thing, you have to take it into account. If the evidence is undeniable, then you have to accept the change in thinking and accept that you were wrong in order to remain honest. That's all. Galileo disproved Aristotle's ideas on momentum. Einstein vastly improved upon Newton's laws of motion. After we discovered the electromagnetic spectrum, the use of radiation gave us a much more accurate age of the Earth. Part of honest inquiry about the universe is knowing when you're wrong, and moving forward. 1344025610 +Oh, there's douchery going on here. No doubt about it. Butthurt douchery. 1310967943 +He was forced out on his arse and the two people at the university who did it received knighthoods.\n\nSeriously. Charles is a fucking embarrassment. 1312043965 +Just looking at the therapy from a skeptical point of view, it seems like a device specifically for the purposes of "reprogramming". I guess I'm just overreacting. 1290282231 +Seriously, though: a source would be nice. \n\nAlso, to the OP: I was going to give you several links/sources to check out, however most would fall under the "channeled" category, which you seem to have already ruled out (it was probably not a valid/thorough search imo, since you are here asking this question :)). Unless you yourself have first/second hand information (aka MEET AN ET!! or a person who claims to have met one), then I think you will find your search to be extremely difficult. 1300618497 +Supposedly nano-thermite was found in the WTC dust, which reacts more explosively than normal thermite. 1346054081 +> This article was posted on July 24, 2003.\n\nThat might explain the bad design and clip art. 1331800051 +I like how Magnet Man anxiously peeks over Randi's shoulder to see what he's doing as he puts the powder on the brush, LOL! 1330834921 +Better than seeing him on TV at 8pm. 1316092252 +Check the ingredients. Most nut milks have added emulsifiers to give it the texture of milk. That texture comes from fat. That's why skim milk feels so watery. I can tell you right now that real coconut milk tastes and feels nothing like cow milk. 1344459507 +Same reason I do, it makes you cringe but then you feel better about yourself because you're not a complete moron and you're like, "well, life could be worse." 1356641617 +Peddling cures that work quickly and effectively would greatly reduce their income. There must be planned (and often implied) obsolescence inherent in their medications for their ever-growing wallets to be satiated. 1313384776 +The world is not America.\n\nBesides language naturally evolves, if you don't believe me find some teenagers that are texting, they speak an entirely different language,all you'll be is a dinosaur fossil. 1337624719 +>By declaring the question answerable, you are implicitly declaring that a 'non-chicken' laid a 'chicken egg'.\n\nNo, you are wrong. That is not at all what we are saying. And that's also why you do not understand evolution. 1304371000 +It's not been proven electromagenetic frequencies aren't harmful. \n(I'm skeptic about this reddits skepticism.) \n(well really i'm not, experience makes it safe to assume this is as much a circlejerk as most subreddits) 1317253179 +He's also a Chemtrailer, which is probably the weirdest of the 3 IMO. 1340517834 +So there's an alien invasion happening.... 1351725395 +Sorry, didn't even bother to read the comments to the post. I generally don't to posts like that one as there is really little comment about. Its a good quote and I left it at that. The fact it was x-post from r/atheism made it a bit annoying as I really hate that subreddit. 1346339624 +of course testimonials can reflect truth but they can never mean anything on their own compared to the efficacy of say double-blind. the simple fact there is no control variable should raise red alarms for finding truth in anything.\n\nthere are a ton of skeptics who are very critical of the pill popping industry (watch Ben Goldacre's TED talk) , and no one will argue doctors are always honest or that their institutions are infallible. that still doesn't mean that people should get away with promoting alternative treatments with such confidence and conviction when they have no real information to back it up. usually they've been unable or are unwilling to do the testing to prove it and just resort to more theatrics to engage peoples' emotions like we see in these documentaries. 1329260511 +do any of these people know who NIST is?\nthe ignorance is breathtaking! 1291016946 +I know I'm late, but do you just mean for mental issues? because the saline/morphine experiment is pretty convincing. 1291089132 +A few things things, since all of them are pretty crazy. I'll separate them by the houses they occurred in with dashed lines.\n\nWhen I was about 9 years old, we finally got a computer and internet working. Since all my gaming equipment was on the bottom floor of the house, the computer was also stored there. Note that my room was also on the bottom floor of the house, that my room had no windows, and that the only way into my room was the door we built to it a little before buying the computer. One day, I'm surfing the internet when suddenly I hear someone banging and screaming from behind my bedroom door, trying to get out. I was frozen in my seat, and I didn't know what to do. I just sat there and listened as I heard something like a woman with very high pitched screaming banging on my door. When I realized what was going on, I ran upstairs to find my father giving my little brother a bath, as if they didn't hear anything. I never brought it up to them. \n\nI also remember eating dinner with my family upstairs, when I heard all my toys downstairs crash. The toys were in a huge container that definitely could not be tipped over. My grandma told me to ignore the sound. \n\nWhen my grandma would get a babysitter for my brothers and I, she would always tell the babysitters to never let my little brother look at the kitchen light downstairs, and that if the kitchen stove downstairs turned itself on, then to ignore it. My little brother was never allowed to look at the kitchen light, because his nose would bleed profusely every single time. For the kitchen stove? The dials would turn themselves, even though they were the kind you had to push in to turn. \n\n------------------\n\nWhen I moved to Minnesota, my family bought a huge house for really cheap. At the time, I had no idea how we got it so cheap. When we finally settled in, my mom bought two couches and a TV, and put them in the downstairs living room. At the time, Adult Swim was new, so I would stay up and watch it every night. However, one night, I hear someone open the laundry room door behind me. Now, nobody was awake at the time since it was late, and if anybody were to come downstairs, they would have to open the door that led upstairs, which I shut. My brothers were sleeping in their rooms down the hall from me, and I would have definitely heard them opening their doors since their doors were very heavy. Back to the laundry room door opening, I was freaking out. I looked back and saw that the laundry door was open. Then, I heard something opening and shutting the washer and dryer doors, and it sounded like it was also just unrelentingly slamming on the sides of them. This went on for what seemed like ages, and I remember that I just started sweating like crazy because I didn't know what to do. I don't remember falling asleep that night, and I woke up still wet from sweat. I think I fainted from being so freaked out by the noises. I'll never forget that night. \n\nLater, my family learned that there was a teenage girl who was shot to death in the hallway downstairs before we moved in. \n\nTL;DR - Lived in haunted houses. Shit happened. 1336037129 +Thanks for clearing that up. I wasn't sure how remote desktop apps work.\n\nThat one press of the "printscreen" key could've changed the world. Too bad. 1350650713 +Imagine the guilt. 1339464480 +She absolutely does, though she was healthy when I first knew her. It's an issue of personality susceptibility - just like there are predispositions to become an alcoholic, but no one is born an alcoholic. In this case the susceptibility to paranoid delusions really starts to manifest in the person's attitude towards the first conspiracy videos they encounter: are they agonizing over it, spending a lot of time doing research, and talking to everyone/trying to convince everyone about it? Does it become one of the most important things in their life? The behaviours surrounding the belief are cause for concern, more so than the belief itself.\n\nIt's still not cut and dry - some people just go through phases where they get really interested in something, but abandon it later. What I think I learned, and wanted to pass on, is that its very easy to dismiss the signs of delusional paranoia right up until it's too late to do anything about it. Because it alters your perception, it is very difficult for paranoids to recognize their own illness, and so early intervention on the part of a concerned friend or family member may be the only hope they have (much as we all hate being paternalistic towards our fellows). 1315762108 +Honestly mostly photo editing, but I imagine it could do anything I wanted it to if I tried. I've actually just switched over to using light room recently on this computer, I used the free trial for CS for a while (I had CS 5), and I didn't really use any features that light room didn't also have. I do nature photography, so a lot of the features on CS were just REALLY expensive playing around toys. I try to limit my manipulation. I'm sure I'll probably buy CS 6 in the future, just not going to pull the trigger until I feel it's worth it. I've used the free trial on 3 PC's just to see how it worked though and it did fine (including some playing around time, so not just adjusting exposure etc). \n\nMy desktop was actually built for mid-end gaming instead of photography, so I don't really know if that makes a difference. It has no problem supporting my obscene 30" 2560 X 1600 screen though. Specs: AMD Radeon HD 6800 X2 (crossfire), dell U3011 monitor (as I said obscenely big, but relatively affordable and it does the job), i5 processor (2500K CPU @ 3.30GHz) and an MSI motherboard (though don't know what type). I'm sure there are other interesting things I could list, but my x built me this computer and I sort of just told him do it for under 1500 and have a grand ol' time. It does the trick for pretty much everything I want to do. The only thing I would add to this computer (right now, someday I may want an uber graphics card) is a solid state drive, I should have ignored my X when he said they wern't worth it my new laptop has one and it is fabulous. I personally hate the idea of all that top down stuff with macs, but I can really see how some people would love it. I have no problem with people using a mac, and for many people it's what makes sense for them, I'm just saying that you can build a desktop for relatively cheep to your own needs. I'm sure if I had built this desktop specifically for video editing, it probably wouldn't have been that much more expensive (no clue what you need, but honestly unless I get some sort of uber graphics card apple doesn't even offer, I can't see it being that costly). At the same time, I would probably never buy a premade PC desktop either. My laptops have all been pretty expensive , though probably with a bit better specs than equivalently priced macs, my last two were a think pad ( the best part about my think pad was that no one would ever steal it because it looked like it was shipped straight from 1995, despite being a brand new $2000 computer) and an alienware (yes I know I over paid, but it's pretty and stuff... I hate myself for saying that).\n\nI like to tease my parents about macs all the time, but I honestly have no problem with them, I just hate the idea that somehow they will magically make you a better artist or other silliness. I know people who buy macs specifically for photo editing... with PS elements. It's silly, yes macs are great, but if the only reason you buy them is so you can do basic photo editing that can be done on a machine for $1000 less it's silly. My sister LOVES her macbook air. It's tiny, it fits in her purse, it weighs next to nothing, and it allows her to surf the internet, sync with her iphone and pretty much never to think about her computer system, and that's fricking great for her. My brother and I would hate it, as well as a friend who uses extremely user unfriendly linux OS's but for my sister and the rest of my family it is great. I hate syncing, I like files and windows and folders and all that old school windows stuff. I am a huge fan of the drag and drop. I like to be able to fool around with the guts and nastiness easily. And I know this isn't really an issue anymore, but dammit if I want porn on my phone, I should be able to get a damn porn app. I don't have a porn app on my android, but knowing that I COULD have a porn app made me happy. \n\n 1341542758 +Tell her you never put much stock in fortunetelling. If they say the future looks bright, that doesn't mean anything unless you do your part. If they say the future looks bleak, that doesn't mean anything either, because you'll face each challenge as it comes, and decide for yourself how bad it was after you've come through it.\n\nMaybe you do have a destiny, but that doesn't solve your problems today of living your life as best you know how. I live *today*, learning what lessons I can from the past, and making what plans I think best for the future. And whatever that future holds, what I have in front of me right now is *today*, and that's what I take care of.\n\nIf some astrologer gave me advice that was anything other than what you can read in *Tao Te Ching*, or the Sermon on the Mount, or *How to Win Friends and Influence People*, or *How to Stop Worrying and Start Living*, or the Book of Proverbs, it's probably not advice worth following. And if they just give common sense advice, my grandma already did that for me. 1301422640 +> I sat fuming in the basement hating life.\n\nYou should really hate yourself for not having a spine and letting people treat you like putty. 1294513498 +Hah, you should see how angry the followers of *Jesus* can become... 1353978804 +Damn you natural selection! Work faster! 1302731269 +No, that's Jim Jackman. You're thinking of that guy who played the jury profiler in Runaway Jury. 1305020864 +> Astrology to me is half religion half science.\n\nhalf-science? I guess we can stop the discussion here, you probably dont know the meaning of science. 1310672004 +That's a good point. If it came up, the government could just claim it was a rogue faction within the government and hang a few long dead officials to blame for it all.\n 1334861061 +And a mickle fistress. 1304224854 +First thing I thought when he started talking: "This guy is an actor." \n\nThen I saw the link to his other monologues. Confirmed.\n\n[here is one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2DlOtBuYTQ).\n\nHe painted a mole on his face. :D 1344867419 +> Thats the same thing that my mom's alt. medicine practioneer tells me when I question her methods.\n\nHere's where Occam's razor might come in handy when first investigating claims of alt medicine. Again, it's not a law, it's just a tool to use when you investigate these claims. 1338757063 +Not sure how 173 items can be called concise, but nicely done. 1334910791 +To anyone who just watched the Daily Show tonight, he had a guest on who wrote a book about how cancer is the result of inflammation. \n\nThe misinformation is everywhere! 1328261112 +Ah, I hadn't caught the mention of the second dog. That does rule out my guess then. 1336779901 +>>There’s nothing about the dramatic increase in weather-related catastrophes worldwide:\n\n>Which are easily attributable to the change in what is deemed a \nweather-related catastrophe.\n\n>>There’s no mention of the increase in declared disasters in the U.S.:\n\n>Same\n\nYou actually sort of have a point there, if what you're saying is actually true. I'd like to go back and look at all the disasters that were declared during the period of this graph and see if there really is a lower threshold and, if so, what would the new graph look like if some recent disasters had not been included. I'd also try maybe going back and including previous storms that were not counted, but honestly I don't know how to do that since some of that information might be hard for me to gather. I'll give it a try that way as well if I can, but first I am going to see if someone already has.\n\nDo you have any thoughts on where the line should be drawn as to what to include or not include? I'll be totally up front here and admit that I full expect you to shift the goal posts if you dislike the outcome, so I want us to actually commit to a level of proof that will satisfy both of us beforehand.\n\nEdit: So far I found this: http://www.grida.no/graphicslib/detail/trends-in-natural-disasters_a899#\n\nAs you can see, it does conclude that other factors are increasing the rate of reports of these incidents apart from climate change, but things that would be attributable to climate change are increasing at a rate much faster than earthquakes, which would not be. I wouldn't call that alone conclusive, but it's certainly a start. 1353087066 +I.E. she's a fuckin crazy loon who never even knew her great grandfather, "a new, humane order on earth" no more wondering who the black sheep of the family is 1295629315 +Can we all agree that going forward whenever something like this happens, we take the shit back to the store and demand a refund for being sold a fraudulent product that doesn't work as promoted. 1311016439 +> it's just a reader who will never change his/her mind about vaccination.\n\nFTFY, if that was what "made up his mind" then his mind was made up already. 1349633175 +>~~Democracy~~ Republic 1352258964 +Well, I eat meat and I don't think it's "ethical" in the "sentient life is sacred sense," but if I REALLY wanted to know about it's production I'd pursue accounting practices in the industry- somewhere in there are accountings for death by conditions, meat sold at reduced rates from sick animals, etc. 1338276388 +Thanks for your agreement on my points. \n\nI'm curious to know how can you tell if the parties conducting the research are impartial or not, because I can't and I would definitely love to learn how to. \n\nWell, even though the existence of acupoints still cannot be scientifically proven (just like [gravity](http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Has_gravity_been_proven)), there are studies which show the effect of acupoint stimulation on the limbic system (as mentioned in my original post), and this is one way of explaining why EFT works. What do you think about that?\n\nI am definitely looking forward to the day when there are large, reliable studies on EFT conducted and made known to the public. Personally, I have experienced so many good things with EFT that it seems like a waste to me that not more people know about it. 1343118360 +IIRC, this was specifically for the cold relief gel swabs, not for the pill form. 1324976650 +Alright, I think we're going in circles now. I already mentioned 3 comments ago I understand your point about just b/c all theories are exhausted that it doesn't automatically makes the remainder the default answer. I get it: The Appeal to Ignorance.\n\nHowever, there is still something to be said about this... b/c again, it was either an inside job, or it wasn't.\n\nAnd, as I said before there is evidence of implosions, specifically w/ bldg 7 given how it collapsed in a equilateral motion and that the only way this could have occured is if *all* the column supports were *simultaneously* collapsed... also, thermate evidence.\n\nSo, it's not just a matter of eliminating theories, but also how there's direct evidence of an actual implosion (not my words, words of structural engineers).\n\nedit: in short, one has to weigh the evidence. On one scale you have the explosive theory, which is quite heavily weighed with evidence and on the other scale, you have basically zero evidence for the plane and/or fire theory. When one objectively weighs the scales, it simply weighs in favour of the explosive theory. 1324949177 +I've seen a lot of "lights" falling from the sky like this lately. I wonder what that is or what it could mean. 1336614483 +We have a **CHRISTIAN** (wtf?) radio station that has a weekly program where [a local "psychic"](http://www.thealbanynewyorkpsychic.com/) does readings for people. "Must know Mondays" or something like that. She's not very good. A couple of highlights:\n\n* A woman called in asking if she'd meet someone (for a relationship) soon. The psychic asked her if she worked in a college, said that she got an impression of tall buildings around the caller, and said it'd be someone the caller met at work. The caller worked in the infirmary at a prison. The psychic said "prison, college, what's the difference, right? AAHAHAHAHAHHAA"\n* A man whose wife died two years ago called in to ask if she was still somewhere near him. He said that he still visits her grave **twice a day** and hasn't thrown away anything of hers from their house. The psychic said she was still around and that the man needed to try to get in touch with her. (WTF. Dude's severely emotionally damaged from his wife dying. You're an asshole.)\n\nAnd that's just the tip of the iceberg. I've been tempted to call in several times with a fake story about a nonexistent dead relative to see how it'd work out, but I'm not that much of an asshole and I've got shit to do during the day. 1320733717 +I am also in a train station, but bipedal hominid locomotion began about 4 million years ago. Interesting to note that the advent of shoes began about 40 thousand years ago. 1326038272 +http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/UCM096228#tox\nToxicology of ethylmercury is not well studied. It is known that it is less toxic than methylmercury, but not by orders of magnitude. It was a dumb idea to use it in a preservative intended for human consumption without first doing proper clinical trials of its effects, even though it turned out to be probably mostly harmless at the doses at which it was used. 1315212241 +By definition. 1284003669 +Fawlty Wires 1332174229 +Airplane contrails at dusk, most likely. 1314634547 +They named a planet after a radio station? 1337918963 +Any time someone claims to be a doctor but then authors histrionic paragraphs like this one I know that Dr. stands for douche rag. \n\n> This is deception at its finest: begin with a shred of truth, and then spin it to fit your own agenda. 1278721135 +I'm drunk and karma whoring.\n\nStill, I thought you might appreciate somebody going on the record, albeit sort of.\n\n 1341635654 +sorry, but it looks like you or your friend just used paint or something. 1340722014 +Romney. He looks less human. 1347270876 +He embodies my concept of evil. Evil is not some woo woo demon chasing me, but simply a banality, the lack of empathy and concern for his actions. Unfortunately at the moment the ban only extends to Iraq and Afghanistan. Considering this bit of junk has been sold to over 40 countries, I hope the UK govt actively contacts the countries security agencies involved ( includes China it seems) and provides assistance in bringing legal action. The card was a particularly nasty lie as it contains the cheapest looking bit of electronics available ( shop theft detector strips) that are not in the least programmable or active for purpose. The full woo on his [web site](http://www.ade651.com/) suggests requests for things to be detected can be provided on cards. Even "Human research". And of course he grabs more cash by insisting on training. I hope he is hammered by the law. Repeatedly. 1264256534 +Damn, I was going to take this test when, come to find out, it costs $10. Of course you can take a sample test for free but the full version with "a much higher level of accuracy" than the free version.\n\nI am going to take the sample test and report back, afterwards I'll look around and see if I can't find any papers for you to look at.\n\nP.S.\nIf you are in college you can usually go through your libraries website and get free access to about a gazillion research sites with peer-reviewed papers that usually cost money to the general public.\n\n**EDIT:** I'd like to point out, before I take this test that it says this:\n\n>If you have answered honestly and accurately, your basic personality type should be one of the top three scores.\n\nHoly shit, out of only 9 possible types that's pretty fucking vague don't you think?\n\n**EDIT 2:** I've come out as Type 5, "The Investigator"\n\n>Type Five \nThe Investigator \nThe perceptive, cerebral type. Fives are alert, insightful, and curious. They are able to concentrate and focus on developing complex ideas and skills. Independent, innovative, and inventive, they can also become preoccupied with their thoughts and imaginary constructs. They become detached, yet high-strung and intense. They typically have problems with eccentricity, nihilism, and isolation. At their Best: visionary pioneers, often ahead of their time, and able to see the world in an entirely new way.\n\nTo bad that just by reading through the short, one paragraph long descriptions of each I could be ANY OF THEM.\n\n**EDIT 3:** Check out the MBTI link that dwchandler posted. You can find a whole crap ton of studies on and related to MBTI. 1272482749 +If that's amended to "unreasonable hope," the chart itself is evidence in it's favor 1344226417 +Oh, I missed that part. 1336005714 +But if it walks like a duck and swims like a duck... 1311905565 +You assume they'd try to use reason and not change the subject/run away and try to forget everything you said. 1356245808 +clinically significant means it has a noticeable effect which this does but only over nothing not sham, look at [this](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Standard_deviation_diagram.svg) and suppose it represents all the results for back pain after sham acupuncture, with the peak representing the average and also the majority of cases.\n\nnow look at the 1 and -1 at the bottom, those are 1 standard deviation from the mean. Now imagine an identical bell curve over the top of that one but centre its peak 0.23 to the left of the first peak. you would see that there are two distinct peaks (significance) but that they aren't very far from each other (standard deviation).\n\nHence there is a difference but a very small one from the sham . in osteoarthritis and headache the SD from the mean was only 0.15 and 0.16. but a noticeable, aronud SD = 0.5, difference from nothing.\n\nThis study does say Acupuncture is better than nothing, but about as clinically significant as the sham acupuncture, which a skeptic could easily agree with, if you had an option between nothing and acupuncture i'd go the acupuncture. 1347410001 +Interesting. [Weatherspark](http://weatherspark.com/?#!dashboard;a=USA/CA/Pleasant_Hill) shows steady wind from the north until about 6 PM, at which point it dropped off. At 10 PM it shifted, coming out of the west heading east at 3.4 mph. But overall, very little wind. \n\nOP, how fast did they move? Faster than 3 mph? The wind direction seems close. 1330144336 +#EANF# [pertaining to Purveyors of Bullshit](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002HFLZZK?ie=UTF8&tag=idenprop-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B002HFLZZK). 1309060056 +They probably see us humans as mere gazelle, stupid and inferior beings to not warrant teaching us their ways...\n\nIt's not like humans are in a rush to teach Giraffes advanced trigonometry or algebra.\n\nThat's the analogy... 1312692218 +In low doses, it's perfectly fine. I used to work at a state environmental lab, and we didn't test tap water sources very often (cities and municipalities get private companies to do that), but when we did, it was ALWAYS right under 4 ppm. However they figured out to keep it so constant, they're doing it right. 1337772375 +That makes no sense. 1356375224 +I haven't watched it, but if the basic premise is that humanity is dependent on a functional ecosystem, that premise would be based in reality. 1346274853 +I tried to downvote one, realized I couldn't and just stopped there. 1328841705 +i believe some do to an extent. Even i have predicted things thru dreaming that happen to come true IRL 1328324396 +I get dry skin when I take hot showers. It's really starting to bug me and I should cool it down a bit. Well, when summer starts. lol 1303016303 +Hmmm, will look into this. 1352083358 +According to my anti-vax uncle, polio has been renamed to [Guillain-Barre Syndrome](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillain%E2%80%93Barr%C3%A9_syndrome), and that's why there are no more diagnosed cases of polio.\n\nAlso, according to him, cases of polio began to decline as farmers stopped using DDT as a pesticide, and the vaccines did nothing. Logical. 1351805495 +Different angles, and even at that they look pretty similar at the top. I am 99% sure this is the same guy. 1344868647 +Fair point and I did not downvote him. However, others have noted that this user rehashes arguments all the time. If this is the case, it is not reasonable to expect the same arguments to be rebutted painstakingly every single time.\n\nIn addition, I'd like to say something about poor sources, just because it seems relevant. While it is true that every _argument_ must be judged on its own merits and doing otherwise is fallacious, _claims of fact_ are not subject to the same requirements. You can reject a claim of fact from a source that is not credible. Rejecting a claim does not mean taking the negation of the claim to be true, however. 1332307273 +Oh yes. My wife is one of them. 1332173649 +Doesn't that prove that there is no single one-world government? 1302654445 +Ask and ye shall receive http://imgur.com/a/1OKMG 1349840075 +No - it doesn't. They are very close. I see you deny objective morality by saying in order to be moral, you have to have belief. But morality deals with right and wrong. As Wikipedia defines it:\n\n>Morality (from the Latin moralitas "manner, character, proper behavior") is the differentiation of intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good (or right) and those that are bad (or wrong)\n\nThe question here is are morals subjective (meaning our thoughts, feelings, etc. control it and will differ from everyone else's) or objective (meaning are these universal truths based on reality that stay constant no matter what we think). I argue that no matter what you may think, feel, or say, there is a right answer, the ultimate right answer, true no matter what, and that everything else is wrong. Some less wrong than others, but still wrong because it is not the ultimate right/good thing to do. 1341336664 +Yeah, knowing what it is makes it so much less scary. It only happens to me sometimes, but the first time was awful because I had no idea what was happening. 1338473587 +Right, another retard that claims that AGW is just a conspiracy and he knows better than the peer-reviewed published climate scientists ... but since he 'predicts' a "global cooling of 0.2 to 0.3 degrees Celsius by 2035" at least we know he will go away in 2-3 years top ... or just publish another crappy book for deniers and conspiratards in which he will just predict something else ... or just move towards telling the other retarded theory = "yes, it IS still a warming but it will not be bad" !!! 1328722339 +Some background:\n\nQ&A is an Australian TV show where members of the audience ask questions of politicians, media personalities and subject matter experts on a range of issues.\n\nThe man the question was asked of is Peter Garret who used the be the Environment minister and is now Education minister (also used to be lead singer of midnight oil).\n\nThe show is broadcast live and shows a twitter feed during the show. 1331295439 +[This one is better](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cvl3DvYIqfk/T39lki7_NPI/AAAAAAAAAyg/VeKeego4ISk/s400/i-like-this-planet-you-get-off-futurama_2_.png) 1340567615 +It is now. 1288308150 +She must be proud, reviving her all-but dead career on the back of bad science and her child's learning disability. 1241455428 +It was a homeopathic remedy she gave me. She was really into that sort of stuff 1300713373 +Well you sure convinced me.... 1315753639 +I understood what you meant, I just disagree. I mean, there are probably some races like that, but others...well, we just can't assume that much about their nature. Perhaps they developed all that ability just *so* they could conquer, rape, and pillage. Maybe their just a mindless swarm with no real introspection other than to spread. Maybe their sense of joy is derived from hunting. There may just simply be some things that are rare in the universe and worth coveting and fighting for.\n\nI understand that it's natural to think of advanced beings as enlightened beings, but I genuinely do think there is danger in ascribing human attributes to the unknown. Some things can grow without the light. 1345192163 +I would like to divert your arguments to the larger thread (one of about 3 or so now already) for future posts http://redd.it/132nc0 1352834969 +Love it, thanks so much for this. I've been obsessed with the Bell ever since I read [Joseph P. Farrell's](http://www.reddit.com/r/josephpfarrell) book [SS Brotherhood of the Bell](http://www.amazon.com/The-SS-Brotherhood-Bell-Majic-12/dp/1931882614/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334212881&sr=1-1).\n\nI'd love to get my hands on Igor Witkowski's [The Truth About the Wunderwaffe](http://www.amazon.com/Truth-About-Wunderwaffe-Igor-Witkowski/dp/8388259164/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1334212780&sr=8-5) but boy is that book hard to come by. 1334212843 +I find it more likely that we would be visited by interdimensional beings (see: tool's faaip do ooiad) than by something lightyears away... unless they're using interdimensional travel to reach us. I think that's how the mayans disappeared. 1335049499 +I'm sincerely curious about this also. 1290153558 +I want to see one too 1349531936 +One of the most widely used chemical solvents in existence! 1327967657 +They're taking the piss out on truthers being jobless sucks who waste all their time handing out flyers, exchanging links to Zeitgeist and doing nothing productive with their lives. But since it's the onion they're doing it from the truthers "I don't understand why things aren't working out for me even though I've alienated myself from friends, family and work by being and insufferable conspiracy theorist" pov. 1348005071 +Depressed? [Spray those worries away!](http://www.ascendedhealth.com/sprays/spray_IamBlissful.htm) 1297201435 +I retract the "cheap shot" comment. 1351354792 +I just went to gsk.com and downloaded their pdf's on their various vaccines... it's all there. You may have to do some study and research to find out what things like "thimerosal" and "mrc-5 human diploid cells" are, but it's well worth it. 1256146992 +No, not really. There are two main "divisions" within anarchism.\n\n* The Anarcho-Socialists tend to believe money, property, capital, rent, and employment are evil (or something like that, they're hard to understand). They also believe in democracy and redistribution of wealth .... hopefully I'm not misrepresenting their POV.\n* The Anarcho-Capitalists tend to adhere to prefer the (a) non-aggression principle and (b) property rights, and many within the Austrian School of Economics (Such as Rothbard) are Anarcho-Capitalists. Also note that AnCaps use "Capitalism" in the classic free-market sense. 1313575641 +Having both been to AA meetings and been in a homeless shelter, I found the similarities were striking. In both cases, you were expected to accept God, or you weren't fully accepted into the group. In both cases you had to attend group meeting to talk about your problems. In both cases, you had to do "humbling" menial labor like clean the coffee maker or sweep the floor.\n\nBottom line is, they both resemble typical traditional Christian proselytizing of the poor or oppressed. 1321671673 +How did my phone get all the way over there? 1331988062 +1. What is her opinion on religion? I imagine that the truth is vastly different from current day interpretations of Iron Age mythology.\n\n2. Whether there is a god or several gods or nothing at all, it seems there is still a hierarchy of sorts in the afterlife with entities that seem to project their authority over other spirits - at least that's what I presumed from reading NDE/OBE stories ("Do you want to die now or do you want to go back to your life?" or "Hey! Get back into your body!"). Can you elaborate further on this? 1343765415 +He gives a good illusion of being logical. The reality is that he has a really strong tendency to base his decisions on the cultural atmosphere he surrounds himself with. At that point he'll use logic in defense of the already decided issue. But only to a certain extent. He'll debate it, but as a debate. And not as an attempt to actually examine the issue. \n\nHe's a really funny, really smart, guy who provides an example that intelligence and education don't always mean understanding of scientific methodology. 1279246573 +Science isn't about war, you calmly explain the facts and if the person you are discussing with is open to it he/she will accept it, if not then too bad.\n\nYelling and screaming is not what scientists should do nor should anyone who seriously wants to promote fact above fiction should ever do. If you feel compelled to get angry and go into pointless arguments then you are really no better than denialists. 1265535020 +Man, that story sounds like nothing but a flaming bag of p... *oh*. 1306867960 +Obviously Dr. Stuhlinger took the high road here instead of finger pointing. 1344315489 +The fingers he was using to point to the phallic symbols looked quite phallic to me 1307892828 +I'd say the dice are sentient. Also, they will inevitably betray you, at which point you should curse them. 1335083554 +Thanks for the info. It's something to think on - we seem to agree on most points. I'm just not sure I smell disinfo (not that he isn't). 1351727898 +Bare in mind that most of the time when we're talking about alternative medicine we're talking about practices that have been tested, often extensively, and show no results. \n\nAs to the holistic approach to medicine, you are absolutely right. There's nothing wrong with the term holistic in itself, but it has been co-opted by people who are not trained medical practitioners. \n\nI'm sure that there are many doctors out there who take pride in treating people in a "holistic" manner. But there is no licencing for "holistic healers". I could set up a shop and call myself a holistic therapist right now, and be happily stuffing interesting things into even more interesting orifices in no time. 1298936523 +But did you know that the presence of dihydrogen monoxide has been detected in women with breast cancer? A recent study involving 40 breast cancer patients showed that 99 percent of their tissue samples contain this chemical. Dihydrogen monoxide can enter your body through deodorants and antiperspirants. 1348902586 +Joehillsays? 1348269106 +Honestly between the crappy video quality and the rednecks shaking alcoholic hands it could be anything. 1326519846 +Enter...E.T. 1338918517 +wow, amazing detail! hopefully your post can help set something straight. 1346457589 +there is no evidence except videos of the parlour trick. which is not evidence.\npeople do look at these and they make up their minds - its just a silly trick with some pre prepared paper soaked in chemicals. That has been proven in hundreds of actual real science papers (not silly made up ones you claim exist). You really should look at that evidence and use your own analysis to decide. 1349990350 +I just checked all my resources on the subject.\nIm pretty sure it was the cancer. \nUnless the alternative medicine was a bullet. Then if steve had a bulletwound we might reason to believe it was the alternative medicine.\n...\n\nI just checked again, no bulletwound, it was the cancer. 1318635078 +With all the galaxies, planets, moons out there, it would be foolish to think we are the only life in the universe. 1271074833 +FYI, stalks is more appropriate than stocks. As a noun, stocks can mean many things, while stalks only means stalks. 1341530308 +I read psychics as physics. I was quite intrigued by the title. 1339713789 +To Kurzweil's credit, a great deal of his success as an inventor is owed to his ability to, at the very least, see short-term future innovations down the road. He began development of his reading machine before the technology to make it possible had been fully-formed. Likewise his digital keyboard began development ahead of the tech curve so that it was able to come out the moment the tech was ready for it.\n\nThere are a lot of angles you can attack his ideas about The Singularity from, not the least of which being over-optimistic about the likely speed of development. But when one compares a modern smart-phone to the computing technology used during the Apollo 11 mission, one can't help but marvel at how fast this shit is moving. Upon getting my iPhone 4s last year, I was taken aback by how much talking to "Siri" felt like speaking to the deck computer from Star Trek. (And Siri is very much one of the predictions that Kurzweil nailed. He thought it would be on "PCs", but he also thought there would be tiny PCs that we would carry around with us at all times, using wireless communications as well as voice control. That's a pretty damn perfect description of my current phone.) \n\nAnyone performing a thought-exercise of looking at current research in quantum computing, cybernetics, high-speed networking, and fabrication robotics, would find it hard to avoid arriving at similar end-games to what Kurzweil is talking about. He might be a little over-optimistic about how long some of this will take, but most of the ways we're likely to improve technology, including biotech, are probably not far from what's coming. 1353089047 +I appreciate your apology, and I appreciate your thoughts. \n\nMy wife, as a midwife, attends peer review once a month. As a naturopath, she's required to fill continuing ed credits just like any other medical practitioner, and is under the governance of a state-certified licensing board. \n\nShe became a naturopathic doctor and a midwife because she was interested in the *practice* of healthcare, not the *business* of healthcare. Her practice allows her to spend much, much more time with her patients and focus on increasing their wellness, rather than getting 15 minutes to prescribe this drug or that. Not that there aren't any number of conditions that should be treated with prescription medicine - but that so many of the chronic conditions that lower quality of life really respond best to diet, exercise and counseling.\n\nThe problem she faces - **all the time** - is that most people interested in "alternative medicine" have fundamentally given up on allopathic care. They're the ones who know in their heart of hearts that vaccines give you autism, fillings cause brain damage and that [laying on hands](http://www.naet.com/) will cure your ills. And frankly, you *have* to get a little woo with them just to get them to listen to you - I got to discuss anal swabs over dinner last night because my wife is trying to get her partner to swap over to a more accurate hepatitis test and her partner doesn't even really believe in *germ theory*. Meanwhile, most people on the Western side of things think that anyone telling you to get more sleep, eat better and get some exercise so that you can stop taking blood pressure medication is a charlatan and a witch out to drain your bank account.\n\nI dunno. It just gets tiresome defending one side to the other every day and then getting pilloried by both of them. Your viewpoint is diminishingly rare.\n\n 1279936953 +I like the story of that one military officer that touched the craft in Rendlesham Forest, and got some kind of flash of a bunch of binary that he couldn't understand. Some time later, a computer science guy gets ahold of the binary message and it turns out to be the alien equivalent of a license plate. That is the kinda thing that gives me goosebumps, a completely reasonable and mundane piece of information that a craft would have on it. 1337952668 +Way to be skeptical about being skeptical, job. 1355710380 +In the one you hear the cat meowing in you can hear a train whistle blowing at one point. It sounds far off and very faint. Just kind of gives a perspective on how close a cat would have been to you to get picked up that well. 1340416955 +I think Economicvoice.com is guilty of blatant sensationalism.\n\nGoldman Sachs does not say that "the economic collapse is coming." A single Goldman Sachs trading strategist (Alan Brazil) says that $1 trillion *may* be required to shore up European banks.\n 1315805757 +Maybe like... A year and a half ago, also I feel like I'm constantly being watched. It's the strangest feeling in the world. The angel's an average sized human. There's child sized ones too... Jesus christ, I feel like a fucked up Dr. Suess 1335595220 +GCI? 1305359997 +>Today, any idea can be promoted as worthy, irrespective of facts - and tolerated in the name of "fairness."\n\nSad, but true.\n\n***FACEPALM*** 1322489080 +call back and ask what the lady said 1342875423 +[Yes yes yes](http://www.newint.org/features/2008/09/01/message-in-a-bottle/) don't buy that shit. 1334687348 +You can come with me if you want to....I can still save you... 1351725846 +Can dirty hermaphrodites be gay? 1347800072 +dont worry. The same thing happens to me when I'm laying down in bed trying to sleep. 1334864491 +I would stop trying to reason with the hostile 12 year old. The fact remains, whether its good for you or not, cracking and popping joints releases endorphins in roughly the same manner as a massage. I would never recommend anyone to go to the chiropractor. That doesn't change the fact the if people feel better, then it works, especially if there is no measurable cause for their pain. 1349496425 +That sounds downright anti-democratic, actually. 1330488927 +How do I avoid them? 1329975860 +I'm not so sure (no expert here), if proteins were fully destroyed by the digestive process, there would be no such thing as food allergy, right? Peanuts, eggs, milk, wheat, and so forth, all allergies to proteins that the body finds within as foreign. \n\nPerhaps instead of 'all', we should consider that some portion is making it through the digestive process. Now, what comprises an effective dose is hard to say, but if kids can die from minute quantities of peanut, I wouldn't expect much colostrum to be necessary to register with our immune systems. 1311355922 +Transcript [here](http://www.corbettreport.com/911-a-conspiracy-theory/)\n\n>On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 men armed with boxcutters directed by a man on dialysis in a cave fortress halfway around the world using a satellite phone and a laptop directed the most sophisticated penetration of the most heavily-defended airspace in the world, overpowering the passengers and the military combat-trained pilots on 4 commercial aircraft before flying those planes wildly off course for over an hour without being molested by a single fighter interceptor.\n\nThis can be broken up into a few assertions:\n\n* A plane cannot be hijacked with box cutters - Sure it can. Why couldn't it be?\n* Al-Qaeda isn't organized enough to carry out such an attack - They sure as shit are organized. And the "caves" they they live in aren't so much caves as they are literally vast underground fortresses.\n* If it were a legitimate terrorist attack, then jets would have been scrambled immediately. - Fairly thoroughly debunked [here](http://conspiracies.skepticproject.com/articles/911/norad/) \n\n>These 19 hijackers, devout religious fundamentalists who liked to drink alcohol, snort cocaine, and live with pink-haired strippers, \n\nIrrelevant\n\n>managed to knock down 3 buildings with 2 planes in New York, while in Washington a pilot who couldn’t handle a single engine Cessna was able to fly a 757 in an 8,000 foot descending 270 degree corskscrew turn to come exactly level with the ground,\n\nDebunked [here](http://conspiracies.skepticproject.com/articles/911/hijackers/page/2/#hanisucks)\n\n>hitting the Pentagon in the budget analyst office where DoD staffers were working on the mystery of the 2.3 trillion dollars that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had announced “missing” from the Pentagon’s coffers in a press conference the day before, on September 10, 2001.\n\n\nDebunked [here](http://www.911myths.com/html/rumsfeld__9_11_and__2_3_trilli.html)\n\n>Luckily, the news anchors knew who did it within minutes, the pundits knew within hours, the Administration knew within the day, and the evidence literally fell into the FBI’s lap. But for some reason a bunch of crazy conspiracy theorists demanded an investigation into the greatest attack on American soil in history.\n\nNot even sure what he's trying to say here. There was speculation about the perpetrators in the beginning, and intelligence agencies said it was most likely a terrorist attack. Can someone chime in and tell me why this is relevant?\n\n>The investigation was delayed, underfunded, set up to fail, a conflict of interest and a cover up from start to finish.\n\n\nDebunked [here](http://other.skepticproject.com/articles/quotes/view/27/911-commission-member-said-commission-was-setup-t/)\n\n> It was based on testimony extracted through torture, the records of which were destroyed.\n\nWhat about the people who claimed responsibility while they were halfway around the world, not being tortured?\n\n> It failed to mention the existence of WTC7\n\n\nDebunked [here](http://www.debunking911.com/pull.htm)\n\n> Able Danger\n\nDebunked [here](http://conspiraciesrnotus.blogspot.com/2007/12/dismantling-able-danger.html)\n\nHonestly, I'm getting tired of this. All of the shit he said has been thoroughly debunked. He just dressed it up in satire and made his assertions even more ambiguous. There is nothing new to see here, except a slightly higher production value in the crazy people videos than normal. 1331094543 +Really man really!!!! 1313688733 +Seriously, it's like these people have never heard of the Food, Drug, & Cosmetic act. Drugs and therapies performed by doctors must be safe *and* effective! If it's not both, the drug is pulled and the therapy is halted.\n\nIt's why, just a couple of weeks ago, the FDA removed metastatic breast cancer from the indication of Avastin: it wasn't effective!\n\nETA: Just tried to comment on the article. Why am I not surprised that my comment must be approved by the admins? 1322410693 +And driving.\n 1329888003 +Yes! Me, too! And then I have weird dreams. 1344560886 +Answer: Are there any scientific studies published in peer-reviewed journals proving HAARP caused the earthquake in Haiti? No? Then the earthquake wasn't caused by HAARP. This is the only rational answer. Anything else is unscientific. 1265543104 +I found this review of Fitzgerald's book, which seems to take issue with a lot of the arguments he makes. \n\nhttp://armariummagnus.blogspot.com/2011/05/nailed-ten-christian-myths-that-show.html\n\nThe main issue seems to be that Fitzgerald makes a lot of arguments against a literal/fundamentalist reading of the gospels, showing they can't be true, but doesn't quite make the connection that this proves there was no historical Jesus. It's an interesting critique after you've seen the talk (which goes over the major points in the book). 1309559655 +If you happen to dream about who wins the World Series, let me know. I've got money, a car, and I ain't that far from Vegas. 1350972277 +There are literally thousands of videos of the events of 9/11. You can find many of them on youtube. 1349670500 +>The answers require out of the box thinking but you are insisiting the box must stay.\n\nI'm only insisting that the known fundamental laws of the universe must stay if we're to have an honest conversation about interstellar travel in that very same universe. Do you think this is unfair? If so, why? And if we are to eliminate the known fundamental laws of physics in the conversation, then where does one draw the line between realistic vs. unrealistic hypotheses? If we were writing a science fiction novel, then I would absolutely agree! But we're not. We're talking about the real world, and I don't know if there's value considering possibilities that aren't known to be possible in the real world. Know what I mean here? We have to work within the framework of what we know, not what we don't know. 1345051289 +It's more likely that every UFO "sighting" was hallucinated or misinterpreted than the idea that we are being visited by intelligent extra-terrestrial beings. Also, you're the one here claiming that we are visited by aliens and until you show me something that can't be 'debunked' I'm going to continue to believe that these phenomenons are earthly in origin. Does that mean we know what they are? No. But jumping from that to ALIENS! is just fucking stupid. 1332250968 +I found the real C2C when I was in fourth grade. Art Bell was the voice I fell asleep to for years. It's just not the same with out him at the helm. 1350462983 +>Nobody said they believed this was paranormal.\n\nThis original post is in /r/Paranormal. You replied to me in /r/Paranormal. I'm replying back to you right now in /r/Paranormal. 1347455149 +Well when you defend "creationist scientists" in /r/skeptic, you're inviting such gems. The very fact you were wrong and continued to argue it just shows your immaturity and lack of self-reflection. 1292611717 +This is just like the bollocks claim that aliens must have helped people build the pyramids, because making a big pile of stones is so much fucking hard work! 1325858798 +*cringe*\nThe very same :D\nThank you very much! 1326564080 +Allopathy is the term the CAM community applies to evidence-based medicine. \n\nIf a certain intervention is proven to work, it's just medicine.\nIf it doesn't work, it's not medicine at all, though it might be presented as such. \n\nMaybe that is a narrower definition than that of 50 million Elvis fans, but I'll stand by it. 1302028078 +Not really. They're mainly songs that pop in to my head, and I think that I'd really like to hear it. Or hey, I haven't heard this song in a while. Then it will pop up somewhere. The songs aren't popular either. Just random. 1327885569 +I'm having a hard time thinking of a scientist more impressive than Newton. 1348704932 +Well, it doesn't belong to /r/nosleep because he went back to sleep. 1337336891 +If I remember correctly, there were issues with some of the earlier DNA testing. That being said, I still am not sure if I buy any of this just yet. 1330661222 +My standard disclaimer is that while I remain skeptical, I acknowledge there are a myriad of phenomenon that human beings are not normally privy to. I can't deny anything I can't disprove. Still with me?\n\nOk.\n\nMy thought? [Spirit Guide] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_guide) 1343407823 +There's also [water intoxication](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_intoxication), but your point still stands. 1283897398 +Isn't that the Nuremberg defense ? \nSo what your saying is that you work for frauds but they are not really really bad frauds so that's ok. 1304403862 +Well, those clappers were probably just the nuts who follow Chopra and Houston around on "tour" and listen to their radio show. Probably not the usual Caltech crowd. I can only hope. 1283291310 +Actual example :[1](http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/02/10/2211220/false-fact-on-wikipedia-proves-itself)\n\nThough, maybe this didn't actually happen but rather a rushed writer writing on the topic of Wikipedia... 1321453138 +Don't get me wrong, I don't disagree with you. The issue isn't that government wants/doesn't want to control birth rates and such, because they often do, but that the current debate on marriage and associated rights doesn't have much (if anything) to do with government's desire for that birth rate.\n\n> Government control of marriage is actually a pretty ineffective way to encourage procreation.\n\nIt depends on how you view it. Having a codified system could be good, in the sense that contract enforcement helps businesses be able to deal with one another. The 'extra layer' may help create the conditions that allow people to raise children in extra safety or whatever. My comment should only be taken in the context that making absolute statements (government does not want to, government does not help) weakens the overall argument.\n\nFundamentally the argument is flawed because gay and lesbians probably won't have kids outside of marriage, but could (at the very least) raise kids in marriage. Allowing them the same rights would increase their ability to 'have' children, either by proxy, adoption or some other means. 1335475134 +> A law the prohibits bullshit\n\nis a law against freedom of speech.\n\n> A law that stops homeopathy\n\nis the first step on the road to authoritarianism\n\n>, for instance \n\nis a left-over from the copy-and-paste 1267494156 +Sounds like a shoddy ticketing system. 1355839918 +He's right though we should be skeptical especially if they agree with our beliefs (I need a different word, I feel like "beliefs" implies some kind of unchallengeable knowledge, maybe just how I was raised though), I hope this true though, being skeptical of a claim and wanting it to be true aren't mutually exclusive. 1329529954 +That's oxiclean's active ingredient. 1301474448 +2 things after reading this :\n\n- we/i don't actually know that much about the chinese POV on all this (govt and civil) . \n- there are "quite some" people with 6 fingers on each hand out there .. i always felt it wasn't that unnatural .. i wonder what the deal is 1323882281 +....Nope. 1353413465 +^ This is the only constructive comment here. ^ 1343964672 +It is for those of us allergic to corn. Corn syrup takes the chemical components that cause an allergic reaction, and condenses them by roughly 1000 times the ppm.\n\nCheap pancake syrup nearly killed me twice as a child before they figured out what it was. Now I have to have my pancakes and waffles with real maple syrup, poor me!\n\nedit: I a word. 1340426729 +Trolls are pathetic, committing the most facile lies while deluding themselves into believing those lies are clever. \n\nAny internet discussion forum just makes what it can of the content presented to it. /r/Skeptic eventually saw through this lie and that doesn't negate that better people than the troll-OP were able to conjure some meaningful thoughts and exchanges about the content of the lie. 1355690169 +Whoa... 1345683639 +But when it is, that will be the bad thing. Looks like KillAllTheWhiteMan needs to cross ceolceol's palm with silver. 1315404407 +just a story with 0 proof. nothing more, move along. 1347140716 + Wicca and Witchcraft are cool/fun. That perception colors the world in interesting ways. If anyone can be excused for believing in Wicca, it should be kids. As a kid, roughly at that age, I was into that sort of stuff too. It was *fun*. I wanted magic spells damn it. At this point its just him being a unique kid. He's just got an active imagination. Most likely he'll come out of it disillusioned by religion in general. So, don't worry about it. Give it another five years, then *start* to worry if things haven't changed. 1288736449 +Germany showing intolerance of an ancient Jewish ritual? I'm shocked...Ok I actually think this is a good thing.... 1340825659 +From the webmd link:\n> Most of these claims have no evidence backing them up. Some -- like vinegar's supposed ability to treat lice or warts -- have actually been studied, and researchers turned up nothing to support their use. 1305185506 +This is a big problem, in need of a solution. Maybe some kind of double-blind test to determine which are the good psychics? 1306521611 +And these exact reasons are why we'd try to actually attack them, to steal this technology, and put it in the hands of the big corporations, who would then bury it. 1295015996 +Sorry, I keep seeing this. What is SRS? I googled it, but I get results like "sexual reassignment surgery" and "scoliosis research society," and I am pretty sure that's not what you guys are talking about. Thanks! 1347373272 +My reaction was so funny when I found SGU. I was like, "Wait, I'm a skeptic? You mean there are other people in the world like me?"\n\nI felt an instant bond because I finally found a group of people who I could identify with. People who would almost obsessively research a subject and examine evidence. People who examined every facet of life and thought about it. People who genuinely wanted to know how the world worked.\n\nAwesome show, I look forward to it every week. 1346184786 +close. Salt.\nhttp://www.livescience.com/22954-changes-ocean-salinity-voyage.html 1348863837 +Here's a much better photo of [Aristarchus Crater](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Aristarchus_and_Herodotus_craters_Apollo_15.jpg) which you can see looks nothing like "fusion reactor." In fact, since no one on Earth has ever seen a fusion reactor, by what basis can anyone claim that this crater looks like one? 1316094581 +The problem is that if they are able to somehow come to the conclusion that evolution, a scientific theory that has only been bolstered by every bit of evidence ever found, never called into question by any kind of legitimate evidence (there *is no* "contraversy,* and no biologist worth his weight in salt would say otherwise), and is in fact observable in our every day lives (virus mutation, breeding of dogs, speciation occurring in various animals, etc.), then what *else* are they capable of denying without cause?\n\nThe willingness to stubbornly deny evolution on the basis of fallacious arguments denotes an inherent problem with their decision making. Imagine how much *better* that brilliant surgeon, chemist, what have you, might be if their thought processes were corrected to eliminate this flaw.\n\nEDIT: I accidentally a word. 1336759634 +Honestly it's hard to say what it could be, but I do not believe it is paranormal. \n\nMore than likely it is a natural event that we haven't been able to explain. 1348803189 +ah ok. the video didnt show up when i was viewing with firefox. 1340058432 +Interesting, but none of these are completely silent and none are able to hover in one place. That is a key distinction; these are still airplanes and need to be moving forward to stay aloft. Most triangle sightings are characterized by silence and hovering. 1298062179 +What are these credibility issues? 1345601009 +My friend who I talk about in the entry has spoken of the shadow people. I will read that, thank you. 1327361423 +Why just imagine? 1317103248 +I'd also like a link please. 1345660494 +Cocaine is a helluv a drug 1351957580 +Dr. Ketchum appears to be a legit researcher with relevant qualifications, and prweb appears to be a legitimate site for news and press releases which points to DNA Diagnostics (although the website looks like it's from the early 90's, it appears to be a legit business). It is however just a press release.\n\nI am extremely skeptical, and will wait to see the evidence and if it merits it, further independent study of the samples. 1353872629 +Yes, we've all seen the image on the internet. 1337455653 +The correct term is "eugenics," if I'm not mistaken. 1340934504 +>there might be something useful that can be learnt.\n\n- there is no degree of absurdity that the human mind cannot find to be reasonable. 1331214879 +Gotcha. Yeah, GBS can sometimes result from auto-immune responses to a vaccine. I always find it curious that it so often gets brought up in the context of vaccination but almost never elsewhere. GBS is a haywire response of the immune system and it also occurs when people actually get sick, including when people get the flu!\n\nI suppose it is more dramatic when a healthy person gets GBS after a vaccination. But it's also valid to point out that flu sufferers can see GBS after being sick. 1256945186 +Billy Meier is a fraud. 1352865914 +Why should we assume that extraterrestrials would communicate with radio signals? I don't think that silence necessarily means anything. 1323199738 +The would also be able to avoid crashing into a planet, or nose diving into a volcano for that matter. 1351857307 +[No true Scottsman pseudo-fallacy.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman) Which I'm starting to see everywhere...\n\nThe "true" assertion this context amounts to [pathos](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathos) because you haven't defined it otherwise.\n\nI would say, "No skeptic who submits belief in the christian deity to skeptical analysis will thereafter believe in the existence of said deity." Wordier, but avoids the issues with "true skeptic". 1329857213 +Organic means governmental certification. It's not necessarily great. Most small farms are not able to get certified as organic because it's too arduous and expensive. 1338687579 +i dun 'now wat u say\n\n 1345040321 +Well put. Thanks for your contrivution and the excellent examples you provided. 1339632412 +> There are news paper articles from the time that described eye witness accounts of the phenomena. Both in Norfolk, VA and in Philadelphia, PA.\n\nCitation needed. 1348164387 +Why is this guy getting downvoted? It was hilarous! 1296065398 +I would take the lead any day of the week. After all, what's the off chance of brain damage compared to the choking hazard presented by phallic foods? That's why I don't eat hot dogs, bananas, squash, or Popsicles. 1326719080 +>into nothing more than a small version of /r/atheism where all we do is tell each other how smart we are and how stupid everyone else is.\n\nYou're missing so much of the point. Humiliation, name-calling and chastising are imperative tools. Why act like someone's ignorant, uninformed opinions are somehow worth respecting by virtue of them being someone's opinions? I find myself in the face of pure, unwavering ignorance and you want me to be *respectful*? To tin-foil hat wearing crackpots and jeebus freaks? \n\nThe fact is, there's no excuse in this age of information. The information is there for people. If they can't find it or understand it, or simply won't try to break out of their shell all the while accusing me of being closed-minded, it's not my responsibility to do anything but let them know how much I revile their pathetic, flaccid intellects. 1341555388 +Their reaction was the strangest part of this. I think I recognized those boys (they were maybe around 18 - 20) as friends of a family who lived nearby. They would always ask me for cigarettes if they are the guys I think they were. Although that family still lives nearby, I haven't seen those guys since that night. \n\nTheir reaction really was very bizarre. While the part of my mind that loves mystery and conspiracy, regarding both as exciting and fun, I rather think that their reaction might be somewhat typical: the reaction of people who don't want to believe their eyes. I'm sure you've seen that mentality with some people in the past - where looking away and going about your business is easier than accepting that there is no "non-fantastic" explanation for something that's right in front of you. \n\nTo answer the question if I noticed something else, no. I kept and eye on my watch from the moment I first spotted it and noticed no "missing time", saw nothing prowling around in the area or anything else unusual aside from the thing hanging in the sky above me. \n\nSomething I haven't mentioned, though, those guys who turned and walked away silently, they walked along the side walk that wrapped around the building and did not return. I remembered them always parking in the ample spots in front of the building in the past. \n\n 1318456380 +1:1000000000 chance encounter 1353936637 +That's my point exactly.\n\nThe superficiality of weight doesn't really mean anything unless you go to the extremes of morbidly obese or anorexic. \n\nKeep in mind, that when I said this: \n\n>Probably because it will be used as an excuse for far too many people to absolve themselves of any personal responsibility.\n\nIt was meant as an example of what people like xpda would say. 1327432987 +These scenes are how we turned GH into a drinking game. 1352555989 +[The noise I make any time I hear/read the name Deepak Chopra](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NmNObROcBOo#t=2s)\n\nHe is such a dick :/. 1321353485 +Nope, most likely, power saving mode. When battery is below a certain percentage, the automatic setting on most laptops will cut the screen off after a minute or two of no user input. You moving it around when you plugged the charger into the laptop probably brought the screen back up. If it had truly died due to a dead battery, you would have had the whole boot up sequence when you plugged in the charger, assuming it was actually plugged in and providing power. 1326739491 +According to the label it is not made with raw cream..no where does it state anything about "raw". That makes much more sense, it isn't raw..\n\nhttp://www.greenpasture.org/public/Products/ButterOil/index.cfm 1351443477 +Also, one more slight glitch I have encountered. A friend of mine I had back in high school that I would hang out with on a regular basis, had a string of 3 months straight of looking at his phone or a clock at exactly 11:11. Whether we were in school or hanging out, he would always make a note of saying, "hey guys, if you was wondering, it's 11:11." \n\nFor the first few weeks this happened, all of my friends were kind of weirded out by it, but as time went on, we just accepted his friendly reminder. 1326435917 +That's fine. I just didn't want to the analogy (which uses a *person* for AGW) to can confused. It's easier to imagine a train on a train than a train on a person, even if it's all trivial. 1354899073 +Yeah I've had this before too. Even got to the point I double checked what time it was so I knew I wasn't just getting numbers mixed up. Still haven't figured it out either :) 1331860125 +It touches upon the paranormal, and people here are more often self taught and practical.\n\nNot to say it's unscientific of course. 1322425503 +still no arguments. 1345701864 +Your username is pretty relevant, too. 1332845491 +Juicing? The patient's wallet? 1349896175 +Futurism is, at least for me, a fun bit of show. At the heart of it is pure speculation, taking current trends and extrapolating out from there. Just as an economist cannot possibly predict two months into the future, so the same is with future technology. \n\nI worked at a video game company ten years ago and we predicted that cell phones would be the big market for games a decade later (we nailed that) but we had no idea technologies like Twitter and Facebook would be the titans they are on mobile. Disruptive technologies will always arise and throw off the linear curve that a technology was going on.\n\nAnyone that believes strongly in the singularity needs to critically evaluate how slow our medical progress really has been. We are not just our brains, our whole body make up the what we are. What we consider reality is just what our brains composite in aggregate from our senses. It isn't enough to simulate a brain, we'd need to simulate everything from sense organs to circulatory systems. People with artificial hearts have reported trouble sleeping because they lack a pulse. (Citation needed of course, my father and grandfather are docs and mentioned this last year at christmas dinner)\n\nI think your skepticism is well warranted, but don't miss the chance to experience the world the way it can be. I think starting a sentence with "What if . . . " usually ends with a fantastic conversation. 1352731432 +From the sources on wikipedia's Teflon article, I found [this article](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18419647), which seems to indicate that teflon and related cookware account for a very minor amount of the PFCs a person absorbs. I'm not sure if that's just likely to make your mother worried about the food and water that the article says account for the majority though.\n\nTo further that point, the natural news article itself notes that the study took place in the Faroe islands because uptake of PFCs is associated with eating fish, and nothing quoted in the article by any scientists mentions absorbing PFCs from household appliances.\n\n 1328302121 +That was mind blowingly dumb 1354214074 +And he recovered eyesight too!! double miracle! 1276861086 +I disagree, look at how many people are attached to their religious beliefs. I know quite a few in my town. I can safely say, everyone in my wifes family, including my wife, would be extremely freaked out over this. They are very religious Catholics. I think it is much better to just let this information trickle out to those that want to find it. 1346495587 +Interesting 1356402221 +Better safe than sorry! Thank you! 1350414398 +Interesting. Like the gambler who keeps betting to dig himself out of the hole because he thinks the jackpot is coming? 1337886121 +And some conspiracy theories use science...they are not mutually exclusive. 1333838470 +Mothman is scray. If you have netflix they have a documentary on it that scared the shit out of me, its instant view. We need more people to have a mothman discussion. \n\nAs a Jersey resident i have to tell you a secret. Jersey devil isn't real. It was made up during the Revolution to scare the superstitious British out of the Pine Barrens. Reasoning: Records from the Continental Congress including 1/3 copies of the Declaration was kept in the same barn in the Barrens. 1306384548 +Jupiter is visible to the naked eye, and if you catch it on the right night it looks pretty bright. 1289397017 +> Is there not? The supporters of organic foods that I talk to seem to do this and watch the grainy youtube videos that support all sorts of inaccuracies.\n\nI don't think there is. I am not even sure which grainy videos do you refer to. I would prefer you referred to facts, such as the regulations. For example, do you not think that you would prefer to drink the milk produced according to the rules that I have cited, or do you really insist on your cow being fed plastic and manure?\n\n> Obviously this is only my experience but from what I've seen Brian has been great at preventing more misinformation from being spread. \n\nNot about organic food. He has picked a few and well between facts, and he has painted a picture based on these facts. Yes, organic food does indeed use fertilizers. But also, while they are fertilizers, it uses fewer kinds, which is good for people who want to avoid certain pesticides (and other chemicals) more than others for social reasons. For example, I may want to avoid roundup not because I think it is somehow more poisonous than other pesticides (I am not sure which pesticide is the "worst"), but I may have a gripe with Monsanto for its corporate tactics. As a customer, I am happy to have that choice.\n\n> He usually goes over a number of claims (for everything from Bigfoot to organic food myths) and discusses why they are factual or not.\n\nWith organic food he has chosen to paint the picture that suited his opinion. He has chosen a few and far in-between facts and he has mischaracterized the organic food idea entirely. He stuck to the fact that fertilizers and pesticides are allowed in organic food and blown it out of proportion. I do agree that many people want to have food without chemicals, and, currently, there is no official standard in US to label such food. There could be, but there isn't one. Still, to many organic food consumers it does matter that the list of allowed chemicals is limited. It matters even more that organic food is about much more than just use of chemicals. It is not perfect, but certainly most of us would read many organic food regulations and wonder how on earth are such things allowed at all. Feeding cows plastic and manure is just but one example. There are some things like point (8) that we all know most animals in industrial farming will never get. Also, check my link to Google Scholar for scientific evidence that organic milk has clear advantages over non-organic milk. So there is science. 1352468995 +Here. Have a glass of water. 1283358510 +A long term Stossel-Shermer interview would be painful. Both of them are intelligent, but they also each have that voice that makes them sound arrogant and annoying. \n\nThe bit about the "noble savage" really is bothersome, I find myself explaining to people all the time that native peoples weren't any different than us today, although primitive societies are much worse off due to their basic human nature (combined with simple ignorance that requires time/generations to accumulate). On the other hand, you get those ancient astronaut folks trying to claim that early humans were too savage and dumb to build the pyramids or develop agriculture. 1311878496 +Even a broken clock tells the right time twice a day! 1326768940 +I exploded the flashes into images and put them in imgur albums. Makes for easy stepping through the frames.\n\n[First flash](http://imgur.com/a/FjUZu#0).\n\n[Second flash](http://imgur.com/a/jsXIX#0).\n 1342018639 +Personally, I'm concerned a significant psychological/sociological study might be produced in the future proving that it's in everyone's psychological/sociological best interests to say believe in God or follow a religion for example.\n\nThat it's possible that evidence could support ignorance, when held up against certain metrics, and that politicians would move accordingly.\n\nFingers crossed in the mean time 1350146084 +And according to Wikipedia, it's a dilution of about 1:10^400. So, it's sugar water. Well, it does say Homeopathic on the label. Heheh. 1329264495 +Other side of what? Because I doubt that those people who are aghast at the rape/violence threats delivered to Rebecca Watson are the same ones threatening this person.\n 1351109616 +Red Cross letter to US State Dept:\n\n- *"We had not been able to discover ANY TRACE of installations for exterminating civilian prisoners"* \n\nsource: http://i.imgur.com/Jcczo.jpg 1356337901 +You must really hate talking to your friends. \n\nExpressing concern about a program someone is about to enter is totally normal among friends. If my friend was going to get a degree in something the first question I would ask them is what they're going to do with it, and then how they plan on getting there. These are normal things that normal people talk about, and expressing concern for your friends is a good thing, not a bad thing. 1288895699 +But it's on the FBI site itself. The FBI is worried about hits? 1302465813 +This study sparked a furious debate over the peer review process when it was published. Here is a recent article from Goldacre on this debacle, [Backwards step on looking into the future](http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/23/ben-goldacre-bad-science) 1310225537 +That was the one. While I would not say natural medicine and other practices have no value I am skeptical in the sense that many people have given it a bad name in while trying to make a buck. Also I am skeptical that natural medicine is effective because it is largely ignored by the scientific community and hence not enough empirical evidence to effectively evaluate those treatments. A catch 22 if you will. This is complicated by the fact that large scale trials are hugely expensive and probably not a big enough profit margin for companies to purse serious research in the area. \n\n"Even if purely psychological, if it's proven to do some good, any at all, it should not simply be thrown to the curb by the skeptics like so much I see here in r/skeptic."\n\nWhile I agree with you that if it does some good it should not be discarded out right if I broke my arm and the pill on the left will relieve 35% of my pain (statistically significant and homeopathic) or the pill on the left will relieve 100% percent of my pain (pharmaceutical) I can guarantee you which one I will take every time. That is not to say the pill on the left does not deserve greater study. What makes it work, how can we make that more effective etc. \n 1311020611 +Post the footage itself, not you pointing at a screen. 1300181376 +lol I'm on a insane rage fest on ignorance and stupidity right now. PEOPLE SOMETIMES MAN, GUILLIBLE IDIOTS 1335023600 +Homeopathy is bullshit. Magnet therapy is bullshit. Acupuncture, when done by a trained healer, is a great thing. \nMy experience has been that seeing a doctor of Chinese Medicine is more helpful than seeing an MD (I am sure other people have had different experiences with different doctors).\nA healer is not necessarily an MD, and an MD is not necessarily a healer. I don't think I have ever, in my life, met an MD who had the ability to listen and communicate well with me as a patient. It almost seems that they train MD's not to listen in school.\nOf the doctors of Chinese Medicine I have gone to, I have been lucky enough to find a real healer 2x. By that I just mean, someone who listens to symptoms and applies their knowledge to me as an individual.\n 1296824950 +Well, yes, of course.\n\nBut quack medicine will always be quack medicine.\n\nI think that getting *real* medicine back in order is more important, actually, as it should be the system that cures patients and fixes problems. If real medicine can't be trusted, then what do people have left?\n 1348515945 +The best statistics we have suggest that the Iraq War, justified by the September Attacks, is very much genocide. 1290774678 +I've said it before and I'll say it again:\n\nThe *only* good documentary about UFOs that I have seen is the 1956 docu-drama **[UFOs: The True Story of the Flying Saucers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bGTLtdwPHM)**. \n\nWhen I say "good", I mean, "it has an impeccable and honest commitment to 'the truth'; it has a near-zero percent chance of being fake/hoaxed/disinfo; and by watching it, you learn *more* facts about UFOs, not *less*." I can't stress how important the last point is, and how easy it is to miss when a documentary has limited your perspective and attentions rather than expanding them. \n\nGetting back to my recommendation, [The Montana](http://www.nicap.org/mariana.htm) and the [Utah Films](http://www.nicap.org/utah2.htm) remain two of the best documented, best analyzed publicly known Unknowns -- and yes, you can see them online but I suggest watching the entire **UFOs** movie for invaluable context. Both were specifically declassified for public consumption for this film. And indeed, this fact has fueled some speculation that the whole production was an attempt to test the waters for a full-blown public disclosure, whatever that would have meant in the mid-50s. \n\nThe film is downright boring in its commitment to fidelity to facts over dramatic action. And considering that both Edward Ruppelt and Dewey Fournet worked extensively on the film to help ensure accuracy, it has *by far* the highest intellectual standards of anything you can watch about UFOs this side of **2001: A Space Odyssey** and **Close Encounters of the Third Kind**. Finally, the US natinal security state -- to take Richard Dolan's excellent phrase -- evolved a lot between 1956 and 1966, let alone the present day. UFOs is a document from a time when the government was less sophisticated in its use of PR, and the Great Taboo that the CIA's Robertson Panel dreamt up in 1953 hadn't truly had time to ferment yet in the American subconscious.\n\nI challenege anyone to take the assertions made by this film and attempt to verify/disprove them (your choice of course). You will find that almost every detail, assertion and narrative scene stands up to scrutiny and skepticism of the highest intellectual degree. \n\n**TL;DR**\n\n**[UFOs: The True Story of the Flying Saucers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bGTLtdwPHM)** rewards serious scrutiny while most other UFO documentaries don't (if your standards rise above the **Zeitgeist**/**Loose Change** level).\n\n**EDIT**\n\nHaving checked out Drmorose's [suggestion](http://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/j4jk6/ufoaliens_documentaries_is_there_is_anything_else/c295k5j), I have to say that [UFOs It Has Begun (1976, 1979)](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7100303682843029418) is a second "good UFO documentary" by my own standards. But I should have expected no less from a documentary so strongly influenced by Jaques Vallée. 1312151606 +I to am in favor of whatever works. This is why I'm opposed to psychics. How about some goddamn police work - who are the Glendale police anyway, a bunch of rubes at a carnival? This certainly doesn't inspire much confidence. And I thought Joe Arpaio was incompetent. . . 1320117788 +>Things like souls, the afterlife, a supernatural creator, the resurrection, prayer, original sin, immaculate conception, transubstantiation, etc, aren't testable at all, and those are the things that form the basis for most major religions. \n\nTransubstantiation seems pretty borderline to me, Catholics just assert that it can't be tested even though the claims certainly seem testable. Though some of them might claim that it changes only in the spiritual dimension or something.\n\nMany of those other things can I think be render superfluous, and I think that most religious people are intelligent enough to know that, if something is superfluous when it comes to explaining the natural world (sorry this sentence is fully inadequate but I think you get my meaning), then it's not worth believing.\n\nEven believers in ancient aliens building the pyramids I think would abandon belief if they thought the aliens were superfluous. That's why they direct so much energy at trying to discredit any explanations of how humans could have built the pyramids on their own. Equivalently many religious people try to discredit ideas that would render their beliefs (creationism) superfluous.\n\nTo think that religious people would continue to believe while accepting that their religious beliefs were completely superfluous to explaining the natural world, would I think be hugely insulting. I do not believe that the vast majority of religious people could be that different from us. 1348137660 +Looks like an Imperial battle cruiser to me. 1326479224 +I just read through most of it and the guy seems to believe *every* conspiracy theory ever. Illuminati? Check. Aliens? Check. 9/11? Check. JFK? Check. Believed Osama died in 2001? Check. \n\nEvery response with even a smidgen of skepticism is getting downvoted to all hell. Silliest AMA I've ever seen. And, of course, he does it all under the guise of "evidence." 1345538638 +I didn't see any movement that couldn't be attributed to camera shake and deliberate panning. The whole thing seems set up to me for some reason. The opening shot of the sky looks exactly like I would expect for dusk with the first planet becoming visible (usually Venus or Jupiter around here). As others have posted in this thread, when something is out of focus, it can take on a strange geometric shape, and there's just no reference point on the ground when the "movement" takes place. 1342415386 +I really like keeping up to date with environmental news so I read it often. I am just annoyed with a bunch articles posted now and then of dubious nature. \n\nIt can be a small community at times. 1331511765 +If the U.S. wanted to attack themselves so they could convince people to invade Iraq, they would have framed Saddam, not Osama Bin Laden, since Bin Laden had nothing to do with Iraq. It could not have been a false flag, since it didn't even have the flag on it that the Conservative neo-cons wanted to go to war with. 1349630421 +I predict that no one will succeed 1280717183 +With cheese. 1314065236 +That may be the best use of the Look of Disapproval, ever. 1306947263 +I don't really disagree; however this subreddit has a bad habit of mixing the jam with the cheese, so to speak. For example, the articles quoted in another thread as being "devastating" to the claims against chiropractic were *specifically* all studies that measured the efficacy of spinal manipulation in treating things like colic in children.\n\nWhich is good for what it is -- except that the OP asked specifically about the efficacy of chiropractic in treating neck and back pain in adults. The fact that some chiropractic claims are stupidly inflated does not mean other claims are automatically invalid. \n\nAgain, not really arguing the point. My own experience is purely anecdotal. I just wish that here, more than anywhere, logic would be paramount. 1306560107 +Yeah I came across that passage as well. I see your point. However, we have to consider that ancient cultures were elongating their skulls so their children would bear closer resemblance to the gods. The only thing, is that these look strikingly similar to the "starchild" skulls of pre-columbian Mayan civilization, and less like the ones proven to have been elongated by humans themselves. Those jaws are massive. Cpt_Wolf I also wonder how they got to Northern Mexico. What with the recent finding of egyptian hieroglyphics in Oceania (ie: Woy Woy site North of Sydney), one must wonder if canoe was really the only way to get around 3, 000 years ago. I believe there is something distinctly *non-human* about this. 1355778006 +>Logic exists, therefore *my* god exists\nFTFY 1275939148 +As you should. I like visiting this subreddit to read spooky stories, and some of them are quite well done. The ones that are entertaining to read, I can just ignore thinking about how improbable they are in reality and enjoy them as fiction.\n\nHowever, the crazy & paranoid posts that crop up so often are just a chore to downvote & hide. You can talk to dead people, you say? Could you please prove it, and give immeasurable comfort to millions of people, grieving over loved ones? Or just to help answer one of humanity's oldest questions regarding death? Oh... No, you're not willing to provide any evidence... You just want to spout nonsense for attention.\n\n...and so on. 1335495702 +That's a lucky coincidence. 1346571231 +What do you think of the Rebecca Watson "[Elevator incident](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Watson#Elevator_incident)"? 1346183208 +not just alcohol, but 87% alcohol. That's very nearly the alcohol concentration of everclear! 1272059784 +It sounds like you need to read up on atheism. It's not a claim, but a response to a claim. 1309203825 +I disagree on one simple point: not every article needs to be written for every audience. Ars isn't reaching an audience that likely needs any explanation of why it's a crock of shit.\n\nThis isn't USA Today, it's a narrowly focused audience. There's nothing wrong with the article focusing completely on a different type of dishonesty from DI. Their readers already know the organization is junk and ID just as junky but seeing them be so blatant is worth a quick article. 1356108346 +You clearly don't have a ffing clue about what it takes, so whatever.\n\nI'm the guy who thinks basic objectivity and factual information will eventually show disbelievers that UFOs are real. \n\nI'm also the guy who thinks that people (like you) who pull their feel-goody fantasies right out of their asses and present them as valid information with zero basis in reality are the primary reason that UFOs and those who believe they exist are considered to be idiots and kooks. \n\nAll you are doing is setting the entire field back with every bullshit 'theory' that you 'intuit', and you steal away credibility from the people doing the REAL work, like Rich Dolan, Liz Kean, Stan Friedman, etcetera. They actually **do research** and **collect facts** to form their ideas, rather than just go with whatever gives them a warm glowey self-satisfied feeling.\n\nYou can bet that I'll be contacting you on December 22 so we can give each other a big hug and marvel at how different everything is for humanity even though nobody did the goddamn spiritual legwork necessary to actually *deserve* such a change. 1351887096 +"Greatness relies on infinite experiences"\n\n"Culture nurtures your own possibilities" \n\n"The soul is rooted in great knowledge"\n\nAnd my favorite (it's the last one I got so far): "Freedom creates universal creativity"\n\nI had no idea who Deepak Chopra is or what he did, but if these can come out randomly out of his tweeter feed, I'm a devoted follower! 1339967291 +Oh I could come up with something much more expensive! I've read most of rube goldbergs stuff! 1321993047 +Had a cell phone that would behave like this whenever it got a little water inside it. \n\nI would often spend time by the neighborhood pool and walk home for lunch, sometimes it would vibrate, sometimes there would be an odd text half-typed (nothing legible) and sometimes the screen would flash on/off between menus. 1331371264 +I'm about as skeptical of alien encounters as ghosts. I agree that any species advanced enough to make it here wouldn't need to probe us and mutilate our livestock. I was just saying that I think it's more likely that alien life exists somewhere out there in space than ghosts here on earth. 1341293724 +There's something to be said for fucking Mexicans. 1347560749 +Went there to find naturalnews.com and left satisfied. 1320773017 +Oh, dang, I think I finally got it. The door I picked was not going to be ruled out in any event whereas the other remaining door has just passed a sort of test by not being ruled out, making it more likely to hide the car than my first pick. 1306379865 +Thanks! I appreciate the reply 1351209487 +Yes you've made it clear that you're not a Creationist, and I never implied you were. You were corrected on your use of "theory." Get over it. \n\nYour rationalization of why he is a Creationist is pointless. Creationism is not a competing theory to evolution. Someone could find evidence that contradicts evolution and form a new theory based on the evidence. This is how Science works. You don't have to automatically be a Creationist. This is what I was talking about. That all these theologians and "scientists" that attempt to disprove evolution through Young Earth Creationism are not doing Science, and I would actually be interested in someone challenging evolution through actual Science and not magic. 1335546529 +I'm talking more about Percy Schmeiser. I haven't heard anything about a mandatory 5-10 year period of laying fallow. 1325621415 +He's not a pedant, he's simply *wrong.* ... I think. It's a little difficult to know what he's actually saying due to that high blood pressure of his. 1313552084 +"by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger" -- already know everything you need to. Everything to follow: 100% bullshit. (is it a coincidence his pic looks like daniel tosh?) 1330139865 +Wikipedia has some details about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transexualism\n\nSome schools of thought feel that it has to do with hormone imbalance. Some feel it is a variation of hermaphroditism. \n\nI am curious as to why you are putting forth this question, though. My thoughts on the matter are: does it really matter? As far as I am concerned, every individual's mind is their sovereign property, to do with as they please. The body, being the housing of the mind/brain, is merely a vessel. If I wish to transform the vessel housing my mind in a way of my choosing, then why shouldn't I? \n\nChange my gender? Ok, sure. Lop off an arm? Why not? If I make someone else uncomfortable to look at me, is that any legitimate reason for me to limit my own personal expression? Neck tattoos look completely stupid (IMO, clearly), but I see no reason to legislate against them. Once we achieve the technology, should people wish to do so, I see no reason not to add a third arm, or 10 fingers on each hand. \n\nIf I feel as though I wish to alter my appearance in any way, that should ultimately be up to me, no matter the reason, and not be limited by whether or not someone else feels uncomfortable by it. 1323366586 +Claude Vorilhon is a known cult-leader and scam artist. Don't believe a single word of anything related to the raeliens movement. Not saying that you do, just saying. 1327712813 +\n>Do adult ANYTHING drink milk besides humans?\n\n[Dat naturalistic fallacy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalistic_fallacy#Appeal_to_nature)\n\n 1346012289 +Well, then, what do you think about burn victims fixing their faces? They don't medically "need" it, but we think nothing of it. People's bodies are their own; we don't get to decide what other people can or can't do with theirs. 1323370058 +That is a wonderful strawman you have there. I am merley pointing out the problem of incommensurability and relating it to creationist psuedoscience. This is a substatial topic in philosophy of science and is most notably is advocated by Kuhn in "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions". I am in no way saying that science is equivelent to psuedoscience. I am saying they share a functional element in incommensurability of theoretical values. 1331532234 +I did not ask. Perhaps strange, but true. I guess I was coping with it in my own way, and that was just to continue on and let it roll.\n\nAs far as the strangeness of Golden Bay. Let me mark some key experiences.\n\n- when I arrived into Golden Bay, biking over a mountain range to do so, I rolled into town and asked this man outside of the grocery store where I could free camp. He directed me to a bridge just down the road. I went there and beneath it there were around 25 other travelers. From all over the world. We all played music together and then played a soccer match in a cow field. It doesn't sound that strange, but it was, it was beautifully strange.\n\n- when I arrived at the Buddhist sanctuary/camp ground I stayed for a couple of days and it was a magical place. However on my leave I was standing by a tea house overlooking the ocean, saying good bye to one of the travelers, an English guy. Right then a large cicada landed on my chest. It was oddly timed and awkward. My friend pulled it off me as I was having difficulty. Later a different friend told me that Cicadas have special relevance in Buddhism. \n\n- I met a woman there from Spain who was very quiet, we talked a little and she drove me and some others around. So I leave Golden Bay after about a week and I meet this same woman again about 1000 miles later in a small mountain village. She told me she was running from her past. She exclaimed that who she once was was very manipulative and she was literally living on the run from what she claimed was a dark personality. We talked into the night. She had suffered a really bad drug trip, but this also enlightened her to some extent to her former controlling nature, and so there she was.\n\nThese may not sound strange to some but my whole experience in Golden Bay was different. Besides sleeping in fields of sheep and sandflies and being surrounded by beauty. It's as if when I crossed over the mountains I was in a place that was governed a little differently. This is probably mostly cultural. But otherwise, these events left a deep mark on me. 1354393910 +Why bother? It's like trying to change the mind of a leftist professor. It'll never happen, no matter how much sense you make. Understand that certain professor's want to brainwash you and sometimes it's better to give them what they want to hear. Get the best grade you can and move on. Life is a lot like this BTW. 1345428587 +My answer to him was, "John, when people thought the earth was flat, they were wrong. When people thought the earth was spherical, they were wrong. But if you think that thinking the earth is spherical is just as wrong as thinking the earth is flat, then your view is wronger than both of them put together." 1356541580 +*prejudice 1333742275 +Who are you? Why do you insist on ruining this sub? 1345499407 +I don't know anything about the skeptic society but tl;dr stands for, too long, didn't read. its a summary for people that don't want to read the whole post, article, etc. 1298426067 +This. Particularly points 2 and 3, IMO, are germane here. Given the immense size of even the Milky Way galaxy, and assuming that some species had found a way to travel close to relativistic speeds (.7C+), the amount of time to reach a given star system in a galaxy 10,000 light years across makes the frequency with which we have been 'visited' during recorded history practically 0. 1346513659 +Way to read the thread she only talks to the dead 1333840311 +I suspect "Truthers" probably watch too much television. 1340802145 +This UFO Hunters episode provides a very plausible alternate suggestion.\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce6QUJ0idYo 1264454011 +The reason behind this is the UK's insane libel laws. You can't outright call a psychic a fraud in England unless you have the time and money to spare defending yourself against a ridiculous libel suit. Everyone has to carefully couch their language to avoid being sued. 1321727567 +Light seems off on the UFO. 1355436245 +>in short, no one i knew well was questioning it, and we were taught that anyone who did was overly concerned with knowing how it worked rather than whether it worked.\n\nVery interesting. Acupuncture does work, though, so I suppose it's an attempt to cover the fact that the explanations behind it are really bogus. Thanks for your response! 1306289487 +What is this article saying?\n\n1) In the face of ever more faceless enemies (let's look at that "enemies" claim in a minute), the world needs sharp, savvy critics who are unafraid to stand up and loudly challenge systems which exploit and victimize innocent people.\n\n2) People who follow James Randi select easy targets to debunk.\n\n3) James Randi is unqualified to have opinions on current events because he is not sufficiently educated. (Again, let's look at this in a minute.)\n\n4) James Randi's creation of the JREF was merely a maneuver to increase his notoriety and attract followers.\n\n5) Penn and Teller, two additional stage magicians, are setting themselves up to inherit the torch of theatrical skepticism from James Randi.\n\n6) **Skeptics are every bit as susceptible to the desire to form tribes as any other human being. The real issue is not that skeptics are deliberately evil, or that they don't challenge themselves against real targets, but that skepticism is becoming a venue for people to feel superior in a crowd of like-minded naysayers.**\n\n7) **Skeptics are addicted to the thrill of taking down their opponents, and must continually seek out new enemies to vanquish.**\n\n8) True telepathy has been discovered, and brain implants/other technologies amplifying telepathic abilities will be widely accepted in the consumer market by 2020.\n\n9) Skeptics refuse to believe that the military, the government, and other powerful figures and organizations have been performing unethical mind control experiments on innocent people for years. **The victims of mind control experiments who come under fire from skeptics for claiming that their experiences were true are hurt even further by their treatment at the hands of skeptics.**\n\n10) **Skepticism is no longer a tool being used to take down charlatans, but has become a movement enforcing conformity and strict unity of thought.**\n\n\n 1289917313 +Thanks for sourcing some current numbers on that. I'm still awed by the amount of artificial stuff circling our heads in orbit. 1314027631 +yeah, it's people. Persons is like when you're picking out certain people. People comes from populous, and refers to a whole collective entity. The difference is that when you use Persons, the individual is important, when you use People, the group *en masse* is what's important. \n\nIn the same way Peoples refer to more than one collective entity. If he were explaining it to many different peoples it would be like explaining it to the English, americans, jews, arabs, chinese etc. 1319932728 +This might actually be a good topic for r/philosophy, for me it boils down to the Drake equation and similar estimates of probability of intelligent life, but whether that's sufficient proof depends on what you believe to be the nature of the universe - and that's something modern science simply can't conclusively answer.\n\nIf you believe in an infinite universe, then there is almost certainly intelligent alien life and the remaining question is whether any of them have come here (and that's something I'm absolutely not prepared to get into here).\n\nIf you believe in a finite universe, then as a skeptic you ought to want more proof than a probability equation, and I haven't looked into the question nearly enough to render any sort of opinion one way or the other on whether such proof exists or is credible.\n\nFinite universe? cognitive dissonance. \nInfinite universe? cognitive harmony. 1328331928 +*Banksia Robur* for vitality whilst robbing banks. 1298269150 +Incidently, I stumbled upon this via a video posted by another user yesterday. I've posted a link to this in the comments section of that post but thought this astounding paper by a respected scientist warranted its own post. If this is bad practice, please let me know and I'll either delete this post or my comment. If you check my stats, you'll certainly see that I'm not one who seeks Karma; I simply wish others to view this remarkable content if they haven't been privy to it before. Thanks. 1311860934 +You need to refer to my post above, i mentioned 3 schools that still teach it, Palmer was one of them. Many professions use SMT. 1349584483 +Cause it falls under "Things people say" catagory. 1356300756 +And yet this person clearly described the UFO so well that you knew immediately that it was falling debris. I see no problem here. 1312272985 +>But why should the rest of us believe them any more than crazy Aunt Hattie, who swears that she had a sexual encounter with fairies?\n\nReally there is no black and white, everything is a shade of gray (no pun intended) when it comes to figuring out fact. If lots of people with abductions experiences have non-terrestrial objects in them (without any incision scars), I'd say it paints the ET hypothesis in a lighter shade. \n\nI don't mean to sound insulting (I know I'll sound that way anyhow) but I don't think guys like you will ever budge until *The Powers That Be* give you permission to change the way you think. You don't really want physical evidence (even though you initially asked Oryx for some); you want Katie Couric, the Deans at MIT, and the White House to tell you that ET visitation is now sanctioned as a serious subject.\n\nAnyway, if ETs ever become widely accepted to be real it won't be because of reason, science, and data; it will be because people with high social status said it's OK to think that now. 1264497519 +I think with immense generation towers, and fatal reception by golfers in mid swing, we could reduce the population and demand for electricity greatly, thus there would be more resources for fewer people. As more and more people were electrocuted by wireless long range electrical transfers, the cost of the electricity would start to approach "Free." 1353267245 +FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR WAS REAL! 1323945888 +This whole E-Cat business still raises all sorts of skeptical flags for me. What do we actually know about this thing?? Its a magical black box where some unknown magical thing happens using some unknown magical catalyst. Does it have the radiation we would expect to see in a fusion reaction? *Dunno...* Is it even a fusion reaction at all going on inside that machine? *Who cares...* Can we see some papers about how this machine works so that scientists can lear about it? *Shut up and give me money!* Rossi seems to have little interest in doing good science or even helping out science with his discovery, and everything he has done so far indicates to me that he is at best greedy and at worst a total crank. 1321161955 +Oh whats that? Link? 1332463038 +So, because he doesn't punch like a boxer, that makes his technique bad? He didn't train to win a "match". He trained to live in a street fight scenario. Competition is way different than street fighting. \n\nThat video is of him showcasing power punching. It's not a video of him sparring with a heavy bag. 1312930398 +So basically ITT rogue astronomers words and the musings of ancient civilizations which may or may not be even interpreted correctly are now more official than the scientists alive today whos job it is to actually test this stuff. OK.... 1344634767 +This! The reason some of these being look like they are coming from outer space is because they have to leave the gravity of earth to be able to switch their material selfs to different dimensions. In my opinion it is not possible to switch dimensions with the gravity or magnetic field of earth disturbing your switch. 1335620205 +According to what sources? Don't you dare say the Mayan calender, not with all the silliness surrounding that myth. 1340203046 +the entire time I was reading this I kept imagining it as a How I Met Your Mother episode. 1328427677 +You can't explain that. 1320855464 +You can't explain that. 1318582075 +You can't explain that. 1327987565 +I LOVE when that happens. It just makes me feel so connected to everything else, kind of like in Avatar. 1339704768 +So if I have sweaty hands will I get a better reading? 1350438639 +So, NASA was able to ascertain DNA from skeletal remains on Mars and have linked them to Skull & Bones members? Is there anyone who is taking any of this seriously? Seriously? 1278604757 +[The Pink House.](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Pink+House&oq=The+Pink+House&aqs=chrome.0.57j64l2&sugexp=chrome,mod=12&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#hl=en&tbo=d&sclient=psy-ab&q=The+Olde+Pink+House+ghost&oq=The+Olde+Pink+House+ghost&gs_l=serp.3...11814.12375.2.12663.5.5.0.0.0.1.825.825.6-1.1.0.les%3B..0.0...1c.1.hFgyEnwFY9U&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&fp=1d332d38cdc82502&bpcl=38625945&biw=1600&bih=732) 1353309149 +"Fucking disks, how do they work?"\n\nAnswered. 1343608284 +I always lie. 1344963633 +Interesting viewpoint. It appeared to be a fairly obvious joke to me. Then again, I don't believe in the rapture. He also donated all ad revenue to charity, which is pretty cool. 1337979135 +Haha whoa, ok there, true believer. Never mind that I didn't even say half that shit, or that "higher standards than the AMO" means absolutely nothing when it's an organization you founded yourself and all the members are your own family. 1313980213 +yes. My grandfather *(moms dad) was the first. He passed alone when he had a heart attack at his home. My grandmother (who is still living) was at work and when she came home she found him. It was so sad. I still miss him.\n\nMy grandmother (dads mom) recently passed in November in a tragic accident. She was knocked over by a person in a bar (she was a wild and exciting woman for her age) and hit her head. She became unconscious and slipped into a coma. She passed after being taken off life support. \n\nI have yet to see my grandmother, however I dream of her often. But I saw my grandfather a few weeks after he passed. He was in the kitchen with my grandmother. Standing behind her, propped up on the counter. Just watching her while she cooked. he tried to brush the hair from her eyes, and just smiled at her so lovingly. he looked at me and "shhhh'd" me, and winked. Like it was our secret. He then leaned over to kiss her cheek and dissapeared into the back room. My grandmother swears sometimes that she can hear him laugh or sometimes snore when shes alone. :) I never told her about him visiting but I think she knows. Once I caught her talking to him. she was just talking out loud and said "Now James (my grandfathers name) if you keep waking me up at night I swear I will burn one of your favorite records!" lol she always threatened him like that when he was alive. I think it was an inside joke between them b.c they would always laugh after she said it.\n 1333767599 +>Wow, that's...really not a lot of birds. So, a small figure that will continue to decrease as birds learn to stay away from large turbines.\n\nYou must have not read my comment. That figure is expected to *increase* to at least one million birds killed by wind turbines each year:\n\n""A 2008 Department of Energy report calls for the U.S. to generate 20% of its electricity from wind by 2030. By then, wind turbines are expected to be killing at least one million birds each year, and probably significantly more, depending on the final scale of wind build-out."\n\nhttp://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/collisions/wind_policy.html\n\n >birds learn to stay away from large turbines.\n\nBirds don't "learn to stay away from wind turbines".\n\nThe Altamont Pass wind farm has 5,000 wind turbines and has been killing Golden Eagles for over 30 years. On average, 67 protected Golden Eagles are killed by the Altamont Pass wind turbines every year.\n\n\n\n 1332739892 +When I saw the promos before it started, I thought it looked really cool. Then after watching it, I realized it was one of those "Night vision" shows where nothing actually happens. I hate shit like that. 1333481587 +This website proves nothing. Not saying it's a real photo of an alien space ship, but this "forensic assessment" website is worthless. As a photo manipulator myself, I do somewhat enjoy the way this website manipulates people into thinking a vague jpeg artifact enhancer is proof of anything whatsoever, but it's a detriment to ufology. 1349076729 +Like they say " there's more than meets the eye" there so much we don't know about this existence its not funny, unless something funny pops up that is. 1350569863 +Conspiracy? No, just theater.\n\nI'm curious as to where else people are told to turn off their electronics or risk disaster. 1335229894 +seems like they are posting on this thread too... silly salespeople 1345246316 +As a person who also studied paranormal phenomenon and other worldy entities, it is hard to understand that only those who would believe to happen can be affected. I have come to find out that harmful entities only hurt you if you think of yourself as a weak being compared to the one you handle. Never let your shields down. 1350877548 +No strap at all on the camera. Was my wife's little pocket cam thing. 1325543727 +\\* Sova Nu is available for the low cost of $2 per night and works best with 7-9 hours of sleep and a regular exercise regimen. 1287435129 +I've taken Paxil myself for 3-6 months at a time after my mom passed away from cancer. I have to say, it's one of the weirder drugs I've taken. Takes a week or two for your body to adjust to it, and then you're pretty much hooked on it because of the very unpleasant withdrawal effects, regardless of whether it's doing anything for your depression.\n\nAfter about 6 months on it, I realized it really didn't make a huge difference - the only thing that really helped was getting my life in order (exercising, not letting the house go to shit by not doing dishes/cleaning/etc.) and deciding to do things that the voice in the back of my head said I'd hate doing because I felt sad and wanted to crawl into a hole. I suppose depression is a personal journey that's different for everyone, but I stand squarely on the side of Paxil being an ineffective drug that has mild, if any benefits and plenty of drawbacks that would lead me to say it really shouldn't be prescribed. \n\nGiven the enormous amount of studies on SSRI's that show only a slightly better effect than placebo, seems that my anecdotal experience is backed up by the science. 1334326888 +> /r/MensRights keep telling everyone that accusations of rape by women are 99% false\n\nI'm subscribed to /r/MensRights and I've **never** seen someone say that 99% of rape accusations are false, so you have to provide evidence that someone did so and **wasn't** downvoted into oblivion. 1345168607 +I have been playing too much Borderlands 2...I almost commented to correct your spelling of "eridium" :/ 1354075473 +> After reading other sources\n\nI'm impressed, you looked up your own sources. I'd be more impressed to know what they were so I could actually comment on their contents. You can call "my guy" a hack all you'd like, but your lack of research is quite obvious at this point. 1331952783 +The spill will be a hit when the beans shit a fan. 1346709759 +I'm not a believer in all things alien, but hypothetically speaking, the government has unlimited resources. Really. Unlimited. With all the reports of billions of dollars here and there just being "missing" with no trail or indication of where it could be, there could very well be trillions of dollars in hiding. Being spent on god knows what.\n\nImagine recruiting the smartest people on earth for a project that could last forever. A project that you have trillions of dollars to experiment with. How much did it cost to develop the first iPhone that blew people away? Now think a trillion dollars. We're talking real world sci fi type stuff that if people saw it, would not believe how far we've come. Perfect invisibility, teleportation, mind reading, quantum computers/dna based computing, robots that think like real people, faster than light vehicles. If i was a conspiracy theorist, i'd say the US shut down manned spaceflight programs because it was just a public face. Because our government already has the technology that would easily dwarf what nasa's doing right now, but is keeping it secret. We could very well have technology that allows us to travel to the moon in minutes. Imagine having that and spending billions on a space program. Waste of money right? Pointless right? Fun to think about 1331946557 +Yes it is. That picture has been around for months. This isn't a government coverup, it's the media not checking their sources. 1304362422 +You need those to cleanse the toxins. 1323636517 +Delightful.\n\n[If water has memory, then...](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sRDhbC46aKs/SdqTq9ZM--I/AAAAAAAAAIs/iBlLxTBOcO4/s1600-h/HN09poster1A.jpg) 1286449268 +Here she is in the amazing and spooky film[ Kwaidan](http://www.youtube.com/user/masakikobayashi4u#p/c/F53B23F0A52C4AC9/4/vSvL8lE7Bpg).\nOne of my all time favorite films. 1296878641 +6 examples of people with nothing else to do.... the 6th is the person who wrote this article 1355168600 +I like the approach, but this article needs some work. \n\n\nA better way to address #2: if we could see the future, optical illusions wouldn't work [reference](http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/080602-foresee-future.html)\n\nOn the other hand, \n\n>"Psychic abilities ... would be widespread throughout the animal kingdom, just as eyes and ears are." \n\nWatching pack animals cooperate, I'd almost believe in psychic communication. It makes more sense than "They're magically born knowing what to do".\n\n\nNow that I'm thinking about it, what's really psychic, anyway? I mean, you're reading my thoughts right now across thousands of miles. 1275140316 +Quite a bit of this is misleading, even if true. More green space doesn't reduce crime, more green space is a sign of wealth in a city, or else low population density, either of those would explain a decrease in crime.\n\nThe green space doesn't cause less crime, the lower crime rate and the green space likely have a common cause. 1341015579 +How close did it get? Did you think it was observing you? No criticism on my part, I find your story very intriguing! What do you think it was? Did you see it leave? Could it have been trying to communicate? 1348702984 +What is means is not that liberals are correct, but that reality doesn't reflect republican ideas, because the current age of republicans are living in a bubble far far away from reality. Both economically "trickle down economics" and pretty anything that has to do with their social conservatism / christian right authoritarian stances. When you watch Fox News, they don't rely on facts or evidence at all for their arguments, they lie all the time, because they don't care about truth, they care about furthering their narrative.\n\nThis is why reality has a "non extreme christian right, free market corporatist" bias.\n 1330472578 +[Shoe on head?](https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=e3914fe6ddc4cc35&resid=E3914FE6DDC4CC35!1574&parid=E3914FE6DDC4CC35!1563&authkey=!AJQc7Rvun5f1fmU) 1332999168 +Did they have a contract to be together 24/7 in the 80s? 1308448991 +Who sits on lawn furniture in the middle of a hallway?! 1341469855 +Could be. As a one-off, it may be very hard to try to figure out exactly what happened... but awesome stuff! I love those moments when the world just calmly smacks you right in the face with some sort of "Fuck your idea of what's possible" moment. 1347123922 +Lon, if this isn't fake -it's one of the more amazing visuals in the sky I've ever seen. 1262634583 +Told to an actor and his actor son a week before a major movie release about...aliens. I'm guessing even the President isn't above a little cross marketing. ;) Gotta wonder how big a donor Will Smith is to his campaign. 1337353690 +You must have missed this part:\n\n>And this of course depends on the subject of the debate, for example someone denying the existence of the sun or something. Certainly some things are inarguable…\n\nThanks for the downvote though. 1325885740 +Sounds like just lucky enough to move into several haunted locations. That man in the doorway is the only thing leading to being followed I'd think he'd be the only candidate but not likely IMO 1319361026 +Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, unreal activity. 1335572118 +This video is on r/skeptic about once every 3 months. 1298483451 +Worked for me. Try on a computer instead of a phone. 1325475382 +... It is if you interpret it scientifically... 1338390296 +Aha, thanks! =) I'll read it.\n\nBut GOD that site has some buggy CSS or whatever. 1333125312 +Lol thanks man. It took us a while, but I enjoy it a lot. Lemme know if you really want one. I'll see if I can't get a redditor discount. 1317000749 +"Attributing such quotes to famous persons to give the quote more credibility is ridiculous" - Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill\n\n Also this one uses A.E. as an authoritative figure... 1294506600 +ya i woulda said, "fuck that!" gotten up, and promptly left. 1354584292 +Oh is that the one where Joe Claimed to have "clowned" Phil Plait. I think I heard about that on the SGU. 1331519942 +It didn't close down. It's homeopathic education. The less they get the more intelligent they become. 1276480647 +Again, over simplification and jumping to conclusion. You seem to know the foundations here, so you would know that its more complicated than that. They couldve done a Cost Utility Analysis to show that there are more quality life years gained with a chiro versus other options, etc Also their research mustve shown that people placed high priority of chiro's. Back and neck pain from having a car totalled is not something that can be fooled easily with a placebo effect from the mind. Im sure you are aware that is some of the worst pain imaginable and also that hardest to manage. Thats why all your chronic opiod users are people with long term back pain, because nothing else works but strong narcotics and heavy anti inflammatories. \n\nSo point is, with such a severe injury, why would people keep turning to chiropractors if they didnt work? Its not like other so called "quaks" that you wouldnt know the difference if you had or had not gone there, and so the "doc" takes the side of "you didnt get a cold this season, therefore the herbal mixture you've been taking worked as expected"....We are talking about extreme pain that either have, have less of, of no longer have. When dealing with extreme pain, its an easily distinguishable difference, and if nothing but heavy narcs can control the pain, i believe placebo effect wouldnt help it either. 1331593192 +If you listen to coast to coast for the credibility you're going to have a bad time. Coast to Coast is like a canvas, they throw anything and everything at it, some stuff is more credible than other stuff. Its agenda is primarily entertainment, not so much having credible people on the show.\n\nEdit: Unfortunately I can't steer you to another show because I don't listen to much radio. 1341966775 +Well, it's economics and logistics, but it's also public perception, fear and misunderstanding of science, so I'd say science is a part of it. When the folks at the UN don't understand the science, they're risking making a disastrous decision based on ignorance and fear. 1355794718 +> [College:] “Well, we aren't endorsing them.”\n\nI say, next time the situation arises, skeptics ought to *demand* a booth for Voodoo healing, one for Harry Potter-esque curative potions, and -- if you don't mind the hatred it would generate and want to *really* drive the point home -- a case for virgin-rape curing AIDS. There is just as much evidence for the potency of these examples as there is for any alternative medicine and this fact should not go unsaid. 1320882880 +It looks like this will be the choice I'm going for as this book is coming up again and again in the thread. I'd better grab a copy for myself too! 1311269960 +Older woman, hair tied up, wearing hat, facing away from the camera looking out to sea. Within a few seconds she had moved on. 1340438993 +>Approximately 30-35 million Christmas trees are sold each year in the U.S.\n\n>Nowadays, more than 3 million Christmas cards are sent in America alone!\n\nIf accurate, this is really interesting... but it seems counterintuitive to think that 10x as many trees as cards are sold per season. Any idea on real numbers for these? 1355260133 +I shall PM you, as there's something quite uncool about giving away magic secrets on public forums. 1354285407 +Your assumption is based on what exactly? That you were standing over my shoulder making sure I didn't watch anything. I watched them just fine. \n\nROFL, for you to use Science as a way to describe paranormal activity makes you just as dumb as the other people who believe this show.\n\nI really can't believe that you take a show going 8 seasons and fact. It's an entertainment show. These idiots have been caught making shit up before.\n\nBut, reality doesn't get upvotes in this thread. Only far flung ideas and idiotic stories about "I heard something."\n 1345160152 +The basis of osteopathy is quackery. However, they have stumbled onto some treatments that do have clinical benefit. As others mentioned, though, a licensed physical therapist is your best bet. 1340212779 +Have you ever met anyone that saw it personally? According to the documentaries, approximately 10,000 people saw it. Have you ever brought it up at gatherings of any kind or inquired about it? 1330804629 +>the US second amendment is mind-boggling to me\n\nI knew this was going to be mentioned. I could explain it to you in a rational way, but you need to first promise me that you haven't already made up your mind and are open to the possibility that the second amendment is a very important part of our constitution. The gun debate is extremely politically and emotionally charged and I won't discuss it with anyone who will blindly subscribe to 100% of the political ideologies of their "party" or who will listen to emotional arguments rather than rational ones.\n\nPenn and Teller's explanation of the Second Amendment touches on this but also misses a few of the important points, IIRC. 1325085877 +Yep. I've got a motor vehicle-related neck injury I've treated for a decade or so with Chiro. Not exclusively, just as part of the overall approach, chiro is good for when the pain is acute. Definitely offers relief and reduces tension, which allows for preventative measures (strengthening, flexibility) to be deployed. 1291193249 +Here's all I can find on it from a credible source.\nhttp://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/news/releases/2003/03-199.html\n\nI can't find anything about a NASA study supporting all 300 claims. 1327519544 +No eclipse. The Moon will be just past first quarter on those days.\n\n> solar radiation will increase very hard at the End of 2012.\n\nWhy do you think this?\n\n> It was one of the Mars moons that was hollow (dunno if Phobos or Deimos, though)\n\nThere's no reason to think either of Mars' moons are hollow. 1318883495 +This explains the popularity of Pabst. 1295437183 +Try nuclear reactors of 1980s and 1990s, e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/THTR-300 1328605991 +Same here. The whole premise of it is ridiculous. The existence of gods cannot be proven. Plus, O'Reilly is one of the most dishonest, mealy mouthed, sly persons alive today. I just don't understand why he has a show on a news channel. 1320378706 +There would be no way to tell who is truthful, who is delusional, and who is straight up lying, so why does it matter? 1332343967 +You will make it to some sort of success, but I don't know if it's med school or not. Your success is rooted in helping others, but I also find that as you heal others, you destroy yourself. You need to be wary of this, and balance the pursuit of flesh pleasure with spiritual pleasure. Likewise, you need to heal yourself before you can heal others, and your cards suggest you are carrying some sort of secret baggage from your past that you need to unload. Do that, and you'll be a goddamn juggernaut. 1353400156 +West Virginia Penitentiary. 1331952159 +That's why I come to /r/skeptic: A well thought out, rational, skeptical, and - above all - sourced laying out of facts.\n 1350674864 +Funny how people can see the same thing and come to different conclusions. A balloon was *exactly* what it looked like to me. 1339537601 +That doesn't look anything like a pitchfork. 1323361200 +why even browse /r/UFOs when all you do is debunk almost everything related to UFOs? what a waste of time on your part. 1326416793 +Very interesting site, but I'd like to recommend that you have your web designer proofread before publishing. There's so many errors on this website that it actually takes from your credibility. 1320580670 +Let's talk about something else. I'm making a post now, check the new posts to see what I've got on the grill. It should be up in a half hour or so. 1342754990 +I recently started listening to "Skeptic's Guide to the Universe", hosted by Novella. Very entertaining and informative, I recommend it to anyone reading this comment. 1323409074 +I have a ~~temple~~ heart pimple! #*pop*# \n\nWhew, just in time. 1346307476 +That seems like a good idea. Keep it as simple as possible. As for the usability, here's some ideas I can think of:\n\nIt is quite confusing to display *"If you know of any, please use the links below"*, followed by three lines of *links* that are not the ones the user is looking for. The link (singular!) the user is looking for is in another paragraph and is not a link, but a button ("Rebuttal"). I think it would be much more intuitive to see something like this:\n\n>**No rebuttals yet**\n>\n>(button) Submit a rebuttal \n>(button) Request a rebuttal \n>(button) This page rebuts another \n>\n>*Help | Random discussion | Contact us*\n\nAs for the interface for pages *with* rebuttals, I think the most important thing is to get rid of as much clutter as possible, and to create an hierarchy from design. Here's a [mock-up](http://i.imgur.com/HhF6e.png) I quickly made. I would imagine up and down vote buttons on the right hand side of the little score numbers.\n\nAlso, when clicking random, I landed on the tutorial "Faux News" page in a particular instance. This should of course be eliminated from the random sequence.\n\nIf you have any questions, I am glad to help.\n\nGood luck! 1338281351 +Go smug myself? This coming from a person that is telling me that they are a better scientist than I am, even without knowing what I do for a living. I was merely pointing out an inaccuracy, as you have been doing. If you want to talk about cherrypicking, perhaps you should realize that is exactly what you are doing. \n\nThe whole point of the subreddit is to be where scientists give answers, if they are wrong, they are downvoted or removed. If you don't want scientists giving answers, then you can go to /r/askreddit, where any question is answered by anyone. \n\nIf you don't like the subreddit, don't visit it. 1310978087 +I have no idea what I said. I never asked anyone, I was pretty shy at the time and didn't want to seem any weirder than I already was. 1353178316 +Doesn't stop bible bashers posting in atheism, or vice versa. Although i didn't know this was in the skeptic subreddit, but think what I posted. It makes sense, but most people just want to downvote and say that you're wrong, without saying it... Common sense > proof, I don't need to see someone pissing in a toaster to know it's a bad idea. 1344257997 +His name wasn't Tim was it? Because around the time this guy I knew got dumped because of his reiki rock therapy and general woo, he started to really get crazy with his co-workers, trying to "heal" them and stuff...he said that it would help my carpal tunnel, so I humored him (because why not - free rock message!) and it actually made my hands feel worse...I told him it hurt and he said it was proof that it was "working to heal the nerve damage". What a loon! 1351049472 +http://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajb/article/viewFile/14900/58644\n\nhttp://www.springerlink.com/content/crr91wgknhf5v58g/\n\nhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224406002470\n\nhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1567576906001172 1349130301 +Don't even bother. It's easy to see that regardless of science or evidence presented, he'll find some other area to criticize. Typical denier and/or truther strategy. 1344905320 +Well that menhir (aka large standing stone) was pretty near him .. Could that be the cause of the slight reverb?\n\nJust asking and not assuming anything. Great theory though. 1349866808 +> but legally organic means something different - about how it's grown, fertilized, protected from disease, etc.\n\nwhich is an absolute joke.\n\nThis spoiled tomato im about to eat is organic so it must be good for me!! 1316285073 +He may be new to the subreddit. 1342383414 +Hell Yea Sounds Very Intersting 1352519116 +;) Just doing a reality check to see who's paying attention. There seems to be a lot of new faces around here who have trouble discerning or displaying critical thinking skills. 1298065747 +I get Jill Stein as well. 98%.\n\nI can't find any smoking gun in regards to chemicals. She's against phthalates such as BPA, but I don't know enough about that issue to comment either way. (My position would depend on what evidence we have supporting such a risk as well as what alternatives we have. Basically a risk/benefit analysis.)\n\nI did find a claim that nuclear power emits more carbon than renewables. I'd find this claim questionable. (Google "lifecycle emissions nuclear coal wind solar" or something similar to find the research - which does not appear to have a consensus.)\n\n 1345480447 +>a resistance has developed to it in less than 40 years.\n\nI suspect that's enough time for evolution to kick in if selection pressures are strong enough.\n\nThe domesticated silver fox, which looks like a dog, was managed in about 30 generations I believe. 1350695029 +What the fuck. 1333870714 +From the documentaries that I've seen, the Phoenix Lights was a massive media event and it had people and the media captivated for days (at least in the Phoenix area). The fact that multiple people witnessed seeing such a huge craft in the sky along with the grainy videos that we have on the event make it one of the most scrutinized events in UFO history.\n\nI think most of the other reports that you see on local news channels do not reach national attention mostly due to the fact that the footage is mostly inconclusive. Considering the amount of fake videos, misidentification of flares, regular military aircraft etc, it is not surprising that most videos or pictures are not looked at it more detail. Why would someone waste time or money investigating a video of a series of distant blinking lights taken on a cellphone camera? \n\nLook at the amount of buzz that the 'paperclip' UFO generated about a week or two ago. It started off as a local news broadcast and eventually reached the attention of the national media. I read about the event when someone posted a link to a report in this community. About two days later, I saw it on the front page of CNN. \n\nI don't agree with the fact that the media does not cover UFO reports. In fact, I think they do pay a fair amount of attention to it. One could argue that they do adopt a condescending tone sometimes, but they are fairly active in covering UFO reports.\n\nI think what we need is a massive sighting bang in the middle of a major city on a clear sunny day with the object in sight for more than 10-15 minutes. I think all hell will break loose then. I bet the media would love to have such an event happen and it'd whip up a massive frenzy. 1352439663 +Thank God! :D 1303700732 +I agree. If anyone ever compiled a video of all these similar craft sightings, I think it would be pretty interesting. \n\nAgain, its the multiplicity that has caught my attention. 1-off UFOs dont impress me, but when its the same shape/colors/behavior over and over again...\n\nI'm on your side, i just can't say for sure. :) 1287782961 +This is one of my top 5 things I hate about the UK - pseudo 'correctness' and not being able to deal with being 'offended'.\n\nRight after that it's calling a racist someone who is anti-theist. 1321373344 +I don't understand the downvotes, love the topic. Cheers OP. :)\n\n1. Will there ever be a turning point on Earth, from where we are currently heading, to where i wish we globally were?\n\n2. How many other races exist in our universe? 1346166071 +That place is 20 miles from my house.. Should we go check it out? 1343180076 +Lost in the Saint Louis sub. I didn't see it. 1352665726 +How about if the sticker is applied to the display rather than the product itself? 1331064447 +It seems you are right about this. TIL. I'd still be wary of diagnosing OP's friend with a personality disorder based on such a small amount of information. 1348781078 +Whenever motives are mentioned. Yes the US did have a motive for making it appear that we got to the moon first. The pharmaceutical companies have a motive to suppress perfect cures. Big oil has an interest in the failure of cold fusion...\n\nIt goes on and on. Need something more than an interest though. 1322254993 +Well, your request is very large in scope.\n\nThere seems to be an abundant amount of physical evidence of a crime and coverup. There is a huge amount of motive. There are many reasonable arguments for government involvement.\n\nYou could throw a dart and hit reasonable motive and evidence. 1314720321 +What? no 1351121996 +So a half victory. I wrote up another response to his first bit, because I'm not sure that he understands the context of how research works and is published in the first place. 1327331078 +So pouring homeopathic arsenic on a zombie would bring it back to life, in effect killing it? 1328279529 +You should just go crazier and use Bond villains!\n\n> Don't you know! Blofeld is stealing the sky to use against the French! 1340937912 +It's hard making multiple angles sync up, man. It's just hard. 1300143967 +The other aspect to organic foods is sustainability. Not everyone eats organic for health benefits. 1349200598 +It's stuff like this that will ultimately bring about the dissolution of the United States of America. Good. 1337735010 +When some girl in a bar asks what do you do, do you say "Oh, I'm a special agent, but I can't tell you anything more."? 1325705015 +I'm not saying it's dangerous. I'm not saying I believe in the conspiracy theorists claiming it's about mind control or sterilization. I'm saying it's unnecessarily fueling these fears. Give people access to all the flouride they want by all means, but forcing it on them is bound to make people nervous. 1344658210 +My best friend has a Doberman ghost. I slept in her basement and I woke up to it whimpering and pushing it's old bed around. 1344987684 +I just don't care anymore. 1341472112 +Or go elsewhere. There are tons of schools to choose from. 1354773130 +It would be nowhere near 100%. If you were lucky you could hope to get it up from 30% to maybe 60%. That's nothing to sneeze at, but it's still not going to do anything like reversing global warming. Again, the waste heat given off by all our devices and power plants and other activity doesn't cause global warming. All the heat given off by all human activity is an utterly insignificant amount of energy compared to what we get from the Sun. Even if you could completely eliminate all waste heat, you'd still accomplish nothing of any significance. 1338539948 +[Rationalwiki](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page) would've been a better place to start this... 1321251166 +America did change it, for a while... 1295029381 +>These are not skeptics.\nSome Scotsmen might want to have a word with you about that. 1321233449 +imo keep doing it but only debate Ann Widdecombe 1302826843 +Or I've had something to do with them. 1335508401 +Take some homeopathic sleep medicine and report back in 5 days. 1300735487 +This reminds me so much of people back in high school arguing about whether or not people were true punks. 1280195425 +Thanks for almost blowing out my speakers.. Shit man! 1349722252 +\nmy question is why would they imprint the picture of the alien with the message. 1320850985 +When you are a christian, you have already showed the world that evidence is of no importance to you and you are willing to accept any kind of bullshit at face value, no matter how crazy it sounds.\n 1356031855 +I don't comment unless I have to. 1351236180 +Hi let me explain a little about the pro pit movement. This very small group of people are very well organized and funded well by the industries, groups and charities that make huge amounts of money off these dogs. \n\nThus they cannot afford to admit the obvious truths. They have a set of at least 25 myths, misinformation and lies they use to try hide the truth and deny the problems that exist today.\n\nMyths such as the Nanny dog myth, the ATTS myth, the its always the owner myth and on and on. Each of these myths has been disproved and yet they continue to try to convince people they are true.\n\nHowever there are many facts backed up by empirical evidence that show the seriousness of this growing crisis. Here are some\n\nFact: pit bulls kill more people than all other types of dogs combined.\nFact: pit bulls dismember a body part on average every 5.5 days or less in the US alone.\nFact: pit bulls kill a person on average every 16 days or less in the US alone\nFact: pit bulls escape confinement 14 times more often than other type dogs.\nFact: pit bulls turn on and attack their owners 6 times more than other type dogs.\nFact: pit bulls are the only dog known to attack adults as often as children.\nFact: In every study done by cities t on the numbers of bites and attacks in their towns. pit bulls have been shown to bite more, attack more and cause much more damage than other dogs.\n\nPit bulls are inherently dangerous for many reasons and the pit bull advocacy is continuing to knowingly make the problems worse just to protect their income streams.\n\nPit bull advocates have been exposed for their efforts to try to skew polls by flooding them with their calls to actions, by calling for harassment campaigns against media outlets and government officials to try to silence those who speak the truth and prevent any laws being passed to protect the public from the dogs and their just as dangerous owners.\n\nThey have even gone as far as to put out a call to action in Ontario telling their members to call and email their representatives every day and make them fear pit bull owners and advocates.\n\nMost of the pit owners may not even be aware of the truth in all matters but they are in some and they still choose to be deliberately deceitful and knowingly dishonest in spreading myths, misinformation and lies that put people in harms way, get people hurt and killed, and help to make the problem grow worse year after year.\n\nThe pit bull advocates in many cases have ben caught making comment such as the following:\n\n"I have pit bulls because puppies ruin carpets but kids ruin lives" This from meagan krumpholz on facebook and her pinterest page.\n"The kids deserved to get mauled" On kgun 9 on your sides page.\n"I hope the dog dies" This by the owner of a pit who had just pulled the owner by the leash into someone else's yard and attacked their small dog.\n"the dog is the victim" This we hear often after a fatal mauling. No compassion for the innocent victims and no concern for the human life lost.\n\nFinally go to almost any story of an attack by a pit bull and watch the pit bull owners and advocates start coming up with complete nonsense in an effort to blame anyone, anything and everyone except the dog that did the attack. They heap insult and harassment upon the victims and their families, they heap abuse and hate upon them and even the dogs owner all in an effort to try to protect a dog that has just seriously mauled or killed a person or someones beloved pet.\n\nYes be very skeptical of the pro pit bull movement as most if all care nothing for the truth or honesty just protecting the pit bull no matter what in any way they can try. 1337628109 +I'm more than willing to admit I can be an ass at times, but I don't think I could have been more pleasent during this exchange without sugercoating it in kind words and compliments. And that's not how I treat people whom I respect. Of course, dissenting opinions (or facts) always appear hostile to close minded people. 1329993227 +While talks and interviews are nice for the layman, science based medicine relies on vast amounts of data. I could hop up on a news program and talk about how Martians are causing global warning, but that doesn't make it true. 1298322269 +OK, But birds is still an unlikely explanation. Did a quick search and found some info on birds...\n\nhttp://www.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/How_Fast.html\n\nIt states that in some cases birds can reach a speed of 60+ MPH and that the highest alt. they would ever reach would be 20k feet. Lets say that commercial jet shown is flying at 20K and we know that its moving way faster than 60mph. Yet the objects in question are moving much faster than the jet. \n\nBirds flying at 60mph/20k feet would be moving across the sky at a much, much slower rate. Please point out where I am confused. 1310683224 +... What's wrong with homeopathy..? I've actually used this exact stuff on my cats. Homeopathic worm treatments and fleas treatments. Both worked. I like non-homeopathic stuff too, but sometimes I feel safer using a natural product. So you want to strangle me now? Grow up. 1311055410 +That they all seem to 'land' at the same spot leads me to speculate that this video is in reverse, and that the 'landing' spot is actually where these things are lifting off. Flares would tend to fall straight down, and even if they didn't, I can't see how they would originate from a constantly shifting aerial platform and then all fall to earth in the exact same place. That the sound is proper forward motion leads me to think this is a mildly more intelligent than usual hoax (though not by much), but a hoax nonetheless. Combine that bit of knowledge with what we already know about how flickering is indicative of chinese lanterns or other candle-powered lighter than air balloon systems, and this could be more accurately labeled "WORST UFO HOAX on video November 30,2012." Also, it's either in black and white due to some sort of night vision mode, which is unlikely because we're not seeing any more detail than would normally be caught at night, or it's in black and white to disguise what would otherwise be obvious orange candle fire. 1354405430 +>Again, are you going to claim that knowledge gathered through the scientific process is just opinion? \n\nI can't even see how you can come back to this idea having gotten this far. Your just throwing out strawmen.\n\nHow difficult is it to understand that our current knowledge has limitations and emerging science can be easily riddled with issues. Can you not find a middle ground between accepting the existence of limitations and "opinion"?\n\nAnd yes, if you don't know what the hell you're talking about you shouldn't be picking sides. Is this a controversial idea? You propose a situation where a layman has to choose between two conflicting experts. How the hell are they supposed to choose? Why *shouldn't* they be suspending judgement? What is the virtue in picking one for the sake of taking a stance if they can't decide for themselves?\n\nThe thought process you have behind this is really just reinforcing the issues that I'm poking at.\n\nMy points are as follows:\n\n**Literature has limitations. Citing it ought to acknowledge as much.**\n\n**If you support scientific consensus without knowing anything about the topic, that's OK, but it isn't skepticism**\n\n**Skepticism should involve the *logical debunking* of an idea, not merely appealing to what is already said regardless of how valid it is**\n\n**If you don't know what the fuck you're talking about and there is no clear consensus, DON'T PICK SIDES**\n\nThat is consistent with everything I have said. If you want to take an issue with anything in bold I'll listen. But no more of this "science is opinion" crap. 1325829828 +Watching Ancient Aliens ? aren't you ? I thought about that possibility too. I had another post somewhere... but it got downvoted to hell. I asked what it took for any type of scientest if they landed on a virgin planet like earth without any tools to create what we have on earth right now. It is hard we got where we got without any external help 1318871691 +Did you speak about her after the incident was over? Does she have any memory of it or what she also part of the "as if it never happened at all"? \nAnd if she does remember it, what the *hell* did she see that you didn't? 1352214851 +Wow. They didn't make fun of him. 1249480440 +Ah yes, let's teach evolution in among the ABCs and addition tables and shoe-tying and other stuff so basic that it doesn't actually matter if you can think critically about it. Hey, it's not indoctrination if it's true, right?\n\nPretty sure when I was five they had me convinced storks delivered babies. I mean come on. It's shit like this r/skeptic... 1314932249 +Iirc todays anti-vax started with a study that linked vaccines wit autism. The study was later shown to be false and non-credible. 1355922610 +That's my thing, it's almost like scamming people out of goods. There was one that really got me saying "oh come on". It's like they couldn't find anything then a mobsters garrote shows up. I also read ppl are skeptical of him due to his credentials. He clames doing this for forty years but his record shows it not being as long. Also something about his work w the Warrens on the haunting in Connecticut. (Google) I watch it when nothing is on, but not like some of the other more plausible ones. There was one on travel channel from England that seemed legit minus this one psychic. They had. A paranormal psychologist who would solely look to debunk things. 1348509861 +*Than* possible. 1329517665 +God is busy getting Rick Perry elected. 1326382399 +Apparently you only skimmed over that last sentence, or else you would show some knowledge of its contents beyond the words contained within it. (I won't go into your 3 hilarious misspellings, as I feel it cheapens the discussion (har-har).) Since, according to your comment, you think you have the right to command another adult how they can talk about themselves, we stand on completely different moral grounds and the "discussion" should be finished here. But I would rather convince you that my standing on this matter is very reasonable and justified, as I (naturally) believe. Also, I'm bored.\n\nI belive that nobody, neither me nor you, have the right to condemn what consenting adults privately do. Nobody is harmed by any such thing; those eager to be offended by anything they wouldn't enjoy personally don't even have to see it.\n\nSo, what *do* you see wrong with it? Perhaps you feel it is cheating in a kind of competition taking place in your head to have the most sex possible that there are people who are happy with a same-sex partner while your attempts to woo a member of the opposite sex were tragically unsuccessful in the past? 1270337331 +Bird spotted during SF Giants Game, September 11, 2011. 1315833643 +Sorry for being unclear. By debunking I mean all of the red comments on the right. "Debunking" the "original" image in the center, which was doctored.\n\nMy assumption is that one person originally created the altered "original" image, and also created the red text, to deliberately make Fox news look bad. \n\nI could understand the satirical argument, if it were just the original image. But this kind of choice I realize is very subjective. 1332760847 +but thats the fun of debunking! 1355972149 +Speaking of ghosts, that's how she fell. A ghost pushed her. Haha. She's always talking about how as a kid her grandparents house was haunted and she always saw peoples ghosts face to face, and that objects would get picked up, stop in the air, and then just drop to the floor. Whats up with that? More false memories? \n \n**tl;dr Ghost confuses child with jenga tower.** \n\n\nShe also believes that she's been talking to god since she was a very young child, and my idea is that because she has such an unshakable belief in god; naturally she'd convince herself she knew of him before ever being told. Demons, angels, ghosts, god, the devil, my schizo father, believes in all of it. Obviously a very superstitious person. Makes sense she'd make up false memories, or misinterpret them.\n\n\nWhy do some people develop these beliefs? Defense mechanism for lacking a sense of security or knowledge of the world? Parental replacement? Escape from a reality they find disappointing? Middle child syndrome, feeling alone and unappreciated, thus adopting a belief that places them in the center of the universe? What do these beliefs say about a person?\n \n\n**tl;dr: I see crazy people. Walking around like regular people. They only see what they want to see. They don't know they're crazy. They're everywhere. **\n\n 1314068706 +I think it was too long, so I didn't read it.\n\n**tl;dr tl;dr** 1289148679 +Is there a list somewhere of semi-abandoned, vacant, and/or no-trespassing old buildings like this? 1269259589 +/r/Psychonaut is great :) 1344483228 +| It's vigilante vaccination - you know, taking immunity into your own hands."\n\nI always find attitudes like this fairly interesting. Consider this statement from a completely objective standpoint (without casting judgment on vaccinations, or bringing into the topic the idiocy of shipping pathogens, etc.)\n\nWhose hands am I to put my immunity into? Is she implying that individuals cannot be trusted with their own immunity, and that they need to be helped along by some entity (the State?) 1320866516 +Yeah, too bad the judge can't just dismiss the plaintiff as "flippin' retarded" or something. 1340493432 +"If you're watching it, it's for you."\n\nSame for "reading" and "listening."\n 1353284212 +I am fairly sure that from the pov this pic is taken at, her left is also our left. Just thought I would throw that out there. 1346881996 +I would never touch a ouija board. Just a friendly suggestion to save your life. Although they look harmless enough, they are dangerous spiritually. If you access the spiritual relm without understanding what you are asking for you could find yourself in a dangerous position without even knowing what is happening. \n\nOn another note Ghosts should not be attracted to you. Especially without being able to be helped. Ghosts are lost spirits generally don't want to be disturbed unless you can help them. There are people called spiritual mediums with the gift to see spirits and help in this process. 1324022119 +Scumbag George Knapp:\n\n"We gave the tape to experts for analysis."\n\nGives tape to hypnotherapist. 1341991671 +[Rational Wiki](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Mohenjo-daro) 1342808875 +Yes, we all have photographed snowflakes and ashes, and had our cigarette smoke look like ghosts.\n\nHowever, self-propelled dust? Not buying it. 1353986162 +Ah. On you go. I'm into the Skulls now, so another hour twenty min. to go. \n 1349282830 +I always end up with 0 :( 1345833284 +It's amazing how many people would willingly vote for the Christian version of Sharia, even though it'd probably be the last time they ever got to vote on anything. 1326531352 +I myself have not, but I've read quite a few different stories in which people claim to have visited a Reddit-like site in a dream before they really did. 1335735786 +It would have been more interesting if he did not put in so many [redacted]\nI believe Redacted 8 may have referred to [this](http://www.airspacemag.com/space-exploration/Soviet-Star-Wars.html?c=y&page=1) 1345736574 +I also heard this mentioned last week on the SGU podcast. 1302966964 +No, not this time :) few months ago some eight of us and a bong for 30 minutes saw these lights above the capital city from a rooftop - best smoke I ever had. 1311750599 +I miss the times when the history channel showed history on it. 1300877328 +Maybe because he is lying. 1355874167 +I don't know if I accept that excuse, what about the people who are in a traumatic position and retain their ability to think and realize that using a psychic will do nothing? 1320171836 +While absence of proof is not proof of absence, there is the possibility that we're not currently being visited. 1337952374 +I'm not an american and don't understand any of it. I've heard about how dollars used to be green and it isn't, or the opposite, but both bills on the picture are gray, and I have one green dollar on my wallet right now. How can a banknote be "tax-free" or "interest-free"? \n\nInflation, taxes and interest are not an inherent property of money, but emergent properties the rules a society lives by. You can have inflation in an economy based on Apples, ask for interest in your lending of stone peebles and require a tax on the production of antelope meat.\n\nCare to explain what a greenbacker is? 1312480610 +Honestly, once you've read Cryptonomicon, the rest of Stephenson's work should be pretty smooth for you. That's probably his hardest novel to digest.\n\nI actually place "The Diamond Age" on my list of Books That Permanently Changed The Way I Think. 1354322288 +Maybe it is someone just looking out for you. Perhaps, a relative on the other side. 1342771962 +Weird thing happens at work (student internet express market) for me too. I'll be wiping down tables at close, and one of the computers will just turn the bleep on. Sometimes the xbox and playstation will turn on or off on their own too... 1338534346 +Nice try, Calabrese mobster from Toronto. 1355807485 +All I can think of is Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and I hope that there is a bowl of petunias lying somewhere nearby also. 1317404517 +The "sexy" compliment is a manifestation of misogyny in that it's a form of the first (and often only) thing most people pull out as a compliment to a female speaker ("You look great!").\n\nWell, fuck how she looked - was her talk compelling and well presented? Did she get you thinking? Because that's what she's there to do, not to titillate you, and to treat her like her personal worth hinges on her appearance is a slap in the face.\n\nEDIT: It's like the way TV interviews almost always show guys from the shoulders up and women from the breasts up - it's not intentionally meant to be sexist, I'm sure, but the fact it's so consistent really does contribute to a sexist environment; the message becomes very clear that what a woman happens to be saying takes a back seat to our ability to ogle her tits. 1338675137 +I just know she gave that ghost crabs. 1353262900 +The home/natural birthing movement attempts to help people with methods and practices based on idealism.\n\nObstetrics attempts to help people with methods and practices based on science. \n\nThat's pretty much all you need to know to make a rational decision. 1298049956 +I believe in free will, the wisdom of the crowds, and Discordianism. 1299451889 +Ok, so american soldiers will kill american unarmed and peaceful people for the sake of keeping a secret away from them? Does this not mean that we should probably change something in this country? 1342057258 +No arguments there on any account. A fool and his money and all that..\n\n\n 1318970788 +Yeah yeah I guess. They were borderline skeptical, they questioned institutions more than observations and science. 1317531181 +I take it that you live in Tromsø?\n\nDo you have any idea how hard it is for someone to move to and live in Norway? I'm a Dutch & New Zealand citizen (my wife is a Chinese citizen, which may or may not be a problem).\n\nTromsø looks like an absolutely awesome place for someone who is into astronomy, so I would love to move there, or even just work there for a year or so. 1300838304 +So, if Chist *really* did walk the Earth, he was probably not the milky white Caucasion that modern Christians imagine he looked like. He probably would have been darker skinned, and looked more like bin Laden. 1324504869 +I live in the Phoenix metro, PM me if you ever find anything. I've never pursued the paranormal, but I'd be interested. 1314771894 +You are very kind thank you.\n\nYou also predate the cars, but you were not classed as 'other' back then. Your return to metropolitan streets in number sufficient to generate significant journalistic effort is welcome. \nHowever the sheer number of "car drivers are mean" and "don't judge us all by the actions of a few articles" coming from recent converts to two wheels who only a few years ago were a four wheeled risk to me, raises a wry smile from my (still hopefully youthful in the right light) lips. 1348697889 +I dunno, all I know is that artificial sweetener makes me stummy hurt 1294264312 +I was going to write "A few hundred deaths will turn this movement around", but then I thought better.... even 1000s will not do it. 1322909333 +Because "psychics" use sociology, psychology, and common sense to derive a randomly vague response which the end user(s) interpret to their liking.\n\n"You are in grave danger".\n\n* You're going to be hit by a car. (Physical Danger)\n* You're going to lose your job. (Monetary Danger)\n* A family member may die. (Emotional Danger)\n* Your mouth will be chopped off at work. (Social/Physical Danger)\n* You're going to win the lottery. (Inverse Danger [note it's still *danger*]).\n\nAlso:\n\n> Because there's no such thing as psychics. 1252972104 +He said that magic is real and that you make sigils of desires to make it happen and that the idea of the self is fraudulent because we're all one. He also said that amorphous silver beings from the 5th dimension offered to show him whatever he wanted and they showed him Alpha Centauri - and they showed a landscape of our universe outside of time where humans looked like centipedes-all their actions through their life blended together as one. 1344992117 +Have they tried playing music to their eyes? 1331195586 +According to the replies there, it's because you debunked the wrong movie. 1296240274 +No, Yes. 1296169667 +Oh I'm well aware that a man of his stature has no reason to be contacted by ET's above anyone else around. He just has really implementable and helpful ideas that everyone should impose upon themselves. 1316629516 +The person who made this is a redditor actually: [callum_cglp](http://www.reddit.com/user/callum_cglp), [and](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_naQhynOg0) [he](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPM-vKpiKR0) [has](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xUAR6vbxxU) [eight](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zb6gAPG3yM) [others](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4tYTgV1x28) [so](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-6wXZXOUV8) [far](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYt85mcI-bk). They're quite good. 1300579682 +He would have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn't for those meddling kids. 1305674103 +You are safer being unvaccinated among a herd of vaccinated people than you are being fully vaccinated among the unvaccinated.\n\nWhen those around you are healthy, you are more likely to be healthy; thats why universal healthcare is so important. Your health affects others. 1334528095 +It wasn't in the shape of human, but it was the size of a large adult male. Solid black, oblong, whispy edges, from what I recall. 1347213812 +Any being capable of finding this shithole of a planet probably wouldn't care to visit. 1293051640 +Point being it's not morally justified simply because the ends justify the means but because we don't value their lives anywhere near as much as those of our own species- rooting for the home team essentially. From an evolutionary perspective it's not unsurprising that we would. That said we try to avoid doing so because it's still somewhat morally repugnant to us to use them in experiments. Obviously if we didn't feel it was necessary we wouldn't believe such experiments were morally justified anymore. 1343177377 +Well just stating it for the record, I havent upvoted or downvoted you a single time. Actually I take that back, according to reddit enhancement whatever Iv upvoted you once. 1351005645 +> It very greatly depends on what the \n> actual statement is. "Life is very likely \n> to exist outside of planet Earth" is easily \n> falsifiable, so it is a scientific statement\n\nI'm a little bit confused. How are you proposing that we're able to falsify that statement? 1290520929 +Favourite comment of Peter Joseph's counter-rebuttal "I hate to sound condescending..." 1296633570 +I can't remember the episode, but penn had a two or three minute talk where he explained that what they do is not scientific, and that everything they do is blatantly biased by their beliefs. that said, they are usually pretty spot on 1321126011 +This. If we are to learn the lesson of Thalidomide, it is the intervention of government regulators that literally saved hundreds of children's lives in the US the 50's and 60's. 1348335386 +It's funny that the tailpipe analogy is somewhat correct - stop breathing out C02 and the body will become [acidotic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acidosis#Respiratory_acidosis). 1339692060 +>Miles concurred in an interview with NPR's Michele Norris. "What happened here was yelling 'fire' in a crowded theater," Miles said. "The claim is very important because women will make important health decisions based on the idea that mental retardation may be a side effect of this, which there's no evidence, so far, that it is."\n\nThis is absolutely true. The Democrats may not be the saviors this country needs right now, but the Republicans' strategy of playing on people's fears via outrageous falsehoods in order to grab power is not just slimy, it's destructive. Humans are naturally curious, rational creatures who want to learn about the truth of their environment, but fear can trump reason all too easily. Not to beat a dead horse, but what we need are more scientists and engineers in power, and fewer lawyers. 1316892885 +if you listen to some of the UFO channels they explain some of that as perhaps your future self as an alien visiting you. Unfortunately most people freak out or experience traumas or black out... 1326606428 +Ctrl + Print Screen (Prnt scr), then open up Paint and copy it (Ctrl+V) into the program, then save the image, crop it, upload it, etc.\n\nOr some keyboards have a specialized Print Screen button in the Function keys.\n\nFor future reference =) 1353804261 +I have a friend who *insists* he is allergic to all fruits and vegetables and uses it as an excuse to ingest nothing but bullshit. 1273773545 +Stars are renowned for blinking. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star", even. I don't mean to be snarky, but ya'll need to get out in the country at night ... you're going to love it. 1348899675 +Please don't upvote shit like this on r/skeptic. 1326010078 +Breaks my heart. But we have at least come together long enough to plant seeds of curiosity. Even if they break it up, power users, engineers, DIY enthusiasts, and all kinds of willing and dedicated people will come up with a new way to communicate freely over large distances. People may be super dumb, but others may be equally intelligent and genuinely act in the best interest of their fellow man. Just not, you know, the ones in the ruling class. Lol 1345217572 +It needs a Bigfoot Shopped in the trees! 1310995326 +The chances are that their difference is larger than the average difference in humans. 1298657819 +I've only had a chance to read through the 8 pages of the Magnet rpt and frankly I am amazed to see the words written on actual government documents (unredacted) that plainly say (essentially): "We don't know what they are, but they are real, and we've ruled out anything man-made. The fact is that we have to put aside what we want to believe and accept the data which leads us to believe this is in fact aliens visiting us. Now that we have accepted that fact, the goal going forward needs to be obtaining this technology for the obviouse benefits that it would provide." It then goes into a page on how they think the propulsion system somehow exploits gravity and explains briefly some of the ways they plan on investigating this phenomena and then ends there. \n\nI've just never seen a government document that I read from a government website say "Our conclusion is that UFO's are piloted by aliens, we don't know why they're here but they're here, let's accept it and move on" , shocking really. \n\n\nNote: The quotes are not actual quotes, they are very sloppy paraphrasings, they do specifically say it is extraterestrials and not of human origin though. \n\nI think disclosure is happening all around us, but I bet you won't hear much about this on the news tonight. 1317328265 +The Nopalea thing is just part of the whole "superfruit" health fad, it actually looks fairly generic. 1308658139 +The tv was probably on. 1337897407 +But do you enjoy...SURPRISE FISTING??? 1320963246 +Is am good. 1350424617 +*and technicians. \n\nAlso, these people aren't managing a McDonald's - they're operating huge fleets of scientific equipment that scans the universe for signals then they're filtering all the data. More than likely everyone on that team would be getting paid far more than that if they worked for a privatized company that did the same work. 1312999236 +This was examined pretty well in [Mary Roach's Spook](http://www.maryroach.net/spook.html) 1355297703 +A couple years back I went there and Chiropracty was listed as a legitimate thing. It really made me lose interested in the site. Looks like that has been fixed since. 1340041280 +That was my thoughts on the subject, I thought digital would be "cleaner" with less interference. 1340515294 +>It means we know that we don't know the truth. Don't you care about that at all?\n\nI love how truthers always phrase it like that. What we _know_ is that there are people who have questions. What we _don't_ know is whether or not the "official story" is what really happened or not. The way you state things is that because person A still has questions, then event B _cannot_ be what everyone else thinks it is. The math just doesn't add up. In no way does some people questioning the official report mean that we _know_ that what is described in the official report didn't happen. The people doing the questioning could be just as wrong as those who wrote the initial report. 1290886068 +*Which* Kennedy assassination conspiracy? 1356638543 +Actually, they do exist and they're called manatees. 1341448074 +>I tend to ignore her to avoid feeding her.\n\nLiterally feeding her... and wiping her fake tears with wads of that ad revenue. 1351202895 +The Great Cabal That Controls Everything...unmasked by some moron with a loose grip on reality and some cheap-ass free-to-download video editing software.\n\nMakes perfect sense. 1330123404 +Dang! 1340728803 +No. Not at all. In fact it's a sham. 1321667982 +And from the quack's wife, no less. What, wouldn't any other lawyers take the "case" or whatever you'd call it? 1291840632 +You don't know if those pics are fake or not. They are interesting because they are of the same thing but they look like they are from two different cameras and thus two different people. That is kind of a big thing. It still needs to be confirmed of course but.....why dismiss it so quickly? That's almost like trying to pass it off as a souyuz rocket or something like that. \n\nYou cannot know for sure. 1279569089 +Apparently they've been around since 2006. 1336955326 +I agree, though I think it precipitated the problem. I'm hoping to get through to my older sister before she goes over the deep end with this, too. And evidence is the way to get through to her. 1297018493 +Thank you for the clarification. 1278737640 +Xe would have him in a fortnight. Or can we just put seal team six on retainer? 1331285741 +I was wondering why "Chinese Feng Shui" has a term for something that only happens on the Gregorian calendar. 1297867270 +A Canadian or British paycheck. 1301597246 +I highly doubt that the jet shot down a advanced craft that can travel the universe. 1351743031 +TIDES!!! 1316371991 +What do you want to hear? 1316220488 +those women are insane and Penn is the only calm genuinely compassionate one there. 1356124884 +>How many people study sciences (mainly physics) or related fields here? Or work in a science-based area\n\nMuch like Penn Jillette, I'm a science enthusiast. I'm not a scientist.\n\n>How many people here are religious, or feel spiritually inclined?\n\nN/A. The deepest thrill I get is looking up at the night sky, but there's nothing religious, spiritual, supernatural, or mystical about it. But if I had to choose an experience that I would classify as transcendent, it would be that: contemplating the universe.\n\n>How many people here are like me waiting to be convinced that the paranormal COULD be true.\n\nThe paranormal already *could* be true. I'm waiting for repeatable, testable evidence that cannot be more eloquently explained by our known models of the universe and, even more importantly, the understanding of how our brains work thanks to advances in neuroscience. 1343143140 +Looks like a tiny, lonely cloud. 1341323898 +woah....that's a lethal ratio, dude 1320914807 +This is pretty silly. It seems analogous to those libertarians who call all government action "socialism", or those Democrats who can invent a reason that any policy they don't like must be "racist", or those Republicans who find ways to associate all manner of evils with "liberalism".\n\nIf you're a Republican whose definition of "liberalism" is so broad that it includes Stalin and Hitler as well as Obama and Kucinich, it's probably not a very useful definition: it pretty much means "things I don't like." It surely doesn't aid you in predicting what modern "liberals" will do ... except possibly that they'll do things you don't like.\n\nAnd likewise, what exactly does calling evolution "a religion" accomplish? With this broad definition of "religion", what else will we sweep in?\n\n*Professional sports* have their temples, their sacrifices, their irrational rituals, their holy days. They even have elaborate ritual costumes: a fan dressed in team colors with his face painted is even more dramatic than a cardinal's robes.\n\n*University education* has temples both elaborate and expensive; it charges many of its acolytes a steep fee for participation (almost as expensive as Scientology, or heroin); it has its priesthood in the form of the full professorate; its rituals such as graduation ceremonies.\n\n*Literacy* itself could be regarded as a cult practice. Parents spend much effort to initiate their children into its mysteries. It has its temples in schools and libraries. It practices discrimination: Those who do not convert to this religion are scorned as stupid and incapable, and excluded from polite society. \n\nOr how about *driving cars*? Confirmation in this religion is an important rite of passage in young adulthood. There are temples in the form of dealerships. Those who do not practice the appropriate rituals of regular maintenance are regarded as irresponsible ... and those atheists who choose not to partake in this religion at all are frequently denounced as hippies or freaks of various sorts.\n\nWith a sufficiently broad notion of "religion", we can simply subsume all organized or semi-organized human behavior: government; economy; even dating. And insofar as we can call everything "religion", *doing so tells us nothing at all.* 1272518719 +Exactly, as soon as you start calling UFOs, aliens. Well, they aren't UNIDENTIFIED flying objects because you just callled them ETs and you should go make another subreddit called /r/disclosure or someshit. The less bullshit the better. 1316206939 +The explanation is easy and does not require magical thinking.\n\nThere are billions of people in the world. At any given moment, positive things are happening to some and negative things are happening to others. \n\nOn the same day, some other people had heart attacks and just died. Some others had heart attacks and lived, but didn't win any money. Still others won some money without having heart attacks.\n\n**TL;DR, this is pure coincidence.** 1353948221 +Yes, I am often thinking of this. It would be neat if all the stories are true (sort of) but I think often about the CD player analogy. \n\nI think that the mental construction of authority is much more important than people think. I have many qualms with how governments abuse authority and how too many people trust it blindly, but in the same vein, a too precipitous denouement of that authority might be catastrophic. It might even be worse if "they" never land, the suspense might be too much maybe? Taunting our RADAR for years and years? Or perhaps they are trying to goad us into further development by challenging us and taunting our limits. I spend a lot of time thinking about this.\n\nI agree, if they are thousands of years ahead of us we probably cannot get much. I wish it were otherwise. Although perhaps we are not yet responsible enough. Who knows?\n\nI love thinking about these scenarios. To me they truly are on the frontiers of thought and possibility.\n\nAlso, I am sometimes confused by reddit's reply system, is our conversation being declared as dis-info by posters below? 1328163605 +That's fair! I just came into this thread expecting that people would be providing evidence in answer to OP's question, instead of saying it is "common knowledge". It might very well be the case that this effect is accepted across many fields of study, but I was hoping there would be more studies cited from the outset, instead of me having to prod people to produce them :P\n\nAs far as research to prove I'm not a fool (owch!), I would direct you to the general work on cognitive biases that began with Kahneman & Tversky about 30 years ago, that led to research on how social positioning affects perception ([maybe start here?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases#Social_biases)). I know next to nothing about wine in particular (oh no, a fool!!) but my standpoint was more of the general skeptic seeing commonalities in the area of wine glassware and the sorts of domains I'm more familiar with (like scientific reasoning and that jazz). 1301507124 +To be fair, we measure water pollution in parts per million (ppm) and parts per billion (ppb), so a concentration of 10^-9 M, or 1 ppb, for an active ingredient is not negligible. 1295287232 +If he created "perfection", I would take that to mean he created a being which would make a choice to become imperfect. 1308753927 +Those are mad skills, also SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!! (Seriously, you meant something like [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv3_zFD6_xE)?)\n\nEDIT added the seriously [4] 1321947956 +I'm afraid to inform you that you are an awful kisser. 1354533493 +Dude: spend 30 minutes over at r/UAP. Seriously: you're going to need to educate yourself a bit. There is a plethora of very solid documentation over there. You want me to condense a very complicated topic with many facets into a tidy summary here for you and that just isn't possible. I'm sorry that there's no dummies' guide for this. Kean's book can be read in an afternoon.\n\nTheories and hypothesis need some factual basis or evidence to be valid. What is yours? The ET hypothesis has a lot. Whether you have time to review it or not, it really speaks for itself. And this isn't just my opinion; it's the general consensus of those who have spent their lives studying this stuff.\n\nEdit: [here is a great debate between Dolan and Dr. John Alexander, a military officer. Leslie Kean moderates. It's a podcast called '2012 UFO ‘Cover-Up’ Debate'; scroll down and there is a download button. Dolan presents some of the best evidence in a very concise fashion here.](http://inceptionradionetwork.com/archives/irn-2012-debate/) 1330321533 +I half expected goatse. 1256686591 +The point is he took the opportunity to insult people on national media. He was not called in for that reason. Also, India has had laws about insulting religion since the British were there - ostensibly to foster peace and tolerance between different religions, but instead used today to lock up dissidents. He knew that and he took a risk. It's ridiculous, but you don't see me going on TV in Iran and saying Allah is a pig for much the same reason. 1353868011 +With no battery?\n 1326653018 +[Snopes says this is false](http://www.snopes.com/legal/et.asp) 1304997040 +So.... he took seven minutes to basically say that the interviewer was too stupid to understand the actual answer, and he would just have to accept that magnets work because they work. ;)\n\nHe is fascinating to listen t, though. 1292609068 +I used to take that. Now I just drink coffee. 1287815151 +I wish trigonometry were that easy when I was in school.\n\ntan(1) = 10 \ntan(2) = 20 \ntan(3) = 30 \ntan(4) = 40 1335631206 +>Unicorns are magical creatures, they don't die and leave bodies around. They just look like horses because that is how they have chosen to be viewed in this plane of existence.\n\n*Everyone* knows *that*… 1312516598 +I don't usually drink, but today was the day for me to raise a glass or three in his honour. 1324851936 +2.44, he zooms right back out. Palm trees are clearly in another yard, I would imagine there was no other viewpoint to film from. 1317031220 +A close family member of mine build rockets, and has built rockets for 30 years. After showing this person the Norway Spiral video they could equate it to *no known type of missile/rocket*. Their exact words were "interesting" with a slight smirk. This was the most telling thing this person has *ever* stated when it comes to this topic of strange craft/phenomenon. 1302371220 +Oshit. 1328442683 +It's been *quite* a day here in r/ufos. 1336805509 +A friend of my parents, a guy I used to really respect and like when I was growing up, has just revealed on Facebook that not only is he charging people for spiritual readings but he has also won Psychic of the Year award for the state. He has also charged my mother for a reading.I posted a skeptical video on my FB wall (a video of Derren Brown talking about cold reading to Richard Dawkins) and he sent me a very abusive message.\nI'm just taking the "ignore it and it will go away" approach to our disagreement but as I'm moving back to my home country soon I fear I will be seeing him at social gatherings. He's a big guy, ex navy and the president of the state chapter of the Masonic Motorcycle Club so I am very intimidated by him.\n\nJust venting. Thanks. 1355506726 +This is probably the most reasonable and intelligent thing I've ever heard anyone say about airport security. 1296094776 +Came across this in my quest for reliable nutritional information. Maybe not entirely reliable, but entertaining... 1320640273 +Every time I try and talk about this stuff with environmentalists all i ever get from them is shit about displacement of people and what not. No one can ever give me evidence that fracking is causing any environmental issues (which they may well be but i haven't seen much for evidence) and I show them things like this and they claim that its either conspiracy or exxon trying to spread misinformation. 1315955872 +That made me lol too. Wtf. 90% imaginative and 10% physical. That's pretty a bold statement. 1329168406 +ahh. ok. saw it. mhm... could be anything tho 1337617043 +I had one of those on my crotch for two hours at WalMart once. I was working electronics and not a single customer mentioned it.\n\nI also kept a handful of alarm stickers behind the desk to drop in customer bags for lulz. One time we dropped at least 10 of them in a jerk-bag coworker's pocket. Pretty sure he noticed before exiting the store.\n\nWe also stuck them to carts underneath and placed them wherever possible including inside of TV boxes. 1331090511 +I just don't understand the Big Pharma theories. Is the root of it all that people are upset we can send stuff into space and harness the power of the atom but can't cure a cold? It's a big business; if a local soccer mom invented a cure for AIDS, they'd either buy her out in a second or pretend they came up with it on their own (dishonest, but AIDS is still cured) and make billions. \n\nI can make sense of the 9-11 "truthers" and the Moon Landing Hoax and such, but I can't even begin to understand the Big Pharma one.\n\n/rant 1334432395 +This is the real reason why one should be vegetarian, to get rid of them bastards!\n\n\nEdit: secret 1310107008 +Fine... Now you have to explain what "photosynthesise" is and how it works, and also explain cell-division.\n\nProceed. ;) 1312241896 +I know what I'll be doing when I get off work. I love me some alien conspiracies. 1343040575 +"You know what would really screw with the earthlings? Lets shine some balls of lights in the sky, so they're all like "WTF?!?" 1355897539 +I did look relatively the same, yes. 1326465185 +Do you have any idea how old this is starting to get? 1342321418 +I love NPR but the issue I have with this idea is that NPR gets to decide what 'truth' is. I realize that at times the truth is pretty obvious and it is ridiculous to give the opposition equal time - like an example below about making sure flat earth believers get equal time. But too often the 'truth' is very dependent on the viewer. What happens when NPR decides something is the truth when it is simply an opinion? At least presenting both sides of an issue gives both the reporter and viewer an opportunity to understand not only what is right but WHY it is right and the other is wrong. 1330461626 +> Who decides what is or is not logical?\n\nNonsense. What is logical is a matter of fact, and no one has to decide it.\n\nAlso, data don't matter to logic. Logic is about general, formal structures, and applies to everything.\n\nThe idea of the sun revolving around the earth is not a logical truth, and never was one. 1272309119 +Haha, I wouldn't have thought it was as weird if I had heard her listening to it a bunch. I think it was a private thing for her. Plus I was really young and she kind of even hid his suicide from me at the time. And the post says the first I'd ever even heard of the song was when my piano teacher had me learn it in middle school. 1326756725 +No shit..I agree..so sick of seeing bullshit contents like that just because the rest of the world hasn't found time to troll the Internet 20 hours a day.. or maybe some people are just starting to look into these things. I'm glad people post things like this. My boyfriend has read and watched tons on aliens and UFO's, and has gotten me into it. So a lot of this stuff is new to me. 1352501099 +When the author stated repeatedly that 75% of the world's population is lactose intolerant, and provided a citation . . . well, I just had to read it for myself!\n\nHere's his statement: \n\n>6. Not everyone can stomach dairy.(v) About 75 percent of the world's population is genetically unable to properly digest milk and other dairy products -- a problem called lactose intolerance.\n\nAnd here's the citation:\n\nhttp://consensus.nih.gov/2010/images/lactose/lactose_finalstatement.pdf\n\n>The prevalence of lactose intolerance is difficult to discern because studies have varied in their interpretation of what constitutes this condition. . . . The prevalence of lactose intolerance in the United States cannot be estimated based on available data. None of the potentially relevant studies identified in the systematic review used an adequate definition of lactose intolerance or evaluated a representative sample of the U.S. population. . . . Although these studies shed some light on the epidemiology of lactose intolerance (discussed below), they cannot be used to estimate the prevalence of lactose intolerance.\n\nand\n\n>Despite the limitations in the available studies, there were several noteworthy observations. First, lactose intolerance determined by self-report or nonblinded lactose challenge is less frequent across all ethnic groups than is lactose malabsorption determined by breath hydrogen tests or lactase nonpersistence determined by biopsy or genetic testing. Second, lactose intolerance, lactose malabsorption, and lactase nonpersistence vary across racial and ethnic groups with the lowest reported occurrence in European Americans and higher although variable occurrence in African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans. The systematic evidence review notes that the racial and ethnic variability in lactose intolerance following nonblinded lactose challenge was not as extreme as that reported in lactose malabsorption and lactase nonpersistence. Third, lactose intolerance with nonblinded lactose challenge and lactose malabsorption was low in young children, but increased with age. In children younger than 6 years, lactose malabsorption was low in all the studies and peaked between ages 10 and 16 years. Little evidence suggests that lactose intolerance increases in older persons.\n\nNowhere in that statement from NIH is the assertion made that 75% of the world's population is lactose intolerant; in fact, it says quite the opposite, that we have no idea.\n\nBased on Hyman's blatant lies (not even a misunderstanding or misrepresentation) about the NIH statement's content, I would be disposed to disregard anything else he has to say. Either he is a willful liar, or incapable of checking his own references. \n\nEither way, he's not a reliable source of information. 1353347884 +Will be interesting to see how all this turns out. I'm still hoping soon, but we will see.. 1244844785 +Do we expect Nobel laureates to endorse the law? This is good news but not at all surprising. 1331132833 +Curious as to why you think being vegetarian isn't realistic for most people? I might agree on the vegan front, but being vegetarian is vastly different than being vegan. 1290444807 +you only need to know its slant before recommending it? shouldnt you...... read the book before recommending it? 1355333202 +Obviously, conservation of energy applies here, but I think the poster is asking for a more in-depth answer.\n\nI can't explain how magnets work in plain English, because any analogy I might try to use will likely rely on electricity or magnetism, itself. Richard Feynman explains exactly why he can't explain in [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMFPe-DwULM). \n\nThis explanation will necessarily be a simplification, since you can't get a good understanding of these things without looking at the math. In my understanding, though, magnets interact via photon exchange. Magnetic forces are caused by particles tossing around photons, little packets of energy. The particles don't actually *produce* any energy, they just exchange it, so if you pull energy out of the system, the system will still run out. \n\nThe physics of this are more complicated than simple attraction and repulsion, and most "perpetual" motion machines using magnets work based on how people *assume* magnets work, not on how they actually behave. \n\nFinally, the behavior shown is not perpetual motion or energy production at all. Even if the machine in the video actually works as shown, you'll notice that the hand holding the magnet is constantly moving slightly. That motion is required for magnetism to work properly: magnetic fields don't apply force to objects that are at rest relative to them. In moving the magnet, the man is supplying the system with energy, and I can guarantee that he's supplying it with a great deal more than you could possibly collect. 1269135118 +My grandfather told me a somewhat similar stories as in the 20's spirit-ism was the rage. During a "ghost party" (people gathering around a table with the equivalent of a scrabble board game), he knew the answer of a question asked by one of the attendee to the ghost and "thought it" with a spelling mistake. The "ghost" answered the question with a spelling mistake. 1341965367 +So everyone should be afraid of men. 1351117883 +This would be great filming a UFO!! How?\n\nWell think about it, most UFOs travel within "a blink of an eye"- speed. So if we had this camera, we can better understand and possibly see the movement in which the UFO craft travels.\n\nI mean I have watch countless vids/reports/research regarding UFO craft movement. \n\nGenerally we think UFOs move from Point A to Point B in a "straight" line. BUt there have been videos showing that UFO aircraft moves in a "wiggly" pattern from Point A to Point B. \n\nThere was this video of an old woman who filmed UFOs for over 45+ years?? and just recently came out with her videos(over 80+?). She said as she played back the video of the UFOs frame per frame, they made "streaks of light" when they moved from POint A to Point B. Not sure what the VIdeo was called, but it can be found on YouTube. 1345262301 +I would imagine that innocent people confess for a number of different reasons but here are a few:\n\n1. bad legal advice - don't listen to your cousin's uncle's best friend's legal opinion and overworked public defense miss things (or worse);\n\n2. guilt - not being guilty of the crime in question doesn't mean that you aren't guilty of something else or guilty of knowing details and not doing anything, etc etc. so in an effort to keep one secret, they 'confess' to a lie;\n\n3. fear - fear of everything - the cops, the courts, the people you know when you get out, your family, your job, etc etc. If you are looking at possible life with a jury and, say, only two years with a plea bargain if you confess, some people would rather do with the devil they know even though it's wrong;\n4. and this is the biggie - trust - you trust the system. If you are innocent and arrested for soemthing you didn't do (and I speak from a minor experience on this one) you just keep thinking that it will be okay because... you didn't do it! Of course they will do their investigation and surely I will eventually get let go and maybe even an apology. But then things just get worse and more surreal and then you realize that they are really going to arrest you. And then you ARE arrested and you STILL trust in the fact that you can't possibly be found guilty because you aren't! there can't be evidence because you are innocent! But when the dust settles and you are still on the hook, innocent people may do a lot of dumb things, not least of which is confess to a crime they didn't commit. 1330364846 +This one is interesting, considering this specific theory about dreaming which basically says that the dreaming part of sleep occurs during the short period of time we wake up, the loud bang triggers your waking up and starts the dream which incorporates the event and make up a most probable story about the cause of the bang, then you finish waking up and the most probable story happens.\n\n\n\n\n\n 1326495307 +The moon landing truthers have the same attitude you have. \n\nTruthers think everyone else are just 'blindly' believing whatever the government says about the moon landing. \n\nYou're doing it wrong. 1316788332 +What a dreadful shade of blue. 1333024479 +They are not ufos, they are a new type(more like WIP) of stealth aircraft that has been kept secret by the US military since at least the early 1990s\n\ni believe the general identification name that it most commonly goes by is the "chameleon".\n\ni can assure you that the craft is not extra terrestrial at the very least.\nhere at the NAS in pensacola, they test and train with them all the time. Though this is not all they do that is classified at the base.\n\nThey like doing these sort of things at NAS because of how relatively low it is on the"raises suspicion" scale, along with the facts that it has a natural waterway barrier on one side, as well as having a dense blanket of trees surrounding the base.\n\nmost people wouldn't suspect things go on here, simply because they base seems so open to the public with the naval aviation museum and the blue angels, as well as the other shows and displays they have, if it wasn't planned out, then it was a really convenient for them to have a base that is both seemingly public, yet has so many ways to hide the really important things in a rather obtuse location for these sort of things. 1337701968 +But as the saying goes, "you can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into." 1296327277 +The purpose of the lawsuit is (almost certainly) not to win the case. The purpose of the lawsuit is (almost certainly) to convince a cancer patient to not go through the expense of defending the case and settling, by, say, taking all the text criticising the homeopath off the internet, agreeing to never criticise them publicly again, and paying a smaller settlement for having the temerity to criticise someone. 1263135974 +There's an infinite continuum of "what ifs" out there and it doesn't make any sense to try and examine each one. Without any evidence the idea that the phases of the moon have a causal effect on human psychology can be easily dismissed. 1353439169 +That is a brilliant YouTube troll! 1317794904 +It might be interesting to ask him to talk about his distinction between science and magic. As a scientist, he seems very anchored to the "nuts and bolts" theory of UFOs (or as he still calls them, "flying saucers"). But if these are real, physical objects coming from (for eg) Zeta Reticuli, then they must be essentially magical, or at leasr supernatural, because they are defying what we know to be fundamental physical laws of nature (ie, speed of light travel). So I would like to know how he reconciles this in his own thinking. 1331030052 +Claiming mega doses of vitamin C can cure all kinds of things from the common cold to cancer, and responding very negatively to those who did subsequent research and found no evdience to support his claims. 1334016156 +My understanding is that Pusztai fed the rats raw potatoes, which rats don't want to eat anyway, because they're not nutritious enough to live on. He basically starved the rats for a couple of days, and the two varieties of potatoes were substantially different.\n\nHere's an [excellent breakdown](http://gmopundit2.blogspot.com/2006/02/analysis-of-pusztai-study-on-gm.html):\n\nUnfortunately, Pusztai’s analyses of the chemical composition of the transgenic lines were rather superficial. And his quick leap to the conclusion that the variation he observed was attributable to the fact that they were transgenic was simply unwarranted. This mistake has proved costly to Pusztai himself. And unfortunately, the expertise battle that sprang up around the experiments has obscured the importance of carrying out well-designed experiments to evaluate the food qualities of transgenic crop plants expressing proteins that have the potential of affecting human health. Lectins are clearly in this category.\n\nPusztai has been criticized severely for the quality of his experiments. His experiments have been attacked for their small sample sizes, the use of inappropriate statistical procedures, and the fact that a diet of raw – or even cooked – potatoes is a bad diet for rats (people too), even when supplemented with a bit of extra protein. But oddly enough, in all that has been written about these experiments, no one seems to have seen their central flaw, which was that he did not use appropriate controls. A “control” is the part of an experiment that allows the researcher to examine the consequences of just the change (in this case) or the treatment (in the case of a drug) under study. In Pusztai’s experiments, the control potatoes had a different history than the transgenic potatoes and, in particular, that history included a culture procedure that induces somaclonal variation. The likeliest source of the variation he detected – and of the differences he attributed to the fact that they contained foreign DNA – was the culture procedure itself. In order to be able to attribute the deleterious effects of the transgenic potatoes to the newly introduced gene or to some other part of the introduced DNA, he would have had to make a comparison between potatoes that had the very same history, but either had or lacked the transgenic construct. This can be done, but the study that Pusztai participated in was simply not designed for such a test.\n 1333150098 +They look too bright to be fire lanterns. I thought it might be a reflection in the glass of the window, but I don't think so. 1327294714 +I love the idea that our Sun is a fucking Stargate. 1342765750 +why would they? 1296652248 +The way you replied looks exactly like someone shaking as they pound on their keyboard. Use more punctuation next time. 1328497456 +If he had followed it with a joke, like hey maybe a ghost did it, then yes, I would assume he was fucking with me. 1333895295 +Lame. Duly noted. 1299369777 +it seems pretty far off the mark, to me. you didn't need to quote the relevant passage; i read it.\n\nit's clear that this psychic schmuck doesn't think skepticism = pedophilia. he's referring to his perception that skeptics sit around their computers at 3 AM, plotting ways to ruin the lives of psychics, just as a pedophile might sit around at 3 AM plotting ways to fuck children.\n\nit's quite clear from the passage that he doesn't think that skeptics are pedophiles, or that skepticism is *the same* as pedophilia.\n\nis he attempting to slander a group of people through the comparison? yes. but he doesn't think asking questions is the same as fucking kids. \n\nsorry. 1273608958 +the full paper is here if anyone wants to go through it in detail:\n\nhttp://www.methodesurrender.fr/docs/art_bsem_2009.pdf 1326141722 +I love the "It took me one week to get over the flu with this." Yeah, that's about how long the flu lasts completely untreated. 1255717969 +lol http://i.imgur.com/7SUqm.png 1328236613 +How embarrassingly backward. 1303648549 +Well, for one, if you're vegetarian/vegan, that rules out gelcaps, which are often the only non-liquid source of DXM in pharmacies.\n\nThere was a general consensus among DXM-heads that Zicam Cough spray was the fastest-acting, hardest-hitting DXM product in existence. It was popular among abusers; it's possibly why they stopped making it. It had slightly more DXM than a whole bottle of cough syrup in about one-eighth the volume of liquid. It tasted absolutely unholy, but there was a sick pleasure to be found in it. (Again: if you're into that kind of thing.) \n\nWhatever you're imagining about how disgusting chugging a bottle (or bottles) of cough syrup is, you're probably right. It's *self-violation*. There are many people out there who puke at least once every time they do it. \n\nI was one of the people who never puked. Never. If you knew what it's like to be full of cough syrup, you would know that this was a very mixed blessing.\n\nBasically, people drink cough syrup for the hell of it. Or because they get used to it. Doesn't cough syrup just taste like something that will do strange things to you if you drink enough of it?\n\nOr because it's the cheapest suitable product at the local pharmacy, and even cough syrup addicts have better things to spend their money on.\n\nHopefully I'll never go into a big off-topic monologue on cough medicine on reddit again... 1325011099 +Organic food is only a label, [skeptoid](http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4019) did an episode on Organic food and nothing has really changed since it came out. There was a [study](http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/2010/05/27/science-organic/) done on bird preference of organic vs standard seeds, the birds preferred the standard seeds.\n\nAs for recycling, the big issue is that it takes a lot of energy to recycle materials and that energy use may be more damaging to the environment than just putting the material in a landfill. The thing about that argument however is that some parts of the world actually have renewable energy plans and will have a majority of energy coming from renewable resources in the near future. The energy can be renewable, while the materials and land use are not. So depending on what you are recycling and where you live this can change rapidly (smaller places may have much less land for landfill use, such as Japan so recycling may still be a good idea there) 1325080250 +how do you 'test' the existence of ET ufos outside of having a spaceship on display? \n\nwith that said, are you surprised we don't have any 'testable evidence'? or do you think it's just not available to be seen?\n\nsome would claim all of us have UFO tech around us now. From transistors to teflon to fiber optics to kevlar, all arrived out of nowhere out of black military programs and government contractors. it's all in how small you want to make the box. 1328992150 +Wait wait. Accidental misreading enables teleportation? 1278955590 +You're being downvoted because you're reporting an entirely subjective experience and implying it had some objective meaning or relevance - the same kind of elementary error made by people who believe their *strong feeling* God exists constitute proof.\n\nThe error you're making is believing you're a reliable narrator, even to your own experiences. [You are not](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases).\n\nRather, each time you recall an event you recall it imperfectly (and it's also influenced by the context in which you recall it), and each time you recall it your memory **re-**imprints it in your mind, diminishing or erasing the original[1]. Memory isn't some chiselled-in-stone record you look things up in, even though it subjectively feels like that. Rather, it's more like a rumour, where instead of a list of facts you're forcing experiences to conform to a defined narrative, [every telling changes the story somewhat](http://scienceblogs.com/cortex/2010/06/memory_is_fiction.php) and how much it changes relates to how strongly you feel about the subject. After a while it can diverge surprisingly far from reality.\n\nFor example, it's entirely possible (although you won't *feel* like it's true) that you had a strong feeling you'd catch a ball on one occasion and actualyl caught it on another, and your memory has mixed the two memories together to make a better, more satisfying narrative. Alternatively, you might have wanted to catch the ball many times, but because you never did you forget about it. Then the one time you *did* catch it is a big deal, so you remember that occasion but forget the others... and "I *really wanted* to catch the ball and I did" easily becomes "I *knew* I was going to catch it any I did" over time.\n\nAlternatively I would have thought every kid in the ballpark wanted to catch the ball, and at least some of them are going to be the kind of precocious kids to announce they *will* do it (outgoing kids are prone to assuming if they want something enough they will necessarily achieve it). So in a group of thousands of kids at thousands of games across the country for many years of baseball games, eventually you're going to get a few kids out of that group who both believed they would catch a ball and caught a ball. It's not significant - it's just a fluke of statistics that seems special because your brain latches onto it[2].\n\nWith the greatest respect, you're not getting downvoted because you've offended anyone's sensibilities, but because you're making a basic error we all know about and have moved past - your post is simply *wrong*, not controversial. <:-)\n\n[1] This is really true, incidentally - [studies are being done](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article3850302.ece) where they take victims of PTSD, load them up with happy drugs like MDMA, then walk them back through their recollections of the traumatising event.\n\nThanks to the drug their present emotional state is relaxed, happy and accepting, so when they finish reliving the memories and re-imprint them, they lose much of the emotional trauma associated with the memory, and because the memory is re-imprinted the effects persist indefinitely, even after the drugs wear off.\n\nIt's a relatively new area of investigation, but the studies are showing good results.\n\n[2] A good example of this trend is if someone randomly shuffles a pack of cards and I pull out all four aces, most people would be amazed - that's millions to one, right? Amazing!\n\nEqually, if I pull out - say - the ten of clubs, the four of diamonds, the jack of hearts and the seven of clubs nobody would be impressed even though I have exactly the same chances of getting that as any other combination, *including all four aces*.\n\nThe only difference is that *you think of four aces as being significant*, and other "random-looking" sequences as not. Again, a cognitive illusion caused by your brain's penchant for pattern-matching, which has no real objective significance. 1276852635 +Right, but the headline suggests a link between the nature of the ceremony and the collapse - that superstitious ceremony was behind this tragedy, when really it was just the setting for it. 1276203581 +"...overwhelm the immune system"? REALLY?!\n\nFFS, read up on some medical literature from this century if you're going to speak about it in public like this. 1331153485 +Now if only we can get high res images of all the things floating around the sun that miraculously don't burn up (if it was space junk) 1346082956 +> Humour, Memory, **Stutter Decrease**... WHAT?\n\nfabulous. now i'm going to have people telling me i just need to think before i talk AND to stop whacking it.\n\nFYI for anyone reading this, telling someone who stutters that they just need to slow down and think before they talk makes us hate you. 1344266431 +Ah, the old call for backup. I thought it was getting too nutty in here. 1290764585 +This is one of those obnoxious rhetorical questions I was talking about. 1329691752 +Well I only believed one. That's because my doctor told my mom not to let me sleep the night I got my concussion. 1338691661 +Thanks, I'd totally forgotten about that! I *so* suck at statistics. 1323672470 +blogspam? why? 1243796796 +I'll be in the 27% because I do remember that video coming out later, not sure if the next day or a couple of days later. It was the video of the sewer repair crew... or something to that like. 1347389732 +Over to the left there's another area that looks like it has a face, except it looks like a fish tail is halfway in what would be its forehead. 1354658175 +New site coming soon....wanted to set-up a reddit link. 1275547682 +Perhaps she can go on a speaking tour with Sara Palin? 1325701256 +I'm just guessing here, but maybe the much of the milk based products just don't have enough calcium for a healty diet, unless you like to drink milk straight.\n\nI presume this is why we find other products, like orange juice and Tums, having added calcium? 1346561980 +Correct. Don't get me wrong, I agree that both are equally stupid, but that would be what the policy says. 1345222449 +Rocks have spirits? Seriously. 1352779754 +There has been a great deal of polygamous relationships in many societies. 1338287573 +Harris defends his philosophy just fine. That isn't the issue here. The issue is that Craig is a disgusting manipulator and liar. Craig never debates anyone. He always lies and sets up straw men. 1303228191 +Pshht, everyone from /skeptic/ is like this. Haven't you heard? 1286952657 +If I had been flying an unauthorised drone over Israel I wouldn't be in a hurry to put my hand up and claim responsibility. 1352196522 +Well, no one usually goes around saying I lack the cognative skills to understand what (_________) is therefor it either isn't real or magic/aliens/religion. 1355848339 +And then there is this one:\n\n"Sad, but with all respect John you are part of the corrupt system. Why won't you invent a product yourself that can block EMF pollution. Microwave radiation/cellphone towers/EMF/dirty electricity/and electromagnetic weapons are all used to harm our planet and children. If you want to give this product a bad name, then invent your own that will prove these technologies should be used in the correct matter of living. Prove it, or just keep your false comments to yourself. Peace."\n\nI hope it was just a joke. 1340719696 +Let's consider the fact that fusion rockets only exist on paper in the year 2012. Somehow, David Adair, was able to create one in 1971, when he was 17 years old, with a help of his father, who was a NASCAR mechanic or some such.\n\nIn other words: rocket scientists, engineers and various other incredibly intelligent people cannot build a fusion rocket now, with today's technology but a teenager in 1971 was able to with a help of a mechanic? 1348192849 +I see now what you mean. Let me rephrase: "I believe that other non-string theorists will not invest much energy learning or supporting string theory unless it can be shown to provide some practical use, as manifest by predictions which can be tested in normal/practical conditions or through the creation of useful technology". \n\nI am honestly interested in understanding why I should support (or not) string theory. I admit I made the mistake of thinking that others were under the same opinion as myself and I should not have assured you of anything. If anything, i'm just trying to understand. You appeared to me knowledgeable in the subject, so I thought you could help me. Perhaps I was wrong. 1327791667 +Personally, I think he's a thoughtful and compassionate person. He doesn't sound crazy to me. I sense more 'crazy' in the average cable news pundit than I do in Icke. While Icke's ideas are far from the mainstream, he offers support for them, to varying degrees depending on the theory.\n\nThis isn't a crazy man or a propagandist. This is a man with wild ideas who genuinely believes them. Take or leave him, but he's genuine. 1320689250 +http://xkcd.com/435/ 1328274527 +A million upvotes to you. The thing that makes skeptics is that they change their minds when presented with new evidence. 1283468241 +'Fucking creepy' about sums it up. 1317090937 +I'm in pharmacology and did a project on the toxicity of aspartame in my 4th year. There's a comprehensive review (100 pages) of the studies done on aspartame up to 2007 which can be found here: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408440701516184\n\nBasically, no strong scientific evidence for the notion that it is toxic in humans at our consumption levels. In recent years, work by Soffriti et al., has claimed to demonstrate a link between aspartame and cancer in rats: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16507461 \n\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17805418 \n\nhowever these studies have been criticized by numerous scientists and health organizations including the FDA, NCI and the European Health Commission etc. \n\nedit: review requires subscription. I uploaded it here for anyone who is interested - http://drop.io/ifejia2 1276902523 +>Mostly due to the deliciousness of meat\n\nI assume you mean this somewhat facetiously.\n\n> we do produce enough calories even with meat production to feed everyone.\n\nThe problem with meat production isn't a lack of calories; it's the damage done to the environment. [Cattle produce more greenhouse gases than cars](http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?newsID=20772&CR1=warning#.UKb_usy_XUI), most of it in the form of methane, which is 23 times more effective as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. [Livestock are a major contributor to water pollution](http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/ffarms.asp).\n\nAnd that only considers domesticated animals. [According to a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimate, over 70% of the world’s fish species are either fully exploited or depleted](http://www.un.org/events/tenstories/06/story.asp?storyID=800).\n\n\nWhile I'm not trying to sell you on veganism, I do feel there are sound environmental facts in favor of reducing meat consumption. [Americans eat twice as much meat as they did fifty years ago](http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/06/27/155527365/visualizing-a-nation-of-meat-eaters), while our nutritional needs have remained largely the same. Surely we can afford to scale back on what is essentially a luxury food. 1353118874 +Sambucal is a homeopathic remedy still undergoing clinical trials: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00375115\nFrom their own website:\n>What clinical evidence is available to support Sambucol?\n\n..."Sambucus nigra or the black elderberry is a plant native to Europe, Northern Africa and parts of Asia. The flowers and berries have a long history of use in traditional European medicine as well as the berries being used to make wines and cordials. (1)\nThe black elderberry, due to the dark pigmentation of its fruit, contains high concentrations of the flavonoid group of antioxidants called anthocyanins. It is these natural antioxidants that give the elderberry its purple pigment. This means that the fruit of the black elderberry have powerful antioxidant capabilities. Studies looking at the antioxidant activity of many types of fruits, including the black elderberry have shown that the total antioxidative capacity of the elderberry was higher than that of the blackcurrant, gooseberry, cranberry, blueberry and redcurrant\nDue to the amount of stress that modern society places on our bodies, it may be beneficial to take an antioxidant supplement to help boost the Immune System, particularly at times such as when suffering from a cold or the flu virus.\n\nDietary supplements containing extracts from the black elderberry have long been used across the world for treating cold and flu symptoms, including aches and pains, coughing and nasal congestion. Supplements are available in many forms including expressed juice, teas, syrup and lozenges."\n\n...in other words; none. 1301308927 +This is the fourth "robert the doll" related stories I have seen today. What is it? 1342338909 +Yes, actually that is helpful. It explains why there is a switch in the graph. 1284152085 +Phil Plait still has quite a bit to answer for for his "that was a potential rape" statement. \n\nThat was a failure in logical thinking of epic proportions. As far as I've seen, he has not backed that statement up. \n\nI'm inclined not to listen to people who fail so miserably in rational thinking. I'll listen to him about astronomy, but given that there are many others out there who can give me the same information, I'm inclined to go to them, all other things being equal. 1321220062 +There's also an XKCD app. 1342299943 +Doesn't this now count as a "book?" 1277805685 +Help? He probably just needs some friends who likes space ships as much as he does. 1257842536 +Richard Black at the BBC undertook a similar exercise with climate skeptics. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7092614.stm\n\n 1254007459 +Not quite, meth is manufactured from crabapples. 1330737777 +There is a really good Dr. Oz show where he invites leading skeptic and neurologist Dr. Steven Novella on to his show to debate alternative medicine, the youtubes are linked [here](http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/watch-steve-novella-on-the-dr-oz-show-on-tuesday/).\n\nSteve is also has a terrific podcast, [skeptics guide to the universe](http://www.theskepticsguide.org/). He does a post-show analysis in [podcast 302](http://www.theskepticsguide.org/archive/podcastinfo.aspx?mid=1&pid=302). But you'll want to download and listen to the [entire archive](http://www.theskepticsguide.org/archive/podcast.aspx?mid=1), it's been voted best science podcast in 2010 and best educational podcast in 2009. I have listened to every episode multiple times, they really are terrific. 1326857227 +[Here's something from an AMA with a guy that was one of the kids on the show.](http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/hpzcx/i_was_one_of_the_kids_on_bill_nye_the_science_guy/c1xdz2w)\n\nHe describes that he was annoyed that MORE people didn't bother him and, in one instance, mocked a kid because of it.\n\n 1322523219 +Haha thats weird 1342469506 +Maybe your polarity got reversed. Try yelling "FLAME OFF!!!". 1354836107 +I completely agree so long as that "governing body" have absolutely no part in the government (moral and intellectual authority but no legal authority). Make it a massive and glorified Consumer Reports and I am in like Flynn. Try and suggest to me that the FDA is a good idea or effectively executing their task and I am out like a Obama's clout. 1345186589 +Fabricated evidence or not, full disclosure won't come from the government, it'll be served as feigned ignorance through our media feeding tubes until we get angry enough that we don't know the full truth. 1339085155 +I know of one such limited condition! I think chiropractic disease theories are ridiculous, and so did my chiropractor. I got into an accident, had a vertebral misalignment, and my insurance recommended a guy. My preference would have been a DO. But this guy had a shared practice with a licensed physical therapist, and took before and after xrays to prove it had moved and been put back. It was a lot more PT than manipulation. \n\nHe was clear: "Chiropractic manipulation can't keep anything it moved permanent, if anything even needs moved. Without PT chiropractic is useless; everything will just drift back to where it was if you don't build the muscles to keep it in place."\n\nI was floored years later when I discovered how much bunk most chiropractors run on. 1326768661 +They are nothing but a waste of money. 1282371179 +At first I read "physics classes" so I thought "Way to go Colorado" then upon second reading I was completely speechless. 1344862965 +This may or may not be a quote, I'm not sure\n\n*If your mind is too open then any kind of shit can get in.*\n 1282678038 +Possibility 1: animals can read each other's body language\n\nPossibility 2: animals can develop a magical connection to each other\n\nLet me think about it... 1286846836 +Could you maybe track them in Edit2, so that the distinct lights can be differentiated? This is great work, btw. All my upboats. 1352880350 +Goons and redditers are both the annoying college frat guy that only hangs out with other college frat guys, and is awkward/an ass with anyone else. 1327404140 +If your Drivers' Ed class didn't show you an abundance of car crash movies, they weren't doing their job. 1272497869 +> I would find it very odd if there wasn't a lot of life in the universe.\n\nYep.\n\n> Doesn't mean however that anyone has contacted us yet. \n\nIf you undertake a critical examination and investigation of the phenomena on this planet, you will find that amongst the rubbled mountain heap of loony stories, debunked anecdotes, hyperbolic tales, and disinformation campaigns, there have been an untold number of valid, verifiable, and truly unexplained contacts that have taken place.\n\nLooked at in isolation, any one of these contacts might not mean much. Taken en toto over the many decades and entirely disparate areas, countries, regions, and walks of life that these contacts and reports have taken place on, one gets a *very* clear understanding - just by the laws of probability and chance alone - that there has indubitably been a significant amount of *real* contact on this planet.\n\nAdditionally, there is nothing like personal experience to settle a matter one might have doubts about. I have had occurrences in my life that are similar to what many have described in their own encounters.\n\nThis, along with quite a bit of other data I've come across (as well as the info I pointed out above), let me know that we not only have been contacted before on this planet, but that we are currently being contacted *now*, and that there are beings from other areas of the cosmos already on this planet as we speak. 1332439953 +before my last move, i used to go to a chiro about once a month. i paid cash, 65 dollars a visit. great back, neck, shoulder, and glut massage (yes he massaged my ass, i'm an athlete, i need it). then he would pop the shit out of my back. it felt great. \n\ni don't know if it did anything, but to go to a massage therapist cost 70 bucks plus tip for the same thing, minus the back popping. 1291189962 +It's almost always such a choice. 1347135099 +You know I honestly thought it might be different this time. I don't know why. 1356137915 +You betcha!\nBut really, I was downvoted immediately and then everyone who *does* decide to reply apparently only read the first half of the article (I'll give you a hint: It's not supposed to be about Sarah Palin). I think being frustrated to the point of prodding sarcasm was justified. Though I wonder who I thought I would attract with such silly venom? 1297956843 +Could it be that you have a recurring memory which interfered with the order of how it happened? I'm not saying I don't trust you but I study biology enough to know the brain is a tremendous chemical computer server. Bugs that could mess up the whole database emerge all the time. 1326477740 +You know what? I'm okay with this...mainly because I'm 30 years old and still wake up in the middl of the night with that goddamn veiny, pipe-smoking, head growing out of the ground on the cover in the back of my mind.\n\nI...I just can't bear to unleash the horror on the younger generation. I'm not sure they're strong enough to handle it... 1334667691 +More specifically: get infected with HIV and then have it develop into AIDS.\n\n(actually, no - I really wouldn't wish that on anyone) 1308391002 +That all points to some form of psychokinetic activity. \n\nAre your parents under stress or do they live - and this is weird - near a teenage girl in puberty OR is your mom going through menstruation? 1336196340 +Just be sure no one confuses it with electro gonorrhea, the noisy killer 1315955858 +I don't think most OWSers even understand corporate personhood. 1339187528 +The only thing that separates parlour tricks from "divine miracles" is time. 1302636323 +> Your mom is now bit more familiar with the world around her. Well done mate.\n\nFTFY 1302347979 +Good points. In return however, I'd like to see more fellow skeptics have the balls to call themselves atheists and not cringe away out of a false feeling of accommodation. 1323541997 +I prefer to all the banking cabal a banking junta. 1338555674 +If GhostHunters were real, if their tools could actually be used to detect ghosts, you know that cemeteries would be making a killing by having people pay to spend time with a ghost of their choice or something. 1287564259 +I can't get through the first minute of this.It makes me cringe, I wonder what (if they even have one) is their social life like? 1330708737 +You don't have to shout 1335673726 +I'm honestly surprised you haven't been downvoted to hell for this. Reddit has a hard on for cycling. No one wants to admit that they are an antiquated nightmare that has no place on modern roads. If you were to walk up to someone who had never heard the idea before and suggest allowing someone riding a flimsy piece of metal on two wheels to share a 35 mph road with modern engines, they'd laugh at you. It'd be as ridiculous as suggesting we allow Go Carts on the road. But the smug factor locks in, because they're **saving the earth** or **healthier than you pigs in your cars** who just want to get to fucking work. 1348760228 +He seems pretty certain about that... 1327186541 +The difference is you are not trained as a surgeon.\n\nIn the states I hear anyone can be a midwive, but not up in Canada.\n\nI've known many girls who have had huge problems at hospitials. Doctors rushing through the birth or forcing a c section just so they can get the next patient in and out.\nOne doctor pulled the umblical cord out rather then letting the mother birth the placenta and she hemoraged and almost died.\nI think someone who has 4-8 years of school based soley on medicine and the birthing proccess will be better than a doctor who is not focused just on birthing. 1259681786 +Phenomenon. Singular. One phenomenon, several phenomena. 1282934978 +I don't believe a non American can be president. I think that's in the rules somewhere. 1351907215 +A fun point, as made in the comments:\n\n>Astronomical observations are eyewitness accounts – the finite speed of light ensures this.\n\n>Astronomers can answer that “were you there?” question with an emphatic “YES, I WAS!” 1353980760 +[97%, actually](http://www.skepticalscience.com/global-warming-scientific-consensus-basic.htm). 1331413938 +Using any personal data for *any* purpose other than expressly agreed to by the subject of the data is illegal under [EU law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Protection_Directive). Considering you(r company) nominally supplies the UK market, take heed. 1349940558 +Yeah, I thought a lot of you guys would say that, and that's why I wanted to include that, before I threw the box away, I vigorously shook it, just to make sure they weren't stuck at the top. Then, I threw it away and this happened. 1346380351 +I visited a psychic once out of curiosity and entertainment. She made some clearly obvious observations about me, followed up by generalized statements that could apply to nearly every 25 year old male, and always was asking leading questions. It was amusing in its own right, but I can see how people that desperately want to fix something broken inside of them can fall prey to it. 1344466688 +Thank you very much, kylev! 1314036256 +[Feel like debating a Chopra 'chatbot'?](http://www.wisdomofchopra.com/) 1354127261 +So showing him your thought process as you evaluate this claim wouldn't be helpful, in your opinion? I beg to differ, sir. 1312503362 +There's also some striking differences. 1314302784 +Your australian aren't you... 1340269518 +I don't, but my father in law had this experience. I posted the story [here](http://www.reddit.com/r/Thetruthishere/comments/pagi8/fam_alien_abduction/). 1348025909 +you're mom never mentioned her step brothers? 1350321360 +Excellent follow-up. I was hoping a daylight shot would materialise. 1328813830 +My best answer is: Why you shouldn't? 1335737164 +It's interesting that *all* of the mentals on reddit always come to that conclusion. 1291036587 +If you have evidence that chiropractic isn't just a placebo, I would honestly be interested to see some. 1305086542 +Here's another good discussion in this series - [Perspectives on the Self: Conversations on Identity & Consciousness.](http://www.nourfoundation.com/media-gallery/videos/Perspectives-on-the-Self/To-Be-or-Not-to-Be/The-Self-As-Illusion.html) It's moderated by Krista Tippet who has this cool radio show called [On Being](http://being.publicradio.org/) and also has [Dr. Pim Van Lommel](http://kuriakon00.com/celestial/science/dr_pin_lommel.html) on the panel. He's a cardiologist that did a big [study](http://profezie3m.altervista.org/archivio/TheLancet_NDE.htm) on near death experiences in hospitals.\n\nEdit: You can hear his thoughts on NDE and cosciousness at about 21 minutes into the clip. 1326037365 +Pretty sure most astrologers will still talk about planets going into retrograde... Though it could be argued that such language is inaccurate in the same way as talking about "sun rise".\n\nI met an astrologer once though and asked him if he used the Ptolemaic model and he said he did.\n\nRegardless of what system they're using they're still producing Barnum statements, and the people who think astrology works are often counting the hits and ignoring the misses. 1341187327 +I read 'Chariots of the Gods' twice in the last two years, I know what are saying. 1320791946 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_blue_(color)\n\nSomething like that 1320619042 +Cart before horse. 1341186677 +I was part of a cult called church of the first born. No, you can't google it, they don't use computers. Anyway, they believe in faith healing and babies die often. Actually, people of all sorts die often because they don't go to doctors. My uncle died of a spider bite. I had a great aunt who's intestines would fall out of her ass regularly until she died. The women don't cut their hair or wear shorts or pants, they can't wear make up. The men are straight out of the 1800's. Lots of inter-familial marriage. They sing 19th century hymns and church lasts from 8 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon sometimes (they have to be "lead by the spirit"). Creepy and illogical. I later became a moderate christian, then I just figured nobody knew what happened when we die. Now I'm an agnostic atheist. I was fortunate to be born with a questioning mind. The only downside is that I have a hot cousin in the church who I probably could have boned. You win some, you lose some. 1306472617 +That seems to be referring to the art. The fact that some meteors even bounce back out into space seems to defy your assertion that they never change direction. I will wait for the expert to weigh in. I posted the question to him on allexperts; they are supposed to respond within 3 days. 1320023603 +Ah well, he's not going to do that again is he. 1318651200 +Good link! [Here's part two](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIr3Lo9zlLs), where you can see a delusional parent claim that her child "is vaccinated" because he's taken a homeopathic "vaccine" for polio and measles. &#3232;\\_&#3232;\n 1308915826 +We are in agreement. Also, please, if you don't mind, post this on my subreddit. 1336795807 +This is so lame, sorry to say that. People nowadays buy all the kind of apps... 1335021061 +how do you do the spoiler thingy in this subreddit?? 1317757697 +Anonymous is often not even a group in the classical sense of the word. People operating under the affiliation,"Anonymous"(What with the mask and other elements of style) - have both done stupid and mean things and great things. 1352128739 +Unrelated to the analogy? \n\nWhether or not having an abortion is LESS of a loss than suffering through the hardship of a developmentally retarded child does not somehow negate that having the developmental retarded child and needing to abort it is sad.\n\nLikewise, the fact that you're better off fixing a leaking drain quickly as it will cost you less long term does not negate the fact that the drain being leaky in the first place puts you in a position worse off than if you HAD NOT HAD THE LEAKING DRAIN IN THE FIRST PLACE. 1328868758 +What next? Are we going to hear words like "disinfo agent"? 1294665464 +That bracket... close it... please... *twitch* 1344725916 +bologna* 1289764187 +Or /r/climatedeniers 1355129000 +lovely, just as I requested. 1326624155 +Here's the thing; The evidence IS in. The European Union spent more than $425 million studying the safety of genetically modified crops over the past *25 years*. The conclusion of these studies can be summarized in one sentence: Crop modification by molecular methods is no more dangerous than crop modification by other methods. It has been studied- it's just that people don't want to believe it. Serious scientific bodies that have analyzed the issue, including the National Academy of Sciences and the British Royal Society, have come to the conclusion that GMO crops are safe. They've been in use for dozens of years and there has yet to be proven any link of health risk for GMO foods.\n\nAnd this is what get me: people want food labelled when there's NO REASON to believe that GMO crops are of any more danger than the foods you have that are non-GMO. It's a fear campaign, it's based on ignorance and ludditism. 1336285482 +Plus, he needs to leave his town and instad of going in Paris or in any of the other thousands of tows of France, he just cross the fucking ocean. 1353678187 +Experiment tried... 1311035010 +you clearly haven't discovered the joys of paranoid nutcase literature then. paranoia magazine is one of the most reasonable and mild-mannered publications in the genre, not that i believe anything they say. for example, i have a whole self published book on how the earth is hollow and inhabited by aliens and has huge holes at both ends for their spacecraft. 1276649533 +This sounds like a job for logical fallacies. She might not be able to counter or refute them all.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies\n\nYou can not win with truth, evidence or facts. Maybe you can win with deception and guile. 1348165118 +if it didn't track muscle loss it's basically useless imho... 1327447395 +I saw a UFO a few years ago around sunset in mid-summer. I was just casually looking up at the sky which I sometimes do and I saw what I had at first thought was an airplane. As soon as it caught my attention and I was looking at it more, it flashed and disappeared. At that point I knew it wasn't a plane for sure. I asked my friend who was with me at the time if he saw it, but he wasn't looking up and said he didn't. Then again, I can't say for sure if that's alien. 1305173953 +I think I am of the belief that the skeptical community shouldn't try to get directly involved into politics for the most part because political arguments are often based on a certain worldview whose truth cannot be objectively verified. That is, arguments often based on opinions rather than facts.\n\nHowever, I am all for debunking objectively false claims. 1274821480 +Thanks! I'm usually a grammar nazi, too. I'd rather be corrected and learn something, personally. 1343780230 +Do you object to pepper? salt? garlic? I don't really get this argument. 1296091758 +There are two specific issues in flight here \n1) A claim that acupuncture works with no actual data to backup that claim\n2) The fact that this got through peer-review\n\nBoth truly knock all this into the WTF category.\n\nI've personally seen acupuncture work successfully ... hint: think placebo (I'll not befuddle you with the details, its an old story, the patient if 100% sure it really worked)\n\nHowever, what is of fact more concern is that this got into the British Journal of General Practice 1306867328 +Lmao! 1353791017 +I thought that, but the fact that wet bed sheets could be actively "harmful" perhaps makes it valid. \n\nIf it had been an ingested water "remedy" then a fairer title might have been "killed by reliance on homeopathy" etc. 1355086932 +I think the best reason to be skeptical on this beside the fact that teeth observably can't repair themselves (elderly people who still have their teeth but have been worn down over the decades are a good example) is that she didn't provide a before and after picture. Also I couldn't see any outside confirmation either. \n\nAs for it disappearing (assuming it did) is it 'healed' or is something just stuck in it? Like putting wax on your car to cover up minor scratches. It didn't make the scratch go away but it gives you the illusion that it is. 1351445231 +I don't think that the holes in the official story completely disprove it or anything, I just think there's a lot more that we need to know before I'm convinced.\n\nI'm always in downvote hell here, it doesn't matter how I word my posts, I have a slightly different opinion so I am worthless. I thought this was a **discussion** board but I have been repeatedly proven wrong about that. 1320855389 +That's crazy, how would he know it was binary in the first place? In another special they said he had a camera and took several pictures. I want to know what happened to the film. 1314389136 +Guys, I'm opening up a new restaurant. I recently realised that all my life I've been eating all wrong. All the substance of food is what causes disease. With my new techniques, we extract the vital force of food into a water solution; the water "remembering" what food it came in contact with. By extracting this essence into the water, we can eat without having all the indigestible toxins polluting our digestive tract. Come to my restaurant and enjoy a 30C steak, some 30C potatoes, and our trademark 50C soup. Since preparation of these foods is so labour-intensive, we have to charge more than you'd normally pay for the dishes, but your health is worth it. 1347039817 +> There is no distribution system for hydrogen\n\nThat's fitting, since there's no Thorium infrastructure either.\n\nNone of this is proposed as a "shovel ready" project. This is about a multi-decade recreation of our entire infrastructure from the ground up -- it's about seeding the very beginnings of investor interest. 1328545480 +Clearly, the Fox agenda here is this:\n\n"LOL stupid scientists think dinosaurs farted themselves to death! See? All science is clearly bullshit, leaving only one possible explanation: Jesus created the earth 5000 years ago, and satan buried dinosaur bones in the ground to deceive us into thinking otherwise" 1336507466 +If it is a Power Balance bracelet, be sure to keep [this other video with Saunders in it](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ynbx5JfEwcA) in your bookmarks. It contains the exact type of blind test you're talking about. 1273788082 +First off, Mothering magazine has already shown its bias--allowing anti-vaccine articles and ignoring actual science.\n\nSears, too, is a [known anti-vaccine advocate](http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2009/08/dr_bob_sears_stealth_anti-vaccinationist.php), though he hides it behind a "delayed vaccination schedule."\n\n[Here's some actual science on the issue](http://www.chop.edu/export/download/pdfs/articles/vaccine-education-center/aluminum.pdf). In short, a baby gets 2.5 times more aluminum from breast milk, much more from formulas.\n\nSo if aluminum was a problem--which it isn't--there would be things other than vaccines we should be worrying about. 1296098737 +What, like trying to treat TB and HIV with homeopathy? 1300046065 +So... Blind people are God? 1281672182 +[Relevant](http://diaconspiracyfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/obama-denver-airport.jpg) 1326981093 +Promise I am not getting trolled? :) 1342740281 +It's possible that omgdonerkebab was asking why lskalt would converse with such a person in the first place. The obvious answer is that lskalt didn't know the person had such views prior to the conversation. 1285220462 +Thank you! One of the most important things people must know about "scientific theory" and "scientific law" is that they *don't imply certainty*. A "law" describes one thing, and a "theory" describes another. A "theory" can never become a "law," and a "law" can never become a "theory." A "theory" is not less certain than a "law," and a "law" is not more certain than a "theory." 1345133841 +Well now ... don't get excited. :) 1344615910 +Myers quotes Kyle Hill as saying:\n\n> "When I talk about skepticism, I believe that I am talking about something that encompasses many other similar philosophies like atheism, humanism, and freethought."\n\nI'm not sure such silliness is worth an impassioned blog post. Hill is just confused. \n\nMyers takes some time to point out Hill's first confusion, which is just the logical fallacy of affirming the consequent: even if we take it as a premise that skepticism implies atheism, this does not imply that atheism implies skepticism.\n\nBut even more confused is the idea that skepticism should encompass an ideology like humanism. Unlike atheism, which is just a certain belief about a single topic which can be subject to skeptical inquiry, humanism, and other political ideologies like socialism, communism etc., are complex sets of beliefs that are ultimately based on subjective values. Skepticism cannot possibly "encompass" humanism any more than it can encompass Christianity or Islam.\n 1343004853 +I think I see where you're coming from, but I don't mean to say that we should just give up! I just think that you're being *too* optimistic. I mean, take your statement "everything that can't be explained will be." This statement would require (effectively, if not literally) infinite explanations of physical phenomena (and possibly, though seemingly unlikely, other currently undiscovered kinds of phenomena); we could never even come close to verifying it empirically, and so to take it as true is simply dogmatic. Even in the theoretical realm of mathematics there are things that can't be proven: the axioms, by construction, are not provable, so it will never be clear as to why we need these and not others (mathematicians please call me out if I'm wrong about this, I'm a physicist), and there are in fact certain mathematical statements which can be proven to be unprovable. In physics we're continually searching for the "theory of everything," but there are at least a fair number of us who don't think that it's even possible for us to construct one, myself included. This isn't proof by any means, but it seems compelling to me that to have a theory of everything in our system (the universe), we would need to have some kind of special vantage point outside of our system. From our current understanding of how things work it seems chimerical that this will ever happen.\n\nAnyway, my point is that we shouldn't just "give up," because if something is unknowable we don't know that it is (as far as I know there are no physical results that are proven to be unprovable) and so we'd better keep trying in case that it's not. 1340476626 +I am confused lol sorry, only after I posted did i think to check who I was actually replying to 1340909883 +I guess if you want to deify random events, then, yes, Loki controls the weather. 1326551567 +he, there was a joke which i picked up somewhere \n\nGalactic counsil :\n\n- we should welcome the humans in our mids as they have discovered nuclear power\n\n- "great, they will be flying about in space in no time then"\n\n- "not quite"\n\n-" how so, don't they experiment with nuclear power in space"\n\n- " no ..."\n\n-" .... "\n\n\nsorry, i'm bad at telling jokes but you get the idea :p 1321522476 +Mine as well. Except for the third Ravenor book. I wanted to strangle him for ruining all that setup with such a flat ending. 1289133630 +Deepak, is that you? 1327778089 +Me and my gf got hungry so we decided to go and get some food. We were driving down princess anne heading in the direction towards the airport right before military highway. I looked up and saw a kind of shiny light/orb just floating over the area where the airport was. It just kinda sat there not really moving or making noise. Next thing i knew the damn thing shot straight up in the air at an incredible speed. I kept driving with my mind trying to process what i saw. I thought i had just imagined it until my gf turned to me and asked me if I had seen what she did. I asked her what she saw and to my surprise she said the exact same thing that i saw. Neither of us really knew how to react to that. 1345604421 +I'd love to hear the recording. 1326175736 +Really? I didn't know that. I assumed it was defined as a change in the ratio of phenotypic expressions within a species because of natural selection, and that said repeated changes of these phenotypic expressions is what causes a group of individual organisms to become a different species from their ancestors and now-cousin species (or evolve, as it were).\n\nI think we have different definitions of the word microevolution in mind. 1350495748 +Either real person, or shopped :) 1356058671 +I had a friend of mine sound like this once. He had consumed two bottles of Grey Goose and a handful of Vicodin he bought in a Mexican pharmacy... 1289311080 +First off, get the dogmatic part of understanding out of your head, or "karma" is just another bullshit religious word people use to get your money or control your behavior. Good: now you're thinking like an atheist Buddhist.\n\nFor me, karma is much simpler than that. When I show compassion for others, they respond in kind. More important, I feel better and more worthy of happiness. If a cashier gives me change for a $20 when I gave her a $10, I will correct her, because my dignity is worth more than $10. We both benefit. That's karma. 1329960524 +Thanks for pointing that out. Didn't even notice it until i read your comment. 1332421930 +"We are not alone in the universe"? "Proxemic of human sexuality?"?\nAnd Brian Eno is a scientist now?\n\nI'd love to believe the first but unfortunately we have no evidence, no matter how magnificently, soul-shakingly massive the universe is, and no matter how enticing the Drake equation may seem. Some of the statements made in the article are quite interesting however, particularly those from *actual scientists*. I wish they kept it to strictly science and not wishful thinking or esoteric sociology concepts. 1328264518 +I eagerly await the reports of increased concentration and improvement on grades after the evil waves are shut down. 1287517722 +Oh wow, very interesting. Too bad a majority of the posts felt like it was better to be derogatory but, hey, that's reddit. Hopefully he comes over to this sub. 1331950705 +Can meteors cause a flash grenade effect? 1329329699 +[What does that mean](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8BWBn26bX0)? 1278120344 +I wish I knew. I have done, and continue to do, my best to rid us of this scourge of unreason, but the endarkenment is a very powerful movement. 1265129489 +Gentlemen, we have success: http://bitey.com/2010/07/pilliga/ 1335146768 +You're welcome :-) ! 1340092549 +Obamer's birth certificate, dude. Did it shoot JFK from the fake moon landing? 1316768734 +http://www.youtube.com/user/filmscribe1 \nMany videos on this account (The uploader of the two posted above) \nreally look suspicious to me. 1344869797 +>Sheldrake has shown in the past that **he is not afraid to be labeled a rebel**, thanks to his theory of morphic resonance, which suggests the following:\n\n> Natural systems, or morphic units, at all levels of complexity are animated, organized, and coordinated by morphic fields, which contain an inherent memory. Natural systems inherit this collective memory from all previous things of their kind by a process called morphic resonance, with the result that patterns of development and behavior become increasingly habitual through repetition.\n\nAs the good folks in CJ would say - 'So brave'. The derp is really strong with this one. 1329642329 +Please be aware tho that he has a considerable and sometimes obvious bias. I love his research, but its not the most objective source out there. 1298344920 +[JREF](http://www.randi.org)? 1305344435 +This is a pretty good how to:\nhttp://www.wikihow.com/Cold-Read\n\n\n 1356399972 +So, Aussies. Next target? How about those magnet bracelets that [chemists (pharmacists) are selling](http://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/healthinfo/article.asp?ID=3368)?\n\nAs far as I am aware, they are about as effective [as a power balance wristband](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4582282.stm) 1306137948 +sorry, I was not suggesting that all Italians are part of the mob! Frankly, for my mother to tell me not to date an Italian, just because she had a bad experience with one, is pretty bigoted of her. Obviously the vast majority of italian-canadians are just normal citizens and not part of organized crime. It's unfortunate that negative stereotypes of Italian people still exist 1355798925 +Let me re-phrase then. Who decides if something can be described as being logical? 1272323311 +I mean, it's possible. I just have a really hard time believing that that could've happened in the area it was in. 1352005017 +That occasionally happens to me 1350566838 +If you study the incident you'll find it involved many different objects, not an object. Also there's no evidence earthlings have a physical model of reality yet that could be used to construct such technologies. People are throwing billions of dollars at supercolliders because we haven't even discovered fundamental natural forces and particles, however Congress did cancel construction of the Superconducting Supercollider in Texas so what that implies we can only guess, does some faction within the USA know something the Europeans don't? Maybe they had reason to believe the more modest European effort would be a success so the US version was unnecessary. 1330307127 +I don't know about endorphins, but I certainly enjoy the feeling of popping my knuckles as well as my back. 1302200710 +Because I don't want to go home just to swap radios? There'd still be the cost in gas there. 1347747103 +he convinced them he was a psychic - that's like convincing someone you're the easter bunny. it's their fault for being stupid enough to still believe in the easter bunny. 1340476368 +Ethics is the study of how to act. The consideration here, of when to require scientific certainty and when not to, is an ethical consideration. Not so much good/evil morality, but how to act. Don't be afraid of ethics, it's the most important philosophical branch. 1322709456 +I have no clue if these suggestions will work but they sound like quite brilliant ideas with high probability of success. 1311008676 +I suspect that you're being over confident about your own intelligence, unless you're not a human and a member of some more intelligent species.\n\nI doubt that there was a conscious decision process going on in the heads of most of these people "oh I've had a vitamin pill, that means that I can eat some more chips and smoke more". Of course if a similar line of thought did go through the heads of these people then that is worrying, because that would be a really stupid conclusion to come to... 1314451188 +At the time it was really scary but after it happened it was like an amazing experience and like I said I'll never forget it. \n 1340485713 +I was given a litmus test for dis-info quite some time ago - anytime someone produces a date. It hasn't failed yet. 1287608423 +Notice that it was published in 2009. [Here's the abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21058170) the article refers to. Read the abstract and notice that the authors used statistical regression to find the supposed link between the vaccine and autism. [Here's the article itself.](http://www.ncims.com/articles/ThirmerosalandDevelopmentalDisability.pdf) The authors tie thimerosal to "EIS," an acronym meaning "early intervention or special education services." This is not autism; the article itself says, \n\n> While this study uses EIS as a proxy for developmental disability in general, but not specifically autism, autism merits consideration because it is a developmental disorder with recent notable impacts on EIS.\n\nSo the authors state that EIS is a proxy for development disability but not autism. \n\n[Here's an article](http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/2010/09/autism-causation-and-the-hepatitis-b-vaccine-no-link/) debunking the Hep B/autism link and bemoaning the fact that the accusations never end.\n\nThe other problem, as noted in Gallagher and Goodman's article is that thimerosal is no longer used in American-made Hep B vaccines (It's still in use in a flu vaccine, I think). However, the CDC [points out](http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Concerns/thimerosal/) that thimerosal has been used in vaccines since the 1930s, and I note that its use was without the current hysteria about autism for all those decades.\n\nThe [CDC's study](http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Concerns/Thimerosal/QA_Pediatrics-thimerosal-autism.html) was conducted with about a thousand children, about half of whom had no evidence of autism and about half were on the spectrum of some form of autism. The CDC found no connection between exposure to ethylmercury (the "bad" ingredient in thimerosal) and diagnosis of some form of autism. The study looked at vaccinations received by pregnant women as well as by newborns.\n\nThe CDC's study did not consist of running regressions on existing data to find correlations. They looked at the actual immunization histories (Gallagher and Goodman asked parents for their recollections); follow the link for the details of how the study was conducted.\n\nI mentioned that thimerosal is no longer used in Hep B vaccines. [This article from WebMD](http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/news/20080107/thimerosal-down-but-autism-rising) points out that although thimerosal is no longer in use, autism diagnoses are still rising. Normal people would expect that if thimerosal in Hep B vaccines caused autism, removing it would mean autism diagnoses would either cease or decline. Especially if, as alleged, Hep B vaccines caused a three-fold increas in autism.\n\nI call B.S. 1337982663 +Mike Lacelle is a co-producer of the 5X5 and he's having serious health issues. Without him our schedule is just too full to record it every week. We are going to look for interns(should mention this on the next show) to help with our workload. Right now I have 6 projects for the SGU including working on the board of directors for NECSS, the new Occ videos(please support us!), two conferences, a video game and a yet to be mentioned project that will hopefully take off. 1346183619 +I can smell it from here 1335708041 +It's not a total solar eclipse, it's an annular eclipse (meaning you will see a "ring of fire" around the edges instead of being totally blacked out). Not that it would change their conspiracy theories. 1337448420 +Nobody here is skeptical of this story? The kid's parents didn't notice their child was missing a tooth for three days? 1312422830 +When you were watching your life was it in first person? 1340569639 +There are a few studies here and there showing mild differences in nutritional content, certainly not enough to show up on nutritional labels. Personally, I just prefer not to ingest traces of pesticide if I can avoid it, and farm land used for organic farming produces less toxic runoff, so I guess I prefer organic produce for primarily environmentalist reasons. I really doubt there's much real difference in what ends up on your table. 1287379257 +That whole article sounds like an "if I had killed her, which I did not, I would have..." type of thing. Very poorly written if the author is trying to persuade people who disagree. 1304568244 +>ometimes that standard of discussion is "males check your privilege plz," and whether or not that makes sense or is defensible I don't think it counts as discrimination.<\n\nThat is exactly where you loose me. While male privilege exists (as does Female privilege, though many refuse to even discuss that idea) it is not to the extent that many people like to claim it does. Well, I think extent is the wrong word to describe that. I think that male privilege is not nearly as significant or as powerful as people want to believe it is...that is closer to what I mean. As another way of restating that, only because I feel my thoughts aren't translating well, is that male privilege in the vast majority of situations does skew the situation toward the male perspective it is likely that skewing is on the order of providing males 1-2 points of additional credence on a 10 point scale, where pretty much anyone using the term "check your privilege" likely believe it is more like a 9-10 point bump. I also believe that, while nearly 100% undiscussed, and outright denied by a large majority of feminists, female privilege is just as common and has an equal impact on societal discussions. Personally, I would go so far as to say that there is no such thing as gender privilege, but that would get me cut out of most conversations on the topic. I truly do believe that basically everything I have seen cited as a "privilege" is something that the other side would actually define as discrimination, so both parties feel wronged. \n\nNow as to why your statement causes me a great deal of pause. I truly do consider myself egalitarian, and while I tend to take on a greater number of male rights causes (because my perspective is irrevocably skewed to the male side of things) I am a staunch defender, some may say militant, of women's rights. I love researching gender topics, and have read a significant amount of research on the subject (though today I generally dismiss anything coming out of a Women's Studies department due to essentially dismissing scientific process and displaying massive bias) and also seek out gender studies blogs and news stories. This has led to me having many conversations, both IRL and online, with both Feminists and with MRA's. Throughout years of involvement with egalitarianism and activism of this sort I have noticed a number of consistent behaviors, but no so consistent as the use of the phrase "Check your privilege" to remove a persons voice from the conversation, essentially stripping them of their own agency, and place a person squarely in an out-group identifier. Not only this, but the constant aggressive use of that phrase creates a self-affirming group-think fueled environment in which critical thought is quite literally impossible lest you be placed in the "privileged" outgroup. \n\nIn online forums "check your privilege" is most often followed by an immediate ban (or at minimum, much more scrutiny which usually leads to a ban) which means that the person who is supposedly "privileged" isn't given the choice or even the opportunity to identify where their behavior may have been inappropriate and actually learn to be more conscious of triggering statements (which only exacerbates the problem), but more sinister is that they now have yet another piece of evidence about how feminists are "man haters" or "female supremacists" who "won't even let a man speak". See, the use of the phrase actually produces a more voracious misogynist but one with greater evidence, thus increasing their ability to draw other people further away from an egalitarian mindset. \n\nI'm not going to get into how I feel that this action, the creation of ones own enemy out of a potential ally, is definitive of the current feminist movement participants as that is a much longer conversation for a different time. I will however say that it is my honest to god conviction, and one which I have come to after significant reading and interaction as well as after being raised as a feminist and involved in feminist organizations, that modern Second Wave (and to a lesser degree Third Wave) feminism has been the single largest driving force behind the continuation and development of nearly every problem that currently faces women in today's society, not to mention the creation of a significant number of overt and covert misogynists. I know that is a HUGELY controversial statement, but one which I have not come to lightly or without evidence. If you want to discuss this further I am happy to do so, however I do have to warn you that my school begins next week (which means I'm already 2 weeks behind in the quarter) so my time and energy will be pretty limited. Translation: it may take me quite some time to respond to anything and it may not be as coherent or as well cited as it should be. \n\nPS: I wanted to point out to you, since you used it as an example in a semi-mocking manner, that it is not fallacious to state the wage gap is a myth, it is now a well researched and evidence-based argument. An argument, I might add, that is supported by a long-term and massive study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics overseen by a number of outspoken feminists and conceived as a study which would provide incontrovertible evidence of a major wage gap that necessitates legislative actions such as the Equal Pay amendment. It is best if you don't continue to canonize "the wage-gap" as your argument of societal sexism, as it is a major indicator that you may be the type of person who cares more about ideology than about facts. Just an FYI as many people do not know about the BLS study and because they have heard the stats so often have accepted the wage gap myth as a fact. 1348029074 +Could support this statement somehow?\n\nIt seems to me that having roundup resistant crops wouldn't change the amount of roundup you need to use because you're just trying to kill weeds and stop pests. It should just stop your crops from being damaged. 1350623485 +cartooncorpse, change every instance of "you" into "I" and spend some time reflecting on that. 1297581444 +This is the worse potato recording I've seen yet. 1354957091 +I'm aware of that now thanks to this thread ... it's just not something they generally verbalize from what I've seen 1311955360 +That Looks so fake! 1348862018 +I have no idea why I didn't remember one of the main parts of the theory. Thanks. 1345743004 +No, by question everything I mean question everything. You haven't done that if you don't think 9/11 was an inside job. You did not approach the matter objectively with the idea that it *could be an inside job* in mind. You approached it with your mind already set, solidifying your previous held judgements against the idea created by propoganda, like Bush saying "We shall not tolerate outrageous conspiracy theories about 9/11." Perhaps at one point you thought you might give the evidence a chance, but the bias still remained and you only discovered information that was most likely condescending in nature and only reaffirmed your already held belief. The truth does not persuade you, what everyone else believes and more importantly, what everyone else ridicules is what persuades you. You are not a skeptic. 1331181896 +I didn't know fireworks moved around like sperm.\n\nTo me, they're alive, bugs or birds.\n\nIf alien, those crafts are probably alive, like cylon. 1342557827 +>"You're the one using ad hominem attacks and saying "it's quite a step," you bet it's quite a step"\n\nThat's not what ad hominem means, and actually the UFO guy was the one who attack Bill Nye personally 1324639080 +Ya it's a fun ride, I always enjoy it. \n\nIf you're already a big fan of the Ancient Astronaut theory but haven't seen the show, the show will give you a ton of topics to read up on yourself.\n\n 1338646464 +DO NOT DO THIS. Lexi_Laura is trolling you. 1352766973 +That's a good point. Are there any costs associated with a well as far as bring taxed? 1336832411 +Well, I'm done with the internet for the year. 1337311055 +I have two of his books. He's a terrible writer and insane. 1304640167 +Alan Watts. \n\nI hope you look into his work, He speaks better about the subject that I ever could.\n\nhttp://isohunt.com/torrent_details/58458581/Alan+Watts?tab=summary 1274663906 +So we should make lying illegal. Kantian deontology for all! 1309702635 +[This](http://www.expelledexposed.com/?gclid=CIeS0Lf_86oCFWUZQgodDGbBLw) site has responses to everything in the movie. Also, the NOVA special [Judgement Day: intelligent design on trial](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/evolution/intelligent-design-trial.html) is another great resource for why ID is not a scientific proposition. There are also some books out ([Why evolution is true](http://www.amazon.com/Why-Evolution-True-Jerry-Coyne/dp/0143116649/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314603649&sr=1-1) and [The greatest show on earth](http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Show-Earth-Evidence-Evolution/dp/1416594787)) but it is very likely that he would not read them.\n\n>He refused to listen to any facts from me and actually hung up on me.\n\nThere is the problem, there is no amount of discussion or evidence that will get through to him until he starts acting like an adult. 1314603753 +In the "Life Expectancy Variation Over Time" section it shows a table that says the life expectancy drops from the upper paleolithic's 34 down to 20 in the neolithic. It then slowly crawls back up. 1327556191 +Or perhaps stop posting while drunk. &#3232;\\_&#3232;\n \n\n:) 1313678738 +I believe all of this is true and more. If in fact they are keeping this information from us and this technology from us, they are in essence enslaving us upon this planet. They are controlling us by controlling information and technology that will give us much greater freedom from their way of life. More importantly, if this information is true and they are lying to us, everyone has a vested interest to hold them accountable for their actions. For enslaving us by keeping this from us. For this reason alone non believers should be on the front line demanding the truth and the end of the lies. If they are among us, they are part of the conspiracy and may include them controlling us for their own purposes. \n\nThis is why I believe that non believers should be the first one's to be helping us non believers get to the truth of the matter. Non believers serve as roadblocks or speed bumps to the truth. You are playing into their hands of deceit and lies. \n\nIt is very hard to realize that everything we have been told and taught is a lie. Its hard for me to believe but when you start to look at ALL of the information that is out there, how the government responds or lack of response, the warnings from people in power, the history of man wanting to control man, etc, etc, etc, you can easily start to see through the lies and deceit. \n\nThe world could be such a more better place than what we have no. We are totally under their control and most of us don't even know it. Extremely pathetic. 1336144587 +And people aren't allowed to test medicines on themselves, its pure supposition without masses of people actually trying them. 1306187505 +It looks like Legos, therefore it must be Legos.\n\nI'm sorry, but there is a huge trend to claim that things that look like 'something' ARE that something, and it's just too simplistic to be considered valid to me. I wouldn't rule out that *something* could be on the dark side of the moon, but this is pure fantasy.\n\nAs an aside: people who can't manage basic spelling and punctuation should avoid blogging.\n\nEdit: misspelled 'legos'. How humiliating. 1329768301 +The actual document issued by the regulator: [PDF](http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/broadcast/guidance/psychic-tv-guidance.pdf) 1324659819 +and just as easily other people could just not be paying attention to the sky. what would of caught their eye, lights? there are lights everywhere. something your mind might totally dismiss without second glance. sometimes people are actually looking - and see things. 1344122108 +powerful 1354702817 +How can I be skeptical of someone I've never heard of? 1342995028 +if it was actually cheaper i would agree with you. Some small towns may not have a physiotherapist but they usually do have a chiropractor. I have been to one myself when i had a pinched sciatic nerve. after 2 visits the pain was completely gone. I'm sure not every chiropractor buys into the whole philosophy. they just learned the basics and got the certificate so they can help people. 1347015845 +i enjoy it. it's fun, and i usually learn something in the first half. 1348546522 +It's a fantastic book and should be required reading. The other book required for reading should be Bill Bryson's 'A Short History of Nearly Everything'. 1289951290 +This guy creeps me out to no end, he should at least have the decency to use his original first name [Piyush,](http://cenlamar.com/2011/09/07/alexandria-attorney-greg-aymond-governor-jindals-first-name-is-racist/) rather than that ridiculous Bobby shit. 1337346025 +The authors of the modern constitution put in some clauses which essentially states that statements deemed offensive members of any community are punishable. This is just a case of the law being taken to the extreme. It may cause a lot of debate in chatrooms, but will never stand up in a court of law. Any lawyer worth his salt can get these charges dismissed.\n 1334243469 +Swamp gas trapped inside a balloon shaped like Venus. 1288079318 +Criticism him personally all you want. I am not his fan boy. The issue is that he works at the most prestigious science university in probably the world. They don't tend to give tenure to quacks. \n\nI tend to think global warming will occur if we don't mend our ways. That said, my confidence that I evolved from a common ancestor with a chimp trumps that by a long shot. I find it hard to believe that this is a crazy opinion. 1355969900 +That house is fake! 1354404022 +I find Quantum Physics to be stranger than Religion (and I do NOT believe in any Religion) 1335052448 +There are thousands of mysteries in science. Some of the bigger mysteries include:\n\n* Unification of gravity with quantum physics\n* Confirmation of string theory, m-theory, and other speculative theories in physics\n* Specific mechanisms involved in the origin of life on earth\n* Specific mechanisms responsible for some of the more complex diseases and neurological disorders - Alzheimer's, autism, depression, etc.\n* Predicting events in chaotic systems - earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.\n\nThere are many large scale conspiracies that skeptics scoff at, but in a lot of cases we tend to believe in similar conspiracies just at a much smaller scale. For example, there quacks that claim that pharmaceutical companies have a secret cure for cancer, completely own the FDA, and are poisoning your children. I believe that pharmaceutical companies have systemic bias in their research that tacks on a few percentage points to the effectiveness of their products. If they are hiding that bias it qualifies as a conspiracy, but ultimately it's nowhere close to the paranoid conspiracies that other people believe. 1353902661 +The scientific method requires control over variables, which has been more or less impossible in the "study" of UFOs. They tend to appear and disappear quite unpredictably, and thus rarely leave us with anything other than ad hoc optical recordings and witness accounts.\n\nSo it's difficult to either fault people for being unscientific, or to discount the phenomenon as not being something truly novel. We have enough data for it to be interesting, but not enough to be particularly elucidating. So, like all phenomena that cannot be reined in with controls, it stays relegated to the "paranormal" playground. 1337195742 +I think it is safe to say that no one understands Quantum Mechanics. (Richard Feynman)\n\nThey don't know what they are talking about. 1325297774 +Other countries that are hardly comparable to the United States in terms of culture and crime. You can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe any other developed country has the same level of organized crime that we do, especially in gangs that are already involved in international trafficking of drugs. Within the United States gun control has been proven to be at best ineffective, and at worst simply disarming citizens while leaving guns in the hands of criminals. 1342992147 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BEM-ObMXJY&feature=player_embedded#at=492\n\nIf it's this I'm not impressed. This shot was called "The most compelling UFO footage ever" by the guy who put it out there. That's not saying much. 1301947427 +>>*Schizo* guy takes advice from a guy with dementia<< \n\nFTFY 1350919109 +Why would you think anyone is offended by this? they probably read it, thought "thats dumb", downvoted and never gave it a second thought. 1340607736 +Wow that freaked me out. Question : why is the video quality so good? Most videos transcoded to Youtube from the 80's are poor quality. 1352755785 +>Perhaps it's not an official "peer review", but a scientist (I'm assuming this researcher IS a scientist) giving an opinion about another scientist's findings, even to a journalist, would count for more than if the journalist asked some joker in the DEA for his opinion, dont'cha think?\n\nNot at all, because we have no understanding of his background, potential biases on the topic, and most importantly, we only have a soundbite. We don't have his written report, and for all we know, the journalist snipped out that section to fit in with what they personally think of the study.\n\nThe fact that it passed peer review is a sign that there are no major methodological or theoretical flaws with their conclusion.\n\n>point number 2 is something I replied to in your other post. what WERE the methods employed in finding their sample population? it doesn't say, which is another part of this story that smells bad to me.\n\nWhat do you mean they don't mention the methods they used? The authors have a whole section called "METHODS" where they discuss this in detail. Here's what they say:\n\n>"A population-based case-control study was conducted in Los Angeles County, California to investigate associations of testis cancer risk with exposures of the perinatal period, childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Eligible cases were men diagnosed with TGCT between December 20, 1986 and April 4, 1991 in Los Angeles County; who were ages 18 to 35 years at diagnosis; spoke English; and were born either in the United States, Europe, Canada, or the Middle East. The Los Angeles County Cancer Surveillance Program identified 201 men who met these criteria. Of these, 8 had either died before being contacted or were too ill to participate, 6 had cognitive difficulties precluding participation, 14 could not be located, 2 were not invited to participate because health care providers denied permission to contact, and 8 chose not to participate. The remaining 163 eligible cases (81%) participated in the study. For each participating case, we attempted to enroll up to 4 unaffected control men who were matched to the case on date of birth (within 3 years), race, ethnicity, and neighborhood of residence at the time of diagnosis. An established procedure was used to identify potential controls by defining a sequence of housing units on a specified block; attempting to identify the sex, age, race, and ethnicity of the inhabitants of each unit; and thereby determining whether 1 or more appropriately matched potential controls were identified. If no potential control was identified after canvassing 150 units, then race was excluded from the matching criteria; and, if a matched control based on the relaxed criteria was not identified within 150 subsequent units, then the case was not included in matched case-control analyses. The procedure described above identified 371 individuals as potential controls for the 163 eligible cases. Of these, 292 men (78.7%) chose to participate. We enrolled controls that were not matched on race/ethnicity for 24 cases, and we were unable to enroll any matched control for 24 additional cases. From 1 to 4 matched controls were enrolled for each remaining case: We identified 1 control for 16 cases, 2 controls for 95 cases, 3 controls for 26 cases, and 4 controls for 2 cases.\n\n>Interviews were conducted in person at participants' homes and were administered by trained interviewers using structured questionnaires. All participants were interviewed between October 16, 1987 and December 15, 1994. Information was requested for a reference period up to 1 year before the diagnosis of TGCT for cases and the same date for each case's matched controls. Participants were asked to provide demographic information; family history of specific cancers and urogenital conditions; personal history of some infectious diseases; and personal use of tobacco, alcohol, and numerous recreational drugs. Participants were asked whether they had ever used each drug, and ever users were asked the first and last years of use and the average number of times per week of use."\n\nIt seems pretty comprehensive and detailed to me. Did you actually read the paper, or are you trying to judge the quality of the study from the newspaper article on it? If the latter, then you may want to look at the reasons why you are arguing against this finding. Are you arguing against it because it is scientifically flawed (which you can only know by reading the paper itself), or are you arguing against it because you smoke cannabis and you don't want to believe that you have increased your risk of testicular cancer?\n\n>I'm not sure if you know what "disinformation" is, but it's crucial to spread it if you want to reinforce a bullshit drug war that costs taxpayers billions and erodes our Constitution like sand on a beach.\n\nThe authors don't get paid for their findings. They get paid whether there's a link or not. What you are suggesting is that people who have dedicated their lives to fighting cancer, would risk funnelling millions of dollars into a line of research which they know is fruitless, and would knowingly end up killing hundreds/thousands/millions of cancer sufferers, just to continue some vague conspiratorial notion of "spreading disinformation".\n\nThat's bullshit. At least read the fucking paper before you implicitly accuse cancer researchers of being mass murderers. 1347418258 +You know how much reddit likes TL;DR 1326842993 +> to say that science will answer questions of morality and values is scientism\n\nLet me add my 2 cents on this specific issue: you and I both understand what is meant by that statement, but taken word by word, the statement can be interpreted as the assumption that there exists a "right" answer out there a priori, which science is just incapable to figure out.\n\nThat assumption in itself is a scientific issue, no? Whether the notion of objective ethical answers make any sense - it should at least be a valid scientific position to look for evidence.\n\nSo when you and I talk about it, we probably both mean that it's NOT an empirical issue (with an a priori "right" answer), but rather a decision to be taken by people, which is, of course, outside the domain of science.\n\nScience can inform us on the outcomes of decisions, but not on which decision is the "right" one to take. Not because science can't do it (and some other tool can), but because as far as we know, answers to these questions are subjective, not empirical in nature.\n\n> scientific evidence is the only valid form of evidence and that all other forms are lesser, or should be rejected entirely, which is also something we should avoid. \n\nWell, this obviously depends on how fool-proof you want your claims to be. If you claim you saw a red car today, I will probably accept that without asking for a peer-reviewed scientific study, because the claim isn't extraordinary. But certainly if an extraordinary claim is made contradicting a position which has been thoroughly documented in the scientific literature, I am justified in being skeptical and to ask for more credible (scientific) evidence, no? 1346695871 +The image link has a line at the bottom of it which mentions the West Virginia Republican Party, which is why I thought they were pushing it. I understand that both parties had a hand over the years; I was making the same point you were making. 1353816140 +I know that it has already been commented several times that this chart is out of date, but to further add to the "out of date" mantra, [Unilever](http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20121008/BIZ/310089989/1031/biz) is starting to sell off some (most?) of its food products divisions so they can concentrate on their core health care and personal care line.\n\n 1349832437 +"You should have eaten free-range all-natural organic fish without artificial mercury, like Dr Oz recommended. Close but no cigar." 1339086545 +I like mine better, it let me believe that I have a wild imagination and that shit ain't real 1341162983 +>in a centre called the Burzynski Clinic in Houston, Texas. \n\nMaybe read the article before making irrelevant statements. 1322497138 +i can only respect that you can comprehend that. I cannot at this point in time .. not to mention that it makes everything kinda pointless lol ..bummer 1321559706 +SVEN LAW, LAWLESS, etc, etc 1329165961 +Part II of a scary ghost story! 1304978631 +I feel I must point out that we've gone to a lot of effort and expense searching for extraterrestrial bacteria, or even signs that some once existed :)\n\nBut yes, the implications of crossing the galaxy don't sit well with the UFOs are aliens explanation. 1278576771 +Level/field 1328282492 +shouldn't balloons ascend continuously until it pops? This seems to stay level. Of course there could be a string attached that we don't see but still. 1295974434 +Equate toxins with "evil humours". Now everyone talking about toxins is a quack. Nice. I especially love the sentence "waste products are metabolized by organs like the liver". Which is just a different way to say that toxins are detoxified by the liver. The liver is a detoxification organ primarily. Go ask your doctor - that is mainstream science. Toxins are created by the bacteria and yeasts in your intestinal tract - and your body can metabolize or detoxify them just fine assuming you are healthy. No need for colon cleansing or detoxifying cleanses thank you very much. I agree - detoxification and cleanses are *totally* abused by the alternative health community. But toxins (be they drugs, pollutants, pesticides, byproducts of our immune systems and metabolic processes, intestinal flora, heavy metals, etc) are real and are a part of mainstream evidence based medicine. 1250656630 +You must be a really fun and great person to hang around with. 1309551627 +Sorry you're getting some down-votes, but your honest question looks indistinguishable from some of the trolls we get in r/skeptic. Looks like you've gotten the information you needed, though.\n\nAnd, since nobody has mentioned it yet: you get more mercury exposure from eating a tuna sandwich than you do from a flu shot (some of which still use thimerosal as a preservative in multi-dose vials). 1284935333 +[Hate to say I told you so 2 months ago,...thanks for noticing,...](http://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/8od8c/nitinol_titaniumnickle_linked_to_roswell_debris/) 1250711356 +That sounds an awful lot like the cure for dehydration and almost exactly like the cure for chicken pox. Which I'm pretty sure is just the same as the cure for rashes. 1296521973 +If I am correct, that is a quote from [Elane Lewis](http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:bYvg15bjOeYJ:hpathy.com/the-hpathy-team/elaine-lewis/+&cd=16&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us) who is a homeopath, and has something to do with the hpathy web site that had published the recipe. It really does sound like trolling but apparently she is sincere. 1327281896 +http://www.skepticforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14976\n\nhttp://coastgab.com/index.php?topic=3202.0\n\nCan't find a copy of the video, but the first link worked fine for me, and I even tried it again just now. The second link shines a bit more light on Dr. Leir 1354648712 +I detected a hint of sarcasm in his post. You might want to recalibrate your sarcasmeter and check again. 1294277150 +Oh please. Am I not allowed enough of an ego to be heard? Why can't someone simply post to this subreddit without it being caught up in some filter cause they used the word 'orb' in the title? Again, it's not the point of reddit. We're all here to share. If we hate something, we will flame and downvote to hell. Why can't that be the case here as well? 1316232537 +Dogs are able to smell and hear things that we have insufficient senses to detect. It is likely an animal of some sort. Any time a cat or dog (or other animal) behaves "strangely," this is, by far, the most common reason why. There's nothing paranormal about it. Your apartment is A-OK (although you may want to keep your ear out for noises in the walls, or set mouse traps, or something). 1337096923 +[Jerry, just remember: it's not a lie, if you believe it.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn_PSJsl0LQ) 1343765699 +That is a FANTASTICALLY written piece. I lost it at the phrase "walking suggestible." 1303812103 +First law of thermodynamics and conservation of energy. Energy must be transformed by generating heat or doing work, and it is not something that can be created or destroyed unlike, say, mass.\n\nIf you wanted truly perpetual motion (indefinitely long, at least) you would need a frictionless system in a vacuum that would move in a straight line under its own inertia a la Newton's Third (e.g. the Voyager probes). 1350240399 +that would actually make sense (ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatland) I never really thought about that as a possible answer. kudos to you, dr. 1296710365 +Yea I agree about what you said about the brain.\n\n 1317358292 +Do you even know what thermite is, you blithering gobshite?\n\n 1349578393 +If new evidence comes up that challenges the theory, I will once again evaluate it rationally. 1328390205 +Well not wholly. In the case of beliefs that have been proven false, we have a good scientific understanding. 1288026764 +The 4th and 2nd seem quite believable to me. But considering one of them is obviously a fake, who is behind that video and why? If no more videos are released, or witnesses come out, I guess its a hoax then. 1296672073 +I just used a 32" hd tv too find it out but achieved nothing... 1354321218 +Great thanks, though in the modern criticism section there is this line...\n\n>Former U.S. Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank Alan Greenspan gives most credit to Ludwig Erhard for Europe's economic recovery. Greenspan writes in his memoir The Age of Turbulence that Erhard's economic policies were the most important aspect of postwar Western Europe recovery, far outweighing the contributions of the Marshall Plan. He states that it was Erhard's reductions in economic regulations that permitted Germany's miraculous recovery, and that these policies also contributed to the recoveries of many other European countries. Japan's recovery is also used as a counter-example, since it experienced rapid growth without any aid whatsoever.[citation needed] \n\nSo I don't know if it's true or not that Japan did what it did without aid.\n\nStill the Marshall Plan does seem to provide a good example where America has after helping in the military defeat of a country (Nazi Germany) then went on to offer significant aid to that country.\n\n>But some on reddit like to believe it is the root of all evil and can do no good.\n\nYes unfortunately. I'm not one of them though. The American constitution with its focus on individual freedom has had massive positive effect all around the planet. Many countries owe their modern laws, and freedoms that come from them, to the founding fathers of America. 1294751812 +Thank you kind sir. I am downloading a few episodes now. 1339895239 +So you have no evidence, but you think it's a conspiracy? 1350905943 +I thought the whole point of this was to act as a placebo effect. How can you have a placebo effect if you don't know what's happening? 1306957710 +exactly :D 1354490831 +did the ancients have a printing press? 1322091840 +I know the Nnnghk you're talking about, he's a little shit. Always stealing my tinfoil hat.... 1342723125 +>QM isn't an assumption\n\nYou misunderstood. I meant assumptions made by the author of the video, not assumptions about quantum mechanics in general.\n\n>I can easily point to MANY books\n\nPlease do. 1299706803 +Oh solipsism, because your mind is such a powerful tool that it governs all that you do. Even though the placebo effect doesn't effect every disease or, yet we are all contained within your mind, because you deny both science and technology to believe what you want to believe. 1333526873 +It craps out on very complicated sites, but it seems to be getting better.\n\nA couple of months ago it couldn't save any reddit sites, and no [it does an ok job](http://backupurl.com/5c2m1j).\n\nMany things are ruined when cached, but it's still better than a screenshot. 1292713639 +For the record, I **am** an asshole; However my comment was made in jest....\n\nThough the only vegan I've known was an outright cunt, I recognize the reason was problems other than the lack of meat in her diet. 1346053089 +Quite true. 1332476257 +Come on! We're not creationists here - you can spell his last name as Myers. 1294215846 +Or any food that has been in a factory, truck, warehouse, etc. 1286103037 +>There was one exception, however; anxiety disorders were 32% less frequent during the last lunar quarter. \n\nEven the study shows evidence of a correlation between anxiety disorders and the lunar cycle. I daresay, when reaching their conclusions, the authors of the study exhibited the same confirmation bias as much of /r/skeptic seems to; dismissing evidence in favour of a predetermined conclusion. 1353476938 +Holy cow. You are a right badass. 1321284104 +The parents and many involved are saying it was resurrected. Perfectly ripe for skepticism. 1334278254 +> But don't let the word intellectual scare you off.\n\nI hate that they felt a need for a caveat. 1299477164 +Thank you very much mate. It's been incredibly tough but life stops for nobody, and I know Dad would have wanted me to push through and get my life back together. Definitely agree about the comments, some excellent theories and ideas being shared. 1308482424 +You might want to note that Steven Jones is a Biologist and he says "... and **we're** turning really not into evolutionists, but into theologians."\n\nAlso, I tend to agree with him about much of Evolutionary Psychology in general, and I don't think Pinker's response to Jones' criticism was substantive. 1290221367 +>What’s with the Mayans suddenly? The Bible is much more authoritative on the end of the world but there is no date in the Bible. People always want a date. I can say with certainty that the end of the world is not this year. We could be heading into some very difficult times economically but it won’t be the end of the world as we know it. Especially, since Romney will kick Obama’s butt out of office!!\n\nCan somebody please tell me to stop reading the comments under the article? 1336059186 +Relevant youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKKvmFZBALo 1349290232 +I think it sorta looks like Darth Maul. 1341373901 +> Go watch the documentary people. No seriously, [7] they are raising some good questions in between all the spin and the [8] plámas, but bring your sceptical shades\n\nVery well put. That's exactly how I feel. 1295028761 +> I don't think running us through a meat grinder would be diplomatic at all.\n\nThis is part of the whole brainwashing/indoctrination thing. One would just as easily have a positive association with E.T. contact if it were more commonly (or at all) portrayed in such a manner by the MSM. 1331781855 +> This is proven\n\nHi, I'm a dumb foreigner. How is this proven? 1290718540 +fake as hell 1312534231 +I moved to New Jersey in the mid-70s, and there was an experiment going on at Rahway prison for those convicted of child sexual abuse. The goal was not to punish but to treat them. There were media interviews, and the inmates all said the program was wonderful and that it worked. \n\nSome years later, they studied the recidivism rate for those in the program and those not in it, and there was no difference. They abandoned the program.\n\nYour use of sex crimes and sexual offenders is broader than child sexual abuse, so I don't know if it carries over. The Last Psychiatrist has [an article on pedophilia here](http://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2007/03/a_primer_on_pedophilia.html) if you're interested in diagnosis and treatment. His key comment: " all of our attempts at catching pedophiles before they offend are doomed to absolute failure" 1328842741 +On the bright side, fewer people will take the vaccine-autism link seriously now that Trump of all people is advocating it. Seems like even Fox can't seriously find a way to stand for it now that Trump is backing the idea. 1333466576 +3.999... is the same as 3 + .999... so yes it is 4.\n\nThink of it like this. 1/3 = .333... 2/3 = .666... 3/3 = .999... = 1\n\n 1306338355 +I don't think I believe you 1242174587 +Does nano-thermite explode though? I don't think so.\n\nThis whole thermite business is so shady. Ever ask yourself why TNT wasn't found at ground zero, or some other well known explosive? TNT is a really novel molecule, synthesized exclusively for its exploding properties. *That* would be an interesting find at ground zero, since there's really no other reason it would be there than to blow stuff up.\n\nKnow what thermite is? It's a metal oxide mixed with a metal powder. Sound vague? Yeah, because you can make it out of lots of different combinations of metals. Nothing too novel about thermite. Is it that far fetched to think that in all that molten aluminum and iron at the crash site that some metal formed an oxide? Hardly a smoking gun. Truthers just latched on to the one questionable compound that could have reasonably formed on its own.\n\nAnd to top it all off, it doesn't even explode! So silly. 1346071245 +Rock, Rock, Photographic Artifact, Rock\n\nOccam's razor bitches. 1347411026 +> This podcast features a panel of scientists...and Rebecca Watson.\n\nWhere did you get the idea that all of the other panelists were scientists? I've just looked through their bios on theskepticsguide.org, and while they all have credentials listed that show them to be stalwarts of the skeptical community, the only one whose occupation is listed as being in the sciences is Steven Novella (academic neurologist).\n\nThe only other person who's profession and educational background they mention is Evan: "Evan's profession is in television production, and he holds a BA in Communications from Central Connecticut State University. " - so he's not a scientist.\n\nIf any of the others had an education in the sciences, I assume they would have mentioned it. So I feel confident in surmising that Steven Novella is the only scientist in the group, and the rest are only science enthusiasts.\n\nThis strange contempt for Rebecca Watson, based on these kind of nonsense reasons, is really bizarre. If you just don't like her personality, I can understand that. People don't mesh with each other all the time, that's life. But just leave it at that instead of trying to justify your antipathy. 1330948288 +Could you direct me to a list of Monsantos unethical behaviors? \n\nI've read through their wikipedia page, but those things listed there don't seem outstandingly evil, more like standard corporation stuff.\n\nIf you could provide me with something to read, that would be great. I don't want to make an uninformed decision. 1350658145 +He didn't ask her for coffee, IIRC... he asked her to "come back to his (hotel) room" which is totally more creepy. 1310154560 +I haven't seen that movie, but thank you for the recommendation, I will add it to my list! \n\nI had added the movie "[Paul](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1092026/)" to my list yesterday based on [this clip](http://www.megavideo.com/?v=IHU0G81X). :D 1308088395 +> it could be an out of focus object.\n\nYup! Thanks for weighing in. 1353640289 +Even if we assume that the data is worthless due to meddling researchers, this doesn't invalidate all the other data done by scientists all over the world that shows similar things about climate change. More research certainly needs to be done, and it's being done. 1259789849 +Yeah, to hell with with survival training, and other such inconveniences. We'll just luxuriate for a year in these posh underground digs, and then we'll be set free on a post-apocalyptic world.\n\nWhat could go wrong with this scenario? 1348940447 +Well then okay, I agree that extremist Islamist groups are a problem, I don't think anyone is claiming that they are not. It's just a question of whether those groups form because of Islam, or that they form and end up using Islam as a basis. 1347826923 +The people that don't give a rats ass about the environment or climate. As long as one is making money, one has little need to worry about details like the climate, environment or human rights. 1340060106 +I've started a critical-thinking based political/social commentary group blog at critical-thinker.net. Stop by and send me a link to your blog if you don't mind. 1299116442 +Yeah. Easier to disassociate. 1347380162 +http://www.goominet.com/unspeakable-vault/vault/361/ 1291989316 +i didn't mean to offend you. in my opinion these can all be explained by photography related issues. 1345418836 +BRB, going to start selling potions on craigslist. 1345227349 +You kid, but at some point I guarantee you're going see new agers espousing the benefits of the coprophagic diet, which will keep you safe from chemicals like sodium chloride and citric acid! 1341781662 +I'm a firm believer that our government is currently on the moon, and have been on the moon since the 50s. \n\nWe need to wake up folks. The apathy in this country is destroying our democracy. 1318872017 +http://imgur.com/XYYae This is the casing.\n\nhttp://imgur.com/o4Jlu This is the clock location. 1329687498 +Wikipedia does not agree with you. Night soil is raw human feces and is not even legal to use in the US just as raw bovine feces is not legal to use. You have pathogens in the feces of animals and people, both of them have to get processed and treated before they can be used as manure, and by that time all the pathogenic microbes have died.\n\nAs for you other concerns, we only mandate putting things on labels if it relates to the consumers health. If we were to start mandating that companies include the environmental impact of their products on their labels then we would start with far more important things like carbon footprint, whether or not ecologically important land has been destroyed, etc, before we started including GMOs. 1352435038 +You have to walk slow enough that you dont disturb the ash layer and touch the burning coals underneath, but fast enough that you aren't in contact with the ash for too long. 1343088769 +"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."\n\n- Winston Churchill 1354004832 +I can't cite sources right now, but my understanding is that in every study that has been done on this condition, sufferers can't tell the difference (with better than 50% accuracy) between a device which is switched on and a device which is switched off. 1315915074 +I'm thinking that was a lie. 1296295142 +While I definitely agree with you and made an argument similar to yours in another post, it's no point preaching to this crowd. Everyone in this subreddit decides to bring out the pitchforks and downvote any dissenting views before considering a discussion of why this sort of thing is bad. /r/skeptic is turning into /r/politics' bastard son. It's a shame too, at only 30,000 subscribers. 1316989963 +It loads!! Thank you!! Super anxious to read it now hahaha. 1331103389 +So are you saying that people are compelled to talk to you? and you believe that it's esoteric in nature? 1320676138 +I see - apologies, I was approaching it from a different angle (whether the grounding effect worked as they said it did).\n\nTried to find the paper so that we could at least see what that actually says, but I'm not getting very far. Wevers full name is Rutger Wever, and I found hints (but not very firm ones) that the paper was published by Springer-Verlag in "The circadian system of man: Results of experiments under temporal isolation", but that was published in 1979 and appears to be out-of-print - couldn't find any digital copies. Might get it in a library or used if you're curious enough and don't mind the risk that it's not even in there.\n\nAs for the papers on the research page - I'm not qualified in any way to evaluate them properly (especially the health claims), and I wouldn't know where to look for good quality independent medical research. Unless someone else here can help, we're at a dead-end.\n\nEdit: one other thing - I found a lot of references to experiments where Wever put subjects in an EMF-shielded room. I'm wondering if this is what is meant by grounded, since to shield a room like this, you use a Faraday cage, which needs to be grounded (the subjects aren't necessarily grounded themselves)? 1316068219 +I'm stealing this and using it for ever. And I'm not giving you royalties. 1335107836 +How did she react? 1332114886 +Well I still don't understand. Like I said many commenters "took the bait" so to speak, so it seems like the poster was correct that they had the opinion that placebos were bad therapy. So maybe the poster was making a generally unwarranted assumption, but to the audience of /r/skeptic, it was aptly targeted.\n\nYour example isn't fair. A placebo is something which by definition is something "fake", but that has a real effect through expectation. It's therefore reasonable to address a forum dedicated to the criticism of things which are not real to question its value. George Bush isn't defined by having blown up the WTC, he's defined as an anglo male who served as president of the US. Positing that he had blown up WTC would be highly dubious assertion to most circles. That being said, it would have been well-received and therefore rhetorically useful to have made that assumption in /r/conspiracy (although there are some commenters there who would object to the assumption.)\n\nSo why was it a circlejerk again? The poster said, in effect, "maybe placebos aren't bad." Most commenters have taken both sides of the question, validating the poster's framing of the inquiry in terms of the position with which he/she didn't agree. 1278099315 +DUDE. shouldve installed a camera 1326574702 +Rather famous [trance DJ](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Oakenfold) from the UK.\n\nThe only reason I know the name is because an ex-girlfriend was a bit of a rave kid. 1303510162 +At some point, we wont be able to feed everyone and they will be swimming in their own waste. Where that is, I have no idea, but population control is an issue that needs to be addressed. There has to be enough food and a way to get rid of the waste, or use it somehow. \n\nTake a 55 gallon drum, fill it with 50 gallons of water, put in 20lbs of sugar, then add yeast. Can it support 7 billion yeast? Yes, quite easily. As the yeast consume the sugar, they reproduce profusely producing CO2 and ETOH, and eventually when there is between 10% and 20% ethanol in the barrel, the yeast die off in their own waste. If they cant get out and spread to other areas, they will die due to lack of food or in their own waste. The earth is our 55 gallon drum and we are ripping through the sugar pretty damn fast.\n\nWe can find new ways to produce more food, and new ways to use the waste to produce more, but there will still come a point where we cant sustain it. Weather can make that come sooner or later. 1343490869 +I've actually never heard of the case until now. Morehead seems to have quite a few strange happenings, though -- Mr. Gatti's, Nunn Hall, and Clack Mountain all come to mind. People seem to believe those are all haunted locales. 1354073237 +Fair enough. It does look and feel like blogspam though, which is why most folks chose purple. 1354295221 +Looks like a droplet of water on the lens. 1349248065 +I take issue with the word dismissive, because that makes it sound like religion was tossed aside without due consideration.\n\nI tossed it aside after much consideration, finding it lacking. 1296183504 +That information isn't entirely correct. IPCC represents thousands of scientists, and there's like a couple of dozen skeptic scientists (that are dubious as well). However the IPCC scientists were like 93% sure man made global warming is happening (but that percentage is rising because of the effects that are becoming more apparent.) 1322918505 +I came here to post exactly this. I've found that statement to be one of the most helpful things to keep in mind when arguing with people who have no evidence to base their opinions upon. 1356381239 +> Skeptics will just claim they are Photoshopped.\n\nThat's because, unless the object is far away and out of focus, the object _is_ photoshopped.\n\nI have yet to see a clear picture of a UFO that isn't obviously CGI'd.\n\nEdit: Downvote, lol? Show me a picture that isn't 'shopped instead. 1295862276 +I'll assume you aren't being a jackass -- the point is, he says Bill Nye is throwing ad hominem attacks, when in fact Bill Nye was being completely respectful (while still disagreeing with his conclusion) and then the guy starts in with "Mr. Comedian" which was clearly said in a tone that marks it as an ad hominem attack... Pot calling the kettle black -- even though the kettle wasn't even being black... or something. 1324616811 +>Because if an argument only becomes privileged when made by a certain class of people, then I feel that all you've done is admitted that it's an attack on a person and not on the argument.\n\nThat's not what claims of privilege are about. Nobody's opinion becomes invalidated because they are white or male. You seem to be interpreting "check your privilege" as a kind of ad hominem, when it has nothing to do with the person themselves but their biased perspective. \n\nThat is, if a guy is aware of their privilege, and adjusts their argument accordingly (to eliminate all biases and flawed thinking on that topic) then it would be absurd to tell him to 'check his privilege'. \n\nThis is why so many people who understand the concept of 'privilege' get confused when people try to argue that it's used as a way of shutting down discussion or as an ad hominem. It's a way of weeding out shitty arguments and continuing discussion; it only stops discussing if the person who gets called out on the ignorance gets all annoyed and leaves the discussion. In other words, it's like telling a creationist to read a science book. 1347503324 +The Mormons can have Independence, MO. It's a shithole. 1351285170 +The board doesn't do anything. At all. The [ideomotor effect](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideomotor_effect) makes the board work. \n\nIf the Ouija Board were demonic, it wouldn’t be sold at Walmart. 1333231967 +Obviously the TARDIS. Calm down, its just The Doctor. 1326942249 +So you can decide for yourselves, here's a link someone gave me earlier today, supposedly debunking a lot of what is said in Thrive. I haven't read much of it yet, so it could obviously be dis-information.\n\n[http://thrivedebunked.wordpress.com/](http://thrivedebunked.wordpress.com/) 1338017899 +I'm surprised they didn't include "Magnets. How do they work?" 1291753646 +Many can be explained by nighttime sky divers who do events at airshows, they have to practice... 1341628534 +its not news, its cnn. 1293212856 +That's what I am saying though - if there is not enough evidence to know either way, that's not skepticism in my book - that's just as bad as belief itself. 1296200942 +"Tu fui, ego eris."-What you are, I was; what I am, you will become." They explore something like this in the game Virtue's last Reward. The main character's can slingshot their consciousness through time to either remember something or tell their-selves something at that age. \n\nEDIT: forgot to mention the fact that the character's actually do pass out when they do this. 1353683701 +Ball Lightning... Not really. Is that a serious question though? 1321103748 +I worked with people that were dying for nearly a decade, I did not find this to be the case. I am open to new info though. Do you have any examples of people being dishonest on their deathbed? 1333952807 +I used to have that book. Turns out it was self-published by a total crank. He's in jail now for fraud. 1241398644 +People are being rather nasty, but I will say that, if it was real to you, and you're suffering from PTSD symptoms, there may have been something there, something that your sub-concious is terrified of. When children are very young we don't know what to be afraid of, we imagine later on, perhaps it's like a suppressed memory that is causing the PTSD. \n\nAlso, I would like to add that I am scared and exhilarated by the idea of Aliens or UFO's. \n\nKeep the anxiety under control OP, that can do more harm. 1345775852 +Using the argument that Muslim women are badly treated so Rebecca should not complain makes no sense. 1351113166 +I just drove past it last week. Not so scary now that they remodeled the whole house. 1287435674 +What if it did work? What if the nude pictures and sexing *did* strengthen his telepathic connection with the "other side"? We can't prove that it didn't. \n\nAt the very least he could **say** that it worked. And, who could say otherwise? 1340543735 +Yeah exactly. If that's a real story, then that nurse obviously did not know how microwaves work. 1333014947 +I have seen something very similar in Fairfax, Virginia. I was looking at the stars, then I noticed one begin to move very slowly, then eventually fade out. Every time I've seen one do this, I see another in the same area do the exact same thing moments later. 1355902695 +Your childs life is at stake, and you're gambling? 1320149904 +a lack of evidence does not disprove something. 1319681722 +Sorry to be blunt, but if you think your comment is science then you're pretty simple. 1294272979 +Please do. \nI just realized you guys (being American, yes?) have military posts all over, are we talking about domestic military healthcare or abroad, or both? 1345631252 +> we'll just have to agree to disagree\n\nFair enough. \n\n> I'm skeptical that a free market could do any better than what we have now.\n\nAnd that's why libertarians seem like evangelists. They want to try to inform others of the information that support their views.\n\n> I see a bad govt and want it better\n\nMay I ask how you would propose making it better? 1313637658 +Billions which, were it not for the alleged false flag of human-caused climate change, could instead have been invested into researching and combating the true cause of climate change, up to and including bonafide terraforming. Billions which, in most instances, will never end up in the pockets of the people doing climate research, but rather to those who are instead researching green technology. There is likely almost no overlap between the two. Climatology and engineering are two very different birds.\n\nThere is simply no reason at all for the scientists involved to fabricate evidence, let alone a reason so compelling that a mere 0.17% of them would be willing to dissent. 1353794111 +Okay, I'm not going to call CPS on my boss. Especially if I don't know that hiatal massage is not a real thing. I'm sure he would be receptive to some information about it if I had some and make sure his kid makes his appointment with the real doctor. 1295391347 + If I just downvoted, you wouldn't know why. I let you know why to help prevent you from repeating being a fucktard in the future. Welcome to the internet. Maybe you should lurk for a while if you're that sensitive. 1352506395 +You might like /r/4chan or /r/classic4chan then, it's where we steal and hoard the funny stuff ;) 1345041766 +Welcome to the world of UFO videos. 1287765188 +The standard of evidence certainly isn't as rigorous as, say, physics. It's definitely a science, but it's a bit of a softer science, like sociology or anthropology. Neurology, on the other hand, is a bit of a different story. 1337863455 +So is the entire issue of obesity. 1311134794 +Yea. Well, 3 of my friends along with myself joined r/UFOs yesterday **because** of his post in that thread. That one spam link you saw doesn't have anything to do with what he posted. What you saw as endearing and annoying I found to be extremely interesting and eye opening. 1328751342 +Agreed. Just because it's *less stupid* doesn't mean it still isn't really stupid. 1342634700 +> Personally, I think that if there are Type 3 civilizations out there we may not have found them because they are freaking TYPE 3 civilizations\n\nIt could also be because what we're seeing in space is actually millions of years in the past so they may have not even been created. They may exist and we just can't see them... yet. 1333992765 +Thanks for mentioning that you thought they might have corrected themselves. I wouldn't be aware of the...er... clarification (Is it still a clarification if you're clarifying that you have no idea? I guess it is, but it seems wrong to call it that) otherwise! 1346975151 +>A great letter, but consider that in 2050 \n\n...\n\n>Given that this will take at least 15-20 years\n\nThat still makes thorium relevant since thorium is so abundant. Do you think we won't be able to make a thorium breeder? 1344352845 +I thought you were joking. And wait..is that a picture of the moon with flames photoshopped onto it? 1290964958 +Hmm... interesting. I think I understand. 1353536796 +At least soldiers get paid and have an infrastructure supporting them. 1354854307 +You seem to be redefining terms to fit your viewpoint. It won't be possible to continue the discussion if one party is making up definitions.\n\nSentience and self-awareness are not at all the same thing. You asked for a definition of sentience, so here is one, from Merriam Webster:\n"responsive to or conscious of sense impressions"\nSense impressions means things like smell, touch, pain, etc. \n\nI don't understand why you disagree that human sentience comes from the nervous system. This is not really disputed by scientists. \n\nMany animals cannot recognize themselves in the mirror, but can still experience pain, as is evident by their responses to injury and other hardships. Some nonhuman animals can recognize themselves in a mirror, but I don't think that's relevant.\n\nAs I said before, there is actually evidence that bacteria aren't sentient. Yes, they are alive, but so are plants. There is no evolutionary reason for plants or bacteria to develop sentience, and since we know that in humans it is the nervous system that provides sentience, it is very unlikely that any organism without a nervous system and without the ability to avoid danger would develop sentience.\n\nThe way bacteria react to environments is much simpler than the way animals do. Their reactions are on a basic chemical level. Roombas don't actually have the ability to learn from past situations. They can only react to current situations, or respond to their programming. It is conceivable that a robot could be sentient, but I don't think that artificial intelligence is nearly that advanced yet.\n\nYou asked for evidence of animal sentience. There is a lot. Here is one particular scientific paper: http://www.springerlink.com/content/p4g44725t17126x0/\n\nSince you seem not to think that animals deserve our consideration, do you think it's okay to torture a cat, dog, chimp, or other animal? 1322013113 +Whedon or Wheaton? Did Wheaton get it from Whedon? And did Plait get it from Wheaton, or is it Plait's Law? \n\nOrdinarily, I'd just assume it was a typo, but it also seems like something that Joss Whedon could have said. 1341516990 +As far as the skeptic goes in me, which resides over a larger part of my perspective than the believer does, this is by a far the best supporting evidence for a real and actual aerial phenomena that we don't currently understand. \n\nThe camera shake was verified but it was only a few arcseconds of the camera shifting during the exposure (as you would expect in a non-mounted night time camera shot). The shaking was not sufficient to make the streak across the sky shown in the picture. This object was also verified to not be the moon or any other known star. \n\nI'm pretty sure day/night superimpositions were made that showed any questionable phenomenon to be clearly airborne. \n\nThere are a few documentaries out that cover the story. They're quite interesting 1312825743 +Wow.... and I mean WOW. I am still not sure if this is a total Poe or not... \n\nOnly 11 members. I think the site is less than a year old (not sure - the forums suddenly got locked out while I was browsing them, and I think that was the date I saw in the stats). There are nearly 4800 posts, the vast majority of which are between just TWO of the users. Either two very deluded people, or one VERY delude person, or a very committed hoaxer... 1340867779 +I'll keep it up, not so I feel that I'm better than you...Only an asshole like yourself would think I care about trying to be better than you over Reddit, you fool. But keep up your good work troll. 1347364421 +It could also be his hand, depending on how he was holding the phone. 1341199084 +Schrodinger's sunscreen. 1337537153 +The box never said that it worked on nails. Most consumers would draw the conclusion that it would but that's not the manufacturers fault - it's a good strategy. 1274976425 +hi, sorry, but if it was rain, i need to go to an hospital...;) 1330771729 +"Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works."\n\n2 John 1:9-11\n\nAccording to the bible Christians should only help them if they are also Christian. Your stupid hippy dippy Christianity was invented in the 60s and has next to no bearing on orthodox Christian teaching. 1344345495 +No, you have stepped into my clever trap (yeah, yeah, that's it - it has *nothing* to do with needing to be clearer in the first place). Just because 95% of women are *capable* of having a safe and happy home birth does not mean that they all do. If a labor progresses too long, if a mother gets skittish, if - basically - mom ain't feelin' it, to the hospital they go. Generally to get a zap of pitocin, which my wife isn't allowed to use or she loses her license to practice.\n\nWhich outlines how patchwork the MANAStats database is - in most states, midwives aren't licensed *at all* so they have no license to lose. What they'll do in similar situations is put a squirt of pitocin on a cotton ball and put it up in mom's cheek down by the gums, which hustles labor along just dandy. So suppose you're trying to use the MANAStats database to find out about the use of pitocin in labor. They'd likely refuse you the data - because a lot of births in their database *did* have pitocin involved, but the data *might* indicate that (if it's legal in the midwife's state, *might not* indicate that (if it's illegal in the midwife's state and they used it anyway) or, worst case, *might indicate that pitocin was used illegally* and therefore, a midwife with the exact same practice modality in Arkansas as they use in New York could end up facing criminal charges simply for participating in the study.\n\nIt's a total catch-22. Collect the data and risk showing that your members are practicing outside of the scope they've managed to assemble across a patchwork of 50 states... or continue practicing in darkness and never get the laws changed. And what do they get? "*Homebirth midwives don't want you to know.*" 1258390917 +If you go into court, proof has to lie on both sides or the case is null and void. You can't claim proof to back up one theory, without having proof to disprove another.\n\nAt the end of the day, we are all observers and there will never be the proof needed to prove or disprove.\n\nUntil such times as other life was to pop down and say hello, or Nasa was to find the building blocks of life (but still wouldn't prove other intelligent exists.) Then all skeptics are going to say to get proof that we cannot possibly get yet. 1354274019 +Well I can add something to the list on here. Half of our rooms on the ground floor face the parking lot. I've walked by the window for 109 a half dozen times tonight while outside having a cigarette. Its been dark, no one is staying in there, no has been in there. When I was outside just now I turned to flick my cigarette and come back in and thru the sheer curtains I can see that the light on the night stand is on. Will I be going to turn it off? Nope. 1348653118 +I presume you believe the computer on which you are writing exists. You grossly oversimplify a complex and fascinating issue by assuming you are even capable of distinguishing your beliefs from what you think you know objectively. Purely epistemic concerns aside, your cognitive apparatus (and mine) does a superlative job of modeling the world, but in a way which interweaves emotion, personality structure and external input. Our reality is intersubjective. You cannot blithely weed out the beliefs from the statements of fact. And adherents of the 'CSICOP' brand of skepticism often have a perceptible personal stake in seeing that the status quo is left undisturbed.\n\nAs to your second point, I reiterate: we simply don't have the intellectual juice at this stage to judge which places a civilisation one million years older than ours might like to visit nor what technology they might have at their disposal.\n\n 1331843013 +You know that was sarcasm right?... 1331869822 +Teacher: "OK class. Can anyone tell me why a catastrophic global flood 5000 years ago wouldn't lay down a thick layer of deposits encompassing the remains of every species that has ever lived on the planet; but would in fact lay down literally thousands of layers, with the organisms becoming more and more simple as the layers got deeper?" \n\nJohnny: "Umm, because the layers were made a different times, and the deeper ones were made first?"\n\nTeacher: "NO Johnny! That's just what the Devil *wants* you to think!" 1354994101 +Stay away from Monument Blvd. 1352100404 +And while we're at it, here:\nhttp://skepticsannotatedbible.com/index.htm\n\nAll the Abrahamic religions have content in their scriptures that encourage violence. When followers of those religions feel like being violent, they find those parts particularly compelling. Never did I say that Islam was peaceful... I ~~said~~ insunuated that all religions are violent and the only reason that Muslims (or, 1/1000% of them) are finding their violent versus meaningful all of a sudden is because of their current geopolitical situation. 1333855298 +I have noticed that many rational people start to develop a dice-related superstition when they play rpgs. Partly, it was just for fun (a friend of mine had a pentagram where he would place the dice) but sometimes you can't be sure whether they are serious or not ("Stop using those dice! You keep rolling awful numbers!"). 1332172099 +Who the hell is this Eric Bakker guy? He doesn't even have a wikipedia page.\n\nI offer 1000 upvotes to someone who can prove to me that he's a real person. 1312845337 +How about showing the unmanipulated picture? WTF? 1339182679 +i certainly wouldn't dismiss it, as long as it's assumed it's all going on in their brain. people who achieve those kinds of frames of consciousness probably do it through their own social/developmental predispositions though, not by reading FAQs :P 1341012922 +Thank you. I'd love to get her a copy, but it's always been difficult to even talk to her for 15 minutes much less get her to read a whole book. She's an extremely ~~stubborn~~ independent woman. 1328668343 +Nice to know that Canadian people are just as gullible as Americans. I hate it when we're the stupidest people on the planet.\n\nI'm guessing that if someone tried to have sex with the girls, they would have "snapped right out".\n\n(Yes, I see they're just kids. But it was such a good line I couldn't resist. In no way am I advocating sex with under-age people) 1339806322 +Thank you too. It's been fun.\n\n>My involvement in the paranormal as a ritualist has been to get rid of it, not to prove it's validity.\n\nThat's the difference between religion and science.\n\nAs a skeptic, it still frustrates me to think people are willing to just assign their beliefs and not investigate what really happened, but I'm far more accepting of that than someone who investigates something and stops looking at the paranormal answer leading people down bad science. 1324657683 +Watch the show Dead Like Me. You'd like it. 1351716335 +[Here ya go](http://ghostsstory.com/blog/497/hauntings-in-maryland/) :) 1349679228 +Kinda reminds me of [Prosopagnosia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosopagnosia), but I don't think that that's sporadic. 1326468008 +My only thought is "What the hell are they thinking? 24 hours straight? Are they nuts??"\n\nI guess we'll see how it goes :) 1316799456 +Likewise. This is the first time i am reading about a golden disc. Highly likely that it is a frisbee as the article claims(ignoring what the photographer said). But again, it could be something else too... 1330352070 +Yes, a random youtube comment is clearly a good place to learn about anonymous. Or any other organization. 1304496981 +A lot of them are genuinely convinced. I used to be one of them. 1309736549 +It's like the Illuminatus! Sequel. Now with Reptilians! 1316148095 +Yes, yes [they can](http://pesn.com/2005/11/16/9600203_New_Nazi_Bell/),...do you have the funding for it? \n\n\nBut this is [nothing new](http://www.searlsolution.com/technology3.html),....\n\n\nThe author of the original post site is using a number of these patents to build one himself, as mentioned in one of the interviews posted below...seriously-do read/listen to the content,... 1275188734 +It's a real [thing](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouthfeel) but yeah, it just grosses me out saying it. 1335297708 +If a person came to me saying they had information about my child I'd want them questioned by the police. Possibly as a suspect. Regardless of their claim. 1320121560 +Why did you get downvotes for this? Surely, no one thinks this is false. If there's someone who doesn't believe this is true, I need to talk to them and find out what they think is going on. 1285121083 +I didn't know stupid was hereditary. 1336666691 +All that drama scince elevatergate is so fucking ridicoulus. A while ago i unsubbed from quite a few youtube channels I was subscribled to a long time, something I never did before. Why? The occasional drama vid would be one thing, but there are so many of them I've just grown tired of seeing those faces and hearing those voices. The "old gang" has become very protective of their little clique, and instead of discussing their differences in private, they publicize all their actions in real time on all their channels and blogs. They all do stupid shit, but all sides only see the errors of others and then go on some 5 minute rant about how "we" are all rational and "they" are behaving like creationists. 1345813143 +>Again, I never once asserted that he was anti-vaccination.\n\nSo, again, what was the point in saying "Celebrities and Ron Paul" in regards to "evidence against vaccinations"? What else could that have possibly meant other than you asserting Ron Paul is anti-vaccination? That's what the comic portrayed, and that's what you comment portrayed. Like I said before, if I am incorrect in this judgement of your comment, please, let me know.\n\n>He is, however, asserting a public policy that diminishes the effectiveness of vaccination and puts children in danger, **and he is doing so because he doesn't understand how vaccinations work.**\n\nYou keep asserting this, but all you've shown in your articles is that *he is following the libertarian position* on the matter. For his political position he probably values the personal liberty of being able to choose to vaccinate or non-vaccinate over government mandated vaccination.\n\n>So you found the links I provided but you didn't read them. This is a waste of my time.\n\nOf course I read them. If you believe there's something in there that supports your position, then by all means quote it here. But thus far you've shown nothing beyond what we all know and agree upon. 1326665338 +>And realistically, saying "I didn't know a severely sick kid needed a doctor" is like saying "I didn't know I wasn't allowed to plow my car into old ladies." "I didn't know" is never an adequate defence.\n\nNot if you truly believe God will heal 1320367035 +Yeah I see. Makes much more sense now. Lol 1355609978 +I agree entirely. Jack Ruby's connection to the mafia is tenuous at best. Any one who knew him said that he shot Oswald because he thought he would be considered a hero. It had nothing to do with the mob. 1343511918 +i think CERN (steins;gate reference)\nthey want my time machine to take over the world! 1326513993 +I bet when you close your eyes, the world doesn't exist. 1346771646 +yeah, i normally don't make much mention of it. i gauge the opinions of others around me before i come out with this info. i'm well aware that this is tin-foil-hat-wearing-lunatic territory so i know better than to just start blaring on about all the UFOs I've seen :) 1318206401 +Okay. So we find interesting signals that could be artificially produced. How do we go about finding if they actually are, and then what? Its not like we would be able to contact them any time in the near future. 1325849935 +" This individual may have influenced " - this is why you need control group (some people of approximately same body fat and general health) and rigorous experimental set up. \n\nThere was no miraculous increase in respiration (and thus heat output) as well, two times what you have at rest is not that much. I'm not sure what is even being claimed here, TBH. The claims do not appear particularly extraordinary to me, and this 'influences the autonomous neurous system thing' is significantly nonsense as this system will try to keep you alive in any case. People can learn to consciously control a lot of stuff we don't normally consciously control, and there's not that much point in this because 2x metabolic rate is readily obtained in more natural ways like shivering, or if you want, flexing statically. And none of that has anything to do with saying mantras to yourself. 1349115221 +I'm a little late here, 5 days late, but I personally do not believe in the notion of being able to ask a haunting to leave or return. If you want to see things like that again, I would go looking for them. Investigate reportedly paranormal places. 1334155485 +Circles made of bullshit.. in crop fields.. daym scary. 1351007147 +kinky. 1317332761 +Know what happens after the abortion? The doctor reassembles the body parts in a pan to make sure he got it all out. I've seen video. NSFL.\n 1328683590 +*grabs popcorn* 1296515202 +ANYTHING is a homeopathic treatment. That's the beauty of it. No bothering with researching and rigorously testing for side-effects -- you can just whip up some well-known compound in a bowl, dilute it until it's just water, and sell it as "homeopathic."\n\nThe genius of homeopathy is that you'll get harmful effects from overdosing on just about anything -- usually something in the stomach, heart, lungs or any combination thereof. Therefore, the "theory" has evolved so that there is a wide gamut of preparations and concoctions to cure just those ailments, so if one doesn't work, you go on to the next -- paying through the nose every time, of course. 1290373356 +I agree with you on nearly every point. Yes it will be virtually impossible to definitively convince her she's not looking at an alien. Yes one runs the risk of looking like a pessimist or a needlessly argumentative jerk. But while I may personally not feel like it's worth my time to try and debunk this (to say nothing of it being outside my expertise), who am I to tell someone else not to? We can all "triage" as we see fit. But thanks for explaining your point further. 1335486162 +She's a religious nut in a nursing home. I mean, I can ask her questions you want to know, but she had only mentioned it because I brought up cryogenic freezing once. \n\nIt's really weirding me out that four or so years later, I see this and realize that there was a depth far greater to Walt Disney than I was aware of. 1318890562 +Yeah, it wasn't a rental by any means. It was a retail version of the movie. 1354472429 +To be fair, a lot of universities - Harvard included - have some seriously weird courses, albeit hardly as unscientific and superfluous as this one. 1277387183 +Yeah, the treatment your aunt received was certainly conventional, science-based medicine. There's nothing alternative about the correct diet and iron supplements, even though alternative practitioners would like to claim so. Diet actually works, after all ;) The difference is that some alternative practitioners overstate the effect of diet to the point where special diets become a "cure" for cancer (and all cancer is caused by the wrong diet), but that's not what r/altmed is about. r/altmed takes science-based, diet-related mainstream medicine and calls it "alternative" in an attempt to make the rest of alternative medicine look more legitimate. It's a strategy that's been used a lot by a lot of alties before - often in the same breath as accusing mainstream medicine for only using pharmaceuticals to treat disease, which is demonstrably wrong, as your aunt's example shows (diet changes, exercise, physical therapy, etc. are all part of mainstream medicine). 1319487037 +Is it wrong that during several parts of that video, while the oh so spooky music was playing, my only thought was: good...that's where we're headed and where we need to head.\n\n-1 government world... is this a bad thing?\n-consolidated ID system...definitely \n-micro chip...sounds pretty convenient\n 1299821309 +Magic?\n\nSeriously, why would you come here to ask that question?\n\nGo here. http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/reference/?p=38 1340808133 +Conspiracy theories are such an easy out for people to take. It's much easier to blame shadow governments and immensely powerful organizations for the problems in the world or in your life. It makes you feel like it's not your fault that things are the way they are, that the deck is stacked against you and you never had a chance. \n\nI don't think it's possible to say one thing and convince a conspiracy theorist that they're on the wrong track. The dangerous thing about the conspiracy meme is that lack of evidence or evidence to the contrary is usually interpreted to mean that the conspiracy is even more powerful than previously thought. Anyone who doesn't believe it is either naive or, even worse, in on it. \n\nI think you just need to attack it using Occam's razor and just keep driving home the point that if it's is true why would the secret organizations allow sites like Prison Planet to continue to operate? 1310678215 +When you think about getting attacked are you afraid it'll be a man or a woman? 1351124163 +Wow, number 1 most of this is BS conspiritard rubbish. Number 2, I'm not going to debate the merits of a a youtube video, rubbish. The iO9 article is about nazis hiding evidence of atrocities, not archeologists hiding evidence that conflicts with evidence their dogma. When they discovered it, they had to change their data, nowhere does it say that they purposely ignored or suppressed new information. Finally, that hheartbeat BS uses biblical nonsense about giants. That's your evidence? You need to come to jesus my friend (metaphorically), you need to see the light. 1354651786 +And did you not listen to me when I explained why eyewitness testimony is useless? Please lets not retrace our steps here. If you are not going to raise any new points or attack mine, then I think you should just admit defeat. 1352573820 +Cause and effect isn't that simple. But you can isolate the effect of alcohol by seeing whether events with or without alcohol served lead to more or fewer riots, or comparing the percentage of arrested rioters who are drunk to the percentage of event attendees who are drunk. 1332955844 +Yuuuup, that's the creationist movement for ya. 1343550280 ++1 on Rationally Speaking, SGU\n\nAlso, [Reasonable Doubts](http://freethoughtblogs.com/reasonabledoubts) (counter-apologetics) is very good if you don't mind religion being a target of skepticism. \n\nAnd at the risk of being a self-promoting whore, a friend and I have a [podcast feed](http://beastcast.libsyn.com/) where we do interviews for our website. It's not entirely skeptic-focused, but we've had some good skeptic interviews with people like Ophelia Benson, PZ Myers, Sanal Edamaruku, Gregory Paul, Seth Shostak, and a few others. 1326025307 +Liberal and yet defending anarchism and libertarianism. How odd. Liberal yet trying to argue that Somalia is now all better thankfully because of no more guvvvaaament. Yeah, because I'm sure it was the simple fact that government is the reason countries are not thriving utopias. 1313608283 +Well, there is significantly more genetic diversity in the "black" Africans than the rest of the races combined. 1298543769 +I am a skeptic of religion and superstition but consider myself an agnostic 1296197777 +Absolutely :) I'm at work at the moment, but I'll take some pictures hopefully either tonight or over the weekend. 1318556159 +Ouija boards are too susceptible to suggestion. I say you should set up a recorder and ask questions. Have someone take pictures, too. 1342339082 +Parts of everything are bunk. I make decisions based upon several principles that include: textbook/school education (with a big block of NaCl), clinical guidelines, studies, personal experience, and risk/benefit analysis.\n\nFor example: before going off to school I worked in an office when an older lady (existing patient) came into the office using her cane heavily (she rarely did more than carry it in her left hand, this time it was in her right hand and she was *LEANING* on it). She spoke with a slur had drooping of her eye and mouth. I stopped her immediately, had her sit down, and ran to get the chiro in the office, I knew something wasn't right but hey I just had a Biology degree. He came and called an ambulance who took her to the ER, while keeping her calm. She was in the midst of a stroke and manipulation would likely have killed her and provided no benefit to her neck pain. That is as black/white as it can be but it illustrates the point of risk vs benefit analysis.\n\nI always look through my 'skeptical goggles' when reading research papers, be it my field or just something a friend sends me. I always ask myself: who is writing this, why are they writing this, who verified the results, who reviewed it, where is it being published, why is it being published, and what is the clinical impact. \n\nI recently read & discussed a study about standardizing the material used in transferring gut flora for help with IBD. It made perfect sense that we should have a standardized colony grown in labs with the proper ratio of bacterium and proper dosage amounts rather than using a family member's flora as the transplant source. You not only have better results but it is standardized, something that we should have in all fields. 1342795059 +Well it's a joke, mainly because its fake for other obvious reasons. This thread does however still let us talk about the subject in a skeptical manner. 1352853477 +I agree completely. I'm not saying there is a causative factor, or even a solid correlation at this point. Just pointing out that the notion that aluminum couldn't pass the blood-brain barrier is clearly false. 1301460048 +I believe that paranormal is something that can or may not always be explained through science. The faithless... and I am not talking about religion here... make me sad. You probably can't see things in a way that I do. I believe in a lot of things. Souls (again, not in a religious way), reincarnation, forces of good and evil, dead relatives/angels looking out for you. \n\nI am not going to tell you why I believe in all of those things to prove myself to a stranger on the internet. Just know that I have personal reasons for believing in those things. 1344429799 +Yeessss [evolution](http://i.imgur.com/Ybicf.jpg) 1333098888 +Which jurisdiction, may I ask? 1342019281 +When it comes to climate denial, I've noticed that a lot of otherwise smart people end up denying it because they're opposed to the kind of trash coming out from Hollywood and from nutjob environmentalists.\n\nUnfortunately the message from scientists gets drowned in a torrent of bullshit which just confuses people who don't have the time, desire or critical thinking skills to find out what's really going on. 1273925480 +Man, I love those things. They're like rock-tumblers on steroids. 1343839127 +This is what everyone is saying, and I can't help but agree with them. Releasing the 6 (?!) other videos in original format would certainly do a lot to assuage the skeptics. But since this happened in 2010 and they just made it public, I have to wonder why they aren't releasing the rest of the video. 1331942642 +There is a blog written by doctors that covers this kind of material everyday ( http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org ). It has a lot of material about the pharmaceutical industry, how good studies are conducted, and various forms of alternative medicine. Here is a couple of their articles I favorited a while back \n\nhttp://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/placebos-as-medicine-the-ethics-of-homeopathy/\n\nhttp://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/comparitive-drug-research/ 1330555170 +touche 1320498380 +My bad 1329152273 +That is the normal short explanation the issue at hand here (and what normally happens) is what is described by the following quote:\n\n>Dissonance is aroused when people are confronted with information that is inconsistent with their beliefs. If the dissonance is not reduced by changing one's belief, the dissonance can result in misperception or rejection or refutation of the information, seeking support from others who share the beliefs, and attempting to persuade others to restore consonance. 1301253256 +Not paranormal, but definitely cool. 1354180766 +I regret that I have but one upvote to give. You're braver than I. I'd have been scared that the customer would start spouting, "I HAD A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE WITH HOMEOPATHY HAVE **YOU** EVER USED IT" and I would get reported to my boss. Alternative medicine is way too popular where I live. :( 1313332126 +Hence the "or" in my sentence. 1311720386 +He made the camera himself? And then he saw a purple light on it? 1287363973 +As some have said, it could simply be a sleep paralysis hallucination.\n\nIt's up to you to decide whether you believe that the things you see while dreaming/under sleep paralysis/lucid dreaming, etc. are a type of external reality, or simply elaborate mind movies that occur internally only. \n\nFor the sake of fun, let's consider that you have had an encounter with some kind of entity that exists outside of your imagination. From your description, this being didn't seem to have the negativity associated with other supposed succubi encounters I've heard of. She didn't seem as aggressive, for one. Or as evil. You describe her as cute and not all that pushy. That might make her something not quite so bad. I actually have heard of a little test that might show her true colors. Up for a little experiment? Then do this: set up a mirror above your bed, or in whatever direction you look while sleeping in your normal sleep position. Try to contact or summon this entity again, if you think you can. Look at 'her' in the mirror. If she is a succubus, you should see... something. I won't tell you what, since then you might actually conjure it up mentally and spoil the experiment. But if you view a succubus in a mirror, you'll know it.\n\n 1326515249 +>2 + 2 = 4 is a declarative abstract statement. \n\nThen there would be no point to using that as any kind of proof of truth. It would just be "It's true because we say it is". So either the OP was wasting space, or could have been trying to make a point\n\nAs I said other people have with me here. I'm sorry you can't accept my experience with them, and assume I was being pretentious. Whatever.\n\n>I've never seen anyone who goes on the tack that simple math is not absolute who isn't also a pretentious, pseudo-intellectual asshole. Not one.\n\nSounds like a confirmation bias to me... you see it in me because you've decided that's what I was and there will never be any way I can counter that. Even though I wasn't.\n\nI was giving the guy several benefits of the doubt created by his own statement, combined with the bullshit arguments I've had to endure here... I wanted to avoid a long drawn out mess like this by calling it out up front. It seems it can't be avoided either way... either you don't call it out up front and waste time with unstated assumptions, or you call it out up front and get framed as pretentious.\n\n>I was applying your standard for "technically possible" to your scenario.\n\nNo you weren't. By not accepting what I meant by normal, even though I tried to explain it clearly... even though I later clarified, and you continue to reject it and not address the point with that understanding in hand, you are not addressing my scenario. You are addressing one of your own creation, and avoiding the original point.\n\n> That it is possible to drum up fantastic scenarios for any given situation that can still fit the level of detail supplied\n\nI disagreed explicitly with that point several times. Sure, you can argue with the language, but if you try to understand the what the person means, and see that he has tried to address all potential fantastic things... you should treat it is if he has. \n\nI gave you the reason I trotted out my fantastic examples, it was because the OP didn't indicate whether he was considering that kind of thing or not. If he'd just said "normal", I would have one more clarifying question to confirm that... and we'd be talking about actual issues, not this bullshit.\n\n> but you don't argue in good faith.\n\nEvery step of the way. You've just decided up front that I'm not, so nothing I can say will satisfy you that I am.\n\n> You tried to cite examples of things that can be proved with 100% certainty that, when using the same logic you applied to simple math, can be shown to not actually be 100%.\n\nYou don't see any difference between actual physical reality that we don't know everything about, and a system of mathematics we ourselves created?\n\nThen we have nothing to discuss. Concepts and reality are the same to you and we're just not operating in the same universe.\n\n>And really, all you had to say was that it was 100% certain that there could be no such thing as a square circle or married bachelor. Those are straight up contradictions that anyone who tries to argue against is just demonstrably contrary.\n\nI didn't think of those actually, those would have been simpler examples. However, the God example matched that in my mind.\n\nAlso I stated several times the underlying commonality of those. If you don't control the whole system, you can't specify things enough to completely disprove anything.\n\n 1320775234 +OK, the poll is up and running ... you can vote here ...\nhttp://www.skeptical-science.com/critical-thinking/poll-skeptical-podcasts/ 1308760761 +Totally emotional. The response is "Thank you for defending my right. Let me show you my appreciation by exercising it." 1318592817 +I second this. This website will tell you what % of donations go to project costs, how much to marketing, and how much to administration. \n\nI am very fond of [World Vision](http://www.worldvision.org/) as far as charities go. 1355104660 +I agree. In fact, I use this subreddit from time to time for a skeptical perspective, not because I am a skeptic. I'm not trained in science and logic enough to consider myself a skeptic, though I am working toward such a virtue. In the meantime I would appreciate some substance from an obviously learned and wise skeptic, such as yourself, rather than a fucking retarded statement that doesn't help anyone. Please offer a substantive response or go fuck yourself, jerk. 1294897452 +oh and formal drug trials... 1259613281 +And he bites! Scoreeeeeeee! 1345071337 +It's a fake. The image of the creature was used before in a more obvious fake\n\nhttp://i835.photobucket.com/albums/zz280/sadiepoolovee/Swamp_Monster.jpg 1291966476 +You can't educate everyone about everything. I cannot tell you how many of my friends – all of whom have at least a college education and are by no means stupid – have bought things like homeopathic or traditional Chinese/herbal remedies thinking that they were actually medicine, because they were in the section with all the real medicine at the grocery store and hey it says on the label that it's totally natural and safe! \n\nI'm not saying that this toothpaste stuff should be illegal, because I don't know exactly what kind of consequences would come from using it – but I also don't think companies should be allowed to put whatever they want on the ingredients label, even if it's obviously bullshit ("high vibrational frequencies"? Really?) Now, I did see in another thread that this company also sell something that supposedly treats brown recluse spider bites – and imho, that kind of shit should be illegal, because if someone used that thinking it was actually going to work they could easily end up dead. 1297197658 +To turn it around, why would I expect a system to not work well, because when I think of private regulators I think of AAA etc. \n\nThere's a lot of variables, and obviously a perfect system is impossible or close to impossible to achieve in any short span of time, which is why if a Libertarian got into office he wouldn't be immediately shutting everything down. We have much bigger problems right now like pulling out of a war we can't win and fixing our economy. 1306292851 +> The Buddha (or, as I like to call him, that fat Indian kid)\n\nI agree, but I'm going to be nit-picky: 'The Buddha', aka Siddartha was a skinny post-ascetic. The Fat Kid is *a* Buddha of Chinese origin, but not 'The Buddha' of Indian origin.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budai 1311352287 +no way. 1288914658 +haha ok thats freaky. 1296329216 +After having a look at a few of the papers they cite quite a few look like observational studies or small sample sizes. The one with the Aspen Seedlings is a case in point.... 'Because only one treatment enclosure was established for each treatment, differences among groups could not be analyzed statistically.'\n\nThey also seem to be mostly in-vitro and animal studies and that makes difficult to translate how the effects might manifest in humans if at all.\n\nI found a fairly recent review paper (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18359015) and after using meta-analysis etc to look at as many studies as they could find on the subject they came to the conclusion that:\n\n'This review showed that the large majority of individuals who claims to be able to detect low level RF-EMF are not able to do so under double-blind conditions..... The available observational studies do not allow differentiating between biophysical from EMF and nocebo effects.' \n\nThe nocebo effects are particularly interesting in that it seems that when people live near a cell tower they blame any adverse symptoms they have on that..i.e. if they have a headache it's because of 'that damn cell tower' and not because they had a stressful day.\n\nThat kind of ties in to the link you gave as well, as they seem to be blaming everything from headaches to the forests and bees dying out on microwave radiation! 1289236581 +As someone who lives right on the shore I assure you that this is algae. 1312782290 +> Skepticism isn't about giving the benefit of the doubt to every wild eyed scheme[.]\n\nWho said anything about giving anyone the benefit of the doubt? I can't prove there are no Purple Plutonian Unicorns, but that doesn't mean I have to give one second of serious attention to anyone who says there are, or account for them in any way in any of my reasoning or activity.\n\nI'm just saying "Don't say you know something for a fact until you can demonstrate it." If self-described skeptics don't follow this rule, who will? 1305648610 +This article was, in a word, crap-tastic. 1312311310 +or throw it in the trash 1348270688 +Meh, I don't really care. As long as he knows he's an asshole. Which [he admitted to](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/px7xf/my_daily_routine/c3t03gg?context=3)\n\nDeluding yourself into thinking you're not an asshole isn't much better than deluding yourself and/or others that you're psychic. 1329720735 +Woah why wasn't I invited to the mod circle jerk?\n\nDicks.\n\nps- I miss the little matrix reddit alien we had, any chance we could see that return, perhaps to the left of the "GITM" :D 1327005982 +Is it not a group of quadcopters? Like the post from a week ago predicted? 1348291501 +one molecule through the bladder of Oliver Cromwell? Does that mean water cures being an irredeemable bastard? 1355522177 +Oh I'm sorry, I missed the video. I should slow down and pay attention sometimes. hehehe 1343566730 +Thanks! (After reading up on confidence intervals and p-values it looks a lo clearer now.) Strange that they're claiming significance, what are they mistaking? 1302778757 +Don't worry about easyhistory, he just likes to post the same bunch of links over and over.\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/obama/comments/939bq/a_leaked_gop_memo_says_they_will_engage_in_every/c0baucr\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comments/936i3/whats_wrong_with_the_media_the_imply_obamas/c0baee6\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comments/9310q/you_know_that_canadian_woman_who_would_have_died/c0b9p6h\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/92w55/obama_slams_gop_for_opposing_health_care_reform/c0b9cho\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comments/930yp/obama_calls_on_the_bloggers_to_keep_the_pressure/c0b9chi\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comments/92yh1/jack_asks_if_its_right_to_soak_the_rich_to_pay/c0b9ch4\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/92x79/rumors_of_the_demise_of_obamas_health_care_reform/c0b9ce1\n\nand that's just the past couple days.\n\nHe also doesn't think it's spam:\n\n>It's not spam. It's responding to different people. If you don't like it that's up to you, but it's not spam if the response is on topic to what is commented.\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/92y94/thanks_skeptic_for_pulling_me_away_from_alex/c0bcql9 1248415081 +>A "doctor."\n\nA licensed MD who practised for decades. \n\nYes, he's got some archaic and outdated views on some things. \n\nAnd while I think his view on mandatory vaccines is ignorant, I don't think that gives you any right to mock him being a doctor.\n\n(And as a Canadian who doesn't support Ron Paul, you'll get an idea of the kind of objectivity I'm trying to bring here)\n\nEdit: Anyone actually going to explain their downvote? 1326632617 +I don't accept the report as evidence. The fact that you assumed so and your language here shows you really are a conspiracy theorist. You are part of a very sad and psychologically confused sub-culture. But enough about you. \n\n9/11. People make mistakes in their reports it happens all the time. But until you have evidence that 9/11 had some ulterior motive other than anger at America for trampling on their holy lands then you have no right to say anything and be heeded. The burden of proof is on you. You have clearly misinterpreted the youtube videos and it's pretty sad. A simple read through of [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9/11_conspiracy_theories) and checking the references within (of which are numerous and credible) should make you skeptic of your own "skepticism." I'd love to believe the government is full of evil secret shit and I'd love to do something about it but I see no proof and no good reason to. Do you seriously think Bush was smart enough to help orchestrate something like that? I used to live in Texas when he was governor, dude's an idiot. Do you seriously think the war in Iraq actually made any economic sense? We spent billions upon billions and we still are in the middle east. If the government was smart enough to orchestrate an attack like this in America you'd think they could plan a decent war. 1334507612 +That sounds amazing, I attempted to join a group here in Anchorage, but they wanted me to pay a $250 "joining fee", wanted to drug test me(not that I would have any problem passing) and wanted me to have two seperate background checks done. I thought it was a little ridiculious, and when I asked them when they last went on a case, they said it had been over a year and a half since their last investigation. To be honest, it kind of turned me off for a while. 1321300933 +Did anyone doubt that acai berries were a marketing scam? Not saying they aren't healthy, but they aren't any better than any other fruit. 1326762121 +I have had a sleep paralysis hallucination where a black cloud with a lot of electricity pulsing through it hovered above my head on the ceiling. There was also another humanoid entity in the room at the foot of my bed who 'made me aware' of the cloud. \n\nFor years, before I learnt about sleep paralysis, I was convinced I had been cursed by some demonic force and the cloud was the 'subconcious' manifestation of the curse. I'm glad there is a logical explanation for the experience because it was extremely disturbing at the time. 1314589639 +That's some deep logic you have there. 1351109405 +could be those crazy parachuting flare guys again. 1296779195 +I would love to see something like this also. I tried to do a bit of research on the place myself regarding the claims and couldn't find anything. 1342954314 +[There is even a song about it.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eBT6OSr1TI) 1332202211 +My patrol guys just came back to check on me, and to get my money for a subway five dollar footlong, so I figured since the quiet was disrupted I'd go upstairs and stop and restart the audio. \n\nI announced my return, and that I was starting up the recording again. \n\nI'll review it. I'll have two two-hour recordings of the dark, empty office up there. Back in the dark. 1348221502 +I was mostly joking 1327444596 +I get this a lot. And I wish the same thing. :/ Especially my grandmother who passed away suddenly. I have so many questions for some family who passed before I was born. But I dont see them. And I can only assume its because they are in a "better" place and happy :) 1333817109 +He didn't drop soda entirely, he just switched to diet. Also, there's no stated evidence that he was drinking ten a day. Plus, he most likely drank cans of coke, which were 150 calories as opposed to 100. 1312570853 +Honestly most of the talk on that place seems to originate from some evidence that there are now quasars that have a redshift which might not be an indication of the distance to them or of their real speed - and that for such cases there is an alternative (unproven?) theories that claim to explain things apparently better by also adding some amount of Compton effect or some other effects - however jumping from that to claiming that all redshift in the universe is only from Compton effect and that there is a 'conspiracy' to hide that is just the usual stupid talk that we see from conspiratards ...\n\nEDIT: very likely the standard Compton effect can not explain that ... 1328380305 +Stay away from the new scooby doo. the "ghosts" are now real. 1274280973 +This guy is a fucktard... he has tricked many people here with his bullshit, and caused lots of fear amongst gullible Kiwis (the people not the birds.. I don't think they would fall for his bollocks). 1314689438 +These occupy groups seem like they consist of loons and crackpots. 1337262782 +Good point, although you'll notice that the pattern is not exactly the same. Well, I say that but I am also aware that the pic did not quite turn out as intended.\n\nI appreciate the bit about scale. I didn't think about it at the time because I didn't expect to find anything at all and I typically associate that kind of thing with Bigfoot prints. Next time, I'm taking a ruler along for good measure.\n\nSorry about the pun.\n\nR 1344637276 +I've suffered from sleep paralysis since I was a child. It causes a sense of panic, hallucinations, and an inability to move. It is frequently preceded by lucid dreaming episodes. So yes, I'd say this poster was dead-on.\n\nA fundamental tenet of paranormal investigation is to do everything you can to account for rational explanations, and only when you cannot provide one to entertain a possibility of the paranormal. Which is something you should be familiar with, given your tag is Sherlock Holmes, who famously said (In The Sign of Four), "when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"\n\nOr, to reverse that, if you can't eliminate Lucid Dreaming and Sleep Paralysis as possibilities, you can't jump to the paranormal. 1342118341 +I'm a round eye so I'd be insulting myself haha. I said "do you believe me? Those floating things are not aliens" 1349139811 +I'm ridiculing you, and only you. You're taking the internet too seriously. Take a step back and look at who is the overreacting retard (hint: it's you.) 1285044299 +If you want a cirlcejerk, /r/atheism is good for that. The longer skeptics exist in a closed system the more out of touch and incapable of interacting with others we become. This guy is right. He is an outsider coming into the movement so he can give perspective that a lot of us lack. 1335971788 +Let me answer you by way of a little story of my second class session in archeology; The professor is a well known (in his field) Mayan archeologist, he manages his own long term dig of a major temple and has done a lot of foundational work in interpreting Mayan hieroglyphics. He spent a good 20 minutes of the class session explaining why the whole 'world ending in 2012 according to the Mayan calendar' was bullshit (his exact words) and then went on to ancient aliens and other assorted nonsense. Basically telling us that not everything on the discovery/science/history channel was worth talking about, and that if we brought up any of that stuff in class we would be mocked. He finished by telling us we were adults and should act like adults when approaching knowledge. 1312741103 +Torrent anyone? 1349879249 +Is it that hard to believe that there are religious teens that don't want to be gay? I totally agree that it is fucked up to send someone away for religious reasons against their will. 1349801651 +He's right, on the surface, looks aren't everything. But to the casual on-the-fence visitor, the site looks like a crazy person built it. Somebody help that guy out! :) 1299423535 +No need to air out your dirty laundry here bro. Thanks for your input though. 1355184720 +Hmm. I consider it a life skill. 1330744897 +In his defense, you'd hit a bitch too, if she were to make fun of your idiotic beliefs. 1329786383 +So fake it hurts 1349136465 +Being walked to death to the concession of a series of blatant lies to live until the rest of your people are expected to die in poverty is sure to hit anyone hard. 1345176216 +Get a bunch of newspaper or website horoscopes from the same day and compare. 1309553023 +That's not entirely true about one copy of the sickle cell gene. Look up Ryan Clark of the Pittsburg Steelers when they played in Denver a few years back. A lack of oxygen will convert some RBCs to sickle shaped even in people with only one allele. He had to have emergency surgery to remove his spleen. 1341320822 +Right there with you. I tried to just watch the movie as a movie but man did it feel really anti-science and anti-skepticism. Scientists yet again portrayed as people poking their noses where they don't belong. \n\nAlthough I think it can just as likely read as poor writing that resorts to tired rote character decisions that has determined the course of horror/thriller films for decades. \n\nTo be honest Cabin in the Woods made me think even less of Prometheus. I started to think that the something that drove the characters in that were happening to these characters. It made me LOL.\n\nMy most reviled line in the movie is when the "biologist" says "Oh, we're going to overturn 200 years of Darwinism.", I mean we would never hear in a movie that same sentance replaced with Newtonianism, or Einsteinism. Maybe Newtonian Physics or Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity. It's just the way that the line is delivered it sounds so perjorative, and as if Darwin is the one being adhered too an not evolutionary theory which has expanded and changed to include new evidence that wasn't available to Darwin at the time.\n\nI know I should just throw my hands up and say its just a movie, but then the film also pushes the ancient aliens theory, even to the point where it implies that the "Engineers" were involved somehow with Jesus. Seeing as it was approximately 2000 years ago when the engineers decided they were going to exterminate Humans for some "crime" which resulted in a disagreement among the Engineers.\n\nSorry about the rant, I just needed to get it out as I was super excited for this film, and on so many levels did it disappoint. However, it looked great and the performance from Michael Fassbinder was superb in fact I was happy when he started passively dispatching the crew. 1340812819 +I recall a totally legit study where dogs were trained on the smell of bladder cancer. Not only did they identify it in urine, one also diagnosed a case of kidney cancer the researchers were unaware of. 1296618657 +I think skepticism is a skill that anyone can learn. I think even something simple like the scientific method, or a flow chart with a few simple steps on it could help anyone to think more critically.\n\nFor example when presented with new information:\n\n1.) Is there any physical proof?\n\n2.) Are there experts in the field who can vouch for this?\n\n3.) Who benefits from me believing this? Is someone making money from selling books, selling a product, etc. \n\nI think most people are skeptical, it just depends how far they apply that skepticism in their life. Deeply religious people will definitely carefully interrogate someone who showed up at their doorstep asking for 20$. What do you need the money for?, do you have proof you are my long lost brother?, etc. They might unthinkingly give the same money to a televangelist, without asking what the money will be spent on. 1324602905 +it just proves chi. and there is already lot's of stuff that does that. This is just a easy personal demo that anyone can do, with a little practice. 1319651740 +My cat is like that too, and she is really sweet and small. About 7 years old.\nSorry that she died :( 1340635659 +The big secret is they are both really bad for us but no ones really talking about it. 1344877647 +I don't mind when people spout nonsense. It lets you know they're idiots straight away.\n\nMuch like ghetto wheels on a car. 1349629338 +These cloud phenomena are certainly showing up at various locations but, I doubt that these are UFO wormholes or portals. I have heard speculation that this is a result of HAARP or other manipulation of the atmosphere. This particular 'halo' is interesting because of the funnel-like formation. 1266440889 +Personal anecdote:My parents got a chocolate lab puppy,Nestle, the year I was born. We basically grew up together until she passed away around age 14. She would always drink from the toilet in my moms bathroom.A year or so after Nestle was gone, my mom woke up to the sound of drinking in the bathroom. It went on long enough for mom to get irritated and yell. The noise stopped and a minute or two later she gained her wits and checked the bathroom. Unsurprisingly, nothing was there. There is no way to know for sure that my mom wasn't half asleep and imagining things but it resonated with me nonetheless. 1335638909 +I was libertarian for a while. Basically when I first met the idea of Ron Paul. That guy does deserve a lot of respect.\n\nBut travelling to a third world country where it really struck me just how much value a government adds to a society really started me moving away from the more pure libertarian ideals.\n\nI still fully support the personal liberty ideals of libertarianism, but I cannot support the ideals which involve expecting people to fight for themselves when they are down. Compassion really is the thing most lacking from the libertarian ideal (I know, it is meant to be filled in by the average person - I'm just not convinced that works out very well in the end). I want a government that will stop people from being stuck on the street, will stop people from being unable to afford healthcare, and will support the weakest in society at the expense of others - because that is who needs to support the weak!\n\nPrivate systems are just as bloated an inefficient as government ones - but only government systems are *meant* to be for the good of the people, while private systems are *meant* to be for personal profit. Whether governments always succeed at being for the benefit of the people or not doesn't stop the fact that they are at least designed to fulfill that role, while the other isn't even meant to do it.\n\n..I think we got a little off topic here. 1338273948 +disappointed in where? 1310156294 +The Hopkinsville event had multiple witnesses, and the creatures described were quite different, they were not the typical greys which this account seems to be influenced by. These creatures resemble the Hopkinsville entities in only one respect: small humanoids. Also Hopkinsville included a UFO sighting at the beginning.\n\nThis report is from one witness, the report of another witness is anecdotal. The report comes from someone who appears to know a bit about such accounts. The evidence is weak and sending people out there based on this would be expensive and might achieve what a possible hoaxer wants, attention or whatever other validation is motivating them, even just hoodwinking someone for shits and giggles. They really should come up with better evidence than this, given the story so far. \n\nI mean, if this was happening to you, you'd make a bit of an effort to get better evidence, wouldn't you? Admittedly you'd be freaked out, but if you got good evidence, that would be worth a lot, financially and in every other respect. The guy claims to be armed, he doesn't have to go down the "mine" and his family are out of harm's way, so what's the problem? The dodgy photos seem pretty weak given the account of these things coming right up to the house. \n\nNot worth the effort with what has been presented. 1340273456 + What do you mean? I read the OP and commended on it. \n\nYour comment is typical for a believer, you want to shift the burden from the person making the claim to the person questioning the claim. It is the author of the article to provide the evidence and to prove the claims. If the author doesn't understand what constitutes evidence then they are not in an enviable position.\n\nMaybe you should familiarize yourself, with the fallacy of shifting the burden. 1306867999 +This post has been removed. This content is not appropriate for this subreddit, please to not post it or anything like it again. 1356011165 +But... conspiracies and stuff! There's no time for critical thinking. 1336774324 +I am still amazed that the US still has their voting dates during the week instead of the weekends and some of the huge lines that form outside voting zones.\n\nAussie here, all our elections are held on weekends and the wait to cast your vote is rarely longer than 5 minutes. 1352281808 +can you post a link to this ? i'd be interested in seeing it. or the title of the episode. Has there been a "bullshit" on it too? 1353265494 +"It's immoral to let a sucker keep his money" -Canada Bill Jones 1306461749 +No, I'm saying that "I didn't suffer trauma from abuse, ergo religion is categorically worse than child abuse" is a pretty fucking atrocious argument. Again, he allows his personal experience to override any other argument and uses only his personal experience to advance his overall agenda, ignoring or downplaying other experiences in the process. All of which is horribly unscientific.\n\nHe could've said "child abuse is bad. But teaching Christianity is also bad, and even worse!" and duked it out on the terms that actually exist. Instead he attempted to redefine child abuse to not-so-bad-as-all-that and preconditions his argument on that being accepted. Shitty argument. 1351098672 +Wait a minute, I thought Geocities was shut down? 1303251522 +Lost interest at #2. 1318633452 +Derren Brown introduced neurolinguistic programming to me.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derren_Brown\n\n[subliminal advertising](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyQjr1YL0zg) 1269284042 +Im in Fairfax! You post has freaked me out!!! 1348795864 +TIL.\n\nAlso, he apologized (Jon Stewart) for the usage of the history channel quote on Monday. 1323817105 +You're correct. This is a common magic trick that commonly went wrong so it doesn't happen too much anymore. If you check on youtube, you can find dozens of horrific, home-recorded videos of this trick going wrong. 1295725828 +Assume there is an amount of food to be able to provide for a population of Y. Let's say the population of some place is Z. As long as Y=Z, there is enough food (When Y>Z, there is a surplus of food). The moment Y<Z there's going to be less food for everyone. Eventually its going to get to the point where there just isn't going to be enough food, because the rate at which food is procured is slower than the rate of population growth. So people starve to death, which brings Z closer to Y again. More people dead, less mouths to feed. Once Y=Z again, the cycle repeats.\n\nAnd water distribution is usually given by aid groups to main cities, which is then distributed to towns, and then from there, people come from the villages to the towns to get water. They can't just "move" there, for the same reason that someone can live in one city, yet work in another. 1268159786 +I heard a similar story and what the guy did was he said out loud "OK, if there's anybody there, please make yourself known, because you're driving me crazy right now..." That guy is [David Icke](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HAN57I-lnE). 1341713487 +That sounds like one heck of an experience! 1343560879 +he said no rain, it snowed. I see no issue. 1313551465 +Ask them questions. Don't spout your beliefs. Make them do the thinking.\n\nAn easy way to do this is just to take your statements and frame them as questions in a non-judgmental way.\n\n**Example:**\n\nP1: I'm tired of everyone talking about gays getting married. God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!\n\n*P2: What do you feel about the parts of the Bible that talk more about loving everyone regardless of them doing things you disagree with?*\n\nP1: That doesn't mean they should be able to get married.\n\n*P2: Who should be able to choose who gets married?*\n\nP1: God-fearing Americans. This is a Christian nation.\n\n*P2: Do Jewish people deserve to be able to get married?*\n\nP1: Yeah, I don't have a problem with them. It's just the gays.\n\n*P2: So maybe it's not so much about religion as it is about what you just feel isn't right?*\n\nP1: Yeah.\n\netc....\n\n------------\n\nObviously the conversation could go a million different ways, but if approached in this manner you are much more likely to have a productive conversation that gets to what's underneath the superficial beliefs. It doesn't pass judgement, yet still leads them to think about things in a more critical way. You may find that you just don't agree, but at least you can find out the real reason *why* you don't agree. If it had started argumentatively, the conversation would have just been an argument about what the Bible does and doesn't say, which we found wasn't even the real issue here.\n\n\n\n\n**Edit:**\n\n*Just a downvote without any comment after I spent time typing all of that?* 1341561383 +Were you guys driving a Delorean? 1340727311 +You've already given me a fair bit to read, and I'm just an uneducated (really, Creationist schooling and only went to university for a short period before leaving) layman. Though this stuff fascinates me.\n\n>However, if it is learnt, and people suddenly stopped speaking and decided to write everything down, a malleable mechanism like learning could adapt to this, whereas the innate mechanism is more "rigid" in that for it to change it requires an evolutionary shift (which obviously takes a few generations).\n\nOkay, do we have any decisive evidence on this issue? I thought that stuff like reading and writing was harder. But as you've pointed out it can be explained either way, because we don't spend nearly as much time reading and writing as we do talking. 1328529485 +Anyone else notice the faint Hebrew lettering below the "Ingredients"? It's the first verse of Genesis. 1297205023 +>All in all I think a local food bank or shelter might be a better choice than any of the big ones.\n\nDefinitely this. Donate your money/time/goods in your own community, where you can see it in action.\n 1355105164 +Why be defensive about being helpfully educated? You've got some serious insecurities there, *bro* . 1340407990 +That sucks, Art Bell was a really good interviewer, even though its hard for me to get over his politics. 1350608953 +Quite well, thanks. **NOBODY** watches reality TV against their will, it has no physiological side effects, and if people *really* wanted to watch quality television, the equivalent of Downton Abbey would be on every single fucking channel.\n\nYou think we *like* working on "Say Yes to the Dress" over *West Wing?* 1344192969 +I disagree - George has the mentality of a child but none of the wonder. Art approached most subjects with logic, topical knowledge, and genuine interest. Noory sucks so bad he even sang an Elvis song live on the air . . . Ugggg what a piece of work. Here's the clip (set to video by a fan): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9SVj7tQmFs 1354196065 +Why would someone make a fake of a video they saw? 1296829468 +That is what alarmist evangelicals like to say, but usually quickly followed by a complete lack of skepticism in anything to do with climate science... Despite how much stuff is based on remarkably poor data or based on computer models that never quite seem to be right about much without an awful lot of tweaking and tuning. That's doin' sketipticsm wrong, big fellah. 1309639388 +Instead of trying to combat climate change, I think it's better to deal with rising sea levels, droughts, animal extinctions, etc. 1313541535 +They're talking about manipulating the upper back and neck (also part of the spine). It can help mobility slightly and increase comfort. No, I don't go to a chiropractor, but I do so using either stuff raided from yoga or simply grabbing my head and popping/stretching my neck (I'm sure plenty of people stretch their neck in various ways when it's stiff) and I'm not sure what benefit one would have from having a third party do it beyond perhaps inability to do so oneself or the ability to add massage (hard to rub your own neck/shoulders as well as another person can).\n\nNot sure how risky it is, there are a lot of blood flow through there and manipulating it (in any way) could conceivably "jar lose" stuff or damage something (overextending the neck muscles isn't uncommon especially if they're tight, the spinal cord is there, etc). Can't imagine it's a massive risk, but perhaps they'll continue research and present actual studies. 1339167203 +Does it happen *every day?* 1305857014 +It's called the power of suggestion. You run into it a lot with all of that backward song lyrics stuff. 1313431172 +This is revolting.\nBut, I'm not buying that the bad reaction was because of the pills she took. It could just be coincidence. The placenta pills probably do nothing at all, other than freak people out. Either way, there isn't any science here. This sort of thing should be subjected to proper double blind studies, hopefully turn up nothing, and be put to rest.\nGross. 1332787118 +I'm not gonna lie, my adrenaline was rushing as soon as I turned. I guess I just got scared from not expecting it. Like I've seen videos online, but never anything with my own eyes like this. 1356677243 +>She's a naturopathic doctor and midwife\n\nWait a minute. She's *two* things that scientific evidence shows are inferior to actual medicine? I think you need to stfu. 1286837518 +Well, it would have been so much easier of them to make the crop design and just park their ship next to it, waiting for us to show up with beer and cookies. 1351860854 +Well this thread is great for revealing the butthurt Democrats in /r/skeptic. Thanks for that, at least, but now I feel less like a part of the community. 1306185953 +This is exactly right. It's not panic that disclosure will unleash, it is a matter of control over information, people, money, energy. The old guard is desperately trying to keep the lid on, because once disclosure is out of the bag, the whole old game is literally over. It may be a little bumpy, but it's going to be a beautiful ride. 1345181930 +So... no fuck is given to hemoglobine, urines, or any of the molecules of the organism wich serves as buffers. Because you know! We piss yellow liquid just because humans beings always liked that color... 1338132167 +[This Frontline documentary talks about it in depth](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/real-csi/) 1336696684 +That was either a bad test, or more likely there were many introvert questions that you answered as an introvert. 1338742455 +Also, we have only been on this planet for a minute fraction of the galactic time scale. We have been capable of leaving Earth for an even smaller fraction. There is the possibility that we have just missed the other space fairing species by a couple of million years.\nOr we're being quarantined. 1340059777 +Combine harvesters.\n\nIf they're space ships, let's see them depart by flying away. Oh, wait, they can't, so they don't show that. \n\nIf you're filming amaaaaazing UFOs, you take footage of the most important aspect, don't you? The part where they fly away really fast or go through a wormhole or whatever it is they do. \n\nYou don't film them manoeuvring around then stop filming before they fly off. "Oh I've got enough footage of this earth-shattering unknown phenomenon now, so I'll shut off my camera and stop watching." Right.\n\nAlso they dubbed the audio in an obvious attempt to deceive. 1346585902 +They have hinted at it a bit, but never overtly, so I respect them for that. Not so sure about that religious episode where his mother comes to town though. 1324750127 +"Just the placebo effect" doesn't exist. To say that the mind is tricked into thinking that the pain is lessened (as an example) by a placebo pill does **not** explain by what mechanism the pain is lessened. I am not defending sugar pills here, but am simply pointing out that the "placebo effect" is also a mystery that we are just beginning to investigate and understand. \n\nEric Mead gave a very interesting talk on this subject at TED. You can view it at http://www.ted.com/talks/eric_mead_the_magic_of_the_placebo.html 1346873153 +The bible says that the earth was given for humans, which means that we shouldn't be able to change it in a way that makes it uninhabitable for us.\n\nOf course, this only works for people who value a single book of myths over mountains of verifiable evidence. 1331667350 +What's not skeptical about it? I've only had a chance to read a few of the myths they argue against and they seem reasonable to me. Isn't debunking myths with science sort of a key function of skepticism?\n\nEdit: Nevermind. I read your submission and comment history. Sorry for inadvertently feeding the troll. 1314298035 +If a craft is high enough, then the engine noise can be effectively drowned out.\n\nIt very easily could have been a night time training run for aircraft like you describe.\n\nrefueling at night is probably a necessary skill, and one that would have to be trained for. 1321572664 +Agreed, and it was never an issue with my son and his father, either. By the time they're old enough to notice a difference, they're old enough to understand why there's a difference. 1330711833 +Yup that about covers vitamins. 1309992849 +[It can be slightly acidic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purified_water). 1339604152 +As is "it's"... 1347471582 +Has any member of your family been into the occult(Freemason, Rosicrucian,Mormon,Jehovah) or even a "dabbler", or a family member that thinks a dead "relative" from the past spoke to them? have you done anything at a very young age that would have been considered occult? 1342854524 +Heh, it's definitely a cool bit of reporting. I checked the SkepDic and found something similar just now, a "magnetic fuel stabiliser".\n\nhttp://www.skepdic.com\n\nInset Fuel Stabilizer\nhttp://www.skepdic.com/inset.html\n\nYou'll like it. This is the Google Custom Search (for their site) that brought it up.\n\nhttp://www.google.com/custom?hl=en&client=pub-3542920166946725&cof=FORID%3A1%3BGL%3A1%3BLBGC%3A336699%3BLC%3A%230000ff%3BVLC%3A%23663399%3BGFNT%3A%230000ff%3BGIMP%3A%230000ff%3BDIV%3A%23336699%3B&domains=skepdic.com&ie=ISO-8859-1&oe=ISO-8859-1&q=car+magnetic&btnG=Search&sitesearch=skepdic.com\n\nI would have posted the page text for those that don't want to go off-site, but it makes my post over 10k and I didn't want to leave 2-3 comments.\nCheck out the skipdic page, though.\n\n 1319408286 +> lol u shitlords don;t come to be educated\n\nI was there to learn. I asked questions in good faith. I was shouted down for my temerity. Believe me or not, but that is the case.\n\nAnd if you think calling people "shitlords" demonstrates a willingness to do anything other than attack your audience, you don't deserve to use the term "hate speech" in a sentence.\n\n> ur not foolin ne1.\n\nYou visibly don't have any respect for the people you disagree with, nor do you apparently argue in good faith. That's OK, and I'm glad that you own it. That said, it's never going to win you any support, nor is it going to help you grow as a person.\n\n> certain forms or speech are banned\n\nIn my case, questions about language use and finer points of the balance of rights between individuals. That I did not know the fourth-wave-feminism answers to these questions, how they apparently apply to wider human rights issues, and that inconsistencies in these positions _absolutely don't exist_ was sufficient to get me shouted down. I'm not one to push too hard, so that ended quickly enough.\n\n> it's like if u said that a communist revolutionary party cannot execute praxis because idk they ban libertarians from raising issues at plenums or they bad hate speech altogether\n\nThe question really is, are you planning praxis or are you executing it? For planning, sure, limit discussion. If you're trying to execute praxis - seems to be the necessary purpose of a public space - you need outreach, discourse, and education. Otherwise, you're just impotently spinning your wheels.\n\nIncidentally, the communist party isn't the best example. They have historically done a terrible job at executing praxis, at least in the US. 1347395913 +Companies look to make money. Some of that money is made by throwing money at RIAA lawyers (as tax deductible donation to a trade organization that is commensurate with participation in a given field). It's a no-loss situation. Do the companies proper also try to make money via ad sales selling anything that's popular? Yeah. While there's likely no collaboration between these sectors akin to what we might call entrapment, it's still a shitty business practice to have your free lawyers attack people who aren't your customers. Long term, that's not a great way to get more customers. 1345475077 +Sorry, typo'ed that one! 1352735969 +***BadAstronomer***:\n\n>&#91;2012/04/10&#93;&#91;15:29:09&#93;\n\n>[&#91;Translate&#93;](http://translate.google.com/#auto|auto|The less you read about homeopathy, the more you understand it. 'google translate this tweet'): The less you read about homeopathy, the more you understand it.\n\n[&#91;This comment was posted by a bot&#93;&#91;FAQ&#93;](http://www.reddit.com/r/tweet_poster/faq 'tweet_poster FAQ')[&#91;Did I get it wrong?&#93;](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=tweet_poster&subject=Error%20Report&message=[Oops!](http://reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/s2ndz\\)%0d%0dPlease leave the subject and this link unaltered, but feel free to add a description here. 'report an error') 1334072115 +Not just Katrina... some people actually believe that all hurricanes are created and controlled by the gubment.\n\nIt's impossible for a natural disaster to occur without spawning some sort of conspiracy theory. 1337376577 +Thanks, I've got ones up on the TAT and projective drawings as well. 1356456505 +I do, but opinions and stupidity are two different things completely. 1330641372 +You ams confuse basic with bitters, which ams a pretty bad equivalence peoples ams taught for some reasons. Because acids ams sours, and base ams opposite acids so they must be bitter, right? Well, no. Mechanisms for detects acid and bitter things ams different. In truth, many bitter things ams alkaloids which ams basic compounds, but also ams often detects in very low concentrations. Some other bitter things ams like baking soda, ams a salt but ams also not detects in same ways... \n\nGood example of how this will fucks your brain is eat a grapefruit - it ams acids, but also bitter. 1338192450 +I'm sure you guys have forwarded this landmark date to CNN .... here's hoping they mention it tonight. 1315067826 +Yep!! I wrote about something similar happening to me just the other day: http://www.reddit.com/r/Glitch_in_the_Matrix/comments/13r1pf/synching_words/ 1354211224 +Octopi have the innate ability to select the most delicious mollusk, this year it happened to be in the Spanish box...\n\n 1278616587 +I have to argue this. If you didn't have companies making sterile crops, and claiming ownership of the intellectual property that produces then we wouldn't have these crops in the first place.\n\nIntellectual property rights are important. What they allows is business to invest in and produce more ideas, new ways of doing things. What incentive is there for a company to innovate if their investment would be copied and under cut?\n\nImagine if they produced seeds for crops that weren't sterile. In two seasons Monsanto would not sell a single seed. It would be cheaper for someone to buy some of their seed just for breeding. \n\nMonsanto would do one or two things from this. The seeds they do sell in the first place would have to be priced at a level that recovers their entire R&D budget (read millions of dollars), or they wouldn't research seeds in the first place. 1335606731 +The spiritual energy of Halloween makes psychic readings almost impossible. Everyone knows that, jeeeez.\n\n 1320106446 +I think it's a very good demonstration, I'm not too sure what the results are telling us though. 3-4% could be accounted for through stastical error, and I think the length between the two point would very slightly depending on how far away the camera is from the window, 3% difference could be as little as 1cm I would think. this is another lateral movement that would be foward and backwards. Overall I think this strengthens the idea that it's just dirt on the window. I would be interested in seeing you try with teh cleaned up frames. 1327028491 +I love the fact that so many professional magicians are also sceptics. Its almost as if they naturally become sceptics as they begin to realise how easy it is to fool someone. 1318114074 +Holocaust deniers have been around for a while. I'm not sure why the appearance of a few on the internet would cause *anyone* to panic. 1356501048 +The one in Colorado springs looks an awful lot like parachute flares. 1342184812 +Farts. \n\nGuess they're healthy to inhale. 1333903724 +I already seen it but didn't even think of it again until you mentioned it. 1350864188 +So, when 10% hold unshakeable belief "X is true" and a different 10% hold unshakeable belief "X is false", what happens? It's impossible that both beliefs could "be adopted by the majority of the society".\n \nHeadline fail. 1311736504 +In my 29 years of serving Christ I have witnessed many miracles and seen many blind eyes opened - God still heals today. His existence in such things is evident in the recreative miracles that take place. God's existence is not contingent upon your belief, but your future is contingent upon what you do with His existence. 1272140019 +There are a bunch of videos that show TAPS is faked. Sadly it ruined the show for me. I really used to like watching it. We had turned it into a nice drinking game. Every time they reference a term then cut away to explain what the term or technique meant, take a drink. It got ya pretty numb by the end. 1348499734 +Knowing this subreddit, I keep expecting someone to post a thread about how they lost a big, freaking screw in their locked room and haven't found it to this day. o.O \n\n/wormholes. wormholes everywhere. 1326487895 +Oh I'll never tell \n\n^_~\n\n 1290835007 +Is there, by any chance, a Frozen Donkey Wheel in this well? 1297929124 +Wild guess: women were considered semi-divine due to their unique gift of being able to produce new life. Later, when the male role in reproduction was found, that semi-divinity was lost. 1342817208 +>UFOs are not physical craft. They're metaphysical in nature. The disinfo is to assume that they ARE craft and that they ARE from outer space. \n\nWell these objects do look like flying "craft" and they show up on radar and film- so they *are* solid, physical objects.\n\nIn regards to your PROCLAMATIONS: you don't *know* anything. The sooner you come to grips with that the better off you'll be. You *believe* these things, for whatever reason. It is human nature it seems. You have to fight it. Quit trying to explain everything like a religious prophet and enjoy the mystery. \n\nHere is what can be known: there are physical objects of unknown origins in our skies capable of advanced maneuvering and speeds, and they have been reported since at least the 1940s. Anything beyond that is speculation and imagination. 1326520424 +Another one is north of Indian Springs. 1330138228 +Just to give some background information, this is a press release from The 9/11 Consensus Panel, a truther organization. 1339992125 +You should both read the Dalai Lama's The Universe in a Single Atom.\n\nhttp://www.amazon.com/Universe-Single-Atom-Convergence-Spirituality/dp/076792066X 1311267524 +I used to think the whole building came down all at once, that puzzled me. Seeing this video completely explains what happened, first the internal structure collapsed then the outer shell. 1315522485 +Seriously. I have been to a chiropractor twice, for acute back pain. I can't say it helped completely, but it did for me resemble a massage, which was the only way I could afford one using my insurance (read:free (and at least I thought it was the only way at the time)). Not to mention this chiropractor gave me some light back exercises to do, which I think is more than reasonable advice. It was no miracle cure, but damn it if I did not feel better walking out of the chiropractor's office. \n\nI have never heard of chiropractors claiming they can heal diseases before Reddit, but I guess I'm in the minority. Of course, I would never support that idea, which seems ludicrous. What does seem reasonable to me would be the fact that they can help with minor cases of back pain and posture problems and such. For any serious problems, the obvious answer would be go see a real doctor. \n\nOn that note: I can understand the rage against homeopathy in this subreddit, as I know people very close to me who believe in homeopathic remedies, and it pisses me off to no ends. I would be more understanding if they were religious. Think about it - at least homeopathy can be scientifically proven to not work, and as far as I'm concerned, it has been not proven to work. I frequently say that for me to be able to accept that homeopathy works, I would have to burn my diploma and forget almost everything I learned about science. In the case of religion, at least it is scientifically impossible to prove or disprove the existence of god (I'm an atheist for the record). \n\nSorry for the long rant and going off topic a bit. 1310421050 +That's not exactly what I meant (atheists that believe in alt. medicine, ufo's, etc.), but it is right on, have an upvote! 1296163187 +Seriously, why is Pauling "nuts"? 1333986801 +I most certainly do, I drive a car with good gas mileage, work at home (and when I worked at the local university took the bus), have an energy efficient apartment and use energy-saving techniques to cut my heating and cooling costs, et cetera. \n\nBut that makes sense just from a personal finance perspective too. Overall, though, this is the kind of thing that requires public investment and public policy changes; there are structural reasons as to why renewable energy and alternative modes of transportation are still lagging behind. Cutting your personal footprint doesn't change the business economics. 1337307525 +also, kim jong il got 11 hole in ones the first time he played golf. true story. 1324329829 +Two piles of manure. Don't step in either. 1269256740 +Your title made me think of [Placebo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo_\\(band\\)) 1289458912 +This is the single best argument. If The Big Bang 'theory' is correct, and for the sake of simplicity of argument, there is no multiverse, but just this universe: The universe is around 14B years old, and our own system is around 4B, which leaves an awful lot of room (14B years) for there to be systems that support intelligent life more evolved than our own, given the vastness of its size and the sheer time and cosmic variety of it all. Heck, forget about 1000 years, for all we know there could be civilisations 1B+ years ahead of us, given that we ourselves are around 1B years in the making, there's 13B others years for that to be possible. 1351121502 +Something that gets past a lot of people using alternative medicine angry at "Big Pharma" is that "Big Pharma" are among the biggest sellers of such remedies in the first place. \n\n*Wait, I can sell stuff in the health market that needs zero research, doesn't have to work and is unregulated by the government? Sure, why not!*\n\nThey would be stupid not to. 1290909969 +There's a place somewhere out in that same area we called the Murder House (I don't remember why). Checked it out a few times. There's a dirt basement area underneath with a low ceiling. Ever checked that place out?\n\nOne time myself and a few friends were exploring the area, we went down into the basement to see what was up. We were all down there and accounted for, and suddenly we heard loud footsteps from the house above us. We all instantly froze, looked at each other, and then ran the fuck out! 1337860562 +I had seen it in the aisles and never looked into it. Its back to back with aspirin/ibuprofin and just figured it was another of the same. good to know its all BS. 1327348756 +This is really neat and all, but, um... Where are the figures, and the suggested reading/listening list? 1338218431 +I edited my original comment. \n\nAnyway, I dont deny that man is definitely partly to blame if not mostly to blame for the recent warming. \n\nI guess my main frustration is the topic itself and the "answers" to the problem. 1329330117 +How do they get odd numbers? 1305948114 +The reason the moon appears so bright would be due to the length of the exposure ie the camera is capturing more light than normal. You will also note that the stars, planets, and city lights are all far brighter than normal. 1317113266 +Utah: seriously... why? 1325223818 +Can you pull the headers?\n\n1. Log in to Gmail\n2. Open the message \n3. Click the down arrow next to Reply, at the top of the message pane.\n4. Select Show Original.\n\nPaste them here. It will give a history of the message and where it came from, which servers touched it, and the time stamps. 1348087754 +If you'll forgive the pop culture reference, I Want to Believe.\n\nI work in a very rational, empirical field. I subbed here because I deeply hope that there's something "more," but can't generally suspend my disbelief long enough to believe it. (For me, Occam's razor is strongly dissuasive of UFOs as extraterrestrial aircraft.) This subreddit gives me a little fodder for keeping that hope alive. 1349445925 +I'm in Alabama. [I think this is the same thing I saw.](http://www.katc.com/news/huge-fireball-spotted-over-southeast-us/) \n\n[Here's a \\(very poor quality\\) video.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4PLAwuZ77E) 1324588424 +Usually doing like with an incense, letting them burn slowly...I just remembered, sage is really good too, and burns slowly 1349741879 +That was one of the most convincing UFO videos I've seen. Are you (the OP) the guy who filmed it? 1350061228 +Could you describe a little more about what your brother is actually doing or planning to do, for those of us who are unfamiliar? What I got from the wikipedia article and your post is that your brother believes that he has a bank account somewhere containing $630,000, which was given to him for no apparent reason by the US government. And now he believes he can either withdraw this money through some obscure bureaucratic procedure or that he can write cheques from this fictitious bank account... somehow. I'm hoping that the situation is less bizarre than my interpretation of it. 1325031154 +I did respond to what you said. You're arguing that their inaction is a justification for our own. 1331416866 +Took a look at some of the videos. Some are obviously faked. 1314821066 +You seriously linked to someone describing natural selection, as "worship of science", you've got to be retarded.\n\nStrawmanning by pointing out real examples where religious people have started protests over?\n\nThe point of ridiculing religion is to get them to stop getting so offended by it. Similar to how people use to make fun of people who got angry in school when someone insults them, the solution was to not be so offended by it. That's the goal. Religions are so easily offended by everything, and that's only going to lead to violence down the road.\n\nAnd you dislike atheism because it used popular memes like advice animals and facebook pictures to make a specific point or bring to attention a specific issue. \n\nLet me tell you, a lot of subreddits are about to disappoint you (but it's funny that you directly go to magicskyfairy which has all of this).\n\nYou dislike /r/atheism because people show respect to something said by the Dalai Lama? Really? REALLY?\n\n> strict interpretation of the same holy book that they forgo belief in\n\nWell that's why religious scripture was created, to be strictly followed since they are divine texts by God. If we went back in time to the 12th century, they'd hang you for saying you want to interpret a line of Bible as a metaphor. Today's Christians are a lot more modern, so the point of quoting Bibles to them, is to show them, they are good because of modern moral zeitgeist, not because of the Bible (since they don't strictly adhere to the Biblical laws).\n\n>superiority complex\n\nSuperiority complex for believing in evolution, the scientific fact, and being upset that they met people who don't believe in it (AKA uneducated ignorant people)---that's superiority? \n\nNext you'll tell me your math professor has a superiority complex for grading you badly on a math test.\n\nHey [this](http://www.borderofinsanity.com/assets/2012/01/Atheism-vs-Stupidism-atheism-26693291-500-417.png) was on the front page of /r/atheism today. I bet you're gonna tell me that it's offensive because people who think atheism is stupid should not be called stupid because that's offensive. 1347872404 +We certainly can take a lot of meaning from the Biblical texts to our lives because, at the most basic, humans haven't changed over the centuries. So to that end, yeah, we can learn from our ancient roots. And I do find a lot of value in that.\n\nAnd, as a church community we have our traditions (that have changed over the centuries) to pull from and our community interpretations that have been peculiar depending on the community time and place you're talking about. \n\nThere is value to be had in all of this and much of it is what I still find meaningful in the church and in our religion.\n\nBut all of that value and meaning in the Biblical texts goes exactly as far as what we bring to it. And what we bring to it is an awful lot. No matter how we might desire to read some sort of plain meaning out of the text, we will always end up reading into the text if we attempt to apply it to our modern life.\n\nThe work of Biblical scholars like John Collins and many others has been to get past the mysticism surrounding the texts and really examine them as documents that have come to us over a very long and complicated timeline. As such, the texts can, in a sense, live again when we're able to see them as part of the community that created them.\n\nA homily certainly does provide the members of that church a way to interpret those texts and integrate them into their lives. But that is not the texts themselves. That's the theology of the church tradition and potentially the personal interpretation of the priest creating meaning and layering it back on to the text. That homily still has meaning, it's just not any more or less valuable than creating a homily based on a Shakespeare play or an epic by Homer. 1313135535 +> We've recently adopted a new $100 bill made of untearable and very durable plastic and there are plans to unveil other plastic denominations as well.\n\nFWIW, polymer notes have been around for a long time - in this regard, Canada isn't that advanced. I agree that we have had some pretty neat stuff though. 1326831558 +Well, as long as she can cherry pick the data that appears to support her conclusion without actually having to show all the data, why not? It gives her claim the air of legitimacy, even if it is erroneous. How many people will actually look up the study for themselves instead of just being outraged that such blatantly evil things are being forced on our children? 1329149334 +Toy store? Seems about right. 1317531502 +This is incorrect. 1347386753 +The tricky part is the whole "everyone agrees with it" bit. In fact, all native English speakers still have to have this rule pounded into them in elementary school because it is perfectly natural in English to end sentences with prepositions. So from a descriptivist view of English it is in fact not a rule at all, but a made up prescription that has no basis in how actual Anglophones speak. 1300331857 +Just want to say I'm glad to see there are some demsocs who are pro gun. Actually following the evidence instead of just following ideology. 1311023018 +It's not going to help some with an allergy to honey, that's for sure. :P 1296719418 +My wife bought 2 bottles of homeopathic restless leg "medicine" from Walgreen's yesterday. I am mad as hell that Walgreen's even carries homeopathic crap. I am going to complain by email today and I will read the other suggestions in this thread later to see if there is anything else I can do. 1300714615 +It's not that people are skeptics, it's that they aren't going to jump at every claim and just start believing it because someone claims it might be true.\n\nIt's the opposite of believing in whatever someone says, just because they said it. \n\nMere claims aren't evidence and the "information" found by one person just can be wrong if it's not supported and verified by others in the field.\n\nClaims need backing evidence, backing evidence that is verified. 1343910771 +Whilst true, those people wouldn't represent a substantial number of [/r/atheism](/r/atheism). \n\nSome links get love, some don't - Timing seems to be a large factor. 1334245275 +If he is still alive, he and his supporters will get the word out. 1304366695 +What used to happen with wine was that the quality of wine would depend on which field that it was grown in, the quality of the soil, the amount of light, the storage containers. It used to be that if it tasted good, the price would go up, and if it tasted bad, it would be cheap.\n\nThen science happened. Modern producers scaled up their operations, bought in grapes from a wider range of growers, who had also been improving their crop, they refined their process, monitored the quality of the source, blended appropriately.\n\nNow there are still some stonking, expensive wines out there, but cheap wines are no longer cheap because they are bad, they're cheap because they are mass produced, and the quality and consistency is on a relentless march upwards as a result of a scientific feedback loop.\n\nQuite frankly, for most supermarket wines it has become a branding exercise, where you pay more for a name than the content, much like most of the stuff we buy nowadays. 1302966737 +>The trick would be to have that scientist waiting in the field \n\nEven though *that scientist* would be subjected to the same human observation errors that mainstream scientists use to discredit everyone else's encounters.\n\nIronic, huh? 1314391143 +>just so we can have a new mascara\n\nYes. This is what animal testing is about.\n\nNot about producing vaccines and cures for diseases which kill, cripple and harm millions of people a year.\n\nNot about producing vaccines and cures for diseases which kill, cripple and harm millions of animals a year.\n\nAnimal testing is about cosmetics. That bunny DIED so you can have better lashes. That's the sickening truth, people. /s. 1331854570 +You have said too much. For your own safety, remain silent about this issue. Under no account should you mention bed-jumping, bed-jumpers, or any other related phenomena. Do not attempt to research the matter. Carry on as normal with your life. I repeat: for official purposes, THIS DID NOT HAPPEN.\n\n...or you know, maybe this guy is just being an ass. I prefer my version. 1346706369 +>Because you're arguing semantics. You introduce a new and previously unused term (SRSPrime)\n\nOr, in other words, I highlight the major cause of the misrepresentation of SRS on reddit.\n\n>My statements this whole time have been about the root subreddit, /r/ShitRedditSays[1] , unless otherwise specified. You have, however, intentionally taken them to refer to the entirety of the SRS offshoots, even when I've already said that I don't think that.\n\nAnd the problem is that SRS is just as misrepresented as r/atheism. How many times have you heard people claim that the people in there are angry, hostile, men-hating, etc? 1347423445 +I am not a scientist, but I am running for state representative in NH on the idea that legislation needs more scientific basis. I'm regularly appalled by the lack of dedication to science and reality our world lives by. \n\nMy state just passed legislation that allows parents to tell their children's teachers if they're uncomfortable with the subject matter to exclude the child from learning anything the parents disagree with. This will not make for an educated generation, if pop culture can dictate what happens in science class.\n\nIn case anybody's interested- it's http://electfisher.org 1331225360 +By stating that some herbs "work", you're implying that skeptics think that none do. This is a straw man. Every skeptic I've met admits that many herbs can and do work. Herbs are just cocktails of drugs, sometimes one or more of those drugs can help, but they can also hurt. 1299558231 +and times were different.. then. we werent currently at war with two muslims nations.\n\nwe didnt have a very right wing al quada telling people the west is at war with all of islam.\n\nwe also didnt have the hyper right wing in america going all about islamofascist and how every single solitary 1.6 billion muslims were terrorists.\n\nThey rabid right feeds off each other and that is how things esculate.\n\nNotice they never want to come to the diplomatic table without preconditions.\n\nNotice they all want to blow the middle east to hell and dont see the hypocracy in killing the innocent.\n\nnotice they think tough talk and drawing lines in the sand is a way to de-escalate the problem.\n\nsaying "bring em on" while it gets the rabid right cheering, it isnt the wises thing to say in war.\n\n 1347469450 +* Clearly, there is some disagreement about the "general use" of the word "drunk." It is not as obvious as you've made it out to be. Watson made the effort to define what she meant by "drunk" multiple times. So, when there is confusion about what *she* meant, do we defer to her definition, or to an outside definition? When a biologist is talking about the *theory* of evolution, and there is confusion about the meaning, do we defer to the biologist's definition or the "general use?"\n\n* I really don't see her definition as special. She's not the only one that says a drunk person cannot consent. For example, my state university's sexual assault policy states that a person under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol is not able to give consent. So, it would be a stretch to call this a special or extremist position. You can question the validity of policies like these, but it's the codified status quo in places.\n\n* She can later say whatever she wants and have it questioned, yes. However, it's clear to me that the later tweets were her **reiterating** the same concept over and over. These were a **continuation** of what she was saying, not the start of some whole new conversation, completely devoid of context. If there was any confusion about the tweets, she **made a blog post** to clear things up. The tweet is part of a **context**, and to ignore what she said both before and after is foolish and/or intentionally dishonest. 1356045520 +The Company, nowadays. 1349653183 +This is just a very complicated version of the Bloody Mary game. 1355173869 +Doesn't the skunk ape kind of resemble a 'big foot' type creature? This thing was very thin and hairless.\n\nEdit: it's noteworthy that this creature was quick. very agile. 1313789168 +"It probably wouldn't work. I've talked face-to-face with creationists before, and the problem is their mind boggling ignorance."\n\nThe problem with atheists is their mind boggling lack of common sense in the approach. Actually you have to put a great deal into God's hand so to speak. You cannot force people's face into truth and expect them to thank you, it's by the grace of our creator that we come to know truth. 1265514535 +Earl *Greys*! GASP 1292947679 +sarcasm -_- 1326184266 +You're now on a list somewhere. 1342058296 +Well, that's not the entire context...\n\nYes, they did kidnap him - but they had his parent's permission. If they had done *exactly* the same thing a few month earlier (when the man was 17), it would have been perfecly legal... 1342038385 +Yeah, the math seemed a bit wonky on that one. That means just about each one of those people is responsible for a little over 3.1 million dollars each. 1351879573 +Healthy cells very rarely actually hit the point at which telomeres become the dominant factor in their dysfunction. More common is that cells cease being able to reliably reproduce vital sections of genetic code, leading to impaired metabolic function and frequently one of many types of programmed cell death. In order for a cancerous cell to become "immortal" however, it must have a modified ability to replenish it's telomeres.\n\nThe "self destruct mechanism" is actually not one mechanism but many mechanisms. By means of these mechanisms a cell can detect if it's genome is damaged or replicated improperly, or if the cell's physical integrity has changed, or if the cell is unnecessary, or even if some of it's error checking mechanisms are not working properly. These self defense mechanisms can work by halting the cell's metabolic processes or by activing other processes. It's a complex system which usually requires multiple mutations in multiple (often redundant!) genes, both genes which check for errors and genes which regulate growth and reproduction. \n\nAs a consequence there will never be a global cure for "cancer", because cancer is a name for one of thousands upon thousands of different types of cellular dysfunction. 1305334953 +remember lucid dreming was "pseudo-esque" before it became accepted as well. Along with the world being flat and such. Remember babysteps and never assume something is hogwash just because the consensus doesn't approve...yet. 1347150411 +Depends on how hot I am. 1339749638 +WTC nuclear demolition! Bwa ha ha ha. Anyone who walks down the street with a geiger counter anytime in the next million years could disprove that one! 1299438536 +I love this theory, and often include pole reversals in my "big list of things that could take society/civilization down" I don't think that it holds up for the bird deaths. \n\n 1294506686 +Since you're interested, there have been at least a couple major attempts to replicate Bem's results since it was published, and both have been negative. The most recent one ran into some issues with the journal that published Bem's original article, because their policy has been not to publish straight replications. After some hubbub, I've heard that they are actually going to publish it, so that should be coming soon. 1348690481 +I hope so. I emailed the people at TAM that I wanted to add some workshops to my registration, but they haven't responded yet. 1339552902 +Thank you for the advice, i'm aware its not the most enticing of hobbies, but I just want to have that experience, I guess you could say its on my bucket list, oddly enough. \n\nI take it you have some experience in this. Is this a hobby of yours or what? if you don't mind my asking. 1340563940 +Something being natural in no way implies it is safe and good for you. 1338793633 +Wow.. a non-evidence based neurologist.... that's fucking scary. 1326062470 +A Klasshole, if you will. 1350184788 +No way. Not even close. That is a once in a lifetime sort of thing. 1340818323 +Thanks for the links. It's fairly depressing that the response you linked is so far down the page, after a whole load of snarky comments. 1270132994 +I was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was institutionalized for months.\nWhen I moved to Houston 6 hours away to live with my dad?\nI would see faces in the clouds.. you know.. disoriented type but they've always smiled. Well my grandmother died the next day and the night she did.. I was tired.. In the corner of my bed I felt weight. As if someone was sitting there patting me on the back of my head. \nThis feeling.. of deep sympathy over whelmed me. Like whatever it was felt sorry for what I was gong through. I don't know if it was real or my illness but I believe it was her. \n 1356925065 +TL:DR??? 1343954417 +This thread is a Penn and teller circlejerk combined with an anti-gun control circlejerk.\n\nIt does not belong in this subreddit. 1356134863 +Street view shots are not taken at the same time as satellite images. As you can see in street view it is cloudy, they would never use a cloudy image from a satellite, because you would see nothing.\n\nThose 3 blurry smudges could be something in the clouds, or just dried up dirt that was splashed on.\n\nEdit 1: If you really want to know what it is do not go to wtf, or paranormal. Go to [/r/askscience](/r/askscience).\nThey can distinguish to see if a ufo is a spaceship or a raindrop in no time. 1328112362 +1. It's bullshit\n2. ...peddled by bullshitters\n3. ...and believed by people who fall for all kinds of bullshit. 1254832219 +I saw the exact thing last night in Los Angeles! 1350068900 +I'd agree with that, but that is a completely separate argument from talking about the DMCA :) 1284835601 +> Do you have something other than assertion and suspicion to justify this.\n\nNot sure what evidence I should provide for this. Typically, if an "agressive" intervention is uncommon in a society, there is little desire to fund lots of studies to see if there is a benefit of that procedure. Because circumcision is common in the US, there was a lot of interest in figuring out whether there is a benefit of process that was occurring commonly but the AAP had not recommended since 1971 (which was the first time it talked about (I think)). And if you look at [AAP's report from 1999](http://www.cirp.org/library/statements/aap1999/), you can see the length of the section on UTI (approx. 1450 words long) versus the section on STDs (approx. 146 words long). This reflects that the latter studies are a more recent suggestion.\n\n> Males retain ability to orgasm, females do not.\n\nThe studies are mixed on both these. There are several reports of reduced penile sensitivity and delayed orgasms in circumcised males. There are also reports of females happily having orgasms after FGM. But since this is not my primary area of interest, I don't know where the overall opinion lies in these. I agree the intention in the case of FGM is reprehensible but the intentions in the male side are often (a) religious, (b) a desire to fit in, (c) a desire to look like Dad's, (d) health concerns - and (d) is much less frequently the intent compared to the other three.\n\n> I'm not necessarily a proponent for male circumcision, but I do think the hullabaloo is much overwrought.\n\nI am not certain about the value of circumcision and therefore was looking forward to the AAP's recommendation. The press release was a bit hyperbolic for my taste and therefore I mentioned that. I hope I did not come across as too militant. The reason for the general hullabaloo is that it is not (a) a societal norm in most of the rest of the world, (b) the intention is suspect in a majority of cases, and many countries are more sensitive about a child's rights than Americans are (rightly or not), and (c) it is the internet - only the loudest and the most motivated survive. 1346088570 +I just realized your condescension was all based on an entirely incorrect understanding of Argumentum ad Ignoratium.\n\nArgumentum ad Ignoratium is NOT the concept that "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."\n\nIt is actually the concept that absence of contradicting evidence is not proof.\n\nThe two are very different ideas; in fact they insinuate opposing conclusions. You clearly are someone who gets off on correcting people's logic - and not actually displaying good logic - if you just assumed without learning about or so terribly misunderstood Argumentum ad Ignratium. You effectively turned the entire concept on its head and attempted to argue that it suggests the opposite of what it does. I can't believe I argued with you at all about it.\n\nThe teapot analogy perfectly explains why you can safely say Bigfoot doesn't exist. Your semantic focus on the word "probably" is inane. 1346873203 +What happens if someone changes the alarm to a time you don't know, will you still wake up before it? 1340400252 +The only information I have is that the person taking the picture is the Ex and he lives in the house. He is taking a picture of his gf's tattoo and there are no other residents of the house. They, divorced wife and husband, have both said between the two that they thought the house might be haunted and have witnessed strange things. He sent the picture to the ex wife and he said there was no one else in the house. He lives alone and they are about to put the house up for sale.\n\nI was hoping someone could give me some different colorizations of the photo to send back. I'll see if I can probe for more information.. 1347302032 +This is really quite extraordinary the vividness and amount of detail you experienced in your dream. It kind of seems like from what you described that it might be very possible that this vision much like your last could be two years before the event (if it does occur). At least, I think, everyone can take a small breath of relief that it's not anything happening at the end of this year. Still though, I feel very concerned myself about this very likely going to happen and I live in southeast PA which would be relatively close in proximity to this event should it be as large as you describe. \n\nI would say first that I [with my current knowledge base] cannot think of any reason for a volcanic event of such large a magnitude to occur on the east coast of the U.S. . There is no volcanic activity hereabout whatsoever really. Even our mountains, the Appalachians, are very old short mountains without any kind of circumstances that would cause or even presently have anything volcanic going on. And, from your descriptions, it sounds like the lava was coming from the coast/ocean, which is just as weird since there is equally nothing volcanic there. The only thing that would even maybe have something happen volcanicly would be the Great Atlantic Rift, but only I would think if it were affected by some outside source to open into the Earth far enough to expel magma (if that's even possible, I don't know; I just know it's a very large and deep crack from back when the continents separated), but even so the rift is in the center of the Atlantic and seemingly too distant for you [if such an extreme circumstance were possible] to see lava even in Rhode Island. This would lead me to believe something more along the line of an external event, like a meteor; if it were large enough, and went deep enough on impact, AND was close enough to your house in Rhode Island- then maybe that might bring about the circumstances in your vision, but I can't be sure. I would think though it would at least coincide with your hearing a bizarre explosion.\n\nAlso, and I hate to even mention this, but if perhaps what you saw as lava *wasn't* lava but instead something that looked very similar to lava but different, maybe it could've been like a sort of wall of fire and rock that would be reminiscent of what you would see emanating from the center of a nuclear explosion. Perhaps comparing some videos or written accounts of nuclear explosions to your own vision experience might tell you if the possibility of a nuclear explosion is something that might fit the circumstances of your premonition or not.\n\nI'm not sure what else could be possible, but maybe looking into written accounts of meteor impacts or accounts of nuclear explosions might tell you if either of those are likely possibilities. And surely, if some other possibility comes to my mind I won't hesitate to post it :). 1354820197 +>[dis is dumb shit, da maker of dis video n ne one hu agrees wit it iz stupid](http://i.imgur.com/mJ5R9.png)\n\n\nFuck, why doesn't YouTube just disable comments by default? Comments are already optional, just make people *enable* them, rather than *disable* them. 1327816519 +Yeah... There is nothing there. 1328815062 +It looks like some sort of bleed over from a television that's been duplicated almost side-by-side. The woman in the picture is clearly wearing a business suit of some sort and is talking to a man with his back turned. Unfortunately I can't quite make out who the people might be to say where it may have come from. 1353189390 +The practical/statistical significance thing is a common error.\n\nGoogle scholar is also very good for getting an overview, especially if you have access to a database where you can view the full articles. 1346088694 +You are so full of it. *This guy* hurts the scientific method more than anything else possibly could?\n\nThat's so ridiculous I don't know where to start. What a paranoid idea. 1347231485 +Oh yeah...I forgot that part....upfos for you friend..... 1345864849 +I should clarify: I was talking more to the "Cafeteria Christian", the person who is in their religion because they were born into it, and while is not particularly devoted to it...still identifies with the beliefs therein. \n\nMy wife is a great example of this, she's nearly a deist to be honest...she certainly doesn't embrace much of Catholicism, even though that's the checkbox she selects. Rather, she lives by the Golden Rule and typically uses religion and church as a baseline in her life, and a source of tradition and community. The "lack of evidence" to support the ideas of God and Jesus and all that aren't a big deal to her so much, because she also is able to acknowledge that her beliefs might not be true. But they make her a happier person, and she gets something out of them.\n\nI think most religious people are like that, to be honest. Fundies and Evangelicals are the corner cases, and they do indeed have many of the same traits that we've talked about in this thread. 1337362582 +The fundamental rule of skepticism is, IMO, "Kiss my ass!"\n\nDo skeptics even realize how difficult it would be for them to set a standard for belief? I mean, if all skeptics got together in Vegas for a week and sat down and said, "Fine. What would it take for us to believe in aliens?"\n\nThe answer that they'd eventually come up with, is that they'd believe in aliens if they came down here and kissed their asses! What if the aliens don't want to do it their way? They're busy. They have alien shit to do, and some skeptic convention is saying "We'd believe in you if only ____." \n\nSome people just like to mock the world from armchairs. Let them have their fun.\n\nAs for you, if you think about it, no you wouldn't carve your initials in a tree. But what *would* you do? You know some humans, you've been to Earth a few times. You were born here. What do you think an alien would have to do? What do you think an alien's message would be in the first place?\n\nEDIT: Changed pronouns. 1351877633 +Terrible parents. But from a pragmatic point of view (and one I doubt even crossed their minds), there is no healthcare in this country. Who gets a manslaughter charge for someone who is too poor to afford life-saving healthcare? No one.\n\nThe whole crux of this system of healthcare is you get what you pay for. If you can't pay for it, you don't get it. Sure, hospitals are obliged to take you in if you show up, but *only long enough to ensure that you're vitals are stable*, then they can kick you out back on to the streets.\n\nSo what is the difference between opting out voluntarily in paying healthcare versus someone who simply can't afford it? Should a mother who can't afford to get her kid, say, an organ transplant be charged with manslaughter if her kid dies because of it?\n\nNow don't get me wrong, I am not defending "faith healing" at all. It's ridiculous. What I am saying is that this situation is only slightly different from someone who simply can't afford healthcare. The only difference (if you ignore the neglect) is that these presumably had enough money to seek professional care.\n\nIt's food for thought, and something I doubt many people have really considered. Opinions? 1320364568 +For a skeptic you seem very sure of that. What makes a good conspiracy is that you can't be sure of the validity. Some are more reasonable than others, but the key is plausable deniability. For instance, take uaps, there is only eye witness accounts and folks like Peter Hellyer (ex Canadian defense minister), et al, who claim the phenomenon is legitimate. Then there are people who claim there are lizard people controlling the world... one of these conspiracies is not like the other when approached with a skeptical mind. 1332300485 +Face down, ass up, and they're all deeply corrupt? 1354036877 +Not if you have certain brain injuries or problems, as I do. I'm in my thirties. Life still goes by at about the same rate as when I was a kid, more or less, but my perception of what was a week or month has become a smaller packet. 1344959474 +Aww, just like Hachi. Dogs are the best. 1348275109 +Give it a try. Extract (in capsule form) is preferable to tinctures. It helped me a bit, but had some side effects (hard to describe wierd feeling), so I stopped taking it. 1305757784 +>i tested out of high school at age sixteen. as such, community college was my only option (and i even had to fight to get in there).\n\nI met people in your situation when I went to a four year accredited university. What made it so hard for you to get in? 1314582082 +See also: [Kary Mullis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kary_Mullis#Personal_views) and [Linus Paulings later work](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linus_pauling#Molecular_medicine_and_medical_research) 1308848210 +I do:\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/10picz/multiple_ufo_sighting_over_cincinnati_ohio/\n\n 1349402271 +I'm increasingly of the opinion that the very idea of holding a public debate is rubbish where questions of science are concerned. Public debates are little more than theatre, and it's only marginally more relevant to the truth than a wrestling match. 1313443971 +[You got it chief](http://imgur.com/GWycf) 1337310266 +http://i.imgur.com/kJ5Oq.png\n\nCompared to jet.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=tapiLstStHk#t=48s\n\nON FILM 1353138509 +This is a long-held belief amongst Tesla lovers. Unfortunately there is no way to prove it because of the conspiracy against Tesla wherein the government took/destroyed all his notes and machines after his death. 1354746513 +Oh yeah absolutely. In no way did I want to imply that he shouldn't call him on it.\n\nBut in retrospect I see how you could misunderstand my comment in that way. I was just extremely surprised that 'calling him out' on this topic is necessary. I was not aware that it was *that* bad in america. 1319548131 +Came here to show some charles shaw love. 1302903220 +No, I say "whatever" because I don't find the evidence compelling, and I am completely uninterested in having this off-topic conversation. Go find someone else to argue with. 1332268642 +I think it is a disingenuous argument used by people who are against nuclear power under all circumstances. \n\nFirst, it was "You'll have to glowing two headed babies!", and now that people are realizing that was a lie, it is "Hey, wind and solar are just around the corner!"\n\nSolar and wind are great...but they have to be paired with an "always on" technology...especial if we want to move away from oil and look at an electric auto fleet. Solar and wind are still emerging technologies, and will require huge infrastructure investments to power a country. Those investment will occur over decades, and won't begin in earnest until the technology settles out.\n\nSo, it is at best naive to say we can water for wind and solar. At worst, it is as dishonest as glowing two headed babies. \n\nNuclear is the best "always on" technology. The 104 anitquated, underdeveloped, underfunded, much maligned 70's era nuclear reactors in the USA still produce about 20% of the electricity. Carbon neutral, with a minimum of pollution or environment damage. If the US had kept building reactors with increasingly modern technology, no telling what degree of energy independence the US would enjoy today. \n\nAs for safety, ask a miner or a roughneck how safe conventional power is. 1276285492 +Tied for 5th Place! Thank You!!! 1327074675 +I'm seeing him Saturday at the University of Calgary, it's going to be great. 1316581526 +I wish antivaxxers would just go live on their own little island so they can die of whooping cough, measles, polio, mumps, and diptheria without infecting the rest of us.\n\nOh, and tetanus. I wonder if antivaxxers get tetanus shots? (Somehow I think they'd be all over a tetanus shot if they stepped on a rusty nail.) 1342810563 +The camera zoom and shake on the first video is clearly fake. Haven't gotten to the others yet. 1348349170 +Now I get what you are talking about.\n\nI guess you see fighting for acceptance of atheists in the public sphere and the subsequent legal challenges as inherently political. Ok. \n\nHowever, that is atheist organizations promoting atheism on pretty strict legal grounds, not atheist organizations fighting for some VERY broadly defined thing such as social justice... Which literally every single person alive has a different definition of, whether atheist or not. \n\nIf your point is that the so-called new atheism has already set a precedent of meddling in political and social issues therefor atheism+ should not be argued against because they want to do this; then I think you are mistaken. \n\nSeparation of church and state, creationism in classrooms, public displays of religious symbols,.... all of which are well defined legal issues dealing direction with the intrusion of religion and suppression of atheism (and science). Whereas the stated issues of atheism+ are generally non-controversial, what 'social justice' actually means to the group/individual that is the problem. \n\nThere are loads of social justice issues done by individuals in the 'new atheist' movement but these are individual decisions about the issues and what needs to be done. It isn't a group deciding, dictating to their membership and punishing dissent. 1346564414 +WTF half of your comments are correcting peoples grammar.\n\nYou arent really contributing to the conversation by doing so,you could at least leave a comment relevant to the thread and then complain.\n\nYou can correct this post aswell if you like,this time I have purposely left out the apostrophes,I hope you appreciate the work. 1353723026 +Please stop trying to drag the discussion off-topic. The issues of abortion or atheists charitable efforts are completely irrelevant here, so let's stick to the subject, eh?\n\nSo, back on-topic, would you say you agree with the statement "Parents should be allowed to harm their children however much they want, as long as their *claimed intention* is good and they're acting in accordance with their professed beliefs"?\n\nBecause that's how I'm reading your position at the moment - if I've got it wrong, please do correct me. 1280160112 +Rather shortsighted. You're really only focusing on the States as the only area of import.\n\nPseudo-science aside, there is a chance for catastrophe: the hype. Man's history is replete with rash judgements. Notably, in this particular case, we have reports of wealthy (super-wealthy) folk buying apocalypse-proof condos to weather (whatever) may happen during this time period.\n\nIf any of you care to take the time to think about it, those with exorbitant amounts of wealth have always held power over the general population (in various forms). One particular point of interest in our time period, is the ease of sharing information within closed circles. \n\nHolding that in mind, let's go back to wealth = power. The rich elite surround themselves with like-minded and equally influential people. Like themselves, each of these elite is privy to certain fragments of intel (respective to their communities) which is in turn gabbed about through their elite group. Swapping occurs; mostly of "higher-up" rumors or whathaveyou. I've been privy to these conversations as of my vocation. I cater to many, many richer-than-sin folk. \n\nI'm willing to bet that if we do see anything on an apocalyptic scale, it will be of the persuasion of an 'insurance policy.'\n\nWe've all heard that the super-rich are all for the idea that the population should drastically decrease as for longevity and 'strengthening' our species.\n\nSo what would happen if all these blokes were to head underground for an event of cataclysmic scale, only to be left there without any actual event every occurring? Enter the insurance policy; a tactical nuclear strike on a tumultuous region would ensure MAD for all those above-ground.\n\nI am vehemently convinced that any detrimental event will be of the manufacture by the elite groups of the world.\n 1348337141 +To get 20 tests, probably. 95% of 20 is 19, so that last study - the green one - is in the 5% that sort of failed. 1302098778 +but they don't tell their doctor because herbals 'aren't drugs', they forget, or they don't want the doctor to yell at them. So the reverse is actually true: doctors should always directly ask patients about any herbals they may be taking.\n\nThere's also the problem of content. pharmaceuticals have X mg of whatever in them. However, herbs can have all kinds of different concentrations or substances. One dose of willow bark one day cures your headache, the next dose another day burns a hole in your stomach. 1306532550 +However, there are still several climate scientists that feel our effect on the environment is not as bad as most claim. Environmental alarmism can be very dangerous. 1267024552 +Spicy peppers contain Capsaicin, and the common curry spice Tumeric contains Curcumin. Capsaicin and Curcumin have anti inflammatory properties in addition to being effective expectorants. They're a decent treatment for cold and flu symptoms but not a cure, per se. 1354123386 +If this wasn't for publicity, my guess is they would have found out what it was before telling the world. I'm willing to bet they did send divers down and found out it wsan't important and are now getting the most of what they can out of it. 1309661821 +Just like the number of different carcinogens in a product is an asinine statistic, it's not the number of different vaccines that matters. What matters is how likely the product, taken as a whole, is to give someone cancer, or how much more likely a child receiving the complete vaccination schedule is to become autistic. 1306940317 +>Infowars.com is a Free Speech Systems, LLC company. \n\nNot sure of the reporting rules for LLCs. 1312397306 +The arecibo message was sent to the M13 star cluster in 1974. The message itself will take 25,000 years to arrive. We received a response in just 27 years. So either a) Said alien race receives the message in 13.5 years and sends a return message back the 13.5 years with crop circle technology, truly believing this is the best communication method. b) Some alien race picked up the message within a 27 light year radius, travels the distance and leaves a shitty message. c) Human made. 1355115315 +I'm definitely a skeptic, but I definitely think that skeptics and modern medicine have a lot more they can learn from naturopathy. 1303103801 +Obviously the socioeconomic factors hinted at in that paragraph could have entire libraries written about it, but, putting it simply...\n\nWhat I was getting at was that it's harder for black people to get into postions of economic power, so they choose to go into sport instead. This is also probably related to the stereotypes mentioned later - white people are seen as naturally smarter, black people as more naturally athletic - and contributes to the issue. \n\nAs for the mini golf - you've missed the point. The experiment shows that both groups performed equally well, until it was mentioned that it was a test of natural athletic ability. When white people felt they were being tested for natural athletic ability which they perceive themselves as not being so good at, their performance plummeted. 1345049890 +Great post, would like to clarify one thing, while all water reactors require a pressure vessel, BWRs like Fukushima operate at a much lower temperature than PWRs and do not require a large containment building like PWRs. 1323400672 +Iridium flare? Ever see one? 1348206796 +Fair enough. I suppose I was misinformed then. 1326153032 +If you look at around 30 sec... There's a coin that just falls off rather easily (top right).\n\nIf it actually was magnetic forces, this would not happen at all and he would not be able to remove the other coins simply by leaning forward. 1305502099 +When engineers go up there and talk about the actual thing they built , sitting in a real laboratory, that has a real-world use...\n\nI can't complain. 1344531618 +Believing aliens exist without proof is no different to believing unicorns exist without proof. 1328344886 +Here's another article from the same great source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/science/ufo-filmed-over-thames-estuary-in-london-190575.html\n\nNote to self: Blacklist "theepochtimes.com" 1330471584 +Ah, so the claim should be adjusted to include professions that practice quackery in part. I didn't catch that part. 1326157505 +This is a bit off topic, but I wish more forums, reddits, etc had a no portmanteau rule. I've never found portmanteaus to anything but halfway clever and are generally strawman fallacy's in and of themselves. 1353362933 +note, black's first comment was cut off, oops:\n\nThis research explains why I am misspelling words that I know more frequently and many of the other side effects I am noticing. \n\nI have a little bit of Aspartame drinks left, and that is it. I will drink those but after that no thanks. If I "have" to "have" pop then it will be unhealthy healthier Fructose filled Pop from now on. That just gives you things like Diabetes and Gout instead of the Seizures and Brain Cancer that Aspartame gives. Apparently its a neurotoxin! \n\nI have been on the fence about Aspartame for awhile now, but simply Googling "Dangers of Aspartame" are enough to convince me, that whether it is true or only partially true, it's not worth it when I can confirm memory loss personally. 1305126943 +Is there any way I can bet against this? 1336035169 +At Skeptic meetings we don't care if people are mistaken about issues, X, Y, Z before they come. Education is the point not ideological purity.\n\nWould you ban a speaker who was an expert on debunking CAM (Complimentary Alternative Medicine) because they were a theist? If the answer is yes, then we have a serious problem.\n\nSkepticism is at its heart about science, would you also ban theists from being scientists?\n\n 1343143167 +Are the accidents broken down? Drug errors could account for the third leading source of *accidental* death. It still couldn't be 100,000 though. 1341518161 +are you kidding? imagine unsolved mysteries without them. 1337023070 +The interviewee should have their own camera recording their interview from start to finish with no interruptions, as a reference. When a discrepancy appears in the broadcast interview, they can then point to their own video and say "here's how it was before it was edited." 1313425614 +You know what's less cool? Downvoting everyone who proofreads it. It goes against reddiquette 1303084637 +I sympathize with some of the MR complaints (e.g., rape of men being disregarded, the oppression of not being able to be affectionate with children without being suspected of sexual abuse). However, the MR community here on reddit has previously shown to be incredibly [transphobic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transphobia), and for that alone I have huge problems with them. 1345150224 +If I'm remembering right, the claim is that the act of birthing puts a lot of strain on the child's spine, and that is what misaligns it.\n\nAs to why they think it's related, the claim is that if your spine is messed up, your nerve system is messed up, and that makes your immune system messed up. Something like that. If you listen to an extreme chiropractor, they'd tell you that if you were perfectly aligned you'd never be sick, because your immune system would catch everything. 1324020867 +could you please back that up? 1348814488 +You must have never seen a newspaper then. 1311631238 +Wow that's alot of information haha, got lost in there. But let's go in order of questions here. \n*Can you describe this fellow in a more anatomical sense?*\nThe fellow in an anatomical sense was to say very chaotic I guess. Like I mentioned, he seemed to take on a different form each time that I've seen him, such as a dragon, a man in a suit, a man in a king's battle arraignment, a man with an antelope's head, a feral, coyote-like, anthromorphic creature, and a man in a suit, this time with what appeared to be dreadlocks.\n\n*How did he move?* He usually made very slow gestures, unless I approached something that I would sense that he wouldn't want me to touch. His movements then would become erratic and jerky, like a human that is heavily under the influence of cocaine.\n\n*What were his outlines like?* I'm not sure what you mean by this, but he seemed to never have an outline, he was just a mass of shadow and black, so if he did have one, I could not discern it.\n\n*What kind of sounds could you hear?* Most of the time, the dreams would have a hissing sound, and if i remember correctly, in the city dream I heard what seemed to be a sparking sound, like you hear from a fuse on a firecracker.\n\n*What did you get from the Oujia board?* I didn't receive anything, but what I heard from my girlfriend is that she made contact with a ghost, but she felt threatened by the presence, so she stopped. She tried again later the board simply said bad, over and over again, so she stopped for good then.\n\nAs for about me, my birthday is on December 5th, 1991. I love art, and I love music, and I smoke cigarettes. Things that I don't like are centipedes, basements, overly-zealous atheists and religious fanatics. I usually will talk about anything with anyone really, so long as they're comfy with themselves. I'm a very outgoing person, and I love to socialize.\n\nUsually my dreams are half of the time about people I know and having a good time, or making a bad time for me better by changing things to make it appeal better to me. My favorite colors happen to be violet, sage, and yellow, and my favorite number is 17. As for the thoughts, as of lately my thoughts have been about my recent ex, so I can't really give much leeway on that question.\n\nAs for the correspondences, Chicago is to the East of me, Ravens are my favorite bird, I get in trouble alot, Roses are in the garden in the front, I smoke *cloves* in my cigarettes( if that counts), and I love my life for others, so unselfishness I guess also fits.\n\nAs for the things in the numbered bullets, that is where it confuses me. If you could go into detail on what you mean by these fetters.\n\nAs for the way I feel around him, it's a terrifying comfort. It's really hard to describe it other than that. 1343005667 +mmm.... crystal brainzzz good 1336513106 +Living long enough causes cancer. 1355013642 +I own a small brewery so I have the whole alcohol makin' routine down. Interesting method for the wine though... might be fun to try at home one day. 1345832240 +She lost me at "more than 50% of our federal tax money is going towards the military." Not sure when this was made but in 2011 it was 19%.\n\nAlso, "you can't continue to run a linear system on a finite planet." I have no idea what that means. 1335561442 +You completely changed the title. It says right there "in Their Lifetime". 1336035310 +Fox News has our finest seal of approval. Upvote it. 1313064812 +Going by that article, because Deepak Chopra and many other quacks put quantum in front of everything, the whole field is bullshit. Post-modernism fuels a lot of new age and other crap, but it's a tool. I don't blame a hammer when I fail to fix my computer with it and banish it forever from my toolbox.\n\nIn history, area I'm most familiar with, post-modernism can be very useful, and even there it produced bullshit. Still, in its very basics it is just the rejection of a single, dominant narrative (be it western, masculine, nation-state, whatever). It is not that the stone drops different for white European man than it does for black African female. It is that they might perceive and interpret it differently. Unless, that is, they use the tools of modern science. Sure, it can, even should, be viewed as just another viewpoint, but a privileged one because no matter the cultural background it gives same results. By that virtue, even if modern science is western in origins, it is still universal.\n 1323501824 +from the at least Greek civilization onward, probably well before that, there were people who clearly reasoned that there was no logic behind god and no need for god to explain the universe 1324427166 +I'm a cat-based evidence lover myself. 1341921747 +I think that a major problem here is also that as video capturing quality develops, so do video editing and video shopping techniques. 1352705193 +Aye. It's fuckin creepy. 1339430655 +We lived in a house that had "minor" spirit activity. \nThings would fall off shelves (well they were thrown really) at random times, feeling like someone was looking at you when no one was there etc. \nOur Husky would be playing in the house and suddenly stop and stare into the kitchen at nothing. \nYou could call her and she wouldn't even look at you (usually she comes right to you).\nAfter a few seconds she would suddenly just start playing again like whatever was there was gone now. 1315239836 +For the sake of argument, there is also a paranormal entity called the ["black stick man" #3 on the list](http://listverse.com/2009/04/24/top-10-bizarre-modern-paranormal-phenomena/). The descriptions are pretty similar, so maybe that's what his GF saw and he knew about Slenderman but not black stick men so assumed it was Slenderman. 1313601201 +"for years?" then why didn't dubya take him out to ensure an even better republican victory in following elections. 1304340826 +I think you're thinking of Elizabeth May in Canada... and yea, she's nuts. Completely turned me off of our Green party. 1345521188 +This article was linked in three other subreddits with no upvotes before r/paranormal was collectively dumb enough to send it to the top. 1322298650 +Did we learn noting from the intelligent design fad? These people feed on conspiracy thinking and their oersecution mania. You will not convince them, as you will not convince some that the moon landing was a hoax. Call them out in public forums, when they try to claim legitimacy in the marketplace of ideas, but don't engage them on their territory. Wasteful of your energy, they are not interested in engaging in discourse at an honest level. \n\nYou're arguing fouls on a streetball court in their neighborhood. Play elsewhere. 1343836156 +Maybe she'll sue the radio station now. 1320712891 +>What the hell is in my house?\n\n- natural shadows\n\n- computer with photoshop program 1344898607 +Spider-Man will never web up Jesus. Sir Topem Hat will never ride Thomas to salvation. The Ninja Turtles will never get a pizza with the Virgin Mary's image burned into the cheese. 1332384401 +Thanks for your tip. However I'm 100% sure it wasn't a meteor. Read my post again and you'll see why. 1299663978 +Do you think they'll have to start claiming it's caused by wi-fi next? 1304014596 +Cheese 1330588489 +I don't think luck is some kind of force or substance, or magical woo-energy that makes things go your way, if that's what you mean. But it is a convenient way to refer to chance going your way. 1333748915 +I hope so because you'd have to be pretty special not to realize that gaping math flaw. 1297868933 +And fuck you all for downvoting me. Get the fuck out of your sci-fi shells and look at reality for a second. 1302272906 +The Venus de Milo is still in Paris last time I checked. 1352095398 +>"blind faith" should be admired.\n\nwtf are you doing in the skeptic subreddit? 1320452516 +Yes and no. I was actually thinking about that today and my first thought is that we'd see a lot more Arab scientists and economists is they were also give the kind of opportunities Jews have had in the modern world. If they found careers and got into colleges more by merit than by who they and their parents know, and if the oil wealth of the Gulf was invested into science and research rather than in the pockets of royals and their spawn, they would also perform quite well.\n\nLikewise, the disproportionate amount is rather slight since Nobel Prize winners in this category come from a very wide variety of ethnic backgrounds. I'm sure that the relentless focus on study and achievement helps but we also need to think about access to the resources and opportunities here. 1313632253 +That is creepy and I just got a whole bunch of chills through my body. That "wide-eye" look is just disturbing. Like you only see that stuff in the horror movies. 1340122134 +That disc player 'trick' was atrocious, not helped by the magician himself being awful. \n\nIf he'd made them properly portable it would have been more interesting but having them attached to speakers just gave far too much avenue for simple electronic shenanigans. In actual fact, one of them kicked in *far* too fast for a cd player which made me think there was an MP3 player concealed somewhere.\n\nNow, what I'd like to do it take it one stage further. Ask them to bring in their own CD... and you give them a specially designed CD player which instead of just playing the CD, also transmits it wirelessly to the player on stage. They, from their seat, choose a CD, and place it in the player, you can then "magically" guess which track they're going to play, and burn the first 30 seconds or so for later use in the trick...\n\n... I've thought about this during my morning shower by the way... :p 1309878335 +.....\nAm I alone in love for the wonder that is the camel toe? 1326275429 +It's pretty rare that you hear the science writers for a paper actually called on how shitty a job they do. But in those instances, I've always found the answers depressing. Even in papers I'd have considered fairly reputable, the science reporters seemed to just display an outright ignorance of how science is actually performed. They seemed to obsess over the idea of a story. That opposing viewpoints had to be represented, and that the effects of an experiment were as subjective as the pros and cons of any political party. 1300610859 +There was an article around a few days back covering the effectiveness of drinks like Gatorade in terms of how they can improve an athlete's performance when they're essentially just sugar water. The gist of the article was that it wasn't the sugar giving the drinker more energy, but triggers in the mouth letting the brain know that something sweet was incoming, making the drinker happier. They discovered this by having their test subjects swish the drink around in their mouth and spitting it out, then go for a run.\n\nHow does this map to this particular concern? Apparently when the testers did the same with diet drinks, they got no benefit from it. It would seem that your mouth knows the difference between real and fake sugar, and doesn't let your brain know if it's dealing with the latter.\n\nNo source once again (can't find the article) but I remember reading it exactly because they made that distinction, and the whole taste-sweet-gain-weight is something I've heard and wondered about before as well. 1312562376 +that was dumb 1339685541 +She is dead... 1349481653 +I think you may be right after watching the video, you never actually see her type. You see her pressing one button then it switches to the computer screen as it talks. How could someone (I'm guessing so this may not be accurate) have perfect grammar, spelling and sentence structure without a normal education. I've been in a school with many special needs students and they never did anything close to that level.\n\nI'd like to be wrong about this, sure its a nice story but I agree that it is probably fake. 1330763713 +in related news, it turns marijuana hermaphroditic. 1310471007 +Alright, so the topic is how men and women are influenced by society to have sex and or how men/women influence each other using those stereotypes. Yes there are people that don't fit into this category. If you would like to add to the conversation then stand up for an individualized relationship, and please differentiate how your individual relationship isn't impacted by the influence of those around you. That would add to your argument, instead of staying in the realm of "There is an opinion I don't like, I haz the anger". \n 1324590884 +http://tiny.cc/thisoneepisode <- You can hear about it , they interview the author, which then was made into an episode . 1352613056 +Wrong.\n\nStainless is made of two words - STAIN, LESS.\nIt's stains LESS.\nhttp://www.finishing.com/190/05.shtml 1301506276 +I can't get this date to work in the tracker. It keeps telling me to put it in the correct form and I have. Can you take a screen shot of what you get. If it wasn't the ISS, who knows? Believe me I want to be open minded to this as best I can. I just dont want to jump to conclusions. 1350073123 +Can't help but to be skeptical, but the flashing lights is throwing me off. It looks like it could be a kid's toy. 1305352261 +That's exactly how I felt when the Q&A really got going. People yelling at one another, standing up and offering unsolicited personal testimony, tinfoil hats and everything. 1348510889 +How so? From the tutorial explanations on that site, all I can tell is that without rainbowing, it was not likely edited with an adobe product (photoshop). So maybe gimp, but you'd expect brighter dots around the area that's different (edges) while the rest is relatively smooth, which I think is expected (but those ELAs are a bit hard to read to me).\n\nIs it that the background's black in the ELA instead of more distorted? It's an image from January according to the meta-data so it's likely been saved more than once which might account for that.\n\nI'd say it's more likely a lens flare or reflection on glass (taken through a car window?) then a digital modification.\n\nMy guess would be an i-phone taking a picture of a cloudy sky through a car window near a traffic stop at a red light, with the red light oddly reflected off the glass, maybe reflected in a drop of water. 1345596823 +You really expect to post such drivel into /r/Skeptic? Lots of kids hopping up and down? Amazing.\n\nDon't you realize that if someone could actually float and defeat the force of gravity they would be the most important person in the world. The entire theory of physics would need to be rewritten.\n\nTM (I assume you mean transcendental meditation) was debunked in the 60's. \n\nIt's embarrassing to everyone that someone would foist this nonsense on us and I'm sure the head of this school is laughing all the way to the bank. 1351124871 +[/r/politics](/r/politics) is secretly [/r/circlejerk](/r/circlejerk) in disguise. 1324963465 +>Yes. \n\nWell, that shows that you are the religious one here. Your religion is "science" (read: a particular brand of science that denies anything spiritual).\n\n>science has actual scientific proof.\n\nRedundant much? That statement exemplifies the circular nature of your reasoning. As already noted more than once, standards of evidence are subjective. You obviously refuse to even acknowledge that I've made this point, as shown by your refusal to respond to it, and your continued insistence that I have no proof. I think the reason you want to ignore this point is that it means that your attitude toward reincarnation may actually be more *religious* than mine. My attitude towards it is based on evidence. Yours is based on a religious faith in scientific orthodoxy. 1327443707 +Legislation to require committee members to consult with actual scientists before the attempt to enact legislation, or even draft a bill?\n\nWould that be possible, and would it work? 1353510561 +Yeah I would have corrected my comment but my reddit app lacked that capability, I replied to it instead. Major is the wrong word. 1331752142 +Baptisim of the dead is hardly a secret, and no, it's no weirder than most, if not all, religious rituals. Still from what I can tell, this video is accurate; however superfulous it may be. 1351103593 +I certainly agree with your intentions here and wholeheartedly agree. \n\nJust to make sure though, as I have several times run across people relating this but meaning something else. Equivalent would mean no change in social behavior, actions or expectations. IE... boob, dick, fart, & vagina jokes are still perfectly acceptable and humorous. Commenting on the hotness of other females or males as the case may be again are perfectly acceptable and encouraged. Such statements made would require a positive response from the female of this group as well as positive participation. Hitting on any other female outside the group is perfectly acceptable, just not the on currently interacting in the group. \n\nI'm only being a bit satirical in the above. What the group always ends back at is that men and woman simple aren't the same. They interact differently, not just within their own gender but across genders. What's acceptable behavior in a group of women isn't acceptable within a group of men and vice versa. Anytime they mix, conflicts will arise. This isn't inequality, this is just differences\n\nAgain I wholeheartedly agree with your intentions, my experience though has been that because this isn't a as straight forward as you've put it, it gets complicated. What if the one of the males is genuinely attracted to one of the women in the group? What if the woman is genuinely attracted to one of the males? If men hitting on women is verboten so is women hitting men. Equal is equal, after all. Can there never be a proposition for a date between the two sides? There are goals that are at odds with in the members of the group and this causes conflicts internally and externally. \n\nIn your scenario of black men and white men there's much less conflict in goals, humor, needs, desires, & expectations are much more similar. The chance that the black man will be offended if a white man hits on him is rather lacking as genders are the same. \n\nKarsh\n 1325799477 +cool story if true. but a dead body is very different from a live body, it is cold, and the cold will shock you when you touch it. 1346295909 +['Scuse me? Two more homeopathic lagers please!'](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMGIbOGu8q0) 1295281170 +Because in the original video the camera is farther away, you don't see the spark, but rather a solid looking jet of flame. I'm out now. 1340572089 +And you do have this required "comprehension"? Please provide.\n\nSo far you have written ignorant nonsense in to this thread, but my observation may be incorrect. 1351111957 +As 50lerp mentioned, he's specifically filming where the disturbance has and was happening.\n\nThe items' behavior (how they move with a sharp jerk and then gravity takes over) looks *very similar* to something that is pulled by a wire. I'm not totally discounting the footage, but I'm still skeptical. 1289939704 +are you new? if so, welcome. 1346091970 +Amongst the vastness of the universe, we can't be the only intelligent life out there. \n\nWhether or not they want to visit us, or are even close enough to do so is the question. The possibility of such fills me with childlike wonder. I've always wanted to go to space. For something from space to visit us is a wonderful concept. \n\nSo, yeah, I want to believe. 1340330597 +But see-through! 1326838999 +>could someone point me in the direction of the video?\n\nThere was a documentary that included discussion of the Phoenix lights in 1997 and it included one of the only videos of the actual lights (not the military flares) Maybe someone knows the name of it. I wish I could remember.\n\nDocumented events have been pretty scarce ever since then to my knowledge. I think perhaps the only video since then isn't really video at all but heat-sensing equipment on a Mexican surveillance plane; but many people believe the equipment was just picking up the flames atop burning oil rigs. 1345264345 +Umm, isn't this r/skeptic? I think being skeptical about end of the world prophesies is a GOOD thing. To quote Carl Sagan, "Keep an open mind. But not so open that your brain falls out." 1337983066 +The Guardian\n\n>Experts say the windows were blown out as each floor collapsed on to the one below, sending debris and office equipment flying out.\n\n\nNIST NCSTAR 1-5a page 412\n\n>...the sources for the pressure pulses that created the wides spread smoke and/or dust puffs observed on multiple faces of WTC 2 are unknown.\n\nಠ_ಠ 1315420657 +And "family" means that it's a religious-based hate group. 1325141254 +Good thing your not a Mod then since your afraid to let anyone have an opinion thats different from yours. But dude you are coming off like a grade A troll for real. Chillax dude, smoke a bowl or something. Its a stupid movie for Gods sake!!!! 1307316985 +Good thing your not a Mod then since your afraid to let anyone have an opinion thats different from yours. But dude you are coming off like a grade A troll for real. Chillax dude, smoke a bowl or something. Its a stupid movie for Gods sake!!!! 1307317214 +OK, it seemed partially interesting. But why is everyone pooping their pants over it being a fake if it wasn't that big a deal when it was considered legit? 1301786767 +Hence why I ventured out of C2C...and landed in Ground Zero 1345004184 +His false prophet. 1330632923 +Once I read it, and considered your location, I almost wasn't surprised. UFOs are reported from that region consistently. 1323657254 +Same reason why some people are afraid to ride an airplane, but a car is fine. Or microwaves and cell phones are evil, but cigarettes and BBQ are no big deal. They don't understand how statistics work and see maybe a few vaccinations gone wrong, blow those cases out of proportion and ignore how many lives vaccinations have saved. 1320592947 +Wow, whodathunk? 1336066423 +Forgive my ignorance to some of these concepts, but does your response then contradict JayDee67's comment that "the claim of alignment is bs"?\n\nAlso, do you have any guess why astrologers would consider Alcyone our "central sun"? Does it have any astronomic significance? 1337452432 +try /r/science2 1295741251 +You are why I love reddit and peer reviewed systems. 1317077251 +> If someone makes a privileged statement, then that's something they need to fix.\n\nWhat makes a statement privileged? Does the statement become less privileged if it's made by a transgendered black person rather than a straight white male?\n\nIf you can't do anything but say "check your privilege" then you don't really have an argument. You have a lack of one. You aren't really targeting the argument, you are targeting the person. 1347420511 +Except you don't have 65 years of peer-reviewed research, I don't think you thought that all the way through. Nice to see your argument's devolving though. 1356388790 +I had take to a few of those for a former job and they seemed as informative as the horoscope on the placemat at every Chinese place. 1355411675 +My question isn't about the nature of the condition but about the specificity of the claims. Whether both contradictory claims are valid in their mind at the same time or if they are each valid individually. 1343436190 +The page is blank now. Anyone know why? 1329456591 +But what are electrolytes? 1271122809 +There was a This American Life a number of years ago about a woman who was told falsely she had Aids by a nurse (the nurse then told her to join Hope Ministries ) hoping the woman would join the church, reform from her evil lesbian ways and, I guess, get miraculously cured. The woman suffered through awful medication and thinking she was going to die for over a year until, as a last hope, she went to a new doctor who caught it. \n\nhttp://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/123/transcript <-- transcript of episode 1339565046 +Hooked on phonics worked for ME! 1343826532 +Those actions are not inconsistent with psychopathic behavior. The author doesn't understand psychopathy and is operating under a few grand assumptions.\n\nFor instance, he has no idea where the weapons came from. He thinks it's impossible so it must be a government conspiracy. This is the same God in the gaps reasoning Creationists use. 1342886039 +Embrace it. This same thing happens to me as well. I don't think it's as often as yours yet. I tried to do the same thing and rationalize it away but the details were too precise. I've come to terms with the fact that we don't know shit about our capabilities as humans. However I get the feeling that's about to change. More and more of my friends are noticing this as well even when I've never mentioned any of this before. .... I get mine in dreams more often and sometimes the span between me dreaming and it happening can be up to a year. 1338642052 +How many investigations do you want? I contend that the 9/11 truthers will be screaming for another investigation until one finally confirms their preconceived notions to be true. This will never happen because what the truthers think happened on 9/11 didn't happen. 1247848966 +I thought the skeptic community *was* the broader uneducated American public. 1349071124 +You sir, are my fucking hero. Permission to copy paste elsewhere, credited to you? 1283574633 +Wait a second. Their religion compatibility chart says that Muslims are the hardest to match, but Muslim women are most compatible with... Jewish men? 1264040624 +The look on the dude's face is hilarious... 1347748759 +Damn that was creepy. Have you had any experiences with the old man since you moved into your new place? 1353367571 +This isn't really the best argument. Cell phones, electronic games, and laptops are all grossly more engaging than books and magazines. It's the same reason the "well cell phones shouldn't be illegal in cars because you're allowed to talk to other passengers and listen to the radio" arguments don't hold water. It sounds like a good argument on the surface, because it's easy to say "thing 1 is a distraction, thing 2 is a distraction, therefore they are equal..." but they aren't. I'm not saying these things aren't also a distraction, but in an emergency, the difference between having your ears open/throwing a book or magazine down, vs. having ear-buds in, having a phone at your ear, or being grossly engaged in texting are not equivalent. Claiming that perusing skymall takes as much of your focus and attention as playing a video game is silly. Saying reading a book allows you to tune out potential emergency communications as effectively as having music physically playing in your ears or a phone conversation in your ears is also silly. 1356952477 +But isn't it scientifically unsound to accept something as a priori without it being at the very least testable and reproducible? 1334695151 +>I definitely share your concerns about his being a UFO nut and coming forward with the story later. \n\nWell, I understand what you mean, but I wouldn't say he was potentially a UFO *nut*, my view is that everyone is prone to self deception and memory distortion, not just crazy people. Memory is very tricky and weird. This guy didn't milk the convention circuit or write a book, so I think he's free of that. I was trying to be very circumspect in my earlier comment. It's possible he could have been exposed to the subject and at some point disparate memories were conflated unconsciously.\n\nI mention the late emergence of the story really only to play devil's advocate, because this is what critics will do, I don't want to speculate on his motives. What I ask for is corroborating evidence. We have partial corroboration in that he really was at Roswell during that period, which should give him the benefit of the doubt. \n\n>a small detail I think lends weight is that there was apparently not as much debris as one would expect from a full craft.\n\nThat's a good point. This is what I mean by the note of veracity, the variance of the details from other accounts suggests authenticity. \n\nThe other thing is the description of the occupants. He describes them as oriental looking, with parchment like skin which was wrinkled. If he was confabulating, he's much more likely to use the ubiquitous grey alien description, which really doesn't date much earlier than the '70s in terms of its emergence in the UFO literature, and gets big only after Communion. \n\nWhat is interesting is that descriptions of 'oriental' looking aliens with wrinkled skin does appear a few times in some early accounts. I can't think offhand of the cites for this, but if I find them I'll post them. In any case, it's details like this that look more like a true account than a fake one. 1333964382 +Their bite is no stronger than any other dog their size. 1333623573 +Fuck, my community college has the same thing. 1309645829 +The coolest family in which to grow up, if only uncle Hitch was still here... 1346895339 +You'll be completely okay :) If you still feel that urge, I think the best option for you is to go to a regression hypnotherapist in search for an answer. If you feel that you ruled out enough medical reasons for your 'condition', I think that would be next logical step. In hypnosis you might be able to explain these happenings, it might also help you to get rid of it if you so wish. However, there is no guarantee and it will cost some money. I wouldn't give up my rent for it, if you know what I mean.\n\nThanks for saying you didn't meant it to be flippant, otherwise I would be crying in a fetal position under my desk for the next two weeks. 1343584942 +"You can't reason someone out of a decision that they didn't reason themselves into". \n\nThat's a great quote that I should take seriously from now on. 1340027858 +I think most theologians would argue that it's not reasonable to choose a definition for the word "omnipotent" that is inherently paradoxical. So, the word needs to be understood in a nuanced fashion that avoids the paradoxes. Then, it's safe to say that God is omnipotent, at least insofar as this argument is concerned.\n\nAlso, some things can seem paradoxical, although one could reasonably argue whether they "actually are." Wave-particle duality, for instance, has always seemed deeply paradoxical to me. 1299275006 +Freaky. Good read though. 1354760672 +Go look for other examples of high-rise building fires that went 10 hours without any water and had two buildings collapse shaking its foundation and throwing debris at it. 1290742182 +No one understands your ad hominem.\n\nI understand science very well and have an extensive amount of science that supports my skeptical position,\n\nhttp://www.populartechnology.net/2009/10/peer-reviewed-papers-supporting.html 1343577320 +I had a similar sort-of thing, although it turned out to be a dream.\nWent to sleep about midnight, woke up at 7 AM, went downstairs watched TV for a while, went to school, came back, went upstairs and fucked around on the internet. go back to sleep... and somehow I slept until yesterday at 3 AM.\napparantly I managed to live out my entire day in a dream, for 3 hours. It was pretty damn realistic, so when I woke up 3 hours later, it was as if I damn time travelled and reset the day. 1345606600 +The article, if you look at it from "something is wrong" to the extreme, is suggesting the Nebraska children are going to be told climate change is a myth. No where in the article does it say that, but the article trys to alarm you by the idea that the board reviewed how they will teach climate change. Nothing bad happened because they plan on teaching climate change. 1355105897 +Well what's the point in regulating homeopathic remedies if they're supposed to be diluted to the point of being just water? Testing isn't going to find anything significant, and it would end up being just some labels saying 'this product is not approved for the treatment or cure of any disease' (which, in many places, all natural health products do). 1333985439 +She doesn't listen to reason, what else is there to do then, but mock? 1342457876 +Pseudoscience is rampant these days. 1326885447 +Can we see the pics? 1296152381 +:) thanks... that made me smile over my breakfast :) 1301271414 +This is not my area of expertise but the WSJ quotes that "The combo vaccine produced just one additional fever-related seizure for every 2,300 doses". So if I understand it correctly it's not the difference between 1 in 2,300 seizures and none at all. It seems like seizures can happen both ways with a tiny increase in chances for the combo vaccine.\n\nhttp://blogs.wsj.com/health/2010/06/28/giving-mmr-chicken-pox-vaccines-separately-cuts-already-slight-seizure-risk/\n\n\nHerd immunity does carry some risks but the overall benefit to society is huge. One child might have a seizure but the repercussions of lots of children not getting vaccinated "just in case" is enormous. 1330082591 +This is the first time I've seen the statistics on how and why vaccines are being refused, and frankly, it makes me not only alarmed, but extremely angry.\n\nWhy we allow "nonmedical exemptions" for immunization is beyond me. Your right to practice your own religion/philosophy/paranoia/whatever and to exercise your own judgment about your child's vaccinations stops as soon as it starts putting other people at risk. 1265255425 +Well I wasn't suggesting that there is a current therapy for ADHD of this kind, just that the suggestion a therapy couldn't be formulated because it's a "brain disorder" is necessarily and demonstrably false - the autism example. \n\nOn the therapy for ADHD though, I feel you're being a little pessimistic. I'm not sure I know of any applied behavior analysis program that is designed specifically for very young children with ADHD, so I'd doubt the scientific validity of whatever program you're referring to. More importantly, whilst there are no fully developed programs to help people with ADHD, there are a number of methods which have proven effective (for example, certain behavioral techniques to maintain on-task behavior) and we know how to implement them so that the effects are permanent. The medication is still important though, given that it's difficult to teach someone something when they're struggling to take in the information you're feeding them, so you can't train someone to stay on-task when they won't stay on-task for long enough to learn how to stay on-task. 1348288020 +>informing the idea gun culture with a popular understanding.\n\nI'm not sure I'm following you here. Not to suggest you're not conveying your idea adequately, I may just not understand. Could you elaborate? 1355763186 +Subquestion: Why is it called "chiropractic" and not "Chiropracty" as is the convension in other disciplines. Is this to distinguish it from Medicine since it's not really medicine?\n\nChiropractic sounds like it should be an adjective like "pediatric" or "orthopedic" 1329427943 +Please do your own research; use discernment. \nWe are participating in a game of sorts in these forums. Information & communication is not used in the ways you'd think. There is a concerted effort to discredit a certain viewpoint thru ridicule. As "laughe8888888888" posted above "keep asking me questions so you can discredit me. thanks"\n\nIf YOU in fact are a shill yourself. Then please, fuck off. If not, Google is your friend. Do not rely on the fake democracy that Reddit tries to expound, they have control over the perception of information, hence, the conversation. 1328104028 +Again? 1339411935 + That poor kid. 1327985260 +The thing is that the simplest explanation is not always the right one, sure when given a lack of evidence for two contradictory hypothesis it makes sense to support the one that requires less hoops to be jumped through, but if you think Quantum Mechanics was a simple solution to the problems facing physics in the early 1900s, then you would be mistaken. In this case it's reasonable to operate under the assumption that there is no creator (for the reasons you outline, among others), but to keep in mind the fact we cannot at this time *know* there was no creator. 1325889239 +Hey, what does Jewel have to do with this? 1284741034 +I have never understood the umbrella one. I always bring my wet umbrella inside and open it up so it will dry off without getting moldy. I haven't had bad luck due to this practice. 1322410508 +Good observations. I have wondered about the fibers in the skull myself. It seems like not much progress has been made in the star child case. Anyone know why it has taken so long? 1328480650 +Err, unintentional. I draw terrible. 1356245666 +Tres tristes tigres tragaban trigo en un trigal 1304232411 +But you're NOT posting facts!! I can understand the whole collapse better just by referring to my god damn 11th grade physics I did years back!\n\nWhat you're claiming is in direct conflict with BASIC physics theories! 1331506589 +well ill just put my big pants on 1356097083 +I don't think they are saying we didn't go to the moon. I guess what they are saying is if they did go why would there be a need to fake footage. 1319832197 +Just a note about firing clients.\n\nI'm an accountant in public practice. I am always willing to fire a client. I have to be; if the client is difficult, or wants me to assist in committing fraud, I have no problem getting rid of them.\n\nThere seems to be this lingering idea from the 90s that the customer is always right, so business owners will bend over backwards and lose money because of a demanding client. \n\nHere's an example. A client contracts you to do a job. You figure it won't take more than 5 hours, your costs are $50 an hour, and you bill $100 for an hourly profit of $50.\n\n Because the client is a pain in the ass, he ends up taking 30 hours, and won't pay you more than the $500 you quoted. No biggy, you just write off the $1,250 and figure repeat business from him will make up for it, right?\n\nWrong. You also lost out on other clients that you could have serviced so not only did you lose $1,250 in time on this client, you also lost $1,250 in profit you could have earned from less difficult clients. Difficult clients are always difficult, and are quite often a net loss for you.\n\nNobody is legally required to provide services to someone. Never let yourself be bullied by someone who is costing you money. 1350314207 +Yeah to them, they are skeptical of the official version. Unfortunately, they are not skeptical to their own blog narrative. Considering their idea originates from a bunch of 17 year olds. 1290708701 +>What evidence can lend itself to what is universally normal and healthy, and what is abnormal and needs to be treated?\n\nThis is covered in any intro to psyche class. Abnormal behavior is typically looked at by comparing an individuals behavior to the behavior of people of their culture, without any real "universal" standard of normality. Abnormal or aberrant behavior is not considered inherently good or bad, if you grew up somewhere where nobody exercises, but you exercise because it is good for you, then you would be exhibiting abnormal behavior because the norm of where you grew up was to be a couch potato.\n\nMuch of psychology has implications in marketing. Many psychological phenomenon can be empirically observed, such as noticing that the longer somebody waits on hold, the longer they are willing to wait, or observing unit bias in food.\n\nYou can look up psychological experiments and see that they are scientifically done such as in [illusion of control](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusion_of_control) where people believe if they flip a coin they are more likely to get the result they want than if somebody else flips it, even though the chance is the same. 1345680493 +World police transmissions smoothly into galactic police. 1345587428 +This isn't a "paranormal" subreddit. It's SCIENTIFIC OR A SCIENCE BASED SUBREDDIT.\n\nIf its based upon physical/material evidence/technological evidence then, by definition, this is a scientific subreddit and you should label it honestly. 1353875018 +Science can be used to prove that there are humans on the planet Earth. In fact, science can prove many things.\n\nPerhaps you mean science can not disprove anything? 1282719886 +At least a hospital serving the food would be subject to inspections like any other food service business.\n\nRegular farmer's market goers may get to know the sellers. I wash the food I occasionally get from a farmer's market the same as any other. I also make sure all the crystals I get are certified by the American Crystal and Magic Potion Advisory Board. 1354223185 +Why are you so defensive? especially at people who are actually trying to share experience with the phenomenon?\n\nWe're talking about one of the most publicly maligned topics rife with disinfo that you could possibly talk about, and you're worried about policing public sightings caught on the fly? Why spend your energy getting frustrated with people like myself when i'm only providing opportunities to explore the unknown? It may not resonate with you; that's okay.\n\nbut maybe there are a few more people like myself who can step aside and say "I don't know." You have far too much of your pride and ego wrapped up in this. I'm just sharing what I find interesting; I'm sorry to have lost you as a peer in light of that. 1330019434 +sometimes i wake up without my shirt on. 1356368095 +It pretty much an exercise in speculation, compared to their usual content, a little lacking. Whatever, humorists they be. 1328155604 +Sativa + Ancient Aliens = OMG aliens are here 1325225318 +I'm no expert, but I thought that the whole idea of giving more of what ails you was homeopathic. Granted, usually in extremely diluted forms. \n\nThe comments on the blog post (there may be more by now) did argue about whether or not wrapping him in wet sheets was homeopathic or not. 1355086936 +Modern reactors are extremely safe, and actually emit less radiation into the environment than coal-fired plants. You'd be surprised if you knew how much radiation comes out of those coal stacks.\n\nThe effects of radiation depend on type(alpha, beta, gamma), environment, exposure, etc. 1317184299 +I don't see how I was duping people. I listed the different types of doctors you could see if you had back or neck problems (the question asked). I never said which one to visit out of those. I figure any person who was genuinely having trouble would visit whichever one of those they felt best applied to them.\n\n>You clearly don't know shit about these therapies...\n\nMy personal experience only comes second hand. My mother has had 3 discs removed; two from her neck one from her back (I could ask her for specifics if you are really curious). My whole life growing up I witnessed the process of diagnosing and treating her spine issues. The only doctors I recall her visiting was her two different neurosurgeons. \n\n>Being skeptics means you have to be skeptical even of fellow skeptics. You can't just be skeptical when you hear a treatment that's associated with the word 'alternative' or 'complementary'.\n\nI wasn't arguing which treatments were more effective, but provided a list of common alternatives to chiropractors. Being skeptics you should take this list a starting point for discussion rather than assuming I'm suggesting any one treatment. \n\nFor anyone who is interested in reading more about Osteopathy just [do a google search](http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=osteopathic+medicine&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8) or [check out a Wikipedia page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteopathic_medicine_in_the_United_States). 1318724232 +This is a lost cause. Torrent anything you can from BBC and forget about discovery, NatGeo, History and such. 1321619198 +I rely on placebos for most of my medical problems. M&Ms work great, and are a lot cheaper than real medicine. But people tell me it doesn't with help mental problems. 1305301814 +I can confirm as teenagers my buddies and I often went into the woods for nefarious purposes at night. But not miles away from roads. Was I just not adventurous enough to keep up with today's kids?\n\nedit: btw, op, what's up with the watermark? It makes this totally look like a bullshit story, if it didn't already. 1349832783 +[Ok, let's just wait](http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/006/595/1262055260350.jpg) 1342548982 +It wasn't CNN, it was a local FOX affiliate.\n\nThe station enhanced the footage to make the objects visible. \n\nThe aviation expert is an expert in safety systems, not in visual artifacts on video. Neither is he an entomologist. 1353052695 +No, I just have sympathy for all people in equal measure, I don't know of anyone in particular who is a homeopathic "user", but I can see parallels between this and how people regard the religious, or people invested into other pseudosciences, or w/e. I guess my point is that, while it is true that the unknowning must, at some point, at least _try_ to learn -- that is, they are not fully innocent. However, we are the bearers of knowledge, demonizing and dismissing is not effective. These people are engaging homeopathy for _a reason_, it's more effective in the long run to find out _why_ the homeopathic user is using for a reason, the religious person is religious for a reason, these are mental-drugs. Homeopathy "makes you feel good" -- because homeopaths treat them like friends, and not like machines (which can often occur with proper doctors). People are religious because it _makes them feel good_, because they have a community, a safety net. \n\nPeople use these off-beat brain alter-ers because it provides them with some benefit they are not otherwise getting -- they must, or else why would they do it? What is it that they _need_ to go to the homeopath or the preacher for? \n\nI'm a mathematician, but I'm also an engineer. I can only see things through these lenses, and it seems that the obvious way to dismantle something safely and effectively is to understand it. We cannot understand _why_ religion or homeopathy is effective without first understanding _what_ it means to the people who use it. I _hate_ the fact that so many are fooled by pseudoscience and stupid religion (and not all religion is necessarily stupid, but this is another discussion), but -- while it is true that some responsibility is on the mark and not the conman -- it is more important to understand that even mis/uninformed people are still people, and thus cannot (and should not) be dismissed as "stupid."\n\nI feel like I'm not doing a good job of explaining my position, but it's been a tiring day... 1269302457 +>But major feminist organizations often support that status quo.\n\nCan't agree with that at all.\n\n>Feminists have spearheaded the reforms in domestic violence law that have created the present situation (extra-judicial punishments, lack of due process, ease of false allegations for material gain, etc). It's not right to attribute that to the patriarchy.\n\nI don't think any of those things have occurred. The reforms have made sure that abusers get punished, that loopholes are stamped out, that victims get the support they need and aren't pressured, etc. What laws or reforms do you think have been introduced which add extra-judicial punishments, lack of due process, or make false allegations possible? At the very least, we know that all of those claims are false in terms of rape.\n\n>I think the issue is that many of the inequalities which favor women are actually supported and propped up by feminist organizations.\n\nHow so? Examples of such organisations doing so?\n\n>Which is why I think an MRM is valuable, even if they can be a bit unhinged at times. But then again, there's plenty of unhinged rhetoric in the feminist movement, as well.\n\nYou'll get extremists everywhere, but the feminist movement as a whole does have a much more solid philosophy and obvious goal with benefits, whereas the MRM seems to be a much more haphazard amalgamation of various people and approaches, which tends to weaken their cause. \n\nI think it would certainly help if the MRM could set up a kind of core set of beliefs; for example, stamping out misogyny in the group, pushing for greater education on what feminism is and why it shouldn't be opposed, why men should avoid discussing these issues as if they were a minority group, etc. It would lend a lot of credence to their position but, as complete speculation, I think if they exclude the misogynists and people who don't understand feminism or civil rights theory, then they'll be left with very few members.\n\n 1345176572 +Why? Obama doesn't have any control over UFO disclosure policy, just like Carter didn't. 1232052223 +My best guess:\n\nIn the video, he does something strange when he takes the paper from Sharon where he appears to unfold it. After he shows it to Howie, he looks directly at it just long enough to read it.\n\nThere's really no other reason I can think of for him to ever take the paper from her unless he was going to read it at some point. 1343179424 +Aside from the obvious blunder that you can't fit the sun in a carton, this infographic is accurate. They also should really avoid the emotional plea about the mother being separated from their calf and focus on just the environmental impacts of the manufacturing process vs almond milk. One can make homemade almond milk by simply grinding almonds, adding water, and sweeten to taste. 1344393060 +Y'know, just about 2 days ago, I did that exact same thing since we're working on a universal influenza vaccine. We did the following experiment just to see if there'd be any interesting results that'd come out.\n\nIn one group of mice, we vaccinated with 1/20 human dose of FluMist (which has H1N1, nasal route) per mouse; in the other, phosphate-buffered saline. In about 4 weeks, we're also vaccinating with FluZone (which also has H1N1, muscle route). After those treatments, we're going to do a challenge experiment to see if there's any cross strain protection due to the multiple vaccines (live attenuated virus from Mist plus HA antigens from Zone).\n\nThis is a super, super tiny experiment that would have satisfied CFBF's requirements... and it can be completed in 12 weeks.\n\nI'm sure if someone else were interested, they could do neurological studies on the mice, and probably won't find any damage. Although, here's the problem: I think CFBF's requirements are similar to many anti-vaxers... they have their own theories, then want science to spend the money to prove against it. Which, of course, is not how science generally works. We don't try to prove that unicorns don't exist nor do we try to prove that little goblins in the vaccines are causing harm. I believe that there are side-effects of vaccines that were noticed in clinical trials that are printed on the label of the vaccine. But, since it cannot be reproduced reliably and since those side-effects aren't noticed in a large percentage of immunized patients, there isn't a need for a huge study to disprove it (even though scientists have already thoroughly wasted money proving Wakefield's original autism/vaccine study was fraudulent).\n\nThe onus is on the anti-vaxers to find empirical, reproducible proof that their claim is real, not the other way around. 1297353835 +* *if there had been a top-secret meeting and*\n* *if there would have had to have been a discussion about it*, \n* *it (the discussion) would have taken place in this room.*\n\nWhich does not confirm or deny the existence of ETs, etc. only that top secret meetings on the subject could take place in that room 1337360432 +It isn't: AlyssaMoore is a propagandist who spends her days posting pseudo-science links, calling people who accept AGW theory (including the majority of people in this subreddit) "True Believers" and likes to indulge in personal attacks against them in the echo chamber known as [/r/climateskeptics](/r/climateskeptics) (especially when they can't answer because they've been banned, as is the case with me).\n\nThere is a high probability she is a paid shill, and is quick to post pre-canned "damage control" responses. She will certainly respond to this with such a copy-pasted response, along the lines of\n\n>You are probably not paid by Greenpeace or the alarmist billionaire George Soros to troll /r/climateskeptics.\n\n>I don't get paid to submit a few articles that are skeptical of the catastrophic man-made global warming theory. I do it because I am skeptical of the claims and predictions of the global warming alarmists.\n\nI like how she continues here propaganda and ad hominem attacks in what first appears to be a reasonable, rational response ("catastrophic man-made global warming", "global warming alarmists", bizarre references to George Soros and Greenpeace).\n\nAsk her to define precisely what "catastrophic" means, however, and you'll get no response. That's because she and the other propagandists in her gang aren't interested in actual science, but only in smearing the reputations of honest scientists and those on reddit who accept the reality of AGW theory. 1333385409 +And you just made a horrible analogy, suggesting each choice has equal merit.\n\nA more accurate analogy - you have a toolbox full of tools and you have subjectively chosen a task to complete. Each tool in that toolbox has _objective_ benefits and detriments when it comes to completing that task - a handsaw is going to suck if you're trying to drive nails, and is objectively a poor choice to reach that goal. Each available tool has a measurable fitness for the job at hand (the handsaw is horrible for nail driving, the sledgehammer better but damn is it unwieldy, and the two pound claw hammer is clearly, objectively, the best); once you have a goal, the rational moralist is choosing moral guidelines based on objective criteria, not subjective, within the context of their over-arching purpose in having a moral code to begin with.\n\n>You are just straight up, totally wrong about this.\n\n*~snort~*\n\n 1341446108 +You'll forgive me if I don't automatically accept that from people who have no idea what it means to substantiate a claim. 1321886476 +Yes we do, it is great. 1325273889 +on fourth angle watch at 31 seconds from the top left of the building in the fireworks, it looks like a spark, but then it moves through the fireworks, follow it for a while. interesting 1325455998 +Doesn't mean he doesn't have a point. A decent one, at that. 1355775883 +If someone actually believes it is working, they will honestly think it is working. I know that sounds so convoluted...but the mind is amazing. It may not actually do anything to the body except maybe give you a weird suntan line. lol 1273681516 +Yeah, shits getting weird yo. I was reading some thing about the queen's astronomer saying we will make contact in X amount of years...I'm pretty sure its already been done for a long while now. 1347518652 +in the "llano de la perdiz" Granada Spain. 1328836803 +Your entire line of argument is focused on having a go at me, rather than providing anything even remotely constructive with regard to an explanation of the issue.\n\nI ask you again what your explanation for the phenomenon is. 1325964149 +I was not that intelligent as a child. I never questioned anything I was told until I became a teenager, really. 1312405331 +Thank you. I have often wished there was better terminology in this "field." How do you get a "does not equal" sign? I like the term UAP to make explicit what is really meant by UFO.\n\nIf I could expand upon my prior certain-seeming statement. There *may* be aliens visiting Earth, but they have nothing to do with UFOs. 1353754670 +Ack computer voice fail! I can't listen to four whole videos of that. 1225134026 +In theory it can, but the Darwinian method is too slow for my liking. 1281126756 +I'd also like to talk about the paranormal in this case because I think what I have to say may be comforting to you. Especially if you're new to the paranormal ideas and beliefs.\n\nYour girlfriend has said that she believes a demon is at work here. It should also be noted that this doesn't sound particularly like most ghost hauntings. The main reason I don't think this could be a ghost is that if she saw a full body apparition, that is extremely rare. It's even more rare for a ghost to take the form of something that would look at all demon like. If anything, it would have looked human or like a mist or shadow. Most ghost hauntings also wouldn't follow her around. Ghosts are generally known for sticking to one location. The fact that she has hard things in her car and in her home seems to be odd for a ghost haunting.\n\nSo that would normally leave us with a demon haunting. But there is a lot here that also points away from it being a demon. A demon would, of course, not be afraid of you. Demons are known for being fairly belligerent and challenges are normally met with increased activity particularly toward the challenge. If this was a demon, you would be very aware of it yourself without your girlfriend needing to share any of her stories. Demon activity would normally be different as well. Whispering names and making people feel uneasy are things that could happen but generally the repertoire of activity is much fuller. Demon hauntings will often result in bloody scratches, physical contact (as in feeling someone grab you *hard* or violently pulling on hair) and they are closely linked with very bad, very strong smells and odors. The fact that your girlfriend has seen something but has not been physically injured or smelled something seems to point more towards her own psyche as being the issue.\n\nIf you're looking into the possibility that her father is causing this activity a lot more research would need to be done. There are only a few religions I know of that combine animal sacrifices with the idea of being able to get demons to do bidings. Most of the well-known religions or cultures that have practiced sacrificial offerings have either died out or changed so much that the idea is more historical than anything else. The closest thing I can think of that would cover something like this would be voodoo/hoodoo or Santeria. But with Santeria, there isn't much that goes into someone talking to demons or satan. Voodoo has a bit more because there are so many gods who do so many things and practitioners are sometimes able to communicate with these gods.\n\nIf she genuinely believes that her father is doing something like practicing voodoo and sending paranormal beings after her. It wouldn't hurt to look into getting something like a gris gris to keep with her. 1334294743 +D8 is water so clean that you can't have it in glas or plastic bottles because it would make the water dirty. For D100 you'd need several universes to even get a single molecule.\n\nThe point is simply that you can measure the weaker homeopathic potencies which makes the post I originally replied to utter bullshit. Which makes me think that /r/skeptic just upvotes whatever fits into their worldview. 1350050942 +THANK YOU!!!!! - From uni-lingual people 1331222953 +Thanks for that awesome site. I trolled my conspiracy-nut Facebook friend by posting it to his wall, and he replied back:\n\n"So when there's information that doesn't fit with the everything in the world is pretty much fine theory you put your head in the sand... and later when you pull your head back up you did up the least credible page you can find as a reply?... "\n\nShit, even he realizes how stupid it is. 1290838172 +>some Indians even believe it is an ancient Indian "science". People still stare at me in disbelief when I tell them when and how this quackery was invented\n\nThis always annoys me when people talk about homeopathy as natural or some kind of folk remedy. If it actually worked, it'd be on the same level as chemistry and medical sciences, and I bet the alternative crowd would rave about how homeopathic solutions are unnatural and are a scam by big pharma. 1343309470 +I think part of the problem is on one side you have a slick sales website promising you the world, and on the other side you have pages and pages of difficult to understand scientific material. \n\nThe average person is going to find it easier to pick the slick website that is promising to solve all of their problems and it saying that they've cured x number of people already. Most people simply don't have the skills and experience to critically evaluate the information they are being presented. 1356561661 +He said it pretty loud. I don't need any evidence. 1338597708 +first, i would think of the people i love, i would contact them and ensure they are safe henceforth. i would feel a nostalgia for and intense respect for human achievements prior to contact, and a parallel feeling of deep regret for the atrocities we commit against each other and against nature. i would strive to represent and defend my species as best as i can in interaction with alien life, if at all possible, and in interaction with my fellow humans. having said this, i am under no illusion that this will not be a difficult time. 1317952960 +I could be wrong, but I think that was the joke. Note the word "frequentist". 1302118106 +No didn't say that. No belief that I have is unquestionable. Its just there seems no reason to question it. There isn't any evidence that seems to contradict materialism. 1328244977 +That sounds fascinating, you should do an IAMA one day!\n\nI am astounded by magic, even simple tricks, because of exactly what you describe - the utter conviction in some reptile part of my brain that demands that the rabbit has been conjured out of thin air (while my logical mind screams that there must be *some* reasonable explanation).\n\nI saw a show by a magician the other day (actually a magician who gives wellbeing lectures if you can believe it, using magic as a prop) and it was almost impenetrable to reason at the time. It was so seamlessly done, the reality being presented was absurd (you don't just pull metres of ribbon out of an empty cylinder?) but I could hardly disbelieve it even though I tried. Like you say, a bit scary. 1309863021 +I'm quite lazy, but this might clear up the curiosity.\n\nhttp://www.ourultimatereality.com/the-ouija-board-and-its-hidden-dangers.html 1352583799 +[This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPuOL8RN5to) but with a little twist at the end.\n 1336098858 +It's their classic smokescreen strategy. Get people outraged about ridiculous litigation and legislation like this, and it turns attention away from the shadier stuff that they've been doing. 1301217036 +I've only recently customised my subreddit subscriptions to include this & other subs (I just had the default ones before), so in the past it was either in /r/science or on Facebook, but this thread at least is much different (you all are acting quite civil & nobody's blown up at me). I'm familiar with "herd immunity", but what are NIH studies? Would you mind giving an example? I'm actually open to checking out some of the pro-vaccine research, & I've checked out both sides in the past, but the anti-vaccine stuff so far has been a little more specific & informative (e.g. one of the most recent I read: http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?p=743 ) than the pro-vaccine stuff I've read, which has been more generalisation & speculation (like the posters all over the hospital I used to work at which were all exerpts from the book Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. I haven't yet read the book but the quotes from it were pretty thin... like the poster about Swine Flu was about "little Billy" who was seriously ill & the doctor wasn't able to determine what was wrong with him, but the father, **not** the doctor mind you, was pretty sure that it was swine flu & that it could have been prevented if he had received the vaccination. BTW, during that swine flu scare, the head doctor at that hospital and his son, and my brother -the only member of my family to get the vaccine-, all got the swine flu right after getting vaccinated for it -nobody else in my family did-). I really don't go around trying to convince everyone that vaccines are dangerous, but I do share my views with people I'm close with & care about (like family) & that I have the right to decide what goes into my body & whether I trust it or not (as does my family). Thank you for your polite reply. I wish I could upvote you more than once. 1317169283 +I am not sure about the ekg thing. perhaps he can actually manipulate his heartrate. I am not sure why one would not be able to with practice. \n\nAs far as the telekensis, that definitely sounds like your typical fraudulent setup. They can move very light objects short distances under predetermined circumstances. (he moved knitting needles balanced on a stand 10 degrees. OMG! HE IS A WIZARD! SO AMAZING!)\n\nI would say its is a combination of bad testing procedures, credulous testers, basic psychic trickery, and *perhaps* some ability to control heart rate. 1332085527 +>you must be a female\n\nGo fuck yourself. You're just a shittier person than the rest of us and I'm not going to keep reading. Go find a friend to review what you said. Maybe they can explain why you're a horrible person.\n\nThis is /r/skeptic. You don't have to prove a negative. Those are the rules. Any idiot should know that by now if you even found this sub. You can't prove that I'm not a talking hot dog. It's not your responsibility to prove that. It's my job to prove that I am. 1347991947 +Just changed a few settings. See if that works now. If not, I'll see what I can do. What sucks is I don't have an iphone to test on. My android worked fine though, go figure. In the mean-time, you can click on "Explore Full Site" and try connecting with Facebook that way. \n\nLet me know if either of these methods work for you. :). 1331092864 +That's cool. I can look at a physical UFO in the sky, that is also being radar tracked and say - "that thing in the sky sure does exhibit some anomalous behavior." I can't do that for FSM or God. That's all I'm getting at. 1316439670 +This. \n\nPlus, isn't the reason why we are so successful as a species is because we've learned to manipulate the natural world to suit our needs? 1311716053 +Should have used a Kamehameha 1269576797 +True, it is more accessible. 1320841801 +Yea, isn't the Vacc Mercury metabolized and removed from the body with it's normal digestion/waste within a few days, while the more common Mercury can remain for years? 1337105543 +Let's not forget that there were multiple witnesses. Shaun Little, a Kentucky State Trooper personally received five calls from witnesses.\n\n>Kentucky State Police Trooper Shaun Little told the News-Express that KSP Post 9 in Pikeville received five calls on Tuesday reporting the object in the sky.\n\nhttp://beforeitsnews.com/paranormal/2012/10/ufo-kentucky-police-receive-alien-activity-reports-video-2444400.html\n\n... Ignore the stuff about the Reptilians. Or not. 1351693204 +She was in on it, poo deniers are rife in Belgium. 1326553243 +It's ignored because the real truth of the matter is that people *are* indeed, unfortunately, mostly just nothing but sheep. So many people get upset when that word - sheeple - is used, but the fact of the matter is that it does indeed apply to much of how people really act on this planet.\n\nIt's horrendous. :( 1332228017 +So, aliens? 1343864833 +I find it problematic that the only option saying that god made humans like we are today also includes that it happened less than 10 000 years ago. Either way it's against evolution and thus stupid, of course, but still the option should've been there to answer that it happened millions of years ago. That answer would at least be a little less stupid. 1338631924 +don't forget your car and computer! 1294832765 +I have to say that reading for him was pretty good, but then again I know him best as House. 1308376118 +I'm going to post my sighting here if you don't mind, op.\n\n3 weeks ago, I was walking my dog along the beach in the early hours of the morning (about an hour before sunrise).I decided to sit down and chill for awhile. I observed 2 white orbs hover above my head -moving out towards the horizon infront of me (the sea). They were roughly 100ft high, and I distinctly remember seeing one orb swiftly adjust its altitude approximately by 10ft downwards in a perpendicularly fashion... and I think the other also moved. They were rotating slowly on top of each other (roughly 50ft apart) as they progressed forward out to sea. They probably made one full rotation every 200 metres travelled. The rotation was like a squashed bicycle wheel with the orbs being the reflector lights at 12 & 6 o'click position. I watched until they were no longer visible. My hairs were tingling and standing on end. I stayed until sunrise hoping to see something else, but I did not, nor did I care because I was in awe from that sighting.\n\n 1306201268 +I don't really see what's so suspicious. The arrows are not particularly sharp and he's probably wearing something much thicker than that cardboard, so a mistake would not have been too dangerous. They probably took a lot of shots and he hit a few of them, which they showed. 1298514365 +You're ignoring the fact that our sample size is woefully insufficient, at a grand total of one planet. 1341076438 +It was probably because of the word "befuddled" 1332533263 +Yeah, but as we know, vitamin c cures all ailments, so if you are suffering from excessive vitamin c, drinking more OJ or emergen-C should clear that right up. 1310763807 +This part made me mad: \n\n>but said it was unlikely that people suffering from cancer may forgo conventional medical treatment because of the statement "Jesus Heals Cancer". \n\nUnlikely? People die on a regular basis because they believe this statement. There have been numerous child neglect cases where parents are now rightfully in jail (and in some cases they should be in jail but are not) because of this belief. This is not benign and if it wasn't a Christian group doing it there would be an outcry. 1335894435 +well, shit. if I ever lost my job, my backup plan was selling blessings and spells on ebay. I guess I will have to sell homeopathic remedies instead. 1345168244 +Opinions formed without evidence cannot be debated with evidence. It's easier to find a new friend.\n\nPS. Just a tiny bit of logic would invalidate her opinion. Radio waves are everywhere and bathe us constantly regardless of our proximity to devices. Does she use a cell phone? 1350512847 +There have been [studies showing](http://www.cell.com/current-biology/retrieve/pii/S0960982209018247) that language development in the womb is important. That being said, the "learning" the baby is doing isn't the same way we learn. It has to do more with brain development. However, as long as your wife and you talk to each other, the sounds you create should suffice for your child's brain development, no weird device needed. 1306420872 +Not in the slightest, no one feels bad for a burglar being arrested. In my opinion these people are con artist and a reality check is only a slap on the wrist. 1346548032 +Wow. I wanna see the movie they're working on. 1339665990 +I don't disagree that we have had general benefits and have so far avoided massive disaster. But how long was it between "figured out how to do genetic modification" and "sold for human consumption"? How many generations of rats or mice or whatever were fed the stuff for how long and tested for adverse results?\n\n 1329265262 +I can give you some good advice, check out these websites: ufocasebook.com and ufoinfo.com and check out some of stories of encounters on those sites, it's where I started. ufoinfo.com actually has a ton of humanoid encounters, those are a great read. If just one of those stories are true, it could be one of the most amazing encounters in history. Also, you should read a book called UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials speak out. It is thoroughly researched and includes cases that are witnessed by the aforementioned folks, who are extremely credibal and have lots to lose by going on record about aliens or UFOs. 1320004534 +Thanks! I'll check it out! 1332614964 +If they had just a little less faith, they'd have a lot more son right now. 1348150450 +And quantity, I believe? Proper balanced diet & what not? 1328498209 +Instant shutdown for any account of the afterlife:\n\nIf they're telling you about it, THEY DIDN'T FUCKING DIE!\n\nI read about this horseshit the other day. Thanks for providing the follow-up. Harris is awesome. 1350086992 +I'm all for satire, although I think we should allow people to give an honest description of whatever mechanism they think allows homeopathy to work. From thence, debunking can proceed. Otherwise they could reasonably argue we made up our minds ahead of time... which is not a very scientific position.\n\n(vast evidence of homeopathy working only by placebo notwithstanding.) 1296537620 +This doesnt make any sense to me, sorry :( 1310516338 +I reserve this word for rare, appropriate occasions. What a cunt. 1293499547 +Rampart! 1351237952 +Actually, [she only rages when you *think* you give her facts](http://www.mindthesciencegap.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/SugarKids.gif). 1349285043 +Sorry, but this just doesn't seem to belong in the Skeptic subreddit. 1318858950 +Well, *I'd* never heard of an encabulator before, so thank you!\n\nA little research finds that the Rockwell Retro Encabulator is based off of the earlier GE Turboencabulator, which [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turboencabulator) is kind enough to describe as well as provide the [GE data sheet](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/dc/GE_Turboencabulator_pg_2.jpg). Perhaps the best line:\n\n> Material: Amulite; Tremie-pipes are of Crapaloy -- (tungsten cowhide) 1264893393 +yeah, especially since lie detectors are not foolproof by any means 1291384653 +[Part 2](http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=arguing-with-non-skeptics-part-2-of-10-07-28) 1280396380 +I thought it was a scientific and religious consensus that a lack of pirates caused global warming. 1354724119 +Thanks for pointing that out. I've been having my doubts about fenderjazzbass' posts. 1342736862 +Sorry, I wasn't clear, I'm just asking: aren't they analogous:\n\nAtheism: lack of belief in gods, no worldview\n\nSkepticism: rejecting (any) non-evidence based claims, no worldview\n\nI know the definition is overly simplified, but I think you catch my drift? Neither of them seems to make any positive claims. 1343047265 +You're thinking of Pokemon (The electric hero Porygon). This is the only episode of any anime to have these effects. 1344280014 +Shooting glasses offer the same benefits. 1355967163 +they were pretty fucking close at the least for nukes using heavy water 1335984284 +I read alot about this a few months ago, it's fucking hilarious. I love the gif-animations they make of Paul aging as a "proof" of him not being the same person. 1340878058 +right first off i am going to say : the brain is interesting it can take information from the world around out, smell sound, sight ect. but it can also trick you. it can make things appear if you really want them to. also it can be tricked to make stuff appear if you are effected my electro magnetism . i beleive this might be the case, especially seeing how you played this slender game. don't worry is my main focus, if it happens for more then a week then please come back to us . 1342087642 +Oh I know, I'm just saying that looks typical of tin foil. 1287013335 +The SI unit is the Buttload. 1310495837 +It's like Google News, except it has an editor. 1320879884 +Yeah they were being sold at the state fair which was going on when this happened. Imagine they sold quite a few. 1351544299 +xD at first i thought it's some kind of painting on the wall or something, until i see the picture on comment 1344842156 +I don't see how a person can be offended fir others and nit themselves. Being offended is an emitional reaction, it seems a person needs to have an emotional attachment to something to be offended.\n\nAR ant rate being offended is a waste. Keep your own house in order, and do what you can to promote your ideals. If thus were a public school there would be a problem, if families want to waste time in this crap they have that right. 1344792335 +nah. 1341791562 +Interesting story, but not sure I completely buy it. I know there are some composers (e.g. Chopin) who had temporal lobe anomalies that inspired music. How does a brain injury teach you how to play piano, though? 1339093179 +So I guess thorium is out as well. \n\nDo they know that geothermal energy comes from radioactive decay? They should be against that too.\n\nOh yeah, and since they're against fusion... solar's out 1310776174 +(Guys stop downvoting him. Clearly he's lost.)\n\nYou want /r/conspiracy, good sir. Update your bookmarks. 1326580207 +Actually, that's not what I argued. I responded to arguments that were defending trolls, saying they prompt valuable self-reflection or stir debate or whatever. None of those benefits require pretentious trolling, so it's an insufficient justification. \n\nI argued that ultimately it's a pathetic ego trip based in some imagined manipulation, but that doesn't preclude that it might be rationalized (privately or explicitly) by some claimed self-righteous intent of exposing others to be foolish or hypocritical or blind to their biases. 1355762559 +I'm a bit of a socially awkward penguin so I don't go outside my social circles much... It will be interesting to see if I can predict strangers' sentences when I head back to college. 1326533337 +I'll leave a comment here to watch this later. Ciao 1301502653 +hill fo sho 1344511831 +I wish I had gone on a date with a guy like that! My dates are always about designer clothes and how whatever I'm wearing is not good enough. 1345823021 +I didn't get it at first either until I read the comments, the little girl was there but she was sitting alone. If you look really closely to the left of her you can see another person. 1312334896 +oh god, the awkwardness 1258660905 +Harmlessly quaffing boxes of homeopathic painkillers is also good entertainment, but it's still bullshit. 1352709233 +Great video, though I suspect that the OP's friend will regard the TV program as 'evidence.' 1323827647 +I hallucinated for a few years, finally a doctor figured out the cause and it cured a bunch of other things I never would have thought were symptoms of anything, if this is real might want it checked out, my life improved a good deal 1339508186 +I hate to tell you this, but you need to go to a doctor! I had a friend who had this happen to him, it turned out to be a tumor. 1354738777 +Nothing specific other than watching his abortion of a show(s). Modern addiction treatement, including AA and such, have been the focus of much controversy within the skeptic community, and exploiting their pain, well... 1330624259 +Smoking an driving is not really the same as drinking and driving, and if you have smoked pot for a long time a little will barely do anything. 1344146753 +>Thank god for someone who actually has some idea what they are talking about.\n\nExcept not?\n\n>Even if he didn't have a sexual motivation, he was still dismissing what she had to say and ignoring her.\n\nNo? You don't know the precise words, or where he was in the vicinity. He may have thought she was just tired of talking to the group. You never know, but you can't make any solid judgments. He even admitted you can't prove sexual motivation.\n\n>Rebecca admonished the guys in the skeptical community not to do that, and a portion of that community blew up, mischaracterized her arguments and put words in her mouth.\n\nNo. PZ Meyers and Phil Plait white knighted and stupid shit was said. This prompted more stupid shit from Watson. Stupid shit storm ensues and the community gets pissed. Elevator coffee request turned into possible sexual assault thanks to Plait. This is what enraged the community.\n\n>So, I'm going to correct the snarky illustration. If I was sitting in a hotel bar with a group of people and I told the group I didn't have any cash so I was going up to my room to get it, and then someone (doesn't matter what race or physical build, either) who was in that group but I hadn't talked to got up, followed me into the elevator, and asked me if I had change for a $20, yes I think I would rightly feel a little freaked out and it wouldn't be unreasonable for me to request that people not do that.\n\nBeing awake isn't a commodity you carry on your person. Minds can be changed and bodies can lie about need of sleep. Coffee, as it turns out, can help change your tiredness a bit. It would be more like asking them if they wanted to come to your room because you have a few quarters. But it's not like that, either, really. The analogy is preposterously inapt and shows how, on a very basic level, the person you replied to failed to understand the situation. 1310756618 +Not really sure whats going on here... But UFOs buzzing the Vatican is not too far fetched an idea. 1276226606 +[No, it's perfectly possible. It's just bloody difficult.](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1375666/quotes?qt=qt1261205) 1334792706 +Two guys I recommend reading on this subject are Gary Taubes (*Good Calories, Bad Calories*, goes into the most detail) and Robert Lustig. I can't speak for the specifics of the 60 Minutes piece but regarding the overall hypothesis, these two guys make a compelling case that sugar is a chronic toxin.\n\nJust saying "sugar" is of course imprecise and unhelpful. Lustig is primarily concerned with fructose. Glucose by itself is fine, he says. Taubes's hypothesis is about the effects of all carbohydrate and what happens when we chronically eat too much of it. 1333724700 +That JFK was murdered as part of a conspiracy. Still not likely in my opinion, but it doesn't need magic, a god-person, Bigfoot, special mind powers, or space aliens for it to be true. Just a bunch of people that really could keep a secret. And though unlikely, since it doesn't involve anything new in science or world-view, I think it would be the most likely to be true. \n\nNow, if you ask me which of the various JFK conspiracies that would be.... well, I don't know. 1278973406 +Some humans are very suggestible, I suspect that this explains most hypnotism. It seems to also be usable as a very powerful placebo, I read about one hypnotist awhile ago who apparently used self-hypnosis before having surgery on his hand which was done without anaesthetic, he apparently didn't find it painful. I'm willing to believe that, pain is something that can be significantly reduced with placebos.\n\n*Addendum*\n\nStory about man hypnotising himself before surgery. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/sussex/7355523.stm\n\nAlso a discussion about the story on the randi.org forums. http://forums.randi.org/archive/index.php/t-111742.html 1307287332 +first of all, your evidence is entirely anecdotal, so let me counter it with my anecdote: I know many vegetarians (not vegans) and none of them have significant health problems. None have ever had to go to the hospital or have even gotten sick, as far as I know, because of their diet. \n\nSecondly, strict veganism or vegetarianism is not more 'natural' than eating meat, but who cares? I don't base my diet decisions on what our ancestors might have eaten or what we are 'meant' to eat any more than I base any other ethical decisions on the behavior of apes. That being said, a diet without meat might be closer to our 'natural' diet than the huge quantities of meat that we eat in the west. \n\nAlso, as a side note, if you are a vegetarian and are having trouble getting iron, you are doing it wrong. Eat some lettuce, dude. 1297868364 +I wish they made it so that it was possible to see the top comment just by hovering over the post. It's unbelievable when you have a post with 1000+ points and then a comment with 500+ proving that it is blatantly wrong. OP, I feel like the people who do not check the comments will probably not check your subreddit as well. But I do like the idea. 1332918258 +I still think Scooby Doo is the best skeptic show for kids. I know this is talking about science but the original Scoobys(not the movies(live action or cartoon) or that 1000 ghosts crap) were shows that taught critical thinking. Every ghost or alien or magic that occurred was explained though science and trickery. 1347579071 +I'm not saying it should, not libertarian in any way myself, but I'm just trying to point out how it's different from the state of nature that hobbes laid out. 1343072738 +Man, r/UFOs is a total bummer when you're reasonable. 1346081015 +You're the one who posted all the awesome info! Wish I could give you a piece of the peach crisp I'm baking!\nETA: I just sent a report to Health Canada (I believe it fell under the advertising of natural products) regarding her advertised "homeopathic vaccines". Let's see what happens. 1347751052 +Whooping Cough will just be blamed by something else. 1334780885 +I remember that episode...kind of left you scratching your head. I'm talking like original eastern state penn episode, I remember one with a lighthouse where an apparition peaked over the side of the railing. I mean these could have been staged too, but I just feel the show felt more genuine back then. 1348498105 +not sure if upvoted because relevant to r/skeptic\n\nor because *MrWeiner*\n\nas for how MrWeiner did *do*, well... should we consider him "debunked"? or that other one? i daresay this discussion hasn't been concluded... also, i'm not even sure which side r/skeptic is supposed to debunk! 1337343763 +70% of people who believe the world will end, think it will be the most ridiculous one. Are these useful statistics for determining the cause? 1336111510 +Isn't it possible that you got bounced around to the back seat during the crash? You say you were losing consciousness after the accident, sounds like you probably bounced off the dashboard and landed in the back seat. \n\nLack of other injuries could be explained the same way that drunk drivers don't get as hurt when they get in accidents (not paying attention and don't tense up prior to the accident). 1327942073 +Uhh well from a quick glance, the first self post is currently on the third page in at #67 with **60** of the prior submissions being solely pictures (quickmeme, imgur) and without even clicking 8 of them specifically suburban mom memes before it. \n\nThat's fine that there is some deeper content hidden in there, but it's hardly fair to try and paint the whole sub that way when that kind of content is clearly in the extreme minority. 1341549670 +It's an old story - the first hit (massage) is free, then you pay and pay and pay and.... 1295409298 +Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for. 1293842486 +Christians talk of "accepting" Jesus all the time.\n\nI find the whole thing silly. 1309304613 +wow that's very impressive! so you're a magician? 1345149370 +My thinking is that if I don’t capture it on my equipment I am going to doubt that it is legitimate. Like the pictures I posted. I know the person and what their capability is and I doubt she could fake them however they look too good to be true. Even with my equipment when I hear EVPs I scrutinize them for any other possible source of background noise first. We also copy all evidence from an investigation and then have three people separately check it and see if they get the same results. Unfortunately with modern technology when viewing paranormal evidence you have to trust the source or take it as a possible fake. 1336488574 +The music in this video is Y by Monophobe. Can be found on his Soundcloud at http://soundcloud.com/monophobemusic\n\nHope you enjoy his songs as much as I do! Also, thanks for posting this so I could find his music! 1347508611 +> It's possible that there are components of food that we are not yet able to detect or measure\n\n... and there's no reason to suspect those components to be more plentiful in organic than in normal produce. 1289328715 +Hydrofloric acid is this mythical acid that doesn't damage your skin, but seeps into your bone marrow and kills you regardless of how much you are exposed to. At least that's what some people think.\n\nIt's frightening what beliefs some people cling to, even when confronted with written evidence. 1296115057 +Make it true damnit! 1332387673 +Speak the truth, brother. \n\n*GLOBAL WARMING IS A HOAX!* 1353311595 +Call it thin-slicing. Maybe it did, I really don't have very strong feelings on the matter. I suppose I have trouble understanding (not believing) why the ejected material was glowing, for one, and why it spun in such a perfect spiral, for another. I've been looking for a couple of minutes (not long I'll admit) and can't find an explanation for those two facts.\n\nEDIT:terrible, terrible grammar 1350224368 +They make my brain work to make me stronger? That's a helluva lot better than science! I'll take twelve! 1327321684 +Nice, very interesting explanation from professor Andrew Lih as to why it's more reliant on the majority view and verifiable secondary sources. 1330587883 +[Oxygen Therapy](http://www.snopes.com/medical/homecure/peroxide.asp) 1243742220 +I wrote an essay myself on homeopathy last year for a class. Two helpful books were [Trick or Treatment](http://www.trickortreatment.com/) and [Snake Oil Science](http://www.amazon.com/Snake-Oil-Science-Complementary-Alternative/dp/0195313682). If you are interested in reading my essay I'll gladly send you a copy (my works cited may give you further research avenues.) 1301868528 +You've misread the title as well: the active part is "a validation study for a clinical prediction rule". \n\nThey used this rule, with fixed therapies (these were controls, not dependent variables) to determine if this was a viable rule to guide docs in the future. I don't see where you're getting your interpretation of this study. 1349548803 +How could that possibly be legal? 1266600262 +Yes! I love to suspend disbelief and dive down the rabbit hole. My favorite one is the idea that Stanley Kubrick helped the CIA stage the Apollo 11 landing, but left clues to the nature of his secret deeds in 2001, The Shining, and Eyes Wide Shut. Google the movie Kubrick's Odyssey if you want to see someone make some wild, unfounded claims, that would be really cool if they were true. 1356616718 +Yeah man, David Holmes even opened a cafe in Belfast called Mogwai after everyone's favourite noise mongers 1332265370 +You don't know what homeopathy is. 1299450719 +Cool; love these stories whether there's any truth to them or not. Thanks! 1322253762 +This is a skeptic reddit... I am just correcting the information that is false. As a skeptic should do. You want to go to r/politics! 1315422936 +Yeah, this is better. I think labeling it as a conspiracy theory is actually worse than just simply calling it nonsense. Both will offend fundamentalists, but the former will also confuse them and make them think that you are weird and potentially stupid. Whether it shares attributes with conspiracy theories is actually entirely beside the point. 1350585243 +IDK guy, just seems completely faked. 1330713278 +I was tricked into going to a Hell House (that's the last time I go to a haunted house put on by a megachurch) and some guy dressed as a demon said that almost verbatim and without a hint of irony. I yelled "Satan, you're full of shit." The kid playing the troubled goth teen broke character, and I was asked to leave. I didn't get my money back, and I was still witnessed to on the way out the door. AND I got a parking ticket. Worst Halloween ever. 1330467445 +The leaders from the right told us all we had to go to war in Iraq, and we did. That was over oil, not security.\n\nDo not make the mistake of assuming that one team is more honest than the other. Why is everyone trying to increase the cost of energy beyond the reach of the lower classes? That is what it is all about, make CO2 producing stuff (coal, oil, gas) more expensive.\n\nScientists are people. Just like priests, politicians and pimps. I can remember getting excited about cold fusion because a few scientists made the claim they'd sussed it back in '89.\n\nIt is possible for scientists to push their beliefs before their craft. 1261162524 +RIIIIISE. 1346074058 +He was only in there for a second, and he had his paws up on the stove which is on the other side of the kitchen. He couldn't reach that shelf if he tried.\n\nOther thing was an uh.. event, that was a few years back. Long story short is i was at home, realized i hadn't checked the messages on my phone (land line with a big button you had to push to make speaker phone come on), so i looked up, and right when i looked up and had the thought, the phone went into speaker phone.\n\nI didn't have any messages either. :P 1347365783 +Why would a helicopter monitor these if they are 'sky lanterns'? How big would these 'sky lanterns' have to be to show up from miles away? Can you post a link to actual 'sky lanterns'? I don't think I've ever seen one.\n\nJust saying. This chinese lantern/sky lantern 'explanation' gets used all the time now, but I've never actually seen one confirmed in real life or on video. 1291241271 +Pravda is the russian version of the 'weekly world news' 1291966682 +They use less effective pesticides and fertilizers, because if some scientist worked his ass off to make a more effective version of something they don't want a piece of it because it has chemicals.\n\nNot to say that they don't have some reason to go against certain pesticides, but all the time and effort spent growing things organically could be spent trying to find safer more effective pesticides and fertilizer. 1296146478 +O mi gad redet is fur srs bzns onli. 1347829682 +Haven't done much in the way of chemical hallucinogens, but I have cultivated the ability to self induce states of hypnagogia/lucid dreaming/out of body experiences. Many of these dreams feel very much like hallucinations, including such things as interacting with people I know who are sitting on the foot of my bed (though they are not really there). Other times I have the experience of walking around my room outside of my body, sometimes having trouble "getting back into it."\n\nThis has gone a long way toward informing my skepticism as I can sincerely say I believe I have had the "experience" of out of body AND I cannot rule out that it is just a mental hallucination of sorts (hypnagogia). It has also given me the chance to experiment with extended knowledge by having people hide stuff in a specific place.\n\nObviously this is all just as anecdotal as the person who believes they've really had an out of body experience, but it does give me a different perspective and I can see how easy it is to believe in such things without a very solid mode of critical thinking. 1325608269 +Thanks. Facebook can be a bitch 1356125209 +NINETAILS HAS NINE FUCKING TAILS AND IS ADORABLE! 1345518389 +thanks for being an active moderator 1306728269 +Ive cooled down a bit. Boy that vent did feel good though. For the record the camera that shot the movies were unique. This created a problem as there was no technology at the time to just convert and play over television and the players were so proprietary that the films could only be watched on them. The broadcast footage is done by taking a TV camera and pointing it at the screen/monitor of the footage being played. Thus the horrid quality. The footage is still archived. I heard on NPR that a player was tracked down and footage has been being converted. I think that's what's been seen in some of the latest documentaries. 1319837016 +I really wish the writing on that piece was better... stuff like this just makes me bonkers:\n> as Arctic ice melts, water that was below the surface becomes exposed to the sun and absorbs more solar energy,\n\n 1336432923 +A solar storm has been happening. Probably that 1331330149 +In the future, please use /r/debunkthis.\n\nI mean, it's right there in the sidebar... 1346585524 +I must admit, there certainly does seem to be something in those pictures... not sure what, but something. 1291865811 +unfortunately being 5 and it being my first experience with snow I don't think I ever looked for tracks. I've thought about that before, but since it isnt something I can recall quickly I dismiss it because I don't want to muddle the actual memory up and add elements that werent really there. If that makes sense. 1326555786 +I'm curious about the people that downvoted this... 1320909229 +Sad that this submission didn't take off:\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/pa1aa/the_fireplace_analogy/?already_submitted=true\n\n4 upvotes. r/atheism should give it more love, or someone should resubmit it. If it wasn't already a resubmission. 1328698599 +Not to be confused with colloidal silver, but I learned form my little girl silver nitrate was once used experimentally on people as should told me about this women who lost hearing as a result.\n\n"When she was about 25 years old, Juliette suffered an ear infection from a piece of rice that was accidentally lodged in her ear at her wedding. She persuaded the doctor to try an experimental treatment, an injection of silver nitrate. This treatment damaged her ear, causing her to lose a great deal of her hearing in that ear."\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliette_Gordon_Low#Early_life 1351710562 +I did that experiment once and they still knew. 1336243300 +Ex-gay therapy teaches you that homosexuality is something evil that you need to be saved from. By the time they're done with kids they probably believe it too and feel like their life is so much better now that they've cast sin aside even if they're just in denial. 1338520169 +"Yeah, that Randi, only being skeptical of unverified claims, instead of being skeptical of the very idea of the scientific method! He's a hypocrite!" \n\nI'd apologize for the strawman, but really, this is just an *accurate summary of their position.*\n\n*Edit* replaced "It's" with "I'd." How did that error even happen? Was I drunk? 1318615382 +So I just watched "the secret history 2" on youtube. Is this the same thing?\n\nAlso, in that video, there's an abductee who says that abduction cases dropped off sharply around 2000-2003, and the video was in 2006, did that continue on to today? 1322954416 +Wow. That was intense. \n\nI agree with you. There has to be something more behind dreams. 1323866781 +His precious bodily fluids must remain pure. 1331238133 +Dude, fix the justification. It's very hard to read like that. 1316423668 +Check out the [Carbon War Room](http://www.carbonwarroom.com/), where people are putting together market-driven solutions to climate change. \n\nWhile cap-and-trade, and other policy issues are discussed, they're also big into alternative generation, energy efficiency, and providing capital for those efforts.\n\nEspecially as oil gets more expensive, clean energy will be increasingly driven by the most powerful force on earth, human greed. 1306773948 +http://www.reddit.com/r/owie/new 1267139314 +These were fantastic, thanks for posting! I particularly loved the straw man animation. 1330328248 +"Still being posted once an hour" is not suggesting being bothered, nor is it douchbaggy. 1288304665 +True. I rather like the idea of a "ghost in a jar" though, it's sort of fun. 1345179803 +No, they all *attempted* communism and *ended up* with totalitarianism. It was not for the lack of trying that they failed. 1311010435 +I don't know if it's related to anything paranormal, but once, while playing on the Playstation, my controller started talking...\n\nActually it was 2 voices, one male and one female seemingly talking to each other in a language I did not understand. I freaked out and went to my mom (I was quite young at the time, around 10/12 maybe). She came and there was nothing. So naturally I started playing again, only to have it start again. Ran once more to my mom, and it never happened again. \n\nOf course, no one ever believed me, and I would do the same if I was told something similar. Yet, it stays a sharp memory where I'm still not sure what happenened. 1340434183 +Aaagh, it evolves! 1314738242 +the ones that are real are 1. too complex to be made from the ground, 2. Too large to be made over night, let alone a few seconds that some are reported to be made in 3. stalks have been microwaved and layed down perfectly at 90 degree angles and not broken as it would happen with a wooden board, 4. have complex mathematical meaning, 5. many are made over night near military installations where people would be seen., 6. Never any paths leading in or out to area, 7. Many times those orb things are reported around the area before the pattern appears. 1307807940 +living honest and good lives, having a relationship with God. 1332739454 +Basically this. It's super interesting that our mind is able to construct these things, and it's amazing to be able to experience it, but I have no reason to believe they're real.\nIt's also super interesting how the experiences are similar to the apparent experiences of others, but I believe that the similarities come from cultural constructions, as above, or a result of similar physical and chemical brain composition. 1318284659 +Exceptional claims demand exceptional evidence. -Hitchens\n\nJust because you can say something is true doesn't make it true. Given exceptional evidence of your exceptional claims, I'll be more than happy to believe them. Until such time, I do not believe them. 1300553842 +You challenging me bro?\n\nhttp://i.imgur.com/MGcLw.jpg 1345778837 +Could be a Satellite. #5 is fishy and doesn't look like a Satellite. 1342814389 +Can you point me in the direction of the sources for quantum entanglement not transmitting information instantaneously? I am a bit confused I thought it could. 1344875095 +I find it telling that many of the enraged yoga supporters site anecdotal evidence and what sounds like a pseudo-religious dogma when it comes to defending their exercise regimen. 1326572260 +Tomato, tomatoe. \n\nBut yes it's a pen, not a cage. I now see what the habub was about haha 1333950780 +I take everything with massive skepticism when it comes to anything considered paranormal. 1345778813 +Ghmm. I thought that it was about making a clever bot that understands superstitions by traders and uses them for predicting, and I thought, no way that is going to work beause when you're trading you don't have the attention to keep track of all the superstitions you should apply. 1344284203 +to quote the great and wise philosopher Carlin "You know who I pray to? Joe Pesci. Joe Pesci. Two reasons; first of all, I think he's a good actor. Ok. To me, that counts. Second; he looks like a guy who can get things done. Joe Pesci doesn't fuck around. Doesn't fuck around. In fact, Joe Pesci came through on a couple of things that god was having trouble with. For years I asked god to do something about my noisy neighbor with the barking dog. Joe Pesci straightened that cock-sucker out with one visit."\n\nedit: also frisbeetarianism. but honestly if I had to choose; Rao, because if superman prays to him I don't wanna be dead ya dig. 1312246672 +This is a good sighting: multiple valid witnesses and fairly good video. Very weird. 1227415440 +>All of a sudden, he's shilling for miracle weight loss pills. "And you don't even have to change your diet or lifestyle!!".\n\nAnd at the same time he had Tony Horton (from P90X) on his show who advocates the complete opposite: change your diet and your lifestyle! Talk about mixed massages. 1354426109 +I thought the HuffPo was a credible website. I stand corrected. 1265275790 +> A few people with unlimited budgetary resources funded international agents (muslim and others)\n\nHow many is "a few"? Because even with your estimate, it's still at least the people who hijacked the planes, plus a demolition team to somehow plant charges which remained unnoticed not only in the hours leading up to the plane crash but in the collapse itself, plus whoever was digging through the rubble -- they didn't find enough of the kind of residue expected to suggest anything overly suspicious...\n\nPlus the intelligence we had that Al-Qaeda was planning just such an event? Plus whoever authorized the "unlimited funding"?\n\nAnd not *one* of these people involved in this conspiracy ever had a crisis of conscience and came forward, or even dumped evidence of it onto Wikileaks?\n\nEven if it's as small as you're playing, this seems similar to Feynman's response to UFOs -- that they are much more likely the product of known properties of terrestrial intelligence than of unknown properties of extraterrestrial intelligence. It seems clear that 9/11 is much more likely the product of the known hatred and determination of extremist Islamic terrorism than some unknown element of domestic government-sponsored terrorism.\n\nThis is still giving more credit than is due to the "controlled demolition" idea. I'm assuming it's 50% as likely. As it is, there's no credible evidence to suggest this is the case.\n\n> The rest is just covering it up, and marginalizing any evidence that was brought forward.\n\nWhich, again, is something they can't manage for supposedly private communications between *heads of state,* but they can somehow pull off for this? 1332530749 +You'd probably have more success asking simple questions like "So, how many people do you know that have polio? Did Susie get over the whooping cough yet?" etc. 1297284934 +Why downvote this?\n\nI don't like it, but he's right. 1334239717 +Photoshop 1265571147 +Whoosh! 1334308171 +Whoosh! 1351633730 +Whoosh! 1353177134 +Associating with idiots was your first mistake. Sucks that even awesome people are idiots :/ 1339998728 +Can't local state governments do things about it though? It is a problem that needs to be taken seriously now so that things aren't terrible in the future... Then again, long term goals of politicians.. Hmmm. 1354945122 +Do you have any evidence verifying your claim? 1337642095 +It's most likely that there's simply a naturally occurring high level of fluoride in the local water supply.\n\nThe thing that bakes my noodle about this is that people are saying that fluroide shouldn't be put in water supplies becuase of this study, but the levels of exposure in this were up to 450% higher than the MAXIMUM recommended safe levels.\n\nIt's basically people running around yelling FLUORIDE ISN'T SAFE AT ANY LEVEL CAUSE IF YOU HAVE TOO MUCH OF IT IT KILLS YOU... Like you know, regular water. Or Oxygen. 1344859463 +I remember watching that and suspecting that the whole thing was staged with an actor, but I never followed it up with any investigation ... it was very well done, Derren himself is a good actor when he seems so earnest and giving explanations which are all bluff 1292804360 +I do not have a problem with him being a magician, I have a problem with him double misleading people. Non of his explanations are true, at least non that I have seen. Please do not tell me that people expect him to lie in his explanations.\n\nPS: I am sorry for misspelling his name. Is there any way to fix it? 1298910002 +"Existence unfolds into a symphony of possibilities" ~Deepak Chopra 1344268174 +Weight loss is just a numbers game. Barring a medical problem, like a thyroid condition, it's simple math. Calories in vs Calories out. Eat less than normal and you'll lose weight.\n\nPlateaus suck, but are relatively easy to break through. These methods should do the trick to prevent your body trying to even out the process (called homeostasis).\n\nUltimately, it doesn't matter what you do as long as you create a caloric deficit. 1331023282 +Orthopedic surgeons evaluate people with scoliosis. If it is a child, the surgeon may recommend bracing and potentially surgery based on severity, type, and remaining growth. If it is adult degenerative scoliosis, then surgery can be considered for pain relief as a last resort. If there are progressive neurological deficits, you will likely need surgery. \n\nSo, there are different types and severities of scoliosis.\n\nPrimary care providers screen kids for scoliosis. For adults who want to treat their back pain and try to avoid surgery, they can go to their primary care physician, pain specialists (usually anesthesiologists with specialized training), physiatrists ( also called physical medicine and rehabilitation), and physical therapists. If they want to explore the world of alternative medicine, they can see chiropractors, acupuncturists, etc. \n\nThere is danger in allowing a chiropractor to treat pediatric scoliosis instead of an orthopedist. The child may miss the opportunity for effective treatment (including operative and non-operative) while the growth plates are open. I suspect that the most reasonable chiropractors will refer these kids to their local pediatric orthopedic surgeon. \n\nI'm not so bothered if a chiropractor treats adult scoliosis. And I don't have any citations for you, I don't care if you take your adult back to a chiropractor. I don't doubt that you might even find some benefit. But do not compromise the health of children by advocating for chiropractic and other alternative treatments to the exclusion of evidence based medicine. \n\n 1337669371 +And did you ace it? 1330097449 +That's exactly what I thought ... 1334868467 +**Cryptids:**\n\n> In cryptozoology and sometimes in cryptobotany, a cryptid (from the Greek "κρύπτω" (krypto) meaning "hide") is a creature or plant whose existence has been suggested but is unrecognized by scientific consensus and often regarded as highly unlikely.[1] Famous examples include the **Yeti** in the Himalayas and the **Loch Ness Monster** in Scotland. 1345932585 +Huh? Monster?\n 1326349747 +"Thanks, but how about the bar instead?"\n\nThat seems like a less defensive answer, which in itself, would prompt the next level of "motive" from the OMG SEXIST MALE.\n\nFeel vulnerable all you want, lady, but don't hit all of us with the broad brush pls. \n\nKTHX OMG U'R HOTTTTEH!\n\n(edit in case it didn't come across that i'm agreeing with you, Mr. Johnson. I am agreeing with you! :)) 1351127142 +We really are going to have to continue this IRL, cause I'm giving up the internet for awhile starting tomorrow, but first a few rebuttals:\n\nMy argument isn't "morphing"; I am pointing out that YOUR frequent statement that acupuncture doesn't work beyond placebo is both factually untrue and **by your own admission** based on assumptions you have made, mostly because a bunch of authorities have said so.\n\nBut you think I'm the unscientific one?\n\nI don't have much interest in reading a few hundred Cochrane Reviews because; as I have said to you many times, I do not think that acupuncture can be adequately 'placebo'd' for testing. I don't think the Reviews have much to say about actual practice. \n\nAcupuncture isn't a pill that could be dispensed by anyone. It's more akin to massage or even surgery; the skill of the practitioner matters. I suspect a lot of acupuncture trials are essentially testing crappy acupuncture against other crappy acupuncture - not very informative. \n\n[This](http://www.naturalnews.com/025057_acupuncture_placebo_brain.html) is a story about a study (that I can't find a direct link to at the moment) that used fMRI to show changes in the brains of patients receiving 'verum' acupuncture. It had a positive result but I point it out for the mention in the second paragraph that the test subjects were all "naive to acupuncture". Think about that for a moment. What would you think of a pharmaceutical study that used a placebo that only worked as a placebo if the subjects had never taken pills before? \n\n>The underlying basis for acupuncture (qi flowing through meridians in the body) is completely unsupported by available evidence. I assume this is the "magic and gibberish" basis for TCM referenced in the original article. This means acupuncture has poor prior plausibility; before ever testing a thing, there is little reason to think acupuncture should work.\n\nAnd here's the crux of the issue. You assume that all studies confirm your bias here. You have a very poor understanding of TCM in general and Qi specifically and from this you conclude that there is little reason to think it might work. I suspect your assumptions are shared by many of the folks conducting research into acupuncture; how do you think that might effect the studies they perform, and the peer reviews to which those studies are subjected?\n\nQi is not a magical property. It is a concept that is very difficult to translate adequately, because it means different things in different contexts. This vagueness is common in Chinese languages I'm told, but very uncomfortable for English speakers to wrap our heads around. Qi originally means 'breath'. In other cases in would best be translated as nutrition. Are those magical concepts? Or do you agree that they are tangible, measurable, requirements for human health? In the case of acupuncture I think 'de qi' is best translated as [introception](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interoception). Does that help?\n\nAs for the assuming it shouldn't work; who would believe that moldy bread could cure infections? On the face of it that's absurd too. \n\n>TCM practitioners may not just prescribe untested treatments; they continue to prescribe treatments that HAVE been tested and found to be ineffective or harmful.\n\nAgain you provide NO citations. \n\nI don't argue that TCM herbal formulae aren't potentially dangerous; I know they are. Just as pharmaceuticals can be dangerous. They have to be appropriately prescribed by well trained practitioners. \n\nAgain I think you are making huge assumptions based on your biases. Chinese herbal medicine has been tested and continues to be tested (often in languages you and I do not speak, so it's hard to point to studies). \n\n>I assume this is the "magic and gibberish" basis for TCM referenced in the original article.\n\nHere is an example. The original article (I suggest you read it) was essentially a response to a tragic story of a mama bear killing her cub and herself; they were being held in horrific conditions so that their bile could be harvested. Of course I do not condone this practice , neither does any other TCM practitioner I know. But **nothing** in the article was scientific evidence that Xiong Dan (bear bile) doesn't work to relieve febrile seizures. That's what it's claimed to do. I don't think we'll ever see a study, nor should we, too unethical. But dismissing all of TCM as superstitious nonsense because of this abhorrent practice isn't science or scepticism. (Not to mention that here in North America we subject animals to equally horrific conditions so that we can have cheap bacon.)\n\nPlease don't respond here - I won't get to see it - come for a coffee and we'll continue the conversation. 1314797903 +I never mentioned aliens or the ETH. Keep your stupid non sequitor memes away from my serious discussions. Thanks. 1331865335 +There was an object like that [seen in Denmark](http://www.caelestia.be/viborg.html) in 1975. 1308159625 +Another fine example from the deniers:\n\nhttp://www.biocab.org/Total_Emisivity_CO2.html\n\n(this one is 'peer-reviewed' by the employees/students of the 'university' founded/owned by the author). 1279517790 +A few years ago one of my best friends in the world (Canadian) was in Thailand working on his PHD shortly before he left his mother died. While there he had to take a cab to go to the airport, on the way the driver suggested they stop at a historical area (I'm not certain where) my friend agreed and spent some time(free of taxi charges) walking through these botanical gardens. Eventually he made it back to the cab only to be asked by the cabbie who the woman was that was walking with him? Confused, my friend asked what woman was he talking about? The cabbie then in amazing detail described his recently deceased mother. The thing that freaks me out most about this story is my friend is a hardcore atheist, but even he was taken aback by the way the cabbie just thought he was walking through the gardens with another western person. Creepy but very soothing at the same time 1337825368 +>The only possible savings are if they can reduce the number of plants required,\n\nThis is what I'm talking about. Running more generators than necessary in order to meet minimum demand is a waste. 1342020049 +Do you know why things have color? Because the atoms and molecules absorb certain photons and reflect others.\n\nReally, are we defining "see" as the ability for current humans to view something with the naked eye? Cause then discussing "conciousness" just seems really really silly. (Set containing all possible things) - (set containing things that the human brain can make out as objects from photons hitting the retina) = (a very very very large set of things) 1348704355 +You didn't respond to my stronger point, which is that the "friendly" AI would need to be able to evaluate the risks posed by other AIs to humanity and act to stop them. 1355055319 +Interesting and nice to hear. I've enjoyed listening to Dara on "Just a Minute." 1272393794 +Glitch in the phone system. Phone rang at someone else's house and your house. 1342250189 +Ribbed?\n\nYou must be tall and skinny like me. 1329986531 +The thing is that it wasn't simply my mind, it also involved another witness. Read my reply to TehGimp666 for details. 1331227329 +I'm going to have a quick look through the "positive" radio papers and weed out any obvious BS.\n\n>Sirav B et al, (2009) Radio frequency radiation (RFR) from TV and radio transmitters at a pilot region in Turkey,\n\nShows no effects, just that the radiation level is high. We're already being lied to.\n\n>Viel JF et al, (August 2009) Radiofrequency exposure in the French general population: band, time, location and activity variability, \n\nAgain, talks about exposure level.\n\n>Hallberg O, Johansson O, (July 2004) Malignant melanoma of the skin - not a sunshine story!\n\nWut. Who names a paper that? Anyway, it doesn't seem to account for better melanoma diagnosis techniques, rather saying it can't be explained by increased UV exposure. \n\n> Hocking B, Gordon I, (September 2003) Decreased survival for childhood leukemia in proximity to television towers,\n\nDamn, pay-walled. I wanted to see if they accounted for social factors.\n\nWell there's quite a few, so I'm giving up for tonight. It would be nice if someone else had a quick look and point out any obvious problems with any of the papers, I'm not an expert on medicine or power lines.\n 1346235194 +I respect your optimism. I just want to share sightings that I think are interesting. Currently, this subreddit is more afraid of having a bad post show up than letting people share their findings. Reddit built something for that already; it's called downvoting. I don't think there should be a filter for posting things. If the mods want to put in that much effort, they can take down the egregious ones instead. 1316232274 +Well,\n\nMost of the activity was when we had a cat.. our neighbor has 3 cats and they hear her more than we do.. We did hear through other neighbors through the past that there was a lady that had a ton of cats.. and somebody had died. We figured it was the same person. \n\n\nShe walked right past me the other night when I was getting a glass of water. It was enough to startle me and get my attention, and take me from sorta being awake to wide awake. \n\nNever thought about looking up old phone books for our address.. \n\nWe are the most senior tenants in our apartment, been there for 6 years. 1323727214 +I get kind of a "fake" vibe from this one 1332392609 +Arianna Huffington is too busy being a cartoon bear to care about the quality of her blog network.\n 1335804968 +Please enlighten me on WTC 7. I have not seen a single legitimate "de-bunk" explaining what happened, when in contrast there is personal testimony on 9/11 (people involved with WTC 7) that dictates something else happened that day.\n\nEDIT: I will take first-hand, personal testimony from someone on the day of that heard explosions, than a "Popular Mechanics" article recycling the same "...I'm an expert, trust my technical expose on WTC 7 structural integrity as to why it fell like a controlled demolition." 1342242619 +>tiger gaul bladder\n\nTigers have bladders filled with barbarians?! This makes them much more terrifying! 1350189109 +....why? 1331056090 +Yes, of course it's popular because it's cheap. But as far as I know most aid organizations call this dumping and warn against it, because it undermines local industry. It's not that these organizations don't want people to have affordable clothing, but they recognize the importance of a viable industry to lift the whole country out of poverty. \n\nI guess it's kind of like Walmart: very popular among the locals because it's cheap (we can't afford to not buy there), but when all the small local businesses go bankrupt, then the locals still suffer.\n\nI have no idea for what to do with this problem, though. We rich people buy and throw away such gigantic amounts of clothes every year, so some sort of reusing/recycling must be done with them. And it's a shame to not let people who need clothes get perfectly fine clothes that we throw away.\n\nI guess I would prefer to give away clothes to poor people in the rich countries (we don't have any clothing industry that needs support anyway), then sell clothes in used clothing stores here, and then perhaps do as Salvation. Army and make blankets out of the worst and give them to kids on the streets of cold countries (that's what I've heard they do at least)\n\nHere in Norway the Tvind clothing business goes under the name UFF (Umana Folk til Folk) or Humana People to People. I had never heard of their schools until one of their recruiters stopped me on the street and gave me some paper about it. I was quite shocked to find out about their shady business as they have a lot of shops here, and many parts of Norway have an equal deal with them and Salvation Army for putting up those donation boxes (they get 50% of the available space for those boxes each). 1344330902 +I didn't say anything about common metals. I said the people who describe them describe them as metallic, which they demonstrably do. Then i posed the question; does it not seem strange that a race capable of unimaginable feats of transportation use a material as primitive as metal when they would undoubtable have access to far superior composite materials.\n\nIt was at this point that people run around in circles not knowing whether to argue that they would use metal or that they have used a composite material, just one that exactly resembles metal. basically they had a hard time forming anything but a contrived rationalisation that gave them an excuse not to think about it. It was the kind of response we would expect from the religious, not a group intent on forming rational conclusions. 1334169460 +IME a lot of people at parties like to talk about star signs without actually believing in them. \n\n"Hey, you're a Taurus, and I'm a Virgo, and you know what that means... We should bang."\n\nIt's like a big joke that everyone's in on. Maybe a hipster thing? 1315833086 +So far, everyone capable of making an assessment have agreed that the files and emails are legit.\n\nThey haven't been proven doctored yet. It is always possible to find a nugget of fiction in there, I suppose. 1258885836 +You said: \n>Dr. Drew: No such thing as Medical Marijuana\n\nThat clearly indicates you are claiming Dr. Drew said that, or made that claim. The transcript you just copied shows that he never said that. A guest on his show said it. Granted he was complimentary towards that guest, but that isn't endorsement of everything that guest says. It's possible this is Drew's position, but the 'evidence' you're offering doesn't show it to be the case. \n\nSomething he said did strike me: he mentioned how hard it is to have a rational conversation about the subject. The tone of many comments on this thread show how true this is, the theme of many is that Drew and folks like Gitlow can't be legitimate doctors who draw different conclusions from evidence, they have to be corrupt quacks since they divert from pro-cannabis orthodoxy. 1344979929 +That study only applies to binge drinking. You need to drink really heavily for it to cause any brain damage at all. 1328480041 +What the f\n\nI have to say if I was in that car I'd probably open the door and roll out. \nMoving or not. 1340071940 +When I was in middle school (I'm a high school senior), we had to do a huge science project (30+ pages) each year. We were allowed to use Wikipedia (with citations), but we were also required to get an equal amount of information from physical books and encyclopedias. I don't know how other schools operated, but you can rest assured that kids are still being forced to get information the old-fashioned way. 1298529917 +Made by David Serita. He has a few really great movies on UFOs and stuff. Though he's not the best filmmaker and he tends to be a bit of a scatterbrain, cramming all his ideas in at once.\n\nThat said. He does propose a lot of really fascinating ideas. 1231332844 +That seems a little backward. If you're against university as a gateway to gaining credentials surely you'd keep the learning skills parts and get rid of the test. Dropping the formal education and keeping the test seems the worst of all possible worlds. 1345162599 +I've been doing research lately, and from what I've collected is when they communicate with you, it comes as an idea that you 'thought' of yourself. I haven't looked into the aircraft concept you're talking about, sorry if what I say is irrelevant. :(\n\nBut something I'll put out there is they have (if it's all real) been helping us slowly reach awareness, each one of us. Over the course of the past year, they have been sending energies to this planet to make people ask questions they never have before; they provide the answers in time, but it comes from within you, through your own ideas from the energy they are sending. \n\nUFOs have been more frequent because they are raising awareness about their existence while providing energies to guide. Usually it is over more populated areas because they can reach more people at once. \n\nOkie dokie- I am only saying this because if it were real, it would resonate within people that are 'awake'. My brain tells me it is fake, but something else is telling me it's real so I am very conflicted, idk how I feel about it. I have had many strange unexplainable things happen to me lately and it has lead me to where I am now. Before the beginning of this year I never thought about ETs as much as I have now. I hope I don't chicken out and take this down. 1352847455 +>The main cause of a hangover is De-hydration.\n\nSee, now I would swear that the main *cause* of a hangover was getting drunk on alcoholic beverages.\n\nJust being "dehydrated" doesn't seem to be the same thing. 1353017196 +It's just an idea I've always kind of subscribed to. It explains why we're not "contacted" why we and our animals would be dissected or abducted (for study), and lots of other things really when you think about it.\n\nWe're destined to leave earth. It has to happen. So I would think in the future, after we've left, that studying this period of time up close would have invaluable data that we couldn't possibly understand right now. Genetics alone over these periods in space boggles the mind. 1301548680 +>even in the constitution the 2nd amendment says "well regulated militia"\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCXtfR0_roE 1355856861 +http://www.bmj.com/content/337/bmj.a1938.short\n\n 1326037401 +I'd also recommend listening to [Skeptoid Episode 134](http://skeptoid.com/audio/skeptoid-4134.mp3), *Who Is Closed Minded, the Skeptic or the Believer?* 1323817668 +so...how much for the bag of cat bones? 1337186551 +I think the idea of parallel universes is exponentially more stupid than any religion. the church of the flying spaghetti monster has more proof and makes more sense. Even Mormonism... 1340879271 +The #1 criteria in nearly every case for a diagnosis of some form of mental disorder is that it causes a detrimental effect on their life, impairing them in some way.\n\nYou may very well fit parts of classifications for mental disorders, but unless they're stopping you from living a normal life, then why would you even be getting diagnosed in the first place? 1355489539 +oh and to clarify, most people believe if you die in a dream you can die in real life. most dreams actually stop before your actual death in the dream but if it doesnt you can actually be harmed. people have been injured in a dream and woken up with the same injury or one less severe but in a similar place. 1341051374 +1) Floating and moving items.\n\n2) A banister being whole removed and warped beyond ability to put back into place. The medium I worked closely with, yelled at it to fix the issue b/c he had to go. When he returned home all was in order. Additionally a grandfather clock weighing hundreds of pounds appearing on the opposite side of the room as if it'd always been there.\n\n3) Paranormal investigation is relatively limited and strikes me more as something people do for kicks. Its valuable in so much as driving interest and pushing forward evidence but is limited long term for individual development or actual understanding of the meta reasoning behind what is being experienced. Read some books by Dion Fortune, Dolores Ashcroft Norwiki, and those that are associated with them. 1351281018 +Guilt by association is bogus. 1328851028 +In NYC, the holy water fountains are one of the dirtiest things ever and if you touch it it will give you a rash...\n\nI know it gave me one 1303244717 +Not technically it isn't. It is considered a medical condition and a risk factor in other diseases, but not actually a disease 1311219386 +I don't think cautious excitement is at all un-skeptical, since whether it actually ends up being true or not, it's a *really cool idea!* \n\nJust my personal philosophy about it, though. I realize there are probably a bunch of people that disagree. 1291223296 +5%? How about starting with a 10-15% cut, and then finding a few hundred government agencies to shut down entirely. 1276555075 +Why debate anyone on 2012 theory of galactic alignment? 1355423985 +The Penn & Tellar episode linked earlier doesn't make this mistake. It notes Disposal cost of $50 per ton vs recycling at $150 dollars per ton. \n\n\nEDIT:\n\nContrary to Penn & Teller's claims the Wikipedia\n page on Recycling claims that \nglass and paper recycling does result in savings both in terms of using less energy and producing less air \npollution. 1352082306 +> My reading of the literature [...]\n\nUnless you are a trained professional in this specific speciality within the sub-genre then it is unlikely that your opinion should hold weight even with yourself. 1338419763 +Dammit. My alma mater is really well known for their sciences (Plant Sciences and Entomology departments are world class), but it's a shame to promote the silliness. I'm sure they need the money though. 1344188012 +> 16 folks (as I write this) gave this news a down vote\n\nNah they haven't. "84% like it" is about as high as you ever see a reddit post once it's got this many votes, and it's perfectly possible that not a single person's downvoted it. See [jedberg on reddit's vote fuzzing](http://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/eaqnf/pardon_me_but_5000_downvotes_wtf_is_worldnews_for/c16omup) 1336603530 +Peer review:\n\n"Hey Bob! C'mere an takalookathis! Tell me whatchathink." 1275589063 +It was an interesting thing to listen to in the background whilst I did other things. The longer I listened the more ridiculous she sounded because of her dodging of questions asked by the interviewer and her *constant* giggling and laughter. Why should she be on the verge of hilarity endlessly? She seems intelligent in her ability to speak, she talks for six hours in a coherent fashion. I cannot verify or corroborate anything she says. She does not strike me as psychotic, nor any more delusional than some Star Wars & RPG fans that I've known. She seems to have focused all of her time and energy on this subject in the same way some people focus all their life on anime, Star Wars, collecting turtle figurines, etc. Much of her terminology is "Akashic", so she is not inventing all the terms, descriptions and illustrations all on her own. You can find websites about that stuff readily. The related sites are mostly HTML 2.0 new age nightmares. 1323767048 +Came here to see if anyone else pointed noticed that. That alone should have discredited them. 1350255048 +This was already proven fake. 1329016696 +I use that same curve when predicting my expected stock returns. Works great hypothetically. 1342452319 +I don't remember putting HCl in my air popper... I guess I should pour Draino into it. 1339616277 +I think just the honest attempt should be deemed a crime. In my country trying to incite violence through speech is forbidden (if I remember correctly in the US it isn't). 1316908147 +I'm actually disappointed that I *wasn't* Rick Rolled. 1269111409 +not sure if sarcasm .... well, in any [event](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction_event) (including an ELE event) 1348932908 +Sure the flashing orb isn't an indicator from the car going down the road turning the corner? 1348692480 +> can you imagine where we'd be today if the scientific approach was permitted to flourish in the past?\n\nDo you really think there was some sort of anti-scientific conspiracy operating inthe Western world up to the recent past? What do you think Hippocrates, Galen, Averroes, Avicenna, Bacon to name a few did if not science? Would there be a modern science if not for them? 1343948317 +>just a guess and borderline just a joke\n\nWell... the guess is wrong. The minerals necessary for remineralization aren't freely available in butter (which is mostly fats). Your saliva, on the other hand, is chock full of these minerals (mostly calcium and phosphates). The butter would block these, as butter is hydrophobic, and may even cause an increased rate of cavity growth.\n\nThough, if enough butter got into the cavity, likely the pain would decrease, because the dentin wouldn't be exposed to air. Wouldn't mean that the cavity is gone, just that it's... not painful anymore. Not painful, and probably growing at an increased rate. 1351480535 +"dum de dum just videotaping the ground... what the- holy shit!" 1328504570 +I'm sorry that people mistreated you, but bicycles don't fucking belong on roads with speed limits above 20 mph. They are just fucking annoying. Everyone has to slow down and work to avoid hitting the guy who decided to be quirky or save the earth. The fact that the laws still allow this is a joke. There's no way a bicycle should be allowed on a road like the one in my home town, where people drive 40 mph. People are mad, because you should realize that and not force them to deal with it, even if it is legal.\n\nedit: Cue downvotes from butthurt cyclists. 1348759594 +Almost right. They don't have to accept any applicant that is an arbitrary claim. They don't have the right to arbitrarily reject an applicant. \n\nI think a case could be made for the placebo effect, both that it fits as a 'mental or psychic ability' and that it is scientifically verifiable if not scientifically explainable.\n\nIt's an idea I've played with, both privately and in forums discussing Randi, in the past. So far, the reactions break down into knee-jerk denials, denials based on false associations (see the homeopathic blind alley in this thread as an example), denials based on tail-swallowing rhetoric (see the argument that holds that because the placebo effect is a known phenomenon, though unexplained, it therefore can't be considered because, well, it's known, also in this thread) and very, very little skeptical (from the point of view of actually possibly meeting the challenge) consideration. 1304189875 +I can only imagine how happy her husband was when she asked for him to build a cage and leave her alone inside it. 1315959597 +I mean, we're making an educated guess here. If Source A is right 99% of the time, and has been for 20 years, then an article picked at random is 99% likely to be accurate. On the other hand, if Source B has been historically accurate just 30% of the time, then we would expect an article picked at random be be inaccurate with a 70% likelihood. Not all sources are equal. 1310623408 +>and a skeptic is not necessarily an atheist\n\nHow much of a skeptic can you be if you believe in magic/miracles? Can worshipers of Ra be skeptics? What about people that believe in unicorns? 1324360854 +What do I think, personally? Well, I'm a libertarian that agrees with public choice theory, but I'm trying to cover all angles and keep the discussion less centered around my personal views and more centered around evidence, since this is /r/skeptic and not /r/politics or /r/libertarian. 1339723216 +But was the 'Ancient Aliens' proposition ever really 'bunked' to begin with? 1351503578 +Not necessarily bullshit. Even truth can be profitable. 1339514321 +Yeah, Drudge isn't dishonest in his choice of sources, generally (aside from being a fan of a few sites like Breitbart); he's dishonest in his *juxtaposition* of headlines. He'll put a story about record snowfalls right next to an article about global warming, as if there's some type of connection. I wouldn't necessary assume malice, but... have you ever listened to his show? That guy is a squawky, derisive, smarmy douche. 1342720145 +He was hacking classified data. Hacking is illegal. 1305260904 +come on man, they can fake the return number & caller id stuff easily. some states have passed laws to stop that behavior but many companies, especially foreign telescammers, do not oblige. 1335248094 +If you google 'mars dust devil' you'll get similar, more high res photos that have the same whitish-wispy color to it. 1337441698 +1: arsenic a metal which is insoluble in water\n\n2: even given a soluble arsenic compound there is a nonzero chance of several atoms of arsenic remaining in the material especially if a new bottle is not used for each dilution 1328290155 +I checked out the site. Just tried to do the tutorial but got totally confused when it asked me to navigate to my account page to make a rebuttal. 1339182934 +Slow down, Dolan. 1343605831 +The numbers are astonishing... there was an article about it somewhere. I was considering factoring image quality (in pixels) into the equation to make the situation even worse for UFO aficionados. I don't remember the stats, but it's something like... there were more photos taken in 2012 than from 1800 - 1990. And the photos were of higher quality, in many instances they were hundreds of times more detailed. The common thread to almost all UFO photos is that the object in question is just beyond the limits of resolution. 1356834207 +Well, there's the crazy paranormal and then the more normal paranormal explanation. Humans used to be alot crazier in the older days and people would do weird things just like animals in a natural disaster or bad happening in general. Each person is different. Those who feel fatigue when a friend or relative is dying is feeling empathatic. You though, in my unprofessional but studied opinion used your survival senses and saved your ass as well as your grandmother's. Your spidey senses tingled and you took action....sorta....you can trace these weird phenomena throughout our history. We've lost alot of our ability to be replaced by what we use today mentally. We aremt hunters or figjters anymore but have retained a sense of our badassery. 1351180963 +Actually I did read the article from Mises. And I tried to find the specific arguments addressed, but apparently you were better at finding them than I was. I found one that sort of addressed clouds, but it didn't go over any of the specific datapoints brought up in the article. I'm reading your links now. 1334941349 +I wouldn't say it's a about being devout. There's no skeptic God to appease. It's that you hear a lot of anti-vax bullshit, and some of us are very severe about fighting it.\n\nI think the root of the problem is that it seems like your protests are too great to be just skeptical, and you're approaching a fanaticism about it. Yes, the CDC thinks vaccines are good, but could do without mercury. I don't think anyone would complain about having less heavy metals in shit we inject into children. However, they've been used for a long, long time and their efficacy is proven. Harm isn't proven, and it doesn't seem to be indicated. At least, not any more than harm than a rash.\n\nNobody was saying that vaccines shouldn't be researched more, but just that if you think they're dangerous you need some citations for it other than a bit of redness and a non-binding desire of the CDC to see mercury no longer used. 1311014443 +What happens if I am already the best me that there is and all of my quantum jumping allows me to borrow from rapist me, drug addict me, unsuccessful used car salesman me, neo-nazi me, and another me who believes that John Edwards speaks to the dead? What happens then Mr. Goldman? 1350502433 +It's certainly better than the average diet of those in the western world, but, I can't agree with the premises that it is built upon. There was no single diet humans lived by in the hunter gatherer period of our history, we spread all over the world and lived on a wide variety of of different foods. And generally, we starved most of the time and overate when we had the chance.\n\nThe whole fad diet thing in general is kinda silly, we know how to lose weight already. Exercise more, eat less, eat better. None of these to an extreme.\nWorks for people who don't have health issues, at any rate. 1297050493 +Which part do you find unlikely? 1351285011 +No true skeptic believes in ANY deity. 1329843164 +I don't have the link ATM (at work on my phone), however, there was a article about this sound from ctv where it was heard by a large number of people in a small town in Saskatchewan. Not sure why someone would go to lengths to fake the sound in a small prairie town.\n\nI don't have any answers to this, but it is interesting. 1327618359 +I understand that the genetic variance within any one group of humans is going to be larger than the genetic variations between groups. But there will be genetic differences which are common to say a Han Chinese person and a Caucasian person, and it's not just skin and hair colour, most Chinese people (from my own observation) have a lower nose bridge than most Europeans do, so there is also tiny skeletal differences there.\n\nThe thing that got me started thinking about this was this [BBC article](http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9369000/9369238.stm) about a new subspecies of leopard. The specific details are pretty sparse, but it got me wondering if the genetic differences between that leopard and the other one on the mainland were actually any larger than the differences between what is often called race when talking about human differences. 1298535334 +I love the positive comments. I was dreading seeing anti waterbirth comments. 1288830444 +Good thing he didn't think his face could stop a machete. 1353605173 +It wasn't a personal anecdote. Considering that 99% of people speaking out against it suffer no consequence, I have to assume the .01% that get in a car accident etc are just due to chance. If you have any facts to the contrary I would love to hear them. 1322363277 +I might wake up with wood... 1328043411 +Hmmm... Acupuncture perhaps? At least there are semi-plausible mechanisms of action. I find it highly unlikely that it would ever be used in evidence-based practice, but I suppose it's semi-plausible. 1278954883 +What I'm trying to say is no. 1335631301 +> In 1991 **Anthony was selected and trained (at Trinity Theological College) as a priest in the Church of England**, but was not ordained. Anthony and Christina belong to a local Anglican Church, where Anthony continues as a Lay Reader. In 1997 they rebuilt the old 17th century farm buildings of Moat House Farm and prepared to open Noah's Ark, as a themed animal park, for adventure, education and to remind visitors of the ancient tradition of God's relationship with mankind; and of the contemporary science that points to Creation plus evolution of species\n\nGod squad. 1282981627 +I think they're doing more then just those 2 subjects, but both were excellent 1272501816 +It is easy to kill cancer cells in mice as well. Never say something treats cancer until it has been shown in humans. 1348008768 +Also shouldn't it be - (minus) 81 years as it was 81 years ago? 1250791247 +I don't think I'll be in one place long enough to get involved in any communities, anyway. \n\nI'll definitely be going through Asheville. If you could let me know about some places I could see, that would be great. Even better if I can get inside somewhere, though I will not be breaking in and risking jail time in the deep south, haha. 1337228324 +I guess you need to define what you are looking to legitimize,...aliens craft? black budget craft? natural unknown aerial phenomenon?,...and what your standards are, as obviously there is ZERO legitimate physical evidence that everyone in the world says-Yes thats scientifically proven alien intervention/artifact/footage,...thats what defines them as Unidentified,...\n\n\nI find the most compelling evidence multiple witness testimony with secondary tracking(vid/photo/radar). This sort of triangulates the evidence of the sighting and really makes a sighting hard if not impossible to dismiss, although perhaps not conclusive (ergo the unidentified/unknown still).\n\n\nI also lament the numerous BS youtube links of lanterns LED kites, etc. that get thrown into the mix- as it seems to be occurring more and more on this sub, and maybe its just a result of more and more BS being thrown on YT from cellphones and CGI software suites,...either way I usually just skip over them in favor of blogs or **real** info.\n\n\ndopp3lganger gave you some great cases to dig into but if you really want to get deeper into the subject try some books or interviews from some researchers as they have already committed the time(hopefully) to vett their sources and do the legwork of investigation. \n\nLeslie Keen, Richard Dolan, Jaques Vallee, never disappoint,...\n\n\n[Documentaries](http://documentaryheaven.com/?s=ufo&x=0&y=0)\n\n\n[BinallOfAmerica](http://binnallofamerica.com/audio5.html) and the [Paracast](http://www.theparacast.com/) are two of my fav podcasts,...\n\n\nI think you want a smoking gun that probably doesnt exist, but imo the number of still legit unknowns and continued govt resistance on the secrecy they maintain around the subject is proof enough that something(and probably many various somethings) are frequenting the skies of our little blue marble,... 1304446866 +Oh good, I usually only down 8-9 thousand packets. 1294251861 +I hope you enjoy making fun of other people's life-threatening health conditions on the internet. You must feel real great about yourself. 1327126884 +Balloons are scary shit, man! Why else did they spam them in It? 1341149778 +Like most things, we just don't know yet. It is a pretty radical claim and will need far more evidence to support it, but as the article you linked points out, there are signficant flaws already appearing. 1354635657 +voice of reason you say?\n\nmore likely you just happen to agree with most of what he says.... 1307023052 +Really, that's fascinating. Do you have a blog? 1348455054 +I am encouraged by the comments here on Homeopathy I always have been real skeptical of the practice. I have always considered it medicine for people who are not very sick. It never had any effect on me whatsoever. 1343372534 +Obviously. How else could the astrology reading be wrong? 1341687155 +I read at first that you witnessing a genuine pokemon 1335365345 +Yes they are real. No there are no sure way thats safe to experiment except dont at all. 1323931351 +I'm with iFartSunshine, only for the fact that I wanted to say "I'm with iFartSunshine". 1295213866 +'Using electron microscopes the proved that homeopathy is based on nanotechnology!' How can you even make a parody of something that ridiculous. 1326675164 +I have nothing to say besides I'm from Edmonton and I LOL'd when you called Rexall "Edmonton, Albertas famed Rexall Place Stadium".\n\nThat place is such a dump, no wonder you get lost - the concourses are so tight that they get plugged with people and it makes it really difficult to find someone.\n\n\nTrippy story though.\n\nOh by the way, just curious but where is the smallest walmart in NA located anyways? 1338515749 +Because that means they would have to see their own beliefs subjected to skeptical review, and that's no fun! 1356210605 +came here to say this. I see the 4 am thing everywhere now 1335057702 +It's kind of tempting to try to get them to agree to something even more insane..... Horse Piss Therapy! 1307181361 +I see one in the upper left corner of my screen 1343329335 +Who within the skeptic community are you most skeptic towards?\n You may want the refrase that, I'm not a native speaker. Harder sentence to construct than I thought o_O 1300201468 +I think they just blue themselves. 1332117725 +Let me just say this. I'm *still* wearing my pajamas. 1296880143 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziB35K9shuI&feature=related this was it actually found it!! 1313033072 +* Highly upvoted post that denies the existence of male privilege.\n* Top voted comment attacking the idea of a safe space for minorities.\n* Reinforcing logic11's shitsmearing by upvoting the drama on a subreddit that he is using to complain about it on. \n* The same shit gets posted to the subreddit every week. \n\nYeah, I think I'm done with this subreddit. 1347377322 +Typically an engineering student has very little logic or philosophy. 1305935552 +I'm not sure if you already answered this - maybe you did and I didn't see it. Do they eventually pass on? Have you seen this? Or do you eventually just not see them anymore? What's the longest you've seen someone hang around after they have died? 1333905979 +to me it was more like, 'im a human, errm therefore im like super important', just validating the authors' importance 1286394432 +if you dont believe in alternate realities/universes why suscribe in the first place?\n 1354897337 +Ever see Misfits? Reminds me of Curtis. 1326455373 +I can sort of relate to what you're saying. I've smoked salvia numerous times and the feeling of being stuck in like a loop of a specific moment was something I noticed happened quite often. Salvia really changes your entire perception of reality while you're under the influence of it so I wouldn't be surprised if you just didn't have a clear mental memory of what exactly happened during your trip. 1333864765 +Actually this is a common misconception. Diabetics (both types) are unable to process sugar properly but eating excess sugar is not the cause of diabetes in itself. \n\nType II diabetes is caused by obesity - so you can increase your risk of type II diabetes by eating more _anything_. (Type I diabetes is actually a completely different disease: it's partially genetic and partially an unknown trigger but there's quite a bit of debate about what the environmental factors are). You could technically become obese and trigger diabetes without eating any extra sugar.\n\nThe fact that type II diabetics tend to be obese people who tend to enjoy eating a lot of sugar is just because eating a lot of sugar is correlated with being obese but it's not the primary cause of diabetes. 1305141453 +She said that Evan was 'recovering' [a](http://www.okmagazine.com/2010/02/jenny-mccarthy-says-she-helped-fix-her-sons-autism/) [few](http://www.pr.com/article/1076) \n[times] (http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/02/mccarthy.autsimtreatment/index.html). \n\nFortunately, even in the autism world, many fewer people are paying attention to her, which is a pretty big relief, as a parent of multiple autistic kids. No one's even heard about her supposed [new show for Oprah](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/dailydish/detail?entry_id=65742) for a while, fortunately. I'm not saying that she's still not batshit crazy, but even on the crazy mailing lists, a lot fewer people are paying any attention to her at all. \n\n\n\n 1282656734 +I wonder if there are UFO's in contact with some of the governments on this planet 1315264213 +As other posters have mentioned, stars low on the horizon often [scintillate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scintillation_%28astronomy%29) between reds and blues due to atmospheric refraction. This time of year, a star bright enough to appear red and blue on the (western?) horizon is almost certainly [Arcturus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcturus).\n\nIf you're ever curious about exactly what you might be looking at, take a look at [Stellarium](http://www.stellarium.org/). It's a free piece of software that can help you find your way around the sky.\n\nAnd finally, if you do have an interest in astronomy, I'd encourage you to join your local [astronomy club](http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/club-map.cfm)! The universe is bloody amazing, and not near enough people take the time to go exploring... 1349471991 +Realize that both you and the religious person have the same goal; you both want to help one another. Then realize your opponent isn't necessarily just being obstinate for no reason.\n\nAlso, remember that religion is a natural thing for any sentient creature to go through. Pigeons do it, we do it, aliens almost certainly will too.\n\n 1325871304 +No, some of them really do. 1296094398 +swing... and 108 misses! 1325973061 +I liked the reference. 1336275622 +Is this what good ol' LL is up to now? Done running for president? When I was in college, he was into being an apologist for China and demonizing the UK. 1248273463 +ah yes, comments happen quickly, edited. 1332359510 +Anecdotal, but my father had this experience when his mother/my grandmother committed suicide. He was going to prom and he just had a horrible, sad feeling and somehow knew that his mother had died. 1335181852 +We never disagree. 1321166870 +I was working in a hospice a few years ago and we had the same problem. Everyone there were really relaxed about death and potential ghosts, so it was no big deal. Just went there to shut it off, and after a couple of weeks, the room was occupied again and the mysterious ringing stopped. True story. 1333632374 +I don't know... it seems a bit out of place. I mean what does religion have to do with patriotism or nationalism?\n\nInstead, why not focus on a quote by a founding father on freedom from religion or something of that nature? Sounds more relevant to me. If we're celebrating the birth of our country, let's spark conversations on what the founding fathers wanted for our future. 1341372517 +I really like Chip. Have you seen any stuff with Chris Fleming? He is really good. 1348516839 +Ground zero is better. Less bullshit and when you get done sifting through it, more interesting. 1354182886 +I thought I was on /r/cringe for a second. 1351028313 +"I almost wish that there would be like a simultaneous telecast," Huckabee said at a conference last year, "and all Americans will be forced, forced — at gunpoint, no less — to listen to every David Barton message. And I think our country will be better for it."\n\nIs nobody else concerned with this part? 1344543062 +I posted a video from youtube where Paul said he was not a believer in evolutionary theory. The only mistake I can see that I made was tying him to creationism because of his disbief. Knowing he was a Christian and opposed to pro-choice, I assumed he was a creationist. That was my mistake. I still presented evidence though. I never said "nu-uh". At best, the data coming in on his belief was inconsistent to say one way or the other. \n\nmeme pics: we're all guilty, even you. \n\npopular opinion yourself: Not sure what you mean by this. \n\nWhat do I do at reddit? I take the specifications from the customers and take them down to the software engineers. I have people skills! 1307468896 +Anytime, maxxspeed... 1349298759 +I went to a spine specialist when I broke it. He said I could either have it casted and not sit for 2-3 months, or just not get a cast. I chose the latter. It was probably a mistake in the long run.\n 1335474139 +He's apparently into panspermia. However, Breslow was probably only trying to give his article an entertaining, memorable ending and went a little too far.\n\nThe [CSMontior](http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0412/Intelligent-space-dinosaurs-How-worried-should-we-be) had a great take on it: \n\n>we have nothing to worry about, at least not until the dark matter space wombats get here. 1334297270 +The graphic is real but the text is made up. Max-Min has been replaced with organic-conventional. Look here: http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/bearreport/misquotes.asp 1345388133 +Those aren't studies. They're quotes mined from studies and various other documents.\n\n[This](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673674906953) is a study. You can tell who the authors are. You can tell what they studied, and the results they got. It has citations. It was peer reviewed. 1316362123 +NOT ME 1331507152 +Dr. Oz may be cashing in now, but he developed his ideas about alternative medicine for 20 years while practicing as a heart surgeon. He's treated thousands of patients with life-threatening heart illnesses and found that the approaches he supports were effective. Try looking him up on Medline. He's an accomplished clinician and researcher.\n\nRandi is certainly qualified to evaluate phony psychics, faith healers and the like. But here, he's the one maximizing his profit with the Pigasus Awards.\n\nOkay. Let's say instead that Randi has no formal education in the sciences, has never conducted research, has never been employed in any scientific field. \n\nYour definition is too short. It's skepticism in the context of research and experimentation. A guy in saloon can be a skeptic, but it doesn't make him a scientist. 1304989329 +Less condescending hyperbole and framing might help. In fact, I am very much reminded of Mooney's replies to Myers et all when reading your post.\n\nMany, many people in the medical and skeptical blogosphere would completely disagree with your assertion that the current confrontational approach isn't working. The past year has seen increasingly skeptical and factually accurate coverage of the anti-vaccine lunatics in the mainstream media - and in many cases this has directly lead on from the "strident" bloggers who are leading the fight. The anti-vaccine movement, like the creationists and the other anti-intellectuals, have highly emotive and superficially convincing arguments at their disposal, and they aren't affraid to blatantly lie and deceive to achieve their ends. We are fighting over the middle ground of concerned parents that genuinely want the right information. Unfortunately, stories are obviously more convincing than facts - and a conciliatory approach just won't work for everyone.\n\nNo one is arguing that a plurality of responses is required - different messages will reach different people. The problem with Mooney is that he thinks everyone that disagrees with him should shut up. 1265520583 +Ya this is why I would think the US wouldn't want their reality disclosed. Who knows what sort of super secret dealie bobs the shadow government has been making up, heh. I want to believe!!! 1244704345 +The question I think is if we're talking politically specifically or in general. I would agree it's probably true that a conservative gambler would have a "larger fear center" (also a little too ambiguous for my tastes), as the reason they would be content with walking away with only a small profit is because they're afraid to lose it all.\n\nBut when you talk about a "conservative" and a "liberal" in political terms the lines are so blurred that any such generalization is moot. 1294044087 +Paranormal Investigator here, sounds like your team member experienced a case of sleep paralysis, especially since he had his head half off the bed upside down, which could help with hallucinations.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis 1351491530 +>First of all, vaccines don't cause autism. This has been firmly established.\n\nIn this world where we're told things like Marijuana are bad for you, I'd like to see some hard facts. I mean my gut feeling is that vaccines don't cause autism, but where's the scientific evidence? 1333488910 +yaiknowrite? 1344012557 +Indeed, there is no glamor in being published to the "Journal of Studies that Failed to Reject the Null Hypothesis"\n\nThis is quite interesting and I look forward to seeing psychology restored to a standard of scientific rigor.\n\nSociology next? 1335850405 +If she's functional and seems all right other than "seeing" spirits, she's probably not schizophrenic. My advice to her would be that she should see a neurologist before she jumps to conclusions, "just to be safe." She could have a form of epilepsy (especially since she hallucinated and then blacked out, if I understood that correctly). Seizures sometimes can trigger the feeling of a 'presence', and can also trigger visuals. 1311131620 +To save others from the intense pain of actually watching this guy, the 5 conspiracies are:\n\n* \n**Operation Snow White** - Church of Scientology destroy government records that criticize them: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snow_White](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snow_White)\n\n* \n**MK Ultra** - Government gave LSD to people to without their knowledge: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_MKULTRA#Experiments](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_MKULTRA#Experiments)\n\n* \n**Tuskegee Experiments** - Government gave syphilis to black men: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_syphilis_experiment](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_syphilis_experiment)\n\n* \n**Gunpowder Plot** - Foiled plot to blow up UK parliament: \n [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot)\n\n* \n**The Business Plot** - Wealthy US capitalists plotted to overthrow FDR and install fascist government: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Plot](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Plot)\n\n\nDon't watch the video, seriously. You will want to punch your monitor in; and the view count will only encourage him to make more of them.\n 1295104092 +Sorry, I made a typo. But in my defense, they do put the 8 and 9 kinda close together on the keyboard... 1337384440 +This story is more hype than science. Considering that this area of the Baltic was covered by ice in the previous ice ages, I'm wondering if this is glacial related effects. (rounded boulders/cobbles, scrape marks in the bedrock, etc.) From what I've seen, this is very poor methodology - they are going after a TV show score, not a research project. \n\nhttp://doubtfulnews.com/2012/06/explorers-reveal-bit-of-baltic-sea-floor-mystery-lots-of-hype-little-substance/ 1339852953 +Then demonstrate it in controlled conditions and change people's minds! This would be amazing! 1287417816 +So one insect crosses your lips and you're forever an omnivore, huh? Then there's no such thing as a vegetarian. 1334988521 +We still don't have a black president. We have a mixed-race president.\n\nHe's as white as he is black. 1352312989 +Ohhhh I've been wondering what TAM stood for... heh I like it 1310671668 +So can we arrest him for I don't know murder,public endangerment , vandalism and attacking a foreign country. 1270624086 +Get [one of these](http://www.placebobandstore.com/store/) instead. They're only $4, come in a variety of colours, and are just as effective as the 'real' bands. Maybe even more so since they can be used for [educational purposes](http://skepticbros.com/placebo-bands/). 1329581624 +You're gonna need a bigger boat. 1320897915 +The problem with trying to prove a "cover up" with an academic paper is that the academic culture, with very few exceptions, sees this as something journalists should be doing - not academics.\n\n[Have a look at this paper.](http://ptx.sagepub.com/content/36/4/607.full.pdf) Not only is it a legitimate scholarly journal article about UFOs, it offers a genuinely insightful, and workable, explanation for why UFOs are not taken as seriously as they should be - including by academics. 1350412791 +A bit of hyperbole here and there:\n\n"Most damaging though, were the civil lawsuits by former patients that came rushing in one by one."\n\n...but hey, it's an election year.\n\n 1351871078 +Can they help in cases of, say, whiplash or pain from other acute causes? 1291192397 +Apparently Dan Akroyd bought it...no joke. Guess hes a bit of an enthusiast 1355862294 +Please elaborate. 1344758039 +"Your comment is awaiting moderation." Fail 1314460305 +huzzah! a victory for humanity! 1310189896 +Your eyes can deceive you , dont trust them. 1316859233 +If you haven't seen the series "Wonders of the solar system" this clip is from, I strongly recommend watching it. It's fantastic.\n\n(Prof. Brian Cox has a lot of other good material too, worth watching) 1270691276 +I can confirm that this is true as experimentally tested in the laboratory that is my life. 1331774722 +Bill's peanut allergy has haunted him since grade-school. He thought things would change once he got to NASA. He was mistaken. 1344255836 +How about the bouncing bombs used by 617 Squadron in WW2?\nIt's not outwith the realms of possibility for us to be testing one that works on land as well as water. 1346211848 +That last line, slow clap. By the way George is great IMO, just not 100% behind his theories but I love to listen to them, "therefore... Aliens!" brilliant. 1341659042 +So did my kids as well actually (I'm too old to be vaccinated so I had, or so I'm told, 30+ years ago) but apparently that's very unusual. If you do get it, it can also reduce severity which apparently didn't work so well on mine either. They didn't have the second round though (as they'd by then had chicken pox). 1320714467 +Explain why anarchists are more likely socialists? Im not refuting I just don't understand why. Id expect Anarchists to be far from them (as I am). 1304804850 +I have had a very similar experience. Freaks me out to even think about it. I'll edit this tomorrow \nEdit: just read part one... No sightings of orbs in my story. I have had that dream though 1332995717 +To the TED crowd, going into detail about why insane beliefs are insane is probably insulting. What could he do but give an overview of his work? 1271890086 +> But whatever. Downvote me.\n\nDone. Because they haven't cured heart disease, they are quacks? 1309625551 +That's why science is so powerful. Even when it is wrong, the net movement of knowledge is still a gain for humanity at large; an experiment that doesn't support its hypothesis isn't a bad experiment, it's a jumping off point for the next guy to come along and try a different variable. 1354385855 +If the spacecraft creates a "gravity bubble" around it by using advanced technology to warp the space around it (essentially "pulling" the ship forward, instead of pushing it) it may need to change shape to remain stable when encountering different levels of gravity. Traveling at high speeds in interstellar space (where there is no gravity) would be very different from hovering motionless above the surface of a planet such as Earth, and a ship may need to compensate for fluctuations in gravity in order to remain stable at low speeds. This might be accomplished by changing it's shape (and the shape of the bubble). I wondered about this as a kid, after watching the transformation of the ship in "Flight of the Navigator". I know it's just a movie... but it made me think about it. :D 1307861437 +because we all know praying will do wonders 1326337700 +Okay, so what would it take to convince you? 1349312262 +Miracle = "something pretty nice". 1291763473 +These are MacDougall's lab notes from one of the sessions of the experiment:\n "The patient . . . lost weight slowly at the rate of one ounce per hour due to evaporation of moisture in respiration and evaporation of sweat. During all three hours and forty minutes I kept the beam end slightly above balance near the upper limiting bar in order to make the test more decisive if it should come. At the end of three hours and forty minutes he expired and suddenly, coincident with death, the beam end dropped with an audible stroke hitting against the lower limiting bar and remaining there with no rebound. The loss was ascertained to be three-fourths of an ounce."\n\nApparently MacDougall took these measurements after accounting for weight loss attributed to moisture & air leaving the body. After averaging the amounts in the drop of weight in 5 other dead patients (besides the one described above) he discovered an uncounted loss of 21 grams, which he equated with the weight of the soul.\n\nThe dog experiment that he did was to test whether or not animals experienced this drop in weight, & would thereby have a soul. He weighed 15 dogs & discovered no weight loss, thus confirming his religious convictions that only humans have souls. \n\nThese experiments where discredited however in 1907, after his results were published in The New York Times, by the physician Augustus P. Clarke. Clarke noted that at the time of death there was a sudden rise in body temperature which was due to the fact that the lungs had stopped working & thus stopped cooling the blood. The subsequent rise in sweating easily accounted for MacDougall's weight of the soul. This also explains why the weight loss wasn't found in the 15 dogs, considering canines only have sweat glands on their tongues. \nHence the lack of scientific credulity. 1355328514 +I ask you for a scientific study *to prove an assertion you made*, then I doubted you were even what you claimed to be. 1305345098 +If I'm alive to do so I will. 1354483331 +To me too, so maybe industrialization was the cause. 1290784884 +I also am reminded of his [segment regarding a charlatan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fg269kzIiE) who was popularized by Oprah in the US. 1328659200 +You know, I was going to mention the non-biogenic theories, but I didn't feel like defending the plausibility of a theory I'm just not all that invested in. 1289792490 +Then post the link here without leaving the comment. Do you think that accomplished anything but harden her stance and beliefs? You made it more difficult for the people who are trying to give her useful information. 1292545269 +Can you copy and paste where I've stood up for the validity of any one speaker? You have completely dismissed my entire point, because you were only interested in what you had to say. You only care about being right. 1333248707 +Not that the article mentions it, but it would be nice if people focused more on the dangers of distracted driving than phone-related cancers. 1319182215 +Keep up the good work.\n\nPerhaps we can join forces?\n\n<spammy>\n\nI've created a facebook page called [Critical Mass](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Critical-Mass/178673948871317?sk=info)\n\nFor anyone reading on facebook.\n\nI'm trying to campaign to get these principles in schools.\n\n**Here's the description:**\n\nThe plan is to have a class covering these topics.\n\nPreferable compulsory.\n\nAnd at an optimal age.\n\nWhy we do science (The Philosophy of Science)\n\nWhy the idea of science is never wrong, but only our methodology might be.\n\nHow science relates to technology.\n\nWhere science breaks down but becomes unimportant at this point.\n\nHow to discuss topics.\n\nLogical fallacies.\n\nWhat open-mindedness actually is, and why it's an essential part of skepticism.\n\nAnd why all these things are related\n\n</spammy> 1314237896 +Then you would have a hexagon or maybe even an octagon. I think the square works. 1274197341 +> You wouldn't want to be at the skeptic end of the spectrum anyway. "To be totally 'unmagical' is very unhealthy," says Peter Brugger, head of neuropsychology at University Hospital Zurich. He has data, for example, strongly linking lack of magical ideation to anhedonia, the inability to experience pleasure. "Students who are 'not magical' don't typically enjoy going to parties and so on,"\n\nWhy is the inability to experience pleasure assumed to be unhealthy? 1242499600 +If I were recording a ufo, I'd probably be a bit more excited. I'd also follow it with the camera, instead of letting it lazily drift out of focus. 1334210346 +...Fushigi ball? 1353893301 +With difficulty in some cases. Generally, a double blind study. Take acupunctre, test the "proper" thing against placing the needles at random. If both work equally well, you can dismiss most of the claim about acupuncture right there leaving only the "stabbing people with thin needles helps pain somehow". Next up, you can try to demonstrate a physiological phenomenon, that is test to see if there is a direct physical effect from the needles on some objective measure. Harder, but doable. If there is no physical phenomenon then it's a psychological one.\n\nAs far as acupuncture goes, the first has been done ad nauseum. Result; no difference between "masters" doing it properly and random people doing it randomly. The second is much harder, but it seems like there is little to no demonstrable physical effect with acupuncture. 1345640758 +never a straight answer, eh? 1253507021 +Very good post. Couldn't have said it better myself. 1342362509 +This was just what my friend sent me. It could be a shadow from another object outside of the picture 1356721592 +> “What exactly is an ion?” I asked, abashedly.\n> I will never forget your baffling, measured reply.\n> “Science.”\n\nLost it. 1311965921 +>It's not the placebo effect, it's confirmation bias.\n\nIt can be, but of course animals (and presumably babies) do experience the placebo effect through classical conditioning, and not just apparent benefits recorded by unblinded observers.\n\nFor example, we know that substances with no active component (i.e. placebos) can suppress the immune function of rats, as discussed in the article I linked to above:\n\n>One of the most dramatic demonstrations of a placebo effect in\nnonhuman animals involved conditioned immunosuppression in\nrats. Ader and Cohen (1975) paired a novel saccharine-flavored\nliquid with the immunosuppressant cyclophosphamide. After a\nnumber of pairings, the saccharine solution administered alone\nbrought about a decreased immune response in the rats (Ader &\nCohen, 1975). The saccharin solution had become a CS (placebo),\ncapable of eliciting immunosuppression (the placebo effect).\nAder’s groundbreaking experiments caused a stir, for it was generally held at the time that conditioning procedures could not\ninfluence the immune system (see Harrington, 1997). Many of\nAder’s results mesh well with the regularities uncovered in classical conditioning research. First, as would be predicted from the\ngeneral finding that a stronger US produces a stronger CR, rats\ngiven two doses of cyclophosphamide during the conditioning\nstage later exhibited greater conditioned immunosuppression than\nthose given only one dose. Second, the extent of immunosuppression depended on the schedule of reinforcement. Third, in the\nabsence of CS–US pairings, the conditioned immunosuppression\ntypically extinguished (Ader, 1985). The finding that immunosuppression can be conditioned has been well replicated (Ader &\nCohen, 1982, 1991; Ghanta, Hiramoto, Solvason, & Spector, 1987;\nKrank & MacQueen, 1988; McCoy, Roszman, Miller, Keely, &\nTitus, 1986).\n\nThe 'expectation' (i.e. conditioning) of an animal can result in effects which are entirely unrelated to the inactive substance they are given. \n\nBut I agree that confirmation bias does play a role in a lot of the "studies" on this topic, particularly by homeopaths and co who try to demonstrate that their product must work because the placebo effect "does not occur in animals". So, as you point out, the owners of the animal who are expecting to see an improvement, will see one because of their confirmation bias. 1324003483 +Purely a placebo effect on subjective symptoms.\n\nThere are ample studies showing that sticking needles in you provokes physiological responses but that is irrelevant to the claims made. 1335108887 +I'll only buy it if it's organic. 1290928221 +Nailed it! That's why I love /r/skeptic! 1291999323 +http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/duplicates/suzdj/were_underestimating_the_risk_of_human_extinction/ 1335531577 +Yea, this is actually pretty awesome stuff. I had totally ignored this sort of chemistry in undergrad, going to be looking into this stuff more now. \n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIRMMac8hU4&feature=related \nThis video is pretty awesome too, seems to show blue ink being removed from the water after the introduction of the nanobubbles. I don't speak Japanese, so it is impossible to tell what is actually being said.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l02YxY9KGrk&feature=related\nThis other one shows the nanobubbles exploding and causing plaque to be removed. \n\nOxygen carpet cleaners are just H2O2. The oxygen breaks away from the H2O2 into a free radical O-, which is then what actually removes stains that are positively charged. I guess it is possible that the oxygen bubbling into the water may cause the creation of some H2O2, but this would be a different mechanism than the one proposed in the literature. 1342559281 +So how do you now if that's true? How do you know that the Tao exists?\n 1345652592 +are you gay, black, and jewish too? 1299463120 +Sounds interesting. There is room for one more! 1346220105 +I thought we were talking about how many deaths there are due to homeopathy's inefficacy. 1319410969 +As an Aries, feelbadman 1324672095 +Yep, it's pretty much a lost cause. I'm amazed that there's often so many "The * channel sucks now. It was better before the network decay." At least when the channel has been crappy for so many years. Unless you're lucky enough to be a neilson family, cable's pretty much pointless. Your views aren't counting as either votes for or against, and you can get the same stuff online anyway. And when you watch it online, at least there's a slight chance your viewership might actually get counted. 1294119056 +Fucking luddites. 1305477293 +Not really, this is /r/skeptic so we are mindful that all evidence is imperfect and we have to be careful not to stretch data further than it will let us. Dismissing stuff because it was on TV isn't right. It's more complicated than that. 1356943922 +You and I seem to have a different understanding of the occult. Occult simply means hidden, not evil. Let me ask you this... have you ever read Liber Null by Peter Caroll? 1331742418 +Here's another question before I can make an assessment.\n\n1) Was anything else out of the ordinary? It could have been something as simple as an unsubstantiated feeling of fear, dread, or just overall creepiness. 1323763112 +As someone who's worked with audio processing, I could tell immediately this "sound" was synthesized. The "echoing" effect does not match the environment the video was shot in (it sounds a like a metal table being dragged across a concrete floor put through a "big warehouse" or "large hall" reverb preset you find in virtually any audio editor.)\nAlso the frequency range of the video's audio was of a lower quality than the "sound." I.E., the "sound" sounds like it was recorded using a better mic/higher bit-rate than the video's audio.\nOh, and did you notice the kids voices in the background didn't change from playing to OMG WTF WAS THAT? They just kept on playing. 1315730375 +I thought that the rise in autism was mostly caused by increasing numbers of diagnoses going from "weird" to "mildly autistic", not from "mentally retarded (general)" to "autistic". This is interesting data, I'd like to see more studies focusing on this sort of thing. 1296415702 +Laughter. Social rejection is an appropriate response to lunacy. 1323799863 +The title is for telling people what the link or thread is about. Your personal reaction or opinion belongs in the comments. 1327655780 +Well, that'll shake a dude out of skepticism. 1329691281 +If you're refering to what I think you're referring to, That is just a delivery system for the same chemicals that would be included in a tablet. Patches such as this are a common way of providing opiate based products such as morphine. 1326106090 +>Faith and healing, on the other hand, most assuredly are not. Take two patients. Each has cancer. Each has the same doctor. Each has the same treatment.\n\nYou know, I really hadn't though of it like this. I've seen these studies for cancer, but I can't find many studies looking at diabetes. (I'm not sure if it could be different or not.) The closest I've found are a few pilot studies which looked promising, so it could actually work.\n\nHave an orangered and a tip of my hat, good sir. Fingers crossed that this book does more good than harm. 1287868759 +That does not rule out sleep paralysis. 1354710690 +All these comments are just hilarious. 1356407286 +Oh perspective, how I love thee. 1343925558 +Not super interested in the 'eerie things', but that is one beautiful cat. 1305318187 +Good call dopp. It seems like many of the publishers of these ufo events claim to have corroborating video from different angles. Yet rarely do these videos surface. And many times if they do surface, as in the case of the Jerusalem hoax, they prove nothing but tomfoolery. 1331948141 +Oh come on, that's way worse. Ones a comedian and the other researched and wrote geopolitical books...no excuse. Hitchens cozied up to a few neocon, hawkish talking points in his time. 1337350259 +Have you personally made one of these? What is your experience? 1353309786 +This is a very interesting phenomenon, whatever its identity. I'm fully in agreement with those who state that the brain does remarkable things with sensory input on a constant basis, but I also believe that there is more to the universe than what we are able to sense directly through the "five senses." \n\nI am curious as to how the Khai'min communicated their name to your friend; was it spoken, or written down for him/her, in the dream, or was it simply, inherently "known" by your friend upon awakening?\n\nI find it interesting that people tend to ascribe "shadow people" to being whatever most suits their paranormal curiosities; I've heard them referred to as being ghosts, demons, guardian angels, and aliens. Historically, throughout history and in a variety of cultures, creatures such as vampires and ancestral spirits were said to visit their descendants (or victims, in some cases) as "shadowy figures." Many, many people have clearly had the same experience and, just as clearly, have interpreted it in accordance with their pre-existing beliefs and fascinations.\n\nMe, I find everything fascinating, and I've no idea what they are, though I do enjoy theorizing about it. \n\nI've never heard stories of shadow-people accompanied by any sort of vocalization, before, although I have heard stories about their being accompanied by other sensory phenomena: for example, one friend of mine has stated that, whenever she sees one of these shadows out of the corner of her eye, the wall or other surface on which it appears is red-tinted (her belief: demons, or whatever lies at the root of the origin of demon-belief, rather). A student I spoke with stated that he sometimes feels a chill in the air when he encounters shadow-people, and added that he usually runs into them in a particular portion of an old house that belongs to his family. Sometimes, he gets the feeling that there is 'something' that is somehow 'behind' the chill in the air, for want of a better description. He seems to believe that he is having an encounter with ghosts or spirits of some kind. 1339646500 +I believe I read an article about the subliminal messages your own body sends when using the board and how your hand is subliminally pushing the marker over certain letters. To prove this, you apparently just need to blindfold yourself and turn the board.\n\nHas anyone tried this before? 1352006661 +I think about doing this, but I have tried debating similar things in the past and found that I am not good at it in real time.\n\neg. "Hydrofloric acid is incredibly toxic. A friend of mine works at a LSI chip plant, and there was an accident where some HF acid spilled on a bench. They cleaned it up and sanded it, but someone sat on it a couple of weeks later wearing short pants and died from HF acid exposure." \n\nIt's hard to *not* scream at them for their trollish stupidity, but I was calm and told them that it was not remotely possible, but I wound up losing the argument because they were there and "saw it happen".\n\nDOH! 1296105318 +#YOLO #SWAG #CRAYCRAY 1351801235 +Certain areas of ethics have determined answers, others haven't.\n\nI don't think there's any area of feminism still under question. 1356119802 +>Did people actually think an organic vegetable has more vitamins than a non-organic vegetable? I didn’t know anyone thought that.\n\nIIRC, this is almost verbatim a decently upvoted reddit comment on one of the earlier posts about the study. lol 1347289641 +Maybe he just wanted to be your friend... 1337288307 +Except for the part where we burn an effigy of the fucker on the bonfire and cheer. 1352155706 +Mob hit. 1352922306 +Go right ahead! 1332043343 +Let me try this again:\n\nOne case study = one data point ≠ concrete evidence\n\nThe only way to disprove the null hypothesis (which in this case would be: accupuncture has no therapeutic effect above the level of placebo) is to have blinded sets of test and control subjects in a number sufficient to give a good predictive power to the outcome. Then, if final data shows a significant (95% confidence) difference between control and test subjects, that is taken as evidence for efficacy of the treatment. Anything short of that can be ascribed to various reasons such as chance occurrence, technical/statistical/experimenter error or placebo effect. \n\nReport of a single case is interesting. It may provoke more inquiry into the validity of a modality, but is not sufficient to validate the treatment by itself.\n\nThis is how the scientific method works. This is why it takes us years to publish a study and to finally put it to use in the clinic. Anything that does not undergo such rigorous vetting process cannot be relied upon. 1335207365 +Well, that is kinda awesome. 1343931692 +All species are transitional species unless they die out. 1299633519 +[As a former resident] No: homeopathic beer is legally too strong to sell in Oklahoma. 1330367276 +the thing is, with neighboring star systems *billions* of years older, its not only a statistical probability that life exists elsewhere but it's a statistical probability that life evolved elsewhere *billions* of years ago and had an inordinate amount of time to propagate throughout the universe... they're here and they've always been here, why do you think religion spontaneously evolved nearly universally on this planet? That's my take at least :) 1241786191 +Wow..I want-to believe! 1323011775 +>None of the story makes a lick of sense.\n\nHaha, and you told it so well!\n 1324514107 +Let's ignore for the moment that the site doesn't give links to the study, and point out how you misinterpreted what it say.\n\nFirst, it says that surface water has gotten .59°C hotter. The multi-depth average was .33°C, which is where I assume you got your number.\n\nThis is definitely not a measure of overall global temperature, as water, especially water below the surface, takes much more energy to heat than the air. You global warming "skeptics" are largely all the same, misinterpreting information and claiming you're skeptical even though you just lack reading comprehension. That's not skepticism, there is verified, tested scientific data that shows that it's real.\n\nEdit: Noticed I incorrectly stated it was .59°C at 366 meters, this was due to rewriting my initial response and forgetting to change things around. It's .39°C at 366 meters depth. 1333468696 +OK, apart from some of the links you gave that if read undermine you\n\nhttp://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/icesat-20090707.html\n\nhttp://www2.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/news/story.html?id=1894560\n\nhttp://www.laboratoryequipment.com/News-Arctic-ice-worse-than-expected-113009.aspx\n\nThis may explain your deception\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/user/greenman3610#p/u/2/Y3dYhC_AlYw\n\nbuilding on this\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/user/greenman3610#p/u/10/MozcU7woNNQ\n\nand this\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/user/greenman3610#p/u/23/2nruCRcbnY0\n\nHave fun.\n\nKiss kiss. 1259647338 +TL;DR Fiction 1336743825 +Doctors are damned expensive to train an employ. I'd rather our doctors stayed treating patients efficiently and left talk therapists to wishy-washy pretend doctors. 1297982407 +Ok. Well, same impasse as before. \n\nIronically, willingness to believe in aliens affects the perception of UFO's transparently enough in this sub. You'll find that people unwilling to believe in aliens say that most UFO's are chinese lanterns, photoshop, flares, etc. And people who already believe in aliens believe a much larger percentage of UFO's are intelligently piloted. \n\nBut willingness to believe in a God that *does* exist is not seen as a precursor to the perception of that God. Or a prerequisite, if you will.\n\nFichte, et. al. rebelled against organized religion in much the same way as in the modern era. But they declined to close their minds in any way. They wanted to be without bias. And they came to a perception of reality that included God as a philosophical entity.\n\nTL;DR: Willingness is everything, in UFO's, aliens ... everything. People see what they want to believe. 1350660303 +YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!! 1300494468 +Eggzactly what I was thinking. 1340392651 +It's fascinating *fiction.* And it does the field of UFOlogy a disservice by pretending to be legitimate. 1350852629 +I work in the dairy food industry (not milk but ice cream, yogurt and so on) and we test for antibiotics to the parts-per-billion level. Antibiotic detection would lead to rejection of the delivery, or product recall if it somehow found its way into final product. Having said that, on-farm programs are stringent for screening out antibiotics - farmers lose their right to deliver if they have more than one detection. This is in Australia so YMMV.\n\nIn 25 years in the industry I'm not aware of a confirmed antibiotic detection in any milk coming from farms to our factories. We've had several near-misses where minute amounts of sanitiser has been found in raw milk, which (back in the old days) used to trigger on our antibiotic test but follow-up testing differentiated between the sanitiser and antibiotic. Obviously we still rejected the deliveries. Nowadays the test we use is specific to antibiotics. 1346827240 +Huh? I don't see it. Looks normal to me. 1260161752 +Like burning ants with a magnifying glass. Hmmmm? 1330317091 +[Not with regard to iron at least.](http://www.bestthinking.com/articles/science/chemistry/biochemistry/the-spinach-popeye-iron-decimal-error-myth-is-finally-busted?tab=article) 1321778045 +I had a beam of light come in through a window (from behind a solid wooden fence) that behaved unlike anything I'd ever seen before. It lit up my bed which in turn lit up the room. I could see it in a large mirror across the room. I must have been in that state where dreams colide with wakefulness. I had the strangest most frightening dreams when I sometimes slept with my eyes open and would dream of my surroundings, believing briefly that it was real. This was the first of a few and the most perplexing until I realised it was recurring with vastly different results when I slept in different rooms. Every time one would occur, it was a total mind fuck until i could clear my head. 1334472311 + >I think this discussion has gone far enough.\n\nTrue dat. I don't see this discussion going anywhere fast, I think you have too much faith in the infallibility of the scientific community and an economic system that thrives on inefficiency. Later, dude. 1337207669 +This reminds me a bit of the show with [James Rhandi](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlfMsZwr8rc) exposing people claiming to have paranormal powers. \n\nAt the end you can see the man think of millions of ways to talk his way out of it. 1355936226 +Reports of UFO's have been around since LONG before Chris Carter (creator of X-Files) was even born. And even before we had planes. I don't know why exactly the UFO's are interested in the US, you are right, there are more REPORTED sightings here. There are woodcuts from Nuremberg, Germany depicting battles in the sky between flying things from 1561. Also, I would say that more people probably believe in ET's and UFO's in this day because of the sheer improvement in knowledge. We know that we're made of stardust, we know that the universe is incredibly old, we know that the building blocks of life are scattered throughout the universe. We know now about Panspermia. The chances of us being alone are nil. It's either us or there is a lot of life universally. So, if you start there, universe being old and filled with building blocks of life. Then you add in that we humans are barely a Type 1 civilization, and if you can imagine there may be Type 2 or even 3 civilizations, then it becomes harder to conceive that they wouldn't have technology to bend/fold/manipulate time and space.\n\nSo much to think about. But truthfully, the best thing I can tell you to do is look up. If you have access to GOOD Night Vision Binoculars, that will help too, as many of these crafts are only visible outside of our visual spectrum. Which could mean they are inter-dimensional or from another universe(maybe). It's just, honestly, super unlikely that we are alone. I think, you should start there. Contemplate: Could it just be us? Could this vast universe filled with the building blocks of life only have harbored life on Earth? I think if you consider it in those terms you will find that the odds are quite small we could be alone. Of course, if you are looking for a dead body and DNA, I am unable to produce that. \n\nAlso, I don't know if the government is maliciously hiding information on this subject. I mean, I don't have special insider knowledge. BUT, I will say this: Our government HAS reported UFO's over nuke sites, these craft seemingly disabled (individually and remotely) their equipment. Also, you should look into the Rendlesham Forest Incident. Lots of military personnel reported seeing something strange over a few nights there, too. You can view the documents thru the FOIA. These are well-documented cases, too. The Mexican military also has RELEASED information and video concerning unknown flying objects over their skies as well. You can see this as easily as going to Youtube. 1345395934 +If you hate that, then you hate humanity; at least 80% of humans believe in the supernatural, so *you* are the weirdo :) 1325876259 +whenever i see martial artists performing "moves" on students i often think that they anticipate his moves he knows whats committing and the students are not going in with force or intent. 1353604242 +Here's my simple argument for science. \n\nBible - treated as fact with no actual evidence or real peer review all based on faith\n\nScience - treated as a series of hypothetical/theoretical questions that we rechallenge everyday by a worldwide network the smartest people on the planet.\n\nScience also admits that is is wrong all the time when new evidence is discovered.\n\nThe bible is a collection of stories that was written basically 2000years ago by a few people with a possible agenda. (Look at leviticus, its just a list of rules) It was also written in a now dead language which was translated incorrectly in several parts. Then several books were interchanged/dropped/added throughout the bible by King James. Yet this shell of its former self is still taken as fact.\n\nScience documents go through years of study and peer review by a collection (there are a lot of scientists) of (arguably) the highest educated people across the globe. These scientist come from everywhere and therefore have different religions, cultures, beliefs. Yet they ALL want to kill YOUR god. - guess that explains all the christian scientists\n\nTL:DR science>bible because it has peer review and changes its stance as new evidence emerges 1347294102 +so nothing changed and you're still interested? 1320150738 +>Bee is not a doctor so she cannot advise you about medical diagnosis or medications....\n\nShe is also not a scientist so knows fuck all about what she is talking about. 1329347044 +This particular teaching is GREAT though. I'm an atheist and fully support helping people in need when you're able. \n\nIt's not a christian story. It's a humanist story 1307564066 +"That is one of the most interesting conclusions to come out of the seventh International Climate Change Conference sponsored by the Heartland Institute, held last week in Chicago. I attended, and served as one of the speakers, talking about The Economic Implications of High Cost Energy"\n\nSo a climate denier group, [the Heartland institute](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heartland_Institute), asks one of their own analysts, a climate change denier, to speak at their conference. And you _learned_ that multiple decades of real scientific research is invalid. ffs help us all. 1340381869 +I'm on about the older generation, the ones who've made swedish sweden's official language for first time in long long while. But lots is probably an exaggeration, yeah. 1346602257 +I've followed the "debate" and studied the subject at great length for years now. It's extremely important to separate idealism from reality when wanting to do something positive towards disclosure.\n\nTo think that telling Obama to disclose such information will be in any way effective is to completely disregard the fact that **he is not privvy to such information**. The group that oversees such policy is extragovernmental and international, and has been in place for over 50 years now.\n\nIf you want to argue for something effective towards disclosure, try arguing that anyone involved in keeping this institutionalized secret deserves full immunity from prosecution. That is what this is really about: people covering their asses. 1232061432 +I've followed the "debate" and studied the subject at great length for years now. It's extremely important to separate idealism from reality when wanting to do something positive towards disclosure.\n\nTo think that telling Obama to disclose such information will be in any way effective is to completely disregard the fact that **he is not privvy to such information**. The group that oversees such policy is extragovernmental and international, and has been in place for over 50 years now.\n\nIf you want to argue for something effective towards disclosure, try arguing that anyone involved in keeping this institutionalized secret deserves full immunity from prosecution. That is what this is really about: people covering their asses. 1232061535 +Did you make this? Sorry, I know Poe's Law and shit, but seriously, did you make this? This looks intentionally shitty. 1346437165 +I don't think there's any motive the US could have had, in 2001, to kill it's citizens; but in any case that's not the point of asking the question.\n\nI think we can agree that if the gov did kill its own citizens, it would need a *hell* of a good reason; thus the burden of proof for the gov's motive is *much stronger* than the burden of proof that 9/11 was an inside job. But this isn't how truthers think. Rather they see evidence that the 9/11 official report was false, and start looking for reasons the US might have perpetrated the incident. A skeptic (i.e. a rational arguer) would insist that such a motive be present before considering the possibility that 9/11 was an inside job; there are, after all, many ways we could explain the dubiousness of the official 9/11 report. \n\nThis is why you ask this question to someone who has only recently stumbled across 9/11 truthism. If they attempt to come up with a motive on the spot, rather than having thought about it in some detail, it tells you they are less likely to accept logical arguments against their belief. (It doesn't necessarily tell you whether the US gov could have had a motive for 9/11 - that requires an argument one way or the other.)\n\nEDIT: I should add that the same reasoning applies to the question of "Do you really think the gov could organize itself to cover it up?" Again, the answer to this requires stronger proof than that the official report was false. 1315763635 +Boobs are that-away---------> 1311272508 +Right. Norma, the uploader of the EVP explains a few things in the comments for this recording on ghostsstory. Feel free to read up on those. Also no problem! :) 1312415578 +Why can't I find anything on the man from a country that doesn't exist? I'm calling bullshit on this. 1354175449 +If ghosts existed, the military would be on that, ghosts would make great spies. Credit card companies don't hire anti-psychics to protect their data. If I saw something personally, the first thing I should think is to get myself checked for hallucinations, or think of a way I could measure it or show others. If anything paranormal did exist it would be painfully obvious, unless one wants to invoke a conspiracy theory that the government is keeping it all secret so the lack of evidence is all the evidence he needs. 1322172800 +Merry Christmas, Gary. 1355509802 +Merry Christmas, Gary. 1355527153 +therapeutic effect.... it's well documented and proven science. 1349124210 +I do believe Voyager 1 is close to leaving our solar system. However I'm sure you're talking about human life. But I would like to think that society has matured enough that we could deal with the existence of other intelligent life, and I truly think that without accepting alien life we will never coalesce together. IMO I think the gov should declassify some of their UFO info. 1345175864 +I find it interesting. Do your other videos of it show anything more / different? 1354884771 +I pmed Dancingwiththestars with this (I left /r/athiesm and stopped following the subreddits a while back for the same bs but was never banned):\n\nhttp://i.imgur.com/tE5IB.jpg This is why I left /r/athiesm and stopped reading /r/athiesmplus.\n\nHe/she in no way was pushing a male agenda, nor denying a feminist opinion or attacking such. He/she was engaging in a logical path of not blaming an entire group for the actions of an individual. Your modding is leading others to have a bad image of your group, but as for myself, rather than doing that I will only hold that you cannot moderate without having your own agenda inserted into it. Re-read what logic11 says, as it was in no way grounds for any sort of warning/ban. I am in no way associated with him, and I have no intention of returning to /r/athiesm or any subreddit of such because for a group for athiests, logic and non-emotional arguments do not exist there.\n\nThe following comments ensued, thus reinforcing he/she refuses to have an actual discussion in the forum he/she mods, and rather seeks only friendly opinions:\n\n>If you want to talk about it take it to modmail.\n\nI'd rather take it here, as you were in the wrong.\n\n>Then nope. Learn a little something about the concept of a safe space:\nhttp://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Safe_space\nand male privilege: http://finallyfeminism101.wordpress.com/2007/03/11/faq-what-is-male-privilege/\nThe world doesn't owe anything to these Redditors. They're not entitled to come into our space and violate the integrity of our safe space.\nI'm not responding to you again.\n\nAthiesm plus doesn't really constitute a safe space. also if you actually read and comprehended what he wrote you'd understand he in no way questioned the readers intentions. If you've ever been part of a support group you would understand that blaming a group for the actions of an individual goes against the principles of the wiki's you cite. Obviously you are against anyone having an opinion different than yours, and only cite from sources that are biased to your point rather than neutral and would allow those who seek a "safe space" progress, rather than reinforcement of what they perceive. I seriously hope you seek out actual training before you provide further guidance to those in need. 1347378395 +Hey jerr instead of telling you its bs id ask what claim are they making specifically and try to find the specific sources of said claims. Also seek out scientists actually working with gmo or check out senseaboutscience website. Try also reading carl sagan's the demon haunted world as and introduction to skepticism and critical thinking. It will gi e you the tools you need for your own baloney detection kit. \n\nInstead of asking for a debunking try just asking what the scientific evidence is for said claim. Check out rebutr its a google tool that helps you find counter arguments to claims. Skepticism can be fun you get to do bit of research, interact with scientists some times, and learn amazing new things!\n 1341026805 +http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_Barker 1337827569 +This should be the proper response to grammar nazis on reddit. 1301256107 +well actually......\n 1354576709 +Other follow up studies have done that. 1274752623 +Honestly, I feel kind of bad now. If he honestly believe that all of these accounts are from one person, then that means he has some mental issues going on.\n\nEdit: Oops, wrong account. 1326618875 +Cheers, thanks for the clarification. 1323482902 +Bill Cooper's*\n\nIt's Cooper's since you are implying that Bill Cooper has stuff, so that's Bill Cooper's stuff. 1351722959 +It looks like that is a meta study of studies. It found a lot of articles and looked only at the scholarly ones that were double blinded and such.\n\nThey report, in the discussion section:\n\n>Our findings show that no compelling evidence exists to suggest that any conventional or complementary intervention is effective for preventing or treating alcohol hangover.\n\nHowever, years of reading scholarly articles has taught me that the discussion section means jack shit. It's also known as the "let me frame my findings so you agree with what I'm looking for." By definition, it's not blind, so you should take what you find there with a grain of salt.\n\nIf you look at the results section, you get this:\n\n>Four randomised controlled trials tested dietary supplements: Borago officinalis (borage), Cynara scolymus (artichoke), Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear), and a yeast based preparation. **Two trials reported intergroup differences for** an overall symptom score and for the individual symptoms **restlessness, discomfort, and impatience**.25 28 In the first of these trials the effectiveness of **γ linolenic acid from B officinaliswas** tested in people who attended a private party.25 The results indicated a **significant reduction in the overall severity of hangover** and in the individual symptoms of headache, laziness, and tiredness compared with placebo (P < 0.01). Another trial tested a combination preparation containing **250 mg dried yeast, 0.5 mg thiamine nitrate, 0.5 mg pyridoxine hydrochloride, and 0.5 mg riboflavin** per tablet in participants who consumed vodka (40% volume alcohol) amounting to a total of 100 g absolute alcohol.28 The **difference in the change for the symptoms discomfort, restlessness, and impatience was statistically significant in favour of the yeast preparation.** Two other trials that tested extracts of **C scolymus and O ficus-indica reported no intergroup differences** for their main outcome measures.26 27\n\nThat seems to say that some of the non-conventional remedies work.\n\nIt continues:\n\n>Four trials tested conventional agents: tropisetron, propranolol, tolfenamic acid, and fructose or glucose (table). **One trial reported intergroup differences for an overall symptom score** (P < 0.01).31 This trial tested the **prophylactic effectiveness of tolfenamic acid**, an inhibitor of prostaglandin biosynthesis. Each participant consumed alcohol in small groups and drank at his own pace. The amount of alcohol and food ingested was not measured. The overall symptom score and the individual symptoms headache, nausea, vomiting, thirst, dry mouth, tremor, and irritation were significantly reduced compared with placebo. **Three other trials, which tested propranolol, tropisetron, and fructose or glucose, reported no beneficial intergroup differences.**\n\nSo... 3/8 remedies studies showed statistically significant ways to reduce the effect of a hangover.\n\nHow did we get the conclusion:\n\n>Our findings show that no compelling evidence exists to suggest that any complementary or conventional intervention is effective for treating or preventing the alcohol hangover.\n\nThe answer is that the authors are scoundrels. Even cherry picking studies, they couldn't get the conclusion they wanted, so they just *made it up*. 1323188337 +This information should be covered in all college science curriculums. 1313421245 +Maybe she turned around to do something and then came back and you just didn't see the stuff in between? 1335519184 +Yes they do (AFAIK), but it's not the radiation itself (i.e.-light) it's the high frequency that they cycle on/off. 1282160723 +Actually I've read about that report before. I didn't just accept that the commenter wasn't making it up. 1350018452 +I'm not sure you got the "joke" then... 1315415408 +>Define "really really fast." UAV's can get to pretty good velocities.\n\nThey crossed over 90 degrees of the sky in about 9 seconds. They appeared to be about 2 miles away, at an altitude around 3000 feet and about 30 degrees above the horizon from my viewpoint. I don't know what velocity that would be, but it's much faster than civil aviation - maybe jets can go that fast. I'm pretty definite about the shapes, these were actual triangles, not arrowhead shape as Taranis appears. 1289397518 +The ufo community is not in the habit of critically evaluating its heroes. 1343885577 +Well, gee. He sure uses the word "science" a lot. It makes him sound so...sciencey and legitimate. 1299694582 +Oh wow what a coincidence.\n\n\n/sarcasm 1249614277 +Yeah, obviously it's "pseudoskepticism", because your steadfast belief in UFOs is at odds with the facts.\n\nI can't believe this crap showed up in r/all. 1298697699 +interesting, thanks for the tidbit, I'd been taught throughout journalism school and AP english and all my various English courses it was judgment, suck it ACADEMIA ! 1305130607 +I brought her name up because she is a very vocal person on the subject that is blowing it out of proportion. tf00t brought her up in his response and how she isn't treating the problem properly. \n\nYou however, tried to twist it into something it's not. 1341597900 +Plenty of those can be easily explained, like the [rainbow](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Descartes_Rainbow.png) or the cloud's shadow, but a lot of them left me still wondering WTF. 1325657167 +secrets? yeah right... more like stories are being told of flying things in the air by witnesses with a few hours of military service. i'll eat a bag of dicks if anything that could be considered 'new' actually comes out of that event. 1346599604 +Of these I've had the opportunity to watch 1, 2 and 4. Pure gold.\n\nI rewatch Connections at least twice a year. After watching Connections, look for "The Day the Universe Changed", from the same guy. Also mind blowing.\n\nEdit: Also look for Terry Jones's "Crusades".\n 1321326095 +Yes, that is exactly what I said, again you've done a great job of interpreting the comments of others accurately and pointing out their expectations. 1335808708 +Perhaps truly great minds tend towards more humility. \n>"The more you learn the more you realise how little you know." \nor something to that effect. 1287504841 +This reminds me of reading Dawkins saying something like "finding a single fossil mammal in the Cambrian layer would *explode* the theory of evolution" - it hasn't happened and no one expects it to, but certainly one would need to analyze the evidence very carefully before the baby went out with that bathwater. \n 1301847847 +How bad was your vision before the surgery? In any case it sounds like your surgeon was kind of a scumbag; when my dad got LASIK the surgeon guaranteed it for (I think) a year, but said that it was normal for it to go below 20/20 after a while. 1328551812 +link to its own post? 1354617016 +Very cool... I really wish they would just put it all on one page though. 1328200042 +>About half the people I know who believe in Astrology as a science attribute its invention to either aliens or an advanced civilization \n\nMy anecdotal evidence is just as good as yours, but I've never heard anyone say something like this.\n 1324791107 +I wonder what haplogroup the mtdna was. Ketchum says that, upon preliminary analysis, it looks like Bigfoot's female contribution is human. I'm curious as to what human population Bigfoot dipped into: Siberians from before crossing the Landbridge? Native Americans from after the crossing? Modern Western European, from possibly kidnapped missing Americans?\n\nAlthough more likely: it's just contamination of the samples by the scientists handling the DNA. (I'm looking at you, Dr. Ketchum!) 1353891442 +"Fucktards" Conspiracy Theories... WTF! There is so much wrong here... 1291925071 +That is a little scary. He has one schizophrenic sibling at least. He just recently turned 20, which I understand is about when behaviors start to show. I think it is more of his strict Catholic up bringing though. Still and interesting point. 1309277699 +Don't you mean Satan? 1309228459 +Very interesting. I'd like to hear about what has happened (if anything) to the person who bought it.\n\n*edit The Dybbuk box will be a featured story for the SciFi show Paranormal Witness, episode to air Aug 29. [source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1874066/episodes). That is a definite watch for me! 1344818703 +*expect (that)* 1342024564 +Original Post that this resulted from. Reposted here because I did about 5 filters to the original audio file and I think there's a definitive voice now. Interested if people had thoughts on what it was saying or... You know, what the hell happened.\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/creepy/comments/xph5o/my_phone_started_emitting_a_static_noise_i/ 1346250145 +To be fair, it's Fox8 Cleveland, not fox news. 1291632653 +I think the point is, world leaders should not gather in secret. For example, there are laws in the US that prevent these sort of meetings, alliances, ect. If you have a motorcade protecting you, there are likely laws protecting your citizens; these laws usually outlaw secret memberships and alliances for the leaders. These people are bound to put their nation first, yet generally they seem to work for this one world government that that undermines their own government.\n\nThat should sum up the problem people see with Builderburg. 1302664249 +Sounds like a basketball game. 1334238734 +I wouldnt say I am a lot smarter that you...I dont know you. Hell, even a smart person can have a shitty day and make an ass of himself or herself online with angry rants and misspelled words, so even if I see someone who lacks reading comprehension and a basic grasp of spelling I dont assume they are stupid. That wasnt a snide jab at you, by the way...you can clearly spell and read. \n\nAnyway, you are assuming: \n\n1. That the people in the article really do have a paranormal beliefs and no mental illness. The two can show up together, but having a mental illness means that person is not in the correct frame of mind for basic understanding of logic, science or social interactions. A good example is that there are people who really are presidents and people with mental illnesses who think they are the president. They do not belong to the same group. \n\n2. You are assuming that I believe in exorcisms, demons, etc.. \n\nI would also say that you are assuming that belief in the paranormal is the same as being in a cult, but that isnt as much of an assumption as it is a misunderstanding of the definition of "cult". Unless you are thinking aboit it differently or have a different understanding or are not referring to interest/belief in the paranormal but something different...in which case, my mistake and I will ask you to elaborate. \n\nSorry if I sound like a dick, but when I am trying not to offend anyone I tend to speak more...formally(?)...and that is often misconstrued as me being condescending, so I just want to assure you that isnt the case. I am open to hearing what you have to say because I believe in discussions, especially with people who think differently. I cant stand when someone only is polite or gives the benefit of the doubt to only those with like-minded thoughts. \n\n\n\nEDIT: I am seeing some spelling errors...whoops. I am typing on my phone as I am walking so I am not entirely accurate right now. 1346566054 +50's vitamin water was the best. 1323737064 +No, they allowed it to access higher Life and Intelligence. Says so right there. 1330238886 +yeah, and [this one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF_WfscC7go) is nice too imo.\n\nnothing groudbreaking but i like how he talks 1320673294 +I don't think Sickle Cell should be considered "damage", mutation yes, damage no. The mutation provides substantial resistance to Malaria so in areas subject to Malaria it's undoubtedly being selected for, not against, because of the benefits it provides. It does have some nasty side-effects, but that's more a sign of incomplete evolution to Malaria immunity than anything else. 1341304907 +But when does that general trend begin? There is plenty of reason to believe that monogamy is a societal issue, not an evolutionary trend. If we were predisposed to monogamy as a species, why would we seek new relationships out or take risks that could break our relationships?\n\nThere are plenty of monogamous animals in nature. They don't cheat on their partners. We do.\n 1338293709 +It's hardly yet a fact. A lot of diseases heal naturally. So unless someone does the proper tests, it's not a scientific fact.\n\nThe problem is that some people claim herbs to be able to heal *everything*, so where do we start throwing our money? 1322409179 +There was a thing called [COMETA](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COMETA) here's a snippet: \n\nThe group was responsible for the 'COMETA Report' (1999) on UFOs and their possible implications for defence in France. The report concluded that about 5% of the UFO cases they studied were utterly inexplicable and the best hypothesis to explain them was the extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH). The authors also accused the United States government of engaging in a massive cover-up of the evidence.\n\n\nI think the whole French government have lost their f-cking minds! What a bunch of hapless idiots!\n\nNo but seriously you're just being a douche because the US government refuses to admit what they know. This is yet more evidence of disclosure... get ready. 1288870620 +[Look at the photos](http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/imagenes_circultivos/circuloscultivos12_11.jpg), the field had already been harvested. 1351873371 +Could be many things.\n\nThose that claim it is a ghost have the burden of evidence on their own shoulders though. 1297668806 +Oh ok, cool. Cause I was under the impression that facts are concepts who's truths can be proven as well. Glad we're on the same page, oh great crusader of verifiable information. 1297312832 +This image invokes Godwin's Law in the very first fucking frame. Why are we discussing this again? 1294592995 +Nothing wrong with meditation. Relaxation methods are not woo. 1347920255 +>“It makes me wonder just how malleable our minds can be. It all seemed so real, like it made so much sense, but it wasn’t right,” he wrote. “It leaves a lot to think about.”\n\nThe essence of skepticism: an awareness that your own, thoughts, senses and perceptions can, and often are, very very flawed.\n\nDon't be so quick to ridicule these people. They're just like us. We're all prone to failures of critical thinking, just in different ways.\n\nThe Christians have this thing they like to say: "He who is without sin cast the first stone." I think their messiah said it. I'm not a believer, but I like this particular quote. Here's a skeptics version of it: He who is without woo, cast the first stone.\n\nAm I making any sense? 1337879761 +How can you say telling someone to not seek medical attention was not intent to cause harm.\n\nShe knew she was not equipped to handle the matter but went ahead anyways. 1333665335 +Saying that this story is unreliable because of past actions is fallacious.\n\n[Replied to another user here](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/lixb3/sybil_was_a_lie_bestselling_child_abuse_and_split/c2t6mm3)\n\nYou didnt posit a counter argument, you just attacked the person (or paper). The paper put forth an argument, mostly based on a book, and in order to discredit it you must have a counter argument. I didnt see one.\n\nLearn your fallacies. 1319165755 +> I believe A&W buys its A&W from A&W\n\nBwahaha, ok. 1349824260 +Last night was Penn's "Rock&Roll bacon and Donut Party" which STARTED at 11pm and continued till 3pm.\n\nThe conference started again at 7:30am...\n\n 1310867289 +I doubt it, but we all have our dreams. 1348576444 +Can you elaborate on this? \n\nEDIT: Never mind just saw your other comment. 1344303025 +there are water droplets on the lens is what it looks like. there's some on the left of the screen too :/\n\n 1356232532 +just some idiots making fake videos of flashing lights in the sky and posting them all over and trying to make people think there's an worldwide alien invasion today. 1356006737 +Making things undigestable, full of shit - I see what you did there. 1339468041 +It is exactly as I said. No Muslim will profess that this finding is "the evidence" of God's existence. We believe that the evidence for his existence is life and everything around us. 1330116393 +Gullible people who don't go under that reasoning define cheaper as the thing costing less money at one sale. Don't take it up with me, I'm playing devil's advocate. 1329158560 +their conclusions don't even follow from their erroneous premise. 1306700059 +I guess when you die you get a universal translator 1335999555 +You should take some time to learn how we test medical treatments for their efficacy.\n\nDouble blinding is one very important part of testing any medicine or medical treatment.\n\nFalling asleep quickly like that, does not seem to me to be outside the range of placebo.\n\nhttp://www.experiment-resources.com/double-blind-experiment.html 1316562538 +>But say anything like this and you get downvoted to oblivion. Gotta love the Reddit circlejerk.\n\nThat kind of comment annoys me, but anyway...\n\nI would hope that here in /r/skeptic that if you can provide the reasons for your beliefs you would not be downvoted, and if you can provide *good* reasons for those beliefs that you would be upvoted.\n\nIt'd be interesting to read those studies mentioned in the press release, which I hope to do if I get the time. 1355991446 +I once had to sit through an entire dinner with my girlfriend at the time and listen to her whole family discuss homeopathy, runes, tarot, zodiac alignment and Feng fucking Shui. \n\nSince this was the first time I had met them, I just feigned general interest, asked questions and made them explain things to me like a child so I understood and they felt intellectually rich in "opening my eyes to the spiritual world".\n\nIn regards to scary stuff, relax and just enjoy the atmosphere, you'll probably be made to jump a few times, they might do a table raising trick, might have spooky knocks and things going on in dark corners etc, just act scared so it increases the experience for your girlfriend or hell even try and scare her more! 1349952862 +Maybe its a bit old and senile now and its memory just quite is not what it used to be. 1327435108 +No, it was in street in another city. But still eerie. 1326479496 +Hey Jay!\n\nLove the show, though I only rarely find time to listen these days. No questions from me, but a general statement for the people commenting on the thread -- I didn't know this AMA was going to happen, so if you notice your comment isn't showing up, give me a hollar. I've noticed several comments getting caught in Ol' Spammy. 1346205005 +It's more likely that he thinks he is rational. 1294810974 +The people being duped aren't bad people, they're mostly desperate people with some affliction and are looking for some help. However misguided they are, they don't deserve to be "weeded out". 1340730246 +I would recommend following your dentist's instructions for managing your fluorosis and preventing fluorosis in your child's developing teeth. Children are more sensitive to fluoride. You should determine the amount of fluoride in your drinking water, and if the amount is higher than what your dentist recommends, then you should limit your child's consumption of that water. There are filters that you can purchase that would lower the level of fluoride in your water.\n\nFluorosis should no longer be a problem for you, as it affects developing teeth, not erupted teeth.\n\nSkeletal fluorosis should not be a problem for the average person in the US. If the fluoride level in your water is at a normal level, you shouldn't worry about it. It usually affects people living in areas with very high levels of fluoride in the water (such as China), or industrial workers who are exposed to abnormally high levels of fluoride.\n\nAdverse effects from fluoride are uncommon unless you are receiving abnormally high amounts of fluoride. There are many known adverse effects from fluoride, but the amount of fluoride in drinking water is controlled in order to avoid them. There are no known adverse effects in populations receiving the current safe level of fluoridated water (the 0.5-1.5 mg/L range).\n\nAgain, talk to your dentist. If he says avoid fluoridated water, then by all means avoid it. But it's not like fluoride is this new, unknown substance with unknown long-term effects. It's been studied for more than 70 years. 1344783675 +1) Take a picture.\n\n2) Look around your house for a Marlboro pack. This is a stretch, but do you ever lose chunks of time and can't account for them? I don't want to freak you out, but it could be explained by Dissociative Identity Disorder. Check the kitchen cabinets, the porch, those sort of places. \n\n3) Videotape the ashtray over a 24h period? 1326993764 +Hence the quotations 1330125720 +Mind, blown. Still looks freaky deeky to me, makes it easier to say it could be junk. 1316451089 +Do you think there could be a correlation between the similarity of the objects described, and the fact that the same researcher conducted the testing on different subjects? Food for thought... 1305156862 +No no, to protect yourself from wifi radiation, all you need to do is send me £29.95 and I will send you my wifi radiation protection device! 1290936125 +does anyone have this poster in bigger resolution for printing? 1336462914 +"what if they're as stoned as we are" haha. 1356308665 +This wasn't meant to be anti-religion, but does show a commonly known logical inconsistency within the bible. This is something to be skeptical about. Sorry if it came away sounding otherwise. 1299112257 +Bombers also weren't as large as 747s, and didn't have jet fuel. 1332503617 +Could be a Long March rocket breaking up. It does look like an ICBM. 1279247498 +Hired by who? 1304096320 +I still hold my breath while passing graveyards. Never believed in the superstition, just enjoy the challenge XD 1332171341 +I think, more than his prediction not coming true, the most devastating thing to this nutjob would be his insanity being completely ignored.\n\nSo, let's do that. 1318908811 +That was the impression I got. I'm a wuss, so after that I got pretty afraid and stopped investigating.\n\nMy mom and my live-in male cousin, who was about 14 at the time. He was the one who was made aware of the activity first. It harassed him for a while and we didn't believe him to start with. Eventually all three of us had had quite a few experiences.\n\nMy dad also experienced it, but he *really* didn't want to believe, so he went to great lengths to explain it away. 1339776286 +Looks kinda chilly. 1354765051 +This is a serious device designed for a serious purpose. For some unknown reason, certain individuals are often targeted by alien beings on a repeated basis. Once you have been abducted, your chances for re-abduction increase significantly. Most of my clients are repeat abductees. One of my clients, who is only 33 years old, has been abducted 7 times in the past 4 years. They are crippled by their anxiety, wondering when the next attack will be, wondering when they aliens may decide to keep their unwilling subject for good. 1330469396 +I have something rather similar, it was picture I took at a parking lot little before going into work. The object looks a lot smaller than in davidvader's picture but upon zooming on it with my phone it looked very interesting! 1341325482 +I'm in CT, and there are tons of places. New England being the longest settled and very populated area breeds a lot of ghost legends. Whether or not they are "really" haunted is debatable. My brother wrote the book "Old Ghosts of New England" which is a travel guide to haunted areas (many in CT). \n\nI recommend contacting a local paranormal society or a group with some amount of legitimacy and ask to accompany them. Otherwise if you turn up to many haunted locations you'll have the cops called on you. \n\nA lot of people in CT go to Dudleytown. I've had some creepy experiences there, but I'm fairly sure a lot of it was a case of group think or in my head. Again, this is a location that is potentially dangerous (when I went, there were some fairly steep drops that come out of nowhere), and if spotted the police will be called.\n\nWhen I started going to haunted areas, I went to this site : http://www.theshadowlands.net/places/massachusetts.htm\n\nThat's the MA link. That site doesn't look like its been changed in ten years, so I'm not sure how up to date it is.\n\nGood luck! 1347282358 +you might want to point him to a video of a real building demolition so that he can see that it takes months of stripping the building and drilling holes and cutting the structural elements. not to mention the 3 miles of wire that would have to be run through peoples offices. Then show him this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR0f8n10DR4 and explain to him that the pentagon is a fortified military installation not some apartment building. 1331233447 +Our plant is so fucked, right now there is a massive smog cloud over asia that is preventing the effects global warming, so the second we figure out how to stop air pollution in China world temperatures will skyrocket as the smog cloud clears. 1328225007 +>Still, he should have enough sense remaining to keep those thoughts internalized and not go around giving public interviews spouting such nonsense and reopening old wounds by implying that those people were meant to die.\n\nI agree, he's being a twat in that sense. 1298902698 +Calcium Fluoride is indeed accumulated in the bones and teeth. However, that does not make Fluoride an _essential_ nutrient, such as Potassium or Magnesium, that facilitate vital functions in the body. Lead and cadmium are also found in the teeth and bones.\n\nHighly concentrated [Fluouride tabs or drops](http://www.drugs.com/mtm/fluoride.html) are technically are a prescription drug. There's also been a [petition](http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dockets/07p0070/07p0070.htm) for the FDA to classify fluoride as a drug for use in tooth application, tooth paste and bottled water.\n\nEdit: the FDA does not recognize fluoride as a nutrient, thus does not require a Daily Value (DV) for it be listed. Please see http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/FoodLabelingGuidanceRegulatoryInformation/RegulationsFederalRegisterDocuments/ucm073531.htm (page 62151). 1347256871 +After hearing these brilliant technical explanations I feel a bit guilty about all the shortcuts I take - usually I just get straight to drinking a glass of water. I know it's lazy of me, but if it's got the same effect so I feel it's justified. 1289602324 +Some of them view it as an attack by satan. No, seriously. Then you can get even more fringe (though still a surprising amount of people) who believe the push to deny creationism (and therefore god) is actually apart of "End Times Prophecy". \n\nIn my opinion the biggest hurdle that you'll face when it comes to having someone accept that creationism is false, is what that will mean to their very view of their god. Most accept that Jesus was necessary because of what happened in the Garden of Eden. If the Garden of Eden didn't exist, then the fall didn't happen, and then Jesus's sacrifice was unnecessary or....didn't happen at all. It's a slippery slope that I don't think many in the creationist movement want to face. 1350587516 +I don't see anything about children having to follow that, but: they're not metastasising, unlike the other Christians. 1334247500 +I had to google fan death. What the fuck.\n\nBest of luck. 1279404714 +I don't think I understand your problem. Correct me if I'm wrong. Here's what comes to mind:\n\n* Exaggeration is one of the instruments of satire.\n* Satire isn't slander.\n* Since satire *is* a fake representation of reality, and we all know this (or should), emphasizing the "fakeness" as if it were fake for it's own sake is disingenuous. 1332752925 +Why is Mabus threatening the police? 1313025450 +Words are words. Most people when saying "agnosticism" mean what you mean when you say "atheism". It is a silly semantic argument. Uncertainty is the only honest approach to the divine. 1343017459 +I don't really know if such entities exists, I thought one was in my room too, but I think it was just my imagination :) But what I heard of is that they have problems with electromagnetic Things, so turn on TV and light and so on. Next thing try to don't have fear but anger on them and it should disappear :) (real or not real) A really interesting but very freaky video to this subject is the Djinn Post in the paranormal subbreddit:\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZHCG1yagKQ&feature=share 1333551127 +Contact. 1336968339 +Costco is going to start selling them: 5060 Watt for [$17,999.99](http://www.reddit.com/r/energy/comments/gnp3q/costco_will_soon_offer_four_different/) (includes a roof mounting kit). 1304298589 +Already did buddy :) I was the first to post a comment! 1345189322 +Then the answer must be to create the most beautiful and famous scientists the world has ever seen! 1294768651 +You have spoons in your blood? 1280779479 +and the wands are being sold in for three easy payments of $75.49, have a c-list celebrity backing them but no real wizards use them. 1310614272 +it is a very emotionally charged email that was fwd'd to me from my very illogical aunt (she's an AMAZING actor/singer/dancer, but not so big on the logic department), so i thought i'd get some perspective on it. 1350679563 +To me if someone says "I'm not religious, but I'm spiritual", I take that as "I've reject mainstream monotheistic religions in favour of a hodge podge of hokum that panders to notions of ancient wisdom, natural is better and that there's more to life than this"\n\nAll people are emotional, saying that people who aren't Spiritual are emotionless robots is a bit damning don't you think? 1310106623 +I live in southern Finland and there is this one place, Erkylän kartano (Erkylä's mansion) which is said to be haunted.\n\nThe story tells about a butcher and his family, and they lived near the mansion, presumably working for the lord who owned the mansion. The father of the family, the butcher, drank really heavily and some night he lost his mind over something that I don't know and slaughtered his wife and children.\n\nNow it's said that when you pass the old abattoir in midnight you can hear children crying and see lights flickering.\n\nI apologize if the grammar is bad. English isn't my first language after all. 1345272544 +This is awesome! 1287600947 +This is awesome! 1312897026 +At the beginning of the video the skydiving team was free falling together with flares attached, they broke away from each other and pulled their chutes and started floating. Teams like this do events all the time and obviously they have to practice... 1340515928 +This is a new magnitude of stupid. Following astrology in general isn't exactly the epitome of intelligence, but to actually believe that the first sentence is factually correct requires some serious lack of thinking. 1324653729 +>we see a lot more smart-asses with some basic science education but which vastly overestimate their knowledge and strongly believe that they are smarter and know better than the actual climate scientists!\n\nYep, this is pretty much how the [Dunning-Kruger](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect) effect works.\n 1321505565 +why be skeptical? try it.\n\nI marinade pork for 1 hour in beer and italian dressing, tastes great. OIvernight is better, but the difference is actually quite subtle. 1334076359 +love the sad trombone! 1305779659 +So then what you mean is not that you're looking for someone or a party which follows the tenets of the constitution, but rather, someone or a party which conforms to the tenets that you happen to agree with, and disagrees with the tenets that you happen to disagree with, yes?\n\nWhich is good, and what I was trying to get at. The constitution is not the holy writ of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. It's a flawed document written by flawed men who decided to redraft the constitution after the first flawed US constitution failed. And this all occurred in the 18th century, a time so removed from today that a moderate position then would be seen as an absurdly reactionary position today. 1285161865 +If by "full body apparition" they mean "two people filmed walking in the dark" then yes, this is genuine. 1325640373 +In slow mo, their legs clearly hit some solid resistance, which is frickin' impossible. \n\nI call bullshit or they MUST produce an underwater video showing this. Not going to happen. 1273684263 +It would be great to show her Derren Brown's material after the books. 1356379475 +The way I've always seen it is that the US is a libertarian like system and it was great up to a certain point. \n\n\nIn an anarchy i'm a republican.\n\nIn a failing republic i'm a democrat.\n\nIn a failing democracy i'm a libertarian.\n\nIn a failed utopia i'm a anarchist. 1313597446 +If only it were that easy. 1347238819 +I thought that is what makes it funny, that people actually believe this crap? 1353961404 +Now you're just being obtuse. Of course it's a red herring. 1322703643 +I get a similar feeling once in a blue moon. It feels like something drastic has happened and I know things are never going to be the same again or feel the same again. Nothing life altering has happened or happens before or after the feeling, I have no sudden revelations- I just feel it, out of no where. I always forget about the feeling until it happens again. Or until I read something like this. 1354771813 +I have to say, I'm happy with their plugging of the new show. For one thing, I'd completely forgotten about it. Aside from that, they blatantly plugged at the beginning and end because, yes, they *are* going for publicity here, and otherwise just answered their questions honestly and only mentioned the new show when it was truly relevant to the question. It's way more annoying when people continually try to awkwardly work whatever they're publicizing into every comment.\n\n(I know you were kidding, I just wanted to comment on their method.) 1317850871 +I think Bob Lazar pretty much summed it up in his statements. He felt that he wasn't the most qualified guy for the project he was on (and could name a list of better candidates) and he didn't think their psychotic security procedures were at all productive. I agree with him, but it's easy to agree with a smart guy like Lazar.\n\nI don't think the governments of the world are going to have a choice much longer. We have the internet now. UFO sightings are increasing dramatically worldwide. Clearly they're going to make themselves known. Apparently it's not us who ultimately get to decide when contact is made. We have nuclear power. We've already left the planet multiple times. We have computers. We may not yet qualify to join the United Federation of Planets (or whatever intergalactic UN is) but we're definitely a good candidate for contact now.\n\nSecrecy is only an aid to advancement when there are people who try to stop your advancement because they're threatened by it in some way. (See also stem cell research, atomic bomb, cloning, free energy, current Iran crisis, North Korea, water cars, electric cars, etc.)\n\nIf they don't know you're building the Iron Man armor, they can't stop you.\n\nNote that another issue here has been that multiple government agencies and branches of the military have competed for resources, control, and access to captured extraterrestrial technology and life forms. There is no "government" even with the alleged influence of MAJ. There is only individuals and factions all trying to get resources and control secretly. If one of them gives the game away, they lose.\n\nYou really want an end to UFO secrecy? Put 8 billion dollars into lobbying for it. That should do it.\n\nThen we'll all have droids and land speeders and holograms, and we can join the federation or become jedi or whatever.\n 1331961091 +>Critics such as sociologist Claude Fischer argue that (a) Putnam concentrates on organizational forms of social capital, and pays much less attention to networks of interpersonal social capital; (b) neglects the emergence of new forms of supportive organizations on and off the Internet; and (c) the 1960s are a misleading baseline because the era had an unusually high number of traditional organizations.\n\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_D._Putnam#.22Bowling_Alone.22 1356745073 +Spotting a fallacy doesn't disprove the argument in question. It merely demonstrates a flaw in the line of reasoning used to come to a specific conclusion. If you want to make a strong argument, it may require you better educate yourself in the respected field (climatology, automotives, etc), and then use scientific data to demonstrate your point. 1283224452 +Ugh. Wired was flirting with a lot of good ideas but didn't explain ANY of them well enough to implement. \n\nWhile reading this list I asked myself "would following this advice allow me to detect fraud or crappy research in areas that skeptics know are BS?" No, probably not. The conflict of interest point is one people can probably understand, but none of the other descriptions of things to look for would enable someone to properly analyze a paper. 1350362035 +Sorry about the slow reply.\n\nI've just woken up, I might try to find the original research later for you, I really should check it myself.\n\nIn the meantime, there's this.\n\nhttp://scienceprogressaction.org/intersection/2012/01/conspiracy-theorists-more-likely-to-believe-factual-contradictions/\n\nIf you get the original paper though could you link to it here? Thanks. 1352327915 +Not ... really? You come up with a plan, everyone agrees to it, and everyone does the tasks they have agreed to. Just because one or a few people come up with the plan, if they are the skilled ones in this example, doesn't imply anyone is "in charge" of anyone else. They might just be good at making plans everyone agrees to. 1306222474 +If that was what you were in fact trying to put across, I would agree with it. However....\n\n'"Legit" chiropractic is unlicensed physical therapy' - 'unlicensed' here implies 'not legitimate'\n\n'osteopaths are not MD's, they are a form of alternative medicine'\n\n'"total body wellness".... is a red flag for alt-med'\n\nReferring to "Big Pharma" makes you a conspiracy theorist\n\nIts just...a bit black-and-white, tasuret, and smacks of insufficient skepticism about any pronouncement made by mainstream Western medicine. I learned the bloody hard way to be skeptical of those too, and check them thoroughly before just going ahead and doing as told. One should no more treat an MD as the font of all wisdom than allow the local witchdoctor to 'find out who was responsible for your curse and curse them in return'. (Don't laugh, I've seen it. It was both preposterous and ugly.) In all fairness, it is unreasonable to expect an MD to know every detail about every human illness, thus refusing to take any responsibility for your own problems. Generally they will just look it up in the standard treatments manual, write you a script, ten minutes, job done. \n\nIn my case, the standard treatment for my autoimmune disease when I was 2 was later discontinued because it caused stomach ulcers, amongst other things. More than one of my later GPs were somewhat horrified; said they would never give any such treatment to anyone under the age of 12. Unfortunately my parents weren't told about the ulcer risk (if the GP was even aware of it) - but too bad, the damage was done. I also went to what was considered the pre-eminent specialist hospital in the Southern hemisphere for the same autoimmune condition. I double-checked their suggestions with various medical students and post-grads of my acquaintance; they brought my attention to several horrendous side-effects that hadn't been mentioned and were generally of the opinion that someone as young as I was should find another way. \n\nI did so. The things that worked were...non-standard, but worth trying to me because investigation revealed that, at worst, there was no harm in them. As it happens, I was lucky enough to eventually find non-orthodox treatment that worked, and the only side-effects were good ones, i.e. other issues that I had incorrectly been viewing as wholly unrelated were also corrected. It is interesting to me that I am starting to see aspects of this treatment pop up in research about the immune system.\n 1318921671 +There is no fallacy involved in arguing that an assertion made by an authority is true. 1274028736 +That's an oversimplification.\n\nThey were saying, if you question the people who lost relatives directly, calling them liars or conspirators when they obviously lost family members, you're a dick. Some of them talked to loved ones on the phone minutes before they died, and unless they were riding on a missile at the time, most of the 9/11 conspiracy arguments don't account for that.\n\nIt's unreasonable to make wild accusations about 9/11 suggesting things like massive demolition projects with no real evidence, or assert baseless physics that have been ripped apart by respected physicists and engineers in reputable publications, when it's pretty fucking obvious what happened.\n\nActing like it's unreasonable that religious extremist terrorists could be convinced to fly planes into buildings isn't ignorant, it's stupid.\n\nCould Bush and Cheney have planned and funded the entire thing? Yes, of course. But when people start constructing these ridiculous fantasies involving remote control planes and missiles and demolitions teams disguised as construction workers, you start to ignore evidence that doesn't suit the fantasy you've constructed in your mind. \n\nWhen a lot of so-called truthers get confronted with evidence, they fall back on "we're just asking questions." Or else they try to argue their feelings and opinions as facts "Building 7 looked like a controlled demolition." And in the case of Building 7, even going as far as accusing a first responder of being part of this conspiracy to kill thousands of his fellow citizens.\n\nIt's not a coincidence that Wolfowitz and Cheney were writing about trying to find a way to start a war with Iraq before 9/11, and it's not a coincidence the USAPATRIOT act was already written up and ready to go after 9/11, but when you start trying to turn it into a Tom Clancy novel with nothing but your feelings and self-proclaimed experts (who are always selling something), you enter into the realm of accusing the victims of wrong doing. 1325078125 +Sorry for being such a dick then. 1341892284 +Haha it sounds like your bro got a usb mic and edited his voice. Since the background noise is only missing when the "spirit" is talking, he probably recorded the two sounds separately and edited them together. 1332752580 +It doesn't take much... 1340719494 +Sorry for the late reply, have just woken up.\n\nIf the footage is undeniably that of a non earth craft, then every media outlet from around the world, would undoubtably pay very big dollars for it. 1297196863 +It is not that uncommmon, a case of this happened in CA recently: [msnbc](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47388611/ns/health-food_safety/t/raw-milk-recalled-calif-after-campylobacter-found/#.UBDXubRWa2U) 1343281147 +See, now that makes way more sense. 1322321705 +The fact of the matter is that none of the models created with CO2 as the main driver of warming come even close to actual observations. The Alarmists jump up and down for joy and yell about how that means that the problem is far worse than they anticipated. Never does it enter their minds that the reason the models don't reflect reality is that the models fail utterly to account for other factors that are more powerful then CO2. 1355501096 +LSD 1346801640 +I think it makes a great deal of difference whether you personally recommend the items. In any event, you have a nice income stream that allows you a good life. I suggest that you keep getting better and better at what you do and be prepared for the day to come when you will be able to use your skills marketing more agreeable items. 1308086076 +Start off with the basics if you're looking for evidence and documentation - pickup some digital recorders for EVP and cameras for pictures. You can use control objects in certain places....like setting a key or coins in a certain place to see if they are moved.\nYou can try just verbal communication and ask them what they want. If you really don't want them there, then be stern and tell them it's your house and you ask that they respect your wishes and leave. Please follow up with any new events. 1348238288 +Have you seen Fire in the Sky? I met Travis Walton at a conference, he wants to make a new film with represents what actually happened a lot better than it was depicted in this film. Still a decent film. 1323590807 +Leonardo da Vinici was a real person and an artist, scientist, inventor, painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, mathematician, physicist, philosopher, humanist, alchemist, biologist, naturalist, anatomist, geologist, technologist, astronomer, cartographer, botanist, cryptographer, geometer, draftsman, designer, scenographer, stylist, musician, writer, author and poet.\n\nOk, he couldn't kick the crap out of people (that we know) but you can pick up a lot if you are a bit above average and just refuse to stop learning. You might be right and Batman might be 'meta' but I certainly wouldn't want my virginity back so I won't argue. 1331927898 +Thousands of people have also seen God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary, Satan, ghosts and demons. Just saying.\n\nAlso, by your statement about "that girl", you seem to be more concerned about appearances and the semblance of "having an open mind" rather than the essence of it. 1332242606 +>/r/atheism has a longstanding and well earned record\n\nWhat "record"? You mean the completely unwarranted bias against atheists and atheism everywhere? The "Everyone knows it's true" record, also known as the "hallmark of unsubstantiated bullshit" record? Or the "Well, this one time someone said they're an atheist and said they don't like /r/atheism, so they must be really bad!" record?\n\nThe exact same arguments used against /r/atheism on Reddit are used against all atheists and atheism everywhere else on the internet. And it's all utter bullshit, perpetuated by people who want to feel vindicated in their personal bias. What is worse, you're *actually* buying in to the bullshit, probably out of peer pressure. Or maybe just to fulfill some bizarre need to feel superior.\n\nThere are actual problems with the content on /r/atheism, but it is nothing you can blame on the people there. Every single large, unmoderated subreddit is afflicted by the same problem: Banal, shallow, lowest common denominator content outnumbers insightful discussion a hundred to one -- and the reddit algorithm favors shallow content. The only reason /r/atheism attracts more attention is because of above mentioned bias against atheists and contrast in subject. Good quality content in /r/aww isn't that different from bad quality content in /r/aww, while as the spectrum from good to bad has much more depth when it comes to discussion about philosophy, theology and their effect on society.\n\nTL;DR: You are being misled by a bias in society, and laying the blame for a perceived lack of quality on /r/atheism itself demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding of Reddit and how it works. 1341588943 +I think that would be anti^2 -antivaccine if you factored it out. 1342168824 +If it lasted for "several minutes" as the article says, why didn't he get a better picture? 1328886342 +No idea -- they said it looked like one bit "thing" but the weird thing (weirder I guess) was the secondary single "thing" darting in and out\n 1342024837 +That's religion in a nutshell. 1300480957 +If you think THIS is worth buying, then I have an overpass to sell you! 1247281305 +Uhp, yeah. Your first sentence. Ah, I'm a moron.\n\nRight, reading now. 1326291889 +All we need now is a starry background.\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/spaceporn\n\nMaybe even a darker theme.\n\nEDIT: Example,\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/spaceporn/stylesheet.css\n\nYou can grab the stylesheet from any other reddit and copy it. 1306391588 +Right. That's a loaded question. Begging the question would be something like: \n\n"Obama should be re-elected because he's the best president we've ever had"\n\nYour conclusion, "Obama should be re-elected" is actually less controversial of a claim than the premise ("Obama is the best president") in support of the conclusion. 1328567433 +Wow... that just blew my mind... I don't even...\n\nApparently, it's okay to call men pigs but not okay to call women cunts, because hey, the former doesn't uphold an oppression so it's okay!\n\nAnd then they go on about how devastating words can be. I mean, if all is well, someone's words shouldn't hold any weight to a conversation, right? And discrimination on any grounds is always bad. What a bundle of cunts. 1326633071 +that makes no sense. If one embarks to create an artificial intelligence, one will recreate consciousness, memory, and mood, and thought, it'll be just as real as the consciousness in you[that is, not strictly real at all. *Virtual*]. 1299726427 +Not always. A lot of studies use convenience samples. The important thing is then listing it as a potential confounding variable and assessing whether it potentially affected the results. \n\nFor example, I just wrote a lab report on a false recognition phenomenon. A convenience sample (our tutorial classes) were used to replicate previous studies. There's no evidence that the phenomenon is related to IQ and it's unlikely the fact that we were all university students affects the results. It doesn't make the study invalid it's just important to note it. 1303975444 +>Liberal and yet defending anarchism and libertarianism. How odd.\n\nLiberal and yet pointing out bad arguments where I see them? Not odd at all. \n\n>Liberal yet trying to argue that Somalia is now all better thankfully because of no more guvvvaaament.\n\nLiberal and yet not desperately clinging to the fantasy that government is a cure-all. Governments can and very often do get in the way of social and economic progress. That doesn't mean that government is bad - but that government must be handled very carefully, and the fact of the matter is that Somalia is better off in free market anarchy than it was under its terrible corrupt government. 1313609340 +They weren't forced out of business. They just had to stop making unsubstantiated health claims. The regulator allowed them to continue selling bits of plastic, but only if they changed the packaging etc to remove the unsubstantiated claims. 1306210476 +If anyone cares, I've found access to an email list management account used to solicit and send PR to a number of people... [ninja deleted things here].\n\nAnyone know what T&P or LO mean? I can't find definitions... \n\nP.S. - Find it yourself. And if you do, please don't actually fuck with anything.\n\nDrunk-Realization-Edit: WTF am I thinking. I have not accessed any accounts that I do not own.... I swear. Just saying, this is an interesting collection of public documents. 1339647267 +You really seem like you have something to prove. Don't do that, if you were actually being skeptical about this you would not sound like you were desperately trying to argue otherwise.\n\nYou are really clearly projecting yourself into this. Your experience, entirely based on your perception of your own intelligence, is a very bad way to attempt to prove something. In fact, you shouldn't be trying to prove anything.\n\nAlso, you have absolutely no right to go ahead and try to diagnose people who are actively in a study with personality disorders. You are resorting to, as we people of learning call it (sarcasm), making shit up (not sarcasm). \n\nI don't give a damn about the results of this study, though it might be an interesting read. People should be able to smoke pot in my book as long as they know what the effects are, good or bad. So keep out your own misrepresentations of possible misrepresentations of data, because there is already enough pseudoscientific crap to sort through without a bunch of people trying to validate a substance habit. 1346497509 +Maybe they already have and we are not listening. 1337987336 +I just say something to the effect "And what makes you think the homeopathy people are honest? Surely there can be two, or three, or 500, lying cheats running around at the same time, right?"\n 1329766848 +§Exactly! The testimonies of the witnesses were so compelling and clearly pointed to extra terrestrial intelligence! The evidence was so strong that it took the pentagon nearly 50 years to cook up this cover story. And the cover story doesn't even attempt to address 60 (!) subsequent sightings! The scientific establishment has gotten really lazy!§ 1331656969 +There are people who homebrew Chinese lanterns; I was witness to two red lanterns on New Years Eve 2009/2010. That January a local free publication ran an interview with a man who claimed he had launched three red lanterns connected with wires; the lights were seen all over the county. I am assuming that by the time they had floated over my area, one of the lanterns burned out, which would explain why they were losing altitude. I didn't see them crash because I went back into the house to get a pair of binoculars, but when I came back less than a minute later, they were gone.\n\nThese blobs of light that "eazyeyall" photographed were far too far apart to be Chinese lanterns in some sort of wire formation, notice that there is a light hanging below the other two....I think it would be hard to launch a vertical Chinese lantern triangle without lighting the top lanterns first, so the bottom light should not have burnt out first.\n\nSo yes, I'm not convinced these lights were Chinese lanterns, but I have seen lanterns in the past and was not fooled by them. 1326507734 +How does this get so many upvotes? It's only on the surface that this comment sounds insightful. \n\nThis planet would be ultra-frozen all the time. Mars is pretty nearly always frozen, and it's only the 4th planet. This would certainly be.\n\nIt would also likely be a gaseous planet, since hydrogen compounds freeze past the "frost line," which is between Mars and Jupiter, and which explains why the subsequent planets are all gaseous. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frost_line_(astrophysics)\n\nIf life was created in a specific set of conditions that, out of the planets in our solar system, only Earth has---chances are that there's a very good reason for this. There are molecular, REAL properties that dictate why life needs water, for example.\n\nThis sort of comment reminds me when people say, "maybe aliens have three legs for all we know!" Well, maybe they do, but probably not. Two legs and four legs are the most efficient systems and even numbered, which is why animals evolved them. 1344634417 +I figured it had something to do with the acute and obtuse but I'm still not getting it haha. 1336551467 +>I would contend that this is not actually faith, but a conclusion based on the observation that most people tend to be decent people most of the time. \n\nThat doesn't sound very scientific. Because it isn't. Some things aren't realistic to do double blind studies of. Society doesn't work without faith (or trust). Just because most people seem alright does not mean everyone is. We have a lot of assumptions (faith or lack of evidence) about our daily lives and even the worldin general. (How many scientific theories or discoveries do you test for yourself?)\n\nIn the religious sense it should still be respected, or more accurately its power. 1285526940 +Awesome information!! Thank you! :) 1332977083 +"Plleeeaaase take me seriously! Look, I even went to *Harvard*... PLEASE!" 1335542946 +For us, it's not about the ratings or contracts. It's about bringing solid proof and evidence to the general public. We are passionate about what we do, and who doesn't want to make a living doing what they love? We would be perfectly content with a web series or something of the like, but speaking honestly and realistically, that will not pay the bills, so we would not be able to devote as much time to our investigations as we would like to. If we can practice our passion without having to balance all of our day jobs, we can put our full energy and focus towards finding the best possible proof of the paranormal that we can. We feel as a group that TV is the ideal media for sharing our findings with a broad audience. Our hope is to make believers out of skeptics by using real evidence rather than gimmicks. I'm sorry if you feel this reflects poorly upon us as a group. I sincerely hope one day you will be able to view our work, and maybe we can change your mind about it. 1344963044 +Yeah I stopped watching History channel when it became the Aliens and/or Nazi channel many years ago, long before Reddit's favorite nut started to get featured on one of the shows. \nI dumped cable ages ago, and don't miss it at all. Nowadays Netflix via the Wii is the only thing that graces my TV screen. \n 1321302005 +Has nobody here read William Cooper? USO - Unidentified SUBMERGED Object. 1327593029 +Unsurprisingly that's the demographic they're not targeting shows to. At this rate cable won't be something anyone with a shred of intelligence and self dignity subscribes to. 1353642704 +I'm curious as to what happens when you sleep. It seems as though you have to let it take over, if not what's stopping it from going out the door as you sleep. Also I would imagine it makes alcohol scary. 1343578164 +I used to be you...Then I lived in a house that no longer allowed me to scoff.\n\nDo I think most of the Ghost Hunter TV shows are Bullshit?\n\nOf course, it's TV.\nI don't believe any of the "reality" shows are anything but bullshit.\n\nThat doesn't mean everything related to the paranormal is bullshit, as I used to believe prior to the late 90's. 1310918235 +Sort of, but the propeller/extensions are extending from the back on either side kind of like fork tongs.\n\n[Alot like this from mythbusters](http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/gallery/spring-2011-100.jpg) But entirely silver. 1343081214 +Well if it was a meteor that it had amazing timing. 1346546745 +This is unreadable. 1264428037 +Are they bloody serious?!?!? oh humanity... you have lost the thread and the race... 1345128285 +The emphasis in the grandparent comment is on the word "people". The emphasis in the article (and study) is on the word "men." if you read the title and abstract of the paper you will see it is NOT about "people" and how they all behave the same. It is about how men behave differently than women.\n\nIf you read the grandparent's follow-up, you'll see no complaint about the use of the word stupid. He/she is just concerned about gender versus race versus class. You have projected your concern into someone else's comment.\n\nThe use of the word "stupid" is allowable by creative license. It is obviously not a technical term. But cognitive impairment is one valid definition for the word stupid. 1331791183 +Nor do rabbits chew their cud. 1330043307 +As a former nutbag Fundamentalist, and autism mom, watching the Northern Lights, volcanoes, or MRIs of brain structure are **more** incredible when you have science as a backdrop. \n\nWith all due respect to Arthur C. Clarke, he was wrong when he said that 'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic'. There's a big difference between 'I don't want to believe' and \n'this is what science shows, and our knowledge is still not comprehensive'. Science can show me why the Aurora Borealis occurs in certain places, and not in others. Brain scans can show me tumours, deficiencies in brain structure and connections, and often, why people act like they do. We still have no idea (really) how the brain works, and that is isn't a horrible thing. It's very frustrating, at times, but science is not magic. I might prefer to have Gandalf patrolling my kids' neurons and saying "You shall not pass" to every aggressive and self-injurious impulse, but science actually saved one daughter's life when she had cancer, and it would likely give my other kids a better life, except that we haven't quite cracked that particular (autism) code yet. \n\nScience still can't explain when 'life' begins, or when it ends. That's not a failure of science, that's a sign that we still have more to learn. What we have learned so far is incredible. \n\nScience isn't magic. It doesn't have all of the answers. The answers that it does have (what creates DNA, how is a person or animal created and why does it die, what the fuck is up with an opossum?) are already incredible. Religion has been trying to answer questions for a good number of millenia, and (with all due respect to religious people), they still don't seem to have answers. I've seen more 'magic' and wonder in science than I'm likely to ever see in any other place. \n\n 1301088001 +So [this guy](http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL02_1/41_S3.pdf) is who you hang your hat on? A one trick Japanese denier/historian? 1321100788 +Well, thanks for reading it. It's fairly long in comparison to some posts!\n\nAlthough Crichton was an author, he was also an MD and spent some time as a post-doc fellow, so, he is not without scientific education. After reading some of his material, watching some of his lectures, and seeing some of the interviews he did (i sought them out after reading this), i have to say, personally, I can't find any fault with what he says in any of them, or this piece in particular. He does analyze the language used, but IMHO, the language he is commenting on, are examples where scientists stepped over the mark. In my opinion, a scientist has a responsibility to use language *very* carefully/cautiously. So he calls a few well known individuals out? I'm not against that, I think it's healthy!\n\nI believe Crichton makes a fantastic case, that caution has somewhat been thrown to the wind, when it comes to some science, and that the line between science and policy has become very blurred indeed, and in 2003, he was *warning* us not to believe everything we read, and not to accept things on the basis of "consensus" opinion.\n\nJust before I go any further, I don't particularly like the term "denier", it makes anyone who wants to ask legitimate questions or check facts until they are convinced either way (which is the core of science), sound like Nazi's. Fair enough if you want to use it, but i just don't buy it and it has no place in debate as far as i personally am concerned. It's tarring everyone with the same brush.\n\nI'm not sure where you think he is wrong though, or where you think his logic is flawed, or how he came down on the wrong side? Crichton has on several occasions said that he didn't claim that some kind of climate event wasn't happening. He was just questioning a lot of the science behind it. He was opening a debate on some areas which had an aura on infallibility. Again in my opinion, he was correct to question "models", especially the "faith" that is put in them. So, Crichton wouldn't actually fall into the whole "denier" category. He was just engaging in scientific debate. He was being skeptical. He was talking about the over-use of extrapolation, in areas where sometimes science doesn't have all the answers, where it is not infallible.\n\nI'm not going to comment on your first link, simply because i think that issue is far too emotive, and I could only make a comment after looking at hard data. Which I don't have access to. Also I'd like to add, that this Crichton's lecture is from 2003, so in fairness, there wasn't as much debate back then (or the same level of visceral mud slinging), at least not from what i remember. \n\n>He clearly thinks the researchers are biased, so I wonder what he'd say about the recent study funded by deniers.\n\nWell, i'm a scientist, and i am biased. We all are. It's one of the hardest elements to deal with in the scientific process. Crichton, was just stating this reality, and suggesting that bias in certain fields can have a massive effect, perhaps not always on results, but certainly the interpretation of results. (the latter i think is what a lot of the mud-slinging is about these days, at least between scientists, not really the results themselves). Any scientist who claims to be wholly without bias, isn't a very good scientist, again in my opinion.\n\nYour second link by the way, I'm sorry, I can't see hard data, so again, I'm not going to comment. I see what you are saying, but I also see its a privately sponsored study, so, it's doesn't matter what side of the argument it came down on, I wouldn't personally comment on it unless i saw the hard data, and had the time to analyse it myself. For all i know, Mr. Koch has bought a controlling interest in a wind turbine manufacturer. The study may be absolutely flawless in it's accuracy and interpretation. I simply just don't know either way. I'm a skeptic :)\n\n>I also find it funny that he discussed cases where it took a long time for the truth to be taken seriously and ignores the fact that global warming has been discussed and largely ignored for decades.\n\nYour link for this is to an Issac Asimov video. What a great writer! I loved his foundation series when i was in college. He is talking about the green-house effect though. *That's not the same* as "global warming", and certainly is not the same as the more contemporaneously used term "climate change". It's just not the same thing. The former describes an effect, which is in turn a reported factor in the second, which has itself become confused with the third, of which it is but one possibility. Again, Crichton never confirms nor denies Global warming, it was ancillary to his main points, which address how some of the ideas have come about, how debate was stifled, and how the lines between popular policy and good science have become blurred. Again, i have seen Crichton state for the record on many occasions that he believed that some kind of climate change was occurring (but i don't want to quote him as i can't remember his exact words!).\n\nHe sums up towards the end in saying this:\n\n>If we were to address the land temperature records with such\nrigor, we would be well on our way to an understanding of exactly how much faith we can place in global warming, and therefore with what seriousness we must address this.\n\nSo all he is really saying on that particular issue is, (in my opinion), is I'm not overly impressed by what i've seen so far, this needs to be more rigorously looked at, not in terms of popular public policy, but in terms of the hard science. Then, and only then, should we decide what action to take.\nIMHO, there is nothing wrong with that. If you aren't happy with something, you need to investigate more, measure twice, cut once!\n\nAnyway, I'm glad you found it interesting. As i did.\n 1352595930 +Do you have any placebo controlled double-blind peer-reviewed super-scientific studies indicating that in 1958 conspiracy theorists warned of the use of Diethylstilbestrol as an act of poisoning of the masses? No? THEN ITS NOT TRUE, SCIENCE-HATER !!! 1282469740 +yea yea, be specific next time or don't bother. 1355878227 +Nope, they can't sue him without either disproving the existence of the supernatural, or proving that he's unable to lift a curse (hence defrauding his customers by pretending to have lifted said curse). \n\nFunny enough but the burden of proof is on them in order to formulate some semblance of an accusation. \n\nNot a lawyer either, but how a case like this exists is beyond me. 1354230618 +Sex? I didn't have time to rewatch the video (saw it the other day), but what's this about sex? 1314908631 +>*"Who cares about the average person?"*\n\nNow I personally believe government and democracy is a bunch of bullshit. However isn't "caring about the average person" supposed to be the premise of democracies and western governments?\n\nDon't get me wrong, I'm not so naive as to accept the public premise of what government claims to be. Since you do not care about the average person, perhaps you can then answer honestly: what is the actual motivation behind what you advocate?\n 1328751931 +Yes, it is. \n\nI'm just asking what the possibilities are. We shouldn't talk like we know unless we actually know. Large corporations are likely to work with governments to suppress information. I don't think the possibility is out of the question. 1343850222 +I heard about this a while back, got linked this video from someone. I watched it because I'm nice, but I never bought into it (some pretty huge holes in there, hahaha). \n\nAnyway, I was on youtube a few years later, watching an unrelated video, and I saw in the sidebar a video titled ["Expanding earth my ass."](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epwg6Od49e8) Immediately I was interested in hearing someone ridicule this theory and so I stumbled upon [potholer54 and his fun series of videos](https://www.youtube.com/user/potholer54/videos?sort=da&flow=grid&view=0). 1346288656 +I can allow for a limited amount of this, but for the most part it is batshit crazy stuff. 1322350788 +> actually picked this one up, thinking: "Wow, at twice the price it must have a bunch of special shit in it..." \n\nYou just made a million marketing majors cream their pants.\n 1315329899 +Some skeptic. 1319419623 +My Christmas tree shape shifts too. 1251675425 +i find it hard to believe that this is a reflection off the window, it seems like a pretty solid video with no editing or screwing around done to it, hence why i linked it here. this sighting caused quite a controversy because the airport was shut down twice for the same reason 1339001349 +Why would your god allow little boys and girls to wander aimlessly through the ether being earthbound and lost, potentially being tortured and hounded by even more negative spirits? \n\nBecause it's their 'choice'? Since when can children ever make educated choices? Your god can suck a fat one quite frankly. 1351397416 +No particular flavor, just really smooth vodka 1309123619 +Impossible for an organization to proclaim something and then fake the results of a test that they performed so that they could state the results that they were after? Well, then I have Osama's blood too, and I just performed a test too and it turns out that he was actually Tupac all along. Its cool though, I didn't fake it. I pinky swear! 1304415363 +Is it just me, or are most of these sugar substitutes just downright nasty? 1329051890 +Drivel, unless they are drooling or playing basketball. Huffpo might be drooling on themselves because they are too stupid to figure out how to shut their mouths. 1319733812 +I appreciate the input but..sounds like a bad idea... Paranormal activity anyone? I know its just a movie but I think this would just aggravate the spirit. Also considering that my girlfriend cant see it im not sure what attempting to catch it on tape would accomplish. 1349206922 +I saw a post that said Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was Jewish, crazy! 1320944501 +Maybe it was a huge cloud and they didn't notice it. Anyways stories are stories. They belong in the past. Predictions is what science needs atm. 1350923681 +Point is there are people skeptical of stuff that has already been scrutinized and accepted. I was skeptical of climate change at first, but it was then scrutinized and accepted by the scientific community. 1319212989 +I think I can honestly say that I've never seen anyone outside the US who thought that climate change was a lie made up by their own government. Am I alone in noticing that only Americans think in such ways...? :D But I'm happy not to tar you all with the same brush: at the back of my mind I think I might have seen an Italian making the same claim... 1296555005 +I love the fact that it spends so much energy going nowhere. 1335456539 +My friend who goes to Franklin Pierce says his trumpet teacher had a photo from the night and that's not the craziest thing he claims. 1340074442 +Sleep paralysis 1354402240 +This is the same line of argument that I would have to read up on fairies before I dismiss them. You obviously misunderstand the nature of evidence or we wouldn't be having this argument. Why dont you just elaborate on what way my rationalization is different from what you actually believe if you want to make a case. 1332245645 +Eerie story... 1297877732 +I call that show 'Bro Adventures'. 1348550165 +As the sweet surprise commercial says, it's safe in moderation. The problem is she says this while pouring her kid a glass of mostly corn syrup and just enough water to make it drinkable.\n\nIt's not the corn syrup itself, it's the sheer volume that's shoehorned into a ridiculous amount of foods. 1340417598 +He is an anime fan. 1319035367 +Why do you feel that way about the countries as a whole rather than just those ideals you admire?\n\nOn a separate note do you believe the US is better than those other countries you listed and what is that preference (if any) based on? 1337777143 +Hold on, I don't quite agree with this. To be sure, you're probably right on with the psychology behind this mantra, but if you are going to discredit claims at a very low level (such as the premise) than you better know what exactly is the premise. Anything else is just an accidental strawman and not useful to you, the person making the claim and posterity. 1351255652 +None of this sound good. Loosely put it sound's like you got some unnatural attention, much like a stalker IRL. This is similar to the experiences of the dark and moody friend in my story. Concerned about the hoof prints as this states something with definition and possibly personality.\n\nEDIT: I'd like to point out though the difference in modern terminology between a poltergeist and an possibly demonic entity. A poltergeist usually seems to be a dark entity, but with exploration of the malevolent phenomena the "entity" will lack any sense of definable features such as personality or an independent sense of intelligence. This is because a poltergeist is thought to be a projection of psychokinetic energy usually from the victims of the haunting experience. Think of it functioning similar to a robot operated by you're thoughts and negative emotions that you have a very minimal level of control of (if you are in fact the person who is generating the poltergeist phenomena.)\n\nWhat is called a demonoid, or demonic entity is usually very similar to this, except for one key difference. This perceived entity the victims have no control over it, it operates with it's own sense of intelligence, it gives the impression of a usually unlikable personality, tricks you, etc. So the end result is all the negative experiences of a poltergeist, but is seems to be a being, and not a mere manifestation of energies.\n\n 1323806865 +but as stated in the (current) top comment, the figures presented are not even true. 1326300122 +Let us know if you find anything. 1321395766 +"....on the coast farting around also."\n\nI meant people launching weather balloons for the hell of it. In the 1970s-80s it was a thing to take party balloons right after a party and tie a 3x5 card to the string and launch them. On the card would be your address and a message asking about the finder. It was a weird way to do pen pals. I mostly heard girls doing it. 1328181132 +Let me say it another way then - there's absolutely no other noise. Not a shuffle, not a footstep, not a breath, nothing. Look up any UFO video - and there are plenty taken in the middle of summer, with crickets, and you'll still hear at least a little other noise.\n\nI'm from the MW, I know what you're saying - but my point is that the mic would still pick up other ambient noise.\n\n 1340471200 +His speech was quite good. 1332801269 +An episode of Penn & Teller's Bullshit. It's a skeptic show about, well... things that are bullshit.\n\nThe episode I linked to is about bullshit medicine. Chiropractic bullshit is mentioned and exposed as the bullshit it is. I highly recommend the show. 1306972803 +The part about the US troops securing Libyan oil is because Gaddafi ordered his own army to target these facilities. They needed to be secured because they were a danger.\n\nhttp://dailyreckoning.com/gaddafi-threatens-to-torch-libyas-oil/\n\n"Colonel Gaddafi's forces today blasted an oil terminal to smithereens as Libya's bloody civil war entered its blackest day."\n\nhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1364469/Gaddafi-blows-Libyas-oil-pipes-tanks-turned-civilians.html\n 1331853219 +I think the issue with HFCS isn't that it acts differently, just that it's **much** easier to sneak into everything, and put in large doses. 1340603999 +Here's a link to Stanford Uni.'s study on sleep paralysis\n[linky](http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html) 1344941154 +Wow. I think that's pretty much his primary thesis, isn't it? 1339911631 +Jeepers. Sorry your single story has brought the hall of /r/skeptic down among us. Sorry you think your single story is so mysterious that it proves that modern medical science is wrong about Chiropractic. Guess that's why you're going apeshit on us. 1327973438 +> Tell your friend he isn't in a scheme to make money, he's involved in a financial terrorist scheme, which will probably fail since any canny investors involved will sell off their silver before the JP Morgan payback moment, bursting the bubble and causing the crash early.\n\nThe backwardation, i.e. not enough silver (and gold as well) to cover the paper sold against it is getting worse and can only end one way. The Indians, Chinese, Iranians, Saudi/middle east oil producers and many other countries with huge $US reserves have been and are getting into metals to hedge against the dollar collapse.\n\nThe fundamentals (not enough metal for buyers) are plain as day, so it won't fail and JP Morgan and the Fed will die. However, I do agree it's not about making money, it's about preserving wealth in a something that has history as a currency on its side. \n\nFiat currencies are on a race to the bottom because what's happening now is exactly the same as every other fiat currency in history; greedy bankers and their rich friends printing paper currency at an alarming rate until it's worthless. No fiat currency has lasted longer than 100 years, but 'we' keep letting banksters run the show until they fuck it up, *again*.\n\nI didn't learn that at school, did you? Wonder why... 1302651905 +I consider this a wholly despicable idea, for two reasons really. \n\nFirst, if the scientists don't educate, than who will? Let's say I'm an average Joe, and I don't believe in man-made climate change. Is some scientist who refuses to explain the evidence ridiculing me (or whoever I got my information from) really going to convince me I'm wrong? \n\nSecondly, and this is a big one, I'm a physicist and while I know that these haven't become quite as political, but there are many people who don't believe in quantum mechanics or relativity. I do not mock these people. As a community, I do not feel that physicists mock these people. We do have spokesmen (like Stephen Hawking, for instance) who explain these concepts really well to the common man. I would gladly explain the evidence for any of these theories. And most importantly, every physicist I know understands the weaknesses in quantum theory (which all theories have, even climate change) and do not say things like "the debate is over." 1332858404 +I almost upvoted this comment because I thought it was a satire, but then I saw that you frequent SRS.\n\nNothing is more barbaric than using force to make other people conform to your vision of the world. 1340470513 +Robert Lanza writes bullshit all over the place. He's a pompous woo-woo peddler who looks like a magician. 1322423250 +Or "hippie". I thought my friends were being satirical and acting like Cartman, but no they actually label groups like that without even trying to understand them, and instantly don't care what happens to them anymore. 1324688914 +Laughing ostensibly out loud 1301262385 +the part at the end with the aliens was the best part. 1320203214 +5/10 -- I don't know what this is at all, but the US has so many weapons that this is probably one of them (haha, but seriously).\n\n2/10 -- looks like industrial leftovers that happened to have floated by\n\nstillwatching/10\n\n\nThe ratings are how convincing I consider the video out of 10, you all have your own views. 1345880601 +If this is not a photoshop, all I could gather from this video is that this is clearly not a reflection from inside the cabin. They definately are not lights from a possible aircraft as it is too bright out. I guess we're looking at the actual bodies of the crafts or stuff that are travelling very fast. 1325450249 +Totally agree with you here. I am guessing UFOs will only be referenced by diplomats pointing out the bizarre beliefs of various world leaders, including their preoccupation with aliens, etc. I doubt we're going to see much more than that. 1292277549 +Seeing how well you handled that, I went to the video link hoping to subscribe. My internal monologue went like this:\n\n"And subscribe! Wait, what? Looks like I've already been subbed a while... Hey! It's the Carl Sagan Tribute dude! Awesome."\n\nSeriously man, you make some great videos. I love that series. 1310754136 +Well, I'm mildly OCD so I have a lot of ritualized actions or unecessary requirements when I do things, but I don't think that really counts.\n\nAs for superstitions:\n\nI have tons of superstitions when I'm doing something competitive (poker, sports, etc ...) and I'm sure everyone has heard of them, they're common ones. Uncommonly, I don't believe in ghosts or spirits at all ... except when in Hawai`i.\n\nI'm hawaiian and there's a long history of beliefs in spiritual stuff, including night-marchers. Nigh marchers come down from the mountains at night, beating drums, and they walk set paths. If you find yourself in their path and you're a non-native they will kill you, if you are a native you have to follow certain procedures or they kill you.\n\nRelated to that, it's bad luck to live in a house that has the front and back doors aligned, to whistle at night, or to live in a building along one of the supposed paths. \n\nIt is, of course, nonsense ... but that doesn't stop me from believing in it. :) 1256129205 +I guess you should tell that to all the rocky slopes I saw on my last road trip with herds of cows grazing on them. 1289355689 +clearly is a flying rock 1353000714 +I enjoy the Bryan Callen episodes for this reason. He isn't afraid to challenge Joe and he's obviously a pretty smart guy. 1337303753 +This looks great, I'll install it on Chrome once I get home! 1338218495 +wow you guys are real harsh on the rednecks.\nThey saw a UFO,videod it and took the time to post it on youtube.\nThanks reds! 1326563550 +I don't know any skeptics who seriously doubt that consciousness exists. They are simply skeptical of claims that it is, say, fundamentally immaterial or separate from the material world.\n\nEDIT: Phrasing 1264320504 +True, but statistically speaking this fetus is likely to have problems if they are feet first instead of head first so late in term. Whoever drew the picture thought it would be more disturbing if they tore it apart from the feet up, but a breech presentation like that is actually uncommon close to term, often a sign of some other abnormality, and potentially a danger to mom's life. 1328707987 +Guess what slick the Earth has been warming up for the last 35000 years and will continue do do so for about 25000 more years. Go take a look at the glacier boulders in George where to North Poler Ice cap used to be.\nStop getting your facts from TV News Hypers and do a little real research. In a real book. 1343494094 + > the government wouldn't lie about vaccines; it's too important to public health \n \nThat wasn't my point at all. As I said in the first reply, it's about who can be targeted to be exploited. I'm not surprised that a town in Pakistan would be targeted to find Osama Bin Laden, but that's different from experimenting on the American Public. It's ethically just as wrong, but the scope, political blowback, and potential motives are completely different. And don't put words in my mouth, I don't condone these actions by the CIA. 1356549950 +It can be like that. Consider the differences between doing drills, sparring and an actual bout in boxing (just picked that art as an example). In the first both parties know what's going on, in the second it may or may not be part scripted for training purposes, in the third...no real clue is to be had.\n\nUnfortunately some people do think the actual training forms **are** the art, not just practise/conditioning. To stick with boxing, it would mean thinking that hitting a semi-stationary pad someone is holding conveniently our for you **is** boxing.\n\nAnd, of course, some (a lot? I've not done a survey) of it is genuine, 100%, unadulterated bollocks. 1353606833 +> Many other cluster headache suffers have reported the same thing.\n\nCite one respectable source that backs this claim\n 1294304986 +Yes but the statement you quoted doesn't say doctors are sinister and purposely keep you sick to make more money. \n\nA company working for profits won't have incentive to really cure a disease to the point that we would see it eradicated, where the company would not make money off of a cure. It's not that the people in the company are evil or trying to keep people sick, and they probably wish they could research a true 'cure' but they would also say 'well unfortunately we can't throw money away on research that won't give us a return on our investment.'\n\nWhat I worry about is that 'skeptics', in a knee jerk reaction against homeopathy and people who think doctors are out to get us, will ignore the real problems that seem to exist in the medical industry in a for profit system. "No no, the medical industry is GREAT!"\n\nIt's like what FA Hayek said in the Road to Serfdom. He said laissez-faire capitalism would not work, and that people in his social circles knew it... but they had fought against socialism (real socialism) so long, that they eventually got more and more extreme in their view, ultimately telling people that full blown laissez-faire capitalism was the answer to everyone's problems. 1335522221 +Only humans [(that i know of)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He7Ge7Sogrk) have the need & ability to describe reality; ergo any method of doing so was developed by humans.\n\nHumans are imperfect and thus anything humans come up with, no matter how excellent it may be, must not be assumed to be flawless.\n\nOf course, even our idea of 'perfection' is subject to this and thus we lack a model with which to make a comparison.\n\nGranted, we have to do the best we can with what we have. No one can expect more. \nBut it is arrogant to believe otherwise, and arrogance has long been our undoing.\n\n 1272244430 +What part of the brain was damaged? Can't seem to find it in the article\n 1334673849 +>how much we dislike what a good argument might say about us personally.\n\nI think it says a hell of a lot about Myers personally.\n\nI wouldn't be surprised to see a public apology from him, but perhaps clique opinion is too strong. I'm very familiar with the crowd he runs with. They're so far to the left they make Che Guevara look like Mussolini. 1341602394 +this sort of entertainment should be banned. we've got enough hocus pocus in works of fiction, let's just keep it there. 1336003215 +Nice pic of a [lenticular cloud.](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&num=100&lr=&as_filetype=&as_sitesearch=&as_qdr=all&as_rights=&as_occt=any&cr=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&safe=images&q=lenticular+clouds&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=bfj_Sd7gGpaktAPZyMHzBQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title) 1241512096 +If you follow East Coast anthropological history, these type of reports are out there in the historical record, so it's good to have someone talking about it, why ignore it? \n\nWhat we do need is actual scientists with expertise in these fields at least providing some sort of counterpoint. \n\nIn instances like this I think one of the problems you run up against is actual archaeologists and anthropologists are reluctant to compromise their own reputations on what's perceived as fringe science. In that vacuum, this is what we get. 1353671770 +I think this is a bad idea. What could an expert on the topic possibly have to say? 1335399431 +I would like to see the details- methods applied, number of tests performed in this case, details of a control (can't call it a scientific experiment without a control, can we?), reviews etc. Without any of these, this is NOT science and can't be claimed to be a fact. I'd classify it hearsay or anecdote. Lastly, this seems to be a case where data was sought to corroborate a conclusion. Not looking good... 1324966803 +So... the real problem here is that for damn near 100 years, various and sundry agencies have been *trying* to use scopolamine as a truth serum. It's actually pretty useful for [motion sickness](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682509.html) and as a palliative sedative for end of life care. However, in 1914 a doctor in Texas [discovered that it lowers inhibitions.](http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,755351,00.html) Big whoop. So does valium. So does alcohol. So do lots of things.\n\nThing is, if you're trying to find things that lower inhibitions *at all costs* it's one of the drugs you try. Like the OSS did. Like the CIA did. It's worth noting that they certainly didn't limit their experiments to scopolamine - [they tried weed, acid, MDMA, you name it.](http://www.erowid.org/psychoactives/war/mkultra/mkultra_timeline.php)\n\nHOWEVER\n\nIf you look up "weed" or "acid" or "LSD" or "MDMA" or any of the other drugs that are actually *fun* to do, you find all sorts of information about how much FUN they are. If, on the other hand, you look up scopolamine, you discover that it's\n\na) [useful in treating motion sickness](http://boingboing.net/2007/09/27/scopolamine-zombie-d.html) and\n\nb) [crazy-ass tinfoil hat territory.](http://scopolamineisland.com/Background.html)\n\nThere have been and always will be mysterious rumors about drugs that people haven't encountered in the wild that cause you to do all sorts of terrible crazy things ("bath salts" anyone?). They add to the allure of narcotics and to the dire warnings of the DARE crowd. Thing is, if there were such a drug out there that completely "zombied" you out, how many different segments of society can you think of that would find a way to use that to their advantage post-haste?\n\n[There is science here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_drug) but c'mon - if anything worked as well as the paranoiacs claimed, war would have ended about the time sodium pentothal was invented. 1347503437 +You are not alone.\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/Glitch_in_the_Matrix/comments/13udqr/put_two_socks_in_the_dryerthree_came_out/\n\nThis is only one of many sock related glitches recounted in this subreddit. I myself am convinced that socks have a special quantum quality, evidenced by the long accepted fact that even though complete sets of socks go into the washer/dryer, many times only singles come out.\n\nWherever all the lost and vanished things go when they take their leave of this plane, I bet that place is chock the fuck full of socks. At least I know that if I end up there someday, my feet will be warm. 1355953284 +Re #5:\n\n> And then there was the whole syntax thing -- both languages use the verb as the last word of a sentence, a feature only 45 percent of languages share.\n\nHoly shit, **only** almost half of all languages are subject object verb, which just happens to be the most common word order of all languages on earth according to the link provided by cracked.com itself, with subject verb object coming in a close second! This is roughly the same as saying, "we flipped a coin twice, and it came up heads both times!" What are the odds? (roughly 1 in 5)\n\nAlso, the map you linked is way more interesting than anything in the article. 1334956168 +Please link to the TIL thread. 1331948744 +well-more than 1 in 400 have this ability according to the test? That doesn't seem that amazing to me. 1291310833 +Obviously have everyone drinking the "Kool Aid". 1354070338 +More like Federation of Fail. 1224013794 +So lets say that the UFOs aren't alien craft....does that automatically negate studying them?\n\nNobody can doubt that there is strange shit going on in the sky. 1307165897 +Wikileaks has, already, established a name for itself. Almost everyone is aware of the Wikileaks situation and it would be easier to get the information out, and be most believeable. If Wikileaks wasn't a trusting site, then the US wouldn't be at his throat for releasing all that disgusting information. 1292177473 +As someone who has experienced this, I can confirm this is most likely the culprit. 1356462325 +This. Is. Awesome. 1343695691 +Says Ben Stein is not a quack. My trust of this site approaches zero. 1320729366 +Why do you believe the people have the freedom to do whatever they want as long as they don't do it in government. Holding government accountable is the people's job. Educate the people about government and then keep the government honest. Corporations do not have the same public good responsibility that the government has. 1345187282 +Thanks for posting this followup/alternative perspective. Lots to think about.\n\n(Also: reverence levels!) 1280619822 +Placebo effects form a surprisingly large part of the effect of some medicines. Maybe it's time to become more rigorous for all medicines, to identify all the other placebo pills too. The difference between quackery and working medicine will become more apparent then, even to the layman. 1258028293 +>Nobody is willing to go through economic hardship now to save future generations from being fucked.\n\nHere is where the real discussion is, but I wouldn't say "most" of the world lives in denial in the way you put it. It's not so black and white. I would say that those keen to embrace *every* Global Warming policy designed to slow its spread are in denial about the costs. I would say those that hesitate to embrace *any* sort of policy designed to subdue Global Warming are in denial about the dangers. I would say those that simply refuse to admit the existence of Global Warming are in denial about the facts.\n\nAs per the reasons why the fight against global warming has slowed in recent years, I think there are many world leaders who think something should be done, but are also realistic in face of the largest economic depression the world has seen since the great depression. I believe Obama falls into this category, though he'd never admit it to his constituents. 1354647997 +Yea, maybe they have data that backs up those claims, but it's sure not presented in the article. 1340562174 +Only.... orbison? That's what I get for posting on my phone. 1331830118 +I had to give up after four or five "points". There was a high risk of severe facepalming in the future and I didn't want to take my glasses off atm. 1330685719 +>Further, even if it were the cause, it's not necessarily an indictment of chiropractic, any more than the existence of malpractice is an indictment of conventional medicine.\n\nTrue, but it is a problem when we consider that chiropractic has no benefits or effectiveness for treating any condition. This means that the presence of any negative consequence (whether it's a stroke or just an increased risk of getting a rash) makes the practice unethical and is an indictment of chiropractic. \n\nThis is why comparing risks and deaths to actual medicine is always fallacious because it ignores the cost:benefit ratio. So whilst it's true that actual medicine carries more dangers than ear candling, to treat the dangers of actual medicine to the dangers of ear candling as equivalent, without reference to the corresponding benefits of each treatment, is misleading. 1349400520 +Haha I know what you mean! 1328911386 +I really liked that second video. Too bad that even if it's the freaking smoking gun, people wouldn't have it in that format.\n\nI wonder what the hypothetical treaty was about. Maybe the whole 1% NWO thing started right there, by them acquiring tools. But then why don't the other races step in. 1329429181 +It depends on the women; fear is not something easily controlled from outside. \n\nDownvote me all you want, but that doesn't change the fact the only thing that could would satisfy the insecurity of very fearful women would require a complexity of social control rivaling the fascism you can see in Saudi Arabia and other similar places: no woman goes anywhere outside without a male chaperon/guardian that is a relative and she is not allowed to talk to strangers. That guarantees a lot of security. Free societies, however, demand "thick skinned" individuals or the bravery to go out and be vulnerable, and this is both for women and men.\n\nTo put my point simply: **currently, you can't have a society that holds individual freedom high while also having very deep and efficient mechanisms of control for ugly speech and other bad behaviors.** \n\nSo,\n\n>Are you really trying to argue, that it is impossible to have a convention without women being afraid of sexual assault? Seriously?\n\nYes, unless it's a small convention where people know each other better and the situation is easier to control. Don't forget, I'm speaking of the fear, not of actual assaults. 1351168235 +Well, in a sense it is my choice to make. What we are arguing about here, as far as I can tell, is tacit acceptance. You are proposing tacit acceptance for any treatment that works as well as placebo. My choice, as a skeptic, is whether to endorse or oppose that proposal.\n\nI'd like to make a counter-proposal: any placebo that we even *consider* treating as an acceptable option should be shown to do no more harm than pouring water on somebody's shirt.\n\nHere we have a woman who is actively claiming the existence of unreal entities who speak to you, who are unseen by others, and who give you good advice. This is incredibly dangerous for any of the sixty million people in this world who have schizophrenia. It is the mental equivalent of telling peanut allergy sufferers that the swelling sensation they feel after eating nuts is the body purging itself of toxins.\n\nThere are hundreds of cases of mentally ill individuals taking the advice of unseen forces and killing or maiming others. So offhand, I'd say this *particular* placebo has to be acknowledged as potentially harmful and I will be withholding my tacit acceptance.\n\nYou're free to offer your tacit acceptance, but I would suggest that *assuming* a marginal psychosomatic benefit is more important than potential harm is hardly skeptical. It's an act of faith, particularly when those same placebo benefits can be obtained without resorting to loony fictions and outright fraud. 1300492862 +Dorm ghost stories always grab my attention the best. 1318551747 +Thank you for this post. It did not come off as rude at all, and I do thank you as I would like to explore every possibility. I've not experienced anything that would induce PTSD. Dissociative Identity disorder doesn't fit either. Also, thank you for your comment on hypnotherapy. \n\nI would have been 24-25 years old when this occurred. My memory of the event has improved with time. My friend did not remember the event at all until I mentioned it about a year and a half ago. The last time we spoke about it, he never mentioned any of the details, but as we were speaking, he was staring at the ground/off in space, and saying something to the extent of "oh my god, you're right". I've not followed up with him in a while.\n\nThanks again for this comment. 1333518218 +thank you! i was just about to post something similar. i hate that they do that 1336092188 +dude maybe its aliens 1343665462 +Doesn't the entire Muslim world have fasting as a staple of their diet? 1310272148 +That concept has nothing to do with military operations, only to criminal trials. 1304552097 +Seems like you did fine all by yourself. It's unlikely to convince someone who is heavily invested in a conspiracy theory, I hope you didn't waste your time typing all that. I did this with a Nostadamus nut a couple weeks ago and it felt like it was impossible to get through to him. 1284695523 +No, that would be farming. 1313713338 +You've got to BELIEVE. 1328712008 +Except he wasn't replying directly to Watson, he was replying to Phil Plait's "potential rapist" article which Myers linked to. \n\nYou could interpret it as telling her to "shut up" but that's not what he was doing. He was saying it was a non issue regarding "women's rights". That Watson felt creeped out is a subjective, individual feeling. It does not follow that she gets to appropriate the entire feminist movement with one fell swoop to educate the rest of us on elevator etiquette. Dawkins was perfectly within the bounds of civility when he pointed out that the rank hysteria blowing up over a "potential rape" is a non issue when compared to absolute real issues of women being tortured, beaten, raped, killed and mutilated all over the world. \n\nWhat Watson experienced was a first world issue. A guy asked you up to his room for coffee while in an elevator. Watson declines. Guy sheepishly goes his own way. \n\nHer initial reaction on Youtube (though presumptuous and self serving) was quite benign. It was certainly nothing to get rilled up about. People have opinions all the time that are contrary to others. This has never been about the initial incident. This has always been about the blow up after the incident, which started with Watson's incredibly bad behavior by calling out McGraw in public. \n\nThat was always the issue people had with her. They pointed out that bad behavior, Phil Plait and PZ Myers piled on with their "Always name names" and "Potential rapists" posts and then Dawkins got his shot in.\n\n\n\n 1321238884 +So a rebellious, independent, mostly isolated, organized infrastructure, which favors strong individualism, is a better ground for libertarianism to flower than a despotic, enslaved, fundamentalist, corrupt, unorganized, self-immolated, substandard, heavily dependent infrastructure?\n\nYeah, I agree, which is why I say America is a better country to test libertarianism than Somalia. Glad you agree with me. 1356134303 +Intentional fallacy. 1309669325 +I think lots of conservative sources agree, that climate change is happening, but not man made.\n\nIt's a natural cycle or it's from another unknown source; are the common explanations. 1336494153 +Allow me to jump in here and say fuck off, you cynical arshole. 1323968980 +Which is equally ridiculous.\n\nIf it were somehow possible for humanity to spew as much crap into the air and water with no ill effects, there would be evidence. It's absolutely ludicrous to believe that in a world as full of waste and destruction as our own, that a staggering 99.83% of the scientific community dedicated to climate research would unwaveringly commit to a global conspiracy designed to perpetuate a patently false myth about humanity's impact on the world in order to get us to subscribe to a green philosophy and fund green projects.\n\nKeeping in mind that the alternative would be to say "good news, all is well", in which case your task becomes much easier. You don't have to convince anyone to fund your green revolution, you can just dedicate yourself to research into more cost effective coal mining, or building a more powerful SUV, in which case you're likely to find people competing to fund your research that they may reap the rewards of your findings, rather than fighting tooth and nail for every dollar of funding for your algae power plant or your plan to increase solar panel efficiency by 5%. 1353779125 +Perhaps I doubt humans but some seem to complex to do "overnight"\n\nhttp://www.cropcircleanswers.com/Fig6.jpg\nhttp://img410.imageshack.us/img410/5104/cropcircle4nn7.jpg\nhttp://www.hufos.net/images/doomsday_crop_cirlce.jpg\n\nIm all for the human explination, as I have 0 evidence for aliens creating them.\nI have watched the disclosure project however which I have yet to be seen debunked plus its fairly credible people, sure it does not proove crop circles, but it does proove (to me at this time but who knows i am open to debunking attempts) that either aliens do come to earth or the governments ships are far more advanced that we know. 1257788580 +No, the world went to shit before that, when Snooki "wrote" a *book*. 1329433225 +Some bullshit meme created by /x/ on 4chan.com that isn't scary and is just a troll. 1328754818 +> It's the astrologists, it's the radiologists.\n\nMagic - Science\n\nAstrology was and is treated as a science, and possibly developed into the science of astronomy. \n\nYou moved from the normal 'physical' world you are used to into an unfamiliar realm of 'magic' which confused you... but as your grandfather told you, it's just science that you don't understand.\n\nIt's your brain, so you know better than us anyhow. ;)\n\n 1354230337 +I'll have to point out that homeopathy douse in fact interact with other meds in that it dilutes them if taken at the same time like drinking another glass of water with your aspirins. 1297456017 +Sounds a lot like this:\n\nhttp://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/hollow-2011/feature-trailer 1347034943 +Man just let people believe what they want to believe. 1303085616 +First off thanks. No seriously, Thank You. Second: yeah I don't care if you use it to treat stress or pain or eczema, but if someone is using it for cancer or some other such disease, that really worries me, And when one of these ladies did the three finger pulse read to gauge my chi my eyes rolled so far back I could see my brain. 1331704188 +It's as fine of an excuse as anything, if you agree that there is no free will, which I think is the author's point. 1341275462 +Spammer. 1322902584 +He should have made availability bias the first in the song. 1292706042 +Connecticut too... \n\nThe movie "A Haunting in CT" takes place here. \n\nkshultz06082429 1332342976 +Is that girls name really P'La?! 1347639121 +For some reason this reminds me of something i've heard before... 1328897204 +I had nightmares for the longest time as well never making the connection until I was on wiki and saw that "vivid dreams" was one if the side effects. Being aware of this in my dreams has allowed me to control my reaction and is no longer an issue for the most part. 1342360810 +Sounds like the current storyline of Supernatural... 1338010905 +Redhead here and I don't need any more than the average...my ex, a brunette male had to have at least two times the average to be effective. 1290044376 +Why are you so upset about people asking questions and exploring possibilities? Why is that asinine to you?\n\nIf everything is so pedestrian and boring, why are you so worked up? The truth is that we only know of a fraction of the technological capabilities of the military. We know that 25% of their budget each year is eaten up by Black ops, which by definition means you have no idea what that represents.\n\nWhy are you so sure about what you know, and what do you not know? That is what I am asking here. As I said, i'm sure you have perfectly good explanations for all sorts of things you've heard from the government. I'm saying there might be more to the story. The OP seemed to be coming from this at the 'local' level, which to myself is interesting as well. There is always some little truth to every legend, imo. I have also never claimed this idea is absolutely or even most likely true.\n\nI didn't mean to call you or infer you are closed-minded. I do not think that. That being said, all of us can always try to open our minds up even more than we have previously, myself included. Sorry for the offense. 1339609907 +So? 1336057134 +So? 1249873433 +So? 1306288680 +So? 1307719388 +So? 1323740832 +So? 1331245787 +So? 1334906224 +no, they aren't unwell or even dumb. it's a combination of a need for community and a need to have your ideas reassured. the easiest way to get trapped into these things is to assume you never will. 1334472201 +That makes sense, I just heard 'Generation X' so very often growing up (born in '83) I assumed it was me. I thought Generation Y was 90-00. 1338911173 +See also his other great channel, [Potholer54](http://www.youtube.com/user/potholer54). 1275075602 +Absolutely.. you've handled this post extremely well, and I really admire your thoroughness and respect throughout the discussion! I like it that you've had a really well researched and open mind, but still stand strongly by your own opinion - and force all the 'believers' to think hard and carefully about their views! I am still firm of the opinion that we are not alone in this universe, simply because of the size of the playing field - but I agree that there needs to be a lot better evidence presented before we can say for sure that they have interacted with us in the past. The most convincing arguments seem to come from ex-military/astronaut/other public figures, however obviously anyone can claim whatever they like, and who knows what their agenda is...\n\nHaving said that, let me quickly go a little off topic. To me, there seem to be just too many occurances of paranormal things (Astral Projections, Spontaneous Healing, Philadelphia Experiment, Laylines/earth's energy grid, Synchronicities, Collective Consciousness, the Nature of Personal Reality, etc etc) to be completely discounted, that lead me to believe at least SOME of them are true and that there is a significant area of biology/physics/neuroscience that we haven't even begun to fully understand. From my knowledge of QM I am aware of the significance conscious observation has on outcome, and the fact is that we still can't really explain what mediates non-local quantum effects (ie entanglement). Throw in the idea of time having three dimensions to allow for 'parallel' universes and the fact that there is most probably something that unifies gravity with the rest of the picture, I'd say its fairly likely that we develop some form of timetravel in the near to distant future, (providing we don't blow ourselves up first). It will probably involve black holes, and would be limited to consciousness only... who knows.\n\nMy point is this: perhaps we need to BELIEVE in aliens, so we imagine and attempt to explain/understand their technology - and simultaneously improve and enrich our lives. I find it facinating that a number of high level academics have on occasion claimed to have been contacted by ETs (Robert Anton Wilson writes a lot about this and lists Tesla, Buckminster Fuller, and a whole bunch of others I forgot). Perhaps our strong belief of aliens throughout history is as persistent as it is irrational, and it is simply 'thought energy' being projected through time by our future kind in order to assist ourselves by hinting at their supposed existence... So that we may better realise the malleability of reality.\n\nI don't know, im just kinda making this up as I go along, and I feel like I'm trying to explain something I have absolutely no idea about... I feel like I have 5 or maybe 6 pieces of a 1000 piece puzzle and am trying to guess what the final image looks like. But I feel like the end result is indeed extremely beautiful, and its still fun to speculate. 1343861432 +They have a near-impossible job sometimes. Most science is counterintuitive or otherwise difficult to comprehend. 1329640662 +One night I was going back and forth on whether or not to email my ex to see how he was and maybe get back together. The tv was on behind me on some show I had never seen and as I was going into my email I turned around because I knew the whole scene that was happening behind me. I know I had never seen a commercial for the show and it was a brand new episode. Whatever it was I decided not to email my ex but try online dating and I met my husband because of this decision. 1322025047 +Yes. That is the reason I didn't go.\n\nAnd I am a little tired of listening to bloggers/hacks filling up the space with their activism/whining.\n\nSo far the reports are that it was a good decision... [ I wouldn't want to be called a rape apologist for wearing the wrong t-shirt](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZo_l521ZwA&feature=g-all-f).\n\n\n\n 1342671972 +> As the years go by, the effects of the substance impairs judgment and rational thinking, decreases memory and disrupts emotional stability. In other words: It makes you dumber.\n\nThat explains the article then. 1284365924 +Autocorrect 1336589408 +100 lightyears is an infinitesimal bit of the universe. 80 or so stars.\n\nI think we can assume it's an uncommon occurrence, at the very least. If it was common, we'd have lots of evidence.\n\nIt being uncommon makes it unlikely that --in the relatively short time we've been recording and/or looking-- we've been visited. 1341202540 +Him there a quite a few stories coming out of africa about modern day witch hunts. None of them seem to include charismatic preachers asking for evidence. Rather they seem to involve said preachers making shit up.\n\nAnd then getting community sentiments to such a pitch that the very life of the accused witch is in danger. Is this happening to Psychic Sally?\n\nI thought not. 1328482131 +Evidence that doesn't require belief. 1322108056 +It's not my intention to insult anyone. I don't "disagree" with a party the same way i don't "agree" with a party. I personally think subjects should be discussed independent of party representation. The post title is a quote from the article that gets to the heart of the ideas presented, not my opinion.\n\nYou've focused on the political aspects more than the skeptic-related points.\n\nRegardless of party, certain politicians may soon hold the most powerful political position in the United States. Regardless of party, US citizens with a potential to vote for said politicians have misinformation about scientific issues. Regardless of party, said politicians would rather knowingly refute scientific evidence to appease a likely voting base than stick to truth and reason (tenets of skepticism).\n\nWhile it's pretty evident that Prothero is biased in his writing, for me the main message of this post is that representative among roughly half of the voting population in the US is a popular idea (AGW skepticism/denial) that goes completely against the consensus of experts on the subject. Even worse, authority figures (potential future US presidents) would rather appease a misinformed mass than lead the way of science.\n\nSorry if the political aspects offended you, but such ideas are perfectly in line with this subreddit. It examines a social, scientific, and pseudoscientific controversy. It issues a resistance to the spread of pseudoscience and irrational beliefs. The link is from a blog which the founder of the Skeptics Society, Michael Shermer, contributes to.\n\nUntil your desire for not wanting politically related skeptical posts becomes consensus here, you should expect to see some politically related skeptical posts.\n\nIn my opinion you would do better to ignore the post based off its title, downvote it, or contribute intelligent counterpoints rather than blanketly provide faulty generalizations and insulting my post as "petty" and "bullshit." 1318329083 +she was in her office when she heard giggling, thats why she turned around and took the picture, they had been seeing sighting of the ghost girl around the house, i guess. 1355168543 +Yes, part of the reason it isn't more popular is because I used too many colors, I thought the contrast would help in reading it, turns out it just makes it look ugly.\n\nA lot of people here tend to want to point to exceptions to the rule, that not every Muslim is protesting, to claim that Islam has nothing to do with this. And they point to an unknown cause X, which they call "other factors" or "other variables", that they cannot explain. 1347833863 +Sorcha is an Irish girls name. Pronounced Sur-ka, Sur-a-ka, Sur-ha or Sur-a-ha, depending on where you learned your Irish.\n\nIt's sort of funny to find out this Sorcha is a man. 1350635722 +If anyone, really anyone at all in /r/skeptic would like to look at an actual *medical* study based on actual science (which apparently no one has) they would find that Steve beat the odds quite handily. This place is amazing that everyone here is taking the word of financial magazines concerning a medical diagnosis. These studies are readily available for anyone to look at just like I did yesterday but none of you have bothered to do so, you just keep following the lemming in front of you. \n\n(pirmvalEcho this isn't directed at you, it's directed at the populous of /r/skeptic because they are sheep in every sense on this one) 1318008427 +Surely then cell phones cure cancer. 1310743280 +short answer: no\n\nlong answer: no 1323246456 +I take issue with the statement that Freud created "the only unified" theory "recognized by everyone". \n\nHe founded psychoanalysis, which was revolutionary in its time because it said man wasn't so much unlike animals, because man was also driven by lust, emotion and the subconcious. This gave a whole new view on mankind which opened up a lot of doors. He partly paved the path towards psychology. Someone like Ebbinghaus or Cattel (the first one, James McKeen) deserve much greater recognition when it comes to psychology.\n\nPsychoanalysis is also a bunch of horse manure. 1329146780 +A good digital voice recorder with a USB port on the side.\nhttp://shopping.yahoo.com/recorders-transcribers-tapes/;_ylt=Amg7OLTE79worBwftaL312v1BMYu?p=digital+voice+recorder&pf=40&pt=55 1355030378 +Think about this. There were tens of thousands of people watching the Olympics in person. Millions of people watching the Olympics at home. It would be impossible to cover up a UFO flying over a stadium.\n\nEven if the government forced Goodyear to cover it up, the UFO would still have been visible by thousands of people. No one who was there saw a UFO but a lot of people saw a blimp. Are all these people lying on government's behalf as well?\n\nI swear, you people see conspiracies everywhere. 1343859920 +Absence of evidence may not be evidence of absence, but absence of anything beyond "this exists because we believe it does" stemming from thousands of years ago when pretty much everything else with any predictive potential/factual claims attached to their 'grand theory', as it were, are provably incorrect, then I feel comfortable in hedging my bet in this uncertainty to a position of some kind of a functional certainty. \n\nWhen any claims an institution/authority makes that can be disproved are disproved and the rest are only considered credible because they are concepts or claims that can either never be disproved or proved or are formulated in a way that allows these goalposts to be moved indefinitely... well, you might not be able to disprove them, but neither do they carry any particular credibility. 1305569002 +Lol, his stuff is so bad other crazies are correcting him with more craziness.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H49RWfaiRMg 1351528971 +Very interesting documentary, worth checking out! 1335465802 +Their information seems to focus on succinic acid (traditionally known as "spirit of amber", as it was originally extracted from ground amber) and its supposed benefits. It is typically used as a sweetener or flavoring agent in food production. I can't find any information on clinical studies, or any indication that simply wearing amber will allow it to enter your bloodstream (highly unlikely). There are a couple of in-vitro studies that show it might have some beneficial effects as an anti-oxidant, but in-vitro studies don't show how it actually acts in a human body.\n\nSuccinate is part of the Krebs cycle (cellular metabolism), but as far as I can see, your body gets all it needs naturally through the food you eat. Otherwise, we'd all be dead from not getting enough.\n\nBottom line, I think if their claims were true, you would have to keep buying more amber all the time because it would slowly break down and be absorbed by your skin. Furthermore, as a parent of two young children, my experience is that knowing whether your child is upset due to teething pain is hit and miss at best.\n\nNot surprisingly, you can buy succinic acid as a dietary supplement. It's probably a lot cheaper than buying an amber necklace. But it's a fat-soluble nutrient, so I would be aware of the fact that any excess that your body doesn't use tends to build up in your liver and can lead to toxicity. The FDA has no established safe dosage levels.\n\nI AM NOT A DOCTOR. The extent of my qualifications on this matter include 2 years studying biochemistry in the mid-90s and 20 minutes on Google. 1316120134 +I think guided meditation can possibly help you to think more clearly about some things in your life or in the world, and that's more than just relaxation and could have more long-term impact, but I've never practiced it myself. 1325972833 +Health Canada letting people "vote with their feet" on the issue of homeopathy is ridiculous. All the DINs should be revoked. 1337873759 +Cartesian Dualism is the idea that the mind and body are separate. There is the physical world and a separate plane for the soul or mind. \n\nThere are a lot of kinks in this. At least in his original formulation. 1354080805 +the opposite of the eternal september? 1341434284 +The problem here is not home birth. It's *unassisted* home birth.\n\nStudies that want to show that home birth is more dangerous than hospital birth simply include unassisted home birth in with all home births.\n\n(Source: Obstetric Myths and Research Realities, chapter 17) 1262740031 +I started listening to the audiobook last week and did a double-take when I heard that line. I had to pause and check when the book came out. Strange to see it here. 1313650756 +i can take a nail and lift another nail with it as if it is magnetized. i donno if it is actual science or i am doing it. however if i think negativity it drops 1318832578 +At first I Thought it was creepy, but after reading your comment and looking again, the shadow on the wall almost clearly shows someone standing with their legs apart and their arms somewhere around the front pockets of their jacket. 1353108526 +Thanks nogood. I like you too. :) 1311905065 +>I find debunking articles filled with just as much propaganda and disinformation as the documentaries and articles they critique.\n\nYou should provide examples of this. Are you getting your information from a reliable source? What do you consider to be propaganda and disinformation? You need to provide a direct link to a specific documentary or article that you have an issue with. With that, it will be much easier to figure out if you just misunderstand the kind of skeptic this subreddit is for, if you have trouble understanding scientific evidence/reasoning, or if you're getting your "debunking" information from unreliable sources. 1342245965 +My mom does ha 1349963942 +The issue you have there is the likelihood that the plaintiff doesn't have the financial where-with-all to come up with the money, even if he were required to pay for the defense of the school district. Once the school gets a judgment (and before they execute a lien), the guy files for bankruptcy protection, and the debt likely gets discharged. This is because of the preferential order of creditor recovery in bankruptcy - taxes first, then secured creditors, then unsecured creditors. Since most people in the US in this day and age really have no assets other than their house (which goes to the bank if the bank accelerates the note), there is no recovery for the school. 1340656412 +Yes. That's besides the point. My point is that you can do the same thing with any number of millions of jews, invalidating your idea that '6 million jews' is somehow significant. 1356392248 +>Evidence Based Homeopath\n\nWat 1317867447 +I think what he's saying is that the subjective description of the problem changes after the delivery of the placebo. For example, let's say you have some pain, and you describe it as "6 out of 10". Then you take a placebo, and say "4 out of 10", but only because you *think* you should be getting better, not because of any ACTUAL decrease in pain. 1311276654 +The difference is that homeopathy is pretty harmless. 90% of the people who buy are people with a touch of the nerves, or more money than sense.\n\nPeople will buy these products, the market exists. Wegman's position on these products is perfectly reasonable; sell this harmless product if you don't like it you don't have to buy it.\n\nIf you really don't like their policy on this then don't shop there at all. 1326327211 +Yeah that is a huge problem. However, if it's a big enough problem, I imagine other school districts could all band together and do the same. Instead of meddling with Texas, why don't we encourage collaboration/cooperation between all of the school districts in the NE and the west coast? 1343683188 +I'm surprised that a neurologist writing about low carb diets didn't once bring up the ketogenic diet. Anyone know of any written by him on the subject? 1273565402 +I sometimes like to get my tarot read when I go to a local renaissance fair for funsies. The first time I had gotten my tarot read, the guy didn't tell me anything about myself that I already didn't know. I was skeptical about most of what he said because it fit most people. There was one thing he said that did give me the chills. He told me I had a deep separation from two people from my immediate family and he told me that I emotionally cut them out of my life. \n\nMy grandmother was completely gone from Alzheimer's and my uncle suffered a stroke that deteriorated his brain as well. I've always harbored a lot of guilt for not being able to talk to them more often. 1331562633 +Are you a giraffe? :P 1321550016 +lols were had. 1315520440 +The worst part about this thing is that as you can see by the pushing demonstrations that the people practicing it are fully aware its a con... The people who advocate homeopathy I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they are just really ignorant about science and actually think they are doing good... But the people who do this stuff are 100% aware that they are pushing in a different way to make their product seem like its doing something... 1273720888 +This could easily be something called Orthostatic Hypotension. It's a sudden drop in blood pressure in your head that causes dizziness, vision to go out, a sense of disorientation, and numbness. We all experience it to some degree every day. Getting up too fast after laying down can cause it, or it can just happen at random. I get it very bad sometimes and I almost "lose" myself for a few moments. That could very easily be what it is. 1353870410 +Seriously. Just use your boomstick, Bruce, it'll save the district thousands. 1340540762 +Unless it's for all the evil shit they actually do. 1295971585 +... plenty of CONCRETE evidence? Where? 1329428971 +Have you ever used any dissociatives or research chemicals? Is the visual snow a result of HPPD? 1354414365 +I get a strange feeling that the general public is not going to get the truth about what this anomaly is. 1338320250 +Your situation of misdiagnosis is tragic and certainly happens way too often. Over prescription of medicine is ludicrous, and may even happen with alarming frequency, as you insinuate.\n\nBut there are those of us who have been properly diagnosed and are happy with our medication. My Wellbutrin is great, and I don't notice any side-effects. So the situation is obviously complex. 1348270396 +Please read the article. It covers a lot of this 1314401393 +I agree. EVP's that are clearly spoken sentences or music or laughing can be some pretty convincing evidence. I have never had a paranormal experience, and frankly I am pretty thankful for that. In some ways I envy those that have had experiences, but most of the time I feel like they are just embellishing a story or suffering from the effects of the brain trying to make sense of activity viewed in darkness with a heightened sense of dread and fear. In may ways I feel like paranormal activity is actually created by the witness by a lack of access to complete information. \n\nOf course, I have never put myself in a "haunted" situation, so my words lack the confidence brought about by experience. If ghosts do actually exist, I dont want one following me home. I dont want to open a door that I cant shut. Thats why I asked the question in my original post. I would like the experience of visiting a haunted location without actually doing it. 1339905287 +The problem with freezing a body is that the water in the cells expands and crystallizes, causing the cells to burst or become otherwise damaged. Freezing a body at a normal rate causes death. 1340694052 +She said it was tall and thin and covered with what looked like moss and bark, like it was a cross between an tree and a person but not a human. Her boyfriend said he saw it too but he only saw a moving outline, presumably because he is colorblind. Both times it was crossing the road near our parent's house who live in a wooded area on a small mountain. Because of unrelated events I no longer believe any story she tells because I think she is a pathological liar. Reading this post just reminded me of her story. 1347934437 +Millions of people use Google and the NSA has a tax payer base of millions of people. 1354607446 +I haven't lol'd at a comment that loud in a long time. I was strangely aroused as well 1305570006 +First, I feel we have to admit that Penn & Teller could really just decide that they like the magician and want him to come over. It doesn't have to be because they didn't figure out the trick. \n\nSo, that said, we can assume that just because they looked at the envelope he used doesn't mean it wasn't a trick envelope. They could merely have enjoyed his work and wanted him on the show. Like wise, there's another magician who spells out a card with his deck -- that seems pretty straight forward (trick deck, specific cuts are used to spell words), but they seemingly get it wrong and are "fooled". I feel it's more likely that they knew how he did it but were so impressed by his use of the box that they decided they really wanted him to succeed and/or come to Vegas.\n\nHOWEVER, that said, iirc they ask if he slides anything into the envelopes. He very specifically says that he doesn't slide anything "into" the envelope. This leads me to believe that *every* envelope has both 100 pounds and a fake note and he uses his jokes to misdirect and stall while he slides the 100 pounds "out" of any chosen envelope. I am not an expert but that's how I would do it. 1309887139 +What scientific method was used here? The investigation is laudable, sure, but it's hardly a canonical example of scientific method. 1292984104 +It says Basil, it says my last name. 1323818524 +I think I'm safe to call it coincidence when it comes to the supernatural. 1323198941 +They hiss, freak out, or run away when they see spirits. Some say the reasin behind this is because they're between life and death. Cats have powers. Thats why reddit loves them so. 1338941089 + Alright. How about the [Tehran Dogfight Incident](http://www.iiaf.net/stories/warstories/s8.html). This is only one of thousands, but it meets my criteria of a solid case. Multiple Radar readings and eyewitnesses from both the air and ground. 1253841601 +the trippy faces made the video 1308970559 +Keep fighting the good fight. 1354076989 +There is a homoeopathic version of hemp oil:\nBuy some bud, get a glass of water, throw the hemp out the window, and drink the water. Voila, you're cured! 1345251716 +the random button brought me here fallout brought us together. through the wastes my brother 1330845834 +I've rarely come across an atheist that was spiritual or in love. But if I did I expect they wouldn't expect love to be a common aspect of being alive in such a way as to be pedestrian.\n\nFurther I argue if your only knowledge of spirituality is through others declaring theirs you are using a poor model with which to define the word. 1310393213 +Even if he didn't post a huge number of predictions, there is still quite a high statistical chance that someone will predict an earthquake spot on at some point by random chance when you consider that he is just one of many cranks. The sheer number of predictions thrown out by all cranks, particularly about such an unstable part of the world as Japan, increases the likelihood of one of these guesses being correct dramatically. The analogy I would draw is to the lottery where it is suprising for the individual who wins, but not suprising that an individual won. Coombea is one of a huge number of cranks who throw out these predictions all the time, therefore it is not necessarily strange that one prediction, even one that seems so specific, was correct. 1344983918 +In Michigan? 1349286276 +How so? That movie came out months ago??? 1321559640 +What happened to Tonya? Could have easily found records on her I'm sure... 1333893896 +Yeah, the title's full of crap. 1351788663 +Does absolutely nothing for our cause. You can have these eminent retired people make as many statements as they want, but it is going to amount to exactly zero! Unless someone says 'I worked on UFOs during my time with the military and I have solid proof', all these statements have as much effect on UFOlogy as my fart does on the weather. 1338866828 +No dude....aliens. 1332281117 +I'm planning on running some tests this weekend. I'll film them and post it. Check back on this post later. I'll provide a link 1329508823 +wifi you say? have this already been hacked? 1300298345 +Hilarious. Everything's a conspiracy.\n\nThough I really like the idea of taking some thin cardboard and a thumb tack when camping or whatever, in case you break or lose your glasses... 1246912412 +I would've gone with going to KFC in the hopes that the guy behind the counter will help you learn more about the Vegan lifestyle. 1335560841 +you can call it crazy if you like, the alternate view is that your mom was faced with impossible to understand contradictions. society has a dim view of these and as such she packed up those memories into a "crazy zone" and adopted the more common beliefs of this society. \n\nI don't really see any issues with the things your mom has described. I have also met a lot of people that claim they "don't belong" here. Everyone does the best they can. :) 1341258223 +I think we can handle "some swearing". 1243524511 +As a heuristic (certainly not a hard rule), if something contains Deepak Chopra there's a high probability of communiqués from the quantum bullshitverse...\n\nAnyway, this guy has a blog devoted just to debunking this movie:\n\nhttp://thrivedebunked.wordpress.com/ 1340662405 +Isn't this the same rag that reported that a real "battleship" scenario was taking place a while back? 1353467647 +Thanks for the info. However, I can't help but think of how misleading this can be for people who don't know about lens/film artefacts. The people in the OP video, alone, show the conviction and false logic of, \n"I saw something on my camera-> therefore, it really existed and was flying." 1324737925 +I love how almost all responses speculate that this is just a self-help program like any other, with several speculating that it probably relies on real cognitive behavioral research. Very skeptical, guys.\n\nOverpriced vitamins, hand-wavy interpretations of graduate student psychology papers, made-up brain types and unnecessary SPECT-scans are the epitome of pseudoscientific snake oil.\n\n This is exactly the kind of thing r/skeptic should be debunking. Instead we have "it's probably helpful and doesn't seem to cost too much" and "I heard something like this once!" 1312132084 +TTT 1346212876 +There's also the whole moon thing. 1294649309 +Sorry, but what the sweet fuck is this shit? 1319942235 +Yikes, I've heard of some rough diets, but that must be hard. Good luck to you. 1296078921 +stop peeking in my window! 1345430812 +I never thought of Randi's efforts as an attempt to enlighten the quacks; he always gave me a 'preaching to the choir' vibe, which isn't as useless as the expression suggests. 1298152219 +>If you aren't able to identify it, yes, that's the exact definition of an Unidentified Flying Object. \n\nBut you are talking about the correct form of U.F.O's, NatGeo is not. So when Jamotron said that there were no sighting of U.F.O's before the movies he was referring to the alien kind, just like in the article. \n\nYou on the other hand are referring to the correct term, thus you are both right in your own sense, but you are not talking in the same context as the article.\n\n>Who said that? Wait, let me quote myself:\n\nyou wrote that comment after I had left mine, sorry for not being up to date on your comment history. \n\nHave a nice weekend! 1341067823 +What they should say is "dress warmly or you may weaken your immune system leaving you more susceptible to getting sick". 1327433300 +This one needs posting in r/squashedbugs 1314881082 +I'd wager that based on the fundamental geometry of looking at an object in the sky at an angle from a curved surface, and the OP's mistaken belief that s/he could estimate the speed of the object because "there was a plane not far from it," it wasn't a 90 degree turn. 1352472828 +Yeah - I had acupuncture on a doctor's recommendation - and at no time did I ever believe in any of it.\n\nHowever it was startlingly effective at relaxing me (which was the aim, I was very stressed). I was absolutely tripping and floating afterwards. That said, I think it's the whole process of "treatment": one-on-one attention, a quiet, darkened room to lie down in for an hour, soothing music, that contributes a lot to the process.\n\nIn the last session I also had some special heat lamp thing, and I have to say it was like a skin-orgasm for half an hour. There may be some science in that, apparently it sends some kind of special waves of heat, I don't know, but I've longed to get one ever since. Apparently they cost thousands though. 1287470844 +I live in San Diego, 15 miles or so from TJ and I did not hear about anything.\n\nHowever the San Diego newspaper website is talking about this which will happen tonight. Possibly relevant?\n\nhttp://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/dec/26/watch-da-vinci-glow-moon-sunset/?sciquest 1324941938 +Me, I don't do drugs. I have had most of the mystical experiences, but none of the reality shifting experiences. They happen at random times.\n\nDrugs are fine for learning what is possible, but you should learn to do the same without them. It is a matter of taking your mind to the same state... 1341713495 +I get'cha.\n\nI'm just a bit pissed because I have a neighbor that keeps their dog in a cage in their living room all day except when they want to take him out to shit on the road.\n\nBreaks my heart.\n\nMy bird sleeps in his cage too, but during the day he has full reign of the house, so - sorry about gettin' on your case about it, when it's my neighbors I should bitch at. 1334014623 +Nutrient information i would put in the prevention of obesity and promotion of health . \n\nAgain My question to you is If there is no scientific basis for difference between GMO and non GMO why should there be a mandate label it and not other more scientifically relevant to label? \n\neither you believe there is a scientific reason for labeling GMO above the other things that could potentially be labled, or you should be for labelling of every single thing someone could think up\n\n\n\n 1352413820 +> If some couple decide to have a child after a war, how would the probability of it being a boy be related to the war?\n\nSince the male determines the sex of the child, and since sperm motility and function can be affected by the male's hormonal state, it isn't unreasonable to conclude that extreme stress (and the high cortisol levels that follow) may have some effect on sex ratio by directly impact the male's sperm. \n\nThat's what I would guess if it were true. 1356943956 +Can we create a r/reasonableUFOdiscourse channel or something? 1343250213 +Quick note: 6/1000 is 0.6 %, not 0.006%.\n\nAlso, the non-vax people I know will argue that vaccines do not prevent these diseases. 1322765258 +It makes me really angry seeing stories like this, why can't they leave these beautiful buildings alone? 1327703612 +This is what I was looking for. And yes, I agree about the ethical implications. **Thank you!** 1324374229 +Well, looks like you disproved the study linked, since if emotional symptoms are worsened, they must exist. Only again, your credentials are somewhat lacking in relation. 1351053297 +Wasn't there only one timeline in Primer? And that's why they had to hide in hotels from themselves? 1354716632 +>Funny, it wasn't until recently that I learned many people are anti-organic.\n\nI am pro-sustainability. \n\nOrganic to me is nothing but premium brand food. It trades large scale mechanization for smaller scale high labor practices. This is as unsustainable as conventional agriculture, simply in different ways. 1349301451 +Sorry to the spelling particular, it is actually: goji berries. 1291776073 +They won't. If there is some groundbreaking news in the realm of UFOs we will know about it, the information age and all.... Just remember. We are not alone. 1288233484 +Again, the idea that pain can generally sort of release endorphins that may curb further pain is not evidence in favour of acupuncture. I am thinking more of a double blind clinical test, nothing short of that is good enough to approve of any medicine. "Traditional medicine" is a ridiculous term. So called "traditional medicine" underwgoes an enormous number of tests and proves itself countless times to be effective. 1331702954 +It depends on the practitioner. I'm actually seeing a chiropractor regularly right now, and am finding some relief to my chronic neck pain and poor posture. I made sure he didn't go for the quackery; instead of prescribing dubious natural remedies, he prescribes lots of cardio, ab crunches, and stretching. :) 1307544767 +I don't think we should completely discount all of these people's experiences. The reason it's called a glitch in the matrix is because we can't explain it away with our current understanding of the world. 1326706800 +I've had similar things happen with landscape details, but never with a manmade object. Neat! Keep looking and see if it comes back! Take a picture! 1347645784 +"Hey Bob, that video was dumb and I think you should stop gobbling the crazy pills." 1340282204 +You are comparing the risks of chickenpox with the risks of the Gardasil vaccine. That's totally invalid. You cannot compare the risks of X with the risks of Y unless there is a relationship between X and Y. That's the same fallacy as you are now doing comparing the risks with car accidents.\n\nThe one and only comparison which is valid is comparing the risks of chickenpox with the chickenpox vaccine. And anyone choosing to expose their children to vaccine is irresponsible and dangerous, regardless of the size of that risk compared to other risks. 1327942638 +You're pretty cool. 1326476482 +New theory... a neighborhood teen, not yet old enough to smoke, sneaks into your backyard so that he won't get caught doing it.\n\nI used to do a lot more than hop fences to sneak stuff before it was legal for me to do so. 1327067076 +The words "Steven Greer" and "truth" should not be used in the same sentence. 1344570484 +So, let me make this fanciful argument:\n\nA bunch of people believe that WiFi is harmful, which is bullshit. That's essentially the nocebo effect. You can't convince them otherwise. So then you just give them the opposite of nocebo - a nifty placebo USB dongle. Placebo neutralizes nocebo, they are happy, you make some money, it's a win-win situation. Right? 1340736223 +As a matter of fact,...[ufos and nukes](http://www.ufohastings.com/articles),...is the aforementioned Hastings website with quite a few good articles on it.\n\nAnd ya- Im not sure why he uses ufochronicles when he has his own site,...that looks 50times better, less retarded ads and not bright text on a black backgroound,... but whatevs,...more traffic & exposure perhaps. \n\nUgly site=flame for internet moths or somethin,...? 1326236622 +She's a Christian, not a skeptic. She may apply some skepticism in her work, but she doesn't extend it to her religious worldview. 1323586105 +If you've never been to Kentucky, then this may seem out of the ordinary. 1340031654 +THIS IS SO GOOD! 1275449651 +Oh, Decoder Ring Theatre looks cool.\n\nHere's one called [You Look Nice Today](http://youlooknicetoday.com/). I don't know what it's about, and I think I've heard them all. Funny.\n\nEDIT: I know it's not really anything like what you listed, but I like everything you listed and YLNT. So it may be worth your time. 1299820280 +That's the "gnu atheist" symbol. But you're right, it does sort of look like that. I'm going to see it every time now. 1336747864 +Doesn't look much like a missile to me. I might be wrong though. 1339182127 +I'm not bitter at all or looking for anyone to justify stuff. I thought this information might be valuable to some people. Sometimes stuff doesn't work out, that is the case for me here. 1335394737 +Seen the black triangle 3 times with other witnesses I shit you not. I was on magic mushrooms 1334171271 +As you saw, r/worldnews can be a cesspool of idiocy. The first comment explicitly presupposing (in spite of no direct evidence) ET is the de facto "most likely" explanation should have served as a red flag. I'm surprised you stayed in it as long as you did! 1303695603 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compatibilism 1305846454 +the image is clean \nhttp://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=a253281fa3ab6b1566d26ceef2eafd65683eb8c9.1081084 1342415951 +You are correct in many ways. Everything does happen for a reason. Every-single-tiny-thing...it's mind-boggling. I have noticed an increase in sightings. We can't trust any video, audio, or photo any longer due to CGI and our human effect technology. I agree that some of my stories are concerned with interactions i have had with beings and what I call God or Gods. I just don't want to nor try to extrapolate that I know any answers. If I can remain neutral in this aspect I should be okay, because I'm not a know-it-all you know? so we'll see how far I can get. I have some 40 insane experiences at least.\n\nI will start here with something \n\nWhile at a Chiropractic office I drove and parked normally kind of off to the side facing the beginning width of a strip mall structure. As I was walking from my car to the office I could plainly see the rear of the one-story building, the first office of the strip mall. I plainly observed my Doctor at the time facing away from me in the action of turning his body toward me smoking a cigarette. Now then, a smear of sorts appeared from behind him morphed into a very large black wolf (black dog of hell?) immediately began trotting away from him. The "wolf" from the very beginning of my eye-witness (makes me think of "what the bleep do we know" cartoon of that eye experiment where matter reacts to whether it is being observed or not..anyway more on that subject later). This wolf had made eye contact with me immediately from the time I saw this odd morph. The "Black Wolf" trotted diagonally away from and in between the both of us for app 15 full dog step cycles around a very short concrete wall separating the strip mall from residential and vanished directly within our eyesight (Dr. was now facing me and the wolf.) I continued walking to the front and waited to be called. Upon asking him, " what was that huge dog all about?" he quickly answered, "what dog?"..."The giant black dog, he was all frizzy, i saw you look at him". He just shrugged. I was confounded as to why he wouldn't admit that he could see this giant black wolf-dog right in front of him. What was this guy into?\n\nBy the way Every single story I have I have pondered all the possibilities so I will come out and give other explanations because I am a realist and have very high perspective. Yes the dog just could have been a real dog and lied down right behind that short fence. But, wow it just really freaked me out. Did i just see a Black Dog of Hell?\n\nanother sighting story later. 1314167785 +Can we please stop calling it EMF? It is the most annoyingly vague and stupid acronym possible in this situation.\n\nLet's instead call it "electromagnetic radiation that is less powerful than a microwave", and have done with it. 1311947023 +I'm not sure if you even read my previous reply to you given \n\n>If we don't know what it is, cannot tell how fast it is moving or how far away, then how can we relate similar comparisons?\n\nWas already explained. Do you know a better method to undertake the examination of intangible things other than compare and contrast to similar phenomena? \n\nAlso, you seem to have ignored (or been unaware of) the mass quantity of radar, photographic, and video evidence. From the photographs or videos we take the minority that has perspective to cast shadow, or disturbs the environment in such a way as to be relevant. \n\n>It seems to me that you are less interested in identifying these things - thus realizing they are a plane or bird or whatever - and more interested in categorizing blurry lights in the sky.\n\nThis is a thinly veiled ad hominem, and you come off as quite arrogant to belittle me without addressing the arguments, and instead making assumptions on my character. \n\nI am quite interested in identifying these things, you seem to be confused as to the nature and prevalence of the evidence that purports this is a real phenomena.\n\n>"Here we have the 'slow blue' blurry light category: we see a lot of these mostly on tuesdays. Ah! Now, here we have the fast moving white lights! These are very interesting! We don't know what they are, but we DO know that we are able to categorize them with other similar blurry lights"\n\nAn attempt to derail or [ridicule](http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/appeal-to-ridicule.html) the topic does not do the community, or you justice. Be careful not to fall into the pit of confirming your own bias. Claims of aliens and such have no evidence whatsoever, but [that does not imply](http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/biased-sample.html) you can ignore on those grounds a phenomena that has been repeatedly proven to be anything but non-existent and explained away as Chinese candles. \n\nI expect more of this subreddit, both in that this should be a place of discussion based on the rules of logic, and that you should behave with respect towards something you might not have studied, when it is presented respectfully. Have you looked into the issue in depth by the way? Or are you simply appealing to authority in the way that you assume what the commonly held belief is? 1281870650 +Well, I (for one) know it's a balloon because I've seen friggin' balloons and I know what a balloon looks and acts like.\n\nYou may as well look at a campfire and think it looks like a chair if you want to believe this is a giant luminescent flying polliwog sperm creature from outer space.\n\nGet a grip on reality for a change. We have balloons and pretty girls here. You might enjoy it.\n\n(not directly related to your post, I know you're trying to be sane - but for others here who are wildly hallucinating sky fairies) 1308426956 +Loves it! :-) 1355151830 +Christian Science isn't Christian either. At least has about as much in common with Christianity as Mormonism does. That is to say, it's a legitimacy grab and nothing more.\n\nMost of Christian Science's beliefs are based around the writings of Mary Baker Eddy. She argued evil was a fiction created by our minds. 1344028314 +Even the dead have to respect a man of taste and panache. 1319436521 +How do see something out of the corner of your eye, get up change a channel and sit down. At some point you have to look directly at it right? 1352744528 +I'd just like to say that the diet of the human is hugely varied from country to country, and the USA's idea of a diet is not the healthiest option. So what is "wrong" and what is "right" does not seem so black and white as you are putting it. Additionally, just because our bodies have worked in one particular way for tens of thousands of years does not make it the most efficient or correct way, nor does it mean that the natural desires it creates are the best for it. Our metabolism, (in my opinion) does not function optimally for the average lifestyle in this country these days. Many of us no longer need (or want) the degree of fat store that our bodies provide because we're not going to go days or weeks without being able to kill an animal to eat. 1310156406 +So because one stupid court ruled in favor it's suddenly proven? People are such idiots. What court says has no bearing on whether or not the claims have any merit. \n\nAnd I really wish they'd start printing CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION in gigantic letters on every schoolbook.\n\nFor a laugh, look at their sources. Dailymail...GOOGLE (how vague can you fucking get), some *blogs* \n\nEven when they spout nonsense they can't even come up with a source that at least looks kind of legit. 1340417187 +Enter/return twice. 1355600741 +It isn't ignorance. It is being wrong. You can be ignorant of the law, or you can think the law says X but really says Y. (perhaps it did at one point and switched).\n\nIgnorance means to be "uninformed" which is a bit different than being misinformed. 1338384414 +Any details about this? Time, place, etc? 1354192393 +Where can you buy 'Placebo' stickers? 1290934453 +> I'm considering paying to have an external lab test for any active ingredient.\n\nWhy? They already admit that on the packaging.\n\n> This should essentially prove that they are selling 'water'.\n\nAren't they sugar pills? (That have been sprinkled with the magic water.)\n\n> If I attack one of the big chains I can them bring their reputation into question in that if they are willing to sell this crap what OTHER crap are they selling.\n\nI've mulled this approach over. Honestly, I don't see it having that big of an impact on a Whole Foods in San Francisco.\n\nCVS which is actually a pharmacy sounds like a more ripe target as people are actually looking for medicine. Not only that but CVS makes their own store brand of that along with the label "recommended by CVS pharmacists". I think we could do some significant PR damage by exposing how untrustworthy CVS pharmacists are based on the packaging of their own products. 1333984376 +A persons tenancy to attribute something to the paranormal, seems directly linked to how strong that persons belief in the paranormal/spiritual happens to be.\n\nEdit: I'm liking this thread - it seems to have encouraged lots of reasonable, rational people to reveal themselves! 1352896287 +That guy is awesome, need to go back and check his videos. Watched a few a long time ago. 1320931168 +Any video clips out there? 1345862216 +The first one I can think of was when I woke up, but I could still hear my dream. I don't remember the dream very much since it happened when I was about 6, but it involved the evil Krusty doll from The Simpsons. I remember waking up and it was morning, I suddenly heard, clear as day, the famous evil Krusty doll laugh and "I'm going to kill you" I screamed and ran into my parents room.\n\nThe next one is creepy because I didn't know it could happen, and trust me, I'm definitely not bullshitting. I was walking into the kitchen one day and overheard my older brother (he's four and a half years older than me) talking to my mum about a dream he had, and it seemed all too familiar.. I cut him off by saying "And it started unravelling the bandages from its face?" my brother stared at me slightly unnerved and went on to say "Then I saw its alien face.. It had fangs" I cut him off again just as unnerved "And it lunged for you and woke up?" Turns out me and my brother had the exact same dream on the same night.\n\nAt first I put my first and only (so far) sleep paralysis experience down as paranormal, but the more I thought about it, it made sense that it was sleep paralysis. I remember turning my laptop off at about 4am and I laid in bed. I was laying there awake (well, what I thought I was doing) and I suddenly envisioned 2 hands with leather gloves rap around my neck and squeezed. I was instantly paralysed (minus my head since I was able to turn it) and felt the air drain from me. I tried so hard to scream out but nothing would come out. After what seemed like forever, the grip disappeared from my neck, I quickly got my breath back and went to scream out to my mum, only to have the sensation back on my neck, muting my cries. Again what seemed like ages of fighting to move and breath, I managed to splurt out "stop" and with that, it went away.. It felt as if it never happened. 1350764100 +[facts](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fact) aren't [subjective](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/subjective). \n\nI'm pretty sure that with you claiming facts as subjective, I have nothing more to say to you. 1313775156 +What a load of shit of an idea this is. Don't link to a page that lists the chemicals inside of vaccines? It doesn't say anything wackjobby, it is a good resource.\n\nIt's an almost nazi like approach to information that I find very disturbing. 1298311862 +I really doubt most alien abduction stories, even as I'm increasingly convinced that contact has been made. Too many sensational, attention-whory stories over the decades.\n\nAlso, this topic made me think of the opening of the X-Files episode *Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space'* where a couple of Air Force pilots in-costume as grays are interrupted mid-faked-abduction by a third alien ("Lord Kinbote") 1316292744 +This is how the public exercises such control, by calling out these fucktard celebritantes when we get the rare opportunity to do so. 1306957523 +That's not being skeptic that's just being a straight up nuisance 1305185923 +At 4am after following her from a bar where he almost certainly heard her say that she was extremely tired and was going to sleep. 1310624733 +I only believe studies published by Dr. Strangelove. 1295560575 +I like how the two words Conspiracy Theory combined now mean the same thing as "It has to be bullshit". You would think a skeptics site would get that right. 1313536502 +I just unsubscribed from /r/timetolegalize over this kind of bullshit. I'm all for pot legalization, but if you think it's good for you and there is nothing bad ever at all about burning a plant and inhaling the smoke and fumes, you've really got to be kidding me. 1344218806 +> My issue with the mid-air collision between two airplanes is where is your other missing plane and pilot? I've never read that they were looking for another missing plane in that area. Do you have any candidates?\n\nIf the other plane was not flying under a registered flight plan, they wouldn't know to be looking for another plane, they would have no idea that the plane existed. They wouldn't be looking anywhere else since the two planes would likely crash near each other in the water. They wouldn't need to be looking for any specific plane, just any sign of any plane. No flight plan, transponder turned off (which means it doesn't show up on radar), this is the modus operandi of a smuggler, of which there were many flying in and out of asia in to australia in the 70's. We didn't find one plane, you shouldn't be surprised they didn't find the other.\n\nIf you are looking for the other plane, then read the transcription, he mentions it many times. He just can't figure out what the hell he's looking at because he has no experience with such things, and has no qualms about trying to get closer to get a better look (because he's an idiot). 1327332587 +Michael Shermer's *[Why People Believe Weird Things](http://www.michaelshermer.com/weird-things/)*. As a skeptic, I'm often frustrated by how easily people believe things that seem bizarre to me, and this book helped explain why this is.\n\nThe TL;DR is that people believe woo mostly because they *want* to, but the book goes into the psychological and sociological reasons behind this. 1292138810 +The government doesn't know doodly shit. Petitioning the WH or whoever won't do anything, 'cos those people aren't in on it. \n\nWithout evidence to back up the movement, it just looks like crazies railing at the sky again, like the Obama birth certificate loons, they petitioned the WH too. \n\nFucking get some evidence, then we move. Be strategic. This is a chess game. 1347728171 +My favourite comment on the article:\n\n""...more work needs to be done to bring those anomalies into the accepted paradigm."\n\nThis statement shows willingness to learn more, however it also indicates that it's author is willing to learn more only if what is learned can be brought into "the accepted paradigm." This sort of mentality is the bane of scientific progress. I imagine this is the sort of mentality Gallileo had to contend with before producing one of the greatest paradigm shifts of all time.\n\nI suggest that a less biased author would have left room for the possibility of a paradigm shift, given, of course, the supporting evidence.\n\nI am not a "UFO" proponent by any means, but I am a proponent of adjusting our paradigms based on evidence, and not vice versa." 1315064759 +This has been my point all along... there are plenty of completely legitimate reasons not to want these things installed, but the only thing the local news has covered is EM sensitivity nonsense. 1300338529 +God most certainly does have most everything to do with religion since religion is just the translate, however abhorrent, of old text. Had this omniscient being anh sense, he'd have not made it so god damned obscure and in languages that die out. \n\nThis, of course, is granting that there is such a being and ignores the fact that religion is man made. 1324513520 +As a former 2M0X1A at Malmstrom AFB it is strongly discouraged on even mentioning that you have seen anything UFO related on a dispatch to your superiors. This was just an unspoken rule if you didn't want to be stripped of your PRP status and sent to an Airforce shrink. 1354237790 +This is kinda hard to wrap my mind around - if only 1 single person takes this test, does it mean it will be 99% accurate in that one case? 1311971909 +I love this one:\n\n>I agree, those foods do help if they are indeed organic and not poisoned with agricultural chemicals (sprays, pesticides, herbicides, etc.). Last week I bought some expensive frozen berries from a respected grocery chain. Soon after having my berry smoothies, I got headaches. Finally figured out that the berries were linked to my headaches. Most likely due to a reaction to the toxins the berries were sprayed with. I do hope the study used truly organic food.\n\nCan't tell if it's meant as a joke or if it's a severe case of brain freeze. 1353111359 +space.com\n\nJust to make you read that tripe! 1337035484 +It's going to be interesting to see some analysis of this.\n\nIf it is true then great, we've learnt something very fascinating about reality.\n\nI do think though that we're going to find some rather serious flaws, or the results are not going to be repeatable and this is going to be an embarrassing moment for Cornell University. 1288921290 +The suspense is killing me. 1339104818 +Yup, I generally leave it at a single reply and let the thread die. Perhaps one would call it a "Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence" approach. He clearly has more energy to argue than I do, so there is no sense in it. But if he actually follows a link and reads it every once in a while, super. Maybe he'll change his mind.\n\nI really wonder what the inner thought life of a guy like this is. What must his inner dialogue be like each time he submits the same link over and over again? It is so foreign to me. 1263422547 +...or a Catholic Saint 1351098174 +> Monsanto on the other hand is in the business of patented seeds. It's illegal to save their seeds for replanting. You cannot adapt their seeds to your corner of the world. If they are not suited to your fields, Monsanto will sell you pesticides and fertilizers instead of letting you adapt the seeds yourself. This goes against the basic premise of growing food and does not help the world, only helps Monsanto.\n\nIllegal in what sense, though? Illegal in the sense that it's a breach of the contract you signed with Monsanto? If that's the case then that is perfectly acceptable.\nIllegal in the sense that it's a criminal act? Then lobby your government, that's unacceptable and should not be a crime at all. 1326362928 +I think the biggest problem is that this article considers Anderson Cooper and Michelle Obama as credible people. I mean yeah, people listen to what they say, but that doesn't make them any more reasonable or less susceptible to bullshit than the average American. 1354174509 +My parents, siblings and I moved into my grandparents old house. My first experience was my grandmother telling me that she didn't like what i do in her house, which could be many thigs. 1349016417 +yeah, I saw that........ oh well. 1349692951 +That picture is totally disgusting. 1321750075 +>The fact that you have "proven" that the fire was really really cold and really really hot demonstrates the nonsensical illogical nature of your position.\n\nDo you really have that much trouble with reading comprehension?\n\nThe fires were cool, as most of the fule burned away within seconds. Something other than the jet fuel is required for the observed heat after the collapse.\n\nThat is, before the collapse, the fires were cooling very quickly. After the collapse, there is lava, pulverized concrete, etc.\n\n>You get so caught up in trying to "disprove" the molten aluminium that you end up "disproving" your alternative of molten steel!\n\nThis is bizarre psychobabble. 1315326636 +I'd like to play a sleight Devil's Advocate here. I'm not going to go so far as saying they work, but perhaps the gentleman at the kiosk genuinely thought that they do? Furthermore, what are the truth-in-advertising laws about something like this? 1333927754 +Hey, those activator things are great props to add some extra placebo effect to your massage. 1291178046 +Ilan Linddiga May 15, 1976. \n\nTwo questions: 1) When will make a career transition ? 2) What is my life purpose?\n\n 1354478917 +As a straight man in his 20s, I honestly think James Randi could finagle a kiss or two out of me. 1334547762 +>You know, I've made a stunning realization...\n\n>You're a total dick! Wow!\n\nOK\n\n>But in all seriousness, you derailed initially with your "perpetual motion device" comment.\n\nNot really. Essentially, the laws of thermodynamics need to be broken to "cure" aging.\n\n>But hey, take solace in the fact that, not only am I using a tu quoque fallacy,\n\n...Not at all?\n\n> I've directly insulted your character! \n\nOk\n\n>Even though I didn't conclude that you were wrong for being a dick, I'll accept the ad hominem label, too. \n\nBut that would be incorrect, as you apparently know unlike most.\n\n>Because I'm such a nice guy. ;)\n\n...I doubt you're any more agreeable than I am.\n\n>Oh, but please, don't let these stand in the way of your claims of victory.\n\nOk\n\n>I aim to please!\n\nAre you a prostitute? 1354078150 +Let's think about this, why that much of a close up showing that much of a background for no reason? There are a ton of apps for this and it seems like a picture from a phone. So, I do not believe it is real what-so-ever. 1344106394 +Chinese lanterns \n\nhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001S818QS/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/188-1802753-7906008\n 1340516261 +Tell them you feel that your personality or behavior is not affected by the positions of the starts and the planets, but instead, the position of the starts and planets are influenced by your personality and behavior! It seems just as likely. 1309587000 +google "low level laser therapy" -no idea if this is what they mean, but LLLT is not woo. 1355153912 +This looks a lot like a skinned monkey or some other such animal. 1303241485 +>researchers\n\nThey're just divers salvaging wreckage in the Baltic. Nothing to see here. 1338443792 +... is it wrong that this seems like sort of an awesome relationship to me? 1334528733 +I think many of these alternative methods have at least something that works for them. So of course, if some of the Ayurvedic treatments have merit, adopt them, discard the rest. Doesn't mean Ayurveda as a whole should be taken seriously. It's still quackery which by chance came up with something useful.\n\nA theory, that has been proven wrong should be discarded, no matter if there are small parts that actually work. 1287316258 +Congrats on the new job. I hope you can keep your sanity. 1296411728 +apparently eating a Chinese doctor's penis can cure impotence in tigers 1297011683 +I have been there twice, went to the graveyard at night (Got throw out 20 minutes later) and went to the Wade House both times, creepy shit. 1331170296 +we need a copypasta handbook; maybe a chrome extension with some checkboxes that lead to an appropriate copypasta suggestion 1354054082 +Don't tell the homeopaths this, they'll run with it as proof of their entire field of "Medicine." 1302126029 +It will, in fact, result in not having that condition. 1316436293 +I agree with you, I feel like once these things have been revealed to me, I can never forget and I have been learning to do it on my own, sometimes consciously but more often by accident. Sometimes I feel like I'm the luckiest person in existence. 1341714240 +That footage is fucking shithouse 1339901536 +My sincerest thanks, then.. Sorry, edited the post out of frustration because absolutely nothing happens here 1347474223 +Also, the vaccine has to be boosted every several years. 1327887997 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias 1346189686 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias 1307603371 +Read *Project Identification* by Dr. Harley Rutledge. He was a physics professor and former chair of the Missori Academy of Sciences who conducted field investigations for years during a wave of reports. \n\nRead up on Project Hessdalen and their recent research. Here's just one paper on their use of spectral analysis to study the elemental makeup of the \n\n*[Optical spectrum analysis of the Hessdalen phenomenon Preliminary report June 2007](http://www.itacomm.net/ph/2007_HAUGE.pdf) Bjørn Gitle Hauge\nAssistant Professor Østfold University College, 1757 Halden, Norway E-mail: bjorn.g.hauge@hiof.no 1348518813 +I upvoted you cause that guy was way too uptight. 1314727280 +Osteopathic physicians probably shouldn't be on the list, at least if they are from the United States or any other country that trains and regulates them similar to medical doctors. [In the 21st century, the training of osteopathic physicians in the United States is very similar to that of their MD counterparts. Osteopathic physicians attend 4 years of medical school followed by at least 3 years of residency. They use all conventional methods of diagnosis and treatment. Though still trained in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM), the modern derivative of Still's techniques, a minority of osteopathic physicians use it in actual practice.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteopathic_medicine_in_the_United_States) 1326124916 +No he appears on Doritos, which is pretty much the same as saying that something UNIDENTIFIED on a radar is an alien spacecraft. 1332245713 +Absolutely! They all have the same kind of creepy music too. Seriously... just show us the footage, don't try to dramatize it. 1315408228 +Care to provide studies that do now show a link between human activity and climate change? 1342577999 +Did you read the original paper before holding forth with this opinion? It has nothing to do with emails being "badly written".\n\nThe paper asks the question, "Why do scammers claim they are from Nigeria when virtually everyone knows that Nigerian financial propositions are scams?"\n\nThe answer is to garner responses only from the most gullible.\n\nHere's [the paper](http://research.microsoft.com/pubs/167719/WhyFromNigeria.pdf). Here are a couple of paragraphs:\n\n> An examination of a web-site that catalogs scam emails\n>shows that 51% mention Nigeria as the source of funds\n>[1], with a further 34% mentioning Cˆote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Senegal or some other West African\n>country (see Figure 7). This finding is certainly supported by an analysis of the mail of this genre received\n>by the author.\n>\n>Why so little imagination? Why don’t Nigerian scammers claim to be from Turkey, or Portugal or Switzerland or New Jersey? Stupidity is an unsatisfactory answer: the scam requires skill in manipulation, considerable inventiveness and mastery of a language that is\n>non-native for a majority of Nigerians. It would seem\n>odd that after lying about his gender, stolen millions,\n>corrupt officials, wicked in-laws, near-death escapes and\n>secret safety deposit boxes that it would fail to occur\n>to the scammer to lie also about his location. That the\n>collection point for the money is constrained to be in\n>Nigeria doesn’t seem a plausible reason either. If the\n>scam goes well, and the user is willing to send money, a\n>collection point outside of Nigeria is surely not a problem if the amount is large enough.\n>\n 1340337861 +Your head absorbs rf meaning less radiates, less into head equals higher signal strength radiated from the phone body system. 1342317671 +We've only recently found out how truly effective placebo is with extensive double blind studies and they are certainly working to understand it even better so we can use it. For example, they have studies out that prove if the doctor wears a white coat vs jeans, the efficacy of placebo is improved. And its only useful for certain things. Pain being the biggest maybe. (sorry for no citations, but I read about most of this in http://www.trickortreatment.com/) 1290099404 +At around 35 seconds you can see something come into view below it. I'm willing to guess he's standing in front of a window, and it's the reflection of something behind the camera. 1303364164 +For reference purposes, the other Redditor who deleted his posts was [RowdyFattyPiper](http://www.reddit.com/user/RowdyFattyPiper). 1296450616 +This needs to be at the top. While the political/corporate influence that leads to the massive use of HFCS is important, I think this more directly addresses the question posed. 1340463211 +As dsgnr already noticed, the lead patient in this episode is an actor. \n\nThe Curiosity facebook page already is filling up with comments of people complaining about this. \n\nOne comment there reads: "Faking scientific results makes it even harder to convince the public that real scientific results are, well, real. Many people deny the science of evolution and climate change every day, to our detriment, but with this kind of nonsense out there, is it any wonder?"\n\nFuck the Discovery Channel. 1351620432 +>\n\nSome people are allergic to the vaccines, or have other health reasons for not being able to be properly immunized. \n\nBut more specifically. infants and toddlers are not fully vaccinated until around 2yo (and don't typically get their first round of shots until 2 months old). This is the group that gains the most from "herd immunity". 1345903818 +WHO is the WHO? HAAA!\n\n(Warning: exposure to this joke may cause rectal cancer) 1291923421 +Ahh the Waverly Hills episode of Ghost hunters is crazy!!! Check out the video i posted below of Crownsville Hospital (md) which is very near to where I live. It's a lot like Waverly I think 1347233695 +If you don't mind me being cold and analytical about it, I'd say there are moderate number of teenage girls that write journals filled with depressed poetry, etc. I'd just mark it up to coincidence that one happened to die in the large timeframe ("This will be my last year, Lord. I have gotten what I can. Thank you.") she set for herself.\n\nI don't think there is any evidence of this, but it may also be possible that if she thought it was her purpose to die young, and she sees someone with a gun in front of her, she may have put herself into harm's way.\n\nBut like I said, that's hypothetical. 1317264276 +I haven't seen it in a long time, but i've seen it since that house. 1345215958 +> It didn't start with the same architecture\n\nMust have been pretty extensive patches. 1287691487 +Any. At all. 1331298474 +Does potash exist in the human body to cause that, or would it react with something else in the gastro-intestinal tract? 1310873178 +You are mistaking stupidity for ignorance. 1327358170 +Right. And I would have further proved my skills by allowing the hoax to continue as long as possible.\n\nIf this were sex for instance, I wouldn't want someone pulling out prematurely and then announcing their sexual prowess. 1332978616 +So you make around $200K-300K? Well, first of all, that's good. Good for you. Cool (no sarcasm).\n\nSecondly, however, I'll say that 1) having money isn't the only way to make the world a better place. Matter of fact, it seems money is actually one of the THE main reasons that the world has turned into the shit hole that it is. Therefore....\n\nWait a minute . . . I just re-read what you wrote, and realized how *extremely* ambiguous I'm finding it . . . There are various different ways to take it.\n\nOne way seems to have to involve a vote of support for the Thrive documentary. The guy is obviously definitely rich. However, it DOES seem (at least to some people) that he's trying to use his money to make the world a better place . . . So that's a good thing, right? Right.\n\nOf course your second sentence can be what is payed more attention to and the Thrive guy can be interpreted as being one of the rich that are trying to "keep it all to themselves", if you will.\n\nNot quite sure how to take what you wrote, therefore.\n\nEither way, I still stand behind what I said. This doc seems to bring up some valid points, and I thought it was a decent film.\n\nPersonally, however, I REALLY like the docs made on [Jacque Fresco and The Venus Project](http://www.thevenusproject.com/). That cat right there seems to have a good idea about how to do things.\n\nOf course his ideas will likely *never* come to pass on this planet - currently the human race is far, far too remedial and primitive - but they are great, forward-thinking ideas he has. I think Foster Gamble and Jacque Fresco's ideas could coexists decently. 1338572776 +> DoctorYuyi possibly trying to cover up the fact that he faked the letter, and the SeceretSanta moderators possibly trying to cover up the fact that they acted with too much haste on a possibly fake letter without questioning the accused person.\n\nOccam's razor would indicate that this explanation is less likely than a more simple explanation, unless there is some evidence to back it up. As of right now, there is no such evidence, but rather only speculation. The simplest explanation is the same which the evidence currently indicates, namely that Yuyi did indeed receive the hateful missive, and as such is the most reasonable opinion to hold on this subject.\n\nA conspiracy such as this is also somewhat questionable by examining the character of the Moderators. At a cost of much time and effort, and perhaps monetary investment as well (for what ostensibly appears an altruistic purpose), it is doubtful that the Moderators would then choose to 'cover up' an error of theirs instead of taking full responsibility and taking steps to correct a mistake. 1323026194 +And I will clarify: relying only on Google results, no matter their number, is not enough to count as genuine research. A methodical survey of the scientific literature available is in my opinion the only way to form a sufficiently informed opinion, and I don't think this can be accomplished through Google searches. 1346017830 +Fire cleanses all. 1342946853 +You do want to make sure it heals properly, other wise the flexibility of the arm is affected. 1300626580 +I have only had dreams a few times, not a lot, mostly just feelings. I don't have to touch someone, or even see them, I can feel what is up even if they are behind me. I think that's why my house felt haunted when I was little, I could feel their energy and didn't know what to think of it. Every place is haunted. That was especially bad, but I learned to trust my feelings. I have some serious intuition, like leaving an area right before something bad happens there or deciding last second not to go based on a feeling and later see something bad happened there. I lost my mother, too, and she felt things like I do. The night before she died, we laid awake all night, she in her bed and I in mine, talking through our hallway about what she wanted for me and my brother if anything happened to her. It was like we both knew, but nobody said it, we just talked as if we knew we wouldn't get to talk again. There is a lot more than this as well, getting late here, but pm me and we will chat more tomorrow. I am sorry to hear about your mother, it is for the best that you weren't there, you may have been hurt yourself if you had been. 1317707932 +The problem is, that this is about as much "science" as curing migrane headaches with trepanning. Sure, you may have fewer headaches afterwards, but the cause was an inflamed nerve that the healing process from the act of **cutting a hole in your skull** relieved. 1310863569 +No problem. I've added you to my friendslist - feel free to add me.\n\nShe's better at horror movies than I am but I will pass it along, lol. 1329517722 +If you have a blacklight, turn off the lights and check yourself for anything weird that glows.\n\nSometimes abductees get UV reactive marks on their bodies 1347550455 +So I guess this is what all that nasty New Vegas business was about. Seems pretty lame to have a war over, I mean it's only $25. 1323636844 +>One can only hope a better less contested meta-analysis is produced on this.\n\nIndeed. As I understand it, anybody who got their hands on the data from the Wax paper could not reproduce its findings with regard to that neonatal death rate.\n\n>I would say that the best way to deal with this would be to make hospitals friendlier and less medical-frenzied... You can have the best of both world by implementing sensible midwife-assisted procedures in state-of-the-art hospitals. Imagine a birthing house next to an ICU. That's where I'd want to go.\n\nNow THAT, my friend, is a reasonable conclusion based on scientific evidence that appeases both "sides" of this debate to the highest degree possible. Good work.\n 1352302200 +Well, I'd expect the Watchtower to respond favorably to [Bob Dylan Covers. ](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Along_the_Watchtower) 1328010393 +She forgot the link. Since you came here once to look at it, might as well send you an orangered to let you know you can give it a look with the actual image linked to. 1296987723 +But they wouldn't care about that, because they are funded by TV licence fees, not adverts. \n\nI guess we'll never *truly* know. [X-files theme music starts paying] 1321404514 +more like math... 1302331193 +So... what subreddit are we in again? Maybe she could go to the witchdoctor, too, provided it is not too expensive. 1326035926 +I don't need data to back up anecdotal evidence that was strong enough to keep me from having any desire to take a drug that has been tested for less than a year. That and I already caught H1N1 and recovered. 1256170369 +I listen religiously (ha). Thanks for this link, I haven't seen that one yet. 1273730611 +Oh yeah that's true on the recorder I didn't even think of that. But like I had said I bought the Zoom to record my music, I just noticed that you don't get much white noise with that. But I will looking into that Olympus for sure. What kind of video camera, if at all, do you use? Cause I know that I may need a night vision type and I don't think the Flip has that. Thanks for the response! 1340027254 +Wait, OortCloud claims that Velikovski was right? Some evidence of that would be great, because wow.... That would be really stupid. 1354968943 +I think what "burnoutelite" is saying so eloquently is that you had sleep paralysis or maybe more directly a dream. When you were able to move the "apparition" went away (or perhaps you were more awake and thus the dreaming stopped.\n\nMost people don't hallucinate from just one late night but that's not to say you can't especially if you're under emotional stress and you're trying to sleep. 1324897966 +The fundamental problem is climate change theory is that there isn't "enough" data to compare to. Though we have solid sunlight evidence going back to the early Soviet era (we're blocking out the sun over the last 100 years), that's still nowhere near far back enough. 30 years of climate change data doesn't even amount to a blip of relevant data.\n\nThis is especially true with green house gases. We thought the ozone hole in the polar regions would swallow the earth whole, but instead shrank back down completely contradicting the greenhouse gas hypothesis. This has been the story of virtually all attempts to predict climate change.\n\nThat's the real inconvenient truth. It's much like UFOlogy, the data is there, but not the verification of the hypothesis. So **even if it's real**, we just don't have the smoking gun.\n\nFurther complicating matters, there are very rich companies that spend a lot of real money spewing nonsense for political clout. So when people read that shit, they overreact. It's very strange that a person like Plait doesn't acknowledge that possibility. 1354578363 +People can get into an uproar over the silliest things sometimes. Whatever. Who gives a fuck. I'm off to watch Syfy. 1343391781 +hate to break it to you, but they're ALL "woo words". 1300564968 +Yeah fuck, I've heard some crazy shit but this is the best by far. \n\nI'm going to form a whole new religion on this bullshit and bleed stupid people dry. 1333978442 +You mean witnessing the KNOWN laws of physics being broken. Right? 1337540873 +Doesn't seem any crazier than the madness currently going on in the world while I eat my lamb dinner. 1325315850 +Thanks, this seems like the best approach. I've certainly decided against the long and winding email I've written about the article she sent (it's 0730 here and I already have another two from her!).\n\nI'm, like you suggest, going to try and bring it up in more relaxed and subtle ways to hopefully plant that seed of doubt in her mind that makes her stop and think before handing over her hard-earned to some idiot in a robe (I assume they wear robes? Most woo do. What's with that?!) 1295508490 +except for the distance that its moving and his distance from the tree he would have to be swaying meters side to side on a dolly. 1337235662 +I also got Jill Stein and in general my views coincide with the Green Party much more than the Democratic party, but voting for a Green in the national presidential election will have no effect, it will "throw your vote away".\n\nThe right solution is to elect Green party members locally: for mayor, state rep, state senate, or U.S. congress. That's the way to build a third party, and give them the resources to run and win a national campaign.\n\nThere are dozens of Green party members in office throughout the country now, and hundreds more running for office in November. Check them out!\n 1345494736 +Who said it requires belief to work? People didn't believe in electricity until someone proved it by using it to make sparks until then people thought it was the wrath of some pissy deity, people did not perceive the advent or radio or radar until it was proven but there were theories, and people did not have to believe in space flight thinking it only a flight of fancy until we shot monkeys and cosmonauts into space. 1353502048 +Nobody here is advocating accepting Kurzweil's speculations as gospel truth. This is /r/skeptic after all. But dreamers like him are extremely useful in pushing us all to imagine what *could be* in the near (or distant) future, and inspire people to work towards a better world. Futurists and speculative thinkers like Kurzweil, Dyson, etc., almost over-promise by necessity, since most of the world tends to under-promise and under-inspire. They are a useful counterweight to cultural inertia. 1353096292 +8 million dollars is not necessarily enough to entice one militia to go to war against another. How much do you think has already been spent trying to get this guy\n\nAlso: they actually do not want to be responsible for a bloodbath caused by a war between two militias. I don't think you have thought this through.\n\nIf you gave me 8 million dollars to teach American youth about Uganda, I probably could not do better than this. 1331300582 +I like your style. 1321254997 +I like your style. 1322707301 +This shit kills me, why are you mentioning Bristol Palin in your argument. When are people going to understand that statements like that detract from their argument and do not help the issue. People like this write to the people on their side, thinking it will get them a figurative 'amen' but preaching to the choir is a circle jerk. Write to the people you're trying to convince of your argument. Huge pet peeve for me. 1309999672 +Did he also talk about how after he dies his followers will search the world for an infant to take from its parents and worship as a god? 1337101963 +I am sorry, but I cannot consider ANYBODY intelligent (at least in the area of critical thinking) who isn't instantly able to see that homeopathy is complete and utter horse shit, by it's claims alone. where do they think the water that homeopathic garbage is made with comes from, magic? anyone who can't instantly think to themselves "well, that water has been coming into contact with pretty much everything on this planet for over 4 billion years" is not a person I would call intelligent 1286574644 +1. Obviously, Ramtha likes Botox. "Energy" is not meant for such profane tasks as preventing wrinkles on the face of an ageing bullshit peddler.\n2. How can you claim copyright on the creative output of someone else (albeit a channeled being in this case)? 1281443104 +It's funny though, how the only argument they gave for not being able to describe something about a person they couldn't see was because they couldn't see them. 1351956557 +that it behaves differently when observed. Huh? ponderous, simply ponderous. It simpler terms; the smartest motherfuckers on the planet have no clue, what makes you so sure? 1319661162 +I liked the whole article and then I got to this:\n\n>I have enough rum to get through the rest of my life, but the rest of you would do well to heed my warning: if you do not rein in your social scientists, your civilization is doomed.\n\nC'mon.\n\nOh and also this:\n\n>There may be aliens in the universe, but it is false to say, today, "in effect, evidence is supporting the notion that aliens can and do live in the universe."\n\nThat said, still a good article. I'm reading The Psychopath Test right now so I'm currently interested in the subject. Thanks for sharing.\n\n 1312843284 +Besides the obvious issue of the drug's effects on cognition, there's also a situational similarity. They're promoting/using a "natural" substance that they feel has been unfairly persecuted by "the Man". It's not a great leap for them to assume that other natural and "spiritual" remedies have been similarly mistreated by the medical/science establishment. Plus both are very popular with hippies (neo- or otherwise), so there's a demographic correlation there. 1322853618 +"Immortal" just means that the government does not have a predictable or inevitable end, unlike living things. Even if the US government ended, the next government would still find it difficult not to live up to the previous government's responsibilities. It certainly **could** default on everything, and might, but there would be a nasty penalty to pay.\n\nIt's a bit like credit card companies offering unqualified college student way too much credit, because they know that most of them will get bailed out by their credit-worthy parents. A bit like that, but not really. 1326310029 +I recently read that we might be up to 400 years off, that an entire chunk of the middle ages actually doesn't exist at all. \n\nWHAT NOW, MAYANS? 1295039122 +coast to coast is awesome awesomeness!!! True, its much better when there are serious scientists and experts on as guests for the actual information and a nice dose of reality. But the other shows with crazy bastards ranting about doomsday, lizard people, nazis on the moon, ghosts hauntings and other wacky topics is just good ol' fun... & there's the slim possibility that these conspiracy theories are somewhat true, Which is horrifying. 1330681680 +Deepak v2.0? 1333629558 +Do it! 1319432010 +So therefore it's just better to be even more conditioned and lied to ? Is that your idea of a better future? Just be passive and let the government fuck you in the ass daily? 1342055408 +The Avro Car was a Canadian project. Avro was a Canadian company most famous for the Avro Arrow.. which the USA made them destroy because it was better than their planes. There is even an old Canadian flag clearly visible at 8:28. This flag: http://newmnflag.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/canadian_red_ensign_5.jpg\n\nಠ_ಠ\n 1339300569 +Take it back. It's a defective product. 1294139447 +I actually got the idea after listening to a lot of Alan Watts. I heard Bill Hicks later and was like, "woooah." 1335062544 +Ahh, yes. I neglected to account for [succussion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Succussion#Preparation), the ten hard shakes required to activate the vital essences of the preparations. Which causes me to wonder if succussion was added to the homeopathic process simply to overcome this very analysis. 1294338960 +It's funny because this actually did happen. I read through this thread after I posted; I know a lot of them are fake. Mine happened, it's up to you whether you want to believe it or not. I obviously have no proof to give you. 1352259716 +norway still has an income gap, albeit smaller than other countries, it still operates by capitalist motives; profit over sustainability, ethics, employment and so on. the government attempts to hold the negatives in check by various institutions and regulation, but this is really just treating the symptoms. \n\nyou are stuck in your capitalist/monetary paradigm, where you need to make money to survive, and all "ideal" structures like research, higher education and so on are funded through taxation. you really need to read up on _alternative_ economic systems, and not expect explanations of how another system would function, using mechanisms and patterns from the current system.\n\ni would read up on syndicalism, participatory economics or even the gift economy if you really are interested. 1287563971 +Like I say so many times; Them aliens man..... 1331578011 +Maybe an other worldly being needed a lid 1330033019 +>They seem to mind control people of influence\n\nI'm curious to this. Are these men people of influence or are you talking about another/other cases? Or are you saying they influence people far in advance?\n\nMost of the things i've read (and i'll admit I don't go very deep) only seem to be regarding people who don't really matter at all (in the grand scheme of things). 1351572302 +""I'm not sure what goes on there at Health Canada, but they should be paying attention to these studies because they must know they exist," he said. "Maybe they're tied to the industry too close"\n\nARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS? HEALTH CANADA IS IN A CONSPIRACY WITH DLINK AND LINKSYS!?!??!\n\nthis is making me rage so fucking hard 1287511305 +>...it's not even that big of a deal\n\n\nCan you provide *any* scientific proof of your claim that this is not that big a deal? Is it more or less of a \ndeal than, say, Franklin D. Roosevelt's 'New Deal'? If you cannot back up your claims with even the slightest scientific proof, save them for elsewhere. Mindless speculation does nothing to advance the discussion about my right to eat a heaping bowl of salt. 1317144099 +Way ahead of you! Always kinda funny when they chop those up and 'repost' them on TAL. 1288055060 +Yeah, I wasn't going to bite, but I'm bored this afternoon. It's not about ignoring people, it's abour exploring all possible causes. Evidence doesn't back up the hypothesis that EM radiation or frequencies are causing these symptoms. Much better, surely, to help people by researching elsewhere? 1315913431 +Homepathy is real, you just need to give it a chance. [](/troll) 1305424330 +I have this theory that the U.s. media can be used to interpret events. Take, back when Bush was doing his shit, 24 came out, Jack Bower, the man who had to torture to save America, go to any extremes, and teach us terrorists are scary. Recently, V came out, so if you have ever seen it you'll probably get it when I say I think the government is either trying to soften us up to the idea we are not alone, or to get us defensive about aliens. So far the aliens in V are pricks of the highest degree, so make your own judgment.\n\n\\rant 1261191231 +I don't think anyone's suggesting that some normal, stable guy saw this graphic and immediately jumped to the conclusion that "oh I should go kill some people." It's more about the use of violent political rhetoric that's pushed some people (who were probably unstable already) to go and do some crazy and dangerous things. 1294589678 +>I'm not a moon hoax proponent, just a pain-in-the-ass playing Devil's Advocate. 1284745015 +the alliesofhumanity.org material is very impressive in its overview of the ET phenomena 1342889938 +Simon who? 1349351341 +Isn't depression really hard to measure? More so in mild cases, I would think. The research your directing us to is done on severe cases of depression, the effect may be different for mild cases as OP states. \n\nedit: [Here is some research that says it works.](http://www.bmj.com/content/330/7490/503.abstract) (from the fancy snake oil graphic thing.) 1310030160 +Very well balanced documentary, great watch.\n\nI'm surprised to see Brian Cox at the end, how did they convince him to be on a nut-job conspiracy theory documentary? 1338664358 +I don't think I ever said anyone made a "Beeline" to earth. Also I understand that you are using your "Unlikely" and "Impossible" to hedge your bet. Its like being pregnant they exist or they don't.\n\n If they exist there is more then 1 race of aliens. If there is more then one alien race then the chance of discovery of this planet is more and more "likely" by one of them.\n\n Also I think at this point I should point back to one of your original points. "I find it far more likely that we're seeing misidentified terrestrial craft, weather phenomena, products of imagination and top-secret military craft." This is a line that ET critics have parroted over and over. Here is what most of them "fail to grasp". Us "ET enthusiasts" will admit that 95% or so of all ufo sightings are military or terrestrial crafts or some explainable phenomenon. Its that 5% that even project Blue Book could not explain away that intrigue me. Out of those 5% it only takes 1 to be real for us not to be alone.\n\n The nice part about this is in my lifetime (most likely by 2017) we will know the truth one way or the other. 1240773444 +> A lot of comments with very clear antisemite agendas are getting loads of upvotes.\n\nOK. I thought you had inferred that the original claim was antisemitic. My point still stands. Claims of "antisemitism" is over used to try and discredit facts.\n\nCan you point out the specific comments that are anti-Semitic and are also getting loads of upvotes?\n\n> Please don't imply I'm a zionist who'll claim 'antisemitism' at the slightest criticism of the Israeli government.\n\nI didn't say that. Please do not try to knock down strawman arguments that I have not made. That is putting words in my mouth. 1301867282 +maybe it's because most don't actually have lights and thus we can't see them.\n\nmaybe it's because most, if not all, UFOs are of human origin. 1347357398 +he is a [fundamentalist christian who is a bible literalist.](http://doubtfulnews.com/2012/10/ancient-aliens-debunked-by-biblical-literalist/).. thats not to discount the good skeptical parts of the video. But we could probably cut off the biblical part.\n\nThis kinda stuff is actually dangerous, it is mixing meds with m&ms. I love the good parts, but this could easily harm someone learning to be a skeptic. They see the good parts and start to develop a reverence for the speaker and feel he is proving religion is true. 1352647295 +It's most likely the bloody high pitch noise of the CRT causing your symptoms. 1315956215 +That's amazing. I can't think of an explanation for that one. 1279763049 +If I am to believe everything I've heard about food, nothing is safe to eat and we're all best off dying of starvation. 1329669172 +I saw one of those as a kid where the output (in that case a pipe coming from a box) was supported by four thin wires (as well as the pipe, superstitiously) which I thought was even cooler. I had to eventually ask (after about an hour of thinking about it). I've seen several, but the ones with the whole device floating seem wrong to me - there's an instant hint that something is totally amiss here (giant blue faucets do not hang in the air like that). It looks cooler if the device looks stable, but mysteriously produces infinite water. 1356797336 +You think fractures are all like the one you shown above? The vast majority of breaks show no displacement, and can only be identified by small dark lines where the break is. However, as with a lot of x-rays, there are dark lines in a number of places for a number of reasons, so incorrect diagnosis of fractures (either false positives or false negatives) happen fairly regularly. Sometimes the x-ray is inconclusive, and the person will be sent home to see how the injury progresses, and if symptoms persist they do the x-ray again to see if it's any clearer.\n\n 1348285722 +I'm not trying to be rude either but what do you expect? 1353459856 +I saw that, I've been trying to go through it. Let's not get caught up with the confirmation and validation of it all, if your reasoning overlaps, that's great, I'm glad we had that convo either way. 1353420266 +> If we have an observation that contradicts a theory, we can safely invalidate the theory without having a new one.\n\nWhen data seems to invalidate old theories, there are multiple possible explanations, including a wide variety of problems with the data. That is why people are *more* skeptical of studies which violate our current understanding of science than those which agree with our current understanding; the odds of an error which creates disagreement are, in general, much higher than the odds of an error creating consilience. Which was the original point of the comment thread.\n\nHowever, even if it is confirmed that the aberrant data is correct, that doesn't mean we just throw out the old theory. We look for modifications which would incorporate the new information, and even if we don't have those, we continue to use the old theory in many cases until we have something better. We might do so with the caveat that we know of at least one problem with the current theory, but it was the current theory because it was a highly successful explanatory framework. Science doesn't just stop and wait until someone comes up with a replacement (although you can be damn sure people will be working furiously on such replacements). 1346945636 +I have never personally demonstrated that gravity on earth is roughly 9.8 m/s^2 as I assume you also have not. I have also never observed the cracking of an atom, that doesn't mean they can't be cracked. I assume you believe many things you have not personally verified, but with evidence it is right for you to have accepted them.\n\nSkepticism is about not accepting a story *without evidence*. Denying anything you haven't personally experienced regardless of gathered evidence is not skepticism it is denialism. 1343462705 +Wow. That's not considered alt med. It's a hormonal supplement that may be presenting endocrine issues and is currently bring studied. Circadian entrainment is complicated and your comments suggest that you are grossly uninformed about biological processes. 1319741243 +Thanks. Nice to know someone on here has a sense of humor. 1322623311 +>Everyone knows the earth is the center of the universe. 99% of the scientists agreed on it.\n\nYou're aware you linked to the wki page for Heliocentrism, which states that the Earth revolves around the sun, right? 1325295074 +They're bending cheap flatware with their hands... is there some kind of mystery about this? 1311972571 +But it's ultimately impossible to eradicate because it mutates rapidly to better spread and fight resistance, meaning the same population will be repeatedly infected with many strain of the same problem, probably forever? 1307558375 +That article was nothing but BS and quackery; pretty standard near death type experience you hear repeated all the time including this one. IDK how anyone could take it seriously. 1350072964 +How would they react?\n\nWell, they wouldn't see much after the military organisations of the world launch a few hundred thousand missiles into the sky. 1318201104 +Maybe, I've never thought of myself as a troll. Can you define what a troll is?\n\nI've always thought I was someone who was interested in UFO's and extraterrestrials. If those things are out there, I want to know about it. but If I see something that is quite obviously identified, something that is decidedly not a UFO, should I just keep my mouth shut?\n\nSo you don't want people pointing out the truth? That would seem strange for a community that is constantly claiming to want to get at the truth. 1326429431 +I'm not sure exactly what responses you were looking for, but I would just like to say that it has been long-established that vegetarian diets are *at least* just as healthy as omnivorous ones, and when compared to *regular* meat-eaters, usually more healthy. He linked to a couple studies, but a simple google search will yield plenty of others. \n\nI guess my real question is, what actually led you to *your* belief? His post was full of links, but yours was basically nothing more than the naturalistic fallacy. I mean seriously, what about "we have fists, therefore we need to punch people"? The existence of an ability *in no way* implies the existence of a necessity.\n\nTo date, I haven't really seen any studies which conclude that a properly-balanced vegetarian diet is unhealthy, so do you have any that you were basing your previous stance on? 1294006521 +Since he swings between extremes, I'd call him unreliable. 1329325477 +Ever watched Ghost in the shell? 1336069383 +I dunno. On one hand he brings interest in science, but on the other hand he does this by carving science to fill the mysticism shaped hole. 1345111938 +Buddhism isn't inherently good either. 1311262769 +I love that quote. 1341982346 +You already posted the link I would have given you.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsibility_for_the_September_11_attacks#Osama_bin_Laden_statements_after_9.2F11\n\nThere is only one video of (allegedly) him admitting guilt. There are multiple denials, sourced in that wiki article. Of course all of this is in the realm of allegation and the "fog of war". I don't know for sure, but things are obviously awry with Cheney and pal's narrative.\n\nJust curious, did you study Arabic in/for the military by any chance? 1320902454 +Short answer, no this is not proof of Extra-Terrestrials. Its only proof of strange things in the sky. I'm not a skeptic, but the level of proof is clear, the level of proof the planet Earth will need will be an encounter of the 3rd kind we all witness. \n 1352407889 +Yeah. When I see these things, even I say "OMG ALIENS" for a sec - because that would be fucking awesome - but then I have to stop myself and think a little more conservatively.\n\nThere's a buttload of reasons for these pictures. One is that they're hoaxes. Another one: aliens. It's possible, but not definite. 1331741575 +To break your metaphor: it's just not wheat from chaff, it's wheat, poison and chaff. Unlike Homeopathy, herbal medicine can be effective for sure. But that also means it can be dangerous. \n\nSo I wouldn't drink that stuff for it's herbal properities. I don't feel the need to be a test subject. But I mean if she likes the tea, whatever, it's probably just as fine as anything else. 1354156355 +Never heard of this guy, thanks for pointing him out. I particularly enjoyed:\n\n"Just because science doesn't know everything doesn't mean you can fill in the gaps with whatever fairy tale most appeals to you." 1312684212 +>Though it seems to be a problem mainly with the 30+ year olds. Younger people don't seem to believe in stuff like that\n\nhere in canada all the young folk believe in, well, whatever the media tells them. so when the media latches on to the next quack science BS, they learn it as fact. not all of us mind you (im in late 20s)\n\nif i had a dime for everytime someone recommended yoga, tai-chi, qi-gong or acupuncture, id be rich. i even had a chiropractor, who my friend brought to a party, try and convince me chiropracty(?) could cure cancer. 1290889166 +Because things people don't understand are automatically ascribed to a higher power. The most noteworthy example is [Chariots of the Gods.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariots_of_the_Gods%3F) 1284170705 +People really want to believe in a cosmic referee. 1329944526 +Seems full of woo (of the Jenny McCarthy variety) to me too. "double blinded' how? I'm pretty sure the diet stuff has been dismissed by scientists. Here is a post from Orac addressing some of the gluten stuff [link](http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2009/05/jenny_mccarthy_shows_off_her_knowledge_o.php) 1314289649 +Is there a cute girl that is also involved that he knows, once she fades out his interest may too? 1288712299 +Looks like he's going to report all the "harassing" we have done on the FB page to the cyberpolice. Oh no. 1345153958 +>No, that's not what it implies at all. It implies that they have a recent human female ancestor who apparently didn't contribute much to nuclear DNA. Something that shared a common ancestor with humans in the distant past would not produce these results.\n\nThis is nonsense. Any ancestor to humans would certainly result in some portion of "human" DNA if tested as they would have much the same genome. Anything primate that shared a recent common ancestor or was a recent ancestor would result with some "human" DNA. There's no reason why it wouldn't.\n\nI don't think you understand what we're testing for, we ARE testing for "humans", the results *should be* "human"; there is no confusion here. They're just a different kind of "human" with slightly different DNA than homo sapiens, which should entirely explains the overall differences in the DNA, because they are different, but not damn very. 1354414317 +>Noone is claiming it's a huge problem, but Dawkins is arguing that this problem and all problems like it aren't allowed to be annoying or frustrating.\n\nThis is being cited as an example of sexism and misogyny in the skeptic movement by Watson herself, and her most vocal supporters.\n\n>I expect more than a backpedaling from Dawkins after he used a fallacy he himself has bashed opponents for.\n\nWhat he said is only a logical fallacy if you're using it as the backbone of an argument and not as a blown-up example to illustrate your point. There is a colossal difference between saying "They have it worse than you, thus in conclusion your concerns are irrelevant" and using the example of muslim women being mutilated as a contrast to an awkward elevator ride. \n\nDawkins then responded to criticism by agreeing that his example was misleading and that what he wanted to get across was that an awkward elevator ride was not even an issue to begin with, and that people had misinterpreted the focus of his post.\n\n>Since the situation is different for men, a man shouldn't get the same sympathy.\n\nHow come? Can a man not feel uncomfortable in this situation? Is a man's discomfort not worth the same sympathy? Rebecca is trying to make this into an issue of sexism but it just does not apply in this case.\n\n>The sexism in the skeptic movement is clearly shown by the rape threats Rebecca receives and how people want to decide how she should feel and what boundaries she should have.\n\nThen why isn't the focus on rape threats? I can clearly and wholeheartedly get behind fighting that.\n\nWith regard to the latter part of your ending statement, how are people trying to decide how she should feel and what boundaries she should have? Who exactly is trying to set boundaries for her? As part of a free society she can do whatever the hell she wants but if she says something stupid she'll get called on it just like everyone else, including Dawkins for not chilling out a bit before writing his response.\n\n\n-----\n\nIf we talk about what happened, what was it that was so bad? What happened that was even objectionable?\n\nBy her own description, events occured as follows: She's leaving the conference late at night and upon reaching the elevator a guy that had exited the conference at the same time strikes up a conversation with her. His first line is "Hey, don't take this the wrong way but I think you're very interesting" and he then asks her if she wants to have coffee at his place. She says no. Rebecca then exits the elevator at her floor.\n\nAssuming there isn't an unstated plot twist including a chainsaw, is this really something worth complaining about? It would be nice to avoid an awkward elevator ride, but what exactly do you hope to accomplish by making an issue out of it? Would it be better if he had run to catch up with her in the corridor and asked there? Should he have asked while she was on stage? Should he sit down, realise that she is better than him and at the very least work on his abs before he tries to proposition a woman again?\n\nThe last part is obviously in exaggeration, but really, what should he do? What if you're a guy that genuinely likes a woman and this is the only chance you've got without actually being creepy and stalking her. He took the chance and asked her out and got rejected. That's that. Remember that there is zero opposition to a woman doing the same thing, which is the only part of this that has a connection to sexism.\n\nIt's also worth noting that had she found him attractive they would have gone up, maybe had sex, and we would never have never have heard about it. 1310065905 +Well, the question is "how much money do you have"?\n\nThe pro Nikons and Canons are excellent at low light. The D3s and D4 are fantastic, but you're talking about five to 6 thousand dollars.\nI'll be picking up a D4 soon so, I'll let you know how it works.\n\nIf you want to add night vision to a working DSLR or video camera, you're talking 6 - 7 thousand dollars alone for a gen 3 extension tube.\nFrom what I remember, there are two models, one with adjustable gain and one without and adaptors for many pro cameras.\n\nhttp://www.nightvisioncameras.com/nv-products.html\n\nhttp://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/399153-REG/AstroScope_9350_NIKS_3PRO_Night_Vision_Adapter_9350_NIKS_3PRO.html\nhttp://www.adorama.com/SOF914658.html\n\nKeep in mind that you'll also need great lenses. I use a Nikon 200 - 400 mm VR I, which cost 6200 dollars. The new models are close to 7000 bucks after taxes.\n\nhttp://www.adorama.com/NK2004002U.html\n\nOn a pro DSLR or video camera, a 400 mm lens is equal to 8x zoom. Using a teleconverter is not ideal.\n\nWhile a fixed (prime) lens is best with regards to quality and price, being able to zoom is very useful unless you want to set up a two camera system with different lenses.\n\nOther options are to adapt the video camera/DSLR to a spotting scope or a telescope like the Celestron C-6.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVB67azxBZg\n\nThis one sold for about 950 bucks.\n\nhttp://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=598525\n\nThey normally go for a bit more.\n\nhttp://www.celestron.com/astronomy/specials/cpc-telescope-sale.html\n\nOf course if you subscribe to http://reddit.com/r/DIY and have more time and talent than money, you can make your own telescope, which I think bears investigation.\n\nOf course, you'll need a solid tripod when zoomed in as any small motion (like your pulse) is strongly magnified when zoomed in 8x.\nFor my DSLRs, I use a Gitzo carbon fiber tripod, model 3531.\n\nhttp://www.amazon.com/Gitzo-GT3531LSV-Series-Section-Systematic/dp/B0019R1HYG\n\nFor a camera mount on top of the tripod, a ball head just lets the camera flop over and is a bad idea.\n\nI use a Wimberley head (gimbal head) instead, which allows the camera to pivot easily while staying balanced.\n\nhttp://www.tripodhead.com/products/wimberley-main.cfm\n\nhttp://www.adorama.com/WIWH200.html\n\nItems like Calumet's version of the Wimberley head are cost effective, as a Wimberley will cost up to 700 bucks with a mounting plate for the lens.\n\nhttp://www.calumetphoto.com/eng/product/calumet_large_lens_gimbal_head/ck7075\n\nOther options are to use a spotting scope with a DSLR. That is called Digiscoping.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cnm7Eghri8\n\nhttp://www.betterviewdesired.com/Nikon-Fieldscope-III-ED.php\n\nhttp://www.optics4birding.com/nikon-fieldscope-82ed-scope-review.aspx\n\nBut the pro "fieldscope" ultra telephoto lenses are not cheap and offer crazy zooms that may be too much. Prices go from 5500.00 on down. When you are zoomed in that much if you are shooting video, vibration reduction is a must.\n\nhttp://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ns=p_PRICE_2%7c1&ci=1032&N=4083534116&srtclk=sort\n\nhttp://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/11/23/nikon-announces-digiscoping-adapters-for-1-system\n\nhttp://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Fieldscope-20-60x60mm-Straight-Spotting/dp/B000QRZUZC\n\nhttp://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/610414-REG/Nikon_8290_Fieldscope_65mm_EDG_2_6_65mm.html\n\nhttp://www.nikon.com/products/sportoptics/lineup/scopes/index.htm\n\nFYI, here is a shot taken of the moon from my backyard in Texas using the following equipment:\n\n Nikon D3x (screw that, the D800 is much better a camera and 1/2 the price now)\n Nikon 200 - 400 VR I lens\n Nikon 2.0 Gen II Teleconverter (adds to the fuzzyness of the image, reduces sharpness)\n Gitzo 3531 carbon fiber tripod\n Wimberley gimbal head WH-200 Wimberley Head Version II \n Remote shutter cable\n\nhttp://i.imgur.com/MRcxO.jpg\n\nThis image was taken from a 6000 x 4000 original, scaled and sharpened.\n\nMost of the gear I have detailed (minus the tripod and head) is in the image below:\n\nhttp://i.imgur.com/gs5lZ.jpg\n\n 1356649238 +Maybe she was in the next car over. 1333001824 +Like I said, I'm trying to stay out of it, because I know I can't really discuss it in a tactful way without coming across as an asshole, that's sort of the main reason why (besides my natural lack of tact) :-). 1308251195 +I did the "Lights Out" tour last year. It was incredible! You are given a souvenir flashlight at the beginning of the tour, and it is pitch black in a lot of the rooms. The only downside was when you were in rooms that had walls that faced outside, you could hear all of the noise from the local radio station that was there, the other guests milling around waiting for their tour, and the ambient screams and spooky noises coming from the haunted maze out in the gardens.\n\nWe took the typical tour, but we were given a bit of freedom in poking around while the tour guide was doing her spiel. Mrs. Winchester's bedroom was creepy, but not in a paranormal way, just spooky in the dark. I walked into a cold spot in the ballroom, enough to give me goosebumps on my arm. My friend, a skeptic, noticed them, but then they were gone. That's the only thing that I considered odd.\n\nI would definitely suggest to do the "Lights Out" tour if you are ever in San Jose in October. Definitely worth it! 1349578003 +In that case I'd be cool with it, like "it's about damn time!" 1317986043 +You don't think that making grandiose claims with no evidence to support them is bullshit? /r/skeptic must not be a lot of fun for you. 1344219982 +i like what you did there 1325581141 +Not any real ones 1354105509 +Absolutely 100% positive it's an RC with LED.\n\nThis is vid of one filmed which was confirmed to be an RC at a local shopping mall to reference.\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FlOnXzeEfo\n 1356485975 +Sarcasm doesn't always have a place I suppose, but none of these are that hard to disprove and are brought up elsewhere. The ones that are correct (such as "bacon isn't that good for you" or "fast food isn't healthy") are true for different reasons than stated.\n\nSlightly off topic:\n> [8] Amanitas mushroom several reports describing pleasant taste\n\nseems highly surprising. They taste somewhat bitter, mostly like most poisonous mushrooms. I could, of course, be slightly biased as my mom picks mushrooms a lot and would show me how to chew and spit a small amount of hard to tell cases to see if it's an eatable one or one I need to make sure I don't eat, thus making me associate a taste something like this with "this is poisonous" when I later ate appropriate amounts recreationally. But really, I have a hard time seeing very many people taking a bite of it and not going "eww..".\n\nSome other tastes are pure bugs, something like lead salts or ethylene glycol shouldn't taste sweet but it randomly does. Some that aren't toxic are exploited as artificial sweeteners - you're body is misjudging it as containing simple carbs even though it really does not (or at least not any you can digest). Some others are a matter of a change in conditions - bacon or a big mac tastes good because they are packed with easy to digest nutrition but in the industrialized world the main problem isn't snarfing down enough calories as much as avoiding snarfing down too much. 1326742797 +I got used to this. One thing I noticed is that if you die in the dream or if someone tells you that you will die, the dream is false. 1340795222 +I'm completely fascinated by this guy. Not in a "I will give him some of my money." way, rather a "How does he walk around with those massive balls and total lack of shame?" way. 1316392379 +This article makes me so, so angry at anti-vaxxers. And I was already pretty angry at them. Now I think my skin is starting to turn green. 1348803867 +This is easily the most ridiculous news article I've ever seen. Why interview somebody that has casually made amateur CGI videos for two years? Surely there are more impressive interview candidates at any film school, anywhere.\n\nHow is this any different than a paid advertisement column at the back of a magazine? 1277265086 +Laughing out loud in the middle of the night when you have a thin wall between you and you neighbor is a bad idea. 1261554966 +> It goes against all of the horror stories of those who have had pretty violent and nightmarish abduction scenarios.\n\nYeah, but with pretty much all UFO/ET encounters/evidence most if not all of it is unprovable, so for all we know those "nightmarish" stories of alien abductions are also "snake oil salesmen". 1321430530 +This language changing is an attempt to circumvent previous court rulings against it.\n\nCreationism ruled not-science/religion-based? \nChange slightly - call it intelligent design.\n\nIntelligent design ruled not-science/religion-based? \nChange slightly - call it non-evolution.\n\nThis is going to keep on keeping on. 1300872500 +Hey thanks for sharing that was pretty sweet. 1330236279 +There was a mith of the LHC destroying the world, so I guess this counts as debunking. Maybe it's just a little late since all the fear-mongers finally shut up about it when it was turned on and the world was still there. 1337439092 +No, silly. Everyone will get *acid* burns. 1314107188 +This guy is also a /r/whiterights poster. Is this another one of your invasions? 1356370415 +I'm sorry I didn't make that clear. Thank you for the correction. 1356788864 +You didn't ask me for ethical criteria. Not sure what fiber and calorie counting has to do with anything. Our bodies require protein, fat, and carbohydrates - the three macronutrients. I simply eat the foods that provide these nutrients most effectively, the first two are covered quite well with meat and animal products. 1299470612 +That quote comes from a 1978 study. More recent results have indicated that calorie restriction reduces blood glucose, not a keto diet. [This article](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxyhost.library.tmc.edu/doi/10.1111/j.1528-1157.2000.tb00275.x/abstract) has a good discussion on it, which I've pasted below if you can't access the pdf. Other than that, I was only parroting what I'd heard in medical school, so I'd be happy for you to show me where I'm wrong.\n\n>Because the KD-induced elevation of ketone bodies mimics the effects of starvation, it has been proposed that the KD could also influence glucose metabolism as occurs in starvation (7,41). However, the results from several studies have not been consistent. For cxamplc,\nDeVivo et al. (36) reported a reduction of blood glucose levels in rats, whereas Al-Mudallal et al. (42) found no effects of the KD on the blood glucose levels in rats. Furthermore, only small or no changes in blood glucose levels have been reported for humans on the KD (37,43,44). To address this issue Curther, we measured the plasma glucose levels in EL mice treated with the KD. As in the Al-Mudallal et al. (42) studies, we found that Lhe KD does not reduce the blood glucose levels in EL mice despite the lack of carbohydrates in the diet. Normal glucose levels, however, do not exclude changes in brain energy metabolism caused by ketosis. For example, increased levels of @-OHB reduce glucose oxidation, whereas increased glucose enhances ketone body oxidation in the rat brain (26). Glucose also has a pcrmissive\neffect on lipid biosynthesis from ketone bodies in the brain (26). These studies suggest that a normal level of glucose is necessary for ketone body utilization in the brain. 1334330489 +You said that you didn't give a full name when making the appointment: doesn't matter. If the lady had caller I'd a simple reverse-look-up can get your name. This freaked me out at a pizza place the other day; I can't imagine how much more useful it'd be to a "psychic". 1308486603 +> Maybe I'm just being a pessimist.\n\nNot enough to even consider an inside job possible, even after reading their words saying that that is *exactly* what they wished and hoped for in their neoconservative warmonger "think-tank".\n\nEverything you're lamenting here is a product of or has been exacerbated by 9/11. I sympathize that it's not immediately pressing to many individuals, but try telling that to the people being murdered by our military continuously because of Cheney's lies. \n\nJust please don't be closed minded into questioning the true motivations behind the attack. 1315812314 +This ranks up there with the crap from [What the bleep do we know?](http://publius-ovidius.livejournal.com/66124.html). 1336121242 +Just because Stroud knows how to survive in scarce areas doesn't confer any immunity upon him from being gullible to the appeals of pseudo-science and so called water-witchery. 1353768102 +Makes me so happy... *sheds a tear in happiness* 1324002908 +>Outcrossing. This is "the movement of genes from GM plants into conventional crops," and this really can happen - they're the same species, so they can interbreed. But it's only a concern if GM plants are harmful, which they're not.\n\nIt's an actual, real concern if a farmer gets sued by Monsanto for growing their patented strain of corn after it started growing in his crop due to cross-pollination with a nearby field.\n\nThe author hasn't exactly presented a comprehensive argument that GM crops aren't harmful, either. I haven't ever seen any evidence that they actually *are* harmful, but he's still using his assumptions as evidence. 1292209477 +I think the popular (that is... unpaid) position against human-caused global climate change is that: \n1) The government uses climate change panic, like fear of terrorism, to pass oppressive regulations. \n2) Just like critics of the war on terror poke holes in claims of fearmongers, critics of climate change feel that they are breaking down an overblown (or completely fabricated) threat in order to subvert oppression based on that threat.\n\nThe part I don't understand is how environmental protection regulation constitutes "oppression" or "big government". 1332266352 +Drapela made a poor case for his beliefs. 1339533038 +I wonder if the press release will have [pictures from Spider-Man 2](http://imgur.com/tpKyU)... 1273691797 +Calm down man. You came here knowing people had different opinions then get offended when people post them. Be open 1305938366 +>To receive and transmit the cosmic rays, streams of high-frequency energy now arriving from the heart of our galctic center.\n\nReverse polarity in the muon matrix! The anti-telharsic neutrino stream is close to rupturing the hyperflector field! 1282737603 +It even points this out in the text of the website, if you read it:\n\n"Is Jenny McCarthy directly responsible for every vaccine preventable illness and every vaccine preventable death listed here? No. However, as the unofficial spokesperson for the United States anti-vaccination movement she may be indirectly responsible for at least some of these illnesses and deaths and even one vaccine preventable illness or vaccine preventable death is too many." 1354889909 +Because _FUCK_ Freedom of Speech, that's why! 1338987753 +> The study linked was for 30 mg/kg/d.\n\nBut that doesn't mean that there were no such effects at lower doses.\n\nAlso, seven out of thirty didn't complete the trial because of adverse effects, so I'm not sure what impact that had on the results.\n\n> Unless they weigh less than 5 kilograms, the study is irrelevant.\n\nNot true.\n\nThe experiment is not conclusive, but I wouldn't say it's irrelevant, because it provides strong evidence that Aspartame causes headaches in susceptible individuals.\n 1313496668 +What do you believe happened to Building 7, the topic of this video? What did the 9/11 Commission Report say about it? 1316781238 +You sound like a terrible friend. 1278320593 +When I was younger my friend and I got really into the paranormal and decided to make our own paper ouiji boards. Just with a paper pen and bottle cap. It worked. So it isn't just the board game . Needless to say, many ghosts still remain in her and my house. Don't fuck around with them unless you're really ready to know they'll be things sticking around 1343538449 +I certainly understand the frustration and the irritation and can empathize with it. Not having one's work taking seriously or being marginalized isn't a female only issue though. \n\nKarsh 1325712172 +Quick question:\n\n>just called me saying that she just had a really strange dream...\n\nBut...\n\n>woke her up and she has no recollection of what happened...\n\nDid she remember the dream or not? I mean, I talk in my sleep all the time and it never makes sense. Dream brain doesn't verbalize the same way as awake brain. 1340191113 +I just read an article by Paul Theroux's brother. He visited the coldest city in the world, in Siberia, and the inhabitants say that without doubt the town is not as cold as it used to be and is getting warmer year by year. There is just no doubt about global warming. 1321444394 +That is class, Need to make more of this stuff. 1352942618 +I only ask because I am curious and quite ignorant to the subject of skepticism (I am spiritualist, slightly verging on buddhism)\n\nIf you are to take something as fact, does it need to be explained scientifically, in numbers, on paper? \n 1339262239 +Thirding curiousity. 1290155236 +Working out till they drop and taking a shit ton of stuff to get even stronger? Pro athletes push their bodies to the limit, you don't need to do that to not be a fat tub of lard, all you should to is exercise a bit and eat well 1344089701 +You're avoiding providing actual proof though and I am in a position to speak on the matter. So before you go on a bout how you were banned for this thing or that thing it would really be best if you were 1) being honest and 2) forthcoming about the specifics of it.\n\nThere have been no people banned at all for the reason you gave. None. 1326832819 +my dear all i can suggest is get as far away from him as possible and sever contact because from what ive read this is going to end badly. im going through a similar thing and its slowly killing me from the inside, out. but in the few years when me and him lost contact my life became more structured and clearer, my heart hurt yes but it started to get better and then it all started again when we got back in contact so please dont make my mistake. get out while you still can. feel free to not take this advice. 1341054988 +nothing convences me it is real from the video. however, nothing convences me it is fake either. until something could be brought forth saying that it was a hoax ( like the creator of the video saying it is fake) i am going to complain about people that are going to say it is fake without adding anything to the discussion. might as well start posting FIRST in threads and calling people faggots if that is all you are going to do on a subreddit devoted to UFO and similar phenomenon. 1326508382 +i find it so quaint that people think aliens want to "invade" us... that's as silly as fish in a fishbowl being afraid of the humans invading their bowl..they are a here and they seemingly have no intention of acting out our ridiculous Hollywood scenarios..the only reason people think we will be "invaded" is the conditioning Hollywood has placed on us, which couldn't be further from the truth. 1340972808 +Born in 1990s, I am 1.4*10^-5 million years old. 1353557421 +his B.S. is in molecular bio and bioinformatics. 1335552228 +I didn't edit it, I deleted it, because another commenter said he downvoted me for "disregarding what he said." I didn't feel the need to continue my discourse with him/her, so I deleted ALL of my comment replies to them, not just those. That doesn't imply anything. I routinely delete comments on many topics. I don't see what that implies.\n\n It is a legitimate question. You don't know what a logical fallacy is. If you did, you'd not commit the fallacy of poisoning the wells, which attempts to discredit any and all arguments due to the source, such as you did here. I didn't commit any.\n\n>If you weren't a skeptic who was allergic to bullshit, you wouldn't have edited everything to cover it up your complete lack of neutrality.\n\nI think I got what you meant, although, if you knew how to write, you'd have said "If you WERE a skeptic..." instead of agreeing with me.\n\nI believe he is fake. It is my opinion, to which I am entitled. It doesn't say that in the post topic though. It just asks a question that many accredited sources, such as Huffington Post and many others, have proposed. Your bias is showing. Are you a Buddhist?\n\n>that's mostly likely spread by the Chinese government because they hate anyone tied to religion and cleverly edit anything to indicate your logical fallacies/total lack of neutrality on a topic when confronted about it. That's pretty fucking low.\n\nTo this point... You don't even know from whence it came. That's most likely spread by...? You are reaching. 1353924105 +I cant show you any clips of what I've seen. I wish i could, believe me. I can understand how anybody would be skeptical about this without seeing it up close and personal i guess. But my cell phone is all i've got and its a 4 year old Samsung that can barely get a clear shot of something 5 feet away during the daytime let alone at night. I see how you could think its just a harrier using VTOL, but even a harrier makes noise when its right above the trees next to you. If i could find a video on youtube of someone whose seen these things as close up as i have i also would, but so far, these are the best i've found. The lights on some of these "planes" dim completely except for occasional pulses of different colors of light. So many things they do defy conventional aerodynamics as well as FAA regulations. Hopefully more evidence presents itself. I'll keep looking for more as time goes on. 1328654465 +You're making the assumption that the craft itself needs to be durable, which is only an assumption. \n\nDon't take my word for this but this is the official explanation:\n \nAluminum is designed only to keep the soda inside in a limited environment. The can itself is amazingly flimsy, but the individual aluminum pieces are virtually indestructible and seems to be over-engineered just to keep soda inside. Airforce engineered a lot of advanced metals unseen to that point, thus, an *advanced* weather balloon. Seems reasonable enough. 1344299844 +She is not. 1318551250 +> Clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians\n\nThis entry goes on to include acupuncture, and describes these alternatives as weak recommendations with moderate quality evidence.\n\nspinal manipulation; for chronic or subacute low back pain, intensive interdisciplinary rehabilitation, exercise therapy, **acupuncture**, massage therapy, spinal manipulation, yoga, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or progressive relaxation (weak recommendation, moderate-quality evidence).\n\n> " but is superior to sham therapy. In other words, SM is as effective as any other therapy, but no more so.\n\nI love your selective edit here. It actually reads "spinal manipulative therapy was superior **only** to sham therapy".\n\n> In other words, SM is as effective as any other therapy, but no more so.\n\nIn other words you are being intentionally dishonest.\n\n> There is plenty of evidence that specific techniques used in chiropractic and physiotherapy are effective for specific ailments.\n\nWell if there is plenty of evidence these three would not seem to count among them.\n\n> But an evidence-based approach does not support a conclusion that all chiro is bullshit.\n\nYes it does. A few very small scale studies concluding Chiro might only be marginally better than a sham is hardly positive evidence of chiro effectiveness.\n\n\n\n 1309980203 +You say you don't remember anything about the incident, but then eidetically recall exactly what happens based on 37 year-old memories from relatives? Good story skills, but I don't believe a word of it.\n\nEdit: The naivety in this thread astounds me... 1340980576 +Whatever that shit is thats hanging from the top right bar, it could be deflecting light in a funny way or off the table and that could be what the camera got. \n\nRun EVP sessions maybe and see whats up. 1334080736 +Serbian Boy is Sticky! 1298579499 +If I can get back up to the cottage, I definitely will! I'm so eager for explanations. 1347434716 +Hope this doesn't come off as preachy, but I had HORRIBLE back problems. My father has struggled with them too. The only thing that worked for me was getting rid of my spare tire, getting my core into shape and making a conscious effort to improve my posture.\n\nSince becoming active and dropping about 30lbs, my back doesn't bother me anymore at all. Plus, I look and feel better, which is the icing on the cake. 1318719913 +Chiropractors are potentially capable of treating back issues like this, however, but she would be better off seeing a physical therapist. They will have better training.\n\nI'm not sure it's worth the argument though.\n\nOne thing to be aware of, however, is the possibility that a chiropractor's incompetence might [severely injure](http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/chirostroke.html) her. 1273646265 +It doesn't make much sense to me either, but the skydivers admitted it was them, so what are you going to do? 1287545762 +Fantastic story. I've had a similar experience where I fell asleep while driving and got into an accident, then woke and realized I was just beginning to drift off the road. 1327525494 +I pretty much agree, I stopped surfing r/atheism because it's really just r/x-christiansblasphemy and I wanted something smarter to discuss. \n\nlets not turn r/skeptic into meme and facebook screencap central. 1327951857 +WELCOME TO EARF 1343362522 +Four different words:\n\nProposed\n\nConspire\n\nPlanned\n\nCarried out\n\nAll four mean totally different things. You used *carried out*,*planned*, and *conspire*. None of this happened. It was *proposed* by a general of the joint chiefs who was subsequently fired.\n\nEdit: Added a word. 1325817746 +....figures. 1233536063 +I can confirm. There are a few high quality Photoshop animations doing the rounds on YouTube, have been for a while (like since last decade). Hollywood movie level effects but completely fake. 1355595790 +Not really. If we talk about it, make a little noise, blog, and generally give the History Channel a public black eye for their credulity and idiotic programming, they may change. 1294023681 +>See, by saying these things you are also saying that you believe that children are not the responsibility of their parents, but are instead wards of the state.\n\nIt's a bit more nuanced than that. I believe they are the responsibility of their parents until their parents become irresponsible toward them, at which point the state should step in.\n\n>when saying that vaccination should not be a choice.\n\nWho has said that? Vaccination should be a choice. But choices have consequences. People get confused about this aspect of rights - Having the right to do something does not absolve you from all consequences of doing it. People have the right to march down the street screaming that they hate black people, but they do not have the right to be free from the consequences of that. They do not get to say "No one is allowed to judge me because I have the right to freedom of speech," and if a business owner or a private homeowner wishes to bar them from their property as a result of their hate speech, they do not get to say "But I have the right to say it, and therefore you have to let me in."\n\nSimilarly, people do have the right to choose not to vaccinate their kids, but they do not have the right to be free from the consequences thereof. One of those consequences is that the kid does not get to go to public school and put the other children at risk.\n\nAnother thing people are foggy about regarding rights is that my rights do not trump your rights. I do not get to trespass on your property and violate your right to exercise control over your property merely because I am carrying a political sign. My right to free speech does not trump your right to property.\n\nAgain, this is not about rights, and it is not about whether or not the anti-vaxxer's kid gets sick - it is about whether or not the anti-vaxxer has the right to get OTHER peoples' kids sick because he refuses to take basic precautionary measures - or, the anti-vaxxer's right to refuse to immunize his kid does not trump my right to send my kid to school without worrying about him getting rubella or mumps. \n\nActions have consequences, and nothing in the Constitution says anything about our rights being immune from them.\n\n 1349753974 +One more article:\nhttp://gizmodo.com/5723577/powerbalance-admits-their-wristbands-are-a-scam\n\nI find these bracelets incredibly useful for one thing, that is people willingly mark themselves a gullible. 1325441726 +Ask future you if future me still loves tacos...don't worry, we hang out in the future because of this post and surely eat lots of tacos. 1349139383 +I don't deny that there are plenty of aerial phenomena that we have not studied, and even more that we do not fully understand. I don't even think we've really worked out how lightening comes about. There could be several rare forms of lightening that work in ways that have not been fully documented. Still, seeing unusual lights in the sky is no more evidence for extra terrestrial beings are visiting earth than is finding an undocumented type of flora. 1253768177 +This isn't a Hollywood thing; Hollywood is just capitalizing on it with that movie. This is a conspiracy nut thing. 1255623036 +Because shorthand writing determins how educated you are? Using my phone. couldn't be arsed typin the whole word.. \n\nWhen you hear about pilots chasing UFO's, police officers being abducted and not even knowing about it till regression therapy, top army officals coming out and saying they have saw things. Its not just 'super natural' sightings... 1340042945 +It's not a one-ahead. A one-ahead works with a bunch of envelopes, opening one in secret (or having a plant writing something you agreed on).\n 1317671924 +Nice wall of text. Good read 1353279877 +> Plant safety is based on actual calculations \n\nNo, it is not possible to evaluate cross relations between components, the failures of the components, or even a non-negligible fraction of possible scenarios. That is simply not doable. The issue has been discussed to great length by Richard Feynman, in relation to the Space Shuttle; the analysis applies to the methodology in general. http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/51-l/docs/rogers-commission/Appendix-F.txt\n\nFurthermore, externally it is much more effective not to look at the process itself but to check whenever the decisions - with all the alleged checks - are even sane. Consider sintered aluminium-boron plates under water, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr0933/sec3/196.html . Water seeps in, hydrogen is produced by reaction between water and aluminium, plates bloat up, the boron inside redistributes, etc etc. A very, very predictable consequence of usage of a highly reactive metal in a porous form under water. Has it been caught by the 'calculations' and the 'review process'? No. You need smart people to act in good faith to stop insane ideas of this kind. Same goes for Fukushima and placement of the generators and switchgear in the basement. This did also meet the original safety requirements even though it was less safe than the alternatives.\n\nWith regards to the contents of spent fuel pool, the racks have been modified for denser placement of the spent fuel rods, the increase in density raises the specific heat output, and the ultimate temperature reached by the fuel in the event of loss of water (which can happen due to external factors that are not part of PRA). It is rather annoying that I have to describe in the detail the issues on which you claim broad and supreme expertise.\n\nUltimately, the problem is not technological. The problem is with human factor. The problem is with overconfidence. The problem is with management that does not understand the limits of the methods or even what's conceivably doable, as to believe in things like "We PROVE that our systems, structures, and components, meet their design criteria", or to overstate it's relation to actual safety. Yes, the Fukushima plant was "proven" (for sufficiently small values of "proof") to meet it's design criteria. The design criteria were grossly inadequate. 1355563686 +why is a clear picture by a PhD astronomy student any more valuable than a clear picture by any other human being?\n\nif anything the astronomy student is MORE suspect, as it really WOULD be such a big deal for them. 1304468431 +I almost went to Teen Challenge. I have heard that it was a scam. I am glad I didn't go. It's voluntary, but still there's a potential for abuse. 1326140759 +Sounds like the only thing she's skeptical about is whether anything mainstream can fuel her confirmation bias. 1309274466 +I keep saying this, but only so that people will start to consider it, but Quantum Suicide dude. You died, but you can't observe your death if you're not here, so you survived, by jumping into a reality where the crash never happened. Enjoy it! 1346225478 +Unlike crop circles, livestock mutilations seem to be spread all over the globe. What's it been, 40, 50 years since the first mutilation investigations and the general consensus is still "nobody has any f'in idea". 1270539622 +I wish I still had the energy. I've been interested in the subject since 2002 or so, and I've researched it as much as is humanly possibly. I find that most people have absolutely no idea about the facts of that day, no grasp of basic physics, no knowledge of the ways in which the military industrial complex operates, and no concept of just how badly the investigation (if you can even call it that) was botched. The Popular Mechanics article is 11 pages long. It's pretty much a fluff piece, and it was utterly decimated by David Ray Griffin's 392 page book which actually has sources and facts in it. I even tried to read the later Popular Mechanics book on the same subject, but compared to Griffin's book it reads like a fairy tale geared toward 4th graders. It's a pathetic little tome in a big typeface. It's full of the worst sort of logical errors. I'm shocked that a subreddit called r/skepicism has so little skepticism about the official story of 9/11. I tend to think that one can only believe the official story when one considers a very limited range of evidence. When you take all the evidence available into account, the official story looks like a pretty messy turd. A couple of decades ago the neo-cons decided they had enough power to start manufacturing reality. It turns out they were right! We'll forget about all the evidence to the contrary eventually. 1304537664 +I bet they would say the same thing in 2005. 1341097461 +I wouldn't say that they are all beneficent. In the realm of spirits there is balance; good to evil, and in reality there is always contention by one to disrupt balance and reaction by the other to restore it. If good exists on their plane so does evil, and it's likely that the evil ones would attempt to hijack and dis-inform anyone who would be a recipient to their influence. Be wary and approach it all with skepticism and file it into the box of "maybe, could be, who knows, eventually." 1343810371 +Any relation to Stephen Hawkings? 1272313764 +Well as you say, if you're going to be pedantic then use whom... But "whom" is on the way out, and is only used by pedantic people. I myself can't even remember when to use whom, so I just stick with who which is considered fine in modern English.\n\nSpeaking of applying rules that don't exist in the English language, that stupid rule that pseudo-intellectuals spout about not ending a sentence with a preposition is actually a rule of grammar taken from the Latin language, it has nothing to do with English at all, and was if I remember correctly something which upper class people did in an attempt to differentiate who they spoke from the lower classes. 1290840964 +Well he certainly seems to get things done. 1345963929 +Zak Bagans is the frat boy of ghost hunting. The show is interesting, but there are moments where he flips over railings or starts yelling that makes me laugh. It breaks the fear, so I kind of appreciate it. 1341184065 +An image of Michael Jackson.\n 1351922638 +Sorry, but can anyone modify the pic to point out where exactly I'm supposed to be looking? I'm having a lot of difficulty finding anything! 1348864470 +Gotta love trick questions.\n\nIt was stated in a vague way. If you do not remove atoms, then you still have the same number regardless of how dilute it is.\n\nP1a: (L * (43/74.9)/100) = 3.4x10^21\n\nP1b: 3.4x10^21\n\nP1c: poorly stated and ambiguous. Adding water to dilute without removing any solution yields 3.4x10^21 1328252902 +**TL;DR1: It's dangerous and the implications of it being true are far more disturbing than it being false or misleading (to the point of equivocation). I'd be happy to discuss that if you like.**\n\nI don't doubt her experience or her struggle. \n\nOne thing I don't doubt, but it seems important to make a note of: \n\nHer description of her doctor was one of long-standing relationship and frequent enough contact for recognition, yet her cancer was believed to be 6 years progressed. To have any kind of serious cancer progress that far without symptoms is a claim worth investigating unto itself. \n\nMargarita Murphy MD documented member of ASCRS -- http://www.fascrs.org/files/ASCRSNewsFall06.pdf\n\nCV - http://www.colonsurgeonsofcharleston.com/uploads/MMurphyCV1-8-2012_doc.pdf associated with [this picture](http://www.colonsurgeonsofcharleston.com/uploads/_mg_10033.jpg) on [this site](http://www.colonsurgeonsofcharleston.com/staff.php)\n\nThat's usually a lot more I can find on most people, so at least it's not a misrepresentation thing. \n\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2780171/ - Refers to FASCRS as a good resource. Papers and conventions are long standing and referenced across other reputable sites.\n\n---\n\nI find the part what Dr. Murphy accounts her reasoning for urging her to go to seacost deeply troubling.\n\nObviously, Dr. Murphy is not not the primary care. So... who was the radiologist who reported the tumor?\n\nDr. Murphy's closing thoughts don't seem consistent with her emotions. That's a pretty good indicator that someone is not looking at a situation by checking what it means for their worldview but instead taking their worldview as a fixed point and allowing bits and pieces of an external idea to fit into it. I hate to keep using this word but it's deeply disturbing to me. If she truly believes in a God that can **and does** behave as an arbiter then how could she continue her path as a doctor. She spends her whole life affecting her medical judgement when what people really need is to *deserve* healing the way this woman must have. \n\nOther thoughts: Seacoast is using a very post-modern, post-information era evangelism technique. Even a superficial review of how they pop up on the internet demonstrates it. I think this casts a shadow of suspicion over the whole story, because it's a conflict of interest. Seacost is directly implicated in this story, and they are the source, and from *within the context of their evangelism,* it is in their communities best interest for this information to be presented in a way that points towards God. \n\nLet's break down the heuristic that leads to that kind of suspicion: \n\n1. We have not just one, but several extraordinary claims. We would like good standards of evidence and we would like that evidence to be robust because anything less disregards the circumstances. \n\n2. We don't have a source outside of this church.\n\n3. This church has a conflict of interest.\n\n4. One or more of the church's conflicts coincides with altruism (http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/7097.html)\n\n5. The Doctor's entological/epistemological shrewdness is almost certainly compromised, so could very-well mean we would wrong to assume she took any personal interest in the medical investigation. \n\n6. No investigation was mentioned. \n\n7. It's unclear to me if the radiologist was a third party\n\n8. No effort was made to present the confirmation of the diagnosis. \n\n9. In deference to cliche -- *if it seems too good to be true it probably is.* God's will is obscured, but clearly all players involved believe that the seacost pastor (?) is implicated in this miracle. Is that not a natural claim that can be analyzed? \n\n**TL;DR2:**\n\n**I've got a decent reason to accept the belief these people have in the story, their personal experiences, the credentials of the people involved, or their conviction. But I have no reason not to doubt the circumstances of the disease and the judgement of the people involved. This is a problem given that to accept this claim is to accept that God likes that woman more than countless others in similar situations. I hope her life offered the universe an amazing return on God's investment... otherwise, why did my best friend's step Dad die? -- Pretty sure he and his wife asked for some help.** 1355291415 +> They appear to make sense out of a world that is otherwise confusing.\n\nThe world is confusing only to those who expect all world events to be the result of a master plan or a grand narrative. So, of course, if that's what you expect, that's what you'll find. 1316440507 +I'm a she :P 1294499737 +I have absolutely no problem with the responsible use of recreational drugs but I find marijuana advocates to be by and large an extremely obnoxious and irrational group of people to deal with. \n\nAs far as drugs go it's not a [terribly](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnNPm5cG85c&feature=plcp&context=C40efbd4VDvjVQa1PpcFNfYAeDiOvV1KHWT1UkVmOpM3bFtzDl1Eo%3D) harmful [substance](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=marijuana-memory-astrocytes), but there seem to be a lot of people promoting the idea that it's positively *good for you*.\n\nShould it be legal? Absolutely. Is it some sort of miracle drug? *Definitely* not. 1332778975 +Jesus was a pretty thrifty carpenter, and probably fairly strong. a couple handles, maybe some wheels at the back, and he could haul that sonuvvabitch around all day. 1351312883 +My dad got cancer after major reconstructive surgery and radiation he was told it came back the drs gave him a very short time to live. He gathered his children togeather and told us if he could be with us or help in anyway way he would. He died in march of 99. I has a few dreams of him telling me to take care of my babies and such. Then in dec he came to me in a dream and told me he was mow going to be wirh my sister. I woke ip looked at the clock and went back to sleep. The next morning i got a call that his first great grandbaby was born. They told me the lbs and how it went then they told me the time. It was exactly the time i looked at the clock. I knew without a doubt it was my dad making good on his promise. 1348893002 +Guess someone doesn't know about the Deathly Hallows 1310649844 +I think it's obvious. It's dinosaurs. FROM SPAAAAAAAAAAAACE!\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V595oWP5tSE 1336667050 +me too. 1327975051 +Obama will still be president on December 31, thats how. 1341982056 +I'm not quite sure what attitude you're advocating here. I read the SciAm articles when they came out, I have a subscription. I read one of them again to see if I was missing something though..\n\nLet's try and clear this up.\n\nHere's what I think is the wrong attitude to anecdotes. An extreme example.\n- I got a headache after drinking diet coke. Aspartame causes headaches. Ban aspartame!\n\nHere's what I think is the right attitude. What we need to take out of the articles you linked to.\n- Some people have reported headaches after ingesting aspartame. Let's investigate. Is the connection plausible? Well, maybe the body anticipates a blood suger spike when you ingest something sweet and adjusts it metabolism, and that this mismatch causes some kind of stress. Great, we have a hypothesis. Let's test it. But wait, maybe somebody already have. Let's dive into Pubmed or Google Scholar and look for studies (and let's not ignore those opposing our preconception). Oh and lets get some qualified people to comment on it, it's easy for laymen to misunderstand scientific articles. Or they may be published in bad publications. \n\nThe wrong attitude is to call for conclusions and action based on anecdotes. While calling for discussion and investigation is *never* wrong if you ask me.\n\nHere's the attitude I'm reading out of your comments. Correct me if I'm wrong, I probably am.\n- Some people have reported headaches after ingesting aspartame. They're probably seeing faces in clouds. Let's not talk about it.\n\nSo when people were thinking smoking might contribute to lung cancer, were they seeing faces in clouds? Sure, aspartame causing headaches is perhaps not as plausible as that, but it's way above magic water with memory.\n\nThrough all this bickering about anecdotes we haven't yet actually looked at what studies say about aspartame and headaches. I took a quick look now, but it seems the literature is conflicted. Here's a quote from the abstract of a recent article: "The conflicting results of two recent placebo-control studies of aspartame and headache are discussed. We conclude that aspartame may be an important dietary trigger of headache in some people."\nhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1526-4610.1989.hed2902090.x/abstract\n\nI don't have access to the full text though, even through my university.\n\nBut I might not be qualified to analyze these articles anyway. *Which is why I wanted someone more informed to comment on this issue.* What is wrong with that? What am I missing here? 1313534512 +That makes a lot more sense. 1315938986 +person's* face\n\n 1349823236 +What is so wrong with that? The simple fact that subsisting on "meals" from these places can send your body into shock is proof that they are not actually a meal at all. I'm guessing this sub hates Super Size Me because you're all so painfully smart that it hurt you to watch a movie about things you already knew, but the message is sound and apparently more Americans need to hear it. It is not the answer to our health woes and never claimed to be, but it's a step in the right direction and that should be encouraged. 1326728187 +Those observations provide evidence of its nature. The fact that something remains unidentified does not mean our observations of it cannot narrow down possible identifications. 1295121389 +If you're going to do this I'd word it a little less harshly. Jim Carrey suffers from clinical depression. 1306955335 +According to some people, we have. 1351530630 +This is perfect. 1326436818 +I'd agree, but then i don't think the NASA representative would say "We cannot see an object"? They seem to be blatantly ignoring it. 1305736715 +I am a little concerned over the inclusion of element 74. We all have karma, and it is a provable fact of life. Just look in the upper right corner of your monitor! 1305401156 +I like it. I appreciate how you take the completely uninformed person's point of view in your article. I think it makes the article much more approachable and persuasive than it would otherwise be. 1330032398 +What's the problem with entertainment? 1343067310 +Sorry for being so vague, by the way. Sometimes, the cards are really specific, other times, they're lolwut. I don't like to interpret too much, because Tarot is half metaphysics and half self analysis on the part of the person being read, so...yeah. 1353399413 +I wanted a photo with Dick Smith :( 1291094264 +And light reflecting off Venus! 1235573738 +Yep, your pineal gland releases DMT during deep REM sleep and near death. \n\nEDIT: Or maybe not, this is apparently just a theory. 1350141764 +>Hour Long Alien Creepy Documentary (2012)\n\nGreat title. 1354570992 +Awesome, good to know more fans are still out there. :) \n 1345015744 +Here it is in English: http://wp.me/p1P7lJ-7B 1326324343 +You're very welcome. I thought you made a great point about the impracticality of trying to convince people with certain belief structures... Then the first reply seemed to build you up as some straw man who claims to know the unknowable, is closed minded and angry with anyone who holds false beliefs, none of which I could find in your post. Had to say something and so did a whole lot of other people =) 1325953910 +I was under the same misapprehension, and I can only imagine that it's the first three letters of the name + sedative. But yeah, it works, just like willow bark does. Hell, all medicines come from "nature" to some extent. Take lithium for example. Just some salt shit they found in the water which seemed to calm down maniacs. Digitalis, for angina, etc, etc. 1321836955 +Great, now I want some McDonalds. 1281845212 +I just watched an episode of Bill Nye the Science Guy. It's been like... 10 years? More? Thanks man. 1344411937 +I doubt there's anything involving physical equipment. Probably just meditation where you concentrate *really hard* on rewriting your DNA. 1305031597 +Did I ever imply that it was? \n\nA web address on a sticker is still far more informative than stating "This product is not medicine." A web address can be written down with pen (on paper, or one's skin, etc.), or a picture can be taken with a phone or a camera and referenced later when in front of an www-capable device. Or, the person could even pull out their data enabled phone right there and type in the URL.\n\nA URL is far more informative than an accusatory statement.\n\nAll this sticker does is tell me that the vandal that put it there has a point of view that he's trying to push on to others. A URL gives me something to look up that can provide me with *information*. 1331076354 +My boyfriend moved and has like two channels right now. We watched two episodes of Two and a Half Men back to back. *How is this show so popular*?? I am baffled. BAFFLED. And Jon Cryer just makes me sad. So sad. \n\n 1321305179 +Or I'll fucking call the cunt a cunt. WTF? 1301890426 +Dunning was on the [Skeptic Zone](http://www.skepticzone.tv/) recently and explicitly said that he's going to initially re-hash old content simply to introduce it a new YouTube audience. I think that's a good strategy for now, though I hope he does new content eventually. 1264968163 +Even if she was a very small woman, if she pushes down with all of her weight she is essentially asking you to do a [front raise](http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/DeltoidAnterior/DBFrontRaise.html) with more than 100 lbs on your arm.\n\nFront raises are a very difficult exercise. Even very strong people use light weights on them because of the leverages involved: the relatively small anterior shoulder muscles working against your entire arm as a lever.\n\nMy hypothesis: nobody in the class is strong enough to resist when she (or pretty much anyone) actually pushes her hardest.\n\nThe test: find some people who did not see the original experiment, preferably people of different sizes and strengths. Bring them into the class and repeat the whole thing, but with no "energy slicing". Just tell them "This guy is going to hold his arm up. Try to push it down, and he will resist you. If you push it down, you get a snickers".\n\nA simpler test: go to the gym and try to hold some dumbbells straight out in front of you. Find the heaviest weight you can hold for a few seconds. My guess is that it's light enough that any adult could push down that hard without seeming like they are straining too much. You could even use the cable machine to approximate the motion of pushing someone's arm down, and see how much force you can apply there. 1322662336 +There is no gene for "ignorance." In that same vein, there is no gene for "smarts." A child of two ignorant parents could be raised in a nurturing environment and grow up smart. Likewise, the child of two geniuses won't learn much if abandoned in a jungle. 1327357514 +Seems unlikely that a UFO would be using aerofoil principle for flight meaning it would need to bank. Also seems unusual to see so many at an angle considering that's what would happen if you were to throw a disc in the air and photo it 1330370913 +Kudos to these doctors! \n\nActions speak louder than peer-reviewed journal articles. Maybe this will be a wake up call to these irresponsible parents. 1329338102 +So it was a sausage fest back then too. 1326490769 +That is insanity... 1352153886 +GA would be good if Zak Bagans would shut the ever living fuck up and stop making connections where there aren't any. But I liked TAPS because they debunked a bunch of stuff instead of *everything* being ghosts. At least in the beginning. I haven't seen any recent stuff. 1336143687 +How could this article possibly be found uninteresting by someone with an interest in UFOs? 1345643773 +Almost all scientists are open to the idea of microbial life in outer space...but that's not the kind we're talking about here. SETI deals with ETI, the stuff we actually do care about. Even then, both institutions are actually quite non-controversial. If microbial life exists, well that's awesome, but it doesn't really mean anything to the average joe. If ETI exists and sends an EM signal, that would be pretty big news, but it would just confirm our assumptions that interstellar space travel or FTL is impossible. The kind of alien life we talk about on this sub-reddit is *very* controversial, that is, the kind that has the ability to travel to Earth from several light years away. It's controversial because it violates general relativity (which we have the utmost confidence in, mind you) which postulates that nothing can travel faster than light. And it seems pretty obvious to me, at least, that if ET is visiting Earth constantly, then it is pretty easy for them to do so (implying that they're using some sort of FTL, and not generation ships or what have you). It will take a heck of an event or unmistakable proof to convince scientists that ET is visiting Earth. 1299658519 +Alien abduction seems like a fresh coat of paint on one of humanity's oldest myths; aliens have just taken the place of demons these days. What do you think of that idea? 1331784448 +I think that gravity stopping tomorrow would be going a bit to far to say that we cannot 'know' that that won't happen. We can be as sure that gravity will continue to work tomorrow as we can about anything behaving according to our current understanding of the laws of physics. That's not to say that we haven't missed something that would allow for gravity to suddenly 'switch off', but that it's unlikely enough to ignore the possibility - until we are given some evidence that would lead us to such conclusions.\n\nI'm not suggesting that we know everything about the world that there is to know, and the scientific community offers that we know very little about the universe as a whole. There are lots of strange things going on out there that we have a very difficult time observing from here. Our lack of knowledge does not give us the excuse to claim into existence a super being capable of creating our universe. 1325954659 +There are myriad other mental illnesses besides stereotypical cuckoo. 1356112416 +Have the physics professor shut him the fuck down. ;) 1354739530 +Some, yes, absolutely... But I think the majority really, honestly believe in the power, especially for things like Tarot cards and astrology (where it's really, really easy to have "provable" results because of vague nature of interpretation and the power of selection bias). 1309749062 +Look for yourself. Same exact video stolen from UFOTV. Hate when people do that on Youtube. 1342599335 +For me the problem is that she describes skepticism as a "culture". It's like describing atheism as a religion:\n\n>It is possible that our two warring cultures will never build a bridge across the deep rift that divides us. I know that in my own case, the transition from my culture to yours was long, arduous, and deeply painful.\n\nShe still appears to cling to the fallacy of the golden mean, when there is no half way point between idiocy and reason. Of course they'll never bridge the gap. It's like expecting Dawkins to concede that some dinosaurs lived among humans, and maybe humans don't all share a common ancestor with other primates.\n\n 1281402072 +Yes it does. I honor your opinions. All I ask in return is that you honor mine. 1350658501 +\nThe second 'nighttime laser' footage is not real, was done for a contest a few years back and made the rounds in the usual UFO and Tinfoil hat sites.:\n\n"This is a fake UFO. (created by Jeff Wilson of Morristown, Tennessee) This was done to give researchers an information on how to spot hoaxes. see http://ufocontest.com/\nand http://speakingofstrange.com/ for full details.\nThe craft was a large black triangle that was lifted in the air with a 14ft diameter advertising helium balloon.\nit weighed about 10 pounds and as saw in the video it included 3 bright red leds light pods on each corner, a 200mw stage laser, 3 blue led's inside light defusing glass on the rear, and a 4 stage round Electroluminescent (also known as EL)light in the center.\nIt was about 400 feet in the air at night in the mountains outside Asheville, NC. There was stars out but they DID not show up on the video. " 1297692978 +Wait! Wait! I have an idea of where this stems from (no pun intended.) It has been shown that taking potassium iodide can block the uptake of radioactive iodine to the thyroid gland. *However* it is difficult to measure the amount of potassium iodide in foods, as the amount seems to vary greatly. Solution? Potassium iodide tablets! Garlic, however, is just simply delicious and should consumed frequently anyway. 1350784172 +At least he takes into consideration new evidence. 1330018844 +Thranil posted both of them. This is literally a [fixed] version that doesn't just go to Google Maps. 1334710225 +It's actually quite funny! Through the use of hex vectors, a basic binary code was translated into Actionscript VARs, which is what the filename is. The binary was originally alpha ascii text that read out a hilarious knock knock joke. I kid you not. This truly is odd and funny. 1341034827 +I am aware of this, thanks tho. 1344265488 +I got the same reaction, it's the first timers I worry for haha\n\nWe have a negra in the living room that's taller than most toddlers, that gets the most attention! 1327753842 +>I think that if you want to argue that the history of the United States makes it particularly violent and our comparatively lax gun laws, in comparison to Denmark, Japan, and Switzerland, have nothing to do with that, then I'd invite you to do the research yourself and make that argument.\n\nI never said this. I said that I believed the simply discussing relationship between number of guns and rate of gun-related violence isn't nuanced enough.\n\n>Regarding your point about the baggage of slavery, all three of our example nations other than the US had a relationship to slavery or similar extreme oppression of ethnic groups. Slavery was abolished in the Danish colonies in 1848, only 17 years before the 13th amendment was ratified.[1] 1848 is also the same year Switzerland became a federal state[2] after a frankly confusing history of being a loose confederation, or annexed by napoleon, or whatnot. Only existing as the modern state when slavery was already on the way out did not stop Switzerland from profiting from and aiding the slave trade, however.[3]\n\nAt least in the United States, abolishing slavery only ended institutionalized slavery. (It was actually interesting to learn that Denmark suffered similar issues after abolishing slavery as did the U.S., which is that many simply became indentured servants by continuing to work for their previous captor, only now they were an employer and had no obligation to feed or shelter them. That's not an argument against the abolition of slavery, I just found it interesting.) How diverse are the populations in our example countries compared to the U.S.? \n\nOnly 6% of Switzerland's population is non-European. \n99% of Japan is Japanese\n97% of Denmark is Danish\n\nAnd that's not at all mean to suggest either of these countries lacks diversity at all. But none of them have significant populations of former slaves. My mom and dad went to school when black Americans were not allowed to drink from the same water fountains as whites. I'm not that old. I'm 27. That absolutely still effects this country today. 1355800796 +Personally I tend to view them as more humourous than depressing. I went through a stage where they depressed me back at university, but at some point I realised in the absence of major selective stressors on our genes, the pressure now comes from Dawkins' extended phenotype. The pursuit of Woo over actual empirically established practises is a very elegant demonstration that, to paraphrase Ian Malcolm from *Jurassic Park*, "Darwin finds a way." 1322418522 +There seems to be a huge increase in shadow people sightings lately. No one Ive talked to at least is sure why. 1348680159 +I like how he mentioned how close he was to Wright Patterson AFB but curiously omitted the fact that Erlanger is where the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport (CVG) is located. I realize that an airplane would not be there for an hour in the same spot but seemed odd that he left that part out... 1244870537 +Again, I'm not really convinced that a new born is learning to latch. That would also seem to require that they're able to reposition their head, with a newborn human child it's up to the mother to position the child's head and her breast to make it easy for the baby to suck. 1335107759 +The related variant is, "Science hasn't yet fully figured out how <x> works, therefore <horseshit>." 1295117099 +Hmmm...there's the [Nazis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEle_DLDg9Y), [Jeebus teaching](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rywVlfTtlMY), [Moneypenny from her friends point of view](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIfSQW499Xc) and especially relevant for Reddit, the [Grammar Nazi](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3y0CD2CoCs)\n\nThere's a Dawkins one, but it's pretty naff to be honest.\n\n 1315377179 +Their "story" wasn't a particularly complicated one. It consisted of them seeing an object and that aliens came out of it. What's to get wrong? When it came to details, like what the aliens and craft looked like, they were incredibly inconsistent. Not to mention the fact that the interviewer leads them in every single question he asks.\n\nWhen asked what they looked like they only really describe the eyes, like they would if they had been coached to "tell them their eyes were black and pointy" and given no other details about their appearance.\n\nI honestly don't understand why people find this account so compelling. There are some compelling accounts of alien encounters and visitations, but this isn't one of them. 1342204639 +Princess: "Am I pretty?"\n\nBoy: "Yes"\n\nPrincess: "Has anyone decided to go as far to want to look more like [me]?"\n\nBoy: "Huh."\n\nContext is actually important. She was asking if anyone was so determined that people would want to have her prettiness. It's a yes/no question. 1288477060 +[Rebuttal here.](http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2012/09/12/can-we-finally-just-say-that-acupuncture-is-nothing-more-than-an-elaborate-placebo-can-we-2012-edition/)\n\nAs you mention, the analysis does not sufficiently address remaining bias, which means that even the small observed effect may be spurious, consistent with acupuncture being an elaborate placebo.\n\nIn other words, the headline (and the abstract and the conclusion) **massively oversell the findings.**\n\n(I'm reluctant to mention it, because it will be spun into an *ad hom*, but on top of that, at least three of the authors, Lewith, Witt and Linde, are notorious woo-defenders.) 1347975538 +agreed, I am so surprised about the emotion and energy that my fellow able bodied, healthy young friends put behind legalization of cannabis for medical purposes. They post stuff about it daily, and talk ad nauseum about the supposed health benefits of cannabis. Oh, and just **purely** by coincidence, they smoke it recreationally. I don't smoke it myself, but I'm in favor of legalization and would vote *yes* if it ever came up for referendum. Of course, there are certainly more pressing matters in today politics. 1332802902 +The problem is that they're quite definitive in their claims, yet they're not actually accurate enough to be so. 1320633850 +70 years ago was 1941. Which was 12 years after the Valentines Day Massacre, 7 years after Al Capone was sent to Alcatraz, and 21 years after Big Jim Colosimo was killed as the first big murder of the prohibition era. 1315526319 +Did seem very organic/fluid - flock of birds seems about right. 1315307855 +Meh. If you're dumb enough to disregard your oncologist in favor of something to saw on Facebook, there's not a whole lot getting one profile shut down is going to accomplish. People with that little sense are going to find a way to be stupid. 1342642959 +>I wonder if human civilizations were used/exploited by the "gods" in an effort to mine the planet of its gold\n\nI am of the opinion that if a civilization has the technology and power to travel the universe then there is nothing we have that they would want. \n\nEven to assume for a moment that they did need gold there most certainly are planets that are closer and easier to obtain it from than here.\n\n>Is the thought that an advanced civilization would be interested in studying the human species a narcissistic fantasy \n\nMost certainly it is.\n\n>What if we're no more interesting to aliens than lemur colonies are to a logging company?\n\nI definitely think there are a few scenarios here that could exist. Intelligent life could be so common that it is no longer worth studying for them. Conversely intelligent life could be so rare that we are indeed being studied and perhaps even "protected" from ourselves. Personally I think the most likely scenario lies somewhere in the middle where they have a primary objective and studying us could be a secondary or, probably, a tertiary objective.\n\nUltimately the problem is that we don't have nearly enough knowledge of what goes on outside of our planet to make an educated guess either way. 1305919574 +I have toolboxes filled with gear that I've purchased over the past 2+ decades, but the only things I carry every single time are high quality digital cameras, video cameras with night shot and high quality voice recorders. Anything else is just fluff. I may occasionally take a laser grid or a motion activated camera, if the reports are of apparitions. 1344514865 +[What would Neptune look like if it orbited Earth?](http://i.imgur.com/C3dnz.png)\n\nEDIT: Also, high five for "massive ... mass", whether it was intentional or not. 1298101079 +Exactly, I dont see why when citing this study people dont ever think to mention that maybe the men who had surgery in hopes of reducing the risk of infection might have also had safer sex.\n\nIt's basically the same fundamental problem as the people who enter diet studies pretty much all want to lose weight and diet. 1346109587 +>Harabeck we were having an actual discussion here\n\nNot really dude. I gave you a good starting point for a discussion, but you're just following up with empty rhetoric.\n\n>My point was not that I'm right and you're wrong, my point was that you haven't considered the other side of the argument because you've given in to ridicule and propaganda, that your opinion is skewed and you don't know it, therefore you aren't being truly skeptical.\n\nAgain, that's a lot of mind reading going on there. How do you know that's what I did? How do you know that I'm just not considering the side of the argument you agree with? How do you know I haven't spent hours and hours considering the evidence objectively? You don't. But you assume that because I don't agree with you, and that's why we aren't having a discussion. You are trying to tell me what's wrong with me, but you haven't bothered to find out anything about my position further than I disagree with you. And yet, you claim to be the voice of reason here. That's why the discussion has stalled. I'm telling you that you're being a jackass and just repeating the same bare assertion that I'm wrong with absolutely no support, and you just respond with more of the same. A discussion is a two way dialogue, not you telling me what I think.\n\n>And then you make a little snide comment about how I wrote a lot? \n\nWhat? I'm saying you aren't writing enough. Or at least, nothing of substance.\n\nIf you want a discussion, then fine, let's have one. Go back to what I said here:\n\n>I have seen no convincing evidence of such a conspiracy. Badly misinterpreted quotes, coincidences, and completely retarded interpretations of video do not make an actual conspiracy. Unless you have some new bombshell I haven't seen before...?\n\nAnd this time answer it. Tell me why my position is unreasonable and could only be a product of bias. What evidence has you so convinced? 1331221261 +Excellent, I am occasionally struck by this when listening to the *Skeptics Guide to the Universe*. The most recent was the complete dismissal of tidal forces having any possible effect on seismic activity.\n\nThey were ridiculing some charlatan who claimed to be able to predict earthquakes, but that doesn't mean something that they acknowledged creates a 1-foot bulge in the lithosphere couldn't also affect the movement of plates in relation to each other. In fact it seems like it is even a likely 'straw that broke the camels back'. In other words the earthquakes in NZ and Japan wouldn't have occurred with the tidal forces alone, but they might have occurred when they did, rather than a year from now, because of the specific tidal forces that the plates were experiencing at the time of the quakes. 1300696985 +It's not good hyperbole if you can only infer that it's hyperbole after you watch the video. 1353609126 +Sure there should be research done into the new crops before they are approved, like what was done with Bt (which we've been using in spray form since the 30s), but just because we've evolved with pesticides doesn't mean they have no effect on us, we've evolved along with poison ivy over millions of years and it is dangerous. 1325618618 +nah, it would not have been a physical cloaking device, but more of a psychological one, something that misdirects the eyes when looking at it, sort of like a blind spot. a lot of the stories of aliens and so forth appear to include psychological effects 1335111818 +i think i did 1346987811 +The problem is Occam's razor cannot be used to determine which of two hypotheses is more probable or valid.\n\nIt just says it's better in a scientific context to pick the one that makes less assumptions. It has nothing to do with validity, probability or anything, it's about respecting the scientific method as much as possible. 1349290047 +"I have no idea what that is." Anybody who has seen a ufo sure can relate to that! 1347933584 +Well put. Misogyny is inherent in society, elevators are irrelevant. But I would certainly prefer a more studious, informed scientist to take her place on SGU. 1310156216 +...it's complicated.\n\nGo google "healing crisis." I'll wait.\n\nBack?\n\nI'll bet you saw a lot of woo that you didn't quite understand so lemme break it down for you: in the land of pseudoscience, a "healing crisis" is what your body does as you "detox" from whatever it is that ails you. It manifests as your symptoms getting radically worse as you treat them with whatever unscientific method you choose to throw at it. This is hailed as a "good sign" because it means you're getting better - you just have to get worse first. \n\nSo someone who sees an iridologist, gets treated by magnets or whatever, and then gets markedly worse is *not*, in fact, "getting worse." They are suffering a "healing crisis" and are on the road to recovery, presuming they have the power to stick it out.\n\nAs I've mentioned in here, my wife has a doctorate in naturopathic medicine. Her first year at school they tried to treat her eczema with homeopathy. She was game, because hey - if you're taking the degree, you ought to expose yourself to all the modalities you're learning. So she got her prescription magic sugar pills and was told to discontinue all the lotions and cortisone creams she was using and lo and behold, her hands started looking *terrible.* Which was a problem, as she was delivering babies, and her hands looked like something out of a Romero film - red, cracked, inflamed, terrible. She'd cry at night from the pain.\n\nThe homeopaths, though, were THRILLED. She was having a "healing crisis." It was working! Soon she'd be all better! Yay!\n\nThe problem is that the worse you get, the more complete your recovery. Right? *Right?* So the longer you suffer, the better you'll be in the end. Right?\n\nThat was our "come to jesus" moment with alternative medicine - I pointed out that she couldn't function the way she was and there was no reason to believe that the homeopathy was doing anything. She knew, logically, it couldn't do anything. I knew, logically, it couldn't do anything. So she went to the dermatologist, got some wicked steroid cream, and cured the fuck out of her hands.\n\n...which worked out nicely with the naturopathic treatment recommended - change her diet to avoid the allergens that were irritating her skin (wheat and dairy). So clear of wheat and dairy, and with her hands on the mend via steroid cream, she had creamy-smooth skin with no blemishes inside of a month. But there was a very real crisis of faith in the middle there, and the homeopathy department never forgave her.\n\nThis iridologist may well have *believed* in the "healing crisis" and thereby, convinced the woman not to discontinue treatment. That's how things like [parents letting eczema kill their child](http://www.smh.com.au/national/parents-guilty-of-manslaughter-over-daughters-eczema-death-20090605-bxvx.html) happens. Now, granted- you have to be in total denial of all the evidence against your trade in order to believe this. You need to have willfully walled off part of your mind against logic. But once you've done that, you can *believe* that a woman's skull eroding is a *good thing.* Then, later during the inquest, someone says \n\n*"c'mon, woman. You saw her brain eating through her skull. You knew this was seriously terrible yet you did nothing. Admit that this was beyond your expertise.*"\n\nAt that point, you get a *mea culpa* as the practitioner, who has suffered a total crisis of faith, collapses. Because at some point, you have to acknowledge that your medicine killed someone, and it's all your fault. 1346690928 +These are birds. 1340278546 +Then why are you here? Is this this helicopter formation flying blog? What makes you think that would be a good idea to do while dark for no good reason at all? If there was a good reason, then it wouldn't have been reported in the local media and spread across the internet.\n\nIf anyone's being a bitch, its you for not being able to say you don't know what it is and claiming something nonsensical instead. It just makes zero sense that these would be helicopters; far too many bad ideas going on if it were. Helicopters are not just toys; they have people who own them and care for them. 1321885833 +About a week ago, I posted a few UFO videos taken by 'alienphotog'. I started to look at his other videos that referenced his contact with extraterrestrials. Intrigued, I forwarded an invitation for him to present his story. The following is his introduction along with a series of videos. The plan is to post installments where 'alienphotog' will go into more detail of experiences. 1264545212 +Bike helmets are pretty flimsy structures. I can see them only making a marginal difference in a marginal number of accidents.\n\nRiders who obey the rules of the road are less likely to have accidetns, more likely to be careful and experienced riders and more likely to wear helmets.\n\nIf we really care about cyclist's safety we would do better to license cyclists just as we do cars. Make them pass a test after doing a riding course. Have them carry a license plate front and back. Have the police ticket them just as they would cars for any infringement of the rules of the road. That would have a far greater effect on reducing cycling deaths and injuries than mandatory helmet wearing. And I say this as an avide cyclist who does not own a car and rides probably 200 K a week in city traffic. For every motorist doing something dangerous and stupid to cyclists I see at least 10 cyclists doing it to themselves. 1311879073 +You say that they're trained in critical thinking. I'm just wondering how you know this? Have they done philosophy courses in critical thinking for example? 1335093924 +Soylent Green... is... Jihad? 1304444817 +Hey I bet that'll be a real thing someday, once the nanotech is there. 1354843979 +I looked at the photos here: Magazine 47/V (Color) Frames 6869-7021 http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a12/images12.html but there are only a few photos from lunar orbit.\nAren't capsule's windows covered during launch to prevent capsule damage, in this case dirt on windows? 1327092801 +wait wait wait... that's a Jew. We're talking about is the opposite of old. 1293206843 +Balance is a subjective word. I think we are in balance, are you so arrogant to believe that a little species like ourselves can have any real impact on a a natural balance? Sure as the pendulum swings it reaches a max hieght, but it always returns to the middle before it swings the opposite direction. We already see thousands of applications of sine waves in nature, who's to say that humanity and technology do not also follow suit? Nature is larger than us, we are a part of it, anything we do is "natural". There is no larger plan for us, no higher existence. We are what we are. And at the end of the day we will see if we are a species capable of changing its fate. 1352825790 +Well fuck man finish the story!! 1318189133 +exactly, the flashes of light are also quite clearly done in after effects so its a no-brainer. the best one imo is probably the phoenix lights 1329015497 +Given it's the internet, this very well could be a "child" 1342469263 +Space junk, probably a spring or tubing similar to a slinky. 1356931591 +>...which basically translates as "As far as we know, it does not cause harm.\n\nUm, that's an odd interpretation. If that's what they meant, they would have said that; this is a respected veterinary journal. What that sentence means is exactly what it says: there is currently no compelling reason to currently recommend ***or reject*** acupuncture, but "some encouraging data do exist that warrant further investigation in independent rigorous trials." These scientists, and the scientists who write the independent Cochrane reviews (which are [independent, highly respected research reviews](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systematic_review#Cochrane_Collaboration) designed to help practitioners keep up on research, especially in areas of clinical practice that are unsettled) reviewed all extant data on humans and domestic animals and both reached the same conclusion: at present, there's no compelling reason to accept or reject acupuncture, and some of the data looks promising. I don't have any stake in the acupuncture game, but I also don't like to pretend I know better than the scientists who have read and critiqued all of the available literature in this area. 1326210877 +Yeah, it keeps the ignorant, science hating masses occupied. 1300935631 +You can't deal with their ideas. They didn't come at them by reason, so you can't reason them out of it.\n\nYou can parody; did you know the Starbucks across the street was built by aliens?! You can use their obstinacy and loose standards of evidence to show how any dumb idea has the same support, and you should compound their dumb ideas with more dumbness. MMR vaccines really get the body humors out of balance, and (insert 17th century medical voodoo here) and that's why it causes autism. Oh, and vaccine needles are accupuncture, and they're doing it wrong, and that causes autism. (Contradictory? So what. Revel in it.) 1340284202 +Penn & Teller had an excellent episode on PETA.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9ijLulwUTY 1271513651 +Wow, thank you for the awesome info! While I may not have the cash on hand to start-up, I will eventually, and I'll totally give it a shot. I'll also check out /r/homebrewing for more info, and will probably ask some questions of you concerning the process in the future. 1286951742 +True, but this particular bigot is [a *notorious* troll.](http://www.reddit.com/r/TheAgora/comments/ej3g3/on_the_ethics_of_trollkilling/) He and [his little clique](http://www.reddit.com/r/NolibsWatch/comments/lp7sl/members_of_the_nolibs_modding_crew_possibly/) are not dissimilar in style and methods to the Westboro Baptist Church. The fundamentalist beliefs they respectively espouse are solidified by hatred, intolerance and a delusional sense of [divinely righteous](http://www.reddit.com/r/NolibsWatch/comments/153ope/jesus_muhammad_and_many_of_the_others_mentioned/) purpose. Christian Zionist extremism. Scary.\n\nCheck out the [reddit legacy of u/jcm267](http://www.reddit.com/search?q=*jcm267+-author%3Ajcm267). 1356552117 +Could have done without the gregorian chant.... 1277762068 +I think he meant in the aspartme article. 1305163192 +A [gift](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OtbHoZOAao), for you, from the internet people. 1294116276 +Yes, those private fire brigades in the late 1800s were just wonderful. If you didn't pay them, they let your house burn to the ground, dog, baby, and all. \n\nProfit as a motive for some things just doesn't work. If private fire brigades existed today instead of the public ones we have, they would be lobbying against fire safety measures. 1312482663 +BEHOLD! THERE'S A POTENTIAL FRAUD IN GREECE GOING ON!! http://imgur.com/EGAVf 1306853955 +If a rift opened up, would it appear stationary on earth, or would it seem to zoom by us because the earth is moving so fast in space? 1331352713 +It's definitely true that futurist predictions should be taken with a grain of salt, but what about the central empirical claims that a) we can create AI of "equal intelligence" to our own, and b) AI of "equal intelligence" to our own could design further AIs that were "more intelligent" (where "intelligence" here is a pretty vague term but has to do with the various cognitive capacities relevant to reasoning about the world and manipulating it for the agent's own purposes). Those claims seem pretty reasonable to me, and not at all like religious claims. I know the Singularity stuff carries with it particular baggage (such as when AIs-designing-smarter-AIs will occur, how fast the process will be, and the social consequences of that process) but it doesn't seem to me that the main two points I mentioned above are (pseudo-)religious claims. 1335062712 +Please stop with the Illuminati 1340724562 +I've often thought about how we Earthlings would act to other inhabitants of alien worlds if/when we space travel. Would we assist their "evolution" or just sit back and watch them go through their times? I wonder. Oh, and good point! 1336961013 +Woah there, I'm not saying they are the same thing, I am saying "I bet I could give a patient cheaper and equal treatment by massaging their back." Who's jumping to conclusions now?\n\nAlso, let's not muddy the issue by bringing osteopathy into this. 1314025520 +For those of us who don't know, could someone briefly explain the relationship between TED and TEDx? I enjoy watching the TED talks on Netflix, but I don't really know what this TEDx thing is. 1354936999 +They spend too much money on travel for this to not be a serious effort. 1322401590 +Sense when? 1317892134 +OK one thing is they refer to a Lancet article, *but do not include a link!* Well after looking around, they probably mean [this study](http://www.foodbase.org.uk//admintools/reportdocuments/137-1-233_additivesbehaviourfinrep.pdf) (PDF) commissioned by the UK Food Standards Agency.\n\nAs with most of these studies they found a statistical link (perhaps someone can look into the statistics I do not have the time), but a statistical link in 1 single study with only 130 participants does not mean very much yet. Problem is also, that they found some hyperactivity, but strangely 3 year olds became hyperactive from mixture A (Mix A for 3-year-old children included 20 mg of artificial food colourings (5 mg sunset yellow [E110], 2·5 mg carmoisine [E122], 7·5 mg tartrazine [E102], and 5 mg ponceau 4R [E124) and 45 mg of sodium benzoate). \n\nWhereas 8 year olds became hyperactive from Mix B ( Active Mix B \nincluded 30 mg of artificial food colourings (7·5 mg sunset yellow, 7·5 mg carmoisine, 7·5 mg quinoline yellow [E104], and 7·5 mg allura red AC [E129]) and 45 mg of sodium benzoate. )\n\nSo this link is tenuous at least.\n\nThe rest are all bunk. 1321915330 +looks like classic vegan propaganda 1346423050 +re: what jaxxil_ said:\n\n> First of all, it claims to cure cancer. Red flag in itself. All types, too, apparently! \n\nCancer is not a single disease. Even breast cancer is not, in its, a single disease. See this paper, (among many others):\n\n> **Modelling breast cancer: one size does not fit all**\n\n> by Tracy Vargo-Gogola1 & Jeffrey M. Rosen\n\n> Breast cancer is not a single disease, but is instead a collection of diseases that have distinct histopathological features, genetic and genomic variability, and diverse prognostic outcomes. Thus, no individual model would be expected to completely recapitulate this complex disease. Here, the models commonly used to investigate breast cancer including cell lines, xenografts and genetically engineered mice, are discussed to help address the question: what is the most powerful way to investigate this heterogeneous disease?\n\n[http://www.nature.com/nrc/journal/v7/n9/abs/nrc2193.html](http://www.nature.com/nrc/journal/v7/n9/abs/nrc2193.html)\n\nFor that reason, there will never be a single cancer cure. 1348682079 +>Belief in the paranormal\n\nAs distinct from interest in the subject.\n\nI have never believed in the paranormal, whatever that means. But I've been interested in the subject since 1962.\n\nParanormal is somewhat of a misnomer. If something occurs in reality, regardless of how frequent or infrequent, strange or mundane, it is what I would call "normal". At least as compared to the general public perception of paranormal.\n\nWebster's online dictionary lists a definition of paranormal as, "not scientifically explainable". This too is not exactly correct. More accurate would be, "not *currently* scientifically explainable".\n\n[Sometimes belief that a thing is so might be paranormal for a time, then, frequently suddenly, be quite normal/scientifically explainable.](http://www.dinofish.com/)\n\nAnother example:\n\nThe giant squid, possibly formerly known as the kraken.\n\n>On at least three occasions in the 1930's they reportedly attacked a ship.\n\n [Many times in past centuries these attacks were said to have transpired. These stories, until recently were generally considered ignorant "tales" particularly among the scientific community. There is every reason to believe that ignorance is not restricted to ancient times.](http://unmuseum.mus.pa.us/kraken.htm)\n\n[Kevin Smith says he does not believe in UFOs.](http://kevinsmith.mypodcast.com/) 1227003154 +I didn't confuse you whit the troll at all. 1347415213 +I wonder if we'll get to see the hair guy.. 1313624590 +He actually told me that he first thought it was some kind of toy but that it made no noise and the light it emitted made him think otherwise. \n 1336617775 +Awww...\n\nBut it was fun typing in random stuff and seeing what would come up.\n\nI remember people actually selling their souls on there. Those were fun to read. 1345193569 +Is this a MN glitch? 1337534846 +It depends on the area of the world. Ki is Japanese, Chi (Qi) is Chinese. [source](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qi) 1326480342 +Regarding phosphoric acid, I thought there was a mechanism directly on tooth enamel. I don't have any sources other than a memory of my (admittedly fallible) dentist from many years ago telling me this. Do you have any information about that? 1332295339 +If it *were*. Sorry, pet peeve.\n\n---\n\nI know that St. Johns Wort is an OTC compound in many places that many people use daily without any prescription. I won't deny the possibility that it has side effects, of course, but methinks that if there were, we would know of them by now, *beyond* reasonable doubt. 1345560087 +Well, considering the front page story about Rick Astley getting zilch in royalties for all the views on Youtube, I've really got to say that the current incarnation of copyright and how it's used, especially in the **silencing** of culture unless you're willing to pay for it, has jumped the shark. 1284784432 +Why is this here? 1287048094 +Sure you can be. It is not this *or* that, it is this *and* that.\n\nIf you find the concept interesting you can take a look at any of the jane robers/seth material books. If you find the concept bullshit, that is a valid way to experience the world also. 1329233343 +As mentioned above, there are indeed viewers that are not sufficiently critical regarding possible conventional explanations to certain aerial phenomena. However (and regarding the "balloon blowing in the wind" example alone that you gave), I myself have also *very* often seen individuals who seem to have a knee jerk reaction calling almost any small, round, floating, luminous object in the sky a "balloon blowing in the wind" when, the fact of the matter is that a balloon blowing in the wind exhibits characteristics of instability that many of these aerial objects actually do *not* exhibit. Under these types of circumstances, the individual claiming a more conventional explanation is, in fact, little more than an uncritical naysayer and is just as detrimental to valid observation as the individual who is too quick to call the object a UFO.\n\nA third party observer (presumably you, for example) looking from the outside in at the different manners which phenomena are describe should themselves be very critical of *how* things are described and the validity with which observers on *either* side of the phenomenon analyze things - realizing that there are both critical and uncritical observations made on both sides. Ultimately, what one should do is simply discard all UFO and ET phenomena and observations that are uncritical and invalid. There will be a very big pile - as there is a lot of disinformation, etc out there. After you're done discarding the mountain of incorrect data, you'll find - if you yourself are critical and astute enough - that there will *still* be a certain percentage that will be valid and not explainable by any conventional, terrestrial means.\n\nAt the of the day, even if .5% of the thousands upon untold thousands of sightings are valid - heck, if even one in many *millions* is valid - then that alone is still proof that the phenomenon is real, and ETs exist. 1338668429 +Oh yes you will. :D 1345641681 +Agree, I will use this as an intro to many things now. 1339696844 +The others might be referring to some of the work by [Temple Grandin](http://www.grandin.com/inc/squeeze.html), also [wikipedia overview](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hug_machine). 1329727804 +Exactly. You can't pick and choose what to be skeptical of. 1319209237 +Apparently the official Roswell Alien footage was released just the other day, chicky check it out-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMjw5ukKx1Y&feature=player_embedded Could this be a fake or CG in any way? 1304533341 +I though that they had already concluded that fake acupuncture had exactly the same effect as true acupuncture. 1318286167 +I'm vegan and if I were taken in by that gluten thing, I'd probably hang myself. There'd not be much left to eat with a good consistency except falafel, and even I'd tire of that after a while. 1294346551 +Not to act like a conspiracy theorist or anything but if our government lied to us I don't think they would be the first establishment to do so. So with that in mind, they are a pretty powerful group making a hefty claim and I think it is appropriate to question thing that are presented and in this case. The main missing link here is the body that no one single person has apparently circulated a picture of. This is entirely contradictory to a lot of previous executions of leaders, Che Guevara and Saddam to list a couple. Am I raving that there has to be foul play afoot, certainly not. But i don't see the evidence they have presented leading only to the result that they are claiming. 1304417032 +Someone who I thought was intelligent linked to this today with no qualification other than that the EPA had confirmed this link. (Uh, no.)\n\nFrom the page:\n> That virus-laden DNA of aborted babies could be wreaking havoc on the DNA of healthy children is completely plausible\n\nWTF are they talking about? Has anyone heard of this before? Are fetal cells used in culturing vaccines? This sounds to me like an all-new brand of anti-vaccine crazy.\n\nThe Sound Choice Pharmaceutical Institute doesn't exactly sound like an unbiased research source, either. Why are they presenting at the International Society for Autism Research meeting? (ISAR is by all appearances a reputable organization, if you can judge by the research they're publishing in their journal, which appears to be mostly from public research universities). 1271958136 +>Still, the Prines said it should be their choice whether to vaccinate, not their doctor's.\n\n\nFine, and it's the doctor's choice to see your kid or not. 1299048190 +we can just hope 1278130941 +I had the exact same experience where your bad dream is concerned. I looked around the room with my eyes but couldn't move. I heard someone behind me laughing loudly. I tried as hard as I old to get up but couldn't. I finally managed to shake myself so hard I rolled onto the floor and jumped up fist cocked ready to beat he piss out of who ever was in my apt. No one was there.\nI asked my mother about It (being 19 at the time) she reconised it right away and said its called an old hag. 1344919422 +If God was all powerful, and all good, there's no reason why he would willfully inflict pain upon us for logistical reasons. If he is restricted by anything, logistics or otherwise, then he is no longer all powerful. 1308694967 +Absolutely the only show/movie/depiction I've seen that gets the southern, hillbilly redneck spot on. 1284678909 +Yea she doesn't my tits in too. Her segments on SGU are just boring. 1309967548 +I did a good read on this after my brother got into it. I did find I good well written and referenced set of short [papers](http://www.beyondveg.com/cat/paleodiet/index.shtml) on the various topics discussed and follwed a good few of the primary papers up. The stuff about grains being toxic seems to hold true and it does seem to have a fairly scientific basis. You should check it out once your finals are over.\n\nIt just needs some good clinical trials to be carried out to prove some of its claims. But there's certainly no evidence for it being bad for you as far as I read.\n\nIf anything encouraging people to eat a lot more veg and think about the quality of their food and cut down on processed foods is certainly good. If it was me though I'd sooner cut back on things like grain rather than remove them completely. I love bacon butties too much. 1303772980 +I like LunaCognitas videos and love the frame stacking technique. However, I agree that it seems to just be something on the window and the movement over the surface is caused by the lunar module moving. 1327002898 +>When did I ever claim that he was wrong? You stated that it first free fell at this speed.\n\nI'm not only claiming it, I actually *showed* you **video evidence**. You, however, are hung up on how the penthouse itself collapsed seconds before and are again confusing the total duration of collapse of other elements that may or may not have affected the actual *building* collapse.\n\n>NIST even reports free fall after the initial collapse.\n\n*sigh* NIST left out entire sections of evidence (again, as pointed out by the SE in the previous video linked.) They're a joke.\n\n>Never said it. But even so, evidence against concept A isn't evidence for concept B. Please take a logic class once in your life. Spare me having to continuously discuss the finer points with you.\n\nSo, what the fuck are you defending, then? Either it collapsed per the mainstream theory (heat/fires) - **or** it collapsed due to explosions. That's it. Inside or Outside Job. (or even a combination of the two.)\n\n>And I say, Then HE SHOULD PROVE IT!\n\n...*facepalm*.... a **high school** teacher proved it. Did. You. Watch the video? You never *once* explicitly stated what was *wrong* w/ his science other than denying it.\n\n>So your claim is that it was a controlled demolition? So how did the 7 hour fires not set off or damage the devices before hand? <emotionally knee-jerked, loaded questions that have no relevance to the actual topic at hand>.... how do you explain that?\n\nYou don't understand. For a supposed skeptic, you're asking all these questions like, "how come people didn't notice, how could all these people be involved, etc. etc.". I **already** addressed all of that. To speak to the motivations or the level of people involved is nothing but pure conjecture and no amount of science can prove anything. It's all conjecture. But, regardless, you're allowing your **pre-conceived** human **emotions** get the best of you and b/c of this you're simply shutting down any possibility of anything outside of the bubble of how you **think** the world should operate.\n\nI mean, it would be like someone living in a small town whose wife was brutally raped and murdered. All the evidence pointed at the beloved/highly respected local Sheriff. I mean, this guy was loved by *everyone* - but, in spite of his semen on her dress, and his finger prints on her car door, and her blood in his office you'd sit back and say "no!! that just couldn't happen!! Imagine how many people would have had to been in on the conspiracy. And, I just can't believe that anyway - it's just not possible. He's a good guy!!" Well, sorry - the evidence says otherwise. Suck it up, the man is a rapist and murderer.\n\n>LITERALLY no evidence\n\nI can't even laugh anymore. I mean, it's thoughtless statements like this that make me think you're just a troll or a shill. No, see, there's no evidence **that you like**. There's no evidence **that you're comfortable with.** You're so, so horribly biased and have allowed your emotions to take over, that, you're fighting *any* kind of dissenting voice (w/ hatred, no less). I sincerely feel sorry for you.\n\nNo, see, there's LITERALLY no evidence that Elvis Presley is living on a moon base now. There is a copious amount of evidence that explosives brought down Bldg. 7. \n\nRegardless, it's interesting - you are fighting this w/ so much vitriol and determination, yet, you haven't provided what you think is the best theory for collapse. Seriously, you say you don't buy the mainstream theory, and you clearly don't buy the implosion theory - let's hear yours.\n\n 1350476674 +"Just because you're paranoid, does not mean they're not after you!" - Nirvana 1313236283 +Well, I think a lot of good doctors would be tempted to say "no" if offered that much TV time. Oz may have said "yes" since he accepts such a broad definition of medicine that he feels he's got plenty of material. 1295751028 +I am from India and in some places we get cows milked at our doorsteps. The rule is, always boil the milk (rolling boil) for 10 minutes and simmer for another 10 minutes before drinking. If the milk comes in packets (already pasteurized) then just boil it once. 1328315045 +Cool! If I ever have children, I don't want them to be put at risk of catching something from the vaccinated ones... 1329359663 +Enlighten us? 1330969625 +Enlighten us? 1317701585 +I get what you're saying too. I honestly think the culture was different back then. We didn't take photos of stuff if it wasn't on vacation or at a big party and post them on Facebook? I don't know really. I was a freshmen in high school when this happened and I had a lot of pictures of me and my friends. Perhaps it isn't an excuse.\n\nI just trying to come up with an answer for your question. It really is kind of baffling. Maybe there *are* photos out there but the people just never came forward with them after seeing the governor mock the incident and stuff? Maybe people took them and they didn't turn out? 1310946600 +*whew* then I love it and its perfect, thank you :) I asked because I also happen to be an absurdist\n\nEdit for bad autocorrecting 1345180956 +Indeed. I think the main point being, we need to be skeptical about every anomalous claim without being completely closed to the idea that *any* evidence must, of necessity, be physical evidence of the "nuts and bolts" variety. Anecdotal data can be every bit as compelling (and telling) as physical data. It's how it is used and referenced that makes all the difference in the world. 1332279285 +Non-flavoured? So it's just flower water? No thank you. 1298256763 +Although if we want to get meta on this, this *is* actually a human made comic strip intended to be understood by humans in human terms. The author probably intended that these aliens have a life span similar to that of us humans. 1343685486 +I'd say it's simple to explain the 2 hour thing - you actually fell asleep, you just didn't realise it 1351797051 +China's literacy rate is only 93.6 percent. That is high historically, but every genuinely developed country is at 99 percent or more.\n\nChina has at least 60 million illiterate citizens. What does that say about the number who might use computers?\n\nEnglish is the language of computing. The future is being built by Chinese speakers' hands but English speakers' voices and Roman letters.\n\nUsers of Roman alphabets outnumber users of Chinese pictographic systems.\n\nMandarin is very important now, but it won't be able to eclipse English the way English eclipsed French. It can't become lingua Franca without a definitive victory because an English document in front of a Spanish speaker looks like foreign words, but a Mandarin document looks like a drawing of bugs dancing.\n\nI wouldn't be surprised if the various Germanic and Scandinavian languages merged. I wouldn't be surprised if French and Italian merged or were subsumed by Spanish. I wouldn't be surprised if all the EU member countries gradually became so permeated with English speakers that their original languages started to dwindle. I just cannot see the alphabet switch happening anytime soon. It's a tremendously difficult adjustment. 1299780386 +Folks from all sides will use misinformation when it suits 1330037243 +There is no truth in that. It has no place in a debate. It's patent nonsense. It's vaccine hysteria all over again. 1345001140 +Well if you want to frame conservative as defending the status quo, then I guess Cato isn't all that conservative.\n\nIt's definitely right wing, pro-markets and libertarian though. The latter can clash quite severely with conservatives though. 1283582005 +I liked when this guy took out the "tl;dr stfu" and replaced it with "why is it any of your concern that someone is without a smartphone or camera? why be a dick about it" i wasn't being a dick but your original reply was very dickish ;) 1330152644 +It's based on a combination of science and logical reasoning.\n\nLogical reasoning: Evolution is a valid thing. Organisms evolve acting a certain way in a certain environment. Bodies are optimized to work in that way in that environment. For optimal health, mimic those activity patterns and diet.\n\nScientifically: The general diet and activity prescriptions are well backed. Be active with a wide range of intensity. Avoid high carbohydrate intake. Avoid non-ancestral foods (many, though not all, of which see widespread intolerances and the like: wheat gluten and lactose, for two large examples) and certain macronutrient profiles (avoid foodstuffs with a large amount of carbohydrate and fat, as these are shown to promote the most weight gain). Largely, the prescriptions of a paleo methodology match up with peer reviewed scientific data. Not all aspects are scientifically supported, but none that I know of are conclusively opposed. 1347595803 +You're not being rude. Thank you for your concern. 1326576560 +I would have said thanks, it's my new Axe body spray. 1308108282 +holy shit, amazing find! thank you! 1351717202 +I remember reading about Global Warming in a kid's magazine (ranger Rick, IIRC) about global warming in the early to mid ninties. My (arch-conservative) grandmother immediatly put a copy of some other magazine, which had a single sentance that said "Scientists have come to agree there is no such thing as global warming". (paraphrasing, obviously. I want to say the magazine was some conservative rag - the New American, I think, but i have no way to prove it.)\n\nThe takaway is that the anti-science slant has been around for a long time, probably longer then we currently think. 1333463432 +Is that research into imaging technology I wonder? What else could that mean? 1312126506 +sooo fake 1300374507 +Aliens need to send the design plans for their telescope thing displayed at the bottom of the message. 1351835283 +Just my own experience. Like everyone, I haven't seen any doc that has proven anything. \n\nI grew up watching all the supposed reality supernatural stories on UPN (old network), checked out The Amityville Horror Story from my school library, and really just tried to keep my mind open. I was convinced the eyes in my posters would follow me around my roon. As I grew older though, my faith started to fade and any tales of the supernatural were just that. George and Kathy Lutz had sold their house to get out of their mortgage. \n\nYou can imagine my shock and disbelief when it happened to me. Actually, I take that back. Unless you've shared something similar yourself, you will probably just consider me a crazy person.\n I sometimes do. I tend to over think everything naturally.\n\nIt was a few years ago and it happened in the house I live in now. I remember watching movies as a kid and thinking "I would just move if something like that happened to me". But here I am in my early 30's, house of my own, a decent amount of money to my name and still it's just not that easy. If the Lutz's had tried to cheat their mortgage company it's easy to see why.\n\nBack to the point. It was late at night and I was sitting at my computer desk. I was browsing the net (probably Reddit) when I thought I felt my phone go off in my pocket. Although, it was sitting right in front of me. On the base to my monitor. I scooted back in my chair and looked down to see my right pant pocket rolling around wildly as if someone was **Digging Through It!**. \n\nI remember being shocked. Looking from my pocket to my phone, my phone to my pocket. I couldn't believe what was going on. It didn't make sense. I patted my pocket flat as if it had caught fire naively thinking it would stop. When it didn't, I froze. I don't remember how long it was until I gained enough courage to stand up but I remember my pocket still moving continuously until I did. Unfortunately, even when I was standing I could still feel the fingernails brushing against my thigh. Finally, I was freaked the F out. \n\nI threw my chair back and left for the living room where my brother and his gf at the time were watching tv. Right away they knew something was wrong. I only asked if I could watch tv with them for a while. I never sat down. I felt so much safer being in the room with them that I just stood there. Speechless. It wasn't that I couldn't talk. It was that I didn't know how to explain or what to explain. Nothing I would've said would have made them take me seriously. Finally about 20 min later I filled them in. I remember for months after that, late at night staring at the lights of my ceiling fan. Too scared to close my eyes.\n\nA few more occurrences happened and I was starting to feel targeted. Again though, I felt like I had no one to talk to or share with. My family is very loving and loyal but we are all sensible. I ended up getting pretty emotional about it. My view on reality had been broken. I tried to make sense of it. Maybe I was tired and I was seeing things- I felt it first and that is what drew my attention.\n\nI am still in the same house but now stay in a different bedroom. I really don't expect anyone to read all of that it just was nice to get it out of my system. I will leave you with a \n\n**TL:DR**\n\n**I was a complete skeptic til a ghost played pocket pool with me and taunted me til I switched rooms.** \n\nedit: Typed the word if instead of it.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n 1340866375 +When you search HPUS, you find it stands for "Homœopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States", not a unit. The dilution they used is the "6X" part, which is explained [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathic_dilutions). 6X translates to 10^(−6), or one part in a million. 1355961089 +If you go out in the remote desert at night and look up, maybe you will understand why all the ancients were obsessed with the sky. No, it's not a "coincidence" - it's a natural wonder, a grand mystery looming above. It wasn't until we got our own distracting lights that people got bored with it. 1332272345 +Nope. Only 12 because one escaped. 1328335230 +Yeah I noticed that. The UFOs we saw didn't give off any light though. 1278523025 +TV and films certainly appear to give the impression that things are possible when they aren't, and I think a lot of people take what they see on the screen as a reflection of reality.\n\nThat said, even if it weren't for TV and film, I think people might still have a false impression of what's possible, just through lack of knowledge. So I while they don't help, I don't think it really makes much difference. 1317859712 +That guy is retarded. 1312241209 +Sup pharmacy, I can haz sales on meh homopathic drugz? kk cool, here taek dis hueg wad of moneyz 4 u. ttylomgpropets! 1329870850 +NEWSFLASH 1305564787 +Care to explain this one to someone who knows he isn't good at statistics and probabilities?\n\nIt seems to me that both are arbitrary sequences of rolls that could be replaced by any other sequence.\n\nEdit: forget it. I originally missed that you were rolling six dies. 1327964826 +Err no, where does he say anything about the US? 1355938803 +Yes, I'm familiar with the four noble truths. They're metaphysical concepts, not testable hypotheses.\n\n> These are not supernatural elements, they're a finger pointing at the moon. The terminology is meaningless outside of its context, but within its context it produces results.\n\nThe idea of "the finger pointing at the moon" is that you can't explain a concept, you can only point at it with words. Instead it requires subjective interpretation and understanding. But a hypothesis must be objective and measurable for it to be falsifiable.\n\n> Check out these studies on mindfulness meditation.\n\nSure, meditation has various specific effects. But you don't need Zen to meditate. 1337102138 +I'm also not 100% sure, but I think it's the mayor of Dushanbe talking to some American emissary or something.\n\n***NOTE: Use www.hidemyass.com or some other web proxy if you get a 403/404 error, your connection may be censored*** 1315049970 +I've been listening to all the bullshit about FC for years. Two easy tests could confirm the efficacy or lack thereof in an hour. \n1. Hire a Facilitated Communicator who does not speak the language of the subject.\n2. Give the subject a piece of trivial information when the facilitator isn't in the room. Have the Facilitator retrieve it.\nEasy repeatable test that have never, to the best of my knoledge been done. 1266279316 +Finally! I hope Australian bookstore smarten up as well because I find it so annoying to see this type of books under non-fiction. 1313800933 +> I know for a fact that there are spirits (and other things)\n\nStory? 1336120261 +Not even read the link, this isn't r/Atheism.\n\nHonestly, the people who spend all of their time debating creationists are just as bad as the preachers. 1322768940 +>or raising body temperature by a large amount, those are both emperically testable and would have dramatic results.\n\n>This isn't a ridiculous request, this is precisely what is required for normal scientific progress or experimentation. \n\n**In that case I think it's simply that you are not paying attention.**\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n**Just watch. ADHD TLDR TLDW Can be overcome I assure you:**\n\n.\n\n**Just watch. ADHD TLDR TLDW Can be overcome I assure you:**\n\n.\n\n**Just watch. ADHD TLDR TLDW Can be overcome I assure you:**\n\n.\n\n**Just watch. ADHD TLDR TLDW Can be overcome I assure you:**\n\n.\n\n**Just watch. ADHD TLDR TLDW Can be overcome I assure you:**\n\n.\n\n**Just watch. ADHD TLDR TLDW Can be overcome I assure you:**\n\n.\n\n**Just watch. ADHD TLDR TLDW Can be overcome I assure you:**\n\n.\n\n**Just watch. ADHD TLDR TLDW Can be overcome I assure you:**\n\n.\n\n**Just watch. ADHD TLDR TLDW Can be overcome I assure you:**\n\n.\n\n**Just watch. ADHD TLDR TLDW Can be overcome I assure you:**\n\n.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WajTafbG7II (Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical)\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36IX7fjfTVM\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=madoDvtKEes (from discovery channel)\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Arr4C52grQ&t=5m53s (Guinness world records)\n\n\n.\n\n\n.\n\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\nhttp://news.harvard.edu/gazette/2002/04.18/09-tummo.html\n\n.\n\n[Meditation changes temperatures: Mind controls body in extreme experiments](http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/2002/04.18/09-tummo.html)\n\n.\n\nDuring visits to remote monasteries in the 1980s, Benson and his team studied monks living in the Himalayan Mountains who could, **by g Tum-mo meditation, raise the temperatures of their fingers and toes by as much as 17 degrees.** It has yet to be determined how the monks are able to generate such heat.\n\nThe researchers also made measurements on practitioners of other forms of advanced meditation in Sikkim, India. They were astonished to find that **these monks could lower their metabolism by 64 percent.**\n\n.\n\nTo put that decrease in perspective, metabolism, or **oxygen consumption, drops only 10-15 percent in sleep and about 17 percent during simple meditation.**\n\nIn 1985, the meditation team **[made a video of monks drying cold, wet sheets with body heat.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WajTafbG7II)** They also documented monks spending a winter night on a rocky ledge 15,000 feet high in the Himalayas. The sleep-out took place in February on the night of the winter full moon when temperatures reached zero degrees F. Wearing only woolen or cotton shawls, the monks promptly fell asleep on the rocky ledge, They did not huddle together and the video shows no evidence of shivering. They slept until dawn then walked back to their monastery.\n\n**[Original study published in journal Nature](http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v295/n5846/pdf/295234a0.pdf)**\n\nhttp://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v295/n5846/pdf/295234a0.pdf\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n[Case Study on Tummo Master Wim Hof's Cold Endurance Abilities](http://www.innerfire.nl/files/can-meditation-influence-ans-hopman.pdf)\n\n.\n\n\n\n[Translated Version From Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre](http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http://www.umcn.nl/OverUMCstRadboud/NieuwsEnMedia/archief/2010/mei2010/Pages/RadboudwetenschappersonderzoekenIceman.aspx&usg=ALkJrhgAw-pYPgb7GjnNbF386eswXF0rsA)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n.\n\n\n\n\n\n**Can meditation influence the autonomic nervous system? A case report of a man** \n\n **immersed in crushed ice for 80 minutes.** \n\n\n.\n\n \nJan T Groothuis, Thijs M Eijsvogels , Ralph R Scholten, Dick HJ Thijssen, Maria TE Hopman \n\n**Departments of Physiology and Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Radboud University Nijmegen** \n\n**Medical Centre** and **Department of Rehabilitation, St Maartenskliniek; Nijmegen, The Netherlands**; \n\nand **Research Institute for Sports and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University,** \n\n **Liverpool, United Kingdom.**\n\n\n\n\n.\n\n\n**Background:** \n\nThe autonomic nervous system responds independently, autonomously and automatically \n\nto changes in the homeostasis of the cardiovascular system and thermoregulation. **However, the world** \n\n**record holder of full-body ice immersion claims he can influence his autonomic nervous system** \n\n**through the Asian Tummo meditation technique, which is associated with descriptions of intense** \n\n**sensations of body heat. We, therefore, assessed the cardiovascular and thermoregulatory responses to** \n\n **full-body ice immersion in this individual.**\n\n.\n\n**Methods:**\n \n.\n\n**A 51 year old male was fully immersed in crushed ice for 80 minutes whilst performing** \n\n**Asian Tummo meditation.** Blood pressure and heart rate were measured continuously using an \n\nautomatic blood pressure device. Core body and skin temperature were measured continuously using \n\nan ingestible telemetric temperature pill and wireless sensors, respectively. Oxygen consumption was \n\nmeasured using pulmonary gas exchange every 30 minutes. \n\n.\n\n\n**Results:** \n\n\nCore body temperature during the 80-minute ice immersion period decreased gradually from \n\n37.7 to 37.1°C. Skin temperature decreased at the upper limbs from 28 to 5°C and at the lower limbs \n\nfrom 28 to 18°C. No immediate blood pressure or heart rate response at the beginning of full-body ice \n\nimmersion was observed. Over the full 80-minute ice immersion period, blood pressure gradually \n\nincreased from 128/84 to 163/97 mmHg and heart rate from 70 to 90 bpm. Oxygen consumption \n\ndoubled from 5.7 at baseline to 11.0 ml/min/kg during immersion and remained stable. \n\n.\n\n\n**Conclusions:** \n\n\nNo immediate blood pressure and heart rate responses were observed, as typically \n\nobserved when (partially) submerged into ice(water). Despite 80 minutes of full-body ice immersion \n\nand significant heat loss through the skin, **core body temperature was maintained probably by an** \n\n**increased energy expenditure (and therefore heat production).** This individual may have influenced the \n\nautonomic nervous system, thereby actively regulating the cardiovascular system and \n\nthermoregulation. \n\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n**(this is about Wim Hof and Tummo (inner fire) meditation)**\n\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22685240\n\nThe influence of concentration/meditation on autonomic nervous system activity and the innate immune response: a case study.\n\n\nKox M, Stoffels M, Smeekens SP, van Alfen N, Gomes M, Eijsvogels TM, Hopman MT, van der Hoeven JG, Netea MG, Pickkers P.\nSource\n\nDepartment of Intensive Care Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. m.kox@ic.umcn.nl\nAbstract\n\n\n**OBJECTIVE:**\n\nIn this case study, we describe the effects of a particular individual's concentration/meditation technique on autonomic nervous system activity and the innate immune response. The study participant holds several world records with regard to tolerating extreme cold and claims that he can influence his autonomic nervous system and thereby his innate immune response.\n\n\n**METHODS:**\n\nThe individual's ex vivo cytokine response (stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) was determined before and after an 80-minute full-body ice immersion during which the individual practiced his concentration/meditation technique. Furthermore, the individual's in vivo innate immune response was studied while practicing his concentration/mediation technique during human endotoxemia (intravenous administration of 2 ng/kg LPS). The results from the endotoxemia experiment were compared with a historical cohort of 112 individuals who participated in endotoxemia experiments in our institution.\n\n**RESULTS:**\n\nThe ex vivo proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine response was greatly attenuated by concentration/meditation during ice immersion, accompanied by high levels of cortisol. In the endotoxemia experiment, concentration/meditation resulted in increased circulating concentrations of catecholamines, and plasma cortisol concentrations were higher than in any of the previously studied participants. The individual's in vivo cytokine response and clinical symptoms after LPS administration were remarkably low compared with previously studied participants.\n\n\n**CONCLUSIONS:**\n\n**The concentration/meditation technique used by this particular individual seems to evoke a controlled stress response. This response is characterized by sympathetic nervous system activation and subsequent catecholamine/cortisol release, which seems to attenuate the innate immune response.**\n\n 1349076208 +Apparently, with the right audio frequency through headphones, you can observe marked differences in behavior. These differences are argued to influence increased brain activation at a particular frequency. A friend does some memory research on theta wave, but as I have not read to far into her line of research, I can't really provide specifics. I know other people in our department think it's bogus, but we're all scientists, so it's scientific skepticism from the get-go. \n\nSuffice-to-say, these brain wave definitions are involved in real scientific experiments, usually with an EEG machine hooked up to some poor guy/gal's noggin. Jury is still out on the results, though. 1339658876 +Can't argue with your chemistry breakdown, definitely thorough. I do understand where your hypothesis of the low absorption rate comes from, however, as we designed this supplement we found its overall effects to be faster and more potent with the Magnetite ingredient than compared to other sources of iron. You can looked at this through the lens of how the Magnetite interacts with the body as an isolated ingredient, but more importantly we measured the results of the supplement as a whole, and how all of the ingredients work together.\n\nI really do appreciate your detailed breakdown of the chemistry process, will run it buy our chemist who aided in the R&D of designing the supplement to get this thoughts. Thanks again chemicalgeekery 1349979868 +Why did they put a picture of it on a circuit breaker.. 1350418627 +They couldn't even get the etymology right, not that it being correct would itself be proper evidence for this practice 1334516853 +Hail Satin! 1351703428 +http://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=2c21ea976a39f8004c5419d3df73e10112afaded.88440\n\nphoto seems to have been resaved,multiple times. there does not seem to be a modification on the face area.\n\nmodification would look like this:\nhttp://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=7fe8f18646eed0a83d31254c6ac89582ca001ce7.170573 1356966492 +http://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=2c21ea976a39f8004c5419d3df73e10112afaded.88440\n\nphoto seems to have been resaved,multiple times. there does not seem to be a modification on the face area.\n\nmodification would look like this:\nhttp://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=7fe8f18646eed0a83d31254c6ac89582ca001ce7.170573 1356966499 +I thought the same thing when Clinton said "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." 1304382145 +This, and also fuck Gizmodo\n\n 1339812807 +Is English not your first language? This would explain a lot. \n\n>I thought you said the science is clear?\n\nRight, I did say that.\n\n>Now you're saying the findings of scientists isn't credible? Which is it?\n\nNo, Im not saying that at all. I said "This is one of the things that people remember and prevents them from lending any credibility...."\n\nPeople. Many people. You know, the ones that we always point to in these threads such as this very thread.\n\nSo again, I have said and continue to say that the science is clear while there are many people who do not agree. \n\nAcid rain was not a hoax because it continues to be an issue today however small. It was however blown way out of proportion and when you have numerous liberal outlets killing off the issue and burying it you can be certain of this. Not to mention the facts show it to have been exaggerated. \n 1354405288 +It looks photoshop. Some one put a picture on top of said picture and decrease the transparency where it's barely visible; thus making a apparition show up in a picture. Most ghost photos that I've seen, the apparition are extremely blurry except for obvious shapes. This ghost is too clean and clear. Your cousin is fooling you. 1349829390 +Lunchtime doubly so. 1322422657 +Compared to your thumb, was it pin head sized or M&M sized? And are you sure it wasn't a satellite? Those also sometimes disappear mid-air. 1348320342 +Yeah. He was pretty cool like that. Actually, I think he would have more accurately stated that both he and the ancients were doing nothing but tapping into knowledge that doesn't belong to either of them, but that is universally available for absolutely everyone to freely use and benefit from.\n\nThat's why we killed him. We humans like doing that to those in our society who provide truth. 1336030770 +This is a good example of why I don't pay much attention to Youtube UFO videos. Without the details: who/what/where/when and context, there are more questions than answers. Without those answers I have to assume it's a hoax. What's the story behind this sighting? Why did the person stop recording at 40 seconds when the objects were still there? 1341753779 +To counteract your "Fake as Fuck" comment, I don't see how a 200 lb man could be thrown, and then pulled backward while on the ground, by air.\n\nI guessed on his weight future downvoters. 1333522171 +Actually, they mostly refuse because of the massive fossil record and other evidence pointing towards evolution.\n\nSometimes I really do tire of the gullible attitude people take in this sub. 1342627575 +Yeah, I too am not too pleased with the skeptic subreddit, it didn't quite meet my expectations. It's extremely one-sided skepticism. 1287768274 +Spirits communicate best through dreams, as does your own subconscious mind; and the dreams are vivid according to the strength of the emotions driving them. There are clean and unclean spirits, but dream interaction with demons and angels is exceptional. Clean spirits very often convey useful information, and the unclean an opportunity to help them pass over (though their dreams can be quite disturbing); interaction with a discarnate celestial/extra-dimensional being is always unmistakable; listen to your heart, and not your superstitious, bullying friend. 1328726289 +It's one of those things that if it is true (and I do have my doubts) it will almost certainly only be one of a number of contributing factors. \n\nI would bet money diet and sedentary lifestyles will be far more important.\n\nAs someone who is well versed in losing a bunch of weight (through diet and exercise) alarm bells always go off whenever you hear someone like the scientist mentioned who says they cannot lose weight whatever they do. 99.9% of the time they are simply eating too much and dont realise it. \n\nas exemplified by (this from a BBC doc)[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nWvQ0Q-VEA] which is tracks the calories of an overweight actress, who 'eats right', is active etc etc. She has to do a video diary at the end of the day for part, a written diary for another part and a they also use a technique with some chemical that allows them to acurately track calorie intake.\n\nTurns out she put on average 1100 cal a day in her end of day diary, she was eating on average over 3000 cal per day. the written diary under-reported by 43% and the national average is about 50%. 1327444627 +The burden of proof is on the positive claimant. Skeptics don't have to prove shit. 1346842965 +Was talking to another believer about this stuff about a week or so ago. Apparently the best evidence for NDEs being evidence of consciousness existing separate from the brain is the story of Pam Reynolds... Certainly didn't convince me.\n\nThe idea of spirits has been popular with humans for thousands of years. We're finally starting to unravel how the brain works without resorting to non-answers such as spirits. Since Alan Turing's seminal paper on computable numbers was published, we have had a frame work in which to understand the brain, and it is proving to be very fruitful in helping us understand the brain/mind. 1324784167 +I guess I just meant that it has been way, way over-used.\n 1309008301 +Top 12 paid apps that let you read gawker sites more easily on your iPad! 1340251836 +wat\n\n...Sidenote: that movie was pretty much the first movie I ever saw in theaters. 1307342876 +If she knows she's dead, what's her incentive for staying here? I'd think moving on would be the obvious choice. 1343776123 +They were both from xieish. 1296271133 +Kinda, yeah. It was framed as changing the "vibration" of the atoms, which is almost correct in the sense that all atoms are moving and in solids they don't move much, in liquids the move a bot more and in gasses they move a lot. I know that this is a bullshit claim, but I am having trouble finding evidence to back up reality. 1293291404 +if you are talking about the pictures online yes you can always find one way to say its possible to be faked. I am talking about real life experiences. Myself and many of my family have talked to my late grandfather, after he passed, during the day, with multiple people (including a neighbor) seeing it at the same time. Not one believed in anything of the sort until then. You have no choice. I have no idea how or why, but I cant deny what myself and at least the people in my personal life have seen. I cannot vouch for others although. 1355188330 +If you're offended by being called a cheat then quite simply don't become one. But I will call you one over and over and over again if you pursue this nonsense. Though we probably won't communicate past this exchange. But, in my mind, I’ll curse you. \n \nIf you truly want to help people then become a Physical Therapist. Hell, you could even go into Sports Medicine. \n \nIf you really do have integrity then you should research every aspect of this pseudoscientific snake-oil business you’re about to get into. \n \nhttp://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/chirostroke.html\n\n \n\n 1342755147 +Because there are a lot of douche bags on the internet. 1347633797 +I know why he does it. He has experienced it firsthand. 1287506859 +I thought schools require certain vaccinations. Unless they are getting home schooled, don't they have to comply with the schools? 1329595114 +I picture her like the retard in "Rainman,"\n\n>Definitely have to dance on my date. Have to learn how to dance. Definitely\n\n>Of course I don't have my underwear. I'm definitely not wearing my underwear. \n\n>We're definitely locked in this box with no TV\n\n\n 1321131366 +personally don't buy into the idea, but a lot of people claim Limestone deposits and quartz deposits both INCREASE hauntings and paranormal activity\n\nlike I said, I don't buy into it...so links to some people who do\n\n[1](http://liparanormalinvestigators.com/rocks.shtml)\n\n[2](http://www.paranormalunderground.net/forum/topic/1035-the-limestone-theory/)\n\n[3](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/28/ghost-hunters-water-limestone-railroad-tracks_n_1064457.html)\n\n 1326833082 +> I am amazed at how much philosophy becomes impractical at the very low-level of "something exists other than the 'I am'".\n\nYes, I find it a bit bizarre that it's so foundational, and yet, somehow, so irrelevant at the same time. 1320087788 +Let them be. It's one way to thin out the fb hordes. 1336989954 +I'm not sure. I think there are a *lot* of checks and balances in the system already. But I don't really know in any level of detail, so I am only guessing. The problem here is that we are getting in to political bureaucracy vs private company interests. It is complicated. Way too complicated. Almost as complicated as the science which it is all about.\n\nThis seems to me to be the real issue here. We have miultiple layers of complexity, and when random yokels think they can see the truth from their outside perspective of ignorance...that is just absurd. ..just... sigh... because the theoretical science, the research based science, the commercialisation of that science, the balance and checking of the safety of the implementation, the financial underpinning of it, and ultimately the final distribution and marketing of those products.... It's FUCKING COMPLICATED.\n\n 1337716334 +Nope. American culture doesn't. To my knowledge, neither do northern European cultures. 1331586285 +Well, the dickish undercurrent I'm talking about has more to do with a kind of sneering contempt for people who believe in certain things. For example, one time I was talking about a certain woo promoter, and I got the response "What a stupid, stupid woman!".\n\nWell, no, she's not stupid... she's mistaken for sure, but I don't think it serves any purpose to call her stupid.\n\nIt's the kind of thing that I notice happening a bit, and I would call that a little dickish.\n\nI certainly wouldn't consider an atheist just asserting himself to be a dick in any way. 1283654830 +What is that? 1347726203 +What is that? 1355210280 +If the government could control the weather, we wouldn't need a military. 1331051338 +In order for a nuclear explosion to occur, their must be a critical mass of radioactive substance. Fuel pellets are only 3% uranium and the rest is thorium in most cases. In order for material to create a nuclear explosion to occur the concentration would need to be much higher. So high in fact that it would have needed to be enriched. As far as heat and thermal damage, The graphite used as the medium of cooling was already on fire, and even that didn't cause an explosion. What did cause the explosion was a meltdown, and the resulting expansion of steam, to almost a thousand times the volume when it was under pressure. 1337373930 +I'm pretty sure that's crap about Darth Vader being inspired by the vedas. Vader is Dutch for "father", and *darth* is a nice merging of dark and death. 1317877158 +hmm generally you start with an observation, yes? in real life that is. 1337465796 + > - To debunk, they took one of the five, a small nervous student nurse, and gave her flying lessons. After thirty minutes she was doing just fine and even managed to land successfully.\n\n\nBullshit. Just weak minded bullshit.\n\n * American flight 11 and United flight 175 were [Boeing 767s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_767).\n * The 911 attackers trained on a [Cessna 172](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cessna_172)\n * The attacker trainees were bad pilots. They even abandoned their plane on the run way before take off once.\n\n\nThere's no way failed Cessna 172 pilot trainees are going to take over a Boeing 767, and fly it directly into a building.\n\n\nThe rest of the debunking sessions were just about as well thought out. The entire exercise was a waste of everyone's time. 1336932473 +>I can't help but notice how long it takes you to respond each time. Is it because you're out of arguments, and are desperately trying to find one, or rather because you have a hard time typing when you're enraged?\n\nMaybe he has other things to do instead of anxiously waiting for your next reply.\n\nPersonally, I am watching Netflix right now and only check Reddit at the end of each episode. 1338268805 +Um . . . I'll hop right into my time machine, go back 8 years, and . . . wait a minute, I didn't HAVE any pets 8 years ago! 1310162263 +also too small in size 1300442101 +I believe you even though I can't see anything in the photo. My dog is also still haunting our house. We'll be sitting on the couch and have our 2 living pugs on the couch with us, and all the sudden we'll hear the dog door slap closed and a dog collar jingle. We know its Gabriel. Sometimes we even hear a dog collar collide with the metal water dish on occasions and toenails on the pergo floor. \nThe reason he wont rest is because my boyfriend refuses to let him go. We keep his ashes in an urn in the den, along with his collar and baby blanket he was given to us in by the breeder when we bought him. 1329256400 +"David Icke, King of Bullshit." -Righteous Indignation 1320740447 +I was about 12 or 13 spending the night at a friend's house, goofing around with the Ouija board with him & his sister and we were getting all sorts of gibberish plus words spelled out, just kind of scaring ourselves for fun not taking it very seriously when we got the message "I can see you through the window" and then "I can see you through his eyes" or something like that...there was just a small window in the basement room where we were, and just the back yard and woods past the driveway visible through that window...we asked it more questions and it said "I'm under the car" so we somehow got up the nerve to go out with a flashlight and peer under the car, where we saw a huge black stray cat which was hissing. We ran inside freaking out and at that exact moment the power failed and all the lights in the house went out. We just about actually shit ourselves. Few minutes later the power came back and we sat up til dawn that night scared and never played with the board again. 1331517834 +Its an entertaining video but any body that follows UFO forums on a regular basis has seen all those individual cases and most of those cases are hoaxes or have some plausible explanation. \n\nAs far as E.T.'s go Roswell is probably the best evidence out there. The Roswell case is credible and reportedly bodies were retrieved.\n\nWhen it comes to our man made or back engineered craft there are two cases I like one is Kecksburg and the Nazi Bell the other is the Cash-Landrum incident http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash-Landrum_incident.\n\nAlso the Belgian Wave is pretty interesting. There are all sorts of interesting cases but there are also weak or hoax cases on a weekly basis.\n 1336353305 +AKA Ass-Burgers 1329621421 +"convincing" anyone of anything implies you need to get a program. 1322664324 +I've had issues with duct tape occlusion myself. Perhaps it's only effective for plantar warts? 1301003682 +I felt quantum of solace was utter shit... 1342900340 +I think that first photo is from the 'monolith' on Mars' moon *Phobos*. The one [Buzz has talked about](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDIXvpjnRws). 1316141570 +I dont always have UFO sightings, but when I do, I prefer XX. 1351207405 +Yes, but you also have to appreciate that the lives of children are at risk, so it calls for taking action that is most prudent, not the one that most ideologically sound. The desire to upend the cultural institutions that allow for ignorant celebrities to have more sway in public opinion on scientific matters than Nobel laureates is a noble one, but it is a generations long project (assuming it is possible at all).\n\nIn the meantime, it's unfortunately necessary to take on anti-vaxxers on their own turf in the war for parent's minds. 1294792610 +The signs of them being evil is the pointer moving in a figure eight. A sign that its going to come out could be moving through all the numbers 1-12. Once it gets to twelve it will come out. When u use one u are summoning a spirit to u. The spirit is using he bored to communicate with ur energy. If it comes out u have a haunting or poltergeist. I'm not an expert so I don't know all the rules but that's my understanding. Oh and if u see any of the warning signs close the session immediately by bringing the pointer to goodbye. 1337729680 +I've heard it said that since I'm a skeptic, I must not believe in anything. 1350507703 +Read "Good Calories, Bad Calories", and you may change your mind. It's quite a slog to get through, but it is interesting reading. 1300076665 +Change his first name to Kahn and go on a rampage 1241901526 +The tint helps prevent headache for me. 1333431778 +Most of the science literature I ve read or watched say (and I think it represents the most of the science community) that they dont believe we are alone.And stand by the acronym of the UFO.. Psi,I wont go into that matter as I have not invested much attention to that field I dont think I can debate regarding that subject. Only PSI I know is\nhttp://www.psi.ch/ 1349461780 +It doesn't seem much like "overwhelming scientific evidence" if it's impossible to replicate. 1309407578 +[Ionizing](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionizing_radiation) vs [non-ionizing radiation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-ionizing_radiation). I wish people would please learn the difference and stop perpetrating that they have a remotely similar effect when it comes to cancer... especially once radiation frequency gets so far down on the scale to be microwave or radio (like cell phone signals). 1354097799 +Indeed. That's why I said this case was more complicated. 1354228181 +Same thing happened to me, turns out i threw up on my phone and despite cleaning it, there was liquid puke that had gotten between the phone and its rubber case that had dried out. 1339983082 +After reading the story it sounds to me that some small Texas towns are a lot like small cities here in China, where the authorities help protect criminals and try to suppress those trying to expose things. 1307416926 +I think something lied and manipulated him into going out there, and then enjoyed his suffering as he died from exposure, never trust something like that a 100%, always think logically and rationally about stuff like that, and remember the old saying "If it sounds too good to be true".\n\nIf he was manipulated into killing him self or getting killed, what was the reason, and what could have done that? 1350231051 +That's the problem: well conducted experiments on marijuana usage couldn't accurately measure personal conscious impairment (we don't even know what consciousness _is_), and all studies show minimal harm caused by smoking it, but there are other methods of consumption. \n\nThe majority of science on the matter is blockaded by the Schedule I status allotted by the US government, for political motives, the same motives that determine the "official" stance to be that it is as dangerous as heroin, which it is not.\n\nI'm not saying Marijuana is some magical cure-all, or any of that hogwash, but it's usage shouldn't be outright condemned by somebody who is completely in the dark on the topic. 1346251267 +Yeah that was a bizzaro world wtf moment - when a *Republican* was arguing against Bill Maher on behalf of science. 1255399244 +honestly with my son the way he was looking around its kinda creepy cause it really did look like he was seeing things. 1322261723 +>charging people money to become his guinea pigs.\n\nHow is he supposed to fund it? No major pharmaceutical will touch him. Also, from what I gather the treatment has no side effects so to call them guinea pigs seems a bit over the top. If the treatment works for them (and it has, if the interviews with living, breathing cancer survivors are evidence enough), what is the problem?\n\nYou come on. 1322792982 +I upvoted for humor. 1341180337 +I don't know, but you made me think something bad happened to James Randi. [insert "no me gusta" face here] 1315719758 +It would all come down to whether they knew the source of the leak. If they did then it was clearly fraud to promote it as a miracle, if not then I can see why people would be upset. Trouble is religious people react this way to any questioning of their faith. \n\nWhat's wrong with all your miracles going away? What's wrong with abandoning dogma. Why can't we find wonder in our existence with out ascribing it to a higher power. The fact they we are all derived from dying stars and have evolved to be able to think, reason and observe our surroundings is astounding in itself. We are the universe experiencing it self. That is miracle enough for me, I don't need a higher power for that. (note: some of the above is paraphrasing [deGrasse Tyson](http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/12855.Neil_deGrasse_Tyson).) 1334245434 +I'm sorry about your jimmies there. But have you never lost anything? Someone else finding it doesn't make you remember losing it there. \n\nAnyway, all I'm saying is that there are WAY too many details here that you expect us to care about and follow. This story could be summarized: "My brother(?) took his shirt off at the park and no body we came across remembers taking it inside, but it was folded on the couch later." 1340170448 +[Your source is from 2009, mine, 2011.](http://www.propublica.org/article/who-are-americas-top-10-gas-drillers)\n\nAnd fuck you for calling me a liar. FUCK YOU. 1347056902 +>This type of attack was absolutely unprecedented, and basically, impossible to prevent.\n\n>Manila Airlines Plot. In January 1995, the Philippine police uncovered the plot to blow up 12 airplanes bound for the United States. Two of the perpetrators had also discussed the possibility of flying a small plane into the headquarters of the CIA. The FBI, working with the Philippine government, was able to determine that Ramzi Yousef was involved in this attack, as was Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the eventual mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks.\n\n[source PDF Warning](http://www.9-11commission.gov/staff_statements/staff_statement_9.pdf) 1268943442 +I could see the lasers warning the tissue....which would feel nice......but a hot tub does that too.... 1327559913 +I used to do that, then my FWD-offender just responded with articles claiming that snopes.com has a terrible left wing bias.\n\nNow I just filter them out and let them all wallow in their ignorance. 1297869958 +A good read! Have an upvote. 1330024949 +Ask: Why don't psychics win lotteries all the time and donate the money to charity? 1350275653 +the universe has a personality. 1326587337 +> Being uncomfortable with a stranger who is trying to get a date with you is not socially unacceptable and not is it wrong.\n\nActually it is as seen by the backlash to Watson's reaction. \n\nIf the guy is being a creep or pervy, then it's OK but if its some dude who is nonchalant which according to her, he was; then no the problem is hers. \n\n> Don’t take this the wrong way, but I find you very interesting. Would you like to come back to my hotel room for coffee?\n\nThere is nothing creepy or pervy about that, all she had to do was say No and leave it at that. \n\nIf you get uncomfortable with that then you need to grow a backbone. It's along the same lines as women who agree to a date out of possible embarrassment from declining, so they initially agree then cancel at the last minute. \n\n> I think the best solution here would be to accept that it was a bit creepy and work to create an environment where women dont have to feel uncomfortable like that.\n\nThat is the most sexist thing ever. So the entire world has to cater to the whims of any and every women ever for fear of one being made uncomfortable to entirely normal action? 1351194081 +"Should we also devour our young?"\n\nNo, you don't have the right perspective at all. \n\nI should say to you.\n\n"Should we really raise children in this jungle?" \n\nMulticulturalism is degenerative socially and economically. 1356629868 +I thought exactly the same thing. I can't remember which claimant said it, (maybe the medium who was trying to pick the envelope with dead person in it) but one of them said something to the effect of "Well it didn't work in this kind of test" - I actually yelled at the TV - "But you helped work out the testing conditions!!!" 1314291610 +Well, I would think that death would be a pretty sobering experience, but now that you mention it....what if it isn't? 1329882586 +Hoax probably:\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\n\nI thought the "light flash and super fast ascent was a little "too good to be true".\n\nThe plot thickens:\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPrBlbz_-1o 1296614019 +[As seen here](http://www.sitchiniswrong.com/sitchinerrors.htm)\n\n>*the ancient Mesopotamian scribes created dictionaries. Lists of words are a common feature among the thousands of Sumerian and Akkadian cuneiform tablets which have been discovered by archaeologists. Many are just groupings of common words, while others represent an inventory of the word meanings of the languages used in Mesopotamia.*\n\n>*These "lexical lists", as scholars call them, were indispensable to the 19th century scholars who deciphered the Sumerian and Akkadian texts, for they were used to compile modern dictionaries of these languages. Today all major lexical texts have been published in the multi-volume set, **[Materials for the Sumerian Lexicon](http://www.sumerian.org/sumerlex.htm)**, begun by Benno Landsberger in the 1930s.*\n\n[NOTE, free pdf download at link]\n\n>*It is indeed a rare instance where ancient dictionaries of a dead language form the core of the modern dictionaries used by scholars of today. Such is the case for the ancient languages of Sumer and Akkad.*\n\n>*Sadly, Mr. Sitchin neglects these resources.* 1277344416 +There are no taxes... taxes are manditory... this system is 100% voluntary. If you think a public pool for education that everyone can take money from is a good idea, you put into that pool. If you don't want to contribute to such a pool, you don't put money into it. As for how the money in these pools gets spent, that's entirely up to democratic vote by those who put money in.... which means that I could set up a pool specifically to cover education costs of people in my geographic region who want to take software development courses and have a highschool average of 90% ... and everyone who puts into that pool can then vote on which students should get the money, and what the stipulations will be for them to continue getting funded. \n\nThis is just the tip of the iceberg in regards to what we can do with technology if we put our minds to the task. \n\nBut yes, I can see which information I forgot to add now... I forgot to imply that everything in this system is 100% voluntary ;) 1313157743 +I suppose this explains it (from the "journal"'s description):\n"Rapid publication: accepted papers are immediately published online."\n\nhttp://www.mdpi.com/journal/life 1327739837 +Science doesn't explain the supernatural because there is no evidence for it... if it could be measured then it would pursue it. Supernatural claims should bear the same burden of evidence.\n\nI feel like you will probably agree but your statement was a little ambiguous.\n\nGive irrationality no quarter. 1354654360 +Not that I saw. Any of the studies they're using to support that are based on research wholly funded by the manufacturer, and not done scientifically (no double-blind, not placebo controlled, etc.). So, haven't seen anything to dispel it, either, but that's a rather extraordinary claim that I'd count as bullshit until they support it thoroughly. 1343688691 +Wow, that's beyond eerie. Fake or not, that looks like a shadow person I saw.\n\nDidn't have red eyes like this one, though. 1340447007 +Yeah, until last night, I too thought the lantern explanation was a likely possibility... 1254582594 +So use a text to speech program. 1356332222 +I fail to see the connection. Some people like to gamble for fun. What does that have to do with skepticism? 1346345111 +Exactly,...so to me, by deduction:\n\n\n (UAP filmed)+(hey buddy-look over there-an underground ET base!)=\n\n\na)real man-made UAP filmed, OR \n\nb)real non-man-made UAP filmed,...\n\n\nSo either way,...proof that govt covers up real UAP filmed,...poor bastid. 1337524473 +I haven't actually encountered any crazy claims from the SETI folks though. If they were constantly claiming they'd found evidence for alien life due to some blip in a radio signal or something, sure, but I don't see anything wrong with analyzing signals on the off chance we might find something. 1306525845 +Yes, Travis did say they took certain liberties with the movie as filmmaker do. The funny thing is, no one saw him enter a craft. He woke up somewhere strange. He was unconscious when they left him beside the road. So, who knows where the hell he really was, you know? For all we know, he could of been underground in a facility. 1350171745 +The amount of sense you are making is stabilizing, not increasing - doesn't that scare you?\n\nFor future reference; when replying to someone, make an effort to make your reply have *some* connection to what was said. Otherwise, your comment is better off as a stand-alone. \nIn this instance, I point out that you ask a question that cannot be answered and that I don't think you should believe in anything. That is my connection to your post.\n\nYou reply that you *will not* believe this shit. The connection to my post just isn't there. You are talking about science, when you are unable to have a conversation. I'm almost laughing here. \n\nAlmost... Oh damn, now I'm crying... ^the ^humanity 1355932887 +Hey look it has skepticism in the title. Must be bunk, eh? Seriously, why is this posted here? 1347229181 +A good point. I suppose surgery isn't bad, because in a surgery, there are modifications performed on the body which aren't simply traumatic, like linking blood vessels together, placing bones back in place and such. Mere beatings do not have that property. 1344098404 +FUCK THE WIKIPEDIA BLACKOUT!!! 1326874233 +Oh man. I didn't know that. That's almost as hilarious as EBM. 1344880761 +The lack of evidence is proof of a cover-up. 1290841751 +he may be slightly nuts but your an idiot who doesnt know what hes talking about, time would exist with or without us its what drives transformation and change in the universe. Time is not based on the orbit of the sun it just shapes our perception of it and that naive statement just shows the caliber of thinking power you possess. 1344959632 +If I were to take a guess, I think it sounds a lot like "Old Hag Syndrome". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis It happens to a lot of people, and if you don't know what is happening it can be quite scary! One of my friends thought he was being attacked by a demon (He wasn't paralyzed, he usually felt like something was either sitting on his chest, or just holding him down) and always saw this scary inhuman entity staring malevolently at him. After he read the link above he said it reminded him a lot of his situation. If your gf is having sleep issues already, it doesn't seem a stretch that this condition accompanied it.\n\nI'm obviously only guessing based on the evidence and my personal experience; a sleep study would help a lot to figure out what is going on. There are a lot of things that could be causing sleep walking, another of my friends had apnea, and this condition caused him to stop breathing repeatedly throughout the night, constantly leaving REM before he could get any real sleep and caused HIS sleep walking episodes. This condition is very dangerous because he STOPPED BREATHING REPEATEDLY THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. I haven't a clue what could be causing your girlfriend's sleep walking- there are MANY possibilities, she just might be extra stressed or any number of reasons. I only mention his case because in some cases it can point to a more dangerous health condition, though I hope not. Best to the both of you! 1335309463 +>It's a reference to my original post, along with your suggestion that the Nazca lines are evidence of aerial craft.\n\nNone the less the point I made with regard to this still stands.\n\n> No. You made claims to truth and referenced Sitchin and Däniken as supporting evidence, who are authors. I'm not talking about you. I'm talking about your references.\n\nYes. I get this. I get that you're not talking about me. Again, however, the point I made still stands that I or ANYBODY who has valid information and then gets that valid information undermined by virtue of their not having some sort of scholastic, academic credentials, absolutely misses the forest for the trees. If the information is valid - from me or *anyone* - then it doesn't matter what the individual's credentials are.\n\n> It's akin to taking cancer treatment advice from a car mechanic instead of a doctor.\n\nlol. That's actually really a funny statement. Look up Edgar Cayce.\n\n> It is not an appeal to authority to consider claims with supporting evidence more valid than claims without supporting evidence.\n\nBut I was then and am now referring to the latter, not the former - so I don't know why you felt the need to make mention of "claims without supporting evidence". 1343768796 +money money money 1332777119 +"Experiential truth heals quantum choices" ~Deepak Chopra 1344192412 +> The solution is simple: get rid of your idiotic and insane employer-provided-healthcare system, and let individuals keep their own money and control how it is spent on whatever kind of treatment they want.\n\nAnd if you haven't got a half-penny, then just f'n die, yeah? 1246624086 +Seriously,...? That **possible explanation** has been shown to be hearsay numerous times by numerous people since the late 90s.\n\n\nLook at the frikin source FFS,..**.the memo repeats a single newspaper story which was repeated to Guy Hottel by an Air Force investigator who read the story,...That news story draws from the account of a Rudy Fick, a local used car dealer. Fick got the story from a two men, I. J. Van Horn and Jack Murphy, they got the story from,... a radio station advertising manager named George Koehler. Koehler got the story from Silas Newton,...and his accomplice, Leo A. Gebauer. Newton and Gebauer were peddling “doodlebugs” – devices that could supposedly find oil, gas, gold, or anything else that the target of the con was interested in finding**.\n\n\nNow why would that tale ever strike anyone as dubious,...?\n\n\nI find it very telling that Linda Moulton Howe was the last person to take this BS memo and run with it back in 98,...and she still doesnt understand to this day why its important to vett a source before running with it,...\n\nand even TODAY I see this frikin story still making the rounds on MSM(CNN) with the news casters none the wiser,...Purposeful propagation of disinformation,....for shame MSM,...and shame on anyone who needs verification that this memo adds up to anything other than hearsay,... 1302629423 +Also, read the short story "The Jaunt" by Stephen King! 1345032932 +Innovation comes from the collaborative efforts of think-tanks, or talented individuals. What capitalism does an excellent job of, is dangling carrots in-front of the hungry. Claiming ownership of the results, and IP enforcement. I hate to get in a software discussion, but GNUStep stagnates because it's simpler to choose a different API. 1287615407 +Yeah, I hate this too. Also, whenever they're on two-way radio about to conduct a test, they say something dumb like "initiate Bigfoot run!" which just makes me facepalm. 1335832133 +I find it strange that it's considered a completely normal and acceptable thing to tell children lies. 1351715657 +I don't have powers. We simply had a door opened to allow us to see what is always going on under the surface.\n 1344918520 +You have 46 submissions from quasi-mundo.com in the last three months alone. Bullshit, indeed. 1340209385 +Perhaps you're right, but from my limited experience in psychology, I'd say a confrontation with the delusion may not be a horrible thing at this age/phase in his life. It may empower him to get the help he needs. I am by no means a psychologist, nor do I contend to be. Please take my advice with a grain of salt. It's just my common sense approach to the situation. 1351121367 +Nope. Though it depends on the bleach, of course. Good ol' [Clorox is basic...very basic](http://www.thecloroxcompany.com/downloads/msds/bleach/cloroxregularbleach0809_.pdf). pH of roughly 12. 1338137319 +I think that homeopathic remedies against wifi allergy will prove to be the most effective. As soon as homeopaths figure out how to dilute a photon. 1344833639 +If you value her friendship, don't respond. 1329839399 +>When you say physiotherapist are you meaning physical therapist (which is a bachelors degree) or physiatrist (which is a medical doctor fellowship level training with accompanying certification)?\n\nPhysiotherapist and physical therapist are interchangeable (the latter is American, I think). \n\n>To be clear chiropractors have doctoral level degrees.\n\nNot quite - they have a "Doctor of chiropractic", but their degree is in magic and the "doctoral level" of chiropractic is obviously nowhere near comparable to the level of education that students receive at doctoral level in other fields. \n\nIt's like getting your doctorate from a non-accredited correspondence course, and that's why chiropractors aren't allowed to refer to themselves as "Dr.", as it's misleading to customers (who might be mistaken in believing they have medical training). 1339990004 +Are you trying to claim that hygiene and nutrition have *nothing at all* to do with our immune systems?\n\nYOUR claim is as absurd as theirs. 1328874241 +I'm pretty sure they're just unicorns in disguise. 1331905788 +it won't help with an EVP all she wants is her friend back so she takes her anger out on another to get him to come back so the thing that needs to be done is that he goes home to his basement and say a prober goodbye to her in hope that she'll leave his littlebrother alone 1351606675 +That's amazing! 1349016801 +...Dammit. Didn't they reply to that and say they were wrong? 1346964763 +[Evidence](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Sudb%C3%B8#Scandal). My most humble apologies. I heard it from my lecturer who specialises in autism and believed it to be true. I did a quick google search and couldn't find anything to prove me wrong so I posted it. Have my upvote. 1317968136 +I agree. I actually think the best solution would be to remove barriers to entry on green technology like solar - right now in the US you need several permits to start a solar company and at least one permit at the federal level (possibly more depending on state) to install a panel on your house. 1343600191 +Awesome! Now the Brits can't make fun of America for being full of stupid climate change deniers. 1321370950 +he answered my question, your stomach chemicals do not know the difference between GMO tomatoes and heritage tomatoes. 1330974514 +No problem. I wish people wouldn't have downvoted you...even if we disagree, you managed to present your case in a civil manner, which unfortunately isn't always the case when people discuss this topic. 1354826612 +Thank you, reading through this I was thinking exactly the same. 1346099057 +> In this case, I am an average person who didn't read it as 49 being prime, so your assumption is incorrect (again).\n\nSorry dude, calling yourself "an average person" doesn't mean your own experiences apply to all "average people". You are not representative of the group as a whole. All you're doing is applying bad logic in an attempt to insult me. Sorry, it didn't work. 1302406221 +> Where are you finding the metadata here? \n\nThe fotoforensics site posted above has a button to display metadata. \n\n> Do you have access to an original file?\n\nIt looks like the metadata is still in tact from the original photo since it lists the camera model and settings originally used. However, it doesn't mean that at some point somebody else didn't modify the image (cropping, resizing, etc) along the line.\n\n> Thanks! :)\n\nAny time 1349110573 +Wish there was an extra upvote button for this post. Non-locality may be spooky, but it's not magic. 1341682888 +I have no idea. For something to be able to actually affect you physically though is pretty hard I think, whatever is causing this has to be pretty powerful. 1351109345 +Mine have been rustled. 1344802696 +disinfo agent 1346175592 +Thanks! Great stuff. In return I give you [seance photographs](http://imgur.com/a/Ibb15) of Sven türck. 1324410877 +there are some interesting illustrations in this thread showing examples of UFO's:\n\nhttp://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread460705/pg1\n 1328391702 +Sounds like dysmenorrhea, if it's that severe. Assuming you've seen a doctor, you've probably been prescribed a combined oral contraceptive, ya?\n\nIf so, does it help? There's some information in the literature I have access to that says it should, but I've not had the opportunity to ask any patients directly.\n\nIf not, consider seeing a doctor. There's some evidence that suggests that birth control will help control that pain with minimal side effects (unless... you know, you're predisposed for a clotting disorder). If not that, there's some other courses that they can prescribe, like a COX-2 inhibitor, that will dull the pain. 1329979896 +Completely sane and entirely defensible. 1326468369 +I'll subscribe, hopefully there will be some interesting discussion. 1355253564 +Yea, that's basically it. [Here's](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/laxhg/rdebunked_because_a_load_of_things_have_been/c2r74ke) the discussion, and that was the general sentiment. Well, that and calling Randi a liar without providing anything more than a video of someone else calling Randi a liar. 1318615579 +the pumapunku mainstream theory can be debunked by a 5 year old. Theory goes they used logs to transport 25 high foot stones, problem is, PumaPunku is elevated above the tree line and they're were no trees available. These are facts the mainstream pretends we are too stupid to figure out. 1332264686 +Well if 'UFO Today' gave the original YouTube poster their damn credit, I might be able to do some digging and prove it. I guess they didn't get the rehosting memo. \n\nSecondly, I just watched it again, and if you really **listen to the audio**, there is *no way* they reacted that way to something like that. I wouldn't exactly use the phrase "it's gorgeous" to describe a giant UFO shitting out baby orbs. It'd be more like OHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCK.\n\nJust. Sayin'. 1281056179 +I'd assume to get some insight as to whether it makes sense or not. 1334755645 +I don't know if there is much truth to it but I once heard that african males physically mature earlier than europeans and therefore gain the earlier opportunities in sport.\nStill ACTN3 isn't helping africans much in swimming is it. So I'm inclined to believe that circumstance is what is important.\n 1345078010 +Thanks. This is what bothered me too. I was hoping I hadn't just missed something. 1329339573 +No, the edge goes to encyclopaedia Britannica.\n[Here is Nature's news bulletin with the results](http://blogs.nature.com/nascent/2005/12/comparing_wikipedia_and_britan_1.html) \n\n**tl;dr: Scientific experts were asked to identify errors in each article, but they did not know where the articles came from. The total numbers of errors are 123 in Britannica and 162 in Wikipedia for 42 articles.**\n\n\n[Here is a follow-up news bulletin to Encycopaedia Britannica's criticisms](http://blogs.nature.com/nascent/2006/03/wikipedia_vs_britannica_part_d_1.html) 1342227745 +That's like making a terrorism joke at an airport. Not on! :p 1274397381 +Sorry if that seemed like a silly question. Half the people in my family, including myself, go by our middle names, so I never assume someone's first name is the name they go by.\n\n All names are fair game to me, which can be confusing these days, as I am receiving a rash of birth announcements, you know, "Asher Sebastian [Surname]" and [Isabella Marie [Surname]" and "Neelima Pooja Saraswati [Surname]" and am never confident to say "And how is little baby [whatever]?" until I hear or see someone else refer to it by name first. Though 9 times out of 10 it's the first name.\n\nOf course sometimes the flow doesn't go right so you have to position the name you want to actually use secondary to the other name, like in my case, "Mary Meghan". "Meghan Mary" is just unnatural. So I've lived my life answering to multiple names. \n\nIt's somewhat of an interesting saga, since we're talking names: \n\n* I'm "Mary" at doctor's offices (which i'm at all the time) and the first time I meet anyone on official business\n\n* I was "Meghan" till I got to college\n\n* then, because there were 3 Meg(h)ans in my college at Rice, I shortened it to "Meg"\n\n* THEN, and about the same time, my toddler cousins dubbed me "Noonie", which is what I've been called by my family for the last 15 years\n\n* then I got married and didn't want to give up my maiden name completely, but couldn't drop my middle name, so my maiden name was added to my middle name, so now my legal first and last names are names I've never before gone by, while my middle name is the first and last name I grew up with:\n\n "Mary - Meghan [Maiden] - [Married Surname]\n\n* I'm conventionally "Mary [Married Surname]" with the middle name "Meghan [Maiden Surname]". \n\n* But I go by "Meg [Married Surname]".\n\n* Little tip: It's super easy to legally change your middle and last names, but for some reason, you have to go before a judge to get your *first* name changed. I don't see the reasoning *at all* but something to consider when naming your child. \n\n* Bonus Fun Fact: I was this close to being named after my father, but they decided they didn't want two people with the same name causing confusion. His name is Stobie. NOBODY IS NAMED STOBIE. \n\n* My husband won't let me name any our potential children Stobie, despite my heart being set on it. 1349835400 +My wife got me that, we're now divorced.\n\nSure, there was more to the divorce than that, but it's a true statement. 1279855823 +Ah, found this.\n\nhttp://www.skepticalraptor.com/skepticalraptorblog.php/silly-internet-meme-bananas-tumor-necrosis-factor/ 1346538688 +**He didn't!...** Reddit is a portal to the other side!\n\ntrust me, I'm a sceptic 1308532430 +I don't know if pulling that quote out on someone religious would have any traction. The religious person could equally say that they gain their moral teaching from the bible (however misguided this might be). So if they trust this moral teaching, then their faith may allow them to trust further the other assertions the bible makes. And just as that quote says 'I trust the consensus of scientists', the believer could say 'I trust the consensus of church members.' 1295978077 +At first I thought the dog was exactly the same, but that didn't seem to be the case.\n\nAlthough it could be explained with photoshop. These two photographs together are very compelling. A full body apperition on photograph is very rare, to have two after each other is a ghosthunters wet dream. \n\nFirst time I see this kind of translucency though, it's not... normal (for lack of a better word).\n\nedit: Btw, this is 100% not a fluke. That's certain. 1329215221 +It does imply association, but only if there's a reasonable underlying hypothesis.\n\nFor example, if I find a strong correlation between the dose of a drug and the effect of a drug, that makes sense.\n\nIn my case, my chart is bunk because I don't have any reasonable hypothesis to explain my results. All I did was data mine until I found an interesting pattern. My chart is extremely misleading, but that's the point: pseudo-scientists do this all the time. 1355340139 +Why not? Are we protecting someone's right to victimize themselves with a treatment they think will work, but doesn't? At the best, it's a scam. At worst, it's putting them in serious danger. Both should be preventable by law. 1277823150 +not sayign its real or fake, im saying there is no evidence for either. my main point is that people jump to conclusions way too quickly. But children that most of you are, again jump to the conclusion that im saying its real. 1309193053 +If silver and garlic cured bacterial infections, every drug company on Earth would be spending millions marketing newfangled silver tinctures and garlic drops. But, are they? No. They're spending that money on antibiotics... 1351752230 +**caution : SPECULATION**\n\ni think the 2 subjects are quite unrelated.\n\nit's not because creatures from other planets/galaxies can fly about like we do on earth that they have to be considered divine.\n\nsome interpret the whole religion-thing as spiritual (do good and u'll ascend to a higher plane, do bad and u'll descend (heaven-hell / re-incarnate better/worse).\n\nif you ask me it's entirely possible that these spirituality rules apply to the whole spectrum of lifeforms.\n\nwho knows, maybe your soul could re-incarnate as a superior creature if you lead a good life\n\njust a final note on your false prophets : Catholicism always puts this into an anti-christ context. I have however encountered sources who, if you put this in a NWO context, claim that these false prophets could actually be some humans faking an alien presence in order to justify the continuation of the weaponization of space (orbit) and continuation towards a global military force (-> NWO) 1325518436 +It reminded me about a similar sale in Australia:\n\n[Part 1](http://goodreasonblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/atheist-bake-sale-1.html)\n\n[Part 2](http://goodreasonblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/atheist-bake-sale-2.html)\n\nI think the guy with two souls is the winner here. 1335272350 +The fear of us vs them. Then what is it? A happy melting pot? LOL.\n\nColonialism = bad!\n\nMulticulturalism = good!\n\nBut they are the same thing. Marx is a racist icon? In what dimension?\n\nLol my poor mom had to get involved. You are so sophisticated and new age.\n\nGonna call you cool kid cid from now on 1356411530 +How can I join? edit: Nm. http://theflatearthsociety.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49&Itemid=66 Wheee.. this'll be fun. 1305779135 +But she never called me back. \n\nI need to make her mine! 1274841824 +Your fault for going at all. That's how we get more Pirates movies. 1308176634 +EVP....that's a shot in the GH drinking game. 1354408646 +i think a good hard massage is good for you. that is all 1305726318 +Interesting theory. Makes my imagination run wild. What could be so valuable....or dangerous that it had to be cemented? A nuke is a good theory....some radioactive stuff maybe? They took a sledge hammer to it and are sending samples for identification. \n\nAlso they mention an egg shape opening that appears to go in to it. They should stick an ROV into it and see where it leads! \n\nWouldn't it be nuts if the test comes back as being biological and what it is...is some kind if petrified ancient creature or better yet a UFO in the sense that what if UFOs were actually not space ships but organic living creatures? \n\nHaha speculating is fun. I need to sleep. 1339839088 +Tampering of candy? More like cooking something. 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+0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +1 +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +1 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +1 +0 +0 +0 diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..862a0c6 --- /dev/null +++ b/requirements.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10 @@ +joblib==1.0.1 +numpy==1.20.2 +pandas==1.2.4 +python-dateutil==2.8.1 +pytz==2021.1 +scikit-learn==0.24.2 +scipy==1.6.3 +six==1.16.0 +sklearn==0.0 +threadpoolctl==2.1.0 diff --git a/test-A/in.tsv b/test-A/in.tsv new file mode 100644 index 0000000..007850d --- /dev/null +++ b/test-A/in.tsv @@ -0,0 +1,5152 @@ +Gentleman, I believe we can agree that this is a victory. 1304170330 +The problem is that it will just turn it r/nosleep. But yeah, go for gold. 1353763204 +Well, according to some Christian apologists, the fact that places described in the bible exist prove its reliability. So obviously, Hercules is real, too. I'm hoping by extension this means Xena is real. 1336314173 +Don't know if this is what you are looking for, but The Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast had an episode about a month or so ago where they talked about the scientific\\logic flaws in this movie for a good 15-20 minutes. 1348860314 +I respect what you're saying completely. I just don't think and process things the same way. 1341285952 +You're asking this of the History Channel when Fox News is still widely available and watched? 1323714877 +I don't know that it's parachuters, but it's much better than your blimp theory. You were the one coming across as the douchey expert. With that being said, I hope your Sunday is wonderful. 1349015976 +Thanks.\n\nI wouldn't say it's done damage so much as possibly given him electromagnetic sensitivity (super powers :p) 1350598393 +Let me tell you something right here, there is not a spec of truth in "Ask Reddit" the ridiculousness of the bull shit they pass off as truth is laughable. And the morons in that sub gobble it up, if you call bull shit you are going to have a bad time. I could go on for pages on the BS they pull off as real, but what is the point? 1354421686 +>Your argument kinda fails on be because I do think we should take measures to control the human population.\n\nIncluding euthanizing people if they live in poor conditions? Better get started then. 1271498582 +I worry that it might be construed as libel or slander, though.\n\nI'm not very educated on the legal aspects of all of this, do you happen to know what the legal limits of such a "picketing" act would be? 1292032509 +Not at all. Reality either behaves in some way or it doesn't. Our politics, beliefs, and opinions do not change it in any way. If you have questions surrounding the science of AGW, then raise them, and if they can't be properly addressed, you have reason to be doubt the theory. If you don't have any such questions, then you are basing your world view around your political beliefs rather than empirical evidence. \n\nEDIT: I wasn't going to include information specifically about global warming, because I was trying to make a point about not letting politics influence how you validate claims. However, two minutes of searching lead me to [this thread](http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/h8hks/how_solid_is_the_scientific_backing_for/), which has a pretty good top comment. 1331234310 +Ask your brother to take one sip of tap water. No problem, right? Now tell him to chug 3 gallons of it in under 15 minutes so he can enjoy a case of hyper-hydration. O NOES, WATER IS TEH POISON!1! TEH GOVERNMENT IS POISONING US!1!! 1298304825 +I'm not super certain that they were *definitely* imitating another culture, but it seems that they very well may have been indeed.\n\nJust playing devil's advocate, btw.\n\nAdditionally, if these are indeed homo sapien sapiens that used skull binding techniques on themselves and if this skull binding was an attempt at imitating (presumably very advanced) ETs, I'm not super certain that these very advanced ETs even *left* anything other than some possible artifacts behind. I'm not certain any actual specimens would indeed be eventually unearthed.\n\nAnd if they *were*, I doubt TPTB would not have immediately sequestered the data and kept it from the public. They tend to do that kind of thing often, unfortunately.\n\nLots of conditions here, but I think the ultimate point is that this archeological finding is indeed very interesting. 1355780381 +Can you really place a cost on the magic of being able to see your aura?\n\nSpeak not to me of the worldly evil of money! 1343099064 +Be careful. Some de-programmers forcibly abduct and use the same psychological tactics as cults to bring cultists back to the larger culture. They can be even more violent than the cults themselves.\n\nPeople don't end up believing in cults because the message makes sense to them, they end up in cults because of the psychological and emotional environment they provide. Your friend of a friend probably fell into a cult because of some emotional lack. I mention this because it's useless to try to reason someone out of a cult, but you can perhaps identify what they get out of it and work from that angle. 1353085508 +http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdc9ufGK2g1r6fzhxo1_1280.jpg 1353088523 +as a somwut cirrus prostant I abject! 1283972379 +If the hippies over at Wikipedia said it than it must be true 1326242427 +>the presenters' gambit was clear enough: Can anyone really prove the earth isn't sitting still? That's tougher than it sounds: Even though astrophysicists tell us that every body in the universe is in motion, it will always appear that the thing you're on is standing still relative to everything else.\n\nGeocentrism is actually a valid frame of reference, just not a very useful one when describing anything further away than Earth's orbit. And if your evidence is that while we're on Earth, everything seems to move around us, then you could make a similar argument for anywhere else being the center of the universe. If I'm standing on Mars, then it seems like everything moves around Mars. 1300305149 +A lot. That's why it would be an interesting, but still fun, project. 1337886509 +"Marble" is "marmur" in Polish. It's only a few letters off so your brain just guessed and got the right word. Most words in different languages are based on common roots (such as Latin or Greek). 1353893502 +Well homeopathic medicine works, so I can see why they do this. [](/troll) 1305544885 +I was going to post that this wasn't one of the best TED talks I had seen, but then I realized which subreddit it was posted in.\n\nIt was brilliant to connect this with UFOs. Bravo.\n 1347425624 +If you see one you will know what I mean. 1347517312 +He will be missed :( 1329604625 +Kinda. I mean if you've ever looked though a pair of binoculars backwards exactly like that. Everything's just far away and stretched. "Zoomed out" I guess would describe it. 1354852007 +One thing the article didn't mention is that several places have been caught shortening the amber light at intersections with red light cameras, and this probably also has an impact. 1343193843 +no and that's the problem. The more I think about it the more the fuzz just turns into Carson Daly. I think TRL was on at 7, then this show then Beavis and Butthead (or equivalent adult programming). However, the possibilities I changed the channel are endless. But that doesn't negate the fact I watched this show for at least a year. I've even scoured tv show lists from the 90's and can't find anything remotely resembling what I think I remember. 1328987712 +>You claim that my MP3 player interferes with airplane electronics? Show me.\n\nI worked as an electromagnetic compatibility engineer, so I have seen many examples of these interferences. To provide an example, I tested a pump used to create vacuum that holds on prosthetic limbs. During initial testing, we learned that it was susceptible to a common cell phone frequency, that would result in lack of pumping and, by extension, the prosthetic would fall off. \n\nA much more common and easy to grasp EMC issue is static discharge. That stuff is a bitch...\n\nBut make no mistake, RF interference is very real. \n\nThey don't disallow electronics because they KNOW they will cause issues. They disallow them because they KNOW there is a POTENTIAL to cause issues. 1335213558 +Am I the only one that noticed several spots where the camera was paused and restarted? This has "FAKED" written all over it. 1314964073 +I think compulsory vaccination is out of line when it comes to vaccines that have not been tested long term or are being used in new combinations such as the MMR vaccine linked above.\n\nIt turned out that the chicken pox and MMR vaccines, on their own, were perfectly safe and effective, but when used in conjunction with each other caused seizures in 1 out of 2,300 shots. \n\nSo now the CDC says "hey guys, you might want to separate those two shots..." but that comes as little consolation to the parents of kids who ended up with seizures.\n\nThe BIG problem I have are the folks who go "Jenny McCarthy is bullshit" when they don't take the time to do the research and see that there are, in fact, problems with quite a few vaccinations.\n\nAre thy all bad? No. But they aren't all good either. 1330065921 +Pennsylvania has a possible UFO crash in Kecksburg, about 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Never made it out there myself.\n\nAlso Gettysburg is supposedly haunted as hell.\n\nThe town I live in supposedly has a Blue Lady as well at the Old Lonsinger House.\n\nMy friend used to be a night watchman at the abandoned Dixmont Mental hospital. The place was shut down but they had to patrol it to keep kids or vagrants from roaming around. He told me sometimes in the guard house he could hear people walking around upstairs while he was the only one there.\n\nOh man, I remember reading this a while ago. Congelier Mansion, 1129 Ridge Avenue:\nhttp://pittsburgh.about.com/od/history/a/congelier_house.htm\n\n"When officials entered the house to investigate, they found a decomposed female body strapped to the bed and five headless young women in basement graves. "Dr. Brunrichter had been experimenting with severed heads," wrote Winer and Osborn. "Apparently he had been able to keep some alive for short periods after decapitation." Dr. Brunrichter, meanwhile, had disappeared, and the house once again stood vacant. " 1331922866 +I agree, even if true 135 million is not that much on a cellular level.\nRemember we have 100 BILLION bacteria in a liner centimeter of our intestine. [per Tyson](http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/qccer/i_am_neil_degrasse_tyson_ask_me_anything/c3wguoh) 1346005333 +This has always been one of my favourite Futurama clips! ...Except for the professor's disturbingly revealing thong, that is. 1276917480 +Given that a number of long-practising, high-level Tibetan Buddhist monks have willingly involved themselves in a long-running and careful investigation of the neurophysiology of meditation with extremely interesting results, I have no issue whatsoever with the idea that 'mystical' practice can deliver real psychological and physiological benefits. \n\nHowever, since the scientists in question have been able to measure and learn about these responses, and since the Buddhists monks themselves have been happy to participate, I take issue with the idea that the scientific standpoint won't provide similar benefits.\n\nAbout the only advantage to be had in practicing with a non-scientific, "I believe" approach would be the placebo effect. And there, of course, you win, because the placebo effect remains one of the great mysteries of science today. (Go ahead. Google up 'top ten mysteries of science'.) \n\nIs it worth practicing without science in order to obtain that effect? I have no idea. Nor can I ever test for myself, since I'm aware of the placebo effect, and any practice I undertake will be coloured by that knowledge.\n\nFor what it's worth, I practice zazen, kyudo and iaido. 1321135489 +You literally JUST did. The whole idea is ridiculous, and I promise I'm not "one of the secret people" 1342124065 +Is a fictional character invented by trolls on something awful. The point of the joke is to see how many fools they can get to believe in it. 1344551531 +Here is why "The Secret" has so many success stories:\n\nThe secret tells you to constantly tell the universe what you want and it will be given to you. For some reason people don't understand that if you stay reminded of a goal and focused on it, your (read: you're) more likely to make the little step necessary to make it happen. It's not magic. If you were to say "I want to lose weight, universe" every hour, you're not going to cheat on your diet...you're focused on weight loss. 1291724132 +indeed. i don't really challenge them to be honest. It just makes their beliefs stronger. I think they need to stumble accross the truth themselves. for the record they believe conspiracy theories, not creationism. 1350477232 +From what I understand they are a bunch of disconnected groups. Each group might be heavily organized within itself, but there is no real hierarchy between them. 1344006022 +Elaborate on how you think I was being a condescending asshole, please. I don't see it, and I don't think most others would, either. Simple disagreement, or elaborating on different perspectives (e.g., what qualifies as "oppressive")\n\nAnd no, I don't think my jokingly noting your misspelling of heroin would fall into that category.\n\n(Also, don't think I didn't catch your little switch, from "some women want to be raped" to "it's called a rape fantasy for a reason." Those 2 sentences mean different things. Among other problems in your line of argumentation... It's funny how hot you're getting about all of this, when I wasn't really defending the religious mandate to wear a burqa in the first place.) 1324975473 +If only it works..? 1310504679 +Fellow intellectuals, Cell phone radiation is vitamin C(pr)! 1293028627 +> Whether something is homeopathic or not is not related to the dilution but to the fact that Samuel Hahnemann decided (with no evidence whatsoever) that an element or compound that caused a particular symptom could be used to cure that symptom - "like cures like".\n\nRight, but as far as I'm aware, there is no homeopathic claim that zinc *causes* cold symptoms. So it isn't, in the traditional sense, a homeopathic remedy. It is merely a mildly diluted medicinal. Which doesn't actually work even at full strength. I didn't really make that clear, though, so I can understand how you would think I was focusing on the dilution. 1325739379 +To be fair, that is a very biased representation:\n\n> blackhat \n\nSays who?\n\n> to generate illegitimate affiliate sales\n\nWhich law is being broken?\n\n> without the user being aware of it\n\nJust as the user is normally unaware of the fact that they received a first-party cookie 1321051944 +I think there's a direct correlation between gullibility and supporting Ron Paul. The man is a *loon.* \n\nA racist loon, at that.\n\nNot saying all his supporters are conspiracy nuts armed with spray bottles, but they definitely don't do their research. 1326790831 +A wonderful set of examples if I ever happen to come across someone who thinks that crop circles are evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence and that humans couldn't possibly create such things.... Though I've never come across such a person. 1346977310 +yeah, you guys might like /r/collapse 1347997675 +I don't get why this guy tried to cram "the left" into this conversation as much as humanly possible. Yes, unfortunately, the left seems to be more susceptible to ridiculous new age woo, but lets no forget the right has no problem at all believing in story books with talking snakes and deity blood sacrifices, upon which they try to legislate.\n\nThe leftist Democrat brain image was hideously petty and had nothing to do with what would otherwise be really good points.\n\nWith the anti-leftist nonsense, there also was a sense (as always with anti-leftist nonsense) of anti-intellectualism. His idea that if someone can sit him down and explain something to him like a child, it must he true, but if they find it necessary to use big words, then they must he bullshitting doesn't really float with me. 1327340712 +refined sugar = regular sugar = HFCS = fructose + glucose\n\ncomplex carbs = chains of glucose\n\nmain difference is fructose 1343515128 +Do you think it could have been sleep paralysis? 1336082990 +Thanks, that was very useful. 1328220369 +Since you both missed it and we're correcting anyway: its*. :P 1352943084 +> I only meant that to apply to licensed doctors\n\nOk, fair enough. That wasn't obvious to me.\n\n> "This drug has been shown to significantly reduce pain" isn't a lie, it is the truth.\n\nIf it's homeopathic, then it's not doing anything. The thought of taking it is doing something. "This treatment sometimes causes your brain to command endorphins (or whatever) to be released by your body which can reduce your pain." Water isn't really a drug that can do that on its own. 1326095296 +If P, then A or B, as his first line states. His second line is basically P, therefore ***probably*** A. \n\nWhere exactly in "As it stands there is absolutely no historical evidence for the figure Jesus of Nazareth, son of Joseph, thus there is no reason to suggest he ever existed." do you see a declaration that Jesus absolutely did not exist? 1306435430 +One of your family members might have seen you having an obvious sex dream and decided to mess with you. How likely is it that someone you just fucked would hide their number when calling you back if she had a good time? 1331417733 +Maybe you shouldn't butt into people's parenting decisions. It's their child, their family. I can tell you that I wouldn't want someone around that started sticking their nose into how I decide to raise my children. 1309823564 +I thought OP was full of shit, but the facts check out.\n\n[Speed of light](http://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+the+speed+of+light): 299 792 458 m / s\n\n[FCC.gov conversion of decimal latitude to degrees](http://transition.fcc.gov/mb/audio/bickel/DDDMMSS-decimal.html): 29.9792458° = 29° 58' 45.285"\n\n[Latitude of Great Pyramid](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza): 29°58′45.03″N\n\nDifference: 29° 58' 45.285" - 29° 58' 45.03" = 0° 0' 0.255" (0.26 latitude seconds)\n\n0.26 latitude seconds to surface-of-earth meters: ([1 second of latitude = 30.86 meters](http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_surface_distance_of_latitude_seconds)) = 8 meters\n\nConclusion: The speed of light, when measured as a decimal geographical latitude, is 8 meters away from the decimal geographical latitude of the Great Pyramid of Giza.\n\nThat's astonishing. 1354380597 +1) Actually, confirmed by French Intelligence.\n\n2) Granted he doesn't directly cite a source regarding the dialysis. The intention of this link was to show that OBL was clearly very ill in 02.\n\n3)\n>The recording was dismissed by the Bush administration yesterday as sick propaganda possibly designed to mask the fact the al-Qa'eda leader was already dead.\n\nUh, kind of a big deal. The Bush Administration changed their story regarding whether or not OBL was dead or alive.\n\n4) You got me, I thought that article had a line in it that doesn't appear to be there.\n\n5) Why do you believe Other U.S. officials over Musharraf?\n\n6)\n>GUPTA: You can look [at pictures from a December 2001 video] and notice that he has what some doctors refer to as sort of a frosting over of his features -- his sort of grayness of beard, his paleness of skin, very gaunt sort of features. A lot of times people associate this with chronic illness. Doctors can certainly look at that and determine some clinical features.\n>But even more than that, it's sometimes possible to differentiate the specific type of disease or illness that he may be suffering from. The sort of frosting of the appearance is something that people a lot of times associate with chronic kidney failure, renal failure, certainly someone who is requiring dialysis would have that.\n>He's also not moving his arms. I looked at this tape all the way through its entire length. He never moved his left arm at all. The reason that might be important is because people who have had a stroke -- and certainly people are at increased risk of stroke if they also have kidney failure -- he may have had a stroke and therefore is not moving his left side. And in the rest of the videotape, he does move his right side a little bit more than he does his left. So those are some of the things that are sort of "of note" here in this more recent videotape. \n\n7) Why do you think Karzai is a 'guy who doesn't really know?' Who is a guy who really knows?\n\n8) Granted he has no evidence, but it is worth noting that initially in 02, you've got US Officials going around saying OBL is probably dead.\n\n9) Perhaps you could explain to me why you think this is a joke.\n\nExplain to me how anything that is going on now can actually be verified as anything more than a rumor. It was just as much in the US's interest to change the story from 'OBL is probably dead' to 'Bin Laden is still alive' to justify their actions in Afghanistan and Pakistan as it was for the leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan to claim he's dead, so you can't just disqualify one and not disqualify the other. 1304393289 +Sometimes I like to shoot dogs and watch them turn on their owner. It's not like I'm going down there trying to explain a dog what it is experiencing. 1350922075 +1964: If the government is covering up the truth about the Gulf of Tonkin, they're doing a better job at it than they do at anything else.\n\n2005: oops... 1323309227 +On a related note, I give Mr . Dunning about $4/mo through PayPal and would encourage others to do the same.\n\nHopefully, given sufficient funding he could produce regular TV-style episodes. His inFact podcasts are too short and sparsely released, IMO.\n\nThere needs to be a good, solid, entertaining skeptic TV series in this world.\n\nToo much woo and bullshit and noise. Not enough facts and information. 1339858035 +I didn't "immediately" label him a sexist apologizer. I did it after reading his opinions on sexism.\n\nI won't have a meta debate where being "objective" equals agreeing with Thunderfoot and you.\n\nOh, Watson *wants* it to be a big problem? Now who's subjective and labelling people? 1341593483 +At the time, I'd imagine if you see the whole issue on every blog website there is, you'd think it had already gone viral. It did. Yes, Dawkins introduction made it bigger than it already was, but it was already big. Much of the discussions about elevatorgate are not about Dawkins' comment, but about what Dawkin was arguing which was already the course of discussion. It's not like Dawkin showed up and completely invented the opposing argument to Rebecca, he was simply relaying what was already been said against her in his usual literary fashion. 1351112360 +>All of science is wrong.\n\nThis is of course a false statement. Virtually nothing is actually changing when the 'ghost explanation' is true. You are giving an example of naturalistic thought process that is just incorrect. As If I am challenging the whole of science! Of course not. 1325657084 +I would just like to say you have WAY too much time on your hands....... 1323021745 +http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htdocs/Chem_Background/ExSumPDF/Fluorosilicates.pdf\nhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jctb.5010190402/pdf\n\nThis is what they'll likely bring up related to heavy metals, if they think to do any homework at all: http://www.waterloowatch.com/Index_files/Fluorosilicates%20Increase%20Blood%20Lead%20Levels.pdf\n\n 1307200691 +Borrow one, film it and report back. Until then case closed. 1334296928 +Do the experiment. You have hypothesis right now, no facts. You need to do a controlled experiment and prove that it works. After that, if it is reproducible, you can introduce the results as fact in a discussion about its merits. 1328193718 +Wow, look at a calendar. October has 5 Sa, Su, and Mo all the time. Last time it happened was 2005, and the next time it will happen is 2016. Also, any given year is always going to have at least one month with 5 Sa, Su, and Mo. \n\nI've had to debunk this twice on facebook, but I never expected it from YOU reddit! Least of all /r/skeptic! FOR SHAME! 1319222143 +Similar to how a kid who needs surgery is denied by the parents due to religious beliefs and thus the kid dies. It's harmful to the child, thus it is abuse.\n\nSimilar to how a kid is punched in the eye several times, it harms his health, and so does not giving them medicine proven to work. 1319650748 +Can someone please provide me with the definitive universally agreed upon list of rights? 1337954957 +It is up to the 476 people you tell it to to check it for themselves. Your Facebook feed is not a reputable news source that has an obligation to provide reliable information or fact check. \n\nThe thing is, people can't fact check every single thing they hear or say. You check out the things that you would have some reason to doubt. People who haven't been exposed to skepticism just have very different standard for what sounds credulous. She probably heard it or read it somewhere else, and thought it sounded believable. 1330869938 +The first point is worded in such a way that it's actually a good thing, though I know they will misconstrue it to teach things that aren't science at all.\n\nThe second one is fucking terrifying. They *oppose* teaching things which challenge fixed beliefs? Well, that's it kids. No reason to come to school, they outlawed learning. Go home and play XBOX or something. 1340795102 +what a beautiful but profoundly lonely concept. 1355315311 +Yeah I can still hear it too, though thankfully CRTs are mostly gone now. Different subject, though. 1315960997 +i never planned on haha i dont like films like that, i prefer family films and chick flicks haha 1341137440 +I hope you're not implying that downvotes are simply because your opinion dissents. According to the reddiquette\n\n>Vote. The up and down arrows are your tools to make reddit what you want it to be. If you think something contributes to conversation, upvote it. If you think it shouldn't be on reddit, or if it is off-topic on a particular community, downvote it.\n\nYour downvotes may be because others deem that your comments do not contribute to the conversation. It's a bit presumptive to accuse [/r/skeptic](/r/skeptic) of downvoting you just because you dissent. Why they aren't considered as contributing is another topic entirely but I would at least consider that before throwing blatant accusations out there. 1328212258 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_flows_on_warm_Martian_slopes\n\nAlso, what other liquid would be present at such temperatures? 1348803874 +What exactly did I state that is so misinformed? Seriously, you really want to continue down this path? You have clearly shown that you are not concerned with evidence, that you have made up your mind about what is taking place, with no evidence, and you have figured out what I believe, again, with no evidence. You are not a skeptic at all, as you are showing your obvious prejudice by continuing to promote a baseless argument and then trying to insult me, as if that would make me curl up into a hole and leave your ridiculous assumptions alone. And BTW, throwing insults pretty much shows everyone else that you have no argument left, so thanks for being so overt about your inability to prove your point. 1314722318 +Also aren't manufactured cds with data on them stamped? I thought only burnable disks had ink. 1304635501 +I think the most perplexing thing in there is the intereview footage of the astronaut saying that crash sites were found and bodies were recovered. I bet any money that's taken out of context and he's talking about other astronauts. 1340648480 +yea same here i didnt see anything either 1349136474 +Evidence??? 1333512484 +Whatever their next project is, I hope it's better than their stint on Discovery channel. I've only seen season 1 as that's all Netflix has to offer on them, but they certainly weren't nearly in-depth enough with their investigations, didn't capture much evidence, used flashlights and normal camera mode when they clearly had night-vision cameras available.... The generic "Discovery channel southwestern country music" soundtrack didn't help either.\n\nI mean, it isn't *terrible*. You could certainly do **far** worse as far as paranormal shows go (Paranormal State, Dead Files). Honestly, like 'em or not, I think Ghost Adventures has the format right for paranormal investigation television shows. **Only** cameras are the ones the three investigators are carrying and some static cameras they've set up; no external camera crew or fancy "cinematic" camera angles or fake interlacing lines that serve no purpose but to make the whole thing look fake (see: Paranormal State, Dead Files). A bit less "mess around, see place" at the beginning and a bit more "show the damn investigation and evidence", and you've got a perfect format.\n\nSorry, think I got a bit off topic there. Also, considering the show seems to have been canceled, I wonder if they're going to continue showing their investigations through some other medium? 1324414244 +This actually doesn't happen. Monsanto has actually cleaned up farms at their own cost when accidental contamination was reported to them. The typical person that Monsanto sues is someone who knowingly bought seed and then pretended like it was accidental contamination. These suits are hard to win, and Monsanto has to prove it. There's a lot of misinformation out there. Just doing a google search will lead you down a rabbit hole of misinformation. 1331366036 +I figure it's outside the mainstream, controversial, & unknown to science constitutes paranormal. ...or is it more extra-normal? 1354679416 +Maybe humans have actually invented time travel and have been visiting us for tourism in the future, in circuler disk shaped objects. 1342351000 +Wait, what? Elaborate on how homeopathy can be helpful, please. 1325478134 +Haha, I can agree with that. \n\nYour posts always remind me of why I've upvoted you so many times. 1342896455 +wow... imagine how awful it must feel, whether it is being done by aliens or fate knowing that the Universe is out to get you... 1279676131 +> I don't see the reasoning of your last line and think you are missing or mistaking somethin, yes:)\n\nWhat I am missing is why the OP would think these are the same objects, when they show up in wildly different locations in the different photos.\n\n> It seems reasonable to metro induce that the opposite was true;\n\nI don't know what those words mean.\n\n> the differences make the actuality of the anomalies more likely.\n\nIn that the actuality is something mundane like radiation specks on the CCD, yes the differences make the actuality of that anomaly more likely. 1343180828 +She is trying to leave. Hence why she fades out. Why is no one trying to explain away that? 1288330750 +Rabbits have long been known to detect the supernatural. 1344058022 +Since this is a skeptic forum, I feel I have to tell you that the first part of your title is an example of confirmation bias. Your statement is not supported by the facts. For example, [the Flynn effect](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flynn_effect). 1323040729 +Deepak Chopra: Does it bother you that the more people learn about you, the more they think you are shit? 1317865802 +Debunkers are like trollface, avoid and don't feed. Skeptics we like. Skeptics have open minds, think critically and make for excellent conversations. 1298666573 +anger management... 1328470800 +He has a point there. About the sign. After going through a certain task or action repeatedly, I think the mind takes up all accounts of surroundings, sounds, and time of day. I have had dreams where my alarm clock was included when it went off. Like "Hey, stop that bomb before it makes a loud noise!!" Then I here my alarm, which in my dream is the bomb. 1352479921 +Yes to each his or her own :p Just wanted to point that out :) 1352894724 +>I'll admit, I'm of the perspective that JFK's assasination may have been related to his desire to end the Federal Reserve.\n\nWhy? Who was behind it, specifically? You need specifics. You can't say "government conspiracy" - if the govt. can't keep Iran-Contra a secret, I seriously doubt that can keep presidential assassinations a secret. \n\n 1312517780 +I'll try this as well thanks for the imput 1346107995 +I'm not getting the hypocrisy you're seeing. 1315493972 +As funny as that thought is.... Jim Carrey influences a lot of people. People are influenced by pop culture. 1306954687 +Fair deuce. I *did* misinterpret what you meant. In the other thread, your phrasing made it sound to me that you advocated its misuse. 1326235087 +Original image before NASA photoshopped it: http://i.imgur.com/5gLtl.jpg 1286681552 +Then there is something about that space, wether it's darker there or maybe something happened there in the past. Start with making your house a safe zone and cleaning up and we will go from there. =] 1333573691 +No longer is it simply ignorant to claim this link exists. No longer is it glib. It's now maliciously deceitful and recklessly dishonest, and it is high time that the False Prophets of Autism, to put it bluntly, STFU and GTFO. \n\nTheir words are venom, toxic and dangerous to our survival as a species. As for me, the kid gloves came off a while ago. I'm a father, my kid is number one, and I'm severing friendships with people who still insist to keep their eyes shut to this reality. The time for reasonable discussion has passed. 1314362318 +I don't like how chiropractic is on there. It has been show to help back and neck pain. There are some dumbasses who claim it can cure asthma and allergies, but they are just a vocal minority. Most practicioners don't even suggest using it as a sole treatment anymore, but instead recommend using it as suplimental treatment.\n\n\n*sorry about any mistakes, it's late and I'm on my phone. 1325828903 +Using the same see-saw technique, lift a block perpendicularly between two pillars until it is above them. Spin it to parallel. Lower. 1331581078 +I'm thinking that it may have been the sun reflecting off of floating particles maybe. Almost the same as ghost orbs seen in snapshots. Still, it is intriguing. 1326426681 +I admit, not the greatest of websites. But, when you have to fight against bullshit, you may not have time to design the greatest website ever. The point was to show there are scientists who will tour and debunk homeopathy, bad science and pseudo-science. A few years ago, in my freethought/skeptic group in college, depending on reputation, we would have these types of speakers. 1299419980 +How far is this from Aberdeen? There has always been a lot of reports in that area due to Aberdeen Proving Ground. Whether it's UFOs seeing what they're up to, or some sort of experimental shit I have no idea. I lived in Cecil and could hear explosions from Aberdeen there. 1290085330 +Seems the page is [broken](http://www.imgur.com/yetRt.jpg) 1325449186 +hey, us /r/circlejerk readers have standards! 1324952979 +Fuck 'em. 1280851951 +I think that what you're saying makes sense but is worded in a bad way. \n\n"The atheist crowd" is a general term that doesn't mean anything other than the particular group of people who don't believe in god. Why are you trying to portray them in a negative light? Why are you even bringing them up? This isn't a discussion about religion.\n\nWhat I took from the rest of your comment was that you believe that a higher power might be able to influence DNA.\n\nIs it not possible that advanced extraterrestrials genetically engineered new species in Earth's past? 1333758693 +Same with Alex Chiu's [immortality rings](http://www.alexchiu.com/). 1330038637 +>Kumburgaz\n\n 1345502756 +its just cute 1350528460 +Right, I did bring him up. I think about him about as often as I run into an Al Gore follower I guess. \n\nAh the good 'ole post limiter now that I have racked up all these blue arrows! Dont agree with the mob? How about you dont get to post quite as much. So flawed. 1354466991 +Abortion supporter? You are pro-abortion?\n\nThat's going a lot farther than the usual "pro-choice" position. You actively support aborting fetuses, the more the better? 1313906014 +That's assuming it was a physical object in the way we understand them. I don't have any idea what this was. I'm cool with a solid 'I don't know'. 1351698475 +Pretty much. There's something of a grey area between elective surgery, which is not emergent, and true emergency surgery. For example, malignant tumor excision is pretty time-critical, but at the same time, scheduled in advance. Some people call these "semi-elective," but it is not really important here.\n\nMy point is quite like yours, an elective surgery does not mean it is cosmetic or unnecessary. 1346103960 +Well there you have it! Let's shut this reddit down people! 1277490796 +And there is no...real purchasing place ? 1287654744 +The Watson apologists seem to have missed the point. Dawkins never said other women had it worse so shut up. What he did was compare suffering (Muslima) to non-suffering (Watson). \n\nIf women don't feel safe just being in lifts with men, then isn't the issue *what we're telling our girls about men?* \n\nWhy are we telling men that they must adjust their behaviour to cater to irrational fears rather than raising girls to be aware that (1) most molestations happen from people you *know well* and (2) most men won't assault you? Why are we raising girls with fear when no benefit will accrue from it?\n\nThe feminists who have turned this into a gender battle just look ridiculous at this point. You're allowed to approach people you like respectfully; and even ask them out for for coffee. What you're not allowed to do is use force and harass after you've been told no. Since this guy did none of these things, no harm no fowl. Watson's persecution exists in her own head predicated on a delusion about men. 1310024883 +And you know this how, exactly? 1332720129 +A good site about the problems with colloidal silver is [here](http://www.rosemaryjacobs.com/).\n 1310440104 +> They are their own self fulfilling ~~prophecy~~ market.\n\nFTFY 1290295491 +Bottled water, too big to fail... 1296242303 +Down with pseudoscience, though. 1287417279 +no, there is a photoshopped girl above the trunk of the car, not just a face. took me a second to see it. 1350594085 +There is a regulation that essentially limits any medical claims that you can make for items regulated as foodstuffs. This is seriously upsetting those who peddle supplements and complementary medicines. 1321767143 + > Oh my god, what was that? I'm so *startled*! 1350165876 +didn't mythbusters do this test? Why yes, [they did](http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/episode/episode-tab-06.html) in 2005, in the "Jet Pack" episode. 1329975748 +It's still the same way, on the other side of the food court. (I'm reasonably sure - it's been a couple of months since I've been there, at least.) 1326760507 +I had to DVR it and I'm about halfway through. It is seemingly really well done. No [corny guest appearances](http://troll.me/images/ancient-aliens-guy/ancient-aliens-guy.jpg), just factual, still-unsolved cases with living witnesses and corroborating government documentation. \n\nKean did it right in her book and in this program. A+++ would watch again. 1314326539 +The Fresno video is probably gray aliens on their way to an abduction. They have been described as wearing capes sometimes. Too bad the video is of such poor quality. \n\nThe Yosemite one is fake.\n 1334433548 +I saw a documentary about this no less than three hours ago. 1340050312 +The bottle fell in another dimension. This is a true GITM. 1339126220 +Close - Dawkins tried on the helmet and wrote about it (he didn't experience anything transcendental), but the experiment was done by a dude named Michael Persinger. [link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_helmet) 1287338173 +Thank's but so it's a "freeze" blimp ? ;) It don't move for more than 20 minutes (i'm sure of that, it's not an "optical" effect), and i had see blimp but never a "triangle" blimp, and never so wide...and when i come back i will see it again...if it was a blimp...\n\nBut jut a qustion mrhappyoz...Do you work for the french Gouvernement ? ;) 1330637221 +Wait, skeptics here are doubting the death of Osama? Since when did they turn into conspiracy theorists? 1304375254 +It makes sense because it's supposed to make sense. NASA's answer is crafted that way. It has to be believable.\n\nRead my reply to the other guy. But if you want to skip it, I can sum it up: I believe that people aren't willing to believe that they're being categorically lied to about aliens and UFO's. NASA lies. 1350305448 +I can't blame you for believing it. If the only source you have is reddit, it's really hard to get accurate information. 1330737319 +The one in the picture is ripe, I was referring to the overripe ones in the grocery store that are completely black and mushy. Only good for baking. 1346599132 +My mom, who is a very honest person, swears she and her grandparents and her younger siblings drove though the end of a rainbow when she was a child. She said the entire inside of the car turned gold. Then when then drove out everything was normal. She said it was beautiful. 1343596510 +Beautiful hypocrisy, claiming that I have attempted character assassination and then go on to say that I must be some sort of "religious conservative" to bring /r/politics in to the discussion -- and that I have an inferiority complex.\n\nEither way, I said I'll gladly take my leave because I don't like /r/atheism and its tendencies to circlejerk and blame religion as the source for all the problems they can semi-reasonably point a finger at. Like your original post. Sure, it's easy to say that religion causes a lack of innovation, which causes a decrease of education, which increases poverty, etc. But like most issues concerning a country it is never just one cause.\n\nYou also misinterpreted what I said about atheists from /r/atheism coming here because they feel like they're superior. That is to say that they feel like they're too good to circlejerk in /r/atheism and have to do it in other subreddits where it's not wanted. /r/skeptic in this case. A decent amount of subs here are atheists and agnostic. If I got angry from ideas that come from skepticism I probably would not be here.\n\nAlso, I bring up /r/politics and /r/atheism up because that's nearly all you ever post to, at least in the past 8 months. Which might be why you felt like it was appropriate to circlejerk here as well. In truth, I'm not religious not am I conservative, I just don't like having to listen to spew from an unverified image made by a poster with intentions of making a point rather than analyzing the words from the image, like what usually happens.\n\nSometimes an image makes rounds on the internet, someone sees it, posts to /r/skeptic, and then the collective group of subscribers here break it down in order to figure out how much "truth" there is to the image, graph, article, etc. But that's not what you came here to do. You came here, to make a post with an straight-faced title of: "Islam is actually the major reason why people are protesting embassies violently, but people are reluctant to admit it." and then proceed to argue the point throughout the post.\n\nAnd probably the worst thing is that you do the same sort of "logic'd" arguing that places like /r/magicskyfairy and /r/bravetheism make fun of /r/atheism for. -- The comment I'm replying to is full of "logic'd"\n\nEither way, I'm too tired to keep arguing with people over the internet, gonna go back to discussing lore in /r/Darksouls and stay there. 1347787585 +Yet there it is. As mentioned, it doesn't make sense to assume the even more unlikely. We have seen that humans can build stuff, and have done so for many years. That's what we have to work with, untill at least some evidence ties aliens with the pyramids or other similar monuments. There's not any, aside from a few hieroglyphs that **might** or might not look like a depiction of advanced technology not availible at that time. \n\n\nPersonally I think that the pyramids was built over a far greater period than the suggested 20 years and that an astonishing number of people worked on it almost without cease. But, for now we can only guess. 1327365734 +Poor decision? Who knows. I know I've asked a woman to do something, looked in a her eyes and realized... oh crap... that sounded way creepier than I intended. Sometimes I back out of it, sometimes I don't.\n\nIt's a matter of if you talk long enough, eventually you're going to put your foot in your mouth. 1351115266 +Didn't they find that the rats that saccharine was tested on were actually genetically predisposed to cancer?\n\nSweet & Low still tastes like plastic ass, and Aspartame turns to formaldehyde in your liver. 1265425219 +hoax 1332120344 +Wow, the people on that thread are being huge assholes. Seriously, she invited people to a thing, and then people went through and downvoted all her comments, including the ones defending herself and the festival after being called out unfairly.\n\n>As mafoo said, your wellness festival shouldn't lie to people about what is healthy. You're effectively telling people \n\nShe's not telling anyone anything. It's not her festival.\n\n>but this is a festival that essentially celebrates and promotes ignorance and fear of science.\n\nThat's just inflammatory, regardless of the follow up caveats in subsequent posts. Following the "church" example quoted elsewhere, someone puts out an invitation to a Sunday Baptist church, and you're going to go and say that it's an evil religion that hates gays and not expect her to want to talk about all the good stuff involved, and then tell her she's taking things personally?\n\nThis is straight up trolling douchebaggery. You and the other posters on there should be ashamed of yourselves for going out of your way on R/BROOKLYN to mock this girl's simple invitation. She didn't come into r/skeptic, she didn't ask for opinions on the contents of the event. She put up a fucking event notice on a local subreddit. If you REALLY want to be an asshole, just downvote it. You don't need to go through goading her into comments and karma bombing the whole fucking post. Christ people like you make me angry. Live and let live, assholes.\n\nI'll take your downvotes gladly. Bring it on. 1298656160 +Would suggest anybody interested in the topic watch that episode. 1303246301 +It is funny, it seems like a pretty nothing idea, and it didn't really impress anyone much either.\n\nHowever, while erecting your own Stonehenge in your backyard might not serve any particular purpose, it is strangely inspiring to see a simple idea carried further, in spite of people thinking that you are probably wasting your time, until it makes something that ends up being pretty impressive. 1331574255 +The towers didn't collapse at free fal speed. [That has been debunked](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLShZOvxVe4). 1333646300 +That's nothing. I've had a magician get a card that I had written on myself into my shirt pocket without me noticing. 1326491154 +I find it funny that one of the top comments mentions that these are the pleiadians. What evidence do they have to go off of? It could be [these guys](http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/shared/characters/non-human/marklars.jpg) for all we know. 1346626283 +I would hate to be the person that sponsored the first hour :|\n\nProblems with their ISP, apparently. 1316830818 +That PDF file you referenced actually concludes that the government officials operated by the book and weren't under any undue influence from Searle. It's kind of strange that you would include that here.\n\nThose other sites are wrong. And there's no doubt that they're wrong because this is a matter of public record. The Public Board Of Inquiry did have concerns about the Searle tests, but what they said was that further study was needed. \n\nArthur Hays did convened a panel exactly as he was supposed to, and that panel went over some new Japanese research which showed Aspartame not to cause cancer. If it can be said that he "overruled" the Public Board Of Inquiry, it's only in the sense that any decision to proceed with caution can be "overruled" when new evidence and proper procedure allow for it.\n\nThere was no "internal FDA team" advising Hayes not to approve Aspartame. Had the Public Board Of Inquiry had the Japanese data at the time, they would have approved Aspartame earlier. Hayes decision was supported by the previous Public Board Of Inquiry, and Hayes didn't face widespread internal disagreement from FDA scientists on the issue as suggested. 1330196206 +Where's the truth? :S 1343937495 +http://i.imgur.com/q2p46.jpg 1351571850 +I appreciate the differentiation between homeopathy and Chinese herbal supplementation. I don't think I understood the difference, so I appreciate it. As for my friend, she claims that the supplement helped her, but it's probably some kind of placebo effect. She bought it at an alternative pharmacy, so I was skeptical. 1317402945 +It could be a big [RC paper plane](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWMC27GVtzE). Though it looks very big, and imagine the amount of fireworks needed for this. \n\n 1316205526 +They think I am an asshole just for saying *anything*, usually. Though I don't believe a non-committal shrug communicates quite enough skepticism for me. I am getting tired of being the "argumentative know it all" though. \n\nI swear I don't try to come across that way but I suppose when you try to "teach" adults things they get pretty insulted. Well, I don't - but these people do. : / 1276046362 +I don't think you could call CSI scientifically accurate. 1298884921 +I lol'ed. I read it in cockney. 1350307081 +Too me, the "face" looks like a young man, possibly in mid to late teens, with some sort of hat on. I never saw a hand until pointed out, and now it cannot be unseen. Thanks for all the interest! 1337984305 +The investigations were not well formed or concluded. More information [here](http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4179). The book, titled [The Scole Experiment: Scientific Evidence For Life After Death](http://www.amazon.com/The-Scole-Experiment-Scientific-Evidence/dp/0749921056) is poorly titled as well, as there is *no scientific evidence for life after death*. There's plenty of anecdote, eyewitness testimony, and subjective claims, but no evidence. 1352318694 +My town had flouridated water. I didnt' suffer any health effects. I'm in my 40s now and the only health problems I've had are sports related injuries. And I didn't have any cavities until after I graduated college. 1326721420 +Well, he isn't dead. His eyes are still glowing, and there are air bubbles coming out of his nose. Maybe he stays warm by breathing fire into the water around him? 1317668866 +I have a special interest in this subreddit. I think this is an important and interesting topic. I'd hate to see it become just a clone of /nosleep or something. I think there's a shit-ton of potential here. 1326567021 +Real science is always presented by a guy in a lab coat. 1323766883 +There's a facility at the geographic south pole, and people live there year-round.\nhttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Geographic_Southpole.jpg\n\nAnd NOAA actually has a web-cam at the North Pole\n\nhttp://www.arctic.noaa.gov/gallery_np.html 1279408822 +Don't fight it, join us! 1344476954 +True, and I wouldn't argue if that were the case. It doesn't look like the museum will be making any money off of this, or if it does it will be minimal. 1318562995 +bugger! 1308561893 +Ah gotcha. Thought you were tossing everything into the same hat. Well with that all cleared up I say farewell sir and have a pleasant tomorrow 1298492840 +There are so many possibilities, all we can really do is prepare for the worst and hope for the best. 1332976812 +I hold no particular opinion on climate change; I'm not qualified to. Though it is doubtless the Earth has been warming in the recent past, I don't know enough about ice core samples and carbon sequestering in H2O to form an educated opinion. Examining the evidence though, it sure seems like there is a definite correlation between CO2 and global temperature increase.\n\nThat being said, the confirmation of bias (excuse the pun) is worrying. When you're dealing with such supposed massive/global problems, I would like a higher standard of impartiality than any other problem. To be honest, I could give a flying fuck if someone has a bias during an examination of data gathered during a test of general relativity. If it's found right or wrong by further studies, that's what it is. We don't tend to take one study as gospel. Forgive my possible naivete, but from my limited experience it seems like any paper published that agrees with the mainstream view in climate science is welcomed with praise, and any opposing data is dismissed.\n\nEdit: I want to make it clear that I'm not denying anthropogenic climate change here, I'm simply questioning methodologies and biases based upon the Yale study published and the general demographics of scientists. It's an interesting issue to me. 1310551708 +Fuck prison morgue; I’d be more than happy to spare you the wait. 1354943161 +What do you mean by floor markings? 1343068391 + [Woo](http://www.yellmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/john-woo-picture.jpg) and [Sedona](http://xboxoz360.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/sedona-raceway-track-layout-oxcgn.jpg) 1319620887 +**ofthe5thkind** has a great scientific grasp of the facts.\n\nThe problem starts where some people just refuse to accept facts using "god of the gaps" thinking. It usually starts with "well you cant prove this or that" or "we don't know everything". The facts are that it is possible to get to another star but it would be prohibitively expensive in terms of fuel and length. I for one do not want to get on a ship where I would never see the destination.\n\nSomeone will then say 'well maybe the technology isn't invented yet" the problem with this statement is that you still have to stay within the physical laws of the universe. The "tribesman from the middle of nowhere to explain an aeroplane" didn't have the physics background to explain why the plane flys, modern man and science can and do, and we extrapolate all the time on the future of flight, these same laws and rules apply here and across the universe.\n\nIt boils down to this, where ever we went on earth or the solar system we have left our presence known. Parachutes, landing pads, discarded tools. On earth I defy anyone to go to a past plane crash site and not find something left behind, I have done it and at sites where the military has "scoured" the site to leave nothing behind. That is a joke, when a plane crashes you find crap all over the place for years.\n\nTake any claimed UFO crash site and there isn't anything left - not a speck of paint.\n\nSome try to say that in the late 40s something crashed out west, every one and their mother came out of the woodwork 40 years later and said they handled the debris, and not a single one of them took and hid any of it. Not a bolt or a nut or fleck of paint of this amazing once in a lifetime encounter after seeing truckloads of debris go through all those hands, and 40 years of searching debris fields.\n\nIt comes down to one conclusion, they haven't been here and we aint going there.\n\nSend a radio signal. 1345061832 +I worked in the area so I know there aren't any tall buildings around there to obstruct your view too much. From his point of view it probably just caught his eye as he was walking down the block because it's so easy to see the sky without all the damn skyscrapers. Even if it's fake, it's pretty damn weird. 1345479034 +This much largely all jives with my own views, but what about when one isn't writing for an "outside" audience (the example I used elsewhere was PZ Myers blog, which is popular but rife with insulting language)? I get the impression that perhaps you think as much still "reflects poorly on the community" or some such?\n\nAlso, one element I rarely see discussed is how we are supposed to 'measure dickishness' and determine when this DBAD philosophy is supposed to kick-in. That is, I can't imagine that we are supposed to refrain from saying *anything* that some listener might find offensive (after all, anti-vaxxers don't like it when I remind them that their beliefs lead to the deaths of infants). Any thoughts on this element? 1353374596 +My favorite line from the FAQ:\n\nQ: Why are Sasquatch allowed to gather Tree Octopuses if the octopuses are endangered?\n\nA: No one allows a Sasquatch to do anything; they just do it.\n\nSasquatch have been gathering Tree Octopuses since before Humans settled in their habitats. They form a symbiotic relationship. We value our limbs and don't question this. 1296753547 +Most early pilgrims brough a christian preacher, and the common cold(used here as general term for various diseases that the pilgrims brought and are immune to). the preacher preached, they usually did not believe him. 60% of the natives die due to the common cold. Most of the survivers convert. Of course pilgrims also died due to local diseases that are alien to them, but the pilgrims are just a few dozen, compared to thousands of natives.\n\nbottom line: first contacts cause conflicts and deaths, but in the process both gain immunity towards each other. (as long as there is any survivor) 1308693876 +Ha! Well it is a good thing we are having this discussion in r/UFOs and not r/aliens. \n\nBut seriously I haven't said anything about aliens and spacecraft, you have. And well those documents actually do as well. As well as the US documents that have been released, also discuss aliens and spacecraft. But I think that is just speculation. \n\nI don't believe you have done the reading you say you have funkybunch because you sound very I'll informed. I don't think you have even watched the videos or links I have posted because your replies are nonsensical. I think you have already formed your opinion and not interested in looking at the scientific studies that have been made on the available information. If you had read even a tenth of the more than 50,000 pages of reports by military officers around the world trained in identifying aerial phenomena of unidentified flying objects that they believed were unexplainable, then I think you would express your opinion in a different way. It is many of these military officers who use terms like aliens and spacecraft, not me. I have never seen a UFO. I am fascinated by the secrecy around these reports, and the US governments unwillingness to open them up to the public. If they are not hiding anything then tell us what they know. If it is all military black projects then just open up the cases from before 1970. \n\nYou are not interested in being enlightened. You have made up your mind and disparage those who are interested in looking at the evidence that is there. Such closed mindedness is the hallmark of the bigot, the ignoramus, and the fool. 1350566698 +Something I wonder about so-called "psychics," do they really believe they are psychic, or do they actually know better and just stick with the facade no matter what? For this ad, are they looking for people that know how to bullshit some middle-aged women on anti-depressants, or are they genuinely looking for people that are "psychic" because they actually believe this crap? 1318639694 +"Why?"\n\n"Cuz I hates her." \n\nWell then... case closed. 1344596335 +> Science is all about proving the other fucker in the lab next door wrong \n\nThats some good motivation 1279752661 +Thenx for the eksplenation. 1323888383 +\n>NIST SAID SO\n\nAll I quoted was a well-known fact about the integrity of steel. That's the only thing I used that source for. If it makes you feel better to put every mistake they've ever made in my mouth - no one's perfect - then you feel free; whatever helps you sleep at night.\n\nThe rest of this rant isn't even coherent enough to respond to. Have a nice day!\n 1319062530 +Hey! Phil Plait will be there!\nhttp://www.skepticsofoz.org/content/phil-plait\n"Plait grew up in the Washington, D.C. area. He received his Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Virginia in 1994 with a thesis on SN 1987A, which he studied with the Supernova Intensive Study (SINS). He first worked with the COBE satellite and then with the STIS on the Hubble Space Telescope for five years. He currently resides in Boulder, Colorado[3] and writes full time, but often hosts special events and serves as an adviser and commentator in several capacities, including events focusing on skepticism." 1329584963 +Interesting. I think that planet is supposed to be a gas giant though, right? That would be tough for life as we know it to find a stable environment in which to grow. That only applies to life as we know it, however. 1344658169 +He used sources which confirm the official "toll" has dropped by millions which warrants further investigation beyond the Holohoax inquisition.\n\nWhy are you trying to warp the point so far? \n\nHitler was pro-white, but that doesn't mean whites are immune to judgement for wrongdoings. Such as treason or reporting locations of german troop stations to the red army/allies. \n\nDid the USA "Exterminate" Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for being Jews? Or were the executed as Communist traitors? \n\nMaybe you're just refusing to use your brain. 1356342498 +I'm in chiropractic med school right now. I am going to one of the more evidence based schools out there. We learn just as much as any medical, dental, podiatry, etc school. Chiropractic care is safe and very effective. The key word in some other comments is musculoskeletal. There really isn't any proof, for or against, chiro care helping very many issues outside of muscle and skeleton problems. But if you want relief from tension headaches, back pain, etc, the best option is a chiropractor. There are a lot of other things we do as well, but for the person new to chiropractic, I feel that answer should be okay. 1312223322 +And some people have seen things that have no explanation that fits with in our known version of how the universe works. Not all scientific knowledge ha been discovered yet, and if you think it has, I'm sorry, but just take a look in a history book. You'll find people saying the same thing on all sorts of topics. 1345006061 +Seriously. It is. 1304425870 +Why would they hide [The Truth?](http://media.gtanet.com/images/283_gtasa_the_truth.jpg) 1344644485 +Yeah, I checked back to the dates in the linked images and these posts don't appear on there.\n\nEdit: Looks like there are from this page: https://www.facebook.com/OccupyWallSt1 (which had the text "This page no longer has anything to do wig the Occupy Movement" on the google search result but I didn't see that text on the page itself (perhaps recently removed). 1339191344 +The reason things changed, I suspect, is not because of the general /r/skeptic community, but from readers of her blog who came to this thread and changed things.\n\nI'm not trying to paint this whole subreddit with the same brush, there are many people who have different opinions, but it is sad that many of the people who are on /r/skeptic feel the need to be so anti-feminist, and be so quick to abuse someone like Watson along gender lines.\n\nI'm sure that you and I would agree on far more things than we disagree on, as it is with most of the people on this subreddit, and likely even the general Reddit community. That doesn't mean that when I see the utter crap that I often see on any threads about Watson or feminism in general that I'm not going to call out the male-centric ego-bullshit that is so pervasive in our society at large.\n\nI see gender issues as a major problem in the world, and it's something that I want to see fixed. You're right that this isn't going to come about through name calling and non-constructive criticism. It's important to keep in mind that the way you are seeing Watson in regards to gender issues, is how atheists and skeptics are perceived by the majority of the population. You have a cognitive bias, as do I and everybody else, that when you see someone espousing something you disagree with you are more likely to notice them when they are having a shit day and a bit of a whinge than when they're making well reasoned arguments in support of their cause.\n\nI apologise if got a bit rambling towards the end there. 1325117374 +Before we continue is it your claim that there *are* scientific studies which back up the claims of the parents and teachers? 1282158268 +Autism is caused by Fox News 1333421529 +An interesting response to a perfectly reasonable argument.\n\nYou posted this, right? Did you expect everybody to agree with you on a public forum? When somebody politely expresses a different view you you respond with insults.\n\nI wouldn't be bothering if I didn't think it important. 1350484708 +It's a fad. If the people that purchase these things weren't buying them, they'd surely move on to some other fiction. 1293720474 +502 post went thru, 504 try once more. 1308928982 +Yes, it's a form of condescension, and it has no good use in discussion.\n 1308242711 +> Ultimately, i don't see that science is any less radical a banner for atheists to adopt than social justice.\n\nThe difference is that science is empirical. What LGBT rights are and how they are to be understood and implemented are not. \n\nThe social issues simply are not clear cut. One can see this when debating atheists who are pro-life. 1346594878 +yes it has. And I've done it many times to different people. I have been doing psychic research for about 30 years, I even coach others to do OBE too. I also do verification research into people's past lives. 1331700825 +This you tube suggestion was also fun "[Mary Loves Dick!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3x_JUHDYZ0&NR=1)" 1318354182 +The active ingredient in that Homeopathic sleeping pill is Caffeine. 1310130902 +True. I hope by then, we're a more enlightened bunch and instead practice preserving the liberties and free will of others rather than trampling on it. 1345746467 +Because it's there. 1344264557 +That's the same ghost as in this photo (sorry, I don't know how to hyperlink) which was shown to be taken using an android app. http://imgur.com/a4PrQ . The ghost is on the far right side of the photo. And the Reddit title of the photo link I provided is "*First post* A good friend took this picture a month ago in Ammon Park, ID Is it photoshopped?" if you're interested in app, it should be discussed in the comments of that post. 1356409259 +I'd assumed that most stage mics these days were digital and encrypted, but a quick Google suggests they're largely still analogue. 1327591562 +Wait, is he prepared to offer One Million dollars if we can explain to him how a blade of grass grows? 1312248018 +There are many 9/11 "conspiracies" that need further investigation. I don't believe all of them, but the whitewash that was the official investigation doesn't settle the matter at all. We will never know the full truth. 1276693429 +Hold up on the meteor explanation for one second. My SO and I were fishing at Cocoa Beach a few years back and watched a very slow-moving green sphere go from above/behind left of us (beachside) out over the ocean until it disappeared over the horizon (oceanside.) I've posted about it here and reported it to mufon so can I ask if you're 100% sure on the meteor explanation? What we saw was definitely not a meteor as it moved too slow and did not burn up but was a bright, pulsating (not quite neon), green sphere. 1354068370 +Alternatively, you could have been experiencing a vivid psychotic break, or 'waking dream.' 1335537123 +"We're not really arguing, I'm disagreeing with your assertions."\n\nNow you are arguing about if we are arguing? What is this a Monty Python routine?\n\nThere is something wrong with you - you have a compulsion to argue about everything. You can not let anything go. It claws at you and won't let you alone. I bet you will respond to this - you can't not - you have no control over yourself. 1329036816 +First, you make a false claim that since Shermer himself believes it, it can't be as absurd as conspiracy theories. Its an absurd claim because legislation brought an end to child labor. That's like arguing that the free market brought us the drug war. There might be some element of truth to it (corporations that sell guns to police officers benefit from it), but it's still kind of specious.\n\nSecond, as I already said, legislation ended child labor. If capitalism ended child labor, then why is there still so much child labor in places where the market isn't regulated?\n\nMy basic point is that his claim, that the free market brought an end to child labor, is silly. It is a claim that might be defensible in the narrow sense but is as valid in the broader sense as bigfoots and government conspiracies. Someone might have interesting evidence that bogfoots exist, but extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Since legislation brought an end to child labor, it would take some extraordinary evidence to make it even worth looking into that the free market really did it. 1310618448 +What I don't get is why she didn't give up her quest after the negative health effects of not eating came about. There is certain amount of pain and problems before death. 1335470392 +But don't you see? Other people will say they don't want to be offended, so to them the golden rule means not to offend. To you, it does not.\n\nMy understanding of the golden rule is it's meant to be a guideline for everyone, and not just a personalized philosophy. If the latter is the case, I guess you're still making sense. 1299454561 +It's a good idea and all but I doubt the majority of people have the initial investment. People are losing their houses right now not trying to improve them. \n 1304287096 +An indication of the numbers is right there in the statement.\n\n> But this happens so rarely, experts cannot be sure whether they are caused by the vaccine or not.\n\naka Statistically negligible. 1314372600 +There are no paranormal things, that's kind of the joke. 1348450533 +Technically, research has shown that the *more* a person pays for a placebo, the greater its potential for the placebo effect. 1319311371 +Oh, Aliens fail Occam's Razor, but 1940s Nazi technology capable of stopping in mid-flight and reaching speeds of 6000mph in a moment has been around all this time? Mind you, before the digital watch had been invented. No way. Plus, the very governments you claim are doing this are the very people that have been trying to figure it out, as now declassified FOIA act documents clearly reveal. 1298826696 +I didn't say "male privilege." That's definitely real, and largely ignored by the MRM. I said "dominant gender roles," which one might rephrase as "the gender narrative." Let's pick a few of the easier-to-explain ones from [the list the OP references](http://www.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/uwekw/facts_and_statistics_detailing_male_oppression/) to show how they're caused by the underlying assumptions that society makes about each gender.\n\n>Men comprise 95% of workplace deaths.\n\nBecause men tend to work more dangerous jobs, because employers see women as too fragile and incapable of handling the dangerous jobs and see men as more resistant to such injuries.\n\n>Men commit suicide at over triple the rate that women do.\n\nBecause men are seen as stoic and unemotional, their mental health needs are not met. This is the direct foil to the idea that women are hysterical and constant emotional wrecks.\n\n>Parental rights. Men have virtually none.\n\nBecause women are seen as having a single role -- parenting -- that overrides everything else and makes them inherently better at it than men.\n\n>On some airlines, men were banned from sitting next to kids on airplanes, simply because they were men. Why? Because men are pedophiles, obviously. This ban remains on some airlines, such as Air New Zealand.\n\nAgain, an outgrowth of gender stereotypes of men (as almost purely sexually-motivated beings) and women (as nurturing individuals incapable of harming a child) alike.\n\n>Selective service. Enough said\n\nAgain, men are big and tough and can take the rigors of combat/military training, women are seen as too fragile, unreliable, and distracting to function in a combat situation. 1345142722 +Woah. 1337399686 +Do they eventually pass on?- Yes. I believe so. I know that after some realize where they are and what happened, they disappear. others say they need to go home one last time to see their family. So yes I do think they Cross over/pass on. \n\nI dont know where they go, or what happens after they go, but I do know they havent come back to complain :D\n\nLongest? I met a guy here in the hospital who said he died in 1996. And Shaun hung around for at least 6 months. but ive seen everything from minuets/hours/days. 1333906243 +I've never heard of "cack-handed" but I kind of love it. 1310892561 +>colloidal silver is not a homeopathic remedy, since it is something other than water..\n\ntrue\n\n>It is actually used in the russian part of the international space station.\n\nTrue, but it should be highlighted that this is to disinfect the water and has no bearing on its use as a cure for x, y & z. 1320910031 +/me regrets living in the UK 1345016056 +This is good stuff. I can't wait to lock myself up and open my bags of rice that I have stored for some collapse scenario, and then go 5D! 1287440608 +In a strange twist, Weird Al has a tongue-in-cheek reply (which was impressively sung all in a single breath):\n\n>Now you may find it inconceivable or at the very least a bit unlikely\nthat the relative position of the planets and the stars could have\na special deep significance or meaning that exclusively applies to only you, but let me give you my assurance that these forecasts and predictions are all based on solid, scientific, documented evidence, so you would have to be some kind of moron not to realize that every single one of them is absolutely true. 1353531766 +Anyone see the study mentioned in the comments?\n\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18204390.1\n\n>Objective: To investigate associations between chiropractic visits and vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) stroke and to contrast this with primary care physician (PCP) visits and VBA stroke.\n\n>Results: There were 818 VBA strokes hospitalized in a population of more than 100 million person-years. In those aged <45 years, cases were about three times more likely to see a chiropractor or a PCP before their stroke than controls. Results were similar in the case control and case crossover analyses. There was no increased association between chiropractic visits and VBA stroke in those older than 45 years. Positive associations were found between PCP visits and VBA stroke in all age groups. Practitioner visits billed for headache and neck complaints were highly associated with subsequent VBA stroke.\n\n> Conclusion: VBA stroke is a very rare event in the population. The increased risks of VBA stroke associated with chiropractic and PCP visits is likely due to patients with headache and neck pain from VBA dissection seeking care before their stroke. We found no evidence of excess risk of VBA stroke associated chiropractic care compared to primary care. 1337180318 +I very much like fruits and vegetables, but I am allergic to almost all of them across the board. Sometimes I will eat them anyway and just deal with the reaction. \n \nWhen I tell people this, they inevitably think that I just don't like fruits and vegetables and make some clever remark about it. In all actuality, it really, really sucks. \n \nThis is what I have, if you're interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_allergy_syndrome \n \nI could accept that my peanut allergy is an perhaps an intolerance and not a true allergy. 1273773448 +So you can tell that you're dealing with a Sikh. 1306533090 +yeah, i got excited when i saw that sentence and then bummed when i realized thats all the article was. 1317725767 +What is with all these UFO posts, i am getting confused? Should i be preparing to welcome our alien overlords or not. 1303666131 +>We are now in the process of trying to understand how one deals with a Sirian or works alongside an Arcturian.\n\n*(yawns, closes link)* 1331328481 +Looking forward to the day when people come to the realization that the willfully misinformed opinions of tertiary stars, on almost any serious topic is mostly worthless. 1256862483 +>Some of the feats of engineering that the great pyramids have are just too amazing to have come from people that only had little copper chisels and stones as their tools\n\nI hear this claim quite a bit. Please be specific, so that we can talk about it and try to learn about it. What are the feats of engineering that serve as evidence that 3200 B.C. humans in Egypt couldn't have been responsible for them? 1343692433 +yea right, a huge object like that over a huge city and there is one single video of it which shows absolutely no detail.... truly believable. 1291572904 +oh well 1355269066 +I don't understand why people don't just say 'I like shopping at farmer's markets because it tastes great and I like supporting small businesses' and have to launch into the woo. I work for a fairly liberal company and there's a lot of this bullshit around, it bugs me. :( 1323521173 +Yeah it's this whole idea that the Bigfoot is just a demon that attempts to persuade people that there is no god (just evolution) even if a creature isn't found, it's still the idea. Pretty interesting I guess.\n\nThe Jersey Devil! Awesome! That's equally fascinating. I'm from London so no sasquatch here sadly. Damn it! 1278621880 +Thaaats a statue; a really ugly statue. 1347423018 +No, but you can't hate on the opposite side either. Some people do tie ETs and UFOs together, and that's just as fine as what you do. All I mean is that in many cases where people are very dismissive of something spectacular, they are implying that they are some sort of authority. Reality check: its a youtube video. Why are we trying to filter things for everyone. Let the shitty UFO videos get downvoted to oblivion. When did this become /r/ufoconnoisseurs? 1316232116 +They can't get it down to the second.\n 1331790814 +Guess you're not in Kansas anymore... 1335725473 +This link has committed adultery. 1295804212 +You are correct, but since we're suspending reality enough for ghosts to exist I figured I wouldn't bring that part up. 1298321273 +I think you misunderstood, I agree with you 100%. My thesis is promoting socialism at some level. In theory though, pure libertarian style capitalism rewards good behavior, because you give money to people for people helping you. This has the flaw of helping people who helped other people disproportional, and possibly a few others; however, EVEN ASSUMING THIS WAS TRUE, the argument would be flawed, because, just like punishments, there is a diminishing returns on rewards in how much it influences behavior. 1341209885 +You understand natural selection...advertisements like this are simply a way to weed out those members of the herd without the ability to successfully survive- like a saber tooth tiger or a cave bear would have a few millennia ago. If you look at this and say 'That doesn't seem right...' it's like not getting eaten. 1343307029 +Okay, I see what your original question was about.\n\nBy the way, do you off-hand know of a source for the "double CO2 in concentration, the temperature of the system will rise by about 1 degree" claim? I'd like to read that. I'm not questioning it's validity, but I need to see how that was arrived at before I can try to reason about why we might see more warming than that.\n\nAs a possible example of why, if that number comes from a basic thermodynamic "black box" calculation, then there's a pretty big non-feedback answer: increasing greenhouse gas will warm lower atmosphere and cool upper atmosphere (in the absence of convection, but even with convection you'll see some of this effect happening, it's just blunted). So the total energy gain actually gets concentrated in the lower atmosphere, and there's an additional energy balance shift from the upper to the lower.\n\n(Also, preferably a source that's not from a climate denier blog or something. Sorry to have to make this disclaimer, but I'm so fucking sick of Watts' dishonest shit right now... I guess as long as its a reasonable post, lacking in polemic shit, I could handle it...) 1261069059 +Actually, a phone cable without that little plastic nubbin (?) that locks it into place *will* still function, but it will be especially prone to slip out of jacks. There's a possibility. 1327250768 +More study you say? Well, take a look at this:\n\n\n[Now it's two studies.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12559724?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=2&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed)\n[Now it's three.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16098653?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=1&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed)\n[And now it's four.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15823361?dopt=Abstract)\n\n[In light of McCain wanting to ban vitamin supplements](http://www.anh-usa.org/new_site/?p=2307), I thought this may be important to remind people of. The doses that are commonly recommended are close to homeopathic. [The WHO recommends 45 milligrams per day.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_c#Government_recommended_intakes) The dose the men were given in this study was 2000 milligrams per day.\n\n[And now it's five!](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2735625/) [And now six!](http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118571233/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0) These studies were done in humans by the way.\n\nSo, what do you say?\n\nEdit: Link six doesn't seem to work, but now it should:\nhttp://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118571233/abstract 1277914185 +Why they have to destroy what semblance of a positive message they have with UFOs, crop circles, conspiracy theories, free energy, etc., I don't know. I guess it's ultimately easier and safer to invoke myth than do actual research. 1316064175 +Authentic? Well, I don't think he's an intentional fraud, regarding his videos at least. He may be *wrong*, but I don't have reason yet to think he's intentionally faking something.\n\n>The only good thing he did was bringing Ex military officials to talk on the subject.\n\nFor sure, he's done some great work bringing these people forward.\n\n>That aside, i don't see anything that adds credibility to him. If you have proof, please post it.\n\nI haven't seen anything either way. Some of his claims are fantastic, and he's not backed many of them up with evidence that I'd consider significant yet. I'd love to attend one of his attempts to communicate.. if his videos are to be believed, he's had some success in getting *something* to respond to him.\n\n>Why would a proponent of UFOs try to bring the subject knowledge to the public attention for a price when people are not interested in the subject even if offered for free of charge?\n\nSorry, what are you referring to specifically?\n\n 1332442824 +Just use a red pen to cure it. 1323351108 +"Fake" here means "inaccurate/untrue". 1301781516 +He said evolutionists were becoming like theologians, particularly evolutionary psychologists, not scientists in general. 1290156521 +There were literally *thousands* of upvotes for the shitty comments.\n\nThe fact that a shitty comment isn't immediately downvoted into oblivion is enough support for me. If my group X friends started making shitty comments, and even only a couple people supported them but nobody really opposed them, I'm still going to classify group X friends as the shitty group. 1325082529 +I did have a pretty fucked up childhood so that could contribute to something. Shit I'm at work I don't even want to think about that right now. 1330241177 +Not shocked to learn of governments covering up ufos... especially Nazi ufos... 1281071623 +So what's your counter-argument here exactly? \n\n>if there are humans from the future coming here they would be in addition to ET or natural phenomenon\n\nMaybe there are. \n\nI think your response boils down to this:\n\n>I seriously doubt it. 1316969217 +I am only interested in the historicity, not a religious debate.\n\nIf Wikipedia is an infallible source, the answer to your question must be [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed). 1335455827 +I've been tricked before by the whole 'doesn't seem to be moving' thing because it's actually coming straight towards me. But I'm going to assume a local from the area would see that if it were the case. I see planes @ Lambert (StL) lining up in the sky all the time & they have very tell-tale lights flashing, so.. not sure. \nAt any rate, always nice to see ufo vids from Chi-town! 1297922636 +New to skeptics... what is "woo"? 1308072680 +That must be it. Thanks for figuring this out. 1324530547 +You may be interested in reading some of the books by dolores cannon - perhaps "the three waves of volunteers and the new earth" or "the convoluted universe" series. She does past life regressions and weaves the stories into books. Obviously if you think the concepts are BS then no need to go any further. Still she is able to get many consistent stories from lots of different people. \n\nThe general theme is that this world is going to go through a huge transition and lots of souls have chosen to come here and assist in various ways. Some of the ways are as aliens who are acting as witnesses and also helping balance earth energy, other ways are to incarnate on earth and actually be "feet on the ground".\n\nIf you feel a connection then you may have had a sleep paralysis experience which would be typical of "alien" concept.\n\nAlso the idea of "aliens" may be misleading. It has been suggested that in some cases it may be a future version of yourself in a ship, making passive (because they cannot be active) types of responses. Or they may other members of your soul family acting as your support system. \n\nIn any case, big changes are to happen within the next decade. Things are appearing to speed up in some regards. Will be interesting to see what the future brings. 1345265510 +The prior story about the auto accident makes the UFO story seem prosaic by comparison. We're like newborn babes in a universe of mystery. Thanks for the link 1355901983 +You mean the sorts of phenomena that have kind of "mundane" explanations, right? Like subconsciously picking up on signals from other people, half-perceiving something then later remembering it.\n\nI love that sort of thing, and I sometimes use like "energy" or "sense", but always as a metaphor. It bothers me when people take that ethereal perception that is so enjoyable and insist that it represents something testable and real.\n\nLike I need 7 actual but invisible chakras spinning around my body... 1241243089 +What's really fucked up is that people are diagnosed with these types of diseases by doctors practicing "western medicine". Somehow their diagnostic methods are sufficient yet they turn themselves over to snake oil salesman for alternative treatments. \n\nEdit: typo 1317916237 +I also like to think they wanted to keep Ben Franklin from running due to his craziness. :) 1344559046 +Proving something in science relies on the reproducability of the result. For example, testing the stealth capability of the F-117 no doubt involved many flybys past many different radar systems to verify it was consistently difficult to detect. How, exactly, is one supposed to reproduce a one-off "close encounter" radar anecdote? It's not evidence, it's arm-waving.\n\nAs for the dragon, that's from chapter 10 of Carl Sagan's *The Demon-Haunted World*. It serves as a hypothetical example of a non-falsifiable claim, where every proposed test of the claim is deflected with excuses as to how each test is unfair or does not apply. As Sagan said in that chapter, "Claims that cannot be tested, assertions immune to disproof are veridically worthless, whatever value they may have in inspiring us or in exciting our sense of wonder." Hence Neil's advice to swipe some gadget the next time one finds oneself aboard a UFO. And what did you do? You immediately came up with a handy excuse for the next yokel who claims to have been abducted; 'their technology kept me from taking anything!' 1312344331 +have your family see this... Its a live representation of the planets.\n\nhttp://www.solarsystemscope.com 1337508597 +I saw a different promo today for the show. I was home and just happened to have the Dr. Oz show on in the background, as the show comes on right before the noon news where I live.\n\nIt was a promo for a show on "alternative medicine" very similar to the one linked to. There was a quick flash of Dr. Novella's face (apparently in mid breath, which seemed like a cheap shot) and then Dr. Oz going "Why are you afraid of alternative medicine?!" in a rather condescending tone. It also had some rather ominous music.\n\nI'm scared this will be a hack editing job in which Dr. Novella is made to look like "the bad guy". 1303529728 +I'm head off to work at this time i will try to answer question on my phone. \n\nyeah i blew off most of the orbs as dust, however a lot of the times i would take pictures and you could see the dust from the flash yet nothing would turn up on the film. Also, i've had this camera for over 4 years and taken thousands of pictures and never caught anything like orbs or mist until we did these investigations.\n\nWe heard several noises, from growls to shouting and screaming (although those could have been people), lots of experiences with temperature drops and cold chills. I'll try to upload the EVPs today.\n\nThanks i love progressive rock! :)\n 1345040150 +No, you're right, and I agree totally when it's done safely and legally. I actually thought about this thread last night.\n\nIt was dark our, and my family and I were waiting in the left-turn lane at a light at a busy intersection. A cyclist was on the sidewalk on the opposing-traffic side of the street, facing the same direction we were.\n\nOur left-turn light turned green, and I started to go, and make my left onto the busy street. I noticed, as I turned, that that cyclist had started riding through the intersection, despite the "don't walk" sign, and no green light for straight-bound traffic (he wasn't turning with me)...and he had to slow down to avoid running into me. Sure, I wasn't going very fast, but his move was illegal, unsafe, and unwise. That's all I meant.\n\nCheers.\n 1349034849 +The thing is that it's never done that before. And I still got on the highway at the same place I always do!\n\nI just can't explain it at all. 1335547384 +I'll go with Photoshop. 1329197334 +DUUUUUUDE! The comparison to Londo was fantastic! Almost had a spittake. 1299823089 +Come ghost hunting with me!!!!\nI'm doing lots of research but thanks for your input :)\nShould I have posted this here? 1344642627 +That was about as useful as any top 10 list on a blog. 1322315326 +Other thing... are salutes returned when not wearing hats? The whole thing comes from medieval knight wearing a helmet and lifting the visor, so a lot of places do not salute without a hat. 1349912083 +See, I think vaccines should be mandatory unless you've got a *very* good reason. 1300736866 +Food grown with entirely sustainable practices will occasionally have blemishes from pests -- such fruit typically isn't supermarket-worthy, though it would taste the same as unblemished varieties.\n\nAlso, some synthetic fertilizers are designed to make the plant and/or fruit grow as large as possible -- which typically harms the flavor.\n\nAlso, seriously, downvotes for speaking the truth? 1302800722 +But let's say factory farms can raise more cows per acre than organic farms, a reasonable assumption. This also means that they have more food in one location when they go to ship it, and can probably use more efficient shipping methods. Is this enough to make up for the difference in corn vs. grass fed? I have absolutely no idea. It's never as simple as just saying organic is better than factory, or factory is better than organic. Both have pros and cons, and you need to look at the whole system if you want to make a strong judgement. 1311724128 +I didn't read the middle 50% of your post so\n\nI've made no claims, as I've said all I've been talking about skeptic philosophy with people.\n\nI also made it clear in my other post that I'm semi-trolling. So you don't have to say I have assbergers if you don't mean it, I mean what if I have a little sister who has that and she looks at my screen and sees that? How do you think that'd make her feel?\n\n 1348533409 +Where is this happening?\n\nPerhaps over at the skepchic site, where they'd unfortunately be likely to attract such trolls, but here at /r/skeptic I haven't seen it. 1345506602 +My issue with pareidolia is that it's such an easy blanket explanation for any photographs or items that have a possible human image in them. Not saying it isn't a valid phenomenon, but it's just too easy to go "Oh that, that's not a face, that's just pareidolia". Which is essentially saying "Yeah, I see the face, but I refuse to believe that I see the face". 1327680747 +[This may help not sure though.](http://www.trueghosttales.com/paranormal/white-figure-and-the-black-mist/) 1348001946 +I'm glad I'm not the only one who's confused by this. It's not that I don't think alien life doesn't exist. I can definitely see intelligent life being out there (based on the size of the universe I'd say it's almost guaranteed). It's just that the incomprehensibly massive distances between us and other potential life-bearing planets combined with the inability to travel faster than light render the chances of said intelligent life ever running into us to be incredibly small. \n\nAdditionally, some have proposed the possibility that there may be a very short maximum time span (say, several thousand years) in which most sufficiently advanced civilizations would be at the appropriate technological level (before they collapse, etc). At the very least, the timespan of an individual species' survival would be a limiting factor. That makes the chances of two civilizations both in the butter zone crossing paths even more teeny tiny.\n\nThat said, I don't think SETI should disappear. I just think it's overly optimistic... 1306712663 +My parents are creationists. They urge me to take colloidal silver for everything from sore throats to stomachaches. My dad thinks that the reason I have trouble sleeping is because my ex-husband put a curse on me. They are big believers in chiropractic care. Oh, and they think the End Times are here. 1335672387 +[http://transcience.org.uk/](http://transcience.org.uk/) covers the gamut of popular woo, including health. 1318347965 +These people don't understand what skepticism is; it's rejection of a hypothesis *unless presented with satisfactory evidence.* There is *more* than enough evidence for the holocaust and moon landing, for example - choosing to disbelieve *despite* evidence doesn't make one a skeptic, merely a ReTard. 1318615274 +Thanks for settling that. Be weird if we click the link tomorrow and the words have changed. Cue eery music. 1349553308 +I agree that many are genuinely suffering--I just don't think there's any evidence to suggest that it's environmentally de novo. If you'd like, I will pull [this article](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17137865) for you when I am at work tomorrow and can access journals. It is a meta-analysis, which examines all the studies on a topic over a course of time, takes into accounts the different results, and pieces together conclusions based on methodological differences (not just strengths and weaknesses). In the conclusion of this meta-analysis (which are incredibly in depth), they state "We conclude that persons with MCS do react to chemical challenges; however, these responses occur when they can discern differences between active and sham substances, suggesting that the mechanism of action is not specific to the chemical itself and might be related to expectations and prior beliefs."\n\nWhat this means is that they show their reaction when they are able to determine what is placebo and what is not--not that they are reacting to any specific chemical trigger.\n\nIt sounds like you know someone or a few people who suffer, and I don't mean to impugn their misery, or them themselves, but I really want to caution you against taking anectdotal evidence, and evidence to which you are close in proximity, to heart. I think I know the point you're making, but I don't see evidence to support it. The evidence I see is either entirely inconclusive, or suggests that there is a significant psychological component. \n\nRegarding enzyme function, you can see go/no-go situations, but given that this seems to be a "sensitivity" issue, you would expect a range of seriousness of symptoms. You would also expect to see a grouping of chemicals, rather than "some people are sensitive to x, others to y," with no discernible pattern. You are probably correct in the polarized sampling bias in media coverage.\n\nThe one study that suggested something, was one that I criticized (it was the fMRI study). It implicated an olfactoric dysfunction. Perhaps their nocioception is somehow skewed? This would imply the effects are not toxic, but rather that they are sensitized towards some sort of olfactoric neuropathy. If this is the case, I would have expected there to be similar cases going much much farther back.\n\nIf it were an odor hypersensitivity, then it would be clearly legitimate (and perhaps suggest a route of treatment), but the etiology (cause of a pathology, or disease) would be entirely different than what is being suggested (in terms of the culprit). This explanation, if it were borne out, would demonstrate the worth of pursuing research (I'm never for ignoring anything, no matter how dull, and this is an interesting phenomenon), and would also demonstrate the danger of jumping to conclusions, or speculating without evidence.\n\nIf you do ever come across an article on MCS (or anything else) in a journal somewhere, and can't access it, send me a message and I'll be happy to pull it for you.\n\nIn any case, it really has been nice chatting with you. I think you are definitely right about the media, by the way.\n 1316494545 +Yeah... I think he's the "follower" of some new age motivational speaker... he confuses me. 1265394221 +Well if this piddly paper is enough to convince her of the existence of a pervasive quantum magic field, then surely she also believes in UFOs, bigfoot, unicorns, Jesus, dragons, ancient aliens, Allah, miracles, saints, faith healing, homeopathy, Reiki, past lives, hauntings, and demonic possession too, right? Every one of the above has *at least* as much evidence as is presented for said quantum magic field. Draw up a list of ridiculous stuff that people believe and go through it item by item.\n\nMy fundamental problem with "the supernatural" is that it's a big hodge-podge of shitty evidence and it can't *all* be true, so if your bar of evidence required is low enough to include a belief in reincarnation, it also has to be low enough to include a whole host of other things. That is, of course, assuming your beliefs are based on evidence. I don't care if you want to believe in magic, but don't waste everyone else's time by pretending that you believe in magic because of good evidence for it. How better to force someone to admit this than to confront them with equally worthy evidence for a wide range of bullshit? 1334677777 +[Fixed link](http://www.heel.ca/pdf/studies/Euphorbium%20comp.%20antiviral.pdf) for the first article, and [a review article]( http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/o/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/rel0003/CD001957/frame.html) covering the second link (might have to reload a few times). Your [knol page](http://knol.google.com/k/dr-nancy-malik-bhms/scientific-research-in-homeopathy/pocy7w49ru14/2#) has other related links of course. 1294327944 +I'm really getting sick of all these big pharma shills on reddit. For centuries homeopathy has been the basis of understanding cures for almost anything. India and China have known this for a very long time. Even marijuana has been considered a wonder drug, but who is pushing against it? Big pharma.\n\nGo find out how much pfizer, glaxxo smithkline, and merck paid last year in lawsuits and fines, then talk, or just go take your fucking nyquil and go to sleep. 1271887075 +Cat for the second, tired eyes for the first. Or, ghost. 1329102703 +I could have sworn Saturdays seem active. Interesting stuff! 1333548388 +Don't know why you think I'm pissed off, I posted this as a lark at 3am this morning not expecting it to garner any attention. You accuse me of have a knee-jerk reaction to everyone who disagrees with me and I do not feel like this is true. I read Silver_alerts response and he is an expert in the field and it was a good and considered response and what I was looking for until he started making an ad hominem attack about be acting superior which was not the intention of the post at all.\nHeck on first glance at this picture I almost bought it hook line an sinker. \n\nI'm the first to admit I know nothing compared to someone who is an expert in the field. Heck it is why I started this thread to get opinion of a doctor or physician what the likely-hood of someone intentionally doing this to themselves and surviving is, or how easy it would be to create the illusion to do so.\n 1334438014 +... still an unusual place to put a cell phone in comparison to a kitchen counter or on her desk? 1329806089 +> While Governments and Secret Services of the word acknowledge them it wasn't something that really got to the masses\n\nNot the most respected pair of peer-reviewers available ! But hey! I would trust Joe to [microwave my gerbils](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn4fq3ZfWG4) any day. 1313293588 +How can peace be found between Iran and Israel? 1344984173 +Einstein lived in a time when nuclear weapons were actually used. If you read accounts from that area, many people thought such technology was the beginning of the end.\n\nCompare this with current times. Sure we have lots of nuclear weapons but they are an abstraction, we don't see them, we don't use them and the last time people really cared was in the 80s when they thought Regan might do something stupid and Russia was still an issue. 1302238084 +Anecdotally I've heard that with herbal supplements they contain inconsistent quantities, adulterants, and depending on species may not even contain the herb they claim to be because they harvested other similar looking species or they are too difficult to grow commercially and thus how did they harvest enough.\n\nGranting that some herbs do what they claim I don't understand how proof of efficacy and quality control help anyone but the little guy.\nI want to get what I'm paying for and I want reasonable assurances that they work. 1298050901 +I saw that post. He stated his opinion on the probability of intelligent life in the universe, but did not say that it was related to this supposed evidence. 1301293725 +You just blasted my bears in the wood belief to smithereens 1307218267 +Alison Kruse sees UFOs everywhere. She needs to take that night-vision to another locale other than an airport flight path. 1298865363 +> Lying for Jesus.\n\nEvangelism summarized in three words. 1344621251 +JesusCrap's idea. 1354887870 +I don't know of any good detailed explanations, but it's basically a mixture of suggestion and being sure you're in a specific biomechanical posture that gives the desired effect. 1303344366 +>Something else to keep in mind: Whitley Strieber was a psychological/supernatural horror author before Communion. I'm skeptical of Strieber for the same reasons why I'm skeptical of L.R. Hubbard, a sci-fi author who went on to found a religion based on ancient alien stories.\n\n\nMy feelings exactly. 1337996148 +Kind of a pointless study. Most people don't buy organic food because they think it will taste better, they buy it because they think it is healthier. People think things taste better when they have good connotations associated with it, this is a no brainer. 1302732771 +Most of that was due to not being in control of my thoughts and what I was typing but yeah, it looks pretty awful haha. 1336878669 +"The fuck is this?" - my thoughts exactly.\n\nThis video could honestly be anything. Maybe the explanation is in the Wikileaks insurance file? hahahahahahahahaha 1295224816 +And this has to do with what exactly about UFOs? 1351303601 +Is she the kind of "physiotherapist" that does happy endings? 1344326329 +Can you point me to them? I always wondered what they were, but I could find nothing.\n\nEdit: Nevermind. Wiki has a small write-up about it. 1300755486 +Wow I listen to SGU all the time, and never knew that about Rebecca. ~~Thanks for this info. Sounds like she's a drama queen...~~\n\nEdit: Yes it was unfair of me to call her a drama queen. I apologize. Not one of my better moments. 1327385672 +The matter was addressed in an episode of the Syfy television series, Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files, where in a stunt driver was able to recreate - through careful planning - the maneuver of driving under a fence that was secured only along the top. 1326546177 +If she's not into homeopathy as you say, then it should be rather straightforward. "Mom, the stuff you bought doesn't work. It's not your fault; it shouldn't have been sold in the first place. This is why it doesn't work yadda yadda." 1317021729 +Cash? No! Banks don't just put your million in a drawer for you to come finger when ever you want. However, if you are serious. I think you could contact the JREF and they will have the bank send you a document. You may have to pay the bank a small fee. So are you going to make the call? http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/contact-the-jref/12-contacts/18-jref-postal-address.html 1329334901 +Would recommend you read Thomas Malthus. 1289490807 +Hmmm. I think that one of the greatest challenges to skepticism and science advocacy in the information age is the wealth of "proven studies" that are "published" by quacks. The average lay person sees such studies and goes "Oh ok science. So it works." They don't even realize what makes or breaks a proper scientific study.\n\nI wish I knew how to solve this problem. 1337140832 +I'm giving up. I read something today that facts that contradict peoples beliefs just make them believe their stupid ideas even more. If people want to fill their head with this shit, what's the point in fighting it? 1279151800 +Thank fuck for that; I was concerned I wouldn't be able to watch the All Blacks destroy France in the World Cup final... 1318923947 +i don't know how true this is, but apparently because "area 51" was so speculated upon and popular and "ufo" sightings were so numerous, the government moved the airplane research to nevada. \n\ni thought immediately on seeing that, that those were airplane lights. why would ufo's have lights anyways? this video is showing a new military plane that can hover and fly silently.\n\nit's not the first time that the government develops something, doesn't tell the people, there's wind of it, and people say our technology isn't capable of doing it. 1301408256 +You know and trust your mother and sister. They had a profoundly affecting experience, and they want you to share (and at a certain level, validate) what they felt. Because you know they are genuinely telling you what they experienced, this is over-riding your rational scepticism, and you believe them.\n\nThe point is though, that what they experienced was an illusion. 1308492607 +Anti-aspartame people make a big deal about how it breaks down into methanol. Did you see what was used to extract stevia? Methanol.\n\nStevia is banned in Europe and Singapore because there's insuffiecient toxicologal evidence for its safety, according to health agencies there.\n\nBut sure, it's probably not unsafe, but only by a definition that goes for aspartame as well, only to a much larger degree because there are so many studies. 1312577462 +The thing is that we are a very small minority in this world; and, living in a world of astrology, homeopathy, healing magnets, fairies, gods and magic is not that much fun - at least it is not for me.\n\nIt is refreshing to have a place where people *understand* you, where they look at text like that, and, like you, want to scream.\n\nWe do need to laugh at them from time to time, as a way to prove "hey, I'm not the crazy one". As proof that there is still some hope in this world. Otherwise... would it be worth living?\n\nWe live everyday in a world where there never can be a "long debate about MSG safety". We can't bear that for too long... Now, I'm not saying /r/skeptic should be all like this. I tend to hide most posts like this - I usually hide a post just because it has homeopathy in the title, as we all know it's bullshit and there's nothing new to see there. Still... if you can't make a post like this here, where can you make it? 1307193285 +I did, no reply. I even paid 1.99 to find out whose number it was, and found out it was a woman named Loyda, in Los Angeles. I have texted and called the number numerous times. No avail. 1332043205 +Is it Kirlian photography? 1343093741 +It does when your eyes do. 1356746622 +how often is private/home school not an option? At least for the vast majority of cases they are options. 1349743562 +I took a gander at the abstract, looks like I cannot view the paper, and I think I would be happier with a larger sample size. I would also be interested to know what they consider a significant enhancement. This isn't magic here, we are well aware that emotion affects performance, and that smells can produce strong emotional responses. It would be interesting to see what the smell of pencil shavings, or a wood fire would do to performance. 1352807178 +There are actually some legitimate nutritionists. They are licensed nutritionists. Those are nutritionists that have licensing from their state govt to call themselves a licensed nutritionist. There is also the CNS credential. In order to call yourself a CNS, you have to go through a certification process through the American College of Nutrition/Certification Board for Nutritional Specialists. See: http://www.nutritioncertification.net/certified-nutritionist http://www.quackwatch.com/04ConsumerEducation/nutritionist.html\n 1322018935 +Right, because an "investigation that actually follows national standards" (not sure what that entails, exactly) ,conducted by the government, would surely mollify any and all Truthers. 1355138423 +This was news in August you know. 1320873103 +never play with an ouija board. ever. 1344582077 +Ok, he told me one story while doing remote viewing - which he vowed never to do again. He was involved in intelligent stuff (pinch of salt..)\nin a nutshell you meditate, leave your body and visit special secure sites as designated by a diagram on a piece of paper given to you by your mentor. They aren't given any other information. \n\nHe was at a military installation, which apparently he did quite frequently, normally there is no contact whatsoever with anything he's viewing - it's supposed to be impossible. He saw two people, they were able to see him (again - this is supposed to be impossible while remote viewing). \nOne of them pointed up at him and fired a 'thing' at him instantly freezing him - he panicked and tried to return to his body but found himself unable to move. He heard the other guy say "it's ok - let him go, he's a sleeper". \nhe then found himself able to return to his body.\n 1354043021 +Oh, BriDun lights up my life in so many ways. Skepticism, education, humor, invitations to his hot tub, and the occasional original musical number? Yep. 1339857228 +Ohhhh okay! I shoulda took more time to read and reply last night, was in a hurry sorry bout that. And ya for real, when evidence comes in ill make sure to post it in this sub reddit 1340384867 +Maybe not. Is it just me, or does this look like a pile of empty boxes? 1349447157 +I've certainly heard weirder ideas. I'd believe it. But the ufological community needs to provide a bit more in the way of evidence than a certain History Channel program. 1327363659 +exploding chinese lanterns? the fun starts at :55. what could these things be? 1288204721 +ah yes, enneagrams, thank you. i was trying to remember that one.\n\n 1355374950 +Displaying complete and utter dominance as a deterrence is one of the oldest tricks in the book. \n\nWhy would they not want to show all the other big powers that they are light years ahead if there were? If I'm standing in a room with a few other guys and I have a club, sure I have an advantage but if I'm holding a machine gun they are completely under my control.\n\nMakes no sense to hide a massive technological advantage. 1349783772 +~D; 1348427803 +hahaha\n 1304932127 +Nothing! God made the to test our strength, duh! 1277715939 +I'm with the school on this.\n\nThe same parent who whines about how expensive an epi is will sue the school if something bad happened in the extra 30 seconds it would take to get the pen out of the desk. 1276869862 +This belongs on r/zombies\n\nI'm an avid redditor on r/zombies and I'm sure this would belong there perfectly, but unless this has to do with zombies made by ghosts or aliens, it doesn't belong here ;) 1341418542 +It isn't a ufo once you know what it is. You do know now what it was (don't you?). 1253990043 +My user name is a relic, I no longer support government. Although I would still argue that 1-10% of politicians want to help, and maybe 1/10 of those actually know how to help. 1350867538 +I love how the cover of the relevant scientific journal looks like the cover of Cosmo, complete with a Playmate.\n\nDoes it have a centerfold? 1338223327 +After doing some light research on this, the only people who seem to support gluten intolerance caused by anything but Coeliac's disease are people trying to sell a book about how to live gluten free. If, statistically speaking, you can only sell a book to between 200,000 and 2,000,000 people, I guess you have to find some way to inflate that number if you really want to make a profit.\n\nI would not be surprised if eating really excessive amounts of gluten could contribute to existing digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel and acid reflux, but both of those conditions are resolved completely with balanced diets, medication and/or stress reduction. \n\nThe *dummies* book on Gluten sensitivity actually implies that you can develop Coeliac disease through exposure to gluten, ala Diabetes. Except gluten sensitivity is a genetic disorder. You're either predisposed to it, or you're not. Early exposure may determine whether or not it develops, but eating six pieces of toast and a bowl of rice for breakfast every morning when you're 30 isn't going to suddenly make your stomach start attacking Gluten.\n\n 1329081882 +In that case every single subreddit is a circlejerk because they all seek the same thing/think the same way. 1305153241 +Having said that though, it is possible to start the tutorial again at any time (the link should have been emailed to you in the welcome email and available in your account page). The tutorial is really just designed to get you straight in to adding rebuttals without fearing the process. I think it is probably easier to add rebuttals when it is clear what the claim is and what the rebuttal page is - while this tutorial is of course manufactured (and a little bit silly), so that confuses things unfortunately. 1339184315 +Nope. It was a sphere, and I could see it clearly. Matte black with an almost invisible pattern etched into it like a screen door, or like a dodgeball. If it had been image burn it wouldn't have gone out of sight behind the trees. Look at a lightbulb, look away and blink repeatedly. The black dot has no dimension or texture, moves with the motion of your eyes, and takes more than 10 seconds to disappear. It was nothing like that, And it was only about 30 feet up. It freaked me out, but for all I know it could just be a military drone blimp that the public hasn't seen yet. Like a tiny ISIS but spherical. 1352941051 +I'm sorry, but I don't quite grasp how this is a great article.\n\n>First, Learn to Avoid Confirmation Bias\n\n[...]\n\n>Your First Line of Defense: Search Google, Snopes, and Other Popular Web Sites\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8ofWFx525s\n\nHonestly, they should have shown how to to filter-down information with negative keywords and word matching. One of the biggest issues with finding relevant information is the shear scope of it. Most (even intelligent) people are overwhelmed by the volume of information that can exist out there. \n\n>The Big Guns: Search Public Journals and Contact Science Advocates\n\nWith no mention of pros/cons of open journals, reputable journals, mention of the fastest ways to look. Really, this should have been coupled with the bit about Wikipedia, and told people to just to go straight to the references section to get a good idea.\n\n>Extra Credit: Visit Your Local Library and Consult Librarians and Reference Materials\n\n? Not sure how this is reputable. \n\n---\n\nUnless I missed it, they really should have drilled down on the looking for what people have to gain, their credentials, their other works, whether they're just a "contribute" or an actual expert, etc. \n\nFor example, David McRaney (an expert cited by LifeHacker) of http://youarenotsosmart.com/, \n\n>David McRaney is a journalist who loves psychology, technology and the Internet.\n\n>Before going to college, he tried waiting tables, working construction, selling leather coats, building and installing electrical control panels, and owning pet stores.\n\n>As a journalist, McRaney cut his teeth covering Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast and in the Pine Belt for several newspapers. Since then he has been a beat reporter, an editor, a photographer and everything in between.\n\n>He is now employed as director of new media for a broadcast television company where he also produced a television show focusing on the music of the Deep South.\n\n>He is married to Amanda McRaney, and they live in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.\n\nwarrants some skepticism on his authority other than his obvious enthusiasm. Not saying you should write him off, but that bio certainly makes me incredulous. 1340226154 +Well, so far they've been healthy debates. I respect him to much to let it go further than that. It's not really that I want to prove atheism to him, because I don't believe I could ever succeed at that. I just want him to understand my position and explain to him why I'll never be "coming around". And I want to do it in a way that is convincing enough to get the point across short from saying, "Quit bothering me about this".\n\n> If you're trying to learn about what he believes in and compare it to your own beliefs, however, carry forth and be honest.\n\nThis is exactly what I'd like to do, while making him understand that I'm not going to change as I stated before. I'm sure my wording in how I express my feelings doesn't come across the way I want it to. I don't try to convince him of anything, only show him what I think and why. If I somehow implied that he wouldn't have solid ideas on his faith, I didn't meant to. He has great conviction and in his mind he **knows** what he believes is real. There's no changing his beliefs and I wouldn't try. I only want to state my beliefs in a more poignant manner. 1303158856 +Chopra mentioned his "worldview" many times...and how it differs from the scientist Richard Dawkins...\n\nguess what his new book that he's pushing is called? "War of the Worldviews: Science Vs. Spirituality" 1322704564 +It was a great whim! I've taken the liberty of submitting it to /r/bestof.\n\nI'm not surprised you got tired - from the rest of the thread there have been a number of people who've 'given up' on conversations with him/her, although not many who have presented such detailed information as yourself! 1347842927 +Too bad it didnt happen once.. 1349377825 +There are definitely correlations between movements/gestures/expressions and emotional states, but they are not absolute. This means that things will not always mean the same thing from one moment to the next, and individual people will vary from one to the other. You can identify trends, but those are useless on an individual basis because you can't know in advance how much that person's mannerisms align with the trend. I would say that such observations are perfectly scientific, but using them to make predictions is overreaching. 1338397374 +This wins my vote for worst submission to reddit. 1288390179 +i'll tell you this, your bed is full of good energy, no bad spirits will be able to hurt you if your in your bed :D 1337160068 +Furthermore, many people die during surgeries or suffer from side effects. "healthy" is subjective. 1336350098 +Ha! thats nothing. 3 in 7 fear ME! 1336080018 +Okay, here you go you composite of diarrhea and vomit.\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnszlJC8iGs\n\nSame day as other footage, but an hour later. Yes, this phenomena continued for two hours. 1350763683 +I stopped using deodorant a year or so ago, except for when I really sweat hard. It was a little gross for a week or so, but my body quickly adapted. If you're in good health, there shouldn't be too many places for bacteria to accumulate. 1301474769 +>But the claims by the religious happen to be inside the realm of science\n\nDo you mind elaborating? I am honestly curious as to how they fall within the realm of science. In particular, how an all-powerful god (which i believe is at the root of theistic religion), may exist or not exist falls within scientific reasoning. 1296176644 +This reminds me of my great grandmother whom I was very close with. She always gave me pennies or something whenever I went to her house. And after she passed my mother and I began to find pennies in the house. Also a few months ago just as I was getting to sleep I heard someone say my name (my parents were fast asleep by now) and I recognized the voice and it was my great grandmothers. 1341802717 +This sounds good in theory. However, in practice, most people less educated in a subject do not seem to follow this. Look at any discussion on the efficacy of prayer, evils of synthetic foods, or corruption in politics. Evidence alone works on people with sound and rational minds. Not everyone has one. You argue to convince people around you, not necessarily your opponent. 1346599152 +I know it surprised me when I figured out I like Doctor Thunder better than Dr. Pepper.\n\nAs to your bond splitting speculation..interesting. I would like to add: the scientists in the Atlantic study, if pressed, would add a "....probably" on the end of everything they have *ever* published; we don't know *exactly* how the Human Body does anything. HFCS could be the cause of male pattern baldness; Raw Cane Sugar could extend your lifespan by 1 day per tablespoon consumed. or vice versa. 1344872036 +It differentiates from religious humanists, who think, if I understand correctly, that most religions are outmoded, so they decided to make their own. (I'm fuzzy on the details).\n\nHowever, Wikipedia tells me that "Humanism" refers to the Humanist "life view" or whatever which is basically the same as secular humanism. So you are probably correct about its redundancy. 1315121546 +> Does anyone see any hope, or are we going to be drowned in homeopathy, copper bracelets, iridology, and ancient aliens?\n\nI've kicked around these thoughts for a while. I think we are running into some cultural blockades. The crowds who bump around with the bracelets, homoeopathy and what not tend to live in a positive culture of 'Yes.' Skeptics tend to run in a negative culture of 'WTF!!? -No!"\n\nSo the question is, do the benefits of living in a positive, affirming 'Yes' oriented culture outweigh the benefits of living in a negative 'No' debunking culture? Unless, you are praying your kids to death, I suspect that the costs of a $60 bracelet, or the occasional homoeopathic cold remedy is so minor that they would rather live in a magical world.\n\n<Devil's Advocate> So what if someone really believes in ghosts? Or ancient alien ancestors? The negative impact on their daily lives is negligible to non-existent. And on the plus side, they are culturally seen as quirky, fun and interesting. </Devil's Advocate>\n\nI think for reason and logic to win out, we have to find a way as a skeptic culture to come across as more positive and fun. I know this though may grate against many of you, but this is essentially an advertising point and we are losing the advertising war.\n\nPerhaps, instead of telling people all of the time what doesn't work, we start offering more positive solutions as to what really does work! We need to find a way to come across as more positive.\n\nIt's a tough nut to crack, but I think we need to rethink our public image and how we come across to people. 1335101490 +I would agree. And boy, that's one big matzoh ball. 1240763412 +Wow amazing story. Did it sound like your brother's voice? I think I've heard my dad call out "son" to me. 1335961426 +Pretend the book is a notepad, hold a pen and have some stuff scribbled on the back. By the end of the 90 you should be expert. 1331064171 +Wish i could understand your technical description. I am a VFX illiterate and have no idea what you just said. But it sounds pretty cool. Are you talking about the video from this article? 1331817109 +"Lie detectors" are useful if the subject believes lie detectors work. [Watch this.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=rN7pkFNEg5c#t=96s) 1322945054 +> Humans are used in experiments testing the effects of new medicine.\n\nNot against their will they're not. You can't get the consent of an animal so the moral implications of experimenting on them is analogous to experimenting on people without their consent. The difference is that we outright refuse to experiment on people in that manner but we are willing to do so on animals because we do not value their lives as much as those of our own species. 1343175686 +I guess that's a good way to put it. It's a real shame though, isn't it? 1293958840 +Which sf book was this? 1327816231 +No way you could tell what he wrote by the sound. It was either pre-arranged and completely fake or the mentalist found out somehow. 1280249729 +True. Perhaps he should change it to "bloodletting." Sounds sexier anyway. 1329162329 +Awkward.. 1310808097 +Why the hell would you want to drink if you knew you couldn't get drunk? 1326314366 +This isn't really a paranormal story, this is a classic case of two gullible people falling for an obvious ploy. 1340403975 +I was worried that a comic post might be harbinger of the circle jerking end too this subreddit, but was pleasantly surprised.\n\nVery informative and non confrontational explanation of some great points about evolution! 1308699743 +Huh. How odd. I wonder what affects the colour. 1343981138 +What you said is like a twelve year old school yard bully finding out that he's not as bad as he thinks he is after getting his ass kicked. How is that a depressing thought?\n\nHow is an ignorant, marauding species finding out that they are nothing but genetically-engineered gold-slaves a "depressing thought"? It's a depressing thought from the point of view of the ignorant, marauding gold-slave, sure, but looked at from any *other* perspective besides that particularly ignorant and self-centered one, it's not really a depressing thought at all.\n\nFrom *everybody else's* perspective? from the perspective of *everyone else* in the "school yard" that's gotten bullied by the 12 year old idiot moron? it's actually an awesome and wonderful thing to see this piece of shit bully find out that they are, in reality, nothing but a slave.\n\nNothing depressing about it. 1307305398 +They were out hunting for stupids. You answered correctly. 1308106794 +Maybe, but for me it was getting up at 6 fucking am. On weekends i got up at 10-11am and felt so much better. 1287526089 +Cheer up. The man was an arrogant bully, couldn't have happened to a nicer person.\n\nAll things considered his death will save a great deal of lives, just as long as people find out that Jobs could have died because he entertained the charlatans, perhaps other people won't? 1317987351 +If they gonna go there, I got a shovel to beat them and a rope to drag their kids to the doctor to get them vaccinated. But I bet that's oppression instead of means to protect my offspring to spread my genes. 1340920942 +Holy fuck dude, I kind of wish I didn't read this and left it for tomorrow. Fucking chills down my spine when I read the part about the darkness staying with her. 1355465648 +So I guess you don't read any fiction or watch any movies not based on solid fact. 1326822588 +I'm glad you're skeptical of my skepticism, seriously, it's good stuff. \n\nIt might be that what I wrote was a combination of 1 and 2, my sample size is probably too low, I do not know many vegans.\n\nOn the other hand I'm not sure if Storm is based on a stereotype, if someone does not apply critical thinking to one area, why should he or she apply it in another one? Storm is both ignorant and arrogant, but yeah, her qualities have been exaggerated for the needs of this brilliant video. 1302623068 +The fact that it happened the day after.... 1346743996 +I'd love the extra content occasionally but kinda agree with Steve in that it shouldn't detract from your strong skeptical message. Stay on-topic! You have a large celebrity factor with no backlash but I would say that too much opinion and personality could lead you down a slightly destructive route. 1346220427 +Not to mention the sightings span across a plethora of different climates with little to no difference from description to description. Anyone who really believes the have seen or heard a Bigfoot either probably got freaked out by coyotes howling or saw a bear. I don't mean to go against the point of this subreddit, but Bigfoot is a load of bullshit, and the only reason he hasn't been denounced is because people are sheep and other people are making money off of them by bullshitting their way through investigations. 1349166590 +wasn't this the anon prank? 1306193831 +Organic doesn't mean pesticide free, it means synthetic pesticide free. The word synthetic conjures up lots of negative thoughts, but the truth is pesticides are made to be as safe and effective as possible. The pesticides used in organic agriculture are natural pesticides. There is nothing inherently safe about a pesticide being made by mother nature. Now what i'm about to say is just anecdotal since for the life of me I can't remember where I found it, but natural pesticides are just as carcinogenic as synthetic, sometimes even more. Also natural pesticides aren't as effective per volume which means they have to use a much larger amount.\n\nSo what it comes down to is in some cases organic food could have a larger amount of more dangerous chemicals associated with them. I'm not saying this is always true, but there is nothing inherently more safe about natural than synthetic. 1349315583 +I know i'm a few days late on this one, but have you been getting enough sleep lately? If not, you could be having [hypnagogic hallucinations](http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-hypnagogic-hallucinations.htm). 1342744025 +I'm actually having a problem about that right now. I have a friend who is seriously into woo. He goes to a chiropractor, and occasionally travels to the mid-west, from California, to go see this other chiropractor who gives him shit like essence of cucumber. \n\nHe now thinks that he's allergic to almost all food. He refuses to eat wheat, corn, beef, sugar, tomatoes, and pretty much everything else because he chiropractor is telling him he's allergic. The chiropractor even gave him the subjective allergy test. I asked why he didn't go to an actual trained allergist, and he didn't really have an answer. \n\nHe refuses to eat tomatoes because they belong in the nightshade family and I almost yelled at him for the stupidity of that reasoning. 1255811939 +If these are alien spaceships, the one light spawning more lights may be a carrier ship, having other ships docked on it possibly refueling whatever fuel they use, charging their magnetic field or something else. 1288543621 +I disagree with Dave Silverman and I agree with Seth Kurtenbach. \n\nI don't understand why Silverman is trying to exclude skeptics who are not atheists? and if you are trying to get more people into skepticism attacking people on their religion is probably not a good idea. Show them the science and rationality and let them decide later on their faith. \n\nAlso in my personal opinion based on my experiences the majority of people at /r/atheists are not very skeptical at all. i don't have hard numbers for that so take it for it is, my opinion. \n\njust fyi i'm a christian and a skeptic. 1323627743 +Aliens are coming i know because i can feel the earth frequencies changing and we are in the age of Aquarius but you must have an open mind to understand this as it goes against everything you know to be true. When they come to us they will bring free energy and show us how to life in peace and get rid of the jews.\n\n\n\n sarcasm 1350634679 +LOL this is why I stopped reading Huffington YEARS ago. For those of you that don't know, this clown writing this is not a medical doctor. He's a podiatric doctor. This is not to say all podiatrists are bad or don't know their stuff. Many of them do and many of them are bright, but considering that you can get into podiatry school with AVERAGE science GPA is 2.9 to 3.1 (depending on the school), you will get a bunch of bad apples. And added to this that this clown got his degree in the 1980's, makes it a lot worse. 1319734122 +I'm going to be as respectful as possible here: You've missed the point. By wanting to be part of a community that does not make rape jokes and inherently devalue women for their gender, I am not asking to be catered to because of my gender. I'm asking for basic human decency from other people, I'm asking them to not be stupid pricks just because they think it's fun. I find that intensely insulting. 1325686923 +here is an update with a link to pictures of the "star"....\n\n[star of bethlehem now visible](http://www.einterface.net/gamini/Star-of-Bethlehem.html).\n\n 1232736894 +This dude is lying. 1326089797 +Source? Blood tests are not very accurate, and a diet change is often used as a diagnostic tool. 1336958276 +I found it while browsing the 4chan /x/ board. 1330071273 +Given the vast distances between worlds, it's ridiculous to think that radio waves would be used for long-distance communication. Also, it was amusing to see him say "UFO" in reference to an alien spaceship, and "UFO people" to mean "people who think aliens are visiting us." Generally this is a good indicator that the person on your screen has spent little time researching the subject. \n\nZero evidence is presented to prove that we have not (and are not) being visited. He makes vague, fleeting references to crop circles and the ancient aliens theory, and moves on. Zero effort is made to examine ANY of the evidence (that is publicly available) suggesting an ET presence and ET contact. \n\nMore armchair skeptics smugly reassuring each other. Shallow videos like these are to skepticism what blurry cellphone videos are to the UFO community. \n\nEDIT: And sadly, for both sides, videos of such caliber are the norm. 1356320593 +Critique noted. This is my personal blog, rather than being intended to be a resource, but since I am sharing it for public consumption it would behoove me in the future to make it more share-able.\n\nI thought I was in that middle ground, but surely there is room for improvement. 1295312518 +The original article was linked to and the top-level comment linked to this link that debunks it. We don't need it re-posted. 1319834570 +I am not sure why you've associated Ron Paul with 9/11 Truth considering he's said that he doesn't believe there was a government conspiracy.\n\nAlso, neocon? Really? As if only truther retards say neocon? 1247667162 +Why wouldn't you see a commercial for a very successfully selling product (please note, I am not saying the product is successful in doing what it claims, but that it sells very well). 1325674752 +> that's funny but why not send binary code of math equations, the universal language they say. And also special pleading.\n\nIndeed, why not. I agree. Maybe they do, and this is how it manifests itself. Again, this is speculative. I was simply indirectly commenting upon what has been reported in our skies. 1315300138 +Yeah, I saw that and it seems like a good idea--whatever you do to aid him will decrease the chances that he suddenly becomes hostile.\n\nThanks! I appreciate that. Sometimes I wish I were still living in blissful ignorance, but in the end its our duties to use our knowledge to aid and protect everyone around us from these evil entities. 1323807172 +Search it on Google "haunted history of palacete Los morou\n 1350488785 +Damn, I'm from Edinburgh and would have seen a load of that stuff, but I'm away at Uni just now :(\n\nMind you, the flight path for Edinburgh Airport goes pretty much across the whole city so there are always lights in the sky, and you can see all the way across to Fife where there's wind turbines with lights on the top etc. 1287627622 +I totally understand the frustration as well. I have tons of stories of personal paranormal experience, but even my own husband tries to shut me down when I begin to tell the stories because he sees it as a sign of stupidity and a need for attention.\nVery frustrating. I think it's ignorant to claim there's nothing out there we don't understand. 1350668513 +That is what she implied. She implied that only creeps wait until a women is alone in a small confined room to proposition her, and she said she felt sexuality. What is she creeped out by if she did not fear sexual assault? Her statements clearly express that she felt like a potential victim of sexual assault and that only creeps would ask a women for coffee. It also implies that men who ask women out on a pseudo-date are potential rapists, or at the very least they will potentially sexually assault her.\n\nShe is spreading an irrational fear of men via these inane propaganda tactics. She should have no reason to fear being asked for coffee by *anyone*. 1310046140 +[monolith](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2uuRG9l1JA) 1351086722 +You're reminded of (1+sqrt(5))/2 every time you use sqrt(2)? 1347367567 +Was about to repost this, deleted, and came here to upboat. Why the down votes? 1317909637 +Last year I used the Secret to learn Spanish, and now I'm fluent! 1304222750 +Patent/Copyright law is soooo convoluted, probably intentionally. &#3232;\\_&#3232;\n 1329326167 +I couldn't stop reading it...it was so...mind meltingly...well...I don't know...I just don't know...\n\n* * shakes head * * 1290551930 +So basically, it's a piece of wood in a bowl of water? 1356978821 +that's* 1336787897 +that's* 1342327458 +that's* 1344569573 +that's* 1345601845 +that's* 1348105081 +that's* 1354690199 +"There's nothing "less bad" about it." - Maybe I misunderstood this, I took it as a claim that None of the pesticides where a lesser evil than standard ones, but some are proven to be worse?\n\n\n\n\nThe article: \n"Ultimately, the organic products were much less effective than the novel and conventional pesticides at killing the aphids and they have a potentially higher environmental impact" - I think is worth noticing. That said, that was an interesting read, but it says "can", "may" and "potentially" - so there are pointers towards the impact, but the jury is still out on this one. \nAnd this is only based on soybeans. There are many, many other products where we simply know nothing. \n\nStill, it is well worth keeping in mind, so thanks for showing me this one. \n\n\nEdit: [Report here](http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0011250) with an interesting qoute: \n\n"Conclusions/Significance\nThese data bring into caution the widely held assumption that organic pesticides are more environmentally benign than synthetic ones. All pesticides must be evaluated using an empirically-based risk assessment, because generalizations based on chemical origin do not hold true in all cases." 1346956913 +What a bunch of fucking horse shit. A BIBLE? \n\nSeriously what the fuck... 1328105285 +Yep. Because the itching and swelling is a histamine reaction. Once the bite swells up you need to reverse the body's reaction. I see no purpose for any heat at the bite - you need cold to reduce the inflammation. 1338425382 +i am very happy to read how calmly you handled the situation because i lot of people who dont understand the paranormal would of thought this lady was something evil, but sometimes spirits just want to hang around a bit longer or just say hi 1345496607 +Perhaps it is time to tear down old philosophies, then, and create a new pragmatic one under a new title. Such philosophies do exist, but the disdain for philosophical studies and criticism has kept them out of mainstream understanding (though we hold most of their truths as common sense). 1345150963 +epidurals don't actually get rid of the pressure-type pain that women have during childbirth. also, evolution is a bitch, it rarely finds the 'best' way of doing anything, it just takes whatever works. 1334872487 +Source? His explanations always seem logical however I wouldn't put it past him. His goal after all is a good show/entertainment. 1343191186 +Yes, people can only have opinions or excel is one limited field. Like Linus Paulings for example. \n\n"William Sanford "Bill" Nye (born November 27, 1955),[2] popularly known as Bill Nye the Science Guy, is an American science educator, comedian, television host, actor, mechanical engineer, and scientist. He is best known as the host of the Disney and PBS Kids children's science show Bill Nye the Science Guy (1993–1998) and for his many subsequent appearances in popular media as a science educator."— Wiki\n\nBill Nye has lots of TV experience and handles himself well with the unexperienced. I'm sure his experience as a comedian comes in handy when explaining alien sitings but really, is he an expert? I don't think so. 1324879236 +Actually,calling a coyote-with-mange a chupacabra has been debunked. These poor, sick creatures bear no resemblance to the original chupacabra reports/descriptions. 1332241264 +Does anyone have a good link to any research done that proves homeopathy is all placebo effect? I'm not questioning that it is bunk; I just want a link to send my woowoo friends who believe this stuff. I have one friend who swears it works for him, and my eyes just glaze over and I have to change the subject every time he tries to get me to try it. I want to point him to a study since common sense isn't working.\n\nIt seems like it could be easily be proven to be all placebo by swapping out 'homeopathic' solutions with distilled water in a study. Same effect seen = full placebo. Has this ever been done? Seems like science could easily put this to bed... 1346789173 +This seems all the more reason to contact an employment protection office. It seems like it may be that his boss hires people on probation pressures them to join the church and fires them if they don't. That can't be legal even with the probation period. 1339100714 +Do multiverse models and conclusions necessarily have anything to do with Quantum physics? 1350564254 +Beat it out of him 1288670975 +The pod delusion is a great uk based podcast. don't forget to listen to SGUs 5 x 5 for 5 minute hits of skepticism! 1308507506 +They're probably right. The climate and Earth is most likely highly resilient over time. Climate was once much hotter during periods, just as it was once much colder. The question is not how will the biosphere survive climate change, but how well will human beings? 1330412128 +Not at all. Apparently in Saudi Arabia the psychic profession is self-correcting. Open your mouth, say something stupid, get excecuted. Talk about quality control... 1270327935 +Evolution works in entirely predictable ways. 1329605592 +The post says that one of the crew members aboard the plane, Ronald Claridge, was also a painter. He painted that picture so you could get a visualization of what they saw. 1333304748 +This is so staged. 1217629873 +One of the worst examples of poor science/medical reporting I've seen was on something similar years (a decade at least) ago. I had recently read of an ongoing clinical study (no results at the time) investigating the use of two infrared lasers at 90° angles designed to use constructive interference at the site of internal tumors to heat the tissue for increased blood flow... etc. Still in the early stages of study is the important part.\n\nThen just a few months after this study made a bit of news I see our local TV health reporter interviewing a chiropractor demonstrating his method of using infrared lasers to treat such things as carpal tunnel syndrome. This "doctor" opened an expensive Seagull brand case which contained a device that looked like a cross between an old fashioned 2 D-cell flashlight and a prop light saber handle. His infrared "laser" projected a visible red circle that he would wave over the patient's wrists followed by a neck "adjustment". Of course his patient claimed to feel better afterwards.\n\nThat was it. That was the extent of the report. No citations of actual clinical results or studies. Nothing. 1312321928 +>but you can't make the claim that safety is good since many people don't like them\n\nThat's an attempt at trolling right? 1311811605 +Hardly an impartial, objective audience/sample - unless for Fox news. 1305187256 +There's a really good summary of what exactly Homeopathy is, and why it's a problem, in Dawkin's "Enemies of Reason pt 2" video - \n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt6W7eJ_E0A&feature=related\n 1321196199 +Thank you. In the future, an upvote will suffice. Watch as I demonstrate on your comment. 1321156360 +In the top picture it is clearly not an object moving, it is the camera moving. 1302742407 +Here let me have a try with you. To think that you can sum up what would have to be Universal realms (because heaven and hell would not only apply to humans), in terms of religious heaven and fiery hell, that's insane. Nobody could gleam anything from being there if they exists for a few moments. 1355873698 +Well said, my man. I cannot stand people that jump to conclusions so quickly. It really reveals their blindness of bias. 1345240160 +Sometimes I feel amazed how many strange occurrences have happened and we still are no where close to explain them. I wish the human race would advance forward just 100 years... when we have better knowledge of our brains, space-time, the universe and may have some answers for these events. 1326437058 +Right.\n\n[Everything in your world is clear cut, isn't it?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multivitamin#Scientific_assessment) 1279992129 +>Supernature does not exist, there is only our natural world and universe.\n\n>There is no nature/supernature duality, creating such is a false dichotomy. \n\nThis is an admirable attitude. So many people don't realize how silly the very concept of "supernatural" is. I wish you the best of luck is spreading this idea.\n\nThat said, I think you have a lot to learn about how to show scientific evidence for something. 1349016776 +Based on how advanced any species would need to be to reach us I pretty much immediately discount any crop circles as a human hoax 1351849548 +Thank you for writing this. Before more recent times, we knew almost nothing about Autism and the lack of diagnosis obviously would account for the "increase". The sad truth is that before the eighties people with mental disabilities (of any kind) weren't put in school, they were put in community homes, hospitals, mental wards or sometimes just hidden away at home. We know so much more about mental diseases and disorders so fucking duh there will be an increase in diagnosis as we continue to do research! I know that the issue stems from concern for ones children, but now I have to worry about the safety of my own child because of someone else's decision, not mine. This more than anything is what scares me. 1334516421 +>All they're doing is ruining it for everyone else.\n\nI agree. It's frustrating, because the 95% of sightings that aren't anything extraordinary eclipse the 5% that are really of unknown origin. And since people love to generalize, they ALL end up looking like hoaxes. And I think that is exactly why it's done. Intentional obfuscation.\n\nNobody believed this was real anyway. It was poorly done. A lot of people saw that UFO as it happened, and no crappy hoax will take that experience away. 1238869956 +I don't know anything about woo, but I'd be happy to bitch about my in-laws anytime. 1292510704 +Hey man, after a little bit of noodling, I managed to get decent screen shots illustrating the vector directions of each ufo.\n\nThe top img is the one at :48, the second, is the one at 1:18\nhttp://imgur.com/a/P3Q4j\n\nThe images poorly show you which light the "thing" is, but if you match up the path of movement with the video you can see it pretty easily.\n\n**EDIT:** Why is this being downvoted? I don't care about the karma but for fuck's sake I posted this so people can see. 1340916075 +Wouldn't a government agent be in charge of inspecting the product? I imagine it would be like in the food industry: you have to meet minimal quality control requirements to sell food.\n\nThis directive establishes two requirements:\n\n* To prove the product's efficiency: This is done only once, as long as you use the same variety of plant.\n\n* To assure the product's quality: this is true for any type of product. This is done to avoid dying when eating something or killing your children with toxic toys. If someone sells something as medicine, I'd expect minimal assurances with regards to it's quality so I don't die as a consumer.\n 1298041579 +We need a confirmation... from the demon. 1318291145 +Thanks for replying! Good point about mental being much more than we presently conceive. Perhaps the next great breakthrough in quantum physics is waiting on a breakthrough in our understanding of consciousness. 1342392383 +Not to say its probable or anything, but I loved the beginning of Battle Los Angeles in how the humans saw a meteor cluster appear that was coming for the earth but appeared to be slowing down, all of which landed in the oceans just outside major cities.\n\nIt certainly presents one possible scenario for alien invasions. 1336932804 +I should point out that I'm not the creator of this. I saw in on /r/funny and thought /r/skeptic might find it amusing, or interested that people are peddling such nonsense. Whilst I'm not the Facebook poster, I am inclined to agree with it.\n\nArguments along the line of 'you're an asshole for pointing out they're wrong' are in the same vein as those who shout down people who expose psychics. Sorry, if you spout stuff in a public medium which is demonstrably wrong, expect to be corrected.\n\nMaybe the guy in the Facebook post could have been more subtle, or more concise, but I still think he was in the right.\n\nEdit: Spelling and clarity. 1330886014 +The moon. I another day it would have been a full moon. I thought it looked cool with the clouds, and the streetlamp as well. 1340006986 +So what's with all the Chiropractor hate? I get that this particular one appears to be a bit nutty but there are good ones out there. I finally got completely off pain meds for my back after years of daily pill poping. The 2 surgeries didn't do shit but 15minutes a week with my chiro for a couple months and i can finally stand up straight and lift more than 20lbs without hurting for a week. 1337613475 +When l was about 8 or 9 l had a dream l was on some random farm in some random farmhouse looking out a window. lt was daytime but a storm was rolling in fast. Out of nowhere a tornado comes from left to right into my field of view and everything stops when it reaches the center of the window, then l wake up. Later on the following morning I go to the table for breakfast. l see the morning paper and decide to flip through it. After a few pages, what do l see? The last frame of my tornado dream is the center picture for a story about a tornado that tore up some town in some farm town l can't recall. Strangely l remember feeling a little dumb-founded, but not terribly surprised that it happened. l think that was because my childhood was filled with a whole lot of small occurrences like that. 1342909479 +Good point, it does mineralize with bone. However, I don't know that the mechanism for teeth is the same as for long bones. [Is it not the direct bathing of teeth in fluoride that causes most of the re-mineralization?](http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=13391451) As in the purpose of toothpaste containing sodium fluoride and advice not to swallow? 1295581429 +yea and i'll never forget those dreams either... Has anyone here ever entertained the thought that time is not linear? In other words, is our perception of time just an illusion? 1317790036 +Ah! Disregard previous question lol 1319504508 +I see dozens of comments here which repeat the claim that acupuncture has an effect greater than placebo, or equal to Tylenol, etc etc. I have to step in and point out that these claims are not supported by the evidence. The studies quoted above and below are primarily studies conducted in China, where the methodology was, frankly, terrible, and the study authors were strongly biased in favor of "proving" an effect. The well-done studies of acupuncture have never shown an effect other than a very mild placebo - certainly not as good an effect as you get with an over-the-counter pain reliever. 1282746414 +What if I consider health and well being secondary to technological advancement or freedom of choice? You maximizing things that are not primary in my decision tree does me no good. 1332041082 +"Expert says object could be alien ship" \n---\nThat's a good one. 1269381571 +Your welcome. 1330869814 +how about anything in the news, especially if your media streams were loaded with others asking? 1354916891 +I've been doing tarot readings for 12+ years. I've had some people that go absolutely crazy, following every bit of advice I give them to the tee, and seemingly happier for it. I've also had people who took it as just fun and games... it's important to get someone who can read you. Not everyone who reads cards can read cards for everyone... that'd be my biggest piece of advice! 1327888848 +no need to be a cunt about it 1341364855 +Time slip maybe? Sounds like a great story for the mysterious universe guys. 1344611854 +You ARE aware that you don't need to physically melt steel in order to structurally weaken it SIGNIFICANTLY, right? I'm assuming not... 1290668747 +You are a solipsist now? 1328450748 +Since /UFOs/ isn't particularly active, I believe the algorithm puts it closer to the top because otherwise it would have no real chance of being seen by any of the subscribers. 1221225555 +And all the links be dammed. Broken are they like the souls they leave behind in their wake. 1310492601 +As somebody who also wants to believe, I'm disheartened that we can't be a little more skeptical/honest about most UFOs. But I guess that just gets you downvotes around here. *sigh* 1350183447 +I've learned something today.\n\nIt still makes me thump the desk and swear, though. Why on Earth would anyone think they should be allowed to practice medicine without having an M.D.? 1343409626 +cool story :D 1326431678 +Yes. This is not a junk science location. This is harsh UFO reality here. There's a r/fringe type sub for crystals and what the hell who knows. This is a serious location for those of us that are interested in fact. Not fiction. And we have mods that will nuke weirdoes. Sometimes postings make it through that shouldn't. That's the nature of Reddit. Challenge accepted. But we are not afraid to sift though the internet noise to eventually find something worthy of an x-post to r/askscience. And you can take that to the bank. Well.... Eventually. 1310785097 +Technically 9/11 was the result of US government policy not action but had the government behaved otherwise, Al Qaeda would not have had cause to attach the US. Some things would have been difficult, such as a change of attitude towards Israel but other things such as the ramping down of US troops on Saudi soil would not have been. Funnily enough these were the two main issues that were seen to be triggers. 1290673217 +No, its possible, meaning it's a possibility. Saying it's probable is to say that it is the cause that holds more weight than any other theory out there. Plus, if it WAS sleep paralysis, wouldn't he be paralysed for the event, since that is the main symptom? Reread the post, he immediately sits up after it happens. 1332298578 +I don't mean to sound insensitive but when I hear the aliens took semen samples it made me wonder if they all had that 'morning after' piss? 1351603678 +I remember being told by the male doctor while i was in labour i had a low pain threshold. If i hadnt been strapped to the bed with various machines i would have got up out of bed and shoved a bowling ball up his ass and see who had the lower pain threshold then. As i typed this i had a awful feeling that somewhere on the internet someone probably has willingly attempted bowling ball up ass ... but im not googling it to find out 1334856210 +Right on! Ottawa! They'll be right at home in my podcast list next to [TVO](http://www.youtube.com/tvochannel). :D\n\nThanks for the heads up. 1339863784 +yea, I agree and share the same concerns. The strategy may be shortsighted, but the goal is always higher yield and lower cost. 1325617536 +I like the music idea, but I think I can improve on it. Record yourself saying anything. Now put that on your iPod or MP3 player. Lodge the MP3 firmly up your ass, and play the song on loop. You are now talking out of your ass. 1355193811 +is this your first time? what was your health on that day? a bit dizzy? ect ect 1342000448 +Perhaps it does both? Encouraging your nightmares to feed off them is a decent way to get sustenance! Convenient, I believe. 1314272539 +Fake upvotes mate. Shits rigged.\n\n Plus, that poor Canadian was on to something, they don't raid your shit multiple time if your a crackpot. 1342553633 +Because of the science behind what we know about space travel. It is possible that Aliens are here. Though, from what we know about space travel, the chances are not going to be that high.\n\n\n 1356317359 +>"Even if he was born on the Moon, it doesn't matter. His mother was a citizen when he was born, this makes him a natural-born citizen."\n\nThis is my answer now whenever someone brings this up. If they push the matter any further, you refuse to talk about anything other than the fact that the entire conspiracy is fueled by racism. 1337360239 +>a few creepy things happened.\n\nYou mention that, and no details thereto? *Requesting!* 1336341848 +"The bag ostensibly contains a live healthy little pig, but actually contains a cat (not particularly prized as a source of meat)" 1327787230 +Haven't you heard? The vaccines are chock full of high levels of mercury, specifically designed to increase the cancer rate amongst the populace. 1288945989 +Jeebus 1354775697 +"5 x 10 x 17 x 5 x 10 x 17...you know when something is doubled..."\n\nYou didn't double those numbers. You squared them. 1302140995 +two guesses, either mercury, or a small rock really close to the lens 1309556108 +> but that's not the manufacturers fault\n\nBut it is their intention. "Mycocide Nails Fungus" 1274987005 +I hadn't seen that video, it was really interesting. Thanks!\n\nI certainly think it's true that a lot of people would rather rather not know how most tricks work, especially when the answer is really simple or "ugly" (as Penn put it). But there is definitely a problem when people begin to think that they aren't just tricks like with Derren or with these people who claim psychic powers. I guess I think it's better to make sure people understand that they are just tricks than to preserve that bit of wonder. 1346429689 +Global Warming - not that it doesn't exist, but that we can do anything meaningful to reverse it in the time we have. I'm a technological optimist, my stance is that if saving energy is cost efficient and effective then why not. If it hinders societal, technological or economic progress to any great degree then I'm oppose to it. We need to advance science as fast as we can and as soon as we can so we can find permanent solutions to these problems, and especially of the ones nature can put forth (super volcanoes, asteroids, solar flares). 1305181673 +i.e., what comes to mind when one hears "addictive foods" without having seen Dr. Oz's Confundery of Truthy-Truth Flimsidy-Flam-False Mash-Uppery. 1326846158 +Are you willing to link to any of the patents described, or any published peer-reviewed manuscripts describing the results you mentioned?\n\nYou sound like you are far more knowledgeable in the field than me, but until there's publicly available, peer-reviewed evidence, or at the very least a reasonable mechanism, this is still going to be considered woo. \n\nFor example, Rossi's E-cat is almost certainly b.s, and not very convincing b.s at that. 1341333436 +Hahahahhahahaha I know these guys personally.. Internet is a small world.\n\nComedy troupe from Edmonton Alberta that my older brother managed for the better part of a decade. Pretty funny guys, quality sketch troupe. Would highly recommend checking out the rest of their stuff, if you can still find it on the internet\n\nBy the way, the accent he's putting on is supposed to be from rural Cape Breton (part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada) 1344794620 +He comes up with a lot of crazy crap about hockey, too.\n 1326549752 +You mean the one that looks like someone screaming? 1343996685 +Pertussis is a horrible fucking disease. I had it when I was 19 (it seems that the vaccine only lasts a couple of years). 1303137885 +Well, when one is dead they HAVE no quality of life. When your cancer is spreading, weakening bones till they break and shutting down organs... yeah, not many good days either.\n\nPeople with all kinds of lifestyles and diets succumb to untreated cancer- of there were natural, lifestyle based treatments more effective than nuking them, we'd use them first and talk about chemo second. 1328475255 +I didn't, but will delete if anyone else did. ?? 1238271467 +Maybe I should do the same thing with Jesus' god status. I mean the vatican says stuff about him and they are pretty serious, right? 1304530545 +A perfect example of what I was talking about. 1342660961 +A perfect example of what I was talking about. 1342696927 +Hm? Of chiropractic treatments? Science based medicine that focuses on best practices is the broad stroke replacement. The point is, most studies show chiropractic is as best as good as, and may actually be more harmful than doing nothing. \n\nSo, I guess taking a nap on the couch may even be a better course of action. 1349642831 +This was one of the big ones that I never was able to find any info on. I think the fact that there were pictures was a rumor or a hopeful request on behalf of the media. 1329893182 +They also respond to disasters of different sizes. I was caught by the western South Dakota-Nebraska border in the worst storm of my life (and my house has been hit by a small tornado), in which I thought we were going to die. After the unrelenting winds and hail stopped (we were in a van). The water started rising because there were hills around us, it was the beginnings of a flash flood. We decide to get out of there before it gets worse. Interestingly, in nowhere South Dakota, the National Guard even just 20 minutes after the storm was out and had a portable bridge to get over a flooded section of highway and out of danger.\n\nNot to mention that this was near the start of Sturgis (coincidence), so many bikes were trashed. 1344083157 +Hey, their spelling, not mine. What's with the anger? 1315775928 +It's well known Jobs had a rare form of pancreatic cancer that is very treatable. Your stats are for the wrong cancer. 1317921502 +I use neck manipulation if a person is young, in fair to good shape, has a good cardiovascular health history, a clear family history for stroke/aneurysm/atherosclerosis, no signs of acute distress in the maximal foraminal compression test position, absense of the 5 Ds and other warning signs. But that is only if they have a motion fixation and only if they are presenting for neck pain or headache.\n\nHonestly I go back and forth on whether the profession is salvagable. There is just so much baggage in the name and so many problems within the profession. \n\nSomedays it seems like it would be easier/better to let the DPTs/Physiotherapists take over our roles. And then you have a day where a patient who comes to you after being treated only 3-4 times and cries because they had been to everyone from pain management to PT and they felt like you were the last hope before surgery and they are 80-90% improved. \n\nThose days make you feel good and happy with your profession.\n\nMore likely than not the profession will bloom or die within the next 30 years. If it continues to stay alternative and outside the standard healthcare realm it will die (to much is being pulled into the big practice/hospital based groups for chiros to continue to function independently). There are groups like the West-Hartford Group trying to move the profession forward and there are schools starting residencies in Orthopedics, Neurology, Family practice with medical programs so there is hope for the profession to evolve. 1342744233 +Now compare U.S. Hospital birth outcomes to other first world countries, the results are even more depressing. The. U.S. Is more in the range of a third world country, all while being far and away the most expensive place on earth to have a hospital birth. Another interesting fact: we give 4 times as many c-sections as anyone else, this is to speed up the process to increase profitability. Nice, huh? 1260327496 +There's no such thing as *alternative* therapy. If it works, it's just therapy! 1288801047 +I noticed that too and wondered how many earthquakes really occurred in Egypt back in the days... why not make the entire thing out of fucking titanium or some other metal that can't even be produced without advanced technology?\n\nInteresting and kinda amusing "documentary" but pretty far fetched and I'm pretty sure if one was to fact-check the claims that are being made throughout the video one would find discrepancies all over the place... but I honestly couldn't be bothered to do that myself and was instead hoping for someone to point me to a debunking or something :P\n\nBut I agree, interesting crazy shit :) 1332887532 +Shucks, if you threw bigfoot in there you would have a tri-fecta 1273558200 +Admitted to be a fake by the poster of the vid:\n\n"This "UFO" was launched Feb. 14 2011 from my back yard. It consisted of garbage bags full of helium with flares suspended below (with steel wire for obvious reasons, and a few other details have been left out). This launch consisted of five flares with model rocket fuse to delay ignition so they only illuminate once they were several thousand feet up. I know a lot of people are upset about this being a "hoax" or whatever you want to call it. Bottom line is, it is what it is, and it looked awesome!! I am not trying to debunk real UFO's, I tend to lean more towards them existing than not, either extraterrestrial or not. I know there are a lot of people who spend some serious time and devotion researching and looking into sightings.\nThis is one of the reasons I came forward, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgYTaptE­gZw) I didn't want people wasting there serious time and effort on a "snipe hunt". Fun as it would have been to sit back and watch, I decided to "let the cat out of the bag" out of simple respect. I'd like to think that is something still worth having these days.\nSome people have had good fun with it (http://cryptoworld.co.uk), some still have no idea, and others have acted flat out childish in their response, (as can be seen in the comments of the video, and the phone calls and emails I have been receiving)\nFor those who still refuse to believe it was me, please refer to video response ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufbSi-... which not only shows the ignition of a third flare, along with smoke, but it is of the "UFO" that started this whole situation in the first place, on 1-26-2011. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X8AzsOZ­bkg and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb1EGs..."\n\n 1298422721 +It's from Hellraiser 2, actually! ;-) 1323536344 +Hot baths and a healthy diet obviously won't cure cancer. Wtf 1333730038 +What? WHAT? I had sleep paralysis, I had an "out of body experience" when I smoked some strong weed after taking antibiotics, that was a totally explainable phenomena - my brain remembered the surroundings and played them back from the 3rd person, just like in the game. I had sleep paralysis during class - I couldn't move, but I heard and felt everything, but in more deep cases SP causes hallucinations. As much as I believe in UFOs and some of their weird properties you have no right to say that sleep paralysis means that the person was abducted. I don't believe in "bed abductions". \n\nJust a little secret: I spent an hour writing you a private message, because I saw past myself in you. I wanted to believe that I'm not just a machine made by self evolving, that there would be some kind of afterlife, some channel in the fabrique of space-time, but now it is gone. There is nothing else. Just your brain (It is you) that when you die ends your being. Deal with it. I'm really sorry, but I'm going through an emotional trauma and I can't pass any opinions that stand out of the more rational side of UFO evalutation.\n\nIf you want to talk more on the subject, hit me up. And again, sorry. 1340252481 +Imgur cache: http://imgur.com/HVaWi 1275438592 +I think your replacement of "alternative medicine" with "homeopathic remedies" from the original joke somehow alters the tenor of it, making it seem like you're somehow in favor of homeopathy. Hence the downvotes. 1310426795 +First thing I thought of after watching that video (re: the media treating medical stuff):\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMvMb90hem8 1323997056 +I'm not sure there's any conclusive evidence to say the just rBGH is a reason to cut out dairy. I think there are others, though. The Harvard Healthy Plate has some good information on dairy: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/calcium-full-story/index.html\n\nThere are other good reasons to go vegan. Sustainability and animals are important to me. I've seen a lot of people lead healthier lives after going vegan, too (myself included). 1343067625 +If you let someone other than the suspects do the investigating, perhaps your scenario would not be so inevitable. 1320964880 +A bit later for that but I'll definitely be documenting everything that occurs (regardless of my decision to argue or not) and bringing it to him in addition to the assigned notes for the chapter. 1302833136 +You can buy raw eggs, raw beef, raw chicken, but the government prevents us from purchasing raw milk.\n\nEating raw eggs is not recommended either, but the government doesn't prevent us from purchasing them and we consume at our own risk. 1328303539 +Comp line. Lack of perspective change. Weird movement and a bad "fade" into the clouds. We see several layers of cloud throughout the video, yet not once in it's ascent does it become obscured by a defined cloud edge. There's also the fact that the clouds are in sharper focus than the object. Which is odd considering its closer to the viewer than the clouds. 1341421178 +I noticed that some people are religious out of necessity and some are religious out of ignorance. Any time I see someone who is religious because their reality is so bleak that they need an invisible man in the sky to speak to or a light at the end of the tunnel I let them be. Because this professor is obviously very intelligent, he's probably not religious because of ignorance and perhaps he uses religion as a coping mechanism for something. Then again, he could be ignorant when it comes to religion and very intelligent when it comes to physics.\n\nMaybe you should question him on why he's still religious? 1347240066 +I find it a bit hypocritical that you would accept the OP's statement of losing respect for someone who puts faith in one type of nonsense without evidence, then chastise him/her for saying he/she loses respect for someone who puts faith in *another* type of nonsense without evidence. If one is justifiable, so is the other. 1285388546 +Sounds like "nigga foot" lol 1353097271 +>But then I put my foot on it and it disappeared and I thought it was strange. Then I looked around and there were lots of others.\n\nHas "alien probing" written all over it. The guy wants attention. 1328021677 +Of course the amateurs, flailing about with no clear idea of what they're doing aren't exhibiting a "hyper-inflated ego" when they suddenly claim to have stumbled across an entire branch of medicine that everyone completely failed to notice? 1321552123 +"I've never had to retract a single thing!"\nGuess he'll have to retract that statement now. 1344620046 +I don't "believe in" anything, I believe a claim based on evidence.\n\nThe phrase "believe in" suggests faith and I need no faith when I have evidence. 1309670144 +I heard it makes you sit around all day, but who can believe that? And that it lets your mother burn. 1302819773 +I was specifically talking about veganism which bans all animal products, not vegetarianism which generally allows for eggs and cheese. I suspect it may be possible to keep a balanced diet when going vegetarian, but it didn't work out for me, so that part is anecdotal. For me it just wasn't worth the effort to try an keep a balanced diet on a vegetarian basis as some meat does a good fast job of curing what ales me. 1346294358 +Cannabis is relaxing, and makes people 'feel better'. Maybe cannabis users are getting better because they are less stressed and suffering from lower pain levels. It also improves appetite, so it's also possible that users are eating more and obtaining more necessary nutrients for their body to repair itself. \n\nTL;DR : Maybe it's not the chemicals that work the 'magic', it's the 'feels good man' part that improves people's overall health? 1342121749 +I get comments on my blog all the time by people who obviously have not read what I wrote. It makes great material for my podcast. \n\nBut it's really strange that so many people just assume stuff about what I said without bothering to confirm it. They write lengthy comments about this kind of stuff too, and I find it really interesting that they're willing to take all that time and effort, but the extra effort to look over what I actually wrote to make sure they've got their facts straight is just too much for them. 1335898263 +Yes it is, so is walking or any other form of exercise. 1310014967 +I agree Lon. Nearly total gobbledigook. It always amazes me that all the supposed civilizations that are interacting with us are ONLY 1000's or 100's of years ahead of us in Technology/Worldliness - when it is very easily possible that some species, if they exist, could be millions if not billions of years advanced. Indeed, the folks that seem to make up this stuff need a better imagination when it comes to time. 1262210198 +That is very true 1327444516 +In the context of parallel realities, precognitive dreams can be situations where you tap into a probable future. There is never any "guaranteed future" just probabilities. Stuff like this is really for the purpose of having an expanded view of life. But science discounts it because people cannot predict the future on demand. Anyway, enjoy the synchronicity and be open for more. :) 1328641190 +Totally agree with this. 1319164146 +my welcome? 1330881019 +Well...it was years ago, and all I can remember is that it was hosted by a bookstore. I'll look around and get back to you.\n\nAlso, the guy who gave the tour was actually from an aristocratic family that had been in Savannah for generations. He had an amazing voice, and gave tours occasionally for fun and for love of his city. I sadly cannot promise that you will be able to recreate such an experience. I was really lucky.\n\nEdit: But then again, Savannah is an amazing place exactly because of the quirky and fascinating people who inhabit it. If you explore a bit, you are bound to find cool people and fun to be had. 1353278778 +The mainstream media generally tends to go with whatever makes for a better story because that is what brings in the most viewers and readers and makes them the most money. There is no deliberate push for skepticism, unless skepticism is what sells. Mainstream news sources are businesses after all.\n\nAlso, I don't think that an article from a weird, funny and bizarre section can be considered a push. 1352332419 +As someone who, in their misguided youth, once ate an entire bottle of homeopathic sleeping pills---I gotta agree with this article! 1297281885 +I thought I made that quote... 1305314714 +> I was into ufos for years (from childhood to college) but after taking a realistic and critical look at my views I changed my mind.\n\nWow. Seriously? So you took a "realistic and critical look" at what you were doing and said what? "You know what? This ufo and ET business is all bullshit. I was into it because I was a kid and it was fun kid stuff to do. But now I'm all grown up and now I know that stuff was just all hocus pocus b.s. baloney. All about as real as Santa Clause."\n\nThat?\n\n> I'm not feeling the continual meta-analysis of our discussion.\n\nFair enough. You don't have to respond to the above question then.\n\n> I understand my methods are imperfect.\n\nFair enough. Mine aren't either, to be sure. No one's are. 1343630371 +What town in Minnesota?\nI only ask cause I grew up in the St. Cloud area. 1336047978 +A lot of the main topics have already been suggested, so to expand things a bit further, I'll propose that skeptics should also get to understand:\n\n1) **the concept of [scientism](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientism)**. It's often used as a meaningless insult by people pushing stupid ideas, but it is actually an important and valid concept that we should be aware of. Essentially, it describes a position which views science as the only method for collecting knowledge, and/or an attempt to apply the scientific method to areas outside of its domain. Often I find this mistake is committed by people with a cursory knowledge of the scientific method and often no philosophical education.\n\n2) **the anti-psychology movement.** Although currently not as troublesome as the anti-vax or creationist movements, I find this fairly recent trend quite troubling. The popularised version of it comes through outdated writers like Thomas Szasz, and the scientology attacks, but I don't find these areas too problematic (because Szasz's concerns have all been addressed, and everyone recognises the scientologists to be nuts). However, it disturbs me that often when talking with people, even in places like /r/skeptic, there will be common mentions of how "adhd is overdiagnosed" or "big pharma is trying to medicalise normal behaviors" or the more general comments of "psychology isn't a science" (which tends to allow people to reject psychological results). 1336962991 +The feeling is similar to, assuming you've experienced it, having a word on the tip of your tongue. Like you have the shape of the word you want to say, the general idea and "feeling" of it, the fact that it starts with a "puh" sound, but no matter how hard you try to recall it, the word just slips away further out of reach.\n\nDeja vu is like that, except instead of a word it'll be a place, sight, situation, or particular experience. You have a feeling that you know you've experienced this particular moment before but no matter how hard you try to remember where or how you've been in this situation before, it just slips away. \n\nOtherwise it's also similar to trying to remember a dream, but I didn't want to use that as an example because it sounds even more abstract and confusing than the forgotten word analogy. But seriously, the feeling of deja vu is so similar to trying to remember a dream that it's difficult to tell them apart, and many people will swear up and down that they experienced a particular situation in a dream they had. 1315816790 +It sounds like a huge undertaking, and like getting authors on board is definitely the way to do it.\n\nIs there something you could suggest authors add to their website that could be crawled or searched? Well, that would probably lead to spam or something...maybe an API for submitting them where we can write plugins for blogging tools that will submit them when a rebuttal is posted? 1341025978 +Haha! I love how they think that atheists only believe in things that are physical. What the fuck kind of "logic" is that? Numbers are not a physical thing, and yet atheists believe in them exactly because they are logical and testable. Even a strict materialist would still believe in abstract concepts. Language, Government, Social science. The difference is that all of these concepts are testable in one fashion or another. Whenever I am trying to explain logical fallacy to someone, I will just send them to Answers In Genesis from now on. The site is chock full of them. 1275938352 +[The night time is the right time!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtFDD5AXGWM) 1338957827 +It's not even sitting on the landscape. It's an internal reflection of a rear antenna caused by the optical properties of the fisheye lens. \n\nedit: I swear half the subscribers of this subreddit eat lead for breakfast and aimlessly upvote anything and everything UFO/Alien/2012 1293731472 +>There's no need for the hair to disappear in an aquatic theory, while it does need to disappear if we are to become runners.\n\nThat's interesting. But there are plenty of mammals that run fast and for long distances which are covered in hair. Do we humans produce more heat than most other mammals? 1278601232 +Yeah I guess it all gets kinda blurry when it gets to hot button political issues. 1347425829 +From what I've seen, the only reason why any of the fad diets ever work, is because people cut back without realizing it. When someone decides they aren't going to eat any carbs, they start not eating all the snack foods they normally would have, and are less likely to eat fast food, since most of it comes on a bun.\n\nReally, its all about take in fewer calories, burn more, not much else really matters. 1353357072 +Hmm going from wikipedia on March 13, 1997 there were lights and people saw a solid structure connecting them. There have been lights since but these have been dismissed as flares. 1331065029 +*Did he just say "making fuck"?* 1303350310 +Instead of trying to de-bunk her, which will only cause her to want to prove what she believes and keep flooding you with more 'woo' just say thank you for her concern but you're too busy/poor/etc.\n\nThis is assuming that you're trying to stop her from dragging you into woo rather than just wanting to prove her wrong. 1295458062 +Part 3 of that ep (where they rip on Uri Geller) is some of the funniest stuff I've seen in a long time. 1287340008 +Are you Tyler Durden? 1345617362 +Citations please. I ask seriously as I heard that it also works on animals. But I've only heard and you seem to know your stuff so lnks plz k thx. 1345677749 +>The notion is that "critical" or "scientific" thinking is a cultural construction specific to the West, and the knowledge it produces is not inherently more "right" than other ways of thinking\n\nScience is merely the method we use for finding what actually works (to oversimplify). And what actually works is, in my mind, more "right" that what does not work. 1304690331 +Report it to MUFON. Very cool!\n 1347743792 +In the actual case files on this case the police officers who answered the emergency call checked the house for evidence of alcohol and found none, and noted in their reports that none of the residents appeared to be intoxicated or smelled of alcohol. 1330762975 +>One thought suggests that when amber is worn on the skin, the skin’s warmth releases miniscule amounts of healing oils from amber which are then absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream.\n\nThis could easily be tested, but like so many other bits of centuries old wonder knowledge we can just trust the Egyptians or whoever...\n\n>The other theory is based on scientific findings which have shown that amber is electromagnetically alive and produces significant amounts of organic, purely natural energy.\n\nThis can't be tested due to the extreme level of crazy. To soften the crazy they added the words "theory" and "scientific", but no actual theories or experimental results... 1257864609 +Because any positive attention to the subject by any administration is good. The thinking is that the time has come for disclosure and if you followed the debate you'd find that many within the administration are ready. The time might just be right, whereas during Carter's or Clinton's admin. it was shot down. Either way, to make the effort is most definitely *not* a bad thing. 1232059706 +Wow. I'm not sure which to be more scared by, the fact that this video was labeled as "shocking" or the fact that someone thought this was a "ghost video demon at the front door". 1346127314 +Here's an update. So apparently this things i caught on the pictures might not be lens flares, dust motes and so on . Someone from New Jersey posted this photo, taken on the 29th of Sept. http://goo.gl/6yFpL . They look identical to what i caught on my pictures. You can see the discussions we had about the pictures on SunsFlare's Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/sunsflare/posts/158339984305945?ref=notif&notif_t=share_reply\n\nStill think they are lens flares/camera errors ? 1349352680 +>Any natural remedy that has been proven to have a benneficial effect through comprehensive studies and control groups can then be used to make medicine.\n\nThat is an oversimplification. See my post at the base of the thread. 1347996992 +Even a blind mouse finds cheese every once in a while. 1312327576 +Thanks for the clarification 1346890008 +I really like where you went with this 1329818467 +I respectfully disagree that the MRM is "built" around such strawman tactics. Sure, I have seen such tactics deployed there, but I've also seen a lot of sound sociological data to back up claims. A good example that comes up frequently is data on the incidence of domestic violence, used to counter the myth that men are always the aggressors and women always the victims.\n\nThey may not be a model skeptical organization, but neither are they total demagogues.\n\nTo come at this from a different angle, you've no doubt heard from feminist organizations that women make 77 cents for every dollar that men make. This statistic implies that a woman earns less for the doing same work performed by a man, when the actual causes of the discrepancy boil down almost completely to career choice and family leave. Does espousing this misleading figure discredit feminism? Most people, myself included, would say no, in no small part because despite the exaggeration, there is a real problem they're trying to draw attention to. 1345308444 +>Yikes. It's her third kid, and yet the idea of taking her baby to an actual pediatrician to see if there is anything wrong never occurred to her?\n\nWant to go fishing. Apply for a license.\n\nWant to raise three kids without knowledge? Go the fuck ahead. Have at it. 1305476282 +I'm not discounting the possibility that it could be something else... but could it be light from the sun reflecting off a satellite? 1337203037 +It's been a few years since I've been there. Last I heard, which I admit that I've not been keeping up on WHS news like I used to, was they wanted to fully finish a few floors for "hotel" rooms to rent out, but leaving the floors with the most activity reported on them alone. 1344397985 +British kids watched some weird stuff back in the day.\n 1259290369 +1. This post is about the investigation. Please don't post stuff talking about conspiracy\n\n2. Herk, why are you on r/skeptic? Your arguments are all ad-hominim. Debate factually please 1356542471 +This is correct. If your mom said that she didn't need to get homeowners insurance because she was using prayer to prevent natural disasters then that would not prove that prayer is harmful. It would just prove that your mom is an idiot. 1311006816 +Probably someone calling asking him to support Romney. I can't wait for this election to be over so those fucking phone calls stop. 1349908312 +For what it is worth, research on enlightenment ala TM:\n\n.\n\n\nResearch on the physiological correlates of pure consciousness found during TM practice: \n\n[Breath suspension during the transcendental meditation technique] (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7045911)\n\n\n[Pure consciousness: distinct phenomenological and physiological correlates of "consciousness itself"](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10512549)\n\n\n[Autonomic patterns during respiratory suspensions: possible markers of Transcendental Consciousness](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9009807)\n\n\n[Autonomic and EEG patterns during eyes-closed rest and transcendental meditation (TM) practice: the basis for a neural model of TM practice.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10487785)\n\n\n[A self-referential default brain state: patterns of coherence, power, and eLORETA sources during eyes-closed rest and Transcendental Meditation practice](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19862565)\n\nResearch on the physiological correlates of the stabilization of pure consciousness outside of meditation in long-term TM meditators: \n\n[Psychological and physiological characteristics of a proposed object-referral/self-referral continuum of self-awareness]\n(http://www.totalbrain.ch/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/eeg-of-enlightenment.pdf)\n\n\n[Patterns of EEG coherence, power, and contingent negative variation characterize the integration of transcendental and waking states.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12406612)\n\n\n[Abstract for the 2007 Conference of the American Psychological Association \nBrain Integration Scale: Corroborating Language-based 
Instruments of Post-conventional Development](http://www.tm.org/american-psychological-association)\n\nResearch on the physiological correlates of the stabilization of pure consciousness outside of meditation in non-meditators: \n\n\n[Higher psycho-physiological refinement in world-class Norwegian athletes: brain measures of performance capacity](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.01007.x/full)\n\n[Moral development, executive functioning, peak experiences and brain patterns in professional and amateur classical musicians: Interpreted in light of a Unified Theory of Performance](http://drfredtravis.com/downloads/Musician_preprint.pdf)\n\n[POLICING AND SPIRITUALITY: THEIR IMPACT ON BRAIN INTEGRATION AND CONSCIOUSNESS](http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/jsmithspaper.pdf)\n\n[Higher mind-brain development in successful leaders: testing a unified theory of performance.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22193866)\n\n\n 1348022781 +Little bit of a repost. 1345011188 +I think chiropractic care has SOME positive and valuable aspects. No, it wont cure cancer, but pinched nerve and stopping curvature of the spine, I think its got that as a plus. 1335059670 +Partly, yes. Also, though, I'm asking if the light around your shadows was bright "as if a strong light from behind you" or if the light around your shadows was weak "as if a weak light from your flashlight" 1335177358 +Read some forum posts. The thing seems legit. Heating the venom does destroy it, and the thread I read said any heat will work. One guy even said he'd used his zippo by heating the case up and holding the to the bite. You just have to be careful not to burn yourself.\n\nThe Therapik is just a safer, more accurate, way to apply the heat, apparently. 1338384126 +I will always continue to believe in love, even if the skeptics want to call me foolish. 1224232700 +"Homeopathic remedies take longer than the quick-fix...but in the long run, there's nothing bad in there for them."\n\nDo these people really not consider the idea that the reason they may take longer is because they don't actually work and the body is simply fighting off whatever disease with its own natural antibodies? 1295165525 +I would lean more towards man made craft, but it didn't look right, and I often look at the planes, we have a military display team that flies over the city all the time. 1321990555 +While you are entitled to think that, it does not help me in anyway. Thanks anyway though. 1354756186 +http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page\n\nis a good place to start 1340033573 +If you watched the videos what was the conclusion of wim's blood work according to the doctors towards the end?\n\n 1350233884 +I got flicked in the balls once and ended up in the fetal position crying before I knew it.\n\nI've been kicked and slapped in the balls and simply hunched over. I imagine it has more to do with how and where exactly you're hit. 1330002264 +fascinating! i'll have to give this a try. thanks! while we're on the topic, did you get this information on the internet? 1345576551 +It would have to be from a parallel universe or alternate reality. Nothing can live in the higher dimensions. 1308040934 +Reading through most of the thread it seems to me that you came here with preconceived notion and was frustrated when you didn't get the answer you wanted. Discussion seems to go along the lines of 'we are not dismissive of the effect', 'only is not used in derogatory meaning, just to describe the lack of actual physical effects along the mental effects' and you seem to answer with variations of 'no no no, people are dissing, not you specifically but people'.\nHopefully the plethora of explanations about the differences of dismissing the placebo effect and realizing its actual useful points; not misusing it for nefarious ends or from misunderstanding the effects; understanding that 'only' means there are no other help you understand our viewpoint. 1328535610 +I picked up this used copy of a book titled "Encyclopedia of Signs, Omens, and Superstitions" by *Zolar*. I have no idea how credible this Zolar guy is (back of the book calls him the dean of American astrology, and he has no Wikipedia entry), however if half of the superstitions in this book are even somewhat true, we are doing amazingly well.\n\nHere are a few I just picked at random:\n\n* a European tradition holds that a child suffering from respiratory illness should be carried through a gasworks plant or a place where gas is actually manufactured. A cure will be forthcoming.\n\n* An alternative treatment for Gallstones is to boil sheep's dung in new milk until dissolved and drink it each day. This is said to be a sure cure.\n\n* Tradition holds that cholera can be detected by throwing a piece of raw meat up in the air. If it turns black then the disease is present.\n\n* Should a baby's naval refuse to heal, a plowshare buried while five Lord's Prayers are recited over it will bring about a healing. 1326485667 +Damn it, I need to find the payroll paperwork for that I haven't been getting my checks. 1304552852 +>Good science needs no consensus because the majority holds the truth back. \n\nSo you don't believe in evolution, then? TROLOLOLOLOL\n\nTo everyone else: look at ayellowbunny's karma score (and how few of his posts haven't been deleted). Don't feed the troll (I keep teasing him because he's stalking me). 1326826793 +They maintain a searchable database of ALL research on meditation, regardless of quality. 1347819252 +I'm totally in the same boat. Was extremely into spirituality all my life until roughly 5 or 6 years ago and am now atheist. It was a difficult process, and now when I see the same arguments I used to make throughout the New Age culture, I just wince. 1281364754 +Still? WTF? We have cell phones that explode already, why don't we have ones that do cancer? 1323744912 +>As a concept, I think libertarian economics is a fantastic idea but I doubt it would ever work on a large scale, similar to a true communist society could not work on a large scale. I have no problem with paying taxes as long as those taxes go toward services and not used improperly (bailing out banks come to mind).\n\nThe problem is that there is the arrogance and greedy self righteous thought Penn was talking about. It's fine to say *you* would pay taxes, but the whole issue is about using violent force to make *others* pay taxes against their will. Are you really smart enough to know with absolute certainty what everyone wants? Or do you admit you are a selfish person who has no problem making people do things against their wills to satisfy your own wants? 1313545426 +Excellent idea. 1343005821 +My daughter had the HPV vaccine and had no issues. Sorry I don't have a scary story to contribute. 1316108574 +I was thinking this too, but could you elaborate? :) 1319120177 +No that I disagree with you, but some of the ex gay practitioners probably have doctorates of theology or some such unrelated field. No way to stop them ಠ_ಠ 1338518692 +So... everywhere? 1311963380 +film that shit 1319821480 +My French isn't even close to a passable level, but I'm going to guess it's the one that says "naturallement", the *Phytalgic*. 1329762255 +That'll be thirty dollars, please. 1289925594 +If a tall blonde sexy woman pops out im calling Adama 1296675291 +Propaganda. Are you *still* expecting your government to tell you the truth? 1320517506 +> Craniosacral therapy\n\nPerhaps if we make it sound medical people will think it's evidence-backed?\n\nSickening. 1346936794 +yeah just a random group of helicopters flying in a circle continuously for an hour , seems routine to me 1330142939 +Here is an interesting point on epistemology - why the huge difference between the position of AGW deniers and Big Bang deniers ( I believe the top subreddit on that is http://www.reddit.com/r/plasmacosmology ) - there are actually far more actual researches in the relevant field that have their skepticism on the second theory but you do not see the mountain of imbeciles and conspiratards which seems to be attracted to AGW denial also jumping on that theory - so why is that? 1356094255 +North American English is best English! 1320316012 +Ugh. It must have been the wifi again. Take some homeopathic pills maybe it will boost your signal 1344956477 +This makes me wish I had an identical twin so that we could prank bus loads of people! 1331371827 +Quantum...thingies! 1331238235 +Yeah I was wondering why his vomit showed up as a white blob also. However, the white blob gets slightly smaller between when it initially forms and the man stands back up.\n\nDo we know that the cameras don't use any infrared light to record? I feel like I've seen security cameras that use infrared to augment normal visible light for better recording in low-light situations. \n\n The white blob getting smaller could be the vomit cooling around the edges maybe. 1341975012 +Haven't people learned yet that people named McCarthy are not to be trusted? 1329429212 +Right. Even the bible has math. 1327888617 +I'm going to take "extra-dimensional being" and pretend you said extraterrestrial being, because what a being from another dimension would be, to me, seems to be outside of what we qualify as life and also I don't know why they would fly in aircraft unless they were 3rd dimensional like us.\n\nRegarding videos like this, at best they're evidence of UFO phenomenon or unconventional aircraft, and that is at absolute best. There isn't any evidence anywhere of any sort that UFO phenomenon is in anyway connected to extraterrestrial intelligence.\n\nEven the truest of believers can't point to any, they just think it *can't be anything else*, and it's typically a very early question I ask when discussing UFOs with them - having been, I guess you could say, a UFO hunter myself for a long time. 1302629259 +I'd be interested to see if someone could dig up the port records to find out if a cruise ship that fits your analysis was in the port that night. 1332823305 +Woah! Hey we have a farm and we once just found the head of a new born calf in the field. The strange thing was that the mother was never found and at the time my uncle had not been aware any heifers in the fields had been pregnant. 1326275978 +Almost anything that adds to the volume inside the digestive tract and that does not get absorbed will stimulate digestive mobility - however the ideal way to do that would be with fiber-rich vegetables/fruits and grains. 1324800970 +That's kind of depressing really. 1298886082 +Anybody here have that post from the guy who ate a dozen bran muffins? 1330012779 +Or buy deodorant so you don't smell like a hospital all the time. 1301453851 +I had no idea heat stroke was good for back problems. I've enjoyed both at one time or another, but I never thought of combining the maladies.\n\nActually, what they are calling hyperthermia is something quite different from the medical term. They are using a mysterious high-frequency energy (sound? infrared?) that causes the body to generate some natural anti-inflammatory agents, if I got it all right. I would judge it as a good placebo at best. They do have a pretty patient in the video, though.\n 1286681248 +Wait really?\n\nThere are plenty of ways eating meat is contentious at every scale. I'm not saying we shouldn't eat meat, but a pragmatist could wonder on the scene and be like "Woooah! Our meat industry has an enormous ecological footprint. We gotta get that shit under control." and a philosopher could stumble on the scene and be like "Woaaaah! Haven't you guys ever heard of the *hard* problem -- you literally can't know what those animals are experiencing! This might be seriously unethical."\n\nThat said -- the meat industry would be the contentious issue, but I think by the properties of bottom-up systems, my point still applies. 1353305717 +Maybe these are the Lake Eerie orbs? :P 1346979697 +As a beekeeper, I can attest to the fact that honey straight from the apiary does indeed taste much better than the crap you get at a store. (note: anecdotal) But all the shit about the supposed health benefits it has is crap. I'm bombarded by it all the time in the beekeeping community. It's impossible to escape the BS. There's always someone who thinks literally every thing that bees make (honey, pollen, propolis, wax, bee venom, *yes* I said **motherfucking bee venom**) has health benefits. You'd think bees have some kind of magical properties by listening to my fellow beekeepers.\n\nThe sad thing is, you don't really need to invent pseudoscientific bullshit for this. Fresh honey really does taste so much better than storebought honey. and there are economic and environmental reasons to support local beekeepers. No need for snake oil bullshit. It's kind of the same with organic foods too, I've noticed. I don't buy into the hype, but I have noticed that organic things do taste better. That could just be me, though. 1343298002 +What do you mean if we put a band aid on the problem? Vaccinactions are one of the miracles of modern medical science. Polio is almost eradicated,small pox only exists in labs. \n\nIn refernce to the pertusis vax lets look at known side effects. According to the [cdc](http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm#dtap) I see no death here. The moderate side effects(1 in 14,000) lists seizures. Now lets compare to the harm of getting pertussis according to the [CDC](http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/complications.html) \n\n* 1 in 5 get pneumonia (lung infection)\n* 1 in 100 will have convulsions (violent, uncontrolled shaking)\n* Half will have apnea (slowed or stopped breathing)\n* 1 in 300 will have encephalopathy (disease of the brain)\n* 1 in 100 will die\n\nSo a 1 in 14000 chance of seizure or a 1 in 100 chance (if one gets the disease) of death. It sounds like a no brainer to me. 1319254504 +It would seem that the people who are seeing this stuff need to now point a decent telescope at it, one with a camera. *Something* is obviously happening, but without seeing it closer it's difficult to say what. Interesting stuff for sure. 1310533868 +Unless parents submit a letter saying they are against vaccines on religious grounds. \n\nhttp://www.nvic.org/Vaccine-Laws/state-vaccine-requirements.aspx\n\nWest Virginia and Mississippi are the only two states who only allow medical exemptions, every other state allows at least religious and often philosophical exemptions. Non-vaccinating parents will lie on exemption forms, claiming religious beliefs for not vaccinating. Most of the time they're not challenged and if they are they coach each other on what to say to sound sincere.\n\nNY does have the ability to challenge whether someone's belief is sincerely held, some other states it was ruled that is an invasion of privacy. However, you can see [here](http://www.counsel.nysed.gov/Decisions/volume48/d15845.htm) how little is needed before a judge to achieve this. 1329660960 +Plane contrails with the setting sun behind them. 1310331343 +what's*\n\npeople's*\n\n&#3232;\\_&#3232; 1346221347 +I didn't read said article, mind pointing me in the correct direction? 1341360720 +The only way that official disclosure will happen is if the actual aliens allow it to occur, I believe that if they have contact with our leaders, they are the actual bosses and nothing will happen until they want it to.\n\nIf you study abduction stories, you'll learn that these beings are probably human in appearance, which to me explains ancient stories of angels coming down and communicating with humans, "greys" are probably another species created by these beings to do their "dirty work".\n\nRead, **don't watch** "fire in the sky", Travis Walton had direct contact with these "human" aliens. 1340712540 +it's some sort of misguided and incorrect pedantic mindset 1330014741 +In my city we have a lot of orange trees. They used to have people pick the oranges in set them in crates beside the tree for anyone to take(they no longer do this though). In general there is plenty of fruit availible to the homeless and they know where it is(according to the Fallen Fruit group which picks public fruit, and originally thought the homeless would be interested but found out they weren't)\n\nHomeless people need hot meals, coffee, socks, soap. 1351384368 +I can look at the Drake Equation (we have only begun to fill in the unknown terms) and say there is almost certainly life elsewhere in the universe. But it is a huge leap between saying life probably exists to suggesting intelligent aliens are popping by for incognito visits.\n\nI am not saying it's completely impossible, (although we still can't even say that FTL travel is even theoretically possible) but if I see something strange in the sky, I would only suggest ET when all of the more probable explanations (Terrestrial aircraft, weather, astronomical phenomenon, hoaxes) have been completely ruled out.\n 1346512608 +>I think everyone here ... has a healthy amount of skepticism.\n\nHeheh heh heh. So adorable. 1342707965 +Add this schmuck to the long and growing list of closeted hypocrites in the anti gay movement. 1352480850 +Proponents of ghosts, psychics, feng shui, chakras, 'auras', and meaningless generic energy all claim that their beliefs are supernatural, should we ignore those posts as well?\n\nedit: spelling 1269632853 +Rebecca didn't actually didn't say anything about sexual assault. That was her white knights PZ and Phil. 1309961243 +The core reason of my asking deals with the energy moving through your body. When we're stressed, fatigued, etc; the quantity and quality of the energy moving through our bodies is lessened and it has an effect on how we perceive the universe and our surroundings.\n\nConsider a dream... when you have good energy flowing into your energy double/astral body in the dream state, dreams are more vivid and you tend to become lucid and self-aware of the dream rather quickly. When energy fades; the dream starts to collapse and crumble.\n\nI think the same applies to our waking state (the collective dream we're all sharing IMO). It may have been a slight glitch in your energy level that impaired your ability to interpret the energy coming from that person.\n\nI see two scenarios from this...\n\n* Either this person themselves had a glitch/oddity in their energy/consciousness and this event would then be perceivable to other people who would have been present.\n\n* The glitch is more subjective; had another person been in the car with you, they wouldn't have seen anything odd occur. This would mean your energy level dropped to a low level or there was some energetic distortion in your decoding process as your eyes collected the information.\n\nIf it happens again, try to document the event with as much detail as possible; what happened prior, what you were expecting in the future and how your body felt; sensations before, during and after. 1346626185 +I find when I don't get it, it's usually a meme or a quote from some movie or episode of something I didn't watch because I shun pop culture. YMMV 1291083221 +You can do it with a sewing needle instead of wood, and be even more impressive. 1351285074 +>Read this comment of mine on this same page: \n\nYeah, I saw it. Same ol' stuff we've heard a dozen times. Nice story, where's the evidence? \n\n>this is my (and many others) opinion and with each book I read\n\nYou read a book, well, good for you. You're welcome to your opinions, you're not welcome to your own facts.\n\n> with each place I visit, I am more convinced that those sites are not made by primitive men, they are made by very advanced technological civilization...\n\nNo one is moved by what you're convinced of, my friend. If you can prove it, welcome to history. Until then, it's just fantasy. 1356806494 +As I have foamed at the mouth about here a few times before -- actually, there is an enormous obstacle to science concluding anything like this. No matter what we discover or observe in our universe, science has two options: naturalistic explanation, or to not render an explanation. In the face of a seemingly supernatural phenomenon, science is simply forbidden to conclude supernaturalism. Instead, any good scientist will say, "This is a weird phenomenon, we don't understand it, but we'll keep studying it until we do." Even if we heard some booming voice say, "Hello, I am God," science is duty-bound to say, "How do we verify this? How do we investigate the nature of this voice? Could it arise from something naturalistic?" Supernaturalism is not a conclusion that science can make, only "we don't know yet". 1248263552 +He designed it for any woman that has sex outside of marriage. Or that has sex for any reason other than procreation. Damn sluts. 1327680921 +Well...to me it looks like a lense flare of the light in the picture...same triangular shape... 1288251418 +Interesting ethical dilemma.\n\nYour friend says she's feeling better. Even if it is just the placebo effect... do you want to take that away from her?\n\nAlso, alternative medicine isn't *all* bunk and hokum - some of it can be effective. Sometimes natural treatments which work end up being branded "alternative" because they're not able to be patented and sold by big pharma.\n\nThat said, it's definitely worthwhile finding out what this doctor has prescribed for your friend. At least make sure it's not actively harmful: even if it's not helping beyond the placebo effect, you don't want it to make your friend worse. 1310389292 +One does not win (or even debate) an argument on *facts* by injecting *hypotheticals.*\n\nWe *aren't* talking about a doctor recommending homeopathy. We're talking about a doctor who gives sound medical advice and peppers it with bible phrases.\n\nI'm done. You suck at this. 1288021538 +[Check out around 3:10](http://www.ted.com/talks/wade_davis_on_endangered_cultures.html) At 4:16 he briefly addresses some of the argument for a single language. Anyway, it's one of my favorite TED talks and I thought it relevant to your discussion, hope you enjoy.\n\nI think the end of diversity in human languages would be a great shame.\n\nA quote from the 17:30ish mark, "Do we want to live in a monochromatic world of monotony or do we want to embrace a polychromatic world of diversity?"\n\nEdit: Quote 1300083801 +fascinating interview... a little nutty at times though 1292393846 +I was expecting a southern state and then find out it's mine... Fuck. 1339462524 +I'd like to mod because I am neo. Also, I like cookies. 1326437382 +IIRC, they found an abandoned camp...I think they found the campers quite a distance away. 1329053509 +A study comparing that with cutting nails, please? 1351105571 +Regardless of if the facts are possibly inflated, I think it is important to realize that people who aren't exactly "wealthy" by U.S. standards are much richer than (almost) entire countries around the world. 1320282999 +You need to check the records... The NCDC 144 station Climate Reference Network provides that the result for July is 2 degrees lower than the previous record. The US Climate Reference Network is a group of properly cited, automated, stations with the newest and most accurate monitoring equipment. There is a reason this program was funded..To provide an answer to the several prostituted temperature records from NOAA, GISS, BEST et al.\nWhen you have no need to claim that additional degrees should be added to the measured value. 1344556314 +Anthropogenic global warming is happening. I also consider myself skeptical, but I believe in many things most skeptics would not. The vast amounts of information available to us is largely outside the range of our senses. AGM is happening. There are some specifics to quibble over as in any field of science, but it's pretty much a sure thing. 1343453701 +A Germanic language. 1319255695 +It's reasonable to think that there probably are aliens. It would be dissonant if someone was certain that they exist. 1328333023 +Could be LEDs affixed to an RC toy too. Point is, you can't tell anything from such a poorly shot and truncated video. 1298480891 +King of the Woo! It sounds a bit like saying "Area 51 is the largest potential alien landing site." 1340846054 +Most speakers won't be able to reproduce 18Hz though. They fall off around 30-20Hz, and that's with expensive high quality speakers.\n\nThere's no point to making speakers that can produce 18Hz tones because humans don't hear that. It just vibrates the air (and surroundings) at that frequency. 1287347458 +What a load of shit 1341601514 +What a load of shit 1354017769 +> ...that problem can hurt, or even kill, innocent bystanders.\n\nI can't think of a situation where an innocent bystander dies because a 3rd party believes in nonsense. Care to elaborate? 1334004662 +Yeah they do!!.... 200 years later, and said accounts are sketchy, but still... 1306445852 +Yes, some retards still like to get out of their cave at [/r/climateskeptics](/r/climateskeptics) and troll around other places with the main message "it is all a conspiracy of the climate scientists" ... see below some examples :) 1325254927 +My uncle - trained physician, now does acupuncture and swears by it. Do I believe in Chi and energy waves and all that...no, but it does seem possible that acupuncture could cause some kind of endorphin system stimulation. But I could be totally wrong. 1306978012 +I don't like the idea of this. It's like forcing a cat to eat vegan cat food (pushing personal values onto pets). The person said, "It takes longer to work than praziquantel but doesn't have any of the potential side effects associated with praziquantel." How could someone make their cat suffer with tape worms for a long time? My cat couldn't sleep last night from his worms and I was very distraught :(... I can't imagine someone just letting it go and fester for that long. 1312871591 +Ah, I see. So it's kind of like how politicians only acknowledge error when it's in their favor. \nEdit: Well... I guess it's more like Fox News knowingly broadcasting erroneous information that bolsters their position and *never ever* making an error that would support a liberal view. 1295351415 +That is a legitimate criticism. I agree that it is absolutely foolish to ask the alleged criminals to prosecute themselves.\n 1320910362 +I have to agree with it probably being an intense case of sleep paralysis...The other night I was staying at my friends small cabin and I woke up to the sound of someone opening the screen door and walking in, then walking into the bathroom and closing the door. I Just thought it was my friend at first, but then I heard him snoring. I heard movement in the bathroom and i was scared shitless and had no idea who or what it could be. I wanted to look but I honestly could not move for the life of me. Once I heard it walk back out I turned to my friend and was trying to scream at him and I couldn't. I am 19 and haven't felt this scared since I was little. I somehow close my eyes and open them and then get out of bed and wake my friend up and we look outside and see an alien at the door walking back towards us. I then wake up again, realizing the room had been different than it was during the first hallucination. This is how I rationalized that I was just having sleep paralysis. The fact that it was the normal room the first time, then it changed. If I hadn't made that realization I may have had a heart attack. 1326478964 +>naturopathyworks.com\n\ntotal BS. 1337133381 +interesting footage\n\nwhat could they possibly want with the moon (that they don't know yet) 1319460135 +No because there is a world of difference between "human beings can't predict the future" and "you're not able to predict the future". 1347121796 +Surprisingly, none of my typically slacktivist friends said anything about it. 1333280081 +Just to play devil's advocate:\n\nIsn't it also true that chemotherapy is bad for the human body? But we still use it as a treatment against cancer. The poison is in the dose. The silver you use against bacterial infection may be a big dose to the bacteria, but it may be one that your body can handle.\n\nWasn't able to read the whole article, so I may be missing some information on this. Just commenting that many treatments against disease aren't necessarily harm-free. 1344430820 +I read where that the guy who "discovered" it has actually made similar dubious claims before. 1300079563 +[16 side effects of measles](http://www.articlealley.com/article_50731_17.html) 1304879940 +The comments are ridiculous. The ones that bug me the most are when commenters plead for the guy to locate the family of the man he believes is in one of the bottles. Thankfully he could not locate family.\n\nCould you imagine being contacted by some stranger who tells you that they have your loved ones spirit in a bottle? It would rip open old wounds and be incredibly disrespectful to the family.\n\nWhenever called on his bullshit he reverts to the defense that it is no more ridiculous than believing in Jesus. He states he is not religious and seems to have a derogatory view of Christianity. It is sad that he can not see his own belief system for what it is. \n\nI wonder how much it cost to have those spirits put into the bottles for him. 1267675752 +Well 'not so bad' doesn't really account for it being the second most popular show on Siffy(wrasling is #1). And now they're [canceling Eureka](http://www.toplessrobot.com/2011/08/syfy_cancels_another_sci-fi_series_1.php) and ordering [a show about haunted high schools](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/syfy-orders-haunted-high-school-249864). 1321312356 +Lol hahaha yeah, that's I think ribald frustration with such cases. 1328329096 +Idk about that. I've lived in that part of town for years. I moved out a bit ago but still hang out in that area in town. Never did I hear, or seen anything paranormal in town. So last night we were surprised and and confused.. I spent all night thinking about it.. worth giving a shot. But doubt I would waste my time like that 1344786827 +Valid points, yet Kevin Ryan is also critiquing elements of the investigational methods themselves in a valid way, and it was this aspect of his presentation that interested me not the engineering components. Even if you disregard the engineering elements of the video, there is enough factual information there about how the previous investigations were conducted for his presentation to be valuable in getting this point across. The real science has yet to be presented by both sides or challenged by both sides in the context you suggest, and my point is that I am encouraging this to happen, and that it cannot happen without there first being a proper investigation where the necessary data is made available to both sides. [Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW6mJOqRDI4) is another video where real engineers are asking for that professionally sanctioned format of presentation based on a new and more valid investigation.\n\nedit: I am not endorsing all elements of either video. For lack of better material to try to make my point, I am giving you examples of critiques of the previous investigations and proof that the engineering community is far from having had the opportunity to properly present and challenge their sides. The present video shows that there are credible members (not all presented, but some) of the engineering community who agree with this, not just a chemist. 1316263719 +By *we* do you mean humans or are you referring to the Earth. I ask because humans haven't existed for billions of years. 1318821945 +You missed my point. You can achieve the same goal (keeping anti-vax people away from susceptible family members) without alienating a friend. You're propagating a false dichotomy where either you be an asshole and protect your child or you be nice and endanger your child. To the contrary, you can explain it civilly as a friend and still protect your child from the non-vaccinated family.\n\nBeing an asshole about it not only pushes them away as a friend, but it also is a poor representation of us skeptics. It will just confirm in their minds that they made the right choice if everyone they disagree with is an asshole about it.\n\nI'll put it this way: we all probably know people who are dangerous, distracted drivers. Being a bad driver is endangering other people (and their children). Does that mean you deride and stop being friends with anyone you know who checks their phone while driving? No, instead, you can just explain to them that you choose to not let your child ride with that person because of the dangerous choices they make. \n\n**TL;DR - Keep your friend by being civil and still protect your child from people making dangerous decisions** 1344467325 +Because they thought they looked cool? Gift to the gods? 1304983323 +is one full and the other used? or are they both EXACTLY the same with the indents and scratches on the actual deodorant 1354475854 +What if we're aliens that just forgot we were aliens =0\nEdit: no dickishness meant 1336120485 +Wait a minute. can't op state somewhere that it's just a novelty app and does not actually clean chakras? I am not an attorney nor do I play one on tv. 1342631633 +This is the practice of wrapping everything into your conspiracy. 1348522279 +I really don't think she'd be the person to give lots of money, but I just really wanted to figure out more about these people.\n\nI'm really tempted to request his IRS earnings both out of curiosity for the process (obtaining others tax records.) I was just pretty surprised that I wasn't able to find much information given how popular he is, and how many enemies he has as well. 1336587218 +WTF is that at 05:00 ? 1287326881 +I understand what you are saying. The difference between being skeptical and being willing to consider anything that one comes into contact with lies in what skepticism is and how certain things can be weeded out ahead of time, usually by way of Bayesian statistics. There are different schools of thought in this area but, for myself, I do not tend to spend much time considering that which depends on faulty logic, conspiracy, false appeals to science or to be considered scientific, and outright improbability. \n\nSo, while it may seem as though I am being close-minded, it is quite the opposite. I have spent time considering what many truthers and 9/11 conspiracies claim and have concluded that it is highly improbable that little, if anything claimed bears any truth from a psychological, physical, logical, political, or tactical standpoint. That is why I say it is not worth the time and energy to debate. However, you may find others in this subreddit who disagree with me. \n\nEdit: wording 1333994074 +Cool recollection. I never see anything like that where I'm from. I know Austin is a large city, but is there a lot of light pollution? Just curious. 1297806331 +That's fucking awesome. 1280032578 +This is good skepticism and I hope it will be upvoted to the top. 1340200606 +?\n\nThe only arguing I did was to explain why it's moot... 1354300144 +The hi-res version is available as a PDF, which can be easily converted to other formats without any loss of quality. But it's also a great format for printing, which is probably why they chose PDF in the first place. 1335373432 +Round/saucer shaped UFOs make sense if you believe they fly in our atmosphere due to the coanda effect--Actually, the saucer shape is the ideal shape for it, there are even mowers that uses a weak form of this effect to hover\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coand%C4%83_effect\n\nhttp://www.google.com/search?q=coanda+mower&sugexp=chrome,mod=14&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=hover+lawn+mower&hl=en&prmd=imvns&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=oIJYUJzbMvGN0QGLmYCACg&ved=0CDgQsxg&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=4a2e3ab76ff57b8a&biw=1163&bih=624\n\nJust remember, what it takes to fly is more or equal force downwards as the (object mass*acceleration of gravity), which is what a wing does, a wing creates downward vortexes that travel down the edge of the wing and off the tip pushing air "downwards" in a continuous stream to keep the plane in the air. The coanda effect could do the same thing while hovering in one spot much like a helicopter does only way more effectively. 1347979376 +I get so tired of that crap. The sources are cited right there at the bottom of the article. If you've got a problem with them, you can find "alternate" sources. 1317932264 +It is, however, more than a tad ironic that James Randi himself seems to have become a victim (or an accomplice) to a deception in his personal life. Randi's long-time companion, Jose Luis Alvarez, was arrested in early Sept. 2011 for identity thief (Franceschina and Burstein, 2011). This news story carries the additional irony that a master of fraud detection has himself been deceived (my personal condolences and my recognition that any person can be deceived). However, in this case, the man posing as Jose Luis Alvarez had, with Randi's help and advocacy, once pretended to be a "medium" in Australia as a media stunt and test of the "new age" community there. Randi and "Alvarez" got significant media coverage for this hoax.\n\nThe old adage that people teach what they themselves need to learn seems to have special meaning here.\n\nTracey Brown: Science Educator or Big Pharma PR Agent?\n\nMost people probably have not heard of Tracey Brown, the director of Sense About Science (also known as SAS), a British organization that has campaigned against homeopathic medicine and in favor of GMOs in foods.\n\nPrior to Ms. Brown's involvement at Sense About Science, she was a senior analyst in the "Risk Analysis Unit" of the leading British public relations company, Regester Larkin, a company known to represent Big Pharma, Big Oil and Big Multinationals. However, Ms. Brown does not list her former employment at Regester Larkin at the SAS website. To her credit, however, she does not hide the fact that more than one-third of the money that SAS raised between 2004 and 2009 was derived from the pharmaceutical industry.\n\nMs. Brown's bio at the SAS website also does not mention her former connection to "Living Marxism," which began in 1988 as the journal of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP), and later became the glossy LM Magazine. The demise of LM was linked to its denial of one of the atrocities for which Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic is currently awaiting trial at the International Criminal Court. In the mid-1990s the respected British TV news organization ITN scored a major scoop when it filmed a secret concentration camp operated by Mladic's forces. LM claimed that this footage was fabricated. Concerned about its reputation with the numerous news organizations to which it had sold the footage, ITN took LM to court, and won. The fine and costs imposed on LM led to its bankruptcy. A year or so later, this far left group reemerged as a libertarian organization with a strong anti-regulation and anti-environmental bent, and an aggressively pro-GM (genetic modification) stance (Goldsmith, 2010).\n\n 1317747366 +It always makes me wonder how these people think life has survived on Earth for billions of years with no means of regulating its own body chemistry. 1322660137 +If digitally zoom in to any small dot in any digital footage, it will look like it has a defined shape... when actually its just the colour interpolation of the digital capture algorithm used by the device / software.\n\nLOL at "cloaked UFO" 1262550561 +No fat chicks. 1346546173 +That was a very calm, reasonable response and you should be commended for it. Now I feel bad for being a bit aggressive, so sorry about that. :)\n\n 1332322928 +His name is Bob. Does that solve the mystery for you? :) 1345867074 +This is disgusting. \n\nEDIT: This is criminal 1296692971 +Sounds like your colleague is conducting an experiment to see how many cappuccinos you will buy her. 1319126469 +i get a new liver every 5 months???? to the liquor cabinet, STAT! 1342121920 +For the last time, that is a frame capture I did from YOUR SITE of a video YOU POSTED. 1315519093 +The Hartman is a memetic creature, the more you know theoretically the worse off you are. 1350391603 +From here: http://www.metaphor.it/sites/default/file/newsletter/6uwehr50ty.html\n\nApparently, the notes about the meeting held on March 31st, 2009 where CHANGED after the quake and all the "scientists" were made to sign the changed version. Why? What did they try to cover up?\n\nAgain, the risk maps have absolutely nothing to do with all this. I would be extremely surprised if, once reading the documents, the judge was really saying "they are guilty because they failed to predict the quake". And if that's the case, I'm willing to bet with you that they'll very easily win the appeal. 1351160410 +I agree, it is to an extent. I think it would have been more touching if he had done it in a less creepy way. 1348775475 +For example, see /r/conspiracy 1354878716 +What is "positive energy though?", what form does the energy take as it ignites the paper? Not heat? \n\nSorry if you've already discussed it here, I haven't read much of the conversation. 1350174162 +Except Delwiche's study found no real difference on aroma perception and Hummel's study found that taste was unaffected except for a minor change in sourness.\n\nI'm not arguing against an effect, just pointing out these studies didn't say what you seem to think. 1301469174 +I used to work at a health food store too :P. Actually, it was through working at a health food store that I came to realize how much pseudo-science there is in the natural health industry. I usually kept my mouth shut though. I would politely give my opinion if someone asked or if a co-worker brought up the subject. I'd never sign any of the anti-"Big Pharma" petitions my boss would bring to work. 1327429542 +I hear ya... Reminds me of the Resistance 3 viral thing with the grim being caught on a motion sensor camera on some deer farm or some shit. Some news stations even fell for that and reported the story. 1321344772 +I caught it as a kid in the 90s. Worst sickness ever. 1342776382 +What. Is. Happening. 1302372886 +That makes two of us. Peer reviewed and published. 1353225266 +holy shit, i remember seeing that back in the day. 1343937377 +...............................and? 1355021690 +That ending was adorable. "This country is in big trouble and it's all because of people like you". "Sorry." 1319766182 +Yup. Exactly. It's a massive fleet. If there were 9 lanterns, it wouldn't be a massive fleet of lanterns. But, since there are so many lanterns, it's a massive fleet of lanterns. The OP video is far from a massive fleet of light-emitting-objects(regardless of what they are). 1314757024 +I think it does. Anecdotal, but I've been mugged twice, and whilst it pissed me off, and knocked my confidence for a couple of months, it didn't leave long term damage. Sexual aspects *do* make stuff a whole lot worse. 1340534525 +Ha, I haven't watched it in a few years. The marketers probably thought they would sell more DVDs if they added 'science'. Which was probably true. 1334950354 +Actually, if you read the rules in /r/nosleep , you would notice that it's not fiction. 1345520040 +I thought this was in the news like a year ago? 1327597240 +looks legit 1330018382 +Glad you asked. I'm wondering what the paranormal link here is... 1330344032 +Well if it has any effect it is still an effect...I guess I should stay on topic 1313439591 +Wow... that's.... holy shit. 1321399641 +I'm not sure how to explain it, tbh. English is not my first language, so I struggle a bit with abstract concepts, but I'll give it a shot. As I've said, I consider it more of an unexplained dynamic than anything to do with energies. But then again, since everything is energy, in a way it does. I don't doubt that what I'm rambling on about can be explained by science, it's just that I myself haven't come across the scientific material to explain it all. If you're better informed, I'd be glad to hear your input.\n\n The reason I use the words "spirit" and the like are mostly because I don't know what other words to use to describe the concept. To summarize it briefly, it's about the effect that focus, intention and... *willpower* I guess would be a better word, has on physical movement. This is entirely based on my own experience, but in 9 years of practicing traditional martial arts, I've come to believe that there is a good deal more to movement than pure form. Beyond the kinetic chain in the muscles. I've seen and experienced numerous techniques where intention and focus would *seem* to have a palpable effect. *Mind over matter* as it were, to use an old cliché.\n\n I'm convinced that it's essentially biomechanical; I just don't understand how it works as of yet. 1269624323 +Well, we could start with the part where he quote mined http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060823093156.htm and specifically left out the part where they noted that the behavior he was demonizing is beneficial.\n\nAdditionally, I checked through his NIH links, mostly located in the hilariously FUD-worthy section labeled 'toxic anti-nutrients' - and doesn't really provide much more of the overall context of the articles, just grabs some of the worst case info from them and adds it. The most interesting one there is the http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16129731 study, which I'll admit offers some interesting information, but I'd like to see more verification.\n\nHis gluten paragraph is amazing, considering how much he goes into the effects of an allergen on those allergic to it. I wonder about the effects of beef allergy, and if he'd devote a huge article to it's damaging effects as well. The only part of gluten he even talked about was that anti-gliadin IgA shows up in the stool of non-celiac sufferers, but fails to then go on to show any actual damaging effects of gluten to back it up.\n\nAs you mentioned in another comment here, I don't disagree that any diet that consists of 'eat less, move more' as a basic philosophy is going to lead to weight loss, but the problem is in the villification of various entities that forms the basis of paleo dieting. 1345841608 +Sure thing. Just after she disprove Penn and Teller do real magic. 1320206245 +I'll give him this much: he didn't claim to cure diseases with it, and his disclaimer at the bottom was very clear on that. \nOtherwise, sounds like the "Power of Positive Thinking" upgraded for the 21st century. Crap, but relatively benign crap :-). 1350468930 +I used the default mosaic filter in photoshop. I additionally created a second layer with a fill of 0% and a black stroke to highlight the post of interest. Despite my filter use, that's the only thing that was altered with this screen cap. I'm flattered that my censorship rivals that of generators though, thanks.\n\nIf you'd like authentication please contact an admin and I can give them a direct link to verify. 1338845420 +Doubt it. Most elevator shafts have gaps on the sides. Air pressure would've only built up as she neared the bottom, but I doubt (based on things like mythbusters) that it would've been enough to slow the elevator's descent by much.\n\nIt was probably one helluva ride. 1332537967 +Give me back my shoe, dammit! 1346461238 +These aren't hoaxes. Even if they are human-made, they are a display of incredible technology, sophistication, and planning beyond my comprehension. 1312228587 +The background music drowns the voices and it is very irritating. 1342547677 +Crystals do lots of thing for you. Watches and monitors, no need to look for magic in already awesome things. 1283523882 +tell them we have germs and to surrender before a flesh eatting bacteria destroyes them ;) 1344548216 +Damn, I thought it was going to have real tips, like taking a short break from studing every thirty mintues or so. Oh well. 1311824840 +Come on guys, posting stuff about Fox's standards of evidence is like making fun of the kid who eats his boogers. 1291617168 +I want to know the next doomsday prediction. 1336858206 +> Tell me, if you would, who this enemy is that the US is oh so obligingly protecting him from?\n\nThe many fellow Muslims who have suffered at the hands of his organisation. Why would the US want to avoid these people taking some posthumous revenge? Because it would unnecessarily incite retaliation against these people.\n\n> You're really full of shit. One moment he's a terrible guy, next moment you're praising faux respect for him.\n\nNo, I'm responding to *your* claim that the US was being spiteful in it's treatment of his body. I simply pointed out that your accusations of spite were unfounded.\n> And let me just nip this one in the bud too: he had more balls than any redditor, and influenced people on a scale that gives redditors wet dreams.\n\nHe's been hiding for years. He could have become a martyr, as he had encouraged so many others to do, by dying in battle or even by simply continuing as the public face of his organisation. Instead he hid away while others took over the duty he claimed was so holy and just. 1304390314 +So, at first I thought this was sorted based on healthy vs unhealthy foods, but then I see prunes and nuts on the "acidic" side, so now I'm really confused. 1339658496 +> Myth: Margarine is 1 molecule away from plastic\n\nWhat the hell is this even supposed to mean? Even if it was a statement that made sense, water is only one *atom* away from hydrogen peroxide. I'd encourage anyone who readily believes this myth to drink a gallon of each to compare how differently they affect the body. 1278575478 +My bad, a quick glance made it appear like you were replying to me. 1296163546 +I'm not trying to insult you but is a physicist as qualified as an engineer when it comes to this argument? \n\nI'm only referring to building 7 when it comes to the collapse. It just seems strange that the building would fall almost symmetrically. How likely is that? (not a rhetorical question) 1349576561 +You people?\n\nWhat does the middle east have to do with this article? 1331506585 +Agreed, that's why I asked for more qualitative evidence (first hand accounts from reputable witnesses with much to loose) vs. quantitative. Occam's Razor is going to take the simple explanation for those every time. 1346713649 +could the HPV vaccine creator sue for slander? 1316008093 +Coloradan here\n\nThe road from springs to salida is fucking scary. People up there drive like maniacs as well, the highway follows the arkansas river through a steep canyon for a majority of the trip between canyon city and salida, its right next to the [royal gorge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Gorge). I know forsure i keep my eyes on the road at all times if i go through there, because it's easy to get distracted by the beauty and it's definetley easy to run off the road into the river. 1317761022 +Also: \n\nI swear this kid used to make game design videos. \n\nEither that or this guy ripped off that kid's style completely. 1319792806 +The second response takes issue with the editorial's title. Could you post the title? 1318869020 +He has finally had to slightly change his tune in recent years. He now says he is a 'mystifier' and does not claim nor deny that he has "powers".\n\n(From http://www.heise.de/tp/artikel/27/27217/1.html)\n\n"I said to this German magazine, so what I did say, that I changed my character, to the best of my recollection, and I no longer say that I do supernatural things. I doesn´t mean that I don´t have powers. It means that I don´t say "it’s supernatural", I say "I´m a mystifier!" That´s what I said. And the skeptics turned it around and said, "Uri Geller said he’s a magician!" I never said that. And I will never say that. Even Criss Angel asked me in an interview on his show. "Are you a magician?" I said "No, what do you want? I’m a mystifier." "But can you bend a spoon if I put a spoon on the table?" "Yes, I can bend a spoon with a trick, but that doesn´t mean that I don´t have powers. People want to hear and write what they want to hear, not what I say. " 1343227851 +Yep. I was a hardcore skeptic on both fronts up until a few years ago. Then, I saw my first (and only) 'ghost'. I'm still waiting to see god... 1356558752 +also, notice how everything happened in frame? As for orbs they can always be debunked as bugs and dust. 1324938679 +Watch this thread fill up with comments like;\n\n"I agree but one time I saw...(fill in blank) and it must have been intelligently controlled because...(fill in blank)"\n\nUFO believers are just as devote as any religious zealots. 1256053194 +I was raised as a vegan, so I am quite familiar with vegan and vegetarian food. That said, raw-foodists are weird even by vegan standards. 1352144429 +This seems highly relevant. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vYRyqMw9yE&sns=em 1352619786 +Apparently so. Quite a nice thought, really. :) 1347117581 +oh awesome, can't wait to watch these. should probably get some blood pressure meds first.... does anyone know if they cause autism or anything? 1350485740 +I'm curious about point 1. Any growing plant is a carbon sink, so why do you say that organic farmland is different than any other in terms of carbon production/sequestration? 1333164886 +What the hell are you talking about? 1314729272 +What the hell are you talking about? 1332899321 +Hmm I'll have to look into this, my recollection was that contemplating death tends to reinforce existing beliefs; theists tend to increase their belief in god, whereas atheists tend to increase their disbelief. I'll see if I can do some digging. 1350965948 +They sell these at my school. They wouldn't be too bad if they cost 80% less, but there's no use in paying $25 (or however much they cost) for a cool-looking bracelet that was cranked out of a sweatshop for 80 cents. 1298506055 +He is saying that mentally challenged people have teleporting abilities... and you're just going to take his word for that? 1326673311 +*Whoa.* 1283957772 +>The page goes on about Stevia being banned, but Rebaudioside A, an extract of Stevia (of which the Truvia being railed against is an example) is available as a food sweetener. The unprocessed leaves are available as a dietary supplement, but with the dearth of regulation in the supplement industry, that isn't saying much. It seems reasonable to me that the refined active ingredient would be approved more quickly than the unrefined natural product, with its impurities and non-standardized ingredients. My feeling is that that's a more likely explanation than conspiracy.\n\nYes, what appears at first glance to be a conspiracy is really just the natural result of a system built around patentable additives. The FDA really is geared towards approving synthesized singular additives, and the food industry isn't interested in making an extract of stevia, because there's no money in developing an additive that can't be patented. 1277047958 +Loud noises have been known to exacerbate symptoms Empaths experience. (Imagine the worst headache of your life, multiply it by 5...then listen to fireworks.) 1246661752 +[eww](http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/175/889/oh%20god.png) 1326583550 +I was mostly making a reference to how popular the iPhone is despite the fact that most other phones on the market are superior.\n\nessentially, "no common sense" as to why people are sticking with Jesus Phones. 1291083941 +Wow, for a second I thought the world had lost another band to woo... 1312041747 +THIS is a charity we should be raising money for on /r/atheism... 1323702639 +Haha good point. Sometimes they have gems of feel-good stories, and my other subscriptions are generally a bit heavier so it's good to have something a bit fluffy to read occasionally. I'm not really into lolcats, so it seemed like a reasonable compromise. 1341887162 +yup, I was napping and felt myself sit up, when I looked down I was still sleeping and I panicked. I layed back down where I saw myself and continued dreaming. could have been only dreaming, but it was vivid as day. so freaky! 1353883477 +Sounds like you just came across one stupid person, or possibly it was a war of pedantics and you guys just misunderstood each other.\n\nWay to denounce an entire subreddit because of it. 1317138696 +I agree with the bit about attitude, however, these aren't dead horses. New subscribers are always riding these horses in and it applies moreso to the real world, where this kind of shit is always happening. The general knowledge of society at large is not on par with you. There are plenty of people being born every day, including yesterday, and they will need to be caught up. 1335453442 +Maybe so, depending on the problem, but they are still figuring out which specialist and seeing to it that more than the symptom is addressed. 1335362578 +Did they use one of [these](http://www.technovelgy.com/graphics/content07/backpack-laser-ghost-trap.jpg)? 1319288964 +I said "WTF?!" out loud to almost all the things on their list. 1326744909 +Everyone except conspiracists agree that the Jerusalem video is a hoax. Even [MUFON](http://ufobriefcase.net/2011/03/29/mufon-dismisses-jerusalem-ufo-as-a-hoax/) agrees. There are so many signs of video manipulation, it's simply pathetic to claim it's real.\n\nAnd as for the spirals, it's [not exactly rocket science](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx8i5EfmYU4) either.\n\nEdit: Downvotes? Looks like I hit a nerve.. 1302294328 +Everything is linked together imho.\n\nIt's like saying " a video explaining math" ?? in /r/carpentry .. dafuq\n\n:) \n\nJust try and stay objective and open-minded.\nSince I don't know what to believe, i just take it all in for now :) 1337767164 +I find it funny how so many people who preach "tolerance" and "understanding" can so easily dismiss people as "ignorant", just for having a differing opinion. Hypocrisy at its finest. Now, let the down votes begin! 1314403487 +It might have been that one that you put up your nose and permanently kills your ability to smell. Yeah they pulled that one. 1306956810 +Alright. Fair enough. 1305317693 +He lost me by summerising the patent and inserting information into said summary that was not in the actual patent. 1291609922 +I've always been on the fence about orbs myself. Some seem genuine when seen without flash in a night vision filmed setting but like the other poster says, these are likely dust/bugs. Try taking some pics without the flash and see what you get? 1349919469 +I know this was discussed in detail on one of the science podcasts I listen to (SGU? Radiolab?) I vaguely recall that the overall story is true, but that there was some crucial detail that was being left out of almost every news story that covered it. Something about the second boyfriend maybe? I also remember a similar new story about a transgender woman that had an immaculate conception so maybe I'm mixing that in?\n\nDoes anyone else know what popular skeptic/science source covered this? 1350836175 +Excellent points. 1313565338 +Any chance you'll tell us more? 1331695957 +Saw this on the Internet today. Creeped me out. Idk what kind of animal has his eye size but it's definitely not one we've discovered. 1350107198 +I have suspicions but no, I don't believe any one thing in particular. I prefer knowing to believing. ;) 1327467421 +Forgive my ignorance, but working in a lab, at a coal mine... are you certain you aren't being exposed to any potentially toxic gasses? Carbon monoxide detectors are working and such? 1337304998 +just at work, so I can't really look into your links (I will after, though.)\n\nBut, c'mon, you know that's a logical fallacy - by pulling the "that's just a youtube video" when there's a lot of great, factual stuff on youtube. (specifically, it's not just some youtube video, it's a collection of professionals in the industry who cite straightforward scientific principles to back their claim. As for the free-fall thing, more info can be found at http://ae911truth.org/en/evidence.html under the powerpoint presentation - I don't know if the link is still there, it's been awhile - but when I have more time I will look for it.) 1350320171 +The problem is that even many scientists struggle to read the scientific papers of another scientist. That slows scientific progress if new discoveries and ideas are made harder to parse than need be. 1334271958 +Yea that's exactly what I am....a fucking nutcase. 1349215363 +what would you expect drawing conclusions like that on the Internet? Its like saying theres a large film industry in America so the moon landing was fake. Unsubstantiated claims irritate me. With the evidence presented I doubt anyone of us could make an educated hypothesis. I come to this subreddit to explore the UFO phenomenon and read some intelligent feedback and grow tired of skeptics like you without anything to add besides 'it's CGI". So sorry if I'm not 'civil' enough for you, i apologize if i hurt your feelings. And one more thing, don't assume I'm young, makes you look like a dick. 1331962687 +Here is my attempt to clean it up.\nhttp://soundcloud.com/jesushrchrist/reddit-happy-birthday-evp/s-dezFn 1339972963 +Go ahead and delete your xfiles audio right now. 1355287723 +> Interesting question: what do you all think it would take for this group to finally admit to no link?\n\nMagic, or a major marginalization of the anti-vaxxer movement. Pseudo-scientific beliefs are unsinkable rubber ducks, which can often be disproved, but then they'll just pop up with a new tactic and it will probably end up being some new disease or condition once the autism "connection" has been absolutely debunked. 1265313676 +Thank you. Exemplary models are only as useful as they are taken within an argument. The only perfect comparison to a tooth is another tooth. 1351447282 +Certainly something to be aware of if one was considering this.\n\nStill though, a death does not show that the theory is wrong... Of course in this case the onus is on those claiming that the theory is correct, to show that it is. 1310179170 +Looks like the Jacobs photo is possibly a black bear with mange. [see link](http://bigfootskeptic.blogspot.com/2008/06/jacobs-bear-photos-continued.html) 1330144992 +Or a guy who just got off his motorcycle. Can't see the motorcycle, because the girls head is in the way. AND, the guy in the background is obviously facing the other direction. But then again, people want to believe so much that they neglect the obvious. I'd love to see "aliens" proven as fact for my own personal reasons, but it doesn't mean I'm going to freak out every time my neighbor shows up at my door dressed up in his astronaut gear!.... God I wish he'd stop doing that.... 1306716668 +Our ignorance is growing remarkably fine grained. While the number of things we don't know grows bigger, the importance and usefulness of our new discoveries grows smaller, especially in the fields that form the real "foundation". So you can say "look at all this stuff we don't know" in a lot of cases, a lot of it seems to be little more then fine tuning of the big things we already learned more then anything.\n\nI could be wrong of course, that is the nature of the "unknown". But, if we have physics and mathematics pretty well mapped out, it puts some pretty clear limiting factors on what can be done in other fields that study higher order phenomenon. 1348703800 +Yes, but in the process of scientific inquiry, personal experience is practically useless. Yet, as individuals it is the the most convincing form of evidence. 1335062746 +This is false. Only one booster is needed. After that, immunization is permanent. 1327892152 +You are Phillip K dick\n\nhttp://www.cracked.com/article_19106_5-ways-philip-k-dicks-insanity-changed-world-movies.html 1326515584 +Paragraphs.. do you USE them? I guess not. 1330634494 +As far as character goes I think that it does matter if a man/woman has an affair while in a government office. Just my opinion. 1355640986 +Alright, I'll remember just to lurk here. For fucks sake, you are nit picky for someone reading a forum about bloody ghosts. 1352771878 +Why must you hurt me with such facts? 1292210093 +Good, so demonstrate where tax money is going directly to private schools.\n\nThe whole point of a voucher system is that it's indirect. You get a choice where to spend your education money. No different than college, really.\n\nJust because you and I don't agree with what is being taught at a handfull of schools doesn't change that fact. \n\nThe voucher system is more democratic than funneling all kids through the failing public school system. I find it just as offensive that my tax money supports that institution as well.\n\nI'd prefer a nation of independent schools that competed for voucher-money over the broken top-down, facts-only, system we have today.\n\nChristian fundamentalism is receding anyway. I know that may be hard to believe but the fact that those wheels are so squeaky lately means that the mainstream is winning the long fight. \n\nThey had a great last gasp with taking over the GOP but you only have to look at this year's primary to see how shoddy shape they've gotten themselves into. Even if Romney wins, it will be more because the economy still sucks than anything else.\n\nYou can't fight the internet, tv, radio, etc forever. Sooner or later Carrie gets out of the attic and kills her mother. 1340637988 +What, you mean Bruce didn't say "Yippee ki yay mister falcon" in Die Hard? 1330019616 +The storm itself could also have contributed to the 'perfect storm' situation for this to occur. The charged nature of the surrounding air/space may have worked in your favor to amplify the resonance/tuning between your two minds. Just an idea. 1347121890 +I didn't dismiss HRSA. I am saying that if you don't even know of these things, you're unqualified to offer an opinion in a forum of sceptics. 1314418905 +Most of the time I think these are utter crap. The cupboard opens so you can't see in it and something flies out. This was totally different. You can rewind the video and watch individual objects the whole time from being stationary to when they are moved. I am not saying this is an actual poltergeist, but if it was faked then it was done very well. 1331990922 +i am human, the top and best of everything...there are no colors i can't see. sounds i can't hear...i am the pinnacle of creation. 1298267572 +Very true. They're just as capable of lying as humans. If they tell you they can't lie, they're lying XD 1339525727 +It would take energy to breed the flies, so its probably not quite as efficient as they claim. 1301618286 +Unnecessary. 1326312611 +I can't be the only one here who read "rofling" in the title. 1343162752 +One the size of a sound stage? 1279693989 +Sounds like your sister is experiencing a [manic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mania#Signs_and_symptoms) or [hypomanic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypomania#Symptomatic_recognition) episode 1297032408 +It works. You lose the weight of the blood that leaks out. 1310256762 +Well, there is the theory that *nothing* exists in any kind of physical, 3-dimensional form, and that what we experience as "the universe" or "the real world", might only be a holographic projection of information on a 2-dimensional skin.\n\nAnd this isn't some "what if the Matrix was real" stoner idea, but [a^1](http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/10/holometer-universe-resolution/) [real^2](http://www.technewsworld.com/story/72804.html) [theory^3](http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2011/07/are-we-living-in-a-holographic-universe-this-may-be-the-greatest-revolution-of-the-21st-century.html). Put simply: "the description of a volume of space can be thought of as encoded on a boundary to the region—preferably a light-like boundary like a gravitational horizon" from [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holographic_principle).\n\nLast I heard it was looking doubtful, if not completely disproven, but there you go: the real world could be a hallucination. 1324996825 +Nope. I didn't create 'em, I just think there might be a little somethin' to 'em since they tend to go off whenever the computer program does.\n\nI think they measure fluctuations in environmental energy picked up by the various sensors in the phone. GPS, WiFi, 3G, etc. I don't know off the top of my head. 1318005244 +If that were true it would be possible to develop and apply scientific theory (formulate a hypothesis and confirm or disprove it through controlled experiments). This simply does not exist for the supernatural. \n\nCertainly there are things that science cannot explain; that is nothing new. However, with every new discovery we reduce the "God of the Gaps" a little bit more. Someday, there will simply be no room for the supernatural to fit. 1325918847 +Your cells do get replaced at different rates for different parts of your body.\n\nThe rest is bull though, at least on that level. You should choose what you eat carefully; but for different reasons. 1342120002 +Um yeah you dont really seem to understand the concept properly. Also there is no racism against white people. White people are treated well and there is no prejudice against them. Its a pretty simple thing to understand. 1351217956 +>Implying that "asking someone out" is a form of sexual harassment is utter bullshit and that nonsense should be dismissed.\n\nIt doesn't seem like she was implying it was harassment, just that the guy should have known she wouldn't have accepted his proposition. 1351113905 +Birds gone wild. More blog spam garbage.... 1263496088 +You are right, of course, but it's only slightly less bad for you than table sugar. It's best to just use moderation when consuming either HFCS and sucrose. Table sugar should not be considered a healthy alternative to HFCS.\n\nEdit: I'd also like to add that HFCS is sweeter than sucrose so manufacturers actually use less of it than they would use sucrose so it's hard to truly say which you are consuming less of in practice. 1354298518 +"In Western philosophy, skepticism is usually considered in, if not simply identified with, its Cartesian form: an attack on the very idea of empirical knowledge."\n\nSounds like the opposite of skepticism to me. 1300877024 +I'm sure someday people will care about your boring semantics game... 1306319117 +PROTIP:\n\nUnion scale, decent show on decent network doing my job: $725/10 plus pension (plus $600/10 for my boom guy, plus $600/10 for my utility)\n\nGoing rate, Storage Wars and its ilk: $425/12, no pension (one man band)\n\nYou may be pissed off at the proliferation of reality television, but you'd be hard-pressed to make the argument that it is responsible for the material destruction of your livelihood.\n\nI, on the other hand, wouldn't be. 1344193157 +I agree. I like the cases, but the team drives me up the wall. They put so much emphasis on the lead guy being a former FBI agent. So what? Does that mean he's a expert on the paranormal? And the experiments are just absurd. Half the time I'm just shaking my head wondering what they are doing. 1335819806 +When I was on oxycodone and morphine at the hospital I could do the same thing. I had just had back surgery and so it hurt to move an people had to be very gentle around me. Anyway my family was visiting me one day and my grandma was standing at the end of my bed holding my baby nephew. I was propped up with pillows but very sleepy so I shut my eyes momentarily but it was as if I didn't shut them at all. With them closed I saw my grandma putting my nephew at the foot of my bed which of course she wouldn't have done. But it felt so damn real until I opened my eyes and she was still standing there as before. My medication also gave me lucid dreams within lucid dreams. I had consistent false awakenings through each night of sleep it was the most bizarre experience in my life but I suppose it wouldn't be considered a glitch since it was brought on by medication. 1342039396 +Devil advocate for the poor, uninformed American midwest truther. China and Russia each have their version of a HAARP. Why do they blame Obama first? This is clearly about the iPad legal dispute or Syria. 1331051054 +Not to mention the 'celebrities' who are trying to cultivate a nice-guy image by supporting her campaign to give money to fraudsers. 1339276768 +looks like you stumped /r/ufos \n\nMy only thought was that it was probably not an SR-71 Blackbird as you would have heard a sonic boom if it was indeed traveling faster than sound as you describe. 1337215931 +> we nd that endorsement of a laissez-faire\nconception of free-market economics predicts rejection of climate science (r ' :80 between\nlatent constructs).\n\nLol. Colour me unsurprised. This is why Penn and Teller, despite being decent skeptics most of the time, are vehement AGW deniers. Libertarians can't bring themselves to believe in problems that require collective action to deal with. 1355656629 +The Chi Power sets things aflame. 1337182677 +I think you may have misunderstood, since I completely agree. 1323836751 +This is the argument I hear from a Reiki practitioner I know: Even if Reiki works strictly via Placebo effect, that doesn't make it valueless. She claims that it is perfectly moral to study and sell a placebo as "treatment". Obviously Pfizer agrees with her. 1254374449 +make sense to me....i want to say its sort of a really strong feeling in your chest?...yes? I dunno, thats how I think I would feel when its "full"...but overall I get what you mean. 1351734606 +yeah, seems like it wold be demonic (or at least form what i can tell its most likely not human) or something else. you would need to have faith to use a bible/cross/etc but assuming you do i suggest you carry one with you. otherwise you can try going to a church (most religions i would have a way of dealing with this i would guess) 1325276185 +I've been to the creation museum, it's sad. The worst part is that it's not even considered odd or weird to A LOT of people from Cincinnati. 1291315305 +Like saying men can be nice, but it's in spite of their maleness. Disconcerting. 1310815850 +crap, if the history channel was this interesting I'd actually watch it. It is way worse than this. 1314128079 +Watch the top left corner for the white dots 1311175865 +Thank you for the translation! That means i'm not just seeing those red lights blinking in and out at the end, right?!? :P 1296334587 +why'd you make a throwaway account, what's the point of this obvious fake if not for karma? boredom? 1334134951 +I think it might be because he doesn't do any of the stereotypical gay things. Most homosexuals on TV and in movies are portrayed in a certain way, even the ones who are super flamboyant are still a effeminate, so when you come across someone who you don't know is gay who doesn't give off any of the subtle hints you are use to, it throws you. 1349815810 +I disagree. Personal anecdotes to not indicate sound reasoning. I dont blame the woman for making a post hoc judgment on homeopathy, but it in no way make her reasoning valid. I realize that my experiences may not represent factual occurrences or provide me with enough evidence to make a rational judgment. That is why we have the scientific method. to test these claims. And my point was not to address the woman's claims it was to address your statements.\n\nSay for instance I have a sore on my leg, but after whacking my hand with a hammer the sore goes away. Does that mean the hammer treated the sore? No, and it is irrational for me to think so. just because something happens after something else does not mean that the first thing was the cause. Belief does not enter into it. Believing something to be true does not make it so. 1277670874 +You don't think I know that? I was 15 at the time and kind of dumb. 1353545823 +I believe it was posted here for us to criticize, not as an example of proper skepticism. 1356028855 +I am stared at constantly.\n\nI have cats.\n\nIt gets a little awkward in the bathroom. 1345315381 +Certainly, but if it were mainstream enough to the in Nature or the New York Times, it wouldn't be such an eye-catching thing, would it? 1327472944 +Sounds like Dr. Novella acquitted himself as well as possible on the show. But can we, fundamentally, fight irrationality with rationality? Or is telling the truth simply not enough? 1303871558 +That is besides the point. Geez. betterth has already explained what's wrong with your request. But still, [THIS](http://www.skepdic.com/natpathy.html). I could re-word that, but why bother. 1279955985 +I guess actually I was more active in the MCS one. I get confused. 1317070586 +That has been tested and has evidence, though. Try rubbing avocado paste on your unmentionables. 1317920098 +In many ways it's dressed-up hypnosis. 1328421277 +its certainly beneficial as as exercise routine, i always feel completely awesome after a 40 minute practice. the union between breathing practices and the various postures has actual, real world benefits for your mind and body; it isnt just a bunch of hocus pocus. 1347818527 +that's exactly my problem. Why is there a pre-set filter? I have no problem with posts being skimmed off the new tab, but frankly we don't get enough posts for this to really be a problem. "wading" through 3-4 posts per day is not that tough...\n\nWhy doesn't the moderator team spend more time finding cool sightings and promoting discussion? Why do they need to hold our hands for us, especially in a subject rife with half-truths and misleading information? Why do they know "better" than us? What earns them that qualification? 1328114017 +1. I said well more than 2000 calories a day. Most days were between 2500-3000.\n\n2. I have just recently stopped counting calories in the last few weeks. Only kept track because it's part of tracking macros. \n\n3. At least the first 3 studies cited in your link are old and based on a tiny number of subjects. \n\nWhile a calorie is a calorie outside of the human body, we do have different ways of metabolizing the various macro-nutrients we ingest.\n \nEven beyond that, your initial point was that people doing paleo or keto aren't losing weight because of eating healthier foods, only less calories, [because they are more easily satiated by the foods they eat](http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/7/1/85. What you are overlooking is that they are probably more easily satiated because those foods are more healthy (containing what the body is looking for). Therefore they are possibly losing weight from eating more nutrient dense/healthy foods that prevent them from over eating (more calories). So really, it's kind of both more healthy/less calories. 1349307193 +Did you [file a report?](http://www.nwlink.com/~ufocntr/) 1325206710 +to be honest, the premise is taking a small group of 5 and driving around meeting scientists in the case of creationism or in the 7/7 bombing the meet people who where actually there. \n\nsome parts are lighthearted and the is some debate going on and some people change do there mind i.e in the 7/7 episode.\n\ni wouldn't watch if you thinking there will be Richard dawkins level of questioning. and an episode i would recommend starting on is the 7/7 one watch that and take it from there also the creationism one may make you quite stressed which it did for me.....this was my face throughout >: ( 1350478766 +If you can't remember the illness, how do you know that acupuncture had a chance to heal him? Is there some medical research on this case? \n\nWe have to be very skeptical on "miracle" cures. If you want to know why, just watch late night TV infomercials. 1335183207 +I have heard from chefs that in terms of quality and flavour, more than about £20 ($30) on wine is effectively a waste. But that being said, there are wine experts who can identify wines fairly specifically, but that's not to say that they are all that much better. 1340265537 +My sisters room was always colder then the rest of the house. We figured it was just poor insulation or something. Turned out it was because there was a blockage in the pipes. 1356931935 +>He genuinely believes in the times of yore being full of wizards and dragons.\n\nYeah, I once went on a date with a guy who believed that kinda shit, then he went on to talk about how he has invisible fairies living in his garden and the proof that they are there and are blessing him is that his irises bloom 2 weeks before his neighbors' irises. Ummm, or maybe it's because the neighbors' irises are planted on the east side of the house and only get light up until mid-day while his own irises are planted on the south side where they get full sun.\n\nSo glad all the crazy fell out of his mouth on the first date. There was obviously no second date. 1345819182 +looking at the olympics, it appears that middle eastern and east asians dominate powerlifting. 1345170946 +Many buddhists do not believe in reincarnation. You are mistaken to believe this. Buddhism is more a philosophy than religion for many of its followers. The Buddha said he was only a man, nothing more, and was not to be worshipped. 1337090909 +Now you're just throwing out guesses. 1334817220 +Yes, thank you for your previous response. I checked out the wiki too. It's a pretty bizarre conspiracy theory, if you ask me. Well, more bizarre than your average conspiracy theory. 1327971454 +Yeah, he probably took 4 marijuanas and like, hallucinated and stuff right? 1356115741 +It didn't used to be this way, but newer chiros are moving towards PT based care because their whole "spinal adjustments can save the world" deal is laughed at in medicine. It also depends on where they did their schooling. Some places are quicker than others getting away from their past beliefs.\n\nChiros have a magnificent lobby in congress and get what they want, when they want it. That's why they are considered primary care givers (you can go to them without a referral), they can do x-rays, and they can even write a few prescriptions related to orthopaedics. 1291170680 +FYI, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-fructose_corn_syrup#Production 1298320675 +>What I mean by unbiased is that they are willing to look at alternatives and not in a fixed school of thought.\n\nThis [ten minute video of Richard Feynman explaining the scientific approach](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYPapE-3FRw) addresses this directly. Check it out, when you have time.\n\n>when I mentioned 'Almost all books .. written by religious background people' I was referring to the books you find at like a Barnes and Noble in the Religious Studies area.\n\nSeriously, check the History section at Barnes & Noble. Or just start with the [Wikipedia entry on Ancient Judea](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_ancient_Israel_and_Judah), and go from there, since it's heavily sourced. 1343930779 +Quick point, because hobofats pointed out flaws in a lot of your points already, but even though we don't have ice cores going back more than a few hundred thousand years (yes, hundreds of thousands, not merely thousands. I went to the National Ice Core storage facility in Golden Colorado, talked to the climatologists there as part of a geology class), but we can also get a reasonable estimate of paleoclimate using paleontology, going back hundreds of MILLIONS of years.\n\nI'm a geology major with a focus in Paleo, and this is actually a very common thing to do. It's possible to do using Leaves and paleoecology, it's possible to do using foraminifera and the ratios of O18 to O16 incorporated into their bodies, and it's possible to do with several other marine organisms as well. \n\nSo in reality, we have accurate temperature data going back hundreds of millions of years. \n\nAnd when you say that earth is 4.5 billion years old, keep in mind that the majority of that period is the Hadean and the Archean periods, where the earth was still forming, and was basically a volcanic wasteland. Climate data from those periods would have absolutely no relation with climate today. So really we are only looking at 2.5 billion years, and the hundreds of millions of years worth of climate data is a pretty decent percentage of that time. 1292266210 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNG1Aqrux-Y\n\nThis video shows missile launches and failures side by side with the norway spiral. 1293820568 +> From a PRA (probable risk assessment) perspective, the chance for core damage is something between 1E-6 and 1E-7/reactor year.\n\nWhich, incidentally, also makes any core damage accident an incredibly strong evidence that PRA is flawed and/or irrelevant to real world.\n\nPRA, essentially, evaluates a few long winded scenarios (which are huge conjunctions), and obtains a low probability, as long conjunctions are unlikely. The resulting small number, mathematically, represents low probability that any one of the specific guesses at a chain leading to an accident is correct, multiplied by probability of incident which remains unknown. The number is then presented as low probability of the accident itself. 1355530429 +Doesn't matter. I still have no idea what he means.\n\n 1342595526 +Craigslist. 1344132384 +don't be a [child](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhCjjmGEw-Q). Do some actual research before you talk out of your ass next time please. That should sum it up for you since you probably wont actually read any [documentation](http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ufos/) 1330825036 +I'm pretty sure I could make that up. Quite easily. Perhaps even sell it to people despite showing that it's made up. 1298171198 +Pointing out drugs that have been recalled proves nothing about testing and safety requirements. There could be a list of "Drugs blocked due to safety concerns" and it could be 100x longer. That's like saying that because Firestone has to recall some tires, the entire quality control regulation system is obsolete and ineffective. Additionally, there has been a *huge* increase in prescription drug use across the board, as well as a similar increase in the variety of drugs on the market. It's only natural that the amount of drugs being recalled would increase with it. What we want to see is a decrease of drugs being recalled *relative* to the increase in drugs entering the market.\n\nWhile there is certainly a problem with big pharma pushing through drugs that may not be proven completely safe, to suggest that the technology and our knowledge of medicine used to determine safety and efficacy of a drug hasn't progressed since the 1960s is absurd. 1341966131 +> A few of them died because they have undergone this instead of seeking more urgent medical treatment.\n\nThat *is* a problem in lots of quackery and pseudoscience - that they claim they alone hold the answer and that you become *unclean* and thus unsaveable if you follow scientific medicine.\n\nBut you are right, the site is biased. What it does is trying to be a counterbalance to all those "natural cancer survivor" anecdotes and testimonials of "how homeopathy healed my diabetes" - because those people are usually only the lucky ones on the normal distribution. And when do you hear the testimonials of the less fortunate...? 1329056092 +>Do people need to be forced to pay for these services?\n\nYou don't know anything economics, psychology or sociology do you? 1304773886 +no video ever will. So the question becomes what proof do people actually need? 1298925730 +I would guess that your windows aren't so great or they were not installed properly. Have the nights been especially windy lately? A swift breeze could get the blanket swaying, another one could push it over the bedpost.\n\nWow, I just read your whole story. You have clearly experienced something for which you can't find an explanation. However, the fear you are experiencing can cause you to jump to wrong conclusions. I hope, in this case, it's just the wind.\n\nRegardless of your diagnosed mental health, it's important to hold on to it. Treat odd occurrences as you would a criminal on trial: innocent until proven guilty. Otherwise, you could find yourself in constant anxiety.\n\nPeople deal with these events in different ways. Your aunt is a good example of this. Religion labels these phenomena, says that they are evil and gives people tools to overpower the evil. Personally, I think it's on you to deal with your own fear. Christianity is more like a coping mechanism. If you need religion to do it, okay. However, I don't think there's much accuracy in modern Christianity's view of the paranormal. Further, affirming faith in Jesus' cleansing blood and his promised afterlife is a bit of a sacrifice to mental health, if you ask me.\n\nIf you want some less biased information about spiritual realms, look to the Native American tradition. The themes of trees and lights lead me to believe there is an "Indian" involved. This is mere speculation.\n\nUltimately, again, it's up to you to deal with reality and anything in it causing you fear. Luckily, you are capable of overcoming fear yourself and that seems to be "its" only power over you.\n\nAnother thing... I don't really subscribe to any common psychical theories, but could you perhaps be empathic? According to some theories, empathic mediums send/receive emotions to/from others. I have no reason to believe this is a real ability, but it would explain some of your feelings, especially in relation to your friend (who has also seen a Dr.?). [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empath_%28disambiguation%29) 1327921564 +Both ways can be correct, for reasons including the ones you stated. I think that's why I was vague in my description. \n\nI, myself, am a person of ease way before I'm a person of appearance, so... I desire my TP to drape over the outward-facing side of the roll. 1346821974 +I saw the Min-Min lights in QLD a few years back. Turns out, the light is just a Locomotive head light which can be seen for hundreds of ks. 1343186310 +Right in the face! But it would totally be cool because it's just WATER! 1344441846 +The shadow apparently cast on the air is the first thing I noticed, too. My best guess is that it's not really a shadow, but an artifact of the long exposure time. eco\\_was\\_taken is correct, the exposure time was 1 second (according to the embedded EXIF data). The flash also fired. This is a pretty common formula for digital "ghost photos." Obviously the girl was there, and the person writing just didn't notice. I suspect the father who claimed it was a younger version of the dead mother was messing with the writer. 1276720585 +Well that sounds plausible, except there was no sign at all of a third craft after the light flashed. I observed the two planes for ~20 seconds or less after this as they moved out of sight behind trees. The majority of the sky was open to me, and if that third light source had been a plane moving south in my direction, I did not see it or hear it. All three objects were elevated at perhaps a 45 degree angle in the sky from my position. 1305399373 +>we die, and for the first time the effect of homeopathy will be proven\n\nAirtight logic right there. No disputing it. \n\nHere's my problem with the "skeptical" attitude towards homeopathy. If people want to use homeopathic remedies, that is *their choice*. \n\nMy aunt was a new age-y, tea leaf diving, crystal toting lesbian. When she got colon cancer, she opted for homeopathic treatment. When she died, she died treating her disease in the way she had chosen. \n\nThe ethical question of certain "remedies" being marketed in misleading ways is valid, but the same is true of pharmaceutical medications, SSRIs (anti-depressants) for example, which recent studies have shown are profoundly ineffective. 1310159898 +Looks delicious. 1247963354 +Oh, I absolutely agree that they need to be taught about different religions, and view points to help them in the world. Especially since I live in Utah. I can't send them into the wild without knowing what the locals think. And even though we have lower numbers of nonchristan religions here, I teach them about those as well. I try to approach it more like history than spirituality though. 1338249774 +http://i.imgur.com/Pq0Gh.jpg 1312333347 +You posted some studies that sorta kinda talk about similar things. Please show the study that examines men setting paper on fire with their hands. 1349016608 +This is exactly why I hate Occam's Razor: The phony intellectual's trendy argument of the year. And go easy on the "grave"'s and the "thoroughly"'s. I know you think they make you sound smart, but "fasle" doesn't.\n\nAnyways, back to Occam's Razor and Penn & Teller. That fat, lumbering, loudmouthed shitdick forgot a few things:\n\n1. Recoil\n2. Marksmanship\n3. Difficulties of the bolt action\n4. Resetting your whole stance, grip, body (therefore having to reset your aim with over two dozen axises) between each shot\n5. Using a small diameter telescopic scope, which when combined with a bolt action makes it very difficult to track targets, especially behind cover.\n6. The fact that it is an old fashioned telescopic scope, which means that if your eye is not *dead center*, the reticule will be off to the side, making you miss entirely. This is very hard to pull off when leaning halfway out a window and pulling off repeat shots while tracking.\n7. The odd angle being shot from\n8. Even if he was a psychopath intending to kill the president, he'd be nervous as hell.\n9. The time it takes for your eyes to refocus to the scope between each shot.\n10. It's Penn & Teller.\n\nIf you were to apply Occam's Razor at all, you'd see that it's simpler and more self-satisfying to watch a video of a couple douchebags that lie for a living than going to a shooting range and learning for yourself. Let me guess, you're the sort of guy who's impressed when Keith Olbermann uses foppy language in his phony rage monologues right? 1241175047 +He did so bad saving lives, though, no? That's what saving lives does, increases the population. 1324179021 +> Wearing clothes?\n\nA long time ago, an old friend of mine (who is ancient now if he's still alive; haven't seen him in years) told me of a mission trip he went on and they went to a tropical culture which never invented clothes. It was about 75-85 year round, the bugs weren't bad, they never invented clothing. Well, once they saw the idea of clothes, they started making their own, some of which were extremely fantastically decorated. They made tops that were just sleeves, for example, leaving the torso uncovered, because they had no sense of modesty as we do about women's breasts. But while clothes were fun and exciting, it was agreed that people were coming to church in their finery to show off how fancy their clothes were, and that wasn't the right attitude for going to church. SO, they banned clothes from church: at church, you go naked, because that's proper and decent. You wear your showoff clothes anywhere you like, but at church everybody does things the conservative traditional way and is naked.\n\nSO: where I live, where it's cold much of the year (and I tolerate it less as I get older), and a blazing sun on my pasty skin much of the rest, wearing clothes is not at all an indoctrinated thing I don't notice: it's necessary. But there are people whose world - and view of it - is different.\n 1329960882 +I dont think she thinks the trees are scary :/ 1342487302 +if alternative medicine worked, would it not simply be called 'medicine' ? 1318606489 +> Art. 11. **As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.**\n\nI love that Article 11 is the _only_ article completely in bold. 1314394625 +My great grandfather's apparition walked like...on top of me as I was lying down watching a movie. He seemed to just be saying hi. 1355345405 +Big pharma would find a way to make money on energy healing. 1329811062 +Not likely they would EVER eavesdrop on anything like Glenn Beck. 1285461816 +I guess a lot of them really want to help patients, so they encourage them to excercise, do some sport, etc. Obesity is pretty widespread, causes skeletal problems, their "back massage" might help that. Also, I think it's just recently, that some shady ones started treating *everything* through risky back massages. 1304341845 +And that the Governor was aware of this, and still claimed to have seen a single large craft. Again, you're giving first-hand eyewitnesses far too little credit here. 1349635366 +One thing that the skeptics forget, is that it is in true skeptical form to doubt the 911 official story. That is what a skeptic does, challenge the popular notion, whatever that may be. Another is that both camps, truthers and skeptics alike, believe the other to be blind to the facts. Skeptics have the ability to own their argument to the exclusion of all others. Truthers are no different. Both are blinded by their own over arching belief. 1316199241 +To reiterate: As I *originally perceived* your comment (having issue with "Your personal definition has no bearing on the reality of what it all is.") it made sense to use such language, such that the main point was glossed over by the use of "rude language". \n\nFurthermore, just because someone isn't actively fondling your balls while making an argument does not make them rude, or a jerk. A more likely scenario is that they see the poster they are replying to as stupid or inferior and thus are less likely to respond in a manner that would be reserved to those of equal or greater intellectual standing. \n\nDoes that make that behavior "right"? Probably not. To the person making that comment the behavior is likely "justified" though. \n\nTL;DR: Was his comment rude? Yes, it was harsher than it needed to be. I would have responded in an almost identical fashion to someone who posted something to ignorant though, (and judging by the disparity between the votes on the two posts, I am likely not the only one) so I suppose I am biased in that remark. 1319472211 +Yeah, I'm pretty much arguing over semantics and I am subscribing a particular definition, which would be "UFO" as defined in Project Bluebook. Which to paraphrase states that for a UFO to be considered such there **must** be enough data to rule out **all** known prosaic explanations. If it *could* be something we know about, then that is what it is, case closed. This is a strict criteria which nullifies most UFO sightings and gets rid of misidentified objects. Still, you are right about "UFO's" association with Aliens, which invites ridicule, so I'd be up for UAP or AAP to combat that association. These terms are not nearly as loaded, and my attempts to limit the term UFO to Project Bluebook's definition is futile at best. 1312977116 +Summary of his arguments:\n\nFirstly, some of the trees filmed being knocked over by a-bomb testing were planted in neat rows. Therefore, nukes don't exist.\n\nSecondly, "atomic bomb" blasts look slightly different depending on what angle they're viewed from, and much of the footage was crudely edited, therefore nukes don't exist.\n\nThirdly, the cameras they used to film these were well-secured, sheltered and probably zoomed in a long, long ways. Therefore, nukes don't exist.\n\nFinally, governments lie about other countries having weapons of mass destruction. Incidentally, all of these are lies because, as we've already proven three times, nukes don't exist. Incidentally, all the damage that has been attributed to these non-existent weapons was actually done by dynamite, because I can't tell the difference and neither can you. This paragraph counts as another reason nukes don't exist because I wear size 36 pants. 1317150175 +> Now you're just being testy for whatever reason ... if you can't appreciate someone getting sick of someone else shit\n\nNo, I say what I mean and mean what I say. I didn't realize my comments were getting your panties all in a bunch.\n\n> I'm sure it's not for science.\n\nMaybe my moderator status in r/UAP is for science, then? Maybe you think I sit on YouTube all day searching for the newest UFO videos.\n\n> Don't chastise me with your false shit man. Just makes you look like a little bitch, it really does.\n\nlol Your contribution to this thread offers no logical, analytical approach to explaining the video. Instead you vomit up some *possible* explanation then get all defensive when someone disagrees with you and starts a discussion? And *I'm* the 'little bitch'? okaaay, "man". 1339533618 +This. Check out Mel's Hole on Wikipedia for a famous example of the insanity that was his show (now hosted by George Noory who seems to be a little better). 1346105272 +"Technically", they can? According to what? That last panel just ruins the entire message. 1324331612 +Can you say proof again, only a little louder, and with MLA standard citations after? 1334853670 +Guys, the CIA killed Kennedy to escalate Vietnam and fake the moon landings. \n\nThe moon landings were faked so everyone would be watching their TV the day the Roswell aliens came back to pick up their wrecked ship at Area 51. \n\nThey took the aliens and their advanced energy technologies. Without this technology the U.S. needed more energy. \n\nThis is why they planned in the 1980's to invade Iraq in 2003. The way to do this? 9/11: an inside government job. \n\nThis invasion allows the U.S. to get oil, lay down chemtrails while people are busy out protesting, and then elect a secret Muslim president. \n\nThis secret Muslim (born in Kenya) will now help to start with a New World Order using FEMA (an organization George Bush made very incompetent looking [intentionality of course so no one would suspect them] thanks to the secret weather control machine disaster that was hurricane Katrina).\n\nWhen the NWO comes it will mark the beginning of the end times in 2012. \n\nNow, if you'll excuse me, I need to go buy some colloidal silver from Alex Jones. 1285361347 +Uhh, why not? Radios *receive* signal, they can't cause anything. 1335242394 +GREAT BOOK! 1331772237 +I'd say so. Here he is Unplugged on UFOs.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqyNh0k0dtU 1355862801 +>This is the reason behind the cover-up.\n\nConsider that the reasons for non-disclosure may be a lot more complicated than that. There are likely additional aspects of ET involvement that you aren't aware of. Gross simplification of the issue isn't helping things IMO. It's premature to assume you know what this is all about. 1332016883 +That's fair. I'm only talking about the reason why the US would allow an attack on their own people. It isn't a great reference but I was just pointing out how that kind of logic could exist.\n\nAnd it's not even mediocre, it's just a bad movie. 1315772239 +Saying 1 in 92 suddenly makes it seem a lot less like an impossibly unlikely coincidence.\n\nAnedoctal - I was at a raffle last night and my 3 pub quiz team members *all* won chocolate separately, but I (who had bought twice as many tickets!) won nothing.\n\nNothing, can you imagine it?! It must have been a plot! ;-) 1331154456 +Deriding cupping based on a Wikipedia article and a preconceived idea about alternative medicine is not skepticism. It is just circlejerking. 1316668231 +This. \n\nMonsanto knowingly lets it's GM seed disperse freely, thus landing on local farmer's lands and cross polonizing. \n\nMonsanto then sues local farmers for possessing patented GMO seeds. \n\nWhether Monsanto wins or loses the lawsuit is irrelevant. Their goal is for these local farmers to rack up so much legal debt fighting off Monsanto that they can no longer afford to maintain their farms. 1325614473 +google Seraphim 1340996498 +Unfortunately there is no concrete way to say "It isn't an orb, it's something else" without coming off as a complete douchebag, but in my opinion, I have to say these all resemble dust motes, pollen, and the odd bug.\n\nI do not "believe" in orbs, because short of a baseball-sized floating light hovering in front of me and stating "I am the ghost of the man who was killed on this trail," I don't find any supernatural evidence for their existence. Nine times out of ten an orb may simply be a flare of light off of a dust spec or pollen pod.\n\nEven if you have a "nice camera" and got a shot of a bug or pollen in another photo that is obviously a bug or pollen, you can't discount these things in all future shots. Even the nicest camera is going to have photos where you can't recognize a human being in the picture due to various bits of interference. 1348250139 +And how much recent valid research is there showing that salt intake is bad for healthy people? 1326750964 +It's my understanding that the ufos are dismissed because they are not detected on radar in many instances. Also, there was an eye witness who did work for military intelligence that was camping with his wife who saw the same strange light that night and he reported it to his superiors who told him to not talk about it. 1350145900 +I've had déjà vu like this a lot. It wasn't until that moment when I realized that I could change it. 1355148149 +Kind of poorly researched. The anti-freeze tomato never made it past the first round of testing. It didn't work and was never released for sale. \n\nAlso I think it would have been better if the author avoided using the scary "toxic chemicals" so often thrown around by Anti-GMO advocates and pointed out that Organic farmers spray their corn with Bt to gain the same properties as the modified corn. 1338825251 +To say that it must not be a problem because there are no regulations to prevent it is *denying the antedecent* - this argument is invalid.\n\nThe CDC estimates that there were [over 2,000 cases of hospitalization due to foodborne E.coli infections in 2011](http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/2011-foodborne-estimates.html). Since August, there have been at least two large recalls of [2.5 million lbs](http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fsis_Recalls/PHA_XL_Foods/index.asp) and [38,200 lbs](http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_055_2012_Release/index.asp) of beef and beef products due to E.coli contamination. 1355827824 +No, it's not a false analogy, it's a *direct* analogy, because it said almost the same thing verbatim, except I changed the term "eat animals" to "rape women". Also, notice that the phrase was not "is immoral" but "causes pain". Are you saying that claim is inaccurate? 1328164375 +I've reached a point where I just let a lot of things go. If I like hanging around a group of people, and a couple of them have a bit of the woo, I just keep my mouth shut and let them do their thing. I don't know how people are trapped into this mindset, but at the end of the day they're just trying to make their way to some type of answers in a complicated and complex world like the rest of us. As far as dating goes, I can't date someone who believes in the woo. 1340269473 +Creepy. Listening to this right now. Never been to r/paranormal before. Just dawned on me to try it. 1341200284 +I think this is only used for hypochondriacs, as giving a patient a placebo when there's a real treatment available would be unethical 1278078225 +it just annoys me when they come in and discover there's a ghost but do nothing about it! it's just so hard to find a show that ISN'T pulling your leg. Quite sad if you think about it. 1339446498 +Listen I'm sorry I was being an ass, and I shouldn't have responded to you that way. Don't let my being an ass turn you away from the /r/skeptic community. These guys are much more patient than I am. Can I get a second chance? Let's start from scratch. \n\nIn my *not* professional understanding of the situation, WTC 7 fell without all the massive internal fires because of a simple reason:\n\nBeing **so** close to ground zero, it suffered *massive* structural damage when the towers fell. When a large part of the structure (including many load-bearing columns within it) were compromised by falling debris and rubble that emanated from WTC 1/2 falling, it was only a matter of time before it fell. \n\nI could be *highly* mistaken, and I would appreciate someone correcting me if I'm wrong, but I am under the impression that once they got everyone out of WTC 7 the building was determined to be unsalvageable and was demolished. \n\nAgain, I haven't put thought into this in a long time, so I could be wrong about the second part. But the first part I'm pretty sure is the case. Again, it's been a while. \n\nSorry I was an ass. :-/ 1345561602 +I wish there were some way I could help. Surely you don't enjoy this kind of thing, this professional trolling. :-( I want you to know that I care about you, and I believe you have the courage to choose between what is right and what is easy. My heart goes out to you, whoever you are. 1303277943 +Holy crap that video was great. I never really considered that the reason religious belief, as opposed to belief in other things (e.g. Elvis being alive), has been so protected from criticism is because of man's history of persecuting people over religion. I guess it's another one of those really obvious connections that you just don't draw until it's laid out for you. 1344611796 +I agree... This is exactly the kind of thing you hope for. You should have stood your ground and kept your cameras and recorders going. Control your fear.... 1340903562 +I believe the Vonnegut book that references the Tralfamadorians is "Slaughterhouse Five".\n\n*"Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time..."* 1326846114 +That may indeed be true, and that is a reasonable *hypothesis*; but (a) it sounds suspiciously like the "irreducible complexity" of Intelligent Design and other false foibles of sophisticated mathematical models and (b) it goes against (what i perceive to be) the nearly universal trend in the sciences toward greater predictive power through mathematization. So, i would submit that additional evidence is called for on those (albeit rather philosophical) grounds, *even if* one can demonstrate that the vast majority of mathematical economic models inept. 1334685603 +Did they do some rounding up? 13% is more ironic 1342375395 +Muhammad was a yeti! 1278960068 +The only good these fake psychic tricks can be used for is the reader's bank account. Creating false hope in people will just lead them down the path of magical thinking, until the day they die of cancer because they didn't need treatment, just postive thoughts and woo. 1321830970 +I think I was about 25 before I really stopped worrying about the thing-at-the-bottom-of-the-stairs getting me after I turned the lights off.\n\nAssuming other people experience this same transition, I'm kind of curious to find a median age at which people stop pretending that they aren't worried about the thing-at-the-bottom-of-the-stairs and start genuinely not worrying about it. 1335065482 +That is kind of weird. Whatever it was, I wish there were better photos. 1350746026 +[OMG](http://i.imgur.com/8qYSr.png) 1303056396 +it says it contains phenylanalnine 1305148353 +I don't get it... 1318346402 +Yeah, certainly I can ignore them, good point. I was thinking more along the lines of unproven scientific statements aimed at the general public, who are far too dumb to make that sort of assessment. 1304020968 +I'm not going to watch it, in my short lifetime I've watched probably over a million of these videos "that make some good points that the main stream media hasn't addressed". None of them make good points, ever. \n\nSo you need to tell us what claims it makes if you want us to address them. 1355195149 +I am truly staggered that any outwardly-normal person could even consider this realistic 1341163710 +Came in to mention this. "Hauntings" have been linked to carbon monoxide, radon and possibly formaldehyde. People start hallucinating as a result of these. Fix the problems and the hauntings usually go away. 1351840214 +Not everyone who sings in church has a good voice. I dated a girl in high school that sang in church all the time but she couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. 1329838861 +Protip: Media companies will take ad money from just about anybody. If the ad is bullshit, the ad's owners get in trouble, if anyone, not the networks that air it.\n\nFYI: The Science Channel is owned by the same people who gave Oprah her own channel, and loaded it with Dr. Phil reruns. 1300721594 +That weave pattern would easily add several hours to the creation time for those who still think humans made it. 1311690015 +Its reddit, where owning a cat is is recommended. 1344720817 +Those are great photos, but who's to say they aren't man-made? It's too difficult to tell. Here is the [Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMinnville_UFO_photographs) on its debunking as a hoax:\n\n"In the 1980s two UFO skeptics, Philip Klass and Robert Sheaffer, would argue that the photos were faked, and that the entire event was a hoax. Their primary argument was that shadows on a garage in the left-hand side of the photos proved that the photos were taken in the morning rather than in the early evening, as the Trents had claimed. Klass and Sheaffer argued that since the Trents had apparently lied about the time the photos were taken, their entire story was thus suspect. They believed that the Trents had suspended the "UFO" from power lines visible at the top of the photos; and that the object may have been the detached rear-view mirror of a vehicle. When Sheaffer sent his studies on the case to William Hartmann, Hartmann withdrew the positive assessment of the case he had sent to the Condon Committee. However, Dr. Maccabee offered a rebuttal to the Klass-Sheaffer theory by arguing that cloud conditions in the McMinnville area on the evening of the sighting could have caused the shadows, and that a close analysis of the UFO indicated that it was not suspended from the power lines and was in fact located some distance above the Trent's farm; thus, in his opinion, the Klass-Sheaffer theory was flawed." 1344002405 +Could have been caused by vaccines, or not; either way, neither of you know for sure, so I think it's kinda weird that you would try convincing someone that they're wrong about their own health when you have no definitive proof either way...\n\nCould it be that you're not skeptical enough when it comes to vaccines? 1327241161 +From the article: "Why did the Pentagon not solve the case at the time? Perhaps in the welter of paperwork the clue we found so significant went unseen by anyone who could fully grasp its import and who had time to devote to the case. Naturally, everything is much clearer in hindsight."\n\nI would guess this plus not really caring as they had bigger fish to fry during the Cold War era. Maybe add in a little over zealous CW-era secrecy to the mix. 1331668590 +Well yes, but that presupposes that it is actually we the consumers who want the cars. What if we've been told that cars are the only way, and that we must replace that car every year to boot? Perhaps the proper answer to moving people isn't cars at all, it is automated rapid transport that never has lethal accidents, doesn't pollute, is nearly noiseless and is powered by renewable energy. ;) \n\nBottom line here being of course - it is not nearly enough to "understand economics" (and I'm giving everyone a huge pass on that one, because I would submit that virtually nobody understands every aspect of that particular game) - to claim that capitalism is the only way requires you to have encyclopedic knowledge of societal forces, human psychology, human genetics and so on and so forth. \n\nIt is not enough to know how to fix the engine. 1296575448 +There is nothing similar between denying scientific fact and enacting laws to promote use of a language that would have likely receded without such laws.\n\nPlease keep your Quebec-bashing out of /r/skeptic, thanks! 1355075787 +Disclosure Project and The Hunt for Zero Point 1308885857 +>Ok, I have a serious problem with the "unintentional support" because it makes it someone's fault that they're unconsciously doing something wrong and gives you a tool to blame them for the wrongdoing.\n\n*People* aren't to blame, their opinions, beliefs, and actions are. If a building foreman unintentionally promotes unsafe work practices on his building site, don't you think it's reasonable to try to educate him *as well as* the people who intentionally create unsafe workplaces?\n\nThe main problem is that nobody wants to accept that they're hurting people by just going about their lives, but unfortunately unless these people start understanding and accepting the role that privilege plays in their lives, they will be hurting people. \n\n>When someone says "can we not levy accusations of how unnamed skeptics are harassing women and actually evaluate the anecdotes on their merits," I have trouble seeing that as sexist.\n\nThere's nothing inherently problematic with that approach, but the problem arises in how it is actually done in practice. That is, it usually involves explaining away the problem as a result of privilege blindness. For example, in the 'elevatorgate' case, people made comments like, "Maybe he was actually just asking you back for coffee!" or "He asked you for coffee, you said no, and nothing bad happened - where's the problem?!". As I'm sure you agree, those statements are just as bad as the example you give of the guy blaming the situation on the woman's clothing. 1348025538 +>Since Climate Sensitivity is most likely around 3C,\n\nIt is true that 3C is the *central estimate* of most climate scientists. When you say "around 3C" I assume that you mean "give or take a degree. The range of uncertainty is still pretty large.\n\n>however it is NOT true to claim the global output is currently declining.\n\nYep, you are correct. Global output is climbing. Why I said "by reducing our output" I wasn't talking about everyone on the planet. Obviously, the developing countries are not reducing output. Europe, in general, is, as is the US.\n\nIF there is something to worry about, if the positive feedbacks from albedo and water vapor combine to more than triple the effects of CO2 alone, I suggest you start working on changing the behavior of the countries that have decide to ignore your warnings and continue to increase their emissions.\n\n 1356200121 +Was this the historic Roswell, GA tour? I feel like I've seen the same thing. 1341169636 +The SGU cut the ground, and I don't think that there will be another that rises so quickly to that position. \n\nAnd little Steve Novella is a powerful resource, both for getting interviewees on specific topics from his colleagues at Yale, and working on or near the front lines of at least one field of science heavily affected by the woo industry, and so being able to discuss some issues first hand himself.\n\nRebecca is also key, though. Perry was a bit wooey when it came to climate change, which offended me greatly, but he was great for the dynamic. I feel his loss when I listen to the show still.\n\nI wish he could have seen the [birds vs monkeys scene in Rio](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fhQ5rkcY7A).\n\nHaving said that, spreading the word about other good skeptical podcasts:\n\nI personally find that Dunning's politics leak a bit into his skepticism.\n\nAs does Mark Crislip's, but when Mark does it he doesn't suggest that it's a correct or even good politics. Therefore I recommend Quackcast as supplementary listening.\n\nHumour is very sensitive to cultural background, so YMMV, but I currently find "Skeptics with a K" the best listening. 1346192605 +what if he forgot his password? 1338608051 +IAMAs are better posted to /r/IAMA so that they get a bigger audience. Just post the time and day you plan on doing it to the /r/UFOs subreddit so people can have their questions ready. 1339747136 +Interesting. Never really looked into studied benefits. My main point was that it was at least plausible based on the fact that it physically holds a body part in a different location. 1344027509 +The way this article was written kills me. Id rather rip my eyes out of my head than read this. 1308016486 +I have had ghostly experience when I was back home overseas and I have had a UFO experience also. And it was most unusual experience ever. I remember it because I couldn't sleep properly that whole night. I woke up at one point but not opening my eyes i could hear movement in my room. My room is relatively small and I didn't have any pets during that time. At that moment I remember telling myself not to open my eyes. A lot of the other stuff is hazy but I also remember when they left. I heard loud and I mean ringing loud mechanical noises for like a several minutes. Get this also, we have an air force base close by and for the next two months I could hear planes and helicopters flying around every night and evening. It's only happened once and during that period. Otherwise, it would only be like once a month when you would hear a plane fly by at night. 1339505927 +> Doesn't fit with any truly unexplained UFO movements that I'm aware of. \n\nAny videos of these "truly unexplained UFO movements"? 1346846909 +It's the season pandemic. 1264139724 +Yes. Notice in the first video, there is a piece of paper at the right hand side of the frame that is blowing in some sort of breeze. 1343572656 +In the south, in my experience (moving from il/wi to Nc) it is WAY more widespread.\n\nBack home you can avoid the crazies pretty easily. Not down here. 1340581899 +-233 points, 73 readers in the subreddit\n\nWow 1322345608 +i don't think it's disinformation so much as a grant. While in the end it serves the same end in that it misleads the public, its main purpose seems to be focused on the act of seeking, thus giving the general public what they want, whereas a disinformation campaign would actively deny the existence of extraterrestrial life. I'm aware that SETI is used as evidence against visitors, but I think that its disinformation potential is intrinsic to its existence, not how it is portrayed. A small distinction, I know, but I hold that the project is well-intentioned, just too limited in scope due to technological/physical limitations- if that makes any sense. 1323234688 +Any ideas what it could be? More information about the sighting would be handy. We see three clips. The red lights on the "left" side are blinking", by standards the light on the left wing of the aircraft is red, but they shouldn't be blinking. Anyway we see some strong aberrations probably from looking through the window, but they don't explain the blinking. Probably the blinking is from the stroboscopic light on the bottom of the craft. The objects don't show any unusual movement. 95% airplanes. 1340244184 +Chemotherapy has all sorts of torturous effects on the body. Skin pigmentation changes is actually one of the many ways chemo can affect the skin. 1344452996 +And yet, and yet...he died from it... 1318043882 +Oh we do, once this started happening we started telling her about his adventures in Boy Scouts 1318981602 +When you want something bad enough, your intuition can help guide you to exactly what you want. I'd imagine you meant 15-20FT huh? But that's awesome, I've only been given the chance to see 3 UFO's, but they were way up in the sky and were flying so fast that they disappeared before I could even blink. 1340404861 +trolls isn't unheard of, although she's doing it for personal gain, it seems, so it's baiting. 1351126191 +Freaking upvote for the Legend of Grimrock! Hell yeah! 1336664980 +I'm hoping for the best for you as well! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I've been recording EVP for quite a while. I'm certainly no expert, but I do have some experience. 1350509655 +especially because to put a key on to a keychain, you usually lose a nail and theres blood everywhere 1337190047 +Tulip bulbs to credit default swaps, you could have given up a long time ago. 1301231104 +When them not having that medical procedure can effect other people then I am all for it. We saw a comeback of polio in California because too many dipshits didn't get vaccinated to I support this and even more drastic measures. \n 1322258960 +That's kind of what I meant. How can you prove fraud when most of the time homeopathic remedies have an insignificant amount of whatever substance they're supposed to have in them? Nobody could prove you're being fraudulent, right?\n\nMan, I should get a bullshit homeopathic degree and sell bottled water to people for exorbitatn prices, easy way to make a living. 1283807032 +It would appear John Anderson decided later in life to go back and reclaim that pizza from his former self. He must have had really good memory or planned this for a long time to remember exactly what this pizza was and when to swipe it from himself. 1356916950 +Plenty of time to read if you're not raptured. 1356311397 +Science can fall into 4 different categories:\n\n1. Reproducible\n\n2. Predict but can't control- example would be an eclipse\n\n3. Can't predict, can't control but can catch "random" events and record data if we have equipment in the vicinity and at the ready- example would be earthquakes\n\n4. Activity that involves sentient beings- such as car accidents. We can't set up cameras everywhere to catch car accidents (that would be very inefficient), the best we can do is arrive after the fact, take witness testimony, measure skid marks, etc to arrive at what happened.\n\nYou can't expect to come at the UFO phenomenon using 1 or 2. The best we can hope for is to get lucky with number 3 (which has happened with the more reliable UFO cases in history involving photographic evidence and testimony). And, of course, UFOlogists do number 4 all of the time. 1312461437 +Ironically, he'll be a wish'n' he was anointed with oil...when they rape in the ass... Wahh aha aha haha 1320267169 +Read The Moral Landscape. He denies that he is attempting to come up with a science of morality. The subtitle "How Science Can Determine Values" is just there to sell books. \n\nIf you disagree, then simply link me to the experiment that demonstrates that valuing well-being (or having a distaste for suffering) is the best moral value to adopt. Harris can't do that, and that's why he waxes philosophical in the Moral Landscape, regurgitating the same arguments for utilitarianism that had been rejected centuries ago. \n\nScience can *inform* our morality, in that once we've decided what we should value, and what moral system we wish to adopt, we can use science or logic to figure out what are the best methods for achieving these goals, but science can never tackle the questions of morality (i.e. what we should value). Importantly, this is how morality has been done practically since the beginning of time (with "science" in early times being something closer to empiricism and experience), in that no moral system has denied the validity of using science to help answer moral dilemmas. \n\nAnd fuck I wish people would stop citing Sam Harris. There is a reason why his book got slammed by both ethicists and scientists. If Harris had really demonstrated that science can answer questions of morality, then he would have revolutionised the entire field of ethics, and would be a hero in the field. Instead, when the ethicists managed to stop laughing for long enough, his book was met with solid and damning criticism. Even first year philosophy students could see the gaping holes in his theories. 1340075878 +[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man) 1340918856 +[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man) 1341335556 +All of your links are to this same blog. You are blogspamming for ad revenue on your personal blog. Did you read the new rules? \n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/Paranormal/comments/q4spv/new_community_guidelines/ 1331240123 +All of your links are to this same blog. You are blogspamming for ad revenue on your personal blog. Did you read the new rules? \n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/Paranormal/comments/q4spv/new_community_guidelines/ 1331269109 +it wasn't healed, the tooth was just filled with layers of butter sediment... 1351469942 +Oh jeez I recognized the thumbnail because my mom buys that garbage. 1334163409 +The table has errors.\n\nFor example, in the last point it says that omnivores have sharp claws, which is not true for all species (e.g. pigs).\n\nEDIT: I googled the source, and apparently some people criticise the author for being biased and not being qualified in this field: http://www.andersaaberg.dk/blog/2011/false-science-the-comparative-anatomy-of-eating-by-dr-milton-r-mills/ 1353112535 +I actually have one of the symbols online that I posed for another website. I will try to find it and put it in as an =EDIT=\n\nThankyou\n\n=EDIT= Missed the first part. Sorry this was re-posted from /r/paranormal so I think someone asked that there too. No it wasn't a dream or daydream, I could see everything perfectly as it was meant to be, just normal but with a meteorite crashing down outside.\n\nFeel free to ask more, I'm happy as it gets me to think about it and remember, plus it is so interesting and exciting that I may find answers. 1339565880 +Elmer Fudd. 1348611885 +This made me think of the TED Talk that was posted recently about [why eye witnesses get it wrong.](http://www.ted.com/talks/scott_fraser_the_problem_with_eyewitness_testimony.html) One of the examples Mr. Fraser uses is the WTC towers collapsing on 9/11. The example is that most people have a false memory that they witnessed the second tower collapse on TV about an hour after watching the first one collapse on TV. The memory is false because no news organization aired the collapse of the second tower until almost 24 hours later. What's interesting is that our brains fabricated a believable memory to fill in the "missing" information of the second tower collapsing. \n\nI can see similarities with this experiment, at least to some degree. These people are asked to write down their belief. What they write is altered without them knowing and they are asked to read aloud what they wrote. If the subjects don't recognize the error, their brains build false memories to support what they wrote (because they know they wrote what they're reading). Apparently, this means you can (at least temporarily) defend opposite positions of morality as if you actually held those beliefs. \n\nEDIT: Not sure why I'm downvoted for info from a TED talk. Anyway, here's a [Psychology Today article](http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hidden-motives/201203/unreliable-memory) to corroborate what I stated about how we store memories. 1348165606 +i believe you kels 1348610687 +Think eBay is cheapest for this equipment? Might as well try it. 1347049894 +"What's the harm in communing with eldritch powers beyond mortal ken?" 1349513081 +I decided to take a walk down to the still active morgue. I'll be posting it ASAP. Nothing notable. Just fucking creepy. 1319772296 +That doesn't change the fact that for you personally, the belief is essentially unfalsifiable. You are never going to be given that huge list of planets with favourable conditions. You're never even ever going to find out what kind of conditions are necessary to favour the formation of life. There is no possible evidence that can be given to you that will falsify your belief.\n\nYou're in exactly the same camp as I am here. Our belief in alien life is not evidence based, and it's not falsifiable. We believe in alien life in essentially the same way that other people believe in God. 1290623711 +I tend to be the same way. It's not something I think about very often. I don't do multiples. For me I try to center the crack under my arches. It's almost like I can "feel" when I've done it right and if I don't do it evenly across both feet they feel unbalanced.\n\nIt's nothing I feel COMPELLED to do. And just like you if I'm thinking about something else or walking with someone I don't even think about it. Honestly I'm pretty sure it's just my brain being bored and needing to play a game. 1332182761 +In my research I found many examples of women claiming birth was nothing compared to gallstones. \n\nI'm sure I can think of many things that would be worse than childbirth. 3rd degree burns over large portions of your body, for one thing. But wait, I'm just an ignorant man, I can't possibly know anything about the pain of childbirth. 1329943746 +What about the two hour gap? The cameras did not turn on until two hours later than the initial flash. Why would he be laying there for two hours and all the sudden come to at the exact same moment the cameras started working again? 1341955640 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-Letter_Christian 1307564502 +>Raxlen had been accused of telling a woman dying of Lou Gehrig's disease that she had chronic Lyme disease, an illness that might not even exist.\n\n>Lyme disease is real. The bacterial infection, chiefly transmitted by deer ticks, can cause rashes, swollen joints and inflamed nerves, and usually is curable with a round of antibiotics.\n\nWait, what? Does it exist or doesn't it? The journalist doesn't seem to have a very good grasp of how to use words to express ideas clearly.\n\nThere is a big difference between misdiagnosing something as Lyme disease, and Lyme disease not existing at all.\n\nThe article starts off rather hyperbolic it seems.\n\n**Addendum**\n\nAh I think I see that the difference is between *chronic* Lyme disease, and Lyme disease. With chroic Lyme disease being something that has very poor evidence in support of its existence.\n\n**Addendum**\n\nHave read the article, worth reading. Quack doctors and others diagnosing people with *chronic* Lyme disease, and keeping them on antibiotics for long periods of time, costing them lots of money and also helping to evolve resistant bacteria that goes on to cause further problems. Also many of these quack doctors have been disciplined or even have criminal records related to misdiagnosing people with chronic Lyme disease. 1292038700 +Only in /r paranormal is this kind of explanation immediately accepted and lauded lol\n\nenergy eddies obscuring my keys on the table? Uh, this is not a real phenomenon. that example is related more likely to the limits of attentional focus. 1337224319 +Damn, you just professor'd the hell out of that. 1341880969 +Pilebsa used to hang out, with me and others, in the rational response squad's video chatroom at stickam.com. Several times he went into rants about "no **woman** has ever been there for me like my dog..." Yup, he's done some pretty douchey anti-woman whining, the kind of crap that gets tears in misosynist reddit circlejerks these days. Just saying, it wouldn't surprise me if this is true. 1325219496 +Nope. Still there. Head east down Dudley until it becomes too narrow for a vehicle. Keep walking and you'll find them. 1347376313 +Is this still happening? If so Id love to know what the future has for me - relationship, work etc 1354071892 +Don't let the trolls get to you. :-) 1355314903 +Chlorine really doesn't need to be in drinking water in areas with good home filtration systems. 1338771051 +I cannot express how tedious it is to have to explain again and again how the scientific use of the word "theory" is *not* the same as its general use counterpart.\n\nIn order for something to reach the level of a scientific "theory," it must have undergone such review and have been bolstered by enough evidence that for all intents and purposes it very much *is* a fact. \n\nGo test the theory of gravity by jumping off a bridge. Or how about the theory of cells. Sure, we can observe them with a microscope, but it's still "just a theory," eh? How about the *theory* of plate tectonics? I could go on and on. The point is that a theory is a fact. **Theory is the pinnacle of scientific certainty.** That's as far as it gets - it's as close as scientists will ever come to saying "This is the way it is and there's about a zero percent chance of us being wrong about it." Whether or not you have taken it upon yourself to do enough research to agree with them is unimportant. \n\n> Secondly, scientists who do not back evolution are not necessarily acting out of a religious faith. Assuming that says more about yourself than the scientists.\n\nWhere exactly does the word "faith" appear in the comment you replied to? Or were you referring to another comment in which I used it as a *direct response* to someone else who had used it first in a context unrelated to religion? I haven't mentioned religion *once* in this discussion. Perhaps your proactive defense suggests more about *your* thinking than the thing I didn't say says about mine. 1336767434 +If there were convincing arguments for the existence of a god or gods, there wouldn't be atheists. 1303094941 +But to be fair we are just one of many random possibilities.\n\nAs for what I think he's implying with "humanity" he's still wrong. Man kinds knowledge and morality did evolve. We no-longer condone a number of things people did in the biblical past, morality evolved and slowly spread across the population. As to did knowledge. In fact knowledge is a very good example of this. Countless great ideas have been lost through them not becoming widespread.\n\nFor example, the romans had steam power. So Why did it take till 1500 years after the fall of the roman empire for steam power to become widespread? Because of the propagation of knowledge is exactly the same as the spreading of genetic information. The fall of the roman empire caused the great network of knowledge they had nurtured to be splintered in to warring factions.\n\nHumanity has been needlessly delayed by the lack of free knowledge since the dawn of time, now that international academic groups exist and the internet is helping spread knowledge it's getting better. And becoming very hard to deny natural selections impact beyond genetics and it's application to every day life.\n\nWould europe have come to the aid of libya 500 year ago? Of course not, there was no such thing as human rights, governments and monarchies were too busy trying to keep their own people and neighbouring countries in line. And even if a people did sympathise with them, communication systems would not facilitate a quick enough reaction.\n\nThe pope and any fundamentalist group are living in a world that is simply out of touch with reality. They're trying to describe the modern world with a vocabulary that is over 2000 years old. 1303680669 +You're so clever. Is this like the elitist left wing area? 1315671725 +Considering I had little better to do than lurk, the future is promising! \n\nThanks for the insight... I've always felt I may be closed-off from the possibility of experiencing metaphysical events, but I wonder if things could slowly be opening up. I've remembered a couple other instances I will likely end up posting... 1346439938 +>There's also a hell of a lot of data supporting natural sources of CO2 from various sources other than man.\n\nSure, but they *don't explain the current multidecadal trend.*\n\n>If you are indeed old enough to remember the 1970s then you will also recall that global cooling was all the rage back then.\n\nThere were more papers in the 1970s predicting global warming than global cooling. Global cooling was mostly a media phenomenon.\n\nhttp://www.skepticalscience.com/ice-age-predictions-in-1970s-intermediate.htm\n\n>Further, you're taking out of context a scientific concept (greenhouse effect) discovered in the 19th century and implying that we suddenly had a full understanding of the climate back then, \n\nI never implied such a thing. However, it is true that global warming was first theorized in the beginning of the 20th century. Since then we've had confirmation that man-made global warming is indeed a reality.\n\nhttp://www.skepticalscience.com/its-not-us-intermediate.htm\n\nThe rest of your post is just more talking points from denialist website, citing scientists that aren't experts in the field, or whose work (as in the case of Christy) has been shown numerous times to be inadequate.\n\nhttp://www.skepticalscience.com/skeptic_John_Christy.htm\n\nYou're not looking at this rationally. You are simply trying to find validation for your opinion, i.e. that man-made climate change isn't real. I also find it funny that after admitting there was warming, you're still bringing up Climategate (which is about the warming not really being there...). Using out-of-context Climategate e-mails instantly kills any credibility you might have on the issue, and as such I'm not really interested in continuing this discussion with someone who will cite such sources.\n\n**Edit**:\n>I won't downvote you as I assume you did me because I think your points are valid.\n\nI didn't downvote you, though I have to say you're not really adding to the conversation by repeating the oft-debunked talking points from the climate change denial machine. 1342327377 +Doesn't seem to be a problem in California. 1340602182 +The top of the WSF disappears from the frame because 1) the shuttle is moving forward, and/or 2) the camera is zooming in. If this were an "ice particle," and either 1 and/or 2 is happening, the "ice particle" would increase in size. Which it is not.\n\nAlso, any change in the space shuttle's x or y direction would be apparent in the arm (as the arm is attached to the shuttle) relative to the WSF. Which does not happen. The shuttle is not rolling, it could possibly be moving forward and downwards.\n 1321651562 +>I don't understand the value of your analogy. Even if you're trying to say the diagnostic criteria for mental disorders is an inventory of symptoms, that's fine.\n\nThat's what a disorder is; an inventory of symptoms.\n\n>But when comparing them to something like vomiting, you would be comparing the observability, and in that capacity the analogy just doesn't hold. No matter how you cut it, behavioral anomalies will always be more nebulous than the evacuation of someone's stomach out of their face.\n\nHow are they more nebulous? They are just as observable. 1348293682 +Well, I suppose you could intellectually masturbate about UFOs or you could do it over a myriad of other topics. We're in r/ufos, so that's what's done here. It's not like interesting discussion and speculation cost you anything. Some see this as an interesting puzzle. 1297591701 +There's [this](http://www.amazon.com/The-Little-Blue-Reasoning-Book/dp/1897393601/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335750443&sr=1-6), The Little Blue Reasoning Book - no religion involved. \n\nAlso [this](http://www.amazon.com/Nonsense-A-Handbook-Logical-Fallacies/dp/0966190858), Nonsense: A Book of Logical Fallacies. Also no religion involved. \n\n[The Fallacy Detective](http://www.amazon.com/The-Fallacy-Detective-Thirty-Eight-Recognize/dp/0974531537/ref=pd_sim_b_4) actually found a link to it on a Christian website, so you've got an in there. \n\n 1335750696 +Sorry your glitch turned out to not be so glitchy! 1336007054 +I found it pretty telling when they green-lit "Sarah Palin's Alaska" for The **Learning** Channel. 1293708601 +I have known a couple religious leaders, mainstream christianity that studied NLP and used it in counseling sessions with people. I knew what to look for, and found it disgusting that a "man of the cloth" would use such a technique, whether it worked or not. 1328437010 +Videos like this one that show these objects up in the sky for minutes make me wonder: is there anyone, in all these cases, who has a telescope and has used it + a camera to snap a shot? These "bright objects" in the sky videos are always so vague because of the limitations of your average camcorder. I mean, something like [this](http://obamapacman.com/2010/08/iphone-4-telescope-perfect-for-star-watching-moon-shot/). 1342320960 +or the aliens are trolling 1344860500 +Surely you will deliver? 1345267978 +>It can only measure statistically\n\nUntrue. Only the social side of psychology deals with statistical trends (social, personality, etc), the rest makes claims through experimental manipulation. \n\n>and ethics stops us from being able to perform a lot of experiments that would shed light on the human mind.\n\nPartly true. Some experiments are impossible because of ethics, but the vast majority are not. Also, keep in mind that psychology is not the study of the *human* mind - there is no emphasis on humans in psychological research. 1345686261 +The point though is that wing chun teaches you techniques that will get your face broken in. It doesn't teach you how to fight like say.... Boxing does. Which teaches speed and reflexes and how to not get your assistance kicked. 1343548106 +Got the same exact answer from a chinese "tongue diagnosis" specialist on FB when I snarkily asked where I could read up on the research behind it. Well, first they said, "I don't follow science, but..." and then talked about how Chinese medicine is empirical and scientific. 1341151353 +One interview that immediately comes to mind is the [Major Donald Keyhoe interview by Mike Wallace during the 1950's](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxkdCciZMhk). Keyhoe was a board member on [NICAP](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Investigations_Committee_On_Aerial_Phenomena), as was [Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roscoe_H._Hillenkoetter), Director of the CIA. \n\nIt's not exactly an interview, but [General Samford's 1952 press conference](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcRtkA1Rmvw) in response to the public's concern for the purported 'flying discs' over Washington DC is also very interesting. In it, he clearly says these objects are not ours and we have "no idea what they are." The earlier historic evidence tends to be much less altered by mass media and pop culture (ie: little green men & X-Files theme music).\n\n> what exactly are we here to promote? \n\nI think we're here to (hopfully) weed through the bad information, the misinformation and put the subject on some solid ground through skeptical and scientific approaches, when possible. \n\n> Is this forum like, "Hey, here's some well documented and credible UFO cases for people to see" or is it like, "OK, we've all subscribed to r/UFOs because we believe there's a shred of truth to this phenomenon. We've seen some cases, and would welcome more, but let's take it to the next step and start talk about what this means for us."\n\nI would say it's a combination of both. 1312224458 +Is it weird that I can do this on command at any time? 1353846050 +Great responses! Thanks a lot. These are the kinds of insights I was hoping you'd share. Wish I could write a more thorough response but I'm in the midst of grading papers and shouldn't even be on reddit at the moment... 1349836193 +That's true, but I'd happily eat right and stay fit in order to experience another 15-20 years on the planet. 1241827623 +that is what I was thinking too. also explains the weird stare down if you did say something like 'hey kiddo'. 1332688065 +You don't know if they had a shitty day or week, if someone they know died recently, or what. Saying they shouldn't be working customer service because you saw them cry sounds like a cop out to justify shitty and unacceptable human behavior.\n\nSave that for the people who deserve it, like lawyers.\n\nedit: missing words and what not 1348067207 +i will post again my results later 1349741443 +i will post again my results later 1349741462 +I've had a handful of these. It's often annoying however, that they're often more abstract, although I have had a couple that were almost perfect visual matches for things I've later seen. Usually very insignificant events. One was my cousin being asked to be in a play. When it happened I kept thinking 'I know I've seen this before.' Like deja vu but worse. I eventually remembered a vivid dream I'd had about 2 months before where literally the exact same thing had happened at a theater that as far as I could remember exactly the same as what I was looking at. Only other one was a party I went to right after a bad breakup. When I had the dream I had assumed it was just a randomly generated scene, but nope, actually ended up there later. It was weird even the way the lime green cups were arranged on the table triggered some weird memory of the dream.\n\nI've had a few more, but they were really abstract and while indicative, not necessarily predictive (although much more vivid and memorable). 1342807096 +>Since when did the skeptic community become the academic/scientific apologist community?\n\nSince never.\n\n>When science gets something wrong it's ok to point it out.\n\nSure it is. That is the process that has produced AGW theory, which has so far withstood pretty much everything that's been thrown at it, probably because it's very likely to be correct.\n\n>You don't have to toe the line on every issue.\n\nNo one's asking you to. However, the evidence supporting AGW theory is numerous and compelling, and the evidence against it is practically non-existent. Therefore, AGW theory (like Evolution) is very probably true.\n\n>The argument is not over "anthropogenic global warming" it is over catastrophic anthropogenic global warming \n\n"Catastrophic" anthropogenic global warming is a made-up expression that was created by deniers in order to treat this as an emotional issue rather than a scientific one. The word "catastrophic" is both vague and scary, which fits with the climate change denier's goal of making the opposite side look like emotionally-driven alarmists. It may work with those who aren't aware of the actual science, but it won't work with me. Sorry.\n\nIf you disagree, then please provide a precise definition of what "catastrophic" means, and how that definition was achieved.\n\n>Quite simply, there is not anything close to certainty that human contributions to CO2 in the atmosphere will have a major effect on the Earth's climate.\n\nAh, but we don't *need* certainty. If there was even a 50/50 chance that it was correct, given its potential effect it would be foolish not to act.\n\n>There are way too many assumptions being thrown around \n\nNot really. The science is supported by multiple lines of evidence, which suggest a climate sensitivity between 2 and 4.5C, with a likeliest value of 3C. While this may or may not be "catastrophic" (no denier so far has been able to explain to me what "catastrophic" precisely means in this context), but there are various studies that suggest it won't be *good* (including studies from the Pentagon, that nest of eco-terrorists!).\n\nIn any case, I've talked with enough deniers to know that, when caught in their pseudo-science, they'll gladly go from "it's not warming" to "it's warming but it's not us" to "it's warming, it's us but it won't be bad" only to return to "it's not warming".\n\n>Furthermore there is evidence that the Earth's climate is currently in a particularly warm interglacial phase and is due for a return to ice age very soon\n\nNot "evidence", but rather a hypothesis.\n\n>if increased CO2 in the atmosphere helps stave off such catastrophic changes then we will all be grateful for it\n\nWait a minute. Either AGW theory is wrong, and the increase will be minor, or it is right, and the warming will be strong enough to correspond to the decrease in temperature caused by a return to a glacial period (not an "Ice Age", as you incorrectly note, since we are already inside an Ice Age). It can't be both, you'll have to choose what your position actually is - but thanks for demonstrating I was correct about how deniers' arguments aren't consistent with each other.\n\n>I encourage you to apply [1] Feynman's scientific attitude \n\nI am well aware of Feynmann's cargo cult science concept, however it doesn't apply to Climate Science, and Feynmann himself never cited climate science as an example of cargo cult science.\n\nI think you and other deniers who constantly cite Feynmann should be ashamed of tarnishing the memory of a great scientist by suggesting he'd be on your side of this debate (since your side is incapable of producing evidence that AGW is wrong).\n\n>to the claims of those who wish to make wild, unsubstantiated scientific claims in an attempt to tax all economic output, everywhere.\n\nNo one wants to tax all economic output everywhere. That goes beyond a strawman fallacy, right into conspiracy theory. Maybe that's why the subreddit doesn't fall for your pseudoscientific arguments. Sorry.\n\nEdit: there *is* something one could be skeptical about, is that there is a conspiracy to spread disinformation by multinational oil companies. There is evidence of fossil fuel companies financing climate change denial "enablers" (think tanks, blogs, scientists), however this doesn't necessarily mean there's an actual conspiracy to spread lies in order to protect corporate interests; it *could* conceivably just be the product of stupidity rather than malice (and I believe that in many cases it is).\n\nThat's where one could draw a skeptical line, because there is little actual evidence of this (as with most conspiracy theories). The science itself, however, is pretty solid. It's going to take more than vague accusations and oft-debunked arguments to make a serious dent in it. 1342826297 +Maybe scientists (reviewers I mean) are now thinking its time to troll the peer-reviewed journals, because the publishers are becoming increasingly greedy. 1327761145 +Suppose two swallows carried your soul together? 1351689882 +Good introduction point, thank you! 1341659857 +Similarly, the decline in piracy worldwide causes global warming.\n\nCorrelation does not equal causation. Learn it, live it, love it! 1353431902 +Until it's well demonstrated, it's not worth worrying about. As it is, it's conjecture based on a kooky version of biology. For instance, the blood type diet's claim is that type A is a recent adaptation to agrarian life, but type A is actually the oldest blood type.\n\nThere are a lot of debunking articles from other food obsessives, but here's one that's [actually based on science.](http://www.skepdic.com/bloodtypediet.html) 1325217038 +Set ups. 1352135734 +No children, just my wife and I. I'll come back once I get the new handle on and let you know if it happens again. Probably won't be replacing it for a month or two though. 1332961772 +As much as I love Derren Brown, I'm forever skeptical about hypnotism. I do believe, to some small degree, in the power of suggestion. But, not the kind where you can walk up to somebody, snap your fingers and force them into a state of altered consciousness. I feel it's much more likely that the people are faking it, but for some reason not willing to admit it.\n 1304080935 +And, of course, in order to maintain the collective at peak efficiency, frequent and regular injections of nanoprobes are indispensable. 1344803048 +Why are you posting a private video?\n\n 1336922380 +A real doctor? Seriously, your GP can help. 1306036161 +The very fact that you identify as a conspiracy theorist makes you an idiot.\n\n>I am calling for reasoned discourse. I am calling for respectful argument. I am calling for rationality, and empathy.\n\nIn case you hadn't noticed, that's what being a skeptic is about. REASONED DISCOURSE. Skeptics don't argue in any other fashion.\n\nAlso, [this](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110504080730.htm) might be of interest to you 1304978164 +Exactly which facts are being ignored? The fact that there is practically zero chance of there being a single molecule of the original ingredient at 30C or 200C (homeopathies most potent cure). Or maybe it's the fact that in double-blind trials there is no significant difference between a homeopathic remedy and a placebo. If you expect anecdotes to be accepted as fact, then I think you're approaching the topic all wrong because placebos are a powerful thing. \n\nI'm not claiming that a person who honestly believes something will work, won't feel any relief. I'm claiming that I could take a dropper of pure distilled H2O, tell someone that it was a remedy for whatever their ailment is, and have the same statistical chance at seeing improvement as you would see with the homeopathic remedy. \n\nI also do not see the relevance of your referencing Rudolf Steiner. Nowhere do I see his stance on homeopathy listed, nor do I understand how a philosopher who championed antrhoposophy and spiritual science has any bearing on a discussion of the scientific merits of homeopathy. There's a reason natural sciences have made progress in the past century, while spiritual science is just as laughable as it ever was. \n\nYour original question was why do Redditors in general harbor such antipathy for homeopathy. People are being scammed, by water in a bottle, for 8-10 bucks a pop. There are real provably working treatments out there that are sitting on the same shelf, but either public ignorance or marketing is keeping these snake oil salesmen in business. It pisses me off, that in this age where information is literally seconds away this Victorian age mysticism is still profitable. I suppose it's not that surprising, seeing that Bronze age myths are still going strong too. 1300729466 +Being afraid of the dark basement and being afraid of the dark forest probably stem from the same instinctual behavior. It doesn't matter how well you know your basement, if you can't see what is in it, you can't prove what isn't in it. 1332195623 +What were the details of your accident? I mean - did you land on one side and roll, for example? If so - which side did you land on, etc? 1292956865 +This one is a goldmine:\n\nhttp://forums.randi.org/local_links.php?catid=18\n\nAlso good:\n\nhttp://www.911myths.com/\nhttp://www.debunking911.com/\nhttp://www.ae911truth.info/tiki-index.php\nhttp://sites.google.com/site/911guide/home\n\nA Redditor called jcm267 has been putting together a list like the one you mentioned. He's really put some effort into this: http://www.reddit.com/r/conspiratard/comments/dc9tk/about_911/ 1286932606 +It's called a planchette. 1334853845 +>And no, they don't do moral codes. \n\nAre you joking? Take [hedonism](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonism) and completely throw out empathy, and you will have a psychopath. Talk to a psychopath if the opportunity presents itself...discuss morality/etc. with them and you'll quickly see that they do have a moral framework...it's just that their moral framework doesn't place any value on your well-being.\n\n>The ability to distinguish right from wrong is, I hope we can agree, a prerequisite for any moral code (be it objective or subjective). \n\n>>##Psychopaths know right from wrong but don’t care\n\n>>[...] We presented psychopaths with moral dilemmas, contrasting their judgments with age- and sex-matched (i) healthy subjects and (ii) non-psychopathic, delinquents. Subjects in each group judged cases of personal harms (i.e. requiring physical contact) as less permissible than impersonal harms, even though both types of harms led to utilitarian gains. Importantly, however, psychopaths’ pattern of judgments on different dilemmas was the same as those of the other subjects. These results force a rejection of the strong hypothesis that emotional processes are causally necessary for judgments of moral dilemmas, suggesting instead that psychopaths understand the distinction between right and wrong, but do not care about such knowledge, or the consequences that ensue from their morally inappropriate behavior. [...]\n\nhttp://scan.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2010/01/06/scan.nsp051.full\n\n>. Psychopaths either a) do not have this ability or b) do not care, and therefore do not follow the moral code.\n\nB, actually...but that doesn't mean they don't have a moral code...it just means they don't have YOUR moral code. \n\nSeriously, this is ridiculous. You start off by saying "everyone does X, therefore they have Y", I show that not everyone does X. Your argument now seems to be that, because they don't do X, they don't have Y.\n\n>Also, you're still confusing "pointless" with "pointless murder."\n\nThen define your terms because CLEARLY I'm too fucking stupid to get it.\n\n"Pointless" and "pointless murder" are not scientific terms. If you want to coin your own terms with your own special meanings, fine, but include your brand new meanings of those terms instead of acting like a smug prick because I couldn't read your fucking mind.\n\n\n>That, in fact, was entirely my argument. Without anything that is infallible or godlike in any way, it is possible to achieve some sort of values that is at least loosely universal among humanity\n\nAnd that's an irrelevant point. Objective morality needs to be independent of humans opinion in order for it to be objective. it doesn't matter if ALL humans everywhere hold the same opinion...that still doesn't transmogrify the opinion into fact. Furthermore, those values are not universal. It's a secondary point, but one you seem to be stuck on.\n\n>Someone else on this thread (too lazy to actually find/quote it properly, or to see if you've responded to this, so forgive me and/or feel free to slap me for not looking it up) said it best: math does not stop working just because humans are not here. \n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/vxicb/it_seems_like_some_of_you_actually_believe_in/c58jzmc\n\nMath exists independently of humanity...morality doesn't.\n\n>Any other sentient, social animal would likely evolve similar social constraints on behavior.\n\nThat's another huge assumption.\n\nEvolution is ambivalent to death...except when death interferes with reproduction. A society which has no problem brutally murdering the elderly could survive as the elderly are beyond the age of reproduction. \n\n>Again, I do not in any way advocate moral absolutism, and I seriously doubt anyone on this subreddit does either. But things like that do seem to be as objective as we can get.\n\n"As objective as we get" doesn't mean "objective". \n\n>Also, just because rape happens does not mean it is "good."\n\n...and my point was that, just because something is encouraged via evolution (and rape certainly is encouraged in this way), it doesn't make it "good". \n\n>There are enough differences between the scenarios of "rape" and "pointless murder" for me to say that the analogy fails.\n\n\nYou said (way back when):\n\n>>A society that abhors pointless murder (Edit for clarification again, because ambiguity: which, to the best of my knowledge, is all of them societies), on the other hand, will be less likely to wipe itself out. This is an example of something that is not a force or entity in any way, merely a fact of nature. \n\n\nYour argument is basically that something which works against the survival of a species becomes an objective "bad". I used rape as an example because it works towards the survival of the species (by that same logic making it "good") but it's pretty universally viewed as "bad". The analogy works, assuming that was your fucking argument. However, seeing that you seem to have your own weird ass definitions for common words that you pull out of your ass, I may be wrong. To you, perhaps "wipe itself out" really means "eats lots of ice cream and masturbates to bollywood films". I really have no idea at this point, but I do know I'm getting tired of this argument.\n\n>So, I'll make it simple: according to your philosophy of morality, Hitler thought he was doing the right thing. Does anybody else have any moral right or obligation to stop him? (Note: I'm not talking about your personal feelings. I'm talking about what moral relativism says about the issue)\n\nMoral relativism doesn't say you should do X or Y...moral relativism says there's not such thing as an objective right and wrong to moral questions. You can't really demand a moral judgment from something that explicitly denies the validity of moral judgment.\n\nThis is like asking what atheism has to say about praying to god on sundays vs. saturdays. \n\n\nI personally say he's an asshole. If I had the power and inclination to do it, and thought I wouldn't be punished for it (i.e. I had popular support), I'd kill Hitler if I were given the choice. But this has not fucking bearing on the existence of objective morality. I feel like you're only asking this question in the hopes that I'll respond with something along the lines of "what Hitler did wasn't inherently wrong" so you can scream "AHA see! Clearly you too are an evil person and we need objective morality to avoid more Hitlers!!!". That's the ONLY way I see this applying to this conversation.\n\n>But they are relative.\n\nAnd relative is subjective. \n\nThe end. 1341270857 +What a verbose, watertight argument. \n\nIt's a valid point. Some sightings have not been explained, and therefore by definition they are "UFOs". This does not mean it was aliens. It's equivalent to a theist saying "God did it" when we can't fully explain abiogenesis. \n\nYou obviously don't want to discuss this. It's plain you believe we are/have been visited by alien lifeforms based on only anecdotal evidence and you are closed to any kind of skepticism of it. Not sure what the point of this thread was. 1332247913 +>For the placebo effect to take place people need to believe that it does\n\nFalse.\n\nhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/dec/22/placebo-effect-patients-sham-drug 1329314591 +Just saying it's happened a lot in previous encounters with new civilizations on our own planet. 1337062427 +Personally I have many different types of dreams; some are more like premonitions, some are almost "other dimensions" where things and people are different, some are a conglomeration of things I have recently seen/read/watched/thought about, and some are exploring dreamland. Use your intuition about your dreams, and regardless do not be fearful as we are powerful manifesters. 1345673744 +Darren brown did something like this, I'm too lazy to track it down right now though. 1301811664 +Ok, you've established a possible motive. That's a good first step. Now, step two: do the research. Find some citations to back up your assertions, and be ready to defend the credibility of those citations.\n\nThis is what sets /r/skeptic apart from /r/conspiracy. 1309026944 +What? 1294045631 +What? 1348375746 +What? 1322560506 +What? 1351040304 +Makes sense if the meaning of "hardcore debunking" in your reply is "politically influenced denials" which Hynek admits that they were during Project Blue Book. 1314129534 +**Breaking news:** Sickening grocery store cover up! Grocery store manager claims his fresh produce doesn't cause miscarriages. 1351830425 +Nikola Tesla was the greatest engineer to ever live. Later in his life he spent all of his time on a project that based on simple equations could not have worked, the whole "power by air" thing. He tried to sell his home country a weapon that he hadn't built and never successfully built. 1341638134 +Well, we have evidence in the form of declassified documents that the US generals during WWII, with the approval/request of FDR to figure out a way to force Japan into a confrontation by making life in the Pacific incredibly difficult for them. Whether or not they knew of the impending attack on Pearl Harbor is one question, but what's not in question is that they deliberately instigated an attack to provide the pretense for war.\n\nNot saying what they did was even unnecessary, I happen to agree with the idea in a general sense. But between the Northwoods documents and the documents describing this WWII strategy, we *know* from the historical record that governments are willing to engineer tragedies and outrages so that they can then use them to forward an agenda. 1276701400 +It gets stranger than that...if they are as advanced as we think, it's possible that they could blend into our culture. I hate to come out and say it, but reptilian like camouflage. \n\nI don't necessarily believe it, but it's definitely not out of the realm of possibility. At this point, reality is turning out to be much stranger than fiction.. 1344636097 +OP will surely deliver. 1335685499 +OP will surely deliver. 1355005582 +::full throated applause and apple sauce::\n\nhear here. 1248934157 +Send it to me and I'll put it into Adobe Audition. I might be able to help you out. \n\nEdit: PM me and we'll go from there. 1325138864 +It'd be a great platform to show graphs and pictures and whatnot. Visual representations and explanations is always a plus. So far, it's just a Skeptoid podcast in front of a camera, like you said. Maybe he's just waiting to get more funding. 1264943388 +I don't know why you were expecting anything else. Whole Foods is Wegman's for yuppies. Practically everything in there is touting some form of pseudoscience. They even sell Deepak Chopra's books. 1349189396 +Nice try, but when I used it it was a continuation of an element from a previous comment, not a really petty, try-hard quoting from someone's post history. 1309191528 +I saw a bright light falling fast last night, it wasn't a shooting star because it was in the earths atmosphere. It fell straight and separated into 2 an disappeared. 1353851078 +Oh brother. I don't know if I should want to hear this or not. Waiting for the link in anticipation.\n\nWhat's 11 AM in Universal Standard Time? 1315578485 +I'm picking up what you're putting down. 1355463370 +I agree that's where the evidence is...I just disagree with the way the public is being educated about it...from both sides 1329968950 +Nope. It's in the attic, which is very tiny and has no windows. 1354350944 +> if it has been found that exposure to high levels of fluoride in water can lower IQ scores, isn't that cause for some concern?\n\nIt's [essentially irrelevant](http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/anti-fluoride-propaganda-as-news/).\n\n> it seems like the root of the issue is involuntary medication\n\nI don't know which mechanism is more cost-effective, but the "involuntary medication" business is a contrived issue and should not bear upon public policy. Fluoride occurs naturally in (almost?) all water supplies, at varying levels; the debate is over whether to artificially optimize it at around .7ppm. Moreover, it's a nutrient, not a medication; it's effect is preventative, not curative (at least as far as fluoridation goes). Or just check the [legal precedent](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_fluoridation_in_the_United_States#Court_cases). 1345395287 +There is nothing I can say in a comment that would convince you.\n\nLets just say the evidence exists its up to you to find it. No one who really knows cares about convincing you. You like every other member of your race believe everyone cares what you think.\n\nWhy would I waste my time trying to convince you. What would that achieve? In my opinion if you are too stupid to realize that all evidence aside its a mathematical certainty of advanced traveling alien life then you don't deserve to know.\n\nFurthermore anyone who truly knows a shard of what is going on realizes most people could not handle what they find.\n\nLike I said the information is out there, but you cant un-see it.\n\n 1332452217 +Wheres FSM? 1275284240 +good detective work right there. sherlock holmes and batman would be proud.\n\n^(...i'm overselling it, aren't i.) 1355701498 +For what it's worth, I can verify this - I saw the show and they did it multiple times. Ended up being loose fencing that flipped when driven into. 1327116697 +She'd probably be an easy convert.\n\n\nOne of us... one of us... 1307806505 +> that is the conclusion of the Sokal Hoax\n\nNo, it's not. It doesn't even begin to establish that. A single incident, with a single journal that apparently wasn't even practising academic peer review? How can that say anything about postmodernism as a whole?\n\nPlus there's the reductio provided by the other incident: if you think the Sokal affair shows postmodernism to be bullshit (it doesn't), you'll also have to think the Bogdanov affair shows theoretical physics is bullshit (it's not). Or, explain why the two incidents are different in character to the degree that one exposes an entire field to be fraudulent, while the other doesn't. 1315344916 +You can spout whatever opinion you like. If people want to believe it that's their problem. If you wish to pretend you're some authority in something, that's everyone's problem. 1351367656 +The scandals like Rosiglitazone nearly always effect the US. What he says has happened in the US, in this decade. Is it actually true that the FDA receives all data and papers from studies on humans? I don't think that's true, it certainly wasn't true for the drug Ben cites in the article. 1348344779 +Oh really? Societies have collapsed in the past?!?!?\n\nThanks so much for educating me instead of posting a rudely condescending comment. 1347614333 +Also science opposes the use of common sense (idol of the tribe and all) 1338750602 +[Rebecca Watson did it once for a fundraiser](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsBQqUvwkek) 1345203971 +Skeptception... 1344972667 +But, it's written by people with titles. Unlike unscientific conspiracy theorists who dropped out of kindergarten, like Webster Tarpley or Leonard Horowitz, and proceed to make up fake titles. So they're right, unlike the conspiracy theorists. These real scientists (unlike fake scientists, like the chiropractors of naturalnews) hate vitamins and alternative medicine. 1267874368 +Lets bomb it. 1313396773 +How about "Rational Event Horizon"? 1322422996 +PCP is my guess, but I don't rule out much these days. 1338267761 +Sorry folks...but it appears as if The Falcon didnt crash here after all. 1346370041 +You sick bastard. 1297867043 +I can honestly say CoQ10 works for what I was told to take it for. I have a broken penis, a toilet seat fell on it when I was younger and damaged the tissue about halfway down my penis. So yes sometimes it will "bend" when faced with tight circumstances. However now at age 41 I have a painful hard lump inside my penis. Hard-ons are severely painful. I went to the Urologist and he said until he could see me for SHOTS INTO MY PENIS I should take CoQ10. It does help with the lump size and my penis does not hurt as much. However I currently have a right angle facing up when I get a hard on. Lots of fun there. 1345592678 +That bowl is what interested me the most. How do you explain Sumerian writing on an artifact from South America? Damn! 1332052951 +The point is. These "mysteries" of good health have been known by people for a long time. We've known that shoes caused these problems and I've practiced barefoot my whole life 28 years. Now if this is really solving so many chronic problems, why isn't it commonly known that people with joint pain should walk barefoot every day (great for brain and overall health too) but they all know what pill to take for joint pain because the experts told them.\n\nI mean. If disposable razor companies started educating their targets on how to make their razors last MONTHS longer each by running them backwards on your arm 10 times... their profits would fall. So any legislation that censures someone from telling people that trick i say NO GO! \n\nPlease don't let your fear let you decided what I have access to. If you don't believe in herbs DONT USE THEM for gods sake just go see your experts. But if you engage yourself enough in the knowledge of food and food medicines some day I hope the option is still open to you and websites will still be allowed to "make those unproven claims". 1298078212 +So there was one paranormal event in Britain this past year? 1286182276 +There is good historical evidence that our DNA was manipulated by "gods". The Sumerian civilisation are quite forthcoming about their story of creation. 1296487017 +I believe that it increases activity, but that is based purely on anecdotal evidence. 1326844776 +Yes... the first comment on that site hits the nail right in the head and confirms op's theory. The song is about someone dear passing away.\n\nOn a related note... My dad passed away this past February 21st in the morning and the first verse of the song says just that. It made my eyes water up. ='( 1345140688 +"The attendees, who had paid up to $10,000 to participate in the retreat, had fasted for 36 hours during a vision quest exercise before the next day's sweat lodge. During this vision quest, participants were left alone in the Arizona desert with a sleeping bag, although Ray offered them Peruvian ponchos for an additional $250." \n \nObjections by the Native American community included "charging for the ceremony (seen as extremely inappropriate)". \n \n[Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Arthur_Ray) \n \nMy sister and her husband went to Sedona a couple years back. They paid some guy to take them on a spirit walk. I can only imagine the things he probably talked about... "And over here we have a giant underground concentration of quartz, which is a healing mineral with significant spiritual properties. For example, it causes lucid dreaming, enhanced clarity, and helps your mind to resonate at higher frequencies which leads to an elevation in consciousness, bringing you more in tune with the quantum nature of the spirit world." 1327928572 +I think you're onto something 1302402729 +1. This is what I want to do. Address the cause, not the symptom. The problem is that she never admits to fault or being wrong about anything, ever, and she never reassesses her views in light of new information. I'd have to teach her to do this, and people over the age of 50 are usually so fixed in the way they've thought for decades that they can't learn an entirely new mindset.\n\n2. Well, aside from my concern of all the money she's wasted on it, this would be good enough. But sadly, as long as she believes that homeopathy is actually an effective alternative, I can't see it happening... I've tried to explain this danger to her, but I don't know how at this point. I think she's had some very negative experiences with doctors and medicine in the past that have driven her away from them entirely through stupid generalisation. Plus, she seems to think she's fine with the endless array of supplements she takes - which, to their credit, contain actual ingredients. 1295446040 +Saying "Nonsense" is hostile? That's just silly. You're arguing just to argue, and what you're saying is nonsense. Hence, the word nonsense. 1351113572 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derren_Brown#Neuro-linguistic_programming\n\n>Several authors have claimed that Brown uses neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) in his act which "consists of a range of magical 'tricks', misdirection and, most intriguing, setting up audiences to provide the response that he wishes them to provide by using subtle subliminal cues in his conversation with them."[39] In response to the accusation that he unfairly claims to be using NLP whenever he performs, Brown writes "The truth is I have never mentioned it outside of my book". Brown does have an off-stage curiosity about the system, and discusses it in the larger context of hypnotism and suggestion.[19][40] In his book "Tricks of the Mind" he mentions that he attended an NLP course with Richard Bandler, co-creator of NLP and mentor of Paul McKenna, but suggests that the rigid systems of body language interpretation employed by NLP are not as reliable as its practitioners imply. He also mentions the NLP concept of eye accessing cues as a technique of "limited use" in his book "Pure Effect".[41] The language patterns which he uses to suggest behaviours are very similar in style to those used by Richard Bandler and by the hypnotist from whom Bandler learned his skill, Milton H. Erickson. Brown also mentions in his book 'Tricks of the Mind' that NLP students were given a certificate after a four-day course, certifying them to practice NLP as a therapist. A year after Brown attended the class, he received a number of letters saying that he would receive another certificate, not for passing a test (as he discontinued practising NLP following the course), but for keeping in touch. After ignoring their request, he later received the new certificate for NLP in his mailbox, unsolicited.[42]\n\nBrown doesn't use NLP, and in "Tricks of the Mind" he goes into detail as to why it doesn't work (mostly by discussing all the studies which have been done on the topic that have disproved the practice). 1328446800 +[WhatsTheHarm.net](http://whatstheharm.net/) has some good anecdotes. The [naturopathy](http://whatstheharm.net/naturopathy.html) section has a few cancer cases with 'alternative medicine' uses. 1279305348 +I have done this.\n\n[Full story](http://igl00.com/385). 1309952218 +Smacks of intellectual snobbery.\n\nI would think that, if UFOs are extraterrestrial aliens and they possess the technology for interstellar travel, they would be smart enough to keep their presence largely hidden from us. They certainly wouldn't want to contact us- our species is one that keeps thousands of nuclear weapons pointed at *itself*. Why would anybody want to have contact with a bunch of violent loonies like us? 1293995479 +Yea. Not really feeling the music. Listening to the same loop for 7 minutes is annoying as hell. 1340772279 +Are they hiring then? Ripping people off seems to be foundation of most jobs these days. 1314668241 +That. Is a weird looking thing with weird physical properties. 1298129376 +The History Channel is just embarrassingly bad. Here's my take on the worst of the worst: \nhttp://kooztop5.blogspot.com/2011/09/top-5-worst-shows-on-history-channel.html 1315370072 +If you think scientific skepticism is just dogmatic rejection, I suspect you have a basic misunderstanding of what we do. Regarding your attitude towards science, it honestly hurts my head. You seem to think theories are useless and presumptuous - that we should "get rid" of them - but they are required to formulate, test, and falsify hypotheses. The models we create are rarely assumed to be fully accurate; they are a way to tie together information.\n\nI encounter this attitude from philosophers often, and it is simply infuriating. (Never from philosophers of science, fortunately, but that doesn't surprise me - they actually understand the basis of the scientific method and the difference between it and a religious framework.) \n\nIt's just as frustrating as the dismissive attitude many scientists have against philosophy, and makes you look like just as much as a dumbass. 1322172879 +I read it as:\n\n* 50% of the real accupuncture group had a 50% reduction in pain\n* 30% of the no treatment group had a 50% reduction in pain\n* 43% of the fake accupuncture group had a 50% reduction in pain\n\nWe are measuring what percent of each group had a 50% reduction in pain not what percent reduction in pain each group had. A subtle difference. 1347335059 +This is just how any politician gets out of any political storm. Anyone can argue their way out of anything if they're brilliant enough and don't get the fallacies they're committing pointed out to them. Since this isn't something that's going to be debated (I mean, I don't even know what the controversy is about, but I know how this stuff works generally), he can say whatever and enough people will believe him enough for this not to be an issue.\n\n:)) 1320829114 +Do Canadians know that in America we have a channel called MTV (Music Television) that hasn't played music videos for years and instead churns out one shit reality show after another?\n\nWe also have TLC (The Learning Channel) which is good if you want to watch incompetent parents try to raise 8 children or see the way a dysfunctional family runs a multi-million dollar business making and selling gaudy motorcycles. \n\n\n 1295909106 +I found something that it probably it called The Derren Brown Lecture.avi 1352742129 +This really isn't true. I've just spent the better part of two days researching this and the reports you've read are wrong. Probably reported as such due to his company, standing and stockholders. 1318001638 +Usually go to skeptoid. \n\nBut to answer your question, there is no FAQ because nobody has taken the time to do it. By all means vanillarain. 1340064825 +> There is absolutely no way to ascertain whether a god actually exists simply from looking at human brain structure\n\nYou just postulated something, a 'god' (no idea what that is, can you define what that thing is supposed to be?). Of course you can provide empirical evidence for your (not much of a) claim?\n\nAnd if you're hinting an enumerable but very large number of equivalent possibilities, are you not afraid that Occam will cut you? 1311090139 +Intelligence is not directly related to morality.\n\nDo you think murderous dictators are stupid? Or are their genocides moral? That is the false dichotomy you assert.\n\n"conspiracy theory" is just a way the masses label something they wish to discredit for simplicities sake, so that their lives aren't interrupted by inconvenient assertions. \n\nThere is a big difference between believing that reptilian overlords from a far away galaxy are in control of a secret world government, compared to understanding how the IMF helps in facilitating debt interchanges between the global central banks which lead to the structural impoverishment of certain areas.. trade wars which lead to control and death of citizens the world over..\n\nPeople that believe in either of the above circumstances believe basically the same thing, except one realizes it is a human structure with a purpose, and another thinks it's magic..\n\nThere is a global central bank(imf) and currency([sdr](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Drawing_Rights)).\n\nIs believing that these institutions might be controlled for the benefit of the few over the many a conspiracy theory? 1303860313 +Sorry, used to. As in a long time ago. Like the seventies. It was popular with us winos. 1290123185 +I am sure most of the people that frequent this subreddit do enough due diligence to read through the whole article at least before making any conclusions; an article, which I seem to recall, said that the scientists that made the discovery are skeptical about the findings, and want the scientific community to check their work and make sure everything looks correct. Even have fermi (woot, Chicago represent!) re-run the experiment and see what results they can get. 1316753501 +Now I KNOW you're a parody account. Awesome dude, keep it up. You had me going for awhile! 1347314751 +Nonsense. It's clearly Gene Simmons. 1321138343 +But... by not doing that, he got you to look it up, and learn about it. \n\nThink about it... 1313876285 +I get it. So basically I can say whatever I want about other people online so long as I stick a smiley face at the end. I must remember that. 1328344184 +I have a question. \n\nHow does one enter adulthood with such tiny areola's?\n\nI swear, the moment I hit puberty I grew these pepperoni rings around my nips, and I was never fat/overweight. \n\nWhat I'm trying to say is: I'm jealous of your nips. 1311039706 +there was this one show i cant remember the name it was called. but it had to do with dead celebrity's.the host went to places where elvis presley stayed buddy holly. For buddy Holly he went to the crash site of his plane. But what i remember the most from the show was that they did a seance for one celebrity and he had connected to a ghost. and he let the ghost take over him and talk to the group of people. At first the ghost had trouble talking but got used to it. it freaked me the fuck out. It sucks that its not played anymore. anyone know what im talkin bout? 1346654420 +Same here. Since I was a kid, I would always find myself in settings that I knew I'd 'dreamed' before. I never had one of myself in college though, which led me to believe that I would die sometime between high school and college. Luckily, this was not the case, although I've only experienced this once throughout my freshman year. 1344230677 +http://bigfootevidence.blogspot.com/2012/09/enhanced-images-of-alleged-campertent.html\n\nalready confirmed a hoax. 1349122462 +[I lol'ed](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UctjqoMdbY&feature=player_detailpage#t=244s) 1318114001 +I got this:\n\n**U**nderwater **F**loating **O**bject...\n\namiright? 1312617743 +I have no idea what I'm looking at or what I'm supposed to be seeing.... 1340904283 +I tried googling "alternative neutering" but nothing good came out. 1317914034 +And my point is why would they contact the whole planet if they do not know if we are worthy enough? Maybe they wanted to introduce some randomness and were already under the constrains of stealth so they chose the wrong sample of human beings. Now we are just unlucky. 1341061924 +Before sim-cards - A lot of early cell phones (and many still do) actually had a small secret battery that wasn't removable. \n\nIt's how all your numbers were saved even when you pulled the battery out.\n\nLikely it somehow was enough to pick up a phone call - and it either ran out of juice about the time you put the other battery in - or, more likely, the act of putting the other battery in shorted/jumped it and reset the call.\n\n 1326579430 +Parents who want to blame vaccinations just don't want to blame themselves. If it's not vaccinations then it must be their fault that their child is Autistic, and that's hard for some people to handle, so they look to other places to lay the blame. 1285037107 +What you're doing is arguing with yourself through hypothetical scenarios. You're trying to rationalise the behaviour of a phenonenon you know nothing about, and as such, your line of enquiry is simply untennable.\n\nYour scenario is baseless, as you know nothing about the subject.\n\nIf you read up about it, you'll learn there's more to it than you previously thought, but you won't read up about it because your opinions stand in the way of your enquiry, which means you're not a skeptic, you're a debunker holding onto a previously constructed belief. 1332244801 +Nope... 1347702385 +Do you see any value in neck manipulation of any kind? If so, what? (I'm thinking of [these kinds of reservations](http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/neck-manipulation-risk-vs-benefit/).)\n\nSeparately, do you think that the profession itself is salvageable, or will the techniques used by evidence-based chiropractors simply become an optional part of more general training, leaving chiropractic *per se* completely in the alt med culture? (Or do you see the current split being sustained indefinitely?) 1342742603 +Hey, if Witches have figured out a way to part fools with their money, then good for them. 1296230977 +>>For example, that Osama bin Laden has been killed is not a terribly fantastic or extraordinary claim.\n\n>First of all, this capture has been a decade in the making. Consider: those 20-somethings shown celebrating were still in grade school back on 9-11-2001; American policy has been dominated by this guy (and his cohorts) for their entire conscious lives.\n\nWhat do either of those two things have to do with what you were replying to? Neither of those things change the fact that the killing of a man by Navy SEALs, using firearms at close range, is not an unreasonable scenario to occur.\n\n>for nearly 10 years the accepted answer was either "he can't be caught" or "he's already dead". \n\nThese are claims made by armchair analysts. None of us really know what has been going on behind the scenes. Because most people accepted these "explanations" doesn't give them any more merit.\n\nRegarding your comparison to Saddam, he was discovered and trapped in a hole in the ground, and did not resist capture. If you are willing to accept that his demeanor at the time of his discovery and Osama's were different enough to warrant different levels of force, than it also stands to reason that the two encounters would have different outcomes.\n 1304698857 +So, where are the shaky, out of focus pictures they took of their prisoner of war? 1356852379 +The kind that comes with a decoder ring. 1316958843 +You will forgive me if I am, well... skeptical.\n\nWho is 'they'? How did they 'find' this to be true? Why do you think that your own personal anecdote is evidence? it is a single instance, and you are hardly impartial.\n\nDon't get me wrong, I *want* it to be true, but this is /r/skeptic ;) 1327540912 +I found this story suspicious for different reasons than you. Mainly, in fact by seeming inconsistencies between the photo and the story. Maybe I'm wrong, but the child in the photo looks too big to be three months old, and the earth pit they're in doesn't look like the situation described in the text:\n\n> when the rescuers reached the ruins of a young woman’s house, they saw her dead body through the cracks.\n\nWhat cracks exactly? This pair look like they've been buried. I don't think this is a rock-solid objection, but for better (skepticism) or worse, it raised an eyebrow with me.\n\nIn any event, our suspicions proved correct, as TaxandSpendDinosaur points out. And in his source, the image and description match.\n\nSome interesting questions I'd like to see answered about this story is who put the text and image together, and why? Did they create the text, or take it from somewhere else? Given certain "red flags" in the text, this looks like it could have been adapted from a miracle-anecdote of the sort that one's vaguely protestant mother likes to forward to one's email. And if so, by whom and for what purpose? Pious fraud, a prank maybe?\n\nPersonally, it's at this point in the story of a fake that things get really interesting to me. 1315935925 +http://www.google.com/search?q=radio+speakers+computer 1339279042 +There's no depth perception. I'm not a smart ass, I'm just correct.\n\nedit: not to mention, the complete lack of definition the eye has. 1325479460 +Oh man, thank you for posting this.\n\nI watched this a while back and then mentioned the "finger chemicals" bullshit to someone later on. They didn't believe me and I couldn't find the video again. Saving it this time. 1351011447 +>What you're wrong about is, that truly free market and anarchy can be a better system than certain forms of government.\n\nFree market anarchy is worse than communism, fascism/corporate fascism, or dictatorships? No, it's not. That's why Somalia is doing better than it was under its dictatorship. 1313616258 +In high school my now-husband and I made money on the bus by charging $2 for Tarot readings. We were open about it being bullshit, though. They were paying for the entertainment. He would wear my pink scarf around his head as a fake turban and everything.\n\nBut every once and a while, when I see woo making massive profit, I get the terrible recurring thought that we could make good money that way. I just know I couldn't sleep at night ripping people off like that. 1313260495 +So Doctor's Data still has no defense for the actual accusations made by Stephen Barrett. When your only defense is to attack the accuser and not the points made by the accuser you are wrong. 1280929596 +Well the French were one of the few nations to take it seriously and produced the Cometa report for general audiences, so there is some merit to that. 1356016692 +tl;dw 1348186365 +Hard to smurfing disagree with such a well-spoken mothersmurfer. 1310481839 +It can be rough. 1326827661 +It's interesting that most people (in general) think like this. I consider myself a skeptic but frequently an unsupported correlation will pop into my head when one even precedes another. The trick is to logically evaluate every conclusion you come to and rule out logical fallacies (like post hoc ergo propter hoc in this case). 1294901801 +Here you go: [Chris Mohr's AE 9/11 Respectful rebuttal](http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD53B1326B705253D). 1350553172 +Never gonna happen. 1260209302 +>results like these are what experimentalists dream of: clear, statistically solid patterns that are essentially impossible to arrive at by chance, and that admit only one plausible (but originally unexpected) model to explain them\n\nThat, to me, pretty much rules out tampering, unless everyone thinks that the obvious explanation is that someone capable of perpetrating this kind of fraud would be utterly oblivious to this fact. 1351402352 +There are university programs for occultism and esotericism at universities in the UK, France, Holland, Sweden and (iirc) Italy. Some of those have underpaid research positions, and a few are even in English! ;-) 1355092286 +So a pdf is enough to make a believer out of you? And you still call yourself a skeptic? 1329331369 +>You're terminology is very volatile and hate filled. \n\nHuh? Where are you coming up with that? Did the italics scare you? Bizarre interpretation. He is factually addressing your comment, nothing more. Isn't that the point of r/skeptic, to stick to the facts?\n\nI can understand everyone's skepticism about this topic. Regarding the downvotes that dopp got from you guys... I am dissapoint. That's lame behavior. Being skeptical doesn't mean you just debunk and insult for the win.\n\nI would venture to say that this subject is a lot more complicated than you might think before actually studying it to any serious degree. 1331932769 +good one. 1268396460 +When did he say you had told him this story?\n\nIs it possible you told him something when you came home from the "working interview"? 1327278533 +I love how it's just swaying. As if it's hanging from some sort of string...but no! 1293558907 +Agreed. Couldn't have said it better. 1310485653 +Usually if it's homeopathic it'll say it right on the box. 1349190537 +Get that blue button ready .. \n\nPyramids, in general, have (among other uses) the purpose of using/focussing the earth's "natural energy", which might be stronger in some area's.\n\nImagine the energey spiralling upwards around the center of the pyramids, much in the same way that you see water go down the drain... from broad to narrow.\n\nTha Gaza pyramids are so big because they allow people to be inside at precise spots in order to use this spiralling energy, for mediation/channeling purposes and even physical healing.\n\nNow, keep in mind you've asked our opinion :\n\nThey were built by the RA-society, who was visiting Earth at that time (= +-9000BC). These people are just souls like you and me, except they are a bit higher up the ladder already (see re-incarnation, concept of ascension).\n\nSo they built the pyramids using methods unknown to us in terms of materialization and dematerialization.\n\nThey abandoned their project when they saw that it's pointless with us humans.. in this particular context we wouldn't have any of the teaching and used the pyramids as royal buildings and so on.\n\nDon't take my word for this... get a small pyramid with the right dimensions and place it under an aching bodypart for 15 minutes or so..\n\nYou'll see\n\nNamaste 1356879050 +Yep. Now they'll be back to running stories about 'the worst landlord in Australia' every week. 1303044098 +Upvote purely for the title. 1328481184 +Well it's not fair when you know what you're talking about! 1309745880 +Well yes, it's certainly a huge problem because they're conducting very legitimate and rigorous studies and simply hide ones that fail so we see good methodology, good design, and strong results far above anything used to justify alt med modalities.\n\nHowever, the huge problem is that quacks could point to Goldacre's book and say "see, Big Pharma is lying to you and they're no better than the alternative medicine practitioners they have their shills go after" and then administer something toxic or useless to the patient. 1348360505 +I had my headphones on so the whispering kind of made me feel violated. 1337454892 +I heard about this guy that got hit by lightning after he got a flu shot. Coincidence right? Well get this, he had a twin brother that didn't get the shot and guess what, no lightning. Mind. Blown. 1347672221 +I think the clue is in the domain name. 1339317674 +WOT.com is not concerned with the content. They are screening for viruses and sites that try to hijack your computer. If that website is safe, then it should receive a higher rating. 1347684772 +Until I read the alt-text and before noticing which subreddit this was posted to, I thought this maybe was a critique of the indie gaming scene. It's early in the morning. Things fit much better now.\n\nEdit: I predict whiners to whine about the supposed ratio of ink-to-blank being unrealistic for homeopathy. 1320046271 +ironically, the "[/r/athiesm](/r/athiesm) is a circlejerk" circlejerk has taken over so much so that it bleeds into other subreddits 1330879813 +SOP for a lot of subjects. \n\nif it does not fit it must be wrong, for w/e reason. 1349203994 +One of the few times I've been happy to watch Kevin O'Leary. 1330643807 +It's not impossible. 1338522844 +To be fair it says on their sidebar: \n\n>A subreddit for really great, insightful articles, reddiquette, reading before voting and the hope to generate intelligent discussion on the topics of these articles.\n\nThey want articles, this is not one. Also I'm certainly not against links like this for entertainment, but it's clear that nobody on this site is going to defend them or agree with them. Preaching to a choir does not really stimulate discussion, which they also want. 1337877038 +At least those will relieve your nicotine withdrawal symptoms. 1329280152 +> This subreddit is pathetic. Certain individuals on this subreddit fail to live up to their own skeptic credentials...\n\n> I earnestly searched for empirical evidence of something and was unable to. I came here because I figured you guys would be well aware of the empirical data for such a widely held belief which I was unable to locate. Instead you just downvote me.\n\n> Apparently this isn't r/skeptic, it's [1] /r/scientistcirclejerk.\n\nWell that wasn't hard at all, was it... 1336054763 +The point of doing that is to piss of Redditors that wander into our subreddit. Out in the wild Redditors make all sorts of sexist and racist comments, but as soon as someone insults white men it's suddenly not funny anymore. We find this hilarious.\n\nIt's all just a big joke, really. What, do you hate jokes? 1326689599 +Here are some more links to go along with **gazillion**. From Science Based Medicine blog there is Chiropractic and Stroke: An evaluation of one paper(\\(http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/chiropractic-and-stroke-evaluation-of-one-paper/\\)) by Mark Crislip.\n\nAnother article came up from QuackWatch by Stephen Barrett, M.D. entitled - [Chiropractic's Dirty Secret:\nNeck Manipulation and Strokes](http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/chirostroke.html)\n\n>Do you really think all major insurance companies and corporations would include chiropractic in their plans if it didn't work and save them money?\n\nThe fact that an insurance company will pay for chiropractic care does not make it safe or effective. Many insurance companies cover acupuncture too. What's his take on this. \n\nI find it odd that he didn't list the sources for the opiate and Tylenol deaths. And how many of those deaths were accidental vs. suicide vs. other. Automobiles and medications have both helped a lot of people lead better lives. Cars help people earn a living and support themselves, medications can help a person lead a better life, anti-depressants for example or antivirals for HIV patients.\nBut he would be hard pressed to tell me that more people die from medications in one year than they do from car accidents. I don't see him extolling the evils of cars. Medical doctors will tell the patient of possible complications, almost to a ludicrous point. Chiropractors rarely if at all will tell a patient that what they are doing may cause serious harm. \n\nI understand his frustration from being criticized, my father was a chiropractor, but honestly, they bring the criticism on themselves. From odd and poorly explained "medical devices" and their resistance to integration with proven medical practices to their extreme views on medications and vaccines, they bring it all on themselves. 1315171356 +>if you know the format of panorama is each week the is a new episode and **that episode is done by one main person and a supporting team(camera etc) so each week the is a different person doing a different story in which they have researched and found out. so your grievance is more toward her and her story not the bbc.**\n\nIt does not reflect on the BBC as a whole if a single show that is basically the opinion of a single person goes to air. 1350481396 +In essence the claim is that those who claim to commune with an all-powerful invisible friend, have better mental health.\n\nSeems legit.\n 1346088586 +For what it's worth, like a lot of people, I don't know enough about the science behind AGW.\nI DO know that we are STILL in an Ice Age and have been for over 2.5 million years. We live in an fairly warm interglacial period between very cold episodes, does anyone wish to start a new glacial episode? Do you want kilometre thick ice over N. America, Europe and Asia?\n\nSo let's get the science right and look at ALL aspects before we go off half-cocked, as the German and Indian academics did when they dumped tons of iron filings into the Antarctic Ocean to try to create an algal bloom to soak up CO2. Luckily they underestimated by a long way. 1269799826 +And the lack of control allows the largest corporation to crush or annex competition, thus *reducing* the number of competing companies in a given field. 1313558008 +haha no, you didn't offend me, but I appreciate it. I just try to avoid putting all UFO believers into a single category considering their wide ranges of beliefs and experiences. \n\nThat said, I completely agree with you in that lately, a lot of bullshit videos are trying to be passed as sightings of real significance. At best, they're inconclusive. Even in this clear, non-shaky, high-res video it's extremely tough to see what the object actually is and whether or not it's even suspended in the air. 1289237285 +Again: Nobody said RW was sexually harassed in that elevator, including RW. \n 1351119627 +It sure scarred me for life. 1318506454 +No, I agree not from our government. I tend to think disclosure could come from anywhere and it could be more incremental. \n\nUnlike you I don't have a great deal of faith in the scientific community considering how readily they put on blinkers when it comes to Psi research. I mean there are plenty of things they should be doing and yet the paradigm remains locked in 18th century post enlightenment. At risk of kicking at a dead horse - it's about the money, like the climatologist who quit recently. \n\nLast month, I saw a bunch of UFOs flying across the sky in broad daylight. As hard as I try to id them, I have no idea what they were: 15-20 dark shapes I couldn't identify - it was weird. And yet I risk being labeled crazy for talking about it. Anything that changes that mentality is a good thing - that doesn't mean I trust a single word they say, its a process. To me government and science are exactly the same thing. Science is getting sanitized. 1288921684 +I agree with him about his point that you cannot determine an individual’s mental health simply by comparing them against a flawed definition of what is ‘normal’. The idea that ‘healthy’ and ‘normal’ are the same thing when it comes to mental health brings up issues of semantics, I think. And he is certainly not the first person to raise this kind of issue.\n\n“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti\n\nThough I agree with this sentiment, the takeaway is not that anyone who is labeled mentally ill is is actually mentally fit. A ‘sick society’ may label someone ill when they *are* in fact ill (by objective measurements). So too, a fit individual may be labeled sick by this societal measuring stick. The takeaway, for me, is simply that empirically measuring the mental fitness of every individual (an economically infeasible task, at least at this point in time I should think) may be distinct from what institutions deem ‘normal’. 1322507014 +What's your point? 1335976163 +All I stated was that believing the official story and assuming there is a government conspiracy are two different things. Do you disagree with that premise?\n\nAnd wait, I didn't post the link, I simply made the aforementioned comment. \n\nAnd I am arguing with you because you seem to be trying to contort what I said into "the government did it" \n\nEdit:\nand now that I understand it better, I rescind the bit about being deliberately insulting. If you thought I posted the link and kept saying "I don't know" it would be totally fair to call me out on that. 1314724256 +Ok, I'll read it all later when I get home. \n\nBut please consider this. Yes, there are a shitload of quacks. Yes, even I can harm you by trying chiropracticing your neck. If you hear one talking about energies and chakras, run away.\n300 and odd accounts isn't THAT much, the guy I'm talking about has over 300 patients per week. We would know and hear about him hurting someone. \n\nI'll guess you're American, and I'd bet there are more fraud chiropractics than population of Croatia. Your country is huge, you have waaaay more stupid and naive people than we do (we don't have creationists, for example) and even I could go around saying I'm a healer. I understand your skepticism, but you are skeptic, not "100%sure" about all this, right? \n\nMe? I've got lots of personal experience, and I'd recommend this guy to you and I would sign to take any responsibility.\n\nI hope none of you will ever need one, and if you will need them, consult physiotherapists before. \n\nJust like you shouldn't trust everything, you shouldn't be so stubborn and diss everything without any consideration it could be legit. 1329466627 +It won't benefit your health, but religious groups such as Pentecostals make their sheep fast for days before attending a revival. Helps people have visions, speak in tongues and empty their wallets.\n\nI personally watched a man named Tod Bentley rob people for 3 days. I used to work at a convention center and after the first day people couldn't pay for parking because they gave everything to Tod. People signed over their cars and houses to the guy. He instructed everyone to fast before and while attending. 1304057439 +a placebo is not a remedy. The placebo-effect is a phenomenon that must be accounted for while testing for efficacy. But it isn't something you should be using to treat people. 1309287889 +South Park did a great job summing up most paranormal shows. \n\nEdit: [Video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi7vjSw6KAE&feature=youtube_gdata_player) 1336226255 +But that's wrong.\n\n[The first page I found on google](http://sayiamgreen.com/blog/2010/01/the-real-truth-behind-5-energy-myths/), there's plenty of results so if that isn't convincing enough feel free to search yourself. 1338543449 +You're correct in that sodium ethylmercurithiosalicylate, or more commonly known as [thimerosal](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiomersal) is not mercury. Rather than inorganic mercury, which can't pass the blood-brain barrier, [ethylmercury can](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylmercury). This happens to be what thiomersal is metabolized or degraded to in the human body. Thiomersal is not necessary for the vaccine to work, it is simply used as a preservative and continues to be used even though it's being "phased out".\n\nThis being the skeptic board on Reddit, it frustrates me to see such knee-jerk reactions from people who simply believe they are "in the know" about mercury and autism, a subject which remains controversial exactly because it is **unproven to either direction**.\n\nIt's a fact that mercury is one of the most toxic elements known to man, but that in its natural states it's fairly stable and harmless. Vaporize or methylate it though, and you've got an entirely different beast in your hands. While mercury alone can't be linked as a direct cause of autism, it's clear that mercury *always* has a damaging effect on the organic systems it comes to contact with. It's the degree of damage, speed of recovery and interactions with other complex systems that remain under question.\n\nNext time Big Pharma comes spewing propaganda your way, maybe you should take also their message with a grain of salt and look at evidence from both angles. This is how you may find the connections that are masked by your first reactions which may be driven more by emotion than rationality.\n\nThis is neither a pro-vaccine nor an anti-vaccine statement, this is a statement and a plea against preaching of partial knowledge.\n\nYou call yourselves skeptics, now how about you start acting like skeptics?\n 1256407855 +Came here to say this. Also the guy is full of himself, and talks about subjects which he has no expertise in, acting as of he does. Look up him taking about evolution, and how "humans are no longer evolving" and "australia evolved faster" or some such nonsense. Pharyngula and others have written about him more than a few times. Don't get me wrong, I use to like him, but the fame has gone to his head. 1310222643 +Humans as we know us would not exist if it wasn't for meat. The high protein & easy calories allowed caveman brains to grow bigger. The cooking of meat made even easier calories & protein, and also forced primitive mankind to sit around fires together, where the basics of conversational language are believed to have formed.\n\nThe chart is chock full of pseudo-science & cherry-picking. Humans are omnivores, and have been for as long as we've been humans. 1353132617 +I second this. As cool as it looks it has been proven as a hoax. 1345155651 +Because I called you out on your mischaracterization? That's cool. Have a good one. 1287770802 +That video, though VERY well done. Is also quite fake-looking. In the slow motion part, he reveals himself accidentally. Watch the dots and watch the horizon, they don't shake together. His mistake was filming shaky footage and trying to motion track the dots in there, which unfortunately failed. he should have filmed it on a steadicam and then added shaking in post-production. \n\nI'm willing to forgive one kind of fake video by a user, but he has two that are noticeably fake to a trained eye. 1331838040 +Reminds me of a church sign I see every day in my town. One week it said "How should we think of ourselves?" as in, let us tell you. 1309480400 +The 100000 ton figure was from a quick googling, and may be wrong. As far as I understand it, steel is an excellent conductor of heat and as such even though the temperature of the steel in the immediate vicinity of the fire would be hotter, the heat would quickly conduct throughout all of the steel columns (which should be connected with metal supports). I believe I recall hearing a claim somewhere that this is one of the reasons why steel-framed highrises have never collapsed due to a fire, even if the fire is much more longer-living and more intense than at the WTC. The entire building is essentially a massive heat sink. Your argument that the heat only affecting the immediate vicinity would mean that the rest of the supporting columns (especially in the case of the North Tower where the plane hit was close to the top) would remain unaffected just a few floors below the fire, and the vast majority of the supporting columns would remain structurally sound.\n\nHeat buckling is a good point, but I think it's irrelevant. As far as I understand the structure of the WTC, the supporting vertical columns were all in the middle, and the floors were supported by steel trusses attached to these columns (and the outer frame). The pancake theory postulates that the connections between the vertical support columns and the steel trusses holding the floors up failed, causing the floor elements to fall and pancake. What about the supporting vertical columns, though? They would remain standing, especially since the floor loads are suddenly removed from them. The connections between the support columns and floor elements would be the weakest link, so the floors going down would not pull the supporting columns down with them but simply cause those connections to fail. Once the floors are down, the force from the wind would probably cause lateral loads that the vertical columns can't support, but the supporting columns would topple, not fall straight down.\n\nA simple representation would be having a tree trunk representing the support columns in the middle, and having wooden platforms attached around it every few meters. If the top platform fails, it simply falls down taking all the platforms with it, but the tree (core columns) remains standing. So, why did the support columns come down with the floors, when the official theory strictly states that the floors were seperated from the support columns and came down on their own? What about the floors above the point of collapse, wouldn't they have stayed up there considering that the supporting columns should have remained standing? \n\n> The tree toppling I think is a bad example here\n\nThe tree toppling thing was the simplest example I could think of. The thing is that since the falling top part of the structure is completely separated from the structure below (assuming the core columns failed as well), if the center of mass is not at the exact center of the impacts, the force of the impacts would impart energy unevenly and thus cause an uneven collapse, especially since practically all of the vertical support is at the center of the building. If the center of gravity moves far enough off-center, this would add rotational energy to the structure above and cause it to roll off the bottom part, actually falling next to the building and leaving the rest of the original building standing.\n\n> The pancaking seen in the collapse is a great example of the occurrence.\n\nAs far as the impacts on each floor slowing the building down, you're correct that at some point the combined mass of the falling floors would be great enough that the impacts would cause negligible speed loss. At the beginning, however, when the speed is slow and the mass difference isn't excessive, this would cause a noticeable thump which is not visible in any of the footage of the incident I've seen (granted, I haven't seen much). Another thing is that several floors down, assuming somehow that the core columns go down as well, the falling structure would start encountering structurally sound vertical columns that are specifically designed to resist vertical loads, and would cause severe resistance in the middle of the falling building. Think a cube of butter dropped onto a vertically standing metal rod, where the diameter of said rod is much lower than that of the chunk of butter. It would spear right through the falling mass.\n\n> The temperature in the wreckage problem...\n\nA few hundred thousand tons of concrete with small pockets of air sounds like a fairly good insulator to me. Assuming for a second that it was thermite, and considering how much of it would have been needed to achieve a controlled demolition, I don't think it is impossible that even though the thermite would have burned out very quickly, the high temperatures and amount of sheer energy it produced combined with the insulation the collapsed buildings provided could have caused the temperature to stay that high for days afterwards. This is just a guess, though. I've also given thought to the offices having some kind of fuel source that could burn hot enough, but quite frankly I can't think of anything in a high-rise building that would burn at temperatures even close to the melting point of steel. This may just be a failure of imagination on my part, though, and I don't think the temperature measurements after the collapse are as interesting as the collapse itself.\n\n> Love your response by the way! Don't know why you got a down vote for it.\n\nI guess it sounded too conspiratorial to some or they disagreed with the physics. 1331319043 +i don't know, my dad says they didnt appear till i was about 2 or 3 1340570423 +I'm glad everything is great now. Make sure to keep us updated, please? 1350687672 +Do you know about contextual links? 1321822386 +If another person says "raise their vibration" I'm going to find them and shoot them in their face with a canon.\n\nLook for me in the news.\n\n 1343271955 +For an interview with the sites author check [here](http://www.youtube.com/user/cosmicpreachers#g/c/C2B960DBF9438808) or [here](http://www.youtube.com/user/theduderinok#g/c/9BE89F2F400306E6) (great listens),...cuz this stuff is very hard to follow without an electrical & physics degree,... 1275051926 +I support anyone with Falafel in their username who also posts to r/skeptic. 1331748590 +There's another one. 1356565731 +It's a real talent that you can be a jerk without even trying! 1332508374 +Here's what I make out of it. It's a voice in the background, he's repeated after the pause and he's in-between some radio noise. \n\n"In other news. 34 people were injured when a packed commuter train derailed near the city of Birmingham in The United Kingdom. Local transit officials have said/stated that the accident was through the fault of the train's rail-road engineer. However, an independent safety inspector believes that recent maintenance work may have been haphazard. We'll have more on the story as it develops." 1355285245 +Well, YouTube is not the skeptical community, and i agree with a post elsewhere in this thread that the distinction needs to be made. I agree that the authors and readers of Skepchick are very loud and forceful, but i do not see them exhibiting anything like dogmatism — especially compared to Thunderf00t — and [their comment policy](http://skepchick.org/about-2/commenter-code-of-conduct/) gives anyone experiencing harassment in their threads a recourse for it.\n\nAs to whether their complaints have merit, by accusing them of harassment you appear to agree that harassment within the skeptical community is a problem. I've only seen reasoned discussions of it coming from the likes of Watson, [Benson](http://freethoughtblogs.com/butterfliesandwheels/2012/06/a-tedious-correction/), and others close to Skepchick and FtB, so i was asking you in hopes of balancing that out. I'm not demanding evidence that it occurs. What i do seriously doubt is that the discussions going on about harassment at Skepchick and FtB are in any way contributing to the problem. You seem to disagree, so i welcome your reasons. Where have they been dogmatic, for example, since it seems clear to you that they are? 1341623653 +Thing is anyone can be wrong or make honest mistakes, what matters is admitting those mistakes. And this should have no effect on any previous good things you might have done. We have the idea that one wrong step invalidates your entire life.\n\nI think that a very important thing about being a scientist and a skeptic (and I also don't see how a scientist couldn't be a skeptic) is knowing that you're fallible and prone to error. 1261639843 +You seem to be trying to word around the issue, but unconvincingly. 1331883015 +Some people just have a stronger sense of empathy than others... I understand exactly where you're coming from when you say there's a threshold of ignorance where you find it easy to not care; some people's threshold is just much higher. I sometimes wonder why other people don't care more about certain things, but I don't think it makes you a bad person to not agree with me on how much one should care.\n\nI personally am very conflicted about these people, because on one hand they're idiots... it's hard to deny that; on the other they're people, mostly just like you and me, who (on a basic human level) think and feel just as we do... I see aspects of other people I've known through out my life, who I wouldn't want to see harmed or distressed (even though they're misguided), and therefore my concern extends to them on that basis. 1306109518 +Upvote -> worry wrinkles >.< 1351640096 +I think the first page really says it all. I was really surprised at how another 10 pages were required.\n\nBut yes, this is the kind of wanking that's supposed to belong in /r/atheism. 1295320368 +My classmates whose lives have been crushed as a result of their devotion to TM is exactly why I'm so hostile. 1332882954 +Nothing gives me a surge of optimism like reading an article by someone who's investigated a complex issue thoroughly and revised their opinion according to the balance of the evidence. \n\n*Evidence does sometimes convince people.* 1302033311 +lol, you guys are fanatics...have fun circle jerking this 1318669740 +I am! 1344014919 +theres a dude in r/paranormal talking about an alien he saw a few days ago . genuinenly scared.\n\nedit- It was in LA as well 1352097539 +I was taught these are "familiar spirits" much like the comment above about gaining trust. The way I understood it was these spirits or demons actually mimic close relatives to gain trust. food for thought. 1345641605 +Been to virginia city nevada....HOLY CRAP. the washoe bars crypt creeped me the fuck out. 1316011909 +*Lanolin??* Like sheep's wool? 1303292401 +God I dunno what to believe with this fucking thing. While I think they're playing it up pretty intensely for monetary gain, I still think this might be something important or at least interesting. \n\n I mean don't these guys have some semblance of a reputation to uphold? If they say something like "in my 20 years of diving, over 6000 dives, this is the most interesting bla bla", could it really just be a smooth rock or something just retarted to misidentify (especially for a goddamn treasure hunter)? \n\nAnd I just wish they had actually got a decent view and scale of size for their damn pictures, it could be a gigantic turd in a bath tub from what they showed. 1339789631 +I'm an atheist as well and I have some level of belief in ghosts. If you even mention ghosts over there you get downvoted into oblivion. Just remember, seeing a ghost is not a representation of whether there is a god or not. People over there seem to forget that. 1350800653 +I think it is CGI, Thanks for posting anyways. 1330331759 +I know what he's talking about. 1322429723 +Hence the "almost." It is possible for a delusional person to trust those around them more than their own perception, but the disease also isolates the sufferer. Since this guy still has at least one friend, it's worth a shot. 1318098396 +I'm sorry, but what exactly are you saying is implausable? That a plane could fall out of the sky? The a plane 5000 feet in the air would take 17 seconds to fall down to the Earth? 1326995739 +I ramble a lot too, no problem. I've been thinking of it, I even started writing some sort of a book, but I quit as it would never have an ending, and if I wrote only about sightings it wouldn't be a long read.\n\nBe sure to check /r/UFOs a bit later, as I'll be posting a new report from my friend with a video. 1352318895 +Yes, indeed you are. I should be yet clearer before I get up because this is pointless, AA would have you still regard yourself a drunk. 1321717846 +Yes, I did look at it (although after posting the comment) but decided to leave the comment up because 1) What's done is done, and 2) because you can read it either as opposing or enforcing comment and if you read it seriously then it's a hint about the content of the link for those people (like me) who open the comments section first before looking at the posted content. 1341209756 +Am I gonna die? 1318898475 +At least it's ironically named... or are they serious? 1353970959 +http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/\n\nWhole website devoted to answering this. 1324905051 +this looks to me like a possibly phased moon and the big dipper at night filmed with the handheld camera largely out of focus. the point sources expand into spheres like bokeh. we see a phasing in and out of the points as an unlit cloud layer of varying transparencies floats by and between. the white light at the bottom looks like it's in the near field. 1352864925 +I hope that people will take a look at some of your research and make their own opinions. \n\nThanks for sharing. 1316800117 +Question - August has 7 hrs of night (approx)...how many people do you think it would take to construct the above formation (1500ft in diameter - 400 circles) in 7 hours. Roughly? 1333739200 +As usual no science, only bullshit. 1350703739 +Ok, here is a horror story for you. I have a cousin who suffered seizures in her younger years because her mother's milk lacked an enzyme from a prescription drug her mother took, unknown until her case. She has the mental function of a ten year old and is about forty now. This is a gain from being at a seven year old level in her teens.\n\nDosing the sole source of nutrients for your child is risky business. 1337015189 +Ha, funny story.\n\nI share an office with three other people, one of whom is really reclusive. We spend a lot of time in that office, and we see him once a month tops. "I want to believe in our other officemate" had become something of a running gag, so we put that poster over his desk. 1336448427 +I don't understand what you mean, and I'm not sure if it's because of your grammar or because it is nonsensical.\n\nWhat I'm saying is that it is a waste of everyone's time for you to submit articles that aren't properly cited for that reason alone. There are millions of such articles. If you have a problem with the claims being made, explain why they are wrong. Nobody cares about improper citations without some larger point - such as the facts being incorrect - being stated as well. The internet is not a scholarly journal. 1354480611 +Sounds like my -ex! I think the craziest thing she got into was voodoo. She actively tried to spend money to punish me for not liking her antics. 1336240042 +Too proud to accept help? pffft. The universe needs benevolent helpers because not all planets are bound to progress to interstellar travel without violence. I would not be above accepting a helping or guiding hand. They don't need to supply us with technology, what I would expect is them to share with us the mistakes other species have made and let us learn from them. 1344706204 +Your co-worker is an idiot, and here's why:\n\nWhich is more likely? A global conspiracy comprised of hundreds of thousands of individuals of different backgrounds and religious convictions that has *not a single scrap of evidence* to support it - **or** - that they're all following the same scientific method and the conclusions they reach (based entirely on the *abundant* evidence) happen to align against religious history?\n\nApproach it a different way if you need to: did we know more about the world two thousand years ago than we do now? Of course we didn't. Follow that line to its conclusion: religions were attempts to explain the world that spawned from our ignorance. Science is what has been removing our ignorance, slowly but surely. 1347244630 +There are people who disbelieve just because they think the religion sounds stupid. That doesn't make them skeptics. It doesn't even make them rationally justified. There are also people who were born and raised atheist. They don't have to question anything to be atheists. 1354257045 +"This thing is pretty top secret, do you think we should cover it up?"\n\n"Are you kidding me? Have you seen the price of tarpaulin lately?" 1339701539 +Google says nothing... I have no clue where she'd get an idea like that. Make her prove it. The next time she gets a mosquito bite, take a laser pointer and hold the bite in a place she can't see it. Ask her to tell you when you have the laser on. Don't turn on the laser. Try something similar and come up with a way to do it WITH the laser. Like, without her knowledge you're doing it. Say, "Hey, your bite still itch?" When she says 'Yeah, a bit." tell her, "That's odd. Cause I've been shooting this laser at it for the last 5 minutes." 1309892920 +>The only interest I have in this conversation is calling you out...\n\nDude, I strongly dislike tv and the entire commercialisation of it. I hate the non-education, the fearmongering and propaganda. I hate it showing what is right and what is wrong, what is beauty and what is to be laughed at. What you need to buy. What you need to think and when you need to think that.\n\nThere is hardly any science and logic involved. Everything is designed to make you watch through the commercials. In TV-business there is a thing called "content" and "filler". Content is the name for the commercials and filler is the name for the shows in between. And no, I didn't mix that up. That's simply they way TV works. Discovery channel included, everything is now 'a camera following guys doing something entertaining'. \n\nStop watching tv is the best advice someone can ever give to a fellow human being. Go read a book. Or if you want to learn about the paranormal, go on the internet and actually read some research. \n\nIf you think that watching ghost lab and the 'funny guys' is going to help you in your life, getting a better understanding of the world and make you happier, you are wrong. Plain and fucking simple. Let's not call it arrogant, let's call it advice.\n 1324326886 +[m.xkcd.com](http://m.xkcd.com) 1342274760 +I have seen some terrestrial explanations of cattle mutilations. Those same explanations would seem to be applicable here. See for example: http://www.skepdic.com/cattle.html.\n\nRelevant quote:\n>Naturalistic explanations in terms of diseases and predators (skunks, buzzards, weasels, etc.), insects (such as blowflies and maggots), or birds are to no avail, even though the most thorough examination of so-called cattle mutilations concluded there was nothing mysterious that needed explaining (Rommel 1980). It is useless to note that insects and animals often devour the vulnerable mucous membranes and the softer parts of dead animals such as the genitalia, instead of trying to burrow through the cowhide. It is pointless to note that incisions to a carcass by the teeth of predators or scavengers often resemble knife cuts. It is pointless to note that bloating often leads to skin splitting in straight lines resembling incision and exposing internal organs. It is of no use to point out that there is little or no blood oozing from the wounds because blood settles, the heart does not pump when an animal is dead, and insects devour the blood that does spill out. And it is certainly pointless to describe the experiment done by the Washington County (Arkansas) Sheriff's Department. They placed a dead cow in a field and had observers watch what happened over the next 48 hours. When they reported that bloating led to incision-like tears in the skin and that blowflies and maggots had cleaned out the soft tissue so that the carcass looked exactly like those that had been attributed to aliens or satanic cultists, they were generally ignored by the community of true believers.\n\nI would at least like to see some studies ruling out these possibilities before I accept less probable ones. The body certainly doesn't look fresh and I didn't see information about how long he was missing before being found. A lot of the missing parts seem to be things that scavengers find to be particularly tasty - soft tissue.\n\n 1312558539 +May be stupid but what do you mean by real time? 1327334580 +It's probably more intelligent than California voters. 1288860606 +"Our violent shoot first, ask questions later attitude."\n\n 1334713367 +Love how she keeps referencing Stephen Hawkings. Stephen Hawking is largely absent. 1335532915 +This was great, There's also new swirled order i believe it was on netflix 1354720077 +I would like to see someone do some more exploration of the concepts of [Thermoeconomics](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoeconomics) in regards to currency. I first noticed this idea while reading Red Mars by KSM. It has been bubbling in mind unrelentingly since the crash. 1312521521 +http://archive.org/details/PenetrationTheQuestionOfExtraterrestrialAndHumanTelepathy\n\n 1346881085 +There are some metaphysical stores that have already dried sage in a bundle and it is called a smudge stick. very easy to find if looking in the right spot. The idea is that burning sage while thinking good thoughts will cleanse the space of unwanted energy and then sprinkle a line of salt in the window sill and door way to keep bad energy from coming back. Old school protection right there. Smudging is something that you can do daily or just as needed. When ever you feel energy present that you don't want present you can burn and think positive. If the sage is not available then just imagine your house in a big bubble of light and ask all energy that isn't good to leave the bubble. Sounds hokey but don't worry about right or wrong just believe in it and it will work. You are working with something that is in the dream world and so are your thoughts. Ergo everything in your thoughts directly effects the invisible. 1326153829 +AS AN HONEST BANKER, I AM UPSET BY THOSE BASELESS ACCUSATIONS. I AM MOST CERTAINLY NOT RIGHTING LOUSY EMAILS. 1340313918 +And all this time I thought....damn o_0 1344539745 +"Laser Therapy has roots in the ancient acupuncture techniques using a cold, non-invasive laser to balance the energy flow between acupuncture points on the ears, nose and hands."\n\nIt's just acupuncture, only with lasers. So any research you can find to debunk acupuncture will work for this I imagine. It doesn't say anything about the power of the lasers used though. But I bet you could use a cat toy laser and achieve the same results.\n\nEdit: Found this from reddit. A study that shows that [acupuncture is equally as effective as placebo](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/gql4i/new_drug_as_effective_as_placebo_just_kidding_its/). 1302881718 +There are a few, In deadwood there is The Bullock Hotel, The Alex Johnson Hotel in Rapid City. A really good one which I have experienced my self is Dark Canyon which is to the west of Rapid. In the 1971 flood a whole neigborhood of people drowned; you go through at night and many people have reported strange sounds and lights. Hope I helped 1319777651 +I've actually gotten plenty of deja vu but only for small stuff like what i was doing that day. The thing that i only really remember preventing was a fight between me and a irritating kid. I normally dream it first though. 1343936854 +She responded so kindly to you. Not that you were be degrading; you explained it quite well. \n\nGood post. A+++. Would read again. 1310674252 +Once this gets sorted, do an IAmA: Survivor thanks to Reddit. 1356893725 +> Totally legit, I can tell because if there is alien life out there it would be JUST Like the movies.\n\nWhat movies in particular are you thinking of? \n\nThe linked video shows something that doesn't look like Klaatu, a Klingon, a Hutt from Tatooine, a giant black monolith, the little green men from Mars Attacks!, or ET himself. It does sort of look like it could be from the X-Files, though. 1303250044 +The statement "prove a negative" is meaningless because it is ambiguous. What is "a negative?" What is not "a negative?" 1283283681 +What do loud noises have to do with emotions? 1246664077 +A tax system can be in place where our money is not taxed. The problem now is that our money is loaned to us at interest, which amounts to a hidden tax. On top of that hidden tax are income taxes and sales tax and every other kind of tax. 1312484053 +Well, not *all* their arguments.\n\nThe main reason I try to buy organic is to reduce the amount of herbicides and pesticides (particularly petro-chemical based ones) introduced into the environment. I buy into co-ops because the farmers I know are good about rotating their crops and growing things seasonally and regionally appropriate, so as to reduce water needs and fertilizer needs. Modern conventional farming is a thing of wonder, it really is, given the kinds of yields we're getting, but the damage downstream is pretty alarming. It's not long-term sustainable, either. \n\nBuying organic (or local) for environmental reasons gets a little complicated, though, since even organic farms can be practicing non-environmentally sound methods of farming, from wasting water to fertilizers entering the water table, and so on and so forth. The label's not enough to really know if you're buying what you hope you're buying. Still, there are certain benefits to buying organic that *is* actually responsibly farmed organic, but good luck finding it. 1333067713 +ehh...don't know about this one. 1334864141 +If you are simply refuting the charge that the upward trend in temperatures is entirely due to human activity, then we are all in agreement here.\n\nIf, on the other hand, you are disagreeing with the idea that humans could be helping with global warming, based on the fact that warming happened in the past without the help of humans, then you are committing the fallacy that the submitter pointed out. 1269551508 +Fox News is seriously terrible, but that image is actually brought to you by the Photoshop News Network. 1332764483 +Yeah, I was taken in by this for a while in college before I realized that maybe this guy is being bought by the tobacco industry. For about a year, all he ever put on his web site was bogus studies claiming that second hand smoke is harmless. 1328918710 +It deconstructs the myth that taking these remedies is just a bit of extra precaution. If you explain the lack of evidence for these cures, most people will say that you might be wrong, but there's no harm in taking them. This shows that to be false. 1351614151 +Chupacabra! goat sucking bastard. 1291964436 +you've only used 1% of your 1tb hard drive, so i might as well delete all your files.\n\nSteve and Amy live in different countries, there is a big gap between them, therefore they are mostly Gap. Therefore they do not exist. 1351837009 +What I find touching is the absolute conviction of its adherents that they know what happened and everybody else--including and especially those who have studied the era--are dead wrong or that they know the secret and are covering it up. Shakespeare conspirators are sometimes quite clever--some of their theories would put the Illuminati conspiracies to shame--but once you get into their theories you realize they really aren't that bright. What I find poignant is the sheer waste of human life by the true believers. In the early 20th century a [doctor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orville_Ward_Owen) spent his entire fortune trying to prove that Francis Bacon was the true author, and he realized too late what a fool he had been, warning others on his death bed not to throw away their lives and fortunes as he had done. Of course they didn't listen, because not listening is really the only thing they're good at.\n\nAs far as Emmerich goes, he's only doing what movie directors do: providing entertainment and promoting his film. As P.T. Barnum said, there's a sucker born every minute, but now in the time of the internet there are literally thousands born every minute. 1302358128 +There's really only one correct answer:\n\nMaybe. 1258723364 +Penn has since then said [he doesn't know enough](http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/03/opinion/oe-jillette3) about Climate Change to say whether or not he believes in it.\n\nI think he shares the Libertarians' disconnect when it comes that that topic; Libertarianism has severe problems in dealing with such an issue, which seems to lead many Libertarians to deny AGW rather than admit the limits of their political philosophy.\n\n**Edited** for clarity and added linkage 1342827322 +Chosing to believe in magical thinking over facts, makes one dumb in my book 1331502663 +Wrong subreddit, dude. /r/fifthworldproblems/ is over there. 1351701693 +astral projection is very real. It's different than lucid dreaming. Look up a few different methods. My cousin astral projected the first night after I told him about it. He was able to see me in my room and described what I was doing and other things in my room despite never having been in there. \n\n I tried and made it to the vibration state and it freaked me out the vibrations were so strong so I stopped, but I later found out that I was very close to projecting. 1352494796 +>At the same time, many who self-identify as Christian hold beliefs that some churches would consider to be incompatible with traditional Christian teaching, such as astrology and reincarnation (27% in each case), ghosts (36%) and fate (64%).\n\nIt's bizarre to me how many Christians believe this nonsense, I knew a girl who identified as Catholic who was heavily into numerology, another practise that the church frowns on. She also didn't accept evolution because she thought that the Catholic church was opposed to it, which seems to be common with Catholics, that they don't even know what their own leaders have said about things like evolution and the big bang. 1329229931 +The alternative power companies are not "set". They require massive subsidies to operate, without AGW those subsidies would have no basis.\n\nIf Al Gore could do something else, he would. Climate Change is a big money maker for him.\n\nFirst you say there are more people trying to disprove AGW than there are trying to prove it, but then in the next sentence you say there is a scientific consensus that it is real. Both of those things cannot be true. Where are the numbers we can look at? I know how big the IPCC is (multi-million dollar pro-AGW), and how big some of the thinks tanks that deny AGW are. They are about the same size.\n\nI am not surprised that dissent is supported by oil companies, nor am I surprised that the people that believe in AGW have vested interests in their side winning as well. Entire organizations would disappear if AGW did not "exist".\n\nI am still on the fence, just watching how both sides react to each other. Neither side deserves much respect on this one. 1331485260 +This exactly. I searched around for a while when it was first brought into my store as I didn't believe any of the hype; it's scary how many people take Oz's word for that of a personal physician. 1353051712 +I hope you don't own a dog or cat because by definition they are GMOs. Also, don't eat wheat grown in the US. Please don't use penicillin or any opiates, because they have been altered over time. Hope you don't eat beef, pork, or poultry even if it says organic its not 100% unaltered. I'd love to go on but that tasty apple won't eat itself. 1330126456 +Well when I said that its killing her slowly, I meant really slow. As long as she keeps taking her meds she could live a normal life span, its just the side effects of the meds that are starting to wear her down. 1346716959 +What is it? Just skimming the site, it looks like a charity vehicle. 1346432093 +I think maybe he's questioning the legitimacy of the request for donations? OP have you checked any of the Disclosure Project websites for links and connections to this project? 1335591395 +Do you have any examples? I never watch his show. 1339097123 +I'm about to show the world that I can fly, AMA. 1355324839 +I have worked rituals similar to this, using the sigils revised by Crowley and a Satanic invocation in place of the mumbo-jumbo hebrew shit. Works like a charm if you change everything about it. 1351405035 +Not with fans. Keeping a consistent temperature with air conditioning is more efficient than warming up/cooling down all the time, but not with fans. 1312854101 +Oh man... sick burn. 1336611320 +There is no such thing as a generalized black race. Thats what you're missing. Think of a haitian, or an egytptian, or someone from madagascar. A south african. A jamaican. Distinct, isolated, populations. These are isolated populations, the only factor they share is a skin pigment; and yet we group them into a single category. \n\nThe studies you provided didn't show much of anything. Their genetic material was either unavailable or provided through a different source, they failed to compensate for socio-economic factors; their entire hypothesis is an interpretation of raw data, interpreted by an Engineer no less. \n\n 1345208362 +This article (and the poster) is why the spam button exists. Clicking with extreme prejudice. 1329355503 +Whole wheat is not "bad" for you. It has important nutrients and can be part of a healthful diet. I don't get the anti-wheat trend that is currently gaining traction. 1329669242 +yeah I did. That was Joe the special effects guy, right?\n 1345089068 +>aw fuck I typed out a long ass reponse and it was lost.\n\nI'm sorry to hear that. (Also, I just did the exact same thing >_<)\n\n>Short story is that I used to love /r/skeptic when it has orignial research and intersting articles. This post is neither.\n\nYou're making the unfounded assumption it's supposed to be either. It's a _comic_. Aren't skeptics allowed to laugh unless they first present the sources behind the claim of the mechanism of human laughter?\n\n>Furthermore in response to your comment I believe that the person making claims must provide the evidence [...]\n\nThat's fine, if a specific claim is actually being made. It's a _comic_. Lighten up, chill out, relax. Not everything has to be deadly serious in /r/skeptic.\n\n>[...] but thanks for the ad homin.\n\nIt's _ad hominem_, and it wasn't. My question was quite relevant considering _your_ baseless, unverified and un-sourced claim that it was just "meaningless propaganda". I repeat, _it's a comic_. 1296547468 +If you think probes and alien spacecraft are visiting Earth - explain how no telescopes have picked them up??? If we were being visited by probes and UFO's, all sorts of telescopes would be seeing stars moving around the skies in odd trajectories and at seemingly impossible speeds...\n\nBut, that's never happened. Yet, we do full sky observations all the time...\n\n> im just going to go ahead and ignore how you assigned alien lifeforms human life spans (roughly 60 years).\n\nAnd, you aren't even understanding my point... I mentioned roughly 60 years, not because that's a human life span (human life spans are ~80 years), but because that's how long we've been sending signals into space. 1348383508 +Wrong! God moves the sun and moon into place each morning and evening! Time zones are an illusion proported by pseduo scientists! 1330025268 +Well yes, but let´s not forget that we are in the goldilocks zone (not to hot, not to cold) we´d be pretty much screwed íf we were to leave that zone. 1344635599 +I see so if it only works out in some cases then people are stupid for even considering it. 1347043830 +Yes, thank you for that. 1268980683 +Yes! Exactly, it only happens on things I think about then drop instantly, if I was to think about it more in depth it doesn't happen, same with when I think oh now I know it will happen because I am a psychic, It just happens when I won't expect it too. 1337628372 +I was wondering this as well. 1337519580 +[That's not quite what happened here, though.](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/p7990/my_heart_sinks_when_i_hear_people_rely_on/c3n5860)\n\nMr. Troll is a bit of liar, it turns out. He clearly advocated hemp oil as a cure for cancer and refused to provide anything of substance to back it up. Now he claims *he's* the victim.\n\nAlso, this is the second time he's posted the same 'pseudo/fake skeptic' thread this week. 1328447781 +The awful hoaxes are on the first page of the top posts? They are removed on youtube, not here. 1352982190 +guest speaker in the film The Secret.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Arthur_Ray 1308859967 +I'm gonna re-watch the episode today, but as I remember, they also pointed out that tai chi is based around unquantifiable 'energy' and that some 'grand displays' like board/brick breaking are merely physics tricks and maybe some other things. 1321629489 +except less racist and incoherent 1310870498 +OP must be from the Baltic Sea UFO team. It'll be posted only after a week. 1339292608 +You're right of course ... I will definitely get around to it ... I don't own a scanner ... 1346762346 +Great. SAY THAT instead of just downvoting him or he'll never get your point. And go ahead and tell me if I'm full of shit; I can handle it. I reserve the right to be wrong occasionally. 1352498929 +Very awesome story. Have you thought about reporting this to MUFON? If not you should absolutely do so! 1345142270 +>The second assumption is that ice albedo and water vapor are the only climate feedbacks, ignoring the fact that warmer oceans are likely to outgas more CO2, and that melting permafrost is likely to release large quantities of CH4.\n\nSince the oceans are a net sink of CO2, I think you mean that they will absorb less, not outgas more, right? I don't disagree that melting permafrost will release CH4. Should temperatures get high enough, this would certainly occur.\n\nSpeaking of high temperatures, if we assume that ECS is 3X, and we assume that an increase of temps of 1 degree due to CO2 will cause these effects, I assume that you feel all of that CH4 from the permafrost melted 120K years ago during the higher temps of the last climactic optimum? I guess it was only captured again with the onset of the ice? I'm unclear of the science there. I didn't know all of the permafrost is less than 120K year old. 1356202008 +Wood and coal have not been cornerstones of the food supply. In the us we demolished our top soil and broke the healthy pooping animals fertilizer loop for the first time this century. This is an unprecedented situation where out food-energy is coming completely non-renewals blue resource. 1355659837 +It's nothing. Nothing to see here people. Move along. 1335622656 +re.dick.u.lous 1330279375 +Listen to this guy, he's studied branding. 1333270850 +Is there a playlist for this? 1328080707 +this is true. 1314151725 +I have a PhD in horribleness. 1308360523 +what a coinkidinky 1336856856 +Maybe there are differences in actual measurements there, but I'm not seeing the "wide eyes" and "wide forehead" business they're talking about with my naked eye. They all look like normal kids to me. 1334025325 +> There are chiropractors who are not quacks\n\nThen they would probably call themselves physical therapists. Although regulations have improved over the years, chiropractic is still largely based on pseudoscience and is still considered alternative medicine.\n 1336160582 +Are you **seriously** asking me to "demonstrate" that lying to people about medical advice causes harm? That's exactly what he's doing here: claiming that something with no demonstrable risk is dangerous. That is lying.\n\nYou're in /r/skeptic, so put on your skeptic's glasses. He's claiming that parabens cause cancer, but the bulk of scientific research belies that claim. If I say that paper causes cancer, which one of us bears the burden of proof: me, or you? 1348906994 +By the way, you had excellent grammar, just missed capitalizing some. 1326435749 +one main issue, i would tell you to look at all the arguments against me right now. most of them involve floors falling and causing a continuous growing mass of floors that "snowballs" or pancakes all the way down.\n\nbesides the fact that NIST/FEMA the official investigations, dont support the pancake theory, all these peoples arguments fail to realize there are VERTICAL columns that would go un-effected by the collapsing floors. \n\nthe main reason NIST/FEMA don't support the pancaking theory is this reason... the inner core columns would have still been standing hundreds of feet in the air. the building was designed to have slabs/floors hanging on the innter core columns, and outer smaller columns acting like a "screen door" mesh all the way around the perimeter. the progressive collapse of floor slabs can not account for the destruction of the large inner core columns. \n\nbut everyone continues to ignore these flaws, and continue to push their pancake theory. and any comment ive made that goes against it, even if it was a fact such as NIST's standing on that theory, i get downvoted because it threatens them. 1332524363 +ever since my first lucid dream, ive not been able to stop. its become an addiction. im on year 3. im convinced that the afterlife is an endless lucid dream. in this way all religions could be correct.. for what you think will happen, happens. example: if you believe youre going to see pearly gates and clouds... then that will be your afterlife. if youre convinced that youve done wrong and wrongdoers go to a firey hell.. then you create that hell. im going with the lucid route. creating whatever i want, whenever i want. figure out how to lucid dream if you havent already. for if im right, the ones who dont understand it are destined to be oblivious. 1326818740 +interesting, doesn't validate anything though =/ 1354060474 +This. If it's complicated you're doing it wrong. Learn to cook, know what you're eating, and do things. \n\nWanna know who does all the "diets" with fancy names and instructions? Fat people. 1330170353 +Better still, repeat the experiment three times - one with religious/superstitious people, one with skeptics, and one mixed, so you can properly differentiate general superstitiousness from the degree to which we're influenced by people around us.\n\nI'd *guess* that the religious group would get more scared than the mixed group and the mixed group more than the skeptical group (due to the "mass hysteria" effect where people freaking out around you tends to freak you out more), but it would be a fascinating experiment to do... 1298235828 +How do you know this is an underwater civilization? We have a few photos. Not much else. 1327378889 +I've realized that "Why *(some weird little thing that you notice)*" is always the best question to ask when you're trying to figure out a magic trick or a scam. 1310605268 +It's kinda like when you're laying in bed trying to fall asleep and you swear you hear a radio station or something, but can't quite make it out. It's your ears picking up white noise and your brain trying to make logical sense of what you're hearing. \n\nThat or you have a ghost following you around everywhere you go. 1332872245 +You should at least apply skepticism to be a member. Are you saying climate change is a matter of opinion? 1349610191 +The pediatrician's brother (Dr. Sears) is into alternative vaccine schedule/anti-vaccine group of quacks. I've heard "The Doctors" have had him on. 1302725586 +Wow, Kelinb100. I really really like everything you have to say, and I am so glad to hear your refreshing point of view about atheists and theists coexisting peacefully. I myself am a Cafeteria Catholic but the attitude of many atheists on Reddit make me incredibly uncomfortable and angry. So much constant hating on others instead of focusing on one's own beliefs (or non-beliefs, or however one would put it) instead. I just really appreciate your voice around here. I remember you from before, and I don't often take notice of who I am talking to or reading from. You have definitely left a good impression on me, and I want you to know that i appreciate it. 1279951694 +If the question was "why do you trust the bible", answering "because God says it's true - it's right there in the bible" would be begging the question. It's circular reasoning.\n\n"Have you stopped beating your wife yet?" is a loaded question. Regardless of whether you answer yes or no, the question still establishes that you were beating your wife. There's nothing circular about this at all so that's one big difference. 1273911803 +Yep. It's not the panacea people make it out to be. 1309367349 +Dude, that's the sound of a fucking helicopter, hovering in one place. Why the fuck are you wasting our time with this horseshit? 1318607168 +somethingsomething measurements of the geometry of spacetime down to ? decimal places somethingsomething\n\nThat's what I have gathered in /r/askscience. And that these findings are recent (last 10 years). The findings are that spacetime seems to be flat. It's not conclusive, because the very small number found might still mean that spacetime is *not* flat. I didn't memorize the details so that I could point there or name them properly, but I am pretty sure that I didn't read some bad-weather-comments of /askscience but rather proper stuff.\n\nEDIT: Google'd something.\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/nnjtj/is_it_possible_the_universe_has_a_finite_size/\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/maafg/is_the_universe_infinite_in_size_if_not_whats/ 1333374617 +I grew up with what I now know as a "shadow person". Siblings and I all seem to recall a woman-like shadow that existed in the corner of our vision near the hallway back at our childhood house. 1332399168 +Blinking lights are aircraft. I doubt that an alien would attach a super bright strobe light to their craft and only fly in a sub-sonic straight path. This is only 50 miles from Whiteman Air Force Base, home of the B-2 bomber and other unusual air craft. 1338398808 +HA! no, usually some small cc bike in an Asian country. 1328135272 +Probably a combination of superstition and tradition. "We've always done it this way!" 1344306427 +Pretty much this. My big thing is these people come on and try to convince us they care about us. My reaction is well then why the fuck not clean house on all the corruption in our world's governments. Or maybe hack tv signals and at least expose the truth. Otherwise this world will never change on "our own accord". The powers that be are literally wrapped up in everything at this point and it's impossible to change people's minds when they are indoctrinated.\n\ntl;dr - Scumbag Aliens, says they are here to help us achieve peace and abundance. Actually don't do shit. 1348014993 +My recent exposure to so-called 'alternative medicine' has lead me to the conclusion that while it's easy for people to believe in 'woo' for a variety of reasons, the primary motivator for such beliefs is a fear of death. Would you say this is true in your own personal experience or based on your own knowledge of occult and religious belief systems? 1309163202 +Was just looking up some quack called Dr David Carpenter who was talking about chemical sensitivity and electromagnetic sensitivity, and also saw his name associated with this Kangen water thing, though I'm not sure if it's the same guy or another quack with the same name. The guy I looked up is based at Albany University, came across him in this article which someone submitted. http://www.theage.com.au/national/hidden-risks-of-lurking-chemicals-20111129-1o54p.html 1322653782 +I did also but that was after skipping ahead at the 20 second mark. 1305535448 +I am with you on that. If it is real then, "yes", it is some of the best footage ever to reach the public domain. 1345500392 +Actually that sounds like a BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion). Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl-JgyQA7u0 1352663546 +You realize *anything* can kill you at high enough dosage right ?\n\nIt's like saying you don't want eat food because some guy died from obesity at 35. 1319317073 +Now now, let's not be reactionary based on actual terms that are foreign to you. 1296077207 +UFOs have a reputation for being very difficult to study due to their unpredictability and transience. So it's amazing to see something like this: real observations, real measurements being taken by proper scientific investigation. \n\nI really don't know what to make of this. Nothing has been proved conclusively, and these investigations raise a lot more questions than they answer. And that's a good thing, really; it means there's more to this than meets even the most skeptical eye. Even if it turns out to be a really unusual earthly phenomenon, that'll still be damn interesting. \n\nI really hope this phenomenon continues to be studied. 1339654810 +> Speaker Pelosi\n\nThat's up-to-date. 1311533119 +James Randi exposed something similar to this that televangelists were doing in the 80's. He dressed as an old woman and went to a televangelist for a faith healing. The faith healers handlers were talking with audience members before the show and then passing the information along to the faith healer as he was on stage through his "hearing aid" which was actually a radio receiver. R Lee Ermey also did this in Fletch.\n\nBut its more likely she was a plant.\n\nedit: [here's the story, faith healer was Peter Popoff](http://www.rationalresponders.com/james_randi_exposes_uri_geller_and_peter_popoff) 1329929484 +Indeed it is! 1356503565 +the original statement that I responded to was false. this is r/skeptic we should not be supportive of false statements.\n\n> That a totally free market is an ideal situation and will regulate itself\n\nit is not ideal nor self regulating, but as to which is best I make no judgment. It may well be the closest to ideal and closest to self regulating but that is not what was said.\n\n I got sucked into other things that belong in r/politics not here... \n\n\n\n\n 1315424988 +Christian revisionist is a subset of liars, all christian revisionists are liars, but not all liars are christian revisionists. The term is distinct from simply 'liars'. 1344615343 +interesting. but do you think there may be a chance you have a twin sibling that you have not met? 1353915229 +Even ignoring any confusion over types of compression, this posting is full of non-sequiturs and logical inconstistencies. He spends his time explaining why current recordings are "compromised" on *any* format (specifically mentioning CD and FLAC in the same breath), then concludes that FLAC is worse than CD without any explanation of how the one is relevant to the other. 1349792963 +Did you read the article? Towards the end, there is a story about an infant who died because nobody in the geographic area was vaccinated against pertussis (whooping cough). 1325182579 +Exactly. The 50% would necessarily be simplistic because sexuality, like gender, isn't strictly binary. And it is difficult to code for that in a meaningful way for studies, and so numbers like this always have to be taken as interesting but simplified and rarely definitive.\n\nHowever, assuming that these numbers are accurate, and assuming that the same metric was used for M-to-F and F-to-M individuals, it is interesting to consider why there could be a significant difference how the two groups identify their sexual preference. 1323382945 +False advertising. They're making medical claims, the FDA doesn't like that. 1293752026 +Yeah, it's called a fasces. It's NOT the symbol for Fascism. It was first used during the Roman Empire as a symbol of Rome of and the power it held over its own destiny and, ultimately, over life and death. \n\n[edit]Clarification: Yes, it IS the symbol for fascism, but only in that the Italian fascist movement co-opted it for its own purposes, not because it was originally designed that way. It's not like congress looked at the fasces and thought 'hey. totalitarianism. that's pretty cool. let's put it on our buidlings.'\n\nTo think so is another example of people not understanding what a symbol is. A fasces carried meaning long before the idea of fascism, and is currently used in seats of authority because it represents... you guessed it. Authority.\n\nI watched excerpts of his video, but his arguments suffer from the same problem. They are UNFALSIFIABLE, and contain an INTERNAL LOGICAL CONSISTENCY. What he spouts is conjencture, tangentially related to the evidence he purports to have, based on faulty reasoning and a poor grasp of symbolism, architecture, and human nature.\n\ni.e. Jordan Maxwell is just another von Daniken, just another David Icke, just another George Noory. 1316214613 +Criminally underrated comment. 1343245035 +It's awful how many universities seem to offer courses in "traditional medicine", and how that is viewed as actually being acceptable. I don't think any university would try offering courses in "traditional astronomy" or "traditional chemistry".\n\nWhy is it though that with medicine people seem to think that tradition is a valid reason to think it's efficacious? 1314289919 +I'm surprised that no one seems to have yet mentioned a basic understanding of [bias](http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/10/17/0956797611417632.abstract), [self-deception](http://www.skepdic.com/selfdeception.html), and [magic](http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/03/opinion-randi-magic-scientists/) — which don't just reduce to statistics and psychology, but involve a subtle, alert way of thinking that doesn't come naturally. A familiarity with the most common ways we trick ourselves or are tricked by others into believing things that are clearly false is both instructive (for a burgeoning skeptic) and illustrative (for discussing more complicated topics). We can't shed or suppress our bias, but we can account and correct for it; that's arguably most (or all) of what skepticism is about. 1336963922 +Actually, I think it's interesting to note that even having an infinite number of possibilities doesn't mean that every conceivable possibility exists. There could be infinite other universes, and yet none of them need include you getting hit by a plane. 1326757111 +ahhhh, that makes all kinds of sense! any idea what the nature of the foam is chemically speaking? 1346021031 +Well you know what they say: a fool and his money are soon parted! 1327556056 +I'm quite firm in my skepticism. But part of being a skeptic is also being open minded. Hurting people's feelings and calling them liars to their faces without even seeing it for oneself doesn't accomplish anything. 1308267428 +Gee, those pics don't look photoshopped at all... 1331753588 +I get *vomitously, vein-poppingly* angry at people who lack the intelligence to realise that Area 51 is *not* a secret facility.\n\nYOU KNOW WHAT IT'S CALLED!! IT'S ON GOOGLE EARTH!! HOW CAN IT BE A SECRET!??!! 1270812865 +Bold statement, antibodies that last 6 years does not mean permanent. Also antibodies are not the only determinant of long lasting immunity, especially in the case of a viral infection. 1327899538 +You ignored practically the entire content of my post. 1347415995 +Wow...I lived in NC for 40 some odd years and never saw one (or heard of one on the news). Maybe it's a coastal thing and I was too far inland. It would make sense that they wouldn't launch over populated areas. \nThanks! 1351002549 +So, three pant-loads? 1310510092 +> In other words, no matter what you find or how you do it, the Skinwalker Ranch *will never be anything* except where scientists go to to end their careers. \n\nTo whom? \n\nAgain, there is so much focus upon disbelievers. I agree that it is frustrating and pathetic. Let them disbelieve; who cares? Look at the subject of global warming: 99% of all climate scientists agree that there is a solid factual basis to that phenomenon because there is ample scientific data that backs it, and yet millions of (uneducated and unqualified) people still disbelieve it and actively influence others towards disbelieving it. That certainly doesn't make it any less real. You can lead a horse to water, etcetera.\n\nThe important thing is to continue to gather evidence and approach each new case objectively regardless of what some people choose to believe. If we get all bunched up about the disbelievers we will lose focus. Maybe one day the data will be appreciated by society. Maybe not.\n\nAny links to the 'their careers are now over' part of the skinwalker ranch story? I'd like to read more on that. They tried to run Mack out of town, too. The mainstream scientific community is definitely hostile to any interest in the subject. For that matter, the vast majority of redditors thinks we are ALL full of shit for seriously considering this stuff. 1353193916 +Be wary of TM research cites. It's mostly, according to independent researchers of poor quality and typically exaggerated. It's an expensive relaxation technique using a Hindu goddess mantra.\n\nIf you'd like to see a good independent view of learning Transcendental Meditation AND David Lynch, you'll probably love the documentary movie *David Wants to Fly* which is available [here] (http://www.linktv.org/programs/david-wants-to-fly) for free streaming.\n\nOne thing that may not be obvious is that TM zealots scour the web (and this site) for TM quotes, and they'll often chime in any mention of pet topics like this one. 1348582043 +Did he do that because he didn't want to hurt his hands doing all that banging or because the striking board itself had some special properties? 1334427352 +It seems to me prevalence ratio and relative risk are actually the same thing, judging from this link:\nhttp://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v100/n11/fig_tab/6605069t2.html\n\nMight want to drop the arrogance when you don't really know what you're talking about. 1282472793 +Thank you :) I have been greatly curious about past lives. Though, I also don't believe sites like the one OP linked to are meant to be taken seriously :) 1336770423 +It just seems bad form. As it stands, the account is generating karma for what could be replaced, without issue, with a series of karma-free self posts.\n\nThat said, the annoying part about the acct is the spam and the fact that they're posting in the wrong subreddit. This is just more of a side-problem that mystifies me. 1299545151 +That Romanian forest episode was crazy. I'm still not sure what to think about what happened to their cameraman. 1335913212 +why didn't you just go sit in the car and honk the horn until someone came and opened the door for you? just sayin... 1346436210 +The key is to consider the validity of the experience without jumping to conclusions about the cause. Even in the event of suspicion of something "paranormal" there is the possibility of an explanation impossible to explain given current scientific knowledge. Too many "skeptics" can be too dismissive of the experience itself, preventing any further understanding of the cause of it. \n\ntldr; I am an agnostic with beliefs leaning toward Athiest, however I am very open to the idea of a larger "universal" picture too complex for us to explain or possibly even comprehend in our currently evolutionary state. 1350917648 +I would say a satellite but you said you can tell the difference so I don't know. Sometimes they are very bright and look a lot closer than they actually are. They will appear and disappear just like you described. 1348559161 +Cannabis does not contain any nicotine, nor any of the additives that tobacco companies add to make cigarettes, so that's a plus, but apart from that many of the carcinogens present in tobacco smoke are also present in marijuana smoke. To be fair, it is rare that cannabis users smoke as many joints as a tobacco users smokes cigarettes in a day.\n\nPersonally, I'm wary about *any* kind of smoke entering my lungs. Also, smoking cannabis *does* irritate the throat and causes one to cough out that ugly grey-brown phlegm. Inhaling from a vaporizer doesn't cause this. I say, why take chances? Be nice to your throat: eat, drink or vaporize! :-) 1345239859 + I have considered that, lol. \n\nMy own persuasions make me think the government knows very little. They may have verification, but I highly doubt actual contact. They wish. \nWhatever is flying around up there doesn't care if we see them or not, or whether its restricted air space, or a nuclear facility, .... Whatever is in those ships pays no heed to earthly governments. That's what I think anyway. \n As far as space politics, we better hope they are nothing like us. 1273911440 +That's possible. I know exactly what you're talking about. Sometimes I feel my body shake as if the bed below me is moving too, but I've never felt anything else as you describe it. Our brains can do crazy things in that state of subconsciousness. 1341894469 +Paranormal Activity 2 was essentially the setup for Paranormal Activity 4. \n\nIt explained why the "wrong" sister was being tormented in Paranormal Activity (although they were both married to the demon as we learn in Paranormal Activity 3) and showed that the demon got what it wanted in the end, thus allowing Paranormal Activity 4 to occur with a possessed Katie and what I can assume is the male child. Paranormal Activity 4 is the true sequel, while PA3 fills out the backstory.\n\nAfter watching the trailer I kind of feel like we could have done without this movie and been left to wonder whatever happened to Katie and the kid, but they did such a good job of building up the story with the third movie that I'm legitimately curious to know what's going to happen now that the demon finally has the long-awaited son in their family lineage. \n\nI saw the first Paranormal Activity in theatres and didn't really enjoy it because it was *uncomfortably* loud when big things happen. I re-watched it and the other two at home and enjoyed it much more. 1343878103 +I don't know why people consume X, when they could instead consume Y, which tastes completely different.\n\nThere aren't even any bubbles in coffee! 1313502647 +This is viral marketing for a new game. 1323092951 +Wow this Is disappointing. 1320554892 +> I buy organic stuff when I can, but mostly because of the environmental/sustainability stuff.\n\nI have a friend who is a farmer and was looking into growing organic potatoes. He did the calculations and knew how much more he'd have to charge to make money because on average one gets about half as many potatoes per acre growing organically than non-organically.\n\nSo the world would need twice as many forests/rainforests plowed into fields if everyone were to switch to eating organic food. I'm not sure where that ranks in terms of "environmental/sustainability stuff", but I think it's pretty bad for both.\n 1347080366 +It was terrifying. Once my brain acknowledged its skepticism I couldn't stop the progression. I was scared to death to examine my religious beliefs. There were a few months of special pleading. Eventually I couldn't lie to myself any more and the religion fell away. Quite the relief. 1323670205 +A thousand times this comment. Perhaps something that sounds similar to j, bcdefghiaklmnopqrstuvwxxy and or z? Perhaps someone you knew had associated some financial significance with a letter of the alphabet, or knew someone who did? 1331363239 +those parents that vaccinate their kids might as well be criminals. I dont have enough &#3232;\\_&#3232;\n 1326696938 +My local shoppers also has a section like that, but it puts stuff alongside actual medicine as well. I made a video:\n\nhttp://www.dumbassguide.info/index.php/entry/blog_id=137/ 1352713459 +BUGS! I saw the same thing when I was there, you can see little insects reflecting light flying around.. Especially over the luxor 1347646451 +A link to skip all the talking-\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hYPUT08q7o#t=7m38s 1341641466 +No footage/pictures of Eagle taking off exists, so Stanley must have lost them. 1310504993 +>It should be noted that, while the article comes from EU Times, it was apparently re-posted in full from a website called What Does It Mean, and is credited to “Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscribers.”\n\nfaal! 1292531384 +Folks who hate the idea of women controlling their reproductive abilities have been beating this drum for a while. Just a quick reading of "Are Oral Contraceptives a Significant Contributor to the Estrogenicity of Drinking Water?" from Environ. Sci. Technol., 2011, 45 (1) indicates that less that 1% of the estrogen in the water supply comes from the pill. The majority of human-based estrogen originates from pregnant women. The amount that comes from the pill is also less than the amount that comes from our diets (soy and dairy). Both of these are significantly lower than the amount of estrogen contributed by livestock (who excrete a crapload more than we do).\n\nSo, if the concern is truly about estrogen in the drinking water supply, it seems that we should be tackling farming and pregnant women first. 1337455409 +The problem I have with HFCS is the enormous corn subsidies from the US Gov't. 1298550824 +I have no trouble believing that people express themselves through their handwriting, and that there may be general principles involved in how people do it. I find it more plausible than, say, palmistry, that there might actually be something there to study.\n\nHowever, what I've seen of graphology (not much admittedly) is just a bunch of hand-waving and speculative intuition. I've never seen anyone make a rigorous study of it. I think, at the current time, it's nowhere near being a real science. 1288956354 +>Well, then congratulations. Go ahead and ignore a very relevant piece of work that covers pretty much exactly the same stuff we're talking about here, namely Descartes' epistemology.\n\nThat's not relevant at all. It's actually a formal logical fallacy called ad hominem tu quoque. Arguments stand on their own. Your argument is that X is wrong because Descartes made Y argument in another work. You can't even touch X (because you don't even know what it is).\n\n>If you want to make the claim that Descartes is someone we should look to for advice on how to treat things skeptically, you cannot ignore other things he has written which contradict that.\n\nI never said that Descartes is someone you should look to for advice on how to treat things skeptically.\n\nI said The Method, which you haven't read, was a good place to start being skeptical about your own ideas. Now you're lying.\n\n>Um, your claim that Empricisim is radically different from science and the modern skeptical movement?\n\nThat never happened.\n\n>And please explain to me how "create" and "produce" mean significantly different things.\n\nCreate has the pejorative connotation of Creationism in an argument about how the Universe came about.\n\n> that the existence of the universe implies that something else existed beforehand - and pointing out the similarity between that and the creationist cosmological argument.\n\nThank you for admitting that you committed a guilt by association fallacy.\n\n>Assuming that there must be something else that "produced" this universe leads to exactly the same problem with the idea that the universe must have been created by something, and it deserves just as much respect (read: very little).\n\nAnd yet you can't even contradict it.\n\n>Pretty sure I'm done with this conversation.\n\nYou don't even know what it's about. You haven't even read the fucking book. The correct thing to do was nothing instead of humiliating yourself trying to win a fight with your eyes closed.\n\nWait until you actually finish the class, at least.\n\n\n\n\n 1355438099 +It looks as if you have captured a friend who tried to get out of the way quickly. I could be wrong. 1350474988 +I don't see why this should surprise anyone. Even a cursory glance into his science record reveals that [he doesn't accept evolution](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JyvkjSKMLw), [he called global warming a hoax](http://www.ronpaul.com/on-the-issues/global-warming/), [and he wants to do away with science funding](http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?31159-Stance-on-Science-Funding). The man's an anti-science loon. 1313869419 +I think it's quite relevant and poignant, actually. 1285283295 +With all that "information" about the danger of flu shots that is out there, the idea that getting one could trigger a reaction from someone who already sufferd from psychological illnesses but had shown no major symptoms before isn't too far fetched, and if some irresponsible doctors then start to give the idea of being physically ill credibility, this could very well happen - this could also explain why symptoms occur when she is made aware of the fact that she is supposed to be ill.\n \nThis, or she could have made the whole thing up for whatever reason, the point is: We don't know. 1323353420 +Hi, Siarp, I'm a skeptic too. I posted to /r/paranormal because when I returned home from Europe and showed the photo to everyone no one could identify what the "face like image" was, but thats the first thing everyone who looked at the photo saw. \n\nIt was an iphone 4, and yes, it has a flash. The church I was in was an 11th century church and the first thing posted on the door to the said church was NO FLASH WITH CAMERA. \n\nIt was my first time being in Berlin, and my first time being in a church so old, so I took pictures. Everywhere. I figured if I took enough pictures a few would turn out okay and I could show people my amazing photography skills.\n\nAt the end of the trip I deleted probably 25 crummy shots of that church alone, and hundreds more of the trip that weren't focused or were to dark or blurry or whatever.\n\nWhen I posted to /r/paranormal I didn't say in my post "Hey, guys look at this ghost!" I was looking for a fun answer to a interesting photo. 1350393797 +Except the girl is Johnny Depp. 1346598964 +What about data mining though? 1349907225 +CSB: The owner of a business in Utah that I worked for owned a tank and would drive it in parades. He also would occasionally shoot it, and I'm sure he had some special permit to do so. 1356235542 +It's a private event, they can ultimately do what they want. I don't agree with the intimidation, nor with the alleged threats, but how they were treated isn't that surprising given the incompatibility in perspectives. \n\nFrom the perspective of the event organizers, they do not want people there who aren't potential consumers. Or, worse yet, have an adverse effect on those there to consume. Try questioning wal-mart employees on behalf of a group bent on exposing the evils of capitalism, consumerism, and the plight of third world labourers and see how far you get.\n\nI realize that the vast majority of products on offer at events like these are useless beyond placebo, but that really isn't the point. Yes, It's about profits and intimidating those who get in the way of making money. But go into any sort of organization as a known antagonist to that group's stated ideas and goals and see how you're treated. \n\nedit: Spelling 1291082956 +this is cool! 1346132929 +Thank you for this. 1309715228 +Thank you for this. 1352683573 +Because for the most part everyday folks with jobs and 3 kids and bills don't have the time or energy to care about this. Why don't you submit it to your local news station and paper and maybe they will do a bit about it? 1346417627 +He may be full of shit, but his book *"Why is God Laughing?"* was actually really awesome and didn't have any of his views, it's a mock religious fiction narrative that really explores a lot of key eastern ideas without getting into bogus theory. Really brought a fresh perspective, but the rest of his works seem to fall much shorter in comparison. 1310608393 +Extraordinary ideas require extraordinary evidence. 1330054577 +Are these midwives able to give epidurals or perform emergency c-sections or deal with complications if something goes wrong? Can they do all the screenings and the like? \n\nNo brainer for me, but I wonder if there's some other underlying concern? Is she afraid of hospitals, or something like that? Just visiting one might help change her mind? 1282346382 +>it's values and 'teachings'.\n\nBut Christianity is not, and never was about its values and teachings. Christianity is about a species of human who are each, individually, vile and corrupted and personally deserving of an eternity in hellfire seeking redemption through the substitutive sacrifice of Jesus Christ. No Christ no Sacrifice. No sacrifice, hell for everyone.\n\nThe teachings only matter when these conditions are already met. No Christ - no Christianity. 1335819027 +hence they called him captain skirk who had a tic 1283362996 +Aspergers or something else? I'd be shocked to see "vanilla" autism go undiagnosed that long. 1319926860 +Not German but have lived there and known the language (a little).\n\nIf you are out of work, you can get a voucher towards 'job training' which you must use. In some cases, this is a little more than a scam with the 'education' being just something to allow the training company to collect government money.\n\nHomoeopathy is extremely strong in Germany, I even met a homoeopathic veterinarian once which seemed the biggest joke of all and they also have many training courses on this. Astrology just seems to be an extension of this.\n\nPersonally I just see this as being training for confidence tricksters. 1258970001 +You haven't but Yaaf has. He spelled charlatan as sharlatan, I said education should have prevented faulty spelling, and you said nobody can know the spelling to every single word.\n\nThis is *charlatan* though, not *Nebuchadnezzar,* or *Eyjafjallajökull,* or *Huitzilopochtli*. Basic education should have prepared him for it. 1345455048 +Yeah, that'll solve everything. 1339262315 +Well, it's probably just my personal bias against, but I disturst any engagement that doesn't just laser in on truth. The notion that with both sides presenting and even if one side had better information, it was skewered by someone with a rhetorical flourish just really bugs me. But that's my engineering side showing through. 1347563046 +I had the same problem -- came here to leave scathing comments, had an old-fashioned facepalm when I saw it was in /r/skeptic. 1332476553 +It's an interesting story. If it actually happened as described you have to wonder what they might have been fighting over (if they were fighting). Protection of the earth? Turf war? Maybe it was just Von Neuman devices programmed to take out any other similar devices like in the book [Spin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spin_%28novel%29). 1355930617 +Greer? Low IQ? Come on. He's an ER doc, he's related to rocket scientists and astronauts, he's had a very good education, and hardly seems stupid.\n\n 1332436584 +Isn't that a good thing? 1295160091 +:mythbusted: 1348803844 +I understand the concept just fine, and what is being discussed has absolutely nothing to do with the burden of proof. \n\nThe positive claim was made/implied by the article: "The supernatural doesn't exist because there is no scientific evidence to support it". I rebut the claim by pointing out that such an argument is clearly circular; that is, if you use a naturalistic method (that automatically ignores and rejects all supernatural claims) to study the world, then you're going to get naturalistic conclusions, regardless of whether the supernatural claims are true or not. This is akin to instructing people to go out and only count red flowers, and when they return with their data, you conclude that yellow, blue, and white flowers don't exist because you only have evidence for red flowers. Again, most simply, if your method and approach explicitly tells you to ignore an entire category, then you can't use that data to say the ignored category doesn't exist. \n\nI have not claimed that the supernatural is real (and I personally don't think the concept is even coherent enough to be worthy of consideration), and I haven't claimed that the concept should be treated as real unless disproved. My only point is that science is a tool for studying the natural world. Anyone who thinks that the conclusions from science can have *anything at all* to say on claims of the supernatural simply does not understand science. \n\nThis is basic high school science stuff. 1343020519 +Non-mobile layout - [http://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/feb/15/reed-familys-alien-nightmare/](http://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/feb/15/reed-familys-alien-nightmare/) 1337108286 +Probably won't convince you but this was always odd to me.\nhttp://www.cropcircleresearch.com/articles/arecibo.html 1257779472 +Who else is making a serious (or at least visible) effort to bring attention to the ICC's most wanted list? Sure, some of us have known about Kony for years and see him in the same group as the SPLA, the government forces from Khartoum and Kampala, Alice Lakenma, bla bla bla the rest of 'em. When though is the last time stopping these people and their behaviours was a priority in American politics? I don't care if it takes a hipster ad campaign, let's get a USMC MEU(SOC) in there and shoot this motherfucker in the fucking eyeball. 1331795790 +Cranks are fun, and they make us all laugh. What causes me pause on this guy is that Wikipedia is not allowing a page for him. I read on about it, and in a couple Google clicks found that there are forums that are flooded with bot clutter that disrupts any normal flow of reading or participation. The amount of energy being put into Cock blocking this guy seems disproportionate to his threat level.\nWhat do you make of that? 1292814909 +:) great 1351475504 +That's cool. Different strokes, right? For me, the only life I will ever have can be better spent. When I look at the way people in america are treating each other it creates a visceral spasm type sensation in my brain that tells me to stay far far away from it.\n\nI'd rather live in a society that leaves me alone. But for you you'd like to stay and fight for something. Perhaps to try and help other people.\n\nI'm more selfish. 1334523545 +Barabara Loe Fisher is not just unscientific, she is SUPER-unscientific !!! 1263487423 +If you're wondering where this person gets their data from check out the FAQ. It's very informative. 1324000691 +Prove it. 1259005174 +Prove it. 1304551878 +> Just not in the earths atmosphere, right..right.. 'cmon, admit the truth. Why do they fudge the models ?\n\nWe have observerved the warming. And we know why. It's obvious and basic physics.\n\n> If you people want to be taken seriously, you need to disassociate your selves from crooked politicians and so called scientists.\n\nI just demostrated how crooked denialists are - and even that was just the tip of their lies. Just ask me more. Please. I'll demonstrate. There's plenty. Denialists lie. Yeah, your pals denialists lie and they lie blatantly to you.\n\n> Oh, and get some real evidence, not that fudged crap you've been passing off.\n\nThe evidence has been collected. It has been measured. It has been analyzed. It has been presented. It has been scrutinized. It has been accepted. And it holds true.\n\nYet there does exist an la-la-la-land where it does not hold. It's called denial.\n\n\nAnd I'll just ask you once again my friend weedeater64: \n\n1. Does that declaration I showed to you make any sense to you? \n\n2. What do you think of people who endorse such thing? \n\n3. Are they rational?\n\n4. Do you endorse it?\n\nDo you? 1351108212 +My girlfriend is going to med school- to be a naturopath. I have NO idea what it is she believes- we end up shouting and getting mad whenever we talk about the subject. Seriously, the first paragraph seems to have it right- they don't know what it is they're arguing for. I think they actually tend to believe that science based medicine is useful (they call it "allopathic, I'd never heard this term before) but that they want to include woo based medicine in practice as there's some outside chance it will help. She seems very comfortable with the placebo effect's usefulness in treating people as well... I try not to talk about it too much. 1285358734 +I think the LD50 of DHMO is a lot higher than that... But it *has* been found in cancerous tumors, and it's a major industrial solvent and the number one component of most commercially-available cleaning solutions. 1346162887 +You can't prove a negative. "There are no facts disproving them" is a ridiculous argument in favour of their potential authenticity; I could say "there's a 1,200lb hamster orbiting Pluto on days that start with T, you can't prove there isn't" and by your logic no one would be able to tell me I'm fulla shit. 1333015181 +I'm not assigning an extraterrestrial origin. I will adamantly argue against people convinced UFOs are ETs. We just don't know. That *is* the point. Despite our advances in science we are as ignorant of these things now as in 1947. We are suppose to investigate the unknown. Not ignore it. 1298704044 +Thanks, I really appreciate that. I understand why you would be frustrated by what you describe, so I certainly won't hold it against you :) 1346270595 +Holy fuck, warn someone before they just go clicking things! That was some frightening imagery. 1326577133 +Hilarious. I also like that this was posted in r/skeptic rather than r/comics or r/funny. 1285710510 +This SERIOUSLY made my night!! The existence of this guy and the willful ignorance pulsing through conservipedia make me shudder. That was beautiful! 1261620281 +Could you give an example of something similar found on this earth? It sure looks out of place as far as shape goes. It looks very straight, both on the top and on the bottom. I don't know if nature can do that. 1329905376 +Christ, not this guy again. This morning I didn't know who he was and now I have to be aware that he exists in the world. 1290988374 +What the hell? That is really interesting. The way the debris trail comes off of it makes it look very large to me. Total direction change, too - this is no meteor. 1316194358 +I saw this video a while ago. basically watched part of it and disregarded it, but it explains the chart. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ceJI2Cnz1w 1338140663 +fuck exploding head syndrome. 1335252661 +Exactly, r/atheism is a very active subreddit and this post is clearly more appropriate for that subreddit so there is no reason that this post should be here instead of r/atheism. 1308581444 +True, but most (or all) of them have a much harder time getting big book chains to carry their books.\n\nIt was a sad, sad day when I went to my local B&N store last year to find that they had shrunk the Science and Philosophy sections to expand the Spirituality section. 1309814399 +Someone has had to much LSD...\n\nOn a serious note, quite interesting! 1331292260 +This sounds like a conspiracy!\n\nActually good stuff. However, it's not surprising that the fringe does what they can to legitimize their work. Giving it away makes it more likely to be seen and lends an air of familiarity. 1333805013 +Yeah, the last three or four posts are almost entirely tongue in cheek. 1295454677 +Where did I propose restricting choices? 1330639566 +I don't mean that they opened the space where you would expect the crushed can to be, but rather where the mechanism would be. As in 'disassemble the crusher'. 1356014688 +http://sites.google.com/site/wtc7lies/introduction 1290709593 +Because it says "use water" and "no chemicals needed" and "no more chemicals". Yes, you could say "water" in this context is not itself pure H2O and therefore not a chemical, but to say that you could use anything that could be regarded as "water" and still have "no more chemicals" is disingenuous. 1341263976 +A pretty well known Youtuber Aron Ra has a whole series debunking the fundational falsehoods of creationism. In this particular case, number eight is usefull. http://youtu.be/TU-7d06HJSs 1316746679 +Or both! :) 1345059475 +oh come on, talk about IQ in /r/skeptic (and the conflation with intelligence)? 1341993855 +No takes over 60-40 woo hoo 1314765778 +Are you suggesting a category tag be added to each story, or is this a personal initiative type of thing? 1326730132 +Ha! I see what you did there. "Rational arguments".\n\n 1249505943 +Go look through the replies to my comments in r/911truth and tell me again that ***I*** am the one being a dick!... I've put up with their attacks and dishonesty once and for all...\n\nEDIT: And, don't forget - the people of r/911truth are (falsely) accusing several different people of mass-murder! That's slander and libel. I don't see why I have to be civil to people such as that... 1306209163 +Cross check it with [/r/keto](/r/keto). You may be surprised. 1327990907 +I'm not worried about intelligently designed organisms. At least we have *some* idea what we're doing.\n\nNature on the other hand only cares about survival, and that could easily include some organism that is able to kill us all. There's nothing to stop the natural evolution of some organism that is deadly to us humans. At least with intelligent genetic engineering there are going to be some checks in place, especially if the scientists are working with something that they have reason to believe will be dangerous then the safety measures will be very tight. 1294279572 +Is there any pain or headache of sorts when it happens? How does it end, do you suddenly remember again or is it a slow process? 1354814403 +Well known sceptic? Don't you mean well known astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium? I don't think that being a sceptic would rank the highest among his [achievements](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_deGrasse_Tyson#Selected_awards_and_honors). 1312893060 +[Another attempt](http://i.imgur.com/kFrWh.png)\n\nEDIT: I would like to point out that I think the one we have is great, it's just the dimensions of it that messes up the site layout a little. 1306413633 +For some reason the 1st part is viewable but the 2nd and 3rd parts have been removed for copyright violation :( 1287355090 +I'm not commenting on the reality, or lack thereof, of these folks' claims. Personally, I don't believe in their claim. My point originally was that science is a method of inquiry, not a body of absolute truth. 1241270554 +>Well, I'm perfectly willing to cede to the notion that you might be better read on the subject than I.\n\nI'm probably not.\n\n>But in all honesty I have not seen much anarchist philosophy that just stopped at being antistate. It was always entirely anti-hierarchy.\n\nAnti-hierarchy anarchists are much more numerous than anarcho-capitalists. Anarcho-capitalism is not a very widely known school of thought. So, it's completely reasonable you've never encountered it.\n\n>As far as I can tell anarcho-capitalism is the only anarchist philosophy that is not anti-hierarchy\n\nThere are some voluntaryists who do not identify as anarcho-capitalists. Some individualist-anarchist-ish people might not fully qualify as anti-hierarchy anarchists. But anarcho-capitalism does seem to be pretty prominent in the not-anti-hierarchy anarchism world.\n\n>Is there much writing by anarchists (Rothbard and his adherents aside) that backs up the notion that it can mean only antistate?\n\nI would say that there's lots of anarcho-capitalist writers who use anarchist in the anti-state way, but I would be surprised if many of them claimed that was the only valid definition. Anarcho-capitalists can't ignore the history and large numbers of people who use anarchism in the anti-hierarchy way. At worst, they'll say that the anti-hierarchy anarchists want to establish something that's pretty much a state, and therefore aren't anarchists. I usually argue against them on that point...\n\n>And yes, you are correct that there are multiple usages of words. But that doesn't necessarily mean that these words are being used correctly.\n\nWell, words are just sounds and letters that have common agreements about associated ideas. So, I'm pretty accepting when there is widespread "incorrect" use. I actually wish that "anarchism" *only* meant anti-hierarchy and that the anarcho-capitalist types had never been labeled as anarchist. My theory is that they mostly got that label from other people that didn't really know much about the history of anarchism. So, "anarchism" gained a new definition mostly through ignorance. Oh well.\n\nI think that anti-hierarchists have a stronger claim on the term, but I also accept the consequences of language being decided by popular usage. So, to deal with the ambiguity and to ward off miscommunication, I usually over-specify what I'm talking about. I *wish* I could give you the word.\n\nAre you an anti-hierarchist? This converation has gone so much better than the last time I talked about this when an anti-hierarchist. 1306258509 +Understood. I have cats though, and the vinegar is an improvement...\n 1347920389 +My guess is that vid 2 and vid 1 are the same type of thing, the second shows the exit of the material, the first shows the material after it exited, either falling back into it, or falling behind it so it looks as if it were falling into it. \n\nedit: It's not literally the same instance, it's 2 instances of the same type of emission assuming of course.\n\nThough the angle is slightly off, which depending on wind conditions (which are shown by the smoke to be blowing left to right, same as the material falling) are strange, it's still plausible. 1353131826 +Whether the earth is going to be destroyed or not, he makes a valid point. We must come together as the human race if we're ever to advance as a species. 1344796770 +OK, then. Show me some evidence that education about genital hygiene significantly reduces HIV transmission.\n\nI'm not arguing that access to condoms reduces HIV transmission. Of course it does. But even in the US, where we have widespread and free access to condoms, our rates of HIV transmission are quickly growing in certain demographics. \n\nCondoms alone are not enough to stop the spread of HIV, because they aren't used consistently. 1346089038 +Well, I suppose, since it seems to be over, that you two got lucky. These occurances don't always end so well. 1345010667 +Typically, when someone sells a product they're confident of, they don't feel a need for coercion. 1313421804 +There are a bunch of BBC ones but they are radio programmes. However I also listen to Guardian Science which is quite good too. 1288104631 +"governor"? do you mean "mayor"? 1356888765 +I thought Assange said there was nothing special to release about UFOs? 1333607351 +Derren Brown is a fucking hero. Imagine the kind of money he could make if he wanted to by buying into cons like this. Well done. 1304092116 +No. Ice T is an actual T, though. 1308338551 +Yea, and all these babies being born can't even communicate, what a bunch of tiny dumbasses. No use in trying to educate any of them. /logicalconclusion 1289226013 +Economics is tricky, because of the nature of history. The evidence is not straightforward, because there are hundreds of interacting variables. Post hoc is rampant. I think that's why it's best to say that we just don't know that much about it. Human society is a highly complex, perhaps a chaotic system.\n\nThat said, I think economics does have some valuable insights to offer. It's just that I don't think there's such a thing as a completely objective source of info, because of its nature. 1282957128 +Brain zaps? That sounds....terrifying. 1337278925 +Tyson 1349332264 +My great-grandfather died of TB in the sanitarium. I've wanted to visit for a while but I've never gone. 1320092010 +She is only as powerful as the people who listen to her.\n\nAnd I just removed Skeptics Guide and Pharyngula from my watch list.\n\nBecause I get really fucking sick of doing my damndest in the subreddits I like to contribute and grow only to be sidelined for some asshole (let's not call her a bitch, all it does is feed her persecution complex) and their "X makes me hate unrelated Y."\n\nAnd PZ Myers has gone from doing the hardwork of selecting things and promoting a debate to mindless parroting of what Watson declares.\n\nFuck them both. 1325106142 +The placebo effect still works on your mom, though, in terms of how she interprets the dog's behavior. "Look how much happier she is today! That medicine is wonderful!"\n\nApart from that though, you've put your dad in a bit of a pickle, even if he agrees with you, since he's the one who gets to listen to your mom vent about your inability to understand the "value" of homeopathy. 1329333797 +Interesting article, but I believe this "Perception Gap" is part of a mathematical phenomena that people can learn to avoid, it is not necessarily constrained by instincts. Here is why:\n\n1. Input (how do you believe the world is right now)\n2. Function (how do you believe the world works right now)\n3. Output (how do you think the world will be in the future)\n\nAnybody can be right or wrong about the 3 different layers, but if they are not right about all 3 of them simultaneously, then they are also wrong, even they might not discover it. People usually check 1 and 3 and correct 2 only when necessary and this results in situations like believing they know better how gravity works than Einstein because they can fix a car, or believing they win a dice game because they thought it was their lucky day, or believing a politician will hold his promise because he just said something they wanted to hear. This structure also holds for *similar* and *different* by comparing two objects.\n\nWhen two people talk, they use either abstract terms or examples to produce a picture of an analogy which for the 3 layer structure holds different characteristics. This is why analogies work for a particular situation, and why though experiments can be used to solve problems. For example: When two cars start from *different* locations (1) and drives in *same* directions (2) on a flat surface, they will end up in *different* locations (3). This also fits an analogy of parallel lines. This is a simplification that does not require direct observation or discrete values, only knowing whether something is similar or different.\n\nThe biggest problem is when people expect yes/no. For any story that builds up it's arguments to a conclusion there is no simple answer. You need to comprehend not just the conclusion, but the picture which the other person is trying to tell, before you really understand it is and learned something.\n\nOne can investigate perception and so on, but many problems only require the ability to think. If people give themselves enough time to think something through, they usually figure it out. The problem is that we live in a society where everything is meant to go fast, and people have no more time than hearing a "yes" or "no". 1328712744 +That's a great rebuttal actually, thank you for the link. There are some good points made.\n\n>I also feel like Jacques Vallee has addressed this in one of his Binnall of America interviews.\n\nI'll check this out too.\n\n 1353709468 +Just want to say... I work at Walgreens, and this really isn't a matter of a store's individual discretion. Reset planograms are frequently sent down from corporate, so the most recent cough/cold reset must have put all the homeopathic "medicine" together in that region's stores. A store manager has some degree of freedom in merchandising, but they can't just entirely shift up an aisle like that without drastically increasing workload, and at this point in the year, no store manager would risk such a time-wasting project or they could get fired.\n\nThe real things to worry about with people accidentally buying homeopathic remedies are the Hyland's pain relief products. There aren't any actual medicines specifically for joint cramps, so Hyland's holds a monopoly on it, which means that they get a lot of business from desperate senior citizens.\n\nFortunately I can sometimes prevent people from buying this crap... 1352739851 +Let me explain how the simulation works. You give it the building schematics: what it's made of, how it's put together, physical properties, etc.\n\nThen, you tell it where the fires are and their composition. What they are made of, how they burn, the temperature, etc.\n\nThen you tell it to run. Then you wait a really long time because good simulation takes a fuckload of time. That video isn't a realtime run of the simulation. It's a compilation of all of the renders done.\n\nNote what we didn't specify: where it fails. Where it fails is determined by something we call math. You see, we can use math in conjunction with the physical and chemical properties of objects to approximate what would happen in certain situations.\n\nSo, in the simulation video, the fact that the floor failed in two places at nearly the same time is insignificant because it was determined mathematically based on the information fed into the simulation. If they would run the simulation again, they could get a similar but slightly different result. Because while specific events are essentially random, they are random within a certain range.\n\nThat building could have conceivably fallen in one of several million ways. The fact that it happened the way it did is no more significant than if it had fallen at a tilt. Which is why when a building is likely to fall, you get the fuck away from that shit regardless of where you happen to be standing. Because you can't say with 100% certainty what will and will not happen.\n\nWhich is what you are doing. You are trying to tell us that with 100% certainty the building could not have fallen like that because of the fire. 1315573219 +The few times I've watched this show, I always asked myself these questions too. I used to be in a ghosthunter organization in Metro-Detroit, MI a few years ago, and I think I was the only rational being in the room when the evidence was reviewed.\n\nReviewing the tapes or audio, everyone would jump to the wildest conclusions possible, limited by their imagination, to only get frustrated with me when I point out what really might have happened.\n\nI digress, and yes, how the hell would they absorb energy anyway? We must go deeper... 1300124599 +The comments are scary as fuck. America is fucked. 1333998565 +The whole thing is just anti-animal. If they cared about the health and well being of animals, they wouldn't be spreading anti-medical horseshit. 1335325457 +No way. You're Yul Brynner. Nobody would dare boot Yul Brynner off the set. 1310233266 +Thanks for the website suggestion. Lots of info there. 1330619296 +this a 'Merica dammit.\n\nhe makes more money off the placebo\n\n/s ... or is it? 1306724652 +Or he was just really horny. 1349051430 +Ah but they seek truth, which of course, is a noble goal. Bash on them all you want, you're only looking at one side. You must look at the positives as well. Otherwise you're no better than they are. 1315517363 +Thanks for the information and the support.\n 1327299994 +I agree, and it reminds me of the ["10 Things Christians and Atheists Can (And Must) Agree On"](http://www.cracked.com/article_15663_10-things-christians-atheists-can-and-must-agree-on.html) Cracked article posted on reddit a while back, which I agree 100% with. \n\nHowever, it makes me uneasy when people use religion to supersede scientific evidence or use dishonest strategies to manipulate what others believe instead of letting them think for themselves. 1303089165 +It's not just planets. Many asteroids are composed of precious metals. We are only decades out from having the technology to capture a Kuiper Belt object containing more gold and platinum than could ever be mined from the surface of the earth. The idea that anyone would go through as much trouble to mine gold as is implied by this post is comical. If you can travel interstellar space, picking up one of these objects is trivial. 1334795475 +For tens of millions of years, the vast majority of primates have lived in trees while adopting a wide variety of feeding strategies, including insectivory, frugivory, folivory, and omnivory. To my knowledge, all of them have binocular vision. Your "short term" statement might make sense looking across the tree of life, but context is important in biology, and your claim is wrong when it comes to primates. 1353138381 +There is a lot to worry about concerning ones health. \n\nThe history of putting this toxic byproduct of manufacturing aluminum (sodium fluoride) into the public drinking water with only a cursorary amount of research is very strange. \n\nSkeptics love strange so this issue will always get a lot of attention.\n\n\n 1337792446 +>MSG = Glutamate + NaCl\n\nNot a chemist, but where do the Chloride ions go in that reaction? 1337755904 +Isn't there a difference between having no respect for a person as opposed to having no respect for a thing they believe in? Friends of mine are reasonably devout Christians, and while I have no respect whatsoever for religions or religious beliefs, I have the utmost respect for my friends as people. They can believe whatever they want, and they never try to force it on me or anyone else, so they can worship whatever and whoever they please as far as I'm concerned. Same goes for my father (with slightly less 'never tries to force it on anyone'). Let him believe what he likes; he's still my father and I love and respect him as a person. Who happens to believe in some stuff that I am very much opposed to. But it's the *belief* that I disrespect, not the *person*.\n\nI might as well lose respect for a person because they liked Oasis, or the Black Eyed Peas, for all the sense that makes. 1301430248 +When did I ever say herbal medicine was superior? I said it was occasionally legitimate and effective. I'd take aspirin over willow bark any time, but if St John's wort happens to help your depression or valerian root helps your insomnia that's great. 1306541900 +It does exist, although different people call it different things. It's more common with those who use drugs and alcohol, but even a "straight" person with a temper can experience it. When I was younger (and arguably slightly more short-fused) I have experienced it on a number of occasions. Needless to say it's not a great experience.\n\nI'm no doctor, but from what I understand the most likely causes are stress, and the sudden build up of high blood pressure that accompanies an outburst. In a stressful situation, the body releases cortisol as a response mechanism. Too much cortisol can prevent the brain from laying down a new memory, or from accessing already existing memories. Temporary memory loss in these type of situations can vary from being "fuzzy" to full blackout.\n\nI can't explain it very well, but if you would like to learn more [this](http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/stress.html) may help.\n\n(edit- typo 1350437001 +definitely make sure you're mentally balanced before anything. I have experienced a lot of spiritual things throughout my life so far both good and bad. I guess anything is possible and what happened to u sounds beyond effed! 1345557801 +This is some weird stuff. I'd be scared as fuck. Keep asking question to your grand parents, make sure they understand what you're trying to tell them. 1335271383 +I wonder if "diamond-filtered" means "filtered with a substance chemically identical to diamond."\n\nEdit- [Herkimer Diamonds](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herkimer_diamond) are quartz crystals. 1338298332 +if the child doesn't make it to sexual maturity or have children themselves before they die, the parent's genes are not carried on. Those genes may contain the "Dunning-Kreuger Clusterfuck" gene that the parent so willfully acts upon. 1329586453 +What a dangerous idiot. 1346792148 +Here's a brief off the top of my head overview of some of the main ones:\n\nSelective breeding - selecting for a particular trait.\n\nHybridization - crossing two lines to get a hybrid plant.\n\nWide crossing - hybridizing one thing with something very distantly related, like crossing an apple with a wild Malus species, or crossing a cultivated potato with a wild potato.\n\nEmbryo rescue - Taking an embryo from a cross that would otherwise abort the embryo and culturing it, allowing you to make crosses that would otherwise result in non-viable seed.\n\nMutagenesis - using something, like a mutagenic chemical or ionizing radiation, to induce mutations in cells.\n\nSport selection - used in a lot of fruit trees. sometimes a bud will mutate and produce a branch that has a different quality than the rest of the tree. This branch is then propagated. A lot of the apples in stores today are sports of the original variety but are not named as such (the last Red Delicious you ate was probably a sport of the original Red Delicious).\n\nSomaclonal variation - when plant cells are being tissue cultured and a mutation arises in the culture, then this mutation is selected.\n\nPolyploidy - when the amount of chromosomes in the plant is altered. For example, some apples are triploid, having three chromosome sets instead of the usual two in diploid apples. Seedless watermelons are also triploid. Potatoes are tetraploid, wheat is hexaploid, and strawberries are octaploid. This can be induced with colchicine (as it is with watermelons) or can be a result of hybridization (as it is in wheat).\n\nProtoplast fusion - when you take two cells, lyse off the cell wall, put them next to each other and zap them so they fuse. I don't think this is commonly used yet though.\n\nSo there's quite a number of ways we modify plants besides genetic engineering (even GE has multiple types: transgenic, cisgenic, and antisense). Can't think of any more right now, but there's probably other techniques used. Ironically GE is fairly predictable by comparison to some of these yet I doubt most people protesting GE have ever even heard of them. Also, not genetic modifications, also worth mention is that some of plants are commercially produced by tissue culture, taking a piece of plant and growing it in vitro using hormones to regrow a new plant from a leaf or something, and lots of tree fruit are grafted, when they take a piece of one plant and graft it to another to produce a genetically identical tree and to take advantage of good rootstocks. 1331353160 +You mean lady? But yeah, I'm happy I got linked over so I could give her the downvotes she deserves. 1328811609 +how would it work in this application or in general? \n\nhow do you reduce your electric bill with geothermal? \n\nidk how they do it on an already built house but if one is building a house to include geothermal they run pipes through the floor then down deep underground where it's a steady temperature. keeping the basement floor at about the same temp as it is underground. \n\nDepending on where you are it's 50 degrees or so. So you've got a floor radiating 50 degrees so your furnace runs less. and cooling the house in the summer thus running the AC less. Saving electricity. \n\nIn the Sterling Engine case you've got water warmer than tap water so you have to warm it less to make the engine run. \n\nI'm probably wrong though. 1344738459 +> Judging an individual based on their group membership is wrong, period.\n\nIt still happens, wrong or not. Pretending that it doesn't won't make it go away. 1351218222 +I'm sure there are...but can you name one elected democrat of standing that is a climate change denier? now can you name any republicans that aren't? even huntsman buckled at the end.\n\n 1326845751 +Are you being serious here?\n\nYou said:\n\n>Lame\n\n>poorly comprehended facts\n\n>Who gives a shit about this guy?\n\nThen had the nerve to say:\n\n>Belittling people and mocking them is not good form for rebutting claims.\n\nUmm...\n 1315772708 +meh, I'm with digg_reject. I had a friend who got pregnant and was very poor and couldn't afford an abortion so she basically poisoned herself for 2 weeks and was miserable but it worked. Sometimes one cannot indulge in the safer methods, it is regrettable but necessary. 1284835500 +That's very true, but I'm not sure exactly what you're getting at. 1340350206 +Let us know what it says. 1339111739 +Don't really have time for linking (meeting in a minute), but look up false memory syndrome and recovered memory therapy. 1318947483 +I have seen his work, have you read the AMA? \nI am not discounting him I just find it strange that he answered peoples questions by telling them where to buy his books, and that he clearly endorses a Movie, Apollo 18 that he was apparently paid for.\n\nPlus you getting mad and calling me and angry teenager for trying to promote intelligent discussion is completely ignorant, and in the opposite direction of what we should be trying to acheive as race. 1352181796 +This book was where Dr. Mack started to veer more into the 'spiritual aspects of the abduction phenomenon and what it might ultimately mean for humanity. Interesting, but not sure I go along with some of his conclusions. \n\nThis came after his book 'Abduction', which was more centered upon his research on over 300 subjects and their experiences. He initially thought that these cases would be easy to define as abnormal psychological manifestations, but he instead became convinced that these were more likely real physical events after his first few cases.\n\nHe then devoted his career to further investigation. Harvard tried to throw him out for it, but his work was pretty solid for the most part. Pretty sobering stuff. 1354762700 +>Brewing has always been an interest of mine, but the science seems somewhat daunting.\n\nIt can be if you don't take it one step at a time. Too sum it up briefly, it's just yeast eating sugar and oxygen to create alcohol and carbon dioxide. The complexity comes from sanitation (HUGE PART) and ingredients. Most people start out with extract (suppliers basically malt barley for you, this gets complicated so just suffice it for now to say you use extract). You start with about 2 gallons of water, bring it to about 150F. Add some speciality grains, steep like a tea for 30 mins. Bring to a boil, add your extract and hops and boil for an hour. Then you cool it to about 70-80F (I put my kettle in my bathtub that I plug, fill with cold water and 3 - 7lb bags of ice, and add in 3 gallons of cooled water I have in the fridge. ) and pitch your yeast and let it sit for about 2-3 weeks. \n\n\nThe big part about sanitation, is you have to make sure it's clean of material and then everything after the boil (the boil will kill anything that could infect the beer) needs to be sanitized so you don't introduce any foreign material or bacteria. \n\nYou can look [here](http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html) for additional information on the process.\nIf you are interested in ever getting into it let me know, or check out /r/homebrewing. I'd be more than willing to answer any questions you may have.\n\nA starter kit will pretty much run you between 100-150 plus a kettle and plus your brewing ingredients. 1286950197 +My grandfather killed himself in June of 2008 my brother and I found him. That night laying in my bed unable to sleep I drifted into the weird awake/sleep state and got lost in my mind. I was started when I came back to reality and saw what looked like my grandfather but younger standing at the foot of my bed. I just laid there scared and unsure how I should deal with this and he smiled slightly and nodded, he was gone. A few nights later he came to me in a dream and told me how sorry he was for hurting me the way he did and that he loved me. I still have vivid dreams about him once in a while and when I wake up I'm usually crying because I miss him so much.\n\nAnother time one of my friends girl friend died. I had met her maybe a month before her death and we clicked as much as you can when you meet someone for an hour. The day after she passed I had a dream about her, we were playing a board game and just chatting she told me to tell Travis that she was sorry but so happy to not be in pain. She said that she loves him and wants him to be happy. I told him about this the next day and was shocked that he had a similar dream. 1349113684 +The comments are ridiculous as well. People are FURIOUS that the liberal "protect our daughters from HPV" agenda brought this legislation about in the first place. 1328120146 +it seems similar to something my whole family saw at one point. we were watching my aunty walk around her house for a good hour or so with one of those black cone like things over her but she didnt notice it. it turned out a not so nice spirit had attatched itself to her and was causing mischief like things breaking, something cut my cousins hair while she was watching tv, my hair got yanked so hard my head bled, we once saw a blood trail going down the stairs where she had just walked so in our concern we checked to make sure she wasnt bleeding which she wasnt and she had to replace the stair carpets to get rid of it but it had all started when we first saw this thing over her. 1341063014 +I'm always weary when I hear the word "craft" being mentioned. 1353018974 +Future of archeology. heh 1341190237 +Just look up Richard "Bob" Dean and see for yourself if you believe him to be spreading disinformation or not. 1333068829 +I was just about to say the samething. A story like this would be sure to at least be a small article on CNN or any other news source, but I couldn't find it in any source, other than crazy, ufo, conspiracy, sites 1349071583 +Yep, it sure is. When it exists. 1325888231 +Just do it for the lulz... 1293908663 +Seriously, I get blamed for everything around here. 1352435458 +How do we even know that he worked for the CIA? Is there any source for that?\n\nCan't understand how people don't see that the guy is full of shit. 1345558177 +Accidental double entendre: 5 points! 1309433525 +I did. I see no new evidence on the bloop. The closest I see is they're saying that they've heard similar noises near the north pole. If you want to count that, I have to ask:\n\nHad we not heard these things before? \nWhy have we not heard it again at the south pole (in the last 15 years)?\nWhy have we moved it from happening the the South Pacific off the coast of South America to somewhere along the coast of Antarctica?\n\nThe established opinion was "that was weird" but it was also classified as having a "biological" origin.\n\nI'm willing to give it over to icebergs, I just don't want the race to find a mundane explanation to stop us from asking questions. Is the bloop Cthuhlu? Of course not. But the current report seems to have to move a lot of things around from the original to make it work. 1353424969 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZowK0NAvig 1342612367 +That's not true. You are probably referring to infant mortality (a measure of pediatric care). According to the World Health Organization, the best measure of obstetric care is perinatal mortality. And according to the 2006 World Health Organization report on perinatal mortality, the US has one of the lowest rates in the world, lower than Denmark, the UK and The Netherlands. 1260335560 +Science has nothing to say on the question of a god's existence. Science deals only with the natural world, and anything supernatural is outside its domain.\n\n 1349824619 +What does it mean to be skeptical of your own position? \n\n 1328444012 +I do recall one of my professors stating that brown adipose tissue or "Brown fat" As I think he referred to it only occur in significant quantities in humans when they're infants. \n\n 1345128329 +I'd start with this, That Mitchell and Webb Look: Homeopathic A&E \n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMGIbOGu8q0 1295767493 +Other side-benefits include protecting your children, your family, you, and everyone else you come into contact with (and those people they come into contact with) from selected illnesses that have a far higher probability of seriously harming/killing any of the above than the likelihood of even the fabricated 'autism from shots' promoters acknowledge. 1337795578 +Aren't you kind of contradicting your stance of being a skeptic by even contacting a group like that? It seems like even by trying to get them to check the place out you're just feeding the idea that there's some kind of paranormal activity/entity there. 1336792425 +...or, you know, you could have just posted a link to your climate change denial echo chamber: /r/climateskeptics\n\nAfter all, the people over there often ask themselves how they could "turn" [/r/skeptics](/r/skeptics) to the Right Path... 1327682992 +<joking>Are you implying someone without a degree can't be intelligent?! You, sir, are a elitist!</joking>\n\nSorry. I couldn't resist after everyone attacked me for it the other day. 1333425041 +Sure it's peer-reviewed. Her peers are other homeopath nutjobs. So a bunch of nutjobs reviewed a nutjob paper and determined that its nutjob conclusions are totally rational in the mind of a nutjob. ;)\n\n 1330406140 +Gah it makes me MAD!! \n\nHow to do something wrong, wrong!\n\n\n\nEdit: for more information on bashar: http://www.bashar.org/contact.html\n\nAnd the research: http://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/05/16/everything-energy/\n\nEdit 2: spelling 1343541650 +Plot twist: finyacluck's home is on Nubiru. 1354587248 +My ex used to get attacked by (what we believe) to be a demon a long time ago, and all I can tell you is if it happens to be one, if it isn't medical in any way, or anything spiritual that is manifesting, you need to take it seriously. Scratches and bruises are one thing but this CAN get worse into worse physical abuse. Does she see things during the day? i.e. shadows, really bad, realistic nightmares, etc. Does this happen majorly when she's stressed or has a bad day? \n\nBeing a non-religious person myself, the only remedies I ever hear about regarding these types of attacks IS religion, so my first option would be going to a priest and seeing what you can do. Blessing each room in the house, blessing her. As for the name on her stomach, could it possibly be the spirit's name? Whatever it is, it is far stronger than your average ghost. Keep doing the extra precautions like burning candles and the salt if it's helping. \n\nIn the face of this, she needs to be brave because these types of things feed off of negativity. The stronger it gets, the more potential it has to severely harm her, even moreso than what's occurring. \n\nAs someone has said, make sure she goes with a God she believes in. It's all a battle with her mind and inner strength, and I wish you the best of luck; keep safe. 1351092592 +http://www.geigercounters.com/\n\n$260 bucks. 1305340969 +Guess they found Craig 1335232357 +[Psychic reading, Angel card readings, Channeling, Holistic therapy, and life couching.](http://psychicjanetlee.com/services) 1254365034 +Well, I don't really have experience in Astral Projection, outside of a few books and biographies that I read many years ago. I actually do believe it's a possibility, though I think some of the things associated with it are not accurate. A book I read once many years ago said something about being tied to your physical body by some thread-like thing, and if you stray too far and the thread breaks, you will never make it back to your physical body. I also read that it leaves you open to demonic possession. I don't believe either of those things. I think that if it does truly exist, it's more of a telepathy kind of thing than the spirit actually leaving the physical body.\n\nI'd be interested in hearing more details on your experiences if you're willing to share! 1352752112 +I found *Misquoting Jesus* to be an interesting read. The actual history of the books is quite interesting.\n\nToo bad people are so invested in the idea that they are the unaltered truth...but there's no reason to go the other way, either. 1304250865 +I've been trying to get her to go to the hospital for 90 minutes now. She claims she's fine, she has full control of her pupils and motor skills, etc. but I'd rather not lose her to something that can be easily prevented 1332388659 +Which one? Which god, and which particular sect of worship? 1326314455 +Metroid :D 1341227401 +Yeah, I guess fiasco is a little strong. There was a panel discussion that was completely pointless. Then both Grothe's and Randi's presentations beat the topic into the ground, and other people on the panel also had to talk about it during their talks. \n\nI guess my frustration extends from first my local skeptic group which I had to stop going to due to this type of crap, then I had gone to Skepticon without knowing about the drama with Randi's organization ahead of time and was very confused. \n\nWith TAM starting next week, I don't want it to turn into a sexism thing. The theme this year is Space. That's what I want - not a 'you're a paternalistic chauvinist who doesn't like the success of woman.' All of the 'big' bloggers involved in this Watson/Dawkins crap is going to be there, so I know it's going to come up, and that just sucks. 1310056793 +That's *a* non sequitur. "Non sequitur" is used as a noun in English. 1312483132 +But you'll put forth the effort to bitch about it? Fuck off. 1341867222 +You are correct, but the cycle works in the following way: The bank can make loans of $9 of that $10. Suppose they loan it to housebuyer bill, who buys a house with that $9 to houseowner sally, well sally will take that $9 and put it into her bank and her bank then goes and makes loans of $8 from that $9. This cycle continues until a monetary injection of $X has expanded to (1/r)*X where r is the fraction of reserves held by the bank. 1312521460 +Well, there you have it! 1323042592 +I just realized they don't use rel="nofollow", weird.\n\nYour idea is great, I was just throwing another option for consideration.\n\nDoesn't reddit use "nofollow" on outgoing links, though? The only thing they'd get is info that their traffic is coming from here, and I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing. 1292714241 +The China Study is one of the most commonly debunked studies out there. Take all of 5 minutes to find out why. (It starts off with shitty methodology, works its way up to shitty math, and pretty much continues on from there) 1353154239 +that's sad. i mean, that someone thinks all that. 1352675552 +Great captures! EVPs continue to amaze me while the rest of the stuff people capture become less so. \n\nWhen you post, don't put what you think it's saying. Once you tell people what to listen for, people will hear exactly that. Have them PM you their interpretations. You'll get a better idea if most people are hearing what you are hearing. Just a tip, nothing more. :)\n\nI am sure that some of the stuff people capture are random noises mistaken for voices maybe even cell phones, radio, natural explanations, etc. But other times it is quite unmistakable. It's a voice, much like your 'Run away' one. Those just blow my mind. I still don't fully believe that they are from people who have died. To accept that claim, requires a whole lot of extraordinary evidence to back it up.\n\nThis is great book about EVPs: [EVP and New Dimensions](http://www.amazon.com/EVP-New-Dimensions-Alexander-MacRae/dp/1411615034/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341927381&sr=1-1&keywords=EVP+new+dimensions) by Alexander MacRae. \n\nKeep recording and posting! 1341927456 +An essential part of good teaching is emphasising that the teacher doesn't have all the answers and may get things wrong on occasion. This matters more for those students in certain authoritarian school systems. 1306059475 +It's so depressing to me that this country that I love is such a shithole in so many ways. 1350993329 +This is great. Many newer mobile phones have face detection software. Or should I say... aura detection software? 1342640750 +No, I remember seeing them on my bed and sort of ignoring them on my way to the bathroom, but I didn't pick them up. 1341247451 +I don't find prefacing a categorical pronouncement with "OK. Stop." particularly skeptical but rather clearly dogmatic. 1329695096 +Do you routinely drink ocean water? If so, I think the Osama part might be the least of your worries. 1304455256 +I have personally never seen these supposed "Skeptic community... issues with women", and I'm not entirely convinced that it exists. Most skeptics I know are also some of the most progressive people I know, and would openly shun anyone who acted misogynistic or chauvinistic around a woman. \n\nI mean, I'm sure it's *possible* that some people who have interacted with RW have said terrible things, but I find it hard to believe that these interactions are a trait or characteristic of our community as a whole. Think about it - basically every self-identified skeptic knows who RW is. She does literally hundreds of events per year, which means that she has interacted with tens of thousands of people in the past "several" years that she references. It is entirely UNSURPRISING that she has met a few unsavory characters in that bunch - but is it a regular occurrence? I doubt it. \n\nTry to believe me when I say that I'm basing the following statement on RWs personality (or at least, the personality I have inferred from SGU and other public appearances), and not the fact that she is a woman whom I do not find attractive... But I think she's making a lot of this stuff up. (I'm not saying she's lying about everything - like I said, it wouldn't surprise me if *some* people really did say *some* of those things.) \n\nShe tries to convey a certain character in SGU that she clearly IS NOT in real life. Its like comparing the movie character "Juno" to the real-life Ellen Page - Juno is fun to watch and be entertained by, but is unrealistic as an actual human being. So these lame, highly publicized "fights" that RW gets herself into just seem to be childish attempts to prove to the world that she *really is* this super sexy, independent, snarky person that she portrays on SGU - that she really is Juno, and not real-life human Ellen Page.\n\nIronically, this character makes her less relatable to the rest of us... She's trying to hide her own insecurities (which we can relate to) behind a faux veneer of victimization, and it's pathetic. 1338574972 +I wonder how much of the curvature that can be seen, which isn't much it seems to me, is caused by the earth and how much is caused by the moon's own curvature? 1344386423 +I thought that wasn't technically poop and they were called cecum pellets. 1332818365 +Downvoted for asking for your opinions?\n\nCome on guys. I think this is a valid question that should be addressed. I'd appreciate any references you guys have against these type of claims. \n\n 1297470723 +Well I had to clarify if you were talking about a pure diet or using coal as some kind of vitamin supplement. I shall assume you meant the latter. 1299565645 +I see a lot of 'might' before the potential problems/dangers with no actual proof. So we have an absence of evidence against spinal manipulation, correct?\n\nAlso your 1st link states " An adolescent child might benefit from appropriate manipulation designed to relieve symptoms caused by uncomplicated, mechanical-type back problems." Which is what I and other evidence based chiropractors treat. We do not treat the non existent 'subluxation'.\n\nI will disagree with link #2's statement of "Chiropractic is defined by a belief in vertebral subluxations." This statement is false, as this is an opinion piece.\n\nOverall the research is not complete for pediatric manipulation but then again there is no research to reveal the amount of risk, the types of risk, ways to screen for red or yellow flags. Until the research is done on both sides it is an incomplete argument for both parties. 1342747661 +I still fear the cold barrel effect from Counterstrike and thus have to fire a few shots of with every pistol in every FPS game I play, even though I'm fairly sure the problem has been fixed in other games by now. Does this count?\n\nPS: I'm fairly sure this existed, just not for all the handguns, just the Desert Eagle? 1332274712 +Science is not a religion. It is verified, replicated, based on empirical evidence, objective, and viewed with appropriate skepticism way before it makes it out to the public. I trust science because it has checks and balances. Common sense does not.\n\nI'm sure you think you know that it works, and you're right. It does work. But not for any of the reasons that chiropractors say, and not for any of the serious ailments they claim to treat. Any effect that you are seeing is either something that could have been done by a physical therapist, or placebo. There is no evidence supporting "vertebral subluxation". \n\nAnecdotes are certainly not the only evidence you need. How could any real knowledge work this way? You say I rely too much on science so instead you place all your trust on the common sense of your friends and family? Do they study this sort of thing? Are they objective? Do they have any medical degrees? If I should not put trust in science, with all of its controls and experimentation, you should absolutely not put your trust in friends and family who know nothing about it other than effects that can be explained by placebo. 1315679873 +Bring a Camera. Just in case. 1334135832 +I seem to remember that mumps can have some pretty bad side effects. Let me google that for a moment. Oh yes...\n\n-------------------\n**Prognosis for Adult Mumps**\n\nMost adults recover from mumps without any long-term problems. However, there are a number of complications of mumps seen in adults. Some of these complications can occur with mumps symptoms. In other cases, these complications may develop without symptoms. *In rare cases, long-term problems can result, including deafness.*\n \n\nComplications associated with adults mumps include:\n \n* Inflammation of the testes, called orchitis (this occurs in 1 out of 4 males with mumps)\n* Inflammation of the brain and/or tissue covering the brain and spinal cord (called encephalitis and meningitis, respectively)\n* Inflammation of the ovaries and/or breasts (oophoritis and mastitis, respectively)\n* Spontaneous abortion, particularly in early pregnancy (miscarriage)\n* Deafness, usually permanent\n* Pancreatitis.\n\n-------------------\nHope your friend isn't pregnant or too fond of music then. 1272053696 +Well, that's really a lie... I have Celiac's and there's gluten in all sorts of distilled beverages... \n\nFrom Celiac.com:\n\n> They did find gluten in distilled liquor! The levels varied from zero to 200-mg gluten/liter. The highest amount was found in a "Creme de Framboise" (200 mg/liter) but second was a French brandy VSOP with a score of 180 m g/liter. A Dutch gin was negative, which might be an indication that gluten in these type of liquor is not a carry over to the distillate! My guess is that this gluten is derived from the caramel coloring, though there is no proof about this yet. I always advise sensitive patients to abstain from brown colored liquor!\n\nEDIT: Interesting that I'm getting downvoted so much - considering that the OP said 'no distilled spirits contain gluten' and I posted a quote (from a reliable source) proving the opposite... 1336937762 +["I saw the planes the whole time and I actually heard the pilots describing the low visibility conditions as they were making their approach into Sky Harbor," said Air15 Photojournalist Jesse Rutherford who shot the video in question.](http://www.educatinghumanity.com/2011/07/ufo-ufo-news-phoenix-dust-storm-ufos.html) 1310235350 +>there are limitations to science\n\nNone of which are surpassed by metaphysical claims. Isn't that interesting?\n\nYour first comment said "really, zero anecdotes about people meeting or experiencing God? Sorry, this is patently false." \n\nFor you to accurately say "patently false" you need to demonstrate that people have met or experienced god. And you already know that means believing someone who's met Vishnu AND someone who's met Christ at the same time, or discrediting BOTH of those individuals. Or, even worse, you can arbitrarily chose one and discredit the other. The problem with keeping an open mind is that your brain falls out and you become a Zoroastrian Catholic Mormon Hindu because if you're treating all claims equally you cannot discredit any of them.\n\nBesides, "seeing Jesus" when they're in a state of delirium is not anecdotal evidence. Its a state of delusion. 1322700675 +Thanks for all the comments about the logical premises of my post. I am making changes accordingly. 1348089379 +Were you the one who posted as Dave? 1332766108 +I'm glad to hear people are trying to find evidence for extraterrestrials in our DNA and agree it's one of the best places to look. 1333051522 +Indeed ! 1343669502 +It's not supernatural. It's part, an undiscovered part of reality. Doesn't mean you have to accept the entire god-religion-afterlife scenario.\n\nI am comfortable now as an atheist to accept that there are still unexplained phenomena. \n\n...ironically, I have "faith" that these will be explained rationally at some future time. 1308498932 +maybe they are VIRAL MARKETING for the next whatever alien movie that will no doubt come out soon 1334241665 +As a kid I remain pretty grateful to resources that taught me responsible skepticism, from Zillions (a Consumer Reports-printed mag that dissected advertising methods) and even stuff like Disney's Recess (which celebrated individuality and showed that even adults could be misinformed or silly in their thinking).\n\nUnfortunately, I can't fulfill your specific request (which seems to be an appeal for a book going over methodology), but I do have some suggestions for books going over the mindset of skepticism and the scientific method. If your child is still pretty young, [this book](http://www.amazon.com/How-Think-Like-Scientist-Scientific/dp/0690045654/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298798836&sr=8-1) is something of a classic and written for young children.\n\nI haven't actually read [this one](http://www.amazon.com/Maybe-Yes-No-Guide-Skeptics/dp/0879756071/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1298799129&sr=8-1), but it looks fantastic. The first few pages available in the preview go over a child addressing rumours with other children that a local house is haunted.\n\nRegarding the methodology angle, pouring over reviews of a few "science for kids" books on Amazon couldn't be a bad start. Given that "debunking" really doesn't have any real epistemological distinction from science itself and standard empiricism I'm not sure that more is really needed :). 1298799263 +>I don't care for religion, but I do believe that when you did you don't infact die.\n\nwat 1324739598 +That's exactly it, we need to see his evidence and determine ourselves whether it supports his claim. just because it's a new and "crazy" idea doesn't mean we can throw it out. 1316141884 +Hey, hey, hey. Whoa there.\n\nThey're called *media* releases, now, so as not to offend non-press media, like television, radio, or those scumsucking bloggers that took 'er jerbs. 1331795528 +>What do you even mean when you say "theory supported by evidence"? As we both know, nothing can be "proven", so where do you draw the line?\n\nWow. It's as if you had no science education whatsoever.\n\nLet me put it this way: the more lines of evidence support a theory, the more likely it is to be true. The less evidence there is supporting a theory, the less likely it is to be true.\n\n>As someone who aspires to be as skeptical as possible, I try avoiding any beliefs.\n\nWe're not talking about beliefs. We're talking about accepting that things are true.\n\nFor example, you probably accept that I'm a real person writing these messages to you. That is a reasonable thing to accept, as it is much likelier than other outcomes.\n\n>IMHO, this way of saying "I accept the theory" is just a convenient way to avoid the word believe while implying the alleged validity of the theory.\n\nWell, it's your opinion, as you say, and I don't share it. Goodbye. 1328407432 +[It's banned from sale in the UK]( http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/can-you-patch-up-your-hangover-8293699.html) 1352933180 +Thank you for the links! I am not doubting the existence of E.T.'s, I simply thought you were implying the flashes of light on the ground were the U.F.O.s. I was just correcting you on that. 1331852758 +Well there was one time where I was standing (awake) for 46 hours for an philanthropic event back at school. Looking out of my own eyes in in the later hours was like controlling myself in a video game. I looked at my own hands and giggled out loud and excitedly said to the people around me at the time "I have hands!" \n\n 1335353712 +I find this very often happens with this sort of woo advice. "How do you get over your xyz? Exercise, eat well, get enough sleep, limit your stress at work, oh and buy this awesome product!" 1345828893 +> I mean that in this particular instance, there is no overwhelming geopolitical or economic reason that justifies the massacre.\n\nYou can't be serious...\n\nHave you been living in a rock the past decade? War profiteers have been living a dream. 1315794261 +Problem is you'll may only discover somebody's irrational after you start arguing with them... 1332100762 +Dude if you had started playing some Hendrix and brought cookies into the room you would have gotten the trippiest seance ever 1351814724 +I'm glad you pointed that out as it's exactly what I was thinking as I wrote the OP. Well put. \n\nHow about from a psychological point of view? We often look to psychological healers.. Would it violate ethics if they didn't explain the intent of the series of questions they were asking under the belief that you will try to consciously game the answers? For me personally, questions are rather benign so I would put my trust in that the healer knew what they were doing in working toward my betterment. The sugar pill's psychosomatic effect could be lost if you explained it (even though evidence points to the contrary in some studies, as pointed out below)..\n\n 1311100960 +I need 1 million dollars to test my new plan for growing cats on trees\n\nsend dump trucks full of cash to:\n\nAMERICAN AIRLINES\nManager, Customer Relations\nP.O. Box 619612 M/D 2400\nDFW Airport, TX 75261-9612\nUSA\n 1323985814 +"She gets a cold, doesn't come in and get an adjustment, and within three or four days she's perfectly fine." 1323981271 +http://www.physorg.com/news192818350.html - 'Famed physicist Stephen Hawking set off chatter in late April when he posited the existence of intelligent aliens on his new TV series, "Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking" -- adding that it would be best for human beings to avoid contact with them...'\n'Hawking speculated that such aliens would likely be nomads, living in ships after sucking their own planet dry of resources, and hopping from one interstellar refueling station to the next.\n"If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn't turn out very well for the Native Americans," he said.\nHawking has made such statements for years - in a 1996 essay, for example, he said humans should be "wary of answering" aliens until our species has become more sophisticated.' 1328435736 +Don't be pissed just take it and believe it will work, nothing beats a placebo 1330021750 +If you look at the ‘editor's picks’ of the comments, it's clear which side of this ruling the editor falls on. 1328895661 +Trust me, I know more about this than you do. Amish are "doing fine" because of herd immunity. Look it up. At the same time, you ignored my point about pertussis. Why? Because you can't argue that- it's fact. You clearly don't understand medicine, immunology, or how to analyze whether a study is valid or not.\nHint: the ones you cited are not. There's a reason that you can actually put a number on the anti-vax docs-- because there are almost none. And trust me, it's not a gigantic conspiracy. It's medical knowledge and medical experience. 1298336621 +Asshat. 1342656380 +So let's just say this is true (I can't locate another source quickly), so what? Judges aren't scientists, they don't necessarily have to hear all the data, they just side with whoever makes the better argument. In some cases, and I imagine such is the case with this one should it be true, all a good lawyer has to do is appeal to emotion. 1337274642 +>Serum **corticosterone** is an anti-inflammatory steroid and appears in higher levels in captive chickens.\n\nFTFY\n\n 1356496250 +How is (accurately) saying we don't know an "overly optimistic reassurance"? Unless there's some public report or press release missing, they simply said they had no evidence to believe a major quake was coming. 1351012544 +$100 says Greer never got within 100 feet of Neil Armstrong's and Buzz Aldrin's families, let alone heard them discuss UFOs. Why would they talk to him about anything?\n\nThis is a real problem that I run into with Greer. He always places himself right at the center of everything, and yet none of these people would give him the time of day in reality. His claims of 'personal briefings' to high level members of the government and such are obviously gross embellishment. 1346894280 +That's epic. 1311181343 +Trust me..prescripted. He did answer questions about medical marijuana crackdowns..yet HAD THE FUCKING NERVE TO REPLY ABOUT HIS BEER RECIPE!\n\nTrust me...look at the accounts that asked the questions and the times they were created. Look at the generic answering platform he gives on those questions...nothing that will change ANYTHING\n\nThis was just an attempt to get his ass on the side of Redditors...please see through the bullshit, you're making the rest of us look bad. 1346352155 +Classic. 1313335381 +Hey, all of that new age stuff isn't crap. For example crystals do work. You can change people's behaviour using crystals. Like martensite. Especially if you sharpen it properly. 1303841844 +Indeed. I'm wondering whether he couldn't find a study that supported his position, to he just picked one thinking no-one would actually look at it. Seriously, if vitamins were truly as simple and easy a cure as these people think, then oncologists wouldn't be putting their patients on such horrible treatments as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. 1317581672 +hey OP, paranormal activity doesn't belong in here. put it in /r/nosleep. 1338707596 +Continue reading his post... 1334247122 +> Doctors readily admit that we have been giving away vaccinations and anti-biotics when they were not really needed.\n\nI've never heard a doctor say that vaccines were being given out too much. The dangers of antibiotics are not a problem for vaccines. Vaccines simply get your immune system to be able to resist a disease without any kind of treatment by exposing it to a dead/weakened version of a disease. \n\nThe only reason vaccines sometimes wear off is that viruses and bacteria evolve way faster than we do, so that the new strain of influenza is different enough from last year's strain (totally different strains: last years might have been H2N4, and this year's might be H3N1. Same symptoms, related viruses, but not the same virus. I might get that wrong) that the immune response is no longer effective. And for some vaccines, a shot is good enough to last a lifetime.\n\nThe FDA isn't that poorly organized, but it's not beyond lobbying. That being said, most of the lobbying goes around labeling: what is or isn't a natural ingredient, or not labeling something is a GMO. The studies they do on GMO's, MSG, or Aspartame are reliable science. They still do make sure stuff is safe before approving it. The only time they don't is when they let something rush to market, but that's normally over optimism about treating something bad like cancer, heart disease, arthritis, or obesity. \n\nFinally, studies on GMOs, aspartame, and MSG have been done by non government entities. The results aren't any different, and university research is generally pretty insulated from corporate influences, and they came to the same conclusions. I'm not too sure about MSG, but there have been dozens of studies on GMOs and Aspartame, and the only studies on either that show them being dangerous are biased and aren't peer reviewed.\n\n\nOh, one last thing: You said that you'd be alienating the other side. As someone who comes from a family that about a 3rd of which believe in Woo, being nice and understanding doesn't work. These are people who lecture me about drinking a diet coke because the aspartame "causes brain cancer/makes you fat/is bad for you somehow, but I forget exactly how." Trust me, nothing you say will point out that they don't have evidence. Period. I will never drink a Diet Coke or diet Dr. Pepper (which I drink for the flavor) in peace at a family gathering. It just won't happen. 1341942261 +Dust and insects for sure. Love the architecture on the church, though. I have seen similar archways on a church in Philly. Very cool. 1325545266 +The thing that got me is the records look worn. Like, they would be somewhat new back then, those look like they were all sifted out of a second hand store. 1352831557 +1. Present self as sexual object.\n2. Get pissed when people view you in a sexual way\n\nYou're right, people have a right to be offended by others viewing them in a certain way, but it doesn't really make their positions rational. I can't imagine a playboy model having a really great argument to make about how uncomfortable she is with guys oogling her all the time.\n\nEveryone deserves to be treated with respect. If there is a scenario where a guy asks a girl out and she declines, nobody has been disrespected. That is what happened on the elevator. Nobody was objectified. The guy said "don't take this the wrong way" or in other words "I'm asking you for coffee but seriously, I actually mean coffee." Is is that surprising that someone at a conference full of intellectuals might actually want to have a conversation with someone?\n\nAn nobody is saying anyone has to accept advanced because you pose nude. All I said, and you can go read it again if you like, is that she can't be very surprised when men are hitting on her. Is that so unreasonable? 1310622947 +barbie karaoke machine. great. 1338905026 +Um... placebos work... yes. 1306311015 +It's likely the ring just got caught on clothing / books /etc without notice, and eventually settled to where you found it.\n\nAnyone that's ever lost a contact lens can probably relate... 1328828436 +Is this how things are generally in the USA ? - if so it's no wonder you're going down the gurgler !\n 1309250962 +Well then maybe you should listen to the military intelligence folk who have gone on the record about what they have seen. Read Leslie Kean's book on the subject for a good introduction. 1332254806 +Working out makes me grow more facial hair. \n\nGROW, DAMN IT. 1335063690 +"Proved" ftfy 1322416523 +Evidence of life on mars as described by Basiago: "In NASA image [PIA10214](http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpegMod/PIA10214_modest.jpg), a lake, azure blue in color, can be seen at the foot of Husband Hill, to the west of the Home Plate Plateau. In NASA image [PIA11049](http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpegMod/PIA11049_modest.jpg), a pipe can be seen, and from it, water can be seen flowing downward into a catch basin, around which, in turn, human beings can be seen standing, to the south of the Home Plate Plateau."\n\nThe above descriptions taken from an [interview](http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-2912-Seattle-Exopolitics-Examiner~y2009m11d9-Web-Bot--Andrew-Basiago-is-predicted-planetary-level-whistleblower-for-Mars-life-and-time-travel) with Basiago.\n\nAlso from the same article: "In the interview, Basiago states that the US government’s “quantum access” capability was so advanced 40 years ago that in 1971, he was asked to read a copy of his paper The Discovery of Life on Mars that had been retrieved from the future, so that when he wrote it, in 2008, it would contain as much data about Mars as possible."\n\nThere is much more in the article, I suggest you read it. 1258031981 +Be a little more clear as to what you're on about - I have been reading the previous posts. 1300939457 +Yeah I believe that they have forward facing eyes its part of natural selection and evolution but it all depends on climate, land, food ect you know? I just find it hard to believe they look like something from the cinema. 1345207546 +> People still believe in the Pheonix lights despite this video showing that when the lights disappeared, they were falling behind the mountains\n\nThere have been countless people that have testified on video that what is shown on video *is not what they saw.* So, yes, they continue to believe that the event truly happened and they "know what they saw."\n\n> Marfa Lights are still routinely believed, despite this item\n\nJust because one sighting/phenomenon was debunked, doesn't necessarily mean others are as well. See: [straw man argument](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man)\n\n 1312838305 +: ( I'm currently reading Contact by Carl Sagan so the timing would have been perfect if it was true. Oh well. 1325950283 +I thought that it had already been determined it WASN'T a rock formation.....like waaaaaay back when they first scanned down there. 1339774129 +You could say the level design was ... predictable. 1338525445 +\n>How so? When you pick out these comments and use them to say "all the people who disagree with me are like this," \n\nThat's just it: **no one is saying that.** Pointing out that there's an endemic problem isn't the same as saying everyone's against you. 1351170998 +Has a building such as Building 7 burnt for 7 hours without any attempt to put it out before? \n\nAnd what are you basing the claim "Even if it the fire burnt itself out a modern building would not collapse." on? And how is anything I said begging the question? 1316114858 +Unfortunately, that's already on the packaging of the type we sell (it's some cheap knock-off). 1334775813 +Sorry, have to Godwin you pretty quickly, least we forget and all. [Action T4](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-4_Euthanasia_Program) \n\n(not quite same thing, but a branch on the same ideological tree nonetheless) 1243124661 +why didn't you like it? 1309189438 +Is Oprah the queen of hearts? 1322423184 +Thank you for relaying information given to you by a trusted first hand source. I have looked over you past posts and bullshitting people on stuff like this doesn't seem like your M.O..\n\nNo one here has knowledge of what is and isn't possible. I personally don't find it outside the realm of possibility that a B52 might be out fitted with composite wings and some sort of electromotive drive. The B52 is a very old and highly adapted airframe. One only has to look at the stealth versions of the Huey and Black Hawk to see how radically an airframe can be modified.\n\nI am not going to dismiss your story out of hand and find it interesting. Also realize that you are endangering your friend and yourself by talking openly about a black program. 1354515314 +Would be great if you could explain what dowsing roads are and how they work. 1344310746 +You saw through a cloak? 1350027166 +As far as I know Brazil reached the same conclusion and publicly released everything. Iran might have as well, but their present government is different to the one that filed the reports on the Tehran UFO. 1325215906 +I've always wondered if it's because conspiracy theorists inherently believe in some sort of ordered universe, and don't think the universe would let these miscreants get away with it. Thus these events are arranged for them, the truth-seekers, so they can discover the evil plot and foil it before it's too late by waking the sheeple. 1344542542 +You'll never see one. Because there are no facts that support this conclusion. 1307943794 +My uncle was a true believer chiropractor. So true, that he refused to treat his colon cancer when it was found at stage 1 using allopathic medicine and relied solely on chiropractic treatment. He did this until it had reached stage 4. THEN, he went traditional medicine. Too late, he died from the colon cancer. 1342726954 +Shit like this is way I actively hate religion.......... 1338925912 +You can't really base an opinion of a subculture with an example from a subreddit &#3232;\\_&#3232;\n 1318559307 +No you can edit them 1296879543 +Unusual, I'll give you that. But there isn't enough information to decide on a theory. 1333009592 +Yeah, almost two minutes is really too much to expect us to watch. 1351740848 +>Ehh, I don't really like this. Just because someone doesn't believe in god doesn't mean they have anything to do with science. \n\nAgreed. I'm not really suggesting it as a replacement for "atheist". But in Dawkins book The God Delusion, he wasn't really promoting atheism so much as rational scientific thinking. That's what the majority of New Atheists seem to want.\n\nNot believing in god(s) is just one of the results of applying the kind of thinking that New Atheists generally want. 1279275859 +Fascinating. Got any links? 1332888055 +What about substituting coconut oil for other oils that are already a part of the diet? 1345826671 +as a mater of fact yes. The Switz laws were similar to our laws back in the beginning days. This is why the right bare arms. It was the Quakers who started the prison systems. Before then criminals were handled locally with the stockade, tar and feathers, or hanging. You protected yourself and you were allowed to do it. 1343146187 +My sister swears she saw the apparition of a dog. At a house she rented one time, 1323830392 +/r/nosleep would love to hear any and all stories you have! 1318246919 +Mine too; it's seriously underrated by Whovians. It should have won a BAFTA too for sure.... And the acting! 1331558045 +I find it hard to believe that Colbert is a religious Christian and a Sunday school teacher. He must have some serious cognitive dissonance. 1310519874 +Seems to be a valid explanation actually. 1355769589 +Very true; would we be having the same debate as to whether or not McCain being born in the Panama Canal makes him ineligible for the presidency? 1337493855 +Soso, nobody´s seen Chinese lanterns before,.. 1344104563 +Checked out a couple of other vids from this guy. What is that about the intros? 1341600616 +THATS WHAT SHE SAID ABOUT ME! 1272871129 +How many times has a president signed a budget when he knew that he did not have the political means to effectively fight the proposed budget?\n\nVetoing things is sometimes like stomping your foot and throwing a temper tantrum. It makes you feel better, but less likely to be taken seriously in the future. 1326427077 +there were plenty of devices patented in the 90s that use thermite at high pressure that "shoots" out of the device at high temperature and high speed. if similar devices like these were used, explode would have been a better term to use then burn because they didnt just get hot and start burning like would or some thermite just laying on a table. 1337018385 +It looks pretty fake. 1355123342 +"[Bollocks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bollocks)" is British slang. Means either 'nonsense' or 'poor quality', depending on the context. 1286845758 +You're assuming that's what the creators were going for. 1346017671 +I think a sharpie and the word FRAUD might be more effective. \n\nBy removing it, you miss a teachable moment.\n\n 1338996237 +I dont think I was 'massaging' the statistics, I was just using the only ones which make a difference in my life.\n\nSure, it would be worse if I lived in India or somewhere like that, but I dont. 1328901789 +i hate when those shows highlight a spot in a picture and there's NOTHING there! They kept showing it too! I didn't see anything in that spot they highlighted by the dudes head. 1339896725 +http://www.youtube.com/user/alnetworks2010/videos?query=meier 1341676790 +Somewhere a creationist's head just exploded. 1344134980 +She lost credibility and respect for me when she publicly shamed a female student at an event she was paid to speak at, by name, with said student in attendance and no way to defend herself. She publicly behaved how SRS behaves here, lumping the student who disagreed with her in with misogynists, rape apologists, etc. She commands no respect and shouldn't get any because of the way she treats others who disagree with her. Just like SRS. 1351141673 +What is an example of a government which has not colluded to protect the interests of capital? I am trying to think of an example that would show that this is an aspect of crony capitalism and not just capitalism. 1313551914 +If circle jerking to Jenny McCarthy is wrong, hey I don't wanna be right. 1351002550 +[> This has been one of the most well studied public health measures in the modern era, and the evidence of safety is well documented, both in the short and long-term.](http://www.skepticnorth.com/2010/10/fluoridiated-water-debate-returns-nothing-new-is-said/) 1326947618 +Yep, I believe its been demonstrated by medical science that taking daily doses of chemo is bad for you, and should only be taken during certain stages in terminal cancer. Colloidal silver advocates often drink silver daily, and its toxic effects are bioaccumulative. 1344573350 +I think they are wrong though, puppies are better then bacon!!! Oh wait, thats right, there is no context so we have noooo idea what they are talking about. The person could have been justifying why the people running concentration camps were actually just fantastic people. We don't know. 1310795734 +That is fascinating. Thanks for the clear explanation. 1355948917 +Is this thread really full of people that think children that aren't vaccinated should be left with no medical coverage? 1329557086 +Some free radicals are necessary for bodily function and our body produces antioxidants naturally to fight off the bad ones. Taking antioxidant supplements may eliminate the necessary ones along with the bad ones, I suggest you don't use them. And yes avocados do have antioxidants. 1336016674 +Anyone curious as to the OP's lack of answers? Maybe the ghost got angry... 1343875887 +Pissed myself laughing reading the blurb for it to my girlfriend. 1340706081 +It's like watching an amateur stand up comedian COMPLETELY bomb. 1352592488 +Ok, that would be a good example, though I am certain that in a drug study it is far better randomized, and it seems very dubious to me that such approval is a good thing as the effect is not very strong and is too easily countered by perceived safety. If you assume a population that has a small percentile of extremely-at-risk individuals (who practice something particularly risky during sex), it seems to me that a short term study may yield overly optimistic results as the ultra high risk sub population would saturate in longer term.\n\nedit: also i think people don't normally just decide to blow off a lot of money on a drug, without expecting to be able to do more risky things sexually in return (given that they are already trading survival vs lifestyle). 1346095311 +Just curious: did you look at the paper at all? 1350102794 +Certainly there has to be a psychological effect with people "dressing the part" be that a politician in a suit or a psychic dressed "like a psychic. 1351034180 +If true, and I think it most probably is, it is an important example of why we need a society that has good critical thinking skills. 1324194586 +I need some video. You said there were cameras. 1352137707 +Prometheus? 1353966726 +Pause at :52 & :53 of the video. It is an advertising blimp. You can see the banner ad on the side, the red light in the back and cockpit below. 1322288339 +I don't know if this would work, but why not ask to go with her to her homeopath's appointment next time (or offer to take her to an appointment if she's just buying stuff at a health food store and dosing herself).\n\nMy experience with alternative practitioners is that many see themselves as complementary to bio-medicine, and actually encourage their patients to ALSO seek the care of a doctor.\n\nI realise this is not the case with all practitioners, so this might not work, but maybe you could interview some alternative practitioners in your area and treat your mom to several appointments with one you can trust to encourage her to take her health more seriously.\n\nGood Luck. As a future "alternative" practitioner myself (acupuncture) it really frustrates me to hear people dismiss the benefits of "western" medicine. 1296693041 +I like when they try to debunk their own stuff too. The thing I don't like is they say they don't like using orbs as a proof, but they constantly are pointing out orbs. 1346646530 +The coatings on many lenses can produce artifacts like this. The light doesn't even need to be in the view, as it can often happen at very sharp angles. You can reproduce the effect reliably at night when the moon is out. 1325663947 +> ask why though ghosts disappear when the house is knocked down?\n\nAll the ghost go to the garbage dump, duh. Except for the ones that get recycled, then they go into the sprite you drank last week.\n\nI love ghost sprite. 1348070139 +The wikipedia page you cited. Follow the citation to the NEXT wikipedia page, where they break down how they get that number.\n\nI'm only ASSUMING Wired is talking about quantum efficiency, I haven't actually seen the article... 1274806567 +Right. My point was that chiropractors, homeopaths, naturopaths, etc. aren't actually practicing medicine, so they don't have to be concerned with getting the actual correct diagnosis. 1333495898 +I found this title immensely entertaining and I'm not sure why... 1335938150 +The vatican does not subscribe to young-earth creationism.\n\nHell, Pat Robertson doesn't even subscribe to it any more. 1356872376 +You're an idiot, but I respect your right to be an idiot. 1291056447 +I'm not really sure myself. But from what I've gathered, it's in some way related to 2012, god, aliens, etc. 1347984602 +Yeah, if it's one of those Chinese lantern things. They even said "it's right over Koreatown". 1341893894 +From my encounters with chiropractors, they seem to have no idea how the body works:\nhttp://sciencebasedlife.wordpress.com/2010/09/06/chiropractic-pseudo-science/\n\nI would recommend going to a physical therapist for your muscular-skeletal problems. You get a lot more expertise with none of the woo. 1313980341 +you have NO IDEA of all of the moving parts behind the scenes and the motivations of the actors - you have no way to claim the official story is nearly 100% true or 1/2 true. Just one major withheld secret could turn the whole thing on it's head. We do know that the commission was a fucking dog and pony show so it's no more informative than the conspiracy theorists really. As for other lines of inquiry (jackass), the lines are many and convoluted and would shed no real light. We need a second commission, we need to haul Cheney in with his new heart and put him under fucking oath, same goes for Saudi actors, Jeb Bush, World Trade Center insurers, Clinton, Tennent, Clarke, FBI, Pentagon, First responders, NORAD, FAA, ISI, Curveball, Bin Laden's Wife, any Arab "masterminds", Zelikow, Freeh - you get the idea. For every expert one guy can produce there is another expert who claims the opposite. Building 7 is fucked up dude. just sayin. And honestly the controlled demo "debate" bores me compared to what is being withheld about Atta. 1334561108 +Thank you. I greatly enjoyed the Hessadalen video. 1339621485 +Yes, to paraphrase a famous movie line, "I do not think that word means what you think it means." 1318801559 +You're an idiot.\n\nYou called me an elitist and implied I'm not egalitarian because *I quoted you*.\n\nYou also keep implying that people are seriously considering doing things that would "[junk] our money making industries." Evidence needed, please. 1331426669 +I cant speak for the other guys but what I wrote above actually happened. I did a quick search of this subreddit to see if anyone had posted about San Jose yesterday and found this topic. I'm not going to claim what my girlfriend saw was extraterrestrial, it was an unidentified flying object, nothing more. It was the level of her excitement that spurred me to post, as she is usually the first to be skeptical of everything. 1356020716 +I just really want to know what the fuck I am looking at. 1324533623 +he kept it super generic by saying "screens", so it appears to be difficult to disprove his blanket assertion.\n\nits much easier than considering that wacky things happening might have proportionately wacky explanations. 1351714182 +Nightmares are generally warnings from the subconscious, no? I'll bet there are some things you need to see to. 1326530757 +I do agree that it was government inaction. There were intelligence reports saying that [Bin Ladin was determined to attack in the US](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bin_Ladin_Determined_To_Strike_in_US). The problem was that there was too much intelligence flying around for anyone to determine what was a credible threat. \n\nI reject the theory that the inaction was on purpose. "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." 1290676943 +Wait no longer. They will say those radar images are from their experimental aircraft. You are welcome. 1346633220 +He is also rumored to be an Nigerian Government official with a substantial sum of money to transfer to the US. All he needs is your bank details.\n\nWould you negate such a *called upon* man such a privilege? I'm sure he will compensate you, and use the money to fund his amazing expedition too. 1279451289 +"Wait, wait, let's do another take." 1295454595 +You teach flaws in logic in school? 1306475836 +I still don't see how proving one case to be false somehow proves all other cases false, as well. 1331737033 +Well, fuck this. Pack it up and go home everybody, she's got money. 1323059601 +One word: Monsanto. \n \nResearch them. You'll never want to eat canola grown from "Roundup Ready" Farmers again. 1302794410 +I'd say Darkness Radio, but lately it's become kinda Christian-ish, and Dave has become a bit negative lately...\n\nYou might want to check out parapods... i haven't heard it yet, i friend of mine just told me about it. 1333986452 +No pictures, and I drew a pic and everything but I have no idea how to post it online. I don't have a scanner. Fuck. 1355360405 +The truth is all is subjective and what is real for one person doesn't have to be real for other one. We create our own personal reality using our consciousness, then we create a shared reality through sharing consciousness between different persons and finally we create an established reality (common for most/all of us) through the consciousness of all of us together. And as WE really create our own reality we can get to do amazing things in it (just being aware and totally convinced that this things are real). Which is really intriguing is that through the shared reality some people due to different reasons sometimes can influence/impose/show/share some of that things from their personal reality into others realities. It's like a clash of consciousness and the result depends on how possible is the thing you are doing, in the other person personal reality.\n\n I hope this can be understandable someway. It's not the best explanation I have done of this, but I am not too mentally focused today.\n\nEdit: added a word. 1356284432 +Almost certainly an airplane. At that distance our eyes want to see a 2D flat plane but in reality you're looking at a complex 3D curved space. It can create an illusion that something is traveling straight up when really it's traveling mostly parallel to the ground. It's possible it could be a missile, but most are going to be too small for you to see at that distance. 1313161925 +I have to look up so much on this.. He's been telling me that the building wasn't hit by a plane OR a building! He's telling me it was also rigged with explosives.\n\nI'm so confused, there are so many stories surrounding this event. 1331243712 +That sounds suspiciously like "basting". Are you from /r/atheism? :) 1330915502 +> Well hopefully the teacher is familiar with the scientific method, which makes the facts that they're passing on better than the religious "facts" preachers pass on. Eventually the students must come to think and critically analyse things for themselves, but to get up to the point where you can do that you did need a good fact base first.\n\n\nYes, that's also my point: teaching just facts without teaching how do we know them is counter productive. We have to teach some introduction to logic and the scientific method as soon as we start teaching the basic facts of the universe 1314977332 +>For some reason my password kept getting rejected. My dad said "it's the curse!!" I LOLd, and then carefully entered my PW, and signed in successfully.\n\nIt's like running into the Prince of Insufficient Illumination and having a Hex of Slight Inconvenience put on you. 1345091375 +Played it; it helped immensely with energy..thank you. 1323695779 +Any other theories on the word on the stomach? Ive been starting at the picture for quite some time. I'm not much help cause i don't know Latin or anything but I'm trying my best.\n 1351124077 +It goes against a lesson that I thought everyone learned as a toddler. In truth, it's easier to hope that something will happen that is to work for it. 1307747609 +cats have the ability to manipulate space and time. just their brains do not work quite like ours, so they are hard to understand. your cat was feeling unappreciated and felt like messing with you. \n\nAnyway I saw this yesterday, so enjoy a flying cat...\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-SMbblxhpM 1327462757 +According to the article, and I have no idea whether what the article is claiming is correct or not, 10,000 IU is fine.\n\n>In November 2010, the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine issued its first new recommendations about the vitamin since 1997, and many people were disappointed. The institute did boost its recommended daily amounts to 400 IU for infants, 600 IU for most adults, and 800 IU for those over age seventy. It also said there was no harm in taking up to 10,000 IU daily, although it conservatively adopted 4,000 IU as the official recommended upper limit. 1311324247 +I'm not thinking it's a ghost. I just am curious about different theories others have. 1331835718 +As you are posting this to /r/skeptic, you should try to avoid personal bias AND anecdotal evidence.\n\nI mean, it's a good rule for life, but I think it goes doubly so here. 1346177127 +Better yet, view [this version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u6BZv6_DLc). 1297457467 +Well that's what I'm saying, you'd be surprised at how many different devices will transmit radio signals, if the source is close enough or just super powerful 1338820434 +I know of this trick! when she "cut your energy in half" did she use her hands to make an x across your chest or something? my understanding was that it is purely psychological. the same time i did this we did a version of light as a feather stiff as a board. this is where 4 or more people pick somone up with just your index fingers. \n\nEdit: it also might have something to do with the nervous system, just the a touch is all that is needed to distract your nerves from recruiting muscles to respond to force on your arms. 1322671138 +Oh looky here. I think you're bored, lonely, and [trolling hard right now](http://www.reddit.com/r/depression/comments/ruaet/a_question_about_otc_antidepressants/) and [this](http://www.reddit.com/r/UnsentLetters/comments/t4o2r/oh_fuck_you/)... and [this](http://www.reddit.com/r/UnsentLetters/comments/s5tsf/ill_wait_forever/)... and definitely [this](http://www.reddit.com/r/insomnia/comments/s7jhs/why_cant_my_body_understand_how_little_sleep_ive/) and probs some of [this](http://www.reddit.com/r/self/comments/u8e65/ive_trapped_myself/). Okay, you can come out from behind the curtains now. 1338555864 +or 3. demolition explosions.\n\nIt is a possibility. 1316118832 +what do you mean by artifact? and why do they appear on the C3 in the same location? 1342898319 +I'll take a massage without the quackery, please. 1318966437 +>You know, the things that really kill white people. 1296934532 +I hate the "they traveled all this way" argument. If they have the technology to get here, im sure its some sort of space-time manipulation that allows them to go anywhere in a very short time. Its not like they are just sitting on a ship traveling for years and years to get here. Its probably instantaneous and not that big of a deal for them 1339885707 +It's fake as hell. And not good fake, but Rolax watch and Gucce handbag fake. That's a good starting point. You could also add that Derek Acorah is a fraud and a media whore. Rational arguments won't sway the Daily Mail-reading public. 1301488114 +In terms of percentages? I'd imagine you'd have a higher chance of dying on the car ride over than from the actual acupuncture. 1287487613 +There was nothing wrong with her delivery, she was just reading a PR letter out loud. That is inherently boring material. 1335652031 +Nah I was watching it in the park. Some guy came along and gave us a bunch of these flyers there. They immediately set off my bullshit detector, but you never know! 1319621333 +I think presenting both sides of a news story is often a symptom of lazy reporting. A lot of reporters (and I'm talking about more about local TV reporters, not necessarily newspaper reporters, although many of them are guilty as well) don't have the time, motivation, or intellectual ability to dig into a story to determine which side of the story the evidence supports and tell us what actually happened.\n\nBy providing both sides, they can avoid doing to difficult leg work and claim that their reporting is balanced. 1349789390 +You're providing quotes that support my position... I'm *seriously* wondering if you've started arguing against a different point than mine.\n\nIn [this comment](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/dy9w4/agnostic_on_the_fence_i_have_a_question_for/c13ultq), you disputed my claim that saying "I believe there is no god" is strong atheism."\n\nThen you quote from the article just now to support your view:\n\n>To be more precise about the issue of belief, consider the two possible claims one can make regarding the existence of a god:\n\n > 1. The god exists.\n > 2. The god does not exist. \n\n> There are two positions one can take with respect to either claim:\n\n > 1. Belief or acceptance of the claim.\n > 2. Disbelief or rejection of the claim. \n\n> For claim number 1 (the god exists), the theist takes the first position (belief), while the atheist takes the second (disbelief).\n\n> For claim number 2 (the god does not exist), the theist takes the second position (disbelief), while the atheist can hold either position (belief or disbelief).\n\n> Notice, therefore, that atheists need not positively believe that no gods exist. Some do, and this position is often known as strong atheism. \n\nThis basically says "claiming 'I believe no gods exist' is strong atheism". How does this not support what I said before? 1288396022 +No worries. MSM means the "Main Stream Media". :) 1340005688 +Sadly enough, the irrationalists will only use studies like these to commit so-called 'naturalist fallacies' and conclude that it's good to be irrational, because people have a tendency to be. 1250884829 +I watched that documentary with John Cussack in. 1300060533 +Perhaps she is just trying to get rid of you without making you feel inadequate, and is faking an interest in something she knows you'll dislike? 1301441157 +> Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity. \n\\- Robert J. Hanlon\n\nThis I think is more true of today's muck than anything else. Nobody wants a shitty world, but a lot of people are greedy enough to not see or believe that their actions can have dire consequences. 1335045958 +This is a government page saying they'll pay you £120,000 if you become disabled as a result of being vaccinated.\n\nObviously, every so often vaccines do cause disability but it's a matter of statistics, they save many more people from death and disease than they cause. 1298455774 +Try getting pragmatic. Ask what it means to him for your invisible pink unicorn to exist. You could always press the intersubjectivity point and ask about what status it has in any sort of consensus reality if you assert its existence. 1333521114 +but where did he come from? you can see an overhead shot of that whole side of the ice, and he's nowhere to be found. 1339435167 +I always find it amazing how someone can come up with compilation of home made UFO's movies while I (and many with me) have been starring into to skies and haven't seen anything like it for years.\n\nBillions of camera's out there that never seem to catch a UFO and this guys captures a dozen.\n\nI find it hard to believe.. 1352736109 +What was the wording on the WiFi signals? Potential Carcinogen...look up the list of what the WHO considers 'possible' carcinogens..its an interesting read. IIRC there's a colour on the list, magenta or something similar. 1311954594 +Easy to try out. Have him stop drinking diet soda and products with aspartame inside and see if the migraines still happen. 1294256775 +I like to lick the qi off the walls, and mix it with chewy caramel. Makes a great sundae. 1227318611 +As far as how they handle finances, Charity Navigator gives them a pretty good rating:\nhttp://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12429 1331302732 +Also worth noting: predictive models like this require training sets (building the model) and testing sets (validating the model). If we wanted to really see if active facebook users were driving the debt crisis, we would need to see how well our model predicted future events. Since there's only one facebook and only one Greece, we'd have to wait a while and gather data. If we really wanted to see if beer predicts sexytimes, we'd just have to set aside a lot of OK Cupid users while we built our sexy beer model, then test our hypothesis on the remaining OK cupid users. Without that, we can never be sure if our model is generalizable. 1353390242 +I agree with you. Little known fact: The difference between man made and UFO crop circles is in the kernels.\n\n>Biological anomalies and unreproducable effects such as nodal bending (where the 'knuckles' on stems are bent at strange angles to effect certain shapes in the lay) are always absent from man-made designs.\n\nFrom http://www.swirlednews.com/crop.asp\n\n>Work by laboratories on circle-affected crop has shown biological changes taking place at a cellular level, suggesting the involvement of microwave energy\n\nBUUUUUUT the skeptics are always right, aren't they? Yep, just a bunch of podunk trolls IRL. 1350918422 +I've had a very similar dream a few months back. Basically, it was daytime and I was outside with friends going for a walk. We all looked up to see a huge-wave (thousands) of UFO's flying the skies. My friends run in different-directions. I guess I just stood there staring at the unusual-looking craft as it got closer. It was light-grey. \n\nThe bottom half was shaped like the handle of a pistol, very similar to [this image](http://tacticaltrainingsolutions.com/images/UTG/rb-pgrp478-m%20AK47%20Pistol%20Grip.jpg). The top half-went forward/straight like a pistol for maybe 30-feet, the end(tip I guess) was flat and circular. At the very front of the top half was a black-bubble, it was mostly-opaque but had just enough transparency to see inside, into the cockpit. Hard to explain. There were indentations and markings and vents on the craft.\n \nNext thing I know, I'm in the woods somewhere looking at a docked craft on the ground. I realize that I'm Looking directly at an extraterrestrial-being through the bubble-thing and she's intently staring right back at me. The bubble opens. \n\nFast-forward...I'm face to face with a beautiful-being. There was an overwhelming-emotion of love. This feeling or emotion, I never had experienced in real-life was just so strong I cried with joy within my dream. \n\nHer eyes resembled that of the cliche "grays", her mouth was much like ours but smaller and she had lips. Her head was the same size as ours. She had teeth/tongue and she spoke. When she spoke she said words, but I only heard them in my head(I don't know how that makes sense).\n\nI replied through thought. This being smiled the whole time and told me not to be afraid. She lead me to her craft, I sat inside and remember everything inside being black. the seats, instruments, walls, everything.\n\nThe seats were awesome as fuck. I can't even explain them. As I sat there... something started to feel very wrong, but she reassured me that everything will be OK.\n\nI then asked her "Are you going to hurt me"? She replied in a half-whisper in my head, and I quote(I guess): "*Yes, but it won't be painful*". She smiled the biggest, most sincere-smile and then I woke up. It's my favorite dream. 1329250059 +But it has a picture of a cute baby elephant face on it. Surely it has to work. 1302399188 +I know you were joking, but there are decent arguments that eating meat is unethical. The comparison with plants is obviously silly and, I hope, doesn't require debunking. Unless you were serious... were you? 1332136731 +you derp increase magic? 1322035826 +I think she had a hallucination brought on by fever and sickness. 1298150978 +The various strains I have are not used because I want to fuck around and experience every high. I grew them because different strains help for different things. Certain strains make my back feel amazing, while other do nothing for the pain. Some make my anxiety and depressions much more manageable, while some make them worse.\n\nI have gone through about five or six different anxiety and depression meds, and the only one that worked was the most recent one I took: Buspirone. It needed to be taken twice daily: when I got up and when I had lunch. It gave me intense lightheadedness for 2-3 hours after taking it. With the medicinal marijuana, I can smoke at night and be fine throughout almost the entire next day without feeling high. \n\nAnd by the way, before you start saying that I'm a smugly incorrect person, you might want to look at yourself. 1327783373 +I'm not really talking about controlling prices. Maybe I should have said "mitigating cost escalation". When it comes to medicare, government is the market. \n\nI don't know where you are going with this. I simply asked if they had to prove that their compelling interest was saving taxpayers money or if they had to prove that their plan for saving taxpayers money was worthy. Two different considerations.\n\nAll you are saying is that they shouldn't be doing what they are doing. Fine. 1337892728 +The problem is that this may be people just seeing what they want. For example, in the picture you linked to that looks "exactly like a modern depiction of the electron cloud", it could easily have been something else. I mean if I were in 3rd grade and drew a bunch of symmetric doodles on my notepad, would future generations be like "this genius drew something that looked like 2 quantum entangled particles, he must have known before we did!", when really I was drawing no such thing? \nI mean if they had that kind of knowledge of electrons you think they would be able to depict it a little clearer. \n\nAs for ancients knowing such advanced astronomy that in theory they couldn't have known at all due to their tech limits, that is the main reason why I believe in the ancient alien hypothesis. 1315280355 +Famous people injected the world media attention in **some** of my examples; the paranormal did the same in your example.\n 1293374457 +It's a bitch. 1325632342 +I didn't say there wasn't....but how they appear and move and flow is not ice.\n\nThe same shaped formations show up above storm clouds and are filmed from way above them...multiple videos of this. They just appear and pulsate with the lightning...as if they are absorbing energy. 1345925678 +It sure was a terrifying experience, I can so relate. Im so glad that you're not going through this anymore. Although they do say, at least this experience happens once in a mens lifetime 1341697465 +How many times have you seen 10+ helicopters swarm together and then take off in waves? That isn't how helicopters work as that is EXTREMELY unsafe. Helicopters are not the same as fighter jets. 1321812672 +I had a very similar experience. I spent a trip thinking about the world really being vibrations relative to each other and came to think about many ideas from high-level string theory and such that I had never been exposed to before. I read up on it afterwards and was kinda weirded out in how similar it was to what my head presented that night.\n\nEnjoy the Law of One stuff. Again, it changed my life for the better. :D\n\n 1321675022 +Right. It is a joke, like most (hopefully not all) intelligent falling sites. 1339131507 +Ooh, new website for me to check out. 1305762329 +What I thought: Oh look. It's a white blur. What camera was use for this because using a 360p quality is just unacceptable, a mobile phone camera has more quality than that. When was this taken. You also have to take into account the fact that you're filming this in a moving vehicle, it coud be a reflection of someone moving their hand/face etc inside the car or reflection of something reflection off of the windshield. How do you know it's a ghost? The youtube video calls it a ghost but it should be labeled "unexplained phenomena." Also, what's with the "spooky music" it's the equivalent of the mass media using the X-files music whenever they talk about strange sights in the skies. 1341375134 +If water has a memory...\n\nhttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sRDhbC46aKs/SdqTq9ZM--I/AAAAAAAAAIs/iBlLxTBOcO4/s1600-h/HN09poster1A.jpg 1298045485 +Ah, tin hattery... 1356802373 +ahh, heres the link i was looking for. i think you nailed it, sir. 1321907142 +Okay, dead animal flesh is out, but what if I bite into a fish or the ham or bacon parts of a pig that is still alive? Or how about if I eat living worms and insects? I don't see any of this mentioned in the pyramid. 1346432227 +Dragons, in my Anime? It's more likely than you think. 1324319244 +What the fuck is up with this thread and people lecturing me without reading what I said?\n\nI said GM is bad because of the fact it's corporatisation of food.\n\nI said Roundup is bad BECAUSE IT IS BAD FOR YOU.\n\nDid I say that GM food is bad? No. So don't put words in my mouth and pick me out of a crowd to lecture. Start your own bottom-level reply.\n\nAnd speaking of minimal understanding, do you or do you not understand that corporatisation of food is adding to the cost and complexity of feeding people and Roundup is harmful?\n\nSimple question. 1310780104 +It's a youtube video of Anthrax the band, I swear! 1346647877 +Jerk off? Do you think things things don't need to be said? Do you think everyone understands moles, molecules and that homeopathic medicine has nothing in it? Do a survey on the street one day. 1304457111 +The streetlight thing happens with my dad and I also! He'd always tell me about it when I was younger and I never really believed him 'cause it sounded crazy and the area we lived in didn't have streetlights for him to prove it to me. And then I took a trip to San Antonio with my mom and grandma and when i walked down a particular street, each light turned off, in a row, then would come back as soon as I hit the next light and my mom freaked out about "Out of everything you could genetically inherit from your dad, it's that?!" :D 1338742018 +OK, fixed. 1329892835 +Hey there...my husband and I were looking at this, and he had a suggestion. He does calligraphy, and so he feels some of the lines may be flourishes of the letters. What he sees is "Malum".\n\nThis means "wrong" in Latin ,as far as a quick google search shows (we don't know much latin ourselves). 1351123617 +There may be a few floating scientists, MDs, or RD's out there that will promote detox diets, but the accepted opinion of the medical community and dietary research community is that there is absolutely no sound science behind the idea of detox/\n\nhttp://www.webmd.com/diet/features/detox-diets-purging-myths\nhttp://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/index.php/site/project/47 1298141850 +>the person alleging to be a rape survivor was male\n\nAnd this matters because...?\n\n>was later found to have a comment history suggesting his allegation was false\n\nAnd this makes what TAA said okay because...? 1342347041 +According to the post, the torch in the graphic should have malfunctioned. 1340292772 +Ohhh now I see it. 1351125366 +Sorry I ruined your day bro.\n\n Thanks for fixing my spelling error on sceptic. Seems my iPhone doesn't believe you though. Keeps auto correcting. I don't like reversing and fixing and then retyping, it kills my flow.\n\nGood luck with your 333 thing. It has BEGAN George Michael Jr. 1332190377 +So was that a yes or a no? 1339368848 +Aesthetics?\n\nNot that I buy into 'Magnetic Man's claims, but watch bands are a big part of the appeal of watches. 1352824450 +Now is kind of a strange concept if we're in a simulation. Simulations can be paused, reversed, sped up or have their time manipulated in who knows how many ways.\n\nIf we're in a simulation, the real now could be in a universe that is 100 Billion years old and had the chance to evolve further than us even though we are in a simulation of a 13 billion year old universe. 1299725513 +"Paediatric neurosurgeon Doug Cochrane, who has looked after them from birth, confirmed they can see through each other's eyes.\n\nHe said: 'The twins are sharing signals from the other twin's visual field."\n\nMaybe you'd be less skeptical if your read more. 1323434108 +I have a tendency to disregard anything captured with a cell phone camera. The resolution is always so poor, and artifacts are extremely common in these low quality photos. If it had been taken with a decent camera, and was large enough to actually be able to see it clearly, I might think this photo was interesting. I don't believe this photo is intentionally faked, but it's impossible to determine if it's paranormal or not. 1343391201 +I don't get it. you seem to be acting out defensively and irrationally. Nobody is coming after you singing about stars; that's all in your head. UFOs are described as such because we don't know what they are. By predetermining what is allowed and not allowed, you are beginning with ignorance as a starting point. That's not a scientific nor is it a smart approach.\n\nUltimately, this all seems like its simply "Stop liking what I don't like!". Just ignore it; it doesn't have to affect you. 1328138306 +I'm going to tie this back to what is going on today.\n\nPeople who don't vote are similar to people who don't take vaccines. They think about themselves and not about the community or society that they are apart of. They think well I'll have no effect if I vote/don't get a vaccine, but if a whole society thought that way, it would lead to ruin.\n\nEveryone in a society getting a vaccine helps the society as a whole because you get a "herd immunity." Even the people for whom the vaccine won't work are protected because they don't have neighbors that can pass on the disease. When you say no to vaccines, you think about only the potential benifits to yourself, and not to the damage you're doing to society.\n\nThe same goes for voting. People who say "well what will MY impact be" are thinking selfishly. They are thinking about how this election will effect them personally and not about how the society as a whole can benifit from an active and civicly involved citizenry.\n 1288722940 +True. And you're more likely to get a staph infection because hospitals do routine checks of dilation *even when contraindicated and likely to cause infection*. And any number of other issues. 1349538727 +Fuck yeah. A glitch with actual evidence. 1326701732 +>The idea that, generally, 'religion doesn't make any scientific claims' is undeniably true. The 'scientific' and testable claims that they sometimes do make are largely irrelevant and tangential to the religion itself. Taking the bible for example, I don't think anyone (even the most ardent of believers) would argue that it should be read as a textbook, but instead it's supposed to be a persuasive tool. \n\nI generally respect your opinion... But here I just completely disagree, and strongly suspect that you were not brought up religious, or if you were it was something like Church of England.\n\nAs someone who was raised Christian, the creation the existence of Adam and Eve are fundamental, without it you don't have original sin and the fall from grace, that removes the reason for Christ coming to sacrifice himself in order to redeem us, etc etc.\n\nI realise that more sophisticated theologians don't take the Adam and Eve story seriously, and the Catholic Church officially accepts evolution, though many Catholics don't themselves... But accepting evolution causes big problems, and requires stories about the human soul being inserted at some point in our evolutionary history, and that causes problems.\n\n>The idea that, generally, 'religion doesn't make any scientific claims' is undeniably true.\n\nPerhaps the problem is with what you mean by general though... Perhaps you mean something like if we were to take all, most, or even just many, religions and then look at the intersections of those beliefs... Then perhaps they're not making scientific claims... In general though I would say that religions on do make scientific claims. 1341803452 +How do you hide an entire planet in some one's food? 1352002576 +>doesn't do anything to support it as a reasonable treatment for cancer,\n\n"Reasonable" is a subjective term. If it means even short-term, temporary relief from cancer symptoms, that **is** a form of treatment. Additionally, there are no side effects, and it comes relatively cheap. \n\n>decreasing progression of tumors in humans.\n\nNo kidding. But trials start with animal testing, and the positive results on mice are quite promising for humans.\n\n>That's very simple, even for a layman, to understand.\n\neasy there cowboy, we're all still very impressed with your initial long-winded title you name dropped back there. No need to overdo it on the self-righteousness.\n\n>If you've got an agenda to push regarding Vitamin C\n\nYeah, I work for Big Vitamin. Busted. \n\nNo, but seriously, I'm not going to apologize b/c I'm not *immediately* pushing for manmade, chemical treatments. Working in your field, you're clearly biased and will immediately push your manmade drug agenda. And that's fine. Drugs have their place, but sadly, considering *legal* prescription drugs kill 10's of thousands of Americans every year, I think it's time we reconsider their immediate "go-to" status, and start to consider *cheap*, and *natural* (and of course effective) treatments, like, say vitamins. Vitamins are food to the human body. Drugs are not. No one is dying or getting sick b/c of a lack of acetylsalicylic acid, but you *can* at least become seriously ill from a lack of Vitamin C.\n\n>insist that these trials tell you everything you need to know,\n\nI'm surprised someone of your apparent caliber is making such a strawman attack. I did not say "These are the end-all-be-all Vitamin C proofs - Vitamin C cures cancer!!!" and certainly **not** that they're everything you need to know. Ironically, that's *exactly* what you were doing with your initial link and post when you snidely dismissed IV Vitamin C as any kind of treatment. *You* immediately dismissed it, making it sound like nothing more than a placebo, at best. **I** only ever said what can be backed up by these studies: that, at the very least, Vitamin C *can* relieve certain cancer patients with short term relief from their cancer symptoms.\n\n\n\n\n 1332944689 +>parent's 1273428159 +Huh, ok. So then I guess that would be my question - is there a good refutation for this these arguments from authority? Or is the general consensus that hard evidence is necessary before an argument can be properly refuted?\n\nBtw, I'm not a UFO believer or denier, just a curious layperson. 1351371530 +I only take criticism from regularsizedbums. Just kidding :D 1332968159 +I was going to sleep, but then the internet existed. 1330242731 +Well, not taking someone at their word *is* disrespectful.\n\nTotally called for in this case, but still disrespectful. 1328309423 +Link to said photo? 1350320029 +How come google.com.au has a google doodle, but not google.com?!\n\nI'm outraged, *outraged,* I say!\n\nOutraged, because it's such a nice though, and there's a significant community in America that would flip their collective shits because it says "Happy Holidays" and not "Merry Christmas." \n\nPlease, carry on, and have a nice day! 1324657124 +This man here knows what he's talking about. 1319514471 +Maybe somebody ran you over. Hit and Runs are common in certain metropolitan areas. 1344148586 +Has Dr.Ketchum considered making some sort of device which which to capture this specimen? 1353889025 +I reread it a second time and see what you mean. The first time I read the tone of her first comment (Probably her usage of openly recommended) changed the meaning of it and the subsequent responses. 1345559133 +Everything we know, to some extent, is based on personal experience. Even science is based on personal experience and human interpretation. If human experience and perception is so fallible, then science itself is a ridiculous fancy of a bunch of children bumbling about blindly in the dark.\n\nPersonally, I don't regard ghosts, etc. as requiring extraordinary evidence because I don't view it as extraordinary. People see the words "paranormal" and "supernatural" or any concept that falls under that umbrella and immediately start braying because it's illogical. Personally, I try to keep my head on about it.\n\nI regard many of these concepts to be so widespread culturally and ongoing throughout human history that I'm willing to give them some level of credence. On the other hand, I view the "supernatural" as simply a natural that we don't yet understand, probably relating to quantum mechanics and things of that nature. 1335476634 +> Well, I've read Robert Anton Wilson's books and I've read tons of conspiracy theory bullshit over the last 20+ years, and I still can't say I believe there's definitely an "Illuminati" despite knowing someone who claimed to know someone whose family was tied to Them.\n\nThis is your problem, you are looking at this as if you're living in a fucking comic book with this "despite knowing someone who claimed to know someone *whose family was tied to Them*" ..seriously? Like what do you think this is? Some group of super-villains performing black magic at some solid gold or mahogany table somewhere, maybe with some kind of control over every single thing in the world?\n\n"The illuminati" is such a stupid term, just take a moment and look at the word - it's just a word, after all. It means "illuminated", as in, one who sees the light(generally held to be 'the light' of reason - both abstract and practical reasoning on a scale that most people don't and can't imagine), they know, they have minds of their own, they are alive and above the masses(who themselves are very similar to animals or to the dead - always running through their lives but never really getting anywhere, scurrying about doing the work of others to survive and never leaving a lasting imprint on the world that they found themselves in).\n\nIt's just a term used to describe the philosophical, intellectual, or social elite. It's not new, and it's not something somebody invented as part of a conspiracy theory. Get rid of your Robert Anton Wilson books and stop thinking in such polarized, black and white ways - all the while thinking you're doing the opposite because you're reading RAW.\n\nSure maybe at one point somebody came up with a nice little fraternal order they dubbed 'The Illuminati' - that's irrelevant. You have to start examining for yourself the meaning behind the meaning and the implications of things rather than taking everything at face value like hearing the word "illuminati" and thinking immediately "oh that's a conspiracy group! 9/11 man reptilians man!" or something.\n\nReally, it's not the people who don't believe in an illuminati who are logical and rational - they are like little children who are unable to reason for themselves. There has always been a philosophical and intellectual elite, and there always will be - **there has also always been a predatory elite ruling class, the members of which who fall into the other category as well(of 'philosophical/intellectual elite') we could reasonably call 'the illuminati', and it's a club you aren't invited to, it's one you're either born into or not, either by blood, position, or brain - but since the term has been so muddied by idiots on both sides of the brain-dead fence, both conspiracy nuts and conspiracies-don't-exist nuts, it's best to avoid, because the word is so often misunderstood by people like Nnnslogan, and taken away from reason and into fantasy - fantasy believed or disbelieved, but still fantasy.** 1333089136 +Wow, have you tried confronting it in your dreams or are you powerless? 1340136581 +Light reflects off of skin.\n\nIt's you.\n\nYOU ARE THE GHOST. AAAHHH! 1339225648 +The Purpose of this reddit is to provide a place for:\n\n* Debunking requests (Please use "DEBUNK: <title>" when submitting)\n* Skeptical resources (RESOURCE: or USEFUL:)\n* other stuff of general interest to skeptics (no tag)\n\nif we use these tags, it should be a useful subreddit for everyone, suggestions/comments are welcome. \n\n/joe 1214230433 +There are cases where this apprently happened to American ICBM tests, so it's a good a theory as the next, but most likely its debris 1334247262 +>Furthermore, someone who thinks vaccines cause autism could call themself a skeptic - indeed they are one. Or we can call ourself a skeptic of the claim that vaccines cause autism. The same can be said for mainstream medicine, wifi, or what have you.\n\nSo wrong. Skeptic does not automatically equal doubter. There is a process a skeptic uses to analyze data to evaluate it's validity. An anti-vaccser is like a creationist by simply doubting their opposition and abandoning a skeptical mindset to keep believing something that just isn't so. 1314481304 +Military drones. Move along. 1352662291 +Oh lawds... the comments in that video you linked make my head hurt. 1356192723 +Rocket Body 1348968471 +We'll know for sure soon enough. 1352928830 +i am skeptical of your claim that you have "skeptic senses." 1296675316 +Oh jeez, I hope that this is just for headlines and not comments. Comments would take you forever. . . 1332930926 +obtuse - *Adjective*\n\n1. Annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand\n\n2. Difficult to understand. 1342386410 +Why are we stereotyping the athletes as dumb and superstitious, who will do anything anybody suggests? I think you are confusing 'muscle-heads' or more nicely put, 'body builders' who use steroids and aren't very healthy. Atheletes, especially Olympians are on a whole 'nother plane of the human physical condition because they know how to be healthy. 1344107126 +>8) Ouija boards are not dangerous portals to hell. On the contrary, they are portals to your subconscious.\n\nThat's a very interesting thought, and probably it may be true in some, if not most, cases.\n\nBut according to the stories written on this subreddit, I guess that sometimes you really end up dealing with other entities as well.\n\nAlso not sure if you left out #23 by mistake or on purpose, for some reason, like a reference to that movie. 1324481123 +Sorry, but I don't get why these posts are always at the top. I understand people need to be educated on the facts, but why are some random comments at the top instead of articles exposing false treatments/products/ideologies/etc.?\n\nPlease stop posting/upvoting this trivial circlejerky nonsense and put that effort toward community education through informative exposing articles!\n\nSigh. 1318866430 +My grandmother told me that when they were younger she and her sisters played around with a Ouija Board. Long story short, religious father walks in, flips the heck out, and throws the Ouija board into the fireplace and sets it alight, to which the Ouija board promptly *screams* and flies out of the fire and slams against the opposite wall, completely unharmed by the flames.\n\nNeedless to say, I've NEVER had even the slightest intention of experimenting with one. 1323226650 +It was a Catholic school and we had to sit in alphabetical order. My parents didn't get listened to when they said I couldn't eat bananas or use anything latex, either (fruit-latex allergy). They thought about suing, but we were poor and intimidated. 1328639095 +Great one. Too bad the quality is so bad, I honestly don't even know if it's a plane or not. I don't know why so many folks would be making a commotion about it if it were, however. 1349231691 +My reaction: Picts or get the fuck.....HOLY SHIT. Everytime I hear this sort of thing I suggest seeing a priest. Even though you are atheists, I still think finding someone who is familiar with spiritual warfare is important. If nothing else, he could give you an idea of what you're dealing with. I wish you the best. 1351141843 +Goddammit. Title fail. 1323038359 +I dunno, my hunch is that there's something there creating the shape, or it's a living person. It's difficult to post photos like this, because people will just knock them down. Without being there when the photo was taken, it's impossible to prove it's not something natural. Definitely interesting though! 1347309158 +Oh, so you think they lied to Congress do you???\n\nAnd, fracking fluid is recycled - and they don't use very much of the stuff (they hold it in portable above-ground pools, similar to swimming pools). And, fracking fluid is 99% water.\n\nAlso, you don't appear to know what your talking about. They flare natural gas from oil wells when the gas isn't worth capturing - not gas wells.\n\nEDIT: Notice how the comment above shows absolutely no understanding of natural gas extraction and, in fact, mixes up oil wells and natural gas wells - yet has more than 6x as many upvotes than downvotes? While, I get way more downvotes than upvotes for pointing that out? 1347043409 +> Wait, I thought it was common knowledge that HAARP caused earthquakes?!\n\nYes. There's a big switch to change its operating mode. You know, it looks like [one of these](http://www.flickr.com/groups/900488@N23/), and must always be thrown while laughing maniacally. 1331049721 +That's fascinating, thank you! \n \nIf you ever fancy some physics lectures, I'll sort you out! 1291433943 +What does this have to do with being skeptical? A woman get an infection while using intravenous drugs and lost her arm, that's the end of it. 1326518043 +The term is used by Josephus and Pliny the Younger, both of whom were dead by 120AD, as well as Ignatius and Polycarp in the mid 2nd century. It was apparently the accepted appellation by the time Tacitus was writing. So your first assertion is demonstrably wrong. Your second claim is both vague and nonsensical.\n\nBoth are irrelevant. 1355855839 +ADD does not include the hyperactivity part, unless it's a typo. 1287705099 +How long has this been known? In 1993 I got verbally abused by a guy before I could finish a sentence where I was going to suggest philosophically that perhaps global warming is natural in the sense that since we're part of the environment, if we destroy ourselves it would be normal. I've always been skeptical of it and kept a distance from the debate ever since because it seemed like the fervor surrounding the issue was almost religious in nature. Especially when four or five years ago people were excited that there was finally a scientific consensus. 1335274569 +I think that viewpoint in intellectually irresponsible because it lends validity to ideas that aren't supported by evidence. There is no legitimate evidence to support the aquatic spy hypothesis in the same way that the HIV-AIDS connection has been well established or that there are no real climate scientists that would deny the connection between humans and climate change. The only real difference between those examples is the inherent danger in ignoring the latter two. It's one thing provide a way to share new ideas, but they shouldn't be giving a platform for ideas that have been presented before but can't stand up to scientific scrutiny. 1355273178 +At the level of actually teaching it is a science vs religion issue. The creationists would be the ones who would call themselves 'skeptics' in this case. I personally use skepticism to refer to issues that need investigation or is somehow not resolved. However, there is nothing to debunk or even investigate when it comes to creationism. \n\nConcerning the teaching of creationism in the class as a policy, this is a political and religious issue. 1310319700 +sorry, but you were wrong. this doesn't belong here, it belongs in /r/nosleep. from the FAQ: \n\n>The Paranormal does not necessarily indicate a glitch, and may not be appropriate here. Glitches tend to be physics related, or time related. \n\nand\n\n>Is it a ghost story? /r/nosleep is the place for it. :)\n\nfurther, \n\n>Q: Is this place for creepy stories? A: Not quite, but they will probably freak you out! 1338705392 +My mother bought me some when I had my tonsils out, but I couldn't stomach the flavour. They healed anyway. 1336821107 +Not that I believe this, but I was just reading this thread over on Above Top Secret:\n\n[ATS Member, JakiusFogg, Predicted Japan Quake 31 Days Ago](http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread660276/pg1)\n\nSometimes when one stabs in the dark they actually hit something. 1299882990 +It's actually a fundamental part of Shakespearian structure. The plot is advanced often by noble, idealistic, mendacious or vicious characters. These serious characters ponder the ineffable, the sublime and the vile.\n\nMeanwhile there are secondary characters scampering about making jokes or serious critiques of the primary characters positions. The secondaries delight in irony and love to expose the self-deceit of the primary characters.\n\nThat's just stylistic, though. Even the plots are practically morality plays in favor of skepticism.\n\n*Othello* is a fine example. All the "good guys" act in good faith and are excessively credulous, but they are fundamentally antagonists. The villain of the piece, Iago, is the protagonist, and he advances his agenda through guile. Othello is entirely a tragedy about a man who would have been safe if he were skeptical but is instead convinced by circumstantial evidence.\n\nI don't know where Shakespeare would have sat on issues of modern skepticism, but it's pretty clear he was in favor of the skeptical mindset. The skeptics get many of the best lines.\n\n\n 1323129061 +Because real academic research requires work, not browsing Wikipedia and citing one of Wikipedia's citations. 1343681553 +The issue I have is that this "positive effect" comes at a significant cost. It allows individuals to be fully disconnected from reality, allowing them to be more susceptible to believing the other more harmful woo. It perpetuates the idea that things grounded in woo are as valid as scientific methods. Although some woo is pretty tame, there are significant society-wide implications for other woo -- broken herd immunity from not vaccinating comes to mind. 1337103032 +WTF was that? Think I will skip the novella now. Thanks 1342739621 +All who live today are the result of a 4+ billion-year-old, unbroken chain of successful banging. 1344783533 +Well don't get me wrong, I don't mean to knock hundreds and hundreds of experimenters through volunteer first-hand experience casual folks. In fact, my father was an experimenter through volunteer first-hand experience casual folk. And his father before that.\n\nPlease do not misconstrue any of what I have said as being derogatory towards hundreds and hundreds of experimenters through volunteer first-hand experience casual folks or in any way calling in to question the claims of hundreds and hundreds of experimenters through volunteer first-hand experience casual folks.\n\nI am merely saying that, as compelling as hundreds and hundreds of experimenters through volunteer first-hand experience casual folks are, you really need to have something published in the literature to be taken seriously in the field of *science*. \n\nWhat you are practicing, and advocating, is pseudoscience. You and the hundreds and hundreds of experimenters through volunteer first-hand experience casual folks are classic pseudoscientific proponents.\n\nWhile his receiving the highest award the Ontario Public Broadcasting Channel can bestow upon a lecturer is, admittedly, quite impressive, I am not certain that it constitutes proof of whatever theories he may happen to dream up. \n\nI have so many questions for you. For you and the hundreds and hundreds of experimenters through volunteer first-hand experience casual folks. I really...you have first hand experience? Please do tell! Don't deny my puny brain the light of day by trying to sound smart when talking to me. \n\nAnd whatever you do, please don't become self conscious and stop this thread now. I have a feeling the word parade of crazy is just getting started. 1330840218 +I bought this book. It's terrific, although I can't help but feel that he wrote it for a less educated audience. The writing is very simple, with sentences rarely lasting long.\n\nI think it's a terrific book to give to relatives who buy into the woo crap. It is gentle on the beliefs themselves (including religion) but amusingly and efficiently demolishes the mechanisms for protecting those beliefs.\n\nHis chapter on "Going Nuclear" is especially good: it addresses the argument that since reason itself can't be justified by reason, my faith claim is no different from your faith that solipsism is false. 1308666098 +Does he sell franchises of that same company now? 1319583649 +I'd like to know what kind of hallucinogens he was taking... they don't seem to wear off quickly! 1297813311 +There's a hot girl in it so it must be true. 1286682861 +Not really. It's just the number of meters in a second. Or the number of meters in a meter. Or the number of seconds in a second. In relativity we can measure time in distance units or distance in time units. It's just by convention we don't say things like "oh, that's 60,000 nanoseconds down the road" in everyday parlance. 1332892499 +If you're wanting to consider it urban exploration, that's a whole different monster. Great fun! Aside from creeping eachother out though, your odds of finding anything paranormal are pretty slim. When I do investigations, my favorite part is the history lesson. I love finding a piece of property and learning its history, then I try to find details within the building that coincide with what I've learned of the place. While I go about this, I run recorders and cameras, and occasionally pick up interesting, unexplainable things. If you do happen to catch anything you suspect might be paranormal though, don't bother showing it around. Nobody will believe it unless they were there when it was captured. Have fun, be safe, but remember, trespassing can land you in a whole heap of trouble! 1328702228 +Where can I get the Balance Wombat? 1295914025 +it is a "voltage stabilizer" if you want to research it. Basically just a bank of capacitors to help maintain a constant voltage in your car's electrical system.\ntheoretically it could help by ensuring that you always have enough power to get a good spark.\nI would be cautious about putting this in a newer car, as I think most cars have a stable controlled electrical system. I believe it could actually potentially help in an old car.\n\ni am not an expert on cars or electronics. this is based off of 5 minutes of research. 1309629653 +Precedent has been established that Christians aren't schizo or have mal-intent. I while back I was informed that 75-80% of all charities are Christian based, and all others are negligible, not to mention the pathetic representation by so called reasonable Atheists which just seem to be a bunch of armchair barkers. So if precedent on who is caring based on real life examples is used Atheists are delusional nut cases that should be locked up according to your theorem. 1280158727 +That is unfortunate. I wish you could explain why I am ignorant, as I seem to have missed something important. 1351209136 +Until figure 25, I was prepared to change my mind - at cursory glance it looks like convincing data.\n\nHowever, all figures to 25 have time as the x axis - then figure 25 has different countries along the x axis - and describe this as a TRENDLINE. This is so retarded, it makes the rest of the data contained in this highly suspect. 1296707327 +Oh, so in your opinion then why should't /r/skeptic just go ahead and do the same ??? Why shouldn't EVERY subreddit go ahead and do the same ??? I know, kind of rhetoric question given that you started with:\n\n> all subreddits are circlejerks\n\nbut it really shows a LOT MORE 'circlejerking' than usual :) 1317827343 +For burns or rashes, it might be okay, but then again, any clay would probably provide some soothing. On the other hand, there are tons of other products that can relieve that pain. \n\nAny other claims are likely bullshit, especially when they start talking about toxins. \n\nEdit: by further looking, there is some evidence for the use of clay dermatologically, and apparently there are some heavy metal absorption properties of clay (this is without examining the source from the wikipedia article about the specific type of clay) , but I would pretty much think it impossible to absorb anything through the skin. And unless she is experiencing symptoms of heavy metal poisoning, she probably doesn't need to be "detoxified" and if she is, please take her to the hospital. It also has laxative properties, and as we all know, getting detoxified is about shitting, a lot. \n\nIf she wants to use this, she can find cheaper sources montmorillonite / bentonite clay. To find bentonite clay, look at home brewing supply places. While your at it, order some stuff to start home brewing. Gotta justify the shipping costs *wink wink* 1330928156 +The zinc lozenges in question there are labelled as “homeopathic” for some reason. I bought those particular ones a while back because [zinc has some efficacy against the rhinovirus if you catch it early enough](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15496046 "I did a ton of research when I had a cold one time"), and bizarrely these actually had an appreciable amount of zinc in them. I think that Walgreens manufactures this brand and was using the term “homeopathic” analogously with “natural” or something? 1352704169 +Yeah I remember him. George Norrey is just not the same man. 1351719100 +Yes, but *what if he does*... 1328039832 +As an athiest, all religious videos of any kind offend me. Time to get clicking? 1330287859 +*shrug* I didn't intend to shock, sorry if that's how it came off. I was more looking to just get the *essence* of the word with as little window dressing as possible. 1338684150 +So, I had a long post here, and just lost it all thanks to a bluescreen (ATI, your death will not be quick!)\n\nIt's gonna take me a bit to want to retype that. \n\nHere's the gist, in case you'd like to respond in the meantime. \n\nReason I brought up allergies, is your friend's reaction, inflammation, is normally due to a histamine reaction (allergy) if no other reason for it to happen is available. I also have brought it up, as many people incorrectly claim an allergy to msg. I agree that we have gone on to sensitivity, but I still feel it is safe to say it is non-existant.\n\nIf there are several stable isotopes of glutamic acid, I'm sure they'd show up in the studies already conducted, where no one showed any sensitivity. \n\nNiacin doesn't work in this argument because it's an essential nutrient. I know of niacin sensitivity, it is caused by large doses of niacin doing exactly what niacin does. It also tends to go away after repeated doses. I am not a doctor, I cannot tell you why this happens, but I do have enough basic knowledge of chemistry to tell you that this is much like sodium. Sodium is an essential nutrient, and can have severe side effects if too much is taken.\n\nFinally, Health Canada, I had not heard of before this argument, I have no opinion on them, but even going on their article, their wording is "some individuals may have a sensitivity". some, and may. This sentence still holds true if no one has this sensitivity. \n\nThe FDA's ruling was by a Select Committee. These are not medical professionals. They are elected officials. The US has a long history of electing laymen to make scientific rulings. There are many cases where they have been off, or outright wrong, and others where they have disregarded the advice of scientific council. There is no study listed, no advisor listed, nothing. Just the select committee. \n\nFinally, your last line is a straw-man argument. Please refrain from them. They do not aid this conversation, and I could throw the same type of ad-hominem attack against your arguments. \n\nI am at no point trying to be argumentative, or insisting that my view is right. I am saying that without a peer reviewed study showing msg sensitivity, I see no reason to believe it exists, when sodium sensitivity is much more plausible. The reason I am asking for a study, is that as a skeptic, I would like empirical evidence. Having this information on a website, no matter its legitimacy, does not make it fact without some provable phenomena. \n\nSo there's a wall of text, and much more than I meant to type, so I will probably not retype my original response. Simply put, empirical evidence will stop me from making this claim. I have empirical evidence that supports my theory. If you can refute that evidence, please do so, but until then, I stand by it. 1337848492 +I really don't understand this at all. The end seemed to summarize a summary. 1315332465 +It's an interesting hypothesis but there are a few issues I have with it. First, there is no evidence of genetic manipulation, implied in the article. Moreover, there is no reason for it. Even with our limited knowledge of chemistry and biology, we were able to create replicating bacteria in a lab. Imagine what beings capable of interstellar, maybe even intergalactic, travel can do? What that article is suggesting is simply too slow and not practical.\n\nThen again, if these are aliens we're talking about, their technology may have evolved via different mechanisms than ours. So I guess it's possible. 1343440359 +Found a better resolution. http://www.thejobbitt.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/lets_say.gif 1354158318 +Schrödinger's QM and Einstein's relativity were so close together and both of them (at least under the standard, Copenhagen interpretation) sort of said that normal intuitive logic about how things work doesn't totally apply to the world we live in. Instead we need something else. Some people take it to mean *anything* else. 1307149146 +A random person cannot post to the atheism plus forum without subscribing. If a person posted this and even hinted that it might be a relevant criticism of atheism+ they would be banned.\n\nNote: that article was 9 months before atheism+ was rolled out. 1349913339 +That'll do it. RES automatically spaces, so when we added spacing for everyone else, it doubled ours. We're working on it :) 1326494375 +Even Jesus looks like he is rolling his eyes at this. 1350654226 +I see a headless bust with nipples in the lower corner... is that what you see? 1349844957 +Nowhere in my comment did I even make a suggestion as to either. I was commenting on the statistics. 1356137625 +AKA that one really shitty show. 1335023172 +I'd probably put it in the likely-nonsense basket. The language used is very nebulous. If the proponents wish for it to come out of the likely-nonsense basket then they'd need to seriously clarify their terms so that it can be clearly understood first. 1286804731 +i think it may be photoshop 1341810900 +This is true. I've actually heard barefoot running is the new kind of 'trend' in running since it seems to help build the muscles of the foot naturally as opposed to be cushioned and aided at every step by cushy running shoes.\n\nHowever, I run as well, and if I don't use specific stability shoes with medial posts to prevent my flat feet from pronating and straining, my feet kill. 1273637991 +There are mutterings in Germany and the UK but I don't think it's turned into anything concrete yet. http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/taking-on-homeopathy-in-germany/ 1331859203 +It a little fully realized to be real. I'd like for it to be a ghost. 1355037597 +>Eg. Encouraging doctors to prescribe their drugs for off-label purposes. \n\nActually, using drugs for some of the side effects can be pretty helpful to the patients. Do you know how many of my friends are taking birth control for reasons not related to safe sex? 1285127360 +Yea, I definitely welcome more studies being done. But if the most worrying article isn't strict, large, or done by a reputable source, then there's probably not much to worry about yet. More data is necessary. 1278013934 +Randi is so old....can you actually *prove* that he was born? 1312739780 +wat. animals cant heal.\n\nERMAHGERD SOMEONE JUST GOT RUN OVER BY A TRUCK\n\nScumbag brain: now\nimagine an elephant walking over him.\n\nERKKKKK GORE 1340977284 +So not much has changed in the last hundred years. ;-) 1300472719 +Full House by Stephen Gould. [Just go ahead and order it. :)](http://www.amazon.com/Full-House-Spread-Excellence-Darwin/dp/0674061616) 1354329943 +What a douchebag. Why not simply read some books on the subject, and THEN decide? 1356316681 +I've been told by an orthopedist (M.D.) that chiropractic might help with back pain. 1315479108 +>This is what we face now: photography will never be accepted as 'proof' with today's editing capabilities. We need cases where several people photograph an object from different angles and with different cameras.\n\nVery true. In this day and age, if a UFO sighting does not have several witnesses then it is most likely a dud. Photographs and videos are too easy to manipulate and can look quite convincing. 1303317306 +Your proposed system eliminates currency because there is no guarentor. And it strikes me as difficult to pay people for unpleasant jobs when the only people who get paid to do anything are doing unpleasant jobs. How could most people "pay" anybody anything? The only way is is EVERYONE did some unpleasant jobs and were paid to do it, which sounds pretty much exactly like the system that exists today. \n\n 1317588567 +This podcast gets it: This stuff should be fun. 1298755103 +Wait, what? That phrase doesn't even mean anything, so the question whether it's true or false is also meaningless and has no answer. 1312812761 +Also very interesting! I daresay it'd be very easy to catch her out, she's probably never dealt with people using those techniques in what sounds like a gullible and superstitious environment! Also amusing is that her claims are basically blasphemy and parading around as a false prophet. 1308483420 +Why does this shit always have to be blurry and out of focus? I'm not calling shenanigans, I'm just saying something that seems so important never seems to be caught in glorious HD. 1289821935 +A wild elephant will destroy if you just look at it wrong. If I saw a woolly mammoth in the wild, my first instinct would be to stay as far away as possible. 1328821884 +i've always spelt it today, just sometimes i am sleepy, or drunk and on reddit, sometimes i also type too fast and shove stuff like this: hell ohow, space in the wrong place. 1345021993 +>.< NON BELIEVERS!!! 1335933418 +Well at that point we're talking about criminal neglect.\n\nAnd I would argue not getting your kids vaccinated is also criminal neglect, but we have to respect every god damn stupid belief out there now, so we pretend reverting back to the god damn 19th century is a parent's right. 1322238020 +...so what's the difference between a chiropractor and a physiotherapist? 1313959452 +you act like its an epidemic of people using theory when they really mean idea. i dont think anyone is reading this and thinking, well his next step is to get this peer reviewed. relax a little bit 1350610060 +People always react this way to new tech. They shun it, try to get it banned, denounce it, demonize it and then 10 years later use it every single day and shun, denounce and demonize something else. 1354560810 +I didn't realize how old of a thread this was, until your comment drew my attention to it! \n\nWe dodged a recurring bullet. 1332944097 +From Carl Sagan's *The Demon-Haunted World*:\n"A leading UFO scholar comments that 'When the hypnotist does not have an adequate knowledge of the subject [of alien abductions] the true nature of the abduction may never be revealed.' Can we discern in this remark how the patient might be led without the therapist realizing that he's leading?" 1298819744 +Well as a general rule I will never just completely write something off without at least giving it a chance. I appreciate your candor and understand what it is to operate on a low (to no) budget. I will certainly give your show a shot. 1343041845 +Exactly. If you told someone from medieval England that the power went out, and you can't even get internet access on your phone because the lines are congested, and that those were your two largest annoyances at the moment, they would stab you in the face and attempt to take your place. 1309119150 +I don't see that anywhere in the image you linked to. 1350450063 +Actually, it can be that simple if the OP picks the right location. As you stated, you and your husband walked into a haunted location, and as soon as you walked in, you had an experience that took at least 30 minutes to recover from. I spent the night at Waverly Hills back in 2008 and had several experiences that were real enough to remove any doubt of the existence of ghosts. In today's world, with video, photo and audio editing software, the chances of capturing any kind of "proof" of paranormal are practically nil. The only evidence that can prove the existence of ghosts is personal experience, and that only proves it to the person having the experience. Therefore, the best bet for the OP is to put himself in a location that increases his odds of having an experience of his own. As for ghost hunters, they lost all credibility in my eyes when it was proven that they fake evidence for the sake of entertainment. I realize that they pretty much had to, to keep their viewer numbers up. It didn't help any when they started having pro wrestlers, washed up musicians, and the real housewives of whatever as guests either. I can't even force myself to sit through an episode these days. Paranormal TV is a waste of time, unless you view it purely as a source of entertainment. 1340281096 +Being a skeptic does not involve accepting any nonsensical claim thrown at you, which is what you are suggesting we do. 1289639692 +The yes votes are likely from people who see it as "sure, give em water! It's cheaper than real medicine"\n\nOr \n\n"let em die if they think water will help. Weed the morons out" 1314773949 +"There is a rainbow ring in the sky; is this not clear evidence of a massive flying gay donut with Pleiadians aboard?" \n\nYeah, pretty stupid.\n\n\n\n 1331412194 +According to a theory out there, there are many alternate realities and different things happen at the same time and sometimes same thing happen with different people if this makes sense.\nThe fact that you saw someone that "wasn't there" could be that particles from the other reality switched realities a little more vividly than normal causing you to see what is happening elsewhere at the sametime. If this makes sense. This theory also states that a particle that a person observes will take up two different places at the same time on the same plane (or reality) but that particle instead of being destroyed will disappear and show up in another reality. This causes people to see "ghosts" or the like. This also explains why things happen for no reason. If you want better information then watch a movie called "What the Bleep do we Know." Really good movie but it is all theory. 1339481368 +Quick overlay... not an accurate overlay but the it's obvious that it's the same guy.\n\nhttp://i.imgur.com/mYqmk.jpg 1344874739 +why are eye witness accounts fine for the court of law, but not accepted as evidence that someone has witnessed unexplainable phenomena/craft 1239469369 +I assume this was downvoted due to the implied incredulity of the poster, but this **is** a legitimate question that furthers discussion.\n\n(I might add, for which bkayh685 provided a legitimate [response](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/yuwye/this_antimilk_fact_sheet_been_making_the_rounds/c5z5uhc) to) 1346039160 +rabble rabble rabble darwin rabble rabble rabble! 1327148727 +I have a good friend whose hair was salt and pepper by the time he graduated, and he now has completely gray/white hair. It really doesn't look that bad, and unlike gray hairs on older people, his hair isn't brittle, so it's kind of unique. I would say to embrace the hair, or just use dye if it really bothers you. 1337021497 +I think similar cell phone things have been posted here before. Not the ring, but the audio from the past.\n\nI wonder if it's a technical issue, like some telecom data frames get cached in the wrong place or some other bug occurs that causes the audio data from your call to get "queued up" in some system that's hung, and when whatever the contention is in the system resolves, the data is sent through. Your phone recognizes incoming call data and rings, then plays it for you.\n\nIt'd be great to get a telecomm or cell phone engineer in here. 1331352608 +No, it doesn't do that, LOL. 1316666054 +It sounds interesting and I've heard other instances of shared dreams and had one myself. Sometimes details can be too specific for it to all just be a coincidence; dreaming the same thing, at the same night, from different point point of views. If you believe that the brain and mind are separate entities than that leaves the idea of people meeting up in an "astral dimension" possible. Remember that lucid dreaming wasn't even taken seriously by the scientific community until the 1960's and it wasn't proven, until the 1980's; so before you dismiss it as a coincidence, I suggest you look into it further. 1335675280 +Nothing but net 1350808657 +So angry *and* forgetful. 1307533681 +> I reallly want to be a holistic health care practitioner\n\nYou want to spend time and effort (and money) to get an education so you can help people lead better, healthier lives - so you want to be sure to learn something true and useful.\n\nMaybe you can get in touch with the [American Dietetic Association](http://www.eatright.org/Students/) and they can recommend a good career path. I'm sure they're willing to help.\n\nThe problem with "degrees in nutrition" is that, since this is a rather "soft" health topic, there are *loads* of people out there who are more interested in selling their supplements or diet plans than in solid scientific fact. There are many questionable organizations, diploma-mills if you want, that charge you enormous amounts of money for worthless degrees, and without teaching you anything useful.\n\n**Edit:** It's a large site, but also have a look at [Quackwatch](http://www.quackwatch.com/) every now and then. It helps keeping the good stuff and the bad stuff in the medical world apart. If you truly want to help people, it is absolutely imperative that you know what *works* and what's just fantasy. 1296761688 +>I really can't understand what the guy is saying, at all.\n\nNeither does he. 1343501069 +I'd date you. 1310662599 +I think this has been debunked as fancy footwork and wires, there was a thread on abovetopsecret a while back. I can find it if anyone is interested 1353549059 +Yes, which is not surprising, since humans usually inhabited near rivers that are prone to floods. However, only in some of those legends is a god deciding to wipe humanity except for a single family, who constructs a boat and saves some animals with them. And this one in particular talks about how lifespans before the flood were enourmous, something that myths in other areas do not have. 1355256874 +I don't know about you, but if I were an alian trying not to make contact (I am assuming so because it didn't bother touching down) I'd turn the fucking lights off to stay on the down low. 1277365337 +I'd be curious to know how many students switch majors after taking the physics and chemistry. Once they realize there's no scientific basis for homeopathy, they'd have to be pretty clueless to continue their coursework. 1317304783 +Ok, almost no one would ever become an atheist. Most theists were raised into it, not reasoned into it. I know that I was reasoned out of religion, but I certainly didn't reason my way in. 1337366891 +This is an absolutely amazing, and horrifying, story. 1239503672 +Ye-ah, there's definitely a need for a sarcasm font. I was as serious about the universal upgrade as I was about the hearing. I do remember the engines sounding differently but I have no idea why. I've gotta work on my delivery.... seriously! :-D 1334453003 +It's either a waste, or a serious hazard, depending on who you talk to. Not the most glowingly recommended means of looking into the paranormal. 1342764647 +So was much of all the best literature in the world. 1313116493 +This reminds me of [my favorite \\(and relevant\\) xkcd...](http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/conspiracy_theories.png)\n\n 1311709987 +> "But that's the thing, there are "alternative" medicines that have been shown to be effective through studies,..."\n\nI challenge you now to name one and provide appropriate, supporting, studies. Keeping in mind that if the study shows the 'alternative' medicine or therapy to be bad or to not work, that kinda invalidates any spin put on it saying otherwise.\n\nReally, what it sounds like you are saying is that you don't understand what placebo is. 1319759106 +I think you are entitled to your beliefs, but this kind of thing is not about paranormal work, which is (or at least should be) scientific inquiry into unexplained phenomena. Maybe I'm hoping for too much from /r/paranormal, and that religious experience should be included. That's up to the mods. Personally, though, I think these stories just "fit" somewhere else. They have a place, to be sure, just not here. 1318389095 +I have some water here, in fact. Let's seeee... 106mg of calcium per litre. RDA is 1000mg, so I'll need to drink 10 litres to get my RDA.\n3.8mg of magnesium per litre. 400mg is the RDA, so, about 100 litres to get that...\nYou get the idea. You would die of water poisoning before getting your mineral needs from this stuff. 1302886784 +Considering that this is reasonably mundane, explainable evidence of extraterrestrial life, not a UFO sighting, abduction, close encounter, or otherwise unexplained event, I would have put it in r/space or r/science. \n\nIf that is a life-form it is most likely explainable in scientific terms. Unless they're GHOST scorpions from Venus! 1327474330 +I mean what chances are a physicist is going to be super conservative in America? I mean there are a few, but, a negligible amount, I say! 1322703477 +I'd rather have a ban on public schools which don't teach basic critical thinking skills. Ban homeopathic products and people will just stock up on more magic toxin sucking shoe strips. 1247239638 +That's right. Something like the the VP is doomed to fail from the start because it fails at a fundamental level of taking the laws of economics and human nature into account. Also, I believe they're completely basing this whole project on speculation and anecdotes. As far as I'm aware, there have been no experiments and there has been no hard data or evidence to suggest a project like that would work. People have examined and shot holes in the ideology that is the VP, yet the founders and followers alike disregard it and staunchly defend it even though their project has been shown that it can't last.\n\nTrying to talk someone, such as a believer of the VP, out of something they willingly got themselves into, is akin to attempting to convince a theist via debate that their god doesn't (or can't) exist. Trying to debate, or otherwise convince someone their idea is wrong through heated discussion, will end in failure the vast majority of the time because during such an activity, the brain naturally goes into a defensive mode where efforts to convince the person otherwise will not be successful. The person you want to change must willingly change and that takes time and effort on their part. If they do it willingly on their own, the defensive mechanisms in the brain tend to subside and the person more readily accepts the new ideas. So the trick is getting the person to doubt their position enough that they would willingly go out and read and try to understand the arguments against their ideology. Persuading them is rather tough though, and a lot of people aren't that willing to put that much time and effort into such an endeavor.\n\nThis guy lays out why the VP is fundamentally flawed: [The science that is missing and completely wrong in the Venus Project](http://anticultist.wordpress.com/2010/04/19/the-science-that-is-missing-and-completely-wrong-in-the-venus-project/) 1314200521 +Who is 'woo'? What other threads are you talking about?\n\nAlso, what outrage? It seems you are the only one outraged that people are pointing out how bigoted and ignorant your original statement has been.\n\nSounds like you sure are confused, kid. Maybe someday when you finally get a degree, you will understand things better. 1333129714 +"the actual reactions that took place in the laboratory by bombarding Americium-243 with Calcium-48, which resulted in the two Isotopes of Element 115, indicated below, being identified."\n\n\n"The maximum theoretical atomic mass isotope of Element 115 that could be produced in the reaction, above, 115UUP291, would only have 176 neutrons in its nucleus. This isotope of Element 115 is shy 8 neutrons from containing the magic number of 184 neutrons. The two actual isotopes of Element 115 produced by this reaction, 115UUP288 and 115UUP287 contain 173 neutrons, shy 11 neutrons from the magic number of 184, and 172 neutrons, shy 12 neutrons from the magic number of 184, respectively."\nhttp://www.gravitywarpdrive.com/Element_115.htm#Table\n\nThey have other listed sources there.\n\nSo you're looking to copy the nuclear configuration of Bismuth if you want a stable isotope which Lawrence Livermore Labs were not able/did not want to do. 1297719620 +You should let them know that "boosting" is not something you want to do to an immune system.\n\nIn fact, that's called [autoimmune disease](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoimmune_disease) and cases the body to reject its own tissue. \n\nOur immune system is carefully balanced. Any significant change in direction, one way or the other, and we start to die.\n\nJust an FYI.\n\n(Obviously and on-its-face the homeopathic sugar pills don't, can't, and won't "boost" your immune system, but I'm just speaking towards the claim.) 1327359989 +nice umbrella at the end, sigh. 1320666569 +Hm my wife really got the hang of Ubuntu faster than OSX (having no computer skills.) Really varies from person to person. 1341478385 +>Right. If you can't see the fundamental difference (other than scale) between being rude about people's beliefs and racism, I don't have anything to say to you, you're just a lost cause. \n\nAnd if you can't understand the concept that "it's OK to be an asshole as long as you don't intend for any of the people you're being an asshole to to hear about it" is bullshit, you're just as lost.\n\n>you might convince society to deem religious thinking to be socially unacceptable, which, in the end, achieves the same thing.\n\nTake a lesson from MLK. He didn't go around calling white people fucking stupid, and if he had, civil rights legislation would likely still be tabled. I don't really care how Dawkins plans to convert the world to non-religion. If he wants to succeed, he needs to stop being an asshole about it. I'm not religious, and he pisses *me* off.\n\n>A spade is a spade. Most people outgrow their imaginary friends.\n\nYeah, you are a lost cause, aren't you. Here's a little tip for you: You are being a classic example of the obnoxious skeptic, and skeptics like you are why the word "skeptic" is often associated with assholes.\n 1351119393 +But it's not just the name of the product in this case, it's its appearance and the fact that it has ammonia added to it. Also, I believe it is made out of parts of the cow that normally aren't considered appetizing. 1333053852 +I was taught that the rainbow was a sign that God would not destroy the earth *by total flood* ever again, and that nothing was absolved by it. \n\nI was also taught that God would destroy the earth one more time, only by fire. 1335409878 +The sceptic in me takes this as a fabricated story written to draw users to a website. However I don't have a good idea of the reputation of the website. At the same time the fact that they are unwilling to release a video reinforces the possibility that it is a genuine ETI case, I mean, what other reason would they have to withhold the footage? The article suggests that maybe the "robot"-like UFO could be Chinese techology sent to India with supposedly slight malicious intentions. However, if india realizes this, why would they be so quick to withholding said footage? 1351994582 +Is that an excerpt from a role playing game or something? 1309590985 +I don't understand why this is posted here. It's d-bags making fun of some one stupi who is taking advantage of people even stupider still. There's nothing enlightening about it and they aren't even very good comedians. 1315606410 +not to mention this thing is by no means the correct shape for a human foot. In the 'footprint', the big toe's metatarsal sticks out at a physically impossible angle. 1326179472 +There has GOT to be a bigger reason for the BBC - the *BBC* - making a story out of a handful of UFO enthusiasts camping out next to a lake. \n\nI am quite convinced that this, as well as other recent UFO stories covered by the MSM, are purposefully being highlighted to soften the blow of full on disclosure en route later this year. 1344098331 +Nobody has absolute control, but some individuals and groups exert a great deal more control than others, and this can be accepted without buying into any conspiracy theories. I like the first part of the quote, but I don't think I agree with the "rudderless" description. I think there's a rudder, I just think that the captain(s) are steering us recklessly. 1346321741 +Its one of the few UFO related things that seems to be fairly good evidence, not proving anything but why would so many military and NASA folk go out of their way to be on a panel like this, these are not lunatic fringe folk.\n\nStill the only thing I have seen that I have never seen debunked, most pass it off as nonsense.\n\nNot saying this is proof of aliens, however simply passing it off as crazy people or nonsense is just skeptics playing the ignore game. 1281162574 +http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/18/microwave-hazards.aspx\n\nOne of the links is even more bonkers. I stopped reading when they started talking about biophotons. 1344554024 +Soyuz Rocket 1324771532 +I agree, I got robbed at knifepoint in uk. The whole drive there I had an uneasy feeling. While I was being robbed my phone kept ringing and it was my gf at the time saying she felt like something was wrong and needed to check up (obviously heard that after)\n\nI could totally feel it coming. \n\nWhen I was younger I used to abuse solvents, and always got a feeling of dejavu as well as something unexplainable. Later in life (a few years) and again abusing the solvents god knows why.. and again with this dejavu..\n\nBtw if you don't know, i've come to realise heavy solvent abuse doesn't bring on a 'high'. It's bringing on a near death experience which is why you feel like your mind is at one with the universe.. you're dying..\n\nSo this uneasy dejavu matches the uneasy feeling from abusing solvents years previously.. and as my vision scews I realise i'm in the same place I was in years ago when I foresaw this moment.. \n\nEvolution.\n\nThis post is not a joke or sarcastic, seriously. 1350138331 +Ensuring. It's a much nicer word than forcing. 1301528302 +No, he's just going to make reproduction dependent upon owing a Zune. Problem solved. 1330140610 +Wow this is right up there with digital homeopathy. 1352787967 +I was always fascinated by the fact that most of his photographed ufos were always humping trees 1319985326 +First off, great question. I personally believe this planet has been visited by extraterrestrials in the past and present. If you look at history the evidence is there. You have the Nazca lines, relics of the Mayan civilization that allude to them having contact with a higher being, the pyramid phenomenon around the wold, and etc. Presently, I think we're being visited without a doubt. There's enough eyewitness testimony, videos, pictures and a government that does not want to investigate the matter seriously. In fact I think there's a huge coverup and misinformation campaign on UFOs in general. The government, hollywood, and the media of successfully made the UFO question a laughing matter. 1316564461 +You probably saw an aircraft in the far distance with its landing lights on turning towards you (the orb fades in) flying towards you and descending (hence the arc) and then turning away (orb fades out) to land. 1348026440 +No way? That sucks ass, it was pretty cool.\n\nOh well, maybe the aliens will triangulate on this position anyway and come wreak some havoc. 1302296609 +Easily the most common experience that I have in which my senses are deceived is what some are calling "phantom ring." I feel my phone vibrate as though I'm getting a call, but when I check the phone, I find that there was no reason for it to have vibrated.\n\nI understand that it is a common occurrence. Right? .... Right? 1275636401 +Haaaaaaahahaha, sorry about your family. Perhaps they focus more on the 'pray together stay together' stuff rather than the whacked-out nonsense in your link, I certainly hope so.\n\nAsk him if he has any comment on the Mormon 'magic underpants' - that sort of thing has about the same scientific basis as this 'young earth' BS. Best of luck to you. 1326842836 +He's using absolute logical, rational thought.\n\nIf they were hostile, we would be gone by now. \n\nOr, they are currently using us with an intention. \n\nI think these are the only two options possible towards the hostility argument. 1310954821 +Michael Shermer is awesome. Here's a true story to show his awesomeness: \n\nAbout 6 years ago I worked at a local newspaper with about 100 employees. There was a book shelf in the lunch room for people to swap used books. Well a bunch of the fundie christian women started filling it up with christian literature. No big deal, to each his own I always say. Well, I decided to put some skeptic/atheist books on the shelf. What happens? They're all gone almost immediately, like $120 worth of books. I go to throw out my lunch and I see them all in the trash with the covers ripped off. \n\nI emailed the Skeptic Society and told my story, and Michael Shermer himself emailed me back saying he'd send me some skeptical goodies to put in the library. A week later I get a huge box delivered to my house. He sent me all his books, a bunch of pamphlets and a few miscellaneous skeptical books. I tell ya, it was hard not to keep them but I gradually added them to the company library. 1264779235 +>One reason the Big Five does a much better job is because it is represented on a continuous scale, preserving the variability.\n\nEvery MBTI gives a scale, not a boolean value for each trait. 1338742361 +What the fuck are you talking about?\n\nWhat exactly are conspiracy theorists supposedly waiting for? 1315763526 +I've never felt like it was really mean or evil, just mischievous. The dog doesn't seem too fussed, she doesn't suddenly throw fits or anything like that. I'd say the same about the cats, but they're cats. They default to batshit.\n\nI actually don't mind if it's here, I just don't want it hurting anyone.\n 1335965632 +How exactly do they determine if accupuncture is effective in dogs? 1311374650 +> I live 5 miles from the nearest town and police... My neighbor used his gun to detain an intruder that barged in on his wife until the sheriff's deputy got there. If I lived somewhere else, I might have a lot of stories of friends getting shot by guns, but so far they seem to have saved more lives around me than taken them away.\n\nThis is the thing that people who live in rural areas need to understand (and it seems that you do). A gun means something completely different in Tulsa, Oklahoma that it means on the south side of Chicago. I understand the Constitutional arguments against gun control and I can accept them. But rural Americans need to understand that urban Americans see dozens of people killed by guns for every person they see saved by guns.\n\nHere's my grand compromise: Strike the Second Amendment completely. Craft language that leaves gun control unconstitutional at the Federal level but makes it constitutional at the state and local level. Oklahoma would never pass gun control, but Los Angeles, Chicago and New York will have every single gun outlawed by the next night. I'd like to hear a modern, State's Rights conservative argue against that solution. 1343176886 +Sounds questionable. 1356385751 +What a coincidence, *I hate his roommate too.* 1297199648 +Wow, seven laptops! I have trouble with laptop failures too ... but not anywhere at that level. \n\nThis happens to me too, but it's not constant, daily thing. I will go through a period of a few days once or twice a year in which everything electronic that I get near breaks, crashes, fails, etc. At first I thought it was that the electronics were all simply reaching their "planned obsolescence" at the same time, but then I noticed it couldn't be the case because it happens to items I purchased at different times, or to other people's electronics. I have ruled out static electricity as well, because in most cases I don't even need to touch the items -- just get near them. \n\nThe last time it happened in the span of 3 days my (only 3 month old) laptop fried, the electronics in my 8 year old car toasted next, I blew out not one but both land lines in the house, the microwave AND the dishwasher conked out (both cases turned out to be electrical issues). \n\nIf you google around, you will see we are not alone. \n\n\n 1327862990 +Ahem. Formal announcement: \n\n*"There ain't nothing to see here. Move along."* 1341030926 +I have exercised the demons!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1318291932 +Dude. It's the **US** highschool system.\n\nIf you don't get caught with a gun or drugs, you pass. 1325996394 +I understand why it sounds like such a facile statement.\n\n[This talks helps provide the necessary foundation](http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/202214-1) for what it means. It is actually a rather easy set of general guidelines. "Eat well" can be problematic, since "well" is ultimately influenced by possibly wrong general guideline.\n\nWhile people should be wary of the naturalistic fallacy and argument from antiquity, it is still useful to consider that we evolved along with the evolution of various types of food available. Rapid changes in available food could conceivably happen faster than our biological adaptation, with those individuals who are conscious of what they choose being more fit to achieve better health. 1317081594 +Well, I'm not sure what you mean by arcs. From what I perceived as I watched, they traveled relatively straight, or perhaps in a long arc. If you are referring to shorter arcs, or sudden movements, I believe those are entirely due to my poor camera phone work. You might be right about the speed though... It would help a lot to know what altitude they were at. All I can say is that the speed seemed to be relatively constant in that as it was overhead the speed was much quicker compared to the background, and as it approached the horizon it slowed in comparison to the background in a way that suggested constant velocity. I am fairly certain they were not aircraft, the travel across the sky was too fast for that. 1343600725 +Yeah... except that at take of and landing, it can be literally seconds. If all they have time to do is yell "We're going down, BRACE!" that's the warning you get. If part of your reaction time is pulling out your headphones or hanging up your phone call, rather than instantly putting your head between your knees, that might be all you get.\n\nYou would think that you would notice the plane taking a nose dive, but your reaction would more likely to be "hmm, something is wrong, I better pull out my headphones" having already missed the one and only intercom call you get. \n\nIf you doubt me, go listen to black box recordings of plane crashes. For example, PSA-182 going down they had almost no time to react. Granted everyone died anyhow, but my point is you have basically no time to react, and you want to use that time to follow whatever few instructions you might get. 1356952141 +My father flew F15's in the air force and saw weird shit all the time. 1288357304 +The ocean grows every time you flush a toilet. 1346338656 +> In a recent study, fires treated with homeopathic sodium were extinguished much faster, and caused significantly less structural damage than untreated fires.\n\nBeautiful. 1347050321 +Hey, I keep those around but I just take a sip out of it, or half tops. I would only drink the whole thing in a case of like, falling asleep driving or some emergency. 1304816755 +Ive never shared this with anyone but here goes:\n\nAs long as I could remember Ive been having nightmares about being abducted. My dreams would often be interrupted by an alien of several common types as described by others and cause me to loose control of my body/voice in my dream. At this point I would normally wake up in a cold sweat. These aliens often appear out of no where in my dreams often while Im dreaming about something completely unrelated. But as soon as I recognize it is an alien I immediately lose control of my voice and body. I often have these dreams in conjunction with a house I used to live in as a child. The earliest dream I could remember was me waking my brother up asking him to look at a light outside, Im not even sure if this exactly was a dream either. Another one I remember was an insect with familiar alien eyes flying outside my window trying to get in. An incredibly vivid one was one where I am in my house and I realize that the aliens are coming, I resign myself to the fate and upon seeing the aliens I extend my hand and say something to the effect of "nice seeing you guys again" to which the lead alien a tall gray immediately and telepathically told me "That is not necessary". There were different types of aliens there including one that was tall and odd looking but similar to a type that people have described in the past. Then smaller grays grabbed my hand and lead me outside to a very bright light through my front door. Mind you that all these dreams are occuring in a house I have not lived in for 14 years or so. I have never done regression hypnosis so I can only remember these dreams. Ive heard that some abductees often have frightening and vivid nightmares such as mine but it could also be that I have had a lot of interest in aliens for as long as I could remember. \n\ntl:dr - I may or may not have been adbucted 1351573548 +anybody else remember the "windorphins" from ebay a few years back... no...i bet they have the same efficacy. 1330458671 +>According to the Exopolitics Institute News Service, " ... there is good reason to conclude that Kettler’s ... claims are part of a psychological warfare operation that may be related to planning for a false flag alien event."\n\nAgreed. The last step in the plan to militarize Earth and protect its caste-system, is to militarize space. And we can't do that without an "alien threat."\n\nI've been hearing about reptilians for some time. 2001 or so. The only problem is that there's not a lot of eyewitness testimony. And the testimony that there is, is extraordinarily unreliable -- in a field where reliability is already a question!\n\nNow, don't get me wrong. I've seen demons. I've heard them. I've felt them. Their fundamental rule is to emphasize separate states. Disunity and disharmony. They're pretty much everywhere, just nagging ideas to the untrained eye.\n\nCan I imagine a whole species dominated by archons (eg, reptilians)? No. Can I cite Galaxy Quest, V, the snake in the garden of Eden, the Dragon of St. Michael ... as evidence for the existence of reptilians? No. (Especially when you consider that man's limbic brain is somewhat reptilian to begin with.) 1351523372 +Hey op, just a heads up...you can link to a certain section in Wikipedia by typing a # after the url and then the section header. So you can link to 'criticism' by linking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McClintock_effect#Criticism.\n\nSomething I found out recently. The more you know...! 1325541700 +There are two sorts of chiropractors. Some work from accepted medical science to treat skeletal and muscular problems. Others claim that all physical ailments can be treated by manipulation of the body's bones and muscles (usually the spine, as I understand it), despite the lack of supporting evidence for this claim. Presumably your chiropractor is of the non-woo variety, while the OP's is woo-ful.\n\nI'm not sure what the ratio between the two sorts of chiropractors is. 1337618989 +da fuq you mean, 2012 is almost over its been happening dude. 1353013999 +Maybe it's not known *enough* then. 1342302979 +what does having a pc have to do with it?\n 1350080677 +>Ok, so you are fat.\n\nBest way to ensure your voice is ignorned in [/r/skeptic](/r/skeptic) is to resort to ad hominem attacks. It breaks down your entire argument to "well, my facts aren't that solid, and I don't have any evidence, so I'll just make fun of this guy". \n\n*clap, clap, clap*. 1329643773 +I did some work for MUFON. I converted testenmonies of military pilots in to digital format. I was amazed at the storys right from the pilots. They know planes. What they encountered most of the time was never reported.\nOnce you filled a report, you were flagged as "nuts". THis would effect your career.\nThere are some amazing strange things going on right now. MUFON is there to try and figure some of them out. 1294430957 +Personally I believe a person should be allowed to do any harm to him or herself if they choose to. I'm not saying you shouldn't engage these people in conversation and attempt to enlighten them but if they choose not to listen then the repercussions are their own. And people will try to capitalize on anything, I'm not really sure what to say or do about that. 1325893682 +"One should respect public opinion in so far as is necessary to avoid\nstarvation and to keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond\nthat is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny, and is likely\nto interfere with happiness in all kinds of ways." —Lord Russell 1350636080 +So, is Bieber a Zeta Reticulan? 1355868692 +Are we declaring the magnetic bracelet officially dead now? That would make my day.\n\nI suppose that everyone buying the $1 cheap rubber bracelets to support everything from Lance Armstrong to [just saying hello](http://24hourwristbands.com/order-custom-one-inch-wristbands/) because they "look cool" has provided a reasonable substitute in that market. 1344009122 +>Because one group has had 2 months less of sex than the other group and that the two groups weren't deviating, they were just remaining separated\n\nSo basically, you're arguing that abstaining from sex for 2 months will result in a 60% reduction in the risk of acquiring HIV over the next 2 years. \n\n>It's pretty tiny given the size of the samples, the numerous biases, the flawed methodology, and various other confounds\n\nActually, it's pretty close to the result seen with similar studies looking at other interventions for reducing the risk of HIV infection. Looking at the pre-exposure prophylaxis studies, for instance, in the [iPrEX study](http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1011205) there were 36 infections in the intervention group and 64 in the control group after a median of 1.2 years (N = 2499). Likewise in the [TDF2 study](http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1110711), there were 9 infections in the intervention group and 24 in the control group after a mean of 1.1 years (N = 1219). In the [Partners PrEP study](http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1108524) there were 13 infections in the intervention group and 52 in the control group (N = 4758).\n\nThe studies were conducted in similar populations and give very similar results. 1346246234 +But what if the patient knows placebos work? 1278125211 +also I searched medline, academic search premier and alt health watch databases and could not find the article. Here is the Journal's website http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/aip/ 1299363767 +Aren't there some viruses that use RNA but not DNA? 1291230806 +Sorry, but the bloop's been explained.\n"[The sound is consistent with the noises generated by icequakes in large icebergs.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloop)" 1354448714 +Eating a controlled diet will reduce your chances of developing diabetes but I've never heard of fasting one day and eating normally the next. Something else that reduces your chances of developing diabetes (if you are already at serious risk) is doing high intensity exercise (exercise that makes it difficult to speak) everyday. 1315160277 +Get out of here with your [gay science](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gay_Science) 1354857398 +>load of shit, we made up time (man)..time in other solar systems is different to time in ours, cause all it is based upon is the orbit of the sun, our night and day..Time isnt a real thing, its just something we use to measure..this guys a nut\n\nYou are wrong. Time is a fundamental dimension of the universe, hence space-time. Time would exist just as it does now with or without human beings existing to experience it. Time is not a man-made construct. We simply observe it. Time exists as a constant, and we invented the clock measuring system to track its passage. For more information, see Einstein's Theory of Relativity. 1344955069 +there's some reflections (2 similar colored rectangles when panning down), before the odd halo, that makes me wonder if it's not picking something else up. (Some intended effect). obviously the bit on the back of the hoodie is something. There are crafters who make fun stuff that do similar things. \n\nwhat interests me is what's in the sky, though it could be some display for the games. 1348658284 +Dreams where teeth fall out are a sign of excessive nervousness and anxiety during waking life, FYI. 1342361589 +Clown doctors? Going to the doctor is scarry enough. Why add the trauma of having him in wierd makeup, going through fits and asking how magnets work to the mix. 1335377086 +Nope. Not a word. I wish they had. 1342151797 +I would like to see her teeth, since presumably they didn't change. Also, is that gray hair on her temple?\n 1318723171 +Only if you question it based on pre-kindergarden logic. 1326435409 +Even humans can often detect a "death rattle" in terminal patients.\nPerhaps cats can hear death rattles too quiet for humans to hear. Perhaps they sound like purrs to a cat.\n\nEven humans can detect a sweetish acidotic breath smell in people who are metabolizing their own fats. Perhaps cats can smell levels that people can't.\n\nThere is no reason to jump to the conclusion that something "psychic" must be involved. 1298239576 +If that's the real deal: Sounds like something about a "... make a fire because it's cold. Convenient pleasure" 1356990992 +And it's tight against the skin so all the power goes **deep** into your soul. 1255785543 +Maybe not appropriate here, but have you ever noticed you get phantom vibrations seconds before a call or text? I get them, but I always receive a text...Can our brains process the (radio?) signal phones operate on? 1335081184 +Part of that is because Texas is so red that voting is often not worth it in many places. I know it is unpopular to say but in many cases your vote means nothing. 1343879256 +Well that may be true, I'm not doubting what you SAW, I'm just doubting what it IS you know?\n\nI'd just liked to exhaust all of the mundane options before we start considering ET! 1350895673 +Finally? As in, it's only *just now* been debunked? I think it's been debunked since they were "invented". 1319995255 +Honestly though, Occam's razor could quite easily be overcome by alien/other dimensional technology.\n\nSensory data is just sensory data. 1336996855 +> Except he told you a reasonable explanation.\n\nAnd his reasonable explanation is that atheism is too controversial for people to see.\n\nIt's not just /r/atheism. All atheism related posts are invisible on the front page, and deeper. 1251341836 +It's 28th in UK. Does "the end of the world" mean the end of this heat wave? 1338160540 +;_; I'm 40 with a chronic ankle problem. How long will my training take? 1334894860 +Ha ha! I started reading that thread, and thought I was still on /r/skeptic. I had several WTF moments. 1317269226 +Oh, so this is the Gellar mentioned in "Nice to Know You" by Incubus. I always wondered who the hell Brandon Boyd was talking about. 1325736794 +Talk to people who were on the base at the time and you'll find that Halt, Burrough and Penniston are a laughing stock (and for good reason).\n\nThere are a lot of mundane details that believers in the UFO story apparently seem to choose to ignore. 1348401552 +>Which is the same as suggesting that the jet engine preceded the auto\n\nI don't get it?\n\n>I take it you've never read Lord of the Flies?\n\nI was forced to, and hated that book. What's the relevance? 1313576867 +That is the second most flying humanoid i have ever seen. 1309092834 +I agree with your last point: "control" is very different than "reverse." However, type 2 diabetes cannot morph into type I. They are completely different disease processes, even though the end result of both is high blood sugar. 1350415662 +Somebody, quick, grab the lottery #'s. 1318146349 +Ah, thanks, I didn't see that!\n\nThat's pretty much what Wakefield was trying to do with his "study," wasn't it? 1344541293 +Our bodies are machines as are our brains which make up our consciousness. When the brain shuts down, so does our awareness, thought, and experience. It can only be like shutting off the light in a room. On, then off. The only question left to ask is whether the light flicks off or dims. 1325665935 +Time to move on? The point isn't to convince Ray Comfort. That would be pretty much impossible, and the hosts of the show know it. Instead, they're trying to plant seeds of skepticism in the mind of theists watching the debate. There are a lot of theists that are less crazy than Ray Comfort, and more open to evidence and questioning their beliefs. 1305254881 +This is the indisputable truth, if you are a low information, incurious, GOP base or Tea Party member. 1326303067 +You are neglecting those that, either because they are too young, or for other medical reasons can NOT be vaccinated. They are the ones dying in outbreaks of diseases we thought we had conquered. It only takes a small percentage drop of vaccinated people in a population to lose our 'herd immunity'. This is precisely the reason children are now dying in affluent western countries from things like measles. 1303869253 +Nicely done and not insulting (which I especially like). 1288111769 +I concede your point on the difference between murder and manslaughter. However, I still have a problem with seeing what they did as negligent. As you say, negligence is about failing to meet a standard of care but I feel that deliberately withholding care is a different matter. \n \n[Here's](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-15466999) another example that doesn't involve any beliefs. This child was burned when she was held in a scolding shower and died up to a fortnight later from the burns. Look at the prosecuter's comment right at the end. \n \n> A total failure of both these two defendants to seek medical attention may well have been because both knew that Eva Logina had done this and both therefore wished, given the relationship, to avoid the obvious consequences of bringing it to the attentions of people who could treat it because they were gross injuries. \n \nThe mother was charged with manslaughter and child cruelty, but I have a hard time considering that to be neglect. Maybe it's not murder as they never intended their victim to die, but it should be consdered more than being criminally negligent. \n \nNINJA EDIT: I decided to look up manslaughter to get my head around it better. I found out that [involuntary manslaughter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manslaughter#Involuntary_manslaughter) contains two types: constructive and criminally negligent manslaughter. Constructive manslaughter is pretty much what I was talking about, therefore my entire arguement is now rendered void. I shall leave my post up as it took me a while to type. 1320331797 +Try this [link](http://eztvstream.com/documentaries/this-world-spains-stolen-babies). 1319538854 +It is! A smudge on your camera lens! 1322265156 +The National Inquirer? Jeezus, really? 1350245148 +Anybody have any suggestions to make sure they realize how stupid this is and how it undermines the goals of the university and the museum? I work there so I can't piss off to many people. 1318443097 +I looked at some of the rest of the website. I noticed a consistent usage of the word "seen" when the grammatically correct word would have been "saw." To me, this tends to suggest that each of these supposed first person narrative accounts were written by the same person. I seen the consistent grammar flaws in these narratives and became more skeptical about their authenticity. ;)\n 1344976382 +Regardless of how hard you threw them, they should not have landed where they did. I mean, you could throw them harder and they would probably break, but that wouldn't affect distance. \n\nMaybe they fell on a corner/hinge, and they sorta… rolled? 1343432553 +LOL that's the reason I won't start the thread now. 1338152681 +You are right. But you also serve as an example that we might be quite alright alone, but it's better when we're together with someone. 1320640646 +Did they try launching them? 1285605026 +[u/joshuakevinperry](http://www.reddit.com/user/JoshuaKevinPerry) 1352399813 +I was kinda hoping that at the bottom it was going to be the ship from Spaceballs. 1297132511 +Given the history of the US government, this should end about as well as that IRS investigation of Scientology a few years back. 1297106921 +No I understand that. I'm just talking about the popular belief out there right now that claims that weed is harmless. Kids really buy into this! Fundamentalist potheads will advocate that weed is harmless without sufficient evidence to back it. A skeptic does not advocate something that is not backed by sufficient evidence. And I was stating the only side effect of weed known to me. 1332791474 +could you link us to the footage of the wingless planes ? 1321999629 +I believe it is *A Magician Among the Spirits.* And [here's](http://www.thegreatharryhoudini.com/occult.html) some additional info about Houdini and the occult. \n\nEdit: I can internet. 1356397841 +That's not accurate either. \n\nThe 9/11 Truth movement (for lack of a better term) has an enormous amount of credible data - much much more than the official story:\n\nhttp://patriotsquestion911.com/\n\n... the only people who still believe that the 9/11 Commission report describes an accurate story of how a bunch of cave-dwelling Saudi's (with nothing more than a couple of razor blades) orchestrated the most horrendous attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor... are now more commonly known as "9/11 Faithers" (given their blind-faith in Cheney/Bush dogma).\n\nMoving along... I do agree with you that there are a lot of anti-Government folks that have irresponsibly adopted the "9/11 Truth" movement as their own. \n\nJust like the Republicans would love to drop the "Birthers" on the curb, so too would most of the authentic 9/11 Truthers (ie. military personal, engineers, architects, federal agents, etc) wish they could distance themselves from lunatic fringe.\n\nIn other words, not all Republicans are retarded "Birthers". And not all Truthers are anti-Government nutcases. \n\nIn fact, most Republicans pray the Birthers would just go away... just as most Truthers pray the anti-Government lunatics would just keep their craziness to themselves.\n\nFocus on the legitimate, well established research and information organizations for factual and rational Truth:\n\nhttp://www.ae911truth.org/\n\nRespectfully. 1249622272 +I carry my keys outside with me even if I'm just going to the mailbox, for this reason.\n\nOf course, in my case it's usually one of the two dogs throwing the deadbolt. 1331813501 +I didn't downvote you. However, you can't make that statement with any authority in the same way that I can't say definitively that aliens are in our midst. 1304469346 +3 points:\n\n- Ideas born from other wrong ideas can only be coincidentally correct, so there's no point in seeking out info from places that embrace wrong ideas as dogma.\n\n- If you find those sources interesting, use them in a different way.\n\n- If you use them the way I suggest (to understand the human condition) you might actually improve your cognitive tools, which might be much better than calibrating a bullshit detector. \n\n 1354800714 +> If you've ever met a conspiracy nut - a good friend of mine became one - it's quite horrifying. She has failed out of what was a promising career in psychology, is incapable of having a healthy relationship, has developed an eating disorder, and now spends most of her waking hours on infowars.com. Despite seeing psychiatrists on a regular basis, her delusions are so powerful that the admonition of doctors have become part of the conspiracy against her. It leaves us all wishing we had taken her harmless interest in whacko 9-11 truth theories a bit more seriously, back when it would have made a difference.\n\nUnsubstantiated, anecdotal, subjective, obviously biased, and ultimately naive. \n\nYou seriously don't question the official story? 1315808703 +Check out the last episode of ["Lawrence Leung's Unbelievable The Experiment"](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu0XXLMWaas) for a great example of how far some people will go to fool someone.\n\nThe episode actually gave rise to what I termed "muse's law" *that it's more likely that your the victim of an elaborate hoax to make you think you're a psychic than that you really are one*.... To the victim's credit, I'm almost certain I'd have been questioning my view of reality after every thing they did to him. 1330434070 +But with the open fontanel, I'm thinking hydrocephalus. It makes me wonder what baffled "medical experts" they consulted. 1351544265 +There's an area a few miles from me where all the TV transmitter towers are, and if I'm parked anywhere near there my keychain car alarm transmitter won't work unless I hold it next to my windshield wipers. 1318553492 +You might find this interesting: http://www.slate.com/id/2278314/\n\nGo to the map in the middle and press the play button. 1298798784 +I think they sell it in Mexico. You can get it on eBay. 1344880171 +This needs to be at the top. You immune system is not something you can "boost" for beneficial results, nor is poor health due to a "weak" immune system in most cases (HIV, etc)\n\n 1296941105 +First time I've seen it... 1288295162 +Phototropism and gravitropism occur after the plant is bent. It's an adaptive mechanism that ensures the damaged plant's survival.\n\nIn other words, the crop circles are created in whatever way, shape or pattern. The crushed plants, which are not irreversibly damaged, begin the process of growing towards light/away from gravity causing the cell elongation on one side. 1344461528 +Uh, yeah, that's what UFOs are. Unidentified. We don't know what they are. I'm not saying aliens, I'm not saying humans. I'm saying unknown, therefor interesting. There's LOTS of that. 1343934321 +I have experienced medical benefit from chiropractors, however it's nothing that I couldn't do on my own were I to study anatomy a little better. For instance, about twice a year (as a result of repetitive motion at work) I pinch a nerve in my left shoulder causing myself a mild dull ache. The first time it happened I went to the chiropractor, because he was a family friend and offered a free treatment. \n\nWhile I was there he showed me a way to stretch my neck to the opposite side of the pinched nerve, which when done regularly for 2-3 days relieves the pressure, and my shoulder stops hurting for a few months.\n\nSo in my experience, yes they can provide medical relief, but no more so than Jim down at the general store giving you advice. 1329427030 +I think the approach here is all wrong. It is not your burden to disprove the hypotheses of homeopathy. If she asserts it's true or doesn't have her mind made up, she has to present the arguments and evidence in favor of it. Even something as strange and unintuitive as quantum physics has enough experimental evidence to justify it as a worthwhile model. 1295759364 +It can't get better than this:\n\n\n* Believing that only one ideology could ever make mistakes; constantly demonizing that ideology while ignoring the faults of ones own (a particulary Liberal fault). 1314384985 +He is handsome for an older fella! 1317463576 +sometime when im at home and its just me and my gf ill hear my name come from up the stairs. I know no one is home but it still creeps me out. dont feel bad im sure it happends to every one at one time or another 1333397282 +Does an apple from a small local orchard taste better because it's organic? Or just fucking maybe it's because the farmer took the time/care to ensure only the best varietals were grafted onto his orchard, controlled the sugar levels, processed the fruit without damaging/bruising it? And if he went to all that trouble/expense to grow a great apple, damn sure he made it organic because that's an easier selling point than all the other variables that went into its production. 1323505679 +Well, it's always good to know that no matter how low I go, there are people willing to go lower. 1341472070 +>Citation needed. The amphetamines were initially researched by military to improve performance of healthy people, and the adderall[1] brand mix of amphetamines is commonly abused by healthy students for exams[2] .\n\nYou've just provided an example there - people without ADHD get a high, increased energy, and can pull all-nighters for days straight. For people with ADHD, it slows them down, calms them, and helps them concentrate.\n\n>"No, ADHD is falsifiable,"\nYea, right. Let's start with the claim above, which is simply false.\n\nIf you think it's false, then demonstrate it to be so. I've already explained how it could be falsified and you seem to have no argument against that.\n\n>Which is utterly distinct from things like cancer and more similar to 'lump on the leg' or 'slow walking'. Suppose we got some "slow movement syndrome", which is diagnosed on basis of subpar performance at running 100 meters, and we treat it by prescribing common sports doping (not even steroids that increase muscle growth, no, just the doping that boosts short term performance). That's exactly what is being done.\n\nHaha your dishonesty is amazing. You think being unable to function in society is comparable to not being a great athlete?!\n\nIt's more accurate to compare mental disorders to musculoskeletal disorders, where somebody's movement is impaired so that they struggle to climb stairs or walk long distances. This is diagnosed through behavioral markers (e.g. inability to extend limbs beyond a certain point, reported pain and difficulties associated with certain tasks, etc) and treated through various therapies until the person regains some autonomy and ability to function in their world. 1348367603 +To answer the question that most people think but won't ask--yeah, it would just be massages. No happy endings. 1348859174 +The response to this one is "the drug companies can't make money off of it so nobody will fund a study." 1288825118 +lol I don't think so, but I will forward it to my fiance for verification. 1348245266 +Nice one. 1332942774 +>I consider school a place of learning factual truths\n\nthis sounds like what our standardized testing advocates. having set facts they have to learn before the leave, instead of teaching kids *how* to learn and how to be critical of any information is the more important function of school in the modern age. 1335990094 +>places like [1] /r/MensRights keep telling everyone that accusations of rape by women are 99% false\n\nCitation needed. 1345160816 +Your username and reply seem to be about as in sync as OP's pic. 1293733813 +Caustic Soda is a skeptic friendly,hilarious podcast about all the worst things the world has to offer. Highly recommend it for the "Lesser of two evils" segment. 1335706403 +[This little girl](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Rosa) did it for therapeutic touch, you should be able to set up something similar. 1290818725 +If you believe this to be a real thing look up old records for your house, and see if a Susan ever lived there. Seems to be a logical starting point. 1347208229 +This article is from 2 years ago. Why are you digging it up now? 1322467421 +The one that isn't even in production yet? Yeah, okay. 1329749353 +Its all good. I knew what you meant. 1353106636 +Y'all been trolled. 1310364989 +Stop posting this shit. 1337482360 +I am certain that things are much more interesting than we can imagine. Thanks for the thought, it definitely gives me something more to think about. \n 1342529536 +I like watching them too from more of a, "What if", rather than the, "Holy shit it's true" aspect.\n\nLook, I think that it is very probable that E.T. has landed on Earth in the past. The problem is that there is not any proof beyond the circumstantial that this is the case. 1318631093 +either a little schmutz on the camera, or a UFO\n\nonly two logical explanations ha 1336307178 +I wouldn't count myself among the ranks of the Zeitgeist Movement but I am a person who values good science fiction, because looking at what might be in the future can help us figure out our values in the present. Looking at the endgame isn't just foolishness. Just because we're not post-scarcity yet doesn't mean we never will be. 1314198244 +Think this way. Why would they be showing us they are here, without plopping down and saying hello? Maybe they have a reason, like some galactic policy about non-interference or something but it only is for newer species/races. Also with everything our government already does and keeps from people, why not this? So then maybe they are taking risks to show us "Hey, their is a lot more to this than you know." \n\nWhy do ancient civilizations, that were completely separated by both time and distance, all draw the same things when it comes to "aliens"? 1348071730 +Did you ever tell your parents? I think they were fucking with you. 1340445035 +Good luck. 1318985162 +Good luck. 1332814484 +Good luck. 1335201951 +Man, I totally missed this bullshit. Anyone got a link to the original? 1345492550 +...but I'm a Climate Scientist, and I have a total of 25 years invested into my education and research center. Without global warming, think of the jobs that will be lost when climate scientists are out of work! Think of the children! 1325247644 +whats with the thumbnail? 1285167982 +If that's the case, then I'm still correct in saying that it's scientific in at least the smallest possible way - the complexity is what allows for 'degrees' of scientificness...\n\nThis debate is similar to the [No True Scotsman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman) discussion. Dr. Long's work, however painfully wrong it may be, has some of the characteristics of the scientific method. Moreover [Layne_Staleys_Ghost's](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/lpqo1/no_words/c2umlq4) comment, in general terms, that the collection of anecdotes is not scientific in the smallest way possible is false. Depending on your object of study, the collection of anecdotes may be an important step of your experiment. \n\nI guess the only real reason that it's important enough for me to drive this home is that I think it's worth noting that bad science is as dangerous as anti-science. 1324312671 +Nothing to see here. Move along now. 1328822199 +same boat. i come from a fundamentalist christian background. =/ 1309573256 +I know this is a old post but I just found it. I have access to these documents and more like them. They are part of a larger set of files about the ghost rockets, which we will release as part of a [documentation project](http://ghostrockets.se) on UFO-Swedens ongoing investigation into the phenomena. 1328030414 +I agree. I've had this discussion with my husband many times. Scientific methods just won't work with this supernatural phenomena. 1327326563 +> scientific documented evidence\n\nCan you produce any of this evidence? Also, before you call me closed minded, see [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI) on the subject. 1287355301 +Can you substantiate those claims? How do you know he hasn't produced anything? The wikipedia article doesn't mention anything about that. 1345384977 +They're not that vehement. Penn Jilette seemed to [backtrack on the denial](http://reason.com/blog/2008/07/03/penn-teller-and-climate-change) after the fact. 1355720708 +I've been glued tight to this laptop for 3 hours waiting for him/her, riveted and anxious both. Thank you for relieving me of my post. 1335480214 +So because the San Antonio Humane Society and the SPCA of Central Florida aren't HSUS sanctuaries, that makes the HSUS bad... how? 1301659315 +C'mon, people, let's do some basic math here. Unless the objects are like 10 miles across (which they'd need to be to even be seen) they are in earth's atmosphere, not "near the moon". Interesting UFOs, but the moon is pretty much just a backdrop here. 1334606513 +Yeah. If the large companies did discover it had scientific merit, they'd just use their immense production power to flood the market and make more profit. As it is now, they'd rather not be linked to pseudo-science. 1330593123 +i know right im glad to see someone who read it like me 1335697221 +He's right about not being able to buy one at Sears. They wouldn't insult their customers by selling such a clunky, amateurish piece of shit. I don't believe that it was designed by a real engineer. Must be a homeopathic engineer with just a tiny fraction of the knowledge required. 1283878878 +I can't wait for these logical fallacies to be incorrectly pointed out in the near future. 1304813904 +Well, you wouldn't be laughing at just the idea, you would be laughing at people who were victimized by the misinformation that you've deliberately spread. Homeopaths do recommend suppositories with homeopathic ingredients anyway, so this whole "Ha ha, wouldn't *this* make them look stupid" is moot. They are pretty damned good at victimizing people with their misinformation as it is. They don't require anyones half assed attempt at humour. 1334939160 +Have you ever probed these memories via hypnotherapy? Or do you have dream-echoes of this experience? 1348078125 +Strange how defending their cult brings out this type of venom in people. 1321646979 +>In all likelihood the story of Jesus started as a Jewish adaptation of the story of Horus\n\nSounds like the [nonsense](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Christ_in_comparative_mythology#Ancient_Egypt) spouted by [zeitgeist](http://conspiracies.skepticproject.com/articles/zeitgeist/part-one/#horus). I'm an atheist and I very much doubt historical Jesus, but Zeigeist is so full of bullshit it's not even funny. (Okay, it is a little - but mostly due to how bad it is) 1311683175 +Especially when other doctors write them letters explaining it. 1267559611 +So THAT explains why I hate the dentist. Novocaine doesn't do a damn thing for me. 1290024718 +Desperate people do foolish things. 1309732073 +I can't wait for this graph to somehow find itself in an email titled\n>FW: FW: FW: FW: FW: FW: FW: DON'T EAT ORGANIC FOODS!!! 1355337526 +Rockefeller has a legitimate reason to desire more information on the subject. He's likely pretty far down in the intelligence hierarchy around the same level or a little higher than US presidents. I don't see anything sinister about it. 1342808770 +I must have missed that being posted here, fair enough, perhaps a comment in that post would've been better placed though? 1351265290 +When there are affordable preservatives available that have no mercury in them, I find it disingenuous to continue to use mercury. \n\nOn a mass production scale, I have a feeling that the extra cost to have 3 single-use vials instead of shipping vaccines in a 3-dose vial would be fairly affordable. Perhaps I'm wrong, and using single-dose vials would cause an undue strain on vaccine funding.\n\nIf I was provided with compelling evidence that there is absolutely no link between mercury and autism, I would support funding to continue research into finding the true cause of autism...that being said, \n\nI find it "reasonable" to embrace the concept that a small percentage of the population has a sensitivity to even trace amounts of mercury compounds. I have heard of children who have died from an allergic reaction to peanuts, so...can we agree that mercury should not be the first choice when selecting medical additives? 1350859884 +Ha ha ha ha ha 1315550822 +Far better with George Knapp. 1324666750 +If one works 1 out of 1000 times, and the other works 3 out of 4 times. Is it dangerous to suggest the first one? YES.\n\n\nAnd in reality, most alternative medicine(and this diet and homeopathy) have no reliable evidence that they provide any benefit at all, and good evidence that they do not provide any benefit.\n\nThis alternative medicine you speak often spoken of from china... have a listen http://goo.gl/kaY9J 1311009958 +Was he ever really IN the closet? 1348444182 +Isn't it a little inaccurate to have different information for different languages in Wikipedia. Wouldn't it be more efficient and accurate to have one page translated and with the same supporting references? Isn't the truth the truth in any language. 1338104244 +\n>Just as some people might not comfortable being a man or a woman, some people might not be comfortable with their sexual attractions. This doesn't mean that those attractions are inherently wrong or are a disease, any more than a person being transgendered means that it is wrong to be a man or a woman or that either of those requires a cure.\n\nBut why does the person with homosexual attraction feel uncomfortable? Is there any reason besides the taboo placed upon homosexuality by society and religion?\n 1354426255 +The homophones are attacking, the homophones are attacking! Run! 1249239710 +> sensory organs incased in bone.\n\nWhat are these? 1351989115 +Now you skeptics have gone too far. Arsenal is clearly the best team to use in this analogy. What you're doing is shameful and you should be ashamed. 1354265326 +TL;DR: You're too gullible. 1288391411 +> I think the project is "proof" that it can't. It's mostly shunned by the community and the only explanations are still wildly unscientific and equally preposterous.\n\nThe scientists are the Hessdalen Project publish their results in peer-reviewed, non-"out there" journals. They present their findings at scientific conferences. They are held up as one of the best examples of a "UFO" investigation by many mainstream UFO writers. \n\nYou are part of "the community". If you see people ignorantly ascribing wild, preposterous explanations about the Hessdalen Lights it's your job to correct them. 1355591438 +I had this revelation while on acid in 1992 but no one listened to me. 1352108716 +Although I have had many a paranormal thing occur in my life.... the one instance... that this same thing happened to me....I discovered it was my cell phone screen turning on, then shifting to dark screen mode. No idea why, but the whole room lit up and it freaked me out. 1332141494 +If the milk is kept sterile, then Salmonella can't get into it. Though if present, you're quite right. 1338313323 +Logic and Religion have NOTHING to do with each other. In fact, they are at odds with each other. That is one reason religion is such a terrible idea, it is ILLOGICAL!!! The author of this article is a complete moron... 1276014271 +More on this from the Huffington Post (which is kind of ironic):\n\n[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/27/dr-christine-daniel-cancer_n_984087.html](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/27/dr-christine-daniel-cancer_n_984087.html) 1319063804 +Yes, this is true. I still don't see how you disagree with him.\n\nYou seem to be under the impression that he is somehow attacking science when his talk is about how remarkable our universe is and how much we've learned about what we don't know and how we've learned it through the scientific method.\n\nThis video should not be in this subreddit. 1348706791 +Yeah It wasn't till after I had wiped my laptop that I realized how many pictures and videos of things I wanted to keep were gone. Dropbox is perfect to keep this from happening 1340905033 +> Oh, those look like ice particles that form on the outside of the engines and break off.\n\nAh, no wonder you had down votes. Rational explanations are typically not welcome here. I'm not sure why people would be surprised that a bunch of particles would be floating around right after a piece of equipment just broke. (especially since they are talking about just that in the audio.) 1326994829 +I'm shocked that the downvoting system here is used to get rid of comments people don't agree with, this is supposed to be a skeptic's community, it should promote (in a way) people disagreeing and discussing it properly. Instead we seem to still have the reddit voting system that gets rid of comments based entirely on how it makes us "feel". I know this has nothing to do with vaccinations, but 2 hidden comments (that are actually sharing calm opinions relevant to the topic) is not a good sign for this community.\n\nI do support vaccination (duh), but the idea of "forcing" it (which I don't think, based on what I read, they're fully doing?) raises issue of freedom/human rights. It's such a grey area, I can't say what I think about it. But I can imagine it getting worse if it's left alone, so I quite like the idea of them needing to prove their case so they can opt out. \n\nEdit: I'd also like to hear from everyone who is downvoting me, this is surely a community based on discussion? I got really excited when I found there was a skeptic's community on here, but it seems a little ruined by the voting system as usual. One which encourages quick, and emotional judgement. 1349685977 +Are you sure you aren't near a wheat field? Because I just consumed a (probably alien-modified) beef. 1297381495 +>Nothing *phases* me anymore.\n\nStop lying about the moon landing and gibbous the truth! 1346148792 +You need to be pregnant to produce a placenta. It forms from a fertilized egg, and serves to exchanges nutrients between mother and fetus. 1283814894 +I worked there a couple of years. When I started having "experiences" I thought I must be a nut, so I asked a few people around who had worked there longer than me, and everybody had stories and told me not to worry. One person had experienced a full apparition, right where my office was. Another lady had experienced detatched footsteps running past her (as in hearing them but seeing nobody attached to the footsteps as they ran past her). All in all it was a pretty creepy place, but there was only one spot in the building that felt "menacing", and I'm pretty sure that was a different energy/entity to the one that pestered me all the time. In fact, the "menacing" one was enough to me that I stayed well away from that area at night. I'm getting chills right now just thinking about it, actually :/ The last straw for me was when I walked into the area where "it" was, and felt so uncomfortable, almost ill, and then, though it was the height of summer and over 30C outside, my breath condensed into fog clouds (yes, just like in the movies). It was freezing in there. So I just turn and got the fuck out. Never went back in there at night. 1347423396 +Wow your just such an E-thug I bet your mother would be proud :)\n\nAnd wait paranormal doesn't ever use science, technology, or beliefs? All I was asking what experiences, beliefs, ect lead you to saying that. I wasn't judging your or what not. But now I am :p \n\nJokes on you too I'm total dead weight right now so you will have to drag me out. 1338929804 +To pull a classic example assosciated with utilitarian ethics, you're coincidentally standing at a railroad switch just as a train is about to crash into a stalled bus on the railroad tracks. If you do nothing the train will crush the bus killing the people aboard. If you pull the railroad switch the train goes onto a different track where there is but a single person (stupidly) sitting down to enjoy their lunch with their back turned to the train. You don't have time to warn anyone. \n\nCertainly, this is an absurd hypothetical situation, but nonetheless there's a point to be made. If you're a Consequentialist (i.e.: you view ethical actions as whatever creates the greatest amount of good as you define it) then it's a simple choice, most likely pulling the switch is moral, not pulling it immoral, but that will of course depend on how you quantify good. If you adhere to most other ethical systems, this may be somewhat of a quandary, you can either act and be responsible for the death of one person who otherwise would have lived, or you can fail to act and more people will die. Unless I'm mistaken these actions are opposites of each other (acting vs. failing to act) [at least in one sense, I'm not completely sure how much I like viewing ethics in terms of opposites just because you can come up with more than opposite for many situations] yet it does not seem contradictory to say there seems to be something unethical about either choice you can make. It is not that you desire to be an "immoral bad guy" instead it's that you're in situation where differing ideals of morality conflict. Generally most of us do not look at ethical situations purely based on consequences, or purely based on duty; we use a mix of the two. As such, situations can arise (i.e.: the vaccination case) that you have conflicting moral impulses about, but, one impulse can be stronger than the other, and one should have reasons why one option is better than the other, but those reasons may not be the same between all people. \n\nPS: I don't actually think it's immoral to forcibly vaccinate at all.\n 1303929546 +I've used the captions a few times now, and have seen about 2% accuracy :| 1267906292 +What the fuck is wrong with you? 1310399173 +There is something else that you may have not considered: we have had almost two generations of children living in the (former) era of measles being eradicated in this country. Is it possible that our children's immune systems no longer "remember" *anything* about measles, thus leaving them exceptionally vulnerable?\n\n**EDIT:** I have two step-aunts who had measles, and they we're left totally deaf. 1304910172 +Thank you for sharing. That's a great story. :-)\n 1347568541 +That seems unlikely since iq is partially based on age. 1346173033 +And the British figures that were published by the NHS showed the opposite 50% higher risk in hospital than home-birth. 1247307761 +[Here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dispatches_%28TV_series%29#MMR:_What_they_didn.27t_tell_you) is a wikipedia article on the Channel 4 programme which broke the story. \n\nQuote:\n> Among a string of allegations, Deer revealed that, when Wakefield claimed a possible link between the vaccine and autism, his own lab had produced secret results which contradicted his claims, and he had registered patent claims on his own single measles vaccine. 1355778786 +We're finally realizing that indeed, the commies *are* trying to disrupt our Purity of Essence. 1295579829 +I looked at your screenshot *and* watched the video. In the video, you can even see the bird do a partial wing flap. I could be wrong, but that's my take. 1331442900 +Ha, ha, good one... 1336514964 +While not a core mission, I think skeptics have an important place in protecting people from fraud and fakes. 1324144471 +Throwing out my favorite scary unexplained mysteries:\n\n[Unexplained Scary sounds from the ocean.](http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/sound01/background/seasounds/seasounds.html) \n\n[UVB-76. ](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UVB-76)The unexplained Russian radio signal nicknamed "The Buzzer"\n\n[The Toxic Lady](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Ramirez) always creeped me out too.\n 1331213103 +That sounds similar to Payne Rd. in Rural Hall, NC. 1347054063 +I guess I can see some ambiguity in my response. I should have narrowed it further. :/ 1338409798 +Alright, fair point ... lets do some do some self skepticism and apply a little analysis.\n\nI made a joke which apparently was considered inappropriate. I didn't intend it that way, but I can see how it may have been seen as such. I was then provided a link to the wikipedia page on bigotry .. with no explanation or comment on my joke, just a link which I'm assuming was an attempt at a clever way to call me a bigot. Now, being a real person, as I'm sure most of us here are, I've had a number of jokes made at my expense and I've made jokes at others expense. These jokes have come at the expense of everything from which hand I'm holding my beer in to the girls I date to my heritage to just about everything .. to jump to the conclusion of bigotry from repeating a common joke is a tad extreme. I mean, if I had actually said something bigoted, there's nowhere to go from there. By using the word in this way it dilutes it for when it's actually appropriate.\n\nNow I'm not going to get into my ethnicity or where I live or anything like that, but I will point out that if I was a lower middle class, gay black man living in a predominantly rich white upper suburban neighborhood .. being called a bigot for a vegetarian joke would be offensive to me, which I'll explain in a sec.\n\nI then responded with a shock response .. which I suppose I should have just let this go, but honestly it was extreme enough it got a reaction. As you can see, another redditor got upset and I simply pointed out it was a joke to clarify I wasn't trying to be mean. I'm not looking for a fight here. However, potentially a bit harsh, I used a nazi comparison. This was done because of the recent daily show events pointing out how the over use of the comparison to nazi's detracts from the power of the comparison and waters it down to what has almost become a daily use, thereby diluting it's meaning. Which is why the use of the word bigot as a reaction to a joke would be offensive to someone who's lived through actual bigotry .. just as a nazi reference on fox news would probably be offensive to someone who survived the actual holocaust. But, again, perhaps it was a bit harsh. However, given the use of the word bigot to a 2 line joke that poked fun at a common misconception (not even an insult to the life style in general) I thought it was at least somewhat appropriate. I think tried to make him realize that an over reaction of this sorts may be why jokes like this, as well as other negative social responses, exist in the first place.\n\nThis is where the obvious difference of opinion regarding social and cultural differences became apparent. He began to point out that since vegetarians are outliers, jokes of this nature only reinforce negative connotations of the group. I happen to disagree with this stance for a multitude of reasons. For one, just because you're different and a minority doesn't make you exempt from having jokes made at your expense. As an atheist, I'm quite aware of this (and from your user name, you are as well). \n\nThis is where you jumped in, but I'll continue with where the above conversation went.\n\nI pointed out that comedy can be used as a tool to get people to become more comfortable with differences they don't understand and are uncomfortable with. I used more powerful differences as a form of emphasis. After all, if comedy can help racism and homophobia, it certainly would aid in the general acceptance of something less intrusive, such as vegetarianism. \n\nThis point was apparently lost on sylvan (whom I recall picking fights in other subreddits, and I believe I referred to him as a troll because his reactions were so over the top a few weeks back). He then began to ask for evidence supporting my previous point, even though his evidence was the wikipedia and one page was 3 sentences long. \n\nHe also made a very comical statement about relaxing tension through mutual respect. Respect? This coming from the guy who started off the conversation by calling me a bigot? I actually did laugh out loud.\n\nAnother comment was about irrational hostility towards vegetarianism on reddit. This may or may not exist, but I can't say I've noticed it. Either way, he's obviously very passionate about this cause. He's also very obviously not willing to find any humor in it, nor ease up on making gross generalizations about me and reddit, which is ironically what he's claiming I'm doing with a two line joke and why he's so angry.\n\nSo ... after reviewing this under a little more skeptical view, you're right, we're probably both in the wrong here. I should have just not let him get under my skin with the bigotry comment, downvoted him (which I try never to do) and moved on with my life. By reacting that aggressively to a joke on the internet, it should have been obvious that he's either a troll looking for entertainment or someone who's not going to listen to me anyway. I mean, this is in an article where PETA drew anthropomorphic fish-cats and it's title infers insanity. \n\nSo, in the future, I'll try to learn from this interaction. For now, I'm done with that conversation, it's a waste of my time. (says the guy who just wrote this novel .. oh no, a book joke, better watch out for any professional writers saying these sorts of comments only belittle the effort that goes into writing a real novel ... ) However I can say that my opinion on vegetarians is a bit more negative now. I can honestly say in the future I'll do my best to avoid them.\n\nedit: on a side note, you had a good comment, self reflection with some skepticism is always a nice learning experience. kudos for the interruption. \n\nsecond edit .. sorry for the edit, just saw something interesting. I wonder why there weren't any insults thrown at Bomb-20's way. Was the sarcasm of his comment lost on sylvan, or did he just see me as an opportunity for an argument? Either way, seems like quite the selective aggressive. 1296760198 +Violent crime doesn't get reduced by happy feelings.\n\nIf the best argument you can give for prayer is "it gives a positive attitude," then I'm not sure you've got much left to stand on. 1350710836 +We are a new group composed of previous teams that broke up so not yet :/ 1344979652 +I don't get at all why you don't want the study project to see you at all and try not to be visible at the same time. 1340336539 +>It was easily 1000 feet wide.\n\nNot likely. Something 1000 feet wide at 15,000 feet would be still be a relatively large object to the observer compared to other objects in the sky. I could be wrong, but my rough estimation would be a couple of inches across. This is enormous. Your estimation of size and distance must be in error. \n\nMaybe someone else here better at math can correct me on this, but I'm more concerned with how you determine the size in the first place.\n\n>a solid yellow light appeared at 25,000 feet or so ...\n\nHow do you determine altitude? Without triangulation or a relative object by which to determine distance, this is nigh on impossible. \n\nHow can you tell the difference between a small featureless object at close distance and a large featureless object at much greater distance?\n\n>The next night, the same thing.\n\nUFOs are by definition a transient phenomenon. It is very unlikely, if they are genuinely anomalous, that they travel by a timetable. It would make it much easier for us to prove something if they did. \n\nAn unique plasma effect or geophysical EM phenomenon does not operate on predictable schedules either. \n\nIt is statistically unlikely that one observer will be present for remarkable anomalous phenomena on more than one occasion. If such phenomena are objectively real, they must be very rare, which makes observance rarer and very unlikely to repeatedly happen to a single individual. In such cases, it is much more likely to be a mundane cause.\n\nYou tell us that you use psychoactive substances. This is a concern because such use will alter your cognition in significant ways, effects which could last months. Interpretation of events will be altered, as you know. One's perception of what is real or what is possible is distorted, and one's personal connection to the numinous is greatly amplified. Regular use of psychedelics cannot fail to alter cognition even after the chemical effects wear off, sometimes dramatically. I am not saying that your account is untrustworthy because of this, but from experience I know that determinations based upon experiences under these conditions must be treated cautiously. \n\n\nMy advice would be to get a second witness to observe these objects, and get footage of them from something far better than a flip camera. We need steady footage that shows relative size of objects compared to landmarks or other features. If you can do this, your experience will become significant. As it is right now, it is anecdotal and problematic. 1335348890 +Bear in mind that drugs manufacturers are constantly competing to create the next 'untraceable' performance enhancer, which is why all samples can be retested up to (i believe) 8 years after he fact. It's entirely possible that a negative sample can be retested later as positive due to improvements in testing. 1346064305 +[Good movie](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/exorcist/) 1268619697 +What about a poisoned needle beak or micro explosives? Better than drone missile strikes and less collateral damage. Just store these things in the belly of an UAV and release them like a swarm. 1340417931 +I like [this](http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2012/01/mountain-of-the-dead-the-dyatlov-pass-incident/) report, very detailed. 1356042722 +Wow, that guy is hilarious! Could he be the voice of those Zero Punctuation reviews?? 1273520484 +Upvote this people! These guys publish a peer-reviewed journal! \n\n[Here](http://www.scientificexploration.org/journal/articles.html) is a list of freely available PDFs of old papers. You can always start with the great [Guide to UFO Research](http://www.scientificexploration.org/journal/jse_07_1_swords.pdf).\n\n[Here](http://www.scientificexploration.org/talks/) is a list of free videos on their site. 1333724939 +The women who watch them? 1306866300 +I'm here to listen 1298853099 +Try Thom Hartmann out. He is easily the smartest of the talk show hosts out there. (Ok, really it would be a toss up between him and Rachel Maddow; but she is a friggin' Rhodes Scholar, so that should give you an idea what level he is playing at.)\n 1351287005 +Way too fast even for a fighter jet. 1289509735 +Not a glitch. Just a very bad memory on behalf of your friend! 1341747199 +How could that possibly help? 1303155947 +You can reverse the pain relieving effects of acupuncture by administering naloxone which is an opiod receptor antagonist. This was in a lecture we had on opiod analgesia and dependence at the medical school where i study. Thought it sounded a bit dodgy. However it would appear it works by some unknown mechanism to release endogenous opiods. I know you guys are all for evidence so I put acupuncture and naloxone into google and [voila:](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T99-4754B11-107&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F01%2F1976&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1630105349&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=71376dece0d10fe8f5a7b11c15201d6e&searchtype=a) and [this](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4080256)\n\nSo I would say there is something in it as to how it works, I couldn't say. 1296813302 +No problem, but I disagree with you that with the power to destroy a whole planet - any extra-terrestrial intelligence would see that as ant-like behavior; not worth their time. And just to add to that, we do study ants closely, and have been for a long time - we study any beings on this planet (and we venture to study beings on other planets too) no matter how insignificant their "contribution" is, I think that comes with our inquisitive nature as human beings (which could be argued is just a bunch of electronic signals going on in our brain to make us be better able to perform the ultimate task of reproducing), just like astronomy or space travel comes from that very same inquisitiveness.\n\nI argue that intelligent extra-terrestrial beings would have the same kind of curiosity, its most likely one of the ways to ensure survival of the race. It is to me extremely short-sighted and narcissistic to believe that this planet, among an amount of planets that is impossible to comprehend with our brains is the ONLY place where beings have been able to travel into space.\n\nWe have the technology right now to send nuclear bombs into space that are capable of destroying whole planets, have them travel to other solar systems; it will take a lot of time but it will arrive at some point, potentially detonating and causing massive destruction. Blowing this planet to pieces would be easy, blowing up the moon would be a walk in the park - that's with the technology we have today. And to add to that bit; knowledge about radioactive material and nuclear potential has only been available to us for a nanosecond on a universal scale - we just happen to be alive in this day and age and not surprisingly (since we live for such short time) we have problems grasping these massive universal time scales.\n\nWe are far from significant in this universe, but we are also far from insignificant. 1345249910 +Missing holograms programmed to your body's natural frequencies. 1350653677 +[spoiler](/s"John Tyler has two living grandchildren. Holy shit.") 1302570164 +It doesn't matter if people talk or not. Just call them crazy and move on. 1328194440 +Have you ever been hypnotised? If people fall deep enough into trance, you can make them see things and, if they get even deeper, make them no longer see things (or people, for that matter). I guess you do something similar to yourself, simply by convincing yourself that the things you wanna see are there / the things you want to hide are not there. 1354411983 +Looks like your friend in the bad wig got in the shot. 1342627279 +My family vacationed to Gettysburg a few times when I was younger. I think we did the actual "Ghosts of Gettysburg" tour (I think that was the official name of it.) It was a sweet tour, certainly not corny. I think I even have a ghosts of gettysburg tshirt that I bought from the store there. Also, perhaps to accompany the tour or if you are just interested in checking things out yourself, there are a few "Ghosts of Gettysburg" books available. I want to say the author was Mark Nesbitt? I'm not 100% sure on that though. I still have those books, and they are pretty interesting. \n\nIf you haven't already, check out the Farnsworth House and the Jennie Wade House too. Both locations are said to be haunted but also carry great history and interesting stories. Have fun, Gettysburg is a really great place, as you probably know! 1312252706 +When Jim Carrey gets a degree in immunology, he can comment.\n\nUntil then he needs to stick to making rubberfaces and coming out with mediocre movies. 1306932064 +mostly just the established stuff, hauntings started after a little girl named sallie had to endure an operation with no anesthetic. The house has been driving owner after owner out ever since. My roommate went to college in Atchison for a year, i'll see if he has any more he can add 1334866137 +Wow, yup, that's exactly how this went. No memory of me saying anything. Just frozen time and shocked faces. Thanks! 1353178511 +Ah yeah. I have no doubt that it would be easy for a man to kill somebody, and there issue with the so called "magic bullet" was really just a combination of collective ignorance, false statements and misplaced seating. I find the connection (and death threats) on the Kennedys after Robert started cracking down on the mob and the link between Ruby and Chicago rather fascinating. It's all conjecture of course, and a lot of the evidence was either inadvertently destroyed or simply absent, but its a subject that I find compelling.\n\nIn fact, the question never should be "who would want Kennedy dead" but "Who wouldn't want Kennedy dead?" Oswald, if he was acting alone and not by order of another party, did a deed that many many groups, including the Chicago Mafia, all wanted to do. 1343461078 +I'm glad the JREF has started to challenge some of the more famous charlatans publicly.\nI only hope the debunking of every single one of these individuals will also be front page news. 1315334071 +I can't cite this, unfortunately, but I'm of the understanding that plastic bottles require more carbonation of the soda, as the carbonation slowly leaks over time. I think this is the primary difference in flavor. In Thailand, both glass bottle Coke and plastic bottle Coke are available, and the glass bottle Coke does indeed taste better, to my tongue. 1344867359 +I have, but the story begins with "when I was 10 years old", so I don't consider it particularly spectacular. 1335023761 +Purred.. like a cat?\n\nWat?\n 1299041864 +TIL Satan is dyslexic. 1335937568 +Dude, do you have any big hair? Maybe the chip fell off of it and it got stuck earlier when you reached down to get a bowl from wherever. 1342309934 +Thanks for this, you've taken all the things I was too lazy to write and worded them perfectly. 1329190007 +> it may come as a surprise but i dont believe you work in online advertising.\n\n[Mitch Wells (pdf)](http://mitchwells.com/pdf/mitch-wells.pdf) 1330135089 +Google: sleep paralysis dark figure (dark shadowy figure standing at bed is a common theme for some reason)\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnagogia\n\nYou can be conscious and dreaming. False awakenings seem to be common. 1331614060 +I started to go through all their EVPs after reading this, and I got to the one labelled "????". The first time I clicked on it a couple days ago, the page was glitching and flickering non-stop and eventually all that played was this extremely high-pitched scream that made me shit my pants. Checking it now, the page works fine but I am still too scared to click play. 1333030906 +Summary: go back to /r/atheism.\n\nDon't get me wrong, I love the subreddit, but I hate how they have massive circle jerks on just putting down religeous people, especially christians 1337124109 +Yes, you are correct I do know what you mean, I saw an opening and I took it. 1266978835 +Thank you for your interesting insight, although I wonder how much pre-programmed music selections would have affected this particular synchronicity back in 1976, especially since the way I remember it, all of the radio stations that we were listening to, were playing different segments of "You Should Be Dancing" and then after each of the same songs ended at different times on each station they all went back to regular programming, and we noticed that none of the programming was similar, while we triple-checked the radio buttons pertaining to this phenomenal event. 1328149503 +Looks like it's pretty much just [this guy](http://www.reddit.com/user/exopolitiko) doing self-posts. 1294805127 +The point should be that chiropractic was founded on nonsense, which is why the medical community has historically been opposed to it. 1330029581 +I have no problem with the fact that your views differ from mine. Read what you wrote again though. In fact, I'll post the snippet below for you to read again. This is not the writings of a sane person. I'll even go as far as saying that this may be the most insane thing I have ever seen written, outside of fiction.\n\n"I always close my sessions to, not just turn it off; they say spirits can get trapped if you dont close it right. I forgot once and I brought something nasty home with me. I had to have someone clear the box for me before I could get peace in the house.\nThey are very interesting things indeed but also dangerous if done wrong." 1331750464 +On that note, Science Based Medicine also has a whole catalog of articles dealing with homeopathy claims: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/category/homeopathy/\n 1320253260 +How is fucking with the product the right thing? What purpose does it achieve? They will sell those bracelets and countless other pieces of shit as long as they can make money doing so. Does hiding them change that? 1334761612 +Because if you read the statements made by the firefighters on the scene they had reported that the building had been creaking for hours. They knew, based on their training and professional experience, that the building was so heavily damaged that it could not survive. That's the reason that the FDNY pulled everyone out of the immediate area. None of this is secret information and is readily available to anyone with a computer and the brains to use Google. 1290732825 +I figure as long as people are coming in for their biannual cleanings, and other people are too lazy to brush at all, they're probably set. 1338758902 +I got an experience that painfully illustrates this issue though. I got called once to cleanse this house of my friend's mom. They were seeing things I think it was orbs and such, and stuff was kept going missing. My friend's mom was rather concerned with a missing set of car keys she needed to quickly recover. I head down there and use some intuitive and occult techniques like giving the place a quinty eyed side ways glance. With these methods I perceived small fleeting "things" that weren't negative and nothing that would register as a ghost. I considered this in the context of both mythological and occult lore and I figured out what might need to be done. I told her to find a shiny trinket or object that she didn't need and offer it to these "spirits" and ask out loud for the key to be returned and I left. About an hour later she called and said she found a beautiful a aquarium rock and followed my instructions with it. Being home alone for the day she was surprised to find the keys where she had left the rock about five minutes after she left that room. She also later on said that after that there was no noticeable activity like that. I know this is one of my less spectacular experiences.\n\nThere's ten thousand possible naturalistic explanations as to what happened there, and I have not notion of ever offering that story as proof of the existence of the paranormal. There's no way I could even begin to. In my positioned though sometimes all you can do is take it as it is so to speak. 1324415409 +Statistics are so easy to screw up.\n\nCasual observation would suggest that a small minority of religious zealots can do a LOT of damage. 1331603949 +Dangers:\n\n\n[UFO injury reports](http://www.oocities.org/topsecretresearch/injury.html)\n\n[The Cash-Landrum Incident](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QdnFXcvug8)\n\n[USAF Missile Range Incident](http://www.sacred-texts.com/ufo/ufo1.htm)\n\n[The Falcon Lake Incident](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_Lake_incident)\n\n[Zigmund Adamski](http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/yorkslincs/series2/ufo_alien_abduction_yorkshire_pennine_sighting_adamski_mystery.shtml)\n\n[Varginha UFO Incident and the death of Officer Marco Eli Cherese](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varginha_UFO_incident)\n\n[The horrific death of Joao Prestes Filho](http://www.ufocasebook.com/prestes.html)\n\n[Alleged mysterious deaths of UFO researchers...](http://www.2012changesarenow.com/2009/10/lest-we-forget-137-ufo-researchers.html) 1333213136 +Dangers:\n\n\n[UFO injury reports](http://www.oocities.org/topsecretresearch/injury.html)\n\n[The Cash-Landrum Incident](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QdnFXcvug8)\n\n[USAF Missile Range Incident](http://www.sacred-texts.com/ufo/ufo1.htm)\n\n[The Falcon Lake Incident](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_Lake_incident)\n\n[Zigmund Adamski](http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/yorkslincs/series2/ufo_alien_abduction_yorkshire_pennine_sighting_adamski_mystery.shtml)\n\n[Varginha UFO Incident and the death of Officer Marco Eli Cherese](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varginha_UFO_incident)\n\n[The horrific death of Joao Prestes Filho](http://www.ufocasebook.com/prestes.html)\n\n[Alleged mysterious deaths of UFO researchers...](http://www.2012changesarenow.com/2009/10/lest-we-forget-137-ufo-researchers.html) 1333213228 +Dangers:\n\n\n[UFO injury reports](http://www.oocities.org/topsecretresearch/injury.html)\n\n[The Cash-Landrum Incident](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QdnFXcvug8)\n\n[USAF Missile Range Incident](http://www.sacred-texts.com/ufo/ufo1.htm)\n\n[The Falcon Lake Incident](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_Lake_incident)\n\n[Zigmund Adamski](http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/yorkslincs/series2/ufo_alien_abduction_yorkshire_pennine_sighting_adamski_mystery.shtml)\n\n[Varginha UFO Incident and the death of Officer Marco Eli Cherese](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varginha_UFO_incident)\n\n[The horrific death of Joao Prestes Filho](http://www.ufocasebook.com/prestes.html)\n\n[Alleged mysterious deaths of UFO researchers...](http://www.2012changesarenow.com/2009/10/lest-we-forget-137-ufo-researchers.html) 1333213240 +I suggest we apply this "spiral of silence" to Rebecca Watson. She needs to learn to put the emotion aside. There are so many other great women in the skeptic community, such as Sara E. Mayhew. 1321143039 +they could also join a clinical trial of some kind or another. they may not save their kid's life, but they may help save lives down the road. all they'll do with those bullshit treatments is lose their money on wheat grass enemas and similar crap 1356569953 +According to the wonderful *Bad Science* (Ben Goldacre, available at finer bookstores everywhere), part of the process involves knocking a vessel full of the preparation against a specially prepared leather surface. So perhaps that gives it amnesia? 1328294155 +Actors and comedians are often less outgoing, but the thing is that individual personality doesn't really vary all that much over one's adult life. Besides, you are essentially just adding error bars on for the astrologist, who simply got it wrong. 1341775019 +So...low-hanging fruit is often defined as "Easily obtained gains; what can be obtained by readily available means"... 1340774843 +Exactly - the math equation assumed that 100% of people would know certain things by the time they're 30. That's a pretty big assumption! 1336654044 +IT'S ON NETFLIX?!?! 1317712007 +Most logical answer so far. 1355214514 +>I really don't want to use the internet as a source, but here\n\nOMFG. Are you *seriously* suggesting that isn't a (bad) fake? LOL\n\nSeriously - when you can provide peer reviewed evidence that supports the existence of the supernatural, get in touch. Until then you are simply making things up. 1327518763 +No problem, when I consider for a second that this could be true it blows my mind. 1342409515 +http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D0Gb6WNXX14Y%26feature%3Dplayer_embedded&feature=player_embedded&v=0Gb6WNXX14Y&gl=US 1321432893 +His whole speech revolves around two main points. One about 9/11 over which he is clearly mistaken and two a ton of silliness about one court case he was involved in. It's hardly a convincing argument for a point that is actually pretty well understood by now. 1347389464 +>One idea is that he has some sort of camera and he wears something in front of his eyes that serves as a monitor, \n\nStick your finger in front of your eye - at eyelash distance. \n\nTry and focus on that finger. I sure cant. \n\nThat wouldn't work. \n\n 1311187914 +I did gave one that I genuinely believe is the actual phenomenon at work. It's the 'ghost at disneyland' video.\n\nYou don't agree that it is. Well that's just great! You already called me naive over it. I don't see a point for you to argue with the naive or the gullible. So i'm saving you the trouble. \n\nAbout me giving you that NQghosthunter stuff. Yes, I wanted to make a point: multiple cameras don't matter. It doesn't give any more or less credibility to the subject as a whole. Is that more comprehensibly rephrased?\n\nYou keep saying that it's acceptable if it has multiple cameras. But at the same time you keep proving my point over and over. It completely does not matter if it is on one or two or a million. \n\nYou want a perfect video, with a perfect setup of a perfect situation of a thing that is inherently unpredictable, it is a behavior, it is accidental, it is sentient. We can't give it orders, we do not know the limits of what it can do, we have no idea when or why.\n\nAllow me to put this into context with an analogy of trying to proof a fast, shy, light fearing monkey. You are asking that we set up multiple cameras in a well lit lab, showing a monkey doing a specific task that is extremely rare for a monkey to do 'in the wild'. Instead of accepting the circumstantial evidence of people who accidentally stumbled upon one, told stories about them, brought back fur and chewed on branches and make photos of fast moving creatures always to fast to capture clearly because they stay in the shade. And everytime such a story comes up you tell them they are delusional, they faked the bite marks, say the photos are always fuzzy and never really show anything; so these monkeys don't exist, well maybe just maybe, but until they are found you are going to say they don't.\n\nI think that pretty much sums it up. It's asking for a completely wrong kind of evidence. I'm saying that we don't know how to capture these monkeys yet let alone that we can take them into a lab to give you what you want. 1336681739 +Why would she need a hearing aid in a silent film? Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnnn! 1330606043 +It's not that it's safe because nobody is stopping me.\n\nIt's that the danger is so minute, that it's not worth the effort to prevent it.\n\nAnd in most places you can receive a citation for driving on completely bald tires. With commercial vehicles, they can be taken off the road for it.\n\nThat said, we still live in a world where cars drive towards each other at 100kmph with nothing but a painted yellow line between them. 1356919045 +I never stated that the government proved the phenomenon exists purely by investigating it. I said the fact that they've conducted multiple, official investigations lends credibility to the possibility they exist. It makes the phenomenon harder to dismiss. 1339083331 +Wait, meaning that the Earth would actually rotate physically? Have to be a pretty huge asteroid, with a very strange orbital path. 1334414280 +>>so there's something going on there.\n\nCOOL STORY BRO.\n\nGet it on video and talk to me. 1348032692 +I find it pointless to argue with people that believe in those conspiracies. It's a waste of time. The reason they believe in that shit is because they REFUSE to listen to logic and facts, so they certainly won't listen to yours.\n\nA friend of a friend started going off in a frenzy about how Bill Gates has been secretly "vaccinating" Africans with AIDS instead of helping them. Now, being the strongly opinionated and confrontational person I am, I was about to start an argument with him, but then I realized that it was exactly what he wanted, and absolutely nothing I said would get thru to him at all. Sometimes, it's better to just leave these loons alone. 1340936740 +Real. Because why not. It's stone henge. 1349820991 +I don't understand this graph at all. There is yellow bobbles of various sizes and distances, which plot the number of copies of a text and some duration. That's all this graph shows and it's not even good at that (I don't count the table as part of the graph, as it is a table) 1334159204 +What happens when you try?\n\nIs a firewall somewhere blocking that?? 1293249567 +Ditto. Especially for things like beets, carrots, and potatoes, where the pesticides are absorbed right into the part that you're eating. 1331410957 +I think a visual image might speed up such arguments to where they should end up. [This](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Iron_Lung_ward-Rancho_Los_Amigos_Hospital.gif) one is my favorite 1297265718 +"There is an ancient Indian saying that something lives only as long as the last person who remembers it. My people have come to trust memory over history. Memory, like fire, is radiant and immutable while history serves only those who seek to control it, those who douse the flame of memory in order to put out the dangerous fire of truth. Beware these men for they are dangerous themselves and unwise. Their false history is written in the blood of those who might remember and of those who seek the truth."- Albert Hosteen (Indian elder in The X-files) 1351215994 +Thank you, I love speaking about my passion! 1352929243 +The point that -every- skeptic here is missing is that the world is consuming more resources than it can renew. Whether you like it or not, the current system WILL fail and it's only logical that a system based on resources will hold up better. 1296506818 +I'd lay off the cheese before bedtime. 1344629829 +This may be what is referred to als the "Werther"-effect.\n\nhttp://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werther-Effekt\n\nOh, just realized that this is called "copycat suicide" in english, so was already mentioned here :) 1339419864 +The "exorcism" was just a really, really powerful placebo.\n\nYeah, I'm out of ideas. 1281925480 +But nothing else on the radar moves... 1299222382 +I love how it takes advantage of "hologram technology" if that were true, my marvel card collection would've made me the greatest athlete at my school. 1321931546 +he probably just likes yellow. 1279039175 +Maybe \n# http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies\n# http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correlation_does_not_imply_causation\n# http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proof_by_example\n\nadded:\n# http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_picking\n# http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasty_generalization\n# http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wishful_thinking\n# http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_ignorance\n# http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature 1286726241 +I totally get that! :)\n\nI'd probably whisper the odd time too just from habit! 1349469909 +Hypnotism is real, one can hypnotize a person however not against their will. \nPeople who are hypnotized are willing participants and have mentally given themselves to the hypnotist. \nThe myth that one can hypnotize another without their knowledge is a myth. 1319595195 +Wonderful, you've successfully employed the use of sarcasm to end any real possibility of a genuine discussion of the topic. 1313660875 +there wasn't really anything negative in your link, except for the founder stating that he 'embraced all religions' which, although bullshitty, doesn't really effect the practice. 1278792288 +Conceded, though you can try to build re-evaluation into your ideas 1306239642 +my junior year prom date was a lake michigan surfer. he and his friends used to go every weekend, weather and conditions permitting. 1322019927 +Yeah, I would have been fine with him being banned from attending. I don't find a zero tolerance policy to that kind of crap objectionable.\n\nStill not a rape threat, I can have a nuanced opinion can't I? Can both the asshole who tweeted it deserve to be banned for something unacceptable and not in any way funny and Rebecca's use of it seem sensationalist and distasteful? 1351153486 +Slam dunk. 1336882502 +I got a bunch of shit for trying to get a flu shot from my doctor, what was explained to me was that I was too young and healthy and old people needed it more. 1351134901 +I might, if I could sit in the nosebleed section. 1325562702 +I was thinking reflected light in the pane of glass...then lights flew across the sky...now I'm not sure how that was done/what that was. 1341995998 +You should seriously post more your stories are great! 1345040115 +As cool as this would be I'm not even close to holding my breath...and we have one more day until it's proven to be a load of bunk. I predict some message after nothing happens stating they had to push the 'decloak' back for some reason. These kind of things seem to be the UFO hoax de jour lately...starting with the Blossom Goodchild twit a couple of years back.. at least these guys are not talking about how this information is coming from "Ashtar Command" and through Channelers. :p\n\nAnd if they do show up, well, I have a worn pair of leather boots I'll eat. 1287513895 +It's not common. A few companies do it, though. 1311444446 +Extremely important part of the linked study is this:\n\n> The number of contrary unpublished reports that would be necessary to reduce the level of significance to chance (p > 0.05) was conservatively calculated to be 87 reports.\n> ... \n> It is our opinion that this degree of selective reporting is unlikely to be found in all 12 laboratories, due to the time required to perform the pertinent experiments and the lack of funding available for them.\n\nI'm not gonna bother with this review because even if I went through all the studies they reference and triple checked their methodologies, there would be no guarantee that we'd get anything besides a sharpshooter's fallacy as a result. For whatever reason, they took into account the possibility that the measly 12 labs that they reviewed hadn't reported negative data, but failed to consider the fact that any number of other groups could have neglected to publish negative data. How many did? We really can't know.\n\n[Very important related video featuring Ben Goldacre.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKmxL8VYy0M) 1351111367 +There's a good chance we fixed climate change or fixed the ozone hole? \n\nWe certainly did a great job with the CFC ban, and the ozone layer will eventually firm up (still take decades). But we have not addressed anthropogenic climate change at all. \n\nExcess CO2 lasts a long time in the atmosphere - I saw a study that showed that even if we stopped emitting any CO2 whatsoever, levels would not start to fall until 2500, nor return to 1700 levels until 3000 AD. If we want to return the environment to normal we will have to actively remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Not only are we not doing this, not only are we not reducing our emissions, we're actually increasing annual output, and in fact, the rate of increased output is itself increasing (not only did we make more GHGs in 2011 than 2010, but the difference between the two was larger than the difference between 09 and 10). 1335068787 +I got what he had to say, I just think I'd be out of my element to go further. Not that I was unable to grasp them. Sorry about all the confusion, my childish attitude frequently gets me in trouble! 1314253805 +This is simple. I have had crazy demonic things happen to me before. I'll tell you a small story so you don't think you sound crazy! I remember shutting a door and I had a bad feeling but I refused to shut the door. I heard this loud demonic voice yell "DO IT!" so I did it and then I started to pray. It went away instantly. Something I have learned about demons is literally when you mean it "Lord Jesus, rebuke you!" if you throw that at them, they will really start to go the fuck away. Also keep your mind about you that the woman your mom was with could easily be mislead depending on her faith. All demons need is a door open but you can close that door whenever 1348438970 +They threw out a lot of studies whose only "flaw" as far as I can tell is that they disagree with the premise of the book. If that's not a bias I don't know what is. 1343169348 +You're right, but we can still do more than just stand and look. For example, people said this UFO was out to the East, so I would have at least driven out that way to try to get a closer look and judge its true distance.\n\nThe RC airplane idea was more for places where people claim to be seeing stuff all the time. There's allegedly a major UFO hot spot and all-around spooky place a few hours South of me, so I'm tempted to check it out and see just how active it really is. If it turns out that there are non-horrible odds of something happening down there, it could be worth geeking out on... 1302063750 +Perhaps you need the Michael Shermer ten point [Baloney Detection Kit.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUB4j0n2UDU) 1333165226 +"each of you an individual chord" - A strange assertion\n\n"one definition of health may be that that chord may be in harmony" - A nonsense phrase reminiscent of popular vibrations woo\n\nTwo of his three "big" issues with headphones:\nSchizophonia - There is no evidence of this being true\nCompression - No evidence that it makes people irritable vs. non-compressed music. "It makes you tired to have to make up all that data" Even if there WAS research about this he just pulled this reason out of his ass.\n 1285423149 +They lost me when they refused to wear deodorant. 1346350341 +Don't get me wrong, I am a Christian, but nothing in the Bible or Christian belief rules out the possibility of extraterrestrial life.\n\nIn fact if you believe God created not only the Earth, but the whole universe as well, it seems illogical to believe that he left the rest of the universe is devoid of life. Especially considering the size of the universe and the amount of life that abounds on this planet. 1322014594 +I wouldn't say "proof", more like "arugement by mudslide". Pouring on lots of crap that muddies the debate and which you have to clear out before you can procced. 1302670706 +I have tried to explain the carvings and "astronaut" looking statues without involving Aliens and UFOs ..... but usually end up with a less than satisfying explanation.\n\nCarvings like [this one](http://www.google.com/imgres?num=10&hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1920&bih=1038&tbm=isch&tbnid=kr1EpKncMWdPoM:&imgrefurl=http://mysteriesexplored.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/ancient-flying-machines/&docid=c5a3PFep6iF4IM&imgurl=http://mysteriesexplored.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/abydos-helicopter-photo.jpg&w=450&h=278&ei=JCnbUJmiGaS2iwLG4oDgBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1593&vpy=293&dur=6200&hovh=176&hovw=286&tx=111&ty=92&sig=112472537868744255573&page=1&tbnh=130&tbnw=204&start=0&ndsp=58&ved=1t:429,r:17,s:0,i:142) of flying machines only add fuel to the AA theory. \n\nI tend to lean on the side of Ancient visitations and possibly colonization 100,000 + thousand years ago. 1356540628 +I've also read another study a very long time ago stating that the size of one's brain has no real effect on their intelligence. 1308517718 +>the top 10 floors can not be treated as one "rock" of mass, while the lower treated as only 1 floor at a time. because each time the upper hits the lower, each lower floor is going to destroy an upper floor. \n\nBut where would the 'destroyed' upper floor go? They don't just vanish. To stop the collapse, all of the falling rubble would have to decelerate to a stop. On making contact with each floor on the way down, it loses some momentum, but when the floor collapses it gains momentum as it falls some more. They didn't find a completely intact 10-floor chunk at the bottom, did they? I'm sure it got wrecked too.\n 1332619909 +Now with the Higgs Boson out of the way, we can finally focus some real effort on the tough problems. 1344065173 +Every time my mom talks about hardcore liberals, people that complain, or atheists, she refers to them as skeptics. \n\nI tried to explain to her that she clearly doesn't understand the term. Well, mother is always right, and I am wrong. 1324353248 +Tally Ho is the closest thing I am going up with, looks like it was a bar or something in chicago at one point. its not a city. Came up with nothing else. 1354286520 +Of course I agree and I do believe that is the likely explanation. But seeing as it is the only facet of life where I have even considered that something spooky might be going on, I have been motivated to give it a further analysis. A phone is an electronic object. Is it possible that it is giving off a higher frequency sound or something else that my brain can detect subconsciously? 1327517033 +Definitely a CB whip. 1354126527 +I don't understand why this post is at a negative karma number. Even if people disagree with the points made it was lucid and civil. Have an up-vote. 1351962621 +>the speed of light is not the fastest anything can travel, this will be proven in our lifetime.\n\nHow do you know this?\n\nI find it amusing that you accuse those who work within the confines of our best understanding of reality, of being unscientific. But you just assert that we'll find that the speed of light is not the fastest anything can travel, without any evidence to support this.\n\nI recommend that you read some books on the philosophy of science, "What is this thing Called Science?" is a good introduction.\n\nNext you'd say that it's unscientific to disregard claims about the invention of a perpetual motion machine. 1316991196 +MMmm I wouldn't necessarily agree. You did attempt to make a factual statement. But you had the balls to admit you didn't know something. So all is right in the end. 1355635562 +While there was a lot of crazy in this film, I have to say that the symbolic interpretation of The Shining is pretty interesting. I was pretty impressed with the interpretation of Danny playing on the hexagonal floor while wearing the Apollo 11 shirt. That's pretty transparent symbolism. I wonder now if Kubrick knew that people thought he had faked the moon landing, then made a film that was an "admission" of it. And even aside from the moon landing nonsense, the interpretation of the hotel as America and Kubrick representing himself as the business and creative side, and then having to destroy the creative side because he is driven crazy in the hotel, seems to have a decent case behind it. \n\nConspiracy theorists are fun because they see too many patterns. But for literature interpretation, that is actually a useful asset :p 1351608021 +Why's that?\n\nAnd I said no such thing, btw. 1348417139 +Skeptics should keep an eye out for the "House of Numbers" movie/"documentary" that such denialists are citing these days. It's likely to show up on the radar of the bad thinkers you may encounter. There are a number of write ups by skeptical/scientific thinkers. 1273266044 +You have to have a pretty dysfunctional knowledge of economics to think the power supply will ever be 100% nuclear in any region of any real size, let alone the whole world. 1354589563 +Don't forget the people who are just unlucky enough that the vaccine didn't take in their system. For them herd immunity is critical too. 1308379241 +Thanks for the info. 1317076669 +Thanks for the info. 1331907932 +I totally agree. I mean, I know the host is a little bit annoying, but at times I find him funny. Plus, I think some of the tools they use are really awesome, like that one box thing, where the spirits can say certain words through it? I don't know how to explain it.. Ah hah. But anyways! Totally agree. 1339443200 +Great article SciPhile, I have been laughing very hard at some of their responses. Mind numbing logic they have haha. 1327275633 +What about Mexico City? Does that count? because those fuckers see massive displays like every third weekend.\n\nAlso, Manhattan over the summer...\n\nPhoenix Lights...\n\nLos Angeles "Air Battle"\n\nLights over D.C.\n\nI mean, the list goes on and on... 1296171213 +People are skeptical of YOU, because you refuse to debate everything, yet you basically accuse everyone else of being foolish and uninformed. 1320998926 +They had me at spaceships that look like WW2 Dakota cargo planes. 1336393320 +It sounds a lot like they simply spin the water around in a blender. 1332005103 +Exactly. 1311568413 +Exactly. 1345085311 +Exactly. 1345422327 +Exactly. 1353513073 +Exactly. 1354704639 +Exactly. 1321505019 +Exactly. 1337199867 +Exactly. 1346176311 +there are no bigfoots (bigfeet?) on that side of the state. it's more likely to be a bear. 1342510914 +Commonly referred to as "crank magnetism". 1343434060 +I would personally say the whole 'rule of non-interference' thing is b.s, based on a stance of logic. If they were truly non-interfering, our kind would have no knowledge of them in the first place. Why is it then that they're now so heavily embedded into western pop-culture? This leads me to conclude a few things.\n\nThey could be simply observing us the way we do with other creatures of this planet. If there is anything to abduction phenomena, then I'll point out how similar it is to our practices of zoological study. We track, tranquilize, take biological samples, measure, weigh, then either install a radio collar or an implant of some kind for tracking purposes. Are humans interested in sharing knowledge with monkeys? Not really, because they wouldn't understand most of it. I would hazard a guess that extraterrestrials may view us in the same light, otherwise they wouldn't abduct people and would have introduced themselves publically by now.\n\nI don't doubt for a moment that there likely are advanced civilizations amongst the cosmos, but maybe they have no interest in us? The information on the various humanoid species I read about constantly could all be total fabrication. I have no idea, and no way of corroborating it. It takes a leap of faith, and I'm not the type of person who operates on faith. Faith can be beneficial as a foundation for hope and directive for some people. For others it can be a catalyst for fanaticism of many forms. 1335854694 +>I don't see why hundreds of people need to be involved. It would only take a few people with access to off-limit areas over a long period of time.\n\nAt the risk of starting yet another long thread on the subject, no it would take much more than that. I presume you're saying a few people with enough time could secretly plant enough explosives. This fails because of the tubular frame construction of the WTC towers. The structural members were the **outer wall**, the solid bits between the windows. These structural members weren't in "off-limit areas", they were right in the freakin' **faces** of the people with the window offices, and there were, in fact, no "spaces" at all. The structural frame was distributed all around the perimeter, which would have required **hundreds** of explosive devices planted **inside walls** without any bigwig corner office guys even *once* complaining about the mess left by the drywallers and painters that would have been necessary to clean up after such a placement.\n\nIt's an ignorant argument, just like all the rest of these cockamamie conspiracy theories. 1315498612 +I'm using words like those because they are in my vocabulary and happen to be useful. So no, I'm not 'acting like a douche'; I'm simply conversing as I regularly do. That you can jump to such a haughty conclusion about me based solely on some large words I used is somewhat unbecoming. 1336850866 +The exposure time on that shot was long, hence your long glowing trails. It's not because they're moving at a fast speed. 1344399052 +I think you mean something like this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyposensitization ?\n\nWhere increasingly large doses of the allergen are given as a sort of vaccine. \n\nI would guess that the amounts of allergen present in homeopathic remedies would be too small to have any effect with this kind of therapy. \n\n 1253925776 +And there is no reason to assume that is would.\n\nThe dutch soccer team "used" these. They won everything, but lost the match from Spain. Fark: The powerbalance bands were designed in Spain. 1294223934 +I think so. She also has bruises in her arms, so maybe this is a domestic abuse? If so then her husband is really messed up. 1349512271 +I live in Boca Raton, about 20 miles S of WPB, and I haven't heard anything from anyone. I was outside at 3 a.m. this morning for about an hour. I saw Jupiter. Orion. Oh, and a special treat cause I was out so late ... Procyon!\n\n... But no UFO's. 1354998548 +Rubber band until necrosis does the job. 1317921198 +Ok. I was thrown off by the whole seeing a ufo in an old movie thing. Going into it already dismissing it in my mind. Then i watched it. Then i watched it a few more times. Then i imported it into final cut and zoomed in as much as i could.\n\nJust my opinion, but i think the initial assumption of a lens flair is incorrect. When you crop it, track it and slow it down, it appears to be an object in the sky that slows down like it's interacting with gravity. I also applied negative filters on it and for the most part, it looks more like an object than just a light reflecting off something. The only "lighting" aspect of it is it looks like it's an object that's reflecting it.\n\nIt's...crazy. Being a skeptic and then looking at something like this. Maybe i'm wrong and someone with better post production experience can look at it and debunk it better but if i would've just stopped at my initial reaction, i would've thought lens flair too. It took spending a little more time with it to drift away from that idea 1333579049 +What is it that makes it seem so? I am by no means an expert, but I feel as if I have a good intuition about things that are real or faked, or evidence that is worthy of speculation and I found this video to be pretty good. 1346007222 +[Relevant](http://mybroadband.co.za/news/wireless/11099-massive-revelation-in-iburst-tower-battle.html)\n\n[Also somewhat relevant](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1440612/?tool=pubmed) 1322572779 +Hey guys, \n\nWe scored a big interview with Travis Walton from the "Fire in the sky" case. Please head on over to the link to post your own question. Mr. Walton will be reading these and answering them next week! 1308951376 +It's just a fucking gremlin 1283709714 +[2] Neutral? That's appallingly off the mark. As the author (Sterling D. Allan) says himself:\n\n*Full Disclosure:**I am seeking a business relationship with Andrea Rossi.***\n\nAlso he reports that the machine operated in self sustaining mode, *a la* perpetual motion, which immediately makes me cringe.\n 1320000693 +Thank you! Very interesting. I'll know what to do with my biscuits at dinner. 1331769150 +A meme picture? Really? 1349105978 +Nobody got autism from vaccination. The two appeared to be correlated at one point, but the correlation turned out to be unrelated. 1320563577 +no change, or did autism rate increase? \n\neither way suck on that, jenny mccarthy. 1337110650 +Thanks. This is definitely a concern of mine - I'm pretty freaked out about radiation in general (I do the opt out thing at the airport every time). Luckily I've only had x rays done 3 times (beginning and end of treatment, plus a year or two later when I thought the problem may have been coming back). They gave me a lead apron and like you'd get at the dentist, but I'm pretty sure less radiation is almost always better.\n\nWill add the book to my list, but any chance of getting a tl;dr on what those risks were? Are we talking about "they might shatter your spine" risks or "maybe it won't work as well as surgery" risks? 1336455473 +I have friends with autistic children and it's so hard when they start in on the crazy antivax or holistic stuff. You can't say anything because it's all taken as a personal attack. You're not just telling them that they're misinformed about the current science, it's like you're calling them bad parents. 1350769123 +John Keel as well. 1323762138 +Fighter planes are way too heavy to fly that slow. I'm thinking SU-29s. 1337518350 +You just completely ignored the post you responded to because you don't want to believe what it's saying. \n\n>WTC7 fell at free fall speed \n\nThis is an argument used for all the towers. It was debunked for the other towers, I know for sure. Although I'm honestly not sure falling at free fall proves? \n\n>had evidence of thermite in the debris\n\nI'm guessing the "evidence" you're thinking of is that truthers like to point out pictures of crazy looking fire and melty looking chunks of steal. This isn't evidence. This is "this sort of looks like thermite". But even that isn't true. Check the link on thermite I posted below. \n\n>Imploded on itself. \n\nAgain, if it did implode on itself, how is this evidence of controlled demolition. \n\n>only steel building to ever collapse from office fires.\n\nYou ignored the above post and are ignoring obvious, blaring evidence that you've probably never seen because you've probably only investigated one side of the story. There were massive chunks taken out of WTC7. There are pictures. They knew it was coming down hours before it did. Not because they were planning to set off explosives. \n\nBut the thing I cannot wrap my head around... How do you justify the NYFD killing so many of its own men that day? What reason would they have? Why would they involve themselves in a suicidal conspiracy. Why would they ALL remain completely silent about it for a decade?\n\n\n Truthers think pretty much everyone was in on this operation. The media, the government, police, fire department, cia, fbi, congress, senate. Hundreds of thousands of people knew about this incredibly heinous plot for mass murder. And nobody objected. And nobody has stepped forward. Not the news anchors, television producers, senators, firemen... \n\nThat makes the least sense of all. \n 1314915618 +She describes her products as "completely toxic free" with "absolutely no side effects" ... Problem is, many essential oils *are* toxic. [Cedarwood](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedar_oil) is one of them, shown in this video. [Valerian oil](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerian_\\(herb\\)), also shown, can cause liver toxicity when combined with alcohol.\n\n**Edit**: One interviewee talked about putting a drop of "RC oil" on her tongue--this is a mixture including such toxic oils as [eucalyptus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucalyptus_oil#Safety_and_toxicity), [myrtle](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0300483X79900805), [pine](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002733.htm), [lavender](http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/lavender-000260.htm)... 1356711524 +I've upvoted because I agree.\nAlthough, you don't know the purpose for my asking for smoking guns.\nI am collecting the BEST evidence FOR UFO & Aliens in order to spread awareness to a cynical world. \nDefinitely spiritual evolution and inner ascension is worth looking into. But people will think I am nuts without proof.\nI only aim to meet the public "half way" before I expose them to such extreme ideals. 1292030392 +Anyone gonna bite? 1278972802 +Interesting viral marketing for the new Thing prequel. 1312006174 +The Best Worst Paranormal Creatures name out there, Missouris own... MoMo! 1331948948 +To be fair, we don't know if *any* of these sightings are legitimate. Stay tuned, I guess. :) 1287002518 +this: "Our vinpocetine assists in delivering oxygen and nutrients to the brain via increased blood flow, and the combination of neuro-specific antioxidants, led by our proprietary AC-11® helps to clear away mental fog and reduce free radical burden. The result experienced by many of our satisfied customers is an extraordinary combination of lucid dreams, mental drive, focus, memory, and mental acuity." \n\nis gobbelty gook basically saying "This pill does the same thing as a cup of green tea (stimulant, antioxidant), but you will believe it helps more because we talked over your head and eluded to exotic and exclusive origins and promised effects that are subjective and nearly unquantifiable (dreaming, clarity, focus). 1337627773 +Polygraphs are used for candidates applying for police positions. Pretty common in Law Enforcement. 1343767576 +So what'd she get? 1324569319 +[Best guess?](http://www.bluetonemedia.com/images/bluetone2012/blog/aliens-guy.JPG) 1354442107 +And a little something extra, not worthy of its own post, but for the five people who actually read this...\n\nThere's a fabulous restaurant on the water called Schooner's Wharf. Cheap drinks, out-of-this-world food, friendly staff. After a sunset cruise with an open bar, we decide that we're too drunk/ lazy to go find something classier and stumble into this place. Talk to the waiter, he gets us even more -faced than we already are. Wife compliments him on his necklace, a piece of eight on a chain. Turns out it's from a shop just across the road, which is closed at that point. So we'll just have to come back for lunch the next day.\n\nShucks.\n\nMorning that we have to drive back up to fly out, we go in again. We eat, I drink, wife goes to shop for a necklace. I drink some more, wonder where she's got to, and go across to find her. The owner of the shop gives us a good deal on a full-sized medallion for her (marked $350, he's letting it go for $250. Is it worth it? Who knows, but I was buzzed and it made the wife happy) and convinces me to buy a small version for myself.\n\nSo we head north, stop off at No-Name Key, which had shown up in a crappy sci-fi book that I had really enjoyed. We drive down a dead-end road, stop and look around. Drive back towards the bridge, see a beautiful gate in the middle of a field. It looks like it should be in front of a beautiful mansion, except it's in the middle of a field with nothing else around it. Take some pictures, drive back to US-1, head north. We stop at a gas station so the wife can pee; as I'm waiting for her, I feel something brushing my arm under my shirt. If I had been on reddit then, I would have been looking to reap some sweet karma from /r/spiders, but instead flail and scream in a manly fashion until I figure that my new chain broke and was sliding down my arm. Look everywhere for the medallion, and it just isn't there. Look in the car, same deal.\n\nWife decides that the best course of action is to drive back to Key West to buy me another one, stopping everywhere we had previously stopped to look for the lost jewelry. We stop at every place that we had paused to take pictures, and shockingly can't find a half-inch silver disc.\n\nAnd then we get to No-Name Key. As we cross the bridge, the sun drops below the horizon. If you've never been to this out-of-the-way island, there are about twenty people who live there off the grid, and there is zero artificial illumination. And Key deer, so you have to drive slowly.\n\nWe pull over at the gate in the middle of nowhere, stop the car, and get out. There is just enough starlight to see the gate 100 yards away, and it looks creeptastic. Like something is waiting on the other side with a delightful assortment of power tools, waiting to film the latest episode of This Old Serial Killer. But we scooby around like champs, shining flashlights everywhere, looking for the glint of silver. We find neither lost coin nor vicious monster, and feeling better head to the dead-end.\n\nNow this dead end is at the end of a quarter mile straightaway, and you can just barely see the bridge from the end. So we pull right down the end, k-turn, and park. We walk slowly up and down, not wanting to get too far from the car because SPOOKY! After about ten minutes, I spot a glint from the ditch to the side of the road. Success? No, alligator! So now my wife drives slowly beside me with the door open, so I can jump in if need be, because I'm too wordy to be eaten.\n\nWe decide that it's a lost cause, and I call the jewelry shop to see if he's still open so we can just go buy another one. Successkid.jpg, he is and we can make it back before he shuts. So I hop in the car, we drive towards the bridge, and lights show up from another car across the bridge. A box truck drives over, stops right after the one-lane bridge, pretty much in the middle of the road. Brights on, pointing right at us. And there is a nasty sense that these people don't want us here. We drive as quickly as fear of killing a small deer will let us, edge past on the shoulder, and drive to the main island. As we look back, two shadows get out of the truck and just stare at us until we get out of sight.\n\nI got a new necklace, and we drove really fast back to the airport.\n\nTl;dr I saw an alligator and two guys in a box truck, none of whom wanted to point me in the direction of lost and found. 1351919228 +I prefer this: http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/audiophiles-cant-tell-the-difference-between-monster-cable-and/ 1289072148 +Montauk monster... 1321736933 +Interesting... And as others have said, most likely a sham. 1319546475 +You've just drawn a conclusion from anecdotal evidence... while complaining about anecdotal evidence. 1341870038 +Eliezer is also organizing workshops on rationality in the East Bay area (SF/Berkeley area). There is a signup form on lesswrong. 1341606335 +If you want it to be something extraordinary, that's just what you'll make of it.\n\nIf you want to start from the ground up, it sounds like you've seen a Chinese lantern, and all the people downvoting that suggestion are just fanatics who think everything is ET.\n\n 1352549232 +While it is a testable, and therefore valid hypothesis, Occam's razor says that they were hired for TV because the melting had already been self-inflicted. 1301751389 +I believe the aliens are immortal, and their bodies are only biological machines used to access the physical world. I believe an entire different world exists. Like if an Alien dies, only their body dies, their spirit is released. I don't know how long it would take, but it would be in a different sense of a world until it had the chance to obtain a new body, and another chance in the physical world. 1349453447 +Well smartypants, the OP just asked if anyone had seen any. I figured if anyone wanted details, they would ask. And if you'll look at the other replies, you will see why I didn't go into an explanation.\n\nI will go ahead and tell you about one experience. I went on a trip to Philadelphia and went to walk around City Hall. At one point I saw the strangest thing: just two legs hanging in the air and a woman standing not far from them crying. I found out later that there used to be a gallows there and everything made a bit more sense. 1332356982 +https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_Hobbit 1349376061 +If this subreddit experiences it's own "glitch in the Matrix" moment, will it be more reasonable that I'm in another person's dream?\n\nWhat if I'm dreaming right now, and when I wake up this subreddit is gone without any trace of it's existence? Whoa. 1326428344 +Kinda weird that he deleted it. 1349787126 +So what you're saying is that if I'm not doing the research to get the approval of others, I shouldn't be doing it at all? I don't care what others believe or don't believe. I do this because it's what I enjoy. 1352862146 +I feel dumber for having read that. 1330333780 +Whoa, whoa...this is r/paranormal. No debunking here, thankyou very much! Every outlandish claim is as valid as the next. 1327663502 +Oh, funknut. . . don't make yourself trollfodder. Some know history and understand it, some recognize propaganda and refuse the koolaid, some don't. If folks won't do their own due dilligence and choose to leave an entire field unexamined because they want their closed mind to be seen as all "sciencey" by their peers, what can one redditor do?\n\nScams and their artists come in all flavors and all disciplines, and here it is used as an excuse to not have to work at research to make an informed decision. Science is about asking questions and making observations, not about following the status quo. 1328202183 +\n\n>If the kid has enough calories otherwise, the soda won't do any good.\n\nBut again there is nothing inherently wrong with soda. Might as well ban all olive oil and butter too, in case someone accidentally consumes too much ??? wtf???\n\nSoda is for taste, as with most candies. Maybe we should ban WoW because it's also "possibly unhealthy". You can't go with "possibly".\n\n 1319659647 +I've been threatening to my friends to conduct a blind taste test, but I simply haven't left my house for weeks. 1301004218 +My mother suffers from it, and is hardly the type of person prone to hypochondria. I wish I could discount it so flippantly, but the pain she experiences seems quite real to her at least.\n 1323467859 +I was south of St. Augustine Beach on Anastasia Island in St. Johns County, FL. It happened a little after 21.00 1321563802 +1. This is largely factually untrue as no complete gun bans are in effect anywhere in America. It's not about personal aversion to guns, it's about a legitimate disagreement on what is best for the public interest. \n\n2. I'm not aware of many vegetarians who want to outlaw meat, but for those who do I understand. They place a much higher value on animal life, some even going so far as to say animals are equally valuable life as humans are. They think it's immoral and cruel to kill animals, so they want to ban it. Similarly, a lot of conservatives think a 4 week embryo is equal to a human life, and they want to ban abortions. "If a liberal doesn't like abortions, she doesn't get one. If a conservative doesn't like abortions, she wants all abortions outlawed." \n\n3. I'm not aware of any difference in likelihood for the poor to accept public funds based on political ideology. That said, red states on average receive more federal funding than blue states per capita. \n\n4. I'm not aware of anybody trying to legally force people off the airwaves. The protest against Rush, for example, was focused on his advertisers, utilizing a free market mechanism for action. \n\n5. I'm not aware of anybody who wants all mentions of God and Jesus silenced, just those that are clearly against the Constitution. Conservatives get pissed off whenever anything connected to Islam ever happens anywhere in our country. Attacks against Muslim places of worship have been notable, especially in very conservative areas. \n\n6. Most people pushing for universal health care are people who already have access to insurance. And we want the cost to be shared by all on an income basis. If I'm a rich liberal, I want to pay more. Bill Maher, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, all of these people have stated in explicit terms that they should pay higher taxes, and that universal health care should be guaranteed. 1332962730 +It's not that they are crappy. They are just recording it from a very far distance. The video quality will degrade even more if they are digitally zooming versus going to a max analog zoom level. HTH... 1345502165 +As much as I believe in fairies. 1299195627 +I guess I'm not sleeping tonight. 1327927194 +IMO, everyone serious about the, er...serious side of the UFO phenomenon, should read that list. \n\nedit: That said, I think they should perhaps read some criticisms of each study (particularly the Condon Report) before the studies themselves and then, ask whether or not such criticisms are valid. After all, the apparent validity of the Condon report pulled the wool over many eyes. 1312398625 +Nice try, dancingwiththestars 1347371175 +If I'm not getting my daily dose of diatoms, I get downright cranky. 1339612272 +I think you're being a little naive about family dynamics...\n\nSaying something is starting a fight in a lot of cases, and I'm not even talking about alternative medicine. Bring faith into the conversation, and all it takes is a word to start a fire. \n\nIn my family, there is no middle ground. Either shut your mouth, or build a bunker. 1322162579 +Can't even read. Too infuriating. 1342043498 +I 100 percent believe, I'm waiting for most everyone else to catch up to the mountains of evidence. Non believers constantly get in the way of the truth. Fine, don't believe, but don't get in the way of truth. Let the government continue to lie and deny, that's what they are best at. 1337982311 +Since I was 13? No....but I've also taken several cautions to prevent it such as praying to every god/godeess that might exist and sleeping with a stuffed animal and curling into fetal position before I shut my eyes. 1324260296 +This is from the documentary series [the power of nightmares](http://curtisnightmare.blogspot.co.uk/) from 2004 by filmmaker Adam Curtis. It is fantastic, and a must watch for anyone interested in the war on terror.\n\n\nthe point that the documentary is making is that, whilst such terrorists obviously exist, they are a loose grouping linked by ideology, rather than an organised worldwide hierarchy with a formal structure. It goes on to argue that whilst there is a self evident problem with Islamist terror, the breadth and organisation of the groups has been exaggerated, as finding ways to scare people is an easier way to get elected than finding ways to inspire people.\n\n\nI strongly urge everyone to watch the films, even if you don't agree with the concept.\n\n\n 1343998519 +*shrug* I enjoy top gear when I see it. He just seems to have some of his facts, regarding the envirnoment, wrong, and then likes to rub those he disagrees with the wrong way. 1293928151 +Is this sarcasm? 1306606400 +I'll channel my inner Michael Caine from The Prestige, sometimes the simplest explanation is the hardest to believe.\n\nThat guy was a plant.\n\n 1317657951 +>Even if they do cause cancer, I would expect that being pregnant also leads to an increased incidence of cancer because it is my understanding that oral contraceptives work by emulating the hormonal conditions of early pregnancy.\n\nThough admittedly, the pill emulates this condition for a lot longer than the early phases of one pregnancy. 1294862409 +Just imagine all the secrets you'll learn about that you'll be sworn to secrecy over. And since you're a good employee, you will of course keep your promise and never let slip even the smallest hint about all the secrets you know. 1331044382 +Stencils so many stencils, and they looked damn good too 1298512451 +Is it possible you just hit the water table? Because then you would hit water regardless of where you dug, especially considered that you are doing this ins very moist area. 1308122513 +Does the vaccine completely prevent integration of the virus? I'd be surprised if that were really true. My understanding is that if the virus can get into your cell, it can integrate into your dna. At that point, nothing can get it out. While a vaccine might prevent you from showing symptoms on exposure, I imagine that at least some could get through. 1327886857 +No that's what you implied. Science has shown that chiropractic does not work beyond placebo. For starters:\n\nhttp://chiromt.com/content/pdf/1746-1340-17-13.pdf 1315711380 +Well, when alcohol was made illegal, what happened to the quality of liquor? It was either bathtub gin or Canadian whisky. And you had to deal with a sketchy guy nervously patting his tommy gun to get it. When legalized, the quality and variety shot up, and you only had to deal with an unpleasant bartender to get it. Not saying marijuana production and distribution is exactly the same, but clearly the precedent indicates a similar pattern. 1350617225 +Also, how common is it for presenters to get hammered and walk around backstage asking, "So, how do you know Ted?" \n\n(I *may* have done that at the TEDxToronto afterparty...) 1333239215 +Yep, good for relaxation and stretching. Any other claims some might make are hokus. 1347844252 +Tried that. Didn't work\n 1324270122 +> why you downvoted me \n\nI didn't. Well I have now (to this comment). \n\nI was saying all foods are genetically modified. 1289419885 +OP is James Howlett. Case closed. 1356635595 +i dont know why but this video freaks me right the fuck out. i think its the squigglevision. 1327816266 +I watched this twice. Once by myself, and once with my wife after we saw an article with fMRI brain images in it. Great content, AND the presenter's "aw-shucks" delivery is mesmerizingly adorable. 1356960135 +>No, because I don't really think a google search of "guy dying from 2 hits of acid" would return anything. People die every day and usually the details are not disclosed on the internet when its something taboo like that.\n\nhttp://www.wral.com/apex-high-student-charged-with-selling-drugs-that-killed-a-friend/11662053/ 1351190401 +It's lingo from /r/trees indicating how high I was on a scale from 1-10 at the time I posted this 4 hours ago. [1] 1354782907 +Highlights include the second panel where you incorrectly defined validity.\n\nYou want: Valid iff impossible for premises to be true & conclusion false or (equivalently) Valid iff **if** premises true, then conclusion must be true. You're close to the second formulation, but not quite there. (I've never liked that version sense it puts the modal operator in a weird place. I like it to take as wide a scope as possible.)\n\n(And what else would "true" mean other than a claim about the way the world actually is?)\n\nedit: Deleted a criticism. Misread due to tiny, tiny font. 1317786020 +> Leaders of the Chinese-Turkish expedition said wooden specimens recovered from the structure on Ararat had been carbon-dated to yield an age of 4,800 years. \n\nSo they use carbon dating in support of this discovery. But, Christians say carbon dating is an inaccurate science when it comes to everything else. [Link](http://www.christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-c007.html)\n\n 1272473014 +It's = it is. Applied fifth grade English. 1329543728 +Being aware of how faulty the memory can be and now studying it for psychological pursuits is a bit sad; I wonder how much I've altered some of my fondest memories. 1316831154 +> Why are there explosions in the video?\n\nReally? Did you just link me to a video claiming there were explosions in Building 7 that [even 9/11 Truthers agree is a hoax video](http://world911truth.org/fake-new-building-7-video/)? (Details of how and why this hoax was made can be found [by the person who made it here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8VAsoVuShM)). \n\nOf course, nothing you said in this comment addressed the actual point I was making about Building 7. If I were uncharitable I'd label your response with a large number of comments as a [Gish Gallop](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Gish_Gallop), but I suspect that you aren't doing that deliberately, but are rather engaging in a very standard cognitive error where when one has some data or argument that contradicts a cherished view, rather than examine the new evidence and incorporate it into one's worldview one instead simply [repeats related cached thoughts for one's viewpoint](http://lesswrong.com/lw/k5/cached_thoughts/). This is a common cognitive error, deeply connected to belief overkill and [confirmation bias](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias).\n\nNow, I'm not at all sure that this conversation is worth continuing. I will briefly address some of your points, but I'm not going to substantially continue this conversation unless you indicate some minimal ability to indicate that you can admit when you are wrong (e.g. linking to a hoax video) and can actually address points made by other people (in particular, the actual problem of the motivation behind bombing building 7).\n\nWith that disclaimer out of the way: The fact that some engineers will say something or that some firefighters will say something isn't really good evidence when one considers how many firefighters and engineers there are. For example, Gerard Bouw has a PhD in astronomy and is a geocentrist. The presence of limited numbers of people with related expertise who happen to agree with contrarian views is not terribly strong evidence. \n\nThe passport thing is unlikely but not miraculous. If you do think it was so incredibly unlikely, why would the conspiracy have bothered doing that? Seems like evidetiary overkill. Also, can you explain how Kerik's later convictions have anything to do with anything other than general shit smearing? Are you claiming that Kerik was a member of the conspiracy? \n\n> Why was the steel carted away immediately to be melted down in China and India instead of being examined?\n\nThis is really simple- because no one important cared, (just as no one important now) cared about the 9/11 truthers. What happened was pretty clear to almost everyone. They weren't going to keep around massive piles of steel so that it could get a detailed forensic investigation when there wasn't that much question about what had happened.\n\nRight now, you should think really hard about the fact that you fell for such a transparent hoax video. What does it say about your capability to evaluate evidence in this matter in an unbiased fashion? \n\n 1329800318 +Or Darwin's plan.. 1302633624 +Where do you draw the line between good lies and bad lies? Innocent lies and well-intentioned lies? \n\nInformation has always been imperfect. \n\nKant said that if it's good for one person it's good for all, bad for one, bad for all, so no, libertarianism is very, very far from this. Nozick's Entitlement Theory is the only one that comes close. 1309723854 +Yeah, I'm not clear on that. Not sure they specify the milk as BGH free...\nAnd, is BGH shown to be actually harmful to humans, if it is consumed \nin milk? 1328322838 +The guys in the background are annoying. 1320033504 +Fuck, I'm doing nothing else with my life. Where do you sign of to be a test dummy? 1326126778 +I love posts like these - they always reaffirm the flaws in UFO posts. The first sentence *demands* that we should put more clout into your observations just because you fly a plane. You're still human and you aren't immune to mistakes. 1347959124 +If it's reversed then a second one dove inside at night? Either way, this is loopey. 1353112559 +Try /r/atheism yet? I would have him watch some Christopher Hitchens. [George Carlin](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeSSwKffj9o) at age 12 is all it took me to become skeptical of Religion. 1315644060 +Don't stress yourself out over this 1315292999 +I'd rather live in Somalia than 1984 (North Korea, for example). Freedom has value too. I just wish more lefties would learn that. 1313686399 +While I do also feel strongly about the subject, I think it's important to remember that logic and reasoning aren't in-born traits; everyone, everywhere has to learn how to leave the demon-haunted world for the reasonable one. Some people have greater obstacles than others (like being in a social group that constantly reinforces misinformation). \n\nWe invented the scientific method a mere few hundred years ago; that's less than an eyeblink, considering the length of our species' history on this planet. We've still got catching up to do, collectively. \n\nNow, if we could get better science education all over the damn place, and keep education budgets from being cut first every time the shit gets tight, that would be a step in the right goddamn direction. 1321034073 +But how often? Seriously. It happens often enough to women that it's on their mind. I'm more worried about getting struck by lightning than having some woman rape me. 1351115879 +[Interesting](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depersonalization_disorder) 1318962923 +There's no such thing as a regular schedule of payments. I'm not too experienced with how developmental programs are managed, but it's surely not a "fire and forget" approach, rather projects that are financed and controlled for budget and effectiveness by the Swedes.\nAlso - if that's what you're alluding to - the timespan of the program was not altered, it runs from 2012 to 2013, just as described in the strategy paper. \n\nAfter that period, Sweden might choose to offer a follow-up developmental program ... or not. 1346949457 +The general idea was to remind people not to sin, I think. I'll admit to owning one as a kid. 1317593013 +Interesting list... 1227229646 +Agreed, but wanted to say your username is fantastic. 1346581487 +It was pretty much accidental, I was playing with fire and it wasn't all the way out when i threw it away. The fire marshal didn't believe it was an accident and i got sent to pyro-aversion training. 1326544407 +National Geographic's founders must be rolling over in their graves at a sustained high RPM.\n\nNational Geographic now calls itself "Nat Geo" and yesterday I saw an ad about a new show that is "more extreme" than "Keeping up with the Kardashians". Some bullshit about rowdy New York Gypsies and one of the guys has a goat.\n\nOh, and there will be drunk fat gypsies trying to throw punches.\n\nFuck you National Geographic. Just Fuck You. 1343349296 +Sorry to put you through it. It's incredibly frustrating to see people who are otherwise so intelligent, believe in such dumb shit. Especially frustrating because they're still wrong, it just takes a long longer to convince them of the fact (if that ever happens). 1316651816 +I would personally be extremely careful about adjusting the neck. There have been multiple reports of deaths occuring among people who have had their necks adjusted. (The only adjustment that have scientifically proven effect is against lower back pain).\n\nAnd x-rays are bad. Looking at curvature is an aesthetic thing. You shouldn't need to expose yourself to radiation to check for results. 1291165443 +What's gonna happen? 1337615486 +well it sounds like gun shots. 1296844429 +But all available evidence that suggests the universe is anything but infinite comes from the fact that we can never see outside the barrier known as the "known universe". All of our science and understanding of the space around us deals only with this known universe. Trying to use anything we know to predict the happenings of the outside is like using a metre stick to measure the amount of molecules of water in a 5 dimensional swimming pool in the south of attlantis in units of ducks/fortnight; who the fuck knows.\n\nBut what I do know is, based on our one data point, that when you mix a certain set of molecules in a certain set of conditions and let them sit for just enough time, this is what happens, all this life. And not just a little life, fucking in every crevice and niche, all over the world. you would never gather enough sticks to shake at it. And we know that it can happen in a couple billion years. Maybe faster, maybe we were faster than normal, who knows, but it can happen in this amount of time.\n\nAll the chemicals required are completely stable. The set of conditions, though elaborate to us, don't fall outside the range of what is considered extreme for this universe. It would be very odd if these conditions didn't happen elsewhere. The only reason to think otherwise is the same reason you guys keep saying, "no seriously theres like billions of stars, if not trillions, it could totally happen." Try again guys, the orders of magnitude you guys think you are off by could probably be applied as a power and you might be close. Life at this scale, is not that strange of a happening. \n\nBasically I still stand by my belief, that because we could never prove this either way, that one who does not accept the possibility of E.T. life simply doesn't yet grasp the real enormity of even the known universe, let alone beyond it. 1335061865 +Yes, that's summarily the point I was making. English is a bastard language if it is so because of historical features common to the evolution of every language. 1335147880 +I'm sorry but your arguments are dripping with ridiculous statements. You have absolutely no way to know when any extra-terrestrial beings, that may or may not exist, achieved the technological ability for interstellar travel. You just assume and/or want to believe they've been here all along with not a single way of knowing that. 1314906383 +Ugh I read that as "Septical" as in "septic". Lack of 'k' throws the balance of the whole word right off. 1324947353 +Hey, don't knock these people too much. The folks from whom I bought my first house let it slip that they thought our house was "haunted", and we were able to get $20k off the purchase price because they wanted to sell quick. I replaced the water heater coil after buying, and *magically* the random 'footsteps' heard around the house (specifically, the boiling water noise coming from the water heater but echoed through our furnace ducts) disappeared. Clearly, my water heater coil is magic. 1278868709 +Ah yeah what I mean is that a .jpg image is lossy format, which means it looses quality due to the compression process (you can see this if you zoom into any high contrast part of your image). If the phone only takes .jpg images, then there is no way to get the quality back. But if the phone takes .bmp or .png which are lossless (don't loose quality) and you were converting them to .jpg to post to the web, then it would be better to post the original format.\n\nAs you've posted 2 .jpgs I assume the phone takes .jpg images by default, in which case, disregard this entire thread. 1352709074 +Any fool can see that's the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch being lobbed in the background, but at whom? 1290668165 +This happens to me all the time when UFOs/aliens are mentioned. Matter of fact I'm thinking about it now and its happening again. I certainly hope its not due to past experiences that I'm unaware of. \n\nGlad I'm not the only one here that deals with it, though. 1316664975 +i have my doubts that something useful or intelligent would ever involve twitter. 1276187641 +Beautiful person? My mother isn't even remotely pleasant.\n 1330030409 +>This is r/skeptic\n\nYes, where logic and reason are the gold standard and where Occam's Razor is sharp. I think your posts are more appropriate for /r/conspiracy.\n\n>From all your other post I assume that you are a doctor of sorts?\n>Are you directly involved in the research done on diseases?\n\nYes, I'm in medicine and see patients regularly. I not currently involved in primary research but have done some bench research in biochemistry.\n\n>As a doctor do you believe that the drugs that you prescribe to a patient is the best drugs for the job? Or is it just the most cost effective drug? \n\nI'm not sure why you are implying that these are mutually exclusive. The best drug is simultaneously efficacious AND cost-effective for the patient. In choosing a drug, I absolutely consider the patient's ability to pay. Writing a script that the patient can't afford to fill is counter-productive. This isn't to say that the quality of care is directly proportional to your bank account. If we can get insurance or Medicare/Medicaid to cover it, we go with what's best.\n\n>Do you not thinks that some discoveries are kept quite for the sake of profit? It is a profit driven world.\n\nQuite or quiet? English may not be your first language and that's fine but maybe something got lost in translation. Assuming you meant quiet this is not the kind of thinking I expect on r/skeptic. Pharmaceutical companies are absolutely profit hungry monsters but that makes them more likely to bring drugs to market, rather than less. They will slightly alter the molecular structure of a drug so that they can re-patent it and keep prices high. They're also far more likely to push a new drug out and obfuscate negative clinical data and pump money in to marketing than the basic science research. Several major drug companies have all been publicly outed as having done these things within the recent past (i.e. this isn't idle speculation, but rather something you would read in a reputable newspaper).\n\nAlso, how much would I make prescribing penicillin G (low cost) versus cefepime (higher cost)? Answer: on both, I make nothing. Doctors aren't paid for writing prescriptions. That simply isn't how it works. There is no kickback. 1350597857 +Har har har. The media and the cops laugh as if this is some kind of joke.\n\nTruth be told, most plane crashes don't give off a green mysterious glow, they leave debris usually, and almost all U.S. flights are tracked at take-off and arrival. Someone would have noticed if a flight went missing with personnel and passengers at some point.\n\nI'm so Goddamn fucking pissed it's not even funny how this was treated.\n\nAs I've stated before, logically the three most likely scenarios as to what caused this are: A meteorite, space junk, or a real fucking UFO! \n\nAll the local authorities can do is laugh, search for a couple of hours on the surface of the lake, and then high tail it to the nearest bar with happy hour.\n\nIgnore the biggest fucking news story in history.\n\nIf aliens knew about us, and only had primitive intergalactic transport then they most likely would have sent something crashing into a somewhat shallow body of water on a continental plate so that the water would have cushioned whatever device they sent here. Instead the fucking local pigs just laugh at the crazy hippies who were tripping on LSD and say fuck it, "lets go and get drunk instead of investigating like we're supposed to!".\n\n-1 for humanity 1334305083 +Yeah thats it! Thanks. Its been a long time since I read those books. 1355029771 +There's no background for context or frame of reference. Also the time stamps indicate these are several different bits of film captured on different dates. 1327454881 +Meet thought I'd see the day. Reddit giving ad traffic to the daily heil annoys me more than bad drivers. 1355242906 +So the solution to prevent gaming the system is gaming the system? 1308172348 +This is actually huge news and flies in the face of the increasing reports and forthcomingness by many countries about their ufo archives. Thanks for posting this. 1259932236 +this is especially and always true when it comes to stupid fb statuses. 1299099531 +well actually the FACT that species DO change over time into other species, is what most people have a problem with.. not the causes of these changes. They have a problem with the premise of the argument and really to be specific, they only have a problem with the idea that humans ever came from "lessor" beings.\n\n\nthe methods and manor of change is irrelevant, for the majority. So to be even more basic, they dont care if gravity is a real force or an emergent property, or w/e, THEY DENY THINGS FALL.\n\n\n 1336757178 +What is an arbitrary functional designation? Another arbitrary functional designation. \n\nWhy should we be dogmatic about something that's clearly arbitrary? 1319288955 +You can't discuss evidence for or against God unless you discuss the nature of God. A god compatible with science is certainly possible, but most religious people would consider him quite impotent because, for example, he doesn't seem to be involved in, or care about, the lives of human beings.\n\nSo, I think that, as long as you have a certain definition of God, there's nothing wrong with your stance. 1321887639 +More like a pair of God's pliers.\n\nPliers of the Gods\n\nnever mind, it wasn't God, Just God's Cable tech left something behind after installing a new highspeed feed. 1325910239 +As a woman who has given birth and had gallstones, I'd have to say the gallstones were worse. I wasn't prepared for that pain to start, and didn't know when/if it would end, etc. \n\nAlthough: I did have epidurals with the kids, so there's that. With one of the kids, the epidural had worn off completely along the nerve in my right hip, and I thought that my hip would explode...but I contribute that to the pain feeling a bit more concentrated than it normally would have been. (which may be part of why the gallstones hurt so much more)\n\nThen again, you add the episiotomy and still getting a 3rd degree laceration...\n\nI'm just glad I have a high pain tolerance. 1329967849 +http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/2555/do-secret-societies-that-wish-to-bring-about-a-new-world-order-still-exist\n\nhttp://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/5644/does-the-bilderberg-group-have-influence-on-world-events 1326498411 +Boo. 1283798675 +You don't seem to quite understand definitions. I never said they practised neuroscience, I said they look at the brain from a structural and/or physical perspective. If they practised neuroscience then they'd be neuroscientists. I would disagree with the statement that the two are completely separate, there are areas of the two which obviously are, and that's the statement I've seen here. But there are areas (such as the plasticity area which I mentioned) which are often shared. \n\nThe categories aren't arbritrary. They denote particular sub-fields of psychology. I was hoping you'd take those and do a bit of investigation yourself into it all. I don't have the time, nor the will, to give you a full rundown of every field. But, for example, neuropsychology is largely concerned with brain functioning in regards to particular brain areas and their direct affect on behaviours. A stereotypical study would be to take an animal, lesion an area of its brain that's thought to have an effect, and run a series of behavioural tests for say... reward behaviour. You'd then obviously have control animals, and this would be done over 200 or so animals. Another thing cognitive neuro often looks at is brain anatomy and functioning in people with brain damage (the pop science version of this is Oliver Sacks book "The man who mistook his wife for a hat" which while a bit exploitative, is a good read).\n\nIn part, developmental looks at Natal development, and thus brain anatomy and differences intranatal and post. Clinical obviously takes its background from a lot of different areas, but many disorders and neurologically based (i.e Schizophrenia has both chemical elements in regards to chemical reuptake at the synapses, as does depression, and issues with information processing at different brain junctions). As a result, some clinical psychologists who are academics will focus on such areas, while others will study more behavioural aspects of therapy involved with anorexia and body dismorphia disorder for example. \n\nMoreover, practicing psychologists, i.e clinical psychologists don't "do" neuroscience..... I don't know where to start there. Clinical psychologists that practice, run clinics, they provide therapy and treatment for individuals just like a psychiatrist.\n 1345761636 +Not trying to troll here but:\n\nIf hypnosis can cure smoking, why aren't there millions of people using that to stop? 1298817452 +What's your experience with using signs as wards? 1349121271 +Holy Conflict of Interest, Batman, look at those [corrections](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3463891/):\n\n>**Affiliations**\n\n>The Authors’ affiliations were published as:\n\n>Neil Z Miller, Independent researcher, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA Gary S Goldman, Independent computer scientist, Pearblossom, California, USA\n\n>However, for the purposes of this publication the correct affiliations are as follows:\n\n>Neil Z Miller, Think Twice Global Vaccine Institute, USA Gary S Goldman, Computer scientist, Pearblossom, California, USA\n\n>**Declaration of Conflict of Interest**\n\n>No declaration of Conflict of Interest was made at the time of submission. The Authors would like to make the following declaration at this time:\n\n>Neil Z Miller is associated with the ‘Think Twice Global Vaccine Institute’. Gary S Goldman has not been associated with the ‘World Association for Vaccine Education’ (WAVE) for more than four years but was, at the time of publication of the article, still listed as a Director for it on the WAVE website.\n\n>**Funding**\n\n>The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) donated $2,500 and Michael Belkin made a personal donation of $500 in memory of his daughter Lyla towards the SAGE Choice Open Access fee for this article.\n\nSo not only did Miller used to be the director of an anti-vaccine organization, another anti-vaccine organization provided some of the funds to make the article open access. 1354737496 +lulz 1308766520 +Cool, why can't we have other FBi confiscated videos? afaik there's one. That would really help. 1304625787 +Cool, why can't we have other FBi confiscated videos? afaik there's one. That would really help. 1304626373 +When I was a kid. In broad daylight, very high straight up there was a small ring, solid bright white in color. Watched it for a while and it didn't seem to move. Then it disappeared. Could have been a weather balloon or something reflecting light oddly. But it didn't seem like it. It was very sharp and distinctive in shape. 1249091847 +Oh, you 'n all yer book learnin'! 1323233090 +Also it's called global warming, not local warming. It really is annoying when someone goes "oh global warming isn't true, we've had the coldest weather here in 10 years", as though their local weather patterns disprove the global trend in warming. 1343088177 +For some reason, the physical body, and its preservation (in a grave instead of cremation, no tattoos and other defilements allowed, etc) are/were very important in Christian mythology. It has to do with the pairing of the body with the soul at the Final Judgement when the world ends and the dead walk the earth and so on (or so a philosophy lecturer once told us). \n\nThere are also churches and monasteries where the bones of previous monks/nuns are preserved sort of like dog tags or a tomb stone; there's even a French (?) monastery where there are foundations, arches, walls, and even *chairs* and *tables*, made from the bones of previous residents, totally in earnest (not as some bizarre last-level-in-Doom-2 satanic mockery, but like a sculpture and testament), by a monk who lived there in the 13/14th (?) century. I think it represents a symbol of sacrifice, perhaps of people who believed they themselves meant nothing, and were just servants to god and nothing more, but left their bones to be remembered by for the sake of record keeping, and for some practical use. 1356837286 +Oh :( 1346651347 +Terrorist anchor baby? Do we know what religion his parents were? Do we have their baptismal records? Were they good Christian people coming to this country with jobs? 1304922928 +For some strange reason I feel like it would feel really good to pull back my calf muscles when I run. I don't know why. That's why I almost bought tape during my town's running/hiking fair prior to our big 10k race.\n\nBut, being the skeptic I am, I decided to quickly research the known benefits of the tape on my phone. I found no journal article that suggested it relieved pain except for possibly in the shoulder. Very sad, because I wanted it to work. I shouldn't have looked it up so I could have at least placebo'd myself. 1343972038 +Not the worst video either... 1301849152 +Okay, sure, it's weird. But remember, in Japan the hand can be used like a KNIFE! 1272472498 +you should treat it as religion, most people will simply ignore factual evidence that contradicts their own internal belief system, much worse, its possible that it could even reinforce it in order to sustain the logical fallacies. 1347557228 +Back in 4th/5th grade, a friend had a ouija board and we'd use it at sleepovers (I don't remember what it said though--must not be memorable). I wanted one, and purchased my own. \n\nIt was used for the first time at a sleepover by two friends and I. All I remember is that we asked what its name was, and "it" spelled out Zoltar. We got creeped out and stopped using the board, and I still have it stored in a closet to this day, 21 years later. \n\nI recognized Zoltar as the name of the genie in the movie Big, but why that name? None of us had moved the planchette on our own.\n\n 1351787175 +They tested Als Alb 30c vs Alcohol 30c. The Alcohol 30c was the placebo treatment &#3232;\\_&#3232;\n\nCompare it to water.... if the hypothesis is supposed to be that ultra-dilute treatments have a therapeutic effect, then don't compare two ultra-dilutes... compare it to a water only treatment. 1330293106 +Maybe, but I've always taken his shows as good lessons - he espouses the practice of skepticism in the face of wild claims while challenging you to put that into practice by presenting wild claims of his own. There are few better lessons a person can learn than to question their authorities. 1326300041 +No, I did not, I understand what you mean, you can easily lose track of time when there is nothing else to do. 1328199600 +I think something like this could happen with DHS and the media completely ignoring it, rather than losing their shit over it. It's too weird to blame on Iran, and they haven't had time to make a fear-based Discovery Channel documentary about it. 1329111617 +My problem is differentiating between the real-deal TIL posts from the karma-whoring I'll-just-scan-wikipedia-and-find-something-to-post posts. 1336656467 +TL;DR - Rather direct application of concentrated substances found in cannabis (namely thc variants and cbn/cbd) can prevent the metastasization of malignant tumors. 1338590752 +I believe, as the evidence has suggested, that a fairly non-quack chiropractor can be as effective as a masseuse, in the context of physical therapy. However, that doesn't excuse the non-scientific basis of their profession or the many who are quacks. 1335066109 +Same as Hydrogen being flammable and so is Oxygen, but combine them and it puts out fire. I am agreeing with you by the way. 1349802956 +Yeah, I totally saw this one coming too. 1303584021 +i'm at work right now, so i'll have to watch the video later, but this all sounds really interesting. places such as hotels/hospitals and other places where people stay en masse are regularly haunted and usually some of the most interesting places. \n\ni cant wait to see the video. 1316428076 +Yes it does. The stabilized version clearly shows the large ufo shake. That alone is the indicator that it is CGI. Proper "match moving" is the hardest thing to accomplish with shaky hand held shots. Yes, its pretty good in the video but not perfect. 1309048046 +One man's woo is another man's seminal doctoral thesis. R. Keith Wallace published his UCLA Physiology PhD thesis, The Physiology of Meditation, in an issue of Nature in 1970, launching the past 40+ years of the modern exploration of meditation practices. Herbert Benson was his post-doc advisor at Harvard and they jointly published articles in journals like Scientific American. 1347818317 +TIL food healthiness is measured in Megahertz. &#3232;\\_&#3232; 1346445815 +I love this other video of him too btw, where he tries to pay with paper. He gets away with it a lot of times, but he also shows the times when it doesn't work. He knows its just mind tricks and what he wants with his video is to teach how you can be manipulated, not just by him but by anyone, especially advertisements. You can see how he uses the phrase: "take it, its fine" as a subliminal message to have people accept his blank paper. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vz_YTNLn6w](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vz_YTNLn6w) 1285789187 +You said you have evidence in your original post.\n\nNow you say that there is no evidence that you can provide.\n\n\n 1349464774 +I'm glad I'm not the only one. Like Michael Shermer, I'm also both skeptic and libertarian. Both these posts hit my front page, each of them eliciting an eyeroll. 1306197295 +I can if you guys really want me to... 1340285994 +Coast To Coast AM is the best radio show in history. Period. 1330696151 +Winner 1345915167 +>...because you are exactly the sort of educated person for whom some baseline scientific plausibility in a movie is moot, aside from making you want to lobotomize yourself to make the pain stop when it gets too bad. This is exactly what I meant when I said your own rationality seems to be blinding you to the problem.\n\nBecause I see two types of movies: fiction and non-fiction. Anyone I hear or see in fiction is suspect. Anything I hear or see in non-fiction I'll allow the possibility of being real. \n\n>No, your splitting hairs to avoid seeing the central point re: the Mrs. Jones example is obtuseness. The rest is just arguing with the usual nerdly stubbornness of the average internet denizen - something I engage in quite a bit myself. ;)\n\nHaha. It wouldn't be any fun if I didn't stubbornly defend my opinion and you yours. I did not find the analogy apt personally. \n\n 1341019672 +Could have figured this out since the outfit who produced the film is "Invisible Children LLC" a for profit corporation who is ran by a board member of the organization. \n\nScam from top to bottom but what large non-profit organization isn't?? 1331311424 +No one said it was the alternative medicine that directly made him kick the bucket, but more likely than not, the _NINE MONTHS_ he had his 'special diet' while putting off surgery absolutely necessary for any chance of his survival significantly contributed to the development and progression of the disease that (likely - since we don't have access to private autopsy records) killed him. 1318255120 +Exactly, and most people have called it insects. &#3232;\\_&#3232; 1331937090 +Yes, because Nyan Cat.\n\nNo, I watched the video. Still seemed like the guy was trying to counteract childish arguments with childish arguments. And I was sort of hoping for better. 1323048875 +The only thing miraculous in this video is his beard. It is phenomenal. 1351321717 +I never got the "the Feds had bombs set inside the towers" and the crash of airliners were just a smoke screen. Uhh... Couldn't they just use bombs and blame terrorist just the same? They wouldn't need the crash of the passenger jets at all if the conspiracy nuts were right about the inside job bs. 1317292487 +I was still talking about Miss Teen USA.\n\nIn fact, if I could rig every beauty pageant in the nation to make Joe Biden win, I would. It would be the most hilarious episode of America's Next Top Model *ever*. 1354137082 +> what path do you think should be taken to ascend.\n\nIn the East, there are several paths laid out for personal mastery. It is said there that there are many different doors into the house of ascension, and which one is taken is up to the individual's personal proclivities. Much as I would like to choose the Bhakti path (emotional path of ascension and enlightenment through love), I have gotten to the point where I have found myself working more and more on the path of what is called Jnana: ascension through knowledge.\n\nAll this is to say that while I myself have been working on personal ascension through disciplining my mind, there are as many different paths to ascension as there are beings that ascend. Ultimately, I think it's important to try to learn as much as you can about as many things as possible while understanding that there are many frightened human beings on this planet that will fight you and your attempts at personal ascension aggressively through the use of taunts, ridicule, or worse. It's important to listen to others well, but it's more important to really listen to yourself and what you feel is right. Be strong and do not let others dissuade you from your path.\n\n> channeled supposed "gods," really just an advanced species from beyond\n\nI would not doubt this. I personally find it immediately invalidating whenever a being (human or otherwise) claims any level of exclusivity toward being "God". God is literally everyone and every*thing*. There is no "person" or being alone that is God. God is universal and is in and of everything that ever was, is, or will/could be.\n\nAll that being said, your next statement...\n\n> "preach" a message of love and shedding of personal ego.\n\nIs one that I don't think is a bad one in and of itself. While I think it's important to be as critical and intelligent as possible, and not allow oneself to go off believing things that might not be very sound, I also think that any being truly and wholeheartedly exuding an energy of love and shedding of the personal ego is indeed a *good* being. Now, when I say this, I stress that I mean any being that is TRULY AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY doing this. There are many - especially on this planet - that claim to be doing this that are, in fact, doing anything but. Ultimately, the only being it seems you can be most sure is being true and good...is you yourself. Therefore, listen to everyone respectfully and intently, but follow *no one*. Pay attention and make sure that your *own* heart is as pure as you can make it.\n\n> Positive works seem to be a common thread. Is it possible without death?\n\nIs what possible without death? Are you asking if it's possible to exact positive works, or to spread a message of love and/or peace without death? Perhaps I am not understanding correctly, but if this is what you're asking, then of course it is possible. It is, in fact, *very* possible.\n\nAdditionally, we must realize that there is no such thing as death. What humans call death is nothing more than a simple illusion wherein one's personal identity switches from one perspective to another.\n\nWhat you call life is in fact the dream that the *real* you is having. Death is the waking from that dream. 1345593098 +20 to life :| 1301218908 +If that's her only reason then she should also probably start smoking salvia to learn the secrets of the universe. 1301855026 +First let me say that you are right about: when there is no definition of a phenomenon, it's open to a wide range of speculation. However, this does not automatically mean that there is no phenomenon. That's a simple fact.\n\nSo you say, believers. Because, it is your believes that dictate what is plausible or not. In the video example that I gave, there is absolutely no proof at all that it is an insect. It means that in actuality that explanation simply falls within the range of speculation.\n\nUnless you can come up with some kind of statistical analysis of face like shapes under these conditions... it's just believes. Or at least give something. Otherwise it's simply a case of blaming 'the opposite believe' of being more gullible. Which is egoistically putting yourself on a pedestal that you made up in your own mind. (edit, not that this was your intention, It's simply very close to a 'my believes are correct and yours are false' argument.)\n\nThere is a pretty decent research paper floating around on the internet. [Here](http://www.theorbzone.com/FullOrbArticle.pdf) is a pdf. [Here](http://www.theorbzone.com/index.htm) is the website. Simply a 'everybody that has an opinion should at least read this' kind of stuff, found with a simple google search.\n\nMaking it pretty clear that in general, orbs have a natural explanations. But at the same time understanding that not every orb would necessarily be explained by this. There will be exceptions, we are talking about one.\n\nTo say that all exceptions must also be natural is astounding to me. However plausible you believe it is, there is absolutely no proof, whatsoever, in the example that I showed, that it is an insect. None. It's just your believes. At the same token, there is proof that it is supernatural, because it shows a frikkin face.\n\nIt is a perfectly valid hypothesis that when an orb has a paranormal explanation, iow, it is an entity of some kind. That it could exhibit features like a face. Which it accidentally does.\n\nAnd now you go and pretend that we are gullible, make things up and let our imagination go hay wire. That's simply not fair and simply not true. I understand perfectly well that this will not be definitive proof of some kind of paranormal explanation on its own. What it does do is show that not all orbs are simply explained away with naturalistic causes and do sometimes show abilities that might be linked to paranormal causes.\n\nIt has absolutely nothing to do with seeing what you want to see. Because 'everybody' will see that face, draw the same conclusions of what is the nose, eyes, etc. It's not open to personal powers of imagination. Go ahead, test it, [show this](http://imgur.com/LgxGX) to a 100 people and come back with a percentage. If it is so open to imagination, there will be what? 50 or 10 or 75 percent chance people see a face? And how much of them would point to the same facial features? Or is it going to be an unfair test because it is so clearly a face?\n\nOr are you backwards concluding that because people see faces in clouds, that this simply is what people want to see. Who's gullible here? Be honest. 1325574291 +You're getting downvotes because you're post is either intentionally inflammatory or you've put absolutely no effort into finding the information yourself. 1336061241 +I'm so buying this book. \n\nThe blind spot society has on medicine is indeed truly ridiculous. To think about it... you get severe public relation issues from being aware of bugs in your code but not telling anyone, even in totally non critical applications, yet not publishing the negative results by drug companies is absolutely OK, leading up to huge number of people taking drugs with strong negative side effects, but which are no more effective than placebo, or are less effective than older, patent-expired treatments, or the like. 1349730769 +Damn. That video was full of assumptions. 1322628538 +Thanks, Mr. Mod. I do also enjoy some humor. But seeing how it can get so out of control in subs like /r/atheism or /r/gaming, I'd prefer if we keep it under control here.\n\nCheers. 1341435841 +I still do that too, but I don't really think of it as a superstition, more a shorthand for "I hope you do well."\n\nI saw a friends play at the theatre the other day though, and I told him to "break a leg." 1322409201 +> If she had seen the picture, she probably would have said so.\n\nIf you feel like speculating I suppose that's one way to take it. 1348673352 +How could you possibly go to sleep after encountering a stranger trespassing in your house? A stranger that could just walk up the stairs and run after you? Since this happened "last night," I'm assuming you're a grown man. I don't doubt that you may have seen something, but usually when there's a stranger in the house, you call the police or grab the nearest blunt object and clobber that shit. Unless he was transparent, floating or fading in and out of view, that shit was not a ghost. That was your neighbor trying to tell you that your damn window is keeping him up and you better go shut it or he's gonna get angry and beat you with his cold, dead fists. Oh... wait a minute. 1335668745 +There hasn't been a point to this conversation since its inception. I put very little effort into these discussions. \n\nAs far the rant. That wasn't quite a rant so lets be honest and try not to exaggerate what actually happened. I merely pointed out that even very liberal outlets buried the acid rain "crisis". I have no affiliation with either the right or the left as my beliefs and values align closest to Libertarians. \n\n>Who cares about these people? They are a dwindling minority.\n\nYou and everyone else here who are constantly referring to them. \n\nAnd yes acid rain was blown so far out of proportion that the huge crisis we were in one would think would not have vanished less than a decade later.\n\n5.0 ph rain (normal) to 4.6 ph rain(acid rain) is not the end of the world. You cant make bank off of "not the end of the world" though. 1354424011 +Something bugs me about this, but I'm not sure what...it feels a bit like we're saying they are too stupid to figure out that they are being tricked. Is that something we figured out because we are smarter? Or because we have access to better information? I have trouble completely letting them off the hook; they're likely smart enough folks who went to school and are able to run their own lives with some efficiency. I would like to think they can be held responsible for their actions just as much as anyone else; we all deal with imperfect information and various forms of cultural brainwashing. I was raised as a charismatic Christian, but I found my way out of it. 1314844204 +I'm curious how they reproduced the study. If you use the same skull collection... wouldn't you also need to reproduce the racist expectations? 1345685470 +There's a pretty big 'why' associated with your assumption. Why the detail on the oval? Why the constellation pattern on the right? Why the accurate orbit lines for each planet? It would have been much easier to simply have circles in ratio size to the inner planets and circular orbits. Why not have the circle the line extends to showing a trajectory toward Earth if the point was simply to create fear in "people like me". And let's not forget the biggest why of all... why are these patterns continuing to be made throughout the world with near zero coverage or arrests? I'd hazard a guess that it's because of people like you who have swallowed the few examples of human involvement in the production of agriglyphs and extend that proof to the entirety of their forms and don't give them a second thought. I stand by my previous statement. 1344277675 +First of all, a nitpicky point: "alumni" is plural. They want either "alum" or "alumnus." However, I think it's a great article and an important subject, one which I have argued in favor for many times before.\n\nContrary to popular perception, 12 Step-based methods aren't effective and even counter-productive. Along the lines of the article's message, studies have found that AA members who "fall off the wagon" fall off hard, since they don't have the resolve to fight their desire to drink more. 1323246056 +**1**\n\n> First, I would like to clarify something. I said that skeptics believe the truth where there is sufficient evidence to establish the truth and you replied with:\n\n>>And there is...in spades...overwhelmingly so, as a matter of fact.\n>Then I mention that you think there is overwhelming evidence and you reply with:\n>>That is not what was said or is thought. Incorrect.\n>Can you explain what I'm missing there? It looks like you're claiming there's overwhelming evidence and then saying you didn't say so.\n\nWhat you are missing is that what you, in fact, said was:\n\n> I understand you *think* there is overwhelming evidence...\n\nWhile I failed to add the italics in my initially quoting you, the point is that the meaning of your statement implies that my understanding of the proof that exists is not a result of the objective reality of the phenomenon and the evidence, but, instead, based on some sort of subjective interpretation on my part. This is why I responded then in the same manner that I am responding now: This (i.e. how you interpreted my statement) is neither what I said nor thought. Incorrect.\n\n> What tools do you propose we use to decide what is actually true versus what is "patently false" if not (as I would recommend) skepticism and high standards of evidence?\n\nDo not use skepticism. You must understand that skepticism, as the very definition itself says, includes (but is by no means limited to) doubting a thing *in spite* of whatever evidence may exist establishing it. As I said before, one who does this is in no way comporting themselves critically. They are doing nothing but parading the falsity of whatever personal agenda they have.\n\nInstead, what should be done when attempting to investigate pretty much *anything*, is simply BE CRITICAL. This does not have to involve skepticism. It need only involve proper analysis and REanalysis of the subject at hand...An intelligent researcher at that point simply goes wherever the evidence points regardless of how much the conclusions may challenge whatever previously held notions he or she may have. Ultimately, skepticism is in no way necessary if and when one has a sufficiently thorough, critical commitment to the investigation of whatever subject one is dealing with. Indeed skepticism often becomes a detriment and an anchor preventing the forward movement and acquisition of knowledge.\n\nTo be skeptical is not to be a critical analyzer. One should never confuse one thing for the other.\n\n> Surely you don't think the number of people that believe something determines what is true?\n\nIn and of itself, absolutely not. While a comprehensive analysis of any phenomenon's validity should indeed take into account the quantitative factors involved - and while at times the ultimate arbiter of such validity hinges upon those very quantitative factors - there are other, qualitative factors that come to bear upon the final analysis and are no less significant.\n\n> Please excuse me if I don't bother responding any further to the planetary conspiracy theory...\n\nThe very fact that your responses and reactions here are so predictable and controlled bode very, very ill indeed where it regards your fully arriving at a fuller understanding of the things going on around you.\n\n> If the phenomenon you're talking about is the paranormal, and the truth you're aware of is that it exists, then I am disagreeing with you.\n\nOf course you are. That much is more than apparent and obvious.\n\n> I thought that was pretty clear\n\nIt is.\n\n> I'm disagreeing that you have sufficient evidence to make the claim that anything paranormal exists, *regardless of whether or not it actually does.*\n\nAgain, it is obvious, of course, that you are disagreeing. Okay. What more do you want me to say to this? Okay. You are disagreeing. Okay. It doesn't change that the phenomenon exists and that there is ample evidence showing this...but you disagree...okay. You can disagree that the sky is blue all day. All I can say is okay and shrug my shoulders.\n\n[Okay](http://i.imgur.com/VwWlv.png).\n\n> all I'm arguing is that you haven't met the burden of proof and you are unjustified in making that claim to knowledge.\n\nFair enough. All I'm saying is that - as far as *anything* can be provable on this planet - you simply haven't done the research to understand that you are wrong. 1341128607 +Though true, your statement is a non sequitur. 1285230349 +I actually don't mind the taste, even ultrapasteurized self stable milk. I would hardly call it tasteless though. They do taste different though (to be honest I've never had raw milk so I am just talking about the difference between ultra and regular). Ultrapasteurized has a slight 'cooked' taste to it. Most "organic" style milk is ultrapasteurized.\n\nIn addition to preventing food borne illness, pasteurization also allows you to store milk longer (because you are killing of the bacteria and what not that leads to spoilage).\n\nEDIT: actually ultrapasteurized milk is not always the ultra heat treated self stable stuff, I was confusing the two. Self stable milk has the distinct "cooked" taste that I was refering too. I think most people would be hard pressed to distiguish pasteurized vs ultrapasteurized (ie most organic milk). 1317222858 +fake - videotracking is out of sync sometimes... you can see it in comparison in relation with the clouds... 1334191659 +"As it does with all vaccines, FDA continues to monitor the safety of Gardasil. For example, FDA recently evaluated the results of a postmarketing study, which included 189,629 females ages 9 to 26 years, 51% of whom were 9 to 15 years of age to assess the risk for onset of new autoimmune diseases after vaccination with Gardasil. Examples of these types of diseases include juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, etc. The results of this study showed that there is no elevated risk for onset of new autoimmune disease associated with the use of Gardasil." http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/ucm276859.htm 1347655571 +They were all pale. The woman had big eyes; the men had small eyes. All three caucassian. The woman and one of the men had brown hair.. really dark brown hair. The other man had blonde hair. That's really all I remember. 1351882900 +hypotheses* :) 1333560339 +Just like there 'was' no spoon, there 'was' no ant. 1331369435 +You're very kind, and I've very much enjoyed listening to what you've got to say on the matter. Talking to you has helped me clarify what I really think about this matter, and has certainly given me a better perspective on the flipside. For example: while I could certainly have envisioned the elevator-man's approach as *clumsy*, I found it unthinkable that it could be considered creepy, because as I tried to point out, I can understand each decision the man made in picking the time he did, the place he did, and speaking in the manner he did. That you yourself could perceive it as 'creepy' or threatening is very useful information.\n\nI can't think of much more I'd like to go over, but I'm very grateful for the time you took, and the approach you took, and I'll keep an eye out for you around the forums here. \n\nAll the best! 1351309545 +>You apparently haven't spent any time in a lab. Samples get contaminated, **sometimes in the lab, sometimes before it gets there. It happens**, and that's that.\n\nBut see, you're not saying *sometimes* you are saying **always**; and that's entirely different. You are saying that it must always be happening when they perform their test. For the result to be always you'd need people to either be completely inept at their job (which would be pretty damn hard since these people have been doing their job for at least 30 years without any problems like that), or you'd need to defy the laws of probability.\n\nOr, you could simply have the more logical, more sound, and more reasonable explanation: She did her job, did not contaminate evidence, and found a new [/old] species of primate indeed does exist.\n\nOne of us is being unreasonable with our assertion and the other isn't.\n\n\n>Mitochondrial DNA that is identical to human along with nuclear DNA that is novel means contamination\n\nThis is a really ignorant thing to say; How do you suppose our ancestors' DNA results would come back as? How about **the same damn thing**. We certainly don't have their information in the database, yet they'd most certainly have "human" mitochondrial DNA. 1354390774 +http://www.amazon.com/Excitotoxins-Taste-Russell-L-Blaylock/dp/0929173252\n\nWhat is this? Is this the debunked study? 1297821290 +I've recieved the 'bumped the cord' response before but it was quite a distance from the bed, the cord being stretched pretty far to reach the bedside table, and had been there for some time.\n\nNot to mention that it was stil plugged in and functioning fine the next morning after I'd done the same process of sliding it down and back up.\n\nAnyhow, thank you for responding! 1337746796 +I pick and choose my FB battles. Sometimes I let things slide, and sometimes I have to speak up. Usually I just resort to posting articles of my own, and hoping I catch a few readers. 1339263769 +Fair enough. I'd say asked and answered, so thanks. 1333121163 +I think that most (if not all) paranormal events are 'constructed' in a way that they can be easily debunked by skeptics, so believing in them is not forced upon people. Everybody has its own will, is free to accept its existence or not.\nImagine a husband beating his wife. If somebody saw that and told this man that he is doing wrong, he may accept it and stop or not. However imagine an aliens/ghost/whatever coming to this house and saying "YOU SHALL NOT BEAT YOUR WIFE", the man would stop beating his wife immediately because of pure fear.\n\nPeople should have their own choice whether to believe or not, and that is why paranormal events can be often explained as random coincidences.\nHope you understand what I mean ;] 1356522318 +Because there is indeed a conspiracy going on? I don't understand why this is so difficult for you to grasp, or are you trolling?\n\nThe fact that there are groups of individuals that conspire and have forged an intricate system of consent propagation should make you mad as hell, and hopefully have you more then just "go out and vote" as a conclusion. \n\nGet out of the dualistic, bipartisan system. It's election year, and there are many who will start chanting this and blaming the "younger generation" for not voting; it's a scapegoat strategy that has worked thus far. 1338328102 +I just check it and it's working. If nothing else just google Tehran dogfight. It is a well established case. 1299017681 +Yes but regardless of whether it's reliable or not, I'm not asking if it's a hoax or not, I'm asking what a scientific explanation could be of what's happening. You don't need to believe that it isn't a hoax, but it's not very progressive to my question to have responses with "hoax" if it's a hoax then how was it created? That's what I'd like to know. 1335146553 +I think there is a consensus that the 2005 Popular Mechanics investigation and summary is a good resource for explaining what happened.\n\nhttp://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/news/1227842\n\nI believe it covers all of the aspects you mentioned, which seem to be the most frequently cited. 1337218541 +> Saying that the problem is the simplicity of the sun sign doesn't hold water.\n\nI love your choice of wording there. My sun sign is Aquarius: the water barer soooo I hold water. Haha. (Take that as a cosmic coincidence or not... I enjoyed it. :))\n\nI meant intense and passionate in the sense that you took the effort to even debate me. Why do you care?? Because you enjoy talking so much and digging up a ton of evidence or whatever lke a Gemini. Even about something that you're not passionate about you gave passionate answers to like a Scorpio. And it appears like you usually responded right away. Quick to act like an Aires.\n\n 1310794159 +Yeah those people sound like grade A douche-bags. I can't stand people who think of their pet as only an accessory. That does sound pretty cruel, I knew my ex's mom used to keep her pitbull mix in a crate all day because she was afraid she'd mess the carpet up. -_- then why adopt a dog lady...\n\noy, some people. No worries about "getting on my case" it's the internet, no one takes things seriously here.....right? -crickets- 1334023627 +Psyops. Srsly. 1339643640 +This is fairly cut and dry; I'm not sure what there is to be skeptical of other than the sensationalist title.\n\nThe malware used a malicious DNS server, the malicious server was shut down and (presumably as a convenience to the victims) a working DNS server was put in its place. They're going to take down that working server, and infected computers won't have any access to DNS - effectively cutting them off from anything that requires address name resolution. 1341609314 +Ha! I saw that one coming :) (typing on an iPad in bed) 1293980976 +American dad roger anyone? 1321580258 +Flawless victory! 1323749222 +Greenhouse gasses are nurturing the demons in the atmosphere! 1355872837 +>Looks like triangles dropping flares, and the more I see triangles, the more I think classified aircraft.\n\nWhere are you seeing triangles here? The lights all move independently of each other. 1355516343 +I'm sure [a library near you](http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/317314) has a copy. The book is expansive in its scope, so I highly recommend you read it rather than taking my summary too seriously. \n\nFirst you have to understand that Sagan was annotating and expanding Shklovskii's original book. Their contributions are clearly delineated, down to who wrote which sentence. So it's hard to capture the subtlety of that back and forth with a summary. But if memory serves, their chapter about the possibility of ancient contact between humans and an ETI is mostly or nearly all Sagan's contribution. He mostly discusses four different accounts of the Sumerian creation myth. \n\nRemember that this book came out in 1966. It was a small sensation and later became the "bible of astrobiology". The popularity of *Intelligent Life in the Universe* was Sagan's launching board into pop consciousness in America. Although interestingly when he was denied tenure at Havard, one of their concerns was that the young scientist spent too much time talking about UFOs. \n\n*Chariot of the Gods* was written in the wake of Sagan and Shklovskii's popular work 1968. It's unfortunate that this pseduoscientific speculation sold millions of copies while Sagan's work, while popular, sold only tens of thousands. It's quite ironic that Sagan so directly inspired Von Daniken.\n\nAnyway, if you're interested in ancient astronaut theories in general there's much more in *Intelligent Life in the Universe* that you'll enjoy. It covers a lot of ground, from specific planets to comets to Phobos to UFOs to the origins of life to nucleosynthesis. Sagan's presentational flare comes through with the rich historical quotes and many pictures. And I personally think the whole collaboration aspect is extremely interesting, and I love following the different perspectives. It's hilarious how frequently Carl Sagan will rant. Whole chapters have zero additions from Shklovskii. Yet no chapter is free of Sagan's comments. Remember that originally this was Shklovskii's book! \n\n**TL,DR**\n\nCarl Sagan. 1349513732 +Can you please post a video of a "typical satellite" that looks like this. 1296751489 +And I'm just saying that we should fix it just like skeptcism was meant to fix the bullshit-believing things. Why we are skeptic if not to make us better persons? 1325679161 +Pretty much everything we do is bad for the environment. Christians aren't more to blame than atheists I don't think. 1310789035 +It's because they're made with hedgehog bristles.\n\nProbably. 1248360052 +I certainly try not to be rude.\n\nWhen I said that I'm not sociable though I meant that I don't interact with people much, and those that I think are too stupid I just avoid. I wouldn't want to be rude to them, I just don't want to interact with them.\n\nNote, I don't think that most religious people are stupid, and can happily interact with them.\n\nPZ Myers irritates me. Especially when a young creationist or someone emails him with questions, and he just goes on attack, it's not going to help him (the poor creationist), and certainly not the kind of behaviour I expect from an educator. 1311431589 +1) Little People: "They are often described as being no more than nine inches tall, though with the physical features of a humanoid" Like a Monkey perhaps?\n\n2) Giant Birds: Described as scaly creatures with giant wings. They're probably eagles. Usually there isn't any frame or reference in the sky a cloud you think is massive may be tiny and just at a lower altitude then you thought. [Here's](http://cdn1.arkive.org/media/73/73BA077B-913A-4C2E-98A6-94BF9188275C/Presentation.Large/Immature-Stellers-sea-eagle-in-flight.jpg) a Stellers Sea Eagle in flight. Its giant giant wings that can span more then 8 feet. You'll also notice hes almost a blue color. That's so its harder for other animals to see him when hes flying. Look at his white markings in the right light its possible to mistake those for the bones in a bat (or similar creatures) wings. \n\n3) Dopplegangers: I'm going to keep this sample down to America for ease. About 300,000,000 people live in America. 84% of those people have shopped at a Walmart (255,000,000). On walmarts website there are 347 types of men's shirts available. 107 types of pants. The chance of any specific outfit of pants and shirt being bought by some one shopping for an outfit at Walmart is 0.003. That's pretty small but when you consider 255 million people shop at Walmart 3,000,000 people likely own the same pair of pants and shirt. Given this it starts to become apparent that look alikes are not that uncommon.\n\n4) Time Slips: [Dissociation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissociation_(psychology))\n\n5)Chupacabra: Super duper awesome best cryptid. Likely just a dog with mange.\n\n6) PANic in the woods. What?\n\n7) Dog headed people. What? (Furries?)\n\n8) Stickmen: Hoaxes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhaMrCUDhjk This is how its done.\n\n9) Shadow People: Matrixing.\n\n10) Black Eyed Kids: Goths. Contacts. 1349783802 +She should under no circumstance be exempt from criticism and critique when she gives a poorly researched speech. This is doubly so as a high-profile skeptic at a skeptic's conference. It is, however, *deeply* unfortunate that she does seem be a lightening rod for enflamed debate within the skeptic community. Everything I see her name attached to eventually descends a mensrights/feminist shouting match. Unfortunate. 1354555878 +Mentally ill isn't the same as faking. It may be very real to her. Of course, it's also unlikely that any mental illness was caused by the vax. She was likely mentally ill to begin with. \n\nIt's soooo tempting to go to the "Liar! Faker!" place when you've had your sympathies yanked around. But try to remember that she's still sick. Just a different kind of sick than she tried to present. 1323368005 +I urge anyone compelled to refute this to stop for one moment and actually read/skim the report and see the anomalies in their bare form, in their own words and context. In parts it openly admits certain things that can only be explained by facts not pertaining to the conspiracies portrayed in the NIST report, such as WTC 7 falling unilaterally at free fall speed. This is not possible from any combination of the damage or fire sustained during the 911 attacks. I'm sure you're all sick of these posts but I'm an advocator of truth and facts and feel a need to add light to the mist of misinformation. There are plenty of facts about 911 that clash with the official story, even acknowledging one fact that doesn't correlate with the teachings in the report is enough to question the whole article. All I'm saying is there are unignorable scientific barriers with the report, nothing more than that and If you still disagree I'd like to hear why. Thanks.\n\nSeeing as this is for skeptically minded people and not raving lunatics, here are reports and testimonies from over 1500 professional architects and engineers, some world leaders in their field expressing issues with the official report.\n\n[http://www.ae911truth.org/](http://www.ae911truth.org/) 1339012469 +If they didn't care, then why are they wearing the tape? 1344308779 +THere's some evidence that some forms of meditation can change gene-expression in the brain, and a significant regimen of "positive thinking" might conceivably have some slight effect in SOME people, but not in others, just as Bright Light Therapy will affect people who have SAD, but probably doesn't affect the average person much at all.\n\nPeople try to use alternative (ayurveda, etc) medicines the same way they use modern medicine, but even the original texts (especially the original texts) say this is foolish: such therapies are very specific to a given person and there is usually no "one size fits all" treatment. 1349941664 +Doesn't that mean you have to pay extra for it? 1336952700 +Arthur Schopenhauer's [Art of Controversy](http://coolhaus.de/art-of-controversy/) covered this excellently and hilariously in 1897. \n\n 1304996695 +>Your response is to send them to 6+ years in prison. Why?\n\nIt's a deterrent so that other retards don't do the same thing. 1320216623 +True, my statement was poorly worded.\n\nHere are the money quotes from the abstract:\n\n* Herbicide-resistant crop technology has led to a 239 million kilogram (527 million pound) *increase* in herbicide use in the United States between 1996 and 2011\n* Bt crops have *reduced* insecticide applications by 56 million kilograms (123 million pounds)\n* Overall, pesticide use increased by an estimated 183 million kgs (404 million pounds), or about 7%\n* The magnitude of increases in herbicide use on herbicide-resistant hectares has dwarfed the reduction in insecticide use on Bt crops over the past 16 years, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future 1350995581 +Because he **believed it**, and he was important in the world of science and therefore his opinion informs many other scientists, rightly or wrongly. Again, **is/ought** - I was NOT saying that this is an opinion I agree with, nor that it was one that I subscribe to, I was reporting that this is the case, and that so long as the situation remains unchanged, there will exist a subset of scientists who subscribe to that definition. 1337860827 +Well I would agree that most crop circles do appear in the UK. In the case of the ones i'm talking about however our science up till this point can not predict CME's. An a very rare CME during the solar minimum makes the prediction that much more credible. IMHO most crop circles in the UK are man made. It is not possible that this particular one was however. 1252013296 +I'm vegetarian because I hate plants. 1271514457 +It's not a matter of uncommon -- every single serious study I've seen on the issue has suggested that it's a non-existent connection. \n\n>Subsequent research found that, while large doses of MSG given without food may elicit more symptoms than a placebo in individuals who believe that they react adversely to MSG, the frequency of the responses was low and the responses reported were inconsistent, not reproducible, and not observed when MSG was given with food.[18] No statistical association has been demonstrated under controlled conditions, even in studies with people convinced that they are sensitive to it.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate#Health_concerns\n\nThe whole thing dates back to the 60s when it was postulated MSG might be responsible for "Chinese restaurant syndrome" and it's taken hold in pop culture since. The reality is there's no hard science actually backing this up. Even individuals that claim to be MSG sensitive do not reproducibly respond to controlled tests. 1294265847 +And great weed, let's be honest. 1318571919 +Did you read the whole article? It's not really saying it's bullshit, just that DCA hasn't undergone clinical trials (which are currently underway). Maybe misleading, but definitely not bullshit. 1305596645 +Yes very... 1355244869 +If I happen to see news about Ray Bradbury dying within the next few days, I'll humbly come back & upvote this. 1327529496 +http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/23/britannica_wikipedia_nature_study/\n\n6 years on and you're still not skeptical of that nature study?\n\nFurthermore, even if the study were good science to begin with, *one* study is not sufficient. In science, we require verification of a claim multiple times, so no matter what your opinion is on the study, if you consider this issue settled and don't demand more, you are scientifically illiterate. 1342266866 +On a daily basis. They are continually amazed at the size of my genitalia.\n\nThat is what you meant by "reveal yourself", isn't it? 1334713209 +It could be as simple as HFCS is 'cheap', so they put it in **everything**.\n\n 1344891900 +Yeah, setup early, and have an accomplice with a couple of room dividers. 1310634800 +You won't feel good about any ideology, they all have their weaknesses. \n\nI am liberal, but I do support Libya and Afghanistan efforts, and do not want a premature withdrawal that could result in instability in those regions and possibly government collapse, this may be completely opposite to what many liberals and even libertarians want. However, I don't stick by party-lines, I stick by facts and critical analysis. 1313593862 +You know, whenever I see an article beginning or ending with "please send this to everyone you know!" I usually toss it in the bin outright. 1339534133 +Ha! My next door neighbor had a cancer in her oak tree once. 1287119697 +I am a Christian that believes in possession (because of my own past experiences), but your opinion about ghosts being passed religious people is pretty awesome to think about. I haven't ever thought of that, but I guess it lines up very well with what Jack_Shid was saying about "demonic" entities being the spirits of people that were awful when they were alive. Now I am going to be thinking about this all day! Thanks for sharing your theory. 1352825643 +This sir, could be a proper glitch. OR she could be flirting with you outrageously, and lying at the same time.\n\nOr both.\n\nYou decide. 1335773772 +Looking at the ingredients for a Throwback Mountain Dew, it appears they're actually made with beet sugar. 1344868040 +Because some asshole researcher recycles this misleading "science" every few years to get publicity.\n\nHere is the SAME EXACT ARTICLE from 2005\nhttp://articles.cnn.com/2005-06-22/health/cancer.virus_1_cancer-cells-cervical-cancer-hpv?_s=PM:HEALTH\n\nSo, what have you been doing in the last 7 years? Introduced it to one new petrie dish this time with breast cancer cells? 1335924528 +I'll just start with generic skepticism, as glutamates are found naturally in a wide variety of foods, including cheese, tomatoes, corn, most meats, nuts, etc.\n\nI don't see why tagging glutamates with a sodium atom would change processing that much in the body.\n\nCould this be an incidental link where (for example) processed food tend to have more MSG and (so the foodies tell you) are also worse for you? 1350445075 +It could be a dialect thing.\n\nOr you could just be a dick who needs something better to do. 1326500943 +Paranormal or not, you need to shut off the gas to that thing. There's a valve behind the oven/stove usually. If you can't do that, shut off the gas to the whole house. 1344856325 +New firmware version for all entities in that sector. They simply forgot to reset the timer, making you aware of it. 1342021240 +There have been many things that my family and i have experienced with another being... On multiple occasions while all of us are in the same room at least two of us will see the same thing happen. Whether it be a figure running through the front hall or it hanging over the banister looking into the room we're in. It also has touched my dad, talked to my sister-in-law and growled at me (it does not like me for some reason, or my sister- tried to possess her). We cant move, believe me this started two houses ago, it has been following us ever since. I have more stories but i thought id keep it short. 1344026984 +is it truly a prophesy anyways? the way i understood it was every 5k years or so is the end of one of their calendars and just.. the beginning of a new one. the only thing that people are getting their jimmies rustled over is because i think it says something about their God(s) ushering in the next age between calendars. 1344343456 +The best ones take months of planning and preparation to properly execute. 1305794364 +Lol ... like the nonprofit I'm a part of, that promotes electric vehicles (it's basically a local car club), or a friend's former workplace, the nonprofit that runs the art museum downtown. Poor public citizens, now forever stuck to the teat of regular art exhibitions...\n\nBottom line is that we're all dependent on others, whether those others are for-profit businesses, nonprofits, volunteers, government, etc. That's kind of the whole choice that homo sapiens made when we decided to stop wandering around and build civilizations around fixed agriculture. One could argue it even predates that, to some extent. 1319485702 +Argh... sorry, I assumed you were referring to another study! I thought you were talking about [this one](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20512135).\n\nA few quotes from the abstract of the metastudy you posted:\n\n> The methodologic quality of [the included] trials was variable but, on average, was low. \n\nRemember that Homeopathy metastudy that concluded that the better your blinds are, the less effective homeopathy is?\n\n> On the basis of the findings of this systematic review, there is no compelling evidence to recommend or reject acupuncture for any condition in domestic animals\n\n...which basically translates as "As far as we know, it does not cause harm." 1326209831 +Hookworms can't reproduce inside of your body so if you got a controlled dose you would be fine. 1316020788 +People are passionate about chemtrails because they do not know what constitutes a good reason to believe something. The evidence seems compelling to someone without a well-developed bullshit detection kit. The hypothesis then becomes unfalsafiable because any evidence presented against it is deemed to be part of the conspiracy. \n\nIn effect, it's a self-reinforcing belief. Like religion. \n\nIf there is no conceivable way to prove it false, then there is no way to test if it is true. 1337383035 +Ah, I can agree with that thought. Never occured to me that the way we teach science might be undermining it. \n\nThank you for opening my mind a bit. 1350403633 +I think you're in the wrong place. 1344257556 +wasn't this posted yesterday? 1322609444 +Wow. Thanks. 1281127999 +wow - volcano pixies. 1315395884 +Great stories, thanks for sharing! 1356191368 +Could somebody please back up what this image says about Carter with facts please? I'd like to see where he actually did this, and not hearsay. 1327074817 +The Carlos hoax was covered nicely in Sagan's "Demon-Haunted World". 1320313798 +I find the obtuse nature of all the government denials absolutely apalling 1351912890 +The moment i saw the plug for his book at the end of the article, i became bathed in disbelief at the idea of him making a profit from his story...\n\nInvolving any type of money or personal gain really breaks belief... 1350293954 +You not only defended creationism and polygraph machines that can be used by con artists to create cons and frauds--but also gave them the title of scientist, like as if there is science in religion. You also claimed polygraphs are not pseudoscience when used in the context of lie detection.\n\nThese are serious serious mistakes for someone who claims himself as a skeptic. 1292615636 +That is the largest stock photo I've ever seen on an article. At least she's cute. 1322013491 +That's exactly what....a demon would say! 1285319852 +As an undergrad, you don't need to understand statistics particularly well in most of your psychology classes. In graduate school, few of the more "practical" psych degrees (counseling, social work, psy.d) require much in the way of stats either.\n\nFor those that do (various doctorates, M.S.), they're taking a bunch of students that probably had a pretty weak foundation in math going into the program. There may also be a limited set of the faculty which understands the statistics on a fundamental level. In my experience, many of the psychologists that do understand the stats may ignore important design/psychological considerations at the same time.\n\nI'd say you also wind up at a disadvantage when attempting to make meaningful predictive statements about specific populations. The scope of a proper experiment investigating pathology should necessarily be fairly narrow, and often examines a specific disorder. However, it's often nigh-impossible to get sufficiently large AND random sets of people with a very specific disorder. \n\nFor example, your only source of PTSD patients might be from a local VA hospital. You'd like to be able to make a meaningful statement about PTSD with your findings, but your study is accordingly crippled by both poor sample size and a very abnormal sample. It's reasonable to think that returning soldiers would have many commonalities with respect to experience and type of PTSD (acute vs. chronic, clustering of symptoms, history prior to event, etc.). It's not reasonable to generalize them to all PTSD sufferers.\n\nThat study may get published just the same, with a "PTSD sufferers show increased likelihood of BLANK" lede. Were the statistics used necessarily bad? Perhaps not. However, a second researcher comes along later and throws that study in with others in a meta-analysis of PTSD studies (not distinguishing that it doesn't say much about the disorder as a whole). The result is the inclusion of questionable data in a paper that makes more general claims about the disorder. Papers like the meta-analysis are more likely to inform prevailing opinions going forward.\n\nThe inconsistency of understanding of facets of design, statistics, and pathology is what I see as the more general problem facing the field at the moment. 1337957974 +Why are you so unwilling to even consider the possibility that a non-governmental system could work? You don't seem the least bit interested in any rational discussion, but rather in "debunking" anything which conflicts with your preexisting belief systems. 1325585465 +I don't really get why he would say that; sounded like your standard speech up to the end.\n\nhowever : \n\n- it's not a mistake, i mean, it's not like he's Bush\n- he most have known it was being filmed and would be released\n\nSo why in the world would he say that, just to throw oil on the fire by manner of speech ? 1332835833 +>Putin had the dude silenced.\n\nDon't be so quick to jump to that. It was a very sloppy way to kill someone, seeing how the KGB has killed people in very creative ways, (including using a ricin tablet inside of an umbrella, which the agent nicked the target with while walking past him), it would be a very strange way for the Russian government to go about killing someone. His death also did more harm than good to the Russian government. Litvinenko had been going public with all kinds of information for a long time, he wrote two books during his time in Britain, some people have even said that he was running out of money because he ran out of stories to market, and there are no signs of any assassination attempts while he was writing those books. \n\nThis guy was not a high level agent at all, the US even denied him asylum, apparently the State Department didn't think he wasn't worth dealing with. \n\nYes, you do need to be very wealthy and powerful to get a hold of enough polonium-210 to kill someone, but there were many other wealthy and powerful people who would like to have seen Litvinenko dead. Traces of polonium-210 were found in Berezovsky's office, and Russian prosecutors were blocked from questioning him or searching his office. Litvinenko also wrote a lot about the Russian government's involvement with organized crime, and Russian gangs certainly have enough wealth and power to get a hold of some polonium-210. \n\nIntelligence agencies tend to act intelligently, and assassinations tend to only be performed when it directly benefits the state or those in power. This was not a very intelligent attack, which leads many to think that it was done by a gang or a guy with shitloads of money and a vendetta against Putin. 1356636968 +Milk? 1348851644 +>A UFO could be anything. I'm not going to say you're lying if you say you saw one. But if you try to claim it's something extraterrestrial or paranormal, I'm going to ask for proof.\n\nClearly this would be impossible. If you saw a UFO that you thought was of extraterrestrial origin, how would you prove to someone like yourself that it was indeed extraterrestrial? What if 10,000 people saw a craft 10 miles long glide over their neighborhood, everyone took pictures and video etc etc. Even that isn't proof that it's extraterrestrial. It's good that you're skeptical, but the "proof" you require would be impossible for any observer to obtain. 1341125432 +He's "just asking questions" the same way Glenn Beck is "just asking questions." 1291500511 +Somebody's been watching Farscape... 1259026949 +Yes, the correct term would be 'incongruous', but saying 'incongruous' just makes you sound like a dick. 1280861604 +Shit this baby was totally not planned, was not ready for this decision today! 1356641238 +There is a good (similar) story here;\n\nhttp://www.forteantimes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33266&view=previous 1344266942 +I am vegan and have experienced varied reactions firsthand.\n\nTypically, when people confront me or ask about being vegan I point out that studies show that veganism can be healthy. So choosing not to be vegan is an ethical choice where you are weighing animal interests and environmental consequences against your own pleasure and convenience. That's normally seen as pretty reasonable, so I don't get too much attitude (unless I'm on the internet), but I do get some rude dismissals.\n\nI think people have a prototypical vegan in their minds who is some sort of new age hippie. So, for the skeptic community, there's going to be some resistance. Throw in some trumped up claims of dietary perfection and you've got reasons for skeptics to be turned off from both sides.\n\nLike all communities, there are vegans who could use some education. I used to talk about the China Study a lot, until someone pointed out the problems to me. Now, I use evidence about how being vegan can be healthy, but never present it as some miracle diet.\n\nLike the vegan community, I think the skeptic community would do well to check out some people that talk about the ethics of animal use without involving bad science or hippie stuff. [Gary Francione](http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Animal-Rights-Your-Child/dp/1566396921) is a good example of one of those people.\n\nSo, I didn't really answer the question yet. I do think it's unreasonable how some vegans are treated, but the vegans who are in to good science and good ethics need to be better at messaging and speaking out. The skeptic community should see people who are being misled by bad information as people that need to be informed, not mocked and dismissed. Additionally, I think people who are interested in rational inquiry and truth seeking, should look into the legitimate reasons for being vegan instead of dismissing the whole idea because they've ran into some vegans that they didn't like.\n\nIn my experience, there are a lot of omnivores that don't like being called out for their lifestyle choices. Even when I'm not discussing being vegan with someone, just existing around them can be accidentally confrontational. Most people don't want to hurt animals, but they've been taught and reinforced to themselves that it's necessary or it's okay. By existing as a vegan, I point out that it's not necessary and I don't think it's okay to use animals. People have a bad reaction to having that thrown into the light because most people want to believe they are good people who would not hurt animals unless it was necessary. 1343746239 +theres a stupid hippy ethic that all things natural are good. mother earth loves us bull shit. disease is natural. the earth erupting and killing everything around it is natural, but these events happen on geologic time scales so it doesnt occur to ppl. same with meteors crashing the earth. all natural. 1318437880 +That's true, but Ockham's Razor is about what you should *assume*. \n\nFor example, there is no principle in science which states that ghosts can't exist or that they aren't real. However, when presented with a "ghostly" event, in order to conclude the presence of a ghost, you would have to assume a large amount of new information. Ockham's Razor simply states that if you don't know the answer to something for sure, you have to assume whatever posits the least amount of new information. Obviously those assumptions can be wrong, but they're usually correct because of the law of probability. The more variables you add to a possible outcome, the more the odds of it being the case decrease. 1326616417 +That's pretty conclusive right there. 1342641951 +>science gives us the framework for a reasonable guess.\n\nWhen the scientific method is applied correctly. 1304270882 +Damn, put a warning up before you link to that guy. I almost heard him speak! Too close a call for my liking. 1294585543 +Yes. I get told "Why do you have to intellectualise everything". DUH. 1301250688 +My Physical Therapist? He recommended the chiropractor. 1285525451 +I think the original picture had quite a bit of photoshop help with it. 1353611820 +i thought you meant THIS subreddit, and was prepared for a shitstorm. Maybe a little more clarity in the headline next time? ;) 1332914367 +If you're a "good skeptic", you should know that "seeing is believing" is not a good rule to live by. No properly-conducted study has ever shown acupuncture to be anything more than a placebo. Therefore, there's no reason to try it, because there's no evidence that it works.\n\nIf you think it's worked for you, congratulations, you've experienced a placebo effect. 1261321180 +I enjoyed it more than the "Stifle and Wither" movement. 1316266968 +I very much doubt they had people watching it continuously in shifts for three days. They will have taken him at his word he didn't touch it when they weren't there 1350268094 +I haven't been to /r/atheism since I unsubbed it. Going to check it now... Yep, full retard. 1324025901 +> go to hotspots the phenomenon can become observable and replicable\n\n(citation needed)\n\n> If there is no tangible evidence that means it doesn't exist? Science would not had come far had this motto been in effect.\n\nYeah, back when science was relegated to anecdote, speculation, and rumor like UFOlogy currently is based, people believed the Earth was flat and miasmas caused disease. The essence of science is observation and replication. 1346115102 +I just don't think that homeopathy should be referred to as "an alternative form of medicine". I think it should be referred to as "an alternative to medicine". There's medicine, which can cure you, and then there's homeopathy, which can't, but is nevertheless used as an alternative. 1328292426 +Listen to engineers about what? There is nothing at Pryamids or Puma Punku that cannot be done today or even by cultures native at the time. What engineers are you talking about? 1356720200 +>No, I'm talking about real-world performance with proper training.\n\nYou are simply denying the evidence presented in the OP and the FOI research about **real world** performance of **real dogs.**\n\n>nearly 1/4 of the subjects correctly respond\n\nMore than **3/4** of them **failed**. You keep pretending this isn't significant.\n\nDogs have great noses. Theoretically, it is possible for them to act as highly accurate detector dogs. That's all your cited paper shows, it does not show **real world** performance.\n\nIn theory, it works in practice. In practice, it works in theory.\n\nIt's useless arguing with a believer. 1333490686 +Should be "nothing escapes i's pull". 1317529088 +...*thetans*? 1352862942 +Sometimes you have to believe there is a greater purpose to things - than a dick in a rubber mask 1316806498 +I couldn't be more shocked if he'd said something homophobic. 1351092675 +11:11? Can't understand. I have the same feeling when I look at my digital clock as it says 13:37. 1298206304 +[Same video on YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k49rjd1vubA) 1331483769 +Reasonable question, meet unhelpful sarcastic answer! I hope you guys become friends. 1335471877 +I don't intend to be picking you out. Truth be told, you sound like you're contributing in a positive way. Respond to the substance of what they say. That's what brought me around. It wasn't having my beliefs being coddled. It was being challenged in a way that gave my beliefs the respect of being answered. \n\nOn the other hand, that's the long way around. My point is that it is generally easier to remove the barriers to the evidence than trying to overflood it. (Which requires a mind willing to carefully consider evidence as it is rather than as what their preconceptions demand it be.) 1265519968 +um the article was more insightful than that, you just have piss poor reading comprehension.\n\n\nYou also suffer from the ignorant belief that the general public is as informed as you are.\n\n\n\nLast science is about exactness and quantifying things. Often science looks into things that seem obvious and it appears to the layman as a waste of money. But see it is one thing to say a hot stove burns, it is another to say a stove will start to burn your flesh at 120 degrees F.\n\nSure it is obvious that Vit E doesnt cure cancer, as people who take vitamins still get cancer, but science wasnt trying to answer that truism, science was looking to see if their was any effect what so ever that could justify myth.\n\nThere wasnt. 1331221764 +If there is a window, this is a more likely scenario. 1345567806 +ruh roh 2spooky4me i'm outta here guys 1356759715 +I can always wake up a minute or two before my alarm clock. No matter what I set it to, I end up waking up early by a minute. 1340385401 +If you believe you saw it then its real. That is of course ruling out a Scooby Doo style projection on the glass. But if you really truly saw it with your eyes then the opinions of a few internet weirdos don't matter. There are alot of things a person can do to hoax a picture but very little we can do to hoax your eyes. The picture does seriously resemble one of the ghost app ghosts though. 1334120375 +Not with my money. Unlike with private insurers, with government run systems you have no option in paying for it. 1257457693 +Exactly. This is why every link has someone simply saying "Daily Mail. Daily Mail, people." Then someone else asking "What's wrong with the article? Just coz you don't like the source..." 1329219175 +No problemo! I just didn't want to devote an hour to gathering up all the resources so you could verify what I would be saying (esp. since I'm supposed to be studying).\n\nOne thing occurs to me, and it's relatively easy to explain, as I look back over the list... there have been several studies investigating the creeping age of menarche (first period for women, marks the onset of puberty in females). The proposed link seems to be between BMI and menarche - higher BMI at a younger age -> earlier menarche. In fact, when I first learned about menarche, it was thought that women needed to weigh a certain amount (this does not appear to be the case, but the 'rule of thumb' still applies). The magic figure used to be around 105lb (47kg), IIRC.\n\n[This PDF](http://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/jobes/2011/180729.pdf) is one example of evidence in favor of a correlation between increased BMI and earlier onset of menarche. In a (health) nutrition class I took just recently, one group presented on the increasing age of menarche in certain schools in Hong Kong as being indicative of the veracity of the BMI-menarche link. \n\nI could go on, but I assume you have a few tidbits to tear somebody a new one with! Good luck! 1312775670 +Looks like he was fapin' while shootin' 1344180449 +reddit.com/r/DMT 1354419593 +A pretty basic one would be having a causative mechanism - that is, knowing how A might cause B. If you have a plausible causative mechanism and a correlation, you can then use the causative mechanism to work out predictions that can be made to test the mechanism.\n\nIf your predictions fail, your causative mechanism is disproved. If your predictions come true, you have more confidence in your mechanism and develop further predictions, then repeat as necessary.\n 1355406153 +Maybe, as dumb animals, they were considered free of sin and were all accepted into heaven. Whoa, that would be a catch 22. 1307262108 +I plotted their [horizontal movement over time](http://i.imgur.com/rcjMK.jpg) using a landmark from the video.\n\nEdit: I added a [vertical plot](http://i.imgur.com/1FxlU.jpg) as well.\n\nEdit2: All four time frames [superimposed](http://i.imgur.com/StJMc.jpg). 1352874587 +ET (natural phenomenon) =/= supernatural\n\nI agree that "we don't know" is acceptable, I was simply saying why not consider ET at all. 1316708403 +No worries, I don't mind skepticism! There's a decent amount of discussion of this in the perpetual motion machine debunking literature/community, and here are a couple representative sites I found from googling:\n\n[Link 1](http://reedmagneticmotor.com/)\n[Link 2] (http://dispatchesfromthefuture.com/2007/07/first_glimpse_of_an_orbo.html)\n\nTo think of this in an easier way, imagine wrapping a coil around a permanent magnet. Then heat the magnet, and as the magnetic domains randomly realign and destroy the net magnetic moment of the bulk, the change in flux will induce a current in the coil. But that's not FREE energy! It was "stored" in the magnet because the parallel magnetic domains were in a higher energy state than the state where they cancel each other out, which become accessible as their thermal energy increases.\n\nThat's functionally similar to what magnetic motors seek to accomplish.\n\n 1348468547 +>I have been reading the webbot's reports since 2009 and many of his predictions have come true.\n\nSuch as?\n\nIve known about the webbots reports since Project Camelot started reporting on it and ever since it came up on Art Bells show...\n\nI still think it's bullshit though. :/ 1351727845 +I feel like we should blame her for this moronic "trend" but then I remember that these anti-vacciners are *taking medical advice from a Playboy model*... it's their own fault, really. The only problem is that their stupidity can affect the rest of us. 1329420264 +Don't make it more than it is.\n\nBreastmilk, a natural substance, which has been developed over the millenia for the benefit of the species or vitamin ( chemical ) fortified Nestle product fed in a plastic bottle so some corporate executives can bonuses next quarter ???\n\nYou're welcome 1335076327 +I've only seen one myself once. It just walked by, didn't even look at me (I suppose) It just passed by looking like Dick Tracy.\n\n\nI have seen other shadows, more like blobs or something, recently I saw one of these things peering over an entertainment center, just looking at me. Saw it out of the corner of my eye and when I turned to look, it vanished. Same night I was playing a game online with two of my friends and saw something that really freaked me out, I saw the damn blob IN THE VIDEO GAME. I told my friends to look at the same spot I was looking at but they couldn't see anything. I've been to the same place over and over again on my own but it will not reappear. Maybe it was a glitch or something, but it had the exact same shaped the one I saw had. 1352680575 +Richard Gere didn't go to my high school. The "buddhists" I went to high school with didn't know the first thing about Buddhism past the fact that it was asian and it might get them laid. 1309289572 +Exploding Head Syndrome is the worst! About to go to sleep and BAM! sounds out like someone's setting off fireworks inside your head. 1326606423 +Where did you get the idea that eyewitness identification alone is enough to convict anyone of anything serious? In some cases it's not even admissible as evidence. 1347423616 +Reminded me of this guy in Italy who communicates with the dead through his radio. Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qSEi_sfaSU and fast forward to 12:30. There is also a follow up segment at 1:12:05. The rest of the documentary has some cool stuff as well. But this rings true for you after you watch it!! 1325218108 +On the flip side, the internets surely have taught me a lot about old cases and the very real history behind the phenomenon which I'm thankful for. So I guess we'll have to take the good with the bad. :) 1331951413 +None of his hypothesis have been experimentally disproven. We've never actually played with heavier elements that are stable. It very well may be that the size of the atom's nuclei causes the gravity force to extend outside the atom, etc. And we know we can create anti-matter by just slamming particles together. His explanations are implausible but not impossible. \n\n/devil's advocate 1329190914 +This was amazing. Thanks for posting. I wonder if that caller at the end ever called back. 1328974224 +Are there other solid cases that have anything like the symbol Zamora reported? 1341930478 +[They say of the Acropolis where the Parthenon is](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUVBXb4XIqE).. 1293937690 +The facepalms were my least favorite part of the video.\n\nOtherwise, Grade A trolling. 1316787699 +LOOK AT IT CLOSE UP - http://i.imgur.com/uiU4r.jpg 1342412194 +That book was awesome! I got it for my mom last year for Christmas but couldn't help reading it the weekend before the holidays. I second your recommendation! 1354316421 +One of the best videos I've seen in recent weeks. The speaker spoke very fast, but it was very interesting -- I'm going to look up some more of his talks. 1293284430 +>Why would it matter if it was a religious belief? It causes harm for children not to be vaccinated.\n\nReligious beliefs are protected by the law. Stupidity isn't. At least not yet. 1348783620 +I think the Weekly World News is a tabloid so I'd be willing to bet all my karma it's fake. If SETI really made this announcement, I would imagine other news sources would have picked it up. 1310650501 +> Just imagine how unfun it would have been to discover that people really need saving, and you have to do it. \n\nOh yeah, absolutely. It's awesome to sit and plan how to build a rocket to divert asteroids from hitting the planet. It's shit wettingly terrible to be pointed at an asteroid and be told to divert it.\n\nedit: \n\n> It is no fun at all to give up luxuries to the extent to which 8 lives per dollar figure would compel you.\n\nThat's a great point. At that rate not buying a Big Mac ($4.20) could save 33.6 lives. You'd have to be a monster to do it. 1345122582 +Those look like lens flares, but that doesn't explain why they're consistently in your pictures only around you. 1318536497 +That I couldn't tell you. You would think that they wouldn't let planes stay in the air during that storm, but they could have been planes that were scheduled to land, and were now in a holding pattern. They could have also been research planes I guess, like flying into the dust storm to gather data on it. 1311183759 +I like you. Thanks! 1328157179 +[Here you go.](http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2897%2911096-0/fulltext) 1334282912 +i mean, obviously i watch... 1352573827 +>It also seems strange to me that the government would have develloped such a powerful technology within the span of what, 1 century in secrecy?\n\nYou forgot to mention what is strange about this. 1301397393 +Here's the link for the IPCC's reports. (Specifically, as far as impacts are concerned, you might be interested in Working Group 2's contribution.)\nhttp://www.ipcc.ch/\n\nAlso, in addition to temperature change, ocean acidification is a potentially very serious issue:\nhttp://www.skepticalscience.com/ocean-acidification-global-warming-basic.htm\n\n(The whole Skeptical Science website is a good resource for primers on the science of climate change/global warming.) 1322728037 +True but its definitely not the way to get them to vaccinate their kids which is more the point 1299057358 +>If they were studying us, then the best way to do so would be with the least amount of interference possible. This way they can observe us in our natural habitat and our natural behaviors. Flying around in front of some random Joe Schmoe iPhone user is not exactly "least amount of interference."\n\nI disagree again. Interaction with the object of study is valid way of learning about it. Have you ever read Jacques Vallee? He had the idea of UFOs as being part of a "control system" - basically an extended cosmic ecology of which we are a part, but which is ultimately beyond our complete comprehension just by virtue of our anatomical and cognitive limitations.\n\nThe analogy would be fish in the ocean. They think the ocean is "it." We know it isn't. And sure, we observe them "with as little interference as possible," but sometimes we do interfere. 1349339838 +My brother blocked my dad's emails for the same reason. 1297863489 +Wow, not sure where to begin...\n\nFirst of all, are you claiming that doctors prescribing the best possible treatment once or twice proves they're always prescribing the best treatment possible?\n\nSecond, is there any evidence that all fatty foods increase risk of heart problems? What about the French "paradox", native Inuit, Maasai etc? 1322956292 +anybody else clean your room? 1345356555 +The only decent paranormal show in my opinion is "My Ghost Story" since they actually show the evidence, pics, videos, EVPs, along with the witness story. Celebrity Ghost Stories is entertaining, and has some credibility since I doubt most celebrities would risk ridicule talking about things like that, but without evidence it's still just stories. The rest is bullshit though, I can't stand any of the other shows. That one ghost show with Zack whats-his-name, assuming they aren't hoaxers, seem to have gotten some good stuff over the years, but they still make a big deal about nothing most of the time. I generally disregard any network paranormal show since there is no telling if they make shit up just for ratings. Would be nice if there was an actual scientific show about the paranormal, but I doubt that would ever happen. 1327565553 +This is either a (1) real glitch, (2) a prank or (3) bullshit.\n\nIf 1: With our current knowledge of how the universe works it's unexplainable. A crack in the boundaries between parallel universes? [Quantum physics](http://i.imgur.com/f5kS8.jpg)?\n\nIf 2: Tell us more about the people you live with. You said you have a 'dick sister'. What kind of girl is she? Is she really the type that would buy a tube of toothpaste to prank you? Is she stealthy? Does she often say you're gullible? I can't even imagine anyone coming up with this kind of 'prank'. \nDo you usually have multiple unopened tubes of toothpaste at home?\nAlso, didn't you have the bathroom door locked when about to take a shower?\n\nIf 3: Not funny. 1350129374 +Tribal markings are somthing every culture has used at some point, I don;t think they would be trying to mimic the vistors, but seeing them was somthing so strange they did this painting so they could tell younger generations of this amazing event and show them as well. I would be interested to know if there is any folklore about this paintings, but so much aboriginal culture has been lost since they were discovered.\n\nEdit: I am an idiot, there is a ton of folklore behidn these paintings. 1334261354 +I posted this reply nested fairly deep, so here it is again: \n\nOr read some of their project reports:\n\n[1] http://www.homeopathswithoutborders-na.org/newsletters/mitchell_letter_feb_09.htm\n\nIt's bullshit all the way down. Nothing gained; plenty lost. 1322083810 +Argh, region restricted... I think [this is a YouTube mirror](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFKojcTknbU) of the piece... 1295131387 +..part 1\n\n> Sorry about the length :)\n\nNo need to apologize, I was looking forward to a point by point reply :)\n\nBut because of your need to apologize, I'm assuming it might be a reflection on how you think about these long responses so now I feel the need to apologize.. sorry about the length!\n\n> I should probably clarify exactly what my view is before I get into my points though. My view is that this would be a great way to live if it worked, but there are too many unknowns at present to say whether it's feasible. \n\nIt's true, there are a lot of unknowns, but on the other hand, there is also a lot of data pointing a certain way. And let's not forget the learning experience, it would be a huge opportunity whether it succeeds or not to put some theories (as theoretical as the theory of evolution or gravity) about human behavior to the test.\n\nBut I'm pretty optimistic, I admit, about the positive outcome this could have for humanity and the feasibility of a working RBE. (Otherwise I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now, obviously)\n\n> These include:\nWhether people can be educated to live a life free of waste, and to share resources instead of hoarding them.\n\nBefore I reply to this I do want to state that I'm going to share my personal views and it might not be official RBE material but I don't think it matters, I generally think more in line of directions and using wide guidelines to achieve a RBE-type system.\n\nI do know that the TZM-collective doesn't see the arrival of a RBE at the end of the year or decennia. We're looking at it like how cathedrals were built, it took a few generations.\n\nSo with that in mind, it's not about if it is possible to turn around people today (though that could work for the most part I assume, and we're already doing this by exposing people to this information) but it's generational thing, the education and environment of the children (think of the children! :)).\n\nI have met a surprisingly growing number of people that tell me that our system will eventually change itself to a RBE, and that there is no real need for what TZM does. The argument is that as we are constantly improving our environment that this gradual change would finally arrive at a RBE after a few (when we're long dead and burried) generations. But I'm not that much of an optimist and I would rather "take matter into my own hands", I'll probably never know the outcome but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't do anything about it today.\n\nBut to answer more specifically, education can change people so they live a life free of waste (or keep it in mind and motivate them to do something about it) and share resources instead of hoarding them. Education would make it clear to them that it is in their personal interest to behave that way. And what benefits them (a more clean, healthy environment, less crime) benefits others automatically.\n\n> Whether the leaders of countries can learn to share resources (though this and my previous point are probably intertwined).\n\nI guess I can refer to my previous reply.. it would be beneficial for themselves as well.\n\n> Whether all the resources we need can be obtained in some form (whether through recycling, growing, synthesising or some other means) - the technology to do this efficiently doesn't exist, and in fact some resources can't be recovered at all (I'll expand on this later in this post).\n\nI know my answer is only based on speculation, but I tend to think it is credible.\n\nIt's all about intelligent management. There are today already alternatives to certain resources, and I don't mean exact replacements, we might have to do with less so we can do more. And I'll exaggerate with my example but you'll get the point, maybe instead of a solid gold chain you could have a gold plated chain (with comparable weight/feel). Not that people would actually want a gold chain in a RBE, this is just an exaggeration :)\n\n> So, yes, if we could get rid of capitalism, things may improve, but it depends on what it's replaced with, and whether that system works for the benefit of the people. And the last large societal experiment of that ilk (Soviet Russia, and Communism in general) didn't turn out too well for the people in those countries as well as other countries, so perhaps we can see one of the reasons for reluctance to change.\n\nI get this. And I wonder how that experiment would've looked if there was no money involved and equal access. Those are 2 components that have a very big impact on any system. Would it have failed as much? Would it have failed at all? I don't know, but it's food for thought.\n\n> The major thing I'm trying to get across is, before we can state that an RBE is indeed superior, we would need to run an experiment, and I believe that's one of the things TVP advocate.\n\nWell, what TVP actually wants is to build a test city first for researchers, to map the worlds resources and all other details about this planet relevant to how it can be applied to a running social system. This information is vital for the goals of a RBE.\n\n> We cannot, at this point, say that it will work, but we can point out some of the potential pitfalls. It's hard to say whether the issues can be resolved right now.\n\nI agree completely. And you might have already distilled my view on this, it's not because we don't know the outcome beforehand that we shouldn't at least try it. Eyes on the prize, and its a very attractive prize (world peace, comfortable lives, equal opportunities, no slavery (payed/unpayed) or prostitution (of any kind)).\n\n> True, but there are resources we require that cannot be recovered - when they're used, they're gone.\n\nWell, I was only making the assumption, just as I'm assuming that there could be a way, one day, to maybe either regenerate or recreate. \nThere are some things we can say never on but others, like these, were we can never really say never.\n\n> Also, most metals cannot be entirely recovered through recycling, despite best efforts of the companies that do it (and since they resell the recovered metals at profit, it's in their interests to maximise the quantities).\n\nUnless it costs more to do a complete recovery :) If you can't make any money by solving the problem, why solve it? That's the profit motive for ya ;)\n\n> No processes are 100% efficient, and there are losses through time (the amount depending on the metal).\n\nIdd, and you are talking about down-cycling, but there is also such a thing as up-cycling. I do think that it might be difficult recycling metal alloys back to their original components for example, but I don't think it's impossible (if we're changing things at the molecular level for example). And I'm referring to my previous reply, it might not always be cost-efficient (as in, it might cost too much money than you'll get back from that "investment") to do this.\n\n> Granted, part of this is through the design of the products, but there is a tradeoff between how practical it is to design a fully functional product and how much of it can be recycled - there will always be a certain amount of waste (in electronics, particularly).\n\nTrue, it might make things more complex if you have to also keep in mind the recycling part of a product. But if we're not living in a system where you only have a certain budget/time (to market, being faster than your competitor) for R&D and need to cut corners to make it, things will look very different.\n\nAlso, in a RBE, collaboration would be to the benefit of this facet of product design. Instead of having thousands of different corporations with their own R&D and patents, having a world collaboration of all those minds.. imagine the possibilities, it's easy to see the potential benefit(s) in this.. like for example the learning opportunities! 1317802524 +1. When was this image on SKYmap taken?\n2. Can someone with a telescope confirm / not confirm these objects are there.\n3. Can Craig Kasnoff please stand up.\n\n 1291947508 +nice one 1330943027 +I'm not in America 1352214227 +When I was a kid, I went on a field trip to the Tampa Theater. As I was walking in a row to take my seat, a hammer fell directly in front of me. I looked up, expecting to see a balcony, and there was not one. To this day, I can't explain where the hammer fell from. \n\nAnd I just looked up the Tampa Theater to confirm its name, and apparently it is haunted. 1336045965 +The tree stump? Cool pic though. 1311889363 +Is there some way to determine from the video alone that it was not rendered using video editing tools? \n 1339546460 +You're right, that was a pretty bad and unfair generalization on my part. I'm trying to avoid poor phrasing like that, thanks for making me aware of it. 1315690285 +From the abstract it looks to me like this could be helpful in chronic pain that has dubious origin but not limb severing conditions.\n\nAbstract: http://www.jneurosci.org/content/31/14/5540.abstract\nPaper of reference:\n Fadel Zeidan, Katherine T. Martucci, Robert A. Kraft, Nakia S. Gordon, John G. McHaffie, and Robert C. Coghill\nBrain Mechanisms Supporting the Modulation of Pain by Mindfulness Meditation\nThe Journal of Neuroscience, 6 April 2011, 31(14):5540-5548; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5791-10.20\n\nThis has also hit the meditation section.\n 1312393149 +maybe it was the ghost of michael jackson 1336992286 +It's been awhile since the DDT drama but it's important to keep yourself open to fact checking. Bug Girl has a very good [collection and summary](http://membracid.wordpress.com/2010/11/23/brian-dunnings-ddt-fail/) of what Dunning got wrong in his podcast on DDT. \n\nIf you weren't aware, Dunning is a libertarian and in his podcast he made several erroneous claims about environmentalists in general and Rachel Carson (whose 1962 book was instrumental in the banning of DDT) in particular. \n\nHe has an agenda. His podcast is usually pretty interesting but you should keep his ideology in mind when you listen. 1339891906 +Don't presume that lefties aren't a rational and often skeptical bunch. Even those of us who don't embrace nuclear power or GM cropping. (Gasp!) It wasn't that long ago that such qualities might even have been described as an identifying characteristic of left leaning folk, and plenty of us have found good reason not to drink the postmodernist cool-aid! \n\nBe honest and be respectful, and you'll be right. You might be surprised at how many people will appreciate your vocalizing doubts and reservations that occurred to them as well.\n\nGood luck mate! 1318426611 +No such thing as excessive animal consumption. The inuits ate an all meat diet and they had non existent rates of heart disease. The link between [saturated fat](http://www.menshealth.com/health/saturated-fat) and heart disease has been debunked a while ago. The 70's I think? 1331311285 +Sky mall is filled with pseudoscience. I like reading through it and debunking every pseudoscientific product they present 1305649807 +Ancient Aliens first episode asserts that the pyramids were primitive power generators and had a satellite array to distribute power. \n\nedit: punctuation 1323025846 +> Sports drinks are, in my opinion, a nutritional joke.\n\nIn your opinion? So I presume you have some sort of credential, and have based this opinion on reproducable results?\n\nWait, no? What? \n\nSo ... uninformed OPINION now trumps EVIDENCE?\n\nI weep for the future. 1326756976 +> and that only the Christians killed are going to heaven.\n\nI'll be happy to arrange that. 1343127227 +You may not be as aware of changes in your environment as you believe:\n\nGradual change test:\nhttp://youtu.be/1nL5ulsWMYc\n\n*Selective attention test:\nhttp://youtu.be/vJG698U2Mvo\n\n(*you may well have seen this one)\n\n 1349128933 +Unfortunately being war-like, violent and dominating is part of the reason human beings have survived and prospered in a very unforgiving, merciless natural world. It is hard-wired. 1327977882 +Maybe the guy was just so fuckin ballsy that he went on the show with a 4/5 chance of looking like an idiot and a 1/5 chance of looking like the greatest magician on the show. 1309890296 +in the opinion of this atheist: needlessly antagonistic and dumb, like most of their publicity stunts.\n\nedit: also\n>\n>\n>“The cheapest form of pride however is national pride. For it betrays in the one thus afflicted the lack of individual qualities of which he could be proud, while he would not otherwise reach for what he shares with so many millions. He who possesses significant personal merits will rather recognise the defects of his own nation, as he has them constantly before his eyes, most clearly. But that poor beggar who has nothing in the world of which he can be proud, latches onto the last means of being proud, the nation to which he belongs to. Thus he recovers and is now in gratitude ready to defend with hands and feet all errors and follies which are its own.”-Arthur Schopenhauer 1341370636 +Don't you know germ theory is lies made up by big pharma to push horrible autism causing drugs? Obviously we were all better off living in caves as a hunter gatherer society. 1350155173 +Dr Bronner, wasn't really a Dr. but he was a great soap maker. He came to America after fleeing the Nazis. He tried to convince his parents to come with him but they thought he was being paranoid. In America he received a heavily censored letter from his father that the only readable part said "you were right". His parents were later confirmed murdered by the Nazis. \n\nIts easy to understand how that could break someone's brain a little. Anyway the company is run by his family now. The labels are a tribute to Dr. Bronner and not so much about promoting any religious belief. \n\nThe soap is magic in being damn good. The website is straightforward about what is up with it. http://www.drbronner.com/\n 1339897338 +I feel bad for them signing up back then. Greer sold them a good line and had the best intentions, he is just bugshit insane. I bet even David Icke rolls his eyes when he sees Greer on the same speaking circuit as him. 1285727502 +I really think the Daily Mail should be brought to court for the spread of misinformation. \n\nNot sure what there would be to do at court. Maybe talk about it over tea or something. \n\n*Also typo in line 1\n>The Dail Mail 1350381441 +This was exactly what I thought too 1354450573 +No need to bother the dead. Its best for them to see let them know they have passed on and to follow the light. 1352554196 +freaky ass shit. what do they look like? 1320646420 +I might not be aware of the exact lifestyle witchcraft entails. Perhaps researching it and finding out whether it could cause her harm would help. 1352285684 +why do ufos need lights? 1346157968 +You have many inciteful ideas on offer for the next Star Trek convention. May I bring a camera? 1325710326 +> The idea is that fructose is worse than glucose since it metabolizes differently in the body.\n\nThe other way around, fructose produces a lower glucose response, and thus is 'slightly' better in terms of risk of diabetes, damage to diabetics, or for those trying to lower their weight than glucose (assuming an equal amount being compared).\n\nThere again, HFCS isn't particularly high in fructose compared to table sugar anyway.\n\nThe problem with HFCS is that it's cheap, and you can stick loads of it in a product to make it taste sweet, and people love sweet stuff so they buy more of it, and so on.\n\n\nSource: my dietician - I'm diabetic and on a 'as low as possible GI diet', pure fructose (ie fruit) is considered a low GI/GD food stuff, and thus 'ok' for diabetics to eat without too much concern, HFCS and table sugar are considered equally bad on the GI/GD scale. 1354290674 +Don't talk with any official people about it, get your ear checked and try to rewind time after time what exactly happened to see if you notice anything else. \nAlso try to think about what could have happened during the day, anything special that maybe scared you, even at a subconscious level. Anything regarding aliens or w/e ?\n 1340197355 +Here in NJ, I don't think the teaching is to blame at all. I think we have some of the best, most passionate teachers you'll find anywhere. But a big part of the problem lies in the administration at the schools. Teachers are pressured to pass every student, regardless of how the student is actually performing. Parents pressure the school administrators to pass their child, because they don't want their precious little snowflake to experience the "unfathomable psychological damage" caused by being held back a grade. 1295443460 +>nothing to back it up.\n\nNothing to back it up? Brother, if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck - it's probably a duck. (ie- there are hundreds of videos showing side by side comparisons of Bldg 7 falling at the same speed of officially confirmed bldg collapses.) Couple that with how the center of the building collapses fractions of a seconds before - again - like a common building collapse. Finally, there are the squibs up the sides of the top of the bldg.\n\nBut yes, you'd be right in then saying that that wouldn't be evidence enough (even though it's very damming and should certainly make one think twice.)\n\nHere's a detailed analysis citing the evidence for a free fall collapse, per your request:\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVCDpL4Ax7I\n\nAnd as for those pages you submitted re: collapses - they focus on Bldg's 1 and 2, but not on Bldg 7. I never once mentioned Bldg's 1 and 2. 1350341762 +> Downvote brigades\n\nYou're only here because someone posted a link on r/whiterights. You are *participating* in a downvote brigade, dumbs. 1356391905 +There's a lot of really dumb skepticism over GMOs. Lots. But this thing still fucking sucks. The last thing we need is our farmers spraying more little-studied pesticide, willy-nilly, all over everything we eat. It's bad enough that we've got round-up ready GMO products destroying local amphibian life and creating huge mosquito problems. I'm not sure what this shit'll do, but I'm relatively certain that it ain't gonna be good. 1342628996 +>She genuinely meant were were supposed to be vegetarians and that meat eating was indeed an outlier, or aberration, that would (and should) eventually be eradicated.\n\nWhile it is quite clear to me that humans evolved to opportunistically take advantage of whatever food source happened to be available (including other animals), I have to agree with your acquaintance that meat-eating ought to be eventually eradicated. There are plenty of options for obtaining full nutrition without resorting to terminating the consciousness of sentient beings, not to mention the tremendous waste of resources and environmental degradation large-scale meat consumption entails. 1297477208 +In theory, labeling food GM or non-GM sounds great but in practice it would require the FDA (or the state equivalent) to allocate time and resources into investigating every food item and drug on the market. It would also mean plenty of legal proceedings because a GM label would be looked upon as a liability by corporations (who would go to court to have re-evaluated or removed). It would mean a large increase in government spending with absolutely no useful or positive benefits for anyone except to ease the minds of a very small group of people. \n\nDue to our (US) current economic situation, an increase in spending in one area means spending cuts in other areas (most likely from education, grants, and scientific research). It would be a gross misuse of our limited time and resources. 1345051302 +That's not the case I was thinking about, but here is a case of insects getting resistant : [science, 1996](http://4ccr.pgr.mpf.gov.br/institucional/grupos-de-trabalho/gt-transgenicos/bibliografia/pgm-resultados-contestados/Kaiser,%201996,%20Science.pdf).\n\nHere is a somewhat unreliable source (which seem to link to reliable one, hopefully ?) about the case I was talking about : [here](https://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/2011/08/24/monsanto-gm-corn-in-peril-beetle-develops-bt-resistance/)\n\nAnd I agree that plant-produced pesticide are a much much better option, but the thing is, we had millions of year to evolve resistance to naturally-produced pesticides, those are new, and maybe dangerous ? This is an open question, i'm not an expert. 1325617570 +As a San Diego native for pretty much all my life(22yo), I can also confirm this. It's probably the biggest money maker in Old Town. 1349566049 +I agree with xoxoyoyo, The final goodbye should have it's own subreddit. I've heard a lot of stories like this. \n 1342630029 +Arnica gel only *has* "homeopathic arnica" in it. Why do you think under ingredients it has the dilution constant next to it? 1280331852 +My brothers family swears by homeopathy and witchcraft. There are people out there that just won't listen. 1327255772 +The lemon juice would not be kind to your enamel. 1317967547 +it's you life and your sanity. Just remember the stuff you see on TV is not the real thing. Priest monks and real investigators go through years of training in the field and still more than 60% of these investigator either go insane, commit suicide, suffer personality disorders,or die mysterious circumstances. Just be careful. 1342070274 +It's not the only way to do things, but it is the best one we've come up with so far (i.e., republican democracy). 1313595717 +Obvious computer fakery, nice try. 1289069914 +I didn't even know there were still cameras that were this bad until I found various paranormal websites and forums existed 10 years ago. 1356752034 +[How the magic happens!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWzX_rT9a-o) My favorite part is definitely the shaking machine. 1328244768 +I have seen several, and some of them appeared as real as you and me; how do you know *you* haven't? 1353809779 +wait you mean they took real scientists work breitbartted it, and tried to claim that it showed the complete opposite as usual an\n\n\n I just find it hard to believe how many people dont understand that they are having smoke blown up their ass, when the denialists do this time and time and time and time again.\n\nit is like the ID folks. it doesnt matter how many failures they have, you prove how the eye could evolve in stages, the flagellum, blood clotting, and they just make up something else they claim all scientists missed.\n\n\nBut I swear out of all the crazy psuedoscience conspiracy groups, the climate deniers really take the cake.\n\nedited out the totally baseless accusations.\n\n\n 1356486985 +How do you know you are right, though? Do you ask the person "Hey, are you nervous because you are having bowel problems?" Or do you just assume you are correct? 1294337878 +Religous nuts, conservative fanatics and fundamentalist wack jobs can't tell themselves from trolls. You have to be critically thinking and sceptic to spot a troll or a poser. 1314448146 +Even a retard like you should know that Velikovsky claimed the following:\n\n- A tentative suggestion that Earth had once been a satellite of a "proto-Saturn" body, before its current solar orbit.\n\n- That the Deluge (Noah's Flood) had been caused by proto-Saturn's entering a nova state, and ejecting much of its mass into space.\n\n- A suggestion that the planet Mercury was involved in the Tower of Babel catastrophe.\n\n- Jupiter had been the culprit for the catastrophe that saw the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.\n\n- Periodic close contacts with a "cometary Venus" (which had been ejected from Jupiter) had caused the Exodus events (c. 1500 BCE) and Joshua's subsequent "sun standing still" (Joshua 10:12 and 13) incident.\n\n- Periodic close contacts with Mars had caused havoc in the 8th and 7th centuries BCE.\n 1354460787 +Even a retard like you should know that Velikovsky claimed the following:\n\n- A tentative suggestion that Earth had once been a satellite of a "proto-Saturn" body, before its current solar orbit.\n\n- That the Deluge (Noah's Flood) had been caused by proto-Saturn's entering a nova state, and ejecting much of its mass into space.\n\n- A suggestion that the planet Mercury was involved in the Tower of Babel catastrophe.\n\n- Jupiter had been the culprit for the catastrophe that saw the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.\n\n- Periodic close contacts with a "cometary Venus" (which had been ejected from Jupiter) had caused the Exodus events (c. 1500 BCE) and Joshua's subsequent "sun standing still" (Joshua 10:12 and 13) incident.\n\n- Periodic close contacts with Mars had caused havoc in the 8th and 7th centuries BCE.\n 1354460818 +Why give him the attention? "Don't feed the trolls." 1330574413 +Fluoride is not a "waste product", like a lot of other chemicals it is separated as a byproduct from other primary resources. Like petroleum jelly, or cow hide. That has nothing to do with its safety or efficacy - incorrectly referring to it as a "waste product" is just a tactic to paint an inaccurate picture for the ignorant. 1337786261 +I'd say that if his weird eating habits aren't bankrupting him or causing health or financial problems then it's his thing to do and not for you to worry about. 1327924285 +This link doesn't seem to mention breast milk. Am I missing something? 1338322434 +I am Ra. 1330304985 +It just had to be next to a giant catfish. 1235649367 +He had to fit a meme in there somehow. 1300842668 +I've had times where I haven't shown up on security cameras, even though I can clearly see I'm not in a blind spot. 1342528579 +It's not certain, but it seems plausible. The [Mercola idiots](http://www.mercola.com/) and other true believers that are at least fans of particular sites reveal themselves quite often.\n\nI swear, having been at this for a while, I can now detect misinformation that comes from Natural News and Mike Adams from a mile away. 1256253554 +Reminds me of that old joke with the punchline, *"god said, 'I sent you a radio report, a helicopter, and a guy in a rowing boat. What on earth are you doing here?' "*\n\nI don't understand why religious people don't think that their god or gods provided medical knowledge to doctors so they can get help when they need it. 1320365651 +Older doesn't equal better. 1341083875 +I'm pretty sure most skeptics are already socially progressive anyway. 1339605170 +Those experts are right. When you are generally speaking about a breed's characteristics you are speaking about its temperament. When you are speaking about whether or not a dog will behave a certain way in a specific situation you'll need a lot more info than just it's breed which is why those experts will tell you that those behaviors are dependent upon the owners training and upbringing of the dog. 1333565967 +yeah.. because that is a bird. 1240814064 +Do you make sure to examine your own arguments?\n\nI consider myself an ardent skeptic, but I have been admirably argued against for the benefits of homeopathy (placebo effects, hope - wether false or not). This part of your post looks like you have whipped your cohort into a fervor:\n\n>They simply couldn’t believe that anybody could believe in something so stupid. We spent a couple of weeks on this topic with students asking why the government hasn’t stepped in to stop them and what can we do to educate people about it.\n\nMight you consider that you only presented one side of this argument? I have no doubt that homeopathy is not a science but it is also interesting to consider it's societal implications. Perhaps hosting a debate with a local advocate of homeopathy would enable your group to come to a more informed view point. \n\nJust a thought. Congratulations on promoting skepticism so effectively. Best of luck in the future. 1314217919 +We are one. We are waiting. \n22.3 1346070002 +Well because if it's done 'properly' and diluted to 20x something, there's none of the toxic left really 1310107522 +His link is to Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía, which is in Mexico, so I'd have to say Mexico. 1348783535 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compartmentalization_(psychology) 1347288138 +I suspect anything that would be called homeopuncture would have a large divergence from standard homeopathy and acupuncture 1338991394 +I've seen a lot of paranormal-y stuff (not personally) that involves mist or fog or something like that, so it definitely seems like you had a paranormal experience.\n\nPeople - especially adults when a kid is explaining to them - tend to fob it off as an overactive imaginiation. Some cases are true, but most are not. \n\nKids don't tend to invent things that will scare the shit out of them. And a kid would most likely pretend a stuffed animal could talk, not pretend they saw mist that gradually formed, hovered over their friend and eventually took the shape of a man. \n\nThat's jus too vivid! 1356312619 +To be fair, Pharyngula is P.Z.s personal blog. He can be as unprofessional as he likes on it. 1322775130 +Ah. I had only seen people speak ill of the Daily Mail so far. We should maybe ease up on non-brits for failing to realize how bad some of their large newspapers are? It's not exactly obvious to a yank. 1322061525 +HAHA, fuck that guy! 1312704387 +Yes. And I have met a bug chaser too.\n\nClose friend of mine was diagnosed with AIDS 18ish months ago (long story to diagnosis) and in him trying to come to terms with this he started going forums for advice etc. Through these a lot of deniers were encountered (most of whom are HIV negative...)\n\nTheir stories range from AIDS is caused by anti retro-viral medication (HIV is apparently harmless) to the full scale conspiracy nut that its a form of population control. 1297378159 +I'd say that rather, the firebreath is an indicator of extreme internal body heat. Whatever this source is, it could likely be used as internal warming in even the harsest conditions. 1317720747 +Thank you! But did you hear the creepy voice in the background? 1355004052 +I accept that there are UFOs. I just don't believe anyone who claims to know that those are alien spaceships. \n\nThe mental jump from "this is an unidentified flying object" to "those are aliens spaceships" is irrational unless evidence is available. \n\nSo, to clarify: there are UFOs but no evidence that they are alien spaceships. 1328091201 +Didn't in any way appear to be spam. Was UFO related on /r/UFOs, right.... 1328739257 +Alas you can buy them for £1 down at the market. 1305644494 +Note the word "early." I knew I should have put it in bold. 1349655604 +Yeah, there hasn't been a shift of consensus in the scientific community over the last few decades, just that there have been more dissenting opinions coming out of the woodwork (bought or otherwise) to generate a false controversy. 1333419307 +Removed -- Because this is hosted on Facebook, it is possible to derive personal information from this link -- I would ask that -- if you choose to repost this, to A) rehost the image on imgur, and B) Review and follow the guidelines laid out in the "Policy on meme-like content" in the sidebar, this would be better put in a selfpost. 1338645159 +Well, if we could simulate worlds I think we would be doing it - there's quite a bit you can learn from that. (Remember: the best way we're going to have to learn more about how the human brain works, is to simulate it with the models we have, see how the results compare to reality, and adjust the models accordingly. We can't just open people's head to see what's happening inside - so simulations will be widespread for research purposes once they become feasible; not counting the fact that you might want to simulate what a drug is going to do to you before you actually take it, and so on.)\n\nSo the opposite assumption - that it is possible to do such simulations but almost nobody is doing them - seems very implausible.\n\nNote that all this does not make the argument solid. We have no proof of other civilizations yet - it's safe to assume there are many, but we don't know. We also have no proof that a large fraction of existing civilizations would be capable of such a simulation - it might very well be that it takes so many resources that it is only worth doing it at a very small scale even if you have the technology for it; but a small scale simulation would probably not fit the definition of "simulated world". And so on...\n\nStill, the chance of being inside a simulation is non-zero, and I can understand why some people think it is very high, so it's an interesting issue from a philosophical point of view (not really from a scientific point of view). 1299723938 +There are legitimate naturopaths, who know enough to refer you to an MD if you're beyond their scope of practice. What's actually wrong with her? 1305387712 +I don't think it qualifies as a hoax if the people who kicked it off were sincerely delusional. 1322588447 +I accept your challenge. \n\n1. Not a science blog. Critical thinking is not the exclusive domain of scientists. That's the point of the blog. Also, derp.\n\n2) Scholarly stuff? See our posts on how we know that Shakespeare is Shakespeare, our look into whether or not Roosevelt had polio (probably not), the origins of English profanity, whether or not there is evidence that Viking berserkers were dosed up on magic mushrooms, the relationship between literature and science, what's wrong with psychoanalytic literary criticism, as well as the post I'm currently working on.\n\nWhat did I win, nitwit? 1305573223 +I disagree. I think there is more than enough evidence to conclude not of this world life forms. I would go as far as to say that most life forms here came from out there. Almost zero came from here in the beginning, IMO. \n\nAlso, they are not coming here just to do "fly bys". There is a reason(s) they are here and have been here. \n\nCrop circles being one proof for me of visitations of INTELLIGENT extra terrestrial visitations. Even if they send a remote robot to create the crop circle, that is in essence a visit from an intelligent extra terrestrial being just as we do with the mars pathfinders. \n\nStill no one can explain the pyramids or the rock work in Peru. There are probably many, many other unexplainable places on earth that were clearly not made by man and the machines/tools that man could build by themselves. \n\nThis is were I don't understand non believers, how they cannot believe. \n\nDid you see the flute they found recently, about 42,000 years old plus or minus? So ancient man can create the stonework in Peru and Egypt but the flute looks like shit? WTF. Please, someone explain to me this? Please, I'm dying to hear your logic!\n 1337985811 +uh yeah I did, we track ALL the sats and are in fact in the proceses of releasing a satelite tracking app, and use that software in the field, but just wanna let you know and have fun writing entire paragraphs debunking UFO researchers who are out there capturing amazing raw footage unlike you\n\n(oh and buddy u ignoredthe fact that this one changes directions several times (noooo i know what ur gona say, nooo its NOT my camera angle change compensate for it and watch mang)) 1283091665 +Here is a torrent of the whole series.\n\nhttp://thepiratebay.org/torrent/3752966/James_Randi_-_Psychic_Investigator_(1991) 1308410123 +Oh...ok then. Makes sense. 1318919417 +Yes post that door haha 1356508394 +Oh, almost forgot to say ... its a good article. 1306867366 +I too would say my main interest stems from wanting it to be true also, but i often wonder if full disclosure happened or if 'they' just happened to appear, what exactly my reaction would be.\nProbably extreme fear/terror to be honest lol 1340331795 +> "Most people are not aware that diseases which need surgical correction can also be cured through homeopathy. In fact, there are diseases, in which homeopathy can avoid surgeries. For instance, ovarian cyst, tonsils, kidney stones, *breast tumour*, to name a few," Shah adds.\n\nWoahwoahwoah, not cool. Don't go around saying your shit can cure cancer. The general medical society doesn't appreciate that very much. In a "don't bullshit people and give them false hope and some water, diluted with more water and then send them home to die" kind of way. After taking their money of course. 1260286169 +Yes, I know. Sorry. It was just a quick generalization to make a point. However, the amount of people in America that takes the unsubstantiated word of religion over actual, _factual_ science is still alarmingly high. 1271690066 +im jealous 1345226220 +Your parents are gullible idiots. 1346728871 +You lost me on the last point. 1341794721 +Sweet baby Jesus with a bottle full of Jack! This shit is soooooooo stupid. 1342125701 +> BTW Resident Weeaboo is obsessed with telling stories to try to scare you away from Scientology. He has a few personal issues to deal with.\n\nOh. Then we should stop Weeaboo from telling his stories and have a look at other people's first person experiences in Scientology:\n\nhttp://www.forum.exscn.net/forumdisplay.php?f=2\n\nHey look! Coerced abortions! Yeah! The most ethical people on the planet!\n\nhttp://www.tampabay.com/specials/2009/reports/project/\n\nBad Weeaboo Bad. Let other people talk for themselves next time. 1277701802 +I believe that Peter Singer has argued for the same thing too. Hugely controversial stuff.\n\nHaving a kid should be something that people plan for, and if they don't want one should use protection or abort early *I think*.\n\nEven if after birth abortion were available, I don't think many people would go with that option. 1330612192 +You might be looking for Confirmation Bias\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias\n\nWishful thinking links to a bunch of similar ideas though\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wishful_thinking 1285913343 +I fucking hate it when people use quantum physics to backup their new age spiritualism bullshit. \n 1322690563 +I love The Last Question. My friend turned me on to The Last Answer as well. That's also good. Check it out if you haven't yet. 1286332521 +Thanks for the info and the story. 1335247287 +Bummer they didn't catch him alive. 1304355172 +I emailed them. Other people should do that too. 1341056981 +...You might be having mini strokes or mini seizures...please see a doctor... 1346257335 +> Eco-utopian zealots who actually dislike industrialization/consumption and deep down want us to live in some organic, artisan village.\n\nI really don't see the appeal to this, it's unsustainable. The most optimistic view will have humanity die out when our sun runs out of fuel in 4 billion years. More realistically every species living on earth will be wiped out long before that. 1323226341 +Unless all of that is cheaper than the product they get (see: Deepwater Horizon). 1351077204 +some better pics for you. I think it's real\n\nhttp://www.restavfall.se/blog/2007/12/07/fagel-overlever-en-grym-hok-attack/ 1314982290 +It's the manor in which her material/argument was handled. It's insulting to any academic to see such a rapid degradation into ad hominem. 1342459852 +Oh, just in case, [Imgur mirror](http://i.imgur.com/jdoKO.jpg). 1316113631 +That was insane. The ignorance was so overwhelming. 1356173562 +That's a slippery slope, and one that my girlfriend is addressing in for her Masters in Public Health thesis. It's about how to address the anti-vaccine problem in general, as well as how to provide access and education for the vaccines. This issue is a big one because it requires *coercion*, which is arguably unethical (this debate is raging), despite being in the interest of the greater good/world at large/entire population. Unfortunately, there are a lot of unintended consequences that would come along with this proposed law, such as poor people being arrested for simply not having access to proper medical care (either through lack of funding, physical proximity, time off work to get your kids to the doctor, etc). I'm not saying you're wrong (or right for that matter), but there are many more layers to the issue than such a law can fix, and ultimately it could do more harm than good to make vaccines mandatory by law...could being the operative word there, which is why the experts are still debating. 1328823782 +Watch all 5 of those. About an hour total 1321432935 +UFO's and Science - Stanton Friedman 1297164809 +It would have been cooler if when he tried to push your arm down with the bracelet on you let him pull you over to the ground. 1309916919 +This position assumes that health care pricing is subject to market forces in which price is a primary determinant of demand. This is a complete fallacy. 1283584596 +But how can you possibly perform a fake chiropractic manipulation? Doing them wrong can cause serious injury, and you can't blind the individuals performing the manipulation because they'll know if they're doing it right or not. It's not like you can train a non-chiropractor to perform these manipulations - they take hundreds of hours of study to master.\n\nAlso just as an aside, chiropody is an [antiquated term for podiatry](http://www.google.com/search?gcx=c&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=chiropody#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&safe=off&source=hp&q=define:+chiropody&pbx=1&oq=define:+chiropody&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=330114l330815l0l331080l8l5l0l0l0l0l0l0ll0l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.&fp=4843294771223d1e&biw=1920&bih=955), and isn't related to chiropractic (not trying to be nit-picky - I'd actually never seen the word before, myself, so I went and looked it up!). 1316401067 +Very cool videos! 1326787060 +thanks for the information, GUNNAR rep 1345246288 +It was never about the math or the science, I think. The pundits are employed by the media, and the media needs viewers and readers. How do they get it? By creating suspense. And what's more suspenseful that a "razor tight" race between two candidates _exactly_ equally likely to win?\n\n...Only, that was never the case. As Silver's models showed, the popular vote might have been somewhat close, but Obama's win was not a "toss-up" in any way at all. In fact, it was rather likely. It's just that "it's rather likely that Obama will win" doesn't create an exciting, suspenseful narrative, and the media has _nothing_ to gain by representing it truthfully.\n\nThe job of the media, that we as viewers and readers have given it, is merely to entertain is. It chooses its numbers to that end. Silver's job is to accurately represent the outcome of the election, and he chose _his_ numbers to that end. Both, ironically, succeeded at their job. People tuned in to the news and read the election blogs like crazy, and Silver got 50 out of 50 states right. 1352300727 +That square griddle is very likely aluminum. 1305483187 +"told you"? Please explain 1347539067 +Oh god give it a rest. Nobody gives a shit about the latest "scandal". We have more important stuff to do. 1310420025 +I'm not arguing validity, that's irrelevant. I'm arguing that the effects of one are more advantageous to the general population than the other. What is the point of comparing two versions of governance if you're not even going to consider the results of said governance? If a totalitarian government resulted in lifespans being cut in half compared to a democracy would you actually argue that the two are equal? 1342991867 +Hi Aohus, thanks for the response. I haven't checked that Wiki for quite some time and I'm always reluctant to use it as a reliable source. That said, it's good to see a reference for the above quote ( Fuller, Curtis (1980). Proceedings of the First International UFO Congress. New York: Warner Books. pp. 157–163), so thanks for the pointer. I've actually been trying to find a copy of that online for quite some time, but to no avail. \n\nPerhaps I misinterpreted that which I responded to:\n\n> The UFOs are ultra-terrestrial, as posed by Dr. Jacques Vallee (Stanford Research Institute) and Hynek, among others, meaning these entities are native to this planet, potentially before even mankind.\n\nAre you of the position that Hynek adheres to the ultra-terrestrial hypothesis? My interpretation of Hynek's position (on which there has been much debate) is that he acknowledged there being evidence for a multitude of potential explanations (including EDI and ETI) but, unlike Vallee, didn't ever (at least publicly) favour one over another. \n\ntl;dr: Hynek may have entertained the ultra-terrestrial hypothesis but, this was one potential explanation among many. 1333095616 +She probably believes it herself, although in replying to my comments she openly admitted that the 'past lives' she makes her clients relive may be just their imaginations. That they are charged that much is hard to swallow. 1342448226 +They are both the same.\n\nI enjoyed AA for what it was, a TV show. I knew it wasn't "true" from the first 5 minutes, it just offered another view of things that might have happened.\n\nAnyone can go to Wikipedia and debunk the show themselves, they don't need to make a 3 hour video about it. 1351892378 +As a side node, [pangeaprogress](http://www.youtube.com/user/pangeaprogress) is my favorite YouTube channel. He makes spiritual posts on science & pantheism that makes religion seem dull by comparison.\n\nEdit: What's up with the downvotes? pangeaprogress is the guy who uploaded this video. 1290158105 +He was an octopus, dude. No need to get worked up. 1288112030 +I'm a Physics grad and I know a great deal about what we don't know. I know that there are many instances of scientific discoveries being accidental, in that the measured effect was not what was intended, but without making the initial erroneous prediction and testing it the discovery would not have been made, and that this doesn't equate to the discoverers "pulling something out of their asses" and does not indicate Alien intervention.\n\nYou are taking a cowardly and circular route in this exchange by proposing something rather ridiculous, then, as a defense to my argument against the statement, saying that you don't believe the statement to be true, just that it's possible and that I can't prove it's not, so what right do I have to say what's true?\n\nWithout actually addressing my argument or the contradiction it shows in your own argument, you then revert back to reaffirming your original statement bolstered by the mantras that truth is relative, nothing is absolute, and the inability to prove non-existence allows the set of possible but extremely improbable events to have an equal claim to reality.\n\nLater.\n\n 1329011112 +certainly makes sense. 1334355673 +Will there be one with a puma? 1326824920 +Interesting - definitely something I've thought of before. I also think that the entire atmosphere when this is happening is very conducive to an elevated emotional state and makes people more susceptible to the suggestion of euphoric feelings. 1317269343 +That's an infinite overdose of everything since the big bang. :) 1329875947 +And by positive result you mean you find that people who disagree with you start to switch to your opinion? Also, given that we value data over anecdotes, what do you think of [this](http://youarenotsosmart.com/2011/06/10/the-backfire-effect/), which was linked by another person? 1344617054 +The Beer-Lambert law talks about how a bean of light becomes less strong as it travels through something semi-transparent. Look at this [laser being beamed through a pink liquid](http://j.mp/z6qc0v). If you want to predict exactly what shade the laser beam is going to take, you use Beer-Lambert.\n\nBeer-Lambert talks about beams going through something completely transparent and completely uniform. It is utterly absurd to pretend it applies to something as opaque and bushy as a bunch of plants. 1330492608 +That's a good point. It does cast a big shadow of doubt over the tablets. Do you think that means that it's impossible for there to be any ingredients in them that could have an effect on someone who eats them? 1355962415 +There's no need to be a homophobe about it. I'm not gay, but I find your use of the term in such a hateful way to be offensive.\n\nStop replying to this thread, and I'll stop replying as well. 1346609473 +There's no need to be a homophobe about it. I'm not gay, but I find your use of the term in such a hateful way to be offensive.\n\nStop replying to this thread, and I'll stop replying as well. 1346609486 +1. Personal revelation? Check\n2. Scientists are confused and scared dogmatists propping up the religion of science? Check\n3. Energy, infinity, oneness? Check\n4. Gullible audience members with money to spend? Check 1314896486 +My mom tells me of a time she and her sister were alone in their family home - did the Ouija board and it kept spelling a name neither one of them knew.\n\nAbout 3 weeks later when they were moving boxes out of the basement they randomly find all these pictures and stuff that belonged to the exact named person the board was telling them about. \n\nFreaked her out. 1326437659 +Was my first thought. 1326492544 +Kinesiotape is an elastic tape. You stretch it out to a percentage of its full elasticity before applying which provides a constant pull on the skin, facilitating a muscle contraction in the area it's applied to. You apply the tape along the direction of muscle fibers to target specific muscle groups. There are other supposed uses, but this is why the olympic athletes use it. 1344023456 +INCORRECT. 31.1%. 1334857970 +Good point.\n\nOverlord Xaxxan for President! All hail the Immortal Galactic Overlord!\n 1327438395 +I'm not sure why you're confused. The two paragraphs you cited say exactly the same thing, with the second using an example. \n\nParagraph one: No evidence of existence = did not exist.\nParagraph two: No evidence of Jesus = Jesus did not exist.\n\nAnd yes, the entire point of that page is to come to a conclusion that Jesus did not exist. 1306435175 +Nope. Never me. I know it's there though. There's time where I think I'm just beig paranoid and lther times where I can point to a spot and tell you that it's standig right there 1332699280 +I'm just really irked by the idea of doctors taking up the reigns of some less than reputable protocols, giving this pseudoscience some appearance of medical legitimacy.\n\nAnd it seemed like you were disagreeing with my point by saying that acupuncture isn't as harmful as fortune telling or palm reading (in my eyes, it has the potential to be more harmful since it feeds into their delusions while also carrying the risk of causing physical harm). 1307029322 +If one person a year dies from taking witchhazel and tiger penis to cure cancer (or something terminal) and dies, that's too much. \nMistakes happen, big and small, but wilfully convincing someone to stop taking scientifically proven medicine is bullshit. \nThe devil doesn't always need an advocate, y'know. 1291839950 +I call myself agnostic since I can conceive a universe in which something like a deity created the universe and never made contact with humanity or was even aware of it. Some creator cannot be ruled out, though there is no reason to believe in it in the first place. I say I am an agnostic since I can't definitively rule out all possible theologies 1308035186 +> Don't you think it would be terminally stupid of him to build up a trick like this if that was really how it was done?\n\nApparently not ;) 1252595400 +It's Richmond. Really... how much are you expecting from the folks there? 1283648943 +That's exactly what rape culture means though. It's not about people actively supporting rape. It's abuot cultural developments, that indirectly contribute to the rape. It's not about finding someone at fault. It is about pointing out these developments happening without anyone controlling them. 1351156388 +Not very much. There is a little bit of give between the two pubic bones, but it only accounts for a few millimeters of extra width. Mostly human babies rotate during birth, and humans pretty much require assistance to successfully deliver. 1334861884 +Definitely, I subscribed to that sub a while back and it's insane what sometimes pops up.. 1352217044 +Just get a charcoal filter . 1321837595 +Oxford dictionary "atheism: Disbelief in the existence of god or gods". Please don't tell me that agreement with the Oxford English dictionary puts me in the minority. 1308116603 +For some people, not all. Milk and dairy can be a problem. 1346009733 +*citation needed* 1309037296 +*citation needed* 1315648282 +I know. I'll try to dig up some good info to post there. Reddit is a tough crowd for UFO stuff. 1233435842 +@mitchwells: I suspect it's because not being able to experience pleasure would suck. 1242507370 +care to summarize without me buying and reading this book? 1280362186 +And why would that be?\n\nI am just going by some of the things I have found out on the net. 1350912013 +>Ask yourself one question: how can I disprove my idea? If you can't come up with a way, you're not doing science; you're well into pseudoscience (from greek and latin, meaning 'false knowledge').\n\nI don't have an idea, we're just speculating about possibilities here. So I guess you're right, I'm not doing science. I just want to know why would we dismiss the possibility of aliens visiting earth so lightly. 1341217430 +> Pure garbage.\n\nDid you read the entire book or simply the last chapter? Also, you do realise that the link is 2 books in 1? See my comment below (with bold type). This is one of the reasons I posted a link to it and hoped to prompt discussion. That last chapter you referred to (along with two others) didn't exist when the book was first published. Indeed, when the book was published in 1956, Ruppelt concluded, "Maybe the earth is being visited by interplanetary spaceships. Only time will tell."\n\n> Hynek started a real investigation into UFOs after Project Blue Book was shut down. Google it.\n\nI'm very familiar with Hynek's work. If you want to contribute by directing to a particular link, feel free.\n\n> Remember, this report was published in 1956 and since then we know that government reporting on UFOs was falsified. Yes, this is a report devoted solely towards misinforming the public.\n\nNo, it was *first* published in 1956, then *republished with significant alterations and a different conclusion* in 1960. I posted this because it's *free* and would be of interest to some (whether or not they believe the contents to be garbage). Others, rather than labelling the book*s* as 'pure garbage' might acknowledge that the books have historical merit and, furthermore, question why the books have different conclusions. Don't you find that interesting?\n\n 1315156500 +That's not true and you just come off as an ignorant douche.\n\nThe shots are really only needed for people who are either very young, old, or unhealthy. The average healthy adult doesn't need to get them because their immune system is strong enough to deal with it, without having to get a "head start" at combating the virus. 1289443452 +Spirits can not hurt you. 1332360933 +The second quote is misleading at best. OP links to a video where Cooper does claim to have seen what he believes to be "non-earthly" technology. He wasn't in space, so adding that distinction at the end allows Sheaffer to pretend Cooper claimed nothing while still being technically correct.\n\nThat said, I think it's far more likely that what Gordon saw was experimental aircraft that he simply wasn't allowed to know about. 1332245091 +Yah sorry I got so excited haha. I don't know just googling around. The term phantom vibrations and a few other things have turned up. It's a debate as to whether it's by chance or by unintentional behavioral training. I would love to do an experiment about this stuff; the theory i've worked up is based off of an old behavioral experiment with dogs. Ring the bell, give dog food. Eventually ring the bell, dog drools. Sense change in electric field, phone rings, pull phone out...would theoretically change into, sense change in electric field, pull phone out, before it rings. It's been driving me a bit crazy. 1345020846 +My skeptic sense tells me that this should be reviewed by many highly regarded scholarly journals if it made a good case for its position.\n\nIt very well could be true, but looking up the author and where he normally posts gives me pause. 1335404473 +I do wonder about that if it were a single light, but my theory is the lights actually don't play the same role as conventional craft (landing lights etc.)\n\nI am starting to think perhaps the lights serve another purpose, maybe for travel, maybe for navigation, or maybe for becoming hidden (optical illusion to trick the mind into thinking the craft is not there)\n\nPerhaps even, when the light patterns change by either slowing down or speeding up is when we are able to see them. 1344542810 +that was hilaribad. 1313033197 +A large, deep elevator would also work. 1279701152 +If it turns out those guys are correct and the alien/mayan connection is real, I'll kill my own damn self. 1342727728 +SP is certainly demonic.\n\n>Sleep paralysis is a common condition caused by the body mistakenly remaining hypotonic after the REM cycle completes.\n\nNope. I became immediately paralyzed laying down after hearing a "Fuck you" in my head. I wasn't even asleep. If that's not demonic, then I don't know what is.\n\nI use to get SP all the time. And it's scary shit. It's like being aware that your dead and can't move your body.\n\nSorry to say, but demons are indeed real. Fortunately, I've taken authority over them and completely stopped SP.\n\n 1337627377 +>redditor for 6 months\n\nYou haven't been here long enough to start making hamfisted analogies about Ye Internete Olde Times, buddy. 1303122770 +Proof? 1346957061 +So, what predictions by Velikovsky were wrong? Sagan promoted the "concensus"/traditional views and he turned out to be wrong. Sagan appeared on a panel condemning Velikovsky even though, by his own admission, he had not read the books and did not feel that was pre-requisite for criticism. \n\nOnce again: V was proven to be 100% accurate, S was 100% wrong, as were all of those others who offered their uninformed criticism. Since you have no idea about what Velikovsky had to say you join such eminant company as Sagan. 1354459897 +tl;dr plz 1315512687 +> another surgery we can't afford.\n\nThis makes me so sad. A disastrous healthcare system actually encourages people to turn to quackery. 1300564224 +Anus! 1334657013 +>Just because you all disagree and perhaps share some bad blood doesn't mean you can't put aside your differences to try to settle a question rationally.\n\nThat's an excellent thought. \n\nBut we've been there. This has been going on for years. Note [this list](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/y38gk/do_you_ever_wonder_if_somebody_is_paid_to_post/c5s2o53?context=1). \n\nNow, if you will, take a few seconds to browse through some of these - \n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/search?q=author%3Amacwithoutfries+self%3Ayes&sort=new\n\nSee what I mean?\n 1355428086 +1st world problem. Just do the work and take the money. Being able to pick the morally pristine path would be nice, but you can't afford to and nobody will think less of you for working to keep a roof over your head, least of all me and I'm a judgmental prick most of the time. 1321030673 +I kept bringing it up to kids at the stop and they seemed pretty indifferent. Could've been because of their age though. 1355214112 +so, no virgins then? 1335654677 +I was thinking more like Kenny Loggins. But, in any event why didn't they eat it? Isn't eating his flesh the way to eternal happiness? ;) 1306197271 +Yes but also the more common atheism gets.\n\nCreationism and religion are interlinked.\n\nIf a religious person denies creationism, then they are denying God's written scripture. Then they are modern, passive, secular people, not really considered 'religious' in the traditional sense.\n\nThere are young-earth-creationists, old-earth-creationists, and biogenesis-creationists (90%+ of religious people), either way, religious people are all creationists (though not all subscribe to intelligent design, or young-earth creationism). 1354485226 +Was going to suggest the same, and also that the OP probably should have considered r/photography before here. No offense OP, but I thought you might be trolling with this. Why you'd think "UFO" before the obvious is quite difficult to believe. Even a quick Google could have provided insight. 1315436103 +Circles. It still feels like a dream when i hear it. 1335280193 +>weighted against the 100% chance that, **if** my kid has some adverse effects \n\nOr, you know, weighted against the 1/several million chance that your kid has some adverse effects. \nYou can't say "well not wearing a seat-belt increases my chances of dying in a crash to 45%, but weighted against the 100% chance that if i happen to be be leaning down to the passenger glove box and the seat-belt is stretched against my neck just right and the impact causes a deceleration of >6g and I have a back issue I WILL DIE, those are pretty good odds". 1304322520 +Yeah, it's not like global warming is supported by virtually the entire field of climate science. 1320564547 +mm, you're right. \n\nCan we blame how very very very skeeved out by the terminology (and parenting sites) I am to begin with for my error?\n\n(also, iirc this time DD(5) or DD,5 would be the aforementioned five year old daughter?) 1329642974 +I wouldn't listen to OortCloud. He is a [notorious liar](http://www.reddit.com/r/climateskeptics/comments/13ovqa/are_al_gores_dirty_weather_claims_and_tactics/c782ihh). 1354118062 +I'd suggest the book "What is this Thing Called Science?" I think it'd help, it certainly helped me. 1321588321 +Like I said in another comment, the zoo theory is the best. With aggressiveness and other things ruled out, I think we can assume they're here( I'm just humoring BTW, I don't actually believe they're here) to condition us as a species and make sure we don't kill ourselves. \n\nI cringe everytime there's a conversation about aliens and someone blurts out the same phrase copy and pasted "they look at us like ants on an anthill " or "like how a national geographic cameraman looks at animals". No. Those terms are entirely too simple to sum up a civilization like ours. Comparing the oh so interesting nature of monkeys flinging shit at each other to a group of people 6billion strong that accomplished space flight, nuclear programs, religion and the ability to shape the world we are in today, it's totally different. \n\nIf there were aliens visiting us there's no doubt they'd find us interesting. We're not simple creatures. And like UFO believers believe, if they're really shutting down nuclear missiles, it shows good intentions. It also shows they know our history. Who we are. What our intentions are and the horrible people we can be. \n\nI always like to preface things like this with "if aliens were real ", but if they were, they feel emotions too. Just because they have space ships and better tech, doesn't mean they look at us as ants. And it doesn't mean they're evil and want to conquer us without a second thought. 1317692393 +So who has been answering my prayers all this time if not Tesla? 1345962573 +I mean, the idea is cool, but I want to know what proof that's how he did the trick. 1265105397 +Bullshit. There's nothing wrong with calling something bullshit. 1295327381 +I never said it was inedible. Just too salty to support life, which i thought was funny. I thought the idea of canning a food was to boil most of the bacteria away and deprive them of oxygen. This doesn't mean no bacteria can live there, but most of the harmful ones are excluded. 1317087863 +This is natural selection at its finest...poppin' mah popcorn! 1327896320 +>would we not be doing this all the time?\n\nYes. It's called masturbation, and it's much easier than producing a peak-experience, which, by the way, I never said one could do by simply *willing it* to happen. Do some research into peak experiences, you'll see what I'm talking about.\n\nAlso, someone else in the thread mentioned /asmr, which is more than likely what the OP experienced anyway. 1353074607 +Problem solving, ability to adapt, knowledge and understanding are all related to intelligence. I am not disputing your claim that your father is highly intelligent, I am disputing the claim that ability to use a computer has *nothing to do with* intelligence. 1341425060 +There was a penn and teller bullshit episode about chiropractors and one of them once "treated" a 8 minute old newborn. 1326797326 +Maybe they disclosed it to the researchers, but for obvious reasons don't want to go public. 1349156240 +$10 *Billion* for the hospital? Where would this be located at? 1310789871 +I mean, Lance Armstrong wears one and look how healthy he is!\n\nSo much fucking spirit energy. 1333946063 +I don't think "not doing anything" is ever coercion. It doesn't pass the coma test.\n\nI don't think the china sweatshops are coercive (unless naturally violence is used or threatened) and the same with mining towns and early american factories.\n\nIn terms of unions... it's only a coercive environment if its not a right to work state (meaning, the companies are forced to use unions by the government) If its right to work, then the companies don't have to use the unions. 1343073745 +Nothing that pointed to the lights being *aircraft in general?*\n\nPlease explain your position. Clearly the objects, wherever they are from, were positioned in the sky... 1302219575 +That's even quicker, though I guess it depends on how much of the aerosols got to the upper atmosphere (where they would last longer). 1328286098 +No, but Superman's leaping ability was later interpreted as him having the ability to fly, so that may not be your best example for your case. 1355252578 +people need to stop giving a shit about what other's think. \nSeriously, all this smugness puts society on the brink. \nSure you think your brand of thought is 100 percent pure and true. \nBut you are just shopping for the suit that fits you. \nYes, no, maybe so.\nAll the above, none of the above, I don't know. \n- mc efu\n 1343011599 +LMAO great argument! you've seen "many many thousands of UFO videos"... Yet you say you're not gonna waste your time looking for one video of a satellite that slightly resembles the video posted. You're quick to jump to conclusions about me. All I asked for was proof. Seems my Obama comment must have struck a nerve. I'm done with you, waste yute 1296771691 +It's utterly worthless if you're a moron. Even a layman should see what that tool is. If you can't, well that's your problem and it doesn't make the tool or the information worthless.\n\nBTW, congratulations. That was the most ridiculous comment I've read all week. 1342762222 +Labeling yourself as a skeptic doesn't make you one. I'm not necessarily saying that you are not a skeptic, but if you hold faith based beliefs, you're failing to think critically in at least one area. 1323576368 +In my opinion everything should be under the category: "Sounds like something to be skeptical of" to a lesser or grater degree but never 0 skepticism. Scientific results included.\n\nI'm assuming you view this as something to be more or much more skeptical off than the average for other claims. Why is this?\n\nIntelligence isn't something easily defined and it depends on the context. For example in a social situation can drinking a small amount of alcohol make you more intelligent? One view would be that by dis-inhibiting you it allows what FIXED intelligence you already have to shine but you could just say it temporarily increases a certain kind of intelligence.\n\nSo why is it hard to believe that a list of plants and plant derived drugs can have positive effects on the average psyche? Those plants are probably drugs too but big pharma hasn't gotten around to "improving" and patenting them so you can feel safer about spending money on risky brain chemistry alteration. (OMG DRUGS!) 1353697256 +I don't understand people like you that find the need to hate on others for no reason. You took that quote out of context. In fact, you literally reiterrated what I intended to convey in a way that was meant to be demeaning. The problem is, that is actually what I said. I do find pictures that fuel my imagination to be very entertaining. 1316282809 +The theory is that if you travel faster than the speed of light, you will go back in time, correct? I have always wondered: If a ship leaves from one planet traveling faster than the speed of light, would it somehow compress the time it takes them to get from one point to another to make it seem like instant travel? Even to the travelers? There is much to be asked about time dilation and perception. 1336428805 +The thing that worries me about this subreddit is they seem quite selective about what to be skeptical about. Materialism seems to be the accepted dogma, and this doesn't sound very skeptical to me. I hear people dismiss things like the placebo effect without acknowledging what an important effect this can be for some people; the idea that because we aren’t able to explain it using materialist logic it can’t be that important. I personally feel that a skeptic should be somebody who questions everything - including science. 1328241608 +i think they just didn't realize how quickly it would go from free advertising to lost customers. maybe because the internet was quite a bit slower in the early days of the internet. 1345484936 +Usually I don't make a big deal out of it. Eventually they find out that I get my horoscope from The Onion. Reactions vary. 1279656172 +Fun article!\n The only part I think might be incorrect is, "One of the obvious progressions in drug use is the discovery of how to get high faster. People who took pills eventually figured out that you could snort them, **pot heads found out that you could bake marijuana into brownies.**"\n\nThe analogy works for snorting pills but if you consume pot, rather then smoke it, it actually takes quite a bit longer to have an affect.\n\nEdit- Just realized that you might be referring to stronger or longer effects. 1333156258 +If people walked away with "it is misogyny to ask women out for coffee" then they didn't watch her video, because that is not even slightly what she said.\n\nAnd that's my problem with this whole thing. She said something very mild, utterly non-controversial, and some people are acting as if she personally attacked and insulted them. It's baffling. 1310648269 +that's definitely not a kite. 1300808389 +I can't believe nobody has brought up the Unsolved Mysteries series (4 parts). They are surprisingly well done and include interviews (some exclusive) with witnesses who have since passed away. Sounds cheesy, but they really did a great job with them. 1341795891 +Thank *you* for watching. 1337229054 +>Doreen, who holds B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in counseling psychology\n\nFacepalm. 1300463669 +Neither do they. Though, chiefly for different reasons. 1317268097 +It's acupuncture, so no. 1323899081 +Considering taking up smoking. It seems like everyone here sees their UFOs while they're smoking! 1352998156 +Some times we do and sometimes we don't. We were successful in getting AMC theatres to pull an anti-vaxx "PSA" but we were unsuccessful in getting Delta Airlines to do the same. Two steps forward, one step back.\n\nThink of it this way - where would we be today in women's rights, visible minority rights, LGBTQ rights if the people at the starts of those movements gave up after every setback instead of rallying and trying harder? 1325130960 +Yes, we are in UK. 1311269882 +THAT'S A STRAW MAN FALLACY! 1308380165 +For the trip back, it's worth remembered that gas gauges can be really unreliable. When it reads a half tank, you might have considerably less than half a tank of gas left. This has gotten me in trouble a couple of times, LOL. 1329673675 +Before the migration across the land bridge there were no people in North America. There is plenty of evidence of this. It was not somebody's hunting ground before that. \n\nThe oldest human fossils in Africa are around 7 million years old. Before that, Africa was not someone's hunting ground.\n\nIt is not turtles all the way down. Sentient beings had a beginning. 1343071697 +Upvote if you watched it to the end.\n\n\nNOTE: I'm surprised Big Energy didn't manage to take the site down while I was watching this amazing offer that will 1) cut my electric bills **in half**, 2) while allowing me to be **totally independent** from my electricity company 3) and have **free** energy...wait wut? 1327765790 +well reading your [post](http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/m4wtf/dear_ratheism_im_agnostic_i_dont_like_religion/) over there, it seems like you were just being instigative.\n\nin my opinion you would have done better if you originally posted [your later comment](http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/m4wtf/dear_ratheism_im_agnostic_i_dont_like_religion/c2y4bei) instead\n\nin any case i don't think the responses were that bad 1320783913 +Ya, what I love is how animated he can get. You can tell he truly loves his work. 1258589920 +do me! do me! 1353498545 +It's where the cronies go after they're done running for elected positions. The senators and the governor general are the most useless positions in Canadian politics. 1327524203 +In a way, having a placebo there is actually quite clever. 1350444884 +Well I can't really see the point of this article, it's like saying that skepticism doesn't have anything to do with global warming because it can't answer the question "should we care about global warming?":\n\n>“feminism is simply the belief that women should be treated as fairly as men.” [...]\n\n>The inclusion of the word “should” makes it impossible for evidence to confirm Feminism through the process of skepticism.\n\nThat definition of feminism is simply derived from the social dogma that all persons are "equal". This is a social construct and doesn't have anything to do with skepticism like any other motivation in the world. **Skepticism can never give you a main motivation in any aspect, it can only question derived motivations to see if they are working in accord to your main motivation.**\n\nSo in this case, applying skepticism to feminism is not about asking "should women be treated as fairly as men?", that's the goal and doesn't have anything to do with skepticism like any other goal. The questions may be something like "is women treated as fairly as men?", "does process X cause inequality between women and men?", "can inequality be palliated by process Y?". 1345502676 +http://scholar.google.ru/scholar?q=%22Gunnar+optiks%22&btnG=&hl=ru&as_sdt=0%2C5 1355878481 +That's a really great question, but I sleep normally. I drink every now and then but even in an altered or sleeping state I have total control.\n\nI have always taken longer to fall asleep and can totally function on less sleep than the average person, and have lucid dreams quite often. Not sure if that has anything to do with anything, though. 1343578856 +Yes. Most evangelical kids are home-schooled and their parents go to great lengths to find textbooks that support their (non-scientific) preexisting bias.\n\n*Jesus Camp* is a great example of this, right at the beginning. 1269188266 +This.... you win the internet.... 1341470032 +Flash light theory. It's quitter at night so you hear small noises better also dim lights appear much brighter on a dark background than a bright one. It's not that they are more active it's just that they are more noticeable. 1329797009 +Being an small child their eye sockets would appear disproportinate than the rest of the skull due to not being fully developed. 1322013071 +Is that Barry Kripke? 1351701348 +why does the distinction matter? if we treat someone like shit enough they'll eventually give in and change? 1330282708 +Was is?\n\nIn both you're talking about someone who is a Professionally Offended person. \n\nSomeone who seeks out something to be offended by. 1347376885 +Thank you. \n\nI see articles like this all the time and figured what some people will assume to be magic supplements to make their I.Q. increase needed at least some level headed scrutiny. 1353707142 +You might also want to investigate retired Army Command Sergeant Major Robert O. Dean who said that he read an above top secret manual while at Supreme Allied Forces in Europe in the '60s. Here's a YouTube video regarding his experiences: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc__scf1uMM 1333581370 +> I must keep safe from aliens long enough to see this film\n\nFTFY 1292541084 +Oops, I see it's wrong now, stupid mistake.\nSorry, English is not my native language.\n\nBTW... There are plenty of satellite images of the north pole, I guess the guy never tried Google. :P 1279410506 +Naturally occuring calcium fluoride/fluorite is different than the fluoride chemicals and byproducts that are added to water (often sodium fluoride, fluorosilicic acid, sodium fluorosilicate). \n\n\n[In 2006 The USGS Mineral Resources program cites that](http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/fluorspar/fluormcs07.pdf)\n>There was little or no domestic mining of fluorspar in 2006. Some byproduct calcium fluoride was recovered from industrial waste streams, although data are not available on exact quantities. Material purchased from the National Defense Stockpile or imported was screened and dried for resale to customers.\n\n\n([I'm sure you know, fluorite is used to prepare uranium for nuclear fuel-rods and nuclear weapons...](http://mineralofthemonthclub.org/2007-10%20Fluorite3.pdf))\n\nScreened for what exactly? Industrial waste and radiation obviously.\n\nWhat is the limit on contaminants?\n\nWhere is the oversight? How do we know exactly what chemical is used, the purity, and where it was sourced from? Who is making money from selling these chemicals to municipalities?\n \nIt all sounds a little bit too sketchy to me. 1346652396 +*also used to be lead singer of midnight oil* Thats awesome! 1331307286 +I guess skeptics throw around a lot of psuedoscience as well. 1343110547 +These guys are all very close to the Frederick Douglass Foundation, a Christian/Republican group. Wasn't Fredrick Douglass an atheist/agnostic? 1343872165 +The fact that there's no proof for it. 1324929508 +on of my close friends and I shared a dream once if it makes you feel better. Although there were no wolfs, it was more she was watching my dream from my perspective. 1335081288 +Do you mean that they planned to fly a plane into WTC 7 and when they didn't, they decided to blow it up anyway, or that they smuggled tonnes of explosives into the building at the last minute? 1315580173 +Calling demons "spirits" is like calling Jaws a "fish"--technically correct, but a gross underexaggeration of the circumstance.\n\nSome people have all the sense and self-preservation an ice cube. 1351424761 +But they're actually very useful in many different modes of discourse.\n\nI'm going to keep using them. 1247102330 +it means it hasn't been studied yet... 1344302749 +That is unrelated to the analogy, and I'm curious why you are moving down that path? 1328867142 +I could not expect to persuade others, but it would certainly change my perspective. I would try to replicate the data, or try to persuade others to replicate the data, but any attempt to claim a god exists *should* be met with scientific skepticism. 1309394261 +Just because they change the company name from Adipose to Sensa does *not* make it okay. 1322930782 +Someone should do this. Not me. But *someone*. 1323185015 +I'm still not sure how I feel about to be honest. In the grand scheme of things it seems ridiculous to think a spirit would come down or what ever and push on humans in their sleep. In retrospect all it was was inconvenient, in that it disrupted my sleep. But I suppose anything's possible. I'm not discrediting any theory as if yet. What about you? How did you make sense of your experiences? 1352169880 +>Follow the money trail...\n\nSure, we can do that. Burzynski makes money using this alleged treatment, and is therefore not a reliable guide of its effectiveness. Boy, that was easy! 1333406777 +I grew up in that area too. Southern New Mexico is significantly eerie and secretive with tons of strange vibes in different places. I don't think I could have handled what you went through. I guess it is a bit different when it happens that early in your life and you are still determining what reality is. 1343326929 +Oh you're right, poor poor Muslims, let's just excuse them from their attacks and murders. \n\nMaybe while we're at it we should have the victims family reimburse those poor Muslims for the cost of the bullets they used to kill the loved one. \n\nYou are just a bleeding heart apologist and lack the logical ability to see that some of the blame rests with those who pulled the trigger. 1347466199 +Not me. And [here's](http://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/md7ky/rconspiracy_is_bubbling_over_into_the_rest_of/) why. \n\nEdited to add: what I meant to say is that these guys thrive on attention, negative or otherwise. I see no point in indulging them. 1321398913 +They take the USMLE because that is what permits licensure in the US. 1326168816 +Why is this on /r/skeptic? 1344473615 +[Here's MUFON's analysis of the complete radar data from that night.](http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/archivos_pdf/MUFONStephenville.pdf) Warning, it's quite long. 1331340264 +Yes, and thank you. Sorry for the confusion; it's still great footage. 1350772862 +Omg, does he really believe it is a hoax? 1343827114 +i used to have this co-worker, she was a mother but that isn't really necessary for this story. anyway, she refused to believe me that poison ivy couldn't be spread by scratching it. i explained to her how poison ivy develops over days so it appears to spread when it is all caused by the initial exposure. i even found her a page on the Mayo Clinic's website which unequivocally stated "you can not spread poison ivy by scratching."\n\nher response? "Those doctors need to leave their labs and get some real world experience."\n\nsome people are just that unwilling to trust anyone else's experience/knowledge. to them even experts take a back seat to what they "know." 1294466586 +no, silly - it's in a sugar pill. - duh.\nMedicinal Ingredients: X-Ray ;\nNon-Medicinal Ingredients: Lactose, Sucrose 1337848024 +How come they know English or other earthian languages... 1334150801 +Reddit is my happy light (White background). 1354525950 +>Looks like a duck, acts like a duck - it's probably a duck.\n\nYes, because we know what ducks look and act like because we can observe millions of ducks from birth to death; we can probe their genes, see them study them. There are thousands upon thousands of hours of undisputed duck footage. \n\nAliens on the other hand...? We don't know thing one about what an alien spacecraft would look like, how it would behave nor do we have one undisputed photo of something that is identifiable **only** as an alien spacecraft. \n\nUFOs do not equal aliens. In fact, soon as you label it an alien craft it's not longer a UFO by definition. \n\nMy point is that there is evidence of something we can't explain, but aliens shouldn't be the first and only conclusion one draws. 1267750007 +There is little doubt that the presence of oil have had an impact on the situation in the Middle East. US have been in the business of overthrowing the governments in the region for the last 100 years. Most recent invasions only reinforce this theory.\n\n1928 - [Red line agreement](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Line_Agreement) to ensure US and Britain were part of the oil cartel. This is how they wedged themselves into the ME oil business.\n\n1944 - Anglo-American Petroleum Agreement drafted with the intension to divide the oil market between US/UK, later was conveniently swept under a rug to avoid public scrutiny.\n\n1953 - Iran coup organized by CIA immediately after Iran tried to nationalize its oil fields.\n\n1991 - Operation "desert storm" is undertaken for the sole purpose of taking back the Kuwait oil fields. \n\n1992 - [Defense Planning Guidance](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfowitz_Doctrine) was an imperialist doctrine that had an overall objective to maintain the predominant power in the Middle East and to preserve U.S. and Western access to the region's oil.\n\nThere are many more instances of US intervention in the internal affairs of other sovereign states that I [left out](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_intervention_in_the_Middle_East), but you only need to look at what companies are currently involved in the business of [pumping the Middle-Eastern oil](http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2011/12/2011122813134071641.html), to realize that there is a reason why they are called an oil cartel. 1340490687 +I'm disappointed that so many well-known skeptic blogs are falling for this blatant promotional ploy. \n 1310254652 +The lack of air is possibly the spirit showing you how he/she died. Spirits communicate through a voice in your head that sounds almost like your own thought, visions, symbols, and feelings. they show you how they feel like confused, sad and taking breath away can be signs that they died of a heart attack. Next time you get a feeling ask them to show what that means and you might get some visions that answer your question. Like a car accident. 1324060681 +Honestly, that is bullshit. I had the pleasure of seeing a great Atheist Comedian shortly before his death. George Carlin was not very funny, in fact I found him depressing as fuck. Since he was an old atheist, and there was nothing left except for him knowing he was sick and waiting to die. My husband was working at the theater that night, so he didn't see much of the show, but.... that was my opinion that I express to my atheist husband, and Carlin did die less than 2 months later. \n\nYou might think it's liberating. Lets see how liberating you feel when you know certain death is close. Like they say, there are no atheists in a fox hole. 1344371025 +To start off, your protip is the cutest thing I've read in a while. You should read some philosophy, and you'll understand that the subjective card can be played equally for all of these. Trust me, we can spend all of our life time disagreeing on what it is exactly to be a noun like an American, or a libertarian. \nEvery single word represents a slightly different concept for every single person. Dictionaries simply attempt to approximate the most commonly shared meaning at specific snaphsot of time for a specific context.\n\nAnyway, to more relevant part:\nIf you think I'm any more political than you, then that's again a sign of your naivety.\n\nIn fact, it is your definition of freedom seems to stem directly from American centric politics and government. Equal opportunity? If I kill everyone in the world, everyone will have equal opportunity. Would I have maximized freedom? Obviously not. I would have done the opposite, even though we all have equal opportunity when dead.\n\nEqual opportunity is simply a political strategy to provide *equal* freedom to citizens. But what is actual freedom that your politics are trying to maximize/equalize? The freedom is arguably the ability to act based on your *internal* impulses.\n\nIf a person desires x, then sure, you can make the naive interpretation that a person is free when they purchase a fraudulent product that promises x. A more meaningful interpretation of freedom though is the ability to actually achieve x.\n\nThat's the only concept of freedom of the two here that is actually worth talking about. 1345187384 +Stupidity of the quote aside, the premise for that film has a bit of potential. However, I'm skeptical of whether or not it'll be executed correctly. 1294824876 +D'oh! Goddamnit, National Geographic. 1351737475 +Their 2004 documentary and the first few seasons is where it's at. 1348520961 +I saw this for sale at Costco recently, and wasn't sure what it was (the sign did say "mood stabilizer"). 1276017488 +Who says it's a communication with us? What if it's just breadcrumbs? so to speak... a map/guide/label for other beings of their kind to observe. 1354723155 +Read, "The Allagash Abductions". That event pretty much traumatized and ruined the four Guy's involved in that's lives. 1319951790 +Yes that's my point. There's no glory in bashing the face of a delusional man. 1269608899 +It's part of the video for "the new dance".\n\nWhat is freedom to you? 1301193505 +Jokes on you, i know what everything is! 1350764463 +Its pareidolia simply because its a lowres picture of the moon and the title claims it to be a moon base. Sit back down 1329931406 +tl;dr: Vaccines are causing autism among mentally retarded children. 1296435838 +Is that the place with the sinking house? 1347317305 +Second data point here. 1313512143 +But it may lower the food prices and make it available to the population rather than for exporting to rich nations. 1289346990 +You're right, so lets substitute Dan Aykroyd, I believe he is actually heterochromatic. \n 1292377104 +I hate the idea of myself believing all this, but I don't really have another explanation for what has been happening to me. I'm more of a logical person (I'm a musician by trade) and feel ridiculous talking about this seriously. So here's my story:\nAbout a year and a half ago my aunt died. Her husband and kids are masons, but she was Lutheran. Her husband (I dont think of him as family anymore, you'll see why) despised her religion and basically would freak out anytime she took my cousins to church - to the point of abuse. I've heard that masons are into devil worship, but still that seems pretty far fetched to me even now. Well there was an enormous falling out while my aunt was dying of cancer, my immediate family and grandparents were banned from visiting and actually forced to leave the hospital when we tried to visit her because of the lies they had told the doctors about us. The funeral was an even bigger disaster that we should not have attended in hindsight. Very shortly after the funeral everyone who didn't get to say goodbye had an experience that was exactly the same which we found out after sharing our experiences were we were lying in our own beds and suddenly felt like a hand just laid itself on our back for a moment then the pressure eased up. Kind of like not a real hand but pressure in the shape of a palm. Each person shared this info with my mom who kept it quiet until about 5 of us shared the same thing and she started to kind of be wierded out and than told us we had had the same thing happen. Now fast forward a few months, we had some christmas light bells that play music when turned on with a remote. My aunt had the same set. Every day for about a week at 4pm these lights turn themselves on and begin playing carols. The first 2 times I thought it was a glitch from them getting old so I just turned them off. The 3rd and 4th times I'm getting frustrated because I'm at the other end of the house hen they turn on and theyre blaring carols till I can get to them to turn them off. So I decided to put the remote away in the box to stop the glitch I thought was the culprit. They still turn themselves on every day at 4pm. I finally put them away for good unplugged.\nThe next thing, if you remember my aunts husband was supposedly into devil worship - still doubtful, but this explanation makes the most sense. I started to wake up in the middle of the nights unable to move. Now I did research about sleep paralysis an all that an it does not match the descriptions. I am unable to move myself, but it feels like my body is moving o it's own. I have felt on different occasions that I am squashed up against my bedroom wall, sliding off my couch, being shaken like tremors, and sliding around my bed. My eyes are also closed, yet I can feel as though I can see around the room perfectly fine like they are open. So my mom and I started to use holy water every night, and this stopped, which makes me feel like it is not sleep paralysis. I am also an extremely deep sleeper, on vacation when I was 8 to Disneyland there was an earthquake and I did not wak up. So to suddenly have sleep paralysis at age 25 seems unlikely. Last night I had forgotten to use the holy water and I again woke up unable to move, but there was a sort of loud metal clang in my ears sort of a sensation like buzzing, and felt like I was moving around the bed. But I wasn't moving myself. \nSorry I this was incredibly long but if you have any thoughts I'd love to hear them. 1314609707 +And meats, cheese, wine and seafood. If you want to class up a cook-out, they have great meats, cheese, wine and seafood. As far as actual food quality goes, you can't beat it. The only way to get better food quality is to go one of those once a week farmers market things. 1349193727 +It's the music of your soul. Kind of like a soul fingerprint... every person has a different one, most can't hear it. 1326495551 +I'm a DJ - have been for 10 years. This happened once. Djed a Pulp song , put next song on - took Pulp CD out, put Michael Jackson CD in, checked on headphones that MJ was cued up ok - heard Pulp??? Checked CD in machine - it was MJ.. Me no understandy... 1342570636 +Maybe we will see god. jk gods not real. 1336489419 +If someone is a consistent liar, is it necessary to address every lie? 1329335371 +Versus as in the opposite views on the subject not a fight between the two. 1297126700 +You shouldn't believe. Until the evidence presents itself there is no reason to believe the random claims of others. Many people want to believe so they see evidence where there is not necessarily any. This effect is called confirmation bias you believe in ghosts so now every bump in the night is one. Me personally I have heard footsteps in a completely otherwise empty house, is this enough evidence? Honestly no. But it is intriguing as to just what it was I heard. 1331130897 +I'm skeptical of foods being pro-GM or anti-GM, unless you're a cannibal. 1292723293 +I plan to sell a *haunted* donald trump water bottle in the next few weeks...hoping it'll go over $40 1281498433 +I never said science should go to another subreddit. I just wanted to share my story, and heard about this subreddit. I have never thought about the matrix, but figured this was a good place to post. I would love to have a scientific explanation that can be proved by facts. So don't act like I'm being ignorant. Also, "a glitch in the matrix" is just a place for stories that make no logical sense, because the movie is a work of fiction. I see people may believe in the matrix, but obviously not everyone on this subreddit does, considering they just told me to buy a christian book. Thanks for this insight, please don't look any further into this story other than it being weird, for that is all I have done. 1352502702 +If they're marketing him as a mentalist then he's supposed to prove how people can be fooled by simple tricks, not claim that he actually has magical powers or anything. I guess his format will be a lot like Darren Brown's : claim there's no magic behind anything and yet use psychology-hocus-pocus like NPL to justify the clearly doctored results. 1346412275 +This isn't exactly "new". This was common practice where I am for a long time. Some people still do it, but with the advent of the varicella vaccines, the practice is dying out. 1320429740 +spirit science is a very insightfull videoseries on youtube and can help explain the things we experience... it could also explain why sone people see ghosts\ncheck this out...\n\n\n\n\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPkX0iOVX18&feature=youtube_gdata_player\n 1348453274 +[Scoreboard!](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/phknn/sketchy_unfocused_video_of_rumored_mammoth_in/c3pg7vl)\n\nSince the rise of Youtube, my first assumption on any fuzzy video is hoax. People just love putting fake videos on the internet for free these days. 1329248922 +I doubt it, there is not much we could do much to a cilivilisation in our own solar system, let alone beyond. 1335987492 +i'm not looking to troll anyone. even if what you're saying is true, none of those things are glitches. 1347242161 +> Another good clue (at least so far as I've found) - if you look up their domain and it's registered to a hotmail.com user... it's probably not reliable.\n\nNice catch! :-> 1332997530 +> Well, I wouldn't believe everything I read on the Internet, watch on YouTube, or hear from the government. All sources are known to mislead you.\n\nGee, thanks for that little gem of wisdom. I'll get out my crayon and write that one down.\n\n 1253827971 +Honestly my girlfriend and I have experienced the same exact thing. 1342385046 +Well if Paul Collingwood and Andrew Strauss both wear it, surely I must too! 1294424256 +I think that's just a reflection of a kid of a really sunny day. And yeah, he is a creepy lookin' little one but just a kid. 1338241562 +Check out the entry in The Skeptic's Dictionary on it: [Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®](http://www.skepdic.com/myersb.html)\n\nJust a quote from his response to someone at the end:\n\n>One reader wrote me to complain that my "claim that any type to a significant extent fits most people is absolute nonsense." Perhaps others have also misread my concluding remarks in this entry. What I suggest is that some parts of the profiles could apply to most people, a characteristic shared by other kinds of readings such as astrological or psychic readings. I do not claim that any profile, taken as a whole, will fit most people. I am not suggesting that one type fits all. Since the various profiles are based on information the client has provided, they shouldn't be telling the customer anything about himself that he doesn't already know. Thus, just as psychics have many satisfied customers because they feed back to clients what the clients have told them, and they make claims that could apply to most people or that most people would want to be true, so too do Myers-Briggs folks have many satisfied customers. In any case, those who read the above article carefully recognize that the main problem is not with the accuracy of the profiles but with the way they are abused by employers and others.\n\nEdit: Added the quote from it as a semi-TL;DR--but seriously, all his entries are great reads. 1327285860 +It's just the impression I get. 1347074780 +Just reword your phrase as "I hope to see more studies that.."\n 1309296801 +Awesome. Pics please :D\n\nYou should do a meditation on it to see what comes through. Sounds like it will be some sort of key for you. 1334715340 +I've never really thought of that point. That is magnificently brilliant. 1303156869 +Current listing: http://cgi.ebay.com/VAMPIRE-TRANSFORMATION-SPELL-BECOME-IMMORTAL-VAMPIRE-/260665862141?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb0e567fd#ht_758wt_1136 1284833716 +I should have known! :P 1314136429 +Maybe it's because he spent the first minute advertising his stupid company.\n\nThis is obvious a viral video created to advertise it. He's using legit footage, but the whole myth over it sounds quite orchestrated. 1288330226 +The gentlemen is correct in his assumption! 1302978939 +But isn't being a Ghost avoiding Divine Judgement? - Which, if you believe in that sort of thing, is unavoidable? 1339864654 +It does. Sharks (particularly bull sharks) have the ability to hone in on the electrical impulses given off by a human heart prior to an attack.\n\nThough there are several other signals and scents a human can give off that will attract a shark, it's well known that bull sharks (amongst several others) can and do hone in on humans sitting perfectly still in shallow water because of the electrical impulses given of by the heart.\n\nOther marine predators can sense electrical fields unwittingly given off by prey and use the signal to hone in on their location.\n\nThere are several other examples of the human heart giving off electrical impulses, easily checked by an EKG which can detect normal and abnormal rhythms. \n 1305987490 +I've read plenty about Frank and his infamous box. Another loon. Way to pick your role models, my friend. 1331785807 +That was over 50 years ago. Things are very different. 1341958281 +If it were made by me or somebody I trusted, sure. [Cat-poop cookies](http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/cat-poop-cookies-ii/Detail.aspx) are a favorite at this time of year. 1288274671 +Lol. These guys have a [Facebook page](http://www.facebook.com/ParentsAgainstWiFiinSchool) 1340694255 +And yet it is used more often than just about any other credential. 1351820498 +DOUG STANHOPE IS NOT A WEED SMOKER, POTHEAD, WEED ADDICT. HE DRINKS. 1344990047 +Not really, it's potentially an interesting paper but in this context it just suggests that the OP might have a point. \n\nThis thread is about a paper which notes that the dangers of chiropractors are under-reported in studies about chiropractors. That's a study about chiropractors which happens to report that they pose little danger.\n\nEdit: a paper / an article. Gah 1337188047 +Evidence? Any? Even a tiny bit? Outlandish claims need equally outlandish evidence. 1329695816 +He believes that scientists want people to stop believing because they want to brainwash people into not believing in God. I think he's implying that somehow all scientists are working together with Satan against God haha!\n\nThose are some good points, maybe they will get him to think just a little but I don't think they'll break through to him. He'll probably say something about how man is easily corrupted and single out corrupted priests as just bad apples. He always finds a way for contradictions to fit into his delusion.\n\nIt's funny you talk about religious leaders making money because earlier today he called me and told me he bought some CD from the church that he wanted me to listen to and my first thought was, "They're making money off you." I wanted to say something but I decided to keep my mouth shut since I have to work with him and all. 1347240955 +I'd say no, primitivism advocates a 'returning to nature' way of life, that's not what I'm saying at all. I'm simply stating that if each person lived according to their own will and coerced no other person to live as they do, we'd all end up much better off as a species. There'd simply be radically different communities of people. 1332153156 +If anythings gonna be ancient, its gonna be another species, considering how old this universe is 1351000693 +Thank you for staying civil and trying to teach people reason, logic and science. 1336992434 +Oh my god, there's so... much... bullshit!\n\nThe worst part, for me, is just how many people are wasting time employed to *do absolutely nothing of value*. The company could, and probably does, skip all of the steps (thus saving millions on wages and equipment) and just add tap water to little bottles, for the exact same effect. 1328272661 +I know how you feel. I'm also a walk-in, but I have dreams. It's like in the dreams, I'm the real me. The real memories are in the dreams and I hold the false ones. 1328942320 +It almost feels like they were about to say "yep, our friends up there actually do exist", maybe this is a first step into disclosure? 1287082025 +i read this like you were screaming 1341855080 +This is real but will only benefit source material created for that color space. Most if not all cameras today are RGB so raw video won't gain anything from this.\n\nNow stuff shot on film could be rescanned in the RGBY color space and renderings can be re rendered for this color space. So your next video card could support RGBY and existing films can be rescanned/re-rendered for this.\n\nRGBY dose create better color than RGB. Many of the LED fixtures used in concerts and theater today are RGBY and RGBYW(White). 1284041988 +OMG, I didn't get far enough to see the UF theory bit! lol 1336346809 +I think Isaac Newton would be an example of the "otherwise brilliant" component of the title. 1298139638 +UFO = Unidentified Flying Object. Doesn't make anything clearer. 1330357333 +My point is to be careful about looking at chimps in order to understand ourselves, and that closest living relative is down to accidents of extinction of the other species that would have been closer to us were they still alive today.\n\nClosest living relative does not necessarily mean that they're particularly closely related. It really just means that there are no other closer evolutionary relatives alive now.\n\nOf course there are many similarities between us and chimpanzees, and to a broader extent between us and other apes, and us and other mammals, to even broader similarities between us and other vertebrates etc. We just need to be aware that we are a different species from chimpanzees, and while they can be helpful in understanding ourselves, they can also be misleading. 1290988873 +I tried a lot of times to get into OBEs, or at least lucid dreaming, but most of the time I just get stuck in the sleeping paralysis, which is crazy in itself, if only for the creepy hallucinations you get. \n\nI think I may have had an OBE once, because I felt myself waking up and getting out of bed after sleeping paralysis, seeing myself still sleeping, and I started walking upstair to see what would happen and saw my mother in the kitchen. Then I felt pulled back to my bed and woke up, went upstair and found my mother in the kitchen. 1342030102 +no, because this is /r/glitch_in_the_matrix, not /r/paranormal. possible glitch explanations must have a basis in reality, and if they can't be explained using known laws of nature, then they're just glitches. "the paranormal" should never come into play. 1344126237 +An the "calendar ending" world ending stuff is nonsense. Let it go. Science refutes any logical claim to it. 1333250787 +And, when the government does anything `curious' -- it deserves notice. 1262027985 +In the author's words: "I do wonder how many she cared for (how big was the data sample?), and I also need to ask myself how diverse the group was." What was her methodology? What was the sample size? Are her observations statistically valid, in other words, if I was to ask any random dying person what their top regret is, would I receive one of the top five regrets? 1328377302 +Oh, please do not think I call these people idiots or failures. Foolish, maybe, but foolish is not stupid, foolish is just foolish. Even the smartest people can be foolish. As for Failures, absolutely not - They did the best they could, and the system they used failed them, that does not make them failures.\n\nI feel you are also failing to consider the idea that we may live in a consensus reality. It is not how strongly you believe, but the world lines up with what the vast majority of us believe, rather than the world lining up with what each individual believes. It is a question I think to be worthy of consideration.\n\nThat said, I don't think this conversation is going anywhere. I'm 100% science and evidence based medicine, and you believe...well, what you believe. I can't make a statement on that, just like everybody else on the planet, I don't read minds. So, I feel it best we both retire to our respective corners, before this degenerates into another silly reddit argument. 1326682323 +http://i.imgur.com/9O4Q0.jpg 1351663105 +Don't forget that the 1400 haven't directly examined the evidence. They've seen at best reports of the evidence. \n\nGiven a group of experts who have directly seen the evidence, and a group of non experts who have not, It should be clear that the former group's opinion has a much higher weight. 1307547213 +Ironic that if the dress is indeed haunted by the soul of the tragic fire girl, then the name is quite befitting. It is forever hers. That kinda makes it more fucked up if it's real. 1348269190 +Adding as a response to 1), you might very well be right about the impact for the rich world. We might just have to get used to paying a bit more for certain things as technologies are adapted to compensate.\n\nFor the rest of the world, as fossil fuels (rapidly) double triple, and beyond in price, it's quite likely that this will result in millions if not billions returning to extreme poverty. Just as 100 million people in china have risen out of extreme poverty in the last ten years, a rapid increase in transportation costs and other fossil fuel-related costs, would likely plunge at least as many back as businesses are forced to (temporarily) abandon supply chains that require too much transportation. Eventually, the global economy would adapt to the new costs, but in the short term there would be a lot of pain and it likely take decades to require.\n\ntldr; **Markets are bad at dealing with scarce resources.** 1355751958 +They're cheaper because they aren't regulated by the FDA. No testing is required for efficacy, safety, or content. If you just want a painkiller, why don't you take aspirin, or acetaminophen, or ibuprofen? What "herbal" solution gives you just the painkiller without all the other stuff that's present in the plant it's derived from? 1304012777 +Sir, i am afraid I have it on good authority that you DO in fact believe in spirits, demons, angels, zombies, suspension of the laws of physics, and talking animals. \n\nSource: cirqueis 1324371543 +Self-confidence diminishes *because* you begin realising how little you know. 1307133322 +The presence of large amounts of aluminium has always been interesting to me, in terms of conspiracies.\n\nA friend of mine ranted about "thermite bombs" used in demolishing the twin towers. (Usual BS). I asked him what a thermite bomb was, and pointed out that thermite is a powder that burns incredibly hot, but can't ACTUALLY be used to make a bomb because it doesn't explode.\n\nHe largely ignored that and said the military has top secret bombs we don't know about, etc, but that doesn't explain why there was THERMITE RESIDUE in the ground zero area.\n\nI proceeded to ask him what thermite residue actually looks like. Because it would seem likely to me that it would be thermite-like. And thermite is actually just aluminium oxide in a powder.\n\nCan anyone else thing where a large amount of oxidising aluminium might have come from in this scenario? Hmmmmmm... Nothing jumps to mind.\n\nThe relevance here is that there could well be some merit to this point at least to the degree that the presence of aluminium could well have made the fire much hotter than a pure fuel fire would have.\n\nAnother interesting point is that just below the crash point of one of the planes (I can't remember which one) was a large UPS system. Think giant bank of car batteries. And that's what they are, metal and sulphuric acid.\n\nSulphur + aluminium = thermATE. Even hotter burning, and catches at a lower temperature.\n\nNot sure how relevant this is, but it's interesting, nontheless. 1317106290 +Wow. I agree with xoxoyoyo, then. The puppy is probably symbolic in some way. 1327700130 +Again what does this have to do with the thread?\n\n1. Still waiting for one of the believers to write a coherent argument supporting the OP. You are completely going off into left field much less actually providing a coherent argument. If it doesn't need faith then spell it out, this is a skeptics forum; evidence comes before everything else. Do you know what evidence is?\n\n2. It is common for anybody who doesn't 'BELIEVE' to be automatically labeled as clueless. I hear this from 9/11 truthers, creationists, PSI believers and the like all the time. They usually say, "you just haven't researched the evidence enough". What they are really saying is that "if you have faith the 'evidence' becomes obvious", which is typical religious thinking. Thanks for demonstrating this so thoroughly.\n\n\nAs it stands, this thread isn't in the topic 500 threads in the skeptics forum any more so there is no more reason to keep it up. There are much better topics to post on. 1306691627 +I bothered to re-read mine and was floored at how accurate it was. Are these just sciencey sounding astrological signs? Or is there a good deal of truth / merit to these types? 1302156135 +Toxic black mold, the infamous species of [Stachybotrys](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stachybotrys), produces trichothecenes. These are a class of hideously toxic substances that cause [a variety of symptoms](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stachybotrys#Symptoms_of_Stachybotrys_exposure_in_humans). The Wikipedia article doesn't specifically list any neurological symptoms.\n\nWhether toxic black mold causes neurological symptoms is still under active research. The introduction section of [this study from last year](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2808125/) explains that damp building related illnesses include neurological problems, and toxic black mold is associated with damp buildings. Also, trichothecenes are known to be neurotoxins. The part that they are studing is the exact mechanism of how the toxins get from the air into the body and damage neurological systems, which includes studying the dosages.\n\n**TL;DR:** It's very likely that toxic black mold will "fry your brain"; we're just studying exactly how it happens to make sure. 1335986315 +Their "About us" includes: "and providing direct care for thousands of animals at our sanctuaries, emergency shelters, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and mobile veterinary clinics."\n\nThat explicitly states they provide care for animals. They're called The Humane Society (of the US, with that latter part in small letters).\n\nOn their FAQ they also say:\n"The HSUS works with local humane societies and supports their work through training, evaluations, publications, and other professional services." After a short disclaimer, and that's the only place on their site that notes there isn't a connection.\n\nIf you check out actual Humane Society websites:\n"No. The San Antonio Humane Society is a non-profit no kill organization that relies entirely on donations, grants and self generated revenue to operate. We are not affiliated with any national organizations and do not receive support from the county, state or federal agencies."\n\n"No. We do not receive funding from, nor are we affiliated with, the Humane Society of the United States located in Washington DC, the American Humane Association located in Denver, or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals located in New York City. We do not receive funding from the Heart of Florida United Way. The SPCA of Central Florida is a private, independent, 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation."\n\n\nHSUS is aware of the confusion, and benefit directly from it. They don't mind giving people the impression that they render aid to local shelters, despite local shelters saying it isn't the case.\n\nShould people know better? Of course. Just because it's a person's fault for being mislead doesn't make the con-man "good" though. 1301610891 +Mr. Rogan has an admirable amount of skepticism, but just a superhuman amount of wonder. 1331471544 +Ok, thanks anyway. I'll keep looking too. 1297718698 +Thank you for the correction! 1306255514 +Sounds like an aura. I get exactly what you're describing before migraines. Could be that you're experiencing "silent migraines".\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aura_%28symptom%29 1339245519 +To be clear, I am not the person who initially charged you with strawmanning them, my point was to show you why your post was subject to that sort of attack, and to advise you of how it might be restructured so as not to elicit that kind of response. Also, I took issue with the facial legitimacy of some of the points in so far as they are indistinct from the other points or insufficient to undermine the general points made by the Four Horsemen.\n\nI've actually begun reading the work that you linked to. You would have done yourself, and reddit a better service if you had premised your points as being a summation of the book, rather than relegating that to a footnote. The form of this discussion then would have been over whether the book makes good points, and not whether your summation of the books points stand on their own without further evidence or explanation.\n\nTo put it another way, I'm actually quite glad that you brought this all up, but wish that you had presented it differently so that it could have resulted in a more fruitful discussion. 1330569448 +The Austrian School of Economics has denied the value of empirical data, the scientific method, and formal mathematics.\n\nI think we can safely discount them as authorities on anything. 1313573493 +Well, you are being directed to do more. talk to him, visit the town, or do something. can you tell if your dreams are set in the past or the future? if future... maybe do not visit :) 1345035282 +It's like a brick wall of stupidity, I can't even get my head around how to counter this kind of thing. This guy in particular keeps up a steady stream all of which matches and some of which exceeds this level of madness. He genuinely believes in the times of yore being full of wizards and dragons. It's beyond ridiculous. 1345808739 +The subjects of psychology (human behavior and the human mind) could very well end up being as scientific as the hard sciences. This is the subject of neuroscience, a field in its infancy really.\n 1345672617 +You need to stop participating in elctroshock therapy! 1352483766 +Under that proposal, the protection and services of the "police" would be literally bought and paid for by the wealthiest individuals. When that happens in government, we call it corruption, and it's one of the greater social evils. 1304769244 +That does suck. Need to get the word out so their enrollment gets hit. Then locals will understand what harassing students gets them. 1340598002 +Look at how he was dressed. I mean, come on. 1355967141 +My husband woke me up once and told me I was making the strangest sound he's ever heard. It didn't sound human, yet it was coming from me. I'm not trying to belittle your experience. I guess I'm just saying that it may not be supernatural. On the other hand, I don't really know. I just want to reassure you that it is nothing to be frightened of. :-) 1326057312 +I understand it like this:\n\n\nDepending on the field, it refers to different things. There is a new branch of skepticism that is on the track with new atheism. Where a baby is an atheist (it has no belief in a god or gods... at least, I don't think so,) Atheism is now a kind of a movement towards science and away from superstition.\n\n\nAll human beings are going to be inclined at points, probably throughout any day, where they will be inclined to believe something that isn't true. Sometimes they will believe these things their entire lives. People who dub themselves skeptics, at the very least what I try to do, is to keep ourselves in rigorous check of what we want to be true/feel to be true, and what in life demonstrates itself to be true in live via a multitude of examples.\n\n\nPhilosophical skepticism or radical skepticism is the doubting of all things, even those things that seem consistent, such as logical frameworks and natural occurring consistencies.\n\n\nRegardless of a word's etymology or original use, we need to be sensative to how people interpret our words as we use them for the same reason people should agree on the rules of Monopoly before playing. It wouldn't make for a very fun game, and just lead to a lot of yelling at each other for cheating. \n\n\n\nOne other quick example: Post-modernism, depending on the field means very different things. Philosophically it means an end to modernity, and a crushing end to enlightenment, whereby there can be no single truth or unifying theory of everything. (in a very small nutshell.) In counseling, it refers to humans having very unique internal maps, and that counselors need to recognize that the client is the expert of their scenerio, and the counselor is just there to help the client understand his/her/its own terminology. In literature, I heard it in a nutshell as "the author is dead," in that regardless of how an author intended something to be interpreted, it is only the readers interpretation that matters.(I first heard this quote from Hank Green who I believe credits it elsewhere,) In art, it means bad art. :p I hope this helps. 1355314293 +I never said that I thought it wasn't possible and I was even trying to go out of my way to make sure that you understood that when I said:\n\n>I know that there are many companies that operate with everyone's best interest in mind, but the ones who don't more than make up for the companies that do.\n\nI don't know why you still think I don't. This is the second time that I've pointed this out to you.\n\n 1248909141 +Has there been anything else that has happened in the house since you've moved in? How long ago did you move in to this place? And have you noticed any marks? 1330452846 +Yeah, I know - that's why I cited the evidence mentioned by the structural engineers re: the manner of collapse and it's virtual carbon copy nature of an implosion. I'm not sure what else I can say to that respect. 1324953836 +Yes, you're correct sorry. My specific municipality has removed artificial fluoridation from water, though it contains a small amount of naturally occurring fluoride. \n\nMany other municipalities have followed suit, though the federal government has taken to the American and British system of denial of new evidence. It's hard for any long standing system to change its policy. \n\nI was correct about the studies now being done:\n\nhttp://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/ministry_reports/fluoridation/fluoridation.html\n\nBut they do little to sway the federal government, the municipal governments seem the most prone to change first, then provincial, then federal. 1295580524 +Where's "Have a headache? Chew some willow bark." "Tired? Chew some some coca leaves." "Not enough trees talking to you? Eat some mushrooms." "Taking life serious? Smoke some marijuana leaves." "Too alive? Eat some nightshade." 1341151843 +I coped by thinking; I understand paranormal activity (if you want to call it that) now probably better than anyone on the planet because I thought about it... all the time. some times instead of doing something I'll just sit and think, and years and years of thinking combined with my experiences (basically I've experienced everything but possession). The best part is that some of it might line up with string theory. Also I've just ignored what ever has been around me until it shows it's self and then I attack it. I set my self into the state of mind where if I see something my first reaction is charge and attack, the issue is that I haven't seen a persistent apparition for a while. I've been followed by what people usually call feys, or maybe there demons, I'm not sure where you make the distinction, they're the same thing, one's just intending to do evil. I once caught one in a dream but she tricked me and got away. I found them all standing together in a group staring at me and then started to transfer dimensions I'm pretty sure which looks like they're sinking into the ground. They all have different animal associations and have eyes accordingly, black robes grey skin black hair. And that's about the extent of my story with out writing a book. Also on that topic I'm pretty sure that the way it works is that there's this dimension, and then two other dimensions one higher level than the other, the higher level is very dark and sort of purplish/ ultra-violet and the other one is also dark but red. At least that's what I've got from the patterns in dreams that seemed to be much more real and I'm guessing were at least partial astral projection sort of things. I still don't fully understand how it works with ghosts and matter interaction (noises and object movement) but I'm thinking about it. I should come to a full understanding in the near future hopefully. 1326100127 +50-50 Pisces Aires, beginning and end.\n\nThe few times that I've read my horoscope, it's pretty amusing.\n\nStrangely enough, almost every woman who guesses my sign guesses Pisces. 1289329289 +Wololo!\n 1337610380 +It's only that we don't believe in a version of free will that breaks causality. 1264262513 +Could you tell me about the ghost I have at home? If possible? 1353405238 +let's see, i went gray when i hit 20. i work a job that has me in the woods most of the time and a very similar situation happened when i was out wandering around with the dog at the end of last summer. this guy was fumbling around lowering the car after i showed him the ropes and i get a little embarrassed about being thanked a lot, so i faded back into the weeds. it's amusing to think i might be someone's glitch.\n\n 1331771819 +Every 3rd word is incomprehensible?\n\n... it amplifies the geomancy in light and ascends it and brings it to monadic and higher telepathic levels at a much faster rate and vibration... 1328604802 +What else do you expect from the Gawker network? 1326390490 +Well first off trying to associate me with McCarthy is logically unsound, for you don't have any basis to make that comparison. I never stated my personal experiences were not based on reason, or did not hold scrutiny from outside rational inquiry. \n\nEven deciding that rational skepticism is the best method of understanding the world is once again, subjective.\n\nAlthough I appreciate your sentiment, I do not appreciate you attempting to associate me - or even the idea of subjective experience as a foundation for rational belief with certain people and ideas. 1279035376 +That's basically what I get out of it too. I'm not so sure Romanek's mentally ill, though...I've listened to interviews with both him and his wife, seen the scant evidence he's put forward...it's all very elaborate. Either this is a hoax or it's real, but I don't think he's being exploited. \n\nEither this is earth-shattering, world-changing stuff or he's the one doing the exploiting. I'm keeping an open mind, because his story's been consistent and he's offering a lot more than your average attention-seeker, but my bullshit meter is blinking off the charts. I have a feeling this documentary is going to be make-or-break for the Romanek story. 1339638736 +I very rarely correct people's mistakes but I feel this one would be crucial in everyday life. It's "I counted two" not "too". Sorry, that one really bugged me. 1352754476 +This song makes me sad 1279063506 +TIL meaning of [allopathic medicine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allopathic_medicine). I don't really see it as negative based on its greek roots but I only use it because that's how my parents refer to it. \n\nModern medicine it is, then. 1297393746 +There are many other reasons they might not know that terminology, including language and dialect, slang, communities etc.\n\nA french tour de france winner might know the name in English but he probably knows his shit. 1355728764 +Please. That's clearly a weather balloon illuminated by swamp gas during a thermal inversion within the atmosphere of Venus. 1341879969 +Eh, I let my boyfriend find my lower chakras. He's good at that. 1341081236 +Really? Your attention span is *that* short? This subject may not be for you... 1335330749 +No, you are on the right track girafa. Solomonkull just has a cause that needs vindication. Not only are churches free, the donations are given by choice. I know youtube has a lot of videos with assholes claiming to heal others for a small fee but they are not that common.\n\nMost mega churches are entirely funded on small donations from common church goers anyways. \n\nThere is no liberal or conservative in scam artist. There are just smart dick heads who take advantage of the less education. 1330637919 +Quoting a post from r/untiedkingdom... "killing a minor witness (if he was even going to be a witness) who was dismissed for drink and drugs would be tantamount to corporate suicide if it was traced back to News International."\n\nIt would make no sense for News International (or anyone else) to have him killed, way too much risk of it being traced back (especially with several non-Murdoch media organisations all gunning for Murdoch/NI) for very little reward. 1311024166 +Really guys? I gotta get me one of those amorphous glowing plastic bags. 1345585033 +>That was the only line I need to realise I am in the entirely wrong subreddit, if your basement-dwelling lifestyle suits you that's fine by me. \n\nI don't live in a basement, I'm a psychology master's student, I teach autistic children and I have constant girlfriends for the past five years (edit: I feel disgusted even bringing that up, but you seem to think it's important that I was having sex) and only took a break over the last six months. I've a handle on my life and I'm pretty damn happy.\n\nIf you have issues living in your basement and not experiencing the world, then stop doing that! Stop blaming all your problems on masturbation. More importantly, your worth is not determined by how many sexual partners you have. You have a warped view of sexuality that's been conditioned into you over the years. That's your issue. Not how much sex or masturbation you're having or not having, the fact that either way, it takes complete control over your life. You don't have to have sex to be cool or to have value. There's so much more to life. Promiscuous sex is fine if you like it, but if you think it determines your worth that's ridiculously unhealthy.\n\n>All science is based on interpretations of data and hypotheses, funnily enough masturbation research wasn't at the forefront of scientific discovery for much of the last century and most of the research is being done this century, meaning less proven science that has stood the test of time.\n\nAlso, I don't think you understand. A hypothesis is an *untested* idea, often derived from data not directly on a topic! A *theory* is an interpretation of numerous sources of data that directly link to it. Those leads us to make decisions. Both are techincally interpretations of data, but theories are a lot more objective, whereas hypotheses are *possibilities*, of which there is usually a myriad of. Making decisions based on cherry picked hypotheses is madness.\n\nEdit: clarity and mistakes 1344246973 +Yes, it's a diverse field. It's interesting to ask why that might be. Naturopathy a catch all, picking up but rarely discarding any alternative health idea that might be floating around. 1328224232 +i highly doubt that ill ever see this being again, let alone summon it. BUT my brain definitely does want to have that experience again, and i look forward to not freaking next time and analyzing the situation a little better.\n\nIf i do have this experience again, i will invest in placing a mirror on my ceiling for our amusement and will report back here on this thread. but like i said, i highly doubt ill experience that again. 1326548650 +Yeah, I was amazed that the person was posting there. "Free thinking" doesn't mean "think whatever you want", especially when it's about knowable, scientific things. 1227292303 +As do I. It stems from the secrecy though. When you look at the footage it's clear that something flew down very fast and probably burning. I mean it hit a god damned train... Giving a press conference and calling it a meteor would settle everyone, why didn't they just do that- even if that isn't what it was.\n\nI'm just uncomfortable with people connecting these things because what is next is an unreasonable conspiracy theory. 1350667036 +i'm not sure you know what ufo means... 1355104519 +Yeah, my sister's doctor got her on this a few years ago. Had her convinced she was "allergic" to almost every food and subsisting on brown rice and steamed veggies alone. After she collapsed at work a few times, I finally talked her into getting a second opinion and eating like a semi-normal person again. 1324915704 +I like how you're now so afraid of downvotes you only do this shit on posts with single-digit counts.\n\nYou're the worst kind of troll- the kind that only does it so long as nobody disagrees. 1301974810 +I had an aunt that had to be treated for blood poisoning from working in a chemical laden environment and getting over exposed. After that, any sort of plastic off-gassing would make her ill. She was tough as nails too, it practically killed her to have to change everything to avoid getting sick from fumes. She never said a thing about radio waves though, and they had a huge CB setup in their house, as my uncle was a truck driver. 1348767847 +How do you know the odds? 1316585926 +Are you OP? Why did you delete your other account? 1318873165 +Interesting. Well, if you look at the top of both images you do seem to see replicated or echo-effect blurs.\n\nI was also thinking that this could have been an effect of film processing. At one point (in part 2) she says she didn't notice any of this behavior when she was filming, but when the film came back from processing it seems to have had very obvious blur effects. Perhaps large, clunky equipment could have produced single-frame deformations. Again, I am not an expert on 60's/70's film technology but would like to hear what a fotomat tech from that era might have to say.\nMaybe someone like this:\nhttp://i.ytimg.com/vi/RDE_Qn2zihA/hqdefault.jpg\n;)\n\nEDIT: She says "when the film is processed, I got a lot of surprises" 1339610680 +>You probably should not waste time with Archie. He uses, 'skeptic' to mean, those who agree with his position. \n\nActually, I don't. In my mind, a "skeptic" is someone who evaluates the scientific evidence before accepting or rejecting a theory as correct or not. The evidence strongly supports AGW theory, therefore it is very likely to be true.\n\nNow, AlyssaMoore and others will gladly claim they agree with AGW theory, just not the "catastrophic" part - but when you ask them to define what "catastrophic" means they quickly change the subject.\n\n>Clearly he has no grasp of the meaning of the term.\n\nI think I have a better of the term than you do, oh great meddling troll.\n\n>This is fairly typical of the level of Archie's discourse. He seems to have a rather poor grasp on 'logic' and 'the scientific method', and he just argues for the sake of argument.\n\nReally? Then I guess it should be easy to point out a logical flaw in my argument. Please, be my guest and explain to me where I got it wrong. 1332769013 +Awesome find!\n\nFor anyone who hasn't had formal training on arguments, keep in mind that a fallacy is just **one** way in which an argument can be flawed. An argument could also lack good grounds to draw a conclusion or just have false premises. So don't get hung up on looking for fallacies all the time. 1318184716 +Agreed, no person or system is infallible. It was only a couple decades ago that we were lobotomizing people with pickaxes. And the peer-review system for new pharmaceuticals is a fucking joke. 1328263202 +She was there. She saw a moving van go through the flames. I think it was really pretty far from the center of the explosion. Just the outside edge. She also got a picture when she stopped to turn around. It was pretty amazing that no one was killed. The driver and passenger in the moving van were slightly injured when the heat blew the windshield, but nothing they had to be hospitalized for. 1355536775 +It's hard not to assume an agenda to some of the comments here when the [very same article is getting a warm welcome over at r/mensrights](http://redd.it/144xrf). 1354453633 +Tell you what: no date, no city, no time of day, no name, no info... this is bullshit, skip to the next one and never look back. 1315609109 +Made it to number two (vaccines) before I realized that this is Poe's Law in action. Hopefully. 1326705115 +I kind of wonder ...when they appeared to the people of early earth, they were...gods..and we were nieve..weak..easy to control. Now that they are back, we have become more intelligent, less controllable..and braver to defend ourselves. They can't just come down here and say ' bow to us..we are your God"...ya...that's not going to happen. When we come across an aggressive animal..we stand back and watch...go slow..yet in plain view. Maybe they don't need to come down to us because they have the sensors necessary to complete thier goals from up there. Maybe that is thier goal...to let us see them. So when they do land, it will not be so fearful to us. I think, to them, we are like cave men and our under developed brains couldn't handle thier level of evolution...who knows..what ever it is...or why ever it is...we will find out soon and my guts tell me that when it does happen..it is not going to be very good. 1355976026 +Why is it undeniable?\n\nCould you please provide the evidence?\n\nAlso, you're claiming to be familiar with all known flying objects of human origin. If by known you mean known to yourself, then fine. If by known you mean publically available knowledge, then fine. Then, there is stuff that may be known by people working of prototype military aircraft that isn't known to the rest of us. 1332246096 +I was really bugged by the theologist's comment about the "God doesn't play with dice" comment. It was in direct opposition to the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics. Entirely. nothing more, nothing less. 1342335267 +I completely respect your story, and how crazy it sounds. I know I would be quite scared. But how does any of this make you believe in ghosts? How do you know it wasnt a homeless person, for example? 1335818119 +"Someone's kid got a potentially life-threatening disease! Made me smile :)"\n\nI feel like i need a vaccine against the smugness in that post, lest it infect me. 1334481387 +The picture is compelling, but the video is a bit bogus. It looks like it was edited for the Sci-Fi channel or something. 1353612347 +try taking a photo of a passing passenger jet... not that easy... 1317514596 +It's shit like this 1310478777 +>The one on the left looks more physical and real. The other one is almost blue. Thing about them is that My hand is on my chin in one picture and the next is my hand moving downwards, as if this picture is showing a timeline of my movements.\n\nThis is exactly how double-exposure works. If you do a Google image search for double exposure, you'll find lots and lots of examples.\n\n>But this was a digital camera (most people are using Iphones/Androids to take pictures). I don't think a double exposure is likely.\n\nDigital cameras are capable of double exposures.\n\n>the apparitions in photos have become more and more frequent.\n\nDo you have any at all that you could post for us to look at?\n\n>The thing that has me the most freaked out, is that the internet says that evil ghosts can take the form of a person they are after. I even say that on the tour.\n\nDo your best to become un-freaked-out by this. If you wrote down every claim that every person has made about their personal belief in supernatural events and compared the entries, half would likely be rendered impossible due to fundamental conflicts, and the rest suspect due to there being a lack of proof outside of personal experience and assumption.\n\nThat's awesome that you do ghost tours, but don't lose your grasp on two of the greatest gifts humans have evolved to use; critical thought and skeptical inquiry. 1336075840 +Could God create problems so big that even his call center couldn't handle ? 1315319351 +You can read my comment below if you care to. Frankly, I don't claim to be any expert in any way in the realm as my knowledge on this topic is highly limitted. I don't care to dig through all the bullshit out there for a piece of evidence. What I can do is defend is the concept of homeopathy, bullshit aside, which neither of us know the whole picture of. If you are convinced remotely by this article, I encourage you to be a little bit better of a critical thinker, as this skill is especially important when examine arguments you side with. \n\nCan you describe the difference between homeopathic responses and hormesis responses? I seem to be a little misinformed. 1323656257 +give it some time, somebody will torrent them\nif you do it i'll keep the tracker alive ^^ 1317925062 +My respect for her just went up about 200%. 1294761990 +homeopathy does cure one thing\n\nlife 1276221353 +Well, there is this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_fluctuation \n\n 1326048317 +Some theories of reality would state that you did die, but were not ready for it, still had things you needed to accomplish, so you came back and shifted into another reality where a different version of yourself had a similar but not quite the same accident. 1345474359 +"Herbal medicine" works perfectly well, provided that you're going with the definition of "medicine" that means "things which have been proven to work being used in an effective manner." Unfortunately people tend to abuse "natural" remedies by using them either in ways in which the active ingredients are completely ineffective, or even dangerously by using some plants that shouldn't be taken over a long period as a supplement due to mistaking a *treatment* for a condition with something that will *prevent* it. 1303974589 +At first, I wondered, is she a spiritual Doctor of Psychology - as in she has a PhD and is a spiritual person? Or is she a Spiritual Doctor of Psychology - which explains why they didn't capitalize any of it...\n\nTurns out, she really is a Doctor - and has done some good things - or at least worked in places that do good things.\n\nBut when searching for *what* her thesis was on, I came upon this interesting [note](http://books.google.com/books?id=fVtmQVCgUt0C&pg=PA251&lpg=PA251&dq=doreen+virtue+doctoral+thesis&source=bl&ots=iq99cINh6X&sig=bjaQz2NtMw3yI9QMKxkKFQKJ0L8&hl=en&ei=wcSDTbeSGYKDtgf-o5HMBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false):\n\n> Doreen holds... a Ph.D. in Counselling Psychology from California Coast University (which was fully accredited at the time of graduation)...\n\nSo, it looks like it's accredited now, or at least their website says so. Why did they include the parenthetic note?\n\n 1300481618 +Sorry, away from computer for a couple days.\nYou are correct, and I let myself argue far past the point where I should have realized I was out of my depth.\nI thank you, for making me realize I need to put an '*' next to my personal 'skeptic' label. \nMy personal experiences with Chinese Medicine have been overwhelmingly better than those with MD's, but that doesn't change what you're saying.\nAgain, \nThanks. 1344527421 +I grew up in a house with a lot of activity and lived there as an adult for several years with my children. \n\n1. My moms bf lived with us, a pilot with a major airline of 20 years at the time, came face to face with an older man in 18th century clothes in the master br doorway. this lasted 5 seconds until he turned to shout at my sleeping mother and it was gone. He left that moment and didnt set foot in the house for weeks.\n\n2. as a kid, I often woke up to the sheets billowing down perfectly as if someone had just tucked me in.\n\n3. I would often wake up to the sounds of someone going in the bathroom and doing their business, when I would sit up to look after listening, it would go away and the door was open with lights off.\n\n4. as a teen, a pet lab use to wake me up in the middle of the night by laying on my chest and threatining to kill something above my head\n\n5. when my sister and friends were telling "true" ghost stories when in our living room, every lightbulb in the house went out. seconds after I said "stop talking about this stuff or something will get mad". Literally every lightbulb in the house needed replacing with no reason to suspect electrical issues. I left immediately down the street to a friends when it happened and refused to come home for a few days. I was about 10 years old and it scared the hell out of me. I't wasnt until my 20's that my sister and mom told me every bulb was burnt out, even closets that were never used. A 4 br 3 bath house with a finished basement. Im guessing 60 bulbs total. The fact that they turned off after I said sent me running\n\n6. I woke up once to see a painting that had hung on the north wall of my br for years, hover above my friends sleeping head and crash down on him as soon as I said in my head "WTF is that"\nI was a teenager and my brother was off to college, the double beds still remained and a friend was spending the night. I opened my eyes from a deep sleep to watch a painting hover over his head for maybe 3 seconds, and then it fell flat on him. He woke up asking wtf and I explained exactly what I saw. This was the same now grown up friend whose house I ran to years before, he never doubted me once.\n\n7. FF to my late 20's, the house has been unoccupied for a half a year and I am fixing it up. I am in the family room which has a view of the front door and foyer. The foyer has a view of the living room and the bottom 4 stairs that take you up. When I am in the family room, my 4 yr old step son makes an odd noise and I see him in the foyer, frozen staring in to living room. The only way to explain it is like he just saw a ghost. he turned towards me and stumbled over his own feet frantic to get to me. he was panicking but when he finally made out was wrong he said someone was in the house. I rushed outside and went next door. I was sure nobody was in there since i had been all over and you can hear anything in a bare bone house. Me and my neighbor went in with our weapons of choice and acted all tough lol to find no one in there. When my step son calmed down, he told us about how a man bent around the wall coming down from the stairs and motioned for him to shhhhhhhh. This is the point where he shit his pants and froze. If you saw you would have no doubt he saw something. the description of the man closely matched what my moms bf came face to face with 20 years earlier.\n\n8. I saw a human figure rush from my bedroom , across the hall to my sons bedroom and I chased after it. probably about 1 am, I was in the upstairs bathroom smoking out the window when everyone slept. we had 4 kids in the house and the mrs at this time. I opened the door to go back to the bedroom and saw what I assumed one second was my wife/gf and the next realizing it certainly wasn't. my first step I was thinking "OMG whats wrong with her, is billy ok" and the next step I was realizing whatever I was rushing after isn't the mrs.. When I turned the corner I found the room empty and him sleeping soundly. I spent an hour cursing that ghost daring it to come back. It seemed to have a malicious intent the way it rushed in MY FUCKING KIDS room, I was pissed and wanted a ghost fight. I put my son in our bed and dared that mother fucking to make a peep. threatened with every christian and voodoo bullshit I could find on the planet to send it to a place it didn't want to be if it didn't go where it was suppose to. I was honestly more angry than I have ever been and was confident I wasn't threatening a figment of my imagination. I said a lot of things in that bedroom that night and I dont know which is to blame, but I haven't heard a peep since. \n\nI have since move out of the house to raise my kids elsewhere. My mom currently lives and will probably be there in 20 years\n\n 1342239131 +Well from what i know,white noise is a phenom,that just occurs. Are you tying to reach someone in particular? \n\n 1346638766 +Do not accept. Nothing worth knowing is not worth examining. Chiropractic theory has been examined extensively. The theory was made up, it has no basis in human physiology or modern medical science and is worthless.\n\nNow, in order to further evaluate your claims, we'd need to know what was done? Some traditional and standard physio-therapy - sure, a recent study showed that this was the most effective treatment for non-idopathic lower back injury. Is this Chiropractic treatment - NO. Just because a Chiropractor does some physio, doesn't mean that it was Chiropractic treatment.\n\nTai-chi - sure, some calming exercises and range of motion might indeed improve someone's back issues. Is this Chinese medicine using the theory of Qi - NO. Just because a Tai-chi practitioner does some helpful body stretching movements doesn't mean they've balance their Qi (or Chi).\n\nSo, indeed your observations are worthless to this discussion. Sorry. 1327965746 +Apparently it's possible to fly an RC plane to a height of over 2500 feet and the actual operating range is about a mile.\n\nNow that I think about it, it would make sense to strap a light to an RC plane if you're going to fly it really high so that you can see it. 1356287613 +All I got from this was that it showed that this guy doesn't understand the Zeitgeist Movement. 1303772508 +I have to agree, labeling it a conspiracy theory actually gives it credibility (amazingly). Some conspiracy theories (very rarely) have turned out to be true. Better to not even give the slightest glimmer of hope. 1350599347 +What about the holy ghost? 1307219362 +The first comment hit on something that is of course going to be ignored in this whole toss-up:\n\n>Matthew Myers says:\n>July 6, 2011 at 11:39 pm\n\n>Y’know who’s really feeling awkward right now?\n>“…and if I was that guy, I’d already be changing my name and moving to a third >world country.”\n>**Yeah, that guy. Tried without jury.** I hope he remains anonymous until things cool >down. -.- I feel sorry for the poor bastard.\n\nThere's basically been one brief description and it's degraded into "ZOMG ELEVATOR GUY IS A POTENTIAL RAPIST!!"\n\nThis hysteria has got to stop. Until then, I'm taking the stairs and *not talking to anyone.* 1310043455 +I'd have to prove this fake for this to be certified bs; for now, it's weird and it challenges my reality. 1341448619 +Yeah, language is far from perfect. What do you mean by lack of a 'strong belief'? They have a weak belief? That would make them a theist who's not very convinced of their belief. If you instead meant someone who lacks a belief in any gods, then that would make the people that disbelieve in all gods a subset of the first group that just lacks belief. This first would be any atheist, while the second would be a hard/positive/gnostic atheist.\n\nIf the definition of theist was added to the dictionary, it would, if done properly, have to follow people using it in that manner in actual use. Actual use leads, and dictionaries follow. I'd argue against people using it in this way, as it further muddies the waters of communication, and hope that it changes.\n\nThe terminology only matters to have clear communication. If someone else uses a term in another way, and explains what they mean, then we're communicating. I explain how I use the term differently, and why, and hope others use it the same way.I'm not trying to push it on them, but instead trying to convince people that it's clearer and more useful way of defining the word.\n\nIn a world dominated by theists, I think there is use for a term describing the set of all people who are not theists, regardless of the particulars of why they are not theists. What word, if not atheist, would you suggest for this? 1296249342 +The unfortunate truth is you're working in sales, and if you say anything to discourage a customer from buying a product, you risk being fired. You could talk to your manager about whether the store should keep selling it (or whether it should be displayed with a "not vegetarian" sign) but ultimately it's a management decision. \n\nEDIT: Afterthought: I think suggesting to your manager that it be displayed with a "not vegan/not vegetarian" sign is a great idea. It may reduce sales of that product, but I think it would increase customer appreciation and loyalty. If you manager goes for it, you'll then be safe in answering the question "what's in it?" 1327357893 +Absolutely possible. It happened to my grandma. It came in through the chimney. My grandpa opened the door and it flew out. \n\nI don't know how fast it was or wether it made sounds or not. Could check. 1334836745 +That is a terrifically written article. It strikes the tone for the skeptic movement well, IMO. 1349041110 +Well, there's a lot of posts like, say, the most recent example I seen with the basic idea that "i want to convince someone nuclear power is safe", and then god knows who god knows how allegedly related to the nuclear power comes in and posts vaguely reassuring posts to be met with much upvoting and zero scepticism. \n\nThat is in the day when if you want to know how NRC does stuff, how much actual "proofs" of safety they do and how much they don't, you can go look at NRC resolutions yourself and make up your mind, rather than to listen wide eyed to some second hand fairy tales of perfection from god knows who, which is incidentally the *exact fucking same* process by which various crackpots learn of the alleged dangers. Pro mainstream doesn't equal skeptic any more than anti mainstream does. 1355760639 +Yesterday I saw [this ridiculous nonsense](http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/x2ne3/made_me_think_about_the_co_shooting_xpost_from/) posted and I almost flipped my desk at work.\n\nI almost flipped the *shit* out of my desk, you guys. 1343249598 +Several studies show that people expect a certain degree of deception in studies, and it is generally accepted that debriefing properly can overcome the majority of problems surrounding deception.\n\nOf course, this wouldn't work with a life-threatening illness, but with chronic illnesses that don't prevent patients from functioning, like IBS, I see no problem with this. 1293588614 +[and circlejerk says you should use PNG](http://www.reddit.com/tb/apkd9/) 1293739054 +Nice site, thanks.\n\nFor some reason, there's a link to /r/conspiracy in the page footer in the bottom right though. 1339368375 +Ah, I see, "predict" was the keyword. I should have known. 1306861564 +>I think there is a fundamental misconception that 'deniers' flat out reject it's happening. For the most part from what I've read and observed, they don't.\n\nI keep hearing this, but I have yet to see actual figures about this. For example, the whole "Climategate" affair is all about whether or not temperatures are increasing, i.e. if climate change is indeed happening. I see a *lot* of deniers/"skeptics" constantly attacking people like Mann and Phil Jones, even though the trust of their research is about whether temperatures are increasing or not.\n\nSo I think you're mistaken. The mistake is probably rooted in the fact that you're assuming the arguments on the part of deniers/"skeptics" to be rational and consistent with each other, but the reality is that it's rarely the case. Many people who doubt "clmate change" will follow what others have called the climate change denial ladder:\n\n* First, question whether it's really warming up, attack the various official temperature records, with the exception of Roy Spencer's (an anthropogenic climate change denier) because it is ambiguous.\n* When confronted by solid argument that the records are in fact mostly right, and that temperatures *have* been increasing, claim (with emphatic certainty) that it is due to natural causes\n* When faced with the incontrovertible evidence that human-generated CO2 warms the atmosphere, claim that the effect is very limited or near saturation\n* When faced with evidence that the effect is significant and nowhere near saturation, claim it will actually be beneficial, and not catastrophic (CO2 is plant food! Cold kills more than warmth!)\n* Finally, in the rare cases where deniers/"skeptic" will concede that the effect is real, significant, and won't be beneficial on the whole, they'll claim we can't do anything to change it, and thus will be forced to adapt.\n\nObviously, a given denier/"skeptic" will go back up the ladder at the first opportunity, therefore being caught in a loop of irrational arguments, wishful thinking, and cognitive dissonance.\n\n>They do however question the causes.\n\nThere is as much evidence supporting the theory that the warming is man-made than there is pointing to the existence of the increase. AGW theory is quite solid, as scientific theories go (a side-effect of being constantly attacked over the past few decades), and in order to question it you need to put forward evidence that shows the *current* evidence is somehow wrong. No "skeptic" has been able to do this yet. 1342286701 +It's a bit ridiculous. Not sure about the history of "gun control" (vague term that can mean any number of things) in totalitarian states, but I'm willing to bet that yes, they probably controlled them. They pretty much controlled everything; that's what "totalitarian" means. Just to address the dumbest thing on this, though:\n\n"During WWII the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!"\n\nBullshit. The Japanese "decided not to invade America" for the same reason Australian has decided not to invade China - it's an utterly inane idea. They couldn't. The Japanese were stretched thin throughout the Pacific. Their goal was domination of Asia. Not only could they not get the men and material across the Pacific to accomplish what would have amounted to the largest invasion in history, by far, but even if they COULD have done it, why would they expend vast resources to occupy a territory that had nothing to do with their strategic goals?\n\nAlso, I don't have time to research this currently, but I'd be interested to compare gun control laws in Western European countries - U.K, Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, etc. - which I'm pretty sure all have far fewer guns and far less violent crime than the U.S. I will bear factual correction on this, if this is wrong. 1355898985 +That defiantly says "give it to me" Did you ask a question? 1350255017 +Eh, it's 1.50am where I am and this reminds me of a similar experience. I awoke feeling frightened and saw a dark mass which hovered about for a couple of seconds before darting off at a ridiculous speed. \n\nNobody believed me when I told them the next day. But I know what I saw. 1354384432 +Agreed, but the r/machine will downvote your reasonable assertion to hell and back. 1285129631 +Not saying that it's impossible to lie, just saying that it's very hard to fake DNA results.\n\nAlso, you're acting like a conspiracy theorist. This allegation falls for the same reason the general allegation falls- it would be quite a difficult secret to keep under wraps. 1304415539 +I like to think that it's possible that we are on a simulation of a future generation. This would be to argue the whole, we are running a simulation at the same time as the people running the simulation. Time is what you percieve it as. So for a Matrix Computer, so to call it, running it simulation(s), it would be as us loading a program, or skipping forward in The Sims. For us it just goes in regular motion, because we are still bound to our perceptions of time and space, and need to act out all the events in our daily lives. They can speed forward in it as they are watching because it's a program, meaning everything is predestined. Everything happesn for a reason. God knows everything that is going to happen in the all of time. The thing to check is if this Matrix Computer is running more than one simulation at the same time. Could we figure out the computer language and communicate with the other simulation(s)? 1356938143 +Sounds like a new pickup line to me. I WISH TO APPLY MY SPERMATOPHORES TO YOUR FEMALE MANTLE CAVITY. 1287529140 +Thanks, I watched the video but I just missed that part. Probably shouldn't be doing homework at the same time. 1328825443 +Who? 1323383403 +Who? 1326628632 +Who? 1332869664 +Who? 1281898655 +Who? 1294098915 +Who? 1314255429 +Who? 1344460364 +The fact is that the President could have him killed with just a few bureaucratic steps - all done in secret and perfectly legal.\n\nJust like he can order any United States citizen killed, without trial or notification. Just a paperwork drill. 1331132961 +Regulation is not the answer. People have every right to take homeopathic medicine or to refuse vaccination. What right do you, or even a majority of the population, have to tell me what I can do with my own body? 1286221545 +It's okay. Now I feel like an asshole. To answer your question, I've just never seen anything about Mila Kunis before on here in any context that wasn't about her being hot. Lol 1341943546 +Two possibilities. that came to mind for me. Aura, and bi location. the second relies on the first.\n\nAura is a thing that all living things have, from bacterial life to slime molds to humans and everything else. IT is an energy around all life, and in individuals with a strong enough one, it can feel like just another limb. It is entirely possible, that that was your first unconscious separation of the aura around your arm. With individuals with particularly strong ones, the aura feels more real than the arm. AS for the bars, it could have been many things, water pipes, electrical wiring (often magnetic or electrical force con exibit similar effects of solid mass to flesh that it does to aura), squirrels.\n\nNow bi location is complicated, and relies on a belief in part one. Assume it is true for now, just for simplicity. Bi location occurs when two people who have both previously interacted with one another, are both less actively aware of their surroundings. Either through intoxication, being tired, zoning out, or something else. IN addition both people's auras must be in similar strength, and compatibility. The last bit is that one person is not conscious, and that person will bi locate into another persons body.\n\nNow Bi location seems like a complicated BS reasoning for dreams. The difference being that when bi location occurs, your mind acts out a much stronger version of the placebo effect, in which your body will inflict the same physical state on you that your mind experienced when bi located.\n\nI have had one experience that I can remember with bi location. I was walking around my old school from when I lived on the other side of the country. I interacted with an old staff member who did not teach there when I attended, instead he was hired on as a temporary replacement for someone after they left when the school was announced to be getting shut down. When I woke up I remembered everything, so I act checked it. I had not thought about that place for years, turns out everything was accurate, even the staff.\n\nSo... I hope that helps you out Crocquack. 1350506152 +Great insight! Thanks! I'm going to compare some of his translations with the Pennsylvania Sumerian Dictionary and see what I can find out. 1307393587 +Russians with hangovers? Yeah, right.\n 1342738641 +I've never seen him this bad.... he's really treading on becoming too crazy for armchair conspiracy types to take him seriously, which was his biggest demographic in the past. It's funny how he's like "I really shouldn't be telling you this", because he *knows* it's too batshit sounding. \n\nI also really do think he believes this shit... All signs point to clinical paranoia. I mean, yah, he makes a living off it, but it's pretty obvious that he's a highly religious dude.... and that he comes up with these theories to deal with the cognitive dissonance he experiences trying to explain the world in such a manner that religion is the infallible "[big good](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BigGood)" it claims to be. 1308965472 +I'm just saying, if the dude had excellent cinematography and had the chair on 3 angles and it was centered in the middle, it just would seem...too perfect of a situation. 1352943348 +-Albert Einstein 1332909530 +...then you're uncomfortable. And while that's a completely valid emotional response, it's not in itself basis for a public policy decision regarding the safety and well-being of thousands. 1349725885 +"He said humans were not going to be able to establish contact with the extraterrestrials through radio waves but through the power of thought."\n\nTake a second and think that if this was real, it could very well be what was considered prayer in religion. These mother fuckers probably came down in their "fiery chariots" ufos thousands of years ago and ruled all of us. They're our gods. 1350995902 +>And, as you say, It has been shown that it's no better than placebo.\n\nHe was actually saying that it has been shown to have some effect beyond that of a placebo not that it has been shown the same as a placebo. Random needles are not the same as a placebo, placebo would be to somehow make the person think they had been stuck with needles when they hadn't, which I'm not sure how you would do that. \n\nIn theory acupuncture could work in the following manner, the pricks with needles could cause the body to release some sort of anesthetizing agent, thus it doesn't matter where the pricks are, but the pricks themselves would cause some reaction, now I have no idea if that happens or if it was in fact the placebo effect that caused the reduction in pain, but the former is a possibility as far as I know though I haven't really researched it so it could have already been proven that doesn't happen.\n\nAlso note that if being stabbed with tiny needles does in fact cause some reaction in the body that reduces pain, it certainly isn't for the bullshit magic reasons acupuncturists claim it is, so in that sense acupuncture is horseshit in that their claims about how it works are, and even if it does have an actual effect for other reasons, the people doing it have no clue why, and it doesn't matter where the needles go, so paying someone who doesn't know what they are talking about lots of money to stick needles in specific places when the places don't matter is kind of a waste of money. 1296951298 +The paragraph I quoted from mentions criticism by Nancy Ammermann, a professor of sociology of religion, directly beforehand. She was not involved with the cult but rather employed by the US government to analyze the incident. [She doesn't seem sympathetic to the organization at all](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Ammerman#The_Branch_Davidians_Siege_Episode). Hence, characterizing her as a "cult apologetic" seems inappropriate. The connections to Scientology he draws in the [source for the quote](http://www.rickross.com/reference/waco/waco3.html) between the other experts involved in the case, including Ammermann, is rather indirect.\n\nI don't know if she herself is religious, since her Wikipedia page doesn't mention anything about it, but that's beside the point anyway.\n\n(P.S.: Looking at the article by Ross, it's clear that she's not the only one he has called a "cult apologist" - in fact he has a whole page of supposedly such page on his website. I only looked up Ammermann because she's mentioned in the Wikipedia article. I'd be interested what independent evaluations of the rest of them turn up.) 1342040009 +theyve done this for a long time, didn't think it was a big deal. 1329265472 +Cut to the chase, proven false and that it was all done by the power of Jesus. 1353989117 +Yup. No worries. 1343505615 +I actually had a [discussion](http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/ey8lx/why_dont_all_these_so_called_moderate_atheists/c1bvdqv) recently where I was advocating the "Don't be a Dick" mentality. A few people disagreed with me, but as I talked to them more it turned out we were defining "dick" in different ways.\n\n I was referring to someone who uses insults and makes rude comments or jokes that add nothing to the discussion, but they were viewing it as simply being assertive and not worrying about offense. We actually ended up in agreement.\n\nI know a lot of people will use harsh words here (it is an atheist forum so I think it's okay to poke some fun) but they might not use that "tone" in a debate or discussion with a believer.\n\nEdit:\nI say insulting/derogatory jokes about believers in various types of nonsense all the time around my atheist friends, but I try to be as respectful and and polite is as possible when engaging in a dialogue with a person that doesn't share my view. 1295076741 +Probably because compared with a diet filled with soda, McDonald's and donuts it's something like food perfection. 1347597829 +Unfortunately the first video is fake, as can be seen in this analysis: http://i.imgur.com/YQ0EI.jpg\n\nThe top frame is from another video posted by guy who posted the first video:\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXCEj-fOyEc\n\nThe following frames are from that first video:\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ-bNOy_CKQ\n\nAround 0:58 of that video the camera suddenly pans up to follow the UFO flying off in to the night. At that point you can see where he has sloppily mirrored the background image to fill in the areas to the left of the original image. The pattern of the lights is perfectly symmetrically. But the patterns of the lights are completely different beyond that point in the later video.\n\nThis is conclusive proof that the video was put together in a program like After Effects (a default setting in After Effects to extend images is to mirror them)\n\nI was pretty sure for a while that this video was real, and that all (except the "close up" video) were real. But once I saw this in the original video it stuck out like a sore thumb.\n\nIf the first video is fake, it stands to reason that all videos that follow are fake too (unless you can come up with a plausible scenario that would explain why a fake video would be released before a real one)\n\nI know this revelation won't be popular as the Jerusalem videos have been very popular and cited as "good" evidence for UFO's.. but the fact is, the videos are fake.\n\nIf we want to get to the TRUTH of what UFO's are and what aliens are and what they are doing here we MUST scrutinise the evidence. When we discover overwhelming proof that a piece of evidence is fake, we MUST accept the fact that it is fake.\n\nAccepting any and all evidence as proof takes us AWAY from the TRUTH, not closer. 1300207959 +"We must preserve the American way of life." 1351238513 +The maternal mortality rate was also much higher before modern medicine and continues to be high in countries without access to modern medicine. http://www.ajcn.org/content/72/1/241S.full 1297545801 +Yes, he's been posting in earnest since May (when he pled guilty) though he had posted a few things as far back as December. He started with YouTube, and then gradually extended. He jumped on Twitter again this week.\n\nThe police are aware of it, they tweeted as much from their public account. Since the last newspaper article said he was told to stay off social media by the judge, we're hoping some action will be taken. We'll see, it took quite a bit of lobbying the first time.\n 1348978817 +there is this one particular ghost i think that has haunted me and my bro, it first attacked him and a few years later attacked me and it does it while we are in bed (in separate houses) , my husband has even seen it once while laying next to me, and my best friend saw it once when she slept over my house one time. i dont know who or what it is but i have a feeling its all been the same ghost. i wish i knew more about who or why it does it, i havent been attacked by it in 6 months though its not like it happens often 1346996273 +Why not try something positive for a change? 1344563545 +Arizona is littered with ghost towns. 1333472648 +Fox CONSTANTLY edits their videos to mislead their audience. Fox CONSTANTLY shows only negative news when it comes to the President or Democratic issues. Fox CONSTANTLY changes their position from issues that were positive for Republican administration that are now negative for Democratic administration.\n\n 1340836042 +Interesting, my concern is that the person filming has a very steady hand until the lights move. I understand excitement but it also ends rapidly. Red flags... 1317098517 +That blonde looks ready to kill someone after that. 1298426037 +If I didn't know better, I would think I was reading the words of a fundamentalist Christian. Tone down the generalizations and blind hatred eh? 1322876110 +If you are talking about those plug in the wall devices that are suppose to generate a sub-sonic sound that annoys pests and creates a barrier?\n\nI tried them when we had field mice come in the house last summer. You know what got rid of the mice? Poison. I saw a mouse standing next to one of those devices completely un-phased. 1345580522 +Oh man, totally forgot about the baking soda and vinegar part. What the fuck. I don't even know what to say to that. 1324679110 +Haha. It's possible. My sister has never been much into drugs.\n\nHonestly, I think that all of this Qigong stuff was sort of a straw-that-broke-the-camel's-back sort of thing. She's had a rough year and it seems like this might have put her over the edge.\n\nAnd like I said, I'm mainly trying to reach my more stable sibling. 1297020309 +Yes! When you are viewing a non-rebutted page (like this one), click on the app and the middle option in the list below the title "No Rebuttals" has a link to 'Go to a random discussion'\n\n...lets test something. THIS might take you to a random discussion to: http://rbutr.com/rbutr/WebsiteServlet?requestType=showLink&linkId=random\n\nYep, that link should. So anyone not using chrome can just use that link to 'Stumble' as it were, through random claim articles (though if you don't have the plugin installed.. there is no way to get to the rebuttals.... :( WHICH, btw, is something else we will fix in the near future :)\n\nBut for now, using that link is pretty useless unless you like reading rubbish or have the app installed.... 1338230724 +That is depressing. All you need to do is film three planes flying in formation and these guys jump to UFO? 1299262512 +The problem is after one time you use the Ouija board, it can open a portal to the spiritual planes that is hard to close. The more you use it, the more it wedges open that door. Just because you haven't used it in a while, doesn't mean that door has shut any more. Bargaining and playing with demons is serious business and although it may just be games it's playing now, it could get to the point where it can physically harm you. Also there is lore that if an entity knocks and you open the door to answer and check, it is technically inviting the entity into your home to better contact/terrorize/whathaveyou to the inhabitants in the house. Its possible it might not even pester your mom, but mostly you because if you've been experiencing the paranormal since a young age then you probably have a aura of energy that unknowingly attracts spirits. Even if you cannot get a professional to come, check up on cleansing rituals. No matter the religion/spiritual belief, there is some sort of cleansing/exorcism/banishment ritual you can perform to rid you and the house of spirits. Holy water/prayer, smudging with sage, there is much more out there. If anything, have your significant other perform it with you so that he is cleansed as well. It seems to be attached to both of you. 1345094101 +Bear in mind - despite all of the apparent drama they're building, the measures of secrecy *must* be maintained. \n\nSure it could really be a whole bunch of nothing and the team is just jacking us around, but in the slightest event that it really is something monumental down there, taking secrecy precautions is a dire necessity.\n\nAnd the tin-foil hat wearers can surely come up with a myriad of reasons about the 'wrong' parties knowing whats down there first.\n\nThat being said, they should have had a live feed going, especially if they really were convinced something was down there. 1339371903 +I've been growing more skeptical recently with the lack of good evidence and the supposedly scientific and critical researchers being anything but. My beliefs about the lack of good footage are a) there's nothing real to show in high quality, everything is faked or mistaken identification (I'm basically here as an optimistic skeptic waiting to be convinced), or b) people are frigging stupid when it comes to recording evidence.\n\nRecently I watched what was supposed to be a fantastic bigfoot video. The video quality was great. You could see a dark mass behind some bushes, and after several seconds, the mass moved and it looked like an animal, but possibly with a humanoid shape. In less than a second after the creature moved, the cameraman whipped away and the two witnesses ran off, even though they were under no apparent threat. I immediately felt like it was a hoax. If it wasn't, why didn't those idiots stay put at keep recording? They'd obviously felt secure enough to pull out a phone, start the camcorder app, hit record, etc.\n\nTips for investigators:\n*Get a tripod\n*Use low-light technology; I think the reason everything is indecipherably bad is because cameras just can't get a lot of data in low light (because physics)\n*Grow some balls and dedicate yourself to dispassionately recording evidence in a scientific matter, without freaking out, talking too much, jostling the camera, etc.\n\nIt's depressing how often people are willing to accept supernatural answers without seeking out a more obvious one. Humankind has been suffering from this for millenia; it's only from a scientific approach that we've stopped accepting thunder is caused by gods fighting. If people would stop responding to their reptilian brain tendencies and tried some scientific method in their evidence gathering and evaluation, maybe we'd see some better evidence. 1352752137 +Not *that* quick if it takes till next year... 1341950089 +That's a tumbling faceted satellite.\n\nLook up Iridium flares on http://www.heavens-above.com they are very interesting to watch, can be very bright and look pretty much like this video. 1342740938 +I don't think this is an appropriate subreddit for that. 1334940247 +Just the one dude you were replying to. Somehow them *not* caring is destroying your faith in your family. At least, that's how I read it.\n\nAnd it depends on how large the minority is. There's a difference between a problem with one guy, and a major trend. 1325698941 +I use MediaMonkey to organize my music and download podcasts. Takes a little getting used to, but it's very useful. It doesn't have much of a podcast directory though; I just find the RSS feeds enter them manually. 1276003202 +This is not how news station reporting works.\n\nThe cameraman is just some guy. I've worked for local news stations, and the camera operators are not guaranteed to be rocket scientists. \n\nAnd the cameraman doesn't decide what goes to air, the producer does. The actual story is being run by the reporter who writes the material. The cameraman just does what they are told. They have no authority at all. \n\nThe cameraman may well be some jaundiced old hand, or a pot smoking cynic, a believer, or someone who doesn't give a shit either way. There are all types. \n\nIt's just as likely that the cameraman thinks this is a silly season story and hasn't given it any further consideration than not. \n\nThe actual footage that went to air was enhanced in the editing suite - that's probably not done by the cameraman either, might have been done by other crew, depending on the size of the station. 1353295496 +>But if we could redefine "scientist" to mean someone who tries to think scientifically, I think that would be much better than brights, as it would also help to promote scientific thinking.\n\nEhh, I don't really like this. Just because someone doesn't believe in god doesn't mean they have anything to do with science. Granted, statistically they *probably*do support the idea of scientific thinking, there's no guarantee. All it would take is one idiot asshole proclaiming to be a "scientist" doing and saying stupid things, and it would tarnish the image of people doing actual scientific work. 1279275632 +Also: Homeopathic Hospital? I wonder what [that would be like.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMGIbOGu8q0) 1349970148 +For a weather team at a reputable news station to remark that this is 'unusual' is enough for me to at LEAST inquire about it. \n\nI'm not a scientist, nor am I a an orinthologist. However, when I look at the radar-derived elevation reading of the anomaly (1,300 - 1,400 feet), and pair it against the roosting patterns of this specific kind of bird (see http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Wilson/v077n03/p0217-p0228.pdf ), the two don't coincide. \n\nThis default position of "Occam's Razor! It was birds!" reflects the same kind of thinking that would rule out an actual ET craft, were in to actually show up on radar. 1294512521 +yeah that's pretty much what I figured, thanks. 1347191108 +No, it's a Rick-Roll. 1295808907 +Now it won't leave my head. 1326755896 +No, I think s/he's shaving you Occam-style. 1342417413 +It's not a saarloos wolfhound. There smaller 1347992197 +Lol, that robotic woman's voice always gets me, what is that voice called? 1310481523 +Yes. Without question. I've been meaning to get hold of [this book](http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tale-Two-Sciences-Peter-Sturrock/dp/0984261400/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3IFDEEE3SP0IW&coliid=IEL95CWHFXT5J) for a while...but first on the agenda is finding a copy of Project Identification (still struggling for various reasons). Hope all's well, and that you can pull this off. 1354747656 +I am **not** defending Pastor Lou, but a) it's a silly bitch who believes this in the first place and 2) it would be exponentially worse if they were charging money or accepting donations for the CD. 1349672301 +It's because homeopathy is actively trying to deceive you into thinking their stuff is better than real medicine, while Star Trek episodes aren't trying to convince you that you should build a warp engine instead of getting your family a real car. 1278189573 +When you say "ancient prophecies" are the Mayans included in this as well? I'm asking because they didn't account for leap years, so according to their calendar whatever should happen in 2012 should have already happened. 1334136803 +A whole hat full of spam. 1295430858 +/r/Pseudoscience 1342922019 +[You're technically wrong](http://www.cnn.com/2003/BUSINESS/06/26/australia.metalstorm/index.html), but functionally right. 1345390289 +That's the only explanation. 1356989811 +And the more you realize you dont know a damned thing, the more you seek knowledge. That´s what distinguises you from them. 1315656701 +Sure, but it worries me that this subreddit could take a wrong turn and I think that this post is going to get a lot of Karma, it could be a signal. I don't want this to be the skeptics stackexchange, but I would like if it pointed a bit more in that direction. 1356116105 +I am motivated to do this. I'll take my laptop before my shift ends and leave it on the floor. I'll post what I find. 1319487165 +On the one hand there was no link directly to the Scientific American article. I thought there was. Also, I was wrong about the quote.\n\n\nHowever, I found the Scientific American [article](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=second-thoughts-on-fluoride) which says it all. 1338782912 +refuted at http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2011/10/six_medical_myths_that_arent.php 1319740149 +>I don't think I ever even mentioned a hallucination. \n\nThe facepalms, can I take any more... \n\nYes, lets talk of LSD revelation and exclude hallucinations, brilliant. Are we just going back to alluding to them? \n\n>I don't believe that, but it's clear to me that you've somehow felt threatened by our conversation, while I was merely providing philosophical perspective. \n\nThe only thing I saw was giving hallucinogens a bad name. Which could be why I asked if you'd prefer to have the conversation in a relevant sub. I'm in the minority there too but at least it is not off topic there.\n\n>Do you live in a purely objectified world or something \n\nI live in reality with actual things that can be shown to exist. So yes, I live in an objective world. \n\nWhy would you mention devaluing an object? A purely devalued object world doesn't make any sense in the slightest.\n\n>Dear god, why are you so angry? \n\nNo anger, just frustration of the direction the conversation went. I should have known better than to comment on "Take acid. Personal revelation is all the evidence one needs." and think anything would come from it.\n\n>Do you feel objectified, sir or madam? \n\nAwesome example of not understanding the topic at hand. To go from objective to objectified, it answers that you truly can't tell when false equivocation arises. \n\n>I just feel like the discussion could have remained civil, and I was attempting my best to keep it that way. \n\nMy apologies, frustration got the better of me. I was hoping it wouldn't go that direction but when it did there's not much else to be done, it seemed to show a flawed understanding of how things operate and I'd have no idea where to start. \n\n>A lot of my ideas actually have stems in Kant and Berkeley. So I don't see how I could possibly be impressed with what you seem to have decided are "my own ideas" when I am literally practically quoting the two aforementioned philosophers... \n\nThat was in reference to you thinking of psychedelic experience as being a valid reason to believe something or affirming the existence of something. And what? You say that we need to wipe our preconceived notions yet you quote people? Doesn't that sound a little hypocritical?\n\n>seriously it's actually produced anxiety in me that you've gone and acted this way. I suppose maybe I am too empathic. I didn't even ever downvote you... \n\nMy apologies, time to chop up I think. \n\nI presumed you didn't, they are because of the tone and it is the minority view in this sub, there are plenty of morons who use downvotes instead of words. I don't touch the arrows if there may be disagreement, it doesn't make anything said any more valid. I usually up the first one or two and then forget about em. \n\nNinja edit: Then again, I wonder how many believe in the supernatural because of psy's. 1352368830 +News seemed to clear that one up. [Link](http://www.fox4kc.com/news/wdaf-kansas-city-ufo-lights-civilian-flight-team-says-theyre-the-aliens-in-the-sky-20111007,0,6265687.story)\n\nGreat responses. Glad it was worth a post..caught it just looking at general UFO news last night through Google/Yahoo. Believe it was shot on an iPhone too, but not 100%. And is that the real Sarah Silverman that is on our string? That's cool if it is... 1318371999 +...Hey it's plausible. 1232919891 +Yeh - what the fuck is that all about? Maybe if they made Simpsons episodes about actual shit (instead of ripping off movies) we'd all be able to pass exams easier. 1331655075 +His declaration of attitude and temperament made from his hospital bed. \n\nhttp://nirmukta.com/2009/09/22/premanand-in-abhirami-hospital-coimbatore/ 1254685850 +From the article: >The case did not investigate whether Dr Wakefield's findings were right or wrong, instead it focused on the methods of research. 1274736551 +I will never forget the episode where he is driving up to this house resting his arm out the window, when he gets there he lifts up his arm and says "I've been scratched!" and shows his arm to the camera, his "scratch" is clearly the imprint from resting his arm on the car door, that one made me laugh. 1344576921 +Skepticism is a movement? 1241155505 +If something exists in the fourth dimension, then we see only a cross-section of it, like how a flatlander sees a cross-section of a 3-dimensional object when it passes through the second dimension. Likewise, a 4D being could actually appear and fizzle out of existence within our dimension. \nThen again, you can argue that humans are 4D in some ways because we have duration, and from conception to decomposition, we fizzle in and out of existence within the third dimension and see only a cross-section of our 4D selves as we age. 1355418132 +If you are psychic, why do I have to call you? 1316139616 +I'm not the FTC. 1296520072 +Yep, I can't see in 3D, it's really strange. Like I know it's 3D, but my brain splits it into separate images anyway. 1355778419 +Is there any update to this? 1332826762 +You don't have to be an atheist to debunk creationism...most theists don't buy it either. 1310310975 +Out of curiosity, what are your thoughts on ball lightning? A natural event which has recently been shown to be somewhat possible in lab experiments, but cannot be reliably proven or demonstrated in nature because it is by its very nature uncommon? Thousands of testimonials over centuries to its existence, but we can't prove it exists with the scientific method. 1276712842 +Haha well thanks! You have a nice day:) 1352817055 +A thought; I bet the reports of leprosy in ancient times were more likely this disease small pox, just misdiagnosed due to ignorance.\n\nThank you for the eye-opening photo. 1320842596 +Wow thats really bad. I consider the huffpo a new agey rag but as far as i remember thats the worst thing I've seen on there. 1319727312 +"So, I was walking through the woods (which happen to have fresh tyre-tracks running through them) when I spontaneously decided to film my dog. But just after I turned on my camera, I happened upon two young girls one of whom was about 3 meters in the air and rocking or pivoting slightly around her pelvis (almost as if she was wearing some kind of harness). The girl dropped back to earth (although I seem to have missed this bit, but I'm sure it wouldn't have betrayed any signs of jerkiness/unclipping of harnesses etc). The two girls then walked away quickly, but I decided not to follow them because we see this kind of shit all the time in Russia; but my dog decided to leave with them. (almost as if he knew them!)" \n\nSounds legit. 1351299954 +the trick is to miss hitting the ground. 1351142598 +It seems to me that the UFO doesn't stay synced with the camera's jerkiness, regardless of the fact that it's moving. I say fake as shit. 1315609041 +This is not really true. We get plenty of MACROnutrition, which is proteins/fats/carbohydrates. However, we are often woefully deficient in MICROnutrition, which is vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, etc. 1299429670 +From the "Face to Face" clip at 3:02:\n\n"…the **tenant** of the separation of church and state"\n\n\nAaaarrrgh. 1281747145 +Goes to show us, when the SR-71 was retired and congress *offered* money for a replacement, the Air Force pretty much said "No, we got it covered" (Aurora) This X-37b is what they let us know about.... what's really in the pipeline? 1329797016 +>There are documented reports of UFOs not adhering to our laws of physics, for example a 90* turn without losing any speed. Solid objects jumping on radar instantaneously, corroborated by eyewitnesses.\n\nLight can make a 90 degree turn without losing any speed. Radar is light.\n\n>Our knowledge of physics is incomplete.\n\nThere isn't a single honest scientist on Earth who would claim otherwise. 1345052907 +Some people don't like the taste of Aspartame, others do. There's no right or wrong stance on that, but it's kind of irrelevant. The issue here is whether it's safe or not. 1317829615 +I'm not asking you to learn something you should already know - why weigh in on a topic if you aren't prepared to vigorously and thoroughly present both sides? 1314484462 +They may not have found 'us' but they would have eventually found an Earth-like planet with a complex ecosystem (assuming they didn't come from one themselves). Then they would have sent probes to *every* Earth-like planet.\n\nSpace is very big, but our planet is very old, and our galaxy far older. 1296040127 +**IT'S A SIMPLE QUESTION.** 1319657273 +He's not adding the nursing science specification on purpose. It is not a BA in Nursing Science, but a BSN, a separate degree. He would be lying about his qualifications if he failed to say that it was a BSN. A Ph.D is not encoded with its field, and thus as a title should not contain it's field of study.\n\nIf he were a doctor he would not have a Ph.D at all, but instead an M.D. 1333844171 +>[Last Thursdayism](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Last_Thursdayism)\n\nFTFY\n\nSee also: [Dark City] (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118929/) (1998)\n\nI'd link to the wikipedia article on Last Thursdayism but that entry changed about 2 years ago to a creationism specific one (one could argue it was hijacked). 1350651254 +True, but when confronted with facts you were able to come to the realization that blood is not blue. If I couldn't get a girl to see the truth about something as obviously bogus as a powerbalance bracelet, it would make me question the long term potential of someone who cannot be reasoned with once they become stuck on something.\n\nI guess you could say that refusal to accept valid data in place of personal opinion is just another type of annoying quirk, but to me it's a step above stuff like snoring, smacking while chewing, or having a preference for pterodactyl porn. 1316680797 +Also from the comment section: "News update: samples of water taken off the east coast show exactly ZERO molecules of homeopathic substances. The Minister for Health said tonight 'the situation is far graver than first predicted.'" 1315861806 +No, my phone actually shows the call. And it being received on my phone. 1342159822 +> Skepticism isn't a brand name. You can be skeptical of evolution, cats and dogs or anything else.\n\nYou can't really be truly skeptical of evolution. Either you accept it, or you are ignorant. A true skeptic would look at the actual evidence, and would quickly conclude that the scientific theory of evolution is correct. As such, his actual skepticism would last for a very short time indeed.\n\nAnd to use myself as an example: In the past, I didn't give a shit about climate change, global warming or whatever. I was completely ignorant of the facts. But I wasn't a skeptic. I just didn't know anything, nor did I care. If I was to be a skeptic, I would need to care, and start weighing the evidence.\n\nWhich is also what I did after Climategate. The discussion that followed was interesting to me, and for a very brief time I was skeptical of both sides. Then I educated myself, and realized that the denialists were as full of shit as creationists are.\n\n> Besides they have a freedom of speech just like anyone else.\n\nSure, but that doesn't mean their dishonesty shouldn't be pointed out. 1294763848 +Ok. This will take a while b/c you have to get through a lot of information to get the crux of what Im saying but this is an ok place to start: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw_O9Qiwqew He mentions the field theory I was talking about and some books/studies you can look up.\n\nFrom there follow the references he mentions about his work and that of others.\n\nNext follow up with the work and information you can find here: http://www.parapsych.org/home.aspx\n\nFinally, if you're really interested see if you can come across the studies on remote viewing and the declassified results that was done by our the US government. Now this area is far more sketchy and filled with a lot of disinformation etc so Im not relying on it. But if you can believe the results they showed that, yes, they could take anyone off the street, train them in basic remote viewing up to a point. It showed they would have most success in the beginning of the work (as they arent clouding their expectations) the success would drop enormously and then with practice and continued work they could reach a level of similar aptitude if they maintained the discipline. Sorry I dont have links to this right now... I'll see if I can come up with some.\n\n\nI also think you misunderstood my evolution context and that was my fault. The mind is far from fixed just look at neurology to get that. Its a given with modern understanding that we can effect its effectiveness - see all the studies that say things like: meditation helps reduce stress and increase memory, Sudoku helps stop the onset of Alzheimer etc etc. My meaning of evolution was not biological evolution but social/cultural evolution but I did not clarify that so I understand your reaction. Biologically and fundamentally I agree, our minds have not changed much since we became homosapein, if at all. But thats my point, this ability has been in us since before the development of language and is quite common in the natural world among animals (see the Raden video he mentions that too including studies).\n\nBest of luck.\n\nOh and why not, why are you so vehemently certain that no one can ever develop these abilities? 1351340620 +[The Mad Revisionist](http://www.revisionism.nl/Moon/The-Mad-Revisionist.htm) agrees. 1291676399 +hah, i really will try. i feel like it would take forever for me to actually get something worth while. and by the time i do, everyone would have forgotten the relevance. such is the internets... 1346347126 +I couldn't agree more.\n\nBut I'm probably going to leave it as they're a bit sensitive, and don't really want to unnecessarily piss people off who in other respects are nice. 1337154063 +No, it doesn't. 1343949050 +I know, right! 1353735838 +My family has lived in this house since 1999. Honestly, this is my first experience on this level, but I've had a few weird things every now and again. Lots of noises in the night, but usually never anything else with them. 1333519324 +I really wish that these kinds of articles would mention the methods used. While it might be safe to assume that these guys blinded themselves, and were able to detect which ones contained "natural" ingredients without knowing what brand of coke they were, it would be nice to know that they have actually had all the proper controls in place instead of just assuming that they did.\n\nI have a sneaking suspicion that many scientists flaunt all the proper requirements for a good experiment. In medical science this seems to be rampant unfortunately. 1304572549 +> In times of rapid social change...\n\nDoes this describe the current situation? In the middle-east and north Africa, sure. Perhaps even China. But I'm not convinced you could say the same for the Americas and most of Europe.\n\nOne of the hallmarks of hyperbole is extending the specific into the general. Not only did Sagan qualify that statement to "times of rapid social change", but he suggests that such paranoia is limited to the particulars of that social upheaval. Wondering about secret experimental airplanes is one thing. But when you stretch the bounds of credibility too far it becomes believing in alien autopsies.\n\nOr, give a conspiracist a hammer and everything looks like a hidden nail. 1353356131 +It's very dull. 1350617872 +Isn't this just another way of saying "stupid people" exist. 1274050815 +he's got perfect teeth! 1312337829 +seriously 1261438881 +I feel that way about visiting reddit, but I just can't stop. 1344223221 +I don't, sorry. I just recalled the mechanical voices/people-as-robots thing from a long-ago Psych 101 class and did a little poking around to verify that I was remembering it right. Looks like dissociation is a recognized response to a stressful situation, which seems to fit the bill. Glad it was (apparently) just a transient episode. 1344182134 +They obviously don't cure you, but they make the symptoms bearable until your body successfully fights off the virus. Nothing else. All of this medications have solid scientific evidence that show they help with the symptoms. 1298651131 +The author of the paper that was linked to by the original poster was assassinated in Tucson quite a few years ago, IIRC. Salman Rushdie merely took his phrase "Satanic Verses" and turned it into a book title.\n\n"Satanic Verses" referred to the verses in the Quran that did NOT fit the numerological analysis presented on that website. 1345477902 +Everything I do, I do for you. 1323642202 +You are totally right on point! That sounded insane. 1353975919 +>UPDATE: I'll try and rephrase a point that I didn't get across before. /moviecritic and /atheism aren't legitimate top ten reddits. They appeared that way because they were under attack, making them appear even more popular. Removing atheism from the top ten by hand isn't about censoring, it's about a shortcoming in our popularity metric. We'll fix the problem, and that'll be the end of it. 1251342567 +Well, not quite. To be a stickler for accuracy, what they actually believe is that you must take a substance that causes the symptom you wish to cure, dilute it to the point where none is left, and then it should cure that symptom somehow. Basically, if you used ethyl alcohol with the homeopathic process, you'd come out with the greatest sobering up agent of all time (theoretically). 1315867009 +>/r/atheism it's a circle jerk because peopl (sic) say so is kinda circular logic\n\nHe never substantiated that point because it can be considered common knowledge. If you go visit /r/atheism, there are tons of [memes](http://qkme.me/3pz9u1) and facebook/twitter posts and other nonsense that don't promote thoughfull discussion, just everyone vigorously agreeing about how stupid someone's relative or friend/acquaintance is. If that isn't a "circle-jerk", then what is? 1341549334 +I'm wearing one right now! And Diabolico is right, although mine has lasted a bit longer than "a few washes." Mine is approximately 4 years old and looks like this: http://imgur.com/0jszG\n\n 1334077415 +It's nothing like your example at all. The same very strange, unusual, inexplicable phenomenon happening in the skies over two largely populated cities is not anything close to a murder, and you know it. You know you're wrong, which is why you called me a moron. \n\nI sure hope you're not under the impression you're some great rational debunker, because you're not. Your explanation is not feasible just because you want it to be, and you'll have to learn to cope when people call you out on that. 1287354808 +First clip sounds like "Working mums".\nSecond clip is a little harder, it could be a pro-longed "No".\nThird clip sounds like an instrument of some sort.\nFourth clips sounds more like interference of some sort.\n 1340696518 +This is the kind of combining of science and religion that I can get behind. 1311051226 +You call bullshit due to unfortunate wording choice? You're an idiot. Full health for himself relative to what he has been living with, is that better? 1301963479 +Thank you for upload, and like Jan... stated, appreciate you taking out that shitty intro. 1342403197 +I am not a conspiracy theorist. I believe Oswald acted alone, I believe Islamic fundamentalists attacked us on September eleventh. I also believe that where there is great power, there will be efforts made to wield that power. I believe that in 2008 there was an amalgam of events that constituted a concerted extra-legal effort to make Bush the president, and it succeeded. I believe there are also efforts to manipulate our democratic efforts now. I believe that there is enough evidence to implicate Lyndon Johnson when he ran for the Texas senate for ballot manipulation as well as many other politicians. It is not a partisan issue. If these people do not respect the interests of the average American because of their greater loyalty to campaign money, there is no reason to expect them to respect the democratic process. If all facts were available to us, I am reasonably certain we'd find a government corrupt beyond our most cynical expectations. \n\nThis is all based on my 40 years on this earth and the repeated and relentless efforts to pervert our government for avarice driven interests, corporate, union, or otherwise. \n\nThe only time working people matter is when we burn the palaces and hang our "rulers" on the trees and lamp posts of our communities. \n\nRead your history. The working man doesn't matter till he rises up. And then it is only a matter of time before he is subjugated back to his *proper* place of ignorant servitude and grateful subservience. \n\nThe lies on television designed to manipulate the public voice save us from armies that would crush us for the same purpose. Our illusion of democracy saves us from the military subjugation our rulers would require in lieu of our ignorant support.\n\n"An optimist believes this to be the best possible world. A pessimist knows that to be true." 1352259539 +He actually won the nomination if you believe Reddit. 1343900782 +As a parent (without OCD but with some previous anxiety issues), I spend a lot of time fighting off irrational fear, reminding myself that it's not good for my baby to be hovered over or to not be exposed to germs. Fear is a very powerful motivator and is easy to evoke, which is why so many religions use it so extensively. 1307540182 +I'm not sure if the addition of more fictional creatures to this story will help. 1329054331 +Social phobia huh? How convenient. Have your friend call them. 1342162202 +Thank you so much for this. I am saving this comment since it explains something so much better than I, someone who has had fibro and CFS issues nearly my entire life, ever could. Of course, that could be because the brain fog makes me feel down right dumb most of the time. \n\nEDIT :I re-read your comment and it made me start sobbing. \n\n>get treated like hypochondriac neurotic nutbags by non-sufferers simply because doctors have failed them.\n\nthis truly struck me. I have lost potential relationships and friendships even down to owning an animal because of me being seen as a nutbag.\n\nI would do anything to be able to work beyond 15 hours a week. To be able to have the energy to be a MOTHER. To get myself in shape. To go to Disney with my boyfriend and his family. To get a MASSAGE (pressure points). \n\nBut no, of course I am faking being sick and why yes, I am making these claims to get out of something that I would immensely enjoy... \n 1312328601 +PETA? Really? Wow. Well that really should eject him entirely from the skeptical orbit. More. 1330306447 +By the way, GPS doesn't use triangulation -- it uses trilateration. Spheres, not points. 1352028311 +God did it. Got pissed at you throwing that ball around. 1329119337 +Steal his ID. Then you will know. 1346979011 +I remember reading about/watching shows about this when i was younger, good story! probably the first i've ever read involving a policeman. 1329830615 +Giving the benefit of a doubt, they did show sculptures resembling the night crawlers. Do we know if those are new or old? I can't get anything out of Google, so far. Also, I'm more inclined to think that they'd be terrestrial; probably from the long band of forest that goes through the Yosemite valley. I'm trying to dig up some native folklore on the area. If there's nothing to hold up the story beyond the videos, *then* we can start casting proper doubt. 1325213812 +Isn't that oprah? 1316738308 +Are you perhaps thinking of Elizabeth May, the Canadian Green leader? 1345494814 +Well if they *truly* don't censor you, then go balls-to-the-walls man. Tell anyone who comes up with homeopathic bullshit that they're buying water evaporated on sugar, and if they wanted tastier treats to check the candy aisle. Tell them you personally think they're being stupid for throwing their money away. \n\nOr let the idiots keep buying idiot-tax products, and keep your job.\n\nUp to you. 1327360262 +I'm guessing \n\na) a kite \n\nb) a large bird of some sort that resembles the shape. 1287054262 +Actually, if you turn up the audio, she says:\n\n"We've seen this in mississippi but never like... never like this in mississippi!"\n\nSo she does finish her sentence, but she does stutter/repeat herself. I'll admit it sounds like she's probably had a few drinks tho... 1296460506 +The only theory that sounds remotely plausible, to me anyway, is that the original footage from Apollo 11, if there actually was any usable footage, was somehow destroyed, and in order to show the public, and "win" the space race, they had Kubrick recreate the footage. Either that or had it made ahead of time, like the speech Nixon had prepared in case they died on the way. 1354159311 +Post it? Grainy or not, I'm interested. 1354297409 +Yeah, actually follow that chart answering the questions and I think most of would end up at rolfing 1287186334 +Honey can't be anti-microbial or people would not have been able to make mead because the honey would kill the yeast.\n\nI swear I read an article a few years ago where archaeologists ate honey they found in an Egyptian tomb but after some quick googling, I can't find any references to it. 1281744321 +What does this have to do with skepticism? 1310187714 +Or it could be a ghost 1339467361 +if i were you i wouldnt be too worried at the moment although if it does happen to get any worse be sure to stand your ground in your home so whatever entity is in your home knows you mean business 1345495861 +Perhaps. However, when it's Chopra, who is so *frequently* self-serving and self-aggrandizing, he gets a little less benefit of the doubt. The man has habits and books to sell, it might be coincidence, but I doubt he's shooting from the hip: everything is scripted precisely how he wants to say it. 1322712814 +The world will follow the 'others'. By this I mean a world founded on principles that will allow us to move forward both culturally and spiritually. \n\nI think it will play out as rapidly changing current events leading to a paradigm shift. Those that don't want to experience the shift will lead a life similar to those who are still mad that Obama was voted into office; they will be bitter, they will probably find the world unfair, and they will probably wonder how everyone keeps guessing what they are thinking. Again, I think it will be subtle to the point that those who think this is all bullshit will continue in that thought process; the shift comes from within each one of us and spreads out from there. I think the shock will be just how many people are ready for a true change.\n\n>How can you be sure that, as some believe, you will be able to see the portals ?\n\nI can be sure of no such thing at all, nor do I necessarily believe portals will show up. I feel it will be a shift in our perception of the world; not a shift in the world itself. 1327508685 +> Even some of the brightest people I know are utterly convinced.\n\nWhere do you live? You might want to move. 1324504670 +this looks like it could potentially be something that is inflated with a gust of wind and blowing in the air - someone's laundry, a kite at an odd angle, a piece of fabric or plastic tent... 1340438677 +For the longest time, I thought a Chiropractor was just a normal doctor who specialized in spinal treatment :( 1342761761 +I want REM to play "It's The End of the World" in times sqare on December 21st. 1348956142 +I have an opinion based on what I have seen in the past over time...but I don't resort to aliens every time...I am just saying based on past research and videos that have surfaced...I do not believe humans are behind the majority of massively complex crop circles.\n\nNo one has to like or agree with my opinion but it is my own. 1350875126 +I'd assume she's taking about calcium from hard water when she says minerals. I read this in a few places which all use a direct copy/paste of this sentence from wikipedia:\n"Calcium can choke the hair at the mouth of the follicle causing the hair to break off, then coat the scalp, blocking further new hair growth."\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_care\n\nThere's no source given for this info though so it's hard to say how accurate it is. 1354117639 +ghosts in Golden Gate Park 1332281878 +Wheat is the reason the West has companies like Monsanto and Africa still doesn't. Wheat isn't bad food any more than rice is. 1330157660 +Jeez thats kinda weirdI would be scared too.. Yes your right its probly an open line innterfiering with a radio signal. 1348322185 +No, I'm just stating the fact that eye-witness accounts are not reliable: http://agora.stanford.edu/sjls/Issue%20One/fisher&tversky.htm \n\nAnd that you have not provided a single shred of evidence that contradicts the scientific evidence put forth by the NIST. Nor are any of the quotes you have provided relevant to the topic at hand. \n\nNo one was questioning if there was molten metal. That part is true. However, molten metal =/= molten steel and we've been in circles about how the science of "molten steel" pouring out of the building would be impossible by all known laws of science. \n\nNo one was denying it was hot. It was hot. But that =/= 911 was an inside job, nor the sheer act of being hot provide any relevant evidence to the table. \n\nEdit: Again I will ask you. What's more likely? \n\nA. A few eye-witnesses are wrong or didn't understand what they were seeing. \n\nB. Thousands of scientists at private and public institutions, and top Universities collaborated with George Bush to cover up that 911 was an inside job. \n\nWhich one do you believe? A or B please. 1355266346 +But like i explained, they were bb shaped, not exactly bbs..\n\nIve came to the conclusion someone shrunk bats with a shrink ray and they shat their destructive shit on me. 1342428504 +People don't know about the real Battle of Los Angeles anymore? Dude, that shit was real. We were launching some serious fire power at something in the sky. Buildings were wrecked and people were killed. 1300368643 +i meant it in the general sense. Way to ignore that. 1306386289 +I eat puffer fish every day. It does wonders for the stomach. You should try it.\n\nSincerely, some guy on the Internet 1318046192 +If the Quran even started it, then [Al-Ghazali](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Ghazali) surely ended it.\n\n> his movement from science to faith as a detriment to Islamic scientific progress 1349826939 +Hi everyone! I'm on the organizing committee of SkeptiCal 2012--a conference of science and skepticism in Berkeley. It's our third year and we've got some interesting speakers lined up. Our aim is to be a bit different than some of the other skeptical conferences. Hope to see you there! 1332623983 +Looked to me like it went behind the treeline when it ascended into the neighborhood. 1352483244 +Reminded me of the same thing. 1327003363 +Ah, misread "premedical" as "medical"\n\nYou are correct, sir. 1305543528 +Seems legit to me. The parts that are opaque plastic *do* grant 100% UV protection.... 1303270533 +Oh, like saying "Yes, I read the article too."\n\nSensationalized ignorant twit.\n\nThe difference between you and me is that I don't care about the votes. 1339992533 +For someone who promotes freethinking, you seem awfully conformist. 1324684134 +I am well aware of this Wikipedia article on the historicity of Jesus and like other Jesus related articles, it is disingenuous. \n\nNote how they say "most contemporary scholars" and NOT "most contemporary historians". By scholars, they are referring to Biblical or New Testament scholars - individuals whose scholastic locus is the Bible, and for whom the credibility of their life's work is predicated on the principal character not being a myth. \n\nIf Jesus was real, how come there isn't a single contemporaneous record of his life, or his death - an official execution on the orders of Pontius Pilatus?\n\nLook behind the myth - there is absolutely nothing there. 1335427898 +Music can affect your mood and help relax you. Stress can play a big part in inhibiting mental tasks. Music can't make you smarter or more creative, but it can help some people focus more. 1351792879 +I'm always skeptical about the claims of any anarchist. Quite simply anarchy can never exists for very long. From chaos some form of order, of government will arise. \n\nPeople will always form into some form of order, some form of structure. Be that in a tribe or in a modern democracy. Humans are creatures of individualism and community. It's not either or, it's this and. This communal aspect will always grow in some fashion.\n\nHowever, it can get out of control where the community oppresses the individualistic aspects of humanity. Modern democracies at least try and draw a bounds around what the community (through government) can do to an individual.\n\nTLDR: Anarchy doesn't exist anywhere for very long. 1333690804 +I used to believe ridiculous shit, but then I took a hormone to the adrenal system.\n\n\nI'll show myself out...... 1329668911 +Apparently it was while he was downloading the image in question that he was caught and kicked out of their computers, which if true may explain the lack of evidence. 1350504062 +http://youtu.be/Qq78Z_TVGso 1342901163 +Then all they'd have to do is point the way to the grave site and turn it into some sort of shrine. After all, there'd be no use keeping his death quiet now that everybody believes him dead. 1304614723 +Maybe it's a running joke and everyone is in on it but you? 1338595068 +I'm pretty sure I do... 1324737934 +Will look into it! You study dreams, aye?\nI have two recurring dreams. If your interested after this one, I'll tell you the other.\nThey both lead me to the recurring part differently every time but this is what it is.\n\nBeautiful. I mean BEAUTIFUL Fall colored leaves everywhere. There are also different kinds of snakes everywhere dangling, falling from trees onto my shoulders, and some coiled up chilling. They see me but they're not paying any attention to me. I'm walking on egg shells just trying to get through them. I'm almost through and something startles them I assume cause I begin to hear hissing and tails rattling. I'm scared to look back to see what it is and focus on just trying to get out of the leaf and snake infested area. I'm one step away from the clear when I feel a sharp pain on my lower calve/ankle area. I wake up the instant i turn around, but before I do, I see a snake, that was blended in with the leaves, has bitten me. Red, orange, yellow, brown, and what looked like to be spike looking things above his eyes.\n\n\nWhat does this mean? 1355003483 +If they finally get around to publishing their API, I'll be interested, and probably write a plugin for it. But on it's own, this isn't enough to get me using Chrome. 1339721550 +Source games have a still unfixed feature that allows one person to appear as another person. 1353308193 +Agree to disagree, looks exactly like soap bubbles to me. Hard to believe people don't recognize soap bubbles when they see them. 1344789419 +I clicked the link, and it doesn't even go to a specific page on that site. It just takes me to the home page. Clicking on a link to HuffPo is a surefire way to ruin my afternoon. 1337357007 +In my 40 years there has always been something that was going to be the 'end of the earth' that we all had to be constantly worried about.\n\nWhen I was a kid it was nuclear war. Then when I was an my teens it was the destruction of the rain forest that was going to kill us all. Then in my twenties it was aids that was going to kill everyone. Now its global warming, 2012 hysteria and so on...\n\nPeople just seem to like to have something big to worry about, right now its global warming. Whether or not GW is a serious threat does not matter, in 10 years it will not be the fashionable big problem that people are worrying about. 1264824371 +Fuckin Fox News. They put all sorts of wacky, silly pictures on the screen during the interview. So lame. 1223869351 +same thing has happened to me i had a lighter with a specific marking on it and its found its way back to me not once but twice 1356386914 +and yet that's not what the headline says, is it? it says: first known cave man where I don't see any proof. 1302486876 +> Yuuuup \n\nRead this in the voice of Dave from storage wars. 1326446710 +This isn't true everywhere, it varies state to state exactly because in some places it's been successful argued that they're not good evidence. But yes, they are often ADMISSIBLE in court. That does not mean they're considered good evidence. It just means they're not illegal to bring to the table. If the only evidence you bring to a court case is a second-hand account of a death-bed confession, you're going to lose, for exactly the reasons I listed. The speaker doesn't have to answer for what they said, and can't be reached for clarification. Just because something is allowed in court doesn't mean it's a smart way to win an argument. 1333991257 +this is a little flimsy, but maybe someone accidentally broke like the plastic cases and when they were putting them back together they put the wrong reels in the wrong cases? 1331411761 +This used to happen to me when I was little, not so much anymore. The most recent time is when I heard my dog bark in my house a few months after she died. Or sometimes in the shower I'll hear what I think is my mom and brother talking outside but they're not even home. 1355371071 +Fascinating! I did not know the extent of the investigation involved the local police and the air force. I find the owl explanation to be quite incredulous given the entire sequence of events. Since when does alcohol make a person mistake an angry owl for other worldly beings, to top it off, 7 people! Sounds ridiculous. 1330804985 +Is moving an option? I am not suggesting you can't evict the entity, but it will require cooperation among all of you and an energetic shift. It may be easier just to move. 1334363187 +Have you tried other sensations apart from touch? For instance, if you imagined a bird chirping or a bee buzzing beside someone's ear, to try to induce the expected reaction to the auditory impulse. 1340975864 +Hey man, a thirsty alien's a thirsty alien. 1287808435 +the eyes thing, yeah.. it was strange. i was fixated at the spot. \n\nbut creepy none-the-less 1325179367 +Oh geez, that is where I went to college. Stupid college &#3232;\\_&#3232;\n 1320860505 +well obviously we need the audio\n\n 1314661799 +You can find a copy of the research here http://physics.princeton.edu/~mcdonald/examples/fluids/may_ajp_71_842_03.pdf , it has nothing to do with the Bermuda Triangle and it consists mostly of laboratory experiments and simulations but it was completely distorted by the media. 1284354661 +There's too many TV shows already, making a mockery of the field. It's hard enough getting anyone to take us seriously without these TV shows making us look like a bunch of Roto Rooter plumber wannabe's. Sorry, I support my own team from my own wallet. Can't afford to support yours too. 1344961972 +Dangerous new threat to the health of your children reported!\n\nKeep your children away from fresh fruits and vegetables, they carry bacteria that may cause life threatening illness.\n\nSources: [1.](http://www.reddit.com/user/NonViolentWar) & [2.](http://www.reddit.com/user/Im-postle-able)\n\n\n\n 1351841550 +Why is this in /r/skeptic? 1300188618 +Why is this in /r/skeptic? 1313497892 +Why is this in /r/skeptic? 1313589831 +Why is this in /r/skeptic? 1352120470 +>"This technique is the target of critiques regarding results and efficacy. >One of them is about the “placebo effect” of its remedies, which do not >contain any trace of the raw material used in its preparation. To answer >this criticism, a clarification is necessary: **homeopathy is not related to chemistry, but to quantum physics, because it works with energy, not with chemical compounds that can be qualified and quantified."**\n\nWaaaaaaaaat???? This is just...my brain hurts. 1334807219 +I'm not. I've heard plenty of stories regarding Bill Nye's pretentiousness. But that doesn't change the fact that he's right about what he's arguing here. Those guys are claiming aliens are among us without backing that up with substantial evidence. It's along the same lines as all of the Christians out there who say, "I can't explain what I just saw, therefore it must be a miracle from god." This is why no one in society or the scientific community takes them seriously. \n\n"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan 1343489468 +You just changed my entire worldview thank you brave sir.\n 1346431924 +Yes, I read it, but a company breaking the law doesn't strike me as unusual enough to post a question asking about it. I took it for granted that they were breaking the law, or at least bending it somehow. That left the question of what s/he was skeptical about.\n\nThe update to the post makes it clear. 1290390235 +[No shit](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo) 1344316750 +Good point - lucky he had Bert Newton to make him look like less of a fuckwit. 1352253002 +How much heat do balloons give off? Enough to be detected by an IR camera at that altitude? 1320125078 +Where is the control mentioned? 1344030603 +If he was only a British citizen, and not born of an American parent, then this is true.\n\nHowever most critics who latch onto this seem to be emotionally attached to assigning him Kenyan citizenship.\n\nHis American mother trumps all that.\n\n 1337454038 +I remember reading that placebos can be very effective for treating seasonal affective disorder. Peoples' moods are easily manipulated, and maybe sticking a flashlight in your ear will actually make you feel better.\n\nThat being said, I don't think blue light in your brain (if it even reaches your brain) will have any physiological effect. 1284562335 +\n>multiple photon absorptions of microwaves shouldn't be sufficient for bond-breaking, let alone ionisation damage to DNA.\n\nYeah, shouldn't, but I have yet to see a computation demonstrating this. Yes, the energy of microwave photons is a million times less than UV, but the intensity is probably a billion times higher, possibly even more. There are much, much more microwave photons per cubic centimeter in a microwave oven than there are UV photons right under your skin. My gut tells me that the probability for multi-photon absorption goes down exponentially with the number of photons (in which case there should be no risk), but I'd rather see a treatment by an expert on the topic than try to figure it out myself. 1345986202 +Another shape shifting object hovering over Nellis Air Force Base. This is a classic as well.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L4CBIeNFY0&hd=1 1324077677 +I see where you are coming from, but you're letting your 'anti-woo' feelings get away from you.\nThe doctor of Chinese Medicine I see was a practicing MD in China who relocated to the US and decided to practice traditional medicine here.\nHe uses acupuncture, but is very open about healing coming from the correct use of medicinal herbs. When I asked him if he could help my Mother when she was diagnosed with cancer, he said no. He said there is nothing in any alternative medicine that can react with the strength and speed that is required in treating cancer. He said he might be able to strengthen her body in dealing with the chemo, but we didn't go that route.\nI have multiple stories in my family of MD's causing harm by misdiagnosis. I don't think that the process of diagnosis is well taught (in the physicians I've seen at least), and I have wondered if the scientific methodology for it needs improvement.\nBut, in any case, maybe some day I'll meet an MD who knows how to treat me as a person. I remain open to that possibility, just not hopeful. 1316265724 +here's an article from a website i occasionally read\n\n"What's awesome about Ouija boards is that the real reason it works is almost as spooky as the ghost explanation: You're actually communicating, not with the dead, but with the subconscious part of your brain. Your hands move the piece across the Ouija board due to involuntary movements in your muscles, which are called the ideomotor effect. Basically, your brain can and will move your muscles without your express permission because, for the most part, your body kinda operates on autopilot anyway. It's just usually not brought to your attention (you'll notice it the next time a light stops working in a room, but you unconsciously keep flipping the switch every time you walk in anyway).\n\nSo with the Ouija board, you subconsciously think of a response to the question and your brain subtly moves the planchette where it wants it. Maybe not enough for it to work if you were using the board alone (though it is for some people -- it's likely how water dowsing works), but when you get a few people together and they're all subconsciously pulling, it creates the distinct sensation that the planchette is moving on its own accord. In theory, ghosts should be able to direct their hands no matter the orientation of the board, right? Turns out, without being able to see the board, they just kinda move their hands to where they think the letters are."\n\nRead more: 6 Scary Tricks That Amazed Us as Kids (Explained by Science) | Cracked.com http://www.cracked.com/article_19506_6-scary-tricks-that-amazed-us-as-kids-explained-by-science.html#ixzz29Jxs3WXo\n\n\n\n\n 1350255532 +Although correlation is not causation (or comparison) That is still pretty cool. 1318269108 +The only EVP I've heard that I would remotely call scary, although it is also likely fake, can be found [here](http://www.ghostpix.com/march5evp/drowning.wav). 1328413565 +(After a cursory glance at the page) I don't see anywhere that says the gem has supposed mystical properties. It looks like a name of the piece, not a claim of mystical powers.\n\nIf she's just saying "It'll make me FEEL closer to the ocean," she's probably right. It is very pretty and oceany. 1297585018 +http://alienresistance.org/ancientofdays.htm\n\nWatch the first video, I encounter people who have experience similar types of events. What you described sounds like something I have heard from a Indian city close to me.\n\nTo keep it short, what you have experienced is demonic activity. I could go into great detail about this, but I recommend you researching for yourself, starting with that website I linked.\n\n 1347207461 +It's simple: Inside the battery, there aren't as many percents in the way of the radiation beams, which means they can then enter your brain unhindered. When you recharge it to 100%, the beams are fully blocked. 1353937233 +From the source material:\n> While most humans are clearly “behavioral” omnivores, the question still remains as to whether humans are anatomically suited for a diet that includes animal as well as plant foods.\n\nNo, this is not in question. We are suited to eat meat. When we eat meat, we get nutrients from it, a benefit which far outweighs the cost of eating meat. Thus, we are suited for it. This isn't hard.\n\n> The masseter and pterygoid muscles hold the mandible in a sling-like arrangement and swing the jaw from side-to-side. Accordingly, the lower jaw of plant-eating mammals has a pronounced sideways motion when eating. This lateral movement is necessary for the grinding motion of chewing.\n\nWe don't really grind side-to-side like dedicated grazers. Our incisors and canines prevent it (try it right now: separate your molars a tiny bit and see how much lateral movement you have). An herbivore like a [horse](http://www.britannica.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/horse2.jpg) doesn't have this problem, as the incisors/canines don't interlock as arcs at the front of the jaw.\n\n> [In herbivores] The temporalis muscle is small and of minor importance.\n\nhaha. [Gorillas are herbivores](http://www.flickr.com/photos/24704473@N07/5880477367/), you big dope. What muscle do you think goes up in that pocket on the side of the skull? The *giant* temporalis.\n\n> Many of these herbivores increase\nthe sophistication and efficiency of their GI tracts by including carbohydrate-digesting enzymes in their saliva.\n\ncommon misconception. Salivary amylase doesn't noticeably affect digestion. It prevents the buildup of insoluble polysaccharides in the mouth, which would otherwise cause tooth decay.\n\n> Bears have not, however, adopted the flattened, blunt nails seen in most herbivores and retain the elongated, pointed claws of a carnivore .... An animal which captures, kills and eats prey must have the physical equipment which makes predation practical and efficient.\n\nSure, but what about non-predatory meat eaters? Bears can hunt and kill prey (even deer!) and thus have claws and teeth capable of subduing large, living animals. Other omnivores (many rodents, raccoons, skunks, etc) do not have "killing bodies". They scavenge, eat defenseless young of other animals, or eat invertebrates.\n\n> The [Human] canines are neither serrated nor conical, but are flattened, blunt and small and function Like incisors.\n\nThey are not quite pointy, not quite flat. They are thicker, so they can take more lateral stress than incisors and shear better than molars. Give someone a big piece of tough jerky. What will they almost always do? Put it in the side of their mouth, bite with the canines, and rip it away with the hand. Our canines still tear well. They aren't made for punching holes in the neck vessels of prey, but they aren't reduced to grinding surfaces or missing altogether. They're between a typical herbivore's and carnivore's. ...shocking...\n\n> Human saliva contains the carbohydrate-digesting enzyme, salivary amylase. This enzyme is *responsible for the majority of starch digestion.* [emphasis added]\n\nAs above, this is demonstrably FALSE. Our pancreatic amylases do that work. Salivary amylase is destroyed by the stomach proteases. If the claim was true, potatoes would dissolve in our mouths. They don't. They dissolve in our intestines.\n\n> There is also extensive bacterial fermentation of fibrous plant materials, with the production and absorption of significant amounts of food energy\n\nCitation needed. I am not medically aware of any substantial caloric gain from the large intestine contents. By the mid-ilium, most of our nutrient absorption is done. vitamin B12, bile, and a few bacterial products are absorbed in the distal small gut, but the colon is pretty much there for water balance.\n\n> In conclusion, we see that human beings have the gastrointestinal tract structure of a “committed” herbivore. Humankind does not show the mixed structural features one expects and finds in anatomical omnivores such as bears and raccoons.\n\nLOL. He just discounts the evidence that we ARE a hybrid form between dedicated carnivores and herbivores. We can't digest cellulose unlike the grazers. We can't bring down large prey with only our bodies like apex predators. We have teeth both for shearing and for grinding. We have reasonably close herbivorous cousins (gorillas) with vastly different anatomies suited for fibrous vegetable food. We have close omnivorous cousins (chimpanzees and bonobos) with dentition and GI tracts much like ours. \n\nTL;DR: the source material ignores all of the omnivorous adaptations we have, falsely dichotomizes the world into predators and herbivores, and is flat out wrong many times. It's pure bullshit. The guy is cherrypicking and distorting evidence to support his beliefs much like a creationist.\n\nEDIT: wow, thank you for the reddit gold, anonymous person. Tokens of appreciation like that are encouraging, and yet I am almost embarrassed that what was just a whimsical, snarky rebuttal got this much attention. Anyways, many thanks. I will consider writing more in-depth stuff for reddit (and this sub) more in the future. 1353110908 +>Sure, but then it's not necessary to call it anything other than incorrect, it's not that you're saying it's wrong, it's that you're calling it laughably wrong that I take issue with. \n\nBut it *is* laughably wrong--I often laugh aloud when reading such things. How does me relating this fact to peers 'hurt' anyone? Even if it does 'hurt' anyone (and, to be sure, such words are only capable of doing so in an extremely superficial sense), why should that weigh on my prose? I laughed when I saw the recent "UFOs over Denver" video, and [I shared it here](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/13724u/cnn_many_subreddits_stunned_by_shocking_video_of/) (where it was well-received, for what that's worth) with a decidedly derisive (and, in the end, [perfectly accurate](http://www.reddit.com/r/Denver/comments/13da3k/this_is_the_denver_ufo_meeting_followup_post/)) title featuring my best guess at a more likely explanation. Is your position so aggressive that you think that post doesn't belong here as-is? If it *does* belong, why would anything I've advocated here be at all objectionable?\n\n>I don't particularly see the need to call it stupid, laughable or any other negative term nor do I think that the beliefs are stupid, merely wrong and irrational\n\nI don't personally say "stupid", but I do say "uninformed", "laughable", and similar fare regularly. These are accurate descriptions of their irrational beliefs, I see no reason to not let someone I am speaking with know that this is how I view an issue. If it causes them to dismiss me outright, that is their loss at least as much as it is mine.\n\n>something like "I'd stop calling these people stupid if they act and believe like I do." which, to me, isn't too different from "Hey, I'd stop calling these people fags if they weren't so gay."\n\nExcept, ~~again~~ {EDIT: I appear to have confused you with someone else in the same thread who committed the same error, my apologies}, that it's completely different than in your example because I'm "coercing" (read: posting comments that some *may* find somewhat objectionable on a publicly available website) people who **have chosen to subscribe to a particular worldview as a group**, *not* people who belong to some non-self-selected group and not any particular individual that I might be engaged with. My "y'know, super hurtful" comment was meant to capture the idea that people do not have a right to not be offended, that being offended from time to time is a fact of everyday life, that periodically being offended does not in fact do an individual any actual harm, and that offending someone in the course of expressing an opinion is not in any way shape or form "bullying", nor is it even something that justifies accusing another of being mean-spirited (let alone some greater claim) on its own. Please stop insinuating that I am a bully simply for posting my opinion in an honest format in an open forum--it's disingenuous, *flatly* untrue by definition, and unfair to the victims of a very real problem in our society. I would earnestly prefer that you consider rescinding the remark as a poor choice of words. 1353381519 +Ugh what has happened to this sub? 1319513211 +Are those dreams the same reoccurring ones or always different? 1335069570 +I think doctors should treat everyone regardless of their silly beliefs and practices. Refusing to treat someone because they aren't vaccinated (unarguably a poor decision) is as silly as refusing to treat someone because they're a smoker.\n\nMaking sure your doctor tells their patients about vaccination-related facts and myths, sure. Demanding that your doctor say "you're not vaccinated? Sorry, you can go die in the gutter" is completely excessive. 1311093763 +I like how homeopathy being from Germany is cited as one of the reasons that this strategy wouldn't work. "Well, Germans are kinda the *opposite* of an oppressed minority..." 1305295148 +Though I do admit it could have been a dream (that dick just pissed me off) It would absolutely be the most realistic dream of my life. Unfortunately I can't remember that much details about the text It was a couple years ago :/ 1344982096 +The whole autism/vaccine link is supported solely by one article, the Wakefield Study, which has become a shining example of scientific misconduct and incompetence. The safety of vaccines is scientifically *uncontroversial*, to the extent that global warming is. This means there is no longer any real discussion in the scientific community, as the evidence is very heavily stacked. If you don't understand already, learn to understand the scientific and peer review processes. It will kill some of that paranoia that there are hidden interests "covering everything up." 1301674150 +*sigh* why must everything be a double edged sword? 1305143412 +All too true. 1312920734 +i thought stanton was a shill? \n\nsource: Behold a Pale Horse by Bill Cooper 1350445925 +So no? 1345264327 +Urban myth alert!\nhttp://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/cellphones.asp 1326618374 +True, but what is scary is he was ELECTED to that office, which means there are millions of Texans and Americans too, who either agree with this moron or don't care about it as long as a republican gets in or their taxes don't go up. 1313698384 +I'm sorry, but you're trying to move this away from the scientific towards the political, and I'm not really interested.\n\nThe fact is that deniers have politicized the debate about whether AGW theory is correct or not. I'm not really interested in discussing Libertarian politics with you.\n\n>And there aren't green interest groups that favor government intervention for gain?\n\nIrrelevant. Only one side is denying the science.\n\n>That still doesn't mean it was not once presented and gained significant support.\n\nWell, it didn't. Even in the 1970s there were more scientific papers predicting global warming than there were global cooling.\n\n>I was bunching the terms because there is a history of failed theories by climate/ecological alarmists.\n\nThere isn't, actually. The Ozone layer problem was a real one, and so was Acid Rain. Furthermore, a scientific theory is judged on its own merits, not on those that preceded.\n\nIt seems you are trying to politicize a scientific debate for obvious reasons: indeed, Right Libertarianism fails when confronted with problems such as Global Warming, which require the intervention of the state. To acknowledge man-made climate change would require you to accept that Libertarianism isn't perfect, and that is anathema for a ideologue such as you. Thing is, science trumps ideology, every time. Sorry.\n\nSeriously, don't bother responding if you're not going to make this about the **science** of global warming. 1350869907 +argument from tradition fallacy 1338307162 +pps. I asked you a hard question! why you no answer? :( ill repeat my hard question.\n\n Do you honestly believe.. now, let me get this right.. that there is not a God, because "he" does not >reveal the truth to us on a day to day basis for all to see and clearly interpret. [?] 1351406571 +Looks like that could certainly cause the effect. At several points, it appears the 'object' [passes in front of the moon](http://i.imgur.com/LYjB7.jpg). Could that still be explained by the mirage effect? 1310406371 +Wow, that really contradicts a lot of what I had read about the situation in the past. Seems like a lot of things were blown out of proportion. 1287378214 +Yeah, that's just what we'd expect from vaccine-pushing freedom haters! </sarcasm>\n\nAs usual, people who have never seen the diseases these safeguards were developed to prevent are the ones clamoring loudest for their abolition. Bovine tuberculosis is serious business, folks. 1330022543 +This is why I prefer /r/skeptic to /r/atheism. In /r/atheism the OP would have dropped a snappy one-liner, screenshot it before anyone could respond, and raked in the back-pats from their fellow /r/atheists. 1296351271 +I really want to run before and after stats for all the MLB players that stated wearing those stupid Phiten Necklaces. 1289415181 +SCA-style swords made with PVC pipe can be very painful, even deadly. In fact, at least a few decades ago, they were banned as a no-no for various reasons, IIRC, so PVC isn't entirely safe for all uses... ;-)\n\nedit: [that is no longer the case](http://youthfighters.eastkingdom.org/Documents/BofferWeaponGuide_BasicSword.pdf) if it ever was, though the webpage says to use something stronger than the traditional duct tape, because PVC can shatter on impact, causing dangerous splinters. 1354582841 +True, and spoken as eloquently as all posts should in UFOs. 1354200336 +Why is this in skeptic and not science? 1331439022 +Please help me understand your other-worldly reasoning. I need you to help *explaining* it.\n 1270049172 +I am curious how you found this video of the actor? 1344886279 +[Here it is being done](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtkMrNrEMLM) with ropes and boards by people. \n\n[Here's another example](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkpZKu5lu5w).\n\nThere is copious evidence of circles being made by people. There's no evidence of them being made by other processes. \n\nThe evidence for radiation and non-human interference in crop circles is disputed. 1344510290 +Grrr... r/skeptic of all places should know that results of studies with "small" sample sizes are pretty valid because the studies have stricter standards for significance. 1335680789 +I think this is what he's after: http://imgur.com/quY9T 1347220498 +Like Tim Minchin said, if you open your mind too much, your brain might fall out. 1326874828 +I don't think blurring the baby's face is necessary. It could actually contribute a lot to the understanding of the picture (ie- is the baby crying or laughing) 1306962838 +This has now overtaken [the hugging saint](http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/07/04/amma-known-as-the-hugging-saint-embraces-new-york-city/) as the most idiotic woo. 1349471124 +Happens to me all the tim;e since I was about 9. It's become so normal for me. Sometimes I think about the dream I had and then do what happened next in the dream on porpose, no matter how strange it may be, just so the dream plays out exactly how I remember it. 1328675543 +It's a fantastic read. I highly recommend it. Ramachandran writes with clarity and humor, and the book is rife with diagrams and examples of little neurological ticks you can play with at home. 1307131795 +You're kidding, right? Since when does the mainstream media give ufo stories anything more than a 15-second "little green men hyuck hyuck" snip at the end of a news broadcast? 1296681706 +I still don't know what to say...\n\nI still think it could be a viral marketing campaign, but as more and more videos come up its tough to feel sure about any conclusion.\n\nRegardless, without the original video, all this "disproving" that has been done has been well-intentioned but flawed at best, imo. The additonal videos could have just been added to the first, but who knows? we shall have to wait and see... 1296625497 +Could the messages have originated from a presence closer to Earth? Metaphorically, maybe they aren't phoning from home but from the phone booth down the block from our place, and can even the lights on in our windows. 1344794780 +That's exactly it. It must be sleep paralysis, but -and I know I didn't mention it above- there were a few times I woke up with scratches on my face. 1326857509 +This seems like material ripe for criminal prosecution...is this illegal? 1322846168 +Each recounting, story, and interpretation holds a piece of the truth - is a piece of the puzzle. Realize, however, that it is only a piece, and you or anyone would be foolish really to look for any "ONE" person or story to hold the sole truth to the ET phenomenon.\n\nThe ET phenomenon is as vast as the cosmos itself.\n\nInstead, simply take in every bit of information from all these sources, and simply piece them all together in a mosaic. The pieces will form an image of what actually is going on. It will likely be a very confusing image, but it will be an idea none the less.\n\nDo your own critical and independent examination, and then combine that with what you read and hear from other sources.\n\nCombine, discard, etc, etc . . . and continue on that road investigating, understanding that the truth of the matter is likely a bit more complicated still. 1336187000 +That does make sense. Would this also affect kids though? just wondering. Thanks for the answer! 1354521499 +>correlations between eating red meat and various illnesses\n\nHonestly there are *only* correlations, and there are just as many for eating too much wheat. 1331325173 +Added this for clarity:\nHere are just a few examples of Fort Bragg not being able and/or willing to provide similar support to our festival.\n\n1) No funding for hotels (Evangelical Christians: $6,668 for rooms. $500 for room service)\n\n2) No funding for transportation (Evangelical Christians: $1,360 for 3 vans for 3 days, $1500 for 'Air reimbursement')\n\n3) No funding for A/V support (Evangelical Christians: over $7,000)\n\n4) No funding for meals for performers (Evangelical Christians: over $7,000)\n\n5) Must put warning label on posters/flyers/adverts about 'Not associated with Fort Bragg' (Evangelical Christians: ringing endorsement from Public Affairs, Chaplaincy, IMCOM. Advertised as an official Spiritual Fitness Event!)\n\n6) Denied use of the parade field, the only venue large enough for us (Evangelical Christians: got to use it for their membership drive)\n\n7) Golden Knight Paratrooper Jump denied (Evangelical Christians: approved)\n\n8) Denied venue on the basis of musicians not being 'chart-toppers' (Evangelical Christians: didn't have any either)\n\n9) No funding for or venue appropriate for 'Kiddie land' (Evangelical Christians: Rock Climbing, Face Painting, 5 Bounce Houses)\n\n10) No funding for advertisements (Evangelical Christians: $12,620) 1299478049 +Video unavailable... 1350236055 +Back in the 90s I used to enjoy looking through [TheBlackVault.com](http://www.theblackvault.com/) It's still around and is a great way to read through the fruit of a mountain of FOIA requests. A lot of it is pretty interesting and not related to UFOs, but there's a lot about things like Project Blue Book and whatnot too. 1325047979 +While I haven't watched it yet, and she's likely full of nonsense, the title you gave this seems suspiciously like an ad hominen attack. A degree does not necessarily imply expertise any more than the lack of one implies ignorance. I would expect better of you. 1333137759 +Excellent, thank you for posting. this was a good read 1326241123 +Excellent, thank you for posting. this was a good read 1326256230 +Seriously, guys, it works. I just got some ordinary sugar pills blessed with an ancient Chinese chi magic called *pra-shee-bo*. Cured my headache in minutes! 1307823030 +The Equinox :p\n\nThe method of science, the aim of religion. 1341548682 +Massages actually do nothing for me once the rubbing stops. So I would imagine acupuncture is the same thing. But since I havent ha it done I wouldnt know. 1306960632 +Correction: Reiki isn't "traditional": Mikao Usui made it up in 1922. If that's "traditional", then so is homeopathy, unless "traditional" is some kind of euphemism for "asian".\n 1287209952 +Every time I fall and hit my head on the ground, I can tell that the impact would have been enough to give me a concussion if not for the helmet. \n\nTry riding home with a concussion. 1318698958 +The NERVE.\n\nYou think you're SOOOOO smrat.\n\nEDIT: Smrt\n\nEDIT EDIT: Smart.....DAMMIT 1349399015 +Whenever I allow it. 1344013363 +You say "context", I say "not being an intentionally and pointlessly argumentative brat".\n\nThe level of reading comprehension around here would go up a million-fold if people were more interested in having a conversation than calling someone wrong for nit-picky or outright absurd reasons. 1302347639 +UFO's w/ intelligent direction/navigation are much easier to prove than anything paranormal. Agreed? 1331942089 +I used to work with students with autism. It was a residential program so, I was in charge of helping students with their diet. You would be surprised how many parents insisted on their kids being on a gluten free diet. They were convinced it lessen symptoms.\n\nA parent gave me the example that she took her son to the movies, caved and let him get popcorn. She said his symptoms immediately got worse, his tics increased in frequency and intensity, etc. I looked it up later and found there is very little gluten in movie theater popcorn. \n\nThe student reported being around his mother raised his anxiety because he felt she was domineering and overly-involved. Anxiety increases tics. And so, the cycle continues. :/ 1330785551 +Right now, nothing. The future? Maybe some sort of engineering. 1331005052 +Holy shit. One of them references the [Protocols of Zion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Protocols_of_the_Elders_of_Zion), which has long been debunked as a fraud. Wow, they really are disconnected from reality. 1290819040 +Related: I just posted my photo, do you see what I am seeing?\n\nhttp://redd.it/pl607 1329001058 +I only asked about your profession because I find that most people who are vehemently against osteopaths (and osteopathic medicine) tend to be outside of the medical field.\n\n * As a DO I'm allowed to attend an MD residency if I desire. \n * As a DO I'm allowed to specialize in any specialty I choose... I recently watched a DO pediatric heart surgeon repair a ventral septal defect on a neonate. \n * As a DO I'm allowed to practice medicine in the US military (there has even been a DO surgeon general)\n * Many MDs take "crash courses" to learn osteopathic techniques\n * All US medical insurance companies recognize osteopathic treatments and will reimburse for them\n\nIt seems that DOs are pretty well recognized across the board. So I was just wondering what makes you so confident that it's BS while so many organisations recognize osteopathy as legit. 1335313612 +Oh yeah, so OH, O? 1351302252 +No, that's just head-to-head competition. He's talking about conjoined twins. 1293637964 +Those first two statements were meant to show you that I wasn't born yesterday, as you seem to think by talking down to me... and it obviously had no effect.\n\n>claimed that "pull it" is demolition-speak for blowing up a building. **However, it is not.**\n\nYou can convince me of that by simply telling me what is "demolition speak for blowing up a building". This is a crucial point in any "pull it" discussion. I understand that you've already said that you do not know. Perhaps it would benefit your argument if you found out.\n\nI cannot disagree that some people have taken parts of that "specific video" out of context.\n>You are trying to make some odd, roundabout argument that doesn't actually have any relevance.\n\nI'm sorry, but it is relevant. Industry professionals always have industry related terms for various aspects of their work. You can't just pick and choose the ideas/terms that support your own personal convictions. \n>Do you think that Daniel Nigro and other FDNY are lying in their statements about WTC7[?]\n\nI already answered no to that question earlier. Why are you asking it again? \n\n 1321418993 +>Our children are being forced to endure endless "relocation drills", "lockdown drills" and "active shooter drills".\n\n\nWe've had two lockdown drills in all of the four years I've been in high school.\n\nOne week this month, we had two fire drills. Morons. 1333063709 +That reminds me of a conversation with a friend about the plane that landed in the Hudson, and him casually mentioning that based on the implications of losing power at that altitude during takeoff, that God clearly didn't want them to die that day. I felt bad for immediately saying, "or go to Charlotte, North Carolina". 1276832926 +The feeling of strangeness and what could have been a hallucination actually sounds quite similar to a simple partial seizure. It reminded me specifically of a case study I read recently about an epilepsy patient who used to have psychic visions, which vanished once she was diagnosed and began pharmacotherapy. 1353897260 +The deeper relationship SciAm (which last I checked, was fairly reliable) is hinting at isn't all that deep:\n\nBaby Stem Cells migrate to help repair damage, increasing survival chances for both mother and child. \n\nOr that the baby cells might cause the immune system to respond to similar, yet non-identical cells (like cancer cells) better that someone who hasn't had cells like that present in the body.\n\n\nThat's a deep connection, but not deep like "Oh, babies know their mom's don't want them if they're an unwanted fetus because of magic psychic" bullshit I hear about. You know, the kind that's like "I or a dumbass friend of mine invented this because I don't like abortion and you're winning with your real facts and I can't make ethical arguments properly so I need to make up bullshit." would be if the ". \n\nAnd let's face it, a lot of this "fetus-mother have a magical pyschic connection" bullshit is spouted by people who are pro-life and can't make a compelling argument without woo. Or moms who are dumbasses and want to try and make themselves sound better just for having popped a kid out of her birth canal.\n\n(Don't get me wrong, abortion opposition has plenty of facts and can be well argued. Just a lot of hyper-religious types tend to be dumbasses and try and use Woo to win arguments.) 1354842494 +This class would make an interesting bait and switch. People enroll to learn how to be those goofballs on TV but the class is actually about science and skepticism. 1311022563 +>I agree, can you define to any degree of certainty what situation, settings or environments where all women would agree that they would be open to flirtation or be seeking potential romantic candidates? \n\nHow about "Not work environments" for starters? Again, this part of the discussion is irrelevant though, as flirtation is NOT the focus here.\n\n>Can you define for me just what this means, and prove that being "marginalized" isn't due to something else? \n\nIt means that there is an unfounded assumption that the lack of women in leadership and technical positions (for example) is simply assumed to be because of some physiological difference between men and women despite the shocking lack of any actual evidence that this is the case, and in the face of the large amount of cultural stigma against women being in those positions.\n\n>While I certainly agree this has happened at times to certain individuals, this doesn't mean that every woman that isn't promoted or isn't paid equally is an act of male chauvinism. \n\nNobody is claiming that this is the case for EVERY woman, but when the median income for men and women holding the same positions differ, that is somewhat telling.\n\n>I would agree but until one can have an objective way to make the determination of genuine vs unrelated discrimination it's impossible to claim them all as genuine. \n\nAgain, nobody is claiming they are ALL genuine. Are you claiming that it isn't a problem? That the gulf in income between men and women holding similar positions is not because of discrimination?\n\n>I would agree until homosexuals want different penalties. That is a cry for special treatment. \n\nIt is understandable to want crimes of equal severity to carry the same punishment. However, if you believe as I do, that criminal prosecution should not be about payment of a crime but rather only be targeted to attempts to reduce/eliminate it, then similar crimes with differing motives can indeed warrant differing levels of consequences.\n\n\n\n\n 1325802461 +>For example, we cannot do a double-blind study where we assign half of our group of children to a domestic abuse situation and half to a non-domestic abuse situation. Instead, we may choose to do a qualitative study on children who were exposed to abusive homes previously.\n\nOf course, but you don't need to do a double-blind study in order to do a quantitative study. A lot of the research in educational psych is quantitative as well, but they use observational or longitudinal studies. \n\nI don't deny that there are a lot of qualitative studies done, my only quibble is with the implication that they form a majority, or even significant minority, of the research done in psychology - i.e. enough of it done to invalidate the "scientificness" of the entire field. \n\n 1338434670 +The second and third stories sound like Sleep Paralysis.\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis\n\nBoth my mother and I get this occationally. It's terrifying but I've never had an experience like yours, just the paralysis then falling back asleep... 1333548209 +bwaaaa hahahahhaa! ...sorry. ahem. well I hope you come to your senses some day. 1306528727 +I'm nowhere close to an expert on scripture, but I'm not scared of claims that it's all been edited or changed to mean something it was never intended to. Ignore that statement, though, and let's just say that I don't believe God would let His teachings be ruined and altered, thereby letting humans cut God's actual truth out of the religion He intended for us. My thinking along this line will likely irritate you or make you throw up your hands. Anyway, since I believe God guides the Church, if anything, I believe any changes in scripture were intended by God and were not flip-flops or Him changing the rules. It all belongs to Him. God can neither deceive, nor be deceived.\n\nThe traditions of the Church have undergone development here and there, but have never actually changed in any huge, radical way. It is always preserved in some way during troubled times - like now, with several decades of modernism finally, slowly showing signs of being purged by tradition once again - and it actually remains radically the same. St. Athanasius was an incredible example - *Athanasius contra mundum!* Schisms and heresies led people away, but their proponents left the Church by their actions. Heretics never win against the Church, they just cause it to suffer until they leave or are anathematized or excommunicated. They usually end up accidentally helping to clarify and improve things, such as with the Council of Trent.\n\nBasically, I would say tradition has undergone relatively minor changes throughout time, none of which meaningfully altered the substance and character. \n\nThere wasn't some humanistic, relativistic early tradition that was seized and altered by narrow-minded zealots to be an institution simply intended for control and conformity. If that were all it was, it would have ended so easily at some point. It's not just a regime like some sort of super-government. \n\nJust sharing my thoughts here, by the way. I've intended to state things as I see it, but not as though I am not an authority or expert. 1313139102 +One problem I have with world-end dates is that the world could end before the date as well. 1328829907 +Nope, but I'm probably a hipster. I like indie music (including the music my friends make, [example](http://fugue.bandcamp.com/)), I like "good" coffee, I care about fashion, I try to consume only sustainable goods, etc. Also if I lived in NYC I'd probably ride a singlespeed because it would be a better workout than a 10 speed or something.\n\nBut [yes](http://i.imgur.com/61xOZ.png), [seriously](http://i.imgur.com/YRQbJ.png). There's a "discussion" like that at least once every couple of days. They're not overwhelmingly intellectual discussions but they're not stupid either. And, going back to shiv52's post, I would be depressed as hell if the depth of my friendships went as far as getting drinks with them. That's boring as hell. I want friends I can talk to and depend on, not people I'd despise if I actually got to know them.\n\nIn retrospect, shiv52's comment is probably one of the most depressing things I've read, and a hole I hope I never fall into. 1318701431 +I don't understand the question. It was exactly as effective as other recommended treatments. It worked the same. It had the same effects. It showed no statistical difference in outcome.\n\nYes, it works. It is better than placebo.\n\nBut this study is, I must note, only about lower back pain. Chiropractors will claim to be able to do a lot more than that, but they have only been proven to be effective in treating back pain, and as per this study, only lower back pain. 1336388568 +Where's the.. "They show how dark the area they're in is.." ? 1317363116 +And they always give some bullshit line like "I'd just hurt you"\n\nThat is the biggest cop out ever. I've trained in BJJ for a long time and fought hundreds of times both with people infinitely better than me and infinitely worse, and guess what? No one ever got hurt. If you are good enough to beat someone easily, you're good enough to do it without hurting them. 1343522455 +it would only take one piece of legislation really. But god I hope it comes. 1313962004 +What's that supposed to mean? 1326646981 +If that person takes it in the place of real medicine it could be very bad; if it's only to complement, the effect of the medicine could be attributed to homeopathy. It hasn't been proven to work as a form of medicine so it shouldn't be considered so. 1333559653 +I'm not talking about mystic bullshit, I am there offering studies and good evidence for what I am talking about, but I am limited to 1 reply per every ten minutes. \n\nEverything I've posted is down voted into oblivion anyway.\n\nAlso for the record I do not believe in the supernatural. \n\n 1348951449 +yeah. 1313900502 +http://vaers.hhs.gov/data/index\n\nA bunch of the stuff there is inconclusive as well. Why aren't people making a better effort to validate this data? 1314423992 +Thank you! \nthat makes sense now. phew ... thought i was going crazy 1321225292 +Hmmm. Thats actually a really good point. Our calendar year has 365.25 days in it. I wonder if the Mayans took that into account on their calendar somehow. 1348331979 +Sounds fun, sign me up! 1275002918 +> does not absolve them of the responsibility to provide any evidence at all.\n\n...? I never implied that it did?\n\nI was merely commenting on the fact that no matter steps are taken to provide evidence of these events, there will be a subset of people for whom no amount of evidence will matter; ergo, we will be hearing conspiracy rumblings no matter what happens. 1304346646 +Can I ask why you are talking to me about climate change? 1324701734 +>I really don't have a solution to the problem of human stupidity.\n\n*(sighs)* 1350430478 +Well imagine their point of view. Birds must plan relentlessly to take dumps on our people and our national monuments. Could you imagine their reaction to seeing a UFO? This would be the holiest of holies to locate and shit on. There would be large V formations coming from every point in the sky just for the honor of defiling something thats not even from here!......too far? 1300302204 +Gotcha- I guessed by your detailed description that you were more than observant enough to rule this out. Had to ask though. 1321493940 +You underestimate ancient civilizations. Egyptians had engineers, mathematicians, etc..\n\nSaying aliens built the pyramids is like someone 1,000 years from now saying aliens built the Empire State building.\n\nI guess it's POSSIBLE but it's really far-fetched. 1296785819 +Hang on...acting like a skeptic here...\n\nAs a voter in North Carolina, I was about to contact my rep. I wanted more ammo when talking about it, so I looked up [the bill](http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/billlookup/billlookup.pl?Session=2011&BillID=H819) in question.\n\nThe entirety of the bill is [as follows](http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/HTML/H819v0.html):\n\n>A BILL TO BE ENTITLED\n\n>AN ACT To amend laws relating to Ocean setbacks to protect the property rights of homeowners.\n\n>The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:\n\n>SECTION 1. Notwithstanding Article 7 of Chapter 113A of the General Statutes and rules adopted pursuant to that Article, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall not deny a development permit for the repair or reconstruction on its original footprint of any residential structures with total floor area greater than 5,000 square feet and constructed prior to August 11, 2009, when the basis for the denial is the setback requirements set forth in 15A NCAC 7H .0306(a).\n\n>SECTION 2. Rule‑Making Authority. – No later than October 1, 2011, the Coastal Resources Commission shall adopt temporary rules consistent with the provisions of Section 1 of this act. Notwithstanding G.S. 150B‑19(4), the rules adopted by the Commission pursuant to this section shall be substantively identical to the provisions of Section 1 of this act. The temporary rule shall remain in effect until a permanent rule that replaces the temporary rule becomes effective.\n\n>SECTION 3. This act is effective when it becomes law.\n\nSo what am I missing? 1338850041 +A placebo is bullshit pseudo-science in a capsule. \n\nIf a treatment is all in your head, what difference does the vehicle make? 1326055906 +Take your word for it? Isn't this supposed to be r/skeptic? 1302278904 +Hilarious you guys ;) 1291000400 +Keep in mind that aspirin was derived from willow bark at one point, and penicillin from mold. The revelation that a study showed that there may be naturally occurred biochemistry out there with greater affect than currently synthesized medication should not be considered inconcievable by itself, and an attack on the positive result rates in the very wide field of 'psychology' should not invalidate any individual study's methodology either. Clinical psychology/psychiatry, which relies on very standardized double-blind methodology, is very different from the esoteric experiments performed in social psychology for example. 1337652084 +How do you a do a double-blind trial to test an economic claim?\n\nJust because you can find some similarities between the study of economics and the study of science does not mean the scientific method is an appropriate course of action.\n\nSome problems are intractable; which is how the Austrian school approaches economics with regards to empirical data. That doesn't mean they don't want to be rigorous. 1313596155 +I think unless he told you about this dream before hand, its very likely just a form of Déjà vu. This sort of thing happens to me all the time. Some event happens and I'll have vivid memories of it happening before. I don't trust it unless I have proof that this memory was real before the triggering experience. 1345193602 +Quite simply, non-sequitur, but could also be construed as an ad hominem, and, as already pointed out, a genetic fallacy.\n\nThe negation of the argument -> "I've never been to war, but I can still define a war crime" makes sense, and invalidates the first argument. 1327506481 +is that the "oh kwa tanzin wah" guy? 1329026241 +There's no real evidence that any chiropractic technique actually works. Both mixers and straights use some physical therapy techniques (or similar to) which is why they get results. That and the placebo effect. \n\nA mixer is just a bad physical therapist; go to a physical therapist. 1348408423 +I guess my real problem is that there are a *multitude* of little plot holes and errors that could have been totally eradicated with the odd line here or there.\n\nNow maybe Scott was trying to avoid spoon-feeding the audience, but obfuscating character motivations just makes him look sloppy. If we don't understand their motivations, it's hard to identify with them. 1341191066 +Alright, I have semi long claw marks spanning across my entire back, (going down, not across) , I have faint scars on my inner arms, and small scars on my palms. The scars on my back and inner arms occurred from the same event; I attempted to reject a female spirit who chose to become obsessively possess over me, keeping me at protected from other spectre interactions while I was about 14 or 15. She became too much to the point of nearly hurting those in the physical realm who took my attention from her. She is gone, however she made sure to leave her mark. The ones on my palms are all gone due to growth, but at the age of 9 I attempted to physically attack a spectre of questionable origin. It did not work out well, and lead to a major mental trauma as well. 1344227712 +Heroine, duh. 1287182079 +I am excited to see this movie. If anyone is interested in another perspectives on abductions and abductees, read the book "Communion" by Whitley Strieber. It is phenomenal.\n\nhttp://www.amazon.com/Communion-True-Story-Whitley-Strieber/dp/0380703882 1257269541 +mmm bambi burgers! 1346430268 +"Except"? I *just* agreed and said it's in the post. But there is still dispute as to whether this impacts TED itself - but the point if being TEDx is made in the post. I couldn't make the point of the difference between TED and TEDx (assuming there *is* a difference - which is itself an ongoing argument) in the title, since that's irrelevant to the overall point. 1333248767 +>David Evans formerly worked (until 2006) in the Australian Climate Office where he did research into AGW. Evans has as much credibility in the field as any other person. There is no degree in climatology that I’m aware of, nor is there a certification or professional body. James Hansen, the main man in the field, is trained in physics. Persons in the field come from a wide range of disciplines, many of which touch on climate. A person who’s degree is in physical geography or chemistry is just as qualified if not more so. \n\nThat's all fine and dandy, except that [Evans is an Electrical Engineer](http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/David_Evans_(Australian_skeptic\\)). Evans' arguments have been [thoroughly debunked by Tim Lambert](http://scienceblogs.com/deltoid/2008/07/18/the-australians-war-on-science-16/), 1354471253 +guitar360 is clearly just making things up. 1340179163 +I also love Peep Show. It's actually written by other writers and only performed på M&W. 1282772033 +I don't think PageRank gives much juice to these links, frankly. Even if the reddit.com domain has quite a high PR, the juice it can give is distributed among all the links on the front page, so unless people are linking to the individual reddit post in question a lot, I don't think the individual posts have high enough PR to matter. 1337472951 +Well that's depressing. 1344516317 +Interesting. I can honestly say I didnt expect a response 6 days after I posted. Thank you for the info. 1313601000 +Just our luck...every time bigfoot appears, the guy with the camera accidentally gets Vaseline all over the lens. 1300982686 +A chemical imbalance (in this case in oxygen-deprived brain) will cause hallucination that is somewhat consistent regardless of age, sex, context, etc. 1319648494 +[Not in this particular case.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Blue_Book#Project_Blue_Book_Special_Report_No._14) 1348845544 +The home I grew up in was built in the early 1900's, so some weird stuff would go on. My father would have single handles rattle audibly and visually on a dresser, the shadows caught in the corners of your eyes, and stuff being misplaced in ridiculous places. \n\nMy dad always called it Uncle Creepy, and would always welcome him/her to stay, as long as it was welcoming to and kind to our family. I would hear footsteps at 3 am and other stuff growing up, but it never bothered me or scared me. When alone you had a near constant feeling of being watched, but in the sense of someone watching out for you. \n\nI think you should welcome it, and lay down ground rules. If it's kind, or a human spirit, I think it will honor your wishes. 1342260218 +> That still doesn't change...\n\nTotally irrelevant non-sequitur that had nothing to do with my original point. Flog that horse all you want archie, but I pass on arguing irrelevancies.\n\n> your lack of knowledge... is much bigger than mine\n\nIt is to laugh. I seriously don't think you understand any of this. If it weren't for (un)SkS feeding you talking points even more of what you write would be reduced to gibberish than already is (which is most).\n\n> your side keep saying...\n\nWell, given the first part of all this is just a stupid straw man that once again has nothing to do with me I'm just going to ignore it. As for the second part, the point you make is once again irrelevant to the discussion. IF the study wasnt a steaming pile of horseshit then MAYBE it would be relevant to the topic at hand. But it's not.\n\n> I don't see how I could get any dirtier...\n\nNow THAT was hilarious. Apparently the only one who believes in conspiracy theories in this discussion is you. \n\nYour arguments are so bad, pointless and irrlevant I'm rapidly beginning to think you're some sort of parody account. Do you have *anything* relevant to say about ascylons original point, the link he proved, or my follow up? Or are you just going to keep frothing like a child? 1347251645 +Pretty much. Though, in some abstract way, I imagine the American people/government are helping out due to tax write-offs on those donations. 1341010414 +Is this blogspam again? 1351789021 +Thanks for posting that follow-up. I can't believe I missed that episode of Radiolab, and I will try to catch up with SGU as well. 1307897881 +me too\nEDIT: Send me a message too 1354391301 +That happened to me too; it was exactly like those coin-operated vibrating beds they sometimes have in motels. There was a loose pane in the window that registers the slightest tremor, so I know it was the bed only. I searched high and low for the source of the vibration, and then sat on it for ten minutes in wonder before going about my business; I don't know when it stopped, but it went on for hours. Funny it never occurred to me to just lie down and enjoy it; too disconcerting I guess. All I can think of is a dead kitty who considered that bed his in life. 1336067934 +inb4 cgi 1341546568 +besides the bible saying that the earth is only 5000 years old and therefore carbon dating is wrong and therefore core samples are fraudulent, what evidence is on the "other side" of this issue that 99% of scientists have formed a global consensus on? 1343458349 +"Electro Man" is "immune to electrocution"? Hmm... I'm sure I and my fellow electrical engineers could find a way to prove that claim false. 1283028058 +i don't think it matters. either you believe in ghosts or you don't. any idiot can say a picture is Photoshopped. only a wise man will consider what could happen if it isn't. 1337200616 +'you know what they call alternative medicine that has been proven to work? Medicine." 1322074395 +Well yeah...but when it *does* decompose, it turns into mostly carbohydrates. The white lettuce and overgrown tomatoes provide some vitamins, but not much. And what meat is actually present in the meal is most likely spiders and navel fluff. 1281844910 +Things that actually work. This "alternative treatment" for cancer is probably something completely bogus like homeopathy that wouldn't even have an effect, let alone help stop the cancer. 1356607153 +I appreciate your curiosity!\n\nSome of them are commercial farms, although they don't need giant plots of land, because "beyond organic" techniques are actually much *more* productive/profitable per acre than even high-intensity modern monoculture/CAFO techniques (note that this, among other things, puts the lie to the blog the OP posted). Use this: www.polyfacefarms.com/ as a jumping-off point, feel free to explore as your level of interest guides you.\n\nThanks for the cite and good-faith effort - I knew that it didn't make sense that organic pesticides would be *more* toxic than their conventional counterparts. [ed note: on second read, I misread your point earlier - my bad] \n\nI'd never advocate for traditional organic methods as the solution, and in any case, pesticide toxicity (which is one of the more... tangential concerns of the sustainable ag movement, to say the least) definitely wouldn't be one of the reasons I'd advocate for organic ag. Besides, regulatory capture has rendered the US "organic" classifcation meaningless.\n\nSomething interesting I note reading through your blog, there - I think there's a real danger in relying on generalists to make evaluations about field-specific claims. Let me illustrate: \n\n"Some in the organic lobby have said that organic farming reduces or eliminates the need for added nutrients by rotating crops and better managing the soil. This is true, but it's always been true of all farming, and is in no way unique to organics."\n\nThis isn't the point at all! It's like the author has never heard of topsoil depletion, soil desertification, or soil sterilization.\n\n"To make synthetic fertilizer, we start with nitrogen, which we extract from the atmosphere. This process is infinitely sustainable and produces no waste."\n\nUh....[Nitrogen fertilizer production is tied directly to natural gas, the energy source used in the United States to synthesize nitrogen-rich ammonia from thin air](http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2010-02-12/tracking-us-farmers%E2%80%99-supply-nitrogen-fertilizer)\n\nAs we know, fossil fuels are infinitely renewable as well! Not to mention the atmosphere's limitless ability to absorb waste carbon.\n\nLook, I could go on, but my point is that you should be very careful about relying on generalists like this when considering a specific field. Often times, like in this article, what they say may be technically true, or logically true, but it also oftentimes forms an incomplete picture of the situation. \n\nIn any case, if you're interested in a refutation-through-practice (the experimental method! Joel Salatin's (Polyface's owner/manager) opinion of academic debates like this is really pertinent too) check out that link earlier. If you're interested in conventional v organic v sustainable agriculture, check out *The Omnivore's Dilemma* by Michael Pollan (who *is* an expert in the field, and includes loads of citations/resources in his works), and stay curious!\n\n(dawg, by the way, is always acceptable in informal situations, at least in the circles (sweet ones) that I run in. and the day i hold myself to a standard of formality on my internet message boards is the day i heavily reconsider my time-management choices, lol) 1310608313 +Nope. They are heavily edited and events are exaggerated in order to make them more exciting and appealing to viewers. \n\nA simple rule of thumb I personally go by is not to trust film of any sort, especially tv shows, when it comes to paranormal stuff. 1335888027 +Yeah, what I heard didn't really sound like many of them. It wasn't as loud. And it was a long drawn out sound that vibrated the porch I was standing on. I just found it odd. It only lasted about 10 minutes or so. I dunno what it was, but first time I heard it, just wanted to make a note of it. 1330516008 +There's only one way that sprite tastes and coke and Pepsi flavors aren't too varied, so...well I can't say what would happen. I'd have to see the experiment. Red wines can have lots of variety, so it's not going to be easy to guess that it is red colored white wine, which is a situation that probably never comes up for most people. 1323797634 +Given your second paragraph, it seems you're taking this a bit too emotionally and so didnt understand. Or you're just an idiot, but lets assume its case nr. 1 (Also you possibly dont understand what "rational" means). \n\nI'm not saying what he's doing isnt good, right or that exposing bullshit is somehow wrong or bad manners or some such. What i'm saying is that its in no way *smart* or rational to knowingly put yourself into serious danger for a relatively trivial reason (there's nothing life threatening for anyone about the situation, the whole thing is very local, etc.), especially when there are far safer alternatives.\n\nBut thanks for your reply, your a grade A example of overemotional and irrational people preventing reasonable discussions if they even slightly relate to something unpleasent. 1334242135 +Your modesty embiggens you! 1294634978 +As a former Jew (or a bad Jew depending on who you ask), it's the best part of hanging around "my people." 1343919951 +No, we haven't observed black holes. We are trying to but have yet to be successful. 1334003762 +I just now got the kindle edition of his book. Ill let you know. \n\n 1356705978 +www.andromedacouncil.com\n\nI like this guy, no end of the world shit... just evolution. 1344922884 +The second one. 1287517626 +It's worth noting they went through completely separate hypnotic regression sessions and were encouraged to not talk to each other about the sessions after the fact. 1306003343 +I suppose we have to be thankful it was in a higher resolution than these sort of things normally are - but still - my initial reaction was not ET - i dont know why, maybe it was the colours used in the flashing - i know that sounds wacko lol but still thats what i thought - lol reading that back i sound bonkers rofl\n\nAnyway i thought it might be some sort of r/c helicopter or something, but the kites fit the bill better - i would put my bet on them. 1343664127 +Yep. This seems superimposed. 1327799208 +I'm a bit of a skeptic, but read this genre as good-fun fiction. Bear with the sneering quotation marks :)\n\nIf this is true, this bit gets me:\n\n> We were all standing in a circle in the parking lot just talking. We had either just gotten done smoking, or were playing hacky sack. Now that I think of if, we were standing to close to have just hacked. I think we were done smoking, and standing around smoking cigarettes, talking.\n\nOk, maybe you don't remember because it was 10 years ago. However, when people have 'really' had encounters, repressed memories can be involved. The starting point for finding the memories are to recount the event and look for logical gaps when the details get fuzzy. You can rationalize a scenario, but you don't really know for sure how you got from memory A to memory B, and it makes you a bit uncomfortable thinking about it. UFO/spooky 'experts' jump in with hypnosis at this point to 'recover' the lost memories, but since hypnosis can also plant false memories, the witness/victim can never be trusted again.\n\nThe text I quoted you on sounds like any missing time you might have had started right before you were in a circle. In other words, your spooky encounter was *before* you remember seeing the craft and blocked in your mind.\n\nAnyway, try to think really carefully: what was the last thing you can clearly remember before you were standing in a too-close circle. Any images, sounds feelings? Do they make sense? Can you remember the next moment? That sort of critical thought begins to dredge up (or fabricate, depending on your expert) any buried memories.\n\n 1348486605 +I... love you? 1348707639 +Good points. Nice to see you here discussing this stuff. I think you basically nailed it.\n\nI am one of the few people who are 'not necessarily in favor of disclosure'. I seriously question if humanity is ready for it; mainly because humanity has such a massive ego that many of us are not ready to have races more intelligent than us knock us off the top sentient tier. The same ego that currently has most redditors dismissing such discussions as kooky to the point of not even wanting to say 'what if?'. I always make comments in r/space that get people all worked up due to 'lack of proof'.\n\nI agree that subconscious fear plays heavily into it. I doubt if it's something to seriously be afraid of, but our paradigm is bound to come crashing down if disclosure happens. That's scary enough. As for them visiting, if their motives weren't peaceful I'm sure we'd know it by now. We wouldn't stand a chance fighting against that sort of intelligence and technology. How do you fight against telepathic extraterrestrials if you don't have telepathy?\n\nI would go further and say that there is some other underlying reason why this info is not being disclosed. Something major; something which would make all countries align in an effort to keep it secret, or at least so it is dismissed as hoaxy or delusional. Not sure what that might be. That they seeded us as a race, maybe?\n\nSuch a fascinating topic. I could go on for hours.\n 1283808387 +It sounds awfully similar to ADHD. What's the difference? 1353026439 +You should email the avionics expert. Tell him you want his resignation and to take his job. Apparently you know better. 1352955934 +So if I learned homeopathy at a Canadian medical school, that would make it less of a crock? 1259688279 +This argument is self contradictory.\n\nThe author, Dana Nuticelli, is trained in physics, not [epistemology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemology), the theory of knowledge, but here he is making an epistemological statement, not one concerning physics.\n\nIf, as he insists, only experts in a domain are qualified to speak in matters concerning that domain, and given that he is not an expert in this particular field, then he has just disqualified himself from making his own argument.\n 1349755705 +Better try and police content providers. This is the equivalent to freaking the fuck out because someone nipple is visible on tv for a fraction of a second. 1333239813 +Hi, Mr(s). Pubilus LXXII (I hope I got that right) -- My name's Jfred, I'm the local mod (with my good friend kylev), and I just thought I'd say hello and explain some things.\n\n1) Reporting people for libel is not particularly effective, as there is nothing I'm likely to do to remove anyone's comment in this subreddit. The only such comments that get removed are ones that threaten people, reveal personal information, or are obvious marketing spam. Everything else stays. Look at that, free speech!\n\n2) Lying is not a bannable offense either. If you think he is lying, prove it! In /r/skeptic we value hard evidence. Surely if you provide that evidence, and enter into some honest discussion (without *a priori* considerations or conclusions), then I think you'll find most of us open and willing to engage you in that kind of discussion. If they aren't, they'll hear from me when I notice it.\n\nSo, I just wanted to note all that to you. I made the assumption that you're new here, if that's wrong, take this as a belated welcome. I hope that this clarifies when it's okay/useful to report comments in /r/skeptic.\n\nThanks for reading!\n\n 1355371404 +I completely agree with what your saying. Radio waves certainly arent the best way to broadcast that we're here, but theyre pretty much the best we have for long distance communication.\n\nBut on the off chance that someone heard us, they would have to be sufficiently advanced to pick up that same signal and therefore should know how to create it to respond, or know of a better way to contact us back. Them replying with a crop circle is equivalent to us going to some planet and tagging "Earth4Lyfe" on one of their bridges. Crop circles are man made, regardless of whether someone else figured out how they did it or not. Anything else is Ancient Aliens-level speculation. 1354662577 +And overall the glasses do offer 50% protection. 1303293696 +>Also: they actually do not want to be responsible for a bloodbath caused by a war between two militias. I don't think you have thought this through.\n\nBut they're totally cool with the resulting bloodbath from US military intervention. 1331495533 +I agree with Bronsonite. If you feel disoriented after every knock on the head then there could be something wrong with you. I'm no doctor but I think it's best to just be cautious. No more running around Dad's dungeon with Jake, okay? 1354245501 +WTF? Uni network blocks liveleak.com because of violence. Great... 1308760206 +Someone else did the work on the local news cast comments.\n\nThere's more in some archery forum, but I can't access it at this time. 1291966939 +Ha, I know...sorry I made it sound better than it was. 1292557789 +...but it's from the Northern Punjab Mountains! So it must work! :-) 1290537500 +[This is part of the discussion.](http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/ijkef/new_report_on_obesity_stats_by_state_details/c24csk0)\n\nbut yeah, it's funny that you guys already downvote me before I even try to provide an example 1317138693 +Just the retards... 1316357455 +Birds (especially Gulls native to the area) were a serious contender for the analysts - When the navy discounted birds the Air Force took over the analysis and their conclusion was even more startling - They concluded that the objects were 'intelligently controlled flying craft' but not planes. What the documents contained can be found in these sources;\n\n Project Blue Book files\n\n Correspondence: Key witness to U.S.A.F., 11 August 1952.\n Interview between A.F. Intelligence Officer and key witness, 10 September 1952. \n\nRuppelt, E.J. The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects, Garden City, New York: Doubleday; Ace Books. \n\nPentagon Press Officer Albert Chop, also corroborates this account in a documentary - The Truth about Flying Saucers (1956)\n\nAnd of course J Allen Hynek was present at the meetings where they were discussed and corroborates all of the above. 1349727127 +Being shocked might be true but only because we have been brain washed for so damn long. Once everyone knows the truth, they will find that if the aliens wanted to do us harm, they could. Man kind, just like me, has to realize that there are certain things that are in our control and there are certain things that are out of our/my control. Once you realize that, then you can say fuck it, whatever happens, happens. I mean, we can try to fight with our stick and stones but I'm sure they could fuck us up at will. \n\nIt could be that they don't want us fucking up space like we tend to do down here on earth. Also, the government may not want us to know so that they can maintain power and control. 1337987622 +I liked him even more when he flat out said that anti-vaccinationists are killing children while being interviewed by Sanjay Gupta. 1298651225 +>found its way into The Wall Street Journal under the title "The Radium Water Worked Fine Until His Jaw Came Off",\n\nI think that would qualify as jaw-dropping news. 1295782390 +I miss Perry with each SGU ep. The show while great is still missing that element of Perry keeping the rest of the Rogues in line. monkeys rule. 1297215668 +Care to share the photo with the smiling ghost? 1313546490 +As a skeptic, I can't jump straight out and call bullshit on these cloths. However I have no reason to suspect they would work better than any old terry cloth towel to do the same job. And I bet you won't be able to do very many windows with the same cloth without them getting mucked up.\n\n* For starters, the antibacterial claim is taken care of by silver. That one is true. Just don't try to ingest silver, it will turn you blue eventually.\n\n* There are existing products like Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser for taking smudges off of walls that work. http://home.howstuffworks.com/magic-eraser.htm\n\n* Water is still an effective substance for cleaning. It's just that soaps & other solvents makes the work far easier.\n\nSo I don't doubt that this product may work as advertised. But I do doubt, I can get more than one clean window from a single towel, and I doubt it would be any more efficient than a bucket of terry cloth towels, and I doubt I would find using this product easier or more efficient than that traditional ammonia & throw away paper-towel method. 1341254534 +Here's the [story](http://consumerist.com/2012/07/homeowner-pulls-gun-to-stop-new-electric-meter-from-being-installed.html).\n\nRelevant quote:\n>"Our constitution allows us not to have that kind of intrusion on our personal privacy," she explains. "They’ll be able to tell if you are running your computer, air conditioner, whatever it is." 1342927267 +Whoa! This is crazy/cool. 1354623542 +I can answer this partly for Jay, he has mentioned Carl Sagan - Demon Haunted World as a favorite skeptical book on the show a number of times... 1346247053 +For years I never heard of shadow people actually interacting or assaulting anyone and now here's the second one in two weeks. Have I just been misinformed or are they getting worse? 1326592347 +That was pretty good. What looses it for me is when one of the small light just whips across the screen from left to right. For some reason that doesn't look right. I'd love to see the evidence that this is fake. 1281047574 +> Just a Brit/US English thing... in the UK, "mentalist" is slang for someone with a psychiatrist disorder or who acts crazily. We get the show "The Mentalist" over here, but all the same, that's not what we think of when we call someone a "mentalist".\n\nWhat a load of bollocks. Firstly, stage mentalism is an established British tradition, just because you haven't heard of something, doesn't automatically mean it's an American import. Secondly, I've never heard any one other than Alan Partridge use it as a substitute for "mental".\n\nMentalism has a long British tradition, but the word hasn't been used much in recent years, possibly because our most famous modern mentalist (Derren Brown) says he doesn't like the term, and doesn't use it to describe himself.\n\nIf you're interested, in educating yourself, I'd suggest watch the BBC's History of Magic episode on Mentalism. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrHWgWNXveY 1315294927 +I mean that the hypothetical gov't branch would have to be a very busy one with a lot of resources. (That could be done if you throw enough budget at it.) You'd also have to agree on maximal time frames within which the observational data would need to be gathered and evaluated in order to make decisions based on them. Is there a constant? Does it vary, depending on the nature of the "thing" analyzed? What constitutes success or failure? With some things that's relatively easy to answer, with others not at all. After all, it's not just about black-and-white scientific facts; especially with "soft sciences", sociology etc., I see a lot of potential for disagreement.\n\nAgain, I'd welcome some sort of working solution, but I think it would be far from perfect. 1343924859 +Is this why we can't have nice things? 1352000438 +>How did they know? Are the elephants psychics?\n\nI think that's exactly the crap these people are trying to promote. 1355137132 +I'll just take your non-reply as an admission that you don't know what you're talking about, after committing a logical fallacy while trying to explain "universal logic" to me. 1311040085 +"135 Million pus cells?" As in the effluvia that comes out of an infected wound? What? How would that even get in the milk in the first place?\n\nNot to mention that 135 million of anything at a microscopic level is pretty small potatoes. 1346001268 +Ya know.... I didn't even think for one second that they could be any kind of gnome. I did assume they were some kind of elemental (which, a-duh, gnomes are elementals. man, i feel stupid.), and also didn't put they ol' superstition of iron anything to the test. But on this thought, maybe I will. Thanks. 1348249034 +and this is why we cant have nice completions 1322465362 +You can't keep government honest. If history has demonstrated anything it is this.\n\nHonestly, I trust the government less than I do a corporation. I know a corporation's motives, the bottom line. It is a legal construct built to earn. A government can act as deviously as a corporation, but with complete immunity and often with interests and motives that are varied and complicated.\n\nI think it is absolute insanity to put any trust in government. 1345187782 +No....it's not. No science teaches I can control reality. 1354483063 +[That's fake](/http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/05/02/6568249-webs-bin-laden-death-photo-just-the-photo-is-fake) 1304360494 +I worked at CVS for a couple years. I hid that shit behind things and advised customers to purchase actual medicine. 1329268722 +I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean by that first sentence?\n\nYou specifically said: ''The Bible and Torah don't have passages saying it's OK to lie, cheat, and murder infidels.'' And that the most blatant was ''kids being killed by bears and stuff''. That's what I'm responding to, because those things *are*, in fact, in the Bible. And many Christian do consider the OT canon. 1347613881 +You were a Token Ring user. I can tell. 1309046324 +This reminds me of a woman who walked up to me while i was texting a friend and said "Get rid of your phone or you'll get cancer like me!", she then proceeded to take a drag from her cigarette. 1332009988 +...I'm not very good with puns. 1315438646 +It's a pretty hypothesis, but given the lack of evidence I doubt it holds water. 1278602199 +I apologize myself. I was a little harsh....and that's the thing with text, there is no emotion. Man, you don't know how many times I've said, "but...but...I didn't mean it THAT WAY". Haha. In reality, if we were speaking to each other, I think this would be a good conversation, minus our childish antics...lol. OK, the issue at hand, the reason I feel so strongly is because I do know about this Guy and his history, as I have been in the UFO field for nineteen years now and I have read a lot about a lot of folks. Granted, there have been a lot of false deathbed confessions and you could say that some have done it for fame or for legacy, who knows. I just know this man was a no nonsense individual and was known to be "a geek" for lack of a better word. He was very scientific and documented all of his work to an annoying degree for his coworkers. It's really too much for me to type, but sure, his could be a lie too, and if so, then it's a real shame. I know you are just saying to have a healthy amount of skepticism and I agree with you.\n\nShit, I can't stand it when people equate ALL UFOs to ETs...it drives me nuts haha. A UFO is just that, unidentified flying object. OK I'm rambling here. Look, check out a few things for me, get or download the book called "UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government officials Go On Record by Leslie Kean", it's a great book. Also keep an eye on ufocasebook dot com and ufocenter dot com. Read some reports. Again, if his confession is a lie, shame on him, but too much is pointing to it being a good confession in my eyes. Again, I'm sorry too, I'll make it up to you. 1334119216 +It's exactly that lack of harmony with Mother Earth that was my point, perhaps I could clarify a little further. For example, if an ET race were to find that humans are being destroyed by another, potentially hostile race, then stepping in and lending a hand may be warranted, much like we humans step in when a species here on earth is being driven to extinction by something like pollution. However, if said ET race were to find us in the unfortunate process of self-destruction, as we currently appear to be doing, then they may be forbidden from providing aid, much as a scientist here on earth would be forbidden from helping a species dying out due to a simple lack of adaptability. Just a thought... 1352888809 +He looks more like Charles Darwin every day. 1317475658 +I urge you to read Carl Jung. You may be able to get some insight into this experience. As you may know, he wrote on the UFO phenomenon and had quite a bit to say about dreams.\n\nI, too, have a dream-related experience of an alien presence. Then again, I have had dreams of all kinds of unlikely circumstances and events.\n\n*Dreams* 1351623827 +If she was a real psychic, she would have answered before any questions were submitted. 1316664314 +Having owned a Rott, and having had friends with Rotts, they are actually VERY sweet and gentle dogs. They are rather possessive, perhaps that is where the stereotype comes from, but ultimately, they are a product of how they were reared. \n\nPitt Bulls are also rather gentle, but there is one thing you need to be aware of with a Pitt Bull, they have a genetic disorder that effects whatever percentage (I do not know the number on the top of my head, but I know it is more than a simple few) that can best be described as lock jaw. Regardless of their behaviour patterns or temperment, they can quickly and easily lock up when doing something simple as playing, leading to the mob mentality that they are aggressive. This is not true, it is years of genetic breeding that has caused a flaw, resulting in a very sad plight for them.\n\nThat being said, I would never own a Pitt Bull. I have been around many, and have found all of them to be absolute sweet hearts. But I can not trust them with my child due to this genetic flaw that causes their jaws to become death traps when even they least expect it.\n\nSource: Me--having breed, trained, and taken in over 300 dogs in 29 years. 1333585225 +I like how the MMA guy completely switches modes after being declared winner, and sprints over to make sure the old geezer is okay. 1269560856 +This is an excellent capture in my opinion. Even without prior knowledge, I would have seen the figure. Reminds me of this pic uploaded to ghostsstory. While it's not as clear... it seems [something](http://ghostsstory.com/007000/photo/view/queen-mary-ghosts-2-3/) can be made out of it. 1313469088 +I dunno man, I watched the whole series. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy - especially since he spent the prior 7 episodes ridiculing pretty much every religion. Before Bob did the 'exorcism', he spent a long time giving John suggestions via a very lengthy 'personality test', which I'm sure preloaded John with specific thoughts of 'demons' and the bad things he'd done and had remorse for and whatnot. The relentless and methodical nature of the 'exorcism' makes me think that Bob is just an expert hypnotist and he preys on people using his skills. 1285339746 +I think a bird took it and that was why it was clawed up 1353454936 +I believe there is some pretty compelling evidence that we are being observed (but I'm not sold 100%). If this is true, I see no evidence that these "extra-terrestrials" are looking to initiate contact with man kind. To me, it would appear that they're taking more of a biologist approach, "observe but don't interfere". Or perhaps our collective consciousnesses is not ready to accept what the existence of extra-terrestrials would imply to meaning-of-life views, and they are being polite. Regardless, I see the metaphorical ball in their court. If they are out there, and want to have contact, they will initiate it. 1345571709 +Someone with an HD DVR, get on it! 1311353209 +I came to this conclusion while browsing NaturalNews.com and reading their comments. At least two people per article ranted about how great Ron Paul is, actually they just said support him, and gave little reasons, if any, of why someone should. 1334854349 +Honestly, this comes across as quite condescending. It's also sort of logic defying because your statement seems to be "don't just take things at face value" but you start off by saying "take what I'm saying at face value...it's *all* humans." I don't know how you reached this conclusion. \n\nVarious groups have come forward and they can replicate some of the phenomena...not all of it. Within the most interesting crop circles there are phenomena that would be difficult for humans to replicate: microwave radiation, the depositing of iron within the circle, and actual changes to the plant itself. \n\nA few years back an MIT group did research on several circles and verified these aspects. I don't doubt that humans could create the designs but in conjunction with these other elements I think other explanations come into play. \n\nAlso, "Fox News" is becoming like the new "Hitler" in internet debate. The same things that make that network's journalism so tedious exist in all the other major networks. I think we'd both agree that consulting multiple choices on an issue is important. 1345205171 +[knock yourself out man.](http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/genetics/one-species-living-worldwide) 1290036102 +You're quite welcome. 1346938334 +*statistically significant* has a different meaning to significant as used colloquially. \nIt means they could say there was a measurable difference in mercury levels, not that it had a large effect. \n\nit increased mercury levels far less than eating one normal tuna sandwich . 1327576896 +Scumbag UFO witness\n\n\nSees UFO\n\ntakes one shitty picture 1355389266 +This has always been my favorite short of Animatrix. 1326465882 +it's manifest bitterness and hate for the naivete and stupidity of our species 1340154822 +de·bunk \nExpose the falseness or hollowness of (a myth, idea, or belief) 1320001701 +give it up travis im not telling you who i am 1349280816 +This is probably going to be downvoted. What disturbs me, ist that the lights move constantly, but as soon the camera zooms in, they just stop movng... why is that? Because the UFOs know when the camera is zooming in? 1339043865 +Both Firefox and Chrome have Adblock. \nI never see any of those ads. 1302388944 +Ah, I've been casually following the blog since around September. I just never saw his specific estimations of voting percentages per state. I stand corrected. 1352303019 +Not a doctor, but that sounds a bit like paranoid schizophrenia to me. 1311119047 +>Friends in the sky, eh? I must have missed the part where aliens were documented creating crop circles. Please cite source.\n\nThis is the UFO subreddit. What did you expect? 1246751870 +> we simply put it reste 1/4 of the times (*as the other farms do*) \n\nIn fact it's illegal not to do it here, it's not a jail sentence just they can loose all the gov funding as you can see on the [maps](http://www.applications.mayenne.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/cartographie-des-sites-natura-2000-r116.html) with the natura 2000, Yes its french and to resume me - hug trees and not war.\n\nThe OP didn't ask how to be a bio-farmer but the internets opinion on what's wrong in monsanto, that was my opinion, i clearly stated that, we don't they have too much power and no can stop them (doesn't mean we have to bend over), about really about *corn* or how to grow something. \n\nI will leave this here and hope you understand it's my personnal opnion, we don't live in the same country, the regulations are different and i guess we don't do the same work.\n\noff to bed. 1325629246 +I'm not sure I understand how you mean that phrase to apply here. 1344544149 +Thanks so much for the clarification. Smacked my forehead at your second paragraph, it's so parallel to other topics, I don't know how I didn't notice it before. 1345700779 +Now that I've learned a lot about photography, my explanation since has been [bokeh](http://webdesignledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/bokeh_photography_10.jpg)\n\nHere are some bokeh orbs I got with [snow](http://i.imgur.com/UxUJ9.jpg) that resemble common "paranormal" orbs. Notice that I took the shot with flash, too, as many "orb photos" are.\n\nIf I'm not mistaken, the farther the particle from the lens' focus length, the more aggressive the bokeh will be. If you pick up a piece of dust on the flash at just the right angle to be picked up by the camera, the lens will do its bokeh thing. It happens a lot with flash in very dark areas because of the contrast. 1336066629 +I used to think the same way. However, they only say "Life as we know it" needs water to survive. My understanding is, they are simply saying that life forms as we know like humans and animals here on earth can't survive on such horrid conditions. \nIf you watch Stephen Hawking's "Into the Universe", he discusses about other forms of life that are not carbon based and can be water independent. 1335885884 +Could be. The angle of the window is about right for catching a reflection from your flash. Sucks that you had such a scam artist for a guide. Better luck next hunt!\n\nEdit: spelling. 1349337735 +Similarly, my sister's house in Phoenix had the same layout as one of my friends' houses in San Diego. At least, the ground floors perfectly matched. 1331684324 +just as i expected, ill pray for you, have an open mind at least, consider it as a possibility 1332821097 +My research shows 75% of statistics majors agree. 1320290243 +[Google Tech Talk: Cognitive Nueroscience of Mindfulness Meditation](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf6Q0G1iHBI) I guess it's related enough, but there's a few good sources for those needing more information. 1353628106 +Ah no problem, I just meant it as a light-hearted joke with no overall meaning. Thanks for the insightful reply though! 1353358024 +In all honesty, i don't think disclosure, in the form of statements from the heads of states on the planet, will happen. Ever.\nIf anything happens, it'll be the stereotypical landing on the front lawn of the White House or somewhere else equally as prominent to announce their arrival.\nThink of what full disclosure would mean to our society, right now, or even in a few decades time.\nThink of what disclosure would do to religion on Earth...\nChristianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism. Do you think these religions would be able to accept it? I think not!\nThe pope once sidestepped a question about aliens by simply saying that if there were other beings on other planets, then they were also probably made by God.\nSounds like the Catholics have been preparing for a while now, but for the millions of other religious people? How do you think they would react?\nThe world would be in chaos and not a very nice place to be...\n\nJust my thoughts on the matter. 1340727764 +>...however, the sham reiki had exactly the same effects, and there were no differences between real and sham reiki.\n>\n>What does this mean?\n\nHmmm, I wonder. 1318406657 +Ok. I'm not having this conversation with you. I understand your refusal to consider that vaccines are questionable. Your judgement of me is quite inaccurate and chances are you haven't really done much research yourself.\n\nHave a nice day :) 1328670162 +This is one of my favorite pastimes! Telling one of my friends point blank lies that on the surface sound like they could possibly be true. When asked "really?" I just yell out "NO!" I'm a good friend.\n\nExample: The name of the porcupine came from the fact that they would poke you with their quills and resembled pine trees "poke of pine" gradually changed into "porcupine" 1330721527 +James Gleick's: [Chaos: Making a New Science](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos:_Making_a_New_Science). \nWhich explores the birth of Chaos Theory, where each chapter is a story about researchers exploring this often looked-down upon new science. It is one of the books that might have coaxed me into getting back into research. Well, I might have gone back into research anyways, but this book is an inspiration. 1345690415 +Scams is for making money. How the fuck is he gonna make money if he put up the movie on youtube, FOR FREE?\nAnd if you watch the whole thing, you wouldent even be writing this. 1338306760 +Nice job trying to generalize me in with people who believe in ridiculous nonsense. I think it served your point well.\n\n\nIf you remember that you're having a conversation with ME, not every 'truther' you've encountered on the internet, you'll realize that I've never hinted to the belief in any outrageous and unfounded beliefs.\n\n\nIn fact, I presented you with facts that neither you nor NIST can provide explanation for. I've provided you with just one of many good resources of independent research.\n\n\nYou seem content in staying in your comfort zone and warding off anyone who may threaten the deteriorating bubble you live within. I wish you luck coming up with enough personal attacks to protect your delicate little bubble. 1350193814 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnL0XgK_plY#t=6m10s , perhaps you could take a look better on that time frame 1337128884 +Nice try, psychic hotline person 1271862607 +I've seen the youtube video, and wikipedia also says that he has done this.\n\nThe youtube video though makes me skeptical, it sounds like he's just bullshitting. It could be possible, but it sounds like he's just making stuff up. If it were possible to find out who this old woman he claims to have kicked in the face was, that would help. 1344207762 +Hundreds of millions of years of reproduction and evolution. 1337072591 +Hardly a surprising study. If you're emotionally invested in a certain idea, it is almost impossible for you to be able to see the other side of the argument. Take birthers, for example. Literally every theory they have put forth has been debunked, and yet they're still out there... 1329757704 +I'm not vegan, i'm just a normal reddit citizen who is tired of hearing the same lame ass joke over and over again. The worst part is that the people who tell it seem unaware of the irony of telling a joke about vegans announcing themselves to world in every meat eating circle jerk thread. 1296783616 +Yes, they are building landing strips for gay Martians. I swear to God. 1331267419 +so what exactly is he claiming ? that he can hit his arm with a machete and be ok ? 1353578329 +Girls love it. 1321550100 +Can I use a digital kitchen timer? Cuz future? 1350398295 +[Similar article](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/31/health/31pray.html?pagewanted=all) 1324892320 +what rocket?\n\nedit: comments say it could be a failed soyuz launch on 23 dec. gonna check it out.\n\nedit: Somehow I missed the news but there was a failed Soyuz 2.1B launch from a northern Pleseck cosmodrome. Rocket was equipped with a new engine system and was carrying a Meridian satellite. It's debris is reportedly fallen in the Novosibirsk region. I've looked through the videos and comments to get more info on the UFO sighting: Sighted mainly in Chelyabinsk region, object was seen for 2-3 minutes flying from N-W at 6PM. The rocket was launched at the same time. I've put some points on the map http://g.co/maps/8awd7 \n\nNow it's identified - failed Soyuz 2.1B rocket 1324766507 +I kind of think of this (when it comes to religion faith) as someone with a table with 50 legs. You have to take away a lot of legs before it falls and even with some people it won't ever fall because the center leg is rooted and it consists of "I believe because it feels good and I won't ever change my mind!" 1272614008 +I think my skepticism got me out of the trap of thinking I could rely on any political party instead of basing my decisions on their actual voting records. 1287638287 +I am getting so sick of all of us dying all the damn time. 1317084449 +It's controversial in no small part because theism itself is such a broad-sweeping, fragmented, and often nebulous concept. 1323582179 +As a prominent Vulvologist, I assure you, his methods are legit. 1320428670 +Yeah, not like they have better things to do in Kansas anyway. 1324309119 +I'm having trouble seeing the part where you disagree with me. Please specify where I was wrong.\n\nFor clarification, I was stating that the power to convince a person is more powerful in a first-hand experience rather than scientific studies. I was not saying that science was weak and powerless to explain reality.\n 1340043680 +You're being downvoted because this was cross posted to r/conspiracy to teach us Skeptics a lesson in conspiracy, not that any of your points are wrong: http://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/m6mzw/not_even_one_person_in_rskeptic_thinks_theres/ 1320986954 +I've been a Plus member for..a couple years, maybe? I never thought I'd pay for a podcast but it's money well spent. I'm listening to an episode as I type this, actually. MU is far and away the best podcast of it's type. \n\nI love letting people listen to the story of the Dibbuk box. 1344561035 +My father only eats the greenest parts of lettuce, which taste horrible, because they are more "rich in chlorophyll". I keep telling him chlorophyll is of no use to the human body whatsoever unless he plans to start doing the photosynthesis, but he won't listen. I think he got the idea from some quakery, since he has done the macrobiotic thing and other stupid diets before. 1334717672 +Actually, what pisses me off about your comment more than you ignoring the excessive amounts of science that says the recommended vaccine schedule is safe, is that you're making the "xxx has changed their stance on the safety/efficacy/whatever in the past, so we shouldn't trust them on their current stances."\n\n[Asimov](http://chem.tufts.edu/AnswersInScience/RelativityofWrong.htm) on the relativity of wrong: "John, when people thought the earth was flat, they were wrong. When people thought the earth was spherical, they were wrong. But if you think that thinking the earth is spherical is just as wrong as thinking the earth is flat, then your view is wronger than both of them put together." 1322955635 +i have a time machine myself. get a cardboard box, a standard kitchen timer. get in the box, set timer to an hour, then wait until it dings. congratulations, you've traveled an hour forward in time....... at normal speed. 1350236882 +during puberty and menopause this happens to a good handful of people for some reason, somehow the body either causes or attracts it. 1351261392 +Or recognize that some mathematical models use assumptions that don't work out as cleanly in the real world.\n\nOf course we are totally screwed if scientists ever develop spherical cows. 1311731281 +I imagine that some people don't get the joke, but so it goes with satire. 1348451761 +I'll be nice and just say that Wikipedia isn't exactly optimal for this sort of research.\n\nHave a look at [this](http://www.jbc.org/content/263/36/19392.full.pdf) or [this](http://jn.nutrition.org/content/135/6/1539S.long). In the latter, pay particular attention to the literature cited at the end for additional resources.\n\nTrouble with citing anything really credible is cost. There are many articles that have content germane to the topic but must be secured with payment unless you are in the field. 1305172732 +Chris Gardner (a 20 year vegetarian) in [Battle of the Diets](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eREuZEdMAVo) admits otherwise. 1335799739 +Kurt Vonegut wrote about the bombing of Dresden, for example\n. 1337363851 +You need a basic curse of logic. 1297666122 +Fish have teats? THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING 1317943477 +All "atheism" means is "lack of belief in god(s)". Just sayin. 1343007194 +I agree. It needs more marquee! 1284800268 +I don't think most people mind having a vegan friend question them. Mine get exactly one conversation to discuss it with me. What IS annoying is being confronted over dinner or constantly nagged. \n\nUnfortunately for nice vegetarians and vegans, too many people associate all of them with the zealous variety that do nag their friends about it. 1343795699 +You can do studies of identical twins where one smokes and the other doesn't in order to test the hypothesis that those that get lung cancer are genetically predisposed to start smoking. [Guess what](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VBF-4663BR6-DT&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F1989&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1ec162745bd6a919a5e6b45ae9b5ebf8&searchtype=a), no dice. Smoking does cause lung cancer. We know this not because of any one single result, but of hundreds if not thousands of results, which have studied the problem from many angles and have tried to isolate every possible variable that might account for an alternate explanation. 1293041087 +What a load of crap. I've had sex with thousands of demons and I'm still not gay. 1353960697 +Now replicate the green jelly bean study and demonstrate the [decline effect.](http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/12/13/101213fa_fact_lehrer) 1302105956 +then you answered your own question. 1321990617 +It sound like you might be happier in the [r\\Science](http://www.reddit.com/r/science/)\n\nAlso the things you claim seem kind ignorant (I don't mean to be condescending I just mean you seem to be ignoring that these issues are still major problems in many communities) since out here in the west the Anti-vax movement is still getting whole communities to drop to dangerous levels which has led to increased epidemics of [Whooping Cough](http://www.doh.wa.gov/Publicat/2012_news/12-038.htm) So should we ignore this or how about places like [Australia](http://theconversation.edu.au/pseudosciences-are-destroying-the-reputation-of-australias-universities-5685) are having problems with Homeopathy and CAM being taught in Colleges alongside science based medicine.\n\nI think the reason Anti-vax and CAM are such big and common occurances here is they do direct harm to people and communities especially. To say that this is not a problem either shows that you only are looking around at your own community and since it is not a problem there it is not a major problem elsewhere.\n\nYou make the claim it is a dead horse I can only conclude you are willfully ignorant when it took the skeptical community's input and hard work to stop this which happend only a couple weeks ago.\n\n[American Airlines to air dangerous antivax propaganda](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2012/04/23/american-airlines-to-air-dangerous-antivax-propaganda/) 1335460196 +No one said, "Faster-than-light travel"... Only that we've possibly observed neutrinos traveling faster than light. 1316746164 +http://www.phy.mtu.edu/~suits/notefreqs.html\n\nYou will notice that the frequency doubles and the wavelength halves in length as the note is raised by an octave. This is something which is necessary, rather than something that just sounds good. A note is an octave higher than another purely because it has a frequency that is doubled.\n\nIt is true that the scales we use now are based on what people thought sounded good, and what people are now used to, but even using some eastern scales - containing 15, 17 or 24 notes - the octave of any note will always be double the original and any octave will span double the frequency of the octave below it.\n\nMaybe that's more physics based now that I think about it but it seems close enough for me. 1278681853 +We may need to chemically engineer some sort of super salt to deal with this... 1287259783 +Here's one: If Osama wasn't actually dead, and suddenly the leading piece of news was the US had killed him, how long, in hours do you think it would be before he released another video? What better way to undermine the US than to show up alive? 1304565954 +Also: [Cyclamate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclamate#History), [Saccharin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccharin#History) and [Acesulfame K](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acesulfame_K#Discovery). . I recall another story where another sweetener was discovered due to a misunderstanding of the word "try", but I can't find it now. 1312577566 +Honestly, it looks like a reflection to me. Especially the way the two "orbs" line up perfectly and are the same shape. 1320429761 +It seems to me that there are also different types of pain and psychological pain enhancers. For example, if a torturer gave me the option, I'd choose any level of electric shock before I would choose a paper cut, or an eye gouging, or fingernail pulling. This choice is not for fear of disfigurement, but for a perhaps irrational fear of those "types" of pain. 1334852292 +Wow! The chiro didn't do x-rays before adjusting her??! 1356912648 +You...you take your upvote and get out. 1336445458 +You do realize the whole post is a joke right? 1273761672 +Actually I was referring to the thing Zak refers to as the 'spirit speak-and-spell" that just speaks words itself. The thing you were referring to seems pretty cool and legitimate. I want one actually, haha. 1348524101 +Agreed, and well said. All we can do is speculate. \n\nI would add that if the universe is indeed infinite and there are indeed many more dimensions or universes which somehow can be traveled between, we are likely ALL right to some extent. That is what makes this topic so incredibly interesting to me.\n\nI should also come clean and admit that I have a belief that many other UFO researchers discount: I believe that abductions ala John Mack and Bud Hopkins exist. I don't think that they are demons, though. I think that they are likely exactly what thousands of people describe them as: alien entities in search of DNA. See? I shouldn't point fingers.\n\n 1331598287 +I can tell you're just brimming with shits to give, so let me nip this in the bud.\n\nThe things you believe range from silly to possibly self-harming. Nothing you say will convince me that you're not a ridiculous person, and the only thing that can possibly help your case is demonstrating that you possess one Planck volume's worth of self-awareness. Lighten up. 1344227409 +I can't find it online either yet, let me know if you track it down.\n 1308949818 +Well I'm not saying it's likely, but with software like bootcamp, I could imagine it being possible. 1352572961 +[Law of One](http://www.lawofone.info/) 1345485896 +In the future, if I ever create a fake product that doesn't work (and shouldn't) please protest me by buying as much of it as you can. 1264865581 +am I missing something? the article makes a pretty good point that it was a lighthouse.\n\nI'm all for looking at the evidence, and in a lot of cases, the evidence suggests a true UFO. But being unscientific and believing in bad evidence only puts into discredit the rest of the good evidence out there. 1310295788 +> Considering that 75% of the American public\n\nOnly 40% accept evolution, every fifth American thinks the Sun orbits Earth. 1299074873 +>*one cow laugh*\n\nFTFY 1292837502 +Does anyone know how I can watch this from Italy? I'm American but I don't get syfy :( stupid navy 1342033642 +I think this was posted on r/WTF and the general consensus is swordfish. Nothing too paranormal here, guys. 1350133903 +For some unfortunate reason, r/skeptic is skeptical and rational about almost everything **except** acupuncture and chiropractic. Despite the numerous studies showing that they don't have any effect other than placebo, people keep talking them up here. It's r/skeptic's dirty secret. The more we call them out on their bullshit, the better. 1326041826 +If there really is an image in the window in real life, this phenomenon is [pareidolia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareidolia). \n\nIf you hadn't been told that it was supposed to be Diana, you wouldn't have seen her. The suggestion has been planted before you even see the footage.\n\n20 years ago, especially if you were Catholic, you might think it was the Virgin Mary. Or you might think it was Marilyn Monroe, or whoever.\n\nIt's more likely that the video is doctored. \n\nHere's why: we're not told what church in Glasgow this is, because we could then go and *look at the stained glass design* and compare it. The fact that the location is not mentioned is a bit of a give away that this is a beat-up, and so is the fact that it is being used in a TV show. The people doing the filming are also conveniently anonymous.\n\nThe video is so poor in resolution that there's no way to tell what is really on the glass in real life, but the image of Diana at one point suddenly gets clear and crisp, which suggests a superimposition. You can't improve a low resolution piece of footage in that way.\n\nThe movement of the camera looks like an editing job, too, does not appear like hand held movement, but more like the simulation of shaky cam from some video editing software. \n\nWhy would a ghost would manifest itself in a static image in a place that has only a tangential connection with their life? If you had that ability, wouldn't you manifest in some much more visible and recognisable location? 1327906510 +Excellent analysis of this [here](http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/a/6755), with citations. 1346162433 +I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure it's happened. I don't think I'm psychotic or anything like that, but when I was a kid I saw shadow people in my parents' house multiple times. \n\nIt's rare, but sometimes our brains just trick us. 1356905613 +Little known fact; before the invention of whiskey, Ireland was a futuristic utopia. 1284509252 +Expensive is relative to utility. Since homeopathy doesn't work, it is truly the wasteful expenditure. 1329151418 +this again? 1348863305 +[Nailed it (44:30)](http://youtu.be/wi2IC6e5DUY?t=44m30s) 1354115794 +Naturally. 1301620794 +I vote for option 5 as well 1339492427 +Earthquakes are caused by the motion of the earth's tectonic plates. The moon, or any other celestial body, has nowhere near enough influence on the earth to affect that. 1332414211 +no.\n 1341740401 +I checked the post. You came away with a positive score and none of the comments seem to hint at people disbelieving you. Was it PMs or something else that gave you the impression you weren't believed? 1353506248 +They are probably being DOS'd by everyone eager to see their response of the rapture not... rapturing. 1305996730 +Very interesting. Could you mock up a drawing of what you were seeing; its movement? You said this was at night, correct? Did the shooting star-like thing erupt *from* the object or behind it in the space that it was? 1337786874 +Downvoted for lack of actual information that makes this relevant to UFOs. 1313702344 +yeah, right.\n\nAdam = Tate. We've all seen American Horror Story. 1325697510 +Ah right. No worries then. Well it would be extremely weird if we were the only ones in the 'verse if one thinks about it. 1304615614 +Only if it was biodynamically tested to increase the magnetic balance in my system. 1305613746 +If everyone here reaches 2013 without some kind of flying, purple, raptor-jesus coming to "cleanse" the planet around Dec 2012, and I remembered to message you. Would you be able to answer me or would this account cease to exist? Would an alternate version of you continue on living in that parallel reality? Would that person have a recollection of noticing these glitches? \n\nYou don't seem to be erratic or "crazy". Although, there might be an information processing malfunction happening and it's causing you to perceive time differently. This is strictly my opinion and as I'm not a licensed psych/doctor, they are not meant to disrupt your thinking, just to enhance my own. 1336921542 +I'm just gonna start by saying you need to do more research and think critically about this subject before jumping into the "Let's all write a petition to submit to the government" as a briefing doc sort of thing. To begin with, your terms are all confused and your meanings are unclear. You need to define what exactly is meant by "prove the existence of UFO's" (sic), what type of investigation are you proposing? When you say you want to "spearhead" the document but don't want to be a leader, what are you saying?\n\nTo think that one document alone, or one research project, or one unified voice can make a difference is admirable. We all have to have passion in this subject if we want to see any headway in what amounts to disclosure of information about *already government verified and studied* Unidentified Flying Objects, which is what you are really talking about here. Take them to task about what is already acknowledged and go from there (as Leslie Kean has suggested).\nGood luck, young padawan. 1321977588 +Yes, thank you for the correction. My point really was that they are trying to say he's president illegally and not just that Americans don't like Kenyans. 1306471933 +Hate to ruin the fun...\n\nhttp://whenpigsfly.bz/Merchant2/p3.jpg\n\nPink Floyd can make pigs fly, unfortunately some assholes with too much time on their hands can as well...among other things. 1326096232 +You should remind him that Edison was an inventor early, and a hack and a cheat later in life. He also had no qualifications in medicine, and that field in his day either way was not so hot. 1330066506 +I saw another video with him in it where he claims that countries that had people vaccinated against polio took 2x as long for polio cases to disappear. Also, sodium bicarbonate cures cervical cancer apparently. 1332959534 +Your tone is appallingly dismissive. If you want to have a reasonable discussion, you need to engage with the opponent's argument, not just call them names and attack them personally.\n\nYou failed to analyse the merits of his argument and concentrated on your own agenda.\n\nIn short, it was just another Post-feminist copy-pasta. You were utterly dismissive of somebody who had good points to make, even if that person was not entirely correct.\n 1345138754 +It's really hard to gauge the size or distance in this clip. Has it been caught on film elsewhere? 1323711074 +> These could all be studied further\n\nThey could be, and that's the whole point, they should be studied further. However, none of the many obvious questions will be answered if it's continued to be ridiculed, marginalized and poorly understood.\n\n> nobody actually in support of UFOs is doing real, verifiable research\n\nI beg to differ. There are many folks involved in ufology who are doing real, verifiable research such as [Leslie Kean](https://www.facebook.com/lesliekean), [Richard Dolan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_M._Dolan), (arguably) Robert Hastings, [Stanton Friedman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanton_T._Friedman), and [Jacques Vallée](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Vall%C3%A9e). There have been other, well-respected researchers who have since passed such as [Dr. J Allen Hynek](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Allen_Hynek), [John E. MacDonald](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_E._McDonald) and [Major Donald Keyhoe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Keyhoe).\n\nYou're also prematurely assuming that UFOs and crop circles have any sort of connection, which I personally don't believe they do. At least there's no evidence to connect the two phenomena. 1312562456 +I reported his facebook page as a scam. I recommend we all do so. maybe it will create a stink if we can actually get him booted off. 1312277455 +I've never seen it... 1344137059 +It will be a great day for science and education when this rag of a blog goes out of business. \n 1336421938 +Why, he doesn't have email?\n\nAnd she doesn't have the right to talk about her own experiences? 1351118965 +Let me ask the question everyone is thinking.\n\nWho cares? 1310158823 +Zombie Apocalypse 1313492672 +a UFLOP 1310111153 +He's a butthurt 911 truther that follows me around Reddit like a deranged puppy dog, because I deny the Truth that George Bush definitely blew up the WTC in a false flag attack (also, something something Da Jooz!). He's really not worth arguing with unless you enjoy making fun of or arguing with conspiracy theorists. \n\n 1352920771 +If it was a one time thing I'd agree, but they've already booked what I expect to be a rather pricy session at this "renowned" medium. These people will milk her for every cent she has, giving her the feeling that her husband is just in reach and not paying the medium anymore would mean abandoning the man she loves and who wants to be in contact with her over petty cash. These people guilt their victims into bankruptcy. 1308519375 +I can make actionable choices, but there are some things that end up like I have no free will. This whole thing, the dreams... I dunno, I feel like I've unleashed this projection of reality, maybe it's my mind running "simulations" or maybe I am dreaming about the future. I don't really know, honestly. There's gotta be a point to all of it, but honestly, I really don't know. 1354574145 +Not silver obsidian, obsidian set in silver. Lodestone is good too, but think of it like a breathing exersize. In with the good, out with the bad. Anyways, good luck, and I hope you enjoy this job for a while. 1332483653 +Watch this one, this is the first time UFO's have been scientifically studied by a university. This documentary will blow your mind\n\nhttp://topdocumentaryfilms.com/portal-hessdalen-lights-phenomenon/ 1310172211 +Derren Brown - one of my favorite mentalists! Thanks for the clip. 1317269395 +Awesome. How would you like to receive the translations? Could you PM me your email address so I can send them? 1334534672 +Ya its not the kids fault. I am sure many of us have had incredibly stupid parents. Her mom is probably brained washed from watching the Oprah show. \n\n 1297555548 +Just considering all possibilities together and even pro forma suffices. 1254175402 +Rabbits and Hares are completely different creatures. 1351827100 +From the article:\n>"The "Dr. Oz Show's" apple juice alert may be *fruitless*"\n\nHa! 1316128505 +At the very least we could all draw "red envelopes" on the back of our hands. 1245124853 +We need some evidence, not a video of some dude. 1344862083 +Thanks, wasn't exactly expecting a reasonable answer as I was half joking. But you make a good point. \n\n>and which would still do buckley's for a the punters cancer \n\nIs that a saying? I think I understand what you're saying, but not sure. 1319696479 +They were monitoring subspace frequencies. Don't you watch Star Trek like the rest of us? 1344812005 +I think of atheism as being sort of a natural consequence of a skeptical and naturalistic worldview which values empiricism. Rightly there's an awful *lot* of things that I don't believe in, or remain unconvinced of, but there is some reasonable standard of evidence which could convince me of any given claim's truthfulness. The fact that we have a term for *not* believing in this certain claim about the existence of deities is more a sign of the cultural weight we give to that particular idea, not that atheism is itself so radical or an entire world-view. 1335427269 +Yes, they lose my respect in that respect. But I try to enjoy the other facets of their personality. Some people are good at partying, others at ping pong, others have something to teach, others ask good questions, and so on; you know, all the things good companionship is for. Sometimes, several of these qualities are found in one person. But if they're not, I just know: this girl knows how to party, but stay away from the 9/11 talk unless you want to slam into the goddamn iron curtain of stupid. 1285357391 +What about it? You haven't done many photographs have you? 1314992708 +Enjoy downvoting then. \n\nI started my time here with constructive analysis and got downvoted to oblivion because of it. I remember two cases specifically, one where the poster was videoing the reflection of traffic off a billboard situated high above a row of townhouses. I called it and was attacked via PM in return.\nAnother where a ufo was passing through the treeline of some guys riding snowskis, strangely no-one noticed that the UFO didn't pass by every tree (as it was too hard to photoshop segments of UFO between the trees that were close to each other). \n\nSo yeah, enjoy this group's "thoughtful dissemination".\n\nps: inane != insane 1342680682 +Absolutely, Zelda was not the most important thing, it was just a conduit for those ideas. But the reason why I think it was such a good one is because it was in this isolated sandbox. \n\nMost people are heavily influenced by the beliefs of their family and others around them, usually learning that whatever their parents think must be true and carrying on the same ideas. Anything with real-world applications is very subject to biases based on social/cultural influences, and we have to overcome those biases and prejudices in order to think properly. (That in itself is an indicator of what I think is the most fucked up thing about modern society, that everyone learns the exact opposite of the right way to think and are never told that this is wrong, leading to much prejudice, discrimination and hatred.) \n\nOf course, people going into things with biases still happened in indirect ways, but this was an excellent way to learn these skills without also forming or utilising any beliefs on major issues debated in the real world - better to do that later, *after* discovering the pitfalls. The consequences rarely extended further than the games themselves, while the consequences of political/economic/religious/scientific/moral arguments can be far-reaching and can obscure the actual point of the debate. (Though appeals to emotion and consequences still popped up sometimes, in the most pants-on-head-retarded ways.)\n\nAs a bonus, it also helped me hone my understanding of how to analyse a story, and the themes and intent behind that story, which applies in some really interesting ways in the Zelda series - such as where gameplay and plot themes tie together. (The Wind Waker is the big one there, and other games, like The Minish Cap, also have interesting thematic elements which play into their timeline placements.) 1295491050 +Enjoy your strawmans, good sir! 1314043661 +> the immunity is above me\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRsNh0eB-Io\n\nYou can watch the experiment performed live here.\n\nIt really isn't rocket surgery, Wim is injected with a bacterial endotoxin made from noninfectious dead bacteria which cause a massive immune response, and violent sickness for 3+ hours.\n\nWim uses his immune system to complete suppress that, and you can watch it for yourself as well as the see the results of his blood work, and hear doctors commentary from the medical center.\n\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n> I still don't know about steaming blankets\n\nYou can watch clips from Dr. Herbert Benson's film where monks are drying the wet sheets here:\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WajTafbG7II\n\n\n\nTummo master Wim Hof packed in ice for over an hour to emerge steaming hot. \n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36IX7fjfTVM\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n> I'm not completely to the point of trusting the magnetic one\n\nhttp://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Qigong-Exploration-Zuyin-Lu/dp/0965713571\n\nThis book details many studies done in china on external chi, what they found was a lot more interesting than increased magnetic fields. \n 1350839634 +>What would they do if they actually found it?\n\nBe convinced. 1294789037 +> That's irrelevant: such sweeping changes to crop production will incur massive costs.\n\nYa, except I run a farm so I can confidently say, it's really not that big a deal. I grow literally dozens of of different crops at any given time.\n\nThe only people that freaks out are the really big agribusiness's and their monocultures. The corn belt will have to diversify but they will have to anyway for other reasons.\n\n> It's not really that reasonable when you just play on words and dismiss the literature off-hand without providing peer-reviewed research on your own.\n\nWhat you see as a play on words is me pointing out the fact that you are asking me to freak out about something that is inherently unpredictable. We have two knowns, 1) overall warming and 2) rising sea levels. The rest, the details that will make the most important impacts are impossible to foresee and I refuse to freak out over invisible boogiemen that might make my crops wither or might make them shine with 50/50 odds.\n\nAs for the peer reviewed research, I'm commenting from the perspective of an actual farmer at the moment but I used to work in drug discovery so I'm pretty good at reading research papers. As a farmer, I'm intimately engaged with things like temperature and rainfall as a normal part of what I do.\n\nIf there is a particular, specific paper you wish to discuss please link and we can go over it.\n\nI'm looking at the same research you are, and can tell you with great confidence, exactly what would happen to me and my ability to produce food under those scenarios.\n\nFor example, take a hypothetical 3C increase in temperature where I'm at. Summers would be too hot for leafy greens but I'd be able to grow early spring tomatoes which I can't do now. Corn would be planted a full month or more early and could take advantage of the winter rains where currently I have to irrigate. I could probably even plant tropical corns that are photo-period sensitive to provide access to fresh Choclo to local Peruvian restaurants. I'd be able to overwinter rocotos. Basically it would be as if you picked up my farm and moved it to San Diego, it would require some change to the way I do things, but overall, it's not real scary.\n\nThe one question for me here in this specific senario is, what happens to rainfall. If it increases that's a wonderful thing, if it decreases california agriculture would dry up, but it's that very specific kind of thing that is not predictable.\n\nOn a side note, 18k years ago, the mojave desert extended all the way up to Livermore CA, that's change.\n\n> I don't use sockpuppets, but we probably reacted this way at the same time because it doesn't seem that you're debating in good faith.\n\nI've replied in good faith to every point either of you have posted, you just don't like my answers. 1348468163 +Time Travelers seem to me more likely than even aliens. The Time Travel idea actual removes the questions of: \n\n1. Why grays and other aliens look exactly like us. \n2. Why Earth is their focal point. \n\nAlso time travel may be more possible than FTL travel, depending on how that works out. 1301947636 +Based on symptoms, upper esophogeal pain without any lower gastrointestinal symptoms.\n\nGluten irritates the lining in the duodenum or lower, not the esophagus. Placing a piece of wheat "under the tongue" is a ridiculous way to diagnosis someone. \n\nGluten has been latched onto by new-age types as yet another universal malady. However, it has very specific effects, none of which the OP is exhibiting. \n\nIf I had to take a guess, the OP is suffering from an ulcer. \n\nWhatever it is, the OP needs to visit their general practitioner. If that doesn't give answers, make an appointment with a gastroenterologist. 1331511263 +According to pollsters 5-10% of people will agree with almost any proposition put to them.\n\nAlso, the idea of stated versus revealed preference is pretty relevant here.\n\nPeople *state* they think the world will end, but these same people continue to work at jobs and save money up until that point. Their *revealed* belief is that it isn't going to end. 1338259636 +If anyone knows of some good suggestions that would not be offensive to hard core Christians then let's have those posted here too.\n\nI'm in the same boat but have to be even more circumspect about it than the OP. 1353717271 +I had a 7 year old tabby tomcat that died of liver failure almost 2 years ago. A day after he died, a cat that looked exactly like him came in the back of my yard, by the grave and started yowling away. Gosh, it was creepy, I only saw that cat once though. It continued for about a week then stopped. Never seen that cat/spirit since. Oh and we had a German Shepherd mix that never seemed to notice a cat in the yard meowing like crazy, maybe because he knew it was his spirit and not a random cat.. 1340562709 +That's good. Posting there is like staring into an abyss. 1351185102 +But at the same time, coal plants can fuck shit up really bad when they work properly. 1337308001 +Yeah! He's such a reasonable asshat! 1298702469 +in parallel reality theory it would be possible to experience one side of an event and then zap back to the split and experience the other. the soul contains both experiences, however our memory can only function in a linear fashion. Seth (Jane Roberts) actually had two books out on the topic - called the unseen reality. He states that we are always exploring both sides of things and we can get in touch with the other side by doing a simple meditation of following the unchosen path to see what happens. 1335226104 +It is not pointless, it makes you feel better about yourself retard! 1337360265 +Hit her. 1321593352 +Salon counts as main stream media? 1310212703 +I was skeptical, I didn't know I did research and I have found that Islam is as true as 2+2 = 4. I was a freethinker, I came to Islam using logic. I am very rational, I asked for proof and the Qur'an provided mountains of evidence. Watch all the videos from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv7lCR-7AKQ and then examinethetruth.com 1347202728 +You can argue semantics all you want. A patent is a property right. The round-up gene is patented, his seeds contained this patented technology which he intentionally selected for.\n\nYou might disagree with patents in general, or in the specific case of patenting genes, but to argue stealing intellectual property isn't theft because you're only making a copy is asinine. 1352428037 +I hope I don't get this stupid when I hit 35. 1348865203 +To be fair, if you were hacking into haarp the last thing you'd want to do is prove it. 1344506461 +What do they do, *pray extra hard*? 1356818056 +Delusional. 1315780570 +You need Carrot Top in the last one. Just to throw people off. 1342377376 +As I keep trying to say:\n\n1. You've invented the terms "explicit institutional sexism" and "implicit institutional sexism". \n\n2. Institutional sexism is defined as what you are calling explicit institutional sexism\n\n3. You start telling me I disagree with a concept just because I think you are calling that concept by the wrong word: \n\n> I explain that I don't think it's reasonable to discount implicit institutional sexism as a part of institutional sexism\n\nWho gives a shit if you think the common usage of word is "reasonable", that's when I said you were making normative judgments about word definitions. That's how people use the word. That's how it's defined in dictionaries, normally "argument by dictionary" is not a good argument, except in the case of arguing about what the common meaning of a word is.\n\n> argue that it's better understood as "cultural bias" or "sexism"\n\nNOT "understood as", I was saying "defined as"\n\nI also went to great lengths to point out that I do not disagree that that type of sexism is prevalent or with your other points.\n\n4. The social institutions part\n\nI say: "I guess if you count social institutions I can see why you would group what you call "implicit institutional sexism" as a type of institutional sexism, but I think that's a stretch, and as I said before that's just called "sexism". \n\nI said this because I was trying to figure out what type of sexism you were talking about. \n\nThen instead of you saying "no, i'm not talking about social institutions, i'm talking about endemic sexism in institutions that is still entrenched and is not covered by anti discrimination laws nor by the simple label of "sexism" because ..." you think I'm arguing the opposite of my point and say basically the same thing back to me about it being a stretch.\n\nIt's as if we were both working stocking shelves in a supermarket and you started to put the pickles on the shelf labeled olives. I say "that's the wrong shelf, the label says "olives" and you say "how can you not like pickles! they are delicious"\n\nCan you blame me for thinking you were trolling me? 1348248910 +There's a difference between trolling and trying to make a good, sound argument against psychics. When you're trolling, you're not actually trying to get anyone to think critically about the situation. I would be willing to be that's the one he was doing. 1329757024 +Well, my advice would be to try different cameras, preferably video cameras, and keep trying to catch the thing. Also, start a log of your experiences with every detail you can think of each time someone has an experience. Maybe you'll find a pattern that will help you find the answers you're after. 1340812243 +Please, no downvoting for the mere suggestion that a video or photo of a UFO could be explained by a natural or man-made phenomenon. 1346477834 +this is no longer the reddit you deserve, it is now the Reddit he deserves. 1347900687 +I would plank on it. 1333165019 +This is sound advice right here. 1333538396 +Well, it's terribly unfortunate that you are offended so easily. The internet is full of reasons to be offended, unless you realize that not everything is to be taken so damn seriously. Your group of friends from Africa can rest knowing that they aren't the only people that are 'bundled' up in stereotypes, there are plenty to go around, and the internet is the best place to find it all. Relax. Take it easy. Chill the fuck out. \n\nActually, I didn't bundle your many friends from Africa into a stereotype at all, I bundled only the tribes that ran around naked covered in bone and cock jewelery into a stereotype. The internet will offend you if you let it, I was only making a comment, I wasn't writing an essay claiming that all black people eat each other. \n\nI doubt, by the way, that your friends would be anything but embarrassed that you claim to be 'defending' them by telling me how offended you are that I called an ancient tribe from Africa cannibals in a comment thread about a David Icke video where he claims that they were all raped by reptiles from a different planet.\n 1324139426 +I can't prove it's not a ghost; but I can offer several more plausible explanations—a stain on the wall, a double exposure, etc. 1289832878 +I know Paranormal State is fake but it is honestly one of my favorite shows 1335889997 +Maybe. Maybe it's all bullshit. But it's fun and exciting bullshit for the people who go through or do this stuff. Take it as a new brand of mysticism for a technological age. Difference being, this is like a myth that is all based on personal experience and evidence, while most other spiritual beliefs of the past were pretty heavy on the dogma and intolerance while not having much by way of evidence or value for the individual.\n\nOr maybe our perceptions limit us from being aware of certain things, things like dimensions other intelligences might call home. It'd be pretty hard to convince society that you dreamed the color red and know what it looks like if everyone lacked eyes. That doesn't mean the wavelength somehow wouldn't exist though.\n\nTake it for what you will. I'm not putting any stock in an explanation for now, the truth could be anywhere here. 1329262666 +Hm, you have a point. I'm not sure how much it really affects anything, but you *do* have it. 1349492356 +Hmm, some quick searching seems to indicate that nutmeg is indeed psychoactive at large doses. Check out the citations here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutmeg#Psychoactivity_and_toxicity 1348250688 +Goats come from within. Have more faith. 1327606252 +You ignored everything I said and choose to reject even the notion of damning, factual information being available on the subject even though it can be viewed insantaneously thanks to the time invested by people's research over the years, but you'd rather make a joke of things, laugh with your buddies at how dumb it all seems. You obviously only implement skepticism as far as society's boundaries allow you, so whatever form of skepticism is the accepted around here it must be some branch I missed out on because I thought it only referred to the use of critical analysis, observation of facts and ability to see beyond face values.\n\nYou're going to scoff at this no doubt and scoff away at the end of the day our paths will probably never cross again but this **really** does apply to people who exhibit the type of mindset you are displaying [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEGgAk1AbA4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEGgAk1AbA4) 1339029499 +He is a skeptic yet his name Premanand reads as "eternal (prema) bliss (anand)" ?\n\nNo compute! KRCR, Sskc kmc ... 1254725670 +Not if you're doing it to promote a product that you're selling, like in the post. 1344702201 +Yep, agree.. Optical artifact. 1288272366 +Unstar that doctor's name, we'll find you dirt on him in minutes, I promise. Quackwatch exists for a good reason. 1310391121 +I'm sure I remember seeing a documentary about cold fusion being successful but on an incredibly miniscule scale that wasn't even remotely useful. I vaguely recall them zooming in on a beaker of water/some clear liquid and seeing a very faint spec and the scientist saying "see that? that's fusion!". The end result was that the process wasn't useful at all but it was something to work towards.\n\nHowever, I don't remember the program other than I *think* it was hosted by James May. \n\nUseless post is useless :\\. 1301408282 +Who ever buys that, their "aura" is going to be seething red when they find out it's horseshit. 1343089751 +adblock is your friend. 1352865219 +That's more of a convenient undocumented feature - near instant fried eggs - wonder if the counter will fry bacon.\nPersonally I freak out more when there's an entire demon world in my fridge 1314629217 +Thankyou! Skeptical thought and critical thinking are such important tools in life, I think they should be a part of the education of all children. 1314270553 +Alarming? Try the phone companies image and the banks image. 1349824837 +Nope, we're gonna go find some civilian undertaker in town to build teeny tiny coffins! That's how the USAF rolls, boys 1332283362 +its a Chinese lantern, powered by swamp gas with military grade flares attached by wires.. everyone can see that. 1341068851 +I'm going to take the easiest stand in the world:\n\nWe will never cure aging. Death will remain a part of the human existence until such a time as the ability to transfer the thoughts and ideas of humans into a non-living platform becomes possible - something that is similarly not-too-difficult to argue against as a possibility of existence.\n\nFor a forum of skeptics, the number of upvotes and downvotes on these last two posts is indicative of a miserably uneducated lot.\n\nEdit: for the inevitable reference to a 9th-grade-biology-level understanding of aging - telomeres are not the only, nor even the most important, biochemical aspect of aging needing to be addressed. Please... please don't try to bring up something you learned about in high school.\n\nUntil the perpetual motion machine is invented, my posts are accurate, and my only current reply is wishful thinking. 1354055933 +How do you approach the anti-vax movement so prevalent in the chiropractic field? Do you talk openly about it with other Chiropractors? Have you ever called another doctor or instructor out on their bullshit? 1342743856 +That looks exactly like what the titles says. 1340594678 +His point is at the 2:50 mark, but to better understand what he's saying, you need to watch it from the beginning. 1330842152 +If you look at a 20x20 px zone centered at 1500 x 875, you can see the window's chip reflected in the mirror. 1349377837 +Well maybe they should use a pic of Jenny McCarthy blowing milk out of her nose with a caption saying "would you take medical advice from her ?" \n\n 1292123382 +I actually think it's more awesome when you know what it really is. 1354024791 +OH MY GSM, HE REALLY EXISTS!\n\nI guess I somehow don't get the pointless "me with a celebrity" posts. 1317306204 +I think the mistake made, on both sides really, is that they will posit that since such or such a thing *could* be happening, that is actually what *is* happening. They will make that decision with their confirmation bias ratcheted to it's highest setting. 1351192891 +And your parents captured audio and visual recordings of these supernatural events, enlisting multiple separate witnesses to attest to them over this period which was the best part of a decade. Subsequently this material was published in multiple media and journals, making you all famous and rich beyond the dreams of avarice.\n\nOh wait, that didn't happen. \n\nWhat kind of a person lives in a constantly active paranormal site and *doesn't* get any evidence? 1355113189 +I love Fingerpori, but its the punniest comic I've ever seen in addition to having a metric asston of cultural references in it - translating most of the strips is nigh impossible. (I tried to do that for a friend, but failed miserably.) Of course one could always try to persuade the creator to write different comics specifically meant for an English speaking audience. 1287150747 +Thanks for sharing your dream. My mom passed away from cancer last summer and I occasionally dream of her. Sometimes it seems as if she never died and when I wake up I remember the awful truth of what really happened. \n\nI don't think it's weird to see her in my dreams. In fact it makes me feel happy to see her in my dreams even if there is a chance I am going to be disappointed when I wake up. Granted I'm still in the grieving process, but I would be very sad if in the future I found out she wasn't going to appear to me in my dreams anymore. \n\nJust wondering, do you want her to appear in your dreams or do you not want that?\n\nAlso, when we wake up, we usually don't remember all of our dreams, so it isn't a sure thing that she is not in your dreams anymore. \n 1333863100 +He might have done his deed faster than you. Unless you are certain you can span your attention to taking a crap and keeping a conversation and still make sure no one comes in then you might have something. But this is all speculations. 1350104540 +yes, 10 searches, all successful. There are hundreds of these that we could go on endlessly confirming. I'm ready to move on to the next point. 1356337586 +>If you think about this in an open-minded manner leaving all preconceived ideas about cavities behind, doesn’t this make sense? Shouldn’t the body be able to heal a cavity just like it heals a broken bone or a cut on your arm? Why would teeth be any different from a broken wrist after all?\n\nRight, that's why amputees grow legs back. Why wouldn't a hole in a tooth fill itself? \n 1351477198 +Well, the hypothesis behind the mechanism of how SSRI's work is that they inhibit a transporter on one end of the synapse that blocks it from pumping serotonin back into the neuron. That's supposedly how SSRI's work. Of course, no one knows for sure because no human would voluntarily have his/her brain subject to the invasive procedures that would allow for this hypothesis to be directly tested. 1334465837 +I think he was looking for something a little more non fiction :b. I do love that site though. 1342432266 +There's nothing wrong with many of the teachings in Buddhism, but as soon as something turns into a religion, it's worse than it could be.\n\n[Sam Harris - Killing the Buddha](http://www.samharris.org/site/full_text/killing-the-buddha/) 1311262418 +I read that as "nostrils being removed" and I was like WTF? Then I saw that it was "tonsils being removed" and I was like "oh, that makes... about the same amount of sense." 1296598823 +Ok, good answer.\n\nNow, who is the person going through this process? And if it's not a person but a computer, who programs this computer to make these decisions to run the process in the way that you wrote? \n\nChances are that that person would take a totally different approach than you. Let's say, they might look at the nutritional needs of the people who go to restaurants Instead, or maybe he would look at what is underused in the food supply and try to use it. Even if 2 people used similar data, they would probably implement it differently. \n\nThis is obvious to anyone who's done computer programming and looked at other peoples' code. Different people take wildly different approaches to solving problems. Some work better than others which is why some software is good and some sucks. It all depends on the myriad of choices made while writing it.\n\nNow, assume the guy writing this software is corrupt- how do you deal with that? Maybe he writes a program to put as many restaurants as possible in an area whos restaurants are controlled by his buddy who takes the food and sells it on the black market to a non-rbe country? Or maybe he just programs it to favor his locations near his house? This is what happened in the USSR, and without any safeguards it would happen here too. People are always trying to game the system for their own benefit. How will you guard against it? Without some laws to guarantee against such behavior and someone to enforce them, it is sure to exist- at least it has in every other society since the dawn of time. 1317116711 +I like this idea 1334165892 +I like this idea 1337637675 +When did I say that I believe in Homeopathy? I said the opposite.\n\nYou're confused. And stupid. 1333658480 +The author left out the most common explanation offered by skeptics, actually. That in a great many cases, the listener is extracting signal from noise where there's really nothing there. The human brain is very good at this, especially when primed by expectation to look for something. 1351011276 +Both 1/3 and 1/2 are true; they're different answers to slightly different questions. The puzzle exploits the subtle and easy to overlook difference between those two questions (as many such puzzles do) in order to make it into a cool puzzle for people to argue about.\n\nThe answer to "what is the probability you chose the right door and should not switch?" is indeed 1/3 (therefore you should switch). But the answer to "what is the probability that the door he is offering you has the car, BASED ON THE CURRENT STATE OF THE GAME?" is 1/2. And this is where the puzzle becomes a trick.\n\nSuppose someone walked into the room, who was in an isolation booth during the beginning part where there were three doors and then one got removed. He doesn't know about the three original doors and they are hidden from his view. He takes your place in the game, and takes over your situation with the two remaining doors. His odds are now, pretty clearly, 1/2. He had nothing to do with the original choice, so the 1/3 is irrelevant. He either has the car, or he doesn't.\n\nThis also applies to the original contestant; he either has the car, or he doesn't. So 1/2 is a legit answer. But with the original info supplied by Monty, he should still switch in every trial, because he knows that 2/3 of the time he is switching away from the shitty prize.\n\n**TL,DR;** It's a trick question, designed to get people yelling at each other. 1297163581 +I haven't seen a homeopath address the question of how the water "forgets" everything else it has encountered prior to being used in the preparation. Surely a mere filter could not accomplish this. 1328284113 +Right on, brother! What matters is that the information is spread around. 1312830168 +Sounds like you're all about:\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moderation_Management 1344986564 +we are in a simulation like the matrix. thereareglitches 1342927174 +Citation [provided](http://www.immunizationinfo.org/science/demographics-unvaccinated-children).\n\nedit: here's the history of [anti-vax movements](http://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/articles/history-anti-vaccination-movements) to show that modern anti-vaxers started out in more liberal parts of the world. The initial furor began in the UK and Wakefield's fradulent study motivated the California-based group Generation Rescue to start a crusade against vaccination.\n\nAlso, what's with the downvotes for Curtis for asking a question? r/skeptic, I am dissapoint. When someone asks me to back up what I've said, I'm more than happy to provide citations and asking for sources and links is the skeptic thing to do in the first place. 1314375926 +Possibly a group of visitors from another galaxy...needed to take a pit stop! 1307708422 +I believe there's some evidence that aspartame (NutraSweet) increases insulin production, even though it's not adding to glucose in the blood stream. If you're worried about maintaining insulin sensitivity (which is probably a good idea) it might be good to avoid it. Sucralose isn't supposed to have this effect, although I personally hate how it leaves a sweet taste in the mouth for hours afterward due to saliva enzymes not being able to break it down.\n\nThe acid in the soda is probably a bigger worry, as it seriously affects dental health and may lead to digestive issues like acid reflux and inflammation. I think diet sodas in general have also been linked to weight gain (not just correlated with being fat, which would seem natural). In large quantities, the occasional conversion of aspartame into methanol (at higher temperatures) can become a problem too. 1294246210 +Not only that, but it corrodes metals, erodes rock, and can cause explosions if mixed with the wrong chemicals, like sodium which is found in common table salt. It's very dangerous. 1341252851 +LOL, ok, osteopaths aren't "a medical thing"...How do you have 11 upvotes with that as your opening thesis? 1331602761 +Wow! Thank you! Incredibly informative and exactly what I wanted to know. I can't wait to dig into this stuff. \n\nMight I ask, how do you feel if anything at all about Dan Ariely and his contributions to psychology and science?\n\n 1330317297 +That is for ages up to 19, not 6 years olds 1356144580 +The author isn't saying his opinions are god-like, he's just using the god figure as a fun means to express his ideas on the future.\n\nIf you didn't detect any language toying with the chosen writing technique, then you are literarily blind. 1286380698 +Read this:\n\n"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?"\n\n\nNotice that they do not state, "Anything you say or do can and will be held **FOR** you in a court of law."\n\n\n**TLDR: Shut your damn mouth.** 1330376411 +I can certainly see the bias in your comment. 1331071823 +I think he means it went away "suddenly" as opposed to a video cutting off gradually, haha 1333559174 +>I've heard repeated that we actually do produce enough food to feed the entire world population, but if that's the case, there's some major disconnect in getting the food where it needs to go, and that's what needs changed.\n\nThis is exactly the issue. When people are starving there is always a group of people holding the food hostage. The problem is what to do about that - do we send in military to fight the rebels stealing the food? Do we stay out of all of it? Do we pick and choose? Who pays for this? Those questions and deciding the answers to them are often what truly holds up getting food to the starving people. 1333324631 +600 light years away?\n\nWell, no chance of us visiting them. 1323131242 +There are four hours of testimony from ex-military, NASA, & government employees. Search "Disclosure Project". 1302901254 +Excellent points all, original and the edit. Thank you. It is blinded as far as I know (the patient has to go get the "remedy" and it will either be a placebo or not). Not sure what the null hypothesis is, but I can find out easily. \nOne of my big concerns is that families participating in the study would have to alter the protocol that we already use. For example, we do suggest two herbal remedies (well known in the lactation world) via capsule in the first month when prolactin levels are already high. The study demands that they take the herbs via tea, not capsules, which I'm not sure would be as effective. I'm not a big fan of the herbs to begin with (6-8 capsules tid; that's a meal!) but they can be effective sometimes. If they don't work, we prescribe a medication that boosts prolactin levels. This is in concert with working on latch, feeding management, and addressing issues such as tongue tie. \nIssues such as how baby latches at the breast can be major, and it varies greatly how well families make adjustments when they go home. So, for example, perhaps a mom does a great job changing the latch at home and therefore experiences better milk flow, whereas another mom still has challenges changing her latch. Would this not have an impact on whether the "remedy" has had an effect? The mind boggles. 1342795279 +Isn't that the same as what happened with polio at about the time of the release of the polio vaccine? 1327028158 +I've seen people berate vegans/vegetarians (or heard stories of people I know being berated) far more often than I've actually witnessed anyone I know who is vegan/vegetarian attempting to force their diet on anyone else. \n\nIt amazes me how such a stupid stereotype comes from nowhere, when everyone has the right to choose what they do and don't want to eat, and both sides have assholes who harass the other. It's as bad as the "all gays are flamboyant and effeminate" bullshit. *No, it's just the ones you've identified using that stereotype as your sole determinant of whether someone fits that label or not.* \n\n...Besides, how else would you identify a vegan other than the fact that they've told you?\n\nFor the record, I am not a vegetarian or vegan. I'm just not an asshole. 1346052352 +The only possibilities are starchild or alien hybrid. According to the video submitter that is literally the only possibilities in all the cosmos. \n\nUnlikely recessive genes showing up? NO\n\nRandom genetic defect/quirk? NOOO\n\nMutation? NOOOOOO\n\na *starchild* 1327469267 +This is just to enforce labeling. That empowers people to make their own decisions. They'll be informed when they read the label and see that it's homeopathic. 1316966610 +Also... thanks! Good post. You made me stop and actually think for a moment... 1344136986 +If he says nothing to his family he fails them. If this also makes it easier for them to dodge or minimize the consequences of their actions, he also fails society and the justice system. I understand he is under no obligation. This is similar to a criminals mother not giving him up out of some twisted sense of loyalty regardless of his crimes or their nature. Similar, not necessarily in severity but through the act of indifference on one of the involved parties. \n\nWhy let them weasel out of the consequences, and feign ignorance. They need money,they may not even be ignorant of it being a scam, merely willing to take peoples money because it is easy, and at least to themselves, personally justifiable.\n\nI too would be rooting for the plaintiff regardless. 1304015460 +>No they don't, no they don't. There is absolutely no evidence to show that,\n\nI'm on my mobile at the moment so I can't find links however wikipedia has some good stats and the like. Countries with more stringent gun controls in general have a much lower gun crime homicide rate per population unit. There are a few countries here and there that break that trend on both sides of the coin but in general that seems to be the case and in essence it makes sense, if there is less of X around then usage of X will be less. Please note that I said less *gun related* violent crime and not violent crime in general. \n\n>but besides that everyone knows that first of all you need weapons to protect from government tyranny, then defense from buglers and stuff and then you can use your weapon for hunting\n\nThat's personal opinion. While this has been the case in the last year or so in places such as Egypt, Lybia, etc these are very different countries to those in the Western world and I think the battleground against tyranny in places such as the US is political & not at gunpoint. Having said that, it's another conversation altogether and as I previously mentioned, I'm not saying that you should repeal the 2nd.\n\n>You just said it yourself, people kill and not guns and there is no way to stop acts of violence, I mean if it isn't guns its going to be homemade bombs and then you'd probably have even bigger casualties.\n\nThat's a big jump to make, no guns "Better make a bomb!". Yeah, a couple might but I'd think it's much more likely that they grab a knife or try and beat the crap out of someone with a baseball bat. \n\n>You can not make the world completely safe, I mean its just impossible, if you want to be completely safe lock yourself up in one room and never leave, even then you are probably just going to die actually sooner from heart attack because of lack of exercise and sun, so going out and having a 0.000001% chance of dying from a gun shot is a lot smaller than 25% chance to die from heart attack within 1 year of inactivity.\n\nWhat, I don't even? Where did this paragraph even come from. Suggesting tighter controls for a deadly weapon ≠ suggesting we all stay inside. Not even close. \n\n>So whatever way you look at it guns are not the issue and shouldn't be an issue and should never be discussed and governments never allowed to restrict guns, because when they do you have government tyranny.\n\nGovernments banning gun ownership causes them to auto flip to being tyrannical, got it! \n\nThe US is doing it how it would like to and I'm not suggesting they take gun ownership away from the masses because I think as a country you're far and away beyond the point of no return for that to work. What I am trying to get across is that there are other countries that do restrict gun ownership, it DOESN'T make them tyrannical and it does on average seem to have a positive effect on gun based crime stats. \n\nI'm not going to argue/reply any further as it's gotten to a point where all that is on each side of this argument is your belief that gun ownership is a basic human right of some sort and me believing that it isn't. There are many people like each of us on both sides of this argument and at the end of the day all we're likely to achieve here is to repeat old threads, blow a lot of hot air around and have some people in subreddit drama laugh in our direction. I think it's better if we just leave it at this, we can shake hands and agree to disagree. 1343138225 +It seems something happened over San Jose yesterday evening.\nI found some links to a few sites where people describe seeing the same thing (they are from nutty sites but the writing style seems genuine)\n\nhttp://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message2087640/pg1\n\nhttp://unitedstatesufo.blogspot.com/2012/12/speeding-white-ball-of-light-becomes.html\n\nhttp://unitedstatesufo.blogspot.com/2012/12/bright-green-light-flew-over-northern.html\n\nhttp://unitedstatesufo.blogspot.com/2012/12/blue-light-speeds-across-sky-over.html\n\n 1356032204 +OMG I've never heard of black eyed children until just now but I've seen one! Well, a black eyed teen!\nOnly experience I've ever had, I saw a teen that I thought was a friend of my brothers, but he kept staring. When I eventually looked up at him his eyes were completely black, he ran, I chased to see who it was but he disappeared into thin air. Been scared of seeing it again ever since! 1342088201 +Not clear on this, but did the guy in my dream who handed me a free hat do the same in real life? 1332985598 +Touché, sir 1288956347 +>"Although the researchers say that the differences between organic and non-organic food are not 'important', due to the relatively few studies, they report in their analysis that there are higher levels of beneficial nutrients in organic compared to non-organic foods.\n\nDoesn't seem like "no", probably "small" or "not significant" is more appropriate.\n\nAnd also they didn't say whether they looked at the content of trace minerals. The main nutritional claim made for organically-grown food is that there are more trace nutrients since the soil is replenished. It's not all N-P-K, all the time. 1248925166 +A true skeptic uses hard evidence. Please don't confuse conspiracy theorists with skeptics. 1328679544 +I'm a different guy. 1320213618 +thanks! i knew it was a bad idea to eat that newspaper. and then I bit the postman too! 1328049843 +What makes Mercola more dangerous is he uses his credentials those who'll more likely appeal to authority. He's a bit more clever than Mike Adams, who has a problem hiding his crazy. 1343098318 +They aren't irrational. There are plenty of honest, concerned people looking at this right now. Ultimately there may not be a way to really prepare, but society seems to be subconsciously picking up on our predicament 1341212990 +I can hear the question but I didn't hear the response at all, just static. Should I try different headphones? 1349819152 +If the parents didn't believe in the magic of faith healing they would have taken their child to see a real medical professional who would have given that child real healing advice. 1316467168 +In winter, in europe, during an ice age?\n\n 1342738576 +>So I don't understand why the hate on her. If anything, it should be directed at those that exaggerated the claims.\n\nShe has made things worse now by calling for a boycott of Dawkins books, tours, etc. She's digging herself in with those who have made the whole thing into a big mess.\n\n>extremely mild sting. A sting, by definition, is a painful thing.\n\nYes, and something that is extremely mild is by definition at the extremities on the spectrum of mild things. If something is mild it's hardly painful, let alone something that is extremely mild. 1310089337 +Thanks.\n\nWell, it's hard to create a control for acupuncture studies. What's the placebo for a needle? And, it's easily explained as a placebo effect. But, I believe studies are starting to show acupuncture works better than a placebo. Here's a quick example of one.\n\nhttp://www.painjournalonline.com/article/S0304-3959\\(99\\)00107-4/abstract\n\nI'm guessing the science is that if you cut yourself it will release endorphins.\n\nBut, whatever. That's not my point.\n\nAnyway, thanks for listening. I did feel like an ass.\n\nEdit: link has brackets. 1284080760 +>manipulator, a lunatic at best\n\nSo exactly like other prophets? 1344779695 +Where did the video say it was a huge conspiracy? It's just a system that was adopted by a few elitists in power because it seemed like a good idea at the time. Systems have a way of evolving and distorting themselves, and lo and behold that's what happened. See, it turns out that when one coercive monopoly has control over the education of children, they don't get taught to think critically about that coercive monopoly. 1332056354 +I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did. Good riddance to bad rubbish. 1341610665 +Mission accomplished. 1327425625 +So why not start making open contact with the everyday average person? Some of us are waiting. 1338939367 +Just called the guy in charge. It's totally open to the public, just show up a bit early to get a seat. 1287513819 +I never had an experiance personally but I used to work in a resort in The Smokey Mountians that had it's fair share of suicides and murders. There is one suite that no one in the two years I worked there stayed the whole night in. It's not a rule but the manager will tell you that it's the very last room you should book.\n\nAbout a year before I started working there a man brought his pregnant wife in and ended up murdering her then hanging himself. The hotel closed the suite for awhile and compleately remodeled it. They even changed the room numbers around to prevent people from seeking out the room.\n\nStill everyone that we put in it ,and a friend and I would often put people in it, no one stayed in it the whole night. They would check out in the middle of the night or would come down to the desk and demand another room. Most people wouln't give a reason but the few we got were people kept hearing a baby/woman crying, seeing a woman in the room, hearing voices, being touched, and having items moved around.\n\nI've heard they don't even book the room at all anymore and have turned it into storeage.\n\n 1339443019 +Death is the only reason to ever give in to a stupid argument. 1293857142 +Oh lawd, I had that happen to me once in a rock shop. I had some metaphysical magick lady pounce on me in the back room and try to tell me how she could see my aura, and that it was wise indeed that I had fashioned myself a 'pendant' of picture jasper for my necklace, for it fended off 'the dragon' and kept me enclosed in a circle of light. *-many sincere nods-* 1283477484 +That was the first red flag for me too. 1331307232 +I'd recommend you checkout The Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast. \nNice mix of cutting edge science and skepticism with a very vibrant panel. \n\nThat show got me into skepticism and has been a huge influence on my life. \n 1328996409 +Ever read those "Magic eye" books?\n\nProbably something like that. 1326499358 +There is [this article](http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2006/02/meditation-found-to-increase-brain-size/?fb_ref=sidebar%2F) that seems to suggest some measurable benefits. 1325897416 +It's also notable that just because a side-effect is reported, that doesn't mean that it's due to the medication or vaccination. Coincidences happen, and unless a direct cause can be determined, it's possible that a side effect is just a post hoc attribution. 1330067681 +Pretty sure that's a lens flair caused by the reflection of the sun off the bumper of the truck. 1333566072 +It was bad ass.\n 1342396764 +Vidible incredios and photos. 1350869378 +I'm afraid FOX is just that bad. 1332734885 +You have asserted that people who are anti-GMO are generally ignorant of the benefits of GMOs.\n\nYou have demonstrated, as the entirety of your evidence, that two people out of the entire set of people who are actively against GMOs, are ignorant of the benefits of GMOs. \n\nYou have not demonstrated that the over 2.9 million members of Greenpeace, an organization which actively blocks distribution of Golden Rice because it is an Evil GMO, are ignorant of the benefits. \n\nYou have put forth anecdotal evidence about a couple of know-nothings in your family. If that is all you have, I suggest you reconsider your position that the majority of anti-GMO activists are ignorant of the potential benefits of GMOs.\n\n 1352930350 +This is by far the clearest indicator I've seen to date that we are spending far too much money on our military. They aren't even trying anymore to hide the gigantic boondoggle that they've become. 1321498663 +The internet still at the very least leads to self-diagnosed Aspergers. 1313083801 +Some strains of influenza (e.g. bird flu) appear to preferentially kill people in the 15 - 50 age bracket instead of the elderly (like normal strains), and it's suspected that people in that age bracket die *because they have a strong immune system*. Too many immune cells are sent to the infection triggering a [cytokine storm](http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-cytokine-storm.htm).\n\nIgnoring bird flu, the immune system is a balance - there are disorders at both ends of the scale, and even thinking about it like a scale or 'general strength' is wrong because the way it reacts to something depends on what it's been exposed to in the past. 1291909517 +That's so original and unexpected!... however, "proven beyond a shadow of a doubt" does not include visions, it includes several witnesses. But hey, I give zero fucks about what skeptics and angry tweaking atheists think of me. It seems like you're so ashamed of your life that you're afraid to believe. Like a gay person with homophobia. 1350207865 +So what do they use in [programs like this](http://www.liberty.edu/academics/arts-sciences/creation/)? I mean, they teach a required-for-all-students class in "origins of life." Do they just use a high school textbook? 1356126662 +I can tell by their epic website design that they're legit. 1312171297 +Regardless, its still really good. And its using the every day meaning of theory rather than the scientific one, but if its meant for none scientific people then I think it works pretty well. 1337462104 +Many times thank you! It's great reading arguements by someone who actually knows the topic, not just blindly believing everything onefind on the internet. I wish my friends and the media would understand these arguments, they all seem to believe the eco-terrorists propaganda. Dankeschön and keep up the good work!\n\nAlso OP, please try to avoid such misleading headlines, obviously the e.coli is not *actually* the palgue 1307743983 +That's called the [Courtier's Reply](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Courtier%27s_reply)\n\nThis argument is particularly favored by anyone who fancies themselves more qualified than others on a subject. 1355689670 +Mweh, this again.\n\nThe assumption that certain frequencies cause certain feelings are to be approached with similar skepticism as the ghostly things they are used for to explain. Sound frequencies especially. There is no other way to enter the brain other than physical resonance, which may or may not occur at any frequency. This will be different for each person. It will never be absolute.\n\nAlso the "20Hz" thing gives this away. Humans are relatively deaf for low frequencies. We here best at ±4000 Hz, and the lower it gets, the more deaf we are for it. An airco may produce 70 dB SPL around 60 Hz without being loud, but if it were to produce a whine at that sound pressure level around 4000 Hz, you'd turn it off right away.\n\nThis deafness does not start at 20Hz exactly. Your subwoofer needs to be really big to produce 20 to 40Hz audibly, not because the waves are so large (20Hz is 17.5 meters!) but because it needs to move a lot of air, because you are too deaf to hear it otherwise. This deafness is a curve, and it's different for everybody. I bet a large speaker and a big amp can produce 19Hz at an SPL that most people can hear.\n\nThat said, I do get very dizzy and uneasy when my GF ventilation system is on. It has very low audio components at a loud volume. 1318701542 +That is a great rebuttal post Sazrak. It isn't often when you see someone put as much effort as you have to respond to an such an inane "argument." I'd upvote you more if I could; but I can't; so I won't. At least you get an orangered along with the upvote :) 1266818466 +that must be frustrating. keep looking, one day you will stumble upon what you are looking for or it will discover you.\n\nmay I ask what changed? 1323127813 +When one looks at the data, then calls the data irrelevant and unfounded, even when the data, and results, have been confirmed by three different groups looking at climate change, and all three of them finding the same conclusion, then yes, that is denialism. \n\nDenialism, which apparently is not a word. 1325357716 +You don't have to reserve judgement until you watched it. One video should not change your mind anyway. just to interest you. And to show that this is serious business. Not something you just dismiss on a frikkin beach in 20 seconds.\n\nThere have been many talented people studied, some showed significant results.\nJames Randi is not a scientist, he is a lying magician who's entire life is devoted to debunking at all costs. If you want truth for him, you might as well believe in fairy-tales. JREF's price is a showpiece. Even if someone actually did made a successful go at it, the contract is so that JREF can get out of it. There is tons of that on the internet, some stories truly outrageous.\n 1316224774 +Fair points. And yes, there is a huge difference between having evidence that there is unexplained phenomena and saying they are coming from other planets. What annoys me though is debunkers who dismiss evidence of the phenomena itself and come up with prosaic reasons that are quite ridiculous, for example the so called sceptic who dismisses the Rendlesham Forest case saying that it was probably lights from a lighthouse when we have the audio recording of the army base officer describing the UFO that was on the ground in front of them and left radiation traces. 1346501137 +Sorry, guys, [it's bullshit.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG4wTZuT3wM) 1340068765 +I wish I could give you more upboats.\n 1343710147 +I think so, see my arguments elsewhere in this thread. 1274606574 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluoride_toxicity 1337791940 +Already tried, good luck! 1344818488 +Exactcly.\n\nOur bodies are literally light traveling at 186,000\nmiles a second. The light is vibrating so fast that our bodies appear\nsolid. That is the best our eyes are capable of seeing. As beautiful\nas our senses are, they literally see one one-billionth of the known\nelectromagnetic spectrum. With this limited information we have\nabout the world, we venture to make our judgments. 1320677854 +stupid, definatley.\n\nI'm sick of the middle-aged women in my workplace talking about all this crap. No matter how many times I tell them its an ancient trick called 'cold reading' they just ignore it. Its like the logic part of some peoples brains just doesn't exist. I fucking hate people. \n\nFolk in the UK - Derren Brown is debunking some 'Psychics' on monday at 10pm on channel4, think he goes on tour with someone who 'speaks to the *other side*' should be gid! 1273335887 +The reason that I had heard was there was a food shortage in the USSR and the USA was secretly sending grain to them. 1356267504 +Stupid fucking pandas! 1353156165 +There's no such thing as "tox". 1286502035 +>Unfortunately the average person falls for repetition. That is, the more people hear bad stuff about something the more they believe the bad stuff.\n\nThe technique you describe is often called "[The Big Lie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Lie)." 1316987390 +Ugh, this again. People who do not understand how the EM spectrum works are infuriating. Their minds are also very, very hard to change. The small island (pop. 2000) where I used to live still doesn't have cell service, despite AT&T and Nextel trying to build towers, because the braindead residents form "safety committees" that shoot the construction down every time. To this day my mother does not own a microwave because she "doesn't believe in them" and they "make food taste bad." I have many childhood memories of attempting to heat things up in the toaster oven. 1318612772 +Answer about animals. Yes, they are more sensitive to spiritual activity, however, in your case it would be more logical to say your car was just spazzing. My cats do it all the time. For no apparent reason they run around the house all puffed up with pupils dilated. Now I'm not saying it's not possible. If they did that anytime they went near a certain area it may be more likely. 1342033986 +It surprises me that people don't realize that asking someone to go back to their place to drink coffee is often innuendo for sex. Sure, the guy may have meant that literally, but I don't blame Rebecca if she saw it as an invitation for sex.\n\nBut it's disappointing that some skeptics here are resorting to using strawman arguments (exaggerations of Watson's reaction and caricatures of feminism) to air out their own grievances over this whole drama. 1310428105 +Yes, it's the golden knights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaqvrv-8jIY 1287337598 +Yeah, I didn't really see anything disagreeable about him when checking his wikipedia entry... That redditor was still trying to "poison the well" though by associating me with someone that he himself finds reprehensible. 1305687613 +I love how in the first 10 seconds of the clip the commentary says Darwinism = paganism and Darwinism = atheism.\n\nSeriously, attack one group at a time :P 1295145114 +You mean [this one](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2428437236878343763) 1315245229 +I meant it was like looking at the map for the general election in 2008. You would see Obama's blue areas around the big cities in Ohio and the rest of the state was all red. \n\nIn the republican primary this year it looked the same except Romney won those urban areas where the rest of the state was for Santorum. I'm just pointing out that doesn't mean it was fraud. Romney just happened to win the more populated areas. One reason I would offer is with more wealthy people living closer to those cities. 1351415923 +Amazing thing is I just had that dream last night! I don't know if it was before or after this post. But talking about glitch explanations for dreams, I have this theory that anniversaries bring up the same ideas. I looked up my posts from about 12 months ago, and I was using phrases like "boil down," quoting Helen Keller feeling "waves of music" and so on... 1350797567 +it makes sense when you think about it, i mean, i know the human body is seriously flawed and never really properly evolved for this whole giving birth thing, but there are muscles that open, whereas...with a gall stone....ouch. 1329980850 +You'd perhaps like Pinker's book "How the Mind Works". I've not finished reading it yet, but he brings together philosophy of mind, psychology and cognitive neuroscience. 1322438892 +Lost count after the first one, its pretty intense. She burned through doves though, those are like one a week but they get to live. She lets them go after shes uses them. 1327653963 +That's fuckin crazy. I can't think of anything that would explain what that is. 1223870098 +I hate when watching shows like Ghost Adventures or Ghost Hunters when there's music or sound effects constantly playing in the background. Motherfucker I want to hear shit going on. 1341354515 +[NoScript](http://noscript.net/) and [AdBlock Plus](http://adblockplus.org/en/) are your friends. 1313403515 +That isn't evidence of anything. Photos rarely are. 1331258431 +The best part was when Assange said that 9/11 truthers annoy him. 1292045106 +Given that the placebo effect will always convince some people that an ineffective treatment works, and alt med treatments generally lack double blind studies, how can a consumer know which alt med practices don't work before spending money on it? 1318466733 +>Indeed - thankfully, we have much more factual data than you are aware of.\n\nI'm speaking specifically of the data used for their animation, which does not match reality. They data that they refuse to release in freedom of information request.\n\n>We know the location and severity of the damage to the structure itself.\n\nReally? Of WTC7? I would love to see how you know this damage that they talk about.\n\n>Your picture isn't taking in to account that the exterior structure of the building was separate from the interior structure.\n\nThat's complete nonsense. If the corner columns were gone, you would notice it. The corner would be gone. I talked to structural engineers that do research for NIST, and they don't even suggest that. They say it's just a model, that is not accurate, but explains what could have happened.\n\n>>Do you know that NIST has refused multiple FOIA request to release the data behind their animation?\n\n>I was unaware of that. Have they given a reason why?\n\nYeah, you are going to love this. They say, the release of the documents "might jeopardize public safety." No shit! Read it here:\n\nhttp://cryptome.org/wtc-nist-wtc7-no.pdf\n\n>You're jumping to conclusions. You've gone from what should have been a "Hmm, why aren't they releasing the data" data point A to "CONSPIRACY!!!!" data point Z without filling in B through Y in the middle.\n\nI'm fairly well researched in this area. Saying they won't release the data models for "public safety" reasons suggest a coverup to me. Simulations are for science; animations are for marketing. Right now, giving the facts we know, this is an animation, and the dataset would likely show fraud by NIST in their report. 1315571923 +And some people say they don't see any outright sexist comments on reddit... 1325662069 +Ugh, I totally saw a sign outside of a pet store advertising for a 'doggy chiropractor' the other day. I'm not sure which is more ridiculous. 1283493311 +Good point about them being radioactive which is another thing people are badly educated about. It takes billions of years for that radioactivity to fade to nothing but that's the type that is not dangerous to you. \n\n 1316121626 +Misleading title is misleading.\n\nI've seen similar paintings, and the locals will tell you about the dreamtime stories to accompany them. Nothing to do with aliens whatsoever. 1287168486 +Because sociolinguistics. 1341039821 +Note: I'm preparing my own scientific research which counter this study by proving that Canadian food is more healthful than Korean food. I will be serving subjects a Canadian traditional food of pancakes as well as a Korean traditional food of Soju. I predict that the subject group eating pancakes will gain better nutritional gains than the subject group drinking Soju. 1340190100 +I am fortunate because I had a terrific philosphy teacher in high school, she was really passionate and taught us well. I often didn't agree with her beliefs but she had reasons for them and I respected her for it! 1329174176 +Yeah, you could have just gone to IMDB and found out that every person in that movie was an actor & saved yourself some "detective" work. 1332187522 +>Donald Trump has been publicly making claims that not only question whether President Obama was born in Hawaii, but insist that he was born in Kenya. These claims are part of an overall belief that’s been termed “birtherism” – which is a conspiracy theory that asserts the media is suppressing the knowledge that Obama’s presidency is unconstitutional. \n\nOP fail\n\nedit: formatting the quote 1302567606 +PPS I am very proud of our service record: [http://i.imgur.com/D7qCK.jpg](http://i.imgur.com/D7qCK.jpg) 1308068107 +Yes [everything](http://i.imgur.com/ISALh.jpg) you read on the internet is true. 1332497593 +It's the hemispheres. Being in the north the frequencies of the holograms are reversed for us! 1294148352 +Looks legit.\n\nhttp://www.lankasrinews.com/view.php?2bYAlJ4a2dVYc242dmM0a220AmB42d2pBK4e0doMAOce0AA5V3c2cXO4e2\n 1355391144 +Nothing can be done. We don't know the names of the 30 accounts the guy on ebay owns, ebay won't care, and only idiots will pay such a ridiculous amount for something that is essentially just an ego boost. The upvotes will cause it to go to the hot page, which will cause it to get a large amount of downvotes, and actually generate negative traffic towards the link.\n\nSo, yeah, nobody can get banned for this. 1331117982 +See, now I respectfully disagree with this idea. \n\n>I believe we are not alone in the universe, btu the odds of us making contact with any other intelligent lifeforms is so small we probably never will. \n\nI think this, in itself, says that it's very likely. I saw [this](http://i.imgur.com/YWthu.jpg) and it kind of put things in perspective. Now mind you, I knew a good portion of this already (and being at a [6] might have helped a bit), but just looking at how vast the universe is, and understanding that we know fuckall about what's out there, I think contact is virtually inevitable.\n\nI have a theory that maybe for every 2 or 3 solar systems there can only be one planet with life. But then, who know how big each particular solar system is? Just what I think. 1316565578 +Hey everyone. I just emailed the JREF (James Randi Educational Foundation) with a request for Mr. Randi's time. It would be a great help, I'm sure, if anyone else wouldn't mind shooting them a quick one or two sentence email, as well, in order to demonstrate our desire for this to happen. Here's the link. Thanks!\n\nhttp://www.randi.org/site/index.php/contact-the-jref.html\n 1304099897 +SLIGHT AND CREAMY, TRIPLED FILTERED VODKA HAHAHA THE HEADSTONE OR HEADBANGWER LUXURY VODKA, MANFACTURED TO BEING YOU A PURELY NONENHANCED PURE SPIRIT THANK YOU 1303113970 +Interesting and thought-provoking stories are always welcome. But "OMG, two years ago my friend saw slenderman juggling orbs!", is not. And unfortunately, that covers many of the submittions to this sub. 1355796269 +As i've said in another thread from this post, I would generally agree with you. What we have here, however, is a collection of people who have a self-diagnosed sickness that often share no common trigger or symptom between individuals. When the only two studies done find no physiological differences between participants who are healthy and those who suffer from MCS in or out of the presence of the identified triggers the only rational conclusion is that the illness is psychological. 1316465925 +You like using big words without properly understanding their meaning don't you? 1347579612 +Maybe there is nothing odd about this, but the intensity of the event to the point I will never forget it and I have always struggled to understand it has always left me weirded out. It just felt like the beginning of my life.\n\nI credit this one occurrence to me studying philosophy in college, because I could never quite come to terms with it. I think if it were just my coming to terms with my existence it wouldn't be this confusing. I think what im trying to say is that it was very spontaneous and instant, its not like I was sitting there thinking about anything profound. It just happened. 1335331920 +It evokes feelings of caring and bullshit like that. 1285361191 +no i dont. id rather they not be there and how can that be when my whole family, friends and random strangers see the same stuff as me. plus this stuff goes on in every house on my street. oh and i really dont think a 7 yr old girl would want to look for that stuff plus the fact i had an ornament thrown at me on many occasions as a child when nobody was near the ornament. i still have the scar from where the wing on the ornament hit me. 1341337404 +Fucking kids, throwing balls around in what *I* created with my own two, possibly even fifteen hands. 1329130801 +This. School should show how it applies everywhere - in science, in English, even in music. 1328669251 +How about 'conspiracists'. People who believe in conspiracies seem to fail to change their beliefs based on evidence. 1304114560 +Just because someone is 'yelling' (but what we really mean here is being hostile) it doesn't mean they have no good point to make and so would be *reduced* to it (as if rhetoric is somehow *below* a person). 1342481046 +You meet the ghosts of retard future -- your classmates. 1309700649 +Good luck, Hitch. 1277935187 +That I definitely disagree with. It's all about perception. The two parts of the statement- "It's not your kid" and "back off"- when added together seem like they would really give the message of "I don't want you involved." I know it's not what's being said, but you know how people get.\n\nI actually think it would be better to flat-out say "that's bullshit, ma" when grandma says something suspect. Then again, this guy knows better than us how to address his own mom in that respect so I guess it's a futile discussion. 1295154430 +Yeah, these data are skewed, of course. I think it's meant to be a little bit of fun, not an academic paper. 1284029841 +When my granddad was still alive, he used to get a forewarning of somebody's death. Occasionally, he would hear a knocking sound. A few days after the knocks, he would find out that a friend or family member had died. Apparently, the knocks were louder when it was a person who was close to my granddad. \n \nMy mum told me this years ago, but I can't really explain it. Maybe something along the lines of conformation bias. Maybe he heard the knocks all the time, but only paid attention to them when somebody died? \n  \nEdit: As far as I am aware, he never heard 'the knocks' before his death. One would have thought that the knocks would be *really* loud then 1344721086 +What a childish thing that would be. 1304374390 +im 14... 1356887585 +A taste of your own medicine, eh? Well, I *do* understand more about the nature of the world than you do. I'm talking to you in the way you sometimes talk to others. Once you drop the 'I'm smart and you need education' mentality when interacting with your brothers and sisters, I won't need to use it anymore. \n\nHere's what I want you to do. Whenever you remember, if you get upset again, for any reason, whether it's on the internet or anywhere else, just stop and become aware of your anger. Ask yourself if you want to experience this feeling. Ask what it is *for*. Then go about your day. Just do this at least once per day. 1316564941 +Those who will be raptured still need to make preparations for their pets. 1294971443 +The earth! \n\nBasically, AC can be used to send power through only one conductor if you have two large capacitances at the ends. \n\nImagine a circle of tubing filled with water, with a pump and a turbine lying across from each other on this circle of tubing. The pump can pump water through the tubing, which turns the turbine, and the water comes back through the tubing to the pump.\n\nNow, cut the tubing between the pump and turbine, and put water-filled balloons at the ends. If you turn the pump on, the turbine will turn for a while, but one balloon will have the water pumped out and one balloon will get filled up. Eventually, the negative pressure from the empty balloon and the positive pressure from the full balloon will overwhelm the pump, and the turbine will stop turning.\n\nBut... what if you have the pump switch directions regularly? Now one balloon will start to fill and the other will start to empty, but before the pressures can overwhelm the pump the pump *switches directions*! The turbine, then, will move back and forth. You've transmitted power through through only one piece of tubing (conductor)! The water balloons are the capacitances, providing a temporary storage place for the extra "water" (charge) that sloshes back and forth.\n\nYou can try this at home (if you have a Tesla coil at home, of course :P): Touch your Tesla coil and hold only one lead of a LED. The LED lights up! This is because of the inherent capacitance of the LED leads and the semiconductor junction in the LED. With low-frequency (say, mains), the LED won't light. The pump doesn't switch directions fast enough, and it gets overwhelmed by the pressures before it switches. 1353361017 +Seconded: I *really* don't want to live in this world anymore. 1320526849 +Don't really mind it, either. It's more just not wanting a thread to be filled with stuff like that. And /r/skeptic is pretty small, so I don't think it's a *big* problem here. 1353375401 +Yours is the only hostile comment here, it was all fine until you exploded. 1337872883 +I'm not trying to downplay it, it is very interesting footage, but... as steady as it angle is, the clouds never move. I see birds flying, but the clouds, even the contrails, are stationary. Why is that? I stare at the sky from my cubicle daily, and every single cloud in the sky, man made or natural, move in all directions conjunct with atmospheric conditions. Easy to spot with a fixed point reference. I am not seeing any movement in this video beyond the distant, quadrotors with lights.\n\nI need more physics shattering dynamics or much more detailed footage. sorry guy. I'm not your buddy, pal. 1300172656 +Yeah, and it may come to that. But I dislike the idea of letting something slide just because of culture. (And if he's there for cultural reasons, I'm a little sad that the most inspiring aboriginal speaker we could find was someone who sells snake oil...) 1318425901 +I love how specific these recipes are.... makes you really certain of how accurate their results will be if at all. 1305735527 +The point is that many of those who belief there are risks to vaccines can not be convinced that they are wrong. So this could be a way to challenge their decision without needing to overturn their false belief. 1327299784 +?\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7FBvav4YPo 1333140313 +Yes, I got the cheekiness. Just wanted to point out that Ms. Watson is correct in her "assertion" as it does exist in legislation (though not in all states AFAIK). It is also in FBI's definition of rape, and in the rules of many colleges and universities, just for an example see UNH's Student Code of Conduct: http://www.unh.edu/sharpp/consent\n\n"Can someone consent to having sex if they are intoxicated? \n**No.** Once a person is intoxicated by alcohol and/or other drugs, she/he cannot legally give consent, even if she/he appears to give consent or verbally says “yes.” \nIf someone you are with is having difficulty walking or talking, is throwing up, passed out, or just generally unaware of what’s going on, that person cannot legally give consent."\n\nAnd if there's no consent it's rape or sexual assault. \n\nJust felt that that's important to point out as there seemed to be some confusion about this among skeptics. And as you can see from the link in my previous post confusion about this rather simple thing can have very serious consequences indeed.\n\nEDIT: Here's another example, this former economics major at Texas A&M University (and a serial rapist) is now serving 18 years: http://www.publicintegrity.org/2010/02/26/4404/undetected-rapists-campus-troubling-plague-repeat-offenders\n\n>By the time it was over, there would be a total of five women, all testifying they were assaulted by Yarbrough in the same circumstances: After drinking heavily, each said she passed out or fell asleep and woke to find Yarbrough having sex with her or touching her sexually. “He would pick the most intoxicated female, whether he’d be at a bar or at a party,” recalled Lt. Brandy Norris, the lead investigator on the case for College Station police. “He’s a serial rapist. He was smart enough to know he didn’t have to hide in the bushes and grab them as they were walking by.”\n\nHere's couple of examples of how these guys operate: [WWYD? - Unscripted Scenario](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&amp;v=QUKCWT05LWA) 1356084234 +> we tried that on early reddit and it became dominated by "vote up if bush should be impeached."\n\nA bit OT, but as one old-timer to another - I'd completely forgotten about those "vote up if ..." style posts. I haven't seen one in a while. Good riddance. I'm an unapologetic get-off-my-grass curmudgeon - I automatically downvote any imgur link. I reserve the (rarely exercised) option to un-downvote in case the image content was somehow substantial.\n\nThat said, when I joined Reddit, the upvote / downvote mechanism was supposed to help Reddit customize your front page - it meant "show me more/fewer items like this" - sort of like the Netflix recommendation engine. I really liked the potential of being introduced to new topics based on interest. It never worked all that well, unfortunately, so I suppose I don't mind having to manually choose my own subreddits. 1317496813 +I heard about this before... don't think it's a glitch in the matrix though. Probably not true. 1346272202 +my grandmother passed away last month, we just got home after watching the funeral home take her away from her house :( and i went to bed i was so upset, well i left the tv on and somthing woke me up it sounded like her voice saying daaaaaviiiiiiid like she was letting me know she was safe i broke down but after i felt happy because i knew she wasnt suffeing cause we lost her to esophogal cancer 1345134785 +>Keep ooooon marching to that tune, pooch\n\n[Will do!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwqfWR2KPd0&feature=related) 1342806482 +Well Fukushima was an accident, nuclear missiles are controlled directly by man. 1337620857 +I know nothing about the paleo diet, but I am skeptical of any majority determination! We used to call that the bandwagon back in my day. :) 1304220535 +You're talking about HUNDREDS of independent studies all coming to the same conclusion. You're talking about a product which is virtually ubiquitous to the world population. Any ill effects from that product would be detected very quickly considering the UNIVERSAL sample size. 1317249803 +There's definitely something there. Here's one [book](http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Brain-Understanding-Meditation-Consciousness/dp/0262011646) to get you started which has been highly recommended to me. 1276143598 +From what I've heard, the Thai surgeons are quite competent. Plus you get to party in Thailand before they do the work. But if you're doing something crazy like this, I guess having it done in a kitchen with only ice for anesthetic is part of the allure. 1321228199 +I'd be interested in what you find out. Of all aircraft, the B-52 would seem the least feasible to use for such an experiment. Is your buddy from Travis AFB? 1354759086 +I found what I consider to be a very accurate review of his book on goodreads.com: \n\n"Terrible. Here's the book in a nutshell. "I'm in <3rd world country> doing <something bad not backed up by any statistics>. I feel bad about this. I meet <friendly 3rd world local who teaches me the local language>. He takes me to <cultural festivity that no other white man has ever seen>. I learn <specific critique of US imperialism>. I return to my out of touch american enclave and happen upon <famous dictator/dissident/writer>. He <describes the country's forthcoming assasination/revolution/economic degregation> like a prophet." The process then repeats. \n\n\nAnyway, I'm sure the ideas in this book will help some 19 year old get laid. and if you are that 19 year old then I can not recommend this book highly enough." 1278041565 +Fair enough. I have no problems with this then. 1345174977 +Counter argument: "Proof?" 1338214663 +Bingo... if they reveled themselves no one would do whats normal and we would expect them to fix all of our problems with their technology.\n\nWe wouldn't make discoveries anymore we would just ask how.\nThis way they get to see if their project is working as designed or if its time to make a change. 1334728122 +The problem is that it's not one or two cell phones having a dramatic effect that's the issue, it's 30 or 40 having a slight effect at a bad time. And that effect can't really be measured by a pilot from the cockpit, but only through hard, thorough testing. 1335822331 +That depends on where you get your definition, now doesn't it? Some definitions define proof as \n\n**The evidence that compels one to accept an assertion as true**\n\nThis definition, which I feel is more widely used, discredits your train of thought. 1284919173 +[Here](http://evogeneao.com/store.html). 1306519967 +I must see this video. 1342970893 +bigger than santas 1292271414 +I have to check since I think it was a different term from anthropic principle which concerns more the appearance of the universe to beings evolved to live in it. I think this was only about how we should by default consider everything about our environment to be medium and not special (we are not the center of the universe, milky way is not the only galaxy etc.) 1330697760 +Ok, how did they use the number? 1335955846 +typo sally 1349738993 +The catholic church has an office dedicated just for this very thing (investigating miracle claims and debunking them), why in the world would the Indian catholic diocese be pushing this claim for this guy doing essentially what the Catholic church itself does all the time?\n\nMaybe it's time to lobby the Vatican to step in and shut these people down. 1339105964 +There is some evidence for the usefulness of [omega-3 capsules](http://examine.com/supplements/Fish+Oil/), but I don't know about cod liver oil. 1350061571 +What's the causative mechanism for the science boner that comment just gave me? 1355414257 +I don't understand all the joke comments, I find this quite interesting! This is the first story where someone (even if you're lying) said they saw it disappear right in front of their eyes.\n\nI wish I had more questions, but you're certain it totally disappeared instantly or was there some kind of fade out (even if the fading only lasted a split second)?\n\nYou should post a note at work about "can of missing spaghettios" and if someone does find the can, ask them where they found it. It seems most "gone missing stories" the item usually does turn up again, just in a weird location. 1350448246 +I watch it, but never really process anything since all I can think about is punching Zach in the face repetitively. 1348554139 +didn't the army fund the 'remote viewing' or ["Stargate Project"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stargate_Project)\n\nthrowing a few million down the new age healing hole shouldn't surprise anyone 1329495655 +This always happens to me while I'm driving. 1318987511 +I love CD! Digital media is such a huge part of our lives, I'm disappointed there aren't more resources like him to easily learn about this stuff. 1347721872 +If nobody else (other students/teacher) can remember it happen though, it may be that you were hallucinating. \nWhatever the case, I will agree, awesome story. 1352244317 +I believe that something extraordinary happened in the woods outside of Bentwaters AFB in late 1980. I also think that fuck-faces like Jim Penniston are trying to capitalize on a real event with lies. Penniston claims that he received a binary code transmission which he recorded in his notebook but didn't tell anyone about for 30 years. It speaks of Hy Brasil which is a supposed Atlanian-type island that sank off the coast of Ireland. It really is quite ridiculous and harms the honest testimony of witnesses like Halt. 1347923625 +Fair's fair. He knows a *lot* about the mysterious alchemical art of turning stupid into money. 1292442749 +Everything 2012 is bullshit. I am so looking forward to 2013 so that we can finally hear the end of the 2012 bullshit and the Mayan calender.\n\n 1293501658 +This is basically the entire basis for the r/conspiracy subreddit. I've never encountered as much pure, unadulterated confirmation bias as I have there. In addition to confirmation bias, there's a fair amount of circlejerking - that is to say, one conspiracy theorist quotes another who quotes another, and then claims this as a credible source. \n\nNot to mention the hilarious dismissal; if you don't agree that Jews run the world and 9/11 was an inside job, they accuse you of *only watching Fox News*...and then, on the strength of this baseless assertion, they ignore every point made in your argument.\n\n 1319266190 +I suppose you have the resources to go from ground-to-air without cutting. Tell me, what's the annual budget on your production company? 1350919574 +Cool - Sitchin was one area I knew something about, so I went straight to that and found the Biblical stuff in it. Then I went and checked bios and websites and found a strong Christian agenda. Made me suspicious for sure. "Ancient Aliens are false, ergo Jebus"\n\nYour last comment offers a much better defense of their points than the support of their use of the Noah's flood.\n\nI'll go read the Baalbek stuff. I grew up near there and climbed all over it so many times as a kid. Didn't even know it was part of the ancient alien woo. The guides certainly don't give that history. 1349311426 +Maybe have a friend over and see if they experience anything? 1349277281 +>Did you mean to say 'skepchick' there?\n\nNo, I meant as a more accurate alternative, though maybe my view of skepchick is mostly down to what I've seen from Rebecca Watson who when I first came across her I thought was cool, sensible and a good spokeswoman for skepticism, but then I started to see too much "lol stupid religious people" type of things from her, which put me off.\n\n>What issues do you think they've exaggerated?\n\nFor instance, Dawkins comment, which ended up in a call for people to not buy his books or give any attention to him. That's silly, it wasn't engaging in reasoned discussion.\n\n>The FTB contain a vast range of blogs;\n\nI was talking about skepchick.com not freethoughtblogs. It'd be silly to make any general claims about FTB as it's just like wordpress as far as I know, just offering a service for a vast range of different things.\n\n>As for the adverts, I might be wrong but it was my understanding that those ads are tailored towards the web user based on their history and hits, not on the site itself? Either way, I don't think the website owner chooses the ads at all, and they'd probably appreciate being told that those ads were coming up.\n\nAs far as I know the people running the websites can select what kind of ads would be displayed, not specific ads but they can select from a category. I'm using a new install of firefox at my parent's in law, so there wasn't any history.\n\n>It seems fair enough to me - it's objectively true that Satoshi's conclusions stem directly from his misogyny and racism, and it makes sense to oppose him being hired by a site dedicated to intellectual topics on that basis.\n\nIt might be true that Satoshi is a misogynist and racist, I don't know enough about him as I've generally ignored him as I think he's utterly ridiculous, but if I was going to say anything about him it'd be pointing out problems with his claims and ignoring the person.\n\n>What's wrong with "pornographic astronomical terms"? Most feminists don't believe there is anything inherently wrong with pornography, and most argue for the importance of having positive views of sex.\n\nWell I'm not really familiar with their views on pornography. But I'd have thought it'd be in tension with the fact that they, and no other reasonable person, think that portraying women simply as sexual objects is a good thing. Maybe I'm creating a strawman image of what pornography is though? 1347957485 +Some of these look really good! Even modern drawings of ufo's draw similar conclusions. Many people try to debunk it by saying it must be the Military flying some new craft, but these ancient dates clearly prove otherwise. Ty and keep on keeping an open mind. 1314934221 +Isn't that the whole point and process of science? Challenge something, then if it holds up, adopt it? 1338850530 +"Reaper? I hardly know her!" 1302894307 +Here is the study the article I read got their facts from:\n\n[BMJ - tea drinking habits in northern Iran](http://www.bmj.com/content/338/bmj.b929.abstract)\n\nThe conclusion of the study was that it is advised to wait at least 5 minutes before you consume the hot liquid.\n\nOther articles on the same subject have also advised against drinking hot liquids through a straw since the liquid does not cool sufficiently in the mouth before it reaches the throat. 1330372206 +I hate musical snobs like that, had they been born before they would be bitching about The Beatles and that damn negro music corrupting young minds 1329051966 +> Only that it was there for 3 years prior to be covering it with acv.\n\nThat's the thing. You have no idea when it would have gone away without the ACV. 1347920612 +If it's a UFO, how do they know that they are extraterrestrial? Or have they forgotten that UFO stands for *Unidentified* Flying Object? 1302897018 +I spent a few minutes looking through this site. While it was entertaining, I soon reached the same conclusion. 1345363403 +I'll confess to not having my head entirely wrapped around the section where Mises lays out those logical underpinnings, but I do know that was a very long and comprehensive section where he established praxeology's logical validity and the soundness of the science as a science. I'm only on my first read, however, and that is the area I intend to revisit first when I go through it again. Thus far, the economics have lined up to describe and explain what i've already observed in reality, and as such, has been quite compelling.\n\nI apologize for the tone of my previous comment, since you are clearly studying the literature of this field. I would like to humbly suggest you attempt to digest the entire work before leveling judgement though. It's a huge volume, and I'd imagine it would be rather difficult to skim through and fully understand the implications of what the author is presenting. 1334628952 +My greatest concern is to present the evidence in a clear and accurate manner. If I felt that these were more likely Chinese lanterns rather than more likely classified as 'unknown' then I wouldn't have bothered to expose myself to unreasonable conclusions such as yours. 1332146377 +calm down. smoke a joint. have some cake. \n\nblinding rage? really? \n\nwhen something actually worthy of outrage happens, be sure to stay indoors, and turn off the tv and the internet. \n\nyou don't want to suffer an aneurysm from apoplexy. 1279906352 +was looking on [Anderson's Websight](http://www.andersoncooper.com/2012/02/28/een-exorcists-backstage-were-helping-people/) and found this gem... 1330534649 +Lightning, guys. Lightning. 1331347668 +OK. This is what I have found. You can do a simple search on the W.H.O. website.\n\nhttp://search.who.int/search?q=reiki&ie=utf8&site=default_collection&client=_en&proxystylesheet=_en&output=xml_no_dtd&oe=utf8\n\nAnd this seems to be typical of the type of "recommendation" that is being given.\n\nhttp://www.searo.who.int/en/section1174/section1199/section1567/section1824_8089.htm\n\n> Spiritual leaders and faith healers…wisdom to action\n\n> Spiritual leaders and faith healers occupy a unique position in South-East Asian societies owing to their stature, position, wisdom and their capability to influence people’s beliefs and values. While the spiritual and religious dimensions of suicides are debatable, it is essential to realize that "human life is precious". Since people have enormous faith, respect and confidence in spiritual leaders, they should emphasize the fact that suicide is preventable and individuals can be helped by counselling, medication and supportive services. Spiritual leaders can emphasize the importance of life and its meaning by promoting positive beliefs and values.\n\n> **Faith healers should be involved in suicide prevention activities at the community level as they are the first level of contact for many health problems.** If they can play a positive role in identifying suicidal thoughts, behaviour, depressive states and offer emotional support to people, it will be a step in the right direction. Several non-pharmacological methods of management are gaining popularity in SEAR Member Countries. **Some of these are yoga, meditation, acupuncture and reiki. While no established randomized controlled trials are available to prove their efficacy and effectiveness in the management of certain psychological problems, their acceptance in the community has been growing. It is vital to develop a better understanding about the role of these systems to incorporate positive, harmless and culturally- accepted methods.** The involvement of spiritual leaders (imams in Bangladesh, monks in Sri Lanka and Thailand, religious leaders in India) in community decision-making activities will be of help in promoting solidarity in the community.\n\nSo what this boils down to, is that in 3rd world countries where there may not be access to full medical care, the W.H.O. with attempt to use whatever the locals use to seek treatment as an avenue to promote their agenda. So if the W.H.O. can utilise the local faith healer to promote, condom use to prevent AIDS, or to encourage vaccination, or to use mosquito nets to prevent malaria, they will do it. This is quite simply a practical approach. 1336243795 +Ah, gotcha. I mean, your insurance is going to matter, it's going to depend on your diagnosis, etc. Make sure you do not get pills made by [these fuckers](http://www.drreddys.com/). They have poor bioavailability and bad quality control.\n\nI take an antiepileptic which works well as a mood stabilizer, if you have oscillating moods. Lamictal, made by Teva. Without my insurance, it'd probably be about 200/mo (I take two a day, morning/night).\n\nReally, this is something you should talk to your doctor about.\n\n**edit** with my insurance I pay about $2/mo 1329964209 +i'm writing a movie.. about a kid who lives exactly what you describe, in a forest with his dad. weird. there are some differences but wow. I'd love to know more about how you felt back then and recently about this exact moment.\n\nit must be incredible, I wish I could live something weird like this one day. 1340670876 +I predicted you were going to say this. 1335680520 +I'm dying to hear what happened next man! Did you speak to her? Did you tell her about your dream? 1317283893 +If the op is very transparent about all the money that has been earned and donates it to a public charity or does some public good with it that is completely transparent, then I have no issue with him charging. Plus look at Penn & Teller's BS episode on woo/alt medicine. They didn't get rich off ripping people off, but they still charged a few people, but they put it on TV. I am not sure if that justifies them, but I don't see anyone giving them any hell for it. 1342627231 +!!Exclamat!on! Marks! Everywhere!!!! 1349910236 +> but i own an aluminium water bottle which has none\n\nThe technology involved in created a seamless aluminum bottle vs. a seamless aircraft 30+ feet in diameter is *much* different, as I'm sure you know.\n\n> It would be quite a leap to claim it's purely a coincidence that the non-metallic material they use just happens to exactly resemble metal. \n\n[Not really.](http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/Plastic-Embossed-Sheets-simulate-look-of-metal-19292)\n\n> It seems you're clutching at straws with that one.\n\nlol. Says the guy who can't believe UFO reports where metal, one of the most abundant resources in the universe, is reported. 1334159555 +This is a terrible example for you to trumpet.\n\nI mean, really. 1342137251 +So you're familiar with science... Why do you believe that UFO research should be held to a lower standard than other disciplines? 1306029903 +Any chance of a link to the 2 pics..? 1343934244 +Not even sure that makes sense. Who denies that the climate changes? 1343483705 +no, it was a tiny trip. 1345505106 +Fascinating, but also kind of sad if you think about it. Arabic culture used to be so cool and scientifically advanced before the fundies took over. Makes you wonder what could have been. If Islam never existed, the Middle East could have potentially been a huge cradle of scientific advancement to match or even surpass the West, rather than the regressive third world quasi-medieval environment that exists in that region today. Also a warning for America. A leader in science can be destroyed if anti-science religious zealots are allowed to gain too much power. 1352585609 +No, you don't understand. This isn't a rage comic, it would go nowhere on r/atheism. 1308620038 +if it helps you to think in terms of labels, sure, why not... 1329515797 +Hell of a lot of yelling for absolutely nothing. Did the marketing team actually seek out the most annoying people out there? Why would the girl scream "SHUT THE CAMERA OFF!" ? This is so stupid. 1288362722 +I have a few friends who are true believers in this stuff. I have never read anything reliable to trust their opinions on it tho. 1314832421 +My question to this would be: does OP leave his cable box on, or turn it off when he turns off yhe TV? Also, some STBs have pass-through electrical outlets; Is the TV hooked to that, or a dedicated outlet? 1346032195 +Pretty sure he cited his own sarcasm and wit there. 1323054905 +How do you mean? I know he has some quack ideas about vaccines. 1346357374 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JP-5 1289780738 +So if I start drinking I might find it harder to lucid dream... 1351020768 +that pattern has been going on for years. Unless you believe they are all Chinese Lanterns then there isn't any point talking about it is there? 1341699908 +> but in all previous cases of anarchy, crime has increased\n\nThis is not true. There's only been a few cases of anarchism, and in all of them there was less crime compared to the previous state. [Crime in Somalia went down, although there aren't a lot of statistics to go by except for the increase in trade freedom).](http://www.peterleeson.com/better_off_stateless.pdf) [Almost all of these didn't have crime either.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_anarchist_communities) [Even the Kowloon Walled City had very little crime](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kowloon_Walled_City#Urban_settlement), outside of crime that was defined by the Hong Kong Government (like drug trafficking and unlicensed medical practice, which aren't really crimes).\n\n> Does it follow from that that all government is immoral?\n\nGetting back to my main argument; Government is immoral because it is funded through theft (taxes) which are immoral. If Government was voluntarily funded, then it would not be immoral.\n\n> If you don't accept going to arbitration, you lose nothing.\n\nI disagree. I may lose the right to fight future claims, the ability to have a DRO accept me as a client, and shunning from the community. If I don't pay, the arbitrator could make a post on Facebook or another type of website for other people to see, including future employers. There are other types of punishment besides monetary.\n\n> If you implemented that into your system, it would be just as immoral as government, by your standards at least.\n\nI disagree, since it was the original person that stole the $50. If he didn't steal it, it would be in his best social interest to prove his innocence. Or, he could just post his information on Facebook, and maybe find out that the other guy was saying that hundreds of people stole $50 from him. Then they could all get together, and shun the other guy for lying about it all. Either way, there are ways to make it work outside of a state-run criminal justice system.\n\n> Now I ask, what makes coercion objectively and scientifically bad? You'll need to develop a moral system that crosses the is/ought gap. Otherwise, it boils down to something being bad because it feels bad. As skeptics, it is our self-imposed responsibility to attack positions based on feelings, rather than reason.\n\n> Without evidence of it's inherent evilness, Ockham's razor disposes of such inherent qualities.\n\n> If it is only subjectively bad, than you can not prove it to me and there is no reason for me to accept it, just like you can not prove that green is better than red. \n\nBut isn't this unprovable, since you can't scientifically prove that Government is good, just because it feels good. In your last statement you say "If it is only subjectively bad, then you can not prove it to me and there is no reason for me to accept it." So i could just retort with "You may think it's subjectively good, but you can't prove it to me and there is no reason for me to accept it. Plus, I have evidence of theft, [police brutality](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rwAQX0SWlhY), etc." Then we'd likely end up each listing things in our defense (i.e. I list all the bad things government does, you list all the good things government does). If there were thousands of bad things, and a few good things, then I could state the the Government is statistically more likely to do bad things. That makes it objective. You could still support Government if you wanted to, but I would have a lot of reasons and statistical evidence to think we'd be better off without its existence. I mean, this is why social science and economics are considered 'soft science' in the first place, and why this debate (government vs. non-government) is still ongoing. But just because you can't objectively settle something, doesn't mean that you can't change it. For example, you can't objectively state that Gay Marriage shouldn't be prohibited. Except you can, because the LGBT population wants the same rights as everyone else. There's no scientific evidence that says they should get married, but there's plenty of social evidence that says they should have the same rights because it's what they want. And in the same way, you should be able to have a government if you want one, and I should be able to move somewhere that is not under the jurisdiction of a Government. As of now, that's impossible. \n\nLastly, as far as a moral stance goes, it would be the [Non-aggression Principle.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-aggression_principle)\n\nAnd to lighten the mood up, [here's a good picture.](http://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/302794_10152309593045285_1602574834_n.jpg) [x-post from front page of /r/anarcho_capitalism.] 1354550638 +[You're a fucking moron.](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/l2k8u/steve_jobs_waited_a_year_to_have_his_tumor/c2pc3zk) —and the reason why people don't trust science or "proven medicine". \n\nHow many MD's would be entertained by this type of comment? \n\nThere is a subculture in Medicine and many of the people who don't see it are closer in age to Reddit's primary demographic than they are to Steve Jobs' 54 years of wisdom. 1317919359 +Oh good I was afraid that SyFy might show some scifi. 1316292349 +I explained to my mother the silliness of dilution last week actually. I even showed her personally. I did a 6x dilution (The same as the pills they gave me) of what started as 1 cup of vodka. She was still convinced that If I drank the cup I would become drunk. She continued her mantra of "You cannot bring science into this" in the discussion. My dad refuses to talk to me about it still.\n\n 1321340154 +No one is qualified to see a UFO. 1353200376 +Don't open them. These are some of the most diluted samples EVAH! Very hard to come by. 1328062563 +Would the homeopathic solution be a finely grounded up economist added to water and then diluted?\n\n*I don't actually have any issues with economists or economics in general.* 1335259471 +is it weird that its on my birthday? 1318952652 +This is a shame - I do believe that at one point Dr. Oz was a reputable source of medical information. When he first came on Oprah he was a consistent source of medical advice in a sea of quacks touting spiritual healing and homeopathy. My mom even credits him for helping her stop eating foods with added sugar, after seeing an episode where he talks about the correlation between consuming sugar and diabetes in overweight people. \n\nThat said, I'd have to imagine that when he was put in a position where he has to create content for hundreds of episodes per year and keep his ratings up, he 'sold out' and began allowing the quality of the medicine shared on his show to slip. 1302699671 +http://www.cracked.com/article_19283_7-ancient-forms-mysticism-that-are-recent-inventions.html 1311641319 +That's why I hate the "don't be a dick" thing. It's so completely ridiculous, and it's even more insulting coming from intelligent people. Being a "dick" is completely relative. People can think you're a dick for all sorts of unfounded reasons. Am I to understand that I can't ever offend anyone's sensibilities, no matter how inane? \n\nI know it's supposed to be a "general rule" and all, and maybe I'm being a bit pedantic. But it's thrown about so flippantly, as if that one rule is the secret to everything. Just follow that, and you'll be okay. No, it's stupid. Sometimes, people need to be offended. Although, I wholeheartedly agree with the OP's point. Sometimes, you have to be less like a samurai and more like a ninja. But I'm not going to walk on eggshells for morons. 1341541001 +You mean to tell me that UFOs are not of US property? But belong to some tiny nation with no funds or scientists? 1341849134 +99% of the arsenic atoms are left in the existing solution; only 1% are used to make the new (diluted) solution. The dilution process isn't only "adding water", first you take a *part* of the previous solution to use, otherwise you'd end up with massive amounts of water... that's the whole point of using multiple steps. Didn't you ever dilute anything in Chemistry class?\n\n...or are you interpreting it as asking "what's the number of atoms including all the previous leftovers"? That's an invalid interpretation since it specifically asks what is the number in the current level of dilution. 1328288719 +Nope its not a hanging skeleton, we walked away from all the Halloween- type decorations and just went around the plantation. And I doubt it's bark from a tree. 1344997098 +Are number 2 and number 4 the same?\n\nAnyone got links to the BBC versions above that are freely accessible? 1350469702 +Pray to Jesus Christ, directly. Ask His help. If you've come to the point you're willing to sprinkle cooking products in a doorway, I'm sure the age old Jesus, Help Me has crossed your mind...BUT do it with belief, faith, intent, and love. Jesus was/is the physical representation of God's (universe/creator/xyz) Love for us. I can honestly tell you that whenever I have unwavering faith that Jesus will help me, He is there. And I'm not a church freak, and I don't talk much, if at all, about these things to people.\n\nIf youre having trouble with the faith part, first start asking for signs. Seriously, He will give u proof. Which only makes sense, He's not trying to trick us, the answers are there, just look. 1354933911 +I was just responding to someone, who is aptly named richard head, in a trollish way. 1318308782 +Just as long as they aren't bath salts... 1344807327 +And "evidence-based" medicine is not infallible, it's a system of making the best educated guess you can. And evidence-based medicine is always changing and evolving as it should. Why? Because we learn more. We keep testing scientifically. \n\nAlso, I don't think you know what a professional doctorate is, because these people are MDs and DOs - the PhD in medicine is completely different than an MD. 1318730849 +Will you ask him things through the Ouija for us? 1340616377 +4/20 closing ceremonies\n\nThey know 1335012153 +Yeh I would definitely enjoy it too. I'm really hoping to see it happen. 1290543042 +First, yay.\n\nSecond, that seems like maybe 30 minutes of material. Maybe 50. Is it supposed to be "feature length"? 1263554930 +Yes!! Adults not getting boosters is a big problem. You need a "Tdap" shot every 10 years. It covers tetanus, diptheria and pertussis. 1343159997 +I even knew that (it was in my college chemistry book) but forgot. Yes, that would be the thing, aluminum.\n\n(Now I'm picturing that scene in Star Trek 4 with the transparent aluminum.) 1335824502 +It is not a conspiracy when it is something not driven by a (presumably hidden) agreement among companies but instead by very clear (and legal) economics:\n\n- if the costs for a more advanced drug are very, very large and the chances to actually get it are actually very small a company will assign a very, very high risk to that research;\n\n- the research for a less spectacular drug (or a new use for an existing drug) can be easier and less expensive - and a company will assign a far more moderate risk to that;\n\n- on top of all things a company will assign an even smaller risk (or a higher benefit/risk ratio) for profits resulting from increased marketing;\n\n- when having to decide on funding some of many options, the profits/risk ratio will be the essential part (and I believe companies in some places are/were [required by law](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_v._Ford_Motor_Company) to act on maximizing returns for shareholders) - this explains why [all the large pharmaceutical companies in the world spend more for marketing than for actual research](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080105140107.htm) and spend more on 'safer' (but less spectacular) solutions rather than on more advanced solutions with a very unproven track.\n\nIt is a very bad thing (for the public) the fact that big pharma is spending huge amounts of money on lobbying for patent-law extensions - but since lobbying is perfectly legal that is not a conspiracy! It might be also bad for the public the fact that big pharma is investing a lot more money on extending patents for existing drugs by getting new uses for them - but again on that the problem was on creating the legal framework - so the public has to blame himself or his elected officials, or eventually start lobbying against such laws!\n 1321363310 +Like I said, try it and see. Even if there were countless studies you could never know what works for you until you've tried it. 1318355630 +More interesting is the fact that research indicates huge benefits to male vaccination also, yet that isn't discussed much at all. 1318857840 +When you see even small storms from a distance (best when out in the middle of nowhere), it's easy to see how there are pillars of rain distributed throughout the storm. \n\nYou may have simply been inside an area that didn't have any immediate pillars of rain sweeping through. You also mention a lack of wind... which would make it even more likely that the rain is coming straight down, rather than blowing around and coalescing into a more sprinkle-everywhere nature. 1346626476 +Good points, but when they went after Dawkins like that they lost me. 1330963317 +It caused me to recoil at the same point. You can't counter dishonest rhetoric with more dishonest rhetoric and expect to be taken seriously. 1303189536 +Ceiling cat represents the omniscience of God. He's telling you you will go to Hell for posting this sacrilege. 1341887625 +>Yes they can,\n\nFine. You still haven't said anything negative about the 2500+ architects and engineers. So there's that.\n\n>The issue is elementary, \n\nAgreed. \n\n>The section addressing the idea that it was a controlled demolition is from 2006.\n\nThe [evidence of of explosives](http://stj911.org/press_releases/ActiveThermiticMaterial.html) (not that one really needs any further evidence than the video evidence of a near-free-fall collapse) is from 2009. You are still citing an outdated opinion.\n\n>Firstly, it gained speed\n\nYes, you are correct. At first, it did gain speed - from 0 to near-free-fall. And assuming the planes took-out the center columns (though unlikely an aluminum tube could pulverize concrete-reenforced center columns of the World Trade Towers, so as to create the opportunity for a near-free-fall event), the floors beneath (all 90+) offer nothing but resistance.\n\n>momentum = mass * velocity\n\nYes, noting that "velocity" SHOULD decrease as the tops floors hit the resistance of the bottom floors, and "mass" will also be decreasing as debris from the structure (maybe 10%) will undoubtedly fall to the side.\n\nThe French are "famous" for developing a demolition technique that takes advantage of those physics:\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwFHEoiUZ7o\n\nThat said, the footage clearly demonstrates how the top floors are always self-destroying, **slowing and stoping** eventually, due - needless to say - to the maintained structural integrity of the bottom floors:\n\nhttp://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2td63_hd20h20070822chunk2_news\n\nUnder no circumstances will the top floors **gain** momentum after the "trigger" event:\n\n1. standing bulding\n\n2. trigger event: top floors briefly "gain momentum" (from 0 - near free-fall -- takes about 2 seconds)\n\n3. the top floors hit the bottom floors, and immediately begin to lose momentum = (the maintained structural integrity of the bottom floors = loss of velocity; and the debris flying off the edge = loss of mass).\n\n... that, unlike WTC1 and WTC2, where the buildings' collapsed maintained a **highly-unexpected** steady rate as the top 20 floors collapsed straight down and through the bottom 90 floors -- the path of greatest resistance.\n\n>It's so damn straight forward, so simple and obvious\n\nI agree with you completely. It's very straight forward. (And we haven't even touched WTC7 -- nor did any planes, coincidentally.)\n\nFeel free to have the last word, as I am sure you will. My intension wasn't to make you angry (as it appears I have), rather to simply inform you of some relevant and important details you have seemingly missed/side-stepped along the way.\n\nTake care.\n 1325430966 +So-called regression hypnosis should be called something else, in fact. I have not seen compelling evidence that it works. Could it not be the implanting of false memories by leading and suggesting, I wonder. 1351624068 +The emergent behavior of the cells in the brain. There's your soul. 1295589240 +Wow, thanks! That's exactly what I was looking for. 1332941958 +if shadow ppl are ghosts, wouldn't they just be called ghosts?? and idk. this is MY PERSONAL experience on the matter 1311738336 +The logic she uses to even get to that point is simply amazing. Reminds me of [Douglas Adams describing the population of the universe](http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy#Chapter_19). 1320956725 +Doesn't work like that.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_immunity 1297342712 +Not all conspiracy theories turn out to be bullshit (not saying it's the case here...) 1350591352 +I'm asking sincerely but is it at all possible you could have gotten the same relief from a legitimate massage or seeing a physical therapist? 1351142567 +I agree. Irony: the article defines the straw man fallacy and is composed entirely of the same. 1268843289 +Sounds like you guys are two aspects of the same soul. In that regard you are very in sync with each other, "tuning in" to the same realities.... 1332002781 +Fireworks, wow. Then we should see millions of birds tumbling during war time? 1294187374 +Feel free to post any studies which demonstrate, through scientific means, that acupuncture does anything that can't be achieved with a placebo. \n\n"Our nerves are weird." (Taken from another post of yours) isn't science. It's demonstrative of a lack of knowledge, and you choose to fill in make-believe pseudoscience because of your lack of knowledge. Our nervous system is very well understood. Acupuncture is absolutely nonsense, and your post does nothing to demonstrate otherwise. Just because a creationist thinks "people are complex", that doesn't mean that evolution is incorrect, and that there must have been a creator. The same goes for acupuncture.\n 1307002124 +I love MU too. But you are right that they are a bit less than skeptical. Aaron goes on and on about how he is a 'scientist by training', but without fail he somehow feels the need to come to a (usually) baseless conclusion for every topic they discuss. But he's honestly a great guy and so is Ben. They work very well together.\n\nI have to add: the music is beyond annoying. Arhythmic dubsteppy samples instead of songs, waay too much of it, and twice as loud as the talk segments so you need to repeatedly turn the volume up and down. It seems really incongruous to the subject matter. But it's worth enduring I guess. 1329697132 +Simple solution. Ask John Titor who the next president will be, what are some historical events that are imminent (i.e. natural disasters, terrorist attacks etc.). 2036 isn't that far into the future, he's already been born and roaming the Earth as we speak. Where is John from? Go to his home town and find his younger self and KILL THE CHILD! 1303723923 +In some states to sell real estate you have to note paranormal activity when showing the location \nhttp://www.realtor.com/home-finance/homebuyer-information/selling-a-haunted-house.aspx?source=web \n\n3rd paragraph. I can find the actual law here if i dedicate time. 1341290389 +But they were pioneers by their first album. British rock and roll just hadn't been done before them. 1329079327 +Well from my understanding, if someone can access a higher power through their mind & simply kind of "take 'matter' into their own hands" such as dematerializing objects, and warping through space.\nI kind of believe someone who knew these sacred ways of our life could build structures like the great pyramids, or coral castle. 1349419935 +Yeah, that was me. Sorry, guys. It wasn't theaters anymore by the time I found out about it. 1346363950 +There tends to be anomalies with the emf meter, these anomalies were assumed by some to be paranormal. I have not however seen convincing evidence of this. But it is an attempt to understand the paranormal. Generally "stabs in the dark" are how one learns new things that no one ever knew before. Of course one must also know when something doesn't work the first 12,352 times that it probably wont work the next 5,738 times either. But humans are a stubborn bunch and will create data where there is none because it makes them feel better. 1335787704 +"Why, exactly, is it objectionable for the government to infringe on these liberties, but not for a private employer?"\n\nI stopped reading after this sentence. Government has the authority to use force and thus must be limited. You can tell your employer to kiss off and find some other way of making money. If you tell the government to kiss off you could end up with a bullet in the back of the head or thrown in a cell with little to no recourse. 1343090115 +Thanks for that. I think there are also some ecological arguments against round-up ready crops. Monsanto were disliked by many people before they became the major player in GM because of a history of actual dodginess, so they're a convenient target. I'm not sure where the hysteria about GM started. It seems to hit a raw nerve with a lot of people who instantly Nope based on near zero understanding of the issues. 1331003610 +To be fair, there were a few popular novelty monster songs in the 50s and 60s. The Mr. Show sketch was based off [*The Monster Mash*](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0R_oDEvYUY). The only other one I can think of off the top of my head is [*Purple People Eater*](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9H_cI_WCnE) (which is clearly a euphemism for penis). 1314155716 +In my experience Empaths & Sensitives have many unexplained phenomena around them for most of their lives. Understanding friends' pain is unique & wonderful, but there is a world of difference between human empathy & having a paranormal connection. I would advise you to never, never, NEVER invite in spirits, haunts, ghouls, ghosts, whatever you want to call it. It is a door that is really difficult to shut & if you don't have proper guidance, it can ruin your life.\n\nMy advice? Just enjoy having an amazing connection with your friends. If things start to get weird & the dead are speaking to you, then seek out help to understand what's going on. For now, please just develop your interpersonal relationships with the living... They make *far* better friends, I promise! 1340568654 +Yup! Most points only go to 10, but this point, well, gives you 1 more if you really need it... 1344035774 +ROFL -- good point, have an upvote! :) 1355083295 +I'm going to guess you're not from the States? WWN is the bottom of the barrel in tabloids here.... You find them in checkout lines..good for a chuckle but that's about it. 1316619653 +>My brain tells me they are just scouts observing.\n\nAre you sure that's not just wishful thinking? Let's be fair. We don't "know" anything. They're UFOs, literally - Unidentified Flying (or, as often occurs in outer space, Floating) Objects. There is no implication of extra-terrestrial spaceships like we see in popular culture. We can fill in the gaps in information all day and, thanks to the human penchant for feeding mysteries, those gaps get filled with all sorts of fun whimsy and, at times, total insanity. 1337105441 +He is slowly turning more and more into Count Dracula. 1312538995 +Sources =/= *good* sources.\n\nDo you believe the things said by the sources you linked, or are you acting as devil's advocate?\n\nIf you believe them, and are arguing towards their veracity, please provide actual evidence to support the claims. If you're acting as devil's advocate, you done a good job at showing these claims have no evidence to support them beyond a bunch of quacks claiming so. 1330147275 +Then it should be just as easy to find more recent quotes or clips. I'm simply pointing out that quoting somebody that far back is dishonest, because that is plenty of time for someone to potentially change their views. Are you the exact same person now as you were ten years ago? 1335443430 +Nope. Succussing is shaking *in a very particular way*, which doesn't occur in nature. Depending on who you ask, you either have to shake it ten times in each of three axes, or strike it multiple times against a leather-bound book. Sometimes both. 1333581880 +Finished listing to the podcast a few hours ago, I love Joe Rogan's podcast and as if the univers was speaking to me, it turns out I'm headed to Washington this weekend so I'm going to go to the Portland seminar, can't wait ! 1340785408 +Yes, this site is not limited to debunking non-skeptical news. It also focuses on keeping a skeptical mindset when covering general news. 1340673303 +Sort of the inverse of the Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #62:\n**The riskier the road, the greater the profit.** 1338319002 +(*Disclaimer*: *Because it can sometimes be hard to interpret the "tone" of someone over text: I don't mean to sound angry, upset, snarky etc.*)\n\n\nIf you are so sure that humans have some kind of suffering that mammals like pigs and cows don't have, then why don't *you* tell me what that definition of suffering is ;)\n\nPlants lack a central nervous system (so there is no "entity" which could feel that *it* was suffering), insects have a CNS butt lack other features thought to be important for feeling pain (connecting potentially painful stimuli to emotion). \n\nMammals (and actually birds to) lack none of those things and the "burden of proof" lies on the person who claims these animals somehow don't feel pain anyway. Why wouldn't they? What made *us* so different in this regard? What's the selective pressure that brought about a uniquely human pain? \n\nIt's just a cultural circumstance that I ,rather than you, *seem* to have the "extreme" position that needs to have extra evidence. 1325097656 +JFC: they just can't discuss UFOs without referring to the X Files. It blows my mind; it's like they have a script that they have to follow. 1286656417 +Ask anyway. Temporary humiliation is better than well honestly I do not know enough to even guess what could happen but it could go south very quickly with no point of return.\n\nWork it back manually, if you know the guy you bought it from, he might know who he bought it from, and so forth. Go back until they are no longer alive. Do you have ghost laws, laws that require a realtor to disclose any deaths that have occurred on property, in your area. If not all the ownership data has to be on file somewhere. Someone has what you are looking for, go to a mayors office and request records of the property. Then a local library should be able to have more detailed records through copies of old news papers.\n\nEven saying that you found cockroaches in the house and have to fumigate for a couple days could have people help you out while you continue with normal life and try to find more info.\n\nHonestly, My mate had a bad experience with a similar issue. Man killed himself in the house. Spirit did not realize it, continued to try and kill himself. The emotions and actions influenced my mate to fall into a horrible depression, and try to kill himself. After I got the house cleared, with help, while the family was in the hospital did he recover and went back to his normal happy self. It was over the course of six months, not to long. 1350509747 +Did you ask her up for coffee? 1326497127 +I now am leaning to the "genetic freak" theory\n 1322865976 +Camcorder guy: WHY U NO POKE IT WITH STICK!? 1303188017 +I know when I was a young atheist I replaced religion with mythology, it was like my brain needed something to latch onto. I started reading books about witch craft, believed in ghosts and vampires.\n\nThen I grew up and realized I should be skeptical about all supernatural bullshit, and well skeptical about everything in every situation really. 1278886891 +Absolutely, since, unlike the Roswell Crash - the RCMP (the equivalent of the State Police for you American folk) didn't come out days later and just say it was a weather balloon. To this day, they still say it's inexplicable. 1330316350 +From the sidebar\n> Need something debunked by those in the know? **Looking to exercise some critical thinking or research skills?** Want to eviscerate pseudoscience, idiocy, and irrationality wherever it lurks? Skeptic's Subreddit, where all the cool kids go.\n\n.\n\nFrom the [sidebar link](http://www.skeptic.com/about_us/manifesto.html)\n> [L: skeptic defined as] One who doubts the validity of what claims to be knowledge in some particular department of inquiry; one who maintains a doubting attitude with reference to some particular question or statement. \n\n\n.\n\n> The most ardent skeptics *enjoy their skepticism as long as it does not encroach upon their own cherished beliefs*. Then incredulity flies out the window. I once received a call from a gentleman who professed to be a skeptic, wanted to support the organization, and agreed with our skepticism about everything except the power of vitamins to restore health and attenuate disease. He hoped I would not be organizing any skeptical lectures or articles on this field, which, he explained, has now been proven scientifically to be effective. “Your field wouldn’t be vitamin therapy would it?,” I inquired. “You bet it is!” he responded.\n\n.\n\n\n> *It is easy, even fun to challenge others’ beliefs, when we are smug in the certainty of our own*. **But when ours are challenged, it takes great patience and ego strength to listen with an unjaundiced ear**. But there is a deeper flaw in pure skepticism. Taken to an extreme the position by itself cannot stand. \n\n\n.\n\n\n> Nor does skepticism produce progress. It is not enough simply to reject the irrational. Skepticism must be followed with something rational, or something that does produce progress. As the Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises warned against those anti-communists who presented no rational alternative to the system of which they were so skeptical (1956, p. 112):\n\n> *"An anti-something movement displays a purely negative attitude. It has no chance whatever to succeed. It’s passionate diatribes virtually advertise the program they attack. People must fight for something that they want to achieve, not simply reject an evil, however bad it may be."*\n\n.\n\n**The Essential Tension Between Skepticism & Credulity**\n\n> It is important that we recognize the fallibility of science and the scientific method. But within this fallibility lies its greatest strength: self-correction. Whether mistakes are made honestly or dishonestly, whether a fraud is unknowingly or knowingly perpetrated, in time it will be flushed out of the system through the lack of external verification. [The cold fusion fiasco](http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2011-10/29/rossi-success) is a classic example of the system’s swift consequences for error and hasty publication.\n\n.\n\n\n> Because of the importance of this self-correcting feature, there is in the profession what Richard Feynman calls “a principle of scientific thought that corresponds to a kind of utter honesty — a kind of leaning over backwards.” Feynman says:\n\n> *"If you’re doing an experiment, you should report everything that you think might make it invalid — not only what you think is right about it: other causes that could possibly explain your results"* (1988, p. 247).\n\n.\n\n> Despite these built in mechanisms science is still subject to a number of problems and fallacies that even the most careful scientist and rational skeptic are aware can be troublesome. We can, however, find inspiration in those who have overcome them to make monumental contributions to our understanding of the world. Charles Darwin is a sterling example of a scientist who struck the right balance in what Thomas Kuhn calls the **“essential tension” **in science between *total acceptance of and devotion to the status quo, and an open willingness to explore and accept new ideas* (1962, 1977). This delicate balance forms the basis of the whole concept of paradigm shifts in the history of science. When enough of the scientific community (particularly those in positions of power) are willing to abandon the old orthodoxy in favor of the (formerly) radical new theory, then, and only then can the paradigm shift occur.\n\n.\n\n\n> This generalization about change in science is usually made about the paradigm as a system, but we must recognize that the paradigm is a only a mental model in the minds of individuals. Historian of science, Frank Sulloway, identifies three characteristics of Darwin’s intellect and personality that mark him as one of the handful of giants in the history of science who found the essential tension between skepticism and credulity (1991, p. 28): “First, although Darwin indeed had unusual reverence for the opinions of others, he was obviously quite capable of challenging authority and thinking for himself.” Second, “Darwin was also unusual as a scientist in his extreme respect for, and attention to, negative evidence.” Darwin included, for example, a chapter on ‘Difficulties on Theory’ in the Origin of Species; as a result his objectors were rarely able to present him with a challenge that he had not already confronted or addressed. Third, Darwin’s “ability to tap the collective resources of the scientific community and to enlist other scientists as fellow collaborators in his own research projects.” Darwin’s collected correspondence numbers greater than 16,000 extant letters, most of which involve lengthy discussions and question-and-answer sequences about scientific problems. *He was constantly questioning, always learning, confident enough to formulate original ideas, yet modest enough to recognize his own fallibility*.\n\n.\n\n\n\n> A fourth characteristic that might be added is that Darwin maintained a good dollop of modesty and cautiousness that Sulloway sees as “a valuable attribute” that helps “prevent an overestimation of one’s own theories.” There is much to be learned in this regard from Darwin’s Autobiography. Darwin confesses that he has “no great quickness of apprehension or wit which is so remarkable in some clever men,” a lack of which makes him “a poor critic: a paper or book, when first read, generally excites my admiration, and it is only after considerable reflection that I perceive the weak points.” Unfortunately many of Darwin’s critics have selectively quoted such passages against him, not seeing the advantage Darwin saw in the patient avoidance of regrettable mistakes made in haste (1892, p. 55):\n\n> "I think that I have become a little more skillful in guessing right explanations and in devising experimental tests; but this may probably be the result of mere practice, and of a larger store of knowledge. I have as much difficulty as ever in expressing myself clearly and concisely; and this difficulty has caused me a very great loss of time; but it has had the compensating advantage of forcing me to think long and intently about every sentence, and thus I have been often led to see errors in reasoning and in my own observations or those of others."\n\n.\n\n\n> His is a lesson in science well worth learning. What Sulloway sees as particularly special about Darwin was his ability to resolve the essential tension within himself. “Usually, it is the scientific community as a whole that displays this essential tension between tradition and change,” Sulloway observes,\n\n> *"since most people have a preference for one or the other way of thinking. What is relatively rare in the history of science is to find these contradictory qualities combined in such a successful manner in one individual"* (p. 32).\n\n.\n\n\n\n> Carl Sagan summed up this essential tension (in Basil, 1988, p. 366):\n\n> *"It seems to me what is called for is an exquisite balance between two conflicting needs: the most skeptical scrutiny of all hypotheses that are served up to us and at the same time a great openness to new ideas. If you are only skeptical, then no new ideas make it through to you. You never learn anything new. You become a crotchety old person convinced that nonsense is ruling the world. (There is, of course, much data to support you.) On the other hand, if you are open to the point of gullibility and have not an ounce of skeptical sense in you, then you cannot distinguish the useful ideas from the worthless ones. If all ideas have equal validity then you are lost, because then, it seems to me, no ideas have any validity at all."*\n\n.\n\n\n\n> There is some hope that rational skepticism, and the vigorous application of the scientific method, can help us find this balance between pure skepticism and unmitigated credulity. \n\n> Carl Sagan sounded a similar warning to skeptics:\n\n> ***"You can get into a habit of thought in which you enjoy making fun of all those other people who don’t see things as clearly as you do. We have to guard carefully against it"*** (in Basil, 1988, p. 366).\n\n 1320255380 +>Seems like if you use the tape like athletes do on TV (put it on during your performance, and then take it off), it works.\n\nHold on, we don't have enough evidence to make a claim as strong as that. Currently we can only say that using the tape is better than not using the tape. To say that "it works", we need to demonstrate that it works at a rate greater than placebo, which no study has been able to show. 1344066830 +human construct exists, therefore other human construct exists 1275937519 +Wait, Cold-FX was debunked? Do you have a link? Last I read is it did actually have some scientific merit...\n\nFrom my experience, I've run into a lot of people that believe in alternative medicines. I also know med students that are similar to what you're describing. I think the problem is that alternative medicine is widely prevalent in society. If you ask me, it seems to be on an upswing lately.\n\nRejecting evidence-based medicine like vaccines is another issue... If I was a doctor I would be definitely speak up in that case. I'm hoping your group of friends aren't like the majority. 1326850222 +I would think that having been visited by the CIA in the hospital, they would have collected blood samples, DNA evidence, etc. and presented proof to us that it was actually him before throwing the body out into the sea, effectively destroying any evidence. 1304359251 +What, did I throw my keys ahead of me? 1329450557 +It could word in an asian-style noodle dish, I suppose. 1355281229 +"Of course it's safe, there's nothing in it". I like that. 1314031332 +I just nostalgia'd big time. They need to bring this show back.\n\nThanks for the post! 1354568662 +I use EFT sometimes on 2-3 clients a week. I have been doing it for about 6 years. \nYes, it works. \nThe trouble is sometimes it works too well and when I talk about it, it sounds fantastical. \n\nMy favorite quick EFT sessions are phobias. \n\nA common example of this is someone comes in with an extreme phobia of birds. We talk about it and I find out she links this to one huge traumatic event when she was younger involving the family chicken. As we talk about it I tap on the EFT points and have her stop every once and a while and rate the level of her anxiety she feels in her body when she thinks of that memory or birds in general. Soon the memory no longer holds the 'emotional' power it had. It no longer triggers her hyperarousal when she thinks about birds. \n\nI saw her later that week with her husband and she ran up to me and gave me a hug. Her husband was all smiles telling me how amazing it is that she is not afraid of birds. How she would make him go outside and scare birds out of the yard so she could get to her car. \n\nThose are the ones that tend to go really quickly. \n\nI think about EFT quite a bit when I watch that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind movie. Not erasing *actual* memories but simply removing any fight or flight triggers that still exist in traumatic memories.\n\nI am also a LMT and when I have clients that have limited ROM in their necks I always ask about and trauma. If they quickly recall the memory of a specific neck trauma I do EFT on the memory. I love the feeling of the muscles relaxing and their astonishment at being able to turn their heads. \n\nRepeated traumatic histories like abuse and war related PTSD can take much longer that one session but most everyone will feel a change in the specific triggers we work on. \n\nI know this thread is about the science of EFT and I see lots of neuroscience articles that fit my view of how EFT might work but in the end it is a technique. It is a pattern anyone can learn in 5 min, apply and make a personal experiment with. I would greatly encourage you to try. it. 1343287110 +Happens. At Universal, some old guy died of old on the stairs in front of where you get onto the seats for the Mummy ride. There were so many problems with sightings and people being spooked they roped off those stairs, made a new walkway, and put up red lights (the most interesting note). The walkway was just an alternative route to the exit leading to the mummystore, as you could mostly see when walking around the side exits. So next time you see red lighting for no particular reason in a theme park, or potentially maybe anywhere, keep a mind out. 1342989862 +snapping things with a flash will often show "orbs" which 99.9% of the time are dust particles reflecting the flash. \n\nAlot of ghost programs overreact on these, but they really are nothing. I saw on "most haunted" they showed a picture of a white line going across the photo, even i could see it was the nylon camera strap, even had the weave! 1324820450 +Light pollution would make it very difficult to see the blimp or craft throughout the firework display. 1343984593 +I did some sleuthing, and yeah, it's a guy. Al Zeeper. He's the "Amateur Physicist" who "discovers answer to Einstein's biggest question!" It's obviously someone with delusions of grandeur, who wants to self-promote, despite using the word "we" all over the place. 1345015675 +http://cropcircleconnector.com/2011/2011.html has the latest photos but no analysis 1312923727 +I'm considering growing my hair longer and make it mis-shapen. Then i can pick up some easy paychecks as a UFO-ologist. \n\n"Could these crop circles have been made by humans? Sure, that's a possibility... but they also might have been made by aliens. Since we don't know for sure, the only reasonable explanation is that we're being visited by creatures from another world." 1327963324 +Insulating wires costs money. Now you need to protect the aircraft against fake phones (Nckia phones) which aren't insulated because they were made in a sweatshop in Shenzhen and look about the same. 1356926939 +He thinks conciousness is the soul, and the soul is energy. 1286809023 +God damned emotion chip always messing with the logic circuits... 1257050136 +what could that reason be... :D 1342643226 +>Consider it in reference to evolution/creationism, or climate science/denialism.\n \nIf you look at it that way, then that makes sense, but the cartoon was initially pretty vague in what it was going after. I thought it was going after the whole argument if there was a god or not. You though it to be in reference to evolution/creationism etc. I would have to agree with you if it was the latter. \n \n>Which doesn't meant different positions are on equal footing.\n \nNo it doesn't. The onus is usually on someone. But as far as proving if some entity exists that can be called a "god" or "higher purpose" the onus is on both parties even though it's most likely that he does not exist. 1274198357 +Because calling people concerned for their health freedom "nutters" *really helps* inspire their trust in authority and confidence in your truths.\n\nYou guys are just *too smart*. 1243279443 +I agree with the message however we need a bit more evidence. 1330622193 +I agree with the message however we need a bit more evidence. 1330622299 +Paying £500 and getting no treatment for it? Yes, that is a bad thing. 1298209828 +I am still skeptical, maybe he left something out. 1314239457 +This might be consistent with nightime sky divers. 1315537897 +if chiropractors are useless then why do they still bring in business? 1330094669 +If you are going to begin a sentence with an insult don't expect people to finish reading. Communication 101 brah. 1338612507 +Hmmmm \n\nhttp://www.blifaloo.com/info/lies_eyes.php/\n\nThis says up and to the right is remembering, not constructing\n\nUp and to the Right \nIndicates: Visually Remembered Images (Vr)\nIf you asked someone to "What color was the first house you lived in?", this would be the direction their eyes moved in while thinking about the question as they "Visually Remembered" the color of their childhood home. 1344792277 +>I think that you have a massive blind spot to this situation. You are getting accused of being poor at impartial judgement yet again, you are getting downvoted yet again. It might be that you simply aren't as impartial as you think.\n\nIt seems unlikely that everyone who mentions feminism on reddit is biased and carries a massive blind spot. But look at some of my comments getting downvoted: \n\n- one was a question as to whether someone's description of a position was accurate and whether it wasn't possible that they were confusing criticism of the patriarchy with criticism of men. For that I have currently received **25 downvotes**. \n\n- one comment was me stating that I was editing my last post because I had incorrectly quoted someone. For that I have currently received **5 downvotes**.\n\n- I then point out that institutional sexism still exists. For that I have currently received **6 downvotes**. \n\nI think when I start getting downvoted for correcting my unintentional misquotation of someone, then the problem most likely isn't with me. \n\nI don't think I'm a particularly offensive poster, and I don't think (before recently) I've ever had a karma score for a comment below zero. But, without changing my posting style and (as far as I know) without attacking anyone, I've suddenly started receiving mass downvotes. The only difference is that I've mentioned feminism in a non-negative light. \n\nTry it one day. Create a sockpuppet account, jump into one of these threads and say something entirely unoffensive and uncontroversial like "I think feminism makes some valid points", and you'll likely be downvoted. \n\n>I will admit that I struggle with being impartial in this case (although I feel that recognizing my bias does help a bit to overcome it) in the opposite direction (I started out sympathetic, but was quickly turned off and probably to a degree where I'm too emotionally vested).\n\nThat's fair enough, and it's great that you're attempting to be aware of your biases. With me though, I don't really care who is right or wrong on this issue. I find some feminist arguments convincing because they are backed by solid argumentation and empirical evidence, so when people make contradictory statements I point out where I think they're going wrong and I ask them to explain why they think I'm wrong. \n\nIf feminism is wrong, or if atheism+ is a completely stupid idea, it makes absolutely no difference to me. I will inevitably have the biases which are common to all people at all times, but my point was just that I don't see how I can be biased one way or the other on this issue as I have no allegiances or commitments to either conclusion.\n\n>In our previous discussions I noticed that you don't really listen to opposing arguments,\n\nI can't understand why you'd say that. I took a lot of time reading through your comments and I provided detailed responses. I don't think it's accurate to say that I wasn't really "listening to opposing arguments" simply because I took the time to explain why I think they're incorrect. It is, of course, possible to 'listen' to someone and not agree with them. \n\n>and you have a tendency to be highly aggressive.\n\nI think perhaps you're confusing me with someone else there... I read through our previous discussion to make sure I didn't step out of line at some point, but I didn't remember getting angry or aggressive at any point and I couldn't find any comments which suggested such. \n\n>That is probably counter to your claim of impartiality.\n\nI disagree. Impartiality doesn't mean that all views are given equal weight. I understood *exactly* where you were coming from with your criticisms of concepts like patriarchy and privilege and I tried to explain to you why you were fundamentally misunderstanding those concepts. But if you had fully grasped those concepts, and then highlighted a possible flaw in those things, then I would absolutely support you. \n\nI just can't help comparing the situation to a creationist discussing evolution with a biologist, and the creationist complaining that the biologist is biased because he wasn't really listening to opposing arguments like, "If man evolved from monkeys then why are there still monkeys?". I know it's an insulting comparison and I don't mean to imply that you personally are as bad as a creationist (you're obviously far smarter than those people) but the similarity is the failure to grasp the core concepts required to make valid criticisms of the field. 1348023518 +me either, keeping an open mind to all possibilities is for the birds 1344426646 +- The dentists' effort was so coordinated that they each chose a specific advantage of fluoride during their allotted three minutes of time before the board so their observations didn't overlap.\n\nCOMMUNIST CONSPIRACY!!! 1318254622 +I think it's intentionally made that way given the apparent intent of the last picture. The "unreliable author" plot device comes to mind.\n\nAlso, embrace the [/r/paranormal](/r/paranormal) downvotes. 1329485564 +There's also /r/debunked 1327880668 +I think it should be as the story develops, until it goes to reddit's front page.\n\nAs far as I can tell "antineoplastons" aren't a real group of compounds, just a cocktail of random peptides. Aka snake oil. And Burzynski quite possibly doesn't even have the PhD that he claims to - [or he somehow gained it in the space of one year, while working full-time... at a university with no doctoral program.](http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/comment/burzynski.htm) 1322611487 +Lemme just put it this way, respectfully requesting would be wiser than summoning. And if you don't know what you are going to run into, you could gather yourself an armful of trouble. If you really want to try your hand at this use a circle of salt for a bit of protection. Be respectful and don't use broad terms like "anyone who is here"... Try asking for like say a dead relative that you got on peascefully with. \n\nAnd whatever you do do not be an ass. \n\nBut my first advice would be to reconsider. 1344724220 +As far as the scream in the corn field, any possibility of a bigfoot/sasquatch scream? You can youtube some of the recorded calls they make and compare it. If you don't live near wilderness/woods/mountains, I wouldn't worry about it too much. 1332986239 +I used to get the occasional migraine. I haven't had a single one since I cut aspartame out of my diet.\n\nThe actual researchers at the FDA who were testing aspartame recommended that it not be approved. The administrator overseeing the study (who had no experience with artificial sweeteners) disregarded their recommendation and approved it anyway. 1305142866 +NEW UPDATE:-\n\nDeepak Chopra has blocked me on his twitter, so I can no longer follow him or debate him. It is just another in a long line of spiritual and pseudoscientfic people who are trying to silence or ignore their critics. 1341605278 +If you call UK chips French fries in USA then what do you call French fries? (Skinny chips that are basically just fat, think mcdonalds chips) 1354760220 +Well, I used to be so thrilled reading these kinds of story before. Now I'm even MORE thrilled to experience them *again* after having experience once. I have a deep love in natural science, particularly quantum physics so you know. It's just pure curiosity. 1326432727 +How about specific examples of skeptics relying on clearly flawed government data? 1285165654 +I just found this show, it's a great way to spend a night, watching it\n 1355500837 +same here! 1348766203 +Like the [Sigur Ros song](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5udbj_sigur-ros-gobbledigook_music) ? 1290562005 +When the object caught my eye that was the first factor I wanted to test. I accelerated and decelerated and could not see any drastic change in the objects location. When I became parallel with the object and slowed down as much as I could (10 mph). I could not see ANY movement in the object at all. I have seen stars at night making more movement then that object. It was completely stationary. 1335744659 +Not at first, went back and looked again, found it.\n\nIt's like Where's Waldo, but ghostly. 1350392450 +Okay I'll bite. When I was fresh to ritually cleansing houses I had this dark and moody female friend come to me and state that she had entered a blood pact with the devil. Knowing that this could mean anything, I listen to the fully extent of her story of paranormal phenomenon and traumatic abuse she experienced as a child; and how these paranormal experiences were seeming to become aggressive to her being a by stander to the judo/christian mysticism I used in the course of my hobby. I believe she said the entities actually semi-manifest and told her so. So she decided both that she didn't want any part of that anymore, and to ask for my help.\nAs it happen I did manage to have a ritual for breaking a blood pact, so I thought I'd give it a go as the worse case would just be psycho drama and a bad emotional experience.\nIt was going fine with some elements showing of minor spiritual obsession/possession which I had no problem handling with a minor improvised exorcism to accompany the task at hand. However, I did notice a strong but quiet change in the ambiance. I also thought I noticed what I call lyaks in the outskirts of my field of vision, but I pushed ahead. This was soon followed by a scream from a different side of the yard. I rush over to find out that my then girlfriend, and my sister had both seen one of those very shadow entities run across a well lit area. Mind you they had no idea about the aspects of what I was doing; So for sake of confirmation I asked them to describe exactly what they had seen. A with out hesitation and no knowledge of such things described a three foot tale dark humanoid that ran right by them nearly in unison. I've seen and dealt with these before but these two had no experience in either my beliefs or my practices or anything paranormal in general.\nThen another friend spotted one on the other side of the yard again (half acre property). Ultimately about fiver of those were seen that night. The thing that got to me though was the appearance of two other things. The first which was spotted by myself and the formally afflicted person was a dark entity approximately seven feet tale with visible glowing red eyes. The second and I believe if I remember correctly I might have been the only one to witness this was a glowing white sphere with possible blue outline about a foot in diameter that was clashing with that seven foot dark entity and seemingly to repel it. Considering all this and the barking dogs ( I know, it sounds like a bad rip off of the movie The Exorcist, maybe fear made me notice) I rounded up everyone inside and started casting wards and prayers until sunrise.\nWith that my friend went on for a time to be very religious which ultimately didn't last long but never had another of those paranormal experiences as far as I'm aware.\nAlso as for my use of the term lyaks, this terminology isn't credible as I actually got that name from a horror story and it seemed to fit. For the closest/best match to the entities I am describing in a demonology sense you'd have to go back to Pre-Christian Judaic mythology regarding demons a little entities that run around and harass the living back when Sammel filled the role of the devil (or close enough too it).\n\nQuestion is, what's your take on the Big one? First time I'd seen anything like that. 1323742611 +One thing I find fascinating about the God of the Gaps argument is that it is always formulated in terms of something we know we don't know. Thus, as that page points out, you go from lightning to planetary physics to diseases to universe causality. But it seems like you only had planetary physics being brought up *after* lightning became common knowledge, disease only *after* planetary physics, etc. That is, the GotG argument always tails science by complaining about the current border of knowledge.\n\nThat might seem like a trivial truism (how could you formulate an argument about something you don't know you don't know?), but the end result is that the theist making the argument is *necessarily* on the heels of scientists who are attempting to explain nature precisely without any supernatural phenomena. It's an admission of a fundamental misunderstanding of science. Of *course* science is at the edge of human knowledge - where else could it be? It also admits a misunderstanding of knowledge itself as a thing which is in constant flux as opposed to the theist's apparent interpretation of it as a stationary concept.\n\nAnyway, I'm not trying to make any kind of argument here, I just find these things interesting. 1288374377 +Eh, pre-long-form-release, I might have agreed with you. Not anymore.\n\nBirthers are now the intellectual equivalent of someone who still insists that the world is flat and supported by an infinite stack of turtles. Reams of data and mountains of evidence have already been presented to prove them wrong (even though the burden of proof should be on them, since they're the ones claiming something). If they don't get it now, they never will, because they're either neurologically or willfully stupid. \n 1337362649 +Sensationalist title for sure, but very tragic for Jobs and the rest of us: we possibly lost a brilliant man sooner they we needed to :( 1318641930 +http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/KarmaFallsDown/IMG_0096.jpg\n\nHere is the link to the photo. Yeah, that is me in that photo, it's from a while back.\nWell anyways the figure is in the windowed door. Its in the middle window, and if you have good eyes for these things you'll make it out. And it isn't just the window being dirty, we checked, and its not edited at all. 1343965895 +I agree, I was just making an ugly joke based on the wording there not so much about vegans or buddhist. The word mainstream instantly makes me think of hipster cat. 1318078341 +I understand your point. Also, the sun wasn't completely set, because it was rising not setting. I've heard a lot of different reasoning on this photo and still have not come to a conclusion but thank you very much for your input! 1352754366 +He's a little beat up right now, too. He had some sort of recent medical issue, so he was being carted around in a wheelchair a lot (though he also wandered around on foot too). To avoid germs, he also wasn't shaking hands; no details were given, but it's safe to assume he's just being cautious to protect his immune system that has plenty of work to do right now. 1247511527 +Agreed. I tend to think that this is some type of training video. Real soldiers and fake situation. 1290854017 +> If you open your mind too much your brain will fall out 1314787503 +>better than bloodletting and trepanning.\n\nWrong. At least bloodletting does have some modern therapeutic uses. And trepanning while barbaric and archaic at least there is a possible science behind a physiological change that might take place.\n\nYour relative and their bullshit homeopathic fiction is just dangerous and preys upon weak fools and suckers who don't realize they are practicing placebo medicine.\n\nSo you still don't get it, it's not better than anything except maybe prayer, which at least prayer has some legit scientific studies under its belt. And doesn't involve factories for making tons of crap homeopathic ripoff "supplements" for thousands of dollars. 1333662963 +Did you even watch the video? He explains that most people were skeptical, saying it was fake, don't spread it, etc.. But *some* people are gullible. All this proves is that with a large diverse group of people, some are going to be more credulous than others. \n\nThat said, if anyone in /r/skeptic still believe that the 9/11 Commission Report is the full truth, then wow. Just wow. 1316833154 +Came here for informed responses. Left disappointed. 1352079472 +careful, apparently unlikely coincidences [count as glitches now.](http://www.reddit.com/r/Glitch_in_the_Matrix/comments/zmdei/just_found_this_sub_and_i_think_this_story_fits/c65vbod) 1347688904 +Uncle who is a 9/11 conspiracy theorist and all around psuedohistorical idiot 1335672347 +i saw something like this in real life many years ago and it came down quite low over us, maybe 300 feet. it was the weirdest thing i have ever seen. it made no sense. we were looking at something right there in the world but our brains could not process what we were seeing because nearly everything about it seemed "impossible". the shape was always changing yet it somehow maintained a sense of cohesiveness in some way. it was like looking at morphing computer animation but at the same time something real, or like seeing a totally impossible optical illusion that is somehow real in front of you. 1332489614 +But one treatment is draining it with tubes, and I suppose this would have to be done by a doctor with a fancy medical degree, which she presumable won't consult. 1351700717 +Wait, he says he has no children, then he says he has one daughter? Wha? 1350431552 +[The point you are missing is here.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=LwB3o5L5XY0#t=344s)\n\nEdit. Hmm... the deep link isn't working for some reason. Advance to 5:44 for the point. 1294584010 +I don't know anything about how the Australian government works, but I would suggest writing to lawmakers. Also, contact various medical professionals and skeptical, science-oriented individuals and ask them to do the same. 1332302595 +Hey... Hey, mister... That staff... You wanna... You know... You wanna maybe... let go of it? Just a second? Surely it's not the most important part of the act of levitating? Oh, it is? Wow... That's odd... But I guess it might make sense somehow... Hey... Another question... That carpet? Surely you don't need it since you're not even touching the ground... Mind if I take a look at it? No? It's _also_ integral to your magic? Wow. I had no idea. It's a magic carpet then? No? You're performing the magic, not the carpet? Ok. Fine, I guess... How about your robe? Why aren't you wearing those toga-like sheets that are simply wrapped around your shoulder? Is it that cold in India? It's not a magic robe, is it? But you really don't want to take it off? Ok, I guess there's a light breeze in the air. Might be chilly without it. I can go with that...\n\nYeah, I can't see how _anyone_ would ever doubt a trick like this... 1310644886 +Incoming shitstorm from climate-change deniers. Protip, kiddies: When someone tells you ultra-diluted arsenic will cure poisoning, be exactly as skeptical as when someone tells you pouring gigatons of pollutants into the atmosphere *won't* cause climate change. 1264292922 +This doesn't definitively prove anything. 1342472396 +I work with the Epsom Salt Council, and we asked the same question. Here’s what some experts told us: http://www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/news_letsmove.cfm. 1295535475 +> So, let me see if I got this right; you haven't found any evidence and that somehow proves that evidence doesn't exist? LOL...\n\nI am not saying there 100% is none, because am not omnipotent, but if you gave me some evidence I would change my mind, or if I came across some I would change my mind. But the fact that you are not raising any evidence makes me think that you do not know of any evidence either.\n\n> I completely agree; which is the reason I wonder why so many people believe chemo is the best cancer treatment available, when I personally know so many people that have went through absolute misery getting it done, only to possibly prolong their life...\n\nThey believe that because that is what the evidence says, there are tons and tons of evidence that chemo can, in some cases, cure cancer. 1328451823 +opwilldeliver.jpg 1354378015 +Poor Australia. Not only is every thing that crawls or swims trying to kill them, even the doctors are out to castrate you. 1346845934 +The media is controlled by four major corporations, all of which are run by very wealthy, elite individuals who 'play the global game'. Anyone running a network will never have gotten there in the first place unless they play by the rules. They are very heavily pressured to not run anything that is too in favor of 'the truth'.\n\nAnd from a journalistic perspective, no one believes anything unless a senior politician says it's the truth... and even then (because this has happened often even within the US military)... people look the other way. The President could come out and say it, but unless he has evidence to show the world, no one would believe him.\n\nAnd all the evidence is controlled by the people who run the global system; the energy industries, military-industrial complex, and banking sectors. They are the ones that need to disclose the truth since elected officials have already tried and failed. 1328639873 +The point is that you are obviously fishing for a particular answer to back up what you already want to be true. 1352429042 +Um, no. PMS is not a myth. Some women may not be highly affected, but! If you tried to tell me at the end of the month that it was all in my head while I was sobbing over spilled milk I would CLAW YOUR GODDAMN EYES OUT. Has this study been peer reviewed? No? Then shut the hell up and go get me some chocolate. 1351061069 +The wikipedia entry isn't naming John Edward as biggest douche in the universe, it is about that episode of South Park which is titled "The Biggest Douche in the Universe". It's a summery of the plot and reactions, not just an article that says "This title was awarded to John Edward." 1334721632 +I think it's good for you. I do a shot of braggs apple cider vinegar once in a while. I love the way it makes me feel sharp and awake. 1309899049 +That was what I was going to say. Poking stuff with sticks is always the best solution. 1340810326 +Sort of- the alien looks very computer animated to me, and his movements are too fluid and smooth to be natural. The background is all pixelated and seems like a picture. 1330131612 +There isn't much standard issue underwater personal armament. As well, Baikal is a big frickin' lake. 1250020630 +Are the people in the audience understanding her? Because, I have no idea what she is talking about? 1305577754 +That said, the prospect of using the ionosphere as a conductor and Earth as a ground is an interesting concept for transmitting power. Probably not practical, and there certainly hasn't been much research into it since Tesla's Wardenclyffe lab got shut down, but interesting nonetheless.\n\nNowadays it would be fairly useless; a superconducting smart grid would be a far better investment. 1353262975 +I'll do that when university starts and get back to you :) 1342801156 +Yeah, I actually think I had seen him around on base. I was in the Air Force but worked at BAMC on Fort Sam Houston. It's entirely possible it was someone else, but it's not often you see a person in a US Army uniform with a full beard. I never thought about the connection between the 2nd Amendment. I'm surprised there hasn't been a Sikh superhero in a comic yet- it seems like the values would translate really well. 1352170456 +It's become very clear that the term "circlejerk" on reddit now just means "A very large amount of people who don't agree with what I personally believe."\n\nAlso, it really helps to identify the pettiest of people. Much like if you meet someone who's car is covered in bumper stickers, you don't want to be their friend, if someone yells "circlejerk," they obviously have nothing worthwhile to say.\n\nI still can't believe you came to /r/skeptic, and then got *so very angry* that people were skeptical of these anecdotal, non-verifiable claims. That's a bit silly, isn't it? 1332326701 +Oh, I should also point out that Tim Farley (creator of "What's the Harm?") has written a detailed review of our app (from a couple of months ago now) on his blog at Skep Tools: http://skeptools.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/rbutr-is-the-newest-tool-in-the-skeptic-arsenal/\n\nJust thought I would post that, so you can see the opinions of another well respected skeptic and get an external take on it all.\n\nTim has been helping us a lot over the past few months, and is an amazing guy when it comes to helping skeptics make a difference. 1338220724 +I got the silent treatment once for asking exactly *how much* energy was in that *energy healing crystal*. What? 1 Joule? 3 Joules? 1280578905 +sooo you think that the next generation of Muslims *aren't* going to be pissed off at us because after killing one of the greatest Muslims ever, we buried him at sea? Thats not exactly their custom and believe me, as long as people still believe that the Koran is God's word or any other man made fabrication for that matter declaring war on non believers, there's going to be a problem... 1304369852 +I've seen the Silverstein "Pull" comment debunked many times and never thought this was a strong point. He clearly did not mean "demolish the building." It's not a claim I pointed out in my comments. It still doesn't seem to explain how WTC7 collapsed solely due to small fires. 1355439101 +If that isn't a ship, I want to know what it is and how the image ends up looking like that. 1343085209 +This post isn't arguing against euthanasia in any way. The goal was to address a claim I'd read that PETA had very poor adoption rates and extremely high euthanasia rates (especially compared to other shelters). Those claims came from a meat-manufacturing lobby group, but they actually turned out to be true. 1271518552 +"It shows a deep lack of understanding of how science works and a deep ignorance of the philosophy of science"\n\nsorry\n\n 1328257661 +contact by far 1336958204 +There are two types of libertarian, minarchist and anarchist. I am an anarchist, so I'm not sure we could have much or a real discussion. I hope a more mainstream libertarian responds here, I feel I can't argue in a manner that would push this discussion forward. \n\nI'm pretty radical and bad at arguments, I just don't want to go down the rabbit hole of hours of posts that lead nowhere. \n\nBut overall yes, I feel a private property based free market society can solve problems best. 1313546270 +I too would love to see a more in-depth analysis of debunking done on this one. Seeing the "1980" in the top corner constantly drilling that date into my head felt like "bad juju" for this video from the start. 1352751197 +No, his first prediction was that the world would end in 1994. 1306421564 +Please say someone has another link to this 1268773453 +Most of science isn't proven \n 1284919995 +I'll miss it too but the premise for this new show looks promising 1305769820 +Of those you listed, I'm only familiar with SGttU, which also includes a companion 5x5 podcast I enjoy. However, I'll now be sure to give these others a try.\n\nHere is a list of skeptic-themed podcasts I am currently subscribed to (other than SGttU):\n\n* [Consequence](http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/component/content/article/37-static/1753-consequence.html)\n* [For Good Reason](http://www.forgoodreason.org/)\n* [Point of Inquiry](http://www.pointofinquiry.org/) 1340987851 +Me thinks you misunderstand what I meant by the third-- if I'm wrong, I can't, by definition, prove myself right. What I mean when I say I take it as a personal standard is that if I hold an opinion or make an assertion, I'm going to damn well make sure it can ALWAYS be proven right. 1280598845 +Why is this in r/skeptic, exactly?\n 1341002590 + You just want me to stfu. I will come to my own conclusions, not yours. I will speak my opinion, you will not stop me. In my examples, I never said if fluoride was good or bad, I just stated that it was some expert that tell us it is good for us. Define "real" expert, and "respected" journals. Real on who's terms? Respected by who? Real to you? Respected by you? Guess what, I am not you, I am an entity with my own opinions. I am entitled to mine just as you are entitled to yours. You are the one continuing to impose your opinions onto me. Go back to your flock. 1324540932 +Thats pretty much what I was trying to clear up from my original statement. 1351722746 +They only have a different number of bones because carpals and sesamoids haven't formed and certain bones haven't fuse yet.\n\nThere are boney growth centers within infantile cartilage. 1342754790 +Siberian regional government in 'cash grab' from Moscow. 1318268071 +I live in Lee's Summit, like 10 minutes away from Blue Springs. I will keep yawl posted if I see anything. 1337900921 +Moons? mars has two\n\nAsteroids/meteorites?\n\nGlitches in the camera hardware/software?\n\nNot likely a dead pixel as those are a static hot/cold spot that can result in a number of different odd artifacts in the image. 1345834026 +See this has always been the true question for me, what do the aliens get out of this deal for helping humans? The only logical reasoning I could come up with is that these aliens think completely different than humans. Humans are selfish and emotional creatures, it could be possible that these aliens are simply paying it forward and desire nothing. You can almost compare it to the US or UN helping other countries but on a much grander scale, and yet there is absolutely nothing in any form or capacity we could offer them in exchange for their knowledge. 1334696772 +Yes, actually when I was the only one with my hand near it. The owner said you don't have to even touch it (to kinda prove no one was moving it) and told me to just kinda point at it with my finger about a centimeter away. \n\nI did that and it did move. That is the biggest thing I couldn't explain to my self and what made my every interested in the paranormal. 1338947195 +Hey! Aren't you the girl from my story? 1350691444 +Cool! I went there years ago and found it to be very interesting. I saw no ghosts, but was in a large tour group during the day. The scariest part was seeing the doctors 'tools' in the museum...bone saw...ugh. 1334178564 +reddit is neither TV or a book. You are confused. 1351766580 +Yeah, Masonic aliens. 1351713861 +Whaaaaat!?!? Really!? My Hero is gay? Really!?!?!\n\n.... YAAAYYYY! I want to give him a great big Furry hug!! 1320572307 +meme predator. 1303949548 +Yeah. And I asked questions like put your hand on my left thigh if this is ***** and moments later my thigh would be warm in an area the size of a hand. I felt like she was right there with me, and it was an amazing experience. Not to mention blowjobs are always nice! 1339383054 +That is beast! Let us know if you catch anything. This should be interesting. 1335647944 +I would never use a ouija board. Screw everything about those! lol \n\nI'm glad you and your family were safe and nothing ended up coming of whatever was in your home. I will try that later tonight. Start the new year with letting whomever it is stay if they are harmless and if not GTFO. =) Happy New Year! 1325250655 +As opposed to telling people they're wrong, it would be better (and more accurate) to say that there's no scientific evidence that they are right/that x works. 1298999826 +I thought she did a really good job of representing positive skepticism. Well done, Rebecca!\n\nEdit: Holy crap, I didn't realize why [Robert Llewellyn was so familiar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kryten) to me! 1264798189 +Honestly, people come on here and slam videos because the filmer isn't freaking out and then guys like you moan because they are freaking out. Make up your minds people. 1356867848 +[This one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zorya#Midnight_Star). Wikipedia even talks about her mythos as if he didn't invent her, only mentioning that near the end of the article. 1321488166 +[R.W. Ridley claims this is from the movie Clawed](http://rwridley.wordpress.com/2012/02/25/breaking-news-on-the-melissa-hovey-bigfoot-picture/) I think it would be great to get more shots of the costume they had used from this movie in order to have a better comparison. But I agree with Ridley on this. It's easier to sway towards the side of this being from that movie. After all, Karl Kozak is willing to put his name on this being fake. The person who supposedly provided the photo isn't willing to have their name staked to this yet.\n\nPart of me feels pretty certain that we will never get the full bit of information from this person nor will we ever see the other images from the series. 1330415056 +Therefore, aliens! 1344716966 +This might also interest you. It is a little more positive :)\n\nhttp://www.stanford.edu/group/brainwaves/2006/theclinicalguidetosoundandlight.pdf 1301445080 +>Most commenters have taken both sides of the question, validating the poster's framing of the inquiry in terms of the position with which he/she didn't agree.\n\nFair enough, I see your point, We *will* have to agree to disagree here, I think. I just think that the poster's framing in terms of absolute right or wrong was a bad idea. Peace. 1278104696 +disorder /dis·or·der/ (dis-or´der) a derangement or abnormality of function; a morbid physical or mental state.\n\nso...no\n\nit's just muscle pain and fatigue, these are not medical ailments \n\nto me, others could have a wildly different definition 1325786850 +That would be unusual. Most bars look unfavourably on anything which reflects badly on the profession. I don't know much about the Texas Bar, but according to [wikipedia](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Bar_of_Texas) their statements of purpose include:\n\n>to foster and maintain, on the part of those engaged in the practice of law, high ideals and integrity, learning, competence in public service, and high standards of conduct;\n\n\nIt would seem to be covered by high standards of conduct. 1307492805 +Really, the start of what you said is stuff that I have said many times. However, the answer to that is almost never to say "Check your privilege" - someone who says something that off is probably going to become very, very hostile at that phrase (and not completely without reason). The solution might be to explain (very briefly) that this person hasn't experienced the kind of racial injustice that the word nigger comes from, and that their experience doesn't allow them to fully understand how it feels to someone else. I know, it's the old 101 argument, but to me it's fairly valid, especially if you have a 101 level doc you can link to instead of explaining. It might come across as tone, but we are humans, and tone really does matter. Now, I'm not saying that women need to speak in respectful tone to men all the time, but I am saying that screaming at someone who just doesn't get it makes them get it less, dismissing someone who just doesn't get it makes them get it less. Both of these make them *want* to get it less.\n\nThe Rush example is actually a pretty good one, but if you use it on the people who love Rush, they won't get it either.\n\nFinally, my point throughout any discussion of privilege, is that people don't just have or not have privilege. There are elements of privilege in any group in certain circumstances. There are circumstances where a poor inner city black female has power that a straight white cis male doesn't have, and where she has privilege that he doesn't. Damn few of them admittedly, but they do exist. To use check your privilege as I have seen it used a fair bit recently is sometimes a case of not actually recognizing your own privilege (for example: I was homeless, 16, white, and male - there are a shitload of programs for homeless people, but any one that is for a specific group isn't for straight white middle aged males, the only special category I fit into that would open up more programs was the youth category, it would have been even worse had I been a bit older in terms of programs - black would have opened up a bunch, female even more, handicapped even more, the only one that seems to really fuck you over is some form of mental illness, which pretty much makes the rest of it null and void). The person I was arguing with could not understand that for that very, very narrow set of circumstances being white made things harder, being male made things harder. Once I got out of the absolute bottom position in society, those qualities made things easier (I can actually tell, I've lived in circumstances other than homelessness where those things are not advantages to the same degree including one country where being white means you can't go outside after dark and during the day you have to be damned careful, because you are at a high risk of getting shot at all times). 1347479747 +>Its an explanation of how people are inclined to misinterpret things as being paranormal given certain conditions.\n\nI just read the article and can confirm. The article tries to explain away people's perceived eyewitness of the paranormal by theorizing that their extravagant accounts are nothing more that creative inventions of a person psychologically predisposed to believe such phenomena (which have been synthesized from an otherwise normal and mundane situation).\n\nI can credit the attempt to explain a person's perception of paranormal encounters, but I couldn't help but notice a skeptic's bias in the research. They quoted the X-Files (*rolls eyes*), they jokingly mention "little green men from the planet Glank" among other references to paint the picture that all paranormal experiences are nothing but "hooey," and they end with saying that any and all research into the paranormal is nothing more than fruitless distractions from solid scientific branches of study like zoology and astronomy--which seems like a very unfair thing to say. 1351222455 +Impressive 1356751466 +I love how he want's to be an atheist but then believes all the other nonsense people tell him. 1316816257 +Airpes, to give it its technical name. 1285388021 +This is what I was thinking. But you never know! 1354992477 +I've only had one real sighting and it was broad daylight. I came out of the shower and was chatting with my girlfriend and this old man was just suddenly standing right next to me. I did a double take and he was gone. I turned to my girlfriend and she said, "I saw him too."\nI've stalked that spot for years with cameras and all hours of the day. Never seen anything again. But all the cats have always meowed at that spot. If that means anything. 1336365926 +You are not alone. That show was mediocre at best. 1297745446 +Yes indeedy! Complete with glasses, poor fashion sense, and complete Star Trek movie collection. =) 1310080200 +i don't know why your being downvoted. You are right and UFO nuts are the first to throw the simplest explanation out the window. 1329947673 +I was thinking more that traumatic events could cause an "image" of one or more person's thought patterns to be etched into a place or on to a thing, but it wouldn't be the person it resembles anymore than a photo or a video. 1344612486 +yep, for guitar work, we typically use nylon or metal wound strings. back in the day, it was typical to use cat gut or sheep gut. orchestral instruments will usually use horse hair.\n\nedit: BTW, catgut is not actually from cats, it's usually from a mule or donkey or something like that. sheep were used also. 1299461485 +Throwaway -\n\nI'm a sales rep in the "natural" supplement industry. AMA. 1335053252 +Okay, sounds good. I tend to believe that people are good at coming to the right conclusion when presented with the evidence and opposing theories, etc. It will be interesting to see if it helps. 1348937445 +I watched that documentary.. and didnt you see a logical explanation where that "artifact" was found?? how and why? 1349448722 +You british? 1315868003 +A thousand times this. Censorship doesn't work, debunking does, as well as reporting to authorities. A sticker with "FALSE: Miracle cures don't exist. Well-researched medicine does. 1023.org" would go a long way. Also, a leaflet explaining what homeopathy actually *is* with one drop vs an ocean to explain 'there's nothing in it' might get some people's interest. 1338968031 +>your headline appears to be misleading.\n\nBut upvotes. 1311104851 +The thing that science seems to ignore is that almost all of the experiences are so similar. You can't say that for alcohol or drugs. Everyone experiences those in a different way. 1325367945 +After looking at the article again, it is a private school. It's the "publicly funded vouchers" that threw me off. 1343061800 +You need to be upvoted more. 1352666611 +I'm a new sub to his subreddit, just a question: Is the normal consensus among the 'skeptic' community 'pro-choice', is this lady 'pro-choice'?\n\nI appreciate any answers, thanks.\n 1262745642 +That sounds utterly ridiculous. I fail to see how it would take anyone's occupation or reduce the quality of life at all. Or if it did, how ancient people would ever realize it.\n\nWhere exactly are you hearing this? 1305463218 +Doubtful, but nice to see theyre still letting trolls into the debunker camp,... 1305910355 +I just have to point out that the Sears store in the Toronto Eaton Centre also has negative numbered floors. 1311295942 +Uh... that spinning thing hurts my brain. 1326086753 +one of the stupidest things i've ever seen on youtube. im quite curious so know where he got his PhD from, so i can never attend that school. 1279400000 +Well, if you have to ask... 1336824644 +Portlander here.\n\nLove the politics here, hate the woo. Too many god damn hippies in my paradise. 1340647066 +usagoim were also selling him weapons though 1334049040 +An "Energy Beam"!? Could they possibly be more vague and unscientific? 1340862222 +i just searched for this address on google maps and nothing came up 1310954911 +I don't believe the second video. Who just leaves their attic lights on? 1319430987 +I like the story, even if it's fiction. 1336532206 +There was a consensus among most people that the sun revolved around the Earth. That didn't make it correct.\n\nOK you tell me. What if bronze age people did have interactions with alien visitors what would they have called them?\n 1324943655 +There's some blatant leftist bias. 1305527004 +I didn't see the accident, it happened on the freeway, but watching the man on the motorcycle that night was like watching a video of the last time he left my house. 1340303381 +That sounds kinky.... :P 1307813529 +I believe the lights are a camouflage. Most of the pics or videos of any ufos that I have seen has lights on them and it was very difficult to make out any specific structure which has intense lights on them. It's like camouflage in public view. You're looking at the object but can't make out any features or characteristics of the object itself other than the speed it was traveling or a generic outline of the object itself. Every photo that has been taken of an ufo which has lights on it seems to be very blurry so as to not give any detail of the object itself. \n\nRecently, I heard about a pilot who chased an ufo in a jet and reached very close to it but even he couldn't make out any details of the object and only said that the object was illuminated by a very bright intense light. 1308372443 +What happens to hydrochloric acid in water? 1336868648 +Yes male circumcision is wrong IMO, too. But I disagree that male circumcision is anywhere near as destructive to female anatomy and sexual organs in a quantifiable way. Female genital mutilation can not only involve removing the clitoris, but also the labia and sewing up most of the labia majora.\nHere's a diagram for reference:\nhttp://i.imgur.com/pG0Fc.jpg\nThere is a world of difference between these things. Equating them is dismissive of how horrific FGM is.\nWhy don't you present me with some peer-reviewed research demonstrating that male circumcision is just as bad? 1351097327 +The vaccine has been around in Japan for about 25 years now, and the current two-dose system has a very high success rate. We know for sure that immunity is maintained for more than 20 years. Strictly speaking, we can't know if any vaccine is permanent until it's been around long enough to observe the lifetime results, but there's currently no evidence that additional boosters are required. The rumors going around that it requires boosters every few years are unsubstantiated. 1327901939 +here is the other issue. When you have "Ph. D" types in China and other countries speaking out about this, it stokes the fires. \n\nhttp://www.fluoridealert.org/50-reasons.htm\n\nI really wouldn't write these people off. It's kind of like climate change. Yes, there are the fanatics who will never ever budge. However, there are a lot of people who hear "scientists in other countries..." and it puts the doubt back in people. It doesn't matter how good the science is. It's about if enough confusion can be sowed to enable uncertainty \n 1337779250 +Very impressive stuff here. Thanks for sharing. 1320264595 +In that case, it simply appears to be the confirmation bias. 1321735435 +"They believe *WHAT*? Hahaha, let's come back in a hundred years." 1341059242 +Let's say you don't get something (like the meaning of "defense," just to pick a random example).\n\nNow you criticize me in public, based on your misunderstanding. \n\nI correct you in public, **explaining** it to you. \n\nI just defended myself. That's called offering a "defense."\n\nFTFY\n\nGod this is fun. 1302866071 +A large bird? bigger than a jet? Really? Lol. 1337356043 +Wouldn't that be necrophilia? 1340739692 +What about, "we have pictures of American flags on the moon" day. 1344911721 +No, because with creationists there is no precedent of god existing anywhere else, but with aliens we have the precedent that life exists on at least one planet, that there probably/could be life on others too. Of course you can't say with any certainty that there is life on others, but it isn't a leap to believe there is. 1328344260 +Raising the global temperature one degree is pretty significant, not "moderate" 1257713706 +My father-in-law, I think in 1967, was driving across the US to California with a friend. They stopped by the side of the highway in Oklahoma and saw a very large, metallic disc-shaped craft hovering at low altitude. As they watched, it rotated onto its side and they noticed a symbol that resembled a swastika and a trident on the bottom. It then flew off suddenly at very high speed and was gone within seconds. A minute later a jet fighter flew overhead, apparently trying to follow it.\n\nMy wife, as a teenager around 1990, was driving to the supermarket with her sister from their home in Novato, CA late one evening. As they drove westward on a straight road they noticed a bright light that appeared to be on the nearby hills/mountains. At first they thought it was headlights of a car in the hills, but as they drove toward it it rose into the sky (possibly because they were getting closer to it). They drove around a 90 degree turn in the road, and the light in the sky moved at high speed until it was almost directly in front of them again. It was now closer and they could see two bright white lights on it. As they drove toward it it moved away and to the right, in the general direction of their destination. They were able to watch it in the sky most of the way there, and when they parked in the parking lot and get out of their car, it flew slowly over them at fairly low altitude and they could see that it had four lights arranged in a square shape, and was completely silent. As they watched it accelerated again and flew towards the bay. 1268249777 +I don't know what happened to it, I am just telling you that mods have the ability to delete whatever the fuck they want... that is old news.\n\nFurthermore, the OP can also delete it himself and then claim he is being censored. Who the fuck knows what happened.\n\nBut when you read the comment that was posted, it had absolutely nothing to do with the post it was contained in and was likely seen as spam.\n\nPut your rage where it belongs, I didn't delete it or even know who did, I am just pointing out why and how it may have been deleted. 1328733699 +A Friend took a picture of this.(Not THIS exact Pic)...It was a Missle Streak in NM.\n\n 1347548658 +I saw this at -1 and thought this doesn't deserve downvotes, especially without any explanation. \n\nI'm glad the hivemind has turned this around :p 1298323230 +Randi might wanna pull up his pants a bit more, we can still see his neck. 1302467937 +definitely false; they'd use the BBC... 1341312118 +I think the host's name was Ben? An Aussie? Aside from the interesting stories, he played great music to boot.... Miss it! 1298849486 +Excellent story! Back when this sub was new there were tons of posts about people getting "second chances" or something along those lines. Who knows, maybe it really did happen, and you're in another timeline, or things just reset all together. You should look at some of the top posts and see if you have anything in common with some of those people. 1332914934 +Ironically, an apple a day. (no I'm just bullshitting, I have no idea). 1317889044 +If there is an effect, we do not have evidence of cause. e.g. Placebo, focusing thoughts on something else, expectation, or meditation may also explain the effects. 1343122864 +It's hard to wrap my mind around, and I saw it happen. I don't blame anyone for finding it hard to believe. 1324253018 +What makes you think that those could *not be* Chinese Lanterns? Do they display anomalistic fight characteristics or appear to be under intelligent control in any way? Have you ever seen hundreds of Chinese Lanterns aloft in the sky? I have, and I can assure you that they look and behave *exactly* like those seen in the videos you posted.\n\nBottom line (and a UFOlogy lesson for you):\nIf they can be easily explained (or have been attributed to a known event, such as a release of party balloons, etc.) as Chines Lanterns, they are *more likely than not* what they appear to be. Occam's Razor, critical thinking, basic reasoning all trump your desire to believe or see UFOs in these things.\n\nNow, if they couldn't be explained as lanterns, or a balloon hoax (a la Bill Birnes' UFO Hunters failed to identify) and displayed truly anomalous behavior, I'd tend to agree with you. As such, all you would get - were you to report the sighting to MUFON or CUFOS - is a "thank you very much for your report, however we seem to have reasonable evidence to support the notion that these are likely Chinese Lanterns or some such human-originated device."\n\nDo you want to believe that badly that everything you see in the skies is a UFO and can't be explained away prosaically? If so, you are pursuing the wrong subject and won't get very far with your brand of UFOlogy. No offense, but I'm beginning to tire from constantly laying out the basic fundamentals of skeptical inquiry to everyone who posts a video of *likely* (again, I said "likely") Chinese Lanterns. 1302032347 +Well... where this image came from is obviously illuzone (whatever the hell that is). But the flouride is bad for you thing comes from years of conspiracy mongering starting decades ago (1940's - 50's), and really picked up in the 60's with the John Birch Society (a far right wing group) pushing against water fluoridation.\n\nOnly one item on that list has any evidence to support it and that is [dental fluourosis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_fluorosis) (at least in any dose that you would be consuming). Since Dental flourosis is largely cosmetic, it is far outweighed by the benefits of public fluoridation.\n\nMore [/r/skeptic](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/search?q=fluoride&restrict_sr=on) threads about it.\n\nMore [/r/askscience](http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/search?q=fluoride&restrict_sr=on) threads about it.\n\nAlso, it is worth noting that many water fluoridation plants REMOVE excess fluoride from public water sources because natural levels are high. 1342119787 +Truly, and ripping up a known charlatan doesn't really draw the belly laughs. 1278451916 +There was only one cup in three which didn't have a stone placed in it, so even if he wasn't getting the specific stones correct he could still have claimed that he could sense a difference between the normal water and the water that had contained a stone.\n\nYou needed to set things up differently, have many more cups of just plain water.. Also you need to be careful about plain old cheating, was there a key hole available to peep through or something else for instance. 1291037070 +MMM mmm mmm.\n\nI love the smell of smug in the evening! 1272060700 +Thanks lol. Its all true, you got it or not. 1351186840 +It's therefore also been incontact with every homeopathic thing that 'causes' illness.\n\n Water, the cause and solution to, all of life's homeopathic problems. 1259364067 +I simply can't understand why this guy Greer keeps getting attention, the first time I heard of him was a long while back it was a crock of shit then, but his name keep cropping up as soon as I see it I move swiftly on 1347198060 +Meta philosophy/joke, via "The Matrix". Loosely related to mastery of self-control. 1320908589 +Are you comparing the low-quality cheapest stuff to Whole Foods, or are you comparing food of similar quality? Buying organic and local is often cheaper at Whole Foods than regular grocery stores. \n\nTrader Joe's is for the good and cheap stuff though. 1349194386 +Do you have any article on elephant graveyards being a myth? Every link I find seems to point out that they do in fact have death rituals. [1](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_intelligence#Death_ritual), [2](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/10/1031_051031_elephantbones.html), [3](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=563821), [4](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/08/magazine/08elephant.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&sq=elephants&st=cse&scp=2), [5](http://animal.discovery.com/news/briefs/20051031/elephant.html) 1337100597 +Then you are agnostic ? Because there is no proof he exists. \n 1296172436 +Is it me, or did it seem like it went behind the clouds in certain points too fast? Like for the speed it appears to be going at it would seem like you might get a few milliseconds of half ship if it went behind a cloud?\n\nJust what caught my eye. 1322322571 +Woot! just went 0.1% in front. 1332252729 +yes and video too, please!\n 1348886280 +Actually, I've seen quite a few sources that seem to indicate the key component of getting rid of warts is believing the method works - not the method itself.\n\nI'm not qualified to rule one particular article or paper more valid than the rest, but [this](http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/content/21/6/473.abstract) is the first result under a google search for "psychosomatic warts". 1347921929 +Text on the religious and social values section of the survey: http://www.people-press.org/2012/06/04/section-6-religion-and-social-values/\n\nFull survey: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/2277/republicans-democrats-partisanship-partisan-divide-polarization-social-safety-net-environmental-protection-government-regulation-independents 1338867409 +Well I've asked my older sister if she senses these things, and she says she has, but not as much as me. My younger sister hasn't sensed any of these things, so far it's just been my friend and I that have been affected by her presence. Since she's 20 now she leaves the house a lot and when she's gone, it doesn't happen. So I'm planning to do some paranormal investigations during October to test my limits, or if its just my imagination. Because I've read that October is the month when the door to other worlds is cracked, or thinned. I'll post more if I find anything. 1346024068 +>Incorrect. Religion is based on belief.\n\nOh please, did you really just say that? In a *skeptic* forum? Just because you *believe* something doesn't make it compatible with scientific evidence. 1350481409 +This is either ignorance or disinfo. I'm leaning towards disinfo. 1351201745 +So if there is a unified theory of physics you wouldn't want to live in a time after it's been discovered? Think if that was already understood all of the amazing things that could be done and created. I guess I'm more of an engineer at heart than a scientist. 1299030755 +It was the Sermon of San Algo Dementi where Paul the Apostle summoned an F-15 from the horizon. They rejoiced and ate bread and drank wine. 1310812844 +source please? 1327466867 +source please? 1327466882 +Yes, that's correct. 1331069356 +There is nothing wrong with wanting to know more about our planet or even the universe. To be honest there should be more people like you seeking to get a gimps of the truth. 1345827895 +>and the other 50% is me knowing so I can fool others! Ignorance is never the point. Knowing is always more fun, imo.\n\nThe fun part of magic is being fooled. If magicians revealed how they did every trick, no one would ever be fooled by magic. Knowing is more *satisfying* sometimes, but it's not more fun when it comes to magic performances. 1317672602 +CGI *is* amazing. (You realize that was just a depiction of the video, right?) 1343442302 +I think that this is somewhat unfair. There's a clear difference in economic policies under Republicans versus Democrats. \n\nDemocrats are somewhat Keynesian, while Republicans are heavily supply-side. Keynesian economic practices are more likely to produce jobs, because they oftentimes call for government's direct intervention into the market. (See, for example, Obama's jobs plan).\n\nIn other words, there's a clear correlation between Keynesian policies and job growth (which usually translates to a higher GDP, which in turn buoys the stock market, etc, etc). \n\nNow, I can already hear what you're thinking: correlation doesn't equal causation. Well, to this I say sure, but correlation over a long period of time (and it's been decades by this point), lends a high degree of confidence to the idea that they are correlated because of a causal relationship. However, as is ever the bane of economics, there is no way to empirically test the relationship in a systematic fashion.\n\nBut yeah, this isn't useless information. I think it requires a background in economics to really understand, but it proves the democrat (or, I would more fairly say) Keynesian side quite well.\n\nAnd the President really does have a lot to do with the macro side of economic performance and job creation. Sure, he doesn't have much of anything to do with individual commodities like oil (barring, of course, such heavy-handed policies such as bailouts or subsidies), but the president does greatly influence the overall economy. 1351952008 +Ah sorry, I was just generalizing, not talking about you. I should of said, "If one is to think otherwise". 1304611284 +>Doctors are taught during medical school and residency that pharmaceutical drugs are the only effective medicine. \n\nYou're either frighteningly misinformed or outright lying. This is just one of those statements where I don't know where to begin. It's not even wrong. \n> Most doctors do not continue learning after residency. \n \nYou obviously have no idea how medical education in this country works. Physicians constantly have to learn and update their knowledge of current best practices to maintain their license through CME. In addition, board certified physicians (which is pretty much everyone these days as more and more insurance companies use lack of board certification to deny payment) must renew their certification via testing and other procedures on a regular basis. \n\n> Even if non-pharmaceutical drugs (such as vitamin D) exist for the disease, doctors won't use them.* \n \nThe information you provide to go with this asterisk disprove what you're saying. Increasing intake of vitamin D does appear to be promising for many diseases and conditions. However, the science is not yet there for it be considered best practice in most cases. However, just because something is promising or because it makes sense does not mean doctors should begin changing their practice. It was just in the last year or two where we discovered that calcium supplementation with or without vitamin D actually increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Just last month a major study came out that showed an increased risk of death in patients who took iron and other daily supplements. We know that a potential cause of cancer is DNA damage to reactive oxygen species. Therefore it made perfect sense that supplementation with antioxidants like vitamin E would be protective. The hypothesis proved true in animal models. But it doesn't work in humans and we don't why. That's why the studies are done. That's why studies are being done on vitamin D right now. If physicians were to start changing practice before the science came in, they would kill more people than they would help. 1319501418 +If there was a mistake made in quoting some figure about cancer survival rates, I'm sure everybody would be amenable to a correction.\n\nAnd as for organic food, I believe the discussion was about how overrated and overpriced it was. Certainly there's room for discussion about how some farming methods may be better than others, and a discussion of that nature would be fascinating. \n\nBut it sounds to me like you agree that the label "organic" as it's currently used is pretty useless and over-hyped. I think that's pretty much all that the discussion was about.\n\nIt seems strange to be annoyed just because nobody bothered to look at the benefits of different farming methods. The discussion had to do with how some foods were sold on the basis of wildly overstated health claims. Why would farming methods even come up? 1318273477 +>1,000 milligrams of aspirin, 120 milligrams of caffeine and a stomach-soothing agent split up into two tablets \n\nSo... take two aspirin, drink an espresso and go through your local pharmacy to find a 'stomach-smoothing agent', whatever that would be. \n\nNot seeing how this is all that big of a breakthrough. 1323743611 +>"I almost wish that there would be like a simultaneous telecast," Huckabee said at a conference last year, "and all Americans will be forced, forced — at gunpoint, no less — to listen to every David Barton message. And I think our country will be better for it."\n\nWell, that's terrifying. 1344538065 +I think I'll join, I'm also a member of the Esoteric Order of Dagon so I only pay a flat rate for union dues :-) 1351730785 +The curse of stupidity? 1326679938 +For your benefit:\n\nhttp://www.vaed.uscourts.gov/notablecases/moussaoui/exhibits/prosecution/thumbs/P200045.jpg 1290724761 +Duuuuuuuuude yess!!! That is such a sick post! 1351054967 +Does any of what's claimed there seem particularly untruthful to you? 1346634976 +What the hell... This is ridiculous. 1352238278 +Yeah, I can understand your experience. What changed things for me is an insane experience when I was 14. I had been studying the paranormal for 4-5 years already by then. I have seen colors in my vision since I was about 8. They fluctuate and change constantly when I am in a relaxed state. Sorry if I ramble, as I am drunk. Anyways, I thought I was seeing auras, or some energy field in my vision. I had tried astral projection for a few years with no luck.\n\nSometime when I was 14 I took a big dose of LSD. I had the worst experience of my life, and I felt like I was going to die for 12 hours. I know this probably discredits anything I say from here-on-out. I don't care. I heard tribal drumming, and saw DNA helices being constructed and re-constructed in front of my eyes. I experienced the universe from the view of itself looking in upon itself, and what psychonauts call "ego death" in its entirety. Once again, this is a looooong story.\n\nI woke up the next day feeling like I was just born again. Everything I experienced felt novel and sharp. I realized that everything I have gone through as a child was a kind of conditioning to minimize sensory input into what is "natural" to survive in our complex world. All day we are bombarded with sensory input. Out brain filters out 99% of the world, and works on past memories to function socially. \n\nWhen you look at a clock sometimes it seems that the second hand stays there for longer than a second. This is called the [chronostasis illusion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronostasis). It actually seems like a second lasts longer than it does.\n\nThis brings me to my main point, and my point of understanding from my hellish ordeal. The world we experience is largely created by our brain. Not only that, but the plasticity of our brains as children hones in on these illusions, and imagination to create memories. What you remember isn't what happened, and only your worldly way of dealing with the influx of sensory input that overwhelms your brain at the time.\n\nPreconceptions about what you are going to experience play into this. There is somewhat of an experience-placebo effect to memory if you have an idea in mind. I honestly don't trust my memory. I have seen impossible things happen in the past.\n\nWe then get to a philosophical question. Is our perception of the world ACTUALLY what is going on? Most likely not.\n\n**This is a big reason that science is so important when judging said phenomenon.**\n\nWe need to test and retest experiences with many individuals, and in different environments to see what is the consensus *reality*. We need verifiable proof to say what is real. We need hard science. 1323247157 +zactly. 1317920261 +We really should start setting a precedent on this subreddit of linking to sources. I believe [this](http://heart.bmj.com/content/98/12/920.abstract) is the study being referred to here. The study still found lower rates of heart attack in people who took calcium supplements compared to people that had low calcium levels. It was only when comparing people who had normal levels of calcium that got all of their calcium from their diet to people that got all calcium from supplements that the supplement users had increased heart attack, and this is likely due to them just not absorbing as much calcium as the dietary users.\n\nCalcium in a pill doesn't absorb as readily as dietary calcium, and to absorb calcium you need things like vitamin D. I would recommend looking for food without lactose. 1348797382 +Maybe you can use it as a metronome and make your own music. He might like that... 1342131738 +That is a great idea, but it is really quite long and I'm not sure I'd do great making it interesting. I'd tried to write it for a magazine article before but it came across very "then this happened! Then this happened!" Maybe I'm a bit better at that now. I don't know. I'm hoping that through the questions I'm able to eventually get to all the incidents. 1318336489 +I am wondering. Who has told you this was going to happen? Because that seems pretty extreme even for a believer to say. You seem to think of the game as more extreme than people that believe it is real do. 1323215293 +[Cognitive biases](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_bias) exist and influence our judgments and the whole point of science (which is rather a bunch of methods than a world-view) is to overcome our own weaknesses in this respect.\nAsk them, why traditional/alternative medicine didn't find out about how flawed our judgments are.\nE.g. "like-goes-with-like" is a reasoning heuristic that humans apply and makes homeopathy sound plausible.\n\nPoint to optical illusions. They always work, even if you know that what you see can't be right. If even our immediate perception of the world is broken, why should our memory and reasoning (which builds on our perceptions) be perfect and completely different from our senses? 1304670266 +It has been 6 days. I see no signs of a video proof you promised us.\n\nOP. I crown you,\n\nA faggot 1355342870 +> Which was awesome, because not nearly enough space missions are directed by Michael Bay.\n\nI really love the writing in cracked articles, and I'm normally prepared for whatever they're going to send at me. For some reason, though, after reading this line, I am now covered in coffee.\n\nThe polar bear related countersuit baffles me. Our court system has to be pretty screwed up for companies to decide there's a reasonable chance of winning a case to remove the threatened/endangered status of a species. 1309006730 +It should be easy to recreate it then... 1351790563 +*what it has gotten, sorry. 1320516115 +This has been happening to me personally my entire life (starting when I was 13, I'm 27 now).\n\nThis looks pretty serious. I know you might not be a spiritual person, I'm not either really. She needs to ward off these spirits now before it gets worse. Alone. \n\nThis spirit or energy, I prefer to call it the later, has the power to follow her. This has nothing to do with your house or location. Something is obviously attacking her personally. I've been followed by this energy as well in multiple locations. And it seems to attack me when I'm at my worse (stress, high anxiety, etc). \n\nShe needs to believe that she has control. Say a strong prayer (believe in strongly, don't half ass) or something of the equivalency. This has nothing to do with modern religion and waving a bible around will only work if you believe in it. I personally drew up some ancient symbols and said a strong prayer to myself. So far, I haven't been touched in a year now. \n\nI know this sounds crazy but the morale of the story is she needs to confront her demons and ward them off. Her scars look really, really bad. More severe than I've ever had. Try not to think about it and for sure don't act scared. Anything that will give this energy more fuel for the fire will not help your situation. \n\nAnother strategy would be to ignore it entirely. Maybe this energy is seeking attention. However, ignoring it might spark more activity. I'm not sure. \n\nI wish I knew who and what this energy is and giving advice is hard because not every attack is the same. I'm still trying to figure our why its happening to me. All I know is that training your spirit and mind to take control of the situation helped me.\n\nFeel free to message me anytime. 1351088776 +Sweet god. I just want to throttle half the people there.\n\nI really thought we'd put to bed the idea that AIDS is a made-up disease and that HIV is nothing more than a big pharma tactic. 1256845204 +There's a difference of intent in "God says set up a test, so we did it" and "We demanded God pass a test". As I understand the dynamic, he's allowed to make demands and people aren't, being as he outranks them.\n 1338472122 +Again, I'll remind you of some key facts:\n\n1) the appeal to popularity is fallacious. I don't care how many people agree with me, if I'm wrong, I want to hear the arguments. \n\n2) the upvote/downvote system isn't there to display your agreement or disagreement with people. \n\nIf you think I'm "making myself look more stupid" then explain why I'm wrong. So far all you've done is to continue to demonstrate why you are completely unable to comment meaningfully on this discussion (i.e. you don't understand the fundamental issues relating to the topic, subreddit, or philosophy of skepticism). 1354004017 +Well *obviously* he wouldn't use photoshop.\n\nThere's nothing particularly odd about that image. All you have to do is take a picture of some cut glass or crystal while some guy is walking by. 1310409720 +experts say electro-magnetic fields produced by earrings made of pure cubic zirconium can cure gout. you can't explain that! 1304533792 +Unidentified flying barf? 1296520060 +Do you mean a flare? 1353743405 +Like most interactions it's a judgement about what those involved stand to gain versus what they stand to lose and the likely outcome. I see little value in jumping on every woo-ish statement I hear in casual conversation. If someone is offering poor advice in a group setting then I'd feel free to offer a counter-position to the person being advised but providing an unrequested debunking of a simple statement of personal belief? Not so much.\n\nOn the other hand, your question asks about non-skeptic *friends*. You might be using the term in a more inclusive manner than I would but I'd expect a friendship to include some sort of mutual understanding. Either that understanding is that you can speak freely or there's a line that you don't cross to avoid getting in each other's face. Personally, I wouldn't put up with a line that allowed the other person to say what they liked and insisted that I didn't express disagreement.\n\nThere's no easy answer. Realistically there will always be people who will get pissed off if you confront them and who you don't want to piss off: your parents, your boss, your landlord, the bartender at your favourite drinking hole. Right now I'm temporarily sharing a house with an alternative therapist who is into all sorts of stuff that I could express a view on. If she asks me what I think I'll tell her but I'm not about to invite a discussion that I know has a chance of causing problems outside of a disagreement about whether she can treat people by moving their skull bones around.\n 1327216181 +Mike Adams: HEALTH RANGER!\n\n(Fan of Skeptics with a K) 1333636185 +"the rest became a cup of herbal soup and a bowl of potpourri." 1318464578 +/r/techsupport 1356472184 +His natural habitat is after all the unfocused portions of a picture. 1335170751 +Last I checked, strangling somebody is assault. 1334868262 +I couldn't construct said system. However, I could construct one that does not come down to insecurity or unexamined beliefs since it stems from uncertainty, which went without mention in your original post.\n\nI think at this point we are more or elss in agreement -- the issue I had with your post was that you claimed that all belief stemmed from insecurity or unexamined beliefs when we both agree there is a third option. 1298502912 +Yes, but it is still an incredibly small number of sightings. The poor quality of current recording devices doesn't help either. It would be very difficult to separate out true sightings from mistaken identities because there are so many different phenomena that could potentially appear on low quality phone cameras at night that even when there is footage it is hard to tell a Chinese lantern from a remote control quad-copter.\n\nedit: Let alone an actual UFO. 1354423403 +Thеrе is dеlicious irony in thе thought that so many /r/skеptics wеrе outragеd for a timе bеcausе thеy wеrе taking this vidеo at facе valuе. 1301671698 +Take it back 1348016856 +I'm from London and know that sort of personality type very well. She actually reminds me of my sister in her mannerisms, so I would disagree with what you said, but her steadfast refusal to accept reality made my blood boil. 1336930666 +>unless the point is to be happy, regardless of accuracy.\n\nThat'd be some pretty shoddy skepticism, wouldn't it? 1338328853 +Has any creationist ever responded to this argument? I know they often say "But there is so much beauty and wonder in the world!" and the counterargument is always the one that there are creatures that lives on eating their prey alive from the inside, eventually killing them. But every time I hear it it seems to stop there. Do they simply walk away, chosing not to respond? Because it is true that if god made such cute things as kittens he also made tapeworms, thinking those were a wonderful idea. 1330245791 +WTF? Why the hell were they ever using imperial units? Where do they live, in the stone age? 1255345026 +Glitch in the matrix: Someone older than 20 something is on reddit. I'm so confused :/ 1330397653 +====D It's relevant content. 1351086011 +Yes. Please post it when you get a chance.\n\nFlu sucks. I don't think I've ever had it, but I had what my doctor was calling a psuedo-flu -- presents with flu symptoms condensed to about 36 hours, including a high fever. I was pretty terrified. 1355460795 +What I don't understand though is why the people that know the truth don't come out with it when they are out of power or on their deathbeds? 1333083953 +Two ideas here:\n\n1. My mind is the only thing that exists, and has created the world and all of my knowledge. Every time I learn something new, that's actually my own mind changing what I perceive to be reality. \n\n2. The universe exists independent of my mind; I am a product of natural selection.\n\nI find it a lot easier to believe that the universe came into existence in a way that I do not understand than that I came into existence in a way that I do not understand, and that my hunger and other drives are a mechanism of survival rather than a product of my own mind.\n\nAnd what TheUndefenestrator said. 1269734543 +Yeah, I meant 15-20 feet. Sometimes I get so caught up I forget to type words. I've never had another experience like it. It was amazingly awesome. I just wish my brothers had seen it. Maybe one day everyone will get to see them up close, or at least closer. 1340406302 +I disagree. Cleopatra's headdress was a vulture. The bird in the photo looks more like a Falcon or Hawk, which is associated with Horus. Also notice that the medium itself looks like the sun, which is also associated with Horus, the sky/sun god. 1334889418 +[Over NY](http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/10/13/2010-10-13_mystery_shiny_objects_floating_over_manhattan_spark_ufo_frenzy.html) 1287018219 +Clinton couldn't get blown in his own office without people finding out. What makes you think any kind of actual plot involving thousands of people could work? Human nature doesn't really work that way.\n\nI guess the problem is that the "proof" of a real conspiracy is that we wouldn't know anything about it, which makes it a poor example of a real conspiracy. If that makes sense. 1302239346 +wow I forgot how boring that guy can be. 1333255335 +I think you comment points to the core of it in a simple way.\n\nThe downvote you got i can not understand. Up from me 1323479933 +I guess that's a good way to think about it, but it's turned into an obsession.\n\nWhat I mean is, while I'm driving to work, I constantly think about the worst possible car accident I could be in...and *magically* it doesn't happen. 1332210501 +Ghosts are real, VERY real. This fact freaks me the fuck out sometimes, I've seen them... 1334554802 +There could well be something there but it could be very close to the telescope making it [very small](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vbd3E6tK2U). There's no way of knowing the distance that something is from just one 2D picture therefore there's no way of knowing what [size it is either](http://cdn.smashingwall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/forced-perspective/78fp.jpg) so the logic that "the sun is huge therefore this thing must be huge" is kinda flawed. That was what I was getting at earlier but obviously I should have been more explicit! But it's a moot point anyway because, as other people have pointed out here, it looks exactly like a [high energy particle hitting the sensor](http://digitaljournal.com/article/323840). 1343144683 +I think this has already been answered in the thread behind the link and [this one](http://www.reddit.com/r/photography/comments/jj6fd/what_causes_this_effect/) in /r/photography.\n\nSince OP claims one of the marks took the picture (and not the "guru" herself), it is probably most likely that the reason for the halo is moisture the air and a bright spot directed and the guru in white. 1313408381 +I would assume most people here err on the side of the one that has solid scientific evidence in favor. 1356240641 +Tim Minchin is great. "Confessions" and "ten foot c**k" is also spectacular. 1297278262 +Your name is Not Sure? 1315672467 +I actually have 3 extra nipples and I'm a guy. The first looks just like a mini nipple right beneath my normal right and the other two are on my abdomenen but they just look like small moles. You have to really look at them to realize that they are superfluous nipples. Like the OP, it's not something I'm very proud of but I have learned to accept. 1353121233 +The voiceover on the video sounds like Pilz-E 1352057981 +The [10^23](http://www.1023.org.uk/) campaign has a couple videos on homeopathy. I would inquire how it is that hundreds of people can consume entire bottles of this stuff on camera and have no effect(good or bad). I know James Randi has consumed entire bottles of homeopathic sleeping pills to prove the point that they don't do anything. 1314562746 +This belongs in /r/aww. 1340253097 +Words mean things. Evidence means validated, peer-reviewed, published research. She made a video with evidence of harm, but not relative harm, which are two very different concepts, scientifically-speaking. 1351100372 +More that we have already chosen them. Under this doctrine, "She was asking for it" is the ultimate defence. 1310616183 +Derren* 1321113231 +I am not. Sadly Cyanide & Happiness has a lot of the same colors and number of objects, and karmadecay often gives false positives. Shoot over to karmadecay.com and tell them you found a bug, I'm sure they'd welcome the information! 1326087694 +The only way he could have done that is that the host and the band guy were in on it. Logically that's the only way. There is no way he could just "read" their minds by looking at their faces. The cold reading bit was just more misdirection. 1352822695 +I've had that experiance before right after sprinting, but it usually occurs when im just doing hanging around the house. Cleaning my room or doing daily homework doesnt really spike my adrenaline. 1326842924 +Nothing fails like Faith & Prayer! 1348151590 +That, and preventing GM crops from spreading into the wild, into other farmers' fields, or hybridizing with non-GM crops so that consumers can have a choice. Not EVERYTHING Monsanto does is for evil-intent or profit. 1335610609 +There are a lot of scenarios. Infinite, if we include all the possible ones we could conjure up in our own minds. \n\nAbduction cases are interesting and 3rd kind encounters where a person shows physical evidence of having been in contact with something such as the guy in the woods who heard a noise in the woods while he was out fishing or hunting or some such activity and came across a craft.\n\nHe heard voices, which sounded like human vocalization, but not a language he was familiar with.\n\nHe approached the craft and suffered burns on his chest from what he described as an exhaust portal that opened up, blasted him, threw him down and the craft left. Pretty fascinating tale. Not to mention Betty and Barny Hill, equally interesting and quite a few others involving airmen, police and what one would consider completely legitimate and valid sources of tales of such magnitude.\n\nWhat can be deduced is:\n1.Something is happening\n2.It is rare relative to the actual true amount of abductions and sightings\n3.Governments may very well be involved\n4.It may all stem from the secret space program developed by USSR and the USA following Operation Paperclip in 1944-45.\n\nOn point 4 it can't be stated enough just how amazingly parallel the two programs were and how the partnership has been developed to this point now where it's at. All launches to the ISS are private and manned launches are funded but launched on Russian rockets in Russian capsules. \n\nFor instance Skunkworks mothballed the SR-71 years ago. What was newly developed and not exposed to the public that would lead to getting rid of the fastest, highest flying manned aircraft ever made? \n\nWhat about electro magnetic propulsion? It's known about. Why would it not be employed when it is one of the known 4 forces of physics? Or even used in a manner of assisting flight?\n\nAlso, mercury/cesium ion propulsion is of some interest.\n\nThese are all of great interest I think. It would be nice to be able to not be impeded by hoarders of hoaxery while learning of the topics. 1343692482 +I figured as much. 1288371104 +Why is 11:11 less probable than 10:10. Both are equally probable. 1333649216 +Because Christianity and Science tend not to be equally credible when it comes to things like facts. 1327252102 +My chiropractor makes his patients sign a form saying they agree that his treatment will not cure anything other than back/joint pain. I feel like the Tin Man after Dorothy oiled him up after my chiropractor does his thing to my knees. 1335057514 +Best place to get at conspiracy nuts? Youtube. Golden treasure trove of idiots. 1356618461 +Incontrovertible evidence: The Soviet Union.\n\nThink someone over there would have spoke up if the U.S "faked" the moon landings. 1335784137 +Number 3: If someone says "stop" or goes limp, taps out the fight is over. 1343241888 +I don't know what skeptics you're talking about but I can't think of any I know how are closed-minded as you describe. In fact it is open-mindedness and a desire for the truth that makes one become very skeptical in the first place. That's partly why people with absolutely no evidence on their side (simply a personal preference or anecdotal information), claiming open-mindedness as a defense is often so infuriating to a skeptic. If they were truly open-minded they would more highly respect evidence, even if that evidence greatly disagreed with their deepest beleifs or forced them to admit they had been wrong. That kind of open-mindedness is rare though. Most people aren't willing to face the possibility that at points they have been deeply wrong or had acted a fool. There's no shame in that though, only in not trying to be warier next time.\n\nScience requires open mindedness. It's a process not a solution, therefore relying on science means often getting answers you wouldn't expect, didn't want and even sometimes can't yet explain. Yet, despite this you still respect and embrace the process in the sense that it was an attempt to seek truth. Also, real science done correctly need not worry who is funding, just who is editing the publishing the results. Someone genuinely skeptical is certainly also skeptical as to whether the science was conducted properly and can be reproduced independently. 1241122669 +Yes\n\nwarning: this shit is dumb\n\n[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAaDVOd2sRQ](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAaDVOd2sRQ) 1316050968 +What always blows me away about this stuff is how simple it is. And it doesn't make sense why one would cause the other. Sure, my handwriting leans to the left, which is the direction of the past in western society (since we read left-to-right), but why would my not worrying about the future, and thinking about the past, cause my writing to change accordingly? It's so silly, it's funny how people straight up believe this stuff! 1349256315 +"Acti-Mineral ceramic crystals"\n\nThis made me snort coffee through my nose. 1331767994 +Positive attitude helps a patient deal with the course of the illness, but it has no effect on treatment success rates.\n\nJust two things to read about it:\n\n[Positive Attitude Doesn't Whip Cancer?](http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20071022/positive-attitude-doesnt-whip-cancer) from WebMD, which is just a barebones overview, incidentally featuring a doctor from MSK.\n\n[Emotional well-being does not predict survival in head and neck cancer patients](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.23080/full) from the journal *Cancer*.\n\nOne study does not a rule make, I understand, but there's a body of literature that's been growing over the last few years about positive attitude and cancer treatment effectiveness. You can probably Google around and find more without too much effort.\n\nOtherwise, I agree with your comment wholeheartedly. 1297626628 +> the overuse of sports drink and sodas\n\nThe author doesn't say anything about "overusing" sports drinks or sodas. Absolutely everything from milk to oxygen to Vitamin B can be dangerous or detrimental if overused/over-ingested.\n\nWhat this loon has to say is that sports drinks/sodas in any dose are dangerous. Which is, of course, something only a loon would say. 1326703834 +I just think the idea that "the body needs to rest because digestion is dangerously tiresome" is really ridiculous. It's kind of what the system is built to do, and that exclusively. 1346502964 +Maybe the moon has got some tiny rocky satellites of its own? Definitely not a mirage effect, these are solid objects that appear darker as they pass over the face of the moon. 1310411727 +What country are you in? We can't give legal precedent unless we know what country the precedent should be from. 1350296404 +These things have little to do with each other. Evolution is a theory that is well-established and backed up by a great deal of evidence; the chemical origins of life is very speculative at this point in time; global warming is not as well-established as evolution but nearly as well backed up by evidence; and human cloning is more a technology than a science for which any objections would be moral or legal, not scientific.\n\nThese disparate things are a pretty blatant laundry list of issues that concern modern-day religions, and if this bill really does tie all these things together, then I'd think it would not be too hard to argue that it constitutes a state ruling driven by church demands, and it sets a very bad precedent if it's allowed to stand. 1334146408 +On a slightly different note: what happened to the recent story that a woman was killed on one of the queen's properties and was buried nearby? The story seems to have disappeared down the memory hole. 1327753309 +Idealistically, I'm more or less anarcho-communist, but I also recognize that the only way that such a system is possible is to have >99% of people on this planet die, and that's not even remotely an acceptable tradeoff to me, so in practice, I tend to be a more standard European-style social democrat. However, I am gaining some sympathy for a more capitalist perspective as well. 1287456079 +Isn't there a specific mental illness where the individual loses all sense of familiarity? 1327935485 +> If its a chain pharmacy the pharmacist has no say in what goes on the shelf.\n\nThat is of course true, and I'm trying not to blame the salespeople. However, "I'm just doing my job" is a very, *very* poor excuse for doing something unethical. And make no mistake - it is: You are selling people in a weak or desperate position something that will certifiably do *nothing* to help them, and that at a higher price that something else that actually would.\n\nThey may not want to do it, but they still *do.*\n\n> And then you have people who swear by homeopathic remedies such as this.\n\nYou see, I have this naive, idealistic view that a pharmacy is a place where you get stuff that works against disease and for your well-being.\n\nI have an even more heretic view, namely that "patient choice" is a joke. A patient doesn't want to choose, a patient wants to get better. Selling him something of which he has been mislead to think it'll help but which factually actually doesn't breaches the trust that I set in health care professionals such as pharmacists.\n\n> Plus it cost the store more for that item as well, they aren't going to charge you less than they paid for it just because the competing item is cheaper.\n\nWell, reducing a pharmacy to a purely profit-driven market entity is a rather bleak vision. I thought we were talking about health? (Plus, my point wasn't that they should sell homeopathy cheaper, but that they shouldn't have it at all. It's a grand scam.)\n\nBrave new world. 1316157775 +LIAR!!!! 1323495922 +Perhaps you will be needed in a later event in life? I like to accept a lot of theories for life, maybe you could be in a case where 'the universe' is making sure you make it from Point A [birth] to Point B [event X] safely? Maybe this memory you have is residual thoughts / memories from switching from Timeline A to the next? 1327941862 +Whoa, the asheville paranormal society found something in their own town! how about that shit? 1218230873 +Yeah, they didn't go into details, but I am fairly certain that they'd either make sure they stuck to the diet or kicked them out of the "study". In any case, it definitely wasn't on the level in any case. You couldn't learn shit from the study. 1296434265 +Does he have any videos from the top of that hill? If he has been "filming them for months" I would assume he would want to film other the UFOs from several vantage points. 1352776172 +Higher resolution images show these to be nothing of particular interest. They're off to one side of the so-called face on Mars which is what caused alien/conspiracy theorists to get all excited about them, due to their close proximity with the face.\n\nhttp://www.universetoday.com/41283/pyramids-on-mars/\n\nAs the article concludes you can find such formations here on Earth... Perhaps someone with some more time can find a few images of structures like that on Earth. 1322481114 +#1- I've repeated several times that I was open to the idea of a hallucination. My problem is that my situation would require two seperate people to have the same hallucination at different times. That simply does not compute. I've heard people say it could be false memories. Okay, but from what I've read about false memories the way you can tell they are false is that different people with the same false memories will have conflicting details. In my case the details were astonishingly similar. This also does not compute.\n\n#2- Have you ever considered that there may be a reason that ghosts do not show up on film? Imagine an energy field that electricly stimulates nerves but that does not emit photons. Such an energy field could theoretically be detected by the brain but not by film. I know it's a crazy idea, but it's no crazier than quantum physics to me. 1331335304 +Triblistic groups seperating themselves from everyone else and creating a "us vs them" mentality while ostracizing themselves from the rest of society? Never! 1283521432 +The guy's an embarrassment to the field of medicine. 1316377453 +I had a similar thing happen to me, except I knew what caused it. Riding my bike as fast as I could to hit a ramp and my bike managed to lock up while in full momentum. 5 feet of sliding face-first on the road later (ow, by the way, stitches in my chin and bits of gravel in my arm) I found out that my tire had kicked a small rock up into my chain where it proceeded to get wedged. 1328399962 +>You are presenting an entirely theoretical situation (perfectly trained dogs) as a rebuttal to a real world situation (the actual record of how well actual dogs work in the actual world).\n\n\nThe point you keep missing is that real-world data tells us nothing about whether they should be used as probable cause. Let's frame this as strongly as possible: suppose that nearly all dog units in the world only have a success rate of something like 25%. Does this, in itself, mean that they should not be used as probable cause? No, of course not.\n\nThis is because of two important lines of evidence: 1) in those averaged results, there are individual dogs that are successfully detecting drugs between 80-100% of the time, and 2) when training is done properly, all dogs achieve near-perfect accuracy. What this means is that dogs are capable of successfully detecting drugs in real-world cases - we know this because of the experimental results, and the fact that individual dogs do it. The variable which is letting them down in some dog units, like the ones you've brought up, is poor training.\n\nThis necessarily means that if we fix the training, we increase the success and it becomes reasonable to use them as probable. \n\nThink of it this way: suppose nearly all hospitals in the world employed doctors who couldn't identify broken arms using X-rays better than chance, but 1) there were some doctors in those hospitals who were consistently succeeded at this, and 2) all medical students can do so. On this evidence, would you argue that X-rays shouldn't be used to identify broken arms, or that X-rays cannot be used to identify broken arms any better than chance?\n\nOf course not. What you'd argue is that something has gone wrong in those hospitals where the doctors are failing. Most likely, it would be the case that the doctors need continual training and reminders, otherwise they lose the ability they had in med school. \n\nThe same thing applies to drug detector dogs. If some dogs are doing it with near-perfect accuracy in the real world, and all dogs are doing it with near-perfect accuracy in experimental conditions, then it is a valid tool and accurate enough for probable cause. If the average dog is not scoring above 50% or higher, then it either needs to be retrained or taken out of the dog unit. \n\nIn other words, the problem is not the ability of the dogs. There is more than enough evidence that demonstrates that they can successfully identify drugs in the real world. The problem is the training and the regulations. If these criteria are not met by the dog units, then I agree that they should not, and cannot, be used as probable cause. But this argument does not suggest that dogs cannot be considered a legal justification for a search, the argument suggests that **poorly trained** dogs cannot be considered a legal justification for a search.\n\n>You misconstrue the question at hand as "is it Clever Hans, or is it bad training?" when the actual question is "are police drug detection dogs working in the field accurate enough to be considered a legal justification for a search?"\n\nI'm not interpreting the question as that at all. The question is: "Are they accurate enough for it to be considered a legal justification for a search?". To answer this question, we need to assess whether some anecdotal reports of their failures are a result of their inability to detect drugs in the real world (i.e. the Clever Hans effect), or a failure of training. \n\nThere is no way to assess the question you're asking without determining whether its a Clever Hans effect or a failure of training. 1333595319 +You should ask your parents about this. Maybe there is something they have not told you about a still born baby they had or even a miscarriage. 1332448019 +Ever been to an optometrist or DMV?\n\nThe depth appeared to be about six to eight inches, from what I remember. There's plenty of room inside the headache box to do that. 1311340812 +Really, this is the best [/r/skeptic](/r/skeptic) can do? Humans not having hookworm is an extremely recent development, and appears to be the cause of asthma, some allergies, and other ailments. This woman can better treat her conditions, without the severe side effects of medication, with a small dose of a parasite that millions of people live with all their lives. But your advice is that she take the drugs and deal with the side effects and worse outcomes, or somehow synthesize her own new medication from parasites? It's a symbiosis, not a dosage. Maybe you should be skeptical about modern medicine. I know, it's pretty great, but doctors have been wrong before, and they'll be wrong again. 1326835492 +They always do this. If you remember "climategate", it was entirely this; quotes taken out of context. 1356567795 +Exactly. Where do they think some of these things were found back in the day, and even now? They might not be as strong, but they do work. We still have drugs we use straight from the plants, though they may not be used as medicine ex tobacco and coffee.\n\nJust because something isn't synthesized in a lab doesn't make it useless. 1298229709 +my son doesnt share enough to tell me why he talks to himself. Your lucky your brother does. But that is an interesting thing to think about. He could just be repeating conversations back to himself to replay it and understand better whats going on. 1345853340 +This article takes examples of terrible practices and equates them with the whole of TCM. Somewhat akin to describing prescription drug abuse or the eugenics practices of previous generations and equating them with 'western' medical practice.\n\nThe article also provides little evidence to support any of its claims - in fact I've read the article twice and the only reference to a study of any kind is from 20 years ago.\n\nThis isn't scepticism - it's scoffing.\n\n\n 1313680187 +In any argument on the supernatural, religion, or any beliefs, have you ever seen one side realize the error of their ways, and turn?\n\nNo. It's never happened. Getting riled up and arguing with people about beliefs is never a good idea. And besides, it just ruins everyone's mood to have arguments about their personal beliefs. 1325893329 +I do this because I suspect that a microwaving probably alters the center of mass very slightly. Keep the 20 face-up in the nuke, and see how it rolls afterward. 1332263366 +[Here's one for you.](http://fishgame.com/article.php?ArticleID=4656) You'd be amazed how many people fell for this (Texas Night Gollum, *Pseudomagnus texanus*) 1327959352 +If the person is deep enough into the delusion about "them" being out to get "us" then it becomes a religion in and of itself. Just like a Christian who so clearly sees that the bible is God's word and Jesus is the only path to eternal life. If he "leads you to water" (generally that means showing you the weak ass propaganda that convinced him) and you don't drink then he is forced to conclude that you are either too stupid to understand the concept or that you just hate God/Jesus/Unicorns so much that you "see the light" but refuse to accept it.\n\nI find most conspiracy theorist have 3 bins that everyone get's put into. Again, too stupid to see the light, too comfortable with the way things are to acknowledge the light (this is usually the point where they accuse you of being a Fox News robot) or maybe just "in" on keeping the light from other people. I generally get put into the latter category since just like an atheist being confronted by a Christian, I can usually run circles around them using their own material (I have a fetish for conspiracy theories I guess). 1337349526 +I think we should all hold hands and take a page out of Stephen Colbert's book. He is and ever shall be the **greatest** counter-troll to Bill O'. \n\nanyone have a link to the O'Reilly factor that had Colbert on it? my favorite quote from it was when O'Reilly was yelling at CoLbert, "BUT I'M JUST A PARODY OF NEWS! PEOPLE SHOULDN'T TAKE ME SERIOUSLY!"\n\nTo which Colbert replied "If you're a parody, then WHAT DOES THAT MAKE ME, PAPA BEAR?" 1312868723 +I've never heard of low-key lighting referred to as ambient.\n\n> "Ambient" light is just another way of saying diffused light.\n\nAmbient lighting can be quite hard. For example, the sun is ambient and midday isn't diffused any relevant amount 1345138184 +Sleep Paralysis. You were awake, which is why you feel it was so real, but hallucinating. Your parents didn't hear you because you weren't really screaming, you only thought you were. 1326474074 +It's not out till 25 Sep in Uk. 1348265506 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyeurism 1293713170 +Now one? 1332181403 +I have no clue as to what I just watched but I find it hard to believe the French would try to ban this. Nothing spectacular or definitive. 1345195680 +I need a new computer. Why don't you do your thing for your me, your buddy, whose name is Christian. I live in Texas if that matters. 1337907649 +Not at all necessarily. Especially over very large studies, you would not expect certain levels of variation. Given that this is pseudo-medical (mostly psychological) observation, they are only aiming for 95% confidence (not to say they aren't MORE confident than that, 95 is just the industry standard for psych). I also haven't read through the study, so I haven't seen their actual data. 1346177023 +Yet he has the Streisand effect on his side. 1322647770 +>quite a few studies\n\nSource? 1349282812 +They look very similar, but the confirmation bias is only applicable in a system where it would be reasonable to not make the initial assumption that leads to bias in favor of confirming it. In this case it was not reasonable, due to the complexities of the matter, to spend time analyzing the possibility that the wine had been faked. 1323841439 +*sigh*.\n\nRule 1: BE NICE AND POLITE TO PEOPLE.\n\nRule 2: DON'T BE AN ASSHOLE TO PEOPLE.\n\nIf someone is lazy, they are more than free to just follow Rule 2. \n\nThere is NEVER a reason to threaten someone over something that they have said. There are obvious exceptions, I mean if someone posts a detailed plan on how to kill your family and they have attached diagrams of your house and your work schedule to it, ok sure, you can be irrate. Anything short of that, *KEEP IT CIVIL*.\n\nIf Redneck Jesus himself comes to visit, you still treat him politely.\n\nI think a lot of people responding to her in such a violent manner actually feel threatened, and thus feel justified in their response to her. \n\nThe thing is, as skeptics, they are likely already aware of what it means to have one's "fundamentals", "safe spaces", and "privilege" feel threatened. \n\nSkeptics take joy in destroying the privilege that the religious cast has over their followers. Many of us have had to go through a painful process of having our world views shattered before coming out a stronger, more skeptical and introspective, person.\n\nSo when someone starts pointing out that there may be flaws in one's beloved community, a common response is to lash out in horrible ways. This is the *exact same thing* religious groups do, and indeed groups of *any kind* do.\n\nThe thing is, we go around proclaiming we are the standard-bearers of Critical Thinking. If that is going to be true, we need to show that we can apply those same critical thinking skills *to ourselves and our own community*, rather than lash out emotionally.\n\nIf we don't, we become hypocrites just like the ones we take so much joy in lampooning. 1351115660 +> I want to believe\n\nSo do I ... but wouldn't you so much rather ***know***? :) 1315874989 +Why mention the cereal box then? It was a poor argument. Don't take the tearing down of bad arguments personally, we're all here to learn. 1299563009 +What about with different frames of reference? I'm in a car travelling 50km/h, you're standing still on the side walk. I could say that you're travelling 50km/h towards me, is there a force acting on you?\n\n*Addendum*\n\nActually, I've realised this is wrong, that's not acceleration. Should have said if I was accelerating towards you...\n\nI'm not really sure what mrsamsa is talking about. I always thought that Einstein's theory was accepted because it could explain the known data and predicted the observed bending of light when Eddington went and made his observations, Newton's theory predicted less bending than was observed. 1346939541 +All current evidence that I'm aware of says that your statement is inaccurate. Do you have source links like news articles, studies, controls, or anything at all where I can read further about how voodoo works as a supernatural practice to make other people dead? 1337804476 +HPV is only one of several known cancer causing viruses. 1308319746 +>As of press time, the world had not ended.\n\nHeh. 1306036078 +*"(...)the entire NASA "mission to Mars" is an elaborate modern-day judeo conspiracy designed to destroy Christianity and our way life(...)"*\nWait...wut? 1345220017 +Let's just hope we can isolate the political and managerial worlds from the ill effects of this so-called "bullshit". The consequences could be catastrophic! 1291972012 +so do you think the majority of that 21% are talking about Wiccans or evil witches? 1318967617 +Can you elaborate on that? I'm not really sure what you're getting at? But I'll outline some things about wages which may help. In a communist society, that is after the withering away of the state, there won't really be currency anymore so it's not really a problem. As for the intervening period of socialism people will be payed based on the amount of time worked. Things like basic amounts of food, housing will all be free (with the groups that produce food being payed by the state) \n 1311048148 +wow, I'd be extremely interested to know more, or to hear an expert's response to this. An expert in what though... Pychology or Hypnotism? 1315801082 +>That's what the Internet does -- you get a free bonus prize of Stupid Lies with every box of Delicious Facts. 1304969371 +sarcasm there. 1306889289 +Ghosts don't have shadows. Point made. 1280327466 +>He walked into an elevator at the same time she did\n\nActually no he didn't. He waited until she said, literally, goodbye, and 'i'm going to bed' -- as in, "i'm having my alone time now" -- _then_ he _followed her into_ the elevator.\n\nAnd she does not have a vile attitude regarding men. You know why? B/c she only talked about this one guy. You are the one assuming what he did was normal male behavior. That only says something about _you_. 1310068096 +MN br0s 4 lyfe <3 1337563898 +Yesssss!! 1326869237 +A few months ago my wife taught my daughter (who'd just turned two) about fruit turning brown. \n\nShe (my daughter, that is) now knows that it's called oxidation and to prevent it you should squeeze an orange on it. Also, she knows that citric acid is the active ingredient which makes this work. \n\nWe then set up a little experiment for her, where she tasted different citrus fruits (lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange) and had her guess which one would keep a slice of apple from turning brown the longest (there was a control slice as well). She evaluated the juice coated apple slices every morning so see which one was the least brown.\n\nShe loved it, and so did we. 2 months later she's in the bathroom with my wife, and sees a rusty pipe overhead: "Look mommy, that's oxidation!"\n\nKids are awesome. Come to think of it, so is my wife. 1283186432 +I saw Insidious too. 1340027858 +Really? Airplanes? This is what we've been reduced to?? 1304480321 +There is a tremendous amount of trust involved in science. If you're publishing about one time events (anything from a supernova to the trend in a population of endangered critters), that really can't be meaningfully replicated. You can publish your data, you can publish your methods, but no one can replicate it to check unless they have already done so.\n\nIn fact, were photos of Bin Laden's corpse published, you would still have to rely on the accuracy of the photos, no? What you have suggested is black and white, is in fact many shades of gray. You're still trusting someone, unless you perform the autopsy yourself (and then we all have to trust you). 1304346937 +I use firefox but I guess its not catching that one. Thanks! 1302390224 +Was V-Sync on? It looks like a VGA refresh rate glitch accompanied by screen tearing. 1340805040 +I think you and I are mostly in agreement, then. Reasonable caution and perhaps some regulation or competition is in order. The sort of fear and loathing that leads people to burn test fields is not justified, and it would be tragic if it were allowed to divert us from such a potentially great technology. 1352327423 +This sounds a bit dilute-ional 1301297067 +These videos are great and all, but I found [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDFNM86I2-U) that unequivocally debunks pretty much all of them. 1342236325 +Brilliant. Thanks for posting this, it could be just what I need to get things going on identifying the key rebutters online :) 1341175223 +Generally when people post photos on here they are easily explainable, this one is pretty creepy though. 1337917965 +Thanks for the detail. I think a smirk is usually a good sign bud. Girls don't usually smirk at a gawker they find unattractive. 1338633169 +>I ask for evidence of their claims nearly every time and they always fail to deliver.\n\nI never made any claims. I asked you to substantiate *your* claim. You are refusing, changing the subject, and shifting the burden of evidence. Forgive me if I find that revealing.\n\nEdit: Please disregard this comment; I perform extensive fellatio. 1341621768 +I agree, I'm open to the idea but there was a lot that was far fetched. The forests on Mars... 1322689671 +Nate Silver is the 2nd biggest winner of this election. The way he became almost a household name in such a short time is amazing. It's funny how a single guy (or a group of statisticians) could actually cost thousands of people (pundits) their jobs. To me they are completely irrelevant and I hope something changes in american political news coverage in the future because of this. 1352296428 +Don't blame me. I just do what the style books tell me to. It's all Noah Webster's fault. 1309477935 +Of this fetus is the product of intentional termination, it's still a partial-birth, which accounts for about 0.5% of abortions and really only occurs when the life of the mother is at risk or the fetus just isn't viable any longer. Probably real, definitely misleading. 1353179960 +I get an AV warning when I click that link. Weird. 1350962935 +Welcome to r/skeptic. 1295021297 +First, you're backwards: it's "like cures like" so a homeopathic preparation of acid would likely claim to cure acid burns.\n\nSecond, you will likely encounter the impenetrable claim that homeopathics cannot cause harm. Somehow, via magic, they always help and never harm. You can't overdose. Good things can't be diluted to cause bad effects. As I said: magic.\n\nAnd if something has multiple effects, the homeopathic preparation thereof only has the good effect you desire. So, if you're having trouble sleeping, homeopathic caffeine will help you sleep but do so without, say, causing sluggish thinking or a dangerously slow heart rate (other opposite effects of caffeine).\n\nOne more time: it's magic! 1272402210 +Probably because your comments sound like someone who is angry, and an asshat. But I'm sure it's just coincidental. 1331835572 +I can confirm this. \n\nI lived in Erie, PA for ten years. These are airplanes that come in over the lake. Saw this for 10 years of my life. Look closely as the first light fades out. You can clearly see the flashers on the wings. \n\nWhat you're looking at are the intense forward facing lights that all planes have. It even fades out as the plane angles away from directly facing the camera's view point. \n\nAlso, the plane IS moving. Track the background vs its position if you have any question. 1304510652 +I've had this happen as well. Actually the last time was during a job interview. Made it a lot easier when I already knew all the questions they were going to ask. 1346848798 +You're probably banned for posting idiotic generalizations and personal attacks. Atheist here(not a truther) I have met plenty of people in the atheist community that fall head over heels for this stuff. Atheist does not automatically mean smart or intellectually honest, and Christian does not automatically mean redneck bottom feeder retarded. You sound like the type of atheist that makes arguments littered with personal attacks and then wonders why nobody takes you seriously. 1351963595 +It also said that some reports take up to 2 years. I find all of that fairly odd. 1327942219 +Yeh, I tried googling it too, even searching my repitoire of good occult sites. Nuthin'. It must have been mentioned in passing in one of the many books on this I've read. 1313448687 +I think I know what you mean. Perhaps they were upgraded to push more air through more efficiently? 1334376858 +Anti-Vaxer men are just as irrational, but they tend to revert to all caps rants about the Federal Reserve and the AMA when cornered instead of the limp-wristed agree-to-disagree exit or the berserk WHATABOUT THE CHILDRENS rant. 1297362824 +So you don't mention the omega 6/3 ratio? Or how that is important for both the animal's health and ours? Grass fed cattle are not lean. 1356498052 +It is this sentiment that allows people like OP to fool themselves into thinking this document represents disclosure or some windfall admission. \n\nr/UFOs needs more skepticism and analysis, not this doe-eyed anticipatory credulity. 1322409912 +The idea is that taking something to lower your temperature prolongs your illness because an elevated temperature is one of the ways out bodies kill off pathogens. By artificially reducing temperature prematurely, you extend the time it takes for your body to overcome the infection. \n\nThe trade off is to have a more intense and uncomfortable illness for a short period or have a less severe symptoms for a longer period. 1342911590 +The Aliens gave us high technology at Area 51. When you ask people what the high technology they gave to us humans is, their reply is transistors. TRANSISTORS!! LOL!!!\n 1291985537 +I have been receiving these "chanellings" from a friend of mine. I am skeptical. Do you think they are real? 1332953986 +This is sad, but what do you expect from a guy that refused to wash his hair? 1329076548 +So wait, you're saying these aren't causing the problems? 1323872187 +Well, me, my grandmother (under control diabetic), and my dad all drink diet and have for 5+ years and several drinks a day. I'm the only fat one and I was fat before I started drinking diet sodas. I lost about 10 pounds after switching. \n\nI've heard about the rat experiment mentioned elsewhere in this post and I've heard about it releasing gluco-somethings that binds to neurons in your brain for better or worse. Basically, no one has told me either way with anything solid as far as proof so I keep drinking 4-6 a day and I'm good. (I'm not really fat....)\n\nI also find it hard to believe that aspartame could even almost be as bad for you as 26 grams of sugar per serving. There is no possible way that a bottle of sprite with 40-50 grams of sugar (your entire daily value) is better than drinking a diet one with a little aspartame in it. 1301141899 +~~Careful, your bias is showing.~~ There are many posts on r/atheism that are examples of theists being silly but that hardly makes it a "subreddit dedicated to bashing christianity". The majority of those are from the lives of atheists in the subreddit who have no-where else to go to vent about religion. From what I've noticed very little of the venting like that spills over to r/skeptic. What r/skeptic gets is generally things like [this](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/f4ei1/spiritually_unfit_soldiers_forced_to_hear_about/). \n\nThat post is about soldiers being forced to get spiritual wellness counseling because they have declared that they are a non-theist. Even in that very post there are people who want to give religion a special exemption from skeptical analysis with some saying ["Downvote for blogspam and for *posting in r/skeptic when this belongs in r/atheism* \\(which it was also submitted to\\)."](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/f4ei1/spiritually_unfit_soldiers_forced_to_hear_about/c1d7jpt) However, it is very much a skeptical issue as well as one of religious freedom. \n\nIf you were to take non-belief out of that article and replace it with homeopathy, saying that soldiers who took a test that determined their energy levels were low were being forced to take homeopathic remedies then there wouldn't be any question that this is a skeptical issue. How is forcing them to attend religious indoctrination sessions any less of a skeptical issue?\n\nI'll grant that there are some submissions, like [this one](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/f4hp7/how_to_get_your_children_to_believe_in_god/), that don't really belong here but those are by far not the most common religious related posts and are easily ignored. Looking through what's on the front page of r/skeptic right now that is the only religious thread I see that isn't also skeptical. The same is true of the What's New section. If you spread it out to look at 100 links at a time you get two, the second being [this](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/f3rzg/how_does_satan_operate/). \n\nI think that it's more important that we don't censor then that we not see religion criticized,~~ and two threads out of a hundred hardly constitutes something you would have to sift through.~~\n\n**Edit : When I posted this I was not paying enough attention and took it out of context. The majority of the points still stand in response to the OP but make little sense as a response to this post.** 1295399634 +Okay, so, I was on Reddit and saw the Jerusalem videos. Three of them are kinda up in the air as to legitimacy. Something I didnt notice in those three was the ends after the light goes up. All three videos in Jerusalem show red lights. I thought this was just them looking in the sky for where the light went and the red was crappy camera trying to pickup star lights.\n\nThen I see this video.\n\nRed lights, that eyewitnesses say are flying in formation dropping bright white lights.\n\nNow, these could very well be very unrelated, but it seemed to stand out to me. Something I had overlooked in the Jerusalem videos now seemed important though that is definately anecdotal.\n\nSo, lets take this possible scenario: red lights dropping white lights that go to ground level then shoot back up very fast. The Utah video here, people might not have seen the return of the white lights because they moved very very fast. And the people in Jerusalem might not have noticed the red lights that were already there because the white light was what they were paying attention to. \n\nJust a mini scenario but I'm probably grasping for straws here. Just wanted to tell people about it. 1296881844 +In that case, do it once while blindfolded without turning the board and a second time when you do turn the board. If the board works the first time that "proves" that the spirits can see it even with your eyes closed, so you're then free to turn it during the second blindfolded session, proving that its actually your memory of the boards position being used to select what words are highlighted. 1319769104 +I go to an orthopedic. He prescribed me XRays and an MRI to determine the cause of my back pain. AFAIK chiropractors just crack and realign your back. Sometimes this can be dangerous. There is a case where one woman was [paralyzed](http://www.google.com/search?gcx=w&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=paralysis+chiropractic) and my uncle had a rib broken his his chiropractic. \n\nI'm not a doctor, but I'm pretty sure that they can't do anything for degenerative disc disorders or herniations. 1318387385 +Not only that but a lot of us here have had personal experience with hearing steps, seeing shadows and what not and have and interest to prove the existence to others or to themselves 1344051490 +Because there's no evidence, and we are just letting our imagination explain things we don't understand. 1341207322 +Other side of the argument? That's supposing what a medium says is actually true. \n\nThere is no other side of the argument because people who die don't come back to life or haunt people to tell them what the afterlife is like. Because so far, in the entire existence of humans, there has been absolutely zero proof of an afterlife in the first place. \n\nMediums feed off the emotions of the gullible. \n\nLook up James Randi. His "James Randi Educational Foundation" has offered up a $1 million dollar reward to ANYONE who can provide evidence of the paranormal. So far, every one of the over 1,000 people that have tried have failed. 1347681397 +I know that this can seem to be a ban on "religiously offensive" material. But it is in fact not. \n\nTo understand this type of wrighint, you must understand some basic jurisprudence, (legal thinking) \n\nthe key wording here is - "hate speach". It implies that a video that is meant to spur hatred towards a specific group (this group has to fall under a common - religion, race, ethinic origin, etc.). \n\nThis is directly in line with most civilized countries rights. \n\nIt does not mean that a video that wants to provide awareness about a specific issue shouldn't be published. Neither does it mean that a video arguing against a specific religion based on legitimate grounds. \n\n It just means that if the message of the video is intended to spur hatred it can be taken down. \n\nIts an issue of weighing "rights" against each other. In this case - the right to free speech against say racism. This is actually generally accepted within democracies and does help to protect the freedom of speech and other rights. \n\n**Edit:** spelling and gramar 1330262257 +I doubt the person I know prescribes sugar pills or lies about active... "ingrediants". 1333559068 +JRE podcast! 1349375875 +Ammunition control might? 1355854418 +The guy in [this video](http://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/12om2p/ufoam_todays_top_ufo_news_with_guest_mack_maloney/) believes that government engagement of UFO's is up since 9/11. Which I interpreted, they scramble, scramble, scramble ... after shit on their radar. 1352210131 +Did i miss something? What are we looking at here?? All i see is the image of sun with coronal mass ejection. 1331558058 +Rebecca reads reddit, so maybe she can pass the word. 1303368548 +To me the question is moot. It's like asking if chlorinated pool water is healthy or not. 1317830158 +I knew where my mam kept our teeth and I use to re-use them, now that's guilt, but hey I was a kid 1312562578 +I could say *anything* and there wouldn't be people bickering about it 200 years later, so I doubt it. 1329153068 +I truly wonder what those said before human intervention. 1334465995 +Given the technology we have today, it *should* be easier to capture real evidence. 1331955374 +Giving money to individual people doesn't solve anything in the long term. It takes power (read: lots of money) to promote large-scale change towards sustainable development. 1344356557 +I see your point, researcher bias would tend to increase the relative difference between active and control while placebo would diminish it. 1327527711 +She was awake, bored and home alone. Her (now ex) husband had left her alone for the night and she had nothing to do. Both of is enjoyed paranormal movies and videos and she was inspired by Ghost Hunters. The EVP gathering was also because she had other experiences in the house. She never felt comfortable and she also would see things when she was alone. It seemed very centered on the master bedroom and that is where she recorded this. 1346816376 +Simpsons episodes have been doing this with me for years. 1352073341 +It doesn't look like a balloon to me. I couldn't say what that is, aside from something unidentified that is in the air, under the clouds and appears to be changing form. Asserting that it's a balloon, well done hoax or anything is else is just as ridiculous as calling it a mother-ship from the Orion civilization. \n\nWE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DATA SO STOP WITH ALL THE ARMCHAIR DEBUNKING. 1295989395 +The NWO stuff appeared after Alex Jones and his crackpot truthers found out it's hip to call for "limited government".\n\nAs for the Fed, I'm not aware of any conspiracies here (although I'm sure there are some). I just know Ron Paul had a bill for auditing the Fed, claiming it's a rogue power broker outside the voters' control, and it got rejected. 1306743496 +That's the one, but I think it was 6 kids and 2 adults. I could be wrong though. 1338084725 +Maybe the legal system worked, but the medical board's system certainly didn't. A $5,000 fine for a doctor who performed reckless surgery on a diabetic patient, hammered a needle into someone's toe, and examined the private parts of women who came in complaining of sinus problems? 1307426483 +>The alternative is private entities being allowed to be violent.\n\nI think you failed to read the rest of my post. Most enforcement in a market would be the result of refusal to do business with a criminal. Violence would only be considered legitimate in the act of defense against aggression.\n\nAt the risk of attacking a straw man I'd guess that you would then ask "yeah, but who is to stop a powerful private entity from using it's violence anyway". And the answer would be the same as the answer to the question "who is to stop a violent government from becoming tyrannical". The answer in both cases is the citizens. And yes, just as citizens in many countries have failed to prevent their governments from violating their own laws, citizens of a Libertarian society could fail to stop violence as well. But the fact that it is not guaranteed to last forever without diligent citizens only puts it on par with government, certainly not a point against it.\n\n>because they refuse to consider that another artificial construct, i.e. private property, is the source of more oppression than most modern democratic governments\n\nPrivate property a result of the philosophy of [equality of opportunity](http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/equal-opportunity/). Which I'll agree is artificial, but human equality is something almost universally accepted and is paid lip service by every government, even though the existence of the government contradicts the idea. 1343073001 +Looks like ms paint. 1321512640 +Situational awareness plays alot into this. I'd imagine that most people who have this happen to them are the kind of people that seem to notice everything. Astute attention to detail: "the glass slipped because of condensation" the fact that you realized there was condensation on the glass says alot. Your subC knows that gravity will take effect before your C even realizes that you're moving in for the save. \n\nThe more you let your body react on its own the more often this will happen. \n\nTl;dr yes, you have super powers, trust them. 1340821869 +Someone can't read. Then again I'm not surprised since someone half your age outsmarted you. 1348877419 +> Cherry picked data of isolated and unlinked illness (cluster) is not on a level with a massive independent study such as the one I posted.\n\nSure, but the study you posted *did* find evidence of a weak effect, so I feel somewhat vindicated.\n\nThis statement is not a dismissal:\n\n*The human data are\nin the "right" species, are tied to "real life" exposures and show some consistency that is\ndifficult to ignore.*\n\n> Your mixture comments are not worthy of such a discussion.\n\nI don't understand what this means.\n 1313087573 +You can get dead pixels on image sensors, it's not just something you get with monitors. 1345842412 +None that I'm on good speaking terms with at this point in time, however I have a nephew that plans on moving to Texas in the near future, so I suppose I could ask him to do some research for me. 1345245993 +http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=5166 1305463384 +Actually that isn't plausible. Satellites and space junk are moving in (mostly) random directions at extremely high speeds. The Mir itself moved at nearly 5 miles per second, and other objects orbiting at that altitude travel at a similar speed. The chances of a satellite or a piece of junk coming that close to the Mir, while it moved at a relative speed of close to zero, and coincidentally getting caught in one of the only photos of the mission that was published, is virtually nil. It would be like having two bullets collide in midair and taking a lucky photo at the instant they hit. 1352132205 +Data, studies and citations are for chumps. 1356201986 +>Brilliant refutation. It's no wonder we can't make rebuttals against you, you're just too good!\n\nNot my fault if you made a simple affirmation that only needs a simple contradiction.\n\n>What does this even mean? \n\nIt means you're ignorant of the variables. It was meant to make you realize you don't even know what variables there are to know.\n\n>My point is that we're not making judgements of probability completely blind, since we know certain things that can inform our decision.\n\nAnd those things are insufficient.\n\n>What, are you making the claim that we have to know X% of "all the facts" (whatever that means) before we can make any kind of definitive statement of what's probable?\n\nYes. 100%. Otherwise it's nothing but an uneducated guess.\n\n>Weird, I was actually downvoting you because you're being a sanctimonius dick.\n\nNo, you weren't.\n\n 1349295965 +boom headshot 1345499613 +Another reason to love reddit. I appreciate how well presented your ideas are. I've not been able to find the right words to post something like this, and I could not improve upon yours. 1323810234 +We all do that though. I haven't personally tested the effects of fluoride in the water (for example) so I have to look around at different authorities and guess at which one I find more believable. 1326716693 +OK, I'll be the one to say it. How did Randi NOT discover a con artist in his midst? 1324605811 +What is suspect about this article? 1343409364 +I butt heads with anybody who claims to be in mental contact with aliens (as claims Dr. Greer). 1303232131 +Now if only the 'mainstream' scientific establishment were to officially study the UFO/ET phenomenon and share its findings. I bet some minds would blow... 1335979667 +The accuracy is stunning, agreed. Geometrically, it looks to be near-perfect. But we still don't have enough data to claim to know *who* is responsible or *how* this came to be. It could be ETs, yes; it could also be man made as well. \nFor your own sake, hold these sort of things in the "plausible/possible" category. 1343679088 +Deception is a reoccurring theme in "paranormal" acts. Magic tricks are very well thought out deceptions. The thought process used when solving the facilities that allow magic tricks to be deceptive is the skeptic thought process. 1311180119 +>are "supposed" to "work" by "optimising" the wearer's "natural" "energy" "fields" "using" "special" "holograms."\n\nLike that? 1306168505 +It takes a while, every full moon place a mirror out to gather the reflection of the moon. NEVER, let sunlight touch said mirror. After a few full moons, meditate on said mirror. Usually during a full moon at night as, once again, you cannot let sunlight touch it. It is best to get a mirror that hasn't seen light for a while or soak one in salt for a few days before beginning to make your "moon mirror" FYI, watch what your playing with, I hope you don't get too scared. :) 1311844194 +(Not going to cite my sources on this one, working from memory)\n\nFrom what I understand, there's a KBO "dead zone" where there's a drastic drop-off in the number of trans-neptunian objects a ways past Pluto. It's not completely implausible that there could be *something* out there which generally fits the definition of a planet.\n\nPhil makes the valid point that there's some interesting research here, but nothing conclusive.\n\nLike most things in science, we find ourselves in the position of needing more data. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised by the discovery of an ice giant in the Kuiper belt or even in the Oort cloud. But neither would I be surprised if we established definitively that no such object exists.\n\nA long-period "nemesis planet" or companion star is completely out, though. If something was going to be within 1 AU of the sun in 22 months, it would be impossible to miss at this point. 1297749269 +Look, mr. australian...the person here posting is not the videographer I'd wager. 1300170713 +...Is still a functioning nuclear power plant. ;) 1337307440 +evaporation. fog. or mist. it's all really the same bit. the comparison photo has this mist in the left, the original has it happening in a localized area. nothing more than natural phenomena. most likely a humid day/evening /week. 1339560453 +I'm rooting for the tensor. The generality really does make it more likely. 1331161785 +I just think they rushed to give an answer which i understand because people were demanding answers. In the process i think they missed important information and evidence. Nothing nefarious, it is just incomplete. 1354837356 +>Well, I guess we would still need to find renewable, clean energy sources, but we wouldn't have to do it as quickly, which I suppose would cost us less money\n\nThat is pretty damn spurious on their part. Even without climate change, we should still switch to cleaner and/or more sustainable forms of electricity production ASAP. Unless you're one of those lunatics who enjoys acid rain.\n\nI really wish somebody who legitimately argued against anthropogenic climate change would answer me but I guess I'm kicking it in the wrong subreddit for that. 1350252521 +This is an airplane. Anyone that has taken long exposure night shots knows they look EXACTLY like this. Note the red blinking dot on the top. Each time it blinks it adds one red dot to the top of the lights. Clearly the plane had its running lights on for take off hence the bright white light. 1352999990 +Based on my extensive scientific research involving my own experience and my opinion, several parts of this article are fucking bullshit. 1320179851 +What part of town was this in? 1348582883 +No idea if his backyard science experiment makes his argument valid. But it's not *sound*.\n\nIt’s all based on the assumption that what you see in this video is molten steel. So, a vast conspiracy, including ingenious chemical warfare or… what you see in the video is not actually molten steel? And it [indeed isn’t](http://911myths.com/html/wtc_molten_steel.html). It’s most likely just molten aluminum. This proves his argument unsound, until he’s able to present evidence otherwise. 1315505124 +The problem here is that you have yet to recognize that you are the one doing the trolling. Just like always.\n\nIf you're referring to the video of the firefighter's comments there's nothing to rebut. Many things explode inside buildings during fires. That is not evidence of the presence of explosives. The truth of the matter is that there is exactly zero evidence of explosives or thermite being used to bring down any of the buildings in the WTC complex. What's "full of shit" is your insistence on continually making this idiotic charge long after the truth has been shown to you on multiple occasions.\n\nNow shoo, troll. You've become boring. 1290786977 +> The effect is real\n\nThe small painkilling effect may be real, but acupuncture is supposed to treat a wide array of diseases. It's not just that the traditional explanation is bunk, it's that the traditionally expected effects are bunk.\n\nAs for the painkilling effect, or what there is of it, what it does is explain why people wrongly thought that acupuncture works. 1282671816 +Looks like just a common sasquatch to me.\n\nMedia blackout? Hell, the illuminati ain't even getting this one on their wristwatch TVs. 1338150325 +Like I said, if you don't have one, that's fine but don't make my questions to you more than they are. Was just curious about your reasoning. 1349022619 +True. In some regions, truth is not a defence. The mere losing of face is enough to win yourself a defamation case. In my opinion, this is fucked, as in this case, for example, outing an utter swine like this person as a full-retard liar, proves that she is, uh, lying! She might be able to turn it around and say that despite this being true or not, she has lost face with her legion of full-retard fans. Hence, show me the money! 1331350274 +Let me know your findings! 1316140713 +[Looks legit!!!](http://errorlevelanalysis.com/permalink/c66fd76/) 1319247550 +My dad is a coroner. I don't know what this 9 month business is they're talking about. I mean if a lab is really backed up maybe. But it can take as soon as a day to figure out a cause of death, 9 months just seems insane. Because canada? 1327914540 +He has a huge dandruff in his hair. I guess it's not easy to maintain. 1335249262 +It's called paranormal because there is no evidence for it, once it's proved, it becomes part of science. 1313661801 +Looks like he's confusing "risk reducing" with a "cure." 1329884164 +Second experience was seeing someone upstairs at the old movie theater where I used to work. It was an old 30's style movie house, and one night I saw what looked like someone walking past the booth windows when I was in the theater between shows. I went upstairs, and asked around as to who was up there, and no one else was up there.\n\nThe real kicker is that the upstairs is locked, and I was the only one with keys that day. 1351731892 +Yes I modified my comment after I saw your modification :) Also I appreciate insightful comments in this subreddit, I rarely write here but I love reading it 1337866910 +more and more people are becoming aware of this. Thanks for the link. 1345635546 +I reposted it in nosleep, I'm new to Reddit and am not familiar with them all xD, It's still something I can't explain, and a lot of the glitch in the matrix posts have turned into ghost stories :L 1326613320 +ask him how far up do the 'auras' extend above the head. Then have people stand behind a short enough wall to see the aura, but not the person, and see if he can see it.\n\nor behind a screen:\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZeQGld5QBU\n\nof course both of these would humiliate him, because it would prove he's not magical. But as a good 'woo' artist, he would blame your 'negative skeptical energy' for causing him to fail.\n\n 1285514722 +A bunch of UFO sites that would be expected to cite it. The point was that the authenticity of the quote doesn't matter since the quote itself makes no claim that the aliens helped the Nazis develop rockets. It was clearly taken out of context, making it seem as if "we" referred to Oberth and his colleagues.\n\nIn other words, while it's not difficult to imagine Oberth believing in the existence of UFOs, given that this wasn't particularly controversial in his time, it's quite difficult to believe that he had claimed that little green men had a little rocket workshop in his toolshed. 1325186494 +Out of curiosity, how much are they swindling out of people for it? You would think if it was anywhere near the $30-$40 it costs for ACTUAL flea protection, people would buy the tried and true method. Then again, it's on a "natural" website, so perhaps they're pulling in people who really believe that shit is possible. Still, I don't think I understand how someone could read a description like that and not have their bullshit detectors go off. \n\nAs for how they get away with it, my guess (and I emphasize "guess") is that since the FDA isn't involved, they can say whatever they want. I'm not sure how those people sleep at night, though, screwing people out of all that money. Perhaps all the stacks of cash make a nice pillow. 1342032919 +Death may be a natural part of life, but it's also inevitable, so it's not as if there's any harm in putting it off 'til later. I'm sure most would prefer it that way. 1317889447 +Like Vashon Island near Seattle. 1310592774 +So blessing a house consists of making the place smell like a head shop and throwing salt all over the floor? 1296241786 +cool, nice to talk to you 1309201403 +You can research what they're saying with Google. If they're misleading, then point it out. But no, it's not my job to do your research for you. 1350370178 +Translation: I have no idea what quantum mechanics is. I have no idea what Physics is. I have no idea what String Theory is. I have no idea what Einstein did. So I feel justified in telling other people what they are. 1307121844 +Yes, because the gravitational pull of the moon is so much stronger when more of it is visible. 1305753671 +The guy writes about details like what specific people said to him on his first day, and all of the extra details that make it sound like fiction.\n\nHey I could be wrong, but even if the story was true this person would probably not be able to prove it. So the only thing we can do is guess, and it reads like a story, not a recollection. 1349846182 +always a great video to show others. 1328479056 +The takeoff at the end does not resemble that of a blimp, although I thought it was a blimp at first. 1335120243 +seeing as it's a subreddit devoted to **FUCKING** **UFOs** what do you think? 1338580702 +I chuckle and smile every time I see this. 1303218310 +Hell, just scratch an alien and bring back DNA under your fingernails. 1344964824 +I have a scar on my chin too. Though I got it from walking on icy road with my hands in the pockets some twenty years ago. 1340703538 +"It's not what you say, it's how you say it."\n\nIt doesn't matter if you make a good point if you frame it in such a way that the audience comes away from it thinking "wow, that guy is a belligerent dick" instead of "Maybe I should look into that." This isn't about you getting to feel self satisfied. It's about educating people through careful persuasion. 1318464429 +That's not really a study of a pharmaceutical though, it's a study of the placebo effect. And there is certainly ongoing research in that area.\n\nBasically, the point of a drug trial is to show whether a drug has a benefit *beyond* the placebo effect. All drugs give a placebo effect. 1263063096 +thats when i took the photo. I was on vacation.\nclear enough for ya?\n 1300905985 +[He's a solipsist?!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=hEN7TkBbtGo#t=65s) 1329533084 +I've seen lights and movement I cant explain. I keep looking up though! \nMy grandmother and mother both saw one hover 15 ft above their car in Florida in 1967! They were very shaken and sped away. They never saw it again, but said the lights rotating around it were multicolor and brilliant! \nHope to read some more good stories! \nAny close encounters!? 1296633468 +Faith healers are scams? Shocker! 1311938004 +I bought and live in a murder house, and I have witnessed many unexplainable supernatural occurrences while living there.\n\nOh, wait. No I haven't. Not a single one. 1325086744 +I know there are, but no, I haven't. 1343819454 +Yes you can, actually, and your level of care has no bearing on its state of existence. 1351641005 +is yellowed because this is obviously during sunset/rise. other colors are because light refracts. im pretty sure its just h2o 1348597320 +i suspect an event of this nature could drive a wedge between us, too, unfortunately. 1317955517 +> "fires at the same frequency as your nerve" \n\nRight off the bat this is stupid. Nerves don't have steady frequencies. Wires that use AC do, and clocked DC lines like the ones in your computer do, but nerves don't. They have individual firing events, and higher rates of these events correspond to a stronger signal on that nerve. If your nerves had just a single frequency, they would be useless.\n\nSome unsolicited advice: Ditch the chiropractor and get a massage therapist. Find one that does cheap chair massages. Even better, find one with a good understanding of anatomy and ergonomics, because then the massage therapist will be able to discuss ways to improve your working environment so you're not in so much discomfort. If you're a desk jockey, it's worth it, even if it's not covered by insurance. 1335476565 +Those are really cool dreams, man. Thanks for sharing!\n\nHas anything similar to this happened since?\n\nThis reminds me of the first time I lucid dreamed (dreampt?), I fell asleep on a couch and vividly dreamed I was at a concert, touring with the band, etc etc. I could honestly feel the wind on my face as we moved from place to place. I woke up twice during this dream, for a total of 3 times sleeping. 1327180436 +it's probably a weather balloon 1350573757 +The responses in this thread have shown me how thin the line is between a skeptic and a conspiracy theorist.\n\nObviously your questions are pointed to try and figure out if this is actually Bin Laden. I would retort that it is still only been a day since this event even happened. I have no doubt that the government wouldn't have dumped the body without making sure that they had some pretty good evidence to back this claim up. The reasons we haven't seen pictures or video probably has more to do with the fact that the event is still fresh, and releasing death photos the next day is probably not the image Obama is trying to put out there.\n\nBut I am sure that we will soon get some evidence to quiet your mind. Otherwise, I would like to point out to you that the prevailing notion among many government officials here and abroad was that Bin Laden was probably already dead. Do you think that Obama engineered a mission to make it appear that he had killed Bin Laden to reap political dividend?\n\nDo you see how quickly this ventures into conspiracy theory territory? 1304390105 +Seriously? You don't know this is an admitted hoax?\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qxi6--NGyYM 1319036204 +Bingo. People think food is magic, when all it can do is make you not deficient in what you need. 1312390904 +That would add up to quite a few folks just in the US. 1298180855 +No - I said NOTHING like that - I was **describing possible explanations to a very, very thin correlation!**\n\nTh only "bait" that the above post is referencing is the fact that I have specifically chosen the name of the account as to be similar enough to the nuclear one - and the fact that from time to time I am suggesting to conspiratards like you theories like above - which apparently you are immediately considering as real and you have already made a post on it:\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/climateskeptics/comments/14ubtf/an_important_statement_from_nuclear_is_atomic/\n\nSo yes, I am guilty of messing with your conspiratard mind, but absolutely certainly I am not the one that is posting there over half of the stories suggesting that is all just a conspiracy of the climate scientists :)\n\nAnd of course you have chosen to neglect the most important part - that one where **having multiple accounts is a perfectly valid choice, the same one used by the moderator kokey/ManBearPig/gst!** 1355495256 +I think what he added was a face of disapproval. :[ 1354164514 +Thanks for the info. When it happens I'm nearly always in a relaxed mode. I'm super easy going person with an easy going, mellow, low stress life style. I get at least 9 hours of sleep a night. I practice meditation, and I do tend to think this increases the awareness. I am fully "present" so perhaps that is simply why I am more apt to spot these patterns, when normally one filters such details out? \n\nWhen you drive your car to work, for example, where is your mind? Are you thinking five steps ahead to what you must accomplish when you get to the office? Or perhaps you are dwelling on a memory from the night before? Are you tuned out to your surroundings and driving on "auto pilot" because you've driven that same stretch of road day after day? Or are you fully engaged in the present and noticing the little details that change each day? When one practices such engagement, one does just happen to notice......... license plates. \n\n\n 1326668863 +And that person, not finding rape jokes funny, could correctly call those people shitty. 1325083037 +\nwww.nsa.gov/public.../now_you_see.pdf\n\nI don't think that is a full link? On my phone. Type 'now you see it now you don't NSA' into Google, there will be a. PDF link on the NSA sites. \n\nYou'll find it highly interesting no doubt. 1346720119 +Of course it's nonsense. \n\nAll phones have speakers, all speakers have a magnet in them. OF COURSE it would make a compass move. \n\nThe "demonstration" was just people being told they should feel X, so they feel X. \n 1349093952 +Also, there was an actual squadron of UFO's that flew over Washington D.C. and the Capital building. There are pics and vids of it on the internet... it's a wonder it wasn't a huge story back when it happened. 1346123685 +very poor for all. I *hate* this site. Typically every paragraph contains a contortion or twisted agenda of some sort. 1347682097 +Ya you saw a "shadow person", I know that there's a lot of stuff written about the phenomena. I don't know if they're good or bad or both. That's amazing that you saw one so directly. 1343618498 +Not my hometown, but the areas around it (i've been to all of them btw). There's an old haunted bridge in Arlington called [screaming bridge](http://www.strangeusa.com/Viewlocation.aspx?id=9399). One of my mother's friends actually went to the same school with the kids who got killed on the bridge. Place is creepy. Another place in Denton called [Goatmans Bridge. aka old alton bridge](http://www.goatmansbridge.com/). I've been there twice. First time I felt cold spots throughout the area. Second time I went I felt cold spots, being watched, and when I walked on the bridge I received a painful headache, and felt sick. But after I walked off of the bridge, the sickness and headache went away. And lastly, [Baker Hotel](http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasPanhandleTowns/MineralWellsTexas/BakerHotelGhosts.htm) in Mineral Wells. I've been there three times. The third time I went was about 2 weeks ago, where I actually experienced something. It was some awesome/freaky shit. If you're into ghost hunting and you live in Texas, I highly recommend checking out the place. 1347065358 +Yeah, it meant that he/she is a hypocrite. 1328493503 +I have a variation on the same glitch. Don't have a cat anymore but still have cat furniture sounds. They really need to escalate that bug. 1331005940 +Perfectly stated. This should be a cautionary tale about human's ability to entrench itself in beliefs and how even the most educated individuals can fall trap to it.\n\nWe are all just as vulnerable. None of us are above the system. 1337879685 +>>one-in-a-million chances crop up nine times out of ten -- Terry Pratchett\n\nNote though that in this interpretation, you're underestimating by orders of magnitude. Far more than one one-in-million chance happens to a person in a day. In fact, millions happen every second, because *most* things that occur are unlikely - it's just that all other occurrances are equally unlikely. A particular atom of oxygen collides with one particular atom of hydrogen out of all the billions of atoms, and the huge spaces between atoms? How improbable is that. More macroscopically, flip a coin 20 times, and the outcome, *whatever it is*, is a 1 in a million chance.\n\n(Of course, there's also the question of *defining* randomness here - From an objective view, arguably there are no random events, just deterministic occurrances that were *certain* to happen, depending on the whether quantum events are really random. However, in terms of epistemic randomness, there's far more than one one-in-a-million event per day.\n 1296125370 +Anomaly hunting? 1292376304 +"You're doing work." I like it. 1353357942 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lccrFT3YlZc&feature=related 1327047212 +Sigh. That isn't an indictment of a philosophy. \n\n If naturopathy rejects vitalism and the natural/synthetic division, it is redundant. Those qualities make it distinct. \n\nThat is also what makes it a pseudoscience. \n\nA mix of truth and nonsense is just as dangerous as nonsense. 1328201307 +Who told you you were an empath? Should someone have to tell you you're an empath? If there's anything to it, I'm sure you'd have noticed you have a gift yourself rather than just believing someone who tells you you're gifted. I don't believe in it so my comment may not be much help to you. Sounds scammy. "Oh you're definately an empath. You know, there are places you can pay for training...." 1340558477 +I'd be more upset, but frankly he's lived a full live and kept mentally active far longer than most. Death sucks, but better to go out in better mental shape than most people 1/3 your age than see that brilliance dulled to a flicker in a retirement home. Even if it went into remission, at that age it's a question of how death is going to hit, not really when. 1251589204 +> You don't even have to spend very long in a new climate to adjust to the extremes of it. I lived in Michigan for a couple of years, and after the first winter I was out shoveling snow in a t-shirt and jeans in 20 degree weather. I'm a softee now though, I bundle up when it is 40 out.\n\nI have friends who have moved to the Pacific Northwest (a very mild place in regards to weather!) from tropical climates who'd disagree with you. :) 1335475469 +Oh wow. You are a hopeless fool.\n\nWhat you just said is true about literally anything you can imagine. Thanks for offering a bullshit moot point.\n\nI guess there must be good reason to believe there is an underground city of dragons, because, after all, I don't know whether anyone *can* prove it or not.\n\nYou have moved the goalpost so far back that it is meaningless. Congratulations. 1354718713 +A bunch of stuff that's been happening since the dawn of man. 1314800104 +Hi, once I stopped breathing because of a peanut. They had to open my throat with a pipe so that I wouldn't die. This happened when I was a teenager, and it was how I learned what an allergy is. \n\nI am also allergic to other things, like lentils and shellfish. If I eat those, my lips swell uncomfortably and I vomit, but I won't die. The vast majority of allergies are like this - annoying, but not deadly. The trouble is that someone with this milder form of allergy may one day have a severe anaphylactic attack and die, so anyone with even the mildest of known allergies should be treated like it's truly life threatening. \n\nUnfortunately the result of this (excess) precaution, and all the people out there who claim to be allergic to something to ensure they don't get it, is that the truly serious allergies are also dismissed as undue paranoia. 1327279358 +... because name-calling works sooo much better? 1265524052 +They ALL confused a cloud for a mile wide UFO? \n\nHmm. That seems even less plausible than it being an "alien spacecraft". Just sayin'. 1246513713 +IR and Thermal cams running simultaneously would be cool. 1313989825 +Digital media copyright cases are potentially harmful because we are literally looking at a scenario where you can be sued for saying Mickey Mouse on the internet. They are not potentially harmful because a court wants to take away your assumed "right" to steal the intellectual property of a media company. You do not have the right to download the latest metallica album. Just like nobody has the right to deliberately steal and copy the intellectual property of Monsanto, or any other company creating any other form of intellectual property.\n\nWhen they start talking about outlawing the planting of anything but Monsanto brand round-up ready crops, then we can have this hysteric debate. Otherwise you're just parroting the points of misinformed people who have watched catchy documentaries that thoroughly missed the point.\n 1335646418 +Oh so he has a dumb gimmick to his videos? 1265115598 +Since there are over 100 trillion micro-organisms in the gut and about 500 species of bacteria, I find that implausible. The makeup of the gut flora can be affected by many things, intentional or unintentional, but the science to manipulate it is not very advanced. 1342552136 +Not a problem. I probably was not clear in my first response. 1294978920 +I'm guessing you were never an alter boy. 1266613204 +maybe we are their project and its all about creating a race of being using mainly dna from the planets natural inhabitants and then over a very long time they make an almost prefect species. Maybe this is what type 5 civilizations do when they have mastered everything else. Biologic technology.\nMaybe they have a planet of super heroes and right now its in the build phase and soon it will be time for each alien race to fight their projects against one another. 1334727998 +[developed by a school teacher](http://whohastimeforthis.blogspot.com/2006/04/created-by-school-teacher.html)! 1286937678 +A suit worn by one working in a hazardous (typically biological, chemical or radiation) environment, which protects the wearer from the hazards of that environment. 1329774780 +Other stories as well, please? 1354484918 +The scientific method has already been applied, over and over again, to the ouija board with identical results each time: it doesn't hold up. I'm not debunking anything for mankind. It has already been done.\n\nI'm curious to know why you mention that the "craft" is 2000+ years old. Do you truly think that just because something is old, it has validity? There are a *lot* of beliefs held 2000 years ago that are hogwash now. Alchemy, for one. The placement of celestial bodies in relation to our planet. The shape of our planet. That sickness was caused by demons. I could go on and on, and even go into the treatment of women and the practice of slavery. Why did you mention that it's 2000 years old as if it's supportive to your extraordinary claim? 1335461260 +I just love the "you decide" in the post title.\n\nJust love it. 1316179011 +Reminds me of: http://www.sleepbot.com/ambience/album/planets.html 1323451035 +The study I look at is Willie Nelson. 1338848111 +The next day I told my mom and she said that there could be a underlying meaning to it but i don't know. 1345562814 +Strong atheist and skeptic reporting in. I always have a little trouble with the Dawkins scale though. I really want to put a 7, but I understand why a 6 is the rational position to take. Thing is, I was raised in a household with no religion at all, in countries where religion just wasn't an issue - New Zealand and Australia (certainly that was true in the 70's and 80's). I never knew what any of my friends believed and no one talked about it. I only found out about the idea of god when I was quite old, and it seemed as preposterous to me as any other fairy tale. My family never told me that Santa Claus or the tooth fairy or the Easter Beagle (teehee) was real either... so it wasn't a case of me growing up believing something and then learning the truth. I just always understood very clearly the difference between imagination and reality. \n\nSo, to me, the idea of a creator seems a very irrational position to hold... saying that 'yes there is the ever so slight possibility it could be true' is like also saying 'yes there is the slight possibility that unicorns and flying teapots are true'. Of course - in a multiverse, perhaps so, but it's hard for me to get there and feel that is an argument worth holding. So - I guess I'm a 6.5 on my most forgiving days and a 7 on my pig-headed stubborn ones ;) 1301986503 +At least you're honest about it. :) 1288369479 +Plus you also need to ask the question, even if we aren't 100% sure that humans are causing global warming, do we really want to be conducting an un-supervised massive climatology experiment with unknown results that at best will do nothing, and at worst will make life as we know it change irrevocably? \n\nIf you want to be skeptical about whether or not there's enough evidence to support the idea that humans are a cause, or at the least a contributing factor, to global warming, that's one thing (although I would argue that we already know what greenhouse gasses do, and therefore it is logical to believe that if we emit greenhouse gasses, they will do what they do). \n\nBut it then must be argued that until we DO know for sure what belching those gasses into the air will do, we should limit how much of them we belch into the air in case they will do something unpleasant. \n 1328142654 +It's not just that. A lot of the real dyed-in-the-wool truthers have bought into the whole "North American Union," new world order, secret Zionist overlords crap. You get a bizarre mix of antisemitism, fear of one-world government, Glenn Beck-style monetary histrionics... It's all jumbled together into one roiling mass of terror about the evil "them." It's crazy.\n\nIn kookville, Dubya's rather historic lack of intelligence, foresight, and competence gets explained away easily enough: He obviously wasn't in charge of the Super Secret Slaying Society, he was just its patsy. You wanna know who's really pulling the strings, you follow the money going from Securacom through Jews for Nazism, and read about the Illuminati's crack team of Jesus-worshiping assassin unicorns and the secret exploding thermite they developed in Israel for use against... I don't even fucking know. 1287003961 +That's really quite sad to watch. 1312372798 +always misspel on the internet. it's the only way to ensure people pile in to comment 1301249926 +The full, original quality video [was posted by the PSU Freethinkers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIaPXtZpzBw); it's more than twice as long as this edit. You'll have to skip some stuff at the start, but it does include the rather extensive Q&A. 1347345996 +David Mitchell (one of the panelists on that clip) did a funny sketch on this whole hoax...you can see it [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6MOnehCOUw) 1286286894 +The basic strategy charlatans like him seem to have is simply poorly defining what they're going to talk about and then drawing crazy conclusions from it. It's frustrating to debunk them because you can't really know what they're talking about, since they have not defined it properly. This is also why it's so attractive to ignorant people, since they can shoehorn their own prejudices and thoughts on the charlatan's words. 1339990452 +Wow, I really cant believe that that was on the book, the story about the women. It sounds like a Fantasy novel. You have to be lying and the only way for me to prove it is for me to buy the book and read it. But I have no desire to spend money on something like that so I will have to take your word for it. 1323386015 +But he WAS TOTALLY JUGGLING ORBS, BRO! 1355859724 +I knew it was a Greek dude. 1326313703 +I think how much it resembles the Millennium Falcon is eerie and ridiculous. 1320874360 +None whatsoever. However, my sense is that, as cultural appropriations go, adjusted pronunciations are no less acceptable than diminutives. 1349709238 +so, i didn't have the melting bead experience, but a few years ago i was sleeping and heard this exact same kind of noise. it sounded like it was right next to my head and it scared me so bad i got up and ran to my mom's room. 1326481476 +lets nots rule out space-junk. \n\nevery other video ive ever seen of a meteor that last that long is much MUCH brighter, almost lighting up the sky and ground around the camera, and a trail is left. maybe some brighter flashes and duller ones.\n\none time i saw something similar to whats in the video, and it was breaking up and sparking. kinda like a much less intense Columbia-style break up. it lasted about as long as the one in the video. \n\nso my vote is for space-junk \n\n 1328227908 +Nope. Not in the slightest. 1355822811 +[Anti heat-seeking missile flares?](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8755122657857156581)\n\n 1344124771 +Hrmm,...the Telegraph,...bastion of truth,...written by the same Jasper Copping that wrote ["The UFO sighting that convinced a Govt Minister"](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/ufo/9292417/The-UFO-sighting-that-convinced-a-Government-minister.html)\n\n\n"So it seems that Copping is merely a somewhat typical UK media-hack, willing to write whatever he's told - regardless of the facts.\n\n\nThat sort of hubris and denial is also responsible for the corrupt mess that is UK's media (inc. BBC), policing, judiciary, fiscal system, bureaucracy and, over-archingly, UK's parliament.\n\n\nAfter a little observation a logical analyst learns to **discount almost all `information' from those sources and instead to look for concealed motives and activities.**" -An Insightful Man, 4 Nov 2012\n\n\nAnd just who is [the ASSAP](http://www.assap.ac.uk/newsite/htmlfiles/Investigations%20training.html) that makes them such a landmark institution in ufology that their collapse portends the doom of all UFOdom? Well, by all appearances, they investigate and train investigators for all forms of paranormal investigation, offer courses and accreditation to become an AAI (Approved ASSAP Investigators - on the National Register of Approved Investigators). Sounds legit,...and not at all profit oriented, just because there are membership fees and course fees and training fees,...and this journalist is bringing more attention to an unaccredited charitable organization that may be going under,...not quite the story he wrote, but there is a story there,... 1352212032 +Right and the appropriate use of Goodwins law should not be any time someone brings up Nazis or Hitler but when they use it in a massivly exagerated or off topic way.\n\nI'm not for any discussion of Monsanto to be met with a silly reply of a falacy. The only problem I have is that Monsanto is so overused much in the way Hitler is to avoid conversation altogether by bringing a non seequitor no one reasonably agrees with.\n\n"Oh you think politician x should win you would probably like that fella named...Hitler!"\n\n"Oh you want to talk about a specific GMO and what it comprises? You probably support the terrible things Monsanto does."\n\nI do see the potential for people to abuse the fallacy and simply state its name and move on from an otherwise good conversation. Used properly I can't help seeing how good it is at pointing out the problems in many conversations about GMOs when used correctly. 1352467575 +I think you should probably have your grandmother move out of that house, because whatever that thing is it doesnt sound good at all 1343744733 +No need to get defensive i wasn't attacking you i was just raising a point.\n\nAs for methane concentrations haven't risen along with temperature so theres no relationship to speculate about. 1322523059 +I don't know. It seems Chinese lantern's have become extremely popular lately. Kinda like the Swamp gas of years' past. I'm just sayin, it really seems like a lot of people are lighting off these Chinese Lantern's quite a bit lately. Just an observation. 1347941429 +Someone was walking by and I knew they were about to drop their water bottle as if I had see it before. Then our track coach was lecturing us about drinking during the sports season and the repercussions if we got caught and I knew what he was going to say. 1332945507 +They shouldn't be, though. I could promise to buy you a plane, but since it's so clearly outside my power, it's ridiculous of you to expect that I'd fulfill it, or judge me on it -- unless you're judging me on how much I'm willing to lie to you and make promises I have no way of keeping. 1351907621 +Phil Plait is probably the speaker I'm looking forward to the most! 1329674493 +He might not know. Very talented people will often just form an opinion and assume they're right with little to no research, especially outside their area of expertise. 1354458434 +People aren't evil or good like in Lord of the Rings. Sometimes decisions can be murky. That's why it's important to discuss these things. 1319196385 +I agree correlation does not mean causation at all and yes some relief in back pain can be ascribed to time but not all.\n\nHere's a study comparing chiropractic care ( SMT ) with other pain management techniques.\n\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21328304\n\nsummary \n\n"High quality evidence suggests that there is no clinically relevant difference between SMT and other interventions for reducing pain and improving function in patients with chronic low-back pain. Determining cost-effectiveness of care has high priority"\n\nIt's not better, nor worse, but it does help. 1315453720 +I know that years ago, when the original Ghost Hunters first started, they did a *lot* of debunking there. They caught someone trying to fake it and exposed them; they'd measure staircase steps to show that you weren't feeling a ghost push you, the steps were just slightly uneven; they have also brought up the fact that infrasonic waves and electromagnetic fields make people feel uneasy, and I forget which one it was but they debunked a guy's haunted basement just because of one of those being caused by something mechanical he owned and had down there.\n\nBut they weren't thoroughly skeptical, no. Ghost Adventures, however, just makes shit up. 1350668534 +Yeah, that was more of a universal 'you', kinda like the Royal 'we'. Good to hear your back is fine though :p 1302862681 +Why the hate? I'm a skeptic and fundamentalist christian. I'm subbed to both reddits.\n\nThese types of posts only lead to fighting. There are just fundamental differences in philosophy that aren't necessarily right or wrong. They are debatable, and each with their own merits and problems.\n\nWithout reading tons of literature and making long wall-of-text posts, this is going nowhere. 1306228383 +Bon appetit. Here's your parse-ly. :) 1313818008 +However, again, it is still an ad hominem to dismiss the persons argument based solely on their lack of degree. 1333129759 +Yeah, the idea that one person would go into a room by himself and them come back out later to join the group but with scars that couldn't be explained sounds ridiculous. \n\nThe sores on the skin could be caused by any number of parasites/worms/snakes/spiders/etc. 1336468335 +The free market sounds great at first, then you throw people into it. Large corporations regularly engage in anti-competitive measures, and I shudder to think of what a company with a natural monopoly will do in the face of only libertarian regulations. I guarantee that whatever voluntaryist overwatch system that gets set up in our hypothetical society will be just as subject to cronyism if not more, or unable to prevent abuses. 1343105219 +The song “Ted Haggard Is Completely Heterosexual” is the one that introduced Roy’s music to me. Following the controversial news of the illustrious evangelist Ted Haggard’s homosexuality and crystal meth use, and the initial cover-up and denial, Roy explained the situation in song. It is noteworthy that the highly influential pastor had consistently taken positions against gay marriage, and other homosexual rights issues. He has also been known to have hosted a weekly phone call with President George W. Bush, though this situation changed abruptly. As Roy explains in the song... (video included)\n\nRoy has reworked the song before, to apply to similar situations as they made the news. I’m thinking this song is just waiting for a new version… something about a certain part of the government being completely heterosexual. (*cough cough* US Military *cough cough*) But then again, maybe he’s sick of that song since it is 3 years old now. Either way, we are in for a treat. 1298983581 +Indeed. What I meant is that although the Vatican employs scientists, the Vatican's opinion itself is not of interest, since it is not a scientific organization and may or may not have scientific views on various topics (they tend to adapt their beliefs to science somehow nowadays, it still doesn't make them a scientific organization). The scientists themselves may have good reasons to be listened to however.\n\nBut I mostly agree with your conclusion. 1343082795 +why so short? 1348281888 +Note to poster:\n\nDo keep us updated on the analysis once it comes back from the Uni. 1328127954 +a feel-bad thread! i feel too sad to upvote now. sorry.\n\nactually, i'm not quite sure this belongs here and not on r/dae. 1335653540 +I absolutely do not wish to be inflammatory, but based on my own (anecdotal) observations, Hinduism is the most backwards of all the major institutionalized religions. \n\nI have spent time in India on a few occasions. I had a PhD chemist (a friend of mine) show me around his village. There, they have a rock that is apparently growing every year - it is a religious miracle. I asked him if anyone measures its mass to confirm this; I asked what size this rock should be if it has been growing for thousands of years; I asked about the conservation of mass; he did not care - it was growing. \n\nOn a different trip, I was taken to see a clock that never needs to be wound (another miracle). I asked what the door in the clock house was for, my guide apparently had never considered it. \n\nHindus, it seems, to not believe only in miracles that happened thousands of years ago, or that God cured the sick - they believe in things you could *easily* disprove if you wanted to. They don't care. Its scary stuff. 1335030753 +Entering ketosis is dangerous and should be avoided. There is gobs of science to back this up. It's akin to suggesting that one get scurvy to drop a few pounds.\n\nThe paleo diet advocates reducing fruit consumption and Carb rich tubers. Where you're going to get carbs from is a mystery.\n\nBecause there are different opinions on the matter, doesn't mean they are equal. This is the same argument we have with climate change deniers "there are some scientists who deny it", but the vast majority do not.\n\nIt is entirely possible that they are mistaken, it is not however likely. 1327418234 +That's skinny bob to you mister. 1319165427 +I don't think it was a non sequitur at all. That quote was given as an example of what Putnam sees as a possible solution to the diversity tension his study found.\n\nWhite Americans used to divide themselves along religious lines, just as Americans still divide themselves across racial or ethnic lines. Over his lifetime, he has noticed that the religious differences have faded from the public consciousness; white Methodists, Baptists, Catholics, etc now consider each other as part of the same group — whites, or at least white Christians[1].\n\nSimilarly, if people stopped considering racial differences a social differentiator, the "diversity challenge" of a mutli-racial society fades away. Putnam hypothesizes that this is one possible solution, but expects it to be more difficult than the religious divisions he mentioned.\n\n[1] Remember that "Christian" as an overarching term for all the various denominations of Christianity is a new thing. Protestants didn't always consider themselves coreligionists with each other, certainly not with Catholics, and absolutely not with Jews — but today we speak of Judeo-Christian values as a real thing. The old divisions and tensions have faded. 1356762934 +Context makes your comment irrelevant. 1355362597 +Nah, I haven't seen it, as I don't watch a whole lot of movies, but I get why you did it now. Also, I'm not afraid of acknowledging the truth at all. I just like to be sure it's the truth. 1315880175 +Very scary. Our cat Truffles had died a few weeks prior to me waking up in the night feeling as if she was walking around my bed and rubbing on me. I never opened my eyes but I reached out to pet her and she definitely felt as if she was dead and had been decaying for quite awhile. Matted missing fur, and boney cold skin. I was so scared I then shot strait up to find no cat there. I always figured it was more of an old hag night terror than my poor cat actually trying to terrify me. But who knows... cats are strange. 1352414298 +My older brother had shingles, that week was hell for him. 1329667860 +That's not how I remember it. 1326799168 +This is the most convincing UFO footage I have ever seen. 1246923992 +You are right, but arguing with a magical fairyland isn't really a good good position. And that's what muddy_shoes is saying.\n\nIf you have something tangible, by all means, bring it to the discussion. If you have indicators, that GM can actually "end world hunger, reduce animal cruelty, AND taste good.", show me the evidence. But so far, all the evidence is wishes and dreams. 1325937674 +Never. 1352902714 +I would say the same of you.\n\nI have not personally, but I had a behavioral psychology lecturer[behavioral psych does a lot of animal experimentation] speak at length about the reason chickens are never used for conditioning experiments. They don't readily condition. They're incredibly thick. Pigeons, on the other hand, are very perceptive.\n\nAlso read the article, this thing was relying on its brain stem alone. That's reflex. Call them sophisticated reflexes if you want. 1314994827 +People are so enamored with SHC that it's nearly impossible to convince the believers otherwise. 1317100145 +Is he stoned? 1297596937 +yea totally, it makes me think, "damn I hope all the evil alien overlords aren't into peeling skin and jacking organs" 1259472288 +Thank's Kenchu for this videos...and i'm absolutly sure this is not what i have see this night...( not the same way to move, sound, color ... ) 1330775502 +I was employed there for about 5 to 6 years. I can confirm that a lot of this is misleading or untrue. Although, I will admit that sometimes it just comes down to individual store management.\n\nThe location I worked at didn't give a shit about the environment (Recycling? Reduce? Reuse? Hahaha), treated it's employees like crap, supported the Whole Body "doctors" giving medical advice and pushing snake oil, had poor standards for auditing and food labeling. And gain-sharing usually amounted to 50 bucks a month unless you worked in Whole Body. The cashiers were shit on, a lot, by everyone... but apparently the girls hanging out in the back corner of the store tossing homeopathic pills and oregano oil at anyone who stopped by deserved 10 times the gain sharing. Oh, and that food education they offered was either "green" propaganda or thinly veiled advertising for products.\n\nTheir 15 minutes of fun classes were often used to push anti-nuclear, anti-vaccination and other shitty opinions on gullible employees too afraid to ever question anything. What an awful place that was. 1349243867 +well it's a good point. i should've said the *evidence* is legit. while the *circumstances* are deceiving. i agree though. i personally don't give a fuck that it's filmed over multiple nights. i just wish they'd be honest about that aspect. 1336360925 +This seems like a perfect video for r/skeptic: [Video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5-kbzAR6FU) 1332455106 +look more into astral projection if you are saying the subconscious remembered 1343973070 +Hope, we must have. Just look at the evolution of public opinion about the subject, compared to 20,30 years ago. 1329419722 +If by "depressing," you mean "hilarious," then yes, yes it is. 1352908786 +It also had nothing to do with rebecca watson, so this whole thing is just a cry for attention. 1310367740 +It's also not really an example of DIY science. The doctors who investigated H. pylori did so in a real research program. 1328369637 +Definitely crazy people. Unfortunately here is your bigger problem\n\n>**Boss** tries to tell me that it's "Proven science", and that I know nothing.\n\nIgnorant people in power still have power. If you choose to do anything about their ignorance please do it very gradually and carefully. They've already shown they are subject to confirmation bias and confrontations can easily become more about emotions and status than fact vs. fiction. Should you choose to quickly prove them wrong they will not be happily enlightened, they will be forced to grudgingly accept they've been in error for years. If you don't play it right you might not only push them further into belief but reduce your effectiveness (or even lose your job) and so condemn them to this stupidity for another 15 years or more.\n\ntl;dr Attack this foolishness slow and smart, don't lose your job. You're the only hope to resolve this little gathering of ignorance. 1350828399 +More that they can make you do things that you wouldn't ordinarily do in real life, for a time after the game. Speaking personally, I can go along with that - way back when Midtown Madness (anyone remember that one?) came out, I caught myself driving more aggressively if I had to drive somewhere immediately after playing the game. \n\nI'll note that I did not bounce up on sidewalks and try to mow down pedestrians, or crash through shopping malls, or fishtail around corners trying to run away from the cops, however. \n\nThe point is that the idea that games can nudge behavior one way or another for a brief time after playing them is not entirely without merit. However, taking this to mean that if someone plays a FPS, they're more likely to go out and shoot up a school, is a very large departure from logic. \n\nI tend to agree with EffectThatAffect that games might influence people who already have mental problems, but that's more an indictment of our country's attitude toward and access to mental health care than it is of the video game industry. Anyone who's insanity is dangerous enough that a simple video game can convince them to kill a classroom full of children is someone who should have been detected, treated, and/or institutionalized for the protection of society. \n\nSo in short, even if violent video games can influence mentally ill people toward mass murder, blaming the video game is stupid. Blame the fact that the dangerously insane person is able to roam freely through society rather than get the treatment they need.\n 1356032182 +Wisdom from the strangest of places here on reddit. 1330995768 +I think I'm agreeing with you but after your post it's hard to say. 8-). My point was to emphasize convincing when the opposite side has some evidence (which is obviously not convincing). However, I feel an expert in some subject has the right to use the term valid as only they can evaluate it from a valid/invalid point of view.\n\nAnd I'll disagree with your last point because the evidence for health effects has in almost all cases been show to be invalid, improper or inadequate. Common sense would make one find widespread evidence of illness considering the widespread nature of power lines rather than the isolated clusters that seem to be factors of chance rather than real health effects. 1313018478 +The whole thing can be summed up in a sentence:\n\nPeople like to believe they are special and live in a magical world, science denies these fantasies. 1332734176 +I couldn't even listen to it. It's so fucking awkward. 1292956658 +THEN WHO WAS PHONE?! 1331428789 +Haven't his conclusions been pretty much universally derided by the scientific community? The fact that this charlatan is still able to find a forum annoys me to no end. 1353964786 +Yeah, that was my thinking. The Beatles were revolutionary, Bieber is far from it. 1329079121 +One major issue is the layer of air he quotes would be approximately he same temperature as the human body, which is warmer than the room (for the figures given). That means that the flow of 'hot' air would still cool the body, and so not result in fan death. 1341988124 +This was a misleading title. You can do better buddy. 1345252200 +I had raiki and i saw a shit load of colour no idea what was going on but it was probably heat related 1354212621 +Exactly. In the article it mentions Perry, a serious contender for the GOP nomination, who openly and broadly denies evolution, yet it doesn't mention anyone running for the Dems who openly and broadly condemn vaccinations. \nThe article does a very good job of attempting to tie things together, but the fact that vaccination compliance is lower in areas with Whole Foods, and that areas with whole foods supported Obama does not mean that Obama is anti-vaccination 1316799401 +Next step: Why on earth would posting some random factoid (even if true) on FB make you rich? 1303938629 +Taken in conjunction with [Asimov's essay](http://chem.tufts.edu/AnswersInScience/RelativityofWrong.htm) on the relativity of wrong it works well.\n\nEven if things are absolutely black or white, it doesn't mean that they're all equally wrong. For example, the predictions for an eclipse that will occur in a few hundred years might be off by a few seconds at most, but just because it might be to 100% spot on, doesn't mean that astrology is now on equal footing. 1267718012 +First, apply a little skeptical inquiry into your assumption that it's possible that any study could be devised that would sway your inlaws. 1324907113 +Was one way a lot more downhill/uphill than the other? 1329597174 +You'll find allot of people pushing woo will seem very nice and helpful and spend lots of time with their patients. It's one of the many tricks in their bag. If you had a baby sitter that served you well but out of the blue offered your kids heroin would you keep her around ? \n 1311371775 +I would love to take a trip to a hotspot sometime. Seeing a true UFO is a life changing experience. And even if we don't see one, we'd still get some really good stargazing in. I have been lucky enough to see some very unexplainable lights in the sky, but alas, I was alone so I have no one to talk about it with. 1321386540 +At this point, anyone talking about mercury in vaccines should make you smack your forehead. It's largely a scare tactic and is utterly outdated (except for trace quantities, [mercury/thimerosal hasn't been in routine childhood vaccines since 2001](http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Concerns/thimerosal/thimerosal_timeline.html)). There has been no corresponding change in autism diagnosis rates, so the mercury hypothesis is effectively dead. Anyone still forwarding you emails about it is peddling a particularly outdated brand of wack-a-loonery. All the "cutting edge loons" are now on to blaming nondescript toxins or attacking the 200 year old science of vaccination itself.\n\nAnd, yes, there is still thimerosal in some flu vaccinations. However, as others have said, it is about the same mercury exposure you'd get from a tuna sandwich. Anyone claiming this quantity would violate EPA exposure/safety guidelines (another popular chorus for email fowards) is simply wrong or bad at math.\n\nWelcome to r/skeptic! May evidence guide your inquiries! 1262984675 +I wasn't defending the mod specifically because I didn't read the discussion in detail, but in general I do think if a space if defined to be safe and you don't follow the rules, it's a good reason for a ban. 1347381316 +If I were you I'd put all your money down on "TELLING THE TRUTH".\n\n 1339607404 +yes, and its quite paranormal 1351714355 +Think about 200 years ago having someone come back from today saying that people all over the world talk to each other through using a plastic, rubber, glass-type thing they call "cell phones".\n\nYou know, like a cell in a microscope.\n\nIt would have sounded insane. 1316612428 +>I knew the homeopathy levels of **delusion** were ridiculous but I didn't realise they were this bad - How is this even possible? \n\nFTFY 1291306737 +The problem with this is that whether something is real is a different matter to whether we believe it. If there was a little corner of our brain that was somehow plugged in to direct knowledge of whether things were true or not and ensured we *couldn't* belief false things, it wouldn't be an issue. But in fact, we're confined to determining such things from evidence, reasoning or whatever epistemology we use. \n\nAs such, there's a real need for vocabulary to describe not only what's real, but what we **think** is real - because there's always the potential for those things to differ. Something being real or not is independent of whether I **believe** it is real, except that I (wanting by beliefs to positively correlate with reality) wish to believe it if and only if it is real.\n\nSo "real" or "fact" is talking about something different - a property of the territory rather than the map. In describing our own model of the state of the world, "belief" is still an entirely relevent and applicable word. If you say "evolution is real", then unless you're lying it is an accurate statement to say "ZootKoomie believes in evolution". 1309348449 +Some places are like that. Our old farm house is the same way. It surprises me to watch shows about the paranormal and hear investigators say they went investigating for a year before ever getting a single word. The first time we went we got several and that wasnt our super haunted house. All I meant was that it is possible to have problems. 1341503681 +I thought Reiki was the hand waving one?\n 1324556666 +Happened to me once, but overnight. My mum woke me up in the morning, and I was confused, as I'd literally just closed my eyes. I don't doubt I just fell asleep, but it was very creepy, I was quite young at the time. 1326556464 +Hey, hard to argue with her, she's right, you know. Is she psychic? Of course not. Does she know she's merely entertainment, and some people believe she's real? Of course. She's found a market that makes money, and she's taking it.\n\nI wouldn't be upset with her, I'd be upset with the OSC for knowing all of this, and using her to make money. Look at the top folks for bad policy, not middle management. 1292079873 +where I'm from, my state (the little one) is the only one in the region that uses "jimmies" over sprinkles. Apparently, jimmies is a racially-charged word everywhere else. Gotten bad looks for it, and have reformed my ways since college out of state. 1331729014 +[Caltrops](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caltrop) thrown by ninjas. 1343835953 +It is almost exactly the opposite of acupuncture. Acupuncture says "your mind and body will change because I'm doing something silly with needles" but hypnosis says "your mind will change because I'm telling you to change it." \n\nNotice that what aupuncture says isn't true. The needles aren't important. What hypnosis says *is* true. The patient is responding to being told how to feel.\n\nHypnosis is essentially pure, unadulterated woo. Placebo that's *labelled* as placebo. Nazi rallies were hypnosis with a different label. Speaking in tongues is hypnosis with a new label. Spirit-mediums, reiki, Transcendental Meditation... It's all hypnosis.\n\nMesmerism is bullshit, though. It's the original dishonest label for hypnotism. 1298875215 +> Based upon who recorded the video\n\nWho recorded it? All I see on the video description is this:\n\n"The witness wanted to remain anonymous but did mention he was with two friends."\n\n> and where it came from...its not likely these people have those kinds of resources.\n\nCanada? I'm pretty sure they have computers in Canada. These days all it takes is a personal computer and some inexpensive software to fake something like [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfqDVP_0O0c). 1341379500 +Funny story: I was looking through your post history and noticed something that made this whole conversation make sense:\n\nShrooms.\n\nYeah, explains why you have a slightly twisted sense of reality. 1337533424 +This is kinda Off tOpic but do you live in ohio cause i saw a black lab named jack up gor sale once 1344105932 +Happy Reddit birthday, sir! 1305230298 +I should do my homework next time I witness a recurring loophole at my job. i asked around and all I got was that a principle in the 60s had a heart attack and passed away in his office, but I feel like that is either unrelated or just a rumor to scare 2nd graders. 1354123019 +It's not the first I have heard of a second crash at Roswell, but it this account varies a lot from the other I have heard, so both are pretty useless. 1344271989 +It's on the right under the ladder 1356196479 +The stuff on Project Blue Beam is as hilarious as ever.\n\n> "The use of telepathic hypnosis also holds great potential. This capability could allow agents to be deeply planted with no conscious knowledge of their programming. In movie terms, the Manchurian Candidate lives, and does not even require a telephone call. 'Other mind-to-mind induction techniques are being considered. If perfected this capability could allow the direct transference of thought via telepathy from one mind or group of minds to a select target audience. The unique factor is that the recipient will not be aware that thought has been implanted from an external source. He or she will believe the thoughts are original."\n\nSo, if that technology existed **how could you fight it**?\n\nAnswer - You couldn't - there would be no way that you could avoid being co-opted, so why would anyone bother?\n\nI love how it mentions that the guy's kids were "kidnapped" from his house by the government. Yes, this normally happens when the kids are being raised by a crazy person! 1326385518 +She was a *hell-beast* let loose *upon this earth by satan* to *lower the standard.* 1356158496 +Fear does crazy things to people, so it seems like it would take a clinician to sort out whether there is a mental illness or if this is a fear-based reaction (granted, emotional distress could be a clinical issues as well).\n\nValidating the fear being expressed (i.e., "I can see that you are extremely anxious/afraid of the effects of [insert lunacy here]") and then offering to get help with/for her might make a difference, but yeah, this seems to run very deep. It's a shame. 1342384737 +Still leaves open the question, how is it a voice message? This means that they called you, not that they answered your phone. \n\nIt makes no sense. 1323533258 +That noise you just heard was their head getting firmly planted in the sand. 1279661826 +Possibly because he meant 'chaff' ... see Krlll's reply below\n\n 1347654174 +One of the reasons I won'y discount it as a hoax (and I know: the rest of you can't apply this measurement) - at least one or two within the relatively small social space that is Adelaide on the internet claim to have seen this. These individuals are only a few hops away in my social network.\n\nNow as to if it's flares; as others suggest in this comment thread - that's reasonably plausible.\n\n 1317034348 +I tend to think in absolutes, so I think that either:\n\nA: We are worth preserving.\n\nor\n\nB: We are not worth destroying. 1352834137 +Go watch Grave Encounters for tips. 1354800765 +Oh, I know they mess up both. But if it's down to taking your meds or making rather minor mods to your diet, it's kind of a toss up which does more. I'm sure it's hell on wheels for MDs - every time I've used their services (not often) for me or my kids they're always surprised at how well everything went and completely amazed that I actually did exactly what they to do. Even simple stuff like "You're kid has a broken foot. Make sure this cast stays on, don't stay on it more than an hour a day or so. Might wanna make sure calcium stays up" = "You have one hour. I'll set you up with video games, computers, etc but one hour shall be the time your foot doth move. I will give you these calcium supplements in the morning with your multivitamin. Don't worry, they're chewy and taste like chocolate". 1319509248 +> UFO ~~sightings~~ reports\n\nFTFY\n\nAnd the answer is yes. 1337933416 +The Hessdalen Phenomenon is a must. 1312128140 +But it's not real. The ending looks cg. Why no audio? The bird has to fly in frame and he zooms in right before it zips away. Also why would two of the dots merge and not the third one? I'm a big fan of UFO stories this was a nice try. I agree about pointing at the ground after being to fast. I video that spot for hours if I had to. Who know if it will come back? 1267734556 +I said it wasn't a conspiracy if it was true. It doesn't take conspiring. It just takes facts. I'm not saying it is a conspiracy-- I am claiming wrong-doing by large corporations. Simple facts. 1294974594 +This is the example I have heard of. I did a little poking around and found [this \\(cached\\) article](http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:vqIoVt87T3oJ:https://www.ecs.umass.edu/index.pl%3Fid%3D5961+&cd=8&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us) from UMass's website, which refers to Temple Grandin's article about hugging machines and cattle chutes. 1329694983 +I'd never consider Cracked as a reliable source for facts, at least they link to the sources, and make it entertaining. The don't LIE about their articles. 1335063398 +Emphasis on appropriately planned. I hear of B12, iron, and vitamin D being the more commonly "low" values from vegan diets.\n\nIn my experience, many vegans don't have much planning in their diets, it's more of a "is it vegan?" metric applied to food. In being in a relationship with a vegetarian for a couple years, her diet was weighted heavily towards chips, soda, and things like pancakes. I've met others with better diets of course.\n\nThe hormone reasoning alone isn't a particularly good one for going vegan (as noted above), but really you should be carefully managing a child's diet either way. 1343051768 +i shot a naturally occurring stick from a naturally occurring tree into a naturally occurring squirrel once when i was very young. I did use a non-natural bow. \n\nI'm sure the squirrel was comforted. I cried. I was pretty young and didn't realize it should have been an organic bow 1342146214 +Very true. 1319574961 +Very true. 1347634211 +Very true. 1301915583 +Very true. 1315530411 +Very true. 1332636849 +That's really creepy haha. Could you hear the voices live or only on the tape? 1355875756 +Yes, because it's impossible to punch them in the face properly online. 1326695018 +Explain this: http://i.imgur.com/TfBRU.jpg 1356327158 +What big genetic differences though? To quote Dr Pitsaladis, from the University of Glasgow, who investigates the genetics and sports performance: "Genetic studies of elite sprinters from Jamaica and the USA have not found that these athletes possess a unique genetic diversity among ethnic groups. It is unjustified, therefore, to regard ethnic differences in sporting success as genetically determined; to justify doing so one must identify the genes that are important. Until now, that has proven elusive". In addition to that, if it were just down to genes, where are, say, the Brazilian sprinters? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_metres#Olympic_medalists 1345052701 +At least I try to back up my statements with sources. Your only effort seems to be an echoing rejection of everything. 1344370657 +Ugh drug use to unlock hidden skills in the human mind. If these rituals worked off anything other than group delusion then the chemicals would have been synthesized to make sime form of designer deug. 1344687744 +But they're *not* rational about what they've already convinced themselves is true. For example...I live in a murder house. I bought it from the estate of the murdered owners. I've lived here for over ten years and never experienced anything that I ever thought for one instant was any sort of supernatural occurrence. \n\nWhen woo-gullible people visit that do NOT know it's a murder house, they don't mention anything out of the ordinary. When woo-gullible people visit that DO know it's a murder house, all of a sudden there's mention of 'cold spots' and 'unusual noises' and lights turning off and on by themselves, all of which I know is not real, and which were never experienced by them until they actually found out there had been a murder here.\n\nThe mind is an incredibly suggestible thing, and irrational "experiences" like this can be contagious to others. 1343133081 +we need whistle blowers with evidence. I've always wondered what the president had to sign behind closed doors after being sworn in. It seems that the smile and satisfaction after inauguration day quickly dissolves to some very advanced aging within the first year. Clinton was drastically so. It would be hard to blow the whistle knowing that not only is your life in danger but that of your family and loved ones as well. 1343539506 +As a vegan, I am exuberantly in favor of it being developed & produced. While I believe the ethical & environmental arguments for veganism are compelling, I'm not so naive to think that the majority of the human race will come around any time soon. People are still worshipping imaginary deities, after all. \n\nBut once available, it should allow for an industrial shift, and reduce barriers to getting real animals legal protections. For example, you can't beat your dog, but you can chop up a pig or cow after confining it painfully for months or years. If you can buy vat-grown beef or ham, then there's less justification to deny the same level of protection to the animals.\n\nHowever, would I *eat* it? Probably not. Not out of ethical objection, but an aesthetic one. 22 years without eating meat, the stuff is just disgusting to me.\n 1288039457 +Yeah, I suppose it's inherent in the subject matter. 1348359178 +Can I blame all my mistakes on "glitches"? So, if I get a question wrong on a test, it's because it used to be right but it changed? 1331332957 +A few. \n\n[The Lancet retracts Andrew Wakefield’s article](http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=3716)\n\n[The Wakefield Factor](http://briandeer.com/wakefield-deer.htm) by Brian Deer, the journalist who did the most to expose Andrew Wakefield. \n\n[MMR doctor Andrew Wakefield fixed data on autism](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article5683671.ece)\n\n[Brian Deer discusses Andrew Wakefield’s “autistic enterocolitis” in the BMJ](http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/2010/04/brian-deer-discusses-andrew-wakefields-autistic-enterocolitis-in-the-bmj/). \n\nOr, you could just google Wakefield. He's hardly unknown, and his disgrace has been big news for a while now. 1274321260 +The behavior of the Tall Whites reminds me of a combination of American Indians (speed, ability to track), Russians (love of children), and the Mongols (warlike qualities.) 1327844872 +I've always thought he looks like Charles Darwin, looks like I'm not the only one xD. And now Randi knows too :P. 1245694716 +Isn't that what applied science is for? :D 1271873528 +Um....I think you're in the wrong subreddit.... 1355545222 +>You were implicitly making the argument that your claims about Carl Sagan were true.\n\nBecause I am convinced that they are.\n\nYou think I should write the opposite????\n\n>That you weren't trying to convince me they were true isn't relevant\n\nOf course it is.\n\n>the actual veracity of the claims is.\n\nDude... get over yourself already.\n\nAs I said... go plop a picture of Carl Sagan up, light votive candles to his scientific perfection all you want...\n\nI couldn't care less.\n\n---\n\nBTW, it was YOU who initiated the "not to contribute to the idolization of Carl Sagan" -- yet ever since then you have done nothing BUT idolize him.\n\nIronic that. 1353543577 +These guys are actually well respected in their field, and they aren't trying to sell you anything. They are *actually* on a quest to discover the origins of consciousness, and don't claim to know all the answers or even that their theory is correct. 1351702517 +Some of the pendants would make really pretty necklaces. 1328553192 +sweet, I totally forgot about the sole in my freezer! 1296766612 +You speak as if you assume I don't believe in UFO phenomenon, well its been 60 years since Roswell and yet no exposure so either the coverup is very well executed or these kinds of sightings are basically filing the perpetual need for people to create a narrative thats alluring to them.\n\nI read Leslie Keans book, to be honest I'm surprised she attached her name to this flimsy "evidence" I preferred [Mirage Men](http://www.amazon.com/Mirage-Men-Mark-Pilkington/dp/1845298578/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1331826210&sr=8-2) in order to gain a fresh perspective 1331826328 +I'm not a 9/11 conspiracy theorist by any means, but here's a question: if it was an inside job, and if it wasn't perfectly executed, how would it look? Wouldn't we see exactly what we've been seeing? Wouldn't it be called out by a group of hawk-eyed, vociferous, pesky citizens? Wouldn't the conspirators try to silence them?\n\nIn other words, if goofball conspiracy theorists look identical to smart citizen activists, how do we know when to believe them and when to dismiss them? 1305815240 +Checking around further it seems that at the time he was heavily criticised by scholars and seems to have faded into obscurity, I can't manage to find much of that criticism though. In general I can only seem to find crank websites supporting his claims.\n\nIt doesn't look like there is anything to it.\n\nIt is also an unnecessary hypothesis to explain the origin of a religion. Humans are superstitious enough without drugs. Certainly Christians these days don't need to use drugs to maintain belief. Furthermore, even if it was true, so what?! So a major religion originated along with the use of a psychedelic mushroom? Even if that were true, it would have no bearing upon the truth value of the claims made by Christianity. 1355820345 +AH, /r/skeptic. Everything has to be about how dumb homeopathy is. 1351003223 +meat is good, fruity pebbles are better with milk 1328485914 +Not if you poke the fork tines through all the rings and stack em up and then eat them! Easily the most fun way to eat spaghettios. 1350493292 +The ghost wants to do a reddit "IAMA Ghost Communicating Through A Ouija Board" thread. 1322098894 +To hell with that. Oranges make everything better. 1309372304 +YEAH! whatwhat?! 1350652543 +You can't heat blood for transfusions over a certain temperature. Since microwaves do not heat evenly, if you put blood in there, pockets would be hot and pockets would be cool. When you take it out and mix it, it would all be the correct temperature, but you would have damaged the blood that got too hot. I assume that this is what happened to the alleged patient that died from a microwaved blood transfusion.\n\nAnyone who thinks that microwaves are evil and going to kill us all with their protein-modified food is pretty much nuts.\n\nThere are arguments that it "alters" the food somehow. All it does is heat it. In fact, in most cases, it can't even heat it above the temperature of boiling water. Frying or baking does more damage to the food than microwaves. (Browning, crisping, all the things that make food tasty, are less healthy than microwaved food. But hey, they're delicious, right?)\n\nThere is no evidence to back up their claims. 1333025146 +They do. Most of them do now. The difference, though, is that with cell phones you aren't allowed to use autodialers. You have to manually dial everything. It's kind of ridiculous because all that's doing is giving people repetitive motion injuries, which almost certainly costs more than a few extra calls to cell phones, but what are you gonna do? Personally, I suggest not working in a call center.\n \nWe also offered cash incentives for cell users on some studies.\n \nOne of the things you want to remember, too, is that this work is contracted. The CDC doesn't go do the legwork themselves, and neither does Pew. They design an instrument and they hand it to roughly a thousand people to play with. Many of those people *suck*. Miscoding was rampant at a few of the other places. Ours was pretty good, but I wrote a *lot* of problem sheets about people miscoding and fabricating stuff. Faking out screeners so they could get into the body with *whoever was cooperative* regardless of whether or not they met the criteria, stuff like that. I've heard of people faking whole interviews. I'd imagine that increases the margin of error. 1338905405 +You guys understand that this has nothing to do with UFOs but rather the unreliability of eye witness testimony and anecdotal stories right? 1312192854 +Does anyone know how the authors controlled for the reliability of crime statistics? Certain crimes are more likely to be counted than others, so if the effect they identified varies in the same way it would suggest that the effect is overstated at least. 1336403909 +[amazon book list](http://www.amazon.com/James-Arthur-Ray/e/B000APLKOU/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1308789492&sr=1-1) 1308789574 +>"The Vatican has its own process to determine the authenticity of things."\n\n"So, Pope, what do you think of this one? Authentic?"\n\n"How are donations doing in that town?"\n\n"Meh..."\n\n"Absolutely authentic. Next?" 1356830066 +From the [/r/UAP](http://www.reddit.com/r/UAP) sidebar--\n\n* [Unidentified Flying Objects, The True Story of Flying Saucers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bGTLtdwPHM) (1956) (Edward Ruppelt and Dewey Fournet advised on the production)\n\n* [UFO: It Has Begun](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phhGSqS3Wss) (1979) (written by Robert Emenegger, researched by Dr. David Jacobs, narrated by Rod Sterling)\n\n* [Other documentaries](http://www.reddit.com/r/UAP/comments/jvf2k/other_documentaries/)\n\n* [A History of Government Management of UFO Perceptions through Film and Television](http://www.49thparallel.bham.ac.uk/back/issue25/Graham-and-Alford.pdf) (pdf)\n\n* [Video clips](http://www.reddit.com/r/UAP/comments/jtudq/video_clips) 1349206686 +You're assuming that this photo was taken from a position perfectly above the paddock (crop).\n\nIt's called perspective, which is what is making it look skewed here I would think.. 1346050518 +The people above this just made my life, I can die happy now 1324702864 +Was your mom ok? Even though you don't hear the voice, do you notice that you can predict things that are going to happen? 1354027297 +Did anyone else go to the link just because they saw a hot lady? 1323078622 +My best case of this happened last year. I was trying to find a document attachment in my gmail and did a search on a keyword. In the search results was an email from over a year previous from a girl I dated very briefly when I lived on the other side of the country, in CA. I opened it and it contained a photo of her. I closed it and thought nothing of it.\n\nThe next day she sends me a friend request on facebook. Zero communication between us since we dated, and I was now living in New York. There was no connection between us, we had zero chemistry or spark and never remained in contact yet I find a photo of her and within 24 hours this woman contacts me completely out of the blue. To add more weirdness, she was coming to the city the next day for business. 1327077789 +I grew up in Clearwater and have had a lot of contact with this group of people. I have worked for scientologist ad agencies in town. They are, on the whole, a sorry lot of misinformed and uneducated dupes who get suckered into classes and guilted into sticking around and donating their labor and capital to what they perceive as the greater good. Most stick around for a while, lose everything and leave looking to pick up the pieces, others get hooked for life. \n\nNo scientologist gets onto the bridge thinking the SouthPark version of the tale is true, in fact low level Scien-os will argue and plain faced tell you that's all propaganda from an unkind media/psychiatry conspiracy, they keep the origin stories and superpower secrets from you until you are properly indoctrinated. The ones who know the South Park version is actually 100% true keep their mouths shut because anything that detracts from the credibility of scientology detracts from their personal claim to superpower that cost them decades and thousands of dollars to accrue (and they probably secretly suspect its bullshit too, but its bullshit that gets them big time sway inside the scientology bubble, so it's bullshit they keep to themselves, a perpetual poker bluff) \n\nWhen you have power inside a bubble and nowhere else, guess where you stay. Low level scientologists look up to OTs like other people look up to professional athletes. \n\nI have so many stories about oddities and stupefying WTF moments interacting with scientologists its ridiculous, they are interested and believe in nearly every kind of woo you can name, every last topic on Quackwatch.org is a thing a scientologist will be into or interested in if you frame it properly. \n\n"the _authority establishment_ wants you to think_______ but _______ has known for thousands of years that the real way to _______ is ________ but _establishment authority__ is trying to supress it! "\n\nevry tyme. 1328206331 +in cases like this, where it seems to be slang, urbandictionary is actually a pretty good dictionary. [second definition.](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=woo) 1340651288 +Wasn't vaccination. Was [homeopathy.](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/28/homeopathy-baby-death-couple-jailed) 1286849178 +> Using a software package to highlight key words in chiropractors' websites, claims were uncovered relating to everything from haemorrhoids to hair loss, chlamydia to cancer.\n\nLike ctrl+f? 1329948779 +I'm still thinking about it. My original thought was to start it with "you dumb fucks..." but now I'm thinking of doing something more expressive. 1339121790 +Haha. I like Kentucky. My dad lives in Union. Cincinnati is legit, but sometimes it blows. 1340411998 +As I've gotten older I let a lot more things slide, and when I do talk about them I focus more on how cool the real science is. Seems to keep people listening. 1299639691 +I *knew* someone in the comments was going to trot out Isaac Newton (they always do).\n\n"Isaac Newton believed in god and he pretty smart so there!"\n\nYes, but Newton lived in a time when 'not believing in the state religion' was punishable by execution. 1328706767 +Remember the good old days, when the police would hold you at gunpoint while a doctor stuck your dumb ass with a needle? It's how we killed smallpox. 1303151651 +Vast amounts of documentary evidence that point to Shakespeare being "that" Shakespeare can be found in the front of any old copy of the Norton Shakespeare (or any scholarly collection of the collected works). This evidence is typically ignored by conspiracy theorists, but in reality, their hypotheses need to not only explain that evidence too, but explain it better than the conventional interpretation.\n\nAlso, who the crap would vote this down? 1325436663 +New band name: Surgically Altered Russian Midgets. 1306406847 +>I am immediately wary of their claim.\n\nRightfully so. Cancer is an umbrella term for many different diseases. The way they attack the body, possible treatments, likelihood of survival, & pretty much everything you can think of varies wildly. There really can't be a single response to all of them. 1342029126 +Someone needs to vectorize that picture into the "Wrong again..." rage face. 1318917608 +the GOP is full of stupid 1353490834 +How do these people sleep? 1344768416 +this sounds pretty interesting to me did go to the spot the next day to see if there was anyting there? 1327591994 +No it isn't. The event and person described by reapfreak do not describe either Rebecca Watson or any other recent events. They exist purely in his mind. 1309976125 +Or title AMA Request liars from a paranormal tv show...\nI'm sorry but those shows are all to fake for me.\n\n 1355518818 +Damn, I had to take a second look at the author's headshot and yet I'm still suspicious... 1287472237 +I was both bored and fascinated by his explanation of contact physics. 1332866498 +I don't know of any literature which has specifically set out to demonstrate it in babies, but theoretically there is no reason why not. The placebo effect does not require any conscious expectation of what the result is supposed to be, as it can occur through basic classical conditioning. This is why the placebo effect works in animals, despite the fact that they have no verbal capabilities or ability to expect complex abstract consequences. \n\nThis article does a good job of summarising some of the research into the effects of classical conditioning on placebo responses: [The Placebo Effect: Dissolving the Expectancy Versus Conditioning Debate](https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/gallery/-pdf/1-42.pdf). Unfortunately, the entire premise of the article is a little flawed, presenting expectation effects and conditioning effects as if they were separate processes, so take some of their conclusions and inferences with a grain of salt. Their discussion on previous research is spot-on though. 1323997830 +This is a really good post. Some valid points are made. I recommend it. 1325794809 +yeah sleep paralysis can be nasty. My one encounter with sleep paralysis involved a horrible dream where a being told me "You're already dead. You just refuse to realize it." He then sent me outside to view the land which was all torn up. I started to accept what he was saying in the dream, but then I felt an intense urgency to wake up. I did wake up, and I couldn't move. The guy was standing in front of me. After I got control again I went downstairs and the front door was open. Weird. 1330524043 +It's an idealist thing, It would be cool to know "Hey it's 13:30 am, that means the east coast is 135 degrees into it's rotation"\n\nEdit: btw, 9 am would be 13:30am on a base 36 clock 1314967757 +I don't understand why we still need to "prove" psychics are frauds. Though, it is always fun to watch them squirm when confronted. 1270728953 +I think that fact is usually indicated by a combination of the following steps:\n(a) Upvoting, and\n(b) Adding information of value or staying quiet.\n\n<3 1349599537 +I wonder if they're going to find mysterious black ghost specks laying around next. 1343514951 +Probably around 8. Thoughts rarely make me feel uncomfortable but for some reason this one really bothered me. 1340146304 +Yes, I have. I did tarot readings for several years during college. Not to disappoint you, but I was not a believer in any supernatural sources (not to say that one does not creep oneself out from time to time).\n\nI never charged money except at fundraisers for student organizations (specifically at Halloween parties, where the entertainment atmosphere is self-evident). Owing to that, no guilt whatsoever.\n\nNow, here's the thing, tarot cards do "work" for some narrow definitions of "work."\n\nTarot cards "work" by allowing the reader to say things that would be offensive if said by a friend or stranger. When I accuse someone of cheating on a girlfriend, for example, it wasn't me "it's in the cards." The (completely mundane) information provided through a tarot reading is provided consequence-free.\n\nI never learned or utilized any formal cold-reading techniques. I didn't have to, either. People who actively seek out tarot readings are open books. They come with friends, they wish to be impressed.\n\nHere's something else tarot cards "work" at. A deck of tarot cards, if studied as though it were a novel or work of art, contains a wide variety of broad-spectrum ideas, each of which is narrow enough to be "helpful" while being broad enough to be hard to miss. Any given spread of tarot cards can apply to any situation. In this sense a tarot deck is a good self-analysis tool in the same way that a set of dice inscribed with commonly-used psychoanalysis phrases would be. That is to say, not highly effective, but moderately effective. The same moderate benefit applies to reading for others.\n\nFinally, I must add, that whenever anyone came to me as a tarot reader seeking help with serious personal problems I referred them directly to the counseling center on campus and refused to do a reading for them. This shit is for entertainment and good-humored introspection, NOT real help.\n\nNow, once a person has sat down I would require them to ask a question. Since I wasn't there to prove anything to the Amazing Randi, I shamelessly required them to provide me my first hook. I would interpret the cards honestly, but in light of their question, and most often they would draw their own conclusions and, bizarrely, attribute those insights to me. I can't really explain why it is that subjects so willingly count everything as a hit, especially when one refuses to voice a question and I simply spent twenty minutes explaining the meaning and context of the cards and positions to them while they silently bug-eye at me in astonishment.\n\nIf anyone has any questions, I'll happily answer them. I won't entertain accusations of fraud, because I never, not once, claimed supernatural powers, never accepted money outside of a charity setting, and never allowed a person to take advice from a deck of cards about things that require counselors or psychiatrists. Also, any questions you ask me won't be answered until tomorrow night. A man has to work. 1350879014 +[well then](https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRN1_c4ncFjMrZZoZXlugkwcj3FGHQMvdsaa18BNE-Y2WWm03VB) 1336239215 +>So while you're partially right, he's not outright saying that Watson fought off an elevator rapist, but he's strongly hinting that elevator rapists strike a lot and Watson was in potential danger.\n\nWell, let's go to the *whole* tape, and not just a selected quote presented out of context:\n\n>It started with a fairly straightforward story about a clueless man putting a woman in an uncomfortable situation.\n\n..\n\n> This man may have had nothing but noble intentions, but that doesn’t matter. \n\nI think with clarifications like that, it's difficult to interpret his comment as arguing that this situation was 'narrowly avoided rape'. The entire article is framed from the perspective that Watson was in, where she had no idea whether this guy was a nice guy or not, and how this makes it reasonable for her to protect her own safety. \n\nSo I don't think it's fair to describe his article as discussing a "narrowly avoided rape", as it quite clearly is focused on the real concerns women have about potential rapes and assaults.\n\n>My problem is with female skeptics saying that men don't understand that they're scared of rapists and because they're men, they don't understand how easily they can be threatening. We understand they're scared but there's only so much we can do to soothe their fears if they choose to be afraid in every situation and condescendingly tell us that we just don't get it is not the way to communicate with us.\n\nThe point is that men don't understand. We have some indication, and we can try to understand it from our own perspective, but at the end of the day we'll never actually know what it's like to be constantly aware of our surroundings, fearing turning our backs on strangers who look like reasonable and nice people, etc etc. \n\nInstead of complaining that it's condescending to be told you don't understand and that there's "only so much we can do", why not just try to take the time to appreciate their concerns and treat them as valid issues? There's no need to dismiss or diminish them on the basis of their factuality makes you feel sad.\n\n>Like I said, her original post was not at all problematic and Dawkins sounded like an ass. It's doubling down on the hyperbole by her fans that's the problem. I've been clear about this since comment one.\n\nBut I still don't understand how the hyperbole from her fans caused you to change your position on Watson's concerns. Were you initially judging her concerns on the basis of how her fans responded to her, and when they changed their approach then you did too?\n\nWhy not just judge Watson's position and concerns on the basis of what she says?\n\n>No, there isn't.\n\nOf course there is. The first is a judgement of other people, the second is a description of someone's feelings and perspective.\n\n>We can all live in fear of someone bigger than us can attack us and do horrible things to us.\n\nAnd if you, in your dodgy neighbourhood, were careful about pulling your wallet out when in close proximity to strangers, or got jumpy when someone followed you down a dark alleyway, then that would be entirely reasonable. It would be fucking ridiculous for someone to listen to your concerns and fears and say: "Can't you just judge these people based on who they are? Why make judgements about them before knowing them?!". \n\n>Hardly. You would just be making yourself paranoid and frightened when the probability of you being stabbed are statistically insignificant.\n\nYou're just talking shit now. You would be absolutely comfortable with a complete stranger standing around with a knife? You'd just figure that maybe he was a chef and he was on his way to work with his own tool kit or something? \n\nFuck no. If someone has a knife you don't give a shit whether he volunteers at a children's hospital and cured all diseases - you stay at least 2m out of reach. If he comes up to hug you, you back away. \n\n>This is the germ of the same argument used by conceal-and-carry advocates. Why should they open themselves up to risk? Maybe it's a good idea to carry a gun, you know, just in case of trouble?\n\nFalse analogy. People carrying guns increase risk and can accidentally hurt other people, whereas leaving your details with a friend before a date or not turning your back on a stranger in an elevator has no such repercussions. \n\n>But it is. I don't know any man who takes someone on a first date to some secluded forest rather than a coffee shop or a popular restaurant.\n\nBut we do know many men who don't see a problem with propositioning a woman in an elevator. Or coming by their place of work when they say they don't want to date them, in an attempt to convince them otherwise. Or putting their arms around girls they don't know, etc.\n\n>But the discussion goes beyond that, down to how far away we should stand from a woman, how loud we are to speak to her, how we are to look at her for the first time, how we are to walk towards her, etc.\n\nThe first is obviously uncontroversial - nobody can be annoyed at the fact that standing too close to people is creepy and disturbing. I haven't heard anything about how loud to speak, but the way you look at her (leering at their boobs for an entire conversation is creepy) and the way you approach her (don't come up from behind) are, again, uncontroversial and nobody can be annoyed at that.\n\n>They do, but we're applying the Schrodinger's Rapist logic and grading them on a scale of how gold-diggery they are just by the fact that they're women.\n\nBut the whole point of the Schrodingers Rapist logic is that the existence of this fear compels us to behave in different ways to accommodate the fears of these people. Women already do this, so I don't see what the problem is. \n\n>This is usually when the men go "wait a minute... something's not right here."\n\nIn such cases the emotional coercion is a problem and I think it would be fair to do your own PSA on how women need to understand the concerns and fears of men by letting them wear condoms if they want to. \n\nAgain, the difference I think is that the vast majority of women would be in agreement making the announcement a little redundant, whereas with the Schrodinger's Rapist situation, many men still don't understand the problem - *why should I change my behavior? not all men are rapists! they're just overreacting. I fear getting mugged too but I don't treat all people as muggers! etc etc.* \n\n>That's so very telling. Men can have a privileged viewpoint which is why they don't understand [blank]. Women can't have a privileged viewpoint, therefore [assumptions about a problem men deal with rather than women]. Do you see what you're doing here?\n\nYes, I'm using the term "privilege" correctly, whereas you seem to be interpreting it as "perspective". \n\nPrivilege is the unearned advantage that people receive for belonging to what is considered "normal" (i.e. white, male, able-bodied, straight, etc). It's impossible for a woman to be privileged because they aren't what is considered the norm - i.e. they aren't male. (They can of course be privileged in other ways, like being straight or white, but this privilege is not a result of their sex). \n\nJust because women can't be privileged does not imply that they understand everything about men, or their concerns, or can make assumptions about their experiences. Women have no idea on what it is like to be the privileged group in terms of sex, so they won't be able to fully understand the experience of men. \n\n>Terrific, but again, I think you missed the point. I was being sarcastic and using post-modernist terminology to turn the argument on its head.\n\nExcept your failure to understand the term you were using resulted in you making a nonsensical comment, rather than turning the argument on its head.\n\n>No, not always. Otherwise you wouldn't have cases where women get pregnant by lying about birth control and then demanding child support or marriage when the man finds out. Have you really never heard of this sort of thing happening or do you live in a region where all women are saints?\n\nYou're severely missing the point here. Everybody agrees that any woman that does that is a scumbag - men and women. If someone says, "Hey, I don't think it's fair that men shouldn't be allowed to wear a condom when they want to", then practically everybody in the entire world will say, "Yeah, that's pretty shitty - anyone who tries to make you stop using one is an asshole". \n\nCompare that to the situation of women saying that they're concerned about being attacked in vulnerable situations. Do we get agreement? No, we get shitty apologetics and invalidation. We treat concerns of men in vanishingly rare and practically non-existent situations (the girl getting herself pregnant) as hugely important and talk about how we have a friend of a friend that heard of a girl that did that once, and we get all up in arms about how shitty they are. \n\nWe raise the very real, very constant, very serious concerns of women, and they basically get told to shut up. \n\n\n 1348366392 +Great story, but I especially I loved that quote at the end. 1312410110 +Aircraft carrier 1302567222 +Now for Dr Oz to go on the skeptics guide... 1303943683 +Love the fact that one of the first bits in the story is a link to purchase a book. 1354148442 +You mean people actually believed this silliness? 1335360333 +I am here to debunk you retards 1355301296 +You need to up your comprehension skills.\n\nI never said that or even insinuated that. Elites is not synonymous with climate scientists. \n\nId appreciate it if you would not put words in my mouth. \n\nEdit: So let me get this straight, this guy completely misconstrues what I said and gets upvoted? /r/skeptic 's finest at work here lol. 1354390026 +I'm unsure of how to check for carbon monoxide poisoning. 1343428672 +i think it has been proven for some time now that these are fakes, and this jackass is a hoaxer. 1328167007 +Love it. That was brilliant, funny and on the money. 1302273685 +I don't know all the facts and i think all children should be vaccinated. But I will upvote you because you shouldn't be downvoted for stating your belief. All the people downvoting you should be ashamed. 1319284937 +>He's focusing on a small subset of people who will believe anything that fits their paradigm, and is ignoring those who really have some valid questions.\n\nThe *vast* majority of questions I've seen truthers ask are invalid. What valid questions are you talking about? 1316793724 +I was in so much pain last year. I really tweaked my back. \n\nTo stand up, I would sort of roll over, plant my feet on the ground, and sort of do a push up off my knee.\n\nIt got unbearable, to the point that I was considering going to a chiropractor because I knew I could see one that day, instead of waiting to get an appointment at a physio-therapy clinic and going through diagnosis etc etc.\n\n3 days later, the pain was pretty much gone. If I had broke down and gone to the chiro, I would have given him the credit for it.\n\nAs far as "adjustments" and that crap goes, it has the same success rate as doing nothing.\n\nHowever, most chiros have pretty advanced diagnostics, and if you have one leg shorter than another, or lowered arches, they're one of the best people you can see to get fitted for orthotics (besides a real doctor of course). 1322334482 +What do you mean "return"? \n\nThe Mayan calendar doesn't end in 2012, it just cycles back to the beginning. That is like some future person finding one of our 12-month calendars in some ruin and thinking the world comes to an end at the end of December. It's just the end of the Long Count, and then it starts over.\n\nNothing was predicted by anyone to happen at this time. A bunch of fucking kooks in the late 20th Century grabbed hold of some half understood micro facts and spun it out of context to support their own wishful thinking and sell books.\n\nHere's what's going to happen: nothing. Except all the people on the internet who posted about all the wild stuff that will go down will all miraculously get new forum accounts. 1348317706 +I'll agree with you that there is likely a correlation between lower population density and lower light pollution (in most cases) and that the lower the light pollution the more likely you will be to notice something unusual going on in the sky. As to whether that also increases the chance that what you see is an IFO.. I'm not so sure about that. But thanks for your food for thought! 1339940917 +The problem with herbal medicine is a category error. There are medicines that are derived from herbs, but the herb factor is incidental. There's nothing intrinsically medicinal about herbs, and a true herbal remedy (one that isn't just an isolated molecule created by a plant) contains hundreds of other chemicals that can range from benign to toxic, mother-nature's pesticide. Thus in ascribing to herbal medicine one betrays their cultural and ideological motives, like a nostalgia for Native and mystic cultures or a belief that herbs are somehow subversive. 1303997232 +I think you are right on especially about the ego driven desire to be special. I'm not theorizing that earth is the central hub of the universe, just what reasons some ETs might have to be coming other than to mess with our heads based on what information we currently have access to. \n\nWhat I'm really trying to get at maybe can be understood better using your metaphor with lightening.\n\nSomeone had to theorize where lightening was coming from if not from god for us to be able to test that hypothesis. If we don't allow for some degree of imagination we will be confined to the current perspective.\n\nI don't disagree I just think a healthy balance of skepticism and hypothesizing are important to progressing our understanding of the universe. \n\n"knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” -A.E. 1345673882 +That appears to be a study of shining LEDs on people who have had bone marrow transplants and comparing outcomes to not shining the LEDs on them, not a double-blind study that could account for the placebo affect of shining the light on them. 1327560703 +It's a rigid airship! 1344961621 +Ouch. My brains. It hurts. 1351800437 +oh come on you philistine, that is a flawless formation 1341533898 +Interesting read. Anyone know a site / page that tells of more of these kind of things? This page says it only scraped the tip of the iceberg, so I would be interested in reading more. 1335535796 +I like him boasting about hunting bigfoot for 25 years. So where the hell is bigfoot already? Seriously, you can't find one in 25 years!?! 1329242421 +We'll file this one with state-funded religious schools and bishops in the House of Lords I think. Just behind "Why the fuck do we still have a monarchy?". 1264441184 +We'll file this one with state-funded religious schools and bishops in the House of Lords I think. Just behind "Why the fuck do we still have a monarchy?". 1264443460 +That's hilarious lol what year did you graduate from Fowlerville? My cousins went there as well as a few friends 1349266696 +Yeah, I was floored the first time I heard him speak at TAM6. He has a fantastic voice; I think he could be a radio presenter. It's almost a shame it is almost never heard. 1265139849 +Another way I look at this is over is bachelor and under is married.\n\nMyself, I also fall into ease. 1346889918 +http://www.examiner.com/article/iowa-family-reports-egg-ufo-hovering-over-nearby-power-lines 1341177917 +All smoke contains carbon monoxide and particulate matter, neither of which anyone should be enthusiastic about inhaling. It's not the psychoactive ingredients in cannabis which make it dangerous to smoke, but the fact that you're burning it and inhaling the smoke. 1332817026 +very cool. good find. 1333562970 +I THOUGHT NO ONE WOULD NOTICE!!!!\n\nI made the whole thing, then decided to add the last 2 panels and didn't feel like going through the effort of finding the exact center/etc. I figured it bothering me was just me being too critical of myself and that it wasn't a big deal and blah blah blah.\n\nDAMN YOU IOIOOIIOIO!!\n\nEDIT:http://i.imgur.com/K97Fk.png 1337457422 +*Reynolds v. United States* (1878). \n\nFreedom of religion is only extended to that which is coherent with the law. A person may not violate existing law and claim they were merely exercising their First Amendment rights. You can not kill somebody and say you were practicing your religion, or as in this case practice polygamy. 1320204060 +No problem! i'm trying not to post every single thing, but good bits of info 1334170335 +I live on central Long Island and I saw 5 orange lights moving around in the eastern sky last week 1342158325 +These people are trying to make it sound like cooking with a microwave is equivalent to throwing in a tablespoon of uranium. As someone else mentioned, this is non-ionizing radiation, and is harmless. It's just making the water molecules hot! That's how all cooking works! 1345989183 +excitement 1317963721 +I totally agree with you that one study doesn't prove anything. I think the point is that it is a promising novel area of anti-cancer research. PubMed had nearly a thousand papers linking cannabinoids and cancer in some way [link](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=cannaboinoid%20and%20cancer). These are all published papers. I think to discount cannabinoid's anti-cancer promise is a bit sort sighted. (btw i'm not saying anything about chemotherapy, that's a conventional cancer treatment and comes under a different category entirely). \n\nI dont see how the autism/vaccines thing is pertinant to this. IIRC there was only one published paper showing that link and that was retracted by the author because he had falsified data. 1338585421 +Always look on the bright side of DEATH! 1332459935 +The future GOAT always gets my upvotes. 1338824583 +Agreed. They have done more to combat AIDS than most subsaharan governments combined, and they aren't afraid to call out the powers-that-be on their bullshit. 1296813940 +https://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/critical-reasoning-for-beginners/id387875757\n\nI also highly recommend "Justice: what is the right thing to do"\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL30C13C91CFFEFEA6&feature=plcp 1353404208 +When did this become about stand up comics? You specifically said comedian. 1337368763 +Here's author Jim Spellman's [twitter](http://twitter.com/#!/jimspellmancnn) account if you have something to say to him. I sure do. 1305857344 +It's amazing me how this thing is getting weirder and weirder with time...still intriguing me. 1340294544 +> American's are spoiled.\n\nAmerican is are spoiled?\n\nAlright, in all seriousness, the favoring of breast meat over other parts of the chicken is silly. The breast meat is simply the largest piece of clean meat (i.e. with no bone or other kind of tissue in the middle) of the bird, which is why those who have easy access to an apparently limitless supply of birds would go for the breast.\n\nAlso, some people (such as myself, and I'm not an American) simply don't like the flavor of the darker meat. Personally I like the mild flavor of the breast meat which makes it a great canvas for other flavors to be used on. 1350584935 +Also, GM soy makes us gay. 1333326179 +do you follow economic news at all? this isn't a conspiracy.. it's what's happening.. just for a general example, check the current state of the [dollar](http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/index/DXY/charts) as measured against it's allies.. \n\nobama doesn't even matter in the grand scheme of things..\n\nalso, make sure to tune into the doublespeak from bernanke tomorrow, it will be the first time in history that the head of the federal reserve bank has a "press conference". 1303873670 +NONE. Absolutely no trust. Liver flushing? the hells?\n\n 1310863468 +Good Timothy Great lecture 1351719478 +Unfortunately no video, I may be able to scrounge some photos up from the family but I don't live anywhere near them. Yes, it is still standing and is currently occupied. The next time i'm in my hometown I want to visit the people currently living in it and talk to them.\n\nON WITH THE STORIES!! 1325802114 +I see where he is coming from speaking out against public involvement in investigations, you only have to look on the sub to see the delusional people who will believe anything. 1346585790 +That was a terrible fake. Shit like this makes this whole subreddit look bad. 1314141904 +chick embryo. Umm Okay, is this not just an egg. I mean ok I get that a Chick egg is not fertilised but come on really. These people are mad.\n 1339892697 +I thought you were going to link to a sex act there. 1301488814 +I think there is some confusion.\n\nEven though Anderson Cooper has done some journalism in the past, there is nothing distinguishing this from any other daytime talk shows.\n\nThis is about as worthy of people's attention as the subject of a Jerry Springer episode or whoever else is doing the equivalent these days. 1330719195 +Additionally, they've linked it to other conspiracy theories in attempt to keep it afloat. 1343919485 +No idea. It does not have anything to do with scientific thinking. Probably more to do with the way we treat each other is how we would treat strangers. For yourself, be open for "contact". If you have ever had a sleep paralysis dream or examination dream that is a pretty good sign they are already working with you. 1340249264 +>I also believe in magnetism, but we don't really know what that is either.\n\nWhat do you mean by "we don't really know what that is"? 1342116963 +I'm guilty of being among the infowars readership for the better part of a year in my recent past, but I came out of it knowing more about political philosophy (among other things) as a result of fact-checking. Getting to know the Bilderberg conspiracy (and its inconsistencies) was just one of many steps toward skepticism for me. 1320779319 +>You gave me a mountain of information! Thank you so much!\n\nNo problem, I'm glad what I wrote made sense.\n\n>I got really worried when people were hammering other people online for having a 6 week old puppy and were pleading with others to call the owners to take them back and wait a couple of weeks.\n\nYeah, sometimes it can be a sign of a bad breeder or a puppy mill, where they just get the mothers to pop out babies and they send them out into the world, but sometimes it is just dedicated breeders minimising the amount of time before being able to sell them. This is because you can start weaning at about 3 weeks and weaning them about 2 weeks, it means that you can safely sell them at around 5 weeks without any long term negative effects. \n\nThe "8 weeks" figure should be treated more of a guideline, rather than a strict number where dogs will be fucked up if they are taken before that point, and perfectly healthy if taken afterwards.\n\n>As for vaccinations, there are suggestions to socialize later like around 1 year, but isn't that what the vaccination at 4-5 weeks is for?\n\nStart socialising at 1 year? That would go against everything I've read and certainly wouldn't recommend it. If your shots are up to date, then yes they are as protected as they would be a day later as they are a year later - there is no advantage to waiting a year before socialisation, and many obvious disadvantages.\n\n>I don't understand how Parvo works or dog viruses work but if you keep the shots up to date, why is it still dangerous to take your vaccinated pup to a dog park? Can Parvo still infect after the first vaccination? Do you need all three vaccinations before it is considered safe?\n\nIt's recommended that you wait (if I recall correctly) a week after the last Parvo shot before taking them out but this is more of a extra safety precaution and as long as you aren't taking them somewhere that is notorious for Parvo outbreaks, there shouldn't be a problem. \n\nAnd yeah, Parvo can still infect after the first injection, you need all three. Each one reduces the chances of catching it I think, to some degree, but it's not recommended to go out until all three have been given. For interacting with other puppies, it's usually just recommended that you get the first injection and they should be fine playing with each other.\n\n>I'm glad I haven't doomed my puppy yet. I'm sure all the alpha stuff catching on is from Caesar Milan.\n\nHaha no, you should be fine. My general philosophy is that you're inevitably going to fuck up some things but as long as you're actively interested in doing the best for the puppy, and willing to put in the work to fix mistakes, then you'll be doing better than most dog owners. My best advice would be to keep in mind that it's easier to stop a puppy learning a bad behavior than it is to correct a bad behavior that is occurring. This means that if you don't want your dog to beg for food when you're eating, never feed it from the table and always put food in their bowl. It's so easy to slip up and think, "Oh, it'll be fine if I just do it once" but this is quite literally the worst thing you can do. \n\nAs for Cesar - agreed, he is almost single handedly responsible for keeping the dead theory alive but unfortunately he is still just one person among many who believe that crap. Browse /r/dogs for a while and you'll find most people there believe at least some aspects of dominance theory. \n\n>I very much appreciate the serious and thoughtful answer and it looks like you took a lot of time out of your day to make someone more aware and knowledgeable and I feel like this is the true power of Reddit.\n\nAh, it's no problem at all. I have an awful problem of being incredibly long-winded so you don't need to thank me for a detailed response - you could ask me a "yes or no" question and you'd get an essay in response. \n\nFeel free to PM me anytime if you needed any help. It's a topic of interest to me so it'll never be an inconvenience. 1353918178 +Please no more facebook posts. I don't go to /r/atheism anymore cause of crap like this. 1341190388 +That's pretty much what I thought... A battle of Woo could be most entertaining. I liked when the acupuncturist said they could accidentally puncture a lung... If you're using acupuncture or "dry needle" needles that deeply then you're doing it wrong! 1295484767 +I think that's actually the most reasonable part of the whole image.\n\nhttp://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/peppermint-000269.htm\n\nGranted, nothing about rubbing it on the "stomach reflexes of feet", but it can be useful in calming an upset stomach.\n\nEdit- adhoc_lobster posted the same link earlier as a top level comment that I didn't see until now. 1352741730 +Why People Believe Weird Things also has a chapter concerning Holocaust revisionism. Specifically how the *intentions* of both sides has completely overrun actual historical facts. \n\nThere are historians that know or suspect the official numbers are off, but can't/don't want to go down those roads of research because they would be perceived as siding with neonazis. They can't admit to inaccuracies because they know anything they say like that will be latched on to by the opposite side and used as evidence against the official claims. So discourse is stifled. \n\nMuch like this thread. Everyone is so concerned with *who* is posting that no one bothered to address *what* was posted. Honestly, I'm not big into history so I don't have much to offer on the subject, but the way /r/skeptic is handling it is terrible. 1356375490 +Yeah, I don't get why this one is still held up as the ultimate frivolous lawsuit. 1348177894 +Ah, thank you! It was the "bullet impregnation" that was BS and that's what I was remembering. 1350920233 +I was given a copper bracelet, similar to this, as a child. I was allergic to it.\n\nI wish it had had Jesus on it, so I could tell the Christians in my life I was allergic to their lord and saviour. 1295263443 +freaking scary. had anything since?\n\ni've had some deja dreams before, but as interruptions during a dream. like a commercial. only for a second or so, and were generally silent visuals of mediocre actions (like walking in the forest and stepping on this moss covered tree trunk, never been there, but it was exactly the same scene. like i was watching it from my eyes playback footage). seemingly useless precognition, but i never contested what i'd see. i felt if it was some sort of message to send me down a specific path. string theory/marvel universe esk. they stopped when i had a repeated one, i was much older, much more in shape and kayaking. i fell over a water fall. it happened a few times, i made a promise to myself to never get in a kayak. creepiest part is i totally have that body now.\n\ni don't recall precog dreaming after that.\n\n\n\nedit: thinking about that death-dream it became the default "you're about to die in a dream, here's the loading screen before you snap awake" 1338752287 +Paraphrased conclusion:\n\n>To date, 46 studies involving 1175 volunteers with IEI-EMF have tested whether exposure to electromagnetic fields can trigger the symptoms reported by this group. These studies have produced little evidence to suggest that this is the case or that individuals with IEI-EMF are particularly adept at detecting the presence of electromagnetic fields. On the other hand, many of these studies have found evidence that the nocebo effect is a sufficient explanation for the acute symptoms reported in IEI-EMF. Thus while continued experimental research in this area will be required to clarify the role of chronic exposures and to test the effects of new varieties of electromagnetic emissions, the best evidence currently available suggests that IEIEMF should not be viewed as a bioelectromagnetic phenomenon. Despite this, some commentators continue to discuss the condition without sufficient reference to this literature [Carpenter and Sage, 2007; Goldacre, 2007]. This is regrettable and suggests that the scientific community should do more to communicate the current state of the art in this area. In the meantime, when faced with someone who describes subjective symptoms that are apparently associated with exposure to an electrical device, it would be wise for clinicians and policy makers to begin with the assumption that an alternative explanation for these symptoms may be present, either in the form of a conventional organic or psychiatric disorder, or in terms of the more subtle psychological processes associated with the nocebo response. In the latter case, treatment based on cognitive behaviour therapy may be helpful for some patients [Rubin et al., 2006a]. 1335795065 +Somebody seriously needs to tell Roger Ebert. 1350748277 +"Manufacturing Consent" - Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky\n\nThis book will be outside the comfort zone of many people on this reddit, but it's important to remember that there are sources of bad information other than people who are simply misinformed or out to personally make a buck. 1355371805 +1. 400 million SEK over two years. 200 million SEK/year\n2. The usual aid for Cambodia is around 170 million SEK/year. \n\nAs a friend pointed out: Considering the bureaucracy of Swedish aid, this increase has to have been planned for a long time, long before the arrest and deportation of Anakata. 1346933119 +> That's most, if not all, of the things he covered in the lecture.\n\nSorry, I assumed you were mainly interested in the "water spontaneously doing work" part, since it's the most out there claim. If he has published on that, it doesn't seem to be in the linked articles.\n\n> He doesn't present the presence of a negatively charged layer as a new idea\n\nHe specifically said that none of this appears in chemistry textbooks though at about 3:40 in the short video.\n\n> How rain drops form and why they stay suspended in the sky are two different questions.\n\nThe question of how they stay up has to do with the mass of the raindrop rather than electrostatic repulsion. Once the water vapour nucleates to form small droplets it then [coalesces](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalescence_%28meteorology%29) until the droplets are large enough to fall as rain. 1354401694 +GAMBIT 1326441107 +>Joe Rogan is no snake oil salesman.\n\nHe is, however, a bit of a crackpot. He's a 9/11 truther, a moon landing denier (seriously), and a believer in all sorts of woo and conspiracy theories.\n\nHe can be totally reasonable at times, but he's so wrapped up in nonsense that I've lost much of the respect I once had for him.\n\n*Edit*: Wait... prescription? Who is prescribing these? 1319464245 +Reading further, Sagan does seem to agree with that viewpoint:\n\n> But I am very pleased that we were able, through logic and physics, to get\n> the story at least partly right, and to demonstrate that there are enormous\n> elevation differences on Mars, elevations much vaster than Lowell had\n> expected. I find it more difficult, but also much more fun, to get the right\n> answer by indirect reasoning and before all the evidence is in. It's what a\n> theoretician does in science. But the conclusions drawn in this way are\n> obviously more risky than those drawn by direct measurement, and most\n> scientists withhold judgment until there is more direct evidence\n> available. The principal function of such detective work – apart from\n> entertaining the theoretician – is probably to so annoy and enrage the\n> observationalists that they are forced, in a fury of disbelief, to perform\n> the critical measurements. 1322126150 +Notice that they never invoke god, or any other answer for that matter. The courts have consistently ruled that Creationism (in whatever form it takes) can't be taught in schools, so the new tactic is simply to try and poke holes in evolution. 1307679295 +They might co-ordinate an anniversary attack on the 911^th anniversary of the event, so watch out for that one I guess. 1342409261 diff --git a/test-A/in.tsv.xz b/test-A/in.tsv.xz deleted file mode 100644 index 5e4f4f4..0000000 Binary files a/test-A/in.tsv.xz and /dev/null differ diff --git a/test-A/out.tsv b/test-A/out.tsv new file mode 100644 index 0000000..84957b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/test-A/out.tsv @@ -0,0 +1,5152 @@ +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +1 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +1 +0 +0 +0 +1 +0 +1 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +1 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +1 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +1 +0 +1 +0 +0 +1 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +1 +0 +0 +0 +0 +1 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +1 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 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+0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +1 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 +0 diff --git a/train/in.tsv b/train/in.tsv new file mode 100644 index 0000000..36e7aad --- /dev/null +++ b/train/in.tsv @@ -0,0 +1,289579 @@ +have you had an medical issues recently? 1335187994 +It's supposedly aluminum, barium, and strontium being used in large-scale weather modification. 1346187161 +Nobel prizes don't make you rich. 1337160218 +I came for the article, I stayed for the doctor. 1277674344 +you resorted to insults AND got owned directly afterwards. that's a double-whammy 1348538535 +Spirituality? Oh hey no thanks, you can keep the crazy for yourself. 1310932399 +I took a "ghost tour" last year and was handed one of these along with others on the tour.\n\nThere was some excitement in one area when people picked up readings.\n\nI noticed and pointed out some undergrounded utilities there. Excitement dimmed.\n\nThough I *did* enjoy the tour. The guide was interesting and knew all the local legends, places where people died or were killed, and a bunch of other historical goodies. It was worth going. 1326401425 +Oh, I've heard the name... I've heard that he has been banned from reddit multiple times too.\n\nI must have skipped over that part. 1352042066 +Yeah, it does seem that way. I match a lot of it, mind you, but his generalizations are...awkward. He goes from things that are generally true and then specifically makes them just bad.\n\nI'm a loner sometimes. I love reading and enjoy time with myself.\n\n>We just find them boring, uninspiring, and mundane. \n\nNo. You're just a douchebag, guy. People are what make being analytic interesting. Without people to do cool shit or talk to about cool shit what the fuck are you gaining information for? To go masturbate in the corner with a trig book? 1305230569 +Yeah, calling homosexuals reprobates isn't exactly unbiased. Also, it looks like she might be assuming pedophiles that abuse boys to be homosexual, even if they are often heterosexual in their adult sexual relationships. "Homosexuality and homosexual pedophilia may even be mutually exclusive", according to an (admittedly older) study from 1978 (Link: http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/lgpstgenerally.html). 1262360115 +Symptom 1: They want to alter the usage of words. An example is the objections to "denier" at /r/climateskeptics. The objection is that it makes an implicit comparison to Holocaust Deniers. To support this, they have a few quotations from some people who have made the comparison explicit. Those quotations are almost always delivered out of context by influential deniers. The result is that when a conditioned person hears someone say "Denier" they mentally add "Holocaust" themselves. It's a simple form of linguistic conditioning- it alters the meanings of words intentionally in order to provoke feelings of humiliation, and thus anger, and thus increased support for the anti-science crusade. \n\nSymptom 2: Congregation in a Closed Forum. Supporters of the idea punish, to the extent that they are able, dissent, and seek forums where they outnumber dissenters by a great margin. (This generally has to occur in conjunction with at least one other symptom. Dissent from the idea that AIDS is caused by HIV isn't useful to a discussion, and downvoting a redditor who seeks to argue this isn't evidence of a closed forum.)\n\nSymptom 3: Thin sourcing. If more than 75% of their evidence and research are contained in less than 10 forums, it's likely BS. 1340251421 +I got that many times. Last time I had it, I got very annoyed and started yelling and cursing at the back of my head. 1342038905 +I think the problem isn't that people find it so hard to believe that aliens might visit earth, it's that they find it hard to believe it would go down like most alien encounter/ufo stories describe it. \n\nThe technology required to travel across the galaxy is staggering. Even if it is possible to do in less than several hundred years(which it might not be) we are at least a few centuries away from possessing such technology. And with the exponential rate at which technology increases any civilization that possessed it would be technically as far above us as we would be stone age humans. Maybe even more. \n\nWould a civilization that advanced travel all the way to earth, expending vast amounts of energy, just to perform low tech medical experiments on people and fuck with rural farmers? What would be the purpose? It would be like mounting an expedition to Antarctica just kidnap a few penguins, draw in the snow, and then leave. \n\nThat's what I think of it anyway. I think there must almost certainly be other sentient species within our own galaxy. It borders on mathematical impossibility for there not to be. However I'm equally certain they've never visited earth. 1348695010 +Sure, whatever colour. That's not the important bit! 1332605344 +> skeptical thinking\n\nHe is not spreading skeptical thinking. It's like going to a personal trainer who is 50 pounds overweight. Lol. \n\nIf he were an English teacher, meh. \n\n[As always, relevant xkcd](http://xkcd.com/154/)\n\n 1347256897 +Honestly, if saying that would strain the relationship, then it isn't much of one in the first place. 1295153676 +The child has a right to health and safety *within reasonable parameters*. 1301513126 +No, it requires only a cursory examination of the situation. If the people involved were bronze age, we would forgive them because they have no equipment to examine their ignorance. We live in a world where it is all readily available, their only excuse is laziness or avarice. 1343268258 +The submission went positive in /r/Libertarian because they are actually interested in this information. I already knew from experience that /r/politics and /r/socialism would simply downvote any article critical of AWG without comment. /r/environment will at least engage you in debate from time to time. I had hoped for far more from /r/skeptic. 1259111299 +The article, btw, also links to an earlier piece discussing the truly disgusting work of the "Abha Light Foundation": ["Undercover reporter reveals the depths of the murderous advice being handed out by homeopaths in Kenya."](http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2011/05/abha-light-must-close.html) 1314536195 +There are many convincing arguments (IMO) from the 9/11 truth movement that I would like to know the answer to. There are [several documentaries](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw-jzCfa4eQ) out there from [people who are knowledgeable](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZEvA8BCoBw) about these kinds of disasters that raise a lot of questions. They may be worth checking out if you're actually interested, I kind of don't feel like getting into an extended debate right now or I would elaborate more. I think the initial 9/11 investigation didn't just fail to answer a lot of questions but refused to even ask them in the first place, most notably the mystery surrounding the collapse of building 7. 1320971221 +I see what you mean but i think it is just due to the angle the pics are taken. in the first pics the camrea is in line with the rows top to bottom the next few pics you can still see the rows but the now run from bottom left to upper right. 1314984924 +The existence of drugs promotes heavy drug use. 1336114710 +Even Steph herself said she didn't mind being named as she wasn't ashamed of what she said. She did mind being called out in that way, however.\n\nI stand by my original statement. It's grossly unprofessional behavior to catch someone unawares like that, in that manner.\n\nIt's petty and passive-aggressive.\n\nMorally or ethically wrong? Nah. But, I believe it speaks to her character.\n\nThis isn't about 'tone'. That argument can be made for when Dawkins chimed in. This is about action. The correct, professional response would have been to A). respond in kind on her own blog. B). Have a one on one conversation with Steph and failing all that C). at least have the courage of your convictions to forewarn Steph that she was going to do this.\n\nBad form. 1310584514 +"Replaced by a lookalike" - they hired another economics professor who Stein claims looks and dresses just like he does. &#3232;_&#3232;\n 1326438879 +You could have posted the link to the site you know...\n\n[Here it is!](http://www.theskepticsguide.org/) 1280482349 +Scary story!!! 1325070988 +If you "don't know jack shit about anything related to the sun" why are you talking about how this is probably a "solar anomaly"??\n\nOnce again, I'm not saying this is a space ship... just wondering why you are talking... 1343098042 +That's probably because you are trying to think beyond your brain's capacity. Stick to Bollywood and the pain will go away. Magic! 1328241550 +What?! This is brilliant design, it perfectly reflects the content! 1325867344 +The one anti-nuclear argument that gives me pause is this: From a defense standpoint, a nuclear power plant is a huge target that, if struck, could be massively devastating in several capacities. Coal and the various green technologies, from this perspective, may be safer because they are relatively decentralized. 1337304794 +There's a certain point where common sense comes into play and you're just being a skeptic for the sake of being a skeptic.\n\nConsider the following:\n\nEarth is one of eight planets in Sol; Sol is one of about 200-400 billion solar systems in the Milky Way. the Milky Way is one of about 200 billion galaxies in the known universe. Can you really, honestly say that it's impossible that there is no other intelligent life in a range that wide? IMO, that requires a hell of a lot of faith.\n\nI think the better thing to be skeptical about here is whether or not any of them are close enough for it to matter. 1328343964 +Is it just me, or has the quality of sightings plummeted recently. What happened to disc shaped shiny metallic things undertaking seemingly impossible maneuvers. Instead we get supermarket plastic bags floating in the wind which due to poor video quality get categorized under UFOs. Face-palm. 1310114928 +Nobody lives their lives and controls others' lives based on the Da Vinci Code. 1301784331 +No she knew that cancer is deadly. In the article she admitted to knowing that the disease was beyond her expertise. Also no one would blame your neighbor for not knowing what to do but if she told you snake oil was going to cure your Cancer and because of this you didn't seek alternative treatment then she would be directly responsible for your death. 1346658639 +Well, they weren't always in the corner, just most commonly. It kind of one of those things where if you haven't seen one, it's easy to say that it's a trick of the light, or your glasses or whatever. But once you've seen one, you can tell the difference. One of the most frusturating things with the study of the paranormal for me, is that it really is so hard to quantify. So many of these phenomena are hard or impossible to record or replicate. 1350090699 +and i read an earlier story that said bodies were definitely found. i dont know what to believe \n*(edit: i'm aware no bodies were found. i just meant that i'm skeptical of anything to do with the stories now, including the above post about "federal officials being on scene along local authorities")* 1307505962 +First rule of lying. Be consistent.\n\nWas is a tape or a CD? 1354536866 +I still prefer [the gif.](http://i.imgur.com/qkDqh.gif) 1289573089 +Actually, there are friends among Steve's inner circle who can confirm this.\n\nThey will also start to paint a VERY different picture of the man once some time has passed. 1317888259 +I wish I could up-vote you more. 1336173370 +I have also had my shoulder taped but it was many pieces of tape done up in a way that I could no longer pull my shoulder blade down and continue to tear ligaments. If you took a picture before and after my shoulders went from being uneven like a seesaw with a fat kid on them to nice and level. If you look up what they are usually doing here when you see just a piece of tape or two it is in fact a bunch of woo. 1344007663 +Heh. I once killed a cactus by over-watering it.\n\nI'm not allowed to go in the garden anymore.\n 1335476902 +Congrats on getting through to your cousin-in-law.\n\nHowever, there are other arguments against the FDA that don't require believing in conspiracies; don't confuse your cousin's ignorance with the best available argument. 1312435694 +Can we dismiss "deal with it" arguments as infantile and fallacious then? If you can apply that to yourself as well, then maybe there could be a real argument. 1347381194 +The idea of money and trading being good things, seems like one. 1330012095 +because none of the mods are that authoritarian? 1328485989 +Or by restricting what programs start on OS boot. \n\nAlso, defrag! 1344312464 +I have to say that both of those examples sound a lot more like psychic warnings than deja vu. Interesting stuff. 1345719307 +No shit? *munching 40 of the ingredients* 1354998591 +Fucking audio sucks!\n\nJesus, I can't hear that shit at all. I'm saving this for later so I can listen to it with my fuck-up-your-eardrums headphones. 1289693109 +Your brother in law is in for a rude awakening. While long time practioners can make big bucks, coming out of school you will make between $30k-$40k US per year. With the loans some of my friends were taking out they have difficulty covering rent. Tell him to call around and find a guy who has been open less than a year and have a frank sit down conversation with the guy. It is not for everyone.\n\n>First, what is the bare minimum one has to do to practice chiropractic? \nIn terms of equipment (a place to practice, computer for records/scheduling, and a table/bench.\nIn terms of patient care, I wouldn't know I never strive for the bottom.\n\n>Secondly, do you find the quackery to be more about the professionals not being critical thinkers, or is it them actively exploiting the public?\nMore about not being critical thinkers. Look even the most crazy ass chiropractor out there, and there are some off the wall mother fuckers, genuinely feel like they are helping people. There are some who are just doing it for the money and they make a ton but overall I think that is less than 5%, just based on gut feeling. 1342785880 +Relevant reading: \n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/education/comments/g7ne9/steiner_waldorf_education/\n\nhttp://www.waldorfcritics.org/\n\nEspecially this: http://www.waldorfcritics.org/active/FAQ.html#LeftHand\n\n"A teacher: Should the children be broken of left-handedness?\n\nDr. Steiner: In general, yes. At the younger ages, approximately before the age of nine, you can accustom left-handed children to right-handedness at school.... The phenomenon of left-handedness is clearly karmic, and, in connection with karma, it is one of karmic weakness...." \n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/education/comments/g5koq/did_anyone_here_attend_a_waldorf_school_and_would/\n\nWill post more helpful links as I find them. 1300768521 +No, the burden of proof STILL comes to "Aliens did this as a message" because why the FUCK would a creature come LIGHTYEARS to bend our corn? 1344477359 +It's actually not very smart for you to site this as a logical fallacy. If a medical doctor with over 30 years of experience in the field looked at you and said "You likely have cancer." you would be an absolute fool to say "Doctor. It would be a logical fallacy to give credence to what you say. That would be an argument by authority."\n\nActually it WOULDN'T. It would actually be an argument from a person who knows a LOT more than you or me about the subject at hand and its proper analysis.\n\nIf you were to believe a medical doctor if he/she were to say "I know how to paint just like Davinci." THEN that would be a fallacy based upon authority. You're saying their authority as a medical doctor is sufficient to make them a great painter as well. This, of course, is wrong.\n\nAnother example might drive the point further. It's like whether or not you give credence to airline pilots that report ufo sightings. Would that be an argument from authority too? A pilot says "I saw a ufo while flying from here to Washington." You would say "That's an argument from authority."\n\nActually no it wouldn't be. Why? Because pilots are a LOT more likely to know what is what up in the air than any other type of human being. That's what they're trained to do.\n\nSimilarly, Edgar Mitchell has particular interstellar understandings that not many other individuals have. This and the fact that he has as much to loose by perpetrating a hoax as he does heavily sides toward the likelihood that he is not lying.\n\nLogic is only a signpost on the way to true understanding and wisdom. You get too stuck on it and it alone and you entirely miss the truth and variegated reality of a lot of existence. 1330069495 +My local Safeway, at which I work, has no homeopathy or woo of any kind. So proud. 1352696413 +I saw "the hat man" standing in front of my window (or perhaps outside of it? I lived on the fourth floor though) after a bout of sleep paralysis one night, and it scared the shit out of me. I didn't know what he was for several years until I stumbled upon a website talking about him, and was comforted knowing I'm not the only one who has seen him. And, like others have said, I didn't feel any evil vibes coming from him. He was just standing there watching me. 1316233394 +I actually quite like the second one - as science fiction. Would make a great novel, complete with chilling ancient secrets and a heart-pounding cataclysm. Only problem is, I think he's serious. 1354495350 +Do a custom header but keep the logo because i made it :-) i have tne design file if needed 1316634408 +Simple confirmation bias. I'd love to see a comprehensive list of their successes and failures. I think it would be most illuminating.\n\nMoreover, I'd bet dollars to donuts that the 911 hijackers were praying silently in the moments before they took over the planes, and the weeks leading up to the attacks.\n\nIt's meaningless and futile. 1346601720 +If you think that thing is in any way a fucking turtle, your god damn brain is made of dog shit. 1345009939 +lol? wut?\n 1342626203 +But do they have higher rates of HIV, HPV, UTI, herpes, etc.? 1346080496 +This was such a great program. I love Bill Nye, but I hate how smug he is in this video. 1343422018 +[A website discussing her credentials](http://www.homeopathyhealthcenter.com/about.html) suggests that she holds doctorates in homeopathic medicine from Curentur University (now called the American University of Complementary Medicine).\n\nUnsurprisingly, this "university" is [NOT ACCREDITED](http://www.credentialwatch.org/non/us.shtml) by any legitimate oversight institution. Calling herself a doctor could potentially be dangerous to genuinely sick people. 1310295897 +While you are technically correct (which we all know is the best kind of correct!), I'd say it's not unreasonable to suggest Fox has been misclassified and that "partisan propaganda outlet" might more accurately reflect the reality. ;) 1332773356 +Which puts them in the same group as about 90% of the population. 1296776515 +Long beach? Probably not unusal for people to use LED lit kites on beaches at night. 1346412057 +Yes, this is something not everyone is willing to accept and look into. 1321140032 +[CDC Doctor who "Debunked" Vaccine-Autism Link Indicted on Fraud](http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/28/cdc-director-arrested-for-child-molestation--bestiality.aspx) 1322837664 +I'd prefer the weird aliens. If i got the human ones I'd feel ripped off. 1348577265 +...and those calling her Rebecca Twatson are aggressively down voted, are they not? You don't see a lot of support for those internet trolls. 1338577888 +And I'm sure the immune-compromised mail worker who catches it and dies because he's undergoing Chemo will appreciate the difference. 1320639231 +How genuine is the article from the OP in your opinion? I am searching for what r/skeptic aims to bring "Need something debunked by those in the know? Looking to exercise some critical thinking or research skills". All I have a re Economist articles and recently diluted web links to define this "charity" and their aim. 1331319986 +But fortified food is supplemented for you, no? 1353142079 +No, because "octopi" is incorrect while "octopuses" isn't. 1305005355 +Thanks for the apology. I really did not recognize the sarcasm. Well now I know lol. 1319728927 +I think for people that far gone they generally need a lot of self help before outsiders can do much.... Heh, double entendre. 1356700287 +Tomato tomato. 1316087523 +Well if it was shopped it wasnt by me! this is just how I got it, through a forwarded email by the person who originally took the picture. 1355146078 +> As a skeptic, I'm generally for more access to information.\n\nSure, but that doesn't necessitate *laws mandating labeling*. There are ways for consumers to get this information without the force of law.\n\nI, for one, only want to see us pass laws that are *necessary*. Anything more is wasteful.\n\nThe question isn't, "Why shouldn't we have this law?", the question is, "Do we *need* this law?". I saw no reason that we needed prop 37. 1352412516 +http://pda.physorg.com/news/2011-12-santa-soyuz-rocket-debris.html\n\nThis?\n 1324845683 +He's still a child. Make your arguments in a non-confrontational way and let him grow up a little. How many of us were atheist or agnostic at that age? \nYou can encourage and model rational thought and a skeptic's world view. Try to avoid making it an issue. He is nearing an age where many children are differentiating themselves and are learning to separate from their parents' beliefs. He may react to your pushing by holding on to these beliefs even more tightly. Trust that you raised a good kid, and let him grow into a more realistic view of the world. \n 1288667852 +Is there any reason to believe they would have long-term effects? Because I can think of two reasons they wouldn't:\n\n1. We would have noticed by now since people have been eating pesticides for a long time.\n\n2. These pesticides don't get stored in your body(they aren't fat soluble).\n\nI think their have also been multigenerational animal studies that showed no harmful effects. 1347074199 +I agree. I don't want the next glass to try and choke me simply because it has had a bad experience having been pissed out of someone. 1269384817 +these shows suck, the best videos are by chance 1344737761 +This is where the confusion sets in.\n\nIf something is unidentified, you're right, it does't mean it's of alien origin. But, what these people are referring to is **not** a mis-identification of a known aircraft/phenomenon, which is the scenario you're referring to. 1338296888 +That's quite a dilemma. 1347885500 +Heh, my apologies, when I wrote this I didn't take time to edit it afterward. I can't describe the sensation in my body, I was just buzzing, electric. It felt crazy! 1351878342 +We have the ability to measure endorphins before and after the treatment so that we can observe how they are affected by it. We have no way to measure qi or observe it in any way. 1344019535 +The discussion here is about whether the particular type of regulation that Alberta is introducing represents an improvement or not. Your assertions about your wife's education and knowledge, along with your assertions about this mysterious naturopath in Hawaii has absolutely no bearing on this. \n\nWhile it's possible that the regulation will mean naturopaths more prone to dangerous quackery will have less free space to practice, what will remain isn't much better. Many, if not most, naturopaths in Canada use homeopathy as a central part of their practice. The regulation will not prevent Alberta naturopaths from using homeopathy, therefore lending legitimacy to quackery. 1343324993 +We do have a few satellites orbiting Mars, right? Like the one that snapped some pics of Curiosity on its descent? Possible explanation, but I'm still rooting for something extra-terrestrial :) 1345661815 +astral projection, not a glitch 1348449900 +A degree in pharmacology might do the trick for that. 1306504907 +Hey dudes, just so you know: going into other subreddits and downvoting everything makes us look like assholes and is part of the reason people dismiss us. You're making our lives more difficult.\n\nInstead, challenge with questions, start discussions, and honestly examine any evidence provided. The guy posted four peer-reviewed articles that were all downvoted to oblivion without a single reply. That's disgraceful and so totally anti-reddiquette that it makes kittens cry. The least you can do is let him know why you're downvoting. 1348946407 +Are they talking about supporting mitochondria? I have no idea if that would do anything. 1303267028 +This would help; however, our biggest barrier in the solar market is Chinese competition. The Chinese can make solar panels just as good as the ones that we make for far less money. Without government subsidies, we simply can't compete. 1343605407 +Agreed.\nSomeone posted links for an old english UFO documentary series recently and it was far better.\n"UFO's - The Hard Evidence" its on youtube etc.\nUFO Hunters pisses me off with their cardboard cutout personality hosts and ridiculous dramatics. 1326937785 +"The clock was broken", that's the most obvious explanation ever. Didn't they check that first? 1330099711 +The trick of memory factor is not too much of an issue when the memory is fresh. But as time goes on, you don't remember the events exactly as they occurred. And eventually you are remembering the story of the event, not the event itself. 1327085886 +I really shouldn't have read this... 1348419656 +Doesn't that have to do with how they shake or something? 1323905897 +You don't get motion sick by turning 360 degrees every 24 hours. 1330030126 +ummm ... the point of the comic is that lots of normal environmentally friendly policies have tons of additional benefits that are on their own beneficial (although they might be hard to quantify economically in a piecemeal basis and that makes them difficult to achieve). So, even if climate change were a great big scientific hoax, it would still be a good thing to pursue more environmentally friendly policies -- but we're not. 1335282485 +enjoyed watching that. would be interesting for him to be in the same room as story musgrave, edgar mitchell and gordon cooper discussing this topic. 1351365827 +What's the 333 guy? 1335800217 +Pretty much exactly like that- it's just a portion of the circle that has a willful mental block about being skeptical on some areas. And for some people it's not religion- they'll be skeptical about everything except ghosts, or UFOs, or psychics. And we're willing to call those people out as being silly, but for some reason letting people be skeptical about everything *except* religion is seen as something normal? There's nothing special about religion. 1324475555 +I hope so too, although she is battling an illness that may make it impossible :( 1348152589 +Have a look at this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVDdjLQkUV8\n\nAlso, what reason should the government have to crash "something" into the pentagon? WTC would have been more than enough. 1309790467 +Thank you for asking! 1291419281 +>The continuation of our species will come from luck, not from skill or education...\n\nWOW. I guess you believe it would have been better if we never developed agriculture. 1313658669 +Incredibly irresponsible skit for cheap laughs :/ People usually don't know the difference between methyl and ethyl mercury - [Unlike methylmercury, ethylmercury has not been found to bioaccumulate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylmercury). 1316716835 +I've been hearing a lot about BEK's lately. What seems to horrify me more than if I ever encounter them is what if someone I know is none the wiser and lets them in? From every encounter I've read about, the "victim" has known otherwise with a sense of dread, but what if? 1328734502 +simple reflection. nothing paranormal. 1341874885 +The best rule to live by with thinking about miracle products is 'If it sounds to good to be true it probably is'.\n\n I always ask myself 'If this could do all that it claims wouldn't that be headline news?' or 'Where's the proof?' and anecdotes and biased studies (funded by the person that made it usually) won't cut it it. 1343747244 +No different than an Onion article. 1328910719 +Really fascinating stuff; thanks for sharing.\n\nIf you can remember, can you tell me more of the things that the computer was "saying" to you? And, if possible, what exactly it said to inspire your normally skeptical mother to unplug it?\n\nAlso: what was so frightening about what the ghost box had to say? 1329035549 +Doesnt do much good when they come from backwards ass regions where willful ignorance is a virtue. Vote all you want, they will still elected these asshats. 1353508560 +Woo man living in Houston. Shit like this is why we cannot have nice things. I am all up for alternative research, but this is exactly what can go wrong when you have blind faith and are desparate for help. Let me know if there is anything I can to help out against dr. Dickless. 1322606627 +Cool! Thanks for sharing, and keep us updated :) 1349475488 +Well, I believe a normally astute person would guess the stickers were a tidy act of vandalism done for a purpose pretty much right away. That astute person, however, may never have heard about homeopathic medicine's usefulness or lack thereof.. Like me until I was 33. So in that way, I think they could educate. \n\n>they do make things harder for store employees who have nothing to do with policy or purchasing\n\nTrue, but considering that I believe that it can educate a person about medicine, and therefore has a chance of saving a life, it's totally worth some guy having to take a sticker off of 20 boxes.\n\n\n\n\n 1331143276 +I really don't think you're well versed on the intricacies of ancient architecture. But, I don't expect you to be. Their alignment to true north, the perfect way in which stones weighing several tones(with thousands of them put together with such precision) These types of things make me doubt their culture understood how to do this alone, given the tools they had, but I suppose it's possible. They could have had a few brilliant men creating the plans, which also wouldn't be too surprising given we do know of an ancient egyptian who was able to do tests to find the approximate circumference of the earth(and that the earth was round... even that's pretty impressive given their lack of technology) ... to me the entire idea seems ridiculous no matter which way you look at it, whether it was them or outside help seems equally absurd to me given all I've read about their cultures. \n\n& your statement about our culture says nothing about the way other cultures would work. It doesn't account for possible changes in the moral zeitgeist, which has happened several times throughout history. You can't assume all intelligent life would be like ours. In fact, given the constant changes in the moral zeigeist throughout our history I doubt we'll be arguing about the gays or other idiotic things of that nature within 50 years from now given the way humanity seems to be changing now. \n\nUltimately you seem to assume far too much about our future or culture alien to our planet just because of how our current culture acts. We got off our asses to go to the moon, and I'm sure there were plenty of people like you 60 years ago who would say that could never happen. \n\n& as far as evidence goes, each person quantifies evidence differently. Especially when it comes to first person accounts. I don't believe in god, but say somebody was convinced they saw god, it wouldn't mean anything to me, but it would to them. \n\nBut yes, I'd still just say it's possible alien encounters to our planet is possible. More possible than the existence of god. Off my head I'd give the idea a 35-40 % chance of having occurred. I'd probably give the existence of a god as described in most religions a .05-.5% chance of existing. \nI mean, nothing is completely certain. Our own perceptions are very flawed. Nobody who's philosophically minded would say we know anything with absolute certainty. We go off of what we think is most likely, given our standards of evidence, what we believe to be true, etc. 1324947637 +Shame there is such a big disconnect there. I suppose that's why I am a terrible vegan (as in, in practice not a vegan at all), because I try so hard to be practical and put effort where it makes the most benefit...\n\n 1302544487 +As you remember,\n\nbut humans are horrible at remembering....he may have been filling your heads with crap more days than not and you just remember the enjoyable times. 1325194302 +You should read some books by Paul Ekman. I couldn't read body language before I did, now I can read it much better than those who can do it naturally. 1354870461 +Continental drift is pointless to consider over just 10-20 thousand years. If there is any truth to what TeddyJackEddy said, it would have to be a result of some dynamic drift of the magnetic field due to the chaos of a moving, molten core. I believe that there is fairly conclusive evidence that the poles do drift around and may periodically exchange magnetic polarity. The time scale for this kind of drift would be consistent with human civilization. I've never read into any of the alien conspiracy theories, but I've studied the dynamics of the Earth a lot in my free time and just wanted to comment based on what I know. 1282550927 +i watched it, "George" claims Rubber soul was release in 1967/ claims paul died in 67 yet is pointing to clues on albums from 65 and back. Interesting film, but total fabrication 1341074638 +http://news.techworld.com/security/3228198/obama-internet-kill-switch-plan-approved-by-us-senate/&ved=0CBIQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNGa7c93xCS9N7mGDUdqAwXp4rp50Q 1292279848 +His calm voice and calm attitude kind of gives it all away. Its a hoax 100%. 1335063904 +What I found amusing, or sad depending on your view, was that a naturopath used VAERS data at all, which is co-sponsored by the CDC and the FDA, both the evil empire according to naturopaths. Plus, in their analysis of the reports, there were only 34 deaths that could be confirmed, and none of them suggested, nor had any study to determine, any link to Gardasil. 1329145448 +Can we agree that, at very least, the theory sounds *plausible*? At least that it can cure a good handful of things. It may not be true, but it at least doesn't require a suspension of understanding of physics or chemistry to accept. 1291161110 +Just curious... Did it stop suddenly, or did you just gradually stop noticing it? Did you get the sense that you were required to do something by some force? 1343027377 +"It did." 1351272708 +I agree. The title had me fooled into thinking someone posted non-skeptical content about "toxins" and natural crap. 1343959664 +The thing is though, unlike cave men, we have a part of the brain to handle social activity. that part of the brain grew in us. We Evolved!\n\nIf people time traveled from a distant future, humans right now can handle it much better than humans back then. \n\nAnd with the auctions, did you ever think that they're might be more than one kind of alien race interacting with us? Maybe they don't agree on everything and one race is trying for a more diplomatic approach.\n\nbut yes. I see your speculation. 1316329017 +Jesus christ the downvote brigade came down in full on rugtoad. \n\nI for one would like to thank you and the others who contributed to an interesting debate. 1346680057 +I remember at the time I saw it I was satisfied it was not part of the clean-up (location stories up before cranes were even there to get that high ect) I have to get a refresher though it's been a while. 1263096384 +> demonetization of corn-syrup\n\nAuto-correct is broken; it's actually more readable to see a misspelled version of 'demonization' than to see the wrong word entirely.\n\nI don't know if this is something we can fix while keeping the idea of auto-correct. 1329529583 +Wellll....\n\nTo be fair, we *have* to consume. If you didn't consume, where would everything you use to live come from? I, for one, live in an apartment in a city. I can't grow my own food. So I have to be a consumer simply to continue surviving.\n\nWe recognize a problem. We then ask, "What do we do to fix it?" Since we have to consume, the question becomes, "What can I consume to mitigate the problem?" 1347151042 +One time I woke up in the middle of the night for seemingly no reason. I wasn't startled nor did I need to use the bathroom. Instead, I just had the urge to open my eyes and "stop sleeping". If that wasn't weird enough, when I did wake up, I was staring directly at the opposite wall where, what seemed to be a man, stood in the corner. He was completely dark and lacked any defining features (much like OP's photo). He then just slowly faded into the background. Eventually, I just figured it was my mind playing tricks on me and went back to bed. 1339557604 +I have tried a raw food diet and can say that it does have health benefits but not necessarily for the reasons that they claim. As a diet it's restricted to eating primarily vegetables which are nutrient rich. You cut out things like meat and fats that go along with meat as well as processed foods and refined sugars and you're certainly going to have health benefits cause your body will be working less to digest your food. But really all you need to do is eat a nutrient rich diet and restrict things in your diet that make your body work hard to process. 1322373813 +I felt sleep paralysis once and the dream I had just finished having was very vivid. It seems the two go together... 1353504280 +Rogan talks about it a lot in his podcast, if that's what you're referring to. I've used it almost exclusively in the context of preparing for and recovering from ecstasy use, but in my experience 5-HTP does as advertised. 1308672867 +And if I eat brains I will become smarter. 1289816213 +I agree.. fascinating story but I keep wondering where they got the hair. I want to believe its true but I'd love if the article explained where the hair came from as well 1353951065 +We could be moderately dangerous on our own turf, though. Even a much more advanced intelligence might need to keep its guard up when near or in our atmosphere, in close proximity to modern human weaponry. 1336002847 +How are 'frequencies' an ingredient? How do you put those into a toothpaste? 1297189099 + Pay no attention to this. This may appear to be evidence but it's not. Your eyes are mistaken. UFO's are bullshit. /sarcasm. 1252247960 +Great pasta find...I love this. 1348411665 +It's saddening that so many people I know who are otherwise smart, rational skeptics still fail to apply those same reasoning skills to the AGW issue. Too often they are willing to let the science be drowned out by talking points--for crying out loud, ClimateGate gets raised in nearly every AGW discussion I have, despite the fact that informed persons know with some certainty that it was in fact much ado about nothing (what with the numerous investigations, the fact that each and every seemingly-concerning pull-quote makes perfect sense in context, and the fact that the entire smash remains available for anyone to confirm as much for themselves). 1342798295 +The only possible thrill would come from the knowledge that the ax murderer had not been removed yet. 1351735076 +As a skeptic you must understand that people are terrible witnesses. Is a firefighter incapable of being mistaken, is it possible that they misinterpreted the situation. We expect to find molten aluminum at a fire of that magnitude, and as far as I am aware, there have been no lumps of re-solidified steel pulled for the rubble. 1340804863 +If Jaime Maussan is involved, then I guess we can call it a hoax. Being involved on so many hoaxes in the past, has destroyed any credibility that this guy may have had. 1336581400 +I'm an evolutionist, and I'm not an absolute determinist. I think it's a false dichotomy to posit that the existence of cause and effect negates the possibility of choice altogether. Many determinists disagree with me... but all I've heard in retort is bare assertion. \n\nWe don't have a grand unified theory of physics yet, so to state that chance can't give way to choice based on the mere existence of chemical cause and effect ... well, it's quite simply an unproven hypothesis that doesn't hold much weight considering the circumstances.\n\nBut I will agree that genetics has *much* to do with *why* we act certain ways... Evolutionary psychology explains quite a lot that traditional psych just can't touch.... I just don't think it means we have no control over our actions. After all, it would be an evolutionary disadvantage to not have such control. 1305801490 +I have to say, I was very much not believing this when I saw it. The picture showed all the "leaves" on a plane, hardly a difference would be noticed and none theoretically than a flat plane (beside heating differences)... and I was left wondering what was meant by the "Fibonacci" structure, at this I did not investigate further as information was too scarce. \n\nI cannot imaging any fixed structure being better than a flat plane... but I am not all knowing and could not write it off completely without more investigation.\n\nAs mentioned in the blog... power was incorrectly measure. Power is quite a hard thing to get a correct measurement on especially if one has the arrays only available on different days, one has to verify the solar energy is the same magnitude and direction( a control would be necessary to normalize power, but this too has issues). Even if the same arrays are available on the same day the differences in the solar panels themselves must be investigated somehow. \n\nA small scale investigation could get around this using artificial light... but in that case the light is not coming in from a long distance and has different characteristics from sunlight.\n\n\nAlso, some complicated structure is going to add more cost in all likelihood than more solar panels. This is the same idea with solar panels that move with the sun. Not too valuable except in some specific cases, but they do make more energy per area.\n\n 1313987806 +I thought that polygraphs were used in head games during an interrogation, not to actually determine the truth.\n\n\nSo it'd go like this:\n\nInterrogating cop: So, where were you on the night in question?\n\nSuspect:(Lying) I was at home, ordering a pizza!\n\nInterrogator, thinking the suspect is lying: (looks at the polygraph, which hasn't made any detection or reading) Are you sure? I've got a reading on the polygraph saying you're lying.\n\nSuspect: Ok ok! I did it!\n\n\nNot exactly ethical, but not really relying on the polygraph either. 1351360134 +Awesome, then don't also mock her. 1342459075 +They are in a trance and are not thinking about the moment. 1307531541 +My boyfriend is from Pennsylvania and his grandfather was committed to Byberry. Isn't it torn down now though? 1340897892 +I agree that all said subjects are worthy of skepticism; I'd like to see skeptics tackle the ideas I was referencing for my own intellectual betterment. I'm convinced that more traditional skeptic subjects are bullshit--and I'm convinced that Wilbur is a dip shit--but string theory and evolutionary psychology (which is at the moment controversially pseudoscientific because there's no way to obtain the evidence to determine its accuracy) as well as Wilbur's bullshit are more interesting to me than psychics. \n\nPS: Rock and Roll indeed. (The reason I hate Led Zeppelin is because they blatantly steal ideas from true rock and roll artists and don't give credit where credit is due...plus I can't stand the shitty, cock-oriented lyrics.) 1301523191 +I know it's been suggested as a method of controlling ADHD, and seems to work for other people I know. As I understand it, you're supposed to write down what you need to do so you don't have to memorize it, which is something that has been encouraged for years. Anyone else had a mandatory planner in high school? Problem comes when you can't find the paper with your to do list. 1289855889 +Jeez, don't burst a blood vessel. It's not like I said, "there ought to be a law." 1286841753 +Yeah, well, I missed that official declaration. It's interesting that this keeps coming up again, over and over. 1328934106 +[Second Video same craft further camera distance ](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BwS4zwOnpc&feature=related) 1296481019 +that's the most interesting and terrifying thing i've read in ages! 1355401336 +I just think its wrong and unnatural to be honest. Not to mention gross. I don't hate gay people... I just hate the fact that they're gay. 1320569018 +Wait - isn't this just brilliant trolling? This is how you get people who believe in crazy pseudoscience to start learning crazy actual science. Right? 1307153317 +I think we have a new meme here! 1292528991 +It's fake, there's a comp line around it all the time and it's movement is bad, it doesn't change perspective tothe camera once and the fade in the cloud is just pathetic.\n\nBlatant fake. 1341362568 +Well maybe there is a way to go faster than the speed of light. 1345053403 +I'm not excusing anything, I am just not threatened by the idea so I think about it with a very open mind. I don't take some witness story as fact but I do think that when you take a billions of solar systems in billions of galaxies then anything that can happen will happen. If it is possible to rapidly traverse from solar system to solar system using technology that we are not aware of then there is most likely many species using that technology is many different applications.\n\nIf it takes 80% of a planets sum total resources to raise a civilization advanced enough to colonize space, then any planet that chose to squander resources fighting among themselves would most likely collapse due to lack of resources. If a civilization was benevolent and beyond violence and warfare and everything they did was to continually advance technology for the better of their species, then they would have the best chance. If they made that leap to near infinite resources due to space colonization, then I would think they would continue flourishing technologically and spiritually. \n\nI'm sure they would think very carefully before directly interfering in an uncontacted planet in any way, especially a violent species like humans who are capable of unleashing so much destruction on one another. I'm also sure they would be very interested from both a scientific and political perspective possibly even abducting us in the least invasive way they can figure out. Besides biological curiosity I would think they would be very interested to know just how long until we are cruising around space with nuclear bombs. It is possible they would even use some method to gather information on us.\n\n\n If I imagine what human's would do if we were that advanced, I think it would be similar to how we treat uncontacted tribes in the amazon.\n\nOr thinking about it from Dr Tysons perspective, its all impossible and could never happen so don't waste your time, wow that really takes a brilliant insightful scientific mind. \n\nI know he want's some hardcore evidence, but instead of picking apart cletus the slack jawed yokels alien abduction account, maybe he could take a look at some radar evidence of things moving thousands of miles an hour confirmed by both ground and air. If he wants that information, he could contact the disclosure project and I'm sure they would be thrilled to provide it. 1312175483 +Not making fun of you but i read Adage out loud and it just made me happy/laugh and i can't see how you got that typo. :P\n\nI won't fight you with that statement. It just looks so bad why would someone want to believe it, ya know? If i showed my dad this he'd just laugh. Plus if you keep reading theres a whole bunch of drama with James Carlson. \n\nDo you happen to have any really good articles (more articles) on UFO and Nuclear Test sites? 1326230021 +That's not very skeptical of them. 1306265251 +I'm hoping they have detected chlorophyll. 1291228861 +it also ever so slightly moves out of sync the back two characters its just simply a mask 1354212960 +Yeah, you're pretty much dead on, no pun intended. In retrospect, my major problem was with the "success" of the writing. 1303847904 +I had to do a project for school and ended up interviewing a friend of a friend that is Amish, Mr. Miller. He was a cabinet maker and had a phone in his shop. I called at a designated time one night to conduct part of the interview and the gentleman's young son (maybe 7 or 8 years old) answered the phone. I said 'hello', introduced myself, and asked if I could speak to his father. "Yes, one moment please." *click* Adorable little shit hung up on me. I called back, and Mr. Miller answered the phone laughing, and explained that his son had begged to be the one who picked up. Since they had been trying to give him more duties around the shop, Mr. Miller agreed, and when the time came for his telephone debut, the kid panicked and forgot the most important part. 1307065569 +Your mom's sacred asshole. 1332373219 +They are probably trying to study us 1356104366 +Less - your parents might see the letter and you'd get what you wanted anyway. Here you just end up on a spam list. 1348500594 +Like several others have said, the public library is a great place to start. What you absolutely must do however, is ASK the reference librarians to help you. They are experts at finding information, so even if they don't know the answer, the odds are they'll know where to look or who else to ask. 1323749450 +Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. \nThe claims made in the thrive video is a projected conjecture. It appears like Foster Gamble found scattered information and then put them together and created a possible scenario that could happen. It is not a factual conclusion of events to occur but is one of many possibilities. \nJust for fun, let me give you one possible string of events that may occur just like the way Foster Gamble did.. \n\n"The power elite is hiding alternative energy sources and are building a huge spaceship so they can travel to a distant earth like planet because earth is going to explode in December 21 2012. \nAs a proof, i am going to give you the huge UFOs seen near the sun and the UFOs seen here on earth and the new earth like planets discovered in the last few months. The UFOs we see are nothing more than the test vehicles that the power elite is testing to\nuse in their new planet and huge UFO near the sun is the one they will use to tarvel to their new planet." \nNow, if i make a video claiming the above, would you not ask me for a solid proof? Given the fact that i used the same parameters in my claim(like the power elite and the UFOs ) like Foster Gamble. \nNow i know in my heart that my claim is a joke because i just made that shit up. Yet, i gave you a totally new possibility just like Foster Gamble did using the same parameters that he used. \n\nHere is my arguement. \nLook in the history, did anyone ever survive the greed for power? May be for a period of time but then they were either killed or ousted and someone else took their place. \nThe powerful elite is not just one person but a group of families. How in the world are they going to maintain a peaceful accord when their main goal is power. If they don't want to share the power now, what makes you think they will share it among themselves after world domination? \nI am sure the elites are smart enough to know this. \n \nMy goal is not to disprove or discredit the thrive movement. I am just simply asking the questions because, to me, thrive movement is presenting the claims as the factual road to the future. It is not, just like i said before, it is one of the many possibilities.. \n\nThanks for link. I will check it out sometime today.. 1338475971 +Yep. I don't intend to "debunk" these posts, only offer rational possibilities. 1352396232 +Academic Tone = Instant Cred! 1351637784 +Shitting in a bank, what an excellent protest.... cheers for that. :) 1337287725 +Based on a study I just made up and pulled out of my ass, young people tend to drink way too much on their birthdays. That could probably account for some increase in risk of death. 1339688935 +Depends on the product. Potato chips shaped like Jesus: sure. Supplement that claims to cure something: fuck no. 1313258769 +"radiation"\n\nWhy was this person allowed to be anywhere near patients? 1343258261 +Look up "deja reve," which means "already dreamed." It expresses the fact that dreams can foresee the future. Happened to me today. My gf talked about calling a friend for something, and it triggered the memory of the dream. Some people would call it deja vu, because as I was living the scene I felt like I'd seen it before, but I study dreams and am familiar with deja reve, so I recognized what was happening. 1354998748 +having just watched that video (at last, i remembered it was there) i think it's weird. especially the doors. 1316551200 +Rock is as dead as Classical or Jazz or Blues. It may be overshadowed by other genres, but that's excepted. That happens all the time. The most popular genre of a time and region change from generation to generation. Just because a genre isn't at the top doesn't mean it's dead or even dying. Rock (and all it's different branches) has come really far and will keep going further. 1329072335 +testimonials are not evidence. one of the papers the website links to is about lasers being applied directly to the spinal chords of rats... 1291694808 +ummm, what are you doing in the skeptic sub-reddit? 1255742160 +There have been celebrity kids who have died due to their kooky ideas, for example Jett Travolta. Unfortunately the media then views this as a shocking tragedy without looking into the causes. 1314885423 +Neither of my grandparents or great Grandparents were dead at that time. So for this to be true, it would have to relatives I've never met. 1314815348 +I've had eczema since I was 2 years old and no method, treatment, or cream has worked better. \nI use vitamin E oil and lather it all over my body before stepping into this home sauna that my mom got from some Chinese appliance store. It helps so much AND its pain free. It opens my pores, cleanses, and moisturizes at the same time. I usually do it for 15-30 minutes depending on the severity. I do it for a few days consecutively when I need to. Afterwards, I jump in the shower to just rinse off and then apply vitamin E oil. \nI know what its like to lose sleep because of eczema so I hope this helps ! 1302424634 +Are you lost? 1355849534 +Smartphone app? Basically you submit an "instance" to a universal feed, and areas in the world with loads of "instances" in the last x minutes will be displayed via a heatmap synced to the universal feed.\n\n\nIf you guys like this, then I'll forward this to an Android guy I know. 1353423508 +He also said that these ET's are alot better liars than humans so stop making assumptions. Jesus, you people are kids. 1340336582 +Well, THAT I must agree with, too! 1344796507 +Heck yeah! This show has the best material on the subject out there. I've been listening to it for years. 1354155381 +I enjoy Rogan's podcast and listen to it pretty much every day. He rarely has a clue what he is talking about though. Especially when talking about science, economics and politics. 1337289564 +And it's why I thought the FAA would allow electronics, because selling access to the internal network would be a boon to the cash-hungry airlines. 1356930104 +I can't remember, he might not have for that one. He does mention his sources for a lot of stuff though so I can't remember. 1349961128 +dude same thing happens to me, recently while i was driving. it only happens when i'm tired 1333405342 +"Just angry at god" is not the only reason a non-skeptical person might not believe in a deity. 1323799012 +Indeed. Well, when they're smart enough to "disprove Einstein's Relativity, solve the problems with the Le Sage graviton theory and reveal subatomic faster-than-light spheritons" that are backed by "overwhelming scientific evidence" they are, anyway. <:-) 1272969525 +So I'd like to know--should these quacks be jailed/sued into oblivion for this kind of thing, or is it a simple matter of darwinian punishment for being too dumb to go to a real doctor? 1240873328 +This is a known urban legend. Not exactly paranormal. 1317682775 +I don't know. My headphones supposedly have a 5-35,000hz frequency response. Whether that's true, I have no idea. Perhaps you are right and output drops significantly below 20-30hz.\n\nBeyer-dynamic dt-770 pros 1287354247 +I just got done watching an episode where they try to debunk spiraling rods or "sky fish." Rather than just setting up a camera to see if bugs are flying in front of it, they sit there and throw bugs in front of the camera. \n\nIn another episode, there was a swing that would apparently swing on it's own. Seems like the easiest way to see if it's wind, they could set up a tent around it and wait to see if it moves. Instead, they put a tent around it, and BLOW IT WITH FANS! \n\nThey spend more time trying to recreate, rather than just debunk. I like the recreation, but they should debunk first to actually rule out paranormal. 1335818830 +Yes, this is horrible. Additionally, what's that about getting a x-ray? Chiropractic "subluxations" don't show up on x-ray. The obvious reason for this is that they don't exist, but a chiro will come up with some nonsense to explain that away. 1344759338 +that is so WEIRD!!! 1329185720 +I think it's already in r/Portland but it doesn't look like it's made it into r/science so I'll post it! Thanks for the heads up. 1340680827 +That's not exactly how it works. 1321415331 +And to add a bit more, they are all over Amazon. A quick search brings up several handheld camcorders that do IR nightvision under $200.\n\nThis one might suit your needs: http://www.amazon.com/DNV900HD-Definition-Digital-Camcorder-Touchscreen/dp/B0040KYX8G/ref=sr_1_2?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1345511014&sr=1-2&keywords=night+vision+camcorder 1345511457 +*Dead* tired, I see what you did there. 1320283661 +I started reading that, but then...\n\n"-1 x -1 = -1"\n\nnope.avi 1324334559 +For America! 1313403221 +So if you pose nude you forfeit your humanity and right not to be harassased?\n\nNo. 1310467253 +You mean she, right?\nAnd, damn, that is the best kind of correct... 1350503810 +My grandfather was a moderately successful chiropractor. Based on my experience with chiropractic I think it's perfectly fine to see them if you suffer from back or neck pain and traditional medicine has been unable to cure you. For example, if you hurt your back lifting weights you should go see an MD first to make sure there's nothing seriously wrong with you. if the MD is unable to relieve the pain then seeking help from a chiropractor is fine. Some MDs will even recommend it and most insurance plans will pay a percentage of the chiropractor visit. Don't go to the chiropractor expecting to be cured of anything else despite the crazy claims some of them make. There is no credible evidence that spinal manipulation can cure disease. 1342799397 +The ones to which I'm referring are wonderful people and caretakers, just not as medically-savvy as I'd initially assumed. 1308182439 +Would be nice as to why its getting thumbed down. 1328146045 +That's bullcrap. 1290586342 +no ass, i meant that it's like Columbus ignoring the new world cause he forgot to pack a lunch and headed back home after he sees shore. All i am saying is that they moved it purposely which is frustrating. 1296859799 +Wrong. Vaccines and therma flu are proven to be extremely effective. 1290122139 +I see empathy runs very shallow in your mind. 1317904577 +Ha! Thanks for bringing that to our attention. You're right, that's pretty embarrassing for LH to have left that cite in there after you let them know. That said, the other source they link to is legit and lends at least some (extremely minimal) support to the claim they're making. But I agree that a relatively high-profile site like that should have more to go on than that, or at least make it very clear how shaky the foundations are for what they're saying. The article should probably be removed. 1326234439 +To me, there's still a difference between "we might as well take this money since somebody will be making it and lord knows we need it" and "I am now investing funds in the gentle art of placental cookery for the betterment of all Wootopia." Not saying that's where the line is for everyone, just saying that's where it's looking like it is for me. 1283822437 +Haha, this can go on forever but...\n\nNeuroendocrine tumor = fatal\n\nNeuroendocrine tumor + medical treatment= not fatal\n\nAlternative medicine = (can be fatal, but we are assuming in this case is did nothing and was inert) not fatal\n\nAlternative medicine is like adding 0 to the equation. I don't know what kind of alt med Steve was into but let's say you had pancreatic cancer and only took homeopathic pills. The homeopathic stuff didn't kill you, the cancer did.\n\nThe neutral point isn't cancer + medical treatment. It's just what would happen given cancer and doing nothing at all.\n 1318622161 +If they placed an ad that actually said "exceptional cold readers wanted", they'd probably get much better job applicants. 1318670308 +It was definately humanoid. One thing I didn't mention in the post was that it was shaped like a human around 5ft or so (which is my height). It wasn't an owl. I know that much. 1352073271 +>Dr Heneghan said his team could find no evidence to back up the company's claims and Puma declined to provide his research team with any studies to prove that their shoes can deliver on those claims.\n\nParticularly worrying! 1342695220 +Sorry for the slow reply. I had to go home and grab my intro philosophy of science book (What is this Thing Called Science?).\n\nBasically the argument is that Popper's description of science doesn't seem to include probabilities. Newtonian gravity is false is false is false. But we have still used it to put humans into orbit around the moon.\n\nWhen I say that in the Popperian view all scientific statements are false, it's that the Popperian view has seemed to focus on falsification, and that we can never say that a theory is true only that it has not yet been falsified.\n\nI still think that Popper's description of science is the best one for helping determine science from non-science though in that claims have to be falsifiable, but it is perhaps incomplete. 1334929731 +Thank you for the explanation. I've been researching ever since the incident as to what exactly could have happened, and this does make sense. As I skipped over the Vista generation I didn't know this mode existed.\n\nFor those who previously described similar functionality, providing the actual feature name instead of a vague description would have gone far. Said research period was spent trying to figure out what that was, and it yielded no results as all I had to go on was that description. 1347627287 +used to be that I vaguely disliked jimmy carr. Then i watched QI, then this. now i love the lil' guy, 1319084061 +text the number back and ask wtf 1332001139 +I don't think heuristics are a problem at all, standard computers can be programmed to use them.\n\nSelf, consciousness and agency are over in what Chalmer's dubbed the hard problem though, and yes I do find it hard to believe that a symbol manipulator could have consciousness, but I find ideas of consciousness being fundamental to reality much less likely. 1345761090 +agree i would be saying... Hey can someone else please try and record that.. Does everyone else see this... i would most likely ask the flight crew what it was and do they see that stuff all the time.. 1356749311 +You're looking at a tiny piece of the sky, the chances of something close to you crossing that small sector while you're looking at it are small. \n\nIt would be like bird watching with a pinhole camera.\n\nSpace telescopes observe a relatively small sector of the sky, they're not looking at the Earth, which would damage them: too much light. \n\nMost deep space telescopes work on different principles to terrestrial optical telescopes. They often use microwave, radio, x-ray, gamma, ultraviolet, and/or infra-red frequencies along with long exposure times. Objects would have to emit along those frequencies to show up, and be very still for long periods. \n\nTransient objects just show up as noise which is filtered out of the results. They aren't looking for small moving objects, of which there are many in space of a mundane nature.\n\nTelescopes that use the visual spectrum also usually employ very long exposure times, and in this case you won't get transient moving objects in those observations. \n\nAnd of course, you are presupposing that these objects would be visible, or emit some kind of radiation in space. This is a bit of an assumption. Unless you are looking at a bright celestial light source like the sun while an object transits it, you are not going to see that object at all in space. And you would have to know the time that this would occur. Easy with standard orbiting objects, but impossible with transients on unpredictable courses.\n\nSome UFOs appear to be very bright light sources in our atmosphere. We have no way of knowing if this is their behaviour in space, or, indeed, if they actually ever go into space. \n\nWe don't know what they are. \n\nIf you are a fan of the ET hypothesis, you have to speculate whether this is part of a propulsion mechanism, or that they want to be seen for some reason. Would such systems emit light while travelling in space? Would such craft even travel from point A to point B in space, rather than use some other exotic adaptation of physics such as wormholes? We are already making a lot of assumptions. \n\nA small, non-light emitting craft travelling in space would be invisible.\n\nSpace based cameras in satellites *do* pick up anomalous objects, but the veracity of these images are hotly contested. There are also many claims that since most of these devices are controlled by government agencies, the plebs will never get to see the important stuff they photograph anyway.\n\nThere *are* sightings by terrestrial astronomers, they just aren't publicised, for the same reasons you don't hear about sightings from pilots, which are hundreds of sightings every year. They don't want to report them, for obvious reasons. But, see bizology's comment. 1327723886 +Misleading thumbnail is misleading. 1330702392 +Misleading thumbnail is misleading. 1304371916 +Good call. I wasn't too keen on the idea, but that makes sense. Start it off by asking the kids "where were humans?" and tell them about how our ancestors were basically rodents. 1314953635 +I had a friend who is deep into conspiracy theories. She's not the same girl I met all those years ago :( 1334411648 +>Planets full of bronzed, healthy, clean-limbed individuals merrily prancing through their lives meant that the only doctors still in business were the psychiatrists - simply because no one had discovered a cure for the universe as a whole, or rather, the only one that did exist had been abolished by the medical doctors. 1344963235 +Maybe, but as for someone who currently "preaches" atheism, pretty much every week on his show, consistently, I think Maher is hard to beat as far as someone up on his soapbox. Other than, say, Richard Dawkins, but obviously that's why Dawkins apparently gave him accolades in the first place. 1335425093 +The amount of headlines with "may cure" or "some scientists say" is not making me want to subscribe to r/science 1346542326 +The placebo effect isn't going to cure cancer. A placebo may be all that's need to reduce pain or stress, or even illnesses that result from such things. But it's not going to help with cancer, where the DNA in a cell has been changed and the cells are reproducing themselves all over the place.\n\nAs for China, while living here, I've been told that cockroach faeces is good medicine... Superstitious beliefs about health are everywhere in China, and the medical research that has been coming out of China has regularly been really terrible. Hopefully it's something that is going to change though, because it's embarrassing for a country like China having their scientists producing papers that are often fundamentally flawed. 1342666165 +> The easiest example is, how would you leave your house?... I'm not talking about highways, I'm talking about the little streets right in your town.\n\nProbably the same way I do now, on a private gravel road that crosses my neighbors property that I split the cost to maintain. \n\nI accept that most people don't live surrounded by ranches so let's tackle new developments. When a developer puts in a new tract, they pay to put the roads in, those roads are sometimes then turned over to the city in other cases, the owners agree at the time of purchase the to pay a maintenance fee to a private organization that is responsible for maintaining them.\n\nThere are myriad ways you could handle it examples of most exist today in various locations.\n\nIn any case, most local roads are maintained by local government which most libertarians would be fine with. It's generally a minarchist movement (certainly in the case of the Libertarian Party) not an anarchist one although there are those as well.\n\n> I am aware that this is no end to libertarian examples where the market provides something that government currently does, but in almost every case, those alternatives suck.\n\nExample? I'm having a hard time coming up with an single example of a service provided by the government where a free market alternative, existing and operating in the same area, is not generally considered superior. \n\n 1343097799 +That's what they want you to think. 1286539662 +That's what they want you to think. 1288169481 +That's what they want you to think. 1291178209 +So these aliens can traverse interstellar space but they can only go to one place on Earth? 1332801214 +Yes, yes, try for the solipsism all you want. Is not conceited to acknowledge the fact that giving an area an exemption from critical examination just because it's an area you like is silly, and more than a little self delusional. You're right, skepticism SHOULD illuminate and clarify- and when you give special exemption to something, it no longer does that.\n\nUnless you really want to get bogged down into a rhetorical "but we should be skeptical about the use of skepticism" argument, pretty much everything you just posted was fluff with no point. 1324481779 +Tyvm! 1338220818 +Well this is what I'm thinking so far the base ball one could have easily been wind, and the rest of the videos are just by random people, with no one stepping outside or anything besides the video taper. Wouldn't a new cast, or something pick it up as well?\n\nJust my thought. 1327233889 +>This is the point most critics of Libertarianism seem to overlook. By the time we are aware enough to want to use our choice and free ourselves from the system we are already trapped by it.\n\nSuch would be the same in a Libertarian system, as well. It's the nature of reality, it seems, that Libertarians object to. 1343105335 +Who is the intended audience of this juvenile routine? It should work on the likes of the three women in the video, but not here. 1356133444 +How many scams base their arguments on glycoprotein binding? I think you can believe this one. 1340636949 +>It was promptly deleted.\n\nFigures, given your lack of tact there. 1295030826 +Anyone care to contact this person and solve the mystery for all of us? 1341355120 +Nope. Mexican and European mix. 1348401949 +Water intoxication is an acute condition, so amount of water drank over time has no relationship to water toxicity. Also 2.6 Gallons if water over the course of a standard 16 waking hour day, while absolutely a lot of water, is not a dangerous amount for someone with functioning kidneys. In fact people with chronic kidney stones are often encouraged to drink 1.5-2 Galling daily to continuously flush the kidneys (though they also have to make other dietary changes to prevent hyponatremia). Now 2.6 Gallons of water drank in a couple of hours (without significant exertion which would cause entirely different issues) is absolutely enough to create water intoxication though still not likely to cause water toxicity. \n\nIn fact, a person can drink between 15-20 liters (4-5.2 Gallons) per day, so long as that intake is done slowly over time (about 5 8oz glasses per hour) though that level would be pushing the kidney to its absolute maximum and if you had any kidney problems you would be in serious trouble. Generally the safe level of water over the course of a 24 hour period is considered to be 3.5 Gallons for a healthy person, but again this is not recommended as it will absolutely cause significant dilution of sodium, chloride, and potassium and potentially cause a medical concern. 1342155294 +When that happens, it will be in /r/news or /r/reddit or /r/worldnews or fucking /r/pics. The first post will be here, with 16 upvotes. 1315719170 +Terminator genes have never been used. What's to discuss about that? 1331366262 +I would agree with you, but for the fact that homeopaths do in fact consider the possibility that they could prescribe a remedy for birth control purposes, and other things besides. See the link I provided below. The homeopath proposes the "correct" way to prescribe homeopathic birth control. \n\nIf you think homeopathy can't get more absurd, go ahead and google "homeopathic TV emanations". Your welcome. 1334150203 +I think fawker meant that the OP could just have easily titled this as, "Jodie Foster donated over $200k to the SETI institute".\n\nAnyone who doesn't "get it" from that title isn't going to "get it" at all.\n\n 1313004886 +I'm bipolar and also an atheist. I can't tell you how many people (medical professionals included) have told me to find god. Usually along with medication but . . . \n\nIn recent years I've heard it more from nurses and other MHP's and less from MD's. \n\nI think this is probably the biggest reason I'm an "Angry Atheist" instead of just an atheist.\n 1339654570 +I have taken psych classes, that's how I know it's not a science. You may as well have said "For those who keep saying that reading chicken bones isn't a real science or is too embedded in ideology - I recommend you at least work your way through an intro chicken bone reading course such as this one from VOODOO U freely available online." 1337864915 +Other purported witnesses remain silent? :-\\ 1336326070 +I'm not sure what nanomagnetic means, but in this context the spirit walk was a guided hike in which the guide told them about the "spiritual" qualities of the surrounding landscape. By that I mean he made claims, likely based in Native American mythology, about the flora, fauna, geological features, etc. I'm going to her house in a few minutes, I'll ask them what it entailed specifically. 1327961883 +>I can't tell if you are making arguments or just have issues with the article. I would love to respond to some of this, but I have no idea what you want since you are criticizing not only the article, but skepticism as a whole.\n\nBoth. "Skepticism" as practiced by most people who wear the badge "skeptic" is one of credulously reinforcing dogma because anyone who wishes to research anything beyond the status quo is a charlatan. It's fucking tedious.\n\n>From what I can tell, you have a problem with the author wanting more standards and data gathering.\n\nI have a problem with the author attempting to pick apart a peer-reviewed study conducted through Beth Israel, Harvard Medical School and the department of bioethics at NIH because it doesn't preserve the dogma he values. Like much of "skeptical" literature, it's much, much less about investigating fraud and quacks than it is about burning heretics at the stake.\n\n>He calls for more in-depth tests\n\nHe doesn't call for more in-depth tests, he invalidates the whole of the study. His basic approach is to condemn the results because of what is said about them *in the press.* More than that, his method of invalidating the research is by saying "you don't understand what placebo effect means."\n\nThe link works if you come at it from [google.](http://www.google.com/search?q=ibs+demographics&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a)\n\n 1293569975 +HERE! [Above my desk](http://imgur.com/oflp6) 1336444495 +I unplugged my TV and cancelled my cable 5 years ago. It's a completely unnecessary insult that I was, for some reason, paying for. All the TV programming I want / need to watch comes through the web now for me. Anything I cant find on PBS' site has been uploaded to youtube within the day usually. The number of fantastically well done science documentaries on the BBC alone is more than enough to keep me sated for a very long time. I'm currently going through Michael Mosley's [History Of Surgery](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U917T7Y0Jkk). Like everything he's done for BBC Four, it's superlatively informative, in depth, and fascinating. I've given up virtually completely on American television with a few notable exceptions like Mythbusters. It's sad, but the almighty buck rules; and even shows like Nova, which I remember as being genuinely engaging and worthwhile in the 80's and 90's in my childhood, are now overly enamored with superfast cut edits, pointless CG effects and repeating the same damn tired story of 'the unexpected discovery of an obscure patent clerk in Switzerland' that you've heard billion goddamn times already. In summary: shoot your television. 1321594082 +Why is the gender ratio so skewed towards women when it comes to Deepak Chopra fan-dom?\n\nIrrelevant edit: Couldn't put my finger on who he sounds like, but then it hit me: King Julian as portrayed by Sasha Baron Cohen in Madagascar. 1319668211 +[Here's](http://www.post-polio.org/ir-usa.html) an example using Polio, a vaccine for which was developed in 1950. The top of the page is a little fucked up graphically for some reason, but halfway down the page is a table of the number of polio cases in the US by year. Up to the year 1950, the number of cases of polio is trending upwards. After the introduction of the polio vaccine, the number of cases steadily declines to the modern day, when there have been *no* cases in the last 5 or so years. For a sense of scale, in the 13 years before the development of the polio vaccine, there were over 220,000 reported cases in the US. in the 13 years from 1998-2006, there were 10 reported cases in the US. 1329520717 +Don't laugh, he's the wisest human to ever live on Earth according to the wisest human to ever live on Earth. 1346548660 +It may very well be paranormal, but it really just looks like an issue with the camera. Try taking the photo again from the same angle and see if it re-appears. \n 1320765650 +In fact, there is some evidence that using oreganol oil has anti-microbial effects that bacteria do not easily develop resistance to: Evidence for lack of acquisition of tolerance in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 14028 after exposure to subinhibitory amounts of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil and carvacrol.\nLuz Ida S, Gomes Neto NJ, Tavares AG, Nunes PC, Magnani M, de Souza EL.\nSource\nLaboratory of Food Microbiology, Department of Nutrition, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil.\n\nAbstract\nOvernight exposure of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium to sublethal amounts of Origanum vulgare essential oil (OV) and carvacrol (CAR) did not result in direct and cross-bacterial protection. Cells subcultured with increasing amounts of OV or CAR survived up to the MIC of either compound, revealing few significant changes in bacterial susceptibility. 1356589478 +I checked out the website at the bottom. The whole thing is a load of crap. I know so many people who eat soy products and are perfectly healthy, their children are too. In fact my own doctor and nutritionist recommend soy as a way of getting non fatty protein. While looking at the front page, they boasted of a diet comprised of a large amount of saturated fats. Last time I knew, those were bad for you. There was also a blog about how vitamin D was toxic. The body needs it to absorb calcium you douches. And this whole raw milk thing, there's a reason why it's pasteurized. People can get really sick from milk that's loaded with bacteria. If you want a high immune system, go play in the damn mud and leave sanitary food out of this. 1309492153 +Oh noes! Nazis invading our Internet, and posting material, sources and basic logic, for something we don't like. To the arms! 1356343342 +New theory after watching it a few times:\n\nIt looks like the sun starts to rise as the video goes on (watch the top left hand corner). Once the sun rises high enough, it illuminates an ice crystal closer to the shuttle-- this would also explain why it looks so bright compared to other objects in the background. \n\nThen the shuttle uses it's thrusters to perform some sort of maneuver causing the ice crystal to fly away -- possibly to re-position itself against the rising sun? Seems a bit more plausible. 1331319516 +it's bait, is what it is. Just forget about it. 1332290370 +i'm gonna go with fake. 1323228578 +Bonus points for providing high res PDFs for free.\nhttp://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/poster 1351964795 +Jesus, bro, taking him to Spellschwitz next time he makes a mistake?? 1340407642 +Some of the worse possible evidence you can have is eye-witness testimony, scientists have known this for years. It is very inaccurate that's why we rely on computers to take data because humans so often get it horribly wrong. Humans are awful evidence takers. Unfortunately, eye-witness testimony is some of the largest amount of evidence used in the court of law and in UFO cases. Any real scientists knows that eye-witness testimony is completely useless. The fact that it is even discussed as legitimate in the UFO community makes the whole study laughable. You need hard evidence, like a piece of alien craft or technology. Something you can stick under a microscope. A video that hasn't been CGI'd like 99.999% of videos I've seen out there. Pretty sure you can just click a button and "add UFO" to computer generated images these days. 1341368994 +Thank you for the insight. 1335724092 +I feel we are getting somewhere. I might even prefer your definition of free-will over my own after this. \n\nYes, the life form has those things so it has choice-free-will. Lets imagine that I tell you that you are that little virtual creature. And that by running the simulation on a faster computer I can tell you exactly what you are going to do. Obviously if I tell you then you can do something different (the input is changed) but if I don't, you have to do what is says. You are in a deterministic world. So you have a problem you have choice-free-will but everything you do can be predicted and known. You cannot really make a choice it just appears that way. Even knowing this you still cannot make a different choice. \n\nOne last example. In the same virtual world, lets say I have written down what you will do tomorrow. I'm not going to tell you what it is but I want you to do something else, something unexpected. If we are in a deterministic nothing you could do can break away from this. You will probably spend ages thinking about the most unlikely unexpected thing and do that yet it will be what was written down.\n\nLuckily this is only a thought experiment and the future state of the world is unknowable hence determinism-free-will doesn't really matter in day to day life. Hence we should use your definition of free-will. \n\nThis is what I tried to say in my first post on the subject. It doesn't matter if we have (deterministic) free will or not, at the very least we appear to be able to think and choose and the result is unknowable. 1274273516 +Xenu is in cahoots with the demons :) 1323727060 +I love how you are not sharp enough to catch my sarcasm, but you still feel the need to educate me. That is irony for you. 1340602220 +Read in Morgan Freeman's voice. 1355905821 +Well after paging through oodles of search results I found nothing absolutely nothing from a reputable source. Finally looked up the WP article and found this:\nhttp://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/calcium-full-story/index.html\n\nWith obviously nothing on your friend's claim... So that leaching stuff? Quite probably a single loony who writes a book and gets a whole lot of other loonies on the bandwagon, and real science finds it is to absurd to start to refute it.\n\nOne interesting fact though: In all studies I encountered none as far as I could see correlates for lactose intolerance (or tolerance for that matter). Although this is quite widespread amongst different ethnicities: see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactose_intolerance\n\nBesides that one interesting factoid: The dutch are high milk consumers *and* [the tallest people in the world...](http://www.wisegeek.com/which-country-has-the-tallest-people.htm) 1257427392 +Ah, so it was the media that blew it out of proportion? 1294537446 +I believe its the Yes Men 1305063185 +Is it just me or does the lion/cheetah seem photoshopped? I hate to be a skeptic, but still. 1311117227 +I was reading some of the comments in the website and someone mentioned that the intersection 39.798350°-105.­020570° where the ufos seem to be landing is actually a vacant field with a 30-foot compression. can anyone in the area confirm this? 1352501790 +This absolutely terrifies me. I wish I could read more about him, but there doesn't seem to be a lot out there. 1324520711 +I love this saying, it's a perfect analogy of why guys can sleep with many girls but not the other way around. 1328332659 +if you don't agree, thats all cool, and you may type your opinions/stance\n, but you crossed the line into assholery 1351152792 +"I don't know, so it must be Aliens." this kind of thinking kills the UFO communities credibility. 1312303455 +Yeah, when I first saw the pic my thought was "Wow, if Uri bent that he's managed to up his game a bit". His bent spoons are all of the single bend variety, as that's what you get when you use his techniques. If he were able to bend a spoon like that, well, that's like some Carrie level shit. 1331736189 +Whitaker's analysis of the research on antipsychotics is that there is evidence of some benefit when they are used in small amounts for a short time in the stabilization of a crisis, but that there is no evidence of long-term benefit.\nBut the short-term benefits have been mistaken for long-term solutions and, in fact, have been spun into the story that people need to stay on the meds for life - an assertion for which there is no scientific evidence whatsoever and in fact lots of contravening evidence.\nAnd so; many, many people are being put on dangerous and debilitating medications (albeit ones from which some people realize short-term benefit) on the basis of the hope that a short-term benefit will become a permanent fact.\nThis is the kind of behavior we typically warn people against, rather than force them to follow.\nAlso, given that the evidence is for short-term benefit, it does call into question the theories that are based on the medications' putative effect on a putative medical problem. I believe that the reason the medications are helpful in the short run is because they do help to get people out of a stress response - in which thinking does go awry - and into a state of physiological arousal that is more manageable, and in which the brain is more manageable. With that in mind I have often supported the use of antipsychotics in this way, though I do believe that in the right environment other approaches to managing stress are helpful and better in the long run. The research shows, I believe, that other approaches - while harder in the short run - have better long-term outcomes.\nSo, in my opinion, this is not anti-psychotic hysteria. This is careful attention to what produces the desired outcome. 1336308827 +Absolutely! Knowing how not to be fooled is also an education on how to fool people. We also learn how lucrative it is. You could even justify scamming people by blaming the victims.\n\nIf only I didn't have to live with myself... 1304013848 +*A surf board rack. \n\nIt is either a kuta lines rack or billabong, there are thousands of them in surf shops. If I remember they're called tiki. The reason it is blurred is because its worth around $4-8k and they didn't want it showing up on google images because of thieves. 1347413804 +Because you enjoy the process, I guess, or to play the social role of the pariah on this subreddit. Either way it's not adding much to the conversation.\n\nIf that isn't the case, you should be skeptical about your belief that questioning every possible assumption without discrimination is a good way to live, as well as your belief that doing this on this subreddit is a good use of everyone's time.\n\nThat sums up my position on the question. Have a nice day. 1328465514 +Sorry, where does that say he believes in homeopathy? 1325651260 +Did you see 9-11 on 9/11? o.O 1347988610 +OK, but don't you find anything weird in the sentence "Now if we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we could lower that by perhaps 10 or 15 percent"? \nI mean if anything new (better) vaccines should increase life expectancy (thus raising the population) 1318323920 +And so is December 22nd!\n\n\nIt's so exciting! 1354721306 +yup, like how those monks can take kicks to the nuts, and walk on coals. 1354675453 +Yeah! It's Dutch. \n\nIt's not easy to wake up. In the moment, it feels like the most strenuous act you've ever attempted to pull off. Once you wake up, it's almost as if you can finally breathe after being held underwater, against your will for an extended period of time. 1335378293 +Why wasn't this submitted to 'funny'? I needed that. 1328336400 +You have a knot, lactic acid, stiffness. You get a massage, it goes away.\n\nWhat exactly is science supposed to answer that common sense and reality does not? 1349508534 +5-HTP was introduced primarily as a substitute for L-Tryptophan when the FDA had it banned from the market. It is made from the extract of some bean and I did not tolerate it well and did not perform well. I do use Tryptophan for seretonin production and it works very well. It was taken off the market the same month SSRI's were introduced, which are selective seretonin reuptake inhibitors. Instead of helping your body make more seretonin, the SSRI's merely block it's reabsorption. How nice the best natural product for increasing seretonin supply was taken off the market just in time for Big Pharma. /conspiracy rant. 1308678847 +there will be talk of voting rights violation. and with how much voting fraud prevention laws are passed, I would be more likely to believe that. I won't blame the election on it but... it seems more likely that using an axe in place of a scalpel will cause more damage than the thing they tried to weed out. 1351298747 +Can we please not use "deniers"? They are anti-vaccination. When you say "deniers", you are leaving a reasoned argument and entering charged propaganda world. Words matter.\n\nRelated terms: "Climate denialist", etc 1328636663 +Doing more harm than good, around the world! 1322080593 +There was once where I was staring at a girl's boobs blankly. She was calling me a perve and I didn't hear her say it. Weird thing is that I wasn't thinking about anything (not even her boobs). 1352692127 +Yes, reddit's userbase is left leaning and pro-science. I don't mean to pigeonhole all of reddit, but I'm guessing that's the general slant here. So, yes, I would say reddit typically believes Global Warming is a real thing.\n\nDo you not believe Global Warming is a real thing? Because at this late date, the evidence appears to be very good, and believing the contrary seems to require that a lot of conspiracy theories be true. 1344355893 +>I suppose the magnet might break your "w" key.\n\n\n\nKind of a dealbreaker. 1321224418 +sometimes they are bug.\n 1352851936 +Mainstream "scientists" just want to hide the truth about the sun's diabetes repelling quantum waves. 1349324773 +If the point this "astrophysicist" was making is that light travels in a different speed in different direction, I'm pretty sure there was an experiment some 120 years ago that showed evidence otherwise. It's called the Michelson-Morley experiment, and it's taught even in the most basic undergrad astrophysics course. 1306338891 +People, when talking about the placebo effect, forget about its more effect cousin: regression to the mean. 1306868275 +Which parts of the event do you find suspicious? There are good rational explanations for nearly every anomaly bandied about by conspiracy theorists. \n\nIf you want to go deep into a skeptical analysis I recommend this book (and article): http://www.ottawaskeptics.org/topics/conspiracy-theories/228-reclaiming-history-by-vincent-bugliosi\n\nIf you're pressed for time, you can start with Bullshit!'s coverage of it, if you haven't already seen it: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=745248745546892501#\n\nAnd I really hope you're not relying on Oliver Stone's movie, they just plain made shit up in that movie. 1299079111 +interesting\n\nthis is as well\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MYCfq4uA7k&feature=related 1320814423 +The idea that our body is storing toxins that can be removed by fasting is neither biologically, nor rationally, sound. The only thing that the "detox diets" actually accomplish is filling the coffers of the charlatans who put out endless number of books and products to assist the marks in their quest to find the next fad that is going to make them feel better. Any benefits are simply the power of the placebo effect. 1298039161 +If I have that much power over you, maybe you should reconsider who's really in control of your life...you, or me? As I said before, I don't care if you don't believe me. This post is meant to attract anyone else who may have had this experience. Where else am I suppose to relate this story? It seems like you just want to be that person on the thread who uses his/her skepticism (yes, with a K, not a C, friend) to look cool, smart, and better than everyone else. I don't give a shit who you are, or who you think you are. And, I'm guessing that's a major theme throughout the majority of your petty life. 1332188962 +> But you are just claiming this out of whole cloth. You have no basis except "maybe it can happen". \n\nYeah, so what? He's making the claim it's impossible, it's on him to explain why.\n\n>It's been dead right on many of them as well.\n\nI don't disagree. As I thought I explained, I'm not trying to say these things ARE possible, just that there are potential avenues of possibility maybe possibly... that aren't addressed by the reasoning of "just because".\n\nYou can't just declare something impossible just "because". It's an unsupported claim.\n\n>>And I reject any pronouncement of "impossible because... it's just impossible" as a failure of understanding, clarity or imagination.\n\n> No one is saying that\n\nYeah, they were. Here's a quote from above that I responded to:\n\n**"God can't exist - because it's impossible. Ghosts can't exist - because they're impossible"**\n\n> And in the case of math, we've defined the language, so it is literally impossible for it to be defied without redefining the language\n\nI fully 100% understand this. No disagreement at all in the least. \n\nMy qualm was with the specification of what precisely was described as impossible. By just declaring something impossible flatly, there isn't enough context to understand the actual claim of what is impossible. 1320682598 +The farther we look back the crazier the truth sounds but the truth is there.\n\nWhat if they are watching us because we are their product? We don't really know because we don't consider it often enough.\n\nAlthough the pyramid formations on mars match ours precisely. Which is awesome because it gives us a little insight on how ahead they have been in technology.\n\nAlso....the INNER part of planets is never questioned. Think about that for a minute.\n\nIf you haven't seen the movie Prometheus please do. 1345523217 +I'm going to use that argument in future discussions. Ta! 1336148316 +OK, let's be more specific:\n\nDo YOU know whether or not Mosanto makes sure that non-GMO food is used with the control group? 1348622348 +And we're trying to change that. Just because you can't explain something doesn't mean you shouldn't try. \n\nThat doesn't change the fact that you're going against the rules of this subreddit. You will get banned for it and not by me. 1330635470 +Send them a mouldy orange. 1350171756 +Well that was an amazing success. 1326611170 +> Unless the person having it done digs pain it could hardly be considered massage-like.\n\n[Au contraire...](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhcJ4dWjlZM) 1316673487 +AFO is good, but they have a lot of known hoaxes/clearly non-ufos on there too. 1346249030 +I have to correct myself. Tsk tsk comparing Edison to Jobs. It should be the other way around. Jobs is perhaps the Edison of his field. They are both remembered as being ruthless in dealing with competition. 1350376184 +but a lot of what causes dental hygiene issues and cavities is the consumption of foods that humans where not adapted to eat and did not have wide access to before the agricultural revolution. Lesson here, we do weird things like brush teeth and use antiperspirants to off set the changes of human culture. 1301505720 +but a lot of what causes dental hygiene issues and cavities is the consumption of foods that humans where not adapted to eat and did not have wide access to before the agricultural revolution. Lesson here, we do weird things like brush teeth and use antiperspirants to off set the changes of human culture. 1301505745 +> Do people make you feel like an asshole for being a skeptic?\n\nMany have tried. All have failed. 1301239947 +Proceed... 1348066420 +Hmm just add humor and shake until the condescension precipitates out. 1347763025 +Round 2:\nhttp://change.gov/newsroom/entry/open_for_questions_round_two 1230663179 +>seems convinced that modern medicine is a giant conspiracy against pregnant women.\n\nThere isn't a pencil czar, pencil conspiracy, or central pencil authority and yet somehow multiple industries across different continents operate in such a way that all said and done we have #2 pencils in every classroom in the US. Even assuming that modern medicine is against pregnant women in some way, that isn't evidence of a conspiracy. On top of that, it is questionable that they are even against pregnant women to begin with. \n\n\n\n 1297580434 +Epidemiology is a murky science when exposure has a such widespread and relatively gradual onset to the point of ubiquity. In other words, controls is tough, analysis: bananas. 1278026806 +That's being generous. Most see the aura of a sucker giving them money. 1337141660 +SOME ANECDOTAL STATS FOR YOU:\n\n100% of vegans are vegans due to health reasons. i know this because I know one vegan.\n\nEDIT: Not saying you're wrong, just making a joke because I only know one vegan... 1346028390 +> Your equating belief and disbelief is an absolute false dichotomy, Disbelief is not an affirmative statement of anything save the lack of convincing evidence for the claim to be true. Without a priori reasons to believe something the most logical position is disbelief.\n\nI'd argue that's not the case at all, and I think the OP would agree. However, it may be dependent on different interpretations of "disbelief." I would not equate *disbelief* and *lack of belief*. The former implies rejecting a belief, while the latter implies just not having that belief. \n\nThey sound similar, so what's the difference?\n\nLack of belief does not stake a claim that the belief is false, only that there may not be enough support to accept that belief yet. This is similar to a scientific finding with inconclusive results -- you can't support the hypothesis, but you can't accept the null hypothesis either.\n\nDisbelief on the other hand stakes a claim that the belief is false. This is like accepting the null hypothesis if the hypothesis is not adequately supported. However, that line of thinking falls victim to the fallacy of argument from ignorance: ["absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_ignorance#Distinguishing_absence_of_evidence_from_evidence_of_absence). Therefore, the "default position" to a skeptical/scientific mind is not knowing... NOT rejecting the claim/belief.\n\nIt may be a matter of word choice. 1348559890 +you're getting downvotes because stainless steel and soap aren't the same. 1301448077 +Oh, that was good. At least I believe that it was. Upvote. 1296057725 +I also want to add the 1st time I saw DD it was on one of the movie channels somewhere in the middle of the movie and I lost it when I saw Frank. I thought maybe someone else had based the character's appearance on something they saw or read about.\n\nI appreciate your thoughts on this. 1342879038 +Nice. Well done my friend. 1332548136 +The girl is a friend of me and my wife. She works at a fairly large retail store in town. Anyway, the security guys there at night took some (admittedly poor, most likely from a cell phone) footage of a security tape that shows a breeze going through inside and the lights turning on. Another reason for the video being poor is that they were sent through text message to my wife. \n\nApparently this happens in the middle of the night although there are people there working the docks and stocking on the floor, but according to the second hand account from the friend, workers were not in the immediate area at the time.\n\nHere is the other vid of a different location in the same store. According to the friend neither of these rooms have direct access to the outside. This one was a bit creepier and better in my opinion, but it came out crappy (well, crappier) and choppy after uploading to YouTube.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rjm18hOgcY\n\n---\n\nI personally do not believe in ghosts at all, but I'm not smart enough to think of what sort of logical explanation there is for this. The breeze, sure, but the lights are definitely a strange coincidence (but obviously not difficult to flip a switch).\n\nI have no reason to edit these and would have no reason to suspect the friend from doing it either, although that's not to say the security guys did not, or that it's possibly some elaborate hoax by the night workers. I just thought it was interesting at the very least, and thought it would be nice to get other people's opinions on it.\n\n 1312603395 +I brought up Greenpeace as an example because they are a lobbying group much like the Heartland institude. The main point I was trying to (apparently unsuccessfully) convey was that it is well-known that Heartland lobbies against CO2 reductions and climate change alarmism and therefore I'm not really sure why this "leak" is news. An equally newsworthy piece would be that Greenpeace lobbies for renewable energy.\n\n> Keep in mind that AGW "skepticism" and creationism are bedfellows\n\nWow, if that's what you think then there's not much more to discuss. To be fair, I believe that AGW fits many of the parameters of a religion, so I suppose we're not that different (blind belief in authority, unfalsifiability, indulgences like carbon credits among others). 1329328646 +It is the same. Intelligent design was the word they tried to use after they used creationism, that also got shot down in courts for being the same shit. 1354500609 +> Modern buildings IRL don't collapse from fires.\n\nI don't think there are any other examples of buildings being soaked in jet fuel during a fire. 1314651231 +Oh, it wasn't mine. I just thought it was cool and then when I went to show it to my bf, I couldn't find it posted anywhere in Reddit. I could still access it through my initial comments though and found it on YouTube. 1356704106 +Sigh. Don't tell Boyfriend (he's a writer, too). You're right - and I should've known that (no, I wasn't thinking of allegory, I was just misusing analogy). Brb looking up what the difference between metaphor and simile is - again. 1341915002 +All talk, no action.... I'd pass if I were you. 1349490019 +This is a really neat story! It's always cool to read about things like this. Out of curiosity, do you remember anything about what the voices said, or what their personalities/dispositions were like? It's probably nothing, I was just curious about a similar experience of mine with two voices. 1355274391 +I don't but into the 'virtues of organic food,' but the peaches at the local woo store are the size of your head! I don't buy it because it's organic, but because it's better quality produce. On the other hand, I am quite conflicted buying peaches at 1.50 each in a store that sells homeopathic bullshit and offers astrology consultations in the back room. If I had principles I might stop shopping there but its SO DAMN GOOD! 1248891807 +> Well since people who believe in a soul think that it isn't a part of our universe, if they're right then there needs to be no physical process. \n\nThen how does it affect us. Look at what Mantipath wrote [here](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/m1kjt/for_the_record_psychic_allison_dubois_was/c2xj1fi). Basically, either the soul can affect physical objects or it can't. If it can't, then we couldn't have souls because souls wouldn't be able to affect us since we are just meat popsicles. If it can, then there is very likely something there we can measure and all we have to do is find it and measure it.\n\nBut we haven't found _anything_ measurable that cannot be explained even if souls don't exist. 1320692512 +Bertrand, you are one of those folks gifted with great certainty. Most of the rest of us are always wondering. Yep, they're particles ( or waves, if you construct the experiment correctly ). Yep, the observer can be a machine. But it always comes back to some perceiving 'thing'.\n\nI don't know how to construct an experiment to carry this to some falsification or corroboration. If I did, I'd win a Nobel Prize. If you can, you could win one, too. 1241239188 +It's a shame more skeptics aren't libertarian or at least libertarian leaning. 1313541796 +See my response to galtthedestroyer in this thread. \n\nAlso, see this study: [Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies evaluating the association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease](http://www.ajcn.org/content/early/2010/01/13/ajcn.2009.27725.abstract?papetoc)\n\n>Conclusions: A meta-analysis of prospective epidemiologic studies showed that there is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CHD or CVD. More data are needed to elucidate whether CVD risks are likely to be influenced by the specific nutrients used to replace saturated fat.\n\nNote that the study deals with saturated fat intake, not cholesterol intake, because sat fat tends to increase total cholesterol levels. (Eating cholesterol does not tend to significantly increase total serum cholesterol levels.)\n\nThe authors followed up with a study demonstrating that lowering saturated fat intake is generally accompanied by increased refined carbohydrate intake, which is [a terrible way to try to decrease heart disease](http://www.ajcn.org/content/early/2010/01/20/ajcn.2008.26285.abstract). \n\nYou are absolutely right to be wary of the "science" that is reported in the media. Even the raw papers themselves are often garbage. \n\nThat said, it possible to find people doing careful research. My litmus tests are:\n\n1. Does the author look at nutrition in the context of evolution? \n\n2. Does the author have an agenda (vegetarian? carnivore? low-fat? low-carb?), or is she willing to revise her position in light of new evidence?\n\n3. Does the author seem interested in learning, or in defending her position on the Internet?\n\nOne blogger who satisfies these litmus tests (IMO) is [Stephan Guyenet](http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/). Read a few of his posts, and you'll see that he is generally a careful, methodical thinker, who is eager to revise his positions as new information comes out. 1291149171 +There's nothing anybody can do to disprove the *possibility* that aliens visited the ancient Aztecs. But that's a moot point, because without any evidence that it actually happened, all you have is pure speculation. 1298947348 +Well, let's hope she doesn't pollute the gene pool with her stupid genes before she croaks. 1327940782 +Well, they did put 'behind wild weather' in quotes, and it was pretty clear that they didn't put any stock in the email message, and were just pointing it out because it was really stupid and they trust that most of their readers will agree.\n\nI would have to disagree with you that this piece represents any kind of misinformation. 1299816108 +Oh, I know, and I do agree with that sentiment. I was just being a bit of a smartass. 1343337926 +even better was the [complete list of the scientific evidence of the existence of gawd](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Scientific_evidence_for_God%27s_existence) 1303163904 +You should turn it down a notch, because right now you're sounding like a troll account designed to make environmentalists and/or progressives look bad. If I had to take a bet right now it wouldn't be on you being what you claim to be (I could be wrong, but with the info I have that would be my bet). 1344390652 +only had a half lb. \n\nIf I ever did smoke it....and that is a big IF......it would have to be blue. 1312246109 +go to the dermatologist instead of asking the internet 1337009589 +That claim was not corroborated by the other "witnesses," nor by his own statement made immediately after the incident. 1302924436 +We made some gif's. That's all I'm allowed to say. 1345714206 +> So what? She also created the situation by choosing to be there. \n\n"She was dressed provocatively, therefore she was asking for it." "If she hadn't walked down the street at 3am, she wouldn't have gotten raped. She also created the situation by choosing to be there."\n\n> No one is claiming that she gave implied consent to be assaulted. The assault was nonconsentual, but she did consent to be filmed.\n\nShe explicitly did *not* consent to having her breasts on film. End of story.\n\n> This thing about not having "consent to view/record her breasts" is special pleading. Replace "breasts" with "toenails" and you'll see why it carries no weight.\n\nAs athena435 pointed out, there are significant legal distinctions between breasts and toenails. For an obvious example, if she were 15 years old, filming her toenails would be legal for GGW; filming her breasts would not. 1280673528 +That's where I knew I couldn't read any more. 1321529819 +Also the assumption of what constitutes the 'simplest' solution is culturally conditioned. 1312223962 +The dailymail is such a joke... \n\n"Object sems to be...." 1335366163 +I'd imagine the nanobots would need to be specialised for various different types of cancer, so wouldn't be a single cure like this fruit is claimed to be. 1354094351 +The were famous for a while for [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chaser_APEC_pranks) 1319189113 +>Can't stop the signal.\n\nShiny reference. 1325949645 +I have to admit this is a new one on me, but it's obvious to me that it's complete BS.\n\nThe [Wikipedia entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digit_ratio) is crazy stupid on this topic. A single ratio of finger length, can apparently determine all of the following in humans:\n\n * Sperm counts\n * Heart disease\n * Obesity & Metabolic syndrome\n * Prostate cancer\n * Autism\n * Depression\n * Schizophrenia\n * ADHD\n * Risk for eating disorders in females and males\n * Skiing\n * Soccer playing\n * Sporting in females\n * Financial trading\n * Assertiveness in women\n * Aggression\n * Masculinity of Handwriting\n * Perceived 'dominance' and masculinity of man's face\n * Personality\n * Exam scores: a higher ratio is correlated with higher exam scores among male students\n * Musical ability\n * Bem sex role score in women; erotic role preferences in gay men.\n * Lesbians vs. straight women; butch vs. femme lesbians.\n * Gay vs straight men, but most studies find no differences in digit ratio between gay and straight men. Some studies correlate male homosexuality and 2D:4D positively, others negatively.\n * Difference in digit ratio between identical female twins discordant for sexual orientation\n * Fraternal birth order effect on digit ratio.\n * handedness, autism, other immune diseases\n * male to female transsexualism.\n * determine the sex of drawers of Palaeolithic hand stencils found in European and Indonesian caves\n\n2d:4d effects has also supposedly been demonstrated in gorillas, chimpanzees, mice, rats, and zebra finches.\n\nI am very disappointed in Wikipedia. But too lazy to research the rebuttal and edit the page.\n 1293411759 +What if they only observe, and purposely do nothing to change history. What if by changing the timeline it creates a parallel time-stream, so they really wouldn't be changing there own history? 1337779220 +because i don't want to die sad. \n\ni want to die happy, eating a slice of pizza, drinking mountain dew, and doin' it with a hot norwegian underwear model, and having seen this movie. \n\nif i don't get all of the above when i die, i will die a sad person. 1292621425 +Of course. When I was young I used to think that if I sucked through my teeth and pinched my lips tight enough I could breath underwater. Never worked. 1350964221 +I'm sorry, but you're the one with the irrational hatred of government here. Most people understand that governments are a necessary evil, and when done right they can make society progress in a positive way. We are better for no longer have Child Labor, or for no longer breathing soot. We are better for having roads, and public eduction. We are better for having the Internet, and all the technological wonders we got from the various government-sponsored scientific research.\n\nThe problem is not too much government, it's government that isn't fair, or is subverted by big money to serve powerful private interests. It doesn't mean we should do away with government, it means we should do away with undemocratic forces abusing the government (as much as possible). 1355087424 +It's not bored farm folk. It's still people though. This has been proven... It happens all the time, and can only take a few hours with some rope and planks and a plan 1327988468 +Thanks, I will certainly check that out. 1338583633 +ugh, the cult of personality surrounding that man is astonishing. 1329840379 +I'm french and I've never heard or seen the word "digit" in any french I've ever learned. 1329676987 +I think the key point to realize is that dude is trying to stop his friend from investing time and money into getting a degree in a field that doesn't have any scientific backing and doesn't provide any benefit beyond a placebo effect. \n\nAre you saying that it's justified charging money for a service that doesn't work, because the placebo effect has a small positive benefit? 1306461520 +That's not true either. Of course we can imagine new faces. We can imagine all kinds of new things; faces are not any different. 1356596368 +Let her get a lawyer send you a letter before you even worry about it. Her lawyer will likely advise her she has no case. 1257645770 +I live in the Middle East, so it was posted in the afternoon :P 1307101123 +A pair of binoculars, clear winters skies, the [Drake equation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation), and the [Belgian UFO wave](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_UFO_wave). That, and [Contact](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118884/). 1340311810 +He's apparently up there right now. In an interview he said he would be up there till midnight (I'm guessing GMT, universal time). \n\nhttp://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2012/12/peter_gerstens_at_bell_rock_bu.php 1356121296 +>I am wondering have you not stumbled upon the description of this process before? If not I would suggest to read something on philosophy of science in case you are interested\n\nI have a science background. I just wonder at the wisdom of using a theory that isn't really *proven* - not one with minor flaws (or major flaws) but one that isn't actually *proven*. One that took the assumption that GW was A and worked backwards from there. It doesn't make it wrong, but it does make it suspect.\n\nHow would AGW be falsifiable? \n\nI'm unaware of the CCCR, I'm afraid.\n\nThe other issues we can agree to disagree on, except that AGW proponents need to hone their arguments and work to improve their understanding of AGW. That's a must, you see that, right?\n\n 1280833680 +I bet she gives great helmet 1301192639 +I agree. I believe some of the videos are of legitimate sounds, explainable or not, but some are obviously riding the coattails of the phenomenon. I actually saw one where the uploader actually used roaring sounds from the movie Cloverfield, and didn't even disguise it well. 1336264973 +Science starts as speculation, then theories are formed and investigated.\nAs far as sensationalism, it is a television program, not a government slideshow, it will have some annoying music and some theories that are more the author's ideas of what the evidence presents than the actual truth of what it all means. (Which "science" still hasn't figured out) \n\nVisual evidence is still your best shot at understanding what people discuss, please just stick with the program and be a little more tolerant of the annoying aspects of the documentary. 1343841444 +Wait, I think we had a minor confusion.\n\n> I have to wonder at your belief that history has seen men more oppressed than women.\n\nI'm saying the reverse -- women have had it worse historically, which was what you seemed to get before, but hey, I'm still in agreement with you.\n\n> It's a shame that the T in LGBT always seems a few steps behind the others.\n\nAgreed. That's one reason I was especially motivated to do it. When the bill to ban the word "gay" in public schools there came up, the outrage was much more huge, when this hasn't gotten nearly as much attention or protest. While both are bad bills, I would argue that this one is far worse. One makes it only slightly more difficult to talk about homosexuality, the other's a strong attack against one group's civil liberties.\n\n> I support men's rights too, but I have on occasion self-proclaimed men's righters who saw, as you said, their issue as a zero sum game with feminism and were quite hostile to women and the women's rights movement. It's unfortunate.\n\nThis is why I try not to be a slave to the "party line" of any philosophy, movement, political party, etc. Within every one I've supported, I've encountered people who are in it for the wrong reasons or have over-retaliatory ideas.\n\nOne of humanity's biggest problems, I think, is people are, frankly, a bit intellectually lazy. They would rather have their world heavily influenced by what others tell them than build up their own worldview from scratch.\n\nThat's why overly devout religiousness is so horrible -- you get people whose worldview is almost entirely shaped by archaic texts that, as much as they might have passages full of wisdom, are simultaneously rife with passages that promote intolerance and narrow worldviews. 1326653650 +Hi there, I'm greek, and his observations are pretty much spot on, although tax evasion is mostly from self-employed people and businesses.\nAlso, there are a lot of scandals from politicians regarding public money. 1273073214 +Papa Smurf! 1295248397 +I would suggest you ask yourself in what way your belief system and a need to change the minds of others differs from theirs. \n\nFrom my perspective, you are on an ideological crusade no different from theirs. Let it drop and ignore their beliefs if they do not match with yours. But to try to change their minds based on zero evidence one way or the other is to promulgate and proselytize belief over evidence. \n\nIt is the worst of skepticism as a blind ideology rather than a tool for evidence analysis. 1328892626 +Very cool and thought provoking. This guy holds to his scepticism to the point of irrationality. It makes me wonder if I'd do the same. After all, the point of being sceptical is to be rational, right? Not just to naysay a certain set of beliefs/practices/etc... 1311252597 +The Universe is a dangerous place. Everything on earth fights to survive. Think about how life evolves and why it evolves. Think about how the solar system works. Just try thinking. 1342975340 +Except that people are linking to that shitty site all the time. 1330169948 +I was in astronomy class back in the day, and the prof. had every student (>100 total) pick the "yesterday" astrological prediction that most fit us today. Then she compared it with a random distribution, and it was a perfect fit (within statistical error). 1309561008 +will, always wanted to go out there. 1346254109 +I wasn't trying to convince anyone, only to answer the question you posed. You know, since this is r/skeptic and not r/medicine. 1297917563 +there is more than one logically possible reason for even the most sophisticated vehicles to crash or perform in unanticipated ways, leading to a crash. one theory I've read personally is that the advent of the radar web that was being developed in the deep military world screwed with the craft's navigation, which also serves to posit a reason for the lack of crashed and recovered craft though history. also, the period in Roswell preceding the incidents featured intense lightening storms. these are what could be called logically possible scenarios that could provide possible explanations for the craft's erratic flight behavior reported by the original witnesses prior to the crash and clamor.\n\nalso, UFOs are recorded as not always flying at high speeds, and could crash at lower speeds as well as any other vehicle. the apocryphal Bob Lazar has stated that the craft were more unpredictable at lower power stages, but take that or leave it as you like.\n\njust sayin. I like the tone of your post, but just thought I'd offer some counterpoint to some of your premises. 1340749096 +Well, here is a real spirit rover photo of what appears to be an installation on top of a hill on Mars \n\nhttp://i.imgur.com/7ziKp.jpg\n\nHere is a really cool cave opening \nhttp://i.imgur.com/VyAxO.jpg\n\nAnd here is some crazy Pyramid and Box structure\nhttp://i.imgur.com/IEaUE.jpg\n 1294092287 +[Bullshit!](http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/episodes.do?episodeid=123916&ep=301) did [what I found to be] a good job covering a bit of the controversy surrounding circumcision.\n\nAlso, this article is... not great. The exit poll at the time I read it was 74.75% unchanged opinions -- granted, that could also speak to tightly-held convictions. 1330719059 +Any highlights you've noticed? 1284749452 +First sentence, Marni calls "health care provider" a term that she doesn't like. It's a phrase, Marni. It's a phrase. 1341888574 +A good example of this misconception that "any human modification is bad" would be the orange carrots we are accustomed to eating today and consider as "healthy." These orange carrots really didn't appear till the 17th century in the Netherlands. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrot#History\n\nAlso the Cavendish banana is also a good example of a modified food that very few people would consider as being "Franken Food" or "Fake Food." These didn't exist till 1836 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana#Cavendish\n\nI typically use these two examples to demonstrate to people that human modification of food isn't always necessarily bad and that they should consider things on a case-by-case basis. \n\nFrom my personal experience, these two examples work well in convincing people that their preconceived notions might not necessarily be as true as they thought. It's not so much that people don't want to hear this message, I've noticed it's more about the delivery of the message. If I use a soft approach with someone they generally accept the message. As soon as the conversation turns into a "you idiot" type they immediately become defensive and stop listening to the argument. 1347090368 +Generally they are draining a battery when there is one.\n 1356716486 +As somebody who can see energy fields if she concentrates, I have seen a couple of apparitions in my house. One was a young woman. THe other, I have no idea what it was, but it was frightening. 1349730069 +> Last year the [World Health Organization] warned about a possible link between radiation from wireless devices such as cellphones and cancer.\n\nThis is irresponsible journalism at its finest. People reading this article will justifiably become alarmed at the great danger posed by wi-fi, if the WHO has warned about its link to cancer... never mind that it actually places it in the same category of risk as coffee.\n\n 1329176613 +I'm not the same guy. I was just making the point that a lot of people would have never seen it since they didn't sub to /r/comics. Like me. When I said posted, I meant I posted it to Facebook from here. \n\n\nAnd this is the only reddit account I have. I've never understood why you'd make an alt unless someone was harassing a particular reddit account. Or you had the time to make a novelty account or something, and that's something I honestly don't have the time to do. \n 1354862239 +Isn't that really hilarious though? Their explanation is totally bogus if what the witnesses said about the lights are true. The way they stayed in formation and never descended over time. "It's the military, and our flares...move along."\n\nAnd we move along. 1342741470 +DEET is generally more effective than herbal blends. The Wikipedia article on insect repellents gives a pretty decent breakdown, including CDC recommendations. 1348623484 +Correct. I think fluoride is even used to etch glass for art. The window of our fluoride pump room door is milky white from years of vapor.\n\nSpilled liquid fluoride should always be contained and cleaned up/diluted immediately. It's some rough stuff once evaporates and goes gaseous. That's one of the reasons fluoride gets its own special little room with a ventilation fan. 1327093200 +Probably by [these guys](http://circlemakers.org/). 1320274902 +Indeed! Have an up! 1311999970 +Third grade, bunch of kids on the playground, we all see a metallic cigar-shaped object at high altitude. It comes closer and closer until some colored lights are visible and then vanishes like it was never there. We all saw it, so I don't have to believe in UFO's. Who knows what it actually was, though? Not me. 1317077130 +So, basically, the Christians are the original hipsters.\n\nAnd here I am, thinking that their messiah told them to be humble, or something like that. 1329179572 +Same here, just going back waiting for somthing to happen. 1334614746 +The whole thing looks artificially smooth, but the ascent is particularly on the nose. 1341389014 +I don't agree that polls have anything to do with science. Only studies in scientific environments to test the effects of pills etc, can be called scientific where you might ask some questions to each group. 1290375327 +I am surprised, in a skeptic subreddit, to see all this ad hominem going on.\n\nWe don't examine marijuana claims because stoners are too stupid, paranoid, uninformed, deluded...\n\nReally? \n\nWe don't examine marijuana claims because people stereotype marijuana users and don't take them seriously. This is the answer to the OPs question.\n\nHowever, anyone can be a skeptic. So instead of asking why people are silent on the issue, do some research and find where the government is using logical fallacies and write something about it.\n\nIf no one else is doing something, then do it yourself...\n\n(Edit: I think you're off to a good start, by the way, by asking the question.) 1332779858 +1) about 60-80 i believe were only the 3rd family no one has died inside of the ouse\n2)hallyway leading to the dining room, then all around\n3)somtimes i feel like a hand being placed on me or somthing but not often, mosty the hallway, living room, computer room, and moms room.\n4)in the house, i have ahd guests come over and they feel weird by themselves (i know its not because they arent used to it because they stayed here for about 3 months) 1331773017 +Thanks for that. I figured he was probably talking about pop. growth but didn't have the reference. \n\nIt's funny how quickly conspiracy theories fall down as soon as you acquire some context. 1354868882 +I'm at work and on my phone so I can't get a link for you ATM but there was a case were the cops had a dog signal that there were drugs in a van. They searched the van and found like a few hundred pounds of weed. In court the case was dismissed because the dog was so unreliable. If memory serves correctly the dog was wrong more than a coin would have been. 1343206724 +This is a continuation of UFO Flap - Black Triangles 1283529901 +>Dr. Robert Lanza is currently Chief Scientific Officer at Advanced Cell Technology, and a professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He has several hundred publications and inventions, and over two dozen scientific books: among them, Biocentrism (co-authored with astronomer Bob Berman), which lays out the full scientific augment for his theory of everything. Others include One World: The Health & Survival of the Human Species in the 21st Century (Foreword by President Jimmy Carter), and Principles of Tissue Engineering and Essentials of Stem Cell Biology, which are considered the definitive references in the field. Dr. Lanza received his BA and MD degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was both a University Scholar and Benjamin Franklin Scholar. He was also a Fulbright Scholar, and was part of the team that cloned the world's first human embryo, as well as the first to clone an endangered species, to demonstrate that nuclear transfer could reverse the aging process, and to generate stem cells using a method that does not require the destruction of human embryos.\n\n>Dr. Lanza was awarded the 2010 NIH Director's Award, the 2006 "All Star" Award for Biotechnology, and the 2005 Rave Award for Medicine by Wired Magazine. Dr. Lanza and his research have been featured in almost every media outlet in the world, including all the major TV networks, CNN, TIME, Newsweek, People Magazine, as well as the front pages of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today, among others. Lanza has worked with some of the greatest thinkers of our time, including Nobel laureates Gerald Edelman and Rodney Porter. Lanza worked closely with B.F. Skinner at Harvard University. Lanza and Skinner (the "Father of modern behaviorism") published a number of scientific papers together. He has also worked with Jonas Salk (discoverer of the Polio vaccine) and heart transplant pioneer Christiaan Barnard.\n\nAs a high school dropout, this is a lesson for me, on how even smart intelligent people, get sucked into woo, and when 'scientists' make claims about reality beyond their chosen field they should be regarded with caution.\n\n>Biocentrism (co-authored with astronomer Bob Berman), which lays out the full scientific augment for his theory of everything\n\nOr derision. 1322436583 +Similar thing happened to me. Either on the Kennedy or the Eisenhower, but I was driving from Waukegan to Downtown, usually an hour. Only took me about 20 minutes. 1326840703 +>Way to spread false info OP.\n\nI have deleted it. There was no intention to spread false information.\n\nI browsed the article at 4am after cramming all night for a final today and confirmation bias and misplaced rage took over. Complete failure to take in the most relevant information.\n\nThanks for the additional info btw. I clearly need to do some research. 1355978984 +You seem eager to dismiss the research that is presently being done on this. Therefore there is no way to prove it to you. Gotta love circular reasoning. 1317671674 +When was the most recent experience you or your family had? Months/weeks/days ago? 1339797987 +Occasionally I nail it on the, deja vu followed by totally calling whats about to happen next. Sometimes, I'm just completely wrong tho so I'm sure its all up to chance tbh. 1353863546 +Or Helen Lovejoy. 1345220132 +I've wondered why they don't just collect as many homeopathic remedies as possible, then dump them all down the toilet thereby putting them into the water supply of their municipality. \n\nSince more dilution = more power, they would turn their water supply into a magical cure-all solution, and they could be regarded as noble humanitarians. Probably even win a Nobel Prize since they would eradicate all the sickness in their area, and provide a solution for eradicating it all over the world.\n\nReally, the only problem with this plan is that homeopathy is a giant stinky pile of horseshit, but that hasn't seemed to bother homeopaths thus far. 1320952191 +I find being blunt is more useful. At the core it is honesty. I would rather be honest with people about my belief or lack of belief. Pussy footing around and coddling them by trying not to offend seems even more negative.\n\n"Look Bob you believe in magic, which doesnt really even mean anything and I don't really know how we can even discuss that."\n\nYou would be surprised how effective this type of response can transform your discussion with a person of faith into something honest and productive. It forces them to look at their belief honestly.\n\nI am personally becoming weary of Neil becoming sort of coddling lately. It makes me disappointed that he will be hosting the new COSMOS. I have a feeling the parts where Carl Sagan discussed religion will be completely absent since Neil doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. 1344608948 +Wow, that took me a lot longer than it should have. 1308159045 +I actually have a similar story. I was standing near the front of a store when an elderly woman hit the wrong pedal and drove through. I jumped out of the way, but was feeling a dull pain when I lifted things like a gallon of milk and was noticing minor discomfort when I tried to take a deep breath. I got x-rays and no diagnosis. I learned to live with it. I mean, it was uncomfortable, but not a huge deal. Annoying more than anything else. When I finally did go to the chiro, it turned out to be a rib out of alignment. He did a minor adjustment and it's been fine ever since. 1356903733 +Just thought it was a weird thing to do. I don't know how it helps to know if water is there. Its not like anyone is going to get it anytime soon. 1318866288 +I've never tried ginger for that. I'd say I'm generally a skeptic but I've had a similar thing as well. Cayanne pepper, works great to relieve pain in the gums and toothaches in general. As a student I heard about it, and since I like spicy stuff, I had a pound of cayanne pepper in the spice area anyway, so I tried it, and it worked. If I get a canker sore or have a toothache, I would use it and it would work. Keep in mind, I had really, really bad toothaches, and taking 800g of Ibuprofen at a time didn't make all the pain go away. It helped, but the cayanne pepper helped a bit more. \n\nI would probably try ginger and wouldn't think much of it. Being skeptical doesn't mean one ignores real results. \n\nETA: by using cayanne pepper to relieve pain, I mean lick the finger, dip it in the pepper, and rub it on the affected area. It gets spicy, sure. 1259385447 +It is interesting that you compare no education and child abuse. Some would go so far as to suggest education is a basic human right, but I think it is difficult to do that for anything that is provided. Maybe access to fair treatment in the legal system is the only thing that costs money that I think must be provided. While I tend to think that the society as a whole is better off including food and healthcare as basic provisions for its citizens, for example, at least for children, they are not the same type of right.\n\nAnyway, the "it's not my problem" attitude isn't very helpful when you are concerned about the next generation. They aren't the property of parents, as championing deference to fixed beliefs suggests. There isn't a *them* that will pay for *their* mistakes. Even though a many of those people like Rick Perry or Sarah Palin's husband like to talk big about giving up on the United States of America and seceding, we're all in it together. Texas is not a separate country, it sends representatives to Washington that vote, and votes in national elections. 1343684981 +Well it very well could be a little girl, the way you have been describing it, but this black figure you described has me slightly skeptical of this little girl situation. I'm no expert, but from what I've heard and read demonic creatures can desiguise themselves as innocent looking beings. So that black mass may be the things true form? Or not.. I've never seen it so, that's your own choice to believe what it is. Besides that, I'd be quite interested in seeing this, if you do decide to set the cameras. Finally, if you choose to attempt communication, please be careful, it's quite dangerous so practice caution. Please, keep me updated on your situation! And good luck! 1339989731 +We weren't near any trees, but there was a creepy sort of Déjà vu-ish feeling when we heard it. 1341282267 +Pretty much everything is poisonous in the right quantity. It's all about dosage. 1319312882 +But you're one of those people who has a picture of their kid as their profile picture, and I think that's even worse. 1297395154 +>As we have mentioned here and detailed in the past, this is part of larger COG government takeover– not part of any ordinary natural disaster response as the media has been told. The elite have initiated worldwide economic collapse and prepared their power-grabbing response as currencies and markets fall across the globe. All the experts we’ve talked to over the years concur with this basic analysis.\n\n>To put it simply: once the economic depression has sunken in completely, the population will willingly head in droves to government centers for basic requirements like food. As Henry Kissinger bluntly quipped, “Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control the people.” FEMA’s response will in hinge, in part, on just that– encouraging people sign up for their own enslavement.\n\nThis is basic conspiracy theory mumbo jumbo. It vaguely touches on some real issues (economic collapse) and existing things (FEMA) then connects those to some worldwide overarching evil plot (enslavement).\n\nI'm not saying the whole world is working in harmony for the benefit of humanity, but there is no good reason to give ideas like this support. 1325030308 +What? Why? 1351807750 +I'll grant you that there's less chance he's a liar than there is that he is delusional.\n\n> ...leeway for further investigation.\n\nYou asked me to comment on the man not the article. Anyway, I'd be happy to sit in on an exorcism, but until that opportunity arises I'll be relying on my previous experience that people don't spit up glass, nails or flower petals unless they'd previously swallowed them. \n\nIn the mean time, I'd also like to see some evidence for the existence of this "God" and this "Satan" and this "magic" that he's on about.\n\n> I'm with you most of the way, but I'm still not fully convinced to take a position in the matter.\n\nWould you mind describing what your position is for me. I mean, what is there to the story/man that stops you from dismissing it as bunkum and he as a loon?\n\n 1268741476 +sounds like circular logic to me\n 1356705584 +Sounds to me like he's speaking in the hypothetical.\n\nBest blog comment:\n"While an interesting concept, it isn't supported by much. Moreover, Wright seems to be spit-balling, making hypotheses about what would be required to spy on humans. I don't think he's "speaking rather surely about the extraterrestrial infiltration of society!" His language - if verbatim - is extremely conditional. Look at the words used. He starts out talking largely about his experience in espionage before moving into "would be", "if they are", etc. Furthermore, the quote in bold below these statements seems to float, as if pulled from a later piece of the transcript. Overall, I get the sense that this is a man who is postulating various scenarios and not making statements of fact. The conditional language, the hypothetical setup, the fact that this was something of a UFO think tank.... It all makes for fantastic suppositions, and as usual, Bragalia has proved himself a master at unearthing UFO arcanum." 1288977984 +Yes, that was from Webster Hubbell's memoir. 1243722941 +Given the articles premise, I should be able to use this [image as a guide](http://www.totbatot.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Vegitable_Face.jpg). 1325809157 +As a person with Celiac disease, I absolutely love it. 10 years ago there was nothing at all for us. Everything had to be made from scratch (and I am not a very good chef). Gfree bread back then tasted like wet cardboard.\n\nBecause of those crazy dieters, there are loads of options for me. I personally hope it stays around like the "non-fat" fad has. I can only benefit :D Plus it makes me happy that they pay extra for it. 1336950098 +Now Scientology makes sense! 1326779883 +I wish i could do this with nikes 1354931282 +I agree. I don't think you have the wrong idea, I just think the phrasing of the earlier comment can give the wrong impression. 1340574602 +>It doesn't matter if it's real, there is nothing solid that you can put on national TV that can be considered smoking gun evidence.\n\nI guess you missed the dramatic satellite images of the Arctic summer ice minimum.\n\n>It'd be the same thing as getting a panel of scientists who believe in UFOs claiming the phenomena is real. They're qualified, they have a claim, and have data to back it up.\n\nNo, it's nothing like that. The greenhouse effect can be measured, and the effects of climate change can be seen. This is why the science isn't controversial in most parts of the globe, and increasingly less even in the US, despite the vast amounts spent in anti-science propaganda. \n\n>The ozone hole was supposed to be the smoking gun to climate change\n\nNo, it wasn't. The only link between the Ozone hole and Global Warming is that CFCs, in *addition* to destroying the ozone, are *also* greenhouse gases. The two phenomenon are otherwise completely separated.\n\nI don't know where you heard that the Ozone hole was supposed to the be smoking gun to global warming, but I don't think that source is very reliable.\n\n> but the hole is shrinking so fast (smallest in 20 years), that it virtually annihilates the 50-100 year hypothesis and the science behind it.\n\nYou're really confusing two different phenomena, i.e. global warming due to anthropogenic CO2 and the depletion of the ozone layer due to anthropogenic CFCs. They're not the same thing.\n\n>Why DIDN'T it take 50 years? Because there must be other mitigating circumstances that take it beyond the current scientific standard.\n\nAgain, the hole is far from closed, even though it shows signs of - but that has nothing to do with anthropogenic global warming / man-made climate change.\n\n>Welcome to climatology and the first baby steps we are still at.\n\nThe Ozone hole isn't really about climatology, at least not in the sense that it was linked to climate change. The danger from a depleted Ozone layer is mostly due to an increase in the incidence of skin cancer.\n\n>I don't know why the skeptic board of all people downvote me for this.\n\nProbably because you're confounding two different phenomena, i.e. the hole in the Ozone layer and man-made global warming. 1354600192 +Well... it's hard to tell. The Daily Mail has such a rich history of outright lying and making up stories, that literally every line in all of their stories should be thought of as suspect. Now I could go through and fact check the story line by line... but that is quite a bother. It would be much simpler if people submitted from sources where there was no real need to do that. If no such sources exist, it's probably a good indication that the article was indeed a fabrication.\n\nSo do I know if anything in this article is incorrect? No. But in general, I'd much prefer articles where I can assume the author is telling the truth rather than articles where I have to assume the author is lying. 1344206267 +rBST has not been linked to cancer.\n\nThere was concern that it might increase IGF-1 in milk, but repeated studies have shown that the IGF-1 levels are comparable to a control cow during pregnancy. Furthermore, the dosage obtained from milk is an order of magnitude smaller than your natural levels of IGF-1. 1344441061 +[This](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_%28classification_of_humans%29) is fairly thorough for a Wikipedia entry. 1298522922 +>loose cannon mad scientist\n\nHeh. That genii is already out. For less than the price of a car, you can be making custom organisms in your garage. Somewhere, someone is right now breeding the next comic book superthreat. 1335992366 +And so to sum up, you think that successful prediction invalidates an hypothesis. Got it.\n 1354625793 +>You made this up to justify your "rightness" here.\n\nYou're the one vomiting up platitudes. Reap what you sow. \n\n>[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentalism\n\nThat's amusing. I'm a fundamentalist because I won't play games with fundamentalists? I'm more than willing to respect others. I'm more than willing to compromise. But because I won't respect or compromise with a subset of human beings who've not only displayed a lack of respect for me and my positions but have shown that they can't be interacted with in a meaningful way it means that I'm a fundamentalist. Right. You've made a solid case. I was sold as soon as I read the citation brackets.\n\nEdit: I do rather enjoy your comment history. You're just full of respect when it comes to people with opposing viewpoints. A model citizen really. 1284971150 +[hm.](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/rbhqv/all_memes_in_moderation/) 1338251173 +You mean it doesn't have "the tensile strength to properly and efficiently garrote a lycanthrope, asphyxiate an Esquilax or even gag a mermaid"? 1290841486 +No sweat man, happens to everyone, have an upvote. 1352755725 +Get out of here with your common sense and logic! 1335364741 +So you deny entropy then? 1321848703 +lol, someone actually downvoted you? "No research allowed!" 1330638682 +The planes were already in the air and the hijackers just had to point them towards a couple of huge buildings that were almost a city block wide. How difficult is that? 1336936943 +Wow. Just, wow. \nI mean, I had **no idea** you could disable comments on a youtube video. 1327959940 +The guy performing the lie detector test is the lie detector. These people are not 100% accurate and probably most aren't even 60% accurate. This is why lie detectors cannot be used in the court of law. This story may very well be bullshit, but don't condemn it because a trained psychic said he was lying. 1350179125 +You read up on confirmation bias before?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias\n\nNot trying to be a skeptic :) Good luck in whatever you decide. 1335241220 +I'm not a neurologist, but I have a feeling you ask these questions without seriously looking fr an answer. You are just satisfied with believing they are unanswerable. Go to askscience and see what they have to say, but I will tell you that we know a great deal and a lot of it has to do with associations. that is really the basis for learning. We know a lot about how the brain recognizes color and other external stimuli. The brain is very complicated and not something you can have a satisfactory understanding of through intuition. You have to study it a lot but don't mistake its complexity for something unexplainable. There are answers to those questions, and at the end of the day it doesn't matter what anyone else tells you, go find them for yourself and then you'll understand what I'm talking about. 1341431470 +I'd consider removing all of them, and potentially warning the lemon post and the 'may yet be hope' post -- the former for generating some reasonable discussion, the latter for at least attempting to provide context.\n\nUnder the new rule, all of them would _not_ be removed if they were wrapped in a self post.\n\nIn _every_ case, if there is even the slightest glimmer of real content, I'll leave the post.\n\nI have never, and will never, remove _any_ post about moderation, my conduct, or any perceived conflicts of interest that arise in this or any of the subreddits I moderate.\n\nI'm _especially_ cautious about moderation here, where people freely mix feelings and rationality. I frequently monitor /r/subredditdrama and the like, I see shit like /r/lgbt and -- frankly -- it makes me sick. Moderators need to be above reproach. They need to be absolutely unbiased -- especially in subreddits in /r/lgbt. Unfortunately, people aren't, and stupid shit like that happens.\n\nFor the record. If you, or anyone else, _ever_ feel like I've mistreated you, your post, your comments, your dog -- whatever. Please tell me. It is the furthest thing from my mind.\n\nAs far as a bright-line rule. The brightest line I can draw is that -- in every situation, I will always lean toward doing nothing. The first bullet point in the summary is the only thing that will likely be regularly enforced. And as mentioned, no self post in this subreddit (with the exception of _completely_ off topic spam, which usually ends up in the filter) will be removed, ever, period.\n\nI hope that is reassuring enough.\n\nOne of my hopes is that a new feature they've been working on up in reddit admin land, a moderation log, be pushed for public consumption soon. At the moment, it's (I think, I'll be double checking after I send this comment off) currently only visible to the admins. But I think it would serve as the best way to reassure you all that I'm really not out to censor you. I've thought of keeping a manual log, but it's very tedious and -- frankly -- uninteresting (most of the time it's just cleaning the spam filter).\n\n 1332634125 +I've had this illusion before. Now I try to stargaze in triangles so if anything is moving, I can always use the triangle to make sure. 1342631536 +isn't this kind of thing mandatory?! granted not always available but man is it needed. 1314170914 +Prove it :) 1346830414 +>Really ? You speak French ? \n\nI do :)\n\nit felt like they were ticking boxes.. 'it cant be a plane, it cant be a helicopter,.."\n\nalso, nobody still says "oh la vache" :p 1338731276 +I see a dog food bowl, but it might just be me... 1328987756 +What were your experiences that you withheld from your aunt when she moved in? 1343633567 +This always pissed me off... i just wanna yell, "Dude, this guy died a hundred years before the first English speakers even stepped foot on shore. He's not going to understand come over to this red light on my camera and tell me how you were killed." \nLearn some phrases in whatever language the people speak... 1344733620 +[Brian Dunning is skeptical](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbbS-VhEPHc).\n\nBPA can be dangerous (according to some solid science) but the dose matters. And the level of exposure to BPA via "leeching" from plastic containers seems to be more hype than science.\n\nI'll admit that I haven't looked very far into this. If BPA leeching and exposure is as bad as some have claimed, the epidemiology should be obvious (how long have we all been drinking from plastic containers?). Some smart scientist will make the connection if there is one. 1278013028 +I tend to agree. I do not care what people choose to eat. (Well except for the obligatory baby to get into the atheist club.) And I may even applaud arguments for vegetarianism/veganism based on trophic levels, sustainability, empathy, what have you. But I tend to get a bit miffed when someone who hasn't the slightest education in evolutionary biology makes grand pronouncements about how we've somehow gotten "off track" in our development. It miffs me even more when they do so while studiously ignoring some very basic phenotypic facts. 1297477047 +surprisingly, no one has mentioned the [bilderbergs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilderberg_Group) 1262797910 +This clip was proved a hoax ages ago. It was made by superimposing an image of a crop circle from somewhere else onto the video of the field. The orbs were added, and Voila! 1320054961 +Well, neither does Nature, apparently, so if you wanted to banter about it you could of done it with them. 1353168422 +You don't have to be smart to run fast.\n\nMedical Science takes a bit more mental prowess. 1344316897 +For some odd reason, people people seem to link what they believe to be their knowledge to their egos. I admit that I too am not imune, but honestly, I have no idea why we do this. 1341847513 +Reiki is my favorite form of bullshit simply because there's no equipment involved. The purest, laziest form of bunk. Truly beautiful. 1304992960 +Doesn't raw milk refer to unpasteurized milk? Maybe I'm mistaken. Oh, and I've had my raw milk in Korea when I was growing up and more recently they had some at whole foods here in NJ. Though it's been a year or two since I've gone there (bit out of the way). 1317224954 +Wow, cognitive dissonance much? The only thing you chose to get pissed about was the part about the building complex being demo'd in the 1970's and how the news station wrote that part?\n\nNever mind about the fact that the U.S. Government secretly tested toxic chemicals on the people who lived there for 2 decades, and actively covered it up for 50 years? No outrage there for ya?\n\nWake the fuck up. 1348616784 +I agree. Sadly this is fairly normal because the timestamps on messages depend on when and from what they were sent, as well as connection lag. 1346897817 +No, just be helpful and send her more of these charts. There's about a bazillion different charts, each with opposing information.\n 1349138822 +I have to agree with this as well, even during the day when things are "less scary" I still get the teary eyes and the heeby jeebies. 1316727227 +Hah! Hadn't seen that one. \n\nBut shouldn't the druid should be wielding the sickle?\n\n[Nah, HERE is the most convincing description I've seen ](http://www.santa-coloma.net/voynich_drebbel/voynich.html)\n\nI won't spoil it any more than to say that webpage is a fascinating read. 1307785308 +if it's the same accident i know of, the answer is very simple and is an avalanche \n 1356237702 +I always assumed it was woo. TIL there are two kinds of kinesiology. [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinesiology) sez:\n\n"Kinesiology as described above should not be confused with applied kinesiology, a controversial chiropractic diagnostic method."\n\nSo there's a woo kind, and a non-woo kind, AKA "human movement studies" (at least at Uni of Qld). 1331001627 +Empirical foundations ≠ government 1354235872 +Can't someone just dilute the bongwater to 200x after they smoke through itt? 1345260311 +You wan't to believe, even when you are faced with logic, reason, and evidence. 1343532273 +I agree, by why shouldn't they? If we don't question this stuff, every tween with an iPhone would be trying to sell us on garbage.\n\nThe point was made that as technology has advanced, then why hasn't the evidence. Fact is, in my opinion anyway, that so many people have fabricated exceptional 'evidence' that if a video of a UFO cutting you off and the alien pilot flipping you the bird were to surface, there is no reason to believe it is authentic. Guess you can say all those wannbe Spielbergs and "funny guys" have ruined it for everyone.\n\nAs evidence of this, all you need to do is search 'UFO' on Youtube. Most of it is crap. 1327287212 +My standing is that NOBODY on this planet knows for certain if they are here or not. I personally do not believe in a shadow government. 1320600778 +Put "Dumbass" to the left of skeptic. 1282232936 +Well, I only just met him. I really believe respecting people is the basis of treating them well. But when I meet you and find out you are gullible enough to believe anything I tell you, how am I supposed to trust you? Doesn't mean I'll treat him poorly, but I will hesitate to rely on his judgement skills.\n\nHuman beings, I would hope, have an inherent need to be skeptical. At some point in life, this person turned that off. This is not conducive to making good calls in life.\n\nI thought about saying something, but he is a group member in a project for a class, and so I need to be able to work with him for a few weeks. 1317531094 +Rolfing? I swear I had to re-read that three times before I realized it didn't say "Rofling" (Which would actually be fairly therapeutic.) 1287086104 +I'm staying in tonight. I have a 6,660 word essay due tomorrow in my Introduction to Love and Light class. 1347978273 +Of course we would have to see the advertisement first to see if they had made any false claims. 1348021776 +Coins, eh? Her magnetic field is so strong it attracts metals that magnets don't even attract. I'll be damned. 1283025444 +I've thought the same thing about making homeopathic remedies and selling them. I know I could make a killing, but my conscience won't let me go there. 1323842457 +U mad? 1324562773 +U mad? 1350506817 +I don't, that is why it I said "if" 1344471982 +Some governments will spray [malathion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malathion) from trucks or airplanes, but the point is to save lives from mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile.\n\nIn the case of Agent Orange, the purpose there was also to save American lives, as it was a defoliant that prevented soldiers from being ambushed. \n\nIt's a huge leap of logic from, "The government sprays chemicals," to, "The government sprays chemicals that are specifically intended to kill people."\n\nAs far as the argument that "Chemtrails stay for hours." The conditions where a contrail is will dictate how long it lingers. Thus, some dissipate quickly, some hang around.\n\nBut I think the best evidence against chemtrails is that it would have to be a massive logistical operation. From sourcing the chemicals, to installing and maintaining the equipment, there would have to be hundreds if not thousands of people from operations planners, to purchasing agents, to line mechanics that would all have to be okay with the idea of indiscriminately killing their own people. That would be impossible to do in complete secrecy. 1337369593 +Yes. That video was on reddit a while ago. Read the comment section to it. It might be convincing if you don't know how easy it is to interpret a story in any way one wants to. 1356279463 +i find this interesting 1341432429 +I have never heard of a scrying mirror before ... can someone explain everything about this to me and what it is used for - I have absolutely 0 interest in actually using one or messing around with one but this sounds down. right. creepy.\n\nAny individual experiences would also be interesting 1312687882 +pubes. this thread keeps getting better every month! 1354378311 +Not really a glitch, sounds like typical Alien Encounters....probably should be over at /r/paranormal or /r/thetruthisnotoutthere 1354554948 +Andrew is an idiot. I live in Amish country. I personally know two people who are Amish, live a very healthy lifestyle as you can imagine, that have cancer. My grandfather also died of cancer and he was practically Jack LaLane when it came to being healthy until it hit him. 1329889335 +Um, I do believe that made me soil myself. Even if it's a fake; well done. 1342409703 +I've tried it on my elbow when my tennis elbow flares up. It's so loose fitting and usually just falls off as soon as I get sweaty. It's definitely a gimmick. 1341315268 +This is more or less the "history of psychology" section. It WAS touch and go for a while as to whether psychology would turn into a natural science; reflex arcs of Descartes didn't pan out, then phrenology happened, then Freud and Jung talked endlessly about dreams, hypnosis, etc., using the disciplined introspective approach (which is not quite rigorous enough). It wasn't until ~1940 that psychology came to use falsifiable claims.\n\nIn other disciplines, it's sometimes 100-200 years or more between entire approaches being overturned in favor of new ones (phlogistons -> oxygen). In psychology, it's closer to 50 years (introspection -> behaviorism -> cognitive psychology). That mass fluxuation has left some people on the fence as to whether psychology is a science. That's why the chapter is there; for non-majors, they may still be skeptical. 1337867764 +It would be awesome if fortune tellers were forced to display a disclaimer on their businesses, something to the effect of "Fortune telling is fake and should be used for entertainment purposes only..." 1276269647 +A scientist not being able to explain it to a satisfactory degree is proof of nothing. Just as not being able to explain lightning or the origin of species in the past wasn't proof that they were supernatural. \n\n 1346843707 +Apparently the phenomenon just wouldn't occur when the cameras were watching: http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/071527.html\n\nThat, and the only time the author himself "witnessed it", it happened to appear under her finger which was itching her face. Amazingly, her skin often gets itchy before it happens. Sounds like slight of hand, despite what the few magicians who looked at it claim. 1288551197 +Dart thrower's bias is the tendency of people to notice the hits and ignore, or undercount, the misses, resulting in the impression that (for example) a psychic's hit rate is higher than it actually was. 1351940654 +Jokes? Every time a video is posted on this sub, some dipshit leaves a comment like that. Sure, it was kind of funny the first time... but on every video? 1356169586 +i think this wins lol, no but seriously it looks like a penis on the drawing but it was weird dude, its the first thing my friend said he's like "Nice penis brah."\n 1353300729 +Be careful of what the market might bear! 1313781465 +> Also, the years 1947 and 1952 are interesting years to investigate with regard to UFOs, as an unusual number of airplane crashes occurred those years\n\nI've never heard that, and I'd love to see your reference. 1346721263 +nope, just tap water filtered and put in your bottle. 1298432781 +Let's assume for the sake of argument that 1% of UFO cases are actually of alien origin. This does not necessarily mean that these objects travelled faster than light or that they were occupied by alien beings. Is it not far more likely based on what we know at this point in our scientific understanding that this 1% are comprised of unmanned probes? Albeit they drop by VERY rarely and are rarely seen by human beings. What do you think? \n\nEdit - Adding to what I just wrote, what are your thoughts on the possibilities of exotic space travel that don't break the rules of relativity but bend or go around it? I'm sure you've heard of speculative theories regarding wormholes and the like. In a practically limitless universe, which is infinitely old, is it wise to totally discount the possibility that someone or something has come up with such a technology? 1337835720 +If I were a homeopath, I'd be more concerned then. Dilute it in the water supply and it would be SO powerful!! ONOZ 1316130794 +Unfortunately, a majority of my family would fall for this shit. It makes me angry. \n\nRAWR!!!\n 1343192469 +You wanna hear something CRAZY?\n\n[Citation needed] &#3232;\\_&#3232;\n\nThere are levels of consciousness for every "Dimension" as we understand them.\n\n4th dimensional beings can make their craft and self physical in our world.\n\nThere are negative and positive entities, those who seek to serve self and those who seek to serve others.\n\nThe 4DNegative races have been here working with us for a long time but since they crashed in Roswell and we took their technology, they've been working more directly with most of the worlds government, and another ancient extraterrestrial dominion-based bloodline.\n\nThey're collecting information, yes, but generally just torturing us other humans to lull us into a fearful, lonely, depressed and angry state, to keep us stuck in the cycle of rebirth with them.\n\nThose that control the consciousness energy grid of a planet, become the spiritual leaders of the world. Go look at what's built on the focal points of that grid. \n\nEvery time a Major Galactic Alignment occurs, every 26,000 years or so, when we line up with our sun, and the center of our galaxy, our strings of consciousness will vibrate UP in dimension.\n\nThere will be a 'Dark Period'.\n\nThose that serve the self, and those that serve others strongly enough move up to 4D Negative and Positive respectively. (Very small number of individuals will reach this.) \n\nThe rest of us are dropped in 4D in the re-birth cycle, but still in the world (Space-Time) with extended lives and extraordinary powers you couldn't imagine yet, in a new golden age.\n\nThis is the rapture scenario, which is referenced indirectly in every major religion.\n\nOur test in this world is to feel the disconnection from the collective consciousness, the oneness we all share, and then reconstruct it with love and light.\n\nSpend 10 minutes a day with all your senses turned off, darkness, earplugs or silence.\n\nSuspend your disbelief and contimplate that you are connected to every other person and judge yourself for your actions.\n\nContemplate a coincidence that happened to you. Consider the possibility that your actions indirectly brought about the events that caused this coincidence.\n\nIf you then decided you have an idea on how to better your life by bettering the lives of others, you can be a part of something great.\n\nIf any of this strikes you, research the 'Kundalini.' 1332296424 +Okay I didn't read as thoroughly as I should have. So that answers the question as to whether or not the reasons are based in morality. But what sparked the idea that its better for you in the first place? 1344216293 +These are facts pawed down from Jesus 2, the golden soul retriever, himself. 1282686401 +Ya you tell those Americans whats what.. 1309311108 +>why are you so set against disclaiming this? [...] so my question to you is why are you so set against this idea that you have to convince everyone its false?\n\nI'm not trying to "convince everyone its false", I'm just pointing out that there is no good evidence that it is true either. I'm not convinced that his diet did play a major role **or** that it didn't--I reserve judgement until I see well-constructed studies that conclusively demonstrate (or fail to find) a causal effect, and this subreddit is a great place to find those (when they exist!). Demanding this kind of high-quality evidence is a fundamental tenet of skepticism--please feel free to read the sidebar materials if you need further information on the basic principles of the skeptical movement.\n\n>you are correct about one thing, we would need lots of clinical trails, but there is laws against this form of treatment, just like how some say cannabis helps with medical issues but it is illegal to do medical trails, my question is why? if it does not work then do the trials to prove it is luck not the trial that cured the cancer.\n\nIt is clear that you are confused about how medical trials actually work. [Here is a primer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_trial) if you are interested. The short version is, especially for something like a diet change where there aren't likely to be substantial *negative* effects, it is relatively easy for researchers to construct a reliable series of studies to evaluate this kind of treatment safely, though the process does take time.\n\n>i certainly cannot see eating better as a bad thing can you?\n\nFrom what I've read to date, there isn't any evidence that this particular diet is any "better for you" than a large host of alternatives.\n\n>this person believed they had cancer and cured it, why are you so against this idea? if someone told me they cured head aches by jumping up and down on one foot while humming the national anthem, who the hell cares, \n\nI don't care what this man thinks cured his cancer--if he thinks the Space Witch of Alpha Ceti 9 cured his cancer using her magickal nano-broomsticks, that's entirely his problem. However, if someone wants to engage me and discuss my opinion on his treatment regime (by posting an article here for open comment, for example), I'll continue to point out the rational, scientifically defensible position to the best of my abilities.\n\n>good for them, they found something that works for them and we don't need everyone to agree that its true, its true for that person.\n\nYou and I have different definitions for the meaning of the word "true". I try to use it exclusively in the objectively verifiable sense (i.e. "anyone with enough time could verify the very same is true themselves", see also: [science](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_science)) as opposed to the more malleable "whatever I wish/think was personally truthiest is true" sense you seem to be using here. You're perfectly free to do so, of course, just as I am free to think you're irrational for as much. 1347904341 +I don't know how people can rebut this. 1295170348 +Faith only exists in an environment lacking evidence. When there is evidence, faith starves and dies. The evidence that the moon landing actually happened, for example, is overwhelming. It does not require one to have faith that the moon landing happened, one merely has to reference the evidence to accept that it happened.\n\nAs Matt Dillahunty has said, "Faith is not a virtue. Faith is gullibility." So one can understand how our brains are wired for gullibility, one can understand how that gullibility can be exploited by intellectual predators, and why we must be careful to reduce as far as is practicable that natural weakness in our brains rather than find ways to nurture that weakness. \n\nFor those reasons I am glad to have watched the video and I thank Phil Plait for making the speech. 1300240267 +I would would wholeheartedly agree with you on all points IF my children were born at the time they were supposed to be. However, after I lay in the hospital for 11 days after my membranes ruptured, after I had round after round of medication that made me wicked ill pumped into me and after leaving my babies born weighing 2.12 and 3.3 in the hospital for more than 60 days.....I say, no-a cold is not minor. Not when I had to take them to a pulmonologist for 9 months to have shots to protect their lungs that were never meant to start working at 27 weeks....not when they had to get daily therapy to ensure they 'learned' how to go into a fetal position since they didn't have the luxury of learning to do that inside of me.\nBy the way, dented and dinged they are! My son bullies my daughter and she bullies right back! I guess you could say their social development hasn't been harmed along the way\n\n*Edit - As an aside, I actually WAS instructed by the Dr. to keep them so protected for so long....nevertheless, it was a lot easier to 'blame' it on him anyway. 1344468020 +I'll do your work for you. Here's a link to one of the studies showing that all the claims you made in your post are false: http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.0020298&imageURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.0020298.g001\n\nYour claim: "A whole 1.3% reduction in risk no less, what an astounding result": \n\nFrom the paper: "There were 20 HIV infections (incidence rate = 0.85 per 100 person-years) in the intervention group and 49 (2.1 per 100 person-years) in the control group, corresponding to an RR of 0.40 (95% CI: 0.24%–0.68%; p &lt; 0.001). This RR corresponds to a protection of 60% (95% CI: 32%–76%)."\n\nYour claim: "Of course the uncircumcised men weren't given HIV prevention education or equal access to condoms, where the circumcision group was":\n\nFrom the paper: "At each of the four visits, each participant was invited to answer a face-to-face questionnaire, to provide a blood sample, and to have a genital examination and an individual counselling session....The counselling session (15–20 min) was delivered by a certified counsellor and focused on information about STIs in general and HIV in particular and on how to prevent the risk of infection...Condoms were provided in the waiting room of the investigation centre and were also provided by the counsellor."\n\n\nYour claim: "the circumcised group couldn't have sex for at least 4 weeks of the study which weren't accounted for"\n\nFrom the paper: "After the screen visit, which took place at month 1 (M1), the three follow-up visits took place at the end of M3, M12, and M21. The M3 visit was designed to study the possible impact of surgery on HIV acquisition as a result of sexual activity during the healing phase following circumcision or contamination during surgery. "\n\nEdit: fixed link\n\n\n 1346091235 +Aren't they all "former". Hey guys things have been kinda slow so let's create some hype and sell some books... 1340889217 +Thanks for the YouTube link. I can't stream it here in the states. 1295152125 +This was posted on Youtube less than an hour ago - I wonder if it resembles what your fiance saw? Unfortunately there appears to be very little information given with the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiPGqvFp_MY 1348299289 +It's an example of the [genetic fallacy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_fallacy). The person is basing his or her conclusion (you don't know what a war crime is) on your 'origin' (never being in war) without assessing the content of what you said (e.g. A feminist saying you can't understand because you're a man). \n 1327471134 +Could it anger whatever is there? 1350279214 +The guy in the elevator is probably not a bad guy. Even she didn't think he was a bad guy. But please understand something. Asking a woman you have never met before to go to a hotel room for a coffee is something a CREEP does.\n\nIt is not an acceptable way to meet girls. There is a coffee shop in the lobby, just feet away from where he propositioned her. And I say propositioned, because, seriously, if a girl goes to a hotel room with some guy she's never met before, isn't the onus on her now if she does get raped? It was a proposition. He expected sex if she went up.\n\nThey were in a public place, and he did the cull from the herd thing to get her alone, and then tried to get her to agree to go somewhere completely private and he hadn't even spoken to her before then! That is what a CREEP does. And I'm not so sure the guy in the elevator doesn't want her raped.\n\nIt is disheartening to feel like you constantly have to defend yourself against creeps whenever you are in public.\n\neta I'm not downvoting you. I disagree with you, but I'm not downvoting. :P 1351102612 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Zeiss_Planar_50mm_f/0.7\n\nFor [Barry Lyndon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Lyndon#Cinematography), Kubrick actually used lenses that were also used for the moon landings. Coincidence? I think not! (Low light lenses are exactly what he needed and had already been created for NASA.)\n\n 1351639642 +Hitchens referred to it as "keeping two sets of books". Dawkins calls it "compartmentalizing". It doesn't mean that these people are stupid (some are, some are not) it means that they can allow themselves to not scrutinize areas of their belief system. I, personally, can't understand how people keep "two sets of books". 1331502222 +Righto, missed that. Edited 1350163863 +It's amazing how many people who don't even have a good grasp on simple arithmetic consider themselves experts on quantum mechanics. 1240896667 +I have a problem with a so-called skeptics who believe anything not based on evidence. 1324357914 +Everything is not a conspiracy. There is a mountain of evidence the size of the Moon to backup germ theory and the efficacy of vaccines. 1281223826 +Report her to the administration, and threaten to go to AP/IB whatever certifying body if they don't reprimand her and enforce some administrative control. 1345433726 +Well that's just wrong. It's not unleavened bread if it's got a rising agent. 1340541972 +Nope pure water is a 7. Zero is very acidic 1339605786 +You're right, I guess I used too strong wording there. The best I can do to refute his point is present studies that state that there is no evidence of a link?\n\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17168158\nhttp://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/citation/25/3/105\nhttp://jama.ama-assn.org/content/290/13/1763.short\nhttp://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/114/3/793)\nhttp://www.ajpm-online.net/article/S0749-3797(03)00113-2/abstract\n\n 1302806795 +Well, if evolution were true, she would obviously have evolved photosynthesis.\n\nCheckmate, atheists! 1335457163 +>Hmmm...and AMA sounds interesting. Is there such a thing as "Skeptic AMA?"\n\nSure! I think you just submit a self post in /r/skeptic with a title something like "I AM A skeptic who works in a natural foods co-op. AMA!"\n\nI'd love to see the discussion, and have some questions of my own I'd pose for you. 1300831082 +It's not in *everything*. It's barely in *anything*. It's never in fresh meats or vegetables of course, but it's not in many processed foods either. I just went into my pantry. It's not in the potato chips. It's not in my bread, peanut butter, can of baked beans, cans of soup, packets of hot cocoa mix, or 3 kinds of dry cereal. Went into the fridge. It's not in my pasta sauce, or in my cranberry juice, where I thought it actually might be. Not in any of my yogurts, or mayonnaise.\n\nI did find it in one place, the ketchup.\n\nMany of these things did have sugar added as dextrose (glucose) or maltodextrin (a polymer of glucose).\n\nWhere did the idea that HFCS is in everything come from? 1344882742 +Sounds like cooper road. Right down the street from Whipporwill.\n\nPeople actually do routinely die on Cooper. Mostly bizarre car accidents. Over the years, its been at least 1 a summer. The one a few years ago a person was decapitated by a large branch as the car was launched 10ft into the air into a tree. It was some kid in his new evo. \n\nFound the head on the road, and the car in the tree. 1318008744 +Brilliant. This needs to be in elementary schools, right next to the alphabet and multiplication charts. 1337456177 +>Dr. Jeffrey Norton, a specialist in cancers of the digestive system at Stanford University Medical Center, said an estimated 80 to 90 percent of patients are still alive after 10 years\n\nThis is simply not true\n\nHere are some more reliable stats:\n\n"A very large series of 13,715 carcinoid tumors from 3 consecutive cancer registries of the National Cancer Institute revealed that, in 138 pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms with a very long follow-up, the actuarial 5-year OS was 37.5%. Another high-volume surgical experience showed that themedian OS for NEPT was 41 months.[20] In the same study, half of the patients developed metachronous liver disease during observation, which is slightly higher than our institutional rate of 37%. We are well aware that, at a median observation period of 30.5 months in our study group, our data are to be considered preliminary. However, we would like to suggest that our radical surgical policy might possibly account for our excellent calculated survival rate of 49% at 5 years. As mentioned, we observed a lower incidence of liver recurrence than the surgical study mentioned above. Studies from other referral centers have shown slightly worse OS data, and differences in surgical management are not mentioned.[23]"\n\nTaken from here: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/552050_4\n\n 1317916672 +i like how cuban calls out motherfuckers. especially skip bayless. 1354006178 +My first thought would be family curse. My friend's 24 year old niece and her 2 cousins were killed by a drunk driver. This niece's dad's side of the family have just way too many random early deaths. Too many to just be a coincidence in my opinion. 1354936581 +Conspiracy theorists are often very supportive of each others theories, even if they are contradictory. It is a general rule that inhouse fighting is bad for book and dvd sales, and could make it harder to get speaking engagements. \nVarious alternative religious groups, like new age, do the same thing. 1343433291 +Yea, the xrays with 6 screws and a plate are quite illuminating. I'm glad I had a general anesthetic. 1319522701 +Well I watched it. Kind of meh. Stock footage cut with real testimony mixed with out of context actor opinion. The implant extraction was interesting but I've seen a much longer and more detailed documentary about this on UFOTVstudios YouTube channel. The cigar UFO photos were skipped over which was a real shame... They looked interesting, but there were only two identical images held up to the camera. This was a 747 full of people all watching a giant cigar UFOmfollow them at close proximity - why this did not make world news or somebody take some serious ca,era footage is nuts IMO. 1347922335 +Ok now I've spent far more time on this than I ever wanted or intended. The maximum level of somatic cells for Grade A pasteurized milk is 750,000 cells/ml.\n\nHow did you get a volume measurement out of that? Wouldn't we need to know the cell count on a full milliliter of milk before extrapolating any sort of percentage? I just guessed it with blood, and that isn't even fair considering milk is mostly fat, sugar and proteins. 1349936021 +I wanted to present a bit of geographic and racial diversity to /r/skeptic and I distrust the dogma of /r/atheismplus. 1353477032 +It has pretty much everything to do with privacy. 1355020619 +I'm in Northwest Arkansas, but I know there is a pretty active freethought community there. Check on meetup, and I bet you'll find some people who are interested! 1349185891 +Those do look like structures, pretty big ones at that. And there seems to be a fence with evenly spaced poles. If the structures were reflections there should be a smooth line which would be the dish/antennas underside edge, I don't see that. Im wondering about the sky though, which makes me think this is from earth. Im gonna come back to this because it's a great little mystery. 1293734771 +They have a few of these in downtown Pittsburgh. Freaked me the hell out seeing that they were a worldwide thing. 1321739146 +Absolutely normal photos taken in a dark location with unsteady hands? 1331914825 +I love *the Demon Haunted World*! D'oh, should have been a no-brainer. Thanks :) 1328484846 +Nuclear Engineer here, maybe I can help.\nNuclear plants are AMAZING feats of engineering. Radiation levels are constantly monitored, and the plant is built in such a way as to have multiple levels of safeguards in case of an accident (I can only speak for the US, but UK and France follow the same plant designs. Can't speak for China, Japan, Russia, and Korea). Case in point, Three Mile Island. Everything that could go wrong, did. Yet, no radiation was released to the public and plant workers received no alarming dose of radiation. Not one person was hurt or hospitalized.\nI really could spend all day debunking common myths about radiation. If you have any specific questions, fill free to ask. 1317219877 +Eeh...The first article is about Obama's quote concerning Roswell. Is that....how is that remotely suspicious, or am I missing a joke here? I'm an open minded individual and that just made me laugh.\n\nAlso, from now on I am referring to him as New Mexico President Obama. 1332727195 +The trick to staying calm is remembering that this is not necessarily a ghost. It could be energy vortexes close by creating small eddies that move stuff around or reflect images your brain has be preprogrammed to believe they are ghosts. It could even be things your own mind is doing that may be manifesting physically. Sounds like the biggest fear you deal with is fear of the unknown. Face it head on and soon you will be looking straight in the eye and putting yourself above it. 1337171596 +Wat? TV remotes use infrared (IR). 1346026320 +Really, you're going to downvote me even though you [CAN SEE THE FRESH TILLED DIRT IN THE VIDEO.](http://i.imgur.com/8Lmun.jpg) 1352907032 +As a vet, I deal with all sorts of wacky shit people come up with regarding their and other peoples' animals. Some of the stuff you alluded to near the top of the piece is OK; dogs ARE social animals and like to have company. \n\nYou will get a much better response if you use mostly positive reinforcement training, as the reinforcement has to come immediately following the behaviour you are trying to influence, and often you find out about bad behaviours (shitting somewhere naughty or eating the cushion) well after the fact. Having said that, if you catch the dog doing something bad, you can provide some negative reinforcement immediately, as long as you follow it up with positive when it does the right thing.\n\nIt is possible for animals to develop injection site sarcomas from vaccination, but the numbers that do are extremely low, and I doubt anyone who has seen a dog die of parvovirus or distemper would argue against vaccination. One thing you could discuss with your vet is vaccination interval, as there is increasing evidence that components of the vaccines are better than we have previously given them credit for, and you may be able to extend your revaccination interval out to three years or more for some pathogens.\n\nChinese herbs and acupuncture are interesting ones, as while animals are relatively immune to the placebo effects themselves, their owners will often treat them differently following some sort of quackery, making it look to them like the animal has improved or changed in some way. 1311374677 +in all seriousness. I love his character more than Sammy. idk, guess Dean is more relatable. just started watching this show literally like a week ago. I'm already on season 4.\n\nalso blew my mind when I found out he played Red Hood, in that batman animated movie..\n\n[spoilers]\njust crazy how he comes back from the dead just like his character in Supernatural 1346809200 +An appreciated dose of optimism to start off a morning.\n 1303912540 +I have no clue. Maybe humans have a kind of hive mind that we don't really know about. haha 1317351203 +I think you're around an hour behind me. A camera is a really good idea too. Hope all is going well with the capture. Lol. 1340265594 +I think you're right. 1354477485 +I don't know. No where it says it is a female demon in the movie. I do know Katie refers to the demon as "him" in the scene where the entity breaks the couple's photograph. Well as long as it works out for you man, i am happy.. 1319076610 +Have you tried sniffing around [the IPCC's Website](http://www.ipcc.ch/)? 1336037629 +I used to dream about my pets as well, because, you know, I was around them a lot. 1343724338 +Given the large amounts of the human population that are either religious or believe in some kind of spirituality, I would question whether it's "common sense"... Then again the arguments that we here put forward are in large part just common sense arguments *stated clearly and systematically*. Unfortunately many people even after hearing them still can't manage to apply them, such simple concepts as the burden of evidence being on the person making the claim for the existence of something. 1330306751 +**SEVEN** shots!?! 1320283284 +Please do, I'd love to see it again. 1344729053 +Probably, it was a pretty shitty point and shoot kodak thing. 1317533286 +Soros is their bogeyman, basically. Just like the left flips out about the Koch brothers, the right is terrified that Soros is $SOMETHING_SCARY . 1343924395 +I agree. I readily believe that acupuncture offers relief from radiotherapy side effects. But I also conclude based upon the repeated studies of acupuncture that it offers no more relief than the placebo effect alone. 1355373445 +You will never find the evidence you are looking for on the internet. In today's world of video, photo and audio editing software, it's impossible to present something to another individual that cannot be disproved. I personally have tons of evidence that I've gathered over the years, but I don't show it to anyone, because I'm the only person that knows for a fact that it isn't intentionally fabricated. The only evidence that cannot be disputed is personal experience, and it's only true evidence to the individual having the experience. If you truly want to find evidence of the paranormal, you have to go out and find it yourself. You will never find it by sitting in your livingroom waiting for someone else to present it to you. 1349093118 +How many stupid things does one have to believe before being accepted/labeled as "stupid?" 1300543157 +thank god the dick is gone is it fun being a troll? 1341984603 +You know, as an unemployed person living with their parents, every day I think about whether or not I should develop a similar legal scam like homeopathy. 1299444642 +Quacks are always on-topic in r/skeptic. 1353955688 +Whether they're flares or not isn't even being talked about anymore, you idiot - and, for that matter, please give your concise argument for why you think they're flares, keeping in mind everything that's already been discussed, addressed, and refuted.\n\nOr maybe . . . perhaps . . . you might want to just fuck off. 1339911483 +I think you've kind of missed a few points.\n\nFor one, check out PZs & Phils blog. Nearly all the comments are by feminists claiming that Rebecca is entitled to her views because "do you know many women are raped?!" So there are quite a few feminists who have turned this into a gender battle about male-privilege and sexism. Although initially Rebecca did not take this stance, she seems to have jumped on that band-wagon now. \n\nSecondly, the point where I said:\n\n>What you're not allowed to do is use force and harass after you've been told no.\n\nWas directed at the guy. \n\nApproaching a woman is okay, asking a woman out is okay. However, once a guy has been rejected, move on. Any harassment thereafter is not cool. This guy calmly asked her to coffee, she essentially publicly shamed him as a creep; even though he did nothing wrong. It's at this point, going back to one of my others, that the feminists chimed up using female sexual assault as a justification for Rebecca's creep-shaming. 1310044345 +Please Sir, If, as you say, it took the brain surgeon who taught you 40 years to learn this technique, how is it that everyone you taught could learn the technique in 5 minutes? \nHow have you been able to successfully keep quiet 25 people who suddenly acquired the power to move objects solely with their mind? Such a power, which violates many known scientific laws, would make anyone possessing it wealthy beyond belief. Surely, some of them, would, just as you did, demonstrate this for those close to them. How can you be sure one of them ( or someone they have taught) won't claim the JREF million dollar prize, ahead of you ? \nAren't you doing humanity a gross injustice by not immediately advancing this power, which will so obviously enhance our understanding of science? If confirmed, this power would be a radical change across many disciplines of science. Please, I would really like an answer to my questions. 1355605027 +>People who fall for quacks on matters of life-or-death are not 'smart', by definition.\n\nPeople with these types of "cures" promote them with what they label as research and when they call themselves doctors, it's not hard to convince someone who is grasping for hope because they have a terminal illness. If you happen to have brain cancer but not much family available for support, you may find yourself mentally foggy or having difficulty processing information. \n\nEven if that isn't the case, you can be a well educated engineer but not know how the liver is different from the spleen. Not everyone is a physician.\n\nThe irony is that your insistence that the victims of scams are simply not intelligent is evidence of your own feeble mind.\n\nIt's clear from your posting history that you need reddit as a means to feel superior. Rather than actually achieve something, you have to belittle others to raise your own perceived worth. 1342738219 +Crazy... crazy people. It's conspiracy all the way down. 1318549426 +Similar situation to what I experienced. I was at a party and I was explaining a straw man to someone using the magic bullet diagram you always see as an example, when I hear some one say..\n\n "wait ... what? There is no way a bullet could do the things in that diagram."\n\n"That's my point. The fact that no one ever said a bullet could do those things, and it wouldn't need to to cause the injuries sustained by Kennedy and Connolly is what makes it a straw man."\n\n<crickets>\n\nThe interesting thing is that no one was invested with the idea of a conspiracy. For most of them, it was just one of those things everyone knows. They didn't defend it, they had just never been exposed to the facts. 1337893892 +Actually, a few are elephantshit. The rest are likely sincere. Weed out the sincere but misguided/mistaken ones, and some are still left that are not very explainable from our normal way of viewing "reality." 1331521728 +> Correlation does not equal causation. Well, sometimes it does.\n\nNo, never. \n\nI think you are saying that things can have both a causal and correlation relationship. In fact if you have a causal relationship, then I would be surprised if there were not a correlation relationship as well.\n\nIn other words, the concept of correlation is never, ever the same thing as the concept of causation.\n 1261202714 +The light isn't a perfect point source. Light from the left of your lamp arrives at a slightly different angle as from the right. So there is a zone of fuzziness around every shadow. This is called the *penumbra*. It's from the latin *umbra* meaning shadow, and *paene* meaning almost.\n\nWhen you bring two objects close together, the penumbras will seem to join together. Because when you bring things close together, you eliminate the other paths for the light to take "around" the other. So that area right between them gets darker even if they aren't quite touching.\n\nSome other people in this thread are alluding to an unrelated effect, diffraction. That's really only visible at small scales. \n\nAnyway, kudos to you for being so observant. 1334215147 +In truth, western birth rates are not the problem. The problem of overpopulation could be stayed by eliminating poverty (people in third world countries have way more kids because some are likely to die, except that inevitably more survive than were planned on), but that's just too darned inconvenient.\n\nAt the same time, China now faces a real social problem where hundreds of thousands if not millions of men cannot find wives. So unless they start going gay en masse, you have a really large, really unhappy demographic on your hands. 1313944137 +If it's toxic black mold, cleaning it yourself can be very hazardous. It could expose you to a large dose of toxins that you can inhale or absorb through your skin.\n\nNormally mold is caused by moisture. Killing off all the mold in the house with bleach won't help if there is still a moisture problem. Instead, do what you can to prevent condensation, puddles, and flooding in your home. If that doesn't help you may need to improve air circulation in the moldy areas, or even use a dehumidifier. 1336000465 +whatever 1317699008 +Theres plenty of evidence that vaccines have traces of mercury which has been directly linked to autism. But, this girl was a porn star, what the fuck does she know, amirite? 1279146106 +Cant really answer that right now, I don't have enough info at this time. The interesting thing is though he doesn't mention any of this in the article, I thought he would; I'm a new sub here and though some other people on here would have some answers to this stuff. 1263097029 +Polyethylene, A string of carbons with hydrogens along the sides. Sounds pretty organic to me. 1328668355 +I think you have something! 1354038485 +I, too, know that casino.\n\nHooray! 1326564547 +Looks like Zelda.\n 1334001694 +Further, considering they already found a burial of the opposite--a female warrior buried as a male, and since traditional cultures from the Caucasus Mountains to Island Southeast Asia have genders not tied to biological sex, and even "modern" cultures do as well, this seems much more reasonable of an interpretation.\n\nIn the case of archaeology and historical linguistics, the fact that--as the maxim goes--"behaviors don't fossilize" often leads to a bit of conjecture. But not unreasonable conjecture. 1302406143 +Truth need not be evangelized. They had facetime with the facts their entire student career.\n\nThe idea is absolutely disgusting, treating science like a religion. Ugh.\n\nNot only that, if you promote sciences as you would a religion, it would actually have the OPPOSITE effect. Religions are exclusive to eachother, so if you hand out facts in the same way you would religious nuttery, they will dismiss it the same way you would a hare Krishna at the airport. \n\nScience and religion are two different realms and as such have to different avenues of propagating. Why would we dress up a sheep in wolfs clothing? 1312988320 +Those terrorists had it coming! 1352900990 +Interesting that the police told the news station that they could not investigate until a complaint had been made, but now they can follow up on all evidence.\n\nWith that said, even thought he police have asked the e-mails to stop, IF YOU HAVE EVIDENCE of him sending death threats on line, you should still forward this to the police.\n\nIf the police act like they don't want this information, then they are not doing their job. 1313362418 +I posted about it but it's down on page 11 or 12 now or something. The definition of "opaque" changed, from my perspective, for several months.\n\n5 or 6 other redditors posted "Hey, me too" comments. Then we argued about whether Australia is still where it should be and whether all those islands near it are too big now and too close. 1327510371 +>providing profiles of these leading antagonists to homeopathy will hopefully shed light on the nature of their information and how trustworthy they may or may not be. \n\nThe whole reason for the attacks is to discredit their arguments by making them appear untrustworthy. It is indeed ad hominem. 1317745193 +Was it just a blimp at the opening ceremony of the Olympics? To my eye that's what it looked like, the apparent disc shape I thought was just a result of reflected light but I heard a news report that said there wasn't a blimp operational at the time. 1345727358 +I think you eventually died from age. 1328066206 +You know... I think so too. I think we're in for a very weird time ahead. 1298408677 +She says "cases for which they could find no other explanation"\n\nYawn. She's also talking about a french report that skeptics panned for a lot flaws in their methodology. I've spoken to you about this issue previously. \n\nThe JREF forums have done a great job fielding a vast quantity of [these claims.](http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=156375) 1304136096 +"Aliens"\n\n-The History Channel Guy 1335116973 +,...And to add to what DangerClose1 said below, what were missing is the altitude that these were dropped from to determine length of time in air,...if we dont know that, then your just guessing as I am,... 1317038599 +I absolutely agree. One hundred percent. Skeptics should not be afraid to turn a cold eye to anyone who acts this way. 1310582647 +Verified. 1333042318 +Given a choice between loud flight and glowing lights, I would pick the glowing lights, because everybody hears a jet when it's passing overhead, but very very few people look up to the sky. 1321474066 +How about a nighttime picture with it being caught in an up and sideways wind draft? 1340240736 +Followup? 1340911383 +The link doesn't work. What was it?\n 1321443388 +My uncle thought he was Saint Jerome... 1352156394 +No no no these are defiantly Chinese lanterns. 1347827425 +Some believe that if Sasquatch does exist, there's no way modern science would be unable to detect even the smallest possible breeding population of seven-foot, 300-pound, hairy man-beasts. 1341868503 +The bigger issue is, if you contract toxoplasmosis, you have a weakened immune system and should probably see a doctor about that. 1328914356 +My RA did that, too. We shared a suite and he one day he came in with a gallon jug if it and used it for pretty much everything. Hand soap, bath soap, shampoo, toothpaste. 1297191114 +Sure, but that makes them "Fail as a parent"? What if you had a rough day and your kid is very active and healthy and he wants a candy bar and you just don't want to deal with his shit so you buy it for him\n\nNo parent is perfect, little slip ups like that don't make people fail as parents. Their kids lives aren't ruined because of it and life goes on. No reason to get all self-righteous about it. 1344978150 +Jesus! I posted that days ago and forgot all about it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go look under my bed. 1330222106 +It isn't. The effort is a constant process of education. It never ends. Don't be satisfied with the clique, let's continually bring new people in.\n\nHow would people ever learn this unless it was brought to their attention? This is good stuff. 1348925259 +it'll certainly be one when the star dies. and if we can sort out intergalactic travel by then, i'm pretty sure killing all of us would be impossible. 1335750582 +Do you suffer from migraines at all? Have you ever had any other "out of body" or heightened sense experiences? \n \nThe reason I ask is about 5 years ago I was diagnosed with **chronic aura migraines**, and here are some of the symptoms I often experience right before a migraine: \n \n* feeling "hyper"\n* sensitivity to light, sounds, or motion\n* seeing things that aren't really there (hallucinations)\n* blind spots\n* inability to read or write - I know I can recognize the letters on the page, but I can't comprehend them \n \nI sometimes experience these "aura" effects without even getting a headache at all. Before I knew what it was it used to scare the hell out of me. I'd just be reading a book or typing or something, then BAM I would have this out of body hyper feeling & no matter how many times I try to read the same word over and over, it just doesn't make any sense to me. 1327523303 +I thought [this](http://i.thestar.com/images/40/73/c227a4af47aca2d2617c0381188b.jpg) style was particularly useless ([relevant article/video](http://www.thestar.com/videozone/1235054--taping-an-athlete)). 1344005040 +Because it's a television show that depends on advertisements, network support, and ratings in order to exist. But most importantly, because we have no evidence that human consciousness survives after the death of the body, and because we have no evidence that evil spirits exist, or that spirits exist, or what spirits are supposed to be. 1352140180 +People on Reddit don't have sex... silly... 1292938746 +Of course not. No more than you're suggesting that governments are always evil and ill-informed. "Always" is an awfully strong word. 1328318151 +It measures changes in the GPS, and, if present, FM radio receivers.\n\nEMF is not necessarily a ghost, but may indicate their presence.\n\nWhy the hell are you so hostile? 1316437956 +As far as context for us, I don't disagree. But I can't help but feel these things are narrow-sighted. Humans will either change or they won't. That is all that really matters to us. But that wasn't the point I was making. Your use of balance is a very narrow context. We are not above the cyclical nature of the universe. 1352829359 +I don't think people respect the outcomes of elections, there are plenty of people who are against the current government, it just happens that the government holds enough power to enforce the decision made, I don't see why this would be any less true for a lottocracy.\n\nThe only issue I see with lottocracy is deciding how large the decision making body should be, the larger it is the better representative it is, the smaller it is the more capable of making decisions it is. 1332068140 +How did you manage to write so many words and actually say nothing? 1345653634 +In the end, for me, it's not about the which religion, it's about the idea of all religion. It's not the people, it's the ideas they form from the religion. There is a gap, in critical thinking, for all belief in god(s). However, I've nothing against(heh mostly..see liquor complaint below) the people of religion having their beliefs, as long as they don't impose them on me and those that don't want it. It's a group of people in the religion that tend to do bad things, rarely the single person acting alone. That idea of them leaving others alone is nice, but not generally practiced even in our separation of church and state(I live I Utah...can't buy my liquor from a STATE liquor store on Sunday - people can't sell cars on Sunday, etc). \n\nYou don't have to blow up a building to destroy people's lives or cause fear and terror, racism, sexism, etc. Religions are still the king of with us or against us and many -isms. Which, to me, is bad. 1307595987 +I had a dream like that... it was awesome. There were millions of them floating in the woods as I was driving through an out of use cemetery.\n\nClosest thing I saw like this during waking hours was a "white wolf" that appeared by our campsite during summer camp. I put "white wolf" in quotes because it was dog-like, it was white, but it was too huge to be a wolf. When we (about six of us) spotted it, it looked at us with glowing red eyes, turned away and booted so fast none of us could keep a flashlight beam on it. \n\nIn the area, there are coyotes, black bear, deer, and the odd mountain lion which the game commission claims doesn't exist.\n\nThis was not a coyote. Too big. Not an albino deer. We all knew what a deer looks like and this had too big a head. Not an elk either. They're really pretty much unheard of in that section of woods. \n\nNot a mountain lion but its movements were cat-fast. I mean, it ran to our left, across the street (passing under streetlight next to the camp road for less than one second) and from there was unheard and unseen. We searched for tracks after the initial pant-shitting but it was too dry. 1340850050 +Series premiere! UFOparkour, only on History! Followed by Swamp People and Ice Road Truckers. 1339691380 +If I was a Doctor operating privately, I'd refuse patients where the parents were proven dumbfucks. 1310768706 +erm, yeah, sure, Williamson. . . 1256824396 +Agh, makes sense. Thanks for the explanation 1326037308 +Well, the wing really does have aerodynamical properties and could lift the thing. Or you mean like toy, that could actually fly? Might be, but wouldn't they be able to build something like that in human-size then? 1344126044 +i hear they look exactly like us 1325461492 +Erich von Däniken\n\nDon't know why, I just love hearing him talk.\n\nThere's always this little "what else do you people need" urgency to his voice :D 1336909814 +My favourite part was when Noomi Rapace's character declared, on the basis of *absolutely no evidence at all* that these apparent aliens created human life. Because that's what she 'chooses to believe'.\n\nThat was the first time in my life I genuinely facepalmed, and I did it so hard that the slap was audible to the people around me, even over various giggles from the audience. And managed to knock my 3D glasses off to boot. 1341190403 +...no i didnt. You made that up because you were sad. 1348376754 +There are empirical psychologists. You have to make a distinction between the different types of psychology. Skinner was a psychologist, Pavlov was a psychologist. There's the Freud types, sure. But, a lot of empirical scientific methods were developed by psychologists. Pavlov was instrumental in promoting the importance of eliminating seemingly innocuous variables (remember the lab coat variable?). \n\nI see people tearing apart psychology on here all the time, but there is more to it than "Tell me about your mother". That's psychoanalysis and it's not the same as say, Pavlov's experiments with operant conditioning or Skinner's behaviorism models. \n\nI work in behaviorism and many of the psychologists are very rigorous in their work. To the point that sometimes I think they sacrifice the human element when working with clients. \n\nDismissing psychology completely in all its forms because psychology has come to have a tainted name is not skepticism. \n\nI don't know about this particular study. But, I don't think we should see "psychology" and just dismiss findings outright, which is the impression I get reading r/skeptic.\n\nIn fact, in general, I see a lot of things dismissed on here because of speculation or a misunderstanding of the discipline. 1333970196 +> There is a popular theory referred to as the 'Big Bang' theory. It tries to explain the existence of the universe in an evolutionary manner having an initial beginning with an immense explosion of some gases or solid mass. Some say there first was a void or ’nothingness’, or perhaps, some gases which exploded then from this everything in the universe simply began to evolve to the stage that we see now. There has never really been any solid evidence for this idea of 'something out of nothing' concept. Nor for that matter, the evolutionary theory itself.\n\n0/10 for being too much of an idiot: As if quoting the wikipedia definition of the big bang would have taken more than 20 seconds. 1349814978 +This is supposed to be r/skeptic. Since when is "ask the people who sell it" a good, skeptical, answer? Given the amount of [woo used by some pot promoters](http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/11/25/a-little-dose-of-hemp-will-cure-everything/), it's completely legitimate to come here to ask whether it works. 1323315002 +You keep failing to read the point with regards to the 90%.\n\nThe issue is that 90% of the diagnoses of the US-ADHD is pretty much US-only phenomenon, 90% of the kids diagnosed with ADHD in US would not be diagnosed with ADHD in most European countries, because of different diagnosis criteria. If you tell me you have US-ADHD, from my POV, there's at least 90% chance that you do not have something that would be diagnosed where I live. Do you understand the concept that the world may not be centred around your country? The EU has quite effective education, somehow, even though, supposedly, 90% of the cases of this horrible US-ADHD which so needs to be treated with amphetamines and other stimulants, go undiagnosed here.\n\nHere's a study showing that the difference is due to diagnosis rates:\n\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1525089/\n\nIt is a little bit outdated because you guys doubled the diagnosis rates in some regions, since the 2003.\n\nSecondarily, the creationists believe that they have factual support for their creation science when they don't. So do you with ADHD. Thirdly, you don't even seem to have thought through what the factual support may even look like and how it would distinguish a disease from 'lets call 10th percentile of ill behaved kids a syndrome'.\n\nFourth, and this is absolute killer, \n\nwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2933294/\n\nThe rates of diagnoses differ between the month right before kindergarten cut-off and right after, by **as much as factor of 2** . The study is seriously splitting hairs with regards to over or under diagnosis. \n\nThe conclusion from such huge variation due to the factor as trivial to account for, is very simple: utterly incompetent diagnosis and de-facto lack of definition of disease beyond the 'ill behaved kid'. The thing is, unless those rates of diagnoses were totally fabricated, your country treats people with amphetamines for this disease of being born right before the kindergarten cut-off or any similar condition that you ought not to treat with amphetamines (e.g. slightly slower but perfectly normal maturation). Not that the amphetamines don't help, of course. As a stimulant they do help kids cope with their wrong birthdays, and their slower maturations, and their inattentive parents, and the boringness of curriculum dumbed for lowest common denominator, and pretty much anything.\n\nThe US-ADHD is the most messed up piece of US-only 'science' that I've seen so far. It totally beats global warming denial and scientific creationism.\n\nThis is not to deny the rest-of-the-world ADHD, which is likely a real condition, with prevalence of around 1% or less. Disorders like that tend to have low prevalence, thanks to evolution. Sometimes, there's a brain abnormality. But not often. 1350113954 +I think it comes from the different expectations of the shows. I have never once even considered Matt and Trey to be skeptics. South Park is all about making fun of everything and everyone, so I don't bat an eyelash at any of their ridiculous scenarios. Real Time seems to be meant to be more of a political discussion, given the inclusion of the panel discussion portion of the show, so I expect a higher standard of its host. 1349611991 +Yeah, ignore the experts on the subject. You know that in /r/trees there are probably people who make the kind of lotion you're asking about, you know for a living... THC lotion is available for purchase at many places. \n\nYou said you understood about alcohol's absorption through the skin from mythbusters? I don't remember that particular episode but THC is soluble in alcohol. Thus it makes sense that if alcohol can get into your system through the skin then THC can. 1323309602 +Where can I watch this for free? 1324533505 +Agreed, but his comment seemed to refer to the root cause of cancer. Mycotoxins might cause cancer, because they cause mutations. 1248886418 +Hey, it's [appearing in unrelated science news stories](http://rnd.cnews.ru/natur_science/news/top/index_science.shtml?2007/11/30/277525) about black holes too. Wow. 1356094695 +There was a half-penny coin at one point. 1326306196 +Yeah i messed it up when i posted it, i put the link in the text area if you are still interested in seeing it. 1354013759 +Yes, I got that reply from another person. Here are the options with which I present you: 1) A hoax so elaborate, your mind stretches to fill the gaps like someone on r/conspiracy 2) A real, genuine communique.\n\nAs to why they might not use the same media. Fuck it. I'll get downvoted to shit. Science has become corrupted by politics. RAS, the institution founded by Newton was required to withdraw a study and fire a scientist because the study showed there were health risks to GMO's. This is all mainstream news, btw.\n\nWhen Monsanto has the power to make the Royal Academy of Sciences withdraw conclusions? Well, it's official. Science is institutionalized and politicized. You can see this more easily when the cure to depression and ADHD (both non-physical diseases, ie, behavioral) ... are chemical compounds. Pfizer and Merck can get a scientist to convince you that some chemical compound, that they discovered because it was a side-effect of another compound -- is the cure. \n\nSo why would I, as an alien, respond to Earth along the paths of censorship, and modern politics? We're in r/UFO's after all. Do you personally believe the government has been telling you the truth about aliens?\n\nI would respond in such a way that the message could reach my intended recipient. And that's, IMO, what happened. 1351860219 +Well cyanide and arsenic aren't synthetic. 1341257539 +Thank you. I was hoping this wouldn't simply get quietly buried. :)\n\nI think we should all be able to agree to disagree on things of opinion while processing converging evidence *and* remain civilized in the debate. I don't feel personally offended for the silent downvotes, they just made me think maybe I should have written a shorter message. ;)\n\nI'm not autistic, I don't live in the US and I'm not a parent so I'm not pushing for an emotional argument of one thing over another. I don't think I've ever personally known a pathologically autistic person, neither child nor adult.\n\nI wish people would consider science first, personal peeves second. \n\nI too am moderately convinced there's no link between vaccination and autism, and fairly convinced that mercury is generally bad for living organisms in most of its derived forms. This makes me **pro-vaccine** and **anti-mercury** and these terms should not be in contradiction.\n 1256414425 +If the injury is muscular in nature, why is it sending pain signals? Because there is damage. 1325821209 +That's what I said.\n\nMy point was how quickly people are to condemn things as ineffective or inaccurate just because it doesn't give them the answer they want. 1333549581 +I get that a lot. 1301443012 +I don't see trepanation coming back any time soon though (unless it's for relieving inter cranial pressure). 1339848222 +You're making the same assumptions as the OP, just on the other side of the spectrum. Why can't both of your ideas be valid? 1344711946 +I know is sarcasm, but I'll bite.\nI would start by arguing that the idea of the 'five senses' is a misconception. Secondly, brain function is not immaterial. There's roughly 30 billion neurons in your brain working and transmitting information. Your thoughts just don't pop up out nowhere. If they do, please explain from where.\n\nCheck. 1322105109 +As you should know, Carl Jung thought that great events cast shadows into the past (from the event's point of view).\n\nYou can ask whatever you believe in to send you wisdom dreams and healing dreams. Ask just before you go to sleep. You might still dream of the future but you may also be able to de-fuse your fear of dreaming of the future. (For example, a dream of the house being on fire might turn into a dream about being watchful when you run the grill, or a dream about installing and learning to use fire extinguishers.)\n\n 1347309163 +Totally. But he's slowed down on his anti-creationism too. Also AronRa has done massive amounts, but not lately. 1332802946 +Yeah, that's the one. Sorry, I guess there's been so much Qigong talk in my life lately that I assumed everyone knew what it was. Ha. 1297016248 +It's reminiscent of that inept hitman sketch from Kids in the Hall, where the hitman discovers his target is *himself*.\n\n...so he asks for the money up front! 1356365651 +And seriously, why would he think that reality is limited by planets visited? What if those other planets aren't real either? 1331323725 +Wait how exactly do we know how many atoms there are in the universe?! That seems like a kind of nebulous concept... Other than that...\n\n*mind blown* 1327420803 +I was on your side up until you said this. The belief about the relevance of belief in deities is very independent of that belief itself. "Yeah, I believe in God and Jesus. But it doesn't matter 'cause when those nukes hit Washington, we'll be dead either way." 1308249931 +If you're looking for a podcast that deals with the paranormal but does not take itself serious at all, check out "tales from the spacepod" It's a bunch of guys sitting around discussing various topics with a lot of off color humor. It's pretty raunchy and entertaining. It's nothing like what you would normally find on parapods. It's not for everyone, especially not folks who take themselves way too serious. They often make light of certain topics, But I'm pretty sure if you really wanted that information taken serious there are probably already 25 different podcasts or episodes of coast to coast already touching on it that you can look up and listen to. 1310416277 +hi. the astronauts did have at least two 16mm film cameras with them, but obviously that's not how people watched it live on earth (as film isn't live). they had on the surface a slow-scan video camera shooting 10 frames per second. that signal was received on earth in australia i believe. the slow-scan video was converted to NTSC standard with a device which essentially points a video camera at a monitor. then that signal was sent to the rest of the world. and we got to watch it on (in my case) CBS.\n\nif instead you wanted to *fake* it on earth, according to the theory you would need slow motion. slow motion obviously doesn't happen live. it needs to be recorded at one speed and played back at a slower speed. there were limits on how much real time live action you could record, either on film or video. hence the need to edit clips together for the final product.\n\nif it was possible in the 1960s to record continuous video on 2-inch quad tape and play it back at 1/3 speed, then that might have been a solution to the challenge. to my knowledge (i was corresponding with an engineer who worked in network television at the time) that was not yet possible. so i resorted to the idea of the disk recorder, which they indeed did have in those days. but due to size limits that seemed unlikely as well. so i tried the theory of filming it on 35mm and subsequently transferring it to NTSC at 10 FPS. that gets pretty ridiculous pretty fast as well — but more so if you have personally fought the battle against dust on film. 1356453458 +This discussion does go some way to explain why some Redditors are forever alone. 1309624881 +actually quite the same as yours. thank you so much 1353602234 +Why is this in r/skeptic?\n\nI don't think the subject matter is relevant to this sub reddit. \n\nThe internet vigilante-ism needs to stop. Police were contacted. The only other thing you could do is drive over to her house and check on her, which why haven't her numerous friends already done so? 1301843987 +nope believe it or not i don't smoke weed, it's been happening since i was a child, i wonder what would happen it i DID smoke weed? 1347037365 +I picked up my puppy when he was barely 6 weeks old and he is as socially and physically healthy as can be. He loves other dogs and other people, because that's the way I raised him!\nIf you would like to learn how to raise your dog in a loving, scientifically conscious way you should check out Zak George's [videos](http://www.youtube.com/user/zakgeorge21) on youtube. He rejects the outdated dominance/alpha theories and instead focuses on healthy communication between you and your dog. \nLet us know how it goes and good luck! (seriously the first couple of weeks are a nightmare...) 1353966175 +Really? There isn't one single thing you can think of that sets a drastic difference between post WWII Americans and Americans of post-technology-boom of 2012? Not even one simple discernible difference? 1334512666 +How does one know the difference between "beneficial" reprogramming and "harmful" brainwashing? 1290294359 +>We're sorry but this site is not accessible from the UK as it is part of our international service and is not funded by the licence fee. 1333777001 +Richard Feynman said it, and plenty of people still define it as a social science, that is, not a real science. Until it can make laws which result in accurate predictions, that will continue. 1337859004 +I have some new news about this actually. It seams that they might be going down there to find out what it is, And the expedition is planed to start in Maj if all go to planed. it looks like they may contract with a major TV company on a series about the expedition. [Source](http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article14286092.ab) (OPS its in Swedish so cope paste test to google [translate](http://translate.google.com/#en|sv|miagt)) 1327881864 +well, technically the brain is where stroke comes from. 1341223845 +I didn't say we shouldn't be training kids in using the internet for the better. There are so many skills to learn online - there are so many educational resources. The internet is the future. But how is this an argument for them to be used in an uncontrolled setting during lecture time? That's the same as reading a novel during a lecture on math. How is that anything more than a distraction (and before you bring up CS classes, I also did not say the school shouldn't have its own computer lab).\n\nMaybe I should have been more precise - technologies that play ubiquitous roles in our lives are simply too ubiquitous to be used in a place of scholastic focus like a school -- if they are to have a role in schools, then they should be somehow limited to academic research. It may be nice to teach kids how to use a mobile phone, and educate them on ethical usage (not overcharging their parents data plan, for example), and maybe even mobile programming.\n\nThe example of a calculator really isn't suitable -- obviously calculators are not distractions. Well, atleast, they are much less of a distraction (they are distractions when you do calculations on them that can be done mentally rather easily). But really - you compared a calculator to a mobile phone and to an internet-connected laptop **in their uses to a child**? \n\nBy the way, my high school did **not** allow calculators, and I don't think we ever did calculations complex enough to require use of a sophisticated calculator. At the very most they may have required add/subtract/multiply/divide/square root/log/exp instructions, a far cry from the graphing calculators and complex scientific calculators (including matrix operations) that they advertise today. This is simply a waste of money unless it is carefully allocated to advanced classes that need them. 1305512520 +I hope so, and I expect so. 1331429575 +When I decide what to eat for lunch, I don't require high levels of evidence to make a decision. However, when it comes to my personal health I prefer treatments and medicine that have been "proven in court" to work, and not some random quackery that *might* be beneficial, but could just as well be harmful. 1327961175 +youre right, too. This BBC thing is one of the sillier arguments that turned me right away from 9/11 conspiracy theorists. 1350830304 +444 means "angels surround you." 1326647373 +No, they're an important part of the metabolic process, and studies have shown positive effects, BUT they're not the cure-all that health fads and Oprah make them out to be. Like the immune system, it's about balance. \n\nDr. Stephen Novella of the Skeptic's Guide the Universe has stated that you get enough antioxidants in a healthy, balanced diet, and should never have to supplement for them. 1299423965 +Are you a woman? If not, you have *never* seen this behavior because those comments are being addressed toward women, not men. And the women who might bring it up? Well, they get attacked and told they're making it up and that they're the problem. Kinda (read: exactly) like you're doing now. 1338600286 +The skull looks like it is screaming. I guess I would be too if I was looking at skinless people.\n\n\nEdet: Cpeling 1334455900 +You should try this Ghost Box simple to make. It's called the THE DEVIL'S TOY BOX http://youtu.be/yobfgac21YI 1345606860 +Now you seem to be blamming all the problems on the US. I guess even if I point out that aid workers in some African countries require armed protection you would find some way to blame the US for that.\n\nThe US has caused many problems, but they're not the only reason that these countries are dangerous places to be. 1294711474 +Are you taking submitions for locations? 1336829455 +Betty and Barney Hill weren't sleeping - Travis Walton wasn't sleeping, The Reed Family, Police Officer Herbert Schirmer, Betty Andreasson - and the list goes on ad infinitum... 1348221484 +>If there is all this information and serious study, then why isn't that the main attraction?\n\nMainly because anyone interested in looking at this stuff seriously is considered a kook from the getgo. It's now a built-in reaction in our society. I've taken a ton of crap from friends/family for being interested in it. Even here on Reddit (outside this subreddit) you will get torched by people for even entertaining the thought. Try commenting in r/space some time. Those guys are vicious.\n\nFor us, though, it's like taking the Matrix pill. Once things start adding up you begin to realize there's something to it. It's the biggest puzzle in our lifetime in my opinion. \n\nIf you work through the history of how this information has been handled since the very beginning, and by who, it becomes clearer just why this stuff is still beneath people's radar. The 'cult of ridicule' is very strong in our culture. There has been an intentional campaign of disinformation for many years now, and there are floods of false info out there that seriously confuse the situation. If you look for patterns among the serious researchers, though, you begin to get a rough picture of what is probably going on. Separating fact from opinion and staying as objective as possible is crucial.\n\nDolan is at the forefront when it comes to objective fact-based research in this field. He covers the ET possibilities more than Kean does because there is overwhelming circumstantial evidence to support that theory. The sheer mass of documents he has compiled is amazing to me.\n\nI've never seen anything on television that is worth watching. There was an interview with John Mack years ago that was good, but not much else. Always open to recommendations. 1292275393 +>How to deal with ideas that are so crazy, they are hard to even debunk?\n\nUsually, Hitchen's Razor does the trick for me.\n\n"What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence."\n\nSo these scam gurus can heal anything? Ask him for proof they can heal this or that. Don't settle for an anecdote or a testamonial -- make him demonstrate scientific proof. Ask what experiments they've conducted, ask for the study data, etc.\n\nSo crystals have healing properties? Ask him where the proof is. Ask him which peer-reviewed journals publish the evidence.\n\nAnd so on. Ask him for proof the government is covering up evidence of Planet X, ask him for scientific research proving that there are 144 dimensions, ask for the proof of how quantum thinking accomplishes crossing between dimensions, etc.\n\nThe more you demand proof of things, the less he will be able to show you, because such proof doesn't exist. Eventually he will tire himself from running around in circles searching for something that isn't there, and he'll be faced with the truth (that it *isn't* there) and will either have to accept it or deny it. If he accepts it, great, welcome him to reality. If not, then the "you're wrong and I don't want to discuss this further" approach is fully appropriate. 1354655322 +It is fraud -- claiming homeopathic remedies cure diseases is false, so you shouldn't be able to advertise that they do.\n\nAdditionally, read the [homeopathy page](http://whatstheharm.net/homeopathy.html) on WhatsTheHarm.net for why it should be illegal. 1296515511 +>There look to be a lot of links and referenced data\n\nThat's a very low threshold. None of the links go to studies or actual data. Instead, nearly all of the links go to Mercola's own site.\n\nWhen evaluating health claims, please hold the claimants to a higher standard than providing links to their own sites on the Internet. 1278707245 +I wonder if he can taste the shit leaking out of his ears. Activated nonsense detector is going off. Soak almonds in water, let them sprout a bit, then dehydrate.....there fucking activated. 1352030182 +I find people calling every subreddit I subscribe to a circlejerk much more annoying than the actual circlejerking. For example, I have to scroll half way down the page to get past people complaining about this post to get to people actually discussing the post. 1331727449 +Until he releases the catalyst, which i think he is trying to patent - which is very anti science of him, people are going to consider it a scam. 1318959911 +A single study done by a single person is hardly "proof". Even if it was, the conclusion you reached is not what the article was saying. You are claiming it has "no effect on weight management". All his premise was is that caloric intake is more important to weight loss than quality of food. This seems like a no-brainer to me. Of course, if you over-eat you will gain weight, no matter what kind of food you are eating. If your normal caloric consumption should be around 2600 calories and you limit yourself to 1800 calories a day, of course you're going to lose weight, no matter what you're eating. You're also going to starve yourself, especially if what you're eating has little to no nutritional value. \n\nIn order to show what you claim, he would have to do several studies on much larger groups of people, in which people at the *appropriate* amount of calories. The control group would eat an average diet, and you would have two test groups: one would eat a diet similar to Mr. Haub ate, and the other would eat only the healthiest food possible. Ensure that all three groups get the same amount of exercise, and *then* compare the results. Given enough time (I don't think 10 weeks is adequate for such a study) I think you will find that the group eating the healthier food will not only be slimmer, but will be healthier and feel better, too. 1321928818 +I know :( all the pet stores in my neighborhood are "natural" pet stores, so none of them carry proper deworming medicine. Or even flea stuff that isn't "natural". 1312925170 +>you reach a point where more income doesn't equate to paying more in taxes.\n\nYou didn't address my post at all did you? Taxing luxury items just brings them further from my grasp. 1337377374 +Yeah but how are their meats, cheese, wine and seafood? 1349200265 +My mom worked on a mental health ward for almost 20 years, she insists that while there may be no scientific proof behind it, her patients were more psychotic during full moons. \n\nPersonally, I don't really care either way. 1353429972 +I'd feel conflicted if I were selling something I knew to be woo as "the real thing", that is, I was misleading the customers as to what they were buying.\n\nBut I don't think I'd feel bad about selling woo if I weren't personally endorsing it.\n\nWould putting some sort of disclaimer on your web store make you feel better? "No claims made as to efficacy...", or the ever-popular "For Amusement Purposes Only"...? 1308064850 +'Don't lump me in with those fucking tools, I'm actually rather intelligently put-together...'\n\n- Magic 8-Ball 1311116338 +That's all very nice of you to say, and I appreciate it! 1337704575 +Who's dick you gotta suck to get a beer around here? \n\nHey do you guys get HBO? 1346047234 +I fucking hate that I know all of these brands. 1349841234 +Stress brought it on? 1329830265 +It would be kind of cool to have a /r/fakeParanormal or something like that where people can share their best-faked videos of UFOs, ESP, demonstrations of "magic", etc. 1309218393 +I wish she would just go back to being hot and quirky. 1268414346 +There is no need to be confrontational. What's wrong with the question I asked? 1332352537 +Penn is the only rational thinking person on there that is making a point. 1356145975 +If you try to convince them otherwise you'll just end up frustrated and hating humanity. In small settings it's one thing, but stuff like this really attracts the true believers and there isn't much you can do to convince them. Most importantly, remember than the more evidence you pile on contradicting their views, the more it will reinforce them to begin with. 1330271463 +You are saving him from a lifetime (or at least a childhood) of being too gullible. In our house, edseljr had to learn how to use her bullshit detector well. She is now 15, with a wicked sense of humor and fully fluent in sarcasm. My job here is done. 1330736365 +>I'm sorry but I don't really understand this issue. I was raised so neutral that I never saw a difference between black or white or male and female.\n\nUnless you were also raised outside of evolutionary influence this can't be the case, but it could be that you are not as aware of subtle nuances in your prejudice due to your upbringing. Most people are not.\n\n>It resembles the Christians claiming persecution while being in the majority.\n\nAre you claiming this is like women claiming persecution? If so, then you don't seem to understand women are historically an oppressed minority. 1322571452 +[Buzz Aldrin explains Apollo 11 UFO sighting](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7RUwbqrO08&feature=player_embedded) 1346098342 +Neat! Try parking your car one day with a camera at night....you might catch something worth while! 1344763028 +Listened to the whooooooooooole thing. Sounds pretty believable, but from the sounds of it unless I can build a shelter in the next 8 months that will hold me underground for 7 years I'm fucked. None of us normal people have the kind of money it takes. OH well, sure hope I go out high as fuck\n 1335503709 +looks like a beautiful home, by the way. 1356329264 +Well I am certainly persuaded. 1356461427 +They either begin hallucinating, or think they have begun to hallucinate :) 1338987329 +Am I the only one that remembers when TLC meant The Learning Channel? 1355523504 +Upvote for Dr. Mike Swords. He's one of the best in the business. 1328135424 +We are already making contact - if there is another species that can see light. They will see our [light](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpIFd2nVXgk). 1336613309 +If they were going to pick up and leave, I wonder what kinds of reasons a civilization would have for totally scrubbing a planet of any evidence you ever existed? Seems like kind of a waste of time an energy to me, or just a marvelous prank on their part. 1260565872 +You do relise that fireworks = light pollution = very difficult to see past the fireworks 1343984159 +Good for you! Quick question about the infographic- is it normal to describe the position of something in space using north/west/east/south? "Earth is nowhere near the galactic plane . . . 24 light years **north** of the plane."\n\n\nI'm a bio person and at best an armchair astronomer. 1297941150 +(As featured in Secret Access: UFOs on the Record) Looks like his operation is mobile, allowing Trumbull to travel to where a UFO flap is happening. His operation would be an excellent blueprint for other UFO interested photogs, I'm guessing! 1314373053 +Speaking of the CIA, they have a nasty habit of helping to overthrow democratically elected governments: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_sponsored_regime_change 1320931736 +The claim sounds plausible on its face, but it seems to me that even if there is selective pressure toward producing persuasive arguers, there should be a similar pressure toward resisting persuasive yet incorrect arguments. 1305012049 +Well, protection of good-faith magical thinking is already enshrined in a lot of our legislature, it shouldn't be surprising that it becomes common law at some stage. 1327590200 +Oh.....I read as \n\n> This is difficult to agree with.\n\nI'll just see myself out... 1343004288 +What if you added a parenthetical sentence to the question? Something to the effect of:\n\n(Obviously, since we're not talking about fractions of an atom, round to the nearest whole number.) 1328260554 +Take immunisation for example. How are new immunisations tested and checked for long term risk. I'm not talking about the unqualified concerns that have been raised in the public domain eg Autisim and mecury etc. But how do we systematicly check for problems that have not been identified? 1244190164 +The emperor's new clothes? 1323245936 +>I think I have some of those "For Rectal Use Only" stickers....\n\nEven better than "placebo" :) 1315423954 +The most i heard pertaining to the Templar knight's was that somehow their organization formed into the entity that we know of today as the Freemason's. Sadly I don't have link's to the article's where that was stated sorry I wasn't much help. 1316936524 +There's no way that those things work! They're just cheap knock-offs of the Power Balance bracelets, I'm sure they're not built to the same high level of scientific quality.\n\nI'll bet the vibrational energies of the hologram are way off and not calibrated to your body at all. You'll put them on and find that either your energy is ramped way up and you become too hyper, or it drains your energy leaving you feeling lethargic.\n\nDon't be fooled, get your moneys worth by buying the ones that sell for $60 or more!\n\nBecause if you buy these ones, well, you're just wasting your money! 1317518954 +Either way, general variation between black and white races exists. The study stated there were differences between different black ethncities too but not bigger than the differences between the black and white races examined. 1345132899 +I didnt even think about the EXIF data. 1336484033 +I've had quite a few over the coarse of my life. I get nightmares mostly though. I can tell the difference though. Like being able to feel the wind,taste food or drink, ect. Almost all of them have actually happened within days of having them but a few have yet to happen but i see things leading up to them. 1328468373 +I don't know, it seems like a very American idea to rise up in arms against your own government like that. It's not that I don't see where it's coming from, it's that this very hypothetical future civil war seems like a bad reason to have everyone armed with automatic weapons today.\n\nIdeally only special police forces should be armed with regular guns. We're quite close to that in many places, even if non-lethal weapons have introduced their own problems. Shootings where I live are so rare that every incident is big news and gets its own investigation.\n\nManufacturing of guns should be regulated as well. 1342998679 +Yep. Milgram was one of the first (with studies definitely designed to figure out whether the Nazi phenomenon was a fluke) to determine that the average human, given the proper authoritarian instructions, would turn a blind eye and cease to give a rat's ass about fellow humans when ordered to do so. All of us would like to think that we would stand up and tell the experimenter to pound sand as soon as the subject started to sound like they were really suffering. Time and again, though, he proved that we wouldn't, and that's the really scary part. 1337839937 +LOL @ the dragons were hanging out for 7 minutes and this is the one best photo he took. This is about as real as your average porn stars rack ladies and gentlemen. 1328920287 +Disclaimer: I don't actually follow the paleo diet, so I can't speak for the details. I do, however, do something like it and I think the general idea is sound. \n\nRather than trying to actually emulate what was actually eaten by cavemen (which I agree is not really knowable to a large degree and pretty pointless as an end in itself) I think the basic point is: if it wasn't around thousands of years ago, don't eat it. That means fresh fruit, vegetables, beans, meats, herbs, water and other natural produce - basically no processed or 'modern' foods or takeout. Even low-fat and diet foods are to be avoided.\n\nIf this is your diet and it is balanced (proteins, good carbs, good fats and natural sugars) and you combine it with regular exercise I fail to see how a person could not lose weight and obtain optimum health. Supplements, other than maybe a vitamin tablet a day, should not even be needed. \n\nI really shouldn't have been so lazy and said the paleo thing. I figured it was a shorthand for all the stuff I just said. 1288832434 +"Clinically proven" is a marketing term. It can mean anything. 1305075846 +Why not provoke and try to get evidence of its existence? 1341755277 +And how exactly did you come to this conclusion? 1300728940 +The biodiversity stuff is interesting. It's also not very controversial either.\n\n> Regulatory limits are influenced by lobbyists working for industrial agribusiness: [...] This one is a little less "let's write a science paper about it", so it might be a little tough yeah?\n\nThey should all be "a little tough." If you're going to make accusations of any kind I would hope the burden of proof would be fairly high. Ideally I'd need the same kind of evidence that would be convincing in a court, not an anarchist magazine like Mother Jones.\n\n> Them bees, it's not just the pesticides,\n\nThere are a whole bunch of competing theories about what's causing colony collapse from EMR to pesticides. Preliminary papers, while interesting, will not cut it.\n\n> So like, I don't know, if your mind is already made up\n\nMy mind is nowhere near being made up which is exactly why I'm asking for evidence. Many people want to pick up an idea before having evidence and then maybe look later. That's not how skeptics do things. They hold no position until the evidence is substantial.\n\n> science and policy has been wrong about some pretty big things\n\nAnd it's going to go on being wrong. And wrong some more. It's how progress is made. This self-correcting mechanism is central to both science and skepticism. Many people seem content to go on being wrong long after new evidence has come to light.\n\n> it is kind of amazing when you think about what you just did.\n\nIt's neat. But vegetables aren't the only rewarding things one can make. 1347137801 +Imagine how much they've done in half a century. 1331265328 +I'm not sure about the videos you are referring to, but generally it may have to do with sunset and a high altitude aircraft reflecting sunlight from beyond the horizon. 1297788661 +Happy to help. I've spent a lot of time researching avenues for action against alt-med practitioners and testing them out for myself. The best advice I can give you is this: be reasonable but be persistent. Both are key to getting shit done. \n\nIt's easy to be angry and frustrated at just how prevalent stuff like this is, but if that anger and frustration isn't communicated to agencies that can (or more often, should) do something, the practitioners will never suffer consequences. \n\nLet me know if there is anything else I can do for you and let me know if you can what happens (leave a comment under one of my posts on Skeptic North). 1347752151 +I wonder if they will teach how to treat a drowning victim. 1297981406 +It safe to say it was not 1k in size. If it were, even if it went inside a volcano, anything that size, traveling that fast, hitting anything on earth would cause devastation in a 1000 mile+ radius.\n\n 1351683749 +Underwater Philosophy. 1327817413 +This is how a late-term abortion is performed. But they are illegal (I think everywhere) except when there is a legitimate medical reason (like the mother or baby have a low chance of survival). If you're looking to respond, you can tell them that this is not a typical abortion and even if all abortion is outlawed, this will still occur as it is a necessary medical procedure. So this should have no bearing on the debate. 1328665432 +This is /r/skeptic, not /r/bestof or /r/worstof.\n\nBut I agree that this isn't really a useful submission here. 1321846783 +Good to know. I went because I have a shitty back/hips/knees. Adjustments DID make my joints feel better. I mean, it's not that far fetched that a joint can get slightly misaligned and in need of adjustment, is it? 1341891380 +Wide loads late night, police keeping the lanes open.\n\nThey were Jacobson Flanges used in creating methane gas clouds and such. 1250561131 +Man created God in his own image 1354212126 +BAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH 1344542107 +Hahaha. I love when people make up definitions... 1273211696 +Four year olds are made of sweetness, cartoons, and telling you they didn't do what you just watched them do. 1312421759 +Homeopathy is [utter drive](http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/homeopathy-awareness-week/)l. There is no plausible mechanism by which it could work and lo, research indicates that it does not. \n\nWe have a name for alternative medicine that works. We call it "medicine." 1342495134 +I think that we, as scientists, should not jump to deus ex machinas like this so easily. This is too like "God did it" 1322427490 +Sleepwalking is one of those things where you will probably never know. I remember being about 7 and repeatedly sleepwalking into the kitchen to talk to a witch who lived there. I also would, on other sleepwalking occasions, wake up peeing into the laundry basket. Was one paranormal and the other mundane? To what extent can you expect to understand the effects of the paranormal on a dreaming person? 1333985835 +Well since people who believe in a soul think that it isn't a part of our universe, if they're right then there needs to be no physical process. The point is that we can't know it doesn't exist, but that instead we have no reason to believe it can exist. There is a difference. 1320539987 +I was thinking of the one I saw in Best Buy this past summer. If I did get a new one, I'd want one bigger than what I've got. 1351769418 +I re-read the article and I agree with your reading of it. I can now see how the OP was hoping to score a big blow against medical science with it.\n\nI also agree that there is no comparison to be made between biomedical research and economics. We can see that there is no merit in the comparison by confining our attention only to the outcomes of the two fields. Biomdical research has extended (and is extending) life expectancy and treatments -- if not cures -- are being discovered. Where is the progress in economics? We still have bubbles, recessions and we recently had the worldwide problem stemming from the securitisation of USA sub-prime mortgages. This would be the medical equivalent of having regular pandemics that kill thousands of people.\n\nYou are correct that very few clinicians read research papers or even reviews and meta-analyses. Most either use a pharmacological or genereal medical desk reference and some will just read the literature provided to them by the pharmaceutical sales representatives that visits them to leave boxes of sample packs, branded pens and notebooks. This is unfortunate but it doesn't really indicate that there is something systemically wrong with biomedical science or clinical practice. I think it is simply that these clinicians are lazy or else they are pre-Internet and don't know about *Pubmed* and *PsycINFO* (or else know about them but don't know how to access them).\n\nI found Ioannidis' *PLoS* paper and the responses to it:\n\n[Why Most Published Research Findings Are False](http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0020124)\n\n[Why Most Published Research Findings Are False: Problems in the Analysis](http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0040168#pmed-0040168-b001)\n\n[Why Most Published Research Findings Are False: Author's Reply to Goodman and Greenland](http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.0040215#pmed-0040215-b001)\n\n[Power, Reliability, and Heterogeneous Results](http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0020386)\n\n[Author's Reply](http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.0020398#pmed-0020398-b1)\n\nI haven't read all this -- it's late here. 1290000745 +lol I had no idea, but that's a real sub! 1353093890 +Your anti-christianity bias is blocking your ability to think logically.\n\nHoly water certainly does have a tangible value.. threefold:\n\n1. Water is generally not free - now, it CAN be. But I doubt they make holy water from the lake out back.\n2. Container to hold the water\n3. Time (=money) of the priest to preform the blessing 1345216557 +*mmmmmmmmm...donut on the moon....arrrrrggghhhhhh*\n\n- Homer Simpson 1331994424 +Yep. Saw a group of kids with something similar to these, trying to "trick" people. Might be going to far, but sometimes I want to bring a pellet gun with me and shoot them down :P\n\nBasically people should be paying just as much attention to the movement, as they do the appearance. Something that just floats along a lazy, linear path, should set off warning bells. 1356927021 +what a coincidence the aliens also have strong English accents !!! 1327981586 +I don't know how this pic could be any BETTER than this! 1350639930 +You can't even prove bananas exist. 1346561130 +These are the seams I see:\n\nhttp://i.imgur.com/ccZt8.jpg\n\nBasically, though, when looking for artifacts like this, consider the likelihood of the object being exactly parallel/aligned with seams and being off by even a couple percent. If your artifact was at any kind of angle, I probably would have been willing to give it a second look. But what you have here are a couple of high points caught by the light in one frame and not in the other, giving the illusion of orthogonal surfaces. 1302528347 +I woke up one night at about 3am and i saw a black figure leaning in close to my leg. It took a second but i realized it was my buddy Tyrone who just wanted to go outside to pee. 1327978233 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Hutton\nHere's a few (I'm just confirming people with the name exist). And there's definitely more. As for a website searching for specific people, I don't know. 1318268343 +There's also the matter of the masses involved (and thus inertia); once a building starts to collapse, it'd take one hell of a lot to divert that collapsing material more than slightly to the side. We're talking some 500000 tons of material here, after all. 1349622468 +...slow clap. 1323978736 +but when I deliberately induce SP, this never happens. But I guess you could be right 1350025153 +You just really don't want to beleive me huh? Well that's perfectly fine, I don't really care. Since we were going to the same place why not just follow him? I can't understand why you think this part of the story is such a big deal. 1355270521 +It's quite relevant for lazylion to state a subjective opinion that it worked without having to justify the central premise. The measure of whether it works for someone is their own opinion on how they felt before and after.\n\nI'll back lazylion's story with my own, I have had back problems for over a decade and often used chiropractic to assist. I find that chiropractic treatment reduces pain and increases joint mobility. Whether it's bunk or not, I would continue to seek chiropractic assistance for this condition for those reasons. 1341902510 +Obvious trolling is obvious. \n\nConservation of energy yadda yadda. The equations of how magnetic field works, electrical currents work, etc etc are well known to very high precision (required for making said hard drive or said fan, too) and conserve energy. \n\nI can imagine myself uploading such troll video for sake of finally convincing some friend or what ever that they're too gullible. The whole hard drive parts, the motor... it's just way too funny, i mean, don't you think you need to understand how magnetic field works to make hard drives and fan motors? 1348485157 +I personally like Fact or Faked because they put a real effort into trying to duplicate what they see in paranormal videos. I don't care too much for the UFO/Alien videos, but when they do night time investigations they usually get some interesting stuff. 1335286171 +Of course not but that nature is a pretty important part of gender and shouldn't be brushed aside in favour of the artificially inflated importance of culture. We are biological machines. 1283183352 +You realize that if an alien race wanted to conceal itself, it would do a better job than our government could? 1328140104 +The more people allow themselves to be superstitious, the more ignorance prevails. 1325416105 +>So, all it takes is one example of us saying "that's impossible" and being wrong to defeat that particular argument.\n\nIf the argument is "We can reliably know whether something is impossible", and I show that we can't reliably know by showing a case in which we didn't... then yes, the argument is defeated.\n\n> If I say all cars are blue, you only have to show me a car that is red to disprove me. \n\nAgreed. by "disprove me", you mean "I have disproved your assertion that all cars are blue", which is logically equivalent to "there exists some cars that are not blue", which is equivalent to "not all cars are blue." OK\n\n>However if I say cars are blue and you show me a red car claiming that not all cars are blue, I'm going to look at you like you are stupid\n\nIs your contention here saying "cars are blue" meaning that when you say it you're not implying "All cars are blue", but instead are meaning "some cars are blue"?\n\nIf I show you a red car and say "not all cars are blue", if you were treating me as a reasonable human, I would expect you to think something along the lines of "Oh, he must have thought I meant all cars are blue, I see where he's coming from."\n\nThe only other difference between the two scenarios I can tell is that in one I showed you a non-blue car and let you deduce that not all cars are blue, and in the second one, I showed you a non-blue car and told you not all cars are blue. You look at me stupid just for saying something you should have known up front? I don't follow.\n\n> You could have taken his statement at face value and given him the benefit of the doubt\n\nFucking hell. I have been presented with that exact argument about 2+2=4 from three different angles. I have no fucking idea what "face value" means in that context. I have been called out for not understanding the persons intent in each case, because I couldn't magically divine from which angle they were coming from. Just let it go already. Unless you're goign to say I'm laying about having been presented the arguments, in which case we're done.\n\n>No, you chose them because it's conversational English. \n\nI'm not a liar.\n\n> Let's not pretend we're writing our doctoral theses here.\n\nI was making a very formal assertion, in relation to things of 100% certainty here (100% is a big deal). It may not be a thesis, but I was using precise language anyway. If I were writing a thesis, I wouldn't have had to hedge that last sentence, because I would have been spending more time on a fully expansive scope, having more space to do it in.\n\n>I've shown you above how colloquially, your phrase could be easily interpreted as such especially given the context provided. \n\nAnd I don't disagree it COULD BE taken that way. I have since told you what it was INTENDED to mean. You don't get to call me a liar and tell me I didn't mean it that way. You could just tell me to be clearer next time or something, as insultingly as you like. But you don't get to just tell me I didn't mean what I meant.\n\n>That context being that we can't even say that 2 + 2 = 5 is impossible when it is closer to an axiom than supposition.\n\nI don't know how many times I have to say you're right in order for you to stop trotting this out as if you've said something novel. The argument there was about context, and I have already explained how I didn't know what the OPs context was. You think I'm lying... oh well.\n\n>You have large biases for your own presuppositions and refuse to grant others even the slightest benefit of doubt.\n\nThe main contentions here have been over very precise vocabulary. We have had very little to say about actual suppositions. Stop confusing things.\n\n>>There are things we don't know, and if you pretend to have actual 100% certainty about things, you are very often wrong.\n>If you pretend, sure. If you have facts, data, and sound reasoning to back up your certainties, you can be right about the things you are certain about more often than wrong.\n\nFucking hell again. I said "100% certainty", you reply about being right more often than being wrong. What the fuck man. You can't even keep the context together for 2 sentences in a row.\n\nI never argued against the practical notions. I don't understand why you keep crossing the two contexts up. I've stated I didn't know what the OPs context was. I've explained my position in both contexts. You refuse to address that position. You prefer to just accuse me of being pretentious when you're the one who won't even address the basic issues at hand.\n\n>We have a word here for that: woo.\n\nBullshit. Woo is about accepting that the things are actually true. I have never claimed any of these possibilities are actually true. Just that they're not provably impossible. That says nothing about whether I think they are actually possible, and certainly says nothing about whether they actually exist.\n\n> So finding a "new" force is pretty much out of there. \n\nPretty much, sure. But you can positively 100% guarantee me that there is no chance in all of future humanity's existence that a 5th force will definitely not be found? Maybe there will never be one, sure. But can you prove it to a 100% technical certainty. No. You don't know everything about the underlying reality of nature. Maybe we actually do know everything there is knowable at a rough level... but we can't prove it.\n\n>So no, there is no force, energy [source], or mechanism by which a human being can achieve flight unassisted. We simply aren't built for it.\n\nI like how you ignore my actual statement. I agree, by all reasonability, we have no reason to believe it will ever be possible. I have said this over and over.\n\nWhy can you not say that you cannot actually with 100% certainty say it will never be possible by any human under any circumstance in the future? How can you assert that you know enough about the universe to be able to say as a matter of unquestionable fact that it can't be found?\n\nAgain, I'm not saying it can, I'm just saying you can't prove that it can't. You can prove it can't be achieved with anything of our current understanding... but you're leaping beyond that to saying it can't ever be done with all the understanding that humankind will ever possess in all our future existence. That just boggles me.\n\nLook, I can't prove there isn't a teddy bear in your desk (I lack the knowledge, tools and access). But that doesn't mean I'm asserting there is one. See the difference in claim? They are two different claims. The former does not imply the latter. 1320793233 +Those pilots must've been shitting themselves. I'd love to pics of the dust front from their POV. 1311234909 +Strange, this seems to happen to me once every few days to weeks. I've noticed I've been able to predict "random" numbers and phrases before people say them. Sometimes in the same way you've mentioned, however other times it can be a seemingly impossible numerical situation.\n\nFor example, I overhear someone I've never met asking a friend to choose a number between one and one thousand. They'll pause to think, and I'll think to myself "387. They'll probably choose an obvious one like 7 or 666, though." before the other person says "387."\n\nI've often wondered if I'm looking at this in the wrong way. Maybe my brain is broken and I think about things backwards. Maybe the actual process is "Choose a number between 1-1000", "387." and I'll think "Hey, I was just thinking that!", when in reality, I wasn't, and my brain has somehow made up this false memory of me subconsciously predicting their answer. I don't know, I wish I could phrase this better.\n\nI'm just genuinely surprised that there are people out there that get this too. I've always tried to rationalize it but maybe there is something about our brains that is different from most.\n\n*Side note: I read an interesting article about humans rationalizing extraordinary events, such as the creation of the internet and 9/11. Things nobody would even think of, but when they've actually happened, they seem ordinary and predictable. Does anybody know the word for this? I had a point to make about this 'theory' but I can't do any research on it again until I remember how to find it.* 1348913739 +Sounds like Religion too 1318600353 +Just imagine you giving Zak Bagans a popsicle enema! 1323753118 +> Everyone is "psychic", we are all more than we know. \n\nHow do you know?\n\n> From time to time coincidences happen\n\nFTFY 1261278514 +:)\n\nalso, do we happen to share a name? 1324571947 +Burden of proof. The thing is that chiropractic hasn't been able to demonstrate that it does work. Not even the existence of vertebral subluxations, the ‘misalignments’ chiropractors talk about, has been demonstrated. 1347021345 +Good advice. It's all in how you frame your comments. Don't state it as absolute fact that she got scammed, but frame it as your personal opinion. And yes, if she still wants to go ahead, there's nothing to be gained by refusing to help her. 1298070459 +Here is his statement \n> Dear Muslima\n\n > Stop whining, will you. Yes, yes, I know you had your genitals mutilated with a razor blade, and . . . yawn . . . don’t tell me yet again, I know you aren’t allowed to drive a car, and you can’t leave the house without a male relative, and your husband is allowed to beat you, and you’ll be stoned to death if you commit adultery. But stop whining, will you. Think of the suffering your poor American sisters have to put up with.\n\n > Only this week I heard of one, she calls herself Skep”chick”, and do you know what happened to her? A man in a hotel elevator invited her back to his room for coffee. I am not exaggerating. He really did. He invited her back to his room for coffee. Of course she said no, and of course he didn’t lay a finger on her, but even so .\n\n>And you, Muslima, think you have misogyny to complain about! For goodness sake grow up, or at least grow a thicker skin.\n\n> Richard\n\n\nAnd like i said in my post. it is a a false equivalency. Just because Muslim women have problems does not mean Rebecca cannot complain about the problems she faces in the skeptic community. 1351110519 +Again, you're mistaken. Please provide citations that discuss the dangers of ketosis -- and please be careful not to confuse ketosis with ketoacidosis.\n\nWhere do paleo eaters get their carbs? Some fruit, plenty of vegetables, some tubers.... And your own body. Of the three nutritional building blocks -- protein, fat, and carbohydrate -- only one can be synthesized by your body: Carbohydrate. 1327441433 +Is it just me or does Greer look more and more like one of the Reptiles Icke is on about? 1356693350 +Our baby got all kinds of rashy, starting with the vaccination site, immediately after his first round. Lasted for weeks or months afterwards.\n\nI'm really tired of the VAX ARE PERFECTLY SAFE crowd on Reddit, they just make me more inclined to believe the "vax are dangerous" side. 1284400474 +I had this little [monster truck radio](http://radioattic.com/item.htm?radio=1110092) when I was kid. One day while riding in the car playing with my radio. [it was a new toy for me and I loved it] While playing with the channels I found a "station" what was playing Saturday morning cartoons, in the right order, with the commercials and everything. I distincntly remember the old Ghost Busters cartoon as one of them. Once the batteries died and the radio cut off, I was never able to pick that station up again. I tried a lot! \n\nNot as cool as yours but I thought it worth mentioning since this reminded me of it. 1326570684 +You just broke the universe 1327092668 +The thing about Icke, though, is that he is, as Tracy Jordan would say, "Straight-up mentally ill." From what I've heard, a lot of his following believes that he is obliquely referring to Jews when he talks about Reptilians, but I think he honestly believes the Queen is a space lizard. I'm not as motivated to critique him as I am, say, pseudo-scientific racists or alternative medicine charlatans. Those people are otherwise sane, but disinterested in the truth. 1252852728 +I was going to disagree, but then I realised that was the breast Freudian slit ever. 1345188838 +"There's either a god for all of us or a god for none of us."\n\nI might have fallen in love a little. 1350609947 +Nope. I didn't realize it used user submissions. 1343762348 +You don't want to know where the third one was. 1350653621 +This is very interesting, looks totally genuine. 1356851978 +So if I believe that anthropogenic global warming is occurring, but that in a practical sense it may well be within the range of normal climate variation and there's really nothing drastic we can or should be doing about, where does that put me? 1343460642 +I think you are missing the point, it may not have been her minister or her religion at all that stopped her from going to the doctor. It may just have been her choice. There are people of every religion or non-religion that die every day because they chose not to be treated by a doctor. We don't know the situation. It could say "black woman dies at home because she didn't go to the doctor"..... does it have to do with she is black? No, it is because she chose not to go to the doctor. 1307148162 +I don't think it always necessarily have to be scary, so I see your point. I think a lot of people, like myself, are just paranoid and easily scared. 1328310224 +Looks legit to me. 1325613557 +So, r/UFOs has been up for 3 years and it seems this hasn't been posted before. 1315071735 +No, the meteorite everyone saw. Looks like an impact /slide dmg. Totally didn't look like explosion from the original pics. 1350760447 +The Kremlin is made up of asshats. 1304224825 +SGU does talks about rumpology a lot. It's hilarious. 1292382811 +Do you mean a Frank's box that spirits use to communicate using radio signals? 1345632250 +Thats the one i meant. The last and most imporant check along the line. \n\nYou take a country with a military industrial complex that tends toward wars, have them take advantage of event, then with hindsight connect all the dots = most false flags. 1354827307 +> I prefer to ignore them, personally.\n\nI just tell them they are correct and I was in on it. Sometimes that can be fun for a laugh. 1315509499 +I tried. It's like christians arguing with atheists. People are gonna believe what they want to. 1314181625 +so the melted and now warm wax is collected and is rubbed on the skin. 1356739406 +Absolutely, but that's the thing with these kinds of speculation- you could always come up with a valid explanation for why this or that particular piece of evidence is missing. But the more of them you accept, the shakier the ground starts to get. Taken alone they may be explained away, but put a bunch of them together and they start jabbing a hole in the picture, know what I mean? 1297370593 +If you think you are "worthy," you an apply for a JREF forum grant (you'll need to become a member of the forum first if you're not already one):\n\nhttp://forums.randi.org/showpost.php?p=6973486&postcount=1\n\nYou'll still need to pay for transportation and housing, though. 1300294905 +stab them in the face for the good of mankind, not for personal satisfaction. if satisfaction was my end game, a slap in the face with a shovel would be quite satisfying 1328471302 +I'm gonna let you ask him that question. Here's the point I'd like to make. Don't be too eager to believe based on research you've done on the internet, or seen on TV. There are people out there who have been making these circles with a level of complexity that would baffle the casual observer. You are correct to point out that circles have been reported throughout history, but nothing quite so complex, it would seem, as anything we would have seen in the last 30 or so years. Even so, don't you think if people are perpetrating circles now they could just as easily have been doing it hundreds of years ago. I think it's at least possible.\n\nThe main point being that the video above is certainly no proof of anything connecting lights in the sky with the crop circle shown. 1350918107 +They'll never 1345675946 +Basically my friend; who is a strong believer in ghosts, said her aunt's house is fairly haunted and that a lot of stuff has happened there. This includes weird noises and sightings of figures. She sent this to me as some proof that this stuff was going on. 1347627974 +I love Mitchell and Webb. They have a few series free on hulu. 1341616274 +I will say that everybody at work frequently heard a "ping" noise coming from upstairs, where there was a metal support beam running between the two floors. One day I told whatever was up there that they were dead and that they could leave now. I felt like a fool speaking to nobody, but I had recently heard this worked. None of us ever heard the noise again, even those who had no idea what I had done. It's not proof or evidence, but it's a hell of a coincidence. 1344018770 +It was a typo. Clearly, they meant to type out "pixellatedly". 1345513577 +although i dont really approve, ill upvote since you even know what it is 1336617191 +My parents were watching this a couple nights ago. I was saved by http://www.simplynoise.com/ 1294237059 +I'll test this theory too and report back with results. 1321985116 +This would be a lot easier in a face to face discussion where I could ask you things in realtime so with your answers you could realize by yourself what I am talking about. It's kinda difficult this way. But the truth is that probably even that way it would be all for nothing as you are just having a "me against you" approach. What I see is you are just being stubborn in your ideas denying absolutely the possibility of them being wrong or even just incomplete, to a point where you simply think you have the absolute truth. Which is actually a very childish behavior. I don't know your real age, I could be wrong but for your attitude I guess you probably must be young. The fact that looking in your comments history reveals you going to a subreddit as /r/paranormal (which you obviously think it's bullshit) so you could easily criticize comments and posts from people in there so you can grow up the feeling you have the truth and others are wrong while making your ego grow more and more is a good proof to think you are a child, or at least, act as such.\n\n I don't know what I bother, as most probably it's going to be impossible and a waste of time. But well, who knows, so let's try it.\n\n Ok, so, I guess for you it's impossible to see that your own reasoning, your own thoughts are just that, a personal point of view, not the absolute truth. Ok, let's continue, from your own argumentation you say you can offer many examples of reality being objective. And you offer mathematics and physics constants as examples and proof of objective reality. But what you don't realize is that mathematics and physics does not describe reality itself, they create models that try (more or less accurately) to describe our perception of reality instead. I am going to ask you a very simple question (well, apparently), can you divide a cake in three exactly equal pieces ? \n\n You see, mathematics and physics are based in the finding of patterns (that is what humans best do) then we try to understand those patterns to the point where we create models that can define them (more or less accurately) and allow us to make predictions. Patterns are completely dependent on our perception (both physical and mental). That's why people on drugs see different patterns (and/or altered ones), because they change our inner/outer perception. Due to drugs lot of people came through history with completely original and innovative ideas, even there are who claim actual human consciousness exist due to drugs. But I am going away from the main point. What I am saying is that we are surrounded by patterns, actually all is a pattern in a way or another, and we only can discover patterns based on our own perception. But patterns are not the reality at all, patterns are a consequence of reality itself. The true nature of reality is simply hidden from us. It's how universe works, it's impossible to see or experience true reality. In the age of classical physics mankind believed in a universal truth, a physical universal reality, similar to your way of thinking. But now, with modern science and quantum physics we have discovered that that's not how it seems to work. Now it seems there is no absolute or physical universal true reality, as it's impossible to experience existence other than in a subjective way. Not only because it's based completely on perception (at a macro level) but because it seems that even at a (micro) physical level it's heavily dependent on the observer as well. Put in simple rush way, there is no physical pre made reality underneath, only different possibilities, and it's "created on demand" (as a way of speaking) when being observed. And interesting thing, it seems that the role of the observer also affects the own observation (the physical result).\n\n Funny thing is, the most one learn about something, the most you realize the little you really know. And instead of seeing your beliefs proven you start to see all of other amazing emerging possibilities. That's why I said to you since the beginning you need to learn a lot yet, so you can start to understand that things are not black or white, that maybe black and white even didn't exist, before trying to impose your way of thinking (subjective and personal, one of many) to other people, as universal truth, as such thing it's impossible to achieve (if it even exists at all). 1356656234 +I unliked this page a while ago because of this bullshit. Not only are they not really promoting their specific agenda, but they are failing to provide coherent objectives for their movement. "We're unhappy with stuff," seems to be the general consensus. I agree with the movement's sentiment, but I also feel like the reason they're dying off is because they have no cohesion. 1339219749 +You know, it never occured to me that people drank soda because of the bubbles. Still, you could add bubbles and sugar to jackal urine and it would be better for you than soda. 1313509502 +Because there is no testable evidence. 1350136375 +Some of them really do strain the limits of reason trying to come up with explanations for UFO behavior, don't they? 1338736857 +Talking complete rubbish? Right, because its your field of study and you know fucking everything!\n\nAnd now your back to a burglar who breaks in JUST to turn on a light and then leaves equally undetected. Yet I'm talking rubbish? \n\nAs for your peer reviewed study in a respected scientific journal, this hasn't happened (Hey, your right on something, good job!). And it probably never will happen, because no career scientist (or science journal) is going to put their neck out so that a quarter million closed minded fuckers just like you can swing their opinionated axe. Now it's your turn to think of the implications. \n\nAnd to finish, "everything we know about the known universe" has been changed so many times that it amazes me that anyone claiming to be a man of science lacks the ability to say perhaps or I suppose it is a possibility. Oh, and I'm not basing my opinion that the ethereal exists on OP's statements or ANYTHING that can be found on the internet, nor am I citing anything from the internet. I've had my own experiences that I MYSELF have tried to play the skeptic on and came up short with every angle conceivable. \n\nSo do I see how ridiculous this sounds? Yes, I do. 1326737177 +What time time tomorrow are you going to tell us all sorts of stuff? I want to make sure I am sober, or at least awake and slightly buzzed 1333598976 +fever. as someone once put it, "your brain is like a computer graphics card: get it too hot and it starts doing things it shouldn't." 1298328482 +[If you open your mind too much...](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFO6ZhUW38w) 1282679979 +Mad as a hatter? No. Mad at nonsensical submissions by people who are easily persuaded to place belief in lofty, non-cited, pseudo-journalist garbage blogs? Yes. \n\nAlso, thank you for single handedly downvoting all of my comments, way to play it cool. 1293574127 +Lower right. In the blue there's a white cat-shaped outline 1341233698 +Because of their high publicity I'm guessing that any controversial articles are going to get reviewed by many people in the know. So a journal like Nature is important for the progress of science.\n\nThey do also have a number of good studies published. 1291645462 +Thankfully no funny smells. I usually have fairly bad allergies, but my boyfriend hasn't noticed any smells either.\n\nAccording to my boyfriend, they haven't interacted with anyone before. But I think it was more of a territorial gesture than a malevolent one. It just surprised me. \n\nBack when I was a kid, 13 or 14 (that terribly curious age) I became fascinated with the paranormal and started poking things that I really shouldn't have. You know, that phase of: Oh, that's a bunch of bull, I'm going to poke everything until I get real proof that there is something out there. Eventually, I'd opened myself up enough that the shit I was looking for started to notice. At that point you can't really go back. If you can see it, that means it can see you too.\n\nI soon concluded that I was in way over my head, and started to close myself off as best I could. Which pretty much involves developing a complete indifference towards whatever you happen to see. Do not be afraid, do not be curious, just ignore it. The unintended side effect was closing myself off emotionally from everything. I was just about the most apathetic, boring type of person one can be, but hey, it was better than being driven completely insane.\n\nThe experience with these guys was the first encounter with that whole world that I had in many years. And I'm sure it was because my boyfriend was helping me slowly emerge from the emotional bubble I had trapped myself in. Having emotions now is a great thing, I'm a very happy and outgoing individual, but the side effect is all the crazy shit having a way in again. But now, I'm a much stronger individual, and I at least know to respect the shit that comes my way.\n\ntl;dr: Don't poke at shit = best advice ever!\n\nAlso, on the strange scents topic: Didn't happen in Missouri, but at our apartment in Oklahoma. I was taking one of our dogs out, and he's acting more nervous than usual. Also, there was a distinct lack of wind. Suddenly there was an overwhelming smell that was a combination of burnt hair & flesh. Didn't see anything. Didn't stay outside long enough to find out. Just thought, "nope," turned around, and walked back inside. 1323597748 +Your story makes me think that it might not be the placebo at work, but another type of fallacy that is common for medical quackery. The name is on the tip of my tongue but I can't think of it and my Google-fu is weak tonight.\n\nThe gist of it is that you resort to alternative or wilder cures only when you get desperate, which is often when the disease is peaking in its discomfort. Of course, if the illness is peaking that means it has nowhere to go, but to get better. In this situation people tend to falsely correlate the alternative medicine cure as the cause for relief. 1356927626 +As I say in my book:\n\nIf many alien races are operating here, they would probably have a variety of motivations for doing so. Some may be just passing through, on their way to other destinations. If that is the case, they might engage in limited exploration and data-gathering while they are here.\n\nOther visitors may be long-term observers of our species, either for the purposes of scientific study or because they have some as-yet unknown relationship to humans, which may be nurturing, or antagonistic, or neither.\n\nWe simply cannot know at this point in time. However, given the persuasive data regarding the UFO-Nukes Connection, it seems obvious—at least to me and several other researchers—that one (or more) of the races of beings is highly interested in our nuclear weapons and has gone so far as to interfere with their functionality from time to time, for reasons that are still unclear. (Some of those “weapon shutdown” cases will be discussed at length in a later chapter.)\n\nPerhaps the visitors have empathy for humankind and wish to warn us of the dangers of nuclear warfare. Or perhaps they have a use for our planet, let’s say for scientific purposes, and know that global nuclear warfare will disrupt their data-gathering and/or experiments. Even if they only use Earth as a stopover from their world(s) to their ultimate destination(s)—a manmade nuclear catastrophe might make our world unavailable to them for hundreds or thousands of years.\n\nOn the other hand, although I doubt this is the case, perhaps the aliens intend to discourage us, or even prevent us from using nukes because they plan to invade Earth one day and do not wish to inherit a planet polluted with radioactivity. Or perhaps they have a deep disdain for our savage race and are just here to watch us blow ourselves up. (Yikes! I bet you didn’t think about those possibilities, did you?) \n\nAlthough it is important to consider all of the potential scenarios when speculating on this topic, in my view, the nuclear weapons-related UFO incidents presented in this book do not support the idea that something alarming is unfolding; rather they tend to suggest a concern for humanity’s welfare.\n\nI of course have an opinion about the visitors’ motivations regarding our nuclear weapons, however, it is obvious that no one has the answers at the present time. For the moment, I will simply say that my research leads me to believe that the nuclear weapons-related UFO activity will someday be viewed as a positive development for mankind.\n 1321056976 +My favorite part was the barrel mixer. That thing was awesome 1305754771 +I'm not sure this fits into /r/skeptic\n\nmaybe /r/funny or /r/atheism, /r/videos.\n\nI just don't see anything skeptical about this 1307559590 +Indeed. The latter part was consisted of hypothetical situations, verging on strawman arguments. It seems like a little research could probably have yielded a concrete example. 1333905531 +> hyping up Godel\n\nI did notice Godel has quite a following from the new-age minded crowd, in the same way Kuhn has, because they are viewed as a revolutionaries against orthodox science which is seen as cold, materialistic, obtuse, reactionary. 1353314726 +Well, they generally say where they're from, and even show star charts to clarify. I don't know where Vallee is getting so many cases of soil sampling aliens from. I never see it in any accounts. It sounds to me like he's making a very strange assumption about these visitors. 1332722048 +Anyone who has endured lower back pain knows that spasms beget spasms.\n\nHorseshit or placebo, it worked for me. I didn't get acupuncture for pain, I got it so my muscles would relax...and they did. They following day I was about 80% and after that, 100%.\n\nEven if acupuncture is fake, the results were real for me. I would do it again. 1296890324 +Yeah. A few years ago I accidentally ate a redditor. :-( 1342124222 +Your town must have shitty electricians who can't wire a streetlight. 1338541597 +No other number is both prime and a factor of 49 -- except itself!\n\n-- San Francisco football fans, take note! 1302304218 +Have you got any reason to think so? 1331573123 +Overreact much?? God, you really swallowed that hook line and sinker. I love how you are completely un-skeptical about source material if it supports your position. Rather simplistic reading of that study, don't you think?\n\n 1305311598 +You know what, I actually saw another post about this very same thing earlier and didn't finished it. Guess I'll do it now, thanks! But I have to say that quote of yours couldn't be more perfect. 1322103327 +> You realise that the further away something is, the less pronounced movement is?\n\nI know that, moron, but that doesn't account for the fact that there is NO movement in the supposed flares in this video. Distance doesn't account for *that*.\n\n> You have no real point of reference since the camera is moving so often, and you notice no light stays lit long enough to be able to tell anyway. \n\nHoly shit dude that is TOTAL fucking bullshit. I simply cannot downvote your stupid shit enough. The camera is NOT "moving so often". It stands pretty damn still only a few seconds in and there is still NO movement from your distant "flares".\n\n> Also, another possibility is updrafts that birds use to gain height could be under the flares, keeping them at that height.\n\nNot all three from such a distance apart from one another. That's simply not a good understanding of updrafts on your part.\n\nAnd yeah. *Pleeeeese* stop "schooling" me. Please. Your schooling amounts to third grade flunky math, bro.\n\nGo school yourself. You need it quite a bit more than I. 1340058549 +I understand that you wish to keep some information secret prior to your application for the million dollar prize from JREF. Surely, no harm could come from naming the brain surgeon who taught you. I am sure that anything he published in medical journals, or any media accounts of his life, would be of great interest. Even published material which in no way involves paranormal matters would be of keen interest. 1355606047 +The problem I have with the 'viral marketing' explanation is that viral marketing only works if someone claims responsibility for the campaign. Additionally, with viral marketing, there are usually smaller, follow up campaigns that will add to the hype. It's been well over a week and we've seen none of that, which leads me to believe that this is either a *terribly* managed viral marketing campaign or that wasn't the intent from the get go. 1297346781 +Hopefully this will be what it takes to get Dr. Oz to take his style of quackery elsewhere! 1316106531 +Exactly. If you go into attack mode it doesn't matter what you're arguing, the other person is going to dig their heels in and fight back. 1340030437 +That's way safer than that [Dihydrogen Monoxide](http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html) stuff. 1339617315 +What you don't see is the UFO 5 miles up using a graviton lasso to pull the stone in place. They've just been following him around his whole career, making him think he can move stuff. 1310012138 +I think the word you're looking for is 'archaic'? 1353740463 +Huh! Fascinating 1343924061 +"Spinal manipulation giving valid results for spinal problems is not ridiculous"\n\nit isn't ridiculous (else it wouldn't enjoy such popularity), but it simply hasn't been proven in any credible studies, and the theories it is based on are just as wacky as any other form of woo. 1301890571 +Fake, looks like a double exposure 1329555539 +Well have you been staring at the sky for the past month 24/7? 1356049824 +If this were true, I've sometimes wondered if something like this might be used to restrict atheism. If atheists have a 14% greater chance of developing cancer than the religious, then it could be killing hundreds of thousands each year. Then there's second-hand atheism; people exposed to atheists might have shorter life-expectancies on average. 1338314082 +Via [NASA](http://oceanmotion.org/html/impact/climate-variability.htm) from 2004. Don't start stockpiling survivalist gear and hermetically sealed beans and grains just yet. I found no independent confirmation of this. Looking at this Lord Stirling's link to current--not archival--data on NOAA, it [doesn't look like the NAC is looping back towards Brazil](http://polar.ncep.noaa.gov/ofs/viewer.shtml?-natl-cur-0-small-rundate=latest). 1291145451 +naw no sonic boom... I know what they sound like... swing a skipping rope real fast, you hear a swoosh... something along those lines 1341058490 +I'm going to guess they were filming something there. Made a bunch of quick cosmetic changes for a movie. 1337573879 +Everything in the universe is made from a supernova. And yes, there is so much to discuss on the topic. You could say an infinite amount, just like life. Life is infinite in this Universe. That is the problem today. The answers to this planet, solar system, galaxy, and universe are all there. We are too hung up on man made things, like time. 1326635263 +This doesn't really make sense when you consider that the miracles had physical effects. I know "its metaphysical therefore it can't be proven physically" is a common defense used in philosophical circles but it falls flat when we're talking about things that have interaction with physical matter (this might be familiar to you with dualism's interaction problem). \n\nWhile miracles like "god drops tons upon tons of miracle food which disappears" are unverifiable "all firstborns are killed" could be confirmed by a simple manuscript - remember, we're talking about the Egyptian's Royal heir being murdered. 1323062537 +I live in eastern Canada which is known for it paranormal activity, Ive lived in Glace Bay which has a long history in the mining industry.Growing up there Ive wintnessed orbs of glowing light on more then one occasion.\n 1316122458 +... So are the Ghost's 1350833460 +We have a ghost in our upstate house. It's freaky as fuck, but as of yet it hasn't harmed anyone. Just footsteps, opening and closing doors etc. I feel like if I lived there full time I would be able to adjust to it, but as I'm only there once a month or so, it makes staying there kind of unsettling and not relaxing at all. My friend, due to unfortunate circumstances, had to live there by herself for about 3 months. She told some pretty freaky stories, but she got used to it. My mother thinks it really doesn't want us in the house; I'm on the fence about that theory. 1341361813 +Well done 1320175659 +Well done 1336965470 +Nice poem. Deserves more views. 1328078168 +Look, just because people are ill-informed and have silly beliefs doesn't make them "dumbasses". It could just mean they haven't been exposed to the same information as you have. \n\nPost like these are how I spot judgmental assholes in the wild. 1327416307 +Thanks 1236057534 +Thanks 1287528895 +Thanks 1310095637 +Thanks 1313066769 +Thanks 1319116902 +Thanks 1337743173 +Thanks 1340111219 +Thanks 1346281422 +Thanks 1346306815 +Thanks 1349019219 +Thanks 1349679527 +Thanks 1286902272 +Thanks 1316635143 +Thanks 1326981105 +Thanks 1332795966 +Thanks 1335282561 +Thanks 1337100915 +Thanks 1340612926 +Thanks 1342052669 +Protestants are Christians too. :-P 1318314321 +As a Gemini, I'm prone to agreeing with this conclusion. 1318876634 +Thanks for the warning ... after 3 tweets I had stopped, having reached my daily expected dose of stupid. 1304683644 +There are alot of mythologies that have to do with cats being guardians of the dead, and underworld, and over-all being other-worldly creatures. I've also had a few cat experiences. Don't have cats, but heard a cat meowing outside my bedroom door, once or twice. \n\nOne possible debunk: The house that went through bulbs. Was it an old house? If so, it could have been aluminum wiring which causes bulbs to blow out at a stupid rate. My brother has the same problem with his house. \n\nDid you ever get any 'feelings' when you were in these different houses? Maybe pay attention next time to feeling dizzy in certain areas, some more than others. This way you can figure out where the spirit liked/likes to hang out. If/when you do feel dizzy like that, double check that you aren't near a breaker box or some other large amount of energy, as this can cause the dizziness. Also, also, think back/ pay attention the next time you feel weird, notice how it is making you feel. Is it ominous? just a little creepy? These could be signs of a curious spirit or malicious one. In the case of a bad one, I'd go get some medium to get it out. If not, I wouldn't bother it. They're pretty responsive, so if it's bothering you, just ask nicely that it go away for the moment (not to leave the premise, but just to stop bothering you (like talking to an annoying child)).\n\nFeel free to message me. I've had a few experiences myself, and would love to have someone to chat to about this. 1353674825 +Nah brah, I plan on living forever. 1337699654 +When the article includes "nutrition" and "relaxation techniques" in CAM, the critic has no standing to argue "all CAM techniques are unproven."\n\nI'll say this for the eleventyseventh time: when you define "alternative" to be anything and everything not directly prescribed in the office of a medical doctor, you establish yourselves as reactionary zealots in the eyes of all but the most fervently sympathetic. 1302735306 +The preponderance of info and evidence. 1351204871 +[Frye standard](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frye_standard). \n\nAs I'd mentioned before, working yourself into a state bordering on an anxiety attack will result in false positives.\n\nAnd hey, while we're at it, let's talk about [penile plethysmographs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penile_plethysmograph)! With a 32% success rate, it's a great way to discover potential kiddie diddlers! 1344667818 +I had a dream a couple weeks ago that I was in an earthquake. Never had one of those before.\n\nI was in a grocery store with family when everything started rocking side to side about a foot. In the dream I thought cool, I'll record this. So I get my phone out and start trying to turn the cam on when it's like the world gets thrust 50 feet one direction, 50 feet back the other direction. I'm on the floor, eyes shut and think "this is it" and the dream ends. 1299917157 +It's not actually, that was a joke done by an Australian group. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2011/oct/21/lord-monckton-sacha-baron-cohen 1331436175 +...And there was me thinking it would be a bit of tongue in cheek fun.\n\nDifferent strokes for different folks, I guess... 1347822310 +I bet the OP does too. 1328716636 +http://i.imgur.com/RC764.gif 1345057653 +Those are clearly balloons. 1287012758 +no problem! always fun to help!:D 1341251780 +All she did was tell someone lies and that person could always walk away... It was a fraud even if it's aggravated by psychological and emotional abuse. For all I know that ridiculous practitioner really believed what she said. Let's not.give her the credit of pretending she could have known better than that because really if my 80-year old neighbor with no training tried to cure me and failed nobody expects her to succeed or even know whether I need a doctor... 1346656973 +Mix it with wheat germ and echinacea. ;)\n 1333501676 +Just download the videos, doesn't that work? I'm taking another Coursera right now and i can download. 1353954718 +Wow. Since you asked so fucking nicely, I'm going to address each of your points as best as I can. I am angered, by your know-it-all ass. Do you really want to know if I jerk off?(btw, no, it doesn't, it just seems to. Long term it creates more stress than it seems to relieve) You seem to be a little confused after questioning my fapping habits, so I'll go slow from here in for you. You seem to think we're on different worlds. Ancient aliens? I think not, just your closed mind at work again. Next, me being a preacher(which, btw, yes you are too) does not mean I'm some Westboro Baptist fuckhole, much less Christian. Only a closed minded fuck could think with so little imagination as to not consider this after I just used the term on you, the habitual naysayer. So how about you try to comprehend the text in front of you before you counterpoint. That being said, preachers don't grovel, they make others grovel, or try to in your case. Where are we... ah, yes, the medication. This lead into the one part that made me laugh. I might be wrong here(not likely) but it seems to me that you have quite a bit of anger and angst pent up inside yourself, especially towards christians. Perhaps you should try meditation, excercise, or some breathing techniques. It actually does help. I'm sure if you look hard enough you can find something to that effect in one of your peer reviewed magazines. Now that I've called you an asshole in so many ways, I'll end my little sermon with a similar ending as yours. Go sit down, smoke a fucking joint, call your mom and tell her you forgive her for being such a catholic whore, and then promptly put that snub nosed 38 hiding in your sock drawer not to the big head, but to the little one between your legs(if you can find it) and gently squeeze the trigger. Thank you, have a good night. 1331567948 +I like this idea, I always thought about this and that this is the most possible life you would find on say gas giants like Jupiter. hell even explains the things there been seeing around the sun these days... I dont think or believe that size matters with this. Just this crazy's two cents worth. 1356905679 +Try DMT, same effects without the need for the nearly dying part... 1315862447 +Yes it does, in my own experience, and based on scientific studies as well as countless of testimonials and case reports from others. \n\nTo be honest, I think that is the better question to ask as well. I have always been more interested in asking "does it work" rather than "why does it work". But the former isn't enough for some people, which is why I am asking the question whether EFT is scientific or not. 1343115914 +I want to click so badly but I'm wide awake at 2 am and would freak myself out. :( 1355738886 +"but I can't proove any of this" \nhowever there are a few clues.\nNothing I know is solid evidence but\n\nAmericas reluctance to address the drugs issue.\n\nThe fact that (atleast where i live in britain) the problem is far more widepsread than the government says (I would say that probably about 95% of pubs on a friday/saturday night will have someone in them with either coke or pills or god knows what else.)\n\nIn britain I know of relatively small time coke dealers who handle kilos and such. I am a middle class teenager who only occasionally dabbles... not the type who would come into contact with any hard core dealers. \nThe amount of coke in any major city in britain if it was all added up and weighed would surely be in tonnes rather than kilos.... plus the price has halved in the last 2 years from £40 / gram to £20 / gram so someone somewhere is shipping it in in huge quantities. Also E's are now down to 50p a piece if you buy in bulk (bulk = over 1000, I overheard someone who was selling 1000 to some lass as though it was not a big deal < pun unintentional)\n\nEither the government does not know about the problem in which case it is incredibly ignorant.\nOR it knows about it but does not care.... \nor it knows about it but simply can't do anything to stop it due to shear volume.\n\nI cant see the first one being a possibility so there must be at the very least some government complacency and this is only in Britain... from what I gather it is worse in any major city in america.\n\nPlus the CIA have been caught distributing as you will have gathered from the link i posted.\n\nThis is all just me joining the dots from what i have read on the web and what I have experienced firsthand.\n\nthoughts/comments?\n 1241103319 +Cameras do, especially hand helds. Why do you think it was moving and why do you refuse to accept what the guy with the camera says it is? That's what you need to look at. 1341793030 +In other words, the child is punished by being forcefully removed from its parents due to their inability to afford medical care. 1301521530 +Chiropractic is redundant, as is PT. The only part of the chiropractic field that hasn't been as thoroughly researched is SMT, but it's getting there. It has been shown to be safe. The difference also lies within the broader educational background, when compared to a PT. 1349588069 +Read this a few weeks ago on that forum and I still can't get it out of my head. 1298310003 +Here's a hint: getting all sarcastic passive-aggressive about a term that you threw at others being applied to you doesn't really fly. 1325883944 +Obviously this doesn't include the Holy Ghost. 1288360362 +People do think you are a moron. 1268119358 +Was just going to suggest this. These guys do a good job of "performing skepticism" without being dickheads, which is rare. 1329687517 +Weed's one helluva drug 1356419323 +Actually I did. Did you want a point-for-point rebuttal? That's not really called for.\n\n"Good day"? Do you have a handle bar moustache? Is it 1852? 1326493882 +Once, I had a dream that I got a certain score on a test in my Social Studies class (not sure what it was, but that's not important). The day after the night I had that dream, I was in Social Studies. I got the same exact grade on the test as I did in the dream.\n\nKind of freaked me out, but now I think it's pretty cool. 1322256807 +Actually, I would love to read a formal study on whatever correlation exists between studying multiple religions and atheism. 1334953886 +Yup. It's also guys like Ed Grimsley who give UFOlogy and its heavy thinkers a bad name. Ed, in particular, may be witnessing some truly anomalistic phenomena using his 3rd gen night vision, but then he jumps the shark by claiming that he's seeing a "space federation cruiser attacking a frigate with lasers. Look!" It drives me nuts. 1297196041 +The part about moving the sun closer is obviously a joke, i.e. this is not meant as an accurate portrayal of climate "skeptics" but rather a humorous jab at the tendency of many to let snowfall as an indicator that global warming isn't real, or at least that it's exaggerated. And, yes, I *did* see that argument (i.e. AGW is exaggerated because it snowed a lot or it was particularly cold in some area of the world) before on /r/climateskeptics - among many other examples of pseudo-scientific BS and conspiracy theories.\n\n 1343071128 +This definitely ran through my mind as well. Similar to the studies proving vitamins make you healthier or lead to longer life. 1297733973 +*Hey kids. Your school is a harmful environment. The wifi will make you feel nauseated and have headaches. Try to stay outside on your breaks and try not to use the computers more than necessary. We are protesting and will get rid of the wifi. All parents are in on it. It's probably not TOO dangerous, but try to be aware of any symptoms you might encounter.* \n\nMight be some nocebo effect going on. 1287506740 +"And these feelings stem from personal opinion, reading, and a little common sense."\n\nBasically based off of ignorance and a lack of understanding in science. \n\nReally old anti-vax arguments. So good for you old fart that you dont get vaccinated some day you might catch a simple flu and that will take you out where a simple shot could have saved you. \n 1289435246 +The closed mindedness in there is fucking unbelivable. 1326667605 +The whole time I was watching I felt like his parents had written that speech for him right after watching Food Inc or reading Fast Food Nation. 1317876962 +>If I wanted evidence of an afterlife and ghosts for instance, i would look at actually scientific investigations\n\nKind of the point. There haven't been any which could provide actual evidence to support their position. \n 1251177600 +[Why?](http://happysociopath.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/ironeyescody_450.jpg) 1327550115 +I think it's more that everyone knows it's not going to happen, but there is no way to convince those that think it will happen, that it won't happen, until it doesn't happen... yeah. 1306044263 +Second person in academia in biology here... Everyone I know thinks the same about Chinese research. 1353281131 +It's seems like the standard operating procedure of the religious establishment over the last few years to re-define science to fit their agenda. They can't get any real scientists to agree with them, so they are trying to get their universities accredited to make their own, and now they are trying to subvert the peer-review process to suit their needs. \n\n 1279548057 +Read the replies to my comments. 1343331813 +There's an old joke that floats around Christian circles, at least (if not other circles as well) that I think is fitting:\n\nA woman is trapped in her house during a flood. As the water reached her front step, a man in a boat rowed up to her house and offered to take her to safety. She refused, saying, "God will save me, I have faith!" So the man rowed away.\n\nWhen the water had filled the first floor, a man in a motorboat came up to her second-story window and offered to take her to safety. But she again refused, "God will save me, I have faith!" So the man powered away.\n\nSoon, the flood waters had covered everything but the roof. A helicopter lowered a rope ladder to the woman, but she refused it as well, yelling to the pilot, "God will save me, I have faith!"\n\nThe flood continued to rise and the woman drowned. When she got to heaven and stood before the Lord, she asked him, "Why didn't you save me? I believed!" God answered her, "Jesus lady! I sent you two boats and a helicopter! What do you want, a yacht?" 1320203643 +It would be nice if people here would stop promoting it. It makes it seem as if it was healthy and awesome... 1346152850 +this is a parody, right? 1340648410 +God: Less running. More kneeling. 1348173666 +Who's Leith? 1341941498 +You said\n\n"Monsanto. Does. Not. Sue. Due. To. Accidental. Pollination."\n\nDid you even watch the video!? \nI put it there to show you that Monsanto makes farmers sign a waver claiming that they will have full responsibility over the seeds being spread to another farmers land. I'm not going to quote the video in full because you won't even watch it, I'd love to say it's not worth my time but your idiocy has reeled me in.\n\nI'm sorry but you are fucking ignorant of the facts. \nI know your type, you were on a conspiracy sub-reddit to shut down others, and a topic specifically related to monsanto. \n\nHell, I wouldn't be surprised if you worked for them or had some kind of interest in keeping up this act they've put on. 1326663985 +> Just because someone believes in dousing does not make dousing real.\n\nIt does for that person. =) 1333519703 +Ginger/garlic/pepper/apple cider vinegar? Maybe not. 1355262266 +Given the non-paranormal explanations available to make sense of your childhood experience, do you still feel that a paranormal explanation is necessary to explain what you saw? I'm thinking that the non-paranormal explanations are probably more likely, and that it wasn't a ghost. 1337299820 +The "physical" chiropractic is safe. So are other physiotherapists and even masseurs.\n\nThe "life force fixing" chiropractic is quack and may fuck you pretty bad if he messes up with your muscles or bones. 1330013687 +This comment really pissed me off:\n\n"If a scientist has a hypothesis and cannot explain it in simple language that the average intelligent layperson can understand, you can be 100% sure it is either crap or the scientist is just as clueless as the lay public, if not more so."\n\nThe arrogance of ignorance, indeed. 1283667116 +Random thought ...\n\nToday, we have "religion" over there and "reality" over here. Everything even remotely testable has been taken out of the "religion" sphere of human behavior and placed somewhere else.\n\nNobody sensible and skeptical would look to religion for teachings on history, to say nothing of public health or medicine, government and justice, psychology, astronomy, or mathematics. At various points in human history, all of these fields separated themselves off from religious and mystical belief, such that today they are quite separate.\n\nBut universities originated as religious institutions. The whole concept of *scholarship*, of careful study of written texts, originated as a religious practice. And then universities and scholarship went one way — the direction of reality — and left religion behind.\n\nOnce upon a time, religion and mysticism *included* history and math and ethics and medicine. (Pythagoras was a cult leader; Paracelsus was an occultist.) But as each of those fields advanced and specialized, they found the facts of reality to be in tension with religion, and so they split off from religion. Sometimes, depending on social factors, that split was in the form of a conflict; and sometimes it was expressed as a socially compatible specialization. (Most religious institutions don't claim that they know better about medicine than doctors do. A few do, but they exist at some tension with mainstream society; that's why the Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Scientists end up in court every once in a while over their beliefs.)\n\nModern religion is *what's left behind* after all the scholarly, investigative, curious, skeptical tendencies took off for their own disciplines. That's why modern religion is so incredibly stupid; it doesn't have to take care of the practicalities, because the reality-based disciplines do so quite successfully. Religion today is safe specializing *entirely* in utter unreality, dogmatic gibberish, and memetic parasitism, because society doesn't depend on religion for anything else.\n\nBut that means that at some point in the ancient past, all those scholarly and reality-based tendencies were part of the same institutions as religion — the institutions that we label "religious" because they involved assertions about gods and worship. Just as astronomy and astrology were once one practice, but then the reality-based part split away to form a scientific discipline, so too did the whole idea of reality-based practices of *any* sort at some point split apart from the previously unified system of human knowledge-plus-mythology, leaving behind religion.\n\nWhich leads me to my thought about Stone Age "religious" sites: Perhaps it would be just as accurate to call them Stone Age "scholarly" sites. They existed *before* religion and the study of reality split apart as two separate categories of human behavior. If there was anywhere Neolithic humanity kept their actual, reality-based knowledge on file, it was the same place they kept their mythology and their cultural history.\n\nAllowing "religion" to monopolize the claim to these sites is overly simplistic.\n\n(Note: I'm *not* saying that religion is as good as scholarship. Just the opposite: I'm saying modern religion is the dross left behind after all the good stuff has been taken out ... but that "taking out" was a historical process, meaning that at some point in the past the good stuff and the dross were fused together. Which makes it ironic to call a site a "religious" site, naming it after the dross, whereas the people who used it almost certainly used it to store knowledge about reality as well as about myth.) 1310628311 +That comment you posted was obviously glib. 1344615068 +Yeah I came to the realization that it was just a series of planes flying toward the cameraman. This explains why it "morphs." My bad lol. 1327505898 +Yep 1331326097 +Yep 1337140153 +Yep 1342468446 +Yep 1355681665 +Yep 1317840912 +Yep 1321638074 +Yep 1347849496 +I'm sceptical of my atheism 1296175778 +Shit. I thought I had successfully forgotten about this fuckin' movie. 1323899728 +Before anyone gets too excited, look at this with some skepticism. Some of the youtube comments mentioned this and it's something that I thought while watching it, but that could easily be light-play and smoke. He mentioned the factory is abandoned and has been for awhile, so it's entirely possible that vagrants were camping inside the place and that the light was from a fire and the "figures" were due to smoke rising. With only video and pictures from what looks like a couple hundred yards away, it's tough to confirm or rule out anything. Interesting, nonetheless. 1330422130 +FUCK YOU CAME HERE TO SAY THAT.\n\nyou had to be 49 minutes faster than me... 1324491659 +Have you actually tried this yourself?\n\nWhat were the results? 1345217868 +The heat in our bodies dissipates to the environment, the chemical reactions cease because we aren't taking in any more nutrients, the electricity in our brain ceases to flow and is expressed as heat. That's what happens to it. 1303094839 +>Shouldn't you be claiming it would rise if that happened? Obviously guns don't prevent crime if you take away guns and crime doesn't change. The thing that does change? Deaths by gun.\n\nIt did rise...and it's funny you're okay will deaths overall not lowering as long as less of them were by guns. You're really showing your true colors now.\n\n>School[1]\nWorkplace[2]\nOther US[3]\nOther Europe[4]\n\nIt took me a matter of seconds to notice a huge discrepancy in your sources. Ever heard of the 2011 Norway attacks? Just knowing that you missed that incident of mass murder I really can't take your 'statistics' seriously.\n\n>How can you possibly say that? You're backing yourself into a corner. "Well there are just as many mass murders in Europe... oh... well that still doesn't prove anything.."\n\nYou are don't have proof guns are to blame. Are bombs to blame when someone sets those off and kills people? Are planes to blame when people crash them to kill people? Are Axes, knives, narcotics, fire, etc. to blame when used to kill people? I don't think so. Europe still has many mass shootings even with it's strict gun control laws. It just goes to show there are other issues at hand and you are hell bent on placing blame where it isn't deserved.\n\n>The funny thing is I'm not proposing anything. I'm just pointing out facts. Gun ownership and lack of control is killing Americans for no reason, and you refuse to listen to statistics.\n\nIf that's the case why doesn't the city Kennesaw in Georgia have lower than average crime rate? Every home in that city is REQUIRED to have a firearm for 30 years now. That's just one example, but it says enough about your ridiculous theory. 1356133045 +Ever hear of Occam's razor? 1325489957 +I am a skeptic always have been. I am also interested in the paranormal, I have been searching and searching for a long time to find some genuine paranormal effect/experiences but have turned up dry thus far. You maybe here on r/paranormal for entertainment but there are many looking for actual evidence. This is why many people tend to come out of the wood work when people post obvious or known fakes/hoaxes on here and claim its real. 1340029190 +I don't have a copy of Patel's book and the pdf isn't loading for me, so I can only say one thing: What's "DV"? Divorce?\n\nEdit: Domestic violence, maybe, though I haven't claimed anything about that. 1345167067 +Nasa's point of a view is a bit different:\n\n"Comet Elenin will not only be far away, it is also on the small side for comets," said Yeomans. "And comets are not the most densely-packed objects out there. They usually have the density of something akin to loosely packed icy dirt.\n\n"So you've got a modest-sized icy dirtball that is getting no closer than 35 million kilometers," said Yeomans. "It will have an immeasurably miniscule influence on our planet. By comparison, my subcompact automobile exerts a greater influence on the ocean's tides than comet Elenin ever will."\n\nFrom: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-135 1310234863 +I know, I know.\nher 'but why have cancer rates gone up?'\nme 'maybe because people live longer now and cancer is finally knocking them off'\nher 'but maybe it's the chlorine'\nme 'ffffuuuuuuu, I wish could find something that proves otherwise'\n 1307630288 +Yeah I think once thousands of people make eye-witness reports, it's hard to ignore it. There are lots of UFO cases in Mexico like this, but they often involve more objects in the sky. 1330559644 +That whole page is so full of crap that I'm considering pouring bleach on my computer and in my eyes. 1355494637 +I attended a boarding school called Mt. Edgecumbe in Sitka Alaska and it's been open for a long time. Both the old girls dorm and the boys dorm are haunted. I know for sure that a girl committed suicide on the now closed third floor of the girls dorm. I'm not sure if any tragedy befell any boys in the past but there have always been weird experiences throughout the years. There is also another dormitory that is closed and condemned called Penrod Hall. The last time a bunch of us broke in there for kicks we saw a couple rooms that could've been used as ritual rooms because they had all types of pentagrams on the floor and walls. There were also burnt down candles and scribble everywhere that we couldn't read. On more than one occasion, some friends and I would hang out around Penrod Hall because state security wouldn't check there for partiers and bud smokers, and we would hear all types of strange noises coming from that place. I would love to do a paranormal investigation there because of the experiences I and a few good friends have had. 1352878810 +Does your casino have the "membership cards" that people can play slots with? They're clipped onto a plastic coiled lanyard which they usually keep clipped onto their clothes or around their neck and the card itself slips into the slot machine, giving the impression that they're hooked into the machine and interfacing with it on a biological level.\n\n And there they sit, glassy-eyed and expressionless and they push the 'play' button over and over and over again and deplete their life savings. 1326578175 +You just blew my mind. 1337651877 +Is this for real? 1305035041 +> There wouldn't be one organization if the government didn't maintain a monopoly by force. Competing health standards companies would make it tougher for any one to get in bed with the producer since the others would point it out.\n\nThen as a consumer, which health standards organization do I trust if there are multiple competing organizations? The one that spends more of its money on advertising?\n\nHow does competition improve my services? Certainly I can rate a little bit faster, but there's only so fast you can move before you introduce too many potential sources of error in your rating.\n\nDo you want the FDA to turn into Consumer Reports, where the information you receive as a consumer is somewhat superficial and costs you a yearly subscription fee? If you choose not to pay it you walk around not knowing if the product you're buying does what it claims.\n\nMaybe it could operate like the BBB? Where it is purely reactionary and waits for people to complain before doing a single thing. When it comes to what the FDA does, by the time people start complaining, usually people have died.\n\nHow exactly could an organization that sets the standards for all the foodstuffs you eat and tests every single drug available to you legally generate money?\n\nOur previous example of the BBB is funded through businesses paying to be members, do you want Pfizer to pay your version of the FDA? Doesn't that give your version of the FDA to gloss over Pfizer's flaws (again resulting in death)? This is how the ESRB and other non-governmental agencies are funded: through industry funding. Do you really want the FDA, who rates food and drugs for efficacy and lethality, to be funded by the organizations it seeks to evaluate?\n\nThe other example of Consumer Reports makes its money through its consumer magazine subscriptions. Do you want your version of the FDA to charge *you* to view the results of their testing? What about the poor man who needs that subscription money for basic necessities, how is he supposed to make an informed decision if that information costs him?\n\n> But you're right, there's always the possibility of corruption, but what makes you think the process isn't corrupt as it is? I'll take a voluntarily funded corrupt organization over one funded through extortion any day, at least then I could stop paying for it.\n\nIn a competitive field the primary drive is survival, and the primary source of survival is funding. A completely privately funded FDA's primary concern will be raising enough revenue to meet their yearly operating costs, not evaluating food and drugs. Especially since if they aren't selling their rating (I hope not) there's nothing competition can do to improve their "product". In this situation a corporate donor with a large pocketbook will look extremely attractive.\n\nIn contrast, a taxpayer funded FDA's budget is guaranteed. The management and employee's last worry is covering their yearly budget. Their prime concern is keeping everyone's noses at least visibly clean as the more controversy that arises, the more people complain, the more their budget shrinks as legislators attempt to score easy political points.\n\nThe taxpayer funded model is still open to corruption, like everything in existence. But, when budgets are guaranteed making risk to said budget that much greater, the amount one would have to pay to corrupt skyrockets. Make it more expensive to bribe than to just fix or nix your product and most rational economic actors will choose the latter option. 1286290022 +It promotes scams. Isn't that exactly what WOT is trying to ferret out?\n 1347684693 +I was merely implying that you don't have to have company with equal or higher intelligence to enjoy it. If you want a pet example that isn't useful take one whatever example you feel like. I'm not sure what you're getting at with surviving in their environment, I wasn't implying that humans are regularly used as pets by aliens. Also humans might very well be hilarious pets! 1328103346 +The Vatican has changed its mind on this issue in my lifetime. 1325491091 +You should cross post this to no sleep. There's been a lot of good advice given there on these type of problems. \nGood luck. 1317405656 +You can look at the claims the website makes, or the claims it fails to make as is often the case with woo. How many false or easily discreditable claims does it have to make before you consider it not credible?\n\nI know they're kind of woo/new-agey and anti-vax. Anti-vax is enough to completely discredit them to me, but I'm pretty severe about killing children. 1303850074 +...apparently suspended? 1303993869 +Re-enactment of the maybe not so true story.\n"Hey guys look!! A new creature nobody has ever seen in their lives!!! LETS KILL IT!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO......" 1353523099 +"There is no spoon". 1320908078 +I doubt his base is composed of people willing to look at the science of lie detection. A fail would be the end of his candidacy. 1320857682 +literally 1351145391 +I have had sleep paralysis twice in my life. The first time I thought I saw rats in my room, but I wasn't sure. I did know that something was in my room and I didn't know what for sure. I tried to scream but nothing came out. It was genuinely a frightening experience. The second time I knew it was sleep paralysis and thought it was weird that I couldn't move. I tried to make a sound but nothing would come out so I closed my eyes and went back to sleep. Sleep paralysis is very weird and cool at the same time. 1347119148 +> Now my problem is knowing when to shut up.\n\nI have it bad. For example: I bring up how ridiculous Scientology is. Uninformed friend is like, "Dude, whatever, it's just another religion. You just hate any one who believes in a religion" Then I go off on a tangent about how it isn't "just any other religion" some how managing to offend just about every one in earshot with my following tirade.\n\nSame with discussing homeopathy with my mother. She thinks we aren't discussing the legitimacy of it but I am arguing with her. Which I am not really, but confronting a persons personal beliefs comes off as personal confrontation and conflict. When some one says something and you just respond to everything with, "No you are wrong and here is why" you kind of become a dick.\n\nI'm working on it. 1302853772 +It has been done before. From ISIS-2 (1998): "subdivision of the patients in ISIS-2 with respect to their astrological birth sign appears to indicate that for persons born under Gemini or Libra, there was a slightly adverse effect of aspirin on mortality (9% increase, SD 13; NS), while for patients born under all other astrological signs there was a striking beneficial effect (28% reduction, SD 5; 2p <0.00001).”\n\nThat one is also very illustrative (2006): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16895820 1318879710 +[He kicked their dog...](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=g9fIjYnPazc#t=94s) :-) 1334258357 +There's a lot of things that still exist that shouldn't. There are still people who believe vaccines cause autism. There are tons of people who only believe in a god b/c their parents taught them to. In the same instance, people still have pox parties b/c they believe what they were brought up to believe and/or they don't keep up to date with science and medicine. 1327886997 +> "Inna Godda Di Vida" can clearly be heard as "In the Garden of Edan"\n\nI knew it!!! Now all my friends will believe me! 1289062995 +> Prove there wasn't car bombs there.\n\nProve there weren't invisible flying unicorns ramming into WTC7. 1315536727 +The actual choice is also simply opinion, unless everyone has agreed on an objective and measurable goal. To continue with the gun control issue, even if we correctly notice more gun violence in heavily armed societies, it's not done - the argument presupposes that reducing gun violence is something people want and want it to a degree higher then wanting to be armed (or whatever other benefits may exist). This, as opposed to trying to establish actual consequences, is pure and unvarnished opinion. Knowing the facts may make it easier to reach said opinion, but never the less it's not empirically testable. Some people will say "I prefer no one has a gun - I'm prepared to take the downsides of perhaps encountering an illegal gun over the dangers of availability" and some will say "I think I should be armed, I'll take the hit of more illegal and legal guns in circulation over not being armed myself" based on the exact same facts. In fact, in "I prefer people be armed with (weapon x) so that that's what I'd be most likely to encounter and/or own but not much more", weapon x will solve for anything between a sharp rock and a fission-fusion-fission device if you ask enough people. There's just no way to test for it or "prove" someone wrong about anything besides the facts they're basing the opinion on. 1312073686 +sorry, link.. http://www.echalk.co.uk/amusements/OpticalIllusions/illusions.aspx\n\nclick the link that is called "Motion Induced Blindness" to see what I mean. 1344526161 +Well holy shit. If you'll pardon me.\n\nI was actually thinking when you said something negative that the only valid response would be something about romance. You're right. About everything. And your advice is fantastic. It's all me. =O\n\nI've always liked tarot, but I confess I've grown skeptical until pretty much now. \n\nThanks so much!\n\nEdit: I hate to be paranoid, but it did occur to me that you could've gotten at least some of that from my comment history. Didn't think of that until later. 1335563895 +Any chance that the physical end of the world is spiritual-only? Or maybe the world is destroyed and immediately replaced by an identical one? 1318944487 +The better question is where did this alien learn how to fly? \n\nI would love to believe this video but the random path of this object makes it difficult to believe its an intelligent being. Are they joy riding? Don't they have GPS of some sort? If this was a real UFO, I can just hear the aliens in the backseat screaming, "NO...I SAID GO LEFT!!". 1344475341 +you can use the energy to clear out the toxins and that shows up in your aura 1344793096 +Mine is badass. he's been through medical school and turned around to become a chiropractor so that he wouldn't be harassed when he practices homeopathic medicine. \n\nYa he is funny every once in awhile, but when I'm feeling awful or hurting after a long week of Xfit, he's my man. 1291183738 +I love this picture, it really captures the moment. 1265205201 +>Copied from another comment I made here.\n\n\n["Some recent studies suggest that\nover-consumption of fluoride can raise the risks of disorders affecting teeth,\nbones, the brain and the thyroid gland," reports Scientific American](http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/01/02/idUS108377+02-Jan-2008+PRN20080102)\n\n\n[Another](http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-study-fluoride-can-damage-the-brain---avoid-use-in-children-124299299.html)\n\n\n[And another(PDF)](http://static.infowars.com/2011/12/i/general/2011_study-neurodegenerative_changes_from_fluoride_of_brain_spinal_cord_and_sciatic_nerve.pdf)\n\n\nProvide me with a peer reviewed study that shows that kids aren't getting enough fluoride without putting it in drinking water.\n\n\n[Wait, it was so easy I saved you the trouble](http://jada.ada.org/content/139/11/1457.abstract) See the conclusion. 1338781963 +I think that it's fairly safe to assume that there is no truth to such claims; the onus is on the people who make the claim to prove that it's true, and thus far all I've seen from believers is the same sorts of assertions, innuendo, and hearsay that I see from other conspiracy theorists. It would also be helpful if they had coherent explanations for motive - what possible reason would the american government have for killing bin laden in 2001 and then keeping the body on ice for ten years (and a new presidency), only to release it on a fairly random and unimportant sunday night? 1304323797 +Yeah, it's easier to point at a big, evil, well organized conspiracy than a bunch of disorganized, independent drug traffickers. These things tend to break apart the more people you add to the conspiracy though. 1348666500 +Similarly, Clone High's Abe Lincoln:\n\n[I can't wait to eat this ... baby](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93kkEMIXu5s). 1313468895 +I was there. So freaking awesome. 1317330685 +I was the only one in the house, no one was there the night before or the morning it happened 1334261314 +This is still one of my favorite green-light conversations: http://www.reddit.com/r/Documentaries/comments/10k8s4/controversial_911_film_soars_to_1_on_pbs_breaks/c6eioh1 \n\nFeel free to click that (below threshold + 197 children) to see some truther comedy in action. \n\n 1353356462 +The novel is rather obscure here (Flanders). The song was a hit a few years ago and still gets some airplay. 1318882790 +Mitchell and Web\n\nI show that particular clip to almost everyone I meet.\n\n 1338142600 +One thing I have learned from my various encounters with the paranormal, is that one often does not feel or behave as one would expect, or in a way which would be considered *normal*. There have been instances when I should have been frightened (or at least apprehensive), and I think was expected to be, but just wasn't; I generally am unnaturally calm at these times, completely uncoupled from my horror film conditioning. I often wonder if I'm not some sort of ghoul or something. 1328333648 +Oh. Actually it doesn't now that I think about it. Nope...usually stays at the same angle. Doesn't get darker or lighter, taller or shorter.. always right on top of someones head and blowing backwards 1335679120 +This is getting ridiculous. Can't they just start identifying these objects? 1286414424 +If someone quizzed you, would you reply "I dont know"? 1346537841 +School as in university, in the bookstores (both on and off-campus). 1298563861 +If a trait exerts no negative pressure on survival / procreation chances, it won't just "evolve out" automatically. Useless but harmless traits often stick on for a very long time. 1337080895 +[I don't recall antibiotics causing narcolepsy.](http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Concerns/h1n1_narcolepsy_pandemrix.html) 1330065516 +This pisses me off... All over the stupid belief that vaccines cause Autism... 1319277884 +damn that shit got crushed 1327385748 +Drat! I always forget about strikethrough. Thanks for the reminder! 1343832880 +My two cats creep me out all the time, staring into dark corners and being weird...I believe animals see stuff we don't, just like little babies supposedly do. 1344083361 +It's a glitch inside your head! What kind of seizure is this? 1332977168 +Um actually the reason they believe it is possible is simply because the math adds up and it does not violate any of the laws of physics. History has proven that a mathematically sound theory is pretty much infallible thus there is more than enough scientific basis. Right now they are concentrating on harvesting dark energy and/or enough energy to power such a drive...do some research sir. The science channel even did two shows illustrating this. 1330092263 +Will you cook my dinner for me? My parents aren't around and I'm not allowed to turn on the stove. 1323309373 +>I don't think it's an issue with psychology though really, it's all science. In logic and mathematics you can prove things. Science doesn't prove things, which is great really.\n\nYes, you are right that science doesn't prove things, but psychology depends a lot more on broader and less defined probabilities and statistics than other fields. What I mean to say is that there are more assumptions to be made. I'm pretty confortable in a constant state of uncertainty.\n\n>What area of psychology?\n\nDepends on the day and my mood.\n\nI haven't formed a worthwhile opinion on Steven Pinker yet. 1347087953 +Yet I bet none of them have a problem getting eyeglasses if they can't see. Paraphrasing Bugs Bunny, geez, what a bunch of maroons. 1330247295 +>well the bright side of that is that when people smoke cannabis, they're 99% (inexact #) more likely to just stay at home and laugh at stupid shit, than to drive around in a car.\n\nI don't think that's true - I think it's a common trope that is sometimes wheeled out to ignore the problem with how some people are behaving when on drugs (and it's usually combined with the myth that driving whilst stoned isn't a problem as it makes you more "careful"). \n\nI imagine that most recreational cannabis users would only use it when they're planning a night at home, but more seasoned users (e.g. ones who are addicted) would be having one before work in the morning to 'get them through the day' and drive off to work. If cannabis were legalised, this number of people would necessarily increase, and the act itself would be normalised - making it more likely that people who wouldn't risk driving out somewhere when stoned due to getting caught, would now consider driving down to the store to get some food to fix their munchies.\n\n>the funny thing is, all those jokes about "pot activists always lose their petitions, or forget to vote"--have a high degree of truth to them....which is yet another reason it's yet to be legalized.\n\nIt's probably part of the reason why their concerns don't get as much political attention as they might, but I'm not convinced that even if every "pro-pot" person voted then it would be legalised as I don't think there is overwhelming support for legalisation. \n\n>There really is, at least in the US, a very large number of profitable industries that base the majority of their income on cannabis being illegal. for example, the "for-profit" prisons receive billions of tax dollars each year from the Justice Dept to incarcerate criminals--over half of which are non-violent criminals; and the largest number of that subgroup consist of "cannabis offenders".\n\nThis doesn't explain why similar laws exist in all countries, even without the same supposed pressure from industry. \n\n>but not a single one of them is ever discussed in any kind of national discussion/ anti-cannabis campaign.\n\nReally? I know that the messages are simplified (and, in worst cases, exaggerated by bad programs) but most campaigns that I've seen cover the problems of cannabis being associated with lung cancer, long term memory issues, significant drops in IQ, etc. 1347864786 +Thank You. 1245255671 +santa, the tooth fairy and god are all in the same club. 1285523006 +It is hair splitting and I would love to be able to say unicorns don't exist and have people understand im not making a claim of absolute certainty but in these sort of debates especially with a god claim everyone always jumps to the absolute when you say anything and so I always have to clarify my statements. 1335609837 +Well enough convincing U.F.O sightings and reports have been made to convince me somthing is visiting us, but no communication has been made yet, who knows what the reasoning would be. 1319060517 +I see it and [this](http://imgur.com/D2eIH) is all I think of. 1349325092 +Ugh. My hope for the human race is rapidly dwindling. 1301252333 +\n> I'm curious how much proof does one actually need?\n\nI'm glad you asked that question, though I'll apply it to the ETH and UFOs in general rather than limiting myself to this one document. You can see what I think about OP's NSA document [here](http://www.reddit.com/r/UAP/comments/mqmo5/proof_of_extraterrestrial_intelligence_nsa/c334hhq) and [here](http://www.reddit.com/r/UAP/comments/mqmo5/proof_of_extraterrestrial_intelligence_nsa/c334qit). \n\nI am partial to the framework Peter Sturrock uses in his book [The UFO Enigma](http://www.amazon.com/UFO-Enigma-Review-Physical-Evidence/dp/0446525650). \n\nSturrock proposes that we abandon the idea of a smoking gun. Ever since *The Day the Earth Stood Still*, people have awaited the day a saucer lands on the White House lawn and a dialogue begins. So we examine every bit of data from that perspective, asking ourselves if **this** is finally the compelling argument needed to seal the deal. \n\nA better framework is to think of every bit of evidence in terms of a logarithmic system, like say decibels for sound. The salient point is that you have some "threshold" that you yourself have set. Say, when the arguments in favor pass the 100 dB range you are convinced. Maybe 30 dB range for your average r/UFOs user. \n\nThe NSA document you link to, for example, would add 0 dB in support of the ETH for me because it is a joking exercise and is not at all relevant. A better example is perhaps the classic [Twining Memo](http://www.nicap.org/twining_letter.htm). Maybe that adds 10 dB to your theory that some UFOs are ETs or whatever. Maybe you read up on the [Condon Report's take on the 1956 Lakenheath case](http://files.ncas.org/condon/text/case02.htm) and this "genuine UFO" adds 20 dB. Over time as you study UFOs you'll come to acculumate a growing body of evidence, and you'll be forced to reevaluate your previous assesments and assumptions. Likewise your thresholds may very well change. \n\nI suppose I'm evading your question by describing what I consider to be a sensible system rather than enumerating my own specific beliefs. I do believe that there are Unknowns. These Unknowns appear to be physical and appear to at least sometimes be "intelligently controlled" and appear to at least sometimes exhibit characteristics unobtainable by human technology as we know it. I also think that these Unknowns have been marginalized by many of the ruling powers around the world for decades [with the notable exception of [France](http://www.geipan.fr/)].\n\nI frankly have no idea what the Unknowns are or where they come from, and I think it displays a lack of respect for the complexity of the issues at hand for people to watch half of the Disclosure Project on Youtube before declaring the Unknowns as Extraterrestrials. 1322533776 +Ahh yes I see, for some reason I was reading your comments as a continuation of xiongshi's posts. My apologies, I wasn't paying attention to the usernames so I misinterpreted your post. 1328649456 +Made my day !!! 1324659745 +is it arbitrary, or logical that in the process of evolution that relationship of eyes above nose and mouth would happen? nearly ever species on earth, as vastly different as they are, have eyes, above nose, above mouth. 1332355055 +Because the US public education system doesn't cultivate critical thought. 1309178701 +It's nice to fantasise about the existence of the Loch Ness monster and with all the under water caves there could of once been some creature but there isn't enough fish/other creatures for anything to live off in the Loch now. The Loch has been mapped out by scientists and there's nothing there.\n\nHowever, the photographs of Big Foot - isn't that classed as physical evidence? Why do we need to "study" or "catch" one. \n\n 1317846629 +That's not true. If you see something that looks like a face, you will see a face. It doesn't have to be exactly the same as a face you have seen before. 1356258110 +TIL about eugenics toilet paper. 1329648906 +MERCOLA IS SUPERUNSCIENTIFIC !!! 1265990264 +If you want to date her, you should ease into any skeptical discussions. If she brings up astrology again on the next date, try to politely change the subject. If she won't, maybe she's too invested in her belief in it and you should give up. But hopefully you can put that conversation off until she trusts you and respects you enough to listen to reason (not necessarily have her mind changed, but at least listen). 1301398650 +http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/luvrg/alternative_literature_xkcd/c2vtbfh 1320051783 +Assuming it's not being covered up. It happened halfway across the world and it was a year before any dive happened. They had plenty of time to fabricate evidence. It's happened before and will happen again. 1340076546 +No, not really. Especially with no knowledge what other treatments he might have tried. What other reasons he might have had to postpone surgery. How seriously he took the alternative stuff. Maybe it was only to calm his wife who believes in it?\n\nYou have two very small parts of the whole picture. Not nearly enough to make any informed conclusions. 1318629346 +It was actually a shitload of one of the two big towers that hit building seven. Take a look at the footage that's not from the truthers' very selective angle. The place was more wrecked than it seemed to be from the most photogenic side. 1332556904 +Actually, *scientists* have known that the Earth was round since at least the ancient Greeks. The flat Earth hypothesis was mostly popular among the uneducated.\n\nAdditionally, even if it had been a widely accepted scientific theory, you cannot compare a theory popular prior to the development of the scientific method with one developed afterward. 1353792713 +This is why I hate the skeptic movement--authoritarian as fuck. 1337827659 +Are you for fucking real? That is a fascinating thought... I just can't believe this... 1333466212 +Wait.. Bill Maher is *against* vaccinations? 1287721724 +*crickets* 1313232832 +*crickets* 1334455093 +Dude, what are you talking about?\n\nConventional medicine is what MDs and DO's practise. \n\nCAM runs the gamut from wacky to not wacky, I said things were complimentary, not CAM. Do you understand now?\n\nMDs and DOs often work in clinics together along with physical therapists, nutritionists, surgeons, etc.\n\nI don't think you know the difference between written English and CAM. 1318746387 +I am American and what is this 1294066353 +The FDA [has already spoken out against this product](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine_dioxide#Safety)\n\nEverything your friend needs can be found on wiki + the links.\n\nedit: There's even a wikipedia page [on this product](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_Mineral_Solution), huge amounts of reasons given to avoid it there 1342825835 +In the theory of parallel realities, time is just another parallel reality. everything is always simultaneously happening in all realities at the same time, however we experience it in a linear fashion because of the linear nature of our consciousness. Anyway grand experience. :) 1328394078 +Not true. If you spend money wastefully by protecting yourself against threats that don't exist, most would define that as stupid. Most credit cards don't have RFID and it's easy to check if a card has one. Mine don't, so it'd be stupid for me to spend money on a protective wallet that gains me nothing. 1335041313 +It's a good point, but there's no way to know which is which, because they go by the same name. If I treated back problems, I wouldn't call myself a chiropractor and associate with the history and philosophy of chiropractic. 1336781646 +You good sir. Thank you! 1340897457 +hmm, well every Jesuit I've ever known is a professional skeptic so no. 1296195159 +your username + mention of your [hopefully former] illness = A++ 1319646756 +In university I only met a few religious people who let their religion interfere with their scepticism/rationality, but the majority that I knew had a fairly solid, and reasonable, demarcation of the two, and acknowledge that their faith in entirely dependant on their believing it, rather than it being a foregone conclusion.\n\nContrariwise, I've also known a few atheists who are pretty dogmatically anti-religious, and they struck me as arrogant and ignorant for the most part. I imagine a lot of that is backlash rather than a rational disapproval. 1285360292 +I'll just add: it goes both ways. I see skeptics get dumped with derision just for questioning, pointing out inconsistencies or details wrong with hoaxes - people get emotional and defensive when their beliefs are questioned. 1346658099 +I lost my cat on my 16th birthday at my house at the time (my parents house now). The way our house is set up, when my mom and I would be up late together in the living room watching movies, we could always see our cat walking across the kitchen floor to her food bowl, then she would start walking towards us. There has been several occasions since she died that my mother, or myself, has seen this familiar motion. Once my mother even put out her hand as a reflex...and then realized that our cat had died. On another occasion, I saw her walking, and turned to my mother to see if she had seen it to, and she was already looking where I was and nodded her head yes before I even asked the question. Your pets will stay a part of your life forever, and it's pretty reassuring to know that. 1348124156 +Jesus was a cross dresser? 1311376000 +I love Zizek.\nFor the link shy: Zizek says that racism isn't a problem of tolerance. MLK talked about exploitation, etc. To couch it in terms of tolerance is ridiculous because it's humiliating for the person asking for tolerance. When we are talking about "tolerance" what we are avoiding talking about is cultural attitudes, economic exploitation, etc. Using 'tolerance' is a way to obfuscate what is really happening and will make solving the problem harder. 1307848414 +powers worth more than money to the people who crave it in its purest forms..\nsorry i missed your reply i hardly check my messages. 1321984625 +It would actually be a lot easier for us to help and offer insight if you did start a video campaign. Digital video cameras are not expensive any more, so it'd be easy to do a short introduction interview, and then leave the camera on during the hot spots (evening when you and your girlfriend are around the house, and then at night when you're both asleep), so that any activity is captured, or you can grab the camera and dictate your experiences as they happen. If you really want assistance, this is the best way to go about it aside from having a team come to your home and do an investigation. 1340116894 +Even though I find the case for CO2 contributing to global warming compelling, I'm kind of saddened to see that you've been downvoted for asking for proof, particularly on a subreddit called /r/skeptic. I'm glad to kick you back up to 1. Best I can do on my own.\n\n(The correct response, for those who strongly disagree with this guy, would be to post a link to a citation of evidence. The down arrow is not a "you're wrong" button.) 1313421285 +The idea that both the science and popular conceptions around diet health are all over place and conflicting is nothing new. For a good survey of the history of dietary trends from a History/Philosophy of Science perspective, check out Gary Taubes. 1353089069 +>Did you read the link in the OP?\n\nI did. Several times, in fact.\n\n>Dry brushing was presented as a cure-all:\n\nNo, dry brushing was presented as providing ten very explicit benefits. It was not presented as curing *anything* let alone *everything.*\n\n>there is no physiological mechanism to justify dry brushing as anything more than a skin treatment\n\nNor has one been presented. Of the ten benefits claimed, six are epidermal in nature. The other four (tones muscles, improves nervous function, helps digestion, cleanses lymphatic system) are one degree removed from the epidermis.\n\n>let alone a cancer treatment.\n\nThis is the first time anyone has used the word "cancer." "Tumor" has been used before, but only by the OP, not by any links related to skin brushing.\n\nIt's one thing to say "you should try skin brushing" on an internet forum. It's quite another to put up a website selling skin brushes and claiming they cure cancer.\n\nYou seem to think the latter has happened. It was the former. 1270673671 +Western Alberta, Canada 1338320026 +He sounds like Roger from American Dad. 1339895906 +About as much good as trying to convince someone that thinks this sort of thing isn't a scam that it's a scam. Read: None. 1288917152 +It's been 7 years since they first talked about this "cure"... so yeah.. how's that working out.\n\nhttp://articles.cnn.com/2005-06-22/health/cancer.virus_1_cancer-cells-cervical-cancer-hpv?_s=PM:HEALTH 1335924594 +>Her final film, Something Wicked, was released on August 25, 2011. 1327183107 +Wouldn't it be better to put on a blood-free lab coat? :P 1345738510 +[when I see this](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pnKObAvS3Pw/Tw4lxJeDXiI/AAAAAAAAAmc/JrKWnADRNFc/s150/cop-out-nope.gif) 1348337383 +I don't think I'd want to be the intern who has to hand over the contradictory research on those kind of issues. 1342968181 +This page has some more stats on them:\nhttp://pseudoastro.wordpress.com/tag/psychic-twins/\n\n"The pair that I thought were most full of themselves were the “psychic twins,” Terry and Linda Jamison. They started the interview by claiming that everything they predicted for 2009 had come true, and when they were on later in 2010, they claimed that everything they had predicted in January would still come true. I couldn’t find a C2C interview they did for 2009, but I found one for 2000. They claimed AIDS would be cured by 2002, “breast cancer drug break-through by 2003,” “a cancer cure, especially for breast cancer by 2007,” 60% of cancer cured by 2008, a cloning of body parts “in the not too distant future … in diagnostic chambers,” and people with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, MS, and spinal cord injuries will be walking “within the decade.” Yeah …. didn’t quite happen. And by my tally, they only had one hit for 2010, and it was incredibly vague but I gave it to them. They had some monstrous fails, such as shiitake mushrooms as a prevention for breast cancer and hurricanes devastating Florida. They even failed on some actual statistically likely hits, like a major storm hitting the gulf." 1318772804 +Keep in mind that Humane Watch is a project of the Center for Consumer Freedom, which was created by Richard Berman, a corporate lobbyist. I would take anything they say with about 10 pounds of salt. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/us/politics/18berman.html 1321835641 +right, I was headed west, the sun 100% was down because it was just about 9PM and the super moon was behind us. the thing that made these initially stick out was how bright they were, they were both very intense and I thought it was two balls of orange/red light until I was under them and looked up and saw the square shape. it's a square shape, but the corner was leading so I call it a diamond. since the sighting ive been playing catchup on UFO stuff. what I have learned since is square/diamond shaped UFOs are pretty rare in reports.\n\nwhat really bothered me afterwards was the fact that this object was visible in a major metropolitan area and didn't attempt to be discrete, this means whatever is in control of those objects doesn't have concern about any counter measures that could be taken. it either wanted to be seen or just didn't care if was seen.\n\n\n\n\n 1338626977 +well then WTF is "Airplane Mode" supposed to be used for, if not on airplanes? 1335252270 +Please. If I was gay, you wouldn't be my type. I would like my men be scientifically literate! :-)\n\nBut, for better or worse, I am not gay - not that there's anything wrong with that. The reason I am replying to you with copy/pasted messages is that you are *responding to me with copy/pasted responses*. I am simply giving you a taste of your own medecine. If you don't want me to continue the conversation, then *stop replying*. Do you thing I'm going to reply to myself, or something?\n\nOne thing I will *continue* to do, however, is respond to fake claims about climate science when I read them in the subreddits I've subscribed to, when I have the time and inclination to do so. I'm not "stalking" you more than I am any of the other deniers who post debunked fossil fuel propaganda on reddit. I'm just here to counter that propaganda with actual science. 1346607428 +Please. If I was gay, you wouldn't be my type. I would like my men be scientifically literate! :-)\n\nBut, for better or worse, I am not gay - not that there's anything wrong with that. The reason I am replying to you with copy/pasted messages is that you are *responding to me with copy/pasted responses*. I am simply giving you a taste of your own medecine. If you don't want me to continue the conversation, then *stop replying*. Do you thing I'm going to reply to myself, or something?\n\nOne thing I will *continue* to do, however, is respond to fake claims about climate science when I read them in the subreddits I've subscribed to, when I have the time and inclination to do so. I'm not "stalking" you more than I am any of the other deniers who post debunked fossil fuel propaganda on reddit. I'm just here to counter that propaganda with actual science. 1346607443 +Ah, that makes more sense. 1356020326 +Ironically, acute butthurtitis is something the BCA claims can be cured through Chiropractry. 1329959559 +I'm not stereotyping atheletes superstititon is more prevelent in places where people don't have complete control over an outcome or competition. In many ways I'm sure the atheletes know a lot of the stuff doesn't work, but they lose nothing by doing it and have a positive psychological effect when doing it.\n \n>Olympians are on a whole 'nother plane of the human physical condition because they know how to be healthy.\n\nThanks for a perfect example of argument from authority. Most people who lived on the diet of an olympian would become obese quite quickly. They are performing at peak physical condition as a professional, a layman taking advice from an olympian on how to be healthy is kind of ridiculous as they live on extremely high calorie diets and spend almost all their time training and exercising. Sure if one spent all their time in demanding physical performance they would be in very good physical condition this does not mean however they are healthy, just physically fit. 1344108763 +I miss Arizona :( 1347552094 +Enough people here, on reddit, are completely fine calling you an idiot for being a 'solid believer in' any one of the things you said. Let them be the assholes, they clearly want that title.\n\nThe point that was being made was that certain people come here in this subreddit solely to comment on everything as being fake or hallucinations. You clearly don't fit in that group.\n\nBeing critical or true sceptic is completely acceptable. In this case it took me 30 seconds to find her email address. *"y si a algun lector le interesa comunicarse con esta mujer este es su email: lerinagarciagordo@yahoo.es "* And her facebook: http://es-la.facebook.com/people/Lerina-Garcia-Gordo/100000639399862\nIt seems to be a name only in relation to this story. Credibility low, but at least a bit higher than nothing at all. (I myself am completely invisible from the internet, so not finding to much on a person doesn't mean much.) 1326244507 +I bought one years ago, purely because it looked attractive (and matched my fossil collection). Sadly, if you turn the lamp on for more than a few minutes, it starts 'sweating' and you end up with a rock lamp sitting in a salty puddle. Uncool. 1290557252 +Ah, I thought I smelled troll..\nPlease read rules before commenting. 1356193704 +I remember doing it at primary school, so the oldest I could have been would be 8. 1314916498 +alt text was more entertaining than the comic 1278911190 +Yes.. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002AGF8KY/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ufbl-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B002AGF8KY&adid=0S0579ZP9C9G45KZRZ4A 1355124486 +i dont understand wtf happened in the whole vid :( 1262788311 +or a as i would say they lesser of the two evils ; ) \ni'm joking.......or am i......no i am joking. 1350478191 +I hid my identity in 2007 now I don't give a fuck that's why my face is shown now. I don't give a fuck if anyone cares or not. I was trying to see if there was anyone interested. 1335245001 +Fair 'muff* 1339536394 +No one ever contested that herbal remedies can work. It's just that manufactured medicine has greater purity and a lot better control over the dosage. 1306258078 +> A homeopath has no business treating cancer, but a case of the sniffles and a biannual checkup?\n\nBut what the heck of a good will a homeopath do even in that case? 1246565267 +Who's that guy who's paying a million dollars to whoever can prove they have a supernatural ability?\n\nPoint this kid in that direction. 1298536815 +Absolutely no clouds out that day. EXTREMELY clear skies that night. I made sure to note that at the time for when I told this subreddit about it. 1330270798 +Absolutely terrible comparison. \n\nDrudge is an aggregate, HuffPo is an OpEd piece of garbage. 1342712251 +What these numbers say is that a specific placebo (acupuncture of whatever kind) worked better than a real treatment (normal migraine stuff). That says that the pills are shitty and need to be improved. It says nothing about the effectiveness of acupuncture. 1326047901 +thats why most people are afraid of death 1340857398 +I really wish people understood this more. But I have the feeling that if they changed the name now, People would cry conspiracy and say that Big Food was just trying to pull a fast one. 1296081049 +It appears I misunderstood the brine thing, for which I apologise.\n\nHowever, you are still selling products which you **know** have no acceptable evidence of efficacy (as you've demonstrated in your leaflet by saying 'hey they cure things but it's illegal for us to tell you' - it wouldn't be illegal if there was evidence).\n\nThe questions I put to you are these:\n\n1) How exactly do you think these would help? What would be their mechanism of action? How could this be measured?\n\n2) Regular medicines are approved to cure a small number of groups of related conditions. Your treatment appears to have an equal effect on just about everything. Why do you think that is?\n\n3) If you're requiring people to see a doctor, you know they're being treated properly. How can you attribute any anecdotal evidence of people being cured to the benefit of your bath salts?\n\n4) Do you understand why science uses controlled, randomised, blinded clinical studies?\n\n5) If a proper (unfortunately expensive) clinical study were conducted, do you think you would see any positive benefit of your salts?\n\n6) If such a trial showed no benefit, would you consider it immoral to sell your products? 1303137220 +Awesome thanks! And I don't plan on observing every case, that's an almost impossible task. But, I think the most credible should be challenged and looked into. 1337918585 +I don't know why he implied it if that's what you were asking. I'm assuming it's because he wants to believe the post you responded to injured you emotionally.\n\nWhy I inferred that meaning is that the whole lower lip tremble is generally a characteristic of people who are trying to hold back tears.\n\nNow, I'm not taking sides here. But I believed you were genuinely confused as to the meaning of his comment. I just wanted to offer my perspective and let you know that yes, you were being insulted. 1322663414 +I will upvote you, then downvote you, then upvote you again, just so I can do it twice. 1286843811 +2nd degree burns. 3rd degree destroys the nerves and tend not to hurt as much. 1329964836 +I read the reply, and I disagreed with it. Shocking concept isn't it? 1350762592 +Having been through J-school, that's exactly what they teach. This is clearly a media package from Playtex. They send those out, and apparently the Daily Mail didn't even edit for content before shipping it out.\n\nA look at the "author"'s stories just from today indicates that this is standard operating procedure for her. Nevermind that she writes for the "Femail" section, clearly a terrible lifestyles fluff section.\n\nEven at a *respectable* newspaper, I wouldn't expect decent journalism from this woman. 1331791081 +It sounds to me like you are sweating small stuff.\n\n> here we are, in 2012. For the first time in our history as a species, all of our accumulated knowledge is at our fingertips (save for the libraries burned to ash in dogmatic fervor and warfare over the ages). If there is an answer to a question, that answer can be found swiftly. If there is no answer to a question, philosophies making attempts to answer can be found swiftly.\n\n>I just don't know how to reconcile all of this. No matter what angle I take, I can't find one that justifies the ignorance of truth. Even if I let my sense of humor shine through and I stop taking all of this so seriously, the truth is still the goal.\n\n You don't need to shoulder the burden of protecting mankind's future with every interaction you make.\n\nIf someone else believes in horoscopes, that's silly.\n\nIf someone else believes in horoscopes and you let it ruin *your* day, that's **really fucking silly**.\n\nTry not to care so much. 1340137319 +What... Are you talking about? 1309837392 +Good question, with no certain answer.\n\nThere are some good arguments for gun control and some good arguments against it. Be very careful of sources you trust. There are very loaded sources with agendas on both sides. They both tend to take creative twists on statistics to help their argument.\n\nOne thing I'm quite convinced of though is that our culture around- and access to mental health care is broken and needs serious change. Without this change, I'm not convinced any legislation (either way) will create much effect. 1355868391 +Yes, I do think that they do exist because the government does a great job of denying us the truth about many, many things, not to mention, straight out lying to us. I think Photoshop and CGI are the new "swamp gas". Yes, we must read between the lines and look at the facts, etc regarding videos and photos claiming to be UFO"s, aliens, etc, but I do not believe that ever single one if Photoshopped. I think there are good aliens and bad aliens, just like everything else we have ever seen. We just happen to have the good ones around now. Yes, they could come and kill us all if they wanted to and that could happen if a rogue alien race decided to do just that. In fact, we don't need the aliens to destroy ourselves. NASA is one of the biggest fucking lies ever. Take what NASA says with a grain of salt, they are under control of at least the Air Force and we do not know for sure who controls the military. If you look into the evidence about people talking about what is up there on the moon, the photos that they took, the fact that they could easily point Hubble towards the moon and take images, how they lied to us about the face on mars, etc, etc, yeah, I am going to bet that there is something, probably a lot, up there on the moon. If they want to fuck us up, there is not shit we can do about it. All of there shit is better than any of our shit. I think they don't want us to know because most of the non believers, ie. sheep, can't deal with it. They want to control us and keep us down on this rock? Knowledge is power and if we had that knowledge, they would be less powerful. They don't give a rip about us, and we have no reason to know. They can, so why not? United States controls a lot of things and this is just one of those things? 1332436454 +And then teach them that correlation does not negate causation. I find that people have a tendency to latch onto this concept. 1283196325 +There was a video of pretty low quality (from early 70's maybe?) on Youtube narrated by Carl Sagan that debunked most of this stuff. Anybody have a link? My Google Fu skills are failing me. 1332417134 +It does show your maturity level, however. 1327854951 +http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/LessWrong\n\nJust people find them a bit irritating, obnoxious, etc. 1311431226 +so the only way your assertion can be disproved is to examine the evidence which you provide, and so far your evidence consists of his apparent concern about the safety of nuclear power plants ... a lot of people share this concern, so do you think they are all secretly promoting fossil fuels? if not, what makes this particular person different? 1305658207 +I care little for testimonials. Do you have data? I can be convinced by data. 1314294184 + My point was that these two claims have exactly the same empirical status:\n\n1. Chiropractic is completely unfounded scientifically\n2. Chiropractic is completely founded scientifically\n\nAs long as you focus on semantics like this and avoid reading the links that have been provided in this thread, than you will continue to have a simplistic opinion. 1315521902 +By that logic, wouldn't surgery be bad too? It's additional trauma. 1344093157 +I say "gesundheit". 1322405610 +Supplements are just that - supplements. They supplement your intake of... anything.\n\nHence, if you're low on vitamin C, then you should take vitamin C, etc. 1309970376 +Not where I grew up. 1350730538 +—> /r/politics 1292094158 +I suppose the most important question is, "Is the CNBC Executive's children dead?" Because I have never heard anything about that elsewhere. 1354210409 +No. The deck is saying that you are far to obsessed with love to find it, like sand slipping through closed fingers. Pursue love of yourself and you will find it. It's sorta like a chinese finger trap, if that makes sense. 1353398608 +To your first point, the purpose of this subreddit, it's purpose is described in the sidebar. \n\n> Need something debunked by those in the know? Looking to exercise \n> some critical thinking or research skills? Want to eviscerate pseudoscience, \n> idiocy, and irrationality wherever it lurks? \n\nIf you look at the math in the above comment, you'll see that -- in fact -- people _don't_ necessarily like them. You'll find that the votes represent 2.5% of the community, some of which must be removed, adjusting for inflation due to bots and bandwagon effect.\n\nIf you observe in the top-level post, in the comments, I give an example relating a post about swimming in /r/scuba -- such a post may be popular, but it is not appropriate for /r/scuba, it's appropriate for /r/swimming. \n\nEnclosing memes in a self post enforces their status as conversation starters, while mitigating the downside by removing the major incentive (free internet points).\n\nThe plain fact is, look at /r/atheism, or /r/politics -- if you leave it alone, it just gets worse.\n\nFurther, you make a bifurcation fallacy -- memes aren't necessarily strictly good or strictly bad, some memes can be very good (the GGG example, or some of the woo-heavy infographics) -- they spawn discussion and good rebuttal/learning opportunity. Some are very bad -- they're silly content-free posts that simply don't make this reddit better. Some are in the middle. Not all memes are created equal.\n\nTo mitigate this, I don't intend to remove the meme, only the incentive to post bad memes -- if I post a bad meme, I know with some probability it will get upvoted, so I post many bad memes, some are downvoted away, but some make it, and I get internet points. People like arbitrary numbers, and will do what they can to make them get bigger. Therefore, by removing the ability for the people who just want internet points to get internet points, we mitigate the bad memes, and (hopefully) keep only the good ones.\n\nI hope this helps you to understand the decision, if it does not, I am sorry you do not understand it, I will happily answer your questions. 1332628481 +I used to pick up donated furniture from people's houses, and many of these people happened to be aging women who watch too much Oprah. Whenever I saw a copy of The Secret on their coffee tables--which was often--I would ask how that book was working out for them. Nearly always, the response was something like, "Well, I can't seem to do what it asks." 1287373845 +Hadn't thought of that, it's a good idea. I had assumed most listeners would be using iTunes but I hear from a number of people that use other podcatching apps. I'll put together an episode list soon; in the meantime, you can always use an RSS reader or podcatcher with these feeds:\n\nRSS - [http://www.whyyourewrongpodcast.com/?feed=rss2](http://www.whyyourewrongpodcast.com/?feed=rss2)\n\nXML (podcatcher) - [http://www.whyyourewrongpodcast.com/feed/wyw_feed.xml](http://www.whyyourewrongpodcast.com/feed/wyw_feed.xml) 1331816136 +Already funded, so that's great. I love the concept, even though I don't have kids.\n\nThink I'll wait to see the final version before I purchase for friends. Don't particularly love the concept art. 1346875037 +It happens to me fairly frequently. Not every night, but often enough that it gets annoying. For me it usually happens after a night terror. My dad's side of the family are all prone to them and don't grow out of them like the psychology books say you are supposed to. So generally what happens is I wake up unable to move while my dream seeps into reality. Sometimes it's downright terrifying and can take me a good few minutes to snap out of it. Other times it's more mild. I've been waking up a lot lately seeing swarms of bugs, will-o-wisp kind of light orbs, and other small objects all over my room that fade as I start being able to move again. I know it's only neurological, but sometimes it's really scary! 1341626117 +Besides this, we all know naturalnews spews bullshit by the article. They're sources are, of course, links to their website. 1350036088 +I think it'd be more interesting to see if anyone watched the episode and didn't get the [dig](http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080202231409/uncyclopedia/images/1/11/Beating-a-dead-horse.gif) at History Channel. 1321289235 +You might want to youtube bashar, an "alien channel". he discusses the subject extensively. your 4d cube he calls a hypercube. he also covers a lot of basic metaphysics, all time is simultaneous, memory/imagination is really about reexperiencing different versions of ourselves, all are one, etc. 1345174450 +Good comment, I would like to say that There is substantially more evidence that bone marrow and high rich meat protein is responsible for the evolution of human brains than plants.\n\nBut plants are responsible for our societal structures (farming, etc).\n\nJust saying. 1334883681 +Congratulations, that gave me chills. Sounds like really intense déja vu, but [still.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=3AxIOtSjXyA#t=342s) 1338582542 +Indeed, I agree. I put that in there intentionally. For people can also believe the right thing for the wrong reasons. A theme of my blog to encourage ourselves to admit this. 1316636578 +Politics can lead to all kinds of nastiness, even between people who otherwise agree on pretty much everything, and I think there's kind of been a practice of, while acting as skeptics, avoiding politics for fear of that kind of nastiness. Certainly skeptics are all over the political landscape- I've known anarchist skeptics, liberal skeptics, conservative skeptics, and of course anybody who's been involved in the skeptical movement for any time at all is aware of the huge Libertarian contingent within skepticism. One of the more annoying things skeptics do is insisting that a skeptical mindset demands their political beliefs; this doesn't help anybody. 1293632294 +>Her response was that I was close minded for not swallowing it.\n\nIt's too bad you can't expose her to this excellent presentation on [open-mindedness](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI). 1329834525 +Right. That works, except at night. I'll be out to sea for days. Funny how the brain works. I got sick, and irritable. I clung to my view of the horizon as the sun started to set, knowing I wouldn't be able to see it for much longer. I found myself feeling rage at good friends of mine, when they walked in front of me, blocking my view of the horizon. 1259392745 +Here you go [UFO over Poland, 30.06.2011](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0hC9dypKSU) 1337353776 +The university cafeteria food is supposed to be all-organic, and quite tasty, so if I could manage, I'd keep to the dorm rooms and university food. \n\nDefinitely something to keep in mind. I've known many of the university administrators for years/decades, which could be a good thing or a bad thing wrt networking a local job, depending on what they think of me.\n\nThe biggest drawback is that you are required to attend the entire 8 hour meditation session in order to get the full $26/day, so its not like a normal vacation. 1339135761 +Leslie Kean's book is very good http://www.amazon.com/UFOs-Generals-Pilots-Government-Officials/dp/0307716848 1308858773 +Makes me wonder why they even had him take the lie detector test if they weren't going to believe him either way anyway. Seems to me like they were just hoping he'd fail so they'd have something to say he was a liar. Now that he passed, everybody's all "well, he's still crazy". \n\nJust goes to show. There's no point in ever taking one 1336797014 +Ghost Boxes invite the trolls of the spirit world. It's like opening a direct link to 4Chan. The video was still great though. 1325009763 +It's an option you can turn off by not having them track your search history. You can also delete your search history.\n\nIf you want to test it... Keep searching for something vague like "Earth". Only click on links that are about that band with the same name. After a while those results will float to the top. \n\nThen disable the tracking and delete your history (all done within Goolge settings) and try it again and see if it changes. 1355024323 +I think it's more about brightness than about color. See other people's arguments about why this wouldn't really improve the color.\n\nHowever, our eyes are more sensitive to light and contrast in yellow or green than red or blue. I think this display would probably be superior for watching black and white movies, for example. 1284034262 +> Kevin Spacey is actually a gangster called Keyser Soze\n\nDAMN IT! That was on my queue for this weekend. 1301508931 +Que vous réserve votre avenir ? Votre destinée guidée par Melaine, Medium de qualité. Consultation de Voyance et Spiritisme en Direct... 1314411995 +Oh good lord... 1317229355 +This is common, it was on the seat but you did not see it. I was writing with a pen once and suddenly decided that I could not find anything to write with and looked for a pen while the pen was in my hand.\n\nI have lost my phone and tried to call it from itself to find it. 1353306567 +Say what? Silver in your lungs?\n\nWTF is this shit? If you're going to snort metals into your lungs, at least have the balls to make it gold or platinum.\n\nThis way your lungs will be worth more. 1315477315 +...commence down-voting. 1330234546 +Does anyone know where I could watch this whole documentary online? Looks like this is just a segment from one called "EXPERIENCERS" 1342128529 +I've worked with adults with autism for a while and I think this is possible. Most of the people I worked with had trouble pointing to symbols on a screen but one guy whose autism seems less severe could type. Autism is a wide spectrum ranging from Asperger's to Kanner's Syndrome and everywhere in between. It was good to see someone find a way to communicate. I looked for signs of facilitated communication in the video. and I couldn't see it. She said on her facebook that it wasn't facilitated communication, but if it was she would say that! There didn't seem to be any shady camera work either. I'd go with true on this one based on the evidence, though of course I'm open to new information! 1327277970 +You can form bits of matter (and antimatter) from light, it's just not around long enough for it to actually form atoms. My guess is a major misunderstanding of E=mc^2. 1299719223 +You are correct I'm afraid. This shit has been debunked over and over and over but people refuse to believe that but insist on believing there are fucking aliens blowing the horn of gondhor. 1329947923 +Yeah, are there any programs to generate this tone? 1287345148 +I believe he just cut himself off from his entire family so that he could become a christian and live the American dream. Seems like he planned everything out properly for himself. 1337353237 +Pay? *For what?* It's fucking *prayer*. It's *free*. 1312679789 +See your second quote. If you had a pilot who saw something they were counted as excellent. But that has nothing to do with the quality of the observation. I just saw a bug run past. It was black and about the size of a quarter. No-one can identify that bug because the information isn't there. 1316733860 +*They* are putting chemtrails in our drinking water. 1331036524 +the trick is how they move. look for signs of intelligent control 1347942581 +I suggest you read a book called Good Calories Bad Calories. The calories hypothesis of weight gain/loss has been tested repeatedly and found lacking. \n\nCalories in minus calories out equals weight gain. That's a tautology. The fallacy is (a) assuming calories in and calories out are independent and (b) that the left hand side is the cause and the right hand side is the effect. 1326200636 +Yes, I agree that the "pH scale" used in that picture is pretty much bullshit. 1338132233 +Did they not notice that religion also arouses "debate and disputation?" Time for secular groups to jump into Tennessee and point out that this law will require that comparative religion be taught in every school -- 'cause if "intelligent design" can be taught in science classes, then religion has scientific strengths and weaknesses too, right?\n\nIt also means that every aspect of sex education must be taught, because there are scientific strengths and weaknesses in arguments that homosexuality is natural, that abstinence is the only form of birth control, that life begins at conception, etc., etc.\n\nRight?\n\nThis is actually the perfect opportunity to make this kind of crap backfire by using it to open the window to put science back into the subjects where it should have been all along -- sociology, sex ed, biology, history, etc. \n\nOr, in other words, use their belief that everything scientific is wrong to force the school districts to include all known scientific evidence in every subject. Ta-da. They've given us the rope with which to hang them. 1334135795 +[English translation!](http://tjomlid.com/2012/06/28/xocai-the-nasty-tale-of-a-norwegian-chocolate-mafia/) 1340921975 +My mother teaches astronomy at a Catholic middle school and one of the other teachers gave her this video. I watched it with her to see if it would be good for her class, and about five minutes into it we were laughing hysterically. We watched the rest of it purely for amusement, and she ended up returning it, although I don't recall what excuse she used for not using it in class.\n\nFor a much more skeptical and science-based film on the subject, see if a planetarium in your area shows the [Star of Bethlehem](http://www.moreheadplanetarium.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page&filename=star.html), produced by Morehead Planetarium at UNC-Chapel Hill (I couldn't find an online video, sorry). The show analyzes several possible explanations for the star's appearance (comet, supernova, and so forth). If I remember correctly, it concludes that a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter was the most likely explanation for the "star", if it existed at all. 1295828091 +TV (and radio) shows migrate towards better ratings, and become more similar in the process. Then, a specialized channel such as History or MTV or CNN or HBO ends up being a variety show channel, and loses much the audience it once held by being number one in its niche. 1293693840 +I would want to ask what he thought the most effective way to talk to adults that are set in their ways about being skeptical. 1351409766 +It reeks of bullshit, yet I don't see it as easily debunked. Maybe a proper study could be done, but this would have to be controlled in some Faraday cage or the Australian Outback or something. 1318022217 +lol, its funny that he said that on a panel with a neuroscientist.\n\nSam Harris must have rolled his eyes so far back that he could see around space-time. 1319660279 +It depends on who is asking for it. It is true that there are health benefits, but they are all related to sexually active people, and therefore almost certainly not children. On the other hand, if someone wants to make that decision for themselves, there are potential benefits to it. \n\nHowever, the fact that there are small health benefits is not a reason to perform a surgery like that on someone who is unable to understand what is happening. We don't take out appendixes before they burst, and we don't pull baby teeth before they are ready to avoid cavities in childhood. There is no benefit for an infant, and therefore no reason to do it to an infant. 1298407822 +Read usernames much? 1314999688 +That would be "chock full of crazy" I believe. 1338781448 +A real zest boost! No need for coffee with this atheistic motivation! 1270443644 +They're claiming to be witches and we're asking them to demonstrate that ability.\n\nIt's the polar opposite of a witch hunt. 1328464381 +No, you directly compared atheism to obesity and I pointed out the flaws in that comparison. You then attempted to suggest that atheism is a component of facism and socialism, which is not only false, but totally unrelated. You then said that atheism was not related to obesity after you were the one who made the comparison, and now you are claiming to not know what I am talking about. 1311135778 +Sorry for the facebook link, it was the best source I have on this ATM. 1294804816 +This means that we should go into the cable-making business. 1289064645 +Something tells me they might not be completely smrt 1291615886 +>Like all living things wine cells have a magnetic polarity\n\nOh, dear Science. 1313195171 +I was referring to an old Zen tradition called "Dharma Combat." However, it does appear that you know yourself well enough to trust your own intelligence. \n\nWhen you don't want to fight anymore, stop.\n\nBTW sources are very important.\n\nGood luck. 1344811862 +There is some guy who lives in China (I think) that has a similar 'ability'. He can stick metal things to his skin just like this lady. Spoons, Irons, keys, etc. Turns out he has a rare condition that enables his skin to act as a kind of suction against a metal surface. There is no magnetism involved. I'm going to go way out on a limb and say this lady is not magnetic either.\n\n\nOn another note, this lady sure has a punchable face. 1283037276 +The conspiracy part becomes even more interesting if you start thinking about how to disguise such a secret organization. Overall, you end up in matrix, where you escape the innermost matrix... just to be stuck in the outside, which is yet another matrix. Eventually, you just end up that it is almost impossible to prove such a conspiracy, rendeing these theories pointless.\n\nSecond, the magnet part is [not entirely correct](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcranial_magnetic_stimulation). It might not magically fix your liver, but it certainly can stop you from breathing or cause other havoc in your brain, impeding your health. \n\nAlso, I hope no one agreeing to this poster laughs or chuckles about people investigating things like chi or ghosts with scientific rigor, like through measuring heat change, magnetic fields, unexplained air movements and so on. 1326131389 +Just because he's not a hobo standing on the street doesn't mean he's not mentally ill. Many people (myself included) believe religious fundamentalism on this level is a psychotic disorder. If it was jesus or aliens it doesn't matter, he's a nut job. 1343076385 +I haven't come across this before, however, from reading the page they make a classic logical fallacy in describing the technique's purpose:\n>Your 45 minute treatment will be focused on the root causes to your condition and why you are suffering, the use of muscle & functional testing enables us to find exactly where your issue is coming from.\n\nThis is the fallacy of begging the question, in that in the statement it implies that somehow medicine up until this point has not attempted to treat the root causes of pain. This is utter drivel, take any major disease and you will realise that medicine always attempts to treat the root cause, e.g. chemotherapy to kill cancerous cells, antibiotics to kill bacterial infections. The only time that medicine will simply treat the symptoms of chronic pain is when they do not yet have a cure for the cause (e.g. migraines), or do not truly understand where the pain comes from (e.g. as with most psychosomatic syndromes). You are absolutely correct to be dubious of this practice, it is setting itself up in opposition to evidence based medicine in order to exploit a largely uninformed audience who do not realise the ridiculousness of the practice. 1345228622 +An interesting question, but a little ambiguous, I think. \n\nDo you mean, "What makes you feel like a valuable person?" Or do you mean, "What makes a person valuable to their society?" \n\nI'll try to answer both. \n\nI judge my own value mainly based upon the contributions that I make to other people's lives. I don't really think about it consciously very often, but I end up asking myself a series of questions: Do I help the people I care about? Do I make them happy? Do I make their lives better? \n\nI also judge my own value based on my ability to help myself. Am I capable of providing for myself? Am I able to identify the problems I face and find solutions to those problems? Am I able to improve myself through education and introspection? \n\nThere could be many more sets of questions that you would ask yourself to determine if you are a valuable person or not. It just depends on what's important to you. Perhaps community involvement, or environmental efforts. \n\nThat brings me to the other question: How do you know if someone is a valuable member of society? \n\nThis feels less clear cut to me. \n\nMy first thought is one simple question: Does the person contribute to their community in some way? \n\nEven just having a job and paying taxes contributes to your community. Volunteering also can help your community. Of course, in this day and age, we don't have to look at just a local community. Perhaps the person is involved at the state or national level (referring specifically to the USA here.) Or perhaps they're involved in an online community. \n\nThen we end up with three types of people. Those who have a positive influence, those who have a neutral influence, and those who have a negative influence. \n\nI'm starting to feel like I'm rambling, so I guess I'll stop for now. 1354043888 +Ghost adventures to me is Jersey shore meets Ghost Hunters. Personally, I cant take it to seriously. 1336281632 +Oh god that annoyed me to no end. That and his constant stream of snarky, insulting remarks. 1356399318 +Still want to ask, if there are 1000s of cameras pointed at the pentagon, then why is the only released video a 1fps shit camera from the guard shack entrance to the parking garage? 1315832913 +You don't think they would respond with a radio signal, since that's how the original "image" was sent? 1351834886 +I still like Criminal Minds, darnit. 1273896278 +Forget evidence for a minute. The conditions here on Earth are within a certain zone from the sun. What created life? Theories are bacteria from meteorite, possibly during Earths volcanic state.\n\nSo these chances, have happened before, and will happen again. There will be a ratio of these chances, but I'm not that good at maths.\n\nSo you agree with me saying its impossibe to say life has not existed elsewhere in space with our type of evolution? But then not understand what I mean by we are late to the game, and that it will happen again. Our planet and life here is fairly young, compared to the rest of time and space. 1345065493 +Regardless of what some might say, you are providing a valuable service here. 1310104605 +What difference does that make to you? 1326562799 +Somebody somehow should contact the plan. No reason for everyone to be paying for nonsense. And those chiropractors keep you coming back again and again. What a waste. 1327768238 +I'm American and the site works for me. Unless you just meant the zipcode entry thing..? 1352066289 +This exactly. I recently used naturalnews in my dissertation on unproven/disproven therapies as an example of bullshit therapies and the spreading of inaccurate information. 1341096302 +squeeze and hold for 10 min. Effects may vary but not likely 1305617658 +no lightning, not a lightning storm. 1305316526 +Firstly, I feel obliged to say that I'm not from the US nor do I have any finance background in the US economy my understanding/interpretation is only what i have learnt through several years of economics at school and some minor classes at Uni. \nI completely agree that war costs a lot of money, but i'd really like it if you could clarify your statement: "If Bush Jr didn't come in to office to finish off the shit his dad couldn't we'd be in a much different situation right now". I'm probably being naive, but don't you think that the financial crisis caused by the US's financial insitutions and market players alike had something to do with the situation you're currently in rather than past Presidents? Albeit that you didn't actually say what type of situation (good or bad) it would be in had George Bush Jr not been in office, but it can't be much better than it is right now- could it? 1328131596 +That would be bad too. This isn't really the place to say "Hey r/skeptic, I owned this guy on facebook!" This is something that's really not constructive at all, since it's about you personally. Now if you just posted a link to the article, that would be fine. But this isn't the place for screenshots of personal arguments on a social networking site. /r/atheism tried that, and it turned into a mess. 1327043302 +> It is not the fact that Magnus is using a virus to deal with cancer that makes his investigation potentially so valuable, but the novel way he has devised to get round this problem of instant elimination by the immune system, and enable the virus to spread through tumours in other parts of the body. \n\nNot sure whether that's accurate, only noting that you appear to have skipped parts. :P 1346533196 +>"Duration of treatment. Headache- Western Medicine: Months/Years"\n\n\nWAT? 1344247317 +> On the other hand proponents of the test claim that is a reliable and accurate way of determining your "personality type", and from that you can extrapolate further data about the person being tested. \n\ni disagree. you can measure professional abillities in a direct manner. the rest is hokum 1351721653 +Now the UK gets to see what it feels like to be American. /hugs Sorry Britain. ): 1351221352 +New Scientist had an article just today I believe that went FRONT PAGE on reddit, about this subject of 'a scientific experiment being released, proves precog' Maybe someone can link it.\n\nIt made me laugh so hard. \n\nThis is the sentence I'm talking about:\n\n>behind the curtain the subjects were able to accurately identify which curtain it was behind with 53.4 percent accuracy – not a huge statistical spike but significantly better than the 50 percent accuracy rate that could be expected by chance.\n\nMy mind was blown and my body on the floor laughing. 1289610723 +Impossible 1355980066 +The video outright says that school is a system built and maintained by elites to turn you into an obedient cog. That fits the definition of conspiracy. 1332084077 +Nope, had no TV in my room and would wake up to a buzzer, no radio. My first media source in the morning was the TV downstairs. 1335677314 +They aren't lying. They really, sincerely believe this. The bible is absolute truth to them and anything that contradicts or drives people away from it is false(and wicked) by default. 1312570042 +I don't like that idea. I'd consider it abandoning people to The System, when I could be helping them. It's where I was born and raised, after all. 1334523184 +I think you are improperly applying the idea of the left-right political spectrum (which itself is a rather [thought-terminating cliché](https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Thought_terminating_cliche)).\n\nIt only ever modeled a real political spectrum at the time of the french revolution, where it was:\n\n* People sitting to the left in parliament: Want to create a new institution - the republic.\n\n* People sitting to the right in parliament: Want to strengthen the old institutions of King, aristocracy, and church.\n\nThe movements that fell under these two groups have not changed much since:\n\n* Left: Socialism (means of production cooperatively owned) such as Anarchism (freedom from coercion by removing state and class authority) and Communism (state guided revolution that aims to remove the state and social classes). \n\n* Right: Conservatism (maintain historical hierarchy of power), which means simply resisting the left (maintaining status quo, advocate against equality or freedom) or more reactionary ideas such as royalism (give all the power to a king) or just dismantling modern endowments of freedom and equality.\n\nBut there has been significant corruption of the terms, as new ideologies were slapped with one of these antiquated labels.\n\n* Left: Stalinism, Maoism et c. that presents the promise of Communism, but instead uses that promise to make people give up their power to an un-equal un-free state that looks identical to that desired by royalists (see modern-day North Korea). Then there are such things as anti-Americanism which comes from the leftist ideals of freedom and equality (anti-authoritarianism) in the face of superpower authoritarianism, but is clearly not egalitarian. Also many forms of Authoritarianism and other rightist ideals are put at the left when the left wrongfully fights within the system it is opposed to.\n\n* Right: Religious fundamentalism, Nationalism, Racism et c. are placed here because they are anachronisms, the way things were in our past, and also because they have historically been useful tools for the ruling interests. But they are just tools, and if we ever saw a long-lived leftist state then perhaps it would employ such tools as well (although versions that are not so fundamentally against equality). At the same time these anachronisms should be impossible in modern enlightened society, and that seems to be the global trend even without any leftist states.\n\nThat was perhaps an unnecessary lead-in for me to say that skepticism does not belong on the left-right political spectrum.\n\nBut perhaps I can use it to guess why "anti-nuclear"/"anti-GM" ideas could be mistaken to be leftist.\n\nThe anti-nuclear movement is unfortunately entwined with the anti-nuclear-weapons movement, the latter being one of the utmost anti-authoritarian movements of our times. The only positive thing about it basically dying off now when it is needed the most (much more than it was in the late 80's) is that perhaps it can be reborn free from the other since they are two very different considerations.\n\nAnti-GM sentiments (where it's just wrong for no scientific reason) are in turn entwined with anti-corporatism (which is anti-authoritarian/libertarian(in the classical/european sense)) and environmentalism (which is egalitarian). Personally, I think that GM and otherwise engineered food is amazing and I'm sure that nearly all if not all our food (especially animalic foodstuffs) will eventually be very engineered, and I'm really looking forward to it. At the same time I don't presently eat much GM-foods, because I choose not to support many businesses that create, grow, sell and use such crops. A practice that would be much easier if food was better labeled. 1318437494 +I thought it said "emo" meatballs. I wondered what they could be sad about. 1352039728 +I'm sad that Maloney only had to close his office for 1 day. 1291865282 +This could be the answer. 1327598660 +Linda Moulton Howe lost a shit-ton of credibility when she recounted the story of the dude seeing a bigfoot beaming down from a UFO. \n\nJesus Christ with a side of potato salad...... 1335022311 +General Mills 1349826138 +[Here you go.](http://www.reddit.com/r/Paranormal/comments/t31pz/333/) 1336443590 +Citation or GTFO. 1317888414 +They make the remedy by diluting alcohol or water that they've exposed to x-rays. Then they put a drop of that water on the sugar pill. This method for all sorts of things that can't physically be handled, like light (they have remedies for each colour of light), emf radiation from various sources, emanations from planets and stars. The list goes on. 1337861870 +Thats funny because half the stuff there belongs in r/lgbt 1348997059 +> perfect skeptics must be an atheist\n I believe the interesting part comes when we look for the "non-perfect" ones. \nI agree that the overlap between hardcore skeptic and atheists is almost total - the question then becomes what is the difference between those two groups, why would someone call himself a skeptic and not an atheist. \n\nFor most atheists believe that one of the greatest sources of evil in the world is religion, and they prefer someone to have no god even if he is a proponent of homeopathy (bill maher), while for most skeptics what the world needs is people practicing the skill of critical thinking and doubting authority. \n\nI for one prefer being around someone that quotes the bible or goes to a monastery but is skeptic of extraordinary claims like a magical cure than someone who will confess believing no god that invites me to be part of this great-get-rich-quick-pyramid scheme he is into. \n\nTherefore I am first a skeptic, then, down there, an atheist. 1296177604 +Welcome to Earf.\n\n 1331731149 +In order to get the "africa-con" on the books. Just a way to weasle in. 1331311497 +This was probably the most desolate stretch of road I've ever driven on. If the govt has secrets to hide, this is the right place to do it. 1355786810 +That's a good start. Good luck. 1347660473 +I'd rather spend the money and not have my house constantly smell like vinegar. 1347920323 +Just press the point that there is no plausible mechanism: "How exactly would astrology work? How would the position of chunks of rock and gas way out in space have anything at all to do with what happens in your life today?" 1309557388 +I think theres a squatch in these woods... 1327358628 +Of course as a concept paranormal experience doesn't get a lot of time on the 'serious scientific examination' roster. 1342894669 +Smells like bullshit to me but then again a few of the links, minus the obviously opinionated bullshit such as Infowars, are actually a bit unsettling. Not sure what to think at this point. 1332999717 +Yeah, fuck those Oklahomans! Everyone that lives there deserves the worst possible fate! The energy companies should rape the lands for the benefit of themselves and people other than Oklahomans. \n\nThanks a lot, Leopold. 1320607995 +Kirsten ["Kiki"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiki_Sanford) Sanford is an American research scientist in neurophysiology at the University of California, Davis and is a specialist in learning and memory. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology and a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology from U.C. Davis. 1285402393 +I shouldn't have made my analysis black and white. There are skeptics, what i meant to say was that there are a huge amount of deniers who think everyone is an idiot, a reasonable amount of skeptics and a vast majority of people who (believer is not an proper term here) have looked at the data and came to a conclusion that they are real.\n\nAnd the united states has not disclosed anything, you seem to not have understand what i mean. What i meant was that there are 22 governments around the world including, China, Mexico, Australia, France, UK, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand, Norway, and India recently who have openly released thousands of documents each, to their public and openly say, in their news and daily, that these things are extraterrestrial, people have made contact, they have chased them, this is all official, and they know exactly what they are. This is what nobody has heard of in the States, and i am absolutely serious you can find all this cases with ease. Nobody has bothered to look, its SO much more than just videos, and i swear to you, truth is stranger than fiction. 1296686520 +I already had some desire to get rid of it, was just wasting my time. Most of my friend's on facebook are skeptics actually, friend's from uni doing their PhD or Masters, etc... But some of my friends are just morons, and trying to correct their thinking just wasted too much of my time.\n\nAs a new father, I've only got a few years at most until my daughter will be ready to start learning about the world. So I want to have more time to read up and study stuff that I can then pass on to her. 1310305993 +It says citronella, Geranium, and lemongrass oil.\n\nhttp://www.bugbam.com/2010/03/15/facts-test1/#more-38\n\nAll those have some effectiveness but short effective time after application. I'd be highly surprised if a small band with any ingredients worked effectively, let alone those ones. 1341271976 +I see a chiro who employs [Active Release Techniques](http://www.activerelease.com/).\n\nI swear by that stuff - It has done more for my chronically knotted muscles than anything else... 1307406689 +Can we trust [both the FDA and EFSA](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame_controversy#Ramazzini_studies) which criticized the studies supposedly showing cancer in rats? As shown in another link, the doses given to rats were huge and we all know that you can most certainly have too much of anything and die. Even drinking too much water is lethal.\n\nI'm assuming that we don't mean "ingest any amount you please with no ill effects" as safe, but rather the average daily intake and when a series of studies purporting that a substance is a carcinogen feeds rats with the stuff in escalating until they develop tumors, there's enough wrong with the methodology not to take those studies very seriously. After all, if you want to play the bias card, we could easily find a bias in absolutely every scientific paper that has ever been written. 1313522178 +If it's due to the anti vaxers then shouldn't all diseases be on the rise? It's not like they're refusing the measles vaccine but getting the mumps and rubella\\ones. 1305019689 +It hurts so much :( 1300743415 +When I was a kid (I haven't actually played since I was 16), I used to "charge" my D20s by leaving them with the 20 face up for as long as possible between rolls. I might even have one on constant "charge" and use another for most rolls, until I had a really important check to make. Confirmation bias half convinced me that it worked. 1322426854 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crVV7mFBfBg 1335128857 +He died in a car accident. His family says he died in a car accident. His friends say he died in a car accident. \n\n50,000 people a year die in car accidents in the U.S. alone. Such things happen. \n\nYou are deluded. 1322344567 +Bored to tears. 1331333028 +I would definitely appreciate an update, I'm very interested in how this turns out for you.\n\n**Please whatever you do, don't stay living with her after you break up.**\n\nAlso, I can't stop thinking about how unfortunate it is that her view of the world is so skewed. I think you're lucky to have come out of that fog and into rational thinking. You've grown and it looks like you've tried to bring her with you.\n\nI know you've given up on trying to "convert" her, but I still wish she would come to a more rational perspective. I'm not sure she'll fully understand why this is happening without placing some blame on spirits or bad energies or something else.\n\nThe world is a tough place and your (soon to be) ex-wife will need some better critical thinking skills to succeed. Maybe you can impart some wisdom to her before she goes... 1293068291 +Not being able to pick and chose the veridical information you want, has little to do with disproving the veridical information that we do have. 1325738292 +I guess I just focus more on the fact that it suggests that medical problems are equivalent to psychological ones, so in the context of a psychology forum where pretty much everyone is on the one side of the "not really a thing" debate that the way that comic presents itself kind of sets back the medical model argument. It's probable that I'm just bitter that /r/psychology has turned into image posts and people trying to show off how much they learned in their abnormal psychology class to stranger's with anxiety on the internet though. The really interesting stuff never gets upvotes or any insightful comments. I often feel like I'm talking to laypeople there. 1337668065 +Can't you just get a magnetized ring? Much cheaper. 1321240886 +Having a cure for AIDS would make the individual or company possessing it immensely famous, revered, lauded, and rewarded. So of course, said individual or company would want to suppress it.\n\nThe level of ignorance that people are eager to believe never fails to astonish. 1333203627 +Coax the ghost. Pretend you already have one, and talk to it. Perhaps a wanderer might feel welcome and settle down. 1323062811 +I understand ser', it just troubles me writing stories, and I want it to make it good. 1336002221 +[This annoys me.](http://bunnitude.com/misc/images/gawd.PNG) 1247884298 +More than possible, I'd call it extremely likely. 1338312402 +Um... are you being serious? I'd take it as a joke, but you've posted quite a lot on the subject. 1353806500 +Yes, the terrible thing is that most people feel completely normal, and don't realize they have any symptoms, until a doctor tells them. \n\nOne of the best treatments I've found is to stay in the hot tub too long, and then rush outside and lay in the snow in the middle of the winter. It's kind of a harsh treatment, but it's highly effective. 1282265775 +Who'da thunk it... turns out it's all bollocks. 1330433885 +Miller Nash is ripping PPS off. 1340558233 +I've lived a "month" in a dream, and shorter times in other places, but I can only speak from my own experience. I am sick of people saying I "must be making up details" or "filled in the blanks" though, I can draw MAPS of this place, and talk about tiny insignificant details and stuff, dammit. 1354160788 +Personally, I think people on both sides are guilty of making this all out to be more than it really is. Phil Plait meant well, but perhaps overdid it as well.\n\nThe thing is, Rebecca Watson still didn't say she was afraid of being _raped_. She said she was made _uncomfortable_. Any attempts to mix rape or assault or genital mutilation (seriously?) into the discussion is guilty of exaggeration.\n\nAs for the rape thing, _if_ we're going to seriously discuss that: of course not all men are rapists, and of course not all women should consider all men potential rapists, but when there _is_ such a climate of fear (and it's a whole other discussion who bears the responsibility for _this_), the least us men can do is realize and accept that, and not feed it further. If women are afraid of being raped, no matter how groundlessly, can't we wait until at least after the elevator ride to proposition them? Can't we do it some other time, and not 4 am in the morning? Can't we do it another way, at another time, especially when propositioning a strongly feminist public speaker?\n\nOnce again we return to the core of Watson's original complaint, simply the fact that men ought to have a little more tact and empathy. That was it. No, really. Nothing about men being rapists, nothing about being attacked, nothing about genital mutilation. 1310044142 +Bring sceptical means withholding judgement until you have enough information 1306229717 +I wonder if some MCS sufferers are dealing with classically conditioned immunosuppression, like the rats in Ader & Cohen's study. The idea being that if you were exposed to some toxic agent (or even just became randomly sick) and your body associated it with an inert substance, you might actually become physically sick upon future exposure to the inert substance. \n\nPerhaps I am overthinking it. I do think people should take her condition seriously, even though it seems likely that it is psychosomatic. Psychosomatic conditions can be just as crippling as physical ones; there is a lot of nastiness directed towards people with somatoform disorders, but they are genuinely experiencing all those symptoms, and it is just as debilitating and frightening as dealing with an actual medical condition. I genuinely hope she is able to get some sort of assistance.\n\nWho knows, maybe there really is something wrong with her body, and the fucking MCS thing is preventing her from actually figuring out what it is. That would be awful. 1322676995 +>too often, too long, and/or too hot\n\nFTFY. Also, if you insist on taking a shower every day, then your skin will get dry regardless of the water's temperature. Yes, you might (or rather, probably will) smell "better", as in "less of human and more of soap", but don't imagine that it makes you healthier. Humans evolved to not shower.\n\nI find that a reasonable middle ground is showering every other day. YMMV. 1291068380 +From the website:\n\n>The code may be our most powerful key to thriving.\n\n>It is a pattern in nature that exists everywhere from atoms to galaxies. It's called a "torus." You can see it in a seed, a fruit, a hurricane, even the electromagnetic field around a person or the earth. It's how life sustains and evolves itself, and it serves as a universal template for sustainability in all our systems.\n\n>Among other things, the code shows us how to access clean, abundant energy, expand our consciousness, restore health and balance to the planet and live sustainably.\n\n\nHaha what the hell am I reading. 1338133575 +>That guy has valid points, but they don't apply to a RBE.\n\nAs far as I can tell, The Venus Project advocate an RBE as a fundamental part of their goals, and that's what his blog post was about. Please point out specifically why they don't apply, and I may reassess my views. In the meantime, I'll respond to your points as you put them.\n\n>Why do you choose to believe that blog when the fundamental part of his argument are wrong?\n\nPerhaps because I don't think it's wrong...\n\nFor the record, I wrote essentially what he wrote before I came across the post - he just wrote it better than I did, which is why I posted it instead (I thought I made that clear in my earlier post, but evidently I didn't). In other words, I came to broadly the same view independently of him, based on reading their website. It's not a case of blindly believing the blog post and trusting it's not skewed.\n\nEdit: apologies, I didn't read who posted it - it wasn't actually Matt Dillahunty who posted it, he just shared it on Google+. I follow him there, and it popped up that he shared it in my search results. It was actually Russell Glasser. I've corrected my original post, however, my argument still stands.\n\n>Yes, there are scarce resources, we live in on a finite planet.\n\nAgreed.\n\n>With the intelligent management of the worlds resources, those scarce resources could last longer. That's what is meant with "eliminating scarcity".\n\nWhile I agree that we could be managing resources far better than we are, I do not think that scarcity can be eliminated - only deferred. When they run out, we're still screwed whether it happens next year, or 25 years from now, especially if that resource is one that is required and cannot be replaced with a renewable resource (any non-renewable replacements will also run out eventually, if one can be found at all). So this argument doesn't hinder nor help the argument for an RBE.\n\n>Money doesn't physically make resources scarce but money does play a role because there is profit to made from scarce resources and so it makes sense, from the profit standpoint, to keep (certain!) resources scarce (virtually) for the profit margin.\n\nAgree, and I'd say that the capitalist system doesn't necessarily even do a good job of that (the drill-and-burn oil economy being an example of this - oil prices keep going up, but there's no sign that demand is decreasing significantly, and oil becomes ever more scarce in the meantime).\n\n> Education also plays an important role. People would understand that in order to have a sustainable world system so everyone has a comfortable way of living with equal opportunities, that it is unreasonable to ask more than what you need. And you don't need to have a castle for your family with gold toilets and Africa as your backyard with a big underground car park holding different cars for everyday of the year or decennia for that matter.\n\nThis is perhaps my biggest difficulty with the argument for an RBE. Trouble is, we can only presuppose what might happen. However, what I think will happen is that some countries will hoard resources that other countries need, and no attempts to educate their leaders to share resources will make a jot of difference. This is a mammoth task which I have doubts is even possible, and in fact may even lead to wars over those resources (or, the land that contains them).\n\nAlso, not every person can be educated either, hence why I believe people will carry on being wasteful with resources (selfish people will still be selfish, and it's unclear how many people like this there are in the world). Removing the barrier of money will only exacerbate that in their case unless you ration the resources, but then you're still artificially limiting their availability, just through different means. Also, in this case, you would need to trust someone, or someone's machine, to do the rationing, which comes down to whether you can trust that the person isn't self-serving.\n\nEssentially, I don't think people can be educated to behave the way they would need to for an RBE to be successful.\n\n>Computers or computer-controlled machines (aka robots) are used much in the same as they do today in any organisation that wants to efficiently use their resources (the motivation is different, the more efficient, less loss, more profit, but the idea is the same) to manage and create. But then applied on a world scale. Computers/robots do this much faster and with less errors than humans do. There's no debating that. And you don't need a crazy intelligent AI to be able to do that aka the technology already exists.\n\nI agree that computers/robots can perform tasks faster and with less errors than humans (provided they've been designed/programmed correctly in the first place, of course). But if humans are no longer going to be involved, and machines will create products on-demand, the resources to create those products will need to be created (grown, generated, etc) or recovered from the Earth, so new machines will be required to replace humans (for example, to mine the metals) and assess how much of that resource has been obtained.\n\nAnd there will still need to be people to develop the circuitry and/or programming for new machines and products in response to human needs (unless you have really good AI - a "dumb" machine wouldn't do a good job of this). Most of this technology doesn't exist, and some of it is probably decades away from any sort of realisation, if at all (especially AI that can design products that humans can use - imagine how difficult it would be for a machine to design an easy-to-use iPad, for example).\n\nGranted, some people will do this for pleasure while machines can't, and with no expectation of recompense, but I have doubts there will be enough people to make it feasible. I imagine that this would come down to education, but I've already stated my concerns there.\n\n> The "misinterpretations" in that blogpost are so far off that they almost look to be deliberate, as if the author was searching for arguments that fit his personal uninformed view. Or whatever he wants to achieve.. (credits in the amazing atheist magazine?)\n\nI find this curious. As a regular viewer of the Atheist Experience, I know how outspoken he is, and being prompted by multiple emails about it (as he said at the top of the post) is the reason he posted it as far as I can tell. There's no reason to think he has any ulterior motives for posting it, or holding the views he does, whether he's misinformed or not. In this case, I don't think you intended to poison the well, but please don't do it again or we're done - I have no patience or desire to debate motives where it does not affect the validity of the argument. 1317690820 +Joking aside, to be consistent, the descriptions "visible" and "tangible" do imply manifestations, hence they fall under my argument. 1327441598 +>What Dawkins actually said was; here are real problems faced by Muslim women vs. your "problems" which aren't actually problems Rebecca, just inconveniences.\n\nMaybe that was his intention, but it did not sound like that. Particularly because Rebecca just said 'hey, you know, it's a bit creepy to be approached in this way'. She didn't say she was assaulted, she didn't say she was nearly raped, she didn't even really say he was sexist. Dawkins seem to have read way, way more into it than just that. And honestly, I think he is very dismissal of western feminism in general. He does compare the sexism in the middle east to sexism in America and his overall tone is very dismissive: 'think of the suffering your poor American sisters have to put up with'.\n\n>They are. Having a remote chance of sexual assault vs. treating every man like a potential rapist is not only irrational, it's sexist.\n\nI do wonder what those figures would be like in the U.S or U.K or other western countries. You can't just throw one statistic and say that disproves threat. If that was the case I could just find a link for rape on Saudi Arabia and say that I have every reason to be scared. There's also the problem that this data is only for reported and recorded crime.\n\nBut putting that to one side, every man is a potential rapist. You have a penis. I'm also a potential mother, I have a uterus. I don't assume every man is a rapist, but I do calculate threat imediatly on being approached and before doing certain things, I don't want to be assaulted full stop. I have grown up being told that it is my responsability to ensure that I'm not sexually assaulted, that I shouldn't drink, that I shouldn't walk home alone, that I shouldn't go to certain places without an escort. So yes, of course I'll avaliate threat of being sexually abused when approached by a man (Afterall, this kind of violence is generally commited by men on women).I know that if I say yes to having a coffee at someone's room at 4AM and they am abused I'll be told: 'what did you expect?' or that 'I gave the wrong signals' or even that I wanted it and changed my mind.\n\nIt sucks. It sucks for me because it's not nice always having this at back of my mind and it sucks for men because I'm sure it's shitty to know that. But is this about women being paranoid and sexist? I don't think so. I think this is due to a whole culture surrounding gender, I think this example shows that it harms men as much as it harms women.\n\n>Many men approach privately to avoid public humiliation should they be rejected.\n\nAnd me and I'm sure many women completely understand that. But is it that hard to use common sense? Why is it so hard to consider that maybe the middle of the night and small enclosed spaces with no exit are not the best situation to invite someone back to your hotel room? Is it really hard to see how this could have been completely misconstructed or how this could be threatening? \n\nHonestly, to me your last paragraph is just a rant, I don't even know how to approach it. Again, I think your complaints just demonstrate how sexism impacts both genders: you hate the expectation that you are the one who has to approach women. I hate the idea that if I approach a man I'm perceived as a slut. And yes that *does* happen. But I don't see how this is related to trying to be tactful in how you approach woman so they don't feel threatned. Sorry but I'm going to go ahead and put fear of assault as worse than having a woman be rude to you.\n\nAnd since, hey we are ranting afterall, it does go both ways. I have met guys who only left me alone after I was rude to them, because me saying 'no' is seen to be me playing 'hard to get' or 'a challange'. Again, these cultural/social problems harm women as much as it harms man. 1310118560 +I used to look at m4m listings and there would be guys looking for "poz only (HIV positives only)" but they were pretty rare. 1297402261 +You didn't think that film showed that ignorance quite well? 1335424639 +I feel bad for the stars, I can imagine how it might feel for you to work your ass off towards something you believe in and then be misled and end up looking like a fool in the eyes of the public and in your own field (which most people think is silly already) by some TV exec looking to make a show about sneaking around in the woods. 1343360603 +They REALLY don't like attention being drawn to their feet. Remember to move slowly and deliberately while speaking in a low even tone. You start freaking out and they lose their shit. My buddy did that the other day and you should see what that big fucker did to my living room! 1314464711 +Yes, you are right. Good observation. Why couldn't/didn't they somehow out over there to check it out? 1331352230 +Many Americans I've talked to over the years have nodded sagely when I've told them about the bridge between NZ and Aus.\n\n 1313534786 +> At least it wasn't a little boy this time.\n\nIt usually isn't... 1343005022 +She got her swagga back http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7JYv0S8uFk&feature=related 1323330585 +I hate to say it but CGI has been a real problem to legitimate UFO and paranormal research. 1342666038 +Lol I can't believe they all allowed this to be shown 1346507591 +I'd seriously consider it, if I lived on the same *continent* as Walgreens.\n\nAs I don't, would you like to explain the equivalence between "selling misleading homoeopathic medicine packaged *as if it was* real medicine" and "selling diabetic medicine *and also* selling chocolate bars", or would you prefer instead to continue to be unhelpful and uncommunicative and make parochial and small-minded assumptions? <:-) 1300730872 +I'm reading Josh Gates's book right now and it has reaffirmed for me that his show is nothing more than a glorified travel documentary. The "monsters" are just a sideshow. 1352186834 +I cant believe no one else has read the book around here,...? or is everyone convinced if they give honest opinions of the mans work that MiB may come knockin to "interview you further",...? 1303236446 +Fucking. Retards. 1298025805 +It would probably be more reasonable to chalk it up as "I don't have an answer." Paranormal is just today's word for magic- do a word substitution, and you understand how I feel about it. 1282448545 +OMG, it's House! 1337542082 +I've been seeing ghosts for a little over a week. Well, not really, but it might be related. I keep catching human figures out of the corner of my eyes while at work, or seeing motion off to the side. But everything disappears when I turn my head to look. I've seen things above my head, moving along the ground, or coming right at me from the sides.\n\nNow, I happen to know for a fact that all of this is perfectly natural. I have a slight skin irritation on my ear and, for that reason, have been wearing a different pair of glasses. This older pair of glasses is the one set I forgot to order with the "glare reduction" coating. Everything I've been seeing is the product of light sources and shadows behind me reflecting off the lenses into my forward-facing vision.\n\nYou should similarly look for natural causes. Tons of people get fooled by reflections off of power lines (especially given the lack of distance reference on a dark night). Others don't recognize a distorted image coming off double-pane glass. Or hadn't seen that particular holding pattern of airplanes over a distant airport. There are myriad explanations that you might be able to find. Start your search there. 1271113952 +These are all inappropriate [appeals to authority](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_authority). Why do I care what a physician, a physicist or a chemist say about spirituality? I may choose believe them on topics for which they are renowned (though more likely on topics which their fields of study have confirmed), but their comments are unpersuasive for other fields.\n\nSir John Carew Eccles is [begging the question](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question). He's assuming that there's a spiritual world that needs explaining. I see no evidence of that.\n\nBut even if we accept their statements, that doesn't disprove my point. I never said that science tells us everything ("that our triumphs are complete"). Science makes it very clear what we know, what we don't yet know, and what we can never know. It's better to cultivate an acceptance of those things we can never know and those things we don't yet know (while striving to someday know them).\n\nNone of those concepts say that we must somehow abandon logic and accept things that cannot be proven. 1332536607 +>I'm on about the older generation, the ones who've made swedish sweden's official language for first time in long long while.\n\nExplain. By younger generations, I mean 40 and below. 1346603278 +Unfortunately, the previous deluded poster is treading on seriously dangerous ground. The Psyche world has driven people near mad who were actually mentally sound but tormented by an evil spirit. Only one thing works for an evil spirit. It's uttering the name of Jesus, and meaning it. He must first be claimed as savior, however. Having been physically attacked by a demon myself, I know this is rock solid in practice. No psychiatric doctor has a med strong enough to drive away a demon. 1353431771 +Very interesting and funny. I'm more interested in dispelling the lies people are told about evolution though. 1312989783 +OK, let me give you some advice here: re-examine all that you know about 9/11. \n\nFirst thing you should do is download the PDF of the commission report and search for "7 wtc" and you will see it listed 5 times. Now I know that is not what you meant but at least you can adjust your claim that "it wasn't even mentioned in the report".\n\nSecond, you should really find out what the commission was tasked with. You can find this in the Preface of the commission or other sources. It is not the "complete investigation" that you are looking for. I am sure if they included details of the fire and collapse of 7 you would then move the goalposts and declare that they didn't even mention the Verizon Building. It is basically a summary of the attacks and suggestions to prevent future attacks but the commission did not actually do the investigation. These people did it - https://sites.google.com/site/wtc7lies/someoftheagencies%2Corganizationsandindivi - The commission basically just did fact checking and put it into an easy to read narrative.\n\nRegarding your comment about small fires: This is just another case of you not actually researching what happened. Face it, you are a lazy researcher, but never fear you can start over and take it seriously this time. If you want some suggestions for material just let me know. 1320973264 +I can give a quick explanation, just google protein digestion if you need something more 'official'.\n\nProteins are just amino acids connected together side-by-side, there are 20 different amino acids that we use under physiological conditions and depending on which amino acids and what order they are put together will determine how the string of amino acids(now a protein) folds up and what it's function will be. \n\nProteins do a ton of different things in your body, anything from cellular structural support and mobility, to enzymatic action(catalysing a chemical reaction). \n\nNow for the 'enzymes' on the vegetable. Your stomach isn't acidic just to kill off any bacteria/microbes, it's also because the low pH denatures(unfolds) proteins which allows them to be digested. With that said there are 3 digestive proteases(proteins that chew up proteins) in your stomach, and they are in such a conformation that they aren't denatured by the specific pH of your stomach and therefore can chew up all the other denatured proteins. Keep in mind enzymes don't have to be related to digestion at all, and an enzyme used in one situation may have a negative effect on the system in another.\n\n So that idea that you'd want, for example, carrot enzymes in general is kind of ridiculous when you are taking a non-specific point of view. If they were to say I need more of 'x' enzyme because I have a way of telling that my body isn't producing enough of it, or I can tell that I need the reaction it would catalyse to happen at a faster rate, and I also know that it will survive digestion(even though carrots don't have acidic environments like the stomach so there would be a extremely slim chance that it would be conformed in a way to survive it, most likely it would become less efficient and therefore selected against through evolutionary processes), and I know it is in high enough concentration to be suitable for supplementation purposes. Then they may have an argument. Maybe.\n\nWith that said, eat your vegetables. \n\nTL;DR: Enzymes will get digested like just about every other protein so it doesn't matter if you eating them before or after they lose function. 1349177679 +From the comments:\n\n> Just look at how many cases of swine flu were cured by homeopathic remedies last year.\n\nNone? 1327260136 +I like how they posted a screenshot of the alien autopsy video with the tag line "Was it true? An image allegedly showing one of the aliens that were autopsied at Roswell in 1947"\n\nNo! It's not! This came from a video that was an admitted hoax. When the writer reaches for credibility and uses something that was already proven to not be credible, credibility is automatically destroyed 1302389779 +i don't think anyone here cares about dorky-ness. but a Google hangout of the SGU or just a premium content unedited show. count me in, please make this a thing! 1346185010 +Really? I'm sure that you have proof, right? 1347304610 +> Cleverly disguised noise canceling headphones would offer you immunity\n\nIf it really is messing with your eyes, then noise cancelling headphones would do nothing to stop the effect. As a corallary, listening to the tone using headphones (or using any speaker that does not reproduce 18 Hz) will do nothing. 1287376700 +Very nicely written response. I hope you'll be active in this subreddit. Chemistry is one large field that I'm essentially totally ignorant of.\n\n>A reduction in the metabolic behavior and integration process capability of alkaloids [organic nitrogen based elements], glucosides and galactosides, and nitrilosides\n\nI wouldn't have any idea what they were saying here and whether it was correct or not, so until I get around to educating myself about chemistry it looks like you'll be a reliable source to look to whenever claims about chemicals pop up here. 1345977523 +Exhaustive, bravo sir! 1337320942 +Fuck'im. Let him keep thinking what he's thinking. His mistaken notions aren't making the reality of ETs and off worlders any less true than they already are and have been for a long, long time. 1344124637 +I was afraid of using that fallacy, so I suppose we'll have to agree on the definition of skepticism. What do you view it as?\n\nAnd how does aesthetics or tradition fit into skepticism? I'm confused, can you offer an example? 1324370515 +Ctrl + F. Downvote. 1299029301 +>big Government\n\n*ahem*, I think you meant to say TPTB, the ones that are exclusively descended from the Scottish royal family.\n\nOr maybe 'our reptilan overlords' (I'm confused on this point). 1346156116 +A family member got me one for Christmas, didn't appreciated it, but I decided not to put the money to waste and wear it anyways. At least I got a preform band, so it's more subtle than these (the holographic sticker is on the inside), but still it bothers me that somebody in my family fell for it. 1327386088 +YES, we ARE all really sick of FB posts, so please quit posting them. Most of them are very long and difficult to read due to poor grammar, and these "FB posts" can easily be faked, so please stop the posting. Thank you 1287417249 +I too have had this entity protect me but only in extreme situations and it's only happened 2 times. I'm not afraid of it, just wish I knew why it chose me. 1311743308 +Because a lot of people mistake night mirages on the Great Lakes for UFOs\n\nThere are a couple of places where there aren't cities, but you can see [headlights from cars going along the lakeside](http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=kpR_ghsM3vo#t=103s).\n\nspooky\n\n 1322007172 +That's like saying that the proper use of speech is to impart information and that using it to joke or comfort is improper. Speech has many functions, none of which is necessarily more "proper" than any other. Similarly, sex (in this context, including masturbation) has many roles, procreation being one of the *least* relevant ones. For people that have healthy outlooks on sex, it can be a tremendous source of interpersonal bonding, affection, stress relief, etc.\n\nEven if you mean "improper" in an extremely specific, evolutionary context, sex would still mostly be about things besides procreation. Humans are a social species. Sex means stronger bonds which means better environments for the children that occasionally happen to result from all the sex your human and pre-human ancestors were having.\n\nEdit: just wanted to point out that there's a lot more to this topic than I let on, but I wanted to at least touch on it a bit. 1337063497 +>A decline in violence does not demonstrate a "new age of enlightenment and peace". That's hyperbolic.\n\nMy point is supported in the data.\n\nThe internet is penetrating nearly every corner of the world with information. Revolutions are occurring because access to the internet and social media. People are able to share across borders and cultures.\n\nThe deaths do to war and violent crime are down since the Korean war. \n\nSeriously, we live in an incredible time of peace and prosperity despite the what is portrayed in the news.\n\n 1313718443 +So you're not a theist at all, but a deist. 1324386386 +When I was 3 years old, out of nowhere I began to explain to my parents in great detail, that I was previously a biker, with a beard, tattoos, piercing's etc., and being killed in an accident. \n\nI still have a weird memory of riding along a road with lots of trees and as I was flying round a bend, losing control and sliding off the bike into the trees. When I had died I was travelling through some kind of blue tunnel vortex and moving as fast as I could because I had strong feeling of urgency to get through this tunnel. (Perhaps to be born). My mother had an ectopic pregnancy, so I was out sooner than I was meant to be. \n\nAnother oddity is the fact I was born with and still have a permanent dimple / hole in each ear that have never closed over, where an earring(s) would have been.\n\nCould all be imaginary / coincidental though. 1317342910 +> ...High Court \\[...\\] has decided that proper scientists will just have to accept that "astrologers are officially their colleagues".\n\n"Cartman is our friend, whether we like it or not!" 1297247826 +This would be my first inclination as well. You don't have to "confront" anything, just hit record and ask questions. I suggest you stick to less personal questions. Ask things like "What's your favorite food?" instead of asking "How did you die?" I've had much better luck over the years when asking lighter, less depressing questions. 1347016589 +Not to mention weeds in cracks in the sidewalk. 1303272828 +You know how the rovers seem to outlive their warranty?\n\nI like to imagine them eventually attaining sentiency when they realize they've been continually beaming information to an Earth that was destroyed thousands of years prior to their sudden awakening. They'd be our legacy. The only ones not affected by the Mayan prophesy. 1355899646 +Classic arcade from the late 80s and one of the early sega genesis games. 1332541527 +Holy shit! Fun fact! :D 1300316171 +BTW, the woo and quantum quackery you allude to is likely due to John Hagelin. I won't defend his rhetoric to lay people, but according to John, the [philosophical basis](http://www.mum.edu/pdf_msvs/v01/hagelin.pdf) of his woo led him to make the initial tweaks to Flipped SU(5) that made it a very well-received Superstring theory. He later elaborated in detail on the [similarities](http://www.mum.edu/pdf_msvs/v03/hagelin.pdf) between Western physics and Vedic Cosmology.\n\nTo MY layman's eye, his papers are interesting, though of course, you can reasonably argue that they are merely an elaborate exercise in the [Law of Fives](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discordianism#Law_of_Fives). 1339115920 +That’s surly because there is a satellite orbiting mars mapping it. Same can’t be said of our moon. 1316247035 +First off, name calling is for children. Second, if you even understood what a pendulum is or how it works you would know you hold it and dangle it. The subtle movements in your hand make it sway. Have a great day. 1350407433 +I'll be in my bunk. 1329338527 +They're fun--yes. 1337755652 +There's a difference between dismissing the idea that there are people who would like to see a world government, and dismissing the nonsensical UFO claims of people who include NWO, annunaki, reptilians, and space brothers in the same breath.\n\nOf course there are people who would like to see a world government. That's not an inherently sinister idea. It's a desire to see order formed out of the chaos of this world, which is still savage in many ways. Just look at the politics of the world. Look at the religious governments of the middle east, or the extremist dictatorships like North Korea. There are advantages to having a world government. Look at how the United States government unifies the quasi-nation states it's comprised of. These aren't mere provinces. These were nations (states) and formed a larger nation together. Imagine that kind of unity for the entire continent, or the entire world. That's not going to come easy, or without a few fights, but unification is beneficial.\n 1333114395 +the fundamental difference is that there is no argument to have with HDMI, no study needed... digital works or it doesn't and the receiver cares not about loss of signal strength in the tolerances needed to pass a 1 over a 0 1331453430 +It wasn't her initial video which people find so intensely objectionable, but when Stef McGraw [civilly and respectfully disagreed](http://www.unifreethought.com/2011/06/fursdays-wif-stef-32.html), Watson took time out of the next speech she gave to [publicly call her out by name](http://www.unifreethought.com/2011/06/fursdays-wif-stef-33.html) and label her as someone spreading misogynistic sentiment while McGraw was physically in attendance and not given the opportunity to respond or defend herself.\n\nThat's when Watson transgressed from merely telling her side of a story to grinding an axe and labeling people misogynists simply for having another take on the issue. 1310038159 +A 2x4 ? 1353055287 +Is said to neutralize energy. American Indians use it, and also saw or used on some paranormal shows. Not like sage you get at the grocery store, but a sage stick, you might have to order one of those. Or maybe you have a place locally. \n\nThough it will have short-term effects of decreased activity. Do some research, maybe you can watch a YouTube video of it being used. 1346054921 +It is kind of strange to see CNN Beck and FOX "News" Beck. On CNN he actually seems pretty level headed and sane, but on FOX he's always crying and screaming and other weird shit.\n\nHmmm... 1252637097 +Is she referring to interstellar alien space craft? Because ufo's are seen all the time over large metropolitan areas, I don't know what she's talking about. In fact I saw a UFO on the way to work the other day in Chicago. I had no idea what this floating, tossing, turning object was, then I realized it was a plastic bag. \n\nIf you are making reference to alien space or inter-dimensional craft, you'll have to refer your wife's question to the operators of these vehicles. I don't believe anyone around here can answer her question with any validity. \n\nMaybe they just don't like crowded downtown hotdog stands, that's my guess, and I can't blame them. 1296165580 +Medium is a shit show and she is a shit actress. Fuck that dumb bitch 1320548511 +It was a joke. Just like you are. 1350760504 +This is a very average picture of a log floating in a lake. 1345194221 +Taxes shouldn't fund any research. If you have to steal money to fund something, then that proves it's not a good thing to fund. 1310660398 +Oh, I see, you just post this list as spam. I understand now. 1248174978 +you are right :) sorry for not making clear, where this came from 1339612164 +Completely. 1332865359 +So if I get this right, there's a guy asking people to send him money in exchange for which he'll ask god to hack into the bank's computer and remove the minus sign on their bank account balance ? And people buy into this (I understand Randi's reasoning but it's still far fetched) ? 1299232599 +Well I don't 1328463905 +This is sarcasm, right...right? 1300055032 +Pretty much sums up what we were saying in the first place. The increased risk was extremely small, and no causal effect was established, or even suggested - by the data anyway, newspapers reporting on it certainly did a lot of suggesting. 1331931901 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2YsLk94qyc this was a good movie on this topic. cant say i agree with every thing but its not to far off to think it is possible. and hey the vatican say's its ok to believe in God and aliens..... 1296007988 +You can disagree all you want that doesn't make you right. foam =/= bubbles. 1344812168 +Wait, the leg thing is a known scam? Damn my born-again friend had the same trick pulled on him. I figured it was some kind of self-delusion but I didn't know it came straight from the handbook of manipulation for profit. 1329825824 +Waking up mentally but body still asleep, simply put. \n\nThis has happened to me couple of times and last time I actually saw a man standing right next to me, at the same time I felt someone drill my skull, you know, that buzzing feeling. I wasn't scared because it was daytime (I took a nap) and I knew exactly what was going on. Happened twice that day btw. It could've been really scary in the dark though.\n\nIMO many "abductions" might be just sleep paralysises. Not to discount them however, some abductions might be real. Who knows. 1353499395 +Weather balloon. 1305642868 +They have to be, what with some of them having three or more feet. 1347460614 +>On a side note, I also noticed after a score, her team mate would kiss her fist and point at the sky and appear to mouth something.\n\nShe said in an interview after a match that she does it for her mother, who died recently. 1344020540 +Oh, of course. You'd probably want to avoid leaving devices plugged into coiled power leads as well to prevent improper power damage, if you had them in the boot of a induction charged vehicle.\n\nMedical devices would also be an important issue to be aware of.\n\nMy fantasy would be induction charging underneath express-ways, and under parking spaces, so there's almost no need to plug in the vehicle. 1354842578 +Now that is very interesting! I'll definitely try the blindfold theory of yours. Seems like a good idea. I havent really thought about that and I never thought of the possibility of sleeping with my eyes open. Thanks. 1341869559 +I'm a girl and the same thing, down to the clarity of the situation, has happened to me.\n\nHere's my story: It happened the same way as you at first, half asleep and suddenly I felt like I was peeing myself, the same exact way you described it. I was young at the time (maybe 8 or 9) and knew my parents would be mad at me. I immediately got up and felt around the bed (and my shorts, I was wearing shorts) and there was nothing. The bed was as warm as I was, but not at all wet. So I went and got my parents and they came in and confirmed that I didn't wet the bed, but they changed the sheets anyway. I went to sleep and thought nothing of it...until I woke up the next morning with the old sheets on my bed and the new ones neatly folded at the foot of my bed. Still have no idea what happened, but my parents do remember changing the sheets... O_o 1335835468 +i probably should have clarified, my posture was something along the lines of [this](http://www.paintingsilove.com/uploads/22/22370/old-man-nodding-off.jpg) with the hat pulled down over my face. 1355457824 +>I'm stoned\n\nhey everyone, i solved the case. we can go home now. 1338707905 +I don't understand why this blogspam keeps getting posted. 1293273555 +Yes, how silly. So what if the jar labeled "Peach Jam" was actually human urine, stop whining! Gosh! 1294024327 +At the moment I probably felt that it might be inappropriate to take it further within their own walls. Soon after I left however I felt remorse for not having elaborated more. I guess that's why I posted this in the first place, so the hivemind, having imagined my field report, can pick up where I left off once a similar situation presents itself to you :) 1302815744 +Student of Bandler here. I worked 8 years as a NLP practitioner/therapist, and 5 years teaching the subject (overlapping some, totally 10 years of NLP work). I will gladly provide you with information within my experience as both practitioner and instructor. I must admit that after leaving the field of NLP 4 years ago, my understanding of the subject has changed a lot. I've been longing to tell someone about the sides of NLP that we "just don't talk about". There are plenty. It's a lot to explain, and it would make a good study in mass communication... Even more disturbing is looking at who actually learn, buy and regularily use NLP. \n\nNumbers: I was taught the "original NLP" by Richard Bandler in mid-90's. I was involved in the import and growth of the subject to my country. I have completed over 6000 hours as a therapist, taught more than 50 classes and written several instruction manuals that are still being used today by other companies selling NLP in various ways.\n\nIf you want an in-depth talk about this, I'm willing to surrender any information about NLP, both positive and negative. 1321949377 +How is it you posed that question and didn't think, maybe they want to be seen? How would you begin making contact with a civilization? Uncloak your entire military directly overhead? No you would take baby steps and gauge the reaction and sociological effects of your presence before taking any further larger steps. To answer your "why don't they do it secretly?" question, maybe they have, for longer than we have existed. We don't know, but they sure as hell wouldn't have just discovered this place. My personal opinion is that Fermi's paradox is exactly correct, with the conclusion being altered to our maturity and not the non existence of intelligence because of the absence of evidence. I would imagine there must be standards of maturity that must be reached before any evidence is given. Which brings me back to the baby steps point I made before.\n\nTL:DR We are are collectively taking our SAT's. 1355882417 +Starting at :40 and 1:00 it looks like a guy in the woods with a helmet light and one in his hand. 1355109215 +I love balloons! 1310105672 +Love how they think he is just a comedian. From Wikipedia, "He (Bill Nye) studied mechanical engineering at Cornell University (where one of his professors was Carl Sagan[9]) and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1977.[10]\nNye began his career in Seattle at Boeing, where, among other things, he starred in training films and developed a hydraulic pressure resonance suppressor still used in the 747. Later, he worked as a consultant in the aeronautics industry." 1347197927 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99942_Apophis\n\n\n\n 1348970611 +If you are into tatoos great, if you are into hero worship, then you might have missed the point. 1311035389 +agreed. :) 1305772441 +I'm a psychic in Belize. I think Glenn Beck ate our two children. Do what you must. 1283881515 +America invaded their countries, captured some for possibly permanent detention without due process, tortured some, and killed many more. I think, of the multitude of grievances the Muslim world has with the US, the fact that we didn't give Usama Bin Laden a timely burial would be fairly low on the list.\n\nI don't know what DNA proves, save his identity, which again, I am not contesting. As to the pictures: do you have any links for those? I haven't seen any official shots yet. 1304377850 +Only a kiwi could be that dumb 1312269968 +There's no guarantee that will work, though. In the case of profmth, sometimes youtube will just say "fuck it" with the whole thing until you get an expensive lawyer involved.\n\nThe problem with the DMCA is that in order to file a counter-DMCA claim, one must provide both youtube _and_ the other people with one's own personal info -- legal name and address. In many cases, false DMCA filings are simply a tool to get that personal info so that the false filer may doc-drop a person they perceive as an enemy. (see: venomfangx, brett keane, allianceofdemons)\n\nIn the case of somebody who's already financially well to-do, such as a doctor who's ripping off thousands of people, they can then use that information to mount a harassment campaign.\n\nThere is no indication by thetruepooka that he has not already filed a counter DMCA notice, but the fact remains that until it goes through and youtube restores the video, he is censored unfairly.\n\nOnce it does go through, thetruepooka may sue the fraudster, and he may have him charged with perjury, as a deliberately false DMCA is just that. And that's another problem with the DMCA. Not only can it be easily used as a petty tool to gain somebody's personal info, but it is entirely too easy for the false filer to claim they don't understand the DMCA, and so commit crimes and rob victims of money by forcing them into legal action to defend themselves in what will inevitably be a fruitless court case.\n\nVideo sites like youtube and vimeo are especially bad cases. They claim to be a "safe harbor," a legal status in which they gain immunity of themselves for copyright infringement under the guise that they cannot possibly prevent infringing content from being uploaded, it can't be monitored, not physically possible. A consequence is that legally they are required to pull down videos that are DMCA'd _immediately and before review_.\n\nBecause of this, people who use the DMCA to censor other youtube users also have a proclivity for abusing it en masse. In one spectacular case, creationist VenomFangX filed as many as 300 false DMCAs in a weekend in order to silence people exposing his own fraudulent money scheme that was stealing donated cash that was owed to Sick Kids Hospital, Toronto. [<<corrected this name]\n\nWhen people mirror DMCA'd video, it is also common for the fraudsters to abuse Youtube's own flagging system. They can create clone accounts, and if a video is flagged with a certain frequency, it gets not only pulled and hidden, but deleted, and the account of the person who uploaded the video gets their channel closed, suspended, and often enough outright deleted.\n\n---\n\nI also must point out that thetruepooka did not ask anybody to mirror his video. He only said that he'd like to know exactly who is so that he can monitor how the fraudster he is fighting against behaves towards the mirrored videos. A useful point a victim of false DMCA filings can use in court is to point out that the false filer only believes it's copyright infringement when his personal enemy uses video content, and not when others do it, even when others do so with malicious intent. 1321080111 +NOPE. \n\nNOPE. \n\nNOPE.\n\nThat was really fucking creepy. 1337953825 +Thank you for wasting so much time feeding the troll. I slept like a rock for the first time in a week because I was so full of troll food. 1354035618 +Was the previous ever reposted anywhere? 1332297738 +this is all I could get sorry 1321042088 +I'm glad the title is the tl;dr 1317899738 +Being an actual skeptic, I don't believe something simply because it's posted in r/skeptic. I think there's probably more to the story than a doctor being tactless. 1334769235 +Why do the guys on our side always have to look so crazy? Why can't we just be normal looking?!?!? 1344442280 +"What's the most wtf thing you've ever witnessed?" 1300209387 +If he was that interested in the UFO, why did he totally cut away and film the woman? 1345786299 +I was fine with well water until one late-winter ice melt resulted in me having a cryptosporidium infection for 3 months. After that, it was filtered every time, even for coffee and food preparation. 1344342244 +No, but apophenia is alive and well here on Earth. (In this case, possibly aPollyphenia.) 1334250015 +Thank you for the interesting link. One thing I can't seem to get a handle on is why? Why is this the cultural sentiment in the UK? Are there historical precedents that made the judicial system form this way? 1323918357 +Yeah, so he's not a global warming denier. \n\nGore does need to be lol'ed at. 1355964247 +Define " genuinely gets better". 1304299116 +I thought pre-employment IQ tests were illegal in the U.S. 1347228873 +...keep feeding me...(just can't just let it go, can you?) 1339610899 +Well I'm sure he won't mind if Satanists call themselves Christians, albeit "sceptical Christians"...I mean, the Bible *does* mention Satan... 1314329561 +some cameras do this when there isnt enough light, ive had faces of my friends distorted do to this fact. 1311358164 +No... sounds like a perfectly coherent and reasonable theory to me. Why would you doubt something like this? That's obviously *exactly* what happened!! 1327796750 +I've made aware of this thread to [the author of the original thread](http://www.reddit.com/user/Bazing1980) so he should be able to respond soon enough. All questions should be directed toward him. 1312107522 +Can't see shit, Captain 1320755479 +Scientific American may not have been very scientific in this case. \n\nThey reference a meta-analysis saying:\n>"This week a meta-analysis of seven studies involving a total of 6,250 subjects in the American Journal of Hypertension found no strong evidence that cutting salt intake reduces the risk for heart attacks, strokes or death in people with normal or high blood pressure."\n\nThe authors of the article note (From Science Based Medicine):\n>[Our findings are consistent with the belief that salt reduction is beneficial in normotensive and hypertensive people. However, the methods of achieving salt reduction in the trials included in our review, and other systematic reviews, were relatively modest in their impact on sodium excretion and on blood pressure levels, generally required considerable efforts to implement and would not be expected to have major impacts on the burden of CVD.](http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/salt-more-confirmation-bias-for-your-preferred-narrative/#more-14376)\n\nScientific American fails at reporting science. The problem isn't that reducing salt intake won't impact hypertension. The problem was non-compliance resulting in marginal reductions is sodium intake.\n\nEdit: To put a finer point on it: \n>"Professor Rod Taylor, the lead researcher of the review, is ‘completely dismayed’ at the headlines that distort the message of his research published today. Having spoken to BBC Scotland, and to CASH, he clarified that the review looked at studies where people were advised to reduce salt intake compared to those who were not and found no differences, this is not because reduced salt doesn’t have an effect but because it’s hard to reduce salt intake for a long time. He stated that people should continue to strive to reduce their salt intake to reduce their blood pressure, but that dietary advice alone is not enough, calling for further government and industry action."\n\nHe's saying that people can't/won't cut salt intake enough on their own, and industry changes need to happen for actual reductions in intake. This is from the author of the two larger meta-analyses (Cochrane review) mentioned in the one-sided SA article.\n\nAlso, the referenced article about the European study showing people with lower sodium intake dying more was apparently flawed. [Don't take my word for it, you can ask the CDC.](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/health/research/04salt.html)\n 1317059030 +I pretty much agree with you in most regards. I just don't understand how you get around the radar-visual sightings by pilots and aviation experts worldwide. This is sound historical evidence backed up by government records. And it demonstrates this phenomenon is physical. \n\n I also don't know how scientists could possibly do repeatable tests on objects that appear at random and are inaccessible to us. This seems to be a problem of logistics on our part. You think it is possible. Please expand on this.\n\nRadar-visuals, video, and eyewitness testimony are still a powerful combination that has to be addressed. I want to know how this is not evidence. This data does not verify this phenomenon is extraterrestrial. It only demonstrates that objects of unknown origins are in our skies. Once you realize this, *then* you are face to face with a genuine mystery. Everything past that point is wishful thinking, speculation and educated guesses. \n\nI'm surprised you have researched UFOs cases, but I question your focus. Alien bases, crop circles, and abductees etc.. These are the lunatic fringe of UFOs. 1306010932 +I enjoyed the astronaut testimonies. Armstrongs parrot analogy certainly sounds very cryptic, I don't jump at it like Hoagland does but it certainly hints that he was hiding something.\nI look forward to when Richard Branson gets space tourism off the ground I think we'll really see some evidence then of what is really out there. 1336819252 +Dried mandrakes looks like bodies, but is hallucinogenic and highly poisonous.\n\nAnd carrots is not THAT good for ones eyes, it's a rumor that was created during the WW2 for (for me) unknown reasons. Try blueberries instead. 1318071490 +That bright blue blob was debunked as an insect on a show. Memory tells me the show was Destination Truth but I don't believe that is correct (although a woman from DT was also on this show). 1352312869 +"It seems to be an extremely common experience amongst people who don't believe in certain nonscientific concepts to be told by others who do to be more open-minded. This advice is typically based on highly flawed thinking, including an inaccurate misunderstanding of what open-mindedness really is." [Link](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI) for those who haven't seen it. 1287339114 +None of us do, yet we still read and comment. 1330085462 +This one has always driven me insane. It's as silly as saying we only use 10% of our cars, because we only ever touch the steering wheel and pedals while driving. 1281961540 +It's Jupiter.\n\nYou can see for yourself by downloading [Stellarium](http://www.stellarium.org/). 1288949736 +Uh, it seems pretty legit to me. Would you risk your career to publish something like that? Do you care at all about the livelihood of your family? 1332500266 +Canadian cancer is easy to cure. It turns out you just have to politely ask it to leave. 1354128798 +They are constantly exposed to media with positive stories about homes being haunted. So they have a built-in priming.\n\nMy point is that in a controlled experiment with the only difference being told or not told a place is haunted resulted in a statistical difference between reporting and not reporting haunting-related phenomena leads one to believe that a person's expectations have a factor in the issue.\n\nSeems that an easily detected and measured thing like low-frequency sounds would have been accounted for and/or tested for with ease and definitive results. 1318725900 +I remembered the last time Myers-Briggs came up [on /r/skeptic](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/kq2sw/how_accurate_and_valid_is_the_myersbriggs_type/) some good points were made. Perhaps a nice start? 1327264791 +what's*\n\n 1355365168 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U 1345891079 +Thank you for this post. Really 1319951020 +I once saw a David Icke talk\n\nWith Powerpoint slides chock-a-block.\n\nNick Tesla appeared\n\nAnd the audience cheered\n\nSo loud it vibrated my cock.\n\n----\n\nBeloved by conspiracy theorists\n\nHis career was one of the queerest.\n\nDespite people's hunch,\n\nThere's no free energy lunch\n\nThat comes from this Serbian careerist. 1354744007 +>I was scared stiff I couldn't remember how to move\n\nThat's because what you were experiencing was sleep paralysis. Not a ghost. 1340117314 +Right now, I'd say Earth is a curiosity to anyone watching. We're not a threat, they might just want to see how we progress. We become a threat once we weaponize space *and* learn to travel to other solar systems in reasonable periods of time. I think they'd rather observe us than 'enlighten' us or destroy us. 1286363213 +I wasn't sure what naturopathy was, so I looked it up and found this gem from the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Colleges: "Naturopathic medicine is defined by principles rather than by methods or modalities. Above all, it honors the body’s innate wisdom to heal."\n\nLet's be clear. The body is often good at healing itself (the recovery from certain brain lesions is remarkable), but it is also often very stupid. A few examples:\n\n1. Intestinal strictures and adhesions in [Crohn's disease](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crohn%27s_disease)\n2. Every [autoimmune](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoimmune) disease you can think of is the body's misguided attempt to fix itself by attacking something it mistakenly sees as foreign.\n3. [Atherosclerosis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atherosclerosis) is apparently caused by injury to the vascular endothelium. The body's response results in plaque formation, narrowing of the blood vessel, and eventual occlusion. This can occur in the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to your heart, and when your heart can't get enough oxygen, you get a [heart attack](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myocardial_infarction).\n4. [Pelvic inflammatory disease](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelvic_inflammatory_disease) is what happens when a woman's body heals up after an STD. It can result in life-threatening ectopic pregnancies or infertility.\n\nIn short, any practice that claims as their overarching philosophy the body's "wisdom" in healing itself should immediately begin ringing alarm bells. 1333652974 +Hi. How does your aunt talk to you? In a normal human voice? Could you elaborate a little bit? 1356380258 +Not to induce any unwarranted panic or anything, but indeed, it probably is not the wisest idea.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasticizer#For_plastics 1307530648 +Nothing here is free energy. This doesn't violate the laws of thermodynamics. It remains to be seen if this will actually practically work. 1324353004 +FYI, The Ring remake was released 10 years ago, and the original 14 years ago, so they were released in your time scale. 1326471572 +Reflecting pools make it so much scarier. 1335187257 +it's almost like... a glitch in the matrix. haha. yeah, i'm just really curious if it has happened to anyone else. 1343517815 +> This all reminds me of people who don't believe in evolution.\n\nHowever, it shares with evolution the point that it is quite complicated area of study. The reason that evolution deniers are different from conspiracy theorists is that their disbelief ultimately rests upon the existence of God, which is untestable. They can shut down any conversation whatsoever by saying "Because God."\n\nHowever, conspiracy theorists have opinions about the real world which actually are testable, although perhaps in theory not practice.\n\n> The Pan Am flight that blew up over Scotland scattered luggage, cloths and body parts over an entire town.\n\nThat plane actually fell on the town. That passport flew into a building which immediately burst into flames. Although I accept that you might be right, it has been pointed out that nothing much else from the planes was actually recovered.\n\n> I do a shitload of reading about the middle east so many of the so called theories put forth on r/cons rest on assumptions that are obviously mistruths to me.\n\nWhy do you bother reading /r/cons if you believe that their opinions have the same weight as homeopaths and chiropractors?\n\nIf you're a participant, then aren't you making /r/conspiracy a worthwhile place to be?\n 1329954193 +>No, I want whether the person is an "asshole" or not to be irrelevant to the discussion of facts and consequences.\n\nShifting the goalposts a bit there, as you said nothing of the sort. Being an asshole does have nothing to do with the discussion of facts and consequences, but if someone acts like an asshole in a place where they are asked to not act like an asshole (multiple times) then it makes sense to give them a temporary ban.\n\n>No, he asserted that it was plausible: "Which could have very real impact on people's life." Citation is generally not needed for a plausibility statement unless it is challenged.\n\nExcept that he was arguing against the practice, and suggesting that the women should just "deal with it", which are claims for something to change - and this does require evidence and support. \n\nCome on, this is the skeptic forum. Are we really going to accept "an arguably plausible consequence of this action could be bad so we shouldn't perform the action which empirically solves other bad consequences" as a reasonable argument? Are we just going to ignore the fact that he told a group of vulnerable women that they should just "deal with it"? \n\n>"Privilege" and "Denying privilege" aren't empirical claims, they are ideological ones, no matter how dearly you hold that ideology or how badly you want them to be scientific.\n\nSociology is a scientific field... \n\n>logic11 wasn't banned for "abuse" or "harassment", they were banned for "denying male privilege". Again, a completely ideological position. That is, they were banned for arguing against the philosophical axioms and feelings of a subreddit.\n\nHis denial of privilege is abusive to the people who have to put up with that shit all the time. Imagine you have a forum for black people who are sick of discrimination, and a white guy goes in there complaining that people call him "cracker" all the time and he doesn't get offended, and then starts making racial jokes - are you suggesting that such a person isn't being abusing or harassing? Logic11 was doing the exact same thing; the only difference being that it's still largely socially acceptable to be an asshole to women.\n\n 1347413574 +Right. So I can't help but point out you typed basically the same thing as myself, in simpler terms, after I did, and you got more upvotes.\n\nWhat is the cause of this? 1285630226 +Yeah, that army of pizza ordering 13 year old's must really send chills down the spines of billionaire CEOs. 1304465110 +Godammit man...I came here with a legitimate question...I really wanted some advice on whether or not to sacrifice a night or two of arguing or just buy the damn thing despite my heartfelt belief. I trust the enthusiasts of r/skeptic to provide some sort of path upon which I can further ponder my actions. I don't need your bullshit. While I value your opinion, I question the bite behind your bark.\n\nin other words...STFU. 1297585659 +Like he needs that many. 1333450317 +Well I might have been being a little dramatic when I said they were black. They're more of a light grayish color. I do have a pretty good amount of them though. So maybe I'll still see a doctor about em. 1330537120 +The doctors I've dealt with strike me as too busy with medicine to care seriously about astronomy\n\nLike Sherlock Holmes not knowing the earth revolved around the sun, it is unimportant to their area of expertise\n 1325627382 +This is why I'm troubled by the recent enthusiasm for "happiness" research and the idea that governments should embrace policies to promote "happiness".\n\nIt makes the libertarian position (that there are some things which government has no business doing) seem very appealing.\n\n 1350148618 +Sometimes I don't understand why things get downvoted. That was clever. 1327464913 +Another reason to miss Carl Sagan. 1292909473 +Just asking for the sake of the debate rather than anything but does being conscious of a process stop it from happening? We may no longer be naturally selected as much for things such as disability or some conditions as we tend to use technology/medicine to look after as many unfortunate people as we can but people with specific traits (intelligence, influence, sporting prowess, musical talent, etc) are still more successful than others and while they may not be able to breed more than the rest their influence shapes society more than those "below" them on the influence ladder.\n\nWe've simply stopped evolving on a biological level (at nearly the same rate anyhow) and started to evolve on a cultural and society level. 1316511144 +no, i just like to consider every possible scenario instead of latching on to the first half assed idea that comes along. you can go back to watching fox now i am done with you. 1340318952 +Well your video wasnt super compelling... But dont take offense as no ones video has been anything to make me really take note.\n\nPart of the problem is that I have over 20 years of computer graphics experience ... So it going to have to be something more than a flashing light or a blinking pulse to get my attention. 1344410171 +Yeah, people always talk about how in touch native americans are (or were) for using "every part of the animal". Pink slime is a part of the animal that would otherwise be put to waste, being put to use. 1350583410 +Got anything that can be downloaded? I'm driving across the country. 1330210505 +I have to make a counterpoint to name calling? My point has been made earlier in the thread, if you are to lazy to read it that's on you. As for a counter point how's this:\nYou trolled off topic, I called you on it end of story. 1343076683 +I agree, most of these are rather vague, but I do have to tell a quick story. I first read about this prophecy about 2 years before John Paul died. For some reason I love reading end of the world prophecies even though I know they are full of crap. Like I said, about two years before the death of John Paul, the source I read for this one said something along this lines of "Scholars believe, according to this prophecy, that the benedictine order will be important to the next pope." First, the term scholars used with the word prophecy always makes me laugh. But also, when the new pope named himself Benedict it just made me think, "well damn, they can guess right every once in a while." Either that or somebody is trying to fulfill a prophecy themselves. 1325690048 +From the wiki:\n>There is limited scientific information supporting any health benefit and few studies are being conducted, although there are several centuries of anecdotal accounts supporting some of the health benefits attributed to the tea.\n\nI work at a natural foods co-op and we sell a *shit-ton* of kombucha, from Wonderdrink, GT's and many others. I have no doubt that most of their claims are nothing more than 'claims,' but the amount of praise I've heard anecdotally is staggering (from myself as well). After I drink one, my GI tract feels much better and my overall well-being tends to improve (almost like a minor high) so I am of the belief that it does *something* positive, but what exactly?\n\nI hope for more (unbiased) studies on this beverage. It would be interesting to find out what kombucha actually does and doesn't do. 1300824233 +lol\n 1345530015 +Smooth movement looks computer generated. Silly rumble sound effect as it moves over. \n\nMost black triangles are reported to be completely silent. \n\nMaybe it was thunder, but.. 1329228043 +I think the reason interviewers like Camelot feel they can "step all over his words" is because anyone who's listened to Greer a few times knows he has a well rehearsed schtick-down to the letter "I'm just a little country doctor from Virginia,...", etc, and I think she's trying cut through the rehearsed bits & get to some substance. \n\nI find it very telling whenever someone questions Greer's statements (like you CAN'T know 100% for certain about ANYTHING in UFOlogy) how defensive he gets. If he was a little more accepting of other possibilities(or questions) other than what he's says he knows(without sources), I might be more inclined to believe his BS,....\n\nPS asking people to allow you to finish talking, and then continuing with two+ minutes of off-topic tripe to derail a conversation isn't exactly polite either,.... 1250282077 +There you go. That's what I was looking for. I wasn't being nasty, by the way. I'm just tired of people linking to an article and then saying this person is responsible without backing it up. It's great that you have those articles to support your cause. I refuse to listen to anyone that deviates from the main point. It causes an infinite amount of argumentative cycling that leads no where. I can't stand mindless jabs at people simply because they briefly heard that this person did this.\n\nJenny McCarthy can say whatever she wants. If you want to find real blame, blame the people who follow her example without doing research. There's a difference between personal choices and someone making the choices for you. An intelligent person questions everything, follows only what they truly believe, and takes personal responsibility for their actions.\n\nNow, as for your evidence, you have articles directly connecting this person's opinion with a decline in vaccinations, yes? Great! Now, the OP made an assertion that was not discussed in the article within the title. As far as I am concerned, Jenny McCarthy is only relevant in an abstract sense. If I had no knowledge of McCarthy, the connection would not be there, as it is not there within the artcle. When I click on an article that says someone is causing something, or implies such a scenario, I expect to see evidence within that article. Give me reason as to why should feel this way, you know? 1287777281 +If you limit the dataset to fortune telling then yes - it does look pretty damning for Italy. What if you widen the net to include homeopaths and other "new age" type woo though? \n\nWould the UK win, or the US or China? 1265623920 +If you look closely, you can actually see that the shirt on the legs kind of tucks into the desk after the guy gets cut in half. 1273502609 +I just read the description of the masked man fallacy, but it still makes no sense to me. Anyone care to explain it? 1318187059 +You should do your report on Andrew Wakefield and the whole brouhaha with vaccines. You could go with the whole "how not to do science" approach. 1294873458 +That's begging the question. 1314661261 +Hmm, they're always near open fires. Maybe that's in some way significant! 1316775238 +The same story you have heard before but with the Erich Kuersten twist. 1288700622 +Rich. 1333052246 +Only time... and SCIENCE!, will tell. 1344626576 +I stopped after seeing the drunk YouTube guy that found massive UFOs all around the sun, from his trailer... on the internet... 1338956733 +Awesome. I'm glad we could bring everything back down to earth, so to speak. I agree that, from what I know about this man, the confession being a knowing lie seems unlikely. I, honestly, lean more towards a declining mental state in situations like these, particularly when there was illness involved. It's also pretty difficult to substantiate that this particular confession exists at all, which just sets off all sorts of alarms.\n\nHonestly, I've always been of the mind that the testimony of pilots and groups of military personnel (just one could always be an attention seeker) is the best evidence of the phenomenon we have, besides the few good videos and photos. My favorite source, thus far, has been "The Disclosure Project" because those people, in general, seem to fall into those categories. In general, I think most people agree that the phenomenon is real, whether or not they have an opinion on an explanation. But there's so much crap out there, so much bullshit, it's hard to sift through. It doesn't help that delusions from mental illness in the twentieth century seems to gravitate towards ufos and conspiracy. I tend to be hyper-vigilant in so far as maintaining my skeptic-glasses at all times.\n\nGlad we could bring things to a more amicable place. Faith in humanity +1. 1334120475 +like... "i was a tarot reader, but i came to my senses, AMA about the industry and such"?... 1340564178 +Apparently Romney used the 'underemployed' as 'unemployed' in his '23 million unemployed' lie in the debate. 1349535737 +From the comments:\n\n"But I am not surprised that you cited your comrades at Real Climate, who are the guardians not of climate science but of the red part of the watermelon."\n\n"And that reveals the theory of catastrophic anthropogenic global warming to be a greater scientific scandal than Lysenkoism."\n\nAs careful as Peter was writing that article, he just can't help himself in the comments section. It's blatantly obvious why this is such an important issue to him, and it sure isn't science. 1340052945 +How exactly is it great news for people who eat like shit? 1331206248 +> enhancement of visual acuity was an effect of psilocybin at low doses \n\nI can attest to this, or at least i perceived that to be the case 1274779733 +Is there a single sentence in that link that isn't a lie? 1281893236 +That guy is assuming the camera doesn't move. He doesn't understand optics. 1296457580 +It woudl make having diabetes a whole lot more eventful. Well for a while. 1340485580 +Guess I'm the only one that thought it was funny.\n\nDo some here not realize that it demonstrates an extreme (absurd) example of how "cold reading" depends on assistance from the "readee"? The "reader" just makes extremely general statements until the sucker, I mean readee notices how what the reader said could be construed as something meaningful. 1319207434 +Humans are getting very close to having cloaking technology. It's not out of the realm of possibility that they have this technology. Here's a video of human technology making something blink in and out of existence. It's amazing technology, but it does not support a metaphysical conclusion. http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/thinking-tech/-8216invisibility-cloak-device-makes-objects-disappear-video/8821 1327462926 +Sometimes, in our encoding, changes often "surface" to your "mental state." This is not deja vu, it is what you would describe "psychic." Changes in the larger plan require you to live...for now... 1345884629 +Sigh. More anonymous creepy allegations in modified voices. I feel like we're going back to UFO Cover-Up LIVE with Falcon and Condor. I wonder if Richard Doty was responsible for this.\n\nBLEH. 1332431386 +I love hearing the reasoning of the older man in the background. It adds to the legitimacy of the video. 1297017507 +So yes, literally a 'UFO'. 1302893941 +For the most scientifically documented case I've ever seem submitted on this subreddit, it surprises me greatly that this hasnt gotten more upvotes. It should be one of the highest voted submissions in reddit/r/ufos history. But instead we like to vote up the nonsensical shit. 1301148716 +More specifically, Occam's Razor tells us that the claim that makes the fewest assumptions is more likely to be true.\n\n"God did it." is a simpler explanation than evolution through natural selection but it introduces assumptions beyond what we can observe in nature. 1302631397 +He really missed an opportunity to put it in all caps and comic sans. 1304001273 +Meh. Still not near as good as [this](http://karibyronnude.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/kari_byron_mythbuster.jpg). 1301568920 +Personally, I think it's a reasonable analogy. There could very well be aliens sitting up there in orbit saying "haha, those dumb humans, don't they recognize an ethereal tether when they see it on someone?" 1312201215 +I think you'll find that the word "skeptic" is badly overloaded. The ones you find in this sub-reddit are the kind that lean toward evidence, scientific consensus, and Occam's razor. A lot of people who, for example, think the men in white coats are colluding with Big Pharma (TM) to kill our children or think that a secret government already rules the world will use the word skeptic, that's not what tends to happen here. We'd ask those people to show us their evidence. 1259873871 +As a girl, if a man tried to read my palm (and seemed to take it seriously), that would likely be a deal-breaker. 1332166696 +Oh such anger, such angst, have you considered masturbation ? It might relieve some of that frustration. Then you could even look around you at objective reality, you know ? It's the world the majority of us live in. Now I know you being a preacher prefer to grovel in front of an icon or effigy, but hey why not give it a whirl. If it doesn't work out not to worry. There is a thing called medication and all you need to do is talk to a doctor for less than two minutes and I guarantee within a few hours you'll be a drooling idiot. But the pain will be gone; Whoopee! They'll put a diaper on you and you can sit in chair rocking away merrily until 'ole Jesus comes to carry your fundamentalist ass to the promised land. "Praise the Lord !" 1331563662 +Australia has had its strange sightings of unknown flying craft, perhaps the strangest, and best documented, was the apparent 1868 UFO and alien encounter of a Parramatta surveyor, Fred Birmingham. Yes, that’s 1868! 1331259510 +As below- Buddhism spends a lot of money on [monuments](http://www.google.com/search?q=buddhism+monuments&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=qdc&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=blcoTvHwAY3biAKKqZXdBw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CAwQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=948)- in addition to supporting the monks. Someone has to pay for the building and maintenance of these structures. To cover a building in gold leaf isn't cheap. 1311266865 +But it is natural to the underlying system. Your argument is like saying English is not a language because it's not an official language in the United States. 1326588097 +I'm not sure if anyone but a medical doctor can help. Some ailments just don't have effective treatments yet. \n\nI'm curious, you said the surgeries went badly, did the doctors make any mistakes? \n\nAlso, is it just pain? Are there any drug you can take (illegal or legal) to alleviate the pain? 1331600086 +You use Boneset, of course!\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eupatorium_perfoliatum 1279318109 +Well do we know if we have the technology to build the technology that we need to build the technology that we need to figure these things out? Because otherwise it seems a bit silly 1307126434 +the literature is not even close to as once sided as you are painting it with this comment. There have been RCTs that have shown no positive effects after taking into account the placebo effect. There have been others that have shows effects, there are still others that show only a subjective effect. Similar claims could be made about SSRI's. 1307012589 +I don't think you need to say that something is a "crosspost". Just submit the same URL. 1292957637 +my first thought at seeing the first couple seconds was that it wasn't legit. I looked at the youtube commenters though, and many seem to think it may be legit. Usually the youtube commenters are all over calling out fakes... a lot of people know how to make fakes and can tell when they are fake...\n\nalso, I know the The Orionid meteor shower is happening right now (from 10-20 to 10-22) which occurs every year in mid to late October (rained bits of the famed Halley's Comet), but those definitely are not meteors... Also, I'm hearing other people from other places claiming they are seeing strange things the last couple days that are for sure not meteors, based on the maneuvers. who knows.... 1350884136 +God did it.\n\nEnd of the book. 1283465381 +My mom owned a herbal medicine/homeopathic/natural beauty store on both coasts when I was younger. I worked at them for years until they went under after 9/11. I still remember a lot about homeopathy and herbal medicine. 1315741628 +where is the video? 1354212247 +Sadly the Hootbot can't hold a gun, in face, the HootBot can't hold anything...http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:kQESGptUH3kGNM:http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t306/shakesville/Tomy_Hootbot.jpg&t=1 1292082631 +Holy shit I thought you were kidding with the title. 1305427665 +Okay daddy, thanks for being in charge of my life even though no one gave you that permission 1345217480 +Surely the opposite should be true; Unless you have clear evidence of a physiological component the only rational conclusion is that the cause is mental. These people have ill-defined symptoms that they have self-diagnosed as being caused by "chemicals" and/or "EM fields"; the notion of MCS as a disease is considered so fringe by the scientific/medical community that (in my brief search of journal resources I have) I can find very few studies dealing with the condition. The only journal article i've found that ran double-blind placebo tests found that ["no differences between the groups with regard to sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were found. Cognitive performance was not influenced by solvent exposure, and did not differ between the groups. There was no difference between the groups in serum cortisol levels measured before and after exposures."](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18568800) (Bornschein et al 2008). 1316426314 +Both Long Island Medium (TLC) and The Dead Files (Travel Channel) do this. They're television shows, though, so it's hard to tell whether they're extremely convincing or frighteningly real. 1333798524 +If you don't mind my intrusion, it seems like you imply something in your comment.\n\nThese statements:\n\n>In the case of AGW journals are co-dependant with government – the journals publish the results desired by government in order to push an agenda which then leads to more research funding.\n\n>If AGW researchers were to raise questions, and in the process question government policy, their institutions would suffer as well.\n\nSpecifically, it seems you're implying that there is a concerted effort to suppress studies that disprove anthropogenic climate change by the government (or by academic journals on behalf of the government), if that's the case, can you demonstrate it? 1353867321 +Even if it wasn't, that's not a question he or his handlers would pick to answer here. 1346306262 +http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/assembly/sprint/\n\nYou're referring to this. Simple google search would suffice. It says that its 14 inches in diameter. 1319217792 +thats what she said. 1331831745 +Lawyers & judges learning science would be nice - afaik they don't even learn bayesian statistics. 1347432061 +Nazism is the combination of racism and fascism. It's definitely racist, but I'm not sure about the fascist bit. It's an important distinction to make, as one doesn't necessarily imply the other, but they're both pretty bad. 1345307140 +It beats a PHYSICAL beating. 1307237456 +Here's a high-quality video :\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6kn-JJ2HiU 1303930718 +That alt med comparison doesn't make any sense. Altmed practitioners, by their very nature, are altmed practitioners. In that scenario, the question of if they're nice or not doesn't enter into the fact that it's alternative medicine, and I, at least, have an issue with alt med not because it's rude, but because it's not real. But in this one, no one debates if they're alt med practitioners.\n\nIn the scenario you want to compare it to, however, one side says that skeptics are not misogynistic, and the other says they aren't. Firstly, neither category plays a role in being a skeptic, per se (at least, it's not tautological), and secondly, the criticism is about the description you add to the group, not to the group itself (as in the first case). 1325668317 +>I used this dowsing rod application when I was in the desert to find wter. An arch nemesis left me in the middle of the desert with only a bottle of motor oil, after he threw me out of the CEO position of my multi-national corporation.\n\nIsn't that from Casino Royale? 1248740212 +> It just blows my mind that a women's worldview is so dominated by the idea that all men are potential rapists.\n\nMine too. But I'm more inclined to say "Okay, so how can I, as a male, avoid behavior that makes a woman feel that way?" rather than "Therefore they're crazy."\n\nI've personally had two close friends and one girlfriend get raped or be sexually abused though, so maybe I have a different perspective on it. 1351126901 +Freaky. 1326512359 +Freaky. 1351153306 +While the post implies that the presidents were killed because of the notes, it does not explicitly state so; it only presents evidence, i.e, "JFK was killed this day, his notes were taken out of circulation that day." It still doesn't explicitly draw a conclusion, although I admit many /r/conspiracy posts do. 1312522326 +Shooting flares at a UFO? That's a guaranteed anal probing. 1334604232 +There's a brand of lube named "snake oil". I think it's being named that is hilarious because it actually does what it's advertised to do. Much more so than the actual joke meaning of the name. 1327553749 +My question to James Fox, if he's such a well respected UFOlogist: Why put on a formulaic, sensationalistic paranormal-porn show like Chasing UFOs at all if you want to retain any credibility as a serious UFOlogist? Just because people lap this crap up doesn't mean it's good UFOlogy. 1341522244 +I think he was back-pedaling. I don't think he was trying to sell any backs. 1343531822 +Except with links and references. I would say it's more like the Wiki of meme culture. 1331757773 +There is a very good Ted talk on this. The acidic fruit become alkaline once digested. Putting a slice of lemon in your water has this effect. 1339640900 +True! You can't prove it either which way. Although Stephen Hawking did hold a [time traveler's party](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elah3i_WiFI) which no one showed up to, which is unfortunate. It would've been awesome. 1343511347 +What a nose you have sniggity! 1285778368 +Blogspam, not skepticism, this belongs in /r/atheism. Read the sidebar. 1324851414 +Am I being silly here or is there no translation? 1303243513 +How about let's *not* have a wank, eh? ಠ_ಠ 1327396681 +>This just isn't true.... That is a problem with some of the rubbish that gets called evolutionary psychology,\n\nWhich is the stuff that gets in the media and on the Internet. The public face of the field is, basically, pseudoscience.\n\n>When a behavioural trait is overwhelmingly common in a certain gender, then that is one sign that it may have been selected for. Though having confidence that a trait is the result of selection really needs more lines of evidence than just that...\n\nI agree! But universal human behavior patterns are a [relatively short list](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_universal) - gender-linked universals even more so - and while 'why are men more violent than women' *might* be a legitimate aspect for evo psych to look at, most of the evo psych stuff I see promoted is, um, rather more in the vein of culturally determined behavior.\n\nIn other words: I think - and this is just my opinion, I admit - that if evolutionary psychology, as a field, wants to be taken seriously, it needs to stomp *hard* on the pseudoscientific gender norming that uses its name in the media; and when it *does* look at gender-specific behaviors, it needs to be damned certain (maybe check with sociologists? You know, the people who study human behavior for a living?) that the behavior is *not* culturally contingent; and if it wants to claim that the exigencies of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle promoted the evolution of such-and-such a behavior, it should check with the anthropologists to be certain that our hunter-gatherer ancestors *actually behaved that way*. \n\nOh, and when someone like whatshisname the 'black women are ugly' dude starts promoting his crap as 'evolutionary psychology', the actual scientists need to be out front denouncing him. Just saying. 1354415839 +.... are you 8 years old? 1301455536 +Someone already has [for pets](http://eternal-earthbound-pets.com/). 1319597407 +Well, here it goes. I was living in an apartment building on the second floor. The building is next to a rather big lake. This is in Florida. Well, I was at the balcony looking down at some kids playing basketball on the first floor. They had a small hoop set up in the parking lot down there. It was a small hoop, the kids were like 12 or so. Well, after a while, I started to hear a, woo woo woo, noise. Like if something was hovering. I look to my left, and there was a saucer hovering there. It was a bit bigger than a car (it was hovering behind some cars in the parking lot near the lake), had a dome on the top and the bottom was spinning counter clockwise. It had lights on the bottom flashing. After watching it for a minute, I looked down to see if the kids were looking at it, they watched it for a bit and then ran in scared. At this time I didn't want to be alone watching it, so I ran back inside the apartment. I was afraid of being seen by them and taken or something. The UFO was very close, and not hidden behind any trees or anything. It was just there out in the open hovering over the lake, but very close to the parking lot. \n\nThe place if anyone wants to see it is called Samari Lakes in Hialeah Gardens, Florida. It is a large apartment complex that is next to a large lake. Pretty secluded area. 1350193426 +doomsday ... forever revised 1318914215 +Windows 95 called..... 1344703496 +Still, everything you're saying is unsubstantiated. Name calling isn't helping you make a point either. \n\nRegardless, you've missed the point of this post all together. I'm pointing out a straw man argument, which is exactly what that article is. Whether or not you like the view that low carb diets are healthy is irrelevant.\n\nI'm sorry you're so worked up over this. 1336095242 +Had that exact quote in mind. Love it. 1327334645 +Silly acupuncturist, tricks are for prostitutes! 1327732921 +I never knew there were any UFO sightings around here, I always figured most of them were in the southern and western states. Good to know, I've always wanted to see one. 1350090520 +But that's only sort of kind of true. Libertarianism is in general very much a leftist philosophy. At least, that is the case with regards to its philosophical origins and its current state outside of the US.\n\nThe major US flavors of libertarianism tend to be libertarian-right philosophies such as minarchism or anarcho-capitalism (which is an absurd and self contradictory concept). As such one might expect to find people whose political leanings are relatively reminiscent of Republicans, at least within the borders of the States. However if you mean to consider the entire world, it's probably a relatively minor subset of all libertarians.\n\nAlso, most anarchists tend to be socialists, and in my experience also acknowledge the role of government and our lives and often feel as though it should be a force for protecting those who can't protect themselves if it has to *be* at all. So it's often not "government interference" in a economic or regulatory sense, but rather in a civil rights sense.You'll rarely hear an anarchist complaining about governments over-regulating factory farms or coal mines or whatever.\n\nI know this isn't r/politics, but the use of "libertarian" to mean "libertarian-right" happens to be a bit of a pet peeve of mine. Anyway, that's enough self-indulgent political rambling for me. 1306185347 +The sad part, is that he offered the secrets if his old fling paid him a visit, she refused, the secret died with him, what a bitch. 1316225804 +Someone change into an agent? 1352619897 +I have an Iphone, I take it that'll work too?\n 1344661356 +Convergent evolution actually poses a bit of a problem for creationists, I think.\n\nIn the evolutionary view bats fly with featherless skin membranes because that's all the evolutionary process had to work with. For a bat to grow feathers to help it fly would be a huge and unnecessary evolutionary leap. Highly implausible.\n\nIn the creationist view, why *not* put feathers on bats? If you're "reusing designs" as they argue, why not slap a design from any one animal onto any other? Why impose a limit on which animals can have which parts? And why make that limit consistently imply a tree of common ancestry if there isn't one?\n\nI think Richard Dawkins said something similar, but I forget where. Greatest Show on Earth? 1356125689 +>This is a place where evidence would have been easy to save, magically he had none of it.\n\nImho there is (but only in the form of screenshots, since that was the only way he could safe things). But , again imho, they scarted THE SHIT out of him (you can clearly see it in the early interviews)\n\nIn any case, i find the case very interesting; and they did a good job making it go away by letting it time out.\nAsk anbody why he was charged, most don't remember it was for UFO related stuff\n\nBut all speculation on my part off course :) 1329234632 +All I found was a poorly designed study of the test. http://www.alcat.com/assets/File/REPRODUCIBILITY%20OF%20THE%20ANTIGEN%20LEUCOCYTE%20CELLULAR%20ANTIBODY%20TEST.pdf\nIt doesn't sounds like it's harmful, at least. But it's probably expensive, and we should try and stay away from expensive and unproven things. 1324440354 +For a lot of people it was *extremely* prosperous, just like right now. This article is amusing, but hardly relevant. 1334427276 +Oh so if I say something that is not true and produce no evidence or say a word in my defense its not a lie. Excellent. \n 1316942092 +actually i have sleep paralysis when I take naps on my couch occasionally, and I absolutely cannot move my body so i've concluded that it is different. 1317217530 +That would make for an excellent Twilight Zone episode!\n\nA man who believes his morning prayer is the only thing standing in the way of a global nuclear holocaust. As he begins to crack under the immense pressure of believing that billions of lives resting exclusively on his shoulders, his friends and family become concerned for his sanity. They attempt to convince him that he is deluded, that he is merely attempting to compensate for what he sees as his "little" life by making himself out to be the most important person in the world. \n\nOne morning, he wakes up, realizes his friends and family are right, comes to terms with his ordinary life, and decides to skip his prayer for the first time in his life.\n\nShortly after he breathes a sigh of unimaginable relief, the first bombs begin to fall. 1346627080 +Wow, I'm always stumped with that line of argument.\n\nIf it's thousands of years old, it has to be good. Naturally, you also rely on medieval surgery techniques instead of modern ones, because they are older as well.\n\nThousands of years old means nothing else but that it's old. Extremely old and most likely outdated. Modern medicine has looked at all these old techniques and drugs and is still using the few, that still work and ignores all the ones that have proven to be wrong like for example Acupuncture.\n\nAs for Cannabis, I would suggest you have a closer look at the legislation. First of all, in most european countries, medicinal cannabis is legal and in use. And rightly so, but of course it should only be used in cases, were we actually have proof that it has beneficial effects. And again, proof is not, that it is old. Proof means actual proof that it works, not that some ancient voodoo doctor thought it works. 1298071698 +Stopped reading at "Who are the Maya". Doubt there's anything in there I don't already know... 1325575617 +The problem with that theory is that we already have parts of the genome that are entirely similar between individuals. Yet we are not trying to actevely change them to prevent a doomsday virus. It's actually a pretty good question, why aren't we doing just that ?\n\nI think the answer is that so far, no virus has been able to take advantage of this, over all species and millions of years. It seems not to be a threat. 1325614156 +Actually it's\n~P. Therefore, P.\n\nLove for any person A is not unique.\n\nBut everyone that loves by definition has a unique love for the person they are in love with.\n\nTherefore unique love is not unique as everyone that is in love has it.\n\nMy love for person A is not unique. \n\nBut that is absurd! Accepting it invalidates the second preposition as we know love between two people is defined by uniqueness.\n\nThe argument must therefore be invalid and a unique love does exist for person A, and by extension between two people. 1310476674 +lol, fair enough. i guess the dry sarcasm of l4m3 doesn't fly like i thought it did. 1282847788 +After watching the video this is how I feel too.\n\nBut what if I went, sat there, and allowed him to try to hypnotize me, and when nothing happened I just sat there and didnt cause a scene? 1349277529 +Did you even watch the video? The lights stayed in perfect triangles while rotating around an axis. This happened in several different places and in various perfect shapes: a square, a cube, a triangle. They flew in formations to form geometric shapes. "which still seem perfectly explainable as moths or bats" is a completely false statement. If you believe that, I'm sorry, but you are mentally retarded. 1333062760 +I can appreciate why a doctor might feel it's unethical to prescribe an placebo. I very strongly believe they should not be marketed as effective.\n\nBut if legitimate medical treatments leave someone unsatisfied and unhappy, and buying water with impossibly diluted chemicals in it makes them feel better...what is offensive about that?\n\nIn the end, I really have no idea how many people who like homeopathy do it because traditional medicine failed to cure their problems...is sorta circular I guess: if someone has a chronic mistrust of medicine, there's at least some chance homeopathy might work better for them. \n\nI say it's better to let these people do what makes them happy...reason simply isn't going to reach everyone. 1260166039 +You have to also remember that the response crop circle was made directly next to the radio that sent the message and exactly one year later. \n\nThe hoaxers would have to have known about the location of the radio tower was being used, what message they were sending and the time and date they sent the message to pull this off. \n\nThis could only limit the hoaxers to someone who directly knew of or was working on the project and more effort looks put in the response then actually sending the message.\n\nSo my first suspicions would be on the team who created and sent the message were the ones who actually created the crop circle response. \n\nIf you trust these people and believe they didn't do it themselves, then my god this is one immaculate brilliant hoax! Whoever did it should be awarded or something. But honestly I don't see aliens being that less of a plausible explanation. \n\nSo for me it comes down to trust, if these people aren't lieing then I would say on the assumption that it's genuinuie until there's evidence to the contrary. 1351838811 +OK.\n\nLife is fucking ENDEMIC to this universe. Simply put, it's going to happen given the molecules out there and the vast amounts of time we are not geared to comprehend.\n\nLipid molecules NATURALLY form into capsules. This is a simply contained cell wall.\n\nOnce a container is there that contains things that react and keeps others out, biological processes (on a level) WILL happen.\n\nAs they get more complex, some are going to sustain their own existence.\n\nThis shit happens.\n\nCheck out the chirality of molecules that come out of the sun and why we care.\n\n 1324607298 +It's basic religious logic, just in a different context. 1330155856 +The smug part probably comes across. 1327432903 +Boy, oh boy. Reading stories like this reassures me this subreddit was craving to be brought to life. 1326816638 +You need more Marceline. (/r/adventuretime) 1348185399 +From what I've read it's perfectly fine, and it's another case of people being irrational when it comes to health. Some people may be allergic to it, I'm not sure, but if true so what? Some people are allergic to peanuts, but no-one says that peanuts are bad for you. 1305163099 +plastic = plastic 1300311591 +His 'CT' stuff?\n\nI too disagree on Joe with most his issues, he has some moments of logic and skepticism though, like when it comes to aliens, I just wish he'd apply the same logic to his other conspiracy theories. 1330986697 +i read the FAQ beforehand and I guess I missed that, I would have not posted it at all if it wasn't for my other friend confirming it years later 1336419976 +That's not relevant to whether or not it's sensible to ascribe that to one group or whether or not to call that group the Illuminati.\n\nBesides, checks and balances aren't a fairy tale, the government is not a shadowy agency cloaked in respectability. It's a group of people some with nefarious goals, some with benevolent goals, many with no goals. For every power hungry mad man there are many more just trying to keep things running for the rest of us. You can call that the Illuminati if you want to project that the government is a romantic cloak and dagger, clock counting down to build the tension, affair. However, it's not, it's just a large bureaucracy that has the problems of other large bureaucracies. It's a problem that can be solved by improving the government, not pretending it's a dragon that needs to be slain. 1304537725 +[Here's an article about the event](http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=500292&CategoryId=23558).\n\nMeteorites have fallen through roofs and even actually hit people before. There are even fatalities associated with meteorite strikes. It's rare, but perfectly possible. \n\nOn the rare occasions that a chunk of space rock makes it to the ground without being burned up, it's fucking hot, and can cause fires in flammable areas. \n\nIt's much rarer for a large rock to hit the Earth causing tremors. I think this is fairly unlikely, and what has really happened is that a fire was caused somehow and maybe a factory blew up or some fuel tanks, something like that, the explosions from which were interpreted as from the impact. \n\nAnyway, not really a UFO. 1349326389 +There is a team working on animating it at the moment, it should be ready soon. \n\nHere's a link to [the trailer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9bT73BM2Ic) 1300280834 +I agree. This could be an excellent opportunity for OP. 1305580766 +I would say without actually having any sort of documentation it is not something to call paranormal. Could be as simple as a cars headlight bouncing off of different angles. 1335993836 +I wish people would stop giving a shit about what some nutty old man says. 1318903945 +True enough, but the first two are the case far more often that the third. 1345362585 +Honestly that first part took me five or six minutes. Thanks to those five minutes I've now spent the last hour trying to determine precisely how much a gallon of milk contains of this stuff. \n\nYou're ruining me. 1349937047 +The horizontal spreading of the debris is exactly what distinguishes the collapse from a controlled demolition. Since supporting structures remain below, the collapsing material finds the path of lowest resistance spreading the debris horizontally. Combined with the high air currents from venting, even heavy steel grids may be pushed a long distance during the long fall down.\n\nI have watched the video and did not find it compelling. Given NFPA field guide is not a gold standard - as you seem to assert - and the fact that no wiring or detonators required for a demolition have been found, the controlled demolition hypothesis is not very convincing. 1315662911 +Evolution is real, and it works on people too. \n\nCommunities & nations that embrace skepticism and science will prosper. There will be small, local variations in the trend, but over time, as we & our civilization evolves, superstition will ease and wane, until it's truly an oddity. \n\nSo smile at people who believe in woo-woo, members of a group that has been selected for extinction. Convincing them of their folly is just accelerating a natural process; even if you don't, don't worry about it; we'll get there eventually. 1299186780 +Hopefully it was just roaches and little *living* critters scavenging for scraps in the night. \n\nActually, I don't know what is worse: roaches or ghosts opening the cupboards in the kitchen! 1314851416 +The belief in ghosts doesn't necessitate the belief in God, though I can see why it would raise questions. I believe in both, personally. 1350596931 +My brother's vet prescribed xanax for the dog during thunderstorms. (Oh noes! Big pharma is after our pets!) I think Sullivan would murder my brother in his sleep if he had to wear one of those shirts. 1329854685 +My mother was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Turns out what she actually has is persistent, untreated Lyme Disease. That bacteria acts like syphilis if you let it go unchecked for long enough - gets into your nerves other tissues and becomes almost impossible to remove.\n\nEDIT: Since I was downvoted, I take it you guys don't believe in that. I know Lyme is controversial, but I can say from firsthand experience that my mother has been treated using just about every intensive antibiotic and otherwise potential therapy in the book, and she's still got *something* - the only answer for which has been "Lyme Disease." 1312333656 +Finally someone had to say it!\n 1348082635 +Most of them, no. They are mis-identified or man made. But there are some where no convincing explantion can be bought up, and its happened often enough to be of concern to the worlds governments. \n\nIt gets to the point where your just burying your head in the sand if you refuse to even entertain the idea that they are exterterestial craft, and this is an interesting extra to the supposed aductions.\nYour telling me that these people who claim to be aductee's, have foreign bodies removed, studied and concluded to have similar properties of metorites doesn't make you curious at all? \n\nTheres no real point in arguing with you since you have made up your mind already and wont even look at the evidence, why are you on a subbreddit about UFO's by the way?\n 1328298407 +Here's a skull that seems pretty hard to wave away:\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moEYqLdupIA\n\nAlso, if a significant part of a body survived a crash in modern times, you sure as hell wouldn't hear anything on the news, ESPECIALLY in a country like the USA, where the military is so careful about these things. Any human witnesses are as likely to disappear as the body itself. 1310496566 +People need to ask more questions! I think this is great. I will spread the word and donate as soon as possible. 1303176717 +Alright, I can see now that you don't actually have an argument. 1356431173 +I don't have a clue what this is trying to say. The argument shown is just an argument over the definitions of a circle and a square.\n\nIs it meant to be an argument about the definition of god vs nature? 1274137390 +psht! ad hominem attacks, come on at the very least argue with me about the context of the situation. Bring something to the table. If you have a different perspective prove me wrong. I welcome it.\n\nI just wish this comic didn't ring so true.\n\n[Truth](http://i.imgur.com/WYFyG.jpg) 1324584444 +Is he supposed to post Mack's work in it's entirety? You people need to crack a fucking book before you start downvoting the shit out of somebody who has far more knowledge about this than you do. 1331930602 +My understanding is that the one study that is typically brought out in favor of circumcision is widely considered to be of poor quality. 1346408157 +>how your link, which is devoid of any citation which challenges these studies, is flawed\n\nThere are plenty of citations in the lecture, not sure what you are talking about. In fact the video is to a greater extent mostly just a review of published scientific papers. Listing the papers would be pointless, it's the review that matters. You know.. the peer review that you are wanting? The lecture is it. It's a review by a peer, which is exactly what you want, and you are dismissing it entirely. 1353378170 +>I don't want to end up like this.\n\nAvoid head-trauma, you should be just fine. Actually, smoking a hell of a lot of pot daily seems to have the same effect, I've known some full-timers who burbled on similarly. 1326336647 +Being an asshole in this case means deriving a sense of self-satisfaction out of correcting other people.\n\nIn regards to science and rationality, I think that is a particularly serious offense because those things should be free from narcissistic masturbation- which is why this whole subreddit generally makes me want to vomit. 1324340111 +I beat those stacker games easily. Every time I go to a bowling alley that has one of these games i rack up a ridiculous amount of points. I can see that the more i play the speed does change up randomly to throw me off. But if you can just view it as a metronome and keep up with its rhythm, you'll have no trouble at all. 1346954106 +If he was the Minister of Defense, why wouldn't he have had access to secret information? 1352855822 +My dad does the same thing. He forwards me shit that says "OBAMA IS A MUSLIM TERRORIST" and at the bottom it says "EVEN SNOPES.COM CONFIRMS THIS" with a link to a snopes article. 90% of the time it links to a broken or random article. 10% of the time it links to an article that *directly disproves the claims made in the email, often quoting the email verbatim*.\n\nI have come to two conclusions, my dad trolls me and most people are too lazy to fact check even when the links are provided. Propaganda makers know this and abuse it. 1299459108 +What else would you expect from the Huffington Post? They also run anger inducing articles on vaccination. 1322189118 +Should see the ones around here. 1330641943 +Well, the more you listen to it, the more you'll listen to it. 1308715527 +How can something be gone? It's the internet. :| 1275158994 +I see, so it was all in my mind. I didn't really have increasingly severe muscle spasms over a matter of weeks that ended immediately.\n\nThank you for showing me the light. 1309916702 +Oooh...that's terrible. Best to stay at home in a dark room with the computer off if you're that sensitive. 1309983565 +I just found this sub too, and I had to chime in that I had an almost identical experience to your second story about 15 years ago. I had almost completely forgotten about it until I read your post. It actually kind of creeps me out. 1353545845 +Please, this is /r/skeptic. Stop degrading the community of intelligent thinkers with this sort of comment. Would you mind citing sources if you disagree with me? 1342125738 +[Aliens, no doubt about it.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfAzaDyae-k) 1311354944 +We have a winner! There's basically nothing to report, other than "some people showed up here and, uh... Back to actual news!" 1338905605 +Yeah man they must be looking for a new manufactured enemy now that Bin Laden is dead. 1314517495 +The whole agent Orange incident/wartime use doctrine seems to be the only real shred of evidence proponents have. What they don't realize, is that aircraft that dispersed agent orange didn't leave massive 100+ mile long contrails. Nor did they fly at 29,000 feet. 1291773131 +Nutrition seems to always be BS since we're always finding out new stuff. Margarine used to be way better than saturated fats. Now trans fats are worse.\n\nI doubt any of the things in that menu will kill you, but that will only be 'the healthiest meal ever' until the next nutrition journal comes out. 1340046711 +Ah yes, I remember my first beer. 1354086252 +seen these before, but they are worth making known to as many people as possible\n 1303838704 +It doesn't have to pass your test, the burden of proof lies on the claim being made. Not your responsibility to disprove it. 1346104148 +Blaming the victims. Always classy. 1351125969 +Text as images makes it difficult to process (copy, quote, etc.) There are hundreds of free pastebin-type services without expiry dates for snippets. 1334323732 +You seem angry, confused, and stupid.\n\nWould you like an invitation to a Tea Party gathering? 1277591828 +Aliens are treated kind of ridiculous in movies.\n\nFirst of all they can travel in space, whatever technology they use a resource problem they have not.\n\nSo anything to do with "conquering" for resources is ridiculous.\n\nA more possible one would be just a bunch of traveler/explorers kinda like A hitchhiker guide.\n\nI severely doubt any wars in space as the only point to that would be to spread a diseased culture, and I don't think they can be practical.\n\nI find that that the aliens might be beings of higher dimensions in which case it would be more like the Matrix 1336943696 +Gee, this sure sounds like my friend Jakob Liljenwall, who writes http://thekeyofatheist.wordpress.com/. 1294982097 +This is another dramatically abused term by skpetoids. Like KISS, Occam's Razor's this extraordinary claims quote. I don't think Sagan meant this term to discredit police officers and pilots when they didn't have evidence of their sightings. In fact, I doubt a single person can tell me what Sagan was referencing when he made that quote. Let me give you a hint: he was poking *fun at skeptics* when he was asked about why in his book Contact, so many scientists were so defensive about the evidence from SETI. \n\nThe Robert Zemickis film remake of Contact, again totally missed this point and made the aliens not even exist, unlike in the original book, where Sagan was trying to confront skeptic scientists. \n\nObviously when you look in Sagan, and look at the things HE was interested in, talked about, and did; then he's a much more open-minded person than selective skeptics would make you think.\n\nhttp://www.huliq.com/10282/ufo-sightings-prompted-carl-sagan-insist-cyanide-pills-first-contact\nhttp://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/05/prweb3966374.htm 1344038582 +I was one of those who had to have every letter PERFECT. Fuck the content of the project. *The letters had to be perfect.*\n\nEdit: grammar 1298513926 +Yes absolutely, I completely agree with you. They have no idea how to question, and if the questioning looks like it might turn against the thing the have no subscribed to they will vehemently defend it rather than use any kind of logic. I just feel it's a real shame that they actually start out with a 'sense' of skepticism that is completely fucked up and misguided in its application. 1304977727 +Sorry for the slow reply, have been unusually busy.\n\nIt's nice to see others here also appreciate being wrong... Though unfortunately if you spend enough time in /r/skeptic you eventually reach a point where it becomes pretty rare that you end up being clearly wrong about something. Which is a shame. You go through this process of learning to value skepticism and appreciating being wrong, and then shortly after you've stared to really like being wrong about stuff, you reach a point where most of the incorrect things you used to believe have been dealt with.... Then you end up in more academic debates where things aren't really agreed upon.\n\nI miss being hugely wrong about stuff so often. 1355730854 +What are the similarities that you see? 1343104417 +Source of video? 1355893889 +An unethical virtuous circle.\n\nI'd just like to point out donating 10% of your net worth to cancer research on they day your child is born prevents autism completely.\n 1313069263 +Hahahahahahahahahaha 1346850612 +Quite frankly as a skeptic, I still wouldn't mess with them.\n\nThere's always a small chance I'm wrong, and I'm not messing with it just in case I am :P 1353821975 +It isn't always the case that you can. Some people simply want to be deluded.\n\nThat being said, the best approach is probably to find examples of times that someone (preferably the person you're trying to convince) was clearly fooled by their senses. The important thing is to establish common ground with someone first, and then take small logical steps from there to the point you're trying to make. If someone is willing to be persuaded, that will generally persuade them. 1275880647 +> It has been scientifically documented that everything that happens in your life, your story, emotions, and past experiences are stored in your CELL MEMORY.\n\nThis sounds like [body memory](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_memory#Skepticism).\n\nAlso pertinent:\n\n>L. Ron Hubbard speculated in Dianetics that cellular memory might explain how engrams work. [Source](http://www.skepdic.com/cellular.html)\n\nSo, uh, yup, believing in cell memory puts you on par with the greatest Scientologist of all time. I would think that would be something to live down ....\n\n> Your toes reveal how you've coped with those feelings and emotions.\n\nNote how the author jumps from cell memory to toes. Your toes are composed of cells - but so is every other part of your body. Why are toes the gatekeepers to a person's subconscious? If cell memory exists, wouldn't your life experience be expressed in every body part? Your eyes, your nose, your teeth, your spleen .... where are all the spleen readers?\n\nAlso, apparently there is something called "footology". Looks like the Facebook post is a rehash of these ideas. Hooboy:\n\nhttp://www.footologytherapy.com/\n\n\n\n\n\n 1294880233 +I think the surprise is that it comes from a Koch-funded study. The Koch brothers are politically active far right-wing billionaires who have funded initiatives to scuttle climate change legislation. The surprise is that even their funding didn't sway the outcome of the study. 1343617668 +Screw Mexico, [it happened in the US in 2008](http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/news/20080603/cdc-warns-of-tainted-tomatoes). 1262647136 +Groups 1 and 3 are annoying (but inevitable).\n\nGroup 2 should be strung up. Really. \n\nWhat I would say is that we are being told that because there is a consensus, then we should believe that GW is man-made. Consensus is not evidence, however, and uninformed zealots on both sides are the worst kinds of moron.\n\nIf there *is* hard evidence, I'd like to see it. If I fail to understand it then I will seek someone, who does understand it, to explain it to me. All I see is people who insult and browbeat others who refuse to believe something that there's still really no hard evidence for, afaik.\n\nWe cannot ban every group that we disagree with - if we did that, then we'd have to throw *everyone* off the internet, even you and I.\n\nI still do not know. I'm open to being convinced and, given some of the people in the unbeliever's camp, would rather be convinced than dissuaded. Alas, I have yet to hear a compelling argument. \n\n 1280624787 +SARCASM, you mean ... sarcasm, . 1337811390 +Dude's credibility is suspect for me throughout, but he totally loses it at about 1:30:00 when he claims to have written a word in Aramaic alongside his equations in some sort of trance. Two problems, though.\n\nOne, the Aramaic is written in the wrong direction—it should be right to left, like Arabic and Hebrew, but the characters he shows are clearly written from left to right.\n\nTwo, the word isn't an Aramaic word at all, it's just the English word written out in Aramaic letters (see the bit on the right of his slide where it says "PR_PULS(H)_N").\n\nThe Aramaic he provides, then, points us toward a rather obvious conclusion—the word was devised and written by a speaker of English who had little understanding of the Aramaic writing system or language, rather than some sort of galactic superpower; I'd imagine they could at least write the letters going in the correct direction. 1353636651 +>How can we possibly rule out extraterrestrial life creating these crop circles ...\n\nI didn't rule anything out. I said nothing about crop circles in general. I only pointed out there's no reason to believe *this particular video* is showing UFOs creating the crop circles as it claims.\n\nPlease excuse me if I don't bother responding to your paragraph about the video suppression conspiracy.\n\n>... the military flares I see do not behave in that manner\n\nIn what manner do the flares you see behave? Parachute flares produce super bright balls of light, are dropped from a plane or fired like a mortar, and fall slowly to ground from a parachute. If you watch the video, they are bright balls of light falling slowly straight to the ground. What doesn't match up for you? What are the flares you've seen doing?\n\nBut let's pretend we don't have any idea what the lights are. I really just have 2 questions about *this particular video*: \n\n1. What reason do you have to believe the two halves of the video are in any way related and not simply edited together from different sources 2 years after the event?\n\n2. What reason do you have for believing the lights in the video are what created the crop circles in the video? 1350872260 +I see the point you're trying to make (though I'm not sure I agree with it) but it has nothing to do with my original statement. The context of my statement speaks to tools and method. To end it with "You cannot explain the paranormal" would not have made sense. 1338309619 +[RationalWiki](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page) addresses the [paleo diet](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Paleo_diet) pretty well. The underlying philosophy of the paleo diet is full of woo. Our ancestors did not eat the way described in the paleo diet, and even if they did, there's no reason to think that it's still the best way for us to eat today. However, it can still be an effective diet because, like most diets, it requires us to cut out a lot of the high-calorie, low-nutrition food that we've become accustomed to. The nature of the diet also grants people more satiety and less desire to eat. If it works for you, it's probably fine, but there's no basis to put it on a pedestal as the "perfect" diet, which some paleo dieters seem to claim. 1339705971 +Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. 1250784922 +...and here's where it is nice to be in /r/skeptic, show me where tap water fluoridation levels are toxic to people's kidneys. Study, preferably from a site without fluoride in the URL. 1319300661 +is there a paper version of this ?\n 1341848734 +I guess the point was missed. The person died from a bad needle, not bath salts, but using the same scare tactics that the government uses for anything they want to control, they tell you to "FEAR" and "OBEY". 1326559344 +Yeah, don't know if I'll be able to get the book, certainly doubt I'd be able to afford it. Russell Gray has emailed me back, so I'll go and talk to him as he'll be back in NZ during the same time as me before he too heads out again.\n\nBy the way, any chance you know a guy called Itamar? 1337920722 +I don't understand what the issue is with homeopathic products. The placebo effect is real. So if it works for these people then what is the issue. Some believe in religion. Both are based on the placebo affect. The human brain is an amazing thing that can do many things that we can't explain. \n\nTrying to argue people's beliefs in a remedy is like forcing your religious beliefs on others. \n\nStop rubbing your ideas in other people's faces! 1350514518 +A good possibility, but Gold is very heavy. 1308021814 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_lGN6rrU1E 1333487340 +Ouija boards are bogus, and pretty easy to debunk. She could do it herself, if she were interested.\n\nSeeing humanoid figures is pretty meaningless too; our brains are hard-wired to see human shapes (especially faces), and adding a little anxiety and stress can make for easy hallucination. Probably she's also exaggerating...if she is really earnest (and an adult) I might recommend psychological counseling. 1348019093 +Thank you for pointing that out about the wheelchairs. I was thinking that the second I saw it. I was also annoyed that the one with the cover on it (stationary cam) is rocking with the edge barely out of frame. It makes it easy for someone to rock it by hand. In addition to this, I noticed that when he switches to the "handy cam", we only ever see the wheelchair move forward, like it's being pulled on a string or fishing line. It doesn't rock the same way. They keep using the same short clip. \n\nForward - break - forward - break - forward. It implies movement, but in reality, it's just really thin evidence that's incredibly easy to fake. 1353002915 +meditation works best when used with a bong. 1274657753 +I've been inside there, it was very very awesome! 1333724659 +I would fight that, and fight and fight and fight for it. 1354766656 +so some of these people are suggesting aliens, the earth is dying, and tectonics, and they have the nerve to ask skeptics to shut up... 1326738169 +I was reconstructing the logical chain in the parent comment to point out the flaw in #1 but you found the exception to #2 instead:\n\n>2) Any diet that stresses fewer processed foods (which tend to be high in carbs) and more vegetables/fruits is going to be superior to the typical western diet.\n\nAn all red-meat diet is probably the best exception to this, but we only know of one culture that really follows such a [diet traditionally](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuit_diet#Nutrition). Study has also shown some physical adaptations like larger liver mass that would help them cope with the limited choices available.\n\nThe hypothesis behind the Paleo diet isn't "pure unadulerated bunk." It is based on the fact that yes, evolution allows us to adapt to different diets, but it also acknowledges the fact that regional diets were extremely varied for most of homo sapien's history.\n\nMilk is a perfect example of this. Three separate population groups somehow ended up dominated by the recessive trait for lactase persistence. Milk is great food for *their* descendents, but it still causes complications in the vast majority of the world's adults. 1349445877 +Not a fan of this Periodic Table either.\n\nHowever I think "Conspiracy Theory" is a phrase that *means* the batshit insane tinfoil hat Reptilian variety, and not a literal meaning. So much so that it can encompass things that aren't really conspiracies, such as the face on Mars. The term was probably never literal because the language has never needed to distinguish reasonable theories.\n\nSo rather than trying (it *will* fail) to change it to a literal definition or make it neutral, I'd let it go - just avoid using the term "conspiracy theory" for suggestions that happen to involve some people working together (such "theories" don't need a special label), and leave it as the pejorative label people needed to describe an often seen pattern of elaborate crazy beliefs. Everyone's aware that people can and do conspire. 1305443219 +Noted and fixed, thanks. 1332871403 +MANY more people talk on the cells than apply makeup while driving, studies have shown that it impairs judgement just as badly as drunk driving does. \n\nWhile putting on makeup may be worse, I have yet to see any studies on it, and it happens FAR less often than people talking on their cell while driving. \n\nAnd I don't get how they can do it, I can't even adjust the volume on my car radio without losing attention to the road... 1346001178 +>I haven't read the book, but isn't this a issue of percentages and irrational consumer fears?\n\nNo, it'll be stuff like flawed trials. Where they'll compare their drugs and competing drugs and give the competing drug at the incorrect dosage so it'd either be ineffective or cause problems. Or the file drawer problem. Or testing against placebo when there is already a drug on the market that works.\n\nPharmaceutical companies also preform dodgy trials. They just perform much smarter tricks than the alt med crowd. 1348274590 +[But what about his gourd and sandal?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf76lynPdZc#t=2m30s) 1278967826 +Those barbecue grill push-button gas lighters? Same device. 1295534710 +Show me the methods which do not involve social control of the type used by used fascist regimes or other institutions and organizations. 1351183959 +>That seems dumb.\n\nYeah, it does. From Greek times, skeptics have been called dumb, useless and lazy. Their efforts have been called counter-productive and infuriating.\n\n> I get the distinct feeling I'm being trolled.\n\nThat's a symptom of skepticism. Socrates was told the same thing, except in Greek.\n\nSkeptics contend that there is so much bullshit in the world that this is the only hope we have of filtering it out. Unless you have a valid argument based on true premises a skeptic is not interested.\n\nI understand that this is hard to accept because so few of us construct valid arguments based on true premises in our daily lives. Even skeptics rarely do so.\n\nA dyed in the wool skeptic will not even accept the reality of things around them, but most modern, practical skeptics will accept Samuel Johnson's "I refute it thus!" where he kicked a rock to demonstrate that things exist.\n\nI strongly suggest you read about skepticism. It is not the adjective you are casually familiar with. It is not about being shrewd or even right. A skeptic would rather not be right if he is only right by coincidence. A skeptic would like to be right only on the basis of hard evidence.\n\nSkeptics get very good at asking questions. There is a lot of modern science that a good skeptic will not accept. Most of modern psychology, for example.\n\nNow, a skeptic may well investigate something like WTC 7 out of normal human interest, but the skeptic will do this superhuman thing: he will accept the phrase "I don't know yet." He will not turn "I wonder if" into "I suspect". This is incredibly hard to do, and most skeptics fail often, but that is the goal.\n\nSkepticism is a part-time job. If we applied it to everything, we wouldn't be able to get up in the morning or have a conversation with a co-worker. As soon as there is any question of doubt, though, the skeptic should put on his skeptihat.\n\nYour key inquiry, what a skeptic would do when given substantial proof of 9/11 truth, is that the skeptic would believe it. The only problem is that skeptics have a very high standard for "proof". It is much higher than you would like. It is not a standard that can be met by very many of the things that people believe.\n\nMany people think of skepticism as a good thing without understanding what it is. Many people like to describe their own doubts about certain things as "skepticism". These people are often horrified by what skepticism actually is.\n\nLet me close with this quotation from Kurt Vonnegut:\n\n>And here, according to Trout, was the reason human beings could not reject ideas because they were bad: "Ideas on Earth were badges of friendship or enmity. Their content did not matter. Friends agreed with friends, in order to express friendliness. Enemies disagreed with enemies, in order to express enmity. \n\n>The ideas Earthlings held didn't matter for hundreds of thousands of years, since they couldn't do much about them anyway. Ideas might as well be badges as anything. \n\n>They even had a saying about the futility of ideas: 'If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.' \n\n>And then Earthlings discovered tools. Suddenly agreeing with friends could be a form of suicide or worse. But agreements went on, not for the sake of common sense or decency or self-preservation, but for friendliness. \n\nWhen you talk about being more tolerant, this quote springs to my mind. Tolerance is a social construct, and we all need it to some degree. It's not something that belongs in a group dedicated to skepticism.\n\nEDIT: Incidentally, the question of "how many skeptics agree with [me]" is not relevant. Skepticism is a concept with a clear definition and a long history. The number of people who profess to be skeptics because it sounds "cool" or "smart" and who have different ideas about what skepticism means does not change the formal meaning of the term. Most of those people would, if they understood skepticism, decide they don't want to be a skeptic. They just want to be shrewd. 1305473363 +It's true but doesn't prove the point it implies (Democratic presidents are better for the economy than Republican Presidents). There are many more important factors than what the President does in regards to how the economy performs.\n\nThat said, I like it as a counterargument to "a Democratic president will tank the economy, bring financial ruin, etc.". Not based on historical evidence... 1351960355 +I BLAME HAARP 1282175479 +I wasn't even challenging anything about the discussion, I merely brought his/her statement(from the title) to its logical conclusion.\n\nAs in - if egalitarianism or gender equality is an unsatisfactory position, so much that it will not be tolerated in Atheism+, and the only position that will be tolerated is feminism, then feminism itself is not concerned with equality but instead with reversing the benefits of inequality in favour of women. \n\nAs far as mods being people, of course they are but that kind of reasoning will not hold in any area of professional work and that's my standard for mods on reddit. Call it naive if you will, but I don't think it's unreasonable. 1347648470 +As long as there is evidence to support it's use, of course "herbal remedies" work.\n\nNobody is saying anything about homoeopathy and dilution here. 1318856019 +I think he meant someone or something is in your house that really likes games 1352671604 +Another problem is that until the last few hundred years, a large portion of children died in child birth. Only the very healthy survived and were probably less likely to get cancer in childhood. Now, infant mortality rates are excellent and even those who have serious health issues will survive. It seems like the author didn't even think of that, which to me was the most obvious point... 1287119188 +The action itself is an easy fake, but there does seem to be a semi-opaque mass behind him in the chair scene. 1327693915 +Their analysis becomes kind of problematic when they go about saying that the same common sense logic dictates that the ancient alien people are full of shit also dictates that the story of the entire humanity being wiped out by flood except for a hand full of people who subsequently became the ancestors of everybody and turned their story into the cornerstone of every known culture (only the hebrew scholars got it right though, because they are just brillant at record keeping and take their job seriously which is why other cultures got the details wrong). They use the same tactics they rightfully critisize the ancient alien people for (putting your preposterous theory next to an even sillier one to make it look better - Ancient aliens are unscientific and silly, therefore Noah's ark is the real deal -, jumping to conclusions with little or no real evidence, making the evidence fit your hypothesis instead of the other way around) when it comes to *their* believes which they try to slip into completely unrelated segments - at least the ancient alien people are straight forward about what they're selling. Being subtle and hiding your unscientific crap in 3+hrs of mostly solidly researched facts and lulling people into trusting the narrator this way certainly seems more devious to me than the cookietown-bananapants approach of ancient aliens. 1349299948 +My (happily ex-) wife used to "give light" to all the grocery shopping when we got it home. Nine years of that kind of nonsense was the biggest reason I made the hardest decision of my life and walked out before kids appeared and I wouldn't have the option. 1327514838 +> all with comments disabled\n\nAs w/ the MSM sites too, a fairly certain sign that the source is well aware they're bullshitting. 1319985851 +Well, since debunking the evidence to the point at which we've shown that there theories are anything but reality has failed to convert them, I think the only thing left to do is ridicule them.\n\nLogical discussion with them doesn't work. They ignore evidence. They ignore fallacy. If you show them the things that disprove their theory, you are either in on the conspiracy or you are a brainwashed sheeple.\n\nI prefer to ignore them, personally. But if that isn't going to work, I'll go with ridicule. I've been up and down the logical, evidence-based discussion and it just doesn't work. 1315494638 +I see it like the world map. I've never been to Japan nor 99% of the places on my world map. But sometimes I (and some trusted friends) randomly go to some places and they are always consistent with what the map said. Therefore, given that I could visit any place on the map it's a fair assumption that the whole map is accurate, therefore Japan is real. The only true unprovable belief I need for that conclusion is that I'm not the center of a Truman-like fake show, and everyone around me is not an actor.\n\nIt happens to everyone and is specially true with Argument from Authority. It's among the first logical fallacy any good skeptic learns, yet how many times I've found myself repeating something simply because I had heard it on the SGU podcast.\n\nI had this feeling this week: I was discussing studies about life after death with a friend when he (he came from the mystical side) how he heard someone tell a story of how one hospital had put many patterns on places one could only see if he was floating from above, and one day one patient had a NDE and reported the exact pattern. I began to correct him saying - well I've heard the same story but in truth what happened was the exact opposite .. – when it ocurred to me I had as much knowledge about that case as he had, except I heard it from the skeptic point of view and never looked more into it.\n\nI think you have just to keep an open eye to see how many times are your sources disagreeing, contradicting and self-correcting themselves, and some times you check the sources directly yourself, and it's a rather ok system with a healthy level of self correcting.\n 1312638858 +> One can argue that the incidence of HIV is higher in Africa, therefore the effect will be more pronounced than if the study were conducted in the US\n\nThat's the whole point, though. They're telling people in the US to circumcise their children based on a claim (among others) that it reduces the chance of HIV transmission by 60%. That's a concrete number. But the study they are citing very likely has skewed infection rates because of a combination of poor controls, poor methodology, and a population that has many other confounding factors that may not apply outside of a developing nation.\n\nWe aren't talking about the underlying biology. We're talking about whether the study is a valid indicator for the recommendation. 1346123850 +Well it can't be me because I've tried to scratch myself and all I get are those white marks. 1338415626 +France is bacon. 1302289927 +France is bacon. 1331404784 +Webcam and keep us updated! 1349743554 +"Don't be such an asshole!" a phrase I've heard many times. I lol'd a little when I read that, I understand man. 1280528812 +Wouldn't the Dawkins comment be at worst a strawman? 1351097646 +If it was a normal Zippo, they use a wick, not a gas under pressure. There are pressure Zippos, but not as common. 1334743016 +Some people were never theists. And there are philosophical reasonings which lend themselves to supernatural conclusions. 1337364499 +Atheist, skeptic, circumcised father of an uncircumcised son. Circumcision is no longer the overwhelming norm that it used to be. Even when that was not the case I found the reasoning to be suspect if not specious. Someone has to go first to effect change. \n\nI hope if the time comes for you you do a little more research. I personally consider the religious arguement to be better than "everyone is does". 1295199984 +Just don't flounder on those inky-black levels. 1302623191 +Whenever I consciously think "This is going well" or "I'm getting the hang of this", it immediately goes to shit. In other word's I feel like I have chronic [sod's law](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sod's_law)\n\nEdit: Grammar 1256136424 +why are there no cameras near these fields? Especially near an expensive radio telescope facility? 1355117902 +I'm not sure I follow this:\n\npeople who don't drink tend to not do so for health reasons and so are less healthy that the general population\n\nCan you elaborate? 1297737339 +So shouldn't you be a skeptic to both of those things? A skeptic requires proof. I think you misunderstand what being a skeptic is. 1294441031 +Is it possible the doctor couldn't find anything wrong with her, but prescribed her a placebo to solve the issue? 1348778894 +American Coca-Cola is the worst, because of this (*&(*&(*( syrup.\nYou know it is junk food whe n it has corn inside.\n 1344950680 +What I find most interesting here is that the OP, atomic-ghost, is one and the same person as the commenter in the thread, nuclear_is_good.\n\nOne of the the reasons nuclear_is_good was banned from climateskeptics was his incessant use of sock puppets. One wonders just how many of them talk and vote here on r/skeptic, too. 1355362747 +I too, have herd these sounds while i am in the bathroom with the doors closed. =x 1347751756 +>What country? It makes a sociological difference. \n\nEngland. 1345098166 +snerk well maybe it was the Rubbing motion ? next time just pour water on it..should work just as well and be hella cheaper eh? ;) 1292956932 +It's just swamp gas refracting off the light from Venus. 1333051788 +There is a secret message from Darren Brown in this reddit headline, I just know it 1255744457 +Not interested in religious nonsense, thanks. 1351807205 +I wish I had your doctor. :( 1274423159 +That's actually wrong. I assume you mean anecdotal evidence in the sense of "things which people claim to have seen," and in that sense science and alternative medicine may coincide. There is, however, an enormous distinction. \n\nScientific testing of medicine rules out the alternative hypotheses through large sample sizes, placebo, and carefully controlled tests. Clinical trials aim to make it highly unlikely than anything but their concluded hypothesis is true. \n\nAnecdotally based alternative medicines observe a phenomenon (my child didn't die of the flu) and pick arbitrarily which explanation they wish to believe (because she took 30c ginko pills). There is never a reason, beyond a claimed intuitive one, why the explanation picked should be correct over the alternative explanations. \n\nThe lack of scientific control on these anecdotes ensures that, whether the arbitrarily chosen conclusion is correct, we can not know what actually cured a disorder.\n\nOne can never know with certainty how *anything* will respond to *anything*, but science gives us the framework for a reasonable guess. 1304270095 +It started to lose its legitimacy when they showed 1. The Men in Black and 2. That movie at the end. But still a good collection of videos 1350825158 +I would have a neurological exam, sounds like an absence/petit mal seizure. 1329002328 +Yeah, she's convinced that her dead father is regularly visiting her and telling her that she needs to sell a reality show. I'm not even making this up. 1329335260 +From the very beginning of the feminist movement, there have been two types of feminists. Those who wanted the vote to gain equal access to liberties (the NWSA), and those who wanted to protect mothers as caretakers (the AWSA.) While they were rolled into one movement a century plus ago, I think both types are still active and nowhere is this more apparent than when an issue comes up as to whether women being included in a primarily male area means that women have the right to get on the field at all or whether the field should be re-leveled for these new players. I personally have always fallen into the first category, and am egotistically going to say that both Penn Jillette and Mallorie Nasrallah fall into it as well. The other view of feminism is the one supported by Jen McCreight and Rebecca Watson but also seems to be the more popular definition of feminism these days.\n\nTL;DR: I think the difference between the two forms of feminism is whether the feminist believe that all players should have an equal start or an equal finish. 1325664475 +I think you just voided them by posting on fb, honestly. You could still sue/demand to be taken down, but how will you know? Also, it's kind of too late now that there will forever be a mirror somewhere on the Internet. 1338793989 +It all makes sense now! 1347541812 +Not only that but if you had a universe with no life in it. Just God. As far as I can see there still wouldn't be such a thing as good or evil. \n\nI mean what would constitute a good action in this kind of universe?\n\nIs a star blowing up suddenly a good thing because there is a God? As far as I can see its still just a star blowing up with no moral weight one way or the other.\n\nEssentially the point being that having God in the equation doesn't get you anywhere. Its having life/consciousness that turns a universe from a place without morals into a place with morals. God contributes nothing to that. 1302847216 +That was a good one. \n\nPlease continue reposting my comments. 1356492569 +After painfully reading through that, the author and a bunch of his pals seemingly get sick and attached by an unseen entity after trying to visit a fortune teller.\n\nThe food at Waffle House isn't to blame since they had it to go. 1341866946 +What instances have you seen it in? 1350075085 +I this is a better explanation; his support of pseudoscience comes from ignorance, not malice or an intent to deceive. Having an expertise in heart surgery does not mean he is an expert in critical thinking or the scientific process. 1352561554 +So true. Every time they do an "experiment" they call it a "non-scientific bullshit experiment." In addition to proving their point they point out the problems with non-scientific inquiry. If someone doesn't agree with their conclusion and argues that their experiment was not rigorous enough they just have to hold up a mirror. 1312837617 +My trusty CRC Handbook lists the radiation exposure in space as follows:\n\n>Astronauts would be subject to radiation sources from galactic (0.05 rads per day) and solar (a few hundred rads per solar flare) cosmic rays as well as large fluxes of low energy radiation when passing through the Van Allen belts **(about 0.3 rads per traverse).**\n\n-CRC Hanbook of Chemistry and Physics, 83rd edition (2005-2006)\n\nNow, for comparison's sake, let's check around the net. [This site](http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/safety/index.cfm?pg=sfty_xray) lists the radiation exposure of getting a CT scan as 10 mSv, or about 1 rad. So no, going through the Van Allen belts won't kill an astronaut. \n\nEdited for formatting. 1346444186 +Sure, I oversimplified. That's why I also included a formal definition.\n\nI suppose you could say that addiction sets in when, for a prolonged period of time, you partake in an activity for which the negative consequences outweigh the positive. Which, I suppose, is something you'll have to decide for yourself.\n\nFor a soldier, the good consequences (I don't believe there are any, but they do, so I can't provide an example here) outweigh the possible bad consequences. 1344373508 +Your explanation is correct however I think the photo is being mis-interpreted. What all these foods have in common is they all share a high glycemic index. The spike in blood sugar after consuming these foods has been shown to be a contributing factor in developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. \n\nBullshit might be a little too harsh however it is definitively over-simplified and as your explanation shows, diabetes is much to complicated to be summed up with a couple photos of food. 1345230151 +>Chinese culture has lauded shark fins' alleged properties to boost sexual potency, enhance skin quality, increase one's qi or energy, prevent heart disease, and lower cholesterol.[11]\nVitamin content of typical shark fin soup is much less than that of typical vegetable soup, containing almost no vitamin A. However, it contains slightly more iron, zinc, riboflavin, and phosphorus than normal vegetable soup.[15] [16]\nThere are apparently false claims that shark fins prevent cancer.[17][18] No scientific proof supports these claims; at least one study has shown shark cartilage to be of no value in cancer treatment.[19]\nIf consumed in extremely large quantities, shark fin soup may cause sterility in men due to mercury content.[20] The FDA recommends pregnant women and young children avoid eating shark fins.[21]\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark_fin_soup\n\n 1319136040 +*Ozzy \n\nBut he makes a good point! 1310152408 +I suppose I shouldn't overestimate gullibility, but I am still surprised people are actually bidding on this. The book in the image is *Hoaxes and Scams*, her ID is skepchick, and she obviously doesn't take it seriously. I don't doubt that she will perform the requested spell, so I guess people will get what they paid for: an obvious scam. 1281812326 +Your equating "not absolutely exact = not science" is annoying, if it were the case then nothing would be science, because everything is based on observation, which is by essence flawed. Newton's gravitational theory has been proven to be inexact by subsequent better observations, but we didn't stop calling it science.\n\nAnd I'm pretty sure people aren't condemned on the unique basis of their fingerprints. 1340289884 +Organic food companies are perfectly free to put stickers on their food that says "Not genetically modified" and many of them do. That's where the expense belongs.\n\nThis legislation would be like forcing all food packaging to inform us that they're not kosher. 1350080336 +If you disagree with this scientist, you are Jenny McCarthy! 1269444850 +Yeah, the "evidence" indicting Larken as a "huckster" consists of a legal conviction of Larken on the basis of "income tax evasion", a claim that the IRS made about Larken for *years* without the IRS presenting any evidence for their claims, then *failed to provide evidence* he was committing that crime, then *failed to provide evidence* that there *even exists a law* that applies to Larken, and finally they just summarily put him in a cage. In other words, the "evidence" is "because the judge says so". Fuck your "evidence".\n\nBut "*my* beliefs are not crazy", right? They're all based on "evidence", right? The "evidence" of *the man is in a cage, therefore he must be a huckster*. Nice **superstitious thinking** you appeal to: "the man was punished, therefore he must be evil".\n\nSo, go ahead, slander Larken (who spent a year in a cage) for demanding evidence before people accuse him and punish him. Go ahead. 1325471182 +[Here's an interesting essay about that.](http://lesswrong.com/lw/he/knowing_about_biases_can_hurt_people/)\n\n> I've seen people severely messed up by their own knowledge of biases. They have more ammunition with which to argue against anything they don't like. And that problem—too much ready ammunition—is one of the primary ways that people with high mental agility end up stupid[...]. 1341532906 +This might seem cynical, at first. But these things (if they exist) seem to have a serious fear of being recorded. So at least you could use a bunch of cameras to make sort of 'safe-zones', where this thing will be less inclined to do anything. (You could possibly even use those little door-security cameras from Argos; but obviously better quality gear with self-contained storage is preferable.)\n\nEven if you still have problems outside the camera areas, just having a place where you know you can 'have a break' will be good for lowering the levels of anxiety you must both be feeling.\n\nBut if everything you say is true (sorry to sound so sceptical, it's just that your post is the most intense account that's been on here for many moons) then this is not something you should be facing on your own. But you might need documented footage before the either of the churches will put you in contact with an experienced exorcist.\n\nPlease keep us updated, if you can. 1350442935 +i am sorry but i don't get it...\n\nthere is a forest fire of big pharma meds that don't work, don't cure, are poison, have a list of side effects a mile wide, are being pulled off of the market, repackaged for other uses...burning all around you and you are running around trying to catching lighting bugs so they don't start a fire.\n\ncymbalta is now being sold as a pain reliever...it was a crazy drug when i used it for a few months, cleaned house like a mad woman~never before or since~and i lost my art, the life long drive to create, the need and joy in creating, even owning the materials for art seemed childish and stupid. luckily i had people in my life that convinced me otherwise...\n\nso clearly there are medicines out there that can kill, are ineffective or both...\n\nbut they are okay. the homeopathic item is really dangerous...especially if it can do nothing. 1310127786 +Ah not a problem. I grew up in Colfax hearing these stories. I will find and post a link in the update of the history of the town\n 1331877244 +Should they have segwayed the plank off a cliff? 1351837256 +How come some U.S. citizens go to Canada for vacations? This is r/skeptic; please provide evidence when you make claims.\n\nEven if you were to provide evidence, you would still be missing the point of the Canadian healthcare system. It is meant to provide support to those who can't afford surgery, let alone afford flying to a different country for that surgery. Just because some rich Canadians can fly to the US for surgery at the best medical institutions in the world doesn't mean we should forget about the thousands who can't. 1313558646 +why is "misinformation" in quotes? 1293241093 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEqBvvvSgK0, i think this is it 1323921763 +"So are you sure you need that kid? You haven't played with him in twelve years. Let's go ahead and throw that on the 'no' pile."\n\n-But but... I might later... 1326754891 +It is a part of what got humanity to this point.\n\nMy current understanding of ghosts is people see them due to magnetic fields or possibly the quartz in the stone used in old buildings affecting their brain patterns.I have never thought ghosts were dead people(except as a child perhaps).\n\nI don't spend much time thinking about ghosts but even that explanation is better than Dawkins and his typically dismissive "meme" explanation,he's a bit of a meme himself.\n\nYou insult me by presuming where my ideas come from.\n\nI think military tech because of the X-Files?\n\nCome on,you must know there is more to that idea than a TV show if you are in any way as informed as you claim to be.\n\n"You have never seen a craft—no one has".\n\nI have never claimed to see a craft only things I cannot explain that might be alien craft,I have no idea why you think you get to speak for all the people that do claim to have seen a craft.\nThis is pure arrognace on your part.\n\nHas it occured to you that people who described seeing various weird shit in the past were incapable of making an educated guess as to what they were looking at and now given our technical ability and knowledge of the universe we might be making the correct assumption?\n\nA pointless question to ask you I suppose,you will liken it to teapots orbiting the sun.\n\nOh and must I also get a downvote for every reply I make?\n 1354965495 +>Proton therarpy sounds like a good therapy against Romulans also.\n\nOnly if you reverse the polarity. 1319221489 +A few, but what do you mean. 1321674660 +Thanks for that 1261168585 +>No, the point is that it's incorrect to claim that it's not helpful for anxiety.\n\nI never argued that it wasn't either.\n\n>Because many people DO find it helpful. Since many people do find it helpful, it is CORRECT to claim that it's helpful for anxiety.\n\nExactly under what population and what percentage of people find it helpful? I haven't seen any statistics on this, so unless you have a source you can't claim that "many" find it helpful. Regardless, it still isn't correct to claim it's helpful for anxiety because that isn't the whole truth and it's misleading.\n\n>Because many people DO find it helpful. Since many people do find it helpful, it is CORRECT to claim that it's helpful for anxiety.\n\nYes, but in this instance it can actually *cause* or *worsen* the very thing it is claimed to alleviate. If this were any other drug, no one would claim it beneficial for this problem. A drug that causes cancer but can cause cancer, a drug that alleviates headaches but can also cause or worsen headaches? No one would claim those drugs to be helpful unless the percentage of the population getting the bad end of the drug was **statistically** insignificant. 1306430200 +Let's turn the tables: If we were visiting a species in early development, would we be so happy to land and start shaking hands? I hope not. It could be destructive to them in so, so many ways. \n\nI doubt they'd think in such simple terms as, "Hey they can't do anything, fuck em". 1312995967 +I have no idea, but clinical research into such a concept would very likely be deemed unethical.\n\nIn the video, it wasn't extremism per se, just faith in a higher power, and it wasn't vaccination, but elimination. 1345931536 +in 5 years the FDA has had to ban countless scienctific cures and treatments because either they did not work (ohh quackery) or because the did more harm than good (like ***kill you***...is there something worse the quackery?).\n\nlet us not get into that healthcare is for those with money...and most people need to make a choice (food,shelter)/healthcare\n 1294240393 +[To be fair, you got yours out of the way in the mid-19th century.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Anti-Vaccination_League) 1350777603 +the link can stay removed, i couldn't give 2 shits...\ni added that after the 1st call out...not "multiple times" as you say...as for you, who has to lie by saying "multiple times" rather than telling the truth that is was done after the "1st call out", I can't see how you're actually allowed to be a moderator. you attitude is certainly one that takes a lot to get used to. perhaps you need to go take a walk get some fresh air and calm down! this conversation is over, but you need to reflect on this when you go to bed tonight, and realise where you have gone wrong. 1344378999 +*EDIT: *Your* logic is correct however, you have to consider that aliens are indeed "extra-terrestrial." Symmetry may be core to earthly mammals and such but the matter of subject is not earthly mammals it is aliens. The big bang paved way for earths precious metals and elements gases etc. I believe its safe to say we mammals came to be due to this mixture of elemental metals and gases but, what if an alien home like ours recieved a different set of elemental metals and gases that gave way to a different type of being. What im trying to say is..."five heads on different spots on the top of our shoulders or neck," is indeed a possibility for extraterrestrial beings due to the different structures in DNA they have. They might have learned to adapt to there homeworld which took centuries of evolution like us. We may think that the human body is the ideal now but when we look at another intelligent species that has had centuries to perfect its evolutionary skills I think what we may perceive visually will be stunning. 1328481027 +Can you please give me the wedsite congrats on you success 1314236767 +I haven't caught too much either, but it would provide a way for the spirit to answer questions without leaving a door open for other things. If he's in the mood to talk, that is. 1323803570 +>These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.\n\nPeople get all huffy when government regulates business, but I don't see why. The FDA requires shysters to mark their products with this claim. It immediately tells me that their product is bullshit. 1329950465 +A little bit of greed, likely, but he uses the term "subluxation" of the spine which seems to indicate that he really does buy into the old debunked pseudoscience of Chiropractic as well. He may well be a true believer. 1313292763 +There were definitely people covered in blood who had been in the towers when the planes hit but made it out alive, like [this guy](http://www.nocaptionneeded.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/911-woman-low.jpg) and this [woman](http://stevehagis.com/images/wtc/WTC%20bloody%20victim.jpg). Stories from the people who were going down the stairs after the hit also speak of seeing many bloodied people among them. 1335971786 +Have you ever tried communicating with them? What would happen if you tried saying something like \n\nGET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU EMACIATED LITTLE FUCKS \n\nLEAVE THIS PLACE RIGHT NOW, CUNTS \nGET. \n\nwhat will their reaction be 1346133016 +Explosions are real for one thing. Abandon your faith and let knowledge bring you back to it. It'll take a lifetime and you'll stop getting those funny looks from those of us who are critical of bullshit. 1288068599 +or to put it another way, you don't have the faintest clue what you're talking about and you're just inserting sciency sounding words into your new age bollocks.\n\nHere's a challenge for you: give me a coherent one sentence definition of the term "energy"\n\nor, give me a coherent one sentence definition of the word "quantum" 1326219148 +I only now have had a cursory look but here is seemingly most reliable info I have seen. Lots of websites out there with "RAW MILK: THE FACTS" That make me laugh.\n\n\n>To help counter some of the more spectacular claims for drinking raw milk, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have published these no-nonsense rumor busters:\n\n>Raw milk does not have a natural resistance to bacteria.\n\n>Pasteurization does not cause lactose intolerance.\n\n>Both pasteurized and raw milk can cause allergic reactions.\n\n>There's no proven health benefit associated with drinking raw milk.\n\n>Claims that raw milk can cure asthma, allergies and other conditions are inaccurate.\n\n>Pasteurization does not negatively impact the nutritional value of milk\n\nIt would seem that any minor benefit (if studies have not shown much benefit it is a pretty good bet that if there is a benefit it is minor) is not outweighing the risks of raw milk. But more study is not a bad thing...\n\n>According to the Director of the Dairy and Egg Safety Division at the FDA CFSAN, in testimony on raw milk safety presented to the Ohio House of Representatives Agricultural Committee on May 24, 2006, a search of their data from 2000-2005 “produced 44 illnesses associated with pasteurized milk products as compared with 473 from raw milk… \n\nhttp://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Product-SpecificInformation/MilkSafety/ConsumerInformationAboutMilkSafety/ucm183170.htm\n\nWhat is even more frightening is that the number of people drinking raw milk is much less than those drinking pasteurized milk.\n\nI would guess this debate is so prominent as it is a case of appealing to nature. \n\nSome may argue that the information from the government is just a conspiracy... but the scientific evidence shows us otherwise.\n\n\n\nIf you are here to talk about the legal battle of whether it should be allowed to be sold... well that is for r/politics. \n\nsomething to look at: \nhttp://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/articles/2009/03/20/raw-milk-is-gaining-fans-but-the-science-says-its-dangerous\n\nhttp://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2009/01/raw-milk-debate-helping-parents-wade.html 1317212257 +Was there even a ghost to ghost this year? I haven't been following because Noory sucks. 1356896807 +I can buy the black case for heatsink reasons, but why blue LEDs? I've never heard that. And do cold cathodes have the same effect? I have a gaming PC...this is relevant to my interests. >_> 1335068445 +Good point. If they were advanced enough to send a message we could understand, I don't think they'd waste their time; if they saw us as even a minor threat, they'd probably exterminate us in the blink of an eye. 1351704667 +who the hell cares if there's a cut in the video? Everyone here records 24/7? Its makes more sense there's a cut because these people have no idea what they are about to film. Which has the opposite effect making it also more credible. 1296794358 +And a hardened skeptic prior to all of his involvement ... to boot. 1311280278 +Thank you for both the upvote and the comment. In all honesty, i only want to share this site, and this subreddit, i feel, would really enjoy it. The desired upvotes aren't for vanity, i promise. I am genuinely trying to share a site i feel many would enjoy. 1346171763 +>Hyperbole and mis-characterization, you're still doing it.\n\nNo, I'm not.\n\n>This is a false statement. I've provided links, which in turn point to a number sources.\n\nWell, apart from the Iceland results there doesn't seem to be so many issues with the adjustments.\n\n>Here you've put words in my mouth.\n\nSo, are you saying that the GHCN temperature record is trustworthy?\n\n>And this one is downright insulting. Reported.\n\nOh, don't be so sensitive. You *did* mention in another post that you agree that adding CO2 to the atmosphere does increase temperatures, so I guess you're not really a "hard-core denier." More like a lukewarmer who has on numerous occasions used insults instead of arguments (as one can see for oneself looking back at your posting history) - so don't go around acting the "holier-than-thou" part, it really doesn't suit you well.\n\nStill, I agree that the epithet I gave you was uncalled for, and I apologize for it.\n\n>Go to hell you worthless troll.\n\nI'm not a troll, I am simply being skeptical of your claims. Now, I apologized for calling you a "hardcore denier" based on what you wrote in this thread, will you apologize for calling me a "worthless troll"? :-)\n\nEdit: also, copy-pasting the same post in various sub-reddits does feel kind of douchey. You should at least consider personalizing each copy/pasted version... 1332268442 +This is true, but there must be some popular evidence out there, be it mass sightings or news reports. 1344121689 +Fish do feel pain. You are a biological machine. 1332242672 +Extra-dimensional? Ever heard this?\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1b4NYC6axo\n\n 1354807472 +Unsolved mysteries on the history channel? Second time I hear about the forest hmm 1351472670 +[5th Gear](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1mCw2AwY24&t=4m30s) did something similar too. 1300535125 +We need to leave Youtube to the religious nutters and find a place tolerant of all free speech 1330306250 +Your confidence in the matter is astounding. Your stubbornness is akin to that of a strict religious nut.\n\nThe whole point of this subreddit is that all evidence of extra terrestrial activity should be taken with an open mind and therefore discussed accordingly.\n 1335146058 +Stephen Hawking says that we should expect a scenario similar to that of when Columbus encountered Native Americans. 1313767908 +They more likely attract entities. A mobile phone would be like a beacon. 1321084622 +Nothing to read, only posted one (twice now), whose ass is your head up exactly? 1314990417 +that phone call clip always gives me chills 1302292469 +Shoddy journalism. It's impossible to tell from the article what's going on. 1277071376 +Is this your video or do you have some knowledge of its provenance? 1346839134 +They all have type II. I know that. What I don't know is if they had any genetic predisposition to the disease, as asked. 1345311419 +interesting, but there is no context to relate the thing to. that and crappy phone cameras. Can someone add some contrast to the image? :) 1343584074 +Actually, it is really hard to understand if ones personal experience or close social network say otherwise. Statistics and studies are cold hard facts and anecdotes are cuddly, visceral feelings.\n\nThink about the flip side. Skeptics and the general public generally believe that home birth* is risky and irresponsible. Yet the best scientific evidence points to equivalent major outcomes (morbidity and mortality) with positive minor outcomes (fewer interventions, better birth experience).\n\n*caveat: the home birth has to be planned with an experienced are provider and within a certain proximity to a hospital. 1349525522 +Death Valley? :-) But seriously, it's not just about the global temperature changes, but everything else that entails. 1274472376 +Agreed. This 'debunking' is done by a guy who is passionately pushing his own agenda - in the transcripts of the video, the guy straight up states that the Illuminati are corrupting the 'real truth' of Jesus and the Bible, so that people will equate worshiping religion with worshiping Jesus and thus turn people away from Him. Further, he asserts that the reason why uttering Jesus' name while one is suffering from sleep paralysis frees one from its effects, is because the demons know that He is real. \n\n>I submit to all of you that Jesus was the most anti-religious person that ever walked the face of the earth, he had nothing but compassion for sinners of even the worst kind…the only harsh things he ever said was to the clergy of his day….oh and the bankers.\nThe reason the mere calling on his name crushes whatever force is behind sleep paralysis and so called alien abductions is because he really is who he claimed to be. And the demons are just as scared of him now as they were during the pages of the bible.\n\nAnd this gem:\n\n>Christianity is not a belief system it’s a supernatural event that happens to you, your life begins to change, you start to love the things of God and hate the things of sin, you are given new power to turn from things that have you in chains, it doesn’t mean you will be prefect but you will start to change and that change will continue your whole life, it is freedom from bondage not a list of rules.\n\n>I do not think that David Icke knows that he is being used as a tool for the new world order, I would like to think that he would turn from his ways if he could be convinced of it. I want to ask you to help me pray for Mr Icke.\n\n\n\nThis isn't skepticism; it's some kind of New Age Christian 'debunking' of Icke, because the author hates the Theosophical leanings (and therefore 'anti-Jesus' teachings) of David Icke.\n\nPS: Chris White, the producer of this 'documentary', is a 'New Christian' who has produced a video for others who wish to believe what he does. In this [video](http://vimeo.com/9435763), he declares that demons are real, and can access this 'plane' through Ouija boards among other things. Start watching at around 18:25 for a fascinating glimpse into the world of 'Spiritual Warfare'. Sorry, but this guy isn't a skeptic at all; he's a conspiracy theorist who just happens to be opposed to the conspiracies of Icke.\n\n 1308971217 +I would suggest when they insert the requisite anal probe, you bear down and capture it in your lower colon. Would make a great gizmo (once it's cleaned up of course). 1312235848 +I saw nothing that didn't imply these were just balloons. 1320071306 +There are still plenty of reasons why McDonald's is bad for you and society. 1332182334 +Aliens is probably the *least* likely explanation. 1326289468 +Unfortunately they were able to quit their plumber jobs. They just had a marketing deal with Roto Rooter. 1302713276 +god i miss art 1337928757 +True enough. I apologise again. 1338207453 +> GM is basically manipulating the genetics of a plant to get a desired trait present in the crop. Farmers have been doing this for millennia through selective breeding, but now geneticists have a much easier tool to get down and dirt in the DNA of the plants without having to wait for random mutations and then trying to propagate it out through several generations.\n\nBefore you reply to this you should read [my other post](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/11vjwy/rskeptic_please_help_me_understand_the_real_deal/c6q5aye), I'm not anti GM and I agree GM actually describes all biological entities. However, NAGM (naturally selected GM) should not be conflated with AGM (artificial GM) because one is a meritocracy and the other is becoming corporate whimsy where the selection pressure is socio-economic monopolisation and novelty to leverage the patent system.\n\nShort answer: they're the exact same thing with a **fundamental** difference. 1350919264 +I'm not sure if I should feel offended or honored. 1319059579 +It's not that scary. It was more annoying stuff. Radios and TVs going on by themselves water running, after the board though things got bad. Voices, moving objects, and my wife says I got possessed one night, but I can't validate that as I was asleep. 1331566134 +It's not really a strawman given sugar is the reason people drink diet pops 1305138421 +Eesh. That would make an interesting short story. 1340071810 +Whenever I am confronted by this stuff (which is thankfully rare) I point the misguided soul to the following link:\n\nhttp://www.cracked.com/article_15740_was-911-inside-job.html\n\nLogic!\n\nThat usually stops them from spamming me with further BS. 1315798616 +in my opinion, any of the political/economic points made in the big pharma book are valid for gmos as well. 1350966769 +Unfortunately, to get the benefits, you must take the garlic as a suppository. 1327505347 +So, two Rabbis walk into a hotel bar... 1334899962 +> the fact he's part of a Creationist organization lowers my expectations considerably.\n\nExactly. It's not that he couldn't be correct, no matter who he's affiliated with. But seeing that he's part of the ICR, is involved in anti-choice politics, and is part of the 'biblical apologetic' department definitely lowers expectations.\n 1335535333 +Oh shit, the same guy? I hadn't connected the dots. Yeah, I'll absolutely look into it. 1309225438 +I'm not familiar with QI, but Unsolved Mysteries covered a very similar story back in the 80s. So, the fact that a group of people could make crop circles has long been documented. If you're willing to let just one episode of a TV show convince you "this is the way it is" I think you're robbing yourself of the full breadth of *any* issue. 1345204472 +Bigot 1350673515 +Because being a "skeptic" means that you use rational thought, logic and perhaps a dash of scientific method to discuss controversial topics. Having a contrary opinion based on anything else does not make you a skeptic. 1308281508 +I attempt to point out that something as ephemeral and undefined as love has a great influence on our actions be it subjective. And is in no way any less real than any ghost. As for ghost proof, again subjective, unless you were present for the phenomenon what substantial proof do you need. A ghost in a box? Undead you can shake hands with? We are on the cusp of technology advancing to the point where proof will be incontrovertible. However for the science look to "phantom Limb" as photographed by kirlian photography. Look to electromagnetic field theory as applied to auras. 1320759372 +That's about the size of it from where I sit. 1338589451 +potholer54 is tremendous. His videos on global warming really helped me get a firm grasp of the nature of the surrounding conversation/argument. 1332677742 +When they make a claim that bothers you, ask them why they think that? What's the evidence? \n\nYou will probably see them acting VERY sciencey. Ask them if they have scientific training. \n\nhttp://www.csicop.org/si/show/amateur_paranormal_research_and_investigation_groups_doing_sciencey_things 1350162039 +I don't believe in objective morals, I only used the word "morals" because there is unfortunately no alternative known to me to express the idea I was trying to express (even though "morals" does so innaccurately and worse, misleadingly). 1321418956 +You make a fair point. He claims that there are numerous studies, but the only thing he's shown me is from the "Journal of Orgonomy," a Reichian group's own publication, one I would hardly call objective. I was wondering if anyone here knew anything that might've been done by a non-reichian group. 1314835863 +I think Communion was a very good book/movie. I admire it in that it readily acknowledges the internal dreamlike quality of encounters with these beings. Rather than claiming things like mechanical UFOs and physical people piloting them, Strieber weighed his terms very carefully and referred to them simply as "The Visitors" and was reluctant to even make the claim that the whole episode wasn't occurring predominantly in his own head. For this, I admire the guy's work and feel that his encounter claims were legitimate.\n\nHowever, because of his book Communion, he went from semi-known author to giant celebrity pretty much instantly, and he had firmly established himself as an authority of sorts within the niche market of UFO and alien enthusiasts. He's latched on to a lot of pretty questionable people and stories. It seems now the guy pretty much sells himself as "the alien guy" and entirely plays that up for a lot of professional success.\n\nCheck out his website to see what I mean:\nhttp://www.unknowncountry.com/\n\nCommunion was a very interesting book and I think most of it is based in legitimate experiences. However, much like Linda Howe, he started with a couple of insightful investigations, and quickly went into crazytown where there was no bullshit filter in place whatsoever. Or even worse than that, they are both willing to push PROVEN HOAXES for the sake of a little attention. No matter how ridiculous or unfounded a claim may be in regards to this subject, there will always be enough people who want to believe, and will believe regardless of evidence. These people also tend to do things like subscribe to websites, and fork over money for books.\n\nSomething else to keep in mind: Whitley Strieber was a psychological/supernatural horror author before Communion. I'm skeptical of Strieber for the same reasons why I'm skeptical of L.R. Hubbard, a sci-fi author who went on to found a religion based on ancient alien stories. 1337968217 +MantisMU is Benjamin from MU. 1332696688 +Literally! a-hurr hurr hurrrr 1329599848 +No, they're most definitely satellites. go out on ANY night, even in the city, and you WILL see them. 1314317468 +www.sacrededen.com claims to have their products reviewed by The Living Research Institute, which is a website run by SacredEden. 1341333519 +Big development. 1349723520 +If you're gonna black-out the girls' faces, you might want to do it in the mirror, too. 1333992240 +Ever hear of DMT? No religion needed to explain the afterlife, just science. 1352573953 +Two words. Mythbusters. 1288657033 +I'm sure it's actually a combination of factors. \n\n1. This was born out of the cold war. Although Russia is no longer the USSR, and China has had several generations of reforms, there is still a sense that the world is not entirely stable. Not everyone is on our side. However, we should have by now set aside at least some of the panic from the cold war era. The United States clearly still has enemies.\n\n2. This is about technology and power. This is a secret bigger than the atomic bomb. Today many countries attempt to make nuclear weapons, but historically the United States is the only nation that has used them in warfare. The power in just one of these vehicles is capable of warping spacetime enough to create warp fields that allow faster than light travel and cloaking. It's surely greater than the power of an atomic bomb. One team at S-4 attempted to open a saucer's reactor while in operation, much like the idiots who try to fuel their cars while the engine is running, and caused a detonation that killed the entire team. However, if these devices were harnessed as weapons to cause intentional detonations, they could do more damage than we can imagine. These vehicles crash from time to time for a variety of reasons. If that technology fell into the wrong hands it would be catastrophic. What could a suicide bomber do with a reactor core from a crashed saucer?\n\n3. Economic power. Thanks to the distribution of advanced alien technology to various corporations with government contracts, not only does the United States have the most technologically advanced military in the world, but also these companies have valuable technology to profit from. We're seeing our world slowly transform into the imagined future world of science fiction. Even Nikola Tesla supposedly claimed to communicate with aliens. This is an important component of our technological development. Corporations with such valuable property will protect it through secrecy.\n\n4. Energy. As postulated by many in the past, energy is the big business that holds the global economy together. This is why we still use long outmoded fossil fueled cars. See "Who Killed the Electric Car?" or talk to anyone who has their home running on solar and/or wind power successfully, or their cars running on hydrogen. Alien technology could mean the collapse of our global economy, which is oil based. It doesn't just mean that the people invested in the current system lose their positions of power. It means the world could get turned upside-down. It could be disastrous.\n\n5. Religion is a barrier. Yes, the element of panic is real. Sure, there's probably a good percentage of enlightened intellectuals and scifi nerds who could easily cope with the reality of the myriad extraterrestrial life forms that visit Earth, but could your grandma who signs Amazing Grace so sweetly in church on Sunday? Let's just do a quick Reality Check here. Make a list of every family member and friend you can think of. I know it may take a while since a lot of them aren't on Facebook. Then highlight all the ones you think of as being religious people. Now imagine them trying to deal with aliens as a reality. They're okay? Wow, that's great! Okay, now imagine the aliens have videos of the crucifixion of Jesus, and tell us all about how they influenced the religious leaders of the past. Imagine they handed us a nice, detailed book with pictures of Mohammed, and I don't meant blasphemous drawings-- photographs. Imagine every belief they all have built their moral and ethical structure around is thrown out the window. Now imagine riots. Imagine survivalists with vast caches of automatic weapons and fires and looting. Just listen to some of the wackjobs who call the Coast-to-Coast AM show talking about Jesus and demons whenever there's a UFO broadcast. Check out the paranoid videos out there that want us to believe that aliens are from the devil. Remember these are people who reject evolution and global warming, but embrace virgin births, walking on water, and water into wine.\n\n6. Cattle Mutilations - This is a part of this that many people studying the subject either ignore or reject. You can try to explain away the cattle mutilation phenomenon (and the less reported human mutilations) but it's real. I know this from the cattle ranchers themselves. No, it's not the product of predators or cultists. It happens so fast that it's like lightning striking. You turn around for a minute and a cow you just saw alive is not only dead, but has all the blood drained from its body, one eye and part of the jaw missing, genitals and anus missing, and no signs of struggle or blood spillage, cauterized wounds and impossible precision. This is happening on a massive scale, and has been ~~ignored~~ *censored8 by the media. It costs ranchers a lot of money, but it's also part of a dark secret the United States government is keeping, supposedly by agreement with the grays from Zeta Reticuli. According to UFO folklore, this race has been manipulating the genes of the human race for thousands of years, possibly to find a way to hybridize and make their own race viable again. However, there is also evidence that various other species have also been manipulated. More plausible than "water spouts" in many cases of "rain of frogs" or "rain of fish" is that these are dumps of animals used in these programs of genetic manipulation. The realization that we're the [Jackson Laboratory Mice](http://jaxmice.jax.org/) of the grays will NOT sit well with people. \n\n7. Human abductions - This is a real phenomenon. I have spoken with victims of alien abductions, and not ones who only remembered through hypnotic regression. Some remember it just fine without hypnosis, and some of them are quite plausible. Abduction is illegal when a human does it to another human. I don't think anyone will want to legalize it for extraterrestrials. This is a traumatic experience, and there have been a number of alarming alleged incidents. If these are true, there will be public outcry, and the human race is likely to call for war. The extraterrestrial governments/militaries/factions/organizations/whatever the hell they are, are very clearly more powerful and more technologically advanced than any human government, and will continue to be so for quite some time. They can knock an ICBM out of flight and make the warhead a dud. They can take down our best fighter jets and bombers. However, humans are stupid enough to think we can stand up to them. They watch too many movies.\n\n8. Atrocities - If the stories about the Dulce base are true (and that's a big if) then the aliens in that base and their human collaborators are guilty of atrocities that exceed the crimes of Joseph Mengele. If the United States is incapable of containing that situation, what will the people demand? If Superman turned out to be a secret rapist and murderer, who would stop him?\n\n9. Celebrity - If people knew there were human looking aliens on Earth, and that they had stations here as stops along intergalactic trade routes, there would be serious problems keeping people away from them. According to Charles Hall the "tall whites" can pass for human, and used to even go shopping in our stores and gambled in casinos in Nevada. They did this with guards, and by their nature they seem to regard us as savages to a large extent. Supposedly the U. S. military gets technology from them and assistance with secret space missions, and there are companies that trade with them. How will these things continue with typical humans trying to see them like desperate fans trying to get a picture with a rock star or movie star? I wonder how many have tried to go to the base near Indian Springs since Hall's books were released. \n\n10. Cultural contamination - Even if human beings can accept the existence of aliens, how about alien culture? What if they have a way of life that is utterly offensive to the common sensibilities of mankind? What if they eat their dead or have sex with their children? What if they ritually castrate themselves? What if they think it's okay to rape members of "lesser" species like us? or eat us? What if they have powerful recreational drugs we've never encountered? What if they won't share their videogames with us? Human culture is *childish* at best, savage at worst. Unrestricted contact with alien cultures could cause riots and madness, and could eventually dilute and destroy the existing human culture. Think about it. There are some very broad possibilities even within human cultures on this planet. Americans are shocked by The Kite Runner and the strange boy buggering tradition that has developed in Afghanistan. Entirely separate intelligent species could be much weirder and more offensive. We just don't know.\n 1331924397 +From the store's perspective, if it sells then it's worth the shelf space, CVS doesn't care if that snake oil crap works or not. There is consumer demand for it. Unfortunately, consumers assume that there are protections and regulations that will protect them from this kind of fraud. If it's on the shelf in my local pharmacy, it *must* be legitimate. 1329762616 +It definitely asserts an air of authenticity. Something about the first video strikes me as rather convincing, too. Has MUFON released much on any of these cases? \n\nI've come across minor allusions to some of these being hoaxes, but is there a more *official* consensus? 1342206709 +I don't object to any of the science, but I can't stand the emotional propaganda.\n\nLike the video/pictures of a polar bear stranded on a piece of floating ice. As though they were clinging for survival on the last piece of ice in the water. Also, as far as I'm aware, there is no evidence to suggest hurricanes are related to global warming but that doesn't stop it from getting touted by the media.\n\nI wish people would just present the facts, and sometimes the hardcore agw supporters can't seem to differentiate real dangers from inflated dangers. 1326860035 +> How about a skeptic who is a 9/11 Truther?\n\nA model of the universe where the US government might stage false flag attacks is a more accurate model than one where the US government is assumed to be benign. Reguardless of what actually happened in a given case, dismissing non-supernatural conspiracy claims out of hand is sloppy thinking.\n\nConspiracy theories turn out to be true with some regularity. If we, as Skeptics, consistently use the latest conspiracy theory as an example of what Skeptics think is crazy, then we'll inevitably discredit ourselves when we hit the one that really happened.\n\nShit, there were no WMDs in Iraq. Asbestos causes cancer. The Tuskegee Syphilis Study happened.\n\nWe've got to be able to resort to that one key thing that we have as science minded people: we're allowed to admit that we don't know. And then we can make a snide remark about what side we'd bet on; losing those bets sometimes is OK. 1280199742 +Yeah this is the biggest red flag of all, if he really had a working system he would most likely be blacklisted.\n\nYou hear these stories all the time of people who break casinos who knows the math behind it all and get blacklisted or worse 1333217007 +Says the guy stealing content and reposting torrential spam on subreddits. 1313358470 +Jenny McCarthy remains unimpressed. 1266341570 +[/r/nosleep](/r/nosleep) will be your friend. This isn't quite the glitches we are looking for :) 1326494070 +Bruce Lee was a beast. Unfortunately front raises aren't a big lift for strength athletes, and bodybuilders do them with lower weights and higher reps to build mass, so I can't find any information about how much a very strong person could do.\n\nFor reference, I'm a relatively fit (but not particularly strong) 200 lb guy. Just now I could barely hold 30 lbs for more than 5 seconds, and it would be obvious to anyone watching that it was very difficult. Granted, I'm recovering from a shoulder injury, but I think it still illustrates the point. 1322664920 +I'm in USA. $$$ is the answer to 99% of the "Why is your unregulated capitalist system preying on its own adherents?" 1314669478 +Cool. I went there when I was a kid while on vacation in Scotland. We went to see the dog stuff though, had no idea about the dark history to the place at the time (I was only 7). 1325790817 +Thanks for this post. I plan to spread the Save the PNW Tree Octopi message. 1327973287 +Very. And from a quick glance (all I could muster) it seems as though all of the moderators might be the same person. This looks like a very angry person with a lot of time on their hands. 1290980864 +I have only had one sighting when I was in grade school. It was a silent perfect triangle with one dim orange circle light in the center. I saw it out the kitchen window. I ran outside and saw it. It was hovering low almost perfectly in the center of my backyard. It was moving so slow that I had time to get my sister from the living room for her to witness it as well. I have always had a fascination with aliens since I was little. I don't know why. It scares me to no end. It really is frightening for me. That evening was a major event in my life. 1340252891 +Derp 1352413776 +Derp 1325479335 +I saw this and was very pleased to see her give props to David "Orac" Gorsky. 1345153523 +Taurus, GMT 1281894374 +Evangelism is "Lying for Money." 1344651051 +Okay, first of all, the naturalistic fallacy is that which is natural is inherently better, not just natural for it's own sake. And secondly, I only said it *seems* that the OP is falling for that based on his initial post.\n\nMore importantly, I don't bathe everyday anyway, but that is only out of laziness and lack of need. Most people I have experienced who don't bathe, tend to have some woo-laden "nature is better" philosophy. I suppose I conflated not using shampoo and not bathing, which I shouldn't have done. However, as the OP called himself a hippie, I assumed the worst.\n\nEDIT: typo. "bathe" not "bather" 1341551376 +I used to believe in ghosts/aliens until I actually made the effort to educate myself a little on how our brains work and plays tricks on our perceptions. Then I started being more skeptical about this sort of thing. It's just like Dawkins says: "The less you know, the more you believe." 1315802806 +I laughed hard at this.\n\nNO ONE expects the skeptic's inquisition! 1340023593 +do you think you could find the exit on google maps so we could see what's around there? 1341941495 +Removing an ad because it is controversial is bad. I don't want this ad to go up either but this is the same logic and tactics that anti medical marijuana groups use. 1325114128 +What’s it like being a motherfucker? 1354943982 +I would be absolutely terrified if I saw three hovering objects in the sky suddenly start spinning in a circle. The thought to me is so completely absurd and abnormal that it gives me chills. It's just such a foreign thing to see flying in the sky, I think I would feel that sense of helplessness too. \n\nAlso I would probably wonder why they were spinning that way - are they preparing to zoom off in a formation? Are they creating some kind of energy field by spinning? Are they about to shoot simultaneous laser beams at Earth? \n\nI know that's a little out there but I'm just saying I can relate to OP.\n\n 1356597808 +Indeed, or there is no such thing as a 4 sided triangle that you can draw on a finite piece of paper. I'm sure [MathildaIsTheBest](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/otke9/shit_skeptics_say/c3k53b0) can help us with that one ;)\n\nedit: And no folding! 1327441467 +the comments have much more woo than does the actual article.\n\nthey make me weep. 1335901232 +This website got me through a lot of understanding when I first sort of got into skepticism. If you don't know quackwatch -- or haven't gone through a solid read-through of the site -- I really suggest it. A bunch of great stuff, and then some quackery that you couldn't even believe. 1310206290 +I want to believe, but what 15 year old doesn't have a digital camera anywhere in their house? Apparently they were there for at least a little over a half an hour, and he didn't think to take a quick picture? 1261089927 +Thanks mom! 1332869965 +You're right, but i've learnt to give people what they are asking for rather than try to convince them of the impossible.\n\nI personally believe a good chunk of these are ET UFOs, but I would never demand that others think the same. I think the reason they appear is purely to keep the mystique going and to keep people searching for the truth; small reminders that there is more to the world than that which we see on the surface. The reason they do not land or get obvious about things is because that would open the doors to too many negative possibilities at this point in time. This isn't a popular view, but it is how I think of it. \n\nThat being said, there is always the chance of technology being behind these things, whether it is a hobbyist or a military endeavor. All possibilities are equal when we start. The discussion is the fun part, imo :) 1321241360 +That's incorrect. You're probably thinking of the unstable artificially created form that was made in a lab. It's not the same thing. The naturally occurring form, although non-terrestrial in origin, is stable. 1336049576 +To be fair, after making the bullshit claim of efficacy, these charlatans invariably include, in small print, the [Quack Miranda Warning](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Quack_Miranda_Warning), such as this one at the bottom of the page for [Wakunaga's Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract](http://www.rollinoats.com/promoG/LandingPage.asp?lpid=323&pid=345&storeID=DWRVUW2L6MVU8K8RKLUEPXFW532WBWA9):\n\n\n>These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. 1279299134 +Opened facebook this morning, aunt shared naturalnews.com link, left upset. She is on chemo, after much encouragement from her family, but she posts this website's crap everyday. Naturalnews' advice probably would have had her 6' under by now. 1320782053 +If you don't know them, how do you know they're dead? 1349057774 +http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/08/02/did-gun-control-work-in-australia/ 1356997548 +About 3 months. The time between visits increases each time, though, so it's not like it's once a week for 3 months. I've seen him probably 6 times total in that 3 month span. I'd think if they wanted more money he'd schedule me once a week instead of once a month. Not to mention the fact that it's legitimately helping. /shrug\n\nPlus it's public healthcare so he doesn't actually get paid with my money. 1318735300 +My mycology professor in college was very serious about the dangers of stachybotrys.\n\n\nMost black molds that you find growing in your house aren't stachybotrys, but some are. If you're worried about mold in your house, get it tested. If you have access to a microscope, stachybotrys is pretty easy to visually identify. 1336021851 +I think this is the person I was thinking of:\nhttp://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/17-04/ff_perfectmemory?currentPage=all\n\nCan't find the debunk at the moment. 1336003103 +I may just have to read that now. Thanks for the input and recommendation. I would give you (and everyone else) a longer response, but I'm not completely educated on all things paranormal so I don't want to seem naive/stupid; but I still value all of this, so thank you. 1352387109 +I have seen this quote many times that a person can't live more than 3 days without water. That is bullshit. My grandmother had esophageal cancer. In her last days they removed her from all food and water. And we waiting while she died a slow death. She live 16 days without food or water or any nasal oxygen treatment. It was a horrible way to watch someone die and I hate reliving it. But I bring it up to call BS on this theory that a person can't live for more than 3 days without water. 1349741613 +They may, however, not even be factually wrong there. Very often, use of alternative medicine comes with a certain smugness:\n\n"I'm smart and successful - I know myself *better* than a doctor - I can find alternatives on my own and don't need to rely on professionals..."\n\nAdd to that the typical confirmation bias, and you're sold. 1304668995 +The rational person in the relationship won't have any closure. The only excuse they'll have is their bad voodoo vibes and no real explanation. That may or may not be important to OP. Whatever the case, I think it's an important factor.\n 1301500114 +Almost every single space junk object in orbit is being constantly tracked. 1346110656 +n is too small :P\n\nAlthough you might make the case for a confidence interval. 1319349385 +He's just saying that scientists are in danger of becoming part of a hive-mind mentality whereby scientists need confirmation by other scientists before they will gang up against a paper. He's assuming that scientists will never question an established theory and "risk their reputations" (which isn't true).\n\nHe doesn't realize that while making new discoveries is the number 1 accolade, disproving a well-established theory is the number 2 cause of instant celebrity. 1307994397 +TIME SLIP! you saw your parents experience a time slip! 1335739557 +Thank you for the info, you seem to be very knowledgeable on this subject! And you did it in such a way of not sounding condescending so I really appreciate it. \n\nLike I said these aren't those only coincidences I have collected, just a few that I thought were kind of important. Also, just knowing that sketchy shit the US government has done in the past (Operation Northwoods, Operation Midnight Climax), I'm not entirely convinced the US government *might* not have anything to do with it. 1354842393 +There is the right to believe what you want.\n\nThen there is allowing your completely unfounded and scientifically invalid beliefs influence you when you treat other people. It is unethical.\n\nAnd all psychic powers and aura reading is the definition of horse shit. 1348594216 +The horoscopes ARE harmless. Their application, and the malicious people who use them like that, is the harmful thing. 1334001076 +Why do all paranormal investigators automatically associate k2 meters with ghosts? I've never understood why people rationalize ghosts as being part of the electromagnetic spectrum. \n\nMaybe ghosts emit ionizing radiation, and could be better detected with a Geiger counter. Food for thought :P 1338603895 +Won't break Mirrors, walk under ladders or open umbrellas Indoors. 1322398521 +Wow, no wonder they removed those other "mysteries." 1291816014 +If 39% of Americans think that it is "definitely true" the Earth is a young Earth. You have no business killing other people. Currently most notably this is occurring in the Middle East.\n\nEducate your public. 1331596815 +The human mind is easily deceived, confused and manipulated. Ever read about that airline pilot who sent his plane into a nosedive when he confused Venus with another plane? Eyewitness testimony is rarely the best form of evidence in most situations and in particular the situations where people make such incredible claims.\n\nDo aliens exist? I don't see how it's possible for them not to. With billions of galaxies and billions of stars in each of those galaxies, we can't be alone. I just find it highly improbable that these aliens traveled hundreds or thousands of light years across the known universe just to slowly hover over Russia or scare a bunch of farmers in Idaho and chase airplanes.\n\nWhy would they even come here if they could? We have nothing they need. We have no advanced technology. Our natural resources are more abundantly present in asteroids and other planets. Organic compounds? Even those can be found in space. 1335398198 +The two terms are just about equivalent. 1333284673 +Here is the thing about lights in the sky.....\n\nIf the lights don't behave in a way that is impossible for our current technology to perform then they are just lights in the sky. Balloons can appear to hover depending on the weather. RC helicopters can be adorned with flares and glow sticks. Shit, go fly a kite covered in glow paint on a windy night in a densley populated neighborhood- I am sure that the UFO calls will pour in.\n\nYep, the "Chinese Lantern Store" is doing really well these days. 1301420329 +you can see the tail end here http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/15114036338/2/tumblr_lx3syy22VY1r9r7lw 1325396536 + the end of the video he says that insurance should cover alternative medicine 1323197172 +I agree that margarine isn't that great, but it seems indicative of a larger attitude. It seems pretty much the same as a church sign saying "Chemists can't cure cancer, trust God to do it!" 1350223546 +I think that this is the conclusion many have reached but it is not as bad as it seems. Criticism is valid but your conclusions make it sound like all their arguments are exaggerated, which is not the case. \n\nYes, discussion around the criticisms go insane very fast, but this is part of the problem. Can you give an example of a fundamental disagreement that was charged of sexism but it wasn't? 1325947842 +I just used the phrase because it was running in this comment thread.\n\nIt's not easy ignoring them, those kinds of submissions inundate the entire subreddit and just tend to annoy the hell out of me. No one can tell a story anymore, they don't even try. Just slap on generic rage faces and enjoy hundreds of useless internet points.\n\n(that, or facebook screencaps, LOOK WHAT I SAW TODAY: mundane.jpg, etc.)\n\n 1324046312 +This was surprisingly tilted in favor of skepticism. Banachek and Randi were both great, they were given a lot of air time, and the reporters (one reporter and the host anyway) were skeptical. A win for the good guys. 1313639680 +Non sequitur. The claim is not: "This treatment has dangers, therefore it shouldn't be used", but rather the claim is: "This treatment has no demonstrable benefits **and** a number of observed dangers, therefore it shouldn't be used". In other words, it's a risk:benefit analysis. Medicine literally has journals filled with evidence to show that it has benefits, and so associated risks can be explained to the patient and deemed to be "worth it" in specific cases (as the benefits outweigh the risks). But with things like chiropractic, where there is no benefit, then any risk is too much risk. \n\nIt's like being told that you shouldn't play Russian roulette in order to cure your cancer because there's a good chance you could die, and you pointing out that chemotherapy also has an associated mortality risk, so there's no reason to use standard medicine. 1327968704 +Postulated as a descendent of a missing link, too. Good on them, Canada. 1327009537 +The stupid, it burns! 1286894688 +I guess someone would have noticed if they were soiled. \n\nI was just wondering if you stumbled up to bed half asleep, threw up over your bed or split something over it, hastily threw your book to one side to deal with the mess, and only bothered to get a sleeping bag, and didn't remember due to your tiredness and physical exertion. \n\nThis would have meant despite not remembering the incident you were acting entirely rationally throughout. If the sheets were still clean enough to use (as suggested by your bed having been made earlier) then that suggests you weren't concious or became irrational. 1344357977 +From the end of the article "But vitamin D doesn’t seem to reduce the number of these exacerbations. That said, vitamin D did benefit a small group of 30 people in the study who had severely low vitamin D levels when the study began."\n\nSo what was the second sentence again. That was 30 out of 182. So 16%. 1326827974 +Have you been in a room with a Buddha? They never ever shut the fuck up. 1329657436 +Who says that there is no 3rd party testing? What does that mean? There are studies from other countries too.\n\nWe don't yet know what causes autism. There are strong genetic [links](http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/113/5/e472) however that can be further explored. One thing that's been strongly researched is vaccines and autism and no link for this has been found in studies. Here's [one] (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9643797) from Finland looking at 3 million vaccines over 14 years.\n\n>Over a decade’s effort to detect all severe adverse events\n>associated with MMR vaccine could find no data supporting\n>the hypothesis that it would cause pervasive developmental\n>disorder or inflammatory bowel disease.\n\nOf note is the fact that they had no autism spectrum disorders reported. You might think this is just one study, but how about this [one](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12421889?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=4) \n\n>Of the 537,303 children in the cohort (representing 2,129,864 person-years), 440,655 (82.0 percent) had received the MMR vaccine. We identified 316 children with a diagnosis of autistic disorder and 422 with a diagnosis of other autistic-spectrum disorders. After adjustment for potential confounders, the relative risk of autistic disorder in the group of vaccinated children, as compared with the unvaccinated group, was 0.92 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.68 to 1.24), and the relative risk of another autistic-spectrum disorder was 0.83 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.65 to 1.07). There was no association between the age at the time of vaccination, the time since vaccination, or the date of vaccination and the development of autistic disorder.\n\nThese are just a few i pulled up. As for the second question, well [this article](http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=95) compiled some interesting studies. Here are some tidbits:\n\n\n>The recorded prevalence of autism has increased considerably in recent years. This reflects greater recognition, with changes in diagnostic practice associated with more trained diagnosticians; broadening of diagnostic criteria to include a spectrum of disorder; a greater willingness by parents and educationalists to accept the label (in part because of entitlement to services); and better recording systems, among other factors. (Taylor 2006)\n[...]\nIn other words – if we control for any changes in the diagnostic criteria and surveillance methods the incidence of autism should be stable over time. Chakrabarti and Fombonne did exactly that, comparing the incidence of autism in 2002 (looking at a cohort of children born between 1996-1998) to the same population using the same methods as a previous study looking at the cohort of children born between 1992-1995. They found:\n>>"The rate in this study is comparable to that in previous birth cohorts from the same area and surveyed with the same methods, suggesting a stable incidence. (Chakrabarti 2005)"\n\n>If the broadened diagnosis hypothesis is true than it must also be true that as other diagnoses shifted over to autism they would decrease as autism numbers increased. This is exactly what Jick et al found when they reviewed a cohort of boys with and without autism. What was previously diagnosed as language disorder is now being diagnosed as autism, with a corresponding decrease in non-specific language disorders. Shattuck found the exact same effect, so called “diagnostic substitution,” when he studied the prevalence of disabilities among children in US special education from 1984 to 2003. He found that in locations where the prevalence of autism had increased there was a corresponding decrease in the prevalence of other disabilities. (Shattuck >2006) 1257133007 +so would the rest of the planet. 1341995939 +>From a dictionary:\n1. Present in or produced by nature: a natural pearl.\n2. Of, relating to, or concerning nature: a natural environment.\n3. Conforming to the usual or ordinary course of nature: a natural death.\n4.\na. Not acquired; inherent: Love of power is natural to some people.\nb. Having a particular character by nature: a natural leader.\nc. Biology Not produced or changed artificially; not conditioned: natural immunity; a natural reflex.\n5. Characterized by spontaneity and freedom from artificiality, affectation, or inhibitions. See Synonyms at naive.\n\nAs you can see, natural in the third sense *is* safe, because it is normal. Natural in the first sense, of course, does not necessarily imply natural in the third sense. 1354194638 +Affirmative. The link is addressed in the "Neanderthals" section (currently page 30). The autism phenotypes that don't exhibit the abnormal brain growth but still have the social and immune issues are addressed in the "Immune and/or MHC–Autism link" section (currently page 42).\n\n*Edit: Added the following so that the above statement makes more sense and doesn't offend someone*\n\n> Neanderthal cranial capacities were on average larger than those of modern humans, with a mean of 1520 cc\n\n[Source](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21957644)\n\n[Accessible mirror](http://www.scribd.com/doc/64939003/)\n\n 1326264946 +I was under the assumption that it was mining magnates and not the greens that were controlled by the CIA 1332341265 +Already [getting divorced](http://skepchick.org/2011/04/a-note-about-my-personal-life/). Maybe you can get a refund on your wedding ticket. 1310007172 +She an Internet person. All of the verbal things happened on twitter, or her own forums. And I've read her twitter and forums: she doesn't hold back on anyone else. So the victim cries ring a little hollow. She can't equate twitter comments to real life; no one can. I'm not justifying that kind of behavior, I'm saying that the Internet is full of assholes, and if you're an Internet celebrity, you're going to get a fair amount of that. Have you seen the videos where Dawkins reads his hate mail? It's no different, apart from Dawkins not beings whiny baby about it. \n\nSo I'm discounting on two grounds. 1) she's known for screaming sexism every chance she gets, when the facts don't seem to back her up. And 2) if this was such a huge problem in the skeptic community, why aren't more women speaking up? Why is one loud attention whore making it sound like its a problem of thousands? And why are so many people falling for it?\n\nI want women to feel safe and included, but I don't think the answer lies in jumping every time miss Watson says jump. 1338613676 +You win, your workplaces proxy has a much more skeptical mind than mine:\n>Tru-View has categorised this page as Drugs 1340381514 +They make it sound like magic by suggesting it's powered by water. It's powered by a battery which goes through a lot of unnecessary steps before reaching your device. 1327519664 +Like [this thing?](http://edition.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2012/10/26/ufo-spotted-over-kentucky.wlex) 1351404062 +I used to experience something similar, but never while I was conscious. Perhaps I should elaborate because that's a fucking silly statement ("it's called dreaming you asshole")--basically, I'd have a dream, and some portion of it would manifest itself into my waking life verbatim as it occurred in the dream, usually in a completely different context (like it could be a conversation, but in real life I wouldn't have been being chased by zombies like in the dream, yet I'd still be talking to the person I was talking to in the dream and say the exact words used in the dream and hear the same words I heard in the dream from whomever I was talking to). Usually it was something extremely innocuous or trivial, and it wasn't always the very next day--sometimes it was 3 or 4 days later, but when I was in my adolescence/late teens, this happened like once a week. It was pretty sweet; I wish it wouldn't have stopped happening (for one reason or another I rarely dream when I sleep these days :( )\n\n**TL;DR** I had "dream deja-vu" where I'd dream something and a small portion of the dream would happen verbatim--like a word-for-word conversation that's 10-20 seconds between me and the same person--within a few days.\n\nEDIT: extra conjunctions. I took them back to the junction. 1332993382 +>anecdotal evidence is bullshit. \n\nNo, it's just not as credible as other kinds of evidence. Until somebody does some science, I'm just going to go by first hand experience. It's at least good enough to warrant real research. 1339729000 +That post is fucking awful in so many ways. I hope the OP is still in middle school or even elementary school. 1333889201 +I'm not a regular here, but ultimately we're going to need some kind of AI to govern us because we've demonstrated that we're not very good at doing it ourselves. 1287630808 +YUP. 1334374555 +The article itself gives several reasons to doubt it:\n\n1. The test date/name of company doesn't match up. \n\n2. Misalignment in the data fields. \n\n3. Obvious motive for forgery. \n\nI'd add a couple more. \n\n1. Why would he have been tested there? HIV testing isn't hard nowadays. You can do it at home. Any doctors office can do it too. Why would he go to an agency which specialised in adult video stars?\n\n2. It would be unusual for someone who is HIV+ to get a liver transplant. The interactions between HIV treatments and immunosuppressants isn't well know and because of that most doctors would be hesitant. \n\nOn the whole I'd be unconvinced by this. 1318711257 +>A constitution, bill of rights, separation of powers, etc. \n\n>the biggest gun, i.e. a fair government acting as arbiter.\n\nBoth of these are just trusting the government to limit itself. We can see today how this doesn't work. The Patriot Act is still running strong. Illegal wars are still being fought. The only real recourse is:\n\n>people will seek to overthrow it.\n\nAnd if people are trained that the method of that overthrowing is by voting in elections that are run and counted by government, then the people have very little recourse indeed.\n\n>It would be a lot harder for citizens of a Libertarian society\n\nI disagree. First of all, the biggest gun is not a resource for the people, it's a resource for the government, for the monopoly that the people need protection from. Secondly, in a Libertarian society, alternative businesses can be made to compete with one that is becoming illegitimate very early in the process. To oppose that business with violence would immediately out the bad company as totally illegitimate. While in the day of government, someone try's to make a competing police force for example would be shut down immediately with no chance of growth, making defending themselves from government incredibly difficult.\n\nAnd I linked it for a definition, but I disagree with some of the claims in the article. One of them being that suppose there is an autocrat, and that post is filed by fitness. The opportunity is still severely limited because there can only be one autocrat at a time. For simplicity sake consider one person who is 95% fit and another who is 93% fit. The next autocrat would be the person who is 95%, and the person who is 93% would have no opportunity and no rewards for his fitness. In a market both could go into business and succeed comparative to their ability.\n\n>it will tend to concentrate in the hands of a few entities\n\nThroughout history this most typically happens in the most regulated markets. Areas where government has created high barriers to entry limiting competition. In free-er markets the market begins with one innovative company maintaining a large market share while competition refines and improves and levels the playing field. Look at the leveling of marketshare in the smartphone industry for example. Look at the internet and how no-name bloggers can suddenly begin to make a living writing without being part of a big media company.\n\nThis is in direct contrast to heavily regulated industries like cell phone providers, where the FCC makes it so expensive to go into business that the ones that are left has been gobbled up to the point where there are only 4 in the US and no one can afford to start a new one. Or health insurance, so regulated that there's almost thing left but Anthem and Priority Health. It's government restrictions that have consolidated property into the hands of the few. 1343075352 +Even the conspiracy was a conspiracy. 1334810393 +The government has done it before but Greer a Government agent? Please...\n\nSelf profiting exploiter who happens to damage the cause of true knowledge on the ET presence is more like it.\n\nI can't tell you what he is or who he is working for if anyone because that would be ignorant without all the facts. I simply have no way of knowing at this point.\n\nHowever his statements paint an incorrect/impossible picture which tells me he is not a bringer of truth and that's all I need to know not to listen to him.\n\n 1329147034 +That makes sense. I also look at discoveries in ancient Asia and elsewhere that makes me think there was technologies there that we don't have the whole story on or even always understand how they came across the knowledge or construction/methods. This leads me to believe that there are periods in history that we don't actually understand yet. That's the biggest reason I don't think we can use the ancient past as a "textbook." We're still missing a number of chapters! 1343164724 +Sorry to say it friend, but even though I believe in the Nordic alien concept(see Travis Walton), Billy Meier was a scam artist.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arMKT0r9cL8\n\nhttp://forgetomori.com/2007/ufos/the-billy-meier-hoax-photographs/\n\nhttp://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/the-billy-meier-affair-wedding-cake-edition/ 1352848632 +Honestly, if you think he was talking to you, you're retarded. 1344187627 +This is my guilty "secret" too - Ganzfeld experiments (and other similar experiments) show a statistically significant "telepathy" effect. The more tight the science gets (double blind, etc) the harder it is to explain what is causing the effect.\n\nThe effect is so small, that people can take the statistics and attempt to dismiss them - but I dont - I think there is something going on there. 1335048846 +You haven't read the theories about multi-dimensional teleporting Sasquatch? That ain't normal. 1338732245 +Hell, I'm so old that I remember that MTV used to play music videos *all the time*. \n\nCan you remember which VJ used to host those segments? 1328984667 +It maintained altitude, which is something that a glider couldn't do in the cold morning air. 1285477136 +Actually I kind of love this site. I visit it sometimes just to put things in perspective, to help remind me why I sought out the skeptic community in the first place. It's like a little obstacle course or training ground for your skeptical mind to wander in and marvel at all the woo. Another thing is that some people close to me are really into this kind of stuff and I like to keep tabs on what they're thinking about, so that when we have the inevitable conversations they don't blindside me with woo I've never heard of before. \n\nSeriously, it's like the Reddit of woo. 1347707282 +What's telling is the number of illegal drugs on the list. "But I'm a homeopath officer!" 1305934916 +From a statistical standpoint it seems strange that you've had multiple sightings. 1331668917 +>The entire premise is absurd.\n\nIt isn't if you take the time to actually read the science on it, which you obviously haven't done.\n\n>Co2 doesn't start the warming but we know for sure it finishes it off. \n\nAs I said before, CO2 is *usually* a feedback, however right now it's acting as a forcing due to human intervention. Note that it *may* have acted as a forcing before, due to some catastrophic event. For instance, it is probable that there was an episode of intense CO2-induced global warming during the Permian-Triassic Extinction Event due to Siberian supervolcanoes. CO2 would thus have been a forcing in this case.\n\n>It's patent nonesense that falls apart under the scrutiny of common sense.\n\nAgain, it isn't. It's peer-reviewed science supported by actual evidence.\n\n>But honestly Archie keep reading your "skeptical" website I am sure Jughead loves listening to you gush about it.\n\nThis is not a rational response. Are you already out of arguments? Wow, that was fast!\n\n>I, for one, am pretty sick and tired of being insulted by the believers running on faith and nothing else.\n\nI wouldn't know about that, since I'm a rational skeptic who accepts AGW theory as very likely true given the amount of evidence supporting it.\n\nSpeaking of evidence, you should trying giving some to support your assertions some day. It would help us take you seriously. 1321895630 +Good for you, but I hate this attitude. I have a friend who eats nothing but shitty food, and he weighs maybe 140 lbs wet. Seriously, he's tiny. The fact that your diet works for you is not generalizable to a larger population than yourself. 1347564950 +>I wish /r/ufos was a place we could research it and leave out all of the stupid nonsense comments.\n\nYou're looking for /r/UAP.\n\n;) 1344873406 +Ah, sorry, didn't see it :P 1316975145 +Is there another video clip to explain how this is done? (i.e. refuting the idea of no-touch punches?) 1324313129 +Man 'Loose Change' is terrible...\n\nGoogle: 'Screw Loose Change'\n\nEveryone agrees Zeitgeist movies are shit... he should find a different source... no one cares...\n\n[RKOwen4](http://www.youtube.com/user/RKOwens4) on youtube does a pretty good job in general\n\n*Important summary*: \n\nHigher ups in the truth movement lie / omit information to convince others. Because the higher ups "know the truth" and other people just need to join the movement. 1303675637 +Oh, just like the "high salt will kill you" misinformation. Noted. 1338910881 +From watching ghost hunting type shows it seems to me that the digital voice recorders catch the best evidence. I don't think they're very expensive & it could become a nice tool for your first hunt. Just make sure that you know where all the buttons & doo-hickeys are on it before you get in a dark room somewhere. :)\n\nI would go, it could be a really neat experience. Just make sure & do your history on the area first. Make sure that you get permission from the owners of the property. Make sure that several people who are not on the hunt know where you are in case you get lost. Take lots of H2O & some food with you too if you are going out in the wild somewhere.\n\nHave fun & let us know how it goes! 1310889664 +The thing to keep in mind is that there's no "official" Occupy Wall Street. So the OWS Facebook page speaks only for the people who put it up, no matter what brand name they put on it. 1339216872 +If you ever have to deal with the court system and you are the target of an investigation. Make sure this sinks in. YOU ARE GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT. PROSECUTORS DON'T MAKE MISTAKES. SO EVEN IF YOU ARE REALLY INNOCENT, YOU HAVE TO PROVE (with the help of an attorney) that you are NOT GUILTY.\n\nI used to hate lawyers but after...a run in with the courts, I love my defense lawyer. The government system is so unbelievably frustrating. I really do look at even the most heinous crimes in a new light. You wonder if the people that are found guilty are actually innocent and the people that are found innocent are dangerous criminals.\n 1294932396 +This kind of thing is called a false awakening. Basically, you wake up, only to wake up again. It's perfectly normal, though it is strange you actually awoke on the toilet. 1345791833 +In the past they used a preservative called thimerosal that was about 50 hg by weight. They used it because it was a very effective preservative that was proven to be safe. They only stopped using it as a preservative sometime after the Wakefield study.\n\nThis wikipedia article seems to do a pretty fair job of explaining what happened.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiomersal_controversy 1284793021 +Top movies being quoted on reddit? Unpossible. 1326520250 +If you're shooting video on a device that shoots in 1080i video, not 1080p, it's best to deinterlace your video before you upload it and you won't get those horizontal lines in the subject of your video. \n\nCapture the video and deinterlace right away; if you don't, those lines will be embedded in the video and you can't get them out. \n\n1080i sucks for just that reason. You're better shooting 720p. 1340594141 +It's two-for-one Tuesday at Krispy Kreme! Plus there's mermaids. 1311725635 +He always does. He's given many reasons over the years, but mainly it serves as a distraction and aids in misdirection when he is performing. 1317868458 +Sorry but January 2014 we are evolving into a higher dimension and becoming beings of love, Ganjaaa and petrified jager pellets. Just one big party, all good vibes, no debbie downers nor whiney williams just straight heaater tunes and reggaeeeeeeee 1344833393 +>Surely 'appeal to authority' is only a fallacy if the appeal is based entirely upon that person's authority and not the fact that they're an expert in that subject.\n\nI don't think so. If someone is an expert on a subject,they should be able to demonstrate this with better arguments and more accurate factual knowledge. If you are simply pointing out their qualifications in order to lend strength to a position, then you are indeed making an appeal to authority. \n\nThat may be necessary in practical situations. We take the qualifications of a physician or a mechanic on trust if there is no other data available. Most often this is the best we can do.\n\nArgument is a different matter. Arguments should stand or fall on their own merits, not on the qualifications of their proponent. Einstein is a good example here. He did not excel in university. He was working in a patent office when he produced the special theory of relativity. What if his ideas had been dismissed on the grounds that a lowly office worker could not know more than a college professor?\n\nLet the arguments stand or fall on their merits. If the arguer is indeed an expert, then they will produce better reasoning. \n\n\n 1274061336 +heh I'm doing the five pound note thing first chance I get. \n\nI'm pretty sure it will get me laid. 1272489108 +You only ever experience yourself not dying, because if you're dead, you're not there to experience it (assuming death is based on a quantum event which is both binary and instantaneous). 1326453996 +There's lots of ways for two planes to hit eachother. There are plenty of places on the plane that could be hit without damaging the radio. It could have been as simple as clipping off part of the tail. 1326995664 +Depending on the stage of sleep you were in, your brain has completely different perceptions of time. In deep sleep, in which delta waves are simulated, you have almost no perception of time relative to periods of wakefulness. For example, a dream which seems to be long-winded and deeply explanatory could have only lasted fractions of a second. This compressed dream is then decompressed after waking up and is manipulated by the conscious brain to be understood in the context of normal units of time. Thus, your brain could have played through an incredibly quick narrative just after hearing the sound, but you only perceived it as paranormal because your conscious brain distorted the narrative so as to understand it in real-time units. 1277583845 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR5AWIKxstI 1316574194 +I disagree. Critical thinking is applicable in every day life, not just 'fringe' subjects. Right now the top link on this subreddit has to do with economics. The number two and three are about music. Skepticism is what makes modern medicine what it is today, and politicians in general could certainly learn a lot from it. It's just easier for skeptic noobs to apply critical thinking to nonsense like homeopathy (IMHO). 1329106182 +> This will be without any studies being done to determine the effects of either the short-term or long-term effects of this microwave exposure on adults as well as children.\n\nThey also haven't done any studies about the effects of fluorescent lights, water, oxygen, or nitrogen on children. That doesn't mean that any of those things are remotely dangerous either.\n\nMicrowave radiation is *lower* energy than plain visible light, so any damage that can be caused by WiFi will be caused even more intensely by light bulbs. There is no possible mechanism by which WiFi-scale-intensity microwaves can damage tissue, and no reputable studies that have found a conclusive link.\n\nIt's bullshit. 1328162354 +How does an antivax group not give people misleading and inaccurate information without exposing themselves as having no real argument against vaccination? Good article, by the way. 1278967195 +What can sometimes be forgotten is that democratic governments are supposed to represent the interests of the nation as a whole and be accountable. So if elected or to-be elected officials are meeting with capitalists, financiers, bankers, and members of the feudal elite in private, the potential to subvert that is enormous. If it were just a meeting of business leaders, or just a meeting of incredibly wealthy citizens, it would be different. 1342420591 +I agree entirely. That's exactly how the null hypothesis works. 1305338679 +All I can say myself is that I am not knowledgeable about climate science, and my maths sucks (something I plan to work on). Given that, I will go with the consensus. They may be wrong, but I am willing to trust them. 1311692958 +Don't expect the average joe to understand complex phenomenon.\nIf it's cold in his bathroom, global warming doesn't exist (bonus points if he owns a big SUV)\nIf he's got a good job, then all those unemployed lazy people should just do the same.\n\nThat kind of "the Earth revolves around my rectum" reasoning is the bane of our century. Dumbness beyond repair.\n\nLive and let live, chuckle and rage occasionally. Business as usual. \nPeople are dumb beyond repair. \n 1293403162 +Because if you don't apply it equally, regardless who who has more shit, then matters will quickly devolve to the point where the people it is applied to will start having their shit lifted from them while the people it is not applied to aren't even allowed to mention their shit.\n\nThat is the situation we have now.\n\nSocial justice, applied properly, is an equalizing force. It must be applied everywhere or else the situation will destabilize in *some* direction. I'm not just thinking about how things have been or how things are, but also of how things will be *because* of how it is currently applied. 1347407984 +Why would an alien ship on the far side of mercury need to be cloaked? From what? From whom? 1323043071 +I was wrong, see above 1350477985 +Whatever, indeed. Just a glimpse of mindset I was on the lookout for. 1345701144 +I am about halfway through those. They are *hilarious* and perfect for listening while playing Minecraft on a gray, windy Sunday afternoon. He's a complete nut, but he admits it. He also admits when he's wrong more than any nut I've heard and is amazingly respectful of dissenters. \n\nYou know it's still on iTunes, right? 1326015125 +Wish I had another upvote to give this comment.\n 1339260335 +This series has been great.\n\nSaw the psychic one first, and right from the start he mentioned counting the hits and ignoring the misses, so I knew that he knew what he was doing in investigating these things.\n\nThe UFO one was disturbing and hilarious.\n\n*Addendum*\n\nEnding that last episode with the voice-over for other TV programmes, advertising some woman's spiritual journey... They must have been having a good laugh at that. 1311220429 +Your best bet to contact a UFO would be to have a high powered laser on hand. I have a 500mw green and a 500mw blue laser and either of them could touch a UFO at pretty much any distance. If you want to go all out get a really powerful and expensive spotlight. That would be more convenient and probably shine further than a UFO. 1334646051 +hes british he lives in ulster 1355169925 +I don't think there are any alien abductions or even alien contact but it does make sense that the government would hide it if it happened, no? 1344981356 +I've actually seen it done. They put a flame in a glass cup and then quickly stick it to your skin. The mini/pseudo vaccum sucks your skin up into the cup leaving a distinctive mark when they remove it.\n\nBasically it's like havng a bunch of hickies all at once.\n\nI think it could be a combination of placebo effect/displaced agony. Making you think about the skin sucked up in a cup distracts you from other pain you might be having. 1316648510 +[He actually talks with the "Be Skeptical" series guy about this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qzxqfd4-DIs&t=06m25s), and stands by it entirely, and defends the science behind it.\n\nI'm not defending it myself--I don't know enough about molecular chemistry/physics--but I don't know if most people do, either. Can you argue against his points?\n\nThis is actually something I'd like to hear AskScience talk about. 1337340628 +The point is that your previous flips don't have an effect on the next flip. It's true, the chance of getting heads twice in a row is 1/2*1/2=1/4 or 3 times in a row is 1/2*1/2*1/2=1/8 and so on becoming unlikely...but even if you get heads 200 times in a row, your next flip is still 50/50 and cannot be affected by the other previous flips. It's not like reddit...you don't build 'heads' karma. In regards to the fallacy...if for example you got heads 10 times in a row, you might think "holy crap, I've gotten heads 10 times in a row. There's no chance I could get it again" although the act of getting it 10 times in a row is indeed unlikely, the chance of get heads now on your 11th flip is still 50/50. The fallacy lies in your reasoning that because something has occurred in a particular way, you think that it effects things that come after it. Assuming the things are independent. 1332455875 +Ooops, typo!... That should read: ***IL***-logic... 1275963227 +No he couldn't, that would require a board meeting at least, CEOs aren't the almighty kings of corporations. 1349812994 +A friend of mine always dreams of blood the night before her period.\nIt's cool that you dreamt something like that and it actually happened. And you definitely had no way of knowing it would happen. 1310930876 +Take the specified dosage and it won't make you sleepy. Take the entire box and you're still not sleepy or experience any side effects. That's the point. 1297454250 +>The related videos are mindboggling...\n\n...I feel stirrings in my crotch chakra. 1282742999 +WTF? I thought this must be a joke account, but it appears to be serious. But now I have a new idea for a twitter account!\n\nedit: And thus @altshakra was born. 1295301886 +I thought it was universally acknowledged that crop circles were the work of bored farm-town folk 1327945047 +You should have your ocular pressure checked. That is a sign of high pressure in the eye. Seeing orbs is also called aura especially if you are prone to migraines. 1315167663 +Too much noise in the data. Environmental and cultural influences vary too much from place to place to isolate any putative effects from chemtrails. 1334411657 +Love the downvotes for linking to a documentary, ultimately allowing people to come to their own conclusions. Fluoride lovers... 1338793535 +I ate an entire box of this stuff once as part of the ending of a speech I did about homeopathy in my college english class. 1314044376 +Fantastic comment. Really made me think. 1354665066 +Cold and Flu *are* infections. They are caused by the Rhinovirus and Influenza virus, respectively. 1354153673 +>But a god wouldn't have to incarnate itself and conduct a conversation with an atheist in order to convert him.\n\nAre you sure you understood why the god character was talking to the atheist?\n\nDo you think that the god character took human form when he interacted with other species? 1286401541 +Thats a nice one. There is something. It's just not explainable yet. \n\nMy sister actually saw my gran, and spoke with her, after she had passed away. She discribed what my gran was wearing, and it was the gown she was buried in.\n\nThere is something to it. My theory is floating conciousness or some shit. Science can't answer the paranormal at the moment, but after hearing that story, and the fact my mum has dreams that come true (death) then I'm certain that there is something to it. \n\nHe was just reminding you that he's still here : ) 1346271077 +And brushed his teeth! 1340294631 +This is a place for real experienced Glitches in the Matrix. Not stories designed to spook or unsettle, but real life observations of glitches in reality. 1326842545 +Those underwater cities were last human and or alien civilizations before one of the many pole shifts. We are heving a pole shift now moving to age of.. Aquarius I think? Poles shift ice moves to the new poles due to the magnetic charge shit goes underwater due to the change in landscapes I'm pretty sure we are going to find some surprises under Antarctica this is just my theory but yeah if the library of Alexandria were still here we would know a lot more. Everytime "the end of the age" comes aka pole shifts natural disasters go wild and human civilizations get reset or set back maybe. Atlantis could be real :p. Idk what's really what but yeah. Aliens probably set up first colonies here 1320453130 +The placebo effect shows up almost entirely in self-reported symptoms but not in objectively measured symptoms.\n\nFor example, if you were testing a (hypothetical) cancer drug that was supposed to reduce the pain of cancer and also reduce tumor size, the placebo effect would be evident in the pain but absent in the tumor reduction.\n\n\n\nSounds more like "mind over mind" than "mind over matter". I have yet to see any evidence of the placebo effect showing up in any objectively measurable context. 1346859052 +Here are a few subreddits to check out:\n\n/r/nosleep \n\n/r/LetsNotMeet \n\n/r/Thetruthishere \n\n/r/GhostStories\n\n 1350432198 +> You're not getting it, are you? \n\nNo I get it. You are trying to zing me by saying a normal MD performed a chiropractic procedure on you. I am simply not buying it.\n\n> I'm not defending "manipulation to adjust your chi".\n\nAt some point the chiros started to realize no one was buying that the manipulations were useful for fixing the flow of spiritual energy. They started to market the manipulations as a sort of back bone therapy and attempted to become credible as some sort of actual doctor. The same random popping as before.\n\n> The fact that you can't seem to recognize this just makes you sound as rational as an anti-vaxxer.\n\nChiro believers have as much evidence as anti vax, none. I am not being irrational for being skeptical of a woo practice with no scientific supporting evidence. There is no evidence chiro "manipulations" or "adjustments" are useful for spiritual energy flow and there is no evidence it is useful for anything other than a massage with a side of placebo. \n\n\n 1309920640 +Well I'm sorry, I searched for this video and came up with nothing. I hope I didn't offend you with this submission. Thanks for the helpful comment. 1288290980 +Nope Nope Nope Nope Nope Nope Nope Nope Nope Nope. 1337002289 +As others have been echoing here, OBEs are real things, and very cool. People learning to due them intentionally actually often use sleep deprivation as a tool, as it is easier to jump start an OBE when you are extremely tired. 1343135843 +[It would it appear it actually was cancelled](http://www.wyeside.co.uk/event/134/Joe-Power---A-Night-of-Mediumship.htm). I don't think the note was made by anyone affiliated with Joe Power or Wyeside though. The poster looks like any other A4 poster (the cancelled-note appears to be as wide as the poster) posted all over random bulletin boards. 1311947294 +I like Larry.\n\n> WGN news knows what's up, lets psychic make herself look foolish\n\nFTFY 1287701553 +Ah ... I don't know why they put that in there. The other one says "they are also from a system with nine planets and inhabit the 3rd, 4th, and 5th ones ..."\n\nWhich makes more sense. 1320847362 +Since when the crap was .museum a tld? 1318462799 +I had to stop watching once it mentioned Atlantis. 1343292713 +Hey, you wanna say that to *my face*? 1319484654 +Why not? Many pitt bull breeds were originally sporting dogs, bred for baiting bulls. Then the breed group was co-opted and was used for fighting *other dogs*. Let's not forget, in the 20s this type of dog was called the "nanny dog" and was considered a wonderful family pet for many years. Spot from the show The Little Rascals was a Pitt Bull. This dog has been re-invented over and over again, and even though it's the thug's dog of our generation (a place of 'honour' that the German Shepherd, Doberman Pinscher, and Rottweiler have all held in turn), that doesn't mean that the breed is inherently man-flesh hungry. Some of them are abused because of the image they have and the type of owner that attracts, which may cause unbalanced behaviour in individual dogs. \n\nThey're not devils. They're just dogs. 1333588491 +google foam parties\n 1344744096 +Oh! And no more bad breath! oh shit my tongue is melting 1301974069 +Couldn't this just be a speck of dust on the lens of the camera? 1331571619 +I think that really happened. The person's name is Michele Bachman. 1316097581 +Nope. I have searched and searched for the paranormal and have found nothing but the natural. 1339173857 +Being right and convincing someone are two different things.\n\nWould you change what you're doing because they called you a sinner? No. So why do you expect them to change when you do exactly the same? 1341574516 +Derpa Herpal Tea. \n\nDrink it daily for a more focused willful ignorance. 1315631649 +I like Paranormal State. Especially when they bring in the mediums. 1329195233 +cool!! 1345466132 +Yup.\n\nhttp://www.snopes.com/science/microwave/plants.asp 1351273397 +Really? I didn't realize these stickers were helping to educate people. I must've missed the URL printed on them leading to websites explaining the science behind alternative medicine. Lets be honest, these are just to antagonize people and make the person putting them on the boxes feel superior. 1331068958 +The Church has always claimed it has a rational and intellectual aspect.\n\nAnd to be fair many Jesuit priests and the like are also trained as scientists. \n\nBut to call yourself a scientist and believe that a piece of wafer and some wine literally turns into flesh and blood, despite empirically looking exactly the same, requires a level of doublethink that even Orwell himself would have been proud of. 1280239600 +"A quick look", meaning you barely read any of it? And of course they have a clear agenda (so do the drug companies, so does the medical field, so do the anti- "anti-vaccine-movement" people). Also, what's wrong with organic food? I happen to prefer it (big companies have a tendency to cut corners & tend to care more about making a profit than the long-term health of the consumer) & grow most of my own so that I can say with confidence that I'm doing my best to NOT put unknown chemicals & crap into my body or into the environment. I wasn't talking about the website, I was referring to the interview which you clearly ignored. This is exactly what I mean by "evidence to the contrary (being) completely disregarded".\n\nAnd WTF do UFOs have to do with anything? 1317178215 +>Citation please. It's not that I don't necessarily believe that, it's just that I've never heard that before outside of the context of the Somalian-style warlords stealing all the food.\n\nIf the price of food artificially drops, local farmers cannot compete. American subsidies have a similar effect. http://lmgtfy.com/?q=food+aid+local+farmers\n\n>The other fundamental difference is that many anti-capitalists disagree that you can sell you labor, and considers that a terrible concept. The notion is rather that you can sell the fruits of your labor. ie I don't sell my labor, I sell the chair I made, or the fifteen widgets I made on the factory line, or the service to fix your drains, or whatever.\n\nThis argument is based on an emotional wording of terms. \n\nImagine if I offered to pay you to come over to assemble my Ikea furniture. It's absurd to think that the furniture becomes yours to sell. Similarly, the factory owner asked you to assemble the raw materials into chairs for him so he can sell them. \n\nIf you merely think of labor as a product itself instead of only thinking of the end product the whole idea becomes trifle. And do I not own my self and therefore am freely able to work for who I please? And who says I want to sell the chair? I incur the risk of nobody wanting to buy the chairs. This way, I can keep my wages even if the chairs don't sell on the market. If I'm more skilled at assembling chairs, it makes sense to build it for someone else so that they can sell it. 1306469751 +Damn, this totally stole my idea for an awesome show.\n\nAlso I love Rebecca sometimes. Adorable, yet still a typical skeptic. Somehow the mix of utter cynicism and complete optimism mix well in her. 1286273277 +Because we live in a world in which nothing unscientific is happening. 1340093612 +This. When I read the title, I immediately thought "you should feel like an asshole." but when I read the post i changed my mind. Selling woo is not your primary job, so I'd say your not an ass. So, look for a new job while you work this one, and donate to Skeptoid or the SGU, or Hrab or... well, you get the point. 1308074038 +Alan Yurko's been around for quite a while and has a known history of violent behavior. In fact, he's in jail right now for violating his parole, again. Anti-vaccine folk, this is your martyr! 1329859310 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6g0ZBPGTTc 1322324640 +Plus, high ceo pay allows them to get talent, not just people who want to do charity. 1355109159 +I have a friend who posts bullshit like this all the time on FB, he even has spoken at anti-vaccination rallies. I cringe but I do not bother debating the shit because obviously reason and evidence based opinions are not his strong suit lol 1333433796 +Well of course your church tells you not to talk to the aliens. They're the evil ones. The ones that took their own kind to put on this planet and blew them up in a volcano and their ghosts [called "thetans"] cling to the souls of humans and other life on this planet to draw them down. \n\nWhy would you be friendly with them? Of course, you all also believe that psychiatrists [apparently they're responsible for hitler, holocaust, and ..9/11] are in league with the Evil Alien Empire just because they laughed at L. Ron Hubbard's science fiction work so long ago and he had a vengeful hatred for them since then. Until he died with psychiatric drugs in his system. 1307306676 +I really like this one! 1342099159 +Thank You for your rational intellectual response.\n\nEDIT:\n\n[removed counterproductive verbiage]\n\n[You might fight this random reddit comment interesting and educational](http://www.reddit.com/r/lgbt/comments/i1omn/so_a_gay_couple_came_into_my_store_two_days_ago/c205x52) 1310387628 +Efficacy is too uncommon ('big') a word. Should be more like "this product is untested" or something.\nEDIT: fixed blatant spelling/grammar error 1334764559 +I 'spose so. Always gottuh be some argument. 1333835632 +You can't dilute the message of a movement when that movement never had a well-defined message to begin with\n 1339173069 +What exactly do you want? That is the answer to your question. Do you want me to re-word it and not link to a blog?\n\n1. There is a natural greenhouse effect. **<--- not a link to a blog**\n2. Greenhouse gases contribute to the greenhouse effect. **<--- not a link to a blog**\n3. Greenhouse gases have increased due to mankind's contribution. **<--- not a link to a blog**\n4. Top of atmosphere radiation "accounting" can predict eventual surface temperatures. **<--- not a link to a blog**\n5. Temperature increase is 3 degrees C for a doubling of CO2. **<--- not a link to a blog**\n6. CO2 as driver of modern warming predicts 1.2 degrees C warming, and we have warmed .7 degrees C above natural variation, so there is at least a predicted .5 degrees C still coming, regardless of what we do. **<--- not a link to a blog**\n7. Therefore, CO2 will cause increased temperatures. **<--- not a link to a blog**\n\nEdit: formatting. 1261068314 +Skepticism can and should at least in part be based upon expertise. \n\nAnd he's saying they're wrong because they don't know shit about the subject about which they're arguing, and that the people with lab coats are right not because they have *a* qualification, but because (and only if) they have a qualification in the area of expertise relevant to the argument.\n\nSurely 'appeal to authority' is only a fallacy if the appeal is based entirely upon that person's authority and not the fact that they're an expert in that subject. For example, a child might attempt to settle an argument with a friend by asking their parent to settle the argument, simply because they're older. If their parent doesn't have any relevant knowledge, then it's an appeal to authority and their answer can be greeted with skepticism. But if their parent were to have a qualification in that area, then I think it'd be silly to dismiss their answer, even if it runs contrary to your knowledge.\n 1274046122 +Yes, vehicles and operations that rely on this are called PASODs. That's high-brass jargon for Public Apathy Stealth Object Deception. 1323053904 +It could very well be different, it just brought to mind those studies I had learnt about in one of my neuropsych courses. If you have the chance/opportunity you might be able to find a neuropsychologist with access to an fmri machine who would be interested to watch your brain when you do this (might be hard if you'd start moving too much for the machine to take clear images). 1343619992 +100% agree. I believe that children are much, much more in tune with these experiences, especially past lives. I also believe indoctrination into modern society pushes us into a much more cynical view of life. I do not think it coincidence that ancient civilizations were much more in touch with the spiritual aspects of humanity. While I believe science has done nothing but improve our lives, I also feel on the flip side it has made us cynical as a society. It has now become my view that it is human hubris that pushes us to believe science and our views are the answer to everything. In fact I feel it to be ignorant to believe that it is the case. As a scientific person I often struggle with a disparity between my spiritual half and my scientific half, but I do believe there will be a reconciliation of both halves, for society, and I. I truly believe that it is ignorant to think that we have all the answers, and I also believe that is this societies greatest downfall. 1317291110 +oh wow, it's been updated since I last looked at it. it now has about 2x the crazy 1324332532 +Your examples don't make sense. Just because a company makes unhealthy food A doesn't mean they can't make healthy food B. Same with "natural" products, which are most likely no healthier than products not marketed as natural anyway. 1349838953 +No such thing as ghosts. :) 1346059772 +Urine tests are only useful if mercury poisoning is chronic, and spot samples are less reliable than 24-hour samples, which the study points out. But since most sources of mercury exposure are environmental - eg, a nearby coal plant - this isn't as limiting as it sounds.\n\nIn a perfect world the sample would be larger and they'd use hair analysis in addition to urine analysis, but on the whole it's a decent study. 1329435029 +Seems a little bit better than most wooers. 1304011419 +It's sad that this "good job" is only noticed because of how incredibly, stupefyingly rare real reporting is from them. 1332716526 +So, now I am curious. What do you think it is? 1313113256 +I don't think that expression means what you think it means lol 1342336817 +>Dont click here\n\nThanks. I didn't. 1327426607 +And you also have to be careful as to how research is disseminated to the public. (apologize for the comment hijak, as this doesn't apply here per say, but in the future when reading pop culture reporting on scientific findings). I went to a talk on scientists and the media, and he pointed out that many media outlets will misstate scientific literature in their headlines (often because they don't understand the nuances of the study or research in general). The term "significant" can mean different things in different realms (in this case, "statistically significant" does not necessarily mean it is significant in the practical sense of the word). 1327444917 +As an astronomer, all I can say is:\nFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU 1292918997 +I'd watch that.\n 1321552655 +Nice I'd not seen that one before. The [moon landing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6MOnehCOUw&feature=related) one's very good too 1341620313 +Wow that was my favorite response. 1345504705 +I believe the main reason why herbal medicine is treated with healthy skepticism is not because there is no perceived benefit from effective and studied herb and the such, but from the tendency of practitioners to include untested and many times harmful treatments along with an insistence that non-herbal medicine is inherently bad for a patient who might otherwise have found treatment as effective with a general practitioner. 1298231003 +Do they have white strobe lights? I've never seen lights like that on a police car. 1344817387 +Yeah, pretty much. 1310589951 +Yeah, pretty much. 1323380144 +And now that you have? 1294025131 +Thanks, that makes it a bit easier I think.... Actually, reminds me that Mlodinow wrote a book, The Drunkard's Walk, that I think is about this stuff. Perhaps I should check it out.\n\nWhat about the case with children though? Is it actually wrong to take note of the sex of the first child, because the sex of the subsequent child is not dependant on the sex of the first? So it's always 50/50? 1334582228 +I'll have to go through the episodes and see if I can find any on vaccines. I did find one on eating boogers: http://www.thedoctorstv.com/main/home_page?init_type=Feature&init_id=1792 1317149905 +Maybe they dont need them, photographic memory? 1332877249 +Is this comment meant to represent the philosophy of the History Channel when it comes to UFO phenomena? 'Cause that's exactly the approach they take, only it's a *unfortunate guess* as opposed to an educated guess, which is what they should be trying for. 1306947605 +I also thought it was well done. The doc presented the Rendlesham incident a little more thoroughly than I had seen elsewhere. Overall I'd recommend it. 1314478423 +Convincing yourself that you have a rock that repels tigers will make you feel pretty damn great until you get mauled by a tiger. 1338307763 +You're very welcome! 1344519295 +Some of them might be true, as a joke or people intentionally continuing this 'conspiracy'. \n\nBut many of them strain the imagination, I can't see the one in Black Swan where it says sex is written on her forehead, chin, lips... 1316325477 +Nope. Didn't shift. The claim is women need to be afraid of men, you made the claim that just as many men are raped. I asked by who. If the the answer is "Still Men" then women still have a justification for being afraid of them over women. 1351109314 +c gizzle my nizzle 1352401140 +Ah, but Brown often provides spectacular --but utterly untrue-- explanations for his tricks. He may well have actually done this one with camera work, but that will not be the explanation he provides. \n\nHis explanation will seem logical and yet utterly amazing, and will be just plausible enough that most folks will figure only a true genius (like Brown, of course) could pull it off.\n\nDB is very talented, no doubt about it. But his true *genius* lies in tricking his audience with his *explanations*, rather than with the tricks themselves. 1252654082 +Love this list. Being in Indiana, I might have to head to Illinois to check a few of those out! 1351736689 +I'm pretty much in agreement with Randi. There's a lot of seemingly reliable people saying the evidence is inconclusive.\n\nThe climate obviously changes on it's own. We know there was an ice age and we're pretty sure that didn't happen because of people burning fossil fuels, then we came out of that ice age, again, without human intervention.\n\nWhat is the smoking gun of climate change researchers? How do they know it's human intervention?\n\nPersonally, I'm more worried about the toxic chemicals and heavy metals in our food supply, I think that's a greater threat to humanity. It also seems like a lot of the "green" solutions like hybrid vehicles for example, involve mining rare materials that can kill us if not handled properly, and once those products reach consumers in the form of batteries or household appliances, they're going to become an active threat to their neighbours because people throw shit in the garbage that they're not supposed to.\n\nThe main reason I side with the majority opinion is because of the "champions" of climate change deniers like "Lord" Christopher Monckton. The man is a buffoon, and seems like a walking embarrassment, but Right Wing Radio gladly welcomes him on as an unchallenged expert.\n\nBut really, if I knew nothing about the subject at all, what is the #1 reason I should believe that human beings are causing 'climate change' on a planet that regularly changes climate without our intervention? 1322454358 +Stan Lee's superhumans. http://www.history.com/shows/stan-lees-superhumans 1309565034 +know any history on the apt? i've dealt with shit like that before at my job- Work at a old strip club- a manager died in the building like 5 yrs ago and usually when we close late like at 5 am we hear banging and things moving around- I once found 30 small rhinestones stacked in a pyramid in a locked storage room only I had the keys to. Me and a few friends did a little confrontation thing with "it". we pretty much smoked some herbal and called his name over and over and told him to chill the fuck out- and it worked kinda- it felt less hostile at least. shit randomly gets moved and doors open all the time but no violence. one creepy girl walking in to apply and literally walked out because she said there were spirits there. 1353166702 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soybean#Men\nMore importantly, the cited article: \nhttp://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282%2810%2900368-7/abstract\n\nIf you have another source for contradictory information, cough it up.\n\nWhen you have a report of "terrible" effects of something consumed by literally billions of people worldwide, take a moment to think about whether it could possibly be true or not. 1309513972 +I hate to break it to you guys, but this is seriously fake.\n\nThe audio quality is all wrong for any/all plane and background noises. \n\nFirst - small planes are really loud. It's probably not actually possible to talk on a cell phone in a small plane without some kind of noise canceling headset. (He probably also can't get cell access in that flight area, and cell phone towers intentionally try to filter aerial traffic anyway.)\n\nTwo - there's a totally fake air raid siren sounding thing. It doesn't change stereo position or volume, ever, even when he says he's turning and burning and changing pitch and altitude. And it's not something you'll be able to hear over a small plane engine and prop.\n\nThe sounds of the jet coming near the plane - you wouldn't really be able to hear it until it was really, really close, and then it would overwhelm the small plane engine. Also, he's flying below the stall speed of an F-16.\n\nAs for being shot at - even if it was a common anti aircraft gun or missile you wouldn't hear yourself being shot at. Anti-aircraft shells and missiles tend to go faster than the speed of sound. First you blow up, then maybe you hear the boom of it being shot. If you're lucky.\n\nIf it was some hypothetical alien energy weapon? Do you really think it'll go "boom" and travel slower than sound? 1325835304 +Oh please. All I know is that women who believe themselves goddesses love to get on top and ride you like a rodeo bronco until they fall over senseless from too much pleasure. \n\nAnd I got no problems with that. 1306820444 +ZOOM\n\nENHANCE 1345501656 +You've got to use the most flammable straw you can find when building your strawman. 1324688034 +high in fiber, too. 1352062613 +That campfire podcast sounds awesome. As long ad I don't have to listen to Jim Harold's voice for too long. There's something about it that makes me squirm. 1353400661 +I believe it's mainly done at night to take out any contamination from people in cars and from being in the buildings under investigation. 1340918128 +Dumb da-dumb dumb dumb. 1311124111 +Well what else did you expect from da' masta'. 1334433851 +What you actually said was (I added the bolding):\n\n> You see, there's this **sub-aether** network of interconnectedness (allowing cosmic consciousness), and I'm able to connect to this network without the use of psychedelics or dream states (the typical pathway for neurotypicals)\n\nWhich suggests that you connect to a network outside of the aether. 1294340082 +And reality shows, as I learned decades ago, are phony & scripted. 1293673699 +Since I have no reason to believe you and my own research has led me to think that the chiropractic dogma is nothing but superstition, I'll call bullshit on your story. You might have experienced it that way, but it had nothing to do with nerves in your spine. Your body does not work that way.\n\nMedical Doctors that earned their license through education have nothing good to say about chiropractors because they know chiropractors are scammers. It's as simple as that. 1318354978 +I always look to religion for my science. 1303659025 +The anti-abortion laws and policies don't only affect the legal status of abortion - for example, the state of Arizona currently restricts funding of their Planned Parenthood clinics on the basis that they perform abortions. So whilst abortion is technically legal, they have implemented policies which make abortion more difficult. 1348022583 +Seems that way to me. All of the major cleaning chemical companies have an organic brand line. 1326750792 +>You mean everything except your lying, murdering government. You ignorant fucking shill.\n\nNo, **I meant everything.** I said something very specific, and you literally called me a liar to my face with *zero* evidence. If this your standard of proof for making *accusations*, how can I even *consider* trusting your judgment regarding 9/11? \n\n You're so full of shit it's actually coming out your ears. I *did research.* I came to a different conclusion than you did...so that makes me "an ignorant fucking shill?" \n\nYour absolute hatred for people who don't share your beliefs is just fanaticism, and it's disgusting. **You** are the problem, not me.\n\nHave you ever considered the possibility that our government allowed this to happen because **they're grossly incompetent?** The world is *full* of idiots; truly evil people are few and far between by comparison. What a novel idea that the American Government would be subject to *normal social patterns* just like every other institution that's staffed by people - stupid, arrogant, fallible people!\n\nI've nothing else to say to you; you took my comment, ignored what I *actually said*, and twisted my meaning to suit your own retarded "EVERYONE BELIEVES THE GOVERNMENT AND THEYRE LYING, MURDERING MASTERMINDS AND IF YOU DONT THINK SO I HATE YOU" schema. \n\nHere's a bit of parting advice: **insulting everyone who disagrees with you is not an argument. It's called immaturity.** Have a nice life filled with bitterness and hate towards anyone who even *questions* your preconceived notions. 1319056770 +Great sketch. I'm pretty sure Garnier's labs are better than the one I'm working in. \n\nIncidentally, I'm working on a project revolving around αSynuclein, a protein implicated in the aetiology of ... Alzheimer's Disease. 1282749914 +This reminds me of something I saw recently. I was a bit closer but it seemed like three bright white lights in a triangle shape. It seemed to pivot similar to whatever is in this video. What I saw blinked deliberately three times and the object in this video seems to be blinking, although that could be due to its shape, distance, or maybe the quality of the camera. Any non-alien explanations out there for this video yet? 1225819811 +The Skeptic's Guide To The Universe is essentially "The" podcast. 1339866936 +Ze blindfold, it does nothing! 1324576544 +Loved this. It's shit like this that should make anybody, whether they believe in aliens or not, scratch their head and say this is real and not a figment of people's imagination 1338116526 +I recommend watching PointAndClick's video from PBS. It's far more rewarding than what you'll find in this article. Bit of a shame that OldKingSol didn't clarify the issue. 1342981982 +I was awake as far as I remember, but it's hard to know. It did feel very strange, it could have been I was sleeping too yeah. 1354555206 +Anyone who cites British Libel laws is on shaky, shaky ground. 1267055088 +> People who criticise alternative medicine tend to claim that all of it is unscientific rubbish which we should discard. However, I am not convinced that this opinion is correct.\n\nThis is a salient point. I think skeptics are better-prepared to accept evidence that certain alternative therapies work than proponents are to accept that many don't, so i hope more that proponents read Ernst's blog than skeptics...but part of being a skeptic is being vigilant about untangling one's biases, and it's helpful to have stuff like this to pull ourselves back from the brink of categorical dismissal. 1350563203 +While I fully belive you are correct, right or wrong, if it does get the job done, is it worth thinking about as a method? \n\nPeople are people. Fact and logic is not prime motivators for us. Feelings are. There is no bigger man about that. However, how we choose to use this option would define us in some way. \n\nNot all manipulative behaviour is bad. Just being kind and smiling to a taxidriver having a bad day is a form of manipulation. \n\nWe can still use good solid arguments if wrapped properly in emotions, but it is a difficult thing to balance. 1350382806 +I'm just going to go be skeptical of that sort of thing there. 1337655661 +i dont even consider tarot paranormal tbh 1327766663 +And now I've got *another* web series to obsessively follow.\n\nThanks a lot, jerk! 1302490250 +i would have figured /r/skeptic would be of the opinion that ADHD IS a made up disorder... 1349917894 +[You could always brew your own](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVqnUf8NH6g). 1345840417 +If the site has the word "Natural" in it, you can pretty much dismiss it out of hand. It would be akin to getting your anthropology news from the KKK newsletter. 1308068744 +"curving the path of the bullet" made me want to tear my hair out" \n\n\n\n/If I could just bitch-slap the writer and director for that, I could die a contented man. 1311062580 +True, but then we hardly do any testing in this area yet. 1299455521 +For About a month after he said his dog wouldn't leave his side,would like follow him to the toilet and would cry when he'd leave to go out that's about it 1355733840 +[Similar to my GITM experience.](http://www.reddit.com/r/Glitch_in_the_Matrix/comments/of2c7/lights_on_lights_off/) 1329662130 +No one looks in the mirror and sees an irrational person. Their views are arrived at through reason (their reasoning) based on evidence (or what they like to call evidence). They may have no understanding of science or scientific consensus. Your evidence and reason is very unlikely to sway them. However, if they keep even a slightly open mind, little by little the facts may wear down their resistance and you can change their mind.\n\nI view it as a daunting task but not a hopeless one. 1342880352 +Are there any other photographs from that time period made using the method you describe? 1324513900 +Are those shoes through the railing near the center of the shot? 1338004465 +So what if they were? When some bombs got set off around London in 2005, there just happened to be a massive exercise for exactly that situation arranged for the same day. Yet you would have to be out of your damn mind to think that the British gubmint blew up some buses and tube trains. \n\n(And there's another lesson here, America - the day after the attacks, people were right back on the trains and buses, not cowering at home, ranting about how it was done by the illuminati, and demanding that some brown people halfway around the world get bombed into the stone age). 1268900552 +In lumping and over-simplifying you easily open yourself to a strawman argument. You would have done better to analyze each work. Furthermore, most of your statements don't actually pick apart the arguments, you just identify elements of the argument and then claim that they commit some sort of fallacy, without illustrating how in fact they do so other than by referencing highly selective evidence. \n\nIt's simply in poor taste to claim that all of these works by very different individuals with very distinct motives and argumentative structures all do the same things. \n\nYour primary and repeated concern is with the definition of terms, but unfortunately, in order for one to make an argument one has to define ones terms. Whenever such definitions are provided, they're going to appear either over-inclusive or under-inclusive to some people. Simply stating that this definition or that one looks over-inclusive/under-inclusive without providing some clarity as to why it would be so is not an argument, but an assertion that requires argument. Still further, establishing that a term is over-inclusive/under-inclusive does not undermine the entire argument, but rather simply provides an avenue for establishing exceptions to the general claim. The general claims may still stand to reason so long as they are properly tailored. \n\nNumber 6 is hardly a point. Moral philosophy is a mangled subject. Religious and non-religious alike have difficulty finding consistency in articulating ethical doctrines. Unfortunately, what you haven't done is show their specific arguments to be inconsistent. As this is really the most important issue in most of these works, it's frankly one that deserves most of your attention. Either you should show the authors to be inconsistent, or if they are not, you should show their arguments to be unsound.\n\nNumber 7 I find particularly egregious because philosophical positions are rarely ever "out-dated" in a practical sense. If that were a valid argument, then you've just given a tool to the Four Horsemen, as they are in a far better position to claim that religious arguments are "out-dated," and would explain why they do what you complain about in point 3 where they "dismiss or misunderstand the traditional argument for God." An argument is either invalid or unsound, it's age is irrelevant. \n\nAlso, reasons one and ten are not reasons, but references to the other eight reasons. \n\nThat said, I have upvoted your post, and I believe more should, because I believe it will inspire a potentially worthwhile debate. Poor though I think they may be, you have made some arguments. What I recommend, though, is that you dissect each work and present your arguments against specific claims made by the authors, rather than presenting a characterization of a body of disparate works, and then providing small amounts of highly selective evidence to support those characterizations. 1330559302 +Wasn't this mars-one project a hoax? 1341315634 +Hmm, this is certainly interesting. When I first read your description (before watching), my initial thought was that it was likely going to be a rain drop, ice crystal or reflection from inside the cabin. But, they objects appear to be moving *past* the aircraft, which they need to be traveling faster than the plane. \n\n*edit: I agree with a lot of people here -- the recent hoaxes have made me a little jaded. 1316721615 +Are you crazy? Did you even look at where I said??? Do you not see the black shadow moving RANDOMLY about, or do you choose NOT to look? Or better yet, are you PURPOSEFULLY derailing my thread? 1351021601 +In a weird way, I am thankful for ID people, they have helped teach me how much science really does know about our evolution.\n\n[My favorite is the case of the missing chromosomes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs1zeWWIm5M) 1356066786 +Wouldn't control imply free will, which is problematic, to say the least? 1351295921 +Absolutely, they could have an effect but what I could find through searching says there are no known effects good or bad of any of these flowers. Also, thank you for the homeopathy info. I didn't know that. 1341022541 +He was always the most level headed, reasonable, and helpful guy in the room. Also, he respects me which is a refreshing change. 1319209193 +yeah, what is it? 1329765401 +You know, I have this bottle of Windex here. How many ghosts do you think that is? 1267674087 +Espero que hayas podido entender lo suficiente.\nSaludos desde el Sur del mundo 1292118088 +I hope we were all sitting for that one. 1344872426 +Oh, the local retard [butch123-Dunning-Kruger](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect) is back ... commenting on old threads since he is afraid that other people will see how retarded he is :) 1327591321 +http://www.logicalfallacies.info/relevance/appeals/appeal-to-tradition/\n\nAre there any properly controlled scientific studies which support the benefits of practiced abstinence? Your claim that it's been part of eastern and western philosophies is irrelevant. There are many things that were part of both eastern and western philosphies for thousands of years which have no basis in reality. 1344218775 +that ship at the end, thats a common entity craft seen frequently on nasa transmissions, the most horrifying i've ever seen is the "tether incident" http://youtu.be/As-wYmFYb3I 1334077157 +Actually the information coming out of Bilderberg states they try to engage many country's leaders in to global action on certain subjects.\n\nA previous mention (in 2008 or 2009) was the US members of Bilderberg urging the others to join them in an attack on Iran! Luckily the rest of the group saw sense and the US didn't want to go it alone.\n\nMany skeptics seem to approach these things with a bias towards giving a benefit of the doubt even when there is mounting evidence to the contrary. 1302643021 +I've noticed that BS levels are strongly correlated to the number of terms in quotation marks used. 1346445623 +Here's my actual post to someone when they posted this same thing:\n\n>This is patent nonsense, and a clear case of grasping on to a word- in this case, toxic. Yes, Casein is toxic, but all trials show that you'd have to feed a mammal their weight in casein everyday for weeks on end. I personally can't eat 214 lbs of casein per day. Indeed, that is likely less than I will consume over decades.\n\n>It is toxic in the same way cannabis is toxic- at a level that is unachievable. Water is FAR more toxic than casein- people die every year from water toxicity. \n\n>While I do like my health food, the groups that claim this or that causes cancers, heart disease, autism- make a claim so bold, requiring so much evidence, is disheartening. If a lawyer, or a teacher had routinely made such absurd statements, they would have been fringe cranks.\n\nI don't consider my post to be serious skepticism (hell, I did it on an iPad with what resources I could dig up), but it's what I did on short notice. 1346049560 +He has already been told this and he refuses to accept it as an explanation.\n\n>Let's use logic.\n\nHa. 1342979070 +Why would so many people lie? I have seen two, maybe three things I can't explain. 1337988036 +It was a UFO anus that was crapping dead birds. This sub is beginning to REALLY suck. 1350689412 +No, I didn't think you were advocating that...\n\nAssuming Chemotherapy is benchmarked against a placebo effect.. (and shown to be better)... Chemotherapy + 'psychological effect' not shrinking tumors should mean placebo does not shrink them...\n\n> I see no reason to assume that the placebo group wouldn't show any benefit.\n\n\nIn this example I do. If chemotherapy does not reduce tumors, placebo-therapy will have the same or less results... (i.e. also no), and thus no-treatment can't really be worse than no effect...\n\n> Given that studies have suggested that psychological factors can have an effect on the growth rate of some tumors\n\nI'm not aware of these, and sorry I'm too busy right now to google, but I'd imagine "mind of tumor" would be limited to stopping it spreading etc, not killing it.\n\nBlah blah: Tumors are shrinking by some means that we are not currently aware of. Placebo will always have it's role, **but any treatment of cancer will include the placebo effect of "trying to shrink the tumor"... and thus far we don't have a reliable method**.\n\nPlus someone else posted in this thread that placebo has yet to be fully tested in a scientific, clinical trials sort of way. So we don't know the extent / limits of placebo.\n\n(AAAAND now I'm away for a month... Laters) 1278154813 +>studies have shown that many times it wasn't the Aspirin that cured your headache, it was all those placebo effects that did it, before the aspirin could have time to work.\n\n[Citation needed.] Honestly, that sounds like BS to me. We're talking about a well-known, well-studied, well-understood neurochemical pathway here. 1326057648 +Why does the screen say "Moth Maan"? 1299052840 +That is the pussiest "Scratch" I've ever seen. 1339226076 +Link to the study itself:\n\nhttp://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/data/Journals/AJP/PAP/appi.ajp.2011.11091447.pdf 1330052086 +Pasteurizing: heat but don't boil, cool rapidly.\n\nUHT: heat over the temp. of boiling, cool rapidly.\n\nHome: boil slowly, cool slowly. 1328308566 +Willful ignorance is a bummer, but seeing people imprison themselves because of their willful ignorance has just ruined my morning. 1315917422 +>“Fifty percent of UFO encounters are connected with oceans. Fifteen more – with lakes. So UFOs tend to stick to the water,” he said.\n\nThis is more than likely because humans tend to live near bodies of water. 1355150844 +Where or how do I apply!? 1346389613 +monkey in the vent 1350260429 +When no9 says "empty", what that means is that it is full of containers that are, themselves, empty. Given the enormous overhead necessary to move the weight of the ships and the containers, the addition of a little plastic cargo weight is what we would call "negligible" in the industry. 1352133991 +All I know is that when I started as a paranormal investigator back in the late 80's, it was pretty much unheard of, and any time I mentioned what I did, I was treated like I was whacko. As soon as a couple of plumbers decide to try it and get a lucky break from the Syfy channel, I became some kind of celebrity. I think over time though, people are going back to acting like paranormal research is is a joke again, but in the process, thousands of people decide they want to jump on the bandwagon too, even though they have no idea what they're doing, basically robbing the handful of us who have been doing it for a long time of any credibility. I don't know of any statistical data, but if you do a google search, you'll likely turn up a huge number of "paranormal teams" in and around most major cities, though most of them are young kids with no experience who just want to be cool like Jason and Grant. I doubt I answered your question here, but thanks for listening anyway. hehehe 1341526108 +People that don't break a sweat don't wash uniforms. 1322407464 +Not to mention if you *want* 0%, you can buy it. 1344475999 +DID YOU SEE THE BOOBS 1326573164 +Why wouldn't prunes be acidic? They have a tartness to them. 1339681961 +24/7 streaming Art Bell. 1336420987 +A mindmap is a structured hierarchical tree. Make a mind map system that just uses file folders, and you can use a VCS like Git or Hg to make it collaborative. 1344219246 +thats the same as the placebo effect, isnt it? Its just endorphins messing around 1287245796 +That's hilarious! A supertaster should love to explore the full range of flavours. Bitterness is simply a flavour that more commonly needs to be acquired, but can become something highly enjoyable. \n\nCanadian coke, sadly, is not made with real sugar. But we do have Pepsi Throwback. 1313525830 +I believe the word you are looking for is 'concern trolling'. Also I kept on asking people for credentials through out those threads, and the most I got was a student dietician pretending to be a certified dietician. 1326672369 +Well, my head hurts, but I blame the large quantity of beer I drank last night.\n 1319208813 +As far as talking heads go, he's a good one. But you're right to ask, there are a ton of goofballs out there spouting off whatever comes to mind in order to make a buck. When in doubt, do a quick google search of the person you're inquiring about and you'll quickly find out whether they are full of shit or not. 1351875946 +EAT AT VINNIE VAN GO GO'S. 1351105272 +So far so good! When will this be released? 1343406350 +Classic UFO shape, color and speeds, keep looking up and keep recording, consider getting a tripod and have it in your car just in case it shows up again.\n\nThank you for sharing, as a "believer" evidence like this is a goldmine. 1337964280 +I probably should have specified which Kingston it was, but I did include a link to the Police website, so the information was there, it just wasn't as easy to find as it should have been.\n\nWhen the Police Department are out, in uniform, and selling the Power Balance bracelets at places like Cost-Co they are providing tacit legitimacy to the product. When they list the same claims that have been show false in Australia, they are advertising known fraud on their website. \n\nThe choice between Power Balance and candy bars is a joke, there are a near infinite amount of other things they could have sold. The point is completely trivial. \n\nIs this the biggest issue facing the world? No. Is this the biggest issue skeptics should be paying attention to? No. Does that mean that it's a non issue to be ignored? No. \n\nI'm not sure about sorrytodisappoint, but I can write about more than one thing and try to solve a few different problems, so saying it isn't a huge issue doesn't mean that, it makes it so it has to be ignored. If you see someone punch a child on the street do you keep walking by, because there are bigger fish to fry? 1336873234 +I'd add the "Earth's climate is not static" argument and call your list complete 1331682544 +I let a lot of this slide... most people don't really care one way or the other\n\nonly the TRULY crazy absorb in this nonsense 1339365252 +Actually, since the principal on which nuclear weapons operate is that they disrupt atoms and atomic bonds on a nuclear level, you would expect to see some radiation, which is basically the product of unstable atoms.\n\nBut it's amusing to imagine an advanced society that decides to invent nuclear weapons with no trace. "We'll disrupt their nuclear bonds and turn each element into a more stable one instead of a deadly radiating one! Ho ho ho, they'll never expect it! All their gold will decay to silver in their hands! Muahaha!" 1341191028 +I know otherwise intelligent people who rave about chiropractic, but I think the problem here is that it's a little bit of good mixed in with a metric shitton of woo. Basically, the parts of chiropractic that work are pretty much a good, deep-tissue massage -- and massages work to relieve pain because getting groped and stroked like that releases a lot of endorphins into your system, and lots of endorphins = happy good time fun place. \n \nNow, if chiropractors basically advertised themselves as massage artists with an advanced degree, fine. "I'll rub your muscles, you'll feel less tense." Okay, perfectly reasonable. Unfortunately, along the way, they've grafted on this whole bullshit concept of subluxation, and the idea that they can adjust specific vertebrae in specific ways in order to cure all kinds of ailments that have nothing to do with the spine whatsoever. \n \nOh -- not to mention that they occasionally severely injure or kill people by performing ill-advised procedures, particularly on those very important [vertebrae](http://whatstheharm.net/chiropractic.html) in the neck... 1310022671 +We have to go deeper; maybe you could try [this](http://www.webmd.com/diet/apple-cider-vinegar?page=2). 1326967265 +Well, at least we know what aliens sound like now:\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTunhRVyREU\n\n 1299108961 +>TEDx, just like TED but with more explosions and martial arts\n\nJust like TED but with more easy answers and comforting non-sense. 1355265036 +just look up at the sky whenever you get a chance :)...when the sun is low in the sky is the best time to see something... 1345362629 +The Earth is not a sphere (round), its an ellipse. 1278414151 +took of what? 1342440358 +Looks like a rotating, split-sinker that I used to attach to my fishing line. 1319141597 +Well your personal belief leads to cults of personality and complete delusion during the earliest stages of the journey. The first 'sin' if you want to call it that, is self delusion. \n\nThankfully its not as willy nilly as you believe. The occult has been a respected field of inquiry much longer then science has, in fact, it founded science based on its own principles. Its just been, until about 60-90 years ago, occult.\n\nIt does in fact matter to both the Op and the general world what we think about cases such as these. In fact it matters a great deal. Lets say for example that this is merely a thought-form accidentally conjured and empowered by the Op. Our believing his fantasy and encouraging him to deal with it as if its objectively real from himself will in fact increase its ability to harm him. This is not beneficial to the OP or the crowd gathered around watching this thread. So yes, incorrect assumptions do matter. Take a look at some books on group mind and group soul. Also look at psychological explanations and information surrounding mass hysteria. \n\nThese creatures do not shift between reality and fantasy at will, our way of viewing them does, hence self-delusion being the first step. Im sorry we disagree so strongly, you seem to have some interesting ideas. 1349282579 +I agree and that's a very good point. However, the current technology ultimately makes even bonafide photographic evidence moot because almost anything can be ran through After Effects or Photoshopped, etc. In this sense, it doesn't necessarily up the need for good evidence. It makes even *good* photographic evidence entirely suspect.\n\nI guess it also means that more than just photographic evidence would be a good thing - and this is true. It WOULD be a good thing if one gets more than just a picture of an event. There is at least a certain undermining effect that it seems to have, however. 1342674943 +Me too! [It's happened before](http://www.greatdreams.com/Charleston1895.JPG)... and we don't have any of that fancy anti-earthquake planning like Japan. \n\nok not the nami... but it could! LAKE MICHIGANAMI!!! 1299901092 +I doubt it's a planet by the descriptions you gave in the video. Going behind the tress, staying low to the horizon and being gone after 20 mins. Planets do move fast across the night sky when observing them through a telescope, but not fast enough to disappear after 20 mins.\n\nYou have a pretty cool catch here. 1334838804 +A common error- if he didn't go on to be so successful, this clip would be much less likely to have popped up again! 1341704182 +Just so you know the admins of reddit shadow-banned you, meaning nobody can see your posts. I'd probably make a new account. 1346277906 +[Some info on the Nazi bit.](http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2011/oct/06/critics-water-fluoridation/truth-about-fluoride-doesnt-include-nazi-myth/)\n\n 1340285028 +so much rage i have for this family of arrogant bible thumpers. 1298341338 +I thought I heard crazy before, but people are paying $8 a head to be STARED AT??? Jesus, am I in the wrong business. 1349473672 +I'm going to go down the rabbit hole so please bear with me. I'm not saying any of this is fact.\n\n\nTheory 1 (based off Contactee reports. Alex Collier among others)\n\nIt is said that Reptilians came to this planet first. It is said that later on humanoids started arriving from distant star systems (Andromeda, Lyra) fleeing a war between Reptilians and Humanoids, as well as infighting between Humanoids themselves. Reptilians main shtick is control. This intelligent species are considered avid explorers, and use slavery as a means to keep their hegemony. The reptilians still hold power to this day, as they did in Ancient Egypt. The pyramid on the dollar bill, as well as its all seeing eye, coupled with the obelisk at the Washington Monument as well as the obelisk at the Vatican could be a subtle reminder of whose in charge. The reason why governments do not want to answer the UFO question is because it would expose whose really in charge and cause a reality paradigm shift that could cause havoc. \n\n\nTheory 2 (inter-dimensional beings)\n\nThese entities are not physically from a distant planet, but are indigenous to Earth. They have been here since before the dawn of mankind. Plausible, as the Earth is 4.6 billion years old. Moon is 5 billion+ years old based on soil samples taken during Apollo missions. They are inter-dimensional beings who at most part, cannot be seen with the naked eye. Special lenses however, can expose these 'entities' such as infrared or UV lenses. Such was claimed by a Hollywood insider who stated that he saw many 'entities' with a lens developed for this purpose. This could also explain why some UFO hunters use nightvision and IR cameras to capture UFO sightings. \n\nAll in all, I like both theories, and would make a brilliant movie, whether its true or not. I would prefer Theory #2 to be the case though lol. 1322763550 +You are certain they didn't occur?\n\n You are a lunatic. Are you Jewish?\n\n These are videos of jews in their own words 1356388922 +i was at traverse city hospital. didn't see any ghosts but definitely a creepy place! 1350515415 +Meh. Just because she's smart and loving doesn't make everything she said true, or even right. 1306212794 +I've done a lot of research on acupuncture. And I've never seen anything to suggest that it's more than a fancy placebo.\n\nWe don't need to know *how* something works to test *if* something works, and plenty of studies have been done to show that there's no effect beyond placebo. 1280538769 +I know how they're used in medical trials. We're talking about in the course of treating patients, not for research purposes. 1314920252 +Humans are not as genetically varied as other species of animal. It's thought that this is due to a catastrophe that nearly wiped us out long ago. If you are Caucasian, and compare your genes to a Caucasian and an African American, it would be hard to say ahead of time which would have genes more like your own. Or in other words, genetic variation between races is not significantly different than variation within races. The genes that control our differing appearances are only a tiny part of our genetic code.\n\nTherefore, although I am no taxonomist, I believe it is quite possible that humans simply don't have enough variation to be divided into sub-species. 1298508647 +>I'd mostly blame drunk driving on whoever owns the road, and the property owner where a murder takes place.\n\nHe's clearly trolling. 1311930353 +It is tempting and easy to jump on that as a reason. It wouldn't surprise me. \n\nThere is no really easy way to know with certainty without the benefit of the distance of time or the talent of mind reading, or the ready deep experience of someone who has been vividly sensitized to it.\n\nSuch a reaction (British vs Kenyan) has a deep emotional basis that is not always to observe objectively if it is your own reaction.\n\nUnfortunately, the only way that this changes is with the change over in generations. There are not enough people at hand to provide what could be proper counseling to "cure" this sort of thing, even if they could accept it as true. 1337387798 +Yes, while eating paint chips. 1298062079 +Vaccination only works based on herd immunity. By allowing unvaccinated children in to a clinic, the doctors may be putting at risk patients who cannot be vaccinated and even those who have been vaccinated but are not immune.\n\nWhile this may frustrate some, it is well within the right of the pediatrician. If an OB does not feel comfortable providing or even discussing abortion with a patient, s/he has the right to refer them on.\n\n 1310544327 +I've watched enough Star Trek to confirm this statement. 1323374709 +Forgot all about this last night. It's not up on 4od yet and I can't find a full version of it yet online. \n\nA couple of people seem to be throwing it up on youtube as I write this.\n\n[This Channel](http://www.youtube.com/user/computersolutions164#g/u) has the first 4 parts up so far (as I write this)\n\nand [this channel](http://www.youtube.com/user/ScepticaTV#g/u) has the 3parts of it up so far. \n\nHopefully they'll complete the set by the time anyone comes looking for it here. 1273584676 +Extract from webpage: KORE Therapy is leading the world in recovery through its integrative medicine techniques. It uses a unique combination of Western diagnostic & assessments, Eastern release techniques, with a mixture of psychologies & philosophies to help clients with the most chronic conditions make a break through to recovery and good health.\n\nSeems to be a mix of eastern alternative medicines. Came to me at work asking me to promote it. I have refused until they produce clinical evidence of effectiveness. \n\nanyone else come across this? 1345208626 +I hate propaganda like this (from your link):\n\n>Andy is an emerging figure in **the Truth Movement** leading a campaign to lobby the US government to disclose such controversial **truths** as the **fact** that Mars harbors life and that the US has achieved “quantum access” to past and future events.\n\n\nSo what facts do we have to back up these truths that there is life on Mars, or more interestingly that the US has "quantum" access to past an future events. You realize that was an idea stolen from a movie right? \n\n\nReally, I like to consider myself a believer in lots of things but when you use words like facts and truth, they should have sources to back them up. \n\nSo please, anyone here can prove for a FACT that there is life on mars or that we could see past or future events, please show it to me because I am honestly eager to learn, but in all my years of searching I have yet to find it. \n\nEDIT: \n\nI just found this lol\n\n>he was the first American child to teleport and took part in probes to past and future events utilizing time travel technologies.\n\nJesus christ, is we had time travel technologies that we would have seen a sudden explosion of technology that we do not observe. We would have gone 100 years into the future to gather info, but then of course future self was us 100 years ago so they already did that, paradoxes ensure etc etc. \n\nCummon guys, do you guys believe all of this stuff with literally no evidence that it ever took place? If someone says the moon is made of cheese, do you not ask for evidence of why someone believes that? Where is the evidence? 1329450960 +You're absolutely right when you say that weight loss is ultimately a question of calories in - calories out. \n\nMy point was that on a high-fat diet it's easier to sustain a calorie deficit, because you'll feel satiated longer and don't have to deal with a fluctuating insulin-content (sorry, English is not my first language). \n\n 1347527636 +> Also if you look here you will see we have added and lost debt as a nation\n\nStrictly speaking, that's not necessarily true. Since that graph is comparing debt versus GDP, it's possible for the line to move downward if GDP increases faster than debt increases, without debt actually decreasing.\n\nEssentially, the movement of the line only tells you which was growing faster, GDP or debt.\n 1326306612 +A’shayana Deane is batshit crazy, but no moreso than most of Camelot's "whistleblowers." I mean at least she doesn't have dolphin DNA or the ability to kick a thousand times a second. ಠ_ಠ\n\n(see also: Aaron McCollum) 1323760088 +No I just not one to jump to conclusions without evidence. I not seen anyone scientifically model the damage such would cause, so I see no point basing any argument on it.\n\nThere is a lot to consider here, How much of the cable would burn up in re-entry, how would it fall, what mass of cable would hit the ground, what would its terminal velocity be?????\n\nI'm not going to pretend I know what or how I could come to know the answer to any of these questions is, so I don't see the point in trying to address them. 1329995151 +> King Philip Cuts Open Five Green Snakes\n\nOur biology teacher always used "King Phillip Came Over For Great Sex." 1297404794 +That's because they knew that those silly superstitions about smoking being bad for you were just silly. 1326473134 +It would look like that, but given that it was high in the air above two mountains it's improbable. Also couldn't be a kite there's no wind in that area, there are a lot of hills. 1354913042 +uhhh how do you explain 1:00 in then? Are they wearing jetpacks? If so, where can I buy one? 1318482392 +Here in Bangalore where the IISC (Indian Institute of Science) is located you can walk into any of the departments and see images of Sathya Sai Baba. Prayers are offered to the Gods for all the scientific instruments that are used in the daily work. 1325511766 +So, you think that if I try it and I get positive effects that you would have more support for your theory? You trust me enough to assume that I am immune to cognitive biases?\n\nI assure you, I am quite irrational and if I don't trust me, I don't know why you would. 1343279810 +It's "natural", therefore it must be good.\n\nIt's "the will of the people" - my nomination for the most bullshit-soaked phrase in the political sphere. 1281197807 +Why do you do this? You're lumping one conspiracy with another when one might have more validity than another. \n \nMost of you believe meat is bad for you and high cholesterol causes heart disease right? It's factually incorrect hoever the establishment in the U.S. and elsewhere support that viewpoint despite evidence to the contrary. 1329815492 +[Pretty much](http://www.reddit.com/r/Corruption/comments/oglo6/911_hijackers_passports_were_issued_by_the_cia_us/c3he4r4&context=2) 1326630293 +i think *illskillz* is more getting at that being an uppity cunt about superior logical positions is going to leave OP with a net loss in many social circles. 1319365858 +> I am not attacking a straw man, I am saying it add nothing to the credibility, especially given that some of the most incorrect ideas are the ones people are most willing to sacrifice.\n\nEmpty words. Do you have any concrete examples of this happening in the past where we now know (and *everyone* agrees) that they were explicitly wrong in the core of their beliefs?\n\n> There is 0 reason to take a claim any more seriously just because someone is willing to sacrifice for it.\n\nDo you have an actual argument in favor of this, or are you just repeating it like a mantra?\n\n> Welp, that'll be all.\n\nIs this where you go into denial? 1318788743 +Still! at 12-13 I was petrified of girls. 1327908111 +Definitely the best route I think , articles are hard to come by as far as crimes/missing persons and the like are concerned. 1349056488 +Easy tiger. No need to get personal here. The cultural tendencies to attack and shun those with intelligence could very well be attributed to the media and to typical schoolyard bullying ("attack what is different"). This sort of mentality seems to propagate throughout the generations ("these kids today..."), and may actually (as of the past decade) be moving towards a celebration of intelligence, as "geek" and "tech" are becoming much more hip and trendy. 1307633185 +For real, I know exactly what it's like living in a haunted home. Mine is still haunted. I've heard growling, breathing, been touched, had items thrown across the room, heard whispering...you name it, I've experienced it here. Glad you're outta there though... 1356800083 +I've actually run across a good number of things from CVS labeled as Homeopathic, but they actually aren't. It's actual herbal remedies, with a 1x or 2x reduction. Which isn't Homeopathy, just reduced. So there's still active ingredients in them unlike "proper" homeopathy, which is 10x reduced. 1348088130 +I actually do agree with that. Our history proves it. 1351006181 +>The same poster as pulvereyes2010, methinks. Believes that Skeptics are helping with government mind control.\n\nYouthinks I also post as pulvereyes2010? What makes youthinks that? 1289938814 +what was the question? 1282346616 +oh sorry I was just being a smartass.... I couldn't help but say no to the question....I respect your perspective 1342376327 +i had no idea about the diminishing returns of the placebo effect, although you're right: it seems pretty obvious. \n\nthis alone is a good reason to choose truth over whatever benefit a patient may derive from taking a placebo, or undergoing placebo therapy.\n\noff-topic: is there an adjectival form of *placebo*? 1282607133 +When I got to "double rainbows" I realized that this is almost certainly a troll...but...just in case...\n\nLet's see if your supernatural events have a more down-to-earth explanation:\n\n>local parking lots empty for days only to fill up with unfamilar cars\n\nThis is an incredibly common occurrence during the summer due to seasonal events. \n\n\n>a bizarre paint job of kid's doodle painted on it's body. \n\nOn whose body? And how is someone's poor artistic expression supernatural?\n\n\n> A Cadillac Miller-Meteor delivering pizza.\n\nThat doesn't sound supernatural, that sounds super *awesome*. But really, a pizza delivery vehicle is the person's own car unless the pizza company decided to get creative with advertising by buying a cool, memorable vehicle that can carry plenty of pizza. I really don't see how this is supernatural.\n\n\n>Unmarked white work vans & empty buses with blacked out windows have been driving in and out all summer.\n\nIt is very common for work activity to go on during the summer, especially at schools because most of the normal crowd is not there. This is a great time to get some work taken care of. Also, if the windows are blacked out, how do you know the buses are empty? You can't see into the bus if it has blacked out windows...\n\n\n> Ear splitting jets tearing overhead in bursts of 2/hour causing entire houses to shake and suddenly stopping\n\nDo you mean the jets stop suddenly and crash? Or that the passing by stops for the day? You say that they are "suddenly stopping" as if to suggest that OH HOLY SHIT SOMETHING SUPERNATURAL IS HAPPENING but the reality is that they can't do test runs *all the live long day*, that would be crazy. Yes, even jet pilots need to take a break and punch out of work.\n\n\n>in addition helicopters as well as what seems like hovering drones or weather balloons with lights aboard in the far distance for an entire night to disappear the next night\n\nSo there are various tests going on and then the equipment moves on? That sounds like a very normal thing, doesn't it? Why would they stay there for days at a time? Chances are, they are working with USGS or another such government organization to collect aerial photographs to update maps.\n\n\n>Add this to nature abnormalities like total absence of mosquitos\n\nAs others have said, this goes in cycles, especially with your bird activity. Birds don't always have normal patterns and there can be influxes in populations for a variety of reasons. A good explanation usually is that their natural predator was reduced for some reason, allowing their population to expand. This isn't supernatural. This is totally normal. Nature cycles like this, especially where humans are involved. \n\n\n>bizarre animal behavior: a crow took out a chipmunk\n\nUh...small rodents like chipmunks are absolutely part of a crow's normal, natural diet. You only think this is weird because it never occurred to you that something might eat a chipmunk or...? I have no idea why you think this is "bizarre" animal behavior for a crow to eat something it normally eats.\n\n>bears have attacked dozen of people\n\nThis is also normal behavior. Bears attack people.\n\n\n>odd weather patterns such as double rainbows\n\nNaturally-occurring.\n\n>rain falling from cloudless skies\n\nThis can happen as the rain empties from the clouds. That's how you have cloudless skies: the water vapor is gone.\n\n>totally sunny to sudden pouring rain and hail when close family member suffered a terrible loss in the family\n\nSummers these past few years have been known to have shifty weather. This is not supernatural. This is a coincidence. Are you suggesting that rain and hail happen only when family members suffer a loss? Or do you only think the rain/hail is significant when the family member suffers a loss?\n\n\n>When discussing this with the person on a drive, a trucker revs up next to us with a sign saying "Its All In Your Head".\n\nA trucker passing you with a silly sign is not supernatural.\n\n\n>On top of this have been technical abnormalities such as skewed Google search algorithms\n\nSuch as?\n\n>1,000s of odd prank phone calls\n\nReally? *Thousands* of prank calls in the span of a couple months? What do they say to you?\n\n\n>spontaneously deleting iPhone memory holding gigbytes of unretrieveable personal info\n\nThat shit happens unfortunately. \n\n\n>hacked netflix recommedations \n\nIf you're watching through these to find out that the scrubbing tab doesn't work smoothly (totally normal sometimes...) then that means you're at least checking through some stuff like this, which means it gets saved into your potential likes and thrown as a recommendation later. \n\n\n>What is going on here?\n\nAbsolutely normal activities that you seem to have little understanding of (like the fact you think a crow eating its normal diet is "bizarre animal behavior) and instead of doing a bit of research you think that it's somehow supernatural. \n\nOr you're trolling. 1346583828 +...did you not read the part of my comment where I pointed out that she **did**, in fact, provide the evidence you claim she didn't? 1351100212 +You can look at my newest post. I did a revised Q&A on this topic. I do believe. 1352708850 +I read this in the opposite manner to humor my now-defunct conspiracy theorist mindset (ashamed to admit it, but I used to be one.)\n\nOnce I got to the section where it lists the services/facilities needed for running the camp though, I couldn't keep my suspension of disbelief up any longer. I mean really, detainment/death camps with catering, laundry, medical, electricity and even air conditioning?! Hell, now I'm wishing it was true because this would be the most comfortable apocalyptic fascist takeover ever. 1323902211 +Isn't there even a major flaw in the premise of talking about GM food as if it were a monolith... 1333150666 +This is the paranormal subreddit!! 1351371953 +This is from a a website [](http://www.hikingnewzealand.com/victoria-railway.htm) advertising this hotel. I thought that it was weird they mention the fire upgrades. \n\nInner City Victorian Style Boutique Hotel Accommodation. \n \nBuilt in 1896 the Victoria Railway Hotel is an Invercargill Icon and Landmark Building with a NZ Historic Places Trust Category 1 Classification. The Hotel was closed for an architecturally designed upgrade and refurbishment in June 2003, then subsequently re-opened in May 2004. The upgrade included automatic fire sprinklers throughout, Type 7 smoke detection, Ground floor wheelchair units, CCTV and 24hr PIR access. \n * 1348269622 +damn, I always figured the U of A was above doing stuff like this. Unfortunately I can't really help you out with the second opinion I'm an EE alumni. See if you can track down a biomedical engineer or a biomed prof. Good luck. 1288790555 +So what you're saying is that to understand the phenomenon properly you need to study it over time, i.e. its development. 1340646646 +does op [wear shoes](http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/)? 1260409289 +Have you researched the information on that topic thoroughly, or are you casting judgment upon it at a glance? 1320687498 +I'm one of those people who loves being scared. I get scared really easy so this makes life okay... I do not, however, like being scared with a dead cellphone while staying home alone while I have no car since it's in the shop. This is when being scared is not okay. 1326433918 +We call it "Bro Hunters." 1330621235 +It is too bad the article is so sparse with details. Anyone with a subscription to "Journal of NeuroImage"?\n\nAnyone? 1249926490 +In my opinion we should stop making statements on what is and isn't until we can make a reasonably accurate judgement.\n\nThere's a difference between trying to figure out how the people of ancient briton lived, and trying to explain the significance of a landmark that is intricately tied to that lifestyle. We know so little about the people of that region from that era that trying to make judgements as to why Stonehenge was built is folly. \n\nDarwin had a LOT of evidence to support the theory of evolution, even back then. It was an observable phenomenon. Archeology is already based heavily on guesswork, *but there is a point where guess work crosses the line into fiction*, and fiction *is not science* 1340621770 +Oh, most definitely. I used to go to UNC @ Asheville, which was a haven for anti-male sexism. 1325892525 +i enjoy reading personal stories like this, thank you. 1346169294 +maybe try r/tipofmytongue 1345655913 +Considering how woo-y the article is I doubt they would even think that far. They probably mean some kind of soul/memory energy. 1351272579 +check out my comment above... the wikipedia page is really misleading. 1274291865 +The headline means:\n\nSally Morgan said she feels sorry for psychic cynics like Derren Brown.\n\nLater, Derron Brown starts a rumour about a lucky dog statue.\n\nTwo months after Sally Morgan spoke, Derren (or his production company) invited her to talk about the rumour, thereby getting revenge. \n\nUnfortunataly, the video is not hosted on youtube (and therefore cannot be linked to the proper time in the video), but the interesting but is at 27:19, and you can skip to it manually.\n\nThe whole program is worth while.\n\nWeblypistol thinks he's figured out the end bit. 1321198643 +Bloodhounds,Thermal cameras, etc......this mystery could be easily solve. Which is why I think Bigfoot is bunk. 1240861331 +It is. The orbs are actually anomalies made by the camera not being cleaned in a long time. Fishing line was the rest of it. However it did fool a few people on YouTube, not surprising Reddit was able to pic it apart, had to try though and it was very fun to put on as well. 1325549705 +He also says that cannabis is not medicine, and is deeply harmful. He's about as scientific as Dr. Phil. 1344966217 +I think that most sound minded people would agree it is crazy and understand completely when people were skeptical, but when they say "the only way I will believe you is if you steal something" that is just stupid. Can a monkey steal a gizmo at the zoo? can a baboon a tranquilized by a biologist get access to to the tranq gun? \n\nIf Mr Tyson truly wants to take on this topic, then he should think a bit more about it. If these are beings so massively beyond our intelligence that they mastered faster than light/interdimensional travel then they would be able to figure out how to stop us from picking something up and being transported back with it. He gives them no credit, they could be thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years more advanced than us yet they lack basic problem solving ability?\n\nIf Dr Neil had a billion dollar budget and UFO technology and his mission was to secretly abduct citizens from backcountry roads and from farms, he wouldn't be able to figure out how to stop his subjects from stealing his gizmos and running away? I think most people of moderate intelligence would be able to figure out a way to avoid being robbed by a person you are holding captive. \n\nWe manage to arrest thousands of people a day across the globe, how many manage to steal shit from the jail? His whole logic is flawed, he takes on this issue like a fool who has not thought his argument through. 1312171516 +Needs more buttons.\n\nhttp://www.joepower.co.uk/images/stories/home/joepower-homepage-right.jpg 1273622399 +Science doesn't require belief. It is a process, not a religion. Dumbass. 1322501111 +I wanted to see if others saw what I saw without pointing out at first.\n\nit isn't so much the twister it is the round shadow. \n\nit could be nothing. could be dark matter. it could be a ufo. could be a secret human invention. could be a space mollusk. it is interesting. 1331564187 +This crop circle has so much information incorporated in it...let me break it down for ya. \nIt's the equivalent of the aliens letting us know where their "turtle head" begins. That the contour and length is similar to humans with sometimes a meaty center bulge but also with the ability to break apart into many individual components. And finally the circle-makers indicate the potential break off points...at the turtle head itself or right before the entire shit pops out. This is truly the work of a higher intelligence. 1340728709 +hey by the way, if you had to guess, what did you think it was? do you have any crazy theories? 1342072401 +ok this guy has to be trolling at this point \n\n>Tell that to a guy who weighs 1000 pounds. Calories are only a good thing when you don't have enough. If the kid has enough calories otherwise, the soda won't do any good.\n\nthat is one of the most blatantly retarded statements ive ever heard.\n 1319661044 +Do you happen to have an extra form E-29b I'm working on a proposal for a sarcastic comment that's meant to be misconstrued by a minimum of 23% of target Redditors. 1332867528 +I had lights flash past my room a few times when I was younger, my house doesn't face any roads, and it was very quick. It was bright but only lasted a second. 1333123372 +If i wanted to watch cheesy reenactments I'd watch the television. What kind of shit is this? 1326141750 +Bro, here is what you do if you want to: What I did was walk around my house and in every room and hallway I would say: \n\n"Only those that are full of love, happiness, good and positivity are welcomed in my home. If you are not then you are not welcomed and must leave."\n\nI akin this to a positive affirmation and I am very happy that it seems to work. Also a little bit of positive spiritualism does not hurt. Maybe go to church if that is your thing or read the bible or just be positive and it should be good. Just don't welcome anything evil, bad or negative in your home and that includes people or that damn ouija board. 1320718645 +Oh my goodness, they used a back drop? I can't believe they would be so sneaky! 1356103761 +20 years old and still living with the parents? You could point out the embarrassment factor and the problem may move out. ;)\n\nSeriously though, it sounds like the parents just want him on a better sleep schedule and the energy glow thing is the bullshit argument. Ask them about it that way. It may be an opportunity to help your brother out a bit if his hours are actually detrimental in any way. \n\nHate making assumptions like this but is he employed? 1351196162 +20 years old and still living with the parents? You could point out the embarrassment factor and the problem may move out. ;)\n\nSeriously though, it sounds like the parents just want him on a better sleep schedule and the energy glow thing is the bullshit argument. Ask them about it that way. It may be an opportunity to help your brother out a bit if his hours are actually detrimental in any way. \n\nHate making assumptions like this but is he employed? 1351196174 +don't forget, they make a great place to store your paper clips and eyeglass screws! 1335041131 +I meant wrong about your death 1331175448 +I did finally find it. Doesn't say anything about who took it, unfortunately.\n\nAs for size, I was referring mostly to the first picture. It looks like it's just coming into view from a distance to me. This implies that it's far away and leads me to believe it's big. I would say number two looks big as well. I do really want them to be big Alien Ships so this could also be just me. ;)\n\n 1313547729 +This was 100% useless.\n\nDrive,wave gay flag,drive,wave gay flag,eat,eat,drive,arrive at Roswell complain and leave,drive,drive eat,eat,eat,arrive at area 51 and launch some little fireworks,drive,eat,drive,eat,drive,eat,the end.\n 1346856653 +Exactly. The same principle applies, if it's home made, store bought, or even 'other'.\n\nOne of the best examples I've seen debunking the Ouija boards was a guy had a bunch of groups in the same room playing with the boards. They were all amazed at them working. He then had them all stand up, took the boards away, and just had the groups lightly lay their hands on the card tables they were sitting at. In moments the card tables were running all over the room under seemingly the same effect.\n\nEDIT: and I do find it amusing how we're being down voted. 1346041063 +This again?\n\nHUMANITY has a misogyny problem. Non-religious people are not exempt, but pretty much every major world religion is worse in this regard. 1313545938 +How does the current epidemic of Type 2 diabetics in the African American community fit into this? 1345049512 +I dream of a world in which Reuters knows what the hell it's doing. 1319476633 +no he isnt. He adds nothing but vile to the discussion. Were he to lose the ugly words he may have had some nugget worth reading. 1342787832 +Your name starts with the word time like mine.\n\nI don't like you. 1326619660 +Sorry, I'm not good at Reddit humor yet! 1351639339 +then why aren't they locking up psychics wholesale? all psychics are frauds, this guy is just getting a bad wrap for taking more than money from the suckers who believed him. 1340498906 +It's true! Most of these are viral infections, and people would do well to avoid antibiotics in this case. Herbal therapies sound fine for symptom relief, and herbal therapies DO have some of those properties. 1352762128 +Anecdotal evidence is all we have now and I'm fine with that but I will take it with a grain of salt until official proof has been acknowledged. It's the reason I come to this and /r/uap everyday.\n\nThere's no questioning world governments are hiding pertinent information about extra terrestrial life. It makes me curious why it's not acknowledged by world leaders often. 1345143923 +It was later revealed that Ken Ham's car was egged, had it's tires slashed, and no less than two bags of sugar poured in the gas tank. Hell hath no fury like internet geeks scorned. 1346862768 +Have you seen the tether video? 1336517322 +She doesn't say if she's *actually* a Scorpio, or if she's just a Scorpio by the out-of-date charts that run in the paper.\n\nhttp://www.ips-planetarium.org/planetarian/articles/realconstellations_zodiac.html\n\nThe priest at my church is an Ophiuchus, so he never gets to play when they're reading horoscopes. 1289260616 +Do not use URL shorteners like bit.ly when submitting stories. This will get you caught in the spam filter 100% of the time. Please resubmit. 1281306156 +Hit the nail right on the head, though I would not doubt that many people aren't going to like it. 1297652001 +>fiction-writing skills\n\n>it's true\n\n&#3232;\\_&#3232; 1354725694 +Very interesting. Thanks for the link. 1318616393 +Should read Asimov's "The Last Question". 1354771092 +>either the universe has always existed, or it was created out of nothing by nothing. \n\nThe atheist thinker doesn't suffer the same problem because the atheist doesn't claim to know the answer, the theist does though.\n\n\nIf the theist is making the argument that "complexity (in the information theoretic sense) must come from something" then the question "what created god?" is perfectly valid, as god is necessarily as complex. The theist must give some justification for why God need not have a creator. 1325185321 +Purchasing seed from any source puts farmers at the mercy of the global shipping market. 1331490717 +yoo link us the picture on facebook?.. once i see it , I will conclude and well no explanation but will give you ways to solve your problem, its kinda easy but may be lenghty if only your mate is willing to comply 1312022996 +But her dog saw it too. That's what makes it "real" if you will. 1352192176 +you can't tell how full the bottle is so it could be empty and the wind could have blown it and there is an obvious cut in the video where anything could have happened. 1343162648 +Dribble makes sense too, though. When I hear it, I imagine a mentally-challenged baby drooling all over itself. Shockingly similar to what I imagine when reading the words of woo proponents... 1311220186 +Ah, but it is still data, and data can be used to redo experimentation by actually changing parameters or trying to find out if there are controlling factors.\n\nRefinement is what brings us truth, not isolated experimentation that doesn't play with variables. I applaud anyone who is willing to seek truth in all things regardless of whether there is disdain for the research or not. 1342397669 +Lol. "Yea bro they're great... want proof? check out the Pro Gmo subreddit, they're not biased or anything" 1336153692 +>because when trained properly\n\nThat doesn't seem to be the case. You are arguing hypothetical perfection against real-world performance.\n\n>there is no high rate of false positives\n\nWhat evidence do you have of that? Dog trainers (who are selling dogs to the police) will say that, but do rigorous tests confirm it? The Illinois dogs had false positives in 3/4 of their cases (which you seem to think is "not high"), and they were giving positive responses roughly half the time they were used. There's no way to know how many of the people they didn't respond to were actually carrying drugs, so we don't even know how accurate their negative responses were.\n\nYour position has no correspondence with the real world. It's essentially religious. You *believe* dogs are accurate, and therefore you will find some way of explaining any situation where they are not accurate.\n\nIf the only way to maintain a dog's accuracy is through rigorous and constant training, then the fact of the matter is that dogs are not accurate because they don't get that training. 1333428211 +The hypothesis that all climate scientists have no expertise in the subject of climate science really fails the smell test, I'm afraid. Are you trolling? 1261032084 +Lol, I didn't change the subject, I used an example.\n\nYou said that following my logic there was virtually no chance that either built the pyramids. Following my logic, the probability is either 1 or 0. I don't know which. You chose to not address the part about ignorance. I responded to the contents of your comment. And the comment you responded to before the last only said that neither claim of one being more likely than the other can be correct.\n\nThe coinflip, just like the pyramids, already happened and has only two possibilities. The analogy is perfect.\n\nNot my fault if you had nowhere to go with your "that way of thinking is problematic" premise.\n\nPlus your argument is completely incoherent any way. You just argued that not knowing what the actual probabilities are implies that the probabilities must be close to null. There's not even a logical operator in there.\n 1349373998 +Thank you. I never said in my initial comment that the shots of famous people offered 'proof' in the sense that people seem to imply I did; just that they were a form of evidence (like props). 1350582890 +If it was as deep of a conversation as you said it was how do you not know that he could have been taking you somewhere else dimensionally. And your ego's fear of the unknown interpreted that as death. Maybe? 1348068398 +First thing: PETA is crazy. Vegetarianism, not so much. The two don't have to go hand in hand, and many vegetarians I've met are actually anti-peta.\n\nAnyway, this is what you need to do. \nWrite down everything you don't believe or even find hard to believe, and either research that subject or ask someone about it. If you have any specific questions, I might be able to help...but otherwise there are a ton of factors to consider because many people go vegetarian for many reasons. Obviously it seems like your GF is leaning towards ethical reasons, if you're looking for something quick to read heres a start: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics_of_eating_meat 1296777707 +simple explanation - small earthquake\n\nEarthquake is stretching gigantic part of stones, if this is crystalic stone, it generates very strong and very low frequency EM field, which can trigger halucinations, also it can create very low frequency sounds (0.1..5Hz)which can trigger hallucinations too. Boom, case closed. 1340742888 +Did I say that I was arguing against Hume? Hume, I generally like.\n\nOn a side note. Hume was born nearly 300 years ago, don't you think the science on theory of mind as significantly surpassed anything he has to offer? The average physics student knows far more math and physics than Newton, likewise, philosophy students should focus on current advances and evidence rather than historical figures. Of course philosophy would then be difficult like the sciences rather than stoner speculation and antiquarianism. 1284044215 +Maybe you might want to also take a look at [Rational ignorance](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rational_ignorance).\n\nOn the other hand it all boils down to cost analysis vs. probabilities for different outcomes - currently the probability for a hoax is basically zero, so to get any realistic result you really need to calculate those costs and those probabilities! 1335283544 +*When Aldrin appeared on The Howard Stern Show on August 15, 2007, Stern asked him about the supposed UFO sighting. Aldrin confirmed that there was no such sighting of anything deemed extraterrestrial, and said they were and are "99.9 percent" sure that the object was the detached panel.*\n\n*Interviewed by the Science Channel, Aldrin mentioned seeing unidentified objects, and he claims his words were taken out of context; he asked the Science Channel to clarify to viewers he did not see alien spacecraft, but they refused.*[^[source]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzz_Aldrin#UFO_claims)\n\nI don't like when people use that video trying to prove something. It hurts the UFO scene. 1331913515 +I didn't make much to me either, that's why I read the wikipedia page on it, it's much clearer for me now:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masked_man_fallacy 1318193730 +You've been on reddit 11 days and you've posted the same site 9 times. Seriously the blogspam on here has gotten way out of fucking control.\n\n At least put some thought into your posts so they can be semi interesting... Besides, what you're doing right now goes against this subreddits rules and if it keeps up, I am going to have to inform a mod and you will be banned.\n\n How does this even have upvotes? How many different accounts do you have? Just give it a rest man. I'm tired of seeing garbage on these subreddits, it really getting old. 1330619152 +I'm not exactly sure what you are arguing here. But there are many aspects of global warming that are a joke, mainly the efforts the individual takes to make a difference. \nI believe it is true because I don't care either way and they claim the evidence is there. But there are decent counter-arguments as well as to whether or not this is a man-made effect at all. Sad thing is, someone like me understands the science more than those I know who talk and act on the basis that the theory is true. 1311756034 +Looks to be a digital artifact created by the camera; or a seriously blurred passing spec of dust, based on the apparent speed of the other further away dust particles. 1333067499 +But my coffee is also generating steam. I feel like we're going in circles.\n\n(Good luck finding the article. But the "like I said" is a bit unfair since you updated the post to say that *after* I responded.) 1328463584 +Siriusly interesting. 1311760014 +if anything they start discussions and interview experts on the subjects. 1302746996 +You come here to read other peoples summaries of articles rather than reading them yourself? 1291511637 +Thanks for the replies guys! 1343836392 +Wow! 4 seagulls in formation! We are not alone. 1261372795 +I remember getting into an argument with a women because I said Pinto's were shit and unsafe. She then yelled at me because her dad had one and she grew up with one, and they never had any problems with it.\n\nI then said her personal experience doesn't mean anything in terms of actual nationwide statistics, and she got even angrier.\n\nPeople are fucked in the head. 1341846741 +At 1m40, is there a source of this event? Its pretty weird...\n\nEDIT: i found his [channel](http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UU1pStvUggFFVHAuH2nJmLww&feature=plcp) 1337178040 +I can't help but notice how long it takes you to respond each time. Is it because you're out of arguments, and are desperately trying to find one, or rather because you have a hard time typing when you're enraged? 1338268126 +I had just discovered iTunes and was looking for podcasts to listen to when I happened upon Skeptoid. After listening to a few episodes, I realized that everything Brian Dunning was saying was common sense. 1304796022 +Maybe there's an error in translation?\n\n"Doctor, in your professional opinion, do these men have little pricks?"\n"Oh yes! Very much! Have never touched a woman before." 1277169834 +>I don't say that my treatment is only placebo effect; I merely acknowledge that it may be. Then again when a doctor prescribes a treatment to a patient, no matter how effective that treatment has been proven to be; it may still only be working for the patient because of placebo effect. Testing shows whether a treatment works beyond the level of placebo - it doesn't eliminate the effect. Any one person's experience of health, disease, and healing is merely an anecdote. Only when we group patients can we see them as data points. But real patients can't be treated in groups. Confusing isn't it?\n\nNo, it's actually quite simple. As you say, testing shows whether a treatment works beyond the level of placebo. If it works beyond the level of placebo, we call it medicine, and those that receive it gain its medicinal benefit along with the placebo effect. If it doesn't work beyond the level of a placebo, it's not medicine, and those that receive it benefit only from the placebo effect. \n\n>No. I don't mean "lots of people believed it so it must be true". I mean that if I ask you to guess a deck of cards the chances you get every one right are just as good as the chance that you get them all wrong. TCM is derived from a long history of apparently intelligent people pursuing the study of human health and disease. They likely arrived at many erroneous conclusions. But the idea that they got an entire system of medicine completely wrong is really unlikely.\n\nCorrect me if I'm wrong, but you seem to be arguing that even a stopped clock is right twice a day, so it's not useless.\n\n>I'm not asking that you accept TCM on faith; I saying that the argument that it is magical and therefore wrong is missing the big picture. What parts of it do work and how best can they be integrated with bio-medicine to provide better patient outcomes?\n\n"What parts of it do work" is, indeed, the question. The problem is that as far as I know, TCM has no tradition of or mechanism for ongoing testing and evaluation of its teachings. As the name suggests, its based on traditional knowledge, not ongoing investigation. Does TCM have any journals where ongoing research onto the efficacy of TCM practices can be published? When's the last time a TCM treatment has been dropped from use, and no longer taught, because it was found to be ineffective? \n\nIn my personal experience, TCM practitioners, yourself included, are very resistant to accepting the results of clinical trials that disagree with their philosophy. \n\nWhat I'd really like to see is way more investigation into the placebo effect. Research shows acupuncture is no more than a placebo, but it appears to be a very good placebo indeed, giving relief to a lot of people western medicine can't help. I'd love to know how that works. 1313860395 +What is that crazy chair they're sitting in? That thing looks awkward. \n\nAlso, it reminds me of the "couples" toilet for SNL. 1314726308 +I desperately want to see a pic of whatever was the "angsty masterpiece" you painted that night! Seriously. 1346464243 +Sarcasm is a poor way to contribute to a discussion. 1327185086 +Iran blinded/killed the CIA'S secrete "space-plane", it's 3 months overdo and does not have an infinite amount of fuel. 1331428488 +He's gettin' probed. 1341399765 +I like this better (though it's less believable):\n\n[Study: Fellatio may significantly decrease the risk of breast cancer in women](http://www.murdzplace.com/CNN.htm) 1323987862 +Basically what Shampyon said. Homeopathic drugs are not as strongly regulated as real medicine, and manufactures can avoid FDA safety and efficacy requirements if they can get the product to meet the criteria to be labeled as homeopathic. And it doesn't have to be 100% legitimately homeopathic to meet those criteria.\n\n \nSee: [CPG Sec. 400.400 Conditions Under Which Homeopathic Drugs May be Marketed](http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/ComplianceManuals/CompliancePolicyGuidanceManual/ucm074360.htm) 1323240628 +Hey, sorry about your mom.\n\nThis is what happened to me...Not quite the same at all, but I can understand the intuitive feeling. When my mom got close to passing, we were told it would be anytime over a three day period. 27 hours in and I'd slept a little but I was still drained. I went to lay down, but I couldn't sleep (slept fine during my regular sleeping hours though), so I got up. Went back to the living room where Mom was, sat and looked at her for awhile (10 minutes?) and went back to bed.\n\nWithin 5 minutes I was extremely restless and I came back out of my room to find my dad and mom's best friend taking her oxygen off of her.\n\nMy point is my anxiety was at least ten times worse during her last thirty minutes, than all the time leading up to it, though we had no way of knowing exactly when she'd go. 1335064421 +Well, he's apparently not confident enough to go for the [million dollars](http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/1m-challenge.html). 1343189278 +> The scientific literature tells us the negative consequences are very likely to significantly outweigh the positives\n\nI'm familiar with the site actually. The problem is that most senarios assume static political boundaries and populations. It can't happen that way and it's never happend that way in the past. When climates change people migrate and they will need to do so again.\n\nSome areas of the world today are practically uninhabitable or can only sustain very small populations, the sahara for example. In the not so distant past, the sahara was one of the richest (biological not economic) areas in the world and a hub of human migration. \n\nIf you live in an area that is going to convert to the next sahara, you are going to have to move, that's not me being a dick, that's just reality. There will no doubt be major political ramifications.\n\n> this would greatly increase the risk of an anoxic even\n\nYes, in the case of an anoxic event I'd be willing to conceded that there will be no winners outside of the anaerobes. I can't say I'm expecting that to happen and before we get to that stage I would expect the consumption of fossil fuels will have been largely replaced due to economic reasons.\n\n\n 1348456962 +A 50ft diameter balloon? And what's the motive to make up seeing the bodies? How the fuck is this balloons? 1302392324 +Glad to see that TED still sometimes have something worth watching, though it's not common.\n\nAnd damn are the comments stupid. They're worse than youtube comments because everyone there thinks they're so damn smart. 1305470001 +You didn't hurt him, did you?\n\nAnd how much damage was there to your front end? 1311628749 +When I watch "Bullshit!" I take everything he says with a grain of salt. I feel like a lot of what he says is spun in a way that supports his libertarian point of view. I very often enjoy P&T, Bullshit!, and his political commentary, but I feel as though his "anarco-capitalist" viewpoint isn't substantiated by any evidence, so his interpretations of some things are not 100% accurate. Penn & Teller pretty much taught me how to think critically, yet I feel like they don't apply their critical abilities to themselves when it comes to their political point of view. 1300297254 +[This talk on "vortex-based mathematics"](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1hLzQPio_8&feature=share) is a good example. 1333231157 +I see mirroring images here. Has to be a satellite at an awkward angle. I say this full cock, if you believe this pic is of a UFO, then you are a moron. 1340779511 +My response on seeing the title.... Nooooooooo, please can we not bring up this silly drama.\n\nI will read it though, and hope to have my mind changed, but we'll see...\n\n-------------\n\n**Wonderful** it had nothing to do with what I incorrectly assumed. Worth reading.\n\nMy suggestion would perhaps be something like: "Oh the TAM event is about critical thinking, so logic and rationality. I didn't used to really understand what rationality was, turns out there's a hint in the word, it's to do with ratios. Weighing the evidence for and against, considering risks, that kind of thing. It really is important, if you've ever known someone with cancer, you want to be able to make the best decisions possible about your treatment. With all the information on the Internet now though, many people find it hard to know what to believe. TAM is an event where people who are often good at clearly thinking and understanding complex topics meet, and also where people who are interested and need help in thinking clearly hopefully come".\n\nNote this part of my suggestion: *"I didn't used to really understand what rationality was, turns out there's a hint in the word, it's to do with ratios."* By saying that you're more likely to appear like a normal person who doesn't know everything, and you're not making them feel stupid by asking them "do you know what rationality is (as opposed to logic)?".\n\nIt's a bit long, but if the elevator stops at a couple of floors before you part it could help. And by talking about cancer and how critical thinking could help you don't run the risk of alienating the person by initially saying the event includes talkers debunking astrology, crystal healing, etc.\n\n*Addendum*\n\n>Science education is a good thing. Consumer protection is a good thing. How can the intersection between these two good things be anything other than positive?\n\nThat reasoning irks me.... Drinking water is necessary. Having salt is necessary. How can the intersection (salt water) between these two necessary things be anything other than necessary? (There's probably a better counter-example that someone can come up with). 1342061220 +It's not the science part that people cringe at... It's the people who use words like "fundies" and "quacks". \n\n 1326433999 +http://www.nraila.org/news-issues/articles/2012/federal-law-enforcement-agencies-buy-ammunition.aspx\n\nHere's a pretty good explanation. It doesn't get in to specifics like rotating ammo where old duty ammo is rotated for use in training and target practice but it does show why there's nothing untoward about the purchases. 1345401048 +Good point. It is a complicated relationship but yes, the states get a lot of the money for roads, for example, from the federal govt. They just have to follow certain rules (speed limits etc.). 1283570898 +Rebecca Watson at last years TAM :) 1327432710 +[right here](http://www.reddit.com/r/333) 1335809965 +Yes it is. Funny because I was just laughing at [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32FB-gYr49Y) the other day wondering what ever happened to them. 1302506638 +Yea I would agree, we cannot possibly have even an understanding of these sorts of events if we do not even have a vocabulary for it. We have much work ahead of us. 1342119233 +Why is it that every UFO website looks like it came straight out of the late 90s? It just needs a bad MIDI of the X-Files theme and a few spinning GIFs and the illusion would be complete. 1321305996 +Carl Sagan produced 10, and his show is famous 30 years later. 1352482603 +I'm aware, it was interesting nonetheless ;) 1265369597 +Because the sensational title is the ticket to the karma train!! Choo choo!! 1351308441 +Hi there! Why didn't you approve the comments I left? Any response? Your misrepresentation of your sources and intellectual dishonesty would get you laughed out of any undergraduate course - I'm honestly surprised that you're owning up to it on this site.\n\nedit: Honestly, I find it somewhat hard to believe that you can be as brazen as to honestly say "mumble mumble reading comprehension" when taking even 10 seconds to re-check your sources (i'm going to be charitable and assume that you merely misread them before) would lead to a mea cupla. 1310576487 +I saw some comments that were negative, but I did not think they were misogynistic. I understand she is not liked by some people, though. 1330978671 +Released in two years for good behavior. They're good Christian people. 1320249887 +Tesla Motors has built Superchargers for their cars around California. They'll be expanding to the whole US, and possibly around the world. \n\nThey are solar=powered high voltage stations that fill up your EV much faster than standard wall outlets. And it's provided at no additional cost. I guess they "kind-of" live up to the Tesla's dream of free electricity. 1353271537 +I think OP's referring to the trick described here: http://www.devicewatch.org/reports/power_balance.shtml 1333940579 +Looks like you are already aware that the truth hurts. 1344619962 +What colour is your imaginary third nipple?! Pay here to find out! 1344634631 +Nice strawman...\n\nhttp://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/2/1/17\n\n>As evolution proceeded, the role that the cannabinoid system played in animal life continuously increased. It is now known that this system maintains homeostasis within and across the organizational scales of all animals. Within a cell, cannabinoids control basic metabolic processes such as glucose metabolism [17]. Cannabinoids regulate intercellular communication, especially in the immune [18] and nervous systems [19]. In general, cannabinoids modulate and coordinate tissues, organ and body systems (including the cardiovascular [20], digestive [16], endocrine [21], excretory [22,23], immune [18], musculo-skeletal [24], nervous [19], reproductive [25], and respiratory [26] systems). The effects of cannabinoids on consciousness are not well understood, but are well known, and underlie recreational cannabis use. These effects also have therapeutic possibilities [27].\nCannabinoids: Homeostatic Regulators\n\n>The homeostatic action of cannabinoids on so many physiological structures and processes is the basis for the hypothesis that the endocannabinoid system is nothing less than a naturally evolved harm reduction system. Endocannabinoids protect by fine-tuning and regulating dynamic biochemical steady states within the ranges required for healthy biological function. The endocannabinoid system itself appears to be up- or down-regulated as a function of need. As will be detailed later in this article, endocannabinoid levels naturally increase in the case of head injury and stroke [28], and the number of cannabinoid receptors increases in response to nerve injury and the associated pain [29]. In contrast, the number of cannabinoid receptors is reduced when tolerance to cannabinoids is induced [30].\n\n>Evolution has selected the endocannabinoids to homeostatically regulate numerous biological phenomena that can be found in every organized system in the body, and to counteract biochemical imbalances that are characteristic of numerous damaged or diseased states, in particular those associated with aging. Starting from birth, cannabinoids are present in mother's milk [135], where they initiate the eating process. If the activity of endocannabinoids in the mouse milk is inhibited with a cannabinoid antagonist, the newborn mice die of starvation. As life proceeds, endocannabinoids continuously regulate appetite, body temperature, reproductive activity, and learning capacity. When a body is physically damaged, the endocannabinoids are called on to reduce inflammation, protect neurons [136], regulate cardiac rhythms [137] and protect the heart form oxygen deprivation [20]. In humans suffering from colorectal cancer, endocannabinoid levels are elevated in an effort to control the cancer [74]. They help relieve emotional suffering by reducing pain and facilitating movement beyond the fears of unpleasant memories [119].\n\nSeems worthy of a RCT or two, at least, IMHO... 1328187398 +So cold water slows down digestion, but also speeds up digestion for the congealed oils, but also prevents digestion of the congealed oils so they will line the intestines? 1330352056 +Don't be fooled by imitators--*this magnetic copper cock ring will make your junk rise from the dead!* 1295223472 +***Sorry this is long, but I read everything you said and wanted to reply directly. I'm glad we can discuss this civilly even though we disagree so bear with me. It's too long for one post so you'll get a couple.***\n\n***Part 1***\n\n>RW isn't asking people to stop being awkward. That's obviously pointless. She asked some specific guys to back off with their romantic and sexual advances a little.\n\nI was fine with ther saying it creeped her out. I was fine with her advising guys not to do it. What pissed me off is that she said it was sexually objectifying her. It pissed me off that when Stef McGraw posted a blog disagreeing with her, that she used the podium at a CFI speech to embarrass her infront of her peers without her being able to defend herself in that situation. She used her power and position to harm someone else. That is fucked up and makes it hard for me to sympathise with anything else she has to say.\n\n>You're not being hit on constantly and getting disrespectful and threatening comments. I fail to see what your personal boundaries have to do with anything when you're not subjected to the problem. \n\nAre you suggesting that because I’m not a female, that I can’t possibly understand or empathise with girls? That is fucked up. I know girls and have girls in my family who have suffered real sexual assault and rape. Don’t fucking tell me I don’t have any perspective on what they have to suffer.\n\n>It takes a lot to offend me or make me discomfortable. I don't expect everyone to have my boundaries.\n\nI agree. I have accute social anxiety, but I do my best to not make people aware of how uncomfortable I am around them. My boundaries are skewed in a way that I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt because I always have an irrational fear of people I don’t know anyways. I feel the anxiety but I don’t let it get to me unless they give me a good reason to judge them. The way the guy in the elevator has been treated by Watson and her feminist skepchicks seems to be prejudice and anti-male from my perspective. There are even females who see it that way.\n\n>The elevator incident wasn't just a regular proposition. It was done in a bad way, in a bad place, at a bad time. You're assuming that was by accident or because of social incomptence.\n\nNo I’m pointing out that RW and her supporters are assuming it was the worst possible scenario without providing any evidence or reason to support that assumption.\n\n >RW sees it all the time and says there's more to it, that it's representative of how men see women in the community — as someone to hit on whenever and however it suits them.\n\nAgain out of that entire conference only one guy hit on her. Is that really a bad number? Getting hit on isn’t necessarily a sign of sexism though is it? Maybe the skeptic crowd is more open about sexuality. There’s a difference between cat calls, leering, and ogling, and guys flirting. The guy in the elevator clearly failed at this, but the attitude you portray is that being hit on is somehow indicative of the skeptic community being sexist. I am saying I need further evidence because I don’t see flirting as a bad thing. I wish more women were involved so it could get spread out more, but any social situation where men and women are involved will include flirting. I don’t see it as reasonable to be against that, unless you are against facets that make us human.\n\n >That's a problem. You can't just isolate every single instance and claim it's just what it is, and not at all connected to every other time it happens.\n\nHow is it a problem? How do we know it’s any more of a problem than any other group gathering of random people including both sexes? No one has provided any evidence. There are always going to be a few creeps and weirdoes in the crowd, of BOTH sexes. If you go out in public and expect not to be creeped out by people then you should probably just not go out in public.\n\n>Dawkins is old. He's white. He's educated. He's male. That's not controversial.\n\nIt is irrelevant to the conversation. It does not provide an example of anything except Rebecca Watson’s prejudice against rich white men. Saying he can’t understand because he’s rich, white, old, and male is bigoted. It discredits the rich white old people who have fought hard for feminists causes. LIKE RICHARD DAWKINS. You realize he’s used his money to help Muslim women right? Or does that not count because he’s a rich white old guy? \n\n>That he, like you and me, don't understand every aspect of women's situation isn't controversial either. \n\nAnd women don’t understand every situation a man has to go through, and how I am somehow being controversial for sharing my point of view as a man because it goes against a feminist extremist. You’re saying my opinion doesn’t matter merely because I’m male. I take that as saying women are the only people who have valid opinions when it comes to sex issues. Bullshit.\n\n>It's not that Dawkins can't ask or comment on it, but he did it in a supremely dickish way that made everyone who don't agree out to be hysterical and ignorant. He deserves to be called out for it. He's a big boy. He can handle it. I bet he and RW will talk it out during TAM.\n\nHe was being a dick, but Rebecca Watson and her supporters deserved it for being massive cunts to their dissenters, like Stef McGraw. PZ fucking said the situation was basically a failed rape. Then he defended Watson’s unprofessionalism of using a bully pulpit. This is not just about the 30 seconds of the video, and that is also Rebecca’s fault. Her followers have spewed the most anti-male vitriol I’ve seen in a long time. They hate men, and that’s all there is to it.\n\n>The dismissive and aggressive, and sometimes even sexist (I have plenty of examples from the comments on Reddit) attitude towards women who dare critisize the community is poisonous. \n\nAre you throwing me in with the sexist attitude for disagree with RW and agreeing with Dawkins? I’m a humanist, an egalitarian, a straight man who fights for gay rights and equal treatment of men and women. I see Rebecca Watson and her Skepchick crew as the sexist venom in this situation. I’m not saying there aren’t a few sexist assholes who have come out of the woodwork, but that’s clearly not the majority of the opposition here.\n 1310405581 +What about my bullshit that agrees with the facts? Why cant we air that? 1344665249 +I upvote not because the article is in any way interesting, but for the witty title. 1250279874 +I really feel the following sentence needs to be publicized, "Scorpio could go retrograde up Uranus and it wouldn't make any difference."\n\nlol 1292996160 +Speaking of Australia, wasn't it nice of the marsupials to walk all the way there from the ark (presumably in Turkey) without leaving a single bone or fossil behind in Africa or Asia? Very meticulous of them. 1344443372 +It's a plausible idea, these people accept the possibility and look for confirming evidence and, in some cases have personal eyewitness account (that we know can be notoriously inaccurate, especially with unusual lighting, poor depth perception, and disorientation that occurs in flight).\n\nI don't find it difficult at all to understand that they attribute some UFO reports to extraterrestrials.\n\nI think, though, that they have set their bars low in what they'll accept as evidence. 1346501871 +To be entirely honest, I think it should be total quarantine. They shouldn't even be allowed to use the roads or interact with other members of the public, because for all we know they are a walking cauldron of spreadable disease. I think they should be placed on house arrest until they get properly vaccinated. that's the enforcement mechanism I would be behind. If you choose to be a carrier of disease, you are the antithesis of the common good, and it's the government's responsibility to protect everybody else from you. 1301515348 +You sound like a skeptic. I wish more serious research was given to the subject. Last semester in school I read [this research article](https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B1w5NuRFQ1D1MzZlZGYzZjQtZGZjYy00ZjdjLWFjN2UtY2FhOGFiYzc2YmEw&hl=en_US) about deathbed apparitions among dying patients. The main theme wasn't so much a study of apparitions themselves but rather how the experience helps dying patients at their life's end. It is apparently more prevalent than many people would imagine. I thought it was really interesting.\n\nEdit: I changed it to a better link of the article.\n 1316957852 +Why did you look up to him? Just curious. 1319208560 +Looked so fake lol... 1330321808 +Sight Unseen Budd Hopkins. 1348046145 +Nope, just the Bat-Signal. Bitches need Batman. 1352111464 +Agreed. Agreed. I did a post recently. I posted "Two quick stories.... Not evidence". That's mine. Another person suggested I do so. Good people here. No worries because one can be anonymous and feel free to speak of what they've seen without friends and neighbors issues. Some of the folks are pretty sharp too. Nice to have around on this kind of subject material. 1309364537 +If your post was indeed deleted, the "journalists" have lost all credibility forever. Before that it was just the case of some minor embarrassment and posting a correction, but now with this they are confirming that what they wrote was a lie and that they want it to be kept quiet. Next time you correct these people, I suggest you not only save the web page, comment, before and after deletion, but also do a quick print screen. 1253211466 +Nice! I liked those too. Although I have to say anytime I see you citing Lilienfeld, I already know pretty much which direction you're going to be leaning...but that's probably because I love Scott's work on Pseudoscience and teach from his intro book, so I know how he thinks and what he writes on.\n\nI also think its really interesting how the history of personality assessment is so linked and overlapping with the assessment of psychopathology, and only SOME personality assessment is attempting to describe normal personality. \n\nFor projective tests, if they're designed to assess "personality" but they really are best at assessing psychopathology, are they really doing what we want them to do? 1356461586 +oh, absolutely. after seeing a few (unspectacular, but intriguing) lights a month ago and telling my sister, the first thing she said was 'i don't believe in ufos' and dismissed it all as flares, etc. i guess the weirder the event, the more carefully one has to tread. 1318210619 +It's actually one video but the upload took forever so it was split into two parts. I've been searching for other vids and found nothing. Word of mouth accounts I've gotten have been interesting though. The strangest was from a co-worker who claimed to see orangish lights form a triangle low over the 170 at around 10 pm the night of 7/9. In the center a glowing green tentacle like object appeared as traffic slowed to gawk. The whole thing lasted about 5 minutes. 1342234207 +>These people are intelligent friends that I respect\n\nSounds like you have a self esteem issue. Walk away from these morons and don't look back. 1286786180 +If anyone could offer information as to what the hell is going on in this video, I'd be grateful. It has all the hallmarks of a conspiracy video, but there is just so much stuff in there that I'm struggling to keep up with what the guy is trying to say. 1353158876 +The difficult thing with orbs is that they can be caused by SO MANY different circumstances. I don't discredit you yourself, or even that these pics are paranormal. However, until you can without a doubt rule out reflections, dust, hair, and other things such as camera malfunctions or a dirty lens, it's near impossible to tell what those "orbs" really are. 1320431824 +While I like your skepticism, I must disagree on your views on acupuncture. I consider myself a very logical person (I work in a molecular imaging lab), and I don't typically buy the reflexology, homeopathy, chiropractor bullshit. However, acupuncture has been statistically proven to work better than a simple placebo for pain control, by activating endogenous neural integrating centers that regulate pain. \n\n---\n\nFrom my physiology textbook "Vanders: Human Physiology, 11th edition. Widmaier, Raff, and Strang"\n\n"The body's endogenous-opioid systems also mediate other phenomena known to relieve pain. In recent clinical studies, 55 to 85 percent of patients experienced pain relief when treated with acupuncture, an ancient Chinese therapy involving the insertion of needles into specific locations on the skin. This success rate was similar to that seen when patients were treated with morphine (70 percent). In studies comparing morphine versus a placebo (injections of sugar that patients thought was the drug), 35 percent of those receiving the placebo experienced pain relief.\n\nAcupuncture is thought to activate afferent neurons leading to spinal cord and midbrain centers that release endogenous opioids and other neurotransmitters implicated in pain relief. It seems likely that pathways descending from the cortex activate those same regions to exert the placebo effect. Thus, exploiting the body's built-in analgesia mechanisms can be an effective means of controlling pain."\n\nhttp://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=+%09Neurochemical+basis+of+acupuncture+analgesia&hl=en&btnG=Search\n\nanother interesting article\n\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11427311\n\nand another article:\n\n"Acupuncture for low back pain" published in the reputable journal "Annals of internal medicine" by the American College of Physicians in 2005. Details of the study include a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial with 9-month follow-up. The researchers reported:\n\n"Last, we believe that our original analyses based on post-treatment mean values and our subsequent analyses based on between-group changes support our conclusion: Current preliminary data suggest that acupuncture may be more effective than inactive controls for providing short-term relief of chronic low back pain."\n\nand finally:\n\n"Analgesic Effect of Auricular Acupuncture for Cancer Pain: A Randomized, Blinded, Controlled Trial", published in the "Journal of Clinical Oncology" (one of the premier journals for cancer research) in 2003 reported that:\n\n"The main outcome was pain assessed at 2 months, with the assessment at 1 month carried over to 2 months for the eight patients who interrupted treatment after 1 month. For three patients, no data were available because they withdrew from the study during the first month. Pain intensity decreased by 36% at 2 months from baseline in the group receiving acupuncture; there was little change for patients receiving placebo (2%). The difference between groups was statistically significant (P < .0001)." 1280561435 +OK so here is the thing about orbs, most are dust, condensation, or simply a cheaply made lens on your camera (more common than you think). Reading your post most of the places you see them are common places for the above, Outdoors there is lots of dust and pollen, at a party alot of dust and moisture in the air. One way to tell a "true orb" is they are usually their own light source vs. the other things which reflect light and give off a halo effect, True orbs are actual balls of energy that appear either to fast for the naked eye or in a light spectrum we cannot see but can show up on film.\n\nNow on to recurring dreams, these often happen because we subconsciously control what we dream about, if you are thinking about this dream when you go to bed at night then you will most likely dream something similar. If you are twitching etc try taking a muscle relaxer before bed if it continues to happen it may be outside influence rather than tired muscles or RLS. 1318433381 +When you move to a higher altitude, your body generates more red blood cells over time over a period of weeks or months. Even in a few days, your body adapts to higher altitude and less air. 1313334424 +You're definitely doing a good job as a parent from that perspective. 1308853584 +i grew up in kansas where most of those 5th dimensional beings were processed. mmm. 1272576091 +>Would you call this man a denier?\n\nLarry Bell? Yes, definitely.\n\nIf you were rather talking about Fritz Vahrenholt, then also yes. The title of "top environmentalist" was awarded to him by denialist blogs.\n\n"Climate change skeptics" are like "evolution skeptics" or "heliocentrism skeptics." The fact that they don't believe in the reality of AGW, and refuse to consider the evidence supporting (while failing to provide evidence against it) disqualifies them as skeptics. Sorry. 1329321015 +"Trick or Treatment" by Singh and Ernst. 1341812825 +Those stealth planes were developed in the 60's and 70's. Who knows what's out there now, even without assistance from ET. 1349928614 +Don't go into an investigation looking for ghosts, go into an investigation looking to disprove the buildings "rumors." The show Ghost Hunters may have a lot of mainstream appeal, but they got the whole investigation thing down pat. 1268073303 +If you google something along the lines of "guided meditation for spirit animals," you should find links like these: [Meditation 1](http://www.paganspath.com/meta/anmlmed.htm), [Meditation 2](http://inner-power.net/2010/09/find-your-animal-totem-guided-meditation/). Many people find their totems through meditative practices (sometimes with incorporation of entheogens or hallucinogens, but this is not advised for the unexperienced). Some more hardcore methods can involve retreats, fasting, or Vision Quests. \n\nBooks like Ted Andrew's *Animal Speak* may be worth looking into. There are many others devoted to Medicine/Spirit Animals / Familiars; you just need to research. \n\nI have worked with totems. If you want to have a discussion about this further, PM me. I am acquainted with both Raven and Crow. 1316641853 +The pics are obviously faked, which their side specifically points out, and is not in any way how the real material (if it exists) would work. You can't bend the light around you if you don't have any of the material on the side the light is coming from, you would block the light. You would have to wrap yourself in it.\n\nOther than that it's not much we can say about it. We have next to no real information about what it is made of, how it is made or how it's supposed to work. \n\nI should point out that optical fiber bend light without any batteries or something similar, so it's not required to bend light.\n\nHowever, until we have any information at all of the technology it's an useless claim. Ignore and move on. 1356019749 +This is called falling asleep, when your body goes to sleep it enters a type of paralysis, the falling feeling is a common thing and it happens to me sometimes, the reason for your mind feeling like your falling into a void is because you resist the falling feeling and have subsequently associated it negatively, you lucid dream because during this falling asleep process your holding onto your concious cognition and this translates into your lucid dreaming.\nThis is not a rare neurological dysfunction, it literally is your body going to sleep and you mentally resisting. 1354355310 +We have no proof if this is real or therefore trying to prove anything from this video is faulty logic in that we can't prove anything. My logic was that "if" he was possessed and give that it is possible to resist possession to an extent, given that possession is possible, that the video could hold some credibility. 1347386895 +The water is murkey and full of silt, the photo that have been released do not show much because of this. 1340285728 +Just never forget that being stupid ironically is still being stupid. 1354163030 +We have to see the forest for the trees in this case. \n\nIf we should be so fortunate to cure stress this would greatly improve those who are prone to the unfortunate psychological condition, or due to the enforced hazards of their society. \n\nBut I think the more important issue was somewhat glossed over judging from the comments and counter-point, that stress can be managed and overcome by personal will. Though politics is not the realm of the article, I find it disturbing that we here, in the top 2% of the worlds wealth should suffer so much stress. I suppose that the rigid nature of our system has its detriments as well, within the confines of capitalism and placing so much value on wealth over health. \n\nThis should be the issue, we receive no education on how to properly maintain or create a healthy psychology from the education system, and yet it seems that it would provide such a benefit. Is this concern, that is the concern over the problems within society especially recently, manifesting itself in an awkward way with opposition to an easy way out? 1281049718 +Males frequently don't develop schizophrenia until their early to mid twenties. So, in theory, you could be crazy and these are the beginning stages. \n\nThat being said, yesterday at work, there were two occasions I heard my name, and no one was around. Tripped me out. 1332850933 +My cousin moved into the basement apartment of my grandmother's house to get away from his own home and family issues. Now this is an apartment that hadn't been lived in for the better part of 10 years and most recently had been used to house my grandfather's rosary. It was a little one bedroom, one bathroom deal with a large common area that included a little kitchenette, very small, kinda run-down. So my cousin moves in, moves all his stuff in, starts renovating the place, and after a few weeks he starts having strange dreams. \nNow my cousin enjoys playing videogames almost as much as I do, so he had his PS3 hooked up to his big old wall-mounted flatscreen that he kept in his bedroom and would often play from when he got home, right up until he went to bed. So his dreams start off with him suddenly waking up from sleep, as though it were time for him to get ready for work, but then he would look over to his right and see that his closet door (which was right next to his bed) had been rolled open, even though he made sure it was closed before he went to bed each night (he kept a small gun in there so he always secured the closet), and he would then wake up for real and see that it was closed. At first.\nAfter the first few times, he started waking up to his closet being open, which he would repeated just write off as him having forgotten to close it the night before. But before long, those dreams stopped and even worse ones began. Before I go into that, however, I should note that at this time he had begun renovating the bathroom, and more importantly, he began to repair the bathroom door's lower left corner which had begun to tear away after years of getting stuck against the floor and jerked open. And this is right after my grandmother's incident mentioned in the post above. So these new dreams started off much like the others: he would wake up in the middle of the night, wide awake and start looking around, but this time it was light something heavy was sitting on his chest, pinning him down. And before long, those dreams began to feature a quick slapping sound, like someone running in bare feet, leading from the bathroom, diagonally to his bedroom door, which he kept closed every night. At first it was just that, the pressure, then the running, then he would wake up for real; but after one or two of those, the slapping lead to a huge slam against his door which would fling it wide open in his dreams, and apparently, in real life. He would wake up to his bedroom door yawning wide open like he'd never closed it, and he began getting faint scratches on his body at this point too.\nThis continued every few days for the next month or so until he finally finished up the bathroom, which brought the last and worst dream for him. He dreamed that he was in the bathroom, sitting on the toilet and reaching for a roll of toilet paper when all of a sudden he heard the slapping running noise, this time leading from his bedroom door to the bathroom door. Upon reaching the bathroom, the door slammed open wide and my cousin woke up. The following morning he went to the bathroom and noticed that the corner of the door (which he had fixed quite well) was broken once again, torn outwards like it had been before he started repairing it. \nAt that point he stopped trying to fix up the apartment and let things lie. 1344177604 +I had a wonderful acupuncture experience. It was, gentle and activating, and got rid of my jet lag. \n\nMy mother had chronic neck pain from whip lash from a car accident in the mid '70's. Two sessions of acupuncture, and her pain totally went away. It's been over a year, and she has had no recurrence. As a bonus, she is now a much nicer person to be around, to bad she (and those around her) suffered with it for 30 years first. 1229194293 +That's the problem. Why would they be in on it? The Cold War was still in full swing. They had missiles in Cuba not even a decade before that. There is no scenario in which the Soviets would have been complicit with a conspiracy in which the Americans made them look like idiots. 1356244826 +From the way she's speaking, it seems likely that is the case. 1348701451 +I think that the point of the shirt might have been that she wants to be looked at as a skeptic, and that her gender isn't relevant to her in this context - and that she resents the feminist groups who are trying to create groups of woman skeptics. Not agreeing or disagreeing, merely pointing out that this is a completely possible point of view for her to have, and one that as males neither you nor I are in a position to pass judgement on. 1347992280 +Oh yeah the cell phone handset is clearly always going to be higher. However wifi broadcasts at a higher percentage of it's peak than cellphones in typical usage. So you should be comparing typical power rather than peak. 1318620765 +Doesn't answer the question, and explains nothing about the "serially credulous" except that they have magazines. 1260628418 +I'm following you on every count. You're explanation is reasonable, maybe I was wrong to say that the argument against suffering isn't falsifiable. I think that the moral argument that harming the planet is bad is much easier to make than the moral argument that the suffering of animals is bad. Cheers! 1328376247 +That belief is not liberal. It's just dumb. 1324677901 +When I see stuff like this (as stereotyping as it is) the first thing I think of is "how much you wanna bet this kid wasn't vaccinated". 1306961663 +Interesting, my wife and I saw a similar event when traveling North from Cincinnati in 2010. We were on I-75 and witnessed 4 or 5 lights, making geometric patterns in the sky. They were an amber/white light, that was slowly pulsating, produced squares, triangles, and straight lines (both vertical and horizontal) for several minutes. Although I did not notice the lights ascending or descending, they did seem to just fade out, not to reappear.\n\nThe kid in the video mentions seeing something previously, wonder if that was the same event we had seen. 1349014388 +A picture of such low quality that it may not be used as evidence of anything paranormal. 1355358552 +I cannot find anything in the Japanese media about this except this blog article which basically just restates info from the dubious English article.\n\nhttp://d.hatena.ne.jp/k1491n/20121207/1354859549\n 1354905647 +Look, just because David Icke, Alex Jones etc are a little loose in the head doesn't discredit the existence of some of their focus. Although the clandestine regime would like it to and push these looney's forward so they can hide in plain sight.\n\nThe "Illuminati" is a term that I would loosely use. \n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilderberg_Group\n\nThat is really where you should start. Those are the people who control the world. There is much more to it but this is a very simple blip of them that they cannot deny takes place.\n\nLook into Richard Dolan, this guy is really the only person who in my opinion got the UFO\\NWO situation bang on the nail.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8FGGqSW2XU\n\n 1333061739 +Marry me. :)\n\nI think what separates us from the ones who believe instantly is that unfortunate knowledge of how science works. Maybe sticking needles in your ass or snorting ginger works -- but until I've seen the results of multiple double-blind studies that indicate either one does, I'm going to remain skeptical. Even if it's just the placebo effect, I already know that the placebo isn't going to work on me, because I'm going to go in thinking that it won't...\n\nHow do people come to believe that the pseudoscience is legit? They buy into magical thinking -- the same place that Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and Jesus come from. 1322555284 +Valid point^\n 1347990767 +Lol wut. 1326402672 +please advise ? :) 1320238574 +For the sake of discussion lets say Wi-Fi, cell phones etc really were bad for you, would you give them up? go back to a land line, throw out your wireless router or Bluetooth?\n\nOf course you wouldn't, there's lot's of stuff out there right now that has a risk involved and we still do it, from driving a car to unprotected sex, it's called risk–benefit analysis and we do it every single day.\n\nJust more stuff to scare us. 1350611994 +Medical marijuana? 1329047428 +> To predict chaotic systems at all you have to simulate each and every step (where something changes) using initial values that have to be very precisely measured.\n\nThis is a very common misperception. It's true that, in theory, one might, with unbounded computational power, predict the behavior of a complex system to minute details this way. But this is not the only kind of model prediction. I research mathematical models of social systems, and my officemates research mathematical models of biological (e.g. cellular) systems. We can't predict where a given person, or protein, is at any given moment, but that's not the point. The point is to understand the system *sufficiently* to make the kinds of predictions that field workers (doctors, analysts, etc.) care about. A doctor with a cancer patient would certainly benefit from an analysis of every protein in every cell that accurately predicts the future growth of the cancer; but, that being infeasible, they would *still benefit* from a mathematical diagnosis that ascribes more reliable likelihoods to various outcomes than guesswork, based on simplified models of aggregate behavior. I see no reason in all of this discussion to suspect that economics is any different.\n\nNot all mathematical approximations work like's Euler's method. By another analogy, Newtonian physics doesn't accurately describe quantum phenomena, but no one (outside the cranks) goes around saying that Newtonian physics doesn't work. It does — at its proper scale. 1334686441 +I noticed that as well. But it seems strange that there would be such a commotion over a blatant lie, right? Maybe I'm underestimating the ignorance of people who would believe an article like this. I just feel like it must be based on something!\n\nEdit: Found these steps on Lifesite blog to break down cause of death [here](http://run-with-life.blogspot.ca/2012/10/late-term-abortions-statistics-born.html) 1354246800 +Well, they do produce karma... 1346428748 +It will be a blast, was not aware that there would be at least two other redditors there. Nice. 1300662617 +> I'd like to fight that in constructive way.\n\nI think homeopathy and herbal quackery is perhaps exploitive of peoples desire for spirituality in medicine.\n\nAnd, I'd like to both point out that there is benefit in exploring alternative spiritual ideas and their experiential nature, and sentimentality, with narrative and human connectedness potentials, as well as point out that it is a mistake to fail to be skeptical, there is real harm in forgoing appropriate medicine for substantial ailments.\n\nAt heart of all of it is something surprisingly effective: medical ritual. Studies show that placebo is effective even when we are told it is a placebo - and that placebo is not effective in many non-westernized cultures that also do find benefit from their own medical rituals.\n\nI find many attempts to homogenize culture and politics harmful, while deeply understanding the value in objectivity offered by a scientific approach to truth.\n\nSo I offer that you can find common denominators that will hopefully allow you to understand others enough to being to open doors for them to constructively engage in what it is that makes any remedy effective.\n\nThere's little hope of converting dogmatists, though you can still offer a genuine and compassionate exchange if they are open to that. (I disagree with others who espouse ridicule as the best medicine.) 1298076055 +I'm in North Austin so i'm pretty much surrounded by light pollution unfortunately. I'm not sure about east or west, but if you go about 30 minutes south you get some decent dark skies 1297813398 +Interesting you failed to include the source of your claim too. 1323817406 +> The Japanese industry voluntarily removed BPA from can linings 10 years ago\n\nShouldn't that make it really easy to study the effects on humans?\n 1299014231 +So he's not Scottish as well? ;) 1356127463 +You might be right, that's my bad. From the article:\n\n> And officials at NASA are said to have asked to **examine** the tape, because they believe it shows the same type of craft once spotted by the space agency's own cameras during a space shuttle mission.\n\nGood catch. Still interesting, nonetheless. 1305653154 +As I understand it all pesticides are chemical (as is all life) and organic pesticides, often being less effective, are used in greater quantities and run off even more. Certainly I remember reading that organic fertilizers (yes I know they're not the not the same) have been responsible for huge algae blooms having run off into rivers in large quantities. 1347034964 +Logic, do you use it?\n\nExtraterrestrial life is essentially a given. Extraterrestrial life visiting, not so much. 1335054729 +Let me be the first to say: *want!* 1344973917 +[The Open Boat](http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/1514/) by Stephen Crane is an excellent short story that drives this point home. 1247946269 +Fucking Chuck Norris. 1320895791 +Image doesn't work for me.\n 1343124326 +I just banned him from /r/UFOs. I haven't really been active on reddit lately. \n\nIf you'd like, I'll add you as a moderator for /r/UFOs since you seem to be keeping a better eye on this sub-reddit than I am. 1263537036 +Very erie stuff. I want to see this film. 1352050333 +Believe in God? 1350180729 +Excellent glitches! Welcome to the sub. It was probably aliens 1353509156 +Oh, no you don't! Im not falling for that one! [from Urban Dictionary](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=sarcasim) 1287527113 +i was gonna respond with something about how tilling results in lost top-soil which is a major problem in just about every agricultural region, but you got to the heart of things in your post. 1309021159 +Nope, use it and enjoy. If you suffer from chronic sinus congestion you'll become a believer in just a few days. 1276668935 +I had the same argument... at a dinner to discuss Green Party issues with some of the representatives.\n\nYes I was called "unscientific" (I am doing a PhD in Life Sciences so that was great) and people basically said that I can't tell them what they do and do not feel. I was also told condescendingly "maybe you've never really been in pain". Having given birth once I think I know what pain is, but the thing is, at the time, I would have been ready to do anything to make it stop, I had a needle stuck inside my spine to make it stop. What you're willing to do when you're in pain is different from what works.\n\nAnyway, the Green Party is somehow split between hippies and engineers. Some of the engineers don't believe in alt meds but the party base largely favors it.\n\nIt's kind of weird because many ecological positions are based on looking at the world objectively and deciding some practices are irresponsible, dangerous and unsustainable, while some other ecological positions stem from purely emotional reactions, and inside one party you have both who somehow agree on some stuff but don't apply the same rationality to everything. 1340021199 +Not being a jerk, just conversational. Sorry if it seemed otherwise. 1350228636 +It's not really surprising; human natural births are dangerous and really fucking insane. A baby going through your hips and out your vagina that are only slightly larger than the baby's head? W.T.F. 1334851107 +This has been refuted as a bogus claim by just about every international scientific organisation on the planet.\n\nJust recently every French National Academy disowned the CRIIGEN research group as publishing biased and sensationalist work. 1353280539 +The reason I said I didn't care all that much is because I'm tired of the wars and the economic downturn it, and the tax cut we had at the same time, caused. I understand how retarded the current politicians are being (and the past ones that have been), believe me. I read stuff constantly. But, I have more important matters to attend to, like if I'm going to end up homeless in few months because the job market sucks and I've having trouble finding any decent work where I'm at. Right now I'm staying with my parents until I can find something, but it won't be too much longer that I'll be able to do that because they've finally had it with each other and are going to get divorced. Essentially, I have more pressing concerns than as to why 9/11 happened.\n\nAs far as the direction of the country goes, I'm anticipating an economic collapse accompanied by a revolution, and either a return to the Constitution, or something new rising from the ashes. Or, maybe the country will turn itself around as more people become aware of how fucked up our government is and do something about it, though it's probably unlikely. Americans tend to do things after the fact, not before it. They either wait until the last minute or go through the major fuck-up and not learn from the experience. Who knows? Maybe I'm just being a pessimist.\n\nEDIT: As far as PNAC goes, I'm wholly against it. The US is not world police and needs to stay the fuck out of other countries' affairs and politics. I'd like to see nearly all overseas bases closed and pretty much all American presence in other countries gone (other than business and tourism/travel). 1315811840 +Your aunt did all of it for you while you slept? Seems much more likely than you sleep-working. 1345648591 +You're gunna be pissed when someone mentions the white H. 1254842572 +Haha. Thanks Neurobonkers. The aim IS to convince Daily Mail readers to use it. Not because it is a skeptic tool, but because it is a tool for discussion. Or as they are more likely to think of it - A way of showing everyone else how right they are....\n\nIt is phase three or four, and we will get there. :) 1350258604 +I believe that you are misinformed. Scripture cannot have been the basis for their convictions because the scripture says "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." Matthew 24:35-36. Sure, scripture gave them reason for believing a rapture was coming, but it also told them that no one, including Harold Camping, can know when that day will come. 1337881484 +This is a good point. When I made the video (back in 2006), I didn't realize the quote was probably not accurate. I believe that there a comment in the video info addressing that, currently. 1345144140 +You're too quick, I posted, then edited it already. Please hit reload. :) 1311368044 +That would be untenable long term. My wife is religious, but it doesn't come up much day to day. I would drop her if she can't think outside her comfort zone and wake up. 1333946203 +They had critical thinking classes at my high school in the UK, not sure how wide spread it is though. 1324997114 +> **All the studies** have been done following tooth decay in unfluoridated vs fluoridated populations shows conclusively that fluoridation is a nearly a null factor in tooth decay.\n\nSo If I find one that thinks it's significant you will change that statement?\n\nhttp://www.bmj.com/content/315/7107/514.full\n\n>Indeed, the countries with the greatest reduction in tooth decay since fluoridation have began have never fluoridated.\n\n[Citation Needed] 1298621262 +Looks like you had it better than me! When I was 4 (Bear in mind I had no freaking idea what a severed head was) I would always go to sleep by staring into the crack of light next to my door. I would always have terrible nightmares, like a severed head sat on the end of my bed, a staring face on the ceiling. I would always wake up horrified. I only told my mum recently - bear in mind i'm 13 now and she has no way to explain it. 1356479768 +this has been happening to me since childhood. sometimes the dream comes true the next day, other times its months or years later. My mom and grandma (her mom) have the same thing too, so growing up they always told me that we were a very "intuitive" family. we usually tell people when we dream about things happening to them, so they can avoid the danger, or change whatever we saw happening.\n\nfor example, the other day I dreamt that my aunt (who had just moved into a new apartment) was moving boxes, and fell down some stairs and got hurt. usually i would have warned her, but this time i was too busy to call her. later that day she fell down the stairs moving boxes, and hurt her back pretty bad.\n\nunlike my mom and grandma, however, i get terrible panic attacks when i walk into a situation that i had deja vu about. the attacks last anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, and i have no recollection of the attack once it subsides. i start hyperventilating, shaking, and sweating, sometimes i am unresponsive, and a lot of times i wander out of the building, and end up somewhere completely different. a couple of times i found myself standing in the middle of a road. now my friends know to follow me if this ever happens, in case i do something like that. 1354682396 +Don't forget your biology book; I always knew I could make more than just fart noises with my armpits... 1299112515 +" 'The Bible’s version certainly is less cerebrally taxing, has a real historical context, and is for most people still far more *credulous*' " (emphasis mine). \n\nOh, that's some industrial-strength schadenfreude right there. *AAAHHH.* 1313358775 +The point of (the non-colloquial sense of) skepticism is that it's applied universally. A skeptic isn't just skeptical of things he thinks are dubious, he's skeptical of everything. He's just as skeptical of things he believes are unequivocally true as he is of things he thinks are not. Skepticism is a methodology, not a position on an issue. 1293590043 +I would encourage you to read the Threat by Dr. David Jacobs. In it he describes hundreds of abductees experiences whom he hypnotically regressed. There is no bunghole probing, but almost all of them describe reproductive related experiments. Men have sperm extracted and women have eggs taken. Moreover women have been used to "gestate" some unknown thing. One woman who went to her OBGYN with Jacobs had her ovaries pushed to the side in a way the doc had never seen. Other women have tested positive for pregnancy in menopause.\n\nThe aliens describe to the abductees how an event is coming in which humans and the aliens will live together and it will be "wonderful". So the dichotomy of "human flesh rawr"/"it's totally benevolent" is probably a false one.\n\nAnyway you might want to investigate a little further. The book is a fascinating read. 1340315750 +What are the "extra useless" vaccinations you refer to? Certainly not the MMR or Polio. Whooping cough? Chicken Pox? \nMost western states are Very Cautious about introducing a vaccine before much, much study and testing. \nIt is self-aggrandizing physicians with promises of royalties who have been putting out 12-subject studies who deserve the blame, as well as media who promote their pseudo-science. 1314890645 +well, the only case of a dream demon that i can think of off the top of my head was a little less out in the open, but that was also brought on by one person to plague another. If your techniques are working then I say stay strong and carry on. If this does come back, your best case scenario is that you are aware it's a dream, in which case you need only remind yourself that it's YOUR dream and that you're the one in control. Since It's in a dream, a dream-catcher might help too. 1324275870 +This exact thing happened to me as well. People said rabbit, fox, skunk. But I still dont believe an animal can make the sound i heard. 1338327054 +That's probably a part of it. But waterslide guy did say that this was part of his argument. He could have just put the phone down and gone on the waterslide without bothering to respond. 1342283054 +I thought this was a r/skeptics? The evidence of austrians making accurate predictions is undeniable, the evidence of keynesians actually *praising* the housing market is also undeniable.\n\nAll you've provided is a dismissal, I can go to /r/politics for those. 1343136242 +Well the truth is anything that is in focus is quickly identified as something conventional so it doesn't survive in the press long enough to be circulated among people as a possible UFO ;-)\n 1234320881 +Looks as though about half survived 5yrs. I'm just not seeing what you are here at all. \n\nAlso from your article: \n\n>Unfortunately, there is no universal agreement on the definitions of functional and nonfunctional tumors. It is a common practice to label PNETs as functional if the patients have symptoms of hormone overproduction and nonfunctional if patients are asymptomatic in regard to hormonal symptoms even though they may have elevated hormone levels. Using histological codes from the SEER registry to determine the functionality of PNETs has significant limitations. 1317926598 +Clinical studies are not blinded because of the placebo effect! Researcher bias is controlled for by using blinded experiments. Placebo effect is controlled for by using control and experimental groups. 1327540519 +Here's one possible explination of how it could of been done.\nhttp://youtu.be/m_aJHoLFUPE?t=1m16s 1327421507 +"The human race was certainly going to have direct contact with the aliens in the next 10 to 15 years," he said.\n\nWas? 1351044339 +sounded like a sarcastic maybe to me. 1347398611 +I chuckled at "gateway-woo". 1337213279 +I swear this is skeptically relevant. 1295460389 +She's better off taking aspirin or ibuprofen. Looks like it's largely glucosamine and chondroiten, same as Lakota and several other similar pills. Expensive, and with little known benefit. 1282951192 +It's an interview, you'll have to click the "listen" link to hear it. 1279075235 +You should do stand up. There's no way you'd bomb. 1304462418 +>Is there such thing as an 'optimal' path through life?\n\nMaybe you could have had a life of happiness with law student girl or literature major girl. Maybe on a scale of 1-10 your relationships could have been 7s or 8s. Maybe, though, they are in relationships that are 9s or 10s. Mathematically, was it destiny for them to be in a slightly happier relationship? My point being, is it better to know that they are both in great relationships at your (current) expense?\n\nSorry, trying not to sound depressing. I'm trying to take the route that you're the hero of this story and sacrificed really nice relationships just so that they could achieve maximum happiness. All speculation of course, since you don't know how happy they are.\n\nI liked your story. I can't wait for the thrilling conclusion of your optimal path. =D (Let me know if I'm just way off and out of line) 1326628008 +Shush! You'll ruin the placebo for everyone! 1329871952 +give me a break, are you serious? 1331964189 +Oh, do you actually have an infrasound room? Cause that would be cool! 1303806545 +Yea, in the end it's hard to get excited about because after all, it's just a few dots in a video. 1315367549 +So your argument is that it's ethical to play the role of a doctor, without the training of one, because doctors prescribe too many pills?\n\nI do not mean to imply that your wife is some pantomime villain cackling, while holding aloft two sacks of money with dollar symbols painted onto the side. Frankly it would surprise me if she wasn't well-meaning and didn't believe that she was doing good.\n\nThe issue is that without the training a doctor receives or the oversight of a governing body of medical doctors^ she isn't qualified to evaluate her own competency (and for that matter neither am I).\n\n^ Naturopathy does however have a great selection of official-sounding bodies you can register with.\n 1352749636 +Maybe I'm missing something, but what is woo? 1352701895 +I don't see anyone saying it is a good thing to do. 1323733274 +they arent airplanes just because they have lights too. Airplanes dont hover in one spot then change directions. stop ignoring that. 1310135719 +You obviously don't get nosleep. None of the stories there are true. They are all "true." As in "true" surrounded by quotation marks. As in not really true, but meant to be taken as "true" and not to be critiqued by skeptics in the comments. 1355166732 +Don't forget that the picture that set all this off, the so called "[Surgeon's Photograph](http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/photo_database/image/the_surgeons_photo/)" was confirmed to be a fake in 1994, when one of the fakers confessed. 1311650369 +If thats the case, then the U.S military has had these since at least the 60s. Two newspaper reports about triangular UFOs. One in 1966, the other in 1968. I thought they were man-made as well. Could be. I'm leaving it at unidentified. These triangular UFO reportings go even further back to the 50s if I recall correctly.\n\nRadar tracks triangular UFO (1966)\n\nhttp://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TqtVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NOEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5726,6314804\n\n\nTriangular UFO spotted in Spain (1968)\n\nhttp://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k2tYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DfgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4608,1811357 1321326357 +I've been to a DO and a chiropractor. After getting first-hand experience with the manipulation techniques they use, I would see a reputable chiropractor any day over a DO. I realize this is not a popular opinion in /r/skeptic, but it's true. 1309093580 +Its says it is a rendering. Is this some sort of reverse sarcasm I am not familiar with? 1354408184 +Wow this is a new one, even to a lifetime skeptic like me. I don't usually call people names but she is a nutcase. 1344464089 +Came here to say this. Wonder how theists would answer that question. 1288621141 +You're asking if skeptics agree that that person is uncertain about flight 93? 1327712523 +Without reading an article it's hard to make a solid argument for or against it but I have a feeling that the article implies the use of physics and science as we know it right now.\n\nIn other words, according to our current knowledge, it's impossible for such a craft to exist. A few hundred years down the line, assuming that humanity doesn't undergo another version of the dark ages? Who knows? 1352437588 +I like the way you cite the logical fallacies. Awesome. 1336753652 +> No one, or very few anyway, are denying the the climate changes. It always has, and always will. What is in question is whether or not CO2 causes increased temperature, or visa versa. \n\nWell CO2 does. Because, you know, physics. And denying something that simple and profound is one reason why the self-proclaimed "skeptics" are called denialists. Besides the God and intelligent desing thing which you guys love so much. \n\nBTW, how do you feel about that declaration I just showed to you. Are you going to pretend it does not exist? Please read it. Does that declaration make any sense to you? What do you think of people who endorse such thing? Are they rational? \n\nThey are poster boys of climate "skeptics". To me it's obvious they are irrational or insane for endorsing such nonsense. How about you?\n\n> Not so elusive is evidence that if you pay scientists to find evidence to support the global warming hoax, they can and will amass a great deal of it. Including a lot of fabricated evidence. This has the illusion of 'settling the science', because these so called scientists aren't getting paid to find evidence to the contrary. Why? Simple, that would not be profitable.\n\nI honestly tried to make sense of that but could not. Reads like a google translation gone wrong. So maybe next time when you're sober? 1351100582 +I'm making the statement that all *scientific* claims must be testable and reproducible. What you are describing isn't a concrete scientific statement, it is an abstract mathematical one. The claim "Any point on a circle is at a distance from the center, of that circle, equal with the distance of any other point on that circle." is true (at least in Euclidean geometry) because that is how a circle is defined. It is tautologically true.\n\nBut with that in mind, the definition of a circle has no real physical properties - are we talking about a circle drawn with a pen and a compass? If that's the case, how do you factor in the width of the ink? Or the fact that it wouldn't even be a two dimensional figure?\n\nIn the physical world we don't really get to define behavior, structure, or whatever. We try to describe and model it. And to find out whether or not a description or model is correct (or more accurately close enough) it must be tested. If you make a claim that can't be tested it lies completely outside the domain of science. Just like the existence of a god.\n\nOn top of that, the action axiom itself is obviously a reasonable statement while remaining in the realm of purely abstract logic. And I don't mean to say that there are no axioms when dealing with abstract logic; that's preposterous. What I'm doing is questioning whether you can assume something is axiomatic when referring to actual, real, concrete things. I don't like making assumptions or presuppositions while attempting to argue the scientific validity of a claim.\n\nBut find me a universally accepted axiom that applies to the physical universe that also can't be tested or reproduced and I'll admit I'm wrong. 1335476445 +i absolutely share you're contradictory belief system. on one hand, i am logical, and rule out things with basic science and physics. but on the other hand, i absolutely believe in the paranormal. when you think about it, the paranormal is just crazy science. a science which hasn't been fully explained because its just too damn crazy. \n\nthe experiences i've had with these little creepy dudes are just one of the many reasons why i can't just say i'm seeing things. i believe because i have had first hand experiences, and not all of them have logical explanations. i have a lot of stories about that house, and also about my mother's house which, now that i think about it, is right around the corner. damn. 1346807520 +Coming from Latin America, he's the reason I'm interested in UFOs. His reports (specially way back in the day) were freaking amazing. 1299256112 +I love how you have removed all ambiguity that the world lives with and deals with on a daily basis, removed all theory, and stated it as a fact that you know exactly what happened. 1342107916 +Maybe your friends are just idiots and don't remember the change? 1326651144 +Science functions on testing claims against what are called "null hypotheses". To be extremely general, a null hypothesis follows the general form "X has no effect different from notX". The null hypothesis is considered true until evidence can be collected that would be statistically improbable if the null was true. At this point, we say that we have "rejected the null hypothesis"\n\nThe papers linked have nulls. Their nulls would be along the lines of "these plant extracts have no effect on cultured microorganisms". They tested these nulls and rejected them. This means "these results would be very unlikely if these plant extracts had no effect on cultured microorganisms"\n\nA **completely different** null would be "these plants have no effects on the microbes growing in the human body when ingested". that null wasn't tested. A good skeptic (who understands the scientific method) would say that there's no substantial evidence for the purported effect, and given the difference in conditions between these in vitro experiments and the human gi tract, the results cannot be extrapolated. \n\nRemember, in science the burden of proof is on any hypothesis that contradicts the null. 1341195201 +Your terminology is incorrect. "Straight" chiropractic is what you refer to as "woo". "Mixers" are the ones who are a bit more oriented toward an evidence based practice. 1349591545 +So much recommendation. 1343910528 +We ARE the aliens, man! 1332272868 +Oh yeah, I know what she means.\n\nI just like poking fun at the labeling. 1349198562 +[Kary Mullis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kary_Mullis) is a Nobel laureate who [denies climate change and the link between HIV and AIDS](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kary_Mullis#Personal_views) and is convinced he [met a glowing, speaking, extraterrestrial raccoon from another dimension](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kary_Mullis#Extraterrestrial_life).\n\nNobel prize winners sometimes go very far off the deep end when they get outside their field of subject matter expertise, and they often don't get called out on it because of their status. 1337188407 +Man these guys really infuriate me. \n\nI'm a masters student, studying epidemiology and public health, while my GF is a physician of internal medicine. What these guys are basically saying is that, both of us, are either 1. so incompetent that even after five to ten years (in her case) of post-grad education we're no more capable of understanding the relevant data than a rank amateur laymen, and as such were both fooled by the vaccine company's propaganda while he saw through their deception, or 2. we're both so corrupt and evil that we don't mind poisoning our neighbor's kids for an extra $5. Pretty insulting to say the least. \n\nFilthy anti-intellectual reactionaries. 1327982530 +Ive watched this so many times. The "shadow" seems to be walking on all fours. From the time it enters the screen to the time it leaves I can see a basic outline of the creature. Also the tree moves when it exits left. Unbeliveable 1320727053 +cumulative exposure effect, not cumulative build-up. I'm not a doctor, and while I do work in toxicology I don't work with metals - but I'm quoting from a report that another poster linked me in an attempt to prove my cautionary principle wrong, i don't think 11 years is long enough for a basic principle like cumulative exposure to be proven wrong. \n\nDid you think that if you ate lead paint chips they'd stay in you forever too? Of course your body removes it, but there can be a cumulative exposure effect - thimerosal, according to the NAS's medical publication, may add to a child's cumulative lead exposure, and even if it's a small amount that likely does no harm at all...if we don't need to use the thimerosal why keep it in? 1355803695 +In Germany, we have [these lovely folks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Democratic_Party_of_Germany). If a party is prohibited it's because their aims openly seek to undermine our constitution. That applies to any side of the political spectrum. That's the factor, not "we are prohibiting extreme far right parties or people who call themselves this or that." 1343927214 +/r/conspiracy. 1303223399 +You can never take anything you watch on tv/movie/documentary as fact. I would have thought you already knew that. Use your own judgement and if something is fishy, look it up. I thought you was real po-lice. I mean skep-tic. 1306903636 +Russia's Extraordinary Failed Soyuz 2.1b Rocket Launch with Meridian satellite on board. \n\nEdit: Here is a map whit marked launch, sightings and debris landing: http://g.co/maps/24s89 1331902068 +Because ADHD is a fairly well-understood condition that certainly has a neurological basis.\n\nNow, overprescription of amphetamines and overdiagnosis is a real problem, but ADHD itself is a definite disorder. 1345477780 +How often do people do this? 1354937117 +>that people incorrectly assume that it's a simple "take the guns away and there will be no gun crime," 1355856613 +Why Does Every Single Word On That Entire Fucking Website Begin With A Capital Letter? 1292258254 +I have a hard time accepting that texting bandwidth even remotely approaches talk bandwidth. Furthermore, texting is in short bursts followed by, relatively speaking, long durations without trasmission/reception, and that's even when you are having a conversation with someone.\n\nJust to clarify, I think the whole "cell phones are heating you up and causing health issues" thing is bogus. I was just pointing out the flaw in Acsheu's argument. 1341204069 +It reminds me of JFK, most people that were alive when that happened, that I've talked, to believe that was a conspiracy. It seems like one way that people cope is to believe that there is a more complex, purposed reason something happened. 1290666404 +Actual video\nhttp://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhi790oSxj6hSN72Od 1347855107 +Ahhh the giant cigar shaped UFO. My favorite type of unexplained craft...simply because its difficult to mistake it for some terrestrial craft. Strange indeed. One of the more credible sightings and a very valid posting. Replenishes my faith in this phenomena.\n\n[Relevant.](http://www.disclose.tv/action/viewvideo/79935/amazing_cigar_shaped_ufo_seen_over_bazil_28sep2011/) \n\n 1319528888 +You said it's obvious that is what happened.\n\nSomething obviously happened and whatever happened it involved stupidity on the polices part.\n\n\nThis is just a anarchist circlejerk over "facist pigs!"\n\nThat said, i'm not sure why this post is really here, /r/panichistory would probably better fit the bill.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n 1354887732 +I don't see what is so difficult to understand here. Not everyone who thinks of UFOs assumes there is an actual mystery, many people think all UFOs are explainable, be it a comet, star, bird, whatever. My point is, he could have been saying there are unidentified objects in our skies that are a genuine mystery, not just that they haven't been investigated and would turn out to be planes or stars. It doesn't necessarily mean he believed these unexplainable ones were alien. Perhaps he was being facetious as well, as someone else suggested, basically stating that of course flying objects that are unidentified exist. 1314126993 +Truth not being a defense in those cases seems inappropriate. 1333659119 +Bacon is better than true love. 1304967445 +That is the plan, we'll figure out specifics amongst the mods on rage comics shortly. I personally would rather not have them. Self posts, or if relevant the image in question (weird hand floating,what ever glitch that happens) 1326436142 +I wonder If those guys play the "this week I'm the one with beard" card 1317312127 +Words don't mean what you think they mean. Don't ever handle inflammable gas. 1306248774 +I hope they do, because it sure ain't gonna be us at this rate. 1240266642 +Thats fine and all, but it is *sold as a medicine*. \n\nIf someone is going to comment about the efficacy of the "medicine" to a customer then they might be opening themselves up to unwanted problems. \n\nIt doesn't matter if the so-called medicine is crap. You can bet if the OP takes a strong stance by giving unsolicited advice to customers, eventually one of them will have a problem with his advice and cause problems.\n\nIf he really wants to do something, then he needs to either be discrete with customers or just try to get the product removed. \n\n 1327364391 +Look into cleansing your house. If you don't know how to do it, it's easy, or you could find someone else to do it. If you don't believe in cleansing of spaces or "that sort of thing", I highly recommend you reconsider; as this looks like the best coarse of action. 1340516085 +The united nations names Maziam Othman as Earth's ambassador to aliens as well as drafts protocal for the First Contact. 1285647186 +Clone Wars FTW 1285350896 +They also use 'organic fertilizers' (read: Bullshit/horseshit).\n\nThis is how you get E. coli on your lettuce. 1249619233 +I think we are talking past each other. Storytellers can invent or dramatize the stories they tell. That’s a legitimate thing to do. They don’t even have to make it clear that they are making things up while telling the story.\n\nBut they do have to make it clear – beforehand – that they are doing this. They can’t present things they made up as facts. But even if they do that their status as storyteller is untouched. Whether or not you are able to tell a good story has nothing to do with whether the story is true or not. 1331953935 +Marijuana....*cough cough* 1306262286 +I had just fallen asleep maybe 5 minutes ago. Not sure if that is long enough to hit REM or not. But I really hope you're right. Because this has been bothering me. 1324161648 +I totally understand your anger (and I'm quite frustrated myself to see my mother buy Bach remedies and homeopathy for herself and her pets) but still, on a public forum, reason and logic are still *our best weapons* against these frauds.\n\nThink of the undecided. They'll instinctively root for the side that is more convincing, cool-headed and reasonable, instead of the one throwing insults. 1342474680 +Looks like bullshit writing to me. 1350949105 +Collective consciousness is a synonym for culture. It doesn't imply a psychic link between people. In this particular instance, because he links it with "amassing information," I think he was referring to things like the internet, the availability of information, and the ability to share information quickly all around the world, that sort of thing.\n 1286914383 +That's a pretty strong claim, right there. I hope you are willing and able to explain what you base that claim on. 1332996213 +FTWS: \n\n"What do Ludwig von Beethoven, Elizabeth Taylor, Orson Welles, and John F. Kennedy have in common? They all suffered from asthma—yet were still rich and famous. Conversely, revolutionary Che Guevara and Russian Czar Peter the Great were also noted asthmatics, though it did little to stem their blood lust." 1305054980 +..But melting the poles means more water in the ocean. More water means lower concentration. Lower concentration means higher effect. Higher effect means less terrorism! 1304448418 +If you just resign yourself to the fact that the population of this sub has become 75% wacked out drug abusers, little things like this won't bother you anymore. 1348662653 +>with chemo, there is a fuck ton of papers published in respected journals that have been peer reviewed saying that it is at least better than doing nothing. With cannabis there is nothing, **no decent evidence at all** saying that it is in anyway a cure for cancer. So as a skeptic weighing the evidence between the two you can come to the pretty safe conclusion that one is more effective than the other and a better treatment.\n\nLOL! So basically, you're coming to a conclusion that you *admit* is based on "no decent evidence at all", but yet you claim this conclusion is a skeptical point of view?! You probably even go on to be condescending towards others simply because they believe in similarly based conclusions. I'm confused... 1328448640 +"WELL GRAVITY IS A THEORY TOO" 1350609796 +> knife [...] pointless\n\nYour pun doesn't cut it. 1355904707 +You're absolutely right that for any one person taking the test, there is only a 1 in 100 chance the test will not be accurate. \n\nBut look at it this way:\n\nBecause only one in ten thousand have the disease, in almost all cases, the problem will be a false positive. In other words, when it does go wrong, it will almost certainly be saying that you have the disease when you don't.\n\nHere's the key: The 99% chance of accuracy is *only* for any one person who **has not** taken the test yet. The vast majority who take the test will get a negative result. and and even greater majority who take the test won't have the disease.\n\nSo... **if you get a positive result, you're *already* in a tiny minority**, and you're far more likely to be in the minority who got a wrong result (1 in 100), than the tiny tiny minority who have the disease (1 in 10000)!\n\nThere was [an incident](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Clark) in the UK where some idiot pretending to be a statistician managed to get an innocent mother locked away because two of her children had cot death (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). He worked out the chances of one kid dying, squared it, and said that this was the chance of two kids dying (1 in 73 million), which is highly unlikely so she must be a murderer!\n\nAny proper statistician would have explained to the judge that both your babies dying is *already* very rare, so any explanation of how they died, would necessarily involve a one in many-millions occurance as it's a one in a many-million event. To say that she must be a murderer because the other explanation is a one in many-millions chance is facile, mothers killing both their babies is also a one in many-millions occurrence. We'll put to one side the other obvious fact that it's idiotic to simply square the chances of one baby dying, as we don't fully understand Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, so there may be genetic and environmental causes that would mean that a family who had already had one child die from SIDS would be *more likely* to have another child die from SIDS than most families. The only thing a statistician can usefully do when a very rare event has occurred, is to work out the *relative* chances of each possible explanation, and *not* the absolute chance (i.e. not use the rarity of one of the explanations, to rhetorically imply that the other explanation must be true, even though that explanation may actually be much rarer.) That's what we're doing here.\n\nHope this helps. 1311981560 +yeah. was looking at that. this actually led me to\n http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kola_Superdeep_Borehole\ni really want to explore this now 1334154868 +SHOCKING! If anyone actually thought that the Army would let this event happen on post, you are very naive. :( Being former Army myself, I hoped this event would have happened too; if only to see the "outrage". 1299291382 +> The problem with this statement is that now you're saying i have to prove a negative\n\nI'm not asking you to do anything, first of all. I don't think you're capable of doing the research that would be necessary to delve into sexism in the skeptical movement. Secondly, all I really want is to see some simple polling done to estimate whether or not women in the skeptical movement feel alienated and/or uncomfortable frequently. I think people who are claiming "sexism is rampant in skepticism" are wrong to do so without this evidence. And I'm sorry, but you're wrong to claim the opposite without evidence that goes against it. That's simply how making claims works.\n\n> If you want anecdotal statistics i've only seen one lady raise such a stink about events and her name was Watson\n\nNo, no, no, 1000 times no. Anecdotes are worthless. You keep bringing them up. Anecdotes are the enemy!\n\n> Just how rational is your argument if you're asking me to prove your points so i can then provide counter arguments?\n\nYou are attributing Watson's words (and those of other feminists) to me, and in doing so, are utterly failing to understand what I am claiming. So let me make it clear, this is my claim:\n\nIf you firmly believe sexism is a problem in the skeptical movement and you have no data to back it up, you are being irrational and thinking nonscientifically. If you firmly believe sexism is not a problem in the skeptical movement and you have no data to back it up, you are being irrational and thinking nonscientifically.\n\nIt's okay to have a hunch. Weak opinions are fine. But being arrogant and evangelistic about your stance on this -- lacking in humility and arguing forcefully and such -- is simply not rational. Period. 1325810670 +I guess critical thinking is not part of the royal bloods DNA. With them either practicing or endorsing every form of woo from Astrology to Scientology and everything in between. \n 1316726732 +Who you going to call? 1353882066 +Method three is the closest. It was invented [by this reporter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Elbert_Wilkie). And here's [Penn and Teller's](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0AgvxEx754) take on it. 1338131132 +True, but I wonder if anyone out there has ever died of water intoxication because they were on so many homeopathic "treatments".\n 1250942178 +keep this kind of bullshit in /r/atheism please 1288969240 +Hey, thanks. Generally, people like proof of debunking on this site. I am not on my "period", maybe you are? General punctuation and grammar is a concept even a 12 year old could grasp. Everyone hates walls of text. Try to be more civil, and I'll be less of a "Jackass", OK? 1344669109 +You do realize that the point of this article was not to discuss FGM, and that therefore a detailed discussion of the evidence would be beyond the scope of the article, right?\n\nSo guess what she did instead: she linked to the video where she discusses the issue more in-depth. She provided some better evidence and discussion right there, in a way that avoided getting out of scope of the article. You just never followed the link. 1351099774 +I might be mistaken but I think the official name of that logical fallacy is a "those-things-are-not-related-at-all-ism" 1297097969 +I'm sorry but giving a list of known orbital debris does not answer how any of those objects can change speed and direction. 1355690700 +...like many ancient astronaut theorists believe? \n 1334260978 +>The vast majority of cases have characteristics that would be impossible for a human to duplicate.\n\nThis i find interesting. Examples? 1331070298 +I was just fucking around with you, pretending to be a feel-good liberal.\n\nMan this is incredible, dolphin therapy, jesus fucking krist this whole world is retarded. 1252188418 +It's not me, it's the flouride! I'm perfect!\n/s 1342186256 +When my first cat died in a car-accident, I had a dream about him a the next night. When my dog died (one that I had grown up with, my parents got him 2 weeks after I was born), I had a dream about him the next night aswell. Odd how those things work. Could just be they were on my mind, but I always played with them in my dreams. 1346419498 +Yes.\n\n"Twinkle twinkle little star…". 1336713491 +How many Earths?\n\nIt's Earth's atmosphere, since the atmosphere belongs to the Earth. 1353853604 +Libbalai? ;) 1302308588 +The other party of this story that nobody seems to have acknowledged yet in the comments is that the cause of the remission is not the only unknown - it is entirely possible that he didn't go into remission at all because he never had cancer in the first place. Misdiagnoses happen all the time 1347846295 +Thats part of the disinformation campaign. Make it seem as though the information is purposefully hushed in order to garner the idea that the government is hiding something from us. \n\nWe've been brainwashed into the idea that UFOs are aliens for decades. You know what medieval Europe called these things? fairies. You know what we call them now? Aliens, by association. Throughout history, cultures have changed what these 'objects' are so that it fits the social mores of said culture. \n\nUFOs didn't pop out of nowhere starting with the Roswell incident. These flying objects have been around for thousands of years. \n\nAlso lets think about this for a moment. If all these military personnel are 'coming out' saying that UFOs are real and that potentially they are ET in origin, couldn't they be espousing MORE disinformation? In my opinion, yes. \n\nAm I saying that UFOs don't exist. No. They're real. I have tons of footage to back it up. But are these objects 'ET' in origin? Personally, no. But hey, is there a possibility that there is ET life out there? absolutely. 1330479931 +poltergeist 1341705319 +poltergeist 1342053180 +I completely understand and accept that everyone will think this is set up in some way. I'm not surprised. All I can do is reinforce the fact that it's not a "show".\n\nSide note, what's wrong with making recordings with an iphone? :\\ It's a perfectly legitimate recording device. 1335245719 +I said the same thing. Ghost car!! It reminded me of a police Chase video where the car gets away by going on this road but when the cop turns onto it. He stopped by a chain link fence and sees the car driving away 1344786408 +Water you talking about? 1297963196 +Because people spend money on luxuries, entertainment, mind-alteration, cosmetics, yachts, etc. etc., The government can better invest that money if the right experts are using that money.\n\nCompanies and banks will not invest in government R&D because government R&D is HIGH-RISK, so high-risk that it would be corporate-suicide and stakeholder-uprising-enabling, because of what a waste of money it could turn out to be (companies will simply not take on that much risk, but sometimes this risk is necessary for the advancement of your nation).\n\n>My argument is that millions of brains of private people and companies are better at reading the market and producing what people want than the government,\n\nYou would be correct if people were interested in anything but themselves. What people demand is different than what people will later find beneficial once you do something different.\n\nFor example, many people opposed NASA budgetary spending because they thought poor people on earth need help, why should we invest in space? Well guess what? Many inventions and advancements came from space. Including some that created new markets.\n\nMany people oppose military spending, but DARPA invented the internet that they LOVE today. You can't love something that hasn't been invented yet.\n\n>Watch the US's credit rating drop as the world realises that the US cannot pay their debts just like Greece.\n\nThe difference between Greece and the US, is. Greece borrows money, imports weapons and military purchases, and then they produce nothing except tourism. They create no value to the global economy.\n\nMeanwhile the US, is an industrialized, manufacturing, art-creating, inventing, researching, analytical hub in the world and people do want to invest in it. In fact, they are begging to invest in the US, even while treasury bills have negative returns.\n\nSo what should the US do in this situation? Print more treasury bills and borrow more money for spending. Yes you heard correctly.\n\n>Got anything to back this up? Any tax given back can be used for people to get out of debt or spend buying things. Why is that a bad investment?\n\nThe Laffer Curve, many economists believe 70% taxation is too much, and can choke people, and force them to DODGE taxes. That is the concern. Or they have too much taxes, and cannot thus invest from their savings accounts. This is not what is happening in America today.\n\nTax given back, can be used for getting out of debt, or spending buying things for the middle class. Which is exactly why Keynesians support tax breaks for the middle/lower classes. Which is exactly why Obama and Clinton gave tax breaks to the middle class. \n\nThe problem is, when you give tax breaks to the wealthy and rich individuals and corporations. Who then squander that money in offshore investments, or luxury purchases that help other nations more than the US. Much of the time, that money is not spent on anything useful. Sometimes it can even sit idle and not create value for global economy.\n\n> You think if we imposed a tax on say all fast food, that the fast food restaurants will just shrug and let the tax eat into the entirety of their profits?\n\nYes, if they are pricing according to sales. If they increase the price, so that they don't "eat the taxes into profits", they may lose vital amount of customers that could further eat into their profits. So they have to balance that. \n\nYour A, B, C, are based on excessive taxes. If it's only a dollar of tax, it may not affect them much and they may not change their price at all if they've historically had great profit margins. If it's 2 or 4 dollars of tax, then yes, those problems could arise. Thus, government has to ensure that taxes are not choking out competition. Companies have to ensure they are not driving away customers either with price hikes.\n\nIt's all about balance.\n\n>A increase in corporate taxes would have the same effect over the entire country, it's just much more transparent.\n\nNot necessarily. If all your corporations are making huge profits, then extra taxes will not have a problem. If they are pushing their prices onto their consumers/quality, then they will lose consumers to competition that "EATS" the tax losses.\n\nIf your taxes are too low, then your government will not be able to provide the vital services it needs to help society as a whole, which can also have negative effects on the economy.\n\nIf people are worried about getting sick like in America, they will reserve savings money for emergencies, and/or may be paying off medical debts. Thus they can't start a small business. \n\nAs you can see, it's ALL ABOUT BALANCE. Too much taxes? Bad. Too little taxes? Terrible. Somewhere in the middle? Just right. 1351994612 +absolutely, what expert opinion would cause you to question the story given by NIST, FEMA, and the Commission? 1314725346 +Is that the sun in the sky? Think of how bright those two small objects would have to be. Maybe they were digitally created by JPL as sort of an inside joke and to draw attention to the Curiosity mission. 1345666888 +Wow. Now I want to see your wife's inbox.\n\nThat sounds dirtier than it should. 1283536955 +I thought she had a concussion at first, but she seems to be functioning just fine now. No blood was drawn when she hit her head. 1332376941 +I doubt it. Anyway, quit bitching. 1321128776 +i hope u guys dont believe this bullshit 1342020233 +Wow. I forgot about this guy. His videos are so well produced. Gives me hope. 1302448193 +That's almost scarier than an actual ghost... 1339808765 +....example? (besides earth) 1325372705 +The article is about mediums, which is pretty psychich oriented. And what I was talking about is the idea that it is possible that on a quantum level thought or intention might effect the outcome of our results, and since merely trying to "see" whats going on on a quantum level changes things it is not far fetched. You're brain is the most advanced computer in the world, and tell me, what is the next horizon in computing technology? quantum computing? The same natural laws that govern your brain govern quantum mechanics so it is not impossible that they could be related when they are so similar in many ways. In all seriousness though, I'm just speculating but then science would be nothing without speculation. 1318351891 +Why did you get overpowered in the first place? start a new forum and discuss what you want. 1240825036 +Hey, looks like someone has a case of the crazies. 1289937671 +Occam's razor, and all. 1314305177 +*toast 1323717863 +I think the mountain peaks should be at prime numbers so it is even more cleaver. 1323877688 +Honestly, I don't think his opinion is that important in this case. If he sat in on the panel and listened, he'd likely have realized that was a poor idea. His intentions aren't relevant, and she didn't criticize them, she criticized the action (mildly, I'd add). 1351130726 +> "OK, how mentally retarded are we talking here..."\n\nI laughed, at work, such that the water I was sipping came out my nose. Shermer sometimes leaves his scruples at the door and I fear that could polarize biases, even though I love it. 1349972332 +Did you try exercising your right not to use the thing and moving on with your life? 1327541149 +I take your point, but I also think there is a difference between pretending to allow discussion and being up-front about not bothering to allow comments. The Examiner author appears to be actively picking and choosing who is "allowed" to respond to her nonsense.\n\nI do allow track-back links and do not censor them (other than spam removal). So I'll host a link to a rebuttal or response, but I won't host the content.\n\nI know this is different from the accepted "norm" of blogging today. However, I've always treated my blog as more of a diary going back to the late 90's when I used to write my own software to do it. Every time I've experimented with enabling comments over the years has resulted in a huge time sink. Dealing with spam took more time than I wanted to spend. And I couldn't come up with an editorial policy that was consistent and honest. Since I use my site for professional purposes as well as the blog, it was problematic for me to host profanity-laden personal attacks or hate speech along side my software work.\n\nI saw that my choices were to either moderate comments (and risk being accused of censorship) or not have them. I find it paradoxical that you're calling my decision "censorship" when I never pretended to be willing to publish other people's content (in the form of comments). I'm not censoring anyone, I'm simply not offering to help others publish. 1253400374 +National Geographic, perhaps? 1336582261 +The conspiracist line is that terminator seeds are Monsanto's way of keeping farmers from saving seeds, against contract. This is most commonly decried by the "Monsanto is trying to keep farmers from saving seeds, so they can force them to buy from them every year" type of anti-gmo. The argument is that Monsanto will somehow engineer a situation where no one will be able to buy non-patented seeds anymore. It is kind of facile, because farmers usually don't save non-gmo seeds. Most crops today are hybrids, which means the seeds don't grow true anyways. Besides, it's ridiculous to think that anyone would ever be able to prevent people from buying non-gmo seeds. I'll believe that when the government wipes out pot. 1330731487 +Salvia does this to me and some friends of mine...We've all had experiences of passing through before we've even hit it. 1353018091 +The FDA uses third party peer review. If you send a study to the FDA, it gets sent out to a university for review. The FDA doesn't review anything. They go off of what is sent to them. Maybe there is some shadowy corporation paying off grad students and their professors at every university that might get sent a study from the FDA to review, but whomever is making that claim needs to provide proof that would even lead to that hypothesis. \n\nYou not liking the results are not a good observation that would lead to the hypothesis that there is some grand conspiracy taking place. 1349328165 +That is illogical. 1355113571 +It's likely the manufacturers themselves mislabelled it. They may have believed it was "real" homeopathy, or they may have just been cynically capitalising on the label. We probably won't ever know for sure.\n\nPrescription medicine has strict labelling guidelines. The guidelines for complementary, alternative and supplementary medicine are much more lax. To sell something as homeopathic (as opposed to any other form of alternative medicine) you just have to include the dilution.\n\nThe methodology for creating homeopathic remedies varies so widely that it can be a 1:1 solution and still be considered homeopathic under the labelling laws. 1323234574 +Hey, no use of Occum's Razor here. 1348852252 +explain the 'control immune system at will' ... how did he actually demonstrate that? 1349990662 +that C4 is so stable that you can light it on fire, then shoot it with an explosive bullet from a high power rifle with and it will not blow up 1322344643 +after about a month of reading reviews online (some on reddit too!) i decided to try it out. Nothing much happend. No lucid dreams for me :/ but i do wake up extremely fast and refreshed after having taken it the night before. No groggyness in the morning i feel as if part of my mind was already awake and waiting for the alarm clock. 1319504194 +Might be a way to literally wire into someone at some point. But even if you took readings from the brain they could probably be subjectively altered since it would read based on what that person "considered" the pain to be. 1334843231 +This is an exploratory study, seeing as the sample size was 18 subjects.\n\nAlso, "Burnout Syndrome" is a psychosomatic condition caused by stress and social pressures. This is not an instance of Reiki treating a medical condition, but instead Reiki treating a psychological condition. This is a significant difference.\n\nAlso, the study explicitly says that the control group received no-touch fake Reiki treatments. I do not find an explicit explanation, but this implies that the real reiki treatments were touch treatments. Thus the thing being compared in this study is touch vs. no-touch for the treatment of stress-related conditions.\n\nI would have liked to have seen a third group included in this study (not possible due to the small subject pool, sadly) in which licensed therapeutic massage was included for comparison. This would have helped to isolate the variable being tested.\n\nThe placebo group was not sufficiently similar to the experimental group, in my opinion, and so this study does not helpfully isolate the source of the difference. I predict that it is the touch aspect, and that sham reiki treatments that included touch would do as well as real reiki, and therapeutic massage would outperform both. 1337025837 +Well, most drones don't do a whole lot of crazy maneuvering. Most of them are designed for slow efficient flight and loitering over an area for hours. I'm sure that some capable of more will come eventually of course, but if they do, they'll probably do so near military bases, right? So just pay attention to what is nearby. 1350842729 +Read the title and thought I'd been glitched to Spacedicks... 1346539454 +I know nothing about cars so this doesn't help me. Can you turn that into a Harry Potter metaphor? 1310599480 +I haven't heard much about Timothy Leary, but quickly googling him suggests that he was a quack that had no scientific evidence for his claims. \n\nAs for books you can read to see what is and is not psychology, I recommend Scott Lilienfield who has a [number of books on that particular issue](http://www.google.co.nz/#hl=en&tbm=bks&sa=X&ei=YPxKT43_EuTzmAXKqYyuDg&ved=0CCoQBSgA&q=lilienfeld+psychology&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=509985b96d5081d2&biw=1366&bih=643). Specifically, I recommend: "[Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology](http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=rZr0DtX2siQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=lilienfeld+psychology&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Y_xKT5yqKIuamQWquIixDg&ved=0CEgQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=lilienfeld%20psychology&f=false)" and "[50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions About Human Behavior](http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=8DlS0gfO_QUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=lilienfeld+psychology&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Y_xKT5yqKIuamQWquIixDg&ved=0CE4Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=lilienfeld%20psychology&f=false)". \n\n>Unless there is an CAT scan going or something all the surveys and mumbo jumbo just seem unreliable and speculative at best.\n\nI assume you're probably referring to **clinical psychology** here, and so it's important to point out that large portions of psychology have nothing to do with mental disorders (and a lot of it has no interest in humans either). Clinical psychology, as it's practiced, is obviously not a science, but is instead an evidence-based application of science - in the same way that medicine is not a science. The research that underpins both areas are obviously based on scientific principles, but they do of course face difficulties when trying to control for particular confounds (e.g. they can't raise babies in controlled conditions and then inject them with diseases to see what happens). But they still use experimental conditions, like randomised-controlled trials, to measure the effects of particular interventions and so to reject psychological treatments would require you to also reject many medical interventions. \n\nIt is also important to point out that biological markers are often useless when trying to diagnose a mental disorder as many mental disorders are not caused by biological abnormalities or dysfunctions. For more information on this, I recommend this article by Neuroskeptic "[Brain Scans Prove that the Brain Does Stuff](http://neuroskeptic.blogspot.co.nz/2010/10/brain-scans-prove-that-brain-does-stuff.html)" and Massimo Pigliucci has a similar article here: "[The Mismeasure of Neuroscience](http://rationallyspeaking.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/mismeasure-of-neuroscience.html)".\n\n**Basically:** Being skeptical or uncertain of psychology because of people like Leary, Freud, Jung etc, is like being skeptical of medicine because of Andrew Wakefield, or skeptical of physics because of the existence of perpetual energy theorists.\n 1330315339 +I downvoted this comment for griping about a downvote. 1331995194 +I am giving this 100% of my upvotes as well. 1350243855 +Different Edward 1344493930 +Why not a small-business loan, then? Why not setting up a plan to work/suffer X months/years of undignified employment to save/earn amount Y? Why not offer your services/time below current prices or minimum wage to build a customer base or reputation? 1343074758 +Dr. Oz was a respected cardiac surgeon. He has published many papers in top medical journals. 1326887830 +"Not your personal army" comes to mind.\n\nIf you're going to be a skeptic in r/911truth, you'll get downvoted. It's how they roll. Who cares?\n\nThough tbh dude, your posting style there is pretty bad. You come off like you're in Jr. High. Like, the kind of person they would point to and go "See? That's how intelligent a believer of the 'official story' is, ha ha!"\n\nFind productive uses for your time, r/911truth was good for a laugh when it was active, but you won't make anyone listen. 1306302380 +That was my thought, too. And if he DID work from an office, why not more detail about that? What kind of chair did he have, was he just sitting in a folding metal chair the whole time? Was there an office kitchen or at least a mini-fridge, or did he have to keep his lunch in an insulated lunch bag?\n\nAnd the details that were included - like the flickering lights and the hallway which is just vaguely described as "dirty" - just weren't convincing. \n\nNot to mention the logistical issue of employee sourcing. Really, it's just word of mouth? Literally word of mouth? How long does it take to fill a vacancy - years? I bet the churn rate in that industry is crazy high, you would need a lot more than "word of mouth" to bring in the bodies. 1349886825 +It's ok. Happens to me too. 1333048225 +As the article says, I can't imagine they'd be so public (what with Obama's statement and all) about it without some concrete evidence. 1304348492 +Not really, within a month of the first leak about the operation the Attorney General basically [admitted the whole thing](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_contra) and Ollie north was fired. 1352236479 +In other news, grass still green. 1351679246 +Wow, I know you posted this a while back, but I happened to stumble upon this post, Just after reading my favorite series of books. In one of the books, Shadow people are often discussed. They are shadows that we cannot see all the time but sometimes we see out of the corners of our eyes and such. \n\nThe book describes that sometimes the shadow people come out and "grab" people from the world, never to be seen again. All information about their existence, gone. It is as if they have been erased from this universe. Forgotten forever. \n\nYet, sometimes a person might remember an unknown face, feel an odd feeling that someone is gone, and it might be a person who they once knew, but will never remember. \n\n\nPretty creepy. I am not a good writer so this might not make sense. Let me know if you want the name of the book. Explains the feeling you had exactly. 1355108696 +Reading this i get an extreme urge to impose som science and rational thinking on Mike Adams in the style of a clockwork orange. 1319446322 +So this annual exercise usually lasts about 2 weeks? I'm assuming Lindberg's team will be delayed from their investigation for that long? but I thought they just left port yesterday, I guess they'll have to turn around and head back to land?\n\nOr can they go ahead and continue their investigation while the military exercise is happening? 1338647681 +Just a training exercise 1356613504 +Thank you. Have you ever heard about this case? Aside from the link I posted I havnt found much 1354054957 +If all this is, in fact, true... you need to exorcise them demons darlin. No joke. 1333735723 +Same! My husband won't even attempt to switch and it drives me crazy. He thinks he is a "supertaster" because he can't handle even the slightest bitter flavor.\n\nThat said... Coke with real sugar (we say Mexican Coke in our area, or Canadian too) or Pepsi Throwback will always reign supreme. 1313512919 +There are a few times/demographics that are more prone to iron deficiency anemias than others. Women are more prone due to menses and pregnancy uses more iron than usual. So a pregnant woman is the most prone to anemia (yes I realize that a pregnant woman doesn't have a menses). That being said, I was only stating what was taught in the nutritional section of my biochemistry class, because even I (a biology major in undergrad) was not aware that we can't really use the in found in plants because it is so bound up in proteins we can't process.\n\nOther things that disable us from using the iron we ingest: Vitamin B12 deficiency and Folate deficiency (which should never be a problem for a pregnant woman). 1354156624 +Sadly, that's what it's come down to, rhetorically. Misogyny is *hating women*, not disagreeing with an argument. 1310055781 +Do they also recommend throwing the little plastic containers on the road 50 feet from where they're sold? Or maybe it just says that right on the bottle. 1343961717 +Number 1 rule of investigating the paranormal! 1355270548 +No. Not really. I prefer sleeping. 1345806974 +Well I hear what you mean. Now comes the most important question here. Did you hear it at the time? Or only in the video? I ask this because I've seen over and over and over the fact that weird things people hear are not showing up on audio recording, and things that show up on audio people don't hear at the time of recording. I'm really curious if both are ever true for the same incident. 1332666638 +I think you're right, actually. The one he's referring to is definitely on one of the moons according to the Googles. My mistake!\n\n[This is the 'monolith' on Phobos that Buzz is talking about.](http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/marte/marte_phobos09.htm) 1334272727 +ya, there are actual photos at the bottom, some dude's home project that has nothing to do with the main photo. 1344534846 +The people don't have the knowledge to regulate. That is why homeopathy, chiropractics, and diet pill thrive. People are stupid when it comes to their own bodies. 1304818064 +They would adapt, update their teachings and pretend like they predicted the aliens thousands of years ago. They do, after all, make this shit up as they go. 1277724948 +Yes, it's called forcing a card and there are several ways to do it. Pretty basic card magic stuff. 1326440136 +The guy who plays Hugh House? 1336587398 +I didn't say anything about whether or not what this woman has said is true or not. I didn't say her background or qualifications invalidate her opinion, either.\n\nBut why is it considered a personal attack to note that a person has no understanding of a subject? Why should all opinions carry equal weight, even when we can plainly see that some are totally invalid because of where they originate?\n\nTo put it in another context, does this mean that every time an anti-vaccination campaign starts up again we have to stop progress just to give those people their time to speak, even though their opinions are not based on science, and can't be proven?\n\nCertainly there are many ad hominem attacks to be found here on Reddit and elsewhere on the net. But to say that a person's motive or credentials should *never* be questioned is ludicrous. Isn't that the very definition of skepticism? 1333140895 +Must have been "new" for OP then....\n\ninb4: Swampgas. 1350990518 +Peer reviewed articles are the platinum standard. A YouTube video? Well, unless it's very well done and provides some entertainment, it means squat. 1355964332 +good point. the people who control the news are the last few of the cabal that don't want to give up. But now the are submitting. An example of this is the big banking scandal last week in London. Thats just the tip of the iceberg. a lot more will follow. 1342718457 +Theist skeptic checking in. 1324355557 +It's more advanced than static health. At least I think so. Must be all that oxygen. 1294998571 +I knew this guy once who got exiled at birth and, as a grown man, came back only to accidentally kill his father and marry his mother. True story. 1301944596 +> Intelligent readers shouldn’t be offended by someone like me, who has a point of view different to them. They’ll just laugh and say I’m ignorant.\n\nYup. 1299186034 +It's a great quote, but I wouldn't call it prophetic considering you could take 90 percent of his statement, make it at virtually any point in recorded history, and still have it seem eerily accurate. 1313696177 +I thought he was asking a reporter to give him a tug. 1252770264 +Well, now it does... 1299898120 +It's not a satire site. They definitely believe the stuff they put on there. 1330215565 +I think you need to decide if you are a skeptic or a fundamentalist.\n\n$2 off of a Tofurky is a good deal if you can eat Tofurky. 1303065381 +moving-target still hit by down votes 1299223449 +This is wonderful. Thank you for your good work with those who may be nearing the end of their physical lives. My grandparents are getting old, but I am very close with them and conscious of what incredible people they are and life they've lived despite their bodies starting to fail them. It saddens me to think about it, even, so I commend you on your good work and use of your special ability, sir or madam. 1347079677 +Troll on 1348169905 +My roommate bought some magnetic necklace thing and said it works... I told him I could get him a nice deal on a bridge. It went over his head. :I 1334968073 +first: modern medicine is a challenge to their faith because it provides a "cure" to a "disease" that is in fact believed to be basically psychological (to put it in non-religious terms). Generally the belief is that modern medicine may treat the symptoms, for some time, but does not cure the underlying religious disorder.\n\nI would like to think that I actually have a pretty good working knowledge of how this type of theist thinks -- presenting their religious arguments in the strongest possible manner, rather than the rantings of an idiot.\n\ntrue enough regarding a "punitive person" being over-punitive. I guess I wouldn't put you in that category knowing as little as I do about you. I apologize.\n\nRegarding your later points: you are once again misconstruing the intent of the parent. This is true for every case except the last.\n\nRegarding the last: if she REALLY BELIEVED that, she should be charged with manslaughter just as she was in this case. 1320444374 +http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/10/25/amazing-video-of-a-bizarre-twisting-dancing-cloud/\n\nSaw this article yesterday, pretty incredible videos.\nin a nutshell:\nElectromagnetic fields changing the orientation and shape of ice crystals in cumulus clouds. \n 1319737364 +Both. 1336056806 +Both. 1344713400 +Both. 1325707263 +Both. 1334240487 +Both. 1346163501 +We should just gather up all the medical quacks and shower them with positive energy in the form of positrons. 1343448647 +Although it has more immediate implications for people living with diabetes, it is still a valid consideration for those without diabetes. \n\n> In animals and in short-term human studies, a high intake of carbohydrates with a high glycemic index (a relative measure of the incremental glucose response per gram of carbohydrate) produced greater insulin resistance than did the intake of low-glycemic-index carbohydrates\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12081851\n\nI think, however, we've lost sight of the original argument and that we all agree, this picture over-simplifies the relationship and misleads people to believe that eating potatoes and rice will cause them to develop diabetes. 1345242104 +In my opinion those people you are referring to are still close-minded. The way I use it "open-minded" simply means that you are willing to listen to opposing viewpoints and make up their own minds based on whatever evidence, not that you steadfastly hold to dissenting viewpoints no matter what. I simply mean that most of my friends aren't adverse to discussion.\n\nThose who describe themselves as "open-minded" in your rant are just those that inherently adhere more to conspiratorial theories than any other usually because of the feeling of being "special" or "in-the-know" (a very common human trait). But the act of only holding to their viewpoints and disregarding all opposing arguments makes them in reality close-minded. What you describe as skeptics I'd consider to be more truly open-minded (as odd as that may sound). 1346854785 +Seriously though, I understand there's a lot of bullshit around this subject. I've done a lot of reading about it, there's definitely something to it. It's worth researching. I suggest reading "The Source Field Investigations". That is one hell of a book. ALL of it is a report on a bunch of separate science experiments and various studies. It's amazing. 1323040824 +Don't get me wrong: this is incredibly fucked up... but there's really nothing here to put it out out of the capability of another intelligent human being. There are some clever yet truly sick individuals in the world and nowhere in this article is there any evidence other than the author's own fantasy driven speculation. 1331052666 +dave syndrome (not a real syndrome) 1335434321 +While it never makes sense to take a Top Secret aircraft over population centers, it has happened in the past. U2's and SR-71's caused many UFO sightings.\n\nSome of the drones that are operational can do some pretty cool stuff. I can just imagine some of the R&D drones could be considered "alien technology" by a farmer sitting in Colorado. 1352707462 +> Being an atheist is easy, buy a few book by Dawkins, watch Bill Maher, get a few bumper stickers for your car and ... profit?\n\nYeah, quite so. This whole episode has really pushed my interests toward skepticism rather than plain "atheism." It's obvious to me now that you don't need any rational integrity at all to be an atheist. 1287290414 +No you're right, this isn't the real world. Just a board that decides what real is by pretending to be smart. 1354663253 +Not sure about the first one, but as for the second, here's a good [video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhaMrCUDhjk) on the subject. 1347781350 +If this is true it sounds extremely dubious. If it's a hoax, it's a pretty good one. Either way, I think it belongs here. 1354913922 +You should watch this documentary. Made by Derren Brown.\n\n"Miracles for sale"\nWith the cameras in hot pursuit, Derren faces his toughest project yet, going in search of an unsuspecting member of the British public prepared to adopt the guise of a pastor and miracle worker.\n\nHis chosen one then has six months to learn the trade and flourish across the pond as a convincing pastor.\n\nThe final phase of the volunteer’s extraordinary challenge sees them attempt to perform faith healing miracles live in Texas, but will Derren’s new recruit be accepted as a faith healer or cast away as fake healer?\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYjgeayfYPI 1339272428 +My mom's family is Acadian French and they have a thing about shoes on the table meaning death, because the only time your shoes should be on the table is when you're a corpse and lying out for the wake.\n\nMostly, though, I think it's just so kids don't put their dirty shoes where you eat. 1332176350 +I think PBS still has science stuff on it. My antenna doesn't pick it up anymore though :( 1328045558 +> Radfems hate evopsych because it contradicts the dogma that gender is an arbitrary social construct and that social engineering can turn men into women.\n\nRadical feminists don't believe gender is an arbitrary construct, and most of them certainly don't think men can become women (they might think that people can be socially-engineered into *believing* they belong to the other gender, but that's a different claim). Neither PZ Myers nor Rebecca Watson agree with the mainstream radical feminist stances on gender essentialism, pornography, or trans rights, and neither one identifies as a radfem. 1354693744 +>Whats with all the screaming and the uber tight shirts.\n\nThat's just Zak's personality. The reason i like the show is because Zak actually produces it. They debunk their own findings when it's questionable.\n\nThis show was pitched by Zak to networks until it got picked up. It's not like this show was created by some producer who just wanted to get some ratings and hired actors to play the parts like most other ghost shows. GA is about as genuine as you can get. As for the evidence they collect, that can be open for interpretation but these guys at least believe what they are catching. 1335548937 +I'm not a chemist or biologist, so please correct me if I'm wrong.\n\nBasically, ethyl mercury is processed and expelled from the body, and methyl mercury builds up in our system. Ethyl mercury is what is in thimerisol. The toxic mercury people talk about is methyl mercury. 1327009796 +get used to it, hes running for office and they will pander to their audience. give the ppl what they want is the slogan cuz these guys know whats up but will say what they have to to get elected. there are 2 dollar whores with more morality than these ppl. if they had the choice of becomming pres by way of suckin dog dick thered be a line a mile long . its horrible , this whole process and the ingenuousness behind it. all questions they answer arent real theyve been coached as to the best answer for their constituency not what is the truth. 1314464584 +>How many times have I said I am not asserting he is against vaccinations? How many times, exactly, do I have to say it before you get it through your skull?\n\nThen what, exactly, does Ron Paul have to do with a comic about 'evidence for vaccinations vs against vaccinations'! **Nothing!** You brought it up, and it seems everyone else figured that you were trying to convey Ron Paul was anti-vaccination. The only one who didn't get it was *you*. Perhaps an edit to clarify in your original post?\n\n>Yes, and that is absolutely false and exactly the point that I'm making, which I've said over and over: that it is stunning that a first-year medical student is more educated on a critical public health issue than someone running for President.\nI have been, I will say yet fucking again that he does not understand the basic science around immunization, and that is inconceivable for someone who has used his medical career as part of his campaign.\nJust for fun, go back through this thread and count how many times I have explicitly said that to you and others.\nBut I've realized the problem. You don't understand how vaccinations work, so you didn't flag my post as an explanation of the problem.\nI know you've said you don't support Ron Paul, but you should. Your willingness to talk about things you don't understand fits right in with the campaign.\n\n**I** know exactly how vaccinations work. **I** and everyone else here **agreed** with you that the policy is stupid. **You** are the only one who can't seem to be able to un-link the policy from his medical background. It's an ideological policy, not a medical policy. It has been said *over and over and over again*.\n\nI know and agree 100% that making these vaccinations non-mandatory is a ridiculous and harmful policy. Herd immunity is the basic key that underlies why vaccination works so well.\n\nRegardless of how much we both know about vaccinations and how stupid this policy is, he has decided that his political ideology trumps his medical knowledge.\n\nBut of course, your response wouldn't be completely without another ad hominem jab, would it! I hope you get a chance to enter a formal debate sometime; it would be entertaining to watch your opponent rip you apart for trying to throw ad hominems out there. All they do is make you look childish, nothing else. 1326670338 +Wasn't white. 1328194718 +taking money from idiots and giving it to idiots 1312176984 +>If you wanted to create private government granted monopolies sure I'd agree. I have not and am not arguing for any such thing.\n\nYou're arguing for private control of natural monopolies. This has the effect of granting state powers to private interests. This is why right Libertarianism, is better known as Crypto-Fascism.\n\n>I think that's wrong do you?\n\n*I* think Fascism is worse than Social Democracy. 1343103081 +such low quality, it is difficult to determine if fake or not. why is it not in HD? all cameras are HD these days are they not? 1341511944 +>we need to *brake* these chains of ignorance!\n\nirony. 1342192616 +While your wife (the government) keeps swearing she hasn't done a thing or knows what you are talking about. 1348756711 +Yep. I get a bit tired of people assuming "aliens" are doing them. \n\nCrop circles have become a small industry in some areas of Britain; seems highly likely that people are doing them in most cases. 1245181449 +no, you show me the medical science that confirms this magical substance that cures _everything_ with _no side effects_.\n\nEvery corrupt government in the world couldn't possibly stop the use of such a fantastic medicine if it truly worked. 1328186831 +When it comes down to it, what is the difference between an atheist pandering to the religious base and a religious leader pandering to the religious base? 1314244493 +When it comes down to it, what is the difference between an atheist pandering to the religious base and a religious leader pandering to the religious base? 1314244501 +I was a Mormon missionary for a year before reason finally caught up to me. Finished the second year of the mission for my mother's sake... it was hell though. I still wish I would've stood up for what I knew and left after that first year. 1352945642 +I haven't seen months, but fairly often there will be one that takes days. With lots of other texts to the same person in between. 1331664835 +I'm afraid if that's what you believe about this very serious illness, then you don't understand how easily it can go bad in children. It's not, nor should it be looked at, as a right of passage. \n\nMoreover, your statements about only trying to prevent it in the elderly are also ignorant: stopping the spread of the virus, whether in children or adults, helps everyone.\n\nI understand that you and these parents don't really think this is a big deal, and it _is_ true that individual instances of this probably carry small risk to the individual child. I don't think that parents should be left off the hook for it, though. They _are_ playing with fire, even if they don't realize it. When it comes to communicable diseases, it's smart not to underestimate nature. 1320715402 +Thanks for the update, but one note:\n\nwho's = who is\n\nYou mean "whose real identity is known to me". 1350750857 +"Outer space" = "more than about 50 miles or 75 km up"\n\nSo, anything in Low Earth Orbit is in outer space, and I'm not sure whether you can actually "see the entire planet at once" from LEO, but it's still pretty darn big. \n\nYou can easily see things like harbors, mountains, etc, from LEO - things a couple of kilometers across. 1272918285 +What a compelling addition to the discussion. Thanks so much. 1332856226 +For me it's the "Disclosure is happening! Fleet of Alien flagships captured on video!" posts... and then you watch it and it's clearly just balloons or lanterns. 1315457523 +Sure I'll finish up. You check back in the morning. Hope you feel better. 1348958152 +Finally, you actually admit that your anger concerning people discussing cannabis as an alternative to chemo is unfounded. As you say, there is no evidence. No evidence to support your anger, and no evidence to support your assumption that chemo is better than cannabis bud extract... 1328458622 +A good documentary. Should we share it with our fellow redditors? Here is a page with some background info on the film: http://www.wanttoknow.info/ufos/ufos_video_disney 1318017606 +>What I had a problem with was her asserting that (a) evolution has a purpose that had somehow gone awry in us humans, (b) that purpose was, and always has been, to eat only vegetable matter, and (c) she refused to believe anything else despite the literal evidence of her eyes.\n\nOh, I'm in full agreement with you there. I'm often embarrassed by the terrible arguments made for causes that I personally endorse for what I'd consider much more sensible reasons. But the truth is that what is persuasive to practiced critical thinkers many times comes off as really weak to poor critical thinkers, and vice-versa. She was likely just repeating arguments that she had seen as successful in the past, either on others or perhaps on herself.\n\n>You don't get binocular vision in obligate herbivores. Ever.\n\nI've never heard this before. Do you have anything to back it up? 1297478736 +Since I have not read the authors you mention your claim seems to need a bit of a clarification. Are we talking about the dark ages again? The 1800's? Some specific scientific ideas? Please clarify this and maybe we can have an interesting talk about it and come to some conclusions. 1284943947 +No elitist latte liberal sitting in his white tower of university education is gunna tell me what's right for me an' my kin. All's I need is my God and my gun and gas in the tank. Amen. 1333646910 +they aren't equal, so I interpreted the equal sign as an "is a" relation:\n\ndog = animal\nanimal != dog 1309356787 +I made it all the way to "deeper truth", maybe 20 seconds in.\n\nThat's woo code for "something only I know but you can buy it from me if you'd like".\n\nAlso, you said cock. 1274378922 +> However, better controlled experiments have reduced the hit rate from the original 38% to 28.9%, and there are other possible flaws even in the latest iteration of the experiments.\n\nWhat you want to avoid here is promissory materialism. Should we avoid making tentative conclusions forever? Or should we at some point accept the data for what it seems to say? Rushing to conclusions is bad, but 30 years of doing proper scientific experiments is not "rushing" things. The meta-analysis is very compelling.\n\nUntil you have an actual theory which better explains the data (the possible flaws you mention), the PSI theory stands taller. You can't keep on arguing that "but maybe in 200 years we will have dreamed together a test that gives the 25% outcome and thus preserves materialism". If you can't explicitly argue what's wrong with the current tests and how that's empirically relevant, you've got nothing coming but your own personal ideology.\n\n> Diminishing effects in science is actually a feature of the scientific process. It is possible that the first time around on an experiment or study, the original researchers may have a bias (unknown or not), that they may favor, or have not properly controlled the experiment in some fashion. When the experiment is repeated, and better controlled, it is not surprising to see a diminished effect, and possibly the effect will disappear with the proper controls in place. This is true not just of ESP or paranormal studies, but of scientific studies in general.\n\nI agree with this, and so do those who argue for the reality of PSI based on the scientific evidence as well. You know, research didn't begin 5 minutes ago, but have been going on *and* been repeated many times over now. The data is in.\n\n> In the case of 2+2=4, there certainly is evidence. Take some objects on your desk and assemble them such that you have two objects on the left side of your desk and two on the right side, combine the groups together, and you will have four objects. Anything that is manufactured requires lots of math to be correct in order that it be manufactured and function as expected. I'm sure you can think of some other examples of how 2+2=4 is shown to be true, and how if it were not true, there would be some serious ramifications.\n\nhttp://able2know.org/topic/159441-1\n\nThe issue here goes deeper.\n\n> My point was that it is the responsibility of those making a claim to provide sound evidence to support their claim. If they cannot do that, then they do not deserve equal consideration.\n\nI agree completely. So what in any of my previous posts have made you think that I contested this fact?\n\n> I have nothing against ghosts, ESP, telekinesis, UFOs or anything else. However, I have not come across any compelling reason, or evidence, that would lead me to believe that any of them exist.\n\nI have nothing against any of those things either. I beleve in ESP and telekinesis, but I do not believe that UFOs contain alien lifeforms. But the difference is, regarding the former, my opinion carries weight, because I've done the research. In the latter, I merely believe based on gut instinct. I have *not* investigated the proposed evidence from those who claim to have evidence, so any comments I will dispense on that subject will be objectively irrelevant to anyone else.\n\nIf you haven't investigated the proposed evidence and arguments for a phenomenon yourself, your opinion carry no weight whatsoever. And for ESP and telekinesis, those who *have* done their research more often than not come to the conclusion that the evidence is in favor of the prima facie interpretation of these phenomena, rather than in favor of the classical materialistic explanations.\n\n> As for my comment about you either being a troll or not bright, I apologize. I should not have made a personal attack.\n\nThat's okay, I'll never be personally offended anyway. I'm glad you're learning to be humble (whether faked or not). But it's for your own good, not mine. 1318617363 +>magnetic flux density (magnetic field)\n\nMagnetic flux density != magnetic field strength. 1353679098 +The turkey ufo footage is quite good quality. Im on my phone or id link it to you but itll pop up quite fast on a google search. Has yet to be proven fake afaik 1317207250 +So did you do all those "squaring the circle" things? 1343615255 +An interesting example of this working in reverse are the studies claiming wine is good for your health. This is because people who don't drink tend to not do so for health reasons and so are less healthy that the general population. 1297736360 +This should be the top comment 1355115978 +Buying local says absolutely nothing about a product's environmental impact. It certainly hasn't been demonstrated that "organic" (a meaningless label with no regulations) is better for the environment. Many things cannot be grown locally, and growing them at large scales is incredibly more efficient. The shipping part of food is a fairly minor environmental impact. 1296146491 +AKA, Burden of Proof fallacy 1330444242 +There are key differences though, such as britian's NHS spending millions funding homeopathy, sales of homeopathic drugs, etc. No one really funds the octopus that much. Maybe he'll start selling predictions, who knows :) 1278886477 +I realize the method has its flaws, but the chances of those flaws causing 600 interviews to say basically the same thing seems even more farfetched than what the interviewees are saying (there's aliens).\n\nOf course this doesn't mean that the unexplained aerial phenomena are alien ships. 1352407722 +I'd almost be okay with this if they also paid for scientists to go into churches and teach evolution every other sunday 1306764385 +And this folks, is actually a really good example of correctly using Ad Hominem. 1318023713 +> "What happens to the electricity that was in our body, causing our heart to beat and making our breathing possible? There is no easy answer to that."\n\nLol, no easy answer at all... none other than, of course, the *correct* answer: heat. Or more accurately, entropy. The energy is still there, most of it locked in chemical bonds that require more energy to break than they produce, thus the electrochemical reactions taking place in the brain stop. Entropy, however, doesn't stop and the body continues to gain entropy indefinitely. 1321137978 +There is a stall selling these in my local shopping centre. Every time I walk past I see them talking to a potential customer, so I have to do something! I've been thinking about setting up next to them selling posters about the placebo effect, or selling placebo bands. I've settled for the moment on walking slowly by and loudly stating it is a con and it doesn't work. It angers me that they are allowed to sell them. I saw them talking to an old lady in a wheelchair once. \n\nEDIT [Here](http://www.placebobandstore.com/) are placebo bands, much cheaper than the (cough) real ones. Or from the [Skepticbros](http://skepticbros.com/placebo-bands/) who I think started the placebo band...thing. 1327402704 +I know that atheist women aren't represented by Rebecca. *But people on the outside looking in don't understand that*. That is the issue, and why it makes me cringe whenever she decides she needs to fan the flames again. 1351198833 +Point to their chest and flip their nose when they look down. Repeat as often as necessary to insure they will not fall for stupid tricks. By age 5 they'll learn to be skeptical. 1294937376 +THE Akira Kurosawa? The one that the best spaghetti westerns are based off of? 1326477900 +Stockholm. I don't understand why _anyone_ would buy bottled water, unless you're going somewhere that doesn't have a bathroom. You could easily drink the water out of a toilet here, if you get sick it's not the water but the people who've failed to clean the toilet properly that are to blame. 1276591939 +as it does to me also 1344917955 +This is so stupid. Do you really think something so blindingly obvious as that could have escaped the intense scrutiny of so many people over so long a time that it must have gotten? And the thing that finally exposes it is a video on youtube? \n\nCome on, practice some common sense here. 1348532152 +A major problem with sexual harassment is indeed the fact that it is wholly in the mind of the subject. For example, a man might wish to have a pleasant coffee and bid a woman on her way. Sure, it is unlikely, but criminalizing perfectly ethical behavior is a very troubling proposition. 1351097945 +Well, don't leave me hangin, what do the aboriginals say about them? 1346248007 +Its being introduced by the government. UK parties (and these days the coalition) almost always vote as a bloc, and since the government by definition holds the most seats, government legislation almost always passes. Only with extremely controversial bills do individual MPs vote against their own party, doing so usually makes them subject to sanctions by party "whips." 1336578645 +I had exactly the same thing, except I can't speak any language aside from English. \n\nMy dream had a guy shouting about something, but slowly his shouts turned to French shouting. I was like what. And then I was the shouting man and I was speaking in drones. 1334764336 +>some hypothetical "event" where we go INTO THE FIFTH DIMENSIOOON.\n\nI lol'd. 1287323362 +I dunno. In retrospect, angry sex is fun too. 1310623715 +Well, your personal experiences would be anecdotal and self reported so not really scientific. The reason i say 21 is because brain development does not finish until ~22 (I think, not really my specialty area). I am just putting it at the same point as alcohol for the sake of consistency. 1346176771 +Classic strawman argument. Has he even read "The God Delusion"? Dawkins explains really well how any intelectually honest atheist has to be an agnostic as well. 1277784711 +So, she's sticky, and when she gets all out of breath and sweaty, she gets stickier? Wow, thank God the Daily Mail is here to tell us about this important news. 1283046383 +http://www.cochrane.org/search/site/Yoga\n\nAlso check google scholar and scirus \n\nI'm fairly certain at least some of the poses are useful for reducing lower back pain as quite similar exercises are commonly recommended by physiotherapists. Of course physiotherapists could be quacks too?\n 1327780233 +Place yourself in their shoes. Not superficially, but really attempt to see the situation from their perspective beyond your assumptions about why they hold the beliefs they do. These people are attempting to help your sister just like you. They've suggested things that they have heard or have seen (whether there is true objective causation involved or not) have been beneficial to others in the past. Then you come in suggesting that they may be wrong, and not to trust them. They feel attacked, their beliefs attacked, and most importantly they feel that you are trying to stop her from using resources that they believe can help her, that because these sorts of resources are often ignored regardless of their ostensible efficacy that you are going to prevent her from getting healed. There are a lot of emotions tied up in this issue. Sometimes in order to communicate with others and share our perspectives you have to be extra-sensitive and empathetic if you don't want to be called an asshole. If you don't care whether others call you an asshole, then I suppose that's fine if you want to be a dick. 1301244247 +wbeaty borrowed my pen in 2003 and I have not seen it since. He's no friend of mine 1353344476 +No, the paper is reviewed by peers (reviewers) before it gets published. When the editor then decides, most often following the advice of the reviewers, that the paper get published, the journal then lends credibility to the paper. In other words, when I read a paper published in Nature, I expect that respected scientists and experts in the field have read the paper and judged it to be worthy, in relevance, originality and thoroughness. \n\nThat is of course not the whole story. That something is published in a respected journal doesn't mean that it is "true". A controversial paper will be scrutinized by the scientific community, and any errors will be revealed. In the case of less controversial papers, it will be less scrutinized, and sometimes grave errors can stand unquestioned for decades. Sometimes that makes real damage when people is trying to use false results for further research or development or advice. \n\nLike when a whole population become obese because they got the idea that fat is bad for you and you should eat a lot of carbohydrates instead.\n\nThen there is the interesting question what to do with controversial papers. Results that contradict current theories must also be published. Otherwise Michelson and Morley would never have been able to publish their results. If I can't find any errors in the paper, I should advise that the paper get published if it fulfills all other criteria even if it goes against what I think is true. If it is an experimental paper I will probably also take into account the credibility of the lab. 1275601761 +The phone call has always done itself justice. \n\nI really hope things start to happen, and soon. 1308157317 +Earth, fire, wind, water, <3\n\nGO PLANET! 1281882592 +Well, if God did exist, she would surely protect the man from the nasty Indonesian court system. Amirite? 1339774046 +No need to be snarky about it. You're title is unneedlessly inflammatory and does not follow. That's all I'm saying. 1352043869 +Sounds just like my [ex-alcoholic friend](http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/dtqv6/oh_bloody_hell_my_exalcoholic_friend_has_found/) last night who has found Jesus, and had to keep on trying to talk to me about it.\n\nAlso sounds like a bunch of anarchists that seem to have stumbled into /r/skeptic, see the thread about people's politics from a few days ago. 1287655567 +If wearing polka dots is wrong, I don't want to be right. 1318253981 +> actually, nope. barring the gorilla no ape is a vegetarian, and its why gorillas spend just about all of their waking time eating. chimps actually love meat. 1309188668 +A bigger problem is that you can't explain reality to people in a few sentences, and some topics are so complex that most people will never *really* understand it, so they kind of have to defer to their authority of choice. 1326695084 +All those symptoms are so vague and can be triggered by countless things. Cold feat? really lol. A quick google search of the author brought me to this website http://www.carliniinstitute.com/about_us which reeks of new age garbage and "energy medicine"\n\n"Time and space are beginning to wobble even more erratically than before." I don't know to much about space/time but that sounds insane.\n\nAnyway, a quick and easy rebuttal, would be to point out how many people were perfectly fine and symptom free through several solar flares.\n\nAfter more digging. http://www.thehealersjournal.com/2011/12/21/new-scientific-study-shows-solar-activity-affects-humans-physical-and-mental-state/ I could only find an article that quotes the source the OP was using. It really doesn't sound like the new scientist article actually claimed anything in the OP article. It just mentions how people could get stressed out because of sleeping habits being broken. Nothing about cold feet or space/time wobble >.<\n 1327561711 +This stuff is amazing, I've read through most of it already.\n\nJust pretending that this is real for fun is fun. 1338772554 +I have a couple. One was a very simple UFO hoax. Long ago, Buster Brown shoes used to offer a frisbee as a promotional give-away designed to mimic the appearance of the stereotypical flying saucer. It had an array of molded-in details like jet engine ducts and portholes. An awesome toy that, by the time I managed to find one -in a garage sale, if memory serves- few people still remembered had existed. Inspired by hokey UFO shows on TV, I decided to take some of my own UFO photos with this frisbee -wisely employing a polaroid camera for that extra bit of plausibility. (you can't 'fake' a polaroid, right?...) It worked remarkably well. The aerodynamics of that frisbee allowed it to hover quite well in a breeze and when I took snapshots the slightly blurred molded-in detail and metalic-blue color made it look quite like an actual machine. Fooled many friends with those pics for a while. \n\nI perpetrated a more elaborate -and nerdier- computer hoax some years later -this back in the era of modems and BBS. I'd long had an interest in technology trends and at the time was particularly interested in the future prospect of tablet computers. But, of course, back then American computer companies still couldn't quite see the point of even laptops. (it took the Japanese kicking their asses for some years to get them to accept the viability of that market) The tablet computer wouldn't be a reality for many decades to come. So I made up my own imaginary one and began posting messages about it on the BBSs I frequented. I called it the Kitsune XPC (a sufficient give-away in that name...) and invented a story about how a traveling relative visiting Japan had found this remarkable new computer in Akihabara and sent me one to try out. I described it in great detail including its technical specs and novel ultrasonic touch screen technology. (which would let one virtually paint on it with a dry paint brush) I was also careful to include some quirks in its imaginary design as well for the sake of plausibility. For instance, it used a non-standard multi-function I/O port (sound familiar?) that prevented it being used with any normal printers found in the US. So in order to print documents I had to employ the contrivance of placing the whole thing on a photocopier to copy its screen image. A day later people were lining up at my door to see the thing... I wonder if this qualifies me as one of the Internet's earliest trolls? \n\n\n\n 1269145580 +It was. I don't recommend the location to anyone. Save your money and go to Waverly Hills, Sloss, or anywhere else really. 1342628485 +That doesn't really follow any logical path. It's like saying, if 9/11 was a conspiracy, why didn't the conspirators hit the empty White House and Capitol building? Why didn't they do a number of things (approaching a practical infinity) to damage the infrastructure of this country?\n\nHow many angels can fit on the head of a pin? It's a retarded question because it is based on a fantasy that is undefined because the premise is fantastic in itself. 1350809845 +Dynamite actually. Nitroglycerine + diatomaceous earth = (early) dynamite. 1338519365 +I believe these articles might be relevant:\n\nhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/05/personality-change-over-time-study_n_1321720.html\n\nhttp://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3713-personality-changes-throughout-life.html\n\nhttp://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug03/personality.aspx 1338903687 +You've laid out a false dichotomy between prescribing a placebo treatment and taking no action. In the scenario you described, the doctor can choose any combination of these actions:\n\n* Prescribe placebo treatment\n* Prescribe an effective treatment for the symptoms\n* Order testing\n\nThere's 2^3 = 8 possibilities, not just 2.\n\nThe cheapest course of action is to only prescribe an effective treatment for the symptoms. Those treatments are typically very cheap, very safe, and by definition more effective than placebo. 1342652866 +People seriously think that people who meditate are disillusion? Wow. No, meditation does what it needs to do. 1276182509 +> My hypothesis is that many common yet powerful logical gaps in reasoning are at play, and that understand exactly where those gaps are and how to convincingly full them would be a better focus of threads like this.\n\nPeople who hold to beliefs irrationally normally didn't arrive at them rationally and won't give them up rationally either. 1329647496 +Don't worry, I was waaaay to lazy for that shit. 1332538319 +I have white sapphires in my ring, no one can tell. :D 1324598566 +I didn't know this show, will give it a listen cheers. 1298722698 +ha ha that's funny as shit. 1343179208 +I'm sure he'll find [this useful](http://www.iamanidiot.com/) 1282399226 +Trash bag? 1341633148 +The good science fiction writers are going to have a lot of issues selling books, when everyone wants to hear about the "real aliens", whilst a load of hacks will probably clean up.\n\nEveryone will want to know what sort of clothes they wear, so they can wear "alien clothes".\n\nOur greatest art and music will be utterly incomprehensible to them, to the point that it's practically an insult.\n\nWithin a month the aliens will realise they've made a dreadful mistake and are associating with the most idiotic and uncouth lifeform they've ever encountered.\n\nThey will promptly return to their ships, where EMP satellites will be set in orbit around our planet, destroying our technological capability forever and stifling our cries for help.\n\nWe will never leave our planet, and no one will know or care. At least no one with taste. 1325864213 +That headline indicates there is *some* evidence.\n\n> ... built purely on optimism absent of evidence. 1335548250 +I'm going to bed, but I'd love to know what anyone knows or can find out about this. 1335595720 +it can happen sooner even. still no biggie. 1337009973 +Its much better quality in terms of color and has twice the resolution. Its not "high def", but its much clearer to see everything that is going on - especially the red light spiral display after it "beams up".\n\nAlso, it is valuable to those who are looking for artifacting and evidence of special effects. \n\nNo need to be cynical - wouldn't you agree? 1296340131 +That's just punderful. 1312421480 +The whole skeptic movement seems like a way to profit off of quasi-scientific philosophy by giving it a new image and combining it with near fatal doses of self-satisfaction. \n\nI bet half the people here were the sort of kids who used to tell people that they are, "Mature for their age." The same sort of people that grow up and use, "I don't own a TV" as a bragging right. We get it, you liked Atlas Shrugged; now go back to jerking off. 1241104483 +What? You don't understand?\n\nWell, let me spell it out for you, then, Mr. Stupid... "Renewed aliveness"... You know, like "sustainable undeaditude" or "restorable vitalizing" or "refreshable vivicationistics". Learn to read, hippie. It's all there in black and white, clear as crystal. 1303296383 +I think this article tries to point out that he couldn't have afforded all those guns and armor. After watching some news today, they said it was odd that he lived in a more poor part of town based on what income he had coming in. Maybe it's because he was spending all of his money on weapons and bought them by maxing out his credit cards. It's not like he bought an F-16. It's a bunch of expensive equipment, but it's not outside the realm of a normal person being able to afford it. I can understand how people can come to the conclusion this was some government operation gone bad, like Fast and Furious. However, as bad as governments can be at fucking things up and killing people, some individuals are just as capable of doing horrible things on their own. 1342882964 +I'm close to leaving nosleep as well because of it.\n\nFirst voice was male, second was a female childs, neither were familiar and I don't find Bleach creepy at all. I'm sick, perhaps that could be why? I got a cold. 1318439008 +I read those comments, and much more. From all credible, medically literate sources, over many years. The MDR argument does not have the universal consensus you claim it has, but I know better than to argue with people who believe it. Have a nice day. 1322999860 +You see all that bullshit christian ant-gay stuff at the bottom of the page?\nFUCK RELIGION. 1336781934 +the [wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Discoverie_of_Witchcraft) links [to it](http://www.archive.org/details/discoverieofwitc00scot) 1325245382 +whelp, whatever, your opinion. If you look at a ley lines map, you can line up all ancient monolithic sites to a ley line. All of them. ALL of them. ALL on this planet. The geometry of the ley lines are a really specific geometric shape, blah blah, goes on. Look up david wilcock. Just follow evidence. Yeah, there's tonnes of bullshit, but the same goes for anything else related to anything else on this planet. 1323040680 +I'm fairly sure he is using a tripod. It's a 2000x zoom lens,...\n\nLook at the distance between zooms,...it's a spec in the sky without zoom,...easily missed if you weren't looking up. 1249294499 +I have a baby girl. We've, of course, taken her to the doctor before. At NO POINT did the Doctor EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER "force" us to give her vaccinations. He strongly suggested it, he gave us literature about it, and told us WHY we should do it. But FORCING never happened.\n\nAs it is, we decided on vaccinations on a different schedule than the doctor suggested, for our own reasons. She will be vaccinated, though.\nBut again, NO ONE ever FORCED us to give our daughter vaccinations. We could have said no if we wanted to. 1349547592 +>Your position is that the Pinto was inherently dangerous because of "nationwide statistics" which actually show no such thing. And also that they were also more dangerous than other cars, which is also untrue.\n\n[Link](http://books.google.ca/books?id=qIlPURPTx30C&pg=PA157&lpg=PA157&dq=grush+saunby+report&source=bl&ots=z-ToIu4vna&sig=vDKpFP8Pt5Y18yMRXDVF9dfxfSY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Djj7T4GaNabX0QGX4ICABw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=grush%20saunby%20report&f=false)... Now we can go back to that NHTSA report which states estimated figures that they used to make their decision.\n\n>Also evidenced by the fact that the same flaw in the Pinto's design was commonplace in other cars. But no one can name them. And Ford and the NHTSA issued the recall in response to media pressure, not because of any specific findings.\n\nYou just ignored what I said.\n\nThe judge that stated "*was commonplace at the time in American cars*" was referencing something that wasn't even changed in the recalls, and something that is irrelevant to the safety concerns.\n\n>And I think you are falling prey to this:\n\nNo, I'm really not. My original sources were taken from the only link that you yourself provided. So if you have a problem with my sources, then you would have a problem with your own.\n 1341864333 +Is that a joke or something? I really doubt it was one of those lol but who knows 1335559315 +or geese 1342689402 +Please don't conflate skepticism with rejection of a particular premise. People who say that global warming is a liberal conspiracy aren't skeptics. 1332861892 +YES 1337027797 +A few points I picked out from that:\n\n* Some of the people on the textbook selection committee didn't even read the books. In fact, many of them gave high ratings to a book that wasn't even delivered.\n\n* All of the books had something seriously wrong with them. Things like adding the temperatures of multiple stars or not having enough concrete examples.\n\n* When the selection was changed to bidding, the companies were willing to offer the textbooks at a *much* lower price, showing that they were selling at a massive markup. 1350448969 +As a man fear is not something we should be ashamed of you were freaked out and didn't want to be alone that's quite understandable. I don't care how much you try you can't stop what can't be seen or touched and that's what freaks people out about the paranormal. 1338616027 +Ha. Yup. 1316655022 +Word, I'll check it out! Thanks for the tip! 1329015126 +It could happen either way. If we had the local wind data we could say this with more certainty. If conditions were steadily 5+ mph in one direction you might be correct. If conditions are mainly still, though, behavior like we see in the video could easily be possible. These objects could be 100 yards apart, and the wind direction and speed could flow in different directions.\n\nTo be honest, the flickering and color of the light are what convinced me. I'm open to other explanations, but I'm not seeing any yet. 1298147673 +His scientific opinions have no relevance. Modern scientists think/know his theories were (to some extent) correct, that's why they are relevant. 1344618217 +This is accurate.\n\nI'd be willing to bet it's Scientology. 1313602461 +This is what I'd imagine the infant form of Slenderman to look like. 1303833380 +I assume this would be by prescription? 1306136221 +Your slippery-slope fallacy divulges more ignorance than sarcasm. With your logic all experiments are worthless regardless of outcome. The NDE-like results were clearly closely related physically to what happens whenever people die. \n\nWhenever oxygen-rich blood is pushed away from the brain via near death or g-force the reaction remains the same. Hardly a smoke & mirror parlor trick as you are suggesting. \n\nIf you want to believe that there is a magical realm created by an invisible man that judges everybody then I can't stop you, but there is no reason to bleed your naive incomprehension onto the internet. 1328844416 +Yeah, absolutely - the physics of the collapse (taking the greatest path of resistance) is a *huge* smoking gun not just for guys like us - but the professionals in the video.\n\nAlso, let's stay away from insinuating that people who don't share our opinions are suffering from mental retardation. :) 1345601099 +Thanks for the link.\nI've seen small things every now and then, but never really noticed much. The "fireballs" have been really interesting, I've seen three this year (One in May, another in June or July and one in September). The one in September was noticeable as it was a cloudy day. I always dismissed them as objects entering the atmosphere. They traveled at incredible speeds, surpassing any aircraft I've seen and lasted for quite a while.\n\nI take a walk most nights around 11-12, I should start bringing something to note down things I've seen more often. 1353764454 +I think the concern is that people will use this instead of actual treatment, and may die from that action. 1345242681 +Use her own logic against her. Pharmaceutical companies are trying to make money, and if they discovered cancer was treatable they'd patent the cure and make boatloads of money.\n\nPlus that idea is just ridiculous. 1248733974 +QC rules!!! 1332032902 +I only learned about Alexander Technique through the context of being a professional musician. It doesn't seem to make any unprovable claims or use any non-existent mechanisms for functioning. Its pretty straightforward. Little exercises to help you avoid repetitive stress injuries, that's all. 1278796408 +\nIt's kind of scary how people can be sensible in one part of their lives (software developer) and batshit insane in another (new agey BS). \n\n1) A frontal assault will always fail. It will only cement him further in his beliefs and strain your relationship.\n\n2) It may be useful to determine why your father has these beliefs. In my family, insanity has the following justifications: \n\nA) Belief in new agey bullshit gives the person a cozy feeling of ego gratification. "I'm the sort of person who believes there's more to the universe than cold, hard facts." This relates to self definition and is exceedingly hard to sway. Belief may provide the person tribal membership. The person may flat out admit their beliefs have no basis in fact, but they prefer to believe anyway. Hypocritical liars: it's impossible to believe in belief. You will never persuade these people, back away slowly. The most you can do is minimize the damage. See below.\n\nB) Honest ignorance. The person may be ignorant of the relevant literature. The person may be mistaking some sort of hallucinatory personal experience/temporary brain malfuction/totally random coincidence for actual evidence. This can be corrected by supplying facts in a nonconfronting manner. See below.\n\nC) Honest stupidity. Can be distinguished from the other cases as follows: The person will be unable to follow any logical argument, merely circling doggedly back to their original position. This also covers muleheaded stubbornness, from which it cannot be distinguished. There is no point wasting breath on these people: they are not listening and cannot hear you.\n\nOn to remedies.\n\n3) Try speculating aloud in a thoughtful way -- something like, "Isn't it strange how people believe things that are obviously not true?" Try to define yourself and your father as a part of a group that does not include a lower status belief. Something like, "Can you believe those old ladies who brought a rabbit's foot to the casino? What do they think would happen if they left it at home?" We are not silly superstitious old ladies. We are thoughtful rational adults.\n\n4) Try to connect beliefs-without-evidence to real or monetary harm. "I got a spam email trying to sell me Nigerian crystals. Man, there are so many scammers out there." "There was a story in the news about a Christian Scientist family that refused to treat their child for cancer. I mean, I can understand faith in religion, but some things just cross the line." We don't fall for obvious scams based on unprovable mystical beliefs. We can tolerate some silliness, but not silliness that costs lives or money.\n\n5) Hopefully this will allow you to make clear your rational stance in a non-threatening way. You should only need to do this two or three times -- too much is overkill. If your father nibbles at the bait, don't pounce all over him. Listen with understanding and offer your honest non-judgmental opinion. If he does not nibble at the bait, wait for a natural opportunity -- he mentions the workshop -- and provide your honest non-judgmental opinion. It will not come as a surprise because you've already expressed your scepticism on previous occasions.\n\nAt any rate, you clearly cannot purchase the workshop for him. You want the best for your father, but you can't give your money to something you believe will not, cannot help him, and may be some sort of scam.\n 1282216743 +Do you still have these recordings? 1353184386 +Youtube has descriptions, and accounts you can contact. Wimp has nothing. At least we can downvote something from youtube. Also, you are silly :) 1298601180 +Yeah, I know a guy who had a girl over for a dinner date and she hit him with "gluten free vegan" as a dietary requirement. I'm like, "Dude, that's basically saying she intends the whole deal to be a massive failure. You're not going to score tonight." 1294348369 +If we read his statement with the presumption that it is true, then "itself" cannot possibly refer to the number 49 because 49 is not a prime number. \n\nTherefore, we must deduce that he is referring to the number 7 as it is the only prime number that is a factor of 49--given that a prime number is a positive integer having exactly one positive divisor other than 1.\n\nIf we read his statement with the presumption that it is false, we must still take note that his comment was in reply to a statement about the number 7. 1302373446 +Yeah, it mentioned that it was based on feng shui. Why would Chinese tradition have anything to say about the western calendar, anyway?\n\nWhenever fung shui gets mentioned, I always think of [this comic](http://angryflower.com/fungsh.gif). 1334773924 +If you're with someone because of who you want them to be, your relationship is doomed. This goes for her demand that you share her beliefs, and it goes equally for your thought that you'll be able to "bring her around."\n\nTake it from someone who has been there: be with someone for who they are, not for who you want them to be. Otherwise you're just setting yourself up for disaster. 1295661138 +I couldn't see any placards on the hauler, but odds are it's radioactive material being hauled. Also this has to be the biggest group of chickens I've ever seen. Just listen to them cluck. 1306531679 +So did you do it? Did you switch to astronomy? For me, you know, as a child I was so sure I was gonna be an astronomer.\n \nBut then, I was never a straight A student. Neither was I confident that I would survive in such a job with the kinda math I know. That's why I went for computers; which was my second interest. 1335547745 +The main work he's famous for was the contribution of CFCs to ozone depletion though, which isn't actually climate change. 1331679949 +Dude - that's Greer!? 1340899907 +to me its barely happened, but quite a few year back i had a bda head injury and mabey thats the cause. Have never told anyone it happens tho 1341700472 +I'll just link to my other post in this thread, instead of reiterating myself, [here](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/dyvgn/is_acupuncture_effective_an_answer/c14218z?context=1). Specifically the second paragraph. 1288652443 +You're not helping. I really like [/r/skeptic](/r/skeptic) and comments like this turn it into crap. 1329915535 +You're not even providing *anecdotal* evidence: you're simply stating things. \n\nI would think that the results of the modern diet would be enough evidence to convince you otherwise, but apparently I am mistaken. 1313024893 +It's not wise to suffer fools. 1297926437 +cute 1348760215 +I always find it amusing that the ailments most often touted as being cured by homeopathy are usually psychosomatic. 1346792111 +Nuh. Sorry. I used to give this guy the benefit of the doubt, but there's been enough time to find out where he was educated and get some classmates to weigh in, etc, but it doesn't pan out. \n\nHe knows a bit about physics, but then so do a lot of people. He's a fantasist, and he may well be part of some disinfo campaign, or was incorporated into one. Who knows? He's full of it, though. 1348021204 +Is he supposed to do it with his eyes open or closed? I've heard of people that do the closed one and it is pretty harmless. Just a waste of time. \n\nStaring at the sun at any time of day with eyes open is going to damage the eyes. It will not be repairable. He probably won't go blind per-say (unless he keeps it up) but he will get blind spots in his vision. 1297999304 +They have bases hidden in mountains. Black triangular shaped crafts with sharp noses that can enter the ocean smoothly and silently. The government is highly involved with these. 1283823818 +What I find interesting is that he followed even for a short period of time, That is very unusual. Honestly does not sound like a human spirit but more like one of the beneficial types. Or they are not telling you the whole story. 1318542406 +No, I doubt it. After all, it's only people interested in science in the first place that'd be watching these kinds of shows for the most part. If anything she's probably doing more damage than good with stuff like this. 1321416389 +Ugh. I hate it when that happens to me. Sorry about that :( 1317396193 +http://www.starchildproject.com/ 1310942508 +http://www.starchildproject.com/ 1311982352 +http://www.starchildproject.com/ 1311982807 +I understand that and yes you are correct...my statement was absolute. \n"I think this story was already published back in 2006" would have been a much better way to phrase that. Then you could have pointed out that no, this is a totally different incident. \nI think the "robot" being mentioned in both is what threw me. 1351979069 +No, no. All your iridoligist can do is tell you that maybe you should have someone look at your neck. 1318545591 +Feynman's observation applies here: the main thing about crackpotism is that there is so freaking much of it. This applies double to "free energy motor" projects. If you haven't ever bothered to go and look, you'll find the vast quantity of such online projects to be stunning.\n\nSo, be very careful about arguing, that if free energy is real, we'd find many webpages about it. And youtube would be full of project videos. (You'll regret it if you do!)\n\nThat's as bad as arguing that if alternative health really worked, the internet would be full of alt health websites. First make certain it isn't! And do some quick youtube searches before insisting that youtube isn't full of vast numbers of crackpot free-energy DIY videos. Just the number under "HHO" is amazing. "HHO," if you don't know, is electrolytically generating hydrogen and then using it in a fuel cell so you can power an electrolytic hydrogen generator that sends hydrogen to a fuel cell that... etc. Or confuse the issue by adding a gasoline engine in the loop (one which of course has a modified carb so it can ...burn hydrogen! It runs a DC generator that powers an electrolysis cell, etc.)\n\n[http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=free+energy+generator]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=free+energy+generator)\n\n[mylow+motor]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mylow+motor)\n\n[rotoverter free energy]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rotoverter+free+energy)\n\n[magnet+motor]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=magnet+motor)\n\n[hho]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hho)\n\n[joe cell]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=joe+cell)\n\n[bedini+motor]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bedini+motor)\n\n[konehead+motor]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=konehead+motor)\n\n[meyer hydrogen]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=meyer+hydrogen)\n\n[schauberger]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=schauberger+energy)\n\n[free energy hojo]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=free+energy+hojo)\n\n[gray motor]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gray+motor)\n\n[ev gray]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ev+gray)\n\n[testatika]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=testatika)\n\n[hendershot device]\n(http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hendershot device)\n\nAbove is just the tip of the crackpot iceberg. For lots, lots more see [vast FE archive site](http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:Tree)\n 1353381658 +You aren't going to get much traction around these parts posting titles like this. To claim definitive knowledge about the origin and nature of these phenomena gets you quickly ignored and mostly downvoted...mostly. 1343165361 +I've known one kid who was screwed over in life by a mom who bought shit like that. Seeing a kid's life destroyed by their parents shitty grasp of reality really casts things in a new light. 1280351705 +A colleague of mine use to work at a factory that made grated cheese for topping, etc. Because of the added surface area when grating, mold forms really fast. To overcome this, the cheese is sprayed with preservatives. She told me that the liquid was so viscous that it would frequently clog the nozzles. They had to be generous in order for the cheese to last. She never buys the stuff any more (and neither do I). 1333620129 +A have a similar glitch on here called floating sphere. Sounds like ball lightning most likely 1353847565 +Everything he says is complete bs though. He colors images of mars and says it shows huge forests of trees and flora growing all over mars, when it's just cracks in the desert floor that look odd if seen with the untrained eye. I couldn't believe anything from this Site. 1349974030 +i dont think he means for gifts 1341374540 +Sorry, bro. I'm in a group of people who hold the opinion that Noory is repulsive as a radio host. 1333940124 +The footage is so awful, I don't think there's any way to tell either way. 1330546313 +I think I was enjoying that story a bit too much! I love reading and thinking about possibilities and concepts that could exist like that. I've spent many a night falling asleep to those kinds of thoughts and it's kind of a fuel to know that you'll most likely never know until it's too late to shout "I've got it!" :) 1331139118 +Douglas Adams was right I guess. 1338512299 +...downvoted? fine, Fuck you guys. 1335053731 +I actually like JAG. But haven't seen it in 10 years, so unsure if I still do ;) 1295913040 +Video and photographs are no longer evidence for anything. (except the existence of video and photographs). 1325787380 +Sorry.\n\nI was not advocating attacking the teacher. I was trying to understand the teacher. In conflict resolution one thing that can provide a huge advantage is understanding the position (however contrary or illogical) of the other party.\n\nIn this case OP would like to effect action from the science teacher (stop handing this stuff out/stop talking about it.) I was trying to illuminate to OP a possible mindset of the teacher. The goal was to demonstrate to OP that energy expended on trying to change the mindset of the teacher is probably futile and [might even backfire](http://www.springerlink.com/content/064786861r21m257/fulltext.html).\n\nThe teacher is probably of above average intelligence. The teacher probably believes one or more conspiracy theories about big pharma, vaccines etc. While teacher might believe their conspiracist beliefs result from reason logic, [the truth is the beliefs are more likely to be doctrinal.](http://kent.academia.edu/RobbieSutton/Papers/1275313/Dead_and_alive_Beliefs_in_contradictory_conspiracy_theories) Arguing with teacher or attacking teacher is the last thing I would recommend.\n\nIf OP wishes to bring about change in behavior of teacher then OP should probably talk directly to teachers supervisors, not attack teacher. 1345476670 +The Masked Moron.\n 1331932737 +I'm curious if you ever asked your dad about the man? 1326464075 +i understand, it must be very hard to digest. to be fair, some aspects of the phenomenon are even weirder, see abductee testimonies. if this stuff is to be believed, there is an element of mimickry or mental projection in the technological arsenal of whatever/whoever is behind it. so pretty unsettling stuff that neither you nor any one of us may get an answer to in our lifetimes. don't let it prevent you from living a good life. 1318225260 +Isn't the big "nah it's fine" argument that the signal is too weak to matter? Wouldn't having ten times the signal be pretty much exactly the thing to make it not too weak to matter anymore? At some point? 1335822587 +[Nope.](https://pay.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/1390qa/hi_rskeptic_we_are_discussing_how_conspiracy/) 1353030451 +That doesn't sound very equal, it sounds like religious people get privileges. I'm sure they're very accommodating to Muslims. 1295481205 +It seems to me that these pictures and what you're saying about them are full of emotional, spiritual and metaphysical knowledge. Most of us here want to explore, "study" and analyze evidences in a scientific, proof-oriented way. 1347229168 +Well, defrauding doesn't need to be a crime. Just something you know is wrong. 1283810476 +it was raining earlier that day which i also said but i know it wasnt at the time i dont know what it is thats why i posted it asking "anythoughts" so dont see what zooming in on anything will prove since i already said it rained that morning 1334461338 +Very true. Good point to bring up. They appear in Bill Maher's "Religulous" making some sane points about science and the bible (ie, the bible has NONE)\n\n 1343089019 +Some arsenic compounds, especially those resulting from natural processes, are nearly non-toxic. 1333639287 +They will find a way around any facts to add "weight" to their claims, regardless of whether the "way around" actually nullifies their claims. 1272220669 +I completely agree - and that there's no narrative or excitement? Not a throat clearing or the sound of shuffling steps crunching through the dry grass? No dogs barking? No heavy breathing?\n\nAt the level of the sound needed for the video to reproduce the crickets so clearly, you almost certainly would have heard additional background noise - footsteps, fabric crunching, breathing, cars driving past - as well.\n\n 1340467487 +I'm surprised Canada doesn't have stronger protections against this kind of quackery, considering the government and taxpayers end up footing bigger bills for this shit.\n 1327900472 +You don't make mistakes if you do the math correctly, and you can double-check math as much as you want. 1345138879 +Only problem with that plan is that it costs money, right from the get go, to get involved. 1352904909 +There have been reports stating that he has Asberger's or something similar. I think that is where the "crazy" talk comes from. 1319379261 +I was sent to a "pox party" when I received the chickenpox. All the neighborhood kids got it when they were really young like me, so it was no big deal. I understand a lot of people here probably think that's insane, but it's an effective way of making sure that they don't get it when they're older, and more affected by it. I definitely think that purchasing licked lollipops or spit is a disgusting, unsanitary way of spreading a disease. 1320642630 +Yea I mean I'm a straight up skeptic and am an agnostic atheist, etc etc etc. But there are so many legitimate stories of things like this, I've had personal experiences with ghosts, etc, that I often wonder if maybe there is something else. It's kind of frightening to think that maybe not everything has a logical, scientific explanation behind it 1344743122 +Eh, if I was a ghost I wouldn't care in the slightest what they called it. I also wouldn't care how many people there were around. I'd try and communicate with the legitimately interested people and try and fuck with the dbags just out for a scare. But I'm a pretty laid back person, I don't let little things like this get to me. I suppose I could see how it could offend some of the more uptight people. 1349415184 +Like an upvote/downvote button? :) 1328068747 +But, what does this mean for peanut butter Cheerios? 1327124364 +> You do realize that this infection is a result of mechanical milking, right?\n\nI don't see that implied by anything. 1346013541 +Yeah that was the one I was looking for. 1329229299 +I don't think the psychology is negligible, I just felt that people were making a huge assumption that it was the issue with regard to this article. I didn't know that there had been studies done on people like this, and they found it was mostly psychological. 1316514308 +I suppose eating marmalade might count. I freaking love marmalade. 1339641660 +Yeah - he's debunking David Icke's crap as a way to float his own crap. This guy disagrees with David Icke about how the "new world order" or "new age" or whatever the fuck happens. He goes so far as to suggest that extraterrestrials will come to Earth and eventually be accepted as gods by humans and then, these aliens will help sneak in the New World Order.\n\nFuck this. People are upvoting this shit? Did watch a mere second of it? It's full of crap from beginning to end. Skeptics my ass. If you upvoted this - you're a moron.\n\nFrom the website:\n>If you don't have time to watch the whole thing, at least watch the final half-hour as it gets into how/why David Icke and other "conspiracy heroes" are being used as a controlled-opposition leaders, preparing us for certain future events and ideologies." - Eric Dubay (atlanteanconspiracy.com)\n\n>"I can't recommend watching it enough. It explains... that the elites are intentionally 'exposing' the New Word Order and are encouraging us to 'rise up', 'rebel' or 'revolt' in order to destroy it. Out of the ashes (chaos) of the destroyed 'old order' (a corrupted, demoralised and degraded 'West' masquerading as the New World Order) will rise the phoenix that will be the new system. This system will, of course, be sold to us as the end of all wars, justice for all, sharing, equality etc but will actually be the very (Luciferian) New Age communitarianism the elites wanted all along." - Revolution Harry (revolutionharry.blogspot.com)\n\n\n 1308964286 +Aw man, I'd forgotten that episode. For a minute I thought there had been a new season and I just hadn't heard. 1311563300 +>Alternative medicine implies there is something from which there is an alternative to.\n\nPeople bring this up a lot, and I think it's a valid point, and perhaps something where there is confusion over labels and semantics.\n\nI basically agree with you. The problem, in my opinion, lies with doctors and hospitals, and the system they're a part of in the US.\n\nDoctors are taught during medical school and residency that pharmaceutical drugs are the only effective medicine. Most doctors do not continue learning after residency. They tend to get stuck in their habits and stay there. Those that do continue to learn often will not look at anything unless it is a traditional pharmaceutical drug.\n\nTo give you an example, if a woman presents with menstruation issues most doctors will prescribe a progesterone product of some sort. This will jump-start a woman's cycle. On the surface, the problem is solved.\n\nDig deeper, and you find studies like this one (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0039128X99000124) which present clear evidence that simply getting vitamin D levels normalized might solve the deeper problem, with essentially zero side effects, and restore the menstrual cycle.\n\nMany doctors would never think to do this, because it simply doesn't fit into the current traditional-medicine paradigm. This paradigm is basically, "Find symptoms, diagnose, prescribe pharmaceutical drug." Even if non-pharmaceutical drugs (such as vitamin D) exist for the disease, doctors won't use them.*\n\nEurope and Japan are light years ahead on this front, AFAIK. They act more according to your philosophy, "If it's medicine, we will use it." But in the US, almost all traditional doctors fit into the pharmaceutical mold.\n\nThis, in my opinion, is what is meant by "alternative" in alternative medicine. It is an alternative to the paradigm of "pharmaceuticals only," and not what you imply, an "alternative to medicine."**\n\nAnother part of the problem in the US is the system itself. Pharmaceutical companies have built large sales channels and have the ear of doctors and networks of doctors. Through these sales channels they push pharmaceutical drugs to the public.\n\nNon-pharmaceutical (ie naturally occurring) drugs, however, do not have these same sales channels. In many cases, building sales channels for naturally-occurring medicine is not financially feasible, because it is more difficult to patent naturally-occurring medicine, and thus the profit-incentive is not as great.\n\nSo basically you have a situation where in the pharmaceutical corner you have scientists publishing research and then a national network of trained sales-and-marketing people pushing their product and explaining that research, and in the non-pharmaceutical corner you have scientists publishing research <crickets>.\n\nDon't misunderstand. There is a small (and I believe growing) minority of medical professionals who follow the literature and adopt both pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceuticals, but they are still the minority.\n\n*There are currently 908 human trials underway to test vitamin D's effectiveness in everything from AIDS and cancer to the flu. See http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=%22vitamin+d%22 In ten years, the evidence may be overwhelming about the health benefits of this pro-hormone, which can be purchased at any grocery store for under $10 for a 6-month supply. My guess is that you still won't find major adoption by traditional doctors until a company patents a vitamin D analogue and pushes it through their established sales channel. This is certainly the case today, for example, where multiple double-blind placebo controlled trials have shown vitamin D's effectiveness in treating type II diabetes, for example, and most doctors just wouldn't know that these studies have been done until they are hit over the head with it by a sales rep.\n\n** I'm well aware that there are many in the "alternative medicine" world who are quacks and don't believe in the scientific method. There is much work to be done to bring western standards to non-pharmaceutical medicine!\n 1319497896 +[QuackWatch](http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/faith.html) is always a great place to start for this kind of things. 1290049431 +Feel free to post them 1345032310 +Just to play the devil's advocate, /skeptic is pretty dogmatic. 1296721138 +Is there a way to induce a coma before testing? It wouldn't affect the skin response and would be more humane. 1331828769 +Which one was you though? Were you the penis or the machine gun? 1341190237 +Do you still wear deo? 1303795063 +> I understand it would rip your world view apart to realize we have been visited throughout history.\n\nI don't understand *your* mental block. You need to realize the sad truth that we *haven't* been visited. At least not yet.\n\n> So what are these? Fabrications? Please read the captions as well.\n\nIt's... oh, I don't know.. "art"? Is [this](http://www.xemanh.net/images/art/surreal/surreal_art_10.jpg) evidence of a half-instrument/half-animal creature? Is [this](http://cdnimg.visualizeus.com/thumbs/62/d8/wtf,art,surreal-62d89e8bd427f4bcc7d311e694dd5607_h.jpg) evidence of TV-headed chicken aliens? If not, why?\n\n> Let's see what sneaky way your mind will go around this one.\n\nLook, we are not your enemies. I'm very interested in UFO's too, but to this date I haven't seen anything that couldn't be explained. 1314895439 +There is nothing unusual about the sounds in this clip. It's what low quality microphones will do to ambiance and whatever. 1350318653 +Geez this will complicate things. But there are 11 dimensions that make up our universe according to M-Theory. Now you cant get different universes that combine with ours around the 6th dimension of ours. These are different reality's. 1308119038 +Who needs clinical trials and peer review?\n\nSeriously, why is California the locus of medical quackery and snake oil? Is there some specific legal environment there that makes it proliferate, or is it just a concentration of new age ideologists? 1333482844 +In all fairness, the JREF isn't ridiculing. They are very cordial with those they test. \n\nI have to admit, though, 0/10 comes about as close to epic fail as I can think of. 1241711319 +That's getting a little nitty gritty. But I don't know that I trust paranormal groups either. I prefer cold hard facts, not hearsay. 1353533277 +I've seen something like that too. About 18 years ago in Central Illinois. I saw the brightest, neon green streak go from the sky right into the horizon. My buddies didn't see it, because I was in a chair and they were on the floor. It was beautiful. At first I'd thought I'd finally seen a UFO, but through research realized it was a meteor. Still very cool though. 1354111077 +Thank you for your service!\n\n>I'm asking about the possibilities of Paranormal manifestations, not analysis of my mental status.\n\nSince anything "paranormal" is unregulated, unquantified, and unproven, there's no way for us to tell you whether or not you're experiencing paranormal manifestations. However, if it's only true if you believe that it's true, then it's not very true. 1347554278 +Yeah. Apparently those two sticks make all the difference. :/ 1346122571 +Half the drugs used by modern medicine kill more people than they help 1328046856 +I don't think he meant fascist in the literal sense. However, they do practice a policy of banning everyone who disagrees with the moderators, and delete people who use "oppressive language." When someone argued in favor of free speech, one moderator claimed that free speech was "bourgeoisie." 1326658557 +I respectfully disagree. Dictators are always wrong. Only the people have the right to govern themselves. 1313259767 +>Ever hear of a warp bubble - it's when you create a bubble of space-time and 'surf' across the galaxy to your destination, outwith the normal boundaries of the universe; instead of having to deal with awkward stuff like general relativity......\n\nYeah - this is kinda how that explanation sounds. (Besides the fact that travelling at hypersonic speed *while* surrounded by a bubble of **fucking plasma** would make a normal sonic-footprint look like a fart in a tornado!)\n\n 1352573603 +What is thermite? 1331509323 +You wrote that you had found more evidence. What was it? And the piercing screech, what time of day normally? 1348735811 +Don't bludgeon the messenger, I just pointed out, that convincing people that they're crazy is a hard task, because crazies have their own peer-reviewed journals.\n\nAlso, Gorski's blog post missed the 2005 dated paper by CompSci Goldman, which was the one that got into the journal I've mentioned (the non-crazy one). 1326879770 +>Shouldn't be a problem.\n\nBut is. I would love it if everyone everywhere were self aware, but that isn't going to happen.\n\n>Pretty sad.\n\nIt totally is. When I was a young teen in Southern California, in a really nice, basically safe-ish town, every single year at this one organization for girls I belonged to, they brought in a cop to talk to us about how likely it was we were going to be raped in our lifetimes. This does not include all the paranoia and cautions instilled in me by my mother, which she tries to continue to this day.\n\nThe fact is, like religion, fear of attack can be programmed into you so deeply, you may never get rid of it all, even when you consciously work at it, I have done and continue to do. \n\n>Man, you live in a shithole. Why do you not move to a better country?\n\nMoney.\n 1351109336 +not at all, you start suppressing opposing views you find 'dangerous', and there is no point in continuing to argue anything...it all becomes dogma\n\nyou discount their science because you FEEL it has been tainted by big business...just as they FEEL that GW science has been tainted by run away government...both are so far from the truth by now it really doesn't matter, it's moving into the realm of a religious debate 1329942093 +Through the healing power of Euro-Jesus! 1295209705 +Start a public health "club" and put up posters about how important vaccines are. This is infuriating! 1345469365 +He'll tell on Friday. 1252566005 +I'm honestly interested in your opinion on this question: Do male and female skeptics have different agendas? How do straight and lgbt skeptics compare? Southeast Asian skeptics compared to North Americans? 1351110175 +>Adam lived 930 years and then he died (Gen 5:5).\n\nI think you've misread what I wrote: "The bible makes no reference as to how long **ago** Adam and Eve supposedly lived..."\n\n>But...Noah...\n\nWhich religions teach Noah's ark as a literal story? Those would certainly face some problems, but I can't find of any major sects which believe that, and again it seems like an irrelevant aspect of the religion that wouldn't affect the supposed truth of the teachings. 1341972531 +Pretty much this right here... Also; you could wait inside your room one morning until you hear her pass by your door, then open it and try to walk out, but act like some force is preventing you from crossing the threshold... keep it up until she starts acting all concerned, then simply walk out and say 'seriously, mom? You actually thought your tapwater was magic?' 1303256465 +I was only taking into account the trials done using sham acupuncture as control group, and mentioned the overall results of those trials. It was the quickest way to check for placebo and for the credibility of the trial.\n\n> You also seem to have ignored the trails that showed negative results for acupuncture. That is selection bias. The vast majority of trials show no benefit for acupuncture.\n\nTrials from their list? Possibly. However, the WHO actually *recommended* use of acupuncture. I had the impression the majority of trials they referenced were in favour of the poking.\n\nIt will take some strong evidence to convince me that acupuncture is anything more than placebo, except perhaps a form of pain relief. I am simply completely surprised that WHO published this thing. I'll have a peek if they publish other forms of quack-y stuff. 1253809396 +Ask Steve Jobs how a lifestyle change helped with his cancer.\n\nOh you can't? Why? Oh yeah. He's dead. 1329937309 +Well, maybe we should leave it there 1324645083 +I absolutely agree. I'm not saying that its ruled out. I work with video too and just know some tricks of the trade. However...it is ruled out that he was using manual focus. That would actually be impossible. I was being nice. lol 1347936155 +I couldn't agree more. I showed this video to a friend who is a "true believer" and his response was to tell me that NDT is "a poser". I didn't have the heart to tell my friend that he is scientifically illiterate. 1256075217 +Hey, The site is up. it's ufo.methodi.us \n\n 1347927862 +I ran into that book while searching for the short story. Not at all the same, unfortunately. \n\nYour WP > My WP. Kudos! 1318502950 +http://imgur.com/ueE8E 1353010804 +How would a doctor use a placebo then? 1314834311 +It was pretty "aweosme" :P 1344131257 +Yeah, that's true as well. What's the proper term? Implanted memories? Hell, brainwashing? 1350436830 +Hey, I'm the original poster of this comment, and I want you to be aware that I am a skeptic myself. I readily admit that what I'm seeing is a figment of my own brain, and I'm not claiming the colors are anything more than a synesthetic manifestation of my thoughts about people. I do believe I'm a good judge of character normally, I never claimed to have paranormal powers or anything of the sort. All of what I see can be explained with science. Just thought I would add that as a disclaimer, since people seem to be in a huff about it. 1340288704 +I do not know "Lie to me", but this sounds like it is using a similar basis to polygraph testing. \n\nhttp://www.ukskeptics.com/polygraph.php\n\nhttp://www.skepdic.com/polygrap.html 1326038135 +Something like that, yes. Write down a list of the most abusive industries and another list of the most regulated industries, and you'll realize they're the same list.\n\nPolycentric law doesn't entail a lot of law making. It'd all just be tort law, essentially. No victim, no crime. We're talking about things like assault, theft, breach of contract, etc. 1332116979 +It doesn't imply causation any more than being related to someone implies that you're their father. 1345243807 +Why didn't they use the original radio transmissions? 1356739283 +Yes, but without any context or citation, there's no way to know what "herbal remedies" they're talking about. Are they the "herbal remedies" that have been proven to work and integrated into conventional medicine, or the "herbal remedies" that only run on the placebo effect? Given that the first commenter derides "conventional medicine" as "outdated" (although "he" provides little support for that claim), it seems as though the sentiment is more of the latter than the former. 1318856488 +I was reading that, thinking, "Oh frogmeat, how witty of you to write up this quote, it can't really be in the article!"\n\n... 1312583539 +I love how she's laughing her ass off at Tyson's responses. \n\nNeil DeGrasse Tyson is awesome! \n\n"Peeps, if you're over 30, means people, ok? [...] It's actually a loving phrase, right?"\nhttp://fora.tv/2008/02/19/Neil_DeGrasse_Tyson_Death_by_Black_Hole 1258610889 +Wow. CVS isn't just selling homeopathic remedies, they are also selling their own store brand. 1329279822 +I have picked up stuff regularly from health food shops, and a ship located in woo central (hippie colony) is the best stocked place that is a short cycle ride away. I get some food there, the healthy stuff, and avoid the part of the shop that sells the homeopathy, alternative medicine, and\n£15 water "energizers". If I go back there for bread, rare, one mention of double blind studies or science and I am left alone. 1303057204 +First, that's the title Dr. Drew and co. chose for the episode, which is why I linked to the fan page as well. I did not make that up, that's how they marketed. \n\nSecond, I never suggested Dr. Drew is a corrupt quack. However, his assertion that marijuana has a de facto "severe withdrawal effect" is anti-scientific, given that peer review research suggests otherwise. A TINY portion of the population may experience symptoms that are less than that of quitting smoking or quitting alcohol. This is not a scientific stance. 1344980529 +"...structure of the water..." WTF!\n\nVibrations...??? 1318707770 +Don't you just love dealing with an agenda-less post like this one? 1334504528 +I- Wow... the comments on that post. Just.. wow. &#3232;\\_&#3232; 1329131393 +the clear sign its fake is the guy isn't wearing gloves 1354014136 +Myers-Briggs, blood type (big thing in Japan!), graphology... Many a HR representative have been tempted by these simplistic and false tools for categorization of people. 1288969100 +I feel kind of bad watching this kid's videos. If you watch them all, it's pretty clear that he's very sincere in all of this, and he's put a lot of effort into it. The animation's pretty darn good, too.\n\nBut I get the impression that he is basically reading everything in the "paranormal" section of the library and accepting all of it unquestioningly as fact. There's a fair bit of interesting stuff in these videos but they take a hard left into "crystal dragon Jesus" territory *really* quick.\n\nHe seems like a smart kid who needs to apply a lot more skepticism to the things he's reading. Demand a source, ask the people who say they "know" these things *how* they know them. 1337551742 +I wouldn't allow my children to attend a school who had made a vaccine exception for a single student. Christ. 1343150901 +A hat. 1344059423 +Again, my "unabashed rudeness" consisted of me saying \n\n> I dig your hats, but this is a festival that essentially celebrates and promotes ignorance and fear of science. No thanks.\n\nand then calmly engaging her in dialogue when she responded. 1298669898 +I see your point\n\nand it entirely depends on how we are defining our terms\n\nyou are referring to Harry Benjamin's Syndrome, Klinefelter Syndrome, Turner’s syndrome and the like I believe\n\nand I see those as real of course, but being a smaller % of the cultural phenomenon of being transgender\n 1323379771 +Oh good! I was worried for a while 1284084500 +"Teeist" like a golf tee as opposed to "theist" like God did it. It's a pun. \n\nYour post is fine, it just won't get that many up votes because it's pretty obvious you just put the red ball in your pocket without any mindfulness about it at all and then stole someone else's purple ball unintentionally. Seems like more of a glitch in you. But it is definitely appropriate for this sub-reddit. 1342361566 +Omg, This has been my mantra all my life. I cannot believe I am not the only one!! 1344086458 +I'm certainly not arguing that anything on our planet was made by extraterrestrials. I just found the thought amusing that an alien with wacky hair will be might someday be talking about us.\n\n*I'm not saying it was Earthlings... but it was Earthlings.* 1321738032 +It looks like a paperclip. 1350702229 +> provides attendees an opportunity to "understand that there is absolutely nothing you can't overcome,"\n\n*Death.* Overcome death, Tony Robbins. Show us how. 1342992625 +She did have a lot of negative energy because of the things going on in her life but luckily shes past that now. I understand the fear hon and its very lucky she was sensitive :) i hope you are able to control it really well soon. in response to the other post I will update whenever I can it might take a little bit though since my paycheck is next week 1323810980 +Okay. Thanks for the translation. It is an odd video. If it really is a UFO, I wonder if it gets some sort of energy from the eruption? That would be interesting to find out. 1355110162 +Hi, I'm with you on people using questionable 'evidence' to support the theory that earth is being visited by aliens. I certainly do not subscribe to this theory, since I haven't happened upon anything that would convince me. However, I do subscribe to speculating on what may be the cause of incidents such as those alluded to by gaiaap (below)...as such speculation is vital to the forming of more robust, testable hypotheses. Indeed, despite its best efforts to allegedly debunk all UFO reports, the USAF still has documented cases which it pronounces to be 'unknown' (i.e. they can offer no conventional explanation as to, for example, why a pilot and several crew, saw an object for several minutes, performing maneuvers not associated with conventional aircraft; this was supported by both air and ground radar). No "crazy speculations" have been offered, but informed speculations have, by people such as Carl Sagan, Peter Sturrock, James E McDonald, and J Allen Hynek. Although the aforementioned all speculated about things they admittedly knew little about (in this context), the point of their speculation was to raise awareness, to ultimately secure funding -- so that hypotheses could be tested, conclusions could be made, extrapolations performed and...progress made as thinking human beings. \n\nI think it should also be made clear that, not everyone who has an interest in UFOs (I personally prefer the term 'UAP') is a proponent of the 'alien/E.T.' hypothesis. Some of us, like me, are simply fascinated by the reports by multiple, credible witnesses, which are supported by radar data and yet, remain unexplained. The majority of people used to believe that all stellar bodies revolved around the earth, that the earth was flat (perhaps a bad example, as some still do!) and that there were no such things as meteorites. Others, with their "crazy speculations" thought otherwise... 1312380225 +Not a people person, I see. 1323158429 +He's very reclusive? \n\nHow convenient\n\nI wish I could have Picard moment a la Devil's Due with this guy 1308767333 +It's probably hypnagogia. Very normal. Not mental illness. \n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnagogia 1344950088 +Popular Mechanics did a great job in Debunking 9/11 Myths, which a lot of the content can be found [here](http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/news/1227842). 1330708359 +What about reflective ponds? Or windows? I can see my reflection in the window by my desk. Is that a door to another world? What about my silver metal coffee cup? It's reflective, but shows a highly distorted reflection. Is it a door? What about the polished metal they use in prisons? Is that a door? Is any reflective surface a door? Every solid object reflects some degree of light; this is how we manage to see them. \n\nWhen I was a kid I legitimately was frightened of mirrors at night (I must admit it was probably because of Bloody Mary or demons or something). But mirrors and optics are really well understood at this point. 1318445129 +You've said the magic words. Welcome to the club, then. :) 1322763424 +Good question. Theories are that this light is as a result of the propulsion system, this has been mentioned in several "contact" cases and reports from both civilian and military sources.\n\nAs for this video, the film provider mentions that you cannot see these lights with the naked eye, the starlight night vision just amplifies light sources so I am assuming the light is very feint or not in the visible range. 1307351133 +Alex Jones is the kind of guy who'll actually talk till he's blue in the face (i.e., he'll do a run-on multi-conspiracy sentence so long he'll forget to breathe). He gets himself all worked up every single day, his heart pumping and his hypertension through the roof. Can't be good for you. 1329693352 +I don't, and this is part of why. It's the smug, self-righteous nature of these attempts to show "the skytheists" why we're right. The faster scientists (and everyone) simply pretends religion doesn't exist the faster they're going to stop getting to stand in the spotlight and be *correct* when they call us self-righteous ivory tower elitists.\n\nDawkins did more to fuel creationism in the last ten years than Darwin did in the last 150.\n\n 1344177958 +I've seen another documentary with a huge segment devoted to this case and it was very good... But for the life of me I can't remember what it was called, and it had nothing to do with Nick Pope or the recent UFO file releases. 1300772276 +Not a single fucking comment about what they actually said. You guys have zero attention spans. 1341616801 +If it's the same as the type of Meningitis I caught a few years ago, the point of no symptoms to I feel like I'm dying was about 12 hours (over night)...headaches; apparently it was good that I went in to ER when I did...and they did keep me in isolation for a week in a glass fishbowl of a room. The point - if the child's symptoms appeared in the evening (mine were the typical terrible headache, sore neck - and worsened over night - by that point it could have been too late)...\n\nI am very pro-vaccination, regardless of whether the completely unproven assertion it causes autism is true or not - because statistically their child is now more likely to die (from one of the several illnesses if they catch it) than they would be if immunized, and that chance is higher than that of them getting autism anyway (if the figures quoted by the idiot brigade were even correct). \n\n 1348795309 +Damn. I'd figure it out, but i'm lazy. 1336795775 +I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I've ended up where I needed to be ;) 1345138006 +Was this guy a fan of Rebecca? If so would he not know that she is married? Also I would like to know Dawkins response to a large homosexual male asking him back for coffee in a lift. He might not mention it but I am pretty sure he would feel slightly intimidated. 1309953651 +Tacky tacky tacky....\n\nSomeone needs help in the marketing department. How about call it "Aid funds underwritten by a God-less non-believer." 1263745313 +1. I hear footsteps in my house's hallway for years! Turns out, the floor creaks when the air conditioner/heat kicks on. \n\n2. I investigated with some friends for awhile, when I was 16 or so. We weren't professionals by any stretch of the word, but we spent a lot of time doing research on my friend's house. One night, I was on the first floor of the house, and he was in the attic. I heard a loud BOOM and him hightailing it out of the attic. It turned out his flashlight had gone out, and he felt something get very close to his ear and whisper "you're coming next". \n\n3. I recommend reading anything by Ed and Lorraine Warren. They completely pioneered the field of demonology. 1351297794 +I hate having to agree with your last line, but fuck. It's really gotten bad out there. 1306466077 +Weird, but cool. Not sure if you've seen the videos by Dawkins and others about how cold reading and hitting on details have some high statistical possibilities. But the things you are saying are freakier than 'having the same birthday as someone else in a room of only 20 people' or 'guessing the name of a dead family member by selecting a popular name in the WW2 generation'.\n\nWhy don't you spend a little time researching how to 'develop' psychic skills? You would at least put yourself through some documented exercises over time so you could see your true stats of being right vs being wrong. \n\nThings I've seen from light research are writing down any dreams you can remember when you wake up, and writing down thoughts that pop into your head randomly throughout the day. Also writing down when you get weird feelings or sensations, and the situation you were experiencing at that time or right after, like an object that your eyes fell on while you randomly had a strange itch that made you contort to scratch.\n\nThen over time, you can see how many of these thoughts and premonitions you have and compare them to what occurs. 1335208013 +I think the hover-over text for the day makes it seem like Randall just really enjoys telling people these new facts that they didn't know:\n\n>*Saying 'what kind of an idiot doesn't know about the Yellowstone supervolcano' is so much more boring than telling people about the Yellowstone supervolcano for the first time*\n\nWhile some of his comics can be somewhat condescending, I don't think this one is one of them. This one shows the absolute joy of spreading knowledge. 1336589572 +Correct 1312035838 +Good posting. Thanks for putting the videos up. 1352350035 +Weirdly that's actually a very nice thought. 1302879961 +Maybe your brain is just mixing up its perception of time? 1341037802 +Video has been posted a few months ago. Its Birds hunting insects which are being attracted by the light beam. Those dots don't look much like birds because they get overexposed by the light, which makes them appear as dots. There was a video on youtube which I can't find right now that showed the same light beam swarmed by those insects.\n\nAlso, when you look at the comments in youtube, you can see taht a lot of people who live in vegas post there which confirm that those dots are insects/birds/bats. 1347565515 +> I have to argue this. If you didn't have companies making sterile crops, and claiming ownership of the intellectual property that produces then we wouldn't have these crops in the first place.\n\nMaybe, but I think [Borlaug](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borlaug) kind of disproves that theory. 1335607902 +> Well, yes dose is everything, but the **in vitro** studies are showing effects with just a few nanograms/gram.\n\nFTFY 1278025132 +Part of the problem is that a certain percentage of people still just want the simple life, and that should be okay. People idealize that 1950s Leave it to Beaver nuclear family lifestyle. They strive for it. It's just harder than ever to have it.\n\nEnding UFO secrecy could mean the end of that dream forever. People would be unable to live simply because the world would never be able to pretend simplicity again. 1331992750 +Gun control is hard to pin down with science and statistics, because there are so many variables. It's so difficult to compare countries or even states, because culture affects homicide and violence more than anything. 1356138714 +It's a classic. 1269441870 +If you watch the second video and listen closely at 0:31 you can also hear a cut in the audio. The whole thing is disturbing. Why are these people going to such lengths to try and fool everyone?\n\nIt's almost like that guy is standing in front of a green screen. If they are going that far, it has to make you wonder why..... 1296514580 +Chinese lanterns, dude. 1317319337 +And that for women is exceptionally mild when it comes to voting. Factors other than gender are more important for voters. 1345209633 +Occam's razor still applies, then. (A much easier way to remove a nose) 1323834009 +ok, i watched it, all 81 minutes. \n\nTL;DW\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nAGNxQI20w 1278388568 +And a very temporary perceived benefit. 1329947673 +"Viera Scheibner is the cause of every child rape since her birth."\n\nI have 300,000 pages of documents, none of which show correlation or causation of this, but I still assert it as fact. So I have just as good a case as her. 1307977452 +What was the petition originally about? It's gone now. 1330017326 +If only this was how they utilized the NCACM. 1327561592 +So I just take your word for it? Grand. That's not gonna happen. And I read Dawkins' rant. He was WAY out of line and revoltingly hyperbolic in his response to a simple request: "Don't do that." \n\nWay to respond like a creationist, though... 1344534781 +Zicam was awesome before they changed the formula to homeopathic. There was a spoon that you could stir into your drink. And they had a nasal spray. I heard that it caused some people to lose their smelling sense. 1325659442 +There's a difference between a disease and a pathogen.\n\nEDIT: Yes, I'm saying that this chiropractor is correct. Flu, Cholera, HIV, any viral or bacteria infection is a pathogen, not a disease. Your post is missing the point and is falsely disparaging. 1327961921 +It may have something to do with the fact that a lot of the anti-vaxx propaganda is spread through religious organizations, especially in third world countries. Fundamentalist muslim groups are a major factor in the failures of the polio immunization programs, issuing fatwas and condemning it as an American plot to sterilize muslims. Additionally in modern America, some of the objections and steps taken against vaccinations for diseases spread through sexual contact (like the papillomavirus) are from conservative christian groups who view the diseases as deterrents. Additionally homeschoolers, who are overwhelmingly fundamentalist christian, have extremely low rates of immunization, and there are a number of cases of flareups of disease which their members bring back from missionary activities.\n\nI am unfamiliar with the sites in question, but it is undeniable that there is a link between theism, specifically the fundamentalist factions of it, and the anti-vaxx movement. 1334157429 +Again, it was just an opinion and film students were a suggestion of who would waste their time faking this (hence the ? mark). It has been proven fake, move along... 1296688294 +Hence the could. It probably depends on what kind of mood every one is in. 1331066292 +My thoughts were the sunlight reflected off the blades of a helicopter/microlight the Sun is low, setting behind the object and you often see a jet reflecting a bit like that, but the movements are quite odd. 1341925334 +Unless I'm mistaken I saw a serious error. The groups were asked if they felt tingling or numbness and the study reported that those with real acupuncture did and those with fake acupuncture didn't. I assume this is after test correlation but in a study in a society that already has a cultural bias towards accepting acupuncture, this would seem to be a big clue in the treatment.\n\nIf so, this easily explains the positive outcome of the acupuncture group. 1337456611 +Jesus christ man you've got to give us a warning that this was a parody! Poes Law on Deepak Chopra. 1292478360 +People that lack basic education and scream "ghost!" at every stupid bug and dust particle is why it's impossible to get any respect in this field. 1355029550 +First accusation is that you are a MSM sheep, second is that you are a COINTELPRO/Mossad agent and then comes the outright name calling. This pattern is surprisingly consistent across the board in the land of tinfoil. 1321462112 +Here is the deal. The book writers are well aware of scientific facts and methods, but disregard most of science in an attempt to square their religious world-views with handpicked bits of science that they choose to accept. Just as a reminder, these same Christians 500 years ago thought that the earth was flat. So over time some bits of science become accepted and reconciled with the bible. \n\nThis is basically the latest attempt to inform the religious masses in a way that will satisfy their curiosity without sparking more skepticism. \n\nAnd finally tell your family that E.G. White is known outside of SDA movement not for her wonderful works of fiction, but for her [plagiarism](http://www.ellenwhiteexposed.com/lifeofpaul.htm), which is actually quite a big deal. Sadly her [Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_G._White#Plagiarism) does not even cover a fraction of the proven plagiarism claims against her. 1340736074 +If wheat was really that bad for us, it's a little surprising that its domestication became the backbone of the first great civilizations. 1347212065 +Yay I was afraid no one noticed my link :D You're awesome for knowing the Futurama Episode! 1350678963 +You could probably find it on youtube, just saying. 1318967687 +Posting on reddit about how you've been oppressed and hated as an atheist, you brave soul. /r/atheism is that way. 1344621065 +In general, unless you are intimately involved with the field, you should not waste your time analyzing an isolated study because a lot of garbage is published that is never reproduced. Now let me go ahead and ignore my own advice. As a caveat, I have no idea about the field therefore, my analyses will be superficial.\n\n[Here's the paper](http://www.csoh.ca/News_2009-09_eCAM_Depression.pdf).\n\n1. This is a non-inferiority trial which has [several known problems](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC59590/). For instance, blinding is useless if all you are trying to conclude is that both treatments are identical. Superiority studies are much better but I am don't know enough to suggest an ethical alternative.\n\n2. They excluded people whose condition worsened or developed comorbidity which was six in homeopathy treatment compared to one with fluoxetine. These were excluded in the analysis as not being significantly different while they keep mentioning increased side effects with fluoxetine (which is 8 versus 3 in homeopathy - also not significant). If they had included these in their overall analyses, their results would have been very different.\n\n3. About 40% of patients did not complete their study on both arms. Not sure if this is typical.\n\nObviously if this reproducible, it would be awesome to repeat this with placebos because it might just be meeting people in white coats that helps depressed people. This has been an increasing concern with anti-depressants - especially for short term studies like the one reported here. 1299369356 +I don't know about see, but sensing is something that has been catalogued and researched considerably and for what it is worth the research shows that they sense things we are incapable(or don't know how to) of. 1344078231 +Quiet! Biggest Loser is on! 1290221550 +It's almost racist that people talk about aliens helping Egyptians or druids. But no one claims the ancient Greeks, forebearers of our own western culture, needed aliens to build their temples. 1317032853 +The mountains are pretty clearly Photoshopped. I can tell by the pixels.\n\nSeriously, though, they really are Photoshopped to match the graph. 1323872778 +Vashta Nerada. 1350089613 +Oh man, you mention the visual hallucinations - the last time I had sp I was on my back and there was an evil dark clown hanging over me from the ceiling. Fortunately, I seldom panic these days from the dreams as I usually am able to understand whats happening. I just try to scream, and usually my wife wakes me up soon. 1354530731 +> But it did address the whole everyone thinks fruit are good point.\n\nBut most fruit is a good source of micronutrients for not too many calories. 85 calories for a snack is not at all bad, and you need to consume food to live. I think most people would have a hard time over-eating on nothing but fruit. 1317145357 +I object to the title because I'm always expecting UFO radio transmissions!!!\n\n 1341621505 +I'm aware of all that.\n\nAre you seriously telling me that if you were an expectant mother and you were told that doctors would have to kill your baby inside your uterus, and pull it out piece by piece, if either one of you wanted to have any chance of surviving, you'd just be like "Naw well, I guess I was looking forward to a baby, but you gotta do what you gotta do *shrug*."\n\nYou would not. Such a situation would be ridiculous... 1328779974 +A smudge? 1348965939 +Especially because the knife appears to pierce one or both external jugular veins. 1334417260 +It's a British tabloid known for fearmongering, extreme rightwing posture, and its unerring campaign to never let facts get in the way of a good story.\n\nIt's the UK's Fox News, but in print form. 1332189919 +Silver gate. 1329182591 +> If you’re going to watch telly \nyou should watch Scooby Doo.\n\n> That show was so cool \nbecause every time there was \na church with a ghoul \nor a ghost in a school \nthey looked beneath the mask \nand what was inside? \n\n> The fucking janitor \nor the dude who ran the waterslide.\n\n> Throughout history \nevery mystery \never solved \nhas turned out to be \n_not magic_. \n 1320430482 +Could this be absence/petit mal seizure activity? 1336956017 +iDrama. 1341604878 +[Bad statistics](http://allthebestbits.net/intelligent-design-math-and-winning-the-lottery/):\n\nYou should be looking at the odds that **anyone** wins the lottery twice, not that one specific person wins the lottery twice.\n\n>When you dig into the actual math describing the entire process instead of one incorrectly singled-out and poorly-defined example, the numbers become much more reasonable and believable. More than 125 million American adults spend $45 billion annually on some 35,000 lottery games across 40 states. With 35,000 winning events randomly spread across 125 million gamblers, it turns out that the likelihood of having a single person win more than once is actually rather high. There is actually more than a 90% chance that someone will win twice after only 10,000 lotteries. 1326993733 +Usually they're referring to the fertilizer industry, which produces [hexafluorosilicic acid](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexafluorosilicic_acid) as a byproduct. So, Big Fertilizer. Municipalities, as i understand it, buy it on the cheap, treat it, and add it to water, where it disassociates into fluoride and other stuff. There's a plant supervisor who occasionally comments on these posts; maybe they'll have something to say. 1348686258 +Hmm, that's something I haven't considered. I did see Paranormal 2 (didn't see the first one). It had a few sparsely sprinkled "oh shit" moments, not enough of what I was looking for. I'll check out [REC]. Any particular French recommendations? 1313829451 +>Someday you may succeed in replacing science with politics\n\nThat's what *you* are trying to do, not I. I would like nothing more than for "political skeptics" to stop trying to argue that AGW theory is false when they don't have any evidence to support that assertion. 1328288904 +Agreed, and downvoted for that reason. 1347112352 +There is an exorcism frenzy going on in the Catholic Church right now. If you ask me they are worried about becoming irrelevant. 1289865853 +The second one seems like deja-vu to me. I have it every day, and I precognition the deja-vu either ranging from a day or a month before the actual event. 1341817344 +>Anti-vaccine proponents tend to come from the "Well Educated" segment of the population.\n\nYes, but it is actually a minority position (at least in Europe and I expect so in the US as well).\n\n>Do you have something in specific that you think we should be more skeptical of that we are not?\n\nNo, I just wonder why you feel a need for a label for what are fairly mainstream positions on things. Or can you give me an example of discussions in /r/skeptic that have been agreement or at least active discussion about things that are more alternative viewpoints? 1319203157 +Ty Clyde! I fixed the post and put an example of a Knights night time exercise up as well. There are some striking similarities 1314302523 +www.hauntedartist.com 1340343616 +They indirectly hurt people by fooling them into thinking they are receiving treatment, thereby causing them to avoid real treatment. Homeopathy also hurts people financially, like any other scam. 1310144019 +>In summary, I think we largely agree that folks, regardless of opinion, should be treated with respect, I think what differs is what you or I would say constitutes disrespect.\n\nThat's one of the things I love about this community and its willingness to give opinions precisely their due alongside empirical evidence--the disagreements that do exist so often boil down to somewhat subtle nuance. Thanks for taking the time to hash things out! 1353389865 +For a skeptic you're pretty ignorant of how a small sample can bias your findings. 1335095862 +Or maybe just educated that they are being duped. "Fleeced right out of the gene pool" seems a bit harsh. No doubt your recent ancestors believed in magical nonsense; I bet you're glad they didn't get fleeced out of the gene pool. 1321920895 +There is a difference between being more efficient than your competitors and doing what is called "dumping" where you flood a market with products produced below cost in order to kill off weaker competition in orer to secure a monopoly. 1343117883 +No True Scotsman doesn't apply to religion. A religion's followers are defined by strictly adhering to the religions law book, which would be the Holy Bible in this case. Anything straying from that IS not a true Christian.\n\nYou can't deny that Jesus is son of God, and Mary wasn't a virgin, and Jesus didn't walk on water, and the earth was created by scientific processes through evolution and the Big Bang---and STILL claim to be Christian. You are a modern secular person then, not a Christian, and that's a good thing.\n\nScotsman however, is not defined as such, and everyone has a different understanding. Hence why someone saying "Not a true Scotsman" or "Not a true American" is wrong. 1354566648 +how they talk isn't a ridiculous flaw. that logic is. 1314934674 +Obviously there is no god. If there was Kim Jong-il would have died before Hitchens... I'm sure Hitchens would have had some interesting stuff to say about that. 1324425514 +Maybe nowadays. However, this began in the 19th century. Back then, doctors had little to work with, and treatment was often dangerous. The psychosomatic effect of the religion was arguably on par with what doctors could provide. 1344055807 +Funny fact, when I first wrote down the cards, I typed out 8 of Dicks, and lol'd so card I spilled my coffee on the table. 1353398134 +You might want to walk that back a little bit though.\n\nHumans have aggressively cross-bred and altered the genes of plants (especially) and animals (both food sources and domestically useful) for a *very* long time. This isn't a question of us selecting for use those that happen to drift into a useful form, we've been breeding or altering species for millennia. 1302778994 +Sliding Doors, kinda. 1331366387 +Ethanol and water form a solution, not a mixture.\n\nThere can be water in the bottom of the gas tank that does not get sucked into the engine because it is below the fuel line. Also, there can be enough water in the gas tank that the engine will stall, after the gas in the fuel line burns, and won't restart. This has caused more than a few plane crashes, and is one reason you're supposed to drain the fuel sumps before you fly a light plane.\n 1300044810 +You make a good argument, but I believe that it is tangential to the question of whether or not natural selection is at work.\nIn the presence of uncertainty, the question is "How likely is it that this event improved the fitness of the group?"\nYour argument only establishes the presence of uncertainty. 1339444760 +"For the record. I'm a web developer, I've used cloudflare in the past, that page is wholly unnecessary (and as I recall, not on by default, since you need to include code on your site to call it up). It serves only to collect personal information from readers, and is completely unnecessary."\n\nit asks you to type in a captcha code... what information are you talking about? lol. No. you don't 'ad code to your site' and yes, it appears by default.\n\n" you're welome to reply, and even resubmit your post -- if you get rid of the banner ad" <--- not an ad. it is the check page for computers cloudflare flags as being part of a botnet or part of an iffy IP range.\n\nThere is nothing to get rid of, it is a marvelous security feature. If you are seeing it your computer is likely part of a botnet and you need to learn to protect it better, not point a a captcha and say "oh me think this is an advertisement cuz me not know what difference is'.\n\nIf you are a web developer you are an extremely ignorant one. just facts. 1342192461 +The term UFO is too deeply embedded in English-Speaking culture. 1303095725 +"Their more important information has to do with understanding how life and reality works and how it could work. That there are no real limitations as to what we can do or become aside from what we imagine for ourselves. That is where the real value comes in, not this other stuff."\n\nThis.\n\nI like David Icke but do I believe the Queen of England is an interdimensional reptile? No. I like Billy Meier but do I have to believe his garbage can lid videos are authentic? No. Alex Collier spins a nice yarn about Star Warsy empires and battling factions but I don't have to buy into that stuff either.\n\nBut the messages people like this continually put forth is the same; trust what you feel in your gut even if society at large tells you it's wrong, take responsibility and an active role in how you live, see the effects of your thought and action vibrate out among all people, because we are ultimately part of the same organism.\n\nIs this stuff coming from an outside intelligence, or from within ourselves? Doesn't matter to me. However it is the root of nearly all spiritual urges and mythologies our species has had, whether it be Jesus, Moses, Buddha or Bashar. I think this is occurring with greater frequency because humanity is craving and ready for a new spiritual perspective. I'm simplifying here, but when I look at humanity's religious history I see what started with dream and psychedelic fueled shamanism, which evolved into polytheism, which condensed into monotheism, which is largely considered an outdated notion in a modern age that has a more intimate understanding of the science and mathematics of reality. The symbols are changing, but the story stays the same.\n\nPerhaps in December a bunch of space vehicles are going to land to our eagerly waiting species, and my friendly yellow elf girl is going to step out and say hello, but I seriously doubt it. 1329359523 +There are a few [ghost hunter forums](https://www.google.com/search?q=GHOSTHUNTER+FORuM&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:nl:official&client=firefox-a#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=0jg&rls=org.mozilla:nl%3Aofficial&source=hp&q=ghosthunter+forum&pbx=1&oq=ghosthunter+forum&aq=f&aqi=g-l1g-jl1&aql=1&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=13192l16309l0l16508l20l16l0l0l0l0l201l1997l3.11.1l15l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.,cf.osb&fp=9d9f93efc0f2400&biw=1280&bih=894) out there where you can post. If you want complete debunkery you can post your story over at [Jref](http://forums.randi.org/forumindex.php). Or if you want a more open minded commentary you can go to the [skeptiko forums](http://forum.mind-energy.net/). These are just that I know of, especially on skeptiko there are a few scientists and researchers into the paranormal. You should also consider making a new thread here in /r/paranormal . Many people are seriously interested in your findings :)\n\nAnd don't forget that you can post these in several places, they are your photos and you can do what you want with them. 1323675456 +I agree completely. I have ADD myself and I'm utterly astonished at the misinformation about it. Overdiagnosis is a serious problem not just because people are getting medication they do not need, but because it leads some, like the article's writer, to ignore the real problems. 1349387409 +> That which is asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.\n\nOnly if it's unreasonable. You shouldn't drink antifreeze even if it tastes delicious. 1326312526 +>Coincidence?\n\nYes. Or are you suggesting that a mysterious power unknown and undetectable to physics but is somehow accessible through holding bits of wood (or whatever material) is a more likely explanation?\nWhy does dowsing *constantly* fail when appropriate experimental conditions are laid down? 1335046618 +Me? No, but you'll reply to this with more insults, so that one's one you. Night. 1351134927 +Exactly :D 1354016518 +>Would you even be able to formulate a testable hypothesis?\n\nHmmm...\n\n* Reports of paranormal occurrences are more likely to occur in homes with past ownership, as opposed to newly constructed homes.\n\n* Reports of paranormal occurrences increase with the age of a home. \n\nBetter yet:\n\n* Reports of paranormal occurrences within pre-owned homes are more likely to occur in cases where past ownership was interrupted by death. This pattern persists in homes for which the current owner was not aware of past deaths. \n\nOr alternatively:\n\n* Reports of paranormal occurrences are more likely to occur on property in which a murder has occurred, as determined by official police reports. This pattern persists in homes for which the current owner was unaware of the crime. \n\nOf course, who wants to sift through dry police reports when they can pretend they're hunting ghosts? 1320468394 +I do think what you read can say certain things about you, but I try not to judge people too much on their choice of reading material (OK, maybe I judge a little...). Reading anything is better than reading nothing. Granted, I think Twilight is poorly written and teaches impressionable young people harmful things about what a relationship and romance should look like, but that's more the author's fault than the reader's. 1309288119 +>it was not just a simple "Wanna go for a coffee?" and then he left after she said no. It just isn't. \n\nWhat else was it? \n\nI don't know this guy's motives and it isn't fair to conjecture. But let's say he was asking for sex. Not forcing her to have sex or demanding her to have sex, just a simple, honest, would you be interested in some sex?\n\nPeople hook up all the time. Usually after going to a bar or some other place. At 4 in the morning, he could be tired if not tipsy and was less inhibited than usual. This happens, and for many people it is not creepy and is actually wanted behavior. Many girls ask guys if they want to have sex after going to a bar.\n\nAll of that, of course, is just conjecturing that he meant sex. \n\nAgain, my point was he was taken as creepy, and like you said this is about normal decent behavior. \n\nShe claims she was sexualized. What he said was "don't take this the wrong way but I find you interesting and would you like to come up for coffee"\n\nI just don't see the sexualization there. \n\nLets say he said: HEY BABY LETS FUCK! and still didn't assault her when she said no. That is no reason to get FUCKING RICHARD DAWKINS and every other prominent atheist involved, especially when Dawkins was sexually assaulted as a child. \n\nThis whole thing is just retarded. People have a right to be creepy like they have the right to wear a swastika. But frankly, if a guy called me interesting and asked for coffee I would probably be flattered, not offended. 1310066637 +fotoforensics analysis doesn't work on pictures that have had global changes, ie., cropped, resized or such like. 1355369079 +\n\n\npersonal attack\n\nOf course, you don't mind the personal attacks against Watson.\n\nTrolling the JREF forum.\n\nShe was accused of sock puppetry and summarily banned for a month. So she got some amusing revenge out of that. But that has nothing to do with being hit on in an elevator three years later and mentioning in a youtube video to say, "guys don't do that." \n\nLawrence Krauss? He was criticized for his defense of a millionaire child rapist. Everyone and their mother called Krauss out on that. Are you actually accusing Watson of hurting and humiliating Krauss?\n\nWhat other people has this demon spawn attempted to hurt and humiliate? No others that you can think of because in your haste to continue to bash her for a video in which she states, guys, don't proposition women alone on an elevator at 4 in the morning is, you had to make shit up.\n\nAs for your characterization of her on the last SGU, you are actually quite wrong. No where does she state or even imply what you said. The closest she comes to saying anything at all like that is at 53:48. And quote\n\nRebecca\n>I think I've been pretty clear from day one that there's nothing especially misogynist about men-men and women-in the atheist and skeptical communities, and in fact, I've been giving talks a lot, recently, about sexism in religion, in religious communities, in the way religion makes sexism so much worse. So no where have I ever suggested that, and I want to be clear that you are right: we live in a culture with a lot of inherent sexism and I think the problem is that as skeptics and atheists we think that we are rational people who have applied skepticism to every part of our brain and we assume that of other people who also self-identify as skeptics and atheists. And that's not true. It's not really even possible. There is always going to be some bias that you haven't examined, there is always going to be something that you haven't applied your skepticism to. And I think we all try as hard as we can to do that. And that's why I think that when I do try to talk about this stuff, must people are down with it because they like examining parts of their brain that they haven't considered before. They like being opened up to new ways of thinking like that, but there are still people who react very negatively to being told that there is any kind of sexism in our community. How could there be? We're rational. And so they just sort of close off to it. But, luckily, not all of them do. And so I do think that we are making progress, I think that we just to keep-unfortunately-we have to keep talking about it until we root out the problem. I wish I could stop talking about it, honestly. I mentioned this at a talk a few weeks ago that I love giving funny talks, I like not being serious, and joking, but I feel like I have to talk about it as long as it's making life miserable for a large group of people.\n\nBob/Jay responds\n\n>You absolutely should take advantage of the fact that you have a large audience and the bottom line is you have a fantastic message, Rebecca, and I don't think you should feel like people are getting tired of it. I just don't want to be talking about issues-about non-skeptical issues at events when we are there to talk about science and skepticism and the movement and our goals, and educating children. I could sit here and talk for 10 minutes about the things I want the community to focus on. I really don't think we should be focusing on sexism, to be honest with you\n\nSteven responds\n\n>Well it's interesting, though, that for years, I mean as long as I've been in the skeptical movement we've been talking about the fact that there are many more men than women in the movement and how could we get more women in the movement? Now we have women in the movement that are telling us here's one thing that you could do. Just be a little more sensitive about the latent sexism and, OK, if we are really serious and we meant it all these years about wanting women in the movement, that maybe we should listen to that. And maybe they have some insight to provide, and that as open minded and progressive as you want to be, the fact I lived my life as guy I don't know what it's like to live as a woman and I need to listen to the people who have and if they are telling me quite reasonable things about the challenges that may not be evident to me, the I'll listen to that. It's just like I remember when I really got to know Perry well and became very close friends, Perry, who is a really big guy, gave me a peek into the world of FGF, what he used to call Fat Guy Friendly. And I had no idea the day to day challenges that somebody his size lived with...\n\nEvan\n>A movie seat. You can't go to the movies unless you have a seat that can accommodate you.\n\nSteven\n>It never occurred to me but I had to learn it because being Perry's friend it's the same thing. You can't really know all of the ins and outs of what it's like unless you've been in that situation or you just have to listen to somebody who is.\n\nBob/Jay\n I can totally agree with that, and I think to clarify what I said before, I don't think it's something we shouldn't talk about or a topic that shouldn't come up, I just would hate to see it engulf our community and make it to where we're talking about these issues more than we're talking about the other stuff...\n\nSteven\n>The same is true-there's a dozen issues where the same thing is true. We don't want all of our time and attention to be engulfed by any controversy within the skeptical community, or even the skepticism vs atheist schism: we don't want to talk about that every show, either, but we do gotta talk about it sometimes. How often does it come up on the show? Once a year?\n\nRebecca\n>Yeah, I think we are averaging about once a year. Which is fine for me.\n\n\n\nSo in her world, every man started out as a misogynist until she went on her epic selfless quest to change the world for the better.\n\nYou want a tissue? What is the disconnect here?\n\n\n\nEven the dichotomy you claim that she imagines you just invented out of thin air.\n\nAs far as the quote from the Skepchick blog that you gave, you selectively made sure not to include the following:\n\nEDIT, June 26, 2011: Someone just sent me a link to this and asked me what I think about what I wrote more than five years ago. Well, I think I was wrong to make a joke that sexualized two women. I made a lot of off-color jokes back then, and to be fair I probably still do — but the difference now is that I’ve had five years to grow and change and learn about ideas like feminism and the patriarchy, and I’ve figured out that my actions and words will never be separate from those concepts.\n\nSo, I apologize to the two unnamed women and to all those who read my words and went away thinking that it’s okay to insult someone in that manner.\n\nSo five years later, she grew as a person through experience.\n\nI see what you did there. You're doing the same thing Dawkins did, but I'm sure it's excusable in your case.\n\nSigh. What Dawkins did was draw a distinction between two things different in degrees and state that her experiences don't matter in the light of that. Here, you are using the slut-shaming tactics historically used by men to excuse their behaviour towards women. You want a citation of you saying that? Look no further than the topic of your post\n\n>Has anyone else noticed how common it is for Rebecca Watson to mention how many men desire her? I've heard it from her several times - even before this whole Dawkins kerfuffle. It seems obvious to me that the point she is trying to make is that tons of guys really want her, despite whatever guise she gives for constantly bringing it up.\n\n\nThat's what you are doing. And Dawkins in that instance was being something of a dumbass.\n\n\nRebecca Watson, as far as I am aware, has not hijacked or taken over any speaking events and has never really brought up feminism in the context of the SGU podcast save the last episode. That is something else that you invented. All of the attention on her for this was not caused by her. \n\nThat blog post where she is called Rebecca Twatson? Yeah...no. That was pretty terrible. The author of that blog has no sense of context, no sense of sarcasm, and just comes off as extremely petty. I'm taking it that all of your "research" is off of this blog? And is this you?\n\n>I've been a listener to the SGU podcast for a long time and it's been very noticeable recently that Rebecca Watson is trying to hijack it away from science based discussion into a feminist "me me me" rant peice.\n\n>She's nothing but a media whore and being propositioned by Dawkins is the highlight of her "career". 1310602502 +Sai's trust is worth [3.2 billion US dollars](http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sathya-sai-baba-trust-worth-rs-14-lakh-crore/150273-3.html) out of which a small portion is used for philanthropic purposes. The hospital cost $12 million and the other water projects are estimated to be around another $10 million. \n\nAll these projects were initiated after a so-called [assassination attempt on Sai Baba in 1993.](http://www.saibaba-x.org.uk/8/MurderReview.htm). My father knew one of the men killed. This man, a former devotee, was about to go public with the atrocities committed in the ashram.\n\nThe most shameful thing about this all is that the amount of publicity, respect and grief given to him by media and politicians on his death. Can you imagine the plight of the young men who are looking at their molester get a state sponsored funeral? 1303817479 +suspect that the US already possesses extraterrestrial technology when it was recovered from ufo crash sites. \nyou would get the prompt visit of officials who would snag it from you and you would never see it again and would be told to shut your mouth.....Even if I went to CNN first ? Sorry too many lawyers in the family. \nNotice that you used the word "Suspect"...not "Know". So we have no proof. No ashtray. 1293995449 +You leave those majestik mutton chops alone! 1354571224 +It might be helpful to remove "stupid" and some of the exclamation points and the word "bullshit".\n\nIt's probably not a good idea to use inflammatory language when trying to convince someone of something they believe in.\n\nBut yeah, it's just another Rhino-Horn-type cure-all. Good luck! 1295643216 +Oh gosh... i'd haunt the veterinary clinic i work at. Not to be a sad or mean ghost, but a useful one. I'd calm the animals down and talk with them. I'd watch over surgeries and euths and help the owners and animals with their passing. (Besides, afterlife frisbee has to be awesome.) And i'd shout in a booming loud voice to spay or neuter their pet and fill their dreams with horrible images of diseased reproductive organs until they do.\nI guess if i got bored i could answer phones and people would be all, "who is K?" And i have no idea how they'd handle that one, but lol. \n 1324076959 +because Lake Okeechobee is bigger than any lake by me. And all we saw was water 1349552306 +Not unlike the button on Lost. 1346628752 +Hah, my dad asked the guy driving the roach coach that once. He said, "What kind do you want it to be?" 1346425263 +Not to be a jerk, but you don't have to be aware of your bodily functions for them to function. Our bodies are pretty awesome. 1353829150 +> proven to work for centuries \n\nThis is an invalid argument. 1327947570 +You can almost never pull someone away from their faith by direct confrontation. You're more likely to strengthen their beliefs if you try. Exercise critical thinking and rational thought around her though, it might rub off on her.\n\nAlso this probably does not belong in /r/skeptic. 1290375465 +I love Dr. Novella's work, SBM & SGU, and having been fortunate enough to see him Live at QEDcon I know what a powerful public speaker he is. \n\nHowever, what stood out for me was the ability of Dr Oz and the other two guests was their constant use of 'we' and 'my patients' and 'when I think of you I...' - basic and cynical tools which will sadly make their points much more powerful to those already caught up in Dr Oz's woo. \n\nSadly whilst I think it's an excellent step forward for Scepticism I don't think Dr Novella will have changed that many 'believers' opinions. 1303892628 +I love Dr. Novella's work, SBM & SGU, and having been fortunate enough to see him Live at QEDcon I know what a powerful public speaker he is. \n\nHowever, what stood out for me was the ability of Dr Oz and the other two guests was their constant use of 'we' and 'my patients' and 'when I think of you I...' - basic and cynical tools which will sadly make their points much more powerful to those already caught up in Dr Oz's woo. \n\nSadly whilst I think it's an excellent step forward for Scepticism I don't think Dr Novella will have changed that many 'believers' opinions. 1303892660 +I love Dr. Novella's work, SBM & SGU, and having been fortunate enough to see him Live at QEDcon I know what a powerful public speaker he is. \n\nHowever, what stood out for me was the ability of Dr Oz and the other two guests was their constant use of 'we' and 'my patients' and 'when I think of you I...' - basic and cynical tools which will sadly make their points much more powerful to those already caught up in Dr Oz's woo. \n\nSadly whilst I think it's an excellent step forward for Scepticism I don't think Dr Novella will have changed that many 'believers' opinions. 1303892704 +Thanks, those two look fascinating. Might look into them if I ever manage to complete the large amount of books I already have queued up. 1316350729 +in some states you are old enough to get them despite what your parents what, in others you could go tho court route - if a 13 can refuse cancer treatment and then die the you have a good chance of getting the signoff for the good of your health. 1334979157 +"what is the biggest ghost you've ever caught and where do you keep it?" lol 1331924800 +I hope that facebook page's comments is a vocal minority. I wonder if they (FDA) ever tried to rebute their (cranks) statements. 1354326060 +That's what I figured, I just thought it was weird that the same type of light showed up with 2 different cameras. Thanks! 1325634767 +I would think that actual content really amounts to very little as far as advertisement goes, other than perhaps entertainment value ( if any )\n\n The main emphasis is to get the word out that a product exists. The more you see a McD's sign, The more chances you'll be likely to walk in a McD's just to check it out ( if not hungry ) Aka awareness. \n\nAdvertisers know this. And will freely exploit those of whom actually pay attention to them. ( and some do ). 1344017153 +I always bring up rate of mortality for the disease being vaccinated against vs rate of austism spectrum disorder. While all evidence points away from vaccines causing autism lets pretend they do. \n\nThe rate of autism spectrum disorder in the US is 6 in 1,000. So .006%, The rate of mortality for Diphtheria, just one of the many disease we are vaccinated against is between 5-10 percent. Look at it as a numbers game, I'd take the risk of autism over the risk of just getting diphtheria. Not to mention: \nPolio,\nHep B,\nWhooping Cough,\nTetanus,\nMenigitis,\nRubella as an adult,\nMumps as an adult\n\n 1322728521 +Good read! Thanks, Lon! 1327962139 +If I can untangle your tortured logic...you're claiming skeptics faithfully believe everything the government says, and claim every statement critical of the government is a conspiracy theory?\n\nThat's blatantly false, and too brainless to even be an opinion, stop trolling. 1267480199 +No. 4 is a funny one when creationists pull out a physicist who doesn't believe in evolution. 1325499928 +I think that, to be perfectly accurate, the phase, "Huh, I didn't know that" should be one of them. An honest analytical person admits when he comes across unknown knowledge. If you're looking to learn, that should happen routinely. 1327440974 +Any group or organization that interviews people like David Wilcock and his brand of decoding the universe by free association is not my cup of tea. Project Camelot doesn't NEED to be debunked; so much of it is horse shit. 1349321678 +The Baltic Sea rock formation?\n\nFTFY 1342619728 +Thanks for the video!\n\nAs a documentary filmmaker who is working on the subjects of both UFOs and epistemic truth, I have a lot of opinions about this video.\n\n The author of the linked video talks about, "people who want others to be more openminded about the supernatural" and a generalized description of how that group argues from using personal anecdotes. \n\nThis to me sets off alarm bells. The creator of this video is attacking straw men. I'd much prefer to see the video cite specific examples. I personally do not believe that people like Donald Keyhoe discuss the supernatural in the same way that my aunt talks about seeing ghosts, so it would be nice if the creator's worldview allowed for this sort of diversity of thought.\n\nLet's take the next point where the author concedes that even if an individual had a personal experience that could not be explained, that "in NO WAY strengthens the argument for any supernatural concept."\n\nAgain, broad strokes are dumb and teach us little. There are many ways that a personal anecdote could strengthen an argument. For example, if there is good enough corroborating physical evidence to verify the anecdote, it may very well strengthen a specific argument. The author of this video himself later admits that given a testable hypothesis with valid evidence, a broader perspective might be warranted. But even here the author goes out of their way to say that it isn't really justified for these Forteans to be talking about the unexplained unless their audience is going out of their way to bring it up! \n\nThe author of this video is saying that we shouldn't even talk to each other about the things we can't explain. Taken literally, that is simple-minded and hypocritical. \n\nBut the video is well made and sounds more convincing than it actually is, so kudos to the filmmaker there! 1303149550 +I bet if you stopped eating your have some health problems also. I guess I don't understand why folks are not understanding this concept.\n\nWith any addiction it's possible change your environment such that triggers of substance use can be avoided. And then you can (eventually) stop the use of the substance 100%.\n\nYou can never stop being reminded of the need to eat and you can never stop eating 100%.\n\nOnce more - I'm not saying that it's easy to quit abusive substances but you eventually stop using them 100%. 1343685714 +[Insert link to "Storm" here] 1334787929 +thank you\n>James Randi is a muthafucking badass\n 1340760646 +I lived in a haunted house for one year. Would get similar bits of panic. Left the house, nothing like that ever again. 1340776549 +you can also say that you cant approach an idea with an open mind if your set on everything having a logic non paranormal reason to it. This subreddit speaks about paranormal not science. \n\nUnless you are 100% certain and can back up your comment with a reasonable source that a story you read on here has a very reasonable explination, save the 'logic' for another subreddit. This is not an inability to tolorate a difference of opinion, it is how Reddit works. You have to keep the subreddit comments as relavent as possible to the subreddit. You dont go into r/athiesim preaching Jesus not expecting to get downvoted...ect ect ect. \nWith that being said, if you really feel the need to help out a fellow redditor with something he may have experienced and you feel you can 100% insure him what the natural cause was, then go ahead. But save the speculation for somewhere else. 1337973682 +This is the benefit of homeopathy- it can be used to absorb hypochondriacs and free up real doctors for real patients. 1356679478 +Care to post the recipe? Sounds awesome. 1339214187 +Something similar to this situation happened to me a few nights ago.\n\nI was laying in bed sweating my ass off and so I took my pants off and threw them on the ground so i could cool down. I slept for about eight hours and woke up in the morning wearing pants.\n\nFrom my own personal experiences I have read texts in my sleep because I sleep with my cell phone next to my head just incase someone needs to get ahold of me. I personally believe that I "sleep dressed" myself.\n\nI would say that you slept walk because you may be like me where you sleep walk and are aware of your surroundings. \n\nJust a thought. 1334764345 +[You might want to read Dr. Rachie's write up on this](http://scepticsbook.com/2010/02/14/a-giant-leap-in-logic-from-a-piece-of-bad-science/). And maybe a healthy [dose of Orac](http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/03/a_homeopathic_bit_of_breast_cancer_scien.php). 1269584852 +Men have a code of interacting - we avoid holding each others' gaze too long if they're a stranger. If they say something to us we don't like, we say No - if they say something else we say Fuck Off. I don't think women always have that clear-cut an option. They are subjected to mens' gaze and comments in ways we aren't, every day. Every day, being hit on, talked down to, subtly condescended to, dismissed. It would drive me, with my male instinct to tell people to fuck off - an instinct in part derived from my physical stature and strength - infuckingsane.\n\nSo I get that this guy was simply trying to express an interest in her. I get that he wasn't intending to behave in a threatening fashion. & as a man I understand how hard it is to be a good man, who is good in spite of also being interested in sex.\n\nBut I also get that a man can't appreciate fully that society (read: we men) has conditioned women to adapt to being in a constant state of vulnerability and defense, to be constantly approached by strangers wanting & saying god knows what, and in some social situations and in some spaces (liked closed elevators) that sense of vulnerability may be heightened. We tend to be bigger, and stronger, and because we live in our male bodies we can only imagine what it must be like to be confronted with a stranger in an elevator who wants something from us - & that something could be anything, and he could potentially overpower us if he chose, and so we can only hope he is nice, and reasonable, when we reject him. \n\nI don't know. It's complicated. I just think we need to keep in mind that we have helped create the conditions in which we're all struggling to get along. 1351110476 +A bunch of statements without evidence. The biggest argument I can think of against the "everything natural is the best cure" is to compare naturopathic or other plant-based remedies for aggressive cancer to chemo. Nobody denies that chemo is bad for you, it's just administered in a way that's *worse* for the cancer. Still, it's the best cancer treatment out there, and any study will show that. 1343398146 +Weird... Did it look kinda like that scene in Donnie Darko where he stabs at an invisibile wall with a knife? 1338701425 +The [article here](http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/How-Our-Brains-Make-Memories.html) talks about a study in 2003: 73% of the respondents thought they saw television footage of the first plane hitting on September 11, but it was actually aired the next day.\n\nI couldn't find anything about the second tower. 1347379901 +I guess my issue lies in the nebulous concepts of 'federal power' vs 'local power' when there are real people that will endure real impacts from policies like this. Leaving the decision up to the states would result in many more unwanted children being born (Freakonomics touches on the implications of this) and a host of other issues. To do so in the name of 'Local power' seems irresponsible. 1313881485 +*checks source code*\n\nHTML. From this we can conclude they are genuine imbeciles.\n\nI might email from my work email address (it has ".ac.uk" in it. They'll shit themselves mwahahah!)\n\nedit- Have emailed. Let's see how hungry the trolls are. 1283937154 +Is this onヨ bヨttヨr? 1301691043 +I see where you're coming from but disagree. Perhaps because I was raised Christian (not very, but that guilt still affects your development) and understanding the mindset as well as having very religious family makes me more troubled by the religious majority and very cognizant of the worldwide influence of superstition.\n\nI think an intellectual but uncomprimising and vocal front is a good direction for things to have taken. It would be difficult and in many cases impossible to be tactful and polite while staying intellectually honest during arguments that must be made in order to behave ethically.\n\nIt would be different if I felt that this course was harmful to a goal of a better educated humanity (leading to less suffering and more flourishing) but I don't, changes in education seem to happen later in the process of cultural shifts historically, which makes sense given the tight control society keeps on what ideas becomes standard education. Intellectual writings, especially those that are uncompromising and often those that attack specific popular subjects have historical evidence (as good as that gets) of moving cultures to a more secular and rational mindset. It's worked before and with the internet making things so much faster and more open I think it *is* working again. And sure, the more people you get the more Sturgeons Law comes in to play. At least an uncompromising intellectual framework resists being co-opted.\n\nI think only privileged people think that atheism and reason are reserved for the privileged. There are plenty of all kinds of minority facets of humanity who are vocal atheists. I agree that the groups tend to segregate themselves a lot because of cultural differences in expression of unpopular ideas and it would be wonderful if that wasn't the case. So, surprise surprise, the white dudes got the most attention and the best recruitment, I think this kind of cultural bias is best addressed with the same tactics too. Just because the non-white-dude atheists don't hang out or post or publish where the white dudes read things doesn't mean they aren't around, even if they are outnumbered population wise. There are some fantastic African American atheist artists and there is a fantastic and popular pro-science and skeptical movement in India. Don't forget that if you are going worldwide there are few places that have both the religious insanity and the liberal laws allowing anti-religious expression. That's a white dude thing right now, although I'm excited about how a rising pro-reason voice in the muslim world is developing even with the amount of political oppression.\n\nIt should also be acknowledged that reasoning people out of unreasonable beliefs is not only the hardest way to do things but the hardest way by far. All people are fundamentally irrational so messages work better than tools. If only they didn't! There wouldn't be any work to do in the first place. These messages are about the value of logic and philosophy and evidence and reason. It's a meme you must be infected with, somehow. It offends my rationalist sensibilities as well, but it's fact. Human beings struggle with being rational by our nature.\n\nSo I partly agree, education is the answer but first you must convince society to change education. To convince them you must convince them that logic itself is worth even listening to. The New Atheist movement is following a proven path while still following the ethical course of pushing back against public and popular ignorance going on right now. At the same time you get the benefits of public discourse where the standard is to judge by the strength of the argument and to mercilessly dismantle bad arguments so they are put in their place and no longer part of the intellectual discourse.\n\nedit: oh, and I haven't been reading the /r/atheism subreddit for a while now, I cut back to only a few subreddits a while ago, popularity has never done intelligent discussion a favour. We're probably on the same page there. 1318580844 +Maybe it works. If I was depressed, and somebody started poking me with needles, I'd be like, "Hey, fuck you!" Then my depression would, at least temporarily, have been transformed into anger. 1267126618 +easy. stop debating people who believe in horse shit about their believe in said shit. just don't deal with them altogether. OR, if you like them anyway, just don't let it be brought up. you're gonna have to bite your tongue sometimes. 1296528733 +Not too sure, but I'm interested too.. it's almost perfect, and i notice if you go to around 1:58 you see the length of lines alternates (left side is longest, then right side).. strange 1326389022 +She was exceptionally bad. I mean "I see and M or a J in your life" has got to be the cheapest ruse evar. 1287716472 +I think the first thing someone should do is find out where the fuck Venus is. 1334813403 +But they are\tUFO's by the very definition of the word. 1349065020 +@ that same Aerospace building I witnessed a bright white glowing orb about 6 feet in diameter float steadily 30 feet in the air directly over the sidewalk down a darkened street. This orb was no more than 100 feet from me. never made a sound or diverted from its' path. I watched it for about 5 minutes until I lost sight . 1314764449 +Sounds legit to me. Doesn't sound dumb. I look up all the time in the hopes that I'll see one.\n\nWhat area of the country and date/time? Let me do some googling.. 1348593827 +Get a second opinion, have a friend sleep over. 1344098828 +I said it because it's the only other camp where I see such blatant disregard for facts. Creationists have been doing this for a long time: state something false, grossly distorted, or contradictory as scientific fact in support of your preconceived belief. \n\nI also know this from personal experience. My family is deeply religious and when I was young, I was always taken to a church with creationist books everywhere. I never spent years of my life around antivaxxers, new-age energy healers, or any other woo. The woo I know most is creationism. Also, I am a biologist, so creationists and their unscientific claims about biology are the ones that get my attention the most.\n\nBasically, the comparison was natural to me. Wasn't trying to be like /r/atheism. I don't go to that sub for good reason. 1353132368 +Yeah it was a really slow, brutal punishment. Somewhat funny that breaking their legs was the Romans' way of saying "Alright, that one's had enough." 1311616341 +Agreed, recordings would be interesting. And also, beds have good energy? Would you mind elaborating on this? 1338934134 +That's pretty bizarre. Reminds me of dreams I have where I'll walk into my room or the bathroom, flip up the light switch, and the lights don't work. Always makes me uncomfortable, for some reason...\n\nHowever, that's just in a dream. In real life, it'd be even freakier! And for your situation, I can just imagine how alarming that'd be. I'm constantly turning my hall light off and on; when taking trips up&down the stairs, etc. And if I suddenly flipped the switch and noticed that my *hallway light went missing*, I'd freak out. 1334521796 +Correlation is not causation, and the evidence has not found a causal link between the two, except for obesity. 1345240946 +Mumra... I should have known.. 1351573805 +My son saw someone from age 3-5ish. It was an old man, not that that part's relevant. I also used to see/hear people as a child and occasionally still do, along with having very strange unexplainable events happen that are not explainable. (I am a scientist by trade so I am not one to *not* seek a logical/provable explaination.) \n\nI have always handled these things by accepting them. They are only scary if you see them that way and the issue isn't hurting your son, just freaking you out. I would simply tell my son to tell the man that it was time for him to go to bed (for example) and that he would need to visit in the morning. \n\nWhen I was living in an apartment the fire alarms would keep going off. They were not battery operated, but hard-wired into the house's electrical system and would send a msg to my landlord when it happened. He checked every possible physical aspect that would have caused this and I tracked it to see if it was happening when I performed a specific activity like showering, cooking, or cleaning as dust and particles can sometimes set them off. I finally said out loud that whomever was trying to get my attention should find a better way to do it because I was listening but this was getting nowhere. Never had an issue with a single alarm after that.\n\nBasically, some people have weird shit happen to them more frequently than others and it's nothing to be freaked out about. :) 1347222833 +KKK started as an anti-Catholic organization. 1347506475 +> Because the product leads the consumer to believe it works, when it doesn't.\n\nThis probably does "work", in that it's gritty and grinds the crap off of your teeth, and doesn't poison you too much in the process. Toothpaste isn't really that complicated. 1297194975 +The Streisand effect is truly a beautiful thing. Justice porn almost. 1340831592 +I'd have to think humans are indicative of other forms of life (belief in religion was most probably an early beneficial evolutionary trait in the formation of complex society). It allowed the mixing of non-relatives to form new classes, without creating the isolated gene pools you normally find in isolated classes.\n\nYou'd have to imagine that alien societies would likely have evolved in similar ways.\n 1341062916 +>How can you be sure that the person was a snake oil salesman?\n\nShe's a homeopathy *consultant*, which fits my definition of a snake oil salesman. \n\n>I sometimes lash out when I'm in a shitty mood, it's apparent I can't change anyone's views.\n\nYou're not going to change a homeopathy salespersons views when it comes to the woo they are peddling. Call me rude, but I'm not going legitimize woo with kindness, I'm going to call it how I see it. It's not like I'm walking up to a teenager and ridiculing him/her for wearing balance bracelets. The *attitude* as you describe it from the article was directed, IMO, appropriately. \n\n\n 1349267223 +> I'm just saying what are the odds that it would track the plane's speed and direction so perfectly?\n\nWhat are the odds the UFO would be flying around with it's lights on? The only reason I would think it would be doing so is because it *wanted* to be seen by the aircraft. If it wanted to be seen by the aircraft then it is perfectly reasonable it would be tracking it's speed and direction.\n\nThat said, I can't think of any reason why it would be wanting to be seen by the aircraft and overall the video comes off as fake to my eyes. 1356821545 +Yes, it clearly is analogous. No reasonable person could deny this, and it should be obvious on first look. Criticizing one opinion of a person (Criticizing Ron Paul for supporting homeopathy, criticizing Obama for his treatment of Manning) does not mean that you are, by proxy, being against other aspects of them (Being pro-war, being anti-black).\n\nSeriously, if I have to spell out all of my obvious analogies, I'm going to have no time for actual conversation. But perhaps that's your aim. 1313908718 +And the right to free speech or freedom/conscience was just as controversial when it was enshrined in the Constitution all those years ago.\n\nIf they object to the morning after pill and you're their boss, fire them for not doing their job. They have a right to refuse to do it, and that's great. But they don't have a right to work.\n\nI'd love to see them sue over this, especially as these religious folk are invariably going to cite prior discrimination suits against minorities and people who've been discriminated against for *not* being religious, like people who work for Catholic hospitals. 1337722366 +oops 1323037418 +oops 1354655061 +Stuff like this happens all the time. Even outside UFOlogy. Giant, slow moving space debri burning up was ignored by an entire marathon. If it wasn't caught on camera, by accident, then no one would have noticed.\n 1349560463 +She has no interests. At all. When I asked her, she said "music" and I facepalmed. 1302341296 +Yup. [You're being a bit of a dick.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQl5aYhkF3E) Make your point, then let it go. 1344794165 +For someone who doesn't believe in magic it sure looks like he's capable of it. 1300516344 +You posted the exact same information in the same subreddit a couple of hours previous to posting this thread. I upvoted that one, and I've just balanced out. 1304534962 +Not that I can recall. 1355195891 +Ask him what Zeitgeist is going to do about scarcity?\n\nIt's a fucking killer for these nutters. Their entire premise is essentially recreating The United Federation of Planets (a communist utopia if ever there was one), however all of their plans hinge upon a post-scarcity society. They haven't even solved their first major hurdle but want to jump straight to the endgame. 1314194654 +...why? 1317598959 +I disagree that that will work. I've had discussions over at r/drugs and other drug-related subreddits where people have seriously argued that drugs "open up" your perspective and allow you to perceive aspects of reality that you could not perceive before, because our perceptions are limited.\n\nYes, our perceptions are limited...but when you fuck with your brain chemistry, you're a lot more likely to get sensory data that is not based in reality than data that is, that you just couldn't perceive before.\n\n(I still can't get this idea into the most concise and precise language, but I think the gist should be clear.) 1275928307 +Where did you procure them? They sound like something I want on my bed! 1318546873 +Spirits can cause harm. Physical and mental and in various manifestations over various time frames. It is however exceedingly rare compared to how often its claimed to happen. There is of course other activity that is poorly understood by science which can also appear to be a spirit causing harm, but that is more frequently inherent and untrained psychism. And of course, as with many of the more subjective arts, much of this is up for discussion as to the details.\n\nA good book on the nature of spirits of various types and their forms of manifestations is: Spirit Speak by Ivo Dominguez Jr. Its almost certainly not what you're expecting.\n\n 1342397459 +Bill Maher 1309270346 +>That's an interesting moral question, but it's sort of unrelated to the statement he's making. He's making something of a utilitarian statement - that he can't be certain it will help, therefore he can't justify doing it.\nWhat I'm saying is that he can't be completely certain of anything. Apparently there's some level of certainty he's okay with for the rest of the world, but for some reason that's going out the window with the rest of it. \n \nHmm... My moral question seems quite on point with what he was saying to me, but I don't see him making the statement you're saying he did. \nNot trying to be a dick; but I skimmed it again, and that's what I gathered. \nFrom what I can tell he said that since the majority doesn't know what's best for *everyone* they shouldn't be allowed to force their views on *everyone*. He's just saying that he shouldn't have to be forced to give up his individual basic human rights to satisfy the majority's best guess at an ideal system. He's essentially just saying that governmental programs that are currently forced upon all people, should be opt-in. Obviously, he made some other points too, but yeah. 1313563227 +Yes, what I was getting at is that zinc lozenges baring the label "homeopathic" are not technically (or in any other way) homeopathic, they just have the label thrown on there to appeal to a certain demographic. 1352738654 +No wonder helium is getting so god damn expensive. 1337015204 +[part 1](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XONqNcsdbXo)\n[part 2](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo0eWbMFXIk)\npart 3 - I can't find it 1320313432 +The note on my posts said that the obvious negative of avoiding needed therapies are not counted.\n\nAs a medical practitioner, I have seen physicians keep a patient in their court instead of sending them to the proper management and cause harm too. \n\nThe phenomena you point out is very real indeed -- spread across all tradtions -- orthodox or scam traditions (thus, I left it out).\n 1305571562 +I'm sorry. It looks like a rock to me.\n\nWhich is not to say that I don't believe in the possibility of the existence of UFO's. 1346054489 +My advice: don't take medical advice from an ass clown. 1333427808 +How skepchick manages to write entire articles without actually challenging any of the "alternative" recommendations is beyond me.\n\nEvery article just quotes several *marketing* paragraphs used by alternative medicine companies without any real data, studies or rebuttals.\n\nWe get it skepchick, marketing is chocked full of bullshit and so are most "alternative cures"; but lets look at the facts rather than the advertisements\n 1265742023 +try walking around and see what happens? 1341828369 +There may indeed be some of that in nofap, but sometimes people tend to see a person's avoidance of an action/substance as a judgement of people who perform that action. I have spoken with recovering alcoholics who vehemently avoid talking about alcohol, because others act as if the alcoholic is judging them for drinking. 1344292444 +>It's the consumers job to educate themselves.\n\nThis November here in california we're having a GMO labeling proposition. You provided one of the best arguments as to why we need them! 1349848330 +was someone waving a metal cylinder? http://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Men-in-Black-pic-3.jpg\n\nseriously though it sounds like someone may have zapped you with an IR laser 1355108950 +Amazing! Finally a video of a sighting that captures the entire thing instead of less than a minute of blurriness and bad acting. \n\nThanks for sharing! 1350891578 +No... They do *not* have "huge" subsidies compared to fossil fuels.\n\nGoing by your criteria of "geographic" restriction... Coal and nuclear are restricted as well. That's hardly a compelling argument. 1337359326 +Indeed, as interesting as this article is, does this really belong on r/skeptic? 1336085716 +PS helen love your handle!!!! 1347727705 +I know someone that is like this, it's really frustrating to initiate a conversation about pretty much anything because it inevitably veers into conspiracy theories.\n\n> Homeopathy comes up. \n> ME: They are essentially selling water at really insane prices. \n> HIM: Okay but you can't trust big pharma, it's a multi-billion dollar industry. \n> ME: What does that have to do with how dumb homeopathy is? \n> HIM: I'm just being a skeptic, I question everything. \n> ME: [regretting taking part in the conversation at this point]\n\nConspiracy theorists love hiding behind the shield of skepticism, and it's really annoying. Being a skeptic doesn't mean you give equal weight to every possibility. 1329755856 +What do you mean "heard"? I take it that you're fairly convinced it wasn't actually hearing... he didn't say it under his breath? 1335040784 +And your piddling number of upvotes.\n\nAre you seriously trying to intimidate someone into ending a conversation on the internet...? 1327517480 +It's not really that hard, but ok. 1302132726 +> and a giant, transnational corporation who's only goal is profit \n\nHold on, loaded language.\n\nEvery company's goal is profit. And I'm willing to bet that your goal of going to work at whatever job you have is to make a profit for yourself. :) (Exceptions for people who work crap jobs at good non-profits)\n\n> doing massive genetic manipulation of a large portion of the entire world's food.\n\nPersonally, I wish they'd hurry up and get to doing large scale genetic manipulation on people.\n\n> And if there were evidence, or even a study proposal to see if GM foods held any danger, it would be in the interest of a giant, for profit corporation to suppress those studies.\n\nThis is true, which is why courts around the world have continuously taken a good hard look at GM foods. \n\nOne thing to keep in mind is that most genetic modifications of food consist of causing the plant to either generate some particular chemical substance that we already are familiar with, or to resist the effects of some particular chemical that we are familiar with.\n\n(The other main one is virus resistance)\n\nReally the main concerns aren't even the effects on humans. Shutting down the particular pathway that Round-Up impacts in a plant is going to have ~0% impact on the final product. It *might* make the plant deficient in something, but odds are it isn't going to cause the plant to start producing anything toxic. \n\nEnvironmental impact is far more important, as is environmental contamination. No one wants weeds that can't be killed with anything short of fire (ah, although I am sure many of us have encountered such weeds in our own yards ;) ).\n\nAnother risk, and one that has bit humanity in the arse in the past, is that of having a monoculture of a particular plant where everyone grows the exact same variant of a given crop. The danger of having a monoculture is that new types of infections can spread fast and they would impact everyone. An infection that can potentially infect 30% of wheat crops is bad, an infection that can potentially infect 90% of wheat crops is disastrous. \n\nAnd on a more personal level, reduced variety grown means I have less variety to cook with. -_- \n 1333153279 +Um... There is a link to the story about why the miners were doing what they were doing. The Doubtful News website is not about world news, it is about paranormal claims. And, it's not journalism, it's a news feed where you discuss these topics from a skeptical/scientific viewpoint. The article used for this piece was sent to me by someone in South Africa. The shooting part was well covered in world news. This was a very interesting corollary to why they may have behaved as they did. 1345467469 +Glad they give you some discretion in your recommendations! 1313451953 +According to their [digested version of references](http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js4926e/6.html), out of 30 or so trials with sham acupuncture as control group:\n\n* 20 resulted favourably for real acupuncture,\n* 5 resulted unfavourably,\n* 5 did not specify (just said acupuncture didn't work for the specific issue).\n\n\nI only got this data with ctrl+f for "sham", can't really bother to look into it. So, if I am to believe the trials and the WHO selecting trials fairly, poking needles into a **specific** set of places can\n\n* evaporate alcohol,\n* help prevent asthma,\n* provide pain relief,\n* reduce nausea and vomiting,\n* suppress appetite, and\n* prevent infection\n\n\nbetter than poking in other places. 1253803511 +Hello\n\nGreat idea, as someone who has just started learning how to use tarot, I would love a response from you :)\n\nI'm curious about my future career. Right now I'm in the criminal justice field and there are many different paths I can take 1353452775 +Yah... why not just link to the actual wikipedia??? 1310994039 +I think I found their [origin](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBk3jwNSteo&feature=player_detailpage#t=32s). 1304479295 +Yeah, sort of a stupid title to the post.\n\nWait. \n\nI mean, IT MUST BE! Because, you know! Aliens! 1329578124 +If she's really magnetic, she could "attract" these objects with a piece of paper between them and her skin. This isn't proof for or against, but if you are ever in a chance to test it, this is one way. 1283036166 +I'm interested in this "Dragons Blood ink". Is it made with real dragons? 1320770046 +Well that's disheartening. Same OP and all.\n\n*Ninja edit: and Happy Cake Day* 1355694826 +Would you oppose another investigation that isn't constrained and absurdly underfunded? 1316836306 +The video was sent to many top universities with an open invitation to submit rebuttals. \n\n 1356484973 +Are you seriously suggesting that "big brother" would not make provisions for such eventualities? Perhaps "big brother" is too busy running the death panels I read about a few months ago. 1301513347 +If they hold the next one in D.C. again, I'll definitely be there, and I'd love to take you and your brother up on that. 1343251544 +> Do you believe human society is ignorant of the spiritual truths that you know to be true?\n\nNo! You have some nerve even suggesting human society might be ignorant of the spiritual truths that I know to be true! 1310757064 +Thankfully 1355985011 +Here is the printable version. http://www.psychologytoday.com/print/83863\n\nIt forego much of the page's formatting, but puts everything onto one page which does eliminate a few of the more egregious problems with the layout. 1325545746 +could also be carbon monoxide poisoning. i remember watching an episode of paranormal state where everyone had the same experiences and it ended up being a carbon monoxide leak. 1344403576 +Alex values your friendship, and she has a good time when she goes out with you, but it's exhausting. Deal with it.\n\nYou are insisting you know your friends better than they know themselves. Maybe shit like that is why people tell you that you don't have a fucking clue. The worst part is that will always be someone else's fault. You'll never see it in yourself.\n\nAs for your own story, I'm unimpressed. I'm an introvert and it still feels weird spending Saturday night at home. 1338775673 +And Now, [Dehydrated Water](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004057DI8?ie=UTF8&tag=bedrosiannet-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004057DI8) 1316323690 +Ok, thought I'd through my knowledge in here.\n\nMy father is a senior paediatrician who specialised in diagnosing and treating behavioural conditions (specifically ADD/ADHD). He says that in extreme cases you can diagnose from the age of 4 (although it is better to diagnose at around 6, when you can monitor their behaviour around other children), and that prescribing ritalin in these conditions is standard practice. 1319265789 +> I tried reading the pages on the fbi site, it's a pain, I can't understand anything.\n\nYup. Reading declassified UFO documents is a huge pain in the head. The documents of the FBI in particular are difficult to read, out of order, contain duplicates, and of course are heavily redacted. You can compare them to [NSA](http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/declass/ufo/index.shtml), [CIA](http://www.foia.cia.gov/ufo.asp), and [DIA](http://www.dia.mil/public-affairs/foia/reading-room/) pages. \n\n> Please someone help me get this straight, where did they get this information from?\n\nThis specific letter was written by a private citizen who addressed their "memorandum of importance" to prominent scientists, politicians and publications. It is addressed July 8, 1947, which coincides with the peak of the flying disc UFO wave of 1947. Though the author's name is redacted, he identifies himself as an student of the esoteric and a former university department head. FWIW, I distinctly remember reading a newspaper article in the Google News archives that interviewed a San Diego Fortean about flying saucers around then. But I didn't save the reference, so unless someone else wants to go dig that up we don't know who he was specifically. The letter may have been addressed to Hoover or forwarded to the FBI, that's not quite clear.\n\n> These are strange things to read on an fbi site. If these were classified documents, they were classified for a reason, right? Which might bear some truth after all.\n\nI highly encourage people who are interested in UFOs to read through these files. While they are difficult to digest, they are also largely ignored, even by people who profess familiarity with UFOs \n\nThe FBI denied that they had any UFO files *at all* for decades. On October 25 1973, FBI director Clarence Kelley wrote "the investigation of Unidentified Flying Objects is not and never has been a matter that is within the investigative jurisdiction of the FBI." Just three years later, Navy physicist and UFOlogist Bruce Maccabee successfully got the FBI to declassify over 1,000 documents using the Freedom of Information Act. Much of what is currently posted in the FBI's "vault" comes from that case. In fact, most good UFO documents from USAF, FBI, CIA, NSA and other agencies came from FOIA requests in the 1970s, before the act lost it's teeth under Reagan. \n\n> This is the first time that the fbi publishes something like this. What are they trying to do? Throw the truth at us so that we don't recognize it or simply disinformation?\n\nMany people assume that these documents were just released. That's because the FBI does not provide any context but rather hands you huge piles of confusing documents. Now "the vault" as in the FBI's online website [has only been around since 2011](http://wayback.archive.org/web/*/http://vault.fbi.gov/UFO). But the documents have been available to diligent researchers for decades. [Dr. Maccabee wrote a book about the files in 2000](http://www.amazon.com/UFO-FBI-Connection-Governments-Cover-Up/dp/1567184936/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346460261&sr=8-1&keywords=fbi+ufo+maccabee). I haven't read it, but I'm sure it's far more interesting and informative than its cover suggests. Sort of like these FBI files themselves. 1346460038 +Same reason I believe in the normal, Ive seen it, and I'm sure it's seen me!\n\nOn the other hand I grew up in a very haunted house! Constantly saw ghostly presences, had things thrown, etc. My dad has seen things in the old house as well.\n\nTo me the paranormal is rather a normal occurrence! 1344703223 +Well, is there any reason to believwe that he's dead? The claim that they've finally killed someone we've been after for a decade is pretty extraordinary, so I think it's valid to ask for more proof than the US government's say-so, *especially* given their track record for telling the truth.\n\nDon't get me wrong, I don't think there's any evidence that they're lying either ( though dumping his body in the ocean was an excellent way to start rumors to that effect). I'm just saying, why decide either way with no evidence besides the word of a lying government? 1304344055 +I filmed this yesterday afternoon (Friday, May 4th). Poor headline-planning on my part. ;) 1336252075 +Bob Kerry (9-11 Commissioner) claims (in a moment of apparent candor?!) it is a real problem (9-11) because it is a thirty-year old conspiracy.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx4QcjBnzOI\n\nIf you can tell me what he means I think we might be on our way to getting to the bottom of this. Otherwise here we are today arguing with uniformed people.\n\nThe 9-11 Commission was a cover-up, a new investigation with teeth and transparency is needed. 1291002895 +Mostly paranoid people ranting in a terrified manner without any justification whatsoever. I doubt they themselves actually believe the shit they're saying, because there's money to be made off conspiracy theories. 1342132557 +[Get ready to have your world rocked](http://www.reddit.com/user/IamInLoveWithJesus). 1243477554 +That made my brain hurt. I must be suffering from EM-emitting DNA bacterial whatsits. 1338218409 +I'm skeptical that any animals have died in /r/wtf. 1294316574 +Definitely had this too. I feel it in the ocean, especially if I get tumbled by a wave. I get scared and then inhale air underwater.\nI totally forgot about this until now. Thanks! 1350795771 +Interesting. I'm a bit surprised there were no problems with inflammation.\n\n> But the NHS uses it for just about anything, even smoking cessation\n\nTBH, I think that for something like quitting smoking, painful procedures may be the most effective approach. 1347110771 +Yay BLUE LINKS!!! I know u all gusta blue links :3 1331866439 +The colour black is also really unlucky - so companies that have black business cards are advised to re-colour them if wanting to do business in China.\n\nI also read of a case in Sydney where Star City casino put on free buses to bring people in from suburbs with a lot of Asian Australian residents (as gambling is apparently popular among them). They couldn't work out why hardly anyone used them. Then it was finally pointed out that the buses were black, and no sector of the population is going to be more superstitious than gamblers. The casino switched the colour to gold - a "lucky" colour - and the punters poured in. 1304127446 +>Acupuncture works\n\n"Acupuncture doesn't work because the techniques were arrived at through intuitive thinking, it works because they have an effect upon the human body and emotional state- *at least according to many people who've been treated with acupuncture*."\n\nDon't use a partial quote from my comment that changes the intended meaning. You also disregarded the more important point of my reply to you. That was where I made clear that I in no way meant that Chinese and other Asians acquired knowledge in engineering, mathematics, science by the use of intuitive thought. My intent was to say they are quite capable and proficient in rational thinking. Why did you choose to focus on the issue of whether acupuncture is actually effective instead of the clarification of my original comment?\n\nI get tired of how often the word racism gets thrown around on Reddit, and how often the accusation is merely a lazy attempt to discredit and/or insult someone. Even if the intention of my comment that you seem to have been so offended by were as you interpreted it, what's racist about it? Do you doubt that Asians think somewhat different Westerners? People of different cultures think differently. The brain functions in the same way, but there are still different patterns and ways of thinking. I should have worded my comment differently. I should have written, "What people should remember is that the Chinese and other Asians have no difficulty comprehending engineering, mathematics, science, and other specialized fields of knowledge, *and that requires rational thinking which they are quite capable of*." 1304836811 +Where did I stated he was the real deal? I'm saying he did some interesting things, which he did. He has been researched by SRI and that research is highly interesting. As is all the research by Targ and Puthof btw. \nThe point is that fame is not dependent on overcoming the skeptics. And not everybody is looking for fame and money. Plus it says nothing about the actual truth of the matter. \n\nI understand you are just trying to corner me. So please, go fuck yourself. Don't bother replying.\n\n 1316233424 +Jumping in to try to clear something up real quick:\n\n>I only gave one anecdote, .... Really? A singular comment not only becomes plural, it's "full of"?\n\nFrom my count, you used anecdotal evidence three times.\n[There was the video about worker's comp fraud](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/n485f/remember_wobblegirl_yeah_we_all_knew_it_was_a/c3677wp) as evidence that it could be faked for money, which was further backed up by [your claim that you had an employee try to scam you for disability benefits](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/n485f/remember_wobblegirl_yeah_we_all_knew_it_was_a/c3679rp), and then you told a story about [a neurologist misdiagnosing your son](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/n485f/remember_wobblegirl_yeah_we_all_knew_it_was_a/c367gge). 1323358556 +You were kind of a dick when you were 14. 1326585758 +>there are ways to securely lock stuff up that will last indefinitely.\n\nPlease give scientific sources. Seeing the discussion here in Europe I doubt this very strongly. Most scientists here don't agree.\n\n100,000 years might be a longer period of time than you think considering that western culture is not even 3,000 years old. 1337338296 +Based on previous posts, I believe they are talking about the many ad hoc skywatch groups set up/inspired by Ed Grimsley. He uses 3rd/4th gen. night vision and recording equipment to capture "epic space battles between UFOs." 1283875746 +What about these rumors that they saw alien craft while on the moon? Surely, if this were true, he would have mentioned it in this and other interviews. \n \nDr. Mitchell is discussing his opinion in this video with no evidence to back it up (circumstantial, anecdotal, or otherwise). 1329930658 +No you arrogant atheists just try to use logic for everything but you don't understand Jesus is divine. He can make matter appear like anything. Dinosaur bones appear to be 100 million years old because the atoms were designed that way to give humans more adventures on the planet and because if he didn't design the world as if it were older, then there'd be no stars in the sky except the sun. The Turin Shroud is real, it looks like the Jesus that Leonardo Da Vinci painted and that can't be a coincidence so Leonardo must have been divinely inspired to know what Jesus really looked like. 1324521342 +You're asking for evidence for a claim - that he took money to influence his position during his tenure - that *neither Tom nor I have actually made*\n\nI have been and will continue to be extremely skeptical and disapproving of a president who presided over an organization founded in part by Monsanto, and of which Monsanto is the only corporate funder and partner, being appointed to a position where he will be able to guide funding and oversight in a field in which Monsanto is a major competitor and in which Monsanto has massive vested interests. Tom is as well. \n\nDid you have any problem with Dick Cheney's stint as 1) Secretary of Defense 2) CEO of Halliburton 3)VP? If so, do you have any direct evidence of corruption to back that up? 1311725289 +Yeah, because the majority is always right... 1320285838 +Why can't /r/skeptic stop all the downvoting? Same answer applies. 1317209961 +Although I will say that the leap caused by my own personal leanings about the existence aliens may have made my friends err on the side of caution, I think ultimately the fact that they were trying to debunk the fact that I saw anything, rather than explanation for it, is what the real issue is (I could give a damn if they believe in aliens or not, I just dont want people looking at me like I'm stupid for telling them I saw something that scientists have been seeing and documenting for decades) ...and you've just provided a shit ton of info that, if I wanted, in the future, I could share with them in order to change their minds.\n\nBut still, amazing post. I've been browsing UAP so I was aware of some of that stuff (a fraction) but you've just introduced a wealth of knowledge (I'm kind of blown away by the fact that astronomers see UFOs and report them)\n\nI wish that Sagan book was Kindle available, but I'll definitely be reading it soon. \n 1331692270 +the history books you mention are a fun read for sure, but the tilt toward an economic theory is what I was trying to avoid. 1334335596 +Half of this is called cherry-picking. 1343331419 +Looked like a lady in tight shorts stretching and producing pink excrement.\n\nOh and having a needle being stuck at their anus. 1286218264 +I hope they do make a black hole, so I can throw that 300-page pdf—and the time I spent reading it—right in. The article covers the "killer black hole" myth about the LHC in detail. 1308174542 +ASTONISHING. It's a good thing that UNBELIEVABLE footage was caught on film.\n\nWhat is it with UFO things on the internet and the over use of capitalization? 1321800358 +It looks like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAdNKPR8gZc\n\nTo me this is just a really good fake with either the sky lantern or the helicopter added in. I may be wrong, and if I am, nobody will be happier than I. 1291241516 +I can't find it right now, but that one is even more alarming. 1349819554 +I was about to make a smart-assed comment about a gateway to the other dimension being a board game, but I swear I choked on a piece of cheese as I was about to. So yeah, ouija, powerful stuff. 1326845358 +to be skeptical is healthy, as long as you can be objective at the same time 1323767189 +Ha! It's for this reason I keep asking Adobe to put a spellchecker in photoshop. (Though even that would not have helped me here.) Thanks again! 1326128081 +Your dad in another universe 1335518028 +Yeah, OK, but some people believe crazy things because that's what they were taught. Isaac Newton was not only a devout Christian, but he also thought he could turn lead into gold. 1284997839 +>Can you point to a single study that proves, or claims to have proven that fingerprints\n\nI don't actually need to even need to read further to know that my answer is "no". I can't prove anything outside of mathematics and formal logic.\n\nSo I agree that fingerprints shouldn't be taken as absolute proof. I would argue that they should be taken as evidence though, but that more evidence should be required to convict anyone, finding someone's fingerprint at the scene of a crime would be pretty weak evidence on it's own that the fingerprint's owner was responsible for the crime.\n\nAs for your question in the first line, at least according to wikipedia:\n\n>No two fingerprints have ever been found identical in many billions of human and automated computer comparisons. 1335566558 +looks like a shadow from something in front of him. But this video is a copy of the original and it might have been easier to see it on the original by RetiredAFB.\n 1354013496 +Not really. I've felt trapped with just my hubby in the room. Or any number of other people, male or female. Granted, I have anxiety, but the attractiveness doesn't play into it. Sure, some women may allow attractiveness to sway them, but not all do. (and not all that don't allow the swaying have anxiety issues either) 1310065257 +I believe you but I can see how some people wouldn't believe these.... impossible stories. 1354837638 +yeah it looked like a badly timed motion blur effect. 1330875172 +Iv been on a alien/ufo kick for years now and its gotten to the point where whenever im outside at night or even during the day for that matter, I always look up hoping i'd see something unsual. I live in Queens New York, right between 3 airports, and there's always several things flying in the sky. I wish for the day I could look up and see something like that. 1334641263 +http://listverse.com/2012/02/26/top-10-skull-hoaxes/\n\n\nAstroids have hit earth. What better way to hoax than to put a piece in you and say you were probed.\n\n\nhttp://coralcastle.com/ (built by one man)\n\n\nId love to believe we have been visited, and i think there are enough people withm1st hand encounters to almost believe we are, or have been, but i just need better good hard proof. There are too many hoaxs out there, and while i really want to believe, i have to be skeptical as well. We have to question everything to get the truth. 1351101379 +Canadian here. Forgive my ignorance but what is this radio program about exactly?\n\nSorry. 1345045033 +You may as well have linked to the National Enquirer. 1252714197 +You're welcome. :) \n\nI've not had any physical trauma to speak of but I did have a pretty cold upbringing. \n\nI've just remembered a possible other premonition. The day after the World Trade Centre attack I dreamt that I was standing in the middle of a war zone with tanks and guns firing around us. It could have been a premonition or just anxiety of what had happened. 1354802631 +It could be either but thankfully its a spelling error. If it was a grammar error I'd be pretty retarded. :) 1288791450 +It couldn't be just in my mind could it?.... I feel fine when I am away from the place, it's only when I'm here. 1340027898 +It means they look very closely at the evidence, and come from a skeptical point of view while trying to find logical explanations. 1335999361 +> opinion is worthless\n\nDitto.\n\nKindly go away, troll. 1353891434 +"Ahh, the Luftwaffe! The Washington Generals of the History Channel!" 1293774288 +For the record, to me the phrase "tl;dr" discredits anything you might have wanted to contribute to the discussion. How can you criticize her attitude if you weren't even willing to follow her argument to its full conclusion? 1311453102 +Do you mind sharing some of the words that worked for you? 1274669877 +These objects would have to be massive to be able to see them from that distance... 1345657638 +Really? This is the thing that convinces you? 1351847865 +This is more common than I thought! Thanks for the link. :) I'd love to hear personal experiences from other redditors just to solidify that it's not a completely unusual experience. 1350067410 +Note: It might not be 2011 (maybe 200X? Not sure) in the first picture, I couldn't really make it out.\n\nhttps://maps.google.com/maps?q=56th+and+clay+denver&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&sa=N&tab=wl 1352530242 +bravo for being a true skeptic! 1344198367 +The tell-tale heart. 1335499969 +Hey, I get to downvote it twice! 1324733616 +Based on what we learned about Sparta in my college course, in which we delved into this particular matter at some length, this seems, as I understood it, to primarily have been a cultural thing. 1338525335 +But he has 100% positive feedback! 1325450368 +I will need some as well. =D 1283875732 +That Tasmanian tigers are not extinct and a few still remain.\n\nStill not very likely, but a few patchy videoes from the 70s showed creatures that could have been these [when they were supposed to have gone exstinct in the 30's] and a lot of Tasmania is kind of remote and isolated.....its possible a small population remained. I could also see locals keeping their existence a secret for fear that they would be hunted and wiped out totally again...which is what happened last time, Euoropeans quite literally hunted them to extinction and bounties were placed on them because they believed the animals were responsible for killing sheep.... the last few in captivity died due to neglect.\n\nIts also possible some populations survived on mainland Australia.\n\nMaybe this is just be mixing up hope with reality though...most likely they are gone and not coming back. 1279200294 +Is Celebrity Apprentice tanking all of a sudden? 1333469207 +Most of the other important points have been covered, so I'll only add:\n\nHumans need to consume B vitamins to survive. B vitamins occur only in animal sources. Duh.\n\n 1334883346 +I'm going to see James Onen at Cardiff SiTP tomorrow night. I'm sure he's going to have a lot of scary stories from Uganda. 1317853157 +The link did not provide the clarity I was looking for. Done with the gambit :) 1337582707 +You're right. I shall cease having fun immediately. I apologize. 1301605584 +You can't just say that milk will worsen or encourage cancer. [This](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11535708) study showed that milk has a preventative effect and dietary changes should only be considered for certain subpopulations. If you pumped IGF into someone through an IV it would be detrimental, but there's more to it than that with dairy products. 1347825649 +Nope... Nothing there but light and shadow. 1337188147 +Throw in David Icke and you've got my vote.\n\nMy reptilian, Illuminati vote. 1333682623 +Depends on what you define as good. I consider it good when someone like that stops trying to interact with me. That's a pretty damn quick way of getting that accomplished. 1299051931 +Can you film it? Is there anyway to listen online?\n\n\nI think it's bullshit but I guess ask about this: http://www.veteranstoday.com/2012/09/17/ufo-war-chinese-and-us-navy-off-san-francisco/\n 1348354301 +And a chemical! And by some definitions, a heavy metal. 1341257491 +Are there answers to the test at the top? 1332104179 +As someone pointed out there is most definitely known benefits to fluoride. Mostly dental. What most people are ignorant of though is that water fluoridation occurs naturally and the water fluoridation process in includes removing it it the amount is too high. 1344807126 +Hon, I wouldn't worry about that, people who make threats like that aren't actually able to carry them out, they neither have the wit, nor the means. People who can carry out any threats, don't make the threats, they just do you in quietly. \nYoghurt weaving is hardly a way of life that connects you to dangerous networks of people either. These farts-in a-hurricane are used to making spiritual threats to people who believe their crap, they can cause fear from a distance as well as healing. I'm betting if you raised your hand to strike one of them they'd squeal and flop about like the spineless asses they actually are. \n\nKnow what I've learned abut subjects like this? Pinch of salt. \nSome people are hard-wired to believe in things that seem fantastical to you, but are real enough to them. \nThat cannot be changed. Let them get on with it, otherwise you will keep finding yourself in this position all over.\n\nAt least YOU have your wits abut you and a right set heart. 1345106462 +when reporting indoors... when outside, you're wearing headgear 99.9% of the time. 1349914178 +It's embarrassing at times. If you're in a bigger city, there's plenty of people who don't give a rat's ass about SEC football, but if you go to a smaller, more blue collar city, they'll look at you sideways if you say you don't watch. I watch NFL. I'd rather hear about college football than how everyone in Santa Fe is "more enlightened than everyone else, because we're closer to the moon." 1348165426 +Which guy, me? haha 1330581120 +[/r/UAP](http://www.reddit.com/r/uap) calls! 1325371441 +Indeed. I was being facetious with the Harrier comment in naming a plane that "does half of those things". 1328687950 +It's so sad cause they are probably been brainwashed and instructed in what to say and how to act since they were little. It really reminds me of the whole West Boro Baptist Church but with worse delivery. 1330708391 +He is very well spoken and clear on his ideas and goals that he has put forth. Read his book you dimwit. 1295208389 +Next time wear some sunglasses :) \n 1306805299 +I did not know that, I dont think anyone can argue that his life is not a mystery and will probably remain one forever 1329977968 +Gonna go a little further. \n\nJust makes me think. Obelisk is at the Vatican (St. Peter's Square), and in D.C (Washington Monument). \n\nhttp://bettybaroque.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/obelisk1.jpg\n\nhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Washington_Monument_Dusk_Jan_2006.jpg/250px-Washington_Monument_Dusk_Jan_2006.jpg\n\nYou have to wonder, are 'they' still in charge? 1321574949 +It had nothing to do with how a person looks in their personal life, but how you look when you are trying to sell something to the general public. Do you think the average mall going mom pushing the stroller would be more convinced by a kid with two lip rings and a hat resting off to one side on his head, or a guy in a business casual outfit? 1293981584 +Exactly. Truth whether it's what we want to hear or not. 1313636260 +Apparently yes, Jamie writes ... *"Teri refunded our registration money in cash from her own wallet. Then, all three hotel security guards and the four armed-Lombard police officers marched us out of the conference."* 1306780714 +Yeah I want to call BS on the OP but I'm not sure if I should, because I too have had this happen to me several times throughout my childhood. In fact I tested it by telling a friend exactly how an event would play out (involving my mother) and it did.\n\n(I always took into account my own insanity until I tested it with another person)\n\n I had them happen so often that I began experimenting by changing my actions in small ways in order to get a different result than the predetermined life-path. \n\nIt is weird but ultimately changes very little about reality except what we can take from it as individuals, it's certainly salted my view of reality.\n\nWhat I've found though is how difficult it is to relay this information to others, it's such a taboo subject people often dismiss said events as simple insanity.\n\nI've found consistent questioning of reality has lessened these experiences, I no longer have them but strange things become less of an impact as all realities become more welcome.\n\n\n\n \n 1354359072 +The post above me initiated politics. Don't bring up politics if you don't want a political response. 1311938653 +this is interesting because i became good friends with a colleague from work and he has these very same experiences. i will say that he is a highly energetic individual who will have tears come from his eyes if he hears an excellent piece of music for example. it's like his senses are overloaded he says. now, i'm open to all sorts of things but when he told me about this condition, i as well as several other friends, didn't really believe him. so when he told us this we were outside walking near a lake with lamp posts and he says it happens "just like this" he then walks over to one of the lamps, places his hand on it and it goes out.of course everyone erupted into a bit of absurd laughter but then he placed his hand back onto it and the bulb went back on. long story short i don't think you're crazy, i think we all have various natural abilities that we just don't nurture or embrace. 1353398877 +Oh ya where were you flying over? 1353000417 +A "Ghost Hunter" is a hobbyist and a "Paranormal Researcher" is a hobbyist with an inflated ego? 1326489957 +>Radiation therapy is just called radiation therapy.\n\nOr "radiotherapy" in Australia/Canada/the UK. 1319435223 +There is. 1340566678 +Why does a subreddit like skeptic need such a badly editorialized headline? 1323790233 +Here's the main problem:\n\n> it creeps me out and makes me uncomfortable when men sexualize me in that manner\n\nAnd the fact that PZ had to make a big deal out of it.\n\nIt is **not** creepy to ask someone politely. Talking to a woman is **not** sexualizing her.\n\nBy behaving like this, Skepchick is undermining the feminist cause. 1310461335 +[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SouPQnxLtM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SouPQnxLtM)\n\n[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRpqxJkyqDM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRpqxJkyqDM)\n\n[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awIYPKZSvR4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awIYPKZSvR4) 1338716704 +Probably nothing. Most ufo reports include the fact that whatever they were seeing was completely silent. So, imo, I'd have to say you probably wouldn't hear anything at all. 1353563525 +>I’ve seen people benefit from lots of different therapies – including alternative therapies.\n\nEye witness testimony doesn't carry much weight, as you probably know.\n\nThe placebo effect can help with many issues.\n\nAs I understand it, doctors can't prescribe people placebos and claim it's something else. 1328330666 +Ah it looked cool, back before I joined the Army, I was in the CAP, and we got to go to the 45th Weather Squadron at Patrick AFB during Air Force Space Command Familiarization, pretty cool stuff. 1303167427 +Yeah, he went to my high school. I think. 1269010088 +And people tell me the general public isn't getting emotional reactions to science from bad sci-fi and horror movies. 1244828144 +How to say this nicely.... \n\nThis video's view of reality is highly unlikely. 1338167390 +I don't argue with that. I think vaccines are an important part of public health. \n\nMy argument is against forced vaccination.\n\n 1301518540 +Clayton. 1300032934 +I realize that this is much later, but here is my advice for you:\n\nThese things "feed" on fear and negative energy. Ignoring them can work, to a point, but actively "shielding" yourself and resisting them tends to work better. If you have true faith in a particular religion, deeply pray to your God(s) for protection and safe passage throughout the night. Use any pertinent religious symbols/texts as well.\n\nDuring the day, go room to room and again deeply pray to your God(s) to ward the room against all manners of evil. Place a token of your faith to help enhance it.\n\nIf you're not religious, then there is an alternative. Clear your mind, close your eyes, and picture yourself surrounded by a protective barrier of pure benign energy.\n\nWhatever you choose to protect yourself, invest your faith fully in it. They do not like resistance--most evil spirits tend to go for the easy prey.\n\nThe key is facing them brave and upright and trying to have no fear. That is by far the most difficult thing and something I am still far from mastering.\n\nHere is a question for you so I can help determine what it was that was haunting you. I am no expert, but I have had firsthand paranormal experiences. After reading some of your comments, I only have one question that will help me determine what is most likely haunting you.\n\nWere there any particular scents associated with the entity/ies? Namely foul ones.\n\nEDIT: I read that you used a Ouija Board. Huge mistake--that's akin to playing Russian roulette with the paranormal and it looks like you caught a "bullet." Never ever use those again or permit one to be within your abode. 1323707454 +Instinct mainly. When you can't see anything you get scared because any predator could be hiding in there, as it was for your ancestors. Also your mind is programmed to freak out at anything it doesn't understand (e.g. when you're on a giant roller coaster or a shadowy figure that could be a 'predator' by your bed) - it's fight or flight instinct kicking in. 1328364886 +Cooked bones are so much softer, so no it doesn't make sense. To say they are harder is just plain silly.\n\nIf you cook chicken bones enough you can eat them. 1269047647 +So is the whole "high acid level in your body causes disease" thing fully debunked?\n\nI heard a shithead on the radio talking about that one recently, he also mentioned how people need to get back to respecting their elders and praying to god more, so that clinched his assholedom for me. 1264348990 +I think that might also be true. 1324580460 +It's TEDx, so it isn't vetted in any way by TED, and this isn't the first time it's been used as a platform for flummery.\n\n(I googled "TED woo," and there are apparently a lot of people named Ted Woo.) 1338904511 +The fact that this is from somethingawful.com should be a red flag that this is fake... who wants to take bets for when this gets posted on age of autism?\n\n 1312031818 +Give him a vibrator and tell him it's a cure-all. 1337280234 +This is one of the things that brings it close to [Poe's Law](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Poe's_Law) territory. 1342644433 +By the way, you want to do \\[text\\]\\(link\\) instead of using HTML. 1336491987 +Considering that 70 percent of Earth's surface is covered with water, it is logical to assume that if an alien aircraft were to crash on earth it would be in water. Imagine the fact we we are still finding shipwrecks of our own hundreds of years after they sink. And in most of those cases we have a general ideas of where they go down. I am following this story with great interest. There is something down there, that seems to be for sure. 1327585851 +I don't believe those lights were a reflection. The lights are clearly behind the tree at 0:37.\n\nEdit: Watched it again. There is a brief moment where the bottom light looks like it is infront of the tree branch, but its a combination of the small tree branch and the out of focus lights that cause this effect. 1343434455 +gee could that possibly be because the soldiers have been there killing their civilians for a generation? 1294695564 +How do you objectively measure "Stupiderity" 1331775452 +You misread. Mainstream researchers have decided that CO2 alone is sufficient to overwelm all other factors. Models indeed quantify other factors but do so in order to account for or elliminate their influence in light of CO2 dominance. ie - they presume CO2 dominance and then reduce the influence of other factors. it's no wonder that only one computer run out of thousands will give a result that mirrors present conditions and that *none* have given an accurate hindcast. If one's models can't account for historical data there is no way that any can be claimed to accurately predict the future. 1354971404 +A wild Ad Hominem appears! 1310091334 +*astonished stare*. 1334547319 +Did you put the same time into Stellarium that you saw the object? Jupiter will be to the south just after sunset, and moves to the west over the next few hours, before setting in the west. It should be, by far, the brightest star-like object in the sky--you can't miss it. Try looking again tonight, and use Stellarium just before, and see if you can find Jupiter *and* the other object at the same time. If you only see one extremely bright star, it's almost certainly Jupiter.\n\nA normal camera would show Jupiter that large if it has trouble determining where it should focus. When it's slightly out of focus, it will look like a large circular light. 1288979010 +They maintain a searchable database of questionable research. 1347819079 +I did. I admittedly had zero results, and was trying it alone. I want to try it again with a few friends, although I'd prefer some more serious friends to the ones I KNOW will just fuck with me. 1351806216 +Report back if you do try it again! 1350793068 +Do you mean that it sounds like something is there in the EVP?\n\nI haven't had anything like this happen before. We have had a few minor things happen in this house though. One is that the doors keep locking seemingly on their own. The bathroom door, the exterior side door and most recently our sliding glass door to the porch. I'm not sure what to make of that, it could just be a coincidence, but it is 3 different doors now multiple times. Thankfully, we haven't been locked out yet because we've had our keys with us.\n\nThere also was a time that I was in our finished basement and I heard someone open a door down there to the unfinished part and then shut it. I assumed it was my wife but 2 minutes later she yelled down to me and asked me if I was the one opening the door down there. I said no and we both got a little freaked out but eventually just forgot about it.\n\nWe've lived in this house for about 3 months. It was made in 1960 and no one has died here as far as I know. The only thing I can think of is the fact that I've been doing EVPs, mostly outside of the house in a graveyard a few miles away. I don't know if something followed me back or what. I'm not really afraid yet. I appreciated the fact that it woke me up at 6 am and not like 2 am or something : ) 1329490346 +To me it seems incredibly likely that there would be moon bases. Almost no one has a powerful enough telescope at home to see the near side of the moon in great enough detail to really watch for anomalies, and the far side of the moon is not visible to us at all. What a convenient staging area for all kinds of projects! 1332431087 +I would rather die of dick cancer than give up bread and pasta.\n\nanyhow, off topic as this request may be, can you ask them if they also do the "wash like a caveman" routine as well? there is a small group of folk out there that find themselves giving up soap and washing with water alone, with glorious results. I tried it for kicks a few months ago and have been soap free since, for the simple fact that I'm fine without it. the explanation I've read is that the soap makes your body overcompensate on oil production, which is why going without soap makes your body "level" out (god I hate words like that). as quaky as it sounds, it is the only explanation my brain can tolerate, as both my girl and my friends say that I smell good all the time now. 1303777985 +In my opinion they are real. I've been dead before. I hanged myself when I was younger. I will not go into details, but things I did in my past have resulted in an odd nonstandard configuration of my soul. The things you speak of, demons, angels... I've not met either, but spirits and entities... I consume them regularly. 1323965730 +Dr Oz has lost all credibility since he became famous. Get better advice watching the Price is Right. 1330363843 +Her boobs were more FOX news than CNN. \n 1352974065 +How about the hair one? "Alcohol cleans the scalp, removes 'toxins' and stimulates growth of healthy hair". What kind of toxins are they talking about? 1338987005 +Is there another Riverdale Road? 1332628859 +Or alternatively, we will all have a local google on our iWhatever. 1339934460 +This is really cool! Can you do one for me? I want to know how my current relationship is going to work out. We've been together for almost 2 years, and we're starring to have problems 1353410766 +Thank you for the correction. 1328477927 +Poor sample size. Poor controls. 1335536987 +Are you familiar with post hoc ergo propter hoc?\n\nAlso, [earthquakes are not unknown in the region](http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/oklahoma/history.php).\n\n(Minor point: it was a 5.6) 1320592109 +This pastor's methods are as evidenced-based as any other ex-gay therapy. 1352769854 +of course.\n\nHowever, I have seen one too many Fox TV specials when supposed UFOs, etc. were really just misinterpreted common events. The red glow from a UFO in the woods was really the glow from truck tail lights, etc. all cleverly edited and primed so that the UFO explanation was jumped on first.\n\nGiven the tourist industry in Hessdalen from the mystery lights, there is a financial interest to not find a prosaic or common explanation for the lights. who wants to be know as the scientist who killed the golden goose? 1312891947 +yes exactly, I distinctly remember the same uncle stole my bike from THAT room and sold it for beer -_-. I have no idea why nobody will talk. 1355268918 +I didn't mean straight up breathing, I meant the way we breath and do various other action, do we do it in an optimal manner, or do we do it wrong for cultural reasons. 1329954004 +That's a result of two different images being merged together. Notice how on one side the terrain is much smoother than on the other side? If there were more satellites orbiting Mars, it probably wouldn't look like that. There would still be some irregularities, but that happens even on Google Earth. Ever see trees full of leaves and then one frame over all the leaves are gone? Two different shots sewn together. 1329852144 +Couldn't Have said it better myself. 1328160704 +Good list. My one small nitpick is that osteopaths don't belong in the same category as chiropractors and acupuncturists. As I understand it, osteopaths are actually fully accredited medical doctors, they just do other chiropractic type nonsense in addition to that.\n\nPerhaps instead of "osteopath" a better example would be "naturopath" 1326120537 +The Doctor must have finally fixed the chameleon circuit 1336160795 +It's well worth reading the story about the Holy man arriving at the village. 1289165651 +> hey hippy and hipster are not interchangeable terms!\n\nI know... hence I specified both... :p 1311021600 +If anyone had been able to do that, I'd agree. But after 15 years of pain, I pretty happy to have it gone, even if it *does* cost me $25-50 a month. 1356898589 +I remember reading a while ago that China and other Asian poor countries (like Vietnam) turned a blind eye con “traditional” medicine for a pragmatic reasons: it was cheap –compared with “western” medicine- and people already trusted it. But that notion was more connected with a couple of decades ago, when those countries still didn’t engage in the market economy like today. Sadly the economic resurgence seems to have not updated to a change on attitudes towards those ideas. \nThe problem with skepticism is that for an authoritarian government is a double edged sword: you can’t adopt the healthy unconditional skepticism that allows you to question everything in search for scientific value while maintaining a system where some truths must be kept untouched. So what would you do? My guess is that you keep the people away from anything that allow them to question unconstrained. The benefits of science can be bought by other means in today’s globalized world while still keeping ideologies that by themselves couldn’t have achieved them, at least in full. The thing is that you have to maintain the monopoly of woo woo in order to keep the legitimacy of such system. \nWestern democracies aren’t all roses though; as we see, the right to question everything came without the compromise to prove with reasonable certainty what you later asses as true. Suddenly people confused the democratic value of everyone’s vote as the inherent value of everyone’s opinion in any matter, and science doesn’t work that way. Quacks expose their quackery without further challenge, in a kind of free for all buffet people is left to choose their liking only based on emotional perception, and that notion is now tying to pervade to schools. \nNice to read about your experience in China though I wouldn’t try any bold move –especially given that even in one’s language the skills necessary are high- because in things that are deeply held and cherished you can only inconspicuously build a bridge and only expect the other to cross it willingly. \n 1355868805 +I'm with you on this. Also what you perceive when you're 8 is different than how your 40 year old Mom perceives it. 1328902113 +Oh I can definitely shut up. I've done so many times. I'm just currently choosing not to. Again, meh. It doesn't take that much for me as of the moment to go back and forth w/you because it's of no ultimate consequence. 1339695326 +Actually it's a normal (poorly positioned) x-ray, but according to a chiropractic x-ray education page I pulled it from that's subluxation. \n\nWhat treatment course would you follow?\n 1349549608 +Is it pseudo-science if it explicitly professes not having a method of reasoning or analysis? Can you still use that label if they don't misuse buzzwords or attempt to make some sort of explanation and instead emphasize that reasoning is improper and it's more important to "just believe"? 1314477435 +I think it's important to distinguish between an Islamist state and Muslims. State power is almost always abusive, be it Islamic, Christian, Jewish, or secular. Nearly all religious people on the planet are decent people who are just trying to get through life. \n\nA Muslim state with nuclear weapons would be no more dangerous the Israel, which has nuclear weapons. It's interesting how light Sam Harris' criticism is of Israel. The Jewish state of Israel has far greater military power than all the Muslim nations combined but you wouldn't know that reading Harris. 1269659417 +The comments from the deniers are scary. 1254272596 +What happened to being "done" ?\n\nYou're right I don't know what the "Truth" movement believes because (1) it is ever changing and (2) not based on truth.\n\nKeep on believing that silent, invisible explosives that don't explode out took down buildings at free fall speeds for some massive conspiracy that has been so good at hiding itself -- just not good enough to hide themselves from your genius sleuth skills with alternate reality.\n\nKeep citing sources that say the buildings didn't fall at free fall speeds to prove that they did fall at free fall speeds. There's no way to beat that logic. 1332610722 +Having a chicken pox party is just a primitive form of vaccination. If you aren't going to vaccinate, this is the next best thing. \n\n 1320533748 +This made me smile. Oh you. 1288921592 +> we can fall victim to it ourselves.\n\nNow if the human mind, on a subconscious level, can be manipulated that way and you don’t know it, I always use the phrase, “You’re like a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest.” I mean you are really giving a lot of quarter to the external world that you can’t afford to give.\n\n- Charlie Munger, Warren Buffets business partner.\n 1284768170 +There were too many idiots to whom this message applied to. 1343251157 +That's always the thing with UFO's, isn't it? Always tantalizingly close, but just a bit too blurry or dark to make out. Never, ever a one that you can actually make out any details. There's tons of UFO footage but I have never seen a single video that I could say with certainty showed a spacecraft. 1290634766 +Isn't this the clip from the sci-fi channel show fact or fake? 1324344490 +I want to know if any gay people were involved in the growing or picking of my food. I just don't trust 'em. It's my right as a consumer to know! 1331252699 +Milk is not a needed food for one. You can cut it out entirely.\n\nBut I have heard from friends who try it that they have less response to it (less farting) than normal milk. Do with that what you will.\n\nThe main difference between raw milk and normal milk is the pasteurization process. This heats up the milk to near boiling to kill some bacteria. \n\nHere is wiki for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasteurization#Side-effects_of_pasteurization 1332986193 +I read the entire post and watched the video again, in fullscreen. I see the dark shadow around the center. 1342728359 +Just came here to agree with DivineJustice. While you are figuring-out *why* your body is doing this; allow it to happen at a few different locations, and a bit of (reasonably) simple triangulation should show you if there is a specific place/direction that you body is trying to go to. - I would suggest letting your husband choose the locations, and you don't try to find out where you are till the experiment is over. If possible, do it on an overcast day, to remove any directional reference you will get from the sun. 1343610372 +Why do you assume the nice bits are original, and all the horrible stuff is added after the fact? 1240720051 +Well the majority of paranormal cases are usually found out to be either a hoax or something else that is not paranormal at all. Then a few cases are as of yet unsolved. Remember there has not been one paranormal case that has been proven with out doubt to be true. 1340028596 +And in 3 months, we'll have a bunch more "History" channel specials on conspiracy theories for why the world *didn't* end. 1348952358 +Thanks! I really love the smell of eucalyptus so I'm excited to use it. 1348620416 +Why do you believe in ghosts? What kind of paranormal activity have you experienced? 1278770260 +Really, stop wasting your time correcting people on the internet, you come across as a smug ass. 1329583692 +Consider me **SCIENCED!** 1306489429 +>I generally see nothing wrong with bringing up someone's public statement -- with attribution -- and responding to it publicly. I find the issue of there being a power disparity a bit odd, as it seems to imply that public figures can only respond to statements by public figures of equal or greater profile. That's a pretty arbitrary limit on debate, and I suspect that few people would be asking for it if they agreed with Watson's central premise.\n\nIt's not an arbitrary limit on debate. Watson can debate whoever she wants. What she *was* doing was not debate. If you're going to make those kinds of points in real life, then the other person should be able to respond in real time. Berating someone as a misogynist when they can't respond to the whole audience, but rather have to blog about it later and hope people see her side of the story is unprofessional. Anyone with a firm grasp on their position should be willing to argue on equal ground, whether they're famous or not.\n\nAlso, I agree with Watson's central premise. For a society that prides themselves on being intellectually superior to the general population, skeptics are just as likely to turn into a bunch of creepy mouth breathers whenever a pretty woman turns up. The sexual harassment that takes place on and offline is uncalled for and a serious problem. That does not mean I'm going to be okay with Watson using her position of power to attack a member of the community whose only crime was respectfully having a different opinion. 1310595858 +I'm sure it works if you grind the seeds and apply it directly to the cancer. Unfortunately, this kills the patient. 1354063983 +The only thing that makes those documents suspect is the subject matter. If they were about some mundane topic, there would be no empirical reason to believe they're fake. By that I mean that noone has convincingly shown them not to be authentic, like a counterfeit expert could point out the flaws of a forged $100 bill.\n\nSo it's a conflict of 'innocent until proven guilty' on the docs and 'prove it or I won't believe it' from the rational thinking side. The two are really at odds in this case imo. 1326811203 +Why not put peanut butter on the chart with low evidence to cure genital warts?\n\nI just think it's a really bad way to go about supplementation, even as a starting point. 1345551491 +I knew it wasn't directly UFO related, but the kind of individuals open to them are more likely also open to other non-traditional ideas. Non-traditional really isn't a proper term considering many do believe as I do, but I reside in the "Bible Belt" and this way of thinking has just starting to manifest out into the open in my area. That could also be an incorrect statement, but I know it was hard for me at first to even discuss my beliefs without bracing for negative comments. Hell, I even developed a small disclaimer before I began my rant. It's becoming easier to just discuss it without feeling like I need to hide. People are just so damn sensitive around here. Regardless, everything I've read (just like you) has felt natural. There was a moment where I finally felt like I had known this my whole life, but I just had to remember. Without sounding silly, it completes me. I do hope we all can get together in some forum for some fantastic spiritual discussions. 1352945800 +We need a name for the phenomenon of promoters of one pseudoscience traversing to an entirely new pseudoscience without any intermittent questioning interval or hint of skepticism. *Woo-hopping*? 1344477341 +http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/12/13824981-questions-swirl-around-anti-islam-film-blamed-for-egypt-protest-attack-in-libya?lite 1347481930 +So i watched a few episodes of Fact or Fake... something about this show really pisses me off... Maybe it's the fact that when they think something was "rigged" they don't call out the person who recorded the tape, noooo they go back to their "livingroom" and call the people frauds. smh 1339476631 +Tell him to watch the mythbusters episode where they tested free energy\n\nThe only one that slightly worked was basically a solar cell made of gas tanks and a water trough 1353263679 +Only if she teaches cold reading. 1344852055 +It may be a meteor or some other craft that flew over the volcano. The reason I say this is because [closer to the end of the video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=MjLwWVRkxG4#t=214s), you can sort of see the object being distorted a bit, as if it's traveling farther away.\n\nIn other words, the object is not flying straight down into the volcano but rather flies over and behind it.\n\n 1351364596 +weather balloon\n\nsecret high altitude weather balloon\n\nhigh altitude parachute testing with mannequins (that didn't even exist until 2+ years later)\n\nand now a russian hovering aircraft filled with mutant 13 year olds LOL. Come on now 1305729761 +Oh I know that feeling all too well. I'm on nights right now and running on about 4 hours of sleep tonight. Going to be a LONG night 1316485798 +There [is](http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/ebolaMarburg/default.htm) a vaccine for that, but I sure am glad I'm not part of those clinical trials. \n\n>Doctor: Hmm. It seems sample A21b did not induce sufficient immune response in subject #193. Lets take a look at the next batch.\n\n>Subject #193: FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU *hemorrhages horrifically until dead* 1264726934 +Far from vacationing, more so watching? Just my opinion...We are on the verge of moving on beyond the 'pond' so to say. I would assume they don't want any diseases getting out and about and polluting the galaxy. We as a civilization are so naive and still at war with each other. If I was a advanced entity I would be worried about us and watching very closely how we progress. 1342707249 +Size 18 = a BIG ghost. 1348254314 +As soon as I saw the bullet point "removes dangerous toxins," my crap detector redlined. It's bad enough that this one thing can make anyone better regardless of confounding factors. 1341276341 +We are more likely to mistake a shadow for a burglar than a burglar for a shadow.\n\nYou're referring to the [Hyperactive Agency Detection Device](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_detection) in the brain. 1303844823 +> Debunk this.\n\nI couldn't resist anyway.\n\n> You, not much different than 99.99% of the rest of humanity living today and who have lived so far, are idiots.\n\nTu quoque.\n\n> When someone comes along and starts an actual discussion about the possibilities of Tesla's work, it's being downvoted to oblivion, not because I'm an idiot, not because I'm offending someone, not because I'm off topic, but simply because this is the Right Thing To Do™ in /r/skeptic/.\n\nYou fail to mention the several responses you got. Of the direct responses, a couple trashed the ideas and claims you put forth but not one insulted you personally, and others opened the door for you to present arguments and evidence. That many members of /r/skeptic violate reddiquette is grounds for complaint at some level, i suppose, but it hardly says anything about the quality of their skepticism.\n\n> I've been a member of this community for about 3 years now, and the main thing I noticed here is that you like saying "Oh! hey look at these retards! they think the moon is made of cheese", and get a bunch of upvotes.\n\nI call confirmation bias, and this would be easy to test. Pull a (clustered) random sample of posts and comments, weighted by votes, perhaps, and see how much of the dialogue this kind of derision actually constitutes. (As a small case study, consider the reactions to your own comment in the aforecited thread.)\n\nDitto next two paragraphs.\n\n> This is no longer a community - it's a public brothel filled with cheap whores, and most of the 57k listen on the sidebar, are well, the customers who simply enjoy coming in, doing a quicky, and going out.\n\nAd hominems of the slut- and sex worker–shaming variety, which as such are particularly repugnant.\n\nHere's a suggestion: Cite some actual examples of the problems you refer to—i don't at all doubt that they do occur—and write up a post explaining why they trouble you (being careful not to assume that your own experiences are everyone's), ask what others in the subreddit think, and see what comes out of the discussion.\n\n[Example.](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/13g7hg/rskeptic_there_are_problems_among_us/) 1353346997 +Also: why did he have to put so much tape all around if he only was attaching the four magnets? Seems wasteful. 1348495622 +It gets nasty when the snake oil is urging people to accept it as healthcare.\n\n If a ring can give me bigger erections or some plastic box will deter wasps from nesting in my attic space, I can happily believe that the product works and my selection bias will make me happy that it works.\n\n With anything medical (and cheap! Only 3 easy payments!), the potential for harm is just that much greater. Garbage like this gives people without means a false sense that they can save money on doctors by just using laser therapy. I'm all for caveat emptor, but when the snake oil salesman is manipulating someone into doing something damaging to their health, something has to be done.\n\n Naturally, these same gullible fools will scam that the guvmint is taking away freedoms or conspiring to make people sick. Sigh. 1327610932 +I am not talking about studies I am talking about what I've experienced. I don't have a journal published study for that, though I hope maybe one day in the future maybe I will. :)\n\n 1349217918 +He's been out of the game for a little while now, even at his best he still got possessed at one point. 1344890895 +Remember that psychosomatic illnesses are named appropriately: psycho for higher neural origin, somatic for the **real** effects on the body. If they truly have conversion disorder, they aren't faking it. They really have a psychological pathology that is involuntarily causing them to have these symptoms.\n\nIf you've ever gotten so nervous that you've felt nauseated, you're experiencing a psychosomatic symptom. If you've ever felt so much grief or mourning that you've gotten light headed or started to shake, you know what it's like to have something originate in your head and uncontrollably affect your body.\n\nI'm neither saying it's real nor acting; I have no idea, as I have little clinical experience with psychosomatic disorders and I haven't seen any of these people in a clinical setting. I can't tell if they are "faking" it or really have conversion disorder- neither can you.\n\nThe best thing we can do for everyone involved is just ignore this in the media. If the girls are faking, they can transition out of it without the shame of scrutiny. If it's truly conversion disorder, lower hype means lower severity/incidence.\n\nLet's all just stop.\n\nEdit: can't not have no double negatives. 1328912408 +Since there is no link in the post, the only pain was clicking on this thread. 1343359113 +Would have been nice if she had shown more than just the UFO so we could get some context as to how far away it was. 1350604607 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silhouette#Photography\n\nThat explains the fact that it's pure black pretty easily. 1310365912 +I grew up on Brammer Dr, about a quarter mile from the cemetery. I personally know the groundskeeper as an old family friend, and whether or not people say this was a hoax, it isn't.\n\n 1353711540 +The Coneheads is based on a true story. 1341685500 +That sounds so cool. I wonder if i have ever had an experience like this... 1353129226 +i know that...but that's a matrix reference from 99' 1331671365 +Those Californians think the world revolves around them ;) ...btw I miss the Bay :P 1334707730 +What Daedulun said. It most certainly is a satellite. If you check your time and position in the sky on a satellite tracker for that evening, you'll likely find the satellite in question. If you are not willing to follow up on this simple check and balance, don't pretend you are doing the field of UFOlogy any favors by posting your videos.\n 1282338846 +>You reference the double-slit experiment, even. Was this intended ironically? It is often one of the first things pointed to as supporting evidence by proponents of this psychically malleable model of reality, where the expectations of the observer affect the outcomes of the experiment.\n\nYet this is a gross misunderstanding of the double slit experiment. It has absolutely nothing to do with anyones *expectations* and could in principle be carried out with absolutely no conscious participants and still produce the same spooky results. 1308526015 +You are more than entitled to your opinion. However, I don't think you honestly believe that it is always better to donate to causes that save lives than it is to improve them. I'm guessing you believe it's better to donate to people who have a chance of living than it is to people who are dying. Almost no one truly believes that programs like Hospice, Habitat for Humanity, that one literacy program for underprivileged children, A Laptop for Every Child, Engineers Without Borders, or any other group dedicated to educating and caring for poor people, is worth less than charities that exclusively deal in saving lives. \n\nAs for the local comment, I prefer to donate locally for a couple of reasons. One, I live in a very poor community and it needs all the help you can get. As one of my professors said "People come here and buy houses dirt cheap, and then they realize they have to live here. We didn't feel the most recent recession because we never left the one in the 30s." Two, for the purpose of helping terminally ill children, a locally run charity is going to have a better idea of what resources are available in the area than a national charity. 1355155912 +Did you guys read the story about the little boy who was playing with his mothers phone and fell asleep; mom went in and found the phone with a bunch of pics on it and the last pic was from above the bed of the kid sleeping with half of an old woman's face in frame? Spooky as ghost balls. 1326516621 +You are the one who claimed to have the qualifications to tell if an expert was giving credible testimony, not me. Now you imply that I have assumed I have those qualifications. I do not. I merely claim that I can tell the difference between a credible investigation and a bogus one. I call it on the official investigation, I say bogus. Even the folks conducting it called it bogus. I would like to see qualified architects and engineers and other relevant experts not under the employ of a biasing agent, on both sides of the debate about how the buildings came down (path of fall, speed of fall, dynamics etc.) be included in a real investigation in which their data was made public. How could a skeptic settle for anything less? 1316201768 +Putting antibacterial agents in soap only leads to superresistant bacterial strains. Why is this story in skeptic? 1293483914 +>I think he mostly likes Atlas Shrugged. \n\nWow, to each their own I suppose. I can totally get why someone might appreciate some aspects of her philosophy. But Atlas Shrugged? Man, that book was objectively shitty in terms of the writing. 1317865851 +1) What's this got to do with skepticism?\n\n2) Is that a HDMI cable? Are they trying to sell a fucking cable for $500? 1300372574 +Third times a charm. It looks fake as hell. 1328681201 +The headline is misleading. He wasn't _trying_ to commit suicide. He was clearly trying to stay alive. 1310071528 +WOW, my mind has been blown. Your explanation definitely has given me insight on where to go with my part of the project (I have the history and context portion of the project). I can't express my gratitude enough. Thank you so much! 1354678985 +Alot of effort was out into that thread, decent link.\n\nQuote from the thread - '' At the end of the day, it’s easy to see that the Nuremberg 1561 event was not a battle between alien spaceships, but rather a series of weather events given greater significance than they deserved due to a reasonably superstitious atmosphere, a sensationalist/biased media and a consumer public hungry for outrageous stories.''\n\nI'm not 100% sure this was what really occured. Weather events do not crash into the ground in a thick cloud of smoke. Either way it's food for thought :).\n 1356261525 +> So I wished for it to work, therefore it did? \n\nYes. Placebo can be very powerful and is really the only reason chiro are able to pull their scam.\n\n>I couldn't have sex in certain positions because my hip cut into my wife's legs, but now we're all better just from magical thinking?\n\nThis is just like people with UFO stories. I would really have to see what you are claiming to make a call on that. It sounds incredible that your hip bone was literally protruding. It sounds so incredible I am hesitant to believe it was exactly as you are claiming.\n\n> But no one here has offered up any scientific evidence. I see a lot of opinions, none backed by any sources, and no one has offered up any credentials suggesting their opinions are worth a damn.\n\nThe burden of proof is on the chiro. They cannot even describe what it is they are supposedly doing without using chiro woo woo speak. My credential is being a skeptical person that demands evidence, explanation, and proof. A chiro saying they are "adjusting" your bones is meaningless.\n\n 1273688381 +Just FYI when I was a kid I the 1960s, there was a little girl on our block who was deaf because her mom got rubella when she was pregnant. \n\nI didn't get vaccinated but of course MMR didn't exist back then. I got all that fun stuff: chicken pox, German measles, red measles, mumps. They did give us a shot for polio though. 1348777229 +Genetically modified food is not only NOT harmful, but it's an ancient practice. (Remember Gregory Mendel and the pea pods?) The difference now is that they're speeding the process up and cross-breeding plants for more desirable traits. (Like resistance to blights and insects, or higher yields per acre, or the ability to thrive in more hostile climates)\n\nIn fact, nearly all of the plants you eat have been "genetically modified" at some point, be it with pollen and a paint brush or in a lab with test tubes. Without gentic modifications to plants, there would not be enough food to sustain the current world polulation. Genetic engineering is responsible for saving the lives of millions who would otherwise have starved to death.\n\nIf you want to learn about GM foods, look up Norman Borlaug. He's been a hero of mine for a long time. 1346256219 +As a Professor of Thanksgiving, PhD, I find your lack of faith disturbing. 1321292379 +And you are [a notorious liar](http://www.reddit.com/r/climateskeptics/comments/13ovqa/are_al_gores_dirty_weather_claims_and_tactics/c782ihh). 1354118163 +A great book and I would definitely recommend it. In fact it should be compulsory reading! 1288800055 +Nothing can truly hurt you. That being said, to experience an "evil entity" it requires a belief in an evil entity. I doubt that is the relationship OP has with the wall hanging. 1334722030 +It amazes me that they can get new converts. 1328161127 +It wasn't just soda, it was juice and milk too. Calories that I consumed by drinking seemed like one of the easiest things I could cut out since they did not contribute to a sense of feeling full. I also recognized that just because I was cutting calories from what I drank did not mean I could have dessert or more food. \n\nNo I don't have to admit that diet soda drinker thing that's all they have to do. Study after study has shown this is the case with most any kind of restrictive diet. When people reduce calories by cutting out a type of food any type they tend "cheat" by consuming those calories elsewhere. This is a psychological phenomena and has nothing to do with diet soda in general.\n\nPeople who eat salad twice a day for their meals will tend allow themselves a dessert, or perhaps to drink more regular soda because hey they had a salad and were good about doing that. You seem to have some sort of thing against soda so you probably notice the phenomena more leading to confirmation bias.\n\nFor me by switching to diet I wasn't really cutting out any particular food I was still able to have soda with zero calories and then by focusing on eating only 1700 calories a day I was able to lose the weight. Diet soda made hitting that goal all the easier I just had to watch myself recognize that I couldn't have extra food because I was drinking diet soda. \n\nTo this day I do not drink regular soda, juice, or milk. I stick to 0 to no calorie drinks and have a goal of 1700 calories a day. Its hard but most people don't recognize that a diet isn't something that you can do for a while lose the weight and keep it off it has to become a lifestyle change for it to stick, which is my most people end up gaining they weight they lost back.\n\n 1338467702 +Don't underestimate the power of people's ability to fool themselves. If the current, overwhelming, evidence isn't enough, then no evidence will. 1352344896 +yes. Eastern religions do not speak of a literal god. The texts say that it is nothing more than your own mind, a way of relating to the world. They don't believe in a literal god. 1284032847 +OP Delivered: [here](http://www.reddit.com/r/Glitch_in_the_Matrix/comments/seyqy/the_egyptian_wall_hanging/#c4dhodv) 1335366877 +>there IS indeed the very real existence of the paranormal on this planet.\n\nThat's the second time you said that.\n\nSaying it a third time won't make it true, either.\n\nProvide sources, information, references, case studies, anything at all that's outside of your own personal beliefs and intuitions, and then we can have an actual conversation. I'm willing if you are. 1337895827 +SHIT SON!!!!!!! 1329254243 +People are more in love with the air of "the mysterious" than they are with figuring out what's going on. \n\nAdding dramatic background music makes it dramatic. And that's what they want, drama. Not science. Not inquiry. Mystery. It's like a real-life sci-fi movie, and that's how the uploaders want it. \n\nThis is a large part of why paranormal community has such little legitimacy: for a lot of people, it's a matter of personal entertainment and that horror-movie thrill of the unknown than it is about actual inquiry and investigation. 1349040132 +Viral advertising I'd wager. Haven't seen a single report of this on any reputable news site, it's all on conspiracy theory/paranormal blogs.. 1314866432 +Absolutely, admittedly had he not asked for "anyone's honest opinion" I probably would have kept skimming over my news feed, lost a couple friends already to minor ideological differences simply because they think that I "hate Jesus" or whatever. 1339265232 +[Direct link (PDF)](http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/ufo/key_to_et_messages.pdf) 1322373388 +Another vid here\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChTgIvi98l4 1341434573 +Depends on what you mean by the 2nd. Do you refer to the free market concept under a capitalist system? In which case I'm equally skeptical of both. Private tyranny is no better than public tyranny. 1315436256 +It's true, in a sense, but the key word is 'high'. As in ***high levels*** of fluoride. Much higher than what is commonly in drinking water. This could occur naturally, but is also caused by industrial pollution.\n\nThe article you linked to is making a key error: they're assuming that because high levels are bad, then low levels are also bad, just not as much. However, this study contains no data to suggest that, because the researchers didn't look at levels as low as what is found in drinking water. The control group in the study had fluoride level less than or equal to 1.5 mg/L. In the US, the CDC reccomends fluoride levels be between 0.7 mg/L and 1.2 mg/L [[1]](http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/MWF/Index.asp). 1344863771 +I doubt the religious component has anything to do with it. I think it's more the whole alternative medicine bullshit. 1327906268 +Aw, thanks for the love you guys! 1288079830 +Here's the [Mythbusters](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMiVNPXR5qw) episode for anyone interested. I'm watching it now.\n\nEDIT: They found better plant growth for music and talking groups over the control group. Death metal had the best results. This could still mean that whatever mechanical processes are behind the sound wave (and the amplitude of it) are actually what affect growth, and not any form of sentience. But it doesn't seem conclusive either way. 1300763580 +The word "cascade" in ther made me think it was something different. In that case, what's irreducable complex? Blood cells mutate to become sticky in certain conditions, and over the period of billions of years (or at least hundreds of millions - I don't know the evolutionary history of blood) the stickiness is further mutated to the level of clotting we have today.\n\nWhat part of blood clotting is more complex than a simple mutation could get rolling? 1281631165 +The little boy definitely sounds like a demon to me! Are you artistic enough to be able to draw a decent picture of the boy? I'd like to see if my mental image is close to what you saw. As far as the second experience goes, I have no idea. I have never heard of anyone IRL having a premonition occur that quickly. 1319002298 +Because it's really, really, really funny. 1337138297 +> I only need to be slightly more knowledgeable than the dissenters, which usually isn't hard since they're often arguing out of ignorance.\n\nDon't make the mistake of placing all dissenters in the same category of intelligence and don't underestimate the amount of information involved - there has never been in the history of science anything similar - even creationism pales when compared to this! 1334948573 +Of course there is no negative descriptions, you never insult your customers. But the specifics can be accurate or not. For example, if it said I was a social mover whose intuition made everyone like me I would say that's not like me at all, even though it is roundly positive. Whereas what it did say was that I use analytical tools like logic to understand systems, and that my morality was rule-based rather than situation-based.\n\nAgain, I do not believe in astrology, but I just happen to be a perfect fit for the mold of a Cap. I find this amusing and frustrating as a skeptic. 1320521043 +I do believe people can benefit from it, in the same way they can benefit from a placebo. They may also find a comfort in it. It's like I'm no fan of religion, but I have seen it give immense comfort to my friend's mother after his death. Is her comfort coming from something I think to be not real? Yes, but the comfort is genuine and not harming anyone.\n\nThat being said, the harm comes from people who rely on faith healing as a primary source of health care. There have been many cases of children dying after their parents decide that prayer is better than antibiotics or surgery.\n\n\nThere is a book called "The Faith Healers" by James Randi, which is all about people who have become rich by selling false hope to people who need real help. 1296601718 +Maybe it's just one of your guys' big-ass spiders. Don't know if I would prefer that over a ghost or not...hmm...especially a child ghost which is the freakiest. 1313693971 +I think /r/trees learned today that ths skeptic pendulum swings both ways.\n 1330691978 +I'd need to get a hold of a good video camera, which I don't currently have. 1334273877 +The probable debunking evidence was in the sidebar [here](http://bigfootevidence.blogspot.com/2012/02/extremely-boring-video-by-henry-may.html). I was so ready to believe it too. 1330414171 +it never gets old. 1319419285 +>How can you claim products of the mind are fantasy when those products surely exist? \n\nYou can't be serious. How can something I conceive not actually be a product of reality? Wow, lets see. I think unicorns exist, do they? \n\n>Are you saying that when I think and believe a certain thing that I don't actually think or believe that certain thing? That seems to make very little sense. \n\nMore strawmen please, I'm looking to make a drum circle of them. \n\n>The fact that we have to "seek" an objective reality, that it isn't right in front of us somehow, is perhaps evidence that things cannot be as "objective" as we want them to be. \n\nWe don't have to seek that which exists, just observe it. \n\n Guh? Objective reality is the definition of something in front of us, it is an object not concept. 1352353964 +If Uri Geller came out and said something awesome, I _would_ be say it's "good on him". But only for that one awesome thing he said. He'd have to do a huge amount more before I'd consider him changed into someone I thought was a good person overall.\n\nAn idea is good or bad on it's own merits. Dismissing them just because a stupid/bad person said them is just an ad hominem attack.\n\nThat said, even though I think Jesse Ventura is overall a smart guy, he does use very poor methodology in testing ideas. He's a conspiracy nut, and into woo-woo as a result of this. 1287255669 +Those are merely people without an unhealthy skepticism of skepticism. Some of us accurately predict that sooner or later, we are all fucked,. 1343457667 +Just thought I'd post this given the recent news of his death. It's hard to say if things would've been different if he had chosen to have surgery immediately, but it is worth thinking about. Maybe his alternative treatment didn't kill him, but it didn't help. 1317869598 +> As you can see mercury is getting out of the way.\n\nThat's called an Orbit. I switched off after she said that. 1317147740 +Agreed.\n\nBe as ruthlessly specific as possible. Zero in on one particular claim- then work with the Socratic method. Ask them why they believe this. Continually get them to stay focused.\n\nThey will likely start bringing up other related claims. Do not allow the conversation to shift. When vague evidence is presented (as it will be), ask for more specifics.\n\nThis works for non-skeptics who are highly credulous and emotional in a number of areas. It's not as effective with your "retired engineer who writes blog posts about 9/11" type of person. For people who are crazy about one specific area and have an enormous amount of knowledge in that area, their arguments are usually based on false factual claims. Unfortunately, these are very hard to point out impromptu. I wouldn't argue with that kind of nut, but if I did, I'd make liberal use of my smart phone's web browser. 1332134477 +Sounds like a fun theory to read for entertainment's sake, but the somali pirates are real. Thanks for the info though. I'll have to look into it when I'm bored.\n\nThere was a fascinating story about a secret alien war going on in southern south america and antrartica I wanted to read about too. Do you know anything aobut that? Any links would be great. I eat that shit up.\n\nEdit: I guess this was offensive or something. I sincerely didn't mean it to be. The reason I know the pirates are real is because they're causing an economic phenomenon, both within their country and abroad, that has been covered fairly well. Also, we will kill hundreds of thousands of people for the oil companies if they are under any real threat. IF there was some sort of invasion or whatever, through a portal, we'd be occupying the shit of somalia. 1305070556 +it's actually quite funny. when i'm about the enter a dark room, i can sometimes decide if it should turn into a nightmare. NOTE i still don't know much about how. sometimes it's just enough to think about the dark room before i enter it in the dream to trigger a nightmare. like i have no control about it. but if i don't think about it, and just walk in and turn on the lights, nothing happens. \n\nand yet, sometimes i also have those dreams where i know it's a nightmare, and i just walk towards whatever is creeping me out, just to get it over with. sorry to blur it all out at once, i just thought if somebody read this, they could help me understand it better. 1342394086 +Jesus, don't you have anything better to do?\n\nEveryone knows that Astrology is bullshit.\n\nHowever, it still provides cues to help you think about your life, and is a cheap and easy way to idle away five minutes alone, or with a friend.\n 1309557472 +drone 1323811987 +Sadly, this isn't anything new and believe it or not, it used to be WAY worse in years past. I've been doing online marketing and SEO work for the better part of 12 years, and several of those years were spent building and optimizing sites for all sorts of natural/herbal/health products. \n\nBasically, SEOs look at what people are searching for, so if "is product X a scam" is the search phrase, you optimize sites for that term and build links to the site that have that term as the anchor text, etc. If a product gets super popular and they're making money (a lot of money) the game then becomes MAINTAINING those top rankings and burying the other "bad" pages any way possible (blackhat stuff, usually). That's why there are always tons of sites for the same stuff (that and affiliate sites). \n\nGoogle has actually done quite a bit over the years to stifle things like this, such as by not displaying AdWords ads for certain terms, specific product names, ingredient names, etc., but Google can't catch them all, particularly in the organic results. At the end of the day, the woo products exist because there are so many people who are willing to open their wallets to acquire said woo products, so as long as that's the case, there will be issues like this in Google's results. \n\n\n 1332996626 +I started a discussion of [one interpretation of this](http://www.reddit.com/r/neurophilosophy/comments/v6why/what_do_people_think_of_the_tm_concept_of/) a while back. 1341702014 +If you eat anything like a varied diet and aren't obviously sick, you're probably OK. Excesses of some nutrients do not make other nutrients harder to digest. A cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato actually covers most of the major food groups.\n\nThe people who need to worry are the picky eaters who never eat certain kinds of foods. (Vegans and vegetarians included.) If you eat nothing but chicken fingers for every meal, that's a problem. 1310012635 +It's kind of funny in a sad way how basically any new or different scientific theory is said to have originated with Einstein. Quantum physics is the worst though. 1307122081 +I once met an energy healer who told a group of nubile lasses we were having drinks with that he had been told that he could buff their naughty chakras. They giggled and were receptive, and I thought, "THAT line worked? Clearly that's what I've been doing wrong." 1305922741 +One reason I can think of to call them out on this is the potential harm they can cause when using their position of intellectual authority. I can't help but think of Linus Pauling and his views about Vitamin C. In the Pauling case he actually was an authority on Chemistry but should we really be promoting high Vitamin C doses to cancer patients when clinical trail have proven that it has no effect above placebo? 1336757735 +I am about convinced that Ancient Aliens visited us. 1334240841 +I wondered who made them. I just thought it was the funniest thing I'd ever read. He offered to "prove" to me that I worked - I asked was it that trick where I put my arms by my side at which point he got offended at my obvious scepticism.\n\nHe's trying to con me out of money and then gets offended with me questioning this tosh! Unbelievable 1333918468 +His position is that it would be up for the states to decide whether or not abortion is legal. Many states would decide to make it illegal. This would prevent women from getting abortions. 1313880478 +Halo was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread's title 1339986393 +No one said they understood it. And in all that I've read about sleep paralysis no one's been lifted off their bed and thrown back down so I don't know where that came from. 1352136025 +The photos in this book are unreal. Screws embedded in rocks from mines that are millions of years old, and such. 1260560435 +Is it so? :O 1346179937 +Especially as it was his friends encounter, not his own. 1326056722 +Not exactly "new". I saw this over a year ago. Good information, but not new. 1339192689 +Often those types of shows are few and far between. To be honest the people they hire for those jobs often don't know what show they are really applying for. \n\nThe production company often doesn't care too much about the type of person doing the work just that it gets done. It's a sad truth. They also usually go from production to the next so they hire pretty generically. \n\nSorry for being a Debbie Downer. Of course if you were really interested in a show like that there's no harm writing in and giving your case. 1342279160 +So what? 1354142756 +So what? 1333120061 +So what? 1346928687 +front page cross post. 1345545872 +Dittoing my response to this in /r/philosophy:\n\n> You can put on your Philosoraptor face and say "But can we *really* know for sure — or even know at all — that the sun will rise tomorrow?" But if someone offered to bet that the sun would not rise the next day at even odds against you, you would probably take it. You'd probably even take that bet at 99:1 odds (you pay $99 if they win for every $1 they pay if you win). You'd probably go further. You probably wouldn't go to infinitely high odds, as you shouldn't (you can't get to 100% certainty with a finite amount of evidence), but you'd still go pretty high, most likely. And it so happens that everything you do is a bet — you are putting in some effort or resources based on your expectations about possible outcomes (even if you don't consciously deliberate this), and if you really believed there to be a "problem of induction", you would never do anything, because you would have no basis for deciding between actions. (Really, if you want to take this line of thinking to its logical conclusion, you don't just say you can't be at all sure the sun will rise *tomorrow*, you have to say you're not even sure the sun rose *yesterday*. Your mind could be playing tricks on you, after all! Or you could be a brain in a vat! The correct response to any philosopher still seriously arguing this is as follows: "Shut up, you idiot.")\n> \n> We use science and rationality because they *work*; they get results; if wielded correctly, they allow you to make optimal bets. (That's not just referring to wagers with money, but any expenditure of time, money, effort, or any other resource with the intention of bringing about specific outcomes.) If you want complete, total certainty, of the sort that would justify your betting unbounded resources against a finite payoff, this universe will not accommodate you, but if there's anything you care about actually getting done, this universe is very amenable to the aforementioned instruments. Induction is only a problem if you want to treat your knowledge like a formal system where facts are theorems, which isn't how brains work in the first place. Science and rationality aren't axioms or articles of faith. They're tools that we use because they work. If any other epistemology allowed us to calculate exactly how to send humans to the moon and bring them back safely, it would be worth considering, but of the other candidates — religion, postmodern cultural relativism, etc. — none seem very promising in that respect.\n> \n> "Ah, yes, you say 'they work' because they've worked in the past, and you're just begging the question if you assume on that basis that they will continue to work!" Well, you can spend hours or weeks or years pondering that, or you can go out and systematically achieve your goals. Your choice.\n\nIn conclusion, philosophy is a lot of fun and it's also terrible. 1277347992 +Interestingly, the less work homeopaths do on the strike, the more people might have to rely on doctors and science. Net positive benefit! Conclusion: Homeopathy works. 1343364798 +Correct, the Earth is hollow, it isn't rock all the way through. It just that the void is filled with magma not air, and a metal core. 1279467084 +There were also those things called an earthquake and Tsunami... 1324491610 +These "coincidences" happen to me all of the time. I will hear someone say a particular word just as I am reading it. I will pass by a billboard and read a word just as someone says it on the radio. Once, I bought a stuffed woodchuck for my wife for Valentines Day. A little unusual, but, she thought it was cute. She pointed it out a week earlier when we were shopping. I bought it for a week later. I propped it up on the counter holding a heart shaped box of candy. The next day in the mail we received an advertisement for tree removal company which pictured a woodchuck holding a heart shaped valentine. That is certainly not something that you see everyday. 1354476363 +But experts were not used in this particular study, so its results seem a bit useless. 1323788520 +We will never know till someone else in the galaxy comes and says hi. With the current goals set by private companies to mine and explore areas of space, that "hi" might come sooner than later :D. 1335795609 +> THere are lots of anecdotal stories out there of people trying 'new age' crap, then getting more sick and possible dying due to not seeking out medical treatment initially.\n\nSteve Jobs. He had a fairly treatable form of cancer, but he tried bullshit before medicine and it got bad enough that he died. 1324748970 +Free energy, peace on earth, you Sirius? 1335915245 +so are they saying that the flood happened 3550 million years ago? 1282935158 +I think the government insiders are acutely aware of the possible negative effects of an end to UFO secrecy, and they've quite visibly been preparing for it. Alex Jones (whether you think he's nuts or not) did a good job of documenting the training during the Clinton administration. Guys in black riot gear "practiced" by dragging long haired guys out of houses as they said things like, "I'm an American citizen! I have rights!"\n\nIt was creepy. 1331946085 +The temptation of a government to just print money without the penalty of having to pay interest (and therefore raise revenue to pay for its projects) would lead to the overall devaluation of the currency--the more you flood the market with paper the less the paper is worth, until eventually it's worth nothing. As it is, with the Fractional Reserve Banking system and the complete abandoning of the gold standard, US currency is doomed to eventually implode. Of course, this is debatable and is often debated in economics. \n\nBut a great book to read that explains this point of view and the origins of money in general is available for free [here](http://mises.org/Books/mysteryofbanking.pdf).\n\n 1312480015 +Apparently this is what beta looks like.\n\nThe thing has been plenty debunked on other grounds - primarily that they've found the guy who did it and he looks the same today and isn't a famous pyschic.\n\nBut yeah - supposedly if you weren't using VHS you could get some quality recordings. 1352835342 +Do you take most youtube videos seriously? 1345390138 +Judging by what everyone is posting here, and a cursory glance, I would say that there is nothing inherently dangerous in it.\n\nBut how much does it cost?\n\nEDIT: I just saw, about 30 bucks a month. People spend more than than on gym memberships that they never use, so I would only worry if they tried to up-sell a bunch of addons, like a $1,000 "personal session" or something silly like that. 1312108916 +That data is incorrect. The camera probably reset its internal date when the batteries ran out between charges. Both the Evp and pictures were taken in 2006. 1340234026 +Just read one of her blog rants and start counting the entirely emotional arguments and logical fallacies. And there's that video rant where she condescendingly tells Christians to "stop saying stupid things" and then goes on to say Galileo was executed... that was when I stopped giving her benefit of the doubt. Her head is so far up her own ass she can't see how incompatible her black-and-white world view is with skepticism. 1344523402 +The assertions are not baseless. Cancer is cancer, it grows and spreads. If you wait 1 year between being diagnosed and being treated, your prognosis will be much worse. People base these assumptions on the fact that the longer left alone, the worse cancer gets. 1317911290 +I'm pretty sure governments have been building bunkers and things like this since they began. 1329826767 +Sexism is and atheist problem. There is sexism rife throughout the sexist community as there is in society in general and we should really take responsibility for that as well, we should all work to change and challenge how we think about these issues and we should stop blaming people for pointing it out. \n\n> I see no use in making a sweeping generalization about a community you supposedly belong to.\n\nWhat you can do about this is instead of making excuses you could denounce those who act badly and dont do so yourself. Thats how we fix this. \n\n \n> Should I apologize for her giving me a bad first impression?\n\nNo, but you should probably examine why she annoys you. Would you be so vehemently against her if she was male? 1351193207 +I was going to reply with a snarky response, but then realized this is the only right response that could be given. 1340073161 +actually the sun video is very interesting. You can even see a spaghetti monster on the lower right :) This would be a great thread just for that.\n\nThe spiral though, gonna be a rocket. Yes, normally you see flames coming out the back. But they also have engines on the sides to control direction. The video would be one of the side engines malfunctioning. 1345585686 +One of my biggest regrets of my first and only trip to Disney World was that I passed up this ride. I was 12 at the time. I actually stood in line, which was at a stand still next to the rides exist, for 10 minutes. Some of what I over-heard as people were exiting were things like: \n\n"If I had known this ride was so scary I would not have gone on it." or "I will never go on that ride again."\n\nOne couple even walked out in tears.\n\nSo I have to ask. Was this ride scary or were the majority of those people coming off the ride over-reacting? How much did I miss out on by avoiding this ride?\n\nOn a side note, audio-anamatronics scare the crap out of me. Where their some alien audio-anamatronics on that ride or were all the interactions sensory stuff from the seat things you had to sit in?\n\nEdit\nWow, just found a ride through. I really wish I wasn't such a pussy.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2XkRn_pAQI\n 1334505868 +That is really cool because one of my close friends told me the same thing. That every one has a "spirit guide". He said that they watch over you like you said.\n\n 1342029912 +More info on the Devil's Toy Box\nhttp://www.pandoricahelp.com/experiments-the-devils-toybox/\n\nDarkness Radio PodCast \n\nhttp://www.twincitiesnewstalk.com/player/?station=KTCN-AM&program_name=podcast&program_id=darknessradio.xml&mid=21862294 1345700285 +In graduate school I heard that the origin of the myth was from early open-brain electrode studies. When they had the brain case cut open on animals they would poke the exposed surface with electrodes, resulting in various body movements (leg jerks, eye movements, etc.). The prodominant theory that developed was that each part of the brain was specialized for a specific function, so they worked to map out all the functions. On occasion a human subject would be available (someone getting something removed), and they found that very little of the surface produced any internally or externally observable reaction. We now know that many parts of the human brain don't act independently, and much of the surface is association cortex. 1281967096 +no link? 1275338405 +I was watching his show once and he said that bubbles (if you choose to have a bubble bath) can cause cancer. After hearing this (and umpteenth other claims about what can cause cancer) I looked into him and found out he was a quack. 1316378142 +Actually, the submitter could very well be [the guy](http://twitter.com/keithdok) who interviewed Kari. 1301563538 +hoax. baby monkey that was submerged in acid 1342901135 +I dont see on their twitter feed where it says they were blocked by the military. 1339156348 +His opinion is based of off things the study didn't look at. He starts with his assumption that any exposure to synthetic pesticides is bad. The study said that levels were well within the FDA safe limits therefore not taken into account. Also pesticide residues on the fruit or veritable doesn't change the actual nutritional content. \n\nHe then claim that " the study narrowly defines “nutritious” as containing more vitamins." What's wrong with that? They narrowed down what could actually be measured and measured only that which they could. That is how proper science is done. 1349286665 +keep this on the first page, this needs visibility! 1239324228 +I've never seen it. I guess I don't really get the hate for reposting. I really think as skeptics it's good that we sort this out rationally.\n\nI think when we see a repost, we have feelings of seen it "first" and not wanting to see it again, and these make us want to make comments such as this one. \n\nBut membership in subreddits isn't static -- new people are joining all the time. I've been a member of /r/skeptic for almost 3 years and have never seen this doc posted. So I get what you're saying, reposts *can* be annoying, but I think it's better that things get reposted in r/skeptic, for the sake of education. The more people exposed to skepticism, the better! :D 1352670083 +But that isn't what the bible says and god certainly has expereince devaluing life. 1296405719 +Nuclear radiation != electromagnetic radiation\n\nIn fact it is kind of a coincidence that the word "radiation" is used to describe these completely unrelated phenomena. How bout you wiki up guy. 1323749549 +"Allegedly DARPA has given this move the green light. The comments by the President will be made within the next month."\n\no_o 1295829318 +Damn Illuminati censoring the internet with Captcha! They shall never silence us! \n \nWE CAN BE FREE OF ALL DISEASE BY HOMEOPATHY AND LEVITATE USING THE POWER OF CRYSTALS \n \n 1356707062 +The same kind of lights have been filmed [for a few days now](http://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/s2h77/mysterious_ufolike_lights_puzzle_st_petersburg/c4akxlb?context=3)...\n\nI feel like these are too high to be Chinese lanterns or anything like that, but it does bother me that one of the lights goes out *right* before it goes behind the building in this video. Lanterns can burn for 20-25 minutes, so an 8-minute video of a Chinese lantern is at least possible. I hope more videos keep popping up. 1334286587 +Is that that the guy aj jacobs visited in "The Year of Living Biblically"? "http://www.ajjacobs.com/books/yolb.asp 1338417135 +Pics of serials numbers, then let's talk. Like, maybe your roommate or whoever put their deodorant in your drawer. \n\nPlease don't let this be the lamest viral marketing campaign ever. 1354538516 +I don't know this person 1332791021 +I don't know, ask a physicist. Air pressure? Maybe just the fact that there was a lot of stuff smashing into other stuff in a haphazard way? Large chunks toppling and breaking in mid-air? The pieces weren't necessarily thrown anywhere close to horizontally; there was merely a horizontal component to a rather long drop. 1315570859 + What smart meters with wireless access do is allow utilities/police to *quickly* identify individual households with 'suspicious' usage patterns, regardless of how unreasonable their definition of 'suspicious' may be. It is somewhat harder to do that with our current system and smart meters with wireless access could make this a more serious problem. This is why I brought it up. I agree that power usage shouldn't be grounds for probable cause, but as you point out: it currently can be. In fact, my example of having legitimate power usage bringing police action was based on reading stories of exactly this happening already (like the incident with the btc miner).\n\n\nThe case you linked to is interesting and surprising. I wasn't aware that anyone had managed to successfully argue that power usage alone didn't constitute probable cause. My knowledge of law is limited, but my understanding is that this ruling in Kentucky won't be used as precedent in rulings in the rest of the country (is this correct?). \n\n\nPersonally, I'm not particularly worried about the privacy aspect of smart meters. I do wonder how well they've secured the wireless access but my concerns here are more speculative. These were just examples off the top of my head. \n\n\nWhat I do think is that privacy is important and that if there are any privacy or security concerns about smart meters they should be addressed and resolved. I suspect that when people have instant and detailed feedback about how their activities affect power consumption, there will an increased push for efficiency. I think this will be a good thing for everyone. If people believe that this is somehow just another way for the government and marketers to monitor you, then we need to assuage their fears with evidence that this is not the case so that smart meters, and grids, can be rolled out without irrational warblgarbl getting in the way.\n\nThis is why I felt I should respond when lonelylikethewolf wrote :\n> It's just another channel for big corporations and the government to sniff in your personal life and sell the data to advertisers\n\n and you responded with something that didn't address his concerns. I have no idea how he justifies his fear of privacy invasion from smart meters but I suspect many people assume something similar with or without justification. Perhaps lonelylikethewolf doesn't know what smart meters actually do and got this from from some wingnut blog, perhaps he knows about some privacy threat I haven't read about. My point is that we'll probably never know because after reading your response he probably threw his hands up and said "wtf, that has nothing to do with what I said", closed the tab, and won't come back. So now, one more person will have possibly very silly ideas about this potentially very beneficial technology. I'm just trying to raise the bar for discourse in /r/skeptic. 1342925429 +> We had conquered LEO, there were no aliens to be found.\n\nAre you saying that no unidentified structured craft are seen at high altitudes or in low earth orbit? Because that is incorrect. 1356503665 +Best shirt ever! 1309974846 +Ah, I didn't notice the edit. 1338577527 +Wow, nice catch. [I think this is a fixed link to the article](http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736\\(07\\)61735-8/fulltext), assuming I used \\\\( and \\\\) correctly in the URL... 1290646002 +I read parts of the document. I am working a lot right now and will try to read it through tonight at work. 1315179876 +I don't think its fair to say the rest of my post is propaganda. Fats ARE very important to proper child growth and most kids will not eat the types of vegetables and nuts they need to get the right amounts of those fats. You're correct that I may have jumped the gun saying especially those fats from meat and dairy products. And the only reason I mentioned future risks is because the comment was using anecdotal evidence, which I was pointing out can be faulty. I was not saying that it is specific to a lack of meat in your diet. \n 1328561313 +Found the video: [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTNX6mr753w). 1353371372 +>There is no verifiable evidence for anything currently thought of as paranormal.\n\nYea, cause when that happens it's called science. 1355929888 +So what you're saying is that anyone who doesn't believe exactly what you do is small minded? And I still haven't seen this "evidence" you claim is so overwhelming. 1332269923 +This is going to sound like I'm mocking you, I'm not. One time I was getting stoned with my friend, back in high-school. Somehow the topic of car accidents came up, and I had this idea that instead of making cars out of metal, we should make them out of some soft material. Everyone I told thought my idea was stupid. Years later I was watching The Daily Show and the guest on there was a "futurist" who happened to be talking about how SOFT CARS would be the wave of the future. I know it doesn't sound that significant but it was for me. 1355859748 +Yeah, the ones that survive to adulthood. 1323442754 +I confront them fairly often, and get called stupid / retarded / pharma shill / govt shill and so on.\n\nThey simply aren't interested in discussing their beliefs except with others who believe exactly the same of them.\n\nThere seems to be a fairly noticeable overlap with the chemtrail / morgellons crowd too. 1297359866 +I don't understand what you are talking about. I mentioned atheism in passing since it is a social issue, just like obesity. You tried to point out how atheism causes no harm, while obesity does. I pointed out that obesity causes no harm, the harm is a different issue. Then you pointed out a seemingly irrelevant fact. 1311135394 +No, when you believe that facts and evidence that only support one theory and contradict the other are in fact "for both theories" you are either showing a very high level of cognitive dissonance or more likely you are just another imbecile with a strong Dunning–Kruger that just does not understand the evidence.\n 1343487247 +It's called chiropractic. 1302180143 +Quadruple post. Good work. 1305078636 +That's a good point, upvoted, but I don't believe that it's ever been demonstrated that the operation of the human mind is equivalent to your A.I. example, specifically that they are Turing-equivalent. This is an [ongoing argument](http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/3/15/15956/6995). I think that asserting "human beings are functionally no different" assumes the point you're trying to make.\n\nI agree that the lack of a suitable definition of "free" usually clouds this topic. I'm using free in the sense of a mathematical "free" variable, where the value of a variable is unsettled because it depends on at least one other variable. In this sense, "unpredictable" and "free" are essentially equivalent.\n\nHowever, they're not necessarily equivalent in the theory of mind, granted. I'm not convinced "unpredictable" and "free" are not just simply two different ways of describing the same underlying phenomena, especially since the two cases appear to be objectively indistinguishable in this area. 1264266731 +I love how you felt a link to describe 2012 and the mayan calendarwas necessary, but an upvote for quoting a source and trying. 1339639886 +i mean real conspiracies, though perhaps not the Star Chamber variety.\n\nHussein and associates apparently conspired to make the world think that he still had an active WMD program while making sure that no such problem existed in any meaningful sense, so no inspector could ever find evidence of it.\n\nCheney and energy company friends may have conspired to design the details of how the US government would regulate investments in the post-Hussein Iraq so that they (the companies) could maximize profits without fear of prosecution. In turn, Cheney got strong political backing from those same companies with respect to the invasion.\n\nThose are possibly REAL conspiracies, though not provable.\n\nLying about WMDs is NOT a conspiracy that one needs to evoke to explain what happened. Exaggeration, combined with hubris, more than explains the events. 1351189859 +You should go see the people living there now and ask if they're experiencing anything. 1353226316 +I believe this is referred to as an ["Ad-Hoc Theory"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hoc_hypothesis) 1283723854 +unidentified flying bean? 1334026648 +I take your point but eating well and getting exercise doesn't require you to become a loony and make up magical properties of foods. 1352076060 +>it takes a long fucking time to "fold" water a million times.\n\nBut since homeopathy is horse shit, it doesn't actually need to be shaked to cause the placebo effect, as long as the patient thinks it's been magically enhanced.\n\n>My wife is a naturopathic doctor. She's had five years of training, including four in clinical settings (and two years of cadaver lab). Simply getting a massage license took her 500 hours of training.\n\nI'm not familiar with that, but looking at Wikipedia, she wasted a whole of time.\n\n>This is equivalent to saying "The witch must disavow her pagan gods and swear fealty to Christ lest we burn her at the stake." It is not a medical argument.\n\nWhat the fuck are you talking about? If they believe in their pseudoscientific magic, they are completely wrong, have a severely wrong understanding of chemistry and biology, and should not practice any kind of medicine. To establish if they realize that they are working with the placebo effect is essential if they are to be integrated with actual medicine.\n\n---\n\nI'm not generally opposed to using the placebo effect, but I see huge problems with actually implementing it without negatively impacting regular health care.\n\nI don't care if some bloke tells people he's going to cure their rash by giving them a massage, but acknowledging this lends credibility to every other magical practice, like the self-proclaimed shaman who convinces parents that their babies severe cough is caused by all the evil toxins in medicine and that it must be fixed by waving crystals in their faces.\n\nIn the end, the placebo effect works whether the patient thinks some wizard is mingling with their spirit energy or some wonder drug is healing them physically. But alternative medicine isn't just some well educated physicians inducing the placebo effect to ease some grievances, it's an insane occult subculture that denies scientific fact and convinces people that medicine is useless or even deleterious.\n\nI think we should find ways to use the placebo effect without convincing people that magic is real. 1282433599 +(to one sig fig) 1306824551 +You're very good at dodging. Well done. 1343875046 +George Washington University.....\nhttp://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/news/20010430/\n\nHow about that? 1321781254 +i zoomed in the pics so everyone can see it better. the hell would my family take pictures of a TV. this isnt no bs ufo pic. the full photo is my family being shown and what not 1341630390 +i totally agree with you. I used to be a catholic, but the answers I was searching for wasn't there. Too many ambiguities. I studied all the different ideologies and religions. I just wanted to know the "Truth". That's why I said, when you're ready to know, and you really want to. God will reveal Himself to you. No religion here, just "Truth". Bless you in 2012 1325164733 +A special report, [Politics & Global Warming: Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and the Tea Party](http://environment.yale.edu/climate/news/PoliticsGlobalWarming2011/) (full report found here) 1315429188 +Well, I'm still curious as to where you'd end up if you continued to let it happen, but I can now see why it's too exhausting to do that. I wish I had advice for you, but this is completely new to me. I'm still going to monitor this thread to see what others say. Thanks again for sharing! 1343568196 +the second one looks like someone wearing a cape or towel, doesn't it? 1347778426 +Yes yes, hunh and blast radii, please go on, go on. 1335577173 +Oh great googly moogly, where do these people keep coming from? 1295995750 +A not so long exposure of a plane. 1351318321 +I heard it does, but it gives you horrible handwriting 1333524853 +Quite the opposite, P&T are huge skeptic and James Randi is even on an episode. 1321599716 +Would waterboarding terrorists with seawater instead of tap water cure their extremism? 1304447983 +I saw a documentary once about a police officer or sherif investigating cattle mutilations, and that was the exact answer he came up with after an extended investigation. They went to the extent of filming a dead cow getting processed in this manner. \n\nI always loose a little faith in peoples rational approach to UFO cases, when I see people on sites like Reddit approaching cattle mutilations with the predetermined attitude that they must necessarily be mysterious in origin when they in fact can easily be explained. 1315950916 +> this guy seems to be trying to prove something (http://andrewamarino.com/)\n\nHe has a consultancy company[1] with services related to "legal, scientific, environmental and health-related aspects of electromagnetic fields." He also has books he's peddling[2] on this very topic.\n\nSeems fishy as hell that *this* just happened to be the guy who finally managed to provide solid evidence that EMFs can be hurtful to humans.\n\n\n[1] http://marinoconsultingcompany.com/\n\n[2] http://cassandrapublishing.net/\n 1315951003 +Ah yes.. I see what you mean. 1296841580 +It's 19:00 GMT for anyone else in England unable to do the time math. 1316090924 +I \nHATE \nYOU 1301676828 +"Mr Webster is currently away on business. \n\n\n\nIf your business is not urgent then please wait until the end of December.\n \n\n\n\nLeonard" 1353093547 +> 100 lightyears is an infinitesimal bit of the universe. 80 or so stars.\n\nFirst of all, we're out on a spiral arm. The closer in to the core, the greater the density of stars. Secondly, once again skeptics assume a Star Trek like technology is required, whereby travel across the galaxy within the span of a single life is required to achieve interstellar travel. Not so. All that is required is to spread the seed among nearby habitable worlds, such that a technological civilization spreads out over time. \n\nIt seems impossible only if we assume constraints such as were imposed on sea captains of yore. But assume a spread among the pacific islands more like the Polynesians, with lifespans measured an order of magnitude longer than ours, and claims of the impossibility of interstellar civilization and travel collapse. \n\nWhether we are being visited, I don't know. But I don't discount the possibility based on such vacuous claims that interstellar travel is impossible. 1341220237 +Right, but my interpretation of this is that he has a very strong focus on generating interest in the young and the laypeople. Capturing imaginations is a super-good thing, even if it makes those familiar with the science roll their eyes a bit. 1345038841 +Organized experimentation is not the only experimentation that exists.\n\nEvery time someone prays, it's part of a large scale unorganized crowdsourced experiment in the utility of prayer. Getting usable results from that mass experiment is difficult due to a general failure to report both the prayer and the result.\n\nHowever the results of well publicized examples of prayer for specific, easily observable, purposes can be tracked quite simply.\n\nNo, the one example here is not statistically significant. But this is simply one more bit of data for the larger collection in our ability to analyze the mass prayer experiment.\n\nSo far analysis of results for well publicized prayers with easily observable results have demonstrated that prayer does not produce results that can be distinguished from randomness.\n\nThis matches the results found in more organized experimentation.\n\nI'll agree that the link here was editorialized, but editorializing on other topics (anti-vaccine quackery for example), doesn't generally produce the sort of negative reaction you had here.\n\nMy hypothesis is that your reaction was influenced by our general societal agreement that criticizing religion is uniquely impolite. I happen to think that unspoken rule is a very bad rule. 1326380238 +enjoy the breathing tax, bro... 1326468475 +Get rewarded by looking for UFOs while at work and getting fired.\n\nI'm in. 1330850802 +could you link us to an interesting article about "voices in the phone" experienced by Bell ? \n\nThis only talks about the time he was "dreaming" about his wife 1319549610 +Not really. Names are never given, so it's not like these guys will suffer any sort of social repercussions. Calling them out should include doing it in-front of their real-life peers rather than their internet peers. If I posted a thread about how some dude was being a jerk to me and how he was lucky I didn't deck him for it, people would rightfully call me an internet tough-guy because I'm willing to complain online but not actually do anything when confronted with a problem in real life. 1325693540 +You might want her to read this. \n\nhttp://www.smh.com.au/national/parents-guilty-of-manslaughter-over-daughters-eczema-death-20090605-bxvx.html\n\nGet your mum to bite the bullet and get the dog to a vet for real evidence based recommendations of her (the dogs, not your mums) treatment. 1320896883 +Sorry, my friend. As a "real researcher" in perception and cognition (and someone who has studied supposed psychic phenomena), I can see that your frustration comes from pushing a point of view that is insufficient to carry much weight.\n\nIn terms of definitions, [supernatural](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernatural) is a fairly well-understood term in philosophy of science, in relation to [natural](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalism_\\(philosophy\\)) causes. I don't know what definition you are using, but it certainly isn't one that has been agreed upon by researchers.\n\nI don't read "pseudo-sceptical magazines." I read scientific journals as part of my work, including journals on supposed psychic phenomena. What do you read?\n\nAs for "ill-reasoned arguments", I am sad to inform you that the arguments I have mentioned are fairly well-reasoned and standardized in scientific circles. Again, I don't know what your disagreement with them is (aside from the fact that you disagree with them), but I'd like to hear them, starting with this: what is *your* definition of "supernatural"?\n 1316423027 +when the hell are women threatened with rape for disagreeing in the skeptic community? moreover if a troll threatens you with rape is it seriously such an horrendous traumatic experience? I've been insulted many times on the internet and I miraculously don't break down crying after such terrifying experience: "oh my god! dickwolf_99 just called me a butt frustrated son of thousand whores! what am i ever going to do with my life!" 1325712935 +currently working on a way to kill these things when they find them 1332173362 +tl;dr shugan wan is probably not effective. 1317369835 +Salem witch trials is more appropriate. 1332861346 +Pyotr D. Popov isn't listed because it's a pen-name. The real author is hiding from the Russian Government because he knows too much. cross-posted because more info needs to get out about this 1345730362 +That is called Television Syndrome and it is sadly not true. 1351701855 +I've always assumed that it is short for Generation Xtreme! 1338908258 +stuff always happens. 1337632627 +I keep forgetting we've cured cancer. 1291715637 +No one is asking for "renown scientists" or fancy equipment. In this subthread, multiple methods that require nothing fancy and could be easily performed have been suggested. The double-blind test proposed above require nothing fancier than a large sheet and a coin. Say $20 if the sheet is new, and a quarter. That's a cost of 20.25 for total equipment. And no one said anything about using famous scientists. Indeed, that's a big difference between science and things like chi: In science anyone can do an experiment and can report on what happened. Someone else can always try the same protocol. While there's difference degrees of expertise, there's no reason someone needs to be famous, and for most purposes, doing experiments is simply straightforward. Science doesn't need super-scientist gurus. 1325251672 +very true, maybe they just "don't give a shit"--a very real option, but unlikely oversight. 1345233688 +did you ever see the french website about it ??\nit's by far the best pseudo official site about ufo's .\n\nhttp://www.geipan.fr/index.php?id=202&L=1\n\nit is only in french, but they basically digitized every case and you can search them by clicking on the map and so on .. \n\nfantastic ! 1317920397 +Well, with solid proof like that how can I possibly continue to deny the miracle that is homeopathy?\n\nI mean, can all those so called "scientists" explain that? I bet they can't...just more proof that they have no idea what they're doing and are only in it to sell us harmful drugs full of unnatural chemicals. 1305229641 +What height is the cloud ceiling? does the weather report tell you that? Or the wind speed? 1356289900 +It fills me with a deep sadness. 1300888170 +Is that a sister publication of The Onion? This sounds like it was lifted straight from The Onion: \n\n> 2. Vaccines\nThink vaccines are safe? You've been hoodwinked by the popular media parroting drug company propaganda. Vaccines are preserved with methyl mercury, one of the most dangerous chemical forms of the toxic heavy metal. This mercury is injected directly into the bodies of children where it causes severe neurological damage. And yes, it does cause Autism, despite what you've read in the dumbed-down press. Only a fool would inject their child with mercury-preserved vaccines. 1326730765 +What is SM?\n\nI think she should have talked about what she was supposed to be talking about anyway. I was really interested when I heard the topic and was completely let down. 1310482515 +It's celebrating the stopping of the plot and arrest of Mr. Fawkes, rather than the guy himself. 1352149817 +probly just a squirrel 1343944680 +That was brilliant! 1332041505 +> So what you're saying is that anyone who doesn't believe exactly what you do is small minded?\n\nNope. There's a *lot* I don't know, and enough that I'm wrong about daily . . . so no.\n\n> I still haven't seen this "evidence" you claim is so overwhelming.\n\nThe fact that you've proven your eyes and your brain to be as closed as they are already means that it is likely you wouldn't be able to see or understand how what I could show you is indeed evidence.\n\nIf you don't have the eyes and the brain to see it, then you simply *won't* see it, [even if it's right in front of your face](http://www.hidden-3d.com/stereogram_posters.php). 1332272199 +The birthday paradox does not apply here. The chance of /r/skeptic's birthday being the same as Ray Hyman's is indeed 1 in 366. And the chance of it being the same as any one of a number of notable skeptic's is "{however many different birth dates exist among the set of skeptics that might be called 'noted'} out of 366" (not exactly what kylev said).\n\nThe birthday paradox only applies when you're matching between two sets which both contain more than a single item. For example, it would apply if the question was "What is the chance that some piece of data about /r/skeptic matches the same piece of data about some noted skeptic?". Perhaps that's how you interpreted my question? 1323691316 +I think this has been posted before and [somebody found these kites.](https://www.google.nl/search?q=led+kite&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) 1345550164 +no its real 1342560189 +forget quoting studies and even logical arguments, as adherents to magic (I consider homeopathy on a par with fortune-telling) will reject them out of hand.\n\nI find a better way of dealing with the irrational is common sense. In your case, you start off on the offensive. I presume you didn't just say 'homeopathy is bullshit,' as a random conversation starter. \n\nIn a similar situation when a friend-of-a-friend was espousing the benefits of homeopathy I simply asked her how it worked. When she explained, I asked her how come the water didn't remember all the pooh that had been in it (a gag I first heard from Tim Minchin). She seemed genuinely shocked. I can only assume she went back to aspirin after that. 1339996682 +It's probably a big frozen ball of poop from an airplane. Notice the peanut next to the hole. 1330095155 +Is that what the term is for somthing like that?\n 1348971902 +Ananda Marga website is www.crimsondawn.info\nTry searching for Abha Light there... 1304434046 +Statistics is definitely +++ :)\n\nHowever - unless you are not a major expert in quite a number of scientific fields - the most important point of skepticism is - again and again - being able to find and understand the written peer-reviewed papers on the relevant subject - in other words the **opinion of the experts in that field!** 1336930744 +Still counts! 1331359015 +That wouldn't go over well. It's apparent from reading the webpage that blind faith is involved. 1318452535 +I heard of this site in [this article](http://www.gadflyonline.com/home/index.php/pink-is-the-new-green-soylent-never-goes-out-of-style/) in TrueReddit.\n\nI am not sure if it contains misinformation and lies because I haven't watched all the videos, but really I wouldn't want to rely on this type of resource for my information about the food industry. Their interest is obviously not in informing us impartially. 1350474911 +Often times I wonder which of my beliefs are well-founded in truth and which ones I just believe in because a person I admire/respected held or someone I hated disliked it. 1330723028 +No court will issue an injunction against this statute if it passes because the caselaw on the mater is already clear. The US Supreme Court has already ruled in 1905 in the case of [Jacobson v. Massachusetts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacobson_v._Massachusetts) that it wasn't unconstitutional for states to mandate vaccinations. In that case the law in question mandated all residents to be vaccinated against smallpox. \n\nThe Supreme Court ruled specifically that the vaccination requirement for public schools was constitutional in the case of [Zucht v. King](http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/260/174/case.html). \n\nI downvoted because the evidence suggests that any legal challenges will be summarily rejected. 1330910725 +Have to agree here, as much as the label would be correct, people who believe it would likely shrug it off and say something to the effect of, "that's the point." 1301312026 +Well, when I did watch The Matrix, I was about 9 or so. The fine details of that movie wasn't really my focus back then. Only recently did I actually understand FULLY what was going on. The reason I came to the sudden realization was because I watched the Animatrix DVD from the set I mentioned earlier. I associated the OP's story with the *Beyond* story because it was pretty fresh in my mind. When I watched The Matrix, I saw that part with the cat, but since the experience wasn't very similar to the thread, I didn't think about it as the same thing...until you mentioned it. \n\n 1354811637 +That's it, that is just fucking it. I am unsibscribing from this trash immediately. This place has become a wasteland of nutters spouting off about how "spiritual" beings are here to save us. 1330622584 +I thought it belonged here because of the emphasis among skeptics on rationality and reason (backed by empirical evidence) and the avoidance of mindless obedience and blind following of tradition. The other finding in the article was that rescuers were "three times more likely than non-rescuers to identify 'reasoning' as an element of their moral education." \n\nI wasn't sure where to put it, and was pretty sure that people who read the skeptic sub-reddit would find it interesting. Thanks for the feedback though. I'll think more carefully about where to post next time.\n 1274302527 +You're right. Actually providing a link that has sources to actual studies is so fallible. Telling you how things work outside of your forced bubble is certainly wrong.\n\nOh, by the way... What have you done to backup your claims exactly? 1335314904 +I'm more optimistic! 1345654042 +Your maths are useless without one important variable: how close is the "object" to the camera? We haven't a clew.\n\n(A meaningless question though since it's not even an object. It's just another radiation artifact on the CCD.) 1343106096 +The one about not drinking as much water at night isn't complete BS. I mean, at the very least, doing so will keep you from getting up to use the bathroom as much at night. 1353939212 +I can see how you can say that being surrounded by Southern Baptists, but try not to generalize a whole region. 1341376580 +Agreed, I feel he interpreted it that way, however other issues could have been afoot - the dolphin was most likely just 'dying' and he considered it suicide because of his emotions. 1321202025 +The FDA is seriously over extended right now and in many ways could be in as much trouble as the patent office. If homeopathic debunking can happen without further stretching the FDA then I'm all for it; however, I'm concerned this will saddle an important organization with an unfunded mandate to write labels aimed at the illiterate. \n\nNevertheless a good read. 1314819919 +That sounds pretty trippy. 1355178671 +But we can't jerk off with salt! 1287342708 +I blame Oprah. Randi needs a talkshow. 1318981615 +A lot of it.\n\nBut a glitch in the matrix isn't a ghost. 1326493428 +Paranoid people wash eggs. As long as they don't wash the heinous salmonella onto other surfaces,then they should be fine. They're going to do it anyway. They should follow aseptic technique and keep their tin foil hats firmly strapped. 1354731687 +a fly on the lens is supposed to prove what? Come on now 1353266356 +I remember my younger sister crying in the middle of the night and not being able to sleep in her room a couple of days in a row because each night when we were getting ready for bed, she said she saw a bright ball of light come in to her room, hover around for a few minutes, then zoom back outside and across the field. 1341199002 +if someone gets you a stabilized version, lemme know. i need to see it. 1336940851 +I was going to post this one. I like and frequent the boards over there. 1246628157 +"Five million years is like the blink of an eye," Slater told LiveScience.\n\nCraybatesedu, if you're unable to comprehend what that means then you're doomed to spend your life as a Young Earth Creationist. 1275915852 +from a guy on the paranormal subreddit... really.................................................................... 1318575244 +>I will add to this that DS1 is now 5 1/2 years old and has never taken an anti-biotic in his life...and his first fever was when he was 2 1/2 years old. He has never had an ear infection or strep throat\n\nI don't think these people understand what antibiotics are for... why would their child receive anti-bacterial medication if they never had a bacterial infection? I just pray that their child never gets strep throat as it can progress to [major illness](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheumatic_fever) if not treated right away. 1329603882 +[It's already been done.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Alpha) It didn't change anything. 1320260383 +Rare relative to positive tests or to non-pregnancies? There's risk of a base rate fallacy here: If many more people take tests than are actually pregnant then the probability of a false positive for someone who isn't pregnant can remain low while the proportion of overall positives that turn out to be false is quite high. (I scouted around for a few minutes but didn't find any reliable numbers.)\n\nEDIT: Of course, "my gyno told me" is good evidence, since they're likely to be adequately informed; i'm more curious about the stats than worried about an epidemic of false positives. 1349188760 +I get this all the time. Especially if I've recently been in a loud place, like a concert or a music festival. Normal everyday sounds turn into music, like full on songs, or people laughing. It tends to dissapear after a few hours, but it's definitely strange. I figure it is just some type of auditory hallucination. 1355614894 +I wasn't saying that we should assume that free will actually exists...\n\nPinker in How the Mind Works says that he thinks it should be assumed in the realm of morality though, in the same way that perfect circles are assumed in mathematics even though they don't exist in reality. Assuming perfect circles is useful in the realm of mathematics, as is assuming free will in the realm of morality if we are to hold people accountable for their actions and not just blame things on their genes or what they ate for dinner etc.\n\nMy question is simply do you think that we can keep the idea of morality, moral responsibility and holding people accountable for their actions, without the notion of free will? Or should we keep the idea of free will even if it is not something that has any reality?\n\n>I think Buddhist who can really meditate have a greater control over their brain\n\nIt's a bit weird talking about having control over our brains when we are our brains, but I understand what you're getting at. 1313669216 +massage therapy has the same results at a lower price, and the sessions tend to be longer. That said some masseuses are full of woo as well. 1356893828 +Arguably, it is choice though, because it's a different product from all their other stuff 1349818848 +>which makes it an interesting but practically useless thought experiment.\n\nI was always under the impression that it was never supposed to be anything more than that. \n\nIt's just an idea to get people thinking about the various factors that are at play when discussing the possibility of extraterrestrial life. 1345802567 +I never actually had cable. When I was a kid we had the big house antenna, and my parents probably thought it was a waste of money. Then when I moved out, _I_ couldn't afford it, and now the cost of entry is just too high to justify - we'd have get a TV _and_ pay cable and from what I've heard it's sort of expensive. I guess it's come full circle, and now I'm my parents saying "It's a waste of money". God I'm old.\n\nSomeone who isn't me downloaded the episode from bit torrent. :p 1293826370 +Exactly. The only situation I could think of would be eating weed. 1288019231 +True, but even Randi, in his show never claims to disprove an entire field of quackery, simply to demonstrate that a particular individual does not have the abilities they claim to, and the test I proposed would do that. 1353945436 +Reposted, thanks. 1355438737 +If you're interested in watching them, these are the two interviews:\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FARDDcdFaQ (Richard Dawkins)\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BCipg71LbI (David Silverman) 1296972827 +Runescape 1332257694 +Agreed, most of his stuff is actually very amusing! 1326764746 +That's exactly what you're doing about a FDA-style diet. Neither one is a one size fits all solution. Which I've already said, so don't put words in my mouth. I don't care what you think of the diet; that's not the point.\n\nIf their post said "low", I wouldn't have posted it here. Yes, I'm arguing semantics. Thanks for finally noticing.\n\nI can only repeat myself so many times. G'night. 1336098581 +You dismiss the plausible answer far too quickly. Our eyes don't perceive depth and size at a great distance very well. I agree that it is likely an RC copter. Sorry bud. 1356282625 +I was being facetious about the death by fire. For the record I don't wish that upon you.\n\nAlso, perhaps you and I use the word "Fan-boys" in different ways. To me when you say you or someone else is a "Fan-boy" it is not simply "Liking a computer." That's a Fan. I am a fan of many, many things. Including the video you made.\n\nNo, I have no problem whatsoever with Fans.\n\nA "Fan-boy" or girl at least the way I have heard the word used the most is a person who has an undue allegiance to a company or product.\n\nA "Fan" of Batman for example will buy the comic books, watch the movies and cartoons etc. A Batman Fan-boy will argue with you for hours about how much better Batman is than any other superhero, none could possibly be better, the superhero *you* like is lame and retarded (unless its Batman).\n\nA Fan of Nintendo will buy Nintendo games etc. A Fanboy will ONLY buy Nintendo games. Sony is THE SUXXORS!!!! Microsoft is THE SUXXORS! and no Sony or Microsoft game is anything but shit.\n\nA Fan of computers will buy computers. A Fanboy will pay twice the price of a normal computer because he thinks that the people who see him using it will feel that he is a hip young professional.\n\nA Fanboy will put up with things like Non user replaceable batteries, lack of SD card slot, Non-standard USB cables and corporate censorship and even explain to you why there are actually good things. \n\nApple products are expensive, so its become a sort of (extremely lame) status symbol. College kids nowdays if they see you with a laptop that doesn't have an Apple on the front will just assume that you are too poor to afford one (as opposed to being too wise) and actually judge you to be inferior based on the make/model of laptop or cell phone you carry.\n\nApple fanboys are especially insufferable because of this and its actually creating the opposite effect in some people. If I see some cat with a Macbook, I don't *immediately* assume he/she is a doucebag, but it *is* the first sign.\n\n 1293985693 +You just went full tin-foil hat. I have never heard of any of these theories. 1341972078 +If they keep repeating the same thing over and over they think it'll change reality. These people do actually believe in magic after all. 1285114365 +I read "PZ Myers: Near-death" and gasped a lil' bit. 1335501833 +Yeah but conspiracies are for the lulz to many people... I don't think you can draw many conclusions from that. 1322338709 +Just in case you missed the references on the Wiki page for oscillococcinum, there is a class action lawsuit against Boiron who sells this junk.\n\nhttp://www.courthousenews.com/2011/08/05/SnakeOil.pdf\n\nPersonally, I'd print up the CAL and post it next to the snake oil or just keep it with you and be sure to show it to anyone you see checking the stuff out.\n\nEdit: the CAL was filed in August of 2011, so it is fairly recent and probably not settled yet. 1327358730 +I thought this when I saw the title. 1340604700 +>How can God not be an alien by definition?\n\nThe problem is that no text or person has, as of yet, offered an actual definition of what God is. Without a definition, God is a nebulous concept that can be interpreted to match any subjective wish or need. Positing whether or not this nebulous concept is "an alien" doesn't carry any value with it. It doesn't help us to know or discover anything new. 1352472706 +I called somebody a meat mechanic on reddit a while back, got downvoted to hell. \n\n I'm sorry but being a doctor doesn't mean you're extra smart it means you had enough money for med school, studied hard (possibly) and you are able to handle all those long hours. I don't begrudge their success and I believe they are in fact some what intelligent.\n\nIt does not mean you're a scientist or a genius. I would argue many genius's would be too bored to become a doctor as it's not ultra dramatic like TV makes it seem and is often more monotonous and filled with "does this look like cancer or is it just a mole?." 1350097156 +That is pretty awful and yet still not as dumb as the things Deepak Chopra says. 1296345391 +It definitely does! I haven't tried this but I have tried the Pepsi throwback and it's much less sweet and you really notice the carbonation more. 1300980355 +You know what other phenomena creates moving lights in the sky? UFO's. 1342647984 +TL; DR\n\nI keep asking on r/conspiracy, when I see these theories come up, just who exactly "they" are, in the convoluted mess of cognitive biases that make up this theory, or a motive, other than THEY COMIN FOR OUR GUNZ BOYS.\n\nConspiracy theorists could really benefit from taking some college-level classes. Especially psychology and basic informal logic. 1356878840 +I found this.\n[http://www.richardwiseman.com/resources/psychicdogreply.pdf](http://www.richardwiseman.com/resources/psychicdogreply.pdf)\nIt's Wiseman's side of the story. 1303349216 +The thread about it on ATS he mentions has been moved to Hoaxes 1342556563 +"I'm just going to post a bunch of stuff I don't know anything about as genuine medical advice and assume it's right and recommend everyone uses it even though it's completely unproven and untested."\n\nAll of the posts on there.\n 1334451764 +Perhaps it's alternative medicine, but then so might be many other things such as massage or spending time in a sauna. As long as they're not making unproved medical claims, I would lump chiropractic in the same category.\n\nThis is anecdotal, but the one time I went to a chiropractor I could hardly sit down because my hips went "outta wack" while I was doing some home repairs. They put some heated towels on my lower back, gave me a short massage, and then the chiropractor "popped" me. He then asked me about how I exercise and recommended certain stretches. As a skeptic I was very pleasantly surprised, and to top it off I felt completely better shortly thereafter. 1336173875 +Close. I believe the word you're looking for is "politics". 1317634494 +It probably depends on your definition of knowledge. 1351634452 +Quantum 1310594642 +Touche, let's not forget that ourselves most definitely.\n\nEven if they really, *really* do ignore the large positive body of evidence. 1354869175 +Same thing. 1297493735 +Just reminded me of that CG kids show "Reboot". Hence the 90's reference :) 1338506408 +Is it available anywhere besides the C2CAM website? 1333952205 +I strongly believve in them to and I always freak out thinking about the greys but these little tron fairies were so awesome man. I really wish I could at least draw them or something they were so cool. 1345707869 +The Law of Attraction. I believe it 100% 1329950831 +Good to know, It was a cool video but it seemed a bit set-up. Thanks! 1332707390 +Hey, downvote me if you must but, everyone has their own version of "truth"; best you can hope for is that your version is closer to reality than the next person. 1290699698 +some [context](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZHCVyllnck) 1316105787 +Have you tried working with the Center for Inquiry? I'm sure they'd be into it, and have resources to help get it going! 1314301657 +That's one of the shittiest "EVP" video's i've ever seen. So unprofessional, cut with music....it's hard to believe. 1349194032 +The problem is that such an argument is applicable to everything. Nothing is 100% safe. 1304304130 +You should watch the New Zealand version of Ghost Hunt. I'm a New Zealander and I am now unable to go to some of the locations they investigate on the show, because it's so damn scary! I'm fairly sure all the episodes are on YouTube. Enjoy!!\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Hunt_(NZ_TV_series) -- Here's the link to the Wikipedia page :) 1340703458 +“History is written by the victors.” -Winston Churchill 1338189291 +Cool! Thanks. I will post updates to the people interested in these responses when we get it going. 1314246639 +Indian army validating the fact really strange 1352268697 +Magnets have a profound effect on our energy spectrum. And yes, Quantum does explain things. 1326184606 +because some random guy on the interwebs said so sheeperson ! 1350796562 +This happened to me the last two days and sounds very familiar. http://m.wisegeek.com/what-are-hypnopompic-hallucinations.htm\n 1346894031 +I met someone the other day who had a WWJD bracelet and one of these on. Lost all respect for him instantaneously. 1317514679 +Upvoted because of name. <3 Cyberiad. Have you read Altruazine yet? Mind = blown after that stuff. Lem Stanislaw was a genius... 1317898558 +Dude, a whole 4 marijuanas?! He'd be lucky to survive that! 1356132291 +Anecdotal evidence will get you nowhere on r/skeptic. 1342729193 +And then we beat his old ass. 1317321367 +Black box warnings are typically for medications that can have dangerous or life-threatening side effects. An example is the off-label use of some anti-depressants that caused an increased likelihood of suicide in young adults. 1332634736 +redping pls 1348534906 +I was thinking 6.022*10^23 1328027872 +It certainly wouldn't be an *ET* UFO - which *is* what this forum is about. 1346974551 +"Hey bork! I got some tricked out neons for my saucer! Want to go tear up some back space roads and play pranks on the earthlings?" \n\n"Do I!" 1340356124 +I thought that teaching children to read books actually did increase their likelihood of myopia. I'm no expert, and would be happy if someone pointed out that this was hogwash, but I recall a study involving Inuit people, where the population generally had great eyesight prior to books being introduced into their culture, but post books, myopia became a common problem.\n\nAt least on the surface, this does not seem to be crazy. Our eyes did not evolve for reading, and reading in childhood might in fact impact the way that our eyes develop in a negative way. As per usual, there maybe a simple biological phenomena, which is underlying an absurd conspiracy theory. 1246922213 +Smudge on a window? Must be a ghost! 1341229443 +What is technocracy, if not the rule of smart, or better, most competent?\n\nOf course there are bad and incomptetent apples everywhere, but I think there are less of them among the smartest and most educated than in general populace. 1332073519 +Honestly it was awesome, especially having my dad there to witness it with me. It is something we frequently sit down and discuss and really it was one of those moments that brings you out of the little shell you live in. I have read a lot about cosmology and physics and wonder about all the potential for extraterrestrial or even just extraordinary things that could be out there, but witnessing it firsthand is much needed verification for the scientific mind. 1348457620 +>Wakefield was the lead author of a paper in the Lancet medical journal that suggested a link between the measles virus and inflammatory bowel disease. The paper also suggested the virus played a role in the development of autism.\n\nI thought that it suggested a link between the MMR vaccine and autism, rather than the live measles virus, and that the vaccine was causing the bowel disease. But that there were all kinds of methodological and ethical problems with the collection of the data. 1356307513 +Skepitically Speaking had a [good edisode](http://skepticallyspeaking.ca/episodes/185-genetically-modified-food) a couple of weeks back.\n\nI don't know if there is a transcript floating around. \n\nOf course, [Skeptoid](http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4112) has an episode. 1352414391 +Those big hairy monsters, they're real Trin. What person ever moved like that in the history of people? 1333468375 +I don't think so. Even if it seems silly to you, the police do have a duty to look into every complaint made. They can't simply pass judgement before even looking and say, "oh, that sounds silly!" 1307562633 +Do my tax dollars pay for this?\n\nThe stupid, it burns...the goggles do nothing... 1283272424 +I wouldn't necessarily agree that organic foods are nothing more than a status symbol. Organically grown foods have a smaller impact upon the environment that foods grown using industrial farming methods. 1338686808 +Those comments hurt my brain. People actually believe this shit? 1326694345 +It's about profiling. You have to know the initial body position of someone's body and then see if this behavior changes when new stimuli are brought along.\n\nFor example, a common thing you'll hear is that crossed arms signify lack of attention or disagreement. What about someone who almost always has their arms crossed? Are they always disagreeing? Could it simply be because the person finds it more comfortable? What's important is knowing the initial and final state(s) of a person's body language after a stimulus/stimuli.\n\nThat's probably the first *step* to making a scientific observation... Many other factors can come into account. 1350665220 +How do I encourage rational thought WHEN HE HAS A HALFROBOT FACE? 1302445673 +I remember the first time I heard of this. My reaction was, "Interesting, a disease that makes your skin produce hairlike strands in strange places." The sufferers', however, concluded that parasites were burrowing in. That was the giveaway for me that it wasn't real. 1305770624 +Ask and you shall receive!\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQqCjTEWz78 \n\nExtremely well done analysis. Includes stabilization, flightpath analysis, perspective correction, pretty much the whole 9 yards of video magic on it.\n\n(Anything by lunacognita is gold, btw) 1332966318 +<Morbo>SAT scores don't work that way.</Morbo>\n\nBack when SATs were 1600 points, your combined score was the aggregate of your best math (out of 800) and your best verbal (out of 800). There was no score that was a statistical mean for an individual. The only time statistical means were given was one doing aggregates of multiple individuals. Schools, institutions, racial groups, etc, could have SAT scores that didn't end in 0, but individuals couldn't.\n\nDisclaimer: I'm not sure how things work since they added the extra 800 point section with subjective scoring. 1352522233 +I'll chime in, I strongly believe there's something real going on in the realm of "ghosts" but I approach it with a lot of skepticism.\n\n1. Ghosts are the energy of someone or something that has usually passed. They have left some sort of psychic energy in physical places that sort of loops itself and doesn't interact with the present. Another kind of ghost is one that does have the ability to interact with people, in our world, at the present time. A poltergeist is an energy that can physically move things in our world but does not need to come from a person who has passed away. It can be attached to a person, and is possibly a form of telekinetic energy released from that individual. All of this is supposition, hypothesis and guessing of course.\n\n2. That anyone has the authority to stand up and say what the fuck is actually going on!!!! We don't know folks, we don't have adequate proof of anything really. The "experts" using "scientific methods" on the ghost hunting shows are generally a disgrace to expertise and science. Some people, such as Dr. Rhine have tried to legitimately study the phenomena (starting with very basic things such as ESP) under the term "parapsychology" but the field seems to be unfairly dismissed by other scientists.\n\n3. No, not at all.\n\n4. Some people believe that certain ghosts are "trapped" in this world and that they can be released if you simply tell them to move on. Sometimes it plays out like a mystery novel, where a crime has be be solved that will then "free" a spirit. Some psychics claim to be able to assist these ghosts in moving on.\n\n5. Maybe. \n\n6. That's often the theory but there are reports of ghosts returning to haunt their homes after their deaths, or even showing up in seemingly arbitrary places.\n\n7. Damned if I know.\n\n8. Good question and as someone who doesn't believe in those things, I can't answer it. It actually adds to my skepticism about ghosts.\n\n9. Some day it's because they were attached to a place emotionally in their life. Doesn't have to be a positive emotion.\n\n10. See 1.\n\n11. Will Storr Vs. The Supernatural is a good book about a skeptic journalist who dives into the realm of ghosts. The result is very entertaining, at times scary, and for me really nails the grey area that ghosts seem to occupy for me. Something is out there, but we really don't have a great idea of what it is. Strange things do happen though.\n\n 1349565095 +Here is a good one: [Archeologist Watches Ancient Aliens](http://badarchaeology.wordpress.com/2011/09/17/i-remember-why-i%E2%80%99ve-never-wanted-satellite-television/)\n\nAlso, here is a piece by piece examination of every claim made on the show:\n\n[Dumbass Guide to Knowledge](http://www.dumbassguide.info/blog.php?bid=92) 1335642511 +Can we please stop calling science-deniers "skeptics"?\n\nIt's one thing to be skeptical about something, it's another to deny all fact and logic in the face of overwhelming evidence.\n\nThat latter bit's just called idiocy. 1330269202 +Weird picture... 1332260041 +> When it all really just boils down to calorie consumption.\n\nThe 'a calorie is a calorie no matter the source' thing, while appealingly simple in a sort-of nutritionalist-sceptic's Razor sort of way, turns out to actually be an oversimplication once you start testing it. Example study: [Postprandial Thermogenesis Is Increased ~100% on a High-Protein, Low-Fat Diet versus a High-Carbohydrate, Low-Fat Diet [of the same calorie count] in Healthy, Young Women](http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/full/21/1/55). ([Results graph](http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/full/21/1/55/F1)). 1304423798 +All these country's governments have managed to hide all the hard evidence from the entire world? Or have the countries set up some secret cabal and will only sell alien tech to one another and not let the scientific community in on their game? \n\nAnother thing, NASA would have to be in on this conspiracy. Their budget has been cut year after year. The shuttle has been scrapped with no replacement waiting to take its place. Hey you know what's a great motivator, fear! By releasing scientific evidence to the world, proving UFO's exist. I think most people would want NASA funded as much as possible. Needless to say this goes for other country's space agencies as well. 1350147956 +>Is the UFO phenom a phenom? Or is it people filling the minds eye with something they wish to believe?\n\nBecause of the tendency for humans to create their own realities with beliefs, I *would* accept this explanation for the UFO phenomenon. The problem with that is the radar/video/photos//visuals proving this is empirical reality. Whatever UFOs are, they are not products of the mind. \n\nI believe there is truth to humans not wanting to be on 'top'. Religion makes that pretty clear. But there is the flip side of that as well. We do like being at the top of the food chain, so to speak. 1307497376 +Malware? 1313882410 +Artificial substances are never a good method of arriving at understanding of what's being talked about here. In fact, they are a great hindrance in that they constitute a massive crutch that the identity confusedly relies upon in order to achieve an understanding and realization that in no way ever required such a crutch. The crutch, then, often makes the individual dependent and, consequently, all the worse off because of the activity.\n\nUnderstanding and awareness is something that should always, *always* be achieved through the concentrated, focused, disciplined, and aware mind. Substances entirely undermine this and weaken the self. 1349732216 +> The top five sources of US crude oil imports for September were Canada (2,324 thousand barrels per day), Saudi Arabia (1,465 thousand barrels per day), Mexico (1,099 thousand barrels per day), Venezuela (759 thousand barrels per day) and Nigeria (529 thousand barrels per day). The rest of the top ten sources, in order, were Colombia (510 thousand barrels per day), Iraq (403 thousand barrels per day), Ecuador (299 thousand barrels per day), Angola (283 thousand barrels per day) and Russia (275 thousand barrels per day). Total crude oil imports averaged 9,006 thousand barrels per day in September, which is a decrease of (16) thousand barrels per day from August 2011.\n\nSource: ftp://ftp.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html\n\nAccording to these statistics the US gets less than 5% (4.47 for September) of its oil from Iraq. I'd reckon energy stability was somewhat of a factor but I doubt it was even one of the main factors with such low import numbers. 1323035255 +The whole thing is a bit outdated now; it's been 5 years since the video was uploaded and his claims that in the next 7 years (so the next 2 years from now) anti-gravity technology would be available for the public eye - I wish the opposite but it's highly unlikely! 1305191450 +Yes I can, god told me so ! 1321119629 +Unfortunately, yes! The current trend for magical thinking and conspiracies is actually very prominent in highly educated individuals. It's counterintuitive. 1256321948 +Strange. But wouldn't 'nik-uh-rah-gwah' be closer to an over-pronounced Spanish version that they're talking about? So what's the actual correct way to pronounce Nicaragua? Because 'nik-uh-rag-yoo-uh' doesn't even sound remotely Spanish. 1351879214 +I believe as a skeptic the information below REQUIRES you have reasonable doubt. "the reasonable man" would be required to be skeptical of the commission's report in light of this information:\n\n>FBI director's critique\nFormer FBI director Louis Freeh criticized the 9/11 Commission for ignoring key evidence from Able Danger, which he alleged resulted in false statements being made in the final 9/11 Commission report. For example, the 9/11 Commission concluded that "American intelligence agencies were unaware of Mr. Atta until the day of the attacks," which Mr. Freeh stated appears to be false. He stated that Able Danger had identified Mohammed Atta, the alleged ring-leader of the 19 hijackers, as an Al Qaeda man active in the United States and was tracking him for many months.\n\n>Further, Director Freeh criticized the Commission for allowing the Pentagon to withhold key evidence about the facts found by Able Danger and **concluded that these inadequacies raised serious questions about the credibility of the 9/11 Commission.[20]**\n\n>[edit]"Set up" to fail\n\n>The two co-chairs of the Commission, Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton, believe that the government established the Commission in a way that ensured that it would fail. In their book Without Precedent: The Inside Story of the 9/11 Commission describing their experience serving, Hamilton listed a number of reasons for reaching this conclusion, including: the late establishment of the Commission and the very short deadline imposed on its work; the insufficient funds (3 million dollars), initially allocated for conducting such an extensive investigation (later the Commission requested additional funds but received only a fraction of the funds requested and the chairs still felt hamstrung); the many politicians who opposed the establishment of the Commission; the continuing resistance and opposition to the work of the Commission by many politicians, particularly those who did not wish to be blamed for any of what happened; the deception of the Commission by various key government agencies, including the Department of Defense, NORAD and the FAA; and, the denial of access by various agencies to documents and witnesses. "So there were all kinds of reasons we thought we were set up to fail."[21]\n\n[edit] 1334555493 +They stay in business, because your body fixes itself.\n\nThe pain will eventually go away, and if it doesn't, it will be because it requires surgery.\n\nThey stay in business, because they call themselves doctors and convince people they use science.\n\nAnd like coop33 said, they might even injure you.\n\nYou're absolutely better off just taking pain killers. If it's still there in a month, something is seriously wrong and you'll need a real doctor. 1324841313 +http://sifter.org/~brandyn/Democracy3.gif 1287513667 +With my limited knowledge on the subject, it would make sense to me that it was selected for. It just seems very specific and refined and nearly the entire animal kingdom (down to bacteria as well as plants) have some form of ability to communicate. Especially mammals all have very sophisticated vocalizations. 1326562970 +"Global warming" is a poorly chosen phrase to describe it, though. "Climate change" is at least more accurate. 1293408004 +When I attended the local TEDx, in Brisbane, Australia, there was an Aboriginal "healer" who was selling mystical healing treatments. And by the way, they're for sale in the foyer. It was a disgrace.\n\nThere was some really good stuff, but this was bullshit. 1355136062 +You can only do so much history i guess...before it's just wild guesses, and wild guesses about the future are far more probable to happen than wild guesses about the past. I agree that the stuff about trucker seems silly and shouldn't be on the history channel though. 1293732801 +Meh. Splitting hairs 1335594854 +It looks like it could be something that was going up, it peaked, and then fell back to the ground. It's hard to get perspective from the video as to whether it was approaching or rising. 1336585811 +It's just a movie trailer. I would have to watch the movie to have an opinion. 1305854944 +Nope. I'm afraid this is not interesting. Wrong answer. You leave, with nothing. 1330355005 +Want a haunted place to go to? Why not Goldberg? 1315174501 +Whatever man, I'm not looking for credibility. Most people on this subreddit don't think critically at all, most have already made their minds up. 1344129864 +If PBB encompasses and includes the phenomena that have been witnessed thus far, then perhaps you might be right. I don't know. However, I personally am not sure if PBB *does* indeed encompass it. Perhaps you can elaborate on what parallels you see sufficient to link what I stated here *with* PBB. 1336790699 +Thanks so much for linking to the paging=off version of the article. 1344482879 +At first I thought this would be interesting, but it's actually really long winded and obvious. 1313401439 +I didn't see that. I'll check.\n\nEdit- I can't find it. Do you have a link? 1319206012 +Check out my post from yesterday. It's not very secret. \n 1335245283 +I'd love to take a class like that "It's all bullshit. Here's your assigned text book - *The Demon Haunted World* by Carl Sagan. I'll see you all at finals. 1314581911 +Yes, it is is worth investigating. You just cannot draw reliable conclusions without further study.\n\nIt's not anecdotes should be ignored, just that they are not reliable indicators and one shouldn't assume the experience is representative. 1310463208 +>He's a cartoonish supervillain who hates Freedom.\n\nOh I see! \n\nHAARP is some type of super-weapon and this is Red Alert 2. We need an awesome cut-scene now and Einstein's prism towers... Those things were awesome. 1351533248 +I think that's right; color does probably influence taste or perceived flavor, but I guess I'm not convinced of that conclusion by this experiment. I imagine that wine tasters have a certain vocabulary associated with red wines, and they will always use words from that vocabulary whenever they see that they're drinking a red wine. Whatever the flavor is, they will be limited by their red wine vocabulary to describe what they believe to be a red wine. At least that seems to me to be a reasonable alternative conclusion. 1323798328 +OK, I'm curious. We all get fooled at one point or another (which is why its important to be a critical thinker) ... so are there any skeptics out there willing to admit that somebody managed to fool them yesterday (1st Apr) with a prank? 1301767038 +I feel bad putting this here since made this post, but, DUH [SHEEPLE WILL WAKE UP](http://xkcd.com/1013/). 1332462220 +We all know what UFO means, the problem comes when people points to aliens as the answer. \n\nWhat evidence would make me take a second look? Well, excuse my lack of imagination, I will tell you instead what isn't evidence for me, those statements that start like "We don't know what/how this can be, therefor...". And another problem about the UFOs are alien theory is that the scientific community doesn't accept it, doesn't that show something? 1339089204 +It's a bug. I've seen this is video that I have shot before. Just looks really cool against a blue sky backdrop. 1352497691 +I think it was disrepectful to just end and start the story of the hoarder. They should have at least given them the last spot. Ideally, when they got to the end of that horrible interview they should have rethought the whole narrative, instead of trying to fit it inside it. They should have gone in a bigger narrative about the khmer rouge and what does it means to be "true". What if something is "unproven" or "unprovable"? \n\nIn the comments someone also mentioned a text that seemed to indicate that the interviewees, felt misrepresented, that they were much more aware of the bee dropping hypothesis than what the interview let pass. 1348710588 +hah, yes, there are most definitely things that I *don't* miss about Utah too. 1306711341 +Maybe it's wind.\n\n/s 1332962828 +If your parents do please them to bring their own handkerchief to wipe off some of the blood. Please get the blood analysed by a lab. The lab will almost definitely confirm that it's animal blood. I know thats asking your family to spend even more money but could you to help prove that hes a fraud? 1346748799 +Why are all Democrats labeled as "liberals"?\n\nSome might say that Republicans are liberal with gun rights and liberal with regards to not restricting businesses with regulations. 1338554654 +Hi! I noticed you guys talking about a revived thread two months ago and thought I'd join in on the five month conversation. Neither of you guys are alone in reading these threads! 1340453283 +Again, none of those things point to these objects being extraterrestrial in nature. 1349509917 +Dolan's on the money again... 1336117043 +"Limited commercials"? I gave up before the commercials stopped. 1313686912 +Elaborate 1331785714 +thanks, I'm always up for checking out material that makes an effort to present the actual truth, regardless if whether that truth clashes with my worldview. However it is almost 3 AM here and I need sleep so I'll check them out tomorrow. 1338446476 +And as an unemployed reditor, I would like to say... you're welcome. :) 1305145051 +what...wait..uhh huh.. WHAT? 1354605368 +Yes.\n\nEdit: But the thing is they brought up other stuff that they just left as a mystery, I mean really? There's radon in your water one minute, gone the next, and you just say "oh well"? 1277541114 +Same! In foreign languages here. My guess is that the length of the speaker wire acted as an antenna for a particular frequency. 1326822993 +*It's about aliens man , don't you get it* 1277274372 +First, Jews prize education. You have to go to college, you have to get good grades, you have to read lots of books, you have to be well rounded, etc. You are expected to study hard and do well in school and ideally, get a degree in either a challenging and lucrative profession (law, IT, finance, etc.) or a scientific one.\n\nSecondly, Jews love to brag about their accomplishments and point it out as much as they can. It's kind of a constant culturally ingrained one-upsmanship and what's better to brag about than such things as Nobel Prizes and appointments to high posts in politics, finance, or the military?\n\nSo it's really a cultural thing. Jews push their kids to study hard which makes it more likely that they'll tackle challenging problems and win an award for their work at some point in their lives, and they love to brag about it which is why there are so many lists of Jews who win Nobel Prizes or become VIPs. 1313587512 +r/skeptic is supposed to be about precision of thought, no?\n\nAs much as one might like to associate any crackpot organization with the most despotic government ever conceived, it just doesn't fit in this case. 1306846004 +GWAAAAAP gwoop gwooop GWWWWWOOOPe gwoop 1337410782 +I form my picture based on people I talk to. In schools, universities, at home, etc... 1329685892 +Whenever I see a report of a study with surprising findings I look for the raw data and can't find it. Where is the link for the dataset? Doesn't NIH have the raw data?\nI must be overlooking the link.\n\nI can run my own statistical analyses with R, I don't need an interpretation of the data. Just describe the methodology and provide a dataset.\n\n 1302387301 +>One interesting utterance that a puzzled Halt gives on the tape recording is, "The red, white and blue lights of the UFO are still hovering over Woodbridge."\n\n>But former USAF Security Policemen, Kevin Conde, has exclusively revealed that these lights were the result of a practical joke he played on the gullible airman.\n\n>Conde says, "I drove my patrol car out of sight from the gatehouse, turned on the red and blue emergency lights and pointed white flashlights through the mist into the air."\n\n"The bottom line is that, that was not a UFO it was a 1979 Plymouth Volare!" explains a bemused Conde. 1346510878 +Here's the [Natural News story](http://www.naturalnews.com/031564_Jonas_Salk_medical_experiments.html) from the same guy who says he injected flu vax into insane patients and then a few months later exposed them to the flu.\n\nFunny thing is, he says it came out in an AP story, but the link to "AP" is just a glossary, not a link to the article. Silly me, looking for sources. 1318451804 +Here's the [Natural News story](http://www.naturalnews.com/031564_Jonas_Salk_medical_experiments.html) from the same guy who says he injected flu vax into insane patients and then a few months later exposed them to the flu.\n\nFunny thing is, he says it came out in an AP story, but the link to "AP" is just a glossary, not a link to the article. Silly me, looking for sources. 1318452085 +They've already said this will be their last BS 1257740520 +I agree. Pseudoscience exists everywhere and wherever it is people will fall for it and some people won't. That's just the way it is. Being biased towards one way or another just doesn't make sense. 1322036305 +Thanks. :) I think these shows could be a lot better, but when TV producers and executives get involved don't expect much.\n\n\n 1348508143 +Downvoted by Big Facepalm. I knew it! 1316765177 +LOL! That's awesome 1334080345 +>First, many of the points you enumerate are direct responses to assertions made by the study's authors.\n\n[citation needed]\n\n>Second, the authors are explicitly framing the study as a study of acupuncture, not, as you put it, of sticking needles in animals. \n\nThis is not an argument. The study was putting forth a very specific test, while the author of the article you're fellating was bringing up reiki. 1275437474 +Compare how you feel about this to your opinion on marijuana prohibition. \n\nOne problem is in the use of herbs that have been used for thousands of years, but which have not been tested in double-blind RCTs. These herbs may or may not be deemed effective by such testing, but laws such as this often limit the use of herbs to those who can afford to run such tests. \n\nAs an example, Chinese herbal medicine has a long history; to restrict the use of these herbs in such a way that long-established herbal formulae can not be dispensed within the Chinese community is ridiculous, rude, and frankly racist.\n\nEdit: I did not read the article just the comments. :) 1298044446 +It's hard to chill when I see so many garbage posts like this all the time.\n\n Why do we even bother "investigating" them if the instant we can explain it, it's no longer paranormal? That just doesn't even make sense. \n\nSo what I get from what your saying is we should just instantly believe anything we're told that we can't explain and attribute it to paranormal happenings. You're religious aren't you? It would explain your train of thought. 1330636611 +A contrarian who will stop at nothing.\n\nBut if those cases she's talking about are taken at face value, then perhaps there is something there that's worth looking into, but I doubt it.\n\nPerhaps she'd be wiling to take a big dose of ionizing radiation for the sake of science. 1300527232 +I have a friend who deletes his accounts every few months. He says it's so that people won't figure out who he is or where where he lives/works if he posts personal things. 1354755991 +I didn't know that Fuck me right? 1346692821 +It would be like hustling kids with pogs. You know that the thing is valueless, and to market and sell it you have to claim that it has some value. \n\nThat's dirty cricket.\n\nAlso, I know the placebo effect means it is not totally valueless, but you are still misrepresenting the product. 1313222864 +It's heat lighting. I know because the same thing happened to me in Litchfield Beach over the summer (For those who don't know, Litchfield is about five or six miles south of Myrtle Beach.) One night I was sitting on the deck of my ocean front beach house that has been in the family since before I was born with my cousins facing the ocean and saw orange lights. They disappeared and reappeared further south a few mins later. Of course I freaked out because it is my dream to see a UFO. Saw the same thing the next night in the same exact spot. A friend saw it too and told me that it was indeed heat lighting. Didn't believe it till I googled it and that was exactly what I saw. I did see a video that someone captured in Myrtle with multiple lights stringed together. That one I can't explain. 1347504042 +It is ok they have really good homeopaths for cancer now.\n\n\nBut seriously, try to get some studies which will illuminate the issue in a simple manner for her.\nwikipedia seems to provide some references:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_type_diet 1310977345 +That's a helpful way of looking at it. But -- while these ideas aren't mutually exclusive -- I look at it this way:\n\nBeing *human* means we have the power to do unimaginable things with enough time and effort. We have the ability to contemplate the very universe that gave birth to us. Being human means striving to be all we can be and not passively watching the world go by, practically dragging your knuckles and de-evolving into our previous primate selves. I find these people to be in direct violation of what being *human* **should be**. Maybe not what it is, but what it should be. 1343350229 +He eventually sought regular treatment. But first he resorted to woo. 1317971931 +I think this was related to the mysterious 'Victor' guy with the strange (but obviously) masked voice in his video releases. Further analysis by others noticed that one of these video releases looked very similar to the backdrop of an abode of a certain Robert/Bob Dean who had released videos of himself speaking on the subject of UFO's and aliens prior to it's release. The general consensus was that it was a fake and Bob Dean was the perp. I never heard any more about it after that or searched but there's a lead if you are inclined to dig further. 1330833824 +They have it on paperbackswap.com. I'll go order it now. 1324951412 +Yepp. Unfortunately genuinely medicinal "natural" medicines are lumped in with alternative "medicines".\n\nFTFY 1349199178 +Seriously though...we have hundreds of picutres of insignificant prisoners naked and being humilliated... but none of the most significant dead guy of this century?\n\nEdit: [Looks like they are debating a release of the photos](http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/05/white-house-officials-debate-releasing-photographs-of-bin-ladens-corpse-1.html) 1304344614 +>where Watson is perplexed why Holmes doesn't know that the earth revolves around the sun.\n\nI think it was rather that he was unaware, rather than have forgotten. The reason why is correct though, he didn't see how it was of any importance to his profession whether the Earth went around the Sun or the Sun around the Earth. It was in The Hound of the Baskervilles. 1267493281 +maybe try something similar to an intervention?\n\nSit down with your sister and have a serious talk, and tell her that her beliefs are bullshit and are harming her daughter. 1298631463 +They never had me sign a waiver that covers their ass when they kill me. 1302189121 +at least nobody got hut\n 1350659884 +So, no magic? 1341512130 +I would suspect that your chiropractor is very different from the standard definition, and more similar to a physio. Have fun drinking. 1347164529 +the 1-10 scale is the only measurement I've ever seen in a medical situation. I think they even have a name for it. 1334847476 +I'm still not sure that the whole thing isn't a well executed joke on TED. As a talk, it almost specifically targets many of the criticism of TED - the use of scientific jargon to obfuscate unknowns, psuedoscience creeping into real science, 'feeling' over data, and most importantly that the videos never contain a question and answer segment or any critical evaluation so that grand claims can be tested/explored.\n\nOther than the self made youtube video and the TEDx event, i can't find anything more on this revolutionary theory by Randy Powell. No website, no citations, not even a wikipedia page. \n\nFor now, i'm marking this one down under [Poe's Law](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%27s_law)\n\nEdit: wow, my short googling left me uninformed, as has been pointed out in replies. Apparently this guy is legit and believes this guff. I wasn't going to read any of the other links provided, but it's say on my brain all day and I want to know where it goes off the rails. Most things like this have at least some kernel of truth buried deep in the nonsense. 1351507222 +I didn't start the original post ["If Bill Nye ever does do an AMA, this is the one question I want him to answer."](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/wphmg/if_bill_nye_ever_does_do_an_ama_this_is_the_one/), but I remembered someone ([ironicsans](http://www.reddit.com/user/ironicsans)) bringing up skepticism over **Activeion**, a product that Bill Nye endorsed.\n\nWell, today Bill Nye had his IAmA and sure enough someone asked him about it. You may or may not be satisfied with his answer, but I thought r/skeptic would be interested in a follow-up to that thread. 1343435286 +Everything I say is a lie! 1301618054 +will do. 1329632509 +Well to be honest, I clearly haven't studied the issue as much as you have. I'm going by my own experiences with the groups in my area. From what I have seen, it doesn't work for everybody, but then, no one group does. (And ultimately, whether someone quits drinking excessively depends mostly on them, and where they are in their lives.)\n\nFor some people, it seems to help, and they enjoy going to the meetings and listening to and sharing stories. You might be right that the ideology is not all it's cracked up to be, but then, that was never really the thing I paid attention to.\n\nTake care! 1322858069 +That's not really true... Also... do you have any proof? 1289332579 +Dude, they're supposedly defense systems for earth. Where do you think the idea for Missile Command came from? 1342728080 +If they eat steak, for one. 1346019549 +Wrong answer, Hans. 1355261109 +try getting M to clense her hous with burning sage? 1338972920 +And yet average life expectancy rises... 1344272000 +There's no such thing as ghosts, and saving money is awesome. Cheaper house, thanks. 1294503882 +The study doesn't seem to bad, all it says is there was no effect from taking the supplements for vitamin D on the cold. A 300 person study isn't too bad of a size either. 1351323181 +I certainly think they're wrong about that specific point, but I like their approach much better than the Ancient Aliens approach. \n\nThey basically said "we feel that this explanation of Noah's flood is has better evidence for it than the Ancient Aliens version". That's pretty much true, even if there are even better explanations for some of the details.\n\nThe ancient aliens people, on the other hand, tend to argue "There is absolutely no other explanation for this than ancient aliens!"\n\nI find the former to be much more intellectually honest. 1349304441 +at least when we believe something, it's because we came to the conclusion ourselves and not because some book told us to believe it. 1327905738 +Collen Thomas is a [lunatic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nFzmvsf6xI&feature=related). Cue the circus music.\n\nHonestly though, besides their entertainment value (I use that term loosely), people like these need mental help. 1336953056 +Drano is the new colloidal silver. Just use small doses. 1344473412 +Speaking In Tongues is the perfect example of "the act"\n\nSomeone blabbers on in a pseudo-language that often doesn't even appear to have any grammatical structure. Someone else is "anointed", and stands up and does a divine translation.\n\nIt's very simple. The most talkative angels don't speak English, so they hire translator angels to make things more meaningful to the people witnessing this hypnotically induced glossolalia. 1285275835 +Unrelated, but I had a syntax assignment a few weeks back and the gloss for some of the data read 'the placenta whispers.' Creepiest shit I've ever read. 1332796432 +Some other important things to know about 911:\n\nArchitects and Engineers for 911 Truth is basically one guy. He allows practically anyone to join to make it appear that there is this large group of experts who believe in the conspiracy theory.\n\nThermite is not explosive. There are plenty of videos on youtube to show how it works like this one: \nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR6K90cR8Lg\nThis doesn't look anything like what we saw on 911\n\nSpeaking of what we saw on 911, here is a compilation of actual controlled demolitions:\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eem7d58gjno&feature=related\nA common feature is the deafening booms of the explosions as they are set off in order, BLAM BLAM BLAM. In an actual controlled demolition there is no ambiguity about what is happening. You don't have a couple of people who claim they heard an explosion. Everyone in the area would have heard it. Which is why the conspiracy theories go to the thermite explanation, which is obviously not true because thermite is not explosive, etc.\n\nThese are just some of the things I like to keep in mind when confronted by 911 woo.\n 1348556170 +Ah, a dot? Why would that be anything? I guess it could be any number of things. Who knows. I'm not prepared to make the leap to interstellar travelers based on a pin of light or a dot in a still picture in the sky. Heck I've had two full fledged sightings of my own and I'm still not prepared to make a leap to spacemen, spaceships or any of that. For all I know, the cool stuff could simply be more black ops projects. :-) Having said that, it could be a gull with wings tucked in flight. 1312285751 +I prefer a towel, but boy do I know what you mean. 1335049145 +paranoid schizophrenia... 1335347605 +Oh god, I couldn't even finish the article. As soon as he pulled the old "Randi is a magician so...", I had to stop.\n\nYou know why so many skeptics are magicians? Because magicians know that your senses don't relay a 100% perfect vision of reality to your mind. Self-questioning is arguably the central theme of skepticism. If people were honest and could examine their own biases, we wouldn't have stupid shit like homeopathy.\n\nSeriously, if I hear that argument one more time, so help me FSM I will jump off a cliff. 1317755112 +If you're interested on this topic, try to learn about the predictions from the Club of Rome's "the limits to growth".\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Limits_to_Growth 1338556451 +Yeah, that number is also what triggered my suspicions, and also the only one I managed to find some statistics. From what I read UNESCO estimated ~1bi illiterate people back in 2001. 1320339214 +exactly its already begun to spread 1348328236 +Malting is a little more complicated than that. It has to happen at a specific temperature for the proper sugars to form. 1352076781 +Nah, I was looking at the Carlton .gif earlier and it was still stuck in my head. 1329467823 +this makes a lot of sense. i bet that even foreign corporations or governments could buy the US election through this loophole, unless there's another case brought before the supreme court 1344973941 +>I'm not so much as a skeptic as I am 99.9% sure this shit doesn't work. As a scientist, I'm open to the possibility of it working, but I'm also open to the idea of being *hit* with a meteor on my way home from work.\n\nSounds like you're a skeptic to me, but that you're also confusing skeptic with closed-minded-cynic. That or I'm not understanding what you're trying to say there.\n\nYou'll probably get some kind of placebo effect, because even though you don't believe it, you'll still feel them doing stuff for you, poking you, taking an interest in your health, etc... Just because consciously you understand that it's nonsense, doesn't mean that other parts of your brain can't be affected resulting in a positive effect, but nothing more than the placebo effect. 1313636729 +It's a bundle of feel-good nothing. 1356378629 +Fucking Rainbows How do they work ?\n 1291762684 +I believe the point was "neurotoxicity in developmental stages of brain growth". The paper itself says that adult onset users had no change.\n\nAre you sure you're being skeptic here, and not just trying to shoot the study down because you smoke yourself and think it doesn't harm you at all? 1346176902 +I'm not trying to shit on what you believe, I'm only trying to make you understand that it comes from a position of privilege. Homelessness and poverty are not so black and white as someone just "not trying". The victim mentality may be paralyzing but the mentality that the world somehow conforms to your whims and desires is absolutely delusional. What happens when one guy that reads The Secret wants his football team to win but another guy that read it wants his opposing team to win? Is it just a matter of who wants it more, like some metaphysical contest of wills? \n\nI will agree with one thing you said - there is a way out of bad situations. It's not, however, just "wanting it enough". People have to take real steps to fix things - getting help from other people, sometimes finding medication to combat psychological problems, etc. You can't will away everything.\n\nAlso, just so we're clear - are you also saying that a woman that gets raped was raped because she sculpted that into her life? 1323374838 +I actually agree. He's a non-theist, but "agnostic" is just how he chooses to describe himself. 1306453216 +haha, that made me laugh. it's seriously hard to understand, right? \n\npersonally, i not only like meat, but i prefer my meal to still look like the animal. i'll order the whole fish. i suck the marrow out of chicken bones. i like the head, eyeballs, etc. to me, there's just something very satisfying about "meeting" your prey and consuming it entirely. you just can't get that same satisfaction out of broccoli.\n\nedit: BTW, some day i'd like to try human too, but i can't figure a way to do it legally. i'd probably have to go to some remote area where that shit is accepted. may never happen. :( 1299454573 +No. They don't serve the government. The government serves them. I don't think that the government is directly involved with this kind of population reduction (aside from going to war). But the private corporations involved in it have a great influence and hold positions of power in the government. \nAs for poisoning water and vaccines. They do that to some extent (it's been accused anyway). It would be way too obvious if everybody who got the vaccine dies. They decrease fertility instead of outright sterilization. 1330131335 +>But, if they say 'that video of Osama admitting guilt is kind of weird', then I think they are coming from a legitimate place.\n\nBut what if there are actually like 5 videos of him admitting guilt and talking about the success of the operation and they were all confirmed by non-government experts? 1320886186 +WAIT! SHE JUST TEXTED BACK rather quickly haha. Her response was word for word "Yeah, I told you I felt surrounded by something, like my hair stood up and chills. Idk how to explain."\n\nShe didn't feel a sensation on top of her head or anything. Just ^ that. 1347832465 +~Headscreen~ 1316881349 +Too bad it erroneously assumes that the christian god is the correct god and that heaven and hell exist. 1326248541 +Yikes, even more variables, such as speed *and* direction would be needed to establish that it is in orbit. Obviously neither of those could be established with a single photo. 1343135195 +Sometimes it happens so quick you don't really get a chance to pull your camera out. 1317513057 +Agreed. However, I really hate that the term "UFO" is synonymous with "Extra-Terrestrial" in most people's minds. I do not believe that we have ever been visited by ETs. I do believe, however, that people have seen things in the skies that they couldn't explain. I just think that they had a logical explanation, such as prototype fighter planes and such. 1331942495 +oh the.... 1333446144 +[F.lux](http://stereopsis.com/flux/) does this for free. 1345236854 +So you draw the conclusion that more funding is needed from a sample of one? 1352026946 +Last night was an abduction night in my town. 1271881712 +I got more stupid just reading that 1307171817 +- There are a lot of stupid assertions by troofers, but to hold this up as some kind of smoking gun is pants-on-head retarded.\n\nThe 'truthers' aren't the ones who reported the building collapsing early.\n\nWhy you have to put a label to people and call them names cause they question the government is weird to me. Why do you hate people for asking questions?\n\nWhy the fuck are you in r/skeptic?\n\n- If the gubment had an official script, all of the reporting would have been consistent. But the Grand Conspiracy would have gained nothing by involving more people in the plot in the first place. Every person involved increases the risk of exposure.\n\nDuring WW2, California had a false town built overtop of a military airplane factory. Hundreds of people kept tight lipped for years. Claiming that it can't happen isn't being very skeptical cause you're only looking to validate your statement through a fallacious argument.\n\n- It was a chaotic situation, and people were reporting all kinds of hearsay. At one point, someone was reporting 12 missing planes. All it would have taken would have been for one network to misinterpret the news of the inevitable collapse as the collapse itself. Then, fear of getting scooped would have prompted other networks to report the same misinformation.\n\nKeyword being misinformation.\n\nOverstimulation causes confusion. It doesn't give you time to ingest the information, which makes it easy for misinformation to be taken as literal. They claimed it was Bin Laden right off the bat, and that's what they stuck with despite him first stating that he hadn't done it, and then a crappy ass video tape shows up where he states that he did do it, going into detail about how he hoped the planes would cause the steel to expand.\n\nNow that we've had a decade to ingest the information, applying critical thought instead of parroting the official narrative might be in best order.\n\nEither the guy was a brilliant super genius who managed to thwart the US, even with warning from Pakistan and Israel, and create a decade of fear, or the guy is a smokeshow shadow bogeyman used to get the US involved in several seprate wars, including newfound provocation on Libya, Syria, and Iran.\n\n- As to the other stuff... 7 wasn't hit by a plane... it was hit by a building. It had plumbing- maybe that's what you consider a water supply. And it was not "reinforced as a command center," the command center was merely located there.\n\nIt was reinforced, it held casefiles for some crazy investigations, and you're ignorant if you think a simple fire is the only thing that may have caused that. 1316805981 +It is. However there is no doubt that a lack of dopamine causes an under stimulated brain. The question is "why?" That's the focus of those hypotheses.\n\nYou seem to have walked into a common misconception. The name ADHD is an unfortunate name. The name of a disorder shouldn't be its symptoms. It would be like calling cancer "sickness and weight loss disorder." It's a poor name. On that note, not everyone experiences obvious hyperactivity. The hyperactivity, wandering thoughts, and "broken radio" feeling are all desperate responses to try to stimulate an underestimated brain. They're not always obviously present as a result, but most people with ADHD do tend to move more than those without.\n\nYour analogy is a straw man because it compares to things that are entirely incomparable. Soccer ability is something that is learned through dedication and practice. Sure, some innate athletic skill is required as well, but this is explained through DNA too. A better analogy would not be someone who is not good at soccer, but rather someone who can't play soccer. For example, a cripple. We try to compensate their disability in certain sports by giving them apparatus to assist them, such as wheelchairs. Another example might be someone who can barely see, but can if he uses glasses. ADHD is not something comparable to sporting ability because it is something that is not only not changeable, but affects every aspect of life, unlike poor soccer skills.\n\nI have never seen any evidence to suggest that ADHD medications worsen or cause permanent ADHD symptoms in normal people. What a silly claim. 1348345131 +>Yep. There's a guy on there who believes that you can use psychoanalysis to train dogs, and doesn't believe that things like operant and classical conditioning have any evidence to support them...\n\nI haven't come across this guy, but he must be awful, all the more because he's probably aware of all the evidence, plus the fact that psychoanalysis has been considered a pseudoscience for a long time... "There are two things you need to know about Freud, he's wrong and he's dead".\n\n>True, but it's probably fair to note that his scientific work is generally excellent. His philosophical speculation, on the other hand, is questionable. \n\nYeah, I was wondering about that. I saw that he has done stuff to do with stem cell research and other areas.\n\nIt always makes me somewhat concerned about learning something from an author who might be great in one area that I can't judge, but is clearly a crack pot is some other area. 1344584105 +Here is the live performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WidsgIt3lfw&feature=player_embedded 1259430701 +The term "energy" has become so misconstrued though. I try to explain these concepts using terms like "power level" and "yellow spikey hair"\n\nKids seem to understand it better. 1344794835 +You wanna show us some of that evidence? Anything at all? 1306548204 +Wait...so now there are people blame Bigfoot for faking the Moon landings?!?! What's next? That the Loch Ness Monster was the shooter on the grassy knoll? 1321816318 +Grand Rapids, MI here. We don't get anything out here :-( 1317044796 +Yeah but like the article says. Ammonia is used in other processed foods that people don't seem to have a problem with. I could understand if this whole thing started over someone getting sick from ammonia or another part of the manufacturing process, but its just uninformed paranoia. 1350590817 +True, but if you really want to you, then you can sometimes follow the chain. I think the OP is complaining about when it's more like **Article** via **?????** and it's near impossible to track down the source. 1300601295 +"solved" = a quoted source uttering, "it might be ball lightning"? 1291384233 +What is the first one? 1315210826 +You mean, how it's used in **conventional** medicine to help people handle some nasty symptoms? 1318869186 +Yeah, not really a "Skeptic" article, but it was worth the read. I didn't realize that the NAR had ties to Uganda.\n\nThey have a [strong presence](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/International_Transformation_Network) in Uganda in the form of ties with [Ugandan government leadership](http://www.talk2action.org/story/2009/12/4/134435/084). You might know that in 2009 Uganda passed what's labeled as the "Kill the Gays Bill" and they are [loosening the definitions](http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2012/11/13/50929) for what might constitute a gay act and removing the need for proof.\n\nIn Uganda we can see clearly what these people would have happen if they could have this level of influence in the US. This idea that demons are the cause of homosexuality plays on peoples' fears and clearly leads to hate-filled legislation. They believe that homosexuality is caused by demons and this fear-fueled legislation calls for death. I don't see that extreme of legislation happening in the US- I think it's out of reach for now. But it angering to know that these people are stirring the pot in other countries. 1353964420 +I think it's supposed to be [this guy](http://www.gold2live.com/blue-karason.jpg)\n\naccording to [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyria):\n\n>Paul Karason, a Californian man whose entire skin gradually turned blue after consuming colloidal silver made by himself with distilled water, salt and silver, and using a silver salve on his face in an attempt to treat problems with his sinus, dermatitis, acid reflux, and other issues. This happened because he drank gallons of colloidal silver per week for years. 1344454628 +>I have a friend who is an avowed skeptic and atheist, and a couple weeks ago she brought up homeopathy to me *while we were on a walk*.\n\nThere's your problem. I am as skeptical as they come, but I heard from a friend that walking decreases your "skeptical energy" by as much as 75%. And his friend heard it from a guy with a PhD. So you know it must be true. 1309274178 +No. A lot of stupid stuff happens in the world, if I wasted my time getting angry at all of it I'd be pretty miserable. 1341160034 +this episode was brilliant, I watched it the other night, I was laughing so much when Uri said he has been *attacked by spoons* flying out of his cutlery drawers at home 1286839627 +I had this with the simpsons when I was younger. I consider myself mostly a skeptic and boiled it down to this. The show shows reruns in order. I had seen them so many times I intrinsicly knew the order and if i missed a couple days I still knew what was next. What furthered that was there were 6:30 and 7:00 pm showings, each was at a different place in the series. So I had twice as many chances to memorize it subconsciously. Also twice that probability of knowing the episode. 1340159825 +Doesn't work like that. The vast majority of the worlds electricity is generated from fossil fuels. I am at work right now so I cannot research, but if you look at how many joules we need every day to maintain this standard of living you will see that alternative energy sources are in no way near that of oil. \n\n 1338270487 +Yep, pretty certain. No way an average camera would pick up a satellite so well unless its aperture was wide open and the shutter speed very long, which would cause a flock of birds to have this type of effect on the sensor, especially if a loud noise startled them all at once. 1342566120 +Shit never falls up. 1307452197 +Actually if it was China or Korea, their story makes sense in context. They did not have cell phone access and B&W TV was more common then colored television. 1354562197 +Upvote from me for a very put together response. Not an immediate stonewall debunker either, which, really doesnt happen enough sometimes. 1331175579 +Hey man, Merican is a proper noun. 1320675817 +its actually not silly at all, as that is the frame of reference term used by folks that saw UFOs during that time, 19th century and before. Medieval Europe called UFO sightings fairies, gnomes, and dragons. \n\nI feel it a bit 'silly' for folks to assume that UFO sightings started happening from 1947 onwards. Any serious UFO researcher knows that this is not the case. \n\nThey may have seen it as a 'spiritual' event then, today I see them as 'inter-dimensional entities.' In my opinion, I do believe them to be 'malevolent,' as you desire this term as opposed to 'demons' or 'demonic' in nature.\n\nUFOs materialize, and dematerialize at will. They are not always physical in nature. This is why there are many cases of UFO reports shown on radar, then for these objects to simply vanish on site. \n\nI don't see how looking into the past for UFO reports is not considered 'objective.' I consider folks who adhere to the mainstream ET theory to this day as non-objective as they do not reach out to other theories. Fact of the matter is, its much easier to peddle 'ET theory' as opposed to other theories as its 'easier to sell' to the public, since ET lore is quite popular in our culture today. 1331595666 +Because I think stupid people are encouraged to breed like bunnies? I dunno, most of the people I hang out with seem to agree and are disgusted over incredibly poor parenting.\n\nOther than that? I am great. Just ask me.\n\n 1309552325 +I'll let you know the next time I care about Simon Cowell or his fucking house. 1349055438 +Lack of critical thinking skills. Most people in the US don't get those until they are in collage or university depending on what they decide to major/minor in. So if their parents do not teach them and they do not decide to learn on their own then they are vulnerable to this and a million other beliefs. \n\nIn Montreal where I live now many schools brought critical thinking to kids at a much younger age. I guess what would be the equivalent to 5th or 6th grade in the USA. \n\nOne thing they did was show us a fo-documentory about a spaghetti tree and then they would quiz everyone on it at the end. Was quite good actually and a good way to point out to some students how naive they were. From the reaction I saw in the other students and how they were after I can say it was very effective and probably life changing in the way they decided what to believe or not. \n\n\n \n 1354488122 +interesting theory 1339857527 +Ha! I exist in **four** dimensions. 1343570618 +it doesn't seem like it's tied to any house though. will i still be able to drive it away? from all the shows i've watched it seems that the demon is usually tied to the house for some reason or other. 1325270211 +I completely agree. Hypnotherapy is to stop smoking, not undo the damage it has done.\n\nIt's just one other tool in medicine's bag. 1254927200 +Don't forget the crystals!!! 1354069629 +>“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:13). -Jesus\n\nI keep this verse in mind just for occasions like this. What would cause the Father to be glorified more than a bird appearing out of nothing? 1290042053 +Yes, it was definitely an episode of My Ghost Story - S03E01 - The Demon Shadow - and it creeped the shit out of me when I saw it. 1355932773 +"Doctor, my leg has fallen off"\n\n"It's my opinion that it hasn't" 1274734200 +There ate technical and legal definitions. You're technically correct (the best kind of correct!) but legally organic means something different - about how it's grown, fertilized, protected from disease, etc. It's similarly stupid to how corporations can legally be declared people and money be declared speech. 1316278268 +welp we're already set up on freenode if you want to come join us. We'd be happy to have you there :) 1337052984 +And do a search too while your at it! 1343505415 +It's a good joke, don't understand the downvotes. People should learn to not be so sensitive all the time. 1355320632 +Reluctant upvote. 1327514605 +It's a shame, even as an avid believer in UFO's I find it hard nowadays to believe any crop circles are real. Too many assholes with planks fo wood and ropes. 1282595289 +>water being heavier than ice\n\nAlmost the truth as water is more *dense* than ice. 1299999948 +No reason why it *couldn't* work, plenty of reasons why it wouldn't. I'm aware of no evidence that it ever does. 1306481558 +I was raised as a young Earth creationist Christian. I'll still teach my daughter (and whatever my second child is) about the beliefs that other people have. I'll also teach them a lot of critical thinking that will hopefully immunise them against such foolishness. Stupid beliefs can be a great teaching aid, I don't think there's any risk of my children actually believing such things. 1338243024 +Ok. Then I would point you to pubmed. Alternatively, for an easier time, you can look at this thread for links that people have posted. I have posted a few studies here, but obviously look into it yourself as well. \n\nI would like to point you once again [here](http://sciencebasedmedicine.org/reference/category/vaccines/#Key%20Research). It has summaries of most of the papers that look into vaccines and developmental disorders. This is a start and it is not complete. This is a complex issue with complex answers. Don't let labeling and data manipulation lose track of the data that's out there. Obviously, all this research is pointless if the vaccine isn't manufactured properly, but it's a start. 1257137103 +This video is clearly edited. Not saying all the videos are fake, but this video has an obvious cut. 1296775695 +*"...a French weekly news and leisure magazine called VSD referred to it as an 'official report', though technically this wasn't the case since COMETA was the work of a private, non-profit, ufological study group."*\n\nLooks like this "report" was created by a private group that began with the belief in UFOs. They also just flat out say that if you can't explain the 5%, then the best hypothesis is extraterrestrial. Sorry, that's wrong - the best hypothesis is "we just don't know, but there is no positive evidence that it is extraterrestrial".\n\nYour haste to believe clouds your judgement. 1332267002 +My mom claims to be psychic and all that silly shit and my best friends are new agey weirdos. Just let them be, you have your beliefs and they have theirs. stop trying to be intellectually superior by trying to debunk their claims. you are going to have a bad time if you try to out argue peoples closely held beliefs. just accept their weird ideas and not try to change them. being skeptical is cool and all but you just seem like an asshole when you try to force others to do the same. \n\nTL;DR Let them believe what they want. Don't argue or debate their beliefs. just try to enjoy yourself. 1339264321 +This video is just boring and possibly a little bit annoying. Why is it here? 1335951301 +I disagree, he did talk over Phill Plait in their 2nd debate, but if you listen to his podcast he's generally accepting of other ideas. Also, steven has proven he can handle people like that. 1331024981 +In the 1950s. They most likely still take them seriously, just not publicly. When the Tehran dogfight case in Iran happened in 1976, the memo circulated through the highest levels of the U.S. government immediately. 1308005978 +not slick enough for viral marketing 1335072499 +[delusional disorder](http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/292991-overview) sucks. My aunt has it and it has turned into folie a deux with my grandma. completely ruined their relationships with the rest of the family. 1315766034 +I saw a documentary that had that lady featured in it. She was burned to shit, though. Like skin graft burns. It was nasty. 1348174252 +Glad I live on the southsore. I just have to worry about getting shot 1313954290 +I don't see anything -.- 1349836735 +thanks for posting that. 1330012449 +Wow, your mom sounds like a loon. Good luck convincing her of anything. 1345527123 +Not cool. Chiropractors have a habit of shooting ourselves in the foot with this kind of shit.\n\nUsually things like this are a slap on the wrist, but reporting them will at least get them that slap on the wrist and hopefully they won't advertise with stuff like this anymore. 1351156985 +As lead fungineer I must warn you that his presence there could cause a shitty singularity. 1353395275 +The video was enjoyable. Especially the alien butt secks. 1346859757 +So I stopped taking the antibiotic. 1321929637 +Imaginary friends, but actual fists. Still, as long as the confrontations are limited to Facebook, he should be exposed as a bullshitter. 1355527275 +Well I've only ever used herbal remedies for little things, never anything serious. When I get migraines, I need the extra-strength bazooka shit, cause natural just can't cut it, but I've found some great natural remedies for helping mild headaches, or helping me sleep or cure an upset stomach, etc. But this homeopathy thing now sounds absolutely ridiculous. I didn't realize quite what it was and now that I know people are actually dying because they think it works.. well now I'm sad. :( 1311092253 +This applies to most everything I read here. 1335735984 +upvoted. 1346257694 +I've heard that but not from the British guy. From the disclosure 4 hour video. 1352124375 +Apparently water can be retarded. 1295280368 +Up for me, just, in the UK\n\n 1306001846 +Martyn Stubbs is my old roommate's nickname for his dong. 1278519961 +The big ones are the *organizers!* 1314059727 +Another great resource:\nhttp://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/\n\nBut like others have said, if this guy is a true believer, no amount of scientific evidence will sway him. Anti-vaxers are a lot like creationists in that way, only much more dangerous. My guess is he has an Autistic kid who he believes was vaccine injured. Kind of scary the guy is teaching science. I would definitely take it to the chair if he goes through with this. 1302808653 +May be, but I don't give a shit. The man *walked on the mother fucking Moon*. 1330004673 +The video linked from NUFORC isn't very impressive, probably just Chinese lanterns which seems to be a popular fad this summer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGkI2_k2FuQ&feature=youtube 1347223110 +That's interesting. I didn't know your body would switch back like that. 1349892567 +If it isn't saucer shaped, then it isn't a true ufo, it's just an airplane the person thinks is a ufo. That's why. Aliens aren't real, the government has made flying saucers we don't know about. 1272692723 +Ive been hearing stuff like this since i moved back in my old house i used to live in with my girlfriend before she died.... I am back and stuff falls out of cupboards and drawers. Hearing footsteps and knocks, bad smells, constantly feeling cold. My new girlfriend who lives with me has heard the knocks, and had glass cups "jump" as she said, out of the cupboard... But i posted my story and people just think im crazy... Ah well 1340182629 +sorry I misunderstood. Turns out we agreed all along :-P 1353640183 +> Yes and no, some explanations require more and more speculation and complexity as you dig further, others require less and less.\n\nAs long as you agree that "Party X is lying" is pretty simple, then we don't have any disagreement. 1241047755 +R/skeptic doesn't believe in 9/11 conspiracy theories. 1354756041 +She replied to my question of ethics http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/gzww4/iaman_internet_psychic_ama/c1rk39v?context=3 1304203539 +Smoking a joint with pets around is not usually ideal. 1354582260 +Smoking a joint with pets around is not usually ideal. 1354582273 +Smoking a joint with pets around is not usually ideal. 1354585048 +Smoking a joint with pets around is not usually ideal. 1354598489 +If she gets angry when you ask reasonable questions that she can't answer, maybe an emotional appeal will then work better. Tell her you're so sorry that you offended her that you're going to kill yourself, and down an entire bottle of homeopathic sleeping pills in front of her.\n\n(Make sure they're "genuine" homeopathic pills. One of the other problems is that the industry is entirely unregulated, and you can slap a "homepathic" label on basically anything in some places; e.g. [Zicam](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zicam#Safety_concerns)) 1306456610 +It's pretty friggin obvious that she's using an ear horn. 1288359842 +What links? 1283459480 +It's the assertion that the former assertion is **untrue**. The burden of proof may be on the other side, but **you may still be wrong**.\n\nRussell's teapot isn't unfalsifiable. It's just very difficult and useless to falsify it. 1282902174 +>There's an objective probability (like in the case of the red/blue cards) that isn't based on what I know or think, and not knowing what that probability is does not make it equal.\n\nOk, but the answer to all your questions of probability remains 50/50. Both are equally likely.\n\nYou have nothing to even suggest it's anything else and there are two possibilities. The only reasonable answer is 50/50.\n\nAnd probabilities are always subjective. That's because we pick the variables and there's always unknowns. We'd have to be omniscient for this to not be the case. Probability is a man-made measure, not an actual statement of probability. It gives us a general idea which may or may not be true, based on what little we know. Nothing else.\n\nLike the coin flip. Which is more likely, heads or tales? 50/50? How about the wind? My thumb sticks to the tales side sometimes. What's the probability that the flip will be uninterrupted? What percentage of times do coins fall on their length rather than on one side or another?\n\nBut you still say 50/50, right? Even if that is never achieved when doing coin flips. You could also calculate probability based on experience. What if I get tales 8 times and heads 2 times? I now have empirical evidence that the odds are 80/20? What number is the appropriate number to calculate average? What if it's 70/30 after 70 trillion flips? We could correctly calculate the probability 700 times and never get the same result.\n\nThere is no objective probability. Probability doesn't exist outside of human minds. The true probability that aliens built the pyramids is either 1 or 0. The true probability that humans built the pyramids is either 1 or 0. The true probability of you getting heads or tales is either 1 or 0. The true probability of the coin never even landing is either 1 or 0. There are no chances and there are no alternate possibilities to any event. It either happens or don't and the mechanisms leading to this event form a perfect consequential chain that starts with the "appearance" of a Universe. Therefore, the true probability of any two choices is 50/50. The most seemingly unlikely event is just as likely to occur as the most seemingly likely event. Your tiny little perception, as a chained prisoner in the bottom of a cave who watches the shadows, does not dictate the likeliness of events to occur.\n\nYou don't even know if you exist. 1349352353 +Probably aliens. 1326813601 +You realize the original article is called [Did an Unholy Trinity Kill Jesus?](http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/07/did-an-unholy-trinity-kill-jesus.html) \n\nThat's a little different from "Could Jesus have died in a few hours rather than a few days, like everyone else?"\n\nEdit: additionally, the people writing articles like these tend to have a motive other than curiosity or fun 1311620892 +Apparently, it only aired once and only on 5 channels, which all adds further mystery to it. Fortunately, someone taped it to vhs, otherwise it may have been lost forever. 1325372080 +PALMco does solicit [door-to-door](http://www.palmcoenergy.com/careers.cfm) and that was probably a legitimate sales man. The company, however, has a [C rating on the BBB](http://www.bbb.org/new-york-city/Business-Reviews/heating-contractors/palmco-in-brooklyn-ny-120936/complaints#breakdown), a large number of the complaints about advertisement/sales issues. What reviews of the company there are online are [extremely negative.](http://www.yelp.com/biz/palmco-brooklyn) 1342892023 +Yes, I'm aware of this, my sarcasm must have failed :( 1330394837 +>Fuck Off\n\nThanks for the offer, but I'll politely decline. :-)\n\n>Those problematic adjustments go beyond Iceland, as you'd know if you' bothered to read the link.\n\nI did read the link, and though the adjustments go beyond Iceland, the only climatologist to weigh in so far is the gentleman from Iceland.\n\nNow, I'm not saying that the adjustments *are* correct, but to argue that an artificial warming trend has been willfully introduced, which is the point that Homewood seems to be trying to make, is going too far IMHO.\n\n>Your question ("are you saying that the GHCN temperature record is trustworthy?") is obviously unanswerable to anyone of a skeptical mind if no one outside NOAA is able to replicate exactly what has been done.\n\nSo, do you have evidence that *no one* outside of NOAA has been able to replicate what has been done? Again, I'm all for making sure the data sets are accurate, but rushing to accuse the folks at NOAA of fraudulently (or even mistakenly) introducing such adjustments smacks of an attempt at poisoning the well to me - and since you were quick to attack a good site with lots of peer-reviewed links (Skeptical Science), this doesn't bode well for this new attack on NOAA...\n\n>If your were consistent, your statement "copy-pasting the same post in various sub-reddits does feel kind of douchey" should apply to the OP (/u/butch_is_stupid) who's been cross-posting this all over.\n\nThere's a difference between cross-posting an article, and copy-pasting comments. B_i_s *did* copy/paste comments, but that was to reply to your original copypasta... 1332274469 +Publisher & Editor in case you want to fire them off an email about their mentally deficient "reporter".\n\nScott Schmeltzer\n\nPublisher\n\nPhone 507-379-3420\n\nE-mail scott.schmeltzer@albertleatribune.com\n\nTim Engstrom\n\nMANAGING EDITOR\n\nPhone 507-379-3433\n\nE-mail tim.engstrom@albertleatribune.com 1334290648 +The way it sounds like it is being played out...disclosure isn't happening ALL at once. Tid bits of info are being released as these years have gone on...to get the people ready for contact. Not everyone working in the government wants the truth to stay in. The Mayan 9th wave as predicted as a galactic unity is certainly on it's way to being real. I mean look at all the evidence. BUT they WILL try to trick us into believing they are here to harm us I believe. Well...actually millions believe that. \n 1342762766 +Many times. The only problem with sharing stories or experiences is that there's always someone who thinks they can explain them. 1337961976 +Depends on who's asking, I'm sure. 1344611361 +The stupid's always been winning. Luckily, it's winning less and less as time passes. 1292954923 +No I completely understand, it's like having a dream of having a memory, and the you have that memory, and you're like oh shit, I had a dream that I was remembering this. 1354702734 +Good point. However, as you've said, most of it is bullshit. Anyway, thanks for clarifying. 1256832628 +I actually don't support the death penalty but if anyone deserves it, this guy does. It's one thing to scam people for money, it's another to sell a fake device that could lead to thousands of deaths. 1342087344 +~~The internet~~ real life: a cruel and vile place where crazy people are taken seriously. 1323226478 +Unless, for some reason white cells were unusually attracted to a particular coloring compound, this is complete bullshit. 1297477149 +Yes. It doesn't matter. Come and kill me. 1320992997 +it's clearly modern, its fresh rock, if it was 100's or 1000's of years old it would not be that colour 1344530063 +We've never talkd about that before! 1268862967 +Yeah, and why would artificial life need food or oxygen? 1348868257 +I got sleep paralysis once when I was in my late teens, I woke up and I could only move my eyes, but it didnt last very long, no more than a minute. I feel like mine was brought on possibly because I had been experimenting with drugs, mainly cough syrup and ecstasy. I stopped all that stuff and discovered the wonder that is beer and havent had an episode since. I know there is folklore surrounding this phenomena but I find it a bit odd you posted this in /Paranormal. 1354516488 +I claimed nothing, I just linked to a website . . . 1350249470 +14 months isn't too late. 1329648133 +[Relevant.](http://hermiene.net/essays-trans/relativity_of_wrong.html)\n\nJust because we don't know, doesn't mean we know nothing. 1308606710 +proof that ikea is evil 1312379141 +"She gets a cold, come in and gets her adjustment and in within three or four days she's perfectly fine."\n\nThat's true.\n\n"She gets a cold, and in within three or four days she's perfectly fine."\n\nAlso true.\n\n"She gets a cold, come in and gets her adjustment and in within three or four days she's perfectly fine *because giving an infant an aggressive back rub has anti-viral effects*."\n\nWell, that's just stupid. 1323979616 +"no particular prominence or significance"\nWTC 7 was a very significant building, it held the offices for countless federal agencies including FBI, CIA, and the SEC just to name a few. The SEC lost a huge amount of case files on current and closed investigations. \n 1315519229 +Inhofe tried to refute climate science with scripture. FIFY 1331333175 +you read my mind 1318930325 +According to the [Society for Integrative Oncology](http://www.integrativeonc.org/), he's supposed to be using botanicals, etc as "complementary" treatment, which I would take to mean, along with conventional, proven methods. \n\nAlso:\n\n>It makes a clear distinction between "alternative" or unproven and "complementary" or tested useful therapies in cancer care.\n\nIt looks like "complementary" treatments and "alternative" treatments have been lumped together, though clearly the second seems more dangerous than the first (since the placebo effect of alternative treatments may well have a positive effect on the comfort, pain relief, and mental/emotional state of the patient). I don't understand how any proper doctor with proper training would eschew proper treatment for crap like Ayurveda. 1276272422 +* Profits? Who knows? For fun or boredom? Or perhaps her church gains more followers and a larger tithe due to her being a "celebrity".\n\n* Stigmata? I don't recall seeing a continuous shot with the camera, but dyes can have time delays or be activated by IR.\n\n* Rose? Hidden roses in her blouse or palmed would be the easiest, perhaps she even inserted the stems into her skin. We never see shots of them "materializing" from no where.\n\n* Exactly when do they show peer results on the "gold dust"?\n\nEdit: I should say that these are possible reasons and methods. There is no way to know the truth unless experiments are performed and data collected. 1345447435 +reminds me of the time traveler video on youtube that is floating around. You can check it out. your story reminds me of it. Actually here is the link: \n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9pyNALKGL0 1350542653 +There's a difference. In one sense, we have psychics who - to stay legal - say "for entertainment purposes only", and then proceed to milk as much money from clients as possible. In the other, we have a magician who genuinely uses his stage to entertain. 1352661839 +Age 20? I've seen those my whole life, and I'm only 19. They tend to look like tiny squiggly lines with no color to them, just a squiggle that floats off in a random direction if I focus on them. Interesting, though :) 1353901774 +At least you'll see them coming. 1332476981 +The day his shit got tossed around he didn't have his phone on him. I came home to his room destroyed, and him banging on the sliding glass door crying. I tried many times to prove to myself that Ryan could have locked himself out, but the lock on the sliding glass door had to be pushed UP with about five pounds of force, so gravity couldn't do the work when slamming or shutting the door. I tried slamming and shutting the thing with the lock already in place and it would just bounce back every time. I had to believe him. We really didn't want to go the paranormal activity route and start filming shit because I was too terrified to antagonize it... I just wanted to get through those months as quickly as possible :( 1353180192 +I still maintain the biblical references to giant Nephilim actually means *giants among men* ("the same were mighty men of old, men of renown"), but the illuminati (who have edited all the bibles through the years) have propagated the myth that they were literal giants. What the watchers imparted to mankind was not gigantism, but psychopathy; and when the bible speaks of them devouring mankind itself when it could no longer satisfy their appetite, look around at what that lizard brained, conscience-free 1% is up to today. 1331322016 +13% of high school biology teachers should be fired 1296285721 +Well if the outside was compromised due to being washed ashore they would have absorbed a large amount of water and would be extremely heavy. 1329952258 +By doing so, those people dismiss the science that is indeed in psychology e.g., the Weber–Fechner law. 1347079114 +> Of course, they are only warning signs—even a claim with several of the signs could be legitimate.\n\nYou're right about mathematics though. Some will argue otherwise, including [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematics), but it is only a system of logic. It may follow the scientific method pretty well but its level of abstraction makes it a tool of science and not a science itself. 1253075345 +> But if I'd gone the AA route I'd still be a druggie.\n\nHow is that assertion any different than the hundreds of thousands of people who assert "If I hadn't gone the AA route I'd still be a drunk"? 1321628371 +Maybe it was just an early morning daze? I know that sometimes when it's early I'll just shut down for a second or too. Maybe time escaped you. Everything finishing at the same time could just be a strange coincidence. 1328634387 +Meditation is perfectly legitimate if you remove the feel the universe woo from it. 1345835679 +no, sorry. that comment is misplaced. I was summing up what that website says, not what you were saying. 1324845672 +Best post on the subject yet! 1344900347 +I have my own types of beliefs for certain things, but I don't deny anything, ie: conspiracies and such. They are not for me but I acknowledge that they can be a full reality for those that find them thrilling. 1343157838 +I was thinking more on the family basis.... The healthy people in the family should get vaccinated in order to reduce the their own germiness... this would protect the babies/old people in their lives.\n\nKinda like a herd...a very small herd. 1350409287 +[DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE QUEERS ARE DOING TO THE SOIL?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xuvcpjf1JU)\n\n>Now Stuart, if you look at the soil around any large U.S. city with a big\nunderground homosexual population - Des Moines, Iowa, perfect example.\nLook at the soil around Des Moines, Stuart. You can't build on it, you\ncan't grow anything in it. The government says it's due to poor farming.\nBut I know what's really going on, Stuart. I know it's the queers.\nThey're in it with the aliens. They're building landing strips for gay\nMartians. I swear to God. 1329754442 +> produce can be non-GMO without being organic.\n\nAnd fair-trade coffee might not be labeled as such, or milk from cows not treated with growth hormones, or non-sweatshop clothing. It seems like the more serious error is selling someone a GMO product when they think it isn't, and that's already solved by "certified organic". 1352424170 +I don't think a debate would be very enjoyable... Stanton has no solid evidence, and that's all that would need to be said. He has argued with Bill Nye and that was awful to watch. 1323957205 +kind of like, a ufo? since when do cars fly in the sky, anyway? 1299629873 +The Guardian only cares about free speech when it fits their agenda. They've had articles calling it racist to say "support israel defeat jihad" and supporting vandalising posters that say it. They pretty much openly support terrorist groups including letting them pen columns. 1350074711 +Great video! You should find out if anyone else saw this. 1341126885 +I had to take this 30 seconds at a time. This is so awful! 1326987269 +Wouldn't the notion that 'organic' food is just as safe as any other food be..well..a pro to organic food? One of the biggest complaints about 'organic' food is the idea that it's less safe. The article itself also focuses on the nutritional aspect that the study focused on.\n\nBut whatever the case, your vitriol is a tad overboard. Right-wing doesn't inherently mean anti-science (especially since it's Canadian right-wing, which is essentially centre in America).\n\nI just have a knee-jerk reaction to the way you characterized it as "anti-science fucking stupid right-wing" instead of just explaining why you think the article is misleading. And isn't this just an opinion piece anyways? 1346929545 +Hmm, interesting. Those are the exact pills James Randi overdoses on when talking about homeopathy. 1306946027 +People haven't been healed by faith healers. It's always been a fraud. \n\nBy your logic, there is no scientific triage. We do not have unlimited funds and resources. In dollars or minds.\n\nIf you want to protect people from bad science, fine, emphasize strong scientific education in the public sector. You can do a plethora of these studies, but if people are ignorant and not educated it won't matter. \n\nA scientific hypothesis has to be grounded in reason and solid evidence, these sorts of things are not. Q e d, they are not worth studying from a scientific perspective 1325013738 +The platinum ratio is 2:1. Two sides to a leaf (dicot). Two eyes. Two ears. Two thumbs. Double helix DNA. Two oxygen atoms in water, the most common compound in our body. Two parts to a heartbeat. Two possible values for a bit in my computer. I'M GONNA WRITE A BOOK AND GET RICH!!!!!! 1338355939 +Two things:\n\n1. I'm an audiophile. Yes, I know. But it doesn't quite apply to me since I've spent a lot of time arguing with cable nuts and calling out scam artists. I also build my own gear, which is uncommon. I go by measurements and love my test gear. I only bring this up because a lot of people dismiss audiophilia because of the scams. There are a lot, for sure. However, if you DIY and buy from the honest manufacturers, you get stunning performance. It really is good. Plus it's not that expensive. You can get killer sound for around $1k and move to world-class for $3k-$5k. Not cheap, but $5k spread over 20 years of use is a bargain considering how much better your music sounds.\n\n2. Dowsing. I can't rationally believe in it, but did it once when I was a kid. Family friends had a big ranch and during one visit, my friend's father had two L-shaped rods. You held one in each hand, with the rods pointing forward. The rods would swing out if they were over water.\n\nI watched a few people do this, then they handed them to me. The rods actually moved and I traced the path of a sewer line with them. I didn't know where the sewer line was before I used them.\n\nI don't know what happened or if there's a rational explanation. But the rods seemed to move by themselves and I traced a source of water I didn't know was there.\n\nAlso, the ranch's owner used the dowsing rods to locate the sites three wells on the property. They drilled where the readings were strongest. Each time, they hit water and got really good production. Coincidence? 1335044447 +No way either of those guys are actually practicing. No way. 1335796869 +There was no rage. Come down off your pedestal. \n\nThe question is, why do you label people "mad" when we ARE discussing these topics? Are they not valid topics? Are you an adult enough to speak about them openly? \n\nStart with the first question. 1295143732 +>I understand not wanting to have too pay for something you don't feel like you need, but vaccines are safe, effective, cheap, and save lives. There is no reason why everyone in this day and age should not be vaccinated.\n\nYou suggest the microbes we have yet to discover and put in vaccines are already proven safe. You are mistaken.\n\n>When you sit down to write a program, do you begin by creating a new programming language?\n\nWhen I write a program, I design the program using data modeling and a verity of other tools. There is a process to prove that programs will work, before they are built. You can do that.\n\nWhen I design break pads, I go into Autocad and draw them to specification. I can prove the break pads work before they are built.\n\nYou can not do the same thing with microbes. You can not design, prove, and then build them. They guess what microbes might work, find those, and start the boring process of trial and error.\n\nVaccines are not designed. They isolate the pathogen, and they have a good idea of what they are looking for in a microbe. But, you know they do not design the microbe before hand, and prove it works. It's simply trial and error. They are looking for a needle in a hay stack. Perhaps they design a smaller haystack, but that's all.\n\nYou can not prove a microbe is safe simply by calling it a vaccine. It requires trial and study.\n 1335444470 +That seems more or less reasonable. Long before I decided that AGW theories are probably true, I, like you, thought we should not count on cheap fossil fuels being around forever, so acceptance of AGW didn't really change the side I was on. It sounds like you're already on our side too. I just had to point out the difference between global cooling in the '70s and global warming now. 1269617218 +>This is a really good reply!\n\nThanks. Your reply too!\n\n>No question about it! Theoretical physicist Richard Feynman describes this very eloquently, using the game of Chess as the analogy, in this 2m49s interview excerpt. Similarly, but less eloquently, Carl Sagan had this to say at the UFO Symposium: "In physics, as in much of all science, there are no permanent truths, There is a set of approximations, getting closer and closer, and people must always be ready to revise what has been in the past thought to be the absolute gospel truth."\n\nI love Feynman. I watched his video on how magnets work, and another on the scientific method. Very eloquent speaker. \n\n>I have a dual-response to "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence." It never really sat well with me. On the one hand, it ensures that all possibilities must be considered. This is true! The first step of scientific discovery, after all, is making a guess and then testing it. But on the other hand, the phrase is often wielded by someone who is unknowingly making an argument from ignorance. You can use "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence" to defend nearly any untested/unproven guess.\n\nTrue. In fact, when typing this portion of the reply, I thought of how the maxim could have been abused. By itself, it's not enough to defend a theistic argument for God's existence, for example. In fact, you may be well aware of the parody: you can't prove that there's not an invisible teapot orbiting around Jupiter (Russel's Teapot). Indeed, it can spawn pseudo-skepticism. Christopher Hitchens supplies a counter-point: That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence. Unfalsifiable assertions can be safely rejected. The trouble, for me, is determining *which* evidence qualifies as such. In the absence of physical evidence, ET proponents have an increased burden of proof to meet. \n\n>I understand where you're coming from with this, but if it were so, then how do we ever prove their existence? I get your counter to the unfalsifiable debate, but it doesn't solve the problem. What you're suggesting, basically, is that UFOs can't be investigated scientifically due to restrictions in technology/knowledge, but we know that they're there because people see them. Could this be applied to angels and demons, too? And if so, then what? If the standard of evidence is taken to this level, then we might as well consider anything at all, regardless of whether or not it defies all known physical laws. So I'm not really sure what to do with this approach.\n\nThe restrictions are not so severe as to render the hypothesis unfalsifiable. Here's my position. Extra-terrestrial craft (let's assume *a priori* for the sake of argument) leave physical imprints on the ground when they land. These traces have been documented; ergo it's an abstraction of physical evidence. While we don't possess the material itself hypothesized to be of ET origin, we retain extensive documentation of traces purported to be from physical craft. But critically, *if it can be shown that no conventional phenomena can account for anomalies*, then the ET origin claim becomes stronger, in my view. \n\nI'm not advocating that we systematically rule out *all* conventional explanations, but rather in a case where this occurs, it can be classified as an 'Unknown'. Most UFO reports *are* missed Knowns. Further, if the evidence tabulated is of high-quality, then the probability of it being a misidentified Known would drop dramatically. Unfortunately, since we can't prove a negative, we could not *positively* identify the origin of the purported craft trace -- we could only say where it was likely *not* to have originated from. Even so, in one sense we could proclaim it to be extra-terrestrial, even if we're unsure from where *outside* of Earth it originated. \n\nIn short, ET proponents have the increased burden of deciding which evidence should be introduced for consumption, *in light of the fact physical evidence itself cannot seem to be supplied*. Anecdotes alone aren't convincing. However, anecdotes aren't equal in substance to high quality observations with detailed testimony (photographs, charts, radar traces, consistent account) from credible witnesses (e.g. pilots, astronomers) who possess specialized training to positively identify particular phenomena. \n\nIt follows that if several of these are ruled out, it becomes more likely that we're dealing with a genuine Unknown, until a likely naturalistic alternative is posited. This is why I asked earlier if credible testimony can substitute for controlled variables -- since under certain conditions, they perform the same function of mediating certainty. We welcome skepticism -- some, like myself, are skeptical of most reports. There are times where skepticism just isn't helpful in eliminating the good reports from the bad ones, like demonic possessions; there's no convincing evidence to begin with. \n\nThat's why I'm careful not to lump in the ET hypothesis as being equal in substance with angels and such. We have tangible evidence of the former. We don't have tangible evidence of the latter. Tangible meaning physical traces which can be hypothesized to have been ET. It's complicated further with the cognitive biases humans possess, which is also why human error must be taken into account. A daunting task for any team of serious researchers, but rewarding in the end. \n\n>This, for the most part, mirrors my position. He said that back in the 60's. Since then, we have accumulated a copious wealth of knowledge on the ways that our brains operate, mostly thanks to patient neurology, and we continue to discover new ways in which our brains are capable of bullshitting us completely.\n\n>This causes an instinctual aversion in some people. "So you mean to tell me that science says I can't even trust my own perceptions? How arrogant!" I understand the reaction. It's a natural reaction. But it's still true. From inattentional blindness to apophenia and everything in-between, our brains seem to be exceptionally imperfect at perception.\n\nIndeed. As new psychological processes unveil themselves to us, we may retroactively analyze historic accounts in the annals of UFO mythology to determine a significant degree of human fallibility. Thanks for the links, by the way. :)\n\n>That's very fair. My standard of evidence is that I want something physical to investigate. This may seem too simple, but that's where I'm at. To quote this article: "We're assuming here that our hypothetical ET's are conceptualized as physical beings traveling in physical machines from place to place in the here-and-now universe that we see around us. Concepts of 'light beings', 'interdimensional portals', or 'higher vibratory planes' we relegate to the realm of the pseudomystical." So as long as we're of the agreement that we're talking about material, then we want material in order to prove that the material is here.\n\nThat's a reasonable standard in light of what's being discussed. What are your thoughts on physical *traces* as extensions of direct material evidence? It's neither metaphysical nor directly tangible. It's an in-between, it seems. What can the traces tell us, if conventional accounts have been ruled out, and it's of high-quality? We can't positively identify it to be ET, but we can say with certainty what it's *not*. This is a hypothetical question, mind you. It's certainly the case that many purported ET traces have been misidentified. Crop circles would be a great example. \n\n>The implications aren't the reason that I can't make the leap to proof of extraterrestrial visitation from UFO reports. I just need something physical.\n\nOh, okay. Thanks for clarifying. :) \n\n>Well, I would really love to know that we aren't alone in the universe! So by that measure, I would say that if I have any abstract bias, it's in the support of extraterrestrial life, rather than the dismissal of it. I have no spiritual or ethical aversion to it. Rather, I'm attracted to it. I want to see non-Earthly life, very much. I subscribed to /r/UFOs, after all!\n\nThat's an interesting perspective! It's rare for someone so interested in the chance of extraterrestrial life to be so critical in his analysis. But I suppose this is an extension of your wanting direct physical evidence. Understandable :) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n 1345157284 +>if problems arise they will take them to a hospital anyways\n\nThat's what a friend of mine, who I begged to not go through with it, said. The thing I just couldn't hammer in was that it could take hours between recognizing there was a problem and getting to the hospital. The kid's a mess. And while being in a hospital wouldn't have prevented everything, it would have been far less severe. \n\nThe entire thing just strikes me as stupid. Parents willing to risk the wellbeing of their children so they can get a warm and fuzzy feeling about the birth and have bragging rights with other parents. \n\nEdit: And they always seem able to rationalize the harm they did to the kid. Her excuse is that it was 'meant to be'. She's even tried suggesting that the kid's like that not because she made a bad choice, but because he's the reincarnation of someone who had those conditions in a past life and who chose to bring them forward with them. Seriously. 1259694748 +I learned this from The Sopranos. 1354740206 +Which is like the Ice Cream Council saying your ideal weight is 200 kilos. 1280905721 +As soon as I read that I put down my iPhone and slowly backed away into the shadows, ne'er to return again.\n\n...except to post this comment I guess. 1343538896 +Thank you so much, this is perfect. All this has been good info. 1306857295 +I think another redditor spoke of this.. http://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/zotnc/can_someone_explain/ 1347362291 +Why as a spirit would you want to live as a freaking doll? 1348576319 +THAT AUTOMATICALLY, BY DEFAULT, MEANS JESUS DID IT! NO OTHER DEITY OR REASON JUST JESUS! 1314379527 +Those are some pretty shitty "experts" they've got there! 1290272403 +Nice post. Maybe some of these links should have a permanent home over there on the sidebar thingy ---> 1302846338 +I'll be the slight devil's advocate. Vaccines are helpful to a majority of people, and harmless to a vast majority of people. There are people who have severe allergic reactions to vaccines, but the benefits of vaccines *far* outweigh the small chance that your kid is allergic. Unless your child has already had an allergic reaction to a vaccine, there is no reason not to get one.\n\nIn fact, vaccines aren't effective in all people. Some people have weak immune systems, or just randomly don't produce antibodies to the vaccine. They are protected by the fact that, if enough of the population is vaccinated, the virus will be too rare in the population to spread to them. If you refuse vaccinations you're not only putting your own kid in danger of becoming sick, but you're also putting every single child for whom vaccines don't work at risk as well.\n\nThe link between vaccines and autism is bullshit. The only peer-reviewed study to show a strong link between vaccines and autism was completely fraudulent, and was one of the only two papers *ever* retracted by the Lancet. There is absolutely no evidence to show a link and an enormous amount of evidence showing no link.\n\nI'll close with [this](http://jennymccarthybodycount.com/Jenny_McCarthy_Body_Count/Home.html). Vaccine refusal kills. 1329510353 +I'm sorry to see you've been voted down so much, because people seem to be misunderstanding you. I don't think you're quite correct with the following statement, though:\n\n> the amount of information the player personally has in his brain doesn't change the very real and static probability of whether the car is behind the door or not.\n\nThere's no such thing as a "real and static probability." Everything depends on the information the observer has. The contestant knows which door he picked first, and knows that switching gives 2/3 chance of picking the car. Someone who walked in and doesn't know which door was picked first has no idea, and has a 1/2 chance of picking correctly. The host knows what's behind all the doors, and has 100% chance of picking correctly. 1297258829 +Oooo goody!!! Merci beaucoup! 1314731900 +Dude, the fact that they broke down mastering compression into terms that (while ambiguous, and not strictly accurate) lay-men can understand is not really a crime... The loudness wars are definitely real, music has been getting stupidly loud in the last 10-15 years... That's observable fact (too lazy to source, google it). And bebop quoting melodies and chord progressions does not open it to comparison with modern commercial pop music. Any given bebop track is demonstrably orders of magnitude more complex than your average Rihanna/Minaj/Bieber tune. Sure, Motown put out some pretty simple tunes, but it's not a massive stretch of imagination to consider that things may have gotten even simpler. \n\nThe very nature of Pop music makes this a likely path in fact. Consider that the goal of any commercial track is to sell as many copies as possible. The best way to do it is to be as catchy as possible. The best way to be catchy is to eliminate complexity. Therefore music who's sole purpose is to sell will get simpler over time... \n\nThat's not to say that the article doesn't lay it out very badly. But I'd say it's worth a read of the actual study that they're talking about before writing it off as garbage. \n\nTl;dr concept of music getting louder/simpler over time might be worth considering, even if the article spells it out very badly.\n\nSources: BMus(hons), live sound engineer in jazz, classical and rock 'n roll, amateur recording engineer and amateur multi-instrumentalist. Not saying I'm an authority, just saying I know what major/minor is, the difference between RMS and peak compression, and what a decibel actually is. 1343338694 +I love Ghost Bro's! 1306373129 +I'll take your word for it. I haven't personally met any paranormal entities or seen any credible evidence that anyone else has either. 1335405578 +Yeah I think I mostly agree. Here in Canada, we have hate speech laws that prevent groups like WBC from doing what they do, and I don't think that many people would deny that Canada is a nation that practices tolerance. 1322406485 +I hate to say it, but if all of the soccer fans disappeared, they wouldn't be missed by NASA. 1278702891 +Reminds me of the time my family and I spent Christmas at the beach. My sister and I were both bitching about how "gay" the waves were, even though we were smack in the middle of the monsoon season. \n\nThe next morning, the Boxing Day / Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 happened. 1354551602 +Looks to me like a random guy 1355065045 +You're an idiot. 1266781487 +You're an idiot. 1288330202 +I just found out that a man was fatally shot in this residence a while back. I will post a link to back that up as soon as I can locate it. 1350917787 +this is most likely the right answer. The one thing the videos have in common is an assumption of a common source, but there is no evidence presented to lead to that conclusion.\n 1327078967 +educate yourself before you open your mouth and look stupid. 1335559580 +I swear on my (small amount) of karma, the media center at my school had one of the biggest dictionaries ive ever seen. I Would take a pic, but i have no reason to enter my school. I just graduated. 1346002671 +Lots of "hot button issues" and being election time, congress-critters need to show their constituents that they do stuff to get re-elected; and pandering to the religious right and their delusion of being victims is one way they can do that. 1337724904 +Happened to me, except I didn't feel well rested. Sort of the same. 1352610393 +Thanks! The issue I can see is that Josephus was not a contemporanean of Jesus. Philo (c. 20 BC - AD 40) sounds more interesting and it looks suspicious that there is no mention of Jesus in his writings.\n\nSo that I stop annoying you, do you know of a good book that defends the thesis that Jesus never existed? Do you know if Ken Humphreys' book is any good and honest? 1303051338 +Mac is a product made by Apple. it is not the name of the company.\n\n>Mac's been skewing your sense of how much stuff should cost.\n\nno. just no. i simply haven't researched the cost of BYO hardware in a while. 1341427184 +I wasn't trying to personally doubt you, I know nothing of him and only skim read the wiki article (which does seem mental enough to *surely* be a troll, but you never know- people surprise me all the time with new levels of crazy), I was just pointing out that your link was unlikely to convince rironin. 1295842469 +>First paper: All volounteers use medication to control their diabetes.\n\nSo did the control group. Their diabetes did not improve. 1279550740 +Because it is a CHEMICAL! 1313490574 +GREAT review. Terrible show. Can't someone actually make a show that features a real investigation and scientific method? 1346018931 +We are a needy group. Surely [@krelnik](http://twitter.com/krelnik) will fix it. 1275962184 +"Well, he seems to have been beaten up and mugged, so what we have to do now is gently tap him all over, then steal a small amount of change out of his pocket". 1297942228 +>This is [1] /r/skeptic, a place where we have free debate about important subjects (...)\n\nNot quite, /r/skeptic is a place for skepticism and applying it to understand phenomena past face value. This is however not what you are doing, you've made up your mind and present us with a simplistic notion that seems pretty free for skepticism. In what sense is what you present skeptical?\n\nIf you want to do political grandstanding you should pick a subreddit that's interested in it. Because to me, and it'd seem many others, simpleminded one cause "analysis" doesn't belong here. 1347790563 +[It was funny 3 days ago too!](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/o3qn2/iv_resolved_to_start_using_herbal_remedies/) 1326072652 +I could swear to you the same thing happened to me -- as a kid, I'm almost POSITIVE the word 'vivid' meant 'bland'. 1326509548 +The 2.19 object looks exactly like an out-of-focus star in my scope. The others are harder to explain - like the first one - I have to admit.\n 1331477161 +Some people restrict their empathy to their own gender. Some to their own "race". Some even restrict it to just their own family & close friends. You (and many others) appear to think that non-human animals are not deserving of empathy, probably because they are traditionally used by us for food, clothing, entertainment, etc. \n\nEthics and morals however evolve. There was a time when the idea of freeing the slaves was considered ridiculous, and those who felt that way were considered dangerous radicals. The idea of women having equal rights to men was also considered crazy for a long time. However, as you start investigating your moral beliefs, and try to make them logically consistent, you cannot just dismiss non-human animals as having no moral significance whatsoever. There is nothing magical about our fellow humans that make them the only ones worthy of receiving our empathy. Many animals feel pain, and are sentient enough to suffer, to fear, and to remember. Just because something has always been this way, doesn't make it right. You have to be skeptical. 1321879502 +I don't know; that's part of the problem. 1319785244 +chinese lanterns are old school hoax stuff. What's in now is the mini multi prop choppers with the led lights on them mixed with jet powered drone flights and a smattering of tards near airports with iphone cams that haven't experienced stacking or volume flight landing. less than 1% of these things are actual and of those division can further be made into natural causes. But still, there is a modicum of unexplained. Unfortunately, a lot of that gets buried under the excited ignorance of many who have access to technology that they know how to use, but fail to understand. 1318782724 +[Never try to teach a pig to sing...](http://tofuphotography.blogspot.com/2009/01/singing-pig.html) 1337370246 +Just know that you fit perfectly in the definition of a solipsist. 1328456528 +Maybe she was using a wired connection. Oh wait. 1317298933 +*chuckles*\n\nYeah, that's very true, unfortunately.\n\nMy family's always been well read (reading was my favorite pastime growing up) so we always had a larger vocabulary... but we didn't realize it. We thought these words were normal, you know? Watermelon's a four syllable word, but no one's upset if you know that one.\n\nMy mom remarried not long ago, to this guy she describes as "fun." Yeah, he's fun - they go out riding and do all kinds of crazy stuff she's never done before. But he's constantly harping on her phrasing. I live far away, so I don't deal with it all the time.\n\nSo, I went down to visit this one time, and he was going on a vocabulary spree. Trying so hard to use "big" words to prove he knew what he was doing (he didn't. It was hilariously bad).\n\nAnyway, so he asks me, "Well? What big words do you know?"\n\nI grinned and said, "Hmm. I suppose what comes to mind would be, 'superfluously verbose.'"\n\nMy mom and brother both choked on their food. The new husband had no idea what I'd said.\n\nIt was awesome.\n\nStill, it'd be nice if we could actually use all those words. They were made for a reason! Like verisimilitude. It's a fantastic definition, that applies in so many situations... but it's not going to catch on, I suspect. "Truthiness" will have to do. 1347669284 +Being that you said "and it can do serious damage" and because it is about the practitioners not having sufficient training in reality, I will accept it.\n\nOn the broader context, it isn't any more about acupuncture then a death caused by some mishap in a normal biopsy. 1317744798 +I could move. Or at least thought I could, since I was able to secure my blanket and pillows from falling. \nI am not discounting the idea that I just thought I did that or was back in a dream-awake state and just felt like I did, though, possibly.\nEdit: I thought there was a lot of fear in SP, but I don't think I remember being particularly afraid per se, just wondering what the heck and not wanting things to fall. 1342652457 +Ninja was in reference to the swiftness of the edit rather than its stealth. \n\nIt was within the grace period where you don't get an asterisk (or shuriken?) tagging the comment as "edited". 1288024029 +This is awesome and thanks! Anyone have any clues/ideas? Looks like maybe it begins w/ "FINH ..." 1351110166 +If someone is paid to post about the Theory of Relativity, does that make the Theory of Relativity incorrect? Ad hominem goes both ways.\n\nEdit:\n\nNot that I'm saying that spam is okay. But you guys are screaming spam and it doesn't seem much spammier than a lot of other posts. This just seems like a witch-hunt by some people who view global warming as a religious matter and not a scientific one.\n\nAnd to be clear to you witch-finder generals, I feel the evidence for man-made global warming to be compelling, so don't burn me at the stake. I'm sort of on your side. Hopefully that's enough to save me from the pyre of cleansing. 1334158756 +>"[So & So's] oldest daughter lost her appendix after the injections."\n\nOh, you mean the VESTIGIAL ORGAN attached to the colon? \n\nWhat a tragedy. 1323028580 +Some people are just beyond saving and the frustration I have experienced trying to debate with them just makes me feel its better to leave them to their own devices. \n 1351720977 +I don't follow your Pepsi example so I won't try to refute your point...\n\nAs a scientist, you should be no stranger to theories and speculation. That is why people like you become scientists, to test out these wild theories and to either debunk or confirm their validity. The UFO subject, for whatever reason, doesn't seem to get this rigorous scientific treatment. Why? \n\nI could sit here and tell you there's plenty of physical evidence, but you would turn around and say that there's no way to prove that it's related to the UFO phenomena. Isn't that logic a bit... flawed? You can't prove UFOs exist until you prove aliens exist? Isn't that jumping the gun a bit? Isn't that what skeptics tell believers they shouldn't be doing? \n\n> I read and watch a lot but none of it presented so far has produced ANYTHING other than testimony\n\nOut of pure curiosity, what is the most striking piece of evidence you've come across that *could*, if true, prove the phenomena? Also, have you ever personally witnessed a UFO sighting? 1294019012 +Wow,...is all I can say,...so much for reading comprehension skills,...but hey, dont believe me,....\n\n\nTry comprehending [this article declaring it hoax](http://www.tgdaily.com/unbalanced/55308-hottel-memo-alien-hoax-reappears-online-after-60-years),....or [this one](http://www.blippitt.com/fbi-hottel-ufo-memo-is-confirmed-hoax),...or [this one](http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/132868/20110411/fbi-hottel-memo-reveals-ufo-hoax.htm),....\n\n\nYour choice,... or you could continue to keep your fingers in your ears while screaming lalalalala,.... 1302702556 +The guy is a walking no true scotsman. If it's not exactly his opinion then clearly it's wrong/absurd/ungodly. The worst bit is he doesn't even seem aware how entangled in the web he is.. 1305237202 +It is from NOVA's [Intelligent Design on Trial.](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/evolution/intelligent-design-trial.html)\n\nThe referenced segment occurs at 1:26:45\n 1300945546 +If they can make videos like [this](http://vimeo.com/32241005), why the fuck are the UFO videos from the ISS such shitty quality? 1344060097 +If those are really the pilots, they did a good job trying to not break protocol. \n\nI like the ending:\n\n"We've got somebody else out here with it."\n\n"Did you see anything?"\n\n"....Negative."\n\nAccompanying video track painted a good picture. 1355271289 +Maybe it got caught in her hair/pajamas/whatever and fell off when she went to the bathroom? 1337062658 +Regardless of whether or not plants have some electrical activity ( [seems like they can?](http://blogs.sciencemag.org/origins/2009/08/excitable-plants.html) ), this video is clearly as I said; just a music player. 1347577385 +Nice link. That's a little surprising to me, to be honest. Only a little, but surprising nonetheless. Quite glad I never actual called yoga exercise now! 1326577364 +Language influences thought, but not in the kind of drastic way that the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis claimed. It's more a part of a subtle tapestry, weaved in with thousands of other things that affect our thoughts.\n\nIf language strongly influenced our thinking then the idea of "the arbitrariness of the sign" would probably be wrong. That is that it doesn't matter if I call a dog a "cow" a "cat" or a "狗" so long as we all agree about what it refers to.\n\nFrom acceptance of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis people conclude that speakers of different languages have strongly different ways of thinking about the world. This clearly isn't true. How we perceive the world is hardly affected by our language, or even our culture. Our perception of the world is instead a creation of our brains, brains that are overwhelmingly similar across all races or language groups or whatever.\n\nPinker spends most of what he has to say about the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, talking about how wrong it is.\n\nin a 2007 appendix of The Language Instinct, for chapter 3 Pinker writes:\n\n>"When I wrote this chapter, the Whorfian hypothesis was largely out of favour among linguists and psychologists, but the pendulum has swung back, and there is now a lively neo-Whorfian movement. In The Stuff of Thought, I review this new research and argue that the problem with the idea that language affects thought is not that it's entirely wrong but that there are many ways in which language can affect thought, and people tend to blur them together. In particular, people tend to confuse banal observations, such as that one person's words can affect another person's thoughts (if that weren't true, language as a whole would be useless) with radical claims, such as that we think in our native language, and that the language we speak makes it impossible to think certain thoughts. In the new book I argue that the major conclusion in 'Mentalese' is right - we think not in our native language but in more abstract media of thought. 1288563750 +Yeah, and germans were gassing jews in the 40's, which proves that they are still doing that. 1334432527 +The best argument on there is the writing of the letter Y and the no capitalization of "god". A religious person may be terribly bad at grammar and spelling, but they will ALWAYS capitalize god. 1323014844 +I know it releases pressure against knots in the back. It least that's what I experience and that's what people have told me. It seems too consistent to be anecdotal or the placebo effect. 1291168802 +I have a hardcore christian friend who thought this was some how an argument against atheism... Dont even get me started on that one. Regardless, I dissagreed. Science does take out the wonder and mystery of some things. At the same time, when it removes the wonder and mystery by giving you an answer, you have now been left with 20 more mysteriously wonderful things to ponder. \n\nScience is known for opening pandora's box. At one point the stars were full of mystery. Now we have solved that and now we are working on quantum entanglement, string theory, faster than light travel, dark matter and energy and so on...\n\nI have to agree with the comic. Science only makes the world a more mysterious and beautiful place. 1301085117 +I didn't realize Tim Meadows felt so strongly about the cosmic conflict. 1300932321 +The bottom line is that there is a lot of truth to what he is saying, in that weight appears to be the dominant factor in determining health. Additionally the dominant factor in weight is calorie intake. It is important to note that this does not preclude different nutrients and food stuffs from having an effect on weight and health, however, these effects are dwarfed by the dominant factor of calorie intake. 1345228089 +There is no investigation done by this list. Just a blow-by-blow manual for debunkery to discourage any sort of further investigation. Even though half of these were clearly hoaxes, that's not the issue here.\n\nFor example, the Ilkley Moor case was glazed over as a "bad photo and bad story", whilst completely ignoring investigative journalism done. Because any other detail would support the case, thus effectly ignored.\n\nThe little girl in the Templeton case grew up and passionately defends her father's picture. He died on his death bed confirming his story. This is the story for most of these photos; the claim is outlandish, thus the credibility is shattered by the claim. And if the claim isn't outlandish, than a history of being less than credible is presented. Even though some of these people are very serious, grown up professionals with an important constituent base. \n\nThere is always an attack on the source material that isn't respected by anyone with any real journalistic integrity, qualifications, or merit; which is why skeptics have to cower into their own blogs.\n 1354223094 +Too bad people often reproduce well before they get cancer. 1317907971 +That class should be mandatory in high school at the latest. 1314611933 +The occult sciences have been studying this type of phenomena for centuries or even millennia. \n\nIf we can get over our sense of condescending disbelief, we can open ourselves up to a great deal of wisdom and discovery. 1351708399 +Computerized grading systems, school e-mail & bulletins, communication between teachers, online information resources, *the internet*, streaming video...I could go on, but I just don't want to. 1282030432 +You should walk in there and tell them that you are going to get the job. 1318625247 +Exactly. That is why no one takes them seriously. At least, not the general public. 1338867480 +Natural sugar is not rate-limited in any way HFCS is not.\n\nThe quote you're reading:\n\n> fructose is metabolically broken down before it reaches the rate-limiting enzyme (phospho-fructokinase), thereby supplying the bodywith an unregulated source of three-carbon molecules. These molecules are transformed into glycerol and fatty acids, which are eventually taken up by adipose tissue, leading to additional adiposity.\n\n...applies to fructose. Anything that is true for fructose is true for half the calories of sucrose, and 55% of the calories of HFCS. 1344879607 +I agree with you. There is a lot of confusion, which leads to fear and scaring customers into buying shit. 1336888487 +Registrant:\n Numantra\n\n Domain Name: NUMANTRA.COM\n\n Domain servers in listed order:\n NS.RACKSPACE.COM\n NS2.RACKSPACE.COM\n\n\n**Reverse Whois: "Numantra" owns about 48 other domains** 1306325677 +[Don't worry, you didn't waste your money!](http://www.inventgeek.com/Projects/lockpick/lockpick.aspx)\nStick a pick in the toothbrush holder and you can bump locks! 1248574525 +It takes 20 parts of alkalinity to neutralize 1 part of acidity? \n\nDamn. \n\nSo if I drink 5 parts (servings?) soda (5 * 2.3=11.5) then I'm going to have to eat (11.5 * 20= 230/10=23) 23 parts broccoli or potato skins to counteract the effects.\n\nBut if I don't, will I then fall into a pile of muck because my body will become pure acid? I just had two sodas, and I haven't eaten any alkalines...I am doomed. Please explain what happened to my family...\n\nIf only I'd purchased their $1500 system that makes water...\n\nStupid nature, not to have a system by which a body regulates its pH levels...If I survive long enough, I'm going to try to go homeo and stay with my sis. She will know what to do to keep me from falling into a pile of acidic mush.\n\n(edit: forgot some important letters and spaces and rationality and logic\n\nedit again: I know that this isn't how it works. I was attempting to mirror the thought process of how someone who actually considered the "evidence" provided by this poster to be valid might rationalize it. 1338130549 +Do lanterns maintain their position? Three of those bright dots stayed in an unwavering triangle shape for quite some time.\n\nedit: Could be a hoax though? I'm not well-versed in video forensics... and if it is a hoax, I seriously underestimated the stoners filming it - it would be superb acting by them to pull that off. 1341894310 +Mentally ill, delusional; hucksters that need to fill their bank account. Reminds me of faith healers that are caught cold reading their audience or using a radio ear piece with somebody reading off names and illnesses that these people write down on the miracle request cards they hand out and pick up. My grandmother got suckered by faith healers, told her that she would not receive her miracle if she saw a doctor for her heart problem, that that would show her lack of faith. Disgusting. 1355479144 +We can line up several major modern cities with a straight line around the globe, but we'd be leaving several other cities out of the conversation. So which cherry-picked sites would you like to use?\n\nFurthermore, what the fuck does this have to do with this subreddit? 1323034454 +Care to elaborate or are you just throwin' that out there? 1296668885 +If you don't think Buddism is that bad.... \n\nThe only reason Buddhism accepted the possibility of people reaching enlightenment in their own lifetime is because of an old story (from mahayana texts i believe) where a female dragon was pissed that only men could become enlightened so she magically grew a penis and thus attained enlightenment. \n\n-penises needed for enlightenment\n\n-dragons\n\n-penises magically growing \n\nEDIT: The Lotus Sutra is where the story of the dragon princess growing a penis can be found. \n\nWow... downvotes for saying buddhism can be full of shit like every other religion? Just because it's 'mystical' and full of 'eastern knowledge' doesn't mean it's any more real than Christianity or Islam or whatever.... \nBuddhism is just as sexist as those others: one of the 32 marks of a Buddha is a penis (ladies, youll have to wait until your 'lucky' enough to be reborn as a man if you want enlightenment). \nAlso, you guys really think that the actual philosophy of the Buddha was seriously unchanged over several hundred years of being orally transmitted? Get real. 1311260120 +Nobody seems to understand spycraft; if you want to create a false identity, *that's* how the CIA, KGB, MI5, etc. would do it. They would find a dead child who was born around the time of their agent (plus or minus five years or so), steal his identity, then "build" a new person, down to the grade school they went to and their last job.\n\nIn the case of David Pena, he and whomever helped him (if anybody) did it the worst way possible, because the real Alvarez has known for some time that there is somebody in Florida living under his name. Possibly because the real Alvarez has a low-paying job (he is a teacher's assistant) kept a PI from being hired and a trip to Lawsuitland for Pena. 1332139225 +I'm starting to doubt that you took the time to comprehend anything in my comment. 1324784895 +You think someone was flying an rc helicopter in a lightning storm? 1352659018 +Pretty terrible video. Looks like a street lamp. :P 1296745846 +He is promoting the placebos to people, some of whomo WOULD otherwise get proper treatment. Hence, he's a quack.\n\nI might let someone off for promoting placebos in a one-on-one basis to someone who he knows has no other treatment options whatsoever, but to blanket promote them to an entire viewing audience is unacceptable. 1339117102 +"Organic" is 90% marketing buzz. \n\nWhere I live, "organic" means that all pesticides and fertilizers must be carbon-based.\n\nIt doesn't matter if they are natural products or chemicals synthesized in a lab, as long as that pesticide is built around a carbon atom, it's certifiable as "organic" and can be used on food that will be labelled "organic"\n\nBack when I worked on an organic farm, I regularly saw huge vats of pesticides and fertilizer arriving. They smelled like death, had all sorts of warning stickers on the side, and came with lengthly MSDS sheets. \n\nThis was not safe, natural stuff. But it is organic. 1347068075 +So much basic shit?\n\nThat link you provided titled: "Scientific errors in the Bible" has a whopping 8 entries. All of which have attempted explanations with references.\n\nAlso a whole EIGHT things? wow SO MUCH BASIC SHIT. Did you even read that article before you linked it?\n\nSome of these comments reek of /r/atheism 1353583043 +> That there are ghosts, if you believe that, doesn't necessarily answer many questions.\n\nFirstly, the amount of data existing on the phenomenon shows that it is not merely a "belief". Secondly, it answers a *lot* of questions actually. It shows that there are independent, autonomous personalities existing in a manner quite different and more ethereal than we do here in the third dimension. Being that they *do* indeed exhibit independent personality characteristics, it very strongly indicates that personal identity can and does indeed exist independently of the physical organism. Furthermore, and as such, proving the independence of personal identity from the physical organism - along with the personal identity's manifesting *in* a physical vehicle (i.e. a body) - gives great, great veracity to a whole slew of phenomena that would otherwise be largely relegated to the realms of speculation.\n\nSo no. Contrary to what you mentioned, the existence of ghosts - spirits, whatever you want to call them - indicates a LOT of things.\n\n> Maybe only some people become ghosts.\n\nThis is actually a great point on your part. Maybe not EVERYONE is a spirit or is animated by a soul. This is correct, and there is, in fact, a bit of evidence indicating that there are, indeed, certain "soul-less" individuals in existence. And no. I do not mean this metaphorically. I mean this literally. There are some organisms that are said to be physical shells without an spiritual animating energy. I do not know enough about this to comment too extensively on it, however.\n\n> Maybe ghosts get the whole self or maybe they're just a fragment of some kind.\n\nAbsolutely. Some ghosts have been said to only be fractional percentages of the the true identity of that personality. This is true.\n\n> Is it another dimension, are they all just miserable as fuck, etc. etc.\n\nIt's also been said that ghosts are generally indications of at least portions of one's identity (if not the entire identity) that remain unresolved and attached to certain aspects of terrestrial existence after passing to such an extent that they are unwilling to "move on". I don't feel this applies in all cases, but it is indeed said that many ghosts are identities that, for whatever reason, don't want to leave, are confused in terms of their current state, or are not aware that they should move on to other levels.\n\n> Who knows just what the meaning is behind what you're seeing?\n\nOf course. It can mean many different things. However, the one thing that all these different phenomena have as a common denominator is the fact that they represent at least a portion of individual identity/personality that exists independently of the strictly physical vehicle (the body).\n\n> If I fully believed in ghosts, well, life would be more stressful for me.\n\nI understand this, as we live in a very underdeveloped society - one that understands almost nothing of this phenomena, and that revels in scaring itself unnecessarily over things that should not invite such reactions.\n\n> I'm fascinated by it but I'm not fond of the idea of something that can basically surprise me at any time, in my own home, in my dreams, etc. \n\nUnderstand that, for the most part, they're not all that interested in "surprising you". Also understand that the dimension they exist in is said to be a LOT more sensitive to emotional energy than ours. Therefore, you can actually exert a lot of influence on yourself (and them, for that matter) simply by getting control of your own emotions and acting accordingly.\n\n> people often theorize that they can be attracted to these negative emotions like you said; at the very least I'm more likely to freak out and THINK I saw something if I'm scared anyway. And it's much easier for me to remain calm when I can just act like they're not real and I'm just the master of my domain.\n\nRealize that you can be scared AND STILL be master of your own domain. Realize that fear need not be an impediment to self mastery. Fear is a physiological reaction that need not keep you from maintaining your focus on proper thinking.\n\nThe problem, I've found, when dealing with these paranormal issues often comes from the inability that much of this society has to obtain a proper understanding of the concept of Universal Connectivity. Tapping into this reality allows you to get a better understanding of the fact that your physical body is only a shell and its destruction does nothing to undermine the existence of your personal (and true) identity. The more you know this, the less you will have to fear.\n\n> If my attitude is helping me ignore ghosts that are actually there, I'm cool with that\n\nHowever, you must understand that the peril of having this kind of mindset occurs if - *inspite* of your efforts to ignore the phenomena - you find yourself face to face with an entity that refuses to be ignored. If this were to occur, then your previous unwillingness to face its existence and properly address things will likely completely traumatize you. This would not be good. At all.\n\nIt is better to face the reality of things, educate yourself, and get familiar enough with it to not have to fear it. This is not to say tun into an obsessive "ghost hunter" or anything. Of course not. However, don't run from it because it will likely cause a wholly unnecessary level of discomfort and possible trauma if you ever do come in contact with a ghost or spirit.\n\n> Because once you know, like he said, you have to live with that possibility forever.\n\nlol. Dammit, man...this is a GOOD thing. Don't you see that? Knowing that there are other dimensions within which personal identity indubitably exists bodes VERY well for those who are interested in the continuation of their personality after the inevitability of physical death.\n\n> In the shower, in your kitchen at night when you go get a snack. Watching me fap before I go to sleep. No thanks! Give me ignorance any day.\n\nIgnorance is not to any extent bliss. Rise up. Develop yourself. Educate yourself. It will only make you a better being. Do not be afraid to become a better being. 1340959741 +Yeah, but still. I'm trying to teach her that it's a big leap between "spooky IR footage" and "ooh a ghost". Also, I figure that Ghost Hunters and its ilk are fairly representative of ghost-related claims. If I could help her learn to articulate a claim, that would be nice, too. 1308578855 +> to do it fairly, he should at least argue against the philosophical points of centuries of theologians\n\nWhy? Is it the centuries of theologians who are the problem, or is it the billions of believers?\n\n> and not beat the straw man of a poorly-educated fundamentalist \n\nThat's not the straw man. That's the real man. 1271109958 +There is lots of space junk floating around up there. I don't think that space junk "cloud seeds". 1316458441 +My sarcasm meter must be broken, because you seem to be asking that question in earnest. Did you read the article Randi was commenting on? 1317775758 +There is legitimate skepticism in the official story. \n\n\nYou'll notice that I have never made any claim to any particular theory, only that the information provided from the Commission Report and NIST has faced widespread and legitimate scepticism.\n\n\nThere is no point in getting caught up in the "what if"s of the situation. The only thing you can weigh is the facts/evidence. And of the facts/evidence, many questions remain unanswered.\n\n\nIf you want to swallow a story that doesn't completely add up, fine. But don't dare stand in the way of someone seeking answers to legitimate questions.\n\n\nYou're a skeptic? Act like one. Ask skeptical questions. Be skeptical of the status quo. Challenge what you *think* you know, and reach for the big picture.\n\n\nDon't just brush off an entire subject because you've seen some disinformation film, created in an attempt to white wash and discredit anyone seeking a clearer version of the truth. 1350234688 +I think the point that the author missed is that it doesn't matter. You can be genetically male and act however you want. It didn't make you any more or less genetically male. I'm confused why this person is getting so offended by what sex they are referred to as. So you want to identify with our cultural construction of female, great, but saying that you are still male doesn't take away from that and isn't an insult. \n\nIn one breath they talk about how ambiguous sex is and in the next they take a very absolute stance about whether (s)he should be labeled make or female. Which is it? Does it matter or doesn't it?\n\nIt seems like the author just has a lot of emotional attachment to the labels male and female. 1331815225 +Yeah. And Dr. Edward and May Mellanby stumbled upon a similar dietary plan (around the same era) where vitamin K was also a linchpin. 1351456395 +I saw people fall for it on twitter. 1355351000 +Good for you! But now the government wants their share, but you would rather get drunk and fondle your kitties! What to do? 1313637698 +I will definitely take a look. A well researched book is always preferable to a little article designed to kick-start good conversation. Thanks for the recommendation. 1349193868 +UFO Hunters? Uggh.. 1298081450 +Well, why did you call it useless then? 1328445309 +Gonna guess you mis-posted this. 1349524754 +[direct link to video without the gawker blogspam](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkGMY63FF3Q) 1351529520 +You can't be serious. \n\nUFOs appear like this all the time, all over the world. The newspapers/media do *not* cover this subject. Why, indeed. 1251401026 +Why the sudden push to show videos of that "rocket" type one in place of this and all the pictures is even more strange. 1280117949 +> It doesn't address risks of toxicity,\n\nToxicity of what? Other studies have examined pesticide levels and found that the vast, vast majority of conventional produce is within regulatory limits. \n\nIs there something wrong with the FDA's limits?\n\n> environmental damage, \n\nWhere is the scientific evidence that organic foods are more environmentally friendly than conventional methods of produce? Sure, it might be a gut feeling but as skeptics we need evidence.\n\n> or any other benefit of eating organic.\n\nIf you subjectively just feel better by buying organic, I will not stop you. Do not expect me or anyone else to buy your reasoning, however. 1347054345 +Yep, that Dawkins' comment hurts to read. All the best to Rebecca. 1351092631 +Alex Jones is such a joke. I find the segment where he goes on and on about the purity of his genetic line especially hilarious. He claims he is related to Captain Jones of the Mayflower, which I can't really disprove, but I highly doubt. And even if that's true, it means absolutely nothing in regards to his quality as a human being. The man's only good for a laugh at his expense. His conspiracy rants are garbage. 1330137852 +eyeroll. belongs in /r/circlejerk 1310689159 +10k people saw the flares, which is what the videos shows and is widely debunked. The more "impressive" sighting was the first, and seen by few. One of those looked at the lights through a telescope and could pick out the wings of the aircraft. After that, some people spread word of the "UFO" and tons of people were out looking to see something, so of course when the flares showed up they made a big deal of it.\n\nAnd really? They believed it to be a single craft? You give the average person way too much credit. I certainly don't think the governor should get special status. We have people in government that claim evolution and the big bang are satan's lies ffs. 1349634726 +> You do understand though why this imbalance has evolved though right?\n\nBecause a key that opens a lot of doors is a master key and is useful and valuable, while a lock that opens to any key isn't very good at all? 1275471273 +probably ran out of money 1306024830 +I was reading earlier that apparently UK laws explicitly forbid psychics from claiming that they can *really* contact the dead, and instead must make it clear that what they do is for entertainment purposes only. As such, even if he really believed that he could contact the dead, it seems like the law makes it so that this would constitute a violation of trade laws - and using it to get the girls to engage in sexual activity would seem to be a form of exploitation and abuse.\n\nI can't understand why he isn't being investigated for fraud though, unless the girls never paid him any money and only performed sexual acts for him as a kind of payment. 1340584722 +Personal anecdote, recalled from childhood ~50 years ago -- so, before effective cancer treatment but not before proper diagnosis could be made. A well-liked neighbor lady, mother of my playmate, was increasingly sick over months with what was said to be cancer. I remember seeing her briefly on a couch, wasted and emaciated and clearly extremely badly off. Then, she got better. Slowly, regaining pretty much her original health. Spontaneous remission? Or, as my devout parents thought, the result of prayer.\n\nOK, here's the kicker. Several years later she was alone in the house and a fire started and she died in the flames. So if prayer cured the cancer, it was only to deliver her to as bad a death not long after. 1336251259 +If you apply scepticism to religion, then you cannot justify being a theist. \n\nAgnosticism and atheism address two different questions. Being a strong agnostic doesn't mean that you can't be an atheist. Being a strong agnostic almost implies that you are an atheist. 1312878251 +holy crap these are going to be a problem for sightings 1346944094 +Is PandanLeaves most of us? Because unless he is, his own opinion on the subject doesn't matter.\n\nAlso, merry fucking Christmas. 1356498863 +indeed, as fun as it is to wander off and let our minds play, it sadly is mostly all speculation or at best an informed guess. There could be millions of different races or life-forms visiting the planet.\n\nI do however also like the theory of us from the future, or maybe from a distant past? The possibilities seem endless. 1331598258 +fuck it, let's try it. 1352136210 +The link was my post on a site where I comment on the video. I thought that added more value than the youtube video alone. 1347426193 +Am I ever happy that you angry misogynist assholes exist mostly on the internet. 1354453028 +I'm not saying I could do better, but, those space shuttle shots were not "shockingly realistic" to me... 1277266556 +They are rare, but not the rarest of gemstones. There is about 26,000kg of rough diamonds mined each year, compared to 10,000kg of rough rubies. \n\n\nThere are three reasons why diamonds are more expensive than rubies. \n\nFirstly artificial gemstone quality rubies are easy to make. \n\nSecondly the demand for diamonds is much higher than for rubies. This is partially due to great advertising by DeBeers. \n\nThirdly and potentially the most important. DeBeers has historically manipulated the market, restricting supply in order to ensure a higher price than the natural price. It did this by purchasing virtually all diamonds and then reselling them. If a new mine refused to join the cartel then they would temporally flood the market, bankrupting the mine owner. \n\nIn the last 10 years the DeBeers monopoly has been broken, with diamonds from Canada, Russia and Australia being sold outside of the DeBeers system. 1318985855 +Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't alkaline chemicals MORE toxic to us than acids because of our body's reliance on h+ ions and its naturally acidic (slightly) equilibrium point? 1338139319 +Lol...I watched it and I thought it was kinda fake. Good acting XD 1318102119 +I didn't take any offense, promise. Just wanted to make clear that -- so long as I'm around. SRS won't be 'invading' /r/skeptic. If it means I have to ban every last one of them (and by them, I mean the subset (perhaps improper) of SRS which goes around invading subreddits) by hand.\n\n/r/skeptic will not tolerate invasion. We shall defend our subreddit, we shall fight in the comments, we shall fight in the posts, we shall fight with downvotes and reports. We shall never surrender.\n\nI believe that was Churchill I just misquoted. I do indeed. 1351296512 +Sounds legit. Im terrified. 1342160426 +Climategate had no impact on the science itself. It simply showed that scientists are human, and that when they're bombarded with a deluge of frivolous FOI requests they tend to bitch about it and drag their feet in complying.\n\nSince it had no impact on the science itself - as confirmed by multiple independent inquiries - Climategate cannot be construed as a *scientific* controversy, but more of an example of what concerted efforts to hamper the work of scientists can lead to. 1353868018 +Have done, on occasions 1304985443 +I love Cracked. 1304961305 +Honestly, I'm sorry I offended your definition of content. I'll actually try to be more careful in the future. 1356119750 +> information that is shipped in water\n\nAre you implying that homeopathic medicine contains more than watrer? If yes, please wait until after we have discussed the the validity of acupuncture. Maybe Reiki after that? 1326047152 +Quackcast = one of the best. 1299783523 +How some of those people are able to operate computers in beyond me. 1332765429 +Do they have any solid evidence for these claims? 1346494047 +I think you need to try to be skeptical a little harder. 1342516756 +Really? The flu never goes away by itself! Why is big pharma suppressing herbal roots? 1276311013 +The cognitive dissonance surrounding AGW is simply stunning.\n\nAGW is like kryptonite to rational thought. 1261117048 +I like to think of it as if its an Attenbough nature documentary, but they are studying us, but not getting involved for the most part. If we discovered primitive life in our solar system, we would study the crap out of them before moving on.\n\nOr somthing like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5kW74Er_4o 1332877832 +Doesn't even need that. A very small sheen of water can create the needed adhesion. 1352829219 +You've got a good point, but my understanding of a proper meta-study is to set your criteria and then analyse the studies that fall under those criteria. That would eliminate some of the bias that could occur if you were picking and choosing studies on an individual basis.\n\nThere seems to be a push towards blinding funding sources on studies which I'm in total agreement with. It's a bias that the peer-review system should suss out as it is, but it would be much more efficient to eliminate it as much as possible in the first place. 1347051993 +I don't typically trust photos of reflections. For all we know, this could be a little old lady walking past. Impossible to say. 1350493018 +> My best interpretation of the argument would be that institutional sexism at atheist/skeptic conferences no longer occurs but that would only be a little bit better.\n\nI (foolishly) assumed we were both assuming that. \n\n> Institutional sexism generally refers to actual rules or laws that actively discriminate against women, and I'm not sure how anyone could argue that such a thing no longer happens?\n\nThey don't need to argue if they don't experience it. Speaking strictly to policies, what policies exist at skeptic conventions that point, unequivocally, to concepts of privilege or gender-bias? \n\nThat if we take a step out and apply it to the organizations that make those conventions possible. And we can take another step out and apply it to communities like this which generate interest and numbers for those organizations.\n\nSexism is unpalatable right now and for those who are not primed to recognize it aren't going to see it at all until it's overwhelmingly obvious, like "legitimate rape" comments or the first time someone actually looks at data showing a correlation between the glass ceiling and the opportunities gap. 1347972835 +Harsh. Hotel guests are assholes. I think I got the point, though. Have fun. 1317099221 +I've been a paranormal researcher for better than 2 decades, and have been in many of the most haunted locations in the US. It's easy to explain away one or two experiences, but once you get into the hundreds, it all becomes pretty real. People can say what they want. I know what I know. hehe 1337965774 +Are you a physician Daemonicus? You seem to have quite a negative opinion of osteopaths. Care to explain why?\n\nDisclosure: I'm an osteopathic medical student (in the US). 1335311541 +You are correct. I independently watch the footage and had the same disagreement with EnglishBulldog that you did. 1341974298 +Plane. Pretty obvious 1330915128 +Saw this in a [Cracked article](http://www.cracked.com/article_16785_7-retarded-food-myths-internet-thinks-are-true.html) a while back. Best part:\n\n>Here's a good general tip: If the person giving you medical advice seems to easily confuse cancer and heart attacks, as this person does in their second paragraph up there, they might not know what they're talking about. "Get the Paddles! He's having a cancer!" 1330331607 +We could be staving off an impending ice age, no? 1270147450 +BAZINGA 1346275085 +they have none 1346458995 +Just go and have fun with it, cheaper than a movie right? 1308111284 +Haha. I'll have to try that. 1327352704 +>Doesn't this disprove that it's a healthier diet?\n\nHow does this follow? Either way health reasons isn't the only reason to become a vegetarian, some people do it for ethical reasons. 1353156189 +I doubt collapse will ever happen unless we kill eachother off with a giant nuclear war. But if oil reserves decline, our lifestyle will have to change a bit.\n\nThanks for letting me know that bottled water only has a 2 year shelf life - I didn't know that! 1347613458 +it was one of the first reported cases of malevolent abductions in the 20th century. I remember being a young child, about 8 or 9, and reading a childrens-themed book of actual ufo cases (I say child-themed because it was maybe 20 pages, softcover, with drawn sketches of everything. Stories such as travis walton, betty and barney hill, stories of cattle mutilations, the Hopkinsville-kelly incident, and a few more i cant reccollect). It was before "Fire in the Sky" came out, the movie based on Walton's story. 1346731560 +My favorite\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bias_blind_spot 1248622342 +...because the footprints didn't show any spiked shoe marks? Oh, and because they were left in mud, rather than a special track? \n\nJust guessing, of course. 1351651339 +Perhaps the water does not move the stick, but rather, the dowser is simply reacting to sub conscious perceptions, instinctive impulses, peripheral awareness of others in the group signaling yea and nay assessments, etc etc. Think "Ouija Board".\n\nI can't recall who and/or where, or when, but I've def seen studies along these lines bearing a hint of fruit along these lines. 1335075323 +You make a good point. I want something conclusive before I'll buy the accusations.\n\nSomething seems at least a little odd that he was cleared during all of his tests during his career and that [previous federal investigations produced nothing](http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/03/sport/lance-armstrong/index.html?hpt=hp_t3) but all of a sudden, they think they have something on him. However, if the accusations come back with some real substantive evidence, it would be hard to dispute that. 1345996927 +Almost all the facebook polls (which are really advertisements half the time) are loaded like that. 1256151128 +I have no way of explaining how scared I am right now. 1281999603 +Vaccine Pizza sounds awful. I don't want needles poking out of what I eat. 1298720271 +Haha, I see what he did there. :) 1335107968 +How could you possible remain skeptical after my purely anecdotal evidence? ;)\n\nI wouldn't expect you to change your mind based on this, but I would certainly hope that you at least accept it as a possibility. 1323626495 +They were into alternative medicine before it was mainstream. 1311016943 +I posted about one my friends and I saw at Rockland Lake about 15 years ago. I've heard about a lot of recent activity in Orange Co. too. The Hudson River Valley has historically been a hotbed for UFOs. I don't doubt your story. 1343886623 +Right, new atheists should be quiet, nice and not make a big deal about a great shift in their lives. Do you tell newly out homosexuals that too?\n\nObviously it doesn't apply to yourself and your feelings about certain atheists... ¬_¬ 1324043456 +Neither am I making any scientific or medical claim. 1346107157 +Actually, you are just what I said you were.\n\n*This guy is me, and there's no belief involved*\n\nIt's all about belief because you have no factual basis to believe any of the claims you're making.\n\n*and the evidence that would lead me to be unsurprised is the government's cover-ups, misdirection, and abuse of fear to further their agenda directly after 9/11.*\n\nWhat evidence? Or are you just expressing your baseless beliefs again?\n\n*The reason it would not surprise me if the government were involved is that the administration demonstrated that they have no scruples and that 9/11 has clearly been used as a tool.*\n\nAgain, those are just your beliefs.\n\n*Whether that is something they decided after the fact remains to be determined.*\n\nThe truth has been determined, you just don't want to see it. Even after all this time has passed you still have a hard-on to blame Bush for everything. Consequently, you are exploiting the events of 9/11 just to further your political agenda. You're not a truther, you're worse. You're doing the *exact* same thing that you are attacking Bush for doing. You're no better than Bush or Cheney. 1290750925 +Exactly right. I haven't seen him respond to any criticisms like these, but I haven't looked very hard. I wonder if he has? 1343890521 +An electron is when America elects a new president. 1350416733 +>You know that Ron Paul has a Bachelors degree in Biology, right?\n\nyou know that makes it worse right? 1313981194 +my only problem with the book is that i truly do feel that extraterrestials exist, but i don't feel theyd be in any way hostile towards us\nit just doesn't make sense\n 1356411482 +NH: \n\nGilson Road Cemetery, Nashua, NH is such a "sure thing," it's where I routinely go with reporters, especially skeptical critics.\n\nThe wooded area behind it (NE corner, up the path) can be treacherous, especially where the hill drops off, but it's a relatively unexplored site with odd energy in the middle of the day.\n\nI'm not so impressed with Blood Cemetery (Pine Hill Cemetery, Hollis, NH), especially since the vandalism at the Abel Blood grave. It was never a wildly haunted location when I was there, though I did witness some quirky crypto activity and a few ghostly moments at dusk. (After dark, the police patrol it regularly. Not recommended for night investigations.) Frankly, I suspect some natural magnetic activity (affecting electrical devices) may explain much of what goes on there.\n\nNot near Massachusetts, but worth mentioning: At the Spalding Inn (Whitefield), in the carriage house, the back right corner of the upstairs floor is pretty reliable. Audible voices, EMF spikes, and -- in the off-season -- the flies. On the other hand, some are more creeped out by Mrs. Spalding's personal room, at the top of the stairs, first room on the left. I wouldn't plan to get much sleep in either room, in the off-season. When that building is officially opened for guests, it's a totally different story; I wouldn't expect reliable research results, then.\n\nOn my to-do list: The empty foundation across the street from the Spalding Inn seems odd. I'm not sure that it's actually haunted, but if I were at the Spalding and had some spare time, I'd check that site at night.\n\nBack at the southern border of NH, the Tyng Mansion site, across the line in Tyngsborough, MA (near Nashua, NH), is excellent when it's active, but it's not reliable. Several nearby sites have been reported since the mid-19th century, but I haven't checked them out.\n\nMA: \n\nThe Old Manse in Concord has a lot of activity, especially in areas where soldiers fell or experienced intense emotions, on either side of the bridge and up the hill. Check the energy around the nearby dig (the early foundation), too.\n\nThe mass grave at the edge of Harvard Square (Cambridge) is overlooked by most people and the EMF spikes can be regular and intense. However, since it's a busy spot, it's not easy to investigate there. It has too many street lights, lots of noise, and people wondering what you're doing.\n\nAlmost anywhere along the actual Battle Road path can be good. Start at Lexington and work your way towards Boston; there are plenty of unexplored, uncontaminated locations. Obviously, it'll be most active immediately after the annual April re-enactments.\n\nBoston's site of the Cocoanut Grove fire is just plain weird. It's a parking lot, mostly, but the fence around it behaves strangely, and fairly reliably. Watch the nearby streetlights, too, as they can get brighter and darker at random times, coinciding with some EMF and thermal activity at the site. I need to get back there for EVP; it might be really good.\n\nThe Lizzie Borden house is good, but I wouldn't trust all research results without checking ungrounded wiring issues (normal, but elevated, EMF). It was noted most strongly at the pipes in one of the upstairs bedrooms, which indicated that there could be intermittent issues throughout the house. \n\nSpider Gates (Worcester) gets mixed reviews. People either find nothing at all, or they leave raving about how scary it is.\n\nThose are the sites that come to mind right away. 1347286264 +big nose kates has a basement of sorts that used to house a janitor type guy and his silver. the air there is incredibly dense and electrified.. however it is probably just the result of exposed wiring down there 1334185400 +Thank you- I love this\n\nI actually like plain text better than the animated version. I can concentrate on what he's saying better. 1315240683 +Kyocera should get away with this easily: they don't want to be represented by someone who has those view. It's little different from how Dell fired the "Dude you're getting a dell" guy because he got arrested (come on, ANYONE could tell he was a stoner). 1326469033 +Can we downvote for *post hoc ergo propter hoc* fallacies and anecdotal evidence? 1306900260 +Yes, a few, and arguing with irrational people is something I've been practicing more and more in recent years.\n\n1.) Obviously, don't be aggressive, don't be insulting. In my experience, irrationality far more commonly has to do with personality flaws, security issues, intellectual laziness, etc. and not lack of mental capacity. Don't put unnecessary emotional barriers in the way of progress. Also, if you *do* agree on any part of the argument, it's a good idea to say so. It makes the mood less aggressive, and it also sets a good precedent by sort of making it "ok to agree."\n\n2.) Try to give people a safe place to land on your side of the argument. For example, if you want to convince somebody that there is no heaven, you may get farther by arguing that a world without a heaven isn't so bad instead of arguing the point directly. Attack the real reasons they hold the belief instead of trying to beat them into a worldview they don't know how to cope with.\n\n3.) BE CONCISE. In your head, making long detailed analogies and preemptively countering any arguments you can think of may seem like a thorough and thoughtful approach, but a dim opponent will focus on the less important parts and branch them off into five different directions of misunderstanding what you meant while ignoring the important parts. Baby steps! Say as little as possible. Can't stress this one enough.\n\n4.) Alternatively you can just conduct all of your arguments in [this](http://internetargument.org/) when I'm done writing it. :p\n\nsidenote: Let it be know that I do not always argue as patiently and benevolently as I have portrayed here. On occasion, I'd rather just let somebody have it. :p 1332127473 +My only problem is that some subreddits would be multiple subreddits. like /r/atheism would be /r/circlejerk, /r/politics, /r/lgbt, etc 1349000586 +Given that everything, and I mean EVERYTHING around us emits EM radiation, I'm not entirely convinced. \nI suppose it *could* be possible that some frequencies may cause discomfort, similar to people with good hearing ranges can hear ultrasound from electronic equipment, but physical symptoms? Hmm... 1315912190 +>I didn't file anything.\n\nYes you did. Homeopathically. 1340460726 +Most people would be okay if we received news of alien life. It is not like everyone is going to run around like a 1950's hysteria movie. This whole "They won't tell because people can't handle it" is a load of rubbish. People hear new information all the time, digest it, then move on. Humans are very adaptable. 1343003527 +whoever came up with this mona-vie crap is using $100 bills for toilet paper. At work they cut everyone's hours and nobody is getting a raise, but some of the idiots still pay $100 a month ordering this crap. 1228317890 +How can one simultaneously be a feminist and an atheist? 1310611439 +Wow, I don't think I've seen a label with more bullshit per square-inch. 1297185563 +Religion and its followers. If they can believe in a magic fairy man up above us, they'll believe in stuff mostly that stupid. 1350187460 +Neil deGrass Tyson says yes:\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7c6EO46Bu8 1284258232 +>do you want me to provide every piece of evidence and information that I've come across? \n\nAs a matter of fact, we do, because so far all we've seen are your *claims* to have done the research. Until we see your evidence, your opinion is unfounded. 1328824885 +So basically, these are like braces for your eyes.\nI remain skeptical but it could be looked into. 1278291279 +The last frame is also a good argument against 911 conspiracies.\n\nEdit: misspelled against 1279662156 +The fact that Jenny McCarthy knows the difference between correlation and causation makes her stance on autism and vaccination even more moronic. Thanks for the post! 1339306866 +it's always possible I suppose. It was just so clear. 1337580957 +Echoes from another universe, even. We first have to be certain that these readings are something other than interference or due to the instrument. Then there's trying to figure out what the heck those readings would be if the instrument or interference was ruled out. Just like every other field. 1339907620 +First off, take him to a doctor and see if he has multiple personality disorder or another psychological issue. \n\nSecondly, why have you taken it upon yourself to "Fix" him? And how many years has it been since he was in the Sixth grade? \n\nLast, But not least. \nTrying to diagnose someone with "Demon Possession" on the evidence you provide is comical. To me it seems more like a boy with a temper and a perverse subconscious mind.\n\nI would love to provide help..however based on the grounds above I am going to need more evidence. \n\nIf you truly believe he is possessed, take him to a church and talk to a priest. \n 1349190582 +All I see is a high resolution white dot :P could be anything.. 1334917012 +Can you elaborate on what your mom said to you? Did you ask her what she meant? Why should she think that *she* was somehow causing streetlights to go out for *you*? It is certainly odd that your father experienced the same thing, confirmation bias or not. I can only conjecture that your mother had mentioned it to you before, perhaps when you were very young, and you both internalized it and forgot about it. Damn fallible memory we humans have. 1326585631 +You need to apologize to the community as a whole for that. I feel empty inside right now because of your reply. 1348033367 +I changed my downvotes to upvotes. So, the fact that it's now low isn't my doing :/ 1316291951 +This reminds strongly me of that girl who suddenly claimed she could only walk backwards because some flu vaccine, only to be caught [**on camera**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcrIqOr9Bsw) perfectly fine at a shopping mall, driving her car, etc. The icing on this retarded cake? She was magically cured by an "alternative practitioner" who apparently used every **non** medical treatment in the book on her. Also he has been accused of basically scamming cancer patients, a real stand up guy there. 1328916510 +http://online.wsj.com/article/APae1ad7cd922e440eb33dc460e3abe635.html\n\nQuotes from the CDC indicate that they don't believe that the anti-vax crowd is responsible for the rise in cases. This article discusses a change in the vaccination and waning effectiveness. While the anti-vax crowd certainly poses a danger, the more this is commented on by those with knowledge in the field it looks like it may be a problem with the vaccine itself. This alone will give the anti-vaxxers plenty of BS to hurl about. This article clearly states that most of the victims have been vaccinated. So we already have that fact to fight against. (You can't tell me that they won't be blaming the vaccine as the cause of this). Making blanket statements without evidence to back them, such as the OP does, can really damage our credibility. We, as a community, need to be more careful with our words.\n\nThis outbreak appears to show cause for a push to keep vaccinations up to date and possibly research in to a more efficacious vaccine for this one illness. What isn't indicated in this, or any other article I found in my brief search, is the anti-vax crowd is playing a huge role in this outbreak. Immediately jumping to that conclusion when thr CDC is releasing statements to the contrary can't help the cause. 1342788990 +The second law of thermodynamics is the one often simplified as "entropy increases". Creationists and supporters of intelligent design tend to render this as "complexity decreases" (a simplification), and further characterise evolution of more complex creatures from less complex ones as breaking the second law of thermodynamics. (It doesn't.)\n\nHis question of "how life abides by the second law of thermodynamics yet evolutionarily complexifies" is just a rephrasing of this, and like the creationists, incorrectly presumes that there's something about evolution producing more complex organisms that runs counter to the second law. Since it's a question that relies entirely on mis-stating the second law of thermodynamics, I feel justified in saying that he has fundamentally misunderstood thermodynamics. 1327694359 +I know someone who believes this and every other conspiracy theory out there. She thinks she is a "critical thinker" because she reads info-wars and not main-stream media. Yeah.\nAnyways, why do these people even think the shooting is a conspiracy? What is their reasoning/argument? 1356030681 +Of course it is man. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple secretly goes to these local news stations and makes deals to promote them whenever possible. 1354298691 +I have a degree in homeopathic medicine! 1295310271 +What if he was just captured rather than killed? It seems very odd to me that the US would specifically *aim* to kill him rather than capture a high level figure in an important terrorist organisation. 1304440692 +Io, Saturnalia! 1356448755 +I'm sorry, they aren't synonyms at all. Proof is composed of evidence. Once you have a sufficient amount of evidence to establish the truth of a claim, *that* is called proof. \n\nTo see why, consider this example. I tell you I'm holding only two cards - a five of hearts and a six of clubs. You ask me to prove it. I show you a five of hearts. Is that proof? No, but it is evidence, just not enough to establish proof. Then I show you a six of clubs. Is that proof? Close, it's necessary evidence, but still not sufficient to establish proof - because I might have another card. But then I show you that I do not have a third card. So now you have sufficient evidence to consider it proof that I was telling the truth. But I hope it's obvious that insufficient evidence is not proof at all.\n\nAlso, you didn't use it as a synonym for evidence in your post:\n\n>my grandparents home was the only one to prove paranormal activity\n\nIt doesn't sound like you just mean there was some stuff found that some people might interpret as evidence. It sounds like you mean the question was settled - paranormal activity was proven. This would mean the evidence, or proof, is so compelling that no other conclusion could be reached - paranormal activity is real. So what did you really mean? 1340418681 +NASA has slaughtered this. Seriously. They have step-by-step walkthroughs for murdering each of the claims.\n\nNot only that, Mythbusters worked on it, if she doesn't trust NASA for conspiracy reasons.\n\n\nFinally, don't forget to remind her that other countries have photos of the landing site:\nhttp://www.impactlab.net/2009/09/04/chandrayaan-sends-images-of-apollo-15-landing-disproving-conspiracy-theory/ 1304037036 +I love to reverse this. I did it a few weeks ago when gas was $3.03 in my area. Nothing beats the look you get when you say confidently to the cashier, "Wow $3.03! That's pretty low. Thanks, Obama!" 1344059610 +Lack of reliable sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Del_Rio,_Texas_UFO_Crash&action=edit&redlink=1\n\nThere's nothing to stop you recreating it, so long as you cite it better 1338992385 +Even a blind squirrel can sometimes find a nut. 1299914224 +My thanks to you sir/madam. The last link seems the most relevant to me, and my comment was getting at the first part of this clause (low immunity), while yours seems to be getting at the last. \n> At very low levels of immunity, selection is too weak to drive immune escape in recovered hosts, while very high levels of immunity impose such strong selection that viral subpopulations go extinct before acquiring enough genetic diversity to escape host immunity\n 1279229134 +> Seeing is believing\n\neurrrgh... 1331438446 +Clearly you are not based in consciousness or you'd know that these are all much more reliable than classical sciences. ;) 1298062276 +Don't you mean "to the left of Ayn Rand?" 1310765658 +Enjoying the circle-jerk? 1287305866 +Seems like it's more about saying than doing. Like we have this motivation to show people we're looking out for them that drives us to express it at more opportunities than there are real opportunities, hence we create more opportunities.\n\nPerhaps if these opportunities called for anything more than a reflex action of conforment posturing, I would take them more seriously.\n\nPersonally I've run against good intentions acting against my interests too often to respond well to polite posturing. To me it means; "I think I know what you need from me, when in truth I know nothing about you. If you want to explain what you need from me, you'll have to diffuse all of these preconceptions first." 1332185847 +I look at evolution like this way:\n\n*Deer run fast because all the slow ones got eaten before they had a chance to breed.*\n\nExtrapolate from that simplification, and you've got the whole theory. 1297438018 +You don't watch any ghost shows, do you? Or you think everyone's a hoaxer. Or, third possibility, everything that doesn't fit into your bourgeois-petit sterile world view is batshit insane.\n\nTruth is, I wouldn't trade my worldview for yours for any amount of money. I live in a mysterious world full of curiosities. You live in a world of weather balloons and self-propelled dust particles.\n\nAnd *that* ... is as close to insulting as I come. \n\nAnd this: I wish you so-called skeptics would actually leave. Seriously, I do. I can not understand why you are here. You don't believe in aliens. You don't believe in anything supernatural. You make no attempts to tolerate contrasting views. You only seem to believe in Chinese lanterns, weather balloons, and swamp gas. Why are you here? 1353985852 +Mitt Romney. 1345621980 +I can second this for W WA. Nursed in WA for ten years. I quite office nursing after a year because arguing with idiots about vaccinations made me want to pull my hair out. 1334782755 +And claims that this is punishment from god in 3.. 2.. [oh look. There it is already](http://i.imgur.com/TeRDy.jpg) 1278001697 +Didn't realise OP wrote the article - I still stand by what I said - you should have at least cited this written source from the accused. And no he doesn't quote this particular trick in the book. \n\nThe lottery prediction explanation was utter rubbish, granted. However, that had nothing to do with NLP and he never claimed it did. 1356978958 +What do you think would be the consequences if we tomorrow lost all our knowledge in the field of sociology? If we suddenly find ourselves without any faculties or journals of sociology or any articles and books on sociology? Would we miss it? Would anything change?\n\nNow try to ask the same thing about any science. (Or economics, engineering, law etc.) 1354773090 +Nope. Was nowhere near Idaho. (Who da ho? _I_ da ho!) 1339027331 +Yea, I am curious how that would go down if a bank cashes a fraudulent check. \n\nOh well the trained teller didn't know any better. 1348151008 +I think it was actually 1am... 1300072504 +And they should be followed up closely if they ever have a child ever again. 1320250595 +What if we could get them to count reddit as a media presence? Do an IAMA get a thousand or so replies etc... 1294340196 +I agree that results require time and other tangible and intangible resources, however in my opinion the overall implications and benefits of such research and advancement in science is well worth it....in this case the end justifies the means 1310703394 +I listen to Alex Jones almost daily (hey I find lunacy entertaining) and this is the exact same technique he uses. Nancy Grace also does the same thing. You just have to take shit with a huge grain of sale and decide for yourself. \n\nWhat kills me is because of the subject matter people will question Ancient Aliens, but give them talking heads on CNN and they will seldom question the 'facts' even though they are using the exact same techniques. 1335016076 +From the same website (but you won't need Flash if you're still having problems):\n\n* [This](http://www.circlemakers.org/Img/new_yell.jpg)\n* [This](http://www.circlemakers.org/Img/nz4.jpg)\n* [and this](http://www.circlemakers.org/Img/DailyMail.jpg)\n\nThey were all made by the guys who run that site, where you'll find other, more complex examples. If you want to learn how to make them, they have a 'beginners guide'. If you're really interested (and will pardon the pun), you'll now be willing to do some of the leg work yourself...\n\nYou're welcome. 1312554181 +The context of the remarks are important.\n\nWatson dedicated a couple of minutes in one of her video blogs to an aside on encouraging more women to be active in the skeptical community. As a part of that, she mentioned that these communities can be uncomfortable for women and mentioned the elevator incident as one example of how a clueless (but in retrospect likely well-meaning) guy can unknowingly contribute to creating a hostile environment. The message was "If you want more women to take part, show a little consideration and don't do cluelessly creepy things like disregard a woman's stated wishes to go rest, and, after having had a whole evening in which you could have attempted to strike up a rapport but didn't, choose instead to corner her alone in an enclosed space and out of the blue express interest in gaining access to her ladybits."\n\nApparently making the observation that geeky guys can often be hamfisted clods in their attempts to woo women and suggesting they stand a better chance at winning a woman's company if they would just be a little more circumspect about it is the height of rabid feminazism or something. 1342618076 +Some chiropractors are trying to bring more science into the practice. They are also slowly merging with physical therapy. 1287166181 +My optometrist did show me a freckle like spot on my eye, and claimed that they are often grounds to scan for skin cancer. That makes sense. I just never thought there would be a correlation between lines or wrinkles and allergic reactions. 1310187070 +>I'd love to hear it.\n\nahhhhhhhhhhh pun 1351652797 +sounds like you described most of this comment thread. 1248933857 +Absolutely. What matters is the actual truth, and as time goes on we get a better and better picture of it. One of the beautiful things about science is that over time, it tends to expunge the "work" of those who have cheated/lied/manipulated. 1259790953 +The ONLY valid basis for a scientific theory is its predictive and explanatory power. 1315643614 +um...i realized it...must have been a miscommunication somewhere? 1322666792 +That's a very interesting suggestion. Ainu is very much a language isolate, but there have been attempts to connect it to [Korean](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_language), [Japanese](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_language), [Turkic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkic_languages), [Mongolic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongolic) or [Tungusic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungusic) languages and also to the wider and extremely controversial [Altaic family](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altaic) (which consists of the above and sometimes [Uralic languages like Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Khanty and Mansi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uralic_languages)). None of these hypotheses are particularly well respected. There have also been fringe theories attempting to attach Ainu to [Austro-Asiatic languages](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austro-Asiatic) like Khmer and [Austronesian languages](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austronesian) like the languages of the Phillipines. Because we don't really know where the Ainu came from, we can't establish a concise link between their migration and the range of *Gigantopithecus*. \n\nMaybe Bigfoot-language is some kind of proto-Tungusic language or something. We've already been able to establish links between [Yeniseian languages in Siberia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeniseian_languages) and [Na-Dené](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Na-Dene_languages) languages [in Alaska and the western part of North America](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Na-Dene_langs.png) (which is right around Beringia, coincidentally...) 1353598839 +>The thing is a lot of the politically liberal\n\nThis is where we lose each other, in Europe this, "politically liberal" means Dick Cheney, Free markets, all inclusive (so long as you can afford it), anything goes, etc. \n\nI see what you're saying but the term has always seemed a bit silly when used in that context, "Grrr.... \\*shakes fist\\* you, you, free-thinking free citizen you! ".\n\nI think it comes down to; Liberals in Europe means free marketeers, liberals in US means free society proponents. \n\nIs that right? 1324682914 +I don't think you know how proof works. How am I to prove something doesn't exist? Now you aren't being logical. Use your brain, and try to figure out how it is possible for me to prove spirits *don't* exist. The burden is on you i'm afraid. 1323190299 +Yes, I did read the article. The point I'm trying to make is that its writer is grouping "skeptics" into a community.\nI like to think for myself, I'm skeptical about some things; yet I'm human, so I'm sometimes biased.\nThis is the first I've heard about all skeptics being biased in the same way...because they are in a group called "skeptics".\n\nI hope I'm not being too unintelligible. 1343575346 +Too many inconsistencies in the geometrical layout.\nTook a screenshot of the crop circle, opened it in photoshop, added a grid - looks like a drunken rabble made this sloppy mess, not intelligent life. 1341425422 +Someone who has made a decision to be a vegetarian for moral reasons has made a value judgement.\n\nA value judgement, by definition, is a subjective matter. No-one can say that I've made the wrong decision or that you've made the right one. All that can be said is that they are happy with the decision. 1323654046 +Yeah but the idea that salt causes those conditions (hypertension, diabetes, and CVD) is bunk, though it's accepted as received wisdom. 1332961996 +One thing that I noticed happening is that sometimes someone turns to look at me, and naturally, I look at the turning head before it finishes turning. It's like a reflex. You look at stuff that's turning to look at you. Then sometimes that person looks as if he/she thought i was staring. 1345295859 +A sound wave is a longitudinal wave - that is, it is a variable compression of matter over time. Sound waves require matter as a medium, not the other way around (compare with electromagnetic waves which do not require a medium). The point the video made sounds like a mis-quoting of some elements of string theory, which proposes that all molecules are comprised of tiny "strings" vibrating in higher spatial dimensions. These are not sound waves, but rather localised quantum field fluctuations.\n\nThe other two points come under the purview of "That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence" - Hitchens. 1319116819 +Well I don't know about you, but I'm somewhat concerned about the effects of manmade global warming, which is why I support environmental policy\n\nAnd before you start in on the climate change denial, please read: http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Global_warming 1311943363 +But science is a democrazy! My opinions are as valid as your evidence! 1299225573 +I say it is because of psychology. People are usually in a different psychological state at night, compared to day time. people also tend to have an extroverted state of mind during the day and an introvert state of mind at night. This introverted state of mind can lead to audio/visual hallucination ( real feel day dream like state). Also natural environmental sounds can easily be misinterpreted or just sound very odd if you don't normally pay attention to them. 1338977416 +It's a good point. I guess that's why science is so great, it filters out bullshit (and bullshitters).\n\nOn the other hand sometimes it's inconvenient or impossible to test a person's claims with the science filter. In these cases it would be good to have some alternative filtering technology. Some kind of reputation system maybe.\n\nI guess that's "degrees" and other certifications. Also the reputation system used on some forums. What else do we have? Can we do better?\n\nA really good reputation technology could totally be the frenchfries to science's cheeseburger. 1298829471 +/r/shittyadvice 1339613412 +> the Buddha's exploration was a very true form of skepticism\n\nthis. i have never thought of Buddhism, when properly practiced, as being anything but a most severe form of critical thinking. 1311271440 +tldr -- reiking it in 1327648442 +Apparently some people believe statistics is only valid when you have billions of samples, and when you can discard all the other information on the subject (like for instance the degree of subjectivity in measurements in say physics at LHC and on a drug-trial done in a hundred of patients or so). 1337364548 +I have done it several times when I was younger. The last time was when I was 15 or 16 years old. I try remember every little detail because it was crazy, but it was many years ago so its becoming a little foggy in my mind.\n\nSo, I was at school in my social studies class. I walk in the class and sit down. We have a substitute teacher. The teacher take attendance, one of my friends is not there that day. (By this time in the day I am already freaking out from the fact that, just by coincidence, I had a dream that I am reliving in real life.) The teacher has us get up in front of the class and talk about a current event of our choice. At this point I remember being able to guess, aloud to the class, what MOST peoples current event was going to be. (I say most because no matter how vivid a dream is, there are still going to be foggy spots.) The class went on for another few minutes, ended, and that was also the end of my dream.\n\nNow, the weird part to me is the fact that I verbally proved that I knew what was going to happen and things changed slightly based off of that... There was slightly different dialog after I announced that I knew what was going to happen next in class. Although, I guess that is kinda to be expected.\n\nTHERE IT IS! 1328460492 +Infotainment outlets don't need to inform as long as people feel informed. 1328125938 +Good stuff, i'd love to see the end product when you finish. Sorry if I came off as presumptive. 1292032330 +>Timing? With the kick off of the election season, I don't know if you can argue that it is bad timing. "Americans have a bad memory" Do you remember 9/11? I doubt we will all of a sudden forget about Osama.\n\nI think you have it wrong. It is far too early for this to make much of an impact on Obama's re-election. If they were going to use it for that purpose, waiting a year would have served them much better. 1304557039 +I don't need to present evidence. Birdman's existence is a fact! Who do you think keeps the nefarious machinations of F.E.A.R. at bay? Not the US government, that's for sure. They can't even keep a couple of Brits out of Area 51. 1350760753 +I was actually thinking more about the Fourth and Sixth Amendments. The Fifth just plain doesn't apply, but there seems to be minimal Constitutional basis for abridging the other two. Precedence notwithstanding, of course.\n\nOf course, this is just the largely uneducated claim of a layman. 1348110460 +In fact, studies show that failures can actually strengthen the resolve of the followers of prophets, psychics, etc. if they know how to handle it when it happens. 1315963341 +Ever read Botany of Desire? The author poses a similar conclusion about plants: they've been mixing chemicals for millions of years. By harvesting their chemicals, we end up harvesting millions of years of plant-invented chemicals.\n\nVideo for the lazy :): http://video.pbs.org/video/1283872815/\n\nEdit: I kept this going as I'm getting ready for work. I'd recommend watching at least the first third about the apple. Around 20 minutes in they even start talking of a genetic "Noah's ark" to keep genetic diversity of apples up\n\n 1334748208 +I've never seen solid evidence of the kind you're describing. Whenever I've looked it's always some story by some ex govt official or a paper that someone claims is a govt document but the official govt denies it etc.. It's always bills cousins second uncle knows a guy who.. evidence. Got something better? Link it. 1298733021 +Just to explain a bit further...\n\nSomeone who is out-of-their-gourd drunk or barely conscious can not consent to anything. Reasonable people understand this concept. Which is exactly her strategy. \n\nShe words it in a vague, open-ended way as to INVITE objection. Not objection to the reasonable statement above, but objection to her implied statement of, "If a person has 2 beers within 4 hours they are legally drunk and therefore RAPE RAPE RAPE!"\nSensible people object to this hyperbolic definition, she gets to call them either rapists or rape-sympathizer, starts a shit-storm, gets people clicking on her site to either object or blindly agree with her...\nPROFIT$$$!!!\n\nShe's the Ann Coulter of the Skeptic movement. \n 1356037931 +Well, shit. Maybe some kind of [holopresencephaly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holoprosencephaly) then? Or maybe the eyes didn't develop and someone stuck a plastic one in there. 1309554398 +No, bigfoots are left over predators, you know that old documentary with that Arnold guy?. They use the wrist computers to destroy any sign of them, that's why there's no bones and such. 1335052412 +I watched that a little bit when drunk and really tired, while falling asleep at the TV, laughing at how silly it was but thinking "But wouldn't it be great?"\n\nThen I decided to download the series and watch it properly and I had to stop before I put a hole through my monitor. What the fuck, seriously? 1321355906 +Wow that is fantastic news! Sure, psychic shows may be entertaining, but they are encouraging all that bullshit. Michio Kaku is a great choice because his visionary nature will keep people gripped and entertained. Hopefully it will get listeners more interested in science. 1310204226 +there are - unfortunately - a lot of questionable reddits around. i guess the *best* thing about it is that we can (rather) clearly see what's going on and who's active. the *worst* thing, of course, is that they're... active.\n\nif a questionable sub appears in a user's history, it's probably a good reason for a RES tag. ;)\n\nand you're right, we *should* be /skeptic'al about this sort of thing. 1345298526 +Some friends like disagreeing with each other and debating things. 1329080445 +>every medication swallowed is perceived by the immune system as a "poison," because there is nothing in nature that would ever present to the G.I. tract in that form of chemicals.\n\nJesus Fucking Christ 1319761157 +I see very nice beginnings of 'No true Scotchman' in your writings and so they have not changed my opinion about conspiracy theorists as a whole. 1329815398 +I was with the author until they claimed that they used a lookalike to type. 1277439977 +The whole comment assumes that is was faked by adding in the crop circle, but it would have been quite easy to *remove* the crop circle in order to make the fake video. 1342125485 +That reminds me of my college days. During the weeks leading up to Halloween my roommate and I would take gullible underclassmen out to a particularly spooky place in the country (Rogue's Hollow near Doylestown, Ohio) and scare the bejesus out of them. Ah, good times. 1315808098 +It is a little bit. I don't deny the possibility. I usually try to maintain a polite sense of skepticism in this subreddit, just so that we're not jumping the gun and saying everything is paranormal, which diminishes the value of more conclusive evidence. I also said "polite" because it's just as damaging to discourage people from taking the risk to post something. So thank you for posting this. :P 1356923155 +And FWIW, it looks like he did his [math](http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=17.5+m%2Fs+in+mph) wrong. 1300417965 +Ah yes, boobs: the great mental-faculty-overwriter. 1319477249 +Good ol' God of the Gaps. 1312841406 +I don't see how wearing a defective vest is analogous to electing to try non-medicinal cancer therapies. One is about the unfortunate failure of a preventative measure, the other is an arguably wrong choice about a course of action.\n\nEdit: I guess my point is it not the details but the semantics of the metaphor I was questioning. Ill stop now, I have penchant for being pedantic when I'm tired. Apologies. 1318626361 +They've compared what a dust particle and insect looks like on camera compared to these "orbs" people keep seeing. They usually look nothing alike. Although don't quote me on that because I watch Ghost Adventures which is considered to be fake by most. 1350864460 +I think that's just light reflecting off the bottle. It's rotating when it is coming off the shelf and the "anomaly" or whatever is is right along the angle where the bottle curves into the neck. 1332995250 +I usually use pasta to clean my drains or degrease my engine 1338155204 +Homeopathy doesn't strictly treat diseases as they are understood in science based medicine. Boiron, for example, markets [2 remedies](http://www.boironusa.com/products/symptoms/symptom-worry.php) for "stage fright". Hardly a disease, wouldn't you agree?\n\nThe point is valid. If a substance that causes a symptom can be diluted and used to make a remedy to treat a condition with that symptom, then one wonders what a homeopath would recommend for prevention of pregnacy. 1334146139 +Woah, this could be one of the photos they forgot to edit. \nThat English dude that got busted for hacking, said Nasa shops space photos that contain UFOs.. 1352102299 +I would love for this to be a really cool discovery, but the timing of this is also very, very close to the film Prometheus, which is, coincidentally, about discovering something amazing. 1339100920 +Fantastic! Sorry for 'reasking', I'll go home now :( 1327082205 +And your point? 1351100178 +I recommend eating fish in the winter. This is what native Alaskan Eskimos do to get get D. They stock up on whale and smoke it to preserve them for winter. 1348811843 +You really insist on **not reading** (in this case you could also see pictures, so dumber people like you might still find something) - so I have to post another quote:\n\n> We are faced with a simple choice of scenarios: either the 1957 map is intended as a rough sketch map or it is an accurate sample of cartography.\n\n> - If the 1957 map is accurate, then the new strait was about 2.5 km wide in 1957. It is only about 0.25 km wide now.\n\n> - If the 1957 map is accurate, then Reynolds Island sank completely beneath the sea and then rose again.\n\n> Such substantial differences could only be due to cataclysmic variations in sea level and / or a major seismic event.\n\n> Since Patrick Michaels has presented no relevant evidence whatsoever in support of such an event, one is entitled to assume that the 1957 map is, accordingly, a sketch map flawed by insufficient data due to fog and as such is of no scientific value as evidence of geographical data. Despite this lack of evidence, Middleton recently claimed on WUWT:\n\n> > "Uunartoq Qeqertaq is not a new island. Pat Michaels debunked this particular Warmist myth back in 2008…"\n\n> **In reality it is Michaels' myth that has been debunked.** 1317743212 +That's just the schizophrenia talking. 1316672030 +You... Are some kind of fancy-pants, aren't you? I like the cut of your jib. And I know jibs, by golly. 1344032543 +the one in the plane/helicopter (car?) with the old lady has the "ghost" sitting next to her, but it just looks like i reflection of the same woman that somehow got on the the photo. Same arm position, same shirt collar, same hunched body position. This obviously is a fake. 1345382123 +My previous comment was long because I was attempting to respond to each one of your points. \n\nFrom what you describe this teacher was not a properly trained teacher of the TM technique. This is not what TM teachers say when checking a meditation. Not at all. Call 888-LEARNTM, they should be able to find a record if you were taught TM by a certified teacher. Tell them what you have just told me. The situation will be rectified. In addition, they will set you up with someone who can properly check Transcendental Meditation. You deserve to learn properly and to be checked properly. What you describe is not at all how the TM technique is taught and not at all how the TM technique is checked. 1322796982 +This is why I'm afraid to put my hand down the garbage disposal....:/ 1345733978 +Seems to be a lot of what they can't say about an event that will never happen. I can't say why I don't believe any of this. 1287441964 +I knock on wood, because I like its pagan/Druid origins. I don't walk under ladders because it seems a little dangerous. 1333648607 +Set up a camera! Sometimes cameras can see things that our eyes cannot. 1356496123 +Yea it is happening already that's why it's called a transition and it will be completed by 2014. It's not the end of the world so the whole leap year doomsday should have happened already argument is absolutely retarded. The Mayans said 2012 would mark a significant moment in this transition as it is only 2 years before the final metamorphosis. 1334163962 +I was thinking the same..."and he wonders why atheists claim him and/or why people group him with atheists". Well, atheists happen to be the most vocal group *against* religion, so when you are a big name and vocally against religion, you pretty well come off as an atheist.\n\nAlso, looks like a duck, walks like a duck, shits like a duck and quacks like a duck. 1338017452 +Kinda crucial to this... did you still feel tired? 1352593252 +Ladybug 1281891041 +But I did not have that link. 1326954809 +Nice word trap.\n\nI do agree, but change faith in place of belief. 1296794333 +Cocoa butter doesn't work? TIL! 1332824184 +But your personality type in the MBTI changes significantly depending on your mood, situation, time of day - it even differs when we take your results in the first half of the test and compare them to the results from the second half of the test.\n\nHow can it be in any way useful if the steps you are taking to interact with someone only apply to that person at a given time of day, or worse still, only apply to that one time when they took the test and will never be accurate again? 1338770806 +Don't take it personally you flying bastard, it was the first thing that came to my mind. A better title would have been 'skeptic hypocrites' since you seem to gobble up any mainstream explanations without even batting an eye (not skeptical?). 1315571059 +>Now, you can continue to claim DOs are not real doctors based on your anecdotal evidence, but it is not fact.\n\nNo one actually claimed this but it's interesting that you've refuted this by....using an anecdote about your wife 1326131386 +Really? I have never seen that here, in the UK. 1302901650 +Neotech is no more, now he has his Global Information Network. You can be a free member but to get started you pay 1k and have monthly payments to make of $150-$200. Every month you get mail from them and even DVDs on how to make money or how to get up higher in rank in 90 Days there is also meetings that get held and with a large attendance. It really is an elaborate scheme that sucks in even some of my "smarter" friends.\n\nOne of Trudeau's storys is. His mom had cancer back when he was a kid and she almost died, but survived because she was stressed out all the time. So she got rid of her stress and suddenly the cancer was gone and she lives to this day. His reason for this is because cancer is a disEASE so your body is not at EASE which is why it's call a disEASE, so if your life is stressful you will get cancer and "that's a fact" and he goes on about other crap all day long.\n\nIf you're brave enough listen to his radio show or be prepared for some massive face meet palm moments. 1316383492 +Pretty clear the me that he was thinking same birthday and year. 1333979598 +I do not get it :( 1294960507 +you know what i meant. i dont know all the details. ive only recently began to really pay attention and realize that there is more then the government wants us to know. no reason to be so harsh you know.. 1342091324 +This would never really fly in American schools. But you could "teach the controversy" of, say, Greek or Chinese or Meso-American creation myths and talk about why they are bullshit. Then, through the transitive property, infer Judeo-Christian creationism. 1328717949 +The thing I find funny is that when Rick Perry made a similar slip up Reddit fucking tore him to shreds. I never really understood that, I don't like him either but everyone has brain farts once in awhile, especially when under the enormous pressure of knowing that every word you say has been taped and will be broadcasted to millions of people. 1329368656 +Stop self-diagnosing and self-medicating, and go to a doctor. 1278128499 +But what if that *is* the secret?\n\nDun dun DUNNNN!\n 1308796385 +Bunch of pricks. 1306967844 +We can't see if you were being effective. You didn't link to anything. 1349208857 +I don't think this is something that would surprise wine connoisseurs at all. 1302908748 +None whatsoever. The liver doesn't get "clogged" with "toxins". It isn't very involved with the immune system. He's just spouting off sciency-sounding buzzwords, he has no idea what he's talking about. 1310860426 +there was a sonar exploration of the loch there, lines of ships scanning the sea bed, they turned up nothing, also nessie would be very very old if it was still alive today. would be interesting to find something though. 1345193064 +Good god people are dumb... Its so hard to be respectful. 1327077420 +And modern day medicine gave him the chance to live longer than he would without it. 1318628465 +http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnagogia\nIt's a common sleep/dreaming fuckup. 1353483973 +Dude.... I'm on the jury and Buzz Aldrin did anything short of committing mass genocide -- he get's a pass. 1289612270 +That the movie hasn't come out yet. 1331935197 +I would think skepchick would have something better to do than going after a random crank on Youtube. There are much more significant pseudoscientists out there. 1330014392 +We've already been using 2-4-D for 60 years...\n\nMonocots are naturally immune, this simply extends that immunity to certain dicots. 1342633245 +> *She also has a site called the Intention Experiment where she tries to use mass meditation from her paying followers to affect the results of experiments in remote laboratories.*\n\n[I've read enough.](http://i.imgur.com/ok8GI.gif) 1333236193 +He starts talking about how he projects his desires at approximately 15:10. 1344963388 +Nah, the world will end sooner says the Mayan calendar so we're all fucked before his dealine runs out. 1341956136 +Experience wise, I've been dealing with it for many many years. Actual investigating has only occurred a few times with me intentionally going out to do some investigation type activities. Other times, I end up walking into it/experiencing it all my own. Most of my stuff has been solitary, with a time or two with a friend. How bout you? 1314111094 +>The things that make him a great boyfriend are totally detached from a few silly beliefs that make no difference in the grand scheme of the relationship. I still love him.\n\nYou cant explain that! 1301425064 +exactly this. that was what was so odd about the whole thing. that and just how confused i was after the incident. 1335748175 +Evolutionary Psychology was an extremely poor choice for that defense. That stuff _is_ crap. 1290152021 +Not to be confused with Indigo Girls. 1324161876 +Maybe we're just their theater. Would you talk to the telly? 1334713641 +I "keep making large claims" ? anyways...\n\ncame across this, one of MANY results when you start googling for the tools used to construct egpyt. \n\nhttp://www.gizapower.com/Advanced/Advanced%20Machining.html\n\nwhat they have found for tools so far does not add up to the markings discovered in structures. essentially. 1343746033 +> See when all these people talk about UFOs, *this* is the kinda thing they see. Because they don't they can't understand it. \n\nVideographer, ~5:45 after one object brightened.\n\n~10:45 a jet passes by and is caught up close. This is excellent for comparison purposes.\n\nI'd also point out that this is a UAP, not a UFO. This is an observation of light. There is no positive reason to believe it was a solid object.\n\n**EDIT**\n\n~0:35 in [this different video that appears to be the same object](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWCvp2JNt6I&feature=related) we hear "I don't think anyone can explain this one. I can't explain it." \n\nThis is typical for sincere observers of UAP. They cannot understand what they see. They go through hypotheses and elimenate as many of them as possible. This is in contrast to the popular notion that they simply jump to "dood aliens!" 1337267168 +If I knew, I'd be building UFOs for the government. 1342558829 +Amurrica-centric pedantry. If you want to get hung up on irrelevant details, work on your sentence capitalization and the fact that periods and commas go inside of quotation marks. 1356901158 +after the first few episodes i stopped watching due to dissapointment, i probably expected too much from it lol 1334386241 +fixed? 1291741746 +What I find insanely stupid is a poster's ability to be aware that a government would do anything to discredit a threat, watch Julian Assange be tried, not learn from these examples, and still pretend that slight things that don't add up like his school records disappearing, aren't in fact part of someone trying to discredit him but him making every thing up and that he is apparently a pathological liar. 1348011932 +Until I see one change trajectory or otherwise move in anything besides a straight line, I am unconvinced. There are other explanations besides space ships for these phenomena. 1335413706 +Did he by chance look up Charlotte on his phone/GPS Charlotte while you were in the Orlando terminal? That image or map would stay on the screen until turning off airplane mode and reconnecting to a network to update. By the way, pilot here... the whole "turn off electronics" thing... absolute bullshit. 15 years ago it may have interfered a little bit, but negligible. I think it is more so for security and safety concerns (in the event of an emergency or something). 1347590820 +I appreciate the honest answers! I've only been dealing with this stuff for about 6 months or so. How would you say that my assessments are biased?\n\nFair enough, I suppose I was out of line for asking you to divulge your tricks of the trade. I'm merely trying to gather as much knowledge as I can in order to protect my family, friends, and as many people as I realistically can. A PM would be much appreciated!\n\nThank goodness that orb showed up when it did. The true nature of it is still a mystery for me. What is your take on it?\n\nInteresting...two of my good and trusted friends have both been near demons and described the scent to me. Other people I've talked to also described an overpowering odor of burning hair. I suppose that it can vary with the type of demon, can vary individually, or perhaps the demon can choose to mask the scent to make it more stealthy? I dunno, those are just some off-the-top-of-my-head theories. Do you happen to know?\n\nYeah, I read and my friends did tell me that all manner of wildlife go berserk when demons are near... 1323762773 +After thinking for a while about your post, I believe that your argument has convinced me. I retract my previous statement. 1325257048 +check the children...\n 1344811142 +After you watch that video, watch this awesome one: http://youtube.com/watch?v=p_MzP2MZaOo 1273653485 +Oh, we do. Especially in the more "accepted" CAM practices such as acupuncture/ Chinese med. many of our studies are funded and overseen by the NIH. Occassionally a hospital will fund the research but these studies seem to be more self report than placebo based. 1325006251 +Well, first off. He tells you he can't show you the numbers because the BBC is the only one that can announce them. Bullshit! He's not announcing the numbers. He's not affiliated with the lottery. His show isn't an official unveiling of the winning numbers. It's a trick. He could show them if he wanted - but he obviously doesn't want you to see the prediction until after the numbers are drawn (giving him time between the drawing and the unveiling to switch them)... 1252568699 +Damn, you're lucky! I've always loved this kind of stuff but was rarely able to find them on TV when I was a kid. I just didn't know where to look. :( \n\nMissed so many good shows. 1354588185 +Ah, I did not know that. Thank you for making that a way less creepy experience. 1335266675 +Which pixel? I think you are talking about the "face" next to the fridge on the left. Looks like a common case of facial pareidolia to me. 1350459737 +Remind him of Occam's Razor 1315784959 +Why is it the coolest hardware gets left behind?\n\nDon't get me started. I might drag out my Dreamcast. 1328825422 +It was in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. So... maybe? 1350828463 +pics or it didnt happen, steel buildings just dont collapse. cmon. 1320941606 +"Skeptics attacked these claims with logic and reason" That's one way to see it. Of course, to us, you guys are just as idiotic. "We attacked your ideas with LOGIC and REASON." Please... you sound so fucking pompous. In case you hadn't noticed, most people on r/skepticism are fucking wannabe skeptics that are only skeptical of things they don't agree with. 1304698710 +efficacy is determined as the effect *beyond* placebo. If being informed reduces the effect of treatment then you *aren't being treated*! 1306800552 +Isn't that more of a Chemistry question than Physics? 1328246047 +Wow! Looks almost like a small mushroom cloud! I never saw this before. Thanks! 1308161748 +If you play the video back at the point during the close-up where the object passes behind a pole or mast on a boat, you will see that this is not legit. My vote is CGI. 1326131294 +I find it odd you linked to these studies as both showed no significant difference between chiro and PT and in fact one showed that PT done with a booklet at one's home was just as good.\n\n>For patients with low back pain, the McKenzie method of physical therapy and chiropractic manipulation had similar effects and costs, and patients receiving these treatments had only marginally better outcomes than those receiving the minimal intervention of an educational booklet. Whether the limited benefits of these treatments are worth the additional costs is open to question. \n\nFor patients with low back pain, the McKenzie method of physical therapy and chiropractic manipulation had similar effects and costs, and patients receiving these treatments had only marginally better outcomes than those receiving the minimal intervention of an educational booklet. Whether the limited benefits of these treatments are worth the additional costs is open to question. \n\n> However, SMT demonstrated no apparent benefits over HEA.(Home Exercise with Advice)\n\nThe only conclusion one could really come to from both of these studies is that one is better of with getting a little advice and doing PT at home. It works just as well as "chiro" and at a much lower cost. The only thing these really show is that chiro is better at treating back pain than medication, which I don't think is much of a great claim as the medication for pain is not meant to fix it its mostly just to dull it.\n\nSo I think I will continue to be fairly skeptical of chiro when it isn't even significantly better than doing some basic physio on one's own. 1342820257 +Answer: aliens learning your ways and soon enough they will abduct you. 1351048091 +What is this? I don't even 1312798046 +It may not be an official cult but it will likely have those cult-like accoutrements. Namely, if you wife really gets into it and you don't the leaders will likely suggest that she should be with someone who isn't supportive. 1295241209 +I don't read the blogs but [PZ Myers](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/07/the_dick_delusion.php) seems quite active in the area and also claims the existence of dicks: "...it also seems like a dick move to try and associate a strategy with gender, since some of the most wonderfully dickish skeptics I know are female. But that's a separate issue." 1299624633 +Wow... thanks...\n\nIt really does look like CNN is flat out lying. Doesn't surprise me... the old Soviet Pravda was much more trustworthy than the U.S. mainstream media.\n 1306866970 +Meh... there's nothing wrong with selling a product he doesn't personally use. I think in this case, it's just the way he expressed that notion that comes off as sounding rather tool-ish.\n\nConsider it to be the same as cigarettes; he may consider the people who buy and use them to be idiots, but that doesn't mean he's a jerk for working there. 1301583159 +DDDDDDDDDDDDDDUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH\n\n 1276126060 +No, I'm simply blowing holes in the idea that you can singlehandedly dismiss *all* of the witness testimony with one explanation. Hell, we don't even know if they all witnessed the same phenomena, real or not. 1305913789 +I've given up on pointing out errors in most cases, because they never seem to solve the problem. An adult fluent in English who still confuses their and there is beyond help. Why should I waste my time on someone who evidently just doesn't cair? 1345085299 +I have used my phone on numerous occasions in my Grumman AA-5 with no issues at any point. Now, since both of these points are anecdotal, no real conclusion can be drawn. 1356942469 +Examples of preliminary and interesting data, not supporting the oil nonsense, but providing enough reasoning to perform a small cell-line study, and research into other areas. Phytopharmacology is a real science, you know.\n\n[one](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040842811002319)\n\n[two](http://www.springerlink.com/content/w97480gh2253n108/)\n\n[three](http://www.pnas.org/content/97/17/9561.short)\n 1328197589 +You're right that the area of Panama in which McCain was born is considered American soil; however, this is by special legislative action and is not the norm. In all other respects you are incorrect.\n\nMilitary bases are _not_ American soil in the general case, and neither are ships.\n\nI will quote the U.S. Deparartment of State Foreign Affairs Manual (7 FAM 1110, ACQUISITION OF U.S. CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH IN THE UNITED\nSTATES), subsections 1116.1-4, "Not Included in the Meaning of 'In the United States' :\n\n>a. a. A U.S.-registered or documented ship on the high seas or in the exclusive economic\nzone is not considered to be part of the United States. A child born on such a vessel does\nnot acquire U.S. citizenship by reason of the place of birth (Lam Mow v. Nagle, 24 F.2d\n316 (9th Cir., 1928)).\n\nand\n\n>c. Despite widespread popular belief, U.S. military installations abroad and U.S.\ndiplomatic or consular facilities are not part of the United States within the meaning of the\n14th Amendment. A child born on the premises of such a facility is not subject to the\njurisdiction of the United States and does not acquire U.S. citizenship by reason of birth. 1306522177 +I can't seem to prove you wrong so ill assume you're right 1340922602 +English isn´t my prime language, in my language "in the field" pretty much means to be interested in, etc. 1343920855 +Haha! You do realize this *is* a conspiracy ...I'm skeptical of your skepticism 1353349059 +Well, I no longer live there and he was ridiculously hard to get a hold of. He would never answer his phone or respond to e-mails. I didn't have power in my building for two days once, and this was during finals. 1282251798 +Two more scientific overviews oh the Hessdalen lights:\n\n* [A Long-Term Scientific Survey of the Hessdalen Phenomenon PDF](http://scientificexploration.org/journal/jse_18_2_teodorani.pdf)\n\n* [10 YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OF THE HESSDALEN PHENOMENA PDF](http://www.itacomm.net/ph/2005_Hauge.pdf) 1335277682 +My friends & I didn't even get near the microwave, neither did my friends put it there, we're not really like that, to pull such pranks on one another 1355005978 +Meth typically causes psychosis with habitual use, but what he is describing sounds more likely to be a manic depressive psychotic break. 1297031374 +Oookay, an aircraft not made my humans? 1293551244 +What episode is this from? I would love to make a clip of it.\n\n 1325462946 +This article seemed to be as full of unsupported assertions, purposefully omitted information, and misleading arguments as the most naive supporters of alternative energy. 1305856939 +Now is the winter of our discontent. \nMade glorious summer by this son of York. 1323699727 +>So you believe they are already living on Earth somewhere? This is an idea that I have yet to entertain until now, but I like it!\n\nHere's an interesting read for you: \nhttp://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread366981/pg1 1226885271 +Helium 3\n\nThere are plenty of other reasons to go back to the moon too.\n\nI was 5 when Armstrong and Aldrin first stepped on the moon.\nI was amazed,excited,curious to see where we were headed.\n\n44 yrs later,and I can only say I am extremely disappointed with our progress towards space and space exploration.\n\nWe've come quite a ways when it comes to war and lining the pockets of despicable people.\n 1354504685 +more great pictures of the UFO seen in China last week. i think itis pretty undeniable what we are looking at here... 1279163541 +Ok ok, I just wanted to know why you think that r/skeptic is biased, that's it. Bye. 1333559970 +> creating slight increases in heat\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------\n\nhttp://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/1000/full-body-ice-contact-endurance-\n\n\n\n\n\nThe longest time spent in direct, full body contact with ice is 1 hr 52 min 42 sec and was achieved by Wim Hof (Netherlands) \n\n(tummo master Wim Hof)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\nIn 2011 tummo master wim hof was packed in ice for 1 hour 20 minutes under medical observation his core body temperature remained constant\n\n[Case Study on Tummo Master Wim Hof's Cold Endurance Abilities](http://www.innerfire.nl/files/can-meditation-influence-ans-hopman.pdf)\n\n\n**Despite 80 minutes of full-body ice immersion** and significant heat loss through the skin, **core body temperature was maintained** probably by an increased energy expenditure (and therefore heat production). This individual may have influenced the autonomic nervous system, thereby actively regulating the cardiovascular system and thermoregulation. \n\n.\n\n\n\n[Translated Version From Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre](http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http://www.umcn.nl/OverUMCstRadboud/NieuwsEnMedia/archief/2010/mei2010/Pages/RadboudwetenschappersonderzoekenIceman.aspx&usg=ALkJrhgAw-pYPgb7GjnNbF386eswXF0rsA)\n\n\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------\n\nhttp://news.harvard.edu/gazette/2002/04.18/09-tummo.html\n\nDuring visits to remote monasteries in the 1980s, Benson and his team \nstudied monks living in the Himalayan Mountains who could, by g Tum-mo meditation, raise the **temperatures of their fingers and toes by as much as 17 degrees.** It has yet to be determined how the monks are able to generate such heat. \n\n-------------------------------------------------------\n\nBody temperature changes during the practice of g Tum-mo yoga\n\nhttp://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v295/n5846/pdf/295234a0.pdf\n\n\n\nDr. Herbert Benson Harvard Medical\n\nNature 295, 234-236 (21 January 1982) | doi:10.1038/295234a0; Accepted 26 October 1981\n\nTibetan Buddhist meditational practice known as g Tum-mo (heat) yoga living in Upper Dharamsala, India. We report here that in a study performed there in February 1981, we found that these subjects exhibited the capacity to **increase the temperature of their fingers and toes by as much as 8.3°C.**\n\n\n\n 1350950562 +Didn't consider that. I shall retcon my statement to criticize skeptic communities but still keep the original edition visible in the spirit of retconning (the day George Lucas finds a way to modify our memories and old editions we are doomed). 1328095484 +What comes to mind is the scene in Fire in the Sky where the guy comes face to face with the alien and just punches it as a reflex. That is freaking exactly what a human would do. Also the scene from Contact with all the nuts freaking out about the end of the world, and flaky alien-worshippers. I'd like to think I'd be calm, but if we didn't know a damn thing -- didn't know their intent, I would probably be stockpiling and cowering in my basement. If the aliens have half a lick of sense, they will text us all about themselves before they even send us any kind of visual signal... and then give us about a 30 year adjustment period before appearing in person. 1317962516 +Wow! Great story! One of the best ones I've heard. Poor Nicole! Thanks for sharing! 1353794796 +I agree. They should, but there are atheists who say they don't. 1299883843 +I love this. He's so straightforward about it: it was good, life was good, but "I've never been happier." 1281794036 +Such killing metaphors are often used in conjunction with dehumanizing rhetoric, things like calling Liberals a "cancer," vermin, or godless heathens, all methods of rhetoric that remove the humanity from the enemy, making it all the easier to justify violence against them.\n\nWe do it in war to the enemy. Conservatives do it to Liberals at home, as well. 1294588293 +>The big confusion I have is that you seem to want to formulate a moral framework that is compassionate and rational, and I just don't get that.\n\nThat's just the field of ethics. It's not what "I" want, per se. That is, if my moral system says that I should AND should not murder, then I'd probably want to reconsider the validity of my system.\n\n>I think that humans already have morals and that they ought to be described and that there's no particular reason that the morals they already have should turn out to be rational or straight-forward.\n\nHumans have vastly different morals, from culture to culture, individual to individual. If you want a moral system that is based purely on a description of what people believe, then anything is morally permissible and practically everything is simultaneously immoral. \n\n>I don't get how it's possible that anyone could want to change their morals (apparent changes in moral behaviour, I believe, are changes in circumstance and "input" rather than changes to an underlying moral algorithm).\n\nI'm not sure what you mean. You seem to be suggesting that morality is innate, but that certainly isn't the case (at least, we have no evidence to suggest it is, currently). Even if it were, our *specific* morals aren't innate. \n\nIf we are convinced by a good argument as to why something is better than something else, then we change our position. If it's the case that we're convinced that one action is better than another, then we've change our moral system. \n\n>Different people have different processes because the process is dependant upon a wide variety of factors, including genetics, culture, and state of mind. Does that concept seem at all reasonable to you?\n\nThat's a reasonable description of how most people decide what is good or bad, yes. But a lot of people think that stealing and rape is good, which leads us to the main conundrum here. You seem to be suggesting that, since people believe it, we should just accept it as a valid moral system. And what I'm saying is that just because something may be the norm, or natural, or common, or whatever, is not a valid reason for suggesting that we should behave in a certain way. 1338377460 +KILL IT WITH FIRE 1285719406 +Something weird about this one for sure. \n\nStay rational. 1350653656 +Did anyone point out to him that it's easy to personally verify the properties of gravity and electricity, which are clearly defined? How does he define god? And how does he propose that one can verify the properties of god?\n\nI hate stupid equivocations like this. 1298484449 +Title reads like an intro to a crappy TV show. 1318811847 +Agreed. There are chiropractors and then there are "chiropractors". While almost every "alternative medicine specialist" is a quack, there's a legitimate benefit to muscle and skeletal treatments.\n\nMany Americans are unfamiliar with this but A.C. Milan is one of the biggest football clubs worldwide. Their medical facilities, called [Milan Lab,](https://www.google.com/search?sugexp=chrome,mod=0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=milan+lab) are renowned for their effectiveness and ability to keep their players fit. They even accept players from other clubs who are desperate and troubled by chronic injuries. The lab was started and currently headed by a chiropractor.\n\nSimilarly, the most famous sports doctor in Europe is Bayern München's (another legendary club) [Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Wilhelm_M%C3%BCller-Wohlfahrt). He would normally be considered a quack. If he didn't work for Bayern and prove that he brings results I'd immediately dismiss him as another nutcase preying on the gullible.\n\nAs much as a skeptic I consider myself to be, there's no doubt these guys deliver. 1339632131 +You know they could charge for this, too. I'm surprised they aren't. 1325378897 +This guy discredits himself every time he opens his mouth. \n\n ...and the hair isn't helping. 1312553798 +I second this quite reasonable conclusion. Kind of like the monkeys and the bananas on top of the ladder deal. 1326817751 +>Simon, who is also lead singer of folk group Seize the Day, went on to salute the Luddites – the 19th-century movement of English textile artisans known for their sabotage of mechanised looms – as courageous fighters who defended their way of life against, he said, unwanted technology and “enforced industrialization”.\n\n>“We stand proud as their descendents,” he sang into the microphone that converted his voice into an electrical signal that was then amplified employing power from a portable generator.\n\n>Back amongst the counter-protesters, Sense About Science was keen that I speak to the regional MEP for the east of England, Stuart Agnew, who serves on the European Parliament’s agriculture and rural development committee and is himself a farmer who participated in trials of GM sugar-beet a decade ago. He made a number of points about how the Rothamsted research could lead to a reduction in the use of pesticides, but then, winding up the interview I asked him his political affiliation, to which he replied the UK Indpendence Party, the conservative eurosceptic group that also does not believe in anthropogenic global warming.\n\n>So I asked him whether he stood with his party on this issue. “Oh yes. We utterly refute manmade global warming science,” he said. “It’s the vilification of carbon dioxide. Our policy is to undo all climate-change-led legislation.”\n\n>Without drawing a false equivalency – Agnew was probably not representative of all the counter-protesters, although another two I spoke to also expressed a level of climate skepticism – I was struck by the parallel scientific cherry-picking on display. If I had asked any of the GM protesters about climate change, I’m certain that to a man they would have backed the scientific consensus on this other green topic.\n\n>While the weather, music and food made for an enjoyable Sunday afternoon, it was not a great day for an evidence-based approach to anything.\n\nSounds like a bad move from Sense About Science to have this guy along and be encouraging reporters to speak to him. 1338278860 +Not to mention this is almost indistinguishable from what it is satirizing. Poe's Law.\n\nHey MC Chris is aight. 1320876033 +I never said he *thought* they were plotting to kill him.\n\nThat was my own speculation and attempt at sensationalizing the story a bit.\n\nObviously their entire practice would be riding on this little "mistake" if he was actually paralyzed.\n\nHe never actually thought that for a minute as far as I know. 1355005708 +I do believe ghost can follow individuals! I currently have one following me right now. PM me if you have questions or anything! Or just wanna share more stories 1352759448 +Thanks again for the suggestion. My wife talked with the doctor and she has now been tested for Lyme disease, West Nile virus, and is getting a referral to a rheumatoid specialist. We don't have the results of the tests yet, but at least she has moved out of the stage of accepting the diagnosis and started challenging the doctors again. 1303707860 +Wow he regretted not having it earlier? I would have never thought! thanks /r/skeptic! 1319426221 +I think it sounds like we have different ideas of what oppression is 1355183555 +It's too bad that for such a sound to occur for that long, no one thought to record it somehow. 1334084923 +nice! definitely the first one! 1311117946 +That's a rather arrogant thing to say, isn't it? 1327147047 +I agree that the article bears no merit whatsoever. However, these are common arguments, and I like to have data to bring to the table for my less skeptical friends. 1338574261 +Cue the [Streisand effect](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect)! 1266469016 +1. I haven't used it since.. October 22. My birthday. I did it with a few friends (about 7 of us total)\n\n2. I just went to goodbye and flipped the board over and flipped the planchette over because of what I was getting on the board (it would try to go to the four corners which I learned was **bad**)\n\n3. I'm serious about this stuff.\n\n4. No\n\n5. Not that i know of, but my community is really new however the surrounding area looks to be as if it used to be farmland. Still has old houses around and I wouldn't be surprised to find buried people. 1335363778 +>It's not about abcense of knowledge, but rather the presence of contradicting and inconclusive knowledge. This legitimizes speculaton.\n\n*laugh* Very rarely do I meet someone who changes their emphasis as frequently as you. Its cute.\n\nYou keep pointing the finger at this contradicting evidence but I've never see anything that contradicts available evidence on these matters. That said, just because there is room for speculation, that doesn't mean all speculation is valid. I possess no conclusive information about your identity. Does that mean I'm correct in declaring you a martian? Of course not. Does that mean such a claim is valid? No to that too.\n\n>Since I'm not 'thinking like that',\n\nYes you are.\n\n>I'm not saying these monuments don't exist because we don't know how they were built.\n\nNever said you were, nor was that the implication of my analogy. "Irrefutable" =/= "Nonexistent" .\n\n>"I'm saying there's room for speculation regardig their construction since we don't know how they were built\n\nNo. You can watch entire documentaries outlining the general process that was used to construct many of the monuments Ancient Alien theorists fixate on.\n\n>Also, there's a big difference between the creation of the universe and the construction of a monument\n\nThat was part of the point of my analogy. There is also a big difference between "What kind of tool was use to carve this edifice" and "Did space creatures from the planet Krypton use their brainrays to make this monument". Both my analogy and the reasoning of Ancient Alien theorists draw conclusions that are separated from the questions under investigation by big differences.\n\n>for the latter it can remain in scientific speculaton, whereas the former necessarily leads to the denial of science and full focus on mythology.\n\nThere is nothing scientific about Ancient Alien theory. \n\n>'Our' means Humanity. nobody has discovered anything about the construction of many monuments aroudn the world. Your hypocrisy and stubborn ignorance are borderline offensive and totally hilarious. hen you go on a rant about how unfounded testimonies are as valid as actual evidence. Show me a document or an accurate scientific explanation about the construction of any monument that has been prone to speculation and people will stop speculating.\n\nNo, "our" does not mean humanity in your original statement, nor does it mean it here. You are deriding the historical documents and knowledge of other cultures as "unfounded testimonies" simply because they don't fit YOUR values and YOUR measures of evidence. That is precisely the supremacist attitude I'm talking about. If I declared the historical materials which reference the construction of the Colosseum to be nonevidence, you would not take me seriously. Yet you're demanding that I accept your contention that carbon-dated inscriptions, excavated work camps and tools, and contemporaneous records of their construction are "unfounded testimonies"? Sorry, you're the hypocrite. \n\n>People don't specualte about most European monuments because documents regarding their constuction, ie. actual evidence, not oral testimony, have survived to the present times and we have discovered them. 'We' means 'Humanity' - I see I have to clarify this bullshit with a narrowminded type like you.\n\nI'm narrowminded? You just dismissed the longest, and historically most-popular means of recording history as nonevidence. Historians working in many fields have developed techniques to work with oral histories. You've not only insulted me, not only declared their work to be phony but have also degrading every society that uses or used oral histories. If that isn't proof of your enthnocentrism, I don't know what is.\n\n>The inscriptions are exoterical at best, not factually transparent. The tools found at various monuments' sites don't explain all the phases of construction. I'm not just talking about the examples you gave.\n\nHow quaint. "I'm not just talking about the examples you gave". Countless structures, separated by thousands of years, across different cultures, each with their own historical circumstances and ALL of them can be dismissed in two sentences, in one broad brush stroke. Sorry, I'm done. You proclaim to be concerned about science but no one with an inkling of scientific credibility would make such an outrageous claim. You've done nothing but throw misspelled insults at me and contradict yourself every step of the way. Such behavior may fly on here but elsewhere you and your arguments will be brushed aside.\n\n 1343765957 +Well, after this post I will probably be designated an antiquated nutcase, however its what gives me cause to find myself here.\n\nWhen I was just a wee tyke I lived in on a farm in southern Iowa near a radar installation where what was then called S.A.C. or Strategic Air Command was conducting tests in which their pilots were practicing flying under the radar based near Kirksville Mo..\n\nNow they were not conducting these tests with fighters as you might think, they were doing so with their then new heavy bomber the well known B-52.\n\nWhen I tell people now that I used to stand in the front yard of our old farmhouse and wait for one of the big bombers to fly by so I could wave at the pilots , they dont seem to comprehend that I wasnt some five year old kid waving at an aircraft high in the sky.\n\nThese guys were flying so low that they were literally following the valley and creek bed that ran beside the gravel road in front of our house.\n\nWhen they flew by they could clearly see me , I know this to be true because I could see them in the cockpit windows waving at me !\n\nSome of them must have either been regular flyers of the route or had been warned about the kid in the front yard waiting for them, because now and then I could see a couple of faces at the window waving.\n\nSome pilots would even rock the plane to make it look like it was waving.\n\nYes, this was all pretty awesome for a little farm kid in Iowa.\n\nOne afternoon while I was playing in the front yard waiting for another 52 to pass by a bluish gray long slender craft came down the valley following the flight path of the 52's.\n\nIt deffinately was not a period fighter , it had no discernible wings, and like the 52's it was close enough had it any I would clearly have seen them.\n\nIt was not moving as fast as the 52's did, however it was not floating along on the wind either, it was deffinately moving at a speed that would indicate it was being propelled along despite the fact I cannot recall ever hearing it make any noise.\n\nI would not describe this thing as being 'cigar like ' in shape, more along the lines of a surfboard viewed from the side along its edge.\n\nIt has now been long enough that I could only guess at its size, however it was certainly smaller than the B-52's.\n\nI guess because of the ignorance of my age at the time I wasnt scared of it when I saw it coming, however I yelled for my mom to come look and by the time she got to the door it was just about to pass by the front of the house, upon seeing it she freaked !\n\nShe ran out and grabbed me and ran back inside.\nI was now scared because Mom was scared.\n\nShe went directly to the basement with me where we stayed for what seemed like a long time, then she carried me back upstairs where we then got in the car and went to my Aunt and Uncles house in town around five miles away.\n\nI wasnt included in the complete conversation the adults had but I heard enough to gather that my uncle thought we may have seen a missile they were testing or something along those lines.\n\nI clearly remember Mom shaking her head and saying this was nothing like that , it was something else.\n\nSeveral days later after Pop had returned from his trip out west in the semi we got a visit by some men in what I believe were military uniforms.\nI remember Mom telling them what happened that day and what she saw, the men simply took notes of what Mom stated and asked a question now and then and that was pretty much it, they never talked to me.\n\nI later found out several other people had reportedly seen whatever it was also, to my knowledge no one has any idea what it was.\n\nThat ordeal has always given me a curiosity about the UFO phenomenon.\n\n 1328996353 +I've only read Dr. David Jacobs' the Threat and it is fascinating, troubling, and informative. 1346633584 +Sounds to me like you have a squatter hiding out in your house, and coming out to play while you're at work... which is even creepier then the potential supernatural. 1327001955 +Danvers had a very creepy feel, but I didn't get that spark. glad I was able to go before it was too late. the apts had caught fire after it was renovated too, which is kinda crazy, also the loads of people who move there from out of state who have no clue what it used to be. 1346254645 +>wherever the public is not scientifically literate, you see the enslavement of women.\n\nAgreed. However, you have assumed that feminists seek to promote women's rights above all else. This is not the case. Feminist groups put a doctrine of multiculuralism, political correctness and cultural relativism above women's rights. Feminist groups have hardly even taken note of the women's rights in islamic states much less done anything about it. You'd think that if they really supported women's rights they would do something about this. 1307380952 +I must clarify, that no matter what my opinion is, I would never try to force it on others. I think that it is inconsistent to be both "skeptic" and "religious" at the same time, but that does not mean I judge people's "value" based on that. :) I have a lot of friends who are religious. 1290598810 +Accuracy will also depend on your hydration level. I think that if you measured yourself at the same time every week/day it would give you a decent idea where your at and if your trying to lose weight how much your body fat has decreased. \n\nIf I was to get one I would probably take the measurement during lunch or maybe when you get home assuming that is when you are most hydrated. 1341253895 +this is very interesting indeed, I hope it gains more attention 1321674196 +I believe it's the reverse, really.\n\nWhen you're that intimately familiar with just how simple it is to inspire conviction, and manipulate beliefs on the lowest, emotional level, then any claims of paranormal activity seem far less likely to be genuine.\n\nThere are always going to be thoughts along the lines of:\n\n "Well... it *might* be real, I suppose... but you could do the same thing with a switch *here* and some double-sided tape *there*"\n\nI'm not sure being sceptical would help you be a magician, but I'm pretty convinced that being a magician involves a large amount of rational, critical thinking and an often-jaded sense of wonder. 1274863273 +That would have likely been your contact/abduction then. The light and sound seem like definite hypnotizing methods. Sensory overload and the like. From the second story, reports of ET contact always take place from the window, not the door. Not disclaiming you or anything, just some insight. 1335308073 +No, I don't believe that's correct. He didn't explain why the tree to the left moves in sync with the wall. 1296937958 +If this was recent and you were still living there, I could help.\nBut the good thing is you moved out because if you don't know how to deal with it, you do not want to stay and hope it just goes away. 1353183877 +Very little. \n\nHe could instead put his skills to use in a job he can be proud of, and which does not encourage people to destroy their health for the enrichment of liars. 1308100076 +You know, I love Bill Maher. He is one of the few people on Television who uses logic and reason....and then he talks about vaccines and I can't believe this is the same guy! 1279234049 +Have you ever read how deja vu works by any chance?\n\nI experience it constantly, but apparently what it is is your brain telling you that something you're experiencing NOW, happened BEFORE. So let's say you smell something. Normally your brain will take that scent and go, "Hey, it smells like pepper in this room."\n\nBut when you get deja vu, your brain goes, "Hey, this reminds me of that pepper you once smelled." It takes the experience of the present, and accidentally stores it in your MEMORY, instead of your "present consciousness". \n\nI think this may explain a lot of what is happening to you. You can't experience the world as the present because everything feels like the past, ya know? \n\nUnfortunately, this is a sign of a neurological disorder, which may be a result of a tumor. This could mean at any moment you could drop dead. Harsh, but true... 1336678922 +It isn't a crime, she just passively recommended that people not use that method. She was saying it was not a good method for the expectation of success, which is true. 1351115768 +Gawd! That website always has the worst writing. It is like kid in high school doing a paper on Gary Taubes. 1351786647 +BTW, on topic of scepticism towards such claims...\n\nIt is kind of funny that if it was a political doctrine that does not attribute itself to a deity (e.g. communism) we'd blame it for literally *everything* that's wrong in combination with the doctrine, with no second thought, whereas when the doctrine makes one extra claim that it is the word of the creator of universe, it is as if it was incapable of having any negative consequences. \n\nNot really surprising, though. If Islam is to blame for this, then Christianity is many times to blame for burning people alive. 1347893407 +All over the world? I doubt it, but anythings possible. 1329741008 +You seem rather pessimistic. When I look at the history of our civilization, I see that we are actually getting more "enlightened" all the time. It's just a very slow process. There's no reason to give up educating others, you just have to know patience. I certainly don't want to go around deceiving others to hide my true beliefs. That would be more stressful than arguing constantly. 1308945794 +I'm not sure what it called but I think it is a quad copter or something. It can make some pretty crazy maneuver very fast. 1356475568 +Yeah, but it will "remember" that it used to be basic. 1303516168 +Im allergic to cats too... Got three dogs tho so I must be three times worse than hitler. 1340317002 +I could listen in on what people were saying before I flipped open the phone to answer when I silenced the ringtone(by pressing the volume button) on my Samsung e335. 1333521164 +I have to concur with the majority suggestion here; have them put their money where their mouth is. The great thing about dowsing rods is it is incredibly easy to set up a simple single-blinded and controlled experiment in which you can test the validity of their claims, and all in like half an hour. You can even generously agree on 2:1 on $50 or something.\n\nAgree on a quantity of water that they can detect, as well as the separation needed. Get five bowls/buckets/whatever, and opaque covers for each of them. Fill one with water, and be careful not to leave any evidence as to which it is (don't spill any, or use cold water that might lead to condensation, etc.). Arrange them in a row outside, and have them use the divining rods to figure out which one has the water. Repeat the experiment several times with multiple people (moving the water bowl each time of course), and then for added control repeat the experiment *without* the dowsing rod (perhaps use some other stick or just have them guess without any instrument). If they can manage to find the bowl significantly more often than 20% of the time, then there might be some merit to their claim. But more likely, they won't. And you basically get free money, and they get to no longer accept silly nonsense. Everybody wins! 1350799469 +>Disclaimer: haven't actually read Discourse, but I have read Meditations on First Philosophy, which is, as I understand it, effectively making the same argument Descartes does in Discourse.\n\nYou should specify complete ignorance before engaging in arguments.\n\n>Did you even read the wikipedia article you linked too? The deceptive entity is decidedly not God.\n\nYes, I also read the book in French and it's God. He blames this entity for existence itself. Pretty clear cut. He liked having a head and having money, so he detached himself the best he could from such a claim.\n\n>God, on the other hand, is the keystone to Descartes' argument that we can know that the physical world exists and that we can trust our senses. If God exists (and Descartes uses three different ontological arguments to "prove" that God does), then the fact that God is all-good would mean that God would not allow us to be deceived by an evil demon.\n\nYou're in the wrong book again. This like arguing about The Hobbit with someone who read The Silmarillion.\n\n>Should be obvious. The ontological argument is literally based upon circular reasoning.\n\nWrong book. And no, it is not. He says the perfect being exists because he is imagined. He's saying God exists in your mind. But actually saying it would mean having his head cut off.\n\n“the existence of a triangle should not be compared with the existence of God, since the relation between existence and essence is manifestly quite different in the case of God from what it is in the case of the triangle. God is his own existence, but this is not true of the triangle”\n\n>What Descartes was trying to show was that you can trust reality through pure reason alone.\n\nActually, he demonstrates the complete opposite.\n\n>Rationalism (what Descartes was arguing for) needs there to be absolute certainty in order for there to be knowledge. Rationalism claims that this absolute certainty is possible, and that it can be provided solely through logic and reasoning.\n\nYou can't refer to "Descartes's rationalism" and then argue that the rationalism we're talking about is the whole body of rationalism. You just skipped 300 years.\n\nAnd no, that's simply not what rationalism is. Rationalism is simply saying that reason trumps perception as an element of proof.\n\n>He was not saying that the only thing you can know for sure was that you exist.\n\nIt's the entire foundation of the book. He starts by invalidating experience as a form of proof by explaining that perceptions can be false and believed to be real with a long list of examples and experiences, and ends by declaring that the only actual thing you can know is that you exist because you know you are thinking. He even states that this is the only affirmation that cannot even be attacked.\n\nHe then expressly states that our only options, since we cannot live in complete inaction, is to simply accept that things are real. Basically, he demonstrated that empiricism is based on the assumption, which may or may not be true, that experience or perception is correct.\n\n>Empricism does not need absolute certainty to exist in order for there to be knowledge. Rather, it just needs reasonable enough evidence to make it more likely that something is true than that it is not.\n\nNo, it's not. Empiricism is the belief that only that which can be perceived can be known to be true. What you describe is science. Empiricism would declare that things that are based on some reasonable evidence instead of actual observation are uncertain.\n\n\n>This is exactly what the modern skeptical movement strives for\n\nThere isn't such a thing. And René Descartes is largely recognized as the inventor of global skepticism.\n\n>And as to your last point, well, math and physics would disagree with you there:\n\nNo, they would not. You won't find a rebuttal to this claim. The Big Bang already requires complexity before simplicity. This universe may be the product of a big bang, but the big bang is not the product of the big bang.\n\nThe video you referenced ends with an admission of complete ignorance.\n\n 1355426949 +Wow, I got this from [Answerbag](http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/366210)\n\n>MSG is a chemical flavor enhancer without any flavor of it's own. It adds sweetness and depth of flvor. The problem with it is that it is actually an excitotoxin which belongs to a class of chemicals that damage nerve cells. It enhances taste by penetrating taste buds on your tongue and overexciting those cells to create a sensory taste experience. The problem is that MSG doesn't stop at your tongue, tough. It continues through the bloodstream and can overexcite nerve cells throughtout your whole nervous system. It even destroys and kills certain brains cells. MSG crosses the blood-brain barrier easily! \n\nTalk about misleading. They essentially say MSG kills your brain. Pretty sure wikipedia would have mentioned that. 1297800778 +That is what I thought 1330573045 +Indeed. Here's a thought: At the very worst, there are a few people out there who get mildly sick when they eat MSG in large quantities and should probably avoid it. Peanuts, on the other hand, **kill** certain people when consumed in even the tiniest quantities, and no one goes around ranting about the evils of peanuts. 1305203763 +yeah man, Chimps get fucking vicious. Like if you work with apes like Penny Patterson or some shit, and you work with Gorillas, you're probably safe because Gorillas are mostly cool. They're most docile and actually extremely caring and gentle. But if you work with grown chimps there's a very real chance that a completely happy kind chimp will flip the fuck out and bite your face off. \n\nAlso I believe Dolphins are the only non-primate species that will kill a fellow dolphin for no other observable reason than prejudice. Like if you try to introduce a different breed dolphin to a pod, they'll shun and possible murder it. What the fuck Dolphins. Though they're also one of the only other species that fuck just for fun, so I guess they have that. And Bonobos, Bonobos love to fuck. 1296018403 +Since I'm originally from North Carolina, I think the experimenting will have to wait until then. I'm going home to visit in October, so I plan on making an update then. 1343584334 +~~They retired the challenge a few years back, as it was becoming a drain on time and resources to administer and it had well and truly proven its point. ~~\n\nEdit: Never mind. TIL the Challenge was going to end in 2010, but that JREF changed their mind and have continued it. 1350791517 +Believers in psychic phenomena (PSI /NDE /OBE) all suffer from the same type of thinking errors. All their beliefs can be destroyed (positively ruled-out) using the arguments found in the article. 1306502608 +I provided the poster with some resources where they can learn about [Scientology](http://www.tampabay.com/specials/2009/reports/project/). This should go well.\n\nBRB- David Miscavage's goons at the door.\n\nEDIT: Crazy gay Christian ANONYMOUS Scientologist Hitler-referencing [success](http://www.reddit.com/r/medicine/comments/idn6t/i_want_to_become_a_psychiatrist_should_i_skip_my/c23qu09)! 1309885723 +Someone not indoctrinated to the ways of FSM? 1329028249 +Don't it though? I have to just ignore the impulse to rage at the stupid there, but they're good hunting ground for odd news links..which one can then investigate aside from the derp that pervades the forums. And yes, yes they do call themselves Morans. Does not make our future as a species look very bright. 1296830626 +Yep, RES. Sagan bless its name 1346938438 +Doctors of Osteopathy don't really bring any credibility to the table. 1342745275 +**David Icke refutes [911 truth,](http://s60.radikal.ru/i169/1003/f7/5dbc426c4403.gif) which inculpates Jews and his fellow traveler [Alex Jones](http://www.reddit.com/r/conspiratard/comments/12pvpn/fat_overweight_lump_of_spew_decries_old_people_as/c6x5jn9) all at once, while refusing to see the [Martin Luther Kings](http://i031.radikal.ru/1211/96/2d350b7bbc0b.jpg) and [Andy Warhol,](http://s019.radikal.ru/i624/1209/f3/d5f365a72a09.jpg) at the John Kennedy assassination in Dallas, Tx. November 22, 1963!**\n\n>[Aquarius Channelings,](http://aquariuschannelings.com/2012/11/10/what-princess-diana-knew-the-official-resistance/) an Icke sister site that goes on about "reptiles," says Glamis Castle home to Shakespeare's Macbeth, and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon the late Queen Mother, is the site of Satanic rituals attended by the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Camilla Parker-Bowles..\n\n * The Queen Mother pushed a knife into the rectum of two sacrificed boys, aged 13 and 18 yrs.\n\n * The Queen cut the victim’s throat from left to right .. went crazy, stabbing and ripping at the flesh.\n \n * Prince Charles sacrificed children .. Andrew, Prince Philip, and Princess Anne attended the rituals.\n\n>Eye witness Arizona, who says he witnessed the Royal personages commit murder, is thought to be Icke who was in the BBC studios during Jimmy Savile's heyday, and is thought to be a High Priest of Satanism .. his story keeps changing.\n\n>He says in one place, he was unaware of any allegations against S until 1997 or 1998, while [elsewhere](http://www.icke-exposed.co.uk/david-icke/david-icke-heard-about-jimmy-savile-being-a-paedophile-from-the-early-days-of-his-bbc-career-and-said-nothing/) he says, "David Icke knew of Jimmy Savile’s child abuse activities, and just like all the other BBC ppl he chose to say absolutely nothing."\n\n>[AC](http://aquariuschannelings.com/2012/11/10/what-princess-diana-knew-the-official-resistance/) goes on to say the principles wear costume, and drink blood from inscribed and jewel encrusted goblets .. is this the genesis of Icke's obsession with reptiles, that they party it up and behave that way! 1355345868 +Houses are pretty far apart from each other in my neighborhood but that's very interesting because in recent years after my parents updated the kitchen, I really haven't heard anything that distinct. 1345061466 +I'll still never understand the convoluted cognitive processes behind the strange, ranting, rambling writings of woo-peddlers. It's so redundant and disorganized. Why did they have to list all these different maladies in different sentences? Why did they spontaneously change font halfway through only to change it back a few sentences later? Why are some words in a larger font? I realize that you can't be very bright if you know what homeopathy is and still believe in it, but how can these people even tie their shoes in the morning with such a weak grasp on reality? 1338972612 +Exactly. They never even saw the 'prediction' or the calculations, so he had all of them fooled too. 1252886318 +Welcome to the No True Scotsman fallacy. There's a difference between 'not skeptics' and 'not consistently skeptical'. 1323593882 +The studies listed measured cadavers of the different races between the ages of 19 and 91. It wasn't measuring just the elite athletes. 1345131965 +clearly it's the pope 1306712007 +Great links, retarded reason for why one should download them.\n\nAdd in the Swedish armed forces' winter survival guide Vintersoldat (Winter soldier) and you're golden. :) 1294137783 +I've read and appreciated her book too, but expecting people to have read it doesn't seem like a reasonable thing to me. Also, I agree with your second graph for all the reasons she spelled out so well in her book. Somehow, a feisty NY'er was able to convey a respectful tone, where this guy didn't. \n\nI agree with his sentiment. I just think he was being really inappropriate. Asshole was too strong of a word. 1306293270 +I love Desert Bus:\n>The objective of the game is to drive a bus from Tucson, Arizona to Las Vegas, Nevada **in real time** at a maximum speed of 45mph. The feat requires 8 hours of continuous play to complete, since **the game cannot be paused**.\n\n>The bus contains no passengers, and there is no scenery or other traffic on the road. **The bus veers to the right slightly**; as a result, it is impossible to tape down a button to go do something else and have the game end properly. If the bus veers off the road it will stall and be towed back to Tucson, also in real time. If the player makes it to Las Vegas, they will score exactly one point. The player then gets the option to make the return trip to Tucson—for another point (a decision they must make in a few seconds or the game ends). 1252461202 +This is great advice, but I get the feeling that not everything responds to blessing a house or smudging it. \n\nI found the best thing for me, was to confront it and tell it in no uncertain terms that I'm not putting up with it's shit. If it wants to hang out, cool. I can do that, if it wants to fuck with me not cool. Homie don't play dat. I got the impression it was bored, and wanted someone to "play" with, but only on it's terms. Which meant fucking with me. Sometimes I wonder if he'll come back. 1318087969 +[According to Steve Novella](http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/is-aura-reading-synaesthesia-probably-not/), EVERYONE got it wrong, not just Medical Xpress. 1337203358 +Hah, I was just thinking the same thing. 1336610735 +Ya. The majority of citizens actually DO believe in life outside of this planet 1335135086 +Next time you should record audio. Maybe keep a small recording device in your shirt pocket, and sync it with the video. Either way, good work. 1293951230 +Get it? There's no content, just like the comic! 1277568627 +Thank you for that synopsis. Interesting..... 1353164434 +Really sad to see a great mind in an ageing body, though he's had a really good run of it. We'll miss him in years to come. 1266548477 +This is from before the camera enters the water. At this point the camera is looking downwards.\n\nYou can't really see it on the YouTube video, but on the original, you can see wires holding up both items. I think the first is a thermocouple or radiation meter, and the second is a glowstick.\n\nThey had only a 5cm wide gap around a pipe to feed in the camera and other items, so both must be quite small.\n\nEDIT: From the report it appears that one thinner cable may have been used to raise the end of the camera cable. Probably to help them direct the camera cable over an intervening stairway.\n\nhttp://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/images/handouts_120627_02-e.pdf 1341016171 +From two of my favorite sites: [Skeptoid](http://skeptoid.com/blog/2011/10/11/the-raw-truth-about-raw-milk/) and [Science-Based Medicine](http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/raw-milk-in-modern-times/) 1332986966 +No, he should refuse to call her "mama" just to piss her off! 1292508653 +I used the brain tricks argument and then busted out [this](http://topcultured.com/an-illusion-so-impossible-i-had-to-double-check-in-photoshop/). Some didn't even understand what I was trying to say but others had their minds blown. Thanks, reddit. 1315803121 +>It has been known for some years that the problem with microwaved anything is not the radiation people used to worry about, it’s how it corrupts the DNA in the food so the body can not recognize it.\n\n..\n\n>Microwaves don’t work different ways on different substances.\n\nHuh? 1351236210 +Those topics have a little to do with muscle relations, sure, so we can say that chiropractors who have such a background would be poorly trained physiotherapists. Well-trained physiotherapists are the ones with that background **AND** they've studied empirically validated techniques for treating disorders related to mobility and functioning. It's the actual physiotherapy aspect of the university education that chiropractors are missing, and that's the most important part. 1331619279 +It should be noted when looking at this report, that there is a difference between here say and undisputed fact. In this case, the judge completely denies any such judgement and condemns it as a preposterous joke. He's also preparing/considering a lawsuit. I'm not saying it didn't happen, but it is disputed, it wasn't an official judgement and there's no court record, so if you're going to call yourself skeptical, it's worth pointing these things out so people can make their own judgement.\n\nhttp://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=iw&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kikarhashabat.co.il%2F%25D7%25A4%25D7%25A8%25D7%25A9%25D7%25AA-%25D7%2594%25D7%259B%25D7%259C%25D7%2591.html 1308438873 +It's woo. 1356884658 +SSSSHHH!!!!!!\n\n 1302698375 +I'm not saying it was aliens [but...](http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/humans-ancient-aliens-guy.jpg) 1336348225 +The STS-114 video is a peculiar one. The object that bounces doesn't appear to follow a trajectory that would be consistent with atmospheric skipping. 1310202556 +Well, that's only because all *those* people are total nerds. 1283995234 +Obligatory upvote for anything Ben Goldacre writes 1300563443 +Here is what the project has raised:\n\n oo |\n ooooo G|\n oo |5K\n ooooooo |\n oooo |4K\n ooo |\n ooooo |\n ooo |3K\n oooo |\n oo |2K\n ooooo |\n oo |\n ooo |1K\n ooo |\n oo |0\n --------------------------------------------------\n 8/26 9/7 9/18 9/30 10/12\n\n[Click to see full graph](http://canhekick.it/projects/1287298052/earth-runners-get-grounded)\n 1349382940 +Ha, yeah. I think his motto is something like "I'm dishonest, but I'm honest about being dishonest." (Though, I'm not sure how honest he's being there.) Ya gotta love him, though. 1280250080 +Got it. Here's how I suggest you present this information in the future:\n\nReddit uses something called vote fuzzing in an effort to invalidate the reliability of reddit-based data-harvesting. Spammers can use that information to target reddit and make decisions based on reddit data. \n\nIt would be inappropriate to say specifics of what fuzzing prevents and why it was considered a viable anti-span technique.\n\nThe way I took what you said was more of a user-space manipulation. Some votes cast are counted different than there actual selection. That's not the case. The fuzzing is an algorithmic alteration of the raw data before it's delivered to a client. \n\nThanks for all the info, sorry I gave you such a hard time. 1353338952 +Once every three months. That's about how often this picture is reposted. 1305044197 +> If the bible said Pi = 3\n\n[Uhh...](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20kings%207:23-7:23&version=KJV)\n\n> And he made a molten sea, **ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about**, and his height was five cubits: and **a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.** 1306370072 +Ah, that reminds of Hitchens response to the free will question, "I believe in free will because I don't have any other choice" 1330852635 +Now this is believable. 1319472078 +Why would you want to have a baby in a hospital unless you had to for medical reasons? Hospitals are full of sick people with infectious diseases. 1292570471 +I might add that the study of the arts and the production of them take quite extensively from psychology, philosophy, and more rigid sciences. Art is, at some level, a discourse that reflects what and how our knowledge functions.\n\nI guess I'm just tepid about poo-pooing a basic foundation of inquiry for the last fifty or so years. Especially considering that postmodernism is so multifaceted and, in my experience at least, useful for critical thinking and skepticism. 1323493983 +I've always been uncomfortable with people in positions of power that have magical thinking. 1317660373 +[](/w00-rotate) It's because of certain emoticon scripts interpretting "-spin" in the middle of the URL. 1335651725 +It's my understanding that a majority of the symptoms you describe ("getting sick eating meat for the first time in x years") is a function of the body simply not having the various bacteria and other goodies swimming around in the stomach and digestive tract to help digest this strange new substance. \n\nI can only assume that Tasha's doctor had her take a probiotic or somesuch before telling her to eat a steak. \n\nI have a realated story! I don't consider myself "vegan" or "vegetarian", but rather "not a lot of meat" guy. Maybe once or twice a week, to be honest. Anyway! This morning, I was out walking around and decided to stop in Jack in the Box for some delicious, disgusting, horrible-for-me breakfast. I spent the next 12 hours pooping. 1290411753 +Hmm, coming from Venezuela, I'd say just be glad you weren't robbed. 1342986267 +Who? (sorry) 1342335653 +>They're way more likely to catch a disease they come in contact with than someone who's been vaccinated for it, and in many cases wind up getting it more severely than the vaccinated.\n\nThis is an important point: vaccination isn't binary. It doesn't give you 100% immunity, just *pretty good* protection. This is why it matters to Jane if Billy's mom doesn't get him vaccinated for measles. Even if Jane *is* vaccinated, there's still some chance she can catch it if Billy gets sick. 1334527532 +What's your school's email address? We can write them and ensure that she sticks to the curriculum or gets sacked!\n\nAssuming, of course, your story isn't some fantasy bullshit you concocted to play to the hive-mind while validating your dogma in the ensuing circlejerk. 1287006679 +"I'm going to army and you can't stop me mother!" - Said the interdimensional being. 1302321856 +Here we go again. Arguing science over asymmetrical information. 1315764050 +Don't forget Italian courts also convicted scientist of being at fault for not adequately predicting Earthquakes. So congratulations: America not quite as dumb as Italy! 1340396270 +I bought this exact watch from my work for about $2. It must have been missing the energy and detoxification features. 1305618911 +>So what about the >10% of the American population that wants Marijuana legalized?\n\nIt's been growing every year, expanding into new states medicinally every year, and frequently has states discussing complete legalization?\n\nThis isn't pokemon. Things don't change in a flash of light while a cool sound effect plays. It takes time. 1311777757 +Dog. 1329153329 +moomie was blind and she fell into our pool when my brother was inside getting stuff ready to bbq. he didn't notice that she had followed him outside until he found her in the pool :( 1347720618 +Yes they work on collective immunity. No an outbreak can't bust out beyond the point where vaccines don't work.\n\nFor some reason, Seattle has outbreaks of this that and the other all the fuck over the place. I can't remember the vaccine but I had it three times in eighteen months because I started at one school, which had an outbreak and vaccinated everybody, then there was another outbreak and I didn't have my vaccination records, then I transferred down to another school and I didn't have my vaccination records. 1294465015 +This needs more upvotes. It's sad that a group who prides themselves on critical thinking skills and avoiding biases is acting like this. Both groups are now exaggerating their claims, those who disagree with Rebecca are now just basically talking about how much they dislike her as a person and deriding her (OP's post is a perfect example of this) and those pro are taking extreme measures to Dawkin's comment (boycotting and such).\n\nThis whole fiasco just reassures me how inevitable it is to avoid biases and superstitious, illogical reasoning. 1310159472 +Tangential to the point, but:\n\n> Richard Attenborough, TV presenter\n\nI'm pretty sure *Richard* Attenborough would more commonly be called an actor... 1322556146 +Yeah, I don't see how that would work with those bottles, unless if you fill them up completely each time. But then a normal bottle isn't going to let much air into it either unless the hole in the nipple in too big, in which case you've got other problems such as milk going all over your baby's face. 1315794514 +What I find fascinating is the attention that your comment generated compared the the number of downvotes you received (3 up; 12 down at this moment). I think it speaks volumes about the attention to reddiquette given here re: upvote interesting content; don't downvote because you disagree.\n\nYou cannot question James Randi, cannot criticize him. He is essentially a holy figure to the skeptic community. A community that defines itself by ridiculing anything that is outside of what is normal, and being rude to any person who associates itself with the paranormal or alternative medicine or conspiracy theories. This behavior is not right. It is not just or honorable. When you allow your emotions to get in the way of thought, you do a disservice to the truth. I weep for the inhumanity that infects so many of our intellectuals these days. It is no wonder there is a rift between the smart and the ignorant. 1304140836 +Wow, I seem to have ended ended up arguing with a lunatic ultrazionist and an unrepentantantly racist neonazi in the same thread. Why don't you and 9291 continue this discussion on your own? Alternatively, just fuck and get it over with. You know you want to. 1355974018 +This sums it up:\n\n>According to Professor Son Chang-ho of Chonnnam National University’s College of Veterinary Science, the mans’ story is likely fake. Regardless of how man cats the dog had sex with, “it’s impossible for a dog to give birth to a cat.”\n\nPure, 100%, weapons grade, balonium. 1343845506 +Well I chuckled, damnit... 1321574533 +Thanks for your response, nnnslogan. If we take Bob at his word, then we can only assume that Bob is regurgitating information that he read, as you point out.\n\nWhy bring in some nerdy scientist to only poke his head around an E.T. craft? What purpose is there in allowing him access to documents describing other scientists "analysis" of how the craft operated? If what Bob claims is true, than wouldn't it point to an "informational" or "dis-informational" campaign by those in authority? Wouldn't you agree? 1331096624 +soliciting sex in an elevator may be rude, but i don't think it justifies the shitstorm that watson has created. different people have different attitudes toward sex. all he did was make her uncomfortable. dawkins' tendency to come off as a douchebag has only exacerbated the situation but i agree with him in principle.\n\nEDIT: [link](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/07/05/richard-dawkins-and-male-privilege/) for those who have no idea what i'm talking about. 1309965555 +Legal in Germany as well. And I wouldn't care if anyone I knew was a prostitute. If they want to have sex and people decide to pay them for it, sounds like a good deal.\n\nYes this is simplified, no I don't care. 1336561795 +I would suggest starting here:\n\nhttp://ocw.mit.edu/courses/brain-and-cognitive-sciences/9-01-introduction-to-neuroscience-fall-2007/index.htm\n\nThen come back. 1354573443 +Exactly what I was thinking. Two pieces of advice: 1. Watch out for your eyes fusing together. 2. When they do, look under the sheep. 1326595827 +When Sir Isaac Newton saw the apple fall out of a tree, that wasn't under scientific conditions and look what that led to. \nBut then again they accused him of introducing "occult agencies" into science. 1317674499 +Seriously, is there something in the water in that part of the world? 1353874926 +[Here you go.](http://www.icr.org/index.php?search=AdvancedSearch&f_keyword_all=&f_context_all=any&f_context_exact=any&f_context_any=any&f_context_without=any&f_search_type=articles&section=0&f_constraint=both&=Search&module=home&action=submitsearch&f_authorID=210) Read it all and tell us he is not full of shit. He abuses his stance of authority (PhD) to say things like, ["In a forensic investigation, the best form of evidence is eyewitness testimony..."](http://www.icr.org/article/chimp-similarity-refuting-appeal-human/) He is a liar and his arguments against evolution are horrible. However, to the general, ignorant population, he sounds like a genius. THAT is the problem. 1335545276 +I don't doubt that in the slightest, in todays day and age, children could learn and accept a lot of the underlying psychological reasons that explain how or why we do certain things.\n\nIf you use the word magic, it can leave too much mystery, leaving the child surrounded by falsities that make them happy for reasons that are wrong. 1345040848 +I definitely won't be cocky, i dont want to ever disrespect any spirits. Oh i see, well thank you! and Good luck in the paranormal 1345222075 +I do remember some middle schooler being gushed over as he talked about how awesome organic food is. 1333143387 +You want to minimize harm by way of limiting freedom. That will never work. 1318219929 +This is Poisoning the Well and Association fallacies. Hitchens' stance on the war doesn't automatically make him anti-civil rights or pro dead soldiers.\n 1329932772 +This guy is really dropping some beautiful lines. I enjoyed this one:\n\n"The great tragedy of Science: the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact."\n\nBahaha. 1312236680 +Even if the negative effects are insignificant by age two this product should be removed because it implicitly and explicitly claims that it improves cognitive performance. \n\nAt the very least it doesn't improve performance, but, there is still enough evidence that it hurts performance to steer clear of this crap. 1263688646 +I fell in a huge pool of it one time, I was nearly killed! It soaked into my skin and everything, it came out in my urine for weeks! 1340305481 +It's complete nonsense. The Earth's axis shifted gradually over millenia, and there's no real difference between the zodiac today and that of a few decades ago.\n\nSomeone made that up and told their facebook friends, and it went viral because it was reassuring to them. There doesn't need to be any rationale, but I have seen some say that Ophiuchus was suddenly discovered, or that the Earth's axis suddenly shifted, or that the government just suddenly decided to change the zodiac for no good reason. 1295082045 +Erm. How is this a skeptic test?\n\nYes, I would, since I'm out now anyway.\n\nNo, I wouldn't, as there's a very small chance of having my ticket checked. 1332111438 +I wouldn't recommend taking a placebo for anything that is physical like that. I didn't say placebo grows back limbs, or fixes physical problems.\n\nThere are tons of studies like [this](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2010/12/22/evidence-that-placebos-could-work-even-if-you-tell-people-they%E2%80%99re-taking-placebos/) that show that placebos do work. The person just has to want it to get better. The more optimistic the better the effects. 1346897744 +Let's just be clear here: I don't think Dr. Awe actually believes that the skull is authentic.\n\nHe is basically saying: If this is real, it's ours and was taken illegally, trying to force them to show it isn't really from Belize in court. Adding Lucasfilm is just trying to get more attention... 1354993909 +Eight drops of 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide in water 3 times a day. And then Bam! No cancer. \n\nYeah, I just saved you 30 bucks. 1243710655 +lt is in my opinion a case of lens flare, what l find difficult to explain is why there is no lens flare in the rest of the transformer explosions. Cool video nonetheless. lmagine being close to those, those can BANG! 1305228976 +Alright, I'll bite.\n\nYou are not being skeptical, unless to you skeptical means kneejerk disbelief because the government says it's true.\n\nA true skeptic would not post a link to a conspiracy theory website as evidence to back up their point. Currently, because I can't really be bothered right now to spend the next three hours researching it, I would say my status is "I don't know enough about the issue to take a side." \n\nIn times when i don't know enough about the issue to take a side, I will generally go with what the government says, because the government tends to, because they're answerable to the people, be pretty good about backing up their decisions with solid research. \n\nThis does not mean that I'm closed to other ideas, however. It just means that if someone with an alternative idea wants to convince me, they're going to have to do so with scientifically valid, peer reviewed, empirical evidence. (http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/safety.htm)\n\nIf you don't have these things, then you don't have a case. You present a website where the first thing I see is a site run ad for non-flouride toothpaste. Someone is making money off of peddling this shit. That, in itself, casts doubts about it veracity. The paper that is presented on the page states that flouride accumulates in the pineal gland. It does not state whether or not this a problem, and where the flouride came from, or whether naturally occurring flouride would cause this same buildup over time.\n\nLearn to do science, it's better than calling people names for not believing nonsense you believe because you don't understand how science works. 1337795096 +Thanks. I am very intrigued, will you keep up with this and let us know how things go in the future? 1340285928 +> Man...some of you guys are so serious you can't recognize sarcasm?\n\nYou need a tag. Otherwise it's impossible to tell. This is the internet.\n\nReading the whole blog post does help, but many won't read the whole. This is the internet. 1250884895 +You can see the screen accounting for the shape at about :53. 1318655365 +I am somewhat familiar with both the Casimir effect and the Lamb shift, having gone through some of the calculations in my physics classes, but IIRC these *change the system* to have a different ground state. They don't give you free energy. 1351684140 +This is a throwaway I have made a few weeks ago...\n\nYes I believe in Bigfoot. My boyfriend spotted what he believes is one about a month ago. If you look at my comment history then you can read the story of it. I will be more than happy to answer any questions, if anyone cares enough to ask them. \n\nAs for Chupacabra, or the Loch Ness Monster, I have never really put much thought into them. As with all three (before the incident in my backyard a month ago) I would say that it is a fascinating subject, and would be amazing if any of these were actually proven. I really do believe that Bigfoot/Yeti/Skunk Ape/Sasquatch has been proven (short of capturing one, or having a corpse), yet the vast majority of people do not want to believe that there is a 6-10 foot tall elusive creature roaming around in the woods. \n\nMy argument: we find animals all the time that are thought to be extinct for hundreds of years and yet somewhere they are thriving enough to stick around for that amount of time. So why can't Bigfoot do the same (remain undetected)? \n\nI really want to write more thoughts on this, but I just woke up and my brain is going slower than I would like lol. 1317310007 +My argument is absolutely nothing like "Your argument is sort of like "If you can't admit that it's at least possible for pigs to fly".\n\nListen son, we all know that it's impossible for pigs to fly. We know this because no one has ever seen a pig fly.\n\nOn the other hand, we know without a doubt that the government has lied and covered up certain actions in the past. We know that the government has committed atrocities. Fact. You can't debunk that.\n\n>9/11 is among the most heavily documented and researched events of all time\n\nWhy didn't the official investigation mention the collapse of Building 7?\n\n\n\nCheck and mate. In short, you're pathetic.\n\n 1356641911 +I don't think there's any reason to think that prohibition of guns would be any more successful than prohibition of drugs, and would bring with it all of the related problems.\n\n"Gun free zones" certainly do not keep people safer, and there's more than ample evidence for this at this point. In fact, it's reasonable to argue that they do more harm than good (disarming the law abiding, while having no effect on criminals and psychos).\n\nIt's very hard to look at how various measures in other countries would work if applied to the US due to many other variables. Many other countries are much smaller, weren't already filled with guns, have a more homogenous population (in terms of both culture and class), geographic differences, etc.\n\nI would point to better security as the best possible solution. It doesn't infringe on anyone's constitutional rights, doesn't impede the law-abiding from protecting themselves, and would do the most to prevent an armed madman to run amok. Of course this isn't a perfect solution and won't completely eliminate mass shootings, but I think it has the potential to do the most good and the least amount of harm. Just yesterday an armed security guard in Texas stopped an armed individual after he'd only had the chance to shoot one person. If there had been an armed guard and ample security in CT, the rampage may have been over before it began. If teachers, who were trained and qualified, were allowed to carry a firearm, the outcomes in these tragedies may have been a lot different. As it stands now, teachers are forbidden by law to carry any protection for them and their students against an armed gunman. 1355856040 +There's a wild punctuation running around here somewhere... 1340058964 +Sounds like a past life resurfacing. 1328821683 +Please think twice before giving David Icke any pageviews. For those that don't know the man, see [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_icke#Key_ideas) for some general info.\n\nMore on topic: the guy you met, does he believe *all* of Icke's ideas/delusional ravings (strike out whichever is not applicable)? Or just a few particular ones? 1325124099 +Definitely sounds like sleep paralysis. Also when you are in this state sometimes you experience weird things because you're in a borderline sleep state. You can have auditory and visual hallucinations while paralyzed. One time my eyes opened briefly while still paralyzed one time and saw a person standing over my bed for example. Another time I heard people laughing like it was right next to me as I drifted into sleep. The key is not to be scared of sleep paralysis. I find it's easier just to give in to it rather than try to fight it, then you'll fall asleep. If you really want to wake up you should be able to wiggle your toes at least. Just keep wiggling them until you regain control of your body. 1310245873 +I don't know about the medical effects, but I love Sound & Light machines. 1288821823 +jacuzzi was in your private suite or like the public hottub thing 1342389489 +It is a crime that people like Lemay feed off of women when they are most susceptible to fear. Who doesn't want to be the best parent? Who would want to give their child autism? Even the suggestion that an ultra sound MIGHT cause damage is enough to put doubt in a mother's mind. Then, if there is an actual problem with the fetus, it goes undetected. \n\nSo sad. All done out of love, fear, and ignorance. 1262620023 +> I unfortunately don't think i'll be able to do the horoscope/conversation stuff. She's an old Korean lady and doesn't speak English -- somebody else is translating for me.\n\nI was suggesting you go over that with your girlfriend as you said she was susceptible to this woo. They were exercises to help her to start critically thinking.\n\nBTW - You may want to couch your criticism of this old lady to your girlfriend by telling her that she may not even be aware that she is using cold reading techniques and that she isn't intentionally trying to fool people. 1308117172 +House is a great show for that - you are right. Maybe for the older kids. good call. Thanks 1336433841 +Media access. He blogs for the New York Times and the others work for lesser known entities. 1352318318 +[The Silence. ](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silence_\\(Doctor_Who\\)) 1326485111 +Google Translation\n\n>So he gave it to RPP Noticias, the anthropologist Renato Davila Riquelme, who said that the mummy is 50 inches tall, triangular head, large cavity of the eye and molars uncommon in humans.\n\n>The anthropologist Renato Riquelme Davila Andean Rituals Private Museum, located in the district of Andahuaylillas Quispicanchi province ( Cusco ) announced the discovery of a mummy with no human characteristics.\n\n>Riquelme Davila explained that the body is 50 inches tall, triangular head, eye cavity too large, open fontanelle, which is only characteristic of children up to 1 year and has molars, which show that there is a tremendous gap that is not common in humans.\n\n>"It looks not human because the head is triangular and tremendous, indeed, the head is about the size of body and thought it was a kid but Spanish and Russian doctors have come and we have confirmed that this is indeed an extraterrestrial" , said through RPP Noticias.\n\n>Listen to the anthropologist Renato Davila\n\n> He said it also has the front split skulls and that does not exist in any ethnic group in the world, as only found in the Andes of Peru, like the Inca bone is a triangle on the occipital and exists only in the Andes of Peru.\n\n>Read more news from the region Cusco\n\n> [insert] "The head is triangular and tremendous, indeed, the head is almost the size of body and thought it was a kid but Spanish and Russian doctors have come and we have confirmed that indeed is an extraterrestrial"\nRenato Davila 1321571945 +Sorta happened to me. 2 years ago I lost my black DS when moving out of college. Found it today in a backpack I use frequently and have dug through many times since then. Wat. 1337074124 +As far as anyone can tell, the unnamed Elevator Guy did comply. There's been no report of him doing it again. In fact, I haven't yet seen a single report about him after his encounter with Watson.\n\nIt seems the only time anyone still talks about it is to ridicule Watson. 1321162760 +I think Hollywood just makes remakes of other movies with different actors. They wanted to make a horror film, so they did, and then tried to call it "based on a true story" despite dropping the most interesting things and totally changing the whole experience.\n\n 1337035478 +Thanks for reporting this. I will pass this on to my coding partner. \n\nActually, I have a friend here in Chile who is also using a Mac, and he said he can't get it to work either. So obviously, my guess is that it is a problem with the Mac/Chrome combination, and the fact that we are still Self hosted. ie: We aren't in the chrome marketplace yet. That is the only thing I can think of as to why other chrome extensions works, and ours doesn't. 1338223300 +This is just one of many studies I've read over the last few years about how ineffective our higher education has become in the US. It's very much the same problem in US High Schools. The result is very little depth of knowledge.\n\nNot shocking given that we can't magically expect students to be proficient given how poorly many are taught K-12. 1295412057 +Bad luck in Lucknow? 1283109896 +I already told you that I don't consider eyewitness testimony as proof that UFOs are ET. I agree with you that there is an UFO phenomena but I cannot, in good conscience, claim that it is ET in nature. To do that would require proof that no one has yet, even the COMETA report. 1349541566 +I agree with that as well. 1301262522 +A Google of "biz op" will also reveal a wealth of interesting scams and how they operate. 1327803157 +Yeah, is this what we're doing in /r/skeptic now? I unsubscribed from /r/atheism to get away from this. 1310754615 +I think i love you. 1316314108 +I have one, the only problem is that unless you look really hard, it looks EXACTLY like a power band. Fellow skeptics will look down upon you unless you make it clear that it isn't one 1317564551 +Every time he said 'passed over' I wanted to vomit. 1352612922 +maybe he wants all the credit and moneys if its the real deal 1354844425 +saijanai is bringing this up because he/she always does, take a look to his/her posts. Hagelin is a bullshitologist anyway.\n\nEdit: Small correction. 1345046478 +Oh, I know. This site is definitely the kind that would spin up conspiracy theories without any substance. 1354210821 +Are there multiple GA episodes from there? 1328233145 +Possibly to prevent the societal throws? 1334713108 +>Yeah, I don't know what the deal is with criticisms of Pinker. He's data heavy, a reasonably good researcher, certainly not making any mistakes that his peers distance themselves over, and on everything except the topic of evolution, he's actually very deferential.\n\nThe reason why a lot of people don't like Pinker (especially psychologists) is that he's viewed as essentially the opposite of what you've written there.\n\nThe data in his books is heavily mined to support his positions (which isn't so bad considering he writes pop-science books, but it gives a heavily skewed view of the field), he does no real research of his own, and psychologists in general find his extremely polemic and aggressive tone very unpleasant. \n\nFor the first point, take "The Language Instinct". He presents some data to support his conclusions, but his position is not really accepted by any linguist or language researcher. It's a fringe position (not pseudoscientific, but currently not very well-supported) and yet in his book he presents it as an inevitable conclusion. Again, this makes sense in that it's his book and he obviously wants to promote his beliefs, but scientists can get quite annoyed because laymen read it and start rejecting valid research because it doesn't fit into Pinker's arguments.\n\nOn the last point, take "The Blank Slate" as an example. For starters, there has never been a scientific position that has accepted blank slatism, so the entire book is aimed at a strawman. But psychologists took particular offence at the misrepresentation and blatant attack on scientists like Watson and Skinner. With Watson, he quotemines his "12 healthy infants" quote to make it seem like Watson was arguing that by manipulating their environments, he could turn them into anything he wants. But the following line in his quote goes on to explain that this is pure rhetoric, and it's basically just a parody of the biological determinists of his time. Watson was, of course, an ethologist who spent much of his life studying the instinctual behaviors of animals - he didn't need to be told that some behaviors were innate and not shaped by the environment.\n\nSkinner too was heavily misrepresented, as Pinker argues that he was a blank slatist. This is obviously false to anyone who has even read the wiki page on Skinner, as he built his entire philosophy on the idea that behaviorism is a necessary *extension* to natural selection. He was such a huge fan of the theory of evolution that he called his operant conditioning "selection by consequences", as the process was identical to natural selection but over an individual's lifetime. He spent his entire career furiously arguing that we cannot understand behavior without looking at both biology and the environment. For example, his theory of language argued that innate structures in the mind made it possible to learn language. \n\nThat didn't stop Pinker though, and he goes on to compare Skinner to people like Stalin, Mao, and compares his behaviorism to totalitarianism. A lot of psychologists found it somewhat disingenuous to compare a recipient of the humanist of the year award to genocidal dictators. 1345688024 +The 3 lighter trees or whatever they're supposed to be shift weird, too. 1321479891 +>The video, taken at Oliver’s Castle in Wiltshire, showed mysterious balls of light hovering over a field where a geometric-style design was imprinted in the crops. This seemed to be the proof the cereologists had longed for: UFOs created the crop circles after all! Several experts rejoiced publicly over the footage and unhesitatingly proclaimed it genuine. Unfortunately, it too was a hoax. The hoaxer, John Wabe, later confessed on camera - to the great consternation of some of the “experts.” \n\nhttp://www.ufoencounters.co.uk/cropcircles.html\n\nWhilst we're on the subject of circles, [this](http://www.cropcircleconnector.com/2012/rocklane/rocklane2012a.html) was found yesterday.\n\n 1342097461 +[a short read on wikipedia might change your mind](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Sanger#Race) 1349462905 +yea but when your constantly being made fun of, your constantly on you defense! 1329941807 +I'll take that a step further and say it was made up entirely. 1311479252 +A well respected physicist to boot. 1283731110 +In the video, the person makes their motherhood central to their argument. \n\nI agree the title was a bit ad-hominem, but this person is very obviously out of their depth. 1333119936 +*Grins* Truly and epic viral is that image! 1324400883 +How do you know it's not because of the latitude at which the subject lives?\n\nI call it the LATITUDE DIET! 1324962870 +If by "fear center" they mean "repressed sexual urges", then yeah, it's totally scientific and valid. 1294036428 +Because skeptics would recognise the Carl Sagan line..."We are star stuff" 1311408742 +I'm a big fan of the [ghost in a Japanese parking garage](http://youtu.be/W8UE12gizLM).\n\nMaybe not super creepy but a whole heck of a lot more believable than most of the ghost videos I've seen, and that makes it pretty creepy to me. 1336577642 +I have nothing to fear. My tin foil hat is in place. 1337773370 +I want one!! He is gorgeous, whatever he is!!! 1345301480 +I'd be extremely surprised if any alien race we encounter even looks humanoid in shape. 1325873860 +Ouija boards have been shown to have a perfectly natural explanation, and the people using them should immediately be held in suspicion. If there is a device to communicate with the dead, I don't believe Hasbro has the copyright to it.\n\nThe spirit box things are more interesting, but I think lend themselves to a sort of audio matrixing effect. Just like we want to see faces in things, we want to hear voices in things. So if you put enough random noise on long enough, you'll eventually find pieces that almost sound like something.\n\nAsk yourself how many times on one of these shows they played back something and you thought it sounds like "I'm here" and they say "It sounds like "apple" and then you think... yeah... it does now that they say that.\n\nEDIT: This isn't to say there couldn't be something there, just that there's an easier explanation and another form of measurement should be used. 1344003262 +We also offer a financing option -just $30 for 23 easy payments! 1340747020 +Yahoo News has almost no content. It's basically a news aggregator for Reuters, AP, and all kinds of other news producers. 1320812487 +One of my favorite podcasts. Absolute best was when I was just finishing a road trip, managed to grab an episode from a citywide wifi, and it turned out to be a musical. I was nearly assleap by that point, and the laugh got me just awake enough to make it back home. 1248923765 +Sounds interesting. I believe the audio is [here](http://www.jeffpolachek.com/kt-audio). 1328063784 +Why would you counter a page filled with appeals to nature with your own fallacy. 1346311409 +my first thought was definitely CGI...\n\nman, that's the problem w/ any video "evidence" these days - even a half-talented film student w/ some relatively inexpensive 3D animation and editing software could output stuff like this... 1320951027 +I meant more background, etc. but, yes, that's a good suggestion. 1273989910 +Don't be embarrassed. The human mind is built to fill in gaps in information, so it's only natural to try to do it when thinking about questions of origins and natural laws. You should be proud, because you were able to take a step back and think logically instead of instinctively. You defeated your gut reactions; that's awesome! 1288399938 +You're probably right. I sit corrected. ;) 1349371949 +I will have to see if I can find the other footage. When I saw the footage I too was unable to distinguish it from a bug.\n\nScientists can get fooled, regardless of nationality. Just remember how James Randi fooled a team of psi researchers with a couple of young magicians. 1332987864 +But doesn't that imply determinism? I.e. you couldn't have changed the future if it already existed in such a solid form 1342218229 +I always wondered that about the homeopathic preachers, do they know how much diluted aspirin, birth control, every vitamin and medicine imaginable is diluted in the water? You would think if homeopathy was real, people would never get sick since they get "a highly diluted" cure just by taking a sip of water. 1272140615 +[God of the gaps](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_of_the_gaps). 1353955397 +You forgot mind uploading. It's kind of the rapture for nerds, because they believe they will become immortal. 1335065307 +You have no clue what you are jabbering about.\n\nThey abducted the cows so they could modify them to deliver the nano-technology required to operate the wheat-bending quantum communications technology using fecal-transference into the soil. 1297365466 +She was your Dad reincarnated. Normally reincarnations are not so immediate, but for you a special case. Nice 1328657570 +The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has a reliquary with the tooth of Mary Magdelan imbedded in a crystal. Its pretty cool looking and when I play tour guide at the Museum with out of town guests I always say " hey, you want to see Mary Magdelin's tooth"? and they always say "Hell yes". and who wouldn't? But its just a tooth. Who knows who's tooth. 1356826965 +Your doctor and a physical therapist.\n\nFor years the message I've had from friends who've visited both - if you go to a chriopractor, you have to go back every week/month or it all repeats and comes back. If you go to a physio, you get the benefit of realignment as well as training and exercises to strengthen muscles and keep things aligned...all without the snap/crackle/pop. One creates an addiction, another creates strength and future health. 1318729139 +Black cats are awesome. I hate how people are mean to them. They are good luck to me 1353708217 +Yeah that's what it felt like. 1340902943 +I'm not trolling. I'm trying to have a discussion with you. If you are unwilling to engage with me, then I can only assume you are trying to dodge my question. \n\nPlease! I beg you, hit me with your best explanation for why you think the scientific method is inadequate. I will listen to you and consider everything you say. 1352242086 +You have! Now you need to come join us! 1329674455 +Actually 'rejected' isn't the right word anyway. Neither the Roswell case that occurred before 1948 (that happened to not fit the cycle peak) and the eight that came after 1989.5 (that happened to fit the cycle peak) were just not included because they were outside the period of time being considered. 1333290518 +I believe you man. Ive had the same dreams for years now. This is why the world needs someone like fkn Mulder\n 1329262398 +Thank you!\nAlways nice to see someone that isn't just boom, you're lying. 1347550496 +Haven't really seen anything... actually, WAIT. I haven't made this connection before!! Holy crap. When I was 16 I dabbled in Ouija boards and cemetery trips (being a stupid teen). I was upstairs in my bedroom on the phone with a friend when I got an overwhelming sense of dread. I looked up and saw a blur of what appeared to be a woman in a nightgown run past my doorway and into the room with the attic door... I remember freaking out and telling my friend on the phone about it as it happened. Holy crap! I literally I forgot this happened. Sounds of heels? A woman's voice saying help? I'm literally tearing up right now! Once I'm home from work I'm investigating that attic... I'll upload pics! Can't believe I forgot that!! 1346353999 +[Citation Needed] 1300142029 +Please don't. I really enjoy this sub-reddit and I really don't want to see it turn into the circlejerk that [/r/atheism](/r/atheism) has become. 1331941344 +First off: great find !\n\nI'm having difficulties trusting in the honesty of their reactions. Somehow it seems acted and way to controlled. Also i find it a weird time to stop the recording, since everybody i know, who had experiences like that or similar, completely forgot about what they were doing in that moment. So it seems weird, she remembers to stop the recording at that time.\n\nI'm not being conclusive here, but i do not trust this video. 1332995146 +He's a Lizard. It's the only plausible explanation. 1353947230 +Indeed. And while such substances are occasionally found (there was one pharma company a while back that had nasty byproducts in one of its vaccines once; when it was discovered they were shamed and it was fixed - no reference sorry), there has been no substance found to be in a high proportion of all vaccines, nor anything linked to autism symptoms. 1334418290 +Oh, I know. I've read them all through twice. But that was the particular sentence after the "Oh, not again." line. 1331351462 +That looks like some kind of debris being blown around in the wind. 1319245264 +Did you come out to Rapture Day last year? We had a fantastic turnout, and this one promises to be even better! 1329674308 +I can't wait for this kid to grow older and then become an atheist. Then he can use all of that money he made from the idiots who buy this book and donate it to science. 1350440446 +Haha sorry had to throw that out there and it's not my sighting, but check out MUFON and see how many sighting they have had in the last few weeks in california. Orange lights all over the state 1348354715 +Here are Cecil Adams's first and second columns on it:\n\nhttp://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/263/what-are-the-nine-eskimo-words-for-snow\n\nhttp://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2379/are-there-nine-eskimo-words-for-snow-revisited 1291468523 +http://twitter.com/kvbeek/lists/skeptics is apparently the correct list link format. I already had most of your suggestions, but added @labcoatman! 1256947399 +It's a dumb thing to be upset about, and is going to drive up the price of meat like crazy if "outlawed". 1332892503 +Wow, didn't expect this. Thanks and definitely no harm done. I value your opinion and agree with every single thing you said. I went through the Luna circuit too and had to graduate from the idea of there being broad daylight structures just chillin' on JPEGS in the public domain. \n\nI'm also so put off by disinformation that it's upped my standard for what's discussable (sic). I believe you when you say you've put years into it. Me too. Now it DOES figure that "someone" capable of using the sun directly COULD build a 20K mile ship, but you're right, it doesn't mean we should accept it under the guise of "anything's possible."\n\nI think a constant struggle for those of us who aren't just hard skeptics, but healthy skeptics, is with how jaded we may've become in the face of so much of the BS factor. I'll tell you this much, though: \n\nFor awhile now, people have complained that, "well, we have amazing cell phone cameras now, so why isn't there better lone-ranger proof out there?" I honestly believe we're finally getting on that precipice. One where the smoking gun is just around the corner. Badass HD camcorders have finally bridged the gap b/w amateur & pro (I've got one myself), and I see it as a matter of time before we have "proof" of their (UFO's) human transcendence. It won't be enough to convince everyone, but it'll be enough to completely validate some anecdotes. Like, there will be a video clearly showing some District-9 looking, mile-long thing seen in BFE, TX (near where I'm from). We won't just have to rely on old-man farmer Bob's channel 5 30-second VOSOT.\n\nIt's gonna happen in our lifetimes. I'll stand by that. I don't just want to believe, I want to tape it. Thanks for your helping me disseminate this and again, no harm. Keep your eyes up man. Glad to be on the team. 1340505605 +And what condition is this? 1341556127 +To be honest, I hadn't read the Forbes article on the topic, so I'm a bit surprised to hear that it's saying that data from phone surveys shouldn't be considered at all in scientific studies! There are problems with phone surveys, yes, but the key is to be aware of them and take them into account when weighing up the strength of the study and the conclusions. There are also problems with doing the interview in person, including the fact that people are more likely to lie because their responses won't be anonymous and they'd have added social pressures introduced by the presence of the person asking the questions.\n\nI also don't like the implication from the article that Spitzer *intentionally* created the study to prove that gay therapies "work". Spitzer was hugely important in the work that demonstrated that homosexuality was not a mental illness, and is often credited as being among those who made that change. The conclusion he reported would have gone against what he believed, but he published it anyway because that's what scientists should do. \n\nThe biggest problem with the study wasn't that it suggest that homosexuality could be changed with therapy - that would be a surprising result but entirely uncontroversial from a scientific perspective (and potentially great news for some who are unhappy with their orientation) - but rather the problem was that people used it to promote their own agenda that involved attacking and dehumanising homosexuals. \n\nThere was nothing that Spitzer did wrong, it was just unfortunate that what he thought was a valid piece of scientific research was so badly abused by people with nefarious intentions. \n\n/rant. 1337581348 +I like how someone is interested in knowing which remedy ans at what strength lol 1330360148 +Hey I'm late to the party BUT - it's surely no accident that the drugs that would help us deal with meeting aliens--psilocybe and LSD--are as illegal as UFOlogy is belittled and demonized. The combination of the two is clear, and makes us into UFOs better than the idiots who condescend to us as kooks.\n\nI think there are plenty of kooks in the psychedelic and UFO communities, but who's to say they're not cranks put there by the CIA to discredit said communities? We KNOW that's that what they do in other areas, and clearly it's damned effective 1342795194 +You can give a LIHOP theory to anything that has ever happened, people also say the same thing about Pearl Harbor. I believe it largely comes from the too-human belief that authority figures are infallible, when the fact of the matter is that the FBI, CIA, NSA, etc. are far from perfect. \n\nHindsight is 20/20, but they fucked up, both due to legal reasons (the NSA could only spy on people outside of the US and was limited in what they could tell the FBI) and downright retarded reasons (there were rivalries between different agencies), they were unable to stop it from happening. There's a great episode on Frontline about it. 1340818562 +Dealing with a woman like this suggests a need for something stronger. 1356107942 +Basically just an ancient mythical omen of death. It has symbolic connections to the canine guardians of the underworld in various European mythologies, known collectively as "hellhounds." That said, I find the concept of a ghostly walking dog very menacing, which would be enough for me to deduce the malevolence of such an apparition. 1332781268 +Awesome, thanks :) 1345309173 +Its very interesting, I do have a couple of problems with it that keeps me from saying it is an alien spacecraft, a ufo that for sure it is.\n\nIts to small to see any detail, its a dot moving, he has night vision I am not actually sure how bright something has to be to make night vision freak out and amplify a target. He should of had dual video cameras side by side.\n\nI hope to see more videos though! Just much higher magnification & resolution. 1282869487 +I've been shoving these baby carrots into my kidneys and I'm developing this healthy yellow glow in my complexion! I think it's the keratin. 1351833685 +No, because not all people don't believe in it as much. That's not an argument pro homeopathy. 1287600620 +You're absolutely right about that, and it points to questionable judgement, but on the other hand, it is a big jump to then conclude that this sheriff would be so incompetent as to be arresting people without cause (as implied by PZ's comment). 1311192394 +It Doesn't! 1266775088 +Thimerosal isn't all *that* popular in the US, it's mostly used for flu shots and tetanus but only in multi-dose vials (so Fluzone / Fluvirin are both available with and without) because there's no real risk of microbial infection with single dose vials, minims etc. Anywho here's a few more if you're looking to do some research\n\nPhenol - Typhoid vaccines -Typhim Vi, Pneumovax\n\nBenzethonium chloride - Anthrax vaccines - Biothrax\n\n2-phenoxyethanol - Polio - IPOL\n\n\n 1355832029 +>**The Quantumwave difference**\n\n>The Quantumwave Laser is the first truly quantum laser system made possible by a unique and patent pending quantum wave technology.\n\nThe only quantum light! You saw it here first, folks.\n\n>**What are scalar waves?**\n\n>Scalar waves are revolutionary neutral waves of energy. They are unified field energy which is a technically a non quantifiable state of energy which makes up the entire universe...\n\nNon-quantifiable energy that makes up everything. Got it.\n\nThe way they advertise the product, I think you can safely call it snake oil. They're expensive LED glow sticks, it seems. No specific information, just the words quantum and healing. 1309200716 + Thanks. 1338672913 +above the antennae. Pretty cool. 1356780126 +Judging by your nickname, 'skepticalofskeptics,' you are either a blind believer, or a nihilist. Which one is it? 1242202297 +gonna read\n\nedit: after reading some I felt very depressed (if what she's saying is true), like there's nothing we can do to stop the cycle, this is just like the movie matix 1337564021 +The person I got it from swore up and down there was no Photoshop involved and didn't realize it was there until they printed the pics out. It was taken by webcam. 1329220654 +OK, so how are suicide girls inequal in terms of gender? 1307385660 +Yes, this seemed a bit weird to me as well. Here's a quote:\n\n> It's thus inaccurate to say "Skeptics don't believe in ghosts." Some do. Many skeptics are deeply religious, and are satisfied with the reasoning process that led them there.\n\nNow I acknowledge that we all have our faults and misconceptions about how the world works. Some things we take for granted to be true, is known by others to be false, or maybe our understanding of a phenomenon was very simplified. But *something* doesn't seem quite right to me to call someone a skeptic if they believe in ghosts. Yes, you can be a skeptic even if you are religious; the skeptic mindset just don't apply to that specific question or topic. So I have a bit of a problem to reconcile this paradox without jumping to the No true Scotsman fallacy. 1324468087 +They might be scum, but it looks like they have their bases covered. As someone pointed out already, the product is applied to the whole area and does not fix the nail per se.\n\nThe best solution is to see a doctor and have a full-strength antifungal prescribed. This might be a cheaper (albeit less effective) solution. 1274980809 +I worked with a husband and wife duo who once gave me a lecture about aspartame, it went something like this "Don't you know aspartame was invented by Hitler as a cheap way to kill people?"\n\nI did an awkward laugh as I tried to understand the joke.\n\n"It's true" the wife said. 1312567289 +Read it again. That's not what it says. 1324698155 +I'm sorry you read it that way. I tried to put a statement in there saying that both sexes are influenced by their social circles. In short a person's social circle influences their intimate circle. A gift is more effective when it makes someone feel good about themselves and is kind of envied by those around them. I don't agree with this notion, I'm saying that it happens, that an effective relationship within a materialistic society is not necessarily a good relationship. I agree with what you said.\n\n>A relationship based on materialism isn't healthy\n\nAnd there are relationships that circumvent this, or at least try to for a while. Where people feel as if they care for each other more than the things in the world. And that is a wonderful place to be. But it isn't the norm, which why I am stuck making sexist generalizations. \n\nBesides all that, I actually disagree with the notion of shallow bitches in general. Most girls that I have met that have been written off as shallow are just horribly insecure. Which folds right into a material relationship, which is sad.\n\n 1324614383 +...only one of the largest companies in the world, but carry on... 1342639075 +Yep. The EXACT SAME THING as depicted in the OP, same day in the evening... moving south, changing direction. 1312730981 +It's just my guess, but it looks like venus. Venus can look very bright early in the night and late in the morning. I myself have had a few wtf moments only to check and find out it was venus. I may be wrong. 1311614766 +Really? I'm a young'n, class of 2013, but I'm surprised. My entire Social Studies, literally, from 1st grade until now, senior in high school, has basically been "NATIVES ARE AWSOME AND EUROPEANS ARE ALL LITERALY HITLER. BECAUSE HITLER WAS LITERALLY EUROPEAN." Also men.\n\nHas it changed that much? 1355002473 +Case in point: Hemlock is natural. Just a plant. yet it can be lethal if ingested. 1354155050 +The placebo effect is a real phenomenon and well documented, and seems to apply to your situation. But don't stop believing that the procedures are helping you, or it'll stop working! (I know, how woo is that...) 1356886547 +To be fair, he got banned long after her foolishness was demonstrated. 1276149930 +Feminism IS a push for equality. The name of the movement derives from the inequality addressed: among the sexes.\n\nCompare it with [LGBT social movements](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_social_movements). Just because the name doesn't include cisgender or straight people doesn't mean that the movement doesn't also include them in the discussion or imply LGBT elitism.\n\nOr are you also in opposition to LGBT rights as well and we should just all push for "equality" for everyone without narrowing down fields of interest? That seems a bit ridiculous.\n\n"Why do we push for biology, physics, chemistry, psychology, astronomy... why don't we just push for science?"\n\n\\^\\^\\^ that's how I'm interpreting what you're saying. 1345452383 +I think you accidentally a "sure". 1328316269 +Without the original footage, this isn't worth much.\n\nIt could very well be a distant C 130, the low res and distortion of the image might be hiding it.\n\nIt wouldn't be the first time a plane was misidentified as a UFO. Commenters on ATS threads who saw original broadcast say it was a plane. 1341287356 +thanks, I get that a lot. 1294684685 +But diluting it will only make it more potent! 1277376976 +But that show is pretty scientifically sound, as apposed to some other ones we could be watching... 1346640270 +What is with quacks having terrible websites? I mean I've seen bad websites for useful information (eg. professor's websites) but quacks site are in a league of their own.\n\nEither they've all hired the same people or rejected normal web design guidelines along with science. 1248572173 +A good article on this is [\nScientists 'Convinced' of Climate Consensus More Prominent Than Opponents, Says Paper](http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2010/06/scientists-convinced-of-climate.html) and the paper it cites is [Expert credibility in climate change](http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2010/06/04/1003187107.abstract)\n 1312825081 +Did this guy just get out of a time machine? This happened at TAM 7, two years ago. 1310010311 +Where do you live that ovens aren't common? Do people not bake? 1327218089 +ive been really curious about wiccan things, if you would like to message me, that would be great, ive always wanted to talk to a wiccan 1335233656 +Shes a friend of Doctor Who .. serious .. no lie. 1288305713 +The portrayal of what an abduction is really like terrifies the shit out of me. If they are here to help, why they do some so emotionally scarring? 1338943385 +So? Why is this a problem? As long as she doesn't believe that it will cure cancer or diseases, it's like getting a massage. I like massages, you like back scratching, he likes furries, and some people just like fire cupping. 1316642769 +I guess it depends on your per-existing level of knowledge. I found a lot of his advice to be quite helpful in raising my first dog. I was a complete newb, so perhaps if you already a know a thing or two about raising dogs, then it may not be helpful. \n\nA few things I learned from him:\n\n* Never touch a dog in it's cage/bed/kennel- that's their safe place where they should feel untouchable.\n\n* Do not let a puppy/dog out of a pen until it has calmed down. \n\n* keep your dog next to you while you walk it, not out in front. Heeding this advice early on helped me develop a trust with my dog that now I am able to keep him off a leash and he rarely strays very far from me at all. I don't do this most places, though as people tend to frown on it.\n\nI'm curious what the dog trainers and behaviorists you know say about him? What do you do for a living that you know so many dog trainers and behaviorists? 1326936888 +Thank you. You are the anti-troll. 1297057106 +also I tried my best to break up common understanding of "what the paranormal is" into paradigms to be attacked/debunked. \n\nexample: the spirit paradigm is full of crap because... case a, b, c.\n\nAn actual example is the spiritual paradigm can be debunked by the Philip experiment.. or some such. 1336635617 +Some of them are functionally illiterate and simply can't read very much, some are malicious and make/post long drawn-out documentaries so that they can throw them at people who call them on their truther bullshit with the hope that rational people don't feel like watching a 12 hour film (I've really had a truther video that fucking long thrown at me), but most are just too lazy to actually read much.\n\nI can imagine that a lot of people become truthers when they are surfing the net after smoking a bowl and having their mind "blown" by some idiotic conspiratard documentary. 1249602650 +"The Paw Print," a reputable leader in groundbreaking news since... Never. 1349076472 +I lol'd a bit. 1288837322 +Fuck the tone of your second sentence. Turning on ALL the lights.. 1347663175 +The description of this subreddit is "Need something debunked by those in the know? Looking to exercise some critical thinking or research skills? Want to eviscerate pseudoscience, idiocy, and irrationality wherever it lurks? Skeptic's Subreddit, where all the cool kids go."\n\nThere is no debunking, critical thinking, or anything related to pseudoscience. This article is an opinion about a religious leader who he happens to be related to. Because the article is an opinion and it's religious I believe it doesn't belong in this subreddit and should be in r/atheism. Since you obviously disagree, I would like to know why you think this should be in /r/skeptic. 1343346126 +I had posted this in another link on r/science that incorrectly boasted the first genetic link to autism was found in the past week (it was found earlier than this week ). So here's some actual science that you can quote and even provide Journals that have published articles on the subject for any citations you want to use.\n\n> Earlier links have been found and peer reviewed, and published.\n\n> The American Journal of Human Genetics 2005 \n\n> http://www.cell.com/AJHG/\n\n> https://www.nimhgenetics.org/publications/pdf/cantor05.pdf \n\nThis is the actual study above in pdf\n\n> Trends in Molecular Medicine, Volume 18, Issue 3, 156-163, 27 February 2012\n\nRepublished and reviewed as recently as Feb, of this year, showing that the 2005 paper still has merit.\n\n> "Neurobiological, genetic, and imaging data provide strong evidence for the CNTNAP2 gene as a risk factor for ASD and related neurodevelopmental disorders."\n\nhttp://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/rxm0u/for_the_first_time_a_genetic_link_for_autism_is/c49h6om?context=3 1334280545 +Sorry, I should have said that it sounds like you have a spirit that feeds on fear or some other negative energy feeding on you. Or going with Jungian archetypes,there is something your subconsciousness is really trying to tell you. I would ask what it wants. Since its recuring I sugest you look into lucid dreaming. 1340492995 +Depends on the cause of the pain, but let´s say what you had is a very common case: sciatica.\n\nSciatica may have several causes, but as a general sort of rule, it goes over after ca. 2 months give or take, if you just refrain from heavy lifting and try to not stay to static.\n\nFor patients that get chiropractic treatment however, the pain goes over after ca 8 weeks, give or take.\n\nFurthermore, for patients getting homeopathic treatments, the pain goes over after ca. 60 days, give or take - like magic really.\n\nPost hoc ergo propter hoc. 1330003708 +Seems to be the way. Just look at anything in r/atheist, r/apple r/technology, r/android, and so on. It's either love everything about X unconditionally or you are the enemy. 1310150048 +BM = bowel movement. I suggest something else. 1324047879 +Welcome Syuk! 1321469041 +Exists therefore god logic air glazed with cumin require any just.\n\nThat should be enough proof for anybody!\n\n 1275943627 +I hold B and press down 1332175703 +Thanks for the link. Considering you said that you had taken these (hence me not expecting you to be cross posting material another user had submitted), and the title of Crossposted from reddit.com, even though in your submitted history you did not post anything like this to reddit.com I thought it was maybe making fun of something similar that I hadn't seen. I'll give it a real response now:\n\nCould you perhaps upload another version where you point out the faces? I'm not trying to be dense here, but I've been staring at this for a number of minutes now and I'm not seeing any faces that look realistic at all. I feel like I'm looking at the clouds trying to find people in them.\n\nI found a spot where I can visualize what would be a zombie like face. I've found a few places where I can make comic-like faces. I haven't found anything here that looks particularly unusual. 1296987566 +I love the Doomsday rule. Never need to look at a calendar to figure out a future day of the week -- it's always fun in a meeting when someone says, "What day is August 12th?" and before they can all look at their Blackberries, I just say "Friday". \n\n(PS: The secret day of the week for 2011 is Monday...) 1302290435 +> Actually, I'm not so sure. The nature vs nurture debate is still up in the air - there's no doubt that it's a mix of nature and nurture, but to what extent each influence different human traits is still uncertain. \n\nWell, you've just said it, there is no nature VS nurture (and the debate is only left for the extremist proponent of either sides) but nature VIA nurture. You should definitely check out Matt Ridley's Nature via Nurture book (also available on audiobook!) to understand my conviction :)\n\n> Many of the studies that attempt to examine it in humans look at identical twins separated at birth (there are a surprising number of those in the World), but the problem with that is, even identical twins aren't necessarily complete genetic carbon-copies of each other, so it doesn't really answer the question either way.\n\nThat is also covered in the book I just mentioned, but it didn't relay an important influence on the nature of the twins; the influence of nurture while in utero. See Gabor Mate for more information about that aspect.\n\nThere are though very curious similarities on the lives of those identical twins separated at birth. There was this example (don't expect details, its been a while!) that these twins ended up having spouses with the same name, having the same name for their dogs, both becoming (hobby) carpenters and both building a white bench around a tree in their garden.\n\nVery interesting stuff.\n\n> I'm not sure how it advances the argument either way. This experiment was a study of how people will obey authority figures contrary to their morals. It's not really a reflection of the current system, just human behaviour - it can happen under an RBE gone wrong as well.\n\nWell it supports the RBE argument because we're seeing very emotionally detached behavior (at the moment of the action; we're not talking about the emotional/mental breakdown after the fact) because of those authority figures "commanding" or "reassuring" them that what they are doing is ok; aka abusing power. There is no point in a RBE for authoritative figures (there's no need for police, but I'm talking about when someone takes the lead in a project, for example in the search for alternative energy sources) to abuse power, there is nothing to be gained from it.\n\nBut that doesn't mean it couldn't happen in a RBE, yes of course there will be problems in a RBE, it's far from perfect, but it's a heck of a lot better than what we have today!\n\n> Well, I know a lot of people who think they need expensive equipment :)\n\nTrue :) But you can't deny the fact, even in photography, that some of the more expensive equipment really is much better and can help you achieve the result you couldn't with other, (probably) cheaper equipment.\n\nAlso, even if you are an amateur, exploring the possibilities with more expensive equipment can be a good thing too!\n\nOn the other hand, there are those hobbyist that are much closer to professionals (or pro-pros) but just can't afford that expensive equipment even though they need it.\n\nThe point (in both cases) is that they just need access to it.\n\n> They have no motivation to achieve anything, nor the skills (reading that back, I sound like I'm dissing my friends and neighbours, but it's not meant that way ;) ). Education doesn't change that - society is set up to prepare kids for work as they reach adulthood, and to encourage them to advance themselves, yet they choose not to.\n\nI did understand what you meant (unless I'm still not getting it now, please let me know), but my point was that even though the system is set up to prepare kids (like you say), its not very efficient at it. And you've just given examples of failed "experiments". In a sane society (for example, a RBE :)) we would use the scientific method, you know, when you see something that isn't working, you don't just keep trying the same thing and expect different results (quote Einstein on insanity), no, when you try something and expect certain results, and seeing you don't achieve the result you were expecting, you tweak what you have tried, try again, and so on..\n\n> Cost isn't a factor here since in this country all education is free at the point of use, so there's no barrier to entry. So how do you solve this problem?\n\nI guess I can't because I don't know enough of the situation. Do you mean education is completely free? (Where do you live? Or are you referring to another country?) 1318238807 +New study proves children exposed to high levels of water drown. 1344862087 +That's the same route I took, actually. 1302068070 +I don't understand what you're on about. 1353875076 +Ohai. Thanks for posting this - I'm the author and designer.\n\nIf anyone has any questions, let me know. 1335327949 +I believe the logical method he was refering to around 7.55 was induction rather than deduction. Other than that Dr. Levy seemed perfectly convincing. 1319854817 +Again, grand. You vent angry spleen and just expect me to accept it. Tell me again how this is unlike what Watson is accused of? 1344540137 +yeah was about to post the same thing 1352809150 +Shirley Maclaine is a bonkers new ager, and has said some of the most bizarre shit over the years that really anything she claims has to be placed in the nutbox basket immediately. \n\nReagan went into politics because he was a shitty actor, had huge ego, ambition, and was a major right wing asshole. No aliens required.\n\nAnd if aliens had encouraged Reagan to go into politics, boy, those sure are some fuckhead aliens, because Reagan was a *terrible* President and quite an awful human being. \n\nThis article here is .. interesting, but full of hearsay and anecdote. 1348118036 +Wow, you're positively frothing.\n\nI need a citation if I expect to prove it to others, true... but not to make decisions about what my experience convinces me is probably true. If you are honest, you will admit you do this (we all do this) more often than you would admit to others... your pretenses of uncompromising cold-blooded rationalism notwithstanding... because we are constantly making decisions on the basis of insufficient information.\n\nIt works for her. I can't argue with that, and see no reason to try. 1327957861 +Oh... it seems to fluctuate. I just checked wiki and you seem to be right. It's apparently kind of good for pain.... 1314137550 +Please link a video of an actual helicopter exhibiting these characteristics. I have yet to find one, but given the apparent certainty f your answer, I trust that you have had better luck... 1279987072 +I think you are being sarcastic, but I hope you don't actually do that. It would very hard to make friends. 1322059102 +Anything bad happen? 1348091679 +Right but lets say you drew a parallel to say the peak of classical mechanics. You could say that it is highly likely classical mechanics is the sole explanation for the nature of the universe, because ~100% of notable scientists would agree with you.\n\nThey were correct in their thinking, and modelled most everything they could observe accurately, but clearly their model was inaccurate at extreme scales. \n\nThis is why it is difficult for this "consensus" argument to gain traction with me. And note it is not used by the OP to disprove the idea of an existing debate, it is used to discredit any "denier". \n\nThe usual disclaimer applies here where I will say I do "believe" in climate change, I just believe like this other character that although it is very likely to be correct, the consensus argument is still extremely poor. 1353790280 +Well now what am I supposed to put on when I talk about HL3? 1349075551 +Eh, not with us 1330241372 +If the one and only subject were 'pain' you might have a point if you were talking about objectively approaching the topic. But 'extreme pain' is a subjective term. No one can argue or reason or apply logic to claims of pain relief without brain scans. That answers your question about how chiropractic fits into 'quacks'. I don't doubt that pain has been relieved. \n\nThe doubt is in the how and why and repeatability. Chiropractic as a field makes claims that are not supported by objective study. Chiropractors as individuals have been known to make claims that go even further. \n\nJust as you obviously have experienced with chiropractors relieving pain, I have - admittedly my own anecdotal - experience with those that have caused it. My grandfathered was 'adjusted' for several hours for 'indigestion' that the chiropractor was too ignorant to recognize as a heart attack. Other family members wasted time and resources for fake medicine for real illness.\n\nYou say chiropractic deserves respect. I say the good it might do is vastly overshadowed by its bullshit. You have anecdotal evidence. Me too.\n\nBut neither changes the fact that chiropractic fails simple objective research. Insurance company payments are not scientific evidence. They should be based on scientific evidence, but unfortunately, they aren't. 1331594750 +Where do you buy from? 1331219002 +>But neither does AGW alone either.\n\nSure it does.\n\n>Namely, that climate models do not reproduce the decadal variability in globally averaged ocean heat content\n\nSure they do.\n\n>Land warming also mimics the suposed 60 - 80 year oscillations found in Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation\n\nThe AMO is not about land warming. It's a (supposed) oceanic cycle. The think about cycles is that they do not have a positive or negative trend. They're cycles. The AMO has a flat trend. The temperature record shows a definite multidecadal trend.\n\nLook, even the professed skeptic Richard Muller did an extremely thorough temperature reconstruction, called BEST, and even he admitted that the warming trend is read, and it is not caused by natural cycles.\n\nAt this point, you're clearly grasping at straws. It feels as if you're going through the list of denialist talking points one by one, even though they've *all been debunked*.\n\n>Namely a warm bias in nighttime minimum temperatures, poor siting of the instrumentation to measure temperatures,\n\nYou really are going through every debunked denier myth out there, are you?\n\nThe Urban Heat Island effect was so thoroughly debunked even Roy Spencer admitted it wasn't an issue.\n\nSeriously, you're just going through the list. Here, to save some time: look up your next argument on [this list](http://www.skepticalscience.com/argument.php) and find the rebuttal for yourselves, I've got better thing to do than argue with someone who's desperately trying to find evidence to support his non-scientific opinion.\n\nIf you're looking for the isolated CO2 warming signal, I recommend this paper:\n\nhttp://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/6/4/044022/pdf/1748-9326_6_4_044022.pdf\n\n>Also, given that there's only about 150 years worth of instrument recorded data, this is too small a sample for any conventional statistical analysis. Hence, the other input data is all proxy\n\nThat doesn't even make any sense.\n\n>Irregardless of 'science', it was the theory with any popular traction at the time.\n\nNo, it *wasn't*. I've already told you that Global Warming was the most predicted in science papers. You're grasping at straws again and it's becoming really annoying.\n\n>I wasn't debating that the greenhouse effect does not occur, merely that it is not the be all and end all of Earth's climate system.\n\nUnfortunately you have *no* evidence that it isn't. Research shows that, quite the contrary, CO2 can be considered the "control knob" of the climate.\n\n>Not even IPCC reports talk in this language.\n\nNothing is every 100% certain in science. What matters is that AGW theory is very likely to be true, and very unlikely to be false, and you have yet to bring a single piece of scientific evidence countering this (good luck trying to find any).\n\n>Now, I gave you an example of someone who was commissioned to publish for the IPCC,\n\nOh please, you are unable to actually come up with any science, so you bring up gossip. I'm not interested in gossip. I'm interested in science. When you actually have any scientific argument let me know, until then I'm not interested in wasting any more time on someone who is simply looking for validation of their position on the matter.\n\n>The example I used from the 'Climategate' emails was specific, in that a climate scientist alluded to the possibility of Earth being just as warm as it is now.\n\nApparently, you don't even understand the quotes you put (probably because you got them from a denialist site and did not verify the context for yourself).\n\n>where the Earth was just as warm and didn't end. \n\nAgain you used a deliberately exaggerated language. I never claimed the Earth would end, and frankly I'm tired of your strawman arguments. Do not bother responding to this message, as I've had it your your gish gallop of pseudo-science. Thanks for wasting my time. 1342413726 +spiritually dusty! you dont say..... 1325062350 +go to [/r/shutupandtakemymoney](/r/shutupandtakemymoney) there is a post about a lucid-dreaming mask from kickstarter (= 1333709884 +they were shopped 1351738397 +The thing is for many of us it's quite useful... I use it more as a blog and discussion platform. I never put my relationship status or such private info; it's none of FB's business. 1339715764 +This study is obviously a fraud perpetrated by the CIA under the MK Ultra program. 1343471244 +Did you witness it?\n(Downvotes wat?)\nI saw the Amarillo vid, pretty neat. It would be so cool to find an eyewitness to ask about this stuff. \n 1328906740 +He didn't say people have died from it, and hasn't, and he didn't say it's not therapeutic for some cancer patients in that clip. He's saying it's addictive. Something can be medicine and be addictive (Ambien). The fact that you're so willing to resort to a straw man argument belies your lack of expertise on this subject. The fact that it can be addictive also doesn't mean it should be illegal, and as far as I know Drew is not an advocate for it to be illegal.\n\nI generally agree with the pro-pot crowd but it's scary how they can turn so fanatical. People pointing out that there are bad things about this substance aren't merely refuted, but are the subject of harsh personal criticisms for their position. 1344977337 +"wat" in khmer means temple 1304031572 +Where do you go for sciency things? 1295764072 +We all know there's no such thing as a legitimate applicant. I understand why they instituted the rule, but all it serves to do is frustrate the deluded "psychics" (who then conclude that Randi is afraid to test them), and in effect reduce the entire observed testing process down to a much less interesting affidavit-gaining process - one that nobody will ever pass. Granted, the end result is the same, but it's far more entertaining (and convincing) to see the applicants give it their all in a controlled test and fail miserably.\n\nI think I remember seeing recently that Randi had relaxed the rule on affidavits? 1301277456 +Science is looking at the evidence and coming to a conclusion based on a hypothesis. This guy's taking it from the opposite direction: he has something he "knows" is true already, so he's looking for facts that seem to fit that preconception.\n\nAnd you're right. It's better to remain silent and thought a fool than to open one's mouth (or blog post) and remove all doubt. 1342043445 +I work with a pain management doctor ( MD, board certified in pain medicine and anesthesia ) and I've asked him about the efficacy of chiropractic care in relieving back pain. He's told me that there is somewhat of a good correlation between receiving chiropractic care and decreasing ones BACK pain. So if you've got back pain then it can be worth a shot to see a chiropractor. The reason I'm emphasizing back pain is that a lot of different chiropractors will try and claim that they can heal everything from Multiple Sclerosis to Irritable Bowl Syndrome by simply adjusting ones back. The problem is that there is not any scientific studies to back this up, so instead of scientific studies they turn to anecdotal stories. Needless to say we all know correlation does not mean causation.\n\nWhy is your fiance seeing the Chiropractor? Is it for back pain? 1315449399 +Report him for malpractice imo. I'm willing to bet he'd get shut down. 1318789382 +Even with "legitimate" chiropractors, I've heard that many of their treatments are just that, treatments. They can't fix the real issues, they can only relieve pain, and that many people would be better served by surgery for chronic issues. How do you respond to that? 1343426728 +I've never done a detox, as they are pure woo, but I am quite a fan of a good fast. if you're in good health, try going a week without food, but research a bit first so you don't dive into it blind. after two days, your body feels absolutely AMAZING. It is strange, but you stop being hungry for a few days. for these days, you walk around feeling like you weigh ten less pounds, not pooping is great, and it feels like you have a ton of energy for some reason. \n\nrest assured that this won't make you healthier or 'reset' anything, it just feels good man, and it is always a good idea to know how your body will react to things 1314818689 +how is the loch ness monster in any way paranormal? submit this to /r/cryptozoology, they need traffic 1345174009 +The point of a spy drone is not to be seen. Most US ones fly up so high you will not see it against the sky. 1353635502 +What was that analogy about people leaning on a concrete and steel structure vs leaning on a rickety ladder when standing on top? 1298700577 +High definition closed circuit television cameras going 24/7. China must be ahead of the game.\n\n\nAnd to continue being beligerantly flippant:\n\nMusic, therefore fake.\n\nIf something truly amazing happens, no production is needed. You don't need logos, you don't take the time to license music or otherwise doll it up. YOU RELEASE IT.\n\nIt's like the people who offer you the spiritual secret that could change the world or create world peace.\n\nIf this secret could make everyone happy and turn the world into a paradise, why are you selling it for $5000? What are you going to do with those rectangular pieces of paper when paradise comes? 1348079290 +Apparently you actually have the right answer, and the sticker is wrong. Someone below mentioned that it's a "[jam spoon](http://emmascookshop.co.uk/images/uploads/Accessories/KCJAMSPOON_MAIN.jpg)", and the bend IS for hooking on the side of a jar, [like so](http://www.giverslog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/hostess-gift-jam-spoon.jpg). 1331730630 + I already tended to believe this, so I might check out his book. At most, I figured the government was only covering up their ignorance about U.F.Os. In other words, the cover-up was more about dodging the impossible responsibility of dealing with the "UFO problem." When you think about, damn near everything that verifies the existence of UFOs comes from the government(s). 1298588535 +At first I thought this subreddit might have some open-minded people, turns out it's a circle-jeck where they make fun of things they don't understand... 1286420391 +Good job on being so precise, maybe not a basketball if its a 45 story building but really not that much smaller. I honestly am flabbergasted by what I saw still, the size was insane. 1339170404 +I personally cannot remember a time that the separation of church and state was ever taken seriously. I think most of the courts do not give a shit about actual law anymore. I mean corporations are people these days. 1321627498 +sorry I don't know gongfishings history, I was referring to the content of the post, that s/he posted, sorry if I upset you it's in the back of my mind that someone is downvoting people based on username(s) not content ... maybe this should be in r/paranoid, sorry again! 1314716552 +Here the thing, I always think the same thing as you, why no video? The reality is this type of event causes brain freeze, not in the sense that the UFO is doing anything to you, it's just so unexpected and completely bizarre that your brain is like a spinning pizza of death trying to map this into your previous idea of reality. I think there's a tendency to give way to astonishment. I couldn't think clearly for a few days and I kept playing it over in my mind. I kick myself for not getting a photo, I was too astonished. If you've ever been in a car accident or something it's bit like that, you are in the moment and your normal way of processing information is suspended. I kept thinking this isn't supposed to be real, this is supposed to be some type of fringe belief. 1338586534 +>Who is we? The term agnostic is millennia old.\n\nDo you have a source on this? I thought Huxley coined it. A quote from him.\n\n> Nevertheless I know that I am, in spite of myself, exactly what the Christian would call, and, so far as I can see, is justified in calling, atheist and infidel. \n\n\n>So why isn't the simple, tripartite system of atheist, agnostic and theist sufficient for our purposes?\n\nBecause it is less descriptive and not what most people mean when they call themselves an atheist. In fact it is probably still not descriptive enough. What are babes in the current system?\n 1323581303 +Yeah, there have been numerous studies conducted by CDC, NIH, IOM, etc debunking this work. It is only now that actual action may be taken against Dr Wakefield, who was behind the study. Hopefully he is stripped of his license. He was bribed with $780,000 by a legal group wanting to sue the pharmaceutical companies. The reason the public (and still a lot of parents with kids with ASD) still believe it is because one gene that is linked to a particular type of autism is thought to be regressive, resulting in degeneration of social skills around 18 months (usually after the vaccine). Of course it doesn't\nhelp the Oprah and Jenny McCarthy immorally perpetuated this lie that has caused a surge in measles. There have been additional studies showing no correlation between any vaccine and this regressive form of autism by using subjects that have not had the vaccine until after the\nregressive autism kicks in.\n\nhttp://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/29/world/la-fg-britain-autism29-2010jan29\n\nMost scientists believe that one of the real reasons ASD diagnoses is increasing is because it is now an umbrella disorder that includes PDD and PDD-NOS that previously was misdiagnosed as MR. Here's a chart that easily explains the increase:\nhttp://photoninthedarkness.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/autism_and_mr_cht.jpg\nAnother reason is the push to pediatricians to have the diagnosis made earlier, as early treatment is now known to be the most effective.\n\nIf Oprah would of consulted with the NIMH or the CDC (or just glanced at their websites), she would of found the answers. Of course, she is making money by using fear to attract viewers and the truth is not a good business model. 1265150342 +This! It really doesn't matter where your skepticism lies... This is playing with fire either way. Their goals should give you panic:\n>While its primary goal is to control the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) and Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) infection crises, Beeologics’ mission is to become the guardian of bee health worldwide.\n\nEven if this were for good, it could go bad... it's risky to play this out. If Monsanto does good, they do good. If they dissemble the place, we lost the best scientific research to counteract it. The risk is equivalent to one step forward vs. two steps back. 1334883744 +I love the ability to email specific fallacies! This is going to be used by me on all my friends until I have none left. 1351934794 +Here is a video I came across, shot by some dude named Erik, of a UFO zipping around the skies over Phoenix on November 18, 2010.\n 1290576331 +No promises,...it is History after all,...but worth checkin out anyway,... 1313609226 +It rotates between her and Bob I believe. Currently she's in the lead for this year I think. 1310205256 +And they have to use much more of the less effective stuff to get less produce per acre... 1347055177 +You still don't get it? Still? Really? Seriously?\n\nShould I explain it very, very slowly? Perhaps you can get me in touch with the person who is reading my replies and typing your responses for you, and I can explain it to that person, who will then in turn try to explain it to you. 1341933285 +Because they'd have to change the rating of the movie if they didn't. 1307162630 +http://i.imgur.com/NFQpB.jpg 1314683085 +> big pharma\n\nBecause 'Big Pharma', as you call them, actually helps humanity by producing drugs that work, whereas homeopaths kill people by preventing them from getting real treatments.\n\n> And in the most cruel and bizarre twist of fate, it wasn't good science that led to safer vaccines.\n\nYes, it was. Now stop lying.\n\n> The world would be a much better place if sceptical and scientific minds focused on the efficacy, danger, safety, and pricing of drugs.\n\nA lot of them do. Now stop lying. 1308938157 +IMO: "actual discussion of UFO phenomenon" includes debunking bullshit so we can filter it out and focus on more credible footage and accounts. If anything, people who have real sightings should appreciate that. I do. Hoaxsters diminish the credibility of all claims; when they dupe people, it diminishes YOUR credibility - do you understand that? Every fake video and fantasy story detracts from the real phenomena. Debunking bullshit should be a priority for people who have real sightings, so that real accounts can be respected. Criticizing someone for detailing how you can tell a video is fake makes no sense to me. Anyone interested in UFOs should be interested in learning when something has been faked, and learning how to spot fakes in the future... *so we can focus on what's real.* 1348434779 +I see your point. 1346335824 +Do you mean that you distrust /r/atheismplus because it is dogmatic? If you could elaborate on this—e.g. some components of this dogma or (better) some examples of it, or just how you came to this conclusion—i would be grateful. I frequent that subreddit and have not yet found other accusations of dogmatism that i've come across to have merit. 1353619864 +I hope we don't have to lock horns over this, I don't have cloven feet you know. 1356673215 +This doesn't make sense. And maybe that's exactly the point?\n\nConsidering the physics, where is either A) the hull damage or B) the crater as people before me mentioned?\nThen there is the fact that this seems VERY man made. But where are the markings? Doesn't space equipment usually come with engravings or markings which proudly proclaim who built it?\n\nAnd if it came back from space, shouldn't there be a list of materials orbiting earth? Maybe from there it can be deduced what came down?\nOh yeah, how did they weigh it? Who took it away? 1332407360 +I agree with the bulk of your post, but it's worth pointing out that it's not at all hard for a democracy to revert to tyranny. It's happened *many* times during the course of history. Iran, for example, went from tyranny to democracy and back no less than 3 times over just the past 100 years. 1283562791 +Jebus!! he almost got more negative karma than the 9/11 truther in just one post about gay marriage. 1243479319 +Yes I agree to a certain extent. I'm just disagreeing with your first point that stated there is no physical or biological difference between the races. As for sports, it's probably a mixure of cultural factors, environmental factors, and physical differences that leads to the disparity among black and white athletes at the highest level in the 100m sprinting and swimming events. 1345157745 +Couldn't stop reading it as "Biotch" so I gave up.. 1333479949 +Edit:this is a quote from dr strangelove. One character believes that fluoride is a communist plot to destroy America. This line is from the message he leaves as he launches wwiii. \n\nGod willing, we will prevail, in peace and freedom from fear, and in true health, through the purity and essence of our natural... fluids. God bless you all. 1305202943 +Anecdotes aren't much 'round here (and for good reason), but when I was a youngster, I used to describe being in Las Vegas. In my description, I depicted "dancers" as well as a variety of gambling related ideas. My parents occasionally joke to this day that they seriously considered that it was reincarnation. I assume they ignored the part where everyone was a dolphin. 1323490546 +I guess we have different approaches, then. I genuinely want to help people with ideas like this. I think the world would be a better place if less people believed in things like homeopathy and holocaust denial, which is why I try to actually prove them wrong when I can. \n\nMany people just simply never had their beliefs challenged. It might be that that's all it takes to show them the way. But you can try dismissing them with nothing and downvoting them. That'll show them. 1356376842 +Linking to IONS, a completely pseudo-scientific organization in an answer to a question in /r/skeptic shows a bit of a misunderstanding about what /r/skeptic is about. 1347818221 +Ask him if he realizes Atlas Shrugged is fiction. 1351452239 +I understand where your source of frustration may be coming from with this. I'm sure it seems counter-intuitive to join a subreddit dedicated to the paranormal and have people surprised when a story, picture soundclip, etc isn't normal. Despite that being the nature of the topic.\n\nHowever, I do think a healthy dose of skepticism is practical to employ with any amount of evidence. Maybe calling something out is a fake immediately isn't a good method. But going through possible explanations or rational thought shouldn't be put to the side just to appease people into thinking we're being open-minded.\n\nIf the people interested in the paranormal want more recognition and respect, they have to understand that their evidence will be going through a good deal of scrutiny. Obviously every criticism should come with a grain of salt. But, rational discussion can only help. 1353506683 +>"freak the fuck out" and "**near** dead," \n\n"Near death" is not even close to "death". It is actually still the opposite.\n\nSo, "near death" and "freak the fuck out" are not mutually exclusive. 1351702348 +I would reckon that studying a person's handwriting could yield clues about a person's state of mind much like body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, etc. Its probably not a stretch that some people will turn this into flim-flam though. Do you have a link to the James Randi video? I'd be interested in seeing it. 1247471103 +May well be bullshit, very true. I would absolutely LOVE to see them prove Hoagland correct though. 1335880120 +This is false 1348482200 +Either case, I think there are better examples to be used in this context.\n\nThe memories of 9/11 were only remembered this way because that's how they are useful to us. \n\nWe know for a fact that the second plane hit just a few minutes later, so we essentially fuse the memories of the clips as being seen one after another. As far as we're concerned, the events are an undeniable truth, so why separate the two in our minds? (I think is statistically likely both clips were spread to many people the same day, to spite that they state the lack of "media" coverage)\n\nMe, I really don't remember much much but sitting on my couch seeing a plane hit a building on tv and lots of smoke. Then I went to school and teachers were gloomy.\n\nI have detailed images of this in my mind, but they are way too blurry to explain with certainty in words. \n\nThat's where lies the truth. Once it's been "communicated", your experienced reality is simplified, generalized and amplified; words encompass meaning, truth, and fact in a way that can distort one's perception of an event; internally and externally. Lending truth to your words is your thirst for that very truth, the desire to be right, to know, to find answers to unanswered questions, and that's one thing we've become quite adept at doing when questions are asked. In fact, the very nature of being human forces us to seek these answers; and when a plausible one is found, we often stick to it for mere adhesion to knowledge.\n\nThe truly inquisitive mind can be seen as counter-productive to most, which is often overlooked in choosing a judge. They are not trained to ask questions, they are trained to examine evidence, and make decisions based off the information provided to them by a second party, in this case a lawyer; now a personal connection is bypassed and they are speaking to the "be all and end all" of fact givers and straightforward statements: those crafted in a way as to *not* need to ask questions. Why question evidence if the evidence we have works for our purposes? \n\nLet's examine the purposes of this particular trial:\n\n1. to incarcerate the person guilty of shooting the father, to bring **justice**\n\n2. to bring peace of mind to the 6 (or 5?) kids who witnessed the crime\n\n3. to ensure the public knows it's safe to go outside **now**, as soon as possible\n\n4. to be satisfied with a verdict (in other words, to officially confirm truth of evidence laid out)\n\n5. to get to the next case\n\n6. to go home, sleep well; knowing the attacker is behind bars and you've done your job\n\n* to serve justice, of course\n\n\nIn his main example, he references the (wrongly) accused suspect of being chosen by confirmation bias, though this is barely touched on. The kid was:\n\n\n- 17 years old: their age\n\n- had a brown complexion\n\n- was part of a list of convicted felons/gang members\n\n\nMeaning, that through confirmation bias (amount of times someone has seen something before, and amount they are likely to choose it), the kid who lived just a few blocks away could have been seen, if not many times already by the victims, even unconsciously.\n\nSo to put confirmation bias in action:\n\n* we thirst for justice\n* we want to feel safe\n* we have the authoritative power to help us do so\n* we have a chance to identify the killer through pictures\n* we have a face, that ends up being from around the neighborhood who has been in trouble before\n* we believe our eyes so eyewitness testimony is seen as being among the most truthful\n* what we see is what we get, and we are happy to confirm it\n* we have official people saying official things that leave no room for questioning, because the job needs to get done\n* we are reluctant to deny the truths set before us, consciously and unconsciously, because our achievements have already been fulfilled\n\nThe example of how most people remember the 9/11 clips to be on the same day is just a really crass example of something much greater. He barely shines significance in his statement of *distorted* memories.\n\nInteresting talk, good domain (forensics or whatnot) but would be much better suited with examples other than 9/11 clip time distortion. 1347390395 +My dad continues to exist that homeopathy worked on me as a child, but as soon as I started reading in to how it worked and questioning it, it somehow lost its healing power. It's as if the magic disappeared! 1301742488 +does this translate to "the powers that be say it will be alright to tell you about ets by the year 2036"? 1341794323 +If you read his explanation, that's kind of his whole point. 1352075786 +UFO phenomena does not go against everything we know about physics. There are only a couple of basic objections to the ETH: problem of long distance travel vs relativity, and the lack of measurable proof for aliens visiting Earth. The former is just a technology issue, physics allows for other exotic travel technologies. The latter is a lack of supportive evidence. \n\nThere's nothing in the ETH that is inherently impossible, regarding our understanding of science, it is just very unlikely. 1329309011 +I'm still very skeptical of government subsidies and 'carbon-trading' schemes. 1349278137 +Yes, good non woo book. 1295148517 +>I wouldn't say communism is a failed economic system, because, and I know this is always the answer to this question, it has never been tried.\n\nThis is something that I would just outright disagree with though.\n\nI think it has been tried, multiple times, China, Russia, North Korea, India, and some other places.\n\nCommunism has been tried just as much as say Christianity has been tried. There are plenty of Christians who also claim that Christianity has never really been tried.\n\nThe problem is that not everyone in a large group like a nation, wants the same things. Coupled with the fact that much of our behaviour is the result of brains that have been programmed by selfish genes, that have been selected by natural selection, and I don't think that any of the far Left political systems can work. That may be unfortunate, but what I may wish could be true and what I think *is* true can be very different things.\n\nChomsky, who is an anarchist, *seems to* reject the idea that much of human behaviour is the result of natural selection, I suspect this is quite an important factor in why he has the political beliefs that he does. Note I said he "seems to" above, what he certainly does and admits to, is he maintains a militant agnosticism on whether the human language ability is the result of natural selection or not, and I believe that this has further effects on his view of human nature in general. 1310985646 +You did the right thing. 1309552391 +To be fair normal "Water" is tainted by deuterium, meaning some "Water" is actually D2O rather than the H20 some claim 1303522765 +I think Phil Schneider is very interesting as hell but taken well with some salt. 1351708155 +I got a blister on my right foot while walking in 95 degree heat for 4 miles today and I didn't even need to pay Tony Robbins $4000 for the privilege. 1342919087 +>Advanced alien technology is just as good of an explanation as "hey, don't underestimate ancient people, they were really smart!"\n\nAdvanced alien technology is not "just as good of an explanation" as saying "we don't know," because *we don't actually know*, and that's the only honest answer there is, and it's perfectly okay to leave it at that. Nothing about it demands an extraterrestrial influence, or even existence.\n\nIf you want to speculate, that's fine, but don't present it as equivalent in probability to them being man-made and expect that to go unchallenged. Why? Because we have no idea if there's life elsewhere in the universe. We're talking about the 10th floor when the first floor isn't even finished yet. 1343963107 +As I was reading the parts about the inefficiencies in each species due to them being built on older designs rather than an intelligent designer, I couldn't help but think of my job. \n\nAs a programmer, I am constantly tasked with adding improvements to a system that reeks of outdated design principles and laziness. I will improve and update some of the areas I work with, but due to time constraints and my own laziness, sometimes I'll just hack in a fix as quickly as possible. Sometimes I'll even be working on my own code and I'll wonder why the hell I did what I did.\n\nThe fact that there are millions upon millions of weirdly inefficient designs in species all over the world does seem to disprove the concept of a single supremely intelligent, omnipotent designer. However, it doesn't disprove the concept of a handful of flawed gods. Maybe the Greeks had it right after all... 1308713413 +Good that you're skeptical of any one who dares to question your self-deluded beliefs, however, bad that you're so totally unaware of Paul's history.\n\nThe truth remains the truth whether you choose to believe it or not, deal with that! 1326836746 +He says they bribe all the world governments to go along with their master plan. 1347647917 +Obviously it's horrific when people try to justify religious based opinions like "curing the gays."\n\nHowever, do we actually have any evidence yet of whether homosexuality truly is genetic or could it be the result of other (unconscious or conscious) factors as well? Or option x?\n\nJust curious. People throw out things like "born with it" but as far as I've read, we don't actually know if that's true.\n\nJust to be clear, the origin of it ought to have no bearing on whether they 'should' exist or not, just curious for the sake of curiosity. 1337895894 +> He can't see the humor though, because of course his is real. In one sentence he heckles garbage like crystals and zero point energy, and in the next says that masters absorb positive energy from the sun and negative energy from the earth. \n\nThat's predominantly the situation with woo people nowadays, they very proudly list all the things they don't believe in, sometimes along with the reasons and the fallacies behind the wrong beliefs, and then go ahead and believe in their own crazy thing for same or a bit different but equally wrong reasons. 1349044572 +Are you talking about recording for-use-in-a-court-of-law or just recording for-notes/personal-use. I would make the recording and just anonymously release the damn thing. 1345431061 +Holy FUCKING shit dude. 1350196530 +> What's the deal with the limits that appear to be placed on skepticism? If I'm skeptical of things that the alleged experts aren't skeptical of, I'm labeled "radical"; what's up with that?\n\nIf you are 'skeptical' of evolution or AGW or that smoking causes cancer you are not skeptical at all, you are just another retard which chooses to neglect the huge amount of evidence ... 1329641624 +god damn that makes me cringe 1354136101 +>He could potentially have developed some kind of photosynthesis\n\nTHIS. It's the clearest case of red-meat photosynthesis I've ever seen. 1350318341 +I'm a plus member. Hi Ben and Aaron and also the new guy, who's name is escaping me. 1344478326 +You forgot the Black Helicopters, Gnomes of Zurich and The Illuminati 1334502789 +Yah I get the purpose of it. It'd be cool if OP posted the final results of his/her work when it is all said and done so we could all see what the thesis is. 1351539932 +If you are getting any moral guidance from any of the popular religious texts, you are going to have a bad time. I can show you passages in almost all of them that condone slavery and second class status for women, and death for homosexuals. These texts would better serve humanity as fuel to keep the electricity flowing before they should be used as guidance of any kind. \n\nThere might have been a time in human history when these texts provided a necessary infrastructure for human civilization instead of chaos, but that time has long past. 1349817244 +You don't have to. It's just about understanding scientific methodology. Someone with no knowledge of chemistry, pharmacology, or even biology should be able to read the studies and not fall for Jenny's crap. 1242485652 +The guy sounds like something from family guy 1303158552 +Thanks, though even that one gives little except for adding the blog author's opinions. 1327568011 +Study: Doctors are Third Leading Cause of Death in U.S.\n\nhttp://www.mishkindlaw.com/blog/2012/03/doctors-are-the-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-america.shtml\n\n*edit* The Original Article: Is US Health Really the Best in the World? By: Barbara Starfield, M.D. (2000)\n\nhttp://www.jhsph.edu/sebin/s/k/2000_JAMA_Starfield.pdf 1350823323 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h02a2HSB58M&feature=related\n\nFirst thing came to mind. 1334268092 +Some people should never see a Tesla coil in action. It gives them the wrong ideas. 1328317577 +>"Chiropractors have found in every disease that is supposed to be contagious, a cause in the spine. In the spinal column we will find a subluxation that corresponds to every type of disease. If we had one hundred cases of small-pox, I can prove to you where, in one, you will find a subluxation and you will find the same conditions in the other ninety-nine. I adjust one and return his functions to normal... . There is no contagious disease... . There is no infection... . There is a cause internal to man that makes of his body in a certain spot, more or less a breeding ground [for microbes]. It is a place where they can multiply, propagate, and then because they become so many they are classed as a cause."\n\n- B.J. Palmer, The Philosophy of Chiropractic, 1339183772 +Ha! Awesome, except that the actors look so much more tan & wrinkled.\n\nActors must hate HD...\n\n 1345771109 +i thought that at first but the head is way too weird unless its some sort of mutant 1343497221 +I'll never understand why, when a person considers himself both anti-nuclear *and* anti-coal, he proceeds to, you know, use electricity anyway.\n\nI guess what I'm saying is maybe this Joe Rogan guy should turn off his computer. 1337289181 +Yeah, blimps don't accelerate at incredible speeds, or travel at extremely high velocity. They also don't perform aerial maneuvers impossible by any known aircraft.\n\n\n 1311724996 +Admittedly, I do have a bias. I'd like to see some studies that show the negatives of marijuana use (aside from the recent 4chan "info graph" showing the dangers of marijuana injection.) However, I was also honestly curious to see if there was any valid research done on medical marijuana, as I had foolishly assumed it should be used medicinally without knowing that much about. Of course, being a former toker myself, the only side effects I can think of were excessive pizza consumption and compulsive napping. 1350617003 +Yes, if he was worth writing about while he was alive. I've heard that "messiah" figures were a dime a dozen in those days, so another one with a small cult following probably wouldn't have gotten much attention. Of course, your point *does* count as good evidence against this figure doing anything "supernatural". Something like walking on water *definitely* would have gotten the attention of the local historians. 1323039189 +It's an explanation from a team that works with the apparatus, not the government. I'm glad they at least cared to give an explanation. And FIY: US congress didn't exactly classify pizza as a vegetable, it's Reddit's over dramatization. 1327007512 +Very true - I definitely shouldn't use the beliefs of others to shape my own beliefs without first investigating on my own. 1299093884 +For your vaccines section I think you should include a few examples [like this](http://www.localnews8.com/news/Family-urges-community-to-get-pertussis-vaccination/-/308662/15329786/-/tvljcp/-/index.html). I know that this kind of story is not strong evidence, BUT the reason we're having this discussion is because one story about a kid with autism and the grief stricken parents just hoping to spread awareness about the risks of vaccines, can have more impact than all the double blind control trials in the world.\nYou should still have the data and hard science to back up any claims, but human stories like this that fall on the side of vaccines are seen far too infrequently.\nGreat idea with this.\nr/skepticsarsenal?\n\n\n 1341691363 +This is pretty awesome lol 1335841162 +homeopathy is the pre-scientific idea that a material or substance that produces a symptom in a healthy person, will cure that symptom in a person suffering from it. but first you have to use the magical properties of water memory (because it remembers everything that has ever been in it) and dilute that ingredient down to nothing. then you have homeopathy. *the more you know*... 1311057934 +...and just like with the Randi Prize, the excuses will fly.\n\nI like this approach. Very publicly, (hell, in an ad campaign), say something that would be outrageously libellous if the product had any merit whatsoever. Make it so public, and so outrageous that the company has no choice but to respond. By outrageous, I don't mean 'make shit up' I mean just dispute the efficacy of their product in colourful, yet accurate, terms. 1313677843 +glad you think so, I'm actually freaked the fuck out. 1355286725 +..and the person claiming defammation/etc [is also in the same State](http://www.nepadrdan.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=55)\n\nJust a question to clarify PComotose's comment. If the practise was in the UK, would they be able to lodge a claim in their jurisdiction? 1323908301 +actually, the study is a farce because the article *admits that it's BS!*\n\ngems like this:\n\n>The research isn't ironclad proof that the marijuana is to blame, and even if it is, the danger isn't overwhelming.\n\nand this:\n\n>Cortessis and her colleagues used data from 163 young men who had been diagnosed with testicular cancer and nearly 300 men in a comparison group without the disease. Both groups had been interviewed about their health and drug use between 1987 and 1994.\n\n463 people? wow, WHAT a cross section! /s\n\nwait, but here's the piece de resistance!\n\n>The new study is "interesting," said Carl van Walraven of the University of Ottawa in Canada, who has studied testicular cancer, but said it has a number of limitations. **For instance, it didn't find an increased risk among men with higher marijuana use, and it was relatively small.** [emphasis mine]\n\nb-b-b-BULLSHIT article. 1347388954 +Does that mean like, 78 out of 200 people surveyed? 1331489467 +i think this has happened to everyone i've talked to about it at least once. i can't remember specific occasions but as a kid i can recall it happening at least 3 times. it was really weird but i remember liking the idea of felling like i "skipped" the time it took to sleep, felt rested and could continue with a new day. 1334744388 +I dont think its just a matter of a single piece of evidence, its all the good/reliable and concrete evidence combined.\n\nHere is my biggest problem with complete skeptics! I talk to a lot of "science" savvy people, who say, "I don't even need to look at the evidence to know its a hoax or foolish." This is in the exact definition of a bad science. If you haven't at least spent the time to research it seriously, even humoring the possibility that it is true (as a good scientist would) you cannot even have an opinion on the matter, because your opinion holds no water from factual basis. Bad science all around! 1314328371 +>I do believe in ghosts/spirits whatever sort of name you choose to give them. I also communicate with them from time to time through the use of dowsing rods. Whether or not you believe me, I just want answers as to why this might be... I ended up speaking to this one male entity and the rods felt as though someone had a death grip on the ends of them, and on my wrists. I was still to communicate with them to get them to move the rods, but I want to know why this happened/what it means. I in no way felt threatened, just confused as to why this happens.\n\nYou have a fantasy-prone imagination, and that can affect you in a very real way when you actually believe the things that you claim that you believe. This is how voodoo can cause death. 1344266578 +Haha the OP hit the nail on the head but with religion people just want any kind of god to exist that they make it exist xD 1356046333 +For the lazy ones, here is a link thats starts when he says this: http://youtu.be/ekltAFvycSk?t=14m36s 1347120904 +And the internet proves again that context is relevant. 1290141402 +Is he wrong? 1337052494 +A quick search of their website revealed this:\n\n“Eze 8:1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me. “\n\nAnd in this installment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWpKsJLXBR4 the link to this: http://prophecy.foreverinchrist.org/the-great-deception-part-i-the-magnificient-lie-of-world-peace-religion/the-great-deception-part-4-the-age-of-deceit-and-the-extraterrestrial-connection-angels-vs-aliens-special-edition\n\nWoo Woo! I think I've seen enough. 1349294509 +thankyou. :> 1347299330 +Yeah... I couldn't figure out where it was. That site does have other articles about the ranch. I just don't know what is supposedly part two. 1335686305 +> I think it might have been called the COSMOS report or some such.\n\nI bet it was [the COMETA Report](http://archive.org/details/TheCometaReport). 1341089886 +I heard them telling the story to friends and family over the years, so if they were fucking with me they really took it to the next level.\n 1328395465 +actions that *may*, especially may since they believed they were helping, cause deadly harm, with a clear intent to not do so, is not the same thing as intending to cause deadly harm. Furthermore most of these stories involve couples avoiding medical treatment not to cause harm but b/c the risk associated with the procedure can be mitigated, and the illness solved by another avenue. It is just not the same thing. The word murder is thrown around a lot when it is not correct. All homicide is not murder. 1320368843 +Yes, the Skeptic movement, which is not in any way skeptical, is an example of Poe's Law. It's full of beliefs that are more dogma than rational skeptical thought. These beliefs are supported by scripted rhetoric and links to anonymous blogs, but not by skepticism. 1299035273 +[Mysterious Universe](http://www.mysteriousuniverse.org) is also my favourite. That being said, [Binall of America](http://binnallofamerica.com) is pretty good as well. They only do about a show a month (sometimes) and just closed the season but definitely worth a listen. I like [Red Ice Radio](http://redicecreations.com) as well though sometimes they have some pretty wild guests on there. It has also gotten to be mostly ancient history, new age and conspiracy theory lately though. It is similar to Coast to Coast but based out of Sweden. 1330022451 +The members of the UN should refuse to have sodium or chlorine in their houses, because they're dangerous chemicals.\n\nForever subject themselves to bland food, the ignorant fuckers. 1355848122 +Basically you're right. But, let's take the Terra Papers as the truth for example, even Enki (the one who made us upon his image) was trying to 'help' us through the Nazis. I wouldn't call this help or benevolence. 1336144736 +No, they are five years apart but it was almost the exact same sequence both times. I'm not sure if it'd be clinically classified as "severe" though (about one bump per square inch, more in heavy areas), neither was hospitalized though the mouth/throat one the doc were pretty close to it. Then it started to clear up again and it sorted itself out. They were given the shots in the same office by the same person though (i.e. same doctor/office that did pre/postnatal and delivery and a specific nurse my wife liked with the shots). I'm not 100% they were both indeed 4, one may have been 5. I'm a little fuzzy on the details since it was quite a while ago with the first one.\n\nI was kind of wondering if it was something genetic, though I had extremely mild chickenpox (like two bumps) when I was two and my wife has never had it but appears immune (she's been around siblings with it and our two without effect). I mostly chalked it up to not having completed the two-shot series and never really looked into it - having a kid with chickenpox doesn't bring out your desire to figure out why they got it and after it was over (each time) I never got around to it. 1320691415 +If you could get past your adhd for 10 seconds you could watch the fucking experiment performed live here:\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRsNh0eB-Io 1350232360 +So we can pound down energy drinks? And skip the kale? 1339632402 +you're a genius. \n 1311185791 +I always liked the idea of seating congress based on who contributed to their campaign. The oil industry section, the health care provider section, the health insurance section, drug companies section...\n\nThat would be a cool web app. where you can see how politicians vote broken down not by party but by campaign contributions. 1304312476 +Unless we are talking about a stationary object that changes shape constantly, location is of little significance. Date also is of little significance.\n\nBut 3 of us, saw an object in the sky that looked the fucking same, maybe it was a different ship, but they were both built by the same company - **THAT** I can be almost positive of.\n\nThere is shit out there you can't even put your head around - I myself couldn't either, had I not experienced it first hand.\n\nBack to your reply. But both your points are invalid, as we are discussing an object that was neither stationary, or only in existence for one point in time.\n\n 1312013142 +Oh, my, god\n\nThe degree to which this guy takes scientific evidence, ignores it, and spews complicated-sounding and largely nonsensical jargon to justify his religiously motivated beliefs is astounding.\n\nEverything he says about scientific theory in this piece is wrong. 1341472920 +That is an awesome sweet brain glitch, and I'm really into those and brain theory. I think there may be a subreddit for these (and if there is I would also like to know) but this subreddit is for reality glitches. Mostly on the science end of the fantasy scale. Dimension hopping, time travel, lost time, matrix like glitches. Cool story though :) 1354366190 +It's worth noting (and I don't mean this in an Ad hominem attack way, but in a context way) that Herbert Benson has committed his entire career to mind/body studies, and so his stamp of approval does not compel me as much as a more traditionally-minded researchers would. 1348971096 +Cite please (this is r/skeptic, after all - I don't think we should ever hear the phrase "I assure you" without evidence in the post) 1310576399 +Hey [Look what I found](http://www.quackwatch.org/06ResearchProjects/amen.html)\n\n* Edit: So his *procedures* are considered experimental, not proven. *That's* what it means. 1312135330 +It sounds like a Furby that's low on batteries. 1323538033 +Actually, Immanuel Kant was a real pissant who was very rarely stable ... 1304748406 +I lost weight when I stopped eating pizza. That is to say, I lost weight when I stopped eating junk food. Now I still easy to satiety but I eat whole nutrient sense foods so that my body feels adequately satisfied before I eat too much. 1326224267 +How does eating properly and getting enough sleep not help your immune system?\n\n 1296333793 +'Cos this is r/skeptic and I believe we should hold ourselves to a higher standard, I'd like to ask you to defend your accusation of strawmanning. Headfull stated an anecdote about knowing some Muslims who aren't jerks -- that's great, I believe him, and while I do not necessarily believe all or even a majority of Muslims *are* jerks, an anecdote is not the way to prove that. Dezmo stated a similar anecdote, that he knows some non-violent racists, but highlights the fact that this *doesn't* serve as any sort of proof as to whether racists are, by and large, violent or not.\n\n*Is* it a strawman? Perhaps *I'm* wrong, but I see this accusation fly around far more often than I think it applies.\n\nAs a side note: as far as (*certain*) Muslims behaving badly 'cos of current events in the Middle East, I would be very interested to see an attempt to prove that it was intervention from the West and the strife it caused that led to, say, the institutionalized misogyny rife in Islamic cultures. The Taliban murdering young girls and the teachers who dared to teach them, or Saudi decency police that allowed the deaths of young women 'cos it would have been shameful to allow them to flee the burning building without being fully covered. 1347467951 +Isn't a little cold in Denver this time of year for bugs? I live in Ohio and the bugs have been gone for a few weeks. 1353120056 +I lost respect for him when his last season of celebrity rehab was people "addicted" to marijuana. Give me a fucking break. 1316280933 +After watching a bunch of BBC lately, it is clear that we still are #2 in English.\n\n\nYes that's a poop joke. 1296214123 +Nothing personal. It just seems to be an overwhelming trend here lately to voice skepticism without presenting any facts to dispute any given subject. As skeptics it's our duty to focus upon facts IMO. 1338592209 +I think I want the recipe for that seafood stew pictured in the wiki article. 1297119048 +Yeah, most of them really look like double-exposures. Hoaxsters are not a modern phenomenon. If you are really critical, taking the images at face value and ignoring the lore, then it's hard to take a lot of these seriously. \n\nNot to say they aren't cool pictures, most are well done and enjoyable on their own merits, but they aren't exactly compelling proof of 'ghosts' either. 1338996044 +You live in China and you aren't aware that what you said is BS? And you're a teacher? And you call us the land of superstition and stupidity? \n\nWhat?\n\n 1304144267 +I agree with this. 1354540529 +These drugs are going to have a lot of side effects; They always do.\n\nThere's also the risk of drug dependency. For example, if you're an avid coffee drinker, you'll gradually become resistant to caffine. You'll ultamately need to have coffee just to function as you would normally. You'll need to drink even more to get the same caffine buzz as you did when you started.\n\nThat being said, I'm not concerned with people having an "unfair advantage" because of these drugs. Let's not confuse concentration with intelligence. 1287811706 +> or is the show presented to attract an uncritical, sheeplike audience?\n\nIt's daytime tv. 1326840648 +Thanks for that, as I'm living in China it's something I'll need to try to be aware of. Though I've already told my wife I don't want her to give our daughter Chinese "medicine". Just tried to bring her attention to this and she just started screaming at me, saying that I say all Chinese medicine is bad (irrational emotional woman, never listens to what I'm actually saying which is that most of it hasn't been properly tested). 1333938905 +The good gamblers use logic and reason while taking advantage of other's superstitions 1356847843 +Governments are made up of people, and people lie sometimes.\n\nHowever, the more people are required to be "in" on the lie, the more likely it is to come out, and, following from that, the less likely it is to be a lie. 1348017787 +Single-page view:\n\nhttp://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110112/NEWS03/101120405/1319/Family-to-get-1.8-million-in-dads-jailing-teens-false-sex-assault-interrogation&template=fullarticle 1294929284 +Try http://sciencebasedmedicine.org/reference/homeopathy/ 1268916253 +Why does a government studying something lend credit to that phenomenon being "proven"? Governments study everything, especially the military and intelligence sides which explore all kinds of crazy situations and hypothetical possibilities. I'm sure the military of every major country has a plan in case of alien invasion on the books somewhere, but that doesn't mean anyone is actually *expecting* such a thing to happen.\n\nAnd I don't think any serious skeptics are claiming that there aren't observed phenomenon that we don't fully understand. But it doesn't seem like there are amazing feats of technology or anything that would be all that earth-shattering if it *was* understood. After all, up to this point everything that humanity has ever claimed as supernatural or other-worldly has, after investigation, turned out to be "not magic". 1339077414 +I don't see where this is facilitated at all. Maybe her condition is exaggerated but she seems to be typing on her own. There are other videos in which you can watch her type. Unless it is her TWIN! 1326635652 +I do too, and I agree! 1314277864 +Awesome article, thank you\n 1342820936 +I want super speed. 1273783948 +Georgia State had him speak on campus last semester. When I saw the sign I was seething with anger for the rest of the day. :sigh: 1339900522 +If you don't know what [natural selection](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_selection) is, you aren't equipped to be in this discussion. 1329574432 +The cost is ridiculous though, I agree. 1316315193 +Well, we're not there yet, not even close. 1290054403 +I was in a car wreck at an odd angle. Because of the angle the seatbelts didn't lock. It caused pain just below the shoulder blades.\n\nI asked my doctor about a good non-BS chiro, and so I saw them. They did x-rays, which showed even to my untrained eye an unnatural twist and misalignment down the middle of my spine. Went three times in a week ... got electro massage then adjusted and that was it. The adjustment that twisted the spine back around gave me instant relief. It was great.\n\nThe only caveat I can offer is to watch your posture after going to a chiro. It seemed for awhile I was a bit more "fluid" and could get uncomfortable and even dull muscle pain alot easier from bad posture.\n\nAny chiro claiming to do anything other than treat pain caused from spinal misalignment and the associated muscle fatigue is of course a BS'er.\n\nPenn & Teller did a good episode of Bullsh*t that had chiro in it. 1301901462 +Unhelpful? How about a halfway useful retort?\n\n"Please, whatever you do just make sure they aren't taking advantage of you in this terrible time. There are people who do exactly that and make a fortune doing so. I'm not saying these guys are trying to scam you but make sure you have done some real good background research on them before giving any money - and try to make sure you listen to the bad reviews as well as the good ones. \n\nHope everything turns out as well as can be for you all." 1356574041 +I recently noticed that there's a homeopathy section in my local mega-supermarket. I had a glance through it, and virtually all the preparations were in pill form.\n\nNow, I could at least understand (however ridiculous it is) if homeopaths truly believed in "water memory" and whatever quantum nonsense they use to support that explanation. But if they're going to start defending "pill memory," I can't really credit them with any intelligence whatsoever.\n\nI think most people who buy homeopathic remedies have no idea what they're buying. I suspect most of them conflate it with naturopathy. 1291330881 +http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Rutledge&sts=t&tn=Project+Identification \n\nI ordered one through an abebooks seller a few months ago and didn't have any troubles. If they won't ship international and you'd like me to help with that - I'd be only too happy to. It's a Very interesting book. 1355011689 +Good concept. You should start working on fundamentals and take your [skills to the next level.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd8UJC6V_L4) 1338820044 +He's actually being massively upvoted for saying this insane bollocks. I didn't think IAmA had fallen this low. 1345558907 +I wonder if the weight loss bit is truth and if that is the result of either eating more none-digestable stuff, or because it is slicing up and damaging the cells in your gut that are supposed to be digesting your food.\n\nHonestly, I would rather eat more fiber. It's part of our normal diet and comes naturally in all sorts of tasty fruits, vegetables & whole grains. 1324778627 +So this kid had medical issues from birth, had a medical condition inconsistent with a reaction to the HepB vaccine, and died after receiving an antibiotic which he was allergic to, and the parents conclude that the HepB vaccine is what killed him? 1319559663 +hey right on; identical poster to mine. I got it back in '97 - you? 1336497487 +I'm in NC, too. Do what I'm about to do & contact your state reps. It's not passed yet. It's in the committee for Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources. \n\nGo [here](https://www.ncsbe.gov/voterlookup.aspx) to find out what district you are in.\n\nThen go [here](http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/memberList.pl?sChamber=House) to find out who your rep is.\n\nBonus points if your rep is on [the right committee](http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/committees/Committees.asp?sAction=ViewCommittee&sActionDetails=Senate%20Standing_66)\n\n*edit - read the bill first. 1338849519 +> I would like nothing more than for "political skeptics" to stop trying to argue that AGW theory is false when they don't have any evidence to support that assertion.\n\nThis isn't even a case of arguing it is false. Where you got that from, I don't know. I'm merely stating that it isn't **incontrovertible**. Nor do I know where you got \n\n>Maybe it does, but your past history of attacking AGW theory without solid evidence to back your position leads me to believe otherwise.\n\nIf your first instinct to any question is to reply with vicious ad hominem attacks then you've already turned it into politics. Or religion. \n\nAnyway, since you'll do nothing but downmod and call me names I have no interest in continuing this thread. 1328289253 +Roman Catholic. I have had paranormal experiences, both religious and "haunting" type. I'm a Pisces, so I'm a very sensitive and empathic person. I don't know if it has anything to do with it. The more things happen, the more I believe in my faith. Chip Coffey is Catholic, so that's gotta tell you something. 1345668556 +You probably won't find any. Most scientific studies that have been done on Chiropractic have found that even the most popular results are more likely due to placebo than anything the chiropractor does. In this brand of alt-medicine, anecdotes is pretty well all they have to go on. 1302856026 +Annoyingly the wikipedia article on Jonathan Swift mentions nothing about his religious beliefs it seems. 1294151742 +If I knew how to change it, I wouldn't be just complaining with this post :/ 1319820711 +Thanks for the long and informative post! 1346750420 +I am not entirely incorrect although I do regret implying that carbs were the direct cause of diabetes. But I am correct in pointing out the intimate relationship between over consumption of carbs and onset of type II diabetes. \n\nThe truth is, if your diet consists of only white bread and pasta, and you are consuming these things in large amounts, you are at high risk of developing type II diabetes. 1345240435 +Yeah, that's a real big NOPE, SEE YA for me 1355045884 +I imagine it going something like this:\n\n*The following script is required by the State of Kansas. It is complete bullshit, and not based in any scientific research.*\n 1336370632 +Not really. "He's the guy and you'll be together forever" doesn't bar any number of possible pregnancy-inducing situations. Plenty of married women get raped or have affairs, for example.\n\nA psychic telling a woman with a hysterectomy that she's going to bear children has disproven herself. Telling a fertile woman with a husband that's had a vasectomy that she will bear children proves nothing about the psychic.\n\n\nDo I think psychics are full of it? Yep. I've never seen a scientific study that supported belief in psychic abilities. But sorry, this incident is just not the "smoking gun" the OP wants it to be.\n 1314329508 +In response to the title. Yes, yes obviously. Unidentified means we don't know what the fuck it is. Like we know everything there is to know. I mean, come on. 1350764720 +It was a virginity spot for men. Dunno about you, but I don't have a hymen... or a spot that I'd be willing to have a speculum shoved into... 1278217130 +You're right, making you look like an idiot is too easy. Looking at your posting history, I can see you're the oblivious kind of stupid, too - the best kind!\n\nAllez, j'ai assez ri de toi pour une soirée. Essaye de te rappeler de respirer! 1348462302 +Thanks for this. Signed. 1267767490 +Without a doubt the on-board propulsion systems will affect ice particles nearby, but if you look at the [STS-114 footage](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcaWQUE-lZQ), the moment isn't sudden which is what we would likely see if the object was effected by a short burst from the propulsion system. 1305747276 +I randomly decided to watch Larry King one day and tuned in to this.\n\nI was outraged. 1324617724 +but if you stack enough cow pies onto a large enough pile, you end up with a diamond, right?\n\nthe plural of anecdote is data, right? 1341154705 +Laughing like a bunch of wealthy aristocrats with fat cigars in the smoke-filled drawing room at the summer retreat. 1315092856 +skeptic is wrong on building a 7. That is what scares me. 1315532257 +I'm not talking about Astral Projection, I'm talking about medicines that Pharm companies think will work, or have worked in early stage trials, that the governemnt won't let consumers purhcase and use. I know it's just an anecdote and kind of going against my argument, but you've heard of [Lorenzo's Oil](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusto_and_Michaela_Odone) yes? 1306189792 +No harm in placebo healing? Okay, let me cut your arm a little bit with this knife I've just dipped in sewer sludge, and you go ahead and wear your energy bracelet to make the infectious booboo go away. No cheating with medicine, okay? 1353627038 +Have hope! It's still within the realm of possibility that we'll screw up sometime next year and destroy the planet! 1324245184 +Not planning on perusing through Skepchick until I catch wind of the next inevitable meltdown that occurs. The best example is the entire elevator thing. Then there's her boycotting of Dawkins, and the antagonistic, sanctimonious way she approaches any gender issue. 1344534487 +This is a great comment. One thing I'd add is that large sample sizes are also better at hiding small effect sizes. If you've got a sample of say 20 people, you need a much larger effect size to find significance than a sample of 200. What that means is that you can find studies that have statistically significant results due to their excellent sample size but really tell you nothing because of the tiny effect size.\n\ntl;dr always look at the effect size. 1349994129 +You're not seriously comparing Watson to Hitchens, are you? \n\nYou give up all right to call yourself a "free thinker" when you act like a religious fundamentalist. 1321154382 +>Your confusing your sense of morality with mandate :) I have morals too, so I choose to help people. But following morality blindly is (often) bad business.....\n\nI agree. I was just matching the word choice. How about it's mandated by my ethics?\n\nAnd my point was that corporations aren't fit to replace many government institutions, but I feel we as citizens certainly are. Not everything needs to be replaced with what we consider a corporation. 1341025939 +In response I would direct your attention to the right and some directives on what should be posted here. Specifically check the This might help link. I think if luminaries like James Randi, Martin Gardner, Carl Sagan, Brian Dunning, the folks at CSIcop, Ray Hyman, and many more find it to be a worthwhile endeavor to point out the trickery, cheap parlor tricks so called psychics, telekenetics (which this guy claims to be), and "power of the mind" peddlers, then I think posting a jerk like this to a skeptic subreddit is a worthwhile endeavor. \n\nNot to mention you get entertaining stuff like this [skeptical magician owning a so called "psychic"](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQU4ohwvYjY). 1346386372 +I think it's a twitter post by a celebrity that belongs in a certain subreddit that I cannot bring myself to even name. 1338022882 +why not?! 1354720635 +Although you have to give a guy credit for sheer balls when he argues from authority in the same breath with which he admits that the brain of the authority in question was being eaten by bacteria at the time... 1349732598 +Bwahhahahahaa!\n\nSo. Notable changes in long-established weather patterns, eh? Couldn't possibly be scientifically verified climate change brought about by a global increase in temperature resulting from human activities, could it?\n\nOh, no. My bad. That's unpossible. I shoulda known all along: it's Sekrit Gummint Conspirussy Stuffs.\n\nLovely. 1331017339 +I partially agree with you here, though I am inclined to believe that the *craft* is not a craft at all, but a being itself. 1342527623 +It is baffling that this guy is still around after Randi destroyed him. 1307633720 +Its a chemical imbalance. I get them when I forget to take certain medication but you can get it from drinking, drugs or just having a cold. I can't recall the exact name now but I sometimes call it the "jjjing", which is fitting I think ;). It can happen at any time and more than once during the day. It is completely harmless but it can throw you off kilter, it is as if the world slips for a moment. Not to mix up with "exploding head syndrome", which is more harsh and usually occurs when in bed. 1352038877 +I am aware. 1356313006 +Thanks for mentioning the soap, DBE- I'd heard this alot in the media and it made cursory sense without knowing the biochemical specifics- so I was operating under that mistaken impression as well. 1333087504 +I'm not sure why this is in /r/skeptic. /r/science covered it already. It's remarkably easy to kill cancer in a petri dish. Bleach will work just fine. The trick is getting something into the human body that won't be destroyed by the immune system, and won't destroy the human body in the process.\n\n**Edit** I'm getting some criticism for what I posted, so I'll try to clarify a little bit. The implication from the article is that there is a new cure for cancer on the horizon but *for some reason* it's being held down (by Big Pharma, perhaps?), which are two things which should raise red flags for any skeptic. All in all, this "cure" seems like a legitimate line of inquiry which needs more work, and may or may not pan out. I was just curious about why it's in *this* subreddit. 1346526718 +Useful for a "blow" does not translate well into American : ) 1297939621 +ask him how many people have is birthday? and of those how many live in the third world? And how many of them became engineers? 1309490993 +Then put them in a cage match and eat whichever one wins. 1349192284 +Thank you for that awesome explanation! 1314410452 +takes a lot of humility to apologize publicly. i don't agree with his beliefs, but i commend him anyways. /salute 1322692352 +I can't. It requires doctors lie to their patients which undermine trust in doctors. 1332263457 +I just ordered the book on the strength of her rebuttal ... I'm looking forward to reading it. 1283988549 +If my buddy was drunk and not paying attention I'd be saying the same thing. Hid buddy taylor just wants to nap he don't give two fucks about the ufos when he's got 8 beers in em. 1350800735 +Salman Rushdie is still alive. 1345476376 +First investigation with KYGP. I look forward to upcoming investigations. 1348325063 +>... And both see a small group of families, including the Rockefellers and Rothschilds, as behind an utterly malevolent conspiracy seeking total global domination. \n\nUmmm...\n\n>“For more than a century, ideological extremists at either end of the political spectrum have seized upon well-publicized incidents such as my encounter with Castro to attack the Rockefeller family for the inordinate influence they claim we wield over American political and economic institutions. Some even believe we are part of a secret cabal working against the best interests of the United States, characterizing my family and me as ‘internationalists’ and of conspiring with others around the world to build a more integrated global political and economic structure – one world, if you will. If that is the charge, I stand guilty, and I am proud of it.” – From Rockefeller’s “Memoirs”, (p.405).\n\nSorry if people really believe things aren't being decided for us...\n\n 1342241483 +I wouldn't even know about anyone else, I hated them. Tell a bunch of kids that they're better than the other kids and stick them all in a room together, they tend to be snobs. 1326489484 +Ah yes, I live on planet earth. We are quite an ignorant planet ;) ... when our governments put together budgets, people get angry at millions of dollars spent, but ignore when they spend billions. 1311942591 +http://www.reddit.com/r/Libertarian/comments/hi28s/should_rskeptic_be_renamed_rnannystate_do_people/c1vm01p\n\nTo put it lighty: crazy fuckers. 1306192502 +Thanks, I saw these come by too. Thought it would be bullhonkey. Now I know. 1338811876 +I'm interested too.. IAMA? :) 1350695739 +I thought smog increased albedo? 1328230600 +My favourite comeback for people who claim that being gay is a "choice" is to ask them: "Oh really? So when did you decide that you were straight?" 1322166928 +That is amazing that you knew this person's race and background just over the internet!! 1337738012 +They got a small amount of cash, which they needed to pay the lawyer bills. They consider their careers over, as there is only the one hospital in Kermit. The remaining money is less than the wages they will now not get. \n\nNo way can this be considered them getting cash. 1307418687 +Why wouldn't it? 1290719463 +Not making vaccinations mandatory means you are saying that people have the right to infect infants too young for vaccinations, the elderly, and immuno-compromised individuals with potentially lethal diseases. I don't see how you can justify that as an acceptable moral choice. 1303871478 +Have you had any nigtmares? 1344839024 +You think humanity is going to stop the collapse of the earth? You give to much credit to mankind. I'd like to know how the lakes that were present in historic egypt dried up? I bet all those damn 4x4 pickups and coal power plants did the trick. 1332286872 +Glorified masseuse. At best\nAt worse they're like the Reiki Woo fakers. Some are downright dangerous in their ignorance and disdainfulness for actual science and the medical establishment.\n\n 1291190725 +I saw a [PBS Frontline](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/vaccines/view/) report about vaccines (or rather anti-vaxxers) a while back and it mentioned that according to a study in Denmark the rate of autism is not, statistically different between vaccinated and un-vaccinated children. So, about the same. I don't know if there's a paper or published research that maybe someone could find and refer to.\n\nFrom the website of the episode:\n\n> "Scientifically, I think the matter is settled," says Anders Hviid, an epidemiologist at the Statens Serum Institut in Denmark. In one of the largest and most comprehensive epidemiological studies available, Hviid and colleagues analyzed data on more than a half million children and found no link between the MMR "triple shot" for measles, mumps and rubella and an increased rate of autism -- a link that's been strongly asserted for years by anti-vaccine activists. Similar epidemiological studies in Denmark also failed to reveal a link between the mercury preservative thimerosal and autism. In fact, around the world, peer-reviewed epidemiological studies have found no link between autism and either the MMR shot or thimerosal. 1303768580 +Then don't buy from that drugstore any more. How can you hold a pharmacy legally accountable for the products they sell, if they do what they say they do on the box? There's no bait and switch here. What's the line between approved and illegal merchandise? Is it FDA approval? What about supplements? Vitamins?\n\nEDIT: And don't get me wrong, I find the practice of putting Zicam and Airborne on the same shelf as Advil and Tylenol pretty horrible. But I can't see how any lawsuit would hold any water. 1329274004 +Sleep paralysis doesn't explain being immediately taken back down into the paralysis after continuing to pop out of it several times over. 1335549415 +I claim to be an atheist. Until a god is sufficiently defined and shown (through empirical evidence) to exist, there is no reason for me to believe that one exists. Everything throughout our human history that we've figured out to this point has been shown to have a natural origin, not a supernatural one. Until we find any evidence for anything supernatural, it's only right to assume that nothing supernatural actually exists, whether we can conceive of it or not. 1308271511 +So a couple of attacks on the integrity of the authors and a proclamation that it is wrong, but so far no comments about the actual data. Would that be because the data doesn't fit your world view? 1346859305 +It's about time! Poor woman. 1329247509 +I understand. If that is all that was going on here, I would understand. But as it has been repeatedly cited and shown in this thread, Celiac disease DOES cause depression. And a gluten-free diet DOES treat this. Thus, Gluten-Free IS a treatment for depression. All of that being said, I feel like you are missing the point of the comic. It's not even about a Gluten-Free diet. It's a commentary on the desperate and hopeless state of depression. This comic is sad. 1338555032 +...are you serious?\n 1307366859 +im trying to remember as i just woke up to it, i will post back when i found out what it was. 1330123989 +A nightmare is your best proof of paranormal activity? 1340697766 +Your not using your electrons correctly to make you happy.\n\nYou have to have them flowing through your vibrator. 1350442406 +Maybe it's a *Chinese missile.* Ya think? 1260581198 +Have the time the picture was taken now. Author says this shot was taken at 2PM.\n\n[This is the authors website](http://www.amanzafar.com/WTC/index.shtm). He is not a conspiracy theorist; just a photographer. I contacted him and he says his picture was taken at 2PM. The image is number one hundred five on his website, and they seem to be taken in progression. That image, happens to be the last image he took on 9/11, and he took many stunning pictures. [Here it is](http://www.amanzafar.com/WTC/wtc-110.jpg).\n\n[Original source for the image is NIST](http://web.archive.org/web/20110310012640/http://wtc.nist.gov/progress_report_june04/appendixl.pdf). I can't find it on their site now, but it's in the archive.org version of their site. I believe it's L-22a. They say the image was taken at about 2PM too, from a NYPD police helicopter.\n\n[Image is still being used by Popular Mechanics as of 2009](http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/engineering/4213805).\n\nSo, yeah, it seems like it's a faked image by NIST or the NYPD. Most likely NIST, because they had access to all the other pictures, and would know the least likely way to get caught. :( Sorry. 1315655925 +thank you kind sir 1344752725 +You fucking rock! 1335723203 +>global population continues to rise, famine is inevitable\n\nThey've been saying that since the 1850s. We weren't ever going to be able to feed more than a billion, then it was two, then three, we keep beating the odds. We keep finding more and more ways to grow more food, and population is leveling off in most of the world anyways. It's mostly Africa and a few other places that may not level off in a generation. 1343490210 +Well, as I mentioned with the procedural-generation thing, if there's a counterintuitive barrier to *perception* of reality (which also applies to the Uncertainty Principle, as well as the double-slit experiment), could that be explained by a limit to the processing resolution of a simulation? 1330294842 +To be fair the gerson therapy does not state that coffee enemas will remove cancer, instead they claim that some how the coffee is more effectively introduced into your blood stream and into the portal veins and then it cleanses out your liver allowing it to be more effective at its job. \n\nNow I could be wrong about it being taken up into the portal vein but we should be fair in describing how the treatment claims that it works. 1332541238 +All that fire and no smoke? Please explain to me how a fire can burn so hot and have no real smoke. Every window should be streaming smoke, wouldn't you agree. 1315508202 +Diploma mill will be diploma mill. 1283293770 + Project Blue book\n\nHave blue\n\nSport model\n\nMufon\n\nTower of babel\n\nGo! 1336025645 +nothing because neither of them work. so i guess now that i think about it, they aren't complete opposites. 1300740257 +>And to be frank, if you're going to "prescribe" homeopathic remedies, you need to "understand" homeopathic remedies. who's more effective at an exorcism - father Karas or some dude who looked it up on eHow?\n\nNo. Understanding homeopathy/excorsism doesn't do jack shit. The only thing that matters is that the one on receiving end *believes* it might work, which is easily achieved by putting on the clothes of a doctor/priest and *claiming* your remedies work. 1343331335 +edit: okay, been and checked the GDP figures and replaced with ones direct from the OECD stats.\n\nSo I spent a bit of time with this. I noticed that you could calculate the overall homicide rate from the data provided as it gave the percentage of murders by firearm as well as the firearm murder rate. So I did that and also reduced the data set to the OECD members (which is kind of arbitrary but does reasonably constrain the group to a certain level of economy and government).\n\nSo, here's the graph for the overall homicide rate versus firearm ownership for those nations: http://i.imgur.com/b1k6f.png\n\n...which seems to bust any idea that there's a clean relationship between people getting killed and people owning guns*.\n\nHowever, I'm sure nobody can fail to notice that the US is way out on the right and there's a group of countries separated off to the top. Call me crazy, but there seemed something obviously different about them other than their high murder rate. Following up on this, I plotted homicides against the GDP per Capita: http://i.imgur.com/goVPV.png\n\n...which is interesting and certainly shows a stronger relationship than gun ownership. Still, the US remains with a curiously elevated murder rate. So, one last graph - homicides versus the Gini Coefficient: http://i.imgur.com/yYUBt.png\n\n*To be clear, I'm not pro-gun. I've never owned one, probably never will and I'm quite happy living in countries where hand-guns and assault rifles aren't available to the general public. In particular, this is about overall murder rates, not spree killings. I suspect the data there would look different. 1355804368 +I would argue that it's deeply unethical to knowingly give someone who comes to you for medical care a placebo. What if they are seriously in need of actual medical care, you give them a placebo, they go home thinking they're going to be fine, and then they get worse because they weren't properly treated?\n\nRegardless of how economically feasible it is, it's pretty damned evil. If you don't have an actual treatment to help someone: TELL THEM THAT. You do not simply give them a sugar pill and tell them to go on their way. They need to be able to make informed decisions about their own treatment, and just because you couldn't find a treatment that could help them doesn't mean someone else couldn't.\n\nSo my argument is: who cares if it's worth investing resources into. It's **EVIL AS FUCK.** 1351945514 +why would a professional skeptic care about Pat Tillman or Jessica Lynch or any of these other political topics? Professional skeptics work with science, not hot-button political topics. 1285166659 +That may seem small, but if it's true that would be nuts! 1355921721 +I assure you I am telling the truth. The 2 people I did this with were friends with eachother. I had just met them a few weeks before. When I was the one asking questions there is no possible way they would have known the answers. One of the questions I asked I didn't even know the answer to. It wasn't until later when I asked my mother about it that I found out the board was right. I am very aware of the Penn and Teller show. I have seen that episode. However most people will do anything for their 15 minutes of fame. And when you're not truly a believer the Ouija board, for whatever reason, does not work properly. \n\nFor example: there was a 4th person with us the day we were debunking the Ouija board. They had the same mindset that you do. We finally convinced them to try it. When they had their hands on it, it just moved in very slow circles. They were convinced I was moving it (which I wasn't) and was even more convinced it was fake. 1324481835 +I think I want one of each. Mulder's and the newer version. \n\nStill have no idea why I've waited so long. 1336430548 +Yes, this is remarkably simple. Stand there and let other people make it all up for you. 1294702505 +This point may have already been brought up, so my apologies if it has, but with respect to the STD transmission claims, aside from whether or not the Africa studies were flawed, shouldn't we expect to see much higher STD rates in populations with very low circumcision rates (all other things being equal)? The STD argument seems to be the biggest element of this, but no one is making this comparison. According to [this paper](http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1352167), Denmark has a 1.6% circumcision rate, yet from all the sources I could find, their per capita AIDS infection rate is half the USA's. Granted, this is a single data point and doesn't *prove* anything (I couldn't find much reliable data on HPV, Herpes, etc. but I didn't look very hard), but with around ~70% snip rate in the US among potentially sexually active men (I'm basing this on neo-natal rates from 1980's and 1990's), this seems awfully fishy.\n\nOf course, this is happening in a country that in many areas still refuses to give kids any decent kind of sexual education in favor of abstinence-only education and other crappy, ineffective crocks of BS. Why bother teaching the populace about safe sexual practices when we could just cut off a part of their junk when they're born to **maybe** prevent the spread of disease? This feels like pulling 10 year olds' adult teeth all out and giving them all dentures instead of teaching them how to brush them. And even then they can still get gum disease. 1346114244 +There was a video posted not too long ago, the History channel documentary on [Shag Harbor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shag_Harbour_UFO_incident). That's a lot of witnesses! The divers did indeed see the aliens themselves, something that didn't come out until the 1990's, some 20+ years later.\n\nThe truth about UFO's is that there's never going to be irrefutable, irrevocable evidence. People think that science is like a religion or something with some kind of ex cathedra authority. \n\nScientists will say a lot of things, but they'll never say, hay, maybe it's from an alien civilization! No, because short of an alien coming down here and throttling the scientist -- he's not going to believe -- he's going to bow to public pressure.\n\nBefore you reply, I've had this conversation thousands of times on reddit, and I'm not interested in having it again. If you disagree, fine, get it off your chest: I won't reply.\n\nSETI looks for aliens thousands of light-years away, but there are sightings of UFO's every day just around the corners of Earth. Why? Because it's so obvious to the scientist that these sightings that are made by non-scientists are laughable... Nevermind the irony that scientists in the past have said ridiculous things. The sun goes around the Earth. Even Einstein said of the refrigerator: It's a great idea, but who would ever need one? Scientists today have zero sense of irony.\n\nEven the [WOW](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wow!_signal) signal ... the scientists were utterly contemptible fools. They could not bring themselves to say what it was, or what it was not.\n\nIn a hundred years, when you open the history books, you'll see that modern scientists were hardly portraits of courage or perseverance. And they were not philosophically trained. But they were, in large majority, idiots. Fucking idiots. \n\nEDIT: Sorry I sound angry. It's because I am. I am pretty disappointed by modern science's failures.\nEDIT: http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=5488895546832717747 ... about the O'hare incident mentioned by OP 1346686165 +Heh, that's pretty damned close to what I saw, yes.\nAdditionally, I am saddened that many people have written her and said that she is just filming regular planes or she is using a form of trickery. Having seen this in real life, I can say I don't think what she is filming are real planes or is a fake craft. 1318350228 +hehehehe Cute. 1351112881 +The "Squatch Call" at 5:58 is worth the wait. 1352757466 +I don't understand your point. He mentions everything in the movie... Hes not stupid, listen to the interviews. If hes smart enough to smuggle it out, hes smart enough to stay aloft. He already mentioned in the movie that they already know by now how it got leaked, it wouldn't take long for them to find out who he is. 1328725334 +How are you feeling about it now? 1348001793 +whats with all the crop circles and weird shit looking like serpents or lizards or shit like that 1312011300 +[This sums it up pretty well.](http://www.skepdic.com/zeitoun.html) 1330829460 +On a side note, wasn't my dad a handsome dude? D'aww :'3 1339027937 +This always happens to me with random food and drink while I'm playing games too . . . 1326451555 +I'll try, although I'm not really a MRM. I tend towards gender equality as part of my philosophy.\n\n> How do you feel about this artwork? I was happy to see that a thoughtful critique had been upvoted to the top of the comments.\n\nInteresting critique that's upvoted. Quite a few of the top comments point out that women are frequently not treated the same as men for the purpose of military service and the draft.\n\nAs for the image itself, obviously the top is supposed to be a peaceful, beneficial world for all. While the bottom shows soldiers engaged in bloodshed, dying, and supporting the world above. It seems to be justifying combat as necessary for a peaceful world. Considering that all the soldiers appear to be one gender, I'd say that it was reinforcing stereotypical gender roles that the role of men include being willing to fight and die. The exclusion of any apparent women as soldiers also appears to reinforce the role that women are unable or unwilling to fill the same role.\n\n> How do you feel about articles like this?\n\nMainstream news writes inflammatory headlines and includes faulty logic. I didn't check all the comments in the MR thread, but I checked the top ones, and it is a shame that nobody pointed out the flaws.\n\n> In your view, why is /r/MensRights so obsessed with the male birth control pill?\n\nMen only have one form of birth control that is considered reversible (the condom). Wouldn't you be obsessed if there was only one form of reversible birth control available to you?\n\n> How do you feel about the not-even-anecdotes on /r/MensRights? Are they valuable contributions?\n\nHypothetical situations can be illuminating.\n\n> How about claims like this where none of the linked articles actually matches up with what the poster is claiming, but everyone acts as if it is gospel truth anyways?\n\nSeveral posters did point that out. So not everyone is acting like it's gospel truth.\n\n> Have you seen Kerbal Space Program yet? I fscking love this game!\n\nNope. :p 1345235403 +Physical contact with another person can make wounds close faster. It's called a band-aid. 1298251026 +And there is such a thing as education and diplomacy. I'm of the opinion that skeptics tend to have a goal to educate others, and telling them to "shut the hell up" is a really backwards way of going about doing that, it's just going to divide and drive people away. /r/atheism is what happens when you decide to fully embrace that kind of behavior. If we're not interested in interacting with people with differing ideas then we've decided we're just a circlejerk. 1328728140 +Eyewitness accounts are held up in a court of law!! Also for anything else that has ever existed! I think the millions of eyewitness accounts, including the ones by gov. officials, pilots, presidents of the USA, ... count for something. \n\nIm upvoting myself for that comment :) 1317261265 +nice, Worcester here and im from the finger lakes. So carry your camera with you from now on huh? 1286372928 +> If the government would just get out of the way and let us do what we need to do\n\nWhat specifically is it that you need to do that the (presumably US) government is actually preventing you from doing? 1347277677 +As long as the person is an adult and he/she doesn't do it to children, I'm fine with it. 1307075384 +You don't think I made it clear enough? What would you change? 1300098154 +Good point! I definitely agree that younger kids are going to be less skeptical at the moment of the experience, and probably have less accurate recall after the fact. But adults are a long ways from immune from either effect, regardless of age, experience, etc. 1331335061 +Did you listen to it? It's not that it just "happened to fly by" when the news crew was there, but that it's happening every other day at around the same time of day. They're saying it's happening *all the time*. 1352505682 +Oh, I know it's hopeless for the dedicated conspiracy nut. When people are that far gone, any argument you have with them isn't going to do any good... for them. I'm more interested in people who are sitting on the fence, but can be convinced with actual evidence (versus what truthers have). 1286977119 +Aren't all the ships we send into space technically spaceships? 1296014603 +And there is no sex in the champaign room. 1329713738 +What an idiot. Although, lifestyle changes are important in getting better from any illness. chemo is the (necessary) short term solution, but having a healthier lifestyle will help prevent future illness 1328464284 +But the batteries keep your body's magnetic poles in synchronization! 1299520055 +I hadn't heard about this, so I looked into it a bit. [Here](http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/03/opinion/oe-jillette3) is an op-ed written by Penn Jillette in 2008 on the topic, in which his summation, repeatedly, is "I don't know" (although he liberally repeats many of the standard FUD talking points, but as personal ignorance). He has also apparently claimed in an interview the same year (although I cannot confirm this, as youtube as removed the video) that he acknowledges that AGW exists.\n\nHe asks things like "But the climate of the whole world is more complicated. I'm not a scientist, and I haven't spent my life studying weather. I'm trying to learn what I can, and while I'm working on it, isn't it OK to say "I don't know"?", but I don't find this article to put them in a very positive light.\n\nThey devoted an episode of their show (titled, of course, "Bullshit!") to the topic, invited on a bunch of non-experts (including a bunch of fellows from the AGW-denying Cato Institute... which they are themselves fellows of), failed to do any actual fact-checking or investigation, and concluded that the topic was very much in doubt. 5 years later, they still haven't consulted the professionals on the subject, and profess ignorance (while not referring to the professionals)?\n\nIf they couldn't be bothered to do any investigation, *maybe* they shouldn't have made an episode about it. If they were going to do an episode, maybe they should have done some research, or at *least*, brought on *actual* experts and not simply some hippies and deniers with no expertise. And then, when called on it, they defer to personal ignorance?\n\nI respect their willingness to acknowledge the limits of their personal knowledge, but I still think the whole situation reflects very poorly on them. 1346966275 +Their whole shtick is basically "Hey, christian scientists have beaten the atheist scientists at science, so we can all both feel smart and believe grandma is in heaven, while the atheists are going to both burn in hell and have to admit they were the stupid ones all along." They present themselves as scientific, while calling evolutionary biology anti-scientific for ignoring the "evidence" they came up with. Of course, most people who already believe there is a creator won't even feel the need to check weather ID makes sense or if evolution has actually been refuted because, you know, that would be hard. 1356040589 +I dont necessarily disagree with you but is there a reason you are being so condescending? You knew what to expect in a subreddit like this so why are you here? That is not rhetorical...I am curious. 1346414476 +You are aware of the split radar/ transponder return and the fact that other aircraft who could see the 747 failed to see the mountain-sized luminous object it was reporting. \n\nWhat I was addressing was the way the pilot's story changed from when he initially reported it to when he later described it. 1305986584 +Do you feel like it's something that could hurt you? 1344834507 +Wow. Another terrible argument. Try to think about the difference between necessary suffering and unnecessary suffering. \nSeriously, did you even read the blog before posting these stupid comments? 1323739639 +And this was the Easter that Timmy realized he was not like the others. 1333995911 +It sure isn't reliable. But it might hint at some degree of truth. That's why the only real way to be sure is to give it a try yourself for a few weeks. What do you have to lose? 1344290697 +This is awesome, however not scientific proof. Eye witness testimony is not scientific in any way.\n\nI am on the side that what they say is true, however scientific evidence requires testing. 1283562496 +Perhaps you suffer from one of the many ailments that cause individuals to falsely believe a diety has given him/her a message for mankind. 1325795591 +I second this. Let's see it in action. 1326993152 +A few notes, not at the OP but as a reader (I've made no research into your assertions or sources, BTW- it's my birthday and I'm only redditing causal). \n\nI'm very aware of salt cod, pemmican, and rice being some of the best foods around to feed a pre-refrigeration army and I'm not sure that Dunning's arguement is meant to deny their deployment- I think you're giving it a strong, absolutist reading that he doesn't intend, moving the goal posts so to speak.\n\nSecond, the analogy between farmers and hunter gatherers is spurious in that we're talking about soldiers- which are a separate class from farmers, making their living by way of pay through taxes in things exactly such as grain. While I'm certain that most warlords and kings also took taxes and paid soldiers in olives, lambs, and turnips, I'd assume grain to be the mainstay of taxes as it kept (and was thus good for feeding armies as it could be stockpiled like horse feed). It's about several thousand years off the mark to compare the infrastructure of the agrarian revolution to that of the European age of Empires. 1294348297 +I actually was using the GPS on my phone, cause after about 10 minutes we got lost. I thought we just walked in a circle, too, but I checked my phone and it said we were going in one direction. 1326580175 +Teleporting cat? 1327454436 +I think it's VERY important not to be a douche about this. Yes, the "anti-vaxxers" are mostly ignorant or worse, misinformed, particularly with regards to the safety of the MMR vaccine.\n\nHOWEVER, the mere act of being cautious about a new medication is not stupid in itself. It is important to realise that the safety of a vaccine is not guaranteed just because a pharma company and a government agency says it is safe. If you doubt this, just google Cutter or Thalidomide. 1297359910 +It could be, sure. The easiest way to tell would be to watch the original video and see if the object always stays in the same part of the video frame no matter how the camera man moves. 1331580867 +Yes. If you try to study it after-the-fact, the reality of the past may be distorted or corrupted by later events. A primitive idea, maybe, but worth having anyway. 1340647213 +See you think everyone buys your "I'm totally scientific and objective" routine, when in fact, everyone outside the /r/skeptic posse just thinks you're a dick, and I'm just trying to explain that to you. Your very name is incendiary, your pattern of behavior is inflammatory, and your agenda is arrogant compared to your qualifications in such serious manners, which you consider a consistent target of ridiculous. \n\nIf you find that a childish insult, then by all means report me. 1352700005 +UfO's don't give off smoke and fire. 1337354412 +Why do you need to show him how it works? 1335575003 +Your study gets 5 upvotes, my 2 studies get none. Seems like the users of /r/skeptic are bias. 1345898920 +actually, most of it is cut+pasted from an "article" that the old guy in the video wrote (pro tip: he is not a doctor of anything) 1336936801 +Well yes ... but which ones specifically trip your bullshit detector? 1300566098 +>That's because there isn't a word that describes the same feeling.\n\nI'm not really seeing the problem. If words of the same or similar meaning were required in order to learn a new word, then we wouldn't be able to learn any words in the first place (unless we come in to the word preprogrammed with a language).\n\nUntil a few years ago I was unaware of the word "maudlin", but I certainly new the feeling and now I have a word to clearly describe that feeling.\n\nI'm quite sure why haven't a different ethnography would circumscribe the kinds of words one could learn. 1288568503 +I don't know this fallacy, but it sounds vaguely similar to "False Dilemma" and "Hobson's Choice".\n\nEdit: It also reminds me a bit of the "[Frankfurt counterexamples](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankfurt_cases)" which state that if only one outcome is possible, you can still be morally responsible for the path you took to get there.\n\nEdit2: Perhaps the [Fallacy of the Pre-Determined Outcome](http://editthis.info/logic/Informal_Fallacies#Fallacy_of_the_Pre-Determined_Outcome)? 1348092248 +Lets spam the aliens with all the memes and dick jokes we can come up with. 1341006336 +Its called Alice in wonderland syndrome 1354600004 +Well, that'd be scary because I work in a cubicle now! And I work for the government and I do tan easily...lol 1351533166 +All iron comes from the core of stars, so it *really* doesn't matter where it comes from. 1319867191 +Really interesting to say the least 1324933445 +That's because economics is not a science like physics or chemistry, predictions are difficult due to the a priori nature of economics. \n\nBesides, most economists are Keynesians which hasn't exactly proven itself as a great predictive tool. 1309109428 +This post offends me. Delete it! 1330644406 +I prefer the term rationalist when describing my spiritual and political views. 1323562988 +He didn't. I did nor hear about this story until after the ultrasound. 1339857254 +That could easily be an image overlay indicating the center of the paper. 1332003162 +Texas is obviously fed up with outsourcing the dumb. 1340782376 +Okay, let's say for instance a person claims to be hearing voices. Their name being spoken in a whisper. It always happens between 3:00 and 4:00 PM, and whenever it happens, the 14 year old son is in the basement by the furnace. Pretty obvious what's causing the activity in this situation. 1352240676 +I think this is a misleading headline. As far as I can tell they did not study immunity at all. They only concluded that more students are coming "in contact" with unvaccinated peers. This seems rather obvious since we know the exemption rate is increased. I guess it's good they did a study to to gather solid evidence and to look at clustering but I really find nothing interesting in this story at all. It was also posted at slashdot today with a lot of the standard vax/antivax discussion but no one looking at what they actually claimed. Seems like a lot of sites know that any vaccine story at all can be used to get some hits.\n\n>The authors of the new analysis combine data on measles vaccinations with some useful statistical tools that were first developed to measure racial segregation within a school system. These include what's called the interaction index, which indicates how often a vaccinated student would encounter someone with an exemption, and the aggregation index, which measures how often exempted students will end up in the same school.\n>\n>Using data from 2008 to 2010, the authors found some worrying trends. Over just two years, the statewide interaction index increased by 25 percent in this short time. That means far more students are coming in contact with peers who are unvaccinated—a serious risk, since vaccines are not 100 percent effective. 1345854852 +In Theoretical Physics (I think it is) there's a theory called the [Many Worlds theory](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Many-worlds_interpretation) that says all possible events that can happen (down to sub-atomic level), do. We only experience one of these realities (at a time, anyway), obviously.\n\nSome people take this interpretation further and say that the reality we experience (i.e. the universe we stay in after each "split" of the timeline) is **always** one where we are alive, i.e. we only die when there are **no** possible realities where we stay alive.\n\nI feel privileged to exist in the reality where you survived that fall :) 1347993158 +That was the only time MonsterQuest did anything of worth.\n\nBut yeah, it was an awesome moment/shot. 1334978140 +That sounds both creepy and awesome. \n\nA few questions for you:\n\nIs there anything that aggravates this effect? Like being tired, or alcohol, or anxiety/irritability, or anything? \n\nIf you close your eyes while "it" is walking, will "it" bump into things? What I mean is: does "it" use you for guidance, so to speak? \n\nIf you close your eyes, will "it" still go in any one particular direction? Or just always to an exit, like the doors/windows/fire escapes, as you've mentioned?\n\nIf you are closer to, say, the back door, will "it" try to take you through that one, or will "it" look for another exit, like the front door?\n\nOther than walking, will "it" ever try anything else? Maybe you could see if "it" will point out a place on a map, or if "it" will write if you have a pencil and paper in hand.\n\nPlease keep updating this post as you figure this out. I (and I'm sure many others) would love to hear more about this.\n\nP.S. You mentioned removing the video, but I'd like to see it if you feel like sending it to me. 1343649176 +The suggestion is to boycott Ubisoft games entirely.\n\nAlthough it's only mentioned 3 or 4 times in a very short text, I can see how you missed that. 1262433489 +Ugh, I can't tell if you are just being sarcastic or serious. 1245797931 +That's certainly a UFO, but I don't think it's aliens. 1351505004 +In the US, the are [355 deaths](http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/mor_fal_on_and_fro_lad-mortality-fall-ladder) due to falls off ladders in a year. I don't have statistics on non-fall ladder injuries, but you can see that ladders are often misused dangerously. \n\nIf it isn't your ladder that you're using, there may be sharp tools balanced on it. It may not be properly secured or set up. A ladder large enough to comfortably walk under is a ladder that has some steps well above your head.\n\nBasically, a ladder is a temporary construction area. By the time you've checked it out visually well enough to be confident walking under it you might as well have walked around.\n\nIf you are ever around a building or tree that's only supposed to stand for perhaps an hour and which was set up by a worker in thirty seconds you should probably avoid walking near those too.\n\n 1300908333 +Rolling maybe? 1344186781 +So the state-controlled factories [produced illegal hardware in the 80s?](http://www.yapfiles.ru/show/10417/foto001.jpg.html)\n\nThe picture above is ZIL microwave oven from late 80s.\n\nSo, the historical part of the article, the easiest one to verify, turned out to be false. You do not have to be a prophet to guess what it usually means. 1323799979 +Pretty crappy article. The headline is good, but the substance is lacking. Doesn't mention John E. Mack, Phil Schneider *or* Karla Turner. 1350768811 +That depends on the newborn, doesn't it?\n\nIt's extremely common for human newborns to weigh anywhere from about 2 kg for babies born prematurely (<36 weeks), but their vaccine schedule remains the same, all the way up to 4.5 kg...with the vast majority of newborns staggered around 3.5 kg.\n\nEven at that dosage, the levels of inorganic mercury in the monkeys' brain tissue were 10,000 to 14,000 or so ppb. That is well above what the federal guidelines recognize as hazardous waste levels.\n\nThis is so laughable. Dude, the toxicity of mercury to humans is well known. Which is why Russia banned mercury-based preservative decades ago...Are you actually suggesting that it isn't neurotoxic and it should be directly exposed to the brain tissue of human fetuses, infants, and children (in addition to what they already receive through other environmental sources)? 1329609227 +This book was basically the beginning of the end for postmodernism. 1247419348 +Oh come on. I'll repeat: [citation needed] 1325246405 +yes sorry - I just used the internet label TR3B there, didn't we recently get a post into r/ufos that the originator of the Belgium Triangle photo admitted that at least his picture was (unfortunately) a hoax? 1312903234 +Looks pretty fake to me but I'm no expert, but still looks like bad scyfy channel level CGI. 1324135905 +She predicts "maybe some rain"... in fucking England! My god, *could it be true*? 1328333965 +What kind of research have you done, if you don't mind me asking? 1351043395 +Rose-colored glasses. 1279822917 +Laissez les bon temp rouler. 1339951984 +Seems strange that the camera was pointed at that exact location. I would understand if it was panning and happened to catch the object taking off, but the person filming obviously knew where to direct the attention. Either the story is fabricated, or the event was fabricated. 1335009323 +I suspect that we don't be quite that bad for us, although there are a few lecturers with fellowships in "integrative medicine." If there are issues, I fully intend on bringing them up with the faculty. After all, this is supposed to be an evidence-based medicine program! 1313265327 +> There is a lack of standardization to guard against adulteration and ensure a consistent level of the active ingredients.\n\nUnfortunately traditional herbal medicine often has no clue what the "active ingredients" are, or how much they vary between one plant and the next (marijuana suggests this can be rather a lot). Practitioners can even reject the whole concept of active ingredients - e.g. the plant is naturally the right synergistic proportions of the right ingredients and it's western foolishness to want chemicals isolated from that. \n\nThis isn't a problem with a lack of standardization, the problem is inseparable from herbal treatments deriving from tradition/experience/anecdote. 1354173338 +> "Guys don't do it - it's creepy."\n\nTo her. Who the fuck says she speaks for every woman? She's a propagandist for irrational 'feminist' zeal. 1310041686 +Nothing is what it seems 1342058605 +I hate it when they portray skeptics in a world where magical things obviously happen and there IS actually evidence.\n\nRecently noticed it in ghostbusters 2, where those asshole skeptics doubt the existence of ghosts, even though years ago new york was attacked by a giant marshmallow man. 1340864999 +I don't believe you. 1343764406 +To be fair, those extremely plaintiff-friendly libel laws are more a UK than a European thing, and even so there are protocols that must be followed - in particular they must explain precisely which statements are considered libelous and why.\n\nStill, I agree, it should be much, *much* harder to silence scientific debate - especially on the backs of patients. 1322728625 +Check out /r/JoeRogan 1340837523 +Like [MindMeister? ](http://www.mindmeister.com/features) 1344220138 +I had a dog that did. 1332824368 +When you take into account that the trick is diet and exercise, a lot of people don't want that. 1334499496 +> What caused the Phoenix Lights\n\nIllumination flares deployed by the Air National Guard. This took all of 5 minutes to find on google. This is why I seldom listen to the tin foil hat crowd or religious nuts. \n\nPhoenix lights debunked.\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewCk_Shb7Hk 1253820962 +The "Abrahamic" religions, being monotheistic, are pretty much founded on the principle that all religions other than theirs are false and wicked. See: "Commandment, First" \n\nThat is not the case for pretty much any other religion.\n\nThat said, Shinto had a lot to do with the rise of Japanese imperialism, and Eastern religions in general most definitely shape laws in countries where they prevail. 1313500801 +Satire?! So what part of that article on Romney time-traveling is not true? 1334552779 +FUCK GREED 1324379728 +Actually, it might...in a way. Modern physics says that every possible reality is happening somewhere, in some way. I think this TED talk on the nature of the universe and the "physics of information" is really interesting: http://youtu.be/S9pR0gfil_0\n\nSome skeptics can be pretty narrow minded in that they believe they can preclude the possibility of anything that *sounds* crazy because of their wholly materialist worldview. That, in my opinion, is not wise. Ultimately it just boils down to opinion and conviction. 1340643146 +Have you read the news lately? 1326597737 +enjoy the brain numbing mercury in the vaccines *cough* autism *cough* 1322240565 +I'd normally agree, but with the larger magnetic field created by ANSPO™, I bet this thing actually works! 1334957396 +Have you seen how we treat each other?? Why would they?? Seriously, name one thing we would have to offer a superior being besides drama and misery. The things we think are important are petty and the things that we know are important are buried in petty squabbles. 1334702860 +Its not related to "Thrive" or anything but is interesting\nhttp://www.world-mysteries.com/coralcastle.htm [found on /r/ufo] 1316130513 +Pseudoscience is never harmless. 1304340301 +Something something [Daily Mail](http://kill-or-cure.herokuapp.com/) you get the idea. 1355015237 +Thanks for summarizing my emotions <3 1335080864 +Last week, Japanese scientists explaced... placed explosive detonators at the bottom of Lake Loch Ness to blow Nessie out of the water. Sir Curt Godfrey of the Nessie Alliance summoned the help of Scotland's local wizards to cast a protective spell over the lake and its residents, and all those who seek a peaceful existence with our underwater ally.\n 1340642338 +Superstition is just a placebo to make people feel better. Unless it's harming someone, I don't see any reason to be against it, since you'd be a hypocrite as your life is based around irrational beliefs.\n\nI call this the atheist hypocrisy syndrome. "We hate religion/superstition/irrational beliefs so much and we're clearly so much smarter that we actively oppress and talk down your beliefs religiously." If there is a hell made of irony, most atheists will probably end up there. 1304107672 +Dr. Novella responds [on his blog](http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=1746). 1268954170 +"...a profound sense of humility regarding their own perceptions and interpretations of the world." I love this line. It always irks me when I hear people calling those who pursue science elitist, arrogant, "they think they have an answer for everything." I have found that the opposite is true. You are never more aware of what you do not know than when you are sitting gazing out from the border of what you do know. 1289220261 +In this context, yes. Even if you ignore the lawyers fees, it's only about 10 years of lost wages. 1307446662 +Some studies put it as one of the leading factors, though I would like to see a better journal that the Canadian Stroke Association. That being said, what does chiro manipulation do that say, mobilization and muscle strengthening exercises can't do? Risk/benefit. 1331606778 +Alien ghosts. 1331692450 +I thought I was taking crazy pills and was the only one who noticed this. 1343093789 +>Why don't more people understand this?\n\nBecause it's false?\n\nThree points of light can also create a straight line. 1353366108 +God help us if people like you are responsible for educating children. Did you graduate from Jenny McCarthy University?\n\nYou obviously failed your history classes as well as your statistics classes. Read up on the smallpox, measles and polio epidemics. Why do you think that nobody dies of smallpox any more or is crippled by polio? It didn't magically go away on its own. Rubella made many children deaf. Smallpox crippled those who didn't outright die from it.\n\nAnd the fact that three of your cousins died of SIDS probably has nothing to do with their vaccination status. You have absolutely no way of proving that there's a connection. \n\nYou're "healthy as can be" partially because most of the people surrounding you have been vaccinated, thus protecting YOU from those diseases.\n\nAnd if you get hit by a car, you'll be very glad that someone smarter than you bothered to go to medical school and learn how to heal people. 1348830658 +Never ever use a Ouija board! They act as portals allowing for more bad shit to happen... 1353513105 +What is a satanic bible and how do you play recordings on it? 1318471154 +If you've got your bone open, anyway, you might as well install some ferrite cores.\n\nIt reduces, thought doesn't eliminate, the need for degaussing. 1319501214 +Yeah, the problem is I live in Colorado where mystical nonsense is "all the rage!" If it weren't for the mountains and great outdoor recreation this place would be unbearable. 1317187955 +Is this serious ? 1241187747 +1) I would love for the general understand of economics to improve. It would be great if people commonly understood how a market functions. Or that money spent by the government isn't limitless. These basic understandings would be great. \n\n2) That you can accept anthropogenic climate change but argue that doing something about it isn't that simple, if at all possible.\n\n3) That ultimately, we are capable, resourceful human beings. We don't to be coddled but rather treated like adults.\n\nEDIT: 4) Understand that the use of manners is yet to be debunked. 1333725511 +I just saw an episode about this story about a week ago. Here is a link if you guys are interested. http://www.syfy.com/videos/Paranormal%20Witness/vid:2605796 1356952927 +I've heard that salty air can be useful at reducing mucus in the lungs, but like most other natural health products, this is really just an expensive way of putting table salt in in hot water with a tea towl on top. 1320542389 +I have been to Bermuda many times. It is a small island where everyone knows everyone. \n\nIt sucks that they were both killed but more of a coincidence than a glitch.\n 1355796973 +I was going to say ABBA. 1353214175 +This has happened to me as well. The girl I saw was hot too :3 1317327355 +I downloaded and enjoyed Of Montreal's "Hissing Fauna Are You The Destroyer?". I played it only for myself, as none of my IRL friends enjoy the same music that I do. Eventually it ended up sitting on my hard drive. A year and a half later I fired up Pitchfork and the lead review is "Hissing Fauna Are You The Destroyer?". Cue my jaw hitting the floor.\n\nSo, I get it. 1340504987 +What if Ted Haggard shared an elevator with you, spoke nothing but words to you, smiled his mutant smile, and then left. You'd come here, make a rage comic about how frustrated and creeped out you are. Noone would ask about if you were injured or ask you yo get over it. Everyone would understand perfectly well how just behavior and words can be creepy and uncomfortable. 1310228509 +/skeptic isn't about (counter-)manipulating lists, is it?... the *decent* thing, maybe, would be informing wot.com about the issue, backed up by evidence.\n\n^(ps. i've no idea what wot.com actually is.)\n\nEDIT: ok, so, it's not even [wot.com](http://wot.com/), it's *my*wot.com. 1347708355 +A UFO with landing gears? Try again folks. 1323992689 +...except it wouldn't.\n\nThe current climate optimum was 8,000 years ago, and temperatures have been (very slowly) decreasing since then. 1326817471 +The later stuff is much better, such as the White Album. They basically did a couple pop albums to get popular enough to tell their producers "fuck off, we do what we want." 1329070397 +Posted the following a while ago:\n\n> The RCC is fine with ideas like evolution\n\nIn a considerably screwed way. Taken from [this](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/10/sunday_sacrilege_cant_cant.php) Pharyngula post, direct quotes from the [Archdiocese of Washington](http://blog.adw.org/2010/10/polygenism):\n\n> The words NATURAL and RANDOM are positively meant to exclude intelligent activity by God by most proponents of the Theory of Evolution. Catholics can come to accept a kind of theistic evolution wherein God is the primary cause of all secondary causes. But we are not free to accept the Theory of Evolution as most commonly proposed without the necessary distinction that natural selection and random mutations are not sufficient causes or a complete explanation for the existence of all things as they are.\n\n>When, however, there is question of another conjectural opinion, namely polygenism, the children of the Church by no means enjoy such liberty. For the faithful cannot embrace that opinion which maintains that either after Adam there existed on this earth true men who did not take their origin through natural generation from him as from the first parent of all, or that Adam represents a certain number of first parents.\n\n(Catholic) Christianity must have Original Sin, for which Adam must have been the ancestor of all humanity. 1303677221 +I'm sure that as well as providing the Belly Armor, Your local Chapters bookstore can also provide you with many new methods of placebo-ing yourself to optimal health. Simply check out the 'New Age' and 'Alternative Health' sections for all your Reiki and Pyramid Power needs. 1317258852 +So far no movement since when I posted this, but I'll absolutely do this once I get a more precise time of when it happens. Thanks! 1342145058 +I see. So, in fact, cell phone radiation and microwave oven radiation are extremely similar.\n\nSo the only argument that remains is that the levels of energy contained in the transmission of cell phone radiation are so much less than microwaves that their odds of "cooking" the brain are extremely low. 1306862517 +you should take a video or something 1326961858 +Wow...I don't know many people that are impervious to the effects of diphenhydramine lol. That kinda sucks. Hand me 2 benadryls though and I'm down for the count for at least 4 hours regardless of how hard I try to stay awake. Well, I hope the doc gives you some good night-night nuggets or at least some Rx pain killers. 1302958655 +I hope we get a link that's not ad infested. 1299482367 +Could be a "whooosh" for me right here but \n\nit is called a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolorimeter 1334875828 +He's written [A Partial Explanation](http://skeptoid.com/blog/2011/10/05/a-partial-explanation/), for those interested. 1339888925 +I came here to say this, and it was the only comment. THE ONLY FUCKING COMMENT. 1296361234 +What an uninformed cunt! 1329176948 +Woo is often the deal-breaker. 1341058349 +Solution: buy chinese lanterns, tie them together, release, film. 1297966223 +Great segment, thanks OP.\n\nI'm much less skeptical of Maussan in this video than I am of him in more recent videos. I don't know how you refute this sighting given how many people saw it and captured it on film. \n\nSkeptics? What say you? 1354819248 +I was born and raised in North Carolina but now live in New York. This is going to be something I will try next time I am visiting home. 1343578218 +I believe in whatever the best evidence points to.\n\nProvisionally. 1299432472 +> Modern homeopaths\n\nThis is more accurately "homeopaths since the discovery of [Avogadro's number](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avogadro_constant)", which disproved the original theory of homeopathic remedies having trace amounts of the prepared substance. 1310138674 +It certainly does appear to be a hoax, especially since a cursory search of Xinhua (English-language version) shows no recent relevant articles about "ufo" or "extraterrestrial." 1295875545 +**INSPIRATION**\n\nTHANK YOU <3 1326467280 +Your question fits into this subreddit, ignore that nonsense. 1275995092 +it's a 1/23 chance to have to same birthday...could be coincidence? :p\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2ey9a70yY0\n\nedit: I messed up... out of 23 people, there is a 50% chance they share a birthday. \nso...smaller coincidence?? you're probably actually going to die. :/ 1353831255 +In terms of skeptical topics, i guess the issues that need to be exposed/debunked/whatever in order of potential damage would be something like this:\n\nMost important are issues that cause immediate threat to people's lives - the ones that spring to mind are (1) alternative medicine (2) anti-vaccination and (3) religion.\n\nNext most important are issues that result in non-rationally thinking people being swindled - stuff like pyschic readings, astrology, numerology etc.\n\nAfter all of that comes all of the wacky-belief stuff like alien abductions, parapsychology, bigfoot, vampires etc. In general, I don't have any problem with people believing in wacky stuff, as long as they don't try and force it on others, or make decisions that affect other peoples lives based on their wacky world views. 1333606244 +I'm having a hard time explaining this to some of the posters but I'll try a different way.\n\nI'm not saying this article is wrong. I'm not saying this is the same situation as every other violence flare up or anything like that. I'm just saying that the approach *this* article took will always be true of a flare up and I wanted the help of an inquisitive community to cut through that sad truth to get *more* detail. 1353420367 +yeah.. but it's dried out... so, they'd have to..um... add water. 1301717729 +This is hilarious 1355235538 +This reminds me of [that guy can summon ufos.](http://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/96vdw/skeptic_apologizes_after_ufo_summoned/) 1252953057 +Oh I see, it always comes down to semantics. I called it a spelling error because I think she was trying to communicate the word 'ensure', and you called it a grammatical mistake because she did spell the word 'insure' correctly.\n\nFuckin semantics man 1329158800 +Good point. The courts are designed to have a prosecution and a defense. One side's job is to prove guilt. The other side's job is to prove innocence. Nobody is charged with finding out the truth. 1330398123 +Yesterday when I posted, there was nothing in this thread, but it made me do a little research. I've been taking Modafinil off and on. I find it works as a concentration enhancer and I'm mostly satisfied. Last month I had to renew my prescription and I briefly entertained trying out some various nootropics instead of the prescription. I didn't, but now after looking up OP's suggestion, I've renewed my interest in building a stack. I think I'm going to try a prebuilt one called Neuro1 by nutrition53. I'll have report once it arrives and I've tried it. 1306165342 +never heard of it before, but my first impression is that it's bs 1320175387 +FYI - my only point was "there is no science to back it up". Most of the information I have seen online is quite similar to what fracai said, but no actual scientific studies. 1329109603 +I suspect it is simple a matter of procedure. Or perhaps they don't want to discount someone using the "excuse" of psychic premonition or dreams to confess to the crime?\n\n 1336351879 +First, peer-review is not infallible. What he's saying is his personal questions deserve research. Questioning something doesn't mean it's wrong. It means "if you're right, you can easily dispatch my question. If you're wrong, there's more work to be done." 1317209614 +And whichever side loses skeptics can feel happy. 1327580913 +its wet because of the vaccines right? or the chemicals in our food? or taxes? JUST TELL ME WHO TO BLAME WHEN MY CHILD GETS WET! 1276142826 +Was it assembled by the [KLF](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_KLF)/Bill Drummond? 1312585867 +Holy crap, this guy is DEDICATED to his prank. I wish I'd done this earlier. 1291582568 +I think the problem is inaccessibility to the science behind evolution. To the uninitiated, evolution can seem monolithic and impenetrable, while it's very easy to believe in what you've been told your entire life is true. To butcher a quote from a source I can't remember: "It's easier to understand one book than a lot of hard ones."\n\nMy solution: evolution in children's book form! 1340138011 +beautiful. 1330787263 +beautiful. 1345146653 +Yes, we ended the session properly by letting the oracle move to the "Goodbye". And no we did not ask for a specific person. But whoever we were talking to didnt give me a feeling of being in danger. If it was in fact an actual ghost and not one of my friends trolling (which I highly doubt) then it was probably just trying to get a reaction from us. And you can take my question at face value, whatever you deem to be "creepy". 1330060517 +Here is a pretty good [skeptical take](http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4129) on the story. 1348022782 +If you have a LOT of time on your hands, you may find the [Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions](http://www.mrc-bsu.cam.ac.uk/cochrane/handbook/) useful.\n\nThe Cochrane collaboration is all about surveying the landscape of knowledge on given topics and coming to a conclusion about the state of the objective evidence.\n\nTheir main tool is the so-called systematic review, or meta-analysis, where they look up all published studies on a subject (e.g. fluoridation) or a specific question (e.g. does tanning increase the risk for skin cancer), then combine their individual results and come to a conclusion that is statistically stronger than the individual studies were.\n\nOne key question in this process is "What studies can we trust". The Handbook deals with this in Part 2, Section 8: "Chapter 8: Assessing risk of bias in included studies" - especially subsection 8.4 may be enlightening.\n\nNote, again, that this handbook is excruciatingly difficult to read. But it's thorough, I give them that. 1343658169 +I don't know about Australia, but in the US, Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Scientists have been convicted of manslaughter for not taking their children to doctors. 1333751431 +More proof that the answer to any complaint is always, "It could be worse... You could live in Canada." 1295912371 +Hrrm I used real books and knowledge to come to that conclusion through research. \n\nBut if you'd rather use your magic book then who am I to stop you? 1310392721 +My deja vu works this way too, OP. You're actually the only other person I've met like this. 1342426528 +I came here to post this. It's so full of cringe it's awesome! I wouldn't be surprised if the show ruined the career of that charlatan. 1297815513 +>Well at first we can use the regular power grids to transmit the energy. \n\nYeah, power grid to transmit electrical power from African/Asian deserts to Europe... Do you have any idea how much impedance would such lines have?\n\n> As for storing, we can use the same technologies that we have today\n\nSuch as what? We don't store energy, we dynamically adjust generated power to our needs. Unless you can imagine for example car factories running on batteries. Good luck with that. 1353312396 +I'm in favor of psychics who help the police. The best help they can give, of course, is to keep their visions to themselves. 1314375966 +Looks like the same person to me. Smiling + greyscale pics vs Unsmiling full colour pic.\n\nSame face + bone structure, mole thing on (his) right of his mouth. 1343934920 +Sometimes its fun to debunk this stuff for practice in critical thinking. 1309065191 +Before you start looking for medical treatment, take a good look at the way you live and what you're putting into your body. Do you exercise regularly, and give your body what it needs to perform optimally? If the answer is no, then make the changes. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel, how seldom you get sick. Being in great shape doesn't automatically eliminate all your problems, but you're better conditioned to cope with things, so the severity isn't as bad. If you're doing all that and still have bloodshot eyes, or have sneezing fits throughout the day, just take over the counter Claratin. 1312456128 +One point he makes is not an assumption. The email address used by the commentor is the official paypal email address for said psychic. I don't think it's any sort of logical leap to say that is some amount of proof. He even shows where he didn't find a connection. He presents everything he found even if it doesn't support the claim. The email address alone is enough to make an educated guess. The rest is presented and conclusions left to the reader. 1327284567 +I use the term western medicine because it separates what is general believed to be "medicine" from eastern medicine, which is something entirely different. I disagree that is strengthens the rhetoric (and calling them "crazies" doesn't help either, to be honest). It's merely a widely-used term to differentiate the two branches. \n\nI wouldn't call it paranoia at all, actually. I would call it more "misguided skepticism". Paranoia is when things get a little more out of control than what I'm trying to address. 1230445895 +[Have fun.](http://www.reddit.com/r/conspiratorialskeptic/) 1327648490 +Infrared camera! why would ufos only be present in the visible spectrum?!\n 1334163760 +His brother makes great sausage. 1320534692 +In the future, please consider posting text rather than an image of text. Thanks! 1328284295 +You "know" what I allegedly implied because you're a mind reader, right?\n\nSo you disregard skepticism when you trust the source (medical journals that allegedly "unhold high scientific standards"? I try to be skeptical of everything and everyone equally, including the claim that all doctors are prescribing the best available treatment for the patient, regardless of profit insentive.\n\nSo not **all** fat is bad?\n\n>Do you really believe that the USDA recommendations are bad?\n\nDo you really believe they're good? 1322960381 +Not quite. Any actual interference by god in human choice (for example, interrupting a suicide attempt) is a violation of free will. If god causes a storm, or throws pigs up the air, or something, it doesn't violate anyone's free will. 1277134546 +Have you checked round your local colleges/universities to see if they run parapsychology departments? If the do, they might run a team; or you could offer to be subject to/for experiments; even if it's just for a students thesis. Or find any local 'ghost tours/walk' and get a job with them. Both these things will make it easier to 'market' yourself to TV/Film companies/whatever as 'an expert' if you apply to work with them.\n\n(Also, how do you get any sleep?) 1349054083 +im tired of all this shit.\npls _stop_ 1260643328 +I'm not British either, I just like the term, and a bit of Googling told me its cods wallop. Also, apparently 'wallop' is a slang term for beer :S 1283109289 +This is exactly what I wonder. If, when a boy started to appear effeminate, the entire community congratulated the family on their good fortune, and the man he grew up to be was highly respected, even envied, and welcomed and appreciated to wear women's clothes and engage in "feminine" pursuits, would there as many transgender people? 1323378737 +I guess I meant *definitively*. I can't go back and be like, "yo, John Wilkes, why'd you kill Lincoln?". We can speculate and come to some pretty good conclusions.\n\nOf course trying to link in those assassinations is silly, I'm not arguing that. I just feel like instead of just brushing this off, as so many people on the JREF forums are willing to do, we should scrutinize the most "legitimate" points, find the truth and then reply back with that.\n\nInstead we just go "oh gosh, another conspiracy nut, nothing he says is of any use or validity"... 1312479625 +The best dietary advice I have ever come across, is "eat food, mostly plants".\n\nHaving a naturopath as a primary physicians would be frightening, naturopathy is really just about "wallet extraction". But is there anything actually wrong with your girlfriend? \n\nThere are very serious risks to alternative medicines like acupuncture and of course chiropractic, what is she trying to cure? 1305372027 +I tried debating the points that that book raises with a pair of vegan personal trainers once... would not recommend. 1343767774 +I hope that is true, life exists just so God could troll us. 1295564947 +There is plenty to mull over, you are just willfully ignoring it. \n\n------------------------------------------------------------\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2194593\n\nThree case reports of the metabolic and electroencephalographic changes during advanced Buddhist meditation techniques.\n\nBehav Med. 1990 Summer;16(2):90-5.\n\nDr. Herbert Benson Harvard Medical\n\n------------------------------------------------------------\n\nhttp://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Qigong-Exploration-Zuyin-Lu/dp/0965713571\n\n----------------------------------------------------------\n\nYou can watch various videos of monks drying sheets, being packed in crushed ice for 2 hours, demonstrating control over their immune system while under medical observation, you can watch the head of the mind science foundation, a biophysicist and a medical doctor strip the man in the OP to a shirt, check him for metal with a metal detector and take him to a random hotel room to power an LED. \n\nBut then again you won't because you made up your mind before you came into this thread. 1350850567 +...Except that they were in the air.\n\nMotionless. Not even moving.\n\n 1350444944 +The "natural sources" of food part, although generally a good guideline (as foods we percieve as "natural" are usually less processed, and therefore generally contain more nutrients), is not always the end-all of good nutrition advice. Whey protein supplimentation, for instance, shows significant health benifits with no known negative effect.... but many would avoid it because it's not "natural". I take in 75g of whey protein a day, and it's managed to not only improve my body's ability to heal muscle, but my stress levels are lower than ever (almost nonexistant), and I've got more sustained energy throughout the day than I ever have. Pure anecdote, I'm aware... but it makes sense that increased protein is going to be good for the body. The fact that it's a processed food doesn't phase me.... agriculture has been changing the nature of food since we first engaged in selective breeding. The naturalistic fallacy has no place in food science as far as I'm concerned. If we manage to produce "artificial" forms of nutrition that increase our health, especially ones which are sustainable, I'm all for it. \n\nI also contend that, contrary to AdventureBum's assertion, liver is not a good meat to be eating. There are plenty of reasons for this... primary of which is the fact that liver can cause vitamin A poisoning... but liver is also the organ which detoxifies the body, and thus, has the potential to contain many nasty compounds.\n\nIf we want to fix the food supply we simply need to stop the traditional food industry paradigm of trying to produce the highest amount of the cheapest food. We need to start focusing on quality, not quantity. The government health boards need to strike high carb foods like most grain based foods off the "required daily nutrition" list simply because they're plentiful and focus on foods high in proteins and healthy short to medium chain (including many saturated) fatty acids. 1316523860 +As the comic mentions, solar insolation has been decreasing since the 1940s, yet the average global temperature has increased steadily since around 1900. Insolation is the amount of solar energy the earth receives. Now, the initial increase in temperature starting around 1900 was likely caused the the increased insolation. However, that does not explain why we are still seeing increased global temperatures when insolation is decreasing.\n\nYou are correct to point out the role that procession (basically the way the earth wobbles on its axis) plays in the earth's climate. Likewise, eccentricity (orbital path) and obliquity (tilt) play a role. These three conditions together form what are known as the Milankovich cycles (named after the man who first analyzed them). The Milankovich cycle is basically a cyclical analysis of insolation relative to what the earth is doing and is helpful in analyzing past climate conditions. However, the Milankovich cycle does not coincide with current climate trends.\n\nIf you take a look at green house gas (GHG) emissions starting in 1900 with the industrial revolution, you can see that current increased global temperatures coincide with the massive amounts of GHGs being put in the atmosphere, especially since the year 2000. It's more than just correlation though. GHGs are called GHGs for a reason, they contribute to the green house effect. These gases are being put into the atmosphere by man, and they are having the direct result of increasing how much heat is absorbed by the atmosphere and emitted back to the earth.\n\nAnd I'm sorry to say, but your geology professor is mistaken. There are instruments set up in remote places of the earth, like Antarctica, that measure atmospheric compositions. This is to ensure that any increased levels of GHGs being detected didn't come from local emissions, but are part of a global trend. The carbon is definitely there. However, not all of the carbon we are emitting does stay in the atmosphere. A large portion of it is actually being absorbed by the ocean and then buried in deep ocean circulation, where it wont see the surface again for a few thousand years. This is buying us some time to get our act together, since it is reducing the levels of GHGs that would otherwise be in the atmosphere.\n\nThroughout history, the factors that play a role in climate change are insolation, continent position, speed of ocean floor spreading, volcanic activity, and cosmological events like meteors. Until recently, these factors could all be used to explain the levels of GHGs in the atmosphere, and explained the ice ages, levels of glaciation, and other temperature data that can be obtained not just through ice core samples, but also through samples of the ocean's crust. Nearly 98% of climatologists actively publishing data claim that human activities play a significant role in increasing global average temperatures.\n\nTo say that there is some sort of conspiracy out there backed by alternative energy companies is ridiculous. Most alternative energy companies are just normal energy companies looking at alternative energy because they know that it is the future. The government is going to start taxing carbon emissions in one way or another in the near future. Energy companies already own the infrastructure to transport and distribute electricity, so there is no way for a new alternative energy company to break into the game. Existing energy companies are going to gradually transition to alternative energy as it becomes necessary to remain profitable.\n\nI am currently studying for my geology final on climate and climate change, and this is essentially what our final is over. We have spent the entire semester studying models, studying what has caused climate change on earth in the past, and then combining the two to show that our current climate change is not natural.\n\nI apologize for the resolution, but as requested, here are some scans of graphs from published documents showing solar activity in relation to temperature: http://imgur.com/a/C11Wf/1 and http://imgur.com/hbGQO.jpg\n\n*edits for clarification 1292264089 +Watch the [video.](http://vimeo.com/13704095) 1306260044 +If bigfoot exists then who put him there Scientistologicists: 0 Jesus:1 1341902456 +Most surprising: Gene Roddenberry, given the overt religiosity of some of the Star Trek original series episodes.\n\nLeast surprising: Bruce Lee. He was a Taoist, if he was anything. 1306453383 +There is so much more evidence than lights in the sky. 1316560055 +But if it's a frictionless system in a zero-G vacuum, the only force acting upon it will be the magnetic fields of the dynamo. (and entropy, obviously) I'm proposing that the magnets producing the repulsive force be many times stronger than those in the dynamo, which would limit the amount of current produced but would extend the lifetime of the system.\n\nI know this is a bit silly, and has undoubtedly been tried many times - but sometimes I worry we are *too sceptical*, and might inadvertently dismiss new technologies (or new applications of existing technology), because they conflict with received wisdom. (and their proponents are obviously bonkers)\n\n 1356714230 +It was truly a grizzly mistake. 1324593269 +You just made my day :) 1341211174 +You just made my day :) 1310423335 +Yeah, had an argument with a neighbor when she kept insisting that everything 'natural' was good for you. \n\nMe: "Hold on a moment..."(Disappear into home, come out with a plant) \n \nLady: "What's this?" \n\nMe: "A herb. It's called *Atropa Belladona*. It was used extensively in the Italian court, as well as in a lot of current eye diagnosis procedures, but I'd recommend you look on the internet before you try using it." \n\nHer:"Why?" \n\nMe: "Well, its common name is deadly nightshade..." 1354051582 +Just because they're not very sound dogs. But I'll admit, I'm biased against them :P 1311431076 +Without any further evidence, I would say your claim is 100% accurate. 1316823234 +It's a court of AWESOME! **Guitar rif!* 1346511451 +In Switzerland, with all of the mountains, this could very well be an observatory at the top of a peak, or maybe the lights from tram headed up the side of the mountain. 1354901040 +I don't think 9/11 was an inside job but I do think there was a poor job of collecting and presenting evidence for the explanation given of what happened. There was little investigation done on who financed to terrorist on why certain intelligence was ignored. I in no way think the united states government did it, but I also don't think what they have told us about it is the complete truth nor is it all they know. 1354835920 +By US government, I hypothesize that the US government as we think of it, that is to say, POTUS, Senate, Congress, heads of Departments, etc...are completely unaware of the existence of ETs on an official level (if they believe it personally is really up to each individual). I think it's more likely the government within the government, ie. pentagon, or segments of the government within the government, hold this information and essentially keep it under wraps, even from their own apparatus. 1316619138 +My mother wants to proof me that they don't exist. My mom will do it, even if i say it's dangerous so i'm trying to find the safest way 1346172282 +i am completely devoid of compassion. at least for people who put themselves in their own shitty situations. if someone had held a gun to those ladies heads and forced them to strip and have sex that would be a different situation. they made a choice to put their faith in a known fraud. i have no pity on them. 1340494176 +It is the new diet/health fad, despite their actually being a real disease associated with it.\n 1331244743 +Here, I made Dawkins more Fort Bragg like: http://i.imgur.com/O6r0O.jpg 1294692045 +Dude has a sheet over his head with eye holes cut out...how anyone thinks this is even remotely real is beyond me. 1324251911 +I watched the video. The blogger lauds it as destroying Novella, but it shows nothing of the sort. I suspected that would be the case, but I needed... evidence. 1305029274 +Not one of his better topics. Check out his sources (or limitations thereof) 1286930059 +Still, though. Huge step. 1315974879 +Well,unless you actually manage too find that pillow and confirm it was an actual pillow that hit you,I'm gonna leave it at sleep paralysis,or a very vivid memory which isn't uncommon if you were a child when it happend. 1340914769 +In every physical and mental attempt to "give myself a break" has worked out poorly, seemingly amplifying me. I am not sure why, but trying to ignore or avoid it has always done these. On the grounds of meditation, I have attempted this, however came very close to possession. Which, is not fun. Not at all fun. 1344186027 +Now kiss. 1336711693 +The wiki article pretty much nailed the lack of necessity of colonics, however one important point is that there is a very high risk for a perforated colon which is very dangerous. Even a colonoscopy carries a risk of a perforated colon and it is performed by a doctor. A colonic is not performed by medical personnel at all and thus the risk of somethign going wrong is increased dramatically. 1310672052 +Wow, that's awesome. [I guess I'll just wait.](http://imgur.com/PYOHo) 1336056920 +Jesus, take the wheel! 1347976759 +Do you have trouble reading? Where did I say I'm arguing FOR a god? Go back and read it again.\n 1351141746 +I wouldn't be so quick to accuse people of misogyny, but I do find it very interesting that whenever the SGU is mentioned, no matter the context, there are always a few people who feel the need to jump in and tell everybody how they don't like Rebecca Watson.\n\nThere are things to disagree with Rebecca Watson about, and there are certainly bound to be personality clashes where people just don't care for her style, but this level of focus on her seems to be way out of proportion to that. 1330984635 +you're referring, of course, to *space* energy - the only real kind of energy! 1349910997 +Yes, source please. 1326639901 +There is probably a certain number of students trying to stay neutral an the basic issue. Due to the controversy they might try to prevent the "damaging" of the relation to their teacher. 1353748758 +Yeah I guess I get your point. I don't think I have much in the way of advice to offer in that case. Doesn't the science-based medicine website have a section for OB concerns? Good luck friend. 1305693386 +Any example citations? 1307743511 +> It's similar to r/atheism,\n\nYOU TAKE THAT BACK.\n 1326676765 +No, I mean it sounds like you're agreeing with me. Creationists frequently misuse Occam's Razor because they don't understand the distinction between the simplest explanation and the one that introduces the fewest new assumptions. The comment that you "disagree" with was an illustration of that error. 1302712949 +They do good interviews here and there. They have no filter and the interviews are slanted, towards their worldview. You get too much sauce and, not enough meat. Every once in a while, I'll stumble onto some good stuff. \n\nI see these communities of researchers/conspiracy-theorist/new-agers as traveling carnivals. Supporting each others research, doing conventions, holding conferences, talks, hocking their wares. Like conventional science, if they decry the research of a fellow carny, they get kicked out of the caravan and Loose their funding. Really they're not researchers themselves, they just repackage old research with their muddled perspective and pat themselves on the back. Notice David Icke is an annual guest on Alex Jones though they share no common view. It's about the money, not the research.\n\nAlso this super solider/Montauk business is nonsense. Everyone can pack that up with their orgone generators, indigo kids, The Secret, Esalen, EST, Positive Thinking, Raelism, crystals, lack quantum physics/science comprehension, and hollow earth theory. I'm not a skeptic- but holy christ on a stick the corn-dog savior I HAVE LIMITS!!! 1349463418 +I have to admit: I've been expecting this response. It was inevitable, really. Victim mentality plus conspiracyphilia - what else were you going to get? 1356086320 +Artificial is not bad. Natural is not good. It depends. The increase of lifespan in modern times is almost entirely made by artificial products. Keep that in mind. 1294277862 +I believe if the unknown objects in the sky are indeed "alien" then they could possibly be some kind of surveying system for a greater race. My theory is that the creator of these vehicles are not behind the "wheel" (so to say) but possibly AI/robotic or even some kind of slave/clone collecting data of every planet. 1276670809 +Moderating is good, as long as your moderation is limited to removing spam and the like. \n\nIf you intend to moderate so that the only comments are those that agree with you, don't allow comments at all. Moderating in this manner will destroy your credibility.\n\nIt's possible to limit commenting ability to those who register for the site. This would help reduce spam. But again, if you will ban anyone who disagrees with you, kiss your credibility goodbye.\n\nIs there a reason you don't wish to work with one of the established skeptical websites? 1311619935 +I don't consider Lazar to be legit. 1345579047 +>“He specialises in reincarnation and has researched other children like Cameron.\n\nSigh. 1355624821 +"Disinfo" as in? I'd like to know. I really hope you're not saying he's some government agent out to mislead the public 1329141529 +1. We know the universe isn't infinite. r/physics or r/science can explain how we know in detail.\n\n2. Sadly, we still don't even have any evidence faster than light travel is even theoretically possible, although I wish as much as anyone could this wasn't so, and the future really was something like on Star Trek. I knew in my heart that the FTL neutrino results had to be wrong, although I had the smallest sliver of hope this would pan out, and they had really found a way to evade Einstein. I don't say the possibility that aliens could be paying us a visit is 0%, but given what we currently know it is exceedingly close to nil. Even if I saw a flying saucer hovering over my house, my first assumption would be that it was a test of some sort of experimental/secret military drone, which when you think about it is far more likely than a visitor from another world. \n\n 1346518680 +the only time that line has legitimately creeped me the fuck out, usually i ignore it, wtf happened this time 1326486359 +Just google plasmonics, surface plasmons, nanoshells, or microwave photonics. Here is a link about microwave photonics: http://newton.ex.ac.uk/research/emag/microwave/ 1282791469 +Don't you think that if there was basically a "cure" for cancer -- something better than chemo that had no side effects -- that no matter how cheap it was, it would make "big pharma" more money than they'd ever made? I mean, whoever had this magic product would instantly have a monopoly on cancer treatment IN THE WORLD. 1294256091 +In the autumn I Reiki the leaves. 1294807470 +These people are climate change cynics. 1266940238 +What is the tax break on? They already don't pay taxes. 1312988433 +Immediately followed by claims that some food *cures* cancer. 1354998913 +It's the ADD generation. By spending the whole day browsing through little tidbits of information that can be processed in seconds (like cute pictures) and then moving on, we're hardwiring our brains to work this way *by default* - so, it gets more and more difficult to focus on one single thing for longer periods of time. ADD is not a sickness or a physiological pathology - it's just the brain resisting the effort to work in a way that is contrary to how it has been wired to work after years and years of not being used to hold a steady focus on a single object for long periods of time. I believe this can be "fixed" by doing *meditative tasks* with your whole focus, be it sitting meditation, or doing dishes (without daydreaming), etc. 1353709790 +Downvotes are not an indication of disagreement. He answered the question. Stop downvoting him. 1335051066 +If you think it is smart to feed your pet cat or dog a vegan diet, you probably shouldn't have a pet cat or dog. 1341961476 +I'm getting my Master's in literacy so I see numbers like that thrown around a lot. While illiteracy is still a big problem (hence the need for people in my line of work), 3 billion is an arbitrary number and that doesn't even really make sense in this context. Not being able to read has many factors. But if you really want some literacy stats I can hunt some down for you. 1320300368 +Would he know where the grave is at? Was he groundskeeper before they removed the stone? 1353735521 +The question remains: just how much power does any politician have to disclose such information? 1233438699 +I work with an individual who does this. When I first met him I would try and debate him, but when it was revealed that he believes all physics are wrong (he believes that newtonian physics works but that a basic underlying principle of mathematics is being kept secret), and that he and some other cranks have somehow figured out mathematics that people who have devoted their lives to understanding have gotten wrong or missed. Whats I realized this I understood that arguing would be impossible as he could just say that "everything they know is wrong". 1354580448 +Obviously most (probably all) of them realized it was a joke question, and jokingly answered yes. 1353470296 +She is no "adverage" psychic. 1339855440 +People find it creepy because to some of us it looks like the figure of a woman in a white dress with dark hair not a toy llama. Maybe ask before making assumptions? 1347649128 +It's a good reason to fire him if they fear the controversies surrounding his position (which isn't supported by science) will reflect badly on them. 1326475961 +I guess he is hard of reading... 1291256460 +To be honest, i've lost a lot of faith in that show. Everything feels so faked and over dramatic. i'm kind of over it.i mean, i know they need the views and stuff, but the older seasons just seemed more real.\n\nNot saying i actually believe that 90% of the shit they find is real, just that it feels really really poorly faked. 1354399110 +Actually, one of the things I've seen in acupuncture trials is *single*-blinding, which in this case is also a failure. Patients weren't told that they were getting real or fake 'puncture, but the practitioners were real or fake, so they were getting exposed to 2 very different experiences. 1347475407 +Even if you take the 100 million figure they use, a sample of 1,019 is hardly appropriate for such a claim. What states were polled? Did they question 1,019 Southerners? Were there people from every state represented? 1331523921 +HA. Expect me to read that... 1337464815 +Nice footage! 1336611826 +There as no kind of light source coming from it? Did anyone else get a look? Did it seem to grow larger? Or just change into something else entirely 1347353560 +I agree with your points. Most of my little rant was aimed more at the responses here, a lot of which are gleeful "look at the silly credulous hippies", as if eating your placenta is now shown to be a bad idea.\n\nIt may well be a bad idea, but that wasn't actually demonstrated in the article or comments I read. 1332783866 +Also, some of the 2009 debt ($900B tarp) was decided in 2008 1326299221 +Nothing surprises me anymore. I wouldn't be shocked if the whole Nazis on the moon theory had some truth to it. 1316232183 +"rampant feminism" 1309941148 +One thing I've learned about Joe Rogan over the years is that he very easily gets his mind made up in the wrong direction and will NEVER reverse it. He still thinks the moon landing was a hoax. 1337308107 +Good luck demonstrating that you have standing to bring it to a court, in that case. 1317047380 +I am sorry for the up-votes that didn't resolve, Spock. 1355631735 +I'll just leave this here for anyone who wants it;\n[Assessment of the health impact of GM plant diets in long-term and multigenerational animal feeding trials: A literature review](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691511006399) 1354539433 +very interesting...but sadly enough, this too shall be considered photoshopped by the majority. 1313512527 +yeah, I sometimes try to resist my tendency to assume that every seemingly ET encounter is controlled by one mind with one agenda that represents the agenda of that particular whole race. ya never know, I always remind myself that all the ET contact could be done by one random ET who has a sense of humor. or by many different "races" with many different agenda 1350424516 +jou keep using that word. I do no think it means what jou think it means. 1319221668 +Can you provide some reference that isn't from the low-carb camp that actually states some form of a lipid hypothesis that blames fat consumption for weight gain over and above the calorie content? The claim that fat breaks the energy intake/energy consumption relationship would be just as surprising as the claim that carbs do. \n\nFDA recommendations on dietary composition are expressed in terms of percentage of calories consumed and don't claim that fats make you fat. 1303211444 +How long will this job stay? Is it going to continue for another year? 1353394090 +I took it as commentary on the OP's the request to 'debunk' the article. I so dislike the term, because it implies you have a preconceived conclusion you want to impose. You don't go *debunk* something, you go *investigate* it, and the results of your investigation may or may not end up debunking it.\n\nThen again, perhaps I read far too much into it. 1349679902 +paranormal spirits are most active at night, which it is why ghost hunters are more likely to find evidence of paranormal activity. :) 1345518777 +He/She covered your ass. Better thank her ;) 1356749560 +If you *really* want to buy this colleague coffee every day, option two is the most scientific; randomization is a bad idea when you're trying to determine something via experiment. One cup of test, one cup of "control" coffee. 1319146353 +It seem's to me that spirits have rule's that they must follow like bek's and vampire's not being able to enter one's home. Maybe praying remind's them of there place. Just a thought. \n 1312999088 +it is an external object 1296841717 +I could probably bug someone enough to get them to listen. I'm quite persistent. :) 1312808419 +The products they sell are pretty solid. Supplements, protein shakes, meal bars, snacks, fizzy energy effervescent tablets (think Airborne but with lots of caffeine), things like that. And they all work pretty well- an ex of mine lost a lot of weight using their diet products.\n\nI just wouldn't advise anyone to get into the supply side of it. 1301459011 +The way you present it in the caption is just the slightest bit misleading enough to point out.\n\nDe Beers is responsible for a successful campaign to make diamonds the quintessential rare gem and the price remains anchored to that perception. To take that further, demand is superficially regulated. \n\nI think it's *these* claims you should be looking t verify, not anything like arbitrary price control and direct responsibility. 1352910604 +I think this is what killed the global warming movement. The lay people who were first to jump on the bandwagon also tended to be anti-science in every other respect, so early on it became associated with pseudoscience. Now the issue is firmly polarized, so there isn't much to do about it. 1334941531 +Nice try, corn lobby... 1298326816 +I never said to shut up about Monsanto. Monsanto is the entire reason so many people are anti-GMO. &#3232;\\_&#3232;\n 1325895618 +It's a great idea in theory. I'm sure they would do it if it was possible. I just think that handing over your right to reproduce to a government OR private corporation is one of the most frightening concepts imaginable. I think it would create a greater divide between the haves and have-nots. I think it's crazy enough that you have to pay someone to live on this planet... but governments and corporations deciding who gets to reproduce (and admit it... they wouldn't let everybody who wants to, do it)? I mean think about it. Black people are more likely to be poverty stricken than white people. If we did this we would, in effect, be phasing out black people so that richer white people can move into their neighborhoods. We're definitely on our way down that road. I hope more people begin realize that stuff like this is blatant eugenics, and that this is what people like Bill Gates are helping to facilitate. 1330135544 +Thank you for pointing out the errors of being bafoons. It worsen's this discussion, and the community to not speak reasonable and be actual about the issues. This is r/skeptic not [r/sanctimony](http://i.imgur.com/4ro8B.png), jeez. O.o 1351042454 +>it's nice to find someone so conceited, smug, and self assured as to think they can speak for an entire group of 50,000 people. \n\nI've been on this sub long enough to know that people like you would be better off somewhere else.\nThrough the system of upvotes and downvotes, yes, people seem to be agreeing with me rather than you. \n\nIf you can't handle the fact that you're wrong sometimes, feel free to call me names over the internet. 1342541288 +au stands for "absorbance units" 1275643050 +If it's a placebo effect, or not, one thing you can be sure of is this: the HMO probably wouldn't shell out money if they didn't think it'd lower their overall costs. 1310964072 +Since this is /r/skeptic, let's try an experiment. I'll get back to you in a bit. 1347393872 +>To prove it, he referred me to a Wikipedia article. Yeah. He doesn't seem to understand that Wikipedia is not exactly a scholarly source.\n\nWhich Wikipedia article and which citations? Wikipedia can be the most "scholarly source" around, or it can be the least, but sweeping generalizations about Wikipedia's validity are pointless without specific articles and citations.\n 1325753969 +> I have never seen a North Korean nuke, yet I do not dispute the fact that they have them\n\nExtraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.\n\nThere's nothing extraordinary about the claim that North Koreans have developed nukes. We know that North Koreans exist, we know that nukes exist, we know that nukes aren't terribly difficult to build for anyone with the resources of, say, North Korea, and the seismological evidence of nuclear tests is available to scientists all over the world. There's more than enough evidence to support such an unsurprising claim. 1280550060 +The statement by your friend is probably a very garbled version of a nuanced reality. That the various minerals in your body work together, and if you have badly misproportioned amounts of calcium and magnesium (and probably other things) then it's possible that you won't store the calcium that you think you are, or that some calcium will be leached. But that has to do with a pretty severe unbalanced diet, and probably not something that an ordinary person would accidentally do to themselves.\n\nAlso, strong bones are more reliably created by weight-bearing exercises and adequate intake of calcium and magnesium and phosphorus (iirc), rather than just drinking lots of milk or eating lots of broccoli. \n\nBreastfeeding mothers who don't consume enough calcium will have it leached from their bones, so they have to be extra careful. 1257299500 +You have no idea what you are talking about. A chiropractic physician takes 4 years of schooling after a bachelors. I just finished a year's worth of school wherein I took a year of gross anatomy where we dissected cadavers, spinal anatomy, a year of radiographic anatomy, cell biology, 2 quarters of biochemistry, biomechanics, histology, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, 2 quarters of physiology, human development, and all the labs where we learning to use the book knowledge on real people. I still have 3 years to go. If you think that we know nothing, you have no idea. The things you are talking about have NOTHING to do with what I am learning at school. My school is NOT a subscriber to that old way of thinking. We are integrating chiropractic into the health care world. I don't think a chiropractor is a cure all... EVER! But we are a valuable source of alternative, non-invasive health care. 1312351637 +Fluoride in drinking water can cause fluorosis. Other than that it's not a big deal. Fluoride really doesn't need to be in drinking water in areas with good dental care. 1338751314 +thanks, I was just taking shots of whatever looked interesting at the time. I use a simple canon power shot sx120. I only do it as a hobby, not ever anything professional. 1353817611 +Very well said. On an unrelated note, though he is very eloquent, the way he speaks makes me just wait for the punchline at the end of his sentence. It's like I'm classically conditioned to laugh and am surprised when the sentence ends. 1289043277 +How did I just get dubstep? 1320879333 +Btw, that dude who pegged your turkey-banana-face picture as being from some slideshow from November 2010, did you create that original image that he linked to?\n\nOr did you stumble on it somehow?\n\nAlso, I love your comment not too long ago to someone who was a dick in one of your posts and you said "ALSO FUN AT PARTIES!". I LOVED that and honestly want to use that IRL, as I think about it bi-hourly and have a laugh 1329184137 +If he killed himself they probably would have made an episode of it. Hate that show more than life itself. 1355243339 +Interesting analogy. Must ponder. 1331369431 +Bob Larson! Now there's a name I haven't heard in probably ten years. 1285258959 +It's no sweat, plenty of perfectly intelligent people who can't. Just as a general rule, when you're critiquing something someone else is talking about, check for those mistakes. =P\n\nEdit: I should note that I agree with iskillz's post in principle, when actually discussing scientific theory. This is more of a 'what thing were you skeptical of, that you used and for *whatever reason* worked' conversation, in which the real cause behind something is more or less irrelevant. 1300947385 +I wasn't making a rule, I was just suggesting a concept that some people may intuitively follow, because you asked about it. \n\nTo your point, even foods that are dried, pickled or canned should probably not be consumed after a year of that process. Sure honey may be an exception to this general rule, but having an exception to a rule doesn't make the general statement "impractical." If a person doesn't know what how to define a food that is "processed" then telling them to look at the time it takes for that food to spoil could be a good indicator. 1336928831 +"Fruit of the tainted tree" is that it? So if "stress management" is practiced by western medicine it's science, but if practiced by a naturopath it's woo? 1279948624 +Hang on, one can make a case that ALL experiences we have are fake. Also, within the context of pure consciousness, it isn't an experience per se, in the first place.\n\nFinally, it appears to be impossible to settle the matter, at this point in time, of whether or not the universe's consciousness perceived by the individual actually exists, and it doesn't really matter even if it doesn't. To the enlightened person, allegedly, the perception is literally the most fundamental possible perception, so there's no persuasive way to argue against it.\n\nIt would be like telling someone "you only think that you are thinking."\n\n\nAnd BTW, the research I mention, which apparently you never bothered to read, says nothing about immortality. I was merely pointing out that one can, based on what we know of the self-reports of the state, plus what we know of the physiological correlates of the state, see why people might consider it a soul in some sense.\n\nFurther, assuming there really IS a state of consciousness based on on pure consciousness, that gets described as "unity," where all perceptions are viewed as fluctuations of pure consciousness and are themselves actually pure consciousness, we can see why people in such a state might view their "soul" as immortal.\n\nI never asserted that people have souls or that they are immortal, or that pure consciousness is immortal (though if the unified field really IS consciousness as hagelin asserts, then the conclusion would be tautological), only that there is physiological research that gives a hint why these self reports of an "immortal soul" might arise.\n\n.\n\nResearch on the physiological correlates of pure consciousness found during TM practice: \n\n[Breath suspension during the transcendental meditation technique] (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7045911)\n\n\n[Pure consciousness: distinct phenomenological and physiological correlates of "consciousness itself"](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10512549)\n\n\n[Autonomic patterns during respiratory suspensions: possible markers of Transcendental Consciousness](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9009807)\n\n\n[Autonomic and EEG patterns during eyes-closed rest and transcendental meditation (TM) practice: the basis for a neural model of TM practice.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10487785)\n\n\n[A self-referential default brain state: patterns of coherence, power, and eLORETA sources during eyes-closed rest and Transcendental Meditation practice](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19862565)\n\nResearch on the physiological correlates of the stabilization of pure consciousness outside of meditation in long-term TM meditators: \n\n[Psychological and physiological characteristics of a proposed object-referral/self-referral continuum of self-awareness]\n(http://www.totalbrain.ch/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/eeg-of-enlightenment.pdf)\n\n\n[Patterns of EEG coherence, power, and contingent negative variation characterize the integration of transcendental and waking states.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12406612)\n\n\n[Abstract for the 2007 Conference of the American Psychological Association \nBrain Integration Scale: Corroborating Language-based Instruments of Post-conventional Development](http://www.tm.org/american-psychological-association)\n\nResearch on the physiological correlates of the stabilization of pure consciousness outside of meditation in non-meditators: \n\n\n[Higher psycho-physiological refinement in world-class Norwegian athletes: brain measures of performance capacity](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.01007.x/full)\n\n[Moral development, executive functioning, peak experiences and brain patterns in professional and amateur classical musicians: Interpreted in light of a Unified Theory of Performance](http://drfredtravis.com/downloads/Musician_preprint.pdf)\n\n[POLICING AND SPIRITUALITY: THEIR IMPACT ON BRAIN INTEGRATION AND CONSCIOUSNESS](http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/jsmithspaper.pdf)\n\n[Higher mind-brain development in successful leaders: testing a unified theory of performance.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22193866)\n\n\n 1342468967 +Okay, I believe public schools are not only tools of oppression but also propaganda. I am not anti-education, I am anti-government-funded-and-regulated-monopolized-schools. Public schools are one of the worst environments for someone to learn, and more parents should home school their kids. 1338712496 +A couple of things immediately jumped out at me. First, if 7 is the optimum for us, why are they promoting alkaline foods as better than acidic foods. Some quick searching shows that Alkaline diets are a thing. \n\nI was also confused by their placement of citrus fruits like [lemons and oranges as alkaline](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_%28fruit%29#Acidity).\n\nI was curious as to what affect the pH of food affects us and I found this [useful article on QuackWatch](http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/coral2.html). In short, it doesn't. 1338103288 +I noticed something similar with trees a few years ago (2009, Was 19 at the time). I could suddenly see the movement of the trees in much greater detail, and I saw the relation between leaf and branch and tree much more intricately than before. \n\nShortly later, I was introduced to fractal mathematics, and I could see similar changes across all of nature. \n\nWhat I've come to realize is that you CAN change your senses. If you train your awareness, you can reach higher levels of clarity and resolution. \n\nThis digital reality is not static, and you might have finally heard a truer form of the sound airplanes make. 1334422321 +Also most of the users are fully aware of their ingredients, like most consumers of homeopathy know full well the dillution principles, but they still think it works for whatever reason. Questioning the ridiculousness of the practice or product is the work of Big Pharma. 1337656869 +Its cool, but why would I pay $20 for this when I could just [print the preview pdf](http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/pdf/FallaciesPoster24x36.pdf) which is fullsize, 24x36 poster?\n\nSure, I'll have to tape a few pieces of printed paper together to form the poster, but still...\n\nI wish this thing was $5 or $10. 1351966996 +lol at the [legal proceedings](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Trudeau#Legal_proceedings) section 1330210493 +The Phoenix Lights are included, they happened years ago. 1287374052 +He always flies off the handle. He should stick to the good cases and the fact that no scientist wants to talk about them. Or talk about the Norway UFO's that have been scientifically measured. 1314129794 +The new constellation didn't exist until we discovered it, so anyone who was born before 2009 is still okay. 1295052757 +>The real issue is that instead of telling people how to deal with a earthquake, etc., the people under trial told everyone (on TV etc.) that all was fine, that they did not need to worry or take any precaution.\n\nWhich, given the odds of a major event happening, was the totally correct thing to do AFAIK.\n 1350963026 +Pretty interesting – have a couple of questions/points of clarification, though. You said your mother had set her alarm for 9am; yet when her alarm went off, you said that she noticed that the time was only 5am. Presumably she noticed that it was 5am *on a different clock than the one her alarm was set on* (because the clock with the alarm had to read 9, if she had set it to go off at 9, obviously). \n\nIf the alarm clock was indeed 4 hours ahead of **actual** time (which the clock that read 5am had right) – and if this was indeed caused by it resetting itself due to a power outage - then that means the outage must have happened at 8pm (at which point the clock reset itself to *4 hours later*). Further, any electronic analog clocks would have been stuck at 8pm (with *electronic* analog clocks reading 1pm at [actual] 9am - when you and your siblings woke up). \n\nI think this could perfectly account for all the time things... and so the biggest question is – if all of this happened 15 years ago (and if, as you said, it has been mentioned often), why wouldn't anyone have admitted at this point that they were the ones who accidentally messed up the Lego thing? You're all grown by now, and I'm sure it would have made for a laugh if someone (presumably mother) confessed 'hey, remember that Lego thing from 5/10 years ago? I totally broke it when I knocked it off the nightstand, and then rebuilt it shittily.'\n\nThe only thing I still don't get, though - if it had been your mom/dad who knocked it off their nightstand - is why they would have added "different colors." Surely, if they were interested in simply putting the pieces backed together that had fallen off in their bedrom, there would have been absolutely no reason to get more blocks of different color, right? For some reason, this makes me think it may have been one of the siblings instead – I just feel that maybe the mother or father wouldn't have tried to 'cover it up' or add anything. \n\nAnd I must 'lol' at the person's theory of the mother not being able to reconstruct the Lego thing on account of the power (still) being out. Obviously, if she had known the power had gone out, there wouldn't have been confusion as to why the clocks were reading weird things, right? 1339281348 +I think it might be a 'hypnic jerk'. I think it's something along the lines of your blood pressure dipping too quickly during the transition from being awake to being asleep. 1326527726 +>I'm really a fan of chlorophyll; maybe in the future we might be able to grow our own in our skin, just like we have melanin now. I would not mind looking green.\n\nI read a really interesting short story some time ago exploring the ramifications of turning the starving masses of Africa green to prevent so many starving to death, wish I could remember the title or author but if you're up to searching I would recommend it.\n\nThat said - given the massively larger energy needs of an active, mobile animal and our far smaller surface area compared to plants I doubt it would be possible to ever meet all our energy needs with solar power. 1335516636 +Not really. Most people's decisions are guided solely by cognitive biases. We're all to blame for this, but knowing about these pitfalls is more than half the battle.\n\nI especially dislike the idea of "just trust your gut!" or "use your common sense" that keeps popping up in the media, entertainment and parenting. Common sense or "instincts" have been great to us over our evolution. However, common sense is not comparable with actual knowledge. \n\nIt's these kinds of heuristics that get us in trouble sometimes. "Oh the world is fair..." 1290514757 +I just want to add that potatoes didn't exist in Europe in 800 AD! 1351796758 +Oh it was just a weather baloon with boosters checking out the... you know... the dust storm. 1310252704 +Ouija board "spirit" told me I'd die at 16. I'm almost 30. Like Jack_Shid, I am a believer in the spirit world. I do believe that perhaps folks open themselves up to experiences believing it is the board, when in reality it is just them dropping their barriers and noticing what's always been there. 1351782393 +And it seems that there's just enough space for a down escalator to be to the right of it. Or was the down escalator to the left? 1326940690 +You misunderstood. I meant that that world would be a better place. 1314944724 +> The big difference here is that psychology follows the scientific method. A hypothesis is generated then tested, analyzed, replicated, etc.\n\nRemember, it was an analogy. I'm saying psychology falls under the social science bucket in terms of being "real science." I explicitly recognized that you can approach the subject in a scientific manner.\n\nYour example is a perfect example of psychology. There are huge numbers of variables there that are not accounted for. The main wants being the individuals' genes and experiences. \n\nYou say that psychology is typically not concerned about universality but that sounds fairly damning in terms of hard science.\n\nAt this point I am not sure we're disagreeing on that much beyond that you probably think psychological findings are more trustworthy than I do. As I said in my original post, it needs to be distinguished from hard science because we can't control for all the variables and yet one can approach the subject from a scientific perspective.\n\n> Unlike fundamental laws of physics, no two humans are the same\n\nThat is a vague statement and I am not sure that it follows from the "fundamental laws of physics." If you take two clones and put them in exactly the same environment (think unethical sterile room with identical stimuli and nourishment), do you not think they would behave identically? (I'm not talk about what is realistic here but just pointing out you are making a big claim that there isn't necessarily evidence for.) 1345681389 +omg lol 1332043781 +totally. I'm thinking of summering there next year. 1312496634 +> I fail to see why a random mutation is any different from an anthropogenic one.\n\nThat's the main problem right there isn't it? GMO plants are new. Selecting the seeds of the plants that do well over decades is different from injecting a bunch of new genes in a single generation. 1341977534 +BTW that photo is based on the movie poster for [Every Which Way But Loose](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077523/) 1304901383 +Is it just me, or did that UFO look an awful lot like a seagull? 1313594034 +Yes. It's your kundalini 1341898756 +You can search for stretches that help. There is something called the Pigeon stretch. I also do the third stretch in this [article](http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=6099). 1338375207 +I asked her. She has no recollection of the event. Ho hum. 1355070150 +Indeed, but r/pics might as well be a bottomless pit as far as I am concerned. 1308336062 +Really friendly, too. I once called him "Dr. Novella" in person, and he said "Dude, call me Steve." 1314498194 +The fact that there even is a modern spin, only adds to the on-going phenomena. A story from native americans is one thing, but multiple cops seeing skinwalkers is a whole 'nother. As you can see, such an argument only *adds* to the credibility, not diminish it. Am I the only one that thinks this way? 1343969583 +I only have one point to disagree with you on -- at least for now, I have to give your post a little more scrutiny before that.\n\nWhen someone like Ron Paul or Alex Jones -- or anyone for that matter -- professes belief in something absurd, while it does not invalidate any belief that that person may hold, it does render them suspect. Ron Paul's views on the economy may or may not be sound -- but his status as a creationist inclines me to believe that he may not have the most sound mind when it comes to making decisions in general, so I should be wary of his views on _everything_, moreso than I would be with someone who holds sound views on a subject. For instance, Francis Collins, former director of the Human Genome project, and now candidate for Director of the NIH, is a Christian, and a "Theistic Evolutionist" -- I hold _everything_ he does in a _significantly_ more skeptical light than, say, Stephen Jay Gould. That's not to say I'm not skeptical of Gould's research -- I'm skeptical of everything -- but even in spite of Collins' work on the HGP, his views on religion inform my treatment of that work. I _must_ be more skeptical, because he has demonstrated that _he is not skeptical enough_. \n\nI think that's what the OP as getting at -- his skepticism was increased upon learning that Alex Jones believes in _at least one_ stupid set of ideas, perhaps his other ideas are stupid too.\n\nI hope that makes sense.\n 1248136911 +This just in: Mythical creature has a lame explanation in reality.\n\nMore at 11! 1279770596 +I am certainly not a troll, and I'd wager I share pretty much the same position on AGW as does the majority of the people on this subreddit. I respectfully reject your invitation to dismiss myself. 1332247487 +I am certainly not a troll, and I'd wager I share pretty much the same position on AGW as does the majority of the people on this subreddit. I respectfully reject your invitation to dismiss myself. 1332247502 +I am certainly not a troll, and I'd wager I share pretty much the same position on AGW as does the majority of the people on this subreddit. I respectfully reject your invitation to dismiss myself. 1332266103 +I am certainly not a troll, and I'd wager I share pretty much the same position on AGW as does the majority of the people on this subreddit. I respectfully reject your invitation to dismiss myself. 1332339888 +I am certainly not a troll, and I'd wager I share pretty much the same position on AGW as does the majority of the people on this subreddit. I respectfully reject your invitation to dismiss myself. 1332345477 +I was with you until... pretty much just until halfway through the 2nd sentence. I'm not even going to try fixing all the incorrect things you just said. 1347350523 +Ok but I dont see UFOs hovering over land based platform. Hence, not real levitation as you'd imagine a UFO doing. This is the kind of magnetic toy anyone can make. 1315202908 +ah lol, so how much did it cost? and i bet the land was expensive too, did they design it or did you? (computer aided design(computer stuff) ?:P) 1314914323 +Glad to see one with clean lines, all the others this year seemed quite sloppy. I don't care who made it, it's a work of art and should be appreciated as such. 1341491503 +Nothing re-enforces the credibility of your product like a free Wordpress site :| 1356753104 +***never ever*** 1329823043 +I don't know a chiropractor who wouldn't refer you for an MRI if you gave your history like that (injury, nothing on x-rays). 1301889651 +Oh man,...preparing to get downvoted into oblivion,...BUT,...\n\n\nTo answer your question with another question,...Do all of these men and women have to be telling the truth to legitimize the Project?,...answer: yes.\n\n\nI love the concept of Disclosure, but seriously doubt the veracity of SOME of the witnesses. I think some of the camps in the movement are most definately full of BS,...and because of the unwillingness of certain leaders of the Project to leave some of the more questionable witnesses out, their inclusion is highly suspect to the overall legitimacy of the movement. I know for certain some of the original witnesses have distanced themselves from the movement and no longer want their names associated because of the direction(or lack thereof) of the Project.\n\n\nThe man himself [Steven Greer](http://www.ufowatchdog.com/steven_greer_2.htm), who offers $1000 weekend camping trips for CE5 contacts including an NDA, metaphysical mediatative seminars, rents his buildings to his own non-profit companies,...and is still trying to muster funding so he can develop zero point energy, despite the fact that hundreds of others are coming forth with the tech simply by opening the dialogue that this tech has been developed and canned(or exploited in blackbudget industries) for decades by independant cartels.\n\n\n[Clifford Stone](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W_3aneRPOg) the man who knows of 57 aliens species and has his own invisible EBE friend that only he can hear,...\n\n\nThen theres the claims by John Alexander that the Project actually sewered his attempts to get a congressional inquiry started again,...\n"the result was that his proceedings(Greer) held at the National Press Club destroyed any possibility of hearings on UFOs for the foreseeable future. Those Members of Congress who quietly had been supporting the process made it known they were out. They wanted nothing to do with a high-profile circus that could have adverse impact on their potential for reelection."\n\n\nThen theres the fact that, since Disclosure, politicians cant even admit theyve seen a UFO without being ostricised ala Dennis Kucinich, whos name is rarely mentioned in the media without the caveat,...\n\n\nRegardless of your impressions of the Project you certainly have to suspect the enire movement now that 10 years have passed and there is no discernable difference in the amount of verifiable info coming out of on the subject.\n\n\nQuite the contrary, the issue seems more muddy than ever,...\n\n\nI must admit I was first impressed with the concept of true Dislosure(although I dont see how it can ever happen more than it already has,...), and the Project has done much to bring the subject to a new generation of enthusiasts, but at what cost?,... leading to the question; Was the objective Disclosure or Confusion? 1305909551 +>And now, here's our _Creation Moments_ host, Ian Taylor...\n\nReady set **go!**\n\n>Ask any evolutionist and he will tell you that the Venus Flower Basket is one of the least evolved of all animals\n\nAaaaaaand scene. You made it **5 seconds**, Taylor. Thanks for playing. 1353940778 +That was actually one of the key concepts on Carl Sagan's "Demon-Haunted World". 1289824983 +>However, hallucinating and seeing demons is an entirely different of scary and i can understand that people not familiar with the phenomenon freak out. I believe that its hard to stay skeptical with hallucinations as described in that thread. \n\nTotally, I take heavy sleeping medication that messes with my senses if I don't go to sleep soon after taking it. Like, really vivid hallucinations and suggestive states. My roommates have caught me petting a throw pillow I thought was my bengal scurrying across the floor, meows and all. \n\nI woke up one morning thinking I scored a business deal over the phone late the other night, turns out I was just having a conversation with myself, quote my roomate "I was thinking of telling you to shut up, but I didn't think you were hurt and it was really funny."\n\nIt's amazing what the human brain can convince itself of. 1346352627 +Is there no way to get CPS involved? Or would they just not give a shit? 1330247939 +Note how "High alkaline ionized water" is there and "bottled water" is purportedly low. Marketing crap. 1338137437 +Now that you mention it, that might have been the last episode I watched too. I was disgusted.\n\nConsidering how much I wanted to believe they were legit, I've never gone looking for the proof of them faking evidence. There are just some times where you just would rather part ways than see with your own eyes how you were manipulated and have to wonder just how far back it went. 1348535896 +Assuming bigfoot exists (and that is a very, very large assumption) proving it is going to be problematic. There have already been so many hoaxes (after all, the "bigfoot" most hunters are trying to find is the one in that grainy old film, despite the fact that the cameraman admitted it was a hoax) and BS hunts shown on reality television ("Shh! Earl! Djya hear'at?! Izza a squatch! I know izza squatch!") that if anyone did find a real one, they'd be automatically dismissed as being yet another fraud.\n\nThat said, I highly doubt that it exists. Most of the sightings you read about belie the claim that it's a shy creature that tries to avoid people - if I were a shy creature that tried to avoid people, I certainly wouldn't be running through the woods chasing after them and throwing rocks at them while howling. Those that don't have ridiculous drama like that tend to be of the "I saw it leaning against a tree, a big furry creature!" variety, which would just as easily describe a bear as a giant ape-creature.\n 1337971647 +thanks for the suggestions :P I might mix these around a little bit 1341122447 +If I only allowed myself to side with people who share all my views I would never have any allies at all. If someone is skeptical of UFO sightings then they should be accepted as part of a UFO skepticism group regardless of their views on homeopathy. 1345437067 +It doesn't really need scholarly links to support it's claims, as it just lets Mike Adams speak for himself, which should be enough. But if you're looking to debunk 9/11 truthers and other conspiracies he believes in there's plenty there to work from to show how nutty this supposed ex-Scientologist is. 1346904489 +Fraud.\n\nIn many cases card details alone can be used to make purchases online.\nSo if he has your details, he can use them to make buy other stuff online for himself. 1323858301 +There was no vaccination for it when I was a child, and wasn't available until after my children had already had chicken pox. My daughter actually contracted it twice for some reason. 1320769475 +Be sure to hover your mouse over the red circle below the comic for an extra gag. 1262414195 +Paranormal simply means events or phenomena that are beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding.\n\nThere really are no events or phenomena that aren't normal - science just hasn't defined them yet. 1320791255 +Fair guess, but he didn't throw it nearly high enough to touch the ceiling. I was standing right in front of him and the deck didn't go more than a foot above his head. 1326442651 +You're right, all several thousand different substances on the shelves do absolutely nothing. How on earth did the human race ever take care of themselves before Tylenol and sudafed? 1349194235 +Do you mean this one? \n\n http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FMcwSZfzzI&feature=youtube_gdata_player 1340708749 +I agree 100%. It is a smudgy mirror causing this effect. 1347422360 +Nothing can explain the emotional duality this exact question poses to my relationship with my father at this time. To respect someone so much for his accomplishments and dedication; however,fearing what secrets he is hiding from the world. I may not judge what is better for society, but I just want the TRUTH! 1332007311 +Man, the human brain is so fascinating. The funny thing is, I did the ACV treatment as a "last resort," as even in-office freezing did not get rid of it. So I was skeptical of ACV working, but willing to give it a shot, just to cover all my bases. Interesting that my little sliver of hope may actually have been what got rid of it in the end. Wart removing superpower, activate! 1347934776 +Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were being serious. 1320965548 +I believe there are still Unis in the UK that offer courses in Parapsychology. Or, as EmpressSharyl says, there are a number of Parapsychology organizations in Europe and the US. As Rose_Tyler_Fan points out, it depends on what you want to learn. "Paranormal" covers a wide variety of topics. Locally we have a center that teaches energy work and Reiki. As for mythology, most unis offer mythology courses as part of their literature department. For a primer on that subject, I recommend the book *The Complete Idiot's Guide to World Mythology.* I've studied the subject and knew a lot of the material already, but it is well written and is broken down into categories that make sense. 1342882846 +Oh my...I'm not sure I'm up to defending the entire veterinary profession against The Internet. There are a lot of misconceptions out there and the people who have them tend to be pretty aggressive about their position. \n\nIf you have any specific questions, I'll be happy to answer if I can, I just don't want to invite mass scrutiny. :-) 1311463756 +I would honestly say that there are a lot of residual hauntings at places like this. Thanks for sharing your story. 1343777068 +It actually gave the "thanks-for-stopping-to-let-me-cross-the-road" wave at the driver/cameraman.\n\nTIL: Bigfoots (Bigfeet?) are courteous. 1300991289 +Progress M-03M launch\n"Progress M-03M launches to the International Space Station on resupply mission ISS-35P. Launch occurred just before daybreak, which resulted in a beautiful trail. The vehicle was visible until it went under the horizon."\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGslXhVm3E4 1300167348 +The other videos are much more compelling, IMO. The videos I listed seem to have a lot more speculation (and I just personally hate UFOs around the Sun as they're likely particles hitting the SOHO detector) and unnecessarily muddy the waters. The rest of the list is fantastic.\n\nJust my take on it, feel free to disagree. 1342795621 +The Homeopathic idea is that heavily diluted substances are more effective. So if it contains any honey at all, it's probably nigh undetectable. 1342886924 +I am pretty sure this is a copy. I think I have seen that video before without the ugly logo. 1310661230 +There's a pretty big difference between the homeopathic version, which pretty much everyone knows is bullshit, and the actual herb or a concentrate of Hypericin. 1278800866 +I don't know that it is fair to call science a "belief system." That is where it is very different from "movements" like religion. I think it is better to say that the implications of science could be belief. 1266435655 +There's nothing foolish about wanting to see all of the evidence. I agree with you in principle, but... disk-shaped insects? What I want to see is a few higher-quality stills of the objects. If this was shot in 1080 that should be do-able. 1331756259 +yes, but advanced yoga practitioners are claimed to be able to levitate and essentially create fireballs. 1347818564 +Are there also subreddits for powerbands and bigfoot that we can shoo them away to? Then, when we're down to only vaccines and homeopathy, do we send those to their own as well?\n\nAt what point does super-specializing a reddit defeat the purpose of the reddit in general? No one suggests that [/r/funny](/r/funny) should stop being funny. When a meme gets old, it burns out on it's own. \n\nLikewise, I suspect that a time will come when no one needs to argue one side or another of climate change anymore. It probably won't happen until there is a lot more awareness, education to voters, and elimination of politicians who spout anti-science, but we will get there. \n\nUntil then, isn't it useful to discuss it, what with it concerning the destruction of the human race by our own ignorance and all? 1330629011 +What does "setting the bar high" translate to in real terms? Producing an alien craft or body? Maybe a blueprint for a functional interstellar craft? I think that might be about it for any substantial financial incentive. Otherwise, you're just going to get more pictures, either crisp enough to be CG or blurry enough to be anything, and more hearsay and testimonials, which prove nothing. 1313946069 +I'm always bashing these 'ufo near sun!' posts, but this one at least really does look like a 3D object. Not saying it *is* one, but... you can even see a shadow side of it. Not seeing how this could be a CCD artifact. 1335640919 +I do! Very much indeed. They help me out to write stories! 1356624410 +It's a cool example of how certain types of patterns tend to reoccur in nature in ways that are not necessarily related to each other. 1318344547 +You forgot to say:\n\n* Would *have* made impact...\n\nYou're losin' it, man! 1347452251 +yeah, I thought my player was effed up.... I got frustrated (at work, too), and quickly closed the article before reading... 1331321453 +That still makes it a very questionable statement considering that there are far greater numbers (at least hundreds of billions) of people in the history of mankind that did **not** suffer from diabetes from eating basic foods like bread, rice and potatoes. It **could** lead to diabetes in the case of a general un-healthy lifestyle. Saying bread leads to diabetes would be like saying that patriotism leads to the organized mass murder of jews. It's a still a risk but it does not stand on it's own. Basic logic people, let's stay focussed here. 1345229655 +Being honest is probably good for repeat business. Also, White_kimbo said they were there to buy workout shoes, so the salesperson probably ended up selling another pair (that might have had a better profit margin). 1294346265 +Well, when people want to smear the only presidential candidate that actually takes a morally defensible stance on issues like torture and the drug war, the most approved method is to just make shit up about him. 1324978210 +Well fine, you can eat your big agro dog meat if you want, but dammit, when I eat dog, I prefer organic grass fed shade grown dog! 1299546094 +I suppose it depends on how you define luck. If a large asteroid is going to hit the earth today, I would consider that bad luck. If I get the one single card that makes my hand a winner on the river in Texas Hold Em, I would consider that good luck. It's all statistics and completely out of your control, so when they work out for you, it's good luck. I don't think people are inherently "luckier" than others if that's what you mean. 1322414239 +I've just watched it and it's basically this:\n\nOur understanding of the atrocities that occurred at Auschwitz and other Nazi internment camps is derived from survivor testimonies and the information gathered by the Soviets, which contradict themselves on a number of issues, including the existence of gas chambers. In the film, the narrator explores the proofs for gas chambers point by point and tries to break down their validity.\n\nIf anything, one point from this film is valuable to cursory history students: many other people besides Jewish people were held in German work camps, including Catholics, "Gypsies," and other "enemies" of the 3rd Reich. 1310781383 +It is a strange misplacement of responsibility in both directions. Another case of something being more loopy than I could imagine! 1329948017 +Breathless questions, breathed answers. 1299629696 +The God Helmet experiments couldn't be replicated. They weren't originally done double-blinded, and when other researchers introduced blinding, they couldn't find any significant effect. I wouldn't be surprised if there are some methodological flaws leading to these new results. \n\nHowever, I'd love to see the research. I doubt he has any fucking clue what he's talking about re: quantum physics, but I'm curious about this anyway. 1328823430 +Thank you. Very interesting!\n\nAlso relevant:\n\n* [Organic farming just as productive as conventional, and better at building soil, Rodale finds](http://www.grist.org/article/2011-03-25-rodale-data-show-organic-just-as-productive-better-at-building)\n\n* [The UN says Eco-farming can double food output by poor](http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/03/08/us-food-idUKTRE7272FN20110308)\n 1311713436 +I thought season 3 was pretty interesting. Season 4 had it's moments but left much to be desired. The finale was one of the dumbest thing's I've forced myself to watch. 1316652035 +yes. We couldn't believe it at first but it happens. 1335998341 +This, exactly. I'd say if you question everything *but* god, you may have skeptical tendencies, but I don't know if you'd fit *my* definition of a skeptic. I'm not sure of how to go about this without using 'No true Scotsman'. 1324370603 +That's pretty reasonable. 1332844353 +I skimmed the article looking for some mention of this, but I didn't spot anything that appeared to address it. It's certainly a bit confusing. 1311742247 +Congestion is helped by the production of excess, thin mucus. That's how congestion gets cleared. 1354125131 +They've responded to this criticism. I'm not saying I disagree with OP but this seems like a decent response:\n\nhttp://www.invisiblechildren.com.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/critiques.html 1331298217 +lmao no. We had plenty of food in the house. 1349363729 +Wha? The op link jumps right to it. It's at 35m35s. 1329484123 +>Really? Care to give some proof?\n\nYes. Start with an astronomy textbook. I'm serious. You aren't putting out any effort to understand. Please, at least [watch the video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HghEBxHvgg) and listen to an astrophysicist explain it.\n\n>How the Mayans calculated these things, we'll probably never know.\n\nThey looked at the sky and they knew math. That's how they calculated these things.\n\n>This one is supposedly the lining up of the stars within our galaxy.\n\nSee [this entry on HowStuffWorks](http://science.howstuffworks.com/major-planetary-alignment-2012.htm). There is no alignment. 1345071490 +A friend of mine thought the exact same thing about the Aurora shootings, saying that it was unbelievable that the shooter was able to get his hands on the weapons and armor. Because assault weapons and body armor aren't available in the U.S... 1356054265 +sorry, I thought I said New Jersey. Isn't that good enough for you? you are scaring me a bit so I don't want to say the specific location(its quite close to my home), lets leave it at, the lights are in Mercer county. 1350947395 +They do strobe like that if they're tumbling. Upper rocket stages in orbit tend to do that.\n\nSatellites disappear exactly like the one in the third video when they go into Earth's shadow. 1304190527 +Ooooo, this looks good. And I'm pretty sure that it is Dragsholm. Thank you so much 1356805508 +As far as I'm concerned, astral projection is kind of pesudo-ish, whereas lucid dreaming is not. I could be wrong. 1347124671 +GO LEAFS 1333414255 +I'm not into points, just providing information 1330112739 +I'm not into points, just providing information 1330112755 +yes, you wern't suppose to find out this way. Dont worry, it will be erased from your memory within 2 hours of now. 1337102474 +Dodges the fundamental question - if knowledge of the efficacy of a medicine is what makes the medicine work, then *spreading* that knowledge is the ethical dilemma. In effect, by couching every "placebo" question in terms of ethics, the question ceases to be one of science and becomes one of Original Sin. \n\nDouble-blind studies provide cover from the ethical issue by eliminating the knowledge of the doctor from the equation. It's like the firing squad solution - if one of the rifles is loaded with a blank, it provides moral cover for all soldiers because they can presume their gun isn't the one that killed the condemned. It's a logical fallacy, however, because the intent of pointing a weapon at another person and causing them to die is still there - it just has the added bonus of potential incompetence at the task.\n\nWhen one couches all discussions of placebo in terms of who-knows-what, the discussion ceases to be one about the effects of placebo and transforms into one about the effects of *knowledge.* It is not useful to do so. 1293566705 +A masseuse shouldn't be doing adjustments, at least, not on purpose. \n \nOnce the muscles are relaxed, the bones may return to their home position on their own IF they are used to being there. In my case however, my bones were used to being "out" and no massage or pills was putting them back. 1273677718 +Who keeps a twenty for months? 1327823690 +Aren't the first two things positive though? Using more of the fuel means less waste and a shorter half-life means less time in storage, or am I just talking out of my arse?. 1328542227 +Could you cite a source where he says that vaccines don't work? \n\nI've read a lot of what he's had to say on vaccines and a lot of it I agree with. For example, I agree on his point that people with a weakened immune system should get vaccinated, but normally healthy people shouldn't be getting flu shots every year. 1312611894 +Thank you, good sir. 1316086514 +Since Truman didn't get communication outside of the show then that would make us all puppets too. 1350642181 +It's the best available hypothesis. Obviously, the scientific process is going a wee bit slowly on this one. Until this study is repeated, it is the sum total of the scientific data out there. 1304980545 +It's only happened to me once. I woke up one night, lying on my left side, and felt completely paralyzed. I felt like there was something standing beside me, watching me, waiting to grab me. It felt like pure evil. I felt like it was a Shadow Man I had seen when I was a child. It took awhile for me to snap out of it. It was a very terrifying experience that I hope I never have to face again. 1341638189 +Check out "existential minds" by dean radin. He has a piece about this phenomenon in his book 1336259394 +r/skeptic needs a tag for posts which redirect to /r/climateskeptics so we have the option to avoid them 1355334575 +The birds are having a rave.\n\nDamn fine footage. Must be kind of scary. 1300696422 +> If you're telling me that GHGs can't lose any heat via radiation, we've got a different problem on our hands.\n\nI'm not telling you that, and I don't know why you have that idea. 1354765985 +pics or it didn't happen 1318369627 +I understand the scientific theory for deja vu, but I clearly remember waking up from that dream and thinking, "this was one of the most irrelevant dreams I've ever had". Recently, I've been getting deja vu a whole bunch which could relate to that theory, but I'm for sure 100% that the dream happened several months before :(\n\nEdit: but i completely umderstanf your point. I've had dreams reference themselves or repeat themselves as if they were fresh and have gone through a lot of similar events with that heavy feeling that I've done it before (which was probably just me receiving the same memory half a second earlier)! 1350409572 +Awesome, thanks for the tips. If anything happens again the rules ate coming out. I wouls like to devrlop a relationship id possible since its interested ine and wants my attention. 1352680330 +Smokestacks??? It's not a photograph.... ಠ_ಠ 1317706199 +Aaah well, the worlds slowly over populating itself. 1329615116 +best comment ^ 1344414038 +Funny how only the homeopathy folks have the evidence, huh? 1331905413 +Having trouble "focusing"? Here's some meth... 1327414692 +Nuclear sub any one? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_submarine\n\nAlso, I hear there are these new fangled things called electric vehicles. 1278597156 +I have this same "ghost" on my phone. Couldn't even psych out my 8yr old daughter w it. 1335626766 +The comments. They make me want to cry while hitting a puppy. Please make it stop. 1310180923 +Just don't read the comments. 1332719360 +Exactly. Maybe somewhere in another universe, my counterpart is wondering where the hell her glow-in-the-dark skeleton sock went. 1354025012 +Will do! 1335204005 +No. I'm just speaking truth, I won't use a bank that gets robbed every week. They have a responsibility to ensure the safety of our trade, there is an implicit contract involved. 1311934666 +Now I know who to complain to about the bullshit "homeopathic vaccine" ads I continue to see. Fucking FINALLY. 1346571829 +So you are serious, yikes. Maybe you can vaccinate yourself in future with a homeopathic vaccine.\n\nLet me ask you a question, do you think children should be able to make the choice to get a tattoo? Do you think parents should have the right to tattoo their child, say getting the word moron tattooed on their 6month old's forehead? 1327362221 +They were also very anxious, nervous and not thinking in a normal state of mind... 1308442322 +I'm reading that they're against it because they don't trust engineers who have invested their lives can do what they say they can. 1345577318 +On the HIV part, I read that most common transmission is via semen and blood (if the man shaves for example and cuts). Dead semen may mean dead virus? it sounds dubious too, since they mention that it doesn't "block" semen, but just sterilises it. does it also magically kill the virus? I have no clue... also skeptic! \n 1333557449 +So you're not saying it was aliens but...ALIENS. 1347340457 +She was hitting on you 1324687788 +Sorry. That definitely is a youtube video. 1288984280 +haha. Notice how the video's title uses the word "findings" rather than "evidence". 1302469236 +"If you gave ~~Falwell~~ Hagee an enema, you could bury him in a matchbox ." Christopher Hitchens 1349007992 +You do know that archaeologists and their institutions hide evidence that goes against what they believe / have discovered, right? 1354650777 +Thank you for your response! I like to debate this subject. It's one of my favorites. I want to state for the record that I'm not trying to troll you m'friend. I just want there to be good arguments happening in this subreddit. I want this phenomena to be taken seriously. That being said: I've read about those physical objects that have been planted in people. Very strange stuff, but I honestly can't think of an article where those tests came back as anything but "inconclusive". That's not proof. That just means they don't know or can't tell what it is. Do you have any credible sources that talk about those objects being "not of this earth" and how that claim was supported? I'd like to read them if you do. (Not being snarky here. I just honestly can't think of any). As far as the surgical procedures, again, very strange. I've read a lot of reports about that stuff, but nothing I've seen cannot be just as easily explained by human intervention. That could just be me expressing my jaded and skeptical feelings about human nature though, I can admit that without a problem. About qualified professionals: they make mistakes too. There is ample evidence to prove that, in courts or otherwise. I don't just trust the word of a person because they are in a position of expertise or authority. Expert testimony is more credible than say, mine, but that doesn't make it infallible. As far as generals and harvard educated professors go, everyone needs a little bit of income. Before I started just trusting the word of experts carte blanche I'd look into their possible motivations for making such statements. Doesn't mean I automatically discredit their words, just means I want to see what makes them tick and find out if they might have ulterior motives, like a dwindling pension or something. I think you make some great points. I agree that there is definitely a societal double-standard when it comes to this subject. I'm sure I don't have to mention Galileo or his ilk to this crowd. They faced harsh criticisms up to and including death and they were dead-on for the most part. I have no desire to change your mind in any way. (I couldn't if I wanted to, right? ;p) I just want members of this subreddit to be extremely critical of their sources of information because as you very well know, there is a lot of misinformation out there. Thanks again for responding buddy. What do you think about what I've said? 1331789875 +That's where Wigner's Friend comes in. At some point, in order for you to establish that you are in the universe with the live or dead cat, you gotta open that box and observe it directly or at least observe your friend who has observed it, because HE might be in a dual state of having-seen-the-cat-alive vs having-seen-the-cat-dead. 1341598351 +I ask you, what would be different about firing rockets with cameras on them? Why would that be better proof then what we have in terms of the more reputable photos we already have?\n\nAlso, firing rockets with cameras on them? What could go wrong with that plan?\n\nImagine this....\n\nA member of the last undiscovered Amazonian tribesman sees a plane pass overhead for the first time ever. He freaks out, scribbles a picture of what he saw on the back of some tree bark and runs to tell the tribe leader. The tribe leader says that, although the picture is interesting, he needs more proof of the encounter before he believes that something actually occurred.\n\nI look at our situation as analogous. What possible proof *can we provide* from a simple sighting? Our photos and videos are simply more advanced versions of a picture scrawled on the back of tree bark. Sure, our technology is much more acurate, but it still doesn't capture any more data than light (and at varying resolutions and accuracies at that).\n 1329226986 +I agree it's worth [repeating](http://www.reddit.com/r/skeptic/comments/o9lmf/dr_phil_follows_dr_ozs_descent_into_psychic_woo/) to get the message out, considering Phil's rather large platform. But reposting after a day or so would be better I think. 1326153889 +"Fat Ally McCoist heading downstream to the 4th division" made me chuckle 1344051489 +Was the radio commercial one that you heard frequently, or just once? If it was just once I would think it was a prank, with somebody transmitting their own radio message from nearby. 1342085939 +Ordered this book used on Amazon marketplace some time in the summer, read it front to back in a week or so. Probably the single most compelling abduction book I've read; not just a series of run-on hypnosis transcriptions like Hopkins' books (though nothing against Budd Hopkins, the books are a bit dry), and more substantial than a second-hand collection of stories re-told in the vein of the Lorenzen's Encounters with UFO Occupants (though still my favourite on the subject by far, if only for the numerous accounts, however dubious or hastily examined.)\n\nEdit: The fishing trip wasn't a "spur-of-the-moment" idea per-se, it was three or four days into the excursion in the mountains, after having been dropped off by pontoon-plane days earlier, and they were running out of food. Not having been able to catch fish in the daylight, they thought they should try to fish at night, so they built a huge signal fire and pushed off into the lake. It's also interesting to note that they had seen the 'ufo' appear a day or two days prior to the main event, but only for a brief moment by one or two of the men before it 'blinked out', who then discounted it as something not to be concerned about.\n\nThe most interesting part of the whole book to me is the part where they get into the memory of one of the men trapped in a snow storm at a young age, who ends up falling into a well/sewer grating with no hope of getting out, only to look up, see a few aliens, and then boom, suddenly he's at home, except it's three or four hours later than it should have been, and his memory of the time spent on the craft with the solid object thing that seemed alive and could morph shapes. Forgive me if I'm blending some details together, but that section, to me, was an interestingly weird digression away from the 'normative' aspects of alien abduction and into something altogether more captivating. Or the mystery light that one of the Wiener brothers saw fly through the house, or the surprise re-visitations... Fuck, I'm getting goosebumps thinking about some parts of the book that I had forgot. 1351574555 +> ... we would expect "natural" or "herbal" medicines to sometimes have an effect that could be equal to, or better, than standard treatments. \n\nSpeak for yourself - actual scientists (and all doctor friends) would expect the 8th best-sold drug in the world to be a lot better than naturist stuff or placebo. 1337514161 +It's a physics statement: it assumes a lot. 1343687001 +CRFA meaning Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association? Do you have a source on that? And why should I believe them? 1335229671 +[NASA](http://www.nasa.gov). 1337871724 +That was really great, thanks for posting. 1343344117 +I remember an acquaintance telling a story where she got a wrong number call for someone after someone with the same first name as her -- and the caller turned out to be a long-lost childhood friend!\n\nGotta love the randomness of extreme probabilities coming out from time to time. 1345991063 +>Does the medical community think they know an operative mechanism for ADHD? In the absence of an operative mechanism, can we really say it's on par with anti-vax?\n\nI'm not sure we need a mechanism to be certain it exists, but I can see why the analogy might throw you. It might be more accurate to compare ADHD to the symptom of "vomiting" (as mental disorders are just descriptions and observations of dysfunctional behaviors). To say ADHD doesn't exist is directly comparable to saying vomiting doesn't exist.\n\n 1348287524 +Hands up, my apologies. 1311072417 +And if we have nothing else to compare to, no standards, no quantification, nothing...then it is not science. It is the dream of a man in a coma (who, if I heard right, is religious and therefore biased even more). 1351270305 +Many people take an interest in nutrition because they couldn't make it in harder subject areas, like medicine. Also the homeopathic community has a strong foothold in nutrition culture. 1332570481 +I have to ask: Why is Cracked suddenly beating up on psuedo-science and woo with such regularity? Does one of our own work on their editorial staff? Is their head writer Brian Dunning in a fat suit? Is Randi controlling them telepathically? 1259105368 +Have you kept a log of all the dreams you've had that haven't come true? Do you have any idea how many dreams are had by the population in general? It might give you some perspective on things. See [confirmation bias](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias). \n\nIn the context of dreams: Occasionally something someone dreams will turn out to be similar to some future event - there is nothing 'mystical' about that. There are simply so many dreams and so many events in our lives that it's inevitable. It would actually be more amazing if it never happened. It only seems strange to you because you're only looking at that 'hit' and you're ignoring the billions of misses. The occasional 'hit' among the dreaming population is to be expected, and there is no reason to think it is any sort of glimpse into the future or 'premonition'. \n\nI also don't think you're crazy or anything, but I'm no psychologist. 1354763093 +>All who are intellectually honest should readily admit that they are an agnostic atheist.\n\nFTFY. Agnosticism and atheism make two entirely different claims; you can be an agnostic atheist or a gnostic atheist, and you can be an agnostic theist or a gnostic theist. Traditionally, most people are either agnostic atheists or gnostic theists, though the other two possibilities do exist. What I presume you are considering "atheism" is actually gnostic atheism, a stance which very few people hold. Most people who consider themselves atheists agree that it is not possible to know whether a god exists, however they believe that without empirical evidence to the contrary, it is the most logical stance to assume gods do not exist.\n\n[Citation](http://i.imgur.com/xXuNC.jpg) 1274478111 +This story is 100% true. 1347468067 +best footage on the internet 1296283972 +Debating ductility failure is something neither side has proven competent of, yet feels freely to discuss like experts. Shower me with some downvotes already. 1268883831 +While I don't disagree that this is unnerving and negative to say the least, I still would not go as far as to site this as enough reason to give in to a level of uncontrolled fear. That fear breeds a lack of personal control that I don't feel is warranted or becoming of what we can as a species do to assert ourselves in a positive way on this planet and for the sake of our own development and evolution as beings. 1339476306 +it's good for a bit of a chuckle\n 1330091169 +SCIENCE\n\nI just got really pissed off when the first google result for "bleach" was to some manga called Bleach. What the fucks. 1284590785 +i dont have it anymore but if i catch another i will post it. 1335235456 +What exactly does visual snow mean because what i was thinking of when i heard it was the like fuzzy spots on everything like the snow on tv because i see that in everything i look at but can someone please tell me what it means. 1354374789 +Yeah, but she admits that she knows absolutely nothing about HOTS. That aside, it's sarcastic and doesn't even make a remote attempt at neutrality. 1340891751 +His wife ousted him of faking pictures, BUT I am not sure if there was any evidence against him, I think they had a dispute and she may or may not have lied. This is me saying this from memory and not actually searching the net to see if I am right or not.\n\nedit: on a side note, whatever you believe about UFO's, Pleiadians, Billy Meier, one thing is certain, the teachings of the Pleiadians are some of the best stuff around, if our planet actually followed these teaching we would be much better off as a race. 1346014555 +For those of you not familiar with who he is: \nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edzard_Ernst 1350503080 +I doubt this. I don't play often but when I do, I win. I look to see at what height the claw closes, I look for a prize that is high enough and then I get it.\n\nEDIT: Wow, so many disgruntled skeptics who don't know how to win at arcade games. It's not pure luck like a slot machine, the claw strength can be adjusted. It just means it can be harder sometimes. Some of us are skilled enough that even with a greater disadvantage, we can win far more often than the straight odds should allow. 1346955546 +Koreans are not all asians. 1339545706 +I'm headed camping this weekend with my friend. He will be wearing his bracelet, no doubt. I plan on doing a demonstration for all of my friends but switching his bracelet for a slap bracelet I have without him knowing. I'll show that it works, then show which bracelet the the volunteer was wearing. 1273729187 +These examples are probably the greatest rebuttal when theists claim that 'religion does no harm', or does more good than harm. 1316468055 +It is, and such structures (wings in bats vs wings in birds) are called homologies. 1356037500 +I'm sure his wife found something evidence of him cheating....told her it was an alien who raped him.\n\n\nI'm going to use the same excuse if i ever get caught 1319145878 +I love how all the arguments boil down to a huge conspiracy where everybody is involved : science journals, companies and the government. All you can trust are a few random "naturopaths" who have some anecdotal evidence around. 1341948294 +I was joking my dad was a "puddle jumper" :D 1352223098 +Also unlike thiomersal, methylmercury is amazingly fucking terrible and really good at getting across the blood brain barrier. Methylmercury first really came into the spotlight in the 50s-60s with the [Minimata disease](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minamata_disease) event in Japan. It bioaccumulates readily in seafood when watercourses are polluted with aqueous mercury. 1345504683 +So in reply to evidence you respond with speculation? Where is your study that shows that human digestive enzymes render volatile oils inactive?\n\nAs I said dill has proven anti-microbial properties. If you believe you can show that these do not work you should provide evidence not opinion.\n\nEdit: That's me done. For some time this sub-reddit has been sceptical in name only but when I'm being down voted into negative numbers for asking for evidence rather than opinion this sub-reddit betrays it's complete disregard for any sort of scientific method. Unsubscribing now. 1341166123 +My favorite example of the Oprah effect bullshit was the internet pedophile network with "Over 9000 penises, all raping children." 1320185336 +4:30 is very obviously an aircraft's ["right-of-way"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navigation_light) lights, where the airplane is flying toward the witness.\n\n>Right-of-way lights - A red light will be mounted on the left or port side of the craft and a green on the right or starboard side.\n\nSorry to burst your bubble. 1353396229 +I am infuriated by this post. He keeps writing *this was a potential sexual assault* as if repeating it makes it true. HOW in the WORLD was this a *potential* sexual assault? What does that even mean, "potential?" Why not call it what it was? An offer, which was refused, end of story. 1309961122 +http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m660mlkQzJ1qioucx.jpg 1342713876 +> Yes, from personal experience.\n\nYour being conned by a chiro does not change the physiology of your back.\n\n> I don't believe all the other wacked-out chiropractor stuff though.\n\nThat is all chiro is. 1349579162 +Apology not accepted. This season is the BEE'S KNEES! \n\nNow take your hater pants off so I can spank you. 1321164333 +I better get my passport! 1346263891 +"I am sure".\n\nSOUNDS LIKE A REASONABLE CONCLUSION. 1341891997 +This is a legitimate video but the image you see is just a reflection from the smaller fire visible in left of the screen at beginning of the video. Notice the shape is same as brightest parts of fire and it moves proportionally to camera, with same speed.\n\nNot an edited hoax, just a sensationalized visual artifact.\n\nThe people who say it does not look like the fire: Notice that there are two separate fires, a large one, and a smaller one which matches the shape of the "Horseman".\n\n@People whom claim that people in the video are looking in the direction of the horseman. Wouldn't you be looking at the huge fire in front of you too?\n\nI honestly can't believe Fox is airing this without commentary explaining the origin of the visual artifact to the public.\n 1297631703 +I mean *truly* unlimited. Gays imprisoned, atheists imprisoned, science removed from schools, no social programs, etc. All the really fucked up stuff you know they secretly want to do. 1331339707 +I typed this with one finger. 1269898690 +I think a dog can go vegan, but it would definitely kill your kitty. 1341983640 +That's got to be one of the fakest videos I've ever seen. 1351274892 +There are non-retarded women out there, you know? 1248776980 +it's just weird how many people experience the same (unexplained) stuff... In our case it could very well be humidity. 1335086442 +What kind of software are you running, that you can see wings.\n 1315827878 +The burden of proof is on the one making the claim. 1325647841 +The multiple repeats of the footage drove me to distraction I'm afraid but I was interested in the way the objects moved. Could they possibly have been birds reflecting the sun? They had that swirly flight motion like birds gliding. 1353954686 +"first, we cloned Jesus..." 1254875511 +I am curious as to what kind of relationship you have with said coworker. Friendship? Do you communicate easily with him? Is there a sort of emotional bond between you? 1346328248 +>Generally, this means an alcoholic tincture (since THC isn't water soluble), though, which comes with its own set of concerns.\n\nYou can mix in soft hash or oil in hot coffee or tea, it works quite well.\n\nIf I may digress for a second, I'd also like to mention my favorite Back in 1989 I had a perfectly legal [bhang lassi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhang_lassi#Bhang_lassi) in Varanasi, India. Lassis are sweet yogurt/milk drinks (like a [Yop](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yop) if they have those where you live) that come in many flavors (banana was always my favorite). I tagged along with a French couple I'd met at the hostel who were going to try one at a small store on a busy street (well, this is India, pretty much all streets are busy...).\n\nThe couple had been warned not to get a "medium" or "strong" one if it was the first time they tried it, so we ordered three "light" bhang lassis. It came in a pottery bowl, a delicious light green creamy drink. It took a while before having an effect, but when it did kick in it turned out to be one of the most potent experiences I've ever had on cannabis (though being on the bank of the Ganges and eating delicious but extremely spicy food probably helped).\n\nI'll always remember that guy who looked like a business man stopping by to order a "strong" lassi while we were sipping ours just inside the shop. It came in a glass and was a much darker green. The man downed it in three gulps and went on his way as if he'd just had a glass of milk...\n\n**Edit**: if I remember correctly, while THC won't dissolve in water it is in fact soluble in fat, so I guess it could dissolve in fatty milk, cream or yogurt. 1345245183 +Yes. You can get a PhD in something relatively simple, and then use the Dr. title to endlessly promote your ignorance in other matters 1283953724 +Thanks to things like modern education, literacy and the internet I don't have to be a farmer to know how it's done. You should try reading sometime. It's not as overrated as some people think it is.\n 1336077519 +I'm interested in following this but I don't know how much I'll be able to contribute. Can I become a member so I can lurk? 1275023575 +Funny, I get ironic mustache yet I have a full blown beard! 1295617741 +fun, i want one. 1326491137 +This isn't necessarily about pushing beliefs on anyone, and it's certainly not about pushing disbelief in gods on anyone. The "belief" being touted is that atheism is patriotic, and the myth that spreading this belief is the sole benefit to be achieved by a stunt like this is, i think, a good reason to be talking about it in r/skeptic. I support the stunt wholly without reference to this goal.\n\nThe episodes of people suggesting an atheist registry are so well-known in the online atheist community that they are often discussed without citation; if you question their validity, ask, or do the research yourself. Don't presume that everyone takes it for granted on faith.\n\nThe overlap is not strictly demographic. Most religious claims *are* falsifiable (unless you artificially assert that falsifiable claims cannot be religious), including most god stories; the unfalsifiability gambit is far more popular with theologians than with believers generally (unless they're defending themselves against atheists). And religions find plenty of other ways to interfere with our lives in ways better addressed by skepticism than by atheism. In any event, this stunt directly affects the skeptic community, which is inextricably tied to the atheist community and benefits and suffers from its successes and failures. 1341427508 +I questioned it. I just picked. Maybe the name is slightly girly? Idk. 1343077128 +>However, the major American publishers were reluctant to support a skeptical book, with **some** suggesting that I re-write it to suggest that ghosts were real and psychic powers actually existed!\n\nAlso, given the fact that he's not really well-known here as opposed to the other skeptical writers (Randi, etc.), it's really not that implausible. He does have motives for making up a story like this (more sales), but I'm more inclined to believe him than not, there's nothing to suggest he lied. 1310238544 +Links are abundant. Wikileaks is where you should start.\n\nNavigating through research is good for you. \n\nNot an asshole for not posting a link...just providing an idea. 1345329337 +I was shocked when my college cell bio class used the section of vaccines to talk about why you should get them and how they are not harmful rather than how they work.\n\nBut yeah I wonder about some of my peers. I've met people who don't know what primary and secondary sources are. I don't think it is the professors though, I'm pretty sure it is the students. I've sat through 5 classes so far that have gone over the scientific method and 2 of those have done the whole reliable source/good science thing in detail. 1335491858 +Are you questioning the truthiness of Conservapedia? You sound Un-American. And probably socialist. 1314386413 +Nice attempt at reverse psychology, alien counter-intelligence agents! 1353018207 +Oh I agree, the whole "one unifying code that explains evolution and the patterns of life" theme is greatly appealing in a sci-fi way. It's just sad that people get suckered in to believing it's this vast conspiracy. 1338134516 +OK, this is r/skeptic so someone has to be critical of your claims, which are a bit confusing. Is this a list of perceived reasons why consumers choose raw milk, or is it a list of reasons to drink raw milk as defined by the Raw Milk Marketing Board?\n\n1) Taste is subjective so this doesn't really matter.\n\n2) Boom! And we poison the well straight away with some very graphic imagery that sets up an Us Vs Them scenario, with raw milk producers tending to the cows lovingly while pasteurized producers just treat them like cattle! (Sorry, couldn't resist that pun)\n\n3) And we pour a bit more poison in, this time siding pasteurized producers with the evil GMO conspiracy.\n\n4) Add a little bit of "hormone's give you man boobs" poison to the well\n\n3 points in a row that set to damn the entire production chain of pasteurized milk with no supporting evidence. Now, while I'm fairly certain that these points may be true for intense factory farming methods, I'd also bet on there being quality control to stop any blood or pus infected milk from entering the chain. As for the GMO Grains feed, I would prefer to see evidence of their effects on cattle being presented, not a recommendation for a book about human diet written by a Cardiologist.\n\n5) A quick link back to the GMO scare for which you provide no credible evidence, with a dig at Big Pharma while we're there. What does it matter to human ingestion of milk if a cow has previously had antibiotics to help cure an illness?\n\n6) Again, why does it matter that the Whey protein is denatured during pasteurization? If Whey does turn out to have health benefits, can't we just get it from another source? How about those massive tubs in the muscle shops?\n\n7) The wikipedia article you link to doesn't mention anything about pasteurization, and a quick google brings up lots of pro raw milk sites and this [paper on pub med](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8132877). Again, given the benefits that the wikipedia article sites for lacto-ferrin, can't we get it from another source?\n\n8) And now we meet the contradiction in your argument. After spending time on points 2,3 & 4 setting up raw milk producers as the defenders of ethical milking vs the evils of the pasteurization industry you now tell us that raw milk production is unregulated in North America. So what is stopping "evil" farmers from selling their pus infected, GMO tainted, moob hormone giving milk both to the pasteurization market and direct to consumers as raw milk?\n\nYou are right that introduction of regulation can help reduce the risks of raw milk, but is there really a conspiracy of Big Milk trying to ban regulation, or are you just trying to bandwagon onto the other Big Industry conspiracies? Why can't an independent regulatory group be setup which can provide a hallmark to producers who adhere to their strict standards?\n\n9) As we've just discussed, without regulation of the raw milk industry what guarantees are there that the processing involved is safe and hygienic? Just because it is a simpler method than the mass pasteurization method does not make it any safer. At least the pasteurization industry is regulated for safety and performs regular disinfection, and where mistakes happen there are mechanisms in place to engage product recalls where mistakes happen. What are the product recall processes in the raw milk industry?\n\n10) And we were doing so well! We were talking about valid points in the raw milk vs pasteurization debate and then you go and spoil it all by bringing the bloody pus back in! Your argument here tries to implicate that pasteurization is a necessary by-product of factory farming, yet according to wikipedia pasteurizing of milk in the USA (1890s) predates factory farming of cattle (1960s).\n\n11) And now we place the blame of any illness caused by raw milk ingestion onto the consumer. "Got ill drinking raw milk? Well it's your own stupid fault for not correctly inspecting the farm where your milk was produced, you dumbass!"\n\n12) Well please, do go on. Don't expect us to agree with you that there are many more issues on this "controversy."\n\n**tl;dr I agree that with proper regulation the risks of raw milk can be reduced and communicated out to consumers in a better fashion but raw milk still carries some risks that pasteurization reduces or removes. There are lots of myths and misconceptions around about milk and your arguments are not helping to dispel them** 1328362014 +You're right! I hadn't noticed. I'll have to check it out. 1310497448 +Orac wrote a blog post about this at [Respectful Insolence](http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2011/07/joe_mercola_plays_the_religion_card_agai.php). 1311120216 +Isn't that efficiency offset by the extra energy costs of moving the product long distances? 1347057059 +Tell me about it. It's not as though he could discreetly carry a 20ft ladder into the mall, let alone use it for long enough to facilitate that.\n\nIt blew my mind, and I still make it a point to go back to the mall and look for the card whenever I'm in town. 1326437867 +Flying stingray, t'was said so in a youtube comment. 1324111052 +Looking at his facebook page, probably not. He went to a "Supernatural School of Ministry" if that give you any idea of the kind of person we are dealing with. 1318539374 +Well, I was entertained. 1337633381 +I'm not lying. What I thought was very clear in your message was apparently not your message.\n\nNor am I attempting to derail the thread. After a year of trying to talk about this and getting a significant amount of hostility in return, Jen teamed up with Rebecca and others to form AtheismPlus, sort of a sub-movement within atheism. Naturally, they got the same reaction as before, so Jen wrote up some common misconceptions about what this is all about.\n\nOf course, you don't need to take my word for it. You can [see for yourself](http://www.atheismplus.com). 1351193855 +This obviously means it was actually written by Marty McFly. 1321598481 +The others are correct. [And plus there is this. ಠ_ಠ](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42356709/ns/business-us_business/t/godaddy-ceo-kills-elephant-videotapes-act/) 1311107357 +Because all money that should be used for science and exploration, is used in war. 1302015090 +> The Human Genome was fully sequenced\n\nDon't forget; just because we've mapped it, that doesn't mean we know exactly what every last gene (or combination of genes) does yet. 1350584361 +This was posted in /r/worldnews.\n\nIt's clearly the same deal as the Oregon Petition that AGW denialists love to use, where anyone can sign and make up any credentials, and the organizers will never bother to check.\n\nA few hilarious examples:\n\n> 1 Dr. Dennis Smith poopy den s Afghanistan [**This is the first name on the list. THE FIRST ONE**]\n\n> 26 Vince Halpin B.Sc Acupuncturist Herbalist Pharmacist Australia\n\n>39 Tim Osborn Web Development Australia\n\n> 48 Michelle Starr Ph.D student Natural Therapist none Australia\n\n>85 John A Brown watchdog on growing power of corporacy in our world and the world s governments lack of will stop it Education Canada\n\n> 95 Prof. Dennis Dennis poopy none Canada\n\n> 118 Dr. M. Murphy Pediatrician NAMBLA Canada\n\n>138 Roland Wilhelm B.Sc One who choses to think and take on problems that effect the environment Guelph Canada\n\n>142 Werner Zimmermann interested informed and concerned citizen Canada\n\n>146 Dr. Ye Hua over 20 000 pieces hand painted oil painting and picture frames in stock for sale at lowest prices http www art98 com China\n\n>154 Damir Magdic Food Scientist Osijek Un Croatia\n\n>168 Ahmed Said Mohamed Kamel sweet corn Egypt\n\n>188 Olga Daric M.Phil linguistics France\n\n>203 Ruby Michel B.Eng chicken breeder ATTAC France\n\n>244 Prof. Julissa Martin Ph.D student i do not know what your talking abou t idk Hong Kong\n\n>248 Dr. Nikki Broglowskhini Ph.D I am well equipped with all things scientifical. The society for science Iceland\n\n>272 Prof.em Ranjeet Ku Sah B.Eng no study India\n\n>298 Prof. Thomas Tharayil Ph.D tiuiruiuiuiuiruriy India\n\n>316 Prof. Sean McDonagh M.Sc I am a theologian and anthropologist I worked for over 20 years in the Philippines I have written extensively on ethics and genetic engineering catholic priest Ireland\n\n>410 Katharine White I am an experienced artist and G E Free H B N Z campaigner I am and have been in the position to put my graphic expertise to use in the cause of the planet T L C Wellington and E I T Hawke s Bay New Zealand\n\n>426 Dr. Washdev Malhi Ph.D student whole soules and mind control jai ma jee Pakistan\n\n>436 GEONATHAN BARRO Doing Anti GMO campaigns coordinates with other NGOs on our Anti GMO GE stand KALITAWHAN WORKING GROUP ON BIODIVERSITY Philippines\n\n>437 GEONATHAN BARRO Coordinator Coordinates with NGOs POs and other Organizations on Anti GMO campaigns and other related issues and concerns KALITAWHAN WORKING GROUP ON BIODIVERSITY Philippines [**<- listed twice**]\n\n>463 Teresa Silva Ph.D student Coconut Portugal\n\n>471 Dr. Joseph Mezei M.D quantum medicine Medical Center Tongtian Romania\n\n>533 Chris Anthony B.Sc Qualified amateur UK\n\n>672 BARBARA CRAWFORD SURVIVAL INDEPENDENT USA\n\n>677 Burgess Dillard Natural Scientist Self USA\n\n>685 Sanek Erem USA\n\n>686 Sanekus Erem USA [**<- listed twice, didn't even bother to make up credentials**]\n\n>697 Panatey Great Company inc USA\n\n>705 Gosha Hello Company inc USA\n\n>710 Dale Hoover Organic food eater USA\n\n>711 Heidi Horn interested in what i eat sebastian USA\n\n>717 Panatey I Like Your Site Company inc USA [**Who the fuck are these "Company inc" people?**]\n\n>741 A J Maimbourg Keen desire to see GM foods banned due to potential health problems USA\n\n> 743 Hugh Mann non pharmaceutical health education organicMD org USA\n\n>754 Najeeba Naja Ph.D THE QURAN IS TRUE MANKIND ARE U DEAF DUMB BIND WERE U OR WERE U NOT A DROP OF SPERN ISNT THE ONE WHO GIV E LIFE able to GIVE LIFE TO THE dead THE HUMAN RACE I ISLAM IS TRUE USA\n\n>758 Panatey Nice To See Your Site Is Being Updated Company inc USA [**Seriously, is this guy using the petition as a message board?**]\n\n>797 Colleen Sheppard Wholistic Energy Therapist USA\n\n>803 Kim Smith I consume only organic food and desire to see a ban put on GM as soon as possible USA\n\n>809 Dr. Jesse Stewart concernment for the application of education and assuring the liberty freedom and unity in life F F H USA\n\n>810 Pamela Stimler B.Sc Board Certified Internist USA 1354510902 +Ah Naturalnews, we meet again. 1343971773 +Not really. Fungal and animal proteins ~~are~~ tend to be 'complete' in the sense that they have all the amino acids that your body can't synthesize, so it's not *necessary* to mix them, but there's certainly no harm.\n\nPlant proteins tend to be incomplete, having only some of the amino acids you need. Legumes and grains tend to have complementary sets (the amino acids missing from one are supplied by the other), so mixing beans and grains will give a better source of protein than either would individually. 1330891241 +I'll need my psychic powers to read that very blurry image. 1345087573 +I agree with this. I'm tempted to think of this as a superpower of some kind. but I have trouble thinking of how I can use it to get the edge on others. Just does not seem to help me get ahead. sad superpower. 1288381962 +Was this person approaching you in the bar wanting you to buy a device, or invest in the company? I don't see any way to order on the site; I'm guessing we're looking at a multi-level marketing (MLM) deal here, where he's an "independent distributor" working from home.\n\nA slight digression - you can pay $200 for an MLM activated charcoal countertop filter that is sealed and must be replaced every 6 months. It will work as described, but you can also go to Home Depot and get a countertop activated charcoal filter with a replaceable filter for about $45, IIRC, or a whole-house filter (Whirlpool) for about $400 that lasts 5 years. Never buy MLM products, simply because you're overpaying. (The person who recruited the distributor gets a cut of their commissions, as did the person who recruited the recruiter. Adds a lot of overhead that provides no value to you.)\n\nBeing a skeptic means that I look to evidence regarding a claim, rather than making a snap judgment of, "I don't know anything about this, but it sounds silly, so I'm going to dismiss it." \n\nHere are three references for you:\n\nhttp://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/descal.html#212\n\nIn part: \n\n>There are many devices on the market for the magnetic treatment of water for the removal of such limescale. The sales success of these devices would seem to indicate that some work as promoted, at least under some circumstances.\n\n>Magnetic treatment of water is claimed to cause four effects: [104]\n\n > Reduction in the amount of limescale formed.\n > Production of a less tenacious limescale due to a change in the crystal morphology.\n > Removal of existing scale (3 - 6 months).\n > Retention of anti-scaling properties for hours following treatment.\n\n>Many tests mainly utilizing single pass systems, however, have proved negative [212]. Recirculatory systems, with prolonged magnetic exposure, give more supportive results. Rapid movement (1200 rpm) in a strong magnetic field (4.75 T) had a significant effect compared with the movement or field alone [105].\n\n Got to that from here, something a bit more layperson-oriented:\n\nhttp://www.chem1.com/CQ/magscams.html\n\nFinally, a third reference, from the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (affiliated with the [Center for Inquiry](http://www.centerforinquiry.net/)): http://www.csicop.org/si/show/magnetic_water_and_fuel_treatment_myth_magic_or_mainstream_science/\n\n>More than one hundred relevant articles and reports are available in the open literature, so clearly magnetic water treatment has received some attention from the scientific community (e.g., see reference list in Duffy 1977). The reported effects of magnetic water treatment, however, are varied and often contradictory. In many cases, researchers report finding no significant magnetic treatment effect. In other cases, however, reasonable evidence for an effect is provided.\n\n>Liburkin et al. (1986) found that magnetic treatment affected the structure of gypsum (calcium sulfate). Gypsum particles formed in magnetically treated water were found to be larger and “more regularly oriented” than those formed in ordinary water. Similarly, Kronenberg (1985) reported that magnetic treatment changed the mode of calcium carbonate precipitation such that circular disc-shaped particles are formed rather than the dendritic (branching or tree-like) particles observed in nontreated water. Others (e.g., Chechel and Annenkova 1972; Martynova et al. 1967) also have found that magnetic treatment affects the structure of subsequently precipitated solids. Because scale formation involves precipitation and crystallization, these studies imply that magnetic water treatment is likely to have an effect on the formation of scale.\n\n>...\n\n>Much of the available laboratory test data imply that magnetic water treatment devices are largely ineffective, yet reports of positive results in industrial settings persist (e.g., Spear 1992; Donaldson 1988). The contradictory reports imply that if a magnetic water treatment effect for scale prevention exists, then it only is effective under some of the conditions encountered in industry. At present, there does not seem to be a defensible guideline for determining when the desired effect can be expected and when it cannot.\n\nSo, the short answer seems to be from the things I've scanned in the last 15 minutes that:\n\nMagnetic fields, if of sufficient strength and applied in the proper manner, can reduce calcium carbonate scale formation; and\n\nIt appears that the consumer-grade, single-pass devices are not likely to obtain the desired results in all settings (but may in some), and not the maximum possible result in any setting, as they are inadequate in flow rate and number of passes through fields. Another source notes that high pH can inhibit the crystal formation effect.\n\nSo . . .\n\nThe company states that you should see significant reductions in scale in 30-60 days. If you have scale buildup and want to give the product a try, request a 70-day 100% money back guarantee.\n\nIf they won't provide it, don't buy it. If they're MLM, they likely won't provide a guarantee.\n\nCSI's conclusion?\n\n>Is there a beneficial effect of magnetic water treatment? Perhaps.\n\n>Is there sufficient evidence of a beneficial effect to warrant spending hundreds of dollars on a residential magnetic water treatment unit? Unlikely. The understanding of magnetic water treatment must first be developed to the point where the effects of magnetic treatment can be reliably predicted and shown to be economically attractive.\n\n>Does magnetic water treatment perform as well as ion-exchange treatment? Definitely not. At present, the conventional water softening technologies are clearly much more reliable and effective. Further, the initial cost of an ion-exchange water softener (around $500) is comparable to that of many magnetic treatment systems.\n\n 1310862931 +Hey, no foisting your open minded view on me! 1342767941 +I don't think the website actually has the ability to think, let alone hold an opinion chief...\n\nWorth mentioning it is a multi-author site that accepts open submissions - alternative views always welcome: http://www.thetwentyfirstfloor.com/?page_id=1720 1335140358 +I was witness to an unidentified object in the night sky over NH with five other people some 20 years ago or so. We all watched in fascination for 30-45 minutes from our bunks in an adirondack. About two hours later we all gradually woke up around 3am or so and realized none of us were aware of the others falling asleep (it seemed like we all went down together) and why had we all woken up again in the dead of night? The light/object was gone by then.\n\nThis story is longer, but I don't feel like typing it. \n\nIn short, it is one of my greatest dreams for mankind to make first contact in my lifetime. I do not believe there is a conspiracy, I do not believe in Roswell, and I am very skeptical of UFO sightings and abductions. Nuts and wackos are everywhere. However, I have had my own "experience" (for lack of a better word) and can say that my friends and I could not identify a hovering/drifting/maneuvering light and that we did lose time either by sleep or, well, not. 1346107136 +I'm with you, and I'll watch for and support anything you post along this grain. 1301676003 +This brings to mind the "Cargo Cult", a tribe of people that viewed "us" as the aliens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7RA4UnEuQ0 1327303492 +That's Eric Von Danicans book? Sorry if I spelled the name wrong. 1340757394 +Are there people out there who really believe the crap on that webpage? Really?\n\nWhy the hell would the drawing be so far off from the picture? Whatever is in the picture looks like something modeled after a childrens' toy (from the 70's) and made with tinfoil.. 1260239098 +Not quite. It's the angle. A very slight difference in the angle can make all the difference. Very good demo of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Piu75P8sxTo\n\n[edit]...which Chlorophil already posted below. 1354050439 +Yes it will be seen as antagonistic by many. That's part of the problem. If there were more people that had the balls to say "this is all superstitious nonsense" then religion would die out a lot quicker. 1318262539 +> Notice he doesn't say "I'm going to reveal what I know," he says he's gonna reveal what he believes.\n\n> Which is worthless.\n\n> He has no hard facts, no documents, no inside knowledge. He only has what all the rest of us have: speculation.\n\nI did notice that. Your interpretation of the event's probable content matches my own, I just didn't want to add any personal speculation to my initial submission.\n\nAnother part of Coleman's statement that caught my attention was this:\n\n> *"I think I've got the answer and no one has ever mentioned it"*\n\nIt seems highly unlikely that there could be anything left which *hasn't been mentioned ever* during all these decades of both serious UFO research and nutty speculation. I'm pretty sure we've exhausted all the permutations by now, unless he's talking about purely random combinations of words and letters without a meaning in the context of language.\n\n*EDIT:* I accidentally phpBB. 1348316598 +I see, so you are saying that just because we don't have a complete understanding you can just ignore what we do understand.\n\nJust because we're ignorant of some things does not mean we're ignorant of all things. 1305972312 +[The proverbial player returns.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge7mozA-ptI) 1353406598 +Sweet thanks! 1313655554 +It is desirable to see somebody that has a huge lot of knowledge on this subject (like you or thingsbreak) commenting more on the subject here in /r/skeptic and also in /r/science (where I believe you are the only moderator with proven knowledge in the field) and /r/climate - since we have already established that /r/climateskeptics is pretty much a circlejerk of mostly liars.\n\nIt is also very funny to see how AlyssaMoore is stalking everybody that mentions his/her attraction to the Heartland Institute :) 1344325420 +You have to smoke a lot though 1326153837 +The 'evidence' page was pretty funny. 1345336394 +This photo was supposedly taken by a friend of a friend, in Hermosillo, México. Can you people help us prove it is fake? Because, you know, we would like to be able to sleep again. 1334079289 +Thats real ghost bustin right there. 1351180017 +...Sir, you're using the site that this video came from. That is not very helpful in this situation.\n\nOn top of that, you're missing the point. My claim is as follows: "People who claim that genetically modified food is a vehicle for companies to enact eugenics are almost certainly wrong." My views on government surveillance aren't absurdly far from his, and I never claimed issue with that part itself. 1331082188 +I'd suggest hiring a psychic to look at his room, and if it turns up being something bad, hire a priest come and cleanse the room, possibly the whole house. 1347209177 +Completely predicted that the Fed's policies after the dot com bubble would cause a bubble in the housing market. 1309150891 +I brought up the crazy conspiracy theories in response to crackduck's very subtle implication that they were true. \n\nYeah, I know it looks tenuous, but I've been arguing with the fucker on and off for *months*, and I know very well what he believes on the subject. He finds the official story incredulous because he finds the crazy conspiracy theories much more plausible. \n\nIn other words, this isn't about the official story, and never was. Hence, get with the times. Besides, I already explained my position, if you would bother to go back and actually read what I wrote. 1290787709 +Cheap isn't a measure of quality, or what I meant to say was inexpensive / efficient to produce.\n\nI think we should do more to contrast it with alcohol, specifically because it doesn't cause accidents, statistically speaking, and is far less likely to cause problems for families.\n\nAnyway, a focus on tax and regulate like alcohol makes sense in that it ought to be a compelling argument. There are other great arguments, so I'll assume you meant that pro legalization *movements* should primarily focus on comparison to alcohol arguments, because otherwise there are a lot of other contexts for discussing a lot else.\n\nHere in Illinois it is most important to me that people I know with MS get access to medicine. 1318606484 +Like the old saying: “Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.” --Variously attributed, but I like to believe it was Carlin.\n 1347550033 +I think that the religious already "know" their answers, while I believe atheists tend to be more critical thinking/skeptical. I think it makes sense that while thinking about the afterlife it would take you a little longer to answer questions about it, if you're unsure. especially with soft/weak atheists. 1350957871 +The Americans have that, it's called PBS. With such shows as Nova and Frontline. 1341121148 +in this situation, I always take the number of upvotes as the number of people who are in the same situation ;) 1350367273 +> I think he's arguing that we shouldn't instantly dismiss a conspiracy theory just because it posits the existence of a conspiracy.\n\nActually, that is a very reliable procedure. 1286848281 +Jon Ronson, the journalist/documentarian? 1297370051 +The woman who volunteered was probably paid by P&T. Having paid audience members as volunteers is just as popular as having assistant showgirls on stage, it's just part of the act, 1309906184 +Are your parents/aunt very religious? I watched Oprah's segment on this guy and it was mentioned that the spirits of dead people supposedly help him with his healing. From the standpoint of a Christian fundamentalist, that sounds very much like witchcraft, so if you play up that aspect they may change their minds about him. 1346825378 +Your response is rational and objective. I appreciate that. \n\nEvidence of what? That's a good question. I believe that science took a bend towards philosophical materialism in the late 19th century. That is, science became about the physical world. Atoms and molecules.\n\nThe science of inner space, however (as opposed to outer space) is in its infancy at best. When science tries to shake off its philosophical roots, it does a great disservice to its quest for truth and knowledge, because the question of meaning is critical to all scientific quests. And that can only be answered by philosophy. And yet philosophy is hardly understood as science.\n\nMy prediction is that in 20 years.... well, let me think. 2032. Well, 20 years is too short. Not that much is going to change. But I believe that there is some reason the aliens don't do the Late Show with David Letterman. If aliens are real, then the answer to the question, why not "The Day the Earth Stood Still"? (IE, come in through the front door.)\n\nSo my prediction will be that sightings will continue to increase. They are already statistically on the rise. One could argue that it's the connectivity of the internet that's on the rise, or the ubiquity of cameras in cell phones, and that's legit. Let me predict that both will increase.\n\nIf not full disclosure in the effect of alien celebrities, then a larger number of sightings.\n\nI actually think that governments intend to engage aliens in war. You'll notice conspiracies around the moon, for instance. People kept asking, if there were no aliens interfering with our activities on the moon, why haven't we gone back? I think that the military industrial complex has grown out of our control (Agent Smith). War requires enemies. In one of the disclosure videos (grain of salt, of course), Werner Von Braun's secretary claims that he told her of a plan: First the Communists, then the Terrorists, then the "third world crazies." Finally, the aliens themselves. "And always remember that ... the aliens! The last part is the aliens."\n\nSo in my prediction, the quest for global domination intersects at a point for which I have *only* theory. I have not a shred of evidence but a few "witnesses" I don't even know, one to stack on top of the other. But if I am correct, you have some people on Earth building a caste system of control, of which war and subjugation are necessary elements. The last part of the plan will be to engage the aliens themselves in battle. I think the push for the moon (in the wake of Mars landings), *may* be evidence of it.\n\nI have heard of a park that was planned to introduce people to the alien concept. Somewhere in North Carolina. I haven't heard anything about it for some time. I think in 20 years, there may be a Disney-type of park that walks people through history and tries to explain how and why such a big (massive, really) secret was kept.\n\nI tried to make the point that *nothing* is inarguably non-fake, and you didn't fall for it. So I guess you mean that short of Klatu doing a press conference, you're going to maintain your view. 1349712468 +As long as you can take away their right to do *something* it's all good. 1343876240 +Well, they are inexpensive, and sometimes people just need a little attention to get better. Economically, it's reasonable, it all hinges on a sound decision whether to transfer a patient into homeopathic treatment or to an actual doctor. 1314786186 +I've been through plenty of encounters with men that go beyond creepy but I can handle myself. she makes women look weak by causing this shitstorm. I'll never call myself a 'skepchick'. and she sure as hell doesn't speak for me. \n\ncan we all just get the fuck over this. we have more pressing issues at hand.\n\n 1309924272 +>Why not? Would you rather watch a video of the Amazon rain forest or experience it for yourself?\n\nWell the answer all depends on what their purpose is. If they are conducting surveillance for the purpose of gathering intel or scientific data than it seems silly to get close unless you wanted to be seen. If they are here for a personal experience than why are they focusing on nuclear entities? I guess this can be explained away as "aliens woudn't think like humans and we may not understand why they need to be closer", but still it makes me wonder. \n\n>Here's a video of Prof. Robert Jacbobs' testimony. FWIW, he's appeared on CNN and a few other places, so there may be other videos of his testimony.\n\n\nThanks, i'll have to check that out when I get home. I imagine if aliens were literally shooting down ICBM's this would be a way bigger deal than it is but hey maybe not. 1331850098 +"Some" should really be "most". Read his blog and books and you'll see. 1296141604 +Are *you*? 1348003835 +Every time I have the flu, this is the only shit that works... maybe just the placebo effect, but if it works don't fix it right?\n 1329275804 +I actually went back and forth with someone on homeopathy a while back on that site, and he actually thanked me for giving him what he called "food for thought".\n\nEveryone else just gave up after I kept hitting them with facts, something Natural News readers care little for. 1332871126 +Simply put, nobody has enough time or mental energy to closely examine every crackpot-seeming claim that comes along. It's hard to blame them when nearly all of those claims wind up being just as baseless as they seemed at first glance. These sorts of cognitive shortcuts are a useful and healthy behavior, even in skeptics. Being a good skeptic mostly consists of attempting to determine when your rules of thumb are leading you astray.\n\nThe second point is that 'debunking editorials' are generally much closer to the null hypothesis than the conspiracy theories they're debunking. Since nobody - however skeptical - can eliminate all bias in their thinking skeptics tend to be biased in favor of the null hypothesis, which usually leaves them on the side of the debunkers. It's not ideal, but it's the best compromise we've been able to find given the limitations of the human brain.\n\nIn this case, you're quite right that all of the conspiracy theories you listed fail to stand up to scrutiny. In the case of this "International Banking Cabal", I've never even heard of it, and so have no opinion. 1342243896 +Yes. You would be surprised what people will do or make up for attention (or on reddit, karma). 1311818331 +And that definition is? I don't have my FDA manual handy. 1336794599 +Damn I kinda wish I had encounters like this, the worst I get is maybe a cold chill up and down my spine. It's not often that a spirit can make itself visible like that, so I'm not sure what it was, but I would hesitate to use the word demon. Also both of you saw it so I would also hesitate to write it off as a hallucination too. Let us know if it happens again. 1339523065 +I was wondering this myself.\n\nI asked my doctor, she said you just need a good one, and sent me to a place she knows.\n\nHaving recently finished physical therapy for my knees, I can say this: the place I went today for my back was basically identical to physical therapy. I have no idea what distinguishes a chiropractor from a physical therapist, but they gave me a bunch of exercises to do and then did electrical stimulation and a ice pack. Pretty much identical to what happened at the P.T. place for my knees.\n\nI don't know what all the "adjustment" business is, that sounds sketchy. 1291165906 +Mockery is actually very effective at converting people. 1341595489 +You're assuming dozens of billion-dollar investors that happen to spring up simultaneously nation-wide, each one happy to lose their shirt just for the sake of one surviving. That's a hell of an assumption to make.\n\n> All it takes is one of us to still be around when they run out of money trying to drive us out of business.\n\nThis is sort of like saying "yeah, us thousand naked people can totally storm that armored machine-gun emplacement! All it takes is for one of us to still be alive when they run out of ammo!"\n\nTechnically true, I'll admit. Practically, though, who's going to lead the charge? 1313565943 +How else are they going to gnaw on our sweet tasty marrows? 1257301171 +It's because that shit doesn't exist man. 1355276264 +All good stuff. But it still hasn't been proven. I guess I want to definitively be able to say, life exists elsewhere. If any of the different governments from other countries knew something, wouldn't they WANT to be the first to say they have proof? It'd be one of the biggest discoveries of all time. I think disclosing to the world that aliens/UFO's are real would be just as big as being the first country to the moon. 1333832685 +Occupy needs to intentionally martyr someone? 1339190440 +news guy looks like stephen colbert 1338676960 +Astrocytoma survivor, here.\n\n"cancer" is a million different things... there won't be one cure, ever. possibly one technique (i.e. nano-med-delivery) but not a single cure. It wouldn't make sense. \n\n 1332545215 +These shoes work by putting your legs and butt in stress positions that you are not used to. They aren't comfortable to walk in. In that sense they work, it's kinda like wearing a suit of armor every day will make you strong, but it just sucks to wear a suit of armor every day. They work to put your legs and butt in stress positions and therefore stressing muscles you would not normally work out, at the same time, it's companies jumping on a fad to take advantage of fat people who don't want to do anything and lose weight. 1294377202 +When somebody argues for it by claiming it's "reality", then pointing out it's not reality is actually an excellent counter point. 1330545520 +I thought this was fairly well know:\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_queda#History\n\nMarc Sageman, a psychiatrist and former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer, said that al-Qaeda is now just a "loose label for a movement that seems to target the West". "There is no umbrella organisation. We like to create a mythical entity called [al-Qaeda] in our minds, but that is not the reality we are dealing with."[36]\nThis view mirrors the account given by Osama bin Laden in his October 2001 interview with Tayseer Allouni:\n\n"...this matter isn't about any specific person and...is not about the al-Qai`dah Organization. We are the children of an Islamic Nation, with Prophet Muhammad as its leader, our Lord is one...and all the true believers [mu'mineen] are brothers. So the situation isn't like the West portrays it, that there is an 'organization' with a specific name (such as 'al-Qai`dah') and so on. That particular name is very old. It was born without any intention from us. Brother Abu Ubaida... created a military base to train the young men to fight against the vicious, arrogant, brutal, terrorizing Soviet empire... So this place was called 'The Base' ['Al-Qai`dah'], as in a training base, so this name grew and became. We aren't separated from this nation. We are the children of a nation, and we are an inseparable part of it, and from those public demonstrations which spread from the far east, from the Philippines, to Indonesia, to Malaysia, to India, to Pakistan, reaching Mauritania... and so we discuss the conscience of this nation." 1344003223 +That's so fucking hilarious because if you look at the picture of the mice you can clearly tell, even with out knowing anything about them, that that mouse is smaller because it is a juvenile. 1348071349 +If we could travel in space and came across a planet with a bunch of wild animals or apes, would we "make official contact" and demand to speak with their ape leader? doubtful. We'd just pretend they weren't' there and do what we like, and they'd be in awe when they saw us flying through the air, etc. We may even avoid large groups of them because it may be dangerous and cause too much chaos to go about your business unbothered. 1344944708 +> Harder to believe it's a reflection off the window than an alien craft?\n\nOP didn't say it was an alien craft, just a UFO. 1339019142 +No anomalies at all. I'm going to continue to speak with doctors, and some suggested to show this video to them, which I will. I'm not going to completely rule out something medical, though. You always hear stories about someone being diagnosed with something after years of their other doctors not being able to. \n\nQuestions and Answers\n"Are you a child?" No\n"Are you female?" Immediate yes. \n"Do you need help?" Yes\n"Did someone hurt you?" Immediate yes.\n\n 1343670098 +Is there anything placebos can't do? (besides reattaching limbs) 1301016775 +Thank you, I wish I could give you all the upvotes. 1320473046 +With that hair, how could he not? 1335022739 +"The mind should be open like a window, not open like a sewer." - me 1323815299 +So MSG is a "potent neurotoxin..."\n\nThey might as well have pointed out that soy products include large quantities of dihydrogen monoxide, or referenced a correlative link between soy products and fugu poisoning. 1309438014 +[green balloon](https://www.google.com/search?q=green+hot+air+balloon&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=EgN&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&prmd=imvnsu&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=h1kLT7unLZTrtgfG3umuBQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1227&bih=735) 1326143917 +The 7/7 attack & drill isn't so surprising as you might think.\n\nIn May 2004, there was a Panorama program broadcast called [London under attack](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/3686201.stm), which gave a fictional account of what a terrorist attack would be like, and using the testimony of various retired experts, how the various agencies would react to an attack similar to the 11 March 2004 attacks on Madrid. \n\nThis was over a year before the 7/7 attacks, and it also gave 3 explosions on the Tube system, plus a fourth explosion on the surface. \n\nAfter Madrid it was clear that an attack underground was a realistic scenario, and it's not surprising that the security professionals were including this in their planning. In fact it would be negligent if they hadn't. \n\nAlso the 'drill' which went on was a table walkthrough, with multiple senarios being checked for validity, and it was for a private company, not the government. [See Peter Power's response](http://www.julyseventh.co.uk/july-7-terror-rehearsal.html#response). \n\nAs the number of private companies who might want to do a similar drill is much larger than the government, then this multiples the chances of a coincidence. 1350623142 +What is the logical process that would cause someone to attribute these photos to something paranormal? What is your standard of evidence for believing that something is true? 1347409528 +>I don't understand. As if seeing the journals would prove the prediction?\n\nProve? No, but they would be evidence (even if flimsy), and thus the quote I used would not apply. We would then have to break out the other tired old explanations of why this sort of stuff isn't special.\n\n 1317395141 +I agree with this. The man who teaches the children on this show, his name is Chip Coffey. A lot of the advice he gives these children (who are usually terrified from paranormal encounters) are to assert your personal space. If someone is making you feel uncomfortable, by talking to you or making you feel their emotions, put your foot down and tell them to "back off!" \n\nAlthough, the show is very short, so the amount of advice you get for the time spent watching is not very great. You may be better off going to your local library, to the paranormal section, and skimming some books there. Write down some titles, go home, look up their ratings on amazon/compare prices. Get what you like. 1320713019 +[RELEVANT](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN2Hl9pru2A)\n 1344823771 +I have also completed an MA in Anthropology. I'll agree that there are still people, but, if you are talking about what is fashionable or important in the social sciences, it seems to me that post modernism's time has gone. It always takes a good amount of time to get rid of the old people in departments, but the various conferences don't give much time to post modernism. Maybe it is different in Canada? \n\n> Yeah that pissed me off too. Way to stereotype the Left.\n\nIndeed. Not only was it offensive, but what the hell did it have to do with anything? 1327339000 +No. The vast majority of conspiracy theorists aren't "questioning underlying assumptions"- look at 9/11 Truthers, they generally are very certain that there was a conspiracy and say how people need to wake up. That's not questioning assumptions and seeing what would then be the case. That's taking specific views and running with them no matter the evidence. 1329792965 +Yes. I used to so I can post them and get attention, but trust me, you don't want that to happen. I used to talk to "friends" in the bathroom and when I take a shower i feel that I'm not safe there and that they expect me to be entertaining, then came the dreams. Then I told my mom after three or so. Then came the blessing. And now my sister is having something a lot like me. Even I was in her first dream and I wasn't the one to talk to the jinn ( I called it friends before, but sometimes they're good and sometime they're bad) so Yes, it is weird. Actually crazy. 1346453773 +I was raised in a very religious family and they also followed the almanac...this was very confusing to me considering that "looking to the signs in the stars" is completely condemned in the Bible. That was one more step toward me being an Atheist. 1348377904 +It would argue against what you are saying. Due to the nature of the internet it would be utterly stupid using Google as a reference for UFO material. There is an endless amount of fake images exposed on the internet -- it is a true jungle and it will introduce more problems than facts. Google can _NOT_ be used as a defacto for anything. 1283081993 +Clearly not in this case, where the commenter won't change his mind no matter what the evidence. 1292370953 +Yep, but I think it's helpful to read [Dunning's own explanation](http://skeptoid.com/blog/2011/10/05/a-partial-explanation/) before jumping to conclusions. 1320842136 +I can see that conspiracy-style thinking has overcome you.\n\nI also don't think that you know the definition of scientific skepticism or evidence.\n\nGood luck. 1315417444 +>I kind of doubt all of their members scrutinize every detail of the organization.\n\nThat's not a legitimate reason to support them. There are other places to go if you want to support animals. 1312656225 +Hhhmm...interesting. I'm naturally distrusting of film evidence, it's too easy to fake. But the soldier seemed pretty freaked out-I'm not sure he would be capable of that level of acting if it were fake. And, given that a lot of people have died violently there, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a lot of residual energy floating around. 1314925450 +>I don't think he thought\n\nEnough said. 1296298817 +The Daily mail ran this story as well, and most of the comments don't even ridicule it. \nThese things do seem to be getting more attention, I hope somthing major comes out of it soon. 1329250445 +Whew! Tin foil didn't make the list. I can continue to wear my hat in relative safety. 1326696351 +They should have picked through it and found cool things first. If no such things were found, they should not have posted anything. Such laziness from various Anons recently. 1339476891 +Weird. I'm assuming viral marketing or Rapture. 1314973395 +Neat! That's Boston City Hall behind him 1311946219 +I just don't think it's as difficult as you might. Like I told you or someone else, a couple of my amateur friends were doing way better than 1 for 6 doing the same thing. I would've tried too if it weren't getting boring by that point. \n\nHe was explaining plenty of other tricks too, don't know why he'd only be lying about that one. 1311203250 +I always start learning about this stuff by typing "skeptoid <topic>" into Google. Sure enough, [he did an episode on HAARP](http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4122) that will provide you with information that (at the least) will tell you what HAARP actually is (spoiler: it's not a weapon) and where the wild theories about it have come from. 1266273429 +Also the recent author of:\n\n\n\n[The Double Standards of Green Anti-Nuclear Opponents](http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2011/mar/31/double-standards-nuclear)\n\n\n\n\n[Why Fukushima made me stop worrying and love nuclear power](http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/21/pro-nuclear-japan-fukushima)\n\n\n\n[Japan nuclear crisis should not carry weight in atomic energy debate](http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2011/mar/16/japan-nuclear-crisis-atomic-energy) 1302003051 +Good post, but I think the dome of the rock videos are admitted fakes created by a group of art students. 1329414824 +Mini torch:\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GwA71c2afY&feature=player_detailpage#t=20s 1308772480 +It's because the tether is much brighter than the small particles floating in front of the camera. The tether is such a non-issue, I am surprised it gets as much attention as it does. The particles are out of focus and what you are seeing is an artifact from the lens and the aperture of the camera. \n\nWatch the objects in the video. As they pass from the upper to lower sides of the screen, the notch points the opposite way. The notch is on the bottom until the object passes the center of the screen, then it points upwards. This happens with every object. 1295590482 +>because organic pesticides are typically less effective meaning that more need to be used.\n\ncitation?\n\nMoreover, the most toxic pesticides by far are those used in industrial ('conventional') agricultural methods. Take methyl iodide, for example. 1347000204 +The sounds are suspiciously similar [to that of a waterphone](http://www.ghosttheory.com/2012/01/23/source-of-strange-sounds-discovered). 1328626604 +That was so fucking painful to read. 1319434645 +lol... I was gunna say. I too do a lot of the shit this post points out. I was starting to think I might be a psychopath, but just a really lazy one. 1323012572 +Thanks, I know it is not as great as some of the ones that I've read, but I thought that it was still worth sharing... Alas, no connection, although the texter found it just as weird and amusing. They said the wished they had set it up... 1328963912 +For those that are checking out other comments in that thread please note that the primary problem is with very weak methodology that relied heavily on patients' memories and biases. The fact that it was a case-control study does not AUTOMATICALLY make it useless in determining causation. Case-control studies are perfectly valid for preliminary investigations of a phenomena, but require very strict methodology to minimize biases and identify cofounding factors.\n\nI agree with the comment above but some of the follow-up comments were incorrectly hinting that case control studies are useless. 1346900516 +Detailed photos of what?\n\nWhy not lay out all of the information he says he has? If he is withholding information then he is part of the problem that he claims exists.\n\nWhat actual information has he presented that led you to believe he is telling the truth? Is there detailed information available somewhere from him that I can look at? 1304892293 +Manifest destination. 1326654002 +http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwrhSnUxAYo\n\ndont complain about it being too short, dont call them chinese lanters. 1302539114 +Hurray.\n\nThere is too much natural "medicine" woo woo in New Zealand unfortunately. 1276478473 +> Are you saying our perception of what is evil is always correct, that there may never be more to a given "evil" situation than we, as limited beings, can empirically perceive?\n\nYou can't just toss logic out of the window by hypothesizing some "alternative morality beyond human understanding". Any entity that is said to exist must obey physical laws and logic.\n\n> What if this increasingly hypothetical deity was not only omnipresent and omniscient, but was everything in actual fact? This conflict disappears.\n\nNot sure what you mean here, but it sounds like a tautology. "If a god was omnipresent, omniscient and where the omniscience and omnipresent didn't contradict, the godly traits would be consistent."\n\nIf that is what you meant, then no. Again, that's like saying that the god could exist if you discard logic. It's a serious non-sequitur. 1343018624 +Not only that, but they had no intention of turning him over even if evidence hit them right in the face. They were friends with similar ideologies. 1290670897 +I believe those are statues (the figures on the roof to which you were referring) 1353282903 +Just a comment, but if anyone I know said they saw a UFO, I wouldn't think they were crazy. Just because you saw something you couldn't explain doesn't automatically make you nuts.\n\n I really wish people would take a moment, think about what would happen if *they* had seen something and got ridiculed for it.\n\nYou're not crazy man, and you shouldn't feel freaked out about sharing your story! 1347640401 +There are a number of doctrinaire feminists in the skeptical blogosphere. There is also a lot of political correctness in general. \n\nYou just have to take the good with the bad. I didn't know how much anti-vax craziness was out there until I read about it on skepchick. I also had been neglecting my own vaccinations and asked my doctor if I needed any boosters. It turns out that I didn't because of a recent visit to the emergency room but I also wouldn't have even considered my own vaccination needs but for skepchick. \n\nThere is a lot of good info there. Just ignore the feminist screeds. 1309924996 +I can see why a virus would cause cancer with it mucking around with your cell's own DNA 1308270921 +No they turn you into a creative genius clearly. 1338948997 +Skin-Walker. Research Navajo Folklore. Area 51's operations are no longer in Nevada, it was moved to the least-accessible part of Utah, in the Book Cliffs. 1325561970 +Don't give this too many upvotes! Scary! 1297784020 +Fip fip fip fip fip. 1287315042 +well put 1319051008 +well put 1238616888 +Well done Mr. Weiner. 1337298929 +This is a double troll... not only are christians totally pissed... but also atheists are totally pissed too. well done master troll. 1341366533 +Another thing that bothers me is when people say they choose to believe in something. How do you choose your beliefs?! It seems like one's beliefs should be the result of what one is exposed to and convinced of. It's not a matter of choice. 1297818535 +so one hand hand you have the mainstream media saying it was fires, and on the other hand you have the trained pilots who said they followed these through the clouds. hmmm who is more trustworthy? 1328116964 +OMFG, NOW MY COMMENT IS DELETED! BOO-HOO NOW I'M BEING CENSORED!\n\nSee how easy it is to manufacture shit?\n\nThe OP posted comment to a subreddit and post that had absolutely nothing to do with the subject of his comment. One of 2 things happened:\n\n1. The mod for that subreddit felt it was spam and got rid of it. Or...\n\n2. The OP himself deleted it and then put up a whiny conspiracy-laden post about how unfair reddit is and how butthurt he is all while misrepresenting the comment in question as 1) relevant and 2) objective.\n\nEither way, saying that this is somehow how reddit treats objective comments about UFOs is both disingenuous and incorrect at the same time. 1328736479 +Sample pages are now available. 1350419867 +I say "Good luck" to people all the time. 1332172533 +It was probably bored playing monopoly by itself. 1323240782 +If you want a real laugh, read the damn comments.\n\n"This is all such a new scientific journey that I believe it wise to perhaps "prove" it experentially while also looking at the science as it is evolving. \n\nCurrently I am using Holosync and find it to be quite useful in perhaps "recording" over negative messages or the "map" I am most comfortable using as the "grooves" have been made deep with exercise over the years as the same methods were used in "solving" upheavals or indeed, everyday survival."\n\nOh god my sides. 1324886306 +I'm not really sure what you're going on about then. Superconductors and superfluids would allow you to devise a device with less frictional losses, which has nothing to do with what I wrote. I clearly did not claim it was theoretically possible to build a perpetual motion machine, only that you could extract energy stored in permanent magnet consistant with the known laws of physics. \n\nSuperconductors or superfluids would NOT allow you to build a perpetual motion machine. 1348468074 +Where's the link? 1339288379 +The animal psychic I used is [Lydia Hiby](http://www.lydiahiby.com/) . She gets mostly mental images from the animals she talks to and relates them to you. Her website explains it a bit. \n\nThe lady who I've gotten great email readings from is named [Debbie](http://www.angelreadings.org/) . Took me a while to find her website, haven't had a reading since I changed emails. Anyways, hope you find what you're looking for. :-) 1327866247 +It's a problem that bothers me about this subreddit, actually. \n\nThere's a lot of "skepticism" on easy targets and obvious nonsense. That alone isn't necessarily bad, but I've noticed that posts have tended towards being very non-rigorous and can as pitiful as "woo, now lets move on."\n\nMore disturbing, in these threads debunking homeopathy and such, you'll sometimes see unquestioned confidence in allopathic medicine and institutions as a sort of push-pull reactionary-ism. There's no skepticism going on in popular statements like "you know what they call alternative medicine that works? Medicine." *shudder*\n\nIn that regard, the state of this subreddit is pretty sad. It's easy to cite one or two papers that support a position, but where's the critical analysis of the research people love to cite? People are too prone to think that if there's one paper in the world that has been published making a certain claim, that claim is solid. Any novice in the research sciences knows that nearly every publication has some flaw. If this subreddit were to be on track, I think the first place to start would be to encourage critical analysis and understanding of published research. 1314313725 +The 1st edition of the book was published in 1951\n\nThis is an interesting look at Ruppelt:\nhttp://www.ufodigest.com/article/revisiting-edward-j-ruppelt\n\n 1315147529 +He writes that there is "absolutely zero scientific evidence" in favour of psychic abilities. In fact, there have been numerous well-controlled scientific studies that show positive effects for psi. One can reasonably say the evidence is insufficient or unconvincing. However, to assert there is "absolutely zero scientific evidence" is intellectually dishonest. 1314760539 +Anyone who feels that the internet is a place to post thoughts and have those povs be immune from criticism is being unrealistic. I don't care if it is FB or reddit. You can hold whatever pov you want but if you don't want to expose yourself to the possibility of criticism, don't post it on the internet. 1330021014 +Why should it? It's a funny word. 1315603260 +The reason why I have to turn the mirror in my room around at night, scares the shit out of me. 1341802345 +Thank you! When there was a post about this a few days ago, I questioned the safety of fluoride and was met with downvotes and not a single actual response. It annoys me when people think skepticism also means being closed-minded about things where the science is actually not that concrete.\n\nI think there's something seriously wrong with forcing people to consume fluoride, beneficial or not. And there's a huge risk of getting too much of it, considering all the things we use that water for. 1318727624 +http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8180528/Wikileaks-new-diplomatic-cables-contain-UFO-details-says-Julian-Assange.html hmm 1293569125 +> Mr. homeopathic.com & have written 10 books on homeopathy! Huffingtonpost columnist.\n\n…\n\npicard.jpg 1304633388 +I am skeptical of the video myself, as everyone should be until it can be confirmed from other sources, but the writer of this blog presents no actual evidence and barely even lays out any sort of hypothesis other than "this is fake!". Wow, fantastic, they know how to jump to conclusions and present straw men and ad hominem arguments. People really should save their whistle blowing for when they actually have something to offer. The blog writer could very well be correct in their assumptions, but as of this moment, that is all they are. 1277440920 +I don't think another investigation would bring out the truth, just further cover it up. I think if it was an inside job, we'll never find justice in the "justice system". 1320957649 +Homer was right! 1326321477 +They remind me of these little jelly ball things my mother used to have in little jars that she was growing plants in. They seem to be very similar in composition. They would become nearly invisible when submerged in water and were very slippery and would break apart the same way the orbs in the video did if you dropped them. When they dried up they just shrunk into tiny almost bead-like little balls. But how they would rain out of the sky beats the hell outta me. 1327975548 +I stopped taking it and overdosed. 1337606447 +send in the meteorite men! 1343826569 +The naked scientists.\nWell... not a skeptical podcast, but science ftw :D 1290292149 +Imagine diluting Marijuana 10^30 times, it'd be the most powerful drug in the world. 1352512959 +Guess who owns Big Supplement? Take a guess... 1286049365 +I think there are flaws with this argument, but I agree that there is some degree of politicisation within the science. To what extent that effects the science is another matter. 1264828827 +I'm sorry, but I had trouble understanding the point of that article. Could you explain to me what the gist is? 1325475703 +Calories are calories. Vitamins are everywhere. Protein is good. Carbs give you energy until they make you fat. 1347588288 +Hmm... Maybe there is something they dont like about you. Your hair, your clothes. Or maybe they just like your reactions to what they do. Or you need to do something to earn their respect... 1342121792 +She advocates praying to raw foods?\n\nEdit: Aw, someone has no sense of humor. The title's grammar is poor. Downvote that, not me for pointing it out. 1349130606 +Let's think about this rationally...\n\n1) Was your computer's modem connected to the phone line at the time this happened?\n\nIf so, then it was probably your dad trolling you, long-distance. It's also possible that it was someone else with IT skills trolling you, who was able to get your information (publicly and legally available) with knowledge of your phone number.\n\nHave you ever asked your IT dad about this? He could at least tell you how it could happen.\n\n2) If not connected at the time, was your computer's modem ever connected to the phone line? Or did your mom or other individual in contact with your father ever have access to your computer while you were away, to install a script created by your father (by simply inserting a disk)?\n\nIf so, then such a script could have been installed on your computer without your knowledge at some point prior to the box and text appearing.\n\n3) If you are a computer specialist working somewhere and there is strange activity on a computer whose operation you are responsible for, do you think you'll keep your job very long if, upon not being able to immediately figure out the source of the strange activity, you conclude it's poltergeist activity? Do you think the computer industry would be successful at-large, or any individual programmer would be able to debug projects, if, when something didn't work the way one expected, it was passed off as poltergeist activity? Ask any programmer -- even the most obnoxious and resistant bugs eventually get figured out with enough time and effort, without ever having to involve the paranormal.\n\n4) Even if you are prone to believing in standard poltergeist phenomena such as doors slamming, items moving randomly, etc., the complexities involved in how computers do *seemingly* simple things such as creating a box on screen with text require a whole new level of poltergeist capability. It is not a simple thing for a computer to behave in a way as you describe. Perhaps a "noisy spirit" can use simple force to propel objects in random directions and slam doors, or make banging noises. These are not intelligent activities. But you are describing not only an intelligent activity in the content of the communication, but also an intelligent activity in the extraordinarily strategic manipulation of many, many bits of information within the computer's operating state in order to present that information to you. It's a highly complex activity which would raise the bar for poltergeist activity by several orders of magnitude!\n\n 1318211359 +No it would be water diluted in water... Clearly it would be different Due to water memory. 1290324005 +It would do the same good as walking into a homeopaths' office and telling them that water isn't actually magic. Some people really are quite stupid no matter how simply you explain something to them. 1340174105 +This is enlightening, none of them seem to see that the choices of the men to pursue a great big career while the women dedicate to the home can be stifling to both of them and isn't a big conspiracy from women, or lazyness. They're actuallly on the same side as feminists on these issues but cannot see it. 1345154061 +This looks like a job for Mythbusters!\n\nDay one, they talk to the apples.\n\nDay two, they accidentally switch apples and need to start all over.\n\nDay sixteen, they finally blow up all the apples while talking to two of them to see if kind intentions acts as a blast shield.\n\nMyth Busted 1269429102 +It really makes me sad to see how nuts Rebecca Watson really is.\n\nI have listened to "The Skeptics Guide to the Universe" since it started, and up until the whole "Elevator" thing she seemed pretty reasonable. \n\nI saw somewhere recently where she actually endorsed SRS. If it were anyone but her I would have lost every shred of respect I had for her right then and there. Maybe she is fucking with us and this whole thing is a con? I mean if she is in league with SRS there is a VERY good chance she is just trolling us. It doesn't really excuse the behaviour, but maybe she means well? 1356203437 +Can you provide examples of Sam Harris's deeply disturbing positions? I haven't seen these, and so far I have what may be an unhealthy admiration for the man, and I'd like that position challenged. 1299085981 +>'I refuse to prove that I exist, says God, 'for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing.'\n\n>'But,' says Man, 'The Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED.'\n\n>'Oh dear,' says God, 'I hadn't thought of that,' and promptly vanished in a puff of logic."\n\n>'Oh, that was easy,' says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing. 1275950399 +I be having a Weee bit of trouble associating that noisy racket with the shiny object in the sky.\n\nWith the distance involved and the intensity of the noise I cant help but believe there would be a hell of a lot of very irate former sleepers making a lot of noise themselves were the obnoxious sounds eminating from the object in the sky. 1328959180 +Either that or Head binding. Which was common in Peru. 1321862738 +> No validity verification? \n\nDid you read section VI. Empirical correlation of radar and capabilities? That absolutely has validity verification. \n\n> Especially when you sit there and say, well we screened out data that was of poor quality without any declaration of what was poor/good about it.\n\nThey *don't* say that they screen "out" returns from their AOI (see again charts #2-7 and #4-6 to see the authors including the totality of the returns). And actually they *do* say what was good about the radars' ability to accurately identify the position of known aircraft. They also discuss the limits and sensitivity of the different stations. \n\n> And manual screening of millions of points of data!?\n\nIt's not so absurd when you consider that the data can be visually displayed. Here you can see a couple of videos ([1](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdU4JPcZL-M), [2](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FwsbSxYEfg8)) of the radar returns plotted and visualized with and without trails. \n\nI had a reply that addressed your specific points. But rather than making this even more drawn out, know I agree with you in general. I just remain skeptical that you've done more than skimmed this report. And I disagree that you've shown your criticisms of human perception to be relevant *in particular* here. \n\nThough I should say that I would much prefer to see independent analysis of this same data. That analysis would ideally be peer reviewed. I'm certainly not holding this report up as some paragon of the scientific method, or even as having proved its conclusion that an unknown object observed by the witnesses was detected on radar! I've simply been criticizing *your* criticisms, which to me are not as persuasive as you so bombastically present them to be.\n\nBut thanks for answering my question. It's interesting to note that while you profess to be a skeptic, you do not seem to have done any work to educate yourself about the positive claims made by UFO researchers. This includes our discussion here of this report. If you are ever interested, a far better reference than this report is the book *UFOs: a Scientific Debate*, co-edited by Carl Sagan. \n\nMaybe we should see if anyone at /r/askscience would be willing to go over this report. I'd love to see the criticisms of someone who is an expert in radar. Though I doubt that /r/askscience would engage a UFO question. 1341618589 +I call hoax. It seems like the paranormal sightings are just stories and rumors made up by people same tourists who mistook the buildings as a ghost town. These are simply buildings boarded up by the government. Nothing weird attached. 1336794270 +Little Atoms, Radiolab, Infinite Monkey Cage, Neuropod, Science Friday, Guardian Science Weekly... those are the most regular... but there are a bunch more. Thanks for the other recommendations :) 1290232258 +As i just said to someone else, fireworks causes light pollution so it would make it quite difficult to see. Think about trying to look at the stars with police lights near you. Makes it very difficult to see. 1343984355 +Reverse werewolves might be a thing. 1353432102 +Chiropractors can be very effective in very specific cases, but nothing they do can fix a broken bone that hasn't healed in 9 years. If you've been diagnosed with a fractured coccyx, your best bet for relief is likely with an actual doctor who specializes in bones.\n\n[This testimonial](http://www.coccyx.org/personal/2002/misty.htm) from ten years ago details the author's own solution, which was complete removal of the coccyx after multiple misdiagnoses and a chiropractor finally tracking down the problem. The removal, however, was eventually done by a proper surgeon. (Keep in mind, though, this is a single anecdote. Be sure to do plenty of your own research and consult a proper medical professional). 1335428691 +>so your failure of reading comprehension isn't suggesting I take your advice.\n\nI'm already fed up with your attitude. Particularly when you barely comprehend the implications of your own language. Discussion over. 1345264297 +Well, nazis hate teeth right? 1340293975 +This is in the area of things that are almost too personal to share, but it's an important subject, so... That's actually one of the things which wound up breaking my own marriage apart. After the divorce she hooked up with someone equally fond of "natural and homeopathic medicine". Natural treatment, birth, the whole home delivery with only a midwife. There were complications in the pregnancy she never knew about as a result, and the final kick was complications with the birth. The end result is that the kid's got some pretty bad birth defects, both visible and neurological. It's really pretty messed up that high schools let people graduate, essentially illiterate when it comes to understanding how to read a medical study, or understand how placebos work. \n 1240885014 +Ok, I'll bite. Why not? (Ps. Ghosts scare the shiiiiit out of me... be gentle). 1341807008 +but feel free to look for them in your backyard.\nBring a flashlight or a cell phone with a flashlight app. 1303803040 +Supermoon came from the planet Krypton, the moon of a world long ago destroyed. Thanks to the kind hearts of a Kansas couple, they raised the moon to stand for truth, justice and the American way^1. And that's how supermoon got there.\n\nNote:^1 The American way is to cause earthquakes in Japan 1299876457 +> Hard to know online.\n\nIndeed.\n\nI got really frustrated with this whole post because people quite quickly latched onto judgements about whether or not he should be drinking, which has nothing to do with the question I asked. It's been nice to revisit this thread with a clear head. 1355857583 +When did you ask me for clarification? You just reworded your screed over and over.\n\nYou say there is a conspiracy among the wealthy and powerful to form a single world government. That is all I need evidence for. All you have done is prove that there are people who are wealthy and powerful who seek more wealth and power.\n\nThe null hypothesis is the lack of such an institution, that there are just wealthy and powerful people who seek more wealth and power through simple opportunism. \n\nWhat I am OK with is acknowledging reality. Stop trying to score cheap points with emotion. Show me evidence of conspiracy to form a one world government or shut up. 1302830371 +Some internet assholes post "tits or GTFO" posts in r/atheism, and Richard Dawkins thinks Rebecca Watson is a privileged whiner, therefore the atheist movement is a hotbed of sexism. Do you get it now? 1325662176 +It doesn't remove the fact that it's voluntary if you know that you're uninformed. I know that I don't have a contract with my employer, that I am employed at will and that my job description includes "and other duties as required". So I know the risk of unknowns in my job future, but I'm willing to accept that risk in exchange for the pay, even without information about the details of those risks.\n\nWhy should the person selling me labor have the right to know my finances? Should my grocer be able to know my monthly income? He relies on the patronage of me and others just as an employee relies on the employer. The employee is just selling a different product. 1343069693 +I'd laugh, except I live in that county. 1318272352 +If you had less sex with the chips, they'd be less salty tasting. 1317086324 +The article had some fairly serious errors. I posted this comment (which was held for moderation):\n\n> The overall point of your article is fine. However, your numbers are off.\nI’m pretty sure your chances of being killed in a car crash tomorrow are *not* one in 2,000. Even in Iraq, your chances of dying in a car crash in a year are one in 2,600. In the US, about one in 8,130. If you are American, your chances of dying in a crash tomorrow are one in three million.\n\n>So while a 0.05% (one in 2,000) chance of getting cancer from arsenic isn’t high, your comparison to traffic accidents seems to be way off. 1322790591 +We need to compare it to authenticated photos of Jesus taken during his life, don't we? Otherwise, how do we know it isn't an image of Pontius Pilate or maybe Mary Magdalene? 1321129900 +> I don't see how 100,000 year containment is an issue. \n\nYou see, this is why your side doesn't entirely convince me (neutral on this issue, myself). You see *no* issues with this? You rely on future technology, much like the Venus Project relies on future technology for their utopian society. We don't have jet packs and hover crafts; I'm looking forward to the technological breakthroughs of the future, but I listen to no one claiming to be able to predict them. Very well qualified people have been wrong on this.\n\n> The risk of catastrophic failure is definitely an issue.\n\nYou win me back over a little more here. Healthy skepticism needs to be applied. You make a good point when you say that coal (the most likely alternative to nuclear in most cases) has a lot more accidents. The potential dangers from a nuclear incident is much more severe than one including coal energy, thiugh. For this reason I've always been skeptical of the high amount of nuclear energy on Japan, given how often they earthquakes and tsunamis. 1337330101 +All of the personality tests that would be used in a corporate or school environment should be taken with a grain of salt. There are a few with some real science behind them like the MMPI, but those are administered by professionals in psychology and psychiatry.\n\nThere is probably some ways a person would show tendencies matching what is described in their "personality type". In general, though, you shouldn't use the way these personality tests group you as a method for better understanding yourself. Decision making, typical reactions, etc. simply don't work that way. You won't always fit the pigeonhole you've been placed in. The results of a personality test are just a novelty.\n\nIn every case your decisions are subjective to the situation. Sometimes things will align with your personality tendencies (using that term very loosely). You can and do often make decisions, act on a choice, and generally behave in ways that contradict the groupings created by personality tests.\n\nTendencies of personality in no way describe a whole person any more than average statistics define ability. 1338731091 +Very interesting. Wikipedia has no mention on this Phenylalanine problem. Do you have any links to back up your claim? 1305141059 +[False.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1862315/?tool=pubmed) MSG contains no gluten. Glutamate is an amino acid, gluten is a full protein from some cereal plants. 1332997852 +I raise you one Ray Comfort. 1270404311 +I do have a confession to make:\n\nI am an AGW skeptic. \n\nThe politicizing of the issue is what does me in. When global warming is used to present legislation like cap & trade, which is essentially corporate cronyism, I start to have my doubts. \nCan anyone point me to a good place to find information? \nThanks in advance! 1331227346 +What a bunch of bearshit. 1352231855 +Lead Masks you mean? If so, it is really fascinating, but I can't do it justice.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_Masks_Case\n 1338689881 +Brilliantly spectacular! 1346975526 +I'm new here too, but I know that I certainly welcome questions and honest opinions, otherwise this research will never get us anywhere. 1347420237 +I'm not blogspamming for ad revenue at all. I make no revenue whatsoever from my blog. People are interested in reading the articles and so I post them here so people who come to this site have the opportunity to read the articles if they choose to do so ... and many of them do. The guidelines state that you can link to your own articles. \n\nCheers\n 1331286271 +Indeed - a victory for things like this means a victory against homeopathy later as precedence is set. 1337279517 +I could call this the "good luck" and the "bad luck" illusion. Whatever society you live in, it seems that some people always have luck and others have bad luck. How can that be?\n\nIf a society is complex and random and you collect mentally "points" each time you hear about a person that succeed, still the person with most "points" would be about twice as "lucky" as the median person. People can trick themselves to believe that a certain product works better than another even when it is completely random. Because we are looking for ways to succeed, we don't notice people that takes the homeopathic medicine and nothing happens, or when it goes bad, we blame something else. 1330557311 +I knew that, and that's fairly retarded. But this, this is just full retard. You never go full retard. 1327960082 +Jerome is good too. I think its a town on a mountain. went through there once. it was not enjoyable.\n 1354375480 +I was 12, not a little child. It wasn't so many years ago. Also this is something really fucking weird and I remember every detail because of that. It's not an everyday memory it's entirely different from anything a person experiences pretty much ever. 1344101514 +Here's the thing though: there are certain chiropractors who practice like a physiotherapist might traditionally be thought to, and there are certain physiotherapists who practice the way a chiropractor might traditionally thought to. \n\nif 'chiropractic' = what chiropractors do and 'physiotherapy' = what physiotherapists do then we are talking about an incontiguous group with each individual having their own principles, strategies and techniques. Therefore we are immediately lost when talking about them as a group or profession, especially when talking about specific clinical practices. 1356905000 +Epic face at the beginning. 1303049506 +I think the Planet Earth series would be an excellent tv show for kids to watch. 1315870859 +My source is that I have neck trouble, had to fly everywhere for my job and I would go find the first chiropractor or osteopath who would see me near the airport every time I landed. Invariably the chiropractors all do the same thing:\n\n"Hey, you need x-rays."\n\nNo, dude. I don't. I believe you. I don't need before and after. I know my shit is fucked up and I know it moved after you did your thing.\n\n"You should come see me again for maintenance."\n\nNo, dude. I live out of town. I will come see you when I don't feel well. Adjusting me when I am not severely out of whack is bad for me, but good for your wallet.\n\n"When you're ill, an adjustment can make you feel better."\n\nMy spine doesn't have the flu.\n\nIf I had 1 in 5 who simply agreed with "cool, let's get you able to turn your head to the right and forget all of the other shit", I'd say it's generous. The rest of them have earned the moniker "snake oil salesmen" because they really do sell you hard.\n\nThis is universal across every state I've been in. 1337660275 +this is basically the idea behind /r/keto and /r/paleo check out "Why we're fat" and "good calories, bad calories" the author cites studies in those books. 1345218741 +Love one of the YouTube's comments: Yeah I'm married to his son. GG Internet. 1349837996 +[enhanced](http://i.imgur.com/Yf3Nz.jpg) 1347299035 +When can I start asking questions?\nFuck.\nCan I start over? 1346146645 +I agree. If, though, that different treatment for external threats would include ignoring them, or in any way blaming someone who is hurt or intimidated by them into complaining or even backing down from them, then i strongly disagree. (I doubt this is what you're saying.)\n\nIt's also worth noting that, while credibility should guide policy, even completely incredible threats are not harmless, to individuals who receive them or to the community atmosphere; the whole issue does not boil down to credibility of threat. 1341604653 +Yes, now go explain why your facts are facts and why a bigfoot researchers facts aren't facts.\n\nMy whole point is that, yes, we understand the definition of what we mean when we say skeptic. But we shouldn't say skeptic because everyone claims to be one, and they don't understand why them being "skeptical" about established science is any different then us being "skeptical" about crank science.\n\nInstead of sounding like we're the ones with the right answer, it makes it sound like our opinions aren't yet confirmed.\n\nI'm just trying to explain why we get so many conspiracy theorists around here. 1313761522 +I thought they were stars too 1355354714 +It may actually be pretty accurate (i'm trusting some other commentors on this cause I'm lazy). However, it's often used to support some other argument about our food supply, often with dire insinuations. That's where the questions should usually be raised. \n\nThis may be 100% factually accurate in terms of who owns what. But so what? That one condition does not necessarily mean our food supply is dangerous, bad, or under threat in any way. It might be. It might even be because there's only a few conglomerates, but those statements need to be supported by more than just the fact that there are few companies shown here, no matter how factual the diagram itself. 1349814837 +Let's open the whole can then. 1332615672 +> I'm sure there are fluctuations in temperature, but we are dealing with geologic time.\n\nNo, climates can change far quicker than "geologic time" which is typically used to measure geology (and as such is usually measured in millions of years, eons and epochs and all that).\n\n> How can you say there is a trend when they are only looking at 100 years or so, maybe less.\n\nTo put it quite simply, because they can see that in that 100 years, the climate *has* changed. Beyond that, they have reliable ways of gathering data beyond the historical record. The data is and will always be incomplete. But just like the fossil record, the more we study it in depth, the more we learn about it and create a more accurate picture of the past and how it relates to the present and the future. 1329592654 +there is no harm, if they don't try to cure serious illnesses. all these minor colds, little hurts in the hands etc can be treated with simple placebo medicine like homeopathy. \nit only gets ... troublesome if they try to cure real illnesses. 1322061309 +All the time. Is there an easy to use product to clean it? I'm willing to pay damn near anything. 1290921657 +No, I believe you missed my point: the few days of grass feeding do not happen, therefore, despite it being a thing, it doesn't apply.\n\n> Your link is for all cases of E.Coli and not just for beef. And, if you looked further you'd see that E.Coli accounts for only 4% of the hospitalizations.\n\nNot precisely, these counts are specifically for foodborne E.coli cases, which make up roughly 70% of the cases, from what I understand. And, cases of foodborne E.coli infections are [largely on the rise](http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/figures/m6022a5f1.gif) - laboratory-confirmed cases of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli O157 more than doubled between 1996 and 2010.\n\nAnd, I might point out that you've failed to address the 2.5+ million pounds of beef recalled just four months ago, and the 234 beef recalls between 1994 and 2010 (since E.coli O157 was declared an adulternat in ground beef in 1994). \n\nI feel as though you are arguing just for the sake of arguing, at this point. 1356002787 +YKUTW;IDNTIMWYTIM \n\nTentative means uncertain, not fixed. \n\n 1333816163 +You didn't read the whole FAQ then, specifically [from this point on](http://www.raikoth.net/consequentialism.html#utilitarianism), where the argument is for a specific type of normative ethics. 1351306233 +What about Elzar? 1316006095 +Ok, so this should come as a surprise to no one, but this article is a tad too sensational.\n\nThis article mentions 2 different "studies": a recent journal publication and a gallup poll.\n\nThe journal article looks fine to me, and in it I only found one small mention of something similar to the Huffpo article. People who were more likely to believe in a "forgiving higher power" perceived themselves as in better mental health. You can probably see how little this says (ie: I believe I have been forgiven of everything wrong I've done, so I don't feel too guilty about anything). On top of that, the paper still claims that "Spiritual variables add little to the prediction of unique variance in physical or mental health scores after considering personality." In other words, the personality type of the individual was a much better predictor of mental heath than their level of spirituality.\n\nThe gallup poll does show some significant results though. They find that people of different faiths (eg: muslim, christian, jew) seem to be in slightly better mental health if they are "very religious" as opposed to "moderately religious" or "nonreligious", and that atheists/agnostics have the lowest overall mental health. However, this Huffpo article doesn't mention the fact that the poll also shows that the "nonreligious" in every faith category were in better mental health than the "moderately religious", and that jews had the best mental health out of every other faith category, despite the fact that over 50% of jews consider themselves "nonreligious". If anyone else can see any criticisms of the gallup poll in general, such as their method of determining mental health, voice them here -- it looks fine to me though. 1346077248 +No it wouldn't. 1351633556 +Case is solved. Go home everyone, this guy has seen a bear. 1352157510 +the government say's "never". \n\nso the truth is likely "daily. 1276393128 +I agree with your correction. Good catch. 1296184927 +I would like to give you my completely authoritative analysis of Astrology's effect on my life, especially under the new system:\n\nI used to be a fucking twin and, if I were a girl, that would be kind of good because twins can get a lot of money in porn, but since I'm a dude, being a twin is kind of lame. However, now that Zodiark was discovered as the 13th sign (I can't spell the actual name so I'll just go with the representative Esper from Final Fantasy XII because Zodiark is a badass) this pushes me from being a lame twin to being a bull, or at the least a bull Pokemon that can be caught in the Safari Zone if you have the patience to not throw your Gameboy against the wall when it runs away from you constantly. Bulls are awesome, twins are not. I am much happier now as a Bull than as a Twin.\n\nAnd that is how Astrology impacted my life. 1341176736 +HEY HEY HEY! RESPECT THE PORK SPIRITS! 1352545828 +As someone who works in graphic design / advertising, the reason marketers do it is obviously to spur the implication that your competition is doing something bad/wrong/worse than your product.\n\nAs a human being with a brain, whenever I see this stuff in stores I declare it's probably free of unicorn tears and leprechaun blood as well. 1336941989 +What are you talking about?\n\nHave you verified that I am right yet?\n\nOnce you have verified that I am right, then be sure to upvote all the comments you down voted. 1313722817 +You seem to completely ignore thermal conduction. Heat isn't just transferred by convection and radiation, you know.\n\n>If they can cool via radiation, they can warm by radiation.\n\nSure, unlike other gases. As I said in my other post, I was awkwardly trying to make the distinction between conduction and radiation. Was that the only problem you saw with my reply? Because I made a series of other points, and the fact remains that the IR absorption/radiation capabilities of CO2 *can* heat the ground, even when beyond the first tens of meters, despite your claims. 1354762421 +Couldn't tell you, if I had more than one childhood to compare it to I totally would. 1351718112 +I've always liked the last one, paraphrased as "There's medicine that works and then untested stuff."\n\nYou can make anything sound at least a bit more plausible by giving a name composed of a reasonable label that with an adjective on the front. The typical reaction it (presumably) evokes is, "Oooooh, the world's a bit bigger than I'd thought and what I'm used to is just a specific instance of multiple ways of doing something."\n\nI'll make some up (I don't think any of these are real):\n\n* Western astronomy\n\n* Pythagorean mathematics\n\n* Conservative neuroscience\n\n* Herbal weight-loss\n\nThe right-hand words by themselves have been studied by science. The words on the left could be used to create a plausible-sound weasel label for a system masquerading as a subset of the original.\n\ntl;dr: If you can't use the real word, just add a classic sounding one to the left! 1327298086 +Go to the Wikipedia account creation page and look at the Captcha there. Refresh it enough and you'll notice it likes words like span, blood, and other creepy words. I think Shaskel is trying to tell us something...best worship Inglip instead. 1335022453 +Then no, no photos or possessions were different. 1336238361 +Being a skeptic and believing are not mutually exclusive. Being a skeptic just means not believing everything that's not thoroughly tested. Even further, I've lost count how often I had to explain that a correct scientific mindset will have very little problems accepting paranormal entities, if you have a good proof of them. 1356521027 +Ghost Bros\n\n"Yo this ghost scratched me dudes. Hey ghost come scratch me to my face!" 1346234150 +that's rich! 1285135052 +Iridium Flare\n\nThere's an app for that.\n\nOr, possibly a high flying military aircraft kicking on it's afterburner for a moment. But I'd really go with an Iridium Flare. They've left me scratching my head at times before I realize what it was. 1348700702 +There's always cross-posting. If you think it's r/skeptic worthy, bring it on over. We could use the content. 1332513053 +Reading "Einstein's String Theory" made me think of [this](http://youtu.be/_-8j8c7iL3E). 1307116477 +Generalizing will get you to a point where humans look very similar, but it's in the specifics where it matters. All cultures recognize theft as wrong, but the categorization of what qualifies as property differs dramatically. 1313366859 +This reminds me of a dihydrogen monoxide poster. If not for DHMO, there would be no cancer, no low-IQ persons, no apathy, and no nazis. And it's in your water. 1340285419 +Yes, but the gland is outside the brain. 1345038260 +That's well above a lethal dose!\n\n*For Homeopathy*... 1307632832 +http://stateofmyignorance.blogspot.com/2009/10/homeopathy-fail_04.html 1302233522 +Great find! This is fucking AWESOME! 1321573838 +> The laws of logic are a reflection of the way God thinks.\n\nEven if I were not an atheist, I'd be leery of anyone who proclaims to know how God thinks. 1275940164 +The risks of nuclear power are [exaggerated.](http://breakthrougheurope.org/blog/2011/04/coal_kills_4000_times_more_peo.shtml) 1343686741 +I keep seeing AMA what does it mean here? 1304649888 +No! Hearsay shouldn't be allowed **whatsoever**! Politicians be damned, they get the ideas from the even more ignorant people that are ready to vote for them!\n\nIf something's coming out of your mouth that you're not sure about \nand you're not asking a question while instead stating it is fact: you're an asshole. No two ways around it. 1316902069 +My opinion is go away 1330117952 +I don't understand how the article was published. According to your link, the editor in chief of SA said the article "would never have been published if Scientific American had been consulted beforehand". The author(s) didn't put the article in the publication, *SA* put it in the publication. Is she saying the editors didn't consult themselves?! Such a bizarro excuse/explanation. 1334784001 +So not an act of god then. Just an act of Twat. 1270574187 +It's a Firefly class 1346074837 +will this get me a job? 1348034879 +I like it for the feature where you make the back ground go dark, night mode i think it is. And i can see pic and videos from the main page I hate having a bunch of tabs open. Other than that I am pretty clueless. 1342769666 +Strange... must be my privacy settings O.o 1311955054 +>Huge, controversial subject obviously..\n\nNo, not really. It's only controversial to the people who insist of believing in fairy tales in the face of a shrieking windfall of contrary evidence. \n\n>The historic books of the Old Testament (Exodus, Kings etc.) are partly true, partly not.\n\nPartly true as in it does mention existing nations and the occasional existing ruler. We're still missing evidence for every single solitary supernatural claim it makes.\n\n>There is little reason to assume that he was made up;\n\nThere is EVERY reason to assume he was made up.\n\n> on the other hand, there is a surprising absence of evidence for his existence outside of the Bible.\n\nNo, it's not surprising at all.\n\n>How long after Jesus' death were the gospels written\n\nSince Jesus is most likely fictitious, how does the gap between when the stories "happened" and when they were written effect anything? Since the bible is based off of old folk tales (and the Tora) the best result one can even hope for is more authentic BS.\n 1323035172 +>Fructose is not sucrose is not glucose\n\nWell, they're not identical, but sucrose _is_ a mixture of fructose/glucose. 1278428491 +This. Kids pick up languages very easily, they don't even have to be exposed to them that extensively. Maybe these people just watched a TV show with these languages and then picked up phrases. Speaking it doesn't mean you know what you're saying. 1332252707 +What a surprise that these sleeping position's meaning exactly reflects the interpretation a person looking at it from the outside might have. \n\nI'll give you inside views\n\n*Foetal*, or more correctly *so happy I could burst*. This position indicates that the person is so full of happiness and energy that they contain that energy in the most efficient way possible (by becoming a spheroid), only to explode right into action once awake. \n\n*Log*, or rather: The stargazer. People who sleep like that have an open mind. Always in the right position to see the stars overhead (sadly we now live in cold, rational housing), whether lying or standing, these people yearn for adventure and have high aspirations.\n\n*Yearner*, otherwise known as *stay away from me! One arm-length minimum*. These people strive to stay independent, even at night, or are touchophobes. This is further substantiated by the fact that they usually point their arms towards their partners, who are most likely to threaten their independence. Also less risk of being bitten by a sleepwalking zombie.\n\n*Freefallers*, or *superhero*. These people can fly\n, and dream of it (because frankly, there ain't much better). Contrary to daily mail quackery, superheros are the embodiment of freedom. Nothing can hold them back, or shackle them; they just grab their rocketpillow and blast off. \n\n\nI sleep in the rescue position. We call it *stabile seitenlage*. This is due to physiology, but in this context it's because I want to be drawn like a french girl, but can't sleep with my head resting on my upright arm. 1350701512 +Very interesting. The shape of they heads don't look very human to me (although fancy dress or some shit?) but a cruise ship? Unsure about that explanation.\n\nNotice the Turkish media had it splashed over their tabloids. Something the bigger nations don't do. 1345496820 +Natural Selection. Evolution would be her having some sort of mutation and passing it on to another generation. 1335468802 +Thanks for the reply - I haven't done many "self." posts and I forgot that any link that you may have entered will be zapped. I've added a couple now. The one I labeled "best article" appears to have some quite detailed research.\n\nI appreciate your advice but I just can't let things like this lie. My place is littered with Kirlian cameras and all sorts of gadgets, gizmos and other crap that I've bought or built to try and find out the truth for myself amongst all the crap that people talk.\nNothing I've tried so far has shown the slightest evidence for anything "paranormal" if that word makes any sense in this nutty universe (Quantum entanglement I'm looking at you).\nI'd really like to get some good answers from someone who's actually done some similar research and has seen the results with their own eyes.\nI really haven't got the room for a bunch of chickens - but if I have to make room then I will. (I'll probably do the seeds experiment though - the chicken and crab ones are a bit cruel). 1247481830 +sweet, thanks for that! the link is the same as above but I will look this guy up. 1265300395 +Don't let them fool you. Everyone knows that all humans spawned from two wizards - Blendalina Frysong and Chuckington Chucking, created by the spirits of the Earth. All of the Muggles came about after they were cursed for viewing the sorceress Malinda Cloakbag naked in the shower one day. /really taking it too far but not that far off christianity 1333479446 +This is an absolutely fantastic idea. Now, if only we had some money and a web designer... 1311078937 +I've witnessed a similar case of "mass hysteria" some 15-20 years ago. At that time there was no cellphone fear yet, but something related to radiation.\n\nIIRC it was a compagny making geological exploration tools and probes that wanted to install in our neighborhood. There was a public enquiry because some of their tools use radiactive elements. Of course the amount of radiactivity was negligible but they decided to be absolutely transparent about it.\n\nThe more meetings they organized to explain people what it really meant (basically the radioactivity was not distinguishable from the natural background radioactivity of the area) the more people went insane.\n\nI've seen neighbors/friends insult my parents, not because they were in favor of this installation, but simply because they were ready to listen to what the company had to say before making their opinion. I've seen people I thought reasonable completely lose it and blabble incoherent rants for hours. I was around 13 and seeing these adults be completely irrational and overwhelmed by fear was really disturbing.\n\nIn the end, the city council gave up and didn't let that business open and bring high qualified job in our suburb. They explained their concerned was not about health but social order. 1309408892 +what good does acting like that do? 1288875479 +The thing is that in these situations (supernatural ones) the challenge to prove the negative is almost always followed by special pleading.\n\n"You won't let God into your heart, which is why you can't feel him", "your negative energy disrupts channeling of the spirits" etc, making it indeed impossible to prove the negative. 1327429537 +I hate this crap. 1352776089 +What? Do you have some data on this? 1320532930 +This will be entertaining... 1324344497 +[Decent doc](http://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/search?q=secret+access&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance),... 1321401129 +>Mrs Nelson told the commissioner she knew curing the illness was beyond her expertise.\n\nPretty easy when your "expertise" [is even more quacktastic than homeopathy.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridology) 1346636424 +If all the evidence you require to believe in something is one picture of this quality then I feel bad for your brain. 1334035968 +None. 1328947163 +None. 1333525836 +None. 1343377344 +Dogs did not get introduced to us for the fun, they had a purpose first, they were used to hunt. Also, dogs are fine in our environment. \nWe are not good "pets" plus we don't know if we could survive in their environment 1328101875 +I like the sentiment. PD's are thrown around so liberally, it gets on my nerves. 1355520332 +Mind pointing out the debunking of the Caponi case file with the "little brown guy?" I posted a link to the case file over at Alien Theory after I discovered it the other day, but a quick google search regarding it being debunked only brings up that someone made a recreation they claimed to belong to the original set and someone claiming it was fake due to the lack of sheen on it's skin. 1351807917 +Firstly, for your loss, you have my condolences. Especially towards her remaining days.\nAnd, as for your aversion to such *treatments*, I whole-heatedly understand your prerogative. That's a bullshit way to go. \n\nHowever, there are conmen everywhere, in almost every facet of society and of course they're going to muddle things up. But whether or not this particular woman is a crook, is purely based on *reckless speculation.*\n\nParabolic examples for instance, need to be examined accordingly. 1342470006 +Ok, I think we have a different understanding of "religion". For me, religion is what people do - rituals, preaching from and studying holy books, bake sales. For you, religion is any of the specific beliefs that have created a (what I call) religion around them.\n\nWas that the point of conflict?\n\n>Plus, if there is anything we've learned from history, you don't get rid of religion by persecuting it. :)\n\nOk, I think that a religion surviving prosecution would in turn have more people know the history of said religion, which doesn't quite support that statement, but intuitively, I would agree. I don't see however how this pertains to the discussion ;-) Did you try to turn this into an argument about freedom of religion? 1307633522 +I hate when people spell it with a 'c', I always read it as 'septic' 1242359474 +"Internet", not "internet". And.....Aazav is right too. I don't know why so many people don't capitalize Internet. :-) 1351296238 +I would love to memorize all of these but I just don't see that happening. Who can shed some light on the top 7-10 that would capture a majority of the fallacies that are encountered? 1318217735 +Heh, I think that by the time a person has gone into or through a gender transition, the stigma of sexual preference will have long since been subsumed by the stigma of being trans. I'd put a lot more stock in a self survey of trans people's preferences than I would the same for cis people. The only problem with it would be that for us, preference can be a moving target. I can only tell you what I have been and what I am today.\n 1323387940 +I'm pretty sure we would still have the "it's a choice" people without this study. In my experience, everyone who believes its a choice does so because believing otherwise would cause problems for their worldview (looking at you, Christian fundies). 1337572721 +As I said, chickenpox does not deserve to be on a list of deadly agents people cannot mail through the mail, and your numbers back up my point. As for parents taking their kids to the ER for chickenpox: what can I say? There are some incredibly stupid parents out there. You could even lump them in with the useless doctors who proscribe antibiotics for viral infections.\n\nI agree with your statement though, that there are always problems and not enough money. That is exactly why this is a preposterous argument. To argue that chickenpox is a deadly threat to everyone's children is like arguing that 9/11 gives us the right to invade Pakistan: we might be able to do it but it is certainly not worth it. And unlike semi-conductors, the vaccine is the end of the road for that research. It isn't going to dovetail into something amazing and spectacular, it's a vaccine for common childhood disease you get exactly once, whether you live or not. 1320730671 +Here's some advice no one is going to give you. You won't ever need to apologize if you're acting like a human being. If you're caring about people. People...not gender, not religion, no geography. People.\n\nIf you're trying to prove yourself, or prove a point...you've lost.\n\nThere are plenty of people, on this site specifically, that will point you toward MOUNDS of evidence that says you're a slave to biology. That you're just an animal.\n\nYou're not. You're a human being. You're an amazing creature, capable of creating life, of imagining worlds, of doing great deeds unbound by gender, or creed, or geography.\n\nYou're part of a society of humans, the greatest product of evolution we have seen up until now. You can out-think your biology, if you want to. If you want to be aware enough. You can watch the birds coast along the great blue crest of sky and figure out lift and drag. You can delve into the deep, black ocean and learn about the sightless realms that exist there. You can combat the very vacuum of space...all once thought impossible because of our biological limits...but conquered.\n\nDon't let ANYONE tell you you're just a man...that you're stuck in the endless cycle of procreation, of alpha and beta, of mating and posturing.\n\nYou're a damned human, and you're one of many. 1351123202 +I agree with your general sentiment, but I don't agree with the statement \n \n>UFOs are most certainly not like God or the Flying Spaghetti Monster 1316223692 +It's a tumbling mylar balloon. Not an uncommon sight near a fair. Since it's near nothing else, it's impossible to scale, is all. 1322495724 +I know what you mean, but that's not the reality of military protocol. There is a shitstorm of paper trails for every mundane occurrence. ESPECIALLY if a possible threat is acknowledged. \n\nThe only reasonable explanations are that either the military is on it themselves, or that aliens somehow confluence decision-makers in power. Somehow the military is confident that ET isn't a threat to security, whilst hypocritically surround bases with obscene security and harsh trespassing laws. \n\nAnother side to the story is that most of the people on base assumed this was just some sort of secret aircraft test. That also doesn't remotely fit the standard protocol for dealing with this case. If any military personal sees something they don't, they are thoroughly debriefed and are at least told to keep quiet. \n\n 1354222182 +It turns out that the movement of planets seem "lifelike" when assumed everything goes around the earth. In come planetary pagan gods and astrology. 1324659849 +The correct context of the phrase "cannot prove a negative" has to do with things like a court of law, and political discourse, where you can get into all kinds of accusations by innuendo.\n\nFor example:\n\n* Prove that you are not a child molester\n\n* Prove that you are not a communist\n\n* Prove that you are not a muslim, atheist, etc.\n\nPeople making the accusations can set all kinds of ridiculous standards of proof, and if you meet them, declare that you must be cheating.\n\nThis is why we have the presumption of innocence.\n\n(Combining from an earlier post)\n\n[There may be many cases where absence of evidence provides robust evidence of absence.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/victor-stenger/the-evidence-against-god_b_682169.html)\n\nCiting the example that the lack of evidence for elephants in Yellowstone Park is pretty good evidence that there are no elephants in Yellowstone Park\n\nWhich is not exactly proving a negative, but it's close\n\nand there are various mathematical proofs.\n\n[like proving some numbers are not rational](http://www.homeschoolmath.net/teaching/proof_square_root_2_irrational.php).\n 1283276068 +Putting people in camps? Isn't that basically what has started to happen after privatization of the prisons in the US? If it is gonna happen, it won't be over night. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarceration_in_the_United_States 1346364797 +> But if we all told such **bathetic** stories wouldn’t life be boring? \n\nI now know [a new word](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bathos). 1283389651 +How is the last sentence related to the rest of the statement? 1312248700 +You didn't bother to look at the video description, or even click on the submitter's page did you?\n\nAfter days of hot, overcast, a front pushed the haze out. Yesterday's sky appeared to have "natural" clouds and were clear blue. There's a small yellow UFO, a sparkling balloon type and two UFOs "dancing" merging and coming apart, beautiful to watch. Almost in every area of the sky where a UFO appeared, a "chemplane" was near the same spot within 5 minutes. **www.newyorkskywatch.com**\n 1340594207 +I think so... I usually bring my dogs with me quite often and they run around the barn sniffing everything. The barn is one open space with spaced out boards for stall separation, so it is very easy to look around. 1347511413 +I commend you for your courage. Standing up to your parents is never an easy thing. One of the arguments made against vaccinations is that children at the age of a few months to 2 years old can't handle them. At the age of 15, you could use this argument to your advantage, by saying that you're old enough to handle the vaccine now and the supposed threat is no longer there.\n\nBest advice would be to make sure you approach this as a concerned, educated person, not a defiant rebellious kid. Listen to their side and be prepared to defend your own. Research it yourself and cite examples, don't just say "people on the internet".\n\nI wish you the best of luck, be safe. 1334510294 +Yeah I mean he's taking care of that. Still...what are the odds? Or more importantly, how many other people is my name being fined for?! 1334262917 +Funny none of that stuff is in the bible. 1347706269 +You only realize that things are getting serious with AGW when you see that now even the right-wing media is very concerned about it ... 1329394141 +A lot of times, it starts out as minor things. I'm not saying it IS demonic; but demonic hauntings in the past have shown those sort of signs. Just keep a log of odd things that occur, everything including date,time,area,who witnessed it,even the weather. Try and notice a pattern; then if need it be, contact your local paranormal group. They keep it confidential because get understand that people feel embarrassed and don't want to be ridiculed for believe their place is haunted. But these things happen, and these entities should understand that it is your home and not theirs. 1337820201 +Yea it wasn't the first time he did that event, probably some worker messing it up. \n\nAlso seems a bit irresponsible to have 6000 people do it, I assume there was more then one lane. 1343309378 +A psychopath because you insult me and lie about me? Hardly.. Oh, and that's *five* messages, not three. I split the messages up to discourage you from posting copy/pasted responses to each of them.\n\nSo, are you going to post a link to that imaginary comment thread of yours, or should we assume that you were lying? 1348692794 +When he was in grade school, my husband used to dream the next day's events and lessons in school before they happened. 1328204616 +A very very quick bird. 1300556106 +If everyone switched to eating only organic food, we would be unable to feed everyone. Regardless of health effects, organic agriculture is not able to support the population. 1248986633 +But they have the same pant size. 1343393569 +It has given shelter and ease of finding other like-minded people for *everyone*. For good and bad, mostly good. 1316211361 +Reading this made me think of Brave New World's Mustapha Mond. I looked into the text, and sure enough: "I'm interested in truth, I like science. But truth's a menace, science is a public danger. As dangerous as it's been beneficent. It has given us the stablest equilibrium in history...But we can't allow science to undo its own good work. That's why we so carefully limit the scope of its researches–that's why I almost got sent to an island. We don't allow it to deal with any but the most immediate problems of the moment. All other enquiries are most sedulously discouraged." \n\nIt is the science-deniers who actually understand science--yet mislead the public for cynical reasons--who are the most dangerous. 1329665029 +I bought homoeopathy once because I didn't notice that it was homoeopathy and the pharmacist even recommended it. This should not be allowed. 1307721135 +I asked you a direct question. You gave me a search topic. Nice. 1333113703 +Letting red wine sit for 6 hours in any open container is going to change the taste, regardless of it's shape.\n\nBut, yes ... letting red wine 'breathe' as you put it is part of releasing the flavors and aromas. White wines don't become better when breathe, they actually become worse. This is why you use a decanter with red wines and stoppers with whites.\n\nIn terms of glassware, the principle of gases escaping the fluid and you smelling them as you're drinking ... yes, that is the same. But it's a very different principle in terms of decanting unless you're speaking solely about wine. (just a clarification, red wines will decant in anything, not just a decanter. If you open a bottle of red wine and set it on the table, it's technically decanting) Beer, for example (and liquor as well) doesn't decant like that. It will change based on time, but not in the same way wine does. However, carbonation variances will change the taste of beer. This is known and it's why Sam Adams put that ring on the bottom of their glasses (and why Miller stole the idea).\n\nIf you go to a local brewery or a really nice beer place they'll serve each beer in the appropriate glassware. If you order a lambic, for example, you'll often get it served to you in a wine looking glass, for obvious reasons, whereas a stout or porter will be in a standard pint glass or a mug. Ales and lagers have a rounded bulbous shape near the lip to capture and direct the aromas toward your nose, because the carbonation of an ale or lager affects the taste to a larger degree then a darker beer. The larger surface area also keeps the foam thickness appropriate. \n\nedit: You may actually know this .. I just started typing and got a roll. Just didn't want this to come off as pompous or something. 1301428681 +i've noticed quite a few very bright ones. although some are small and probably insignificant.\n\ni've tried this and it still happens. mostly the shake on the leg to wake me up. the other night i felt my hand being held very tightly and i'm not going to lie, it freaked me out and i left my room. i'd have to check into the restless leg syndrome. 1318451960 +I got so annoyed with this entire astrology bullshit, I posted this as my status today: \n\n[So Glad You Asked\n\nI have no money in the bank; \n\nthe baby cries all night. \n\nMy husband's having an affair, \n\nand all we do is fight! \n\nMy government is full of shit, \n\nand we're always at war, \n\nbut what I'm really pissed about? \n\nI'm not an Aries anymore!\n\nGet a fucking grip people. There are more important issues to get upset over...]\n\nNeedless to say, very few people Liked my status. My friends are also fucking idiots. 1295051147 +It seems half the skeptics don't know who Michael Swaim is. If you've ever watched a Cracked video -- that guy. 1333031170 +Quoting from the article: \n\n> *Two events in spacetime are simultaneous if and only if a (mass-possessing) particle cannot move from one event to the other.*\n\nThis statement exposes a deep misunderstanding of Relativity - basically, whoever wrote this article is still stuck in the static spacetime frame of mind that Relativity disposed of. This definition of simultaneity presupposes an 'objective' frame of inertial reference - the very basis of Relativity is that such a frame of reference does not exist. Consequently, events meeting this definition *do not exist*.\n\nEdit: a little searching found this: [Anistropic Synchrony Convention](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Anisotropic_synchrony_convention). 1350657696 +I'm from Jersey, and Wierd NJ really gives us A LOT of places to check out. It must've started a fascination with the investigators. \n\nAlso, New Jersey has a ton of paranormal things to investigate upon. 1318558331 +Thanks, but I'm okay. I'm lucky. It was caught early, I'm on the best medicine there is (and it's covered by the Australian government!), and I have no symptoms anymore. I went from not being able to walk in straight lines, not being able to stand without locking my knees back, taking an hour to pee and not being able to feel cold (cold things hurt) to back to normal in a matter of hours. I more than likely wont be this great forever, and it's likely that I'll have a relapse in the next few years, but I should live only 5 years less than I would have otherwise and the future of MS research looks awesome. 1353235987 +>but the evidence is no different from finding a new species of spider and the bunch of bananas it got here on, the extraordinary thing isn't so much the evidence but what that evidence represents. \n\nWell because we know that spiders do actually exist, we may be able to infer the exist of a new species of spider simply by finding a new kind of web or something else. It'd be better to find an actual individual of the new spider species, but it wouldn't be such a stretch to conclude it's a new kind of spider, we know spiders exist. Aliens on the other hand would require much better evidence. 1322184869 +Here's a link to the [JAMA editorial](http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1150102) referred to. 1343490256 +This looks very much like the reflection of the boyfriend's head in the window. Creepy, though. 1354930854 +Probably - the idea is that they are just slowly moving towards a destination full of woo and bullshit - with the clear intent of keeping people ignorant (so they will keep voting based on manufactured dissensions and other retarded crap). 1332417007 +Yes, brilliant. How could I **not** use that..... 1349774857 +I would love something like that! 1340054637 +K, so while i have been more convinced that man-made global warming is likey true, what difference does it make if you don't want to discuss how to fix it? 1355572015 +It is easy, you don't need books or teachers: meditation is a technique for trying to (temporarily) get rid of the "voice in your head", your thoughts, your "inner monologue".\n\nTo do this, concentrate on your breathing. This calms you and gives you something else to concentrate on, thus helping getting your "mind off your mind".\n\nThat's actually all.\n\nSome belief-systems teach that once this "shutting off your inner monologue" becomes a "permanent state", you are "enlightened". Take that "fact" with two tea-spoons of salt however. 1274705583 +Ha it is my bad. I just assumed people could know what I was thinking. :P 1323586020 +Well, now, you know it must be true because he's rich, which means he knows what he's talking about. He didn't get rich on his good looks alone, you know. 1333455282 +I think there is a big difference between pointing out that someone is making a dishonest claim and ridiculing them. It's one thing to say that your opponent is dishonest or spreading false information, that's just pointing out the truth (if it is, in fact, true, and not hyperbole meant to discredit their position). Ridiculing them is calling them stupid or belittling them for refusing to believe what you're presenting. There are ways to refute false claims without calling the other person stupid. 1332895458 +>What they are doing...\n\nOh that explains it. You are arguing with their position but directing it at me. I am not Rebecca Watson. \n\nSeeya. 1310155832 +This is from the MUFON case files. I would love to see this guy on the news:\n\nCase Number:\t17450 \nLog Number:\tUS-06122009-0024 \nSubmitted Date:\t2009-06-12 22:53 \nEvent Date:\t2009-05-11 00:00 \nStatus:\tSubmitted \nCity:\tBoston \nRegion:\tMassachusetts \nCountry:\tUS \nLongitude:\t-71.0627 \nLatitude:\t42.3535 \nShape:\tTriangle \nDescription: \t\n\nON MAY 11.2009 TRAVELING THREW NEW ENGLAND OVER THE MASS TURNPIKE I CAPTURED A ORANGE TRIANGLE UFO, AND MANY OTHER ANOMILIES, SMALL GREY HUMANIODS, BALLS OF LITE, LITESHAFTS COMING DOWN AROUND ME, I ALSO BEEN VERY ILL SINCE THIS OCCURED....I,M WONDERING WHAT TO TELL MY DOCTOR ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE I THINK THATS WHY I,M ILL, THE UFO IS RIGHT OVER MY CAR....I HAVE THE VIDEO AND STILL SHOTS OF THIS AMAIZING UFO. 1244868629 +No, they deposit the money (plus a lot more) into the accounts of its lawyers, judges, expert witnesses, etc. 1321926064 +Dead babies are one thing...dead fetuses are medical waste. 1337392323 +GC-MS plane exhaust, show no unexpected additives present, drop mic, walk out. 1337872782 +He is just a little pussy baby that has. Nothing better to do then talk shit to you on reddit. 1341083288 +The problem with your idea is that there would still be consumer confusion and little ability to cure that.\n\nTake a look at the "natural" and "organic" label controversy over the past few years. This article from the Washington Post in 2007 does a fairly good job describing things. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/02/AR2009070203365.html\n\nThe marketplace saw that "organic" was big money but they couldn't get their products officially labeled as such because the USDA requirements weren't met. So they lobbied the USDA and lowered the requirements. Because it was done at the government level we have public documentation of this.\n\nPeople were outraged. California has a stricter definition of "organic" because of it. Now the food industry has a "natural" label yet consumers have no idea what "natural" actually means and there is not enough money that can fight them in court to get them to open it up. 1352479585 +People take fish oil for the omega-3 content. 1326571817 +Ehhhh I still gotta disagree with you there. Washington, Franklin, Paine, Hamilton, and Madison were all considered deist. It's hard to get much more important than those guys.\n\nJefferson was the atheist that you probably read most of the atheist quotes from. 1322705983 +Implausible? Yes. Stupid? Oh hell yes. \n\nYou can pretty much be certain that it is pseudo-science the instant you hear someone use the term "toxins". Stupid catch-all terms like toxins should automatically put you on alert. \n\nEdited: to add the entire second paragraph. 1245014008 +Skeptoid is the Snopes of skeptical research and nerd-dom. Mad props to Mr. Dunning and all the answers/help he has provided me over the years. 1313546687 +I wasn't trying to be a asshole, but I can see it come off that way. sorry. 1332177414 +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helminthic_therapy\n\nAll the studies in the reference section at the end are less than 10 years old, this is a pretty new field, obviously promising enough to warrant further research. There's plenty of research disproving acupuncture, or other hoodoo treatments, but this just too new to justify scorn. 1326839866 +I notice this video of an autistic girl is tagged with "thimerosal", which indicates an anti-vaccine agenda too. 1327188570 +Hah! Canada! Well there you go, another question for your friend, does this conspiracy spread all the way to the Canadian government as well? A government that is perceived as being more liberal that the US government.\n\nI've never researched Monsanto in depth, I'm sure they do lobby governments around the world in order to make the laws and regulations more favourable for them as does every other big industry. The topic of corporate voices in a public democracy is a valid topic that people should be aware of. But the notion that the board of Monsanto or any other Big Corp are sitting there going "Mwahhaahaahaa, this will kill all our customers!!!!" is ridiculous. The first important thing for any company is it's profits, the second is it's customers because without them there will be no profit. Again, I'm pretty sure that big corporations will try most ways to screw over their customers to make a profit, but I'm fairly certain even the most devout capitalist would draw the line at outright killing their customers. 1333973797 +That's your prerogative as a parent, but judging people for using a method of disease prevention that has been proven to work for centuries instead of getting an inoculation is reactionary and foolish. It's as bad or worse than the people that refuse to immunize their children because they think it will cause autism. 1327889813 +>scientists at University Hospital South Manchester\n\nI'm sure they were well-stocked with EpiPens and other emergency measures in case any of the 20% suddenly blew up like a puffer fish with a compressor hose shoved up its anus. 1327125607 +Hey, it's very possible. Maybe even back in the 70s? 1326760974 +You wouldn't believe the toll charges to everywhere. 1292909556 +Yet more evidence News Corp has an agenda it's pushing. 1338254434 +Skeptics are "Haters"? 1341172087 +Fucking really? You showed ONE person something that mocks their faith, and you've determined that "they" have no sense of humour?\n\nFuck you. You are the reason why we can't have nice things. 1307104723 +>Just simulate what the thing would do if you didn't intervene, and if you predict that it would end up killing the human race, it is a threat that should be terminated or at least kept in check somehow.\n\nWhy would you simulate it without the variables that would be introduced by intervention? That's hardly realistic, and simulating such a complex thing is computationally infeasible because you can't just simulate one possibly time line, you'd need to simulate a huge amount. And we couldn't possibly know all the data that would be needed to be input for the starting conditions.\n\nThere are easier ways to make the world a safer place. We've already made a lot of progress in reducing wars, murder and other forms of violence.\n\n>Are you asking how the AI is supposed to know what counts as "human" and what doesn't?\n\nYes, and I don't think this would be an easy problem to solve. And looking at humans brains wouldn't help, because an advanced enough AI would be able to fool humans into believing that it was human too.\n\nAnyway as far as I know SIAI has just done philosophy rather than doing any of the technical work, which is where I think it'll become incredibly difficult if past attempts at AI are any indication. 1355097044 +Think of it then as a low-probability-high-impact situation. Everyone agrees that the climate is changing but some disagree on it's impact possibilities. The fact that the majority of the possible scenarios mean that there will be a very high negative on humanity that *even though they are considered low probability* are so serious that we must take all action to avoid them since, if they come to fruition, there is no exit route from the world that results. Avoidance is our best hope, wait-and-see and dealing with it if it occurs is not feasible. 1350857431 +While there is some limited truth in what he is saying (pharmaceutical companies are for profit), he did jump off into the deep end without a life jacket. 1337300487 +I use the [Ruwa](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgZE8s0hBRQ) incident as a good example. 62 children all saw the same thing. The important part is, all these children say that the thoughts "it just popped up into my head". They all describe as just having these various thoughts just pop up, or they just suddenly get the feeling, etc.\n\nI think its a certainty that we have the capability. If we get a chance to evolve past our want for Cadillac Escalades and gigantic sunglasses, we might just see that in the future. I hope anyway, even though I won't see it in my life time. 1275193504 +jet-powered lanterns. 1343826024 +The length of the star trails in a photo like this depend on 1) the length of the exposure and 2) how far the stars appear from the centre of rotation for the sky. This means the star trail lengths can't be taken as an accurate indication of the exposure. \n\nThe length of any aircraft light trails would be less dependent on speed, but more so on altitude. A high level aircraft takes longer to cross a field of view than a low altitude aircraft. \n\nAssuming the photo is of a reasonable shutter speed (which is highly likely given the night sky is being photographed), two solid lines of light with lights between them at regular intervals suggests that the most likely explanation for this is an aircraft flying through the cameras field of view 1351354332 +That doesn't negate the power of a unifying public figure that can provide a focal point for the movement. If OWS had an MLK, or a Malcolm X, or a Ghandi, things might have gone a lot differently. 1339187145 +Might be missing something since I'm on my phone, but do what? 1342094552 +I tried maggot therapy one time. Worst tasting pills EVER! 1348885914 +Well, let's see... there's the only publicly owned professional sports team in the United States ([Green Bay Packers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_bay_packers)). There's several universities, one of which was the second college to allow women to attend. There's places where some of the first trolley services and hydroelectric dams were built, there's the history of the Progressive Party (which broke off from the conservative party) created by/for Robert La Follette. There's a big micro-brewing boom, though that might not have started at the time of the documentary/show. There's various art/theater shows in several of the larger cities. I can't really name anything else, but then I've not really done any in-depth research. 1344882766 +you're probably getting downvoted since you didn't provide any explanation for calling it fake. (especially since you posted that a few hours after someone posted a link to the explanation showing it is most definitely not fake (but it's not a UFO)) 1319208024 +Police are also aware that they are inadmissible, yet so many cops and prosecutors still believe that the results are of value; this is the point I am making. \n\n 1333576195 +There are people who believe taxes are not necessary - I think they call themselves Anarchists. 1313565145 +Since you asked, I think you told your story well - I actually got a sortof movie scene in my head from your description and I think it'd make a cool sequence. As far as being evidence of anything supernatural or paranormal, however, I think it falls far short. The following points are some of the reasons why:\n\n>After a while my mom and her BF started saying they think the place was haunted by the ghost of a small girl. They said sometimes they would see the shadow of a girl walk from room to room.\n\n* I don't know how familiar you are with priming, but this is basically the definition. From your mother and her BF, you've now got an idea in your head about how the place is haunted. Even though you don't necessarily believe it at the time, the idea has been planted. When you encounter scenarios with similar characteristics you will likely recall this idea before alternatives you haven't been exposed to.\n\n>Anyway, It was Saturday night and I was on the computer. It's probably like 2 in the morning. I'm just surfing music.\n\n* It's late at night. Most people are not at their most alert and coherent at this hour. You don't specify if you've had any caffeine, alcohol, or anything else that evening so I won't speculate on that. You are however listening to music, which is known to produce emotional responses in listeners.\n\n>Alexis was always getting up in the night and getting into trouble.\n\n* It's a common occurrence for Alexis to be wandering about late at night. Because of this you're probably likely to at least initially assume a small child walking about to be Alexis.\n\n>I see Alexis sneak into the kitchen with my peripheral vision\n\n>I didn't look at her or pay her attention.\n\n>I can see her the whole time but I make a point not to look at her\n\n* In your story you say three times that you didn't actually look at whatever it was you saw in your peripheral vision. Peripheral vision is useful in detecting movement and areas of light or darkness around the focus of your vision but terrible at relaying details. If you recognize something without focusing on it, solely via peripheral vision, it's because your brain has made a mental model and filled in the details, based on your current beliefs, assumptions, emotional state, etc. and given the present circumstances.\n\n>It was dark in the room\n\n* In addition to not ever actually looking at the *something* your peripheral vision detected, it wasn't well lit. Oddly enough, your peripheral vision works better in low light than in bright light. Because of this, it takes even less visual stimulation to make you think there is something moving in your peripheral vision.\n\n>And that's when it hit me... Alexis was with my Ex that night.\n\n* You had forgotten that Alexis wasn't actually in the house that night.\n\n\nSo, combining all the above into one scenario, here's an explanation for your experiences that night which is entirely natural and, in my opinion, far more plausible than anything supernatural or paranormal:\n\nYou had previously heard stories of the ghost of a small girl wandering the house. Late at night you were surfing music on your computer and something triggered your peripheral vision - since the light is low it's more sensitive to false alarms. You don't look in the direction where your peripheral vision is signalling the movement, so your brain fills in the details given your mental state at this moment - it's probably just Alexis up wandering like she usually does, a reasonable assumption since you've forgotten she's not home. Now believing it's her, you purposely don't ever look in that direction and wait until you no longer see anything in your peripheral vision. Again, your brain fills in the details - she's turned and gone back to bed. Later you realize that Alexis was actually not even home. Your brain searches for the next best fit to what you thought you saw - the ghost story you were previously primed to remember. \n\nFor someone not so primed to that conclusion though, it would never even come up as an explanation. To that person (a person like me), a better explanation would be that they thought they saw something out of the corner of their eye but it was actually nothing (or a trick of light and shadow, or a misfiring of nerves, etc). The ghost story just isn't an available explanation.\n\nTL;DR: I liked your story, but I don't consider it evidence of anything beyond the natural. 1332728303 +I'm also not fully convinced by it, but I think that preference reversals are much more common than we usually acknowledge. In cognitive psychology the term "mental contamination" is used because we can't easily detect biases.\n\n There was a wired article on reddit some days ago that argued that reasoning developed as a means to convince other people. If we reason we might therefore be rather looking for "powerful" ideas than for ideas that are objectively true. \n\nWe have no conscious control about which ideas come to our mind. We just dismiss afterwards the associations that don't make sense. For different languages (and different target groups) certain ideas have a different weight: For example the concept "freedom" does not have the same argumentative power in Europe as it has in the US. The term is therefore far less used in public discourse. If you reason about justice in a language different from English, where the concept of "equality" as a bigger weight in public discourse, your reasoning process might lead you to another conclusion.\n\nWe don't keep mental lists of all our positions and reasoning outcomes in our heads. We reconstruct our beliefs from memory and we always do this **in one ** language, so we might fail to notice that. Another explanation is that those young people you wrote about are just opportunistic liars ;-).\n 1305394033 +It isn't the change in pressure at high altitudes that affects thinking, it's the change in the amount of oxygen. This is a well documented effect among climbers and astronomers. Where did this video come from? Everwell.com's website claims they produce "unbiased, engaging video content" reviewed by "a panel of physicians." The stuff is shown in doctors' waiting rooms and is advertising-funded. 1340562057 +It's not that, this Siemens 1924 plugs in a wall in order to work, the lady has no wire. Look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tILHyYKeOrc 1288310147 +We have a winner. I have seen these dozens of times, always in the west, always at sunset, always on a clear day. If it's not a small cloud with the last rays of sunlight shining off it, it is the trail of a small plane. 1348059571 +But you do have the moral high ground. You're preventing people from taking advantage of someone you care about - just because you have to use some messy tactics to do it doesn't mean it's not the moral thing to do. 1356584558 +Hah! I'm looking forward to the day when marijuana is legalized for personal consumption. "Grandma's Old Fashioned Roasted Cannabis Seeds." 1351012816 +Yes, it's for real.... she has tons of videos on the subject. 1294813936 +Yep. As long as a proposition is clear enough for evidence to be applied to it, it's often going to be more reasonable to guess one way than the other, usually in favor of disbelief.\n\n["I think that it is much more likely that the reports of flying saucers are the results of the known irrational characteristics of terrestrial intelligence rather than the unknown rational efforts of extraterrestrial intelligence." ](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYPapE-3FRw&t=1m03s)\n\n-Richard Feynman\n\nCreation of a false dichotomy is exactly the error I'm cautioning against. In no way am I trying to shift the burden of proof. I'm just pointing out that making claim "X is false" carries its own burden of proof. 1348587955 +It's sometimes incredibly difficult to disprove an individual claim that he makes, because it may be based on a legitimate source and contain a shred of truth to it. While he's guilty of making stuff up every once in a while, Alex's main problem is that he starts everything with a faulty premise and then engages in circular reasoning. Example: \n\nGlobalists are plotting to make your life horrible. -> Here's a legitimate source that talks about a chemical in food that is a carcinogen -> Why are companies not removing this chemical? -> Globalists are plotting to make your life horrible.\n\nWhile there are some logical fallacies in that, it makes sense if you accept the premise and cannot be disproved by any single source. I don't know how far your friend is down into the rabbit hole, but if you can point out the circular reasoning Alex uses every damn time he makes an argument maybe that will help. 1342371559 +The catholic church believes in creationism through evolution. They believe that evolution was the process that god used to get humans (we are the end goal of evolution). 1346412940 +>It seems highly unlikely that there could be anything left which hasn't been mentioned ever during all these decades of both serious UFO research and nutty speculation.\n\nHe's probably gonna say it was plasticine stop-motion creatures from the Eleventy-firth Dimension. \n\nAlthough now, since I've mentioned it, he has to come up with something new. 1348317337 +I think you're conflating UFOs and aliens. \n\nThere is plenty of evidence on the existence of the [Hessdalen Lights](http://www.hessdalen.org/index_e.shtml), which are technically UFOs. They've been studied since 1984 and hundreds of lights have been observed and cataloged. So while there's evidence of an unknown phenomenon in the skies, it's not clear yet what the cause is. 1348842400 +>In effect, they are exhibiting a certainty about any future warming that no actual climate scientist would dare to display\n\nActually, that applies to you, and it's why you shouldn't call yourself a "skeptic".\n\n 1327725197 +Listen here you insensitive prick from hell, I'll make sure I post pictures of my mother's next chemo treatment, as well as the tiny tombstones from my dead baby cousins.\nStill think I'm a troll? Well there's nothing I can do about that. I have more important things in my HEALTHY AND UNVACCINARED life to take care of. Not to mention caring friends who won't MOCK MY SENTENCE STRUCTURE WHEN I TALK ABOUT MY FAMILY MEMBERS' DEATHS.\nWow you really are a piece of shit. 1348850145 +The desperation is unnecessary. I hate how odd and semi-religious it sounds, but you just have to know that you are correct and speak confidently in defense of the ETH. People are surprisingly open minded about this topic if you don't come across as a nutbag. After all, the facts support the likelihood of the claim even if the available evidence is marginal. 1302220174 +Really?\n\nSouth Park s08e15 "The Biggest Douche in the Universe" accurately sums up John Edward's "ability". 1330297426 +Well, then we are stuck with the Klingons or the Romulans, or the Ferangi, oh God the Ferangi! 1235679008 +They are employed by the Church, of course! 1345215831 +I did read the rules, actually. Not all blogs are blogspam. Blogspam is when someone links to a blog where they've just copied another blog or news article, instead of linking to the original source.\n\nA lot of blogs have original content, it's just pretty shitty usually. At any given time, around 25% of the links on the main page are from blogspot our wordpress. Then another large proportion are blogs with domain names (eg freethoughtblogs).\n\nI agree that meme posts shouldn't be allowed. But I don't think facebook discussions count as meme posts. Screenshots of someone's status shouldn't be allowed though. 1341964752 +Add my name to the list of people who is really enjoying this thread.\n\nNo matter what I would end up calling the experience, I would love to try DMT. 1353287955 +I will never read another Examiner article again after the God awful Dunkin' Donuts ad attached to that post. Fuck ads like that. 1302377384 +I wonder if your experience could be explained by one of these, or something similar:\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallucination#Hypnagogic_hallucination\n 1349500142 +... and get TB, and then run to the doctor to get the artificial antibiotics.\n\nBesides, and perhaps even more importantly, think of how much creativity we would lose if we had to do that every morning. I for one would hardly get out of bed. It would be utterly depressing to think that I will have to get out in the cold, milk the damn goat, feed the chicken, etc etc etc, and then jeopardize my health by drinking unsafe milk, when millions of people like me could easily be set free of these mindnumbing routines by the simple miracles of modern agriculture, if only some of us weren't too prejudiced and conservative to accept them. 1250120351 +You're throwing a strawman at me here. I wasn't talking about the mental health of people making these claims or making excuses for them. 1319140867 +What are the people in that neighborhood doing anyway, they should be saying something. 1352670954 +> Scurvy is a disease. Plain and simple: "Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans." - Wikipedia\n\nNot all diseases are caused by a pathogen. Wikipedia has an excellent description of what a disease is\n\n*A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism.*\n\nYou can break diseases down into a number of types. The type being discussed here, and most often talked about, are diseases caused by a pathogen of some sort. A pathogen is something like a virus, bacteria or fungus that has decided your body is a wonderful place to live and wreck havok.\n\nThen there are conditions like Cancer which are caused by a malfunction in your own body. Namely cancer is when of your body's cells decide that they are going to keep dividing and growing without end, which ends up it them killing off other cells in your body. Cancer is plain and simple a malfunction of your normal biological processes.\n\nFinally you have various deficiencies and other internal malfunctions that can occur, scurvy being a famous example. Sometimes these can be treated by diet, other times the body is unable to digest, process, or produce some vital nutrient and needs assistance in doing.\n\nNow for conditions like Type 2 Diabetes, you are 100% correct in saying that medication can never treat the underlying cause of the disease, it only treats the symptoms. In this case dietary changes can, in many cases, actually treat the underlying problem.\n\nFor other problems, such as high blood pressure, again you are correct. Blood Pressure medicine does not treat the underlying problem (poor cardiovascular health), only a symptom of it. Arthritis is another great example of just treating symptoms, although work is being done to try and find a way to actually repair damag