Dowsing again

[Ian]

This article in today's NY Times says dowsing is back. The drought in California is making farmers so desperate that they're hiring people who claim they can find water with a stick. I wonder if any of these dowsers would be willing to fail at the million dollar challenge like the dowsers in Flim-Flam.

On Parched Farms, Using Intuition to Find Water.
nytimes.com/2008/10/09/us/09water.html?th&emc=th

[William Smith]

No claim made here.

[Old Bob]

I enjoy dowsing and have endless arguments trying to explain to people who just don't believe. Every body learns different things as we go through this life. If you really want to know what I know about dowsing just ask. I can't be bothered trying to justify if it's woo in some ones mind. To me it's one of the wonders of life and it helps many. cheers

[Henners]

I enjoy dowsing and have endless arguments trying to explain to people who just don't believe. Every body learns different things as we go through this life. If you really want to know what I know about dowsing just ask. I can't be bothered trying to justify if it's woo in some ones mind. To me it's one of the wonders of life and it helps many. cheers


It's definitely woo in your mind, no question.

I admire your capacity for self-deception.

[MRC_Hans]

Dowsing for water. A skill as old as the hills. The thing is, there underground water in most places. So if there is a dry well, you have already found the unusual spot without water. Thus, the likelihood that any other spot will contain water is actually higher than normal. However, even with normal chance, heck even with below normal chance, water dowsers will have enough random hits that it is possible to imagine they are on to something.

Hans

[Old Bob]

How little you know about under ground water, what's wrong with you people? do you smoke dope? Have you ever witnessed dowsing, have you ever tried to do it yourself.? I won't try to convince you as I can see you have made up your mind, don't ever go on a jury. This is one bit of magic you will miss out of.

[Twiler]

I open my mind.

I consider the number of times dowsing has been scientifically tested with no positive results.

I consider the explanations for the existing belief in dowsing.

I conclude that dowsing doesn't work.

[wmadoss]

Have you seen this one Bob

Go to youtube and search for Dowsing from Enemies of Reason

maybe someone can paste the link since I need one more post before I can paste links.

Funny thing is several of those in the video have been dowsing for 30-40 years (talk about waste of time) and when they are tested they cant do better than chance but they STILL believe it works.

Talk about selfdeluded people.

[Psiload]

Dowsing for water is an excellent way to find what was never lost.

[Lanzy]

When I had a well put in, the well people showed up and we asked them where we should put the well. The guys said, make it convienant for yourself, to us it doesn't matter, we'll hit water wherever you want it. They did, first try.

Then all my relatives told me I just got lucky and I should have hired a professional dowser.

[MRC_Hans]

How little you know about under ground water, what's wrong with you people? do you smoke dope? Have you ever witnessed dowsing, have you ever tried to do it yourself.? I won't try to convince you as I can see you have made up your mind, don't ever go on a jury. This is one bit of magic you will miss out of.

I know that everywhere on earth, with very few exceptions, you will find water if you dig deep enough. The actual depth can vary quite a lot even in spots quite close, but except in places where you have a fairly shallow soil over bedrock, ground water is ubiquitous.

You are welcome to change my mind, but it takes evidence.

Hans

[Gravy]

If you really want to know what I know about dowsing just ask.How often would you say you are successful?

[Gravy]

When I had a well put in, the well people showed up and we asked them where we should put the well. The guys said, make it convienant for yourself, to us it doesn't matter, we'll hit water wherever you want it. They did, first try.

Then all my relatives told me I just got lucky and I should have hired a professional dowser.Are your relatives in Florida? It would be sweet to be a professional dowser there: like dowsing in the middle of a lake.

[Lanzy]

Are your relatives in Florida? It would be sweet to be a professional dowser there: like dowsing in the middle of a lake.

HA! This well was in Tennessee, also a very "wet" state.

[wmadoss]

I saw a show on tv here in sweden about a dowser.
But this guy couldnt just "find" water, he would drive his car, steer with one hand and have a "dowsing tool" in the other.

And with a little help from his "dowsing tool" he could say where there were bears, elks, raindeers etc and ALSO how far away they were.

It was quite amusing..

[JimBenArm]

I do dowsing, too. For idiots.

Oh, look, I found another one!

Yay, me!

[RoboTimbo]

I enjoy dowsing and have endless arguments trying to explain to people who just don't believe. Every body learns different things as we go through this life. If you really want to know what I know about dowsing just ask. I can't be bothered trying to justify if it's woo in some ones mind. To me it's one of the wonders of life and it helps many. cheers


Hi Old Bob,

Are you in the US, could you give me a demonstration?

[Old Bob]

How often would you say you are successful?

All the bores that I have marked over a long time have been sucessful. Trying not to brag, but have been able to refine things like depth and type of water and direction of flow over the years. I still agree that mistakes are possible. RoboTimbo, I'm a bit far away. Live in dry Australia on the east coast. Lots of dry holes drilled in Aus. Under ground water is not everwhere. Tried dowsing in a plane, but you have to be real quick. Only as a fun thing but reaction can still be felt, be it's useless.

[William Smith]

All the bores that I have marked over a long time have been sucessful. Trying not to brag, but have been able to refine things like depth and type of water and direction of flow over the years. I still agree that mistakes are possible. RoboTimbo, I'm a bit far away. Live in dry Australia on the east coast. Lots of dry holes drilled in Aus. Under ground water is not everwhere. Tried dowsing in a plane, but you have to be real quick. Only as a fun thing but reaction can still be felt, be it's useless.

There are ten chairs in a room. On each chair sits a glass. Each glass is covered with a bucket. One of the glasses contains water.

Would you be able to find said glass?

[rjh01]

That is easy. Remove the buckets until you find the glass with the water. 100% success rate. Now where is my $1m? :D

Dowsing will only work if 9 of the chairs had water on them. Either that or the dowser could see you do the set up. That is how it works.

[wmadoss]

Tried dowsing in a plane, but you have to be real quick. Only as a fun thing but reaction can still be felt, be it's useless.

I would have laughed if the above quote came from a skeptic who didnt believe in dowsing but from someone (who apparantly does though I´m not sure after reading the above) who do believe it ...wow...

Or maybe it was just a joke (as it seems)...

Dowsing (on ground) is also maybe a fun thing but its also useless.

[Old Bob]

I would have laughed if the above quote came from a skeptic who didnt believe in dowsing but from someone (who apparantly does though I´m not sure after reading the above) who do believe it ...wow...

Or maybe it was just a joke (as it seems)...

Dowsing (on ground) is also maybe a fun thing but its also useless.

It's true that one can feel a brief responce in a plane, but it's gone in a flash. Just done it for fun to see if I could feel anything. I have people ask me to check and find. I do get them to get a second opinion, some do some don't. Most of us can do this, just takes practice. Two things needed, right brain control(not hard) and a spirit. Visualize target and find by walking over or under in the case of finding over head wires.(just to practice) Want a underground phone line, think phone line. Same for graves pipes etc.

[William Smith]

It's true that one can feel a brief responce in a plane, but it's gone in a flash. Just done it for fun to see if I could feel anything. I have people ask me to check and find. I do get them to get a second opinion, some do some don't. Most of us can do this, just takes practice. Two things needed, right brain control(not hard) and a spirit. Visualize target and find by walking over or under in the case of finding over head wires.(just to practice) Want a underground phone line, think phone line. Same for graves pipes etc.

Old Bob, what do you think about this:

There are ten chairs in a room. On each chair sits a glass. Each glass is covered with a bucket. One of the glasses contains water.

Would you be able to find said glass?

[Old Bob]

Old Bob, what do you think about this:

Probably not, One would have to think of the glass with or without water as that amount is diddle squat. That is why these type of tests get poor results. As soon a dowser starts a side show or gets smart he-she buggers up. Back to that humble monk bit. I don't charge for dowsing for the same reason. What goes around comes around and I want for nothing. Be side's it's very satisfying to get a water supply for someone, in most cases a food producer. (Often I get a chance to do a little hunting with blessing)

[Mashuna]

Probably not, One would have to think of the glass with or without water as that amount is diddle squat. That is why these type of tests get poor results. As soon a dowser starts a side show or gets smart he-she buggers up. Back to that humble monk bit. I don't charge for dowsing for the same reason. What goes around comes around and I want for nothing. Be side's it's very satisfying to get a water supply for someone, in most cases a food producer. (Often I get a chance to do a little hunting with blessing)

Ah, the old excuses are the best.

[William Smith]

Probably not, One would have to think of the glass with or without water as that amount is diddle squat. That is why these type of tests get poor results. As soon a dowser starts a side show or gets smart he-she buggers up.
...

Quantity then.

Could you locate a 500l barrel full of water in about 1m depth, again with the "nine empty/one full" setup?

[Gord_in_Toronto]

Quantity then.

Could you locate a 500l barrel full of water in about 1m depth, again with the "nine empty/one full" setup?

Or a septic tank with 500 gallons of, err, effluent, if you could not see the shade of the grass?

[Popsicle]

...but have been able to refine things like depth and type of water and direction of flow over the years. I still agree that mistakes are possible.

I promise to refrain from any bad jokes about heavy water being found at greater depths... with that said...

You've been digging in this area for years, yes? So you know the water table, you know what types of water there are, and how it flows. What you're doing isn't dowsing, it's using practical experience. I'd be willing to bet you wouldn't submit to a double-blind test of your abilities because you're aware you rely on experience, and removal of that variable would put you on a level playing field.

And you agree that mistakes are possible. Well, how many? What percentage? How many times do you predict there will be water, only to find none?

[Ashles]

It's true that one can feel a brief responce in a plane, but it's gone in a flash. Just done it for fun to see if I could feel anything. I have people ask me to check and find. I do get them to get a second opinion, some do some don't. Most of us can do this, just takes practice. Two things needed, right brain control(not hard) and a spirit. Visualize target and find by walking over or under in the case of finding over head wires.(just to practice) Want a underground phone line, think phone line. Same for graves pipes etc.
And the reason you don't want one million dollars is... ?

[Ashles]

All the bores that I have marked over a long time have been sucessful. Trying not to brag, but have been able to refine things like depth and type of water and direction of flow over the years.
...
Tried dowsing in a plane, but you have to be real quick. Only as a fun thing but reaction can still be felt


There are ten chairs in a room. On each chair sits a glass. Each glass is covered with a bucket. One of the glasses contains water.
Would you be able to find said glass?


Probably not, One would have to think of the glass with or without water as that amount is diddle squat. That is why these type of tests get poor results. As soon a dowser starts a side show or gets smart he-she buggers up.

Priceless.

[Ladewig]

Probably not, One would have to think of the glass with or without water as that amount is diddle squat. That is why these type of tests get poor results.

These tests virtually all being with an unblinded test to make sure that there are no distracting or undue influences. Before the glasses are covered the testees all agree that the fork bends perfectly when held above the target glass. If that amount of water is diddle squat, why is there a 100% success rate before the blinding?

[William Smith]

These tests virtually all being with an unblinded test to make sure that there are no distracting or undue influences. Before the glasses are covered the testees all agree that the fork bends perfectly when held above the target glass. If that amount of water is diddle squat, why is there a 100% success rate before the blinding?

Give it time, Ladewig. We would not want a proven "All the bores that I have marked over a long time have been sucessful." dowser to be scared away with premature conclusions, would we?

[jimtron]

Probably not, One would have to think of the glass with or without water as that amount is diddle squat. That is why these type of tests get poor results. As soon a dowser starts a side show or gets smart he-she buggers up. Back to that humble monk bit. I don't charge for dowsing for the same reason. What goes around comes around and I want for nothing. Be side's it's very satisfying to get a water supply for someone, in most cases a food producer. (Often I get a chance to do a little hunting with blessing)

Ah, the old familiar sound of backpedaling. Bob, if dowsing really worked better than chance, why couldn't it be tested?

[William Smith]

Ah, the old familiar sound of backpedaling. Bob, if dowsing really worked better than chance, why couldn't it be tested?

But he is not backpedaling at all, jimtron. Old Bob simply needs a test protocol tailored to his "All the bores that I have marked over a long time have been sucessful." dowsing skills. A 100% success rate should easily provide solid evidence in a controlled test.

[Ashles]

Two things needed, right brain control(not hard) and a spirit.
Are we sure he isn't simply a troll?

[Old Bob]

Or a septic tank with 500 gallons of, err, effluent, if you could not see the shade of the grass?

Septic tanks are easy to find(left your self open for that one) Had all the blind tests I need, proof is in the bores, as for money? to me it's just a book entry sooner go hunting.

[arthwollipot]

Are we sure he isn't simply a troll?No, Old Bob has been around for a fair bit making extraordinary claims. So far as I can tell, he's genuine. He genuinely believes that he can dowse. His use of idiom indicates that he is genuinely Australian. Furthermore, he genuinely thinks he doesn't want a million dollars.

[Polgara]

I'll keep dowsing the internet for real information, and for school - and make my million sans stick.

I thought it was bad enough snapping out of a Christian belief. I'd hate to have push out of a delusion regarding claims of being a dowser.

:(

[William Smith]

Septic tanks are easy to find(left your self open for that one) Had all the blind tests I need, proof is in the bores, as for money? to me it's just a book entry sooner go hunting.

When were those blind tests and who did participate?

[Old Bob]

To me a blind test is finding water where others haven't, and it's been over 50 years from south to north to where I live now, a big area. I don't want to take over this thread so will shut up for a while.

[Jeff Corey]

Good.

[William Smith]

To me a blind test is finding water where others haven't, and it's been over 50 years from south to north to where I live now, a big area. I don't want to take over this thread so will shut up for a while.

To me a blind test means - in all brevity - installing controls against picking up clues of the target, as well employing at least one impartial observer.

The reason I asked you specific questions was to get specific answers, Old Bob, with the long-term objective to verify your alleged skills with more than just your statements. I can accept your desire to withdraw from this discussion. Good day.