An Introduction [Archive]

Brian Thompson

16th June 2011, 09:41 AM

Hi, everybody.

My name is Brian Thompson, and I'm the new Field Coordinator for the JREF. From now on, I'll be hanging out on the forum quite a bit, chiming in with my ill-informed opinion on some topics and answering any organization-related questions you might have.

Some of you may already know me from my ridiculous comedy show The Amateur Scientist Podcast, but I'm looking forward to getting to know the rest of you in the near future.

Feel free to ask me anything in this thread, or you can always send me a PM or an email at brian@randi.org.

I'm here to talk to you, so let's do some talking!

hcmom

16th June 2011, 11:15 AM

Hey, how come you get an avatar with only six posts?!

sinclairmcevoy

16th June 2011, 11:26 AM

Hi Brian. Have you seen the remote?

brodski

16th June 2011, 11:46 AM

Lisa Simpson

16th June 2011, 12:01 PM

Hey, how come you get an avatar with only six posts?!

Because he has a staff.

Brian Thompson

16th June 2011, 12:07 PM

Hey, how come you get an avatar with only six posts?!

Blackmail.

Brian Thompson

16th June 2011, 12:08 PM

Hi Brian. Have you seen the remote?

Good news: It's under the couch cushions.

Bad news: Not your couch.

Brian Thompson

16th June 2011, 12:10 PM

As field co-ordinator where do you stand on issues relating to commons and enclosures?
Are you proposing a fallow period or will you be advocating a strict crop rotation system?

Um, unless I've misunderstood your job title, in which case- what is a field co-ordinator?

I'm in charge of leading the JREF's outreach programs to grassroots skeptical groups, and I'm also helping to produce new outreach initiatives.

This position has nothing to do with agriculture, but I will be managing Sally Field's schedule as well.

Brian Thompson

16th June 2011, 12:11 PM

Because he has a staff.

More of a wand, but whatever.

Macgyver1968

16th June 2011, 12:12 PM

Because he has a staff.

Infection?

Oh...and the back 40 needs plowing.

hcmom

16th June 2011, 12:17 PM

Blackmail.

Well, that certainly answers my next question, which was, "got any good gossip?"

666

16th June 2011, 02:39 PM

How much Spam you expect to get after posting that cool e-mail address for all to see up there?

Brian Thompson

16th June 2011, 03:03 PM

How much Spam you expect to get after posting that cool e-mail address for all to see up there?

Not a concern. I have a very good filter.

Plus, I've heard there are some exciting products to really improve my manhood. Would love to hear more about those.

rjh01

16th June 2011, 10:50 PM

How is JREF going to promote this forum?

How has JREF promoted this forum?

How committed is JREF in continuing with this forum?

SkepticScott

17th June 2011, 08:07 AM

Welcome to the Forum, Brian!

The Central Scrutinizer

17th June 2011, 08:15 AM

Feel free to ask me anything in this thread...

Do you like rap music?

learner

17th June 2011, 08:19 AM

How long is a bit of string? I mean a really long bit, not one of those short bits....Well?

arthwollipot

17th June 2011, 08:21 AM

Ah, a new official JREF person on the forum. Excellent.

Skwinty

17th June 2011, 08:23 AM

Can you coordinate force fields?

Lothian

17th June 2011, 08:29 AM

Not a concern. I have a very good filter.

Plus, I've heard there are some exciting products to really improve my manhood. Would love to hear more about those.They are great. Within a few weeks you can put your fake rolex on it without it slipping off.

Professor Yaffle

17th June 2011, 08:30 AM

Ah, a new official JREF person on the forum. Excellent.

Don't break him.

arthwollipot

17th June 2011, 08:38 AM

Don't break him.I'd never. You know me.

Lothian

17th June 2011, 08:43 AM

Don't break him.

I'd never. You know me.Ummm are you this guy?

http://forums.randi.org/picture.php?albumid=213&pictureid=1204

Brian Thompson

17th June 2011, 10:11 AM

How is JREF going to promote this forum?

How has JREF promoted this forum?

How committed is JREF in continuing with this forum?

1. I believe the new site redesign may feature the forum prominently.

2. As far as I know, we haven't.

3. 100%. As long as there's a Randi.org, the forum will exist. And it will be independently moderated.

Brian Thompson

17th June 2011, 10:14 AM

Do you like rap music?

Love it. Top artist of all time: Gift of Gab. That includes both Blackalicious and solo stuff. First got into hip hop with De La Soul many years ago. Currently I can't get enough of Devin the Dude and Glasses Malone.

Brian Thompson

17th June 2011, 10:14 AM

How long is a bit of string? I mean a really long bit, not one of those short bits....Well?

The distance between the heel of your hand and the first knuckle on your ring finger.

Brian Thompson

17th June 2011, 10:15 AM

Can you coordinate force fields?

That's a silly question.

But yes.

Brian Thompson

17th June 2011, 10:16 AM

Ummm are you this guy?

http://forums.randi.org/picture.php?albumid=213&pictureid=1204

Well, we've reached LARP speed in record time.

AdMan

17th June 2011, 10:24 AM

1. I believe the new site redesign may feature the forum prominently.

Wow--site redesign! Cool. :cool:

What's the timing for that?

Oh, and another question I wanted to ask--not sure if you would know, but will the JREF store (that sold DVDs, etc.) be coming back?

Brian Thompson

17th June 2011, 11:01 AM

Wow--site redesign! Cool. :cool:

What's the timing for that?

Oh, and another question I wanted to ask--not sure if you would know, but will the JREF store (that sold DVDs, etc.) be coming back?

All I can say about the site redesign is "soon". But it is actively being worked on. Not vaporware.

Don't know about the store. I'll look into it.

Mr. Skinny

17th June 2011, 02:11 PM

Will I finally be recognized officially by the JREF as forum god, and will Skinnematics be endorsed by the JREF as a belief system?

rjh01

17th June 2011, 03:33 PM

1. I believe the new site redesign may feature the forum prominently.

2. As far as I know, we haven't.

3. 100%. As long as there's a Randi.org, the forum will exist. And it will be independently moderated.

Thanks for the answers to my questions. A few follow up questions

1. Site redesign. I know nothing about that. Can you tell us about this, including timetable. Will it include an upgrade to vBulletin 4?
2. Will the lack of JREF promotion continue? If not what will change? How will it be promoted? You already hinted at one answer with the site redesign.

Björn Toulouse

17th June 2011, 06:30 PM

Because he has a staff.

So does Anthony Weiner.

/still doing the double entendres

Justin39640

17th June 2011, 08:40 PM

So does Anthony Weiner.

/still doing the double entendres

No... he got the shaft! :D

Welcome Brian!

fuelair

17th June 2011, 09:25 PM

Klimax

17th June 2011, 10:25 PM

Well, we've reached LARP speed in record time.

Then how quickly we get FTL? :D

OnlyTellsTruths

18th June 2011, 12:34 AM

I'm here to talk to you, so let's do some talking!

Hello Brian.

I really don't like your avatar. At all. Normally I wouldn't care, but you are the new JREF Field Coordinator...

triforcharity

18th June 2011, 01:08 AM

I will be managing Sally Field's schedule as well.

That's not what I heard......

Aepervius

18th June 2011, 01:22 AM

For some reason I keep reading this thread a Brian Josephson :P.

What is the avatar picture related to ?

arthwollipot

18th June 2011, 02:01 AM

Ummm are you this guy?

http://forums.randi.org/picture.php?albumid=213&pictureid=1204...your point?

ETA: Oh, and... *sigh* not LARP.

Lothian

18th June 2011, 05:12 AM

...your point?
Point, No point sir. Just admiring your weapon. very shiny. It suits you. ............[Lothian slinks away quickly].

arthwollipot

18th June 2011, 06:17 AM

Oh, and for the record? Not cosplay either (http://arthwollipot.tumblr.com/post/6653758751/notlarp).

Brian Thompson

18th June 2011, 06:50 AM

Will I finally be recognized officially by the JREF as forum god, and will Skinnematics be endorsed by the JREF as a belief system?

We don't endorse any belief systems or gods other than Bokonon and Bokononism.

zooterkin

18th June 2011, 06:50 AM

Point, No point sir.
Of course not, it's an axe, not a rapier.

ETA: Oh, and welcome, Brian; I hope you know what you've let yourself in for. :) Will you be at TAM? If so, would it be worth having some sort of informal meeting with the forum members there?

Brian Thompson

18th June 2011, 06:55 AM

Thanks for the answers to my questions. A few follow up questions

1. Site redesign. I know nothing about that. Can you tell us about this, including timetable. Will it include an upgrade to vBulletin 4?
2. Will the lack of JREF promotion continue? If not what will change? How will it be promoted? You already hinted at one answer with the site redesign.

See above for everything I know about the redesign timeline.

I know nothing about vBulletin 4 or any other technical aspect, but I will promote the forum through our social media network. There may also be promotion beyond that, but I can't give any specifics at this time.

Brian Thompson

18th June 2011, 06:58 AM

For some reason I keep reading this thread a Brian Josephson :P.

What is the avatar picture related to ?

It's B'wana Beast, DC Comics' most ridiculous superhero. He can fuse two animals together into a chimera whose mind he can control. Basically a sick, mad scientist, but for some reason he's with the good guys.

Brian Thompson

18th June 2011, 06:59 AM

Hello Brian.

I really don't like your avatar. At all. Normally I wouldn't care, but you are the new JREF Field Coordinator...

Thank you for your honesty.

Brian Thompson

18th June 2011, 07:00 AM

Of course not, it's an axe, not a rapier.

ETA: Oh, and welcome, Brian; I hope you know what you've let yourself in for. :) Will you be at TAM? If so, would it be worth having some sort of informal meeting with the forum members there?

I will certainly be at TAM, and I'm down for meeting with anyone. Just give me a time/place, and I'll try and make it work.

zooterkin

18th June 2011, 07:05 AM

I will certainly be at TAM, and I'm down for meeting with anyone. Just give me a time/place, and I'll try and make it work.

Ok, cool. Maybe a thread in the TAM sub-forum (http://forums.randi.org/forumdisplay.php?f=10) would be the best way to co-ordinate things.

The Man

18th June 2011, 09:02 AM

It's B'wana Beast, DC Comics' most ridiculous superhero. He can fuse two animals together into a chimera whose mind he can control. Basically a sick, mad scientist, but for some reason he's with the good guys.

I had never heard of him before the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode “The Siege of Starro". Where he actually didn’t do too bad (partucularly in the end) in spite of his feelings of inadequacy, until now I thought they had created him just for that episode.

http://tv.blinkx.com/show/batman-the-brave-and-the-bold/vvEcCBYIHrC10sRLFDem9VQmnSI#s2e17

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B'wana_Beast

Welcome to the forum Brian.

ETA:

Oh, and in spite of injecting a chimeric biological protein (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusion_protein) every week I still only barley remain at human capabilities. Where’s a radioactive spider when you need one (perhaps a trip to Japan is in order)?

Mr. Skinny

18th June 2011, 02:30 PM

We don't endorse any belief systems or gods other than Bokonon and Bokononism.
Skinnematics is even cooler because no lies are uttered. You just do whatever you feel like doing.

Anyhow, since you didn't address the forum god issue, but rather the Skinnematics issue, I'll assume I'm officially endorsed as forum god.

Thanks.

Bell

18th June 2011, 04:08 PM

Anyone mentioned me yet? Or the fact that I'm very much in love?

OnlyTellsTruths

18th June 2011, 06:44 PM

It's B'wana Beast, DC Comics' most ridiculous superhero. He can fuse two animals together into a chimera whose mind he can control. Basically a sick, mad scientist, but for some reason he's with the good guys.

...and I thought I couldn't like it any less. Yet, now I am intrigued. So if they are on a mission, he combines two local animals together.... and this helps the good guys in some way? I can see why you say he is "DC Comics' most ridiculous superhero"!

Of course, this makes me wonder why he is your avatar! Are you ridiculous? :)

Mr. Skinny

18th June 2011, 07:00 PM

Anyone mentioned me yet? Or the fact that I'm very much in love?
Take it to forum community, Bell. :)

Brian Thompson

18th June 2011, 08:36 PM

...and I thought I couldn't like it any less. Yet, now I am intrigued. So if they are on a mission, he combines two local animals together.... and this helps the good guys in some way? I can see why you say he is "DC Comics' most ridiculous superhero"!

Of course, this makes me wonder why he is your avatar! Are you ridiculous? :)

No, but I do crossbreed animals and control their minds.