The historic and original "Welcome new posters! Introduce yourselves here!" thread

[smellincoffee]

You wouldn't happen to be from "LA" would ya Stephen? :)

I'm from Selma, which is pretty much in the center of the state, although 50 miles west of Montgomery. Aside from fundamentalist churches, a few museums, and a great library, there's really not much here. :D

[Corpse Cruncher]

His name is Salvatore, which means he is Italian, just like me. The point?
He must be a great guy. Most of us are. Forget Mussolini, he was a buffoon.
:D
Ok OK! you can be my bestest meal yet to be ate. Now stop tempting me to eat you earlier than scheduled. :D

[UnrepentantSinner]

I'm from Selma, which is pretty much in the center of the state, although 50 miles west of Montgomery. Aside from fundamentalist churches, a few museums, and a great library, there's really not much here. :D

The heart of the Heart of Dixie.

My dad was assigned for Fort Rucker from '84-86 and I graduated from Carroll High in Ozark.

Welcome to the forum.

[amb]

I'm from Selma, which is pretty much in the center of the state, although 50 miles west of Montgomery. Aside from fundamentalist churches, a few museums, and a great library, there's really not much here. :D
Just wondering. Did they name Montgomery after the second world war hero, British Field Marshall Montgomery? Anyway, welcome.:)

[amb]

Ok OK! you can be my bestest meal yet to be ate. Now stop tempting me to eat you earlier than scheduled. :D
Who do you want to eat first? Me or Sam? :eek:
Newcomers, it's just a joke, there's no cannibals here. Then again.........

[UnrepentantSinner]

Just wondering. Did they name Montgomery after the second world war hero, British Field Marshall Montgomery? Anyway, welcome.:)

The city and county were named for Montgomerys (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery%2C_Alabama#History) who died in the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 respectively.

[amb]

I guessed it would be something like that. Thanks Unrepentant.

The reason I asked was because Monty was highly regarded by the Americans during the 2nd world war, and could easily be honoured by some place named after him.

[Foolmewunz]

I guessed it would be something like that. Thanks Unrepentant.

The reason I asked was because Monty was highly regarded by the Americans during the 2nd world war, and could easily be honoured by some place named after him.


You might want to ask this guy about that.


http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/110854832d50040d24.gif (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=12265)

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_110854832d67785bf7.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=12266)

[Canadianadan]

I suppose I should re-introduce myself.
I'm Re-brand new.
But yeah, I'm HCmoms son, and uh...
I'm cool?
I'm smart though, so...

[UnrepentantSinner]

I suppose I should re-introduce myself.
I'm Re-brand new.
But yeah, I'm HCmoms son, and uh...
I'm cool?
I'm smart though, so...

Are you the one I'm going to be sharing the room with? If so, I apologize up front for my snoring.

[articulett]

Greetings, all! My name is Stephen. I was raised in a Christian cult (Oneness Pentecostalism) but left it when I was nineteen for a variety of reasons. When I did so, I gave up religion altogether, and quite happily. A few weeks before my 20th birthday, I found a forum for Ex-Pentecostals. One of the subforums was for "Freethinkers and Humanists". I looked those terms up and found that I was a humanist and found that freethought sounded brilliant. Three months later I began associating atheism with my own beliefs and became involved in a number of similar forums (Ex-Christian.net, Internet Infidels, RDF, ThinkHumanist, CFI's forums). At the time I was still living with my fundamentalist parents and still being forced to go to their church. That is thankfully no longer the case.

I enjoy listening to a variety of podcasts, and found this forum via an interview with Randi on one of those. I look forward to future discussions with you all.

Congratulations on seeing the light-- I think you will like it here a lot.

[tim]

I suppose I should re-introduce myself.
I'm Re-brand new.
But yeah, I'm HCmoms son, and uh...
I'm cool?
I'm smart though, so...


You and I will meet at TAM then - We're on the Death Valley trip with Hutch as well................... :D

[arthwollipot]

...One of the subforums was for "Freethinkers and Humanists". I looked those terms up and found that I was a humanist and found that freethought sounded brilliant.That's kind of the way of it isn't it? You don't decide to be an atheist or a humanist, you discover that you are one. Welcome!

Newcomers, it's just a joke, there's no cannibals here.Only the goat. Feed it a cookie and back away slowly.

[Paulhoff]

I suppose I should re-introduce myself.
I'm Re-brand new.
But yeah, I'm HCmoms son, and uh...
I'm cool?
I'm smart though, so...
Poor hcMOM

Paul

:) :) :)

[amb]

You might want to ask this guy about that.


http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/110854832d50040d24.gif (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=12265)

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_110854832d67785bf7.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=12266)
Patton regarded Monty as too cautionary and not at all like the brash bold General that he was. He proved many times that Monty was wrong. He was practically in Germany before Monty finally advanced his army. Patton was of the same mold as Field Marshal Rommel. Strike before the enemy puts up any defence.

[smellincoffee]

Congratulations on seeing the light-- I think you will like it here a lot.


That's kind of the way of it isn't it? You don't decide to be an atheist or a humanist, you discover that you are one. Welcome!



Thanks, all. :)

[laarree]

That's kind of the way of it isn't it? You don't decide to be an atheist or a humanist, you discover that you are one. Welcome!

So is being an atheist or humanist the result of genetics, upbringing, or
perhaps a random splash of hormones while in the womb? ;)

[Prometheus]

So is being an atheist or humanist the result of genetics, upbringing, or
perhaps a random splash of hormones while in the womb? ;)

Actually it's a side-effect of global warming. :rolleyes:

Welcome!

[*AdamNailor*]

Hello fellow skeptics. First post :) Got to make it fifteen posts before I can post links apparently, so may aswell start here...

How is everyone?

[*AdamNailor*]

God, I'm gonna regret putting those stars around my name, looks kinda weird...

And I shouldn't have used my real name (or even just admitted that!)

Hey, your selection of smilies is way cool.

:k: :run:

never seen that type before! Someone needs to warn that dog what he's running into.

Doesn't seem to be making much progress though :)

[Mr. Skinny]

God, I'm gonna regret putting those stars around my name, looks kinda weird...

And I shouldn't have used my real name (or even just admitted that!)

Hey, your selection of smilies is way cool.

:k: :run:

never seen that type before! Someone needs to warn that dog what he's running into.

Doesn't seem to be making much progress though :)
Welcome.

Just PM the Mods and request a name change. It will change your screen name for all of your posts.

[arthwollipot]

Hello fellow skeptics. First post :) Got to make it fifteen posts before I can post links apparently, so may aswell start here...

How is everyone?I've been better, to be honest.

I suggest heading over to the Community (http://forums.randi.org/forumdisplay.php?f=26) and Humor (http://forums.randi.org/forumdisplay.php?f=28) subforums, where many threads exist for no reason other than to boost your post count. I recommend the Three Word Story (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=110535) and Say What's On Your Mind Right Now (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=51801).

[arthwollipot]

Hey, your selection of smilies is way cool.:k: Yeah, watch him. He's going to get skewered sooner or later because he's flapping his shield when he makes a strike. Someone's going to get him in his right armpit.

[amb]

So is being an atheist or humanist the result of genetics, upbringing, or
perhaps a random splash of hormones while in the womb? ;)None of that. Actually a proper reading of the babble will turn the simplest person towards atheism. Welcome to Stalag 13

[pauliesporin]

Says hi, I was just checking out the 911 conspiracy theories.
Normally I wouldn't want to say anything but in this case I will, just to see what is displayed.

[amb]

Welcome Paulie; Is that 9/11 conspiracy thing still alive is it?
Like the Princess Diana's death, there will always be conspiracy theorist.
A few people still actually believe the Government has captured a UFO, aliens and all.

[grayman]

Says hi, I was just checking out the 911 conspiracy theories.
Normally I wouldn't want to say anything but in this case I will, just to see what is displayed.

Welcome Paulie; Is that 9/11 conspiracy thing still alive is it?
Like the Princess Diana's death, there will always be conspiracy theorist.
A few people still actually believe the Government has captured a UFO, aliens and all.

Some people still believe there's an invisible being that controls the universe.

Welcome to the forum pauliesporin. Want an oatmeal cookie? :stone028:

[JennyJo]

I'm JennyJo from the Netherlands.
I'm a skeptic in the classical sense. I do not believe in Intelligent design. In fact, I don't believe in many things, as I prefer evidence to belief. When there is no evidence for a theory that sounds plausible, I suspend my judgement and say: I don't know.

In 2007 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had a full mastectomy, lumpectomy (8 nodes) and chemo therapy.
An acquaintance tried to convince me not to take regular therapy, because it 'kills people before their time and was only invented to make doctors and pharmaceuticals rich'.

Since then, I am at war with believers in alternative medicine, who constantly accuse me of 'not having an open mind' when I tell them that I would like to see their beliefs underpinned by some evidence.

[Foolmewunz]

I'm JennyJo from the Netherlands.
I'm a skeptic in the classical sense. I do not believe in Intelligent design. In fact, I don't believe in many things, as I prefer evidence to belief. When there is no evidence for a theory that sounds plausible, I suspend my judgement and say: I don't know.

In 2007 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had a full mastectomy, lumpectomy (8 nodes) and chemo therapy.
An acquaintance tried to convince me not to take regular therapy, because it 'kills people before their time and was only invented to make doctors and pharmaceuticals rich'.

Since then, I am at war with believers in alternative medicine, who constantly accuse me of 'not having an open mind' when I tell them that I would like to see their beliefs underpinned by some evidence.

Second of all, JennyJo, Welcome.

First of all, and more important, obviously.... How is the treatment going? I had an aunt who died from breast cancer (my only association with anyone who had the condition) and it scares the s**t out of me. I hope you're okay.

You'll find some great voices in here in the fight against homeopathy and other forms of woo medicine. I should say "credentialed voices". Many of us have our opinions and even research things, but we're hiding doctors and such in the General Skepticism and Medicine/Science threads. I'm sure you'll find a good source for information, and also some good friends. I'm sure your personal experiences dealing with the woos will be quite interesting.

(I'm glad you referred above to "acquaintance". No person who'd ever suggest BS therapy to someone in urgent need of breast cancer treatment is surely not qualified as "friend".)

Back to the second point.....
Welcome. Make yourself at home.

[amb]

I'm JennyJo from the Netherlands.
I'm a skeptic in the classical sense. I do not believe in Intelligent design. In fact, I don't believe in many things, as I prefer evidence to belief. When there is no evidence for a theory that sounds plausible, I suspend my judgement and say: I don't know.

In 2007 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had a full mastectomy, lumpectomy (8 nodes) and chemo therapy.
An acquaintance tried to convince me not to take regular therapy, because it 'kills people before their time and was only invented to make doctors and pharmaceuticals rich'.

Since then, I am at war with believers in alternative medicine, who constantly accuse me of 'not having an open mind' when I tell them that I would like to see their beliefs underpinned by some evidence.On the contrary, the quacks who practice alternative medicine are the ones who are making a fast buck on the unfortunate plight of the victims who will try anything when told of their illness. I'm glad you had the good sense to ignore these unproven whores of the madical field. I sincerly hope you have beaten your misfortune and live a happy and long life. Welcome to the forum.

[JennyJo]

@ Foolmewunz & ambnp,

Thank you very much for your reply and the warm welcome!

I'm doing very well now. The tumor was still small when it was detected. Because I also had DCIS in the greater part of my breast, my whole breast had to be removed. DCIS is pre-stages of cancer, which cannot spread through the body yet. If DCIS is not removed however, it will continue to grow into invasive cancer, which can spread.

Because of an earlier operation, the sentinel lymph node dissection was not realiable anymore, so I had 8 lymfenodes dissected. This was done because in many cases, the cancer spreads via the lymfe nodes. All dissected lymfe nodes were 'clean'.

But cancer can also spread via the blood. It is possible to have micrometastases in your blood, cancer spreads that are too small to be detected.
To kill these micrometastases, in certain cases depending on the size and the agressiveness of the tumor, patients are offered chemotherapy as a safeguard. It is called adjuvant chemotherapy. This is what I had also, I wanted to minimize the risk of the cancer returning as much as possible.

Thanks to the total treatment, I now have a very good prognosis.
It's wasn't pleasant, but my family and I got through it keeping up our good spirits and sense of humour and I'm just very proud of us all.

I find it very hard to understand why people are so willing to believe all sorts of things for which there is no evidence at all.
Many people will believe just anyone instead of the scientists who really know what they're talking about.
I think that fear is an important part of it, fear of dying but also of certain treatments. People want to live and get well, but they don't want to go trough the necessary treatments. This makes makes them susceptible to quacks, who prey on this fear and will tell all sorts of lies to make them even more afraid.

[Malik7]

Hi, Everyone!

I'm Malik7. I just found out about this forum yesterday. I'm a member at several other SS
forums. You'll see me here from time to time. Talk to you soon!

[tim]

Hi, Everyone!

I'm Malik7. I just found out about this forum yesterday. I'm a member at several other SS
forums. You'll see me here from time to time. Talk to you soon!

Welcome to the forum!

[Jumile]

Hi all,

Thought I'd put up a post saying hi. I'm an Australian who's been living in the UK for 7 years now. (Must be something about the place... ;)). I'm very new to the idea of humanism but, after researching it quite a bit over the last month or so, I've begun to realise it fits my world view very nicely.

I found this forum via a couple of podcasts, so thought I'd have a look around and finally decided to join. Nice to be here - look forward to joining in once I've gotten to know my way around.

Cheers,
Matt

[Malik7]

Welcome to the forum!

[arthwollipot]

Hi all,

Thought I'd put up a post saying hi. I'm an Australian who's been living in the UK for 7 years now. (Must be something about the place... ;)). I'm very new to the idea of humanism but, after researching it quite a bit over the last month or so, I've begun to realise it fits my world view very nicely.

I found this forum via a couple of podcasts, so thought I'd have a look around and finally decided to join. Nice to be here - look forward to joining in once I've gotten to know my way around.

Cheers,
MattHey there Matt! If you're feeling homesick, check out the Australians Only (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=101318) thread in Community.

[amb]

Hi all,

Thought I'd put up a post saying hi. I'm an Australian who's been living in the UK for 7 years now. (Must be something about the place... ;)). I'm very new to the idea of humanism but, after researching it quite a bit over the last month or so, I've begun to realise it fits my world view very nicely.

I found this forum via a couple of podcasts, so thought I'd have a look around and finally decided to join. Nice to be here - look forward to joining in once I've gotten to know my way around.

Cheers,
Matt7 Years! one more year and your no longer an Aussie, your a Pom. Only joking, welcome here. As Arthwollipot suggested, take a visit to the Aussie only forum.

[Jumile]

If you're feeling homesick, check out the Australians Only thread in Community.
Thanks for that! Duly checked out. :)

[Foolmewunz]

7 Years! one more year and your no longer an Aussie, your a Pom. Only joking, welcome here. As Arthwollipot suggested, take a visit to the Aussie only forum.

But if he becomes a Pom he can still, like, steal a loaf of bread and go to debtor's prison and be sent back, right?

[amb]

But if he becomes a Pom he can still, like, steal a loaf of bread and go to debtor's prison and be sent back, right?
No. Bread, or milk for that matter, thieves are not allowed to come to Australia.
Murderers and terrorists are more than welcome though.
:D

[skeptic of oz]

Hi everyone I'm new!:)
As my username suggests I live in Australia and I am obviusly a skeptic. I am a keen reader and follower of Randi, Dawkins, Shermer, Hitchems et al.
Like evrywhere else my country could use greater doses of reason and skepticism.
Anyway I look forward to spending more time on this forum.

[Prometheus]

:welcome2:

[Chineapple punk]

Hi everyone. My real life name is Mary and I am an ex-civil servant and currently a mature student (studying Food bioscience). I was raised as a Catholic in a small town in Scotland but quickly realised it was all nonsense at around age 13. Great fan of James Randi, Derren Brown, Richard Dawkins, Ayaan Hirsi Ali......and many others. Looking forward to some interesting chat.

[Darkhole]

Hello all, My name is martin, Not quite an Athiest, the god of fishing is real of course!


You'r in doubt of your own skills?
Welcome to a fellow fisher. :D

[Darkhole]

I'm JennyJo from the Netherlands.
I'm a skeptic in the classical sense. I do not believe in Intelligent design. In fact, I don't believe in many things, as I prefer evidence to belief. When there is no evidence for a theory that sounds plausible, I suspend my judgement and say: I don't know.

In 2007 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had a full mastectomy, lumpectomy (8 nodes) and chemo therapy.
An acquaintance tried to convince me not to take regular therapy, because it 'kills people before their time and was only invented to make doctors and pharmaceuticals rich'.

Since then, I am at war with believers in alternative medicine, who constantly accuse me of 'not having an open mind' when I tell them that I would like to see their beliefs underpinned by some evidence.

Hallo JennyJo,

Ik hoop dat de behandeling aanslaat.

Welcome on the forum, and hoping for a total recovery.

PS: Never mind, I saw you second post.

[Mr. Skinny]

Welcome to the forum, everyone.

JennyJo, hope you are doing better.

Chinapple punk - memorable screen name. Pleased to meet you.

And I swear this place is being overrun by Aussies. I smell a conspiracy!

[borealys]

Hi to all!

Been reading here for a while, finally decided I should sign up for the forum and contribute something. (Although I am proud to say that Randi himself quoted one of my anecdotes in Swift a few months ago...)

I live in Canada and work as a speech-language pathologist. Working primarily with disabled children and the elderly, I can honestly say that not much makes me angrier than health-related pseudoscience.

[XBoxWarrior]

it's all redtube,,,

[Foolmewunz]

WELCOME, Borealys..... Where in Canada?

As you may have noticed, although it's hard to spot 'em what with all the other Commonwealth crowd from down under making so much of a racket, we've got a number of Canajuns in here. I'm an honorary Canadian. Adopted by my daughter who's a full-fledged Canadian and so proud of it that after 28 years in the states, she still carries a Canadian passport. (I lived in Montreal for 10 years where she was born.)

Go to it in the General Skepticism and Medicine/Science/Math threads. You'll find lots in there along your lines of interest.

Enjoy!

[Mr. Skinny]

Hi to all!

Been reading here for a while, finally decided I should sign up for the forum and contribute something. (Although I am proud to say that Randi himself quoted one of my anecdotes in Swift a few months ago...)

I live in Canada and work as a speech-language pathologist. Working primarily with disabled children and the elderly, I can honestly say that not much makes me angrier than health-related pseudoscience.
(bolding mine)

Oh, crap.

Another self absorbed, self-congratulatory n00b acting all shy like and such.




If you've been lurking a while, then you know I'm kidding!!!:)

[borealys]

I've lived in a Toronto suburb, in Ottawa, and not too long ago relocated to Montreal.

And who's acting shy?

[Mr. Skinny]

I've lived in a Toronto suburb, in Ottawa, and not too long ago relocated to Montreal.

And who's acting shy?
Just funnin' with ya, bore. I'll see ya around the forum. :p

[jjgrands]

Hi there. I got directed here to defend something that at first glance doesnt appear to be of that much relevance to superstition and superstition, but because of the nature of the argument I can understand why someone would assume that debating "conspiracies" is akin to debating ghosts. People just want to throw out anything that is even remotely intellectually challenging to percieve as too strange, unusual, or downright silly to have actually occured.

Well for me, i like to have all of the information. But sometimes I still feel as though there is such as thing as luck, god, good or evil, creative manifestation, esp, etc. I am a Math teacher and know enough about Science to know we really dont know much of anything. MNoidels fit imperfectly asnd allow for an imperfect world. Models change, and so does the conceptual understanding of science with them. Today an aether, tomorrow an atom, next week 3 quarks. It doesnt disturb me to the slightest to conceive of things undiscovered that will one day explain, and justify, superstitions and esp and cooincidental events.

Then of course I have lived and seen with my own eyes, the power of positive thought, and the destructive ruin spread by the contrary. There is something out there, a connectedness or an ethereal plane, or some other unexplainable substrate which we lack capacity to sense. Kind of like an augmented noosphere, where the ideas can take form, and become reality. But I dont have any real ideas about that stuff, like i said, I just came here to prove that my video "slimebuster is a little bitch" on youtube was justified, becus of hisfailure to look at the eveidence sufficiently and come to the right conclusion about something. He then refused debate, blocked and deleted anyone who argued. I later saw he recommended to come here to debate in the cospiracies section. Which I will do post haste? Oh yeah and of course you know fight the new world order, 9/11 was an inside Job, and the federal reserve/wto/un/etc serve the elite who suppress humanity to maintain control. And they have a playbook, an old one, that all the religions share. Hegellian dialectic. But yes this is an interesting place to happen upon as I have genrally considered mysewlf to be a skeptic, but the more i live the less i know..GOOD DAY!

[Magenta]

Hi to all!

Been reading here for a while, finally decided I should sign up for the forum and contribute something. (Although I am proud to say that Randi himself quoted one of my anecdotes in Swift a few months ago...)

I live in Canada and work as a speech-language pathologist. Working primarily with disabled children and the elderly, I can honestly say that not much makes me angrier than health-related pseudoscience.


Hi borealys and welcome to the forum. :)

... what with all the other Commonwealth crowd from down under making so much of a racket..


We're actually a shy, self-effacing lot but it's hard to make ourselves heard over all the Yanks! :p

Hi there. [...]


Welcome to the forum jjgrands.

[Foolmewunz]

Hi borealys and welcome to the forum. :)




We're actually a shy, self-effacing lot but it's hard to make ourselves heard over all the Yanks! :p




Welcome to the forum jjgrands.

Shy and self-effacing? Yeah, that's why you inspired the National Lampoon, in their edition on dealing with non-USAian nationalities, to put in an entry for Australia that included...

"Traditional Greeting: Stand back, I've got a gun."

"National Pastime: Getting drunk and throwing up in your sink."

Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oy! Oy! Oy! (Only thing more annoying to listen to at a sporting event is "USA! USA! USA!".)

[arthwollipot]

And I swear this place is being overrun by Aussies. I smell a conspiracy!Pssst! They're onto us. We need a change of strategy. Secret meeting in the Australians Only thread in five minutes. Pass it on.

[Magenta]

Shy and self-effacing? Yeah, that's why you inspired the National Lampoon, in their edition on dealing with non-USAian nationalities, to put in an entry for Australia that included...

"Traditional Greeting: Stand back, I've got a gun."

"National Pastime: Getting drunk and throwing up in your sink."

Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oy! Oy! Oy! (Only thing more annoying to listen to at a sporting event is "USA! USA! USA!".)


National Lampoon? Please, if you're gonna insult us, make an effort. I suggest you take some lessons from the Brits and Kiwis. :p


Pssst! They're onto us. We need a change of strategy. Secret meeting in the Australians Only thread in five minutes. Pass it on.


Hmmm, whenever I've looked in there it's a bunch of blokes talking about sport and beer. Was I supposed to get a seekrit decoder ring to decipher the messages?

[arthwollipot]

Hmmm, whenever I've looked in there it's a bunch of blokes talking about sport and beer. Was I supposed to get a seekrit decoder ring to decipher the messages?You didn't get your seekrit decoder ring!? How will you ever know The Plan??

[Prometheus]

Hi there. I got directed here to defend something that at first glance doesnt appear to be of that much relevance to superstition and superstition, but because of the nature of the argument I can understand why someone would assume that debating "conspiracies" is akin to debating ghosts. People just want to throw out anything that is even remotely intellectually challenging to percieve as too strange, unusual, or downright silly to have actually occured.

Well for me, i like to have all of the information. But sometimes I still feel as though there is such as thing as luck, god, good or evil, creative manifestation, esp, etc. I am a Math teacher and know enough about Science to know we really dont know much of anything. MNoidels fit imperfectly asnd allow for an imperfect world. Models change, and so does the conceptual understanding of science with them. Today an aether, tomorrow an atom, next week 3 quarks. It doesnt disturb me to the slightest to conceive of things undiscovered that will one day explain, and justify, superstitions and esp and cooincidental events.

Then of course I have lived and seen with my own eyes, the power of positive thought, and the destructive ruin spread by the contrary. There is something out there, a connectedness or an ethereal plane, or some other unexplainable substrate which we lack capacity to sense. Kind of like an augmented noosphere, where the ideas can take form, and become reality. But I dont have any real ideas about that stuff, like i said, I just came here to prove that my video "slimebuster is a little bitch" on youtube was justified, becus of hisfailure to look at the eveidence sufficiently and come to the right conclusion about something. He then refused debate, blocked and deleted anyone who argued. I later saw he recommended to come here to debate in the cospiracies section. Which I will do post haste? Oh yeah and of course you know fight the new world order, 9/11 was an inside Job, and the federal reserve/wto/un/etc serve the elite who suppress humanity to maintain control. And they have a playbook, an old one, that all the religions share. Hegellian dialectic. But yes this is an interesting place to happen upon as I have genrally considered mysewlf to be a skeptic, but the more i live the less i know..GOOD DAY!

Welcome jigrands! What type of math do you teach?

[Magenta]

You didn't get your seekrit decoder ring!? How will you ever know The Plan??


There's a Plan?! Bugger! :(

[UnrepentantSinner]

...non-USAian...

You horribly butchered "Asian" which is surprising since you live there. Or were you using that incorrect appellation that UKians seem to have coined?

[amb]

Hi everyone. My real life name is Mary and I am an ex-civil servant and currently a mature student (studying Food bioscience). I was raised as a Catholic in a small town in Scotland but quickly realised it was all nonsense at around age 13. Great fan of James Randi, Derren Brown, Richard Dawkins, Ayaan Hirsi Ali......and many others. Looking forward to some interesting chat.
Food, my favourite subject, after beer of course. A Warm welcome Mary. Nice to meet you even though you hail from Scotland. It's not your fault you were born there. _______Just joking Mary, It's my warped sense of humor.
I'm Italian born nearly 60 years ago, and have been an Aussie for 53 of them years. :)

[JennyJo]

@ Dark Hole & Mr Skinny

Thanks very much, I'm doing very well, suffering slightly from chemo-brain, but I've been told this is only temporarily.
Anyway, as I used to be a natural blonde, no one will notice.
:)

[amb]

What do mean ''used to be a natural blonde'' Why would a natural blonde wish to change her hair? Don't you realize the most women would kill for your hair?

[JennyJo]

My hair is grey now, almost white since my chemo. So now I can blame the chemo whenever I'm a bit slow in the brain instead of my hair colour.
:-))
But the new colour doesn't look too bad I must say, so l'll leave it like this.

[caffeinated]

Hello, noob here.

I've been reading this site pretty frequently for a long time, don't know why it took me so long to join. I found it when being ripped off by a dowser (as part of a contract for land we were buying, we stipulated it had to have a producing well. They said fine, but you have to use a dowser. Charlatan showed up and "found" us a spot by dangling a wrench from a string, took out $80, and left us with a well that got no water, go figure...)

My particular hot-button issues are homeopathy and quack medicine, religion, and Sylvia Browne (also a HUGE fan of the stopsylviabrowne website).

I ride horses, and have also noticed a huge uptick in people being willing to shell out loads of money for quack treatments for their horses, as well as things like animal communicators who do phone reading.

Very happy to be here, I've been reading for ages, should have joined long ago!

[hcmom]

My particular hot-button issues.... Sylvia Browne (also a HUGE fan of the stopsylviabrowne website).



Any enemy of Sylvia Browne is a friend of ours.

[JennyJo]

I've been reading up on Sylvia Browne... brrrr, seems like a genuine charlatan!

I'd like to join the club!

[Foolmewunz]

You horribly butchered "Asian" which is surprising since you live there. Or were you using that incorrect appellation that UKians seem to have coined?


Naaah, I didn't realize that the coinage was USian... and typed USAian....

(I was figuring to avoid all them furriner types who get testy about how "America" should correctly refer to some of those other countries that share the continent. Can't wait for the Amero... just cut through all that nonsense and call Mexicans and Panamanians and Guatemalans and Canadians... Amerocans!)

[UnrepentantSinner]

Naaah, I didn't realize that the coinage was USian... and typed USAian....

(I was figuring to avoid all them furriner types who get testy about how "America" should correctly refer to some of those other countries that share the continent. Can't wait for the Amero... just cut through all that nonsense and call Mexicans and Panamanians and Guatemalans and Canadians... Amerocans!)

American is the proper demonym for residents of the United States of America. I've read that Latin Americans and Quebecois refer to us (in Spanish and French) as Statsians, which I have less of a problem with (though Mexicans come from the United States of Mexico meaning they're "statsians" too, also note that EUM residents are referred to as Mexicans, not as ESMians).

Pet peeve, pet scheemve I guess. :)

[amb]

I've been reading up on Sylvia Browne... brrrr, seems like a genuine charlatan!

I'd like to join the club!
Not just her. All her ilk are frauds 110%. Not one of these frauds are capable of coming up with the lotto numbers, or making a prediction that turns out 100% true.
I make a challenge to any of these frauds, with all you posters out there as my witnesses, to sue me for slander if you wish. I call all of you nothing but charlatans and frauds of the first degree. And further, I think you should all be ashamed of yourselves for taking money from the poor gullible fools out there.
By the way. A warm welcome. Sorry about the outburst.

[JennyJo]

I totally understand the outburst.
And I feel very welcome here!
:D

[grayman]

Would you like an oatmeal cookie, JennyJo? :stone028: Just follow me down the hall here...mind the goat...

[hcmom]

...mind the goat...

The goats give orders now?!?!

[JennyJo]

Would you like an oatmeal cookie, JennyJo? :stone028: Just follow me down the hall here...mind the goat...

You should eat the goat first.
Then I'll eat my oatmeal cookie.
Then you'll try to eat me -
And regret it for ever.
:)

[arthwollipot]

Don't do it JennyJo! The goat's not worth it! Come post in the Three Word Story (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=110535) instead!

[Hooloovoo]

I've been a long time lurker, and finally decided it was sort of dumb for me to keep lurking and not join in the fun. I also got a lot of great movie titles to add to my queue here, and missed not being able to get to the movie threads.
I've lived all of my life in Oklahoma. Sites like this are lifesavers to me, being smack dab in the heart of the Bible belt and all. There are many freethinkers here, but we tend to be scattered thinly. It can get a little lonely.

[arthwollipot]

Welcome! We don't get too many superintelligent shades of the colour blue on the forums.

Although we do have a few Douglas Adams fans.

Don't eat the cookies.

Moose.

[Hooloovoo]

This forum is quite a trip. Glad I brought my towel.

[UnrepentantSinner]

I've been a long time lurker, and finally decided it was sort of dumb for me to keep lurking and not join in the fun. I also got a lot of great movie titles to add to my queue here, and missed not being able to get to the movie threads.
I've lived all of my life in Oklahoma. Sites like this are lifesavers to me, being smack dab in the heart of the Bible belt and all. There are many freethinkers here, but we tend to be scattered thinly. It can get a little lonely.

Lawton? :eek:

Glad you decided to delurk, register and join us.

[Hooloovoo]

Nah, Guthrie, where there's a ghost in every building and Bigfoot lives in a van down by the river.

[UnrepentantSinner]

Nah, Guthrie, where there's a ghost in every building and Bigfoot lives in a van down by the river.

Hah. My family was assigned to Vance, AFB in Enid so I know your neck of the state and the mentality of people that live there.

My condolences. ;)

[JennyJo]

Welcome! We don't get too many superintelligent shades of the colour blue on the forums.



No, that's obvious.
:)

[JennyJo]

Don't eat the cookies.

I already have...

[JennyJo]

I've lived all of my life in Oklahoma. Sites like this are lifesavers to me, being smack dab in the heart of the Bible belt and all. There are many freethinkers here, but we tend to be scattered thinly. It can get a little lonely.

Very strange, this christian thing!
I landed on a site where they asked if anyone knew about a cancer treatment with sodium bicarbonate by former doctor simoncini from Italy. Simoncini argues that cancer is a fungus, for which there is no basis at all by the way. The fungus (= the cancer) is treated by giving the patient injections with large doses of sodium bicarnonate.
Several people have died already as a direct result of his treatment. In Italy he was erased from the medical profession and convicted of (involuntary) manslaughter.

On October 8th 2007 a Dutch breast cancer patient died in the Netherlands after she was treated by Dr. Simoncini. The cascade of events is subject to investigation by the department of public prosecution/the police and the Netherlands Health Care Inspectorate.

I his home country Dr. Simoncini was erased from the medical profession and was convicted in 2003 because of fraud and involuntary manslaughter of a patient. For several years he practises alternative medicine in Italy and the Netherlands. For some time he rents a room in ‘the Clinic for Preventive Medicine Berg en Bosch in Bilthoven’, Utrecht region, Netherlands. In this building, several alternative healers gather up to provide scientific unproven therapies for cancer.

Simoncini now plans to set up business in the USA. So when I came across this question on the internet, I posted some words of warning against simoncini. It was a website on alternative cancer treatments.

In return they called me a rat, an FDA-spy, said I was being payed by big pharma to discredit a defenseless human being (simoncini), said that chemo was a big fraud that has never cured anyone but only kills people instead, is prescribed by doctors only so they can fill their pockets, said I thougt I was in remission but my chemo would probably kill me before my cancer did, BUT THE WORST THING ABOUT ME was that I was not behaving in a christian way, since on this website they were all helping one another and I did not help at all! And they would pray for me.

I'm still recovering from the shock.

[amb]

This forum is quite a trip. Glad I brought my towel.
Boy will you need it! Especially if you try the cookies. Don't trust the goat either, it has ulterior motives.

[amb]

Very strange, this christian thing!
I landed on a site where they asked if anyone knew about a cancer treatment with sodium bicarbonate by former doctor simoncini from Italy. Simoncini argues that cancer is a fungus, for which there is no basis at all by the way. The fungus (= the cancer) is treated by giving the patient injections with large doses of sodium bicarnonate.
Several people have died already as a direct result of his treatment. In Italy he was erased from the medical profession and convicted of (involuntary) manslaughter.

On October 8th 2007 a Dutch breast cancer patient died in the Netherlands after she was treated by Dr. Simoncini. The cascade of events is subject to investigation by the department of public prosecution/the police and the Netherlands Health Care Inspectorate.

I his home country Dr. Simoncini was erased from the medical profession and was convicted in 2003 because of fraud and involuntary manslaughter of a patient. For several years he practises alternative medicine in Italy and the Netherlands. For some time he rents a room in ‘the Clinic for Preventive Medicine Berg en Bosch in Bilthoven’, Utrecht region, Netherlands. In this building, several alternative healers gather up to provide scientific unproven therapies for cancer.

Simoncini now plans to set up business in the USA. So when I came across this question on the internet, I posted some words of warning against simoncini. It was a website on alternative cancer treatments.

In return they called me a rat, an FDA-spy, said I was being payed by big pharma to discredit a defenseless human being (simoncini), said that chemo was a big fraud that has never cured anyone but only kills people instead, is prescribed by doctors only so they can fill their pockets, said I thougt I was in remission but my chemo would probably kill me before my cancer did, BUT THE WORST THING ABOUT ME was that I was not behaving in a christian way, since on this website they were all helping one another and I did not help at all! And they would pray for me.

I'm still recovering from the shock. I may have this address wrong, but try it.

www.quackwatch.com

[JennyJo]

Thanks! He is mentioned on Quachwatch in the list of questionable theories.

I just can't understand why people should call me unchristian when I'm only trying to warn them against being taken advantage of by a charlatan.
Do they insist on being deceived??

[amb]

Thanks! He is mentioned on Quachwatch in the list of questionable theories.

I just can't understand why people should call me unchristian when I'm only trying to warn them against being taken advantage of by a charlatan.
Do they insist on being deceived??
It's called wishful thinking. A person who is unfortunate enough to be struck down by cancer and given no hope by conventional medicine will try, and spend a fortune on questionable alternative therapies. Most times with disastrous results.

[JennyJo]

Yes, I'm afraid you're right.
Because they all pipe this wonderful song: come to me and your cancer will disappear.

[Hooloovoo]

Hah. My family was assigned to Vance, AFB in Enid so I know your neck of the state and the mentality of people that live there.

My condolences. ;)
Ha! Yeah, that Bible Belt mentality is both laughable and frightening. This is a place where, on a clear day, you can hear the sound of Bibles being thumped for miles around. It's like cicadas in summertime.

[Grizzly Bear]

I'm a grizzly bear... D:< Fear me!!!!
I try to have a sense of humor but I'm rarely successful at it :P
Figured I'd give my intros now since I didn't do so in my 1st post... if you've seen my 1st post then you know what I am. :P

[Mr. Skinny]

Ha! Yeah, that Bible Belt mentality is both laughable and frightening. This is a place where, on a clear day, you can hear the sound of Bibles being thumped for miles around. It's like cicadas in summertime.
:D Being from an area with annual cicadas, I love your analogy!

Welcome, Hooloovoo.

[laarree]

Doesn't all that bible thumping scare the goats?

[UnrepentantSinner]

Doesn't all that bible thumping scare the goats?

Hooloovoo's section of OK is more of a wheat growing area.
---------------

Welcome Grizzly Bear. Can't wait to see what avatar you chose.

[amb]

Doesn't all that bible thumping scare the goats?
It does scare them. But they have been known to eat a few as well.
Eating the word of gawd, that's what makes them taste so good grilled on a Webber with a slice of lemon. :D

[JennyJo]

Yes, goats aren't known te be very particular, they'll eat just about anything.

[grayman]

Welcome all.

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/924647c9f5302d07d.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=11090)

Goat photo taken inside the Casa del Whacko (Church).

[JennyJo]

Your brother's handsome!

[grayman]

Your brother's handsome!

Thanks. I like his hat.

[articulett]

I like his tattoo.

[JennyJo]

I like his brother!
:blush:

[articulett]

I've MET his brother--
(He's very likable.)

[JennyJo]

Is his brother just as likable?

[articulett]

I've only met the one with the tattoo...

I suspect Shemp may know the other
(possibly in the biblical sense, but since this is a skeptics forum, I shan't go there.)

[Darkhole]

Yes, I'm afraid you're right.
Because they all pipe this wonderful song: come to me and your cancer will disappear.

Like this one:;)



http://www.levensstroom.nl/index.php?section=genezingsdiensten&language=nl

[MarkRandall]

I'm re-introducing myself after lurking occasionally (and posting rarely) for a few years. I think it's time to de-lurk and start posting a bit more. Plus I'm going to TAM for the first time and I'm still working on a way to continue lurking while I'm actually in the same room with people. So if you are at TAM and you notice out of the corner of your eye what seems like a potted plant wearing horn-rimmed glasses making it's way slowly around the periphery, please pretend you didn't see anything.

[Ambushbug]

Hello all from Honolulu!

I've been reading SWIFT for awhile, and thought I'd start reading the forum as well.

I'd like to share my own story of dealing with the forces of ignorance.

I was drafted into being on the committee to plan the company retreat, and during the first meeting, many fun activities were discussed. At one point, a committee member pipes up with "I think I can get a psychic to come."

Immediately there was much excited chatter including the woman next to me say "Oooooh, that'd be so much fun! But what if people have religious objections?"

My response? "I don't have any religious objections, just intellectual ones."

Stone cold silence followed by, "Ok, we'll drop the psychic."

Never been prouder to be a skeptic. :p

[amb]

Like this one:;)



http://www.levensstroom.nl/index.php?section=genezingsdiensten&language=nlHey! That's Dutch. I hardly speak English, let alone Dutch. :p

[amb]

I'm re-introducing myself after lurking occasionally (and posting rarely) for a few years. I think it's time to de-lurk and start posting a bit more. Plus I'm going to TAM for the first time and I'm still working on a way to continue lurking while I'm actually in the same room with people. So if you are at TAM and you notice out of the corner of your eye what seems like a potted plant wearing horn-rimmed glasses making it's way slowly around the periphery, please pretend you didn't see anything.
That's right. Rub our faces in the fact your going to Tam 6 and we are to far away and thousands of dollars short of getting there. But hey! Have a great time and think about us poor souls when a Shermer or Randi stand in the podium. :rolleyes: :(

[amb]

Is his brother just as likable?Their both likeble. Only one tastes better than the other grilled on a Webber. :D

[articulett]

I'm re-introducing myself after lurking occasionally (and posting rarely) for a few years. I think it's time to de-lurk and start posting a bit more. Plus I'm going to TAM for the first time and I'm still working on a way to continue lurking while I'm actually in the same room with people. So if you are at TAM and you notice out of the corner of your eye what seems like a potted plant wearing horn-rimmed glasses making it's way slowly around the periphery, please pretend you didn't see anything.

TAM rocks. I'm sure you'll find yourself assimilated and away from the periphery with or without your consent. I plan to be on the lookout for a potted plant with horn rimmed glasses myself.

[grayman]

That's right. Rub our faces in the fact your going to Tam 6 and we are to far away and thousands of dollars short of getting there. But hey! Have a great time and think about us poor souls when a Shermer or Randi stand in the podium. :rolleyes: :(

I know this sort of thing has been discussed before, but what are the chances of a mini-TAM in the southern hemisphere during the traditional January date?

ambnp, perhaps we could start a thread to discuss this in the meeting and events section.

[articulett]

There's a southern hemisphere?

[HghrSymmetry]

I'm re-introducing myself after lurking occasionally (and posting rarely) for a few years. I think it's time to de-lurk and start posting a bit more. Plus I'm going to TAM for the first time and I'm still working on a way to continue lurking while I'm actually in the same room with people. So if you are at TAM and you notice out of the corner of your eye what seems like a potted plant wearing horn-rimmed glasses making it's way slowly around the periphery, please pretend you didn't see anything.

Welcome MR.

I found your TAM strategy interesting. It's a technique I will employ at future events as well.
A surprising amount of information can be procured from peripheral monitoring.
Stealth mode is generally underrated despite what it has to offer.

Though admittedly, on occasion, my natural aura has resulted in my position being made.

How to proceed after that has occurred is a whole other discussion.

Enjoy.

-H "what was that flicker in the corner of my eye?" S

[JennyJo]

Hey! That's Dutch. I hardly speak English, let alone Dutch. :p

They're praying. It cures everything, honest!
Only sometimes I fear the lord doesn't understand Dutch. :-(

[JennyJo]

Their both likeble. Only one tastes better than the other grilled on a Webber. :D

We just bought a Weber last week, a big one! The brother might just fit on it!!

[Mitchell314]

Hello, I'm new here.

Hmm...I can't think of much to say in my first post. I normally have something to say, more so than this and yet not solely to this context.

[MarkRandall]

ambnp - I'll try to send positive upside down thoughts your way during TAM. Let me know if you receive them and we can split the million. :)

articulett - Thanks, I'm hoping to be assimilated but keep in mind that there may be several potted plants with various degrees of unfashionable eye wear. Choose carefully.

HghrSymmetry - The most direct kind of peripheral monitoring is just standing by the laser printer and reading what comes out. :)

[articulett]

You underestimate my ability to discriminate between varying kinds of foliage with various modes of eye accessories.

[MarkRandall]

You underestimate my ability to discriminate between varying kinds of foliage with various modes of eye accessories.
I try to never underestimate vixens. I learned *that* lesson from the woman that became my wife. I'll see to it that it doesn't happen again.

[grayman]

I propose that the mods bestow upon MarkRandall, the title: Potted Plant. :stone028:

[articulett]

I try to never underestimate vixens. I learned *that* lesson from the woman that became my wife. I'll see to it that it doesn't happen again.

Excellent. I see you are well trained. Can we be expecting your wife to be resembling foliage and wearing spectacles... or is that your just your claim to non-fame?

http://www.markrandall.com/home/content/view/22/47/
Never mind... I followed the links... I will keep my eyes attuned to the blond goddess next to the bespectacled still life.

http://www.markrandall.com/home/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,42/

Fantastic! :)

[Mr. Skinny]

Hello, I'm new here.

Hmm...I can't think of much to say in my first post. I normally have something to say, more so than this and yet not solely to this context.
*slaps Mitchell twice across the face*

Snap out of it, man. Speak your mind. Don't be intimidated by the denizens of this forum. Get some backbone, for {insert deity, if any, here} sake!!!!!!

[arthwollipot]

I know this sort of thing has been discussed before, but what are the chances of a mini-TAM in the southern hemisphere during the traditional January date?

ambnp, perhaps we could start a thread to discuss this in the meeting and events section.I'd be in on that!

[amb]

I know this sort of thing has been discussed before, but what are the chances of a mini-TAM in the southern hemisphere during the traditional January date?

ambnp, perhaps we could start a thread to discuss this in the meeting and events section.What about the problem of getting some decent speakers to attend. I'm sure Robyn Williams would be interested, as would John August and other members of Athiests Australia. But we would need a big name to attract enough people to attend. Even a mini one.

And yes Articullet. There is a Southern hemisphere. Next time you step outside, look down at your feet. Below them is the Southern Hemisphere. :)

[MarkRandall]

They're praying. It cures everything, honest!
Only sometimes I fear the lord doesn't understand Dutch. :-(
Everything except amputees... :)

[MarkRandall]

Excellent. I see you are well trained. Can we be expecting your wife to be resembling foliage and wearing spectacles... or is that your just your claim to non-fame?

http://www.markrandall.com/home/content/view/22/47/
Never mind... I followed the links... I will keep my eyes attuned to the blond goddess next to the bespectacled still life.

http://www.markrandall.com/home/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,42/

Fantastic! :)

Yes, I can attest that she is in actuality a goddess, as proven by the fact that the universe revolves around her as well as by her awesome power to *smite* which she's not afraid to use capriciously. Mortals beware... :)

[articulett]

What about the problem of getting some decent speakers to attend. I'm sure Robyn Williams would be interested, as would John August and other members of Athiests Australia. But we would need a big name to attract enough people to attend. Even a mini one.

And yes Articullet. There is a Southern hemisphere. Next time you step outside, look down at your feet. Below them is the Southern Hemisphere. :)

Oh. I thought that was the ground. And then hell.

[JennyJo]

Everything except amputees... :)

We know that legs once gone missing will never return.:)

But sadly life has taught me that people will believe almost anything. Therefore it wouldn't really surprise me very much when they can be made to believe their legs will grow back on again, provided they pray hard enough for them and pay the charlatan enough money.
:(

Sometimes I wonder if I should I make a career change and become a healer.

[articulett]

Everything except amputees... :)

Hey, hey, hey... you have no idea what sort of super bionic limbs the amputated faithful are getting in the next life, now do you... ? What is a few years of faith, when we're talking Eternity, folks?

God works in mysterious ways and such... part of the mystery... who are you to question the great and powerful oz....?

[articulett]

Yes, I can attest that she is in actuality a goddess, as proven by the fact that the universe revolves around her as well as by her awesome power to *smite* which she's not afraid to use capriciously. Mortals beware... :)


Cool. I am so totally into smiting. Ask Grayman, if you doubt.

[JennyJo]

Hey, hey, hey... you have no idea what sort of super bionic limbs the amputated faithful are getting in the next life, now do you... ? What is a few years of faith, when we're talking Eternity, folks?

God works in mysterious ways and such... part of the mystery... who are you to question the great and powerful oz....?

So you don't get your own limbs back up there?? I kind of thought there was a big pile of limbs before Heaven's Gate and then you had to find your own and they would be put back on. So you could walk into heaven, instead of Peter having to shove you.

[articulett]

So you don't get your own limbs back up there?? I kind of thought there was a big pile of limbs before Heaven's Gate and then you had to find your own and they would be put back on. So you could walk into heaven, instead of Peter having to shove you.

Strictly bionics... immaterial bionics! Imagine that.

Actually I've heard that heaven is everything fabulous you can imagine and then some...

But you have to really believe the right unbelievable story with the right fervor and follow the right nebulous rubric to get there. Oh yeah... and you have to believe in the right invisible undetectable form of consciousness!

It's a tricky game, but oh so worth it, I hear.

[JennyJo]

Strictly bionics... immaterial bionics! Imagine that.

Actually I've heard that heaven is everything fabulous you can imagine and then some...

But you have to really believe the right unbelievable story with the right fervor and follow the right nebulous rubric to get there. Oh yeah... and you have to believe in the right invisible undetectable form of consciousness!

It's a tricky game, but oh so worth it, I hear.

This sounds like something only a genius is capable of.
:(

[articulett]

Ye of little faith.

[grayman]

Cool. I am so totally into smiting. Ask Grayman, if you doubt.

It's true. Here is a video I made when I first met articulett at TAM5 and she invited me to her room:
sAMT8c7g_rk

I don't recall much of what happened after that.

[JennyJo]

What is TAM???

[Fitter]

What is TAM???
TAM (http://www.randi.org/joom/component/option,com_registrationpro/Itemid,33/func,details/did,1/)

[JennyJo]

Thank you!
:-)

[articulett]

Grayman... I'm a brunette... are you sure you weren't sipping too much of that libation that Toby brought the skepchicks?

(I must have cracked the whip upside your head a little to hard that one night...)

[articulett]

http://www.randi.org/joom/component/option,com_registrationpro/Itemid,33/func,details/did,1/

It's a yearly (kind of) event where assorted skeptics (including many forum members) get together and do the kind of stuff we do on this forum... but in person... with assorted "stars" in the skeptical community... and there's parties, and chocolate, and auctions, and assorted side events and meetings and stuff. Randi is omnipresent and accessible to all his fans... as are other's of his peerage. And we geeks get to feel cool amongst other brilliant geeks. It's truly the highlight of my year. Probably like those religious encounter experiences but with smarter people...

There's assorted pictures all over the forum... and at flicker... and videos online... and accessible from the frontpage of the JREF site. Plus, they set up a TAM CAM so that we can rub it in... er I mean... share our experiences with forum members who can't attend.

I was actually a TAM attendee before I was a JREF member, because I have the fabulous good fortune of having the event take place in my home town.

Next time I get an inheritance or get some big bucks or can bribe the right people, I will go on an Amazing cruise. So far, that dream has eluded me, and I must content myself to live vicariously and watch the vids.

[JennyJo]

Sounds really wonderful, I envy you!

[articulett]

It is pretty damn amazing... there are skeptics from all over the world... famous scientists, magicians, and skeptic celebrities. People of all ages, incomes, races. I think it's a really great gathering of minds... check out some of vids (you can youtube TAM and Randi also).

It makes me feel like the world is made up of such awesome people...
(and then there's also people like grayman ;) )

[JennyJo]

Ooohh...
Grayman...
:blush:

[amb]

I try to never underestimate vixens. I learned *that* lesson from the woman that became my wife. I'll see to it that it doesn't happen again.
Anyone who goes through all that to get married deserves everything they get when the divorce papers come through. Sorry to be a spoil sport, but 3 out of five marriages today end up in a divorce court within 5 years. I'm the only sucker that's put up with 40 years of nagging. I can't afford to get rid of her. And it's too late to start a new. Better post this before she who must be obeyed catches a glimpse of this post. :o

[amb]

It's true. Here is a video I made when I first met articulett at TAM5 and she invited me to her room:
sAMT8c7g_rk

I don't recall much of what happened after that.Grayman, you belong on stage. I never laughed so much in ages. Thank you man.
Is that why we only see the front of you? Is your back healed up yet? :eek:

[amb]

It's a yearly (kind of) event where assorted skeptics (including many forum members) get together and do the kind of stuff we do on this forum... but in person... with assorted "stars" in the skeptical community... and there's parties, and chocolate, and auctions, and assorted side events and meetings and stuff. Randi is omnipresent and accessible to all his fans... as are other's of his peerage. And we geeks get to feel cool amongst other brilliant geeks. It's truly the highlight of my year. Probably like those religious encounter experiences but with smarter people...

There's assorted pictures all over the forum... and at flicker... and videos online... and accessible from the frontpage of the JREF site. Plus, they set up a TAM CAM so that we can rub it in... er I mean... share our experiences with forum members who can't attend.

I was actually a TAM attendee before I was a JREF member, because I have the fabulous good fortune of having the event take place in my home town.

Next time I get an inheritance or get some big bucks or can bribe the right people, I will go on an Amazing cruise. So far, that dream has eluded me, and I must content myself to live vicariously and watch the vids.
Awesome. But is there beer to drink? If so, what brand. I love Millers.
Only jesting. I am truly envious of everyone who can attend and sure it will be a success. Arti. please leave your whip at home. Grayman's wounds are only just healed from the last time. :)

[arthwollipot]

It's a yearly (kind of) event where assorted skeptics (including many forum members) get together and do the kind of stuff we do on this forum... but in person... Mumble mumble...

Sounds really wonderful, I envy you!Mutter curse curse...

It is pretty damn amazing... there are skeptics from all over the world... famous scientists, magicians, and skeptic celebrities. People of all ages, incomes, races. I think it's a really great gathering of minds... check out some of vids (you can youtube TAM and Randi also).

It makes me feel like the world is made up of such awesome people...
(and then there's also people like grayman ;) )Mumble mutter curse mutter curse.

One day.

[Prometheus]

Mumble mumble...

Mutter curse curse...

Mumble mutter curse mutter curse.

One day.

Ditto mumble curse.

[JennyJo]

Bless your little hearts!

[articulett]

Now, now... we don't know if they have "little" hearts.

But I do hope that a peek behind the scenes will be an incentive for my favorite posters to look at the scholarship options... they seem to have a way of making sure everyone who wants to go has assistance in the process ;)

[Prometheus]

Now, now... we don't know if they have "little" hearts.

But I do hope that a peek behind the scenes will be an incentive for my favorite posters to look at the scholarship options... they seem to have a way of making sure everyone who wants to go has assistance in the process ;)

Thanks for the suggestion. In my case, the primary problem is timing. I'd be able to go if it was at least a week later; the school tends to frown upon teachers taking vacation during the last week of classes, though.

[articulett]

Thanks for the suggestion. In my case, the primary problem is timing. I'd be able to go if it was at least a week later; the school tends to frown upon teachers taking vacation during the last week of classes, though.

aargh... Randi moved TAM from January to June for teachers! I'm a teacher too. We just finished on the 5th. But I have to take classes too and I still need to do a wee bit of juggling. You can pop in for a weekend... there's reduced rates and scholarships... and they want teachers.

[Prometheus]

aargh... Randi moved TAM from January to June for teachers! I'm a teacher too. We just finished on the 5th. But I have to take classes too and I still need to do a wee bit of juggling. You can pop in for a weekend... there's reduced rates and scholarships... and they want teachers.

Unfortunately, I don't get to follow the regular academic year that all the other schools around here follow (most finished last week, or the week before). My program never finishes before the third week of June, and sometimes goes into the first week of July. Coming for just a weekend would be possible if I brought some paperwork with me (yeah right!), but I can't stand travelling on such a hectic schedule. If I'm gonna fly anywhere it has to be for at least a full week. Plus I have family in Vegas who would be offended if I were in town and didn't have time to spend with them, and my wife would never let me here the end of it if I took her to Vegas and didn't let her have enough time to lose our entire savings a dollar at a time.

[articulett]

Get a new job by next year.

[Prometheus]

Get a new job by next year.

I've been telling myself that for six years now. Unfortunately the voices in my head keep drowning each other out.

[Quicksword]

:welcome4

A warm welcome to the many new Members that join us every day. We are glad you have chosen to be a part of our community and we hope you enjoy your stay.

Please take a few moments to introduce yourself in this thread - it's a great way to break the ice and most of the time we don't bite.

If you need any help with any of the forum features and options check out the frequently asked questions section (http://forums.randi.org/faq.php) or post a question in the Help section (http://forums.randi.org/forumdisplay.php?f=16).

Have fun!
Thanks, I am looking forward to this. I am here to view those comments about Bigfoot. My 1994 encounter tells me that this creature has abilities that humans do not understand. Right off the bat,,,I am not a paranormal BF believer. THere is a difference between a flesh and blood BF and a BF that has super abilities.

My first Sasquatch experience was with Bob Titmus in 1967 when he and I lived in Kitimat, BC and he was the owner of the only taxi company there. This was just prior to him leaving for California and the Gimlin/Patterson 16 MM filming.

Since then, I have gone ALMOST full circle with my own strange BF encounter in NE Washington state. Anyone out there interested in hearing more?

Quicksword

[KeyserSoze]

Hello everybody

I have been lurking this forum for a few months and finally decided to join. I really enjoy reading the discussions here and I'm looking forward to finally being able to reply to them, as well as starting my own.

A little bit about myself: I was brought up as a Catholic until my parents lost interest in going to church, and I eventually dropped the religious title after I got into college and took an early European History class. I now consider myself an atheist. I enjoy debates about religion, conspiracy theories, scams, pseudo-science, or any other garbage which I consider to be harmful to the progress of mankind.

One unique thing about me is that I was an avid scam-baiter for a couple of years - look it up if you don't know what that is. Effective scam-baiting requires a lot of knowledge about emotional controlling techniques; not just the techniques that the scammers use, but ones that baiters must use also. After doing this for a long time, I have realized that many of those techniques are universal and are used by an array of dishonest people, but I have a keen eye for spotting them.

Well, that's it I guess

[JEROME DA GNOME]

Hello everybody

I have been lurking this forum for a few months and finally decided to join. I really enjoy reading the discussions here and I'm looking forward to finally being able to reply to them, as well as starting my own.

A little bit about myself: I was brought up as a Catholic until my parents lost interest in going to church, and I eventually dropped the religious title after I got into college and took an early European History class. I now consider myself an atheist. I enjoy debates about religion, conspiracy theories, scams, pseudo-science, or any other garbage which I consider to be harmful to the progress of mankind.

One unique thing about me is that I was an avid scam-baiter for a couple of years - look it up if you don't know what that is. Effective scam-baiting requires a lot of knowledge about emotional controlling techniques; not just the techniques that the scammers use, but ones that baiters must use also. After doing this for a long time, I have realized that many of those techniques are universal and are used by an array of dishonest people, but I have a keen eye for spotting them.

Well, that's it I guess


A little advise, do not talk to any Gnomes. They are weird and smelly.

:gnome:

[arthwollipot]

Thanks, I am looking forward to this. I am here to view those comments about Bigfoot. My 1994 encounter tells me that this creature has abilities that humans do not understand. Right off the bat,,,I am not a paranormal BF believer. THere is a difference between a flesh and blood BF and a BF that has super abilities.Actually, there isn't.

My first Sasquatch experience was with Bob Titmus in 1967 when he and I lived in Kitimat, BC and he was the owner of the only taxi company there. This was just prior to him leaving for California and the Gimlin/Patterson 16 MM filming.

Since then, I have gone ALMOST full circle with my own strange BF encounter in NE Washington state. Anyone out there interested in hearing more?Absolutely. Start a thread in the General Skepticism and Paranormal (http://forums.randi.org/forumdisplay.php?f=7) subforum and we'll talk it over.

Sometimes I think we need a Cryptozoology subforum, but for now that'll have to do. Welcome to the forums.

[KeyserSoze]

Gnomes huh? I guess I haven't lurked enough :)

[arthwollipot]

Gnomes huh? I guess I haven't lurked enough :)The gnomes are fine - it's the goats that you need to watch out for.

[JennyJo]

@ Arthwollipot,

Seen your bookshelf. Interesting!

[arthwollipot]

@ Arthwollipot,

Seen your bookshelf. Interesting!:cool:

[JennyJo]

Hello everybody


One unique thing about me is that I was an avid scam-baiter for a couple of years - look it up if you don't know what that is. Effective scam-baiting requires a lot of knowledge about emotional controlling techniques; not just the techniques that the scammers use, but ones that baiters must use also. After doing this for a long time, I have realized that many of those techniques are universal and are used by an array of dishonest people, but I have a keen eye for spotting them.


That's fascinating! Do you have any 'scam-specialities' that you're interested in?

[JennyJo]

Now, now... we don't know if they have "little" hearts.


Sowwy...:o
I meant 'little' as in 'dear'. I'm sure their hearts are huge empathy-wise.

[amb]

Of course all you lucky so and sos who attend will imform us of any gossip when you return? If you get the time of course.

[amb]

Thanks, I am looking forward to this. I am here to view those comments about Bigfoot. My 1994 encounter tells me that this creature has abilities that humans do not understand. Right off the bat,,,I am not a paranormal BF believer. THere is a difference between a flesh and blood BF and a BF that has super abilities.

My first Sasquatch experience was with Bob Titmus in 1967 when he and I lived in Kitimat, BC and he was the owner of the only taxi company there. This was just prior to him leaving for California and the Gimlin/Patterson 16 MM filming.

Since then, I have gone ALMOST full circle with my own strange BF encounter in NE Washington state. Anyone out there interested in hearing more?

Quicksword
Welcome. You do know about the million dollar challenge I presume.
Get some solid evidence that will stand up in a scientific lab and bob's your uncle. Again, a warm welcome.

[KeyserSoze]

That's fascinating! Do you have any 'scam-specialities' that you're interested in?
I dealt with 419 scams, mostly coming from Nigeria or other West African countries. I really don't prefer any particular types of scam though, since I usually just tried to get them off of their script anyway. Although I did have a lot of fun screwing over one scammer who claimed to have the power to heal ANY disease or ailment. I got him to take some really funny pictures and also travel across Nigeria to meet a patient who didn't exist.

[amb]

The gnomes are fine - it's the goats that you need to watch out for.
So where does the strongest smell come from, the gnomes or the goats?
:p

[laarree]

Will there be gnomes or goats at TAM6?

[JennyJo]

Both I should hope!

[laarree]

Oh joy!

[g6k]

Hi everyone,
My name's Jessica, I'm from France, and I just thought I'd introduce myself before going to Las Vegas next week (from what I've seen, other "lurkers" are doing the same thing these days :o)... I've been trying to learn more about skepticism and humanism for a few months now, and this site in particular really helps.
Very much looking forward to TAM!

[JennyJo]

You are going to TAM???
:eye-poppi

[g6k]

indeed I am :D

[EarlFaulk]

Hello, everyone I guess I'm "new blood" according to the forum's rating system. I'm sorry but a lot of my typing on forums is of a "stream-of-concouisness" type so Ill try to make sense as much as I can :) . I would like to go to the TAM thats coming up but I'm 25 and still going to college hopefully to get at least an MA in Psych, the PHD program has a 96% rejection rate.
I'll try not to bore you too much but anyways I was born and raised a christian but I dont classify myself as much since I no longer believe in the concept of a messiah. Nowadays I require evidence to believe in something, but if I ever did have kids I would take them to church because it gave me a relatively good moral code and nowadays any positive influence is welcome.
I just recently converted so to speak to Evoloution, all that crap about ID is what did it,(didnt spell that right I bet) I told my uncle (who is very religious) about this and he seemed to be ok with it. But he told my mom about what I said and my mom acted as if though it pissed him off. From now on Im keeping my disbelief in Christianity to myself. Im still not willing to call myself an athiest as of yet, later on in life I may but when my great grandmother was in the hospital she was in such bad shape for most of the time that she couldnt communicate with others but 3 days before she died she was up again and talking to people. After that one day she went back into her comatose state and died. One of my co workers said the same thing happened when his mother died. I still believe in god because of small things like that. I expect to get slammed because I revelead that oh well let it come.
There were several positive reviews of Ben Stein's Expelled propaganda piece published in the local newspapers opinion section, and I wrote a harsh criticism of it and of course they never published it, even though they published one of my previous ones a few years back. I never did see a harsh criticism of that movie posted in the opinion section, its pretty obvious whose side the Akron Beacon Journal is on.

[JennyJo]

indeed I am :D

Oh. Well.:mad:
Good for you!!! :D Hope you have a great time.

There is some danger though, from the goats I think, but I'm not quite sure.
It seems some people will try to lure you into their dens with oatmeal cookies. This is supposed to be very dangerous although I can't possibly think why.

[grayman]

Hi everyone,
My name's Jessica, I'm from France...

Bienvenue au forum. I finally got to visit your country briefly in March. A place called Petite-Roselle near the German frontier. Hopefully, we'll be going back for a longer stay next year.

See you at TAM! I'll save an oatmeal cookie for you. :stone028:

[arthwollipot]

I still believe in god because of small things like that. I expect to get slammed because I revelead that oh well let it come.There should be no reason to get "slammed" simply because you are a believer. People get slammed on this forum when they make outrageous claims that are not backed by evidence. There are plenty of skeptics who are religious of one sort or another - hang out in the Religion and Philosophy subforum and you'll get to meet some of them.

And a piece of advice for all newbies to the forum. If someone gets in your face, don't take it personally. That will happen from time to time. If you keep a cool head, post civilly and with respect, and make use of the Ignore function when you feel you need to, you will find that most people here are kind, friently and thoughtful.

[grayman]

...you will find that most people here are kind, friently and thoughtful.

And we are happy to help point out any mistakes you make. :)

[arthwollipot]

And we are happy to help point out any mistakes you make. :)Well, if you're going to be all spelling nazi about it... :rolleyes:

[Prometheus]

And we are happy to help point out any mistakes you make. :)

Well, if you're going to be all spelling nazi about it... :rolleyes:

As well as any capitalization errors...

[UnrepentantSinner]

Hi everyone,
My name's Jessica, I'm from France, and I just thought I'd introduce myself before going to Las Vegas next week (from what I've seen, other "lurkers" are doing the same thing these days :o)... I've been trying to learn more about skepticism and humanism for a few months now, and this site in particular really helps.
Very much looking forward to TAM!

I hope you enjoy it and that we can meet. There are a number of forum members who will have their avatars printed on their badges so you can recognize us.

I still believe in god because of small things like that. I expect to get slammed because I revelead that oh well let it come.

If anyone gives you an crap ignore them. We've got a number of people here who seem to forget that skepticism is a process, not a position. Don't give them any mind and if you are interested in Expelled or the Crevo debate as a whole there are a number of threads in Religion and Philosophy and Science, Medicine, etc.

...Akron Beacon Journal is on.

Good to have another Buckeye here. Some of my favorite people on the forum are from your state.

[g6k]

Oh. Well.
Good for you!!! Hope you have a great time.

Thanks a lot Jenny Jo! Do hope you'll go to a future TAM edition.

Bienvenue au forum...

Merci ;) I bet you weren't bumping in too many other tourists in Petite-Roselle, interesting pick! My dad lives in a former coal mining town but they don't get any visitors there. Well.
See you at TAM then, although I've been warned against oatmeal cookies... (why is that?)


I hope you enjoy it and that we can meet. There are a number of forum members who will have their avatars printed on their badges so you can recognize us.


Thanks for the tip, really looking forward to meeting you guys. I must ask you something though, what is that thing on your picture? :confused:

[UnrepentantSinner]

Thanks for the tip, really looking forward to meeting you guys. I must ask you something though, what is that thing on your picture? :confused:

Earmouse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earmouse) dressed up as Las Vegas Elvis in honor of TAM. :)

[amb]

indeed I am :D Some people have all the luck.
A very warm welcome and think about me when a Shermer or Randi himself get up on the podium to lecture.
By the way, if you run into Grayman at Tam and he offers you cookies, don't eat them. Throw them straight in the nearest bin.
;)

[EarlFaulk]

Trust me grayman there will be plenty of mistakes...
UnrepentantSinner, very interesting that there are a lot of people you like from my state. I say that because everytime a proposed amendment liek gay marriage is up its rejected, and the same with casinos here a few years back, even my own family members tried to tell me that casinos dont help with the cost of college, but they didnt realize that in places like Nevada and Florida college is MUCH cheaper partly because of casinos, but hell they dont care because I'M paying for it not them, sometimes I honestly think this state is run by the religious, of course its probably like that everywhere in the USA.

[arthwollipot]

See you at TAM then, although I've been warned against oatmeal cookies... (why is that?)Trust me, you really don't want to know.

[UnrepentantSinner]

UnrepentantSinner, very interesting that there are a lot of people you like from my state. I say that because everytime a proposed amendment liek gay marriage is up its rejected, and the same with casinos here a few years back, even my own family members tried to tell me that casinos dont help with the cost of college, but they didnt realize that in places like Nevada and Florida college is MUCH cheaper partly because of casinos, but hell they dont care because I'M paying for it not them, sometimes I honestly think this state is run by the religious, of course its probably like that everywhere in the USA.

Call me US, it will make your keyboard last longer. And I fully understand where you're coming from with me living in Texas, but, unfortunately, atheists and skeptics are in the minority and the silent majority that agrees with most socially liberal positions tends to not be energized by religious right social issues when put on the ballot. I'm a political (and social I guess) moderate and apart from the Crevo issue - where science is simply decimating the C/ID side - am not energized by social issues. I only voted on the Texas gay marriage amendment just to register my single silent objection to the agenda of the Religious Right. I really don't care whether gays can get married legally as long as the state recognizes their civil union.

Anyway, on this forum we have a number of skeptics from Ohio. Mr. Skinny, Show Me, Charlie in Dayton, bpesta22 and his wife Scarlet35 and a few others I'm forgetting right now. I also have a few friends from Ohio on another forum. One from Akron who seems to be an empirical agnostic, but isn't a skeptic since she tried to sell me on that Airbourne cold remedy crap a few years ago, another from Cincy who is pretty much an atheist with residual deistic tendencies and a Seventh Day Adventist who is fiercly socially liberal and raising her children to be skeptics (and quite skeptical of SDA theology and claims).

Don't judge your state, just as I don't do Texas, and trust me, things are worse down here in many areas, on the actions of a motivated minority, base it on the silent majority and on those you encounter who have views similar to yours... there's a lot more of them than you think. :)

[articulett]

Actually Grayman is known to bring treats for the ladies that the men may wish to be warned about... it might cause them to feel inadequate... just sayin' And some men might find themselves doing things to these treats they could not envision--emasculating things.

[JennyJo]

Good God!

[dannyness]

Hey, kids! I'm new! My wife and I live in Dubuque, IA. We finally joined the JREF this past winter and will be attending our very first TAM next week. It'll be our first time in Vegas as well. Excited as all get out, yo!

Any tips for TAM virgins?

[JennyJo]

Oatmeal cookies.

[laarree]

So how do people attending TAMs typically refer to each other? as TAM-sters? TAMmies? TAMologists? TAM o'shanters? TAM-pons? TAM-bourines? Just wondering... :D

[dannyness]

Oatmeal cookies. Hmmm...I'm curious. If I eat these oatmeal cookies will it make TAM more fun for me, or more fun for everybody around me? I'm not going to end up in the desert with my band mates "riding the snake," am I?

[articulett]

So how do people attending TAMs typically refer to each other? as TAM-sters? TAMmies? TAMologists? TAM o'shanters? TAM-pons? TAM-bourines? Just wondering... :D



I usually go for "hey you"...

but, now that you mention it, tampons has a nice ring to it...

[articulett]

Oatmeal cookies. Hmmm...I'm curious. If I eat these oatmeal cookies will it make TAM more fun for me, or more fun for everybody around me? I'm not going to end up in the desert with my band mates "riding the snake," am I?
I would tell you, but that would be breaking the code...

There are some things you can only learn from experience...

and other things you must never know.

[JennyJo]

The amazing Tampons!

[articulett]

It sounds like such an "intimate" gathering, doesn't it?

[JennyJo]

If not claustrofobic

[Bouncer]

Just lurking now reading all the good stuff.

I am a software engineer living in Georgia. An actual designer!!!:D Not only that some consider me intelligent. LOL

[Prometheus]

Welcome Bouncer! Have some cookies!

[grayman]

:stone028:Oatmeal cookies.

You learn quick, apprentice.

[g6k]

Well ambnp and arthwollipot, thanks for the cookie-warnings from down under, and articulett thanks for the precision (while skillfully remaining just vague enough ;)). Almost ready for TAM now I guess...

[JennyJo]

:stone028:

You learn quick, apprentice.

Thank you :blush:

[EarlFaulk]

Anyway, on this forum we have a number of skeptics from Ohio. Mr. Skinny, Show Me, Charlie in Dayton, bpesta22 and his wife Scarlet35 and a few others I'm forgetting right now. I also have a few friends from Ohio on another forum. One from Akron who seems to be an empirical agnostic, but isn't a skeptic since she tried to sell me on that Airbourne cold remedy crap a few years ago, another from Cincy who is pretty much an atheist with residual deistic tendencies and a Seventh Day Adventist who is fiercly socially liberal and raising her children to be skeptics (and quite skeptical of SDA theology and claims).
We sell that crap at work alongside the reputable antihistamines and cold meds. Dont get me started on the organic food section with its homeopathy and its Calm's Fortate, Arnica, etc. Complaining about them selling that crap is probably a worthless endeavour. All they are doing is ripping off people.

[UnrepentantSinner]

Hey, kids! I'm new! My wife and I live in Dubuque, IA. We finally joined the JREF this past winter and will be attending our very first TAM next week. It'll be our first time in Vegas as well. Excited as all get out, yo!

Any tips for TAM virgins?

Quoted from another thread:
"Before TAM 5 I posted a guide (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=72420) for newbies. It was mostly in jest and links in some of the sincere advice are outdated (the photo thread is for 5 attendees), but you might get a kick out of it."

We sell that crap at work alongside the reputable antihistamines and cold meds. Dont get me started on the organic food section with its homeopathy and its Calm's Fortate, Arnica, etc. Complaining about them selling that crap is probably a worthless endeavour. All they are doing is ripping off people.

We've got a lot of people that are interested in AltMed including a couple of MDs and Vets. Check the Science subforum.

[amb]

Welcome Bouncer! Have some cookies!
Welcome newbies. If you thought taking cookies from grayman was bad, avoid like the plague Prometheus's cookies, look at what effect they had on his face. You have been warned.:eek:

[Bouncer]

Welcome Bouncer! Have some cookies!

I think? LOL

Thanks for the welcome. Got any of them 'special' cookies?

[articulett]

All of Prometheus' cookies are as special as he is. :)

[Prometheus]

Welcome newbies. If you thought taking cookies from grayman was bad, avoid like the plague Prometheus's cookies, look at what effect they had on his face. You have been warned.:eek:

SHHH! You promised you wouldn't tell! :mad:

[Malik7]

Hi, everyone!

I'm Malik7.

I'm a moderator at several forums. I have and run my own forum as well. I'm a mrmber at; SSF, SSL, The Crib and the Quarry. I'm an admin at the last two.

My hobbies including cooking, walking, watching TV and movies (I'm a movie buff), and other things.

I'm semi-retired and am on disability - had a health scare twice in late '06 and was diagnosed with CHF. But I do volunteer work tutoring small children and mentoring slightly older kids at one of Boston's public schools, helping them with their reading skills.

The children LOVE me there!! Especially one particular boy who is very close to me and he admires me deeply and enormously! He told me that I remind him of his dad! What a wonderful thing for a child to say to an adult friend!!

He likes to talk and talk and talk. I get a real kick out of him, listening to him talk away about the things he likes to read about which are nature, science and animals!!

This boy touches my heart so very deeply, and he's just like a son or nephew to me!! He likes me an awful lot!! I'm like a big ole teddy bear to them! But that's what I do.

[GusBramble]

Hello, new here. Recently I have been engaged in quite a bit of research concerning mysticism, religion, and those areas of science which in some way address or refer to those topics. I have been having more frequent lucid dreams. (A couple within a two week period compared to infrequent, random lucidity which I haven't measured) The starkness and sense of otherworldliness was startling. I'm excited to see lucid dreaming as a serious point of discussion within scientific communities, especially concerning its relation to ancient religions and mysticism. I am not as educated as I could be at this point in my life, and have begun the ridiculously painful process of researching quantum physics. (not in any technical sense) I've come upon startling theories and ideas concerning conciousness. If anyone can help, I'd love to be pointed to a thread or some sort of contact with anyone who might have information or experience within this broad area of interest. I'm seeing parallels between theoretical physics and ideas brought forth from several religions. Of course interpretation is as always the responsibility of the interpreter. I feel something special has happened concerning lucid dreaming, and understand that something special very much includes a rational definition. I'm not ready to depart from an instinctive sense of spirituality, but tend to believe more in rational explanations from experience. Long hello, thanks for any direction.

[Mr Blue Sky]

Hello everyone,

I've been meaning to post for a while, but lurking is so comfortable.

Otherwise, I'm happy because while I already listened to RRS and Skepticality, I've just found the atheist experience podcast.

[Jon_Stripe]

Let me start by telling a little about myself. I have lived in Oregon my whole life although I've traveld around the West Coast a bit. I am interested in political curruption and government opression as well as the supernateral and Rock n' Roll. I'm currently in high school (with less than desirable grades) but please-I'm not here to use this site as Myspace. I like intelegent thinkers. "Dumb" people (or anoying, poser, @ hole people) annoy the H-E-double hockey stick outa' me. Though people tell me I'm a nice guy.


I came across JREF while looking for a cool new forum to hang out at. Like I said, I like talking about conspiracy and alternate thoughts as well as space, aliens, ghosts, etc, etc. I really like the thought of a forum where you can talk about this kind of stuff freely but I also try to look at it from both ends. We live in scary times and need to act out against those who are taking our freedoms away and we need to do so now.

Anyway, can't wait to get settled in here. Cool emoticons BTW. :cool:

- Jon_Stripe

[articulett]

Hello everyone,

I've been meaning to post for a while, but lurking is so comfortable.

Otherwise, I'm happy because while I already listened to RRS and Skepticality, I've just found the atheist experience podcast.

I love the atheist experience out of austin... and they also put out the non-prophets.

Here are some more for you to check out.

http://forums.randi.org/forumdisplay.php?f=72

Geologic podcast (not related to geology) is awesome.

Welcome!

[Jon_Stripe]

You guys have a forum deticated to FLAME WARS? :duck:

LOL

[amb]

Hi, everyone!

I'm Malik7.

I'm a moderator at several forums. I have and run my own forum as well. I'm a mrmber at; SSF, SSL, The Crib and the Quarry. I'm an admin at the last two.

My hobbies including cooking, walking, watching TV and movies (I'm a movie buff), and other things.

I'm semi-retired and am on disability - had a health scare twice in late '06 and was diagnosed with CHF. But I do volunteer work tutoring small children and mentoring slightly older kids at one of Boston's public schools, helping them with their reading skills.

The children LOVE me there!! Especially one particular boy who is very close to me and he admires me deeply and enormously! He told me that I remind him of his dad! What a wonderful thing for a child to say to an adult friend!!

He likes to talk and talk and talk. I get a real kick out of him, listening to him talk away about the things he likes to read about which are nature, science and animals!!

This boy touches my heart so very deeply, and he's just like a son or nephew to me!! He likes me an awful lot!! I'm like a big ole teddy bear to them! But that's what I do. Welcome to a real forum Malik. The other forums you mention are OK, but I thought their inhabited by mainly young people.
Glad your disability doesn't effect your typing fingers and again a warm welcome, even though your post count is showing 17.:)

[van_dutch]

Hello all. I have been lurking around and reading for a few years now. I have decided it is time to throw my hat into the ring. I wanted to say hey.

[network76]

Hi, everyone! Leaving for Vegas tomorrow for my first TAM and my first trip to Vegas. Looking forward to a tremendous time! Hope to meet EVERYONE!

scott

[LeeTheAgent]

Hi everyone! I think I used to have an account here, but I can't remember. Anyway, I'm a frequent poster over at the Skeptic's Guide to the Universe forum, I listen to the usual suspects when it comes to podcasts, subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer and Skeptic, read Swift each week, all that jazz. So yeah, hi!

[Neckbone]

I've been a lurker here for a while, reading many of the 911 conspiracy posts. I've posted frequently on Quatloos. I believe the mindset of the true believer tax protester is identical to that of the 911 truther crowd, the we-never-landed-on-the-moon crowd and most other dedicated flat earthers. I like the spirited discussions here and I hope to join in one or more soon.

Neckbone

P.S. I want to extend cudos to Mark Roberts. I watched Mark debate 911 with Fetzer on Hardfire. Mark, you're amazing! How do you keep your cool when arguing with a snare drum?

[JennyJo]

Hi, everyone! Leaving for Vegas tomorrow for my first TAM and my first trip to Vegas. Looking forward to a tremendous time! Hope to meet EVERYONE!

scott


No need to rub it in!!! :)
Hope you will have a wonderful time, please tell us all about it!

[susan9991]

Blessings to all, I can't wait to get started here! I ran into your forum by accident as I was doing some research and was truly amazed at how some can be very analytical and others can jump to some vicious opinions based solely from ignorance. I hope to learn here and teach at the same time.

Sincerely,
Susan, Certified Psychic:jaw-dropp

[Mr. Skinny]

Blessings to all, I can't wait to get started here! I ran into your forum by accident as I was doing some research and was truly amazed at how some can be very analytical and others can jump to some vicious opinions based solely from ignorance. I hope to learn here and teach at the same time.

Sincerely,
Susan, Certified Psychic:jaw-dropp
Welcome, Susan.

Hmm...I see you are a Certified Psychic. I'm interested in how one becomes certified.

I must say it takes a lot of guts to come to this forum claiming to be psychic, but as you said, you hope to teach and make us less ignorant, and I'll look forward to that.

Happy Trails,

Skinny

[grayman]

Welcome Susan!

I too am curious about the certification process. How does one become certified and by whom?

I normally offer new folks an oatmeal cookie, but I bet you already knew that. :stone028:

[Klippa]

Hi all, I'm here in OZ and anxiously waiting for my kids who are attendingTAM6 to give me a heads up

[Malik7]

Hi, Susan an Klippa!

Welome aboard!

[Darat]

Admin: I've split an ongoing conversation between Malik7 and ambnp to its own thread in Community: http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=116300

[amb]

Welcome Klippa. At least you will get a second hand review of Tam 6. Imagine a once in a lifetime chance to see some of the greatest rational minds alive today all at one place.
I'm so envious. :eye-poppi

[SusanB-M1]

Blessings to all, I can't wait to get started here! I ran into your forum by accident as I was doing some research and was truly amazed at how some can be very analytical and others can jump to some vicious opinions based solely from ignorance. I hope to learn here and teach at the same time.

Sincerely,
Susan, Certified Psychic:jaw-dropp
Welcome, Susan. there seem to be rather a lot of us with the same name recently! It's a bit confusing - I see a post with the name Susan at the end and wonder what I've ritten without knowing it.:)

[petrarch1603]

Hey, just wanted to introduce myself. I am Patrick from Portland, Oregon. I am looking for ammunition to defeat the Mona-Vie MLM gurus at my work.

[BOB]

Hi folks
I am the resident troofer exposer at Islamonline.net I've found JREF very helpful in my efforts to expose all the lies. I kinda got tired after the first year but I recently went to ground zero and saw those @hole troofers spewing their garbage right there in front of the pit. I now have my second wind.

cheers

[marcshmarc]

Hello all. I gained interest in this site after watching some Hardfire episodes with Mark Roberts. I cohost a talk show in British Columbia, Canada at a campus/community radio station. I don't think of myself as a skeptic, more somebody who is curious as to how things work. When I was a little kid (probably 6 or 7) I remember going to see a magician at the mall with my mother and sister, I ducked my head under the magicians table and saw a little contraption to hold his cup (I can't even remember what the trick was). I pointed and yelled out what I saw and caught bloody hell for it. It seems that dynamic is still a major theme in my life.

Happily curious and grateful to find this resource.
:)

[HghrSymmetry]

Hey, just wanted to introduce myself. I am Patrick from Portland, Oregon. I am looking for ammunition to defeat the Mona-Vie MLM gurus at my work.

Welcome.
The old geometic progression routine still holds up. The one where you multiply each level to where you quickly run the numbers higher than the number of humans alive today.
I imagine they have a woo answer for that though.

[bodezepha69]

Hello everyone my name is Curtis im 29 and live in Tulsa OK .im short on time today so i thought i would just say hi.I plan on posting a few sneek peeks of my strange abilitys shortly... so stay tuned and prepare to be amazed.........:)

[arthwollipot]

Hello everyone my name is Curtis im 29 and live in Tulsa OK .im short on time today so i thought i would just say hi.I plan on posting a few sneek peeks of my strange abilitys shortly... so stay tuned and prepare to be amazed.........:)I quiver with anticipation. :D

[HghrSymmetry]

Hello everyone my name is Curtis im 29 and live in Tulsa OK .im short on time today so i thought i would just say hi.I plan on posting a few sneek peeks of my strange abilitys shortly... so stay tuned and prepare to be amazed.........:)

Yes, welcome bod.

We will be on pins and needles awaiting your revelations.

[arthwollipot]

I'll be sure to nail myself to my chair. :rolleyes:

[amb]

Hello everyone my name is Curtis im 29 and live in Tulsa OK .im short on time today so i thought i would just say hi.I plan on posting a few sneek peeks of my strange abilitys shortly... so stay tuned and prepare to be amazed.........:)
Your not about to reveal yourself are you Jezus? :eek: Look, I won't be able to sleep tonight not knowing what your great revelation may be, so please hurry and reveal it. By the way, whatever is in your mind, a very warm welcome. :)

[amb]

I'll be sure to nail myself to my chair. :rolleyes:
arthi. you look..........er...........different. An improvement I may add. :)

[HghrSymmetry]

I'll be sure to nail myself to my chair. :rolleyes:


Well, ok, but consider storing the spikes in alcohol. Might reduce the chances of infection during/after impalement.

[coryneum]

Greetings fellow members! I was first famous for winning the 10th, National, Annual American Atheist essay contest and appeared on the April, 1980 issue of American Atheist Magazine in Police uniform. I am no longer an Atheist because my studies in comparative religion revealed that there is more to the laws of physics than that: 1) Energy and Matter exist. 2) Energy and Matter are in motion. If one reads the book: "The Tao of Physics" by Fritjov Kapra it will be discovered that those in the Eastern Religions discovered an additional factor; Energy and Matter in motion and/or stationary are SYNCRONIZED!!! Once I had learned that fact I was able to realize that PREDESTINATION is possible as the "Bible" states and that the RANDOM CHANCE concept of Darwinian Materialism was possibly false!! Not long after reading "The Tao of Physics" I began to see "signs" in the material world and found that I had "discernment of signs!" I had already read the "King James Version of the Bible" from cover to cover before reading "The Tao of Physics." As a result of "discernment of signs" I was supernaturally informed that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost do exist (including Angels) and that the devil exists (including demons). As a result of repenting of my sins and becoming a Christian I was next given the "spriritual gifts" by God and wrote the essay: "The Holy Ghost, ESP and Predestination." I found that FAITH must come into play when facing the EXISTENTIAL question of whether or not reality is an illusion. The material and metaphysical worlds verify Christianity as reality!!! For those of you wondering about reality and existence; try doing what I did!!!!!!!!!!

[Mr. Skinny]

Welcome, coryneum.

Err...you've addressed several areas of science, religion, etc. that aren't appropriate for the Welcome thread, so I invite you to start a thread in one of those areas.

And if you don't mind, breaking you're text up into paragraphs make it easier to understand what idea you're trying to get across.

Skinny

[Foolmewunz]

My! My! My!

Welcome, one and all.

We seem to get these phases (maybe it's the moon) where true believers come out in waves. Apparently this is such a time.

For those of you with extraordinary powers or beliefs to exhibit, be reminded of one of our favorite coinages in these parts:

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proofs.


But, like true skeptics.... We're hear to learn and are open to evidence. If you've got it, bring it.

Coryneum, I've seen your work on one of the Yahoo boards. I think you'll find a few things different, here. While a few of us might post a one worder, e.g. "Kook!"... you'll get a decent dialogue here if you're looking for one. (If you're looking to lecture, you'll probably find yourself trollifized in short order, though.)

Marcshmarc, - love your screen name. You might want to drop into Conjurer's Corner. While Randi's renowned for using his knowledge of the profession in his debunking (and duplicating), one thing the professionals in the field of magic will lynch you for is revealing a trick. Other than that, though,... glad to welcome a new skeptic.
You'll find a lot of great resources and numerous knowledgable folk over in the CT areas, but check out some of the other areas (I came here at first for the CT stuff, also.... but now that their movement is relegated to approximately the same status as ERFW(Equal Rights For Waterfowl, a growing movement in Sheboygan), I wander in and out of all the other sub-forums, and have found great discussions on everything imaginable.

[HghrSymmetry]

Welcome Cory.

We enjoy audacious first posts.
Rating: 8.2

You're gonna love the coming days.

[amb]

Welcome Cory.
Shee, that's quite a whopper of a first post. :)

Fruitjov Kapra is a charlatan and a fraud, and that's been polite. ;)

[JennyJo]

Welcome Cory.
Shee, that's quite a whopper of a first post. :)

Fruitjov Kapra is a charlatan and a fraud, and that's been polite. ;)

Hear hear!