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

[brandon_a]

Hi brandon.

Do you mean the general skeptic community or this forum? Hadn't thought about it in a while, but I suppose the skeptic community is considerably more tolerant of many lifestyles and oddities.

Poster Fidelio from this forum lives in Atlanta, but he rarely posts, if at all any more. I know there are others.

Welcome to the forum.

I'm talking about the community in general.

I'm hoping to make it to skeptics at the pub here sometime soon and get involved locally.

Thanks for the welcome :) I'm looking forward to getting involved here :)

[Arisia]

Hi! Samantha here, living in the MetroWest area of Massachusetts.

*waves at Pixel42 especially, for pointing folks towards this forum in a thread over at Gallifrey Base* :)

Been a skeptic since a young age. Started reading at age 4, burned my way through the interesting books in the children's section of the public library within a few years and then started delving into the non-fiction, including the 'spooky/unexplained' stuff, in the main 'adult' section of the library. Being a child, I could see most of the 'spooky/unexplained' stuff was actually 'made up stories'.
I have been witness to a couple unusual occurrences in my adult life, which I'll explain in the appropriate section of the forum, once I'm done exploring.

[Forum Cat]

Hello everyone.

Is there room on the forum for a sceptical cat?

[Piscivore]

Hello everyone.

Is there room on the forum for a sceptical cat?

Always. The more the merrier, there's lots of us cat people around here. Welcome.

I should mention it is customary for the new members to send me a fresh tuna or three, you know, just to show respect...

[rollickingsunshine]

Hi, fellow skeptics! My name is Maria Melnik, and I was inspired to join the JREF forum after attending The Amazing Meeting 7 with my dad. I got interested in the skeptical community when my dad suggested I listen to the Skeptic's Guide to the Universe, though I believe I've practiced skepticism for most of my life, particularly the last few years. I met a lot of great people at TAM7, so I'm looking forward to getting involved with the forum community as well! :)

[pakeha]

hi, I'm pakeha, I live in Spain.
I found this site through my stumbling upon J Randi's videos about debunking psychics on youtube.
I followed TAM7 on the livestream.
Congratulations on the interesting papers and presentations and discussions.
I've been reading the Swift archives and threads to get a feel for the way people think and am very happy with the amazing diversity of thought expressed here.
Edited to add: Piscivore, here are your three tuna.

[Foolmewunz]

Hey, welcome RollickingSunshine - is your dad someone on the Forums or just an all-purpose skeptic? I'm asking more for the general population than for myself, as I, of course am a gentleman of the old school and would never hit on a skepchick, but the rest of these old geezers? Well, let's say they tend to breathe heavy and drool a lot.
(But if your dad's around, they'll mind their manners a bit.)
Drop into the Post TAM threads. Many who attended will be posting comments on who they met, didn't meet, etc.... Next year you'll have a whole bunch of names to connect to faces.

And welcome Pakeha, too. A word on fish and Piscivore.

Don't.

You'll never get rid of him. He really is like a cat. If you've ever tried to shoo away a cat you just gave a tasty salmon to, you'll know what I mean. (Oh gawd... I just mentioned "salmon" in a thread the Piscivore is reading!!! This could be the end of civilization as we know it.)

@Both - any explanation as to your user names? (Just curious.)

[suboptimal]

First posts are always the hardest...

I just got back from TAM7 and felt inspired to join the forum. I was a member of JREF for a few years back around the turn of the century, but had allowed my membership to lapse when I got distracted by other things.

I'm back now thanks largely to my brother's growing interest in active skepticism. We attended TAM7 together, and it was great!

Anyway... I work in the public health field (I really enjoyed the Science Based Medicine Conference, too!) as an independent consultant. My wife and I live in Lubec, Maine, the easternmost town in the (continental) United States, with our dog and two cats.

I'm looking forward to contributing more to the forum as I get my bearings.

[katheist]

So, I suppose I am fairly unoriginal here. I also attended TAM 7 and found myself inspired to join the forum.

I am looking forward to chatting with, probably debating with, but most importantly making friends with fellow skeptics.

And, so it begins.

[mgerskup]

Yup. TAM7 and all that. We'll see how it goes, I guess.

Oh, and hi.

[Forum Cat]

Always. The more the merrier, there's lots of us cat people around here. Welcome.

I should mention it is customary for the new members to send me a fresh tuna or three, you know, just to show respect...

Hmm, the sceptic in me thinks that there is something fishy* about your reply. Your avatar is not as cat like as one might reasonably expect. Are you sure that you are not part of the TLF (Tuna Liberation Front)?

Cat

*See what I did there?

:blackcat:

[Mr. Skinny]

So, I suppose I am fairly unoriginal here. I also attended TAM 7 and found myself inspired to join the forum.
Unoriginal? Totally boring is more like it!

I am looking forward to chatting with, probably debating with, but most importantly making friends with fellow skeptics.
No one here wants to chat with you, debate with you, or be your friend. You came to the wrong place if that's what your looking for.

And, so it begins.
Yawn.







Just kidding, katheist, but expect someone on this forum to hit the softball pitches when you lob them out there. :D

Welcome to the forum!

[zep4dasoul]

Just a quick introduction.

I'm Todd :D

[Mr. Skinny]

Just a quick introduction.

I'm Todd :D
Welcome zep/Todd.

[Ivy]

Hello, I'm Ivy. I've been lurking for a while and finally decided to join the forum. I live and work in a rural area where woo abounds and am looking forward to a good healthy dose of skepticism to keep me sane.:D

[katheist]

Unoriginal? Totally boring is more like it!


No one here wants to chat with you, debate with you, or be your friend. You came to the wrong place if that's what your looking for.


Yawn.







Just kidding, katheist, but expect someone on this forum to hit the softball pitches when you lob them out there. :D

Welcome to the forum!

Wow...okay. Thanks for the welcome, I guess? ;-)

[dblue]

Hello all. This will be my second post to the forum.

My name is Dave Blue, and my girlfriend (Missy Rung) and I attended TAM 7. How exciting being one of the 28 Davids! :)

We had a blast and will definitely be back next year. After poking around here, I think I have a new and interesting place to 'hang out' as well.

[amb]

How exciting is this? A rush of newbies after Tam 7. Welcome to everyone. Minties are on your right, Grayman's oatmeal cookies on your left, and freshly just milked goats milk straight ahead. Again, a very warm welcome. :)

[Femke]

:welcome2
to all newbies!

Katheist, have you met Kurious Kathy yet, our resident prosetyliser?
I'm looking forward to a Katfight. :D

Femke

[quadraginta]

:welcome2
to all newbies!

Katheist, have you met Kurious Kathy yet, our resident prosetyliser?
I'm looking forward to a Katfight. :D

Femke
You know, I was going to say something to the same effect, but Mrs. quadraginta and I just adopted two young cats from the animal shelter, and the idea struck a bit too close to home.

[katheist]

:welcome2
to all newbies!

Katheist, have you met Kurious Kathy yet, our resident prosetyliser?
I'm looking forward to a Katfight. :D

Femke



I have not...but I do love a challenge.

[squareone]

Hello JFERers,

I am a 42 year old skeptic and atheist.
I have been a fan of James Randi since the 1980's and attended TAMs 6 and 7.
I am looking forward to interesting and witty dialogue here.
Cheers!

[SidBB]

Hello, I'm new here.

I'm Sid (or Siddharth if you prefer). Originally from India, I currently live in New York.

I was all set to go to TAM 7 (I registered minutes after registration opened) but later had to cancel because some work-related travel came up. I was pretty disappointed because it was going to be my first TAM, but I ended up watching a lot of the live streaming, and almost felt like I was there in person. It was great!

Looking forward to TAM 8 now. I have to wait a whole year? Booo!

[Mr. Skinny]

All newbs should know that I'm forum god.

Ask me about Skinnematics!

[Justino]

I just attended my first TAM with my wife katheist and had a great time.

Look forward to continuing discussions here.


Justin

[squareone]

Mr. Skinny,

Can you provide any evidence of your alledged godhood?

[Mr. Skinny]

I just attended my first TAM with my wife katheist and had a great time.

Look forward to continuing discussions here.


Justin
Welcome, Justino. Pleased to have you here.

You're married to katheist? Darn. And here I was hitting on her in my response to her post above ^. :)

[Mr. Skinny]

Mr. Skinny,

Can you provide any evidence of your alledged godhood?
squareone,

There is a thread here in the archive. I can look it up if you insist, but the forum regulars can confirm my godliness.

I mean, I'll do it. This is a skeptics forum after all, but I've had a rough day. Tomorrow OK?

ETA: Ask kitty, Paulie the Greek, Foolmewunz, Darat,....

[squareone]

Mr. Skinny,

So the evidence is hard to find but you have friends who can provide anecdotes?

Sweet! You are so convinsing.

Maybe tomorrow...

Cheers!

[Mr. Skinny]

Mr. Skinny,

So the evidence is hard to find but you have friends who can provide anecdotes?

Sweet! You are so convinsing.

Maybe tomorrow...

Cheers!
Here is the thread: http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=4323&highlight=Forum+god+Skinny

Bow before me!!:D

Edited to Add: Notice how many of the posters in that thread no loger have an avatar and are listed as "guest". Some of those people angered me. Others left of their own will.

[squareone]

Mr.Skinny,

Ha! Funny thread, thanks for sharing.
While I am unable at this time confirm your divinity, I will readily admit that your sense of humor is indeed divine!
It appears that we both have a fast metabolism and a fondness for beer - did you say that you also like mead?
I feel truley "blessed" to have made your aquaintance.

[Mr. Skinny]

Mr.Skinny,

Ha! Funny thread, thanks for sharing.
While I am unable at this time confirm your divinity, I will readily admit that your sense of humor is indeed divine!
It appears that we both have a fast metabolism and a fondness for beer - did you say that you also like mead?
I feel truley "blessed" to have made your aquaintance.
Yeah, it was a great thread. (BTW, I edited my thread above)

On background, former poster Ed who declared himself god and former poster Charlie in Dayton had this long thread where Charlie challenged his self proclaimed godhood. Also on background, Charlie and I were in the same Cub Scout pack in grade school - so he knows me.

Anyhow, when Ed announced he was leaving the forum (more or less), I decided to appoint myself as his replacement.

Oh, and "Bite me, Skinny" is another old forum meme I can explain later. :)

[critterrice]

Hello. My name is Tyson. Critter is my stage name. I have been a variety entertainer for many years but am not actively performing right now so I can concentrate on school.
I am planning to graduate EWU with a major in Biology and Psychology and then continue until I get a PhD.

[bluesjnr]

Well I've finally been and gone and done it. Made my first post and I think I got away with it, so thought I'd nip over here for my second. By the way - I didn't do it!

[amb]

While Mr Skinny claims to be a god. I'm for real. I'm the forum psychic. Anything you wish to know, you need only ask. To demonstrate my power, I will predict that each and every one of you newbies have a feller named John in your extended family, somewhere in time.
See what I mean? I have awesome power, so go ahead and ask anything you like. I shall answer. :p

[Femke]

Originally Posted by Femke

Katheist, have you met Kurious Kathy yet, our resident prosetyliser?
I'm looking forward to a Katfight. :D

Femke

I have not...but I do love a challenge.

Great. Just amble along the road to Religion and Philosophy, and follow the groans and sighs. Usually you can spot the better threads by the silent crowds of lurkers in deckchairs with buckets full of popcorn.
Enjoy!

[Foolmewunz]

Well, I'm certainly glad we settled this without us having to bring in the black monks of the Skinnematic temples here in the East. There is but one forum deity and his name is Mr. Skinny. (He's a benign deity for the most part, but check out the avatar of a certain Prometheus. He used to look like Mel Gibson before that little incident in Biloxi when he badmouthed Skinnematics. Probably a coincidence, though. Just sayin', ya know.)

Sure glad to see the annual rush of noobs that come in Post-TAM. Welcome one and all. Wander around, check out the serious or not so serious threads and make yourselves at home.

[squareone]

amb,

I am so excited to meet a real psychic!
What are your rates?
Do you have a payment plan?

I had a wonderful dog who died last year at the age of 17.

Can you tell me his name?

Also, can you tell me if he loves me?

Please help me amb, I feel so vulnerable at this point in time.

[catbasket]

There is but one forum deity and his name is Mr. Skinny.
FSM (http://forums.randi.org/member.php?u=17855)!

Welcome to all the new members! Have fun.

[amb]

amb,

I am so excited to meet a real psychic!
What are your rates?
Do you have a payment plan?

I had a wonderful dog who died last year at the age of 17.

Can you tell me his name?

Also, can you tell me if he loves me?

Please help me amb, I feel so vulnerable at this point in time.
In a word. Yes your dog is in doggie heaven having a wonderful time frolicking and chasing cats. It said it loves you very much and hopes to catch up with you when you turn comes to go to heaven.
His name................er...........it's a common name, but at this moment having trouble communicating, there's a lot of interference coming from a nearby solar system's television broadcasts. Does it's name start with the letter b, or c?
It's right here, and just told me to remember the good times you had together, that it was time for it to leave after a happy and fulsome long life with you. :p

[ScienceLibrarian]

TAM 7 was my first TAM and has inspired me to join the forum.

I'm ScienceLibrarian here because that's who I am - a librarian with a degree in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology who works with science researchers and students at a mid-sized state university.

My interests include science education (and the sorry state of it in many parts of the US), the teaching of information literacy and critical thinking, and making information available to the widest possible audience.

[jedischooldropout]

Just back a few days now from my first TAM (7).
Had registered for the JREF forums before and wasn't very active, but meeting folks face to face made me want to keep a finger in the community.

I'm a bit of a space-geek, so it's kinda apropos that I'm joining so close to the Apollo 11 40th Anniversary.

I am a film-maker in the real world.

As a critical thinker I'm not a fan of the word 'skeptic' and typically only use it when amongst our own ranks. I have a soft spot for the skeptically low-hanging fruit of cryptozoology - particularly my semi-local Ogopogo.
I do get quite passionate about a number of skeptical issues:
I think anti-vax is the most important immediate issue.
Atheism is the most-important long-view issue with science education being it's close-second and intellectual running mate.
And 9-11 truthers nearly make me violent. (On 9-11 my girl-friend at the time was shaken as her father had a close call. I can't imagine what people who actually lost someone must feel.)

I'm not a great debater, but I'm funny and passionate. Those are the tools I have, so I often come across as an a-hole skeptic. I have recently come to terms with that and have begun pondering the place of a-hole skepticism in the larger movement.

[Roma]

and making information available to the widest possible audience.

Welcome ScienceLibrarian,

librarians are my favorite people,
all through my days as an undergrad I would give scribbled on scraps of paper to my friendly librarian and all of the books and papers I needed would magically appear before me.
I understand that librarians live for that sort of thing, I was just glad to help out.

Now,...um... I need a book about physics or psychics, ...written by someone named Jones or Jenkins, ... no I don't know the first name,... and it had a blue cover.

[squareone]

Thank you amb!


That is just what I wanted to hear.
I'm so happy to know that my dog is well and thinking about me.

And you are correct, There is a c in his name!

Thank you again and the check is in the mail.

[Lallante]

Hello

I've been a skeptic since my early teens and feel very strongly about many 'skepticentric' (to coin a new word) issues, in particular homeopathy (which i often find is supported by people who confuse it with herbal-medicine), the paranormal and woo in the media.

I've finally joined the forum as I want to question the association between JREF and Penn and Teller, who I feel are no better than a lot of the woomerchants they are "debunking" and often promote dangerous and counter-scientific views. I will expand on this in another post.

[amb]

Hello

I've been a skeptic since my early teens and feel very strongly about many 'skepticentric' (to coin a new word) issues, in particular homeopathy (which i often find is supported by people who confuse it with herbal-medicine), the paranormal and woo in the media.

I've finally joined the forum as I want to question the association between JREF and Penn and Teller, who I feel are no better than a lot of the woomerchants they are "debunking" and often promote dangerous and counter-scientific views. I will expand on this in another post.

Welcome aboard friend. There are dozens of threads here to vent your spleen. Go for it. But for goodness sake, don't forget to pat the goat should you run into it. :D

[Mully410]

Hi. Just got back from TAM7 last week. Awesome.

[Mar\/in]

Hello everybody. Long-time skeptic, recent militant atheist :rolleyes:, even more recent Randiphile. TAM7 was my second, but I'm only now getting around to the forums.

Cheers!

[arthwollipot]

Hey all the new posters! Those of you from TAM, welcome. I was the dude up on stage with the sledgehammer (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=147979). I probably met some of you at some time or another.

[Mar\/in]

That was pretty sweet. My wife was the woman who sang with George Hrab that night.

(Good rule of thumb: if you're not terribly clever yourself, marry someone with talent.)

[fleabeetle]

This is probably a very stupid question -- but my couple of years to date in "Net-land" seem to have taught me that anything which can conceivably be got wrong, I will for sure get wrong.

I'm basically new on JREF -- joined a few weeks ago, and this is my fourth post in toto. Many Net sites have a restriction (length of time belonging and / or number of posts submitted) regarding one's first being allowed to initiate a thread. I don't seem to have found this prominently displayed on FAQ or whatever -- so, would be grateful for enlightenment -- what, if any, are the conditions re one's being allowed to start a new thread?

[CaveGal]

[QUOTE=amb;4891239]Minties bowel is now full. Help yoursevelves newbies only. Colonel, keep your gruby hands out the the candy bowel.


Wow! I joined just in time to get into the candy bowl. Thanks amb.
I knew this would be a friendly place. My hubby and recently got back from TAM7. We met a lot of awesome ppl there. Sadly, today is our last day of vacation, so I'm reading and posting and avoiding my work. heeheehee.
Hello to everyone from TAM7! I can't wait to see all of you, and more at TAM8!
CaveGal out. (Dawn)

CaveGal tosses Colonel a mintie on her way out.

[rollickingsunshine]

Hey, welcome RollickingSunshine - is your dad someone on the Forums or just an all-purpose skeptic? I'm asking more for the general population than for myself, as I, of course am a gentleman of the old school and would never hit on a skepchick, but the rest of these old geezers? Well, let's say they tend to breathe heavy and drool a lot.
(But if your dad's around, they'll mind their manners a bit.)
Drop into the Post TAM threads. Many who attended will be posting comments on who they met, didn't meet, etc.... Next year you'll have a whole bunch of names to connect to faces.

@Both - any explanation as to your user names? (Just curious.)

Nope, my dad doesn't frequent these forums but he's always over at a Google Group forum called Atheism vs. Christianity. There's not really a story behind my name except that it's very cheerful and, hey, it seems like a great idea to associate skeptics with cheerfulness! ;)

[critterrice]

While Mr Skinny claims to be a god. I'm for real. I'm the forum psychic. Anything you wish to know, you need only ask. To demonstrate my power, I will predict that each and every one of you newbies have a feller named John in your extended family, somewhere in time.
See what I mean? I have awesome power, so go ahead and ask anything you like. I shall answer. :p


John Jacob Astor! Distant relative by marriage. Amazing. :rolleyes:

[Kookwatcher]

Hi, I'm new here. I came across the forums when I was googling for some reasonable responses to the current crop of conspiracy theories. Thank you for being here, forums and forum dwellers; I feel better already.

[Maia]

Hi to everyone. (waves) I found this forum in a link from the Straight Dope page, and I look forward to posting and discussing fascinating topics with others. I'm the most tenacious researcher and citer EVER and I don't accept sloppy logic in favor of any arguments or ideas I like, so I suppose that does add up to being a skeptic by default. ;)

[ScienceLibrarian]

Welcome ScienceLibrarian,

librarians are my favorite people,
all through my days as an undergrad I would give scribbled on scraps of paper to my friendly librarian and all of the books and papers I needed would magically appear before me.
I understand that librarians live for that sort of thing, I was just glad to help out.

Now,...um... I need a book about physics or psychics, ...written by someone named Jones or Jenkins, ... no I don't know the first name,... and it had a blue cover.
Be glad to help, Roma! Do you remember where you last saw the book (or if it's something new, where you heard about it)?

[ScienceLibrarian]

That was pretty sweet. My wife was the woman who sang with George Hrab that night.

(Good rule of thumb: if you're not terribly clever yourself, marry someone with talent.)
MarVin

Your wife was the one who wrote that song with George? That was great!

[arthwollipot]

This is probably a very stupid question -- but my couple of years to date in "Net-land" seem to have taught me that anything which can conceivably be got wrong, I will for sure get wrong.

I'm basically new on JREF -- joined a few weeks ago, and this is my fourth post in toto. Many Net sites have a restriction (length of time belonging and / or number of posts submitted) regarding one's first being allowed to initiate a thread. I don't seem to have found this prominently displayed on FAQ or whatever -- so, would be grateful for enlightenment -- what, if any, are the conditions re one's being allowed to start a new thread?You can start a new thread with your first post if you wish.

The restrictions are on posting links (not before you have 15 posts) and uploading an avatar (50 posts).

[fleabeetle]

Many thanks. Some forums do require a "minimum number" before new threads may be started; but as I learn, not this one !

[fiza]

Hello Everybody!
Needed a place to get sensible answers to many extraordinary things, and found it.
Vinaka :)

[Hokulele]

Welcome, fiza.

Yay for more residents of the Pacific Islands!

[Foolmewunz]

Hello Everybody!
Needed a place to get sensible answers to many extraordinary things, and found it.
Vinaka :)

Fiji!!!! Hoorah! Hoorah! Welcome to the JREF Forums, Vinaka.

Drop into the sports section for the ongoing Rugby thread. We've got Aussies, Kiwis, Brits, French, an occasional South African, a token American (living in Hong Kong) but no one there to back the great island teams.

And Hokulele - just so's you know, Hong Kong is a Pacific Island* (and since our Rugby 7s Teams generally suck, we all become honorary Fijians for one weekend per year - just so we can root against the Brits, Kiwis and Aussies).

*come to think of it - so's Vancouver....

[Hokulele]

And Hokulele - just so's you know, Hong Kong is a Pacific Island* (and since our Rugby 7s Teams generally suck, we all become honorary Fijians for one weekend per year - just so we can root against the Brits, Kiwis and Aussies).

*come to think of it - so's Vancouver....


Hong Kongers and Vancouverians are warmly welcomed too. :)


Well, when I notice them.

[UnrepentantSinner]

But we don't want the Aleutians!

[darkchilde]

Hello all,

I live in Athens, Greece. I have known about this forum for quite some time, but due to lack of time, I wasn't able to join in sooner. Some of you, may already know me from the RDF forum, where I am a moderator in the Debunking sections.

See you around :) :p

[jay.tarnoff]

Hi JREF Forum,

Although I have been involved with the skeptical community and JREF for a few years now (e.g., I was at TAM6), I just recently joined the JREF forum.

I am not sure how many others have background in psychology here, but I am currently an advanced doctoral student in school psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia, with general interests in the psychological underpinnings of rationality and critical thinking.

Feel free to pick my brain about psychological issues (specifically school psychology), since I am generally up-to-date on the research.

Cheers!

Jay

[hcmom]

That was pretty sweet. My wife was the woman who sang with George Hrab that night.

(Good rule of thumb: if you're not terribly clever yourself, marry someone with talent.)

Mar\/in, your wife TOTALLY rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was awesome!

[critterrice]

His name................er...........it's a common name, but at this moment having trouble communicating, there's a lot of interference coming from a nearby solar system's television broadcasts. Does it's name start with the letter b, or c?
:p

defghijklmnop!
"P, Peter!"
-Family Guy on John Edwards

[amb]

Hello all,

I live in Athens, Greece. I have known about this forum for quite some time, but due to lack of time, I wasn't able to join in sooner. Some of you, may already know me from the RDF forum, where I am a moderator in the Debunking sections.

See you around :) :p

Welcome. Now a few rules have to be followed here, unlike RDF which I'm also a member. Firstly, you have to pat the goat should you run into it. Secondly, return all your overdue library books back asap. If offered, Grayman's oatmeal cookies are a must, as are my Minties. Again, welcome buddy. :p

[zerospeaks]

I'm david, also known as zero.

I run a website zerospeaks.com

I am married to a neuroscientist.

I have no patience for a creationist who keeps arguing points that have been refuted countless times.

Other than that, I like cheesecake, long walks on the beach, and my favorite hobby is telling people they are wrong.

[plong]

Hi, not sure how well I'm going to get on in this forum. I'm recently retired and keen to get information from intelligent sources - not just any old site mouthing off at random.
I listen to skepicality and visit "skeptics in the pub" monthly (in Leicester, UK).
I'm more interested in the edges of what is really unknown than the old ghosts and creationist rubbish to see what different people have to say on cosmology and quantum effects etc. Currently trying to decipher the electric universe conversations, is it woo??
The main problem is I'm not scientifically trained so I find it hard to follow sometimes.

[Hokulele]

Welcome plong!

Dive on in over in the Science, Mathematics, etc. sub-forum as there are a few threads on that topic at the moment. If you do not understand something, go ahead and ask and I am sure that people on both sides of the discussion will be happy to confuse you.

Er, I mean help you.

:)

[Femke]

Hi zerospeaks and plong,

:welcome3

Come on in, help yourself to some cookies and one of the minties amb so kindly supplies (only to newbies, lucky bastages), and give the goat a pat on the head if you run into it. Return your library books, put your reasoning skill in gear, and plunge right into any discussion that takes your fancy.
Enjoy!

[Mr. Skinny]

Hi zerospeaks and plong,

:welcome3

Come on in, help yourself to some cookies and one of the minties amb so kindly supplies (only to newbies, lucky bastages), and give the goat a pat on the head if you run into it. Return your library books, put your reasoning skill in gear, and plunge right into any discussion that takes your fancy.
Enjoy!
You forgot "embrace Skinnematics!"

[De_Bunk]

I went to a library once...got barred...

I dunno why you can't have a beer, cigarette and read at the same time...

DB

[zerospeaks]

ok.... I want a custom title!

ya know, instead of "new blood"

How do I get one?

Tell me now or the bunny gets it!

*edit
I misspelled instead, needed to change it.

[CelticRose]

ok.... I want a custom title!

ya know, instead of "new blood"

How do I get one?

Tell me now or the bunny gets it!

*edit
I misspelled instead, needed to change it.
Why would a bunny want a custom title? :confused:

[zerospeaks]

The bunny is my hostage... ya see I am hol...oh nevermind!

[Foolmewunz]

ok.... I want a custom title!

ya know, instead of "new blood"

How do I get one?

Tell me now or the bunny gets it!

*edit
I misspelled instead, needed to change it.


Well, I'm torn. The thought of seeing you do something really messy with that little bunny is real appealing. But in the spirit of whatever I'm supposed to be into, here's the Custom Title thread. http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=45138

The Custom Title Faeries are a bit whimsical. They show up very regularly for days on end and then they'll disappear on you for a week. So you have to be patient. Bring chocolates - they like chocolates.

And you don't have to put in *edit. There's a nifty little field that allows you to put in your reason for editing. (It goes largely unnoticed. For ages I buried all sorts of scathing witticisms down there.)

[Kritikos]

Greetings, all. I have been interested in skeptical inquiry and critical thinking for a couple of years now. I hold a Ph.D. in philosophy and taught the subject for several years at various colleges and universities, although I did not have those interests during the time that I was studying for my degree or teaching. I studied deductive logic, for instance, but I did not even learn the traditional catalogue of logical fallacies until recently. Certainly I have always been interested, both theoretically and practically, in the distinction between good and bad thinking, but I did not interest myself in the question of why we human beings so often go wrong in our reasoning and judging, and in what particular ways we do so. This changed when I read Michael Shermer's wonderful book Why People Believe Weird Things and some of the research that has been done in recent decades on cognitive biases. Since then I have read a lot of the work of Shermer and his associates (e.g., Skeptic magazine) and watched a couple of seasons of Penn and Teller's television series on DVD, from which I learned of "the Amazing Randi." Reading skeptical literature has made me feel less disheartened by the spread of such delusions as the 9/11 "truth" movement, Holocaust denial, creationism, belief in alien abduction, and so on. For one thing, one can identify patterns of faulty thinking that are common to all these beliefs: they have more in common than just the fact that they are all kooky. For another, even if one can't persuade devotees of these beliefs to think more rationally and critically, one can publicly expose the distortions in their thinking for the benefit of others, who might otherwise fall prey to them. And, of course, one can also make the half-amusing, half-upsetting discovery that one has oneself fallen into some superstitious or deluded belief.

Well, I suspect that I am being more verbose than is customary in these introductory posts, so I'll conclude.

[zerospeaks]

Jeesh, her introduction was better than mine.

[Chase_the_Bass]

Hey everyone. I have been lurking on and off for a while and finally decided to register. Just a quick note the "bass" in my name is like "bass guitar" not "big mouth bass". I've been playing the bass guitar for about seven years. I have also been playing the guitar for 5 years and I like to pretend I can sing (pretending didn't help in Music Theory though). I am about to start college and if everything goes right I'll come out the other end a Neuroscientist (If there is anyone here in the field of neuroscience I'd love to hear what they have to say about, well anything really).

Many of you may think that my worst quality is that I am extremely skeptical of anthropogenic climate change. Maybe this forum will change that?

[zerospeaks]

welcome!

My wife is a published Neuroscientist. She would be happy to answer anything you may want to know.

The only thing I hear her talk about is complaining about not getting enough funding to do proper research.
Apparently the government is stingy!

I find this troublesome as I watch other countries surpass the US slowly in science. We should be spending more.... anyway... welcome!

[COLONEL]

Well its been a while since I have welcomed all the new blood here so let me say welcome all and do not I repeat do not harrass the goat
Zerospeaks ,enough of the threats. Kill the dam rabbit already. I have a great rabbit recipe I am waiting to try

[zerospeaks]

wait.... I'm a goat?
WTH?!?!

[Roadtoad]

wait.... I'm a goat?
WTH?!?!

*Sigh*

Oh, great. Just great. As if the goat wasn't pissed off already...

Hang on, I'll get the cookies. Could someone get the Minties, please?

[zerospeaks]

I will take that as I am now a member of this "interesting" community.

BAAAAAAAAA!

[Roadtoad]

You keep this up, and that goat is gonna get PISSED!

Oh, and I win.

[zerospeaks]

An interesting species... either a mating ritual of some kind or an inside joke. This may need further study.
-Journals From The Goat Expedition

[I_Gaze_At_The_Blue]

Well, not so bonny today ... more like dreach, dreary and miserable ;)

Have been lurking around here for a while (don't know why it took me so long to join to be honest)... and am particularly interested in de-bunking conspiracies such as the 9/11 and Chemtrails drivel !!!

I have run two groups on another networking site for a few years ... but as it is mostly a teenage site the level of debate is at times peurile, so immensly looking forward to engaging at a more (!!!) mature level.

Wee dram for eveyone ...

Slàinte mhath!

[amb]

You keep this up, and that goat is gonna get PISSED!

Oh, and I win.

Wrong thread!!! :)

[arthwollipot]

Can I just mention here that I think "plong" is one of the coolest usernames ever?

[Barsdamian]

Hello to all,

I've been enjoying this forum for a few months now and finally decided to join up. I enjoy the intelligent discussion here...its an oasis of rational thought in the desert of morons, boobs, idiots and loons that is my life. Thank you to all of the posters here who help keep me sane. :)

I'm looking forward to joining in the discussions and starting a few of my own.

[amb]

Hello to all,

I've been enjoying this forum for a few months now and finally decided to join up. I enjoy the intelligent discussion here...its an oasis of rational thought in the desert of morons, boobs, idiots and loons that is my life. Thank you to all of the posters here who help keep me sane. :)

I'm looking forward to joining in the discussions and starting a few of my own.

Boobs? did you say boobs? I love [drool] boobs.
Welcome friend. If you happen to have a pair or two of unwanted boobs, you know where to send:drool::drool: them. :D

[Barsdamian]

Boobs? did you say boobs? I love [drool] boobs.
Welcome friend. If you happen to have a pair or two of unwanted boobs, you know where to send:drool::drool: them. :D

Hehe yes well boobs of that type will always be in short supply. As a matter of fact if you have any extras send'em this way. :)

No the boobs I deal with are of the two-legged variety and try to convince me of silly things like astrology or tell me that my shoulder injury can be healed by 'emo-healing'. I'd gladly send you a boatload of these.

[COLONEL]

Ok who pissed off the Goat ? She only gave me a cup of milk today .

[amb]

Ok who pissed off the Goat ? She only gave me a cup of milk today .

At least you got something drinkable. All I got was a jug full of urine.

[C_Felix]

Hello.

Uh...Much like Zaphod, I'm just a guy, you know?

5th grade teacher who has been blacklisted, so know I'm a security guard.

Believer in bigfoot and aliens, I just don't think the latter visits us.

No thumbs up for Nessie.

I just enjoy beinga skeptic...

[laurens85]

Hi everybody!

My name is Laurens.
I am 24 years old, dutch and I am going to study sociology after summer.
The JREF has really become a hobby of mine over time.
I am seriously considering making a paper on why people believe and how to best inform and protect people from phenomenon like alternative medicine, new age cults, mediums and other sudo sciences that effect peoples moral decisions in a bad way.
I'm happy to join the forum, but i don't think I'll post allot. I'm still learning and I first want to learn as much as possible before throwing my voice out there.
Peace, and stay sharp.

[Mr. Skinny]

Hi everybody!

My name is Laurens.
I am 24 years old, dutch and I am going to study sociology after summer.
The JREF has really become a hobby of mine over time.
I am seriously considering making a paper on why people believe and how to best inform and protect people from phenomenon like alternative medicine, new age cults, mediums and other sudo pseudo sciences that effect peoples moral decisions in a bad way.
I'm happy to join the forum, but i don't think I'll post allot. I'm still learning and I first want to learn as much as possible before throwing my voice out there.
Peace, and stay sharp.
Welcome, Laurens.

I really didn't know if I'd post here much when I joined the forum, but I kind of got to like the people here.

When you get your paper written you could post it here and I'm sure people would offer critical comment on it.

Hope you don't mind that I corrected a spelling mistake in your post.

Again, welcome, and I hope you like it here.

[Horza]

Hi, I delurked in 'Australia' out of deep seated patriotism but I thought I should broadcast to a slightly wider audience too.

I'm 23 and some kind of history/social sciences student, still haven't worked out which. I have opinions on all sorts of things and for some reason a morbid fascination for woo, which I've never been able to shake. Special shoutout to the 9/11 debunking crew for the entertainment and education - you've all been great help for slapping trutherism out of some of my more woo-friendly friends as well as curbing my idle 'they so totally shot down flight 93' speculation, back in the day.

See you around!

[zerospeaks]

I still don't get the goat thing.

I am dying to know....

*pretending to not be dying to know.

[Foolmewunz]

*pretending to not be dying to know.

It's a variation on a number of JREFF memes (note the final F for Forums - we like to emphasize at least once a week that the JREF Forums are not representative of the JREF, but of the individual posters - unless someone from the JREF speaks up, in which case it will be visible in their user name and avatar box).

And it's really not worth going into, other than that I'd like to speak up on a topic that Unrepentant Sinner brought up a couple of times in this current version of the Welcome Thread. To wit, that some of the insider repartee may actually be putting off noobs from posting here and/or getting involved in the forums.

Here we have Zerospeaks. Pretty cool character, web savvy and all that, .... and he's confused. Think of some of the more timid souls out there. They see this mind-numbing repartee between posters with an accumulated total of 30 to 40 thousand posts and may figure, "Whoa! I'll never stay around long enough to crack this bunch!"

I'm certainly not innocent of this, so I'm not playing holier than thou and I sure as crap don't want to ruin everyone's fun, but I became a Welcome Wagoneer as a result of a brief thread by Mr. Skinny asking if we could muster a few people to do a daily drive by and welcome noobs and make 'em feel at home. Seems like a good idea. Even if you can't specifically comment on every new squirrel for the stew, you can give blanket greetings and/or actual comments.

Goats, minties, library books, skinnematics, cookies... they may be confusing a few people.

[amb]

I still don't get the goat thing.

I am dying to know....

*pretending to not be dying to know.

Now you've done it! :eek: The bloody thing is deeply offended and will refuse to be milked for who knows how long. The goat is the forum emblem, our pet if you like. We give all newcomers a glass of goats milk, a handful of Minties and Grayman's oatmeal cookies. It's our way of welcoming newbies.:)

[Mr. Skinny]

and don't forget to embrace Skinnematics!

[BNRT]

Hi everyone!

I lurked here a little bit, before I decided to register to get the full JREFF experience.

I am 22 years old, I come from Holland and study philosophy although I am still (after one year of studying physics) very interested in the huge numbers and elegancy of physics. In my spare time I, amongst other things, play the bass guitar and help out with the decorations and stuff for the longest running drum 'n bass party in the Netherlands.

I got into contact with woo by a site that was extremely silly and hilarious and joined up a Dutch woo forum in the hope to let the voice of reason be heard. Alas, woo in the Netherlands seems to be growing in influence too: yesterday I saw a poll in a newspaper where a slight majority thought alternative medicine was not quackery.

This forum seems to be filled with many intelligent (and nice!) people who usually say all the things I want to or should say. So I do not know if I will really post much, at least in the beginning.

Also, I have had a bilingual education, which means I should speak English really well. So I would really appreciate it if you corrected my English when I make a mistake. This is an educational forum after all.

This might be more than you would want to know, so I will just quit here.

Greetings,

BNRT

[lionking]

Don't worry BRNT, your English is better than many around here who have it as their first language. Welcome.

Oh, and ignore anything amb says :D

[COLONEL]

Now you've done it! :eek: The bloody thing is deeply offended and will refuse to be milked for who knows how long. The goat is the forum emblem, our pet if you like. We give all newcomers a glass of goats milk, a handful of Minties and Grayman's oatmeal cookies. It's our way of welcoming newbies.:) Well I got her to give me a little milk for my cerial this morning but it took a lot of petting and a bag of clover mixed with oats to get it .

Wellcome C Felix,Laurens85,Horza & BNRT Sorry there is no Goats milk to offer at the moment . But have a Grayman oatmeal cookie and a MINTIE. and if you see our Mascot pat her on the head .

[Roma]

5th grade teacher who has been blacklisted, so know I'm a security guard.


It's either an astonishing lack of curiousity or just British politeness but I see no one has mentioned the "blacklisted" thingee.

Don't have to answer but what did you do.

There was a teacher who was fired in a Southern Manitoba elementary school for teaching the children a "non-approved" Christmas carol.

So what was it? Something really spectacular I hope.

[amb]

Want to see a teacher blacklisted? Get a teacher to tell his/hers class that god probably doesn't exist in a christian school. :D Don't listen to Lionking. Sometimes I do make sense. :) A warm welcome to the forum everone. [See, not a word about our mascot]

[COLONEL]

Want to see a teacher blacklisted? Get a teacher to tell his/hers class that god probably doesn't exist in a christian school. :D Don't listen to Lionking. Sometimes I do make sense. :) A warm welcome to the forum everone. [See, not a word about our mascot]

Well I will probably get in trouble for this, as it not being in the right thread . But yup its true ,you cant teach kids about god ,christmas ,halloween,or valetines. but it's Ok to teach them about Homosexuality in Public school.
OH and AMB you said the word Mascot, in todays world that could be considerd a techncality.

[JihadJane]

Well, not so bonny today ... more like dreach, dreary and miserable ;)

Have been lurking around here for a while (don't know why it took me so long to join to be honest)... and am particularly interested in de-bunking conspiracies such as the 9/11 and Chemtrails drivel !!!

I have run two groups on another networking site for a few years ... but as it is mostly a teenage site the level of debate is at times peurile, so immensly looking forward to engaging at a more (!!!) mature level.

Wee dram for eveyone ...

Slàinte mhath!

Welcome, I_Gaze_At_The_Blue. You're in the right place and you're in luck!

The 9/11 Conspiracy section is the place to go if you want to avoid puerile debates conducted at the level of playground brawls.

:welcome3

[UNLoVedRebel]

Welcome new members. Meet our resident troll, JihadJane.

[CelticRose]

It's a variation on a number of JREFF memes (note the final F for Forums - we like to emphasize at least once a week that the JREF Forums are not representative of the JREF, but of the individual posters - unless someone from the JREF speaks up, in which case it will be visible in their user name and avatar box).

And it's really not worth going into, other than that I'd like to speak up on a topic that Unrepentant Sinner brought up a couple of times in this current version of the Welcome Thread. To wit, that some of the insider repartee may actually be putting off noobs from posting here and/or getting involved in the forums.

Here we have Zerospeaks. Pretty cool character, web savvy and all that, .... and he's confused. Think of some of the more timid souls out there. They see this mind-numbing repartee between posters with an accumulated total of 30 to 40 thousand posts and may figure, "Whoa! I'll never stay around long enough to crack this bunch!"

I'm certainly not innocent of this, so I'm not playing holier than thou and I sure as crap don't want to ruin everyone's fun, but I became a Welcome Wagoneer as a result of a brief thread by Mr. Skinny asking if we could muster a few people to do a daily drive by and welcome noobs and make 'em feel at home. Seems like a good idea. Even if you can't specifically comment on every new squirrel for the stew, you can give blanket greetings and/or actual comments.

Goats, minties, library books, skinnematics, cookies... they may be confusing a few people.
You worry too much. :p

I was intimidated to post on this forum at first -- I thought that my debating skills weren't good enough to be able to hold my own against the incredibly intelligent and well-educated people on this forum. However, when I read some of this introductory thread and saw all the in jokes I realized that you lot were my kind of people after all. In other words, the insider repartee encouraged me to post. I've been following this thread since my first post because I enjoy the banter so much. :)

*sees goat wandering by, gives it a pat on the head*

[Foolmewunz]

You worry too much. :p

I was intimidated to post on this forum at first -- I thought that my debating skills weren't good enough to be able to hold my own against the incredibly intelligent and well-educated people on this forum. However, when I read some of this introductory thread and saw all the in jokes I realized that you lot were my kind of people after all. In other words, the insider repartee encouraged me to post. I've been following this thread since my first post because I enjoy the banter so much. :)

*sees goat wandering by, gives it a pat on the head*

Hey, thanks for the other view. Point well taken.

I'm still going to worry about the effect on the less boisterous masses, though. I'm a curmudgeon and worrier by nature.

And while there's no reason that we have to be totally "inclusionary", I think it ought to be one of our goals as skeptics to keep that porch light on and the door a little bit ajar for anyone looking for some warmth and succor from the cold blasts of woo air coming down from the mountains.

[Darkhole]

Hi everybody!

My name is Laurens.
I am 24 years old, dutch and I am going to study sociology after summer.
The JREF has really become a hobby of mine over time.
I am seriously considering making a paper on why people believe and how to best inform and protect people from phenomenon like alternative medicine, new age cults, mediums and other sudo sciences that effect peoples moral decisions in a bad way.
I'm happy to join the forum, but i don't think I'll post allot. I'm still learning and I first want to learn as much as possible before throwing my voice out there.
Peace, and stay sharp.

Hi Laurens and welcome.
You'r aware of these two forums back home?

http://forum.skepp.be/index.php

http://www.freethinker.nl/forum/

[Darkhole]

Hi everyone!

I lurked here a little bit, before I decided to register to get the full JREFF experience.

I am 22 years old, I come from Holland and study philosophy although I am still (after one year of studying physics) very interested in the huge numbers and elegancy of physics. In my spare time I, amongst other things, play the bass guitar and help out with the decorations and stuff for the longest running drum 'n bass party in the Netherlands.

I got into contact with woo by a site that was extremely silly and hilarious and joined up a Dutch woo forum in the hope to let the voice of reason be heard. Alas, woo in the Netherlands seems to be growing in influence too: yesterday I saw a poll in a newspaper where a slight majority thought alternative medicine was not quackery.

This forum seems to be filled with many intelligent (and nice!) people who usually say all the things I want to or should say. So I do not know if I will really post much, at least in the beginning.

Also, I have had a bilingual education, which means I should speak English really well. So I would really appreciate it if you corrected my English when I make a mistake. This is an educational forum after all.

This might be more than you would want to know, so I will just quit here.

Greetings,

BNRT

Welcome, Dutch all over the place. ;)

Oh and see my respons to Laurens.

[Jethro Tull]

It is very nice to be a part of this community! I look forward to sharing with and learning from you all.

As for me, I love to play acoustic guitar, ride my bike, and I am a third year psychology major. I am a huge fan of Jethro Tull and The Beatles.

Peace!

[Soapy Sam]

OK. Fine . Nice to have you all here.

Now, about the fees.
PM me all your money. (I take Paypal).
In return, I will degauss your chakra, defrag your DNA , unclog blocked pipes and increase your fuel mileage by 30%.
Penis extensions (Men & Shemp only) are on hold while we install the new remote handling apparatus.
Oh- and always wear gloves and a condom when posting, as there are loads of computer viruses here.

[COLONEL]

Welcome new members. Meet our resident troll, JihadJane. Gee all this time and I never new he was a troll .Well I try to learn something new everyday .

[Mr. Skinny]

It is very nice to be a part of this community! I look forward to sharing with and learning from you all.

As for me, I love to play acoustic guitar, ride my bike, and I am a third year psychology major. I am a huge fan of Jethro Tull and The Beatles.

Peace!
Welcome, Jethro Tull.

1974 Alvarez Yairi DY-85 myself (never owned an electric)

I think you'll find a Beatles friend in poster Appelcorps.

*hums "Locomotive Breath"* Oh yeah, I have a DJ copy of "Thick as A Brick" on vinyl that has actual track bands that a DJ could see. Somewhat of a collector's item I suppose.

[eccles]

I am a bedraggled refugee from the "Holy" Roman Catholic Church. Like the vast majority of members of that sordid organization I was born into a strict Roman Catholic famoly, baptized when a baby, and from that moment dragged kicking and screaming to Mass every Sunday and suffered 12 years under the Jesuit Priests. I was told I have to believe OR ELSE. I was too scared to question the doctrine of the Holy Trinity which I found stupid. The Jesuits used a thick leather strap to "encourage" you to believe. I put up with religion and going to Mass for the sake of my family. Admittedly I did enjoy and organ and did learn to play the organ but avoided becoming a full time church organist.

At school I did Physics and Chemistry and taught myself Astronomy. The most painful subject was religion. Interestingly enough we did not study all the bible, just Genesis and Exodus and straight onto the New Testament. DIdn't worry me Genesis and Exodus were stupid enough. When I was about 30 I finally plucked up enough courage to make the great announcement that I had had it with religion and will now be Atheist. Fortunately my parents accepted that.

So for the last 35 years or so I have lived in peace and solitutude knowing there is no "god" up there watching everything I do and no heaven or hell to worry about. Since getting the internet I have been able to access all the information I need to research the begining of religion, especially judeo/Chrristianity. It is quite obvious that it began with Egyptology and the Babylonian myths. It all started to make sense. I decided to buy a bible to read the rest of the Old Testament to see what all the BS is all about. I got the NIV Study Bible because I know it had a lot of comments and references. Many comments pointed to mistranslations in the bible and so many contradictions. I now know why the Roman Catholic Church steers clear of the OT: all the genocidal slaughter inflicted by the Hebrews on their alleged enemies on the orders of "The Lord their God". I got so sick of that I had the greatest pleasure in tearing up that bible.
I know enough to argue Christ out of any Christian. I met the local Church Minister, a nice chap even when I told him I am Atheist. He did not really kow that much about Christianity: I suppose enough to get away with being a minister and drawing his stipend.

I am now an ordained Minister of the First Church of Atheism.

[zerospeaks]

Welcome eccles,

Sadly I know too well what you are saying.
What I lack in grammer skills I make up in theology.
Ya see... I was raised southern baptist and was going to be a youth minister. I am currently an ordained minister by the way but hey! Who isn't? Anyway.... I have come to realize that most free thinkers know more about the bible then church pastors. I have been denied speaking in churches about atheism for this very reason.

A friend of mine Reggie (you may now him as IG) was allowed to speak in a church on the behalf of atheism because they did not feel threatened by his biblical knowledge. Anywho!

Welcome. I am currently trying to save a baby mouse from death. If you know about raising a mouse come help me on my thread. If not, no worries there is much more to discuss. There is currently a thread on libertarianism which is pretty active lately.

[Femke]

Hi Laurens85, BRNT and eccles, (and other n00bs)

:welcome2

Good to hear there are more Dutch latching on!
eccles, sad to hear your story, good for you that you came out a well-versed atheist. Come on over to Religion and Philosophy, and engage in the tussles with our forum proselytisers.

Don't forget to return your library books, if you see the goat give it a gentle pat on the head, and have a mintie or one of Graymans oatmeal cookies.

Femke

[amb]

Gee all this time and I never new he was a troll .Well I try to learn something new everyday .

I believe JihadJane is female. But don't quote me on that.:p

[quadraginta]

OK. Fine . Nice to have you all here.

Now, about the fees.
PM me all your money. (I take Paypal).
In return, I will degauss your chakra, defrag your DNA , unclog blocked pipes and increase your fuel mileage by 30%.
Penis extensions (Men & Shemp only) are on hold while we install the new remote handling apparatus.
Oh- and always wear gloves and a condom when posting, as there are loads of computer viruses here.

My car's wiring needs an electrical flush. Can you give me a good price on that? I heard that stale electricity can damage the insulation and attract gremlins.

[BobG]

Hi Folks,

I'm new to this forum and I hope I'm doing my first post correctly.

I suppose the two biggest things that everyone wants to know about new members is their views on the paranormal and religion so here goes:

Regarding the paranormal, I believe that there may be something to ESP. I say this because other animals have senses that are unique to them that we do not have. For example, I've heard of some animals that can detect the earth's magnetic field and navigate accordingly.

As I see it, perhaps in our deep past we had some other type of senses that have evolved away and only the remnants are left. Or perhaps we have started to development some other senses but the develop so far is very rudimentary.

So as I see it, ESP may indeed be possible although I'm not one of those pocessing ESP.

The problem related to ESP and perhaps other paranormal events, although I really don't believe in others, is that there is so much fraud in this area that it prevents us from getting down to the truth. Hopefully, someday we will get past all this fraud and know for sure whether or not there is something to the paranormal world.

Regarding religion, I am an atheist and right off I will tell you that I resent how atheists are perceived. We are perceived as having a very low moral compass with little, if any, integrity. Mention that you are an atheist and you get looks as if you are wearing horns and a tale. This is just not right and a more enlightened society would realize this.

It even gets into the basic semantics regarding the word "atheist". The primary definition is "one who does not believe in God" but if you look at an unabridged dictionary, a secondary meaning is "one who is evil and wicked". I think that says it all for what we must endure.

I do have a question to ask at this time. I'd like to know if Randy still lives in Rumson, New Jersey? I know that he did at one time and if he does now, he is a neighbor of mine. I live in Neptune which is about 15 miles south of Rumson.

I guess I've said enough for now although I've barely touched the surface. I do hope to be a contributor to this forum and to learn from it.

Bob Guercio

[amb]

Dear Bob. That nice gentleman whose name appears on this forum has a million dollar challenge to anyone who can scientifically prove ESP, or any other super-natural phenomena.
Welcome to this most enlightening of forums. :) :p

[BobG]

Dear Bob. That nice gentleman whose name appears on this forum has a million dollar challenge to anyone who can scientifically prove ESP, or any other super-natural phenomena.
Welcome to this most enlightening of forums. :) :p

Thank you Amb.

As I see it, ESP, if it exists, would be very difficult to prove.

The problem is that it either involves left over vanishing senses from our past or newly developing senses for our future. In either case, these senses are very rudimentary and therefore very unreliable.

By the way, the only other oddity that I believe in is reincarnation and that needs to be strongly qualified. I don't believe in ghosts, predicting the future, bending spoons, levitation, etc., etc., etc. I also don't believe in ESP at a distance. I only believe in it close up since, if it exists, I presume that it would be like any one of our other senses, only less developed. We certainly cannot extend our smell to several miles so I wouldn't expect ESP to extend that far either.

I believe in the possibility of reincarnation but I think it is an extemely rare occurrence. In fact, it is so rare that it may never have happened. It's just possible.

Simply put, here I am, so it has happened. Why can't it happen again? What will be the difference in the year 3000AD when I will have been dead for 1000 years and the year 1000AD which was 1000 years before I arrived. Nothing really so if it happened in 1000AD, it could happen in 3000AD.

However, like I said, I think this is very improbable and if it were to occur, you would have no knowledge whatsoever of your former life. You would have no way of knowing that you have been reincarnated.

As I implied in my last post, I could go on and on but I'll give you guys a break. As the new kid on the block, I hope I'm not overdoing it!

Also, am I making any sense?

Thanks,

Bob Guercio

[amb]

You should take your ideas to the proper thread, perhaps start a new one on the subject.
The Russians during the cold war spent millions on experiments on ESP, and came away empty handed.

[UnbelievingDwindler]

Hello all!

My name is Derrick and I am a Canadian from Edmonton, Alberta who has been lurking for about a year. I came to the jref forum originally because of 911 research. I won't say I was a "truther" but I did believe many of the conspiracy theories floating around on the Internet. :blush:

Thanks to this website I became aware of skepticism and critical thinking. I checked out a copy of Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World from my local library. That book changed my life and how I perceive the world.

I am proud to say that finding this community has been the most important thing that has ever happened to me. Corny right? That is how I feel however and I just wanted to share my feelings here.

[COLONEL]

Gee all this time and I never new he was a troll .Well I try to learn something new everyday .

I believe JihadJane is female. But don't quote me on that.:p Well it's hard to tell in this day and age .

Welcome to all you Newb's

[Mr. Skinny]

Hello all!

My name is Derrick and I am a Canadian from Edmonton, Alberta who has been lurking for about a year. I came to the jref forum originally because of 911 research. I won't say I was a "truther" but I did believe many of the conspiracy theories floating around on the Internet. :blush:

Thanks to this website I became aware of skepticism and critical thinking. I checked out a copy of Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World from my local library. That book changed my life and how I perceive the world.

I am proud to say that finding this community has been the most important thing that has ever happened to me. Corny right? That is how I feel however and I just wanted to share my feelings here.
Welcome, Derrick.

Interesting story, and yeah, it may sound a little corny, but it also sounds pretty honest. :)

Demon Haunted World is a great book. I was already a skeptic when I read it though. Sagan just focused a few things for me that I already knew.

Hope you enjoy your stay here!

Skinny

[philquin]

Hi, new to the forums, looking forward to getting to know everyone.

[amb]

Hello all!

My name is Derrick and I am a Canadian from Edmonton, Alberta who has been lurking for about a year. I came to the jref forum originally because of 911 research. I won't say I was a "truther" but I did believe many of the conspiracy theories floating around on the Internet. :blush:

Thanks to this website I became aware of skepticism and critical thinking. I checked out a copy of Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World from my local library. That book changed my life and how I perceive the world.

I am proud to say that finding this community has been the most important thing that has ever happened to me. Corny right? That is how I feel however and I just wanted to share my feelings here.

You may want to read a few books from Bishop, John Shelby Spong as well. The one I reccomend is ''Saving the Bible from Fundamentalist'' or his latest, ''A new Christianity for a New World.'' But please be aware that this guy is still a chritian in a funny way. I would class him as agnostic.
Welcome buddy. :)

[sasquatchx]

Allo folks,

not sure what I can say about myself, except that I like truth and facts more than faith alone.

Urrrr.... hello!

[Femke]

Hi philquin and sasquatchx,

With those long posts, rambling on like that, we'll never be able to welcome you properly :D

Seriously: :welcome5, hang up your coat, have a glass of goats milk and a cookie, maybe a fresh mintie, and just join any conversation you fancy.

Femke

[PaulJ]

Hi JREF Forum people, greetings from Portsmouth, UK.

I registered here last week, so here are a few words of introduction:

It was back in 2005 that I became aware that there was such a thing as "the sceptical community" - shortly after discovering podcasting and subscribing to Skepticality. I first browsed the JREF forums in 2007, fascinated by the email exchanges between Kramer and the applicants for the MDC, and so it was a rare pleasure to watch the live video stream of an actual preliminary test at the conclusion of TAM7.

I've kept up my own sceptical blog, Notes from an Evil Burnee, on a mostly regular basis since May 2007, and since then I've become less of a passive observer and more willing to seek out and challenge the woo-woo. I recently (June) attended a one-day conference in London on the teaching of evolution in European schools and I'm looking forward to attending TAM London in October.

[LissaLysikan]

Hi y'all, from the Bigot Belt of the US. I don't have anything much to say here - I'm a software engineer, not a scientist, researcher, or woo-fan. I just like watching woo-fans get their bums kicked.

oh - and being severely autistic, I like seeing people beat the **** out of idiots like Jenny.

[SusanB-M1]

Welcome, PaulJ, from one of the several Hampshire members. Carolenextdoor and I are going to TAM London too, so hope we will meet up. I shall not be wearing tap shoes actually (and those feet are not mine!).

[CelticRose]

Welcome, LissaLysikan! Have a fresh cup of goat's milk and some cookies. One of the Aussies will offer you a Mintie. Be sure to return all your library books on time, and give the goat a pat on the head if you see it. ;)

oh - and being severely autistic, I like seeing people beat the **** out of idiots like Jenny.
I wonder if Ms. McCarthy is aware that most of the autistic community thinks her ideas are stupid and dangerous. :oldroll:

[PaulJ]

Thanks for the welcome Susan. I think TAM London may be the first time all of us sceptics/freethinkers in the UK get an idea of how many of us there are (and where we are). We may be more numerous than we imagine :)

[plong]

Hi, for all those joining from the UK check out any local meetings. I discovered "Skeptics in the pub" in Leicester and its great to see how many of us there are! (still use the US spelling in the UK - if you can't beat them etc.... :) )
They meet every month and have great speakers who generate lively debate, especially good when we get woo defendants along.
Cheers

[Roadtoad]

I wonder if Ms. McCarthy is aware that most of the autistic community thinks her ideas are stupid and dangerous. :oldroll:

She probably is, but she just chalks it up to being misunderstood and the ignorance promoted by Big Pharma.

May I add my welcome to the newbs? Oh, and don't forget to bow three times in the direction of Kent, WA. And remember the happy chant for all us truckers.

[cafetimes1991]

Our story begins on a cold, grey February afternoon in 2008. Having just finished school, I walked with my heavy bag from school to the quay where the local library is.
I decided to look at the history section on this fateful day, and tilting my head I saw a thick yellow book. I took it out and looked at it. ''Alice and Wonderland and the World Trade Center Disaster'' by someone named 'David Ickee'.
Not much info there; I read the back... ''why the official story of 9/11 is a monumental lie''...
BAM! I have been addicted to conspiracies ever since. Distributing leaflets, making videos, doing graffiti, hosting my own radio show. ALL of this stuff and so much more for a year and a half now, and I'm still only seventeen.
I've got almost four thousand posts on the avid Icke forum, and my grades have gone way down since I got involved in conspiracy theories.
But now, I think it might be time to make a fresh start? I've joined here in a bid to broaden my horizons and discover the TRUTH.
You might be able to help me, and I've already gotten a lot of support from joe911, a member here. For example, he gave me a link to the Loose Change viewer guide. However, I still need good pages on aspartame, Israel, vaccines and so on.
I have wanted to be a doctor for a long time now, but it seems being a doctor is taboo amongst conspiracy theorists.

I'll stop here for now.
Brian

[Einzig]

Hello people all around the world,

I got to know of Mr Randi, first through many videos and then reading Flim Flam.

I am an atheist and my family are strong believing christians, who believe in being filled with spirits, faith healing etc. I used to believe too, but did not like the discrimination against gay people and judgement of those with other religions. I have an interest in cognitive sciences, have no degree but working on one in computer sciences. Love TEDtalks.

greets from the Netherlands

[amb]

From the land of dykes hey? I hear there's more in Holland than any other nation on Earth.
Anyway, welcome. Have a Mintie, a glass of freshly milked goats milk, and some cookies that are made with oatmeal flour by Grayman who has gone AWOL lately.
By the way. Have you any overdue library books lying around that you have forgotten to return?

[Femke]

Well, not only dykes, we've got our fair share of gays and bi's here as well. :D

Welkom Einzig and cafetimes1991, shake the rain off your coats, pull up a thread and enjoy!

Femke

[Foolmewunz]

Yeah, welcome Einzig. I'm not sure but we're seeing a lot of members in the last year, say, from the Netherlands. Might be out largest Euro-Trash minority outside of those folks who drive on the wrong side of the road on the other side of the Channel (that's that body of water that the Dutch are filling in a few centimetres at a time... have you hit Dover, yet?).

And a hearty welcome, too to CafeTimes91. Does the number mean you're like 18, have already been to the dark side (the Icke side) and returned at this ripe young age?
I was going to post a quick warning to you that a lot of people who arrrive from the Land of Woo often get a rocky welcome, but I see you're progressing at an even pace. Should that occur, however, just remember that we're only cranky old farts half the time - we've been battling woo and conspiracists for so long that we tend to see monsters in all the closets.

@Both - go check out some of the Forum Community, Humor(and I use the term loosely), Sports, Entertainment and whatever else threads. It's taxing business battling woo all day, and you should also relax and get to know some of the folks here when they've taken on their Super Skeptic capes and are relaxing.

[cafetimes1991]

Thanks for your post, Foolmewunz.
Yes, I'm seventeen actually lol. I'm taking things slowly at the moment, and have started threads looking for introductions to things like vaccines etc.

[JihadJane]

Well it's hard to tell in this day and age .

Welcome to all you Newb's

I blame it on the Sixties.

[Pugilist]

Hello JREF!

I spent the first twelve years of my life in little town called Valdez Alaska, and have spent the next nineteen in the madness of Sacramento California, (Schwarzenegger, tomatoes etc)

I am highly skeptical of just about everything, but at the same time respectful of other peoples beliefs as long as they are respectful of mine.

I love current events, international relations, boxing, science, religious discussions and many other things.

I am religiously agnostic and politically Independent.

Looking forward to meeting some interesting folks!

- Cheers!

[Rainman]

Hello everyone, just popping in to say hello. My mom lurks on this site quite often and has found this site to be... Well in one word "funny". With all the great thinkers who know how to make a good joke of something.

Just looking for some good laughs and to critique those who need it.

I do believe in meditation... In that "in the moment thinking".

Anyways hope I enjoy my stay here.

[Bella Mortis]

Hi, all!

I came across this forum while reading one of the many skeptic/atheist blogs around the internet. I'm happy to say that I've been a skeptical freethinker since I was fifteen or sixteen, with a leaning towards secular humanism. It definitely makes me the "black sheep" of my family, most of which are Christian conservatives. I've spent the last eight years learning that my views aren't all that strange, and that there are many people like me if I look in the right places. I'm also a crazy bisexual cat lady who is currently going to school so I can be either a librarian or English Writing professor. Oddly enough, this puts me even more at odds with my family. Who knew?

Anyway, I can't wait to explore even more of this forum, since what I've seen already makes me feel like I've found a sort of home. :D

[Foolmewunz]

Hi, all!

I came across this forum while reading one of the many skeptic/atheist blogs around the internet. I'm happy to say that I've been a skeptical freethinker since I was fifteen or sixteen, with a leaning towards secular humanism. It definitely makes me the "black sheep" of my family, most of which are Christian conservatives. I've spent the last eight years learning that my views aren't all that strange, and that there are many people like me if I look in the right places. I'm also a crazy bisexual cat lady who is currently going to school so I can be either a librarian or English Writing professor. Oddly enough, this puts me even more at odds with my family. Who knew?

Anyway, I can't wait to explore even more of this forum, since what I've seen already makes me feel like I've found a sort of home. :D

Yawn! Another crazy bisexual cat lady wannabe librarian-cum-writing teacher? Must be Thursday, I guess.
:spjimlad:

Welcome Bella Mortis. I'm always intrigued by this "black sheep" thing. I came from a family of non-conformists in a social circle of non-conformists, so if you weren't a black sheep you were the black sheep, so to speak.
Are you on speaking terms with the family? Do they accept you, finally, or is it still a battle? (Add your own nosy questions - just get us answers!)

Stroll around the grounds and make yourself comfortable. There's a little something for everyone (of a skeptic bent). We highly recommend (and recommend it often) dropping in on Forum Community or some of the other Members Only areas. You'll see the lighter side of some of the battlers on the specific skeptical sub-forums.

Welcome once again....

[COLONEL]

Thanks for your post, Foolmewunz.
Yes, I'm seventeen actually lol. I'm taking things slowly at the moment, and have started threads looking for introductions to things like vaccines etc. Well then we will need a note from your parents before you can do any more posting and being a minor you will have to wait until you are 18 to have the goats milk or the Graymans out meal cookies , As we can not be held responsable as to what might happen ,but you can have a Mintie
Welcome to the forum

[shandyjan]

Welcome aboard to the new posters. Also fancied a mintie. :D

[Bella Mortis]

Yawn! Another crazy bisexual cat lady wannabe librarian-cum-writing teacher? Must be Thursday, I guess.
:spjimlad:

Welcome Bella Mortis. I'm always intrigued by this "black sheep" thing. I came from a family of non-conformists in a social circle of non-conformists, so if you weren't a black sheep you were the black sheep, so to speak.
Are you on speaking terms with the family? Do they accept you, finally, or is it still a battle? (Add your own nosy questions - just get us answers!)

Stroll around the grounds and make yourself comfortable. There's a little something for everyone (of a skeptic bent). We highly recommend (and recommend it often) dropping in on Forum Community or some of the other Members Only areas. You'll see the lighter side of some of the battlers on the specific skeptical sub-forums.

Welcome once again....

I could never get the hang of Thursdays. :D

As for family relations, I'm still on good terms with all of them. I just never touch the "taboo" subjects of politics, religion, and sexuality. I know better, especially after I mentioned possibly wanting to move to Europe someday to my Grandmother and received a lengthy impassioned patriotic speech. :eek: Either way, I tend to group around nonconformists myself, so it's kind of like building a family separate from blood.

Anyway, thanks for the warm welcome! I'm sure I'll think of nosy questions at some point, but I'm still getting used to it all.

[Andrew Wiggin]

Hi. I've been lurking here for quite some time, watching the various discussions, and decided to join the fun. I'm a proud and un-conflicted atheist, and was lucky enough to have understanding parents who didn't try to indoctrinate me into any particular set of beliefs. I spent a lot of my childhood examining various religions to see if there was any truth to be found there, and came to the conclusion that there was enough conflict and enough of an ulterior motive amongst those urging me to believe to make all the stories equally unlikely. I realized that leading an ethical life did not require the belief in an invisible supervisory figure, and that ethical behavior for logical reasons was just as or more virtuous than ethical behavior prompted by fear of punishment.

I've spent a good chunk of life as a perpetual student and nomad, looking for a good way to live my life, and after a varied and diverse trip through the curriculum including biology, art, and engineering I discovered medicine and social work. I've spent most of my subsequent career working in emergency medicine, and recently have begun working with addiction, where I get a very direct opportunity to help my fellow man with one of the many traps that derail mankind's ethical development. I'm currently managing a small addiction treatment center in the midwest on the night shift.

I've got lots of interests, including medieval history, western martial arts, philosophy, logic, anthropology, and general geekiness. I post everywhere from the emergency medicine blogs to engineering forums like 'hack-a-day'

I probably should have posted here first but ended up following my urges and jumping in on some fun threads in religion. Sometimes the urge to point out the fallacies in certain trains of 'logic' just gets too great to resist. Hope I'm not trolling too hard.

Andrew

[Bob from NJ]

Hi! I'm new to this site. My fav podcast is the "Skeptics Guide to the Universe"- Been into science (and SF) my whole life---

Might not "fit in" here cause I still believe in God. . .

I think the "creation/evolution" debate is a poisonous absurdity- believers need to adapt to what science has proven and admit that they're making the old "Geocentric"-type of mistake all over again...

[Ignatowski]

Hello. I've been lurking here for a long time and finally decided to get my first post out of the way.

Thanks for a great site.

And now, back to the lurking.

[Femke]

Andrew, Bob, Ignatowski,

:welcome2
So good of you to join us. Please come in, take off those coats and have any of the forum refreshments the others will shortly offer you. Pull up a thread of your liking, sit down, relax and enjoy the debate.

Femke

[CelticRose]

Hi! I'm new to this site. My fav podcast is the "Skeptics Guide to the Universe"- Been into science (and SF) my whole life---

Might not "fit in" here cause I still believe in God. . .

I think the "creation/evolution" debate is a poisonous absurdity- believers need to adapt to what science has proven and admit that they're making the old "Geocentric"-type of mistake all over again...
Welcome, Bob from NJ! :)

A few of us on this site, myself included, believe in God. We still manage to fit in.

[amb]

Hello. I've been lurking here for a long time and finally decided to get my first post out of the way.

Thanks for a great site.

And now, back to the lurking.

Don't lie. You came here to grab a handful of Minties and Grayman's oatmeal cookies didn't you?
Welcome just the same. :p :)

[BobG]

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/339224a8a238bc42d5.gif (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=17342)

[hcmom]

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/339224a8a238bc42d5.gif (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=17342)

Did you pass?

[plong]

Hi Celticrose, there are people with all sorts of different views posting on the site which is what makes it so great. You should definitely throw in your views and reasons for why you believe and why it is important to you. The whole point about critical thinking is looking for new evidence to challenge your current views (whatever they are) and see if someone can shed extra light on your own thinking.

[CelticRose]

Hi Celticrose, there are people with all sorts of different views posting on the site which is what makes it so great. You should definitely throw in your views and reasons for why you believe and why it is important to you. The whole point about critical thinking is looking for new evidence to challenge your current views (whatever they are) and see if someone can shed extra light on your own thinking.
Hello, plong.

I've expressed my views on religion (I assume that's what you're referring to) a few times on this site when I've felt that there's a serious discussion of the issue and not just a dogpile on all non-atheists.

You'll soon learn that there are people on this site who attack religious people just for having religious beliefs. One learns to choose carefully which threads to post in.

[Logeek]

Hello, new here. I was doing a search on conspiracy theory husbands driving me nuts and found this board. Look forward to looking around.

[Prometheus]

Hello, new here. I was doing a search on conspiracy theory husbands driving me nuts and found this board. Look forward to looking around.

You know about the vast worldwide conspiracy of husbands deliberately driving their wives nuts with false conspiracy theories, don't you? :rolleyes:

Anyway, welcome!

[amb]

Hello, new here. I was doing a search on conspiracy theory husbands driving me nuts and found this board. Look forward to looking around.

Welcome aboard Logeek. I suppose you hubby still thinks Armstrong didn't land on the moon, or that Elvis is alive and well eating a burger in some restaurant as I type.
And it was the Jews responsible for 9/11, not islam. :p :p

[Foolmewunz]

Hello, new here. I was doing a search on conspiracy theory husbands driving me nuts and found this board. Look forward to looking around.

Well, we seem to be winning this particular war. One of the hubbies dropped in for a while, but mostly they would rather go off and preach to the choir of their fellow conspiradroids, only leaving us with new Skepchick JREFForum members.

(Rule 18: Skepchicks are cool and don't you forget it!)

Yeah we had a couple of such threads recently. One didn't turn out so good as it spun off into a battle of lack-of-wits with the hubby in question.

Welcome aboard Logeek. You don't have to just b***h about your hubby, though. Take a stroll around and check out some of the sub-forums. I always say, "There's something for everyone, here".

[arthwollipot]

I've got lots of interests, including medieval history, western martial arts...Hey dude! Say hi to the forum's resident medievalist!

Pictures of me:

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_433249afbbd37e6e6.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=15528)

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_43324a79425128a33.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=17125)



http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_43324a840aa6658c9.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=17217)

[mspenard]

Hi All,
Signed up a while ago, but I'm a newbie. Besides Skepticism my areas of interest expertise are philosophy of mind, cog.sci. and computer science. And in from New Hampshire, and would be interesting in knowing other jref members in the area.

[Foolmewunz]

Welcome, MSPENARD.... You're not that guy with the gun in Manchester a couple of weeks ago?

Welcome aboard. I can see you've already delved into one of the science threads... more proof that there's a little something for everyone here, folks!



Check out the Forum Community thread. We can all name one New Hampshireite (New Hampshirean? New Hampshirese?) for sure, KittyNH.

I believe Shemp's from up in that area, too, but we try not to mention his name in any thread where we've also mentioned goats.

[JihadJane]

Welcome aboard Logeek. I suppose you hubby still thinks Armstrong didn't land on the moon, or that Elvis is alive and well eating a burger in some restaurant as I type.
And it was the Jews responsible for 9/11, not islam. :p :p

Islam was responsible for 911??

Further proof that, however strange your theories, you'll find a home at JREF.

[banner001]

n00b coming through...nothing to see here folks...:)

[arthwollipot]

Woah! What was that?

[amb]

Don't know! it flashed past at the speed of sound. All I heard was a whoosh. :)

[Theepilepsyguy]

Introduce myself ..is the the believers annonymous room? Hi I am Rick and I am a non believer , I prefer science and hard nosed proof. Especially when it comes to E.S.P
Psycokenesis , ...and other archaic jokes and pranks to be pulled on others.

As you can probably tell by my screen name that I have epilepsy. And thats my field where I like to try and get rid of old myths , misbeliefs and just plain flat out lies about epilepsy.
Im glad I found this site. In this crazy world we need to find SOME sanity and reason..Sanctuary , Sanctuary..Oops sorry had a Quasimodo moment there.

I hope to make alot of reasonable , some bright intelligent people here with I.Q's bigger than dry roasted peanuts. I look forward to chatting and exchanging ideas.

[Foolmewunz]

Quasimodo....? Quaismodo....? Hmmm... can't remember the face but the name rings a bell.

Welcome, Theepilepsyguy. I believe we have a couple of other members who have epilepsy - not that it's a constant topic of conversation, but it has come up. I think you'll find some interesting conversations.

(pause)

Ooops - I see you've got a thread going already - good on ya.
If you need help getting links posted and such, we have no rules against assisting newbies to link stuff (we won't show you the sooper sekret handshake or tell you where we keep the cookies, but we can help you link to useful sites that you need in order to continue a discussion).

[COLONEL]

n00b coming through...nothing to see here folks...:)
What kind of intro is this? No minties,goatsmilk or cookies for you
to the rest of you newB's welcome and help your selves to the milk and cookies and a mintie.

[Kafka]

Hi Everyone!

Like many others, I imagine, I was drawn here by the conspiracy theory forums. In my little way, I've spent the last couple years arguing against the twoofers. What I've found most infuriating has not been their actual numbers - indeed they are quite a small group - rather the lack of critical thinking on ALL sides (obviously excluding the activities of the people here). Of course, the lack of critical thought from twoofers stems from the teleological pull of their beliefs and their subsequent selective interpretation of evidence.

However, what's been more frustrating for me has been the apathy-driven lack of critical thinking of many who believe in the official story. I suppose this is more of a general social criticism than one directly germane to this issue. But still, I find it quite aggravating every time (and it happens far too often) someone approaches me with the Loose Change talking points, and says, 'Wow, I just saw this film last night which asked some fascinating questions and really made me think'. I mean, I'm not expecting them to trot out the PM evidentiary rebuttals, but can't one remove themselves just long enough to spot the loads of internal inconsistencies within the "speculations" of the film - not to mention its absolute unwillingness to engage the subject matter scientifically and generate alternative testable theories?

Meh, I guess this isn't much of an introductory thread. I had to get that out of my system, I suppose. I had a good buddy come to me with this twoofer dreck a couple weeks ago, and I had to spend the better part of a couple nights taking down his points, one by one. It was in the process of preparing for this endeavor that I discovered these forums. You guys have done a tremendous job on this front, and I am glad to finally register and participate. Who knows, I might even explore those other forums as well. :-)

[banner001]

What kind of intro is this? No minties,goatsmilk or cookies for you
to the rest of you newB's welcome and help your selves to the milk and cookies and a mintie.

ill just take the titties and beer instead :D

[Kermassa]

Hi!
I'm a swede mostly interested in discussing conspiracy theories. My main topic for the moment is the 9/11 WTC collapses. But I will probably be seen in most parts of the forum.

Feel free to ignore my crappy English. :o

[COLONEL]

Hi!
I'm a swede mostly interested in discussing conspiracy theories. My main topic for the moment is the 9/11 WTC collapses. But I will probably be seen in most parts of the forum.

Feel free to ignore my crappy English. :o I see nothing wrong with your English . Welcome to the forum.

[Kermassa]

I see nothing wrong with your English . Welcome to the forum.

Thanks. Just wait until I start debating and won't have time for doublechecking. ;) I'm a bit of a perfectionist, but I guess I'll outgrow it. :rolleyes:

[absit woo]

Hi to all.. Just wanted to say hello.

How to i upload a picture for my avatar?

Oh and google freethinkersbible for my blog

[Fiona]

You have to have 50 posts for an Ava, I think,absit woo. You can do that anywhere but we do have some very helpful members who have made threads which have no other purpose than boosting post count. See what takes your fancy in forum community (no, you can write but you cannot touch!!)

Be welcome :)

[COLONEL]

Thanks. Just wait until I start debating and won't have time for doublechecking. ;) I'm a bit of a perfectionist, but I guess I'll outgrow it. :rolleyes: Good luck on that, I'm older than dirt and I'm still a perfectionist. it drives my wife crazy sometimes.

[svarog]

Hello! :)

This place is rich with resources.

As a young teenager I was a bit sucker for, say, pseudoscience and
fringe. Not much, but it seemed that it might be really something
there. For instance: some things Daniken was describing seemed so
exciting and somewhat plausible. Even at that time I could not believe
his aliens, but still it seemed there are some interesting mysteries.
Oh well, it was quite a disappointment realizing that there is
nothing. Anyway, the world would be more interesting with some of
those (yeti/Atlantis/ESP/ancient accurate maps/aliens/...).

[Temecula]

Hello all.

I've already made ~20 posts, mostly regarding (and apologizing for) the fact that I was a 9/11 CT'r from the original LC forums. I have only been a 'skeptic' for a couple of years, and like many skeptics I am an atheist. I grew up quite poor (and christian) in southeast Michigan and now live in relative comfort in southeast Missouri. I am 33, male, married, somewhat Caucasian. I have never been to Temecula, CA or any further west than Lincoln, NE. I used to post on the LC forums and eventually was a moderator there under the name HotDogBun, a name i used frequently on the internets for many years. I frequently listen to many skeptical podcasts and I have been browsing and occasionally referencing the JREF forum for over a year prior to registering. I can hardly wait to have an avatar and signature.

[Mr. Skinny]

Hello! :)

This place is rich with resources.

As a young teenager I was a bit sucker for, say, pseudoscience and
fringe. Not much, but it seemed that it might be really something
there. For instance: some things Daniken was describing seemed so
exciting and somewhat plausible. Even at that time I could not believe
his aliens, but still it seemed there are some interesting mysteries.
Oh well, it was quite a disappointment realizing that there is
nothing. Anyway, the world would be more interesting with some of
those (yeti/Atlantis/ESP/ancient accurate maps/aliens/...).
Welcome.

Back in the 70's I was starting to believe some of the von Daniken stuff, was fascinated by Kirlian photography etc.

Luckily, I was in engineering school at the time, and as I learned my physics, thermodynamics, strength of materials, etc. I was able to begin sorting fact from fiction.

Hope you enjoy your stay.

Hello all.

I've already made ~20 posts, mostly regarding (and apologizing for) the fact that I was a 9/11 CT'r from the original LC forums. I have only been a 'skeptic' for a couple of years, and like many skeptics I am an atheist. I grew up quite poor (and christian) in southeast Michigan and now live in relative comfort in southeast Missouri. I am 33, male, married, somewhat Caucasian. I have never been to Temecula, CA or any further west than Lincoln, NE. I used to post on the LC forums and eventually was a moderator there under the name HotDogBun, a name i used frequently on the internets for many years. I frequently listen to many skeptical podcasts and I have been browsing and occasionally referencing the JREF forum for over a year prior to registering. I can hardly wait to have an avatar and signature.
Good to see you here, Temecula

I've already read your posts in the CT section. Sorry to hear about your personal problems at the time you were getting sucked into the CT stuff. Glad you made your way back to reality.

Oh, and I suggest ignoring Bill Smith. :D

[bookitty]

Hello.
Have been haunting these forums for a while, reading new threads, going back over some of the older ones. I must say, you are the most patient and kind people I've ever seen. No matter how many times a ridiculous premise is revived, many will take the time to carefully spell out a more rational way of viewing it. And then be ignored. And then try again.

From the sidelines, watching the irrational premise unfold gets almost unbearable. Like watching a horror movie but instead of "Don't go in the basement!" it more like "Oh please don't change the wording and offer the same arguement!" or "No! You're dodging the real question!" (Of course, there is that sense of justice when the argument is finally hacked to pieces with a metaphoric chainsaw.)

It's provided me hours of entertainment and I may have borrowed a few choice phrases for my mental rolodex of potential responses. Thank you. I hope to return the favor some day.

Oh me? Bookdealer, agnostic, 3rd generation Valley Girl who doesn't correct minor typos.

[Mr. Skinny]

Hello.
Have been haunting these forums for a while, reading new threads, going back over some of the older ones. I must say, you are the most patient and kind people I've ever seen. No matter how many times a ridiculous premise is revived, many will take the time to carefully spell out a more rational way of viewing it. And then be ignored. And then try again.

From the sidelines, watching the irrational premise unfold gets almost unbearable. Like watching a horror movie but instead of "Don't go in the basement!" it more like "Oh please don't change the wording and offer the same arguement!" or "No! You're dodging the real question!" (Of course, there is that sense of justice when the argument is finally hacked to pieces with a metaphoric chainsaw.)

It's provided me hours of entertainment and I may have borrowed a few choice phrases for my mental rolodex of potential responses. Thank you. I hope to return the favor some day.

Oh me? Bookdealer, agnostic, 3rd generation Valley Girl who doesn't correct minor typos.
Hi, bookitty.

That's probably one of the most complimentary posts I've ever read about this forum. I just wish it were all true.

I suppose if you stay away from the Politics and Conspiracy Theory sub-forums you (hopefully) get that impression.

Let's just say I think we still have a long way to go.

Nevertheless, it's good to see that your general impression is favorable.

Skinny

[svarog]

Welcome.

Back in the 70's I was starting to believe some of the von Daniken stuff, was fascinated by Kirlian photography etc.

Luckily, I was in engineering school at the time, and as I learned my physics, thermodynamics, strength of materials, etc. I was able to begin sorting fact from fiction.

Hope you enjoy your stay.

Thanks for the welcome.
Very very nice place you have here :) :)

[amb]

Thanks for the welcome.
Very very nice place you have here :) :)

You may change your mind when the goat starts annoying you. By the way, have you any overdue library books lying around? If so, kindly return them ASAP.

Meanwhile, relax, have a cup of coffee with a dash of goats milk, and some oatmeal cookies just baked by the Grayman and his brother the Colonel.

[antrim]

Glad I could join. i've often heard randi mention toronto. I love levitation illusions and know about 20 of them.

[Femke]

Hi antrim,

Welcome to the forum, have some goats milk and oatmeal cookies, and if you see the goat wandering by, just give it a pat and levitate to a thread of your choice.
Enjoy!

[microdot]

Greetings and felicitations from the UK :D

I happened upon these forums quite by accident after checking out visitors to one of my websites.

I'm into NLP :duck: which has given rise to some interesting discussions here on JREF.

When I'm tired of dodging the bullets in the more skeptical forums I'm spending a little time relaxing in the Computers & Internet forum. I'm inclined to believe that my posts therein are likely to be more kindly received as I've been working in I.T. for 18+ years.

This is certainly an interesting place to be :)

[amb]

What's NLP? Sounds like a political party. If it's woo, it certainly will get attention here.
We have a woo meter for that. :D

[Tinyal]

I should introduce myself.
I've been lurking these Boards the last few weeks, doing what I could to get a sense of the people - and conversations - that are available here. From my brief experience , this appears a excellent online community, varied and colorful, with an equally varied population of users intelligent, well-informed, thoughtful and provocative. A healthy sprinkling of theists and (lets face it) outright fanatics from every spectrum round out the mix, as far as I can tell.
I have considered myself atheist for a few years (much more so these last 3 years) - some have suggested a better description for me would be 'ignostic' atheist. I won't bore you with the mundane features of my life (ie, I'm married to wonderful lady, gainfully & generally happily employed in the education industry as a network administrator or computer geek <depending on who you ask>, after spending two decades bouncing between the professional Theater and Hospitality industries - a study in opposites.) A favorite site of mine these last few months has been orange-papers.org/menu1.html , which may reveal some of my current musings.
To the Mods & Owners, thank you for providing this site - to everyone, I look forward to meeting many of you online.
Tinyal

[Cynic]

Hello all -- I'm Cynic. If anyone here happens to know me from other boards, yes, I'm that Cynic. If you don't, I must be a different Cynic.

[quarky]

Hello all.

I've already made ~20 posts, mostly regarding (and apologizing for) the fact that I was a 9/11 CT'r from the original LC forums. I have only been a 'skeptic' for a couple of years, and like many skeptics I am an atheist. I grew up quite poor (and christian) in southeast Michigan and now live in relative comfort in southeast Missouri. I am 33, male, married, somewhat Caucasian. I have never been to Temecula, CA or any further west than Lincoln, NE. I used to post on the LC forums and eventually was a moderator there under the name HotDogBun, a name i used frequently on the internets for many years. I frequently listen to many skeptical podcasts and I have been browsing and occasionally referencing the JREF forum for over a year prior to registering. I can hardly wait to have an avatar and signature.

I used to live in Van Buren. Poplar Bluff was our big city. I've since moved to a much smaller city. Van Buren was the county seat (Carter County, Mo.), and with 700 people, a bit too crowded.

[microdot]

What's NLP?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=nlp

[arthwollipot]

Hey Microdot. Cool name. I remember a boardgame from many years back that involved looking up messages coded in microdot.

Hey Tinyal. Hey Cynic. Please enjoy your stay.

[Stardust]

This is my first post :eek:

I love reading these forums - there are so many interesting topics to read and learn from.

There are some really smart cookies out here :eye-poppi

[microdot]

Hey Microdot. Cool name. I remember a boardgame from many years back that involved looking up messages coded in microdot.

Thanks very much :D

I've noticed you around and your name is one that certainly sticks in my mind.

Can I ask about it's origin?

[soar]

Well hello there.

[TheBigKahuna]

I'm here to learn more to help me fight 9/11 truther silliness. Gravy is my hero, that guy has done more singlehandly to debunk 9/11 BS than anyone else I've seen. I just hope I can keep up with the rest of you here and contribute something worthwhile.:)

[Femke]

Hello Stardust, microdot, soar, TheBigKahuna,

:welcome2

How good of you to join us. Have a glass of goats milk and some cookies, maybe a mintie, and make yourselves at home. Be sure to return your library books in time, and if you see the goat, give it a friendly pat.

Femke

[absit woo]

Hi there.. I just wanted to say that I am new and that any free thinkers can follow me on twitter, I am 3thinkersbible.. You will find details on twitter about my blog The freethinkersbible. It is at freethinkersbible.blogspot on it there are regular science news updates as well as other sceptical posts and atheist posts.. As part of the freethinkersbible there is a forum that's at freethinkersbibleforum.blogspot. I stream The atheist experience live on a sunday for those sick of Ustream's chat and I am streaming the shuttle discovery mission LIVE constantly.

Thanks

[arthwollipot]

Thanks very much :D

I've noticed you around and your name is one that certainly sticks in my mind.

Can I ask about it's origin?Yes, you can.










Oh, wait. Okay. It's basically a pronounceable nonsense word, one of a set of four that a friend of mine once came up with under the influence of Pink Floyd and... herbal... substances. The other three words of the set are Illiuanthetamon, Dullpfeckingquoi and Gfogtamok. Arthwollipot was the one that I thought would suit best as a nick. So far as I can tell it is absolutely unique on the internet, which means that if you Google it, ever hit will be something to do with me. Not that I suggest you try it though.

[amb]

Well hello there.

Hello to you too! Welcome to probably the best forum of it's type on the whole Internet. Look around for yourself, I'm sure you'll agree.
Anyway, sit back and enjoy the ride. :)

[souper genyus]

Hello! Glad to join the JREF forums. Some have you have probably seen me around on RichardDawkins.net or CARM.

Seems like a great place.

[Bloodtoes]

Hi! I've been keen on the JREF for some time but never considered joining the forums until now. I usually end up being quite active in forums that I join so I'll see y'all around.

[hcmom]

Hi! I've been keen on the JREF for some time but never considered joining the forums until now. I usually end up being quite active in forums that I join so I'll see y'all around.

It's been 20 minutes, and you've only made two posts? Slacker!! :halo:

[COLONEL]

Boy just look at all the new B's, First of all welcome and I see Femke has given you your instuctions ,so all should be well. Some of you seem to be slacking so get going and start posting

[microdot]

Yes, you can.

OK, tell me about it's origin then :)

[arthwollipot]

OK, tell me about it's origin then :) Okay. It's basically a pronounceable nonsense word, one of a set of four that a friend of mine once came up with under the influence of Pink Floyd and... herbal... substances. The other three words of the set are Illiuanthetamon, Dullpfeckingquoi and Gfogtamok. Arthwollipot was the one that I thought would suit best as a nick. So far as I can tell it is absolutely unique on the internet, which means that if you Google it, ever hit will be something to do with me. Not that I suggest you try it though.Deja vu. the unnerving sensation that you have been somewhere, or done something, before.

[amb]

Deja vu. I have that feeling every morning these cold days. I ask myself. 'Didn't I just do this yesterday morning?'

[CompusMentus]

Popped in and out hereabouts for a long time. Felt the urge now to indulge a little.

My main lurk-stations were the millionaire challenge and the CT sections. I hope I can make some positive contributions to some of the intelligent debates that go on here.

Compus

[microdot]

...under the influence of Pink Floyd and... herbal... substances.

Love the Floyd :D:D:D

[Horatius]

which means that if you Google it, ever hit will be something to do with me. Not that I suggest you try it though.

Deja vu. the unnerving sensation that you have been somewhere, or done something, before.



I tired it.


I gave up after three pages; you win.



:)

[CelticRose]

which means that if you Google it, ever hit will be something to do with me. Not that I suggest you try it though.

Deja vu. the unnerving sensation that you have been somewhere, or done something, before.



I tired it.


I gave up after three pages; you win.



:)
Wow! :eye-poppi 52,400 results on Google. Impressive.

[SusanB-M1]

I love reading the Welcome page - always so many interesting people joining ... and, of course, being warmly welcomed.


(By the way, the tap-shoed feet are not mine ... although I do tap dance!)

[amb]

Are your shoes as pretty as them?

[arthwollipot]

Wow! :eye-poppi 52,400 results on Google. Impressive.Goodness gracious me! I just found myself quoted in a thesis!

Even though computer games with avatars are sometimes referred to as computer roleplaying
games (CRPGs), many do not consider them role-playing at all. Neither Rilstone nor
Mackay’s definition allows for the inclusion of computer games. Furthermore, Gary Gygax,
co-creator of D&D, claims that there are distinct differences between tabletop and CRPGs.
When asked about the effect of computer games on role-playing, Gygax answered, “As to
what computer games have done to role-playing, virtually nothing. The so-called CRPG isn't
role-playing” (Keefer).
Those who play both computer and tabletop games also make this distinction. When I
posed the question on a roleplayers’ blog, asking the differences between computer and
tabletop RPGs, the fifteen users who responded agreed that there were major differences
between the two forms and that playing both met different needs. Livejournal user utforsker
states “different needs are fulfilled by each” (gwenifyre). And tikki_tikki2000 agrees that
“you play each one for different reasons” (gwenifyre). Livejournal user arthwollipot advises,
“don't think of crpgs as roleplaying - think of them just as computer games and you'll be
fine” (gwenifyre).Source: JENNIFER ANN GROULING. Tabletop Role-Playing Games: Perspectives from
Narrative, Game, and Rhetorical Theory. (Under the direction of David Herman and David
Rieder.) (http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/theses/available/etd-03262005-191219/unrestricted/etd.pdf)

I don't recall saying that, but it is certainly the kind of thing that I would say.

[Marius vanderLubbe]

Yes, you can.










Oh, wait. Okay. It's basically a pronounceable nonsense word, one of a set of four that a friend of mine once came up with under the influence of Pink Floyd and... herbal... substances. The other three words of the set are Illiuanthetamon, Dullpfeckingquoi and Gfogtamok. Arthwollipot was the one that I thought would suit best as a nick. So far as I can tell it is absolutely unique on the internet, which means that if you Google it, ever hit will be something to do with me. Not that I suggest you try it though.


It may have once been a googlewhackblat (http://www.geek-central.gen.nz/googlewhackblatt.html), but no more, I am afraid,

[Prometheus]

Wow! :eye-poppi 52,400 results on Google. Impressive.

Bah (http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=arthwollipot&word2=Prometheus)!

[CelticRose]

Wow! :eye-poppi 52,400 results on Google. Impressive.

Bah (http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=arthwollipot&word2=Prometheus)!
Where do they get their numbers from? Those aren't the results I got.

Although you still win. ;)

[PaulJ]

I'm into NLP :duck: which has given rise to some interesting discussions here on JREF.

What's NLP? Sounds like a political party. If it's woo, it certainly will get attention here.
We have a woo meter for that. :D

Derren Brown has some interesting things to say about NLP (neurolinguistic programming) in his book Tricks of the Mind. (But any discussion should probably not take place on this thread... :D )

[warhelmet]

I am warhelmet. Some of you may already be aware of my existence.

[arthwollipot]

It may have once been a googlewhackblat (http://www.geek-central.gen.nz/googlewhackblatt.html), but no more, I am afraid,Not for a long time, I'm afraid.

And warhelmet, allow me to show you my warhelmet (http://aaf.org.au/gallery/kit/andrew/viking/vendelhelmet)!

(safe for work)

[amb]

I am warhelmet. Some of you may already be aware of my existence.

Of course I'm aware of your existence. After all, it was I who created you. :p

[bleechers1]

I have been committed to critical analysis and valid skepticism since my college days (some 20 years ago)... but I am quick to start such inquiries without what I call "pre-conclusions" in mind.

That is, if objective analysis isn't leading where I thought (or hoped) I try to let reason take me where it wants to go without forcing a conclusion on it. No, not terribly unique... but it doesn't hurt to keep reminding myself!

:D

[SusanB-M1]

Are your shoes as pretty as them?

Welll, no! But they are extremely comfortable, being very flexible with a soft arch, not a rigid one. This makes it much easier to keep heels off the floor when they should be.

(And here followeth 'too much information'!!...In fact tomorrow I am going with another of our group to Woolston, at the eastern side of Southampton, to the shop where I bought them, because she wants a pair the same.)

[Marduk]

Not for a long time, I'm afraid.

And warhelmet, allow me to show you my warhelmet (http://aaf.org.au/gallery/kit/andrew/viking/vendelhelmet)!

(safe for work)

I had a helmet
http://www.sheshen-eceni.co.uk/images/meskalamdug%20helmet%20tk2%2001.JPG
the US army told me it was stolen but yanno, it was later found in the museum vault
:boggled:

[arthwollipot]

I had a helmet
http://www.sheshen-eceni.co.uk/images/meskalamdug%20helmet%20tk2%2001.JPG
the US army told me it was stolen but yanno, it was later found in the museum vault
:boggled:I made mine from flat sheet steel. :D

[amb]

Welll, no! But they are extremely comfortable, being very flexible with a soft arch, not a rigid one. This makes it much easier to keep heels off the floor when they should be.

(And here followeth 'too much information'!!...In fact tomorrow I am going with another of our group to Woolston, at the eastern side of Southampton, to the shop where I bought them, because she wants a pair the same.)

I find Hush Puppies to be about the most comfortable shoes on the planet.

[Null]

Greetings JREF! I'm a college student with a major in game design and development. As far as this board is concerned, I am an atheist and am critical of many conspiracy theories. I also look forward to discussing politics within the secular realm. See you around!

[amb]

Welcome Null. Come right in, make yourself at home, have a glass of freshly milked goats milk and some cookies and some Minties. If you happen to run into the goat, just give it a pat or two. Hope you enjoy yourself here. :p

[waxberry]

I'm new to the forums so I thought I'd drop in and say hi on here :)
I've been lurking around here for quite a while already. I figured it would be cool to join the discussions and broaden my knowledge.



www(dot)jamesmaybe(dot)com/blog/baby-youre-a-wrecking-ball-crashing-into-me/

[Mr. Skinny]

Welcome, waxberry!

[Homo bibiens]

Hi everyone. I am a refugee from BAUT.

[JuliaDay13]

My name is Julia, I'm 32 and I live in Austin, Texas. Just wanted to say hello and introduce myself. I used to subscribe to the Skeptical Inquirer back in 97 but got bored with Bigfoot and Roswell and kind of forgot about skeptical issues for a while. Not always having reliable internet access didn't help either. Anyway after recently discovering a bunch of skeptical podcasts that I've been catching up on while working temp jobs I've become reobsessed. Seems like this forum gets mentioned a lot so here I am. Hey! What's up?

[arthwollipot]

Welcome all newbies. Keep listening to those podcasts! :D

[Femke]

Hi Waxberry, homo bibiens, JuliaDay13,

:welcome5
Please come in, and settle yourselves in a nice thread of your taste. The choice may be overwhelming, but there are always friendly neighbourhood posters to show you the way if you get lost. Don't hesitate to ask.
There must be some fresh goats milk left (if you see the goat, give it a pat), amb will provide some minties, Grayman just made his famous oatmeal cookies, and maybe LibraryLady will stop by, so be sure to return your books in time.
Enjoy!

[amb]

Hi everyone. I am a refugee from BAUT.

Welcome. Excuse my ignorance. But what's BAUT?