Welcome new Members! Introduce yourselves here!

[Darat]

:welcome4

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

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

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

Have fun!

[Darat]

And remember you can always check out all the past introductions and welcome messages in the original "Welcome new posters! Introduce yourselves here! (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=4665)" thread.

[COLONEL]

I just don't know about some of these NewB's AMB

[amb]

Yes Colonel. With some, you give an inch, but they demand a mile. :)

[Soapy Sam]

Right! All you RDF new bugs! Don't stand in the door. You'll be trampled. Move along.
Pick up your hamster, your instruction leaflets and your copy of THE VIDEO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5Amy0ScBtQ
And STOP SNIVELLING! You're not in bloody Oxford any more, Toto.
See matron about some dry trousers.
You boy! What are you chewing? Spit him out at once and move along!

Good grief. It's like being back at St.Custards...

[BrewnSki]

I have been lurking here since about 2002 when Randi gave a talk at my College, and finally decided it's time to stop creepily reading over everyones shoulder and join the forum.

Sorry no witty banter for my first post.

[Mr. Skinny]

Sorry no witty banter for my first post.
Away with you then !!!!:)



Welcome to the forum. Glad you quit your disgusting, creepy behavior.

[LibraryLady]

I have been lurking here since about 2002 when Randi gave a talk at my College, and finally decided it's time to stop creepily reading over everyones shoulder and join the forum.

Sorry no witty banter for my first post.

That was you?

[COLONEL]

I have been lurking here since about 2002 when Randi gave a talk at my College, and finally decided it's time to stop creepily reading over everyones shoulder and join the forum.

Sorry no witty banter for my first post. So you're the one . Welcome to the forum and I will let AMB give you the milk and cookies

[amb]

No, no. Grayman has the cookies. I have the minties. Please pay attention Colonel.

Whatever happened to the goat? Shemp hasn't been seen around here has he?

[quadraginta]

Whatever happened to the goat? Shemp hasn't been seen around here has he?


Shemp was last seen soliciting barbecue recipes at the Spanish Market.







(Well ... he was soliciting something. :boggled:)

[B1 Bummer]

Hello. This is very interesting forum, so I thought I might like to post something now and then. I hope not to offend, for a gentleman never offends anyone unintentionally.

[COLONEL]

Hello. This is very interesting forum, so I thought I might like to post something now and then. I hope not to offend, for a gentleman never offends anyone unintentionally.
Welcome as long as you don't harras the goat I will not be offended

[Femke]

Hello. This is very interesting forum, so I thought I might like to post something now and then. I hope not to offend, for a gentleman never offends anyone unintentionally.

:welcome2, by all means, Sir. So, you are a gentleman? Evidence? :D

Would you be so kind as to take off your hat, and park your umbrella in the stand, before you unintentionally hurt anyone with it?
Can I offer some refreshments? The goats milk should be fresh, there are always cookies and Minties, and please take a hamster, fresh from the grill.

And after that, the goat might be along shortly to take you to a thread of your choosing. If not, just jump right in, and enjoy!

Welcome,
Femke

[Staropeace]

But watch out for the Lamb of God....he will offer to ride you in his car and then put you out on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.

[amb]

But watch out for the Lamb of God....he will offer to ride you in his car and then put you out on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.

Of course you'd have a nice recipe for that Lamb Of God? :p

[Helen]

Hi, I'm Helen (no surprises there...). I thought at first that I would make up a really witty, erudite and interesting user name, but somehow that didn't happen. And then I realised that by using my own name I might plant the idea in your minds that I am gorgeously beautiful, and constantly battled over by powerful men.

Not that I'm not, you understand. But my face has probably never launched any ships. My father did build us a few boats when I was a child, and we sort of launched them by dragging them across lots of sand and into the sea. but as far as I remember my face was never involved in any meaningful way.

But I digress. Yes, I know that's obvious, but I mean that is what I do. We have a saying in my family "Från Karl XII till plättar", Swedish for from Charles XII to pancakes. Although not quite pancakes, since plättar are smaller, and made in a special skillet. it's really the same thing though, they are made from the same batter. But plättar still taste a bit different. Size does matter, apparently.

What with the Charles XII and pancakes thing, dinner conversations in my house can be very confusing. My partner used to say about me that I had a loose mind (I think that is what he used to say, at least.) He loved that about me. Some of the time...

What was I saying?

Oh yes. I'm 50 and then some, Swedish, I spent my university years pottering about with languages and litterature, and my working life in much the same way. I pretend that I am self employed these days, but the emphasis seems to be more on the self, than the employed. Which is fine with me. My fingers are far faster than my mind, and I am a horrible proof reader. Sorry about that.

I really like this place, and have found huge amounts of useful information, as well as much entertainment, here. it is a bit intimidating, however, to unlurk, among people who are so clever and well informed. When I feel that way I throw myself into some of the longer threads of the "why we know the New testament writers wrote the truth"-variety. They make me feel better about my own intellect...

After lurking here for ages, I feel I know some of you quite well, and that was beginning to feel a bit creepy. Finally introducing myself, if that is in fact what I have done here, makes med feel better about that.

There! Done! Hi!

[amb]

among people who are so clever and well informed.

Where are they? Are you talking about us? :D

[Femke]

Hi, I'm Helen (no surprises there...). I thought at first that I would make up a really witty, erudite and interesting user name, but somehow that didn't happen. And then I realised that by using my own name I might plant the idea in your minds that I am gorgeously beautiful, and constantly battled over by powerful men.
<respectful snip>

:D I know the feeling. I could not come up with a witty user name either. Let's start a group with real name users.
BTW I like the idea you planted in my mind. We really like fine faces around here. The more goddesses the better. :welcome2

But I digress.
<respectful snip>
What was I saying?

No, please, keep on digressing, we do it all the time.
I forgot to offer you a hamster, didn't I? Shame on me. How would hamster plättar taste?

<snip> When I feel that way I throw myself into some of the longer threads of the "why we know the New testament writers wrote the truth"-variety. They make me feel better about my own intellect...

I'm quite fond of the old Challenge threads myself. Especially the guys who are convinced nobody will call them on their bovine excrement, and go all huffy when we do.

After lurking here for ages, I feel I know some of you quite well, and that was beginning to feel a bit creepy. Finally introducing myself, if that is in fact what I have done here, makes med feel better about that.

There! Done! Hi!

Well done. You seem to know your way around already, so I won't need to tell the goat to take you anywhere.

There must be an unlurking virus around, with so many lurkers delurking now.

[Helen]

Thank you for the hamster offer, Femke, always very acceptable of course! And why not with plättar? If not hamsters, perhaps goat's cheese? But I feel it may be best to stear clear of the goats, at least to begin with, I'm afraid a goat might lead me to places I dare not go. Such as the politics forum.

Amb, I could swear I have seen some! If you let me think about it for a while I might remember where.

[COLONEL]

Thank you for the hamster offer, Femke, always very acceptable of course! And why not with plättar? If not hamsters, perhaps goat's cheese? But I feel it may be best to stear clear of the goats, at least to begin with, I'm afraid a goat might lead me to places I dare not go. Such as the politics forum.

Amb, I could swear I have seen some! If you let me think about it for a while I might remember where. Trust me the Goat will never take you any place you do not wish to go , As far as Goat cheese goes I only make it on special occasions ,but seeing as you are new I will put some out today, to go with the Goats milk ,Grayman oatmeal cookies ,the BBQ Hamsters that are being served today and the minties . Welcome as you probably have read before ,make sure you return all over due librarybooks and bow towards Kenworth factory in Kent Wa.

[Roadtoad]

Hi, I'm Helen (no surprises there...). I thought at first that I would make up a really witty, erudite and interesting user name, but somehow that didn't happen. And then I realised that by using my own name I might plant the idea in your minds that I am gorgeously beautiful, and constantly battled over by powerful men.

Not that I'm not, you understand. But my face has probably never launched any ships. My father did build us a few boats when I was a child, and we sort of launched them by dragging them across lots of sand and into the sea. but as far as I remember my face was never involved in any meaningful way.

But I digress. Yes, I know that's obvious, but I mean that is what I do. We have a saying in my family "Från Karl XII till plättar", Swedish for from Charles XII to pancakes. Although not quite pancakes, since plättar are smaller, and made in a special skillet. it's really the same thing though, they are made from the same batter. But plättar still taste a bit different. Size does matter, apparently.

What with the Charles XII and pancakes thing, dinner conversations in my house can be very confusing. My partner used to say about me that I had a loose mind (I think that is what he used to say, at least.) He loved that about me. Some of the time...

What was I saying?

Oh yes. I'm 50 and then some, Swedish, I spent my university years pottering about with languages and litterature, and my working life in much the same way. I pretend that I am self employed these days, but the emphasis seems to be more on the self, than the employed. Which is fine with me. My fingers are far faster than my mind, and I am a horrible proof reader. Sorry about that.

I really like this place, and have found huge amounts of useful information, as well as much entertainment, here. it is a bit intimidating, however, to unlurk, among people who are so clever and well informed. When I feel that way I throw myself into some of the longer threads of the "why we know the New testament writers wrote the truth"-variety. They make me feel better about my own intellect...

After lurking here for ages, I feel I know some of you quite well, and that was beginning to feel a bit creepy. Finally introducing myself, if that is in fact what I have done here, makes med feel better about that.

There! Done! Hi!

Welcome, Helen. Do take the time to bow three times in the direction of Kent, Washington, (which also produces components for the superb DAF trucks of Europe), and have a mintie and some goat's milk, along with a cookie or two.

Just a head's up: You might want to watch out for Shemp and the Marquis. (Nudge, nudge, wink, wink...)

[Staropeace]

We have an orb watching contest every saturday night....the winner who films the most gets a free rose crystal or a frontal lobotomy....your choice. It cant get any better than that.

[B1 Bummer]

African or European hamster?

[Roadtoad]

African or European hamster?

African, of course. Those Euro hamsters tend to get stuck in the damnedest places.

[Chris Hegarty]

Hello, everyone! My name is Chris, and I'd like to amaze you all with witticisms, but unfortunately I possess knowledge of relatively few. I'm an undergrad in the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University studying economics. I've lurked here for quite a while; it's a lovely community centered around the idea of free thought, which is rather refreshing. I was raised Catholic, de-converted a few years ago, and I am now a rather abrasive atheist. I run a blog at hegartyblog.wordpress.com that's mostly about economics, science, and atheism; it's been a bit of a pet project of mine lately. I spent my high school years reading nerdy science books instead of doing sports, and hopefully here I can find some other hopeless nerds. :p I'm openly gay, I've been dating the same guy for three years, which is a phenomenon not as uncommon as the Religious Reich would have ya'll believe. So, that's Chris 101. I'm glad to meet you all in advance!

[Femke]

Hi Chris,

Welcome, it sounds like you'll fit right in, this must be quite a forum for real nerds (I outnerded my computer fixer just the other week by proposing he call my new silvercoloured laptop 1701-D. He was surprised that a blonde female knew which starship this was referring to!).
Or were you lured in by the thread Is JREF A Gay Organisation? As far as we know it is all of the above and more.
All instructions by Roadtoad and Colonel apply to you too, of course, I don't need to reiterate them, do I?

[amb]

A hearty welcome to all newbies. Please come in out of the cold. Make yourselves at home.
COLONEL will be along in a minute with the menu. Meanwhile, have a Mintie and a glass of freshly milked goats milk.

[COLONEL]

Todays NewB's have the choice of Goats milk batter Fried ,baked or Charcoal roasted Hamsters, Also we have fresh Fetta Goat cheese,It will be served for today only and only while it last

[Normal Dude]

All right, I see, the menu has its limtations here.

Please tell the cook that I insist on this procedure:

1. Rinse the freshly killed hamster in water, ensuring it is entirely saturated. Leave the hamster in the water long enough to soak to the skin; this will keep the hair together and make it easier to skin.

2. Take out the entrails using a sharp knife. Cut on the belly from just under the ribs, through the abdomen and toward the hindquarters. Remove the bladder first, being careful not to spill any urine on the meat. Open the pelvis and take out the remaining organs.

3. Skin the hamster by slicing just under the skin from the hind end and over the belly to the hamster's flanks. Take the tail and pull toward the forelegs, removing the hide.

4. Cut off the hamster´s feet and head. Pull the remaining skin from the legs. Remove the innards as soon as possible. Meat that marinates in the innards will taste gamy.

5. Cut the hamster into pieces and dredge in flour and seasonings. Fry in oil until browned and simmer for 30 minutes.

That will taste great with the minties and the goats milk.

If the hamster was raised with ice cold beer, it would definitely be good; please note that this isn´t considered a must. A nice, fresh beer served right after the goats milk would do fine either.

I can see you will get along just fine in the Community forum.

[LibraryLady]

Hi, I'm Helen (no surprises there...). I thought at first that I would make up a really witty, erudite and interesting user name, but somehow that didn't happen. And then I realised that by using my own name I might plant the idea in your minds that I am gorgeously beautiful, and constantly battled over by powerful men.

Not that I'm not, you understand. But my face has probably never launched any ships. My father did build us a few boats when I was a child, and we sort of launched them by dragging them across lots of sand and into the sea. but as far as I remember my face was never involved in any meaningful way.

But I digress. Yes, I know that's obvious, but I mean that is what I do. We have a saying in my family "Från Karl XII till plättar", Swedish for from Charles XII to pancakes. Although not quite pancakes, since plättar are smaller, and made in a special skillet. it's really the same thing though, they are made from the same batter. But plättar still taste a bit different. Size does matter, apparently.

What with the Charles XII and pancakes thing, dinner conversations in my house can be very confusing. My partner used to say about me that I had a loose mind (I think that is what he used to say, at least.) He loved that about me. Some of the time...

What was I saying?

Oh yes. I'm 50 and then some, Swedish, I spent my university years pottering about with languages and litterature, and my working life in much the same way. I pretend that I am self employed these days, but the emphasis seems to be more on the self, than the employed. Which is fine with me. My fingers are far faster than my mind, and I am a horrible proof reader. Sorry about that.

I really like this place, and have found huge amounts of useful information, as well as much entertainment, here. it is a bit intimidating, however, to unlurk, among people who are so clever and well informed. When I feel that way I throw myself into some of the longer threads of the "why we know the New testament writers wrote the truth"-variety. They make me feel better about my own intellect...

After lurking here for ages, I feel I know some of you quite well, and that was beginning to feel a bit creepy. Finally introducing myself, if that is in fact what I have done here, makes med feel better about that.

There! Done! Hi!


Wonderful! Another 50 something woman to join me in my campaign!

But.....your library books? Have they been returned?

[Helen]

But.....your library books? Have they been returned?
Dear Library Lady, library books are a sacred trust, and I ALWAYS return them. On occasion, I have even returned more books than I borrowed, as an hommage to the unsung heroes of the known universe; the librarians.

And no matter what campaign you are embarked on, I will join you!

As long as it doesn't keep me up too late at night:blush:

[amb]

A lady with a great sense of humor. What a delightful addition to this great forum.
Now, I have to go pick an appropriate thread to post my 10.000 post. Wish me luck. :)

[COLONEL]

A lady with a great sense of humor. What a delightful addition to this great forum.
Now, I have to go pick an appropriate thread to post my 10.000 post. Wish me luck. :)
:jaw-dropp LUCK :D All I need is 7,354 and I will catch you

[cienanos]

Hello.

[amb]

Hello.

Hello. Welcome to the forum. Would you like a hamster or some oatmeal cookies with your glass of fresh goats milk? :)

[lionking]

Hello.
Weird? Stay away from the Conspiracy Theory thread then. :D Welcome.

[cienanos]

Hello. Welcome to the forum. Would you like a hamster or some oatmeal cookies with your glass of fresh goats milk? :)

Is it a male oatmeal cookie?

[cienanos]

Weird? Stay away from the Conspiracy Theory thread then. :D Welcome.

Conspiracy Theory is like a glazed hamster dipped in warm goat's milk. I have someone getting some for me. Care for a halved half? I'm quite hungry.

[arthwollipot]

I think you'll fit in here quite well.

[cienanos]

I think you'll fit in here quite well.

They kicked me off this other Writer's Block Forum. They were mad that I wasn't posting anything.

[Chris Hegarty]

Hi Chris,

Welcome, it sounds like you'll fit right in, this must be quite a forum for real nerds (I outnerded my computer fixer just the other week by proposing he call my new silvercoloured laptop 1701-D. He was surprised that a blonde female knew which starship this was referring to!).
Or were you lured in by the thread Is JREF A Gay Organisation? As far as we know it is all of the above and more.

It might be equally sad that I know exactly what you're talking about. D is my favorite, even if E looks much more badass.

I wasn't lured in particularly by any thread; I haven't even seen that particular thread yet! I mostly lurked on the business/finance forum.:boxedin:

[Aquila]

Could someone please tell me why my new forum avatar is not displaying?
I deleted my old one earlier today and replaced it with a new picture, but the old one still shows up.

[COLONEL]

Could someone please tell me why my new forum avatar is not displaying?
I deleted my old one earlier today and replaced it with a new picture, but the old one still shows up.
Could be your new one was to big . try it again and see what it tells you after you hit save

[Hokulele]

Could someone please tell me why my new forum avatar is not displaying?
I deleted my old one earlier today and replaced it with a new picture, but the old one still shows up.


Did you change your avatar or your profile picture? There are two options that sound very similar and people get them confused all the time.

[Aquila]

Did you change your avatar or your profile picture? There are two options that sound very similar and people get them confused all the time.

Thank you Holulele! :jaw-dropp
I had changed my profile picture thinking that it was my avatar.

COLONEL: Thanks for your suggestion. I had changed the wrong picture. My new avatar is only 22KB out of an allowed 45.

[Hokulele]

Thank you Holulele! :jaw-dropp
I had changed my profile picture thinking that it was my avatar.


I'm glad that helped. :)

It really does happen to people all the time, I think I got bit by that one when I first tried to change avatars.

[Femke]

It might be equally sad that I know exactly what you're talking about. D is my favorite, even if E looks much more badass.
:D I'm old enough to be a TNG'er. But agree with you on the E. (I had to look it up in the ST Encyclopedia...)

I wasn't lured in particularly by any thread; I haven't even seen that particular thread yet! I mostly lurked on the business/finance forum.:boxedin:
It is in the next forum (JREF), triggered by the preferences of our new president, or so I'm told. Where I come from, that does not raise any eyebrows, so I skipped it.

[Corky]

Hello, "new blood" Corky here. Nice forum but big. I hope I can find my way around in here.

[Foolmewunz]

I'm glad that helped. :)

It really does happen to people all the time, I think I got bit by that one when I first tried to change avatars.

You still think it was "that one" that bit you? Damn, that Tricky sure is tricky.

[Foolmewunz]

Hello, "new blood" Corky here. Nice forum but big. I hope I can find my way around in here.

Hey, and welcome Corky. It's not that big, really. We have a terrific interior decorator who does tricks with the lighting and has mirrors in the smaller rooms so they look bigger. You'll realize some of the size limitations if you get stuck waiting for the loo at the Friday night goat milk kegger.

Folks who are awed by the options are sometimes best off heading into a more innocuous area like Sports or Humor or Forum Community, and doing a little dog-paddling before diving into the deep end. It allows you to meet, in a casual setting, some of the folks you may be doing battle discussing issues with at a later date. Plus, it allows you to jack up your post count so you can get linking privileges, nifty avatars, and discount vacations at the Marquis de Carabas Luxury Resort.

[amb]

Hello, "new blood" Corky here. Nice forum but big. I hope I can find my way around in here.

Hi Corky. You are not the corky from the Rationalscepticism forum are you?

I'm also from there having jumped overboard from RDF.

No matter, a very warm welcome to this, probably the best forum around.

Now, with that out of the way, how do you want your hamster cooked? Have you any overdue library books laying around, you should return them asap.
:)

[cienanos]

Hello, "new blood" Corky here. Nice forum but big. I hope I can find my way around in here.

Do you know where I can get some oatmeal cookies around here?

[cienanos]

Hi Corky. You are not the corky from the Rationalscepticism forum are you?

I'm also from there having jumped overboard from RDF.

No matter, a very warm welcome to this, probably the best forum around.

Now, with that out of the way, how do you want your hamster cooked? Have you any overdue library books laying around, you should return them asap.
:)

I'll take the glazed hamster please. I ordered it like a day ago.

[COLONEL]

I'll take the glazed hamster please. I ordered it like a day ago.
Patients young Grass hopper it takes time to make the special Glaze sauce . they should have told you that when you ordered it . Now go stand in the corner until AMB tells you your hamster is ready.

Get a hold of the Grayman he is the maker of the oatmeal cookies . he will be so happy that some one is requesting oatmael cookies.


Welcome to the site.

[cienanos]

Patients young Grass hopper it takes time to make the special Glaze sauce . they should have told you that when you ordered it . Now go stand in the corner until AMB tells you your hamster is ready.


I've paid my shunts. By God I've paid them.

[Mirrorglass]

Hello everybody.

Some time ago, I was given a chick tract, and, not content to simply bask in it's wisdom, I researched the subject on the web, quickly finding my self here. I was soon attracted to the combination of intelligent discussion and humour, and, after a few weeks spent lurking, decided to make my debut as a contributing member.

I'm a student living in Finland, in my early twenties, and ideologically rather close to a skeptic. I intend to hang out at the general forums, throwing in my opinions and undoubtedly embarrassing myself several times. I hope that you all will forgive whatever newcomer mistakes I make, and that we may have many entertaining discussions together.

With best regards,
Mirrorglass (not my real name, in case you're wondering)

[COLONEL]

Welcome Mirrorglass I will call you MG ,As you have been lurking you probably know the rules . Any ways as I tell all or most NewB's Have a glass of Goats milk ,to wash down the Grayman oat meal cookie . then you may take a MINTIE. Tell the cook how you would like your Hamster cooked , Return all overdue library books or you will suffer at the hands of the Library lady, Bow toward Kent , last but not least pat the Goat on the head when you see it .

[Roadtoad]

...last but not least pat the Goat on the head when you see it .

With your hand, that is. :D

[Mirrorglass]

Yay, milk and cooties! And the tie will go great with my MAXCUFFLINKS. As for my order, please use lots of smoke but hold back on the ster. As for the books, I'm sorry to say they had an encounter with the roast beef sandwich in my bag, with rather unfortunate results to both. But I'll be happy to provide an insightful synopsis on the parts I read, as a replacement. If Kent really wants my old BOWTIE, I'll be happy to part with it.

With your hand, that is. :D

Aw, you're no fun anymore.

[Rigel2112]

Hello all I am new around. Just discovered the JREF last year when I happened across a live feed from TAM and I have been reading and watching about the great stuff James Randi had done over the years since.

I will share with you one of my favorite James Randi moments. This is the video when on the Carson show he busts Popoff and states that he is not aware of the video until that very moment.

I think if p0wned ever made it to a dictionary this would be the description.

[amb]

Welcome Rigel2112. If Randi is your idol, I'm not to sure if it's still available. But you should try and get hold of his old book: A Dictionary Of The Paranormal. Brilliant stuff, debunking the paranormal alphabetically.

[sPyan-ras-gzigs dban]

Good morning everyone, I hope to be helpful in discussions, short poster you something very interesting ...!

[Lothian]

Good morning everyone, I hope to be helpful in discussions, short poster you something very interesting ...!Wow what a name, Do you mind if I call you sPyan-ras-gzigs for short?

[sPyan-ras-gzigs dban]

Wow what a name, Do you mind if I call you sPyan-ras-gzigs for short?

:) Ok ... !!!

[cienanos]

:) Ok ... !!!

Nice to meet you sPyan-ras-gzigs dban for short.

[amb]

Welcome zigs. You're not Polish are you? I mean, with a name that long. I'd hate to be next in line behind you at a social security Que.

[sPyan-ras-gzigs dban]

Welcome zigs. You're not Polish are you? I mean, with a name that long. I'd hate to be next in line behind you at a social security Que.

I am Italian, and I write from Rome :)

[sPyan-ras-gzigs dban]

Nice to meet you sPyan-ras-gzigs dban for short.

Delighted :) full name is: sPyan-ras-gzigs dbang-phyug which is the name of Avalokitesvara in Tibetan.

:)

[Foolmewunz]

Delighted :) full name is: sPyan-ras-gzigs dbang-phyug which is the name of Avalokitesvara in Tibetan.

:)

Well, welcome regardless of the impossible name. We're kind of a friendly bunch over here and like to address people by name (sometimes it's easier and preferrable to quoting whole gobs of text with the Reply With Quote function). I think the novelty will wear off, so we'll wind up looking for a shorter version, so you really might as well choose it yourself. (Personally, I'd recommend appealing to a certain DARAT and picking another name, but I've got a hangover and I'm ill-tempered when I'm hung over so pay me no mind.)

Or, you could just go back to calling yourself Prince.

[sPyan-ras-gzigs dban]

:)Well, welcome regardless of the impossible name. We're kind of a friendly bunch over here and like to address people by name (sometimes it's easier and preferrable to quoting whole gobs of text with the Reply With Quote function). I think the novelty will wear off, so we'll wind up looking for a shorter version, so you really might as well choose it yourself. (Personally, I'd recommend appealing to a certain DARAT and picking another name, but I've got a hangover and I'm ill-tempered when I'm hung over so pay me no mind.)

Or, you could just go back to calling yourself Prince.

Nice to meet you :)

[Foolmewunz]

I was getting ready to answer your question but you deleted that part... I guess you found it - you can get an avatar at 50 posts. A custom signature, too.

[LibraryLady]

Hi Corky. You are not the corky from the Rationalscepticism forum are you?

I'm also from there having jumped overboard from RDF.

No matter, a very warm welcome to this, probably the best forum around.

Now, with that out of the way, how do you want your hamster cooked? Have you any overdue library books laying around, you should return them asap.
:)

Okay, the next person who beats me to the overdue library books line is in big trouble.

* LibraryLady glares around the room.

[sPyan-ras-gzigs dban]

I was getting ready to answer your question but you deleted that part... I guess you found it - you can get an avatar at 50 posts. A custom signature, too.

Thanks Foolmewunz, that's it!

[COLONEL]

Okay, the next person who beats me to the overdue library books line is in big trouble.


Well you have to stop partying all night with the goat so that you can get out of bed early , and beat everyone here .

[Foolmewunz]

Well you have to stop partying all night with the goat so that you can get out of bed early , and beat everyone here .
I believe you're confusing the LL moderators.
I think LashL is in charge of the beatings, not Library Lady.

Yep, I checked the schedule. Library Lady has the Aerobics Class and Shuffle Board on the Lido deck at 0800, then Budgie Grooming 201 at 1030. LashL has Remedial Conspiracy Theory Discipline at 0800, and Washing Ducky's Mouth Out With Soap at 0930. :spjimlad::spjimlad:

[amb]

I am Italian, and I write from Rome :)

Well, if you need some assistance, I'm here to help. I'm Italian and can speak it quite fluently. [The southern Italian anyway] I'm a Napolitano born Australian.

[sPyan-ras-gzigs dban]

Well, if you need some assistance, I'm here to help. I'm Italian and can speak it quite fluently. [The southern Italian anyway] I'm a Napolitano born Australian.

You are very kind, very happy if I need :)

[QuestioningAnswers]

Hello everyone, I just signed up yesterday. My name is Adam and I would like to believe I have a scientific mind. If I said that I did certainly have a scientific mind I would no longer be scientific, but dogmatic.

According to various tests including one from Mensa; my IQ resides within the 99% percentile, but I don't take too much stock in those anyway. I know some do though; so I'm just throwing it out there. My spelling and grammar are pretty bad though, so bear with me. :)

Over half a decade ago I thought that with zero scientific proof of ESP, it was just a figment of a not-so-intelligent person's imagination. One day, by chance, I ran across someone claiming to be from a western intelligence agency which used something called remote viewing. They were offering a course in how to remote view. According to this person if the course did not work they would send 100% of your money back.

As a (supposed) man of science and a bit of a I jumped at the idea and ordered the course. I thought that I really had nothing to lose, but a lot to gain if it was true. After all, being open to new possibilities is the foundation of discovery.

To make a long story short, I did not return the course. It was not because I was lazy or that I did not care about the money; it was because I was getting results.

I trained at least twice a day for about 3 months and the results were nothing less than astounding to me. At the time I played a lot of texas holdem poker online. Now this was not 100% accurate, but after a quarter of a year's time with the course I was slowly training myself to know if I would win a hand or not. As time progressed, I was also starting to become better at telling where I would win the hand (on the flop, turn, or river).

The formula was simple. If I was going to win a hand, I (usually) a had what I can only describe as an odd feeling in my chest. If I was not going to win, I wouldn't feel anything. Now this wasn't as clear cut as some may like it to be because I was constantly second guessing myself. When I started to throw logic into the equation; I could not get accurate results. It was a matter of feeling and not logic.

This then progressed into knowing the outcomes of some NFL games. I could feel the winner of random games and the games of my favorite team. Now I did make a little money off of this, but I am so heavy into dealing with who should win statistically, that I often overrode those original feelings with who should be the logical winner. For some reason there seemed to be a link between logic and money with me; probably because money also deals with numbers.

There was a pretty big downside to this as well. I am a big Green Bay Packers fan, but this ability made watching games no fun. Even though I would second guess myself while watching a game, I somehow internally knew who would win the game. When you can feel who the winner of the game is going to be, what's the point in watching games at all? It takes all the fun out of watching the game. I still get these feelings at random times.

Anyway, after a little over 3 months of practicing the course twice every day I started feeling what I can only describe as "connected" to something. It was a feeling originating in my chest that....I just can't describe it as anything other than feeling connected to something. I really don't have anything to compare the feeling to to so I'm sorry if it does not make sense to you. I guess you could say that it's roughly the opposite of the sinking feeling that I know some people get when they hear about a family member's death. It's not a sinking bad feeling, but a good, peaceful feeling.

Along with this came an ultra sensitivity to other people's emotions around me. If there was only a minor squabble it would hurt me deeply in my chest; so much so that I could not breathe at times. I recall one instance when I just happened to be in the same room as my brother and mother when they started to have a disagreement. Now to most people this would be just a minor disagreement, but it hurt be very badly in my chest and all I could do was try to gasp for breath. It just wouldn't stop and I couldn't breathe so I started banging on a metal railing so they would stop. After they snapped out of their disagreement, I was fine and could breathe again.

After that incident, I was scared to continue the course any further. I had no idea what was going on with me. A little while after I stopped practicing the course; those feelings in my chest slowly faded, along with most of my other abilities. I emailed the creator of the course about what the hell was going on; why I couldn't breathe when people would have just minor disagreements. I didn't ever get an answer. I pretty much quit the course entirely and only practiced it once in a blue moon afterwords.

Most of the abilities and feelings I had while doing the course faded to a great extent, though at random times they reemerge. Apparently at times I can even call on myself to do these things, but the accuracy just isn't anywhere near it was when I was practicing the course twice daily.

Regardless, I would like to show you guys an example of one of these readings years after I had quit the course. As a little background, I at the time did not know who Steve Fossett was, nor had I heard about him going missing.

I thought that the person in the forum was asking to locate someone who was flying around the world so that we could remote view his location at any given time. It wasn't until after my preliminary reading that later that I googled the name Steve Fossett and found that this guy was actually missing. It was speculated at the time that he was lost in the desert and that's where they were searching for him. I got a different impression. Here is the forum post, my screen name JWoostyle1.

(after trying to submit this post, it wouldn't let me do so because I needed 15 posts to post a link; hopefully putting a space behind each "/" and period will work this time)
http: / / grillflame . net/ forums/ viewtopic . php?f=5&t=11241&view=next

I believe it was fairly accurate considering I had not been practicing the course for years. I believe there may be another couple examples on the forum, but nothing as detailed as this one.


Now I'm sure some may be asking if I would be willing to take the million dollar challenge. I really don't know that much about it, but I don't even think I could pass it at the moment (if at all). Possibly if I restarted the course to the extent I had before, maybe I could give it a try, but it seems like it would be very stressful. Maybe that's a mental link I have with the course because I couldn't breathe the last time I practiced it; I don't know.

When you do this, you don't even know what kind of information you are getting in the first place (at least in my experience). You don't know what significance the information you receive has to the target at all. You'll notice in that link that I was often questioning the information I was getting. This was the result of that unknown significance.

It's also not as if it is some clear, concise revelation of knowledge where you know everything; it's a soft feeling or image that you can just as easily ignore and replace with logic (again, at least in my experience).

You can believe what you would like. Make of it what you will. That's entirely up for you to decide. I'm sure it would be easy for many of you to find a reason as to why something like this does not exist and that's just fine. Nobody has to believe it. I just thought that I would present my experience for you guys.

[Femke]

Hi QuestioningAnswers,

Wow, that is quite an introduction. You might want to present this idea in the General forum to see what reactions you get. And in the meantime, would you like to settle in with a glass of fresh goats milk and some cookies, just to get a feel of the place? How would you like your hamster cooked? And don't forget to... <sees LibraryLady menacingly close all of a sudden> erm, take a Mintie to freshen your breath.
In any case: :welcome2

[grayman]

They kicked me off this other Writer's Block Forum. They were mad that I wasn't posting anything.
I got kicked off the Procrastinators Forum when I did post.

I said to them, "Oh yeah? Just you wait..."

[heykid]

well i suppose we were all new at one point in time...
hello all. After finding Randi,I found this place...figured why not?At least worth some laughs an quirked brows...

[SusanB-M1]

Questioning Answers

Interesting post. May I add a welcome, and suggest that you read up what Jon Ronson has to say about remote viewing? Also, I'm fairly sure there was a thread about this subject recently. I first read about it in a book called 'The Field' by Lynn McTaggart ... then I started looking for the truth!:) JREF is certainly the place where you will find it.

[mattyk]

Hi folks.

I am student studying to be a Primary School teacher at Southern Cross University (It won a bent spoon award from the Australian Skeptics) in the Northern Rivers of NSW (Home of Meryl Dorey and the Australian Vaccination Network).
Which is part of the reason I found this place.

I've basically come looking for help for in responding to a letter in the local paper about fluoridation it is in the "Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology" thread under "Help responding to a letter in the local paper" So if you can let me know. Since I have only two posts I can't post any links yet."

[Corky]

Hey, thanks for the welcome. Been doing a little reading here and there. So far no problems.

[Corky]

Hi Corky. You are not the corky from the Rationalscepticism forum are you?

I'm also from there having jumped overboard from RDF.

No matter, a very warm welcome to this, probably the best forum around.

Now, with that out of the way, how do you want your hamster cooked? Have you any overdue library books laying around, you should return them asap.
:)

Yes, I am from the rationalscepticism forum and the RDF forum and a few other forums besides. Thanks for the welcome.

[amb]

Yes, I am from the rationalscepticism forum and the RDF forum and a few other forums besides. Thanks for the welcome.

Ah, yes. I'm Angelo there. Good to see you. :) As you can see by my post count, I really live here. I also at this stage have no intention of returning to RDF.

Welcome to other newbies. Your hamsters will be served soon. :) :p

[lionking]

Hi folks.

I am student studying to be a Primary School teacher at Southern Cross University (It won a bent spoon award from the Australian Skeptics) in the Northern Rivers of NSW (Home of Meryl Dorey and the Australian Vaccination Network).
Which is part of the reason I found this place.

I've basically come looking for help for in responding to a letter in the local paper about fluoridation it is in the "Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and Technology" thread under "Help responding to a letter in the local paper" So if you can let me know. Since I have only two posts I can't post any links yet."
Welcome mattyk. I know Southern Cross University fairly well (my company has an office in your area) and my daughter is a Primary School teacher (and I always look at the aussie skeptics site), so we have a few things in common already. Hang around, and make sure you check out the Community, Humor and Sports sections.

[COLONEL]

Gee I take off for a few days and we get a bunch of NewB's and no one offers them any Goats milk or cookies? If it were not for AMB offering them Hamsters they would have starved.Good job Amb thank you.
Welcome all NewB'S

[Poison Oak]

Howdy all. Just letting you know there is another NewB looking over your shoulder. I stumbled across this site recently (don't remember now what I was searching for), and while viewing some of the threads my wife came in from a different room to find out what I was laughing about. Some of youse guys are crazy.

This is a huge site and I want to poke around a bit, and I joined so's I can do searches and other things guests can't do. Any questions I have about this site have probably been answered time and time again. It might take months to get through all of the older threads, but I'm having a ball going through them.

I have no overdue library books and want the hamster medium rare. Is there anything other than goat's milk for liquid refreshment?

How did I not find this forum before??????

[Femke]

Hi Poison Oak,

Welcome to our little boat of logic in a sea of irrationality. You sound like you will fit in quite nicely. Do you mind if I hand you the hamster on a pole? Nothing personal, but I was told to stay away from poison oak, and better safe than sorry, I guess.
Have some cookies, they go well with the goats milk. We are not allowed to serve anything else, I'm afraid. The beer that was flowing freely at the hamster barbecue was a nice diversion, but the crate lasted only a few posts, once news got around. And news gets around quickly in this forum!
:welcome2

[Corky]

Ah, yes. I'm Angelo there. Good to see you. :) As you can see by my post count, I really live here. I also at this stage have no intention of returning to RDF.

Yes, I see that you keep the keyboard hot :) It's nice to have a "home". RDF was too big, for me anyway, and RS is just about the same. I like Atheist Forums.com but too much profanity going on there.

My old hangouts on Delphi Forums have just about faded into nothing with hardly any posters anymore, so I guess I'll hang around with you all and see how it goes.

[DrJen]

Hi all...just finished the Amazing Adventure 5 today, so I thought I'd see what the forums are all about.:)

[Roadtoad]

Hi, Jen. Goat's milk? Cookie? Perhaps a Mintie? How do you want your hamster cooked? Have you returned all your library books and bowed three times in the direction of Kent, WA?

(And, please, be careful around the Marquis. We've been trying to discourage certain...)

YO! MARQUIS! COVER THAT UP! NO ONE WANTS TO SEE THAT!!!

[DrJen]

Hi, Jen. Goat's milk? Cookie? Perhaps a Mintie? How do you want your hamster cooked? Have you returned all your library books and bowed three times in the direction of Kent, WA?

(And, please, be careful around the Marquis. We've been trying to discourage certain...)

YO! MARQUIS! COVER THAT UP! NO ONE WANTS TO SEE THAT!!!
Hmmm. We met a very nice goat in St Thomas. I should have asked her for some milk...I would have gotten enough for everyone. Thanks for the hospitality.

[quadraginta]

Hmmm. We met a very nice goat in St Thomas. I should have asked her for some milk...I would have gotten enough for everyone. Thanks for the hospitality.


Did you try any of the traditional Jamaica Curry Goat (http://recipes.caribseek.com/Jamaica/curry-goat.shtml). The Scotch Bonnet peppers are a nice touch.

We're always interested in new goat recipes here.

[COLONEL]

Hmmm. We met a very nice goat in St Thomas. I should have asked her for some milk...I would have gotten enough for everyone. Thanks for the hospitality.
That could of been our Goat, it never tells us where it goes when it has it's days off, or when it takes a vacation :D

[COLONEL]

Did you try any of the traditional Jamaica Curry Goat (http://recipes.caribseek.com/Jamaica/curry-goat.shtml). The Scotch Bonnet peppers are a nice touch.

We're always interested in new goat recipes here. I have warned you before ,Stop talking about goat recipes ,it makes our Goat nervous and it stops giving us our much needed milk . It is the Goats milk that counteracts the effects of the Graymans cookies.

[quadraginta]

I have warned you before ,Stop talking about goat recipes ,it makes our Goat nervous and it stops giving us our much needed milk . It is the Goats milk that counteracts the effects of the Graymans cookies.


I told you guys to switch to Tollhouse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tollhouse_cookies), but nooo, you wouldn't listen.

Countless digestive tracts ruined by your obstinacy. Have you no shame?


(ETA: More nervous than Shemp makes it?)

[nectar]

Hi! Im newblood :o...A+
Live in Australia and the thing is; I dont know what to believe sometimes.

Im hopeful of some enlightment.

[Foolmewunz]

Hi! Im newblood :o...A+
Live in Australia and the thing is; I dont know what to believe sometimes.

Im hopeful of some enlightment.

Hey, Nectar and welcome aboard. You've certainly come to the right place. A couple of us will insist that we're not going to tell you what to believe, but hopefully help out in getting you to hone your own critical thinking skills and let you figure that out on your own. You know, that pesky "free will" and all that.

On the other hand - naaaah! What do you want to know about believing in? Head on over to General Skepticism and the Paranormal or Politics or Conspiracy Theories.... Someone will be sure to tell you where you're going wrong. We're a sanctimonious lot, as a whole.

Oh, and do drop in to the Humor sub-forum - most of your Antipodean mates are hanging out in the Aussies Only thread, there. They say it's funny, but I wouldn't know - I'm not allowed in there according to the thread title.

Alternately, there are a couple of good threads on sports that Aussies seem to think they're good at(absent any actual evidence, though) - Cricket and Rugby.

[amb]

Great to have all you newbies aboard. A very warm welcome to one and all. I won't mention anything about library books except that I hope you have all returned them on time. COLONEL will be along in a minute with the menu. Cookies are the special of the day.
Happy hunting.

[lionking]

Hi! Im newblood :o...A+
Live in Australia and the thing is; I dont know what to believe sometimes.

Im hopeful of some enlightment.
Which part of Australia nectar? We already have some infection from the western states, so need to be a bit careful who we allow here. :D

[amb]

:D:p

[cienanos]

Great to have all you newbies aboard. A very warm welcome to one and all. I won't mention anything about library books except that I hope you have all returned them on time. COLONEL will be along in a minute with the menu. Cookies are the special of the day.
Happy hunting.

I'm having trouble returning Thievery by Ule Steele. Any tips?

[amb]

The library should be a little more careful in who they lend that particular book to.

Only people with an honest face as I have should be lent it. :D:boxedin:

[cienanos]

Should have gone with "by Claire Ptomaniac".


Those frakkin "darn i should'ves"....

[Foolmewunz]

I'm having trouble returning Thievery by Ule Steele. Any tips?

Imagine the fun we had managing a bookstore a 8th St. and Broadway (on the cusp between Greenwich Village and The East Village) when Abbie Hoffman put out Steal This Book.

[cienanos]

Did you spread them out like Easter Eggs but with arrows on the covers so that you just had a bunch of HoffmanHeads going around in circles in your bookstore?

[Foolmewunz]

Did you spread them out like Easter Eggs but with arrows on the covers so that you just had a bunch of HoffmanHeads going around in circles in your bookstore?

Actually, they'll probably take away my pookah shells and petuli oil, but I can't remember the cover of the book. (I'd love to say, "because they stole them all", but I just can't recall.)

My peevishness from the era comes from Jerry Rubin going corporate on me. I have an autographed copy of one of his books from that same era. It's worth about thirty cents more than I paid for it, and I got an employee discount!

[cienanos]

Actually, they'll probably take away my pookah shells and petuli oil, but I can't remember the cover of the book. (I'd love to say, "because they stole them all", but I just can't recall.)

My peevishness from the era comes from Jerry Rubin going corporate on me. I have an autographed copy of one of his books from that same era. It's worth about thirty cents more than I paid for it, and I got an employee discount!

In keeping with the namedrop tone, what is it that Hunter Thompson said?

"If you're going to be crazy, you have to get paid for it or else you're going to be locked up."

[Nutmeg]

Hi all! I was referred here by a colleague in another forum, who directed me to read a thread on AGW. I thought the fora look interesting, and I like the dynamics here, so I decided to join, though I'll confess no previous knowledge of James Randi.

Cheers.

[LibraryLady]

Welcome Nutmeg. Pull up a chair and join in.

And please, return the library books already. Jeez.

[COLONEL]

Welcome All you NewB's Today you are entitled to 1 Hamster cooked anyway you would like it,FreshGoats milk,Grayman oatmeal cookies, 1 MINTIE from the MINTIE bowl and a special treat a fresh slice of Fetta cheese made from our Goats milk to go on the fresh Greek salad being offered for this week only
If you see our resident Goat be sure to pat it on the head .
Again Welcome and enjoy your stay here.

[cienanos]

Welcome All you NewB's Today you are entitled to 1 Hamster cooked anyway you would like it,FreshGoats milk,Grayman oatmeal cookies, 1 MINTIE from the MINTIE bowl and a special treat a fresh slice of Fetta cheese made from our Goats milk to go on the fresh Greek salad being offered for this week only
If you see our resident Goat be sure to pat it on the head .
Again Welcome and enjoy your stay here.

is the greek salad what you used to type your welcome note? the text is green and lettucey how are we supposed to eat that now? right, rinse it off with goat's milk and glazed hamster.

that's great boss, fehkin great. thanks.

[Nutmeg]

Question: what's the "nominate" button all about?

[BlackLotus]

Hello all, another new bod here.

Actually I made a post already , and was most impressed with the speed and quality of the answers. And then I found there was an introduction forum (Doh!)

Hope to bump into you, in a virtual way, some time soon.

[COLONEL]

is the greek salad what you used to type your welcome note? the text is green and lettucey how are we supposed to eat that now? right, rinse it off with goat's milk and glazed hamster.

that's great boss, fehkin great. thanks. NO, But I always text in green.

[COLONEL]

Hello all, another new bod here.

Actually I made a post already , and was most impressed with the speed and quality of the answers. And then I found there was an introduction forum (Doh!)

Hope to bump into you, in a virtual way, some time soon. That was an accident we normally make NewB's wait at least a week, before we answer them. :D

Welcome and read my earlier post on what this weeks Menue is

[lionking]

Question: what's the "nominate" button all about?
In the Community section these's a sticky about the language awards, which are made every month. If you think a post is either strikingly well-written, or pithy (there are two awards), you can nominate it with that button. You can start your practicing by nominating any of mine. ;)

[COLONEL]

In the Community section these's a sticky about the language awards, which are made every month. If you think a post is either strikingly well-written, or pithy (there are two awards), you can nominate it with that button. You can start your practicing by nominating any of mine. ;) Well I can be bought , hint hint What would you like nominated?

[DrJen]

Welcome All you NewB's Today you are entitled to 1 Hamster cooked anyway you would like it,FreshGoats milk,Grayman oatmeal cookies, 1 MINTIE from the MINTIE bowl and a special treat a fresh slice of Fetta cheese made from our Goats milk to go on the fresh Greek salad being offered for this week only
If you see our resident Goat be sure to pat it on the head .
Again Welcome and enjoy your stay here.
Hi...excuse me...I don't mean to complain, but, um, the candy I got out of the candy bowl? It was pink and smelled of shaving cream. Can I replace it with a mintie? It has to be better than this.

[COLONEL]

Hi...excuse me...I don't mean to complain, but, um, the candy I got out of the candy bowl? It was pink and smelled of shaving cream. Can I replace it with a mintie? It has to be better than this.
Yes you may . Only MINTIES are supposed to be in that dish I apologise and will inform AMB and I am sure he will find out who is messing with his MINTIE bowl.:cool:

[DrJen]

Yes you may . Only MINTIES are supposed to be in that dish I apologise and will inform AMB and I am sure he will find out who is messing with his MINTIE bowl.:cool:
I appreciate that...all I know is that a tall, red-haired pirate from Australia handed me the bowl. He was kind enough to offer Tim Tams afterwards, though.

[amb]

I appreciate that...all I know is that a tall, red-haired pirate from Australia handed me the bowl. He was kind enough to offer Tim Tams afterwards, though.

The COLONEL got carried away a little there with that menu. Please delete the goats feta. :p

[COLONEL]

Good morning and Welcome to all you NewB's

To all you Irish folks like my self, HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY

[eudaimanic]

Hello everyone. I've been meaning to get involved here for a while and the fantastic bunch on the JREF cruise last week finally convinced me to join.

My name is Thomas Donnelly and I am produce the For Good Reason podcast and also did the first 200 some episodes of Point of Inquiry. I'm currently attending law school in St. Louis, where I live with my partner D.J. Grothe.

Looking forward to some great conversations!

[Femke]

Hi eudaimanic,

:welcome2
It is great to have you on board. Did you know your husband shares his name with our new president? :D
Only kidding, pull up a chair, and help yourself to some goat milk and cookies. Don't accept the feta, we don't really know what's in it.
How do you like your hamster done?

After this round of refreshments, the goat will be along to show you to a thread of your choice.

Femke

[COLONEL]

Femke I resent that remark about the Feta, I stayed up with the Goat all night making it and testing it to make sure it was of the highest quality Come on try a bite :)

[amb]

COLONEL, it's too expensive. I sell the stuff at $30 KG AU. What if we substitute cows feta? Just until the economy picks up a little more. :D