George Aar

Oh, and just for sport, Google the Criss Angel "walk through glass" trick to see how it's done. A really amazing illusion like that (and not unlike "talking with the dead"), though really compelling, becomes ever so flakey once you see how it's done. Again I'd recommend Ian Rowland's act to anyone who still has some confidence that the necromancers among us have any credibility whatsoever...

I really wasn't trying to be argumentative (though, I have been known to be). Sorry you took it that way. Mostly I'm just so disgusted by the whole "talk with the dead" scammers, that I feel the need to expose the (what I feel to be) immoral, predatory, snakeoil for what it is. I find it almost unbelieveable that there are people who are so conscienceless as to take advantage of others when they're at their most vulnerable. Watching John Edward or Sylvia Browne work one of their marks with their flimsy "Oh, I'm getting a 'b'" blather, and ultimately telling them nothing they didn't know already - while making serious inroads on their bank accounts - just makes my blood boil. Yeah, they perform an act that some (usually distraught and unguarded) folks find compelling. But when you see how the act is done, the "magic" disappears and their real intentions become obvious...

I thought a mantel was that little fabric thingy in my oil lamp that always breaks in between power outages...

Well, I've mentioned this before, but I think it bears repeating. "Snowstorms" were a frequent fallback position for Mr. Wierwille. In 1975 he and Howard were supposed to be in Seattle for a branch meeting or somesuch, and most everyone in the state had converged on a party room at some apartment house in the 'burbs of Seattle for a chance to get a glimpse of His Holiness. We were all packed into the somewhat smallish room breathlessly awaiting the appearing of God's Chosen One, when we got an announcement from the Limb Leader (J#e Co#lt@r) that His Emminence, with great regret, had called from Reno and informed us all that he and Howard were snowed in and NO planes were flying out at all. Gosh, He sure wanted to be there with us, but, sometimes these things happen. (A few lines from PFAL about "believing" and such like flipped through my mind, but HEY!, this was TMOGFODAT, and you know how much the DEVIL was trying to thwart His efforts!) Anyway, the Blessed DOCTOR did a little teaching over the phone, and we paid our respects and homage to His Greatness, and the meeting sorta petered out. Well, the next day a somewhat more cynical member of the congregation called up the airlines to see if there really weren't any flights out. Lo and behold, NONE of the airlines had canceled ANY flights due to ANY sort of snowstorm in Reno. When this news was communicated to the limb, rather than thanks for the investigative work, the lowly believer got his azz handed to him (Can't ya just FEEL the LOVE?). I've since heard of at least two other similar incidents from other ex-Wayfers, and read of one or two others in posts here or on WayDale. It seems like it was just a stock excuse that our Father-in-the-WURD utilized, maybe when he had a bad case of the Brown-Bottle Flu or somesuch. I wonder if the Missus still believed them?

These guys are all charletons. If they could really divine secrets, why don't they go to the racetrack and make a fortune? Or really tell the police who killed who, or who stole what, or who's planning on doing such things? The truth is, no "psychic" or "fortune teller", or "sensitive" has ever proven that they can divine anything, though they ALWAYS claim they have. With gimps like the one you talked to, they use well-worked methods of "cold" reading, or sometimes "hot" reading, or maybe a combination of the two. You can read about how these methods are used here: http://www.ianrowland.com/ from a guy who makes a living doing readings (and then explaining how he did what he did). Basically John Edward and other such geeks utilized a mildly sophisticated variation of the game of "twenty question" to do their "readings". They offer up banal, content-free "information" to elicit responses from their marks. (I'm getting a "B", does that mean anything to you?) And in return their "clients" respond with often more information than they're even aware. The responses are incorporated into the "readings" and fed back to the marks, often to amazed shreiks. By working with people who are usually already emotionally distraught, and by firing NUMEROUS questions and reading both verbal and bodily responses VERY closely, the moderately talented "psychic" can usually muster up a passable "reading", especially if his mark is already predisposed to believing in the schtick.

I don't know if we're doing movie reviews anymore, but, since I haven't been to a movie in an actual movie theatre since the debut of the first Harry Potter film, I thought I'd offer up this one. A rather long film, but I thought, mostly enjoyable. The story is pretty thin, so don't expect any epiphanies, but it was a very well-crafted flick. The makeup and computer enhancements were really amazing. I especially enjoyed the first half of the movie where Benjamin was still "young" and the actor who was playing the role had his head supplanted by a computer-inserted version of Brad Pitt's (who is made up to look like he's 70-somethihng). It was kinda cute seeing an withered old-man with a young boy's sensiblities and innocence. So, anyway, go expecting a sorta fairytale for adults, but don't expect any heavy "message", though it does try to convey one. The message is just a little too vague and lightweight to really communicate. Do expect to be blown away by the sets, makeup and special effects, as they are really amazing. And expect a fluffy, mostly meaningless, just about pointless diversion. It's fun, though a tad long...

Hey David, I posted this for you on another thread but I don't think you ever got a chance to see it. Whaddu you think of this guy's pickin'?

I think you're missing the basic appeal of such doctrines, Bramble. The concept is not to cater to the wealthy and well-disposed, but rather to those who desire to be! It's just a way to get money out of those that can least afford it. It doesn't seem to be the case that "Prosperity Doctrine" churches do exceptionally well in affluent areas, but rather in areas where there is serious, tangible need. Like all religion (IMNSHO) the idea is to simply sell false hope and false promises to the desperate. There never seems to be a shortage of such marks, and likely are more plentiful in bad times than good. Such a swell way to make a living, huh? Fleecing the needy, how loving, how Godly, eh? Yeah, I'm impressed...

It's all in what you like I guess. But for me I think the title would have to be something more like "So you don't feel like chasing Tinkerbells anymore?" Even with that I kinda doubt it would kindle any interest from me. Illogical, unverifiable superstitions just don't have any appeal for me. Real life might not be as comforting or hold as much hope, but it's so much more reliable to live in the real world...

I loved a fruitcake once...

Well, just call me Mr. Sunshine! I don't think we've even begun to see how low this can go. We're entirely in uncharted waters now. The unprecedented deficits, the foreclosures, the unbridled generousity to the uppercrust moneymanagers and the disipated base all make for a strange, real-life, morality play. What I don't understand in all the economic forecasting is: WHAT is going to bring us out of this mess? HOW can things turn around when there seems to be nothing in place to DO the turning? We don't manufacture anything in this country anymore. And, as a result, we don't create any wealth here anymore either. We shuffle paper, shuffle investments, and stick our fingers in our ears and sing "la, la, la" anytime anybody points out those unpleasant facts. Performing services DOESN'T create wealth. MAKING things does. And we sold off even our capacity for manufacturing decades ago. We've given up our role as world leader when it comes to much of anything, except for starting pointless wars. I think we're going to have to get used to playing second banana to China when it comes to financial might, manufacturing ability, and economic resiliance. We've followed the Pied Pipers of "Trickle Down" and "Supply Side" Voodoo economics and now we're going to have to pay the price. I don't think it looks very good...

deleted 'cause I shouldn't be posting on this thread

Oh f$%k it all. Let's go to Cabo and wait until things thaw out...

Anybody else remember those "newsletters" that we were getting at around the time Gahagan was running for office? "Salty Oats" and some other rag - I think put out directly by HG's organization, were always rife with right-wing conspiracy blather. It'd be kinda humorous to see what the hell was in them now- and how all those prophecies of doom held up. What's amazing to me is that all these smart guys in WayWorld weren't bright enough to realize that mixing politics and religion would get them all in a heap a trouble with the tax crowd. Pretty stupid in retrospect...

Seattle's weather has kinda sucked for the last week or so. Been in the teens to low 30's for over a week now. Yes, I know compared to hometown Duluth, it's a banana belt, but for the PNW it's been brutal. The worst weather we've seen around here in about 18 years. The traffic is the worst part, as I live in a cold house and just don't much give a chit. But not being able to get around 'cause the roads are all blocked with abandoned cars gets really old. The locals around here never seem to catch on about how to drive in the snow either. Everytime we have a bit of snow, everyone takes that as a cue to drive immediately into the ditch. I don't get it. This weekend was supposed to be the real bitch, though. But the killer storm failed to materialize (as I predicted). There was a little wind and a little snow, but basically, no big deal. One thing you have to learn about the weather in the PNW, is that if they predict it, it ain't gonna happen. The really nasty storms always seem to strike pretty much out of the blue. No warning, no nuthin. Then the weathermen all make excuses for a couple of days for why they missed it. But if they call for it, relax. I think they're trying to make up for a slow news day sometimes with the ridiculous predictions they make, and turn into the "Top Story" for the evening news. Anyway, no relief in sight right now. 'Sposed to be another week or so of this crap. It'd be nice if they had enough equipment to plow the roads BEFORE they get covered in ice, but such is life...

WB, Well, just for the record, I grew up in a house FULL of women. Three sisters, 2, 5, and 10 years older than me, my mother, and later on, my grandmother, all in the same house, and my father died young. So, growing up, it was just me and all the women. So, yeah, I have a little insight into how women act. It took getting married - and especially divorced - to really complete my education, though. Yeah, those "signs". Even in retrospect, they're pretty sparse, at least for men. Women DO seem to immediately understand the actions of one of their gender cohorts. Women I think speak fluent "femalese" right from the womb. Men, OTOH, actually need words to comprehend what the hell is going on sometimes. Gee, we're so hard to figure out, huh?

Uh, no, a lot of us never heard any reason. We just heard "GOODBYE". No warning, no unhappy years of putting up with each other, no constant bickering, - nothing. Just a normal, generally happy life and then one day you find yourself alone. No real reasons given, no previous indication of any real problem, no effort whatever to work things out, just a onetime condemnation for your worthlessness and a quick exit. Yeah, O.K., so what do I do about accepting my responsiblity now? I never got that chance. Hell, there was an employee of mine who came home from work one day to - unexpectedly -find all his belongings on the porch, the doors locked, keys changed, and the new boyfriend already moved in! Another guy that works for me woke up one morning to find his girlfriend gone, but her kids left behind (who he ended up raising, btw). Yeah, I know there's countless worthless a-hole men "out there". But with extra-marital affairs, women seem to be especially nearsighted. The long-range consequences of their faithlessness just doesn't seem to dawn on them until they find themselves in the midst of a sordid mess of their own making... Oh, and yes, I am practicing up to be a first-rate misogynist. How'm I doin' so far?

Yeah, there's bad people out there. Is this some sort of epiphany? Like the people that fall for the "pidgeon drop" scam or maybe the Nigerian Bank Account ruse, I'm dumbfounded that #1, they would be so lax in their personal integrity to consider the scheme to begin with, and #2, that they don't see through the snakeoil pitch from the git-go. Do women ever think? Gawd, it baffles me how simple it seems to be to pull one over on a women if you can talk smooth enough. Bill Clinton has lived his whole life doing it, and most likely still does. There seems to be no shortage of faithless sluts that are eager to be taken in by a well-oiled line of B.S. (and yes, as a matter of fact, I am a little bitter about this whole concept, TYVM)

I guess I'd never reexamined my thoughts about Mr. G. and all the political tripe of the mid70s. I was still carrying around this image of him as some dedicated reformer with real insight into how politics is REALLY played. So funny to see a - I guess - more "real world" assessment of his abilities, Oh gawd, it was all such a joke...

I'll take that job. If she'd been playing with fire and got burned, would it be reasonable to blame the fire for being too hot? I think not. I'm not going to be too quick to string up my violin for your friend Dot, sorry. So she wasn't getting enough "atta boys" at home so her only alternative was to go out and swap sweat with some sleazeball? Gee, heartbreaking. Did she ever even consider the heartache and pain she was about to inflict on the dumb S.O.B. at home that she supposedly had a commitment with? No, she found somebody new to blow smoke up her azz, and all was right in heaven, wasn't it? While her boyfriend's actions seem pathological, hers are nothing to be proud of I think. To me it reflects a real lack of character - and one that she's not likely to ever remedy. A zebra doesn't change it's stripes too easily. The "my husband isn't sensitive to my needs" line (sorta the female equivalent of "my wife doesn't understand me") is all she needs to justify betraying her husband and her marriage, huh? I'm not moved much. So the next time she's feeling a little neglected, it'll be that much easier to step out again, won't it? So she plays her husband for a cuckhold and then she gets jilted? Sorry, no sympathy here...

Well, I'll be dipped. I was drawing on my extensive research from a 7th-grade book report. I guess my memory isn't what it used to be. Geeze, I remember even pasting a picture of the statue in my little folio thingy. Now all I can find is a vague reference to a statue of Christ that Borglum planned, but never executed. Hmmm...

Interesting question for me. I don't know as I EVER enjoyed the whole WayWorld Religion game. Why in the hell I kept up with it for so long is a real puzzle to me in retrospect. The endless demands on one's time, the icky religious rituals, the gd classes, and every summer spoiled by schlepping back to the fetid cornfield in Ohio (a really disgusting state, BTW) to play church for the week. I don't know what in the hell kept me coming back. I really don't. Initially it was real simple. I was sweet on the girl who witnessed to me and wanted desperately to get to "know" her better (yes, in the Biblical sense). After that wore off, what was there? Damned if I know...

IIRC, that stature was carved by Gutson Borglum, the same guy who carved Mt. Rushmore...

I dunno Mr. P, Will it really help anything to dance around the issue? I tend to think that simply, honest, forthright dialog is generally the best in most any situation. You and them have had a lifetime of "alternative speak". Did it really do you any good? Just talk, I'm sure it'll all work out...