Phi for All

Let's all remember that the Pseudoscience and Speculations forums are our equivalent of unofficial peer review for those members who have no scientific accreditation. Let's steer clear of ad hominem and stick to (civily) attacking the thesis instead of the person posing it. Let's not stoop. And Ladyhelix, I apologize for any seemingly intended rudeness, but the scientific method demands that ideas be subjected to intense scrutiny and experimentation before moving their way up the ladder of acceptability. Much of religion and spirituality falls outside this process since supernatural effects are not, by definition, testable, repeatable or falsifiable. Invisible forces often defy observation and therefore usually fall outside the purview of science. I LOVE the fact that you are challenging us with an experiment. I'm sorry some people didn't understand the parameters but now that you've made it clearer can we get some further clarification? I glued two pieces of construction paper using a small amount of white all-purpose glue. I mashed them together to spread and thin the glue. I wrote today's date on the paper. I will repeat this process on Thursday. Question 1 - Does the type or amount of glue matter? Question 2 - How long do we have to wait to check the two bonds to see which held better? Question 3 - What is the best method for checking the bond without resorting to precise force measurement equipment? I want to make absolutely sure that, if I take the time to run the experiement and discuss it with you that you won't dismiss my results by saying I didn't do it right.

I'll grant that these people exist. Whether they exist as behind-the-scenes manipulators of the human race is still very questionable. *All* royal families (what about King Goodwill Zwelithini of the Zulu nation in Africa?)? *All* religious leaders (the Pope's on your list I bet but what about Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell)? Every government leader (Hugo Chavez?)? Plenty of people from "Old Money" don't have it anymore so do they count? Banking families must be aimed at the Rockefellers and the like. If Nelson Rockefeller knew "the secret" how come he died at 71, a pretty young age for modern times (granddaddy John D. made it to 99 years old)? I'm sure I could get googly and find more banking family members who died young despite supposedly being able to visualize perfect health. It's way too easy to imagine Illuminati using their vast wealth to pull our strings and once you allow them reality they can even more easily be the culprits for every bad thing you can imagine. If they really know some kind of metaphysical Secret it doesn't seem to be something transcendent and all-powerful since they still have to work clandestinely. For most of the people you've listed the "elite secret" seems to be compound interest.

My serious answer to this question is that if we survive until we can start a systematic migration off-planet then the only things that would wipe us out would be something that affects the entire system (or multiple systems if we are able to get to another star). Novae or other large-scale galactic phenomena would be difficult for us to live through, but not impossible. Once we're "out there" I see us spreading like a virus. Evolution is really going to have it's hands full if that happens. If we don't leave there are too many ways to count. Diseases, world warfare, ecological disasters, even racial cleansing (from extra-terrestrial sources). Surviving the first stages of atomic bomb development is a really huge hurdle and sometimes I don't think we congratulate ourselves enough on that. Maybe if it were more widely recognized it would help us be smarter about future stages. We definitely need to separate the bombs from the religious ideologies. When total destruction isn't feared *that's* when I'm afraid.

This is a logical fallacy known as Begging the Question. You are not only assuming "the Elites" exist but you are asking us to proceed on the same assumption. This is a very fragile foundation to base even speculation upon. Even pseudoscience requires that you start from a better position if your arguments are going to be given consideration. I would recommend that if you are going to continue using the Bible as a reference point that you post this same thread over at our sister site (we started it while you were away), Theology Forums. Your username and password here should get you in over there as well.

There is no meantime. Helpful suggestions are NOT proper treatment. Threads like these could easily fill up with advice from well-meaning members (or people who join to urge you to buy products). Please don't look for remedies before you see your doctor. Explain your symptoms, situation (new baby) and concerns over the phone and I'll bet you get a fairly quick appointment. If you haven't done this already please make an appointment to see a professional.

If scientists *had* sound bytes the public would probably have a better opinion. Unfortunately they usually need to explain a lot more than their detractors and the public switches off when it goes beyond their technical threshold.

Umm, which one was the stupid gimmick again?

"Ward" as in protection or "ward" as in hospital wing? I wouldn't touch unknown paper from a hospital with *your* ten-foot pole (mine's being varnished at the moment), even if it was burnt.

I think this is a real stretch. People do silly things whether they're liberal or conservative. Maybe Oprah believes this stuff because she's black. Or because she's lost a lot of weight. Or because "The Secret" is on the bestseller's list and she has a talk show.

I don't like the idea of scientific consensus being considered negative education. And I think encouraging people towards "the truth" is the real culprit here. Nobody (especially deep-seated conservative Christians) likes to hear "truths" that are at odds with what they believe. And I think the only positive way to educate people scientifically (outside of Mokele's total re-education or total annihilation programs) is to lay out the facts, show what conclusions experts draw from those facts, and then *ask* people to decide for themselves. Let them know you're trusting their judgment and you remove the idea that we know the truth and they don't. People are funny. If there is only one palatable dish on the buffet and nine different kinds of crap, they still resent being force-fed the good stuff. Many will choke down the crap on principle.

Are you confusing me, Phi for All, with Phil? I can see the similarity in our usernames. If not I would ask you to point out where I made use of ad hominem in my arguments. It's one fallacy I'm usually careful to avoid. Slippery Slope is usually my weakness.

Switch the order of these two sentences and you've answered your own question. With something as important as your health you should never rely on advice from people (even smart people ) who don't know you and your health history. There could be many simple explanations for your symptoms but diagnosis is important and MUST be done by someone qualified who can run the proper tests. Go to outpatients or your primary care provider as bascule suggests. *See a doctor* because your baby needs her mother healthy and happy and worry-free. Do it for your baby, do it for yourself, just do it. If there is something seriously wrong it's best to get help early. If it's not serious at least you'll sleep better and worry less. There is no reason not to go as soon as you can. Will you promise you'll go? Please post back here and let us know the results.

You don't need a personal ID. Click on a member's name (Bignose invited you to send him a message) at the top left of any of their posts and you will get a menu allowing you to send a Private Message. Type it out like an email and you can send Bignose a message that won't be seen by anyone else.

It sure doesn't help that prisons make a ton of money for the private contractors who get concessions with them. Aramark wouldn't want legislation that will shrink their foodservice and laundry market so I doubt they fund many candidates who are *actively* out to curb crime. That's total speculation though, I haven't looked up how much profit there is in providing services to the penal system. Just a gut feeling.

I think at this point you need to define the term "accept". Many people in the above situations may be too afraid to help a victim and risk being stabbed themselves but then they'll turn around and vote for legislation aimed at curbing such violence. To me that's not "accepting" crime.

If everything you're going to talk about is legal why would there be repercussions? Ethical questions are no problem and as soon as we determined that your solicitations to a bestiality site were not for actual bestiality our legal concerns went away. But private discussions with our members (some of whom are minors) is something we're rather protective of. Besides this thread we don't really *know* you very well, lordmagnus. You have no history with us outside this topic. You joined to discuss it and due to its sensitive nature asking to continue privately without the support and input of the community is frankly rather creepy. No one speaking to you will face repercussions as long as the rules of this forum are upheld. And I would hope anyone speaking with you privately would use their utmost discretion.

Crap! This sh*tty thread is showing up on My Yahoo home page. I'm so em-bare-assed my face is flush! I refuse to be potty to this! Sorry, didn't mean to wipe out everyone's enthusiasm.

Very sorry, inefficient transportation and GW just seem like such a good fit. But of course you were talking about the swindle video so please forgive us. It seems like there is some new info just in about your video. Timing didn't work out to merge the two threads so please see this thread about The Great Global Warming Swindle Swindle.

What makes you think Phil is a Moderator?

I'll check with my sister-in-law who works for the Regional Transportation District but they're having enough trouble pushing FasTracks through. Important people who will never ride light rail don't think anyone should. And those same people don't ski the Front Range, they only fly to Aspen.

A 100-foot long Architeuthis, so I could swim the deep oceans munching on great whites and appear every so often to a few individuals (and then use my tentacles to steal their cameras). And for violating the spirit of animal reincarnation, you get to live extraterrestrially alone on Pluto with your all-around betterness. *Wonderful* animal. You are now the God of Pluto. Your single worshipper is an atheist.

We become so dependent on "convenience" mentality that one day the whole species suffers a massive stroke when all the television remotes get hit with an EM pulse from badly manufactured wristwatch popcorn-poppers and we all have to heave our bloated selves off the couch to change the channel manually.

Thread is open again. While it seems highly unethical to take this discussion private with so many legal concerns unsatisfactorily answered, the Staff won't stop you from using the PM service to do so. Please exercise caution. Also please report any questionable requests if you choose to contact lordmagnus privately regarding his experiment.

As individuals we sometimes forget we are not alone. It's bad to feel threatened as you walk the streets alone but it's much worse to allow two girls to terrorize a whole busload of people. Chances are if just one person stood up on that bus and said, "WE aren't going to sit here and let you do this. You can frighten one person but this bus has twenty people on it and we're ALL standing up to you RIGHT NOW!" those girls would sit down and get off at the next stop. Of course, it would really help if the rest of the folks on the bus took your cue and actually stood up but people are always looking for someone else to lead in situations like that and they're grateful when someone else takes charge. Even criminals with guns aren't going to shoot an entire busload of people who stand up to them. I'm a big fan of the Broken Window Theory. Fix up your neighborhood, clean up the graffitti, fix the broken windows and show the criminals that *this* neighborhood CARES. Again, everyone needs to take a stand and they will rally around someone who starts the movement to remind them that they aren't alone. Criminals want easy pickings and apathy is their greatest ally. There will always be crime but it doesn't have to be so high where you are if you're willing to get others motivated to help reduce it. The Broken Window Theory has been tried and tested in many hardcore crime areas in the US (and elsewhere I believe) and it works. Unfortunately it requires vigilance and while most people are willing to get fired up if they know they aren't alone eventually apathy sets back in if you don't stay on top of things. It's really weird how banding together to make something positive happen is one of the greatest feelings in the world and empowers us as a community, yet our default state seems to be one where we just want to be by ourselves and do our own thing. As a species we tend to forget our power as a group and seem to prefer our weakness as individuals.

Ixnay on the ikes-lay. It's more like a plumbing snake in the pipes; it's going to unthinkingly (and unfeelingly) steer to where there's an opening, fueled by it's own growth mechanism. Unlike me, however, the plant can't make the decision to sit down in frustration and refuse to traverse the maze. If it met a dead end and couldn't find a way out it would continue to bunch up until further growth was impossible.