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Ricky
SFN Die Hard

USA
4907 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  09:34:55  Show Profile  Send Ricky an AOL message Send Ricky a Private Message
I was tempted to put this in humor because of all the responses, but it fits well here too.

First, take a look at this card trick. It's pretty easy to see how it works.

But now, take a look at the responses to the trick. They are down right hilarious.

quote:
From Tara R.
Quantum mechanics may permit synchronicity of thought and computer software. I suggest that, on the quantum level, you were able to predict the card I selected even before I selected it. It is also possible that my brainwaves may influence your software. Although this seems far-fetched, we know that brainwaves are detectable with SQUID (superconducting quantum interference devices.)


quote:
From Samantha F.:
I believe you are able to determine which card I picked by examining my eye movement (point of reference - eyeball) and card location?

Why continue? Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast.
- Isaac Asimov

Robb
SFN Regular

USA
1223 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  10:03:41   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Robb a Private Message
It took me a couple of times to figure it out. Kind of neat though. I agree the responses are quite funny. I liked this one

quote:
From: "Brett K."
Dear Dr Pickover, I am writing in response to your amazing esp experiment. Since having seen it last night, the world has become a much more interesting place. The solution to your experiment, whether simple or so advanced, that a mere person such as myself will never explain, has intrigued me all the same. Like everone else, I have some theories. Whether right or wrong here they are.
1. You are an Alien.
2. You are the most amazing software writer on this planet.
3. Like everything else in this universe history is repeating itself.
4. My thoughts are creating my reality.

Thank you for your amazing insight. It must be amazing being you. Brett K.. Melbourne Australia.

Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. - George Washington
Edited by - Robb on 09/13/2005 10:15:19
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Robb
SFN Regular

USA
1223 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  10:33:58   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Robb a Private Message
these are good also:

quote:
The way I think you carry out the ESP experiment is that u have a frequency analyser installed in the software and when one says the name of the card aloud, the software can match the various frequencies in the voice to that of the chosen card and in doing so figure out which one it is


quote:
Right ! I have had enough, i own and run my own business - a newagents and at the minute all of my customers are talking about it - one of them thinks he has sussed it out after spending 28 hours trying to master the technique!


quote:
Ahhhhhhhhhhh, somebody help me esp has me I cant sleep I cant think the voices wont go away Mike R


These made my drap lunch much more enjoyable.



Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. - George Washington
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furshur
SFN Regular

USA
1536 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  11:18:57   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send furshur a Private Message
I don't know what you guys think is so funny!!! Just to make it harder I picked ALL 5 CARDS and he was still good enough to figure out that I picked all of them!!?!?!?!!?!?!?! WOW



If I knew then what I know now then I would know more now than I know.
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pleco
SFN Addict

USA
2998 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  11:29:34   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit pleco's Homepage Send pleco a Private Message
I would really like to know how many of the responses on the web site are genuine people who honestly believe that it is ESP, or the browser tracking eye movement, or (even funnier) that the page didn't guess the card...unfortunately I bet the ESP believers vote Democrat in the USA.

by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart.
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pleco
SFN Addict

USA
2998 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  11:42:16   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit pleco's Homepage Send pleco a Private Message
I think bigbrain might be one of the respondents.

by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart.
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard

USA
4907 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  14:23:45   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Ricky an AOL message Send Ricky a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by pleco

I would really like to know how many of the responses on the web site are genuine people who honestly believe that it is ESP, or the browser tracking eye movement, or (even funnier) that the page didn't guess the card...unfortunately I bet the ESP believers vote Democrat in the USA.



This thought crossed my mind as well. But for some guy to make up however many responses there are, well, it just doesn't seem likely. And for what reason?

Why continue? Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast.
- Isaac Asimov
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filthy
SFN Die Hard

USA
14408 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  15:14:44   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send filthy a Private Message
I beat it. On the forth try, I selected no card nor even looked at them. It selected the Jack of Diamonds.

It's pretty amazing, though. I'd like to know how it's done.


"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)

"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres


"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude

Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,

and Crypto-Communist!

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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard

USA
4574 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  15:33:21   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send H. Humbert a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by filthy

I beat it. On the forth try, I selected no card nor even looked at them. It selected the Jack of Diamonds.

It's pretty amazing, though. I'd like to know how it's done.



Huh? The computer "selects" your card by removing it from the pile. How can you be sure it removed your card if you never even looked at them?


"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes

"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman

"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie
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GeeMack
SFN Regular

USA
1093 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  15:41:50   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send GeeMack a Private Message
This is an old magician's classic called "The Princess Card Trick". I was one of the first to write a CGI program for posting this on one of my web sites. Although I haven't had it running for a couple of years now, the trick got a few hundred thousand visitors over a few years' time. The spectators could fill in comments after the trick, and many did. While the method for this trick is especially simple, it seems many people head straight for complicated answers. In fact that might be one reason this trick can be difficult to solve. Look for the hard answer and you'll only get further from the truth. (Hmmmm... haven't I heard that somewhere before?)
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Dry_vby
Skeptic Friend

Australia
249 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  16:49:43   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Dry_vby a Private Message

Here is an explanation of how it is done in person:

http://sky.prohosting.com/fizbin/athenaeum/magos/books/cmanip03/014.HTML

Dazzle all your friends at parties and such.


"I'll go along with the charade
Until I can think my way out.
I know it was all a big joke
Whatever it was about."

Bob Dylan
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard

USA
4907 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  17:37:11   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Ricky an AOL message Send Ricky a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by filthy

I beat it. On the forth try, I selected no card nor even looked at them. It selected the Jack of Diamonds.

It's pretty amazing, though. I'd like to know how it's done.





Not a single one of the cards of the original 5 is there in the final 5. Every single card is replaced by a card that has the same face value, but not the same suit.

Why continue? Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast.
- Isaac Asimov
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filthy
SFN Die Hard

USA
14408 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  18:42:40   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send filthy a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Ricky

quote:
Originally posted by filthy

I beat it. On the forth try, I selected no card nor even looked at them. It selected the Jack of Diamonds.

It's pretty amazing, though. I'd like to know how it's done.





Not a single one of the cards of the original 5 is there in the final 5. Every single card is replaced by a card that has the same face value, but not the same suit.

And there it is, easier'n falling off a log. Thanks!
quote:

Huh? The computer "selects" your card by removing it from the pile. How can you be sure it removed your card if you never even looked at them?


As I selected no card, any card the game selected to remove could only be wrong. Kinda like cold reading: tell the reader nothing and he debunks himself.





"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)

"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres


"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude

Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,

and Crypto-Communist!

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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard

USA
4574 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  19:20:00   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send H. Humbert a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by filthy
As I selected no card, any card the game selected to remove could only be wrong.
Ah, now I get it. I misinterpeted what you meant when you said you "beat" it. You meant you out thunk it. Well done.


"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes

"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman

"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie
Edited by - H. Humbert on 09/13/2005 19:20:15
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Kil
Evil Skeptic

USA
13477 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  19:50:37   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Kil's Homepage  Send Kil an AOL message  Send Kil a Yahoo! Message Send Kil a Private Message
oh hey, got it in one....!


Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.

Why not question something for a change?

Genetic Literacy Project
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard

USA
3834 Posts

Posted - 09/13/2005 :  23:44:51   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send beskeptigal a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by filthy

I beat it. On the forth try, I selected no card nor even looked at them. It selected the Jack of Diamonds.

It's pretty amazing, though. I'd like to know how it's done.



It didn't 'select' the Jack of diamonds. You did.
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