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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2009 : 16:36:04 [Permalink]
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Well, my flight is delayed by 2 hours. Seems a rather long time for a one hour flight. I don't know where it's coming from but a weather delay just seems so unlikely today... Sigh...
I stayed long enough to see a preliminary test of a dowser. She used one of those pendulum things to tell her what cards were in several envelopes. Other than the audience, which she will no doubt blame even after agreeing to all of the protocols, some of which were of nher own choosing, the test was pretty much standard for her sort of claim. Anyhow, she didn't get a single hit.
Just so you know, this is the first time I have ever used this computer as a lap top. I mean, it's really on my lap. I still find it difficult to deal with, but it's not as bad as I thought it would be. Go figure..
I'm sure you want to know this, but a hot dog, some chips and a drink costs over 10 dollars at the aiport. And now that I have two hours to kill (almost three) this could get expensive. I already miss the hotel.
Anyhow, the paper presentations were good this morning. They are often more interesting than the main speakers talks. Tim Farely had good info for webmasters, (he is such a tech) I'm hoping I can find most of what talked about online.
I should probably say something about the party. It was big! I will link to some picts of it soon enough. I did get to meet Richard Saunders and Brian Dunning there. That was cool.
Okay, my mind is going blinky in me. More later.
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Simon
SFN Regular
USA
1992 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2009 : 19:46:28 [Permalink]
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| Well, have a safe trip! |
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
Carl Sagan - 1996 |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
 Posted - 07/13/2009 : 13:31:23 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Simon
Well, have a safe trip!
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Thanks!
Okay, I'm home now. Lot's of stuff to fill in. The flight that was supposed to arrive at 5:20 didn't arrive until a little before nine. And it seems I have been struck down by the TAM curse. I'm sick. Fever, cough, the whole nine yards. (At least it had the courtesy to wait until the event was over before taking me down this time.)
It doesn't really surprise me that so many of us get sick during or after TAM. Hell, the most sleep I got at night (which doesn't include nodding off during the event itself) was somewhere between three and four hours. A whole lot of socializing goes on at a TAM event, after hours. Most of it is done while consuming varying amounts of toxic beverages. Skeptics are bad-assed partiers and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Some of us (probably the older skeptics) pay the price...
I have a lot of pictures to share. I'm not yet sure how I will do that. Maybe I should leave them for the summary, or put them in this thread. I dunno.
Plus, I'm sure I have more to say about the event itself. Maybe I'll do some more writing when (and if) the coffee kicks in. I slept for twelve hours last night which may be some kind of record for me. And right now, all I really want to do is to go back to bed... |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Simon
SFN Regular
USA
1992 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2009 : 13:40:57 [Permalink]
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Obviously this is because all the psychics in the world are concentrating all week long to send you waves of negative energy!
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Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
Carl Sagan - 1996 |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2009 : 17:48:02 [Permalink]
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Yup, I recognized you talking with Joe Nickell and Joe Loxton (whoever the Hell they are).
I was shocked to see Randi slumped in a wheelchair, looking quite frail.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Simon
SFN Regular
USA
1992 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2009 : 19:54:38 [Permalink]
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I concur on both grounds.
I hope Randi was just suffering from a temporary tiredness... |
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
Carl Sagan - 1996 |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2009 : 22:47:44 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by HalfMooner
Yup, I recognized you talking with Joe Nickell and Joe Loxton (whoever the Hell they are).
I was shocked to see Randi slumped in a wheelchair, looking quite frail.
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Joe Nickell is probably the top paranormal investigator in the world. He does his thing for the CFI. Daniel Loxton is the editor of Junior Skeptic.
As for Randi, it might help to read his TAM 7 Welcome Address.
Randi:
Greetings, all! First, welcome to The Amaz!ng Meeting 7. The JREF staff and I have been repeatedly astonished – if not “amazed” – at the steady growth of this annual event, and we are appropriately grateful and humble for your presence here. But, I must explain my somewhat subdued appearance…
This is what I call a major bummer. During a routine medical examination more than a month ago, it was discovered that I had a nasty visitor inside me – yet another stunning example of Intelligent Design at work, friends. My doctors went in and removed it, and things are looking up again. I'll be pretty weak for a couple of months, but I assure you all that I'm fighting this thing with the very best technical help – I'm not at all shy about embracing technology! – and I'll be able to keep up with my regular duties as the treatment proceeds.
This is the reason you've not seen any recent videos from me. Of course, I'm very fortunate to have good folks like Phil Plait, that Bad Astronomer, along with the ever-present, ever-diligent, and very fierce Linda Shallenberger, to back me up. They stepped in to manage and resuscitate TAM 7, and I think the results speak for themselves…! |
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Simon
SFN Regular
USA
1992 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2009 : 07:30:46 [Permalink]
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Good, this seems to suggest that he is on his way to recovery.
(Now let's lock this thread before you know who comes in and bitch at me for wishing Randi well, arguing that he only has a few years anyway, and then will be send to burn in hell...) ;) |
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
Carl Sagan - 1996 |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2009 : 13:55:33 [Permalink]
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Okay, so, here are some of the pictures I got at TAM7. I hope this works, and I hope it's not boring. Many of the photo's are with people I admire. (I must only admire people who are taller than me.) A few of the photo's are just random shots…
This is Joe Nickell posing with me. He is the only full time paranormal investigator in the world. He hands out wooden nickels…
Got to meet Daniel Loxton of Junior Skeptic. We have been communicating on facebook about the need for skepticism to not have a political ideology attached to it. His boss may think otherwise…
Robert Lancaster was there, looking and sounding surprisingly well. Good deal!!!
Derek, sailingsoul, who some of you may know from our joint Skepticality/SFN chats, and posts on both of our sites, and me.
I'm blurry but Phil Plait isn't so much. Go figure.
I got this picture of Penn and his girls in the hallway. Tim Farley posted it where Penn could see it, I lacking that kind of access to Penn. Penn's comment was "Oh dear. This makes me cry."
Jeff Wagg was everywhere. We always say hello, and even talk for a bit, but I think this was our first TAM photo together.
A wedding happened!!!
Here is the wedding invitation, passed out after the wedding took place.
The bulletin board in the hall.
It was great meeting Tim Farely. He has his skepticamp T-shirt on. That's where SFN member Simon met him.
Here I got to say hello to Jamy Ian Swiss again. Michelle and I saw him perform at the Magic Castle earlier this year. He and Randi did a TAM spot together.
So, I'm just talking to this guy and I looked at his nametag. He is the one and only Jim Lippard, blogger and skeptical link resource extraordinaire. He's been doing this for at least as long as we have. But wait!
Here we are with the South Point ghost! And a couple of orbs!!! Unknown until the moment I saw it on my computer screen! Call TAPS!!! (Or Joe Nickell?)
This is the judge's table for the talent show. Hmmmm…
And here is the talent.
I caught Sid Rodrigues and Rebbeca Watson having a newlywed moment, at the Skepchick party.
Also at the party, as luck would have it, I met podcasters and bloggers Brian Dunning and [url |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2009 : 14:14:12 [Permalink]
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Cool photos, thanks! I wish I could have attended, dammit!
Great to learn of Robert Lancaster's recovery.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2009 : 14:31:19 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Kil
Here we are with the South Point ghost! And a couple of orbs!!! |
You call those orbs? You caught orbs at TAM5, in the photo with b'gal. There's one next to her head, and another one hovering around Boron10's second button. They're both so huge, I'm surprised nobody has commented on them, yet. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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TAM7
