Looking for Skeptics

Status
Not open for further replies.
Just a quick derail about Claus Larsen. He is the creator of the blog The Skeptic Report, which I rarely visit anymore, but which I think is still active and has some excellent content.

When dealing with something strictly factual, Claus was a formidable opponent, not only for his command of the relevant knowledge but also for his skills both in slicing through the silliness to get at the core of the issue and in his ability to express himself well and concisely. Given that he is Danish, that last feat is all the more remarkable. On the other hand, Claus' ability to apply his immense skeptical talents to social and political issues were more limited, and he suffered from the same malady that afflicts most of us: he could not see his own shortcomings in those areas. Note that I am not saying that Claus' social and political outlooks were wrong. I am saying that when specific flaws in his reasoning were pointed out, he could not accept the criticism, even when factually based.

The incident that sticks out most in my mind was his claim that since he lived in New York City for some years most Americans who spoke with him thought he was born and raised here given his lack of a Danish accent. A video of him speaking with some friends at one of the first TAMs belied that claim; his English is nearly flawless (a nearly certain give away that someone is not a native of the U.S.), but his accent was thick and unmissable. Claus would not believe this.

He left after an embarrassing episode regarding U.S. Homeland Security and the use of Air Marshals; the episode resulted in a forum semi-meme. I won't explain it, but if you ever read someone saying something like "If I ever see an X on a plane... or "If I ever see an X on a plane I'll kill it, that's from an episode with Claus.

I write the above not to criticize, but to give context to the semi-memes that Claus left and because it brought up memories. I disagreed frequently with Claus on political and social issues, but we were often allies when discussing the paranormal, both on this board and some others (including the John Edward board). As a skeptic, I still respect him immensely.
 
Garrette said:
Claus Larsen was an original forum member who no longer posts here. He became famous for two types of posts. The first was in response to an initial claim. He would simply quoted the claim then type "Evidence?"

The second was what became known as the Larsen List. When a thread became what he perceived to be simply disguised attempts by the claimants to avoid the issues raised by skeptics, he would post a numbered and ever growing list of concerns and questions that the claimant was avoiding. He kept meticulous notes and was a thorn both to claimants for his thorough doggedness and to skeptics for his frequent abrasiveness.
Click to expand...

Ah I see - we could do with a catalogue of questions both answered and unanswered.
 
scrappy said:
No I have never met her father ,just getting fed up of the insults on here . All the name calling saying we are the same person .
Click to expand...

The only way you can get insulted here is if you come here.
 
Garrette said:
He left after an embarrassing episode regarding U.S. Homeland Security and the use of Air Marshals; the episode resulted in a forum semi-meme. I won't explain it, but if you ever read someone saying something like "If I ever see an X on a plane... or "If I ever see an X on a plane I'll kill it, that's from an episode with Claus.
Click to expand...
That was him? LOL.

Stupid me, I did not make the connection. I sorta pegged him as pretty sharp but with a couple of blind spots. Just MHO.
 
Here is a list of unanswered questions posed directly to Scrappy, as summarily scanned by me. The size of the list is telling in itself.

I do not expect Scrappy to answer each one of them, of course, so if it is to be responded to, we should probably boil it down to something workable.

Note that Vortigern99 tried this approach in posts #2267 and #2270, with reiteration from Alderbank in post # 2321. To no avail.


Here goes:



☻Have you read the thread?

☻Do you hear the same messages as Flaccon?

☻Have you researched pareidolia?

☻Do you know what "success" is?

☻ Have you proposed any significant test protocols?


☻ Is [the following] a claim that can be replicated, do you think? It could be the basis of a very simple test

[I sent her a silent recording as she ran it through her laptop,
it altered the original recording on my lap top]


☻ What type of recording did you send flaccon? WMV?


☻ Are you saying that when you generate a completely silent audio file and send it to Flaccon, that just the act of her playing it on her computer, alters the file on yours?

☻ Would you be willing to demonstrate this under strictly controlled conditions if Alderbank was willing to revisit flaccon and we could find someone close to Nottingham to sit with you at the same time?



☻ Any news on a clear, unambiguous claim, so we we can prove that there are supernatural messages?

☻ What does flaccon mean when she talks about calibrating laptops?

☻ Do you understand that in order to distinguish genuine spirit voices from pareidolia/interference it is necessary to carefully eliminate the latter with a simple test protocol like the ones previously discussed on this thread?

Are you willing to do this, or assist flaccon in doing this?

Do you understand that unless you are able to answer yes to both those questions you are likely to be a much greater hindrance than help to flaccon as she attempts to understand the phenomenon she is investigating?

You could help her now by recommending that she gives her Doctor the link to this thread when she next consults him/her.

I notice that you say you can clearly hear 'the spirits'. Why do you claim that, and how do you think it could be confirmed? Would you be willing to share with us a recording where you can hear the spirits?

☻ Is English your native tongue? If not, what languages are you fluent in and can you hear voices in those languages?

☻ Did you have a problem with the registration process?


☻ Can you please clear up a point of ambiguity for me?

Do you mean that one of these two things occurred;

a) after you learned that Tracy had listened to the file you sent to her, you played the original file on your own computer and it sounded qualitatively different,

or

b) after Tracy listened to the file you sent her and she told you about what she imagined she heard then you played the file again and started to think you heard a similar thing too?

The distinction is quite important, so I'd be grateful if you would explain carefully.


☻ How did you two determine that you had heard the same voice?

☻ How did flaccon "see for" herself? What did you two do when you got together in Nottingham?

☻ What was the result on your original recording when she processed it again on the second machine? Did your recording change again?

☻ Did you listen to the silent file before you sent it? If not, how do you know it changed? If so, what exactly is different now, i.e. what do you hear that you did not hear before? If it's a voice, are the words it says clear and distinct - like the news reader on the radio - or is it sounds that you can interpret as words if you try hard enough? What are the words? Are they the same every time you listen to the recording, or do they change? Can you arrange for posters here to listen to the recording?

☻ What does the GP say about all this, scrappy?

☻ What is transference?

☻ Did her GP explain to her that everyone experiences pareidolia, and why that explanation has to be eliminated before alternatives should be considered?

☻ Has her GP been directed to this thread?

☻ You are still not answering how we can discount pareidolia. Unless you answer this question you are on a fools errand and simply chasing a chimera as Randi would say.

☻ I don't want to be rude but could you kindly get on with telling us what flaccon's spirits can do and how we can test it in the new thread.

☻
I ask again how can flaccon prove that it is not pareidolia. I don't give a fig about demonic attacks - that is a red herring designed to distract from the question. Demons are fictional characters and have no relevance to making recordings and hearing voices.

☻ Instead of buying me that pint how about just answering the questions I asked (second time round) in post #2321?

☻ The Falcon? Bear & Billet? The Slug & Lettuce?

☻ My question to scrappy at this point is "What is your purpose in posting here, what do you hope to achieve?"

If the purpose is to prove to skeptics that there really are spirits talking to you and flaccon, you'll only achieve that by following the suggested protocols.

☻ Were you going to PM [jsFisher] about getting a copy of the three files I emailed flaccon?

☻ Apparently you not only hear the voices but have some of your own. You buy into the demonic possession and the evil spirits that made her sick and destroyed her marriage. How about the chemtrails? UFOs?
Do your spirits also want to contact The Church? And are you coincidentally from a Catholic upbringing?

☻ Did you first learn about flaccon's claims via her website, or through a mutual acquaintance? Has she ever charged you for her services?

☻ Are you sure the score is eleven one? ELEVEN one?

☻If you never met the bloke, how can you know it is his voice?

☻ Mr Roberts, can I buy you dinner at 7pm on Wednesday in the Ring O'Bells at Christleton (Voted Chester's Best Pub at the Chester Food and Drink Awards) which is not far from where Tracy lives?

☻ I would love for scrappy to identify which recording he hears those shouted full sentences, but he won't do that. I would love for scrappy to specify how exactly he can identify the voice that is on those recordings, but he won't do that either
 
^
Of course your list is complete as well as completely entertaining.
I'll settle for seconding abaddon's query.
abaddon said:
... I really want to know how exactly scrappy knows that is flaccon's father's voice if scrappy never heard it in life.
Click to expand...
 
Actually he answered the one about eleven one (whatever the hell that means) he IS sure.
 
Reno said:
Please? PLEASE??.....<SNIP>

Edited by Locknar: 
Edited, breach of rule 9.
Click to expand...

Apologies. Didn't realise that was offensive to some people. Didn't think we tolerated homophobes on this board actually, but there you go.

Was just doing a quote a la Monty Python, but from the youtube clip of a sketch from the comedy show "Burnieston" I had earlier posted. Was really for the Scots on the board.

ETA: Also sorry for the derail.
 
Last edited:
I would like to know if scrappy is including flaccon's sisters among the "3 who heard their own father's voice".
 
scrappy said:
To Pixel42 they discussed random images at the beginning of her appointments . Since the GP heard out her evidence , coupled with the past twenty years , not forgetting to mention the bishop and father kennith who helped her family 13 years ago , the GP wrote her a strong letter aimed towards the Bishop of Chester , to no avail , hence why she started this thread . When she mentioned this thread to her GP , he said it was a good idea despite the attitudes .
Click to expand...

What exactly did the GP think the Bishop of Chester could do in flaccon's case?

carlitos said:
Click to expand...

Brilliant.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Back
Top Bottom