Comments on: New Flavor of the Month http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/07/18/new-flavor-of-the-month/ The official blog of the Skeptologists Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:38:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Susan Gerbic http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/07/18/new-flavor-of-the-month/#comment-10107 Susan Gerbic Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:18:22 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=3443#comment-10107 Banachek did a card trick on me as well as Jamy Ian Swiss. Banachek did a card trick on me as well as Jamy Ian Swiss.

]]> By: Mark Edward http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/07/18/new-flavor-of-the-month/#comment-10100 Mark Edward Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:09:29 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=3443#comment-10100 What I meant was, there was no flourish style rolling up of sleeves ala the Magic Man you would expect to see at the Magic Castle. Not sure, ...but weren't Banachek's sleeves already rolled up from the get go? I eh, ...oh. eh...shit I don't remember and I'm too busy to sit through all that again. I suppose there's no pleasing you Max! Banachek could have worn a tank top, but that wouldn't be his style. If he hadn't had his sleeves rolled up to the elbow, I would have been even more skeptical. What can you suggest as a better way of "spreading a skeptical world view and winning hearts and minds?" Jeez, we tried The Skeptologists and now that seems to have been thrown under the bus in favor of Dunning and some Shira babe in a lavender tank top. Sell it with sex Brian. Wait, maybe if Banachek wore a lavender tank top? No. Too commercial. I'm at a loss to know how to proceed short of the Guerilla Skeptic stance, which so far hasn't gotten much traction either. The Million Dollar test is meant to get attention. It did and will.I have found it quite interesting to note that in several of the posts I have read here (Yau Man's) and on other skeptical sites, there is a healthy percentage of people who were hoping that Connie would win. Go figure that one. If we all truly believe there's no such thing as discovering a "real" psychic, how can that happen? Hmmmmmmmmm. One thing about propaganda, it's never conflicted like that. I thought I was the only Peter Pan left in the skeptic movement... What I meant was, there was no flourish style rolling up of sleeves ala the Magic Man you would expect to see at the Magic Castle. Not sure, …but weren’t Banachek’s sleeves already rolled up from the get go? I eh, …oh. eh…shit I don’t remember and I’m too busy to sit through all that again. I suppose there’s no pleasing you Max! Banachek could have worn a tank top, but that wouldn’t be his style. If he hadn’t had his sleeves rolled up to the elbow, I would have been even more skeptical. What can you suggest as a better way of “spreading a skeptical world view and winning hearts and minds?” Jeez, we tried The Skeptologists and now that seems to have been thrown under the bus in favor of Dunning and some Shira babe in a lavender tank top. Sell it with sex Brian. Wait, maybe if Banachek wore a lavender tank top? No. Too commercial. I’m at a loss to know how to proceed short of the Guerilla Skeptic stance, which so far hasn’t gotten much traction either. The Million Dollar test is meant to get attention. It did and will.I have found it quite interesting to note that in several of the posts I have read here (Yau Man’s) and on other skeptical sites, there is a healthy percentage of people who were hoping that Connie would win. Go figure that one. If we all truly believe there’s no such thing as discovering a “real” psychic, how can that happen? Hmmmmmmmmm. One thing about propaganda, it’s never conflicted like that. I thought I was the only Peter Pan left in the skeptic movement…

]]> By: Max http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/07/18/new-flavor-of-the-month/#comment-10096 Max Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:50:05 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=3443#comment-10096 I did watch the video. Banacheck has his sleeves rolled up to his elbow, and he asks Connie to cut the envelopes. If I didn't know it was a legitimate test, I'd think I was watching a magic trick. <blockquote>Propaganda? What are you talking about?</blockquote> Propaganda, spreading a skeptical world view, winning hearts and minds. Or do you think the test is meant to discover a real psychic? I did watch the video. Banacheck has his sleeves rolled up to his elbow, and he asks Connie to cut the envelopes. If I didn’t know it was a legitimate test, I’d think I was watching a magic trick.

Propaganda? What are you talking about?

Propaganda, spreading a skeptical world view, winning hearts and minds. Or do you think the test is meant to discover a real psychic?

]]> By: Mark Edward http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/07/18/new-flavor-of-the-month/#comment-10088 Mark Edward Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:48:19 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=3443#comment-10088 No one rolled up any sleeves. Watch the video. Nobody is patting anybody on their own backs. The only people who may be having a hard time believing what was clearly demonstrated last weekend would never believe what we have shown no matter what. Propaganda? What are you talking about? I guess I forget to take my LSD this morning... No one rolled up any sleeves. Watch the video. Nobody is patting anybody on their own backs. The only people who may be having a hard time believing what was clearly demonstrated last weekend would never believe what we have shown no matter what. Propaganda? What are you talking about? I guess I forget to take my LSD this morning…

]]> By: Max http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/07/18/new-flavor-of-the-month/#comment-10074 Max Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:57:50 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=3443#comment-10074 Look, the primary purpose of this test is propaganda. You can pat yourself on the back for having things so tight, but if people don't believe you, then you've failed to convince them. And when people see a magician roll up his sleeves to show that he has nothing to hide, they can't help but be cynical. Look, the primary purpose of this test is propaganda. You can pat yourself on the back for having things so tight, but if people don’t believe you, then you’ve failed to convince them.
And when people see a magician roll up his sleeves to show that he has nothing to hide, they can’t help but be cynical.

]]> By: Mark Edward http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/07/18/new-flavor-of-the-month/#comment-10073 Mark Edward Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:23:27 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=3443#comment-10073 At one point, I think it was Connie who might have suggested that the security guard who hand delivered the cards and envelopes to Banachek be the one to administer the actual test proper, and tha Banachek be confined to only observing the test procedure. Bad idea Connie. As if a badge and a uniform magically excludes that individual from suspicion? What if that guy was in on something? Remember, with a million bucks hanging in the balance, you have to think like a criminal to catch a criminal. Banachek was clearly the man for the job. There's no winning with people like Connie or her fans. She agreed to the protocol and that's the end of it. Sh'e a con - nie lass. Amazingly, about two hours before the test, a flurry of rumors began to circulate that even the people closest to the test (whose names will remain top secret) were even under a small bit of scrutiny and suspiciion. You couldn't have had things any tighter unless you were the CIA - and we all know how they screw things up. At one point, I think it was Connie who might have suggested that the security guard who hand delivered the cards and envelopes to Banachek be the one to administer the actual test proper, and tha Banachek be confined to only observing the test procedure. Bad idea Connie. As if a badge and a uniform magically excludes that individual from suspicion? What if that guy was in on something? Remember, with a million bucks hanging in the balance, you have to think like a criminal to catch a criminal. Banachek was clearly the man for the job. There’s no winning with people like Connie or her fans. She agreed to the protocol and that’s the end of it. Sh’e a con – nie lass.
Amazingly, about two hours before the test, a flurry of rumors began to circulate that even the people closest to the test (whose names will remain top secret) were even under a small bit of scrutiny and suspiciion. You couldn’t have had things any tighter unless you were the CIA – and we all know how they screw things up.

]]> By: Bill http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/07/18/new-flavor-of-the-month/#comment-10070 Bill Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:35:01 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=3443#comment-10070 > “Hell, thar ain’t enough room t’ cuss a cat in thar…” Great quote, but factually incorrect. There's ALWAYS room to cuss a cat. - Bill, ducking and running > “Hell, thar ain’t enough room t’ cuss a cat in thar…”

Great quote, but factually incorrect.
There’s ALWAYS room to cuss a cat.

- Bill, ducking and running

]]> By: Michael Kingsford Gray http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/07/18/new-flavor-of-the-month/#comment-10046 Michael Kingsford Gray Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:20:38 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=3443#comment-10046 Connie most likely would have complained were it Saint Sylvia Browne herself who told her that she failed her own protocol... These sad, self-deluded sociopaths** can do anything, except to accept fault for their own failures. (Oh, and divine cards) __________ <em>** Ms Sonne, not S.B. Sylvia is in no way self-deluded.</em> Connie most likely would have complained were it Saint Sylvia Browne herself who told her that she failed her own protocol…

These sad, self-deluded sociopaths** can do anything, except to accept fault for their own failures.
(Oh, and divine cards)

__________
** Ms Sonne, not S.B.
Sylvia is in no way self-deluded.

]]> By: Michael Kingsford Gray http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/07/18/new-flavor-of-the-month/#comment-10045 Michael Kingsford Gray Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:15:14 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=3443#comment-10045 No. No.

]]> By: tmac57 http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/07/18/new-flavor-of-the-month/#comment-10038 tmac57 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:41:05 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=3443#comment-10038 "Movin' to Montana soon Gonna be a Dental Floss tycoon" (yes I am) “Movin’ to Montana soon
Gonna be a Dental Floss tycoon”
(yes I am)

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