Comments on: A Room with No View http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/12/12/a-room-with-no-view/ The official blog of the Skeptologists Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:38:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ed http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/12/12/a-room-with-no-view/#comment-18151 Ed Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:05:27 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=5487#comment-18151 I was appalled at the huckster adam coons. I have tried to find more info but alas..like all other reptiles they diappear under rocks! I was appalled at the huckster adam coons. I have tried to find more info but alas..like all other reptiles they diappear under rocks!

]]> By: John H http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/12/12/a-room-with-no-view/#comment-16759 John H Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:57:59 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=5487#comment-16759 Fascinating article on a house that has always interested me, thank you. One niggling note from a word nerd, "Thirteen was her favorite number and every window or woodwork has 13 sections or parts. This house is triskaidekaphobia defined." Wouldn't "triskaidekaphilia defined" be more accurate? Sarah didn't fear the number thirteen, she was crazy about it, incorporating it through out the design of the house. Fascinating article on a house that has always interested me, thank you. One niggling note from a word nerd, “Thirteen was her favorite number and every window or woodwork has 13 sections or parts. This house is triskaidekaphobia defined.” Wouldn’t “triskaidekaphilia defined” be more accurate? Sarah didn’t fear the number thirteen, she was crazy about it, incorporating it through out the design of the house.

]]> By: Brian M http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/12/12/a-room-with-no-view/#comment-16175 Brian M Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:32:47 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=5487#comment-16175 This is definitely one of your more well written articles. If I am ever in the area, I will be sure to stop in and see this. This is definitely one of your more well written articles. If I am ever in the area, I will be sure to stop in and see this.

]]> By: Cara http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/12/12/a-room-with-no-view/#comment-15922 Cara Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:01:00 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=5487#comment-15922 We certainly make a fine batch of skeptics, don't we? We are blindly accepting the most popular story, despite the fact that we have no proof. Mrs Winchester left no diary, that we know of, and records from that era are incomplete, so we have no reason to accept anything that comes from the mouths of the tour guides. Before we use this house as an example of how a poor old lady was manipulated by a psychic, maybe we should know for certain if it's even true. There are some fascinating articles online, of various levels of credulity. The wikipedia article parrots that the house had to be painted again as soon as it was finished, without citation, but the mystery house guide (http://mysteryhouseguide.com/) questions some of the "facts" in the tour, and an article in wave magazine (http://www.thewavemag.com/pagegen.php?pagename=article&articleid=25464) goes so far as to question everything about it. And this I found in less than half an hour. We certainly make a fine batch of skeptics, don’t we? We are blindly accepting the most popular story, despite the fact that we have no proof. Mrs Winchester left no diary, that we know of, and records from that era are incomplete, so we have no reason to accept anything that comes from the mouths of the tour guides. Before we use this house as an example of how a poor old lady was manipulated by a psychic, maybe we should know for certain if it’s even true.
There are some fascinating articles online, of various levels of credulity. The wikipedia article parrots that the house had to be painted again as soon as it was finished, without citation, but the mystery house guide (http://mysteryhouseguide.com/) questions some of the “facts” in the tour, and an article in wave magazine (http://www.thewavemag.com/pagegen.php?pagename=article&articleid=25464) goes so far as to question everything about it. And this I found in less than half an hour.

]]> By: kabol http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/12/12/a-room-with-no-view/#comment-15885 kabol Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:27:07 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=5487#comment-15885 stephanie, i'd like to see more history and less "medium or psychics involved". way less. unfortunately, the media trend of the last few years is hell bent on making mediums and psychics into gurus. most people love the idea of the supernatural...of magic. ruthless people capitalize on this never-ending human trait. has anyone read the book "the amazing adventures of kavalier and clay" ? it has a nice juxtaposition of reality and fantasy. i think anyone who likes "magic" or "magicians" will find it quite interesting. stephanie, i’d like to see more history and less “medium or psychics involved”. way less.

unfortunately, the media trend of the last few years is hell bent on making mediums and psychics into gurus.

most people love the idea of the supernatural…of magic. ruthless people capitalize on this never-ending human trait.

has anyone read the book “the amazing adventures of kavalier and clay” ?

it has a nice juxtaposition of reality and fantasy. i think anyone who likes “magic” or “magicians” will find it quite interesting.

]]> By: Nexus http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/12/12/a-room-with-no-view/#comment-15833 Nexus Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:08:18 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=5487#comment-15833 So true. I just came back from visiting Germany, and saw many castles there. Many of them were made solely with the purpose of entertaining guests and personal pleasure. No psychic nonsense needed there. Just need a little dose of noblesse oblige, lots of money, and the ego and architects will come knocking. So true. I just came back from visiting Germany, and saw many castles there. Many of them were made solely with the purpose of entertaining guests and personal pleasure. No psychic nonsense needed there. Just need a little dose of noblesse oblige, lots of money, and the ego and architects will come knocking.

]]> By: Stephanie Barr http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/12/12/a-room-with-no-view/#comment-15827 Stephanie Barr Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:40:03 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=5487#comment-15827 You know, when I think about $10 million dollar super-yachts and other ridiculous stuff people with tons of money spend their loot on (that does very few people any good), this doesn't sound any worse to me. Eccentric, yes, but there are plenty of examples of things as foolish, if not more so, done without any mediums or psychics involved. You know, when I think about $10 million dollar super-yachts and other ridiculous stuff people with tons of money spend their loot on (that does very few people any good), this doesn’t sound any worse to me. Eccentric, yes, but there are plenty of examples of things as foolish, if not more so, done without any mediums or psychics involved.

]]> By: Bryan http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/12/12/a-room-with-no-view/#comment-15766 Bryan Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:01:54 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=5487#comment-15766 Great example of how "Psychics" have been damaging people for decades. This is just another case of someone who was lied to by a "psychic" and lost everything that they had to the price of para-stupid. The Stanley Hotel is working this same tour concept, but they have included the ghost stories and several false reports to pump up the claims of the ghosts. They only charge $15.00 per person, but that means on a good day it is an extra $5,000 per day. Great example of how “Psychics” have been damaging people for decades. This is just another case of someone who was lied to by a “psychic” and lost everything that they had to the price of para-stupid.

The Stanley Hotel is working this same tour concept, but they have included the ghost stories and several false reports to pump up the claims of the ghosts. They only charge $15.00 per person, but that means on a good day it is an extra $5,000 per day.

]]> By: Rev Matt http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/12/12/a-room-with-no-view/#comment-15763 Rev Matt Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:11:57 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=5487#comment-15763 The House is only a 15 minute bike ride from my parents house, I used to go there quite often (and also park in their lot to go over the the movie theater nearby when I got older). Quite a few of my friends worked there during high school and would talk about the 'weird vibes' or tell second or third hand tales of weird happenings, but none would claim to have actually seen or heard anything unusual themselves. Winchester does tend to play up the ghost side of things a bit more for Halloween but it's generally done in a very 'spirit of the season' way. At least during the 80's the staff were specifically told not to discuss anything supernatural with guests either as positively or negatively. The tour only covers about 20-40% of the property. I know some of the rest is given over to administrative functions, employee break areas, etc, but a lot of it is simply not open to the public. Again via my friends who worked there I have heard that some of it is just in bad shape and no one has wanted to put the money in to fix it up, other parts are simply not very interesting or good (the emphasis on constant building did sometimes lead to some low quality work being done). Aside from some preserved areas reserved for VIPs the tour apparently only comprises the very best and most interesting parts of the house. As noted in Dr. Stolznow's piece the rise and run of the stairs are literally a tripping point on the tours. They're so much off from what we're used to in stairs that people trip or lose footing a lot on them. It sounds like she got a much more extensive tour than what they were offering back in the 80's, so perhaps they've done some renovation on the closed areas and opened them up (and seriously jacked up the price! $26!!!). The House is only a 15 minute bike ride from my parents house, I used to go there quite often (and also park in their lot to go over the the movie theater nearby when I got older). Quite a few of my friends worked there during high school and would talk about the ‘weird vibes’ or tell second or third hand tales of weird happenings, but none would claim to have actually seen or heard anything unusual themselves. Winchester does tend to play up the ghost side of things a bit more for Halloween but it’s generally done in a very ‘spirit of the season’ way.

At least during the 80′s the staff were specifically told not to discuss anything supernatural with guests either as positively or negatively. The tour only covers about 20-40% of the property. I know some of the rest is given over to administrative functions, employee break areas, etc, but a lot of it is simply not open to the public. Again via my friends who worked there I have heard that some of it is just in bad shape and no one has wanted to put the money in to fix it up, other parts are simply not very interesting or good (the emphasis on constant building did sometimes lead to some low quality work being done). Aside from some preserved areas reserved for VIPs the tour apparently only comprises the very best and most interesting parts of the house.

As noted in Dr. Stolznow’s piece the rise and run of the stairs are literally a tripping point on the tours. They’re so much off from what we’re used to in stairs that people trip or lose footing a lot on them. It sounds like she got a much more extensive tour than what they were offering back in the 80′s, so perhaps they’ve done some renovation on the closed areas and opened them up (and seriously jacked up the price! $26!!!).

]]> By: LovleAnjel http://www.skepticblog.org/2009/12/12/a-room-with-no-view/#comment-15759 LovleAnjel Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:30:04 +0000 http://skepticblog.org/?p=5487#comment-15759 The mansion is really cool! I loved touring it. There is all sorts of folklore attached to it, but her workers did work a normal shift-- she had a bell tower installed that rang for work beginning, ending, and to signal the lunch break at the same hours every day. She incorporated her favorite motifs-- 13, spiderwebs, into almost every room of the house, and installed banister supports upside-down (one of my favorite details). Some of the bizarreness was because of her infirmaties-- the long, winding staircases with 2" steps were to accommodate her arthritis. Most of the hooks & spigots were set low because she was so short. Undoubtedly some of the weirdness was due to her grief at the loss of her family, and her behaviors (boarding up a whole section of the house after an earthquake) show some evidence of minor illness like OCD. I can't say that, if I had the money & time, I wouldn't build a wicked cool house like that too (most of the architectural details make total sense to a goth.) The mansion is really cool! I loved touring it. There is all sorts of folklore attached to it, but her workers did work a normal shift– she had a bell tower installed that rang for work beginning, ending, and to signal the lunch break at the same hours every day. She incorporated her favorite motifs– 13, spiderwebs, into almost every room of the house, and installed banister supports upside-down (one of my favorite details). Some of the bizarreness was because of her infirmaties– the long, winding staircases with 2″ steps were to accommodate her arthritis. Most of the hooks & spigots were set low because she was so short. Undoubtedly some of the weirdness was due to her grief at the loss of her family, and her behaviors (boarding up a whole section of the house after an earthquake) show some evidence of minor illness like OCD. I can’t say that, if I had the money & time, I wouldn’t build a wicked cool house like that too (most of the architectural details make total sense to a goth.)

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