Nom de Plume

The Skeptical Inquirer–a publication I generally like–just published an article entitled, “Development of Beliefs in Paranormal and Supernatural Phenomena,” in which the author develops an entire theory based on faulty research. The question: whether TV could influence beliefs in the paranormal.
 
First step: he posted questions on online chat groups about various programs, including The X Files. Which skews this from the very start. Anyone who watches a show and then goes online to chat about it is a freak. Sorry, but there you have it.
 
Next step: stupid questions. In White’s words: 
 
My research asked, [Do you believe] “[d]uring astral projection, or the leaving of the body for short periods of time, a person could commit a murder?”

So, um, isn’t that a loaded question? The question was not “Do you believe in astral projection, and if so, could a person …. ?” It assumed a belief, which could have been perceived as hypothetical by the respondent.
 
Final step: conclusion. Once again, in White’s words:  
 
A homicidal astral projector was the plot of an X-Files episode, but ER viewers were just as likely to acknowledge belief in that paraparanormal (a concept beyond the traditional paranormal) belief as were viewers of The X-Files!
 
Wow.
 
The blurb at the top promised that this “synergy of cultural indoctrination has implications for science and skeptics,” and while the rest of the article may have been sound, I couldn’t be bothered to read the rest of the article.
 
Would you?
 

Hmm, interesting.

The house front, that is.

The listing agent is a drunk. At least that’s what Serena and the bank say. Apparently, when Steve asked them to pay closing costs, he called the bank and started asking all sorts of illegal questions. Slurrily.

The owners don’t want to fix anything … or at least, they don’t want to pay to fix anything. They want to fix it themselves. Considering how they spackled the skylights, this is probably not a great idea.

So, this is the dealbreaker. But I suppose it’s a valuable exercise, because I’m discovering that I really would like to live there. I’ve been iffy.

So there it is.

Didn’t go surfing this weekend because Steve had to work, and then deal with house stuff the next day. Went to the International District, just happened on a festival, and then wandered around the Japanest supermarket. We left clutching bottles of unfiltered saki.

Still waiting for house news.

Dick lives on

This according to the NEA.

46 percent of Americans read literature, which is defined as having read a novel, short story, play, or poetry in the past 12 months. 53 percent read books period (and I rather suspect they’re books like The Atkins Diet).

These readers reported slogging through an average of six books per year.

On the other hand, 97 percent of respondents reported watching TV for an hour a day, while 46 percent report watching three or more hours a day.

Think about that for a sec. The same number of people watch 3+ hours of TV and read an AVERAGE of six books a year.

6 books a year is one book every two months, half a book a month … yadda yadda. So that’s what? A very generous 15 minutes a day vs. three or more hours?

The full report may be viewed here. Pass it on.

No one used ‘em anyway. Send me an e-mail though.

How on earth can Bush call Edwards inexperienced? Isn’t that kinda like the pot calling the kettle black. Ah well.

Great 4-day weekend, like two weekends back to back. Watched fireworks in Fremont, lolling up against a hill on Sunday night, and the next morning, headed to Oswald State Park to surf. Beeyyotifull.