Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Jan Haugland · 03-26-2003, 01:56 AM

Pleasanton veterans want to help battling terrorists and improve homeland security, and to accomplish that noble goal, they have turned to dowsing.

Quote:

"Discover how dowsing techniques could be used to support homeland security ... by military, law enforcement, fire prevention, National Guard, mil- Frank said. "My attitude is that in the world of homeland security, you have to be more open-minded in looking for solutions. You can't wait for the FBI and police to come up with solutions when you have the bad guys living among us."

I couldn't say it better myself, Frank. No need to find real solutions when we have fantasies easily at hand. If it doesn't work, what's the danger? Well, read on.

Quote:

"One thing someone suggested is that if this works, could you identify a potential terrorist while he's in the airport?" Frank said.

Now it gets a bit more scary. Dowsers, who have a proven trackrecord of being exactly as reliable as the toss of a coin, wants to point out random innocents as terrorist suspects. Not only are they going to harass innocents, they will waste security personell's time, too.

However, I have a suggestion for how to make good use of dowsers, and at the same time check out if they really believe their own claims.

Send them down to Iraq and make them search through minefields.

- Jan

...who rants and raves every day at Secular Blasphemy

sakrilege · 03-26-2003, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jan Haugland
Send them down to Iraq and make them search through minefields.

Now there's a suggestion that put's Randi's challange to shame.

dunadan · 03-26-2003, 07:38 AM

Another example of the 'risk minimizing' strategy that brought out the whole religion thing in the first place.

Faced with events you have no control over? Create a being that will help mystically turn the odds in your favor, or if it doesn't, is working towards some master 'plan' for the greater good of all!

Quote:

"One thing someone suggested is that if this works, could you identify a potential terrorist while he's in the airport?"

Afraid some baaaad people are going to blow you up? Get a split twig and point it at some random schmuck in the airport! Based with such foolproof evidence, should we bother hauling them to prison, or just put a bullet in the back of their head on the spot?

Boy when I see crap like this I really worry that this country is primed for another round of McCarthyism, or worse . . . actually, that sounds like a good new thread for PD.

At least we can give some credit to the reporter for allowing Randi to posit a skeptical interpretation.

Jan Haugland · 03-26-2003, 01:28 PM

Agree, Dunadan. I think the newspaper article was a good example of how journalism should deal with the supernatural: Bring in Randi, or some other skeptic.

- Jan

...who rants and raves every day at Secular Blasphemy

AtomSmasher · 03-26-2003, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sakrilege
Now there's a suggestion that put's Randi's challange to shame.

That's got to be the best idea I've heard in weeks.

Mageth · 03-26-2003, 02:09 PM

Hey, I've got an idea. After detecting a suspected terrorist using dowsing, it would be easy to determine if he or she was really a terrorist. Just tie them up and toss them in a pond; if they float, they're a terrorist. If they sink, they're not.

Jan Haugland · 03-26-2003, 09:50 PM

Mageth,

A really brilliant idea, if not entirely original, I think.

- Jan

...who rants and raves every day at Secular Blasphemy

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03-26-2003, 01:28 PM	#4
Jan Haugland Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 70	Agree, Dunadan. I think the newspaper article was a good example of how journalism should deal with the supernatural: Bring in Randi, or some other skeptic. - Jan ...who rants and raves every day at Secular Blasphemy

03-26-2003, 02:09 PM	#6
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	Hey, I've got an idea. After detecting a suspected terrorist using dowsing, it would be easy to determine if he or she was really a terrorist. Just tie them up and toss them in a pond; if they float, they're a terrorist. If they sink, they're not.

03-26-2003, 09:50 PM	#7
Jan Haugland Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 70	Mageth, A really brilliant idea, if not entirely original, I think. - Jan ...who rants and raves every day at Secular Blasphemy

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