Author Archive
HAARP, disasters, and pseudo-science

I received a message the other day that read: “A friend of mine is posting all these YouTube’s about these theories of the earth events, mass bird deaths, etc. Any opinions?”
Attached was youtube video: (I get to “Dr. Nick Begich” below…the charlatan.)

So I replied:

HAARP is a research program: http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/

First let me say, that there is no evidence in the world that will prove a conspiracy theorist’s ideas wrong to them. Everything that leans even remotely toward their delusion is great data, and anything against is just a part of the conspiracy. It’s bullshit. As far as the mass deaths (birds, or whale strandings, or droughts, …): they apparently happen more often than we pay attention to, but it’s only when you combine it with some nutcase’s ranting that they look mysterious and evil, or as happened at the beginning of the year, when some coincide with others. And of course with a global and immediate media update, it’s easy to put it out there and then say “scientists are baffled” because an immediate explanation isn’t immediately forthcoming: science takes time to find the answer, where-as innuendo and assertion takes but a second (or rather: a lie can fly around the world while the truth is still getting its boots on)

Earthquakes happen ALL THE TIME and with people nearly everywhere on earth, now, it’s going to happen more in populated areas. The fact is, in spite of the huge advances in science, we still don’t know where or when an earthquake will happen, or why one part of a fault slips and another doesn’t. We don’t know, but that does not mean you get to say that X caused that. It is not an either-or argument.

I cannot absolutely say HAARP isn’t having an effect on the earth/ atmosphere/ what have you, but there is absolutely no evidence that it can do what the conspiracy theorists say it is doing. If they could show an cause-effect relationship, then maybe there would be a reason to consider their position: they don’t have that data, and they are merely making assertions. Just because they claim some unnamed “scientist” has questions isn’t enough (as is invoking quantum mechanics or the name of Nikola Tesla: proof is needed).

Also, you will find that the people they quote really don’t have anything to do with the technology they are railing against; for example, an electrical engineer who spent 4 years “building nuclear weapons”: how does this translate AT ALL into knowledge of how HAARP works? Or what he knows about the scientific theories we are taught that are “falling apart”? Their ‘experts’ are not experts in the field they are criticizing: it’s an appeal to authority. I will grant that the great majority of scientists and engineers have knowledge outside their field of work (I know I do), but we need to know why THEIR experts are ‘experts’ on THIS, not merely that they are a Doctor or an Engineer (in an unrelated field).

So don’t worry 🙂 but if you DO, there’s probably nothing we can do about it, anyway. 😉

I am, however, going to delve more deeply into this, as it’s interesting.

I suppose I should qualify my first statement about conspiracy theorists: it is a very broad statement, and I am sure there are some people in the community who are willing to consider the data, but like anti-vaxers, homeopaths, pseudo-science pushers, and creationists, the great majority won’t follow the evidence.”

 

To which my friend responded:

“Thanks for all the feedback and taking the time to respond. In light of your last statement I feel compelled to say that I just have a gut feeling that things are happening more frequently and in some interrelated way. Ah, intuition. LOL! :-)”

 

And respondeded…ed:

“You’re welcome! 🙂
Keep in mind, the entire world is a giant system and it is intuitive that a large event can trigger other events; it is hypothesized that the Haiti and Japanese quakes may push other faults to activity, as well as volcanic activity (there is evidence that this happened in California after the Chilean quake last month). However, this does NOT mean that they are caused by anything other than natural forces: to blame it on HAARP or NASA or a government or Dr. Evil is just plain foolish.

Natural disasters happen, and they probably happen more frequently than we know or have witnessed: we’ve only been keeping accurate records for maybe 200 years at best, which is nothing considering the age of civilization, or the age of the earth. In 1812 there was a massive earthquake in Mississippi that reversed the flow of the Mississippi River, Krakatoa blew up in 1883, Tunguska was hit by something in 1908, and the Northeastern seaboard was hit by “the perfect storm” in 1991 (as well as the recent hurricanes in the lower states). These are huge events just within living memory, and we’ve been extremely lucky recently. Just look up “earthquakes” on wikipedia to see how many happen that are Magnitude 7 or higher, or look at the National Geophysical Society’s list (below).

Shit happens but there is no reason to confer any special agent or reason on the great majority of it. Civilization didn’t end in 2000 or 2001 and the world isn’t going to end on March 21, nor in 2012. Don’t let the fear mongers try and scare you into buying into their paranoia, because there is enough going on without dealing with that. 🙂 That being said: being prepared isn’t a bad idea, because, well: shit happens, dunnit? 😮
Cheers!

Aaaaand, btw, I finally watched the first part of the youtube video. In my opinion, “Dr.” Nick Begich has no credibility : he is into pseudo-science, the New World Order, mind control, (s)CAM treatment, what have you. His doctorate is from “The Open International University of Complimentary Medicines in Sri Lanka” which is not a recognized university or teaching organization (according to google answers). Meh to fake degrees and the people who use them to bestow an air of officialdom.”

 

 

Televangelists, meet music

I wrote a song with lyrical assistance from a friend who currently wishes to be unnamed, so we’ll call her A. A had the idea for condemning Prosperity Preachers, and their effect on people who choose to follow. Hey, it’s a great message, based on the so-called “Law” of Attraction, which basically states that your thoughts attract good and bad to you. So the rich are rich because they think rich thoughts, but conversely children are kidnapped and worse because they think bad thoughts. See how that works? Not a very nice philosophy when you get down to it. It also appears that only the prosperity preachers actually attract any prosperity. I wonder if it has anything to do with people sending them “seed money”? Nah: I’m sure they put that money to good use propagating their god’s plan…which has everything to do with making the preacher wealthy. Hmmm.

So here is the Proof of Concept, version 2. Enjoy.

POC Prosperity Preacher, V2

Prosperity Preacher
Dear Mr Preacher won’t you tell me
I can’t take the shiz you sell me
Ten percent plus special favors won’t you help me
Hey Mr preacher how’s your pompadour
It’s gotten so big that you can’t get through the door
I had to sell my hair to charity
Just So I could pay for ramen and some tea
CH:
When will this all work for me
I’ve been sowing so many money seeds
I see you ave more than you will ever need
So please, please share that prosperity with me
I’m selling plasma, donatin’ blood
Get paid for trials of experimental drugs
I see you rollin’ in the new Mercedes Benz
I though perhaps you could share some of those endz
I sell my sperm to make a buck
My girl left me ’cause I’m too tired to function
All your bling and your custom tailored suits
Contrast nicely with my mix-matched goodwill boots
CH
Now Mr Preacher where’re your taxes at
My bank roll’s thinnin’ while yours is getting fat, fat, fat
I bought that house on a three year V.A.R.
Now I’m living in a 30 year old car
Hey Buddy, can you spare anything
Perhaps some cash while prosperity is pending
I wrote a letter and what you said to do was keep on praying…and paying
CH
Roy Zimmerman concert

If you don’t know this songwriter and political satirist, you should.

http://www.youtube.com/user/RoyZimmerman

I saw him Sunday night past at the Radius Cafe’ in San Antonio with the F.A.C.T. crowd. Really nice guy and fantastic in concert. Between he and Tim Minchin, there is some really good thoughtful stuff going around.

Surprised?

Not as surprised as I was, apparently. Found this while perusing old pictures. I went to see some friends perform at a charity event for a New Braunfels Nature Preserve and they asked me to sit in. I was on my motorcycle so didn’t have my own guitar, and my friends didn’t have straps for their guitars, so I had to sit on these tiny chairs. And at some point, I defaced myself. Althoug I do actually have buggy eyes like that.

Man, this chair is uncomfortable.

Only because I should be working on something else right now

Fun with The G.A.P.

I guess you have to open it in a new browser window to get those flashing eyes. No vorpal blades, however.

Like this has never been done before

Meh?

Have a techno-babble show what needs a theme?

I’m thinking a cross between Airwolf, Tron (or that 1-season take-off), and/or Knight Rider.

It’s a little thing I did this morning messing about with SONAR X1.

Electro theme 1

Curse this post-cold!

Throat is still recovering from The Cough. Meh. But I’m working away on the short film score and making nice progress. I won’t be posting anything from that until such time the film is ready and PDP says ok to do so. But it is some nice simple and hauntingly poignant music using piano, acoustic guitar, string sections, and solo cello (tho may change that to viola…we’ll see how it sounds).
The Garritan Orchestra is a lot of fun to use and it’s pretty simple to get the basic sound I’m going for especially using the key switching. Just wish I had a full size keyboard right now. No worries: I can do what I need with the 46.

Placebo Bands are here! (Oh and I had a pre-production meeting for a short film)

And I feel better already!

http://skepticbros.com/placebo-bands/

Why I think I may even be able to type this post while fending off a puppy attack and not cough once qiwety!! Curse. At least I and my puppy feel better semiquantitatively in a statistical manner.

Thanks, Skeptic Bros!

In other news, the pre-production meeting went well for the short film “Three Yellow Roses”, which is the first in a quadrilogy of short films. I’m looking forward to working on it. And I also signed myself up for some ADR, and maybe some Foley.  Good times!

Now off to a Superbowl party where I will imbibe in water and un-alcohol. Meh.

Scoring a short film II

Nikki Young (from PrimaDonna Productions, Inc.) called me earlier this week to see if I would be interested in scoring a short film she is working on. I, of course, said “Yes,” And I am very excited about it. I say anything about the film at this time, as the pre-production meeting is Saturday, and I don’t know what their policy is on non-disclosure, so why risk it?

Regardless, I’m am looking forward to working with her and the director and the etc so I can stretch and show my skill(s). And I hope it’ll open the door to more opportunities.

No POC this week

I don’t think I will get the new song done this week. I had a cough come on last night and that’s not a good thing in general. So it’ll be next week. Oh I can do the music, but the words won’t be properly tracked.
Heavy sigh, but at least I don’t currently feel a fever or sick other than the cough.

Iphone test post

I have written a song in one go. Ish. Editing is a bitch. I had the chord progression but no words and as I sat pondering the ineffable world from whence spring lyricalosities, and defending myself from an onslaught of puppy exuberance, I realized that the puppy was staring at me from the middle if the living room. I knew- KNEW- she was going to leak. And she waited until I was looking at her. The bitch. So I wrote a song about it. It’ll be online as soon as I redo the vox and add drums.
And that’s my first iPhone post.