Showing posts with label Pretention. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pretention. Show all posts

Friday, April 4, 2014

Who you going to call? – Ghost Hunters (of Auckland)

My eyebrows litterally moved when I saw this article.

The link is here : Mystery at the asylum

It starts badly for them 'Hunted Auckland"........

"With a rise in reports of paranormal activity across Auckland, stuff goes on a ghost hunt with Hunted Auckland at the abandoned Kingseat psychiatric hospital. "

Ghostly figures in photographs, batteries that die suddenly and slamming doors are just a few of the spooky activities occurring at Asylum Paintball.

Owners Vitaly Miheer and Anton Klimenko were worried enough to get Haunted Auckland in for a look at their business premises in the former Kingseat Hospital.

The paranormal investigation and research group is now making a documentary on its three-part investigation.

Asylum Paintball was set up last November in the former psychiatric hospital's maximum security ward.


ssIt's a creepy place, with a past that plays to your lizard brain, the builsings all brick and imposing, trees. It's deserted, it's a long way from anywhere. It is spooky. In fact there is a theme entertainment there called, oddly, Spookers. They have lots of actors in dress up Zombie clothes, blood make-up, and themed rooms of things like mad old mental women, spiders, surgery rooms etc. Again Lizard brain loves this stuff.

Its two two-storey buildings have 20 rooms and are connected by a steel-caged security tunnel. They were locked up for 20 years before the paintball enthusiasts moved in.


17768916Like I said, middle of nowhere, I belive they used to bring patients in by boat and that it ws there for its remote location. I could be making that up, I might research it more.

Then the science kicks in .........

Haunted Auckland's team members arm themselves with electromagnetic field metres, camera and torches to document the paranormal or allay people's fears by explaining the seemingly inexplicable.


electromagnetic field metres - say what they measure is distance....

They found "energy" in many areas of the maximum security units at Kingseat. The eastern wing and the caged walkways in particular had levels that were unexplainable.

Haunted Auckland founder Mark Wallbank says he was standing outside one of the cell doors and saw a shadow move quickly across the wall.

"It was roughly the shape of a person but I didn't notice any arms or legs moving. It just floated from left to right," he says.


Science again ....

Investigators also recorded something that sounded like a man laughing and a number of other strange sounds.


They don't mention EVP recordings?

So more science ....

"It was everything I could've hoped for in an investigation location - soaked in history, rot and decay, signs of the past everywhere, no power, dark corridors, creepy stairwells," Wallbank says.

He won't go so far as to say there are ghosts in the building "but we know something is out there". "We need to learn more about it to understand and that's why we do these investigations."


17768912So.... historical context, history of abuse, the darker side of human nature, untold horrors meeted out to the patients/inmates... 20 years of decay, darkness and "creepy stairwells"

Got to be wary of "creepy stairwells"

Back to the Science ...

Meanwhile, the strange incidents continue.

"Batteries on our cameras suddenly run out of power. Yet away from the building they last for hours," Miheer says.


Eyebrows doing the full disco tango now, and then a bombshell revelation ...

The pair found a key in an old medical box on the windowsill and discovered it opened every door in both buildings.


They found a key to open the doors, every door, which sounds as dubious as it sounds. It was a lock-down facility, each cell would have the same lock, you then have one key per nurse/guard/doctor it isn't a mystery.

Then there is the nonsense that you have to put in to justify yourself

Miheer says he's also captured a shadow figure in a photograph.

"This place may well have something," he says.

"It certainly has a very special energy. There is some sort of feeling that I just want to stay away."


Lizard brain clicks into gear...

 

 





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Sunday, November 4, 2012

Bit of a mistake - Shopping at Farro

I don't know what came over me, but I went to Farro Fresh, for no reason other than that they do have the  Over the Moon – Triple Cream Brie that I'm a bit of a fan of. Why would you not be!

So MrsPdubyah and MissPdubyah were watching X-Factor on the Mysky and I decided that it would be better if I didn't.

Road Trip to  to Farro Fresh on Constellation Drive as my safe place.

Bit. Of. A. Mistake. Lot. Of.

I found the cheese, but I didn't buy it, because their Cheese-o-rorium has some Whitestone Lindis Pass Brie that took my eye instead. And of course having brought the Primo Sopresso Hot Salami I felt that I was on a bit of a roll.

But what put me off my stride straight away was the sign advertising "New Zealand Pineapples 2-for-$5" except they weren't' they were from the Philippines. I can let that slide, no one is really going to think that we've grown Pineapples in Winter right?

But having got my small stash of cheese and salami I decided a mooch about the aisles was a thing.

This is where is really started to go wrong.

My "twatdar" starts boinging like a grandfather clock stuck on 12. Mothers who indulge their little Deborah with a bottle of $14.50 rhubarb and lime cordial for instance, which was pretention enough. Then came Mr. and Mrs Mexico. With their shop assistant.

"We're from Mexico, and in Mexico..." ... "In Mexico shops like this"... "Mexican people like us, in Mexico".. and the poor store boy hadn't said a word yet. They brought some flour. I don't think you can get flour in Mexico. Don't really know, but "in Mexico I love to cook" people were happy.

The queue for the pretzel tasting. "Charlotte it's cheese and herbs" he said, having tasted a sugar cube chunk. Charlotte sets a low bar for enjoyment clearly.

There is much to admire about the produce at Farro, I'm not knocking the store, but the people that shop there are the sort that would rather shop online and have delivered rather than go to Foodtown let alone Pak n' Save.

It's the kind of toy shop for adults enthusiasm that annoys me " Darling it's organic butter!" I think missing the point about what "organic" means in it's real sense. I get that in a food sense it means "without chemicals". And it's like shooting fish in a barrel, $7.49 for 100grams of dried fruit in a foil packaging from a company that "loves food", for instance.

There is a plethora of things that you can't get in a supermarket and that's why I enjoy shopping at Farro. But I got to figure out the quite time when raised whispers to an enthralled partner are not de rigueur.

Oh and yes I brought some Quinoa, just like a child in a lolly shop with a gold coin, hook line and sinker...

Saturday, September 29, 2012

The Fleece Machine – Spiritual medium to meet with Pike River families - wait there's more !

"I only want to help: Psychic to sceptics"



Says the headline today.

A celebrity psychic who wants to get in touch with earthquake and Pike River coalmine victims from beyond the grave says she only wants to help families heal, despite criticism by sceptics.

Australian Sensing Murder psychic Deb Webber will hold a free "private reading" on Monday for families of those killed in the February 2011 quake and another for Pike River mine disaster families in Greymouth next month.

She will also hold a free public meditation session and a sold-out public show that seats 150 and costs $70 a head in Christchurch tomorrow.

Webber said those who considered her work a money-making venture should "look at my bank account". "I'm actually skint," she said.


The tour of fleecing the gullible is called "a "Hope and Heal" New Zealand tour,  and Deb Webber said she "can't understand" the criticism.

Like she didn't see it coming.

And then ............

Psychics' killer lead hits a wall...



Friends of Deb, Sue Nicolson and Kelvin Cruickshank made some guesses on a TV program "Sensing Murder", and they came up with.....

The psychics both concluded Mrs Calvert was murdered, but her husband was not responsible.

They gave a detailed description of the alleged culprit, who still lived in the Waikawau area, stating what he did for a living and the vehicle he drove.

Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Coward, of the New Plymouth CIB, said a significant amount of work had been done on the case over the past two to three years.

"A number of further inquiries were made but as a result of those there was nothing further gained that would add evidential weight to the inquiry," Mr Coward said.


Or as we say in the real world...... nothing.

Why would a spirit lie? What advantage would a spirit gain from telling you something that was untrue?

The people that can talk to dead people will tell you that they don't understand the messages and that there may be many interpretations of the messages they receive.

This "gift" they have is one they have to monetize, by fleecing the gullible. If they had a "gift" why  would they not monetize it in other ways, by discovering things, shrewd investments, invention of things, or perhaps by undertaking a JREF challenge to prove their ability and claiming the million dollars.

I've said before I've been to a psychic show, with Kelvin Cruickshank, it was entertaining and weird, I got nothing from it, clearly the spirits of my ancestors are all in the UK and NZ is a bit far to travel.

I'm prepared to be proven wrong, there is plenty of me on the interweb and you could pretend to know a lot about me, but there are things that you can't know, and if you want to have a crack and make a guess I'd be delighted to hear from you. But you knew that didn't you?



Thursday, September 20, 2012

The one where I pretend to be a Chef

I like food.

A lot.

I like a lot of food.

I like to try new things when I eat out, having the belief that there wouldn't be anything on a menu that would kill you. There might be a bit that is repulsive, but nothing that should kill you.

Yesterday I added to the collection of gadgets and things with a Paella pan from the nice people at the Paella pan place in Mt.Eden.

I didn't opt for the Stainless Steel one, the one with the red handles on the advice of the Paella man.

He told me, and I have no reason to doubt him, or I am an easy sell, that there are a couple of things with the steel pans that I need to know.

1) They don't cook evenly, being steel they don't have an even heat, and the edges can be cooler than the center.

2) They are higher maintenance, being steel they can show rust, and need to be kept dry and oiled when not in use.

[caption id="attachment_3238" align="alignleft" width="147"] A enamelled Paella Pan[/caption]

So I went for the Enamelled version, which he assures me has a more even heat and although is less aesthetically pleasing was the superior pan, in his opinion. I picked up some rice, and some instant paella mix that he also recommended and I toddled off. All that I need now is the stock, the seafood and an hour to prepare and eat.And after cooking it will end up in the gadget cupboard.

The Gadget cupboard that contains, amongst other things,


  • Ice-Cream Maker

  • Tortilla Press

  • Pasta Machine

  • Bread Tins

  • mandolin

  • Mortal and Pestle

  • Pizza Stones



There is still  room however for


  • A Tagine

  • Deep Fat Fryer



Oh and if you're wondering the slow-cooker lives in another cupboard, but not all by itself, it's with the sandwich press.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Who you going to call? - Ghostbusters (of Auckland)

There is a new "professional" team of Ghost Hunters in Auckland. They had a live tweeting of an "emergency" investigation on the 5th February, at night of course.

Anyway I was on twitter and I was following their commentary. And of course I asked one question too many, well I asked a couple of questions but mostly I was being wildly critical. The result was they "blocked me"

The emergency was at one of their own team houses, a 16 year old "new" house where Heather from Henderson lives , "She has lived in a haunted house as a child, and now lives in another haunted house; complete with ghost cat and a Shadow Person". So straight off the bat you have someone convinced there is a "ghost" and they are taking part in the investigation.



But that's ok because "She has an analytical mind, which is good for debunking"



So then to the science.



They use an Iphone app iOvilus - which is listed under "Entertainment" on the Itunes Store.  It has a 1000 word dictionary and it listens to the environment and then comes up with a word





"The iOvilus is based on the same method of ITC communications as the highly controversial Ovilus.  The iOvilus produces speech based on changes to sensors in the iPhone or iPod Touch.  Simply, the idea is that an outside force can affect a change that registers a response. Instrumental Trans Communications "ITC" is not new, however, the methods used to try and achieve it are changing greatly."



The Ovilus, or Puck, is an electronic speech-synthesis device which utters words depending on electromagnetic waves in the air, by using an EMF Meter. The device was created by Bill Chappell, a retired electronics engineer interested in the paranormal who creates devices for the field.



Due to the random nature of the replies, many paranormal research groups have stopped using the Ovilus because too much is left to chance. It is posited that a person could pull random words out of a hat and get the same response as what comes out of the Ovilus. Many liken it to an electronic 8 Ball or Ouija Board



They also cracked out the scientific dowsing Rods







To say that I'm less than impressed is to make a huge understatement. To block someone from twitter because they are being contrary to your beliefs isn't professional that's just not engaging in a conversation with you, and that's not science is it?



The Photographs: I'm going to add some of the pictures they posted on twitpic, I'll include the links so you can see for yourself.





I give you the links here : Ghosts Of Auckland presents



#Ghosthunt#Paranormal above Jennifer's head http://twitpic.com/8fzwax



#ghosthunt#Paranormalhttp://twitpic.com/8fzvlc



#Paranormal#Ghosthunt still there... http://twitpic.com/8fzv0b



#Paranormal#Ghosthunt Andrew has a hitchhiker... http://twitpic.com/8fzugt



Big orb #Ghosthunthttp://twitpic.com/8fzdw8



http://twitpic.com/8fzatx - 3 orbs, in a line going across the entry to the closet



#Ghosthunt orb wth ripples? http://twitpic.com/8fzcpn



#Ghosthunt here's a nice orb! http://twitpic.com/8fzatx



So you'll see all the "orbs" are in the same plane and all the same size in all the photos. But they are "orbs" of course. Of course. Not light on the lens, a reflection or anything mundane but proof positive.



I'll leave it there as I'm laughing too much and I'll end with a few snippets of an "investigation" courtesy of the Ghost of Auckland Website



Q. Why mention this? IS it to prove that you are sceptical or analytical  -  "A few EVP sessions were done, to which I don’t know the results as yet. I sat in the corner at one time and felt an icy cold spot to the right of me. I checked around and noticed the window behind me, so I’ve put it down to that."



Q. Really, this happened without corroboration or independent witness, or replication? "On first opening the door to the kitchen during the walkthrough, a shadow was seen darting into the corner. So some of us had quite an interest in this room. Later on I was in this room by myself. As I sat there in the dark, I heard what sounded like running water and a dripping noise. I shone my torch to where the noise was and saw there was a sink there. I checked the sink and there were signs that there never has been running water in it for years. Dry!! I later found that the tap doesn’t work either. This is a possible paranormal event. "



Q. Again the Question is "You've gone here expecting a result" "I was leading a team member to where the next spirit could be and I sensed that the study is where there was one [...] I started to feel energy building at the back of my head, which is a signal that someone wanted me to channel them [...] The chill then backed off. We later left, and I said I got the impression that the spirit was of an older male, taller, had white hair and beard, 60s to 70s. In the base office I saw a photograph of the family and pointed out the picture of the Reverend Lush himself. This picture was the spitting image of the person I sensed"



It beggars belief, and should end with "Which I hadn't seen before or anything, and as I had no expectation of seeing, sensing or having an "event" I can't explain how this happened"



So there you have it, science in action, involving people who want to and firmly belive in ghosts, spirits and the paranormal as seen on TV.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Golf – Accepting professional mediocrity in a hobby/sport

I had the occasion to be at the Australian PGA Open in Coolum, Australia on the weekend of the 26th November. The Final days play, the top 72 golfers in pairs for the prize money.

It was rubbish.

What is it with amateur golfer spectator? They are all accepting of mediocrity and average ability.

Hit a ball into the trees, and they nod sagely, with a sigh, then the golf hacker hits the ball out of the trees on the course again and they nod sagely, clap politely and call “good shot”. It’s nonsense. It was a rubbish shot.

Of course there is skill in hitting a golf ball, the draw, the fade, the back spin, and there is a definite knack to putting. But seriously hitting a ball a hundred yards to a green and finishing 20-30 yards from the hole isn’t a good shot. It just isn’t.

Of course some holes are challenging, but hey you’re a professional. I don’t expect you to lay up and two putt, that’s what a weekend hacker would do.

Golf is a sport that has strict requirements regarding equipment. As a result, expanding the market generates great demand for the necessary gear. It’s a bizarre sport wherein the price of your kit defines you among your peers.

And the money!  For the tournament that I was at the Total Prize Money was : AUD $1.5 million, the First Prize was AUD $270,000. Every one of the top 72 players gets a prize. It’s like a social club meat raffle! I notice that for the tournament I was at the only direct golfing related company that was a sponsor was Srixon, some of the others were Coca-cola, the local government, Emirates (who seem to sponsor everything everywhere), the hotel where the course was at, the TV channel and VW Automobiles.

There is a end of year tournament referred to as the “race to Dubai”.  “The Race to Dubai on The 2011 European Tour International Schedule will feature 52 tournaments in 29 different destinations. The third edition of the Dubai World Championship in 2011 will again carry a prize fund of $7,500,000  to be divided between the leading 15 players at the conclusion of the season.

Essence of this is: play at the tournaments with higher prize money and climb the earnings list. It’s not like every tournament is equal, some have much more prize money and attract different players, some are quite poor.

Anyway the leader list on the “race to Dubai” is brought up at the rear by Jack Doherty who’s tour earnings from 4 tournaments amount to Euros 891. 115th place is Markus Brier 25 tournaments with Euro 258,513. Leading with 12 tournaments and Euro 3.8 millions is Luke Donald

There are players with 34 tournaments played for less than Euro 100K winnings, that’s not a living that’s surely is a hobby

Like I said a bit of nonsense.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Quackery of the first degree

I use twitter a bit, and was followed by a chiropractor, which made me smile a crooked smile.  Lots of "might" and "may" but actually it's just wriggle your back and talk quietly if you read the rest of the blurb. IT's out-and-out quackery to claim that a back "manipulation" can sure ear-ache and prevent flu, it's nonsense of the first order. The bit that made me smile most though is this naked claim

"I laughed in reply and informed them that New Zealand is behind the rest of the world when it comes to sports performance and chiropractic", in that we still allow it unfettered and unmonitored and unqualified application with grandiose claims and benefits just on hearsay and anecdote.

There is also the matter of manipulation of children's spines -

 

This from their website "Dr B's  unique gentle approach and her caring manner enables her to work with children effectively and efficiently.

Clinical experience and extensive research has shown that a wide range of childhood symptoms may respond favourably to chiropractic treatment.

These symptoms  include migraines, gastric reflux, recurrent ear and chest infections, hyperactivity, bed wetting, fatigue, recurrent throat infections, arm and leg pain, headaches, asthma, poor co-ordination, sleeping problems, irritability, colic, back pain, stomach ache, visual problems, digestive disorders, scoliosis and poor posture.

B has also assisted many new mothers during  pregnancy and child birth."


Righty then, no mention of any clinical studies on the website, and a couple of testimonials about not getting flu anymore.  And worse it's available in NZ on ACC which is a disgrace.

I'll end by saying that as a grown adult,  if I want to spend my money on snake-oil and because I think it's work, and  therefore then must work, then more fool me. If my back stops hurting that isn't evidence, or claim for efficacy.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Funding and Self-Sustaining organizations - the 2011 Edition

I've already written on this:

http://pdubyah.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/funding-and-self-sustaining-organizations/

 


From the NZ Herald today : Fashion Week's opening night was swimming along in champagne until managing director Pieter Stewart burst the bubble with a stark warning that the event could not continue without more support.

Minutes after Auckland Mayor Len Brown and Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully lauded its contribution to branding Auckland and New Zealand as a creative country, Stewart stepped up to the podium to say that a 12th year showcasing the industry could not be guaranteed.

Sponsorship had been tough this year, she said.

"Rugby World Cup has taken a huge amount out of the economy."

More sponsors were needed and local and central government also needed to look at backing the event.


ITs a commercial event, you are charging a door price to enter. So I say again, as I have about Early Child Education centers, Sports events, Music Concerts, Plays, Opera, Ballet it's a user pays thing. If you have something worth seeing then the people will come. The Rugby Sevens, The Big Day Out, U2, none of them made a loss.

If you have a business idea that is sound then it should also be profitable or break-even if you're feeling altruistic.

Are we to pour a bottomless cup of money into "nice to have" events to assuage the ego of some minor person in a minor industry to make them feel good. New Zealand Fashion Week - what for? who for? why? You're not even going to begin to tell me that it's important because world buyers are totally won over and will hand over cash at such events. If the fashion industry felt it was that important, or they were that good, they would fund it themselves.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Forgive me for laughing but this isn't a prediction.

Ken Ring Loony Moon ManKen Ring, Moon Man, is still making wild and nonsense predictions guesses about earthquakes in the Christchurch area still and again.

His latest nonsense covers these dates via Earthquake News - Predict Weather - the home of long range weather.

Upcoming dates for possible increases in seismic action are
28th Aug – 2nd Sept, (6 days)
14th-17th and (particularly) 23rd-28th Sept. (4 days) and (6 days)
So that's a total of 16 out of 32 possible days that this prediction covers.
Not so much a prediction then as a scattergun guess.

The article contains many "thinks" and accretions and calls to attention by inference. such as "Imagine if another event is to strike in September", which is a call the fear, and highlights that Ken Ring wants to have his cake and eat it. He didn't get the last "prediction" anywhere close, unless you call "give or take 2-3 days either side" accurate.

And I don't even know where to begin with this nonsense "This also adds weight to the chance of a potent September for Christchurch, being the next equinox period (remember what happened last September?). Due to what I think is the southward drift of lunar perigees, earthquake events have moved from Christchurch since 30 April and 5-10% of all recorded seismic events in NZ have gone elsewhere. "

Due to "what I think" - which is odd because later in the article he claims "it's scientific", and what the heck is "southward drift of the lunar perigees" - To understand this you have to know that Perigee is the point in Moon's elliptical orbit where it is closest to Earth. I have no idea what science is involved in a "drift southwards" and even how that would or could happen. I don't think that it's science. Oh and as a caveat he says "Therefore at least 5-10% more earthquakes have moved further north since April" Pesky earthquakes always being counter-intuitive.

You should read it for yourself, It makes me angry that he calls it "science" that the "gravitational pull" of the moon causes earthquakes when coupled with the tides", which explains many inland earthquakes.

He finishes with this, which is a good belly-laugh "It is not astrology, which some have an aversion to, it is pure science. After all, the planets, Sun and Moon, and the earth and earthquakes, were here a long time before humans arrived to compare birth signs." Which makes no sense in an article predicting earthquakes unless he's going to claim "the not true Scotsman" defense.

But what I'd like to finish with, is another quotation from the same article "The likelihood is great for seismic events around the globe. " to which I would ask "define 'great' and define your qualification standard for 'event'.

To say that I'm skeptical of this is an understatement, there is no science involved in picking 50% off all possible days and associating it with naturally occurring and non-threatening events. If you believe that this is science then you should ask yourself why "that in the last 100 years of earthquakes in Christchurch how come that none of these scientifically dangerous coincidences have occurred?".

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Food pretention

There is a new FARO store near me, it's an up-market deli place, lots of imported stuff - not the usual imported stuff this is from exotic places and all packaged nicely.

It's ideal if you want something specific for a meal, or something that you'd not see in your local super-market - which lets face it can offer some spectacularly good things. My local Foottown for instance has things like Ostrich and Crokogator steaks. So for some spices and herbs, particular oils and essential ingredients this is a good bet.

However - the parking on the weekend is non-existent - use the park and ride next door and gasp walk.

And inside is full of food twats. "Daaaarling look!!! Pomegranets" , and to the girl at the cheese-counter "is that from southern france" and "Daaaaarling gluten free wraps!!", and "Daaaaarling 'authentic' bread'

I did notice however that they had a range of flavoured ciders like honey and ginger - who knows what kind of party that would be useful at.

I think I'll go in on a weekday next time and then I can be center of attention not Claude and Sharonda from Carribean Drive.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Food pretention

There is a new FARO store near me, it's an up-market deli place, lots of imported stuff - not the usual imported stuff this is from exotic places and all packaged nicely.

It's ideal if you want something specific for a meal, or something that you'd not see in your local super-market - which lets face it can offer some spectacularly good things. My local Foottown for instance has things like Ostrich and Crokogator steaks. So for some spices and herbs, particular oils and essential ingredients this is a good bet.

However - the parking on the weekend is non-existant - use the park and ride next door and *gasp* walk.

And inside is full of food twats. "Daaaarling look!!! Pomegranets" , and to the girl at the cheese-counter "is that from southern france" and "Daaaaarling gluten free wraps!!", and "Daaaaarling 'authentic' bread'

I did notice however that they had a range of flavoured ciders like honey and ginger - who knows what kind of party that would be useful at.

I think I'll go in on a weekday next time and then I can be center of attention not Claude and Sharonda from Carribean Drive.