Criss Angel: Satanic or Not?

Many claims against the work of Criss Angel have stated that he’s fake, and they question the meanings of his illusions. This leads people to wonder if Criss Angel and his illusions are satanic and whether his work is of the devil. I am also wondering and I question if Criss Angel's works are satanic.

Some information about Criss Angel is that he is magician; he creates illusions through trickery and magic. He has ‘performed’ for people all over the world with mind-boggling tricks and realistic illusions. At a young age, Criss Angel was interested in magic which later turned into a full blown career after landing a job in New York City in 1998. Ever since then, people love to watch Criss Angel and see the growth of him for over 10 years. He especially became well-known for his show "Mindfreak", which jumpstarted in 2005, where he created famous illusions in front of crowds and crowds of people. 

Some of the concepts that link to his questionable satanism are his name and illusions. His real name is Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos, but his stage name is "Criss Angel". Could the name change to Criss Angel signify "fallen angel"? (Fallen angels are those who have rebelled against, such as Lucifer according to the Bible) Also, in the Bible, Satan is an angel of light in which comes out to deceive people. Magic and illusions also deceive people from reality. Is this just superstition? It's a possibility he follows Satan. One of Angel's famous illusions is his imitation of God's walking on water. According to the Christian belief, imitations of God's miracles, sends a message that they are trying to discredit God and undermine the miracles. Criss Angel walks on water as one of his illusions. Is this a 'devilish' attempt to discredit God?

It really looks like he's walking on water! He has, however, been 'exposed' if you want to call it that. People have posted videos mocking Criss Angel's magical illusion, but is it believable that this is fake. People say that he is merely walking on a straight piece of fiber glass and the camera angles make it seem true; however, Criss takes off both shoes right over where he's walking, and a girl crosses directly in front of his path in which the 'exposing videos' fail to explain. Is Criss really walking on water or is he trying to discredit God which proves to be a bit satanic? It's a possibility.




My point of view of whether Criss Angel is satanic or not is that there is a possibility. I'm catholic and I believe that any form of the devil within a person is not good. Creating illusions in which discredits God's wonderful miracles is just not an act of God's way. Satan is out to deceive people and show them the wrong paths through illusions, which are opposite of God's; magic and illusions are the same thing. Walking on water, I believe, is a miracle in itself, and Criss Angel walking on water is to discredit God's miracle. I also believe he could be of the devil because of his pictures. He looks so dark and evil which a not a way to present yourself if you follow God's way. The first picture seems a little bit evil. What do YOU think?

Ghost Hunting in the Hell-Fire Caves

I've chosen to consider the video above, a segment from the Syfy (formerly 'Sci Fi') channel program Ghost Hunters because it was selected for viewing in another class I'm taking this semester called "Night". (I'm not sure why we selected one with Spanish subtitles, but está todo bien.) This video depicts the "reveal" portion of the show, in which the Ghost Hunters lead investigators, Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, present the results of their investigation to the senior caretaker of the Hell-Fire Caves, Theresa Tedman. I think this summation presents a good opportunity to examine the methodology of the Ghost Hunters and their organization, The Atlantic Paranormal Society, through the lens of our critical thinking 'Elements of Thought' framework.

The Hell-Fire Caves, also known as the West Wycombe Caves, are a series of man-made underground caverns located in the Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire, England. They were excavated at the behest of Sir Francis Dashwood, an 18th century English noble and political figure and the founder of several organizations that would later come to be referred to collectively as the Hellfire Club. The club, consisting of "persons of quality" that sought a safe, secret outlet for their more amoral activities, held as its motto Fais ce que tu voudras ('Do what thou wilt'). For the past two centuries the caves in which Dashwood's club met have been held to be haunted, most notably by Paul Whitehead, a friend of Dashwood's, and the 'White Lady,' a maid at a local inn rumored to have been killed in an incident in the caves. (More information about these legends can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellfire_Caves#Hauntings.)

For their investigation, Hawkes and Wilson and their team explored the caves and also placed digital audio recording devices and 'Zero Lux' (i.e., no light) cameras in various locations to record potential paranormal activity. They report their team as having seen a person walk past a doorway in the cave system where no one should have been at the time, and an unexplained moving shadow where, again, no one seemed to be present. Their electronic monitoring of the caverns reveal what they purport to be unexplained voices (i.e., 'EVPs', or 'electronic voice phenomena') and a video showing what they suggest is an ethereal presence moving towards the camera and reflecting light onto the cave wall. The lead investigators portray themselves as objective ("I know we investigate the paranormal, but we're very logical minded...") and spend a bit of time debunking some aspects of previous reports from the caves (explaining the bits of ceiling that sometimes fall as the potential source of unexplained sensations of being touched, e.g.), but ultimately betray a distinctly non-objective, "want to believe" outlook. For example, during their playback of the audio recordings (2:00), they ponder "what it's trying to tell us," and suggest that "a lot of times, they're just trying to communicate." When their video "evidence" is revealed (3:25, with eerie music for effect), the caretaker's report that she has seen light at this same spot in the caves is treated as overwhelming corroboration of their case. Hawes' final summation captures their less-than-objective outlook:

When it comes down to it, I believe you have paranormal activity here. I believe the place is haunted... I would love to spend more time here... We just, of course, we don't have the time.

It would seem, of course, from an outsider's perspective, that actual audio and visual evidence of paranormal events confirming the existence of ghosts would suffice to interrupt their busy schedule, but, they seem to be implying, there are just so many ghosts out there, that we have to move on to the next... The life of a Ghost Hunter is a busy one.

The Neti Pot

A while ago, I was watching an episode of the Oprah show with Dr. Mehmet Oz. He was showing off a product that clears the sinuses; it is called the neti pot.

The purpose of the neti pot is to help with allergies, congestion and sinus infections. The process of cleaning the nasal passageway with the pot is called saline nasal irrigation. Recalling that my mother has one and uses it occasionally, I wanted to question how effective and popular it is among people. 

How does the neti pot work? First, you fill the pot with warm salt water; second, you tilt your head to the side and slowly pour it in the superior nostril. The water mixture will travel through your nostrils, thinning out and/or pushing mucus through to the other nostril. This method is an alternative to nasal sprays, strong medication, and surgery. The video below gives a visual demonstration on how it works.

It is assumed that the neti pot is easy to use, everyone can use it, and all pots [made from different materials such as plastic and ceramic] work the same way. It is also assumed that it will completely clean the sinuses and nostrils of mucus and allergies in one shot.

Looking at customer reviews on different websites (such as amazon.com, for example), a lot of people love using the pot. Some people did not like it because the spout did not fit comfortably in their nostril. They also did not like the feeling of water going through their nasal passageways. Some people complained about getting bacterial infections from using the pot (possibly from not cleaning it after every use). I also found some cases where a couple of people in the US have died from a particular fatal brain infection (Naegleria fowleri, a “brain-eating amoeba thriving in unsterilized water) due to using infected tap water.

I came across a randomized research study testing the effectiveness of the neti pot. Seventy-six participants with sinusitis from six different clinics were divided into two test groups: Neti pot users and control. The neti pot group underwent saline nasal irrigation everyday for six months while the control group continued their usual treatment. The results of the study concluded that daily nasal irrigation is more effective than usual treatment for sinusitis. It helped decrease both symptoms and the number of medications people were on for their sinusitis. It was also recommended that people that want to use it get proper training so they do not get an infection from it due to user error.

I have used the pot myself a couple of times. From my experience, it did not have that much of an effect on me; I did not feel it helped with my congestion, even though I was not using it everyday like I probably should. Despite my personal testimony, I do conclude that while the neti pot may not be for everybody, for those who use it, and use it on a daily basis, it is a very effective way to improve symptoms in the sinuses; it is positively recommended by many doctors and physicians.

Links I used:

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/sinus-pain-pressure-11/neti-pots?page=2

http://www.jfponline.com/Pages.asp?AID=1355

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasal_irrigation

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/neti-pots-ncient-ayurvedic-treatment-validated-by-scientific-evidence/

http://www.amazon.com/Himalayan-Institute-Ceramic-Neti-Pot/product-reviews/B000WJIC3G/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Raving Lunatics:Does the Full Moon Affect Behavior?

People tend to look for reasons for the unexplained.  I have heard all my life that people act “crazier” around the full moon. The question at issue is do people really act peculiar around the full moon?   Supposedly, police stations get more criminals, hospitals see more bizarre scenarios, mental hospital patients need to be sedated, and the weirdness just comes out of people. I work at a liquor store and even I thought we had more people come in and act a tad insane on a full moon. There have been a few times that my boss has had to call the cops for a customer having aggressive behavior in the store on a full moon.  Could we just be looking for a reason for observing odd behavior? Does the full moon have an effect on behavior?  I will fully admit to myself that before I did this research I had an implication that if there is a full moon outside, than peoples’ moods would be more erratic.  My first theory was being that  the moon is full; it was possible that gravity “pulled” neurotransmitters or something like that which causes people to act differently.  Unfortunately, there is no information on this personal theory.

After researching this question, there was very little evidence supporting the claim that the full moon effects behavior.  Some information was found to support the claims. Tasso & Miller (1976) explained that rape, theft, assault, intoxication, disorderly conduct, and larceny were more frequent during the night of the full moon.  The researchers looked up criminal records that happened in a large city for one year.  One crime that was not consistent with the moon phase was homicide.  Most people would read this and look at it as proof. This study was conducted in 1976, and was never replicated.  This means that other researchers who tried to replicate this study did not find the same evidence. 

Frey, Rotton, & Barry  (1979) tried to replicate the original findings from the first article in 1979.  Their findings could not replicate the original study.  There was no significance between the full moon and human behavior.  They stated that if people such as police officers believe that they will arrest more people on a full moon, then they will act on that conclusion.  McLay, Daylo, & Hammer (2006) found no association between moon phases and psychiatric or emergency room admissions. 

My interpretation of this phenomena is if people consciously note the full moon at night and assume that people will act more peculiar than usual, then they will seek out to observe odd behavior.  This was also stated in the two articles that debunked behavior during the full moon.  There are many legends and myths about werewolves.  It is possible that we have embedded  infatuation with these mythical creates into our everyday human behavior.  According to research, there are no correlations between human behavior and the moon phases and it is just our imagination. 

References

Frey, J., Rotton, J., & Barry, T. (1979). The effects of the full moon on human behavior: Yet  another failure to replicate. Journal Of Psychology: Interdisciplinary And Applied, 103(2),  159-162.

McLay, R. N., Daylo, A. A., & Hammer, P. S. (2006). No Effect of Lunar Cycle on Psychiatric Admissions or Emergency Evaluations. Military Medicine, 171(12), 1239-1242.

Tasso, J., & Miller, E. (1976). The effects of the full moon on human behavior. Journal Of  Psychology: Interdisciplinary And Applied, 93(1), 81-83.

Trepanation

What is Pseudoscience and how does it relate to Trepanation?

Pseudoscience can be defined as a claim, belief, or practice that is presented as scientific, however it does not adhere to a valid scientific method because there are no planned studies or comparisons to rule out alternate explanations, no control groups, imprecise, scientific language, lack of supporting evidence or plausibility, and cannot be reliably tested which then lacks scientific status. These unprovable claims have no confirmation of their rigorous attemps to be evaluated rationally. The first chapter of this class we discussed, "What is Pseudoscience?"  Very briefly we discussed Peter Halvorson's depression cure most commonly known as Trepanation. (Trepanation can also be called trepanning, trephining, or burr hole.)  

What is Trepanation? Trepanation is a surgical procedure or intervention that drills or scrapes a hole into the huma skull which is meant to expose treat health problems related to intracranial diseases. It is often used to relieve pressure beneath a surface. Trepanation derives from the word trephine which is an instrument used for cutting out a round piece of skull bone.

 

What is the purpose or goal of Trepanation?

Prehistoric human remains from Neolithic times have shown cave paintings indicating that people believed that this practive would cure epileptic seizures, migranes, and mental disorders. The first trepanations were made because of religious motives and were manifested by the ideas of the supernatural because the  trepanation was aiming to remove the evil spirit in some diseases- insanity, epilepsy, and idiotism. The bone that was trepanned was sometimes worn as a charm to keep evil spirits away. Evidence throughout history has also shown that trepanation would be used as an alternate emergency for head wounds.  The ITAG (International Trepanation Advocacy Group) strives for individuals to reach their utmost potential and cnstructive participation in their own lives as well as the well being for the rest of the population.  The main goal of the ITAG or trepanation itself is that the modern intervention of making an opening in the skull of an individual's skull favorably alters movement of blood through the brain and improves brain functions. Peter Halvorson drilled a hole in the dront of his own skull to increase blood volume which is known to be the modern goal behind the trepanation procedure.  

International Trepanation Advocacy Group

Questions about Trepanation

Dr. John Clarke was one of the earliest American doctors who was allegedly the first physicisan to perform trepanning in the United States in 1664. Ever since the first procedure was completed there has been a great deal of discussion and debate as to whether or not these individuals who would even think of placing a hole in their skull are in the right frame of mind to make that decision for themselves in the first place. Can drilling a hole in skulls truly make a difference in the volume and capacity of blood flow that a person's brain can attain and transfer be accomplished by simply making a giant hole within their skulls? Claims of trepanation relieving stress, depression and demonic spirits resulted in the hole in these ndividuals heads for the rest of their lives. Concerns and questions have arisen time and time again. However, because this is a pseudoscientific acquisition and claim there truly is no type of scientific evidence and cannot be reliably tested with statistical answers and claims due to the fact that it simply is a matter of opinion if someone truly feels that drilling a hole in their brain will somehow make their stress, depression, or other mental issues dissipate.

Point of View

After viewing this video, it seems fairly clear that the news broadcasters feel a specific way towards these individuals who have received the trepanation intervention. The patients truly feel that this procedure has made a significant impact in their lives. Ultimately in my opinion, I find this subject to be very interesting in the fact that I do not understand the reasoning behind it. Quite frankly, I believe that anyone who would feel that drilling a hole into their skull (which would permit susceptibility toward their brain, which is what leads human beings to their potential being put in danger), to me may not know what is necessarily best for them to begin with. The rational thinking as well as logic seems a bit vague and almost non existent to these people.Maybe it simply is because I am ignorant to the philosophy of this intervention. Who knows trepanation could be a procedure that we are all missing out on that would truly make  our lives better, however, I am willing to take that chance and keep my skull untouched! 

Alien Encounters: Real or Just a Dream? - An Anecdote



When discussing the topic of paranormal events, questions on the topic of aliens always pique my interest: Do aliens, also known as extraterrestrial creatures, exist? If so, have they been on earth? What kind of proof do we have? A dear friend of mine, whom I will call "Fiona," to keep her name confidential, once told me that she believes she may have had an encounter with real aliens, despite a lack of an obession with them. After asking permission to use her story for a blog post, she sent me this long message explaining in detail:
"So when I was in the first grade, I was living in a duplex that was fairly creepy itself. My dad worked as a traveling salesman for a mattress company and my mother worked in a doctor's office as the nurse. He would often go away on trips and stay overnight. When he would do this, I would go sleep in their bed because thats just what little kids do.

"One night while he was away and I was sleeping in there. I was awoken because there was a light on. I originally thought it was my mother in the bathroom because the bedroom was connected to a master bathroom. When I sat up, I noticed the light was coming in from the skylight that was in the small hallway that connected the master bath to the master bedroom. It was extremely bright. Through the light, I could make out several tall standing objects. When they moved closer to me, I realized what they were.

"I looked for my mother, but she was not in bed with me anymore. I suddenly got afraid, but was immediately calmed down. It was like one of the beings had intercepted my mind and controlled my feelings. There were no verbal words spoken to me, but rather waves of feelings. The being told me to not be afraid, they were not here for me, they were not going to take me or hurt me, and my mother was alright. Again no words - just placement of feelings and thoughts. They told me to return to sleep and I would wake up and find that everything would be back to normal.

"I can still remember what they looked like. They weren't tall but they weren't short, though it was hard to gauge their height when I was that young. They were silvery and shiny, almost plastic looking. At times when they moved, their skin or whatever was on top turned very dark and dull. They had no mouth so I assumed they communicated telepathically. They had a depressed nose or what I assumed was a nose and very elongated heads.

"I woke the next morning and told my mother what had happened and she told me that it was a dream and nothing more. It felt very real to me. I can still remember it to this day and I still have an intense fear of aliens. I cant even watch ET without getting freaked out. As your father loves that part haha

"It gets more interesting because years later I found out that my mother had the exact same dream, except she was actually in the walk in closet that was connected to the bathroom. She believed they were interested in her because she had no uterus (since she had a hysterectomy after I was born due to various cancers in that region). She said that they visited her several times. They never hurt her, but were curious about her. The last time I was in the room with her, they did not expect me to be there. They did tell her that they werent hurting me, only calming me down. They told her that they werent coming back and they have got what they needed. She can describe them the same way I can from what they looked like to how they communicated.

"She said we didnt watch any shows or movies that involved aliens. She already has an intense fear of aliens and she claims it stemmed from the fact that my father on their first date, took her to see Aliens with Sigourney Weaver and she got freaked out and could not think/watch/hear anything about aliens.

"So truth be told, I still believe that something strange happened that night. We moved from that duplex several weeks later after we found another house."
Looking back at the question, we can analyze this story to see whether or not it supports the hypothesis asking if aliens exist.

First, we should check the information from the story. Fiona thoroughly described what the aliens looked like. From what she said, they were shiny and silvery, and possessed a medium height, elongated heads, and a depressed nose. Not surprisingly, these descriptions sound similar to depictions of aliens called "greys," displayed in the picture below. Fiona asserted this happened at a time, according to her mom, when the family did not watch alien movies/shows together that may have triggered such a dream to occur as a coincidence. Unfortunately, Fiona has no physical evidence (e.g. a ray gun, a flash drive with cryptic files, a book in alien language, etc.) that can serve as proof for her alien encounter, and confirmation that it was not just a dream. It was also noted that Fiona believed the aliens were controlling her emotions without speaking.

"Do not be afraid."

Second, we should examine the assumptions of this story. We may assume the information is correct, although it is possible that Fiona's long-term memory has been reconstructed over the years, taking on characteristics of new experiences and semantic knowledge for cohesiveness. Also, we are assuming Fiona believed the creatures, whether they were aliens or not, were definitely there, and not an optical illusion or a bunch of family members playing a prank. We are also assuming that her mom was telling the truth in that she really did have the same "dream." Finally, we are assuming that Fiona sincerely believes the aliens were truly controlling her emotions, not her unconscious operating in dream-mode.

Third, we should view the possible implications of this experience actually happening. If this really happened to Fiona, does that mean the majority of aliens are gentle, curious, and non-threatening? Or should we believe that most of them are like the nightmare-inducing creatures in the movie Mars Attacks, and this particular group was special? Could the alien encounter have been an omen of things to come? Perhaps the aliens Fiona and her mother saw were examining humans to ensure they were protected against the harmful subgroup of aliens. If Fiona and her mother truly did witness aliens, then did the first artists depicting "greys" see them as well? Conversely, if Fiona and her mother only dreamed about the aliens, what does it mean? If the alien encounter was only a dream, then humanity is likely to experience the ordinary earthy doldrums and keep dreaming of extraterrestrial drama.

In conclusion, a few inferences can be made in regards to this story. While it does not, by any mean, show proof of an alien encounter, it does not disprove the existence of aliens, either. We can infer that Fiona is most likely telling the truth about this story, because she noted that aliens frighten her. Thus, she would not have a logical reason to make up such a story. However, given the deep mysteries of the human subconscious, as analyzed by famous psychological theorists like Freud and Jung, it is easy for a skeptic to say that all of the incidents reported above could have been manifested by a very life-like, frightening dream. In my opinion, I am not very sure as to which answer is right. As much as I would like to believe in life outside of Earth, I will not be convinced until I see physical evidence.

 

"Hello, Earthling."




Image Source: Google Images

Phrenology

 

Could a bump on the back of your head offer a clue to your inner personality? This idea was a central theme in the pseudoscience known as phrenology, a discipline that involved linking bumps on a person's head to certain aspects of the subject's personality and character. Phrenology was developed by a German physician named Franz Joseph Gall in the late 1700s. Gall noticed that the cerebral cortex of humans was much larger than that of animals, which he believed was what made humans intellectually superior. Eventually, he became convinced that the physical features of the cortex could also be seen in the shape and size of the skull.

After examining the heads of a number of young pickpockets, Gall found that many of them had bumps on their skull just above their ears. He then suggested that the bumps, indentations and shape of the skull could be linked to different aspects of a person's personality, character and abilities. With the young pickpockets, for example, he suggested that the bump behind their ears was associated with a tendency to steal, lie or deceive. Gall sought support for his ideas by measuring the skulls of people in prisons, hospitals and asylums, especially people with odd-shaped heads. Based on what he found, Gall developed a system of 27 different "faculties" that he believed could be directly diagnosed by measuring specific parts of the head. He created a chart that showed which areas of the skull were associated with specific traits or characteristics.

The 27 "Faculties" in Phrenology

Reproductive instincts

The love of one's offspring

Affection and friendship

Self-defense, courage and fighting

Murderous instincts

Guile, acuteness, cleverness

Sense of property, the tendency to steal

Pride, arrogance, haughtiness, love of authority, loftiness

Vanity, ambition, love of glory

Circumspection, forethought

Aptitude for being educated

Sense of locality and place

Recollection of people

Verbal memory

Language ability

The sense of colors

Sense for sound and musical talent

Mathematical abilities

Mechanical abilities

Comparative sagacity

Metaphysics

Satire and wit

Poetic talent

Kindness, compassion, sensitivity, moral sense

Imitation and mimicry

Religiosity

Perseverance, firmness

However, Gall's methods lacked scientific rigor and he chose to simply ignore any evidence that contradicted his ideas. Despite this, phrenology became increasingly popular from the 1800s well into the early 1900s. Gall's ideas gained many followers, but he began to attract criticism from scientists as well as from other groups. The Catholic Church believed that his suggestion of a "religion organ" was atheistic, and in 1802 his publications were added to the Index of Prohibited Books. After Gall's death in 1828, several of his followers continued to develop phrenology, taking it from Gall's attempts at science into something of a cult.

Despite phrenology's brief popularity, it eventually became viewed as a pseudoscience much like astrology, numerology and palmistry. Criticism from some of the best-known brain researchers played an important role in the reversal of popular views of phrenology. In 1843, Pierre Flourens, a French physiologist, founder of experimental brain science and a pioneer in anesthesia, found that the fundamental assumption of phrenology - that the contours of the skull corresponded to the underlying shape of the brain - was wrong. In his Elementary Treatise on Human Physiology, another physiologist, Francois Magendie, summed up his dismissal of phrenology by writing:

“Phrenology, a pseudo-science of the present day, like astrology, necromancy, and alchemy of former times, it pretends to localize in the brain the different kinds of memory. But its efforts are mere assertions, which will bear no examination for an instant. “

While phrenology has long been identified as a pseudoscience, it did help make important contributions to the field of neurology. Thanks to the focus on phrenology, researchers became more interested in the concept of cortical localization, an idea that suggested that certain mental functions were localized in particular areas of the brain. While Gall and other phrenologists incorrectly believed that bumps on the head corresponded to personality and abilities, they were correct in believing that different mental abilities were associated with different areas of the brain. Modern research methods allow scientists to use sophisticated tools such as MRI and PET scans to learn more about the localization of function within the brain.

- Jessi Guenther

Tarot Cards

Oh, tarot cards! I know it's complete non-sense, but I will admit to laying on my bed, shuffling my deck of tarot cards and having a blast "reading" the future. So, here's a little basic information about the tarot cards. In English speaking countries they are primarily used for divination purposes. Divination is the practice of seeking knowledge of the future through supernatural or mystical means. This practice of using the cards for divination purposes dates back to the 18th century. In the deck of cards there are 78 cards. These 78 cards are broken down into 2 categories. Major and minor Arcana. So, you lay out the cards in a certain set up, and then your read the meanings. I've heard lots of funky things about what to do and what not to do with your deck of tarot cards. I've heard that you should carry them with you so they become "attached" to you. I've also heard that you should never let anyone else touch your cards. The purpose of the cards is for you to take time, and try and use the cards to seek information about the future, the past, relationships and the like. It's like having a fortune teller at your disposal. Personally, I have a skewed point of view. I know that these cards are completely silly; but I've also had some pretty cool experiences with them. I've done readings for people that have had some serious connections. It's been my experience that people can have some very strong reactions to the things that the cards "say". Now, I've done these readings as a friend, so I've never made any money off of it. There are some pretty hefty implications to people making a profit off of this type of service. Sometimes, people resort to these types of practices out of desperation. For example, the people who call psychic phone lines. And I think that it's morally wrong to take advantage of someone like that. Making a profit off of someone's desperation isn't okay. But like I've said, it's different when you have fun doing it, but a completely different ball game when you're taking advantage of someone's dyer need for information.

-Holly Pimpinelli

You are Getting Very Sleepy

I remember when I was in high school, we had a hypnotist come to our school and preform a show. He called members from the audience, got to go on stage and be hypnotized. Very comical, as the hypnotist got some of the students to do crazy things. I could never really understand how he could get people to do embarrassing things in front of large crowds. So my question is...does it really work, or is it all "suggested?"

A short definition: Hypnosis typically involves an introduction to the procedure during which the subject is told that suggestions for imaginative experiences will be presented. The hypnotic induction is an extended initial suggestion for using one's imagination, and may contain further elaborations of the introduction. A hypnotic procedure is used to encourage and evaluate responses to suggestions. When using hypnosis, one person (the subject) is guided by another (the hypnotist) to respond to suggestions for changes in subjective experiencence, alterations in perception, sensation, emotion, thought or behavior. Persons can also learn self-hypnosis, which is the act of administering hypnotic procedures on one's own. If the subject responds to hypnotic suggestions, it is generally inferred that hypnosis has been induced.

I do not believe that one can be cured of all phobias just by being in a hypnotic state. Some information out there shows that to some extent, it really does work. But to the people it worked on, did they really have the phobia in the first place? Not only does it "remove" fear from one person, but it also is said to help quit smoking, reduce weight loss, and helps with "hysteria" and psychoanalysis.

According to Neuropsychology, "Neurological imaging techniques provide no evidence of a neurological pattern that can be equated with a "hypnotic trance". Changes in brain activity have been found in some studies of highly responsive hypnotic subjects. These changes vary depending upon the type of suggestions being given."


So, try it yourself. See what you believe..

Are you open to suggestibility?

Hypnotize yourself at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnU2Ld1ttoE


- Brian Kopf

Visitors, From the Outside.. WHOAAA!!!

Do you know where the human race began? The evolutionary timeline of homo sapiens goes back a long way. Throughout that time, we can only remain skeptic to claims of religion and scientific theory. I wanted to write about the notion or belief in the Anu Nakis: alien visitors who are believed to be the ancestors of humans and possibly the missing link to our higher intelligence. Zacharia Sitchin is the author of a number of books that propose the theory of ancient aliens coming to Earth and spawning a new species (man). He written numerous novels about religious accounts/interpretations in the Sumerian text where visitors came from a distant planet to Earth and populated it with an inferior race of animals to mine gold for their benefit. It is the story of the Anu Nakis who are the superior alien visitors far back in time when their planet's atmosphere (The Twelfth Planet), that was being depleted because of extreme levels of penetrating radiation and other global issues. His interpretation of the texts from early man (mostly Sumerian but not limited to) state that the Anu Nakis only defense against the radiation was to create a shield of gold around their planet, or atleast in some way to fend off the high levels of radiation from their nearby star. To do so, some of their people came to Earth, genetically manipulated a native species (monkeys or primates) and produced workers who could mine the gold needed for their planet. There seems to be no concrete evidence in Sitchin's claims and his novels have been ridiculed for many decades

Now this may all seem bogus and many do believe that Zacharia Sitchin only wrote these books for the business of science fiction, which in turn, made him farely wealthy. But in reading his interpretations, and with the science we're able to perform today, (gene splicing, cross breeding plants and animals as well as the fact that gold is used on the space shuttle to protect the astronauts from radiation) there's room in the story for fact. As for me and believing in the claims, I cannot dismiss the story as truly fiction. We do not know the exact origin of humans but there are numerous theories to how we, humans with our intelligent brain capacity and capability, came to be. Whose to say aliens didn't play a part? It's something to think about.

Zacharia Sitchin's page: www.sitchin.com

You can also type in "Nasa's use of Gold" in Google and find links for it's benefits in Space.

http://youtu.be/MDHp5Bdqh0c

Kinoki Detox Footpads

I remember years ago I saw advertizements for this product and I knew there was no way it could work. The goal of the Kinoki (notice the Japanese name implying ancient knowledge, that they even mention in the commercial) Detox Foot Pads is to remove toxins and heavy metals from the bottom of your feet all during your sleep. This sounds great right? Watch the commercial!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exmEGrNqgcA

Notice the information given in the video, they remove everything from your body: from toxins, heavy metals, and parasites, to cellulite all thru your feet! They even show a dirty used pad, granted I could get the same effect from a piece of duct tape. In the commercial they site the ancient concept of Japanese reflexology which is just a fancy theory on how to massage your feet to revitalize your energy.

The question is do they work, it seems clear that they do not. The last straw for me during the commercial that made me lose any hope at all in the product was during one of the testimonials where the man comments on how the FOOT PAD removed asbestos from his body. Wait? That is not physically possible! You can breathe in asbestos and it causes cancer because it stays in your LUNGS, how can it get through your body and out your FEET? So from that one statement out of many absurdities I conclude that this product is a bunch of pseudoscience mumbo-jumbo.

-Mike Stopen

Alchemy

            The question I would like to discuss is whether or not modern sciences, specifically chemistry, have a little gratitude that must be paid to the alchemist of the past. Alchemy is often thought of as black-robed quacks who performed magic. Other terms often associated to them are wizards, magicians, witchcraft, magic, and voodoo. 

            One must look at the information needed to fully think about this question. Alchemy is often associated with gold. Yes, it is true that a big part of alchemy was devoted to turning "impure" metals into gold. However, this is not the only thing alchemists were concerned with. Alchemy was inspired by the idea of man being perfect, free from disease and the limitations of our bodies. This is how their work on metals also began. Gold was seen as the "perfect metal" with silver following closely behind it. So why wouldn't they try to transform the "imperfect" metals into these perfect metals? Other subjects of interest to the alchemists were the Elixir of Life, Philosopher's Stone, Fountain of Youth, and the Powder of Transmuting.
            Alchemy was also based on a lot of concepts that should be considered. As stated earlier, alchemists were seeking after human perfection. The problems that they targeted were reasonable, but they then took them a step further that took their practices in the direction of magic. The Elixir of Life was meant to cure all diseases. Everyone has heard of the phrase fountain of youth, so I will not further explain this one. The Philosopher's Stone was the most sought after alchemical theory. This stone would allow the Alchemist to live forever and turn the base metals into gold. The Powder of Transmuting was also a powder that allowed Alchemists to transmute base metals into gold. This could be obtained without the Philosopher's stone. However, no alchemists was able to successfully turn any base metal into gold. Furthermore, the Philosopher's stone was never successfully created nor found. However, some of the practices that the alchemists performed in order to create or understand these concepts are still used today.
            My point of view is that the concepts they sought after were definitely on the magical side, using no scientific bases, but the techniques they practiced are still used in our modern day chemistry. Three contributions to chemistry from the alchemists are lab techniques, use of synthetic medicine, and even some lab tools. Lab techniques discovered by alchemists are filtration, distillation, crystallization, extraction (anyone who has taken organic chemistry at Stockton knows how often these techniques are used), along with others. The idea of synthetically created medicine is also created to Alchemists. Before Paracelsus (an alchemist), only organic plants were used to treat diseases. He believed that minerals synthesized in the lab would be useful for medicine. However, his work went unnoticed for over a century after his death. Even still, his work laid the foundation to this new idea. Lastly, many glassware and lab tools are credited to the alchemists that are still in use today. Even some basic chemicals used by the alchemists in their search for Elixirs and the Philosopher's Stone are still currently used in the lab today.

         In conclusion, although the interests that sparked the research of alchemists is without a doubt tied to magic, their searching laid down the foundations of chemistry today. Without the frame work laid down by the alchemists, chemistry would not be as advanced as it is today. Someone had to start somewhere, and the alchemists certainly did a decent job for chemistry as we know it today. 

Links:
1. http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2002/tubb/history.htm
2. http://www.alchemylab.com/history_of_alchemy.htm
http://www.cwu.edu/~scied/nctmworkshop/historychemistrytechnology.pdf

Acupunture

Some people will go to the extreme to lose weight or relieve stress that occurs in their lives. Many people try acupuncture to help them make their lives easier. I personally have not tried acupuncture to help me with weight loss or problems in my life, but I do know that people swear by it. My point of view is that I don't think acupuncture works. I think people star to believe that it works and therefore they continue to use it as a "medicine". The question that arises is does acupuncture really work?

Some information about this alternative medicine is that it was originated from China. The Chinese believe that we have this spirit or energy in our bodies called qi. To help balance this entity out, the Chinese would puncture the skin in the area where we have acupuncture points. It is said that sticking these thin needles could prevent bad health, treat infertility and relieve stress/pain (Wikipedia).

I read that acupuncture would help reduce nausea and vomiting after patients went through chemotherapy for cancer. Scientists have found that acupuncture calms the area of the brain that processes pain, subside inflammation and keeps the blood flowing.

Some cons to acupuncture are that it has lead to fatalities where the point of insertion got infected and that the needles hit vital organs. Scientists did experiments with volunteers where they were pricked with toothpicks and then real acupuncture was used on them. The results showed that the brain showed calmness when both experiments happened. Therefore, the placebo affect happened for most of the volunteers.

I interpret that there are scientists who will never agree on the concept about acupuncture. Many scientists believe it works while others do not. Therefore, I believe that many people have the placebo affect and that it does not work. To many fatalities have happened and infections. In conclusion, until acupuncture is proven to work without other evidence against it, I will stick with my belief that it doesn't work.