http://toddseavey.com/2009/11/25/things-for-which-im-not-grateful-because-they-are-bad/ Conservatism for punks. Sun, 05 Sep 2010 21:51:02 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://toddseavey.com/2009/11/25/things-for-which-im-not-grateful-because-they-are-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-73837 ToddSeavey.com » Blog Archive » Brain Cancer, Retardation, Coma Communications, and Hypnosis Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:39:43 +0000 http://toddseavey.com/2009/11/25/things-for-which-im-not-grateful-because-they-are-bad/#comment-73837 [...] •Second, that guy in a coma who was supposedly communicating via subtle finger movements — a claim of which James Randi was an early skeptical critic, as I noted back around Thanksgiving — has now been revealed by his doctors to be just a regular, uncommunicative guy in a coma.  His doctors now liken the “messages” that some people thought he was sending to the messages people believe they get from ouija boards, not realizing that they are subconsciously spelling out precisely the words they long to see.  That humans are so quick — eager, even — to engage in such self-deception is all the more reason that we have to be skeptical.  That which seems too good to be true — especially that which fits neatly into our preconceived expectations — may well be bunk, and there is no magic in pretending otherwise, only error. [...] [...] •Second, that guy in a coma who was supposedly communicating via subtle finger movements — a claim of which James Randi was an early skeptical critic, as I noted back around Thanksgiving — has now been revealed by his doctors to be just a regular, uncommunicative guy in a coma.  His doctors now liken the “messages” that some people thought he was sending to the messages people believe they get from ouija boards, not realizing that they are subconsciously spelling out precisely the words they long to see.  That humans are so quick — eager, even — to engage in such self-deception is all the more reason that we have to be skeptical.  That which seems too good to be true — especially that which fits neatly into our preconceived expectations — may well be bunk, and there is no magic in pretending otherwise, only error. [...]

]]> http://toddseavey.com/2009/11/25/things-for-which-im-not-grateful-because-they-are-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-63169 Michael Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:57:46 +0000 http://toddseavey.com/2009/11/25/things-for-which-im-not-grateful-because-they-are-bad/#comment-63169 I cannot help you with the pedestrians, but I've found a way to stop people from asking to be reminded of something. Since people rarely state when they wish to be reminded, rather they say something like 'Hey, remind me to buy paper plates.' I just immediately blurt back, 'buy paper plates.' Thus I have fullfilled their request and am free to continue pursuing my own happiness. I cannot help you with the pedestrians, but I’ve found a way to stop people from asking to be reminded of something. Since people rarely state when they wish to be reminded, rather they say something like ‘Hey, remind me to buy paper plates.’ I just immediately blurt back, ‘buy paper plates.’ Thus I have fullfilled their request and am free to continue pursuing my own happiness.

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