IIG Public Update #16
December 2008
Thanksgiving is over, and most of us have observed Annie Laurie Gaylor’s advice for a secular Thanksgiving Day feast – "Thank the Cook!"
WORD TELEPATH
Robert R. from Southern California has written us with a claim of E.S.P. He wants to conduct a test similar to the one conducted by Achau Nguyen, wherein he will have to transmit a word to a second party. He is currently scheduled to arrive in Hollywood on December 20th for a preliminary demonstration. More to come.
NEW JERSEY SPOONBENDER
Melissa A. from the garden state has promised to send us a videotape of her destroying utensils through paranormal means. She sent us photos of tableware that is bent, with no indication of how they were bent.
"[t]hey were never meant for any kind of proof . . ." claims Melissa’s representative – Steve A. He continues, "what we are looking for as [I] am sure you are also is a legitimate scientific lab or some other type of secure and documented area where Melissa can perform under a controlled enviroment [sic] somewhere on the east coast . . ." Steve has been informed that Melissa must come to L.A. for any kind of test, and also been assured that the IIG can conduct it. We await their response.
FENG SHUI AT THE BURBANK POLICE
We didn’t believe this until we found an article in the L.A. Times that backs it up. Apparently Burbank, California – home of "The Tonight Show" and countless TV and movie studios – has on its police force one Ed Skvarna, self proclaimed "mystical warrior" who actively supports the use of Feng Shui. The flabby L.A. Times article assures readers that Skvarna isn’t "New Age," but rather he is a Czech-America from West Covina – a claim that wins the award for non-sequitur of the month.
That second article by one Karter Diamond of Feng Shui News also claims that there is a judge in the district who "who stated that he would in fact take feng shui into consideration if it ever came up in court. As an example: if someone committed a crime, after living in a house with a track record for producing criminal activity, he may be more lenient or forgiving, considering whether or not the person had any control over their environment". Diamond continues, "[s]ound amazing?" Hopefully our readers simply find it scary.
This extra-constitutional judge is not named, and frankly we doubt his existence, but Skvarna’s credulity is portrayed accurately. "Feng Shui San Diego" cites his endorsement. So Skvarna, now retired from the force and heading security at a Burbank Airport (the original story is from 2001), is on his way to becoming the darling of the SoCal Feng Shui scene.
All is not bleak though. That same L.A. Times article found a Valley Official willing to rebut Skvarna’s claims – former Monterrey Mayor Francisco Alonso who called Feng Shui "silly", "not a scientific thing", and "faith-based".
VISION FROM FEELING
Okay, we accidentally broke the news a month early about sending Anita her protocol for the $50,000 challenge. Well, the first draft of the protocol to come from us was indeed sent on November 3rd, 2008, and we received a swift reply.
The complete history of the protocol design will be posted with our report, but here’s the short version. Anita, whom we call a psychic diagnostician of medical disorders, needs test subjects who are in pain at the time of the test. The difficulty of obtaining the requisite number of test subjects (10-18) is so great as to be unworkable. With most of her other conditions conceded by us, we are returning a second draft to her with the "currently in pain" clause rejected. We hope that a mutually agreed upon testing protocol can be reached in spite of this.
TENNESSEE TELEPATH
Raymond P. has returned! He is scheduled to arrive here in March of 2009 for a preliminary demonstration.
MICHIGAN SPIRIT AUDIO
Rick P. from the Wolverine State claims he "can prove there is spirits around people by listening to audio recorded by people telling stories". He sent us two digital files that feature people talking about a door that seems to open by itself.
To quote Jim Underdown, "Such recordings are not very convincing proof of the existence of spirits". Jim adds, "If you're interested in the $50,000 IIG Challenge, you'll have to summon spirit help in more controlled circumstances".
J. ANNETTE
This is the pseudonym of a woman who claims to be able to communicate with "victims" and locate a "murderer/culprit" as well. Here are two specific claims from an e-mail dated October 26, 2008:
During the last ten years, I have successfully, psychologically talked with two young kidnapped girls, using the lords [sic] prayer. With one, I was able to determine when she heard him drive away. I was able to call in a police officer to the outside of the building she was in, I could not pick up the location of the building, it took a few days to get the officer, to park where I needed him to. [W]hen the girl was sure the culprit had driven off, I encouraged her to yell help as loud as she could, then visualized myself outside the building she was in and yelled for the officer as well. She was found and it aired on the news she was found in the basement of a church, the culprit fed her candy.
The other girl, (again, I got the child to respond to me using the lords [sic] prayer) . . . was bound in the back seat, when the culprit heard her talking, I got her to say she was only praying. I vocalized outside the car, a proposition for the driver, if he came into this bar, I would make he [sic] a happy man. Again, it took a couple of days, she was able to call me back when she thought she could get free of her bounds. I yelled as loud as I could for him to come into the next bar . . . I had to visualize myself for him or he said, he would not go in, I told him if I was not there yet, to wait, I would be there soon. The child convinced him she would not make a sound or attempt to do anything. She got away and flagged down a truck driver. Both girls were aired on the news, (years apart of course) as found.
IIG investigator Spencer Marks asked her the most obvious question, "Do you think you would have a way for us to test your abilities without posing any real harm to other people?" adding, "Please put some thought into it, and let us know if you can think of a way to properly test you." She will contact us again if and when she discovers a way to have her abilities tested in a controlled (and ethical) situation.
THAT’S ALL
Enjoy Boston Tea Party Day (December 16th), Isaac Newton’s Birthday (December 25th), National Drunk Driving Prevention Month, and the 25th anniversary of "A Christmas Story" – "mind power, Swede; mind power".
- IIG
