Ghosts in the Machine

I don't know if any of you are aware of it, but I have always been very very interested in the paranormal - ghosts, hauntings, poltregeists, night terrors, out-of-body, etc. Well, I have a new interest to add in there now... have any of you seen the movie "White Noise"? WOW! This is one of those movies where you want to turn on every light in the house afterward. I've never really been scared of typical horror movies, but movies like the "Omen" series, "The Entity", and now "White Noise" give me a serious case of the Heebee Geebees! The willies! The don't-dangle-your-feet-off-the-edge-of-the-bed what-was-that-noise? Kinda' scared. Because they're all based on fact.

White noise if you haven't seen it revolves around a paranormal line of research called EVP (electronic voice phenomenon).

Electronic Voice Phenomena (or EVP), refers to "spirit voices" that are said to manifest themselves on audio recordings.

EVP is a subcategory of Instrumental Transcommunication (or ITC), which includes all electronically recorded phenomena, including telephones, televisions, computers, and specialized audio equipment. It's freaky, and it's been around since the 1920's!

I've been doing a lot of reading on it recently and if any of you are interested I have an hypothesis to put forward on how it might work...

First, I don't know of any visual EVP that has occured via LCD or Gas Plasma televisions. I think Gas Plasma might be possible, but I'm fairly certain almost all broadcast visual events would be on old CRT's. My hypothesis is this is because of two primary objects in the CRT TV's: 1) Capacitors, 2) Phosphorescent Material.

A CRT is basically an electron gun which fires electrons through a magnetic field onto a phosphorescent fabric, which shows the combination of multiple impacts as an image. The gun doesn't aim or move in any way. What it does is vary the strength of the electron being fired so it would be angled differently after passing through the magnetic field.

1. Capacitors and inductors are applied together in tuned circuits to select information in particular frequency bands. For example, radio and television receivers rely on variable capacitors to tune the station frequency. Speakers use passive analog crossovers, and analog equalizers use capacitors to select different audio bands. My

2. Phosphorescent Material. The material on the inside of the TV screen is hit by the electrons and reacts by glowing at that point with a brightness determined by the intensity and charge of the electron. This material is coated with a chemical compound that glows or "phosphors" after stimulation (in this case by the electron gun).

So, my point in mentioning these items is the fairly widespread belief that ghosts are beings in an energy state. I believe they could be able to draw power from the capacitors to amplify their audio signal to us since they are directly related to the frequency attenuation of the audio system, and the phosphorescent material would react as well to their "energy" features as it would to an electron striking it. I could go into much more detail on how I think this works but I think you see the point I'm trying to make.

Additionally, it might be possible for this to work with LCD screens because they are electrolumiescent. Electroluminescence (EL) is an optical phenomenon and electrical phenomenon where a material emits light in response to an electric current passed through it, or to a strong electric field. But I think it less likely because of the strength of the current required, whereas the phosphorescent fabric of the CRT is much more sensitive and requires very little power to generate a "glow" reaction.

Color CRT's use multiple layers of chemically bonded fabrics which each generate a different color (RGB - Red Green Blue). So, the CRT from an old black and white TV is probably the best method for capturing EVP images.

So if in the future they make more movies about it, or write books about it, maybe we'll all hear about the CWilliams Theory of Electroentity Transcommunication or some-such thing. :-)

Killing time

Hey, I saw this on Leesa's blog http://mtpeaceofmind.blogspot.com/ it's a good time killer. Somehow I managed to knock that little penguin feller a whopping 323.4!!! YeeHaw!

I'm off to Nowheresville on Saturday for a week where I'll have no phone, no internet, no cable TV, no foreign (non-Thai) food, and likely no fun. Basically, I'm going to spend time with... dum dum dumdum... THE IN-LAWS!!! They are all really nice, really good people but I don't understand ANYTHING they say. They speak a dialect of Thai that I simply don't recognize. It sounds nothing like central Thai (what my wife, daughter, and I speak). So, I'm going to do my annual "Meet the Fockers" type trip and be the only non-Thai for a 50 mile radius again. Wish me luck... please!!!

And for all my friends back in the world...

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

And furthermore...

In case anyone is interested, since we're all talking right now about poly vs monogamous relationships - for all you polys out there Thailand would be one of your favorite places.

In Thailand they still have the old custom of minor wives and minor husbands... so in theory you could have multiple common-law spouses.

My good friend in Bangkok... his girlfriend's father is the equivalent of the town mayor in a small village in the North East of Thailand. He has 5 wives. The first one is the primary. Another friend from the USA over here has 3 "girlfriends". I put that in quotes because they all qualify as common law wives based on how long they've been with him. He just married the pregnant one. That marriage thing was interesting. They all get along very well and are friends, but the discussion of who would get to marry him was a hot topic. The first girlfriend thought is should be her because she was the first. The second thought it should be her because she was pregnant. The third thought it should be her because she was young and energetic (and apparently the best in the sack). Once he made the decision though, they all dropped the topic and supported the pregnant one 100%.

Mia is one of the Thai words for wife. Mia Noi, means small or minor wife. There are also minor husbands for very well-off women. Usually a Mia Noi is treated like a western mistress with an apartment given to her, and a monthly allowance. In some Thai sub-cultures it's actually a prestigious position to be the mia noi or sahmi noi (minor husband) of a wealthy person.

I was working at the US Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand when then Secretary of State Madeline Albright came for a visit. She gave a speech to all the embassy staff (of which about 800 are Thai) talking about economic aid to Thailand, and how we were working with the Thai government in the Golden Triangle area to get the Opium growers to switch to vegetables and flowers which would actually bring them more money. Then at the end she started talking about public decency and getting rid of the night time "entertainment" industry through education. I wanted to stand up and tell her my housekeeper had a bacherlors degree and I was helping her study for her masters because she couldn't find work - basically to emphasize the education without jobs does absolutely nothing but create well-educated dolists - but I restrained myself.

After the meeting so many Thai's - both friends, and people who knew I spoke Thai and studied Thai culture - approached me to ask me what she meant (some male, but mostly female). When I explained she was referring to closing down the gogo's (strip clubs), and the massage parlors, and getting women (and men too) to stop trading sex for money, they were all shocked. While some of them were for it, the vast majority were not and wanted to know who the hell Albright and the USA thought they were to impose her own views on someone elses country and culture.

Granted, if Thailand was a bit more equitable in its treatment of women vs. men this place would be a paradise. But Thailand being an oriental country is still very much male dominated, so it's not always easy for women to acquire the same types of perks that men have... though if you have enough money pretty much anything can happen over here. Keep in mind this is a Buddhist culture, not Christian. There's no concept of "original sin" in Buddhism, and actually no such thing as "sin" in Buddha's original teachings. So adultery's only fault is that it takes you further away from the path to enlightenment instead of forward toward it.

I could go on for hours on this topic, and there's so much contradiction in modern Thai culture on this topic. If anyone has questions let me know. And if anyone wants to holiday in Thailand, I'll be extremely happy to play tour guide!

Hypothetical things that make you go Hmmmm...

Wow! Okay. It really was a "hypothetical" question for my part. Love all the answers though. Especially the more logical/scientific approach Don and Kev put forward.

Interesting comments all, and I really appreciate that you all took so much time to write some lengthy and somewhat personal answers. Thank you!!!

I must admit to being 99.99% mono-amorous myself. But that niggling little .01% has reared it's unwelcome head twice in the 6 years I've been married. Though I've never acted on it.

When I met my wife the first time it was very much a metaphysical wonk on the head with the proverbial bananna peal (wrapped around a large gold brick)Thank you Douglas Adams

I very litterally felt the impact. It was one of the most profound experiences of my adult life. We didn't even speak a common language at the time, but it was a mutual event. I still get a portion of it sometimes when we are close. It's almost like some weird telekinetic blow.

Anyway, I had something almost the same but not quite as strong happen about 2 months ago with someone else, and again it was apparently a mutual experience. We didn't act on it other than to - without saying a word - both turn and find a place to go sit down for a minute and just stare at each other wondering what the hell was going on. We'll probably stay in touch, can't say that I'd want anything beyond that, but I must say it indeed raises quite a number of questions.

In my adult life, the experience my wife and I had when we first saw each other leads me to believe that Love at First Sight really happens. The event 2 months ago though... that's what made me think to ask the "hypothetical" question.

Just FYI... There was an interesting article from an Indian medical researcher about 2 years ago that provided some very in-depth data on human attraction. Apparently much of it is related to our olfactory (smell and taste) senses, but on a level that we don't even consciously recognize. If I can find it again, I'll post it for all to read. Though it still doesn't explain the telekinetic whammy.

Say my name bee-yatch...

Not being one to buck a trend, here's my contribution to our latest blogidocious graphics fest...



(I particularly like the Redhead-Injuring reference)

And then theres...



And for the ladies theres...




or maybe...



But that sounds too needy, so how about...



Yeah. I think that last one works.

Hypothetical Question...

Is it possible to love - and I mean be in-love, not just friendship love, or family relation love, I mean really really soul-deep, warm-n-fuzzy feelin', achey-breaky heart, pot o'gold at the end of the rainbow, hit me like a sledge hammer when I walk in the room, heart skips a beat kind of love - with more than one person?

Thoughts?

Maybe you can enter the same question on your blogs and we can do a broader survey? I'd be interested to see what people have to say, and how it splits between men and women.

Another song...

Here's a blast from the past for you. This one also makes me think of someone in particular. In fact... it's also the ringtone on my cell phone. So, if you're out there, and you see this, this one's for you, and you know who you are. :-)

Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino

I found my thrill on blueberry hill
On blueberry hill when I found you
The moon stood still on blueberry hill
And lingered until my dreams came true

The wind in the willow played
Love's sweet melody
But all of those vows we made
Were never to be

Tho' we're apart, you're part of me still
For you were my thrill on blueberry hill

The wind in the willow played
Love's sweet melody
But all of those vows we made
Were never to be

Tho' we're apart, you're part of me still
For you were my thrill on blueberry hill

Turkey Day

I realize Thanksgiving has already passed, but I haven't had a chance to blog since coming back from vacation. Thought I'd share with all of you the message I sent out to many of my Thai, UK, Aussie, NZ, and Chinese friends over here in Asia-Pacific. Also, I hope you all had great holidays... 3 more weeks and we can all launch our new diets to prepare for next year's feasts!

Thanksgiving is a truly American holiday.

The history is a group of pilgrims (settlers) came to the "New World" (America) in the Mayflower ship. They landed at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620 in what is now the state of Massachusetts. Their first winter was devastating. At the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower. But the fall harvest of 1621
was a bountiful (plentiful) one. The remaining colonists decided to
celebrate with a feast -- including 91 native Americans who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. It is believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the natives. The feast was more of a traditional English harvest festival than a true "thanksgiving" observance. It lasted three days. It is now called Thanksgiving.

It was a time of giving thanks to God, and to friends and family for their safe arrival in the New World, and for being thankful for all the good things in their lives.

The reason for eating turkey?
Prior to the celebration, Governor William Bradford sent "four men fowling" after wild ducks and geese. It is not certain that wild turkey was part of their feast. However, it is certain that they had venison (deer). The term "turkey" was used by the Pilgrims to
mean any sort of wild fowl.

October of 1777 marked the first time that all 13 of the original colonies joined in a thanksgiving celebration.

President George Washington (1st President of the U.S.A.) proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789.

In 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by the US Congress as a legal holiday, as the fourth Thursday in November.

So, while it may be an American holiday. There's no reason why we can't all give thanks tomorrow (Thursday) for all the good things in our lives no matter where we come from, or what our religion.

I for one am thankful for having reconnected this year with so many friends from way back in High School. Missed you guys and gals!