The Fortean/paranormal/conspiracy thread

[CoreyVandal]

I realise I'm veering dangerously into Duane territory with this, but is anyone here familiar with Graham Hancock, author of Fingerprints Of The Gods?

 

I've just started reading his stuff and watched a couple of lectures, and while some of his theories are about as out there as you could get (Atlantis is under Antarctica, There was an advanced civilisation on earth 20,000 years ago, Giants were real, ect.) even debunking websites seem to credit some of his assertions as correct, and just wondered what the general consensus on him is? It does seem like he falls into the Terrance McKenna category of valuing storytelling above scientific fact, but he certainly has a lot of fascinating (but most probably bullshit) ideas.

 

One of the more plausible and curious ideas he puts forward is showing ancient maps that were claimed to have been copied from maps held within the Library of Alexandria that show continents in the state they would have been during the last ice age, suggesting humanity either has a much older history or they were 'shown' things way beyond their technological capabilities (or that he's simply cherrypicked a handful of inaccurate maps that fitted his pattern).

Edited June 1, 2012 by CoreyVandal

[Loki]

Yeah I absolutely loved Fingerprints of the Gods when I was about 16. Sadly, pretty much all of it turns out either to be inaccurate or his misunderstanding of something. His main assertion in that book, that Antarctica was once the home of a flourishing mother civilisation, even he now admits is way off.

 

The stuff about the maps is great, the most compelling area of his research, but again it's cherrypicking. There are loads of old maps that are hugely inaccurate, and then a couple that look weirdly like the coast of Antarctica. But those ones are probably just as inaccurate as the others, just in a way that looks a bit like something that's real.

 

He nicked all that from Charles Hapgood anyway, along with the pole displacement theory.

[CoreyVandal]

I assumed as much. I'd consider myself a hyper-rationalist and skeptic, but this has definitely given me a great understanding of how people call fall for that sort of thing and get their feet trapped in the quicksand of conspiracy theories. The ideas he has are so appealing, and if they were true make the world that little bit brighter and more interesting. I've got a personal fascination with the story of the Library of Alexandria and civilisations 'lost knowledge', so the sheer idea of 2nd hand information from there hinting at everything we know being wrong sets in motion so many questions that it's just depressing to dismiss it right away.

 

I have found the points he makes about the weathering and watermarks on the Sphinx & the Pyramids being considerable higher than we'd expect with our current knowledge about the area's climate quite fascinating and hard to debunk. There is unmistakable watermarks on the Sphinx that are unexplainable if we accept it was built when we assumed rather than a relic of the last ice age that was 'discovered' by the Egyptians (at least from various accounts I've read, not that I'm an expert on erosion). Even with his recent lectures it's really hard to know what to take seriously, if anything, but it certainly is interesting to ponder.

 

A lot of criticisms about his maps theory seemed to be exactly what you've mentioned, and show examples of how ancient map makers would often draw fictional landmasses just to balance out the map, or include lands of myth that were mearly conjecture at the time. I've just found a recent lecture he has on youtube about angels and other mythical creatures and it's depressing to see him basically going "You see this myth? What if it was true?" and claiming that as his scientific evidence.

Edited June 2, 2012 by CoreyVandal

[David]

What's the resident experts take on this?

 

Treasure hunters confirm they have found something abnormal in the seabed

 

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 15, 2012

 

The Ocean X Team dove down to the circle-shaped object in the Baltic Sea and met something they never experienced before. First they thought it was just stone or a rock cliff, but after further observations the object appeared more as a huge mushroom, rising 3-4 meters/10-13 feet from the seabed, with rounded sides and rugged edges. The object had an egg shaped hole leading into it from the top, as an opening. On top of the object they also found strange stone circle formations, almost looking like small fireplaces. The stones were covered in something resembling soot.

 

 

[Astro Hollywood]

This report is in Swedish, but it does show some photos of the area.

 

Chrome translates that article as explaining that it's "probably sandstone," although this pretty kooky, badly laid-out website claims it's a money-making publicity stunt.

 

June 10, 2012 - Someone slipped up when uploading private documents to the Ocean X Team website. Disclose.tv learned today that a simple Google search reveals documents stored on the team

Edited June 15, 2012 by Astro Hollywood

[Kookoocachu]

I thought that was a crater??

[Up Chuck]

Heads up: something about UFOs coming up on ITV lunchtime news in a bit. Probably be on their online player later if anyone misses it. Can't imagine it'll be anything particularly revolutionary though.

[Steve Justice]

Just spent the last couple of days in Bonsall in Matlock. The locals were telling me Bonsall is the biggest UFO hotspot in Europe, and that back in 2000 a local lady filmed one and NASA paid her

[chokeout]

This report is in Swedish, but it does show some photos of the area.

 

Chrome translates that article as explaining that it's "probably sandstone," although this pretty kooky, badly laid-out website claims it's a money-making publicity stunt.

 

June 10, 2012 - Someone slipped up when uploading private documents to the Ocean X Team website. Disclose.tv learned today that a simple Google search reveals documents stored on the team

[Keith Houchen]

Sounds like he is having a self loathing wank.

[Surf Digby]

Looks like a reflection of a lightbulb in a window. Anyone know if NASA are still so ready to pay out the pennies?

[patiirc]

I can only assume, I have Duane on my Facebook

 

Apparently the Olympic Mascots are related to the illuminati (see here) and it s all red flags for a bombing that will kill 13,000 and then an earthquake that will kill 40,000

 

I feel like I may have missed that memo.

[Chilly McFreeze]

As this thread has reappeared, thought I'd just highlight this post from David Icke on his forum. What an amazing response from the BBC:

 

Someone wrote to the producers of a BBC programme called 'Question Time', which claims (claims) to represent the range of views of the British public, suggesting that I be invited to appear and put an alternative view of what is happening in the world in contrast to the stream of politicians and other system people that appear, ad nauseam, every week to perpetuate the illusion of a Left-Right-Centre political 'choice' and 'debate' (it's a bunch of bollocks in other words).

 

It was a polite letter which brought this reply from a Brendan Miller, producer, BBC Question Time, in Glasgow:

 

'MY MASTERS FROM PLANET ZOG SAY NO'

 

Actually, he's probably not far wrong, but for this to come from a so-called credible and professional BBC producer of a so-called credible and professional BBC current affairs programme shows just how far down the drain this ludicrous 'broadcaster' has now plummeted, coming, as it does, after the puke-making sycophantic worship by the BBC of the Queen in the last few weeks.

 

Complaints to the BBC can be made by clicking here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

 

Isn't that just beautiful?

 

Thread is here http://www.davidicke.com/forum/showthread.php?t=213521

 

By the way, if you ever need to entertain yourself for a couple of hours, just go to the David Icke forum and have a look around. It is a wonderous place full of people who make Duane look positively sane. Apparantly the Batman massacre was either a False Flag perpetrated by the government using mind control to help bring in gun control, or a blood ritual which will be celebrated by the Illuminati by way of tonights Olympic opening cermony. Go figure

Edited July 27, 2012 by Chilly McFreeze

[Philo_Vance]

I found one of Icke's books (Tales from the Time Loop) in a charity shop recently for 50p, so picked it up to sell on amazon. It sold for about a fiver, really quickly. I don't know whether to feel bad for spreading his ideas further, or be happy that least the person put money in my pocket rather than ordering it new from him and giving him fifteen quid.

[Burchill's Buddy]

If Icke did go on Question Time, who would be the best person to be the Loki to his Duane so to speak? David Mitchell could be a laugh.

 

Also, say what you want about the crazy fuckers on there, but the embed YouTube plugin in their forum software is lovely. Wish we had that, but alas, the powers that be are holding it back, to keep us docile and compliant, or something.

Edited July 27, 2012 by Burchill's Buddy