linuxmafia.com 2016/linuxmafia.com.tar/linuxmafia.com/pub/skeptic/files-to-classify/jupiter.txt

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From: [e-mail] (York H. Dobyns)
Newsgroups: sci.skeptic
Subject: Re: Jupiter Collision
Organization: Princeton University
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
References: <[e-mail]> <31pud8$[e-mail]>
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 1994 18:09:18 GMT

In article <31pud8$[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Paul
Schlyter) writes:

[regarding Moen's request for "predictions" about the SL9 impact]
>Perhaps you mean the message below?  Later I remember reading in a
>message (that I didn't save) that S.  Richmond had said she would
>publicly apologize for being wrong if her prediction about the
>"cosmic judgement" didn't come true during the SL9 impacts on
>Jupiter.  If so, she said she had "misinterpreted the signs...", which
>she obviously did.
[...]
>World News Flash! From Astronomer Sofia Richmond.

Astronomer? She doesn't sound like she has even a basic grounding in
astronomy. Is there any information on Richmond's background or
education available?
[...]
>She predicts that Halley's comet will become visible in July 1994
>before it hits the planet Jupiter, as a cosmic sign from God to
>convert mankind. The explosion of Halley's Comet will occur as it
>collides with Jupiter.

She didn't even get the right comet ?!?

[deleting various absurd predictions...]
>appears clearly visible in the heavens. People will then believe in
>the accurate predictions of Sofia Richmond whose religious name is
>Sister Marie Gabriel. After the great cosmic explosion between the
>comet and Jupiter many famous people will be converted overnight to
>believe in her messages. The following list of people will undergo
>dramatic conversions; the Pope will believe in Sister Marie's
>messages. John Paul II will come to London for a meeting.
>
>Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Charles and the Duke of Westminster
>will be converted by July to believe her message.
>
>The King of Saudi Arabia will believe in God's messages when he sees
>Sister Marie's predictions about the comet come true. John Paul Getty
>II, and famous celebrities like Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney and
>the other Beatles will be converted and the American Madonna will
>have an overnight conversion. Many VIPs will believe in Sister
>Marie's message.

Is it just me, or is there a common thread here that "Sister Marie"
expects to become a Very Important Person herself by way of this comic,
er I mean cosmic, sideshow?

>If her forecasts don't come true she will admit her mistake, but if

I earnestly hope that people who've saved this prediction rub Ms.
Richmond's nose in that promise.

>.... Crime must be drastically reduced.

How? Does she have the delusion that this is not already a goal of most
governments?

>All pornography destroyed overnight. All video
>nasties abolished by law and all crime, indecency and violence on
 ^^^^^^^
What on earth is a "video nasty", I wonder?

>television banned for ever.  Religion, ethics and moral laws must be
>taught in all schools daily.

Well, at least she has a clear-cut social agenda. :-/

[...]
>Halley's Comet or some months after the cosmic explosion. Many Jewsih
>people will be converted, and they will believe in Sister Marie's
>message.

[...]
>People who persecuted, or wronged or slandered Sister Marie or will
>suffer direct and instant retribution from God himself on the day of
>the cosmic blast. People must pray, beg God for mercy and become
>honest holy angelic saints overnight. Sister Marie alone predicts the
>brilliant appearance of the comet in July 1994.

This woman appears to have a *serious* ego problem. This is one of the
few instances where I find myself recommending ridicule as an
appropriate response. Being made a public laughingstock just *might*
drive this unfortunate individual to getting the help she so clearly
needs.

--
York Dobyns             [e-mail]
Bad hypotheses have a way of subverting evidence -- William Poundstone




From: [e-mail] (Paul McCombes)
Newsgroups: sci.skeptic
Subject: Re: Jupiter Collision
Organization: None
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
References: <[e-mail]> <31pud8$[e-mail]>
<[e-mail]>
Date: Sat, 6 Aug 1994 00:19:04 +0000

In article <[e-mail]>
           [e-mail] "York H. Dobyns" writes:
> In article <31pud8$[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Paul Schlyter)
>  writes:
[excise the cosmic stuff]
>
> >All pornography destroyed overnight. All video
> >nasties abolished by law and all crime, indecency and violence on
>  ^^^^^^^
> What on earth is a "video nasty", I wonder?

A video nasty is a video that is nasty, in the sense of gratuitous violence,
sex, or bad language (in the sense of swearing, not terrible scripts). What is
moderately interesting is that 'video nasty' has not crossed the Atlantic, so
it looks like Sister Marie is a home grown loon, not a transatlantic
jetsetting one.

>
> This woman appears to have a *serious* ego problem. This is one of the
> few instances where I find myself recommending ridicule as an
> appropriate response. Being made a public laughingstock just *might*
> drive this unfortunate individual to getting the help she so clearly
> needs.
>

What I want to know is where she gets the money for the full page newspaper
ads. I thought nuns were meant to be poor.

--
Paul McCombes






From: [e-mail] ("Alan M. Dunsmuir")
Newsgroups: sci.skeptic
Subject: Re: Jupiter Collision
Organization: Home
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
References: <[e-mail]>
<[e-mail]> <31pud8$[e-mail]>
Date: Sat, 6 Aug 1994 05:49:28 +0000

In article: <[e-mail]>
[e-mail] (York H. Dobyns)
writes:
>
> In article <31pud8$[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Paul
Schlyter) writes:
> [regarding Moen's request for "predictions" about the SL9 impact]
> >Perhaps you mean the message below?  Later I remember reading in a
> >message (that I didn't save) that S.  Richmond had said she would
> >publicly apologize for being wrong if her prediction about the
> >"cosmic judgement" didn't come true during the SL9 impacts on
> >Jupiter.  If so, she said she had "misinterpreted the signs...", which
> >she obviously did.

In fact she was back this week, with advertisements at least in the
'Independent' on Wednesday and Thursday. Not a word of apology (well did you
really expect...?) but a new prediction that part of 'Halleys Comet' actually
missed Jupiter last month and is now headed for Earth, where it will impact
around December.

This is, apparently, God's last chance for us. She's still calling for
support from John Paul Getty II, but seems to have given up on the
various Royal Families, the Pope and the Beatles.

For further insight into her background and power is tha admission that
some years ago she decided TO BECOME A SAINT WITHIN 24 HOURS AND LATER
TO BECOME A LAY SISTER. (Her capitals.)

The truly puzzling thing is that, apart from the cry for help to Getty,
she doesn't end with a 'Please Throw Money' request.

Alan M. Dunsmuir [@ his wits end]     (Can't even quote poetry right)

         I am his Highness' dog at Kew
         Pray tell me sir, whose dog are you?
                              [Alexander Pope]

PGP Public Key available on request.





From: [e-mail] (Paul Schlyter)
Newsgroups: sci.skeptic
Subject: Re: Jupiter Collision
Organization: Svensk Amat|rAstronomisk F|rening
Message-ID: <320134$[e-mail]>
References: <[e-mail]> <31pud8$[e-mail]>
<[e-mail]>
Date: 6 Aug 1994 14:52:52 +0200

In article <[e-mail]>,
York H. Dobyns <[e-mail]> wrote:
> In article <31pud8$[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Paul
> Schlyter) writes:
> [regarding Moen's request for "predictions" about the SL9 impact]
>>Perhaps you mean the message below?  Later I remember reading in a
>>message (that I didn't save) that S.  Richmond had said she would
>>publicly apologize for being wrong if her prediction about the
>>"cosmic judgement" didn't come true during the SL9 impacts on
>>Jupiter.  If so, she said she had "misinterpreted the signs...", which
>>she obviously did.
> [...]
>>World News Flash! From Astronomer Sofia Richmond.
>
> Astronomer? She doesn't sound like she has even a basic grounding in
> astronomy. Is there any information on Richmond's background or
> education available?

She's a nun who someone apparently labelled "astronomer".  She's not
a real astronomer of course.

> [...]
>>She predicts that Halley's comet will become visible in July 1994
>>before it hits the planet Jupiter, as a cosmic sign from God to
>>convert mankind. The explosion of Halley's Comet will occur as it
>>collides with Jupiter.
>
> She didn't even get the right comet ?!?

Correct -- later she made a desperate attempt to "account" for this
by referring to Halley's unexpected brightening a few years ago by a
factor of 100: according to S. Richmond this "eruption" of Halley
made it change its orbit dramatically, making it head for Jupiter and
later be discovered by astronomers as SL9.  Of course this is
impossible: First, no such eruption of Halley could ever throw it
into the orbit SL9 had, in just a few years. Second, the remainder of
Halley then also ought to have been thrown in a very different orbit
-- but it's still travelling on along its usual orbit.

>>believe in her messages. The following list of people will undergo
>>dramatic conversions; the Pope will believe in Sister Marie's
>>messages. John Paul II will come to London for a meeting.
>>
>>Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Charles and the Duke of Westminster
>>will be converted by July to believe her message.
>>
>>The King of Saudi Arabia will believe in God's messages when he sees
>>Sister Marie's predictions about the comet come true. John Paul Getty
>>II, and famous celebrities like Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney and
>>the other Beatles will be converted and the American Madonna will
>>have an overnight conversion. Many VIPs will believe in Sister
>>Marie's message.
>
> Is it just me, or is there a common thread here that "Sister Marie"
> expects to become a Very Important Person herself by way of this comic,
> er I mean cosmic, sideshow?

It's extremely common among pseudo-scientists to consider themselves
Extremely Important Persons (or EIP's, not mere VIP's :-).  As seen from
their own point of view this is of course natural, since they believe
they're the only ones who know "the truth".  S. Richmond was at least
sane enough to say she would apologize if she was wrong.  Others don't
even to that - they quietly disappear, or they'll claim e.g. that its
due to their "intense prayers" that God decided to save the Earth
instead of destroying it! :-)

> This woman appears to have a *serious* ego problem. This is one of the
> few instances where I find myself recommending ridicule as an
> appropriate response. Being made a public laughingstock just *might*
> drive this unfortunate individual to getting the help she so clearly
> needs.

She probably already has experienced this, since none of her "predictions"
came true.....

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