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Severed Hand of Skywalker · Feb 15, 2005, 01:58 PM

"According to a growing band of top scientists, this box has quite extraordinary powers. It is, they claim, the 'eye' of a machine that appears capable of peering into the future and predicting major world events.

The machine apparently sensed the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre four hours before they happened - but in the fevered mood of conspiracy theories of the time, the claims were swiftly knocked back by sceptics. But last December, it also appeared to forewarn of the Asian tsunami just before the deep sea earthquake that precipitated the epic tragedy."

http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=126649#121

Xeo · 02:15 PM

This quote makes no sense:

Its aim is to detect whether all of humanity shares a single subconscious mind that we can all tap into without realising.

Even if we shared a single subconscious, what does that have to do with prediction the Tsunami? No one knew that was coming.

[edit: oh i see, we all know what's going to happen before it does, we just don't know how to access that data, so a random number generator does it for us... yes, i see now

]

CharlesS · Feb 15, 2005, 02:12 PM

Bah. Superstitious nonsense.

turtle777 · Feb 15, 2005, 02:19 PM

They'd getter better results if they manage to place one box in heaven, right next to God.

-t

historylme · Feb 15, 2005, 02:24 PM

There are more unexplain things on earth than there are in heaven.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Feb 15, 2005, 02:24 PM

Originally posted by Xeo:
No one knew that was coming.

What about Jesus!??

Anywho, they have done MANY tests about humans brain patterns being able to change random number generators and other types of devices and that all turns out to be true.

Lateralus · Feb 15, 2005, 02:27 PM

RAILhead · Feb 15, 2005, 02:27 PM

I wonder if it will predict that thread will spiral into suckiness in 3...2...

Sherwin · Feb 15, 2005, 02:30 PM

I'd like to see data published before any events happen.

However, I'm not going to discount it entirely - I still hold the theory that time doesn't actually exist.

And anyhow, it's not like the animals didn't know it was coming, so there's got to be some mechanisms in place for this sort of thing.

Remember - electricity was superstitious nonsense until someone discovered it.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Feb 15, 2005, 02:34 PM

Originally posted by Sherwin:

And anyhow, it's not like the animals didn't know it was coming, so there's got to be some mechanisms in place for this sort of thing.

Agreed, my goldfish refused to fly right before 9/11

grayware · Feb 15, 2005, 02:35 PM

Yeah, and John Titor is real too.

malvolio · Feb 15, 2005, 02:51 PM

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
What about Jesus!??

He's been dead for almost 2000 years. Kinda "out of the loop" if you ask me.

willed · Feb 15, 2005, 04:02 PM

Originally posted by malvolio:
He's been dead for almost 2000 years. Kinda "out of the loop" if you ask me.

He's watching you!

So if we can change 'random' number generators by mind alone, how come I can't win every time on slot machines through the power of my mind?

Daemon2 · Feb 15, 2005, 04:06 PM

I would read the entire article, but I'm late for my abduction. The aliens said they were going to anal probe me this time.

turtle777 · Feb 15, 2005, 04:08 PM

Originally posted by D�mon:
I would read the entire article, but I'm late for my abduction. The aliens said they were going to anal probe me this time.

You don't have to tell us. The MacNN black box already knows.
Do you want to know the outcome ?

-t

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Feb 15, 2005, 04:15 PM

Originally posted by D�mon:
I would read the entire article, but I'm late for my abduction. The aliens said they were going to anal probe me this time.

You sound a little bit to excited about that.

Daemon2 · Feb 15, 2005, 04:16 PM

Nah, I already know. It seems like all they care about is anal probing me. They used to study me all day long. Now it's just anal probes. I feel so used...

historylme · Feb 15, 2005, 05:19 PM

poor thing you. But shouldn't you be used to it by now. Just shutup and take it like a man.

Xeo · Feb 15, 2005, 05:46 PM

Originally posted by turtle777:
You don't have to tell us. The MacNN black box already knows.
Do you want to know the outcome ?

-t

As Sherwin said, I will wait until they are publishing stuff BEFORE something actually happens, rather than after-the-fact saying "oh yeah it predicted that."

Until that time, I just keep this around:

RonnieoftheRose · Feb 15, 2005, 05:57 PM

Originally posted by Xeo:

As Sherwin said, I will wait until they are publishing stuff BEFORE something actually happens

But something HAS happened, they published the results BEFORE the results came in...or something like that. Or don't they have enough results?

Xeo · Feb 15, 2005, 06:07 PM

Originally posted by RonnieoftheRose:
But something HAS happened, they published the results BEFORE the results came in...or something like that. Or don't they have enough results?

What I mean is that I won't be convinced until they are beyond the "something, somewhere, sometime will happen." I could tell you that right now... I don't need a black box or baby jesus to do it.

malvolio · Feb 15, 2005, 06:16 PM

It's kinda like those psychics who predict that "a beloved entertainment figure will die this year."

RonnieoftheRose · Feb 15, 2005, 06:17 PM

Originally posted by Xeo:
What I mean is that I won't be convinced until they are beyond the "something, somewhere, sometime will happen." I could tell you that right now... I don't need a black box or baby jesus to do it.

Black boxes are only useful in the aftermath of an event. You should now that by now

FulcrumPilot · Feb 15, 2005, 06:21 PM

I wish it could tell me what's for dinner tonight! I have no clue what to do about it besides eating out which I hate!!

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Feb 15, 2005, 06:23 PM

Originally posted by Xeo:
What I mean is that I won't be convinced until they are beyond the "something, somewhere, sometime will happen." I could tell you that right now... I don't need a black box or baby jesus to do it.

I don't think they are wanting to figure out a way to predict something, they are just trying to figure out why something like this happens.

I hold more faith in that than the US colour alert system

RonnieoftheRose · Feb 15, 2005, 06:30 PM

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
I don't think they are wanting to figure out a way to predict something, they are just trying to figure out why something like this happens.

I hold more faith in that than the US colour alert system

Damn, that's a good answer SWG!

Dale Sorel · Feb 15, 2005, 06:50 PM

Originally posted by Lateralus:

TheBadgerHunter · Feb 15, 2005, 07:32 PM

To sum it all up:

Two sub-nets of random number generators. Looking at results it would appear that they get different results when a lot of people are focused on single event. Why, they don't know. Is it predicting the event, probably not. Are their events actually correlating, most dubiously.

If anyone really cares there is a very intelligent discussion at The Straight dope, cuz we all know MacNN has the collective intelligence of a frat party.

ReggieX · Feb 15, 2005, 07:35 PM

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
Anywho, they have done MANY tests about humans brain patterns being able to change random number generators and other types of devices and that all turns out to be true.

"They" who? Like Randi, I demand verifiable proof before I believe in this crap.

- - e r i k - - · Feb 15, 2005, 08:01 PM

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
What about Jesus!??

Anywho, they have done MANY tests about humans brain patterns being able to change random number generators and other types of devices and that all turns out to be true.

No they haven't. Well they have, but not one test has given us anything of statistical value.

scaught · Feb 15, 2005, 08:12 PM

Originally posted by - - e r i k - -:
No they haven't. Well they have, but not one test has given us anything of statistical value.

he doesnt need anything of statistical value. he just KNOWS theyre right. its your fault if you dont get it.

Rev-O · Feb 16, 2005, 12:08 AM

Hey, that's nifty. A box that can see the future. It looks cool and all, but I'd never buy a rev. A. future seeing box. Sorry, but I'm waiting for the rev. B. future seeing boxes.

And at any rate, when someone gets their hands on one o' them future seeing boxes, check into the whole 3GHz G5 thing. It seems to be killing people in the PowerMac forum.

And I wonder if Nicky DePlume could use it as a defense? "Sorry, Steve, there was no NDA violations involved. I used the future seeing box thingy."

Jeez, that was a rambling stream of conciousness post. Sorry.

CD Hanks · Feb 16, 2005, 12:18 AM

This sounds like a crappy rip off of that project by some college here in the States that used a special type of device rigged up to computers through out the world that could detect when a major event was about to happen.

While this sounds stupid, the other project is actually quite fascinating.

Face Ache · Feb 16, 2005, 12:20 AM

Originally posted by D�mon:
Nah, I already know. It seems like all they care about is anal probing me. They used to study me all day long. Now it's just anal probes. I feel so used...

Big eyes? Pale skin? I suspect you are being abducted by the Jackson family.

malvolio · Feb 16, 2005, 12:37 AM

Originally posted by Face Ache:
Big eyes? Pale skin? I suspect you are being abducted by the Jackson family.

Not the whole family. Just Michael & Janet.

BTW, nice to see you again, FA. Have you been scarce lately, or is my mind just going again?

RonnieoftheRose · Feb 16, 2005, 12:54 AM

The THIS SPACE FOR RENT concept is very good. I can imagine a lot of young people renting signature space to pay for college.

Disgruntled Head of C-3PO · Feb 16, 2005, 01:36 AM

Originally posted by ReggieX:
"They" who? Like Randi, I demand verifiable proof before I believe in this crap.

Meh, I saw about 5 different shows about this sort of phenomena over the years on discovery channel. Same thing as totally random numbers making intricate symmetrical patterns.

olePigeon · Feb 16, 2005, 01:41 AM

Originally posted by willed:
He's watching you!

So if we can change 'random' number generators by mind alone, how come I can't win every time on slot machines through the power of my mind?

Because the chips in a computer than generate a "random" number aren't really random. It's still based on a set equation with a definite result. That's why encryption schemes are broken all the time. You can only get true randomness from things like bouncing light, atomic spin, etc.

Humans don't make very good random generators because we like patterns.

Face Ache · Feb 16, 2005, 02:34 AM

Originally posted by malvolio:
Not the whole family. Just Michael & Janet.
BTW, nice to see you again, FA. Have you been scarce lately, or is my mind just going again?

I spend more time these days at the Happy Place with the rest of the commie pinko NN refugees.

John Q. Smith · Feb 16, 2005, 02:54 AM

I probed a black girl's "box" once, but it gave me no prediction that she was going to up and leave me the next morning.

- - e r i k - - · Feb 16, 2005, 05:08 AM

Originally posted by Rev-O:
Hey, that's nifty. A box that can see the future. It looks cool and all, but I'd never buy a rev. A. future seeing box. Sorry, but I'm waiting for the rev. B. future seeing boxes.

Rev. A. box can only see four hours into the future? That's it, I'm switching to Windows!

Thorin · Feb 16, 2005, 06:16 AM

I have an exclusive picture of what's inside the black box!

i_rooster · Feb 16, 2005, 08:44 AM

The real question is - Can the ipod shuffle read anyones mood and play appropriate songs?

dlefebvre · Feb 16, 2005, 09:58 AM

The Black Box predicted an ongoing discussion about it's nature... Amazing!

awaspaas · Feb 16, 2005, 01:12 PM

Was it designed by Rambaldi?

mitchell_pgh · Feb 16, 2005, 01:33 PM

I totally believed until I hit the "send money to our paypal account".

Sven G · Feb 16, 2005, 03:14 PM

'We're taught to be individualistic monsters,' he says. 'We're driven by society to separate ourselves from each other. That's not right.

We may be connected together far more intimately than we realise.'

(At least, good enough for the time being.)