Welcome Thread - New Members Post Here

Greetings everyone. I just read Mr. West's excellent book (twice), and have lurked here for a while. my background is: Professional Jet pilot, former weather observer (not a meteorologist) and part time parody musician / producer.
My last parody song "Chemtrails at Night" (you can find it on YouTube.) Completely triggered the chemtrail crowd as you could imagine. Chapter 7 in the rabbit hole book was a game changer for me, I had come up with most of the ways to explain contrails to people who are deeply stuck in their beliefs, but not even close to the level of excellence found in Mr. Wests book. So, hello, and thank you Mick for making my life a whole lot easier when I encounter one of these people. Some of them have even become my friends...

Mike

Welcome Mike, and thanks!
 
Hi!

I've been looking into Flat Earth for a few weeks now, come across metabunk on Google searches, and then @Rory planted the notion in my mind to look more closely. The section on how to debink and psychology is interesting, and probably needs more work? because I'm still fairly clueless as to what I'm doing, and how to trigger the kind of mental change that makes people question false beliefs--it sometimes looks as if the propagators of conspiracy theories have a better understanding of that than the debunkers, but then they're able to lie and deceive to do it...

Recently, I've been thinking about Flat Earth physics, more specifically, what state science would be in if we took flat Earth for granted. There's a lot of astronomy going out the window, gyroscopes, wind, seismography, but the worst part is that light cannot be straight-line in many circumstances, i.e. many objects are not where you see them.

The often-made claim is the refraction is hiding what we GEers believe to be hidden by curvature; it bends Polaris down, and bends tghe sunlight to reach us from another elevation and direction. And I know that's probably too unspecific for this forum, but is it even plausible? Can refraction with a strong negative coefficient explain these observations with no inferior mirage in evidence?

Cheers
--mendel (which has been my online name for such a long time now that I don't really consider signing up as anything else)
 
Hi. Just discovered this site from reading Escaping the Rabbit Hole. I’m about half way through and it’s fantastic. I purchased the book because a very dear friend has fallen far down the Rabbit Hole. Deeply and severely via the YouTube algorithm of suggested viewing.
As far as me I’m pretty much interested in these theories as an observation but generally not prone to falling for them. I research everything, although I do admit a belief in crystals as an adjunct to emotional healing. I am a hobbiest in personality theory, learning styles and psychology. I love learning why people do what they do and believe what they believe. My take is if one knows why, then a solution can be found.
I also play French Horn in a community symphony orchestra, volunteer with animal rescue and instruct high performance on track driving. Diverse to say the least. Mostly I enjoy helping others. I look forward to learning here as well. Thanks for putting this site together. Well needed.
 
Hello,

I saw your book on the amazon kindle in an advertisement and bought it. I've been delving into 9/11 conspiracy theories for over 10 years spending time researching and debunking conspiracy claims like you have. My motivation for this is because I initially fell down the rabbit hole in college during an English class. Our professor had the simple grading system of writing 4 papers for the entire semester. The topic could be about anything, the only requirement was the correct usage of English, the use of 5 or more sources, and that we learned something. The professor used class time to help us generate ideas on what to write about through different means. One of the these was the "documentary" 9/11 In Plane Site.

Initially I was fooled by the claims of this video, especially about their claims regarding the Pentagon with the appearance of the lack of evidence of a plane. With this newfound "knowledge," I decided to inform people on a music message board I frequently went on that flight 77 didn't hit the Pentagon on 9/11. People responded quickly by providing the link to Popular Mechanics and other evidence that 9/11 In Plane Site completely left out. I then realized I had been duped and climbed back out of the rabbit hole fairly quickly. One of the four papers I wrote involved debunking 9/11 conspiracy theories, and I received an A for the paper.

From there I saw the 9/11 Debunked Series on youtube by Rkowens and decided to make an account thanking that person for exposing the lies out there. I've been on and off youtube for several years debunking 9/11 theories and doing what I can to expose the rabbit hole for what it is.
 
Hello thanks for add.. I'm a builder who just likes the truth and love playing "devils advocate" so I can make my own mind up. Science 1st all else second :)
 
Registering (finally) after months of using and referencing the site. Here mainly for any globe/flat earth discussion. Refugee from the flat earth society forums. Finding I still need an outlet to weigh in on the subject.
 
Hello thanks for add.. I'm a builder who just likes the truth and love playing "devils advocate" so I can make my own mind up. Science 1st all else second :)

Welcome new members, I have a long history of playing 'Devil's advocate' as a means to flesh out what a counterargument would look like, to test my own thoughts on different matters. Granted, not everyone appreciates having their beliefs tested and I have to bite my oft bitten tongue, but I think that is a darn shame that an intelligent person might be resistant to revealing just how sound the basis of their beliefs are.

By the way, the folks here really appreciate when people read and adhere to the Posting Guidelines
 
This thread is for any first time poster to (optionally) post an introductory "hi everyone" post, which will also get you "verified" (meaning you can post without anti-spam restrictions) once it has been approved.

A few words on who you are and how you ended up here would be appreciated. Or just say hi!
upload_2013-11-7_15-17-0.png

It's highly recommended that you first read the Posting Guidelines:
https://www.metabunk.org/threads/posting-guidelines.2064/
Hello Mick and other Senior Forum members -

What brings me here is the quest for truth. The internet, for all the wonderful things it affords us (such as sites like this one), has a fetid underbelly that emits a putrid stench of misinformation that can enter the undisciplined mind like a sinuous cloud of poison gas on a WWI battlefield. In no topic is this more so than the controversies that emerged from the ashes of the 9/11 attacks.

Due to a friend having imbibed Kool-Aid laced with Trutherterium, I was getting pestered daily with all manner of rumors and specious claims that “proved” the Government was behind it all. Once he had let out that Hitler was actually a British Secret Agent, I was fed up and started researching what was feeding this madness. Over the years I have become a spirited - if vitriolic - debunker of 9/11 rumors and fantasies.

When I started reading some of the threads on this site, I was impressed with the no-nonsense way a question or comment is treated by the Senior Members and site monitors. In a sort of dance of the muses, various members chime in at appropriate moments, offering an insight or tidbit more information that nudges the scales a little closer to the balance of plausibility. There is a high degree of keen intellect and an unrelenting demand for falsifiable data that characterizes the dialogue here and gives the forum gravitas and respectability.

I have seen that a tenor of restraint is observed by members and that they don’t have an emotional investment in their conclusions. I’ve read over the posting guidelines and understand I will need to reign in my vitriol if I ever want my posts to see the light of day.

I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to participate in some of the dialogue in these forums. I think what you do here is vitally important to our world and its future. You care about the integrity of the internet and you are dedicated to clearing the bunk that obscures the honest facts that lead to the truth. The very same inspires me.
 
Hello, I'm mike and i just found this after picking up "Escaping the Rabbit Hole". I've been a skeptical conspiracy debunker for a long time, including the obligatory time banging my head against the wall at Above Top Secret. Now my main interest is Alex Jones, who I've been investigating alongside my friend Dan, host of the Knowledge Fight podcast.

Anyway, glad to be here. Nice to meet you all.
 
Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the conspiracy theory debunking scene.... been at it for probably less than 2 months. Like others, it started with a friend on facebook. We've gone from false flag claims regarding Assad and chemical weapons, to 9/11, to the moon landing hoax conspiracy; it seems a bottomless pit.
 
Hi everybody! I have been drawn to this forum because I was tired to see/hear/read so much bs on UFOs. I hope I can find open-minded but critical discussions here. Thanks for having me!
 
Hi everyone, I'm Arkangel. I found this forum because i really wanted to go to a forum where i can be able to get opinions about certain topics from truthers themselves. :D
 
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This thread is for any first time poster to (optionally) post an introductory "hi everyone" post, which will also get you "verified" (meaning you can post without anti-spam restrictions) once it has been approved.

A few words on who you are and how you ended up here would be appreciated. Or just say hi!
upload_2013-11-7_15-17-0.png

It's highly recommended that you first read the Posting Guidelines:
https://www.metabunk.org/threads/posting-guidelines.2064/
Registering (finally) after months of using and referencing the site. Here mainly for any globe/flat earth discussion. Refugee from the flat earth society forums. Finding I still need an outlet to weigh in on the subject.

Bobby, fancy meeting you here. I’m also registering for the first time here.

I have started a video series where I interview a flat earther in a friendly way. The inspiration for this is both Bobby Shafto’s level headed responses on tfes.org and also by reading Mick West’s book.

If anyone is interested, these are on my YouTube channel: MCToon.
 
Hi all I ended up here because I did not know how to prove that the earth was round to my friend without photo evidence. The name is Jay by the way.
 
Hey Everyone,

My name is Mike and I have Postgraduate degrees in Computational Mathematics and Applied Physics and looking forward to having discourse with many of you hopefully. I appreciate the ability to be a part of the site!
 
as is suggested for participation in this forum, just extending a very warm and friendly HELLO to all

When will I know that I have the capability to submit a claim to be debunked?
 
as is suggested for participation in this forum, just extending a very warm and friendly HELLO to all

When will I know that I have the capability to submit a claim to be debunked?
You can submit a claim anytime.

You might want to look over the site guidelines though, so you don't get frustrated if you leave out needed information and your thread is not approved. :)

https://www.metabunk.org/posting-guidelines.t2064/

https://www.metabunk.org/metabunks-link-policy.t5158/


and welcome to MB!!
 
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Hi everyone, I ended up here after watching an episode of ancient aliens on the science and discovery channel. I was intrigued by the great pyramid/speed of light coincidence. I'm usually a huge sceptic. My usual reply would be, yeah and last year I went on holiday to a magic island where I sang karaoke with elvis, moon walked with Michael Jackson and we took turns riding shergar. But this pyramid thing has certainly got me thinking.
 
Hi all,
I'm a Brit heading rapidly towards 70... OMG! That's what I'd like to be a lifetime conspiracy but it's definitely not
Mech Aero Engineer engineer many years ago (a/c performance) when software programming was fairly young but increasingly necessary (early 70s)
.. .interests are dietary therapy, nutrition and foodstuffs, gardening, allotments and growing food; climate change (big fan of Sir James Lovelock, now approaching 100); world's recycling and pollution issues etc.
Personal annoyances ... chemtrails (of course), and 911 (sympathy for the families).
Great job Mick... seriously necessary and timely !
 
Hello everyone. My name is Nate, and on YouTube I go by NateTalksToYou. I first discovered Metabunk when researching counter-arguments to the chemtrail conspiracy theory, which I once believed in. I've found Mick's forum to be a valuable, if not essential, tool for debunking chemtrails and misinformation in general, so I'd like to help contribute to the goals of Metabunk where I can.
 
This thread is for any first time poster to (optionally) post an introductory "hi everyone" post, which will also get you "verified" (meaning you can post without anti-spam restrictions) once it has been approved.

A few words on who you are and how you ended up here would be appreciated. Or just say hi!
upload_2013-11-7_15-17-0.png

It's highly recommended that you first read the Posting Guidelines:
https://www.metabunk.org/threads/posting-guidelines.2064/
Hi everyone. I'm new here but hoping to enjoy this page with you all
 
Hello. I'm a new member here. I'm dealing with a few flat earthers in my life. They mainly come at it from a Bible literalism point of view. All I can do is stay polite and tell them not to send me any more videos or memes.
 
This thread is for any first time poster to (optionally) post an introductory "hi everyone" post, which will also get you "verified" (meaning you can post without anti-spam restrictions) once it has been approved.

A few words on who you are and how you ended up here would be appreciated. Or just say hi!
upload_2013-11-7_15-17-0.png

It's highly recommended that you first read the Posting Guidelines:
https://www.metabunk.org/threads/posting-guidelines.2064/
hello , enjoying this site for the first time. enjoyed the conversation with the StopSprayingUs guy, who interupted loudly frequently, and was more opinion than evidenced.
 
Hi everyone!

I'm a chemistry student from Montevideo, Uruguay. I came across this website and Contrail Science looking for information about the chemtrail conspiracy. It all started with a bitter new year's eve argument with my eldest brother about this topic. He's quite deep inside the rabbit hole with this and other conspiracy theories, which makes this kind of arguments more common than I would like.

I'd also like thank and congratulate Mick for his excellent book, I'm reading it right now and I'm finding it highly recommendable as a source of information and reflexion about conspiracy theories.

Maybe I will post soon about the specific topic of that new year's eve argument, after getting familiar with the website. It was just another misleadingly biased soil analysis posted on a chemtrail Facebook group, but in an attempt to convince my brother I had a technical argument with the person who made and interpreted the analysis that could be didactic and useful.

Thank you!
 
Hello everyone from London. I am very happy to have found this site, as there is such a lot of codswallop on the internet.

I am not scientifically qualified so you may not hear much from me, but I appreciate all nonsense-debunking!
Best wishes,
Alan
 
Hi Debunkers,

Back in elementary school I got interested in science and magic tricks. The former lead me to Martin Gardner, and the latter to Harry Houdini and James Randi. In high school, I was class of 1981, a couple friends played with Zener cards, and was ready to take the skeptic side without making enemies.

I was in and out of college for a long time, and was studying computer science when the Internet started exploding. It was changing the world in many ways, and none more than how bunk is spread and refuted. I've many times argued on-line with 9/11 inside-jobbers and Obama birthers. When they ask why I bother, I tell them it's a hobby, and that I like to put the debunk as close as possible to the bunk.

More recently I was surprised to see people take seriously the poster-child of fringe theories: Flat Earth. I had heard of it of course, but it was just a joke. Largely to try to see if they're serious, on 25 Nov 2017 I drove from my home in Sunnyvale California to the Victoria Canal near Tracy, to watch Jeran Campanella test for of the water. In the finale scene of Behind the Curve, after Jeran says, "That's interesting", music comes in and a voice in the background goes, "Oooooooo." That's my voice.
 
Hello newbie here my name is Tirza I want to read more about conspiracy theories, parallel universe, time travel & paranormal stuff
 
Howdy y'all!

I learned about Metabunk from the good Dr. Novella of NeuroLogica Blog.

I'm a clinical-forensic psychologist. As you might expect I'm interested in the psychology of ill-founded beliefs, especially among well-educated people.
 
Hi everyone I'm here because my wife of 23 years got into conspiracy theories last year and will believe and defend any of them she sees,Planet x,911,chemtrails,Zionism,Fema concentration camps,the government is planning on killing everyone ect.ect.
Trying to explain things to her make her mad and she has recently moved out because my kids and I roll our eyes when she starts spouting off and she can't handle our negative energy.Nice to see I'm not the only one who finds most of these things ridiculous
Thanks for allowing me to join
Jamie
 
I am a new member, I joined to discuss 9/11 and other topics.
[off topic removed]
 
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Hello everyone,

I am a construction consultant and engineer in Washington, DC.

Looking to sharpen my skills making fact based, logical arguments for truth.
 
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