Regular BABloggers know that on Fridays I like to post something a little less serious… and people coming here because the blog is the main page are looking for a debunking. Well, today I can help both of you.
Up to a couple of years ago, I used to haunt other, less scientific boards. There are lots out there to choose from of course, but some are more, ah, entertaining than others. One was called GodLikeProductions, and could charitably be called a haven for people whose grasp on reality was tenuous. I liked to post there, because it honed my ability to cut through a lot of illogical garbage and find the main thrust of someone’s nonsense and examine it. Also, it was amazing to see just how ridiculous an idea could be and still have people slavishly follow it, despite all the evidence against it (I once argued with a guy who claimed that antimatter didn’t exist– I asked him what the “P” in PET scan stood for, and he still wouldn’t budge).
Anyway, there was a woman on GLP who went by the name Wiola, and her posts were sometimes, well, difficult to follow. But one of her basic claims was that there were lizard aliens or something like that who were disguised as humans, and she could find them by taking their picture and running it through about a zillion Photoshop filters, then “analyzing” it. We went back and forth for a while, and then finally I asked her to try it on a picture of me, and see what she found.
I was surprised when she actually did it. Here’s part of the picture:
Her conclusion? Well, I won’t spoil the surprise (though you can guess). I’ll just let you see for yourself.
I’m really just this guy, y’know? I like to watch TV, and eat ice cream, and sometimes sit down and write about how cool the Universe is. So when, exactly, did my life take such a left turn that I wound up dealing with folks like Wiola? I’ll admit, it’s sometimes interesting and even amusing to talk to people like that about the nature of reality, but it also has a serious side. I wonder: do they drive cars, own handguns, vote in national elections?
Just a little thought to keep you comfy over the weekend. As for me, I think once again I’ll go sun myself on a rock somewhere.
