Ghosts and spirits Oh my!

[Lan Barnes]

A fun thing pointed to on Wired. 

One experimenter: We've produced spiritual experiences in the lab.

Second experimenter: We did the same thing, double blind, and there
wasn't anything there.

First experimenter: You didn't even come close to reproducing our
experiment -- nanner nanner nanner.

http://origin.www.nature.com/news/2004/041206/full/041206-10.html

Reminds me of a wonderful story Pauling related in one of his books. He
was on a radio show with IIRC Victor Herbert, MD, well known
self-appointed anti-vitamin crusader[0]. Herbert burst forth just before
the end of the show, "I know vitamin C doesn't help colds because I
tried it myself!" 

The show ended w/o Pauling getting a chance to respond. On the way out
of the studio, Herbert added with a sneer, "Of course I didn't use the
astronomical doses _you_ recommend!"

Isn't certainty wonderful?

[0] As far as I was ever able to find out (he died recently), Herbert's
only qualifications for being a specialist on supplements and nutrition
were (1) he had an MD, and (2) he said he was.

-- 
Lan Barnes                    lan at falleagle.net
Linux Guy, SCM Specialist     858-354-0616