Science, Spirituality, and Some Mismatched Socks

Published- MAY 5, 2009
By GAUTAM NAIK

One of quantum physics' crazier notions is that two particles seem to communicate with each other instantly, even when they're billions of miles apart. Albert Einstein, arguing that nothing travels faster than light, dismissed this as impossible "spooky action at a distance."

The great man may have been wrong. A series of recent mind-bending laboratory experiments has given scientists an unprecedented peek behind the quantum veil, confirming that this realm is as mysterious as imagined.

Quantum physics is the study of the very small -- atoms, photons and other particles. Unlike the cause-and-effect of our everyday physical world, subatomic particles defy common sense and behave in wacky ways. That includes the fact that a photon, which is a particle of light, exists in a haze of multiple behaviors. They spin in many ways, such as "up" or "down," at the same time. Even trickier, it's only when you take a peek -- by measuring it -- that the photon fixes into a particular state of spin.

Stranger still is entanglement. When two photons get "entangled" they behave like a joint entity. Even when they're miles apart, if the spin of one particle is changed, the spin of the other instantly changes, too. This direct influence of one object on another distant one is called non-locality.

These peculiar properties have already been proven in a lab and tapped to improve data encryption. They could also one day be used to build much faster computers. Some philosophers see quantum phenomena as a sign of far greater unknown forces at work and it bolsters their view that a spiritual dimension exists.

"We don't know how nature manages to produce spooky behavior," says Nicolas Gisin, a scientist at Geneva University, who led a recent experiment demonstrating action-at-a-distance. "But it's a fascinating time for physics because it can be mastered and exploited."

Einstein refused to believe that a photon could be in all states at once and set out to find an explanation for their seemingly odd behavior. God doesn't play dice with the universe, he said at the time. Danish physicist Neils Bohr, a big proponent of quantum uncertainty, shot back: "Quit telling God what to do."

Trying to poke holes in the notion of spooky action at a distance, Einstein and two colleagues published a paper in 1935 that appeared to demonstrate the existence of mysterious "hidden variables" and show that quantum theory was incomplete. In a seminal 1964 paper, Irish physicist John Bell raised questions about the mathematical validity of Einstein's work.

In a 1981 paper, Mr. Bell took a swing at Einstein's notion of "hidden variables" by relating the sock-wearing patterns of his physicist colleague Reinhold Bertlmann. Mr. Bell noted that if he saw one of Mr. Bertlmann's feet coming around the corner and it had a pink sock, he would instantly know, without seeing the other foot, that the second sock wouldn't be pink. To the casual observer that may seem magical, or controlled by "hidden variables," but it was no mystery to Mr. Bell because he knew that Mr. Bertlmann liked to wear mismatched socks.

Quantum particles behave a lot more oddly, and, thanks to Mr. Bell's work, experiment after experiment has shown that to be true.

Last year, Dr. Gisin and colleagues at Geneva University described how they had entangled a pair of photons in their lab. They then fired them, along fiber-optic cables of exactly equal length, to two Swiss villages some 11 miles apart.

During the journey, when one photon switched to a slightly higher energy level, its twin instantly switched to a slightly lower one. But the sum of the energies stayed constant, proving that the photons remained entangled.

More important, the team couldn't detect any time difference in the changes. "If there was any communication, it would have to have been at least 10,000 times the speed of light," says Dr. Gisin. "Because this is such an unlikely speed, the conclusion is there couldn't have been communication and so there is non-locality."

Other scientists have gotten a more direct look at the particles' secret behavior. They pulled off this feat by resolving something called Hardy's paradox, which basically addressed one of the trickiest aspects of quantum physics: by observing a particle you might affect its property.

In 1990, the English physicist Lucien Hardy devised a thought experiment. The common view was that when a particle met its antiparticle, the pair destroyed each other in an explosion. But Mr. Hardy noted that in some cases when the particles' interaction wasn't observed, they wouldn't annihilate each other. The paradox: Because the interaction had to remain unseen, it couldn't be confirmed.

In a striking achievement, scientists from Osaka University have resolved the paradox. They used extremely weak measurements -- the equivalent of a sidelong glance, as it were -- that didn't disturb the photons' state. By doing the experiment multiple times and pooling those weak measurements, they got enough good data to show that the particles didn't annihilate. The conclusion: When the particles weren't observed, they behaved differently.

In a paper published in the New Journal of Physics in March, the Japanese team acknowledged that their result was "preposterous." Yet, they noted, it "gives us new insights into the spooky nature of quantum mechanics." A team from the University of Toronto published similar results in January.

Some researchers are using the uncertain state of photons to solve real-world problems. When encrypting sensitive data such as a bank transfer, both the sending party and the receiving party must have the same key. The sender needs the key to hide the message and the receiver to reveal it. Since it isn't always practical to exchange keys in person, the key must be sent electronically, too. This means the key (and the messages) may be intercepted and read by an eavesdropper.

An electronic key is usually written in the computer binary code of "ones" and "zeros." Quantum physics permits a more sophisticated approach. The same "ones" and "zeros" can now be encoded by using the properties of photons, like spin. If someone intercepts a photon-based message, the spins change. The receiver then knows the key has been compromised.

MagiQ Technologies Inc. of Cambridge, Mass., refreshes its quantum keys as often as 100 times a second during a transmission, making it extremely hard to break. It sells its technology to banks and companies. Dr. Gisin is a founder of ID Quantique SA in Switzerland. The company's similar encryption tool is used by online lottery and poker firms to safely communicate winning numbers and winning hands. Votes cast in a recent Swiss federal election were sent in a similar way.

Because of its bizarre implications, quantum theory has been used to investigate everything from free will and the paranormal to the enigma of consciousness. Several serious physicists have devoted their lives to the study of such ideas, including Bernard d'Espagnat. In March, the 87-year-old Frenchman won the prestigious $1.5 million Templeton Prize for years of work affirming "life's spiritual dimension."

Based on quantum behavior, Dr. d'Espagnat's big idea is that science can only probe so far into what is real, and there's a "veiled reality" that will always elude us.

Many scientists disagree. While Dr. d'Espagnat concedes that he can't prove his theory, he argues that it's about the notion of mystery. "The emotions you get from listening to Mozart," he says, "are like the faint glimpses of ultimate reality we get" from quantum experiments. "I claim nothing more."

This is a great achievement for science, as this would be of some sort of use for the future...

Sweet spirit Teenage ghost joins students at Sweet Briar College Visit Sweet Briar's ghosts

Published- May 14, 2009
By Donna Chasen



Sweet Briar College sits in the gently rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains just south of the small town of Amherst in the Virginia county of the same name. The campus setting is serenely beautiful, with 3,250 rolling acres of meadows and small hills. The academic village sits in the center of this pastoral landscape.

Sweet Briar was founded as a girls' school and remains so today. Every fall, young students enter its gates to enjoy the exquisitely unique collegiate experience that Sweet Briar has to offer. Some bring their horses with them, to be housed in an elegant stable complex. Sweet Briar is home not only to its student body, but also to many staff members and approximately half of its faculty. The campus is crisscrossed with walking, hiking and riding trails.

As the grounds were once the setting of an extensive working plantation in the 18th and 19th centuries, history and archaeology students enjoy a rich cornucopia of opportunities for a hands-on study experience.

The majority of Sweet Briar's buildings were designed in the early 20th century--predominately by Ralph Adams Cram, whose work is also present at the University of Richmond, MIT, West Point, Princeton and many other notable colleges and universities. Over two-thirds of Sweet Briar's buildings have been designated the Sweet Briar College National Historic District and were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

This icon of higher education was founded in 1901 as a condition of the legacy of Indiana Fletcher Williams. Williams wished that her plantation and her entire estate become an institute of higher learning for female students in honor and memory of her only child, her daughter Daisy, who died of antitrypsin deficiency, an inherited enzymatic disorder that is easily treatable today. Daisy passed away in New York at the age of 16 in 1884. She was returned to her beloved Sweet Briar to be buried in the family graveyard on Monument Hill in January of 1884.

Williams' bequest was formidable, as her estate consisted of over $1 million and over 8,000 acres of land, including the Sweet Briar Plantation. Sweet Briar College was established per the wishes of its benefactor to maintain the highest standards of education to--in the words of its founder--prepare young women "to be useful members of society."

It is in this peaceful, serene setting that the legends of the Ghosts of Sweet Briar originated. The most visual evidence is the "screaming statue"--a sculpture standing high over the family cemetery on Monument Hill (there is also a recently discovered slave cemetery on the grounds, as well). The statue's hand is carved in such a way that, when the wind passes through it, it emits a high-pitched whistle some describe as a "scream."

This statue is the most obvious symbol of Daisy Williams, Sweet Briar's most famous ghost and the center of most of the legends and "sightings" that surround the college. It replaced another funerary monument that was erected at the actual time of Daisy's burial in the family cemetery on Monument Hill. Legend is that a relative, angry that Williams' vast fortune was going to be used for the education of young women rather than disbursed among family members, charged the statue and destroyed all but a portion of the base. He theoretically "wrenched" a wrought-iron post from the cemetery's fence and broke apart the marble monument.

The new statue was erected in the original's place. Its setting is high atop a hill and the formation of a circular "passageway" in the statue's hand create a high-pitched "whistling" or "screaming" sound when the wind blows through it--hence, the screaming statue legacy.

Other incidents involving the impish spirit of Daisy, who passed away far too young, have occurred throughout the years. The college's Web site dedicates several pages to these "meetings with Daisy" and, up until very recently, offered an opportunity for more recent "sightings" to be entered, as well.

Tales told include a music box that does not work, but on occasion plays anyway; the mysterious appearance of a medallion with Daisy's image; and strange laughter and noises throughout the buildings of Sweet Briar. Rather than hide away these legends, Sweet Briar offers them up as a sort of "Southern Gothic" element to the overall Sweet Briar experience. There is a sense of pride in how the founding family of the college still "watches over" their school to this day.

One early legend about Daisy came from an older resident of Sweet Briar who played with the actual Daisy as a child--years before the plantation became a college. The two young girls would dance in front of the large mirrors in Sweet Briar House, twirling and spinning away the hours. Years later, a cloud appeared in these same mirrors, twirling in a similar manner as the two young girls had done many years before.

When former President Barbara Hill first moved into the President's House, her young daughter found a new "friend" within its walls. The President's House is the former home of Daisy and her parents, and Daisy's bedroom still boasts the original furniture from when she lived there. The "invisible playmate's" name was--surprise!--Daisy!

An alumna of Sweet Briar has chosen the investigation of the paranormal as her life's work. As a freshman, she lived on the fourth floor of Meta Glass dormitory. Above her was the attic. It was an honor violation to go up to the attic and it was actually locked at all times, but the elevator had a habit of going up to this attic, where it would stop and open for no apparent reason. Daisy perhaps was mesmerized by the mechanism of these machines, as other elevators on the campus act strangely, as well. Noises were a common occurrence, with the police often arriving at the dorm due to the strange sounds echoing from this "unoccupied" space. This alumna personally witnessed these noises and she, along with her friends and roommates, were quite frightened by the experiences.

What a story, and I think not only this person has this kind of story...

Ghost Story in New Mexican Bar Bewitches Media, Helps Local Ghostbusters Gain Publicity

Published- Monday, May. 11 2009

By Ray Stern

Image: www.wcgaps.com

A local group of self-fashioned ghostbusters hit the publicity jackpot today with a nationwide Associated Press article about their activities at a "haunted" New Mexico bar. The group's members, who call themselves the West Coast Ghost and Paranormal Society, have a Web site that begs for donations and a stable of "investigators."

The article by AP writer Heather Clark centers on the Old Cuchillo Bar, being run out of a 180-year-old adobe building in Cuchillo, a New Mexican ghost town. The bar's new owner and past owners claim to have heard the spooky sounds of a stove opening and wood being stacked. Clark quotes the group's leader, Andy Rice, talking about a "full-body apparition" ghost he spotted once at Monti's La Casa Vieja Restaurant in Tempe. (He almost got a picture).

Does anyone really believe this stinking load of ectoplasm?

At least Clark's article reveals the apparent motive for the bar owner's sudden inclination to bring in the media and out-of-town "ghost hunters:" He plans to turn the place into a microbrewery.

As expected, the WCGPAS' Web site contains ludicrous claims of scientific merit amid fanciful descriptions of "orbs," "portal manifestations," and yes, even demons:

Science has proven that high electro-magnetic fields caused by electronics or exposed wiring have caused people to feel nauseated or to experience the sensation that they are being watched.

...

It is only after the claims have been processed with the goal of debunking them and could not be reasonably explained that a true haunting is declared.

...

Photography has been known to capture images not seen by the naked eye. The paranormal field has the belief that lights shown on pictures, known as "orbs" are proof of such anomalies. The skeptics of course believe this to be collection of "energy".

...

If you see a "dazzle" or "sparkling" effect keep snapping those pictures, these may be capturing a spirit or a portal manifestation per the paranormal field.


The silliest stuff was in an article by WCGPAS member Christina Pollorena:

One in three people claim to have experienced frightening supernatural events that cannot be explained using the current laws of science.

...

Most people who experience a haunting don't realize that the type of haunting can vary from harmless to an extreme physical demonic possession. Knowing the type of paranormal event can inform the individual as to the potential dangers they can expect.

...

These "intelligent" entities were once alive and are aware of their current surroundings. In some cases, these ghosts may refuse to admit that they are dead.

...

These demonic entities are very strong and can even throw a person across the room.
These demonic entities can take on any form, but a half man and half animal is most common. When a demonic entity is threatened it may appear in human form, but typically people report seeing them as black masses standing in doorways or hiding in the shadows.

Now this is an article, at last!!!

A haunting life absorbed by ghosts, paranormal phenomena and occult

Published- May 8, 2009
By WILLIAM GRIMES
NEW YORK TIMES  

HANS HOLZER, GHOST HUNTER
26-1-1920 ~ 26-4-2009

HANS Holzer, whose investigations into the paranormal took him to haunted houses all over the world, most notably the Long Island house that inspired The Amityville Horror, has died at his home in Manhattan. He was 89.

Holzer wrote more than 140 books on ghosts, the afterlife, witchcraft, extraterrestrial beings and other phenomena associated with the realm he called "the other side". He conducted his most famous investigation with the medium Ethel Johnson-Meyers in 1977; they roamed the house in Amityville, in which a young man, Ronald DeFeo, had murdered his parents and four siblings in 1974.

The house had become notorious after its next owners claimed to have been tormented by a series of noises and eerie visitations, set out in the best-selling 1977 book The Amityville Horror: A True Story, written by Jay Anson.

After Johnson-Meyers channelled the spirit of a Shinnecock Indian chief, who said that the house stood on an ancient Indian burial ground, Holzer took photographs of bullet holes from the 1974 murders in which mysterious halos appeared.

Holzer went on to write a non-fiction book about the house, Murder in Amityville (1979), which formed the basis for the 1982 film Amityville II: The Possession; he also wrote two novels, The Amityville Curse (1981) and The Secret of Amityville (1985).

Holzer was born in Vienna, Austria, and studied archaeology, ancient history and numismatics at the University of Vienna before his family moved to New York in 1938. After studying Japanese at Columbia University, Holzer indulged an infatuation with the theatre in the 1950s, and wrote sketches. He earned a master's degree in comparative religion and a doctorate in parapsychology at the London College of Applied Science, and taught parapsychology at the New York Institute of Technology.

Holzer began investigating haunted houses and recording the testimony of subjects who believed that they had had paranormal experiences. This research, usually conducted with a medium and a Polaroid camera, provided material for dozens of books, beginning with Ghost Hunter (1963)

He disliked the word "supernatural" because it implied phenomena beyond the reach of science, and did not believe in the word "belief", which suggests an irrational adherence to ideas not supported by fact.

But he did believe in reincarnation and past lives — he vividly recalled the Battle of Glencoe in 1692 in one of his Scottish lifetimes — and was a Wiccan high priest, as well as a vegan.

He felt completely at ease with ghosts. "After all, a ghost is only a fellow human being in trouble," he said. Specifically, a human who has died in traumatic circumstances, does not realise he or she is dead and is "confused as to their real status". His quest for ghosts yielded a several books such as Ghosts I've Met (1965), while his interest in the paranormal and the occult was reflected in books such as Inside Witchcraft (1980) and Love Beyond the Grave (1992).

His 1962, marriage to the Countess Catherine Genevieve Buxhoeveden ended in divorce. He is survived by two daughters and five grandchildren.

what a story!! having that age, a rarely occurence, or could it really happen?;))

Paranormal activity found in Woolwich

Published - May 8th, 2009
By by Gail Martin

starting to think I didn’t get the memo.

Apparently, Woolwich residents have learned a form of communication that I am not privy to.

I think they have tapped the inner reaches of their capabilities, and have learned to use extra sensory perception (ESP).

There can be no other explanation.

Here is my evidence, such as it is:

Every day, I encounter numerous vehicles that seem to be driving aimlessly through the community. The drivers never signal their intentions, yet, somehow, we are expected to know what they are.

There can only be one explanation. They are signaling their intentions through the power of the mind, rather than relying on pesky signals.

It must, somehow, be a less labour-intensive approach.

The same can be said of various high school students, who are seen walking across roads, without looking to see if any cars are coming.

Apparently, they already know.

And much more can be said about the bicyclists in our region, the ones who weave in and out of traffic, seemingly unconcerned about the vehicles passing by. Perhaps they have found some means of protecting themselves from these vehicles, hurtling through traffic at relatively high speeds. Maybe they have perfected telekinesis, and can move cars before they are hit.

I seriously don’t know.

Is there a course I can take, a seminar I can attend? Because it would surely be helpful to read minds, not just in traffic, but also in other areas of my day-to-day living.

It could be helpful at work, for instance, when a project’s deadline is changed, without everyone being informed. Instead of sending an email memo, we could simply think it, and the message would be sent.

At home, I would no longer have to remind my husband three or four times that I have to cover an event, or even tell him where I am going, or when I will be home.

He would simply know.

Think of all the misunderstandings and arguments this could avoid.

So, now, the next time I see someone not signal their turn, or jump out aimlessly into traffic, I’m going to do something different.

Instead of getting upset or frustrated, I’m going to follow them, and track them down. I’m going to ask them how they learned to communicate telepathically, and if I could learn.

If I get any pointers, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Pretty scary huh,

Manou is a ghost

May 8, 2009 – 8:59 am, by jarrod kimber

There was once a time when Australia would never tour England with one wicket keeper.

Nowadays they figure that one is enough, and if they need the second one they will fly him there within 48 hours.

A side effect of the one keeper problem is that no one knows who the back up keeper is at the moment, and without the ashes selection, the state keepers will be kept in the dark for even longer.

It should be Luke Ronchi, but he has had an Ian Baker Finch time of it since he smashed the Windies around. The next most obvious is Tim Paine, who has to be in the frame because of his massive talent.

But Graham Manou has shunted past these two in the eyes of many experts, even for me, and I love Ronchi and Paine.

Manou’s solid keeping, gutsy batting and consistent performances have just impressed everyone, while Paine and Ronchi fail to get the job done.

If Australia does continue to have just one keeper, Manou doesn’t trust that if Haddin gets injured, he’ll get a call and a plane ticket. The boy wants to be sure of his back up position, and he’s going to England regardless:

“If the selections don’t go my way, processes are being put into place by myself and my management company to get me over there,”

It’s an interesting development in cricket. I am calling it a ghost tourist, which is different to Adil Rashid being a non-official tourist, or Brett Lee’s gate crashing tourist.

What you do is find out where your team is touring, you book a ticket, and then wait around a hotel for a phone call.

It could work, I spose.

The only problem I can see is that the Australian selectors might feel that Manou is emotionally blackmailing them, and decide to give him a big fuck you by selecting Ronchi.

But surely Hilditch isn’t that petty…

Source of this news

Pretty Sad.....