Weirdness on the Web
by Wally Hartshorn
Through the miracle of modern technology, you can browse an ever-expanding
variety of weirdness and nonsense from the comfort of your computer. We must live in the
best of times. Let's take a look at some of it, shall we?
[Note from Webmaster: I've updated some of these web addresses to reflect their new
locations.]
- Yahoo's Index of Alternative Science
http://www.yahoo.com/Science/Alternative/
- The starting point in our search for weirdness will be one of the Internet search
engines. There are many (InfoSeek, Lycos, WebCrawler, etc), so pick your favorite. One
suggestion would be Yahoo. From their home page, select "Science", then
"Alternative". That get you lists of all manner of weirdness.
- Koda's Psychic Window Technique
http://www.aros.net/~koda/metaphysics/psychic_window.html
- You can learn Koda's Psychic Window Technique, which is described as "a very simple
method anyone can use to experience visual telepathy in less than ten minutes." If
"visual perception of reincarnational selves and the perception of
auras" sounds like a useful skill to have around the home, this is the place to learn
it. Plus he sells nifty T-shirts and an autographed booklet.
- Nostradamus
http://www.newage.com.au/library/nostrad1.html
- There are several sites devoted to the prophet Nostradamus. One site, operated by Albert
Nanomius, features information about the book Conversations with Nostradamus by
Delores Cannon. It also includes the prophecies (both in the original French and as
translated into English), information about the Antichrist, and many other items
supposedly alluded to by Nostradamus.
- Uri Geller's Psychic City
http://www.urigeller.com/
- What would a tour of weird sites be without a visit to Uri Geller's Psychic City? Yes,
the spoon-bender and watch-starter has gone online. At his web site, you can read about
his million dollar challenge, his business consultation services, and a movie
"inspired by" his life story. (The description of the movie, Mindbender,
says that Uri Geller appears at the end of the film and conducts a psychic experiment with
the movie audience, who are instructed to bring broken clocks and watches to the theater.)
- The Hollow Earth Insider
http://www.onelight.com/thei/thei.html
- If you consider bending spoons to be small potatoes, then perhaps The Hollow Earth
Insider is on a scale you would find more appealing. Their site features The Hollow
Earth Insider Research Report, a bi-monthly newsletter for those who believe the earth
is hollow and inhabited. What else is there to say?
- The Crop Watcher
http://www.iufog.org/zines/cw/
- Although crop circles have declined in popularity recently, they are still probably more
popular than the hollow earth theory. Several recent issues of The Crop Watcher are
available for your online reading pleasure.
- Fortean Times
http://www.forteantimes.com/
- For a wide variety of general weirdness, the Fortean Times is probably the best
known magazine. Their site includes current and back issues, as well as information about
Charles Fort and various strange reports.
If all of this pro-paranormal weirdness is getting you down, then stop by the many
excellent skeptical sites to pick yourself back up again.
- REALL
http://www.reall.org/
- First, of course, there is REALL's own site. Although it's not particularly weird by
itself, it is an easy place to start in your search for other sites. In addition to back
issues of The REALL News and a calendar of events, it also has links to the most
important skeptic sites.
- CSICOP
http://www.csicop.org/
- CSICOP (the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal) is
probably the first spot to check for skeptic information. The main attractions are
selected articles from current and previous issues of Skeptical Inquirer and Skeptical
Briefs.
- Skeptics Society
http://www.skeptic.com/
- The Skeptics Society is next on our tour. Its main attractions are selected articles
from current and previous issues of Skeptic magazine.
- James Randi
http://www.randi.org/
- James "the Amazing" Randi is probably the world's most famous skeptic. His
home page prominently features his debunking efforts (as well as some biographical
information).
- Penn and Teller
http://www.sincity.com/
- Speaking of skeptical magicians, Penn and Teller also have a web page. It focuses almost
totally on their magic act (including such things as their tour schedule and information
about magic in general), so you won't find much skeptical information there, but at least
it's weird.
- False Memory Syndrome Foundation
http://advicom.net/~fitz/fmsf/
- The False Memory Syndrome Foundation has a wealth of information about FMS, including
answers to "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQs).
Mailing Lists
Even if you don't have a full Internet connection, if you can send and receive Internet
e-mail, you can join mailing lists and receive periodic information. Two of my favorites
are the Randi Hotline and the False Memory Syndrome Foundation News. Just send e-mail as
described below and you should begin receiving information on an irregular basis (roughly
one message per week is typical).
- Randi Hotline
To: randi-hotline-request@ssr.com
Subject: Subscribing to randi-hotline
Body: Please subscribe me to randi-hotline.
False Memory Syndrome Foundation News
To: pjf@saul.cis.upenn.edu
Subject: Subscribing to FMSF-News
Body: Please subscribe me to FMSF-News.
Newsgroups
There are literally hundreds of other sites out there, of course. I'll write about more
of them in a future article. In the meantime, fire up your Internet connection and take a
look. But arm youself with a sense of humor.