Entanglements in Esoteric Economics

That is kind of the overall feeling I am beginning to get about organized, well funded, loutish or trollish skepticism that studiously ignore the empirical. It is just generally wanting to steer the hoi polloi away from the paranormal because it potentially leads to much more empowerment of people, and it also teaches people to lean away from fear eventually. At first blush that sounds paradoxical because the Halloweenish ghost busting shows play up the fear angle, but what is happening is that people are becoming used to paranormal phenomena and starting to stand back from it and be more rational about what they are seeing and hearing. In the process, they are learning that fear is often based on poor information or information that is being controlled by someone else, but once there is understanding about say, paranormal activity, the mind trains itself to stand back like that and examine other areas of the reality that is being forced upon them by a manipulative government and its minion media. Ghosts are just as manipulative as governments.

By the way the SyFy channnel is lately running a sort of "best of" the Ghost Hunters series as they are this afternoon - all the good stuff in close proximity. Some incredible footage and sound.

"Authenticity" can mean anything. What do you think - someone is going to be accused of making a "fake" love potion? Fagettaboutit. Let people get into their own messes and victories. I used to be skeptical about homeopathy until recently at the behest of a friend I tried two preparations and was astounded by their efficacy. There is no way in hell for producers of homeopathic remedies to have the bucks to perform clinical trials. The Amazing Randi backed out of his million dollar trial like scalded goose though, so it may be that the medical industrial complex doesn't really want such trials in the first place. I held my own clinical trial, and I should be allowed to do so in a democracy. We are talking here though about substances that work so subtly that there is no real danger of hurting anyone with them. Ebay should have the right to know whether someone is peddling poison I suppose, but Ebay allows the sale of processed foods on their site and they are laced with excitoxins such as sucralose and MSG. Technically if we are going to start holding sellers' feet to the fire then we should start with the peddlers of excitoxins. Thing is the MSG Institute has a lot more money to lobby with than purveyors of magic elixirs.

”There were these two men, sharing a railway carriage. They didn’t know each other. They just happened to be travelling together. One of the men had, resting in his lap, a cardboard box with holes punched in the top. After some time spent contemplating what might be inside his travelling companion’s box, the other man at last could not contain his curiosity. He said, “Excuse me, but I couldn’t help noticing your box. Does it contain some variety of animal?” The other man, though obviously surprised by this impertinent intrusion from a stranger, smiled politely as he answered, “You’re absolutely right. There is indeed a creature kept inside this box. And furthermore, I may reveal, the animal in question is a mongoose.”

The first man, who’d initiated the enquiry, was astonsihed by this revelation. Spluttering with surprise, he sought some further explanation of this certainly provocative disclosure made by his strange fellow-traveller. “A mongoose? Sir I must confess I had expected it to be perhaps a cat, or rabbit, not a creature so exotic and outlandish. The animal you mention so excites my curiosity that I must beg you, sir, to tell me more. Where are you bound with such a specimen, if I may be so bold?” The other man, who sat with the perforated box on his lap, shrugged wearily as he replied, “Well, it’s something of a personal matter, as it concerns a family tragedy. However, since I’m confident I may rely on your discretion, I suppose I don’t mind sharing my unfortunate account with you.”

“You see,” the man went on, “this sorry tale concerns my elder brother. He’s always been what I suppose you might refer to as the black sheep of the family. He has for many years indulged himself in a predictable and commonplace array of vices, of which the worst is his fondness for strong spirits. His drinking has progressed until he is now in the final stages of delerium tremens. My brother now sees serpents everywhere, which is the reason I am taking him this mongoose, that he may be rid of them.”

“Excuse me,” the other man interjected, looking puzzled, “But, these snakes your brother sees… aren’t they imaginary snakes?”

“Indeed,” his fellow traveller replied. “But this,” and here he gestured meaningfully to the perforated box set on his lap, “is an imaginary mongoose.”‘
--Crowley

It's full of potential rpj-type goodness

I have real animal skulls that I can feel energy off of, granted I never killed the beasts and the places i got them from didn't kill them either, so i don't feel guilty in owning them. I have a coyote, a magpie which was sadly a road kill, and a turtle skull I found on a beach. I also have tons of cow bones I find at an old dairy site that I use in sculpture. They are fascinatingly complex, the most interesting part about humans are their skulls, as with many creatures.

As for your crystal skulls, I got half way down the search and got distracted by this woman's hair O_O:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIQUE-11-9-Pink...

That wand was made yesterday. Of course, St. Germain is still alive so that lets them off the hook.