Larry Zoolander: I just thank the Lord she didn't live to see her son as a mermaid.
Derek Zoolander: Mer-man!
[high-pitched cough]
Derek Zoolander: Mer-man!

Zoolander….

You don't have to go all the way to Australia to find mermaids.  Here's some! 

And while in Australia, why not do a "2-fer" and check up on the Thylacine?  Sure, it's no cat/boar hybrid, but it was pretty cool…

Post edited 3:22 am – November 19, 2010 by Revenant

Nosfer said:

Mermaid…why didn't they come up with a theoretical mermaid first and rule it out as an impossibility and save themselves a trip?

"Save themselves a trip?"  To Australia???  They may be idiots, but they're not stupid…

And how many skeptical viewers watching that episode arched an eyebrow when they mentioned that the guy who shot the video is a film maker and wants to remain anonymous?  Can there be a bigger red flag waving over a "paranormal" video clip?

Oh…and Chi-Lan's amazement over such a thing as professional mermaids.  Apparently she was never dragged to Florida every year for vacation as a kid.  First few trips to the magic kingdom are awesome.  And then, like everything…it gets old.  So the famly expanded into lesser known attractions which is where the mermaids (link in my previous post) came into play.  The instant I saw the video, I instantly thought of "Weeki Wachee."  I guess putting up with it as a kid did  pay off.  Who knew? 

Now if Grant would only do a video like that….

About the radio interference, if I had 1 cent every time that I've received interference, I'd be a bazzillionair. And it's getting worserer every day. It's like these nongs have never used a radio before.

LOL tip of the day, don't eat or drink anything while reading Nosfer's review.

BTW Cairns to Sydney is about 2000 km ATCF, although it would be one tired crow after that trip. I suspect they didn't travel to Sydney just for a quick Dugong flit and then BACK to Cairns, although I suppose it depends where they landed in the first place.

BTW again, the water is mostly warm in Cairns all year round as it's only -17 degrees latitude.

I will begin writing my post in 3 – 2 – 1 – Start Writing!

Very nice reviews, Nosfer.  My favorite line?

That whooshing sound you just heard is a flag going up the pole so fast that it actually rips itself free and sails up into the high reaches of the moronosphere

That's swanky.   But not is all sugar and spice and everything nice.  

If this wasn’t a hoax, how in the blazing ding-bat dang did Norma manage to take that many pictures with the strap in the way?

I know what you're saying.  And if it wasn't for a personal experience of mine, I'd be right there with you.  Let me see if I can change your mind…

My grandmother (also affectionately known as "the snowman"…because she was literally built like a snowman… ), during the holidays, would take many pictures.  When we would get them back, every forth or fifth one would have a blur on the bottom right corner.  Sometimes half the picture.  Why?  The more pictures that she took…the better the odds that her finger would get in the way of the lens.  Every single year we would tell her about this and every single year, without fail…pictures with a blurry smudge in the corner.

Of course, for us…we knew exactly what the problem was.  But Norma may be another story…

"Guardian spirits" just may be apart of her culture and background.  We don't know her belief system.  We don't know how superstitious she is or to what level.  Keep in mind, she wasn't pushing these photos as "our traditional ghosts."  These were/are pictures of guardian spirits.  Or, in other word, angels.  Ever talk to someone who truly believes in angels?   Their belief is rock solid.

Seeing Norma, her age, her demeanor….man…I'm really thinking that she falls into this sort of category.  And if this is the case, I would be very uncomfortable charging her with "hoaxing."  I honestly believe that she would not look at things that way.  She would not be faking anything on purpose. 

Yes, she said she took the straps off and one of her cameras had a strap.  Ok.  She may have taken a strap off of one of them.  Then again…she may have gotten defensive when answering questions along these lines.  After all, I doubt that her integrity is really ever questioned.  In her view…she may have pictures that show something truly amazing…a guardian spirit guarding her most precious thing, her granddaughter.  Why would anyone question that?

So…do I believe that Norma took a bunch of pictures that had a camera strap hanging in front of it?  Yes, I sure do.  Do I believe that she did so on purpose?  I don't think so.  And do I believe that she believes that these pictures are real?  Yes, I actually do.

Posting my reply in 3 – 2 – 1 – Post Reply!

Nosfer said:  

As you say, though, culture and a predetermined bias as to what she is seeing may come to play.  I'd still have handed her 20 rolls of film to at least watch her style of photography :-)  Then I wouldn't have had to rent a "color processuuu" which, from what Leslie says above, has some baggage of it's own in this episode!

 

Yes, well…you or I would have handed her 20 rolls of film to watch her style of photography, but…that's also exactly why we aren't on the FoF team.

In fact, this case could probably be easily cleared up by just watching Norma snap some pictures.  My gut tells me that she's "bunching up" the strap on the side of the camera.  Those old cameras had those cheap plastic straps that would twist and whatever.  Also, I don't think either one of us would do that, but if we did…we'd be able to hold the entire strap in our hand.  Norma, seems quite small.  If she held that plastic strap in her hand, the strap would over-lap or stick out and "loop.".  I think, whether she knows it or not, this just might be her photography style. 

It just seems more likely to me.  And I guess I just want to guard against cynicism (and I say that as the self-proclaimed "King of the Cynics"…),  As you've maintained throughout the FoF season, that their actual premise is flawed.  Sometimes the options of "Fact" or "Faked" do not properly explain the situation.  In this case…have the pictures been faked and did FoF debunk it?  Or…did a grandmother take pictures of an angel/guardian spirit protecting her granddaughter and a bunch of people come into her home and essentially call her a liar on national TV?  You know, I have no problem with going after anonymous film makers and their mermaid videos.  Everyone here knew exactly what was up with that video the instant that we saw it.  And there are plenty of people hoaxing whatever.  But…to watch FoF go after Grandma just so that they could look good…that's exponentially tame.

Sorry, I don't mean to rant or anything.  It's just that the more I thought about this episode, the more angry I became.  But…you know, let's leave Grandma out of this.  I mean, if this team came into my grandmother's house and did this…we'd be having words.  (And just for the record, "we'd be having words" to a Chicagoan means taking Bill out behind the house and beating him relentlessly.  Happy Holidays from Chicago everybody!   )