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The Forum [is where Ancient Roman skeptics hang out.] Fact or Faked S02E04: Poltergeist Playground; Alien Intruder (13-Apr-2011, 10pm E)

S02E04: Poltergeist Playground; Alien Intruder (13-Apr-2011, 10pm E)

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9:32 am
April 12, 2011

Nosfer

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Post edited 9:32 am – April 12, 2011 by Nosfer
Post edited 9:33 am – April 12, 2011 by Nosfer

Just when you thought it was safe to watch TV again, Wednesday night rolls around. Once more showing their disdain for recent and as-yet-unexplained videos, the FoFers dig up this gem from 2007 which features a swing in Argentina that mysteriously starts swinging by itself. I wonder if it's the same ghost kids that push vehicles downhill over railroad tracks in Utas, or was that Texah?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..jrEkG870ko

Supposedly scientists are baffled, but who are these scientists? Well, some from a parapsychology outfit and some from a UFO group. Explains the baffling. Prepare to become even more baffled as FoF gives it a whirl.

Consider the seat as a sail when in the right configuration and consider that there IS a wind present, even if it appears to be from a direction not parallel to the swing's motion (see the debris blowing around). Consider the possibility that the chains to the seat might not be exactly the same length. Consider that we don't see anyone try to block the wind.

Anyone remember Galloping Gertie? I don't "remember" it per se, but I have seen it. For those of you who haven't:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..-zczJXSxnw

Who do we have on this investigation? Well, it would make sense that Jael would be to serve as translator. There are swings involved, so Austin could put his stuntmanness to use. And Bill likes ghosts.

Nobody took me up on it in the previous episode (fortunately, since I was wrong and would have owed a few glazed doughnuts to people) but this seems to be a perfect case for a ghost investigation, does it not? This episode also fulfills the GPA recommended weekly allowance of ghost cases for FoF.

In the other half of this episode, Ben, Chi-Lan, and Devin tackle an Alien Intruder in Florida. Well, not literally although THAT would be must-see TV. Especially if it was something like that thing in the Arnold, Carl, and Jesse movie from 1987…but I digress, again.

What's interesting (and completely non-DT-like) is that we know FoF was in Florida already this season, but with a different cast of characters (the other investigation featured Bill, Chi-Lan, and the inhuman Austin) The only one in both is Chi-Lan.

So, this means two things. One is that, unlike DT, FoF hasn't caught onto the money-saving tactic of filming two episodes at once when they take place in the same relative location. The other is that ALL SIX go to each of these places (or at least in this case).

Alien Intruder…we've had Alien Attacker and Tropical Intruder before, I suppose next week we will have the Tropical Attacker episode?

It started with GHI, then GH picked up on it. And now, FoF is dazzling us with Bu…er, laser grids. Pretty soon they will bring in Ben's pet gecko to help with things. And, you know, it would probably be an improvement. Afterall, I suspect a gecko would recognize a spider.

With their stuntman in Argentina, Devin is tasked with climbing the tree to monitor audio and point the FLIR at the house and ground and branches and sky and neighbor's garage. Ben watches TV in the van, and Chi-Lan puts her photographic talent to good use by hiding in a closet with a camera.

This case involves an alien that was filmed in someone's house and FoF tries something new (I think) this time by using the original homeowner as bait. So, you can tell already that they will have their own investigation in this case.

Drinking game situations:

Austin swinging
Devin falling out of a tree
Austin tangled up in a swing
Thumbs-up signals
"That looks really close"
- Two swigs if it looks nothing like the original
- A long draught if Bill follows up with "but that doesn't mean there aren't ghosts here"
"It's good but doesn't look quite the same"
- An extra shot if it's said while they are looking at the original
- A long draught if Bill follows up with "that means there are ghosts here"
Anytime a swirling FoF logo is superimposed over a shocked face while breaking to commercial

Edited: Formatting

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1:15 am
April 14, 2011

Axel Olrik

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So Jael makes what may be a relevant observation about the different structures of the swing's seats…and nobody tests its validity?

I mean, they had an ARGENTINE DOME of ISOLATION and everything. Confused

3:09 am
April 14, 2011

Revenant

Hopelessly Locked In A "Fear Cage"

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I knew I had seen that swing before…

http://www.skepticalviewer.com…..layground/

Hmmm, overall…instead of "Poltergeist Playground; Alien Intruder" I would have gone with "Wind Is Scary; Fun With Puppets."

Oh, and for the record, we also discussed the "ghost in the closet" and the UFO sighted in Jerusalem here at SV as well. It was kind of weird watching this show. It was like someone from FoF checked out SV, liked the videos, copied the analysis, and away they went. We solve them…they get paid. Not really fair, is it? Well…at least we have our integrity…kind of… Laugh

"Skepticism is not a position, it's a process." -Dr Michael Shermer

8:19 am
April 14, 2011

Nosfer

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Revenant said:

I knew I had seen that swing before…

http://www.skepticalviewer.com…..layground/

Wow, that was "one from the vaults", glad you dug that one up. Although, I think Stephen still owes us another video Laugh

Axel, the mere fact that it wasn't swinging once they built the the tent around it says something about the wind doesn't it? To test that, all they would have had to do is switch the left or right swing with the middle one.

Anyone else notice that red is not yellow? At some time in the past they either painted the swing and seats or replaced them.

10:29 am
April 14, 2011

elwyn5150

Sydney, Australia

Investigator in Training

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I suspect part 1 was just a gratuitious excuse for Austin to show off his guns and Jael's multi-linguistical skills… and a pilot for Renovation Rescue: Playground Edition.

I wonder if they left that inflatable castle and extra swing set for the local kids.

Part 2:

Goodness gracious! They'll use any excuse to have a night time stakeout/investigation!

And the statistical likelihood that aliens exist, visit some hick guy and that they'd visit on the same night as a FoF visits and still visit despite the suspicious team's van is parked out the front is…

When the communication with Chi-Lan dropped out, I wanted to shout "Gorman, get your team out of there!"

4:02 pm
April 14, 2011

Axel Olrik

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Nosfer said:

"Axel, the mere fact that it wasn't swinging once they built the the tent around it says something about the wind doesn't it? To test that, all they would have had to do is switch the left or right swing with the middle one."

Exactly…which is what I am objecting to…fly thousand of miles, set up a massive test situation, run a few random tests, put out a new hypothesis and then….do nothing.

Ah, but maybe the ghost boy is afraid of the tent or doesn't like the narrow seats?

Then, crossover time, they should have brought Adam from GH in to tell the ghost boy what nice people they all are and Amy to tell him that nothing they do will hurt him.

11:28 pm
April 14, 2011

Moviemark

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My first thought when they set up the dome was I don't believe it there going to isolate the Swing to get rid of the wind Variable MY GOD REAL SCIENCE then when they did not even mention that hey it's not swinging with the dome up it must have been wind that was causing it. No they just want control wind direction so they can replicate it with wind 5 times of any wind they actually measured, then she notices the size is different on the seats. Didn't they have to measure everything to duplicate the swing set, including the seat sizes maybe they should get some actual scientist on the show that know what the hell they are doing.

And hey there are worms out here Aliens must be visiting woooohhoooweee, they must be city folk because I remeber growing up catching worms to go fishing and they were called nightcrawlers because they came out at NIGHT.

5:11 pm
April 16, 2011

Buffy

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I, too, was baffled by the fact that no one seemed to mention that the swings were not moving once the dome was over the swing set. One simple phrase to utter: "oh look, the swings have stopped moving the moment we put the dome over them. Hmmm, well we know the wind must be the reason." If they felt the urge to go further, then say: "Let's test why the middle moves more than the side ones." Ah, but silly me, that would start a scientific approach and deduction reasoning is required.

Yes Moviemaker, but these are "special" nightcrawlers because they all go in the same direction across the driveway; therefore, when they come out at night, they mean aliens are a comin'! Yee-haw! Get out your aluminum foil hats!

3:54 pm
April 25, 2011

Scientia

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Post edited 4:00 pm – April 25, 2011 by Scientia

To be honest, I couldn't believe how much made up work was involved with the swing set. Setting up an identical swing set was completely unnecessary. Checking for magnetic fields was something I would have done after eliminating wind as the cause. Then they went to the enormous effort of setting up the inflatable dome when the most obvious thing to do was put a sheet of plywood at the end of the swing to block the wind. I can just imagine that conversation:

Producer: excitedly pointing to the swing, "Wow, look; it really is swinging by itself."

Bill, Jael, and Austin showing lukewarm interest.

Bill: "Looks like the wind."

Jael: "Definitely."

Austin: "I agree."

Producer: panicking, "C'mon. We flew all the way to Argentina. We have to make this look good."

Bill: "Well, okay. I guess we could use a sheet of plywood to block the wind and show that the swing then stops moving."

Jael: "Yeah, that's easy to do."

Austin: "I'll go get one."

Producer: jumping up and down, "No, No. We came all the way to Argentina. We can't solve this in two minutes. C'mon."

Bill, Jael, and Austin look at each other baffled.

Bill: "Well, maybe we could check for magnetic fields?"

Producer: "Well, that's a start. Hey, how about we set up a second swing set?"

Jael: "Why?"

Producer: trying to sound professional, "To show that it isn't a generalized phenomenon."

Jael: "But we can already see that. There are three swings but only one is swinging."

Producer: "Yes, but maybe it only effects one swing out of three."

Jael: rolling her eyes, "Yeah, sure. I'll get another swing set."

Austin: "Do you still want the plywood?"

Producer: "No, something bigger."

Austin: "You mean like build a wall?"

Producer: "No, bigger."

Austin: "Well, we could build a house over it."

Producer: considering, "Hmmm. No, that would take too long. I know; we'll get an inflatable house to put over it. And, a fan to simulate the wind that we've already blocked. And we need wind instruments. And, maybe a pyschic, and a radar set and . . ."

Bill, Jael, and Austin staring

Bill: "Aren't you getting a bit carried away?"

Producer: "Uh, yeah, I guess that's enough."

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S02E04: Poltergeist Playground; Alien Intruder (13-Apr-2011, 10pm E)