Someone misinformed

November 18 2010 - I found a confused person writing in Jim Carr's stopvisionfromfeeling.com forum. Since Jim Carr conveniently won't let me post in his forum so that he can best maintain a one-sided libel campaign in the hopes of becoming the next legendary Robert Lancaster, here is my response to this julia:

julia wrote:
It seems I have come late to this. In the past couple of days I have been reading to try and catch up, but forgive me if any of this has been already asked/answered/discussed since I am still reading and sinking my teeth into this.

First, a couple of thoughts. It seems to me that this VFF is just asking for a law suit. We all know that people like Brown and Von Pragg have gotten away with dispensing medical advise and so-called observation. However, it seems that this - creature - has a focus on peoples health and dispenses advise. I don't know much about the law, but it seems she is, at the very least, walking a fine line in the area of fraud and not having the credentials to be making medical evaluations. I would like to see the day she is held accountable in court.

It's one thing to have con-artists giving people false hope in speaking to their dead loved ones. However, in my opinion, playing a game by an attention seeking, narcissitic fraud that treads on someone health, therefore life, is just unconscionable. There's no question it isn't ethical, no question it is outrageous, dangerous behavior, but what about illegal?

Again, I apologize for probably posting about something already discussed, and I will continue reading more on this site and forum to try and not be repetitive.

Julia

My response:
Dear Julia, you are clearly misinformed. I am pleased to come across your initial post. It seems that your only source of background on my project visionfromfeeling.com comes from Jim Carr's stopvisionfromfeeling.com website. It is interesting to note the type and extent of misinformation afflicted onto you as it illustrates the flaw that is Jim Carr's website.

VisionFromFeeling is a spare-time project of mine since 2007. It is a skeptical investigation into an interesting experience of medical perception and is here formulated as a paranormal claim so to be dealt with with the skeptical method of inquiry which commonly treats claims of the unexplained. Skepticism is a valuable resource in investigation, and offers an alternative and more casual venue from the science track. I chose to make my investigation a public documentary among others by this website, both so that I could illucidate the world of paranormal claims which claimants otherwise seem to mostly keep to themselves and wrapped in mysticism. I also decided to bravely engage with the skeptical community in this investigation, finding myself solely subject to all the rage and frustrations awarded psychic claimants as a whole and being held responsible for the many wrongdoings of others. In spite of the harsh welcoming and hostile treatment, I can not allow myself to regret having made my choice to publicly investigate my unusual experience together with the social phenomenon of skepticism, since I know what my intentions and motives are in this even when many parts of skepticism are unaware, and I stay true to my cause and continue onward. I am sorry to inform you that you are greatly misinformed.

You are under the impression that I offer psychic medical readings, but I do not. My investigation and claim begun fourteen years ago when I started noticing spontaneous internal images depicting the insides of people's bodies and health information. Even then at the tender age of fourteen I knew of enough ethics and responsibility to keep my images to myself. I also acknowledged that my images were most likely only personal and possibly incorrect. I live with an interesting mental processing experience called synesthesia, which makes me see numbers and physics equations in color. Having already a subjective yet uncommon sensory experience, I know to handle my medical perceptions accordingly. I would not say to someone that I insist that the number 3 is orange, and similarly I do not approach persons about my health impressions of them.

I am entitled to my experience of medical perception. It belongs to my personal internal information processing. What we need to concern ourselves with, is how a person acts on their personal impressions. I am aware that there are persons who claim to be capable of medical dowsing as it is called and who practice this and for a fee, yet I am not one of those persons. For a drastic example, several men have spontaneous thoughts of having sex with a woman that they see, yet only because some men will act out on those thoughts does not make all men who have those thoughts rapists. You must be careful not to litigate me personally for the actions of others, even though we share in common a similar personal internal experience of medical perception.

Let me make this very clear. The reason I begun investigating this experience for possible correlation with reality was after several interesting cases of having perceived something which - without having expressed what I saw to others - would later become verified without my involvement. I had valid reasons to begin to investigate my experience - I was encountering cases of accuracy for which I found no normal explanation and it activated my scientific curiosity.

Within this investigation and for the purpose of evaluating the paranormal claim I performed psychic reading attempts on family members, close acquaintances, and skeptics. Persons were informed that the purpose was to evaluate the claim, reminded to treat the information I give as nonsense since it very well may be, and asked to be entirely honest about its accuracy. No one who received a reading from me was under the age of 18. Each person qualified as being a level-headed and sensible person who should not be susceptible for injury from participating in the reading. And of course I do not charge participants any money for taking part in a reading.

Very few of my acquaintances were chosen by me to participate in this study. Most of the people I know and who know me do not know about my project, and I trust very few persons to be sound enough to manage involvement in a science project such as this. I even have several best friends to whom I have not mentioned a word of this, simply because I do not qualify their judgement on these topics as scientifically adequate.

If you feel convinced that I am, in fact, offering psychic readings to persons who are not family members, close acquaintances, or skeptics, and you fear that I may be charging people money for readings, then please ask yourself where is the evidence of that. Learn to be a little scientist. Question the material you come across on the internet. Always consider the credibility of home-made internet webpages. Basically, Jim Carr (UncaYimmy) could be posting that I am a drug-smuggling prostitute murderer or a host of other lies and you would be getting all worked up and concerned.

I was recently subject to an internet scam when my computer got infected with the virus called SecurityEssentials2011. An alert appeared on my screen telling me that my computer was infected with viruses and that in order for me to regain my computer I would have to purchase their program. I was unable to use my computer with all the alerts telling me that my computer was being disabled by viruses. Of course I was alarmed. I was receiving messages telling me that the data stored was at risk of being deleted. I was about to purchase the virus removal software, until I got a bad feeling about this. I wondered why the security alert was hijacking my screen for an obligatory 300 seconds before I could proceed with a choice of action other than purchase. I looked up the name of the program only to find several warnings and not a single supporting page. Turns out SecurityEssentials itself is the virus. It warns me of problems that are non-existent, and is itself blocking my computer trying to get me to buy something that I do not even need. I found free-of-charge ways of removing the program that was pretending to help me. But I can tell you that for a while there, it all looked authentic.

Think of Jim Carr as a SecurityEssentials program, spreading false threats and alarming people for no good reason, only to somehow himself gain on it personally.

Anybody can write anything on the internet. There is no formal review of content published. As a science student we are taught endlessly about the importance of credible references and sources. We are not allowed to use Wikipedia as a science reference, no matter how appealing or authentic the content may look. Wikipedia is written by anybody anywhere without any requirement of the necessary credentials for the subject written about.

I agree that what Sylvia Browne and James Van Praagh et.al. are doing is wrong and unethical. It makes my blood boil and I am with you and skeptics on this. But assuming I be like them or that I would be guilty of the same crimes as they is like saying "all men are evil". I can not be held responsible for their actions, nor do I represent the vast majority of the paranormal movement nor the multitude of fraud and wrongful practice therein. I am an entirely different sort of woo. A brand new subspecies of ethical woo.

A representative example of what it is I do with psychic reading attempts and how I process those and what their outcome is can be found in the most recent reading I did which was in July this year on Skeptic Michael Shermer. It illustrates not only the type of person I solicit for a psychic reading attempt to be part of my investigation, but also lists the reasons I do this when I do, how I approach the design and carrying out of such a reading, and what its implications can be for my investigation.

My investigation and conduct within this investigation including all that I have done as part of this research project have all been in compliance with both formal laws and informal societal rules of ethics. The fact that many skeptics become frustrated beyond their comprehension at the stubbornness and unconventionality of me as a claimant as I do not conform to the prejudice expectations of a woo based on skeptics' prior experiences and when my claims are not so easy to die, is about the only distress I have caused to anybody, yet skeptics engage in my work at their own choice.

I hope that you do read this, and that you come to adopt a more objective manner of inquiry into this subject, which may lead you to different conclusions.

julia wrote:
Thanks for the welcome, this is all quite interesting as well as new to me, but I'm eager to do some investigating.

I only hope that some of the "friends" she claims to practice on do a bit of researching and find this site. I see the potential for her to do serious harm to someone alarmingly high.

As to her obtaining a degree to practice medicine, I could be wrong, but it seems unlikely. Just following some links here and looking at her obnoxious site, I base that opinion on a few things. For one, studying to be a doctor is a grueling task and requires a person to concentrate, live, breath their studies. From what I've seen so far she seems far too self-absorbed, far too needy for the admiration of others regardless of how she obtains it, to fully concentrate. She is such a classic narcissist it is just difficult to imagine her devoting all of her time and energy at anything selfless. She wants to be seen. Often. And not just by classmates.

After reading a bit from the links here, it sounds like she attempts to charm her victims. Perhaps it is because I'm female, but I have yet to see anything charming about her. Egotistical, yes. Charming? I don't think so.

Perhaps part of what I find so alarming about her is that I can understand quite well how desperate and vulnerable people with physical ailments can be. In the past few years I have had 4 spine surgeries and suffer now from CRPS. Though I've never resorted to crystals or magic tincures, I can honestly understand why people can be willing to try anything just to make the pain go away. And it's exactly people like us, those that suffer or even fear suffering, that are the prey she has her vulture eyes on.

As much as I want her stopped, I don't want it to be because she finally causes someone irreversable harm.

Julia

My response:
I am not studying to become a doctor of medicine. I was at one point studying Pre-Medicine to become a doctor of osteopathic medicine, but in my second semester of introductory college physics I fell head over heels in love with optical physics, the scientific study of light and radiation and its technical applications. My career will be as a research scientist developing new medical instrumentation that uses radiation, waves, and fields for medical applications.

You will be happy to know that I am not Narcissistic just because I have received a lot of (negative) attention in the skeptical community. A Narcissist thrives in attention whereas I wish the skeptical community would adopt the vastly impersonal mannerism held by science. I would wish to discuss my claims in a manner as dry, impersonal, selfless and boring as cardboard or as it is when scientists discuss a topic amongst themselves. It is however, like Dr. Massimo Pigliucci recognized in his TAM8 lecture, easy for skeptics to insist a scientist's privileges and authority simply because they discuss science-related topics and science-ish investigative approaches, yet most skeptics remain only unqualified opinionated people who involve personal emotions and agendas making skepticism vs. the paranormal some sort of sport or game to be won at any cost even if they are wrong, which is not how science is done.

The rumor that I be a "psychic slut" was first started by ours Mark Edward, as the obvious next insult to be used as an attempt at crushing me and my claim, after previous attempts with liar, fraud, scam, attention seeking, delusional, narcissistic, sociopath and the many others had failed to be effective at achieving destruction of my project. It all started when I started dating Mark's personal friend and fellow skeptic. Mark lost himself in a conspiracy theory where I was a woo infiltrator seducing all the skeptics to destroy skepticism from within. Soon other blind followers of skeptical trends caught on to this most recent innovative form of offense for trying to get rid of me, and without me having done anything further, suddenly all of my adversaries were catching on and calling me slut, sexually manipulative, seductive. There is no truth to those remarks nor are they effective in stopping my claims.

As for there being desperate people searching for an alternative promise for a cure of their ailment willing to put science and medicine aside, I have been contacted by less than a handful of those during these past three years and I have turned down each of their requests for assistance explaining that I do not do psychic readings, I am not psychic, I only investigate an experience, and that they should continue to rely on their medical provider. You will have a hard time finding evidence of the contrary.

And so, your posts in the stopvff-forum come across as nothing but essays on the general wrongs of the likes of Sylvia Browne, valid concerns expressed and reasonable reactions outlined, yet they have got nothing to do with me, just like one rapist does not make all men evil.

julia wrote:
Desertgirl, I had no idea that there are faith-healing clauses. The more I read the more frightening this person becomes. I read UY's blogs last night and it made the alarm bells ring even more loudly. To say she is disturbed is being kind.

And yes, it is people who suffer conditions such as mine, but also people with more serious illness's that are often easy prey. My sister - now estranged - has spent thousands of dollars on people like VFF - only to become crippled.

It becomes more difficult, in my opinion, to try and stop her when she is in Sweden. I do however want to do a bit of research and see if I can find out how laws regarding medical advise work there. As I said, I don't see her getting through medical school. But I do see her back here. She can't resist Hollywood.

Julia

My response:
I do not offer psychic readings and I do not dispense medical advise to persons. I have not earned a penny with my claims, rather I have spent in excess of $2,500 on costs associated with investigating it. I do by all means encourage you to look into the matter, as that should only reveal to you that you are seriously misinformed of my actions and intentions. Fortunately for all of us, legal restrictions and consequences operate on impartial and objective fact. Not on personal attack campaigns, bias and prejudice, misconception or other deliberate agendas as is Jim Carr's stopvisionfromfeeling website. I need not be concerned, nor do you since I speculate that you are simply misinformed rather than deliberately menacing or libelous.

Which brings us to this anecdote once again. As a student of chemistry and physics I am entrusted with dangerous chemicals and lasers with the potential to severely injure a person if handled improperly. For instance I've worked with seriously hazardous HF acid, whereas a person off the street should not be allowed access to the chemical. So you see it's not about what one possesses in their hands but rather how one handles it. Chemicals and powerful lasers could be damaging if in the hands of an irresponsible person, yet with someone who applies knowledge and care it is safe. Similarly, a paranormal claim or the experince behind a medical dowsing claim can be potentially very hazardous to oneself and others, if not in the hands of someone who handles it responsibly and safely within the confines of an investigation.

While we can agree that paranormal claims hold a certain level of potential for harm, while in the hands of a responsible scientist and for the purposes of investigation it is safe. I investigate my claims, I do not practice my claims. The difference between me and someone like Sylvia Browne or Brent Atwater, is like the difference between a research scientist using HF for laboratory purposes, and someone selling HF calling it fluoride to be used as an ingredient in mouthwash (it would dissolve your skull).

As for Hollywood, I didn't care for it much. It seemed to be a mostly deserted, run-down movie set of a town. My favorite cities so far have been London, Las Vegas, Sydney, Stockholm. I like big cities with lots of things to do and see, and yes, with so much people that it is easy for one to get lost in the crowd.

julia wrote:
Last night I spent some time trying to look up laws regarding giving medical advise in Sweden. I'm sorry to say that I couldn't find much, though to be honest I think it may be a case of my lacking in computer skills and not that the information isn't there.

So, let me just say that I would really like to help. The more I read about her the more I get an uneasy feeling, and am more comfirmed that the potential for her doing serious harm is overwhelming. I'm sure that once again I am being repetitive, but besides the obvious Narcissistic disorder she has, I also believe she is a sociopath. She doesn't care about anyone but herself, and would be delighted to do harm if she felt she could somehow gain.

Right now I am feeling a bit helpless. If anyone has any ideas about doing something proactive (though I admit I could simply vent for pages) I would be interested in anyone who has ideas about how to go about my assisting in stopping this person.

Having said that, I also realize that while she is still in Sweden, perhaps it is a matter of waiting for her to make the next move. Regardless, just know I am willing to help.

Thanks,

Julia

My response:
Of course a paranormal claim has the potential to do harm. So do dangerous chemicals, lasers, and science equipment. Which yet again makes this joke seem perfectly appropriate here. Everyone has the potential to do harm, and most of the items in a house could be used as potential weapons. The absurdity of Jim Carr's anti-campaign is like as if I were writing a stopjimcarr.com website about him being a possible rapist because he flirted with a girl or him being a possible murderer because he was once angry and has knives in his kitchen and rallying up people to stop him by any means possible.

While I realize the potential for harm with illful use of a paranormal claim, my claim and in my hands is as safe as a kitchen knife used to prepare a meal instead of murder.

I am quite sure that I do not suffer from Narcissistic personality disorder, and that this is just one of the many remarks used to try to insult, as if my science project of medical perception could be concluded on based on popular opinion in skepticism that claims of the unknown automatically be purely non-existent and void of anything for us to learn and harmful without the possibility of elucidating something new. To call me a Narcissist is like when some including yours Jim Carr calls me fat. It is intended as an insulting remark to try to achieve the perceived goal which becomes an obsession of Jim's to slay my paranormal claim at any cost to make him the next legendary Robert Lancaster.

Problem is, science projects are never settled by filthy ruthless personal campaigns of the likes of political campaigning to win admiration or popularity, dirty sales tactics to sell a bad deal, or a lawyer's case aiming to win at any cost regardless of if they are right or wrong. That is why these campaigns of Jim Carr into which you have now gotten submerged, will not hold effective in my investigation, because I know that what I am doing is science, albeit into a controversial and highly provocative subject as it is.

I intend to see a professional to ask them to evaluate whether I do have Narcissistic personality disorder or whether I display signs of being sociopath, and I am sure they will clear me of those accusations, which will illustrate to you how these words are only being used against me since Jim Carr has convinced himself and his followers that he is the next Robert Lancaster, and I the next Sylvia Browne, when in fact he is not quite the noted skeptic and I am not the harmful woo of the likes of Sylvia.

You are seriously mistaken about my project VisionFromFeeling. The manner in which you have fallen victim for Jim Carr's package deal that he is trying to sell about me as the next Sylvia Browne, should one day embarrass and infuriate you having fallen victim for the same manner by which harmful woos sell lies and take away common sense and a perspective of reality from their prey. To somehow try to brand me in the way that Jim Carr does and which you seem to have now thoroughly embraced is not much different from how sect leaders, religious advocates, or salespeople persuade people to believe that the earth is flat, that science is wrong, or to purchase a useless product that does in fact not work as promised and convince you to become a resaleperson and advocate of the bunk.