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Pschometry/hermeneutics and NPR
James Carucci (Carucci@SMTP.LMS.USACE.ARMY.MIL)
Tue, 6 Dec 1994 08:55:43 -0600
in reference to Stephen Tromly's dec 5 post, and Michael Forstadt's
dec 4 post...
i, too, heard the 'psychic archaeologist' story on National Public
Radio. my wife [who is an archaeologist, like myself] and i were
apalled.
here in the st louis area, the story was broadcast on 'weekend
edition' on saturday, dec 3rd, between 9 and 10 am. the story was
about a guy named Mcmullins [sp??]... the names of TWO other
supposedly 'real' anthropologists who utilized mcmullins 'skills'
WERE mentioned in the piece... contrary to my understanding of
the earlier posts on this subject. one anthro guy, who is now
deceased, is said to have used mcmullins' skills extensively... a
second anthropologist was also said to know of mcmullins' abilities,
and the opinion [taped phone conversation] of the second person was
included in the piece. this guy said something like "... mcmullins
is not always right... i'd say that statistically his 'readings' are
correct about 50 percent of the time [!!! exclamation of disbelief
mine!!!], but those that are true are amazing in detail...."
forget the issue of a story such as this lending credibility to
psychic amateur archaeologists, my question is what was NPR thinking
about?? if there are 1000 good, solid, scientific archaeological
projects in north america each year [assume this for the moment],
and psychic archaeological readings are commissioned 10 or 20 times
by misguided professionals... does this constitute proof that the
methods used are real, that a national radio story should be
broadcast telling of 'alternative' field methods??
on another post in this list, i caught an NPR e-mail address.
it was me@npr.org [for morning edition].
i have also heard that "all things considered" has an e-mail
address, perhaps: atc.npr.org
i am surprised and saddened by an otherwise quality news broadcast
which now delivers america such tripe. i, for one, intend to send
npr one or more derogatory e-mail msgs, pointing out how idiotic
their story was, how 'fringe' psychometry is, and how disgusted, in
general, i felt to hear such crap on my stereo.
had i known about psychometry several years ago, i'd not have made
100,000 or so measurements; i'd just have passed my hands over my
faunal data set, and "felt" the facts. would have speeded up my
dissertation considerably.
james carucci, disgusted archaeologist
working for the feds,
in the st louis area.
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