Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Inaccutron

        Remember this? Richard Hoagland's MicroSet trace during the Venus transit of June 2004. Let's call it Trace A.

Image credit: Enterprisemission.com

Well, Richard Hoagland has now published THIS. Trace B:

Image credit: Enterprisemission.com

        Compare the two. The horizontal scales are the same. Each trace covers a sample of 1.4 hours, or 84 minutes. The vertical scales are, however, different.

        In Trace A, each grid line represents 0.147 Hz or, as the software helpfully tells us, 35.6 sec/day. In Trace B, each grid line is very nearly 0.3 Hz or 1.2 min/day.

        Knowing that, we can derive some figures for the frequency spikes the traces show. In each case, there's a major spike to 364.474 Hz at 7:03:53 EDT (we have to take Hoagland's word for the 364.474 figure, since the spike went off-scale—an error that would cause a real scientist to reject this data.)

In Trace A, we see the following subsequent spikes:
  • 360.53 Hz -- 2.15 min later
  • 360.42 Hz -- 5.16 min later
  • 360.3 Hz --  8.17 min later

In Trace B, we see:
  • 360.7 Hz -- 1.4 min later
  • 360.7 Hz -- 7.7 min later
....plus a lot of other noise.

        This is supposed to be the same event? They don't match at all. Now look at the information in the header. Same number of samples, 90,000. Same average rate, 361.611 Hz. But the current time is a give-away. Trace A was recorded at 5:53:25 pm, whereas Trace B wasn't captured until 2:26:03 am (presumably the following day.) What was Richard Hoagland doing by way of data-massage in the intervening hours?

        Bear in mind the following additional facts:
  • The most pronounced spike of all, to 366.782 Hz, didn't occur until 7:21:30 EDT, when the transit was over (per another version of the trace, on Hoagland's FB page.)
  • The times of third and fourth contact are in any case wrong. That and other background information is covered in this blogpost.

        Hoagland has also, finally, posted the MicroSet trace he recorded in April 2009 at Teotihuacan for the SyFy documentary on 2012. Here it is:

Image credit: Enterprisemission.com

        This one shows two enormous frequency spikes, to 454.79 Hz and 465.192 Hz. The comical part is that they didn't happen at dawn, as Hoagland claimed. In fact, he doesn't even show the trace at dawn, which occurred at 07:13 am—off scale to the left. As science, this is worthless.

Please send money

        This additional accutron—or INaccutron—data comes in the first self-published web page Hoagland has produced in more than two years. A Most Hyperdimensional Eclipse. He finally stirred his old bones to create this page because it served his true purpose, which is not science but the collection of money. With the text at a fixed width of nearly 1200 pixels, and the equivalent of 8pt at a typical screen resolution, it's almost as if he doesn't really want us to read it, he makes it so hard. But he clearly does, for the kicker is the announcement of a subscription webcast of further inaccutron nonsense from Albuquerque during the annular eclipse coming up on May 20th.

I won't be subscribing, so don't look for any details on this blog.

Update:
Hoagland posted this on Facebook yesterday:
So far, less than $2000 has come in. Not near enough by far to carry out an expedition to Egypt!

But-- What we're planning to post on Enterprise tonight, SHOULD change that .... 

        Why would he think an almost-illegible and poorly-reasoned web page would get the money rolling in, I wonder? On the contrary, my guess is that the cash flow will now taper off very quickly—anyone who felt the need to waste their money having already done so. Then we're back to speculating about whether he'll give the disciples their money back when he cancels the trip. Fat chance!

33 comments:

expat said...

Note that, on the web page, the image of Maurice Allais and the Measurement Circle is tagged as 'Copyright 2102 The Enterprise Mission.' Very funny.

Chris Lopes said...

I guess Hoagland has the same Web designer as George Haas these days. The fact that the screen length doesn't match anything else on the page confirms that this is the work of an amateur. Perhaps someone could suggest a good book on Web design to both of them, one that includes the concept of cascading style sheets.

As to the content of the article, I think you are giving Hoagland much too much credit. He hasn't actually presented any real data, just a few screen captures of a graph. I notice he even had Photoshop open when he took one of those captures, which makes me think we aren't looking at anything real. The fact that you were able to find discrepancies in the data he has shown just means he's even more of an incompetent than we thought.

P.S. I didn't notice the copyright error, but it figures. Hoagland has always claimed to be a man ahead of his time. :)

expat said...

Don't get me started on Hoagland's page markup. On Facebook he wrote that he was getting to grips with Dreamweaver, but I can't believe Dreamweaver would have created this:

- No DOCTYPE declaration
- No HEAD element
- No META info
- No ALT text for any of the images

It's really pathetic. On Firefox the background image runs out before the text is finished, so the last 3 paragraphs are white-on-white. That happened with his original accutron page, too.

Anonymous said...

Now now Expat, let's not get caught up in the nit-picking of whether the data is accurate or not - this is about making sure the faithful get a few graphs with extra "up and down spikey bits" for when the HD magic happens... and as long as it sounds "scientific-y" (ish) then that's pretty much all it needs to do, in reinforcing what the disciples already "know" and believe to be hidden physics.

(Perhaps the more $10 donations you give, the bigger and more frequent the HD "spikeys" get on the forth coming graphs next month?!?)

Chris Lopes said...

If that happened on his original Accutron page, maybe he used that one as a template for this one. I mean much of the material is retread, so why not the actual page. It would certainly fit with Hoagland's lack of work ethic.

I'm just amazed that something that was meant as a sales pitch (by Hiagland's own admission) could look so bad. I mean if the idea is to sell the narrative to get people to send money, at least make it easier for them to actually read (let alone understand) what it is you are trying to say. Hoagland just plain fails at even the basics.

Anonymous said...

I've not been on FB for quite a while, so I wonder if anyone has asked RCH publicly about refunds if there is no Egypt trip?!... (I doubt it, of course)

From what I have seen, everyone seems to be so happy just to have the chance to give him money, to feel a part of "the process" and endlessly promotes him and his scientific theories that they already hold as scientific fact, that I cannot see any of his aprox 200 $10 donating-disciples asking for their money back...

After all, it is a "donation" and we all known how RCH shifts the definitions of his words around... especially when it's all in the name of "the bigger picture"... but when those donating seem so happy and GRATEFUL to be able to do it, surely there wont be much complaining over "a few bucks" if he doesn't spend the summer in Giza?!?

Chris Lopes said...

Anon,
Even if there is complaining, the posts with the complaints will be dumped down the old memory hole. The FB delete button is connected to the pleasure center of Hoagland's brain after all.

jourget said...

If he really does want to get to Egypt (as I imagine he does, having actually written something new for it), he made a fatal mistake in getting the ball rolling so late on this.

The transit is on June 6. His original "birthday present" plea for cash was posted on April 25. Even if he left on the day itself, that leaves only 43 calendar days to raise the ludicrous sum of $100,000 he suggested. If $800 really came in the first day, as RCH posted, it's easy to take that as an initial flood of donations by Hoagland's most credulous fans. The daily income can be safely expected to go down, not up, after the first day, but even if the performance stayed the same, 43 days of that level of income only brings him to $34,400, or a little more than a third of the way.

Hoagland's usual strategy of hitching his wagon to whatever news story is current has backfired here. Maybe he should have been going on about the transit in the same vein in which he beat Elenin and YU55 to death last year.

The hilarious part is that while he has made "Science is nothing if it's not prediction" his catchphrase for the last couple decades, one of the MOST predictible astronomical phenomena in existence has gotten the better of him. He knew it was coming, but missed the boat. Ah, well, Rich. There are plenty of Pueblo ruins in your area. I bet you'll be able to find something that fits the "torsion model" at one of those when Egypt doesn't work out.

Anonymous said...

Well put.

There is no doubt he definitely WANTS to go to Giza, and has left it very late. He was originally throwing around a figure equating to $80,000 aprox but realistically -if he is THAT desperate to get to Giza- he could probably make the trip happen for a fraction of that number. It is late in the day to make the trip happen, but doable - we'll have to stay tuned to see what happens over the next week or so, to make those who haven't donated yet rush to open their wallets.

I guess it's safe to say his publisher didn't give him that $10/20/40/80k advance either way!

Jiminy Oddbird said...

For two grand, couldn't the geezer just go to Gaza instead of Giza?

Jiminy Oddbird said...

Your data does not clearly compensate for time differential of distance variation of locations. Presumably, Hoagland was going by Eastern Time. IF Godard NASA uses Universal Time, that would be different and have to be converted, but the page does not say if Universal Time (GMT) or what time zone or time zones are relevant.



http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/transit/TV2004/city-USA1.html


(Transit of Venus - 2004 June 08
Circumstances for the United States - 1
Alabama to Missouri)

strahlungsamt said...

What will probably make the trip more expensive is that he may not have a working credit card and have to pay in cash. Impossible to say but I'm guessing he's maxed out a few cards already and the $80,000 is to pay them back.
Without credit cards, most cheap flights/hotels will be closed off to him.

Chris Lopes said...

strahlungsamt,
Given the political situation in Egypt, I doubt (even with the money) Hoagland would get the permits he needs to do what he wants. That may be exactly what he is expecting and counting on. "Oops sorry guys, looks like the bad guys are keeping me from my research. Well I'll find a good use for the donations you sent, don't you worry. They haven't won yet, stay tuned!"

jourget said...

Just where the hell are all his DISconfirming results, anyway? A real scientist would be able to produce hundreds of rock-steady 360 hertz traces taken with the Accutron at different locations and different times to prove that environmental factors are not affecting the watch's frequency, and that the "instrument" is properly isolated from vibrational disturbances caused by the shrill man in the bolo jumping up and down next to it.

Seriously, even putting aside the absurdity of the use of an old watch, how is anything proven if EVERY test at an interesting location gives you "PROFOUND" results? I know Hoagland's hurting for cash, but how hard is it to drive around a few dozen random places in New Mexico and get some baseline readings? Hell, even his study would do. He can't claim that's an ancient sacred site, can he? The only thing less plausible than this garbage is his belief that anyone of note will ever take him seriously.

Biological_Unit said...

Ed Leedskalnin – the Latvian immigrant stone mason claimed to have built it single-handedly, “on the secret knowledge of those who built the Pyramids of Egypt …

Yes indeed, the use of pulleys and leverage is ancient indeed. What is amazing is that Ed was not a big, muscular fellow.

Biological_Unit said...

two enormous frequency spikes, to 454.79 Hz and 465.192 Hz

Indeed. This is amazing.

expat said...

Misti: There's no doubt at all about the time zones for 3rd/4th contact. The GSFC table cites Universal Time, in common with all other astronomical tables. EDT is -5 from UT.

expat said...

Sorry, make that -4

Chris Lopes said...

I'm still not convinced that there is any real data involved here. A GUI is not a program and a program may not really be doing what the guy running it says it is doing. Sit through your average lame hacker movie and you'll be exposed to all kinds of computer screens that don't do anything except look really cool. Creating those cool graphics is actually someone's full time job.

So the "screen captures" that Hoagland presents as "data" don't really impress me much. Since he doesn't (as others have pointed out) seem to do any baseline measurements, there is no reason to believe that the watch and the program are actually connected in any way. For all we know, the program could be reading the data off of a previously created file or might not be doing anything at all. Given Hoagland's previous explorations in fraud, one would be foolish not to consider the possibility that he is just making it up.

As an example of what can be done (with very little effort), I present this. Note that this is an actual program, not just a graphic. It doesn't really do anything (beyond measuring BS Physics units as Hoagland's ego eclipses the sun), but it looks like it could.

expat said...

I agree. I'm reluctant to make a direct accusation, but anybody reading my post could quite easily come to the conclusion that Hoagland recorded a random trace, looked for some sudden frequency spike, and labeled it with the (wrong)time of 3rd contact.

The fact that MicroSet itself doesn't label the horizontal scale, and that the two versions presented are obviously not the same trace at different scales, allows that conclusion, I think.

Chris Lopes said...

I note with interest that as of right now, there are a mere 30 responses (many from Hoagland himself) to the "BULLETIN" he put up Monday announcing the new "paper". Either he has had to delete a lot of negative responses or the paper is getting a big fat yawn. That does not bode well for the money flow.

Of course it doesn't help that even when you get beyond pseudo-science double talk, what you have left is a somewhat less than compelling narrative. Basically Hoagland is trying to raise money to get data to confirm what he says he's confirmed in Central America, Coral Gables, and England. It's not like he's promising to bring back a piece of HD tech he's looking for on the Giza Plateau. He's simply promising to take readings that confirm what he's already proven. That isn't much to excite the imaginations of people who are used to alien ruins on the Moon and comets and asteroids as space ships.

Esteban Navarro said...

Ha, ha , ha...Your "screenshot" is awesome Chris!

Measured in hoaglands...

Very good ;)

Jiminy Oddbird said...

So then Pat, does that mean that the times on the Venus transit tables are all given in GMT, or are they posted as local time for each discrete location, like on an airline ticket itinerary?

Anonymous said...

http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8051630750074978974&postID=159767877637518049

There are 6000 + words on that page.

Yet one cannot find any specific prediction for the anticipated measurements.
Nor can one find any procedural steps for data acquisition.
This is not science.
These are the pronouncements of a high priest demanding unquestioned trust.

expat said...

I would add that there isn't even any statement about the units the "torsion field" is to be measured in.

Jiminy Oddbird said...

Perhaps Torsion might be measured in "G" Forces?

Chris Lopes said...

Misti,
G forces are a Newtonian concept. According to "The Big Man", HD physics so different that the concepts of Newtonian and Eisensteinian physics do not apply. Therefore, the units those physics forces are measured in don't apply.

What units would apply you ask? Well none that we who were taught "western" science would understand, that's for sure. Nope, you need to be an out of the box (and escaped from the psych ward) thinker to really grasp the subtly of what's going on here. So demanding things like empirical evidence and an adherence to the scientific method just marks you as an unenlightened dolt. In other words, HD forces are measured in unicorn farts.

Anonymous said...

But not just any unicorns... has to be those with a horn at 19.5 degree angle away from the ground, otherwise the torsion field cannot be measured by his wrist watch and home made gizmos...

Jiminy Oddbird said...

There was a mathematician on Coast who once said he could write an concept in three dimensions, so therefore no theory of greater multiple universes were necessary.

If HD is real, and can be demonstrated in our three dimensional realm, then the material effects can obviously be measured with some three dimensional method.

Jiminy Oddbird said...

Proving the effects are caused by HD, is another matter entirely, however.

If thee is anything to the concept of rotating bodies proximity to each other, for instance, then it isn't necessarily something extra dimensional, but rather a natural phenomenon, in three dimensions, perhaps not commonly understood.

Biological_Unit said...

Everything in the Universe is a Natural Phenomenon. Neptune's crazy strong winds await an explanation by anyone.

anyone?

James Concannon said...

Just for fun, I messaged six of Hoagland's donors asking whether they'll want their money back when this jaunt is cancelled. Only one replied, saying that she would not. "It's a birthday present."

Anonymous said...

Like I say: his disciples are just so excited to have the opportunity to donate and feel like they get to be a part of history-making, hidden-science-revealing projects that "a few bucks" is almost irrelevant... (I'd be surprised if this was not the common theme through virtually all of his donors).

Then again, I suppose a few grand does beat socks for a birthday present...