trentmkelly/rationalwiki huggingface dataset:
Geoffrey Simmons

{{crenav|1}}
'''Geoffrey Simmons''' {{lived|1943|}} is a medical doctor and proponent of [[intelligent design]].

==Biography==
Simmons is a fellow at the Center for Science and Culture, part of the [[Discovery Institute]]. He is a board certified physician in internal medicine and the author of several books.<ref>[http://www.coasttocoastam.com/guest/simmons-geoffrey/6903 Interview with Geoffrey Simmons]</ref>

==Evolution==
Simmons rejects [[evolution]] as he believes (similar to [[young earth creationism|young earth creationists]]) there are billions of gaps in the [[fossil record]] and too many missing links for evolution to be true. He writes that the "only the existence of an all–powerful Designer can explain everything." He sometimes pretends to be a secular [[intelligent design]] advocate though his books are published by a [[Christian]] group and he has performed lectures as Christian Churches.<ref>[http://harvesthousepublishers.com/authors/geoffrey-simmons-md/ Biography of Geoffrey Simmons]</ref><ref>[http://caps.nwcreation.net/news/Flyer_2007_11_11_JOHN_JOHNSON.pdf Christian Creationist Flyer]</ref> He debated evolutionary biologist [[PZ Myers]] in 2008.<ref>"Are Darwin's Theories Fact or Faith Issues?". Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. 2008</ref>

==Books==
*''What Darwin Didn't Know: A Doctor Dissects the Theory of Evolution''. (Harvest Publishers, January 1, 2004) (Foreword by [[William Dembski]])
*''Billions of Missing Links: A Rational Look at the Mysteries Evolution Can't Explain''. (Harvest House Publishers, February 15, 2007)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simmons, Geoffrey}}

{{crebox|1}}

[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Creationists]]
[[Category:Intelligent design creationism]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience promoters]]
[[Category:Physicians]]

Categories: Authors, Creationists, Intelligent design creationism, Living people, Pseudoscience promoters, Physicians
George C. Deutsch

{{crenav|1}}
'''George C. Deutsch''' is a former [[NASA]] press officer, appointed to the position by [[George W. Bush]]. Apparently he caused quite a stir there and became lovable after he ordered a NASA website designer to add the word 
"[[Only a theory|theory]]" after every occurrence of the phrase [[big bang]]:
{{cquote|In his memo to the website designer, Mr. Deutsch wrote that the big bang is "not proven fact; it is opinion... It is [[Not even wrong|not NASA's place]], nor should it be to make a declaration such as this about the existence of the [[universe]] that discounts [[intelligent design]] by a creator… This is more than a [[science]] issue, it is a religious issue."<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/04/science/04climate.html?_r=1 NASA Chief Backs Agency Openness], ''The New York Times''</ref>}}

By sheer [[coincidence]] he was also found to have lied in his CV about having a B.A. degree in [[journalism]] from Texas A&M University, which was ultimately the reason he had to resign.<ref>[http://articles.latimes.com/2006/feb/09/science/sci-nasa9 Bush Appointee Steps Down from Post at NASA], ''Los Angeles Times''</ref>  

==See also==
*[[Wingnut welfare]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{stub|pseudoscience}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deutsch, George C.}}

[[Category:Government incompetence]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience promoters]]

Categories: Government incompetence, Living people, Pseudoscience promoters
George Simpson

{{pseudosciencenav}}
'''George R. Simpson''' {{lived|September 25, 1937|April 2, 2019}}<ref>https://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2019/04/92822/george-russell-simpson/</ref> was (according to his profile<ref>[http://www.etcorngods.com/aboutus.htm ET Corn Gods : Profile]</ref>) a former [[NASA]] [[scientist]], writer, inventor and software developer. He was prolifically litigious,<ref>[http://sites.google.com/site/simpsonlitigation/ website tracking George R Simpson's various lawsuits]</ref> and took a very dim view of anybody criticising any of his work.

Unfortunately, his 'work' includes the 'ET Corn Gods Language/Game' which George claimed to have spent over 20 years developing. This is basically a load of [[numerology]] tied up in some fairly complicated rules, that claims to show that there is 'a hidden language imbedded{{sic}} in the English language'. George had a method which he claimed reveals this hidden language, and gives 'translations' of common words which he claims have messages hidden within them.

Of course, these messages in general revealed more about George than they do about any supposed hidden language, but they are good for a laugh. Many seem to involve [[sex]], and some are downright odd. Perhaps not surprisingly, a significant number of messages seem to refer to George himself. ''Quelle'' surprise.

'''Examples:'''<ref>[http://www.etcorngods.com/sample.htm ET Corn Gods : Sample translations]</ref>

*''[[Breasts]]'' translates to ''Boobs'' (well who woulda' thunk it?)
*''Victory'' translates to ''Iraq Gulf War Story''
*''[[Christians]]'' translates to ''100 Hour War 1991, Bomb B 52 Attack Attack Attack'' (err… ok)
*''[[Jesus]]'' translates to ''GRS, Engineer GRS, George R. Simpson'' (GRS are George's initials of course…)

Quite what this is achieving is anyone's guess, and much is revealed when you check the actual rules of the game,<ref>[http://www.etcorngods.com/translation.htm ET Corn Gods: Translation rules]</ref> which basically allow you to remove and insert characters at will, so any message you like can be produced from any starting word/phrase.

==See also==
*[[Numerology]]

==External links==
*[http://www.etcorngods.com/index.htm ET Corn Gods website]
*[http://ufoetblog.com/ UFO/ET Blog]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, George R.}}
[[Category:Pseudoscience]]
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience promoters]]

Categories: Pseudoscience, Authors, Pseudoscience promoters
George Van Tassel

{{ufology}}
'''George Van Tassel''' {{lived|March 12, 1910|February 9, 1978}} was an [[author]] who claimed to be [[contactee|in contact]] with [[Extraterrestrial|aliens]] from the planet [[Venus]].

According to Van Tassel, in 1953 an alien from Venus named Solgonda woke him from a sound sleep, invited him on board his space ship, and telepathically gave him the plans for a device called the "Integratron" that supposedly could be used to rejuvenate the human body. Van Tassel began building an Integratron in the [[California]] desert, a crazy domed wooden structure that contained no metal nails or screws which he felt would inhibit the cosmic forces within. He believed the Integratron would eventually be capable not only of rejuvenation, but [[time travel]] and anti-gravity. Van Tassel said he incorporated mysterious secret technology pioneered by [[Nikola Tesla]] and built the structure "on an intersection of powerful geomagnetic forces that, when focused by the unique geometry of the building, will concentrate and amplify the energy required for cell rejuvenation". 

His followers explain that the reason why the time travel/rejuvenation stuff isn't working today is because Van Tassel died before "completing" it.  As a consolation, you can take a tour of the structure, rent it for a party, or enjoy a "sound bath" (only $80 per person) that features 25 minutes of someone banging on quartz crystal bowls.<ref>[http://integratron.com The Integratron]</ref> 

Van Tassel authored ''I Rode A Flying Saucer'' in 1952, as well as numerous books about his experiences with "The Space People".

==External links==
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygPcTVX_DAw 1964 Interview with Van Tassel] on [[YouTube]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{stub|ufology}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Van Tassel, George}}

[[category:Ufology]]
[[category:Authors]]

Categories: Ufology, Authors
George Whitefield

[[File:George_Whitefield_(head).jpg|thumb|165px|George Whitefield]]{{Christianity}}
{{cquote|I cannot help thinking, that some of those servants mentioned by the Apostles in their epistles, were or had been slaves. It is plain, that the Gibeonites were doomed to perpetual slavery, and though liberty is a sweet thing to such as are born free, yet to those who never knew the sweets of it, slavery perhaps may not be so irksome.|4=''George Whitefield, Works, volume 2, letter DCCCLXXXVII''}}

'''George Whitefield''' (1714–1770) was the most famous preacher of the [[First Great Awakening]], a founder of [[Methodism]], and an advocate for [[slavery]] (to make his plantation profitable), leading to the successful introduction of slavery to [[Georgia]], which is ironic given that the founder of methodism hated slavery.<ref>Arnold Dallimore, ''George Whitefield: The Life and Times of the Great Evangelist of the Eighteenth Century'' (1980), Volume 2</ref><ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2014/06/17/this-is-not-good-news-this-is-not-salvation/ This is not good news - this is not salvation] - [[Slacktivist]]</ref><ref>Brings a whole new meaning to "The Devil went down to Georgia"</ref>  Rubbing salt into the wound, he is also remembered as one of the first to preach to slaves.

Along with Jonathon Edwards, Whitefield heavily influenced American Christianity by popularizing a style of preaching that sought to elicit an emotional response from the audience. Whitefield and other preachers in the First Great Awakening introduced techniques like the "mourner's bench" (the predecessor to the alter call) to draw audience members to the front of the church to convert or rededicate themselves to God. 

Despite preaching [[Calvinism]] and lobbying for slavery, he arguably did do some good things; the {{wpl|Bethesda Orphanage}} he created is the oldest charity in the US (although even that was tainted; built from the proceeds of slavery and maintained in part by slaves).

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{stub|Christianity}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitefield, George}}
[[Category:Christians]]
[[Category:Fundamentalists]]
[[Category:Ministers]]
[[Category:United States history]]
[[Category:Slavery]]

Categories: Christians, Fundamentalists, Ministers, United States history, Slavery
Geoscience Research Institute

{{crenav}}{{cquote|[[God of the gaps|Science is a continuing search that makes progress but never reaches absolute truth. This leaves open the door to suggest that religious factors can legitimately interface with science, if the interaction is done carefully, to avoid hidden pitfalls.]]|||Leonard R. Brand, in ''Origins''<ref>Leonard R. Brand. [http://grisda.org/origins/59006.pdf A Biblical perspective on the philosophy of science.] ''Origins'' 2006, page 4. Retrieved on 8 November 2015.</ref>}}

The '''Geoscience Research Institute''' is an organ of the [[Seventh Day Adventist Church]] that advocates a [[creationist]] viewpoint in Earth sciences. It is based on the campus of [[Loma Linda University]] in southern [[California]]. The name is very misleading as they try to make the GRI sound like an actual Geology research group. In addition to sponsoring research, they publish magazines on the internet that question [[Darwinism]], [[Naturalism]] and every other school of thought that disregards [[creationism]]. Their small staff includes [[Intelligent design]] and creationism promoter Timothy Standish.<ref name="about">[http://grisda.org/about-gri/home-office-staff/ About GRI.] grisda.org. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.</ref><ref>[http://www.thinairevent.com/standish Timothy Standish bio.] thinairevent.com. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.</ref><ref>[https://answersingenesis.org/answers/books/in-six-days/timothy-g-standish-biology/ Answers, Online Books, In Six Days, Chapter 9. Timothy G. Standish, Biology] answersingenesis.org. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.</ref> They have branch offices in [[France]], [[Argentina]], Mexico, [[South Korea]], and two offices in [[Brazil]].<ref name="about"/>

The organization's irregularly published journal, ''Origins,'' is thinly veiled creationist propaganda masquerading as science.<ref>[http://grisda.org/resources/origins/ Origins: Geoscience Research Institute.] grisda.org. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.grisda.org/ Official web site]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{crebox}}

[[Category:California]]
[[Category:Fundamentalist Christian organizations]]

Categories: California, Fundamentalist Christian organizations
Geraldine Cummins

[[File:Geraldine Dorothy Cummins.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Cummins, c. 1915]]
{{Psychic|1}}
'''Geraldine Dorothy Cummins''' {{lived|1890|1969}} was an [[Ireland|Irish]] [[spiritualist]] [[medium]].

Cummins was an exponent of [[automatic writing]]. She was the author of the spiritualist book ''The Road to Immortality'' (1932) which was supposed to be communicated from the spirit world by the fraudulent psychical researcher [[Frederic William Henry Myers]].

She is most well known for her book ''Swan on a Black Sea'' (1965) which claims to be an account of her conversations with the spirit of Mrs Willett (the spiritualist name of the medium Winifred Coombe Tennant).

Researchers who studied Cummins discovered that her mediumship was fraudulent. Cummins had long standing connections with friends and families of the deceased that she claimed to have contacted.<ref>Mary Rose Barrington. (1966). ''Swan on a Black Sea: How Much Could Miss Cummins Have Known?''. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research. Volume 43. pp. 289-300.</ref> She also worked as a cataloguer at the National Library of Ireland and would take information from history and religious books which she would regurgitate in her automatic writings, including ''Swan on a Black Sea.''<ref>Eric Robertson Dodds. (2000). ''Missing Persons: An Autobiography''. Oxford University Press. pp. 105-106.</ref> 

The only supporters of Cummins are spiritualist cranks such as [[Michael Prescott]] and [[Michael E. Tymn]] who ignore any evidence of her fraud. 

==Psychic woo works==
*''The Scripts of Cleophas'', 1928
*''Paul in Athens'', 1930
*''The Great Days of Ephesus'', 1933
*''The Road to Immortality'', 1933
*''Beyond Human Personality'', 1935
*''The Childhood of Jesus'', 1937
*''After Pentecost'', 1944
*''Perceptive Healing'', 1945 (with R. Connell)
*''They Survive'', 1946
*''The Resurrection of Christ'', 1947
*''The Manhood of Jesus'', 1949
*''I Appeal Unto Caesar'', 1950
*''The Fate of Colonel Fawcett'', 1955
*''Mind in Life and Death'', 1956
*''Healing the Mind'', 1957 (with R. Connell) 
*''Swan on a Black Sea'', 1965

==References== 
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cummins, Geraldine}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Paranormal]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience promoters]]
[[Category:Psychics]]

Categories: Living people, Paranormal, Pseudoscience promoters, Psychics
Ghost Whisperer

{{sources needed}}{{media}}{{title-italics}}
'''''Ghost Whisperer''''' was a fictional television drama series (2005-2010) produced by CBS television, in which the protagonist, Melinda Gordon (played by Jennifer Love Hewitt), was able to "see" and communicate with [[ghost]]s, with assorted [[paranormal]] tropes (e.g. flying [[ouija board]]s, mobile phones sending messages out of the blue, roses appearing out of nowhere). One of the show's executive producers was the self-proclaimed "[[medium]]" [[James Van Praagh]], so inevitably the show stooped into proselytizing that ghosts really exist and that those who don't believe are "closed minded." This usually involved stereotyping characters into two groups — those that are skeptical (usually portrayed as middle-aged, sometimes wearing glasses, slightly overweight, lonely, and having no social life) and those that believe (usually young adults or teens, hunky, slim and beautiful, à la Jennifer Love Hewitt). If skeptics and believers were swapped with African-American and white, this show would never get past [[NAACP]].

==External links==
*[https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/episode_scripts.php?tv-show=ghost-whisperer ''Ghost Whisperer'' episode scripts]

[[Category:Television programmes]]{{stub|media}}

Categories: Television programmes
Ghost box

[[File:Simple Ghost Box or Frank Box.jpg|thumb|right|165px|A ghost box]]
{{paranormal}}
A '''Ghost box''' (also known as a '''Frank's box''') is a device used to supposedly communicate with the dead. In reality, it's just an intentionally-damaged [[radio]]. 

== How it's made ==
Ghost busters get a radio with a frequency scanning function, disable the bit that stops it scanning when it finds a station — and presto, instant ghost box. The radio then permanently jumps though available frequencies, playing each one for a fraction of a second. The various sounds from snatches of transmission, static, white noise and interference are then interpreted (using some of the most extreme [[pareidolia]] and a big dose of imagination) as words and communication from spirits ''on the other side''.<ref>[https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4429 The many voices of Frank's Box] Skeptoid</ref> 

== Why they think it works ==
The [[spirits]] are seemingly unable to just pick one frequency, stick to it, and speak clearly, but must instead speak on lots of different ones in quick succession in cryptic syntax.<ref>[http://www.ghost-tech.com/franks.php Frank's Ghost Box] Ghost Tech</ref><ref>[http://www.liparanormalinvestigators.com/franksboxtheory.shtmlLong Island Paranormal Investigators]</ref><ref>[http://greenvilleghost.com/182/looking-to-buy-a-franks-box-or-ghost-box/ Looking to buy a Franks box or “Ghost Box”? Latest model Ghost Box radio to hit the market is the BEST yet!] Greenvilleghost.com</ref>

== The inevitable app ==
{{cquote|This is NOT a toy app! It is intended to be used for serious paranormal research. That is why we have decided NOT to publish this app in the Play Store for the masses. If you are here, you are probably more serious about the paranormal than most...|||"Jason Profit"<ref name=cross>[http://crosstalkevp.com CrossTalkEVP 2.0 for Android].</ref>}}

Instead of buying an intentionally malfunctioning radio in order to pretend you're communicating with spirits, you can buy a smartphone app that creates the same effect. This small miracle of pseudoscience is marketeered by the aptly-named "Jason Profit".<ref name=cross />

==See also==
*[[Electronic voice phenomenon]]
*[[Ghost Hunters]]
*[[wp:dybbuk box|Dybbuk box]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.angelsghosts.com/ghost_box The Ghost Box]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mujZAVH0N9c The Ghost of Douglas Adams] Woo attempts to channel the other side to establish contact with [[Douglas Adams]].
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khIPjh0xr9Y Suicide Victim's Final Words /ghost box session.wmv] This poor man genuinly believes he's speaking to his dead brother in law

[[Category:Paranormal]]
[[Category:Technology]]
{{stub|Paranormal}}

Categories: Paranormal, Technology
Ghost rockets

{{ufology}}
'''Ghost rockets''' or '''[[Nordic|Scandinavian]] ghost rockets''' (Swedish: ''spökraketer''; Norwegian: ''spøkelsesraketter''; Finnish: ''aaveraketit'') are a series of observations of [[Unidentified flying object|unidentified flying objects]] over [[Finland]], [[Sweden]], and [[Norway]] in 1946.

Generally considered at the time to have been [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] test rockets or missiles, the opening of Soviet records reveals that was unlikely, so, the conspiracy-inclined [[Didit_fallacy#Aliensdidit|assumed it had to be alien craft]].<ref>https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4628</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.ghostrockets.se/ Ghostrockets.se, where you can buy a documentary]
*[https://caravaca.blogspot.com/2014/03/spokraketer-los-cohetes-fantasmas-de.html Jose Antonio Caravaca, "Spökraketer: Los cohetes fantasmas de Suecia" ("Spökraketer: The ghost rockets of Sweden"), blog entry, in ''Esos misterios objetos celestes y sus tripulantes'' ("Those mysterious celestial objects and their crew"), accessed June 25, 2019 (in Spanish).]
*[https://www.svt.se/dokumentarfilm/spokraketerna/ "Spökraketerna" (The ghost rockets"),  SVT (Swedish Public Broadcasting), February 29, 2016. Accessed June 25, 2019 (in Swedish).]

==See also==
*[[Norwegian spiral]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{stub|ufology}}
[[Category:Paranormal]]
[[Category:Ufology]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theories]]

Categories: Paranormal, Ufology, Conspiracy theories
Gigantopithecus

{{cryptid}}
[[File:Gigantopithecus vs Hombre.PNG|thumb]]
'''''Gigantopithecus''''' was an extinct genus of ape which lived in [[India]], [[China]], and [[Vietnam|Indochina]] from about 1.5 to 0.3 million years ago. The position of ''Gigantopithecus'' in the evolutionary [[tree of life]] is uncertain, although among modern apes they may be most closely related to the orangutan.<ref name=wp/> It is known that ''Gigantopithecus'' was not a human ancestor and has no known living descendants.

They were up to 3 meters tall and could weigh 500 kg (in contrast gorillas are less than 2 meters high and weigh up to 195 kg<ref>{{wpa|Gorilla}}</ref>). They lived in Asian forests where they mostly ate plants, probably bamboo in particular but it may have had a slightly wider diet than pandas, including fruit and some other plant matter.<ref name=ls/> Scientists believe they became extinct around 100,000 years ago (older studies say slightly earlier) due to climate change turning their forests into savannah and reducing their food supply.<ref>[https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/01/160106-science-evolution-apes-giant/ The Largest Ape That Ever Lived Was Doomed By Its Size], Mark Strauss, [[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]], 5 January 2016</ref>

Only a small number of remains have been found, largely teeth and bone fragments, with no complete skeleton.<ref name=ls>[https://www.livescience.com/53313-biggest-ape-forest-dweller.html Why Earth's Largest Ape Went Extinct], Live Science, 2016</ref> The first example was identified by Ralph von Koenigswald in 1935, who found fragments in a [[traditional Chinese medicine]] shop labelled as dragon teeth. Since then, specimens have been found at sites in southern China (notably Liucheng Cave in Liuzhou, China) as well as Vietnam and India.<ref name=wp>{{wpa|Gigantopithecus}}</ref>

Three species are known:
* ''Gigantopithecus blacki'': the latest, which became extinct around 100,000 years ago
* ''Gigantopithecus bilaspurensis'': lived 9-6 million years ago in India
* ''Gigantopithecus giganteus'': despite its name, smaller and earlier than G. blacki.<ref name=wp/>
 
==Is it Bigfoot?==
Some [[cryptozoology|cryptozoologists]] claim that ''Gigantopithecus'' has living descendants, namely [[bigfoot]] and the [[yeti]]. There is no [[evidence]] supporting the existence of these cryptids, so there is no reason to believe they exist. Indeed, many versions of the bigfoot and yeti myth suggest a swift, agile, predatory animal, which does not match the big bamboo-eating ape; and bigfoot is generally described as bipedal while Gigantopithecus probably was not.<ref>[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/did-bigfoot-really-exist-how-gigantopithecus-became-extinct-16649201/ Did Bigfoot Really Exist? How Gigantopithecus Became Extinct], Smithsonian Magazine, Jan 9, 2012</ref> More scientifically minded individuals have proposed that the discovery of ''Gigantopithecus'' remains are what led to the legends of the yeti.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Evolution]]

Categories: Evolution