BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats

Subject: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 22 Sep 09 - 11:06 PM

I think I'm looking forward to this one...

Inspired by the Top Secret true story

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: open mike
Date: 22 Sep 09 - 11:27 PM

is it like women who run with wolves ?

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 22 Sep 09 - 11:31 PM

No, apparently the US military decided one day to train some of its people to become psychic weapons. So they trained by trying to explode goats' hearts by staring at them. This is part of the true story. The movie looks like it's a comedic elaboration on the true story.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 22 Sep 09 - 11:36 PM

Here's the book the movie's based on...

http://www.amazon.com/Men-Who-Stare-Goats/dp/0743241924

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Ernest
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 01:41 AM

hmmmm.... should this inspire us to....


...stare at bodhrans......


;0)
Ernest

P.S.: @ gnu - see, we do tell new bodhran jokes now and then

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: gnu
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 04:29 AM

Yo E!!! Hahahahahahahahahaaaheheheheheee

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 04:41 AM

I saw a serious documentary about an American guy that claimed to be able to use mental will and visualisation techniques to kill animals. They provided a filmed demonstration of his claims. He was a Christian and called on the power of 'the Lord' to kill a goat, visualising one of the Lords Angels piercing the creature with his sword. And sure enough, the poor old goat first stumbled a bit before it fell to it's knees and then dropped dead right on camera. He said it took a vast amount of mental focus to achieve it.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Jack Campin
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 05:22 AM

The book is, at its core, not funny at all. It's about where the torture methodologies of the US military came from.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Lox
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 07:36 AM

Seen it.

Been there, done that, made a cup of tea and promptly forgot about it.

The documentary maker is pathetic and so wants to believe it all that he is completely unable to remain objective.

At one point he has a mind power trick done on him and is terrified by the power of the guy demonstrating it.

In fact, what you see is the application of a run of the mill Martial arts principle involving pushing into someones larynx with the tip of your fingers as a result of which they will fly backwards.

This is combined with the power of the presenters fear of and willingness to believe in mystical mumbo jumbo.

I suspect that the rational root of his fear came from standing in front of total nutter in the shape of his military interviewee.

You'll see.

Have fun.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: SINSULL
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 08:16 AM

The military also had a very expensive program for a while involving psychic viewing as a means to spy on your enemies and in some cases friends.
I think it's been dropped.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 08:43 AM

Both the US and the USSR did such research. Both found it easier and a lot more accurate to employ spies -- human and technological.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 10:48 AM

This isn't the documentary version of the story. I read about the documentary that they showed in the UK. This one is a Hollywood movie that is made as a comedy. I don't know if it will be any better than the documentary was, but it looks like it might be funny. The trailer in my opening post gives an idea.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 10:59 AM

My memory of that doco was totally skewed. It was supposedly a hamster that was killed. The footage of the goat just showed its heart rate slowing up.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 11:05 AM

I heard an interview with the guy who wrote the book recently, and I think I remember him saying that a goat definitely was killed, but it was the wrong goat.

But anyway, this thread is not about the documentary. It's about the film in the trailer in the opening post, which looks like it's not going to be anything like the documentary was.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: longboat (inactive)
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 12:01 PM

Conspiracy theories anyone? (albeit an amusing one in this case)

Actually Conspiracy Theory (1997) with Mel Gibson is a brilliant black satire on the theories and the people who propogate them.
Remind me some time to tell you about a secret (U.S.) government project to train psychic goats to explode human hearts just by looking at them.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Little Hawk
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 12:22 PM

Yeah, and then there's the one about a couple of airliners controlled by some Middle Eastern guys with boxcutters bringing down 2 enormous modern steel frame buildings in a classic controlled demolition fashion by hitting them and starting fires...

No, wait, they brought down 3 enormous modern buildings that way...and they didn't even HAVE to hit the third one!

It's hilariously unlikely when you subject it to serious study and scientific analysis, and it should be included among the most bizarre conspiracy theories of all time...and would be...except it's emanating from those in authority at the American governmental and media level. Therefore it is not called a "conspiracy theory" by those authorities and their mouthpieces.

No lie works as well as a really BIG lie that is repeated often enough by ruling hierarchies to attain general acceptance.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 12:23 PM

The story about the goats is in the movie that this thread is about. That's why it's called, "The Men Who Stare at Goats".


Does anyone ever actually read the opening post, or do people just respond to thread titles?

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 12:25 PM

Oops. My mistake. I read that one wrongly. LOL

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Lox
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 01:04 PM

"This isn't the documentary version of the story. I read about the documentary that they showed in the UK. This one is a Hollywood movie that is made as a comedy."

"But anyway, this thread is not about the documentary. It's about the film in the trailer in the opening post"

"The story about the goats is in the movie that this thread is about. That's why it's called, "The Men Who Stare at Goats"."


So you mean the film and not the documentary then?

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Little Hawk
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 01:08 PM

Esmeralda the Goat is quite upset by the whole concept in this film. You may recall Esmeralda....she fought in a steel cage tag team match between William Shatner, Amos, herself, and a 4rth participant whom I can't quite recall at the moment, but it was someone ridiculous. Hmmm. I think it was a blow-up doll of Margaret Thatcher. At any rate, it was an exciting match. Amos tried various dirty and despicable tricks to defeat the mighty Shatner and his stalwart partner Esmeralda, but in the end Esmeralda triumphed, being the only contestant still standing at the final bell.

Esmeralda says George Clooney blows bullfrogs.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 01:13 PM

LOL

Yeah, the film and not the documentary.

It looks like it might be a funny film. I figured I might enjoy it.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 01:34 PM

The doco's on YouTube, he was a bit of a Louis Theroux wannabe though.

Sorry CarolC, you were saying...

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 01:58 PM

Thanks for the heads up about the documentary being on YouTube. I'd like to see that also (I'm curious now).

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: longboat (inactive)
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 02:16 PM

Little Hawk the name of that 4th participant cannot be revealed to this day, though words like rehab and the Balls Pond Road have been whispered

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 02:23 PM

Here ya go:

The Crazy Rulers of the World - the documentary not the film :-)

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 02:25 PM

I'm watching it now. I'm enjoying it. The film looks like it's going to be quite different, though.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 03:02 PM

I was only able to find the five parts of the first episode. It looks like the second episode might not be on YouTube.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 03:13 PM

I know men who stare at sheep, but I try not to get too friendly with them.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Little Hawk
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 04:27 PM

The sheep? Or the men?

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 04:37 PM

At the risk of redundant repetition - I have posted several times regarding my experience in the mid seventies of having a senior Naval officer interview me at my office for the purpose of recruiting me for their psychic remote viewing project or provide names of other possible candidates.

That is where the story ends since I declined. About 86 years ago the Washington Post did a story about a veteran of that remote viewing program. The story was very sad with an unpleasant outcome.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 04:43 PM

Eighty-six years ago?

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 04:46 PM

How awfully frustrating for you Donuel.
Perhaps you aught to research, and contact those who *are* interested?

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 04:59 PM

ha 6 years ago

Sister, no offense but I have no comprehension of what you just wrote, meant or intended.

Psychic war tactics was a big deal for almost 12 years. A few people did demonstrate uncanny streaks of accuracy but in the end the money spent was mockingly removed from the programs.

Even if it was a worthless investment some things were learned and probably was better spent than the lobbyist money distributed to deregulate Wall St.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 06:41 PM

It's crazy stuff, and could make an entertaining film. But the intention behind the project, however daft, was really evil. It's the same thinking that gave rise to the "Phoenix Program" of targetted murder in Vietnam, and, as Jack Campin pointed out, to torture and abuse of captives in more recent years.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 09:48 PM

Yeah, it's defintely evil. No more or less evil than any other kind of warfare or black ops, though.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Charley Noble
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 10:50 PM

Carol-

Thanks for pointing this one out. It may make more sense than a lot of other stuff that I have no patience watching, and it just might be fun!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 24 Sep 09 - 03:21 AM

My fault D. I misread your post.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: goatlady
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 09:03 PM

Currently in the process of teaching her 80+ goats to stare at men to kill them, what a wonderful world it would be to be able to have my goats just look at some of the so called men I have met and have them just drop dead.. Well back to my training .. ;)

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: CarolC
Date: 22 Oct 09 - 09:52 PM

LOL

Come back and let us know how it works out?

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 04:16 AM

Well!
I've been staring at this goat for about half an hour, and it doesn't seem to be doing much...























Would it work better if it wasn't in a casserole???






















































I'll get my goat...

Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Charley Noble
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 09:21 AM

Well, I finally figured out a way to stare at my restless goat. I tied him to the railroad tracks. Then the whistle blew, a train drew nigh, my poor old goat seemed doomed to die. That goat took sick with grief and pain, coughed up my red flannel shirt, and he flagged the train!

Cheerily,
Bill Brogan

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Greg F.
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 09:39 AM

The film is probably hysterical until you recall how many millions of dollars the US military has dumped into this sort of idiocy over the years.

And they're still at it.......

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 10:32 AM

Colbert on goat staring


(google 'goat staring' for WAY more than you need)

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 10:34 AM

I think the goat is winning

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 10:38 AM

suddenly, I don't feel well>

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Charley Noble
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 11:04 AM

Bill D-

Simply amazing footage.

Now isn't there a breed of goats that actually faints when cued? Something more to research!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: The Men Who Stare at Goats
From: Charley Noble
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 11:10 AM

Yep, "fainting goats" there are: Click here for video!

Now if the Army could only find out why startling them has this effect.

The technique might even be useful on a blind date!

Charley Ignoble