Leslie Flint

Wikipedia is the most vandalized online encyclopedia in the world. Sure, a lot of nonsense will be put on there. But it is always removed shortly after by moderators and the vandals get banned. Just because one article you read might have been terrible does not mean they all are!

Come on now...

The REAL damage isn't done by "vandals", it's done by people with specific agendas who want to promote their view of things.

I read a piece yesterday about Helen Duncan because I wanted to know more about Physical Mediumship, and this the second sentence-

She was famous for producing fraudulent ectoplasm made from cheesecloth.

Really, this is what made her famous? This is one of the most notable things about her?

What a crock. 

The thing is so obviously tilted toward a particular POV you'd have to be blind not to see it.

Do you know the history of Zerdini and Victor Zammit? Apparently Zerdini was on the sex offenders list, at least this is what Zammit has said. Zerdini was arrested for flashing his private parts to some youths on a train. Zammit has photographs of all the police records.

I have no reason to trust George Cranley aka Zerdini. Sounds like a deviant to me. He died last year.

Any sources for these claims? You shouldn't make these kind of statements unless you're absolutely sure they're true.

Re Zerdini: absolute crap. You're a disgrace. You're a troll.

Come on now...

The REAL damage isn't done by "vandals", it's done by people with specific agendas who want to promote their view of things.

I read a piece yesterday about Helen Duncan because I wanted to know more about Physical Mediumship, and this the second sentence-

She was famous for producing fraudulent ectoplasm made from cheesecloth.

Really, this is what made her famous? This is one of the most notable things about her?

What a crock. 

The thing is so obviously tilted toward a particular POV you'd have to be blind not to see it.

jkmac the Wikipedia entry for Helen Duncan is a very well-sourced article with a huge bibliography. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Duncan

Duncan was notable for ectoplasm that was discovered to be cheesecloth... are you arguing otherwise?

I have spoken about Duncan a few times on this forum already. There is a very famous investigation conducted with her at the National Laboratory of Psychical Research in 1931 by Harry Price and his colleagues. All the photographs can be found in Price's report here: http://www.harrypricewebsite.co.uk/Seanc...-index.htm

Her ectoplasm was indeed cheesecloth or gauze. They even had samples taken and analysed. The only question is how she smuggled it into the laboratory. Most think she regurgitated it.

This is a very famous investigation, possibly one of the 'greats' in the history of psychical research. Are you saying it should not be mentioned on Wikipedia?

I would also add that the London Spiritualist Alliance investigated Duncan and took a sample of her ectoplasm. It was made from toilet paper, eggs and cheesecloth.

Is it 'POV' to mention these facts? Is it people with an 'agenda' who mention these facts? These facts are all well-sourced to the psychical literature. I have no idea how you would interpret the facts any other way than fraud. I am afraid I do not see any of this evidence 'tilted' by skeptics. The London Spiritualist Alliance and National Laboratory of Psychical Research were not skeptic organizations. If you disagree, how do you interpret their findings?

[Laird]

Hi Obiwan I am not a troll. I have just copied what Victor Zammit wrote online.

[...]

I am just quoting what someone else has said.

The moderation team is still discussing how to respond in situations like this. In the meantime, I would suggest to you that second-hand information (some guy told me) as you admit this is has no place in a forum dedicated to uncovering through scientific and rational means the truth (about extended consciousness phenomena). This sort of "evidence" would not be admissable in court. Why, then, do you subject us to it?

[Laird]

Victor Zammit is a retired lawyer. I have no reason to believe he has lied about this.

Oh, please. You're a skeptic: you (would) believe nothing Victor Zammit says about paranormal topics and the afterlife, but now, when he (purportedly) says something convenient for you, you're all ears (and a repeater station)? Give me a break.

Zerdini has died. I agree that if he was alive, allegations should not be made without proof of living persons. But in this situation I do not think it is a problem.

Nonsense. A person's reputation does not die with them.