I think I finally understand Doc. Thank you once again.
Who are you by the way? I noticed something about the words you choose, your punctuation. Just wondering.
First, I’m not a doctor. My own problems forced me to drop out of college years before I could get my degree. I’m DocVHF in e-mail and messenger, and Doc_Cathode on livejournal. I’m not a published author. I don’t know why my writing should seem familiar.
I think you have pretty much nailed the point.
However, wouldn’t a thread of this kind be better suited to IMHO? After all, in the best case scenario, TheFonz has provided us what, in his honest opinion, constitutes [reverb]THE TRUTH[/reverb]. And we won’t change that opinion by debate, will we?
If you think I’m going to risk a confrontation with Czarcasm at the next staff meeting over tossing this thread over to his realm, you’re crazier than some folks think TheFonz is.
The Teeming Millions demand webcams on Mod meetings. 
I know this thread is quite old now, and I’m not sure if I’ll get any responses from people who participated originally, but I have been reading up on this topic, and just finished going through all nine pages of this thread, and just had a couple of things to ask/mention:
First, though from a questionable source, the article that TheFonz posted above regarding comets was quite interesting, and seemed very thorough, yet almost no one mentioned it in any of their responses, except for one person who simply dismissed it as wrong, without making any qualifying statements. I was hoping someone could explain what’s wrong with the ideas put forth in the article.
Second, it’s been a few years since this thread has seen any action, and I just thought it was interesting that we are now in the midst of some real economic turmoil - perhaps not the catastrophe that TheFonz was expecting, but still, things could get worse before they get better. Also, I’m noticing that more and more people are becoming health conscious, and realizing finally how many poisons we consume every day in our manufactured food, produced within a centralized system, and how more and more evidence is piling up that our diets do promote long-term illnesses like diabetes and cancer.
I just thought it would be funny to remind people that, coincidence or not, TheFonz mentioned some of this, and it seems like we’re seeing some of it come to pass, in just a few short years. I’m certainly not implying we’re at the “end times” or anything crazy like that - just pointing out the coincidence (or the irony - whichever way you’d like to see it).
Oh - one more thing… As I was reading this thread, it made me think of an article I read last year, so I hunted it down: http://www.universetoday.com/42704/spacecraft-detects-mysterious-ribbon-at-edge-of-solar-system/. I’m neither a physicist nor cosmologist; I just find this stuff tremendously interesting. Anyway, I read that article, and the site where I originally found it (probably DIGG), allowed comments, and someone basically said (paraphrased), “See? Electric Universe Theory!” and I’d never heard of such a thing, so I went hunting, then found this page (another potentially unreliable source according to some Straight Dopers, but please give it a read): http://www.holoscience.com/news.php?article=74fgmwne.
I’m sure many will be terrified at the thought of resurrecting this thread, but I would really like some opinions on this, especially now that there is new data. You’ll find that the first article I posted ends in a giant question mark from scientists, but Electric Universe Theorists seem to delight in that, claiming that the very thing that is confounding scientists is exactly what their models predicted. For me, this is extremely thought-provoking, to say the least.
Thanks in advance, Straight Dopers, for hearing me out. I’ve just signed up, and this is my first post, but I look forward to participating in more discussions in the future!
By the way, I’m going to start reading Phil Plait’s page to get a jump on the comet question I asked. I’ve spent so many hours reading these posts, and the pages linked from them, but haven’t gone through the Bad Astronomy stuff yet. It’s almost 5:30am, though, my time, so first I’m going to get some sleep!
I’ve only heard about this ‘electric sun/universe’ thing peripherally, and I don’t really get where it gets started. I mean, the OP of this thread (which is all I’ve had time to read, so I don’t know how the thread went from there to economic theory) essentially seems to point to similarities between sunspots/coronal mass eruptions and electromagnetic phenomena, suggesting that hence, the sun isn’t a giant fusion reaction, but more of a lightbulb (though I don’t understand where the current that powers it is supposed to come from…). However, according to mainstream it’s-a-big-ass-nuclear-fireball theory, sunspots are caused by electromagnetic phenomena, specifically by the sun’s magnetic field inhibiting convection in a certain area. So what’s the catch? How do these observations in any way suggest a deviation from current (and I don’t mean the electric kind!) theory?
If you’re going to resurrect such a brain dead zombie thread at least post something into it instead of “Gee whiz, weird postings huh? What do you think?”
Grey, if that response is intended for me, aside from being terribly and unnecessarily unhelpful, it ignores that I asked a some specific questions that are very on-topic, so I really don’t understand how you concluded that my post is without any real meaning where it concerns this discussion.
Your questions were about health and politics. This thread is about the Sun. How is that on-topic?
Chronos, are you kidding me? Maybe it would be beneficial for you (in order to have a more informed response) to spend some time reading the thread like I did, then re-read my post. After reading through over 400 posts, I had the impression that people were here to helpfully engage in friendly discussion. A few posts in, and I am feeling a bit unwelcome.
My first question regarded claims of electric comet activity, which, if there were anything to it, would lend support to the claims made about the electric Sun. The OP cited the article himself (which I quoted), and everybody responding to him all but ignored the content of that article. I just wanted to know on what grounds the items in the article were being dismissed.
Secondly, I cited a new article with very clear data that completely baffled scientists with respect to the Thermonuclear Sun idea, but, according to Electric Sun theorists, represented exactly what would be expected by Electric Sun Theory. I was simply asking if, in light of this potential new evidence, anyone could see where there might be anything valuable taken from Electric Sun Theory, and applied to our current understanding in order to enhance that understanding.
The rest was intended to be friendly observation and banter, which clearly are unappreciated by you and Grey, which is fine, but if you can’t provide any helpful or constructive criticism relevant to the overall conversation, then why bother posting any response to me at all? This thread is long enough that I should not have to repeat my questions when they seem pretty clear in my original post, if you just read it. I challenge you to find anything I said that doesn’t directly relate to items the OP himself posted.
I request that you please respect the time and effort I’m putting into my posts by responding to their content, and if you have trouble understanding them, please quote the parts you have an issue with, and I will try my best to provide some clarity. I took for granted that the people who frequent this forum are thinking people, and pretty intelligent, so I’m already surprised I’ve had to dissect my original post, and hope this is not something I can continue to look forward to. Truly, no offense intended.
Wow! Hey Chronos we should read this thread I bet there are some great posts we’ve never seen before.
peek the OP was a joke, his theory was trash and very little ever came of it. I’m not going so some holo science crackpot site to gaze is rapt adoration of stupidity just so I can fathom what daft ideas you may opt to post in a dead thread from 2006. Go open a new one.
Seconding the “I’m not going to read this zombie thread - start a new one” vote.
And the “I’m not going to read some zombie crackpot site - if you think a source has some imteresting points, quote and/or summarize them in your new thread, to clearly lay out the discussion you wish to have rather than making us dig for it” vote.
And, welcome to the boards, peek.
Grey, I appreciate your candor, but of course, not your sarcasm. You chose to respond to my post, but if you don’t want to participate, that’s your decision. If you’re going to assume that I’m a stand-in for the OP, and I’m here to fight for Electric Universe Theory, and then use that assumption as a reason to treat me with hostility, that’s also your decision. I’m not here to fight for the “electric universe” or the “electric sun.” I’m here because I don’t have the background necessary to answer my own question, and I wanted to find people who were interested in answering the question - not people who are simply interested in debunking the latest crackpot ideas. There is a difference, which generally comes through (as respect or disrespect) in peoples’ responses, and you’re doing a fantastic job of coming across as part of the latter group.
However, you can be interested in answering a question and debunking a crackpot theory, in the spirit of quashing ignorance and misinformation; you just have to set your snark and condescension aside if you want to be taken seriously (and I want to be taken seriously, don’t you?). I’m not here to tell you how to act, but I don’t think I’m too out of line in pointing out your disrespect, particularly when I don’t believe I’ve said or done anything disrespectful here.
I thought it reasonable to attach my post to this thread in hopes that some of the same folks who stuck through this discussion might be able to shed some light on the issue for me. I hoped they would remember enough about this discussion that they might not need to read through every single post in order to address my question. I’m sorry if you think that was a mistake. As far as I know, though, I haven’t violated any forum rules, so I shouldn’t have to suffer anything beyond peoples’ lack of interest in reviving this thread. Why open a new thread if there’s a chance I’m going to have to keep pulling quotes from this one? If you honestly think it’s going to help, and you’re not just being cantankerous, then tell me so, but there’s no reason to be sarcastic about it. I’d like to develop good constructive relationships with some of the folks here - I’m hoping to find a spot on this forum in more than just this thread. I’m not a nutcase; I swear.
[QUOTE=begbert2]
And the “I’m not going to read some zombie crackpot site - if you think a source has some imteresting points, quote and/or summarize them in your new thread, to clearly lay out the discussion you wish to have rather than making us dig for it” vote.
And, welcome to the boards, peek.
[/QUOTE]
begbert2, thanks for welcoming me. One thing I noticed is that the OP was continually posting photos and articles as people asked for cites. If I start a new thread with article summaries, people are going to ask for the sources, and they’re going to ask questions that cause me to continually pull quotes from the article and fill multiple posts with different quotes. If people would take the time to read through all my posts, it stands to reason they might just take some time to skim the two articles I linked to, which I think, in the end, would be more efficient.
Please let me know if my reasoning is flawed. I’m not here to argue with everyone like the OP did. I’m not a passionate follower of this theory - just a guy who’s interested in a potential challenge to the mainstream view. A guy who doesn’t want to take everything he’s told for granted. I’m not saying that I think the electric sun theory can overthrow the currently held beliefs; I’m simply saying that they talk a good enough game that I need someone more well-versed with some of this stuff to tell me what parts of the of holoscience article I posted are wrong. I just want some help with fact-checking (or theory-checking, as it were).
If you still believe this is the wrong place for that, please let me know, and I’ll consider dropping the matter, or starting a new thread. Thanks again!
The percentage of nutcases who are aware they are nutcases is quite low.
Fair statement. 
In that case, I’m not typically a believer in crackpot theories, nor am I generally into conspiracy theories. I’m not here because I think I can change everyone’s minds or save them somehow, and I won’t be bringing religion into this discussion, because I don’t believe it’s the least bit relevant here. I’m not a defender of the EU theory; I’m just sympathetic to anyone who challenges what they perceive to be intellectual and/or academic hubris - even if they sometimes go about it the wrong (“wrong” being subjective, I know) way.
They talk – that’s about the most generous statement you could make for them.
Go make the effort to pick a topic you’re keen on, assemble the appropriate links (seeing how this thread was basically flickr and holoscience it will hardly strain you) and craft a new OP. This thread hit comets, electric universe, oil filled earth, ancient civilizations, Venus taking a bite out of Mars, impending global starvation/catastrophe and other nonsense so you have plenty to choose from.
It’ll also keep your thread to your topic (more or less) instead of the OP’s.