# My Brush With The Supernatural **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 14, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242 "2003-11-14T14:14:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/1 "2003-11-14T14:14:05Z")
Can anybody explain this? I was given a cheap AM-FM radio, which I placed batteries in, tested (it worked OK), and set on my dresser top (turned off). One night (the night that a strong solar flare was causing an aurora), the thing went on by itself (it was tuned to an AM station). It played for about 20 seconds, then went off! I immediately checked it…and it was turned off! What could have caused this to happen? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/2 "2003-11-14T14:17:09Z")
But, where did the brush come into it? Paint or hairbrush? And, if paintbrush, were you using “spring” or “autumn” colors? It’s these little, omitted details that count, **ralph**. 😛 😃 ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/3 "2003-11-14T14:21:07Z")
a dodgy connection in the on/off switch?? ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/4 "2003-11-14T15:24:51Z")
Yep, amazing how weird cheap electronics can be sometimes. My aging set of computer speakers sometimes pick up radio transmissions when they’re turned off. Really startled me until I figured out what was going on. ---
**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/5 "2003-11-14T18:15:24Z")
My IBM speakers do that too. Usually shortwave, foreign broadcasts. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/6 "2003-11-14T18:49:09Z")
Nothing freaks me out more than picking up radio through an electric guitar or bass. ---
**Author:** ![Umbriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9de053/32.png) [@Umbriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Umbriel)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/7 "2003-11-14T21:40:23Z")
**ralph124c** – Are you sure that what you were hearing was the AM station that the radio was tuned to? I’ve frequently (once or twice a year) had chatter from powerful vehicular radios come in over stereo speakers, and even an answering machine. I’m not sure whether the vehicles are emergency services vehicles (police, fire, etc.) or just dispatching radios in commercial or public utility vehicles. I’ve never actually seen the vehicles responsible, just heard them driving by in sync with the transmission. My computer speakers always pick up a local “smooth jazz” station – something to do with its frequency and the gauge of the speaker wires, I’d guess. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/8 "2003-11-14T22:16:32Z")
So the aliens that contact we on my electric toothbrush are _real_? Shit. ---
**Author:** ![CadburyAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@CadburyAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CadburyAngel)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/9 "2003-11-15T00:17:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bruce\_Daddy \* > \*\*Nothing freaks me out more than picking up radio through an electric guitar or bass. \*\* How very Spinal Tap. ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/10 "2003-11-15T03:27:14Z")
Sorry about that \*\* ralph124c \*\*. ---
**Author:** ![SanguineSpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SanguineSpider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanguineSpider)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/11 "2003-11-15T17:02:49Z")
As long as you did NOT hear a voice telling you to kill your family, I think you’re fine… ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/12 "2003-11-15T17:18:23Z")
Thanks, SanguineSpider. They just keep saying “Use the \* Force\* Plant!” I dunno wha the hell they’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![SanguineSpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SanguineSpider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanguineSpider)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/13 "2003-11-16T01:28:46Z")
I just hate when I get the "kill your family"command via a strange voice. It just really sucks, like GAWD! I have so much time to, like, kill them right now. I just got my dress for the dance, it’s like so killer! Prom is the end-all, be-all, you know? Gotta get my shoes to match and like, a little itty bitty tiara. I just don’t have any extra time to like kill anyone but that buggin’ voice in my headphones says, “KILL, KILL, KILL your family!” and I’m like, “What-EVER!” GAWD, get off my back, monkey. I gotta, like buy my shoes and see if Tiffie got asked yet by Brad. If she doesn’t get asked soon, she’s, like gonna DIE! How embarrassing not to have a date this late, GAWD! I’d die! Just DIE! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/14 "2003-11-16T08:32:20Z")
My computer speakers pick up police broadcasts if they’re nearby - the wire is evidently just the right length. ---
**Author:** ![Chimpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@Chimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimpy)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/15 "2003-11-16T21:16:10Z")
my friend’s CD has a bit of surface damage and whenever its playing a certain track with the lyrics “and i have the skill to do it” it gets stuck on “Kiil” from skill and just stays on it over and over and over ---
**Author:** ![SpectBrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@SpectBrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpectBrain)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-brush-with-the-supernatural/213242/16 "2003-11-16T22:44:00Z")
What’s the frequency, Ralph?