# This is driving me insane **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 4, 2002, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-driving-me-insane/107299 "2002-05-04T21:24:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-driving-me-insane/107299/1 "2002-05-04T21:24:47Z")
I can’t figure this one out for the life of me: [http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/esp.html](http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/esp.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-driving-me-insane/107299/2 "2002-05-04T21:29:01Z")
T’is just a bit of cyber[sleight of hand](http://www.snopes2.com/humor/iftrue/takecard.htm), my friend. They remove _all_ the cards, not just the one you pick. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-driving-me-insane/107299/3 "2002-05-04T21:34:05Z")
Amazing! I mean, I’m amazed at what an idiot I am. I’m usually pretty good with subtleties, but the obvious has been known to escape me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-driving-me-insane/107299/4 "2002-05-04T21:39:40Z")
No worries. When I first saw a version of this, me and my friends were bent over that darn monitor for about an hour tryin’ to figure it out. Then I went home and played with the email my friend sent to me. Only way I figured it out was writing down what the cards were, and then what they became after th’ click. There’s been another thread somewhere here on this, too. We are _not_ alone … 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-driving-me-insane/107299/5 "2002-05-04T23:53:49Z")
What’s really funny are some of the [responses](http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/esp4.html): > [@](#): > > From: Michael G: > OK, awesome. I even tried thinking of one card, while quietly having selected another. Both disappeared! I have been interested in this phenomenon since 1968, when I coresponded with Dr. J.B. Rhine (maker of original Zener cards) at Duke University. This goes against the trend of “slightly significant results”, at best, when testing for esp. Also, there is no deterioration effect over time. And emotional excitation does not even seem to interfere, as would be expected, if one looks at the Sufi literature on the subject. All this leads me to believe that there is a logical, non-paranormal quantum effect going on. Either that, or we truly are entering a new age! Either way, I love the way your experiment stimulates thinking. > > * * * > > From: Arthur S > I give up. I have tried the ESP experiment a number of times and you = have always been correct. The last five times, I did it without saying the card aloud. Fantastic!! Peace and Joy > > * * * > > From: Jim H > Whow. After following the directions, the card I had selected would always disapear from the group. So I decided to cheat a little by taking the six cards from a deck of cards and shuffleing them. The top card was my selection and without turning it over, clicked on the eye. The card that was removed from the computer was always the top card in my hand!!! Whow. Niagara Falls > > * * * > > From: “Paul Rodriguez” > The way it works is the mouse picks up the last card touched by the user as they have made their selection. It is then irrelevant which eye they choose as the card has been eliminated. The chose would never display this. Paul Rodriguez > > * * * > > From: David Charbonneau > OK, Cliff – I did the experiment about a dozen times – it was right every time, except twice I deliberately chose no card and the program couldn’t “read my intention” – each time choosing a card to eliminate which was of course wrong since I chose no card at all. Still, I am baffled as to how it could work when I did choose a card – the probability of being right 10 out of 12 or 10 out of 10 depending on how you count must be astronomical. Yet, the program seems completely unable to actually read my thoughts or it would never choose a card for me when I didn’t choose one. So what is the secret: I know it isn’t optical scanners; I tested for that, by choosing from an oblique angle – besides such technology barely exists and requires extra gear. Please tell me. David Charbonneau Hee-friggin-larious. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![\_your\_name\_here](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/919ad9/32.png) [@\_your\_name\_here](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_your_name_here)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-driving-me-insane/107299/6 "2002-05-05T01:37:11Z")
i figured this out the first time i did it. seemed a bit fishy to me. notice how they have 2 different pages you can go to in order to change it a little bit? hah hah hah. ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-driving-me-insane/107299/7 "2002-05-05T03:12:43Z")
That’s a pale imitation of [The Great Swami Omigami](http://www.campchaos.com/timekillers/flashhog/swamigame.swf). Gotta have the cool music.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-driving-me-insane/107299/8 "2002-05-05T03:36:11Z")
This trick is out there in several places and I figured it out the way **Ice Wolf** did (definitely _not_ on the first few passes). I just want to emphasize what **DanielWithrow** said, some of the visitors’ [explanations](http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/esp4.html) are a hoot.