Merpati Putih |
Who ought to read this page? You're considering Merpati Putih / Vibravision training |
|
A conversation with Mr. Nate
Zeleznick,
Correspondence with Nate
-- 2000 |
Nate Zeleznick |
Hello, My name is Nate Zeleznick. I live in Huntsville, about 15 minutes East of Ogden. [In the state of UTAH, USA. --Ed.]
|
Based on specific breathing techniques and postures, this art allows
persons to navigate and perceive their surroundings without using physical
sight.
As science knows, all matter is comprised of energy, and different energies
give off distinctly different vibrations. Through practicing Vibravision,
persons are able to differentiate between the different energies and perceive
the weight, volume, velocity, color, shape and substance
of ANY object(s).
This technique has been used in the training of over 700 blind persons in
Indonesia...persons who are now self-sufficient with no need for canes of
seeing-eye dogs.
The basis of our test will be "Colored-Flag identification". We will have 2
demonstrators perform separately and while conclusively blindfolded shall
identify 6 flags of different colors from a distance.
The blindfolds for each claimant will be 2 oval-shaped adhesives that will
completely cover each eye socket so as to make sure no light, shapes or
shadows can be perceived by the participants. These blindfolds will at no
time be touched by the people wearing them, so as to eliminate any tampering
and the blindfolds must be inspected a second time just before the test
begins to check for any slipping, etc. The flags will be suspended off the
ground so that even if a gap were present in the blindfold, they wouldn't be
able to look down their nose and see the flags on the ground.
This test will take roughly 30 minutes at the most, and we feel the evidence
will speak for itself when seen. My colleagues will be traveling from
Indonesia to Utah at the end of September, and we would like to have the
preliminary test take place either at the end of September of the beginning
of October. Please let Mr. Harter and myself know if you would be willing to
test us, and if so, if the end of September will work for you. The test
won't take much time, and the results will be self-evident upon viewing.
Please let us know as soon as possible if you are willing and able to test
us. I'm more than happy to provide directions to the test site. We
appreciate your consideration and look forward to hearing back from you
soon. Thanks.
Cordially,
Nate Zeleznick
Director, YSHP USA Group
Owner, Merpati Putih Utah
Hello,
At this point ion time, the Utah group tested the Indonesian applicants for the Million dollar Randi Prize, and they flunked, totally. In may such cases, claimants afterwards claim success, in spite of having failed, as THIS MAN did, when attempting to Identify colors while blindfolded.
-----Original Message-----
From: Nate Zeleznick [mailto:vibravision@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2000 2:32 PM
To: INFO@hotmail.com
Subject: We have some information for you. :)
Hello Kevin and Harald,
I have to say that we were very disappointed in the way that our
preliminary
test was administered, but I also want to thank you for questioning
the use
of alcohol demanded at the last moment by James Randi. Our Marketing
Director, Amita, wanted me to write to you, which I was planning on
doing
anyway.
We have video footage from not only the preliminary test, but also
from some
other demonstrations we did following the test. I apologize for my
reaction
after our test was complete. A grown man crying is a pretty awkward
thing to
see, but after 11 months of negotiations with Randi and sidestepping
by him,
to fail the preliminary test because of a condition that should have
been
mentioned earlier than the 3 hours notice we received was enough toTo:
frustrate me to the point of tears, especially since it was that one
condition that made the difference. Our athletes spent the next 5
hours
after the test with a cool damp cloth over their eyes because the
irritation
was so great, and their occular distress continued into the next day.
I'm
sure you'll agree that the validity of this test is questionable at
the very
least. I personally used the same kind of surgical swab in the same
manner
as was applied by Paul Bernhardt and my eyes didn't stop watering for
3
hours. The surgical swab was 85% ethanol (grain alcohol) and 15%
Methanol
(WOOD ALCOHOL). Sure, they proved that we can't do this when our eyes
are in
pain, but whether we can do it while we are fine is still unknown by
western
science.
I have video footage from the test showing very clearing that Paul
applied
the alcohol directly to the eye slit and tear ducts of our athletes,
and
pushed directly on their eyes even though there was no adhesive there
and
also their reactions to these things, which clearly showed their
extreme
discomfort. Paul denies both of these but I have video proof that
shows
otherwise. They wanted to object, but the conditions were that no
talking be
allowed, so they only talked when asked questions by John Sohl, Chris
Allen
or Paul Bernhardt. They were afraid that if they said anything at all
they
would be disqualified.
The language barrier was a problem as well as the interpreter had to
be
called in several times. Our athletes felt they had no choice but to
continue regardless of their pain because to object would have been
to
have
just given the test away as a failure without even testing.
Amita mentioned that you were interested in more information. Thank
you very
much. As I mentioned, I have video footage for you, and I also offer
myself
as a test subject for anything you may want to examine, though I am
not very
good yet. I want to do whatever I can.
Please let me know what kind of information you would like as I am
happy to
provide anything you want. I have personally trained in Vibravision
and
would be happy to demonstrate, if only on a basic level, not nearly
as
advanced as my friends are. I personally feel that Paul sabotaged our
test
intentionally as he was very rough with our athletes and exceedingly
rude to
all of us, though none of my Indonesian colleagues do not want to
place
blame on anyone, as they were not present to see this personally. I
was
there, I saw what he did, I objected on video and was treated very
rudely
for it. My friends weren't there, they didn't have to watch this. I
did, but
out of desperation didn't make more of an issue of it, which I should
have
done but feared being disqualified.
Anyway, thanks again for your skepticism of the testing methods, and
once
again please let me know what information you'd like. I could tell
just by
shaking your hands that you are both men of honesty and integrity and
I
would be happy to help you learn a bit more about this art. This WILL
help
blind people, but we just need to have it 'fairly' tested by science
with no
tricks or underhandedness by the testers.
Thank you very much.
Cordially,
Nate Zeleznick
President, YSHP America's
Owner, Merpati Putih Utah Co.
(801) 745-3010
email: vibravision@hotmail.com
From: "KRP"
To: "Nate Zeleznick" <vibravision@hotmail.com
CC: "Kevint"
Subject: RE: We have some information for you. :)
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 21:39:09 -0600
Dear Nate --
Thank you for your letter. I understand what you say. As regards
your video which you propose to submit, I am interested in seeing a
copy of the video to which you refer. Unfortunately I have no time
this month to receive your video, as I am in the process of packing
for three weeks, out of town. This is also why my response must be
brief. I think you can safely mail your video to Kevin -- I'm cc'ing
this letter to him -- he will provide a mailing address for you, no
doubt, and I will gladly review your videos when I return. I also
have not yet seen the videos we made, due to time constraints, but am
anxious to study them.
I have sent several emails to Amita, but have received no response,
so
I have given up on hearing from her. Kevin and I had invited her and
her friend do demonstrate the shooting ability at Kevin's house, just
for fun, on Saturday, after your testing, and they accepted eagerly.
But after the test, they disappeared. We never got a call the next
day from Amita, as she said. It would have been interesting.
I understand your concerns. Unfortunately neither Kevin or I can
speak for Randi, and thus cannot predict what actions he may or may
not take. If it were up to me, I would lean toward a re-test of the
same claimed abilities, but as I say, this would be without the
imprimatur of Randi or his organization. As you may know, I will be
putting up a web page with the pictures I took, and with my comments,
and reportage, but I cannot find time to do this for at least one
more
month or so. I will also link that page to the Merpati Putih group's
website, and perhaps they can be encouraged to provide a reciprocal
link. I'll link my web site with the major search engines, and that
might serve to increase traffic to your site. At present, my web
pages, collectively are in the top 107,000 most frequently accessed
web pages on the net. That's not much, but considering then millions
of extant web sites, it has commensurate impact.
I must say that I was not skeptical of the testing methods we used,
nor am I now. I recognize that you -- I think it was your
correspondence with one of our group -- stressed before the test that
the blindfolds should only cause minimal discomfort. I apologize for
the discomfort experienced by your athletes, as you explain it, but
again, I cannot speak for the Amazing Randi, I can only speak for
myself. I will try the alcohol on my own eyes, so that I can have
some impression about the matter.
If, in the future, perhaps by Kevin and me, another test were
administrated, if only for web publication, it seems it would have to
be one of the same claimed Vibravision abilities, and not some lesser
abilities. Again, if you have video please send it, or, if you wish
you may send some QuickTime clips, I would be happy to see review
that
material, as long as no copyright is claimed for it.
One more thought -- I believe that there are already many, who
are/were blind, who have taken the Merpati Putih Vibravision
training.
I would be happy to receive verified testimonials from those who have
succeeded in acquiring these extraordinary abilities. The world
should and MUST be made cognizant of anything, including Vibravision,
if it works, that can help blind people. If you can provide such
material, please mail it to Kevin, it would be of great value, I
think. I travel extensively as of late -- I just returned from
vacation is Brazil and I will be in Russia this month -- and if you
can gather the names of some of these people, I can easily visit
Jakarta next year and interview and verify validity of the claimants.
We could talk about the details later, such a s documentation and
medical certification, etc. The completed results would also be
posted on the internet.
Bye for now, and again, I thank you for your sincere email.
--Harald
--- If you will allow a personal question, Nate? What is your
interest / stake in this Vibravision thing?
You are the owner of a company called 'Merpati Putih Utah Co'? What
is the goal of this company? Is it to introduce Merpati Putih to Utah?
If this art is valid, I would be more than honored to help you with my
web efforts. Did your company sponsor the Indonesian group
financially? I did not count -- I estimate over twenty -- people from
Indonesia showed up for the test. Did your company pay for all or
some of it? Was the Budi or perhaps Enny Hardjanto bankrolling the
trip? I can imagine that it must have cost a pretty penny to bring
all the athletes, business marketing director, and blind people to
Utah.
I'm sorry if I'm getting personal, It'; not my business, I was just
curious. If you ignore answering, that's OK, I'll understand -- I
think. Also, I did not realize, as you mentioned that you had
negotiated with Randi for eleven months, I think you said.
-----Original Message-----
From: Nate Zeleznick [mailto:vibravision@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2000 8:34 PM
To: ...@hotmail.com
Subject: We're open to suggestions...and any and all help is welcome.
Kevin,
Actually, I never said anything about altitude. Granted, there is less
oxygen available up here than at sea level, but I doubt that affected them.
I apologize if either I or Mike suggested that was a factor. They were doing
fine before and after the test, as the video I'll send shows very clearly.
If anyone can do what you'll see on the video while peeking through a little
slit in a blindfold, I'd really like to see it. Walking backwards thru an
obstacle course is hard to do when you're eyes are open, much less
blindfolded. As you'll remember, I was inside during the whole test and
never got the chance to talk with you. Excuses aren't what we're looking
for, just a chance to demonstrate our art under 'normal' conditions, not
distracted ones. That's all. Actually right before we left we demonstrated
for 4 opthamologists and had them blindfold our athletes. They performed
perfectly. Now, if there is anyone that knows what it takes to make someone
blind, it should be an opthamologist, right? They were convinced that
something other than cheating was going on, though they couldn't explain it.
Now, Randi is a paranormal investigator, not a physician, and the physicians
were very intrigued. I tend to lean toward what they think rather than a
test done by physics people under painful conditions. Even if the alcohol
evaporated, why did the athletes put wet cloths on their eyes later that day
and leave them on for several hours and complain of eye irritation? Was it
an excuse on their part? Maybe, but I sure didn't like alcohol in my eyes.
Is it really too much to ask for a test to be done without alcohol? They
could wash their face with Ivory soap and clean their face of oils and dirt
so the adhesion of the tape would be good, just like with alcohol. That
would be Okay, right?
Thank you for speaking with your father about this. Please share any video
footage you'd like with him and gain his opinion. It is valued much by us.
I am in charge of the expansion of Merpati Putih Martial Arts, Vibravision
and other humanities programs for all of North and South America. Everything
related to testing, expansion and establishment goes through me. Their trip
was funded by someone other than me, though I know not who. That isn't my
end of the business, and is unimportant at this point anyway. I hope you
enjoy the footage and I'm happy to answer any questions you might have once
you view it.
As far as learning this for yourself... We will be opening the first-ever
school of Merpati Putih Martial Arts in the Western Hemisphere hopefully in
January. We don't train sighted people in Vibravision as they don't need it.
We focus on the Martial Arts. We don't train the blind in the Martial Arts
as they don't need it. We train people in what is necessary for their lives.
At higher levels of training, Vibravision is learned by our athletes, but
the Martial Arts come first.
Thanks for your reply. I understand your skepticism and appreciate your
input. I'll get the video to you in a couple days.
Take care.
Sincerely,
Nate Zeleznick
-----Original Message-----
From: Nate Zeleznick [mailto:vibravision@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2000 11:21 AM
To: ...@hotmail.com
Subject: Sorry, Amita didn't have access to long-distance calling.
Hi Harald,
Thanks for your email. I apologize Amrita didn't get back to you. We
were
running around like chickens missing their heads and we didn't have
access
to email or long-distance calling because of the condo we were staying
in.
"All aspects of Merpati Putih center around one all important goal:
To become the very best people |
This sounds like an All-American Beauty Queen! |
Besides, it's really my job to get back to you, not Amita. She's our
marketing director, and not involved in any studies or evaluations of
any
kind. Actually, they arrive back in Jakarta tomorrow after 20 hours in
the
air, so she may not contact you for a couple days, or longer since
you'll be
out of town. I know Amita very well and I know when she gets home
she'll be
emailing you ASAP. Sorry about that. She really liked both you and
Kevin a
lot. I'm just sorry I didn't have the opportunity to talk more with
you
myself.
I will send my video to Kevin as per your request. It will contain
footage
from the JREF test where you'll see very clearly that Paul put alcohol
directly in the eyes of our athletes. I did this last night to myself,
first
wil Isopropyl and then with the same kind fo surgical swab used at the
test
containing methanol and ethanol. The surgical swab was much more
uncomfortable than the isopropyl. Granted, I made my brother stop
applying
it once it started hurting really bad, so I didn't get the same effect
as
our athletes. It still hurt like crazy though.
(---BLUE is email-reply by Harald)
--- Thanks for writing back so soon, Nate. In afterthought, It seems
the test should have been halted, by the athletes, since they were in
such anguish. It's too bad they did not think to ask for a recovery
period, to, perhaps the next day. I know that we would have been
amenable to that. Under the pressure, they probably did not consider
that. My guess is that the testes did not guess the level of distress
either, or they would have postponed the test themselves. When the
problem was first announced to me, I felt great sympathy for them,
really. As you know, I was not present during the actual test, so I
can't say that I have any first hand picture of what went on. I'm in
the middle on this one, Nate.
---I hear your side of events, and Paul's and the two do not match.
My mind s still open on the Merpati Putih skills. On the other hand,
I do know from first hand experience that you --or was it your
brother?-- are prone to exaggeration concerning some of your
paranormal claims. One of you told me and Kevin, while we were
waiting front the final results, that the tests were not going well
and the hypothesis put forth was that this is because of the altitude,
what with Jakarta being near sea level, and Ogden being -- what-- some
4,000 plus feet above it. We were told that since Merpati Putih
involves special breathing techniques, oxygen is a factor, and this
may have some bearing on the matter. Furthermore, one demonstration
your athlete did with your own blindfolds was 100% successful.
---Correct me if I'm mistaken, but in 450 years of expertise in this
technique, the Budi, or some other grand master athlete in your group
should have known about this! The Indonesians should not have come to
the mountains of Utah do be tested. You also said that only the day
before, you were able to do some demonstrations verified Vibravision
Merpati Putih.
---Having said that, I think the altitude objection is at best a weak
one, and a worst a cover up. I have not tried the alcohol yet, but
I'm now more inclined to think that its application as we did it, was
innocuous. This, in light of the far out claims (altitude) which I'm
betting are not valid at all, for the reasons I gave above. At the
time you mentioned the possible altitude problem, I didn't think much
of it -- these objections came to me a few days later. I'll withhold
the judgment until I see your video footage which shows that Paul
applied the alcohol directly to the eye slit and tear ducts of the
athletes.
---All this is *NOT* to say that I think Merpati Putih is bunk. I am
a skeptic I won't and can't decide until all the evidence is in.
But
I hold with Carl Sagan in this, that "Extraordinary claims
demand extraordinary evidence". I know you would agree with that.
For me, the problem is that I have not seen the extraordinary
evidence. You have seen it, I have not. The reason nobody in the
West has seen this evidence is not the fault of westerners, it is
because Merpati Putih has been kept secret since Anno 1550, by the
Grandmasters who have decided to clandestinely practice this art.
I'll send you footage of other demonstrations and training that we did
during their visit. Some of things I'm sure you'll agree can't be done
even
if the person can peek down the bridge of their nose. My Indonesian
friends
also have flatter noses than we do, thus their angle of view is even
less
than someone with a big schnozz like me if they're peeking. :)
Thanks for offering to put footage on a website for us. As I've been
telling
Randi since the beginning "We want this to be examined scientifically
by
anyone willing to conduct proper tests on us." If any accredited
scientific
organization says "We'll pay the airfare, food and lodging for 2
people to
come over to be tested, we would have someone sent almost immediately.
The
Grandmasters are just now allowing this knowledge to be know to the
world
and are breaking over 450 years of family secrecy. Why? Because they
know
that humans are destroying everything on this planet, and they want to
help
all of humanity by raising awareness of energy and the consequences of
our
actions.
--- That humans are destroying the planet has been known since ancient
times. Many a primitive culture has eaten itself out of house and
home. Anthropologists have only now rediscovered this fact. Whenever
humans could, technologically, in the past as well as now, they have
despoiled most of the environmental niches they inhabited. I'm sure I
don't need to give text book examples, to a man such as you. The
Grandmasters would (or should?) have known this centuries ago. I find
it hard to believe how withholding sight from blind people could
possible help humanity, or how it could have change the outcome
substantially, except to reduce suffering. This is hard to swallow,
Nate! For example: Making lenses for eyeglasses, by shaping glass
with stone and grit, is not beyond the technology of most cultures
since the Bronze age. But neither the Holy Bible nor the Holy Koran,
for example, contain a prescription for transforming simple sand into
a miracle to restore vision to the near blind. How kind it would have
been of God, to reveal in his Holy Scriptures, how to cure simple kind
of blindness. But I digress :) I'm sure that what you said about
the Grandmasters secret-keeping is just the "short form" of the
official Merpati Putih explanation. I'm sorry, I do not know the real
explanation. The awareness-energy-consequence encapsulated nutshell
explanation sounds far-fetched to me. But my interest is not really
in the history of all this. My concern is if Merpati Putih is works
NOW. The answer, fortunately is not too difficult to acquire, except
for the unfortunate reason of the alcohol.
We aren't afraid to be evaluated by any scientific organization as
long as their goal isn't just to debunk us by any means necessary, but
has a
genuine interest in actually seeing if this is real and when they find
that
it is, to help humanity with the uses of these energies.
Thanks again Harald. My email to Kevin was returned for some reason,
so I
doubt he received it. Please offer my apologies as I only have one
email
address for him and I can't deliver mail there for some reason. I'm
sure
I'll get an email address I can send to when he emails the address to
me.
We did a demonstration at the Moran Eye Institute for some of the top
Opthamlmologists in the U.S. and they personally blindfolded our athletes
to
--- I told my father about your group, and its claims. He is retired
now, but was a practicing ophthalmologist. He, too, seemed skeptical,
but wanted to know more. I told him all I could. My father has
invented several techniques and instruments for operating on the eyes,
and he holds several ophthalmologic patents. He knows a thing or two
about eyesight and about blindness.
ensure we didn't leave them a little gap to peek. The athletes, and
one
blind man, did everything perfectly because they were feeling good.
Honestly, one must consider that if this is genuine that it requires a
level
of concentration not possible by most people and the smallest
distraction
can throw the whole thing off. Alcohol in the eyes is a distraction,
and not
a small one. When the athletes are not in pain, they can do amazing
things.
I know they aren't cheating because I can do it myself and have
blindfolded
them myself as well. Now we just need to find a way to show the world
that
this is possible for humans and that anyone can do it.
--- I would be interested in learning this technique -- at least then
I'd be in a position to know what I'm talking about!!
Once we prove that,
we expect the interest in this art to be overwhelming and we're
readying
ourselves for this.
Thanks again Harald. Man, I have to say you're a very fortunate man to
have
the opportunity to travel so widely. I only dream of doing that. Maybe
someday? Who know?
Take care, and please don't give up on Amita. I've never met a more
honest
person, and please understand that the reason she didn't call you is
because
she couldn't from where we were and when we did get down to SLC, we
were in
such a hurry because their plane was leaving soon that we didn't even
have
time to use the bathroom. Trust me, I had to hold it for 4 hours. Ha
ha ha.
I'll get the footage to both of you, and please let me know if there
is
anything else I can help with. I check my email daily and you can
always
give me a call at (801) 745-3010. I may not be home but I promise to
get
back to you ASAP.
Cordially,
Nate Zeleznick
President, YSHP America's
Owner, Merpati Putih Utah Co.
From: "KRP" <
To: "Nate Zeleznick" <vibravision@hotmail.com
Subject: anything else to add?
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2000 22:07:39 -0700
Nate,
I am getting ready to add to my web page and to link it to the rest
of the world. Do you have anything else to add, that I may publish,
in addition to the email correspondence?
Have you sent your video to Kevin? I spoke with him 2 weeks ago, and
he has not gotten it yet.
Best,
--Harald
-----Original Message-----
From: Nate Zeleznick [mailto:vibravision@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2000 10:38 AM
To:
Subject: The video should be there.
Harald,
Good to hear from you! I'm glad you're back safe and sound from Russia. How
was it? Couldn't be any colder than it is here. Just kidding.
I sent the video to Kevin a couple days after you left for Russia. I sent it
Express Mail and I have the tracking numbers so I'll check those if you talk
to Kevin and he still hasn't received it. If it didn't arrive and we can't
locate it, I'll be happy to sent you another video.
Thanks again for all your help. We have our new webpage up and running. It
is:
www.mpusa.homepage.com
Since you're very knowledgeable about web design and such, if you see
anything that we should do to our website please let me know. You know what
works on the net and what doesn't, so I trust any advice you give me.
Take care. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Cordially,
Nate Zeleznick
-----Original Message-----
From: KRP [mailto:]
Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2000 10:07 PM
To: Nate Zeleznick
Subject: RE: The video should be there.
Importance: High
Hi, Nate!
The weather in Moscow and St. Petersburg was about the same as it was here, then. I wasn't bad -- jacket weather. I called just now, and now he tells me that he has not checked his PO box for at least 3 weeks or so. I'm sure the video is there. I'm dying to see the video, and how much / little the eyes were burned.
I'd like to ask you one more time, Nate to provide testimonials form any blind people who can now see. I've asked you three times before and you have not even touched on the subject in your replies. My understanding is that some of the now seeing people are Japanese. I can easily travel to Japan to verify testimonials, ant to interview the formerly blind. Some locals or Americans, to testify, would be even better!
You must personally know a formerly blind person who can now see using Merpati Putih. If so, this person MUST offer a testimonial, in order to help blind skeptics, for christ's sake!! Such people MUST come forward for the betterment of all! I'm sorry, Nate, but I'm putting you in charge of this. The Merpati Putih knowledge is too valuable to remain not believed, if it is true. The ball is in your park, I will forever hold you personally responsible for all the suffering if you do nothing in this regard.
On a lighter note -- I think you said were not very advanced in the Merpati Putih way in October. How has your training progressed? Can you now Identify colored swatches as in the OCT 7th demonstration by the Indonesians?
I spoke with several Russian people about Merpati Putih, and they, to a man, seemed very enthusiastic about it. I couldn't believe it. I told them that withholding judgment would be best for now, and I did not get a very sympathetic ear. One Russian woman said that she has seen something like this done -- I was not completely clear on exactly what it was.
It's a cool web site you got. I re-started on mine yesterday. So far, not much is different -- I've only managed to find our old correspondence and I've added it to the web site, unedited, of course. Like this one.
Best Regards, I'll email you when I've uploaded everything to the net.
--Harald
From: Nate Zeleznick [mailto:vibravision@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2000 11:43 AM
To:
Subject: I'll get to work on the testimonials.
Hi Harald,
Thanks for the email. I'm glad you had a good trip to Russia.
Yes, I personally know people that have trained in Vibravision and were
completely blind previous to training. They don't speak a lick of English,
so please let me know how you would like me to handle that. If it's
translated, then everyone who doesn't speak Indonesian could just say that I
made it up to better our efforts. I can get plenty of testimonials though,
as long as I know how you'd like me to handle them. We could post them in
Indonesian, but I don't think that would do much good. :)
I hadn't heard about any Japanese people being trained. Did Amita tell you
that? I'll ask them about it. We are just beginning a program for the blind
in Singapore, so I'll let you know how that goes.
No, we're not good enough to identify colors yet. That usualy takes 8 to 10
months of training. We can break stacks of steel barehanded without injury,
but that's Inner Power, not the sensing of outside energy. The blind are not
taught the inner power/fighting part because they don't need it, and
likewise, seeing people are not trained in Vibravision until higher training
levels because they don't need it. Probably around August or September of
2001 we should be at the stage where we can identify colors.
Thank you for holding me to the testimonials. I'm just not sure how you'd
like me to handle them is all. Let me know and I'll get it done.
I feel the same that this is something that 'needs' to be explored more by
Western Science and if genuine, will benefit people all over the world.
That's the reason I contacted Merpati Putih in the first place, worked for a
year without pay to get them here for a demonstration at WSU in August '99,
then worked for another year--without pay--to help bring them here for the
JREF Challenge. Most people do the right thing if there's profit in it. I do
it because it's the right thing to do...period. I'm very happy that you were
agitated about the testimonials in your last email because that showed me
your sincerity and enthusiasm to get as much information about Vibravision
as possible. I'm glad to work with you.
Again, please let me know about the testimonials and how you would like the
language barrier addressed and I'll do whatever you like.
Take care.
Cordially,
Nate Zeleznick
From: KRP [mailto:]
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2000 6:59 PM
To: Nate Zeleznick
Subject: RE: I'll get to work on the testimonials.
Nate --
I don't remember who it was that gave me the idea that some Japanese people had paid (tens of thousands of dollars) for a blindness cure via Merpati Putih. I think it was Randi, but I cannot now remember. So it's Indonesian people who have been cured. It would be good to have some testimonials, but not from any of the blind people whom I met and who are closely associated with the Budi Guru guy of your group. Best would be class of formerly blind people who took this training and who now can see and who are no longer associated with your group.
Because the extraordinary nature of the claim, the cases should be documented extraordinarily well. In addition to the formerly blind person's testimonial, the veracity of the accompanying testimonial of a doctor should be presented, at minimum, I think. The more the better, and the better the veracity of the doctors, and of their medical training, the more credible this will be. I think I can arrange for fair and adequate translation, but we would first have to get the documents. This material, original and its translation could be posted post on your web site, and on mine. I will paste the original side by side with the English translation and anyone can see or critique it if they want. We'll find out soon enough if it's not translated correctly! :) Why don't we start with scanned copies of the testimonials, in any language, and we'll post these, with the caveat that a legitimate and agreed translation will be forthcoming. Eventually we will have to interview there formerly blind people, as well as their family and friends. I will volunteer to do that and I'll make a report of it. I think this could take a long time, but it ought to be done.
It's very very sad -- criminal, I think -- that some Indonesians sat on this knowledge for centuries without helping the blind. Now -- and nothing has changed -- they suddenly release the information and it's OK, after all! Though laudable, it reminds me of the changes that the Mormons have applied to their Secret temple ceremonies, and to the Book of Mormon itself. (Even the temple ceremonies are no longer secret, but only sacred, as Mormons will tell you.)
Sorry for the digression, Nate.
--Harald
-----Original Message-----
From: Nate Zeleznick [mailto:vibravision@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, November 24, 2000 11:00 AM
To:
Subject: Sounds good.
Hi Harald,
I'll get to work on the testimonials right away. Honestly, I can't give you
a timeframe for getting referrals from people who are no longer associated
with Merpati Putih as well as their doctors recommendation, but I'll have
the guys in Indonesia start working on it.
Actually, we are working on training one blind person here in America under
the direct supervision of their doctor...for free. All we need is money for
airfare, room & board, food and then about $00 per month for them to send
back to their family. That's it, and we'll train the blind person for free,
meaning there won't be any sort of tuition fee.
Also, when Vibravision was made public, they did something very cool. Before
they released Vibravision, they trained a famous Indonesian singer who has
been blind since birth. Kind of like Stevie Wonder, everyone knows they're
blind, but then that man rode a bicycle out in front of a huge crowd while
he was singing. He didn't ride off the stage, he didn't tip over, he didn't
run into anything and most importantly, he didn't have any help. I'll see
what I can do about getting information about this man and I'll try to get a
referral from him. This happened about 7 or 8 years ago, and I don't think
he's still affiliated with us.
If you wanted to get referrals diectly from the source (Indonesia) and were
able to travel there, I can arrange a personal tour of the Vibravision
training facilities, interviews with students, and most likely their doctors
as well. We could undoubtedly arrange interviews with blind people who are
no longer affiliated with Merpati Putih as well.
As far as why this knowledge is being released now, well that's kind of a
given. If you and your ancestors had been enslaved by the white man for 350
years, you probably wouldn't be too anxious to give them your inheritance
either. This knowledge is the royal inheritance of the Kings and Heirs of
the Mataram Kingdom, in central Java. Well, actualy, what 'was' the Mataram
Kindgom. Of course it's all one contry now. Mas Poeng, the older of the two
grandmasters, would be the King of Java if things were still the same as 300
years ago. His father, Saring Hadipoernomo told his sons to bring this
knowledge to the world shortly after Indonesia declared its independence.
And now they're releasing it for the benefit of the world. They've never
once made any public claims about their abilities until now.
I hope you had a good thanksgiving. :) Please give my warmest regards to
Kevin when you speak to him.
I'll let you know as soon as I get any word from the central office in
Jakarta regarding the referrals and such.
Take care.
Nate
Nate,
OK, Let's give the Vibravision folks a couple of months to identify people who they have cured of blindness. After that, I'd think they are not going to do it
at all, and I'd be willing to forget about this. Earlier you wrote " This technique (Vibravision) has been used in the training of over 700 blind persons in Indonesia...persons who are now self-sufficient with no need for canes of seeing-eye dogs." These people would seem like living legends, for christ's sake. How can you or the Budi claim to have lost these people? It's as if Jarvik had forgotten what happened to Barney Clark, the recipient of the first mechanical heart, here in Utah! You must be careful, because losing the evidence that proves miracles is one of the ten hallmarks of bogus scientific claims. You should be careful to guard the evidence! Otherwise it's just like so many golden plates, if you know what I mean.
The blind person you train should not have so many strings attached! He should already BE in US. Food, he would have to buy anyway, and if there are no blind people in the SLC-Ogden area, I'd be willing to put this person up for the duration of the training, for nothing. I could house him. To ask the blind person to support his family with monthly payments seems goofy and extraneous, this is likely not happening right now, anyway. Most likely it's the reverse. That's it -- you can train a blind person now -- I can get my ophthalmologist father to identify such person, if you can't, one who has demonstrably and obviously irreparably damaged eyes. (But good ears, for the detection of the vibrations.)
The famous Indonesian singer who is blind -- who is it? I'd like to pull up his music and web page myself. Can you please provide that information? I also would like pt send him an email. This would help me also for my web page, as I would like to talk about him and give links to his web site. (Please don't make it so that famous Indonesian singer has no web page:) -- Just kidding!
Nate, to tour the Vibravision athletic center would be counterproductive at this time. No doubt a demo would be shown. But I saw a fair demo, the first demo on OCT 7th -- by
the chubby guy (I'm sorry I do not remember this man's name) -- I saw him fail to identify the colors of the six flags in front of him, after vibra-visioning them for 25 minutes. He held up, next to his head, almost each of the color choices, (some twice, as if to wait for acclaim from the audience:) that he had made the correct identification. But he got no feedback from the audience, and did not identify any colors by hearing the vibrations of Vibravision. I think that all present agreed that the score for Vibravision was zero. The failure of that demonstration is my primary objection for doubting Vibravision at this time. I saw the failure of an acknowledged Vibravision expert, trained by the Budi himself, blindfolded by your people, without the use of alcohol to cleans the skin for the duct tape. I came away more disappointed from that demonstration.
Today, just NOW, my atheist friend Ernie Rufener from Washington came to visit, and I played, for the first time the video form the test that was applied to you. What an interesting experience!! Ernie is a died-in-the wool skeptic. He pointed out, for example, that the location
of the water bottle thatthe allegedly blind person was to divine, was determined by a fellow Indonesian. This, of course precluded any objective determination of Merpati Putih Vibravision. The two could simply have agreed beforehand where the bottle would be hidden, to facilitate "miraculous discovery" of it.
This video will be made available on this web page, as soon as I have the time to put it online. IN the meantime, you may order it via email, for the cost of $10 dollars. Pease email . we accept credit cards -- Discover, Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
I was there, at the beginning of the video-taping. I am pleased to finally see the latter part of the Randi test that I did not see. There seems to be no burning of alcohol on the tape that I saw! Yes, some complaints were indicated by head-shaking of your athletes -- but no BURNING as I was lead to believe by you and by some other Indonesians! I will wait for the tape you sent to Kevin's PO box to make up my mind about this burning thing. I hope to see that tape soon. The Indonesians that were blindfolded by Paul made some grimaces, but they went along with the test. No burning of the eyes was evident.
Earlier in our conversation you said that "The Grandmasters are just now allowing this knowledge [Merpati Putih/Vibravision -- Ed.] to be know to the world and are breaking over 450 years of family secrecy. Why? Because they know that humans are destroying everything on this planet, and they want to help all of humanity by raising awareness of energy and the consequences of our actions." You couched this Vibravision secrecy in modern, environmental language. Now, you say that the secrecy has only been 350 years and that it's because of racism. Again, a sentiment that rings resonant guilt to modern white ears. But is it true, does it make sense, after all? Why the change in slant? Was it environmentalism that prevented the dissemination of the beneficial effects of seeing with your ears (Vibravision)? Or was it concern for the Native Indonesian, about one hundred years later? I suppose it could be both, and if so, I will try to understand your explanation of it, if you care to share it with me.
I have been working on your web page, and I think I've not included anything negative. I hope you agree, if you have any corrections, please let me know.
--Harald
cc: Chris Allen.
-----Original Message-----
From: Nate Zeleznick [mailto:vibravision@hotmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2000 1:32 PM
To:
Hi Harald,
Well, I've sent word about getting referrals to Jakarta. I'll find out the
famous singers' name and get his information to you as well.
It slipped my mind that your father is an ophthamologist. That's great! If
he can find a blind person willing to do this in Ogden, then I'd be happy to
house the Vibravision Instructor, but if the person is in Salt Lake and
you'd like to house them, that would be wonderful. We 'want' this chance
Harald. As far as a monthly salary.... Would you feel comfortable leaving
your wife and children with no source of income for 6 months? Doubtful.
Almost all Vibravision Instructors work a full time job as well as train the
blind. Granted, we realize that sacrifices are going to have to be made in
order to bring this to the world, but it isn't fair that someone should have
to leave their family with no money to do it, when it doesn't have to be
that way. Most people would understand because they themselves wouldn't do
that to their own family. What about airfare?
I already have copies of the JREF Test from John Sohl, so I think I'll
decline your offer to purchase them by email, but Thanks anyway.
On the tape you saw, there was no apparent burning of the eyes. That's
because there wasn't a good camera angle that showed it except mine, which
you'll see on the video I sent Kevin. I zoomed in and was in the ideal spot.
Chris Allen photographed Pauls back and didn't even have the camera running
during the application of the alcohol for one of our athletes. Whether it
looks painful or not shouldn't matter because unless it's you it's
impossible to know what someone else is feeling or how something is
affecting them. Some people have a higher pain tolerance for instance, so
you wouldn't see them grimacing or objecting as much as someone with a lower
pain tolerance.
As far as justifying why this knowledge is just being made known now...I
won't even try. That was their decision (the 11th generation heirs) and they
didn't discuss that with me, thus I can't speak for them. Sooner, later, who
cares? Now is what is important. They are releasing this information now,
and I refuse to condemn them for doing what they want with this knowledge
which belongs to them and only them. I try not to be too judgemental of
others on account of the fact that I've been judged my whole life.
The Chubby Fellow is named Aris. I talked with him later and he said he was
too distracted to sense properly. You seem to think this Vibravision stuff
is as easy as breathing. I can attest that it is not. It requires an
incredible amount of concentration and you don't just perceive colors.
Light, heat, colors, shapes, people (including through their clothes),
vibrations from fans, etc. That's just a little bit of what a skilled
Vibravision practitioner must filter through to find their objective (in the
JREF case...color). Any Physicist will can you that energy we're unaware of
surrounds and penetrates us every second of our lives. Like radio
waves...can't hear 'em until you get a radio, but they're always there,
passing right through us unnoticed. Blind people have a much easier time
learning this than do sighted people. They don't have any preconceived
notions about what something looks like, thus they don't get the conflicting
signals that sighted vibravision people can encounter sometimes. Anyway, He
told me he was distracted, and I believe him considering that I watched him
shoot a business card out of Mike's hand with a BB gun from about 40 feet
away. He was blindfolded 3 times and was looking the other way. He never
even turned his head towards Mike and he nailed the business card after
about 3 seconds of aiming. He was looking the opposite way the entire time,
and Mike was moving around the lawn until he started aiming. Mike stopped,
held the business card straight out to his side, and it got some
ventilation. He's very good at Vibravision, but no one is perfect all the
time, right?
As far as the Budi. His name is Mas Budi. Mas is a polite term for sir or
Mr. and Budi is his first name. He isn't the Buddha. His name is Budi. Sorry
I didn't exlain that better before.
As far as why our athletes didn't object more. They understood that no
sounds were permitted and both of them were fearful after they had said a
few words that we would be disqualified. That's what they said later. They
thought they wouldn't be allowed to test. We are trying to arrange another
preliminary test in Indonesia right now with Randi's new blindfold. I'm
still kind of lost as to why we had to keep fetching our interpreter when
one of the JREF guys (short grey hair) speaks fluent Indonesian. It never
was explained to me why he wasn't allowed in the room. He would seem like an
essential person to have...an objective person who speak the language of the
people being tested. In Indonesia obviously we won't have that problem, but
we had to call in the interpreter 5 times, which only added to the length of
our test. Sorry about that. Of course, the need for the interpreter had
nothing to do with the outcome, but when he came in, he talked with the
athlete for quite a while and then answered "OK. You can go (proceed)." I'm
sure they talked about more than that but I had no idea what they were
saying. I think the interpreter kept quiet because he knew we had no choice
but to proceed and he knew we were out of blindfolds or nearly out.
Anyway, I'll start working on the things you've requested. Hopefully the
information comes soon.
Take care. I'll check out the website. Thanks so much one more time for all
of your help. It is appreciated very much by all of us.
Warmest Regards,
Nate Z
Yes, Nate. I am Sorry!
I misunderstood some things and I agree with some other things you said. About your statement concerning Chris's videos -- I can agree, I saw the video yesterday. I hope to see your version as soon as Kevin can get it from the post office.
I misunderstood the salary, as you call it, the 100 dollar amount you mentioned in your previous email. I thought it was to be paid to the blind student. It is to be paid to the Vibravision instructor. $100 per month is certainly not much, for christ's sake. It should be more. I will personally pay double this amount and will commit myself to paying the instructor six month's worth of salary, but of course only after the instruction has been successfully achieved and only if the blind person has learned to see (using VV), naturally. I would be honored to play this little part in the betterment of humanity. It is only because of the poor performance of the MM athletes October that I won't risk paying without results, perhaps for naught.
I'm like you -- you said "Most people do the right thing if there's profit in it. I do it because it's the right thing to do...period". It' not much, but I think to popularize this ancient restorative technique is extremely IMPORTANT, and that's why I've decided to do my web page, to report the good, the bad, whatever obtains. My effort is to help bring VV to fruition in the West, if it is indeed a good idea to do so, and to tell the new (to us) developments, if any, in Vibravision / Merpati Putih (VV / MP). My father's hero is Albert Schweitzer. I know I'm no AL, but I feel a little like he, especially if we can bring VV into the light, and if it helps people.
I, with the help of my ophthalmologist father, or alone, will get a blind person locally to train in Merpati Putih (MP) Vibravision (VV). I will approach the local Blind Center here in Salt Lake City with this proposal. You, in the meantime can begin to scout for a suitable tutor. I would prefer that Mas Budi himself would volunteer, after all he has no other job, and would suffer the least financial loss. The stage appears to be set; perhaps the Indonesians will spring for the airfare, as they so generously did, when the Indonesian contingency came to Utah in October, in order to apply for the million dollar prize.
I agree that some people have a higher pain tolerance, and one wouldn't see them grimacing or objecting as much as someone with a low pain tolerance. I know this to be a fact. People with a high tolerance for pain are not bothered as much by it as those with a lower tolerance.
As far as justifying why VV/MP knowledge is just being made known in the year 2000... I think we already discussed this in email. You said that this knowledge was withheld for 450 yeas by the 11th generation heirs (?) in order to protect the environment. You mentioned the breaking of the prolonged secrecy of VV and MP by the 11th -Grandmasters was needed because humans are destroying our planet, and the eleven Grandmasters want to raise awareness of energy. I did not mean for you to speak for the grandmasters. But if the reason understood by me before is false, then someone, I think, should explain why the eleven Grandmasters sat on this knowledge for so long.
In seeing
Aris' failure to identify colors and in considering your description of his shooting skills, whilst blindfolded, I cannot rule out the possibility of trickery in the part of Aris. It seems much harder to do the shooting than to merely see a colored flag. Have you considered that perhaps SOME of the MM people are purposely tricking you into believing that VV is true? I hope they are not tricking us -- those people seemed very friendly and likable. And the stakes are so high, that if this thing works, some extreme benefit will accrue to mankind. But the possibility of cheating must be kept in mind and must be ruled out.
In regard to your comment that I seem to think that Vibravision is as easy as breathing. Yes, thought that, because your claim, according to the document that you signed ( http://www.nowscape.com/vibra/Vibravision_Test_Procedure%201.htm ) reads in part:
Seven hundred blind Indonesians are now walking about without the need of canes, etc; perhaps I can be forgiven for thinking that an expertly trained Vibravision athlete who traveled from Indonesia to claim the $1,000,000 prize should competently perform the task agreed upon and claimed!
Aris
scores a zero, by any stretch of interpretation. Yes, VV is hard to do, I realize now, and maybe it's impossible. I just don't know.
I'm excited about the possibility of proving the worth of VV/MP once and for all. I'm encouraged by the start of new tests in Indonesia that you mention. I've not heard of this before, and please keep me informed. If possible, I would like to attend as an observer. I'm thankful that perhaps I can play some small part in this; the western world is lacking so much in spiritual knowledge.
My hope is not to alienate you, Nate!! I do want honest and free communication. I have no complaints, I hope it's the same for you.
--Harald
-----Original Message-----
From: Nate Zeleznick [mailto:vibravision@hotmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2000 2:44 PM
To:
Subject: Visited the website.
Hi Harald,
Just got done looking at the new website. [ http://www.nowscape.com/vibra/ -ed.]
Thank you for doing that and thank you for all your help. I like the layout, but there are a couple of things I'm concerned about. Both of us want the same thing, but after looking at
the website I can tell that we both have different points of view. Some of the info on the site is very negative. This is fine. We respect you Harald and anything you want to say so instead of telling you that we are right and
you are not, let's get together for dinner and we'll talk about your views and goals and our views and goals and see if we can't get them to be a little more in sync. I've noticed we've been rather aggressive towards one
another in our emails and I'm not sure why? Nothing good can come from that, so rather than the two of us conflicting so much, we'd like the chance to speak with you more about this personally so that we can truly understand
where you're coming from. Will Tuesday be okay? Just let me know where to be and what time. We'll be there.
One more thing. I noticed that all of our email correspondence is on the website. The things I've written were for you, not for everyone else. That's kind of like broadcasting a private conversation over the loudspeakers at
Wrigley Field. I'd appreciate it if you'd stop putting my emails on the website. Feel free to leave the ones that are there on the site, but for further reference, please don't use my
emails in the website. And please don't use the email I sent earlier today. Thanks.
Talk to you soon.
Warmest Regards,
Nate Z
Hello Nate --
I examined my web pages again and toned down some sentences, I hope it's better now. I don't think you have been aggressive in the emails towards me! And I did not try to be
aggressive towards you! This is just my normal personality. I almost think I ought to apologize now, but if a man is obliged to apologize for his damn personality, what
has he got left?
I cannot understand that by talking, your and my views regarding VV can become more congruent, or in sync, as you say. Needless to state, you are 100% pro VV, and I am not. In fact, I lean toward the
possibility that VV is false. But I haven't given up on it because the potential benefit is so humongous. Merely talking cannot achieve this, especially in light of the poor performance of the MM athletes, with and without alcohol in the eyes.
RE your invitation to speak over dinner; Tuesday is good foe me, but it ought to be after work for me, evenings if possible. One more thing. You use the first person plural in reference to our meeting -- who is 'we'? Will you bring a friend? Maybe Kevin would like to come also, and if so, may I invite him? Kevin could bring his video equipment, so that we can document the conversation for later inclusion on the web.
About the email posts on the web site -- I'm sorry id I did not make it 100 percent clear that all of our communication would be free and openly put on the net. I know I mentioned it at least twice in email. I see your analogy with the broadcast scenario. But the internet is not like a broadcast -- one has to actively seek
information to obtain it. On the other hand, to publish my email is like showing anyone who wants to see, a letter that was written to me. If I get a letter, I can certainly
show it to anyone I like because it is my property. I don't make restrictions on you. If you feel like forwarding one of my emails to anyone, you should be able to do so, and I should not be able to prohibit it.
Have you not forwarded my email, or at least quoted or paraphrased me? I think it is the same.
Please do not tell me secrets. I wish not to hear private communication from you, and you must understand that I won't keep anything confidential; it's all public.
Why the secrecy? I think you have been working in good faith on this VV/MP business. What can possibly be the problem? I'm open to understanding what problems you could possibly have; you do not mention
them here. You only mention the desire to have private email with me.
If I have made some factual errors on my web page, I will fix them, if they are identified to me. I will even replace my text with improved corrected text authored by you, if you will be kind and industrious
enough to write it for me.
It is unpleasant for me to discover that you are dissatisfied with our correspondence. I understand the tremendous impact that VV/MP, if true, could possibly have on humanity, and I know that you, president of YSHP America, and owner of the Merpati Putih Utah Company could stand to gain unimaginably from this, if VV turns out good. I KNOW that gain is not your motive. Nate!
Best Regards,
--Harald
cc: Kevin, Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: Nate Zeleznick [mailto:vibravision@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2000 5:01 PM
To:
Subject: I understand more now. Thanks for the clarification.
Hi Harald,
Sorry I can't write more today but I'm using a friends' computer at the moment and I'm on my way out the door.
Actually, the 'we' you mentioned is just Mike and myself. We want to get to know you better since you're doing so much to help us, that's all. I shook your hand and talked for only a couple seconds with you and I was hoping to speak with you more not only about MP/VV but also about you and what you do for a living, etc. I'm a people-person. What can I say?
Thank you for removing some of the harsher words. The main one I had concerns about was the word 'pathetic'. That bothered me.
No. I know they aren't lying to me at all because I can do this. Imagine telling the exact time on a clock that's facing the other way. I don't wear a watch, but many times I've known exactly what time it was without even seeing the clock, walking to the clock and seeing the exact time I thought it was. Granted, that's not too amazing, but I see the clock display in my mind exactly as it is. Granted I can't do this all the time, but it happens often.
Anyway, I'll write more tomorrow. Maybe we can plan on meeting for dinner sometime next week? That way we can coordinate our schedules. I'll let you know tomorrow if there's anything on the website that I still have concerns over.
Take care. I'll write more tomorrow.
Cordially,
Nate
Hey!
Kevin just wrote "I went to the PO box today and guess what ? Yep, ain't you the smart one - I have the video. I have not watched it yet, but can either bring it up, or you can come down." I'll invite myself over to his house this weekend to see the Video. Yes, I got a little carried away with the use of emotional words on my web page. But "pathetic" was an accurate description go
Aris' performance. I really did empathize with his long struggle to feel / hear the vibrations from the molecules of organic dye of the cloth. Nevertheless the word pathetic sets antipathetic tone.
Knowing what time it is and not wearing a watch is not an unusual accomplishment, Nate! My mother could do this and she never had a lick of ESP or MM/VV training! Many times we kids were astounded at the accuracy of her time-telling. Many people can do this. I'm pretty good at this myself, even in my sleep! I often awaken in the night and am amazed at how accurately I've predicted the time upon awakening. It seems, even without training, I've acquired VV/MP powers. Many people don't need an alarm clock in order to awaken at a certain time. You have had six months of intensive MM/VV training! What's more, I have a friend who can usually guess the correct temperature to an mean accuracy of almost 1/2 degree Celsius.
A meeting next week instead of tomorrow would be good. I am in the midst of a family crisis right now, and I may have to be out of state, but we'll see. In 4 weeks or so, I will probably try to make it to Moscow or Saint Petersburg again, and my sister also wants me to fix some plumbing in her condo in Cabo.
Yes, if you have any concerns of items on my web page, please re-write the item/s and I'll probably replace my text with yours. Please be reminded not to write secrets to me that can not be made public -- I'll continue to post a history of correspondence on the web. It's for posterity, Nate. It's possible that we live at the threshold of an historic era!
Best,
--Harald
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Bernhardt
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2000 9:13 AM
To: KRP
Subject: RE: Vibravision test
KRP wrote on 11/28/00 12:16 AM:
>Thanks for the observation, Paul. Do you care if I include this and
>perhaps future emails in the web?
>See you at the next to next A-brunch, eh?
Hi Harald,
Yes, you can include the contents of my email on the email discussion
page if you like. And I've contacted Kevin to see the video tape if/when
it arrives. If I screwed up while I was applying the alcohol, I need to
see it and know it.
I'm expecting to attend the January A-brunch.
Best to ya!
Paul
Hi Harald,
Great work on the website for the Vibravision test. I've been reading
through the correspondence between you and Nate after the testing.
Several things have caught my eye. One is his accusation of me putting
alcohol directly into the eyes of the test subjects. As you and he note,
this is not the way I remember it. I remember keeping the alcohol at
least 1/8 inch from the edge of the eyelid. If it was different, he needs
to produce the video that shows it.
The quote from you below also caught my eye:
"Today, just NOW, my atheist fried Ernie Rufener from Washington came to
visit, and I played, for the first time the video form the test that was
applied to you. What an interesting experience!! Ernie is a died-in-the
wool skeptic. He pointed out, for example, that the location if the water
bottle the allegedly blind person was to divine, was determined by a
fellow Indonesian. This, of course precluded any objective determination
of Merpati Putih Vibravision. The two could simply have agreed beforehand
where the bottle would be hidden, to facilitate "miraculous discovery" of
it."
I think it was even simpler. Echolocation! No, he wasn't using sonar
<grin>. The bottle was placed on the table with a decisive 'thump.' I
noticed it the moment it occurred. Our ability to locate precisely where a
sound comes from is quite good. For a blind or near blind person, this
ability will be accentuated. The physiology of echolocation is appended to
the end of this article. The only problem our blind person had in finding
the bottle was objects which may lay in the direct path to it. There were
no objects on the direct path, the person who placed the bottle made sure
of that. But, there were some right off to the sides of the path and you
will notice from the video that the blind subject very slightly bumped
into each of them all along the way. Finally, when he gets to the bottle,
which he certainly has located to within 2 or 3 cubic feet he moves very
slowly his hands moving about 1/2 inch downward in each wave. His hand
very slightly bumps the bottle. He surrounds the bottle with his hands
pauses dramatically, as if to consider if he is really 'feeling' the
bottle, then grasps the bottle in both hands.
Ask Nate to perform the following test: Place the bottle in a direct
location with a 'thump' then move it silently to about 10 feet off to one
side from where the bottle was thumped. Then see how well he does. Repeat
the tests. Do it the old way, leaving the bottle where 'thumped,' moving
to a different location after 'thumping.' See how well the subject does
in these variation. I estimate near 100% accuracy when the bottle is not
moved and near 0% accuracy when the bottle is moved (assuming total
blindness in the subject).
Hope you are doing well. I won't be at the next Atheist's Meeting. The
bridge unit on which board of directors I sit, is having a Christmas
luncheon and tournament game that day. However much I loath Christmas
events, it is a good opportunity for me to promote a mentoring program
I've devised.
Give my regards to Kevin, Chris, et al.
See ya!
Paul Bernhardt
-----Original Message-----
From: Nate Zeleznick [mailto:vibravision@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2000 12:42 PM
To:
Subject: Next week will be great.
Hi Harald,
I'm glad the video is there. I hope you and Kevin like it.
I think I need to explain a little about MP and the differences in this art.
I have trained in Vibravision for 1 month now, not 6 months. I've trained in
PPs Betako MP, which is empty hand self defense for over 1 year, but the VV
things are not usually taught to sighted people until after at least 2 years
of PPS Betako training. The PPS Betako is for building Internal Power (known
as Subtle Energy is the West), not for perceiving outside energy such as in
VV. They are apples and oranges...both based on energy, but they are still
completely different.
As far as telling the time, well of course we all have internal clocks that
keep track of time. I wake up at the same time every morning and I rarely if
ever set my alarm. I didn't explain what I was talking about, and that was
because of my limited time to respond last night. I think it's great that
you know people who are so accurate about the time and temperature and such.
I never have been, so this is a new thing for me, and the fact that I'm
right when I do this is good reinforcement for me. We all have our strengths
and weaknesses. To say that someone knows VV because they can do what I've
learned to do doesn't work because they may have been born that way? VV is
not about Seeing blindfolded Harald, it's about becoming more aware of
what's around us without having to use our eyes to do it. Some people have
greater sensitivity to begin with. I did not, but I'm developing it. Some
kids are smarter than others and don't have to work nearly as hard to get
good grades. With blind people, it's diferent though because if you take 2
completely blind people, one may excel at VV and be able to read and such
after 1.5 years, while the other person may take longer, or may opt not to
continue training after the first 6 months. A lot of blind people do that.
They train for 6 months, can avoid any obstacles in their way without canes
or dogs and don't want to continue training. Many blind people find such
freedom after the first 6 months that they don't see the need to continue
training. Granted, I'm the kind of person that likes to do things all the
way, but not everyone is like that, and I surely can't fault anyone for
being grateful for what they've learned and are ready to go back out into
the world perceiving things in a new way. That's completely the decision of
that person.
Oh, the famous singer I mentioned. His name is Ramona Purba. We are getting
the information you requested about him.
Anyway, I hope that your family crisis works out okay. Just let me know when
next week you'd be available and I'll do my best to accomodate your
schedule.
I was wondering. What is your profession? It seems you travel a lot. I love
to travel, so I should probably go shoot my high school guidance counselor
for not recommending I pursue the profession you're in. :) Ha ha ha. Just
kidding.
Take care Harald.
Best Regards,
Nate
OK, many people can do this time telling business. I told my roommate this story yesterday evening, that you tried to be able to use this time guessing ability as some, albeit minor defense of MM. She laughed. She talked to people at her work, who apparently also said they can also do this time telling without watches. I don't know why you would put yourself into the position of using a doubtful "skill" to verify some competence in the art of Vibravision! You said "I know they [Indonesians MP athletes] aren't lying to me at all because I can do this."... you said, with regard to my suggestion that you ought to think about foul play from the Mas Budi, and the other VV/MP practitioners. My opinion right now leans toward the idea that you can't do the vv/mp things, and that nobody can, especially not the so-called expert athletes whom we tested! You said, "Granted, [the time-guessing is] not too amazing". Nevertheless you think it is your Vibravision training that gave you the time-guessing ability! Some defenses, of VV/MP are very weak and desperately artificial-sounding, in my opinion. The fact that you can pull up a visual hallucination of a clock while guessing the time seems to argue against stability, not for enhanced perception, in my estimation.
By profession I am a programmer and webmaster, as of late. What do you do for a living? I don't travel for my work, I just do it for fun. Occasionally it's a business trip, like the recent Brazil trip-- I went there to forge business relationships with business interest in Rio for my web pages. I'd go to Indonesia, if invited to see the next VV demonstration!
A Really BLIND Person avoiding 4 objects on a street. |
Searching Yahoo, Google, Alta Vista, Web Crawler, Barns & Noble for the "famous Indonesian singer who has been blind since birth", [Ramona Purba] who rode a bicycle without tipping over (sic), yields only one web page, selling one album http://www.indonesianmusic.com/albums/4/best1984.htm . No biographical info. I beg to differ, but any unsighted person can be taught to ride a bicycle, for christ's sake! This, and the time guessing episodes are amongst the weakest evidences for you belief in Vibravision. |
It's pathetic, Nate. But as I told you, I'm open to good evidence for VV/MP. I think you are hurting the cause by giving extremely poor "evidence" for
it,
and passing it off as good evidence. Your evidence should be better. Like, at least ONE of your so-called athletes should have been able to do it, especially the athlete
Aris. Your claim was that VV practitioners can Identify colors in 10 seconds or so, but Aris failed after trying for 25 minutes.
Aris
flunked completely, and he is one of the VV's best.
With all of these shady claims, I doubt now that you can break steel. If you permit, I will bring some steel and I'll test you at our next meeting. Just tell me how thick a slab of steel you claim to be able to break, and I'll supply it for the demo.
You say your VV training has made you more aware about what's going on around you. But you can't see that the Indonesian people are pulling the wool over your eyes. At least that's how it looks form the failing VV demo on Oct 7th, and from your lengthy association with those Indonesians who charge
hundreds of thousands of dollars to give false hope to restore sight to blind people. And today you tell me that some of these healed people voluntarily choose to give up the ability to see:
"They train for 6 months, can avoid any obstacles in their
way without canes or dogs and don't want to continue training.
Many blind people find such freedom after the first 6 months
that they don't see the need to continue training.".
This has got to be just so much crock! I suppose this will really reduce our chance of finding any still practicing formerly blind people because most have given up their training that
enables them to see. The more I read of your apologies, the less respect I have for this Indonesian VV business.
--Harald
-----Original Message-----
From: Nate Zeleznick [mailto:vibravision@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2000 12:24 PM
To:
Subject: Steel breaking demo would be fine.
Hi Harald,
Okay! I won't offer any more explanations of what VV people can do. They
will formally invite you to Jakarta to tour the vibravision facilities,
speak with doctors about it, and you can see for yourself.
We're obviously on 2 separate pages, and I'm obviously not effectively
conveying the information I'm trying to. Maybe I'm just not being clear
enough in my wording?
When I say I can do this, I'm not talking about telling the time on a clock
from a distance. Give me a break! That isn't even a Vibravision skill that
people train in. It's just something that I've recently been able to do, and
no I'm not having hallucinations as you said. I have, however, been able to
navigate obstacle courses while blindfolded. No I didn't peek, No I didn't
memorize the course and NO I didn't have help from other people! The
obstacle are always changed after the person has been blindfolded, so no
memorization can take place.
You keep going back to Aris... He messed up! So What!? Not everyone is
perfect all the time. Get off it and lets move forward.
We want to prove this to you and everyone else Harald. You really think that
the VV team spent tens of thousands of dollars to come here to try and
cheat? Cheat James Randi, the worlds' foremost investigator of paranormal
claims?! God! If they were going to cheat, they would have waited until we
could do the test in Indonesia. That way it wouldn't cost much.
As far as the famous Indonesia singer. Did I ever say they were famous in
the U.S.A.? NO! That person is famous in Indonesia, not here. You're judging
us prematurely Harald. You haven't even seen the video I sent. You think
that because Aris didn't live up to your expectations that this is
impossible and this is fake. Well, it's your right to believe what you want,
but instead of me going on and on about how wonderful this is, we'll just
prove it to you, if you're willing to let us.
I'll also do my best to get you Ramona Purba's email address and website (if
he has one). I'll do everything I can to prove this to you and the world, or
die trying. Please don't get too hung up on the time telling thing. Real VV
is much more useful and can accomplish much more impressive things.
Can you ride a bicycle around random obstacles while you're totally
blindfolded without tipping over or hitting anything? Doubt it! Try it and
see. I've personally seen this done by blind people who had blindfolds on as
well and the obstacles were set up by people who are just as skeptical as
you are, or even more.
My profession? Mike and I are Martial Arts instructors for MP. The 'only' 2
Americans ever trained. That's my profession. Yes, we can break steel. We'll
be having an exhibition soon and of course you'll be invited. We'll show you
steel breaking. It isn't fair for you to bring the steel because it has to
be cast iron or carbon steel. I have a 10" metal file that I bent in the
shape of a horse shoe. It's an alloy metal and won't break no matter what.
Of course you can inspect our steel to make sure we didn't break it then
epoxy it or something like that. Fine. No problem whatsoever.
Mas Budi is one of the most honest, respectable people I've ever known. You
don't know him, so please stop making judgements about him. You don't even
have even close to all the facts. In fact, you have very little information.
I'd like to change that. Mas Budi has dedicated his life to making the world
a better place. The only thing stopping him is people that won't give this a
real look, prejudge it to death and then spread word that this is fake. One
demonstration wasn't successful and you think this is bunk. Give me a break
Harald. We'll do everything we can to get a VV instructor here if your
father can find 2 blind people for them to train. That way we'll have more
than just one account of the success of VV. This may take a couple months
since I'll be funding their trip personally, and I am not a wealthy man,
albeit one with nothing but good intentions. We're working on getting you
referrals, as you requested. Yes, we can locate blind people who have gone
through VV training and you can meet them if you go to Indonesia, plus I'll
do my best to get referrals from them before then as well, if possible.
Remember Harald, the world was once flat, witches were burned at the stake,
sickness was caused by sorcery, the night sky was just a big sheet with
pinholes in it, blacks had smaller brains that whites, the sound barrier
couldn't be broken, acupuncture was considered hokum. Humanity learns new
things all the time, especially in the 20th century. Don't write us off
Harald. We're working very hard to bring this to the world, and you saying
we're pathetic isn't helping. Considering your limited exposure to this,
it's safe to say that you have very little room to talk. Not all experiments
are successful, but that hasn't stopped the greatest minds of all time from
getting back up and trying again and thus making discoveries that have
improved the lives of billions of people.
We will undergo the James Randi test again, this time with a new blindfold
designed by James Randi. We aren't quitting Harald, and we aren't going
away. We will do this, with your help or without. I would prefer it be with
your help.
Once again, don't get hung up on the time telling thing. That's just a
personal thing I shared with you about something that's changed for me. That
is NOT a skill that VV specifically claims. That is something that happened
for me, and NO I'm not good enough to do it all the time....yet. I've only
been doing this for a month or so. Give me some time.
I'm trying to be as nice as possible, and you keep insulting me. You
question VV, and now you're questioning us as martial artists. The martial
art Merpati Putih is without question one of the most powerful in the world,
if not THE most powerful and I'll prove that to you. Come to our
demonstration. I'll let you know when and where. Inspect our steel, watch us
break, 'then' make your determination. To do so now is a completely
prejudiced assumption, and a wrong one at that. You haven't seen our martial
arts at all. How can you say we can't do these things? You haven't even seen
the video I sent. It has breaking on there, but you're judging me and us as
a group before you've even seen that, and even that isn't a great amount of
information.
Tell me when you would be available to go to Indonesia. I'll let Amita know
and we'll arrange your stay there. You can test people personally if you'd
like, not just watch a demonstration or two.
No more apologies. No more excuses. You want to know if this is real. We'll
prove it to you. Period.
Let me know when you're available to go to Indonesia. I'll make sure you are
taken very good care of while you're there.
Thanks,
Nate
I keep coming back to Aris
and to other points of VV failure because those seem to me to be direct arguments against the veracity of VV, while you argue weakly, IN
my opinion, for the veracity of VV. And Aris's embarrassing failure was the only one I witnesses with my own eyes. But I have seen one of the tapes which also fortified my ever-stronger opinion that VV is bunk. I'll view the tape you provided this weekend to make a
judgment about the issue of alcohol in the eyes. Aris lied about his ability to do VV, and the "athletes" in on the videos flunked, scoring only as well as guessing, at best, under scientifically controlled conditions. Under non-scientific -- the Merpati Putih condition, the athlete which you people blindfolded scored 100%.
This indicates to me that this "athlete" cheated by peeking thru the blindfold that VV/MP provided. Other things that indicate cheating or deception, to my mind, are:
* the story that this VV had to be kept secret for 450 years,
* that guessing the correct time and the ability to hallucinate
or to visualize a clock is due to VV training,
* that the for 4 ophthalmologists you mentioned were qualified
to ascertain the veracity of VV by merely observing the
"athletes",
* that the vibrations of atoms can be sensed (as anything but heat)
* that, "As science knows, all matter is comprised of energy..."
This claim would negate Einstein's famous formula, which
converts matter to energy, and vice versa [Not to be confused
with Einstein's Equivalence Principle],
* the claim that video footage from the $1M test shows application
of alcohol to the **eye slit** and **tear ducts:** of the
claimants -- [it is NOT so],
* Merpati Putih - Vibravision (MP/VV) grandmasters did not know
of the effect of altitude on VV ability,
* the lack of verified testimonials of the efficacy of VV,
* the claim that a blind person's ability to ride a bicycle on a
stage is due to VV training,
* that breaking brittle steel, such as files is an extraordinary
ability due to VV training,
* that it is possible to detect alpha particles, beta particles,
gamma particles, and such radioactivity trough VV/MP,
* that Vibravision has been used in the training of over 700 blind,
persons in Indonesia...persons who are now self-sufficient with
no need for canes of seeing-eye dogs,
* that VV, once learned by blind people so that they could see again,
would give up or forget the VV ability.
I'll probably think of more objections, or red flags, that a scam is being perpetrated, but these came to mid right now.
To answer your question, Yes, I think that it is entirely possible that the Indonesians came to the US at great expense, in order to try to win the James Randi Prize by dishonest means. Such
behavior is not unknown. Every applicant for this prize to date has been a fraud. Perhaps your
friends
are charlatans also, who knows?
I think you are honest, Nate, though perhaps you will never be objective enough to be able to say that this is a fraud. In my mind, you are like Joseph Smith who
dazzled and duped illiterate back woods farmers, but eventually became fooled by his own fabrication.
I think your reliance on the Indonesians' blindfolds is unfounded, I think. In the first VV tape that I saw, the promotional one, demonstrating MP's abilities, I saw plainly that the
blindfolded "athletes" were peaking underneath their blindfolds. The blindfolds were also slit up the middle, up to the bridge of the nose. Even a blind man can see that this is no legitimate blindfold. Perhaps these promotional videos fooled a bunch of illiterate back woods
farm boys from the boondocks of Indonesia, and you, but "feats" are pathetically transparent.
Regarding your observation that the world was once flat, witches were burned at the stake, sickness was caused by sorcery, the night sky was sheet with pinholes in it -- these
false ideas were all put right, not by eleven Grand masters hiding truths fore 450 years, not by a bunch of charlatans peeking thru pinholes in blindfolds, not by sincere but gullible blind faith zealots, or by unscientific true believers. Science put these superstitions to rest. Merpati Putih is not a science, it is its antithesis. It's only claims, dancing,
bicycling, saber-waving, and balloon popping balloons -- from the crotch of a lady. It's circus.
I would be interested in knowing the force required to break the steel files (if that's what they are). One science-thing you should know is many newtons it takes to break one of these files.
How many? I changed my mind about wanting to observing the file-breaking feat. I've seen this and even more impressive acts before. My interest in the claim of seeing without eyes
has not changed.
It's queer that people that can do VV would use such obviously defective blindfolds as is in your video, to demonstrate the ability. They should use extra-secure blindfolds to demonstrate their point!
If I have to be afraid of insulting you when I express my ideas about VV/MP, then you will either have to stop corresponding
with me, or learn to tolerate perceived insults. It's not my intent to insult you, and I apologize for past insults. I think that VV will likely turn out to be a fraud. I
think that your explanations and excuses have been weak. I hope you are not insulted by my expression of doubt.
I'll be available to go to Indonesia during the first 10 days of February 2001.
As for your mention that Mr. Budi has dedicated his life to making the world a better place. The only thing stopping him is people that won't give this a real look,
prejudge it to death and then spread word that this is fake -- I think these people are absolute swine! They should not pre=judge until they have seen a fair, impartial
demonstration of VV abilities, under controlled conditions. So far we have seen, perhaps not all of the abilities that Mr. Budi wanted to show us, but we have seen only
failures. We have seen a dismal excruciating failure by
Aris. People should not pre-judge. That would be wrong. But people should demand extraordinarily good evidence for
extraordinary claims.
--Harald
From: Nate Zeleznick [mailto:vibravision@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2000 11:20 AM
To:
Subject: Hi Harald.
Hi Harald,
I wanted to let you know to please expect an email from my brother Mike from
email address mpusa1@hotmail.com.
I'm sorry for being so gruff lately. I'm establishing our Martial Arts
school right now, so I'm under a lot of stress. I don't mean to take it out
on you in any way. Please accept my apologies.
We'd be happy to meet with you next week and break some steel for you. We
really want your input about that as well and I realized it wasn't the best
idea to have you see it for the first time at one of our exhibitions simply
for the fact that we'd like to talk with you about it afterwards, and that
may not be possible at the exhibition as we'll be enrolling students and
such and answering martial arts related questions. We just don't want to
exclude you is all. Of course we'd love to have you attend the exhibitions,
but the first time you see us break steel you'll probably have a lot of
questions about it and we want to be able to answer al of your questions.
Anyway, I hope you have a great weekend. And I'm sure you'll have some
questions about the video you see with Kevin. Of course, we're happy to
answer your quesions as best we can. :)
Take care.
Best Regards,
Nate
Hi Nate. Thank you for the invitation; I do not need to see your steel breaking demo, because it is not a supernatural miracle, as seeing with blinded eyes is. I bet I could do the steel breaking too, without MM training.
The Deseret News article from November 26, 2000 came to my attention today Via Chris A.: "Group says the blind can 'read' vibrations"
http://www.desnews.com/cgi-bin/libstory_reg?dn00&0011270244 .
Now I understand why you cling to the defense of such a doubtful technique as Merpati Putih (MM). It's the money, of course! How naiive I have been!! The paper states:
"Anybody is welcomed to study at Merpati Putih -- for $110,000. The year-and-a-half training is broken up into three parts, Yayasan officials said. The first part can be learned in Utah. The rest must be learned in Indonesia. During the first six months, students learn how to sense nearby obstacles, Zeleznick said. This part of the training costs $30,000. During the second six months, students learn to specify objects, Zeleznick said. And this part also costs $30,000. In the final six months of the training, students learn to distinguish color, which enables them to sense shapes of letters, allowing them to read, Zeleznick said. It costs $50,000." Deseret News, Sunday, November 26, 2000 |
It appears you will make 30,000 dollars, in the first six months from each student!
That's $833 dollars PER DAY, |
That's a lot of loot, especially when you have no expenses, except for a bunch of swords for waving, and for watermelons to slice up. I'm beginning to think more and more that this must be some kind of scam, especially since the "master athlete" that I saw perform with my own eyes,
Aris, couldn't do this at all! And he had taken the full 110,000 dollar 18-month course, plus some, presumably. I'm guessing now, that the reason the last part of the course is taken in Indonesia is so that no one can ask for a refund AND get their money back if the can't see after 18 months. A US Citizen, for example, might have no legal recourse. I'm assuming that the refund policy offered by the Eleven Grand Masters of Illmu Getaran Merpati Putih will reveal itself to be draconian -- correct me if I'm wrong. Naturally you would offer to train people for free now, in order to build publicity and to get mentioned in the newspaper. A certain picture is coming together for me now, in my mind's eye.
|
Weird Science... Another Testament |
The aforementioned newspaper article states that "Zeleznick said it's based on solid principles of science" (sic). Come on! I have seen no principle of science seen explained. I have not even seen any principle of science alluded to, or even mentioned! You do not claim science, you claim fringe science, or a supernatural phenomenon, at best! You people are not scientists, in fact your group impressed me as being scientific illiterati. To merely say, everything vibrates and we can feel the vibration is not science! I believe you and your group suffers from a marked inferiority to an expected standard of familiarity scientific principles. Else you would have recognized the conclusion of the test that the Randi group gave you for its validity... Else you would not be fooled into thinking that your ability guessing the correct time can be accrued to training in
MMP/VV. There is nothing in science that says that all colors besides blue are absorbed, as the newspaper article says:
In FACT... if VV is the detection of vibrations of matter, and if all colors but blue were absorbed by objects, then the energy released by the absorbed colors would be converted to vibrations of matter.
Energy cannot be destroyed (or created). If the non-blue colors were absorbed then those colors would contribute the
most to the vibration of matter! Right? Therefore blue would make a negligible contribution to its vibration. Blue is reflected in your theory,
after all, and thus cannot enhance the vibration of matter. Thus it would be exactly the REVERSE of your claim, as stated in the newspaper! You really should know a BIT OF science before claiming it as your ally, my friend.
This practice is also common amongst apologists of religion. They find great delight in quoting scientists (usually misrepresenting) to fortify their point. What's my point? It is that it's never the other way around! Scientists never claim that gods
some scientific theory. Neither do you, you use pseudo science and eye doctors to attempt to bolster the status of your claim. I don't think you are aware of doing this -- I think that you think are behaving honorably. Why not makes a killing at the same time, eh? I think the prospect of getting filthy rich, if Vibravision catches on, has blinded you.
Hi, Nate!
I'm expecting the email, but noting has come.
I saw the video you sent to Kevin today. Thanks for the personalized message! I see what you mean about the alcohol. The "athletes certainly grimaced" when the alcohol laden swabs were wiped across their eyelids. I could not tell from the video if I was seeing alcohol swabs all the time of if some of the wipings were dry swabs to wipe off the alcohol and face oils. I think your athletes should have called of the test if they were distracted by pain.
In your second email to me (above) you state: "I have video footage from the test showing very clearing that Paul applied the alcohol directly to the eye slit and tear ducts of our athletes." I think this characterization is misleading, although I also think that you have a point. Nevertheless, the eyes were closed, no slit to read duct was exposed. IN the instance that the eye was open, the alcohol was applied below the eye. Perhaps some fumes got into the eye, I don't' know. I believe that MP/VV claims much more than it can deliver. It's not scientific. It can't pass a fair test. It's possible the athletes are lying about their ability. If so, it's likely they would line about the alcohol also.
I also saw the demonstrations filmed in Indonesia and in the US. I think that the athletes also suffered pain there, and were not distracted. I saw one woman who extended her leg and had a cast iron pump handle smashed over her shin bone! Ouch! It seems that for some of your "athletes" pain is certainly no distraction!
I do not deny that swabbing down the face with alcohol caused enough discomfort to prevent the athletes from performing correctly, I don't know if alcohol got in the eyes. Paul denies in emphatically. Obviously it would be to the athletes' advantage to grimace as if in pain, knowing they are being filmed, and knowing that they will likely fail under controlled scientific conditions, as they did. One athlete even failed MP/VV's your own blindfolds, and no alcohol.
Cracking multiple blocks of ice with the HEAD! was certainly impressive, almost as much as smashing the pump handle across the young lady's shin bone. I was not impressed with the file-breaking, especially when only the tips of the files were broken or worse, the thin handle-end of the file. I KNOW I could do that also. IN fact, I have broken a file once by accident, while filing!
I don't know what the material was that was set atop a post, that the athletes kicked. The video was blurry and choppy throughout, and it was not possible to freeze-frame correctly. The material on the posts in the video seemed to resemble concrete. Sometimes, after having been kicked - and broken in half, dust seemed to fly away from the point of cleavage. Sometimes the concrete-looking material seemed to break with almost no effort at all. The last demonstration of this on the tape you sent us shows this very clearly. The "athlete" hardly touches the "concrete" material and it falls off the post, broken in half. At first I thought this was a slow motion rendition of the event, but closer inspection reveals that it is not.
One demonstration on your video shows a sword wielding and blindfolded man tossing a melon into the air, perhaps 1/2 meter, and slicing it in half as it fell. This is nothing! I can do this, too. I verified this by closing my eyes, tossing my cat's fuzzy toy into the air, and swatting it with my hand as it fell. In 80% of the instances I was successful in causing the object to fly across the room. This is sooo easy, I wonder why this should be touted as one kind of special ability!
((Speaking of cats... My woman told me Three days ago, that out CAT (sic) has also acquired Merpati Putih (MP) abilities!! Jowles has recently started to awaken -- jump off the bed -- about 20 seconds before the alarm goes off, in the morning. She has observed Jowles to this now about 12 times. How do you explain that, other than by admitting that Jowles can do Merpati Putih ? This makes me think that your MM training is for naught, and that you could do the MP feats without doing the training. Perhaps your MP training is over priced. $30,000 (US) seems an very steep price to pay in order to break files and ice and the concrete-looking stuff.))
The video contains a colored-flag demonstration, similar to the performance and test that you did in Utah, except that two colored flags were held up by each participant. It's uncanny, but the video distinctly shows the person being tested holding up the WRONG colors! I can't imagine what that the video intended to be demonstrated there! Much of the video seems to be just so much fluff. Viewers see people breaking things, jumping about, and groping.
May of the demonstration were uninteresting because the context could not be ascertained. Were the "athletes" who ducked under triangular structures really navigating this maze the first time? The fellow who found the man with the packet of cigarettes -- was he really blind? Did he know the layout of the room? Was there collusion between him and the man carrying the cigarettes? of course no film can be convincing.
Nevertheless, considering the poor performance in Utah, It seems likely that these people are cheating. I'm not sure, mind you but it is a possibility. I think you should very carefully examine everything the Indonesians do and tell you. The breaking of ice and steel, etc is not a feat peculiar to MM; I have seen this dome in other martial arts. The scientific basis is completely unfounded -- no -- WRONG, as I've told you in my email before you stopped emailing me. Perhaps you are brushing up on your science before you reply. This is good, if so.
In the video, MM claimed the existence of -- and I quote correctly the "Indonesian Atomic Institution". My search on the internet reveals no such thing!
I'll await to see what your brother will say. I'll wait here by my modem :) have a good day!
--Harald
Dear Sir or Madam I am interested in the technique that was written about in the Deseret News Newspaper of Sunday, November 26, 2000. It seems you tested and validated a technique for helping the blind to see. Can you please tell me more about this? |
www.desnews.com/cgi-bin/libstory_reg?dn00&0011270244 "...A group from the Yayasan demonstrated
their martial arts techniques -- called Illmu Getaran Merpati Putih, or
Vibra Technique -- at the University of Utah's Moran Eye Center in
October. They wanted experts there to witness their techniques, said Nate
Zeleznick of Ogden, the North American director of the Yayasan.
|
We've been going through the papers trying to identify the technique.
The Moran Eye Center [external LINK] has had much newspaper and television coverage in
the past month. Can you be more specific? Please let me know and I
can identify the appropriate physician to assist you.
Margaret Cragin
Clinical Operations
Moran Eye Center
(801) 581-5990
-----Original Message-----
From: Julia Kleinschmidt [mailto:Julia.Kleinschmidt@hsc.utah.edu]
Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2000 9:40 AM
Mr. Sir:
In reply to your inquiry, the technique was simply demonstrated here at the
Moran Eye Center to a group of curious people. I most certainly did not test or validate the
technique. If the sponsors hope to have it accepted as a rehabilitation modality, it will have to be subjected to scientific scrutiny. This they have not done, nor did
they seem interested in pursuing it. Until there is strong research evidence to support the validity of this technique, I would encourage individuals with visual
impairment to pursue the standard, and very effective, rehabilitation training.
I hope this helps.
Julia J. Kleinschmidt, PhD
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2000 10:29 PM
To: Julia Kleinschmidt;
Subject: Validation of Merpati Putih is finished. Guess how it came out? :)
Dear Julia --
The testing / validation work of Merpati Putih / VibraVision has been done. This web page displays the results:
http://www.nowscape.com/vibra/
--Harald
-----Original Message-----
From: Nate and Mike Z [mailto:mpusa1@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2000 11:12 AM
To:
Subject: Re:Moran Eye Center
Hello Harald
I will answer all of your questions, But not like this. Can we meet this weekend? Please don't add anything more to the website until you understand what you are
talking about. I will clear up all of your misunderstandings. Mike Z
Please help me understand what I am talking about. I'll see if Kevin is available for meeting. I am unavailable on Sunday.
CC: Chris, Kevin, Randi
Date: 12-9-00
Hi, Mike
The questions you should be prepared to answer are those on my new web page at http://www.nowscape.com/vibra/problems_with_VV.htm . I can meet you sometime this week, I'll get Kevin to come along; we'll also record the conversation on video/audio, if that's OK. Just for fun -- I know I told Nate I'm not interested in file breaking, and I'm not. But I can do this file - breaking feat your "athletes" do as shown on your promotional video, hands down! I'll bring a file, we'll film the breaking of it, too. Can you bring those wooden supports you use? We'll do it in the parking lot.
Thanks for finally offering to answer all my questions! Kevin probably will have some also. The meeting is, as far as I am concerned, to answer the questions of scientific basis of Merpati Putih VibraVision. I think you should bring a scientist or someone who knows science, because we need to get a much deeper level of understanding than merely saying "everything vibrates, therefore VV is true". Fair enough?
--Harald
From: "KRP" <>
To: "Nate and Mike Z" <mpusa1@hotmail.com>
Subject: LEV
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2000
Hi, Nate.
Your brother Mike seems not available to respond, so I'll write to
you again. I found a Merpati Putih website that has MP athletes
floating in the air: http://www.merpatiputih.cjb.net/ (bottom link);
is there anyone who can do this in Utah, or is this considered quite
advanced ? Can you demonstrate this? I think I can levitate a bit,
too, only not as much as this picture shows. I will bring some files
to our next meeting that I will break before you eyes. I have
purchased some quality Craftsman files at Sears, I hope they are as
tough as any Indonesian steel that you demonstrated, for breaking.
Please let me know when you can meet, thanks! Kevin And I will show
you something!!
--Harald
CC: Kevin, Chris, et al. RE: http://www.nowscape.com/vibra/ (New
stuff added.)
-----Original Message-----
From: Nate and Mike Z [mailto:mpusa1@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, December 11, 2000 10:47 AM
To:
Subject: Re: LEV
Hows it going Harald?
This is Mike, I apologize for the delay, we are very busy setting up our new
school. I'm not sure right now if we can meet this week, but for sure next
week. I'll let you know. What size files did you buy?
we use 10" or 12" files. To answer your question about the levitation- He is
not actually floating, the two men are holding him on 1 single piece of
newspaper. I personally am not good enough to do this yet but we are
planning to bring 2 guys who can,from Indonesia in April. Nate has witnessed
this feat done and then the MP guy rolled up the 1 piece newspaper and broke
a 12" file with it. On the video there is a man who breaks a file with his
pinkie. Keep in mind I cannot do that yet, but when they get here, you can
watch and see. I look forward to seeing your steel breaking! Have a good
one, I'll be in touch. Mike
The Craftsman files I broke were eight inches long, I think. Considering how easy it was to break them, I think It would be no trouble at all to break a slightly thicker
and longer one. The longer a brittle substance like this kind of steel is, the easier it is to break it. The increased thickness, of course works against the ease of breaking.
Breaking a file is nothing. And I have somewhat smaller than average hands. Like I said before, I'm not really interested in this brittle steel breaking sham. It's not hard to do, it's not special.
Kevin and I accept your postponement of meeting, we'll wait to hear from you when you are ready.
The web page with the apparently floating person has the words "Anti-gravitasiin" and "Levitian" it title. Perhaps I'm not translating it correctly from Indonesian. Maybe Anti-gravitasiin means "standing on a newspaper with a strap through it while pretending to float", in Indonesian. I certainly would defer to your superior knowledge of the language. But I have eyes, for christ's sake! This picture is doctored. The floating figure is NOT standing on the newspaper -- his legs are too short; he is not kneeling -- his legs are too long! Nobody holds a newspaper as depicted, levitian or no. And look how the fellows are straining, yet the illustration and its title pretend that there is no weight! This is FAKE, Nate and Mike.
Look at it again! This is not a "single piece" (sheet) of newspaper, as you claim. You can see the bulge that his right foot makes between the pages! The location of the two mountebank's hands indicate plainly that they are holding up the floating charlatan's weight by a strap inside the newspaper. The location of the hands indicates that the newspaper is held up by the strap that goes through it.
Maybe you have seen this in real life, and you were convinced that levitation works. But have you not also seen a lady sawed in half, yet believed that she really came to no harm?
You don't have to be an Amazing Randi [offsite
link] to see this as a sham, you only need a minimum of skepticism. Anyone can see this with half their brain tied behind their back! It's sad that you defend this fraud, Nate and Mike, in order to further your financial goals by pretending to enable the blind to see. This, for a measly $100,000 plus.
Now that I've discovered that Vibra-levitation (LV) flying is amongst the Merpati Putih claims (file breaking is nothing -- Zero) -- I think it much less likely that Vibra-Vision (VV) seeing is possible. I think now it is likely that you and your brother have set out on a plot to cheat people, especially the uneducated and the blind, out of over $100,000 dollars.
I now think it likely that if you and your brother have sincere beliefs in Vibravision et al, then you are probably undeservedly fooled. If you think it has scientific basis, you are certainly uneducated fools.
I have seen the pathetic failure of Mas Aris, your especially-flown-in Indonesian expert-athlete, with your blindfold, curelessly fondling six colored cloths for 25 minutes, unable to pick the
BLUE one, the easiest VV- color of all!
I have seen the video tape of your especially-flown-in Indonesian expert-athlete, with his own blindfold, pass the test as you advertised and the subsequent miserable performance of your "athlete" when the blindfolds were glued on tightly.
The results are published click --> HERE.
You have no scientific basis for your claims and you have no scientists. You and your brother seem to be peculiarly under-educated in the basic sciences. I predict that you will not "answer all my questions", as outlined on one of my web pages. I could be wrong, but I think Vibravision is a fraud, or y'all are superstitious fools. Correct me If I'm wrong.
Best Regards,
--Harald