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Jon Ronson

GNC

King-Sized Canary
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Aug 25, 2001
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I suspect some here might have heard this, but last night on Radio 4's Jon Ronson On... he was talking about irrational thoughts (superstition and that), and went on a ghost hunt with mixed results.

Listen again here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/comedy/jonronson_on.shtml

If I were a woman, I'd quite like to marry Jon Ronson, but he's already married. Anyway, Tuesday nights at 23.00, there's usually something curious on the programme.
 
Anyone read The Men Who Stare At Goats? I really like the sound of it...worth buying?
 
I attended a reading by Jon Ronson of excerpts from The Men Who Stare At Goats and some of his other writings. Very impressive and amusing!

' Shadowed by Bilderberg security through Portugal, a panicked Ronson tried to explain himself to staff at the British Embassy: "I'm a humorous journalist out of my depth. I'm a bit like Louis Theroux" - adding for our benefit that he and Theroux are like "conjoined twins. In order for one of us to grow stronger, the other must die." '
 
hokum6 said:
Anyone read The Men Who Stare At Goats? I really like the sound of it...worth buying?

Yup, very entertaining book, and a bit hair raising in places.
 
The TV version of "Men who stare at Goats" was disappointing but the "Giant Owl ceremony" in "secret Rulers" was one of the most remarkable pieces of film I have ever seen.

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Mighty_Emperor said:
Rrose_Selavy said:
The TV version of "Men who stare at Goats" was disappointing but the "Giant Owl ceremony" in "secret Rulers" was one of the most remarkable pieces of film I have ever seen.

I think that was shot with this guy (see the bit I posted):

www.forteantimes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25064

Thanks. Whatever was going on - it sure was weird.....
I'm downloading the video
http://www.prisonplanet.com/grove56k.ram
from here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cremation_of_Care
 
Just a reminder that the new series of Jon Ronson On... starts on Radio 4 in five minutes. It'll be on Listen Again at the R4 website too, I presume.
 
And very interesting it was too. Listen. It's a cracking and mysterious tale.
 
Yes, fascinating programme. I'm interested in that researcher's idea that four per cent of the population are sociopaths. There could be one next door to you! Or maybe on this message board - no, I'm sure Forteans don't make for good sociopaths. Or bad ones for that matter.
 
Anyone read The Men Who Stare At Goats? I really like the sound of it...worth buying?

Yep. Any book which opens with an American general left bewildered by the fact that he keeps bumping into the wall every time he tries to walk through it cannot be bad.

I also recommend 'Them: Adventures with Extremists.'
 
That was a weird story. Strange how he had access to all that information, some serious hacking skills, there.

Yep. Any book which opens with an American general left bewildered by the fact that he keeps bumping into the wall every time he tries to walk through it cannot be bad.

I also recommend 'Them: Adventures with Extremists.'

Yeah I've read them both now. Excellent stuff.
 
This week's episode is strongly recommended with giant eel searching and Susan Blackmore explaining why she doesn't put herself forward as a skeptic in the media anymore.

Oh yeah, and the Goatsucker? A mongoose!
 
Last weeks was ace, punchline after punchline! (Was he a CIA agent or not? I want a watch like that!)

Just listened to this weeks and - great as usual! Love the sound track!

Love the fact that Jonathan Downes didn't find any eels at all in lake Windermere and uses this as conclusive proof that it's swarming with giant versions of the b*stards!

Humble Pie!

EDIT for link and bad spellings.
 
Hope springs eternal!

I like the way Mr Ronson accepted that there probably weren't any giant eels, or any eels at all in Lake Windemere for that matter, but still held onto the idea because it made life more interesting.

And everyone knows the paranormal shuns scientific explanations...
 
gncxx said:
Oh yeah, and the Goatsucker? A mongoose!
It's a shame he didn't really elaborate on that more - does anyone know anything about this theory?
 
H_James said:
gncxx said:
Oh yeah, and the Goatsucker? A mongoose!
It's a shame he didn't really elaborate on that more - does anyone know anything about this theory?
I just found myself irritated by that bloke who kept referring to the "Chupacabra", as if "Chupacabras" were a plural - plonker! And his theory about the creature's identity (based on the fact that goats in South America are all tiny, apparently) - as Ricky Tomlinson would say, "Mongoose, my arse!"

Still, Jonathan Downes on the giant eels of Windermere was very entertaining!
 
Excellent again last night, all about a survivor of the July 7th bombings was accused of lying when she refused to go along with conspiracy theorists. It must be disturbing to be dragged into strangers' paranoid fantasies, particularly after a trauma like that.

Mr Ronson also made the point that these conspiratorial types who hang around on message boards are driving each other steadily insane. By extension, internet posters are doing the same! Luckily for me, I was insane before I found the internet, but I don't know about the rest of you.

Seriously, make sure and listen to this one, especially the part where the incredibly patronising David Shayler is told to f*ck off by the host. You wouldn't get that on Newsnight!
 
gncxx said:
Excellent again last night, all about a survivor of the July 7th bombings was accused of lying when she refused to go along with conspiracy theorists. It must be disturbing to be dragged into strangers' paranoid fantasies, particularly after a trauma like that.

Mr Ronson also made the point that these conspiratorial types who hang around on message boards are driving each other steadily insane. By extension, internet posters are doing the same! Luckily for me, I was insane before I found the internet, but I don't know about the rest of you.

Seriously, make sure and listen to this one, especially the part where the incredibly patronising David Shayler is told to f*ck off by the host. You wouldn't get that on Newsnight!

Damn, just missed this one. Did anyone happen to download it?

I have a copy of the CIA episode saved if anybody missed it.
 
hokum6 said:
gncxx said:
Excellent again last night, all about a survivor of the July 7th bombings was accused of lying when she refused to go along with conspiracy theorists. It must be disturbing to be dragged into strangers' paranoid fantasies, particularly after a trauma like that.

Mr Ronson also made the point that these conspiratorial types who hang around on message boards are driving each other steadily insane. By extension, internet posters are doing the same! Luckily for me, I was insane before I found the internet, but I don't know about the rest of you.

Seriously, make sure and listen to this one, especially the part where the incredibly patronising David Shayler is told to f*ck off by the host. You wouldn't get that on Newsnight!

Damn, just missed this one. Did anyone happen to download it?

I have a copy of the CIA episode saved if anybody missed it.

Here you go...

Jon Ronson On #3
 
Frobush said:
Crushed Egos this week - love it when him and Linehan having a good go at Geller's 'psychic powers'!

Yeah, it wasn't too Fortean this week, but the Geller anecdote was worth it!

Glastonbury next week, should be interesting. Anyone going? You might see the man himself.
 
This must mean that there's an interview between Ronson and Geller!

Last one in the series, maybe? Here's hoping!
 
Sounds like the last one will be more Glastonbury. Interesting (in an ironic way) that 39% of the festival is now owned by right wing maniacs.
 
I missed the first episode of the new series (last week's episode, 2nd one is later today Monday 1st Oct), does anyone have it downloaded that could share?

Cheers!
 
Creamstick1 said:
I missed the first episode of the new series (last week's episode, 2nd one is later today Monday 1st Oct), does anyone have it downloaded that could share?

Cheers!

I don't see anything listed on the Radio 4 website for today. Whereabouts is it?
 
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