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Ghost Hunter Linda Zimmerman and author/talk show host Thom Hartmann


Gene Steinberg

Forum Super Hero
Staff member
November 5, 2006:

Ghost hunter Linda Zimmerman, a prolific author on the paranormal, talks about her own experiences with strange entities, as David and Gene explore the facts behind ghost sightings.

With government conspiracies a hot and heavy topic in the paranormal field, you'll also hear a discussion on how to take back our freedoms with cutting-edge talk show host and author Thom Hartmann.
 
Gene Steinberg said:
November 5, 2006:

Ghost hunter Linda Zimmerman, a prolific author on the paranormal, talks about her own experiences with strange entities, as David and Gene explore the facts behind ghost sightings.

With government conspiracies a hot and heavy topic in the paranormal field, you'll also hear a discussion on how to take back our freedoms with cutting-edge talk show host and author Thom Hartmann.

Man, I hope the Paracast isn't planning on drifting in to the leftist, bash America format prevalent on Air America. You guys (Gene and David) have been taking a lot of potshots lately at the President which kind of announce your political proclivities, but having an out-and-out leftist such as Thom Hartmann on is definitely taking the show someplace I had hoped it wouldn't go. Are you going to have Rush Limbaugh or Michael Savage on next? There is enough political b.s. on the airwaves and the internet, I doubt the Paracast needs to join in the fray.
 
david_r_p said:
Man, I hope the Paracast isn't planning on drifting in to the leftist, bash America format prevalent on Air America. You guys (Gene and David) have been taking a lot of potshots lately at the President which kind of announce your political proclivities, but having an out-and-out leftist such as Thom Hartmann on is definitely taking the show someplace I had hoped it wouldn't go. Are you going to have Rush Limbaugh or Michael Savage on next? There is enough political b.s. on the airwaves and the internet, I doubt the Paracast needs to join in the fray.

The subjects of UFO secrecy, free energy, and government conspiracies in general are political. Yes, Hartmann is a progressive (liberal seems to have become a pejorative in the 21st century), but whether you agree with his politics or not, there are things he'll be saying that do relate to the topics we deal with. He is also co-author of a popular book on the Kennedy assassination, another matter that we have covered in past episodes.
 
Wow, David predicted the grousing but who thought it would happen the very same day!

I wonder why the paranormal tends to attract the Right Wing / Libertarian bunch so often. Maybe it has something to do with paranoia or gullibility. Frankly, I'm surprised that set goes anywhere near a sensible offering like The Paracast. I would think they'd prefer the "The aliens done stole and probed me!" fare found on certain AM stations.

It is fascinating how the knee-jerk protest to this evening's discussion actually illustrated certain cultural dynamics postulated in that discussion. Ah, symmetry!
 
interestedINitall said:
Wow, David predicted the grousing but who thought it would happen the very same day!

I wonder why the paranormal tends to attract the Right Wing / Libertarian bunch so often. Maybe it has something to do with paranoia or gullibility. Frankly, I'm surprised that set goes anywhere near a sensible offering like The Paracast. I would think they'd prefer the "The aliens done stole and probed me!" fare found on certain AM stations.

It is fascinating how the knee-jerk protest to this evening's discussion actually illustrated certain cultural dynamics postulated in that discussion. Ah, symmetry!

Actually, I don't want the Paracast to have politics to the left or the right. I don't consider it a political show, but I guess since you have me pigeon-holed as some right winger (after reading a single post), whatever I say really won't matter, as I couldn't possibly be as erudite as you.
 
david_r_p said:
Actually, I don't want the Paracast to have politics to the left or the right. I don't consider it a political show, but I guess since you have me pigeon-holed as some right winger (after reading a single post), whatever I say really won't matter, as I couldn't possibly be as erudite as you.

This person can't help furthering other people's points; it's amazing.

I wonder if he bothered to actually read his little polemic against the Thom Hartman segment. Does anyone consider a statement like ". . . the leftist, bash America format. . ." to be politically neutral? Kudos to him for actually cracking that dictionary he won at the gas station and using a word like "erudite." I'm impressed.
 
Gene/David - The above post kind of illustrates exactly why I was hoping political guests would be avoided on the Paracast. I'm not going to get into a flame war with little noobie here, despite the baited personal insults, but this type of bs rhetoric is exactly what these boards will become if there is too much politics left or right. That was the point of my original post. I still haven't had time to listen to the show, so for all I know Thom Hartmann was completely fair and neutral and/or talking about pure esoterica... I don't know. It's loaded on my iPod so I guess I'll find out on the drive home.
 
I have listened to about 3/4 of "the paracast" now and this show was one of my favorites. I really liked both of your guests. They were both very articulate and straightforward and I didn't get any feelings of hedging questions etc.
My other favorite show so far is the first Steven Greer interview.
Greer and Hartmann both discuss how the US government is not looking out for our best interests as citizens, and how we have lost control of our own government.
Also, I loved Zimmerman's completely matter of fact views on the spirit world.
I came to The Paracast from a different path then some I think.
I came to hear a Greer interview and I had heard of him because of his near death experience and spiritual beliefs.
Every thing I know about the world of UFOs I have learned since then from your archives. So I am not a supporter of Greer's claims, I am instead interested in discussions about understanding forces of government and theories of spiritual evolution.
So thanks again for a great show!
lbb
 
I enjoyed this show, especially the part with Linda Zimmerman. I think ghost hunting is facsinating and un-believable to most people at the same time.

Initially, I was supprised to hear your very un-related non-paranormal bit with Mr. Hartmann, though I heard the end of the podcast and understand why you added it afterall.
 
david_r_p said:
Gene/David - The above post kind of illustrates exactly why I was hoping political guests would be avoided on the Paracast. I'm not going to get into a flame war with little noobie here, despite the baited personal insults, but this type of bs rhetoric is exactly what these boards will become if there is too much politics left or right. That was the point of my original post. I still haven't had time to listen to the show, so for all I know Thom Hartmann was completely fair and neutral and/or talking about pure esoterica... I don't know. It's loaded on my iPod so I guess I'll find out on the drive home.

Incredible! This imbecile hadn't even listened to the show before posting his little Right Wing / Libertarian tantrum about Hartman's segment! How typical of that stripe to comment on something without having all the facts. If his little protestations were, in fact, simply meant to be cautionary then he missed the mark entirely and should probably apologize. Maybe if he channeled some of that everyman angst into improving his language skills he could prevent such awkward situations.


Strictly out of curiosity, how is my being new to the message boards relevant to this discussion? Have you proven that you're not just some marginally educated reactionary time and again on some other part of the boards? Am I, like you, guilty of commenting before "listening to the show?" Is that it? On second thought - never mind, to explain you'd probably have to resort to terms like "bs" again and expose us once more to that public school vocabulary.

David and Gene, keep up the great work with the paranormal discussions and I hope you'll continue to feature segments like Hartman's. If nothing else it might prove too much of an intellectual challenge for Mr. FOX (For Obtuse Xenophobes) News and his ilk and they'll move on to meaner pastures.
 
interestedINitall said:
Incredible! This imbecile hadn't even listened to the show before posting his little Right Wing / Libertarian tantrum about Hartman's segment! How typical of that stripe to comment on something without having all the facts. If his little protestations were, in fact, simply meant to be cautionary then he missed the mark entirely and should probably apologize. Maybe if he channeled some of that everyman angst into improving his language skills he could prevent such awkward situations.

I think that is enough of the personal insults. You are ruining it for people like me who are interested in these topics and civil conversation.
 
I am pretty much through the show (about 25 mins left) and this is a good show. I enjoy the different parts of this show. It is quite different then most of the shows (that I LOVE BTW) but it is good to get a different topic every once in a while. I still for the most part consider this a "UFO" show and there is nothing wrong with that. This show brings up a lot of good and important topics though.
 
aaron said:
I think that is enough of the personal insults. You are ruining it for people like me who are interested in these topics and civil conversation.

I call it as I see it. Perhaps you should appeal to that individual who railed against the Left before listening to a show that may have featured Left leaning concepts.

If that sort of thing doesn't offend your sensibilities how can you have a substantive discussion about anything? You're interested in discussing UFOs, ghosts, ESP, etc. with someone who launches into the negative before even listening to the topic at hand?

If it's a choice between politics and the paranomral, I too would prefer to keep politics out of the discourse (there is a school of thought that tells us everything is political but that's a discussion for another time) but if that person who had the little tantrum agrees why did his call for political neutrality take the form of a complaint about a "leftist, bash America format. . ." and the hosts' "potshots at Bush."? That's far from neutral.

What's next: Let's not talk about oranges, because they're disgusting and probably bad for you but I don't want to talk about oranges so let's stay neutral.

Is anyone fooled by that?!?
 
interestedINitall said:
(there is a school of thought that tells us everything is political but that's a discussion for another time) but if that person who had the little tantrum agrees why did his call for political neutrality take the form of a complaint about a "leftist, bash America format. . ." and the hosts' "potshots at Bush."? That's far from neutral.

What's next: Let's not talk about oranges, because they're disgusting and probably bad for you but I don't want to talk about oranges so let's stay neutral.

Is anyone fooled by that?!?


Gene's and David's on-air comments (11/12 show) put the final, and best, flourish on this thread and I couldn't agree more.

(I especially liked David's groan of disgust at the mention of Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage - ha!)
 
Enjoyed the show. Linda Zimmerman was articulate and very explanatory of the use of the equipment and her experiences with correlating the EMF meters to physical phenomena.
I am a fan of Thom Hartmann's from way back. We have corresponded in the past and I have read many of his books. No mention of his work with ADD and ADHD subjects, where he has also had some great ideas. Maybe you can get him back to talk about Hunters and Farmers and cultural diversity/mind issues that affect what we believe, what we do, and how the government and school systems treat people who don't toe the line.

There's your conspiracy aspect.
 
Admittedly, in these times it's hard to stick to the rules of civil discourse when talking politics, but it's worth the effort when our freedoms are at stake!

I don't see a problem in this case, since conspiracy theories fall within the stated subject matter of the Paracast. I'm sure we could find plenty from the Clinton or Carter years, if listeners insist on balance! However, it's a given that the crew in power at a given time will be the ones capable of most mischief. Until the 1980s it was primarily Republican politicians who were subject to meeting with unfortunate accidents in small plane crashes, but in recent years it has been overwhelmingly Democrats who have the bad pilots.
The Asbestos Connection

Perhaps the people who don't care for Thom Hartmann's political content would better enjoy hearing him talk about his extraordinary spiritual quest. It has taken him on treks to Russia with his German spiritual master Herr Mueller, and to famine-stricken Uganda with actor Dick Gregory, and resulted in an audience with both the Pope and the Dalai Lama. And, yes, it has a host of paranormal aspects! You can read all about it in Thom's autobiography, The Prophet's Way:
http://www.thomhartmann.com/two.shtml

Whereas, those people who object to political content only when it's Leftist might benefit from reading his article, "Republicans, Please Take Back Your Party"!
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/1024-02.htm

As recently as the late 1990s, Thom Hartmann was extremely reluctant to waste his valuable time on "conspiracy theories." I wonder what could have happened to change his mind?!!
 
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