I can understand your disgust with the poor standard of instrumentation,
etc. Jed, but as far as I'm concerned, it all sounds terribly plausible.
Actually, I think it is plausible too. That is why I am disgusted by the instrumentation, and also by the documents on this web site. If you have something which is demonstrably real, for goodness sake demonstrate it properly! I almost get the feeling the people who wrote this web site are trying to convince the world they are flakes. I will never forget the half-baked CETI demonstration in California, which gave me the impression it was intended to obfuscate and hide the facts rather than bring them to light. It turned that was *exactly* what it was intended to do! It worked all too well.
The crackpot attitude that spurs people to put on half-baked demonstrations reminds me a of a story my mother used to tell about my brother when he was a little kid. This was back in the 50s. My parents were holdouts and refused to buy a television. The local grocery store chain held a contest, in which contestants submitted an advertising jingle, and the company president's wife picked the best one and two runner-ups. The first prize was a trip to Europe, the second prize was a television, and third prize was $10. My brother got an entry form and sat down at the table, furrowed his brow, and seemed to think for a long time. My mother asked, "are you having trouble thinking up a jingle?" He said no he could think of a jingle easily, but he was trying to think of one that would be pretty good -- good enough for second prize -- but not so good that it would win first prize, because he did not want to go to Europe -- he wanted the television.
CF entrepreneurs are forever trying to be a little impressive -- just enough to entice investors -- but not too impressive, to avoid tipping off the competition. This is childish nonsense. In business, you should always make your best case. You put your best foot forward no matter who you are speaking with, and you should try to be scrupulously honest, even if you are having a casual conversation with an old lady at a bus stop. I know some old ladies who ride buses in New York City who are members of the board at major corporations. When you act evasive, experienced business people will assume you are engaged in a shell game, or they will think you are several tacos short of a platter.
- Jed
