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Messages - Tom Bishop

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1
It's possible that there is refraction over the Monterey Bay, but I have never seen it. It's a bay attached to the ocean with the distant target at a location where people are just resolvable by a high powered telescope. If there is disturbance in the air over the bay it is likely to build up to fog over the ocean environment. So there is either ocean fog, or it is clear.

AATW is well aware that the Flat Earth effect has been observed many times. There are probably over 500 videos of this observation on Youtube and throughout the Flat Earth streams. My observation does not need to be videotaped, and I don't live in that area anymore.

2
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump
« on: March 18, 2025, 05:27:30 PM »
A reasonable person wouldn't think that the presence of a gallows in front of the Capitol meant that it was permissible to storm the building as part of an angry mob and to smash windows and break down doors while screaming for the blood of the politicians you hate in an attempt to stop the certification of an election, just like a reasonable person wouldn't think that a couple of cops not actively fighting dozens of angry protesters or even opening one or two doors for them meant that it was permissible to storm the building as part of an angry mob and to smash windows and break down doors while screaming for the blood of the politicians you hate in an attempt to stop the certification of an election. Even if I agreed that any of this was indicative of complicity on the part of the authorities (which apparently doesn't include Trump), all that would mean is that further blame should be extended towards the authorities. The protesters' actions would in no way be justified or excused by this. They violently tried to stop the certification of an election in an attempt to keep their preferred president in power. Nobody tricked, forced, or coerced them into doing that. The most you could argue is that someone "let" them do it. If a cop puts a loaded gun on a table in front of you, you are still 100% morally and legally guilty of murder if you then grab that gun and use it to kill someone. The cop will face their own consequences for what they've done, but that will have no bearing on the consequences you'll face. That's all this setup argument comes out to. You're insisting that someone put a gun on the table in front of the protesters and therefore it's not the protesters' fault that they then grabbed the gun and shot someone with it.

It's not that simple. The capitol police were welcoming the protestors into the building. From this, the average person may believe that they are allowed to enter. There were grandmothers caught up in the arrests, who say that they were just following the crowd and touring the building under the apparent approval and oversight of the capitol police.

See: https://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-police-officers-suspended-after-pro-trump-riots-2021-1


3
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump
« on: March 17, 2025, 11:39:22 PM »
The Gallows were non-functional and too small for expected use. However, the fact that people arrived there in the early hours, built it, and it was left standing through the day on the Capitol grounds is further evidence of a set up.

See: https://cha.house.gov/2024/2/chairman-barry-loudermilk-releases-new-information-in-the-january-6-2021-gallows-investigation

The House investigated the gallows and remarks that it was odd that a team of people  people arrived early to build it and that it was not immediately taken down by police. Constructions of this nature are not allowed, and the perpetrators were never found.

4
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump
« on: March 17, 2025, 10:57:09 AM »
Quote from: markjo
Do the citizens have the constitutional right to threaten the life of the vice-president for doing his constitutionally mandated duty?

Yes, the specific way he was targeted was legitimate. The MAGA narrative is typically to find traitors guilty in a military tribunals and then hang them. Chants of "hang mike pence" are legitimate in the sense that they are calling for the military to hang him on charges of collusion and treason. Similar slogans involve Gitmo and firing squads. Trump also agreed with this chant and stated that "maybe Mr. Pence should be hanged", implying that he would go through a court of justice.

"I am going to hang you" is not legitimate freedom of speech, and I don't believe this was stated.

5
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Terrible Political Memes
« on: March 16, 2025, 05:25:58 PM »

6
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump
« on: March 16, 2025, 02:40:24 PM »
Only SS had guns, I believe.

Source? This government Capitol Police January 6 Use of Force Report doesn't say that they didn't have guns. It says that many claimed that they were hesitant to use force for fear of disciplinary action.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/capitol-police-january-6-use-of-force-report/

    Government report finds officers were "hesitant" to use force on Jan. 6 for fear of disciplinary action

    ...'Roughly a quarter of those surveyed were "discouraged or hesitant to use force because of a fear of disciplinary actions." Several respondents noted they did not feel empowered to make decisions on use of force without approval by supervisors and conceded that "optics were affecting security decisions."

    "I saw too many instances where officers were questioning whether they could use force because they were afraid of getting in trouble," noted one officer in the survey. "If ever there was a time when force is appropriate, a mob violently forcing their way into the Capitol would be it."'

As remarked by an officer above, this is a terrible excuse.

The members of Congress had been evacuated from the Capitol fairly quickly, so at a certain point the police probably figured that it was better to let the protesters in and allow them to damage the building rather than put their own lives in risk by starting a fight that they had no chance of winning.

The VIPs were not secured. I don't know why you are making things up. There is video of top democrat leader Chuck Schumer running through the halls of Congress, narrowly missing the mob.

https://www.lohud.com/in-depth/news/2022/01/04/january-6-capitol-protest-congress-members-recall-escape/6493506001/

    'Moments later, Schumer was running alongside his security detail through the bowels of the Capitol, narrowly missing the angry mob of insurrectionists nearby, as video released Feb. 11 during the second impeachment trial of Trump showed.

    "I was within 20 feet of these insurrection(ists), I’m not allowed to curse, but ‘sons of guns,'" Schumer described now a year later. "Had one of them had a gun, had two of them blocked off the door, who knows what would have happened."'

Quote from: honk
I don't know what you're talking about by claiming that discharging a weapon was what deterred the crowd. There was no one specific thing that stopped the protest. Like I said, the events of the day lasted several hours, long past the shooting of Ashli Babbitt, and the protest wasn't brought to a full end until reinforcements with riot gear who were actually equipped to physically deal with large numbers of unruly people cleared the last of the protesters out.

After the Asley Babbit shooting the massive crowd of people in that wing turned back and left. There is well publicized video of this, taken from people within the crowd, which I am certain you are aware of. Stop LARPing. If there were people still in other distant wings after that, it is irrelevant to this demonstration that firearms worked to deter the crowd.

7
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump
« on: March 15, 2025, 01:46:03 PM »
Quote from: DuncanDoenitz
If one intimidated cop opened a door for an entering protester (which I think is untrue) would that stop the event being a riot, an insurrection, an attempt by a mob to overthrow the Constitution?

If a cop is intimidated for his life, he has a weapon to use. The discharge of a weapon did, in fact, turn back the crowd.

The Capitol Police are there to protect the Capitol and allowing a mob into the premise to get at the VIPs is seriously unacceptable. I sincerely doubt that honk or Lord Dave believe what they claim, or would think that it's okay for perimeter police to let a mob into the Harris White House to get at President Kamala Harris. This is an obvious Liberal LARP, in which one attempts to argue the leftist justification position no matter what and makes poor arguments for internet liberal points.

8
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump
« on: March 14, 2025, 12:20:51 AM »
And did you see how much it gained in the previous two years prior to that?
And who was president when that was going on?

Sure, the recent stock surges was all thanks to demented Joe Biden, and the recent innovations and unprecedented market capitalization by the American companies had nothing to do with it.  ::)

Quote from: AATW
And what a coincidence that it happened just as Trump started flailing around shouting “TARIF” at everyone.
The markets actually went up when he first became president. Then everyone realised he has no idea what he’s doing. No strategy. No one knows what he’s going to do next, least of all Trump. The markets hate uncertainty, that’s why everything is tanking.

Your narrative of small surcharges on Canadian and Mexican goods causing this is a terrible take. Many of the companies affected are in sectors which have nothing to do with that, or with the physical trade of foreign goods. There have been other significant events which have occurred recently, which discredits your coincidence theory.  Beyond overpriced stocks, it is otherwise far more likely that another factor driving the sell off is related to the massive government cuts and Wall Street's addiction to government grants.

Here is NY Post to set you straight: https://nypost.com/2025/03/10/business/ignore-the-stock-market-wall-street-dealing-with-painful-detox-from-government-spending-addiction/

This situation will likely correct itself and you won't have to cry and be sad about this anymore. However, I am not too sure why you are concerned and appear to care about the success of America, considering that your own country is failing significantly if we divide the US GDP by US population and compare the same to the UK GDP and UK population. By this general measure, an American is twice as valuable as a British citizen. You really should do better.

9
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump
« on: March 13, 2025, 07:54:24 PM »
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gdwgjkk1no

It’s almost like the economy is being run by someone who has had multiple failed businesses

Only a retart would doom about the stock market dropping a few percent.
8.5% in the last month.
When was the last monthly drop that big?

And did you see how much it gained in the previous two years prior to that? It's called a correction.

Here is a CNN Article from today:

Title: "Dow slides and S&P enters correction territory as Trump’s trade war escalates"

The last similar correction was in 2023: "The last correction to the S&P 500 occurred in 2023, when the benchmark index fell 10.3% from a closing high in July to October, according to Turnquist."

10
Flat Earth Theory / Re: A paradox in SR
« on: March 13, 2025, 07:19:31 PM »
The string won't break because SR is false nonsense used to explain the results of experiments which contradict the Round Earth Theory.
You are this meme



This is ironic, since many modern researchers have criticisms against Special Relativity. It is a theory on its deathbed. You are that guy on the internet dismissing experts.

See https://wiki.tfes.org/Criticisms_of_Relativity_Theory

Quote
Special relativity is used or accounted for in many real-world applications such as nuclear energy and GPS.

Prof Mauro Marchionni says that this is an urban legend.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357355350_Particle_accelerators_-the_last_chance_for_Special_Relativity - "Moreover, the story that the GPS to work must make corrections according to the SR…. is an urban legend, denied even by those who design, build and operate the GPS systems (USAF Base in Los Angeles and Galileo in Rome)"

11
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump
« on: March 13, 2025, 05:21:49 PM »
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gdwgjkk1no

It’s almost like the economy is being run by someone who has had multiple failed businesses

Only a retart would doom about the stock market dropping a few percent.

12
A Belief Deeply Rooted

The concept of space travel; generally referred to mankind’s alleged ascent to the moon, planets, and someday to the distant stars, stands as a revered aspiration, and has been etched into the collective psyche across centuries. From the ancient mythic tales of heavenly journeys to the glossy fictions of modernity, this vision has dominated our cultural consciousness. But, there exist reasonable grounds to suspect that this aspiration is not a triumph but a mirage, carefully engineered. The reluctance to entertain this transcends mere evidence; it is anchored in the depths of human psychology and social influence.

Cognitive Dissonance

Curiously, the accusations most often alleged against the flat earth proponents by the round earth adherents appears to be a form of projection, perfectly capturing the psychology of the accusers themselves. One of the most powerful psychological forces at play is cognitive dissonance, the discomfort one experiences when holding two conflicting beliefs. For many, the idea that humans have walked on the moon or have orbited the Earth is a deep and foundational belief, instilled from childhood through education and media. When confronted with evidence suggesting that these events might be fabricated, such as anomalies in Apollo mission footage or inconsistencies in space data, this evidence clashes with their programmed worldview. Rather than reevaluate their beliefs, individuals will often dismiss or rationalize the contradictory information to avoid mental discomfort.

This tendency is supported and reinforced by belief perseverance, in which people maintain their convictions even in the face of overwhelming counterevidence. For example, a person may argue that anomalies in the space mission data are insignificant or attributable to technical limitations, rather than considering the possibility of a broader deception. This psychological barrier makes it challenging for skeptics to penetrate the deeply held conviction that space travel is real.

Social and Cultural Reinforcement

Beyond individual psychology, societal forces play a significant role in upholding the space travel narrative. From an early age we are immersed in a culture that celebrates space exploration. Educational curricula teach the moon landings as historical fact, while the media and Hollywood unanimously portrays astronauts as heroes. Popular culture and science fiction further blurs the line between fantasy and reality, conditioning humanity to accept space travel as an inevitable part of human progress.

This cultural reinforcement creates a belief system that is difficult to challenge. To question space travel is to question not just a scientific claim, but our shared societal dream. The Flat Earth Society's perspective, which fundamentally rejects the globe-centric model underlying space travel, is thus met with resistance not because it lacks logic, but because it contradicts a narrative that has been socially ingrained for generations.

Role of Authority and Trust

A key pillar supporting belief in space travel is trust in authority. Our modern society puts heavy emphasis and importance on experts such as scientists, government officials, and space agencies like NASA, to provide accurate information about many topics. We are taught and compelled to accept their claims as truth, particularly when they are backed by impressive credentials or official statements. When NASA asserts that it has sent probes to Mars or humans to the moon, most people assume this is reliable because it comes from a trusted source.

However, as we have mentioned, history reveals numerous instances where such trust has been misplaced. From the Tuskegee syphilis experiments to the MK-Ultra program, governments and institutions have again and again demonstrated a capacity for deception. Despite this, questioning authority on space travel is seen as irrational or fringe, reinforcing the psychological barrier. The Flat Earth perspective challenges this trust, asking: If our authorities have a history of prolific lies and deception, why should we assume they are truthful about space?

The Fear of Social Ostracism

Finally, a powerful sociological factor is the fear of social ostracism. Publicly doubting space travel, particularly from a Flat Earth standpoint, risks labeling one as a "conspiracy theorist" or a "crank". These terms carry significant stigma, implying irrationality and delusion. In a society that values conformity and consensus, the prospect of ridicule or isolation deters many potential free thinkers from entertaining alternative viewpoints.

For example, raising questions about the Apollo missions in a casual conversation might elicit mockery rather than reasoned debate. This social pressure creates a self-reinforcing cycle: the fewer people who openly question space travel, the more abnormal it seems to do so, discouraging others from joining the conversation.

The psychological and sociological barriers to accepting a space travel conspiracy are formidable but not insurmountable. Cognitive dissonance, cultural reinforcement, trust in authority, and fear of ostracism work together to uphold the belief that space travel as an established fact. Yet, as we show throughout this book, there are rational, evidence-based reasons to doubt this narrative, reasons that align with the Flat Earth Society’s mission to question supposed truths.

To move beyond these barriers, readers must confront their own biases and the societal pressures which shape their perceptions. This work does not demand immediate acceptance of the Conspiracy; rather, it invites a critical examination of why we believe what we do. In understanding these elements we can approach the space travel question with greater clarity and objectivity, paving the way for a deeper exploration of the evidence and arguments. Only through such introspection can we truly discern whether the stars we reach for are real, or whether they are merely a dream we have been taught to chase.

13
AATW believes that everything that contradicts his model is an optical illusion except for those long distance sinking observations which he claims without evidence are not.  ::)


14
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump
« on: March 08, 2025, 10:19:41 PM »
But I didn't ask for YOUR defintition, I asked for Trump's.  Trump's definition is contradictory to his actions.

Not really. Trump could have pardoned them before he left office, but did not, because he recognized that many had gone over the line in the peaceful protest he asked for. He didn't tell them to go into the building and batter down windows. They spent over four years in prison for what they did.

15
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump
« on: March 08, 2025, 06:07:12 PM »
What is Trump's definition of an illegal protest?

One that involves intimidation, threats or violence.
This seems contradictory since the Jan 6 protests involved that and Trump pardoned ALL of them.

It would only be contradictory if I had been denying that there was an insurrection.

There was an insurrection against the US Capitol in 2020, and they only stopped because their leader told them to go home.

The only reason more guns were not there at the event is because the crowd went through the Trump rally security, which involves going through high-tech weapon scanners for entrance. However, many guns were found in cars outside of the event.

There is video of people breaking down the windows of the Capitol building with bats. The characterization that this isn't violent enough is laughable. People were willing to insurrect even without the benefit of guns, which speaks more to their bravery and willingness to insurrect when they believe that the other side has crossed the line.

16
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump
« on: March 08, 2025, 03:50:20 PM »
What is Trump's definition of an illegal protest?

One that involves intimidation, threats or violence.

Tom, I understand that. People who are here and have not followed proper procedures shouldn't be protesting anywhere in the US and they should be deported.

Here's the thing...I do not think the US should be funding Israel to the tune of billions of dollars a year. If I drive to the campuses near my area and carry posters and handout fliers with this message, the college campuses are going to shut me down out of fear of losing their funding.

Don't you understand that is the wrong thing to do in the US?

You can see how the tactic of "naming," works so easily here.

Don't agree with the State of Israel getting free money and protection from the US, you will soon be labeled, "illegitimate," and some kind of "flat earther."

I completely agree. While this there is nothing wrong with a president declaring that he will crack down on violent college protests, it is concerning that this was worded to confuse anti-Semitism with harassment and violence. I can only deduce that Trump needs to maintain the alliance with the pointy hat people for now.

17
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump
« on: March 07, 2025, 12:41:38 PM »
From the article:

    "in January 2025 he signed an Executive Order to combat antisemitism, vowing to revoke student visas and deport non-citizens who participated in the pro-Palestine protests that swept US college campuses last year."

From the EO:

    "Sec. 2.  Policy.  It shall be the policy of the United States to combat anti-Semitism vigorously, using all available and appropriate legal tools, to prosecute, remove, or otherwise hold to account the perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence."

The keywords appears to be harassment and violence. The 2024 protests were violent events which resulted in hundreds of arrests. The definition of "harassment" in the United States has a specific legal meaning which refers to threats or intimidation. This measure of harassment would be validated in court. They aren't deporting people for normal speech.

Harassment is already illegal, and you already risk deportation if you are arrested as a non-citizen. This is nothing new. Trump is simply giving a warning that laws will be enforced.


18
Science & Alternative Science / Re: Blue Ghost
« on: March 06, 2025, 11:03:09 PM »
LANL, for example, is managed by a company called Triad which is composed of Battelle Memorial, a non-profit research compay, Texas A&M University and the University of California.  It's hardly a "temp agency".  Lawrence Livermore is managed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS), which is a partnership between the University of California, Bechtel National, BWX Technologies, and AECOM (one of the largest engineering firms in the country).  Again, hardly a temp agency.  Lockheed Martin holds the largest $ of federal contracts.  They are hardly a temp agency.

Do they answer to the instructions and oversight of the parent organization? If so then it's not truly an independent contractor who has complete freedom to choose how to do the work. They are basically temp workers - disposable workers from a third party company who operate the main business under managerial instruction of the parent organization and are used for various legal and financial reasons. They may even have 401K plans and six figure salaries, but are used because they are more legally disposable than direct hires nonetheless.

You stated: "LANL, for example, is managed by a company called Triad" - Can Triad decide to expand their business to the pornographic film industry and get away with filming a pornographic movie on publicly funded Los Alamos National Laboratory facilities? Absolutely not. It is not their facility and they are likely operating with oversight. So I recommend that you just keep quiet about this.

19
Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump
« on: March 06, 2025, 05:56:56 PM »
Wow.
It's almost like Tariffs aren't the most beautiful word to actual business owners who rely on imports.

Considering that "rely on imports" generally means utilizing cheap third world sweatshops at the cost of American industry, they will just have to deal with it.

Ultimately there is an effort for the combination of the increase in tariffs and government downsizing to replace income tax entirely, which means that tariffs would be going up to a few hundred percent. 25% is nothing so far. However, the companies are selling items for over 10x the cost of production anyway, which means that they can weather high tarrifs.

The elimination of income taxes would be a great thing for America, and create an economic boom rivaling what occurred in the the 1950's.

20
Science & Alternative Science / Re: Blue Ghost
« on: March 05, 2025, 05:51:55 PM »
AATW needs to learn more and actually take a job with a government contractor. For the most part the contractors act as temp agencies who hire people out to work for government managers at government facilities. This is also how it works in the private industry for the contractors that Disney, IBM, Kraft, and other big companies use. Some types of contractors are actually independent, such as waste management services, but the main ones doing the work act as temps.

For Firefly, a big hint is that they list several government bases on their "locations" page. Another hint should be that advanced rockets aren't actually public products and require extreme secrecy since they could be used for ICMBs.

Also, even if you believe in the RE Theory narrative you have to be a retart to think that a company could send a lander to the moon after a few years of research without serious government help and oversight.

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