Alex Chiu on Science, Religion, and Politics

Almost all Slashdot interview guests are suggested by readers. One week we might invite a physicist; the next week a tech-interested politician or lawyer; the week after that an outstanding programmer. And once in a while we choose someone off-the-wall -- like Alex Chiu -- to keep things from getting too serious around here. Please realize that not every Slashdot interview is going to be your particular cup of tea, but it is someone's. (And, of course, you can send your interview guest suggestion to roblimo@slashdot.org. I read every one.) But enough of that. Let's turn the floor over to Alex Chiu, purveyor of Eternal Life Rings and decidedly non-mainstream opinions on religion, science, and politics.

Question:
If you were to end up dying someday, who should I contact for a refund on my eternal life device?

Alex:
The Immortality Device Inc is a corporation. So if I die, somebody else from the corporation will take over the business.

Question:
Assuming I were to live forever, why should I want to? As many tales have been written, one grows weary of seeing friends come and go and children age and die. It's a heavy burden, what's there to counter balance this need for immortality, other than simple fear of death?

Alex:
Well, if you don't want your relatives and friends to die, help me spread the news. Let people know about immortality device. That way, your loved ones won't die. Why do people fear death? Because in the bottom of your heart, you know death is no good. You become a soul which has no body. Another word, you become a homeless ghost. It might feel good to be out of your body for awhile. But you can't stay like that forever. Then you must look for a new body. That's what we call reincarnation. If you go to Disney world, it might feel fun at first. But after 2 days straight in the campus, you feel tired. You then want to go back home. If you divorce, you feel free at first. Then you start to feel lonely and you want to remarry again. Same with souls. They can't survive without a body for long. Souls are designed to fit inside a body. Souls are not designed to float around in thin air.

Question:
you cite edison, tesla and einstein as people who were "laughed and scorned at," presumably as parallel figures to yourself, but we can't help noticing that you're sort of missing something. edison, tesla and einstein were great scientists who, through a thorough and accurate understanding of the best scientific learning of their day, applied existing principles in groundbreaking and unexpected ways to advance contemporary physics. you, however, are applying your ignorance and lack of understanding of high-school level science - skimming through textbooks, parrot-learning words like "unique frequency," "magnetic flux" and "negative charge" - and producing your own bastardized version of contemporary science via the tried and tested method of 'just making shit up.'

you seem to be mesmerised, rabbit-in-headlamps style, by the magical idea of magnetism. apparently you're an intelligent enough guy, but please for your own magnetic god's sake educate yourself on the basic concepts of science, starting with the other three fundamental forces (or is it two? unification is so awkward!). cells don't cluster together because of magnetism. animals don't run from danger because they are "repelled by the negative energy." hey, maybe some form of teleportation will be possible in the future, but chances are it won't be courtesy of the fantastically well-thought-out "transmitting the unique frequency of an object." a quick vote amongst ourselves decided that gravity isn't caused by static electricity when the earth's core rubs against the crust, and as a race we're fairly certain that the sun isn't hot because of friction between its "layers". while you appear to be sure that you're pioneering, pushing the edge of science and coming up with fascinating and groundbreaking new ideas, it might be prudent to base your fantastic new theories on intelligent observation and existing science (as edison, tesla and einstein all did), rather than just gazing into space and pulling things out of your eternally-young ass. so the sun produces heat via some kind of "rubbing" process rather than nuclear fusion, mm? do you have some empirical evidence for this astounding revelation - which would be required to counteract the huge body of proof and data accumulated over the years for what we'll call the 'Enemy Theory' - or are you (all together now) just making shit up?

how a ufo works? hey, man, slow down! why not read up on how a gyroscope works? why don't you make one and try it out for yourself? it doesn't "defy gravity," it's not magic or magnetic or anything else even approaching alliterative mysticism. no, seriously. trust us on this one. it precesses, resisting any force that tries to tilt its axis of rotation. this is simple - honestly! we'll use italics! - simple newtonian physics; a gyroscope only "defies gravity" when it has something against which to exert a force. an unsupported spinning object will just drop like a stone unless it has astounding aerodynamic properties (which isn't what you're talking about) - try it for yourself! um, with a plate, or something! unless you've got some kind of inbred aversion to deduction by empirical observation!

we could go through your site and identify countless other examples; you're not being groundbreaking, you're not an eccentric genius of science who's thinking in new ways that nobody else would even consider. you're just blinkered and wrong and obsessed with making huge sweeping deductions from your own misguided half-cooked internal reasoning processes. which is a pity, because your conviction and dedication to your ideas is admirable. it just makes us sad - and moderately angry - to see an entire site de lindly concoct enough unfounded shit in your head, independently of any evidence or informed reasoning, it'll become true if you close your eyes and say you believe in fairies.

feel free to respond - whenever the mood of your flux allows.

Alex:
I know my theories and findings are hard for you to accept because they are so original and extraordinary. But one day in the future, you will see that I am right. You will be foreced to accept my invention as millions of people around you tell you that I am right.

Question:
I think that a lot of the people who visit your page think that you are a bit of a loony and a lot of a profiteer. While I like the fact that you offer 'free' rings in exchange for a donation to certain charities, I can't help but feel that you are probably not using the best of peer-reviewed science to back up your ideas.

Despite this, I bet you feel that what you're doing is pretty important.

Tell us then, Why do you think no medical experts come forth to do studies on your devices or reccomend their use?

For some this will be a vindication of your ideas. For others it will be a glimpse into one of the minds that makes the web as truly a strange and wonderful place that it is.

Alex:
Oh there are lots of doctors and medical professionals out there who buy my devices at whole sale price. We have lots of doctors and medical researchers who are loyal customers. They are blended in with the rest of the customers. Immortality Device has been tested and researched by medical researchers all over the world from time to time. They email me and told me what they found. I post their results sometimes on my site.

Question:
magnets have been around in this manner for many years - new age style people, etc. have been encouraging the use of magnets on the feet and hands for as long as I can remember. why is your way better, why didn't theirs work, and what proof and facts do you have? your website was not very forthcoming on that last issue, though you claimed to have both.

Alex:
I didn't say my invention is better, nor did I say other stuff does not work. As the inventor of the Immortality Device, I basically just tell people what I honestly think. I think my device makes you immortal. And I am being honest. My proof is lots of people used the device and gave testimonials. If you don't accept testimonials as proofs, you won't accept any proof as proof.

Question:
Have you ever tested your immortality devices in terminally ill patients in a double blinded placebo controlled study. For example, have you recruited a cohort of cancer patients, applied a randomization technique whereby one group gets your device(s) and the other receives similar, yet inactive rings and braclets? Certainly, if your products provide immortality then none of the subjects in the active group would die. With that amount of statistical power, it would be simple and relatively cheap to demonstrate your claims.

Alex:
Gee. I think some doctor in New York is doing that for me right now. Our company cannot afford to do this kind of expensive research at this stage. This kind of research would cost hundreds of thousands. I rather use that money on advertising. Testimonials are enough to convince people for now. I think even if I did the research mentioned above, it would be a total waste of money because if those people don't believe in the testimonials, they won't believe in the research at all. They would say that I made it all up. So why waste money?

Question:
A discovery as important as yours will not go unnoticed, especially as you publicize it as far and wide as you have in seeking to earn your capitalist profit as is your god-given American right (rooted in the 5th, 14th, and 10th amendments of THE CONSTITUTION). The only question is, who (or should I say "Who"?) will do the noticing?

Government agencies and secret police forces are your first threat, as they are for every righteous individual in this orwellian world of thought police and governmental indoctrination. No government can turn a blind eye to something as fundamentally anti-government as an immortality device. It may be too late for them to make Stalin or Roosevelt (there is no difference) immortal, since they died during the era where man did not interfere with GOD'S wish that we live and then DIE. But it is not too late for CLINTON or BLAIR or any other Liberal deity, and they certainly don't want you to have it in any event.

But the threats to your safety aren't confined to this planet alone. The alien races that populate our solar system and beyond may possess technology superior in every way to our own, but they have not yet perfected immortality. (I know this only through Divine providence and what I have witnessed with my own eyes: an elaborate Alien burial ceremony deep within the UN complex on sovereign American territory.) Your device would be of great help to their intergalactic conquests, and though they may respect you as a man of science, you are but one small pawn on a small blue planet in an undusted corner of their empire.

Be forewarned, cher Alex. Your continued safety is of the utmost importance to the survival of free Americans and the human race (excluding communists). Lead us to the promised land, but tread carefully. They are watching.

Alex:
Well. I just carry this stuff as long as I can carry. It's important to let people know about this invention.

Question:
How long have you been making these amazing devices? If fewer than 130 years, please describe how you *really* know they work? If >= 130 years, please prove you aren't one of those bouncing Chinese vampires by eating 5 "bundles" of sticky rice and posting the video on your website.

Alex:
How do scientists know the diameter of earth? Must a scientist walk the equator in order to tell you the exact diameter of earth? How do scientists figure out how far is the sun from earth? Must a man fly to the sun in order to measure the exact distance? I don't have to live 130 years in order to tell you what my device does. We gather scientific evidence (testimonials) in order to base our assumptions.

Question:
Perhaps your only rival on the internet is Gene Ray, the man who discovered Nature's Harmonic Simultaneous 4-day Time Cube.

Despite the fact that his work contradicts much of your research, he also faces similar obstacles in having his work accepted or at least evaluated. No "institution" of higher education will even return his calls. I spoke to him via phone recently, and Mr. Ray believes that this is because they're run by fundamentalists engaged in some kind of conspiracy to keep the truth away from the public. He was understandably very frustrated by this.

I can't help but to wonder if other scientists face the same problems. Can you offer a correlating viewpoint? In your efforts to have your work accepted, or at least taken seriously, do you find that fundementalists are a large obstacle? If so, do you believe that this is out of their own ignorance, or that maybe they do in fact have a sinister motive as Mr. Ray suggests?

Alex:
Oh. I don't think there is any conspiracy going on. I just think that most of the people are very close minded. I show people how to build their own immortality device. I even give out free devices to our members. But still lots of people disbelieve me. They say I don't have any proof. They say I can't possibly invent such a thing. My biggest challenge is the group of close minded people, which is the majority. Honestly, being a doctor could make you more close minded than regular people. If you are a doctor, you think you are better than the rest because you've studied more than 15 years in a famous university. You hate to see a Mr. Nobody like Alex Chiu comes up with an invention which can do 100 times more than what you can do. You hate to see a Mr. Nobody beats you to the ground which makes you the real Mr. Nobody. So some of these doctors would just ignore my stuff in order to save their own faces.

Question:
Alex Chiu, you're obviously very interested in religion, especially things that are written in the Bible or Torah (from your site: http://alexchiu.com/philosophy/beastsign.htm). In fact, on that page, you claim that people who do not believe in the Bible are "Antichrists".

So let me ask you this: are you comfortable selling me some of your rings and giving me, an Antichrist, immortality? How does your God feel about helping me, an Antichrist, live forever? Or will your rings not work on an Antichrist? (I didn't see that exception in your claims.)

Alex:
If you are an antichrist, you won't believe in the bible prophecy from the beginning. Which means, you won't believe that physical immortality will become possible. Therefore, if you are a real antichrist, you won't even consider coming to my site and read what I have to say. You are not a real antichrist. An antichrist is a person who does not believe the bible (old testament only). An antichrist thinks that all bible prophecies are a bunch of crap. They think those prophecies will never come true. Therefore they don't believe that immortality will ever become possible. I live with a whole bunch of these people. None of my neighbors believe in what I say. They refuse to wear the rings. They will never accept my invention until the day they die. That's what I call the real antichrists. Antichrist is a person who disbelieve the bible prophecy (old testament only). They don't believe people will become immortal and that earth will be transformed into a heavenly place.

Question:
On your site you state: "I am not a Taiwanese. I am Chinese, and I wish China will one day take Taiwan back, peacefully or by force, at any cost! A Taiwanese who does not consider himself to be Chinese does not deserve to become immortal." Do you wish for Taiwanese citizens to be exterminated?

Alex:
I came from Taiwan. When I was in Taiwan, I was taught in school that Taiwan is part of China. Everybody back in those days never questioned about that. But now all of a sudden some idiots in Taiwan start to say that they are not Chinese. Their grand parents were Chinese. But for some reason, they feel they are not Chinese. That's very rediculous to me. How would you feel if you are from New York, but now you moved to Florida. One day you heard on the news saying that New Yorkers are asking for independence. The New Yorkers now say they are not Americans. They are "New Yorkans". So because you came from New York, you must be a "New Yorkan"? You are no longer an American? Those Taiwanese who say they are not Chinese should go to hell right now. I don't care what political party is controlling China right now. All I know is we are all Chinese. I am proud to be Chinese, and I do not tolerate any traitor. If the communist party is controlling China, they represent China. The X Taiwanese president "Lee Deng Hui" says he is a Japanese. Well, if he is a Japanese, why does he care about Chinese people's business? I feel that China has every right to take Taiwan back. It's nobody else's business. If you defend Taiwan and fight against the Liberation Army, you are automatically a traitor. Taiwan has been part of China for centuries. Why did Lincoln decide to reconquer the south? I came from Taiwan. But since communist party represents China, communist party is my party. Liberation army is my defender.

Question:
How do you explain your views if You were born in the U.S. and not China are you not an American?

Alex:
I am born in USA. USA is my mother, and China is my father! I love both places.

Question:
China repeatedly abuses and tortures its citizenry, including Chinese forced abortions of Tibetan women? Wouldn't Chinese deserve not to become immortal?

Alex:
I think the Chinese government is doing a great job right now. I support population control. I think USA should do the same. If you want to have more than 1 kid, you should pay more tax. The enemies of China always use "human rights issues" to attack China. But if USA has 1.3 billion people, USA would have the same human rights problem just like China. You cannot expect so much freedom in a land of 1.3 billion people. Chinese government is doing such a great job that China not only feeds its own people, it also feeds most of the Russians. Most of the food imported to Russia came from China. You guys always talk about human rights. But why can't you guys mention about "government rights"? Chinese government has the right to do whatever it must do to protect China. That includes population control and the liberation of Tibet. Do you know that before Tibet was liberated, you can buy and sell slaves in Tibet? In the old Tibet, you can have slaves, you can marry 4 wives, but you cannot take a bath for 1 whole year, and you cannot meet a foreigner. You can skin your slave alive, and you can kill your slave when ever you desire. The entire Tibet is ruled by a bunch of religious idiots. You can't take a bath for the entire year, and you can't trade with foreigners. Cummunists don't allow that! Liberated Tibet and kick out that stupid Dalai Lama, whatever that moron's name is. You guys don't know how much Tibet has changed. Most families in Tibet now has electricity. TV, VCR, stereo, micro-wave, you name it. Everything's made in China! They have shopping malls and super markets there. There's stock market brokers there. In fact, Tibet is one of the most popular European tourist attraction of asia. If Dalai idiot is still around, you be buying and selling slaves there right now! Everywhere would stink like hell because nobody teaches you the importance of taking a bath. If you say Tibetans are not Chinese because they have their own language and culture, let me ask you this: Is Hawaii part of USA? Is Okinawa part of Japan? Okinawa people have different language and culture than the Japanese. So should Okinawa gain independence from Japan?

Comments

Ummm...

[Anonymous Coward]

We still don't give a shit.

Re:One little thing I don't understand.

[Anonymous Coward]

My guess?

It's going with the christ=saviour/prophet link insofar as I followed. i.e. Joshua ben Joseph was also Joshua (the) Christ, final prophet foretold by Elijah.. Christ is kind of like a job-description for the ISO-9001 breakdown of prophet titles.

Hence someone who actively disagrees with all prophets (in the old testament (gratuitously added because otherwise I'd get 2x as many flames (courtesy of A. Who?))).. might be termed an 'anti-christ' (by inclusion of christs with the rest of the prophets).

Actively is the key here, as (of course) merely doubting would be (as far as this goes) insufficient for the 'anti' prefix. Further, note the implication of an 'all or none' stance... i.e. if you don't take issue with all of the prophets (presumably on the matter of each and every one of their prophecies)(see above disclaimer) then you don't make the cut.(at least following my attempted interpretation of A. Chiu's spaghetti)

Re:No reality check here

[Anonymous Coward]

Why not get an interview with a sci-fi authoring jerk like Harlan Ellison, and next week with a business world jerk like Larry Ellison. Then do a survey about which one is the biggest jerk after the two interviews are completed.

Eternal Life Web Ring

[Roblimo]

What makes you think there isn't a cheesy Immortality Device Web Ring? :)

There is!

- Robin

Re:Eternal Life Web Ring

[Roblimo]

I believe Alex Chiu is a living example of the sort of thing you can do on the Internet that you couldn't do without it. I believe Alex Chiu's insights on life, the universe, and everything are every bit as scientifically valid as those of the (late, lamented) Douglas Adams. I believe Alex Chiu has taken online self-promotion to a level few others have dared to try. I believe Alex Chiu has admirably thick skin; that whatever doubt you cast upon his statements, he will tell you that he is right and you are wrong.

Imagine a software company CEO with a vision and sense of his own rightness as strong as Alex's. Even if that person's company wrote pretty rinky-dink code, I'll bet it could end up dominating the desktop computer operating system market.

What I admire most about Alex Chiu is that sense of rightness. Most of us, confronted with rational evidence that we are wrong, change our minds. Not Alex! He plugs on no matter what you say about (or to) him.

Remember, you don't have to believe in christianity to enjoy Handel's Messiah, and as the old ad slogan put it, "You don't have to be Jewish to love Levy's Rye Bread."

- Robin

Re:Eternal Life Web Ring

[Zagadka]

Imagine a software company CEO with a vision and sense of his own rightness as strong as Alex's. Even if that person's company wrote pretty rinky-dink code, I'll bet it could end up dominating the desktop computer operating system market.

I guess you just love MS Windows then. Hasn't Bill always been convinced that he was "right" despite the "rinky-dink code" in Windows?

Anyway, I don't call someone who sticks to their beliefs despite glaring proof that they are wrong admirable. I call them a stubborn fool.

Re:Eternal Life Web Ring

[StaticLimit]

How dare you invoke Douglas Adams and compare him to this guy. We could power California by strapping magnets onto Douglas's corpse and generating electicity from him spinning in his grave.

To think that Douglas Adams inspired satire and gift for clever humor are comparable to Alex's writing is beyond just being a stretch...

I certainly agree that this is an example of how one can advance his ideas through the internet, and I definitely agree that Alex must have very think skin (but not as think as his skull if he actually believes any of the stuff he's saying).

I frequently enjoy reading online about such silly concepts as "eternal life rings" written by people who think a "testimonial" from Joe in Montana who's been wearing the rings for 6 months and gosh he isn't dead yet are a substitute for actual science. But I think that this is not so much an example as it is a warning. There are a lot of gullible people out there who are willing to believe "reason" issued forth from people who are capable of ignoring science and logic. And while Alex and his "Eternal Life" rings are harmless and perhaps even fun, there are people pushing much nastier philosophies on the web and the power that they and their adherents are able to project using the web are rather frightening. I think that we need, as a community, to actively debunk any serious attempt to propogate such fallacies...

- StaticLimit

Re:Eternal Life Web Ring

[echo-e]

this whole thing got me thinking about putting up a page for ppl to post testamonials of products that dont work.

Re:Eternal Life Web Ring

[Dalroth]

I can think of someone else who had this same sense of rightness. His name was Hitler. We all know how that ended. He complains about people having close minds in this interview. He's right. But he's guilty of the same.

Re:Eternal Life Web Ring

[alexburke]

Imagine a software company CEO with a vision and sense of his own rightness as strong as Alex's. Even if that person's company wrote pretty rinky-dink code, I'll bet it could end up dominating the desktop computer operating system market.

I knew Bill had a twin brother! If you have more proof, liberate it for all the world to see!!! :)

--

Re:Eternal Life Web Ring

[Theodore Logan]

What I admire most about Alex Chiu is that sense of rightness. Most of us, confronted with rational evidence that we are wrong, change our minds. Not Alex! He plugs on no matter what you say about (or to) him.

You're kidding right? God, how I want you to be kidding. The above is a BAD THING, not something to be proud of. Blind faith, accorded by the inability to admit having been wrong, is probably the combination to have caused most disasters in the history of the human race. Not listening to what others have to say simply isn't admirable.

Imagine a software company CEO with a vision and sense of his own rightness as strong as Alex's. Even if that person's company wrote pretty rinky-dink code, I'll bet it could end up dominating the desktop computer operating system market.

*cough* Gates *cough*. But seriously, that was a joke, right?

Re:Eternal Life Web Ring

[digitaltraveller]

I don't think so. People with wacky ideas and a some conviction have long attracted "sheeple" without the aid of the internet. Examples include David Koresh, Jim Jones (of Jonestown), and "Elron" who's brethen recently got a comment deleted off Slashdot.

I think one (of many) reasons crap like this flourishes is because there is sometimes a small amount of truth to it.

Literature exists that shows that some (not all!) Chinese acupuncture is quite efficacious and works via stimulating localized opiate neurotransmitters. So I'm hypothesizing that possibly their is some small noticeable metabolic change by wearing the rings. It's quite possibly they do nothing at all other then stimulating a placebo effect. People who have been given the amino acid niacin in blind trials will often have powerful placebo effects because it produces a warm flushed feeling that is definitely noticeable.
A small part of the problem is for awhile a stigma has existed in western medicine for people who wanted to study/test alternative medicine. It's certainly been shown some OTHER alternative medicines are highly efficacious. (eg. Certain herbal extracts).
The big part of the problem though is crackpots like Chiu pushing immortality rings. Let's not forget that magnetic fields are also what give kids who leave near power lines leukemia.

Re:Eternal Life Web Ring

[boing boing]

Hey Rob,

Serious question: Do you believe in this? (or was that some other slashdot editor you were referring to?)

Thanks.

Re:Eternal Life Web Ring

[lee1]

Let's not forget that magnetic fields are also what give kids who leave near power lines leukemia.

This is an attempt at some sort of irony, I hope. Even the studies that showed a weak correlation between childhood leukemia and proximity to power lines, upon further analysis, evaporated. There is no effect whatsoever, as simple physics would suggest.

Re:The introduction

[jandrese]

If CmdrTaco hadn't put that disclaimer there, you can bet that the first 100 posts (there would be 500 in the first 15 minutes alone) would consist of people alternativly calling CmdrTaco an idiot for believing this sort of thing, and asking why in the world this was on Slashdot. I think that little paragraph really shot up the signal to noise ratio for this discussion (right now the s/n ratio is much higher than I thought it would be, and it looks like most people are taking the time to read the article!).

In other words, pull the stick out of your ass and enjoy the little diversion. Maybe in a few months Slashdot will interview Jack Chick or Archie Plutonium or someone other net.kook.

Down that path lies madness. On the other hand, the road to hell is paved with melting snowballs.

Re:A couple points

[Have Blue]

Yes, it's called the Post Anonymously button.

Re:Eternal Life Web Ringhttp://switchblade.cyberpu

[Destrius]

Erm... most people say the same thing about trolls as well you know. No matter how much fact you throw at their feet they won't change their convulted opinions one bit.

Of course he doesn't strike me as a troll. Just weird. But I've seen worse on the net. :P

Re:Gettin' serious for a minute...

[Parsec]

A quick review of the site makes me think quackwatch may be a bit flakey on the opposite end of the spectrum. Science will be uncovering the subtler effects of foods and chemicals on our systems for probably hundreds of years to come. And making statements such as the RDA of dietary supplements is more than enough is just hubris. Some people said ddt was scientifically proven safe. We used to dispose of our oil by dumping it on the roadside or in the river until we developed tools accurate enough to see the damage.

The most important thing is to realise that science first of all does not have all the answers and secondly that some answers will change. Do not discard science, though, but continually re-examine our results with the new tools science creates.

New York declares independence!

[JimBobJoe]

How would you feel if you are from New York, but now you moved to Florida. One day you heard on the news saying that New Yorkers are asking for independence.

Oh I can only dream. Does this really bother anyone else? Perhaps they could convince Taxachussetts to go as well. :-)

On a serious note, I have a new theory. If the southern states had each individually seceded into separate little countries, instead of seceding as one big country, they would have been more successful in the long run, because then the union would have had too complex a situation (with multiple countries) to deal with.

Re:New York declares independence!

[Mojojojo Monkey Inc.]

Then each little southern country probably would have begun attacking each other out of petty differences. After 5 or 10 years of this, the Unified North could just step in and claim control again, with minimal loss of life on their part.

I don't get it

[RelliK]

Was that sarcasm or is this guy serious?

___

Answer:

[RelliK]

You can achieve eternal life in the form of procreation.
___

Re:Some highlights:

[RelliK]

Shoot, he contradicts himself so many times, it's incredible. But what's worse is that he will keep on selling useless crap and dispensing useless theories and advice until someone stops him. (or people stop buying.) If he should go back to China, he'd be prosecuted there. America's too friendly to alternative-non therapies. But China could actually do something about him. But what's really sad is the whole multi-billion dollar fraud-based industry in America.

Relax, man. I don't understand why everyone is complaining about this interview. I got a good laugh. And I have no sympathy for the suckers who actually bought this magic device (if there are any). I can't believe that some people actually tried to logically argue with this guy and prove him wrong. Here's a newsflash: you cannot persuade a moron that his conviction is flawed. That's why I think the best question that was asked was this:

If you were to end up dying someday, who should I contact for a refund on my eternal life device?

That's absolutely hilarious! And it pretty well summarizes how I feel about the whole thing.
___

Re:Oops

[Ben Hutchings]

Scientology is based not on science but on the inventions of L Ron Hubbard, a one-time writer who appeared to have trouble distinguishing between fiction and reality. LRH had a similarly weak grasp of science to Chiu but sadly had quite a lot of success in proof by repeated assertion.

Re:Gettin' serious for a minute...

[sinnergy]

Funniest shit all week is right. Tell it like it is. I'm still clutching my sides after reading this tripe.

Re:PASS THE PLATE!

[sinnergy]

I read the topic after reading the original post in this thread and laughed my ass off. Thanks!

The mother of all contradictions?

[sinnergy]

Mr. Chiu states, "I support population control. I think USA should do the same. "

If that's so, then why in the HELL do you want to invent an immortality device? If population control is the way to go, isn't it kind of assumed that we need to let the old farts die off? Does he also suggest that we prevent any future conception? I'm sorry, but, "If you want to have more than 1 kid, you should pay more tax," isn't much of an argument against having kids.

Not that this matters since the rest of what he has to say is out right bullshit. I've never seen such inept and trite replies in my life.

*cucko* *cucko*

And that's all I have to say about that.

Re:scientific evidence (testimonials)

[johnnyb]

Actually, testimonials are the only form of scientific evidence. The difference being that in his case, he didn't do a controlled study of testimonials. How else would you know if someone feels better unless they tell you? Thinking that there is some way to come up with _pure_ fact without the interference of the human element is plain arrogant. The only difference is that the scientific community requires that the testimonials being randomly selected and have controlled dosages. But remember, even then, the only thing you have proving that the dosages were correct are testimonials.

Re:scientific evidence (testimonials)

[johnnyb]

You're missing the point. X-Rays require the testimonial of the X-Ray operator. MRI's require the testimonial of the MRI operator.

In addition, tests such as X-rays mean nothing. The actual outcome that's being looked for is what counts. For example, getting rid of cancer is not the end we're going for. Living a long life is. If living a long life includes keeping the cancer in some form, it doesn't matter what the actual tests show.

Never trifle with a Scilian...

[Johann]

This whole interview reminds me of the scene from The Princess Bride when the hero of the movie listens to the rambling, illogical Scilian and then says:

Clearly, you have a dizzying intellect.
--
"In the land of the brave and the free, we defend our freedom with the GNU GPL."

My Vote

[theLime]

My Vote is Frank Chu!

Reasons:

• He looks cooler
• He's probably more popular
• His theories aren't even remotely based in traditional or non-traditional science. So they're much more interesting.
• He's a lot nicer to his interviewers.

--

Re:My Vote

[Dancin_Santa]

My vote's with you. That guy would make a great /. interviewee.

Dancin Santa

Hehe...

[Byteme]

Our company cannot afford to do this kind of expensive research at this stage. This kind of research would cost hundreds of thousands. I rather use that money on advertising. Testimonials are enough to convince people for now.

Now that made me laugh... but I do speak from experience. I am one of the many people that put up my referral link on my homepage to get enough clicks for my neodymium eternal life rings (took the link down after the rings arrived). I wore them for a few hours total, while I demonstrated the rings to my friends and relatives. I am still alive! I am not sure if it was the rings, but that is my testimonial. Thank you Alex!

Re:Ah....

[Anonymous Cow]

I was thinking of a different two words.

Re:Ah....

[Bob McCown]

Damn, and me without modpoints...

The Benefits of Fraud

[Angst Badger]

But what's really sad is the whole multi-billion dollar fraud-based industry in America.

It's all well and good to bitch about fraud, but without con artists like Alex Chiu running around, the 20% of his customer base that are actually helped by the placebo effect would be worse off. And the other 80% learn a hard lesson for only twenty-five bucks.

If he were advising people to buy his rings instead of seeing a doctor, then he'd be a menace. As it is now, he's pretty harmless as charlatans go.

--

Huh???

[Julz]

Alex says "That includes population control and the liberation of Tibet".
Does this mean that not everybody is allowed immortality even though the should have that right.
Does this view support his open sales of his product? Nope!
Hopefully at the same time as giving us all immortality, it will also transform us into ignorant love thy neighbour and thy neighbours dog, sterile buckets of lard!
I wish to pass on and when I do hopefully I will have made my mark somewhere on this planet or in this solar system. Because with an infinite existence, I don't really see that I will have a reason for creating or helping anyone anytime in the near future. This is not to say that I wouldn't do something, but the pressure to set goals has diminished somewhat!
Onward and outward to 80 something...

Re:Reality Kills

[Julz]

No matter which religion you belong to there are at least two others that proclaim that no being part of theirs will condemn you to HELL.
I'd say bring it on. Lets all just accept that in others minds/beliefs we are going to hell like it or not and start living it up and make the most of those little precious milliseconds we have left on this planet to support at least the continued existance of our race without destroying everything we touch or breathe on.
End of rant...

Chiu != Adams. I can't believe you said that!

[Jeremy Lee]

"I believe Alex Chiu's insights on life, the
universe, and everything are every bit as
scientifically valid as those of the
(late, lamented) Douglas Adams" - Roblimo

That REALLY hurt. In fact, I don't think I've felt this angry over such a simple statement in a while. I'm not even sure exactly why. I'll try to work that out in a moment, but in the meantime, I'll just say I think that was in extremely poor taste.

On the surface, there are some similarities. Douglas did make fantastic extrapolations from scientific principles, mixing them with strange ideas to produce Infinite Improbability Drives, Somebody Else's Problem fields, etc.

On the other, Douglas was well aware he was writing fiction. In his non-fiction work he showed quite clearly his firm (though non-expert) grasp of evolution, biology, and even computer science. He took an interest. He tried to learn, to understand, everything around him on it's own terms.

Alex Chiu has a fixed agenda. He has a particular view of the world which he strongly endorses at every opportunity. His research is designed entirely to support his thesis. He seems to have no interest in anything outside this.

The fundamental difference is that Douglas was NEVER SURE of anything. He would sieze new ideas and play with them for weeks (much to the annoyance of his publishers) just trying to cope with them. He was perpetually astonished by the world, and science, and his writing tended to be an expression of this. He communicated that wonder and astonishment to everyone.

Douglas asked us to question everything with wonder. Alex asks you to believe his truth with certainty. Which is closer to the scientific method?

So, No. I think Douglas' insights were much more scientifically valid than Alex's.

Yes, I'm biased.

And I miss him terribly.

Would usually delete this as spam

[ch-chuck]

but this quote:

death is no good. You become a soul which has no body

is remeniscent of the good ol' confusion of the mind/body (or Spirit/Ghost etc vs physical reality (whatever THAT is)) split, which is itself a ghost and purely a fabrication of the rational mind artificially confined to the realm of symbols and speech, which are necessarily dualistic.

This sounds AWFULLY familiar....

[cswiii]

Alex:
Gee. I think some doctor in New York is doing that for me right now. Our company cannot afford to do this kind of expensive research at this stage. This kind of research would cost hundreds of thousands. I rather use that money on advertising. Testimonials are enough to convince people for now. I think even if I did the research mentioned above, it would be a total waste of money because if those people don't believe in the testimonials, they won't believe in the research at all. They would say that I made it all up. So why waste money?

Lots of advertising? Lots of hot air? No R&D?

Are we sure Alex isn't involved with RAMBUS?

My testimonial

[Col. Klink (retired)]

I hereby testify that Alex is a nut. As he accepts testimonials as scientific proof, he must now accept his mental illness as a proven fact and get the help he needs.

Re:testimonials as scientific evidence?

[Eravau]

Well, somebody saidmust be true. It reminds me of a Terry Pratchett book I just read, The Truth. People believed whatever was printed in the paper because "they" wouldn't let them say just anything.

Unfortunately, Joe Shmo's word doesn't mean Jack if he doesn't have something concrete to back it up.

Re:Best line ever

[Eravau]

After all, if you won't accept lack of evidence as evidence...you won't accept real evidence as evidence either.

i'd just like to say

[Kismet]

i thought that the immortality device was a great idea, and why didn't someone think of this before now? so i made my own immortality device out of some magnets and glue, and i am happy to say that i am still alive today to talk about it.

you guys will be thanking people like me and mr. chiu for the very valuable discoveries, long after we are dead and gone.

A Testimonial

[PopeFelix]

Of all the peaches I've tried, I think the ones in heavy syrup are the best. They're just good.

Pope Felix the Scurrilous.

Re:Yikes!!

[PopStar]

How is it that every single discussion here gradually turns into a MS vs Open Source argument? Seriously, you guys must be a blast at parties ... "Hey, man, you want a beer?" "Speaking of free beer ... "

This question is nearly as bad as the answer...

[Medievalist]

One of the questions contains:

...edison, tesla and einstein were great scientists who, through a thorough and accurate understanding of the best scientific learning of their day, applied existing principles in groundbreaking and unexpected ways to advance contemporary physics.

and again

...it might be prudent to base your fantastic new theories on intelligent observation and existing science (as edison, tesla and einstein all did), rather than just gazing into space and pulling things out of your eternally-young ass.

Edison, OK. However, both Nikola Tesla and Albert Einstein did "gaze into space and pull things out of their asses".

Einstein, in his own works, specifically disclaims "thorough and accurate understanding of the best scientific learning" and all his work is based on "thought experiments" that he performed while basically sitting on his butt.

Tesla, on the other hand, was pretty clearly a deeply disturbed man (worse than Edison on that account - descriptions of Tesla's obsessive/compulsive eating habits are pretty entertaining) who made dozens of wild claims and predictions that are quite well documented. Many of his claims have turned out to be true - but they were not based on the "best scientific learning of their day" unless you consider Tesla's childhood hallucinations (look up how he claimed to have hit on the idea of the brushless universal AC motor) to be "scientific learning".

Sometimes nuts are also visionary. But neither condition proves or disproves the other.

--Charlie

Majoring at Misinformation U., eh?

[Medievalist]

Even contemplating a way to 'live forever' is hersay.

Did you mean heresy or hearsay? The first is, of course subjective. Cast ye the first stone? Incidentally, you sure make G-d sound like a big bully.

It's almost like flying. It reminds me of the story of Icarus. Trapped on a lonely island with only his mother and father, Icarus developed a way to fly by encasing feathers in wax, and attaching them to his arms.

Real religion majors also usually have a basic grasp of classical mythology. You do have the fundamental concept of hubris, here, but Icarus didn't develop anything, his father Daedelus built the wings... and used them successfully without suffering divine retribution.

Here's a question for you, Mr. Metatron (and if you don't get that reference you should give up now) Why do English-language translations of the Bible translate the word "SHEOL" as "HELL" when it literally means "place of death", as in a graveyard or tomb? And why do the same bowlderized Torahs translate a word meaning "an indefinite period of time" to specific, and inconsistent, periods of time ranging from "a moment" to "eternity"?

If you really are a religion major, I suggest you change seminaries immediately. You do not seem to be learning religion, but rather basting in your own ignorant zealotry. Seek enlightenment elsewhere, and if you want to grok the Bible don't use the politically-influenced English translations.
--Charlie

One little thing I don't understand.

[Neon Spiral Injector]

An antichrist is a person who does not believe the bible (old testament only).

How is one come about the term antichrist, if they only believe the old testament?

--

Re:One little thing I don't understand.

[JatTDB]

Well, you could look at it from the same perspective as Judaism. The old testament gives many prophecies for the arrival of a savior. The term "christ" comes from the Greek "christos", meaning anointed..."christ" then is really more a title than a name. So, who THE christ is (and whether or not he's shown up yet) is dependent on your beliefs. An antichrist, depending on definition, can be anything from the devil to simply a person who actively does not believe in the existance (past, present, or future) of a christ.

Re:One little thing I don't understand.

[dasheiff]

An antichrist is a person who does not believe the bible (old testament only).

How is one come about the term antichrist, if they only believe the old testament?

Yeah what is that suppose to mean? It would seem to mean that according to the old testament (and not new) we would apply this defination. Perhaps it's just a statement that no Jew thinks Jesus was the messiah. (Don't give me anythign about Jews for Jesus, it's just a fancy was of saying Christian). Perhaps more than anything it could be saying how Jesus wasn't Christ based on the old testament. Remember the dead were suppose to rise, world peace would come about. Oh well, I mod the entire artical down as being offtopic for /. but I supose it's fun to have a digression every once in a while.

Re:One little thing I don't understand.

[why-is-it]

That's the *only* thing you did not understand?

Ah, I see you use the Microsoft approach...

[Can]

This kind of research would cost hundreds of thousands. I rather use that money on advertising.

Sounds like you're well on the way to dominating the world.

A multi-billion dollar industry

[Benjamin Shniper]

As the inventor of the Immortality Device, I basically just tell people what I honestly think. I think my device makes you immortal. And I am being honest. My proof is lots of people used the device and gave testimonials. If you don't accept testimonials as proofs, you won't accept any proof as proof.

Self-deception, unchecked (and obviously anti-common sense) scientific-sounding theories (with liberal religious jargon like "soul interspersed), and functionless merchandise. Alex Chui sells billions of dollars worth of merchandise a year. Along with the rest of the Alternative medicine crowd.

http://www.quackwatch.com/

What's really sad is not this lone wacko, but the thousands of people be they selling homeopathy, Accupuncture, or Aura/Touch/Aroma/Therapy. These non-healers all make their money the same way, by claiming testimonials are scientific evidence (they are not, and will never be), by claiming wierd non-scientific theories, which are wrong if anyone bothers to look closer than a cursory glance (but most people see the scientific-looking jargon and just stop reading further, satisfied that the producer of the non-remedy thought more about it than they will).

This man's business is just as wrong-headed as scientology. The only difference is that it is less popular. If he had his way, everyone would buy his immortality device, and would then buy his happiness stick, and his extacy food, and his, well, you get the idea. He could be making up wierd, wrong, theories for his whole life, which is exactly what local tribal healers have always done, and which is why we live about twice as long as most of the ancient tribal cultures.

But these tribal doctors never really go away, and they have been brought, along with the gullable population, into a world in which most of the people can readily (through the general knowledge dispersal channels) see through such basic, stupid schemes to sell useless junk.

How many dreamcatchers have you bought?

This is what it all comes down to: As long as the internet can allow fraud like alex chiu's website and http://www.scientology.com/ http://www.homeopathy.com/ to make their unchecked, wrong-headed, stupid scientific-sounding logic, than the population who tries to find out how to live forever will be denied finding THE REAL INFORMATION with search engines.

If half the internet information is lies, than will the internet ever really help advance mankind? Alex Chui was one of the first of a bad breed of liars to take their dis-services to the web. I hope it stops eventually.

-Ben

Re:A multi-billion dollar industry

[Eloquence]

No, there isn't.

--

Re:A multi-billion dollar industry

[ProfBooty]

I don't think this guy charges youanything. He just asks for a receipt from a donation to charitble organizations.

Re:A multi-billion dollar industry

[flip-flop]

Eeeeasy there. Don't go throwing stuff like homeopathy and acupuncture in with rubbish like aromatherapy and numerology, just because they don't happen to be traditional "western" medicine. There is actually plenty of scientific evidence in favour of these two.

Re:A multi-billion dollar industry

[jotaeleemeese]

Yes there is. Go to China, they have scientists and doctors, adn as serious scientists they will tell you that of course is not a cure all magic thing, but something that can be used to treat pain in some circusmtances.

In Mexico there has been investigation in Universities for 150 years and there are many doctors with specialization in homeophaty that provide health care.

The reality is that there are a lot of charlatans out there proclaiming to know about these two techniques that know rat about them.

Some highlights:

[Benjamin Shniper]

I don't have to live 130 years in order to tell you what my device does. We gather scientific evidence (testimonials) in order to base our assumptions.

I think even if I did the research mentioned above, it would be a total waste of money because if those people don't believe in the testimonials, they won't believe in the research at all.

Well. I just carry this stuff as long as I can carry.

Shoot, he contradicts himself so many times, it's incredible. But what's worse is that he will keep on selling useless crap and dispensing useless theories and advice until someone stops him. (or people stop buying.) If he should go back to China, he'd be prosecuted there. America's too friendly to alternative-non therapies. But China could actually do something about him.

But what's really sad is the whole multi-billion dollar fraud-based industry in America.

-Ben

Re:Four-second summary

[twoflower]

Sorry, not familiar with "Spatula City". It's a reference to the Terry Pratchett novels, and a pseudonym I've been using online for about six or seven years.

Care to enlighten me?

Twoflower


--

Four-second summary

[twoflower]

This kind of research would cost hundreds of thousands. I rather use that money on advertising.

Kind of says it all, doesn't it?

Twoflower


--

Re:Four-second summary

[StaticLimit]

Actually, I thought this one summed it up even better:

We gather scientific evidence (testimonials) in order to base our assumptions.

If "testimonials" count as "science" and are a valid substitute for double-blind clinical trials, there's really no point in trying to apply reason to this guy.

- StaticLimit

Re:Four-second summary

[wedg]

Twoflower? Of Spatula City fame?
.

Re:Four-second summary

[wedg]

http://pixelscapes.com/spatulacity I believe... that's the one. The person who did that gets his name from the Discworld series too. Just wondering if you were one in the same. Excellent series of books, by the way.
.

please change article heading

[krog]

please change this article's appearance under the "Internet" heading to the "It's funny. Laugh." heading.

Re:please change article heading

[rjamestaylor]

No, no, it's properly under Internet, alright...as in "Heaven's Gate".
--

ho hum

[majcher]

I have one thing to say:

UN-altered REPRODUCTION and DISSEMINATION of this IMPORTANT Information is ENCOURAGED, ESPECIALLY to COMPUTER BULLETIN BOARDS.

Seriously, he's mildly amusing, but as whack jobs go, Chiu is strictly third-rate. I'm sure he wouldn't get any play if he wasn't basically offering free stuff to people who put banners on their site. Until something more interesting comes along, I'll stick with the classics, like McElwaine and Ludwig Plutonium.

Re:ho hum

[Durinia]

For pure whack-job value, I'm definitely partial to the TimeCube (which is discussed in one of the questions). I would love to see his face when someone demonstrates that he's wrong. I mean, come on, everyone knows time is a dodecahedron...

Re:Yikes!!

[MrNixon]

Wow, thanks for the blinding insight, Slappy.

my two cents...

[tongue]

In the words of a great American teacher:

"We are all stupider for having heard that."

More than 1 kid?

[ryanr]

If you want to have more than 1 kid, you should pay more tax.

Limit couples to only 1 kid? Or did you mean per person? His and Hers? Limiting couples to one kid would quickly reduce the population.... hey wait a sec... if we're all going to live forever, why allow any kids? Besides, those of us with more than 1 DO pay more taxes, or more specifically, our kids end up contributing more. You're going to need extra kids contributing to social security if you're planning to retire at 65 and live forever after that...

Then how come my HD _DIED_!?!

[D3]

If magnets are so great to promote long life, why do hard drives DIE!?!

Re:He's a nutcase, alright, but..

[at-b]

Hey flip-flop,

thanks for your answer. I'd like to refer you to my earlier post, from which I quote: "it's a socio-geographical fact right now that won't change."

And it is. Tibet has been assimilated into China, forcefully and wrongly, but it has. From a sociological point of view, the Chinese view Tibet as part of their country, and there's nothing anybody else can do about it. From a geographical point of view, nobody has any influence whatsoever over that region of the world, apart from China. It's called empire-building, which is what China has always been - an Empire, made of smaller regions. I abhor what happened to the people of Tibet, but we can't do jack about it. We never could. We never will be. It's not in our power. We'd have to nuke all of China to get them to relinquish anything, and even then, they probably wouldn't without force.

Do you understand that? It has nothing to do with the Nazis. Invoking the Nazis in an argument and comparing your discussion partner to the people who let them do their thing is a sure way to end the discussion. It's called the 'Invoking Hitler' argument.

Now it's nice that you ignored my point about Native Americans. How about giving them back their homelands? Or how about giving Northern Ireland back to the Republic of Ireland? Socio-geographical facts, old boy. Big countries, weaker, small, non-developed neighbours. Assimilation. Empire-building. As I said, China's been doing it for longer than people like us have eaten from bowls not made of our enemies' skulls.

Comments appreciated.

ATB

Re:He's a nutcase, alright, but..

[at-b]

Hey,

I hope you get to read this. You made a very well-thought-out argument there, and many of your points (in fact nearly all) are correct. They don't apply to my original view, though - let me explain.

your response to the last post and your basic premise is not only fundamentally flawed, but actually harmful and insensitive

That's true. It was never meant to be sensitive - what China did was insensitive, the world's reaction to it is insensitive (making China the US most favoured nation, trade-wise, etc), and everybody's approach to it is insensitive, because in the end, it won't matter. I was using Native American extermination - their culture surviving in much a way that Tibetan culture survives now - as my example. I am not saying that it's right, I am saying that in the long term, the plight of the Tibetans and Tibet will be similar to that of Polynesians (?) and Native Americans; they will be absorbed into a greater whole, and only rudiments of their society and culture will continue to exist.

That is what I was referring to as a socio-geographical fact. I don't like it. I'm predicting what I think the future will look like.

you need to protest against it and do your best to both prevent it happening again and rectify the situation if possible

this is a similar situation. the only difference is that china is a large nuclear power that no-one is strong enough to stand against, for fear of consequences

That's what makes it a s-g fact. This is why comparing it to Nazi Germany is wrong. Nazi Germany could be beaten or persuaded to change (we saw which one happened). I reiterate my earlier point: without nuking China off the face of the planet, they will forever occupy Tibet and insist that Taiwan is part of China. They won't relinquish that. That is what I was referring to when I was pointing out a socio-geographical fact. We can't change that. I'd love to, but we can't.

It's a bit like a murder perpetrated by the highest-up General in the US Army, with the Army standing behind him, and refusing to let any consequences affect him, down to protecting him from those in government who should be able to remove him. It won't happen. Police cars don't cut it against tanks.

and the claim that china has been conquering it's weaker neighbours since before western culture developed still does not justify it

But you're RIGHT, it doesn't! That won't change the fact that they'll use that excuse, and due to the aformentioned and much-invoked s-g facts we won't be able to do squat about it. That's why the Tibetan will become like the Native American. Hell, in 20 years the Chinese will probably put out a coin or a bill with the Dalai Lama's face on it, the same way that the dollar had a Native American's face on it.

I could also mention that there is a new 'Dalai Lama', more or less appointed by the Chinese. And that Tibetan religious culture is being assimilated to accept him. And that this will, in the end, (unfortunately) work.

i think that the argument comes down to: the would may be shit, but you don't have to accept it. shout and stamp your little feet when the would is being crap and eventually it'll improve

No. You need big feet to stomp. Ideally, to stomp on. Not even many little feet will help, open source methodology fails here. I am honestly convinced that not even a democratic Chinese government would not relinquish Tibet and their claim to Taiwan.

And yes, it's fucking depressing that some things won't change because that's how they've always been. But that's how many things in life are. Maturity and adulthood means knowing which things in life can be changed, and which can't.

ATB (email me: xugumadNOSPAM@yahooremoveme.com)

He's a nutcase, alright, but..

[at-b]

Well, they do say 'they laughed at Tesla, Edison, and Einstein.' Unfortunately, they also laughed at Bozo the Clown. Alex Chiu strikes me as being closer to Bozo than any of the aforementioned.

However...

Some of the things he said actually struck very close to the core of things, simply because political correctness nowadays completely prevents many people from thinking them.

Here's one:
If you say Tibetans are not Chinese because they have their own language and culture, let me ask you this: Is Hawaii part of USA?


Reminding me of an old Onion article, that one is very true - Hawaii was pretty much assimilated after being occupied and used as a military base.

And about the notion of the peace-loving, religious, harmony-seeking Tibet being occupied by the evil Chinese - that's not total bunk, but a lot of it is nonsense. The Dalai Lama may be a nice guy, and a lot of atrocities did happen in Tibet, but Tibet is part of China and will forever be - it's a socio-geographical fact right now that we won't change. Complaining about that is a bit like complaining about Native Americans being murdered.

Sorry if this came out a bit flame-like, but I feel very strongly about certain things like the US' incessant complaints about human rights when people are being locked up right here and nowbecause they try to expose Scientology as the murderous cult they are. Human rights are a very complex issue, and China does have more than one billion people living in a country much less developed than the US. The US struggled with overpopulated inner-city ghettoes where human rights are an afterthought, but continues to point out the issues in countries that are struggling with gigantic problems.

How would the oh-so horrible blackouts in California look like if 300 million people lived there? Compare that to the populous regions of China?

Again, sorry if this drifted off-topic. I'll read and answer to responses, though. Thanks.

ATB

Re:He's a nutcase, alright, but..

[flip-flop]

And about the notion of the peace-loving, religious, harmony-seeking Tibet being occupied by the evil Chinese - that's not total bunk, but a lot of it is nonsense. The Dalai Lama may be a nice guy, and a lot of atrocities did happen in Tibet, but Tibet is part of China and will forever be - it's a socio-geographical fact right now that we won't change. Complaining about that is a bit like complaining about Native Americans being murdered.

Excuse me, but what you are saying here is total bunk. Sounds like you have no idea what you're talking about concerning the Chinese invasion of Tibet. Tibet was an independent mountain nation for most of its history. I'm not claiming there were no "old-fashioned" feudalistic elements to the society but it was largely peaceful. The Chinese have introduced a reign of terror, ethnic cleansing, and total denial of the Tibetan culture. More than a million people have died as a result of this, out of a population of only a few million. And it's still going on now! So don't throw up your hands and say "well, it's happened, gee that's just too bad". It's never too late! It's people like you that let these things happen, because you always look away and claim there's nowt you can do about it. There were plenty of folk like you in Nazi Germany, which is why the Nazis were able to carry on with their atrocities without too much disturbance.

OK, rant over...

Re:He's a nutcase, alright, but..

[flip-flop]

Hi ATB,

Do you understand that? It has nothing to do with the Nazis. Invoking the Nazis in an argument and comparing your discussion partner to the people who let them do their thing is a sure way to end the discussion. It's called the 'Invoking Hitler' argument.

I am fully aware of the nature of the "Invoking Hitler" argument. But I do not think that means that every time one mentions the Third Reich, one is applying it - I think my original comparison is still valid (incidentally I think the AC who replied to your post stated this far more eloquently than I ever will be able to).

Or how about giving Northern Ireland back to the Republic of Ireland? Socio-geographical facts, old boy.

Bah, humbug. I have yet to find an American who fully grasps the situation in Northern Ireland. It is not simply a case of England having invaded it and being the ruling opressors against the will of the population. Did you know there is actually a Protestant majority in NI? And they'll be damned if they become part of the Republic of Ireland. Simply withdrawing out of NI just like that would cause a bloodbath. The sitation is incredibly complex, but given recent developments (and Labour's massive victory in last night's election - woo hoo!) I am confident that it will be sorted out, eventually.

Other than that, I think I follow your argument. Maybe I misread the intention of your original post somewhat, but I still feel there is a fine line to tread between trying to take a detached realistic view of the situation, and just not giving a damn. Would you have said, ten years ago, that Apartheid in South Africa was a socio-geographic fact? That is a good example where things did improve, because people cared, even though few really thought it would happen.

Cheers,

flip-flop

Re:scientific evidence (testimonials)

[topham]

No, they also require tests to go with it. X-rays or MRIs to see if a tumour is indeed smaller, has stopped growing, etc. A patient may feel good and die 5 seconds later, it happens. You log what they say, you track the test results, but testimonials only tell you that you should test something, not the results of the tests.

Re:scientific evidence (testimonials)

[topham]

I would strongly suggest you go back to school. You seem to be confused.

Please look further into the word Science, and it's applications.

Re:Worthless

[nutsy]

Aw, why are you complaining? Since Dr Bronner is no longer with us, we have to get our crackpot health theories where we can find them.

HEALTH IS OUR GREATEST WEALTH!

Re:I've got your next interview right here!

[SpinyNorman]

I was hoping slashdot would interview the guy in the goatse picture, so we could at least figure out how the hell he got into ramming traffic cones up his ass. But really, you're right - any random person would be better. A stiff in the morgue would at least respond with a profound silence rather than this babbling gibberish!

New low for slashdot

[SpinyNorman]

I find it hard to believe that some babbling head case with a pyramid marketing scheme was even in the top 1 million people that people on slashdot would have an interest in seeing interviewed.

How about filing this stuff under "pure shit" so that I can filter it out like I have Katz?

Re:New low for slashdot

[selectspec]

You dont understand. This is the /. vetting process for a new potential editor. Clearly, this guy is Editor-in-Chief material.

Re:Why?

[Guttata]

Just for the record, I was guilty of the same thing... I posted questions for the interview, as well...

I've just had longer to think about it, which is why I made that comment.

Why?

[Guttata]

Is this some sort of cruel fun, to take somebody with obvious mental problems, and gather around them to make fun of them?

Seems just, well, mean.

Re:Why?

[Tackhead]

> Is this some sort of cruel fun, to take somebody with obvious mental problems, and gather around them to make fun of them?

Yes, it is.

Doesn't make it any less fun ;-)

Schadenfreude is an art form. For an example, watch Jerry Springer, particularly the last 20 minutes of the show, in which audience members rediscover the Elizabethan art of bear-baiting.

(Side note. Yeah, we gotta get an interview with Jack Chick. I like this "Loon of the Month" idea.)

Re:Why?

[zappe]

But at least you repented of it. Thank you for that. It is pretty sad to watch this. Especially to see only two comments that note that this is a deplorable action. Even the questions are cruel. When I first read them, I thought it *had* to be a joke it was so bad. But then I realised, it wasn't a joke, and felt my stomach go down into my legs.

Also, to a more general audience, if he is actually giving away rings, he obviously believes this, wholeheartedly. So we attack him, rather than the people *selling* cheap ceramic magnets at the store for $10 a pack, with approximately as much "scientific evidence" that Chiu has, and probably less belief in their own product. (I don't understand why he has a patent if he gives them away, but normal logic seems to have left the building a while ago...)

Man, it sure makes me believe that the Internet is going to produce a "great society" like you always see on here. Not that I believe that gigantic lie anyway, but if you're going to espouse it, at least try and live up to it.

People don't kick others when they're down in any "great society" that I know of.

And for a people that have so many stories on mockery and picking on in school, maybe Jon Katz should do a story on how you guys pick on people not in your on clique, and propigate the same old story. This man is heavly decieved, and needs help, not people picking on him, and attacking him cruelly on a public site. I'm sure that all true geeks reading this can remember being made fun of in front of (what seemed like) the whole school. Remember how much that hurt?? That's exactly what you are doing to this man! Maybe it's because you believed something different, and maybe you found out later that you were wrong!

This whole thing just saddens me. :-( Slashdot must apoligise to this man, this is horrible.

Re:Why?

[jesser]

That was the most insightful comment I've seen on slashdot for several weeks. I wish I had mod points right now.

Re:Why?

[Meat Eater]

This only confirms my attitude towards my "fellow humans". Considering the uproar against school bullying and such, it doesn't surprise me that you geeks would resort to poking and prodding at the mentally ill. All you geeks have proven to me was that you are simply against being bullied, rather than take the high road and speak out against human predatory behavior.

Honestly, I hope Alex is left alone to seriously reconsider his beliefs and stop engaging in these psuedo-science-spirituality crap. Obviously, some people would rather live in fantasy worlds.

Re:Why?

[Rudeboy777]

Also, to a more general audience, if he is actually giving away rings, he obviously believes this, wholeheartedly.

This sentence struck a chord with me. I thought of this guy a lot like a Scientologist in that he had firmly convinced himself of something utterly wacky, but unless he's a lot smarter than he's making himself out to be, he's not actually out to hurt or take advantage of anybody. Thanks for a little perspective.

Re:Reality Kills

[Tower]

I think they may have something here with the magnetic ideas - why, just a couple years ago I was having trouble with my knee. The doctor scheduled a MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and a few days later, most of the pain in my knee was gone! Those magnets must have great healing properties - either that or those codeine-based pills had some effect ;-)

--

Low for slashdot; high for moderators

[jbennetto]

Having coming from a science backgroud, I occasionally worry that many computer scientists, while intelligent people, have a poor understanding of science and the world around them.

I'm relieved to be contridicted by the posters and moderators of slashdot.

Sure, the slashdot editors shouldn't be giving him a forum. The guy is claiming anecdotes are proof, and yet pretends to be a scientist. But the questions asked, and the responses so far, expose this guy pretty thoroughly. Most people reading them will think less of Alex Chiu and other such quacks. Shining a little light on an idiot isn't such a bad thing.

I checked out this person's website, and...

[Kenneth]

I really don't care what he says. The fact that I tried to leave and kept having new windows opened made me not want to have anything to do with him.

He can have his religeous, political, and philosophical views no matter how much I disagree, or how wierd. He can even sell eternal life rings. I don't really care, but when he annoys me with javascript, he needs a good beating.

Re:What a crook.

[jazman_777]

This has some really nice points. After a while, we've seen it all. Part of what drives our lives is the knowledge that our time is limited, it will end.

Here is an article pondering the question, "Why Not Immortality?"
--

OMG

[Hard_Code]

OMG...this guys is for REAL? I thought it was all some quirky in-joke, like the Church of Subgenious.

Man, now *this* is scary....

Re:what next?

[joeytsai]

Actually, slashdot has already interviewed Jon Katz.

Who knew?

[WinDoze]

We gather scientific evidence (testimonials)

I had no idea how much scientific evidence I'd been dismissing as advertising all these years!

Re:Who knew?

[linuxrochester]

Hell, It looks like we have a lot of "scientific evidence" right here on /. that proves that this guy is a couple sandwidches short of a picnic. :)

one word to describe this:

[sometwo]

poppycock!!

Re:Question:

[Tackhead]

> How do the pr0n and other popup ads on [Alex's] site relate to eternal life?

Well, I suppose if you put enough pr0n on a male user's screen, something's bound to rise again...

Gettin' serious for a minute...

[Tackhead]

> If you don't accept testimonials as proofs, you won't accept any proof as proof.

The cry of the quack everywhere.

Yeah, I know Slashdot was just trollin' when they decided to interview Chiu, and I think both the "Ask Alex Chiu" and his responses constitute some of the funniest shit I've read this week.

But to get serious for a minute: If you're interested in quackery, check out http://www.quackwatch.com for all the dirt.

In the case of Alex, he hits pretty much all the buttons on How Quackery Sells. Bravo!

> How do scientists know the diameter of earth? Must a scientist walk the equator in order to tell you the exact diameter of earth? [ ... ] We gather scientific evidence (testimonials) in order to base our assumptions.

Alex, m'boy, you wouldn't know the scientific method if it propositioned you on the street and asked for a rim-job.

Re:Gettin' serious for a minute...

[jea6]

I tried passing my 9th grade geometry class on the basis of testimonials. My teacher didn't accept testimonials as proofs.

"Quackwatch is part of the Skeptic Ring, an alliance of sites that examine claims about paranormal phenomena and fringe science from a skeptical point of view.

Re:Funny Previous Interview

[pirodude]

I found this one funny:

Fade To Black: How long can a person wearing your "Eternal Life Device" expect to live?

Alex Chiu: As long as the user doesn't get killed in accidents or be murdered by someone or die from a severe disease, the person would continue living.

No shit?

Q U A C K

Re:scientific evidence (testimonials)

[Coward, Anonymous]

Testimonials ARE NOT a scientific evidence

Maybe not, but it's certainly promising that all the testimonials are positive. Not one person has come forward saying that they have died after using the immortality ring.

Another question:

[General Wesc]

Do you believe people who have kiddie pr0n popups on their website deserve immortality?
Child porn=Child abuse. I don't think linking should be a crime, but advertising something illegal perhaps should be.

Anyway, the FBI has already been notified so it's not up to me anymore.

Re:Huh?

[reflector]

You alexes are all alike...

Reality Kills

[joq]

Personally I think people should look into the true findings about the claims of magnetic healing which this guy mentions.

In human nature many people let their emotions get the best of them and this is what I perceive this guy is doing, feeding off the emotions of people who'd think they can live longer via some device.

Stepping back take a quick look at life in a realistic perspective if you will:

Things go round animals of all types come and go through evolution, nothing lasts forever.

Biblical look; You die and supposedly go to $INSERT_YOUR_HEAVEN/HELL/ETC here.

People have been making these claims for so long it would take you eons to sort through the bs people have concocted. So while this guy claims doctors have bought my product, etc, etc, I've yet to see documentation from any credible source on this guy's claims.

So called Psychic Sylvia Brown does the same thing too feeds off the emotions of people. She claims to have been hired by Law Enforcement Agencies worldwide, etc., but cannot back her claim as most of these people can't either.

Doesn't matter though a sucker is born every minute and as long as no one takes the time to analyze things in a realistic manner the Alex Chuis and Sylvia Browns will always be around to feed off of emotion.

Re:Reality Kills

[IronChef]

What really bugs me is that big companies, not just crackpots, are using hoo-hah like magnetic healing in their products. Dr. Scholl's sells magnetic insoles, and they bill them as having all these wonderful effects. I wrote a nasty letter to the CEO of the conglomerate, but amazingly enough the products continue to be sold. ;)

I think that corporations have an obligation to be good citizens, just like people. Too bad so many of both fail at that. Selling healing magnets is voodoo plain and simple.

I actually tried to get this on /. as a story, under the title "Corporate Witchdoctors," but it was rejected. I still think it merits discussion and I'd love to see all those crappy companies selling magnets and other garbage buried under calls and letters.

How about a little balance.

[flounder99]

Could we have an interview with James Randi?

If Mr. Chiu needs the money why not win Mr. Randi's Million Dollar Challenge?

Flounder

Re:How about a little balance.

[blang]

If Mr. Chiu needs the money why not win Mr. Randi's Million Dollar Challenge?

Chiu has a similar but opposite challenge on his web page, offering 1 million to the first to come up with a better health device han his rings.

Probably you'll have to get in line though, since his device probably does not rank among the top 10 million devices, in which case, the check you get will not cover the money you spend on envelope and postage.

But I second your choice. James Randi for the next interview. James Randi should definately be given more air time. I think his message should be mandatory in the high school curricilum. His demontrations are so entertaining, and it would give the kids some ballast before they head out to the world of deceit.

Taiwan and Tibet

[Kakurenbo Shogun]

But now all of a sudden some idiots in Taiwan start to say that they are not Chinese. Their grand parents were Chinese. But for some reason, they feel they are not Chinese.
...
I don't care what political party is controlling China right now. All I know is we are all Chinese.
There's a big difference between ethnicity and citizenship. Some people do care what government is controlling China. It's easy for a person living in the U.S. to not care what government controls the lives of the people of Taiwan, but I'm sure it's a little different if you live there.

One day you heard on the news saying that New Yorkers are asking for independence. The New Yorkers now say they are not Americans.
The government in Taiwan used to be the government of China. The communist government took over the mainland, but not Taiwan. Perhaps the communists are the legitimate government of the mainland--assuming that the people of the mainland supported the revolution (I don't know the historical details, so I won't comment further on that), but apparently the peole of Taiwan wanted to keep their former government.

A better analogy than yours would be if most of the U.S. decided to toss out the Constitution and start over, but New York decided to keep it. The rest of the country would not have the right to deny New York the right to keep the Constitution.

If the communist party is controlling China, they represent China.
Might makes right? If the people of a region disagree with the policies of a government, then that government does not represent those people.

I feel that China has every right to take Taiwan back. It's nobody else's business. If you defend Taiwan and fight against the Liberation Army, you are automatically a traitor.
It's certainly Taiwan's business. By your reasoning, the Liberation army is an army of traitors, because they fought against the government during their revolution. By your reasoning, the goverment of Taiwan is the legitimate government of China.

Taiwan has been part of China for centuries.
Does that mean they have to go along with all the policatal changes that people in another part of China choose?

Why did Lincoln decide to reconquer the south?
Your best comment yet. I question this one myself sometimes. I will point out one difference though: In the Chinese revolution, the Liberation Army was fighting against the existing government. In the U.S. civil war, the north was fighting for the existing government. Whether that was legitimate, I'm not sure.

You guys always talk about human rights. But why can't you guys mention about "government rights"? Chinese government has the right to do whatever it must do to protect China. That includes ... the liberation of Tibet. What about the "government rights" of the people in Taiwan and Tibet? Why don't they get to protect Taiwan and Tibet?

In the old Tibet, you can have slaves,
So the old Tibet had problems. If that justifies takeover by China, then I guess it would be justified for someone to take over China to solve it's problems. If there were still slavery in Tibet, I'm sure there would be as much noise being made about that today as their is about human rights issues in China.

you can marry 4 wives
You could marry 4 wives in the Old Testament, and there are still other places in the world where you can do that. Personally, I don't see any particular problem with that--as long as none of the wives are being forced to marry into that situation. Not that I would want multiple wives myself.

Liberated Tibet and kick out that stupid Dalai Lama
Who's more credible, Mr. Magnet who doesn't understand the concept of scientific proof, or a Novel Peace Prize winner?

You guys don't know how much Tibet has changed. Most families in Tibet now has electricity. TV, VCR, stereo,micro-wave, you name it. Everything's made in China! They have shopping malls and supermarkets there. There's stock market brokers there. In fact, Tibet is one of the most popular European tourist attraction of asia.
Guess what, the rest of the world has made a lot of the same changes during that same period of time. "Everything's made in China"? So what. If it hadn't been made in China, it would ahve been made somewhere else--perhaps in Tibet. I can't imagine the European tourists are going to Tibet to see the shopping malls and stock brokers. More likely they're interested in see the remains of Tibetan culture before they're completely destroyed. Or the geography. In any case, I greatly doubt that it has much to do with the changes China has made there. Judging from the economies of various countries around the world, I wouldn't be surprised if Tibet would have been better off without communism's "help".

Everywhere would stink like hell because nobody teaches you the importance of taking a bath.
Did you know that westerners stink to people from other parts of the world? Stink is totally based on what you're accustomed to. To me, farm animals stink, but some people love the smell of them.

If you say Tibetans are not Chinese because they have their own language and culture, let me ask you this: Is Hawaii part of USA? Is Okinawa part of Japan? Okinawa people have different language and culture than the Japanese. So should Okinawa gain independence from Japan?
Again, ethnicity and culture are not the same as politics. Almost every country has culturally and ethnically diverse people. I for one don't argue that tibet should be independant because of cultural differences. I think they should be independant because they once were free to live their own way, but that freedom was taken from them by a revolutionary goverment which they did not support.

As for Hawaii and Okinawa, maybe they should be independant. Maybe they don't want to be indepndant. (I'm sure there are those who do and those who don't in both places). I don't know the answers to these questions myself, but it seems clear that the people of Tibet and Taiwan do want to be independant, and have good arguments for why they should be.

"What happens when an irrefutable argument meets an immovable opinion?"

Re:Required reading...

[camusflage]

Another suggested read, of more recent vintage, is Michael Shermer's _Why_People_Believe_Weird_Things_. Everything from FUNdamentalism to Holocaust deniers, Objectivism to alien abductions. The basic gist of the book is that you should always keep your logical mind about you, and that skepticism != cynicism.

Mike

Best line ever

[The Musician]

"If you don't accept testimonials as proofs, you won't accept any proof as proof."

Hah! Proof by emphatic assertion. Nice way to support your arguments.

Re:Question:

[pubudu]

The popup ads may cycle, but but I found the one attached to What Makes a Superrace? hilarious. What makes a superrace, you might ask? How shall we all become equal by all becoming superior? The answer --- Russian Girls.

fscking pr0n

[huddles]

WTF? Why does his site pop up some German pr0n site?

Joe

No reality check here

[gad_zuki!]

Reality Check? This guy? A magnet on a ring is all he's selling, aside from the rhetoric.

If slashdot if going to start pulling reality checks and recovering their "logical edge" as you say, I suggest they at least get some smart and informed interviews with people like Robert Anton Wilson or Dr. Dean Radin not a Grade-A wacko like poor Alex here.

Re:The One Ring

[Stonehand]

If you're an antichrist, you probably should be able to summon your daemonic legions to /. -- at least some of them will eventually gain moderator privileges in all likelihood, and then they can moderate you up. The immortality ring will give you more time to spend on this plan.

:)

The One Ring

[Eponymous, Showered]

I don't really want immortality. I do wonder, however, if his ring could help an antichrist like me get more karma (in the /. sense, of course).

Mr Chiu?

Re:Just invent an intersteller transport device!

[ahodgson]

Wasn't there a Slider's episode like that?

god i'm dumber now

[cybercyst]

whoah, i'm seeing stars... this was literally a horrible waste of my time. He has not only twisted scientific reasoning, but biblical reasoning, and when confronted retorts with "well, i guess you are just too dumb to understand that i am greatness and have the understanding of everything." /me shakes his head for poor alex chiu

Slashdot Explained

[selectspec]

I always figured that the /. editorial staff was just a bunch of losers, who occassionaly posted interesting tidbits of tech/geek news submitted to them by the /. following.

Imagine my suprize this morning to find out that they are also a bunch of weirdo cultists and freaks who have been suckered into to some Moonie sect. My God! Tommorow, will /. pop up weird religious advertisments? Will some guy wearing an Anonymous Coward T-shirt show up at my door with a Bible in his hands? Of course it makes perfect sense. Cults like the Moonies tend to draw in suckers and fudmasters like the /. staff.

Re:Question:

[selectspec]

What the heck is going on here? I go to this guy's sight thinking, maybe some new technology or science is out there, maybe some new movie is coming out, maybe some news for nerds, or even some stuff that matters. And I'm looking at this crappy site (which starts to make me dizzy), that starts rapid firing up pop-up ads (aka goatsex) for pr0n. Is this some kind of sick joke?

Re:what next?

[Phork]

L. Ron Hubbard is dead, yet he still seems to be writing books.

I've got your next interview right here!

[Eric Seppanen]

There's a homeless guy at the bus stop near here. I'm positive Slashdot readers would love to hear this guy's outlook on life, death, cardboard, and the edible lifetime of old french fries.

If you don't want people to make fun of stupid articles, don't post stupid articles. Duh.
--

Re:Oops

[phunhippy]

You'd be surprised how many Christians there are in China. There are over 20 million underground Christians in China right now -- these are true believing fundementalists who risk their lives for their beliefs. There is also State run Christian Church (the 3-Self Movement).

Ok fine.. 20 million out of 1.2 billion...thats about 1.6% of the population??? They risk there lives for somthing they can't prove... seems smart to me.. religion in general is pretty stupid concept used early on in history to explain to the masses how and why things that seemed unexplainable happened.. great form of mind control... too bad its still around... We are all Star dust...

What a waste of 10 minutes

[JohnDonagher]

I really wish I had spent the 10 minutes it took to read this interview doing something else, like watching paint dry, mufflers rust, etc..

This should be put on the /. wall of shame, IMHO.

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[phliar]

The Bible tells us that at one time, man lived to incredible ages - far surpassing the lifespan of Adam and Eve. Cain lived to be over 500 years before his death. God originally gave humans an infinate lifespan

I was wondering what "infinate" was; now I know. Infinate means 500 years.

Icarus developed a way to fly by encasing feathers in wax

Silence, you fool! Or everyone will know that using wax to merely attach the feathers (as the legend has it) does not work, and that one must encase the feathers in wax!

Shall we taint that last, final gift from God?

I'd say "Fuck God!" but that might lead to there being more gods around.

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[phliar]

There is actually quite a bit of evidence that the bible's account of jesus' life, death and resurrection is accurate

There is actually quite a bit of evidence that I am actually Zeus, and that I have the power to fly without the aid of machines, and can impregnate virgins from great distances.

Where is your evidence? Pah!

Please Don't Think Taiwanese People Are Like Him

[Redking]

I'm Taiwanese and I think this Alex Chiu is a fucking nutcase. There have already been enough posts to destroy his product, but what strikes me are his views on China and Taiwan. Notice how he doesn't actually answer a question with statements, but more questions. Taiwan is separate entity than China. There were Chinese people who emigrated to the island of Taiwan 350 years ago. However, after World War 2, the Nationalist Party escaped to Taiwan to form their own government there. These people have stronger ties to China, but after 50 years, these bonds are weak. The VAST majority of people who live in Taiwan don't want the communist government representing them and do not think of the PLA as their "defender". All able bodied males in Taiwan have a two year mandatory military service requirement once they reach eighteen. Nobody in Taiwan counts on the PLA to "defend" them when Taiwan already has a strong standing Army. FACT: Taiwan has the second largest Marine Corps in the world. (U.S. is the first.) There is no good analogy to compare Taiwan and China. This is something new and hasn't really happened before in history. Please don't listen to a fool like Alex Chiu and do your own research.

Sorry...Didn't Know You Were Related to Alex

[Redking]

From this, I take it that he's an American citizen (born here) but lived part of his life in Taiwan. Whether he's Taiwanese is irrelevent.

irrelevent??? Alex says he's from Taiwan, but also says "I am not a Taiwanese. I am Chinese, and I wish China will one day take Taiwan back, peacefully or by force, at any cost!

That's irrelevent?????? If anybody tries to "take Taiwan back...at any cost", I'll be on the first plane back to defend the country where my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews live. Alex Chiu is the type of person I can't stand. They live in Taiwan, receive health care, education, food, shelter but then they say taking Taiwan back by force is ok. FUCK YOU ALEX

Alex never said the people in Taiwan wanted Communist rule. Here's what he said: If the communist party is controlling China, they represent China.

Notice I used "VAST majority" when I said: The VAST majority of people who live in Taiwan don't want the communist government representing them and do not think of the PLA as their "defender". There are people, like Alex, who believe that "if the communist party is controlling China, they represent China". I don't want anybody to think that is the prevaling opinion. Every recent poll has shown the majority of the people of Taiwan don't want anything to do with the communist government and/or China.

There's discrimination against both mainlanders and "Taiwanese"? Well, gosh, do you think people who live in the North make fun of people who live in the South and vice versa. I'll stock up on weapons when the second Civil War starts when Dave Letterman makes fun of a "Southern redneck". There's discrimination everywhere, but the mainlanders bonds are weakening. Mainlander Taiwanese and "native" Taiwanese have intermarried for generations. There are "native" Taiwanese in the nationalist government such as the PRESIDENT. There are "native" and Mainlander Taiwanese members of the same organized crime gangs in Taiwan. GET A FUCKING CLUE

Why are you saying anything when it's obvious you're not Taiwanese and you don't know shit??

Stupid fucking troll. Nice user bio. Maybe you should look in the fucking mirror before you call people the "unwashed masses". Nobody gives a flying fuck what user number you are. Telling me the reread the interview, haha. You fucking reread the interview, then goto Taiwan and live there as a kid.

Good Troll!

[Redking]

Read history below:

http://www.taiwandc.org/hst-1624.htm

How can Taiwanese people have Japanese last names? Damn you stupid trolls! Japanese written language is based on Kanji (which is basically Chinese). The official language of Taiwan is Mandarin. There isn't a way to write Taiwanese because it's just a dialect. Therefore, the only names people who live in Taiwan can have are Mandarin Chinese names that are written in Mandarin too!

Futhermore, the Taiwanese dialect is almost the same dialect spoken in the closest Chinese province to Taiwan. The customs are similar too.

Understand, you stupid motherfucker?

Fuck the PLA. How's weapons training going with the wooden guns?

Antichrist(s)?

[ari_j]

An antichrist is someone who doesn't believe in the bible (old testament only).
Huh? I can only picture two real definitions of the term 'antichrist':
1. Satan
2. Someone who doesn't believe in the New Testament of the bible
Christos (I like using Greek names because it makes people sound like OS's ;) wasn't introduced until the New Testament. Just like Q wasn't until the Next Generation and Lameness until the second incarnation of Viper.

My testimonial against the man

[AiX2]

You will be foreced to accept my invention.
Same with souls.
And I am being honest.
I just think that most of the people are very close minded.
Antichrist is a person who disbelieve the bible prophecy.
They are "New Yorkans".

Now I'm convinced that he is a genius. Obviously, he was persuing 'eternal life rings' when I was learning basic grammar and spelling.

The entire Tibet is ruled by a bunch of religious idiots.

Strikes me as rather ironic.

--Ryan

Damning Testimonial

[AiX2]

Dear Alex,

A few weeks ago I paid for two of your Eternal Life Rings. Worried about their strength, I decided to conduct a very scientific study of their effects on animals. Having only two pets, a cat named Lulu and a bird named Bubba, I used them as my test subjects. As the ring would not fit around Lulu's paw, I tried to place it around her tail. It would not fit, so I used antifreeze to facilitate my efforts. It slid on quite nicely. I also searched for a spot on Bubba to put the ring, and found no other place besides his beak.

Regretably, the ring made Lulu horribly sick. She threw up for a good 10 hours before finally passing away. Bubba fared a little better, he just gradually shriveled up and died a week later. I greatly encourage you to evaluate the strength of your rings, as I believe them to work too well for any animals.

Sincerely,
Ryan Walsh

--Ryan

The Baby Issue still not addressed!

[nobodyman]

I still say the way to test out this device is to strap it to a baby, and then wait 10 years. If you still have a baby, then the immortality device works... right? --me

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[Karen_Frito]

Um, no, cluephone. The Story of Icarus is a GREEK MYTH. It has shit-all to do with the Christian Mythos, and everything to do with the Greek/Roman Mythos.

Icarus was the son of an inventor named Daedalus who invented those wings so that they could escape being imprisoned by the King of Minos, who had Daedalus build and design the Great Labryinth to house the Minotaur.

Daudalus built the wings of feathers and wax, and warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun, or the water. Icarus, being a typical teenage boy, ignored his dad, the wax on his wings melted and he fell into the sea and drowned.

No Jesus. NO Christian God, no Yahweh, no Allah. ZEUS, Posiedon, and the bloody minotaur.

Sheesh, preach all you like, but get your damn stories straight.

Poor little no puppy toe!

Re:hm

[Karen_Frito]

Yeah, but you're AC, and I'm not. ;) I browse at Level 2, didn't see your post.

Which again, proves why it is bad to be AC.

Poor little no puppy toe!

It serves as a reminder

[Lish]

I think that once in a while it is important to recognize that this sort of thing is out there. To Joe AOLer, this web site has as much credibility as an article on cnn.com; it was on the internet so it must be true, right? We need to be reminded of why internet sites are still not as acceptable as references in research papers as print media, why knowing your source is important, and that anyone with a few minutes and FrontPage can throw something up on a web page. Yes, there may be more interesting, informative, or relevant people that could be interviewed, but to say that it was a waste of time is to oversimplify the situation.
---

Not just bunk, but boring bunk.

[jdcook]

This interview struck me as pointless. A more interesting interview would be with someone from the SciFi channel about why they put John Edward (accomplished practitioner of "cold reading" who prays on people by pretending to talk to the dead) on the air. (I hear Edward is moving to CBS to spread his quackery even further.) Or maybe James "the Amzing" Randi and Edward could both be interviewed. That would be entertaining. If the goal was to have fun with frauds, an ideal subject would be Ricky Jay. Mr. Jay is a closup illusionist extraordinaire, scholar of odd performers and scoundrels, and funny to boot. (Yes, I am a total fan boy.) Besides, he's done both David Mamet productions and the X-Files (as well as Boogie Nights). That's pretty geeky.

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[Cire]

By far, the ultimate gift to us from God, was Jesus, our Saviour

Maybe in your opinion. Some of us don't believe in god, or even in organized religion of any kind. In fact, some of us think of religion as nothing more than ritualized ancestor worship.

Hey Rob, someone's cracked your web site...

[SIGFPE]

...and put a bogus interview between you and some purveyor of 'eternal life rings'. It's a bit embarassing.
--

Kooktastic

[Legion303]

If you don't accept testimonials as proofs, you won't accept any proof as proof.

Spoken like a true idiot.

I'm still pissed that they didn't use my question for him: "Do crazy people know they're crazy? Like, when you're sitting there masturbating in your own feces, reading Guns and Ammo, do you just stop and go, 'Wow, it is amazing how fucking crazy I really am'?" -- Brad Pitt, Se7en

-Legion

Oh, I just HATE this!

[active8or]

He's comment on blindfold testing by professionals:

Gee. I think some doctor in New York is doing that for me right now. Our company cannot afford to do this kind of expensive research at this stage. This kind of research would cost hundreds of thousands. I rather use that money on advertising. Testimonials are enough to convince people for now. I think even if I did the research mentioned above, it would be a total waste of money because if those people don't believe in the testimonials, they won't believe in the research at all. They would say that I made it all up. So why waste money?

(I just read this far, as I have physics exams tomorrow and need to be somewhat quick)


A. If a medical journal posted a review of you technique, that told it really did cure cancer, aging or whatever, the PR/marketing value of this would be undescribable. There would not be a SINGLE individual on the face of this planet who would NOT want hi's stuff!

B. This is a typical way of showing a dissbelive in science and traditional ways of thinking. Although the placebo effect may come into play and help people, this is no better than religion healing, and he HAS to realise this, unless he don't want to, or have no interest in seeing his product's miracle proven.

C. If he realises the two point abow, how could he affoard NOT to do it? Imagin you sitting on the source of eternal youth, and NOT wanting everbody in the world to have this? He has to be the world's BIGGEST ego!

Now, the real point of mine is that these things have been seen so many times before, although his claims are quite strong. Non-scientifict stuff sounds much simpler, and many many people buy it. "Religion is opium for the masses" said marx, and this is not far from.

Have 50000 docors say this is a reality, and I'll buy a 25$ ring.


Mvh:
- Knut S.

Re:Worthless

[OmegaDan]

What really bothers me is my brilliant question wasn't moded up enuf to ask him! (briefly sumarized) I asked if he drew any inspiration from the "Power Bracelet" in NES zelda!!

The scary part

[pingflood]

is that out of the two, Alex comes across as the more balanced and intelligent one.

Re:The scary part

[DarrenBaker]

I think you are thinking of Jeff K.

Re:A couple points

[sgage]

"First off, I am planning on living forever, or I'm going to die trying (rimshot)."

Not me, but I'm gonna die with a smile if it kills me! (badaboom!)

Actually, the centerpiece of my retirement strategy is to die young. If I live too long, I'm simply screwed, financially.

Re:No, it's true

[ruckc]

Umm, green?

Re:Yikes!!

[ruckc]

luck?

Ah....

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

You shouldn't have read it. The guy can be summarized with two words...

Re:Ah....

[Daffy the Duck]

Hilarious!

Re:Oops

[nhavar]

facetiousness is not nearly as fun when it's taken seriously.

Re:Just invent an intersteller transport device!

[nhavar]

Chiu:"No really it just looks like he's on fire and in pain. When it's all done there will be some dust left behind from the "secret process" we use but that's easy to clean up. Really he's being transported to a far away world, that's lush and green and has many naked women. And for 19.95 you too can go, please help us with population control by 'transporting' yourself to a better place."

Re:Oops

[nhavar]

The official stance of the Chinese government on religion is that religion == mysticism == backwards == innefficiency. Workers should never be innefficient in a communist country therefore religion should not be tollerated. Chinese are allowed to follow "religions" or practices that make no mention of miracles, magic, God, etc. If it's science based, it's good (makes me wonder why Scientology hasn't taken off, it's science based right?).

Chiu is a walking contradiction and the perfect representative for communist china's government and psuedo-moralistic stance.

Not only a loony but ...

[elronxenu]

Is this the same Alex Chui which wwonline.com says is a spammer? See http://www.wwonline.com/spammers.html.

Re:Population control != population reduction

[rjamestaylor]

s/immorality/immortality/

(sorry)
--

Re:Population control != population reduction

[rjamestaylor]

Population control != population reduction

True, but

Population control == fn(births,deaths)

Even the thought of immorality should send shivers down the spine of population control-freaks, er, proponents.
--

Re:Oops

[rjamestaylor]

Also he follows the old testament, but claims hes a chinaman pure... funny i thought the majority of chinamen did'nt follow the old testament or most western religions exsclusivly...

You'd be surprised how many Christians there are in China. There are over 20 million underground Christians in China right now -- these are true believing fundementalists who risk their lives for their beliefs. There is also State run Christian Church (the 3-Self Movement).

As a matter of fact, a very popular devotional author, Watchman Nee, born in the early 1900's, was a third generation Christian and his grandfather was a native Chinese Methodist minister. He was imprisoned for 20 years and died there(suspiciously -- after one of Nixon's aides inquired about his health). His books are very popular around the world.

It's funny what we assume when we don't know. It's also funny for people to see people equate religion to culture - which seems correct but is not absolute. Belief can transcend culture.
--

Oops

[rjamestaylor]

"I support population control."

Oops. Death is an important part of population control - you're amazing technology is versus this benefit. Destroy your technology now or the earth will be completely overrun with immortal humans who CANNOT DIE and make room for others.
--

Re:Oops

[carlos_benj]

Ok fine.. 20 million out of 1.2 billion...thats about 1.6% of the population???

Yes, but your contention was that being Chinese and a believer in... well, whatever it is he believes in, just couldn't be. The post you're responding to here was trying to point out that love of country (or heritage) and a particular belief system that isn't mainstream aren't necessarily mutually exclusive. I'm sure that 1.6% of the population (if the numbers are correct) represents many who are also proud of their Chinese heritage.

Gullible isn't in the dictionary, you know...

[alexburke]

Testimonials are enough to convince people for now.

Translation: Instead of doing something which has a 75% chance of drastically reducing my sales, I'll do something which has a 75% chance of slightly increasing them.

Remember, it's not how much you spend, it's how much you save... right?

--

Huh?

[alexburke]

We gather scientific evidence (testimonials)

What thesaurus is this guy using?!

--

Not as fruity as Gene Ray, anyway...

[alexburke]

As per Gene Ray's Time Cube site:

Singularity equates sex with the baby.

I couldn't put it any more succinctly...

--

That one girl

[Slime-dogg]

Hey, check out the chick in the Picture. Can I have her number?

You say that I'm a dreamer.

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[Naerbnic]

There was a flood in a large city. As the water rose, everyone climbed onto the tops of their roofs. One particularly religous christian started praying

Later, his neighbour passes by with a small speedboat. "Hey," he says "Hop on in, and we'll get out of here."

"No" repiled the man "For I shall be saved by God"

The water continued to rise. Later, an emergency rescue boat passed by, and stopped by the man.

"Quick, get in!" says the captain "You have to get out of here. That water's ice cold!"

"Thank you very much," replied the man "but I still have faith that god will save me."

Once again the boat left. The water rose further and further, until the water was up to his neck, and he could barely stand on his roof anymore. A federal chopper came through, airlifting the remaining survivors.

"Come with me!" said the guy on the end of the rope "There's no way you can survive much longer!"

Sputtering and yelling over the noise of the chopper, the main replied "My faith shall bring me through! God shall save me!"

And so, the man dies. As part of the process, he is allowed to ask god a single question. He steps up to the blinding light and asks "God, why didn't you save me from that awful flood"?

"Hey," says god. "I sent you two boats and a helicopter. Don't come complaining to me now."


Save a life. Eat more cheese

Re:Worthless

[porky_pig_jr]

yeah bud, you blew it. me saw that crap long time ago so me didn't waste any precious time. me first!

Re:Cummunist?

[porky_pig_jr]

well, in case you *do* want to know, they cum just from reading Marx' Manifesto.

Pure shit? How about 'Pure Katz' as a category?

[porky_pig_jr]

nt

what next?

[porky_pig_jr]

Interview with Ron Hubbard and Jon Katz?

Re:what next?

[ichimunki]

I vote for Jack Chick.

Please to do no more linking to websites with onExit javascript where I'm seeing popup windows as I try to leave the site. Thanks!

Re:what next?

[Paul Sheridan]

I second that vote. Chick tracts are the only things I can think of with more logical errors than Chiu's website.

Re:what next?

[NathanL]

I think this guy is forming the asian wing of the KKK. It is not surprising that he is a communist, since all communists thrive in disinformation.

I live under a bunch of power lines, so my magnetism is a-ok.

Re:what next?

[genericus]

I vote for Robert Tilden!

BTW

[Pflipp]

A friend of mine came along this site, which fits well in the line of wicked sites like Alex Chiu's and the Time Cube's. Could anyone give his/ her view on this? Is this real? (If yes, it's very cruel of course.)

Some people on the 'net (like Alex and this Time Cube figure and then this site) can make you really doubt who or what is _really_ behind the scenes, and what they are trying to reach.

It's... It's...

testimonials as scientific evidence?

[k_fid]

We gather scientific evidence (testimonials) in order to base our assumptions.

testimonials as scientific evidence? That's just great.

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[Rysc]

There is actually quite a bit of evidence that the bible's account of jesus' life, death and resurrection is accurate, as recorded in the NT...
--DivineOb

'Evidence' of jesus does not equal existence of god.

No one (who is sane and intelligent) disputes the existence of someone who has become known as the central figure in some christian myths about their god. So they say 'Jesus', which may or may not be remotely close to the name the fellow had. So he could walk on water, turn water to wine, and shoot lightening bolts from his fingertips. There's about as much evidence of the lightening as there is of the others. If we want to talk evidence then we can probably all agree... at least mostly. Evidence is also != to corrolation of some of the wackier bits of the new testament.

Great choice of interview guests

[technoid_]

Roblimo seems to have taken alot of shit due to this interview, otherwise he wouldn't have included his disclaimer about not being everyone's cup of tea. Well, he deserved every negative comment he got about this one.

I seen more believable stuff in the headlines of The Enquiror. The Alex actaully put some thought into is reasonings about China/Taiwan/Tibet, though the rest of the interview lackes that much thought.

i like the part about supporting Population Control, but please buy my immortality rings. Uhm, this just reeks of logic.

Next we need John Travolta or Tom Cruise to be interviews about Scientology...

"So Tom, was the Alien story a shock to you when you got to UTIII?"

"John, how much has salvation cost you so far?"

deductive reasoning

[Theodore Logan]

If you don't accept testimonials as proofs, you won't accept any proof as proof.

Funny, I never thought hard science was built on word of mouth. I guess I flunked my last math exam for nothing. When asked to prove Stokes theorem, I should just have referred to testimonials instead of all that time consuming logical deducting that obviously was superficial anyway.

Payback time

[The Pim]

Everyone who mailed Roblimo asking for this interview, up against the wall. We're very forgiving people here at slashdot, but this cannot go unpunished.

Re:Required reading...

[carlos_benj]

Psychoceramics == the study of cracked and brittle minds??

Crackpots. Ceramic pots of course....

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[OrenWolf]

A few interesting points to consider:

1> Are you implying that God is somehow flawed by leaving the means to tamper with his decision to prohibit immortality accessible to Humankind?

2> Is there not at least some argument that these rings could be the steps towards producing "Heaven on Earth"?

3> I'd have to say there's about as much factual evidence as to the validity of these rings as there is factual evidence that God exists. Obviously it is an issue of faith. Is your faith somehow more relavent than the interviewee?

Try rereading the interview

[Meat Eater]

I came from Taiwan.

I am born in USA.

From this, I take it that he's an American citizen (born here) but lived part of his life in Taiwan. Whether he's Taiwanese is irrelevent.

These people have stronger ties to China, but after 50 years, these bonds are weak.

Bullshit. Considering that there's still discrimination against both mainlanders and "Taiwanese" by both parties, I doubt what you said is true.

The VAST majority of people who live in Taiwan don't want the communist government representing them and do not think of the PLA as their "defender".

Alex never said the people in Taiwan wanted Communist rule. Here's what he said: If the communist party is controlling China, they represent China.

It's like saying I didn't want Bush to be president (I voted Browne), but since he is, I can't complain.

Re:Ha ha.

[Meat Eater]

How about this?

Population control != population reduction

[Meat Eater]

Immortality and population control can be achieved. Just don't have children. Of course, Alex also mentioned that his "product" won't work against unnatural causes of death, which will still occur.

Re:HAHA! The jokes on him!

[BitwizeGHC]

Apparently he wanted to give immortality to the world. Just think of him as a junk-science RMS.

Re:Required reading...

[Once&FutureRocketman]

Psychoceramics == the study of cracked and brittle minds??

Apparently...

[Lizard_King]

Scientific evidence == Testimonials

my eighth grade science teacher would smack me upside the head if I ever said that in class.

Re:My responce

[slashdoter]

I can't spell

So shot me

Re:MOD THIS UP!!!

[slashdoter]

Karma cap here I come!
I'm not going to link to the everything2.com nodes, here is the list.

Question:
&n bsp; you cite edison, tesla and einstein as people who were "laughed and scorned at," presumably as parallel
&n bsp; figures to yourself, but we can't help noticing that you're sort of missing something. edison, tesla and einstein
&n bsp; were great scientists who, through a thorough and accurate understanding of the best scientific learning of
&n bsp; their day, applied existing principles in groundbreaking and unexpected ways to advance contemporary
&n bsp; physics. you, however, are applying your ignorance and lack of understanding of high-school level science -
&n bsp; skimming through textbooks, parrot-learning words like "unique frequency," "magnetic flux" and "negative
&n bsp; charge" - and producing your own bastardized version of contemporary science via the tried and tested
&n bsp; method of 'just making shit up.' ..................(it's a really long question)

&n bsp; Alex:
&n bsp; I know my theories and findings are hard for you to accept Attacking the Person because they are so original and extraordinary. But one day in the future, you will see that I am right. Proof by Assertion You will be foreced to accept my invention as Millions of people around Appeal to Popularity you tell you that I am right.

Question:
&n bsp; I think that a lot of the people who visit your page think that you are a bit of a loony and a lot of a profiteer.
&n bsp; While I like the fact that you offer 'free' rings in exchange for a donation to certain charities, I can't help but
&n bsp; feel that you are probably not using the best of peer-reviewed science to back up your ideas.

&n bsp; Despite this, I bet you feel that what you're doing is pretty important.

&n bsp; Tell us then, Why do you think no medical experts come forth to do studies on your devices or reccomend
&n bsp; their use?

&n bsp; For some this will be a vindication of your ideas. For others it will be a glimpse into one of the minds that
&n bsp; makes the web as truly a strange and wonderful place that it is.

&n bsp; Alex:
&n bsp; Oh there are lots of doctors and medical professionals Anonymous Authority out there who buy my devices Non-Support at whole sale price. We have
&n bsp; lots of doctors and medical researchers who are loyal customers. They are blended in with the rest of the customers.
&n bsp; Immortality Device has been tested and researched by medical researchers all over the world from time to time.
&n bsp; They email me and told me what they found. I post their results sometimes on my site.

Question:
&n bsp; magnets have been around in this manner for many years - new age style people, etc. have been encouraging
&n bsp; the use of magnets on the feet and hands for as long as I can remember. why is your way better, why didn't
&n bsp; theirs work, and what proof and facts do you have? your website was not very forthcoming on that last
&n bsp; issue, though you claimed to have both.

&n bsp; Alex:
&n bsp; I didn't say my invention is better, nor did I say other stuff does not work. As the inventor of the Immortality Device,
&n bsp; I basically just tell people what I honestly think Prejudicial Language . I think my device makes you immortal. And I am being honest. My
&n bsp; proof is lots of people used the device and gave testimonials. Appeal to Popularity If you don't accept testimonials as proofs, you won't
&n bsp; accept any proof as proof.

At this Point I would add more but something more important came up Attacking the Person , I got invited to the new supper Walmart. I think I made my point. Circular Definition

My responce

[slashdoter]

Rather than reply to you, let me just list the Logical Fallacies

Argument from Ignorance

Appeal to Popularity

Style Over Substance

Coincidental Correlation

Fallacy of Exclusion

Joint Effect

Failure to Elucidate

There are more so let me just link to the index

Required reading...

[connorbd]

Fads and Fallacies by Martin Gardner. It's an ancient book (1953) but a great read for the student of psychoceramics (of which I have been, on and off, for several years now).

I also wish to point out two things:

"'They laughed at Galileo, they laughed at Columbus...' 'They also laughed at Bozo the Clown.'" Traditionally attributed to Carl Sagan, but I suspect he wasn't the first.

Schopenhauer was flat-out wrong. Plenty of truth gets accepted with no struggle at all, and the only people who quote that particular statement seem to be those with axes to grind anyway.

I actually think this is a good interview for Slashdot because it serves as a reality check. We do need to be familiar with these sorts of people less we lose the logical edge that made us geeks in the first place...

/Brian

if 40clicks=Eternal, does 300clicks=Eternaler?

[trp0]

On the website it mentions that you can get free rings if 40 people click-through from a banner ad placed on your website. It goes on to say that for 300 clicks you get the "Super 21,000 gauss Neodymium Eternal Life Rings as reward".

Now...since the basic rings give you eternal life, are you tellin' me that if you get the "Super" rings you'll live longer than eternity? Or maybe you'll just have better quality during your eternal life.

Hmmmm....

[ErikTheRed]

"Eternal Life Rings"... sounds like some sort of religious breakfast cereal (stays crunchy in milk!)...

Re:Hmmmm....

[tenman]

Yes, and they are packed with vitamin A,B,C,D and Zinc...

I was thinking of a cheezy web banner ring, that would take you from one Eternal Life web page to another. But I like the cereal Idea much better.

• Everlasting Flakes
• Huney Nut Life
• Captian Immortal
• cinnamon and sugar life savers

Oh, I'm sure it could go on from here, but that means it would only get worse...

TEN

Re:What a crook.

[IronChef]

Thanks for the help. I want to try and do something to get anti-quackery laws passed in the US. I'm sure it'll be a piece of cake, too. ;)

Re:What a crook.

[IronChef]

can you provide more information on the Norwegian medicine laws you mentioned? sounds like a great idea.

Re:Just invent an intersteller transport device!

[spankfish]

That sounds remarkably like a certain cult that tried to hitch a ride on comet Hale-Bopp...

--

Alex...

[broody]

Chiu belongs here.

Next...

[The Gline]

Robert Anton Wilson on Linux.

Why not? After all, it's not like Alex Chiu has demonstrated that he knows jack over shit about anything he's talking about.

Slashdot used to be where I go to get some of my more interesting science news. By giving this obvious hoaxer room to breathe, they have discredited themselves beyond redemption.

What's next, Sun Myung Moon sharing his opinions on open source?

Re:He'd die too and not in 130 years

[Mojojojo Monkey Inc.]

Immortality devices won't help you if someone murders you in your sleep for going against the will of the Illuminati.

I think he has it backwards...

[eean]

In Tibet it would more common to for a women to marry several men. Obviously, this is a very good form of population control and it has been happening in Tibet for many centuries. Population control is important if you live on a mountain.

I believe that it is unreasonable to expect China to grant Tibet its independence (especially considering the Chinese that live there now), but it should be autonomous like during the times of the Emperors, where it had a colony like status, with lots of homerule.

Unfortuannly, it requires some female infanticide for it work, something the Communists government certainly did not invent.

I found this very interesting, as one always wonders what goes through these people minds who sell this kind of thing. The great majority (Chiu being amoung them) do believe what they are selling to the public.

I saw him on Internet Tonight a few months ago and he is quite a character.

WOW!

[zombieking]

I am born in USA. USA is my mother, and China is my father!

That's got to one frickin' huge family reunion.

-----

Re:The introduction

[pemerson]

In other words, pull the stick out of your ass and enjoy the little diversion. Maybe in a few months Slashdot will interview Jack Chick or Archie Plutonium or someone other net.kook.

Sorry, I think you missed my point. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the interview, and personally think it's a crock, but I don't think I need to be told it's a crock ahead of time. I'd rather learn that by reading the interview and drawing my own conclusions. Your comment about the first 100 posts calling CmdrTaco an idiot is dead on, though! (The posts, not that CmdrTaco is an idiot)

The introduction

[pemerson]

Almost all Slashdot interview guests are suggested by readers. One week we might invite a physicist; the next week a tech-interested politician or lawyer; the week after that an outstanding programmer. And once in a while we choose someone off-the-wall -- like Alex Chiu -- to keep things from getting too serious around here. Please realize that not every Slashdot interview is going to be your particular cup of tea, but it is someone's. (And, of course, you can send your interview guest suggestion to roblimo@slashdot.org. I read every one.) But enough of that. Let's turn the floor over to Alex Chiu, purveyor of Eternal Life Rings and decidedly non-mainstream opinions on religion, science, and politics.

I think this "introduction" is a load of crap. It's clear that Roblimo thinks that Alex Chiu is "off-the-wall", but is there really any need for him to push this view on the rest of us? Let us read the interview and decide for ourselves, and give the interview a chance to stand or flop on its own!

Personally, I'm not convinced that Alex's device works, even after looking at the web pages and reading his reviews. But I am convinced that Alex himself believes in what he is doing. Give the guy a chance, and then if you want to, add your additional comments below. What you've done is equivalent to saying "Here, try this really bad beer!". Yeah, sure, thanks, but no thanks.

Can't argue with that level of logic

[NetWeasel]

After reading all of the Chui-related materials here and in particular, his replies to the questions, am old axiom comes to mind: Never argue with an idiot. They will only drag you down to their level and beat you to death with experience. Every single time a valid point is made in a given question, he never debates it. He avoids it or gives a wholly inappropriate answer, indicating that we all ought to just shut the heck up and quietly let morons continue to pay him to screw them.

A Good Reason...

[Caraig]

A good reason NOT to visit Mr. Chiu's site is the obnoxious amount of pop-up windows that will fill your screen when you try to leave.

Caveat emptor. I personally believe that the spirit and soul can't be fettered by anything simplistic as mere magnets. But that's my crazed view. What's yours? =)

---
Chief Technician, Helpdesk at the End of the World

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[ErnstKompressor]

While I don't think there is a God, if 'She' exists, I bet She's screening her messages, has filed for a restraining order, and is staying as far away from the Earth and all it's inhabitants as She possibly can. As for Jesus, he was a great Rabbi, and a free thinker(hell, his best friend was a prostitute). It amazes me how his modern 'followers' don't have a clue as to what he was really about, instead believing as true, the bastardized/ censored/ translated/ mind-control/tripe in the King James Version. If anyone really cared, they'd learn an ancient language and read what was really written(It sure is great fiction!) Shake yourselves loose from the bear-trap that is "Religion" -- If you really have to believe in something to validate your life, try 'Gravity.' It makes itself evident 24/7 and you don't have to give money to support it.

He got one thing right...

[mblase]

I think even if I did the research mentioned above, it would be a total waste of money because if those people don't believe in the testimonials, they won't believe in the research at all. They would say that I made it all up.

True enough. I hope that the "some doctor in New York" he also mentions is tied to a somewhat more reputable organization.

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[Jaysyn]

I hope you are trolling. If not you are a bigger moron than poor Alex....

Jaysyn

Question:

[protactin]

Why should I trust someone at all (never mind with my life) who has a site that makes use of the 'Comic Sans' font and images made in MS Paint?

Re:sounds like an ex-girlfriend

[pcidevel]

This guy reminds me of a lot of the girls i've gone out with. Trying to rationalize things and prove they are right about every single thing, no matter how outrageous and insane it might be.


Unfortunately it doesn't get any better.. in fact.. just wait until your married.. ohh the horrors.. :)

Life is like Disney

[rkenski]

If you go to Disney world, it might feel fun at first. But after 2 days straight in the campus, you feel tired. You then want to go back home. If you divorce, you feel free at first. Then you start to feel lonely and you want to remarry again.

Can't we use the same argument against him? If you are born, you might feel fun at first. But after 90 years straight on earth, you feel tired. Then, you just want to go away from here. Dont buy an eternal ticket to life.

Subjective Tripe

[raretek]

Government rights. Great... One day, we're going to have to take up arms and defend ourselves from fruitloops(no offense to that delicious cereal) like this, as a "liberation" army moves in to destroy the way of life that we have come to choose for ourselves, because our way of life is not the way Alex Chiu was taught that it should be.
Note the staunch hipocrisy. First, Taiwan is part of China, just cause he was taught that. Next, Tibet is part of China, because they made things better(in his view, nevermind he doesn't nor hasn't lived in either place himself). Yet, it seems to me, that Taiwanese people have a better life than Chinese people, but I guess what really counts is his subjective viewpoint, not any logical reasoning, heaven forbid.

This is exactly why I don't believe in governments anymore, because people with defective thought processes like this always end up in power. Then, the thinkers are either thrown in jail, or forced to lock and load and shoot to kill in order to preserve their freedom.

The Last Time

[briggsb]

I think this is the last time that Slashdot should interview someone from the Microsoft PR department...

Wait, he's not?

Then what's with all the avoiding the questions and doublespeak?

Worthless

[update()]

Not only is this completely without value, but I've probably blown a shot at First post by reading it.

Unsettling MOTD at my ISP.

Re:Worthless

[junkgrep]

His views on Taiwan and Tibet aren't rational. There is no "Chinese" flavor of "rational." The fact that his arguments are flatly logically fallacious is all that should normally need to be said on the subject.

Personally, I have much more sympathy with the Chinese conceptions of material human rights than most people. However, in most cases, views like Alex's are non-sequitur (not to mention almost direct restatements of what the CCP teaches) because they have a dogmatically Panglossian view of whatever Chinese leadership does to run China. "It is hard to feed billions of people" is simply not a good answer to "why does the government quash political dissent." Billions of people elsewhere in the world seem to get on fine without central control: in fact historically they've done lots better. That China is one large country makes little difference: or at least I've never heard any sort of argument as to why this would make a difference in allowing pluralism.

And I should further point out that Alex's views represent the sort of jingoistic racialism that is becoming frighteningly mainstream in China. We've heard this this "you are true Chinese, you are not, you are (racially) loyal, you are a (race) traitor" rhetoric before.

Re:Worthless

[Patrick McRotch]

I wouldn't call it worthless. I bet Taco is feeling pretty good about his grammar and spelling skills after reading that crap.

Re:Worthless

[ma_sivakumar]

Whether one believes in him or not, this man comes through as pretty convinced about what he is doing. His views on Taiwan and Tibet are very 'rational' from the point of view of a Chinese. He may be making money by cheating some people into buying rings, but he is not stupid or crazy. He is clever in what he is doing and talks well.

He's got some points

[Vegeta99]

A lot of (older) scientists were though of as idiots in there time - the world is round, evolution, etc. Not saying Alex is right, but we (the human race as a whole) should think about that.

On Icarus and his relationship with God.

[bziman]

It's almost like flying. It reminds me of the story of Icarus. Trapped on a lonely island with only his mother and father, Icarus developed a way to fly by encasing feathers in wax, and attaching them to his arms. He then learned God's lesson when his wings of wax melted in the hot sun. With a bright flash God spoke to Icarus, and advised him not to attempt it again.

Yeah, except that the "gods" that Icarus pissed off were Greek, not Christian. But I agree with you, man. I think Zeus should break out a can of whoop-ass on anyone trying to live forever.

--brian

I'd like to be his crack dealer

[Microsift]

I'm sure I'd make a bundle! He supports population control, yet he sells a device that makes you immortal? Unless his idea of immortality is akin to the "There can be only one" theory advanced in the movie/series Highlander, he needs to get off the pipe.

Shameful to give him this venue BTW.

Dude , you need to watch Dogma

[Microsift]

But besides that you need to consider what you are saying. The Christian God is all-knowing, an all-powerful. Do you think God is threatened by some showman selling immortality? You much not have much faith, or maybe you're the Antichrist sent to end the world! God spoke to Icarus??? Why would God talk to a Pagan!

Liberate or Conquer?

[Genie1]

Chinese government has the right to do whatever it must do to protect China. That includes population control and the liberation of Tibet.

I really think he meant conquer. So, basically he is saying that it was ok for China to take over Tibet because China didn't like how Tibetans were leading their lives? Hmmm.... They don't bathe for a year, we should invade them and force them to bathe everyday so their odour won't pollute the air. What next? Invade another neighbouring country because of their lack of oral hygiene and internet access.

Each country's citizens choose how they want to live. It is their choice. If they don't like the government or how the country is being run, they have to liberate their own country.

Re: Not Many Religious Nuts, But Lots of Trolls

[namespan]

And that one wasn't half bad.

--

Question:

[JohnTheFisherman]

How do the pr0n and other popup ads on your site relate to eternal life?

Best Laugh in a While

[mike_mentes]

I couldn't get a grasp whether this guy was for real or not until he started ranting about China. What a waste of brain matter, but great for laughs. Pitty he's the type of guy that gives other people the confidence to be dumb.

Choice of icons/categories

[gwyrdd benyw]

Instead of choosing the "internet" category for this article, the poster should have chosen "hardware", so this more appropriate icon would have been used instead. :)

Government Rights?

[stonewolf]

I, for one, believe the following:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

If you don't recognize the quotation is from the Declaration of Independence which you can read at http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/declaration/de claration.html

To translate for modern readers, it says that the only rights that governments have are those given freely by the people to the government. And, that when the governement stops acting in the best interests of the governed, the people have the right to change the governement. There are no such things as governement rights only human rights granted to governements by humans.

StoneWolf

I was wondering...

[gwizah]

Is one of Alex Chiu's doctors the one and only,
Dr. Nick Riviera

Oh now come on!

[grovertime]

If you go to Disney world, it might feel fun at first. But after 2 days straight in the campus, you feel tired. You then want to go back home.

See now, you almost had me for a second, but c'mon, Disneyworld! Everybody knows you couldn't spend too days straight on the "campus". Soul in a body, or soul floating free, that's an extra 75 bucks to stay overnight, and the reincarnation business is hurting worse than Microsoft's competitors (what with our mass-destruction of all the other cool creatures would used to be able to come back as - minotaur, bibeast, unicorn, etc.)

1. 
   is this.....is this for REAL?
   

You've got to admire his tenacity!

[Omerna]

Whenever one throws logic at him he bats it away without even a blink of the eye!

What proof? "I have testimonials!"

What if it doesn't work? "I'm brilliant and my ideas are so groundbreaking your puny mind cannot comprehend it!"

Also, doesn't it strike anyone as odd that when asked "Where do I get a refund if you die?" he DIDN'T respond with "I have testimonials saying you won't die!"
--------------------------------------

MOD THIS UP!!!

[CheechBG]

hehehe, right on!

someone should parse the article and post examples...

wait, that would take HOURS! :)

Re:scientific evidence (testimonials)

[tenman]

Agree. He said that if I can't/will not accept Testimonials as evidence, then there is nothing that i will accept. I beg to differ. A Double Blind study like recommended in the artical would be VERY convincing.
TEN

Re:Testimonials

[tenman]

Your Corrent...
He has never had ONE owner complain that the device failed to work. If so, if you can't accept that as proof, your wouldn't accept any proof as proff

Tu She

TEN

Time Cube

[Captain Tenille]

I made the mistake of putting a time cube story on my web site. After that, a couple of my friends were so obsessed with Time Cube that they decided to start a church! Ack!

On the plus side, they decided I was the "Moses" of their church, because I brought them the Word, but still...

------------

Slow down turbo!

[bahtama]

The bottom line is that these may help you live longer, possibly even forever, but they are only part of a healthy life. There is no ONE thing that will extend life, no matter what anyone says. You have to have a combination of healthy food, exercise, maybe these rings and a whole bunch of other stuff. The fact is that our ignorance about immortality and a long life is far greater than any knowledge we currently have, so don't write him off so quickly.

Electromagnetic energy plays a big part in our world, we all have energy in our bodies, so maybe these rings can really help you. I doubt they let you live forever, that just doesn't seem possible, but along with other things I am sure they could help. I would think that especially here on Slashdot, where everyone is supposed to be more open-minded, that you would research these rings and make thoughtful comments instead of instantly labeling this guy a crackpot.

I think he isn't seeing the whole picture, but maybe one day, his rings in combination with something else will actually extend life. But I don't think any readers even care about this, since his other comments were good old fashioned flamebait. Don't let his other radical statements cloud your judgement on the rings. They probably don't give you immortality, but they are at least another avenue to explore.

=-=-=-=-=

I didn't know /. had any religious nutters

[Shade, The]

Technically it should be impossible to live forever by it's nature, what with the 3rd law of thermodynamics and that, you couldn't really expect anyone to live over 100 billion years or so anyway, but I digress.

Why is it "hersay" to live longer? Your arguement seems along the lines of "If God had wanted us to fly he would have given us wings.", and the same answer applies; "If God had not wanted us to fly/live longer, surely he would not have given us a way and a desire to do so?" Of course, you also seem to protest against flying, which doesn't surprise me much somehow.

And forgive me if I'm wrong, but does the bible actually say "Thou shalt not live forever."

Also, since God is onmiscient and onmipotent, surely it would be impossible to go against God's will? Since he is all-knowing and all-seeing, he must have known how the Universe would all turn out. If the world today isn't exactly what God wanted then why did he make it this way.

I'll stop my ranting now :) and end with a question: where did you dredge up that story about Icarus? Icarus was a ancient greek fictional character that had nothing to do with God, and died only because he failed to heed his father's warning and flew too close to the sun.

- Shade

Just invent an intersteller transport device!

[Shade, The]

You're right! Chiu had better get to work on designing a way to transport humans to other planets! "Alex Chiu's Intersteller Transport Device - Overpopulated town? Use Alex Chiu's patented Intersteller Transport device to move the populous to a habitable planet near you!!".

I'm sure, given his successes so far, this would be no trouble: simple reverse the magnetised tachyon energy between the corresponding life-force of other planets and then you will be changed into life-energy that can easily travel between the stars, transforming back into your good old body once you're there. Simple! And simple to make as well - you can make one at home.

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[DivineOb]

There is actually quite a bit of evidence that the bible's account of jesus' life, death and resurrection is accurate, as recorded in the NT...

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[DivineOb]

The last time I bothered to provide evidence at the request of others it ended up being a total waste of time, without them even bothering to read it. I'll be glad to provide evidence if you'll actually read it...

And note, I didn't say proof (that was another pointless argument that came out of it)...

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[DivineOb]

Man, I don't want to be rude, but how could you fail to get the meaning out of the single sentence I wrote? I said, "life, death and resurrection" It is the resurrection of christ which is the ultimate testament to his being the son of god.

Testimonials

[An. (Coward)]

I think my device makes you immortal. And I am being honest. My proof is lots of people used the device and gave testimonials.

"I'm not dead yet!"

Scary stuff

[projecto2501]

While Alex Chui's reasoning errors are legion and well documented in other posts, I find his willingness to label and dehumanize those who don't agree with him to be chilling.

Labeling people as "traitors" and "antichrists" is an important step in justifying their annihilation, to which Mr. Chui would seem to gladly agree. I don't have a problem with people airing their views, nor do I believe that labels necessarily determine one's view of a group of people, but I do believe that someone who is willing to dehumanize others is also capable of committing any atrocity. See McVeigh's "casualties" in the recent news.

I can only hope that his views are not representative of those of the Chinese people at large, but his rhetoric has the tone of indoctrination. He was no doubt taught to belittle Tibetans in school.

He'd die too and not in 130 years

[Maldivian]

If you were to end up dying someday, who should I contact for a refund on my eternal life device?

Answer to his first question contradicted everthing he was selling here. There is no reason to continue listening to this loony after that.

Re:He'd die too and not in 130 years

[cavemanf16]

Question:
If you were to end up dying someday, who should I contact for a refund on my eternal life device?

Alex:
The Immortality Device Inc is a corporation. So if I die, somebody else from the corporation will take over the business.

There should be no "if you die" there, Alex. Makes me skeptical of your ability to deliver if you don't think your own product can do the job for you! Would you then also have to have your successor sue his/her own corporation for defamation of character? After all, you did name your corp. 'Immortality Device Inc.', which it's now proven not to be, so....

lol!

My opinion on immortality:

[Scoria]

Real or not, it ends when you're hit by a car.

(Don't mod this down. Think about it -- it's supposed to be insightful!)

Interesting

[slaytanic killer]

Too bad I wasn't around for the first round of qusetioning. I wish there was someone who asked a sort of edgy question that would allow Alex Chiu (or whomever he is) a question that would allow him to answer in a sort of slantwise fashion.

Timecube

[dasmegabyte]

Please, please PLEASE interview the guy from timecube.com next! He's terribly interesting, but won't answer my email any more (i'm doing a graduate rhetoric project on the internet as an advancement tool for fringe philosophies...time cube was, at one time, my golden example)). Sure, there's none of the political or scientific importance of Alexchiu, but it's still great stuff.

To borrow from one of my favorite movies....

[ragefan]

"We are all now dumber for listening to what you just said!"

Moderating Articles?

[ragefan]

Unless I'm mistaken, this must be the first "troll" interview we've had on ./

Alex Chiu is mixing his psychotropic drugs..

[Newtlink]

it's amazing, the total depth of his insanity.. the first time i read his site, i was stupified.. was this a "real" site, or a gag site.. then i did a search on his "patents".. and they are real.. i guess the patent office will hand patents out to basically anyone.. i still cannot believe that he is real.. i wonder which mental institution he is missing from..

Alex, do this...

[Cognivore]

Take you hand and put it up against your forehead. Now twist your fingers into the Chinese letter for 'L.' Look in mirror.

Re:Funny Previous Interview

[cavemanf16]

Alex Chiu: As long as the user doesn't get killed in accidents or be murdered by someone or die from a severe disease, the person would continue living.

So basically, as long you do not live in this universe (where all those things occur regularly), you'll remain eternal.

ROFLMAO!!!!

yes, and what about Texas?

[jotaeleemeese]

Califronia, New Mexico, Arizona and who knows what else.

Can we have those back please?

Thanks

Yours: Mexico.

PS: is not true Mexico is conquering back the territoy lost, in other news Muslims were expelled from Spain after 800 years. I guess Mexico can wait.

Acupuncture and homeopathy are a different matter.

[jotaeleemeese]

Both have sound scientific background, but since they are not endorsed or well known they are open to be used by charlatans. The National Politechnical Institute in Mexico (one of the most serious and prestigious institutions of the public education in Mexico, the previous Mexican President studied there) has a National School of Medicine AND Homeopathy.

I tried acupuncture provided by a doctor that trained in China and it does work. If you use either of these the guy applying them MUST be a real doctor first of all, then these will be one of many tools at its disposal.

Yes, the Microsoft philosophy.

[Artifice_Eternity]

Marketing is better than coding.

CHU WING

[CRAssEsT]

all your magnets are belong to us

Degrees of immortality

[tdye]

I really wanted to see the answer to the questions about how you get more immortality from the foot bracelets than from the rings... too bad I had no moderator points.

Ohwell...

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[MwtrV]

"Cain lived to be 500 years old..."

If you'll believe this I guess you also believe the Bible's need to address concerns torward bestiality.

"He gave up his own infinite life for our salvation."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Jesus a human incanation of God? How was he to live infinitely?

"[Jesus] How are we to meet him in Heaven if we've got these `infinite life rings' keeping us here on Earth."

What, exactly, is with Christians and their fixation with heaven? What goes on in heaven? Strumming of harps all day? Marriages to validate sexual activity the Bible (otherwise the word of your God) condemns outside thereof? Retrospectively, how is enjoyment possible when there is no opposite? Theoretically and human nature in mind, it would become unspeakably monotonous and make for a residency of masochists.

OK, that's enough responding to a Christian-bot, as such is usually a waste of viable thought cycles, not to mention time.

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[PowerBook2k]

Wooohooo! I'm an antichrist!

Antichrist-only party at my house!

Classic

[Sivar]

"I know my theories and findings are hard for you to accept because they are so original and extraordinary. But one day in the future, you will see that I am right. You will be foreced to accept my invention as millions of people around you tell you that I am right."

This is a classic logical fallacy called "Appeal to majority."
While the philosophy of logic defines only 9 basic statements, rules of inference, that decide whether a statement is logical; there are infinite types of statements that are illogical. Alex seems to have hit one that is so common it is named.

X number of people say it's true, therefore, it must be true!
Windows 98 must be the best OS! Period!

Blonde hair must be the prettiest! Period!

People that put on rings whose magnatism doesn't even penetrate 1/4" of skin say that they are immortal so they must be! Period!

Don't worry. The scientific method was devised for people just like this.

Pop control

[Associate]

I agree with the population control thing. I think people like Alex should be shot. -- OK, everybody point and laugh. --

That 10 minutes healed me!!

[Sarah Thustra]

I'm CURED!!

As we all know, centuries of (not just testimonial) evidence points to Laughter Being The Best Medicine, and Alex here made me laugh until every germ on my body croaked! It's a miracle!! HE'S MAGICK!!

Respectfully (now that I've been Enlightened),
Sara T.

man, this guy is a total loony tune

[Jesse James]

I can't believe that this guy actually thinks that he has invented a device that makes him and others immortal. I can at least understand someone who knows what he is selling is total bullshit, but this guy seems to honestly believe that what he says is true.

Who would want to be immortal anyways? If humans could live forever, we would vary quickly overpopulate the earth and destroy it. Then we would all die. Although we could live forever, what kind of life would it be?

A couple points

[Chakat]

First off, I am planning on living forever, or I'm going to die trying (rimshot).

But second off, I think that an immorality device would be much more useful. You know, something that would allow me to perform any act without persons looking upon my actions as being evil, perverse, and detrimental to my image. Are there any such devices on the market today?

Testimonials

[Reckless Visionary]

Haha, I wonder how many dead people have provided testimonials that it didn't work. . .

maybe we'll hear from them when their temporarily free soauls find new bodies

This quote is all you need to know...

[CoachS]

The Immortality Device Inc is a corporation. So if I die, somebody else from the corporation will take over the business.

Isn't there a delightful irony in the statement that the "Immortality Device Inc" is a corporation...just in case he dies?

If his product works...oh, never mind.

-Coach-

Is this guy 4 real??

[linuxrochester]

What an idiot. I had more faith in his interview before I checked out his website. The "art work" looks like something my 5 year old would make. Not too mention my 5 year old could probably lay out a web site more efficeintly that he can. There are no stupid questions...Just millions of inquisitive idiots :)

Re:boycott

[linuxrochester]

Preach it brother!!!

Re:Foreced?

[linuxrochester]

Sound like he used to work for Micro$oft. :)

Re:Tampering with God's master Plan

[cosyne]

He gave up his own infinite life for our salvation. How are we to meet him in Heaven if we've got these 'infinate life rings' keeping us here on Earth..

So nobody should want to live forever, because then he couldn't go to heaven to be with Jesus, right? Well, if being with Jesus is all you want, why don't you just KILL YOURSELF RIGHT NOW. No waiting, no being kept here on this lame-ass Earth. In fact, it's probably not fair to the rest of the people on the planet to have modern medicine and all that crap keeping them here on Earth. Let's KILL EVERYBODY!!! Then we can all be with Jesus right now! YAY!!!

Seriously, though, the idea behind having things like the first amendment and the internet which foster free exchange of ideas and information was to foster the free exchange of GOOD ideas and USEFUL, CORRECT information. So until you have some of that to share, please keep it between you and the voices in your head. Thanks.

HAHA! The jokes on him!

[CrazyJim0]

The fool shouldn't have posted design plans. I now made my own immorality devices using some refridgerator magnets and bandaids.

Tampering with God's master Plan

[religion major]

The 'enternal life news' should not be spread; it should be banned! Even contemplating a way to 'live forever' is hersay. The Bible tells us that at one time, man lived to incredible ages - far surpassing the lifespan of Adam and Eve. Cain lived to be over 500 years before his death. God originally gave humans an infinate lifespan, but because of our hideous and disgusting ways, he removed from us that most wonderful gift. Now, these life rings threaten to unsurp our punishment. If God wanted us to live forever, he wouldn't have taken that gift away from us. It's almost like flying. It reminds me of the story of Icarus. Trapped on a lonely island with only his mother and father, Icarus developed a way to fly by encasing feathers in wax, and attaching them to his arms. He then learned God's lesson when his wings of wax melted in the hot sun. With a bright flash God spoke to Icarus, and advised him not to attempt it again.

By far, the ultimate gift to us from God, was Jesus, our Saviour. He gave up his own infinite life for our salvation. How are we to meet him in Heaven if we've got these 'infinate life rings' keeping us here on Earth. Is this another punishment from God? Or just another human tampering with the Almight's Will? Is anyone actually considering putting off their accention to Heaven with one of these rings? Shall we taint that last, final gift from God? Spoil Jesus's sufferings with our own penial desire to stay with our material posessions a little longer? And how do we know these rings even work? Who's to say?

Stranger than immortal /.ers

[Phalkin]

A dice like Cube has 8 tri-corners which equate to 24 corners, just as 6 x 4 equals 24 corners. Most everthing created has 4 corners and 4 walls existing between a top and bottom, ceiling and floor or 2 poles. If you think a Cube has 6-sides, enter your Cube like bedroom and try to lean on the ceiling or floor. No human ahs a right to believe wrong, for that is evil. Educators are evil for their outlawing of student's right to debate Nature's Harmonic Time Cube Creation Principle. Gene Ray ------------------- Above is the answer from Gene Ray (sounds like a deadly weapon from buck rodgers) when i asked him "How many sides does a cube have?" What a friggin' nut. -=p=- (MOD THIS DOWN! WAY OFF TOPIC!)

Re:Cummunist?

[Dark_Cobra87]

Neither do I.
Bet they're real horny dudes though...

Who can believe him?

[Dark_Cobra87]

He is a fraud, no doubt. Living forever is ridiculous!

I find it hard to believe the same person who made "Immortality devices" supports population control.

Doing research would cause thousands of dollars? Yeah right. It shouldn't be that much money for only putting it on patients. and, I'm SURE people would volunteer for something like this.

And, his fraud seems to be working. How sad. I wonder if ANYONE believes him.

Pretty clever, though. Playing on people's curiosity....

Over population issue

[NoizZz]

Quote of Alex Chui:
"I support population control. I think USA should do the same. If you want to have more than 1 kid, you should pay more tax."

My next question:
So why does he want people to be immortal if he's concerned about overpopulation ?

Are we in grade school?

[Ryan_Terry]

I know my theories and findings are hard for you to accept because they are so original and extraordinary. But one day in the future, you will see that I am right. You will be foreced to accept my invention as millions of people around you tell you that I am right.

Is it just me or does this sound something like:
"I am right, you are stoopid, I'm gonna go get my mommy and then you will have to listen to me"

IMHO if you are going to accept an opportunity like this to submit your obviously "different" ideas to public scrutiny, you'd better damned well be able to come up with a better response than this. I am sure that the /.'ers who read this were expecting more than this. I think if Alex expects people to take him seriously he needs to represent himself in a more favorable light.

DocWatson

I'm convinced it's real

[6EQUJ5]

Question: Have you ever tested your immortality devices in terminally ill patients in a double blinded placebo controlled study?

Alex: Gee. I think some doctor in New York is doing that for me right now.

"Some doctor in New York..." That's all I need to hear -- to hell with med school, put me down for a thousand of these rings!

Ha ha.

[Sarcasta]

Is it just me, or does Chiu sound like he wrote that stuff about the Chinese government with Major "Backbreaker of Pain and Doom" Zheng holding a gun to his head? Yeah, I'd say great things about my government too, if I knew that dissenters have the habit of becoming T-72 roadkill. It's really frightening to think that there are people like Alex in the world, but if he likes seeing his country degraded so, more power to the loony asshole.

Kathleen
--
Graphic designer and Mac lover.

sounds like an ex-girlfriend

[niall111]

This guy reminds me of a lot of the girls i've gone out with. Trying to rationalize things and prove they are right about every single thing, no matter how outrageous and insane it might be.

Re:sounds like an ex-girlfriend

[niall111]

Now you're just being ridiculous. I would use much stronger words than bitter to describe the posts you've made, but it would be in poor taste. Feminism is a great thing until it becomes Femininazism.

What a crook.

[blang]

If this guy tried to do business in Norway, he'd be arrested and thrown in jail. We actually have a law against this kind of medicine.

I know people who are obsessed with immortality. They plan on retiring when they're 70 or so, and spend the next 100 years of their lives living in cool places and surfing. They are assuming that the world will be basically the same in the future. Personally, I think I'd end up killing myself after 130 or so years, when the brain is mush and every bone hurts, and I don't understand anything of the society around me. And when you've seen the disco revival happen for the 5th time, and William Gates IV is elected president, and the 6th world war is being sponsored by Intel Corporation, and the congress has approved RIAA's anti-piracy implant, which will blow the head off anyone who listens to non-autorized copies of music. And you can't afford to go somewhere quiet, because all the nice places are occupied by 210 year old multi-millionaires, and the Louvre is operated as a member-only museum by the scientologists. Then it's time to have a palaver with the worms.

The ultimate nightmare would be to have the planet populated with the gullible customers of this crook.

Re:What a crook.

[blang]

The old name for this law is "kvakksalverloven" (the quack law).

The modern name of the law is "Lov om innskrenking i adgang for den som ikke er norsk læge eller tannlæge til å ta syke i kur " This means something like "Law on limitation in access for those who are not a Norwegian doctor or Dentist to take sick under their care". I much prefer the original name, which is both more accurate and to the point.

The full text of the law can be found at http://www.lovdata.no/all/hl-19360619-009.html

I'll translate it in full since it's a short and snappy law. (Be aware that this law is currently under scrutiny to make it easier to access alternative medicine, so I am not sure how long this holds up)

1. This law conserns all who are not considered health care personell.

2. Non-health care persons who care for sick can not advertise for their services without permission from the department of health. (exception is name, address, phone and description of the enterprise)

Advertisements which are exaggerated, or misleading are strictly forbidden.

3. Non-authorized health persenel can not provide prescription drugs, perform surgery, provide injections, provide local or full anesthetics, or perform any other operation that is restricted only to authorized health personel.

4. Non-autorized personell can not treat contageous diseases according to the law on contageours diseases. The same holds for cancer, diabetes, dangerous anemia, and some other stuff.

5. This paragraph void

6. Violations of paragraph 1-4 can be punished with fines or prison up to 3 months. For reapeated violations, or in grave cases, it is punishable with fines and up to 6 months of prison. Accomplices may be punished to the same extent.

Lack of knowledge about the disease being cured, does not excempt the violator from the application of the law. Violation of para. 1-4 is considered a misdemeanor.

So maybe this guy would not rot in jail, when doing his thing in Norway. Most likely para. 2 could be applied, the one about exaggerated and misleading advertising, and he'd get away with a slap on the wrist. But at least we have a law.

Re:What a crook.

[blang]

At least it would be nice not to have watch all those TV ads with arthritis-ridden people who run the marathon and play baseball fueled by painkillers.

eternal LIFE ???

[pjgunst]

A quote from one of the testimonials:
I hadn't had a sex drive since I was about 45. It was terrible, but Al, with those rings, I swear ol' winkey was at least 3 inches longer than he usually was! Anyway, we had one of the most wonderful nights of our lives. Unfortunately, after 7 hours of passionate love making, Marge died in extacy.
eternal LIFE rings? *cough* excellent choice of brandname *cough* :)

Aha!

[Hungry Hungry Hippo!]

Would this invalidate Mr. Chiu's Immortality Device patents as prior art?

--

Cummunist?

[absurd_spork]

You can't take a bath for the entire year. Cummunists don't allow that!

Given the previous sentence, I don't really want to know what a Cummunist is.

Re:Cummunist?

[Anomolous Cow Herd]

Ha! He probably drew that conclusion from observation of Richard Stallman, ESR, and other "leaders" of the Free Software movement.

This fellow scares me

[ColGraff]

I think that Alex Chiu is a very dangerous man. He's stumbled on some sort of quackery that some people, for whatever reason, truly believe. He's trying to convince people to believe, not in the real benfits given by science, but by magical magnetic fields. In addition, he seems to have a rather cavalier attitude towards human rights. He poo-poos Chinese human rights violations, but he was born in the United States. He is either a hypocrite or - downmod this as you will - a nut of the worst sort, because he seems sincere. For slashdot, a site dedicated to technology developed through scientific principles, to embrace this chicanery - it's absurd and sad.

Funny Previous Interview

[WhamJack]

I kind of get the feeling that everyone takes Alex with a grain of salt. Not a total nutjob (he seems bright), but not a hardcore scientist. One thing we can all agree on, though, is having a laugh at his expense. Here's a Fade to Black interview that will brighten your Thursday afternoon. Here's a sample question:

3) With the popularity of Viagra and other aphrodisiacs on the market it seems that sexual health is very important in our society. Do you plan on offering any devices for this purpose? I was thinking something along the lines a metal device you can clamp on to your scrotum and wear around the house when doing house chores, or playing with the kids.
----------
If there were gods, how could I bear to be no god?

Foreced?

[ECLG FreshMaker]

You will be foreced to accept my invention as millions of people around you tell you that I am right.

All Your Base Are Foreced To Us!

Will it be foreced down my throat? Can't I just believe it when I see it?

Tasty Morsals

[AntiChristX]

Humans are so stupid. Good thing they're fun to fuck, otherwise they'd be useless.

--
AntiChristX
Tibetan Slaver Diety

Alex Chiu, ex commercial spammer

[JMR]

One thing that was left out about Mr. Chiu is that he used to be a fairly well-known spammer-for-hire. I haven't personally seen any evidence of this in a few years but you might want to look at: http://www.google.com/search?q=%22alex+chiu%22+spa mmer which, among other things, leads to a RealAudio interview with him.

You stupid Taiwanese! Go to hell now

[hendricksonvive]

Alex Chiu is right! You Taiwanese are all lying! What do you mean a bunch of Chinese migrated to Taiwan? Do you have a foreign last name? Is your last name a Chinese last name or a Japanese last name? Power to PLA! You Taiwanese should all die under PLA's fire!