WHO NEEDS THE ACOUSTICS?

[J. Raymond Carroll]

Dr. Josiah Thompson believes that JFK was killed by a bullet from the front. He also believes that the HSCA acoustics experts PROVED 3 shots from the TSBD. He cites a debate between Don THomas and another expert in which Thomas "eviscerated" the other acoustics guy, who had served on the panel assembled by the National Academy of Science.

I also received a PM from someone at the same conference who says

what Tink said about Thomas "eviscerating" Garvin is an understatement. Garwin was not the least bit up to speed in his presentation.

So this is interesting anecdotal evidence. But as Aristotle says, one swallow does not a Summer make.

Charles Sanders Peirce, my favorite philosopher since Aristotle, warns that BELIEF has no place in inquiry. All our theories must be held provisionally, according to Peirce's doctrine of FALLIBILITY.

With that in mind, I have to say that every time I watch the Zapruder film I cannot escape the conclusion -- like Dr. Thompson -- that JFK is KILLED and driven backward by a bullet fired from the right front. That is a bedrock fact that no serious inquirer can deny, IMO.

So along comes Robert ("Junk Science") Blakey with his acoustics experts.

Blakey is charged with responsibility for shoring up the Warren Report. Meanwhile, credible critics like Josiah Thompson and Harold Weisberg raise the question whether CE399 and the limo fragments were planted, which raises the further question whether the SN rifle and shells were planted also.

Blakey is required to prove that 3 shots came from the TSBD, and he embraces the New York acoustics people who claim they can PROVE 3 shots from the TSBD using the police tape. THe only snag in the Warren Report is the possibility of a fourth shot.

Blakey was willing to accept the fourth shot, as long as it missed and so, sure enough Blakey's experts matched this "fourth" shot to a MISS. The acoustics evidence reassured us that JFK was still killed by bullets from behind, just like the Warren Commission said.

Some conspiracy theorists were overjoyed, because a fourth shot implies a conspiracy, so Hurrah!

But how can anyone look at the Zapruder film and say Yes, there was a shot from the front, but it missed?

I say the Acoustics are JUNK SCIENCE -- just like Blakey's other follies, the jet effect, the neuro muscular theory and (my favorite) Dr. Guinn and his bullet lead bullcrap -- and the National Academy of Science agrees with me.

Edited January 1, 2010 by J. Raymond Carroll

[Peter McGuire]

Dr. Josiah Thompson believes that JFK was killed by a bullet from the front. He also believes that the HSCA acoustics experts PROVED 3 shots from the TSBD. He cites a debate between Don THomas and another expert in which Thomas "eviscerated" the other acoustics guy, who had served on the panel assembled by the National Academy of Science.

I also received a PM from someone at the same conference who says

what Tink said about Thomas "eviscerating" Garvin is an understatement. Garwin was not the least bit up to speed in his presentation.

So this is interesting anecdotal evidence. But as Aristotle says, one swallow does not a Summer make.

Charles Sanders Peirce, my favorite philosopher since Aristotle, warns that BELIEF has no place in inquiry. All our theories must be held provisionally, according to Peirce's doctrine of FALLIBILITY.

With that in mind, I have to say that every time I watch the Zapruder film I cannot escape the conclusion -- like Dr. Thompson -- that JFK is KILLED and driven backward by a bullet fired from the right front. That is a bedrock fact that no serious inquirer can deny, IMO.

So along comes Robert ("Junk Science") Blakey with his acoustics experts.

Blakey is charged with responsibility for shoring up the Warren Report. Meanwhile, credible critics like Josiah Thompson and Harold Weisberg raise the question whether CE399 and the limo fragments were planted, which raises the further question whether the SN rifle and shells were planted also.

Blakey is required to prove that 3 shots came from the TSBD, and he embraces the New York acoustics people who claim they can PROVE 3 shots from the TSBD using the police tape. THe only snag in the Warren Report is the possibility of a fourth shot.

Blakey was willing to accept the fourth shot, as long as it missed and so, sure enough Blakey's experts matched this "fourth" shot to a MISS. The acoustics evidence reassured us that JFK was still killed by a bullet from behind, just like the Warren Commission said.

Some conspiracy theorists were overjoyed, because a fourth shot implies a conspiracy, so Hurrah!

But how can anyone look at the Zapruder film and say Yes, there was a shot from the front, but it missed?

I say the Acoustics are JUNK SCIENCE -- just like Blakey's other follies, the jet effect, the neuro muscular theory and -- my favorite -- Dr. Guinn and his bullet lead bullcrap -- and the National Academy of Science agrees with me.

They are certainly a diversion, Mr. Carroll; like much of the so called "evidence" that is used to cover up this crime.

The cold hard truth is that anyone who denies the obvious frontal shot can not be taken seriously regarding anything they say about the conspiracy.

Edited January 1, 2010 by Peter McGuire

[Josiah Thompson]

Interesting post, Ray. From what you write here, you seem to correctly have in your cross-hairs the decisions made by Blakey and others concerning the evidence produced first by Barger and then by Weiss and Ashkenazy. These scientists have never budged an inch from their initial positions. It looks to me like Don Thomas has satisfactorily answered the objections put up by the scientific panel.

Hence, are your objections to the acoustics as evidence or to the way this evidence was handled by HSAC?

Josiah Thompson

Dr. Josiah Thompson believes that JFK was killed by a bullet from the front. He also believes that the HSCA acoustics experts PROVED 3 shots from the TSBD. He cites a debate between Don THomas and another expert in which Thomas "eviscerated" the other acoustics guy, who had served on the panel assembled by the National Academy of Science.

I also received a PM from someone at the same conference who says

what Tink said about Thomas "eviscerating" Garvin is an understatement. Garwin was not the least bit up to speed in his presentation.

So this is interesting anecdotal evidence. But as Aristotle says, one swallow does not a Summer make.

Charles Sanders Peirce, my favorite philosopher since Aristotle, warns that BELIEF has no place in inquiry. All our theories must be held provisionally, according to Peirce's doctrine of FALLIBILITY.

With that in mind, I have to say that every time I watch the Zapruder film I cannot escape the conclusion -- like Dr. Thompson -- that JFK is KILLED and driven backward by a bullet fired from the right front. That is a bedrock fact that no serious inquirer can deny, IMO.

So along comes Robert ("Junk Science") Blakey with his acoustics experts.

Blakey is charged with responsibility for shoring up the Warren Report. Meanwhile, credible critics like Josiah Thompson and Harold Weisberg raise the question whether CE399 and the limo fragments were planted, which raises the further question whether the SN rifle and shells were planted also.

Blakey is required to prove that 3 shots came from the TSBD, and he embraces the New York acoustics people who claim they can PROVE 3 shots from the TSBD using the police tape. THe only snag in the Warren Report is the possibility of a fourth shot.

Blakey was willing to accept the fourth shot, as long as it missed and so, sure enough Blakey's experts matched this "fourth" shot to a MISS. The acoustics evidence reassured us that JFK was still killed by bullets from behind, just like the Warren Commission said.

Some conspiracy theorists were overjoyed, because a fourth shot implies a conspiracy, so Hurrah!

But how can anyone look at the Zapruder film and say Yes, there was a shot from the front, but it missed?

I say the Acoustics are JUNK SCIENCE -- just like Blakey's other follies, the jet effect, the neuro muscular theory and (my favorite) Dr. Guinn and his bullet lead bullcrap -- and the National Academy of Science agrees with me.

[J. Raymond Carroll]

you seem to correctly have in your cross-hairs the decisions made by Blakey and others concerning the evidence produced first by Barger and then by Weiss and Ashkenazy.

Thank you Josiah. We may have established some common ground at the outset: Blakey's motive in proceeding was to PROVE BEYOND DOUBT that 3 shots came from the TSBD. Although the human ear cannot detect gunshots on the tape, the OPINIONS of Barger &Co. offered Blakey just what he was looking for.

Consistent with his handling of Dr. Guinn's Voodoo bullet lead OPINIONS, Blakey did not ask too many questions of Messers Barger & Co. So I object to the handling of the evidence just for openers.

I spend my days in the world of litigation, where it is a truism that you can always find an expert to give you the opinion you are looking for, so I am naturally skeptical of opinion evidence unless the data and reasoning behind the opinion are transparent and verifiable.

The human ear cannot detect gunshots on the tape, and it is simply a battle of expert opinions. In the eye of objective observers, the advantage in this case must go to the panel of experts assembled by the National Academy of Science, over Barger & Co. and now your good friend Don THomas. It is easy to understand the NAS statement that the impulses came after Chief Curry's broadcast, and therefore cannot be gunshots, whereas it is not easy to understand Don THomas and he wants us to rely on the evidence of things we cannot hear, which is a variation on St. Paul's definition of FAITH.

I am also skeptical of the Barger version of the acoustics because I have other serious doubts about 3 shots from the TSBD and Barger's mumbo jumbo does nothing to dispel them. And when I hear that the acoustics proves that the head shot came from the TSBD, while the Zfilm proves otherwise, and that a knoll shot missed, then I stop listening to the acoustics people. I can't HEAR them anymore.

So I have a question for you, Josiah. Could it be possible that your friendship with Dr. THomas has unduly influenced your judgment?

I hasten to add that that I have nothing against Dr. THomas. He is right about many things, no doubt, but on the subject of acoustics I think he is mistaken.