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The Museum of Hoaxes is dedicated to promoting knowledge about hoaxes. (Click here for opening hours, etc.) On our blog we post about dubious- sounding claims, and whatever else strikes our fancy. The site is also home to the Hoax Photo Database, the Hoax Forum, and the Hoaxipedia.

Web Hoax Museum

RUDE ROVER
The Christmas dog with no class! He sings and toots Jingle Bells.
INFLATABLE TREE
Who needs the hassle of a real Christmas tree?
FARTING SANTA
Go ahead and pull his finger!

YES. If pictures are proof.

For shit's sake get a freakin clue. You have totally disregarded my repeated requests for proof up until now. And your doc's phone # is???

You have also totally and repeatedly disregarded the fact that the burden of proof lies on he (or she) who makes the claim.
To prove my point, I will tell you this... Last night I saw Jesus in my bathroom. He had shaved all his hair and looked kinda weird (you know, not like cross-jesus at all). He took me for supper, and while at the restaurant he let me in on the secret of life. The secret of life is pretty simple. It is "be nice to rocks." That's it.
Now prove me wrong.
PLEASE.
I don't have to prove he was here, or what he said, YOU have to prove he was not. At least by the logic you seem to have worked out, that is.

Wow, makes sens don't it? Rocks. Prove me wrong.
Ooops, there's that word you don't like.

PROOF.

I'm not sure I understand your last line. Defensive of what? Reality?

Oh, and may I add that it does not surprise me in the least that you would believe in voudoun. After all, it's not like IT has repeatedly been proven just a bunch of hokey BS. Oh Wait...

Go to page 4 to see my post on Dr. Harvey's information...guess you missed it somehow...anyway here it is again...

Are you in a different country or is this some new requirement you have?

DR. WILLIAM HARVEY
FAMILY CARE CLINIC
119 E ACADEMY
DEL RIO TX 78840

You ever seen the "eye witness" get their stored ripped to shreds on the witness stand by the defense attorney? It ain't pretty...

Why must I offer you proof? Can you not gets facts for yourself???

Now it appears I have pulled your chain

Lighten up! Chill out! This is the most intelligent conversation I've had in a looooong time...

Can you show me a picture of Jesus at your house?

I can show you pictures of my mom's, and other people's skin.

Wow. Like I have stated REPEATEDLY, give me some freakin PROOF. If pictures are all you've got, send them. PROOF. PROOF. PROOF.

And I just loved the way that you totally ignored my argument about who should prove what.

You have said time and again that YOU (i.e. the person making the claim) does not need to prove it. I (and everyone else) have to disprove it.

So, I make a claim, and you immediately tell ME to prove it? (Yes, this is called a double standard). This just proves the point that you think just because it is YOU (my stars aren't you special!) that makes a statement means everyone else is automatically wrong. Like I have said many, many, many times by now, let's see some PROOF.

"Why must I offer you proof? Can you not gets facts for yourself???" Simply because of this... If the person making a claim cannot back it up in any way, shape, or form, people should not automatically believe it.

Tell you what...

I will agree to believe your claims without the oft-requested proof, if you will agree to believe my claims without your requested proof.

And the corollary...
I won't believe your bullshit without PROOF until you believe mine without PROOF.

Can it be any freakin simpler than that?

Be kind to rocks, jesus said so. Don't believe me? TFB.

I didn't ignore your argument.

"Simply because of this... If the person making a claim cannot back it up in any way, shape, or form, people should not automatically believe it." I AGREE.

Sorry, what's "TFB"?

Sure, you've stated many, many, many times how you want PROOF. The proof I offer you will probably not be good enough. Because it's not MY proof. I don't have labratory access in my home. I have been in touch with three Dr.s of Microbiology at a nearby college. They have agreed that their equipment is not sufficient for my purposes, but that they are going to do what they can to research this. They're all very excited about it!!! That was refreshing! Actual scientists wanting to learn more about something they didn't know existed until 2 days ago.
But they visited the links I sent them and did their "proof" on their own. Not a one asked me for some "proof" before and especially not after they visited the links I provided.

Did you visit the two links I posted for you? I thought you might need to see some really good magnified samples. Some "professional" scab sample pictures, as well as pictures of other things.

Do you have access to about a $12,000 microscope?
If so, I can send you some samples that you can look at for yourself.

Do you really think Morgellons is as far-fetched as Jesus visiting your home last night?
I am not being snotty here. Honestly, all chain pulling aside. Is Morgellons that far-fetched to you???

Late for me dude. I have to get some shut-eye. My little girl will be up bright and early in the morn.

I'll be back tommorow though!!!!!

Short answer, YES, it's that farfetched.

I HAVE read through the websites you're talking about (as well as the ones refuting you). I always read both sides of the story (or as much of it as there is) before I make a decision about something. Quite frankly, you and the doc have failed to prove your side to me. From what I see, his credentials are somewhat suspect.

The only REAL decision I have made thus far is ramblingly explained here... When I was in high school, we did a test in class to see (wasn't high school biology FUN?) how big something had to be before you could feel it touching your skin. Turns out that human skin is actually pretty resilient to the touch of tiny things (this is why we don't feel it all of the time when a mosquito or some such lands on us), and there is no freakin way that you will ever convince me that ANYONE ANYWHERE can feel something the size of a paramecium or any other single celled organism as it is crawling ANYWHERE on the human body.
Now, I don't doubt these bacteria exist. What I am saying is that Morgellons does not exist as it is described. If you think you can feel something that small crawling on you, you either have some kind of nerve problem, or this is a psych problem. Plain and simple.

I say again: prove your position. There is no way that it is possible to feel this one kind of bacteria and not the tons and tons of other types crawling all over your body right now.

As for research, go to websites for universities. They will have contact info. There has GOT to be a student out there somewhere who is willing to write a thesis on an undiscovered disease. Quite probably you will have to undergo a psych eval, as no decent scientist (even a student!) would leave this avenue of possible attack into their research on this disease open. They would want to eliminate the possibility that it WAS all in your mind. Or maybe prove that it is?

I would enjoy being proven wrong as much as proven right. Because then I could add actual proven knowledge to my list of things I know, not just a bunch of stuff that nobody can prove, like bigfoot, or god (any god). All I want is PROOF (there that word is again) one way or the other. PROOF.

Have you ever read the book "DOES THE CENTER HOLD?"

Is it that you don't believe in and god?

Do you believe there is such as disease as Fibromyalgia?

I believe that all we have to prove is this:
That things may actually be happening to people before we move to strike what they are telling us.


Case in point, Victoria's doctor of Internal Medicine, my doctor of Internal Medicine, John Cummings, my mother's general practioner, Jan Simms, my step-father's general practioner, Robert Brown, 3 Professors of Microbiology at Dyersburg State community college, Geoffrey S. Ames, M.D., William T. Harvey, M.D. is the current chairman of the NASA Education Advisory Committee. He has documented more than 565 of these (Borreliosis) cases in Texas and says 94% of (those with Morgellons’ skin lesions) have tested positive for the bacteria associated with Lyme disease, or Borreliosis..." - http://www.2online.com/x5154.xml?ParentPageID=x5157&ContentID=x53603&Layout=KBCI.xsl&AdGroupID=x5154
MPH, Michael A. Ledtke, M.D., Ginger Savely, RN, FNP-C
Raphael B. Stricker, M.D., Gregory V. Smith, M.D., Charles Crist, M.D., James L. Schaller, MD, MAR, PA, DABPN, DABFM, (Clinical and Research Psychiatry and Medicine) states, "...This organism has been difficult to identify, but appears to infect individuals whose immune systems have been altered...",
http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=7AE0F4CE-F0F5-42EA-9C12-0B6B63719E7D, http://www.rgj.com/news/printstory.php?id=70308, http://www.djo.harvard.edu/print.php?url=/physicians/gr/593&print=1,
George R. Schwartz, MD, a magna cum laude graduate of SUNY-Downstate Medical Center has extensive experience in medical practice,directing and integrating complex medical systems and creation of innovative programs.
He has been founding member of the major organizations in Emergency Medicine and Trauma care and is the senior editor of Principles and Practice of Emergency Medicine (4th edition l999), a comprehensive textbook.He has been board certified in two medical specialties. He was named one of the 2000 Outstanding Scientists of the 20th Century. http://www.healingresearch.org/news.html
http://dercums_data.tripod.com/parasite.html
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pookalala/my_photos

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Oct/10/ln/ss01a.html

From : Morgellons Foundation
Reply-To :
Sent : Friday, March 4, 2005 1:31 AM
Subject : Morgellons Research Foundation Update !

| | | Inbox



Hi to everyone!

Celine Mcarthur FOX News, aired part 5 of her series on Morgellons
Disease in Jacksonville FL last week . The video for part 5 is not yet
online, but should be available soon. Addressed in this segment was
the misdiagnosis of Delusional Parasitosis from the perspective of a
psychiatrist who is on our side.

A new segment aired last night in Houston, TX:
http://www.click2houston.com/health/4246515/detail.html

The Duval County (Jacksonville, FL) Health Dept will look at patients
in Duval County with Morgellons Disease:
http://www.wtev.com/news/reports/story.aspx?content_id=9E991568-DED9-
463B-957A-69E8599D16B7

Additional media coverage is planned for various cities in the US
within the next several months. We will send you updates as they become
available.

There is preliminary information which suggest that a bacteria,
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, may be involved in the pathogenesis of
Morgellons Disease. We will update you as our information becomes
clear, and possible treatment protocols are determined by physicians,
if indeed this organism is involved. S. maltophilia can be present in
water, but again, this information is only preliminary. The answer to
this medical mystery is there, we just need to find it!

DR. WILLIAM HARVEY
FAMILY CARE CLINIC
119 E ACADEMY
DEL RIO TX 78840


NUMBER IS 830 BREAK 774 BREAK 4094 BREAK.

Sorry I had to write it that way, the phone #, but it wouldn't post the "normal" way.

DR. WILLIAM HARVEY
FAMILY CARE CLINIC
119 E ACADEMY
DEL RIO TX 78840

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Oct/10/ln/ss01a.html

http://www.2online.com/x5154.xml?ParentPageID=x5157&ContentID=x53603&Layout=KBCI.xsl&AdGroupID=x5154

http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=7AE0F4CE-F0F5-42EA-9C12-0B6B63719E7D

Okay, here goes....
Point 1. Belief or non-belief in something totally unrelated has absolutely nothing to do with the argument.
Point 2. Yes. Fibromyalgioa is a proven disease. They have EVIDENCE, you know, PROOF.
Point 3. All you have to prove? Your claims, and that is all. Otherwise, like I have said before, you have to accept my claims without any proof. That is what you are asking ME to do, and if it is so easy for ME, why the hell can't YOU do it? And jesus stopped back by. he said "Whoops, not all rocks. Sedimentary rocks are the chosen few."
As for all of the links you posted... Here I go, one by one...
1 to 3 are all broken
Link 4 - A man whose eye they removed an insect larvae from? How does this relate?
Link 5 - A man who only shows up on the internet trying to make a name for himself by trying to shoot down PROVEN FACTS without any kind of proof himself? THIS is your "help"?
Link 6 - Okay, this man died from AIDS complications. Says aids was a cont. fact. right in there. He died from an INTERNAL infection. Internal bacteria do not live outside the body. Therefore whatever infected HIM cannot be eating your skin. If it was, it would be from the inside, where THERE ARE NO NERVES TO FEEL THEM. Not that you could feel something that small even if it decided to start up a mosh-pit with all its buddies on your left nipple. I read nowhere where this patient had ever had the type of complaints you had, and there was no pathologically interesting bacterial infections on the skin, OR THEY WOULD HAVE INCLUDED THEM. Which also does not match your symptoms. And I quote "Cultures from blood, liver, and mesenteric masses were negative for bacteria and fungi, except for light growth of Candida glabrata from one of the mesenteric samples". This means that the lining holding his guts in place had a slight yeast infection.
Link 7 - The Pics - I could easily duplicate this collection of pictures (if I had a camera that would zoom in that well). How about an empirical scientific study of them? And post the results?
Link 8 - Hawaii - I fail to understand how this is related. Enlighten me.

Also, as relates to the Morg. Found. Email...

Link 1 - The doctor they interviewed said it best...

"I always feel that people should keep an open mind and I think there are scientific experiments, what we call evidence-based medicine, that can prove or disprove that an organism is causing this," University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston dermatologist Dr. Stephen Tucker said.

And as for the nurse who says that just because so many people claim it that it must be true, I refer you to my earlier statement about Elvis. And I have a little experiment for you. Ask everyone that you know if they have seen the movie "Reservoir Dogs". Ask those that have if they saw a man get his ear cut off in this movie. Almost all people swear up and down that they saw this scene. In actuality, it is their IMAGINATION. This scene was never actually shot, and therefore could not have ended up in the movie where everyone says they saw it. If you watch the movie, it is not there. But by this nurses logic, because everyone thinks they saw it, they must have. (there is actually an interview somewhere with the director where he states his bafflement that people still claim to have seen this.)

Link 2 - broken

And while I'm on the quote thing...
"Only by focusing on anything that we can fit to our belief and ignoring everything that doesn't fit can we make these coincidences seem meaningful." - From Robert Todd Carroll, Skeptics Dictionary

Morgellons Disease

This condition exhibits as pustules and the presence of strange fibers within the lesion. The bacterium causing this condition has been found. It is named (try to take a deep breath and get someone else to pronounce it) Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.

The crawling skin feeling is caused by multiple flagella on the bacterium and the fibers are actually produced by the bacterium. Bottled water has been blamed for the largest element of infection and the biggest offender is bottled water from France. One study observed that one-third of the bottled waters from France contain this organism.

The treatment is intensive and requires high dosages of sulfur drugs and antibiotics, although the bacteria appear to be resistant to many antibiotics.

In conclusion, whilst it may not be the best thing in the world, drink water from your tap and stop spending money on sucking up germs for your trouble. Many bottled waters here in the States are also affected.

One nice thing about this mess, is the fact that the bacterium is killed by boiling. Further, if you like bubbles as I do, carbonated water is immune to the bugs. This may be due to the higher base figure and/or the processing of carbonated water.

Search MORGELLONS DISEASE for more information on this unusual and recent phenomena.

Okay, now this is the third time I've said this...

THE BACTERIA ARE TOO SMALL TO FEEL.

So you're telling me drinking tapwater is safer that drinking bottled water? How so? Ever heard of Walkerton, Ontario?

PROOF, not some theory about where this comes from. Theories are good, although unproven theories are almost useless. All that a theory is is a starting point for research. Just like the Theory Of Creationism. Or, for that matter, the Theory of Evolution. Or, for that matter, the Theory of Relativity. All of these theories are unproven, yet all are accepted as fact by many people. Just because they believe it does not make it true.

They have to PROVE it.