{"id":224,"date":"2013-01-09T02:14:25","date_gmt":"2013-01-09T10:14:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/lateraltruth\/?p=224"},"modified":"2013-01-09T02:14:25","modified_gmt":"2013-01-09T10:14:25","slug":"things-that-didnt-happen-in-2012-part-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/lateraltruth\/2013\/01\/09\/things-that-didnt-happen-in-2012-part-two\/","title":{"rendered":"Things that didn’t happen in 2012: Part Two"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Terrorist attacks, mudslides, superstorms, catastrophic fires, air crashes, earthquakes, murders.\u00a0 One Joseph \u201cSpiritman\u201d Tittel predicted that a whole array of these dramatic events<\/a> was fated to take place in 2012 – and Spiritman was right!\u00a0 But how right was he?\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

In Part One<\/a>, I took a look at some of Spiritman\u2019s downright failed predictions; in this part, I\u2019d like to examine the quality of\u00a0a couple\u00a0of his \u201chits\u201d, as both he and his blog commentariat matched news events to the prophecies made on January 1st<\/sup> 2012 (but not published on his blog until January 21st<\/sup>).\u00a0 Since he made many, many predictions, and I am not writing a book here, I\u2019ll limit myself to the two that seemed strongest at first glance.<\/p>\n

Storm of the Century<\/strong><\/p>\n

#9: One of the biggest headlines of the year reads \u201cStorm Of The Century\u201d. Storm causes fury like no other effecting several different states and\/or countries. Storm leaves a path of destruction like never before. I can see aerial views that look like miles and miles of complete destruction. I can only imagine that this path of destruction would have been caused by many tornadoes at the same time and\/or extremely strong winds. A summer storm I believe.<\/p>\n

Commenters said:<\/em><\/p>\n

The world now knows about “the Storm of the Century” – Sandy that hit multiple states on the east coast, especially the tri-state area. The miles of pictures were broadcast just like Joseph predicted! <\/em><\/p>\n

Joseph, you were right with the destruction from hurricane Sandy. Even calling it Super Storm. Wow! <\/em><\/p>\n

#9 has to be Hurricane Sandy ! <\/em><\/p>\n

I would consider the situation in the Northeast with hurricane Sandy as
\nthe Storm of the Century. The flooding and storm surge has not been seen since the 1800’s, like one of your predictions mentioned.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0Hurricane Sandy was indeed a tragic, deadly,\u00a0and destructive storm – but it was hardly the \u201cStorm of the Century.\u201d\u00a0 So far, that would be 2005\u2019s Katrina, measured by, for example, death toll (1200 vs 100), estimated costs ($126 billion vs $65 billion), and maximum storm surge (~27\u2019 vs ~14\u2019).\u00a0 \u00a0And, of course, the century has only just begun.<\/p>\n

\u00a0But perhaps I\u2019m being too picky; psychic visions probably do not include statistics, and maybe Spiritman should be forgiven for a bit of hyperbole.\u00a0 He foresaw a major storm making the news, and along came Sandy.\u00a0 He has a hit – or does he?<\/p>\n

\u00a0No, he bloody well does not.\u00a0 This kind of prediction is what I would call a safe bet, especially as global warming revs up the intensity of our weather.\u00a0 If he were successfully to predict a hurricane season with no<\/em> major storms and no<\/em> damage, then I might begin to be impressed. \u00a0But as it is, his aerial visions of destruction make several visits a year to our tv news broadcasts.\u00a0 (The photo above is\u00a0from Katrina.)<\/p>\n

Note as well that Spiritman does not actually mention hurricanes, New York, the coast, flooding, or storm surges, leaving the way open for any kind of storm to fit the bill.\u00a0 He even hedges his (safe) bet by suggesting\u00a0either<\/em> multiple tornadoes (which did not figure in Sandy) or extremely strong winds (which are kind of de rigueur<\/em> for big storms). A bad tornado\u00a0in the Midwest or Southwest would have served just as well, and would no doubt have been seized on by his fans as an exact match. \u00a0As for the weaselly addendum \u201cA summer storm, I believe,\u201d Sandy wrought her havoc in late October.<\/p>\n

Those in Peril on the Sea.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

51: In 2012 the deadly sea\u2019s as they have called it is exactly what the oceans will be, very deadly. I see hijacking becoming a big issue and many ships will encounter pirates and hijackers stealing their freight and oil. I see one tanker that would carry oil on fire. I believe this is set by these pirate hijackers. Danger will be strong from April to December. The sea will claim so many lives in 2012, more then ever. There will be several major cruise line issues including an overturned ship. News will also report a group of people missing out at sea, possibly around the time of a serious storm. This may include a well know celebrity of sorts beings I see it being a big story.<\/p>\n

Match: Francesco Schettino, Costa Concordia Captain, Blamed For Italy Shipwreck
\nhttp:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2012\/09\/13\/francesco-schettino-costa-concordia_n_1880338.html <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

This is what I would call an omnibus prediction, a mish-mosh of dark prognostications.\u00a0 Some deconstruction is in order.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 2012 the deadly sea\u2019s as they have called it is exactly what the oceans will be, very deadly. I see hijacking becoming a big issue and many ships will encounter pirates and hijackers stealing their freight and oil. I see one tanker that would carry oil on fire. I believe this is set by these pirate hijackers. Danger will be strong from April to December.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0Alas for Spiritman, but fortunately for the rest of us, 2012 saw a \u201ca sharp reduction<\/a> in successful piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia and in the Indian Ocean\u201d – indeed, down by about 50% in those areas, and by about 35% worldwide.\u00a0 No oil tanker was set on fire by its attackers.\u00a0 The months of June to August were particularly uneventful.<\/p>\n

The sea will claim so many lives in 2012, more then ever.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

About 1000 souls<\/a> were lost at sea in 2012, unchanged over the last five years.<\/p>\n

There will be several major cruise line issues including an overturned ship.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is the fragment of the prediction that was held to be a match for the Costa Concordia disaster, and it does sound quite impressive – assuming \u201coverturned\u201d means \u201cturned on its side\u201d, as opposed to overturned Poseidon-wise.\u00a0 But the major problem with this one is the timing.\u00a0 It did not <\/em>appear on the broadcast made on New Year\u2019s Day 2012.\u00a0 It did <\/em>appear on the blog published on January 21st<\/sup>.\u00a0 The Costa Concordia mishap occurred on January 13th<\/sup>.\u00a0 My nasty suspicious mind declines, therefore, to be overly impressed.<\/p>\n

News will also report a group of people missing out at sea, possibly around the time of a serious storm. This may include a well know celebrity of sorts beings I see it being a big story.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As far as I could determine, no such Gilligan\u2019s Island scenario was played out in 2012.<\/p>\n

There were more, so many more, many of them even more entertaining than these,\u00a0but I have already wasted enough time for this year.\u00a0 I will, though, make a miniproject of recording Spiritman\u2019s 2013 predictions, and seeing how they turn out.\u00a0 Perhaps he will surprise me – but my own prediction is that he will not.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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