A PEER-REVIEW of Reclaiming Science: the JFK Conspiracy: A

[richard...@comcast.net]

https://richardcharnin.wordpress.com/2015/02/13/a-physicist-mathematician-astronomer-reviews-reclaiming-science-the-jfk-conspiracy/

A Physicist/ Mathematician/ Astronomer reviews Reclaiming Science:The JFK
Conspiracy:
http://brane-space.blogspot.com/2015/02/a-jfk-assassination-book-all-serious.html

Philip Stahl is a prolific writer who posts daily on a variety of
scientific, political and other subjects. He has specialized in space
physics and solar physics, developed the first astronomy curriculum for
Caribbean secondary schools and has written twelve books - the most
recent: Modern Physics: Notes, Problems and Solutions; and earlier, BEYOND
ATHEISM, BEYOND GOD; Astronomy & Astrophysics: Notes, Problems and
Solutions'; 'Physics Notes for Advanced Level' Mathematical Excursions in
Brane Space; Selected Analyses in Solar Flare Plasma Dynamics; and 'A
History of Caribbean Secondary School Astronomy' which details the
background of his development and implementation of the first ever
astronomy curriculum for secondary schools in the Caribbean.

-------------------------------------------------------------
A Book For All Serious JFK Assassination Researchers - As Well As Educated
Non-Experts, February 13, 2015

By PHILIP A. STAHL (COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO United States) -

This review is from: Reclaiming Science: the JFK Conspiracy: A
mathematical analysis of unnatural deaths, witness testimony, altered
evidence and media disinformation (Paperback)

Richard Charnin's book:: Reclaiming Science- The JFK Conspiracy, features
an apt title because it entails reclaiming the legitimate content that has
hitherto been obfuscated and distorted under the specious science (or what
I call pseudo-science) of the Warren Commission Report as well as the
apologists like Gerald Posner ('Case Closed') and Vince Bugliosi
('Reclaiming History'). Effectively, Charnin's book is the perfect
antidote to the specious science circulated by a complicit media (Google
'Operation Mockingbird' for more information)

Granted, it likely won't be on any NY Times best sellers' lists but I
found it to be one of the best new books on the JFK assassination to
emerge in the past 25 years. Charnin, a former consultant and quantitative
programmer for investment banks, has written a mathematical masterpiece
which uses Poisson analysis to show a significant number of witness deaths
in the wake of the JFK assassination were indeed unnatural

This is important given how the matter of JFK witness deaths represents
what many serious researchers regard as one component of the ongoing cover
up. It is also important because the issue is rife with disinformation and
misinformation from know-nothings.

These are people who believe they're entitled to just recklessly babble
about the assassination from a position of woeful ignorance, like Marilyn
Elias. Elias tried to refute witness deaths such as that of Dorothy
Kilgallen- in her piece 'Conspiracy Act' , in The Southern Poverty Law
Center Intelligence Report (Winter, 2013, p. 15). Elias also, in some of
the worst yellow journalism, tried to tar the whole witness murders theme
by castigating Richard Belzer for being a nasty, anti-government sort
because he appeared on a radio program with Alex Jones to promote his new
book, 'Hit List: An In-Depth Investigation Into the Mysterious Deaths of
Witnesses to the JFK Assassination' .

I have read Belzer's book, along with Charnin's, and believe it to be one
of the most important for newcomers and also more experienced researchers
(who've done at least 10 yrs. work) to get a handle on the matter of the
witness deaths, and why they are not coincidental. Elias, for her part,
shows her incompetence by her reliance on hack Gerald Posner who has
already been exposed for his irresponsible work (Google "Posnerisms" for
specifics)

Re: Kilgallen, as Charnin notes (p. 120): "was the only reporter granted
an exclusive interview with Ruby in jail. She openly attacked the cover-up
in her New York Journal-American columns on 2/2/64 and 9/3/65."

Most notably (ibid.): "She reported a meeting between Ruby, Tippit and a
Texas oilman, and revealed that Oswald was in too many places at one time,
had links to U.S. intelligence and his true story was known to just a few
government agents."

This alone would have put Kilgallen on the architects' radar, for likely
elimination, because of: a) her prominence as a journalist, and b)
exposing aspects of the plot the architects (especially LBJ who had many
links to Texas oilmen, including H.L. Hunt) didn't want exposed.

Two key aspects were the Oswald double - which I examined before and cited
James Douglass sterling work exposing it in his 'JFK and the Unspeakable',
and the actual intelligence background of Oswald - which destroys the lone
nut madman myth that LBJ and Hoover wanted to plant in their illegitimate
'child' - the Warren Report.

Thus, one sees there would have been ample reason to eliminate Kilgallen,
as much or more as the reasons to eliminate David Ferrie (when the
Garrison investigation started) and William Bruce Pitzer, the lab
specialist at Bethesda who vowed to expose the actual autopsy photos and
chicanery.

But this is where Charnin's probability analyses (e.g. in Chapters 3, 4)
really comes to the fore - in separating the suspicious witness deaths
from the natural ones. And note, imho, this could only have been done
using a Poisson -type analysis. Much of this harkens back to statistics
shown at the end of the excellent movie, Executive Action (1973) which I
strongly recommend to any interested person. Those stats cited an
actuary's finding reported in the London Sunday Times which calculated the
odds of 18 material witness deaths within three years of the assassination
at 100.000 trillion to 1. In other words, 100,000 trillion to 1 against
being coincidence!

As Charnin points out (p. 25): "The HSCA statistician dismissed the odds
as being invalid, claiming the universe of witnesses was unknowable."

But, of course, this is nonsense since as Charnin later notes 1400
material witnesses are listed in 'Who's Who in the JFK Assassination'.

Charnin also correctly observes (ibid.) "The (London) actuary's
probability was actually very conservative. At least 42 JFK-related
witnesses died unnaturally in the three years following the assassination.
Using the 0.000220 weighted JFK -witness mortality rate the probability is
E-53 (1/ Trillion ^4). "

Linked to the issue of witness deaths is how they could have been
accomplished with so many seeming objective observers being none the
wiser. This Charnin takes up in Chapter 6 on 'Motives and Techniques'. We
learn, for example, of "a special type of poison that induces a heart
attack and leaves no trace unless an autopsy is conducted." This was
surely the type used to eliminate David Ferrie before he could testify
before Jim Garrison's investigation. I lived in New Orleans at the time,
in Feb. 1967 (attending Loyola University) and no one of my acquaintance
bought that Ferrie just killed himself. It didn't add up.

Charnin's other chapters are equally compelling including to do with the
Warren Commission itself (p. 17), Dealey Plaza (p. 55), Acoustics (69),
the Zapruder Film ( 79) , Wounds (83), the Patsy (87), Disinformation
(105) and his JFK Calc Spreadsheet (p. 135). The latter has now been
enhanced to include Dealey Plaza witnesses' reference to the origin of the
shots.

There are also 38 pages comprising nine appendices- ending with a quiz on
the assassination. (Something every would - be bloviator or opinion
provider needs to take - to prove he is worthy of making comments!)

No one should let the math get in the way of owning this useful and
essential book, a critical addition to the assassination literature.

[John McAdams]

On 17 Feb 2015 15:38:25 -0500, richard...@comcast.net wrote:

>
>https://richardcharnin.wordpress.com/2015/02/13/a-physicist-mathematician-astronomer-reviews-reclaiming-science-the-jfk-conspiracy/
>
>A Physicist/ Mathematician/ Astronomer reviews Reclaiming Science:The JFK
>Conspiracy:
>http://brane-space.blogspot.com/2015/02/a-jfk-assassination-book-all-serious.html
>
>Philip Stahl is a prolific writer who posts daily on a variety of
>scientific, political and other subjects. He has specialized in space
>physics and solar physics, developed the first astronomy curriculum for
>Caribbean secondary schools and has written twelve books - the most
>recent: Modern Physics: Notes, Problems and Solutions; and earlier, BEYOND
>ATHEISM, BEYOND GOD; Astronomy & Astrophysics: Notes, Problems and
>Solutions'; 'Physics Notes for Advanced Level' Mathematical Excursions in
>Brane Space; Selected Analyses in Solar Flare Plasma Dynamics; and 'A
>History of Caribbean Secondary School Astronomy' which details the
>background of his development and implementation of the first ever
>astronomy curriculum for secondary schools in the Caribbean.
>

No academic appointment. No job as a scientist with any reputable
organization.

Usually, "peer review" means reviewed by a bona fide expert for a
scholarly journal.

Here is what I can find on Stahl:

<On Amazon.com>

Mr. Stahl has been an atheist for over 25 years and has written dozens
of articles on atheism in major newspapers. He?s also engaged in
numerous one ?on- one debates with priests, ministers. He lives in
Colorado and enjoys hiking, computer chess, writing science fiction
and GO.

<End quote>


And this was published on his blog, not in any reputable journal.

Not even in a reputable popular outlet.

.John
-----------------------
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/home.htm

[Ace Kefford]

Well, John, at least his "peer review" meant more than just a review by
some English noble!

[richard...@comcast.net]

John, are you a peer? In fact I devote a significant part of a chapter in
my book to your review of my work. We all know of your academic
credentials.

On Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 3:43:10 PM UTC-5, John McAdams wrote:

[richard...@comcast.net]

On Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 3:43:10 PM UTC-5, John McAdams wrote:

I replied: John, As usual, you did not do your homework.
http://www.allexperts.com/ep/3368-76108/Astrophysics/Philip-Stahl.htm

Expertise

I specialize in stellar and solar astrophysics. Can answer any questions
pertaining to these areas, the spectroscopic analysis of stars - as well
as the magneto-hydrodynamics of sunspots and solar flares. Sorry - No
homework problems done or research projects! I will provide hints on
solutions. No nonsense questions accepted, i.e. pertaining to astrology,
or 'UFOs' or overly speculative questions: 'traveling through or near
black holes, worm holes, time travel etc. Also, no daft whackjob physics
questions such as pseudo-unit, confected nonsense and "hypothetical"
questions based on the twaddle at this site:
http://members.shaw.ca/warmbeach/FAQ.htm purporting to show a "new
physics". Do not waste my time or yours by wasting bandwidith with
reference to such bunkum.

Experience in the area

Have constructed computerized stellar models; MHD research. Gave workshops
in astrophysics (stellar spectroscopy, analysis) at Harry Bayley
Observatory, Barbados. More than twenty years spent in solar physics
research, including discovery of SID flares. Developed first ever
consistent magnetic arcade model for solar flares incorporating energy
dissipation and accumulation. Developed first ever loop-based solar flare
model using double layers and incorporating cavity resonators. (Paper
presented at Joint AGU/AAS Meeting in Baltimore, MD, May 1994)

Organizations

American Astronomical Society (Solar physics and Dynamical astronomy
divisions), American Geophysical Union, American Mathematical Society,
Intertel.

Publications

Solar Physics, Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada,
Journal of the Barbados Astronomical Society, Meudon Solar Flare
Proceedings (Meudon, France). Books: 'Selected Analyses in Solar Flare
Plasma Dynamics', 'Physics Notes for Advanced Level', 'Astronomy &
Astrophysics: Notes, Problems and Solutions', 'Modern Physics: Notes,
Problems and Solutions'

Education/Credentials

B.A. degree in Astronomy; M.Phil. degree in Physics - specializing in
solar physics.

Awards and Honors

Postgraduate research award- Barbados government; Studentship Award in
Solar Physics - American Astronomical Society. Barbados Astronomical
Society award for service (1977-91) as Journal editor.

Past/Present Clients

Caribbean Examinations Council (as advisor, examiner), Barbados
Astronomical Society (as Journal Editor 1977-91), Trinidad & Tobago
Astronomical Society (as consultant on courses, methods of instruction,
and guest speaker).

What do you like about this subject?

The sheer diversity and range of inquiry from plasma physics to high
energy astrophysics, particle physics.

What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?
Complete a 2nd book on plasma processes in solar flares.

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:
The kinetic temperature of a plasma, e.g. 2,000,000 K for solar corona,
allows one to insert a hand without getting burned!

Something controversial or provocative about this subject
S. Chandrasekhar's original seminar on compact stellar objects was
ridiculed by his advisor, A.S. Eddington.

[richard...@comcast.net]

For John McAdams: Stahl on Optical Technology for Telescopes (NASA)

http://www.creol.ucf.edu/Partnerships/Affiliates/AffiliatesDay2006/Presentations/Stahl.pdf

[OHLeeRedux]

Funny stuff. They should make into a sitcom or comic book.

[richard...@comcast.net]

For John McAdams, some reading material. He has plenty of time now.
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/stahlpa

On Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 3:38:27 PM UTC-5, richard...@comcast.net wrote:

[Jason Burke]

Okay, Charnin. When you write a book (or, geez, even an article,) on
astrophysics, perhaps Stahl will be qualified to peer review it.

Or perhaps I'm forgetting, are we talking about astrophysics here?
Perhaps JFK did see a bunch of stars in about 1/100th of a millisecond
after Oswald's head shot.

[Bud]

On Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 3:38:27 PM UTC-5, richard...@comcast.net wrote:

Stop the presses, a person inclined to buy into conspiracy nonsense
wrote a favorable review of a book containing conspiracy nonsense.

[Anthony Marsh]

On 2/18/2015 11:04 AM, richard...@comcast.net wrote:
> For John McAdams, some reading material. He has plenty of time now.
> http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/stahlpa
>

No, he's vacationing in Aruba. He'll come back when the snow ends. Or Hell
freezes over. Whichever one comes first.

[Carmine Savastano]

Something to consider regarding Richard's list.

https://carmine-savastano.squarespace.com/new-blog/2014/12/20/are-many-suspicious-deaths-supported-by-evidence