[el mechanico]

I know for a fact Americans worked in China and a bunch. Since 1966 as far as I know.

NASA is legit.

[911]

FWIW (not much I guess given I'm new on here), I think NTP's contributions have been valuable, he puts a lot of effort into his posts and his perspective is interesting. Hope he sticks around.

[Neo]

I want to reiterate that this isn't a witch hunt against NTP.

I was on the original PM and I responded to everyone saying that while I hope we have the most interesting man in the world on this forum, some of his claims (mentioned below) seem embellished or outright false. I haven't read many of his posts as I haven't had much time to be on the forum lately, but a few stuck out in my memory.

1) His claim of training with Buddhist monks in China. I'll defer to Suits and TK on this one, but as we can see there are holes in the story.

2) As pointed out by Suits above, the swimming claim. Here's an article on Michael Phelp's training regimen.

https://www.muscleprodigy.com/michael-ph...-and-diet/

"In peak training phases, Phelps swims minimum 80,000 meters a week, which is nearly 50 miles."

That comes out to ~11500 meters a day. Read the quote above posted by Suits. Apparently NTPs regimen surpasses that of Michael Phelps at 50+ years old.

Any competitive swimmers here? Please chime in.

3) He recently made a post about speed reading and increasing the ability to process information.

thread-55778.htm

"...my father helped me read faster with what he called a holo-tropic sound device and I learned to read backward and forward as well as at a rate over 4 times the maximum"

I couldn't find any information about such a device, not to mention the fact that most studies on speed reading techniques have shown they don't work. I've never met anyone in my life who made such a claim.

I believe there is only one time we should 'lie' on this forum and that is to fudge small details to cover our identities. Example: The girl was really a blonde, but you said she was a brunette, she was 25, but you say she's 28, etc. I've done this myself as I'm sure so have others, we do what we have to do to throw off our enemies.

That's one thing, but IMO we don't have time for fantastic stories and extraordinary claims unless they are backed up. We're just looking to keep this forum credible, not attack anyone.

If NTP did all these things then power to him, I'll be the first to apologize and I'll be happy to learn from him in the future. Until I see the evidence however, I remain unconvinced.

[Drazki]

Folks, I can confirm from my experience on the swimming claim. The numbers I did are more close to 11k meters 6k morning and 5k afternoon. The devil is in the details usually such training was no more than 2 weeks long and then back to the regular 5k per day. After having 11k me and my teammates wanted to eat like there is no tomorrow and then sleep sleep and sleep. So definitely doable not sure how you will combine it with sailing if you have to handle the yacht by yourself unless you have a crew so you can sleep anyhow, just my two cents.

[Suits]

[Fast Eddie]

(05-16-2016 08:23 PM)Suits Wrote:  

For example, NTP claims that he is currently capable of swimming 16,000 meters in a day and apparently does so regularly.

(03-27-2016 01:43 AM)NASA Test Pilot Wrote:  

Yes, at age 48 years, 7 months my peak distance was 20,000 meters (long course) per day (low intensity doing 8,000-10,000 meters in the morning with weights (45-60 minutes) afterward 3-4 days per week followed by 8,000-12,000 meters in the afternoon. The afternoon workout was preceded by (30-45 minutes) of dryland training 3-4 days per week. Morning practice is generally in the water at 0500 and finishing at 0700-0730 (weights followed). In the afternoon, dryland training began at 1430 and then in the water at 1500-1515 until 1700-1800. Sometimes we had mental training in the evenings depending on the meso-cycles and competitions. Saturday practices were/are normally a 3 hour ordeal often with weights or dryland and/or mental training afterward. I dropped down to 18,000 meters peak distance shortly afterward during the next training cycle. Now I am at 16,000 meters peak distance and my next dip will be to 14,000-14,500 meters. My body fat is normally 6-6.5% during peak distance (where my fat intake is moderate, cholesterol in range and my T-levels near 800) and will drop down to 4.5-5% during taper where my body super compensates and I compete.

To be fair, nothing in his post insinuates he claims to do this year round. The word "peak" appears in the paragraph several times as does mention of competition, so the most reasonable interpretation of this paragraph is that at peak preparation preceding competitive events, he swims up to 16km a day. Michael Phelps is a short to medium distance swimmer, while I'm assuming NASA focuses on the longer distances. You might as well compare the training regimens of sprinters to long distance runners.

I have nothing else to add aside from this: if your life experience contradicts the official historical record, there are two possible reasons for this. One is that you are a lier. The other is that your life is very atypical. In either case, you're not going to be able to prove your authenticity on a public forum , at least not without giving away information that could be used to identify you. Did some Americans spend time in China before most Americans were able to spend time in China? I'd say that's probably a yes. Can NASA prove to have been one of them without identifying himself? Probably no. If NASA's father fought in China in the 30s, does that make it more likely that NASA himself would be one of those Americans able to visit China before most Americans were able to do so? That is probably a yes as well.

[Mercenary]

This is not the first time NASA has acted like this.
On several occasions he encourages forum members to send him emails instead of pm's (which I would like to point out he writes the word as "e-mail" with a hyphen in it) in order to resolve disputes or to get access to more "secret" information he can only share privately.

See examples here:

thread-52463...pid1187481

thread-30-po...pid1194936

thread-19223...pid1302424

thread-55358...pid1284738


I don't know how many forum members have emailed him privately since he started posting in January 2016, but from the many posts on this forum it is quite a lot.

For a member who has never met anyone in real life, he now has a long list of RVF member's private email addresses (even if they are just burner emails) together with IP addresses they are sent from.

My urge to be cautious is warranted, especially considering he has started making veiled threats to established members who question his "stories".

[Mercenary]

(04-19-2016 01:40 PM)thoughtgypsy Wrote:  

I worked at a NASA center during the development of the Ares-V and Ares-I-X under the Constellation program before it was cancelled.

thread-55250...pid1281000

(04-20-2016 07:07 AM)thoughtgypsy Wrote:  

You'd be surprised how many college students rotate through NASA as a result of their internship and CO OP programs. Most impressive of all are the Test Pilots.

thread-55250...pid1281598

[AboveAverageJoe]

I thought he was legit until I saw he is also 48 years old with a T count of 800 and has <5% body fat.

Anyway here's to you NTP you tell some cool stories, bro.

[AboveAverageJoe]

i just finished reading Nasa's Surfing Thread:

thread-54785.html

It just seemed like a book report on surfing, then I started realizing I had read this info before somewhere else. His threads are all copy and paste from info from other online sources. Google just a few sentences of his text and you will find its source.

This is guy really is G-Manifesto.

[AboveAverageJoe]

Nasa Test Pilot wrote these verbatim in this thread earlier:

Zen Buddhism is said to have originated in China with the teachings of the monk Bodhidharma. Zen Buddhism treats zazen meditation and daily practice as essential for attaining Enlightenment.

Found it verbatim on this website Brocks Buddhism Blog: https://brocktator.wordpress.com/


He later says this, again verbatim:

The historical Buddha Gautama was not the first Buddha. There had been others who had walked the way before him. He was not a god, a prophet or any kind of supernatural being. He was one who was born, lived and died a human being (achieving enlightenment after according to their tradition). A remarkable human being, who discovered a way of achieving true wisdom, compassion and freedom from suffering. He is said to have rediscovered an ancient way to a destination/state of being that had been covered up and forgotten. Through his own efforts he was able to find the way out of suffering to liberation.

The Buddha did not teach that a God created the Universe. He pointed to a great Law or Dharma running through everything that exists. It is by living in accordance with this Law that true Wisdom and Compassion and hence freedom from suffering may be achieved. Suffering may only be overcome, however, by being confronted and lived through.

Found those entire two paragraphs verbatim after a quick google on this website: TheBuddhistSociety.org

http://www.thebuddhistsociety.org/page/f...-teachings



I could go on but I have shit to do. Real Shit.

This guy at the least is a plagiarist and serial embellisher. Take with a grain of salt.

[debeguiled]

I am reading this thread, and letting all the words wash over me. If any word or phrase sticks in my mind and leads to physical tightness or mental stress, I remind myself to focus my mind back on the breath and exhaaaale. Back to center. Back to breath. Back to now. The eternal rhythms of life, embodied in breath, letting the world fall away. No pilots, all travelers, no suits. Breathhhe.

[thoughtgypsy]

(05-17-2016 10:43 AM)AboveAverageJoe Wrote:  

i just finished reading Nasa's Surfing Thread:

thread-54785.html

It just seemed like a book report on surfing, then I started realizing I had read this info before somewhere else. His threads are all copy and paste from info from other online sources. Google just a few sentences of his text and you will find its source.

This is guy really is G-Manifesto.

This one?

http://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/8357-...in-surfing

Surfer Today Wrote:

Surfing is a sport of achievements. The first wave ride, the first surf line, the first barrel, the biggest wave…all stories to tell and bars to be raised ...
waves are not measured in feet and inches, but in increments of fear

thread-54785...pid1263849

(03-29-2016 01:21 PM)NASA Test Pilot Wrote:  

Surfing is a sport of achievements. The first wave ride, the first surf line, the first barrel, the biggest wave…all stories to tell and bars to be raised ...
waves are not measured in feet and inches, but in increments of fear

That seems to be a small portion of the thread as a whole, though does read verbatim.

[AboveAverageJoe]

(05-17-2016 11:44 AM)thoughtgypsy Wrote:  

(05-17-2016 10:43 AM)AboveAverageJoe Wrote:  

i just finished reading Nasa's Surfing Thread:

thread-54785.html

It just seemed like a book report on surfing, then I started realizing I had read this info before somewhere else. His threads are all copy and paste from info from other online sources. Google just a few sentences of his text and you will find its source.

This is guy really is G-Manifesto.

This one?

http://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/8357-...in-surfing

Surfer Today Wrote:

Surfing is a sport of achievements. The first wave ride, the first surf line, the first barrel, the biggest wave…all stories to tell and bars to be raised ...
waves are not measured in feet and inches, but in increments of fear

thread-54785...pid1263849

(03-29-2016 01:21 PM)NASA Test Pilot Wrote:  

Surfing is a sport of achievements. The first wave ride, the first surf line, the first barrel, the biggest wave…all stories to tell and bars to be raised ...
waves are not measured in feet and inches, but in increments of fear

That seems to be a small portion of the thread as a whole, though does read verbatim.

No but that just prove my point. The entire article is cobbled together from other professional copy writers.

Like this entire explanation of waves cribbed from a swimming website:

When swells eventually reach shallow water they slow down and the wave energy is released in the form of breaking waves. This energy is focused toward the more shallow areas of water, since that section of the wave isn’t moving as fast as the sections traveling over deeper water. The way in which the line of swell bends horizontally as it breaks is called “refraction” — and is dependent on landscape characteristics and the depth of the sea floor. There are two types of refraction you’ll notice at surf spots: Concave: When a line of swell travels over a raised bottom contour that has deeper water around it, the farthest ends of the wave will bend toward the shore. From the side, the wave looks like a “bowl” with energy focused at a peak in the middle. This is known as “concave refraction” and can produce excellent surfing waves that can be ridden to the left or the right of the peak. Convex: When a line of swell encounters a headland, for example, with deeper water adjacent to it, the middle of the wave will bend away from the deep water and toward the shoreline. As a result, wave energy is “defocused” or spread over a wide area. This is known as “convex refraction” and can result in less powerful waves but longer rides than the concave variety.

Read more at: https://www.swimoutlet.com/guides/differ...or-surfing

Makes you sound real knowledgeable if you were actually recalling this information and explaining it as opposed to copying it then putting your name under it.

[kaotic]

Wow, didn't see this coming.

[Mercenary]

(05-17-2016 10:43 AM)AboveAverageJoe Wrote:  

This is guy really is G-Manifesto.

[churros]

But... why?

[cascadecombo]

There is only one thing I know for absolutely damn sure, this thread is off topic.

[AboveAverageJoe]

Your right. Let this thread be about Buddhism. Here is the thread about NTP plagiarizing.

What else is he faking?

[ball dont lie]

(05-16-2016 01:11 PM)godzilla Wrote:  

Frankly, I'm inclined to think NASA stories are little embellished.

But I have some questions.

Where did you get the travel ban lift date? Newspaper articles put this at March 15, 1971.

It was illegal to Cuba for a long time, as we know people still did it. No one got prosecuted. Could you visit unoffically?

Could you enter China on another countries' passport? Were Europeans in China in 1970s?

What was China's policy towards Americans entering between 71-79?

Was China a pussy paradise in 1970? (most important question)

The first NY Times correspondent allowed into China was Fox Butterfield and this happened in 1978. He wrote a book about his experiences, its an incredible book that STILL captures China better than almost anything I've read in more than 100 books on China, its titled China: Alive in the Bitter Sea.

http://www.amazon.com/China-Alive-Bitter...281&sr=8-1

Previous to 1978 and President Carter, Americans were not allowed in China. There may have been some diplomatic missions, ie "Ping Pong Dimplomacy" but those were high level security clearance exceptions.

Edit

Europeans were allowed in at the time. Some countries, such as France, recognized PRC as China long before the USA which had recognized Taiwan as the rightful political heir to China.

[Kona]

If you make shit up about Buddhism you go to naraka.

Aloha!

[GlobalMan]

My favorite part of Buddhism threads is always the threats of violence

[AboveAverageJoe]

(05-18-2016 01:11 AM)Kona Wrote:  

If you make shit up about Buddhism you go to naraka.

Aloha!

Wait isnt that a secret surf spot between Mokuleia and Ka'ena point.
You would know about that.

[RexImperator]

I think there actually were some Tibetan guerilla fighter groups funded by the CIA.

[debeguiled]

I knew a Catholic priest who said that before he became a priest, he went to Japan to study Buddhism. He was completely committed, and gave it everything he had, and in spite of all that, still felt like he never really connected with it. He just kept trying harder and harder, and still with no results, so finally he went to his teacher and asked if there was a problem with his attitude, or maybe his character, or his practice, because he just didn't seem to be getting it.

His master told him that his attitude was good, as well as his character, and there was nothing wrong with his practice.

So he asked his teacher way he wasn't able to make Buddhism work for him.

His teacher said, "Because you are a Christian."

After that, the priest left Japan and enrolled in seminary.

I am not an expert on Buddhism, but this seems to be a very mature stance for a spiritual leader to take, and there are many other religions out there that would do well to emulate it.