Apparently, I'm psychic...

[Boota]

I work in a factory, making transmissions for cars. On one of the lines I work on there is a job where you have to put a shim underneath the clutch assembly. There are dozens of different thicknesses of shims, but six main shims we use. They are on a rack and when the pallet carrying the transmission comes up the line a scanner reads it and tells us which shim it needs by lighting up a shim on the rack. It has a considerable delay, however.

I didn't realize I was doing this, but a co-worker was watching me without my knowledge and he came over and asked, "How are you doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"I just counted and for fifty-five in a row you grabbed the right shim before it lit up. Are you psychic?"

I had no idea I was doing any such thing. Other than his word for it I have no proof that I was. The shims are completely random with no discernible pattern. I wasn't thinking about anything, just working like a machine. But I had to consider his question. Was I psychic?

"Well, if I am I cannot think of a more worthless psychic power," I told him. "If it can't save a life or win a lottery for me what good is it?"

That would just be my luck. Psychic powers prove to be real and THAT'S the one I get. Perfect.

[Vosur]

(06-11-2012 11:52 AM)Boota Wrote:  "If it can't save a life or win a lottery for me what good is it?"

You could earn a lot of money if you are able to prove it in a controlled experiment.

[Erxomai]

(06-11-2012 11:52 AM)Boota Wrote:  I work in a factory, making transmissions for cars. On one of the lines I work on there is a job where you have to put a shim underneath the clutch assembly. There are dozens of different thicknesses of shims, but six main shims we use. They are on a rack and when the pallet carrying the transmission comes up the line a scanner reads it and tells us which shim it needs by lighting up a shim on the rack. It has a considerable delay, however.

I didn't realize I was doing this, but a co-worker was watching me without my knowledge and he came over and asked, "How are you doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"I just counted and for fifty-five in a row you grabbed the right shim before it lit up. Are you psychic?"

I had no idea I was doing any such thing. Other than his word for it I have no proof that I was. The shims are completely random with no discernible pattern. I wasn't thinking about anything, just working like a machine. But I had to consider his question. Was I psychic?

"Well, if I am I cannot think of a more worthless psychic power," I told him. "If it can't save a life or win a lottery for me what good is it?"

That would just be my luck. Psychic powers prove to be real and THAT'S the one I get. Perfect.

If I were you I might be a little worried that your co-worker was watching you so intently that he knew you had done it 55 times.

[Boota]

Hell, I'm not even certain it happened. I wasn't thinking about it until he said something. After that I paid attention and nothing happened. I could guess and be right on occasion, but that's not what he was saying I did. I don't think I'd try to claim any money with something like this. I'm directly involved and don't believe it. LOL

Erxomal, that's a good point as well. His claims of my possible psychic abilities must have overshadowed the idea that it was creepy to be watched.

[Dark Light]

Hmm, well there is the possibility that there is a pattern that you do not consciously recognize. It may be complex. I would be extremely skeptical of a supernatural ability, but otherwise, take Vosur's advice and get Randi's money.

One week to the day before 9/11, perhaps to the hour, I warned some classmates about out meddling in the world would lead to terrorists attacks in America. By the day it'd happened I'd forgotten all about it until a class mate walked up to me and ask "How'd you know?!". Of course I didn't have prior knowledge of the plans or anything sinister, I didn't even know shit about politics. Regardless of that I would be lying if I didn't ask myself for a moment "Holy shit! How did I know?" But of course it was just a vague prediction that happened to come true and in a very prominent way shortly after it was made. Unfortunately, I do not have supernatural powers.

[Boota]

Believe me, if there was a possibility that I could get Randi's money I'd be all over it. I'm sure he would love proof of psychic ability if it presented itself. It would be a new frontier of science. But no, I have no psychic abilities. If I did, this worthless one would be my luck. I can see the discussion between my fellow psychics:

"I have telepathy! I can read minds. Imagine the uses."
"I have psychokinesis. I can move things with my mind. The possibilities are endless!"
"Well... I can predetermine the correct clutch pack shim of Chrysler's six speed transmission. I get medical benefits in six months."

I'd much rather have psychokinesis.

I'm sure there is no pattern due to the nature of the job. These shims are measured in thousandths and go into cast aluminum transmission cases. Because of how the cases are made there will be a definite variation in each case which must be compensated for with the proper shim. Aside from the six main ones there are about two dozen lesser needed shims on a different rack. You just never know which one you'll need until the computer tells you.

[Dark Light]

There are two other possibilities that occur to me that do not require supernatural abilities. One, you got lucky, this is my leading hypothesis if you discount patterns. Two, you say the button light up before it actually did (in a sense). If you understand how your brain fools you in the way it interprets time this will make sense.

Here is a light-hearted, but still serious read that will make your brain shit itself if you didn't already know it.http://www.cracked.com/article_19659_7-t...plode.html

[GirlyMan]

Your Brain Knows a Lot More Than You Realize. You could be a chicken sexer or a plane spotter.

[Dark Light]

(06-11-2012 06:14 PM)GirlyMan Wrote:  Your Brain Knows a Lot More Than You Realize. You could be a chicken sexer or a plane spotter.

I looked into being a chicken sexer a few years back. The title isn't as exciting as it sounds.

[GirlyMan]

(06-11-2012 06:40 PM)Dark Light Wrote:  

(06-11-2012 06:14 PM)GirlyMan Wrote:  Your Brain Knows a Lot More Than You Realize. You could be a chicken sexer or a plane spotter.

I looked into being a chicken sexer a few years back. The title isn't as exciting as it sounds.

And nowhere near as profitable as being a Computer Engineer.