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 Mediums really CAN read your deepest secrets!
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filthy
SFN Die Hard

USA
14408 Posts

Posted - 03/29/2004 :  03:03:34  Show Profile Send filthy a Private Message
I don't know why I'm bothering with this -- maybe it's anothet 4 am thing.

quote:
Their methods have been scoffed at and their claims to be in touch with an afterlife taken with more than a pinch of salt – but a five-year test has shown that mediums can indeed discover your deepest secrets.
Researchers at the Scottish Society for Psychical Research (SSPR) say mediums who took part in their tests beat odds of a million to one to correctly reveal information about volunteer test subjects.

Tricia Robertson, vice-president of the SSPR, a registered charity with around 250 members, said: “We were not trying to prove the existence of the afterlife or that personalities live on, but I think it is now important to recognise that mediumship can honestly gain information that ordinary people can't.


http://www.sundayherald.com/40843

I dunno. We are supposed to be getting better educated, but this crap keeps popping up everywhere. Of particular interest, I think, is the threat of a lawsuit against anyone who claims the 'study' was faked. If my recollection is accurate, the charlaton Geller likes to sue his critics. Perhape litigation, mostly unsuccessful, goes with the territory.

Hey smegheads, yer study was a crock!! :rolleyes:


"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)

"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres


"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude

Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,

and Crypto-Communist!

Woody D
Skeptic Friend

Thailand
285 Posts

Posted - 03/29/2004 :  22:48:37   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Woody D a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by filthy

I don't know why I'm bothering with this -- maybe it's anothet 4 am thing.

quote:
Their methods have been scoffed at and their claims to be in touch with an afterlife taken with more than a pinch of salt – but a five-year test has shown that mediums can indeed discover your deepest secrets.
Researchers at the Scottish Society for Psychical Research (SSPR) say mediums who took part in their tests beat odds of a million to one to correctly reveal information about volunteer test subjects.

Tricia Robertson, vice-president of the SSPR, a registered charity with around 250 members, said: “We were not trying to prove the existence of the afterlife or that personalities live on, but I think it is now important to recognise that mediumship can honestly gain information that ordinary people can't.



I dunno. We are supposed to be getting better educated, but this crap keeps popping up everywhere.

Hey smegheads, yer study was a crock!! :rolleyes:




Now, now Filthy let's be a little objective.
I think your point might be that people reading that will assume that it's ok to believe that those people have speical powers or can 'see the beyond'. People read into (no pun intended) things what they want.
I think the study shows that after years of observation one can learn to be in tune with what another is thinking by looking at their movements, their demener, their faceal expressions, etc.
Like Sherlock Holmes could tell where you've been and what you were doing from examining the find details.
There used to be a radio phychiritrist (he died a few years ago) who could sum up things about a person which seemed much like a psychic but he outright told people it's not a trick. Only difference is mediums try to fool people and they know they are so they don't tell how they do it. But I think both use the same methods.

www.Carabao.net
As long as there's, you know, sex and drugs, I can do without the rock and roll.
Mick Shrimpton
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filthy
SFN Die Hard

USA
14408 Posts

Posted - 03/30/2004 :  04:42:54   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send filthy a Private Message
Agreed. Shrinks are the greatest cold-readers of all. They have to be 'cause people lie to them, too.

And long-time, couples, married or otherwise, become closely attuned to their partners habits and how they think. It almost appears psyhic, but, there is nothing psyhic about any of it. It is simply conditioning.

I have never met a medium face to face, but if I ever do, I will ask him about my long-deceased father, and give him no further info. If he is the real deal, he should be able to conjer the scoundrel up just from knowing the name and date of death.

I have small patience with this sort of nonsense.


"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)

"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres


"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude

Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,

and Crypto-Communist!

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Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26021 Posts

Posted - 03/30/2004 :  08:17:16   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
Like Houdini and his wife, my wife and I have a secret code phrase we tell nobody else. If, after one of us dies, some psychic attempts to tell the survivor he/she is in contact with the dead one, if the psychic can't come up with the phrase, he/she will be known to be bogus.

Given that people like John Edward claim that they don't "get words," but just see images, our code phrase is a simple set of two common household items. Sort of like "toilet sofa" (but of course, that isn't our phrase). But, given their claimed abilities, these mediums should be able to come up with "gold zebra," or "lavalamp husky" just as easily.

One thing that surprised me about the original story, is that after checking Google News, it appears that only the Sunday Herald picked up this story. Apparently, nobody else wanted what "Scotland's award-winning independent newspaper" got.

As for the lawsuits (from the article):
I am aware that critics will say the tests were somehow rigged. But, rest assured, we could not have been more scientific in the way this was carried out. If anyone claims it is fixed or rigged, we would sue.
This is ridiculous. Critics aren't going to say that "the tests were somehow rigged." What the critics are going to do is point out any problems found with the study's methodology, controls, and/or analysis, and if true, none of such criticisms will be actionable via lawsuit. They would be a far cry from simply suggesting that the researchers lied.

"We could not have been more scientific" is probably not true, right from the start. It appears that the "audience" was allowed to match things up themselves, rather than independent, unbiased judges.

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too.
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Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26021 Posts

Posted - 03/30/2004 :  10:41:49   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
And here's Robert Carroll's take on this.

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too.
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Woody D
Skeptic Friend

Thailand
285 Posts

Posted - 03/30/2004 :  20:55:14   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Woody D a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by filthy

Agreed. Shrinks are the greatest cold-readers of all. They have to be 'cause people lie to them, too.

They do? That kind of defetes the pourpous or going doesn't it, if one lies? I've never lied to mine but, he,he, I haven't always said everything either.


quote:


And long-time, couples, married or otherwise, become closely attuned to their partners habits and how they think. It almost appears psyhic, but, there is nothing psyhic about any of it. It is simply conditioning.

I KNEW there was a reason I've always thought people shouldn't be married for more than 2 years.....4 at the most to any one person. But you got that right Filthy, I've even said that many times....that he's read my mind...in a joking way of course.


quote:


I have never met a medium face to face, but if I ever do, I will ask him about my long-deceased father, and give him no further info. If he is the real deal, he should be able to conjer the scoundrel up just from knowing the name and date of death.

I have small patience with this sort of nonsense.




Cool! Filthy let us know if that happens.
I was about to say I've never met one either and would love to do the same as you, however just remembered my brothers girlfriend is sort of like one. She truly believes she hypnotizes people back to past lives. And it pisses me off no end when she says things to me about my personality, like she really knows what I'm about, that I'm the way I am because of who I was in a past life.
I also have a theory that is the reason I don't get on juries, they think they can tell what someone is like but I don't believe they have a clue....at least in my case.
I wish people would just ask if they want to know something instead of thinking they know by what they THINK they see.

www.Carabao.net
As long as there's, you know, sex and drugs, I can do without the rock and roll.
Mick Shrimpton
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Woody D
Skeptic Friend

Thailand
285 Posts

Posted - 03/30/2004 :  21:03:57   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Woody D a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.

Like Houdini and his wife, my wife and I have a secret code phrase we tell nobody else. If, after one of us dies, some psychic attempts to tell the survivor he/she is in contact with the dead one, if the psychic can't come up with the phrase, he/she will be known to be bogus.

Given that people like John Edward claim that they don't "get words," but just see images, our code phrase is a simple set of two common household items. Sort of like "toilet sofa" (but of course, that isn't our phrase). But, given their claimed abilities, these mediums should be able to come up with "gold zebra," or "lavalamp husky" just as easily.


Dave,
Is it toilet sofa? Well, is it
Ok, laundry soap/potato peeler? Stove/clothes hanger?

I'm dying to know!

www.Carabao.net
As long as there's, you know, sex and drugs, I can do without the rock and roll.
Mick Shrimpton
Go to Top of Page

Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26021 Posts

Posted - 03/30/2004 :  21:45:32   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
Obviously, it's "humidor spitoon." I said "common" to throw you off track.

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too.
Go to Top of Page

Woody D
Skeptic Friend

Thailand
285 Posts

Posted - 03/31/2004 :  00:32:43   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Woody D a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.

Obviously, it's "humidor spitoon." I said "common" to throw you off track.


Oy! A headache you are giving me already
We'll get back to you.

Oh, Ok, one more:
Wall safe/$1000 bill*


* of course if you are rich, then I guess the $1000 is common to you.
We'll get back to you on that too.

www.Carabao.net
As long as there's, you know, sex and drugs, I can do without the rock and roll.
Mick Shrimpton
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