talkmagic.co.uk

Part-Timer wrote:I don't think that video is terribly flattering, but I suppose the point is that it's the boot being on the other foot for a change.

The host looked rather petulant, so it's not the best defence of the psychic line (pun intended) I've seen!

A case of "my enemy's enemy is my friend"?

But who wants friends like that guy?

`Who would admit to being friends with Dorris any hoot? That guy really didnt help his cause much then again I dont think Randi did it for us either. I do perfer Dawkins or Hitchin to Randi.

For an estimated 25-30 years I was stigmatized by know-it-alls in the world as being a hypochondriac because of a mysterious, elusive series of conditions that would come and go... it wasn't until my early 40s that a doctor finally ran the one test that would reveal that I in fact had been dealing with Multiple Sclerosis all those years... Sadly, I'm not the only person with this sort of story in that it is grotesquely common.

graig wrote.
you, me and the same page sadly to say, iv'e been downgraded to dysbraxia only because they can't find anything yet.

just had to put this in as its getting a bit heavy on this thread.
"a dawarf psychic, escaped prison yesterday morning", the police are looking for a small, medium, at large.

iv'e heard that if someone does well in one of randys tests then he changes the rules to make it imposible, but that may well be the psychic side badmouthing him.

Hey discoman I ve already done that joke!

I think we're all wise enough around these parts to realise that the Randi million dollar thing is just a promotional stunt. As someone stated earlier, you could pull ectoplasm out of your a*se and you still wouldn't get paid.

Yeah when he is asked about it he says its in "Bonds" Well I would want the cold hard cash. In a suitcase.

Craig Browning wrote:
I had to chime in on this one...

But just so Part-Timer and that handful of other champions of the cause know they aren't alone, here's a little something from Oz TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULUHbO60mOY

This video is only a small "grab" of the entire interview that went on for much longer when it was originally aired in the 80's. Done Lane (who's show I enjoyed at the time) made a jack a$$ of himself defending Doris Stokes and Uri Geller... both who had been guests on The Don Lane Show previously. Don subsequently has admitted he was out of line... most people have a different view of both Stokes and Geller these days anyway.

As for Geller, his appearance with Johnny Carson is my fave... poor thing just didn't feel "strong" that nite... take a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9w7jHYriFo

Markdini wrote:I would want the cold hard cash. In a suitcase.

Me too.

Brown paper bag full of small denomination used notes, non sequential serial numbers etc. - just like when applying for a contract with the local Council.....

Twenties would do for me, because I'd also want time to personally count it all out and back again.

Tomo wrote:I'd also want time to personally count it all out and back again.

Nah. I'd get Randi to count it out for me.

I wouldnt Mr Bell, One , two, elsmey count well there is $100. Now as much as I agree with the skeptics. And I sort of do like Randi when he isnt shouting. i must agree with other chaps you probably have to jump through so many loops to get this money it will dishearten you from going for it.

Now if he had the Million in a normal bank and it wasnt "invested" has he said it is I think there would be more people going for it.

Back to the fakes thing. Browne , stokes et-al (et-al isnt a name of one by the way). I hear they are chaning the fruadulent mediums act of 1951.

Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951:

Previous mentions and discussions are at
http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic11121. ... ediums+act

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic8766.p ... ediums+act

and the nitty gritty:
Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951

Markdini wrote:I wouldnt Mr Bell, One , two, elsmey count

Dang! Forgot about that! How silly of me. Yes, perhaps it would be wiser to count the money myself.

Here's the thing about the Fraudulent Mediums Act. If you advertise yourself as a plumber, you can't simply create a carefully stacked collection of porcelain instead of a plumbed-in bathroom, or your clients will have every right to demand their money back. Trading Standards will very quickly be on your back with a writ if you go around doing that sort of thing. Think of the Fraudulent Mediums Act as trading standards for mediums: when someone hires a medium, they expect to actually contact dead relatives, same as when they hire a plumber and expect to actually get a new bathroom.

So, if you're not actually talking to the dead, you're not a real plumber. No, wait. That can't be right...

Seriously, though. After WWII, there was a huge increase in the number of people visiting mediums to get answers about how loved ones had died overseas, and to say their goodbyes. This attracted a great number of conmen and women, hence the need to regulate the practice and weed out those trying to fleece people with bogus requests from the other side to "give the nice lady the family silver for bringing me such peace" etc. In a time of national emergency and austerity, it's telling that the government of the day (Labour under Atlee?) still pushed the Act through, showing the size of the con involved.

I wonder when the last time anyone was actually convicted was? Can you imagine the publicity someone would get these days if they were actually taken to crown court over it? Sky News would be all over it like a rash!

On a more positive note, it's nice to see the Witchcraft Act of 17xx has been repealed. Pity so many lasses (and a few lads) had to die in the process.