Monday, January 12, 2009

More Psychic Side Stepping.

Man, the woo merchants are so full of shit. A short while ago 'psychic' Anna Brennan was waffling away arguing her case ( why so negative, the number one outcry of the woo merchant)on a radio show. She was real, she was absolutely real, she 'helped' people, she even helped the police she was so real, she was afaid of nothing she was so real, she was really real, the realiest real of realington.
When challenged to back up her realness by Bad Psychics Richard Sutherland, Really Real Anna was snottily feisty enough to declare she would be happy to take the Million Dollar Challenge James Randi offers- bear in mind she was live on air at the time.
Huzzah I thought, some gumption. Finally a really real psychic prepared to put its really real money where its mouth is.
Except...
Well slap my thigh and call my lady patch Babs, it now turns out that really real Anna has in fact pooped her proverbial pants and decided that subjecting her awesome really real powers to a challenge is kinda not what really real Anna is all about.
Observe the woo ridden one as she explains in an email to Richard why her radio claims and her reality claims are so far removed from each other.

"Psychic Anna‏ 2/12/08
Good morning Richard,

I have passed the challenge to my solicitor to read over and will get back to you with his opinion. My opinion is that there is no way that challenge could be passed, and there is no way would I be held responsible for all my expenses. Why has John Edwards or Colin Fry not taken this test?

If I do go ahead with it I will not be dealing with Shannonside radio or yourself, I would rather deal with the American side of things - no offense.

One question however, do you believe in the resurrection of Christ and that he appeared to his apostles after the Crucifixion?

When I die and I am wrong about this I have lost nothing but if you die and you are wrong you will have lost everything.

I wish you and your family a Happy Christmas and peaceful 2009.

Regards

Anna"

Weeeeell now, what to make of this. In her opinion the challenge cannot be passed. But why is this? Surely if Really Real psychic Anna Brennan is as really real as she claims she would have nary a scrap of trouble passing a test as easy as Randi's? All she has to be is...psychic.
Observe the 'Christ' waffle thrown into the mix. What has a man being nailed to a cross many many years ago got to do with proving psychic abilities? Your guess is as good as mine.
Here is the thing. if people want to go about claiming they are psychic so be it. But let them back up their assertions, let them prove themselves not liars, exceptional claims require exceptional evidence, the onus is not on us to buy woo, the onus is on them to prove it. I don't go around claiming I can fly, but if I did, I would accept people might need to see proof. And chattering to dead people is just as unlikely as me sprouting my invisible wings and soaring over the rooftops.
So far miss really real has been avoiding Richard's follow on emails, but it will be interesting to see what the outcome will be. 10-1 odds on 'I don't need to prove anything to be really real you know, I'm really real so there, na na ni na na.'
Psychic Anna, really? Your number has been called, now either step up or slither off the pot.


Oh, I should point out that the baby whisperer, Derek Ogilvie did attempt the challenge. Y'all remember how well that went.

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14 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

Why on earth does a psychic need a solicitor when they can communicate with humankind's greatest legal minds who have 'passed'?

The trick with these folks is every time they ask you to confirm something they're hearing 'from the other side', you say "You're the psychic, you tell me."

11:39 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

I've watched a tape of a friend of mine who attended one of these 'paychics', the cold reading involved is ridiculous.

11:47 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Quick question FMC - should a rather amicable fella try and dissuade a loved one from believing all this crap? If so how can it be done without appearing narrow-minded or patronising?
I'm finding it rather strange after my better half admitted a belief in auras, reiki, ghosts etc. It doesn't particularly bother me, but i do wonder if it's healthy to hold such views. She isn't religious tho, thank Allah.

12:05 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

You can't really convince people not to believe shit, but I would ask why she believe it. Most people just offer a generic, 'you can't know what's out there' as if ghosts and angels fill that void of not knowing.
Anyway, unless she's trying to charge people for it, her believing in something is pretty harmless and her own business.

12:11 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah, got the whole 'science doesn't explain everything' mantra, which I said is no excuse for popping in a belief in fairies as an alternative. I was then looked upon with pity. Bah, no matter, I always have his noodleyness to support me.

12:17 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Indeed, may his appendage protect you.


No seriously, I genuinely don't mind folk holding any manner of quirky belief, it's the hucksters I cannot tolerate. The people who leech and prey on folk. They deserve every internet kicking they get.

12:21 p.m.  
Blogger morgor said...

Ha! It's funny the way they try to blend religion and mysticism together.

While they are quite similar in being as believable as an invisible friend, surely priests would look upon psychics as "witches", and burn them at the stake (if they could).

I've tried the whole, "why do you believe in this shit?" (in slightly less blunt terms) but generally get called a patronising cynic and cause bad-will, so i gave up.
(but i think I sowed the seeds of doubt ;)

3:00 p.m.  
Blogger The Sexy Pedestrian said...

"if you die and you are wrong you will have lost everything. I wish you and your family a Happy Christmas"

That's the best Christmas greeting I've ever heard.

3:01 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Yep, the whole 'you're so mean and I think you're an ass and God will totes smite you, but best wishes' is what makes me enjoy the woo munchers most.
It's funny though, the very first thing woo folk throw at you is 'you're being negative/patronizing' if you as much as dare question the veracity of their claims. Talk about ping-pong logic.
'I don't believe in unicorns.'
'You're so negative.
'er...okeeey.

3:08 p.m.  
Blogger Ramon Insertnamehere said...

Talking about matters woo, have you come across Bad Science, Ms Cat?

Were it not physically impossible, I would have Dr Ben Goldacre's babies.

11:45 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

I have Ramon, come across it and clapped accordingly.

7:31 a.m.  
Anonymous name numerology said...

I believe in what you posts because I'm also one of those.

12:39 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes, a good psychic reader has great perception. Their spirit guidance communication skills really work.

7:02 p.m.  
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