[Closed] Bad day at the Clairvoyant.

Trolling was so much more subtle before The Great Hack.

I see no future in his thread.......

If this is real and the OP is really struggling; go see a doctor.
If this is a troll, it is horrific. There is a chap on here who lost his son recently.

Hmm. If I was having problems deciding something big I'd be speaking to my family or friends to get their perspective before even thinking about going to a clairvoyant for advice.
Actually, I wouldn't go at all to be honest.

[img] [/img]

Wrecker and althepal +1 I'm sceptical to say the least and the type of person that seems to go are often easily lead weak minded people IME of parents friends etc. it's a load of old tosh.

Hmm had a feeling it was a mistake, sharing this, sometimes there are things you don't want to share with family and friends because of the fear that the worry might upset them which was precisely the reason for seeking an alternate viewpoint, a viewpoint in the case of a really gifted person with clear sight and extra dimension of being able to see what's ahead.

That's the reason to go, but what you have to be prepared for and I guess I wasn't, was what occurred and we have lost a son, it was long ago now, but as you have probably already been made aware through countless other examples, pain like that doesn't go away, so you don't need reminding of it.

Anyway apologies for bothering y'all and if you take anything from this, just accept the warning that as well as good info, sometimes these folk deliver bad stuff you'd sooner not want regurgitated.

[img] [/img]

If it gives you comfort then all good y'all...

Derek Acorah once offered to fight me. True story.

Anyhow, perhaps if it's helped you that's a good thing, but never forget they are all cynical, manipulative people only after your money - you'd be far better off talking to a professional.

You'd be better off talking to a cactus.

I think the people you need to be talking too are what most people refer too as 'friends'

bencooper - Member
Derek Acorah once offered to fight me. True story.

Anyhow, perhaps if it's helped you that's a good thing, but never forget they are all cynical, manipulative people only after your money - you'd be far better off talking to a professional.

A professional? A professional what? Don't tell me counsellor, my sister in law is a counsellor, I wouldn't ask that woman the time of day and it's a travesty she is licensed to advise and counsel others with her pathetic life experience or lack of it.

As to them all being cynical, manipulative, that's like saying all STW posters are nobs, they're not only a few, the ones that make most noise, there are a lot of genuinely gifted people, you just have to seek them out.

You'd be better off talking to a cactus.

Post of the week!

there are a lot of genuinely gifted people

How much did you pay to be upset by being told things that you already knew by someone who has manipulated you into thinking they have some special power?

Tragic.

Hmm had a feeling it was a mistake, sharing this

Assuming this isn't a troll post, the mistake you made wasn't sharing, the mistake you made was going to a parlour magician rather than a professional in grief counselling. I'm sorry for your loss, and it sounds as though you could benefit from talking to someone.

"Clairvoyance" is a (often very convincing) trick, and it's very well documented. Look into "cold reading" as a starting point. In this case, it sounds like she took advantage of someone in an emotionally vulnerable state, which is a particularly unpleasant thing to do, and why you'll probably get largely disgruntled reactions from most of the populace on here. Whatever you might think, I guarantee that she wasn't bringing anyone into the room with her, sorry. She's not 'gifted', it's a trick.

And, judging all healthcare professionals on the basis of one is the same generalisation you're accusing others of.

Gifted? My arse. Why don't you seek out a genuinely gifted/competant professional rather than your sister in law.

It's not real, they can't speak to the dead, it's a con.
There has not been one single proven example, if there had been the [url= http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/1m-challenge.html ]James Randi[/url] Foundation would be down $1M
If he is real, you could prove it to them and split the proceed £500k apiece.

Have no doubt - However feasible it seems it's either a scam or the person thinking they are pschic is delusional.

Read Darren Brown's book: "tricks of the mind". He explains how it's all done.

"Psychic wins lottery" said no one, ever.

didnt work out well here

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/07/sylvia-browne-amanda-berry-cleveland

Wow.. holy shit people. Someone is on the ropes and all you want to do is put the boot in for your own amusement?

Have a word with yourselves ffs.

really molgrips? I think it meeds pointing out that this person has been scammed by a cynical **** toying with a vulnerable persons emotions for their own financial gain

Wow.. holy shit people. Someone is on the ropes and all you want to do is put the boot in for your own amusement?

Have a word with yourselves ffs.

I think people advising not to see a con man/woman is sound advice. These charlatans are dispicable, exploiting vulnerable people's grief for money.

Just what i was thinking, molgrips.

Having a dig at psychics for preying on the emotionally vulnerable is fair game.
Having a dig at someone who has been to a psychic while they are emotionally vulnerable is a bit off.

I think people advising not to see a con man/woman is sound advice.

I think it meeds pointing out that this person has been scammed by a cynical **** toying with a vulnerable persons emotions for their own financial gain

Uh.. this might not be a good time!

And also probably not a good time for posting up smartarse pictures and comedy pisstaking, either.

Personally I think it's always a good time to tell someone not to get financially and emotionally drained.

Agree about not posting sarcastic pictures and comments though. Also sound advice to go and see a professional.

Hey, back the **** off will you.

1) I ain't exactly what you would call vulnerable, far from it, but I do have a bigger collection of life's bitter experiences than most and tough as I might think I am, this kind of thing is enough to shake the strongest of wills.

2)I do not share you're blind acceptance of so called 'professionals' they'd come from the same pool of University fodder that can hardly spell it's own name, and with what? A sociology degree? Last I looked they come out of the paper towel dispensing machine and are right up there with politics.

As to wether it works or not, it does and if it hasn't for you or you read it in Atheist in lycra weekly, then I feel sorry for you.

And finally the psychic didn't come to me, I had to look bloody hard to find one, they are sadly a vanishing resource, probably thanks to all those celebrity psydicks giving the occupation a bad name and the sort of attitude we have displayed here by know nothings carrying the current party line of devaluing anything of a spiritual or faith related nature.

This isn't religion it's cold hard actual fact, one complete stranger talking to another and revealing things no-one other than I would know even to the point of describing my best trail riding dog right to the last detail, it was so accurate it reduced Mrs Goodman to tears who was awaiting her turn in the adjacent room, she then declined and left due to the trauma of the past returning so graphically described.

Believe what you like, but only after personal experience please, don't be a dogma lead moron all your life.

I'm with MTQG and Molgrips here. I don't believe in clairvoyance either but leave the OP alone if you are just going to slate him. He is obviously grieving, vulnerable and needed somewhere to open up.

OP. Chin up chap!

J

As to wether it works or not, it does and if it hasn't for you or you read it in Atheist in lycra weekly, then I feel sorry for you.

Ah.

I read in yesterday's news that the mother of one of the kidnapped girls in Cleveland went to a "psychic" and was told that her child was dead. I suppose she might have thought that it "worked" for her up until this week.

If you insist on cementing your victimhood by allowing yourself to be manipulated by frauds, you're quite entitled, but if you are looking for advice, mine is: don't.

You assume that this person knew nothing about you until the facts about you were "revealed". Why make that assumption? It's more likely that a great deal of covert investigation was done before the "revelations" were presented...

Anyway - Good luck. 🙂

jamj1974 - Member

OP. Chin up chap!

J

Thanks, it about the best & only advice you can take at the end of the day, better that than taking your chance by opening up anonymously on an internet forum for cyclists, which of those is the most stupid...

*on egg shells*

You're loss & pain allows this psychic a platform to operate. My dad passed away several years ago. We discussed psychics at length (both sceptics) and agreed on a word that he would be relayed by him to me in the afterlife. A word no-one could ever know we shared.

I visited four (as a sceptic) .... And predictably, none of the 'paid' psychics knew that word we shared

I'm sorry for your loss. If the visit brought you comfort ? More power to you. If you re-visit this psychic again & money changes hands, that's where it becomes contentious

Your post title infers comfort wasn't found, only pain. Pain that could have been avoided?

If the OP posts up on a Public forum, then they will have to put up with whatever they get in terms of response.

Seems like they actually do believe in it, dispite common sence and science suggesting its a scam.

Any logical, rational thinking person should point out the error in their belief.

There are different ways of pointing things out.
Laughing at someone for paying £400 to build a kids bike or £300 to work as a tour guide is one thing...

been in pieces ever since..

and

I do have a bigger collection of life's bitter experiences than most and tough as I might think I am, this kind of thing is enough to shake the strongest of wills.

indicates to me that you're going to struggle to cope with everything on your own so I think getting some help/support is probably worth doing. I don't think that MTFU is the answer in every instance.

Whether you chose to seek help/support via a doctor, psychiatrist (sp), clairvoyant, counsellor etc is upto you. I don't think this is the time or place for my opinions on the various sources of help - there are far more qualified people to help point you in the right direction.

Whatever you chose to do then not doing it alone might help; good luck in getting your head around it all.

with her pathetic life experience or lack of it.

Failure to understand a counsellors role. They are a sounding board and you eventually provide your own solution. Empathy is more important than life experience and an ability to keep someone working towards their solution while minimising the diversions that delay this.

I didn't engage due to any recent loss or pain, I engaged because of other events that are causing me and my family great stress currently and after this, I'm not disposed to discuss them here, as to money changing hands so you're saying a shrink or counsellor is going to cost nothing?
Neither of them would be qualified in my opinion to discuss my current issues in any event, which was precisely why I took the random step of clairvoyance, as it happens I was also of the same sceptic view for many years, yes, if I look at it in the cold hard daylight today, I'm probably no better off than when I crossed the threshold, just dispirited by revisiting the pain of 25 years ago, grief I know Mrs Goodman never dealt with fully at the time and it is probably more her pain than my own that is effecting me, but it is nothing that any latter day do gooding young **** fresh out of Uni is going to help with, that I am sure.

With respect OP, there's some good advice on here, should you choose to seek it out between the less tactful comments.

I don't think anyone has advocated "blind faith" in healthcare professionals, I've spent enough time around them in their various capacities to have learned that like any professions there's good and bad ones. IME, mental health care in this country is very hit and miss, but nonetheless there [i]are [/i]hits to be had.

You seem quick to dismiss anyone with a qualification but happy to "look bloody hard" to find a self-proclaimed psychic, which seems a little at odds to me. Why not look bloody hard for someone who might actually be able to help, rather than (I'm sorry to be blunt but) a con artist who will take your money in order to tell you what you expect to hear (and severely upset you in the process)?

[s]You might like to think you're not emotionally vulnerable, but if you've just suffered a bereavement then I'm afraid you are. There would be something seriously amiss if you weren't.[/s] EDIT - apologies, I misread the original post, please ignore this and my previous reference to it.

Probably best to go with a do-gooding University-educated *** who has had some further practical experience of using the process, then...

whitegoodman, the Samaritans are not just for suicides.
If you're that sceptical of professionals and you've had a bad experience with a clairvoyant, they may be worth a try. They really will help anyone with any problem.
At least no one can accuse the Samaritans of only doing it for the money.

To be fair to the OP and in defence of the very rare 'good' person who claims to have 'special powers' I would offer the following.

My mum is as cynical as they come when it comes to such things however she does know a woman who has given advice to several people she knows and has given very very specific details of their lives that she could not possibly have know or gleaned via the usual social engineering techniques so often used.

My mum was confident enough of the woman's character and integrity she was willing to refer my wife to her - not something she would do if she had any doubt.

I'm on the fence but just occasionally someone crops up who challenges my disbelief in the paranormal.

To the OP - not all professional counsellors are equal! Again, my wife went to see one who was bowlarks but again, my mum is a counsellor / therapist and she has no end of referrals from people who have used her and recommended her to friends and family.

If a clairvoyant works for you, do it. If you think it may be worth checking out other forms of counselling (I would suggest looking for a Hakomi counsellor and specialising in grief as a start).

Cheers and good luck

Danny B

This isn't religion it's cold hard actual fact

http://www.skepdic.com/skeptimedia/skeptimedia127.html

OP maybe you could take solice in the fact that your loved ones are happy and at peace, and clearly able to communicate with you. The body is just a vehicle that allows you to move your real self (soul) around on this plane. A clairvoyant is only like a radio mast that picks up signals and transmits them into spoken word.
Everybody has the ability to be a psychic, they just choose not to tune in.
You will get a flaming on this forum because the majority on here have to have hard, cold scientific fact that something is real, they are unable to accept anything that science/mankind has not (as yet) been able to explain because its way outside of their parimiters.

Can I just re-iterate if only for the late comers, this isn't about recent loss, or grief it was about a potential life cross roads and external indeed commercial pressures.

The returning grief was just a by product and I have to say, once you've lost your Father, your son, your mother, your best mates, you become fairly hardened to it. Did she play on any of this? How was she even to know any of it, we'd never met, she didn't even know I was coming along, so could not have done any research, she'd even forgotten the appointment having just had a bereavement of someone close to her to deal with, so to that end I'm confident she knows less about me than you all do.

I'm not actually on the brink of suicide although I guess posting here might give one that impression but thanks for the thought, so I think we've about covered it haven't we?

Thanks for caring, those that did, next time maybe I'll try the Tarot.

Everybody has the ability to be a psychic, they just choose not to tune in.

Indeed 😀

has given very very specific details of their lives that [s]she could not[/s] [u]we could not see how she could[/u] possibly have know or gleaned via the usual social engineering techniques so often used.

And yet she did.

Whitegood man, you can't really expect to throw out a post about a clairvoyant and not get ridiculed. You're free to believe in whatever you like but don't be surprised when people question your sanity, intelligence or gullibility.

To put it another way, in the words of a very wise poster:

That's the trouble with these fringe organisations they always attract the 'nutter' element

when i'm king i'm going to make it a law that any individual accepting payment for 'psychic' services/tarot cards/angel therapy and all that stuff is arrested and charged for financial abuse of vulnerable adults.

have to have [s]hard, cold scientific fact[/s] evidence that something is [s]real[/s], they are unable to accept anything that science/mankind has not (as yet) been able to explain because its way outside of their parimiters.

A fine example of gormless gibberish (partly fixed for you).

For example: A magic invisible penguin directs the fate of humanity from the moon. Which is made of ectoplasm. If you don't believe this, it's because it's "outside (your) parimiters ([i]sic[/i])"...

OP maybe you could take solice in the fact that your loved ones are happy and at peace, and clearly able to communicate with you. The body is just a vehicle that allows you to move your real self (soul) around on this plane. A clairvoyant is only like a radio mast that picks up signals and transmits them into spoken word.

I'll have a gram of whatever you're snorting

she'd even forgotten the appointment

What is science? The things scientists don't understand are enshrined in the principles of science.

[url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falsifiability ]Falsifiability[/url]

[i]"I'm not actually on the brink of suicide..."[/i] and [i]"...a potential life cross roads..."[/i]

That's what I was trying to get at.
The fact that you visited a clairvoyant, for whatever reason, shows that you are looking for outside help.
I may be reading too much in to one comment, but you appear to share the common view that the Samaritans are only there to stop people jumping off bridges.

If I was after that sort help, I think I'd rather visit a well trained volunteer, then make a donation as I felt appropriate, than pay someone by the hour.

Religion, clairvoyance, hypnotism, to succeed they all require a certain level of naivety and emotional vulnerability in the subject.

A few months ago I was getting all upset about certain psychological consequences of ageing; I went to my GP and talked while she listened for fifteen minutes. I came out feeling great and haven't had a moment's bad feeling about ageing since then and it was all free at the point of delivery. All I needed was to talk about it.

you can't really expect to throw out a post about a clairvoyant and not get ridiculed.

Yes, you can. Or at least, you should.

You can expect to receive advice and some people are less tactful about that than others. But you shouldn't expect ridicule, and if you're the sort of person who will respond to a request for help by questioning someone sanity and intelligence then perhaps you need to have a think about that for a moment.

I'm starting to think of this as Molgrips' Law. It's a bit like STW's version of Wheaton's Law.

MidlandTrailquestsGraham - Member
"I'm not actually on the brink of suicide..." and "...a potential life cross roads..."

That's what I was trying to get at.
The fact that you visited a clairvoyant, for whatever reason, shows that you are looking for outside help.
I may be reading too much in to one comment, but you appear to share the common view that the Samaritans are only there to stop people jumping off bridges.

If I was after that sort help, I think I'd rather visit a well trained volunteer, then make a donation as I felt appropriate, than pay someone by the hour.

Well, I'm obviously after guidance better than my own, I am inherently distrustful of my fellow man/woman and see little around me to convince me of their ability to help more than me just randomly flipping a coin, it is after all my 'fellow man' that is causing me and mine the stress that has pushed me to the point I feel I will inevitably make that turn in the crossroads, the question is which direction I should take. So and picked up by this woman she indicated that I would take it, but that in two years I'd be back, bored doing things similar to what I'm doing at the moment, (she correctly identified this and other interests)but that it would be somewhere warm and distant that frankly until now I hadn't considered, is that now a self fulfilling prophesy? Who knows, the choices I had until now considered were all local.

You just don't get that sort of intrigue, I don't imagine by ringing the Samaritans, I wouldn't know I've never felt the need to ring them, until I started posting this..

if you're the sort of person who will respond to a request for help by questioning someone sanity and intelligence then perhaps you need to have a think about that for a moment.

I agree but that's not what happened. The OP has been at great pains to say this isn't a call for help. And even if they were, it's the belief in clairvoyance that is being ridiculed.

I am inherently distrustful of my fellow man/woman and see little around me to convince me of their ability to help

and yet you posted..
on here..
on a Friday..

I hope you find peace in your troubled world

[i]FWIW my cousin is training( I have no idea how that works) to be a Pshycic .
She is lovely and never tires of my ghostbuster jokes[/i]

...that's like saying all STW posters are nobs...

But probably quite a fair assessment. 😉

OP I'll assume you are completely genuine, In which case I'd suggest for future reference STW, other Forums, Facebook, twitter, etc - online "social media" in general isn't the best place to take discussions of your deeper, personal issues.
It sounds like you've got some significant stuff going, on and a weighty past. TBH I'd just not trust the advice, comments and digs you're going to get from unqualified, potentially malicious, strangers.

I think the majority on here are probably (like me) cynical when it comes to clairvoyance and psychics and their claims, but that’s my belief system (or lack thereof) and I’d hope not to be treated as harshly for that as some here seem to feel you should be.
If spiritualism or the like helps you then good, I shall not judge, my own preconceptions might yet be proven wrong. Although it sounds like your decision to visit a clairvoyant has not given you comfort or clarity you sought, but instead caused you distress and unearthed issues that you believed you had dealt with.

I’d echo the advice of others on here about talking to a councillor (obviously not your sister in law), or maybe your GP first (they are trained to help, and can offer an appropriate referral if you want).
The advantage is that they are not concerned with contacting spirits or reading the future, they are merely there to help you deal with your own issues directly. They won’t try to “fix” or “trick”.
Think of it more as a complimentary thing, aimed at helping you with the decisions and issues you face, essentially the same reason you visited the clairvoyant, lending some alternative perspective is all they will do, if that’s all you want.

Good luck

You just don't get that sort of intrigue, I don't imagine by ringing the Samaritans

You've just perfectly encapsulated the clairvoyant/psychic scam.

They prey on the needy and give false hope

cookeaa - Member
...that's like saying all STW posters are nobs...
But probably quite a fair assessment.

OP I'll assume you are completely genuine, In which case I'd suggest for future reference STW, other Forums, Facebook, twitter, etc - online "social media" in general isn't the best place to take discussions of your deeper, personal issues.
It sounds like you've got some significant stuff going, on and a weighty past. TBH I'd just not trust the advice, comments and digs you're going to get from unqualified, potentially malicious, strangers.

I think the majority on here are probably (like me) cynical when it comes to clairvoyance and psychics and their claims, but that’s my belief system (or lack thereof) and I’d hope not to be treated as harshly for that as some here seem to feel you should be.
If spiritualism or the like helps you then good, I shall not judge, my own preconceptions might yet be proven wrong. [i][b]Although it sounds like your decision to visit a clairvoyant has not given you comfort or clarity you sought, but instead caused you distress and unearthed issues that you believed you had dealt with.[/b][/i]

I’d echo the advice of others on here about talking to a councillor (obviously not your sister in law), or maybe your GP first (they are trained to help, and can offer an appropriate referral if you want).
The advantage is that they are not concerned with contacting spirits or reading the future, they are merely there to help you deal with your own issues directly. They won’t try to “fix” or “trick”.
Think of it more as a complimentary thing, aimed at helping you with the decisions and issues you face, essentially the same reason you visited the clairvoyant, lending some alternative perspective is all they will do, if that’s all you want.

Good luck

Good Post.

Yes, I did wonder about the strength of feeling engendered by the stuff from the past that I did feel I'd dealt with, it was a long time ago and I definitely think she went over the top describing him to me and telling me he was standing there next to me and the dog and then that it was cold. It takes me a while to work out wether I'm upset or angry, I'm not the sort to fly into a rage, I also have a naive tendency to give others the benefit of the doubt and my usual armour against lifes slings and arrows, is humour, which you do find here aplenty, I'm also safely anonymous so any hurt here can only go keyboard deep. It most certainly isn't facebook fodder, it is however thought provoking, reading other folks sensible views such as contained within that post above.
But at the end of the day all I wanted was an alternate perspective, just not as much as she delivered, they like the reality of life you on occasion try not to face up to, can be very harsh.

it is after all my 'fellow man' that is causing me and mine the stress

You mean A fellow man.. not all fellow men. No matter how many crap people you meet, we are not all the same.

I guarantee that she wasn't bringing anyone into the room with her, sorry. She's not 'gifted', it's a trick.

there is no possible way of proving or disproving this. the universe is infinitely more complex that any human could ever hope to understand in a lifetime. I sit firmly on the fence in these types of debate and point and laugh at anyone who uses current sciencific fact to rubbish these claims or who believes wholeheartedly in them.

The thing about therapy is that you'd also be given tools for how to deal with all the stuff that comes up. It sounds like you were basically laid bare and then left to deal with the fall-out by yourselves.

I've no doubt that all the feelings, etc are genuine.

The clairvoyant may also be completely convinced that they were offering a real valuable service to their customers. They probably feel that they are experts at getting to the root of people's emotions and feelings.

I hope you don't feel raw and exposed too long. There are definitely 'professionals' that can help, but you don't have to go the GP referral route. Put as much effort into finding a therapist as you did into finding the clairvoyant, and you might be surprised.

...as to money changing hands so you're saying a shrink or counsellor is going to cost nothing?

The difference is there is tons of peer reviewed double blind tested evidence showing the benefits of using qualified counselors. And not one iota of hard fact based peer reviewed double blind tested evidence to support psychics.

there is no possible way of proving or disproving this. the universe is infinitely more complex that any human could ever hope to understand in a lifetime.

And on the other hand there is common sense.

when i'm king i'm going to make it a law that any individual accepting payment for 'psychic' services/tarot cards/angel therapy and all that stuff is arrested and charged for financial abuse of vulnerable adults.

Would be nice wouldn't it, I've always wondered how they can legally operate. I'd extend that to religious funding too.

And on the other hand there is common sense

yes common sense, the world is flat, everything revolves around the earth, spinach builds muscle etc

yes common sense, the world is flat,

Actually common sense would tell you the world is round as you can [b]actually see[/b] the curve of the earth...

Woah there. The worlds not flat?

binners - Member

Woah there. The worlds not flat?

[url= http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4116/4850042714_fe25df0c29_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4116/4850042714_fe25df0c29_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave_kepcove/4850042714/ ]Clairvoyant cancelled[/url]

You mean to tell me they didn't tell you you were going to be ridiculed for sharing this information? shame on them!

Shortly after meeting mrs Zip she went off to a clairvoyant. She said someone may come through for me.
At the time no one close to me had died. The biggest impact on me was the loss of my dog.
Anyway after all the usual jumbo jumbo mystic meg said that a small scruffy dog had entered the room, a jack Russell.
Spot on. Could be one of the usual fishing type statements, maybe not. I'm still a sceptic though.

Woah there. The worlds not flat?

Of course it is. Look at it. Look out of the window!

I've had a look Molly. There are some big hills out there. Which would definitely indicate that it must be flat. Round indeed? You don't get bumpy footballs do you?

Some make fortunes feeding, and feeding off, other peoples misery. It's just wrong.

[url= http://www.krdo.com/news/psychic-dead-wrong-about-kidnap-victim/-/417220/20071556/-/ax901mz/-/index.html ]http://www.krdo.com/news/psychic-dead-wrong-about-kidnap-victim/-/417220/20071556/-/ax901mz/-/index.html[/url]

there is no possible way of proving or disproving this.

Such a gift would be readily demonstrable under controlled conditions though, would it not?

the universe is infinitely more complex that any human could ever hope to understand in a lifetime

We don't doubt that. But that doesn't mean we can make up any old crap and peddle it as fact (or even as a viable alternative). By all means have an open mind, but give it a little filtration.

Their "gifts" have been consistently demonstrated and explained, yet the gullible continue to believe. They're experts at reading peoples reactions and they have perfected the art of suggestion. Here's a perfect example of the power of suggestion

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2187084/derren_brown_secrets_revealed/