1. Comment #19948 by GODLESS101 on January 30, 2007 at 8:28 pm

GO RANDI! Rosemary Altea is a fake, just like every other so-called "Psychic." If there really were psychics in this world, we'd know by now. So, to all the psychics out there, put up or shut up.

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2. Comment #19951 by Shine on January 30, 2007 at 8:42 pm

I really wish that Mr. Randi would deliver his "coup de grâce" already. You can see it on the tip of his tongue after they say "I don't need the money" or "I don't think the money exists" or anything else that involves them dodging the point.

But then again, I'm not as accomplished or as knowledgeable as Mr. Randi. Perhaps he has some cards he isn't showing.

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3. Comment #19953 by Janus on January 30, 2007 at 8:56 pm

Shine,

I don't understand, what kind of "cards" are you talking about?

Btw, kudos for spelling "coup de grâce" correctly. :)

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4. Comment #19958 by sarpulhu on January 30, 2007 at 9:43 pm

James Randi was on 360 today so hopefully someone will upload it to youtube

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5. Comment #19959 by Shine on January 30, 2007 at 9:45 pm

Janus -"I don't understand, what kind of "cards" are you talking about?"

I meant that perhaps he has a secret plan to expose these con-artists. It was also a pun due to him being a magician (a very good one, as well.) :P

Perhaps his new plan is to rope "psychics" into making there own verbal flubs instead of him doing all of the work. Exposing con-artists such as these "psychics" has become increasingly easy as science and understanding advances, but it's hard to dissuade true-believers from their asinine belief... unless their "leader" starts showing their true colors.

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6. Comment #19961 by peterdoubt on January 30, 2007 at 9:57 pm

Im sorry, this may be a little off topic, but Larry King is a complete and utter nincompoop.

Who let him on television??

He is one of the morons in the media lending credibility to these phonies.
He didnt even do his homework before hand to know what the kidnapper looked like, and then tries to cover up his blunder by saying the kidnappers hair was "long based on my own hair." (The kidnappers hair was SHORTER than Larry's.)

Im tired of his no-talent, divorced five times,ugly, make-up wearing vulture face.

Ahhhh. I feel better now. Anyway. I love James Randi. Randi should have his own show every night. It would be so much nicer if American televison thrived on exposing phonies rather than supporting them.

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7. Comment #19963 by Joadist on January 30, 2007 at 10:10 pm

A trickster exposing a trickster!

What next?

Will Depak Chopra expose Benny Hinn?

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8. Comment #19965 by Stewart on January 30, 2007 at 10:15 pm

There is a plan and it's not secret: a million-dollar prize no one is willing to take despite all their claims. Rosemary Altea's best answer throughout this appearance was that she was skeptical that the money existed. So she won't risk a little bit of time in case it doesn't exist, when Randi has been so public about its existence that she could probably sue him for the same million if it weren't there - after she's taken a - short - test.

Anyway, check out his site and read about how he's getting more active and investigating the possibilities for getting these people in court for fraudulent business practices, whether they agree to be tested or not. The huge carrot has been avoided for years now by those who know they lack the teeth to bite into it, so Randi's working on a stick. Sad that it's taken a case as obvious as Hornbeck's to wake people up to the fact that it isn't harmless fun that should be left alone; it's cruel and dangerous and the main victims are those who are already vulnerable.

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9. Comment #19966 by Zaphod on January 30, 2007 at 10:21 pm

$1,000,000 is yours if you prove your psychic ability. All you have to do is prove what you claim. Give an independant panel to judge Rosemary Altea giving a reading to a complete stranger who she has never met, seen, spoke to or has any knowledge of.

If she actually has an ability it will be shown. I bet if she ever did agree to it she would come up with some excuse if it didn't work. Fatigue or something.

People believe stupid stuff.

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10. Comment #19969 by Aussie on January 30, 2007 at 11:31 pm

I also have the rare gift of psychic abilities.

Does anyone have Randi's phone number. I want to get in first before Rosemary changes her mind.

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11. Comment #19973 by moopet on January 31, 2007 at 12:36 am

Aussie, I'm thinking of the number right now. Go for it.

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12. Comment #19979 by William on January 31, 2007 at 1:25 am

What a snake this Rosemary Altea is!

Notice how she throws her peer Sylvia Browne under the bus and portrays herself as the "responsible" psychic. I guess there really is no honor among thieves...

She also, as is the custom when psychics appear on TV with him, attempts to discredit Randi with outright lies - i.e. "he was unable to produce the money." This is not true and she knows it, but she also knows that the people watching at home won't bother to check up on her accusation - which they could easily do with a simple google search or a visit to Randi's website.

Then she attempts to belittle him by cackling at his (quite reasonable) response and saying "here we go again..." (Part 3, 2:14), the object being to make Randi come across as a tiresome old man.

She consistently tries to evade Randi's challenge to answer "yes or no", her only explanation being "we've been down this road before" (as if she's tired of being pestered with opportunities to win a million dollars!) and that senile git Larry King lets her off the hook! He changes the subject at a crucial moment, veering off into a pointless digression - "I once interviewed the guy...what was that guy's name?" WTF?! And this is one of the few shows that will have James Randi on!

I'm sorry to rant and rave, but after watching these videos I was struck with a visceral loathing for this oily woman.

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13. Comment #19981 by scottishgeologist on January 31, 2007 at 1:31 am

Randi is wonderful. First thing I do on a Friday is visit his website. It gets the weekend off to a great start!

Just search Youtube or video.google for James Randi and you'll find some crackers. Like this:

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

Geller and Popoff getting exposed.

Just wonderful. More please! Lots more!

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14. Comment #19990 by Stewart on January 31, 2007 at 2:33 am

The kind of funny thing about all this is that while we're skeptical of the powers of psychics, what the psychics are skeptical about is that there's a million dollars actually waiting for one of them if they come through in a simple demonstration of the abilities they claim for themselves. What proof do they need of that that Randi hasn't already provided or declared himself willing to provide? In my daydream version of this latest Larry King escapade, Randi tells the cameraman to zoom out to include, sitting next to him, a bigwig from Goldman Sachs who confirms the million dollars is there and waiting for Rosemary, like Woody Allen did with Marshall McLuhan in "Annie Hall."

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15. Comment #20044 by scottishgeologist on January 31, 2007 at 6:18 am

Also, there is the fact that if a "psychic", charismatic faith healer, spoon bender, came forward and actually won the Randi challenge, unequivocally, then just think of the blow that that would strike for "mysticism", psi, religion, "spirituality" and so forth. Atheists and rationalists would have to think again! A blow for the "unknown". Reason takes a kicking!

We'd all have to say, "you know , maybe there IS something in it after all..." After all, scientific method, verifiability, testaability - hey we'd all be hung with our own rope!

Isnt it funny, isnt it just a little bit strange than none of them are prepared to strike this mortal blow? There would probably be a Nobel prize in it as well. Not to mention a major, like, REALLY MAJOR, paradigm shift in our worldview. Everyone's worldview.

But in particular if it was a faith healer that demonstrably showed their powers, then think of the impact on the unbelievers! Religion proven right! And the Christian one at that. Iraq war over - mass conversion of muzzies to xians..... Richard Dawkins seen heading to communion...


Answer of course is simple. Its all BS. And they all know it. Randi's dosh is safe!

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16. Comment #20095 by Johan on January 31, 2007 at 10:35 am

Here is a question:
why couldn't Rosemary Altea use her "psychic ability" to check if there really is a million bucks in that bank account. Perhaps Randi's dead grandfather could verify the claim from the "spirit world" . Or perhaps some dead relative of a bank employee.

Oh, what a load of codswallop!

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17. Comment #20106 by NoLongerHaveBelief on January 31, 2007 at 12:25 pm

Yeah! Dead right Johan!

Over the past few days, I've been wondering about my Atheism. [We surely all do at times?]. No longer. Thanks to this link, I'm back to rationality.

The afterlife is a myth. God is a fraud. There is no such thing as a 'psychic'. It's all just a bunch of crap.

Fear. Ignorance. Superstition. Control. Power. That's the true root of Religion, God and people like Rosemary who won't take the challenge.

If I thought I had any psychic ability, I'd have a go. It's all trash - and some people seem to be making a fine living from it.

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18. Comment #20114 by StephenH on January 31, 2007 at 1:07 pm

James Randi & Michael Shermer recorded an hour long interview last year, whilst on a boat, near Bermuda
It was broadcast on the Skepticality Podcast

http://skepticality.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=133719#

James Randi was talking about Sylvia Browne
When she actually accepted his million dollar challenge, then said that she was unable to find Randi.. just use your 'psychic' powers Sylvia, said Randi :) *nearly falling off chair*

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19. Comment #20138 by sarpulhu on January 31, 2007 at 3:03 pm

See James Randi on Anderson Cooper from a couple days ago talking more about the topic:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L9hki5Nlyo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts_To4zmEdE

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20. Comment #20158 by LBraschi on January 31, 2007 at 4:20 pm

Yes, Anderson Cooper seems a much better jounalist than Larry King.

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21. Comment #20185 by Feuerbach on January 31, 2007 at 10:14 pm

I am a software developer, and have my own business. The success of my business depends very much on the ability to do what I claim, and the reputation that develops over time, based on my history of successes. My claim is "I can build a software system that works and is testable according to the promises I make".

If I am required to back up my claims with evidence, then surely it is encumbent on a medium, mystic, or faith healer to do the same. I cannot go out and say to a client, "well, I have this power to develop software, but it doesn't always work, and if it doesn't I can't be responsible as I am not god but you still have to pay me." This is complete insanity.

These people who claim to speak with the dead are absolute phoneys. There has NEVER been one ounce of proof that a channel to another world exists, and it falls back on the reliable "matter of faith" argument. I hope Randi sticks it to these shonks and shows them up for the fake parasites they are.

If you make an outrageous claim such as speaking with dead people, and you rely on people to believe in you, then you must yourself be convinced of the evidence. If you yourself are convinced of evidence it is surely not a great stretch to convince others in a laboratory setting. Claiming it is a "special power" that only you can access is not acceptable. Once that special power reaches you it must be able to be proved by you to exist.

I find it amazing what gullible people will buy into.

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22. Comment #20192 by Shuggy on January 31, 2007 at 11:59 pm

"I'm thinking of the number right now. Go for it!"

Nice one Moopet.

Aussie, the test is whatever you and Randi can agree on that really will test your powers. EG, if you claim to get in touch with someone's dead relatives, you will be required to get in touch with a particular person A's particular dead relative B and get some information from them that only B could know (and can be checked independently). No near-misses will be allowed and no fishing. They will be very specific about the nature of the information. If you claim to bend spoons, Randi will ask "Which way?" and bending it the other way won't count. (And the spoon will be sooty, to rule out handling.)

And most important, before you start you will be required to sign a form saying you believe you can do it and conditions are propitious. In other words, you won't be allowed to say afterwards that you failed because the vibes were wrong or the skeptics cast baleful influences that prevented your powers from working. (It's amazing how many people sign the paper but say this anyway.)

I think it's a really impressive protocol, and people with real powers should welcome it, because when someone passes it will be such an impressive testimony to their powers.

I think Randi will be able to spend the interest for a long time to come.

-----
I agree that King is a nincompoop. He even spelt out J. B. R H E I N when it's Rhine.

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23. Comment #20200 by Stewart on February 1, 2007 at 2:21 am

It is sad how much people's wishful thinking controls what they believe, i.e. that so many people think it is likelier that someone is communicating with their dead relatives than that someone is falsely claiming to be communicating with their dead relatives. It's as if making a false claim is the really spectacular, never-been-heard-of, never-been-proven phenomenon, rather than having a hot line to another world.

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24. Comment #20206 by Noodly on February 1, 2007 at 3:46 am

Stewart (19990) and Johan (20095) have nailed it. If Altea doesn't know if the $1M is genuine and Goldman Sachs provide an affidavit that it is, then she is on the back foot.

The time is very close where Randi and others will challenge them openly with fraud. Randi himself got burned when he challenged Uri Geller some time ago, even though spoon bending ought to be easier to test.
However, unless you can prove deliberate deception, someone who genuinely believes they are psychic is not fraudulent.

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25. Comment #20210 by NoLongerHaveBelief on February 1, 2007 at 4:24 am

>>Comment #20185 by Feuerbach<<

Brilliant! Truly brilliant posting!

It seems Feuerbach, that ANY other area of expertise needs evidence of knowledge.

Except God, religion and mysticism! These areas are exempt, apparently.

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26. Comment #20211 by Stewart on February 1, 2007 at 4:38 am

Can we then say that by not knowing the million dollars is there, Rosemary Altea has already failed the test? Look at Randi's site and read about the people who do apply for the million but can't be tested because their claims are too vague to be testable. The big shots, who are making money from the powers they pretend to have, can't afford to do that. They know they can't get the million with proper supervision and they make too much money to risk losing it by being discredited.

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27. Comment #20216 by Noodly on February 1, 2007 at 5:31 am

What if Randi turns the challenge on its head?

Agree the same pass / fail criteria, but promise to pay the $1M if Altea fails and nothing if she passes!

If Altea is successful then she won't get Randi's $1M, but she will easily rake in much more, very quickly. If she fails then she can retire with the $1M and Randi has exposed a fake. Win-win for Altea and win for Randi (he won't doubt that she'll fail).

If I was Randi I'd prefer to lose the $1M and expose a prominent fake now rather than let it sit in a bank indefinitely.

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28. Comment #20217 by Feuerbach on February 1, 2007 at 5:35 am

<< Comment #20210 by NoLongerHaveBelief >>

The convenient argument a psychic gives is that he or she has a special power that cannot be disproved. Fair enough, but they must therefore deny any claim to having evidence of that power, for evidence is not objective, it requires ratification by at least one other person to have any right to be classified as evidence. (I'm not talking about another person holding the belief in the psychic, but a reasonable person who is convinced by scientific methods that ae repeatable). It is my contention, then, that without being able to provide evidence scientifically, that the psychic cannot be convinced in themselves of their power, therefore they are acting fraudulently. I realise I am claiming here to know another person's mind, which is another debate altogether, but their fraudulence is just as convincing to me as would be a failure to prove a claim that a person can run so fast, or jump so high - the claim is not enough and until the proof exists it is reasonable to say with high probability that their claim is false, and that they KNOW that it is just as well as I.

Ethics does not live in a vacuum - yet somehow there is a loophole in the law which allows these shonks to operate outside of the standards we set for interacting within a social and economic framework.

The people who fall for it are just as culpable in my mind, unfortunately there will always exist vultures in the world, and they will prey on the vulnerable. Then again, if someone is stupid enough to part with $700 for a 30 minute psychic session they don't deserve to keep it.

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29. Comment #20226 by Stewart on February 1, 2007 at 6:44 am

Noodly, you do see the problem in your suggestion, I trust? Randi only has one million dollars, he gives it to Altea for losing, she lives happily ever after and all the other "psychics" get away with claiming she was the only fake in bunch, feign "good riddance" and carry on fleecing the public. What, no "psychic" has ever properly been unmasked? Why waste a million on just one more? I am more impressed by a million that no one has ever succeeded in collecting, and that all the people who are supposedly best at this skill in the world refuse to be tested for it. Would you trade "proof" that one psychic is a fake for the near-certain (under the circumstances) knowledge that they all are? In other words, "one proven fake" doesn't tell me as much as "not a single proven psychic." It's not our fault that so many people refuse to get it when it's that obvious.

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30. Comment #20235 by Noodly on February 1, 2007 at 8:09 am

Stewart, I agree entirely with your comment 20226, I hadn't thought my idea through properly. It looks like it'll have to be law suits.

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31. Comment #20476 by fatatheist on February 2, 2007 at 9:53 pm

Clearly Altea doesn't want to take the challenge. I was thinking that perhaps we could shame psychics into taking the challenge by asking groups such as the cancer research or a womans shelter to publicly request them to take the challenge and donate the money, since they'll be making so much more when they prove their ability.

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32. Comment #20509 by Lionel A on February 3, 2007 at 2:25 pm

Rosemary Altea is a fake and so is Larry King! Why do I think this? Because in that second section James Randi correctly points up the silliness of Rosemary's inability to contact him WRT the challenge, 'can she not use a phone book...?' At which point Larry King comes in with a total sidetrack. Makes you wonder how much Rosemary bunged him? But of course she doesn't have to go that far because Larry King continues earning from a show which unfortunately is likely to increase its ratings with poop like this. I felt for James Randi.

This is the problem when entertainment and commercial advertising is mixed in with what should be a searching interview.

This is why I value greatly the type of broadcasting we get over here with the publicly funded BBC, although even that isn't exactly free from government interference with respect to the setting of the license fee level.

Perhaps we should have Rosemary and James on Newsnight over here with Jeremy Paxman or John Humphys in charge. Now that would be fireworks worth watching.

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33. Comment #20533 by Flavius_Josephus on February 3, 2007 at 9:31 pm

HEY, ALL THE PSYCHICS HAVE TO DO IS BREAK THE BELL CURVE WITH THEIR ANSWERS TO PROVE THEY KNOW ANYTHING ABOVE "Chance". But it doesn't happen, period.

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34. Comment #35904 by RobertlewisIR on April 29, 2007 at 8:47 am

Randi's great, isn't he? It's just too bad Larry King gave the con artists too much time to talk, instead. But if you want to see someone lay out Rosemary's game, bit by bit, Penn & Teller got a former "psychic" to sit in on one of her readings and debunk it for their Showtime show.

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35. Comment #78999 by sanjeev.mishra94 on October 15, 2007 at 6:42 pm

Randi, Randi, Randi! You are amazing!
You debunk these idiots for the nut jobs they really are!
BRAVO.

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