• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

The Brain

Bikewer

Penultimate Amazing
Bikewer
Joined
Sep 12, 2003
Messages
13,242
Location
St. Louis, Mo.
So, I have largely eschewed watching the History channel since they went so deeply off the rails into nonsense.
However... This morning there was NOTHING on at 10 am and I saw this segment, The Brain, which purported to be reasonably straightforward.
And much of it was...
They talked about memory, and the evolution of various areas of the brain, and people with savant-like memory abilities and also people with no memories at all...
All pretty solid stuff.
Until.... They talked about psychic abilities. They talked with a "researcher" (just one) who was conducting self-designed experiments that included guess who... John Edward.

Now... they did have a very brief (like, one sentence) comment about how "cold reading" works... But then they went into this guy's testing of Edward and his conclusion that he was in fact a psychic "medium".
Then they guy puts out that silly old idea about out "energy" continuing on out into the cosmos and maybe Edward was tapping into that..... All without any skeptical comment whatever.

The problem with these shows is that at the very same time they are presenting an actual neuroscientist who is discussing real research, and a crank with a new-age notion of "energy"... Both of which are presented as equally valid.
 
How many videos of John Edward being wrong do we need? He's not a phenomenon; he's not even a very good cold reader. How old was this documentary?
 
Bikewer

Just a little off topic (but related).

The History Channel has descended into so much bollocks in the last few years that I have joined you in declaring it a "no fly zone". After all the "Ancient Aliens", "Bible Code", "UFO Files" rubbish this once excellent educational channel now hangs its hat on, the show that really broke it for me was "America Unearthed". Never have I seen a more contrived and fabricated load of claptrap.

[shameless promo]The only benefit I derived from it was that it led me to discovering Jason Colovito's blog. For anyone skeptical of the kind of low-brow crap that the History Channel has lowered its standards to accommodate, Mr Colovito's debunking of bad archaeology and bad science is well worth reading. Someone should invite this guy to speak at TAM.[/shameless promo]
 
Why can't we just do THIS to John Edward?

an.gif
 
arthwollipot said:
Because violence is always the answer.
Click to expand...

It makes sense when you know the context. That wasn't merely violence. That was a guy who believed he had psychic powers and could beat people in combat with them. He had students who, for some reason, also believed he beat them with those powers. He accepted a challenge from a real martial artist and lost.

I suppose out-coldreading someone wouldn't be as interesting, though.
 
ehcks said:
It makes sense when you know the context. That wasn't merely violence. That was a guy who believed he had psychic powers and could beat people in combat with them.
Click to expand...


Clearly, he will not be a candidate for the Million Dollar Challenge any time soon!:D
 
ehcks said:
It makes sense when you know the context. That wasn't merely violence. That was a guy who believed he had psychic powers and could beat people in combat with them. He had students who, for some reason, also believed he beat them with those powers. He accepted a challenge from a real martial artist and lost.

I suppose out-coldreading someone wouldn't be as interesting, though.
Click to expand...
I realise that's what the gif is. What I was responding to was the suggestion that that be done to John Edward.
 
arthwollipot said:
I realise that's what the gif is. What I was responding to was the suggestion that that be done to John Edward.
Click to expand...

I'm okay with John Edward being beaten to a pulp. This is a guy who preys on people who are bereaved for money. A kick to the face is the least he deserves.
 
Last edited:
As for the History and Discovery Channels, the reason they go off the rails is because the woos outnumber the rational by a large margin. It is all about the advertising dollars.

Eyeballs.
 
I haven't heard of JE in years. I didn't think anybody still paid any attention to him.
 
G6000 said:
I'm okay with John Edward being beaten to a pulp. This is a guy who preys on people who are bereaved for money. A kick to the face is the least he deserves.
Click to expand...

I'd settle for him losing all his money and being emotionally exploited in the process. Whatever he claims his psychic powers can do, that's what should be done to him.

Okay fine, I admit it. I'd love to put all these psychics into a mixed martial arts tourney and force them to beat the crap out of each other. Round 1 can be John Edward vs. James Van Praagh. Victory by knockout or submission.
 
G6000 said:
I'm okay with John Edward being beaten to a pulp. This is a guy who preys on people who are bereaved for money. A kick to the face is the least he deserves.
Click to expand...
He was a smarmy ass. Wasn't he?
 
Last edited:
madurobob said:
How many History Channel shows do we have to watch before we realize its all ********?
Click to expand...

Not all, but a good deal of it.
Once in while they come up with a good show...like the one Monday Night on the War of 1812.....but all too much of the schedule is given over to woo driven crap.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom