Michael Edmonds • Apr 14, 2014 •
Advocates of the paranormal often complain that skeptics are close minded, so in the spirit of open mindedness I wondered what might be another explanation (other than chicanery or delusion) as to why mediums and psychics appear to communicate with the dearly departed through vague statements, and asking if anyone knows someone with the initials “J” or “M”. The only … Read More
Michael Edmonds • Jan 28, 2012 •
The Your Weekend insert in the Christchurch Press today contained an article listing the predictions for 2012 by several “mystics”. However, it appears that gone are the days of grand and outrageous claims (I guess these are too obvious when they prove to be wrong). Don Murray, astrologer, tells us that there is a “difficult clash of Pluto and Uranus” … Read More
Michael Edmonds • Apr 15, 2011 •
The recent arrest of Scott Guy’s brother-in-law, Ewan MacDonald for his murder has shocked most New Zealanders. It is hard to comprehend the trauma the families of these two men must be going through. This arrest comes less than two months after American “psychic” Lisa Williams is purported to have “channelled” Scott Guy in a performance in Palmerston North, claiming that the killer’s names were Mark and Joey, and … Read More
Michael Edmonds • Mar 06, 2011 •
Hot on the heels of the Ken Ring fiasco, Australian psychic Deb Webber has claimed that she predicted the Christchurch earthquake in an interview with the Herald on Sunday. This claim has already been condemned as “scaremongering” by Christchurch mayor Bob Parker and other community leaders, as well as “unhelpful” by fellow psychic, Ken Cruickshank. Given that this claim … Read More
Michael Edmonds • Nov 13, 2010 •
A while ago I was shown how to play psychic bingo. This is where you have a bingo card made up of the many different stock phrases used by psychics such as “a name beginning with M” or “sensing back problems” etc. An example of such a card can be found here. Then when one watches the performance of … Read More
Grant Jacobs • Oct 18, 2009 •
Imagine going to a doctor, asking about the treatment they're offering and getting in reply: "The treatment is implausible, it flies in the face of established science, there's no sound evidence for it, there are some studies showing it probably does nothing, but a bunch of people who think they have special powers like me think it's OK." … Read More
Grant Jacobs • Oct 11, 2009 •
Before getting back to science pieces, I'd like to join fellow sciblings Petter Griffith and Mike Kilpatrick in expressing disappointment over TVNZ's encouragement of the services of their "TV psychic" for the family of missing toddler Aisling Symes. Entertainment often plays on fantasies, asking viewers to temporarily accept some clearly fictional plot devices. There's … Read More