Dean Radin: Why I’m not a Skeptic

Why I’m not a skeptic

No, not why I’m not skeptical, or critical-minded, because those traits are essential in science. Rather, I don’t consider myself a “skeptic,” as in a card-carrying member of a skeptical society, because most (not all) of the people I know who belong to such societies are loud, arrogant, angry, and cynical. I prefer to spend time with people who are quiet, humble, calm and hopeful.

This came to mind after reading one of Steven Novella’s blogs. In it he parrots skeptical mantras that are known to be wrong. I won’t bother to address them here because they are addressed in detail in Entangled Minds. But I will respond to two comments —> More at Radin’s Blog

I’ve got his book Entagled Minds and can’t wait to read it.

America’s Psychic Challenge (a.k.a Psychic Survivor) PART 2

The most attractive thing about America’s Psychic Challenge on Lifetime is without a doubt the competitors. When their abilities are tuned in its like the power chords in a sick ass rock riff. They look like superheros. Its truly mind blowing.

My favorites on this shows first season are Michelle Whitedove, Lynn Miller , Joseph Tittel, Jeff Baker, and Jackie Barrett.

I feel a strong connection with Lynn Miller… a physical connection because she freakin’ hot. She’s got this radiant glow about her that is very charming. Lynn was sensitive, open, caring, and powerful.. just a real woman. She comes across as a very sweet lady. She was passive aggressively nice toward her arch nemesis Jackie the Voodoo priest who was like a poison tipped, barbed dagger. Lynn did a great job the whole time she was on the show. She didn’t back down from Jackie and was very honorable in every situation. Her and Jeff Baker were eliminated in the second to last episode of season 1. Michelle & Jackie took over. (Lynn, where is your website? If you’re out there and single, comment here, please)

Michelle Whitedove was just really impressive. She was just raw talent. She got some stuff really wrong but when she was on, she was like the Chicago Bull’s 27 year old Mike Jordan going in for the slam dunk. Unstoppable and all business.

Jackie Barrett is a member of the Voodoo Spiritual Temple in New Orleans. When I first heard this I thought it was just a BS Hollywood spin. A joke. Jackie is no joke. On the show she is depicted as a sort of Sith Lord. Like Darth Jackie, or something. Although I suspect some of this is a show and great editing, she does manage to successfully psych out some of the others. I have to admit her attitude is intimidating and not at all what I’d expect from psychics. Her mind games works because the other psychics are visibly shaken by her. Is this because she is working with demons on the otherside? You’d think that was the case by the way the other psychics react to her and talk about her in the interviews. The fact of the matter is that during every challenge she is in your face like a fuckin’ rottweiler.

She has been the most consistent of all the others on the crime scenes. I think she’ll win mainly because of her MANY years of experience working cases. Each episode ends with a sort of grand finale that includes a real crime scene. This last challenge gives a lot of points to the competitor. She nails these every time and because of that I think the $100K is hers. Another guy was really good at crime scenes, Joseph Tittel, but he would misinterpret some of signals from the smaller challenges. He would consistently get stuff right but consistently change his answers which was a real shame. I really wanted him to get it.

Another psychic (Zenobia) predicted that Jackie would come out of America’s Psychic Challenge with her own show…we’ll see.

America’s Psychic Challenge (a.k.a Psychic Survivor) PART 1

I’ve been watching a show called America’s Psychic Challenge on Lifetime. It is a “reality” show where professional psychics compete on some very difficult challenges. Its a damn good show and I can’t stop watching it.

It give great insight into what the range of non-local consciousness (psychic ability) is. Some of these people are very gifted to the point where the whole show seem rigged. Although they fumble sometimes (like a train wreck) more often they focus in on a non-local signal: an emotion, an image, a sound, a smell or an event that is spatially/temporally separate from them. One consistent pattern is that they’ll get it dead on immediately, then start second guessing and mis-interpreting the signal.. the ego gets in the way.

For any serious look into non-local consciousness phenomenon, one should NOT look to America’s Psychic Challenge. It is entertainment. For serious scrutiny and fine tuning of our understanding of this amazing phenomenon, much more thought would have to be put into each “challenge” with hopes of isolating the finer points of each ability. Though the psychics are grouped together, they all have very different skill-sets and sensitivities. That detail is not explored on the show, but I think it is really important to understanding what is going on.