Psychics - Aussie skeptic says it like it is

[arthwollipot]

And of course everybody knows that all footballers are dumb meatheads who can't discourse intelligently to save their lives.

 

[TjW]

Are you saying buzz used to play rugby?

 

[lionking]

Are you saying buzz used to play rugby?

Nominated.

 

[George 152]

There are a number of Rugby players who are Rhode scholars.
And others who have doctorates in their specialities.
What, I wonder, has buzz lightyear succeeded in apart from posting in a real sceptical group ?

 

[Chris H]

This is exactly what he was trying to do Sideroxylon.

He is your classic aggressive dumb meat head footballer trying to sound as though there is more than just a few blood clots between his ears.

His tone was pure confrontational bullying, about a subject he admitted he had no experience with.

To be fair, I think he does know a little bit about it. My opinion is only based on this clip, but not everyone knows who Michael Shermer is, and he knows his website address.

Not only that, but he knows the ticket prices for Edwards show in Australia, gives a (very) brief overview of how cold reading works without mentioning it, questions why psychics never reveal useful information about the departed, and is smart enough to remember that he has already talked about his belated relatives in the media.

Not bad for an "aggressive dumb meat head footballer".

Again, nice work Fitzy.

Chris

 

[devnull]

Im sitting here wondering how the hell we got from Fitzy railing against frauds to the Hall punch........ thats some mental gymnastics right there.....

 

[lionking]

Sorry to say devnull, but I preferred your last avatar.

 

[zooterkin]

The only thing that he proves, is that some Australians are incredibly gullible.

Sadly, that does appear to be true.

 

[Mashuna]

Herein lies the difference between me and loudmouths like Fitzsimons, if I don't know, I don't pretend that I do.

This is demonstrably untrue.

 

[buzz lightyear]

To be fair, I think he does know a little bit about it. My opinion is only based on this clip, but not everyone knows who Michael Shermer is, and he knows his website address.

Not only that, but he knows the ticket prices for Edwards show in Australia, gives a (very) brief overview of how cold reading works without mentioning it, questions why psychics never reveal useful information about the departed, and is smart enough to remember that he has already talked about his belated relatives in the media.

Not bad for an "aggressive dumb meat head footballer".

Again, nice work Fitzy.

Chris

You are right Chris.

For good old Fitzy to remember all that stuff is phenomenal.
Next time I'm trying to comprehend the structure of reality I must give him a call.

 

[lionking]

Okay buzz, rather than adopting your usual tactic of ridicule, how about you give us the benefit of your take on psychics? At least Fitzsimons took a position on the matter. What about you?

 

[Sideroxylon]

You are right Chris.

For good old Fitzy to remember all that stuff is phenomenal.
Next time I'm trying to comprehend the structure of reality I must give him a call.

I lol’ed at your earlier post generalizing about footballers but you are missing/ deliberately avoiding the point of the OP, which is the fact someone in the media has dared to come out and state the obvious. In fact, Fitzsimons’ main point seems to be a call on other media figures to do the same. It doesn’t take a genius to understand that psychics are all as real as Father Christmas. To state such things in the media, however, seems to be about as taboo as exposing the truth about the man in the red suit to a class of preschoolers. Granted, there are many in the media that believe in such things but I suspect there are many who bite their tongue so as to avoid offending a viewer demographic. Fitzsimons’ “bullying” of Kotchey was rather tame stuff and what a piss-weak response he got: “I sometimes have my doubts .. but a lot of people believe”

I do wonder though what Barry Hall has to say on the subject.

 

[Brian-M]

You can listen to whoever you like lionking.

But if you get your spiritual insights from a footballer, there is a good possibility that you will not achieve nirvana in this lifetime.

Nobody's trying to get any spiritual insights from Fitzsimons, and he isn't offering any. All he's doing is speaking out against fraudulent psychics. You don't need to be a genius to do that. Your entire argument boils down to: "He's a footballer, so he's stupid."

This petty, bigoted stereotyping against footballers makes absolutely no sense. I can only wonder if your irrational viewpoint has been tainted by an unfortunate encounter with a footballer or footballers in the past.

It's strange that you continue to pigeon-hole him as a footballer when he's been a journalist for nearly twenty years. It's bizarre that you label him as a "meat-head" when he speaks four languages, has an arts degree from Sydney University majoring in government and political science, and has written eighteen best-selling books.

If it helps get your mind out of it's narrow little track, try thinking of him as a writer instead.

FitzSimons is an established author with such books as Kokoda, which recounts the numerous battles between Australian and Japanese Troops on the Kokoda track during World War II, and biographies of former Australian Labor Party leader Kim Beazley, Nick Farr-Jones, John Eales, Nancy Wake and Steve Waugh. His latest book is Tobruk, which recounts the story of the Rats of Tobruk as they fought during World War II against Italian, then later the Afrika Korps as they were led by then-General Erwin Rommell.

 

[godless dave]

I have to agree with you Buzzy on his attitude.
But the rest??
It's like saying all Australian NSW politicans are paedophiles because one is, or was a politician. Think again Buzzy before you tar everyone from one sector with the same brush.

This is buzz lightyear's style. He is a blatant troll. He was suspended for a while but I guess the admins let him back in for entertainment purposes.

 

[buzz lightyear]

."

It's strange that you continue to pigeon-hole him as a footballer when he's been a journalist for nearly twenty years. It's bizarre that you label him as a "meat-head" when he speaks four languages, has an arts degree from Sydney University majoring in government and political science, and has written eighteen best-selling books.

If it helps get your mind out of it's narrow little track, try thinking of him as a writer instead.

I hear what you are saying Brian-M.

But forgive me if I am wrong, but nowhere in your appraisal of dear old Fitzy does it mention that he has any knowledge of what I would call "the occult".

And if you want to pump the "Ive been to Uni therefore I smart" rubbish, forget it.
I also know a uni professor of languages, and the silly bugger cant even change the tyre on his car. Nice guy though.

So I'm doing as AndyD says that Fitzsimons was supposed to be doing "calling a spade a spade".

I saw a confessed uninformed, obvious bully, shooting his mouth off.

And why am I doing this?

Well once Tricky was asked " why does he reply to my posts?"

He replied " If no body did, it would give the impression that every body was in agreement with what I had said".

So, same here!

 

[tyr_13]

Why would a professor of languages need to know about tires?

Are you saying these scam artists should be given the benefit of the doubt and believed?

Your assesment of him being uninformed seems to be based on, well, nothing. He certainly did show that he knew about cold reading, and some other tricks that these 'mediums' use. What is your problem with him? That he disagrees with you?

He knows that the occult tends to be a bunch of bs, and how. How is that uniformed?

 

[Jeff Corey]

...The unfortunate thing is that these thugs are the roll model for many young people.

Roll model? Like one of these?http://www.eurobake.com/WebModules/Products/Upload/5120071148221.jpg

 

[AndyD]

But forgive me if I am wrong, but nowhere in your appraisal of dear old Fitzy does it mention that he has any knowledge of what I would call "the occult".

Apparently he knows it's bunkum, hardly a maverick idea. I think what you really meant was that he didn't demonstrate any support for what you would call "the occult".

 

[Damien Evans]

This is exactly what he was trying to do Sideroxylon.

He is your classic aggressive dumb meat head footballer trying to sound as though there is more than just a few blood clots between his ears.

His tone was pure confrontational bullying, about a subject he admitted he had no experience with.

Now, if he was discussing how to scull a dozen schooners, bash some innocient bystander, and four of you pack rape a football groupie at a motel at Coffs Harbour, I might accept that he knew what he was talking about.

Otherwise I suggest he shut the ***** up!

Peter Fitzsimons is no meathead. He is a highly respected author and journalist. People who have been in one too many scrums don't write well regarded books about WW2. Fitzsimons does. You're completely wrong about him.


I would also like to point out that Fitzsimons would have no interest in helping sunrises ratings, as his wife hosts the Today show, its direct rival.

 

[SimonD]

But if you get your spiritual insights from a footballer, there is a good possibility that you will not achieve nirvana in this lifetime.

Can you get into nirvana by making negative comments about another person? Better watch out for karma