Merged The One - Australian TV
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I agree it was the only thing you could call a hit since it wasn't as general as most of the other guesses and I asked the same question in my review - was it a Maltese Cross? I guess we'll never know.
Interestingly, according to the show's website, Amanda's the only one not reading professionally!
Next week I'll have to tape the show since it's a pain (and a risk) to review from notes and memory. And I can't/won't d/l torrents.
Yes Richard, I can certainly believe the studio would have been very busy. They were rushing through those readings.
I'll try to go back when I have more time and go frame-by-frame to see if I can identify the pendant. I have gone back quickly to the beginning of the segment where they show all the items on the table, but I couldn't see the cross there. I'll try again.
Another question Richard - is each episode filmed on a separate day ? Is is possible the Maltese guy was sitting in the audience previously, and seen by Amanda actually wearing the cross ?
It would have been pretty easy for the psychics in this test anyway, to identify the people who had items on the table. They're the ones looking thoughtful as the psychic is going through their spiel. We saw that when one of the psychics picked out two women near each other, both of whom had items on the table.
And, of course, it's possible the items were seen by the audience while the psychic was handling them, or even figured out based on how they were being held. For instance, the comb was quite a different shape and size and must have been easy to identify.
I'll try to go back when I have more time and go frame-by-frame to see if I can identify the pendant. I have gone back quickly to the beginning of the segment where they show all the items on the table, but I couldn't see the cross there. I'll try again.
Another question Richard - is each episode filmed on a separate day ? Is is possible the Maltese guy was sitting in the audience previously, and seen by Amanda actually wearing the cross ?
It would have been pretty easy for the psychics in this test anyway, to identify the people who had items on the table. They're the ones looking thoughtful as the psychic is going through their spiel. We saw that when one of the psychics picked out two women near each other, both of whom had items on the table.
And, of course, it's possible the items were seen by the audience while the psychic was handling them, or even figured out based on how they were being held. For instance, the comb was quite a different shape and size and must have been easy to identify.
As podblack cat noted in her entertaining review of the show, Charmaine (the one who picked the two women) actually announced to the audience, before making her guesses, that she held a ring. That knocked out a fair chunk of the audience participants and the two women she picked were grinning like audience members at a cold-reading show.
I'm going to go out on a limb, here and now, and put my next prediction here where I can't edit it later.
I'm getting a sadness and feel disappointment. I'm feeling closed in. Locked, caged. I see a father figure but I'm also seeing a woman. The spirits are confused, both vibrant and sad. There's a happy man but there's disappointment. I'm getting an "E'. I see Demarco talking to angels. Again I'm getting a sense that the spirits were uncooperative under test conditions. They did an exceptional job - under the circumstances. I'm getting "middle-age" and wow! A strong female presence! They're telling me she must go. She has to go. I'm not getting a clear message but whoever she is, she is leaving next week. There's a strong ethnic presence and, damn, Demarco is messing things up with all her nodding again. Every time the guides try to tell me something, she chimes in with a comment about difficulty and success. She's impressed but she's blocking the vibe, it's all about the vibe. The vibe, I hear music. The spirits want to talk about the music. This makes no sense to me but they're pointing to the music. Over and out.
If anyone can post a Youtube of the end of episode two - the eviction segment - I'd appreciate it.
I'm going to go out on a limb, here and now, and put my next prediction here where I can't edit it later.
I'm getting a sadness and feel disappointment. I'm feeling closed in. Locked, caged. I see a father figure but I'm also seeing a woman. The spirits are confused, both vibrant and sad. There's a happy man but there's disappointment. I'm getting an "E'. I see Demarco talking to angels. Again I'm getting a sense that the spirits were uncooperative under test conditions. They did an exceptional job - under the circumstances. I'm getting "middle-age" and wow! A strong female presence! They're telling me she must go. She has to go. I'm not getting a clear message but whoever she is, she is leaving next week. There's a strong ethnic presence and, damn, Demarco is messing things up with all her nodding again. Every time the guides try to tell me something, she chimes in with a comment about difficulty and success. She's impressed but she's blocking the vibe, it's all about the vibe. The vibe, I hear music. The spirits want to talk about the music. This makes no sense to me but they're pointing to the music. Over and out.
If anyone can post a Youtube of the end of episode two - the eviction segment - I'd appreciate it.
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I rewatched Amanda with the Maltese bloke, and it is very difficult to see the cross, but from what I could see, it looked like a normal cross, certainly not what you get with a normal "google images" search of "maltese cross". So I don't understand the Maltese connection. I tried to see if he was in the audience in the previous episode, but couldn't see him.
I checked the hits and misses for him though, and got:
She said "red car", he didn't know about that. Miss.
She said "trains". He works for railways. Hit.
She said the name "mary catherine". His dead mum's name is "mary". Partial hit.
She said "pain in hands". He said he does, because he's a drummer. Hit.
She said "malta". He said his kids are half maltese. Hit
She said "takeaway food". He says he eats too much of it. Hit ?
She said "communication problems". He didn't mention that. Miss.
She said "dry throat in mornings". He didn't mention that. Miss
She said "4 oclock". He said that's when he finishes at work. Hit
She didn't say anything about his back when reading him, but then prompted him on it when speaking to him, and he admitted he had back problems. That was just weird, possibly due to editing ? Or because she knew him, and was reading for him, and forgot she didn't say back problems... I won't class that as hit or miss.
So, that totals 3.5 misses, 5.5 hits. The trains was a lucky hit, the others were very broad, except Malta was a good hit.
I checked the hits and misses for him though, and got:
She said "red car", he didn't know about that. Miss.
She said "trains". He works for railways. Hit.
She said the name "mary catherine". His dead mum's name is "mary". Partial hit.
She said "pain in hands". He said he does, because he's a drummer. Hit.
She said "malta". He said his kids are half maltese. Hit
She said "takeaway food". He says he eats too much of it. Hit ?
She said "communication problems". He didn't mention that. Miss.
She said "dry throat in mornings". He didn't mention that. Miss
She said "4 oclock". He said that's when he finishes at work. Hit
She didn't say anything about his back when reading him, but then prompted him on it when speaking to him, and he admitted he had back problems. That was just weird, possibly due to editing ? Or because she knew him, and was reading for him, and forgot she didn't say back problems... I won't class that as hit or miss.
So, that totals 3.5 misses, 5.5 hits. The trains was a lucky hit, the others were very broad, except Malta was a good hit.
Richard
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nettiemoore
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It's entirely possible the contestants saw specific people with their items. During the break between the morning and the arvo sessions Amanda was wandering out through the audience holding area to get food with her kids so there was no segregation. I think they collected the items earlier in the day but it does show the extremely slack application of "controls", despite Richard's best efforts.
However I strongly doubt it happened since the readings were all quite atrocious -- more so than the edited version shows. We remember "Malta" because it stood out so much as a relatively obscure hit amongst the obvious barnums etc. But of course as we know the cold reading hypothesis explains that better than the psychic hypothesis.
However I strongly doubt it happened since the readings were all quite atrocious -- more so than the edited version shows. We remember "Malta" because it stood out so much as a relatively obscure hit amongst the obvious barnums etc. But of course as we know the cold reading hypothesis explains that better than the psychic hypothesis.
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Richard
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why are the psychics so worried about wether they are going home or not?
Aren't they psychic, can't they sense whether they are the one eliminated or not?
Nah, sorry. I'm a complete cynic. I think you are still just plugging the show.
Statements such as "will I turn? You will have to tune in".
Posting utubes of the show ("just found [fortuitous] this on the web") when people ask.
Local reports such as this last lot, that are really just ads for the show.
Not saying anything on the show that would convince watchers you are, not only skeptical but completely gobsmacked at how wrong these people are.
You will have to do a lot better than this to convince me you are there for any other reason than 'being a part of the (paid I presume) entertainment'.
arthwollipot
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Obviously as a participant in the show, Richard's going to promote it and if he doesn't point us to public information then the only people seeing it and commenting on it will be the believers sent there by the other participants.
I'm thankful for the pointers. It saves me a lot of Googling and gives me something to blog on in regards to the show. That said, I'm equally disappointed at the lack of skepticism put to air so far. It's a whitewash for sure.
However, the Aussie skeptic community can share some blame here. I only starting blogging last week, mostly because of this very show and the fact that I could find almost no one in Australia covering it in any depth. I'm new to the idea of formal skepticism but besides my own and PodBlack's blog coverage of the show so far, I'm not aware of any other blogs covering it to any useful extent. Where are Australia's skeptics and why aren't they making a public statement against nonsense like this?
As Penn and Teller explained (well, Penn did), the thing that got their skeptical show on TV was the fact that it promised a financial return to the station. Nothing more, nothing less. We can't look to commercial TV for reason or morality (they gave us Big Brother - that should tell us all we need to know about motive). So, they have to have reason to deliver shows with a skeptical bias. One look at the poll on The One's website would show any TV exec that their best bet lies with the deluded. According to that poll, we're either seriously outnumbered or apathetic, neither of which bodes well.
Frankly, if this is the level of public support Richard's enjoyed throughout his time heading the Aust. Skeptics, I'm not surprised he's been seduced by the silly side.
So start blogging and/or writing to Channel Seven to demand better. At the very least, show strong support for people who are doing it by leaving comments on my (sorry, their) blog
http://thinkingisreal.blogspot.com/
I'm open to constructive criticism.
I'm thankful for the pointers. It saves me a lot of Googling and gives me something to blog on in regards to the show. That said, I'm equally disappointed at the lack of skepticism put to air so far. It's a whitewash for sure.
However, the Aussie skeptic community can share some blame here. I only starting blogging last week, mostly because of this very show and the fact that I could find almost no one in Australia covering it in any depth. I'm new to the idea of formal skepticism but besides my own and PodBlack's blog coverage of the show so far, I'm not aware of any other blogs covering it to any useful extent. Where are Australia's skeptics and why aren't they making a public statement against nonsense like this?
As Penn and Teller explained (well, Penn did), the thing that got their skeptical show on TV was the fact that it promised a financial return to the station. Nothing more, nothing less. We can't look to commercial TV for reason or morality (they gave us Big Brother - that should tell us all we need to know about motive). So, they have to have reason to deliver shows with a skeptical bias. One look at the poll on The One's website would show any TV exec that their best bet lies with the deluded. According to that poll, we're either seriously outnumbered or apathetic, neither of which bodes well.
Frankly, if this is the level of public support Richard's enjoyed throughout his time heading the Aust. Skeptics, I'm not surprised he's been seduced by the silly side.
So start blogging and/or writing to Channel Seven to demand better. At the very least, show strong support for people who are doing it by leaving comments on my (sorry, their) blog
http://thinkingisreal.blogspot.com/
I'm open to constructive criticism.
Well I am doing battle with those evil believers 
. Talking on the Australian show.
I am on the N.Z. Sensing Murder forum.
http://www.sensingmurder.co.nz/regfrm/viewtopic.php?t=814&start=100
Anyone lend a sceptical hand.
. Talking on the Australian show.I am on the N.Z. Sensing Murder forum.
http://www.sensingmurder.co.nz/regfrm/viewtopic.php?t=814&start=100
Anyone lend a sceptical hand.
nettiemoore
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National exposure on the 10th most show of the week vs. a couple of extra blogs read by a dozen people who already agree with you. Anyone care to predict which has the most potential benefit for our ideas?
Richard
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Me??? Never. And don't forget to tune in again on Tuesday night at 7.30pm
Here is another spot where the heroic sceptics are doing battle with those evil believers.
http://au.tv.yahoo.com/b/the-one/11/about-the-show?page=21#comments
http://au.tv.yahoo.com/b/the-one/11/about-the-show?page=21#comments
nettiemoore
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Of course I would love it if Richard got the chance to deliver, in prime time to a national audience of a couple million riveted viewers, a 60 minute monologue to camera forensically dissecting cold reading. I'd also love to spend my life snorting coke from George Clooney's naked thighs.
Ain't neither of these things going to happen. Deal.
I think people need to realise that really this has never really been done before and is only 2/5 over. You don't pull the plug on an experiment less than half the way through just because you get pouty at the results so far. What we have done a lot of before (and we should absolutely keep doing) is blogging our outrage, kvetching on forums and bitching to friends. We know the parametres of that kind of thing and what it can and can't achieve. We don't know that about this yet.
There is not only one single way to reach people and the spread the message. There are any number of different ways. You need to look at it from outside your own point of view, no one on this forum is the show's intended audience. Sure, we know all about what's going on already. We rulz. Why deny others the opportunity to get the thought planted in their heads. Just a little, nagging thought. That's all.
Worst case scenario? Just another stupid psychic show on telly, they are on every single day of the week so one more hardly makes a difference. I think its already been better than that (one line of proper scepticism on telly is better than none) and having seen the live tapings am pretty confident the harder line skeptic position only gets more represented from here.
Ain't neither of these things going to happen. Deal.
I think people need to realise that really this has never really been done before and is only 2/5 over. You don't pull the plug on an experiment less than half the way through just because you get pouty at the results so far. What we have done a lot of before (and we should absolutely keep doing) is blogging our outrage, kvetching on forums and bitching to friends. We know the parametres of that kind of thing and what it can and can't achieve. We don't know that about this yet.
There is not only one single way to reach people and the spread the message. There are any number of different ways. You need to look at it from outside your own point of view, no one on this forum is the show's intended audience. Sure, we know all about what's going on already. We rulz. Why deny others the opportunity to get the thought planted in their heads. Just a little, nagging thought. That's all.
Worst case scenario? Just another stupid psychic show on telly, they are on every single day of the week so one more hardly makes a difference. I think its already been better than that (one line of proper scepticism on telly is better than none) and having seen the live tapings am pretty confident the harder line skeptic position only gets more represented from here.
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It's not a matter of equality of coverage, it's a matter of some decent level of coverage of "our" side. It's also not about swaying closed-minded believers. The people who need to find information are the open-minded fence sitters. People who might be taking an active interest for their first time.
Six months ago I knew nothing about global warming denialism, anti-vax activism or the extent of formalised atheism going on around the world. If it wasn't for the skeptical blogosphere, I still wouldn't know. I found the information because I looked for information on pyramid scams. The rest, for me, is history.
When a show like this hits prime time, I'd assume (yes, assume) that some people are likely to go googling for information about it. I think it would be good if they find the skeptical viewpoint heavily represented, especially from Australian bloggers. Logical fallacy or not, it's much easier to sway an opinion if you've got some level of popularity on your side.
imho
Marius vanderLubbe
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Really, why is anyone expending even one calorie of brain energy even thinking about this train wreck of a show?
What do you expect from it? Reason? Logic? Ptagh!!
Good that Master Saunders is there, but I hardly think that the producers are giving, or likely to give,the voice of reason and logic that he undoutably has anything like equal time.
More like someone for the true believers to hiss at and scorn, between add breaks.
The only thing that this show informs me, is that as one astute observer noted, there is actually room beneath Big Brother.
What do you expect from it? Reason? Logic? Ptagh!!
Good that Master Saunders is there, but I hardly think that the producers are giving, or likely to give,the voice of reason and logic that he undoutably has anything like equal time.
More like someone for the true believers to hiss at and scorn, between add breaks.
The only thing that this show informs me, is that as one astute observer noted, there is actually room beneath Big Brother.