What's on UK TV/Radio

[JimTheBrit]

Intended as a sister thread to sadluxation's UK lectures/events postings, the following announcements will notify UK JREFers of fact-based, terrestrial television programmes featuring paranormal fakery and foolishness.

Your starter for 10:

Tuesday 10th June
BBC2 9pm-10pm
Talking To The Dead - Everyman
An investigation into whether mediums really can talk to the dead, following bereaved people who've lost parents, partners or children as they try to contact their loved ones with the help of Britain's most respected psychics.
(Source: http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/)
This programme is likely to feature Tony Youens from the Association for Skeptical Enquiry

[sadluxation]

I'll be the first person to add to this thread.

The current convener of Skeptics in the Pub (http://www.skeptic.org.uk/pub) London, has his own spot on Resonance FM (http://www.resonancefm.com/listings/20030615.html) on Sundays.

You can listen to it online if you are outside the London area.

S

[JimTheBrit]

I look forward to this with some trepidation:

Thursday 19th June
Five 8.30pm-10pm
Are You Telepathic?
Carol Vorderman and Charlie Stayt present a live programme that tests the phenomenon of telepathy. Celebrity telepaths, including Toyah Willcox and Gloria Hunniford, recall their own paranormal experiences, and members of the public take part in some intriguing experiments.
(Source: http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/)
Website: http://www.five.tv/telepathic/

[JimTheBrit]

They're nothing to do with the paranormal but the following radio programmes may be of interest to some here:

Saturday 28th June
Radio 4 8pm-9pm
The Archive Hour - How True?
At the end of the 19th century, sound recording gave the world a new resource of immense historical importance; the evidence of authentic witness - or did it? The BBC has a handful of recordings of Gladstone, but each is strangely different. Oscar Wilde, Queen Victoria and Henry Irving are all in the archive, but are these recordings actually them? Sean Street, Professor of Radio at Bournemouth University, investigates these distant voices - and some more recent such as Churchill's - revealing how true they are, how we know and if it matters anyway. He questions too if, in our increasingly virtual world, authenticity is possible at all.
(Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/)

Monday 30th June
Radio 4 11am-11.30am
Think About It
2/3. Ian Peacock puts some great modern day thinkers to the test in a mission to come up with a title for his programme.

He talks to a Chess Grand Master about strategic thinking, brainstorms with an advertising creative team, mind maps with a brain guru and even meditates with a Buddhist in a bid to come up with the title.

Along the way he discovers how different people think, and whether you can teach someone a new thinking style. Or is the answer to thinking through a problem to not think at all?
(Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/)
The first prog is archived at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/thinkaboutit.shtml

A reminder that the following series is highly recommended:

A History of Human Folly
Archived here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/history_of_folly.shtml

[Supercharts]

Late last night (early this AM) I caught episode 3 of Tiping the Velvet. What's the title mean and why did the main character have what appears to be a cut on her face?
Thanks.

[JimTheBrit]

Thursay 24th July
BBC2 1am-1.50am
Does Science Matter?
Many British people don't appear to know that the Earth goes round the Sun. Does this scientific ignorance really matter?

Friday 25th July
BBC2 2.30am-3am
The Search for Reality
Albert Einstein didn't get everything right - his rejection of quantum physics meant he failed to appreciate the basis of reality.

(Source for both programmes: http://www.open2.net/home/)

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 27th July
BBC1 8pm - 9pm
Steve Leonard's Search For The Loch Ness Monster
Steve Leonard leaves no stone unturned in his hunt for Nessie, and travels to the wetlands of northern Australia to test the awesome bite of the monster's closest living relative, the Australian saltwater crocodile.
(Source: Radio Times (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/))

Taken from a small article in the current Radio Times magazine ...
"But if there's no monster, why have there been so many sightings? The programme's explanation lies in the power of suggestion and, more scientifically, on human perception. "We show why the monster is there ... in people's minds. You won't stop people believing in it, and I don't want to."

Also, from the radio archives ...

Britain's X Files
Radio 4 archive
In the post War years, RAF pilots and navigators began to report sightings of unidentified flying objects over the UK. The air crew were trained and rational observers, and their testimony was sounding alarm bells among military chiefs.
Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/xfiles.shtml
(RealPlayer needed)

[JimTheBrit]

But wait! There's more ...

Thursday 31st July
BBC1 8.30pm-9pm
UK's Worst ... Quacks?
"Instead of Nick Knowles accosting the dodgy dealers, we now have former Tomorrow's World presenter Howard Stableford. This week he doorsteps what the programme suggests are the country's most dangerous doctors. So we meet a witch doctor who claims he can cure cerebral palsy - at a cost of thousands of pounds - using an invisible medicine; an unqualified back specialist who left one patient unable to walk for five months; and a spiritual healer who claims to be able to cure cancer."
Extract from current 'Radio Times' magazine article.

Beyond Belief
Radio 4 archive
A previously aired series that includes discussions on the existence of angels (with Professor Chris French), creationism and the power of prayer.
Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/beyond_belief/archive.shtml

[JimTheBrit]

Friday 25th July
Radio 4 11pm-11.30pm
Off the Page - Superstition
Matthew Parris invites sportswriter George Dobell, journalist Lilian Pizzichini and soul singer Tony Cassidy to confess and discuss some of their more absurd beliefs.
(Source: Radio 4 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/whatson/prog_parse.cgi?FILENAME=20030725/20030725_2300_49700_11934_30))

[JimTheBrit]

Tuesday 29th July
Channel 4 4:05am - 5:05am
Back from the Dead
The Druze believe that at the point of death, they are reincarnated into the bodies of new-born babies. To outsiders, this may sound like quaint religious fantasy, but could it be provable fact?
(Source: Channel 4 (http://www.channel4.com/listings/C4/index.jsp?offset=1&position=1&startHour=23))

Also ...

Coming soon! (http://www.standroom.com/shows/psychic.html) (Thanks to Fid & wthrman for the link)

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 4th August
BBC2 7.30pm-8pm
Design Rules
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen offers practical advice and tips to create ordered and balanced rooms.

At the beginning of the 21st century most of us continue to lead very busy lives and our homes have taken on the role of providing spiritual nourishment away from the whirlwind of demands placed upon us by the outside world.

Why do human beings prefer symmetrical arrangements? Psychologists interpret this as a recreation of our own physical symmetry, it is said that we all prefer symmetrical faces because it indicates a healthy diet and strong genes. What are the principal focal points within a room and how should they be used to best effect?

Llewelyn-Bowen applies ancient rules of design that use focal points as energy lines within a room.
Source: BBC2 schedule listings (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/listings/programme.shtml?day=monday&service_id=4224&filename=20030804/20030804_1930_4224_59937_30)

----ok, ok so this one was a complete dud - it was that last paragraph that caught my attention. Energy lines my *rse.----

***Did anyone record the programme on the Druze and reincarnation (see above post)? I missed it - has anyone got a copy they could lend me for a short time? If so, please pm me***

[JimTheBrit]

Thursday 7th August
BBC1 2am - 3am
Steve Leonard's Search For The Loch Ness Monster

*REPEAT* - see above post for details on prog

Thursday 7th August
Radio 4 (FM only) 3pm - 3.28pm
Check Up
Homeopathy is a popular therapy in the UK; one in five of us have consulted a practitioner, and the associated industry is booming. We spend £25 million a year on homeopathic remedies, with sales increasing by 20% each year.

Homeopathy works on the old adage 'like cures like', so an ailment is treated with a very dilute solution of a substance that produces the same symptoms. Devotees have found homeopathy particularly effective in treating diverse conditions such as allergies, flu, irritable bowel syndrome, phobias, sports injuries and emotional problems.

Barbara Myers will be joined by GP and homeopath, Dr Kathy Ryan, to answer all your questions. Call with your questions or comments on 08700-100-400 [national rates].
Source: Radio 4 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/whatson/search/daylist.cgi?tmp=whatson/sdk/radio4/daylist_radio4.tmpl&service_id=49700&day=Thursday)
Email is: checkup@bbc.co.uk

**Update: This program has been archived on the Radio 4 web site. Listen to it again by clicking the link here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/checkup.shtml).
Realplayer needed.**

[JimTheBrit]

Saturday 9th August
Channel 4 2.30am - 3.25am
Do You Believe in Magic?
Episode 1/3: The Devil's Work
This three-part series traces the history of the supernatural in this country. From its dominance in pagan Britain right up to its widespread acceptance into 21st century life, a belief in magic has stubbornly persisted despite the best efforts of science, religion, technology, rationalism and materialism ... more
Website & source: Channel 4 - History of the Supernatural (http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/D/do_you_believe_in_magic/index.html)

The Miracle Men
Radio 4 archive
Dr Raj Persaud travels to Lourdes to meet members of the medical bureau there whose task it is to scientifically investigate if a pilgrim has been cured by divine intervention.
Website & source: Radio 4 - The Miracle Men (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/atoz/miracle_men.shtml)
(Realplayer needed)

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 10th August
BBC1 8pm - 9pm
Earth Ride
Did you know that you've probably been sharing your tap water with a dinosaur? This and other amazing facts are revealed in a fascinating documentary following this most precious of resources on its never-ending cycle around our planet. Combining hi-tech graphics with wildlife film, viewers are taken on an exhilarating armchair ride that encompasses humpback whales, rainforests, volcanoes, glaciers and tornadoes. Narrated by Bill Odie.
(Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/))

I include this only because it may help put claims of water memory in some kind of perspective.

[JimTheBrit]

Thursday 14th August
ITV1 Carleton Central 7.30pm - 8pm
*Note that other regions may vary*
Campaign Week: Maresa's New World
Born with cerebral palsy, Maresa MacKeith has severe difficulties controlling her movements and is unable to speak. Experts said she was unable to understand most of what was going on around her. But she has learned to communicate using a spelling board and a system called "facilitated communication". Now she's awaiting her A-Level results and is aiming for a place at university.
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/)

**Of all the television programmes on quackery I have seen, this was by far the most shocking example of people discarding their common sense for the need to believe. On screen, the self deception was obvious, clumsy and would have been comical if it were not for the fact that the facilitated communications system was being presented as a serious, successful therapy. A very, very upsetting programme in my opinion. I have it recorded and will be keeping it. If you wish to borrow it for a period, please pm me.**

[b]Saturday 16th August
Channel 4 2.45am - 3.45am
Do You Believe in Magic?
Episode 2/3:The Triumph of Reason
The second episode of this series exploring man's eternal search for an explanation for life charts the impact of industrialisation and rationalism on our belief in the supernatural.
Source: Channel 4 schedule (http://www.channel4.com/listings/C4/index.jsp?offset=3&position=3&startHour=23)

*See above post for more details*

Tuesday 19th August
Five 8pm - 9pm
The Search for Atlantis
Documentary about the ongoing fascination with the fabled city first described by Greek philosopher Plato. The quest to find out whether Atlantis ever really existed has interested the likes of Christopher Columbus and Adolf Hitler, and continues to be the subject of research today.
Source: Five web site (www.five.tv)

[JimTheBrit]

Saturday 16th August
Channel 4 8.15pm - 9pm
Witness: Maidens of the Lost Ark
When Jesus returns to earth he will move into a fully furnished house in Bedford - the original site of the Garden of Eden and the only place to remain untouched by the Apocalypse. This is the future according to the Panacea Society, a small, wealthy, idiosyncratic religion based upon the writings and prophecies of 18th-century mystic Joanna Southcott. Although traditionally secretive and enigmatic, the organisation has opened its doors for the first time to allow a glimpse of its beliefs and practices in this fascinating film, the second in a series of three Witness documentaries focusing on spiritual topics.
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/)

Just for kicks, Uri Geller will be starring in Stars in Their Eyes - I'm a Celebrity ... Special on ITV on the same day, 9.15pm - 10.15pm

OK, here's The Big 'Un ... (Thanks to Paul Mundy for the heads up (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25220))

Saturday 23rd August
Channel 4 8pm - 11.35pm
Psychic Night

8pm - 9pm
Living with the Dead
Kicking off an evening of programmes looking at the growing fascination with psychic phenomena. There has been a spectacular increase in the number of people visiting psychics, and the trend reached a high point when a pay-per-view channel in the US screened an attempt to contact Princess Diana.

9pm - 10.30pm
Ultimate Psychic Challenge
A leading psychic is put to the test in front of a live studio audience under the scrutiny of a renowned sceptic. Keith Charles, known as the psychic detective, and James Randi, who travels around the US exposing evangelists and psychics, attempt to lay each other's arguments to rest with the studio audience casting the final verdict.

10.30pm - 11.35pm
Top Ten Ways to Contact the Dead
An etiquette guide to contacting the dead including a look at some of the methods of the psychic world covering everything from seances to Ouija boards. For three dollars a word you can use Afterlife Telegrams where a terminally ill courier will memorise your message. Some of the famous names regularly contacted are Louis XIV, Fred Astaire and of course, Elvis.

All sources: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/)

[ChrisH]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JimTheBrit
OK, here's The Big 'Un ... (Thanks to Paul Mundy for the heads up (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25220))

[b]Saturday 23rd August
Channel 4 8pm - 11.35pm
Psychic Night

9pm - 10.30pm
Ultimate Psychic Challenge
A leading psychic is put to the test in front of a live studio audience under the scrutiny of a renowned sceptic. Keith Charles, known as the psychic detective, and James Randi, who travels around the US exposing evangelists and psychics, attempt to lay each other's arguments to rest with the studio audience casting the final verdict.

This program can be seen on Discovery Channel this Sunday, 17th August, at 21:00

[sadluxation]

Times Review (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-7-773587,00.html)

[JimTheBrit]

If you're really stuck for something to watch on Sunday ...

Sunday 24th August
Channel 4 11.10pm - 12.15 am
On Holiday with ... the Gellers
Fly-on-the-wall documentary which follows paranormalist Uri Geller on holiday in Croatia with his family. Naturally his holidays also include trying out his powers on the cathedral clock in Spit, and messing with a ship's compass on a ferry trip to Hvar.
Source: Radio Times (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/)

Essential listening:

Thursday 28th August
BBC Radio 4 8.00pm - 8.30pm
It's My Story: The Indian Sceptic
Mr Premanand is a fanatical rationalist whose mission is to expose charlatans and to rid India of the superstition blighting the country. Tanya Datta joins Mr Premanand as he investigates a faith healer, tries out meditation under a pyramid and witnesses a statue growing hair.

Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)
Also Randi on Premanand (http://www.randi.org/jr/050302.html), Indian Skeptics web page (http://www.indian-skeptic.org/html/index.html)
Edited to add: Radio 4 'It's My Story' web site (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/itsmystory.shtml)

[JimTheBrit]

Saturday 23rd August
Channel 4 3am - 4am
Do You Believe in Magic?
Episode 3/3: The Flight of Reason
The third and final episode in the series exploring man's eternal search for the meaning of life charts the continuing importance the supernatural has in our lives today.
Source: Channel 4 schedule (http://www.channel4.com/listings/C4/index.jsp?offset=1&position=1&startHour=23)

[JimTheBrit]

Saturday 30th August
Channel 4 7.15pm - 8pm
Witness: Jesus Comes to London
According to his followers, 42-year-old Russian ex-traffic policeman Sergei Torop, also known as Vissarion or the Teacher, is the Messiah returned to earth. Over 4,000 of his followers share a Spartan existence with him in the remote Siberian town of Petropavlovka, where they believe the new Jerusalem will be built. But Vissarion's ambition extends further than Russia, and he is now on a mission to win hearts and minds in London. Witness films the self-proclaimed prophet - surrounded by disciples and dressed in flowing robes - as he spreads his distinctive gospel.
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Thursday 11th September
Radio 4 4.30pm - 5pm
The Material World
Can science explain everything? That's a question that has been getting the curious into trouble since the time of Galileo. Are there ways in which subjects such as telepathy, out-of-body experiences and spirituality could become valid science? Quentin Cooper chairs a discussion at the British Association Science Festival in Salford.
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 7th September
BBC1 10am - 11am
The Heaven and Earth Show
As the show celebrates its fifth anniversary there's a look at belief in the 21st century. Astrologer Jonathan Cainer, theologian Robert Beckford and ex-Secular Society president Barbara Smoker discuss the results of a specially commisioned poll with Ross Kelly and Phillipa Forrester.
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 14th September
Five 8pm - 9pm
Psychic!
Alistair Cook, claiming to be one of the country's leading psychics, appears to demonstrate an amazing array of skills to members of the public. These include bending spoons, telekinesis, communing with the dead, and taking photos of spirits. But is everything what it seems to be?

Friday 19th September
Five 8.30pm - 9pm
Secrets of the Psychics: Revealed!
With psychics enjoying a renaissance in 21st-century Britain, the magician Alistair Cook sets out to uncover the truth behind their claims. Do they really have paranormal powers or is it just plain trickery?

Source for both: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

Edited to add: The May 2nd 2003 edition of Swift (http://www.randi.org/jr/050203.html) contains remarks by Jamy Ian Swiss regarding the second of these two programmes.

[UKBoy1977]

Regarding the previous post, that link to Swift with Jamy Ian Swiss is NOT related to the second of those programmes. He is talking about an American programme (which I saw recently) which is not the same as the one that will be shown on Friday featuring Alistair Cook. The two programmes just happen to have the same name.

[JimTheBrit]

Thanks for the correction, UKBoy - the title was listed incorrectly in the Radio Times and I asssumed they were one and the same programme :/

Wednesday 24th September
Channel 4 8pm - 9pm
Other People's Houses
In tonight's episode, Naomi takes a look at the outrageous things people are doing with flat conversions, and observes the transformation of interior designer and Feng Shui expert Leigh's home.
Source: Channel 4 web site (http://www.channel4.co.uk/)

Friday 26th September
Five 8.30pm - 9pm
Psychic Secrets Revealed
See above post for more details.

[JimTheBrit]

Wednesday 1st October
Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm
Ask The Experts
A look at how modern research can combine Western science with indigenous traditions. 1: Sue Armstrong travels to India to visit a state-of-the-art hospital where traditional Ayurvedic doctors work with modern medical specialists towards a holistic health care.
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

Thursday 2nd October
Channel 4 2.25am - 3.25am
Top Ten Ways To Contact The Dead

Thursday 2nd October
Channel 4 3.30am - 4.30am
Living With The Dead
Both programmes are repeats from Channel 4's 'Psychic Night' - see the relevant post above for more details.

Friday 3rd October
Five 8.30pm - 9pm
Psychic Secrets Revealed
Continuing series - see relevant post above for more details.

Quote of the week, from The Daily Mail Weekend magazine, Saturday 27th September:
"ONE TO MISS! Psychic Secrets Revealed.
Some people spoil all the fun - why do so many 'secrets' have to be revealed? Can't entertainment shows be enjoyed in the way they were intended without so-called 'experts' picking over the ins and outs of what goes on? Where's the enjoyment in that? Some things are best left unknown."

Brief mentions:
Tues 30 Sep BBC2 8pm-8.30pm Escape to the Country - presenter Nick Page finds a new house for a clairvoyant.
Fri 3 Oct C4 4.30pm-5pm Home from Home - American friends visit Glastonbury and have their auras read and fortunes told.

[davidhorman]

Tuesday 7th October
Channel 4 10pm - 10:30pm
A Very British UFO Hoax
Documentary following a team of experts as they prepared to build a UFO and fly it over the English countryside. The hoax took place one summer evening earlier this year when, after several technical hitches, the team launched a 25-foot flying saucer through the skies above Avebury in Wiltshire. This programme follows the entire process and asks questions about witness testimony, beliefs in UFOs and media reporting.

[JimTheBrit]

Friday 10th October
Five 8.30pm - 9pm

Friday 17th October
Five 8.30pm - 9pm

Psychic Secrets Revealed
Continuing series - see relevant post above for more details.

The following may be interesting .....
Tuesday 14th October
Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm
All in the Mind
Dr Raj Persaud grapples with memory and tries to answer the mystery of recollection. How do we know what we remember is what really happened? Just how far can memories be suggested and what impact does childhood trauma have on our brains?
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)
Web site: All in the Mind (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/allinthemind.shtml)

[davidhorman]

TONIGHT
10pm - 10:30pm
Incredible stories

Looks like a sceptical "investigation" into myths and legends - all I know about tonight is that it promises the truth about vampires.

Next week's episode is about The Curse of Tutankhamun.

David

[Peter Jenkins]

12th Oct

Channel 5 - 8pm
'The greatest magic tricks in the universe'

Includes performance(s?) by Penn and Teller

P

[davidhorman]

Thursday 23rd October
BBC2, 9pm
Does Prayer Work?

"Film investigating the biggest multifaith study in to the power of prayer ever undertaken. Over the past three years, hospitals all over America and prayer groups throughout the worldhave been taking part in scientific studies."

Notable quotes from the trailer:

"We expected 1 in 3 to die. The death rate was three percent."

There was another one that I can't remember, but the way it was said made it sound like an excuse for a bad showing on the side of prayer - something about these patients have been prepared for their death by the prayer.

David

[JimTheBrit]

Wednesday 22nd October
Channel 4 3.35am - 3.50 am
Abductees
People who believe they have been abducted by UFOs relive their experiences during regression hypnosis.
Source: Channel 4 (http://www.channel4.co.uk)

Friday 24th October
Five 8.30pm - 9pm
Psychic Secrets Revealed
Last in series.

Friday 24th October
ITV1 10pm - 10.30pm
Incredible Stories
The third in the series re-examining myths and legends focuses on the alleged sightings of the Bigfoot in the backwoods of North America. Is there really something out there?
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.channel4.co.uk)

Brief mentions:
Fri 17 Oct Five 7.30pm-8pm Mission to the Deep - Explorers search for the remains of the ghostship 'Marie Celeste'.
Tues 21 Oct ITV1 10.30am-12.30pm This Morning - interview with healer and psychic Matthew Manning (indications are this will be between 10.30am and 11am)
Fri 24 Oct Mother Teresa: the Saint Making Business - Focuses on the upsurge in the awarding of sainthood. Promises to touch on the proving of miracles.

[davidhorman]

I work at a TV station (Channel Television, it covers the Channel Islands) and one our news items today is about a blind psychic called Sharon Neil. Not that anyone besides me or Stig will see it, but it's still British TV ;)

But just in case, it'll be in the Lunchtime News which is at about 12.45pm.

David

[mummymonkey]

Originally posted by davidhorman
I work at a TV station (Channel Television, it covers the Channel Islands) and one our news items today is about a blind psychic called Sharon Neil.
Think of the money she'll save on dog food.

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 3rd November
Radio 4 8pm - 8.30pm
The New X-Files
Gerry Northam follows his report last year on unexplained sightings in the skies during the postwar years, updating the story with more stories from secret government files.
Source: Radio 4 web site (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/)
Last year's report - Britain's X Files - is still archived on the Radio 4 web site and can be found here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/xfiles.shtml).

Thursday 6th November
BBC2 9pm - 10pm
Everyman - Does Healing Work?
The concept of faith healing comes under scrutiny in the last of three films as healer Maureen Ramm treats three patients suffering from chronic illnesses that medical science has been unable to cure. Meanwhile, their GP visits a healer who claims to have rid himself of cancer. Is there any truth to the claims that spiritual healers can stimulate the body's natural healing process by the laying on of hands?
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

Brief mentions:
Mon 3 Nov Ch4 4.35am-5.20am Jesus Comes to London - repeat, see relevant post above for more details
Tues 4 Nov Ch4 9pm-10pm Wife Swap - spiritual healer swaps homes with ex-miner. (Repeated Thurs 6 Nov 11.15pm-12.20am)

*Does anyone know what happened to last Friday's 'Incredible Stories' programme?*

[tim]

bump

[JimTheBrit]

Thursday 20th November
BBC2 9pm - 9.50pm
Horizon: Bible Code
American journalist-turned-author Michael Drosnin claims he can predict the future using a 3,000-year-old code hidden within the Bible. With professed scientific backing from a theoretical mathematician, Drosnin believes that Armageddon could take place in 2006, while in 1994 he accurately predicted the assassination of Israeli Prime Minster Yitzak Rabin, a year before it happened. Could he have stumbled upon one of the most important discoveries ever made? Horizon puts the Bible Code to the test.

Also of interest....?
Friday 21st November
BBC2 9pm - 9.50pm
Britain's Greatest Hoax - Timewatch
Timewatch turns its attention to a historical whodunnit. Piltdown man was possibly the most famous scientific hoax in British history, but it's still not clear who was responsible. In 1912 the fossilised skull of an early human was supposedly retrieved from a Sussex gravel pit. It was hailed by experts at the Natural History Museum as the missing link between apes and humans, but 41 years later it was revealed as a fake. Was Charles Dawson, who dug up the skull, up to skull-duggery? Or was he the victim of an elaborate practical joke?
On the 50th anniversary of the fraud's exposure, Timewatch reopens the case and tries to track down the culprit. Suspects include sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes. But the programme also uncovers evidence of infighting at the Natural History Museum that may have been behind the fake.

Sources of both above: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

Brief mentions
Sun 16 Nov BBC1 10am-11am Heaven & Earth Show - includes investigation of Pentacostalism. Expect divine healing, prophecy and speaking in tongues.
Sun 16 Nov BBC2 9pm-10.20pm Louis, Martin and Michael - Louis Theroux seeks Michael Jackson, meets Uri Geller
Tues 18 Nov BBC1 2.30am-3am Auction Man - Valuation of a haunted house

For anyone with cable or digital, the Discovery Channel (Sky 551,NTL 500/130,Telewest 212) is repeating the 'Extraordinary People' series. On Tuesday 18th Nov, the episode 'The Man Who Paints The Future' (about David Mandell) will be shown, 8pm - 8.30pm.
'Jane Goldman Investigates' might also be worth watching (?). Living Channel (Sky 112, NTL 401/111, Telewest 129) Tuesday 18th Nov 10pm - 11pm. This week's episode: clairvoyance.

[JimTheBrit]

Saturday 22nd November
Radio 4 3.30pm - 4pm
Three Decades of Personal Transformation (Part 1)
Thirty years ago in California, a new crash course in group psychology emerged. In huge hotel meeting rooms, charismatic motivators urged participants in their hundreds to get rid of the 'rackets' in their heads. Fortunes were made, people were saved, and scandals ruined lives.
Three decades later, these forum meetings still go on in Britain, though their methods have been refined. In the first of a two part investigation, Jenni Mills travels to California to find the truth behind the sensational headlines about the Human Potential Movement.
Source: Radio 4 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/)

Saturday 22nd November
Five 8.10pm - 9.10pm
Loch Ness Monster: The Search for Truth
Documentary following a 10-day expedition last spring by a team of Swedish crypto-zoologists looking for the Loch Ness monster with new state-of-the-art sonar equipment.
Source: Five (http://www.five.tv/)

Sunday 23rd November
BBC2 9pm - 10.30pm
The Kennedy Assassination: beyond Conspiracy
No event in recent times has consumed conspiracy theorists more than the shooting of President John F Kennedy 40 years ago. Because no matter how many times the details of that day and those that followed are picked over, the assassination of JFK continues to perplex.
There are so many question marks over the evidence, the autopsy reports and whether or not Lee Harvey Oswald was a lone assassin or whether there were other gunmen in Dealey Plaza that day, that no none has been able to offer the definitive account of events.
So this documentary, for which there was no preview tape at the time of writing, makes a very big claim indeed. According to its publicity material, it aims "to close the case in the minds of virtually everyone who watches", and says it is "as close as anyone will come to being in Dealey Plaza on 22 November 1963." Whether or not that's true, it sounds as if it should be essential viewing.
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/)

Brief Mentions
Sun 23 Nov ITV 5pm-5.30pm Our House - spiritualist contacts previous resident at Hatton Park, Warwickshire
Tues 25 Nov Radio4 9.30am-9.45am Blood is Thicker Than Water - in Japan, blood groups used by the young to analyse personality

[JimTheBrit]

Saturday 29th November
Radio 4 3.30pm - 4pm
Three Decades of Personal Transformation (Part 2)
Jenni Mills concludes her investigation into mass group therapy organisations by focusing on the British end of the business and looking at why so many 20-year-olds are signing up. She also persists in her efforts to see for herself what happens at one of these forum meetings.

Monday 1st December
Radio 4 8pm - 8.30pm
The Long Search -
William Dalrymple investigates the roots of spirituality in Britain. 2: God and the Air-Pump. Dalrymple gets to grips with a 17th-century piece of experimental machinery and assesses the impact of the New Science on the belief in fairies, the philosopher's stone and a miracle-working God.

Tuesday 2nd December
Radio 4 (FM only) 11am - 11.30am
The Lab and the Mosque
In Western eyes, science and religion don't mix. But Muslims see no contradiction in a belief system that embraces both science and religion. Zia Sardar visits the Islamic Al-Azhar University in Cairo to investigate the practical and philosophical links between science and Islam.

Friday 5th December
Radio 4 2.15pm - 3pm
Afternoon Play: The Confessions of Nostradamus
A new play by Tony Coult, starring Michael maloney and Rula Lenska. Born 500 years ago in December 1503, Nostradamus lived in dangerous times. He was hounded by the inquisition, especially when rumours circulated that he could cure the plague. Somehow, he had to protect himself and his family.

Source for all above: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

[tim]

Friday 5th December
Radio 4 2.15pm - 3pm
Afternoon Play: The Confessions of Nostradamus
A new play by Tony Coult, starring Michael maloney and Rula Lenska. Born 500 years ago in December 1503, Nostradamus lived in dangerous times. He was hounded by the inquisition, especially when rumours circulated that he could cure the plague. Somehow, he had to protect himself and his family.


For those interested in Nostradamus, Mr Randi's book on the subject is well worth a look.

[JimTheBrit]

Of interest ... ?
Tuesday 9th December
Radio 4 11am - 11.30am
Mind Changers
New Series. As the science of psychology developed during the 20th century, our understanding of human behaviour improved. Certain landmark experiments dramatically increased our knowledge, changing forever our perception of the human mind. In the first programme, Claudia Hammond revisits the conformity experiment conducted by American social psychologist, Solomon Ash.
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

Also ...
Wednesday 10th December
Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm
Acting on Instinct
The phone rings, you answer it and it's the very person you were thinking about. You start staring at the back of a fellow commuter on the railway platform and they turn around as if they could feel your gaze. These are two of the most common examples of sixth sense or, depending on your point of view, two examples of pure coincidence. The problem with all this intuition lark for scientists is that there remains no indisputable truth. Rational listeners will be siding with the highly sceptical Professor Steven Rose, who explains that sixth sense simply cannot be recognised as fact. But, the range of true stories told here really changes preconceptions. Take the consultant clinical psychologist Elie Godsi, for example. He unashamedly admits to using his intuition to help treat patients. And then there's the presenter, Chris Yates, who was so sure he was going to catch a giant carp that he wrote to his brother telling him so before he landed the 5 1/2lb monster. I just know you'll have to listen.
Review by Jane Anderson, source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

Tuesday 16th December
BBC 2 1am - 1.30am
Ever Wondered?
Toyah Wilcox finds out what reading horoscopes says about human behaviour while Katharine Merry explores the world of astronomy.
Source: Open University TV (http://www.open2.net/home2/programmes.html)

From beonscreen.com:
"New horoscope based magazine show

Do you want help understanding your relationships and solving your problems?

We are looking for interesting people to appear on a new live horoscope based show that helps you find answers using astrology."

Any takers?



Nah, didn't think so ;)

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 22nd December
Radio 4 8pm - 8.30pm
The Long Search
William Dalrymple investigates the roots of spirituality in Britain. 5: Apes, Angels and Apparitions. Darwin's The Origin of Species contributed to a general crisis of faith in Victorian Britain. William Dalrymple finds out how the Victorians turned to both technology and the seance to answer the question that dominated their age - are we apes, angels or apparitions?
Web site: The Long Search (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/search/)

Wednesday 24th December
Radio 4 11am - 11.30am
Christmas Spirits
On a Christmas evening 50 years ago, a group of people gathered together in a Middlesbrough sitting room for their weekly spiritualist circle. They'd kept written records of who came into their midst and what they said. But that night, they had something new in the room: an early tape recorder ...
(This programme will be repeated on Thursday 1st January at 4.30pm)

Also of interest ... ?
Tuesday 23rd December
Radio 4 11am - 11.30am
Mind Changers
Part 3: Sir Frederic Bartlett and The War of the Ghosts. In this final programme Claudia Hammond focuses on the Chinese whispers experiment by the pioneering British psychologist Sir Frederic Bartlett.
Web site: Mind Changers (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/mindchangers.shtml)

Brief mentions:
Tues 15 Dec BBC1 3.25am-4.55am The Kennedy Assassination: Beyond Conspiracy - repeat, see relevant post on previous page for more info.
Sun 28 Dec BBC2 9am-9.45am Millennium: a Thousand Years of History - Episode 7/10. In Europe during the 1600s, science becomes a new route to gaining power.

Source for all above: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 5th January through to Friday 9th January
ITV1 10.30am - 12.30 pm
This Morning
Every day this week, at 12 noon, the programme will run a segment called 'Experience the Paranormal'.
Monday: psychic Susan King.
Tuesday: haunted locations around the UK.
Wednesday: fortune telling.
Thursday: premonitions and dreams.
Friday: past-life regression.
Source: ITV Web site (http://www.itv.com/)

Tuesday 6th January
Radio 4 9.30am - 9.45am
I Should Be So Lucky
3/5: Martin Plimmer looks at the nature of luck. Do we possess the psycho-kinetic power to influence the roll of a die?
Source: Radio 4 Web site (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/index.shtml?logo)

Friday 9th January
BBC2 9pm - 9.50pm
Britain's X-Files - Timewatch
1/5. The history strand returns with a look into the UFO phenomenon in Britain since the 1950's, when alleged sightings began and Clement Atlee formed the Flying Saucer Working Party. The documentary recalls how UFO's became a symbol of the communist threat during the cold war and - with access to previously secret files - show how paranoia over these mysterious vessels struck at the heart of the political, military and royal establishments.
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

Brief mentions:
Wed 7 Jan Ch4 1.30am-2.30am A Very British UFO Hoax - repeat. See relevant post on previous page for more info.

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 11th January
BBC1 10am - 11am
The Heaven and Earth Show
What does 204 have in store? Kate Silverton begins a series of reports on predictions with the practice of palm reading.

Sunday 11th January
Five 8pm - 9pm
The Man Who Paints The Future
Documentary exploring the uncanny premonitions of retired London art lecturer David Mendell, whose paintings appear to foresee future events. Eerie predictions included the 11 September attacks and the Dunblane massacre, but are they genuine visions of the future or merely coincidence?

This week also sees a repeat of Graham Hancock's series Quest for the Lost Civilisation on Channel 4.
Thursday 15th January, 4.15am - 5.10am Part 1: Heaven's Mirror
Friday 16th January, 4.25am - 5.20am Part 2: Forgotten Knowledge
Saturday 17th January, 4.10am - 5.05am Part 3: Ancient Mariners
Blurb: 'Graham Hancock searches for the remains of a lost global civilisation.'
Visit the In The Hall of Ma'at (http://www.hallofmaat.com/maat/index.php) web site for a skeptical look at Graham Hancock's work.

Sources for all above: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

I've placed the 'Christmas Spirits (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Spirits.mp3)' Radio 4 programme on the Net for anyone who missed it (mp3 file, 28 mins approx, 11.2MB).

More titbits from the Radio 4 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/) archive ...

29/11/01 Woman's Hour: Psychics and Crime (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/26_11_01/thursday/info1.shtml), featuring Joe Nickell.
(Speaking of Joe, I've just noticed the Joe Nickell files (http://www.scifidimensions.com/Sep03/jnf_reloaded.htm) are back online.)

Today programme:
11/8/03 Concerns about peer review system (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today1_peer_20030811.ram), 3 mins
5/8/03 Trust in science and the independence of experts (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_scientists_20030805.ram), 10 mins
28/7/03 Who can we trust? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_trust_20030728.ram), 9 mins
4/9/03 Complementary medicine - should the government increase investment? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_ernst_20030904.ram), 8 mins
13/9/03 Values in science (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today3_cornwell_20030913.ram), 5 mins
14/10/03 Originality of Science (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_singh_20031014.ram), 8 mins
13/11/03 Piltdown man 50th anniversary (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_skull_20031113.ram), 7 mins
3/10/03 Do not pass go, do not collect £200 - Should stupid people be allowed to have children? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_nyborg_20031003.ram), 6 mins

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 18th January
BBC2 2.30am - 3am
OU TV: Was Anybody There?
Tables shook, people levitated and seances were all the rage in Victorian society. Surely mediums couldn't trick rational men of science?

Sunday 18th January
BBC2 3am - 3.30am
OU TV: The Argument from Design
Scientists discuss whether their theories about the origins of the Universe are compatible with a religious view.

Source for both above: Open University TV (http://www.open2.net/home2/programmes.html)

Sunday 18th January
BBC1 10am - 11am
The Heaven and Earth Show
'Advice on holistic health overhaul is offered by alternative guru Jane Alexander, how flipping coins in Chinese I Ching can predict the future [...]'
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

Brief mentions:
Sat 31 Jan, BBC2 3am-3.30am OU TV: The Glastonbury Tales, unfolding stories in the lives of three residents from different spiritual traditions.

From the Radio 4 archives:
Leading Edge 11/7/02 Sceptics in science (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/leadingedge_20020711.shtml)

Woman's Hour
21/1/02 Teaching Children to Think (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/21_01_02/monday/info3.shtml), 15 mins
9/9/02 Knowing the Future (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/09_09_02/monday/info5.shtml), 8 mins (with Chris French)
19/3/03 Spiritual Healing on the NHS (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/17_03_03/wednesday/info2.shtml), 15 mins
17/11/03 Women Turning To Spirituality (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/17_11_03/monday/info4.shtml), 15 mins

[davidhorman]

I only caught the end of the announcement, but I think I heard correctly that Michael Drosnin, author of The Bible Code, will be on This Morning tomorrow morning. They've been doing a woo-woo feature all week.

David

[JimTheBrit]

Originally posted by davidhorman
I only caught the end of the announcement, but I think I heard correctly that Michael Drosnin, author of The Bible Code, will be on This Morning tomorrow morning. They've been doing a woo-woo feature all week.

David
I've just checked the 'This Morning' web site and Drosnin is listed (here (http://www.itv.com/page.asp?partid=629), also here (http://www.itv.com/page.asp?partid=1083)) although no time is given. Thanks for the heads up.

This Morning, ITV1 10.30am - 12.30 pm

I also notice that intuitive counsellor (read: psychic) Susan King has secured a regular slot on the programme to give intuitive advice (readings) to callers (Mondays, 11.30ish).

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 25th January
BBC1 10am - 11am
The Heaven and Earth Show
[...] Kate Silverton meets a tarot-card reader [...]

Monday 26th January
Radio 4 8.30pm - 9pm
After Death, What?
Whether you happen to be an atheist or a believer, there can be few of us who have never wondered what happens when we die - which is why everyone should listen to this exploration of near-death experiences. Scientists, theologians and psychologists are on hand to offer sensible interpretations of these strange phenomena, but what makes this such a fascinating listen is the range of stories from people who have had NDEs. And, while it might be impossible to prove the validity of journeys through dimly lit corridors to lighter, brighter places where dead relatives are waiting to greet us, as Dr Mark Fox points out, "it is important that science in a variety of disciplines grasps the nettle and responds sensibly, intelligenty and deeply to these experiences".

Wednesday 28th January
Five 11am - 12pm
The Terry and Gabby Show
[...] the "Barefoot Doctor" dispenses alternative medical and spiritual advice [...]

Source for all above: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

[davidhorman]

The Russian girl with X-ray eyes, recently championed by Lucianarchy of all people (this isn't Natalia Lulova) will be appearing on This Morning on Monday.

David Icke was a larf this morning :D

David

[JimTheBrit]

Yeah, I caught that Ickey interview. Does he really believe what he's saying or is he just an opportunist who's jumped on the conspiracy band wagon? Fern Britton looked as though she was having a hard time biting her tongue throughout the segment.

Tuesday 3rd February
Radio 4 4pm - 4.30pm
Shop Talk
Heather Payton takes a look at the psychic medium - an old fairground cliche. Today psychics and mediums have entered the mainstream and there are many people making money out of our increasing appetite for the paranormal.

Thursday 5th February
Channel 4 9pm - 10pm
The Diana Conspiracy
Numerous conspiracy theories have sprung up around the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in a car crash in Paris in August 1997. Using documents relating to the investigation into the crash and information gleaned from the head of the French police inquiry, this documentary sets out to discover why such suspicions have developed, and whether the hypotheses stand up when weighed against the evidence.

Friday 6th February
Radio 4 11pm - 11.30pm
Off The Page: The Paranormal
Strange goings-on in the studio when Matthew Paris welcomes three writers who span the range from psychic to sceptic. Performance poet Matt Harvey writes a regular column on weird phenomena and Candid Clark is the author of Ghost Music, though her fellow-novelist Tibor Fischer once stayed in a haunted castle and slept like a log.

Source for all above: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

Brief mentions:
Wed 4 Feb Ch4 3.20am-3.30am Abductees, UFO abductees relive their experiences during regression hypnosis, (probably a repeat of the Oct 22 prog.)
Wed 4 Feb Five 11am-12noon The Terry and Gaby Show, includes advice from the 'Barefoot Doctor'.

[davidhorman]

Yeah, I caught that Ickey interview. Does he really believe what he's saying or is he just an opportunist who's jumped on the conspiracy band wagon?

He's nuts. He used to think he was Jesus. What's even more worrying is that he persuaded his family that he was right.

David

[JimTheBrit]

There was nowt worthy of note on last week, IMO.

Saturday 14th February
Five 6.35am - 7am
Wide World
The principles and uses of homeopathy.

Brief mentions:
Mon 16 Feb Ch4 4.15am-5am Maidens of the Lost Ark, documentary about the Panacea Society, an idiosyncratic religion (repeat of August 16th prog)
Tues 17 Feb Radio4 9pm-9.30pm All in the Mind, includes: are "recovered memories" just an invention of psychotherapists? (Prog repeated Wed 18 Feb 4.30pm-5pm)
Wed 18 Feb Five 11am-12noon The Terry and Gaby Show, includes alternative medical advice from the "Barefoot Doctor".

All sources: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

I've just seen a trailer on Five for 'Back to Reality', starting next Sunday, starring a certain Mr Geller.

Starting Sunday 15th February
Five 8pm-9pm
Back to Reality
Two shows a day, 8pm - 9pm and 11pm - 12midnight throughout the week.

12 reality TV show veterans holed up together in a London mansion. Participants whittled down by public vote etc etc.

[xenu]

Hi

hope this is the right thread - Channel 4 is showing series 6 of South Park every Fri nite (well, Sat a.m. mostly 00:15 on Saturdays). If they work through them in order the "Biggest Douche in the Universe" anti-John Edwards ep will be scheduled 12/13th March

Xenu

p.s. I can recommend all the eps, heartily, though the above is relevant to skeptics

[JimTheBrit]

Thanks for the input, xenu!

Sunday 22nd February
BBC 2 3-30am - 3.55am
Therapies on Trial
Do complementary therapies work more by the power of suggestion than through the remedies themselves? Homeopathy is put to the test.
Source: open2.net (www.open2.net)

Of interest ... ?
Thursday 26th February
BBC2 9pm - 10.30pm
What the World Thinks of God
In a unique event, satellite link-ups bring together guests from five continents to debate some age-old questions on religion, and consider its place in the modern world. Does belief in a god make the world a better place? Which god should we worship? When is it right to wage war in their name? Jeremy Vine hosts the programme from London, and reveals the results of a unique poll in which 10,000 people from ten countries across the globe gave their opinions of religion and belief today.

Brief mentions:
Mon 23 Feb ITV1 10.30am-12.30pm This Morning, mystic Susan King offers advice to viewers.
Wed 25 Feb ITV1 10.30am-12.30pm This Morning, Fay Weldon discusses the "sixth sense".
Wed 25 Feb Five 11am-12noon The Terry and Gaby Show, includes alternative medical advice session from the "Barefoot Doctor".
Wed 25 Feb BBC2 7pm-7.30pm So What Do You Do All Day?, a day in the life of an ex-PR guru now living a New-Age lifestyle.

Sources for all (unless otherwise mentioned): Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

[exarch]

Originally posted by JimTheBrit
Sunday 22nd February
BBC 2 3-30am - 3.55am
Therapies on Trial
Do complementary therapies work more by the power of suggestion than through the remedies themselves? Homeopathy is put to the test.
Source: open2.net (www.open2.net)Dang, missed it. That was last night of course :(

[JimTheBrit]

Check your private messages, exarch.

From the Radio 4 archives:
Today programme:
16/2/04 Is there too much political influence in US scientific research? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_research_20040216.ram), 5 mins
2/2/04 Science & the public: Concerns over the peer review system (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today3_peer_20040202.ram), 8 mins
21/1/04 Concerns over 'maverick' scientists' media attention (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today3_scientists_20040121.ram), 8 mins

Reel Histories - The Exorcist. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/rams/sat1530.ram) William Friedkin's cult shocker outraged and disgusted in equal measure yet cinemagoers queued up enthusiastically to see if tehy could last the course. In the series on how Hollywood reflects real life, Gerry Northam asks what the film had to do with the reality of exorcisms and how its success affected those authorised to cast out demons.
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

In addition to Fay Weldon's appearance on 'This Morning' tomorrow (ITV 10.30am - 12.30pm), the programme will feature a segment on past life regression.

Brief mentions:
Mon 1 Mar ITV1 10.30am-12.30pm This Morning, mystic expert Susan King offers more advice to viewers in Sixth Sense Solutions.
Wed 3 Mar Five 11am-12noon The Terry and Gaby Show, alternative medical advice from the "Barefoot Doctor".

Sources: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

From the Radio 4 archives:
All In The Mind
26/2/03 Consciousness (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/allinthemind_20030226.shtml), 6 mins
12/2/03 Placebo effect, also flashbulb memory (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/allinthemind_20030212.shtml)

[davidhorman]

In addition to Fay Weldon's appearance on 'This Morning' tomorrow (ITV 10.30am - 12.30pm), the programme will feature a segment on past life regression.

That was a bunch of crap. "Scientists have proved that a sixth sense exist!" Err, no. They confused the legitimate concept of "mindsight" (subconcious awareness) with woo-woo stuff.

They're being a bit more sceptical on the regression bit, though.

David

[davidhorman]

I think that Richard & Judy will be discussing the Jacqui Poole murder and the alleged psychic who was allegedly instrumental in solving the case.

5pm, Channel 4, today.

David

[davidhorman]

Oops. I was wrong about Richard & Judy, they were discussing a fictional book :o

David

[JimTheBrit]

Of interest ... ?
Saturday 13th March
Channel 4 12.15am-12.45am
South Park
The Biggest Douche in the Universe. Cartman tries to exorcise Kenny from his body.
More details about the episode can be found here: December 6, 2002 commentary (http://www.randi.org/jr/120602.html)
Thanks to PML for the heads up.

Brief mentions:
Mon 8 Mar ITV1 10.30am-12.30pm This Morning, more Sixth Sense Solutions.
Wed 10 Mar BBC1 3.10am-4.40am What the World Thinks of God - repeat. See above post for more details.
Wed 10 Mar Five 11am-12noon The Terry and Gaby Show, alternative medical advice from the "Barefoot Doctor".

As usual, sources for all above: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

From the Radio 4 archives:
27/2/03 Check Up - Osteopathy (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/checkup_20030227.shtml)
"Frozen shoulders, arthritic knees and migraine don’t seem, at first glance, to have much in common. Yet they can all be treated by one therapy that is gaining popularity all the time."

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 14th March
BBC1 7pm - 8pm
The Bermuda Triangle: Beneath the Waves
With ships and aircraft continuing to disappear at an alarming rate inside the watery depths of the Bermuda Triangle, threee new investigations employ the latest techniques to look at the truth behind the old mariners' hole-in-the-ocean tale, the mystery of Flight 19 (http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq15-1.htm), and how five wrecks wound up 730ft beneath the ocean waves.

Monday 15th March
Radio 4 4.30pm - 5pm
Beyond Belief
Nearly everyone knows their star sign; seven out of ten of us read our horoscopes. Are they just a bit of fun, useful tools for helping us make choices in our lives, or downright dangerous? Has the astrologer replaced the priest in the lives of people in Britain today? In Beyond Belief this week Ernie Rea and guests explore the roots of this ancient practice and the reasons for its increasing contemporary appeal.
Source:

Brief mentions:
Mon 15 Mar ITV1 10.30am-12.30pm This Morning, more mystical Sixth Sense Solutions.
Tues 16 Mar BBC2 3pm-3.30pm Big Strong Boys, a haunted house in Staffordshire gets a makeover.
Wed 17 Mar Five 11am-12noon The Terry and Gabby Show, alternative advice from the 'Barefoot Doctor'.
Fri 19 Mar BBC2 6pm-6.20pm The Simpsons, Bart becomes hooked on the art of faith healing.

Source (unless otherwise stated): [url=http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/]Radio Times magazine (]Beyond Belief web page[/url)

From the Radio 4 archives:
8/3/04 Woman's Hour: Should we regulate complementary and alternative medicine? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/08_03_04/monday/info1.shtml), 15 mins. "There are difficulties within testing different types of complementary medicine". Hmmm, yes. Bit of an understatement, that.

28/2/04 Excess Baggage - Haunted (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/excessbaggage/index_20040228.shtml)
"Sandi Toksvig and her guests broadcast live from Leap Castle in Ireland believed by many to be the most haunted building in Europe. In fact, during the broadcast did a ghostly something make its presence felt? Listen and judge for yourself..."
Listen to the prog from the start for full raisin'-the-hairs-on-the-back-of-yer-neck effectiveness. For those without patience, click on the 'In fact, during the broadcast ...' link in the prog description (or forward to 23 mins 18 secs) to hear Casper.

-----------------------------------------------
If there are any BritSkeps wanting a copy of Asking The Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking by Browne and Keeley, I've got one going spare. First pm'd name and address gets it @ no charge. Catch - it's edition 6 (still a worthwhile read though).

*Edited to add Beyond Belief prog details*

[JimTheBrit]

Correction: Beyond Belief web page (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/beyond_belief/index.shtml)

[davidhorman]

Uri Geller will be appearing on Channel Television (the company I work for) tonight, plugging his show that's running in Jersey right now. Channel is an ITV region and anyone who's added the extra regions to their Sky box can pick it up. Should be around 6:20pm.

David

[Peter Jenkins]

BBC 1 -7.00pm Sunday 21st March
The Truth about Noahs ark
"Jeremy Bowen examines archealogical evidence which suggest that the story of Noah and his ship mates may have been based on real people and real events"

P

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 22nd March to Friday 26th March
ITV1 8.35am - 9.25am
LK Today
Features 'What's the Alternative?' - "Lorraine will be lifting the lid on alternative therapy. When is it safe to take? Is it better than conventional medicine? Find out on LK Today all week."
Source: GMTV web site (http://gm.tv/index.cfm?articleID=1)
GMTV's page for this segment can be found here (http://gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=10132).
Dr Mark Atkinson's web site can be found here (http://www.drmarkatkinson.com/).

Brief mentions:
Wed 24 Mar Five 11am-12noon The Terry and Gabby Show, alternative advice from the 'Barefoot Doctor'.
Wed 24 Mar Five 8pm-9pm The Search for Atlantis: The True Story, repeat from 19/8/03 (see page 1 of thread).
Mon 22 Mar to Fri 26 Mar Radio4 10.45am-11am (repeated 7.45pm-8pm), The First Witch, story of first woman in Europe to be put on trial for witchcraft.

[JimTheBrit]

All the episodes from the Radio 4 drama 'The First Witch' are archived here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/whour_serial.shtml). They'll be kept online for a week or so.

Monday 29th March
Channel 4 9pm - 10pm
Secrets of the Dead: Shroud of Christ?
Following the work of Swiss textile expert Dr Mechthild Flury-Lemberg who, in 2002, discovered a hitherto undetected stitch pattern on the Shroud of Turin that dated it back to the first century AD. Could the carbon dating process that branded the shroud a medieval fake in 1988 have been mistaken?

Also of interest ... ?
Tuesday 30th March
Channel 4 5am - 5.55am
Soul Searching, part 1: Know Thyself

Wednesday 31st March
Channel 4 5.10am - 6am
Soul Searching, part 2: The Undiscovered Country
Film testing theories about belief in the soul.

Wednesday 31st March
ITV1 10.30am - 12.30pm
This Morning
Features another celebrity regression

(Past life regression seems to be the flavour of the moment for Phil and Fern, with 'regression therapist' Andrea Foulkes practising on the likes of Major Charles (cough) Ingram, Sheree Murphy (from soap Emmerdale), John Scott (the show's fashion 'guru') and the presenters themselves, over the last few weeks. Reverend Lionel Fanthorpe makes the odd appearance as he investigates the cases. More on those 'investigations', and Ms. Foulkes next week ........ JTB)

Brief mentions
Fri 1 Apr BBC1 1.50am-2.50am The Bermuda Triangle: Beneath the Waves, repeat from 14/3/04 (see relevant post above)

Sources for all: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

[xenu]

hi,

penn and telller's "bulls*t" on fx sunday (well, 00:15 mon) and again on monday 22:35. I can't get fx myself but if u have cable....

xenu

[JimTheBrit]

Tuesday 13th April
ITV1 6am - 9.25am
GMTV
Segment: "Is Alternative Medicine Safe? Should some holistic therapies be approached with caution? We investigate"

Wednesday 14th April
ITV1 11am - 12.30pm
This Morning
Regressionist Andrea Foulkes takes a celebrity back to their previous (Clips and reviews of previous regressions, especially last week's with an extremely skeptical Paul Ross, will be posted as soon as I figure out how to use my pc-tv card.)

From the Radio 4 archives:
22/3/04 Woman's Hour: Witches (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/22_03_04/monday/info2.shtml), 6 mins

Today programme:
6/3/04 Musical hallucinations (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today3_abide_20040306.ram), 3 mins
10/3/04 Should scientific research be published on the web rather than in scientific journals? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_research_20040310.ram) 5 mins

26/10/02 Open Country: Matthew Hopkins, Witchfinder General (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/opencountry_20021026.shtml)

Also, the Royal Society has made available a lecture given in January by Sir David Attenborough, called 'Perception, Deception and Reality (http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/live/)'. Sir David draws on his vast broadcasting experience to bring us up to speed on current wildlife filming techniques, the perils of image manipulation and the need for skepticism when viewing television. Disney's involvement in the myth of lemming suicide is mentioned approximately 40 minutes into the talk. Various formats are available. Duration: 1 hour 10 mins.

[JimTheBrit]

Of interest ... ?
Friday 23rd April
Channel 4 10.10pm - 10.40pm
Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind
1/6. "The entertainer demonstrates his powers of psychological illusion, misdirection and showmanship, amazing Stephen Fry with a favourite trick, and playing chess with nine opponents at once"

From an interview with DB in last week's RT: "Science writer Simon Singh, who hosted a relatively feeble BBC4 show called Mind Games, has said that Brown's "psychological explanations [for his act] do not stand up. Viewers are left with an exaggerated idea of what is achievable through the power of the mind." It's a view with which Brown has some sympathy. "When I set out to get noticed, I was guilty of overstating the case. It's a difficult line to tread, and easy to misunderstand. Some dying people want me to cure them, and feel I'm the last resort. Even if only a tiny percentage respond like that, I wonder if I need to change what I'm doing. Of course I'm not psychic, and if I suggested I was and people took it seriously and started paying money to psychics, I'd feeel guilty. Those horrendously tasteless TV shows where they contact the dead are manipulative and morally reprehensible."

Brief mentions:
Thur 22 Apr Five 9pm-10pm John Travolta: the Inside Story, JT's beliefs in Scientology will be discussed.
Fri 23 Apr Five 2.05pm-3.45pm A Touch of Hope, drama based on the true story of a hands-on healer who struggled for years to overcome the scepticism of the medical community. (I couldn't resist including this one!)

Source for all above: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Of interest ... ?

Friday 7th May
Radio 4 9pm - 10pm
The Friday Play: States of Mind
"In one hospital, over one night, how many different levels of consciousness are there? From wakefulness, to dozing, from the unconscious to the sub-conscious. Every patient, nurse and doctor has a story to tell, with commentary from Sue Blackmore, Chris Idzikowski, Robert Morris, Steven Rose, David Wilkinson."
Source: Radio 4 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/) schedule

The highly recommended 'History of Human Folly' is being repeated on Radio 4 (Saturdays, 10.30am-11am). Three episodes are archived here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/history_of_folly.shtml), though the Radio Times lists the series as a four-parter. Part 3 will be aired next Saturday (8th).

[JimTheBrit]

ITV1 10.30am - 12.30pm
This Morning
Two segments to look out for this week:
Tuesday 11th May: 'Lifestyle guru' Deepak Chopra will be making an appearance, selling his wares.
Wednesday 12th May: Yet another chat with 'regression expert' Andrea Foulkes. Keep an ear out for how Andrea explains away apparent mistakes or contradictions during the regression sessions. What are we to make of these claims that something is true if there's no way to determine if they're false? Food for thought, eh?

Wednesday 12th May
Five 9pm - 10.35pm
The World's Greatest Conspiracy Theories
"Documentary which counts down the top ten hypotheses that some people believe no matter how far-fetched they may seem. An ensemble of experts offer their thoughts on various conspiracy theories - Elvis Presley is still alive, aliens have landed, humans have not been to the Moon, and Hitler faked his own suicide and fled to Antartica."
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Wednesday 19th May
Radio 4 11am - 11.30am
The Jesus Box
"In September 2002, archaeologists stumbled across an incredibly important and equally controversial biblical find. A limestone coffin with the words "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus" was found in Jerusalem. But is this an elaborate fake or the oldest archaeological link to Jesus? Biblical archaeologist Jerome Murphy-O'Connor picks through the evidence in a journey that takes him from the Wailing Wall to the bowels of the Sorbonne and asks whether we really are one step closer to proving that Jesus of Nazareth existed."
Source: Radio Time magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

'Regressionist' Andrea Foulkes conducts another session on This Morning, ITV1, Wednesday 19th May, sometime between 10.30am and 12.30pm. 'Healer' Matthew Manning (http://www.matthewmanning.com/) seems to be making frequent appearances on the prog. For more on him go to the JREF Internet Audio Show Archive (http://www.randi.org/radio/archive.html) > June 15, 2001 (http://www.randi.org/radio/asx/061501.asx) > 49 mins onwards.
Secret info on Randi? Spill the beans, Matthew. Hmmm, parallels with Sylvia's comments here.

Brief mentions:
Sun 16 May BBC2 5.15am-5.30am Background Brief - Therapy on Trial, homeopathy. Rpt from 22/2/04.
Sun 16 May Five 8pm-9pm Extraordinary People: The Man Who Paints The Future. Rpt from 11/1/04.
Fri 21 May Radio 4 11am-11.30am Three Decades of Personal Transformation part 1. Rpt from 22/11/03.

From the archives:
BBC World Service
8/5/04 The Big Question - Have We Lost Faith In Science? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/big_question.shtml), 30mins

Radio 4
Today Programme: 11/5/04 Why do we ask so many questions? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_why_20040511.ram), 5 mins

Note that all four episodes of A History of Human Folly are now archived on the programme's web page (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/history_of_folly.shtml). Episode 4 will be repeated this Saturday (15th May, Radio 4, 10.30am - 11am).

Also,
Ireland's RTE Radio 1 'Future Tense (http://www.rte.ie/radio1/evening/futuretense/)' programme recently included a segment on the 'Mozart Effect (http://www.rte.ie/radio1/evening/futuretense/rams/23mar.ram)'.
"It's now being claimed that the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is effective in the treatment of a variety of illnesses and as a general aid in restoring body and mind", 7 mins (starting from 2mins 20secs into prog). (Details originally provided by the Irish skeptics (http://www.irishskeptics.net/))

[JimTheBrit]

As usual, more regression shenanigans with Andrea Foulkes on This Morning, ITV1, 10.30am - 12.30pm, Wednesday 26th May

Wednesday 26th May
Five 8pm - 9pm
The British UFO Files
"A history of postwar "alien" visitations in the UK, including an experienced pilot whose sighting was backed up by radar records, and a strange crater in Wiltshire."
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/)

Brief mentions:
Wed 26 May Radio 4 3.45pm-4pm I Should Be So Lucky part 3. Repeat from 6/1/04.
Fri 28 May Radio 4 11am-11.30am Three Decades of Personal Transformation part 2. Repeat from 29/11/03.

A chioce quote taken from Jamy Ian Swiss' article 'The Limits of Critical Thinking', published in the JREF's Swift newsletter, vol. 1 no. 1 1997 (http://www.randi.org/pdf/swift1-1.pdf):
"As skeptical educators we must do more than simply provide cautionary signposts detailing a shopping list of road hazards labeled astrology, ufology, and a host of other pseudologies. We recognise that we must encourage broad-based thinking skills to help innoculate people against malicious crackpottery. That training must begin early in life, because it is the rare adult who comes to recognise the logical flaws in their own longstanding belief system. Our task is to teach the young - along with anyone else who will listen - to think for themselves, so that they can use these skills throughout their lives. Rational enquiry isn't merely an academic excercise or a chore that protects us from danger. Critical thinking enhances individual responsibility by liberating us to assess risk and embrace informed choice and thereby more fully savor the human experience. Unfortunately, thinking will never be foolproof protection against the threats of deception; fools can be very determined, as can the inclination to be fooled. Thinking is merely our best chance."

[Tanja]

Jim the Brit, I just wanted to say I really appreciate the fact that you post this information! Thank you!

[JimTheBrit]

Thanks for your thanks, Tanja :). I think it's important to keep up on how skeptic-related issues are being portrayed in the mainstream media. Plus, it's always interesting to hear the points raised and arguments used.

Soon to be aired ...

Sunday 30th May
Radio 3 9.30pm - 10.15pm
Sunday Feature: Going to Jonestown
"In a remote settlement in Guyana, 25 years ago, almost a thousand people and their leader Jim Jones killed themselves. Guyanese poet Fred D'Aguiar travels to Jonestown and talks to writers, artists and people who knew Jones and the town, to discover the social, political and mythical legacy of this extraordinary tradegy."
*Note: Radio 3 not Radio 4*

Sunday 30th May
Five 10.35pm - 11.40pm
Spontaneous Human Combustion
"What could cause people to burst into flames - spontaneous human combustion - for no apparent reason? This question, which has baffled scientists for many years, is addressed."

As already reported (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40670) by digital goldfish .....
Monday 31st May
Channel 4 10.35pm - 11.45pm
Derren Brown: Seance
"The master of illusion hosts a one-off special which assembles 12 members of the public to re-create a traditional seance. Will there be anybody there?"
(For anyone who missed Derren's 'Trick of the Mind' series, it's being rerun on Channel 4 starting on Thursday 3rd June at 11.05pm)

Regression therapist Andrea Foulkes is listed again as appearing on This Morning (Wednesday 2nd June, ITV, 10.30am-12.30pm).

Wednesday 2nd June
Five 9pm - 10pm
The Truth behind the Moon Landings: Stranger Then Fiction
"Examining the conspiracy theory that the 1969 Moon landing was faked in a Hollywood studio. Sceptic Bill Kaysing is convinced the mission didn't happen, believing photos and footage are riddled with errors, while aerospace engineer Jay Windley strives to debunk his claims."

Sources for all above: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

Richard Bacon, if you're reading this: SKEPTIC *not* CYNIC, dammit!

Edited to add:
From the archives:
Radio 4
Public Records, Private Lives (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/publicrecords.shtml): 29/11/02 - UFO investigator Georgina Bruni discusses her research (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/rams/publicrecords5.ram), first 5 mins.

[JimTheBrit]

There'll be another past life regression session courtesy of Ms A. Foulkes, Wednesday 9th June, ITV, during the This Morning show 10.30am - 12.30pm

Brief mentions:
Sun 6 June Ch4 8pm-9pm A Very British UFO Hoax, repeat of 7/10/03 programme (details on page 1.)
Thurs 10 June BBC1 10am-11am Star Sale, celebrities auction possessions for charity - features a Mr U. Geller.
Sat 12 June BBC2 2am-2.30am OU TV: Was Anybody There?, repeat of 18/1/04 programme.

This just in from the D'oh! department:
"People are being warned they could risk damaging their eyesight if they look directly at a rare astrological phenomenon [...]" Coventry Evening Telegraph, Thursday, June 3, 2004

[JimTheBrit]

Ok, so you'll appreciate the mistake in the newspaper article excerpt above more if ya know the headline. It was 'Venus viewers warned', and was about yesterday's transit. I'll go stand in the corner.

At the begining of last month, several members of ASKE (http://www.aske.clara.co.uk/) were invited to appear on 'Now You're Talking' (the successor to 'Kilroy'), to debate psychic powers. The show will be aired tomorrow morning, apparently (Thursday 10th June, BBC1, 9.30am - 10am). A big thanks to PML for the prior notification. And if you ain't a member of ASKE yet - why not!?

Thursday 17th June
BBC2 9pm - 10pm
The Secret Swami: This World
David Butcher writes (in the Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)), "The bizarre Indian guru Sai Baba is like a figure from another age. Actually, guru is, I think, the wrong description: "living god" is most likely what he has on his passport, because that's what he and his millions of followers believe him to be. He might look like Benny from Crossroads in an Afro wig to you but his devotees believe he's an incarnation of the divine, just like Krishna or Christ.
What a surprise it is to discover this devoutly revered figure has feet of clay. A growing number of his followers have raised accusations that Sai Baba sexually abused them, and this film talks to some of them. It also meets Hard Rock Cafe co-founder Isaac Tigrett, who sent Sai Baba's message around the world by making his "Love All Serve All" mantra the corporate slogan of his restaurant empire. He now has to deal with the fact that his spiritual leader may have been a paedophile.
Maybe Tigrett should have paid more attention to Sai Baba's habit of "materialising" objects such as Rolex watches from thin air. You'd have a few doubts about any "living god" who bothered with sleight-of-hand party tricks like that, wouldn't you?"

Here's some background reading: Commentary, December 8th 2000 (http://www.randi.org/jr/12-08-2000.html)

[tim]

Thanks for the info about Sai Baba, Jim. These bas*ards really get my goat.

[davidhorman]

The show will be aired tomorrow morning, apparently

Was it any good? I could have actually tolerated Nadia Sawalha and Nick "Nicky" Ross for that!

David

[JimTheBrit]

An audio rip of the programme is still the best I can do at the moment, David. I hope you're on broadband as the file's 12 Meg in size: Now You're Talking 10/6/04: Psychics - Do They Really Have Special Powers? (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/NYT100604.mp3) (30 mins approx)

Tuesday 15th June
Radio 4 3.45pm - 4pm
Strange and Sundry Stuarts
"2/5. Justin Champion queries one of the most enduring stories of witchcraft in Restoration Britain - the Tedworth Drummer."

According to the schedules, Andrea Foulkes will be conducting another regression during This Morning, ITV, 10.30am - 12.30pm. That'll be on Wednesday 16th June. Regression segments seem to be fortnightly, so I'd actually expect to see the next session aired on the 23rd.
Later in the week (Friday 18th June), we'll be treated to healer Matthew Manning's powers as he tackles eczema. Expect "Well yes Fern, I did feel something when he put his hands on me."

Also of interest ... ?
Wednesday 16th June
Five 9pm - 10pm
The Real Flying Saucers: Stranger Than Fiction
"The ever-intriguing cult phenomenon of the flying saucer is explored in this documentary, which examines how the US military first spread rumours of "alien visits" in the 1940s to cover up evidence of top-secret military aircraft."
More disinformation courtesy of the MIB and their media puppets ;)

Brief mentions:
Sat 19 June BBC2 2am-2.30am OU TV: The Argument From Design, repeat from 18/1/04.

The Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/) is the source of all quoted text, as usual.

[JimTheBrit]

Just to prove me wrong, there is a regression on the This Morning show later today (at 11.45 am). A woman who was a witch in a past life, no less. Another session is due on Wednesday 23rd June. Show's on from 10.30am 'til 12.30pm

If you didn't catch the little gem of a programme that was 'Strange and Sundrie Stuarts: The Tedworth Drummer' yesterday, click here (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/TedworthDrummer-150604.mp3) (it isn't archived on the Radio 4 web site). Does any of it sound familiar? (mp3 format, 5.5 Mb, 14 mins)

Thursday 24th June
Radio 3 9.30pm - 10.15pm
Night Waves
"Whether through the legend of King Tut, the stories of Arthur Conan Doyle or films such as The Mummy Returns, the mummy was walked through all aspects of Western culture. But it almost always starts its journey at the British Museum. As a new exhibition - Mummy: the Inside Story - opens at the British Museum, Paul Allen explores the strange tales, bizarre deaths and curses associated with the "mummy in the museum".

Friday 25th June
ITV1 11.35pm - 12.30am
The World's Scariest Ghosts: Caught on Camera
*Will only be shown if there is live football*
"Video footage of spectral activity"

Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.beeb.com/content/features/magazine/)

[xenu]

Hi,

Miised the Sky One broadcast last week, but it's repeated on Sky One Mix tomorrow. Nice skeptical look at Joe Smith and his religion.

» 1 South Park - Jun 22 01:00 on Sky One Mix
Animated comedy series. When a Mormon child moves into the area, Stan and his dad become fascinated with the religion.

[xenu]

Originally posted by davidhorman


Was it any good? I could have actually tolerated Nadia Sawalha and Nick "Nicky" Ross for that!

David

hi

not bad I just watched the (taped) show - my original opinion was that my fellow skeptics were too aggressive. After watching the show I have changed my mind - they sounded excellent on TV!

The show mentioned the Randi $1m prize as well, on a banner subscript! Excellent

[exarch]

Originally posted by JimTheBrit
Brief mentions:
Sat 19 June BBC2 2am-2.30am OU TV: The Argument From Design, repeat from 18/1/04.Brief mention? I saw that, quite by accident really. Richard Dawkins can really express himself so easily, without sounding like a card carrying atheist like some of the other skeptics on the show.

[JimTheBrit]

Originally posted by xenu hi

not bad I just watched the (taped) show - my original opinion was that my fellow skeptics were too aggressive. After watching the show I have changed my mind - they sounded excellent on TV!

The show mentioned the Randi $1m prize as well, on a banner subscript! ExcellentI don't think the skeptics came across as aggressive but they did appear to be on the defensive for most of the programme (but then that's always the case, isn't it?). It didn't start particularly well IMHO, with the proclamation that "these ideas [that people have psychic powers] don't make any sense really [and] are ridiculous". I thought the following remarks that "all of the evidence is that when our relatives die, that's the end of it, there is no afterlife [...]" were also ill-founded given that there was a roomful of people who were convinced the evidence showed otherwise. Psychic Dennis kinda shot himself in the foot with " not given any specifics - hard evidence". It's hard to take anyone claiming accurate readings seriously after saying that. Um, another observation - in future it might be better to introduce an electronics fault as the cause of random television channel changing, rather than ask "Do you have a cat?" Ah well, it was a good attempt to fight an uphill battle. Kudos to all who went. I'm lookin' forward to the write-up of the time spent with the 'rescue psychics'.

[i]Originally posted by exarch Brief mention?Yup, 'twas a repeat from earlier in the year.


Wednesday 30th June
ITV1 10.30am - 12.30pm
This Morning
Andrea Foulkes. Regression. You know the score. (Paul McKenna does the same thing during Tuesday's shows with nary a mention of past lives, incidentally.)

Of interest ... ?
Saturday 26th June
2.30am - 3am
OU TV: Lifelines
The story of the intellectual struggle that established the theory of evolution as the cornerstone of our understanding of life.

Brief mentions:
Sun 27 June Radio 3 Noon-1pm Private Passions, Francis 'How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World' Wheen guests

From the archives:
BBC World Service
The Big Question (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/big_question.shtml): 19/6/04 - Can we trust history?
Patterns of Faith (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/patterns.shtml): 19/6/04 - Can dreams simply be all in the mind? (Ain't listened to this yet, no idea if it's relevant.)

[JimTheBrit]

Prof Gary Schwartz is on the This Morning show in 2 mins time, ITV1

Edit: He appeared with Montague Keen's widow, talking about Mr Keen's activities since his death. He's a very active spirit, apparently. I'll post a sound clip of the segment in a couple of hours.

Note that both Mrs. Keen and Prof Schwartz have promised to return to the programme on Monday morning (10.30am - 12.30pm, ITV1) to present more evidence of Mr Keen's survival after death.

Intriguing.

[davidhorman]

I've posted a link to a video of the interview in this thread (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=42339).

David

[davidhorman]

Tonight, ITV1, Meridian region and possibly others:

DOCUMENTARY: The World's Scariest Ghosts Caught on Camera
Time: 23:35 to 00:30
A look at some of the scariest real-life ghost stories, investigating cases of haunted houses and poltergeists and speaking to some of the people involved in such events.

David

[JimTheBrit]

As promised, Prof Schwartz and Veronica Keen return to the This Morning show today to present the "compelling evidence" for life after death. Tune in at 12.10pm (ITV1).

[davidhorman]

More clips of this morning's This Morning (Keen and Schwartz) in "official" thread:

http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&postid=1870517214#post1870517214

David

[JimTheBrit]

Here's an audio rip of another 'Now You're Talking!' show that's lain undiscovered in my video collection. A fortnight before the 'psychic powers' discussion aired, this show asked 'Spiritual Healing - Cure or Con?' You'll hear from healer 'Andrew' (who cures ailments with the aid of dead physicians ala Stephen Turoff) and GP Dr Trevor Stammers (who makes some very good points). Some may recognise the voice of Wendy Grossman.

Now You're Talking! 26/5/04 (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/NYT-SpiritualHealing.mp3) (mp3, 11Mb, 30mins approx)

Friday 9th July
BBC2 12.05am - 12.45am
Time Shift: Gurus
"Time Shift considers how the philosophy of the Indian guru has entered mainstream British society."
More details on this programme can be found here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/timeshift/gurus.shtml)

Also of interest ... ?
Friday 9th July
Radio 3 9.35pm - 10.20pm
Night Waves
"Paul Allen and guests, including Keith Ward and Martin Palmer, discuss the impact of Eastern thought on Western thinking about religion and spirituality."

Source of quoted text: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

Thanks to TY, we may now know why those with a skeptical bent are so unenlightened. According to Daily Express correspondent Anna Pukas (and based on comments made by Fife psychic Emma King) we rationalists only use a meagre 12 per cent of our brains. In contrast, those more attuned to their intuitive side utilise a whopping 88 per cent of the grey jelly. Skeptics can take heart, I suppose, with the knowledge that 12 per cent brain usage is a 20% increase in the figure usually quoted (http://www.sciam.com/askexpert_question.cfm?articleID=000B077E-AD46-1047-AD4683414B7F0000&catID=3&chanID=sa008). According to the Express article, anyone wishing to hone their sixth sense may try these development exercises:
(1) Guessing the next playing card.
(2) Sensing auras.
(3) Sensing who's calling you before answering the phone.
(4) Trying to spot the most overused example of the existence of a 6th sense in the UK ... clue: it's (3)
No mention is made of how many repetitions of these exercises are needed to reach the 13% mark, nor the dip in percentage caused by much rolling of the eyes and slapping of the forehead.
The article, entitled 'Do we all have a sixth sense?', is based on the results of "remote staring" and "direct mental interaction" experiments conducted at Germany's Freiburg University (and published in the British Journal of Psychology). If you want to get yer hands on the June 28th article, it's available from all good libraries' archives.

[JimTheBrit]

In lieu of Gwyneth Paltrow's bruised appearance (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3879447.stm) at a film premiere, Newsnight tonight will feature another (http://www.randi.org/jr/070904that.html#4) report on complementary medicine. If my own experiences of acupuncture are anything to go by, Ms Paltrow got off very lightly indeed.

Friday 9th July
BBC2 10.30pm - 11pm
Newsnight

[tim]

Originally posted by JimTheBrit
In lieu of Gwyneth Paltrow's bruised appearance (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3879447.stm) at a film premiere, Newsnight tonight will feature another (http://www.randi.org/jr/070904that.html#4) report on complementary medicine. If my own experiences of acupuncture are anything to go by, Ms Paltrow got off very lightly indeed.

Friday 9th July
BBC2 10.30pm - 11pm
Newsnight

Thanks for this Jim - and thanks for all the time you put in keeping this thread up to date. You're a hero!
Cheers! (raises glass of beer to Jim!)
:D :D :D

[JimTheBrit]

Ta Tim!

Tuesday 13th July
Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm
All in the Mind
"Dr Raj Persaud looks at the contentious issue of recovered memory. Are people who recall childhood abuse and trauma in later life really tapping into lost memories or are they, as some people think, drawing on false memory? [...]"
Some very moving personal stories about recovered memories can be found in the archives of WBEZ Chicago's 'This American Life (http://www.thislife.org/)' programme. Specifically, act 1 of episode 215 ('Ask the Expert'), dated 14th June 2002. Bear them in mind the next time someone asks "what's the harm?"

Wednesday 14th July
ITV1 10am - 12.30pm
Another regression with Andrea Foulkes.
Surprisingly, Ms Foulkes has only now established a web presence (http://www.andreafoulkes.co.uk) even though she's been a frequent guest on the 'This Morning' show since January. According to This Morning's website (http://www.itv.com/page.asp?partid=1374), an initial regression session with Ms Foulkes "is two hours long and costs £160, any subsequent sessions are 1-2 hours based on a price of £75 per hour." That ain't a bad earner.

From the archives:
Radio 4
Today programme: 10/4/04 - How important is religion today? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today3_religion_200
40410.ram) 12 mins

Source for all quotes (unless otherwise specified): Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

[davidhorman]

ENTERTAINMENT: Derren Brown Plays Russian Roulette
Channel: Channel 4
Date: Thursday 15th July 2004
Time: 23:25 to 01:00 (starting in 1 hour and 56 minutes)
Duration: 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Another chance to see the now infamous stunt performed by psychological illusionist Derren Brown in October 2003 when a chosen member of the public loaded a handgun with one bullet. Brown then held the gun to his head, pulling the trigger repeatedly until he came to the live chamber. Derren addresses some of the questions raised about the stunt and demonstrates some more street magic.

David

[JimTheBrit]

Repeat:
Sunday 18th July
BBC2 4am - 4.50am
OU TV: Does Science Matter?
Originally broadcast 24th July 2003 - see page 1.

More to follow shortly.

[JimTheBrit]

Thursday 22nd July
Radio 4 9.30am - 9.45am
Test Tubes and Tantrums
"4/5 William Hartson rakes through the muck kicked up as a result of great scientific disagreements. Plant scientists in Stalinist Russia came under pressure to increase food production and science was sacrificed to politics, with tragic results"
Enter comrade Lysenko, stage left. Exit scientific investigation, stage right.

Also of interest ... ?
Monday 19th July
Channel 4 9pm - 10pm
Pagans
"1/4 Sexy beasts. Anthropologist Richard Rudgeley demonstrates how contemporary British attitudes to subjects as diverse as the supernatural, luck, sex and the environment have their roots in Europe's pagan past. Rudgeley begins by examining how our pagan ancestors related to the animal kingdom, and exploring their perspectives on sex, death and power. How did paganism come to be synonymous with licentiousness and anarchy, and did pagans really deserve their reputation for indecency?"

Brief mentions:
Mon 19 July Radio 4 12.15am-12.45am The Innermost Master, includes searching for hidden numerical messages in the works of J S Bach.
Tues 20 July Radio 4 3.45pm-4pm Blood is Thicker Than Water 2/5, repeat from 25/11/03 (page 1)
Thur 22 July Five 8pm-9pm Loch Ness Monster: the Search for the Truth, repeat from 22/11/03 (page 1)

Cable:
I notice that the UKTV Documentary channel is rebroadcasting (what I assume is) the Horizon programme tomorrow:

Monday 19th July
UKTV Documentary 10pm - 11pm
Homeopathy: The Test
"Testing the validity of homeopathic medicine."

And though I'm unsure of the kind of programme quality you get on cable, on the basis of the above repeat, the following might also be worth watching (earlier the same day):

Monday 19th July
UKTV Documentary 11am - 12noon (repeated at 2pm and 5pm)
The Day I Died
"Could the mind live on beyond the death of the brain?"

Plus, very early in the morning ...

Monday 19th July
Discovery 1am - 2am
Placebo: Cracking the Code
"The placebo is one of the biggest mysteries of medicine. We explore the truth behind the lie that heals and ask whether the placebo can do more harm than good."
Source: Discovery channel (http://discoverychannel.co.uk/_home/index.shtml) listings

Source for all quotes (unless otherwise specified): Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 26th July
Channel 4 9pm - 10pm
Pagans
"2/4. Magic Moments. The series that uncovers modern Europe's forgotten pagan heritage continues. Anthropologist Richard Rudgley turns his attention to science and superstition, exploring how some of our pagan ancestors exploited what were perceived as magical forces to gain power and prestige."

No comment.

Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Wednesday 11th August
Radio 4 8pm - 8.45pm
The Commission
"New series 1/8. From passive smoking to whether mobile phones can reduce fertility - health scares frequently make the headlines. But how is the public to judge the seriousness of each claim? Nick Ross asks if we are too easily frightened."

Friday 13th August
Radio 4 12.30pm - 1pm
Face the Facts
"4/6. John Waite investigates a religious movement that claims it has the answer to female infertility: miracle babies that defy all scientific explanation."

Of interest ... ?

Tuesday 10th August
Radio 4 8pm - 8.40pm
Converting Britain
"Fifty years ago Billy Graham hit London with the force of a thunderbolt. His evangelical crusade drew more than two million to Harringay Arena. Many of them went forward to dedicate their lives to Jesus. Jane Little sets out to discover how Graham's message and his followers have fared since those days and investigates the claim that Graham's crusade was part of an organised strategy against communism."

Source, as always: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)


More soon ...

[JimTheBrit]

The Sky News channel will be running a feature on alternative medicine at 11.30am later this morning.

[JimTheBrit]

Newsnight tonight (10.30pm – 11.20pm): “Tom Carver will be looking at how George Bush is hoping to capitalise on the fervent support he gets from church goers, and asking if he is treading in dangerous territory mixing politics with religion?“ Source: Newsnight newletter (http://www.bbc.co.uk/email/newsnight)

Saturday 4th September
ITV1 12.00am-12.40am
The Dan and Dusty Show
"Psychic Uri Geller joins the two singing puppets on the sofa tonight where, as well as bending the odd spoon, he will be attempting to get Dan and Dusty's single to number one."

Thursday 9th September
BBC1 7pm – 7.30pm
Should I Worry About …?
“New series 1/8. Mobile Phones. Forty percent of people believe that mobile-phone masts are a health hazard. Some even claim that mobiles can “cook� the brain – but is there any hard scientific evidence to support such lurid rumours? In the first of his light-hearted investigations into headline-grabbing scare stories, Richard Hammond meets scientists in the know, gathers evidence on safe mobile usage – and confronts industry insiders dodging tough questions.�

Thursday 9th September
Channel 4 9pm – 10pm
The 9/11 Conspiracies
“Within hours of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre on 11 September 2001, dozens of theories began circulating about “the truth� behind the event. This enlightening documentary seeks to examine these conspiracy theories – from the intriguingly plausible to the downright absurd – through the evidence of official investigators, intelligence sources and eyewitnesses.�

Brief mentions:
Wed 1 Sep BBC1 12.40am-1.40am Star Sale, featuring Uri Geller. Another chance to see that sterling example of Mr Geller bending a spoon using other-than-paranormal powers. If ya can’t wait ‘til tonight, see it http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Geller-SpoonBend-StarSale-100604.AVI]here ( (.avi, 2.5Mb, 20 secs).
Wed 1 Sep BBC2 9pm-10.30pm The Kennedy Assassination: Beyond Conspiracy, repeat from 23/11/03 (see page 1)
Thur 2 Sep Five 9pm-10.30pm Greatest Chat Show TV Moments, no doubt starring a (turquoise clad?) Mr Icke and a Mr Wogan at some point.
Wed 8 Sep BBC2 7.30pm-8pm A Seaside Parish, a group of pensioners try to use the power of prayer to help a friend who’s unwell.
Thur 9 Sep BBC2 6pm-7pm Get a New Life, features aura photography.

Source for above quotes and info: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

Those who caught “This World: The Secret Swami�, may be interested to know that journalist Tanya Dutta‘s report on premier Indian skeptic Basava Premanand is still available in the Radio 4 archive, here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/itsmystory_280803.shtml).
There was one important question left unanswered for me at the end of the This World programme; what was it that caused the Rahm family’s faith in Sai Baba to be crushed by their son’s accusations about the guru? They could have just as easily dismissed the allegations as insidious attempts to smear their sacrosanct swami, or accepted them as true but inconsequential (as in the case of Hard-Rock-Café-founder Isaac Tigrett). Faith is a curious, unpredictable thing.

I caught the third and fourth episodes of Mind, Body and Kick Ass Moves on BBC3 and there were more amulets, Gods, ghosts and Qi forces than you shake a stick at. Chief among the supernatural-power-invoking martial artists had to be the Sun Gong, whose spokesperson, Sifo Cho, confidently asserted, “Our performances are proof that Gods and ghosts exist.� A quick review of those demonstrations:
-Lying on broken glass and having a stone tablet broken on the chest using a hammer, replicated here ( http://www.exn.ca/video/?video=exn20030611-shaolin4.asx) (.asx, 6 mins)
-Smashing bricks over body parts, another example of the above, IMO.
-Leaning onto a spear with the point pressed into the throat, kinda http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Willey-ArrowBreak-PTBS9.AVI]like ( [url) this (.avi*, 10.5Mb, 1 min).
-Stamping on broken glass, a variation on this (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Willey-GlassWalk-PTBS9.AVI) (.avi*, 10Mb, 1 min) -although one participant was so enthusiastic I dare say the Gods must’ve been with him if he remained free from cuts.
-Resisting machete blows to the paunch of the midriff. Okay, this one beat me, I ain’t got no suitable clips to hand.
-Chewing broken glass without injury … about as humdrum as an amazing power gets.
The Sun Gong could’ve been protected by Gods and ghosts but with so many of the techniques and forces used to perform very similar feats clearly understood, the onus is on them to show the intervention of supernature.
*Source: Penn & Teller: BS series 1 episode 9 “Self-Helpless�

In the fourth episode of MB&KAM, presenter Chris Crudelli explains "If you don't know what Chi is, there's a saying that might help you: You can live for three months without food, you can live for three days without water, you can live for three minutes without air, but you can't live for one single second without Chi."
Er, that didn't really make things any clearer for me, Chris :(

Mind, Body and Kick Ass Moves continues tomorrow, Wednesday 1st September with episodes seven and eight at 10.35pm ('til 11.35pm) on BBC3 (repeated Thursday at 11.30pm).

From the archives:
Radio 4
Home Truths:
21/8/04 Humanists (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hometruths/20040823 humanists.shtml), 9 mins
On a similar note, BBC4 will be broadcasting "Jonathan Miller's Brief History of Disbelief" ("the first TV history of atheism") in the not-too-distant future.

Today programme:
14/8/04 Lourdes and the pope's visit (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today0_pope_20040814.ram), 4 mins

[JimTheBrit]

If you've got Sky or cable, tonight (Monday 6th September) on the Discovery Channel, 9pm - 10pm: Mythbusters 2. "Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage find out if a toilet explodes when a flammable substance is sprayed into the bowl." Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

If you haven't seen the trailer already, there'll be the return of a familiar young lady later this month on the same channel. Details tomorrow ....

[Diamond]

Originally posted by JimTheBrit


Saturday 4th September
ITV1 12.00am-12.40am
The Dan and Dusty Show
"Psychic Uri Geller joins the two singing puppets on the sofa tonight where, as well as bending the odd spoon, he will be attempting to get Dan and Dusty's single to number one."


This is sad on so many levels...

[JimTheBrit]

Originally posted by Diamond
This is sad on so many levels... I find the show excrutiating, and it was only Uri’s appearance that made it bearable! Speaking of the cutlerymeister, here’s another clip of him plying his powers - germinating a seed (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Geller-SeedGrow-OnHolWithGellers-240803.AVI) in ‘On Holiday with the Gellers, broadcast in August last year (.avi, 11Mb, 1 min). A demonstration of this feat with nary a mention of paranormality can be seen in episode four of Channel 5’s past series, ‘Psychic Secrets Revealed’.

Of interest … ?

Sunday 12th September
ITV1 11.15pm – 11.45pm
Not Just on Sunday
“How much should religious belief influence political life? Tory MP Ann Widdercombe, the president of the Liberal Democrats, Lord Dholakia, and the Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries, join presenter Melvyn Bragg to discuss the issues surrounding religion and politics.�

Thursday 16th September
BBC2 9pm – 9.50pm
Horizon: The Truth About Vitamins
“Britain is becoming a nation of pill-poppers. But while we consume over £300 million-worth of vitamin supplements, are they actually doing us any good? Horizon examines some of the latest research – and commissions some experiments of its own – in an attempt to determine just how beneficial these “natural remedies� are. Could they actually be causing us harm?�

Brief mentions:
Mon 13 Sep Ch4 3.05am-4.05am The 9/11 Conspiracies, repeat from 9/9/04

For digital and cable viewers,
*Mythbusters 2 continues on Monday 13th September on Discovery at 9pm ‘til 10pm
*UK TV Documentary will once again be repeating the one-hour long ‘Homeopathy: the test’ on Wednesday 15th September (at 9am, 1pm and 5pm)
*Thursday 16th September sees the repeat of the first two episodes of Mind, Body and Kick Ass Moves on BBC3, 10.30pm – 11.30pm.

Source for info, quotes: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

Originally posted by JimTheBrit
If you haven't seen the trailer already, there'll be the return of a familiar young lady later this month on the same channel. Details tomorrow ....Uh, that of course should have read ‘tomorrow-ish’.

Yes, it’s the return of Ms Natalia ‘X-ray girl’ Demkina, who will grace the airwaves once more later this month on the Discovery channel. ‘The Girl with the X-Ray Eyes’ be broadcast on Sunday September 19th at 9pm ‘til 10pm (repeated again at 3am the following morning) and will feature Professor Richard ‘lucky’ Wiseman in yet another test of the x-ray marvel (if I interpret the short trailer correctly). The last televised testing of Ms Demkina was on ITV1’s ‘This Morning’ show in late January, and if I recall correctly (and at £100 for a copy of the show segment, my recollection is all I can afford), it was similar in several respects to the investigation of Dr X-ray’s powers in 1996. Who he? He be http://www.dwij.org/forum/future_link/future9_gregory.html]Dr ( , a ‘medical intuitive’, who was diagnosing the maladies of patients he doesn’t even need to see whilst Natalie Demkina was still puzzled by “tomatoes� and “vacuum cleaners� (http://www.itv.com/page.asp?partid=1139) *. Alas, while Demkina grabs the headlines, Dr Antyuhin wallows in relative obscurity. Life just ain’t fair.
Here’s an audio clip, taken from the series ‘The Paranormal World of Paul McKenna’: Testing Dr X-ray (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/TestingDrXray96.mp3) (.mp3, 2.5Mb, 7 mins) Besides Dr Antyuhin, you’ll hear Emma Veloshen, Assistant Professor Clinical Medicine, and “the extremely skeptical� Dr Michael Goss, Asst. Clinical Professor, Family Medicine (“who had never had any dealings with the paranormal before�, don'tcha know)
I don't think we'll be seeing the same mistakes in Natalia's testing as those apparently, er, apparent in Dr X-ray's, if it is Professor Wiseman conducting the experiment. Let's see how Natalia fares ...

Finally...
Be quick and you can catch the latest BBC World Service ‘Health Matters’ (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/health_matters.shtml) programme on homeopathy and, according to the http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/index_20040902.shtml]September ( [url) 2nd edition of Radio 4’s ‘You and Yours’, things aren’t going too well for Archbishop Gilbert Deya, whose miracle babies caused such a stir.

* Edited to add: See the link, spot the deliberate mistake :o

[mummymonkey]

Originally posted by JimTheBrit
Sunday 12th September
ITV1 11.15pm – 11.45pm
Not Just on Sunday
“How much should religious belief influence political life? Tory MP Ann Widdercombe, the president of the Liberal Democrats, Lord Dholakia, and the Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries, join presenter Melvyn Bragg to discuss the issues surrounding religion and politics." [/B]

Widdecombe is a Roman Catholic convert, Dholakia is patron of The Ayurveda Institute of Europe, the bishop is a bishop and I once heard Bragg describe Darwinism as "that other religion". I'll watch this, should be good.

[mummymonkey]

Originally posted by mummymonkey
I'll watch this, should be good.

Oops! My mistake. It was duller than an SNP party political broadcast.

[exarch]

Originally posted by JimTheBrit
Thursday 9th September
BBC1 7pm – 7.30pm
Should I Worry About …?
“New series 1/8. Mobile Phones. Forty percent of people believe that mobile-phone masts are a health hazard. Some even claim that mobiles can “cook� the brain – but is there any hard scientific evidence to support such lurid rumours? In the first of his light-hearted investigations into headline-grabbing scare stories, Richard Hammond meets scientists in the know, gathers evidence on safe mobile usage – and confronts industry insiders dodging tough questions.�[/B]Was this any good? Did anyone see it? Is it worth programming my VCR for next time?

[JimTheBrit]

Originally posted by exarch
Was this any good? Did anyone see it? Is it worth programming my VCR for next time? I didn't get to see it but there's a summary and a short clip from the prog here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/shouldiworryabout/mobiles.shtml).

Monday 13th September
BBC1 7.30pm - 8pm
Inside Out

West Midlands region: Phone masts - a health risk? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/westmidlands/series6/wk2/phone_masts.shtml)
South East region: Creating the new me (http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/southeast/series6/wk2/new_me.shtml), life coaching - including firewalking.

[Tanja]

Jim, I've seen on BBC an ad for a new programme about mediums that will run on BBC2, have you noticed that?

[JimTheBrit]

Originally posted by Tanja
Jim, I've seen on BBC an ad for a new programme about mediums that will run on BBC2, have you noticed that? Yeah, I caught an ad for the prog on TV last night. Dunno the transmission details yet but I'm keeping an eye out.

Here's the lowdown from the BBC press office:
"Mediums: Talking To The Dead
They say they can talk to the dead, prove there is life after death and deliver messages to the grieving from beyond the grave.
With extraordinary access, Mediums: Talking To The Dead lifts the veil on mediums in Britain and follows four of them as they go about their work - giving sittings to the bereaved, investigating hauntings and training aspiring mediums to hone their skills.
Known as the 'psychic barber', Gordon Smith can silence the most hardened sceptic but now he has to perform on the trans-Atlantic stage.
Blind medium Sharon Neill has stunned audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe and the film follows her sell-out theatre tour.
Craig and Jane Hamilton Parker call themselves the 'psychic family' and are determined to help develop a new generation of mediums.
This series, from the Everyman team, asks whether mediums spread false hope, exploit the vulnerable or simply tell people what they need to hear in troubled times."

[exarch]

That looks interesting, and very objective too. Keep us posted.

(Hehe, '... her sell-out theater tour ...", she's a sell-out allright :D)

[JimTheBrit]

A reminder that the 6-part series on CAM,'The Other Medicine', begins on radio 4 later tonight at 9pm ('til 9.30pm). It'll be repeated at 4.30pm tomorrow (Wednesday) and will also be archived for a time on the programme's website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/other_medicine.shtml).

Another update will follow very shortly, including a date and time of broadcast for that 'Mediums: Talking to the Dead' prog (a 3-part series, no less!)

[JimTheBrit]

Tonight (Wednesday 22nd September) ...

Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
"RELIGION Vs HOROSCOPES
A new poll claims horoscopes are the new religion. Nearly twice as many young people believe in horoscopes as in the Bible, so we’ve taken to the streets to find out what the public know more about, Star Signs or the Bible." R&J web site (http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/R/richardandjudy/)

Also, there'll be a repeat on Five at 8pm ('til 9pm) of 'Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon?' (originally broadcast on 2nd June - I'm assuming it's the same prog)

Details of M:TttD and an audio rip of 'The Girl with X-ray Eyes' to follow ...

[JimTheBrit]

Here's the audio rip from 'The Girl With X-Ray Eyes' for those without access to the Discovery channel. It was a surprise to hear who was conducting the testing. ...
Part 1 (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/GirlWithXrayEyes1-200904.mp3): Introduction
Part 2 (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/GirlWithXrayEyes2-200904.mp3): Baseline test
Part 3 (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/GirlWithXrayEyes3-200904.mp3): Formal test
Part 4 (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/GirlWithXrayEyes4-200904.mp3): Conclusion
You'll hear from journalist Igor Monichev (the russian reporter mentioned here (http://www.randi.org/jr/020604monk.html#12)), Professor Richard Wiseman (http://www.psy.herts.ac.uk/PWRU/RWhomepage.html) (CSICOP research fellow) and Professor Ray Hyman (CSICOP fellow).
The programme is a neat microcosm (and all too familiar tale) of the debates that rage around anomalistic research.

Note that the hour-long programme will be repeated on the Discovery channel on Saturday 25th September (9pm), Sunday 26th (3am), Thursday 30th (9pm) and Friday 1st October (2am).

(NB my above post on Demkina and Antyuhin - Demkina didn't discover her powers until 1998, when she was 10)

Tuesday 28th September
Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm (repeated 4.30pm Wed)
The Other Medicine
"2/6. Anna Ford looks at how scientists are trying to find out which complementary therapies are effective and hears from practitioners and patients who don't believe clinical trials are the answer."

I should also mention that the This Morning show (10.30am - 12.30pm) is running a weekly segment on Fridays in which Gloria Hunniford explores different CAM treatments. This week it's reflexology.

Wednesday 29th September
BBC2 9pm - 10pm
Mediums: Talking to the Dead
"New Series. 1/3. Do mediums spread false hope or provide much-needed comfort for the bereaved? This intriguing investigation for Everyman follows four mediums who claim to receive messages from beynd the grave.
Dubbed "The Psychic Barber", Gordon Smith's unnerving accuracy has silenced even the most hardened of cynics. Can he get to the bottom of ghostly goings-on at a Glasgow pub? Meanwhile, husband-and-wife team Jane and Craig Hamilton-Parker help a group of student psychics to tune into the other side, while blind medium Sharon Neill embarks on a sell-out UK tour. Narrated by Sean Pertwee."

RT's Danny Kelly adds: "This documentary about psychics is so balanced it will leave sceptics sceptical and believers convinced. Personally, I'd rather see mediums exposed as frauds, but it's still fun to see some very good ones in action, and watch the intuitive skill with which they probe their audience and pick up on things, then improvise comforting messages "from the other side".
That's their justification, of course, that they "comfort" the bereaved even as they reduce them to tears. But, as a bereavement counsellor warns wisely, mediums prevent relatives moving on.
In the end, this is diverting, but doesn't make much sense of its subject."
More of Danny Kelly's views on the programme can be found on page 23 of the current RT.

Also of interest ... ?

Saturday 25th September
Radio 4 11.30pm - 12am
Rites of Passage
"6/6. Baby-Naming Ceremony. Ian McMillan travels to Dartmoor to attend the humanist naming ceremony Lou and Steve devised for their daughter, Imogen, with the celebrant, Alison Orchard."

Brief mentions:
Wed 29 Sep BBC1 1.55am-2.45am Horizon: The Truth About Vitamins, repeat from 16/9
Thur 30 Sep BBC1 4.05am-4.35am Should I Worry About..? Mobile Phones, repeat from 9/9

Source for above quotes and info: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 27th AND Tuesday 28th September
ITV1 10.30am - 12.30pm
This Morning
I only caught the tail end of the advertising feature yesterday (and it wasn't repeated today), so all I can tell you is that Natasha 'X-Ray Girl' Demkina is back!

Sunday 10th October
BBC2 5.45am - 6am
Background Brief: Science and the Psychics
"Do humans have a sixth sense? Janice Acquah meets the researchers who put their reputations on the line in the search for ESP." Source: Open University (http://www.open2.net/) Ozone tv schedule magazine.

Here's a clip (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/FC.AVI) from a charity appeal made in August last year, featuring Maresa MacKeith and her mother. Liberating therapy or wishful thinking? You decide. (.avi format, 7.5Mb, 80 secs, vid compressed using DivX® 5.1.1 Codec)

Edited to add:
Radio 4's Today programme, Thursday 23rd September (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_mediums_20040923.ram): "Professor Richard Wiseman and Psychic and Healer, Tracey Ash-Ingley, discuss whether mediums have paranormal ability."

[John de Combe]

Originally posted by Diamond
This is sad on so many levels...

Indeed. Particularly for me. When I was a kid, Uri Geller was wheeled on BBCtv's childrens output several times as a "psychic", not as a "magician".

I believed firmly that he could bend spoons because presenters I trusted as a kid were sat there being bamboozled and saying how inexplicable it all was. He was allowed to go unchallenged when saying he was doing it by brain power alone. They would often show clips of Geller on "Ask Aspel", he'd appear on "Swap Shop" and guest on women's daytime shows like "Pebble Mill".

This was all in the late seventies and early 80s AFTER he'd be debunked as a fraud by James Randi. I firmly believe in this instance the BBC's Children's dept was grossly irresponsible.

Looking back, it makes me very angry that it wasn't until eight years ago when I saw an out of work Hungarian who left school at 14, doing spoon bending in our kitchen to pass the time while my wife looked for some cardboard boxes for him that I realised how dumb I'd been to believe it. Zoli can also make the spoons appear to get very hot and bendy. But he cheerfully admits it's all a trick.

[Ashles]

Apparently Natasha Demkina the Russian X-Ray girl is back on daytime TV again.

I missed her today, but she is on again tomorrow and I'm hoping to get it videoed. Should be interesting as tomorow they are apparently going to have some sceptics there.

It was on at 12:15 today ITV1 so probably same time thereabouts tomorrow.

It's this girl in case anyone's not familiar with her (http://www.randi.org/jr/020604monk.html#12)

[JimTheBrit]

A short article from the Guardian newspaper (http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1312544,00.html), summarising the CSICOP testing of Natasha Demkina.

Natasha succeeds where most others fail, by allowing herself to be repeatedly tested by different parties. She should be congratulated for that, at least.

Here's the audio (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Demkina-270904.mp3) from her appearance on ITV's 'This Morning' show on Monday (mp3, 5Mb, 12 mins), where she once more demonstrated her alleged x-ray diagnoses. Tuesday's show saw a more skeptical point of view (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Demkina2-280904.mp3) (of sorts) provided by psychologist Dr David Lewis (mp3, 2Mb, 5 mins) and further on, the results of yet more testing (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Demkina3-280904.mp3) (mp3, 4Mb, 10 mins). Ambiguity once again mars the proceedings, I'll hesitantly opine.

Tuesday 5th October
BBC1 7pm - 7.30pm (repeated on Friday 8th Oct at 12.25am)
Watchdog
"An investigation into an alternative cancer therapy that costs thousands of pounds - does it actually work?"

Tuesday 5th October
Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm (repeated Wed 6th Oct at 4.30pm)
The Other Medicine
"3/6. Anna Ford finds out what progress has been made in Britain to understand the mechanisms behind complementary and alternative medicine."

Wednesday 6th October
BBC2 9pm - 10pm
Mediums: Talking To The Dead
"2/3. Do mediums spread false hope or provide much-needed comfort for the bereaved? This intriguing Everyman investigation continues to follow medium who claim to receive messages from beyond the grave.
A Southampton woman attempts to contact her best friend, who suffered a violent death, blind medium Sharon Neill confronts a spirit that is ruining a young man's life and, in an item incorrectly billed last week, medium Gordon Smith investigates uncanny happenings in a Glasgow pub. Narrated by Sean Pertwee."

Brief mentions:
Sun 3 Oct BBC1 10.30am-11.30am Alistair Appleton goes firewalking.
Mon 4 Oct Radio 4 8pm-8.30pm The Battle of Shingle Street. Conspiraces abound - did the government cover up an attempted German invasion in 1940?
Mon 4 Oct BBC1 11.20pm-11.50pm Public Opinion, featuring Uri G.
Wed 6 Oct Radio 4 11.30-12am After Death, What? Repeat of 26/1 prog (see page 2)
Fri 8 Oct BBC1 2.25am-2.55am Terry Jones's Medieval Lives The Philosopher. So you thought they believed the Earth was flat? Think again, in this enlightening episode.

Digital and cable:

Blood Miracle at 10pm 'til 11pm on National Geographic, Friday 8th October looks well worth a look. Writes Mark Braxton in the RT: "When a young bishop called Januarius was beheaded in 4th-century Naples, some of his blood was supposedly poured into two glass vials. He became known as San Gennaro and his relics are believed to contain miraculous properties. This intriguing documentary follows an Italian chemist as he tries to uncover the truth about the blood, which every year on the anniversary of his death is seen to change from a brown mass to liquid."

Also:
Mon 4 Oct Discovery 9pm-10pm Mythbusters.
Thur 7 Oct BBC3 12.40am-1.40am Mind, Body & Kick Ass Moves (repeated Sat 9 Oct BBC3 2.55am-3.55am ?)

Source for quotes and info: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Wednesday 29th September
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
One segment: "Talking to the Dead
Can mediums really relay messages from the grave or are they just bringing false hope to the bereaved? Tonight a new documentary series on BBC 2 ‘Talking to the Dead’ follows Britain’s most accurate medium Gordon Smith at work. Gordon is known as the ‘psychic barber’. He joins Richard and Judy to talk about his powers of mediumship, along with paranormal psychologist and sceptic Professor Chris French."

[JimTheBrit]

"They claim they can talk to the dead, prove there's life after death and deliver messages to the grieving from beyond the grave. But how much is what mediums do the truth - and how much is trickery? Have you ever been to see a medium? Do you think they provide a valuable service? Or are they dangerous and pray on the vulnerable? Call 0500 909 693."

On air now.

Richard Bacon show, BBC Five Live (http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/programmes/bacon.shtml).

BBC 2 show on later tonight, see post above.

[JimTheBrit]

Tuesday 12 October
BBC4 12.40am - 1.40am (repeated at 2.50am)
Jonathan Miller's Brief History of Disbelief
"1/3. Writer Arthur Miller and scientist Richard Dawkins are among those assisting Miller in understandng his own "disbelief" and uncovering the history of atheism in general."

Repeated early Friday morning (2.15am - 3.15am)

It's on at this very moment too.

[JimTheBrit]

Tuesday 12th October
Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm (repeated Wed 13th Oct at 4.30pm)
The Other Medicine
"4/6. Anna Ford looks at the safety of complementary and alternative medicines. What constitutes harm, how does one assess risk and is orthodox medicine really any safer?"
Listen to previous editions of the series here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/other_medicine.shtml).

Tuesday 19th October (repeated Wed 20th Oct at 4.30pm)
"5/6. Anna Ford asks whether the many healers and therapists practising complementary and alternative medicine in the UK should be regulated."

Wednesday 13th October
BBC2 9pm - 10pm
Mediums: Talking to the Dead
"3/3. As word spreads about his amazing accuracy, medium Gordon Smith travels to San Francisco to work on stage with his top American counterparts. This absorbing Everyman investigation into those who claim to receive messages from beyond the grave concludes with the spotlight on Jane and Craig Hamilton-Parker. They're about to put one of their student mediums on stage, but how will he perform in public for the very first time? Narrated by Sean Pertwee."

If you didn't get to hear Gordon Smith and Chris French on the Richard & Judy show recently, you can listen here, now (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update121004-2/RichardAndJudy-Channel4-GordonsmithChrisFrench-26Sep04.mp3). (.mp3, 4Mb, 10mins)

Saturday 16th October
BBC2 8.10pm - 9.10pm
Magic
"New series 1/6. The definitive guide to the history of performance magic from ancient Egypt to the 21st century. Mind magic. prrepare to be amazed by mind-reading illusions that seem to defy explanation as the history of mental trickery is revealed. The oracle of Delphi, spiritualism and today's psychological illusionist, Derren Brown, come under scrutiny. Plus an array of interviewees, including Uri Geller, and a modern version of the 1950's mind trick."

Also of interest ... ?

Saturday 16th October
Radio 4 3.30pm - 4pm
The Indian Rope Trick
Generations of Western magicians have been baffled and transfixed by the story of the Indian rope trick. According to travellers returning from the East, indian fakirs could perform an apparently miraculous feat: they would throw a rope up into the air and make it stand up straight without any visible means of support. A boy would then climb up the rope and vanish. Then the rope would fall to the ground and the boy would magically reappear. Geoffrey Durham, one of Britain's top magicians, is amog those intrigued by the story and sets out to investigate the truth of the legend. He witnesses, for the first time on British radio, a live performance of the Indian rope trick in a remote Indian village."
Dr Peter Lamont (http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/aug/17inter.htm) is scheduled to give a talk on this subject at the Fortean Times Unconvention 2004 (http://www.unconvention2004.co.uk/), at the end of the month.

Brief mentions:
Fri 14 Oct BBC2 12.20am-2am Film: The Tichborne Claimant, period drama based on a true story (http://www.randi.org/jr/021502.html).

Source for all quotes and info: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

[Jim Lennox]

Watched the Magic programme about mentalism last night. Plenty of Randi on it, very informative and surprisingly well made. I give it two thumbs up.

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 18th October
BBC1 7.30pm - 8pm
Inside Out *East region only*
"IS THERE ANYBODY THERE?
The world of the paranormal remains an intriguing mystery, or indeed, a bit of nonsense, to most. But for some, communing with the spirit world is all in a day's work.
Inside Out delves into the world and work of the medium."
Source: Inside Out East - Is There Anybody There? web page (http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/east/series6/mediums_exorcism.shtml).

Digital and cable:
Mon 18 Oct UKTV Documentary 9pm-10pm The Bermuda Triangle: Beneath the Waves, rpt from Mar 13 (see page 2)
Mon 18 Oct Discovery 10pm-11pm Myth Busters, human fireballs

[tim]

Originally posted by JimTheBrit
Monday 18th October
BBC1 7.30pm - 8pm
Inside Out *East region only*
"IS THERE ANYBODY THERE?
The world of the paranormal remains an intriguing mystery, or indeed, a bit of nonsense, to most. But for some, communing with the spirit world is all in a day's work.
Inside Out delves into the world and work of the medium."
Source: Inside Out East - Is There Anybody There? web page (http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/east/series6/mediums_exorcism.shtml).

Mon 18 Oct Discovery 10pm-11pm Myth Busters, human fireballs

Thanks Jim - I'll watch the first and tape the latter!

[JimTheBrit]

Saturday 23rd October
BBC2 8.10pm - 9.10pm
Magic
"2/6. The definitive guide to the history of performance magic from ancient Egypt to the 21st century. Levitation. How do magicians create an illusion of floating on air? Ali Bongo, Paul Daniels and Paul Kieve contribute to the history of levitation on the stage, an act first inspired by stories of Indian holy men defying gravity and perfected in the form of the Indian rope trick. Now it has been taken to new flights of fancy in the spectacular shows of David Copperfield."

Tuesday 26th October
Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm
The Other Medicine
"6/6. Anna Ford explores the arguments for and against the integration of complementary medicine into the National Health Service."

Friday 29th October
ITV1 10.30am - 12.30pm
This Morning
"Hosted by Gloria Hunniford and Cliff Richard, who will also be performing his new single. Plus a look at toe-reading - can it really reveal the future?"

Friday 29th October
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
Author Deepak Chopra guests.

Also of interest ... ?

Monday 25th October
Radio 3 9.30pm - 10.15pm
Night Waves
"It's 300 years since the death of John Locke, the first great empiricist of modern times, whose ideas helped forge the Enlightenment in England. But how relevant is his philosophy and political theory today? Philip Dodd and guests discuss his legacy."

Other programmes of interest on philosophy can be found on the abandoned, but still useful Philosophy radio page (http://www.philosophyradio.cjb.net/) and Radio 4's In Our Time (philosophy section) (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/inourtime/inourtime_philosophy.shtml).
Next week's In Our Time will feature witchcraft - details soon.

Tuesday 26th October
Radio 4 2.15pm - 3pm
Afternoon Play: The Dream-Workings and Brain-sayings of James Tilly Matthews
"Bedlam, 1809. The extraordinary true story of the first man to believe his mind was being controlled by a machine. Written by Dylan Ritson."
Alas, early experiments with cast iron deflector beanies were a failure.

Thursday 28th October
Radio 4 4.30pm - 5pm
The Material World
"What is hypnosis? How does it work and what happens to the brains of people who are hypnotised. Professor John Gruzelier from Imperial College, London, explains what's happening in the brains of the hypnotised. Dr Peter Naish from the Open University has shown that hypnotised people behave as if an inner clock is running slow. Quentin Cooper finds out why this happens and how recent results from brain scans show that the answers touch on theories of consciousness."

Digital and cable:
Mon 25 Oct Discovery 10pm-11pm Mythbusters, escape from Alcatraz

Source for all quotes and info: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 25th October
BBC1 7.30pm - 8pm
Inside Out *West region only*
"WHO'RE YOU GOING TO CALL?
It seems there's money to be made in everything these days, but making money from ghosts… isn't that going a step too far? Not for one man here in the west, who makes his living as a "professional ghostbuster". Tessa Dunlop enters the world of the paranormal to find out more."
Source: Inside Out - Who're You Going to Call web page (http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/west/).

Also, the BBC World Service's 'Heart and Soul' programme has broadcast the first of a four-part series on exorcism. Listen to it here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/heart.shtml) (only 13 minutes long).

On cable tonight, Jonathan Miller's Brief History of Disbelief continues (BBC4, 9.30pm-10.30pm). Physicist Steven Weinberg talks to Jonathan Miller in The Atheism Tapes later at 12.05am (same channel).

More soon.

[JimTheBrit]

Thursday 28th October
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
"Richard & Judy are joined by US radio astrologers Russ & Renee."
Source: Richard & Judy web site (http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/R/richardandjudy/index.html).

Nowt else on terrestrial directly relating to skeptical topics but these may be worth watching ...

Saturday 25th October
BBC2 8.25pm - 9.25pm
Magic
"3/6. Close-up Magic. When David Blaine throws your chosen playing card through a plate glass window right before your eyes, or Paul Daniels produces a huge block of ice from beneath his hat, they are performing the oldest and purest form of magical illusion - sleight of hand. Tracing the long history of close-up magic, the programme recalls the routines of past masters before bringing the form up to date as Paul Zenon creates the biggest magic trick of its kind ever seen."
According to the series' web page (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/listings/programme.shtml?day=saturday&service_id=4224&filename=20041030/20041030_2025_4224_44565_60), this episode will also feature an interview with a pair of bulls****ers, so to speak.

Saturday 30th October
Channel 4 7.20pm - 9.25pm
God Bless America: With God on Our Side
"As US citizens heading[sic] for the polls on Tuesday, this documentary examines a facet of the current administration that has alarmed many observers around the world: the power of the evangelical right. To what extent has President George W Bush's religious rebirth, linked to his recovery from alcoholism, influenced his policies? Featuring interviews with "axis of evil" speech writer David Frum, religious broadcaster and one-time presidential candidate Pat Robertson and evangelists Jerry Falwell and Billy James Hargis."
There's a similar prog on BBC4 on Tuesday - see below.

Brief mentions:
Sun 31 Oct BBC1 11.30am-12.30pm Countryfile, includes a visit to the home of Pendle witches.

Digital and cable:
BBC4 is repeating Jonathan Miller's Brief History of Disbelief at 7pm ('til 8pm) - episode 1 on Sat 30 Oct, 2 on Mon 1 Nov, concluding 3rd part Tues 2 Nov.
Sun 31 Oct Discovery 8pm-9.30pm The World's Greatest Conspiracy Theories, repeat from May 12.
Mon 1 Nov Discovery 10pm-11pm Mythbusters.
Mon 1 Nov BBC4 11.40pm-12.10am The Atheism Tapes, 3/6. Writer Arthur Miller talks to Jonathan Miller about life after death.
Tues 2 Nov BBC4 9pm-10pm Jesus Christ and George Bush, what do we know about George Bush's faith?
Thurs 4 Nov Discovery 10pm-11pm The Girl with the X-Ray Eyes, repeat from Sep 19.

Odds n' sods
All four episodes of the BBC World Services' series on exorcism are now on-line. Go here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specials/1512_exorcism/index.shtml). The rich archive of BBC radio 4's 'In Our Time' now includes the programme on witchcraft (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/inourtime/inourtime_20041021.shtml). Renaissance magic (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/inourtime/inourtime_20040617.shtml) might also be worth a listen. Here's (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update281004/SundayExpress-241004-ChineseMed.jpg) an article on the dangers of alternative medicine and a report (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update281004/SundayExpress-241004-WarwickGhostVigil.jpg) on a ghost vigil from "interested cynic" Clare Heal, both courtesy of the Sunday Express. I've uploaded another clip of Uri Geller in action on channel 4's 'The Salon' from last year - guess the picture (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update241004/Geller-PicGuess-TheSalon-Sep2003.AVI) (.avi, 15Mb, 1 min). Other clips of Geller (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update121004-1/Geller-Ch4TheSalon-JarOpen-Sep03.AVI) (.avi, 15Mb, 1 min) and psychic-cum-healer Matthew Manning (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update121004-1/MatthewManning-ITVthisMorning-IceTest-16Apr04.AVI) (.avi, 14Mb, 2 mins), posted in another thread (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46646) recently, are still available to watch. I wonder if Mr Manning still keeps such esteemed company (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update281004/JosephsonManning.jpg) these days? (Source: The Link, Manning's autobiography, Corgi, 1975.) David Icke'll be on both Jeff Rense and Talksport Radio in early November (http://www.icke-media.com/). Hmmm, I'll have to dig out that clip of him on Wogan, it's around here somewhere. Finally, from across the waters, OzLand's Radio National discusses Francis Wheen's 'How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World', on Booktalk (16 Oct) (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/arts/booktalk/default.htm).

Source for all quotes, 'cept where otherwise stated: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)
All vid clips are compressed using the DivX® 5.1.1 Codec. There's a player here (http://www2.divx.com/divx/player/index.php) if yer having probs.

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 1st November
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
Today's show will include a segment on past-life regression and reincarnation at 5.45pm.

[Stumpy]

Rulers of the world

Channel 4 (UK)
Airing next on:
Sunday, November 7 @ 8pm
Sunday, November 14 @ 8pm
Sunday, November 21 @ 8pm


A thee part series written by directed by journalist Jon Ronson as he gains unprecedented access to the power base behind the Bush administration, and explores the motivation and ideology which motivates the US defense establishment.
Written and directed by Jon Ronson, THE CRAZY RULERS OF THE WORLD explores the craziness at the very heart of the US Military, Intelligence and Government communities. Ronson's highly acclaimed last series, 'The Secret Rulers of the World', examined the paranoia at the fringes of Bill Clinton's America. In his latest series, for the first time ever, high-level members of the US power elite reveal extraordinary - and very nutty - national secrets at the core of George W Bush's War on Terror. It begins like thisÅ_ In 1979 a secret unit was established by the most gifted minds within the US Army. Defying all known accepted military practice - and indeed, the laws of physics - they believed that a soldier could adopt the cloak of invisibility, pass cleanly through walls and, perhaps most chillingly, kill goats just by staring at them. Entrusted with defending America from all known adversaries, they were the First Earth Battalion. And they really weren't joking. What's more, they're back and helping to fight the War on Terror.

[JimTheBrit]

Edit: Damn you and your pre-empting-me-by-15-minutes-even-though-I've-been-working-on-this-post-for-damn-near-2-hours ways, Stumpy [/shaking fist in the air] :p :p :D

This week sees the long overdue return of Jon Ronson to our screens, in the first of a three-part sequel to his entertaining ‘Secret Rulers of the World’ series (which is still not available to buy on DVD :mad: ):

Sunday 7th November
Channel 4 8pm – 9pm
Crazy Rulers of the World
David Butcher writes, in Radio Times magazine’s Today’s Choices: “People are basically nutty,� says a CIA psychologist at the start of this extraordinary series, and by the end you may well believe he’s right. It’s presented by Jon Ronson, who has spent three years piercing together the history of bizarre paranormal programmes conducted by the US military and others.
Take Maj Gen Albert Stubblebine III, once chief of army intelligence, now retired. He cheerfully admits to Ronson that he spent a good deal of time in the 1980s attempting to walk through his office wall, because he thought it would be a useful skill for a general to have, and, after all, the wall and he were both made of atoms that were mostly air. He kept banging his nose, but he kept trying.
It’s just one jaw-dropping delusion among many. The programme is subtitled The Men Who Stare at Goats because the US Army used to have a “goat lab� where special forces would try to stare goats to death. It’s a technique some of them still employ, and the use of “psychic� spies has recently been revived.
Cumulatively, the effect of these stories is hilarious, if a little worrying. One of the strongest sequences involves a manual for the First Earth Battalion – a New Age proposal for soldiers to carry lambs into battle and wear monks’ hoods. Such ideas aren’t as discredited as you might assume: Ronson claims the current US Army Chief of Staff is very much a fan. It’s up to you whether you find such nuttiness a cause for alarm or, as Ronson does, in some strange way, endearing.�
There’s another article on the series on page 23 and 24 of the current Radio Times. More on Jon, his new book to accompany the series and his upcoming book tour can be found at www.jonronson.com. According to the website, you’ll be able to hear extracts from ‘The Men Who Stare at Goats’ during Start the Week (Radio 4, Monday 8th November between 9am and 9.45am). Jon will also be talking to Isabel Hilton later the same day on Night Waves, Radio 3, 9.30pm – 10.15pm).

Monday 8th November
Channel 4 8pm – 9pm
The Haven
“New series 1/3. A spotlight on the alternative community of Finhorn on the north-east coast of Scotland. Attracted by the inhabitants’ simple, unmaterialistic existence, a group of paying guests arrive to get a taste of the self-sufficient way of life. Meanwhile, an Indian guru causes a stir.�

Tuesday 9th November
Radio 4 9pm – 9.30pm
All in the Mind
“2/6. Eyewitnesses frequently play a vital role in uncovering the truth about a crime or an event. Dr Raj Persaud takes part in an experiment at the Eyewitness laboratory in Aberdeen University to see how accurately he can recall past experiences are helping the police understand and improve the truthfulness of eyewitness accounts.�

Also of interest … ?

Saturday 6th November
BBC2 8pm – 9pm
Magic
“4/6. Disappearances. From the Victorians’ “Pepper’s Ghost� – in which a ghost would seemingly walk among live actors – to modern TV trickery, appearances and disappearances have been crucial to magic. Here are some of the most impressive “grand illusions�, culminating in an effect never before seen on television: American magician Franz Harary tries to make London’s Tower Bridge vanish. Also featuring Paul Daniels.�

Brief mentions:
Sun 7 Nov Radio 5 10pm-1pm Julian Worricker, includes an investigative report on phone masts and the health problems attributed to them.
Fri 12 Nov BBC1 10pm-11pm Homes under the Hammer, a visit to a spooky mansion near Rochester in Kent.
Sun 14 Nov BBC2 2.30am-3am Was Anybody There? Repeat of Jan 18, page 1.
Sun 14 Nov BBC2 3am-3.30am The Argument From Design, repeat of Jan 18, page 1.

From the Radio 4 archives:
You and Yours
3 Nov 04: Royal Society professor expresses concern at lack of reasoning skills (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/index_20041103.shtml).
2 Nov 04: Miracle Baby clinic nurse gets prison time (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/index_20041102.shtml).
13 Oct 04: Miracle babies - Nursing and Midwifery Council launches investigation (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/index_20041013.shtml).
Those associated with the Gilbert Deya Ministries aren’t the only ones in hot water at the moment. Papa Wemba, star of BBC2’s recent ‘Storyville: The Importance of Being Elegant’ (unfortunately the prog details have been lost from this thread due to the forum problems encountered in September) is also in court, charged with aiding illegal immigration (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3949935.stm).

Digtal and cable:
Mon 8 Nov Discovery 10pm-11pm Mythbusters, can a single shot cause explosive decompression?
Wed 10 Nov Discovery 10pm-11pm Stigmata, unexplained crucifixion wounds.

Odds n’ sods
A round-up of recent press articles: Guardian angels (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update011104/DailyExpress-1Nov04-GuardianAngel.jpg) and the curse of the Exorcist (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update011104/DailyExpress-29Oct04-CurseExorcist.jpg) in the Daily Express (note the laptop crash comments – there’s a illustrative example in ‘Was Anybody There?’ a week on Sunday. See ‘Brief mentions’), firewalking with motivational guru Tony Robbins (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update011104/SundayExpress-24Oct04-RobbinsFirewalk.jpg), Sunday Express.
BBC Video Nation – John Humphries gives a guide of The Ram Inn, Wotton Under Edge (http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/videonation/2004/10/gloucestershire_ram_inn.shtml)
More confirmation that almost any part of the human body can be studied/manipulated to determine a person’s health/future/personality was provided by the This Morning show last Friday, with a guest 'expert' identifying celebrities’ personalities by reading their toes. Not to be outdone, the Paul O’Grady show featured knee reader Sue Evans 3 days later!
The BBC World Service’s Outlook ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/outlook_peo.shtml) looked briefly at brainwashing yesterday (Wednesday, 23 minutes onwards).
Mr David Icke (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update011104/DavidIcke-GreatestChatShowMoments-2Sep04Ch5.mpg), on being granted special status - (mpg, 2 mins, 18 Mb)

Source for most of the prog info: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/).

[Tanja]

Originally posted by JimTheBrit

Sunday 7th November
Channel 4 8pm – 9pm
Crazy Rulers of the World
[/B]

That was REALLY weird!

[exarch]

Originally posted by Tanja
That was REALLY weird!Yes, and sadly, on Channel 4 (which we can't get here on the mainland) :(

[JimTheBrit]

Saturday 13th November
BBC2 9.25pm - 10.25pm
Magic
"5/6. Dangerous Magic. Harry Houdini became one of the most well-known magicians thanks to his extraordinary feats of escapology. But there was one trick that even he would not attempt - the infamous bullet catch that claimed 12 lives, including that of Chinese illusionist Chung Ling Soo on stage in London in 1918. This look at the riskier areas of magical acts culminates in a tongue-in-cheek version of David Blaine's recent endurance test as magician Robert Gallup is strait-jacketed above the Thames in a glass box with a timed trap door - over burning metal spikes. Also featuring eccentric US duo Penn and Teller."

Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

I'll post a round-up of what's on during the rest of the week (including This Morning Goes Skeptical) tonight or tomorrow.

[JimTheBrit]

Oops, nearly forgot about this ...

Sunday 14th November
Channel 4 8pm - 9pm
The Crazy Rulers of the World
"2/3. Funny Torture. Jon Ronson continues his journey into the dark and mysterious underbelly of North America's secret military, intelligence and government agencies. This week he discovers the legacy of a peace-loving battalion from the 1970's, inspired by the new-age movement, which led to the development of "non-lethal technologies" employed by US forces in the war on terror, and subsequently to controversial techniques used on detainees at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay prisons."

Source: RTm (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Bah! Not only have I lost the first part of 'The Crazy Rulers of the World' in the darkest depths of my video collection but also my recordings of part 1 of 'The Haven' and the first half of the new weekly skeptical slot on 'This Morning'. Hopefully, they'll emerge in the near future for review.

The Haven continues tonight ...

Monday 15th November
Channel 4 8pm - 9pm
The Haven
"2/3. A stressed family of five hope to bond during their visit to the alternative community of Findhorn. Meanwhile, a young man whose close relatives have all stayed in the locality makes his own visit, amd a couple try to reconcile their plans for a new-age wedding with conventional legal obligations."

... and This Morning, with a marked departure from their frequent accommodation of "psychics", lets rip with a full skeptical broadside - more details of their new mini-series 'Magic & the Power of the Mind' can be found here (http://www.itv.com/page.asp?partid=1585). Part two is this Friday (19th November) sometime between 10.30am and 12.30pm on ITV1. Here's the second part (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update151104/ThisMorning-MindPower2-12Nov04.AVI) of the first segment showing actress Lorraine Chase's amazing (cough) powers after her inherent cutlery-bending skills were careful nurtured by psychologist Dr David Lewis and magician Keelan Leyser (.avi, 30Mb(!), 2mins, DivX compression).

On digital and cable, Mythbusters continues tonight on Discovery between 10pm and 11pm.

[JimTheBrit]

In 10 minutes time...

Wednesday 17th November
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
"Alien Abductee
This week sees the start of a new TV drama, The 4400, which tells the story of alien abductees returning to Earth. But could this happen for real? James Basil talks to Richard & Judy about the thirteen times he has been confronted with aliens. He is joined by Professor Chris French, a sceptic expert on the paranormal.

Atlantis found?
American researcher, Robert Sarmast, claims that he has definitively found the location of Atlantis. Robert has flown over from Cyprus to tell Richard & Judy more about his expedition. Joining him is Atlantis expert Colin Wilson who has been in search of Atlantis for over 25 years and believes that Robert’s theory is the most convincing one yet. "

Source: R&J web site (http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/R/richardandjudy/index.html)

Edited to add:
Atlantis found? segment at 5.20pm
Alien Abductee segment at 5.40pm

[JimTheBrit]

Here's the audio rip (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update171104/RichardAndJudy-AlienAbductee-17Nov04.mp3) (.mp3, 10mins, 4Mb) and (tongue-in-cheek) pic guide from the alien abduction segment on Richard & Judy.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update171104/PicCollage.jpg

Note that Friday's This Morning show will also feature a look at another CAM treatment (as well as the skeptical slot).

Sunday 21st November
Channel 4 8pm - 9pm
The Crazy Rulers of the World
Writes David Butcher, "I'm not convinced this series justifies its title. Crazy, yes, but mostly the people Jon Ronson encounters are fringe nutters who may have some connection with the US military or intelligence - not quite rulers of the world.
This last film concentrates on the strange world of psychic spying. During the Cold War the US Army kept a unit of psychics to spy on the Soviets. Ronson interviews several of them, one giving an apparently impressive demonstration of her powers. But when he tries to tie this into a larger narrative, the material won't bear the weight he puts on it.
There's a sense of ovestretch - the same filler shots are repeated endlessly and gaps in the story are elided. But maybe the shadowy story demands this, and in any case Ronson's dedication in bringing some jaw-dropping curiousities to light is to be treasured."

Tuesday 23rd November
Channel 4 12midnight (Mon) - 1am (Tues)
Putting the Fun in Fundamentalism
"1/5. Beam me up Jesus. Elliot Gerner begins a series of investigations into religious dogma by delving into the phenomenon of the Rapture - a belief in Christ's imminent return to Earth to offer salvation to true believers."
"Light-hearted" and "jolly entertaining" according to RT writer Danny Kelly (page 38). This first episode promises a look at Bob Jones University ("Stepford scary") and the Christian Hells Angels.

Also of interest ... ?

Saturday 20th November
BBC2 9pm - 10pm
Magic
"6/6. Violent Magic. From sawing a woman in half to fake decapitations, magicians have always been drawn to illusions that feature the power of death and restoration. This trend can be traced back from the Elizabethan mystery plays to modern-day performers like the Amazing Jonathan, whose show features violence on a scale to rival Quentin Tarantino. Including contributons from Paul Daniels, Paul Zenon and the Pendragons, plus archive footage of one magician who, having seemingly sliced his victim in two, refused to bring her back together again."

Monday 22nd November
Channel 4 8pm - 9pm
The Haven
"3/3. There are some unusual signs of stress in the normally serene community tonight. A member of the kitchen staff loses her temper, and a family who have made their home in Findhorn take umbrage at the influx of visitors. Plus there's a worrying development when the founder of the colony falls ill."

Tuesday 23rd November
BBC1 7pm - 7.30pm
Watchdog
"Investigating a £60 health treatment that could prove to be more risky than beneficial."
(I'm not sure what the '£60 health treatment' is so it could be wholly irrelevant to the thread)

Brief mentions:
Thurs 18 Nov ITV1 1.30am-2.20am, The Paul O'Grady Show, repeated from Wed afternoon, features a graphologist and dog yoga.
Fri 19 Nov Five 8.25pm-9pm Housebusters, Janet Ellis gets three "healthy house" experts to examine properties plagued by intangible problems - ghosts/bad karma/unsettling atmosphere etc. Series continues on Fri 26 Nov with more house heebie-jeebies.
Fri 26 Nov ITV1 11pm-11.30pm When Jordan Met Peter, "Peter is annoyed when Jordan invites a medium to their home on the day of their murder mystery party because she thinks it is haunted."

Cable and digital:
*Tonight* Wed 17 Nov Discovery 10pm-11pm True Horror with Anthony Head, this new series first looks at vampires (repeated on Sunday at 10pm).
Mon 22 Nov Discovery 10pm-11pm Mythbusters, can marching soldiers cause bridges to collapse?
Wed 24 Nov Discovery 10pm-11pm True Horror with Anthony Head, "investigating the various theories on demons."

... and for some light entertainment (if you haven't already seen it via the Net), the film short Forklift Driver Klaus is on channel 4 later tonight (2.35am - 2.45pm).

Most of the info and all of the quotes copied unashamedly from the Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/), as per usual.

[JimTheBrit]

Later tonight:

Tuesday 30th November
Channel 4 12midnight (Mon) - 1am (Tues)
Putting the Fun in Fundamentalism
"2/5. Bollywood Goddess. Elliott Gerner reveals how a Bollywood film sparked a religious revival in India."

Source: RT (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Thursday 2nd December
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
"Ark of The Covenant
Author Graham Phillips is in the studio to discuss his theory that the Ark of the Covenant may exist in the UK." Source: R&J's web site (http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/R/richardandjudy/)

Some recent newspaper articles that may be of interest:
Daily Mail (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update021204/DailyMail-FirewalkRobbins-22Oct04.jpg) - Firewalking with "motivation guru" Anthony Robbins, 22Oct04
Daily Express (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update021204/DailyExpress-HillAbduction-22Oct04.jpg) - Betty and Barney Hill, 22Oct04
Daily Express (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update021204/DailyExpress-Atlantis-16Nov04.jpg) - Sarmast Atlantis discovery, 16Nov04
Daily Mirror (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update021204/DailyMirror-ParaWeek1-15Nov04.jpg) - Paranormal week: Monday, 15Nov04. A nod to Anomalist (http://www.anomalist.com/) for catching the first article. Paranormal week turned out to be a weak half week.
Daily Mirror (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update021204/DailyMirror-ParaWeek2-16Nov04.jpg) - Paranormal week: Tuesday, 16Nov04
Daily Mirror (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update021204/DailyMirror-ParaWeek3-17Nov04.jpg) - Paranormal week: Wednesday, 17Nov04
Daily Mail (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/Update021204/DailyMail-Simulacra-25Nov04.jpg) - Simulacra, 25Nov04. Hmmm, I wouldn't be surprised to find the images of Hague and Jordan were given some "help". Can't see Beckham's face in the Jaffa Cake 'cos the scan quality ain't great? You'd be hard pressed to see it in the original picture too. Nil points for that one.

[JimTheBrit]

Tonight:

Friday 3rd December
Five 8.30pm - 9pm
Housebusters
"3/7. The sighting of a "dark entity" in the bedroom means that a couple's house is giving them the willies. Which of the three experts will they choose to cure their ailing abode? With Janet Ellis." Radio Times.

[JimTheBrit]

True Horror With Anthony Head begins over on Discovery very shortly (10pm - 11pm). This week's show looks at werewolves.

Tonight sees the repeat of the first epsiode of The Crazy Rulers of the World. Channel 4, 3.10am - 4.10am.

Radio 4 recently rebroadcast The Jesus Box (see page 2, 19th May for details). Click here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/progs/listenagain.shtml) to listen again.

[JimTheBrit]

Part two of The Crazy Rulers of the World is repeated tonight on channel 4 at 2.45am ('til 3.45am).

Before that at 12.05am ('til 1.05am), channel 4's Putting the Fun into Fundamentalism airs again. "3/5 Kicking the Devil's Balls. The uneasy relationship between's Brazil's main religions", says the Radio Times (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/).

For those with cable and digital services, another episode of Mythbusters begins shortly on Discovery at 10pm - 11pm.

[JimTheBrit]

I haven't had chance to listen yet but this this sounds like an interesting new series from the the BBC World Service's 'Masterpiece' programme:
"We live in a universe of mysterious beauty. There is so much more than we know, and it is sometimes beyond the limits of human understanding.
But does that mean it's supernatural, above nature, something that transcends mundane reality?
The Supernatural is an insightful and provocative three-part inquiry presented by Nick Rankin.
He finds that, whether we believe in them or not, phenomena like ghosts, magicians who seem to have miraculous powers, and tales of invisible battles between good and evil, have in some way affected us all."
All three parts are now available to listen to here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specials/91_supernatural/index.shtml)

Wednesday 8th December
ITV1 10.30am - 12.30pm
This Morning
Lionel "closet skeptic" Fanthorpe goes ghost hunting during today's prog.

Friday 10th December
Five 8.30pm - 9pm
Housebusters
"4/7. A young couple are unhappy with their 'eerie' spare room. Which of the three experts will they chose to cure their ailing abode? With Janet Ellis."

Wednesday 15th December
Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm
Many Happy Returns
"Dr Ian Stevenson is one of a number of scientists who have made investigations into children who seem to remember past lives - like the Lebanese girl who was able to name 23 members of her "previous" family. But is this a field of endeavour where empirical study is valid, or even possible? Linda Pressly examines the claims of the scientists engaged in this controversial area of research."
Who do you reckon then? French or Wiseman?

Friday 17th December
Five 8.30pm - 9pm
Housebusters
"5/7. For 15 years Linda and her two sons have all sensed an intrusive and sinister presence lurking in their spacious Essex abode. Which of tonight's three experts will be chosen to heal their tormented home? With Janet Ellis."

A fact-based fictional interlude, of interest perhaps ...

Saturday 11th December
BBC World Service 6.30pm - 8pm
Play of the Week
"Miss Morrison's Ghost. This play, by Ian Curteis, is based on the paranormal events experienced by two very proper academic English ladies in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, France, on an August afternoon in 1901."
A timeslip, I believe.

Brief mentions:
*Tonight* Wed 8 Dec Ch4 3.55am-4.55am The Crazy Rulers of the World, 3/3 - Psychic Foot Soldiers, rpt from 7th November, see relevant post above.
Sat 11 Dec BBC2 12pm-12.45pm See Hear, deaf culture prog includes "a B&B run by a psychic".
Sun 12 Dec BBC2 10.30am-12.10pm Sunday Style, includes putting herbal remedies to the test.
Tues 14 Dec Channel 4 12midnight-1am Putting the Fun in Fundamental, 4/5. "Watching Jew, Watching Me. Elliott Gerner's satirical probe into an anti-Semitic website in the USA".
Tues 14 Dec Channel 4 4.50am-5.50am The Haven, 1/3. Repeat from 8th November, see relevant post above.
Tues 14 Dec Radio 4 11pm-11.30pm Jon Ronson on ... Amateur Sleuths. Includes a discussion with a man who's spent his life looking for Nessie.
Wed 15 Dec Channel 4 4am-6am The Haven, episodes 2/3 and 3/3. Repeated from 15th and 22nd November, info on both progs can be found on this page.

Cable & Digital
*Tonight* Tues 7 Dec UK TV Documentary 9pm-10pm Britain's X-Files, UFOs. Repeat from terrestrial 9th January broadcast (see page 2).
Wed 8 Dec UK TV Documentary 3pm-4pm (repeated same day 9pm-10pm) The Bible Code, Drosnin. I suspect this is a repeat of the Horizon prog from 20th November 2003 (but may be wrong!) See page 1 for details.
Wed 8 Dec Discovery 10pm-11pm (repeated at the same times on Sun 12 Dec) True Horror with Anthony Head, looks at witchcraft.
Thurs 9 Dec UK TV Documentary 3pm-4pm (repeated same day 9pm-10pm) The Bermuda Triangle: Beneath the Waves. Repeat from terrestrial 14th March broadcast (see page 2).
Thurs 9 Dec UK TV Documentary 7pm-8pm Natural World. "Is an island off Canada's coast haunted by ghost bears?"
Thurs 9 Dec Discovery 10pm-11pm Transplanting Memories. "Can people who've received transplanted organs recover memories from organs' donors? More anecdotal then scientific, this documentary serves up extraordinary stories that will give you goose-bumps. Weird and compelling." - Geoff Ellis, RTmag.
Mon 13 Dec Discovery 10pm-11pm Mythbusters. Looks at the 'scuba diver sucked up by a fire-fighting helicopter' myth.
Wed 13 Dec Discovery 10pm-11pm True Horror with Anthony Head. Investigating zombies.

Source for info and quotes: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Tonight:

Monday 13th December
ITV1 8pm - 8.30pm
Tonight with Trevor McDonald
"Nutritionist Dr Gillian McKeith has won an army of diet disciples with her book, You Are What You Eat.

But what is the truth behind the bestseller and the woman who wrote it? "
Source: TwTM web page (http://www.itv.com/news/tonight_920412.html)

Ben Goldacre's Bad Science (http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/badscience/) column in the Guardian:
Thursday August 12, 2004 - Eccentric, brilliant, bollocks (http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/badscience/story/0,12980,1280808,00.html)
Thursday August 19, 2004 - Gillian McKeith, round 2 (http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/badscience/story/0,12980,1285600,00.html)

There's lots more interesting stuff on over Christmas, details soon.

[JimTheBrit]

This evening on the Naked Scientists (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/):
Sunday 19th December
How to listen (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/faq/index.htm) 6pm - 7pm
The Naked Scientists
"UFOs, alien abductions and government cover-ups
We'll be talking to the Ministry of Defence's Nick Pope about his work on the UFO desk, set up to investigate sightings over the UK. He'll be lifting the lid on the cases that have so far defied rational explanation, and inviting you to contribute your own experiences and stories."
Score one point (groaning is optional) for every utterance of the word "bedroom", "bed", "asleep" or "awoke" from callers recounting their abduction experiences.

Pre-Chopra, there was ...
Sunday 19th December
Radio *3* 9.30pm - 10.15pm
Sunday Feature: Travels With Blavatsky
"Peggy Reynolds goes in search of the grandmother of the New Age: Madame Blavatsky, one of history's most enigmatic women, responsible for opening Western minds to Eastern thought. Considered by her Victorian peers to be both sage and charlatan, philosopher and fraud, Blavatsky was a whirlwid of inspiration, causing a century of revolutions in the arts, politics and science, entrancing everyone from Edison to Elvis. With stops in Bombay, London, New York and Nirvana, Travels With Blavatsky removes the beguiling cloak of mystery from Blavatsky's epic writings and incredible life."

Monday 20th December
Radio 4 8.30pm - 9pm
Speak, Spirit, Speak
"Ever since the advent of the tape recorder people have been recording what they claim are voices from "another world" - or electronic voice phenomena. Edison even invented a machine to capture them. The writer Ken Hollings tries to explain the mysteries of EVP. Are they voices of the dead, alien transmissions or a product of our own inquisitve minds?"
No prizes.

Wednesday 22nd December
Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm
Falling Up
"People have the oddest hobbies. In sheds and garages in Britain and across the world, amateur inventors are trying to reverse the laws of physics by building antigravity machines. Sue Nelson finds out if we're on the verge of learning how to fall up."
The smart ones are selling franchises.

Thursday 23rd December
Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm
Herbs, Pills and Potions
"1/2. History has been illuminated by the efforts of human beings to maintain and improve health. Rajesh Mirchandani begins an exploration of ancient medical traditions and practices by looking at clay tablets found in Mesopotamia that show that the ancient Assyrians had developed an astonishingly complex system of medical beliefs and practices. In turn, their wisdom influenced the Greek physicians who laid the ethical foundations for today's medicine."
Details of part 2 below.

Friday 24th December
Radio 4 12.04pm - 1pm
You and Yours
"In a Face the Facts special, John Waite returns to Kenya for an update on Archbishop Gilbert Deya, the pastor at the centre of baby-trafficking allegations."
The original investigation into Deya's "miracle babies" is still online here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/index_face_the_facts.shtml).

What do you get when you cross Changing Rooms with 6ixth Sense and add the budget of Plan 9 From Outer Space? ...
Friday 24th December
Five 8.25pm - 9pm
Housebusters
"6/7. Sleepless nights and electrical gremlins are the symptoms of a spooky Southend home. Who can provide a cure?"
Alas, DubiousCauseAndEffectBusters were otherwise engaged.

In the same vein, sans the fresh coats of paint ...
Sunday 26th December
ITV1 11.15pm - 12midinght
Haunted Homes
"Uncovering ghostly goings-on in ordinary homes around the UK. The Outrams from Birmingham receive help with their paranormal problems."
I wouldn't describe a haunted house as ordinary, but there ya go.

Thursday 30th December
Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm
Herbs, Pills and Potions
"2/2. Continuing his exploration of ancient medical traditions and practices, Rajesh Mirchandani visits India to examine Ayurvedic medicine, a philosophy of health that gives equal weight to science and spirituality. Modern Ayurvedic practitioners continue to rely on medical principles that were written down more than 2,500 years ago."

Friday 31st December
Five 8.25pm - 9pm
Housebusters
"7/7. Just months after moving into their new Watford semi, the Rose family claim they're feeling anxious in a house that possesses an unsettling presence. Which of the experts will be able to instill a sense of calm into their tortured home? With Janet Ellis."

Also of interest ... ?

Sunday 19th December
Channel 4 8pm - 9pm
What We Still Don't Know
"3/3. Astronomer Royal Martin Rees concludes his challenging exploration of the great questions facing science today. Tonight's programme asks whether we really exist. It examines a fundamental chasm in the laws of physics regarding the nature of reality by delving into the realms of multiple universes and the limits of intelligence and power. Could we be nothing more than a complex code running on a super-computer in a parallel universe?"

Tuesday 21st December
Channel 4 12midnight (Mon) - 1am (Tues)
Putting the Fun in Fundamental
"5/5 Raiders of the Misplaced Ark. Elliott Gerner visits Turkey to explore the legacy of the tale of Noah's Ark in Judaism, Christianity and Islam."

Thursday 23rd December
Radio 4 8.30pm - 9pm
Analysis
"7/8. The Search for Certainty. In the post-Marxist and supposedly secular era, strong beliefs seemed to be permanently out of fashion. But modern forms of "fundamentalism" are emerging in response. Bruce Clark asks why certainty is still proving so attractive, and where the search for it might take us."

Saturday 25th December
Channel 4 8.30pm - 10.35pm (repeated Wed 29 Dec 1.25am - 3.25am)
Who Wrote the Bible?
"Theologian Robert Beckford embarks on an epic journey around the world to explore the origins of the sacred text that has shaped the history of Western civilisation. For literalist believers, the Bible represents the word of God, but here Beckford outlines how the book came into being through a complex and ongong history of human intervention, imagination and interpretation."

Brief Mentions:
Thurs 23 Dec Five 7.30pm-9pm The World's Greatest Conspiracy Theories, rpt from 12 May 04 (page 2).
Wed 29 Dec Five 8pm-9pm The Truth About Britain's Favourite Toys, includes an ouija board for children.

Digital and Cable:
Sun 19 Dec UKTV Documentary 9pm-10pm The Bermuda Triangle: Beneath the Waves, rpt of terrestrial 14 Mar 04 broadcast (see page 2).
Sun 19 Dec Discovery 10pm-11pm True Horror With Anthony Head. Zombies, rpt from last Wednesday (15 Dec).
Mon 20 Dec Discovery 10pm-11pm Mythbusters, looks at Archimede's use of mirrors to set fire to a Roman fleet.
Sun 26 Dec UKTV Documentary 10pm-11pm The Bible Code, rpt from 20 Nov 03 (page 1) - probably.

All the info and quotes (bar the details of the Naked Scientists' show) are from the latest edition of the Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/).

[JimTheBrit]

From Radio 4's Today programme:

21st Dec: The Metropolitan Police have hosted an awareness course in Satanic Ritual Abuse: Part 1 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today1_sra_20041221.ram) (3 mins), Part 2 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_satanic_20041221.ram) (5 mins), BBC article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4114227.stm)
17th Dec: Should 'Intelligent Design' be taught in schools?
Part 1 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today3_id_20041217.ram) (8 mins) with philosopher Anthony Flew.
Part 2 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today5_id_20041217.ram) (6 mins) with Prof Steve Jones and the Discovery Institute's Stephen Meyer

Life After a Cult (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hometruths/20041127_cult.shtml), from Home Truths. Mary's film can be found here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire/telling_lives/43_more_from_lancashire.shtml) (Note that only the narrow band link appears to work).

From further afield:
The All in the Mind (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/mind/) radio programme recently looked at pseudoscience in psychology. Check out the 18th Dec show.

Sunday Nights With John Cleary (http://www.abc.net.au/sundaynights/) featured ACAHF's Peter 'Millenium Project (http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/)' Bowditch on the 28th Nov prog.

The Health Report (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/default.htm) will look at the placebo effect in the next show (Monday).

Listen to Prof Richard Dawkins talk about his new book "The Ancestor's Tale", courtesy of Quirks and Quarks (http://radio.cbc.ca/programs/quirks/archives/04-05/dec04.html).

The Seti Institute's Are We Alone? (http://www.seti.org/site/pp.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=178892) show continues it's 'Skeptical Sunday' series, with many interesting subjects covered - check out the show archives.

[JimTheBrit]

Friday 7th January 2005
Channel 4 10.35pm - 11.40pm
Derren Brown: Messiah
"A one-off special with the psychological illusionist, following on from his controversial forays into Russian roulette and seances. Here, he attempts to challenge established doctrines and belief systems by demonstrating how easy it is for authority figures to impose their ideas on the unquestioning public." Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

*Today* Thursday 6th January 2005
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
"Electronic Voice Phenomenon
White Noise is a new movie that focuses on Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP). Richard & Judy are joined by Professor David Fontana and Judith Chisholm to discuss how they believe it is possible to contact the dead through tape and video recordings."
Source: R & J website (http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/R/richardandjudy/)

Thursday 13th January
BBC2 9.50pm - 10.30pm
Sweeney Investigates
"New series 1/3. The Kabbalah Centre. John Sweeney investigates happenings in the worlds of politics, sport and social affairs. He begins with a look at the Kabbalah Centre, an organisation that promotes a new form of Jewish mysticism. Madonna, Demi Moore and Britney Spears are among its followers. But the sinister reality beneath the celebrity gloss reveals evidence of damaged lives and battered bank balances."
Might this recent Observer article (http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,11913,1371787,00.html) give us a clue as to what will be presented in the programme?

Brief mentions:
Sat 8 Jan BBC2 8.10pm-9pm Britain's X-Files - Timewatch, repeat of Jan 9 '04 broadcast (see page 2).
Fri 14 Jan BBC2 The Curious House Guest, visits the supposedly haunted Chillingham Castle in Northumberland.
Sun 16 Jan BBC2 2.30am-3am Was Anybody There?, repeat of Jan 18 programme (see page 2)
Sun 16 Jan BBC2 3am-3.30am The Argument from Design, repeat of Jan 18 programme (see page 2)

>Another programme to look out for. (http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=15037735&method=full&siteid=89488&headline=fury-over-live-telly-exorcism-name_page.html)

Digital and Cable:
Wed 12 Jan UK TV Documentary 3pm-4pm (also 9pm-10pm and 11.40pm-12.40am) The Bible Code, rpt from 20 Nov 03 (page 1).
Wed 12 Jan UK TV Doumentary 4pm-5pm Homeopathy - The Test. Originally aired before this thread was begun, details of the programme can still be found on the BBC Horizon website here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2002/homeopathy.shtml).

From further afield:
Australia's ABC National Radio programme 'Spirit of Things (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/relig/spirit/default.htm)' will be Talking to Spirits this coming Sunday (9 Jan).
"Lily Dale, founded in 1879 in New York State, is the oldest and largest Spiritualist community in the world."

Rupert Sheldrake was recently In Conversation (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/incon/) with Robyn Williams.

Programme information provided by the Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/).
Links to newspaper articles found at the Anomalist (http://www.anomalist.com/).

[JimTheBrit]

*Today* Friday 7th January
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
"URI GELLER
World famous paranormalist Uri Geller joins Richard & Judy to talk about his experiences whilst filming “Uri’s Haunted Cities: Venice� a one off special for Sky One."
Source: R & J website (http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/R/richardandjudy/)

There was another mention of EVPs yesterday, this time on BBC radio 4's Today (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/zthursday_20050106.shtml) programme (8.28am). The link to the report is missing at the moment but will be included soon, hopefully.

If you've overlooked Geni's post on the recent Open Country programme looking at dowsing, you can find it here (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=50910).

[Steve Knight]

Jim, you provide an invaluable service - if only there were a medal for this sort of thing!

[JimTheBrit]

Thanks Steve!

- Yet more EVP shenanigans in one hour's time, This Morning, ITV1, 12.15pm.

[davidhorman]

This is on tonight, so I think it bears repeating. I'm not a big fan of Derren Brown, but it sounds good.

Originally posted by JimTheBrit
Friday 7th January 2005
Channel 4 10.35pm - 11.40pm
Derren Brown: Messiah
"A one-off special with the psychological illusionist, following on from his controversial forays into Russian roulette and seances. Here, he attempts to challenge established doctrines and belief systems by demonstrating how easy it is for authority figures to impose their ideas on the unquestioning public." Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

David

[tim]

Can I first say Hi to Steve Knight - You're very welcome!
Secondly - and once again - I have to say thank you to Jim. You're quite right Steve - it is an invaluable service and one all to easy to take for granted.
Jim, you are a bloody hero, mate!

[JimTheBrit]

Originally posted by tim
Can I first say Hi to Steve Knight - You're very welcome!
Secondly - and once again - I have to say thank you to Jim. You're quite right Steve - it is an invaluable service and one all to easy to take for granted.
Jim, you are a bloody hero, mate!
Aw shucks, such flattery - it almost makes having to sit through those countless workout video adverts first thing in the morning (to see if there's 'owt of interest on This Morning) bearable. Almost.

Seriously though, it's good to know that people are interested in the thread. I do wonder sometimes ...

Now, about Uri Geller on Richard and Judy the other day - if you missed it, here's a clip (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimmy13/RichardAndJudy-Geller-7Jan05.AVI) showing Geller demonstrate that some of our fundamental ideas about the world are wrong. (.avi, 2mins, 29Mb, DivX player here (http://www2.divx.com/divx/player/index.php), entertainment value: high)
How can we be so skeptical in the face of such sincerity? Throw those science textbooks out the window!

From some of the other clips of Uri's new show that were broadcast, it looks as though a certain paranormalist is trying to reinvent himself, taking a few pages out of other satellite channel spook series. For those who can view Sky One and have nothing to do tonight (Sun 9th Jan) for an hour and a half after 9pm, have a ball.

[JimTheBrit]

*Today* - show starts in 15 mins

Thursday 20th January
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
"Urban Myths
Residents of Birmingham are currently in the grip of fear due to reports of a ‘vampire’ prowling the streets. The local police state that they have not received any reports from people stating they have been bitten and that they believe it to be an urban myth which is being fuelled by rumours. Joining Richard & Judy to discuss this and other urban myths are Dr Mikel Koven, a lecturer at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and urban legends expert and psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman."
R & J web site (http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/R/richardandjudy/)

Edit: Segment airs at 5.30pm

[JimTheBrit]

*Today* Friday 21st January 2005
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
"PHAKE A PHANTOM
We asked our viewers to send in their own ‘hoax’ [ghost] video footage. The very best will win £1000. The competition is open until the end of January but today we look at some of the funniest and most realistic entries so far."
Source: R & J web site (http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/R/richardandjudy/)

Brief mentions:
Tue 25 Jan BBC2 8pm-9pm Dragon's Den, "hard-nosed potential investors" scutinise inventors' products. One of those looked at in this programme is "a seemingly miraculous scientific breakthrough." I hear that competition between mass-media marketed scientific breakthroughs is intense these days. (Repeated Wed 26 Jan, 11.20pm)
Fri 28 Jan ITV1 11pm-12.05am New Homes From Hell, apparently features a haunted Belfast estate.

Digital and cable:
Sat 22 Jan Discovery 9am-4pm Mythbusters, seven freakin' episodes in a row.
Sun 23 Jan Discovery 9pm-10pm the Truth Behind The Moon Landings, repeat from 2nd June '04 (see page 2). An effective response to the infamous, weasel-word-laden Fox prog.

Programme info from the latest Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/) unless otherwise specified.

[JimTheBrit]

If you missed it the first time around ...

Friday 4th February
Channel 4 11.10pm - 12.15am
Derren Brown: Seance
"The master of psychological illusion assembles 12 members of the public to re-create a traditional seance in this one-off show. Will there be anybody there?" Radio Times mag (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

Edit: DB's 2005 tour dates have been announced. More details here (http://www.derrenbrown.co.uk/tour.asp).

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 14th February
Channel 4 9pm - 10pm
Bodyshock: The Girl With X-Ray Eyes
"Seventeen-year-old Natasha has become famous in her native Russia for her ability to see inside the human body to diagnose illness. This film follows her as she undergoes laboratory testing in the USA - does she really have x-ray vision?"
... or is she making vague statements about medical problems which people then attribute to specific ailments? This is probably a terrestrial broadcast of the programme already shown on Discovery. More details regarding Demkina's testing will be published in a future issue of the Skeptical Inquirer (http://www.csicop.org/si/), the magazine published by CSICOP.

Thursday 17th February
BBC2 9pm - 9.50pm
Horizon
An Experiment to Save the World. It's the process that powers the Sun, and scientists know that if they could just make nuclear fusion happen here on Earth they could solve all the world's energy problems. Billions of pounds have been spent on trying to make it happen, but now an American scientist claims to have created nuclear fusion simply by bombarding a flask of liquid with sound waves. Many scientists refuse to believe his claims, but Horizon has assembled a team to replicate the experiment. This film reveals the team's findings."

Brief mentions:
Mon 14 Feb to Thurs 17 Feb Ch4 11.05pm-12.10am Extreme Celebrity Detox, four-part series in which barely-celebrities "undergo far-out treatments in far-flung places."

Cable and digital:
Fri 10 Feb UKTV Documentary 12.40am-1.40am The Day I Died, looking at the phenomenon of NDEs.
Sun 13 Feb Discovery 7pm-8pm Monsters Hunters, searching for the "Jersey Devil" and big cats in the English countryside.
Sun 13 Feb Discovery 9pm-10pm Beyond The Bermuda Triangle, investigating the disappearance of ships in the Pacific.

All programme info taken from the Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/), as per usual.

[JimTheBrit]

Originally posted by JimTheBrit
Mon 14 Feb to Thurs 17 Feb Ch4 11.05pm-12.10am Extreme Celebrity Detox, four-part series in which barely-celebrities "undergo far-out treatments in far-flung places."

Worth a bump. Last night's delights included the guzzling-your-own-pee therapy, tonight's episode promises suspending-large-weights-from-your-knackers therapy. Starts in just over half an hour.

[JimTheBrit]

Thursday 24th February
Channel 4 10pm - 11.05pm
The Real Exorcist
"A gripping account of the real events behind the classic horror film The Exorcist. Released in 1973, the movie was based on William Peter Blatty's bestseller and depicted a child possessed by the devil. The roots of the story - in the only publicly documented Catholic exorcism in US history - are explored here."

And following straight after that programme ...

Channel 4 11.05pm - 1.10am
The Exorcism
"Krishnan Guru-Murphy presents an investigation into the mysterious practice of exorcism. An experienced minister will perform the rites, while the brain activity of the subject is monitored using cutting-edge neuro-imaging technology. A group of leading scientists and theologians discuss the results."

Too many paranormality-seeking programmes subtley imply that photo analysis and its inevitable failure to find tampering somehow authenticates the supernatural phenomena. I trust this won't be the case with Channel 4 and its neuro-imaging tech.

Brief mentions:
Sun 20 Feb BBC2 3am-3.30am Therapies on Trial: Homeopathy. There are at least two different versions of this prog knocking about, I'm not sure which one this is.
Sun 20 Feb BBC2 10.30am-12pm Sunday Style, What does the future hold? "[...] clairvoyant Claire Petulengro gives her predictions for the year ahead."
Tues 22 Feb BBC2 11.20pm-11.50pm Desi DNA. "Movie director David Lynch explains why he believes transcendental meditation is the perfect way to a stress-free life."

Cable and digital:
Sun 20 Feb Discovery 8pm-9pm Mythbusters
Mon 21 Feb UKTV Documentary 3pm-4pm (repeated 9pm-10pm) The Bible Code, yet another repeat of the terrestrial broadcast from 20th November 2003 (see page 1)

Thanks to the Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/) for the prog info.

[JimTheBrit]

Thursday 3rd March
Radio 4 11pm - 11.30pm
Crossing Continents
"3/8. USA. The town of Dover in rural Pennsylvania and its population of 1,800 has never been the sort of place to attract attention. But the eyes of the world are now firmly on this small town after its high school became the first in America for several generations to introduce creationism into its biology curriculum as an alternative to evolution. The move is part of a radical new agenda being promoted by an increasingly confident Christian Right, buoyed by its crucial role in re-electing President Bush. Martin Rees travels to Pennsylvania and Virginia to look at how state education has become a focal point in the battle for the heart and soul of Middle America."

Also of interest ... ?

Monday 28th February to Thursday 3rd March
Channel 4 7.55pm - 8pm
3 Minute Wonder: Shopping for Religion
"A cable-TV shopping channel attempts to sell one of the world's major religions."

Brief mentions:
Mon 28 Feb BBC2 3pm-3.30pm Castle in the Country, ghost hunting features.
Tues 1 Mar BBC1 3.35am-4.25am Horizon, report on attempts to create nuclear fusion. Signed. Repeat of 17 Feb prog, see post above.
Thur 3 Mar Radio 4 9pm-9.30pm Leading Edge, researchers ask volunteers to use religious faith to cope with the pain caused by applying chilli gel to the skin.

Cable and digital:

Tuesday 1st March
BBC3 9.30pm - 10pm
High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman
Mark Braxton writes: "Picture Richard Clayderman crossed with Paul O'Grady, and that's Shirley "Spook to you later" Ghostman, played by comedian Marc Wootton. Neither the audience for his psychic show nor those auditioning for his "Spirit Academy" know he's a mock medium. And though BBC3 couldn't conjure up a review copy, a taster tape shows many not getting his joke - hilariously so. Promising."
Repeated later the same night (12.35am) and throughout the rest of the week (Wed 10pm, Thur 9.30pm, Fri 2.05am).

Also on digital and cable:

Sun 27 Feb Discovery 8pm-9pm Mythbusters, "tricks to fool speed radars".
Tue 1 Mar BBC4 12.30am-1am The Atheism Tapes. "Arthur Miller, who died earlier this month, talks to Jonathan Miller, about faith."
Thur 3 Mar Discovery 10pm-11pm The Girl With X-Ray Eyes, repeat of 14 Feb terrestrial 'Bodyshock' prog.

All prog info and quotes from the Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/).

[JimTheBrit]

*TONIGHT* Thursday 24th February
BBC2 10.30pm - 11.20pm
Newsnight
Includes:
"Beating the devil out of children. After a four-month long investigation, Newsnight has uncovered a truly astonishing story about child abuse in Britain.
It comes some five years after the death of the African-born girl, Victoria Climbie (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1035455.stm), in London. Throughout the trial, the man and woman who killed Victoria claimed the little girl was possessed by the devil.
Newsnight can now reveal that some Christian churches with their roots in west and central Africa have persuaded parents and carers that children who are naughty are, in fact, possessed by evil spirits.
After such a diagnosis from pastors, one result can be the severe physical beating of the children, resulting in what some fear is widespread abuse. This - apparently - is part of our country in 2005.
It is a thoroughly disturbing report from Angus Stickler, with serious implications for social services, the police and ultimately the government."
Source: Newsnight e-letter

The Newsnight team archives the programme for a day on their website here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/default.stm), so this needn't disturb your Channel 4 exorcism viewing.

[JimTheBrit]

Cable and digital:

Tuesday 8th March
BBC3 9.30pm - 10pm
High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman
"2/8. More spoof psychic encounters as Shirley is faced with accusations of fraud from a university don and hears from a shapeshifter who can transform himself into any creature on the planet. Starring Marc Wootton. New episode."
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

This episode is repeated on:
Wed 9 Mar, 2.35am
Wed 9 Mar, 10pm
Thur 10 Mar, 2.05am
Thur 10 Mar, 9.30pm
Fri 11 Mar, 10pm
Sat 12 Mar, 10.40pm
Sun 13 Mar, 2.35am
Sun 13 Mar, 11.30pm
Mon 14 Mar, 2.25am

[JimTheBrit]

Of interest ... ?

Wednesday 16th March
BBC2 7pm - 7.30pm
The Trial of Galileo - Days That Shook the World
"In 1633 Galileo found himself on trial for heresy after suggesting that the Sun, rather than the Earth, was the centre of the known universe. Would the astronomical evidence he had amassed be enough to convince the Catholic Church to abandon centuries-old teachings?"

Brief mentions:
Wed 16 Mar ITV1 11pm-11.45pm Haunted Homes, repeat of 26 Dec prog (see page 4).
Wed 16 Mar ITV1 11.45pm-12.30am The World's Scariest Ghosts - Caught on Camera, repeat of 26 Jun prog (see page 3).

Cable and digital:
Sun 13 Mar Discovery 8pm-9pm Mythbusters, can gobstoppers explode in the mouth?
Sun 13 Mar Discovery 9pm-10pm UFOs over Pheonix.
Mon 14 Mar UK TV Documentary 3pm-4pm (repeated 9pm, 11.40pm) Britain's Greatest Hoax - Piltdown man, rebroadcast of 21 Nov 03 terrestrial prog (see page 1).
Tue 15 Mar UK TV Documentary 3pm-4pm (repeated 9pm, 11.40pm), Britain's X-Files - repeat of 9 Jan 04 terrestrial prog (see page 2).
Tue 15 Mar Discovery 10pm-11pm (repeated 2am), Mythbusters - "Is it possible to throw a playing card fast enough to inflict bodily harm?"
Fri 18 Mar UK TV Documentary 4pm-5pm, The Day I Died - NDEs.
Fri 18 Mar Discovery 10pm-11pm (repeated 2pm), Stigmata - investigating the spontaneous manifestation of Christ's crucifiction wounds.

Prog info taken from the Radio Times (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/).

ASKE (http://www.aske.org.uk/) featured on the radio again this week, contributing to a discussion on Carlisle's Cursing Stone. The 50-minute long article can be accessed via Radio Scotland's listen again page here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/radioscotland/view/show.shtml?listen_again) > Twelve 2 Two > Tue > 1:10:
Thanks to Tony for the info.

[JimTheBrit]

Of interest ... ?

As DeVega has already mentioned (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54470):
*TONIGHT* Sunday 27th March
Channel 4 10pm - 11.40pm
Faking It Special
"Claiming that he has never knowingly told a lie, physicist Kevin McMahon leaves behind his life of scientific facts and truth-searching and enters a world of deception and illusion at a top London cabaret club. Attempting to pass himself off as a bona fide magician, Kevin receives the help of some of the Magic Circle's hottest young stars over a period of four weeks. But will he be able to trick an expert panel of judges that includes the legendary Paul Daniels?"

Wednesday 30th March
BBC Radio 4 9.30pm - 10.15pm
Night Waves: Undercurrents
"Phillip Dodds is joined by AS Byatt, Julian Baggini and others to discuss the dividing line between science fiction and science fact."
Trivia: Baggini is a regular contributor to UK Skeptic magazine (http://www.skeptic.org.uk/). But then, you already knew that because you subscribe, right?

Prog info: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Philosopher Anthony Flew, whose beliefs in a Creator, or lack thereof, were the subject of much discussion in skeptic circles recently, appeared on BBC Radio 3's Belief last week. He can be heard clarifying his position here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio3_promo.shtml) > Belief > TUE

From http://www.victorzammit.com/]Victor ( :
“NATASHA DEMKINA ANSWERS HER CRITICS
Thanks to Nobel Laureate Professor Brian Josephson for giving us notice that the BBC World Service will be broadcasting, in their 'Outlook' program some time, probably next week, an interview with Russian medical psychic Natasha Demkina followed by comments by Professor Josephson. There is a http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/outlook_peo.shtml]web ( [url) page which should have an announcement in advance, and also allow the program to be heard for a few days afterwards.�

The BBC World Service is currently running a four-part series on how science has changed in the aftermath of 9/11. Listen here: Controlling Science (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specials/1012_controlscience/index.shtml)

Cable and digital:

Courtesy of the Psychology of the Paranormal Network (join their alert list here ( http://www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/apru/hitech/email/email.htm)):
Monday 28th March
Sky One 9pm – 11pm
50 Terrible Predictions
“Angus Deayton takes a wry look at some of the worst, headline-grabbing forecasts made by an array of famous people�

Tue 29 Mar 10pm-11pm Mythbusters, “Testing the power of a boom-lift catapult.�

BBC3’s High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman:
Episode 4: Mon 28 Mar 12midnight(Sun)-12.30am(Mon).
Episode 5: Tue 29 Mar 9.30pm-10pm (repeated Fri 1 Apr 11.30pm)

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 4th April
BBC Radio 4 12.05pm - 12.45pm
Outlook
According to Victor Zammit ...
"NOBEL PRIZE WINNER PROF BRIAN JOSEPHSON on radio discussing the internationally infamous Natasha Demkina case -: Monday's BBC World Service programme Outlook for 4 April will include an item concerning Russian medical psychic Natasha Demkina. Extracts from the Discovery/Channel 4 'investigation' by CSICOP will be followed by an interview with Natasha and a discussion of the validity of the 'experiment' and the phenomenon of medical intuition with Prof Josephson.

The program will be broadcast first at 12.05 pm UK time (BST) on the 4th April and repeated twice subsequently over the following 24 hrs; it can be listened to on the internet live and for around a week later. You will need to first download a free version of Real Player (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/audiohelp_install.shtml)- (Windows Media Player doesn't work with BBC programs) and then go to the Outlook homepage (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/outlook_peo.shtml).

For Details on how to listen to the program via radio see full information on international radio schedules (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/schedules)."

Thursday 7th April
Channel 4 12.30pm - 12.35pm (only 5 minutes!)
I Believe I Can Fly
"The secrets of yogic flying."
In the past the secret always seems to have been to use the word flying when you mean leaping.

Of interest ... ?

Tuesday 5th April
Five 7.15pm - 9pm
Secrets of the Old Testament
"Very little concrete evidence exists to back up the best known stories in the first part of the Bible, yet it is still the basis of many modern issues. The Old Testament's teachings informs debates on such controversial topics as abortion, homosexuality and the right to life. This documentary represents a radical scientific and archaelogical appraisal of scripture in an effort to discover the truth about the Israelites and the Bible."

Brief mentions:
Tues 5 Apr Ch4 1.05am-2.05am Extreme Celebrity Detox, 1/4. Repeat of 14th Feb broadcast (the rest of the series is repeated over the next 3 days at about the same time).
Wed 6 Apr ITV1 10.30pm-12.30pm This Morning, includes "what do the stars say about Charles and Camilla's future together?"

Cable & Digital
Tues 5 Apr Discovery 10pm-11pm (repeated later the same night at 2am) Mythbusters, looks at bug bombs.

High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman on BBC3:
Mon 4 Apr 11pm-11.30pm, repeat of episode 5
Episode 6:
"The psychic is full of swagger having won an international award. How will the Spirit Academy apprentices cope as they learn to deal with a poltergeist?"
Shown on:
Tues 5 Apr 9.30pm-10pm
Wed 6 Apr 3.45am-4.15am
Fri 8 Apr 11.30pm-12midnight

All prog info from Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/) unless otherwise specified.

[JimTheBrit]

*TODAY* Monday 25th April
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
"Doreen Virtue- Angel Therapy
Doreen Virtue, the world’s leading expert on angels is talking to Richard and Judy about her dealings with angels and about her technique, ‘Angel Therapy’."
From: R&J website (http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/R/richardandjudy/)

[JimTheBrit]

Of interest ... ?

Friday 29th April
ITV1 8.30pm - 9pm
Celebrity Stitch up
Uri Geller gets hoodwinked.

Brief mentions:
*TONIGHT* Thur 28 Apr BBC1 10.45pm-11.45pm The Bermuda Triangle: Beneath the Waves. Repeat of March 14th '04 prog (see page 2).

[JimTheBrit]

Just spotted this ...

Digital and Cable:
*TONIGHT* Sun 1 May Discovery 10pm-11pm (repeated 2am-3am) Top Ten Ways To Contact The Dead, rpt of terrestrial 23 Aug 03 broadcast (see page 1). It includes original clips of the Enfield poltergeist's mischievousness, if I remember correctly.

[JimTheBrit]

*TODAY* Wednesday 4th May
Channel 4 5pm-6pm
Richard & Judy
"GRAPHOLOGY
Jan Harrison joins Richard & Judy to analyse the handwriting of couples including a few celebrities to see just how compatible they really are."
source: Richard & Judy web site (http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/R/richardandjudy/)

Edit: Looks like Jan dabbles in numerology (http://www.rushdentoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=324&ArticleID=1010288) too.

'Nother update later today with next week's TV & radio.

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 8th May
BBC1 10.30am - 11.30pm
The Heaven & Earth Show
Includes "a report on paranormal phenomena, from out-of-body experiences to psychic healers."
Attendees of Skeptics in the Pub may recognise the resident skeptic.

Thursday 12th May
ITV1 10.30am - 12.30pm
This Morning
Oh joy, it's the return of regressionist Andrea Foulkes, who "[...] reveals celebrities who believe they've lived before [...]" She'll probably be plugging an upcoming series on regression. Presenter Philip Schofield admitted earlier on today's show that the reason for his recent absence from the This Morning set was due to him filming a 20-part series on the subject. It starts in a couple of weeks time on ITV1 (at 1.30pm, apparently). Once again it'll be interesting to hear how those little 'temporal anomalies' are explained - when past lives conflict with the present life or future lives are 'remembered'. I'll hazard a guess that "evidence isn't really what's important, it's the healing aspect."

Friday 13th May
BBC Radio 4 11am - 11.30am
The Holy Fire
"With its prayer, procession and delicate internal politics, the service of the Holy Fire ceremony takes place during the Eastern Orthodox Church's Holy Week in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Stewart Henderson goes to the city to explore an ancient religious ceremony that, remarkably, claims an annual miracle. But is it a holy hoax?"
Cleopatra's thread on the phenomenon can be read here (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56310).

Of interest ... ?

Friday 6th May
BBC2 7pm - 7.30pm
Piltdown Man Hoax: Days That Shook the World
"On 20th November 1953, news breaks that one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the century is an elabroate hoax. Heralded as the "missing link" between ape and man and proof of Darwin's theory of evolution, the remains of the earliest human being - known as "Piltdown Man" - were revealed to be a cleverly constructed forgery."

Brief mentions:
Fri 13 May Ch4 9.30pm-10pm Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind. Derren "does a turn disguised as a Victorian fortune-telling automaton."

Digital & Cable:
Sun 8 May Discovery 8pm-9pm (repeated 4pm-5pm) Mythbusters. "Examining myths about portable toilets and third-degree burns."
Fri 13 May National Geographic 8am-8pm Myths and Monsters Day. Geoff Ellis, Radio Times: "Cryptozoology , they call it - the study of animals that don't exist. Or do they? This themed day has plenty, including sightings of monstrous moggies in Britain in Alien Big Cats. Two Canadian fur trappers visit the curiously named county of Sumerset to search for evidence of the feline phantoms. Add yetis, dragons and animal devils and there's plenty to entertain the sceptic and satisfy the credulous."

All prog info lifted from Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/).

[JimTheBrit]

Originally posted by JimTheBrit
Sunday 8th May
BBC1 10.30am - 11.30pm
The Heaven & Earth Show
Includes "a report on paranormal phenomena, from out-of-body experiences to psychic healers."
Attendees of Skeptics in the Pub may recognise the resident skeptic.

I jumped the gun there, assuming that this would be a one off report. According to the details on the H&E web site (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/heavenandearth/programme.shtml), this is the first of a series of investigations on the paranormal to be included in the show "over the next few weeks".

From the web site:
"Unbelievable?

Over the next few weeks, actress and psychic Julie Fernandez, and journalist and sceptic Matt Allwright are on a mission to investigate popular paranormal phenomena that for some are part of everyday life and for others are just nonsense. These are things that for Julie are as plain as day, but are dismissed by others like Matt as self-delusion or mumbo jumbo.

But what will Matt make of Julie's outlook? And can she ever take on board Matt's scientific solutions? Is there evidence to support these supernatural claims? If not, how do you explain them? Does proof matter? If not, why do people believe in things that can't be proved? Together they will investigate phenomena on the boundaries of science and belief and along the way, who knows; maybe they will both be challenged!
Julie and Matt

Unbelievable? - Psychic powers

Have you ever had a hunch or an instinct? Been struck by a feeling that something is wrong? For centuries, experiences of telepathy, premonitions and the sixth sense have intrigued scientists. But can our hunches predict the future? And do we have special powers we simply don't know about or are our minds playing tricks on us? Julie believes we have supernatural powers that we just need to learn to tap into. Matt thinks it's all a load of nonsense, but can Julie convince him that her beliefs are real?

Matt and Julie meet Asham Rostrom who believes her psychic sixth sense saved her life. In 1987 she was about to embark on a journey across the English Channel on the Herald of Free Enterprise. She had an overwhelming sense of doom and could not get on the ferry. The ferry sank. Matt and Julie will also take part in a psychic development course, to learn how to use their sixth sense in every day life. Julie displays some remarkable psychic abilities, but will this convince Matt that supernatural powers exist?"

[JimTheBrit]

*TODAY* Wednesday 11th May
ITV1 2pm - 2.45pm
Loose Women
A psychic guests, didn't catch the name.

'Nother update later with details of that new regression series, 'Have I Been Here Before?'

[JimTheBrit]

No report on the probability of supernature this morning from the Heaven & Earth Show as the slot was given over to a celebration of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles (!)

Monday 16th May to Friday 20th May
ITV1 1.30pm - 2pm
Have I Been Here Before?
Therapist Andrea Foulkes regresses celebrities back to a time when they didn't need to appear on shows like this for television exposure.
Monday: DJ Neil Fox
Tuesday: Anneka Rice
Wednesday: Singer Jane McDonald
Thursday: Ex-model Linda Lusardi
Friday: DJ Lisa I'Anson

With the current state of affairs (affrays?) in Kansas, BBC Radio 4 brings us a timely half-hour programme on creation myths:

Monday 16th May
BBC Radio 4 8.30pm - 9pm
How the Stars Became
"In the beginning there was nothing. And then? Did the universe begin when an enormous cow licked the head of a giant buried in ice? Were people brought into being by a bored princess on the banks of the Yellow River, looking playmates? Creation myths from around the world reveal how it all began."
Licking cow gets my vote. Kinda-Intelligent Design. On second thoughts, I've never heard of a cow with dependable watch-making skills. I wonder if this bloke (http://www.answersingenesis.org/events/bio.aspx?Speaker_ID=16) has? Looks like he's busy. Don't just think it's all over the pond.

Prog info: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/).

NB: The ASKE events list (http://www.aske.clara.co.uk/EventsList.htm) has been updated once more.

[JimTheBrit]

*TONIGHT* Saturday 21st May
TalkSPORT Radio 8pm - 11pm
The Unexplained with Howard Hughes
"Finally, we hear from the organisers of Mary Kings Ghost fest in Edinburgh. As part of the festival, we will be joined by Professor Richard Wiseman who completed a ghost hunt last weekend and joins us live to reveal the results."
Source: TalkSPORT's The Unexplained web page (http://www.talksport.net/unexplained)

Sunday 22nd May
BBC1 10.30pm - 11.30pm
The Heaven & Earth Show
"Unbelievable? - Reiki
Actress Julie Fernandez was born with brittle bone disease and has had over 70 operations. She has used complementary medicines and therapies all her life to manage her daily pain. One treatment in particular has helped her enormously: Reiki. "
More on this on the Heaven & Earth Show web page (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/heavenandearth/programme.shtml)

Monday 23rd May to Friday 27th May
ITV1 1.30pm - 2pm
Have I Been Here Before?
Monday: DJ Jono Coleman
Tuesday: Jennie Bond
Wednesday: Joe Pasquale
Thursday: Nicola Wheeler
Friday:Toyah Wilcox

Monday 23rd May
ITV1 2pm - 2.45pm
Loose Women
'Have I Been Here Before?' presenter Phillip Schofield guests to plug the series.


Prog info: Radio Times (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 29th May
Channel 4 10pm - 11.10pm
Derren Brown: the Gathering
"The master of misdirection presents his unique brand of magic and suggestion in front of an invited audience of magic experts, psychologists, psychics and celebrity fans who are divided as to his credibility. As he works with randomly selected members of the audience, Derren's mind games are sure to entertain and confound, but will they enable him to win over the cynics who brand him a fraud?"

Prog info: RTmag (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/), as always.

Brown's page on the prog is here (http://www.derrenbrown.co.uk/news/gathering).

[JimTheBrit]

Speak o'the Devil. Derren on Five Live's Simon Mayo show (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/fivelive_aod.shtml?fivelive/mayo_wed), from yesterday (Wednesday). Spiritualism, debunking, cold reading, Geller and that zombie game sketch are all discussed. Forward to 1hr 35mins.

Edit: The posters at the DBforum inform us that Brown'll be on Radio 2's Steve Wright (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/wright/) show later today (Thursday) too, airing between 2pm and 5pm (and archived for a short period afterwards).

[Blue Bubble]

Originally posted by JimTheBrit
Speak o'the Devil. Derren on Five Live's Simon Mayo show (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/fivelive_aod.shtml?fivelive/mayo_wed), from yesterday (Wednesday). Spiritualism, debunking, cold reading, Geller and that zombie game sketch are all discussed. Forward to 1hr 35mins.

Edit: The posters at the DBforum inform us that Brown'll be on Radio 2's Steve Wright (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/wright/) show later today (Thursday) too, airing between 2pm and 5pm (and archived for a short period afterwards).

The Radio 2 shows are available for re-listening for 7 days afterwards.

Not sure if it's a Good Thing (TM) to be on Steve Wright's show, though. Steve Wright is a balloon, and it's on his show we get to hear the ridiculous astrology crap (which I consider totally unethical).

[JimTheBrit]

Sweet Jeezuz, is anyone watching Big Brother on Ch4? Check out Mary, the psychic/aura reader/alien abduction experiencer.

[JimTheBrit]

At short notice ...

*TODAY* Sunday 29th May
BBC2 10.30am - 11.30am
The Heaven & Earth Show
"[...] psychic Julie Fernandez teams up with sceptic Matt Allwright to go on the trail of some spooky sightings."

Courtesy of Discovery Channel Canada's Daily Planet (http://www.exn.ca/dailyplanet/view.asp?date=3/31/2005) (see 'self-sustaining controversy'), here's Joseph "unlimited energy" Newman taking time out from grappling with physics to grapple with physicists. The Newman Energy Machine (just explain how it works again, Joe) will be in production next month, paradigm shift permitting. No, it will. Really.

[JimTheBrit]

Celebrities regressed ...
Monday 30th May to Friday 3rd June
ITV 1.30pm - 2pm (Monday only) then 3pm - 3.30pm for the rest of the week
Have I Been Here Before?
Monday: Cheryl Baker
Tuesday: Ann Maurice
Wednesday: Melinda Messenger
Thursday: Anne Charleston
Friday: Coleen Nolan

Series recommisioned ...
Friday 3rd June
Five 7.30pm - 8pm
Housebusters
"Does your house give you the heebie-jeebies? Lesley from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, feels that way. Experts find out whether paranormal activity, bad karma or just a gloomy interior are the reason, as the alternative makeover series resumes."

Studies revisited ...
*TONIGHT* Sunday 29th May
BBC2 9pm - 10pm
Horizon
"Does the MMR Jab Cause Autism? A look at one of the most controversial health issues of recent years, featuring new ideas that may help parents decide whether or not to give their children the MMR jab. After research found that some autistic youngsters have the measles virus in their guts and blood, campaigners against the combined MMR inoculation have become insistent that the truth cannot be found until autistic children are properly and scientifically investigated. Now a new study looks at whether the research is reliable and can form a basis for a definitive answer to the MMR question."

... and a small selection of radio for review:
APR Speaking of Faith: A History of Doubt (http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/2004/07/08_doubt/).
BBC Radio 4 Sunday: 27/3/05 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/sunday/archive/index.shtml?site=mar2005) Does spiritual healing work?
Oz RN The Science Show: 28/5/05 (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/ss/) The March of Unreason

(Don't forget DB on tonight, 10pm)

Radio Times (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/), your programme information provider.

[JimTheBrit]

There's a repeat of the June '04 documentary on the Moon landing 'hoax' on Five later tonight (8pm - 9pm). More details on The Truth Behind the Moon Landings can be found on page 2. Looks like there's a Radio 4 prog on John E. Mack next week too. Details to follow.

[JimTheBrit]

*TONIGHT* Wednesday 8th June
BBC Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm
Abduction, Alienation and Reason
From the Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/): John E Mack was a professor of psychiatry at Harvard, known as an excellent therapist and clinician, and writer of a Pullitzer Prize-winning book on TE Lawrence. But this is not a biography: it's the story of a modern-day witch-hunt. He was always irritated that people were passive about what they were supposed to believe, a view that was reflected in his decision to study around 200 "experiencers", people who say they have been abducted by aliens. Mack did not believe in aliens but he knew that these people were not mentally ill and that their similiar accounts deserved deeper enquiry. His research, published in 1994, made him very famous and Harvard very nervous. So much so that they tried to silence him by launching an investigation. After 14 stressful months Mack was cleared and set up his own institute to continue his work. Sadly, he was killed by a car in England last year. So this is an opportunity to learn about Mack the extraordinary therapist and teacher rather than the "professor who wrote about aliens".

[JimTheBrit]

After a prolonged period of Internetlessness, normal service is resumed ...

Sunday 28th August
Five 7pm - 8.30pm
Loch Ness Monster: the Ultimate Experiment
"Why does the Loch Ness Monster stir the nation's imagination so? The twist in this exploration of one of the world's most enduring monster myths is an elaborate attempt to create a hoax sighting with an animatronic creature built by some of Britain's leading special effects engineers. But can Jez Harris, who worked on Walking with Dinosaurs, build 15ft plesiosaurus "Lucy" in time for the tourist season? And can ex-Marine commando James Wakeford find the means to keep the creature afloat long enough to convince tourists and a boatful of Nessie experts that they've seen the fabled creature?"
I'm getting flashbacks to a Very British UFO Hoax (see page 1)

Wednesday 31st August
BBC2 9pm - 10pm
Science and the Seance
"Tracing the 150-year history of the spiritualist movement and revealing the unlikely and surprisingly close relationship between science and a faith that claims not only that there is life after death, but also that communication between the two worlds is possible"

Of interest ... ?

Friday 26th August 26th
Channel 4 12.40am - 1.45am (Early morning, set yer VCRs!)
The Man Who Captured Nessie
"This film about the man who devoted his life to finding the Loch Ness Monster continues The Other Side strand. Andrew Tullis goes in search of the monster photographer Frank Searle, who vanished in 1984 amid debate about the authenticity of his pictures."

Brief mentions
Sun 28 Aug BBC1 10.30am-11.30am The Heaven and Earth Show. Rev Lionel "Fortean-Not-Skeptic" Fanthorpe appears as part of a panel to answer audience questions. This show rarely misses a chance to air "outspoken" (cough) views on matters of belief. Witness Kelsey Grammer's recent off-the-deep-end comments and Simon "Yo Sushi" Woodroffe's misguided views.
Thurs 1 Sep BBC1 12.45am-1.15am The Private Life of Harley Street. "Alternative therapy healer Dan Khan gets to grips with a patient's endometriosis." Viewer discretion advisory: this programme contains scenes of over-animated arm waving. And that's not because it's a Sign-Zone broadcast.

Prog info from the Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/), like ya didn't know already.

[JimTheBrit]

Back in business, thanks to ASKE (http://www.aske-skeptics.org.uk/).

Monday 9th January 2006
Channel 4 8pm - 9pm
The Root of All Evil?
"1/2. The God Delusion. Biologist and champion of evolutionary theory Professor Richard Dawkins airs his outspoken views on religion, confronting the march of militant religious belief across the world and dismissing faith as an indulgence of irrationality that is nourishing extremism, division and terror."

Wednesday 11th January
BBC1 9pm - 10pm
When Satan Came To Town
"For six months in 1990, 16 children from the Langley estate near Rochdale, greater Manchester, were taken into care because of fears that they were being forced to take part in ritual devil worship, although none of the claims of abuse were ever proved. In this Real Story special, parents and children involved in the satanic panic that gripped the nation tell their side of the traumatic story."

Still available ...

Radio 4
The Science Blacklist (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/scienceblacklist.shtml)
Analysis: Is God On Their Side? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/analysis/)
The Material World: Alien Abduction (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/thematerialworld_20051103.shtml)
Thinking allowed: The Occult Tradition (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/thinkingallowed/thinkingallowed_20060104.shtml)

Prog info from the Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/) unless otherwise stated.

More soon ...

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 15th January
Five 8pm - 9pm
Britain's Psychic Challenge
"New series 1/7. After last month's nationwide search for individuals who believe they have genuine psychic powers, Trisha Goddard reveals the eight finalists who will subjected to a series of stringent tests at locations throughout the UK. Tonight the psychics must match five married couples and identify which two out of ten women are newly pregnant. Casting a sceptical eye over proceedings are dating agency founder Liza Moore and Dr Mike Smith."

And if anybody has a copy of the first broadcast aired in early December, please PM me ...

Of interest ... ?
Wednesday 11th January
BBC4 9pm - 10pm
Under Laboratory Conditions
"1/2. Bill Bryson and Robert Winston contribute as Dr Daniel Glaser learns how science works and what goes on behind the white coat."

Brief mentions
Thur 12 Jan BBC2 10pm-10.30pm Pets Are People. Clairvoyant recruited to track down dognapped pooch.
Fri 13 Jan BBC1 1.25am-2.25am Shipmates. "Ghostbusters investigate claims of [a] haunting at Devonport naval base."
Sat 14 Jan BBC2 4am-4.30am The Glastonbury Tales. Sheer class. Adherents of Some-Bloke-Who-Knows-The-Truth-Honest-Guv focus their quantum-dimension-energy-vibrations by wearing wire-frame pyramid hats. Ditch your tin foil beanies, this headgear is the new black. Coming to all good celebrity fad religions soon!

Prog info: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Tonight's (Thursday) Newsnight on Beeb2 had "an exclusive investigation into African children in London accused of being witches". It should be available to view online soon and is archived for a day here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/default.stm)

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 16th January
Channel 4 8pm - 9pm
The Root of All Evil?
"2/2. The Virus of Faith. World-renowned evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins continues his dissection of religious belief with a focus on what he sees as the harmful indoctrination of the young. He inveighs against the rise of faith schools in Britain and argues that religious education saddles our children with falsehoods and an inflexible moral outlook."

And a year after the original pilot ...
Friday 20th January
ITV2 11.10pm - 11.55pm
Haunted Homes
"New series. Psychic Mia Dolan investigates mysterious phenomena in ordinary houses around the UK. Assisted by Mark Webb and Dr Chris French, she attempts to find the reasons for the disturbances, beginning with a Nottinghamshire family, who are kept awake at night with sounds of children crying"
Source: ITV.com listings (http://www.itv.com/)

Prog info (unless otherwise stated): Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

Thanks to those who have contacted me regarding my request!

[JimTheBrit]

Saturday 14th January *Tonight*
8pm - 11pm TalkSPORT 1089/1053am
The Unexplained with Howard Hughes
According to the webpage (http://www.talksport.net/unexplained), tonight's broadcast (available online) will feature "David Boyle, a man that believes the paranormal doesn’t exist. He says he can explain the unexplained, so tune in to hear him and Howard slog it out…."

Further edit Oh boy. I was expecting something that at least vaguely resembled a skeptical point of view. Let's just forget I posted the above info, OK?

Also: Dawkins on Radio Five Live (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/fivelive_aod.shtml?fivelive/richard_dawkins) (1/2 hour)

Edit
BBC World Service: Health Matters 9Jan06 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/health_matters.shtml)
"Belief and influence are at the centre of the next edition of Health Matters.
Katie Knapman explores the world of faith healing and the placebo effect.
There’s a report from Jamaica about the proliferation of Obeah, a kind of voodoo, outlawed by the government but widely used by the population.
From Kenya there’s news of collaboration between traditional healers and conventional medicine, with a research institute looking into just how traditional remedies work.
And Sajida Perween exposes herself to the benefits of Reiki, a Japanese medicine system based on the concept of universal life energy."

[JimTheBrit]

Of interest on digital & cable ... ?

Behold, the anti-Dawkins!

Monday 16th January *Tonight*
More4 9pm - 10pm
Dark Enlightenment
"Historian Michael Burleigh argues that by rejecting faith and relying instead on reason, humankind has severely damaged the fabric of society. New"

Source: RTmag (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Plenty more opportunities for practising brow furrowing and eyebrow raising ...

If you missed either episode of Dawkins' The Root of All Evil? they're repeated early this Sunday morning starting at 2.50am on Channel 4.

Sunday 22nd January
Five 8pm - 9pm
Britain's Psychic Challenge
"2/7. Tonight, seven finalists are put to the test in Lincoln. To avoid elimination they must succeed in a series of challenges, which include sensing if someone ha a criminal record and reuniting a professional footballer with his kit. Casting a sceptical eye over proceedings are former police office Jackie Malton, the inspiration for the character of Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect, and illusionist Philip Escoffey."

Tuesday 24th January
BBC2 9pm - 10pm
Alternative Medicine
"New series 1/3. A fascinating experiment to analyse the effectiveness of various ancient remedies.
Acupuncture. In China, scientist presenter Kathy Sykes witnesses the 2,000-year-old practice at work when doctors perform open-heart surgery on a woman using acupuncture instead of general anaesthetic. She then hears from Weastern scientists who are testing the claims for relief of chronic pain made on acupuncture's behalf. The conclusions challenge current thinking on the workings of the brain."
... I'll leave Rolfe to chew this one up and spit it out ;)

Thursday 26th January
BBC2 9pm - 9.50pm
Horizon
RT's David Butcher: "Did nature do its own creating, as Darwin thought, or did the world spring from the hand of an intelligent designer? You might think it's an argument that was long since settled, but in the USA it's very much a live issue, with a recent court case in Pennsylvania provoking controversy over whether alternative views to evolution can be legimately taught in the science classroom.
This film does a terrific job of exploring the debate (if that's not too strong a word) and gives the proponents of intelligent design a good shout before, thankfully, demolishing them. David Attenborough and Richard Dawkins add gravitas to one of the best Horizons for a long time."

Friday 27th January
ITV2 11pm - 11.45pm
Haunted Homes
"Psychic Mia Dolan, paranormal investigator Mark Webb and London University academic Dr Chris French try to help families who think their house is haunted. They investigate the Newcastle home of John and Katrina Elvin, where sightings of a mysterious man upstairs have spooked the family"
Source: onthebox.com (http://www.onthebox.com/partner/otb/)

Of interest ... ?

Tuesday 24th January
Radio 4 11pm - 11.30pm
Jon Ronson on ...Irrational Thoughts
RT's Jane Anderson: "This week's topic for a good old ponder among Jon Ronson and friends is irrational thought. I almost shrieked with been-there-done-that pleasure to learn that actress Jessica Stevenson once created an imaginary, but very detailed, life for her then boyfriend (now husband) and a woman he worked with. Even funnier, though, are comedian Danny Robbins's rituals for warding off bad luck and his attempt to confront his fear by holding a superstition-busting dinner party for 13."


Returning to television in the near future on UKTV Gold (digital and cable only, I'm afraid) is Sir Terry Wogan with Wogan Now and Then. Guests return to reminisce about their past appearances on Terry's popular prime time chat show. Already lined up, apparently - Mr David 'Not Quite The Full Shilling' Icke.

All info taken from the Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/) unless otherwise indicated.

Oops, nearly forgot this:

BBC World Service: Outlook 16Jan06 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/outlook.shtml)
Rochdale children
"In June 1990, sixteen children from the northern town of Rochdale were taken into care by the authorities after their families were suspected of Satanic rituals. It was a story which shocked the country. Later the courts decided the allegations were false, but an injunction prevented the children from speaking. It's only now that ten of them have come forward to give their side of the story and demand an apology and compensation from the local council. Outlook hears from two sisters about the day they were taken from their home and the girls' father describes how those events tore the family apart."

[JimTheBrit]

Very short notice:
'Scientology uncovered' on the Heaven & Earth Show, BBC1, sometime between now and 11am (29Jan06).

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 29th January *TONIGHT*
Five 8pm - 9pm
Britain's Psychic Challenge
"3/7. The remaining six finalists are put to the test in York. To avoid elimination they have to succeed in a series of challenges, which include identifying a potter by sensing the energy in her handiwork and reuniting some ladies with their precious handbags. Casting a sceptical eye over proceedings is a jury made up of ordinary citizens. Which of the self-professed psychics will be the least convincing? Hosted by Trisha Goddard."

Monday 30th January to Friday 3rd February
ITV1 8.35am - 9.25am
LK Today
Holistic Health week with items every day, including a live webchat about alternative health with Dr Hilary Jones on Tuesday at 9.30am. Link (http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=18837)

Monday 30th January
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
Investigator Will Storr (who used to be a skeptic until blah blah blah) appeared on the show last week and was invited back today after spending the weekend researching paranormal activities.

Tuesday 31st January
BBC2 9pm - 10pm
Alternative Medicine: the Evidence
"2/3. Healing. There is no evidence that healers have any special powers, yet their patients seem to recover. In search of a reason, Kathy Sykes attends a rally by spiritual healer Benny Hinn, whose patients claim to be cured of conditions such as back pain and cancer. She then meets doctors who have invited healers into their surgeries, but it's in the US that she makes an amazing discovery. Patients who underwent a fake knee operation - no actual operation took place - recovered as well as those who had the real procedure. Could each of us have a potent self-curative mechanism that healers have found a way to manipulate?"

Prog info: Radio Times mag (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[Azrael 5]

Well done Jim for that exhaustive list!

[JimTheBrit]

Well done Jim for that exhaustive list!
Cheers Azrael. I thinks it's worth a couple of hours of my time every week to dig out the programmes of interest so other skeps know what's going to be on.

Sunday 5th February *TONIGHT*
Five 8pm - 9pm
Britain's Psychic Challenge
"4/7. The remaining five finalists are taken deep into a forest, are up to their eyeballs in junk in a scrapheap, and then go to a health spa, where they're asked to diagnose ailments just by looking at the people there. The least successful of the self-professed psychics faces elimination."

Tuesday 7th february
BBC2 9pm - 10pm
Alternative Medicine: the Evidence
"3/3. Herbs Kathy Sykes concludes her investigation into the effectiveness of ancient remedies by looking at herbalism. She discovers that there at least eight "super herbs" that seemingly outperform modern-day pharmaceutical equivalents. Scientific research shows that these natural products contain several active ingredients and a complex chemical make-up with which 21st-century technology can't yet compete."

Brief mentions:
Thur 9 Feb BBC2 10pm-10.30pm Pets Are People. Alternative therapies for pets.

[JimTheBrit]

If you haven't read sadluxation's post about the Leicester Skeptics in the Pub, it's here (http://206.225.95.123/forumlive/showthread.php?t=52010).

Sunday 12th February *TONIGHT*
Five 8pm - 9pm
Britain's Psychic Challenge
"5/7. As the competition hots up, the remaining contestants attempt to contact a hero from a previous era, meet and describe a controversial contemporary character - without even opening their eyes - and endeavour to psychically connect with animals. Analysed by a team of sceptical experts, the least successful of the self-professed psychics faces elimination."

BPC participant Philip Escoffey will guest on the LittleAtoms radio show (http://www.littleatoms.com/home.htm) on Friday 31st March

Monday 13th Febraury
Radio 4 4.30pm - 5pm
Beyond Belief
"Is there an Intelligent Designer, as some Christians suggest, or have scientists adequately explained the creation of the world? Ernie Rea in conversation with guests about the origins of the world."

Can't resist including this ...

Friday 17th February
Five 9pm - 11.30pm
The Most Shameful TV Moments Ever
Most Haunted at number 11ish.

Still available to grab:
Oz Radio National - The Spirit of Things Sun5Feb06
Free Yourself from Mind Control (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/relig/spirit/default.htm)
"Steven Hassan, the world's expert on cults and cultic behaviour, was once a young man virtually hypnotised by a cult leader. For 30 years he has helped people free their minds and their lives from similar circumstances. But the "help models" have significantly changed, as has the general identification of cultic behaviour from religious groups like Heaven's Gate to Islamic terrorist cells."

If anyone has a copy of the demonstration of delusion that was last week's Pets Are People, please PM me. Ta.

All TV info, unless otherwise stated, lifted from the Radio Times (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/relig/spirit/default.htm) magazine

Happy Darwin Day

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 19th February *TONIGHT*
Five 8pm - 9pm
Britain's Psychic Challenge
"6/6. Tonight the series reaches its climax as the last three self-professed psychics battle it out in the final. They face a series of tough top-secret challenges, with a panel of sceptics on hand to ensure fair play and a jury in place to decide who deserves to be crowned the UK's top clairvoyant. Presenter Trisha Goddard oversees the proceedings."

Info: RT magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

More soon ...

[JimTheBrit]

Friday 3rd March
BBC Radio 4 11pm - 11.30pm
Off the Page
"6/10. Are We Alone? A space cadet, an ex-UFO Project leader for the MoD and a psychologist researching paranormal beliefs are beamed up to join Victoria Coren for some late-night writing and discussion about aliens. With Charlie Skelton, Nick Pope and Christopher French"

Radio 4 usually archives its progs for a week after broadcast on the BBC Radio 4 website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/index.shtml?logo)

Info: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

I've just spotted this repeat in the listings and if you missed it the first time around, set your recorder - it's recommended viewing. Horizon investigates stem cell therapy, the latest miracle cure that has been appearing in our papers and on our televisions with so much frequency. Is Dr Huang Hongyun leading the cutting edge of a field of research that could of such benefit in the future or just another anecdote-laden visionary-wannabe? It won't take long for you to decide.

Tuesday 28th February *THIS MORNING*
BBC2 11.10am - 12 noon
Horizon: The Doctor Who Makes People Walk Again?
More details from the BBC2 TV listings here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/listings/programmes.shtml?day=today&service_id=4224&filename=20060228/20060228_1110_4224_35082_50)

[JimTheBrit]

For digital and cable viewers ...

Thursday 2nd March *TONIGHT*
BBC3 11pm - 11.30pm (repeated 2.50am)
Kick Ass Miracles
"1/6. Martial Artist Chris Crudelli starts his exploration of beliefs underpinning incredible feats by examining the ways people appease their deities."
Source: Radio Times mag (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

In what I saw of his previous series Mind, Body and Kick Ass Moves, Crudelli steers a haphazard course in his investigation of martial arts, first accepting the importance of the psychology of deception then, in the next breath, emphasising the reliance on the taming of Qi power. Perhaps this new series will shed more light on his stance.

Audio files available:
SETI Institute's Are We Alone? Skeptical Sunday: Psychic Sleuth (http://www.seti.org/site/pp.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=178892) (1Mar06)
Following on from Steve Hassan's appearance, Oz Radio National's Spirit of Things relays some tales of caution: True Stories (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/relig/spirit/default.htm) (12Feb06)

[JimTheBrit]

Repeats
Both have been aired several times already and are on later today (Sat 4 March) again as part of Five's Sci-Fi series:
6.55pm-7.50pm The Real Flying Saucers: Stranger Than Fiction
"The ever-intriguing cult phenomenon of the flying saucer is explored in this documentary, which examines how the US military first spread rumours of "alien visits" in the 1940s to cover up evidence of top-secret military aircraft"
7.50pm - 8.50pm The British UFO Files
"A history of postwar "alien" visitations in the UK, including an experienced pilot whose sighting was backed up by radar records, and a strange crater in Wiltshire".
Info from the Radio Times.

Yesterday's Radio 4 Off The Page programme asking "Are We Alone?" has been archived for a short time (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/offthepage/pip/2evlg/)

[JimTheBrit]

Moday 6th March *TONIGHT*
Channel 4 8pm - 9pm
Dispatches: The New Fundamentalists
"Today, religious fundamentalism is an ethos usually associated with Islam, but journalist Rod Liddle challenges this belief in a polemic documentary. He examines the extreme principles held by some Evangelical Christians, such as the denouncement of homosexuality and sex outside of marriage, and the unquestioning acceptance of creationism.
Evangelical Christianity and its literal interpretation of the Bible is on the increase, but does its growing influence clash with Britain's typically liberal values?"
Prog repeated on Wednesday at 4am and on More4 on Saturday.
Info from Radio Times (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

For those who where following the threads on the 'Alternative Medicine: the Evidence' series with Kathy Sykes, Five have promised a report on heart surgery with local anaesthetic in their news report at 5.30pm today (Wed 7th March)

Friday 17th March
Five 9pm - 10pm
Alien Autopsy: the True Story
"In 1995, a grainy black and white film was claimed to be footage of an autopsy on an alien from a UFO that crashed in Roswell, New Mexico. It turned out to be an outrageous, money-making hoax. But in a new twist, experts ponder whether this fake footage was a smokescreen to hide real UFO evidence, or even a test to see how people would react to real evidence of extraterrestrial life."

Hmm, perhaps it was just an outrageous, money-making hoax?

Of interest ... ?

BBC Radio 2's Night Waves (9.30pm - 10.15pm) looks at the resurgence of religion all this week. Wednesday's and Friday's broadcasts may be of particular interest.
Wednesday 15th March: "3/5. The Return of Faith. Philip Dodd goes to Middle America to meet those battling for the heart of evangelical Christianity. He talks to those who believe that "the Rapture" - the prophiesed end of the world - is brought closer by the conflict in Iraq, and tracks their attempts to influence foreign policy in the Middle East. Others are pushing for a more earthbound activism that cares as much about environmentalism as it does about abortion, homosexuality and Armageddon."
Friday 17th March: "5/5. The Return of Faith. Philosopher Daniel Dennett and writer Karen Armstrong join Matthew Sweet to explore why religion seems to have made such a comeback on the world stage."

Thursday 16th March
BBC Radio 4 8.30pm - 9pm
Analysis
"3/9. A Human Politics. Humanism - the belief that human needs and human choices must be at the heart of all political and philosophical debate - has been central to the Western intellectual tradition for centuries. But today it's assailed from all sides: religious fundamentalism, scientific naturalism, postmodernism, environmentalism and animal rights all seem to challenge humanist principles. Kenan Malik asks whether humanism still has any meaning - and what politics might look like without a humanist impulse."

Now available:
BBC Radio 4: Beyond Belief 6Mar06 - Miracles (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/beyond_belief/index.shtml)
BBC Radio 4: Start the Week 6Mar06 - Rod Liddle (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/starttheweek.shtml), reporter for Dispatches: The New Fundamentalists (see above post). Next week's guests include Dennett and Dawkins.
Australia's Radio National: The Science Show 4Mar06 - Evolution, ID or the Flying Spaghetti Monster? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/beyond_belief/index.shtml)

Brief mentions:
Thurs 9 Mar BBC3 11pm-11.30pm Kick Ass Miracles. Chris Crudelli continues his look at physical feats and strange beliefs.
Tues 13 Mar ITV1 4.05am-4.35am Have I Been Here Before? Past life regression, signed.
Tues 14 Mar BBC2 11.50pm-12.40pm congo 2/3. A search for the mythical Mokele Mbembe. A nature doc that focuses on the MM in the last 15 mins.
Wed 15 Mar Ch4 2.05am-3.05am The Man Who Captured Nessie. "A profile of the Loch Ness Monster's most famous fan." Timothy mouse?

Prog info lifted from the current issue of Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/), which also includes tributes to the late BHA president and comedian Linda Smith (http://www.humanism.org.uk/site/cms/). Beeb 2 is showing Linda's appearances in Have I Got Old News For You and Room 101 on Saturday @ 10.30pm and 11pm.

[JimTheBrit]

**bbc1 Now**

Edit: Watchdog's report on Catharsis (http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/reports/consumer/consumer_20060307.shtml). Inside Out Plymouth's investigations (http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/southwest/). So he's volunteered to be tested has he? I think I'll be contacting the BBC tomorrow.

[JimTheBrit]

Note: Tonight's Alien Autopsy prog on Five has been replaced in the schedules by a repeat of The Truth Behind the Moon Landings. Thanks to DM for the info.

[JimTheBrit]

Prof Edzard Ernst on his recent research regarding spinal manipulation:
Today (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/wednesday.shtml) (7.53am), C4 news (http://www.channel4.com/news/video/video_archive/mar_2006/mar_22.html), findings discussed on Jeremy Vine show (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/vine/) (Wed)
Prof Lewis '6 impossible things' Wolpert:
Simon Mayo (http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/programmes/mayo.shtml) (Wed 3pm)
SETI Institute's Are We Alone?: Don't be a chimp (http://www.seti.org/site/pp.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=178892) (22Mar06) with Shermer/Plait/Dawkins
Radio National's The Spirit of Things: Sceptical and spooked (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/relig/spirit/default.htm) (29Mar06) with Will 'Used to be a skeptic until etc etc' Storr

Full TV update on Sunday.

[JimTheBrit]

Look who's on Coast to Coast (http://www.coasttocoastam.com/) tonight ... probably early in the morning over this side of the pond. Check here (http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/) for times.

New series on tonight ...

Sunday 26th March *TONIGHT*
Channel 4 9pm - 9.30pm
Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind
"New series 1/6. The psychological illusionist is in the hot seat as he aims to make the sun disappear. Not content with this feat, he then conducts psychic readings and stuns Matt Lucas with a card trick."
From Radio Times mag (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[Darat]

Jim - don't forget to add these in the Links section - you can set an expiration date so it will only show current stuff.

http://forums.randi.org/local_links.php

[JimTheBrit]

Jim - don't forget to add these in the Links section - you can set an expiration date so it will only show current stuff.

http://forums.randi.org/local_links.phpIs that a new section?

Derren Brown: Messiah is repeated tonight on E4 at 10pm (and at 11pm on E4+1). With his new series just started, Derren's been doing the rounds on the radio. See this thread (http://www.derrenbrownforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=11113) on the DB forum for more details.

There's a couple of interesting progs on next week (Mon Five, Tue BBC2). Full details v soon.

[JimTheBrit]

Those Derren Brown interviews collected and uploaded to rapidshare (they're still available from the show websites at the mo too, bar the last one):
Radio 1 Jo Whiley Wed29Mar06 (http://rapidshare.de/files/16886123/JoWhiley-DerrenBrown-29Mar06.ra.html)
Virgin Radio Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show Tues28Mar06: 1 (http://rapidshare.de/files/16887971/ChristianOconnell-DerrenBrown1-28Mar06.wma.html) 2 (http://rapidshare.de/files/16888056/ChristianOconnell-DerrenBrown2-28Mar06.wma.html)
Radio 2 Steve Wright Wed29Mar06 (http://rapidshare.de/files/16889866/SteveWright-DerrenBrown-29Mar06.rm.html)
Five Live Simon Mayo Tues28Mar06 (http://rapidshare.de/files/16885794/SimonMayo-DerrenBrown-28Mar06.mp3.html)
Bonus: Five Live Simon Mayo Wed25May05 (http://rapidshare.de/files/16891779/SimonMayo-DerrenBrown-25May05.ra.html)

In the last show of their present series over on BBC3 the Real Hustle team demonstrate 'the psychic scam' showing how convincing cold reading can be - with a neat little trick dropped in to really hook the mark. The next showing is on tonight (Fri31Mar06) at 8.30pm but it'll be repeated several times over the next few days (including just after midnight).

Saturday 1st April
Animal Planet 9pm - 11pm
Jane Goodall's When Animals Talk
"Primatologist Goodall lends weight to this compendim of stories about animal-human communication. Star of the shoe is N'kisi, a parrot who takes part in a telepathy experiment. Full marks for entertainment value, but scores low on scientific validity."
Repeated a few hours later on the same channel and Animal Planet +1
No doubt this'll be the experiment conducted by a certain Rupert Sheldrake. No, it's not an April fool's joke.

Sunday 2nd April
Channel 4 9pm - 9.30pm
Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind
"2/6. The psychological illusionist gives athlete Dame Kelly Holmes a run for her money as he attempts to get inside her head at the sports track. And will he be able to influence a sleeping student's dreams?
Repeated on Thursday at 10.30pm on E4"

Monday 3rd April
Five 9pm - 10pm
Extraordinary People: the Girl Who Makes Miracles
"In 1987 three-year-old Audrey Santo from Massachusetts went into a coma, but remained alive. Her mother Linda cared for her, taking her to a shrine in Europe. During their stay Linda became convinced her daughter had the power to help others. When stigmata appeared on Audrey and religious icons seemed to weep holy oil at the Santo home, visitors came in droves and a ministry was set up. But what evidence of healing is there?
Repeated on Thursday at 11pm on Five"

Tuesday 4th April
BBC2 11.20pm - 12.20am
Witch Child
"In the last five years, Britain has witnessed a disturbing new crime - the abuse, even murder, of young children thought to be possessed by evil spirits. Dr Richard Hoskins, specialist in African religions experiences the horrifying realities of exorcism in the 21st century."

Coming up on the SETI Institute's Are We Alone? (http://www.seti.org/site/pp.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=178892) - Prof Richard Wiseman
Available:
The Philosopher's Zone 25Mar06: Does Science tell the Truth? (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/philosopher/)
Reporting Religion: Cockerel calls out God's name (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/reporting_religion.shtml) This'll be gone tomorrow so listen now if yer interested.
Philosophy Talk 17Jan06: Intelligent Design with Dennett (http://www.philosophytalk.org/IntelligentDesign.htm). Check the archives for more interesting stuff.

An episode of Haunted Homes is repeated on ITV2, Sunday 2nd April at 12.25am and if you're feeling particularly masochistic or can't get to sleep you can watch the triple bill of repeats of The Wright Stuff (Five, 2nd April, 2am onwards) to see if the 'Homeopathic clinic' or 'talking to animals' (i.e. pet psychics) segments are rebroadcast.

Prog info lifted from the Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

'Psychic Barber' Gordon Smith and mind-reader Jez Rose in discussion on whether we can talk to the dead, Heaven and Earth show, BBC1, now

Edit:

Also note that LittleAtom (http://www.littleatoms.com/)'s interview with Philip Escoffey is now on the 23rd June.
He's not really my cuppa but comedian Graham Fellow's alter ego John Shuttleworth is investigating strange phenomena in John Shuttleworth's Open Mind on Radio 4 every Thursday. The first episode is already archived and can be found on the Listen Again (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/atoz/index.shtml#j) page.

[JimTheBrit]

Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/vine/) today (Mon3Apr) discussed acupuncture, perhaps prompted by the 'Acupuncture made me pregnant' double page article in today's Daily Express. Is the Express supported by Mohammed Al Fayed? Every other day they have a headline procaiming more twists in the Diana Death Conspiracy.

[JimTheBrit]

Watch on BBC2 or online now or take a look at the archived prog sometime before tomorrow night's broadcast:

Newsnight (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/default.stm):

"Fossil
It's described as the missing link - the fossil that fills the evolution
gap between sea and land animals. Yet more evidence - if more were
needed - of Darwin's theory. But would anything ever be enough to
dissuade those who argue for the theory of "Intelligent Design"?
We speak to the Professor here in Britain who gave evidence to the US
Court on behalf of those who believe in creationism."

Fuller?

Edit: Don't bother, it looks as though they canned this segment in favour of other more topical subjects. Maybe tomorrow night?

[JimTheBrit]

John Shuttleworth's Open Mind episode 2 is online now. Listen here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/atoz/index.shtml#j)

On tonight, Radio 3 at 9pm - Do my ears deceive me?
"Like optical illusions, aural illusions can be great fun. But more than that, they can tell us all sorts of things about how the human brain works, and how we appreciate music. Psychology professor Diana Deutsch, a world expert in the field, joins Chris Maslanka to play a few tricks with your ears - and reveal their secrets." Source (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/twentyminutes/pip/p5srl/)

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 9th April *TONIGHT*
Channel 4 9pm - 9.30pm
Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind
"3/6. The psychological illusionist joins a water diviner in the Nevada desert and demonstrates how much a photograph can give away about its subject"

Monday 10th April
BBC Radio 3 9.45pm - 10.15pm
Belief
"New series Joan Bakewell talks with public figures about what they believe and why. 1/5. Today's guest is scientist Susan Blackmore."
The series continues throughout the week. See below.

Tuesday 11th April
BBC Radio 2 8.30pm - 9.30pm
Modern Miracles
Ruth Margolis in the Radio Times: "We may live in a modern, rational age, yet miracles are regularly reported all over the world - from religious statues crying to incurable cancers going into remission. Modern Miracles opens up the debate and speaks to some of those who claim to have been on the receiving end of this phenomenon, including a couple whose baby was born with a fatal genetic condition. They were told their child had only days to live - but the baby survived. Could a trip to Lourdes before the birth have made all the difference? Of course, there are those who think that so-called miracles are anything but divine intervention. Level-headed psychiatrist and guest Raj Persaud makes a good case for the placebo effect and argues persuasively that sometimes illnesses do just disappear. It's a complex and emotionally charged debate and not one that this programme, however thought-provoking, is likely to put to bed."

Thursday 13th April
BBC Radio 3 9.45pm - 10.15pm
Belief
"4/5. Joan Bakewell talks to the president of the Royal Society and Astronomer Royal, Lord Martin Rees, about the nature of his beliefs."

Of interest ... ?

As already mentioned elsewhere in the forum ...
Monday 10th April
More4 9pm - 11.05pm (also on More4+1)
Hypnosurgery Live
"An investigation into the possibility of using hypnosis to reduce the need for anaesthetic during surgery."

Thursday 13th April
Discovery 10pm - 11pm (also Discovery + 1)
Miracle Man: John of God
"New. Profile of Brazilian spiritual medium, John of God, who has reportedly operated on many without the use of anaesthetics."
This looks suspiciously like the ABC Primetime programme that was the focus of the February 18th 2005 Swift commentary (http://www.randi.org/jr/021805a.html).
A repeat of The Girl With the X-Ray eyes precedes this prog.

Brief mentions:
Tues 11 Apr ITV1 10.30am-12.30am This Morning. Gail Porter on ghost-hunting.
Thur 13 Apr BBC Radio 4 11pm-11.30pm John Shuttleworth's Open Mind. 3/5. Vampires.

Also
I haven't listened yet so I dunno if it's off the wall or not but it certainly sounds dodgy:
Oz Radio National's In Conversation 6Apr06 (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/incon/) - Dr Michael Thalbourne
"Why do we occasionally have insights or feelings which seem beyond commonsense? Is it coincidence, something paranormal, or something else? Dr Michael Thalbourne from the University of Adelaide suggests it’s something he calls 'transliminality' or a leak from the subconscious. So how can we make controlled use of such abilities?"

All prog info lazily lifted from the Radio Times (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/).

[JimTheBrit]

If you haven't already seen the other threads announcing this event:

Tuesday 11th April *TODAY*
Royal Society live webcast begins 6.30pm
Why creationism is wrong and evolution is right
A Royal Society talk by Prof Steve Jones
"Science is about disbelief. It accepts that all knowledge is provisional and that any theory might in principle be disproved. Some theories are better established than others: the earth is probably not flat, babies are almost certainly not brought by storks, and men and dinosaurs are unlikely to have appeared on earth within the past few thousand years. Even so, nothing is sacred in 1905 classical physics collapsed after a seemingly trivial observation about glowing gases and the same is potentially true for all other scientific theories.
Many biologists are worried by a recent and unexpected return of an argument based on belief by the certainty, untestable and unsupported by evidence, that life did not evolve but appeared by supernatural means. Worldwide, more people believe in creationism than in evolution. Why do no biologists agree? Steve Jones will talk about what evolution is, about new evidence that men and chimps are close relatives and about how we are, nevertheless, unique and why creationism does more harm to religion than it does to science."
Source and webcast link (http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/event.asp?id=4140)

Also:
BBC Radio 2 Jeremy Vine show: Scientology births (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/vine/) Tue11Apr06

Prof Richard Dawkins will be on TV on Sunday 23rd April in episode 2 of 12 Books That Changed the World on ITV1 just after 11pm according to his unofficial website (http://www.simonyi.ox.ac.uk/dawkins/WorldOfDawkins-archive/News/events.shtml).

[JimTheBrit]

Easter weekend viewing ...

Sunday 16th April
Channel 4 9pm - 9.30pm
Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind
"4/6. The psychological illusionist perpetrates intrigue in Italy, thens stuns pop star Robbie Williams with a trick that's not for the squeamish.
Repeated on Thursday at 11pm on E4"

Plenty of repeats:
*TONIGHT* Sat 15th April Ch4 10.40pm-11.45pm Derren Brown: The Heist
*TONIGHT* Sat 15th April BBC3 11.35pm-2.30am Kick Ass Miracles: all 6 episodes. Another chance to see Chris Crudelli get his feet burned firewalking, test acupuncture in an MRI scanner (ala Sykes) and manhandle lucky penises (don't ask).
Sunday 16th April Ch4 4.50pm-5.50pm Shroud of Christ? A look at the holy Turin tablecloth that didn't really impress the SI team (http://www.csicop.org/list/listarchive/msg00455.html)

Prog info: RTmag (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

Edit: Astrologer Cainer and Richard Wiseman discuss cosmic ordering (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/zfriday_20060407.shtml) on the Today prog (Fri7Apr06).

[JimTheBrit]

With Britain's Psychic Challenge finished, it's looks as though channel Five is still willing to fill its schedule with drivel. A new series, The Baby Mind Reader with 'psychic' Derek Ogilive starts next month according to today's Sun. I'd hoped this series had disappeared without trace as I hadn't heard it mentioned for some time but no such luck (or sudden epiphany of sense on the part of the series' commisioner). Be prepared to choke on your coffee on Tuesday morning if you're a GMTV viewer, Ogilvie may be making an appearance. (http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=19923)

[JimTheBrit]

Five tends to chop and change the segments between each broadcast of these compilation shows but the last time Greatest TV Wind-up Moments (*TONIGHT* 9pm - 11.45pm) aired, Shirley Ghostman was at 39, A Very British UFO Hoax was at 35, Ghostwatch was number 18 and number 3 was Derren Brown: Seance.

[JimTheBrit]

Loch Ness Monster: the Ultimate Experiment is repeated in a few hours 3.55am - 5.05am on Five (see thread page 5 28th August for description). An episode of Haunted Homes is also shown again tonight on ITV2 just after midnight.

Sunday 23rd April
Channel 4 9pm - 9.30pm
Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind
5/6. Vienna's iconic Ferris wheel provides the focus for a trick, then Extras star Stephen Merchant is all agog when he takes part in a game of chance.

Sunday 23rd April
ITV1 10.45pm - 11.45pm
12 Books That Changed the World
2/4. Melvyn Bragg turns his attention to The Origin of Species - which gained author Charles Darwin the soubriquet "the most dangerous man in Britain" - Mary Wollstonecraft's feminist treatise A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, and the printed version of William Wilberforce's abolitionist Speech to the House of Commons.
Dawkins adds to this programme.

Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

Sunday 30th April
Channel 4 9pm - 9.30pm
Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind
"6/6. The psychological illusionist puts his card skills to the test in Monaco, while actress Meera Syal helps him to debunk an old seance routine."

Info: Radio Times mag (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

From recent radio shows:
ABC Radio National - Background Briefing: Elusive Exclusive Brethren (http://abc.net.au/rn/talks/bbing/default.htm) 30Apr06. This cult/sect was the object of an interesting documentary a couple of years ago.

Radio 2 Jeremy Vine: Creationism (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/vine/) Monday 24Apr06. A discussion likely to include the usual misrepresentations and smokescreens.

Five Live's Anita Anand: John Lennon seance (http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/programmes/anita.shtml) Monday 24Apr06. ASKE's Tony Youens responds to the cheap publicity stunt.

ABC Radio National - Health Report: Autism (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/healthreport/default.htm) 24Apr06: "Some say it's an epidemic and put the blame on vaccines for measles mumps and rubella or even on mercury used as a preservative in vaccines". These shores' "some" have had a hard time recently as outbreaks of measles continue.

BBC World Service - Heart & Soul: Voodoo (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/heart_and_soul.shtml) 30Apr06

ABC Radio National - The Science Show: The Selfish Gene 30 Years On (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/ss/) 29Apr06. Dennett & Dawkins

Note that The Unexplained with Howard Hughes is back on the 'Net here (http://www.theunexplained.tv/).

[JimTheBrit]

MS sufferer on benefits spends thousands for stem cell miracle cure.
BBC article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/4975840.stm), watch the video report online (http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/southtoday/) (bottom right-hand corner, 1830 broadcast, only available 'til 6.30pm today)
At least the placebo effect is acknowledged.

[JimTheBrit]

I despair.

Thursday 18th May
BBC2 9pm - 10pm
Psychic Vietnam: This World
"6/6. After the end of hostilities in the Vietnam War, hundreds of thousands failed to return home. Thirty years later, Vietnamese families are still looking for their loved ones and, in desperation, have turned to a group of government-supported psychics - called Project TRK05 - who claim that they can talk to the dead. Featuring a woman made famous by her ability to locate dead bodies in the old battlefields."

This programme will be available to watch online after broadcast here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/this_world/default.stm)

Info: Radio Times magazine. (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

[JimTheBrit]

It looks like Watchdog, BBC1, *NOW* will be reporting on a quack health practitioner in Spain any minute ...

More on that Psychic Vietnam programme from the RT's David Butcher:
"Hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese soldiers who fought in the Vietnam war are still missing, presumed dead, 30 year safter the war ended. Relatives turn to local psychics to help them find the remains of husbands, fathers and brothers who never came home. And the psychics appear to have some remarkable successes. But the key phrase there is "appear to". Throwing all journalistic caution to the winds, this film happily buys into the psychics' world, taking their claims at face value.
It would be easier to believe what the film presents if it included a single sceptical voice. Insted, we hear from a supposedly scientific body headed by a former general, who says, "It's what I would call practical science, meaning whoever experiences it will believe it."
Oh, that sort of science."

Also
Tuesday 16th May
BBC Radio 4 8pm - 8.40pm
The Stem Cell Swindle
"There is a lucrative trade in stem cells from umbilical cords, sold as a treatment to sufferers of degenerative illnesses who are willing to risk thousands of pounds on the slim chance that stem cells will cure them. Matthew Hill investigates the people behind this trade and asks how companies are able to offer this untested and costly treatment in Britain without check."

[Pauliesonne]

I don't know how you keep it up but all due respect, you are doing a hell of a job!!!

[JimTheBrit]

Wednesday 17th May *TONIGHT*
BBC2 10.30pm - 11.20pm
Newsnight
"Conspiracy theories
And the blogs are alive with conspiracy theories after the America Government released footage of the 9/11 strike on the Pentagon. Where was the picture of the plane? Mark Urban explains all."
Source: Newsnight web page (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/default.stm)
This programme will be available to watch online soon after broadcast (see above link).

[sadluxation]

On a slightly different note...

Haunted Homes is looking for new residences to investigate.

Does anyone fancy hoaxing the show?

http://www.beonscreen.com/uk/user/show_details.asp?ID=1848

[Pauliesonne]

Tonight on FXUK at 10:00 IS THE PREMIERE OF THE THIRD SEASON OF P&T:BS!

[JimTheBrit]

On today's news regarding complementary therapies:
Vid: Channel 4 - No alternative (http://www.channel4.com/news/special-reports/special-reports-storypage.jsp?id=2416)
Vid: BBC Breakfast - What's wrong with complementary medicine? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast/5007256.stm)
Aud: BBC Today Tues23May06, 2 segments - Does alternative medicine work? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/)
Aud: BBC World Service Newshour - Medicine War (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/newshour/) *AVAILABLE TODAY ONLY*
Vid: BBC - Why the doctors are calling for the change (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5007118.stm)
Aud: BBC Radio 2 Jeremy Vine Show (Tues) (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/vine/)
Aud: Five Live Victoria Derbyshire (Tues) (http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/programmes/morning.shtml)

[JimTheBrit]

Also:
Are We Alone? Skeptical Sunday: The Gospel According to SETI (http://www.seti.org/site/pp.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=178892) (17May06)
BBC Radio 4 Home Truths: Ghostbusters (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hometruths/20060522_ghostbuster.shtml)
Radio National In Conversation: Lewis Wolpert (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/incon/) 18May06
BBC2 Newsnight: 9/11 conspiracy theories (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/4987504.stm)
BBC Newswatch: The 9/11 conspiracy theories - fact, fiction or fantasy? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/newswatch/ukfs/hi/)
Radio National The Philosopher's Zone: The question of consciousness (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/philosopherszone/stories/2006/1639491.htm) (20May06)
BBC Radio 4 Sunday: Witchcraft (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/sunday/archive/index.shtml) (21May06)

[JimTheBrit]

Beginning in one hour (at 8pm, 'til 9pm) tonight on Five, 'The Mystery of the Mary Celeste: Revealed' may interest some and there's a chance to catch Derek Acorah on the GMTV sofa again here (http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=14754&cachedarticleaction=streamingpopup&display=vlist&pagenumber=4).

[JimTheBrit]

Geller's on Big Brother's Little Brother, E4, in a matter of minutes. The prog is repeated tomorrow morning at 7.30am (and is also on E4+1 of course)

[JimTheBrit]

Of interest ...?

Monday 29th May *TONIGHT*
BBC1 7pm - 8pm
Richard Hammond and the Holy Grail
"Ancient scrolls in the Vatican's archive; holy relics in Constantinople; medieval knights and hidden treasure in the South of France; Templars, Cathars and Nazis; conspiracy theories and false clues - Top Gear's Richard Hammond embarks on a quest stretching from the Aegean to the Atlantic to uncover the truth about the most famous relic of all time. Does the Holy Grail exist? And if so, what exactly is it?"
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

Check out the ASKE homepage (http://www.aske-skeptics.org.uk/) news update for 17th May if you haven't already done so.

[JimTheBrit]

Of interest ... ?

Sunday 4th June *TONIGHT*
BBC1 10.15pm - 10.55pm
Panorama
"Global Warming: Bush's Climate of Fear. American scientists accuse the Bush administration of a six-year campaign to conceal the threat of global warming. As part of the Climate Chaos season, Hilary Andersson investigates allegations that scientists were gagged, and that reports on climate change were altered and suppressed, to play down the scale of the problem."
Source: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

Also:

Monday 5th June
Channel 4 8pm - 9pm
God's Next Army
Radio Times' David Butcher writes: "'My goal is to right the heartbeat of America,' says 18-year-old Samantha. I'm not sure what she means either, but she's one of many bright-eyed students at Patrick Henry College near Washington DC who plan to take the school's aggressively Christian values into high-flying political careers. And having watched this eye-opening film, you wouldn't bet against them.
The students combine breathtaking naivety with a ruthless single-mindedness. I suspect even staunch Christians will find them slightly stormtrooper-like as they pound the corridors of the Capitol to lobby Congressman and their staff, hoping to abolish estate tax because it's unbiblical: "The Earth is the Lord's."
But they're well-connected, well-organised and in the ascendent. It's hard to believe that people who are being taught that geological strata were all laid down by the Great Flood may be taking control of America's levers of power, but that's the way it looks here."

Ben 'Bad Science' Goldacre informs us that he's recently appeared on BBC Radio 3's Nightwaves programme to discuss "Who speaks for science?".
Listen again here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/nightwaves/pip/hx47k/)
"Science needs the media to encourage funding and promote ideas. But science also accuses the media of trivialising its efforts and misinterpreting its findings.
For the media, science provides stories - some serious some sensational - that help its readers negotiate their changing relationship with the natural world. But the media also accuses scientists of over-complicating their subject and of living a sheltered existence removed from everyday realities."

[JimTheBrit]

Saturday 10th June
BBC2 8.20pm - 9.10pm (repeated at 12.35am)
The Culture Show
"[...] Matthew Sweet explores the booming subculture of the paranormal"
Source: RTmag (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

UFOs: The Secret Evidence is repeated on Channel 4 at 7.10pm on the same night (Sat10Jun06)

Tonight's (Tues6Jun06) viewing includes a repeat of The Curse of the Omen at 11.35pm on Channel 4 and also, for CSI fans, the showing of the psychic episode mentioned elsewhere in the JREF forums recently (Five, 9pm).

[JimTheBrit]

Radio roundup:

BBC Radio 4 Leading Edge 1Jun06: A Bigger Evolutionary Battle (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/leadingedge.shtml) (Darwinism vs Creationism)
ABC Radio National Ockham's Razor 28May06: Our misestimate of probabilities (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/ockhamsrazor/default.htm)
ABC Radio National Philosopher's Zone 27May06: What is Enlightenment? (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/philosopherszone/default.htm)
ABC Radio National Spirit of Things 4Jun06: Lord Robert Winston (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/spiritofthings/default.htm)
This American Life: Julia Sweeney (http://www.thislife.org/)

[JimTheBrit]

Available to watch online until tonight (15Jun06): Newsnight (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/default.stm) investigates American black ops in the skies over the UK. Aurora, Area 51 and UFO's are all touched upon.

Also

Monday 19th June
Five 9pm - 10pm
The Baby Mind Reader
"New series 1/4. Self-proclaimed psychic Derek Ogilvie believes that we are all born telepathic, but lose the ability when we start to talk. He claims he can help badly behaved children by reading their minds. Tonight he is put to the test by violent Teegan and her sleep-deprived mother Emma. Can he transform the devilish toddler into a little angel?"
Source: Radio Times mag (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

I recommend a read of David Butcher's column on page 35 of the latest issue of the Radio Times, headed, "You must be kidding. Taming tiny terrors is all the rage on TV, but deputy TV editor finds Five's psychic spin plumbs new depths."

Edit: Available 'til Friday - BBC World Service Outlook (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/outlook.shtml#Fri)
"Witch hunt in India
When a man in their village in India fell ill, Tirit Bai and two friends were branded as witches and punished for allegedly putting an evil spell on him. Witch hunts are still common in several Indian states, particularly in rural areas and the state government of Chattisgarh last year brought in a law banning the practice. Our reporter Nivedita Pathak tried to find out how effective this law has been."

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 26th June *TODAY*

More4 12.30pm - 1.35pm
Richard & Judy
Repeat of Friday's Channel 4 show, Derek Ogilvie guests (see below)

Five 9pm - 10pm
The Baby Mind Reader
"2/4. Psychic Derek Ogilvie claims he can help badly behaved children by reading their minds. Tonight he tries to connect with two-year-old Madison, who screams all night and drives her family to distraction."

Channel 4 10pm - 11.05pm
Mindshock: Transplanting Memories?
RT's Jane Rackham writes: "After Claire Sylvia's heart and lung transplant, she noticed that her personality had changed in subtle ways. Suddenly she liked beer and green peppers where she had hated them before, and her handwriting was different. Then she had a vivid dream about a young biker called "Tim L". She discovered later that the transplanted organs belonged to a young biker called Tim, and is convinced his heart is "speaking" to her brain and sharing his memories and tastes with her.
She's not alone. At least ten other patients have had spookily similar experiences. The first film in this series explores whether these connections are merely coincidence. The phenomenon has yet to be proved scientifically and there's something a bit creepy about the idea that the heart can "think", but there's no denying that these people believe in it"

Also Loch Ness: the Search for the Truth is repeated late on at 1am - 1.55am on Sky 3 tonight

[JimTheBrit]

In addition to the above post ...

Wednesday 28th June
BBC Radio 4 9pm - 9.30pm (and usually archived on the Radio 4 website for 7 days afterwards)
Skullduggery
RT's Dave Gillard: "Skullduggery: not a typo but a jolly way into this examination of how science can go off the rails. In the 19th century, the idea that character and intelligence could be determined from the size and shape of the skull took hold. Obsessed with measurements, these amateur scientists got the callipers out and decided that not only could ethnicity be deduced from skull size, but a person's class as well ... something about being low-browed, I suppose. Phrenologists went further, believing the lumps and bumps on the skull could tell us about the character inside. But don't put those callipers away just yet. Modern science can learn an astonishing amount about someone - from the moment of their birth to their demise - from a single tooth. So presenter Kenan Malik asks how we can distinguish junk science from sound scientific enquiry. You could say it was a bone of contention. I wouldn't"

Also on digital and cable: Thursday 29th June, Discovery channel, 10pm - 11pm, The Boy With Divine Powers. "How a 15-year-old boy meditated under a tree in Nepal for over 10 months without food or water". Repeated at 3am and on Discovery+1. As discussed in this thread (http://206.225.95.123/forumlive/showthread.php?t=53512)

Source for all prog info: Radio Times magazine (http://www.radiotimes.com/content/magazine/)

Other audio:
SETI Institue's Are We Alone? 14Jun06 Skeptical Sunday - Curses! (http://www.seti.org/site/pp.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=178892)
ABC Radio National's Encounter 11Jun06 Intelligent Design (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/encounter/default.htm)
BBC World Service's Heart and Soul 25Jun06 A sceptic in search of the Virgin Mary (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/heart_and_soul.shtml)
ABC Radio National's Ockham's Razor 18Jun06 A God of the Gaps (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/ockhamsrazor/default.htm)
Now uploaded to RapidShare, the Daily Telegraph's podcast of 24th June (http://rapidshare.de/files/24160654/TelegraphPodcast-CreationistMuseum-24Jun06.mp3.html) in which Alec Russell takes a tour of Ken Ham's creationist museum.

[JimTheBrit]

Little Atoms' interview with Britain's Psychic Challenge skeptic Philip Escoffey is now available to download here (http://www.littleatoms.com/audio.htm)
"Philip Escoffey AKA The Grey Man, is one of the UK's top psychic illusionist/mind readers. A Psychology graduate, Philip has been earning a living as a mentalist for the last 8 years.
A confirmed skeptic, Philip is dismissive of spiritualists, mediums and astrologers. However, he has a deep academic interest in the reasons why people need to believe and is an expert in how techniques like cold-reading are employed by psychics the world over. To this end, Philip was recently seen adding a little balance to five's Britain's Psychic Challenge."

Sunday 2nd July
Radio Five Live 11am - 11.45am (archived copy available)
Five Live Report: Mind Games - Scientology versus Psychiatry
"This week the Five Live Report goes undercover to investigate Scientology. In the hours after the London Bombings 12 months ago, dotted amongst the injured were the yellow shirted Volunteer Ministers of Scientology who managed to get behind the safety tape to help the injured and traumatised. But Five Live has found that the Volunteers were there to keep the trained trauma counsellors away from the victims, part of a bitter fight against psychiatry which has taken them to disaster zones at Ground Zero, the Asian Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina."
Source (http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/programmes/fivelivereport.shtml)

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 3rd July
Five 9pm - 10pm
The Baby Mind Reader
"3/4. Psychic Derek Ogilvie claims he can help badly behaved children by reading their minds. Tonight he tries to connect with 21-month-old Lily, whose screaming fits have taken over the life of her mum Gemma. Can he turn the tempestuous tot into a loving daughter?"

7pm tonight (Sat1July06) sees the first of a two part Dr Who story on BBC1 in which Derek Acorah stars. Repeated tomorrow on BBC3 at 7pm.

The Boy With Divine Powers is repeated on the Discovery Channel tomorrow at 9pm.

[JimTheBrit]

Monday 3rd July *TODAY*
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
"Alien Autopsy
In 2006, a British comedy movie called ‘Alien Autopsy’ was released, on the subject of Santilli faking the autopsy footage. Santilli acted as executive producer, alongside his business partner Gary Shoefield. The DVD of the movie is released today starring Ant McPartlin as Gary Shoefield and Declan Donnelly as Ray Santilli.
Ray Santilli and his co-conspirator Gary Shoefield join Richard & Judy to talk about the Alien Autopsy conspiracy."
Source (http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/R/richardandjudy/todays_show.html)

[brettDbass]

Hey Jim - Sterling ( ;) ) work there, but you missed the next installment of Mindshock, which is on tonight.

Channel 4 Monday 3rd July 10pm

32-year-old Jules Lowe woke up one morning in October 2003 to find his 83-year-old father Edward had been beaten to death. The last thing Jules remembered was drinking with his dad in the kitchen after a night out in the pub. But with no forced entry, Jules was the only suspect. He was arrested and brought to trial, but when he revealed that he was a sleepwalker, experts concluded that it was an extreme case of 'parasomnia', a disorder in which sleepers are not responsible for their actions. But could they convince the jury?

Lowe's experience is one of several high-profile cases in recent years where people claim to have committed crimes, including murder and rape, in their sleep.

Source (http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/M/mindshock/sleepwalk_terror/index.html)

[JimTheBrit]

Hey Jim - Sterling ( ;) ) work there, but you missed the next installment of Mindshock, which is on tonight.

Channel 4 Monday 3rd July 10pm

32-year-old Jules Lowe woke up one morning in October 2003 to find his 83-year-old father Edward had been beaten to death. The last thing Jules remembered was drinking with his dad in the kitchen after a night out in the pub. But with no forced entry, Jules was the only suspect. He was arrested and brought to trial, but when he revealed that he was a sleepwalker, experts concluded that it was an extreme case of 'parasomnia', a disorder in which sleepers are not responsible for their actions. But could they convince the jury?

Lowe's experience is one of several high-profile cases in recent years where people claim to have committed crimes, including murder and rape, in their sleep.

Source (http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/M/mindshock/sleepwalk_terror/index.html)

Nah, I had spotted this prog the schedules but decided against posting the details as it looked to focus specifically on the serious crimes committed rather than take a more general apporach which invariably include old hags and Prof Chris French. I recorded it for posterity nevertheless.

Of interest ...?

Tuesday 4th July *TODAY*
Channel 4 5pm - 6pm
Richard & Judy
"Patricia Arquette
Hollywood actress Patricia Arquette has 15 years of box office smashes behind her and has also reaped phenomenal success on the small screen with the supernatural crime series Medium. Having taken the USA by storm, the show is set to reap the same success when it arrives on our screens next week. Patricia Arquette joins us to chat about her award-winning role in the sci-fi drama Medium."
Source (http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/R/richardandjudy/todays_show.html)

[brettDbass]

Nah, I had spotted this prog the schedules but decided against posting the details as it looked to focus specifically on the serious crimes committed rather than take a more general apporach which invariably include old hags and Prof Chris French. I recorded it for posterity nevertheless.
I watched most of it and it had a scientific leaning and nothing woo.
Probably pitched just right for the mass market audience, but was lacking in many areas for the more informed viewer. Still educational though.