StopSylviaBrowne: How are you planning on stopping her?

[T'ai Chi]

From what I gather, one plans on stopping her by challenging her:


Given all that, I firmly believe that Sylvia Browne has not shown that she has "real psychic powers", and that she should either prove them, or stop pretending she has them.


Although, it is clear to me that she made it pretty clear she is now not interested in the million dollar challenge.

Or is the stopping plan more of a 'raise public awareness by being annoying, so that others will not pay attention to her anymore' type of thing?

I only ask because these methods only really seem to make those one goes against more popular (Geller and Popov, come to mind); probably doing the exact opposite of what one is trying to accomplish.

[DangerousBeliefs]

(Geller and Popov, come to mind)


Geller and Popov are more popular then they were before?

Geller is doing two-bit stuff in Israel (and being made a fool of on YouTube for it)

Popov is back at it but to a much smaller crowd.

[Richard]

Ahh, the old question. I think we need to speak out. Those who are hooked are hooked without us. Those who know how it really works know without us. But those who could go either way need to hear from us.

[SkepticSteph]

Back about 20 years ago, I believed in psychics, and about 15 years ago, after my daughter died, I visited one. I believed her. However, believing in psychics sort of went against my atheistic leanings, so I started researching it and learned about "cold readings". Aha! THAT'S how they did it. Since then, I have studied the psychics on tv and noticed how they cold read, etc.

I am angry with them now, because they exploit people who are so unbelievably sad. I mean, when my baby died, I was in SO much pain, and for someone to exploit that for a buck is the worst thing imaginable to me.

So, I am GLAD sites like Stopsylviabrowne.com and this one are out there, and that respectable folks like Penn and Teller are taking them on in their Bulls hit show. If more people can be helped by NOT believing in them, the better.

Just my opinion, but...

[AZAtheist]

Or is the stopping plan more of a 'raise public awareness by being annoying, so that others will not pay attention to her anymore' type of thing?

T'ai Chi, I think you might have made a better point by saying "educating" instead of "being annoying". Of course, you could be using these words to aggravate more than communicate.

[Jeff Corey]

T'ai Chi, I think you might have made a better point by saying "educating" instead of "being annoying". Of course, you could be using these words to aggravate more than communicate.
No, he probably meant "being annoying" because that's how he attempts to educate people. And a very fine job he does at it.

[Horatius]

Or is the stopping plan more of a 'raise public awareness by being annoying, so that others will not pay attention to her anymore' type of thing?



It's illustrating to note that T'ai Chi has equated "pointing out her huge errors and enormous flaws" with "being annoying".

Could it possibly be that T'ai is slightly biased in hi opinions?

[Mercutio]

Hey, TC, have you followed the "stop Kaz" story? Would you call that effort a failure, a success, or what?

[T'ai Chi]

It's illustrating to note that T'ai Chi has equated "pointing out her huge errors and enormous flaws" with "being annoying".

Could it possibly be that T'ai is slightly biased in hi opinions?

If you're asking if it is possible that people can be biased, yes, obviously. I'd have to ask how that addresses the question raised in the OP however.

[Luke T.]

I'm sure that Sylvia Browne has found it very annyoying that, thanks to RSL, millions of people now know that she told the parents of Shawn Hornbeck that he was dead and buried near two boulders, and for an additional fee she would help them some more.

Very annyoying. Yes.

Isn't that just too bad.

Hopefully, but probably not, she finds it as painful as the Hornbecks found being told by a psychic that their son was dead.

[Hawk one]

If you're asking if it is possible that people can be biased, yes, obviously. I'd have to ask how that addresses the question raised in the OP however.No, that was not what he asked. What he actually asked is quite relevant to the OP. I suggest taking a reading comprehension class.

[T'ai Chi]

I'm sure that Sylvia Browne has found it very annyoying that, thanks to RSL, millions of people now know that she told the parents of Shawn Hornbeck that he was dead and buried near two boulders,


People already knew that. She was on TV, remember?

[Z]

But people quickly forget. That's what frauds like Geller and Browne depend on.

SSB.com has already done a great job, since it was Rob's website which attracted the attention of the media following the boy's discovery, and allowed the public to be reminded of her fraudulence and selfish behavior.

I've already seen the shockwaves from that incident locally, being a small local bookstore just binned all her stuff in the $.99 bin... :)

[Questioninggeller]

Or is the stopping plan more of a 'raise public awareness by being annoying, so that others will not pay attention to her anymore' type of thing?


If you believe making rational information available is "annoying" then you are in the wrong forum.

Presenting facts to those searching, say, google.com for information on Browne stops her from gaining $700.00 many times over.

[Rufo]

I only ask because these methods only really seem to make those one goes against more popular (Geller and Popov, come to mind); probably doing the exact opposite of what one is trying to accomplish.
In some cases this might be true, so I certainly get your point. However, considering that the Hodgson Law Group, representing Sylvia Browne Corp., has appearently threatened to take legal action against the website (described here (http://www.stopsylviabrowne.com/articles/browne_attempttosilence.shtml)), I would presume they consider it more a threat to Ms. Browne than a good source of publicity and popularity. Do you believe they have misunderstood the situation?

[Juustin]

I would say he proved the point of the website more than he knew when he compared it to the campaigns against Popov and Geller. I remember Popov being on TV nonstop when I was younger, and you never hear about him on national TV anymore. I realize he's still out there, but he doesn't have anywhere near as much status as he used to.

[Foster Zygote]

T'ai Chi, I think you might have made a better point by saying "educating" instead of "being annoying". Of course, you could be using these words to aggravate more than communicate.

That's gonna get you put on T'ai Chi's 'ignore' list. Don't worry, you'll have plenty of company.

[Foster Zygote]

If you're asking if it is possible that people can be biased, yes, obviously. I'd have to ask how that addresses the question raised in the OP however.

Excuse me a moment. I'm just going to go bang my head against the wall a few times.

[fuelair]

It's illustrating to note that T'ai Chi has equated "pointing out her huge errors and enormous flaws" with "being annoying".

Could it possibly be that T'ai is slightly biased in hi opinions?

Oh surely that could never be. Tai-Chi would never,ever,ever have any woo tendency. Oh no,no,no.:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Geckko]

It's illustrating to note that T'ai Chi has equated "pointing out her huge errors and enormous flaws" with "being annoying".

Could it possibly be that T'ai is slightly biased in hi opinions?

I must defend T'ai here.

I am certain Sylvia is finding Mr Lancaster extremely annoying. He has a letter to prove it.;)

[Loss Leader]

Or is the stopping plan more of a 'raise public awareness by being annoying, so that others will not pay attention to her anymore' type of thing?

What a strange way to phrase your question. Are the Democrats in congress who are attempting to bring the war to a close merely being annoying? Was Ralph Nader just annoying the public when warning people about the Corvair? Is the Surgeon General annoying us by pointing out that cigarettes cause cancer?

In a free economy, there will always be those who take advantage of the consumer's limited knowledge to make a few bucks. Educating people so that they make better economic decisions does not seem "annoying" to me.

[CFLarsen]

From what I gather, one plans on stopping her by challenging her:


Although, it is clear to me that she made it pretty clear she is now not interested in the million dollar challenge.

Or is the stopping plan more of a 'raise public awareness by being annoying, so that others will not pay attention to her anymore' type of thing?

I only ask because these methods only really seem to make those one goes against more popular (Geller and Popov, come to mind); probably doing the exact opposite of what one is trying to accomplish.

That is an incredibly revealing post you just made.

You consider Sylvia's actions as being "annoying"? Let's take a quick look at those:


Sylvia Browne attempts to silence Rob Lancaster's site. You find this merely "annoying".


Sylvia Browne lifts whole passages from Joe Nickell's article. You find this merely "annoying".


Sylvia Browne falsely claims that nobody suffered during the WTC attacks. You find this merely "annoying".


Sylvia Browne falsely tells Shawn Hornbeck's parents that their son is dead. You find this merely "annoying".


Sylvia Browne tells a caller on Larry King Live that her mother is dead, to the caller's astonishment. You find this merely "annoying".


Sylvia Browne falsely tells a mother that her little daughter, Opal Jo Jennings, was sold into slavery in Japan. You find this merely "annoying".


Sylvia Browne bombs totally by telling Ryan Brown's mother completely false information. You find this merely "annoying".


Sylvia Browne falsely tells parents that their daughter was shot. You find this merely "annoying".


Sylvia Browne falsely tells a woman, who lost her fireman boyfriend during 9-11, that he drowned. You find this merely "annoying".


Sylvia Browne changes her story several times in the Sago Mining Disaster. You find this merely "annoying".


Just what kind of a person are you, Justin?

[Loss Leader]

That is an incredibly revealing post you just made.

You consider Sylvia's actions as being "annoying"? Let's take a quick look at those:


I didn't get that from the OP. I thought he meant RSL was being annoying by putting up StopSylviaBrowne.Com. He didn't characterize Sylvia's actions at all except to weakly analogize her to Popov and Geller in their ability to weather bad press.

[Yennaija]

That is an incredibly revealing post you just made.

You consider Sylvia's actions as being "annoying"? Let's take a quick look at those:

Sylvia Browne attempts to silence Rob Lancaster's site. You find this merely "annoying". etc. etc. etc.

I have never come across this Sylvia, but from what I have learned so far she is not annoying.... She is Scary...

[T'ai Chi]

So it looks like the "raise public awareness" one is the answer.

Of course, it would probably be more successful to try to change human psyche, instead of chasing after one psychic (whom people are not forced to consult), because people just seem to be interested in this area.

[Mojo]

So it looks like the "raise public awareness" one is the answer. I notice you seem to have dropped the "by being annoying" bit.

[Moochie]

Or is the stopping plan more of a 'raise public awareness by being annoying, so that others will not pay attention to her anymore' type of thing?


More of a "raise public awareness" of her meager "talents" regarding cold reading, I would think.

It is, after all, the easiest way to expose this fraud.

M.

[Eos of the Eons]

What would change YOUR mind about psychics T'ai? What would be the straw that breaks your belief?

It hasn't been that a child can do cold reading. It hasn't been how psychics are more wrong than right. It hasn't been that people feed the answers to them in a variety of ways. It hasn't been that they predict what has already been predicted.

What would it take? What is that one thing that keeps you believing?

[Moochie]

What would change YOUR mind about psychics T'ai? What would be the straw that breaks your belief?

It hasn't been that a child can do cold reading. It hasn't been how psychics are more wrong than right. It hasn't been that people feed the answers to them in a variety of ways. It hasn't been that they predict what has already been predicted.

What would it take? What is that one thing that keeps you believing?

Stupidity?

Abject stupidity?

M.

[Robaato]

How do we plan on stopping her?

Well if it were me...I'd plan "to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take."

But then I was never a very original person...;)

[Hindmost]

That is an incredibly revealing post you just made.

You consider Sylvia's actions as being "annoying"? Let's take a quick look at those:

Sylvia Browne attempts to silence Rob Lancaster's site. You find this merely "annoying".
Sylvia Browne lifts whole passages from Joe Nickell's article. You find this merely "annoying".
Sylvia Browne falsely claims that nobody suffered during the WTC attacks. You find this merely "annoying".
Sylvia Browne falsely tells Shawn Hornbeck's parents that their son is dead. You find this merely "annoying".
Sylvia Browne tells a caller on Larry King Live that her mother is dead, to the caller's astonishment. You find this merely "annoying".
Sylvia Browne falsely tells a mother that her little daughter, Opal Jo Jennings, was sold into slavery in Japan. You find this merely "annoying".
Sylvia Browne bombs totally by telling Ryan Brown's mother completely false information. You find this merely "annoying".
Sylvia Browne falsely tells parents that their daughter was shot. You find this merely "annoying".
Sylvia Browne falsely tells a woman, who lost her fireman boyfriend during 9-11, that he drowned. You find this merely "annoying".
Sylvia Browne changes her story several times in the Sago Mining Disaster. You find this merely "annoying".Just what kind of a person are you, Justin?

And in every case where she tells of the fate of someone, she never indicates that she "might be wrong." She is always quite adamant and unequivocal. And wrong and unapologetic.

glenn:mad:

[fuelair]

I have never come across this Sylvia, but from what I have learned so far she is not annoying.... She is Scary...

Actually she is warm crap wearing clothes - but some people don't notice the stench.

[Miss Anthrope]

And in every case where she tells of the fate of someone, she never indicates that she "might be wrong." She is always quite adamant and unequivocal. And wrong and unapologetic.

glenn:mad:

It's so true. I remember seeing her on Montel in the 90's, and a gal stood up and asked who her soulmate was. Sylvia said it was a man, gave a description, and she said "I'm a lesbian!". Sylvia made some talk about the inner spirit of the soul mate could be male, blah blah, and then looked all cocky and said something which clearly questioned the woman being "truly" gay.

That "your daughter was shot in the heart" video really nails this the best, though. She wouldn't concede for a moment she could be wrong, just insisted that somehow what she said MUST be true!

[Hindmost]

It's so true. I remember seeing her on Montel in the 90's, and a gal stood up and asked who her soulmate was. Sylvia said it was a man, gave a description, and she said "I'm a lesbian!". Sylvia made some talk about the inner spirit of the soul mate could be male, blah blah, and then looked all cocky and said something which clearly questioned the woman being "truly" gay.

That "your daughter was shot in the heart" video really nails this the best, though. She wouldn't concede for a moment she could be wrong, just insisted that somehow what she said MUST be true!

Maybe Slyvia's religious view makes her think conversion.:rolleyes:

And I can't seem to get T'ai Chi to address this...I have posted before: since she doesn't know when she is correct, how can anyone else. Analysis shows she can be very wrong on critical items--it appears the more specific the prediction, the more often the failure. If she is wrong 50% of the time, how can we tell which 50% is which?

glenn