"You had an accident when you were a child involving water."

[davenn]

only just found this thread

was ~ 14 or 15 on a family picnic to the local river
an almost drowning incident for me, got saved in time

Dave

 

[Simon Bridge]

"Magic" has a fairly specific definition to the people in that field, and it encompasses only certain kinds of effects, with certain kinds of props, and certain kinds of techniques. Hypnosis is outside that, as would be "channeling the dead" effects.

- though if I had to use the in-house definitions I'd end up with a long list. I kinda wanted to be quick (didn't work).

You are correct: Derrin is hard to categorize since part of his schtick is to mix the themes in a single show.
It also leads to the suspicion, particularly by believers, that Derrin may be using more underhand tricks to make the skeptical viewpoint seem more plausible.

Entertainment vs debunking works OK - but there are psychic/medium shows with the disclaimer "entertainment only" but the central claim is that paranormal acts are really being performed ... I would not want someone to mistake my meaning in that direction, so I try to err the other way.
No matter what I choose for a glib comment, I'm going to have to explain to someone. I can only hope that the people I want to get the message get it. It's why I included the Houdini reference since he did similar things.

Maybe "debunking vs theatre"? It's the second one that's trouble: "paranormal show"?

 

[zoobyshoe]

- though if I had to use the in-house definitions I'd end up with a long list. I kinda wanted to be quick (didn't work).

You are correct: Derrin is hard to categorize since part of his schtick is to mix the themes in a single show.
It also leads to the suspicion, particularly by believers, that Derrin may be using more underhand tricks to make the skeptical viewpoint seem more plausible.

Entertainment vs debunking works OK - but there are psychic/medium shows with the disclaimer "entertainment only" but the central claim is that paranormal acts are really being performed ... I would not want someone to mistake my meaning in that direction, so I try to err the other way.
No matter what I choose for a glib comment, I'm going to have to explain to someone. I can only hope that the people I want to get the message get it. It's why I included the Houdini reference since he did similar things.

Maybe "debunking vs theatre"? It's the second one that's trouble: "paranormal show"?

I don't see a pressing need to divide his stuff into only two categories. As I said earlier, there are more like 5 different categories of effects he focuses on. However, if you have to have two categories and "entertainment" can't be one of them, then the next best thing might be "Showmanship vs Debunking". The point of the "showmanship" centered episodes is to dazzle, mystify, entertain, while the "debunking" episodes aspire to something more serious and socially responsible. The difference between them, though, is more a matter of intent than content. His debunkings demonstrate a high level of showmanship.

You may already have seen this one.



It's probably best classified as a debunking episode, but his showmanship in setting the subjects up is impeccable. He seems the epitome of a sincere astrologer/psychometrist, and they all buy it right up to his revelation of hoax. (He wrote the "personality analysis" himself several months before, and I would love to have a copy of it. I could go into business as an 'aura reader' or something.)

 

[zoobyshoe]

only just found this thread

was ~ 14 or 15 on a family picnic to the local river
an almost drowning incident for me, got saved in time

Dave

FWIW, this brings us to 16 out of 18 respondents.

 

[Pythagorean]

My children regularly spill water. Pretty much daily.

 

[davenn]

LOL Py

 

[lisab]

My children regularly spill water. Pretty much daily.

I think this means you're not giving them enough milk.

 

[Pythagorean]

I don't want to give them anything to cry over.

 

[mfb]

We can ask Greg, but I'm pretty sure a "view" is when a person new to the thread opens it. Once you've opened it, your later visits to the thread don't change the view count. I've tried: I've opened and left the thread three times without the view count changing. As of now there are 232 views. I take that to mean 232 separate people have opened the thread.

Multiple views from the same person count as different views - the view count is not updated continuously, so those quick checks will lead to a wrong answer.

However, it's quite possible those who've viewed the thread have had accidents and simply chose not to post.

I would expect a bias in the opposite direction - those without accidents are less likely to post because nothing happened.

So if, on the other hand, said psychic told me I suffered a severe jellyfish attack while swimming off the coast when I was seven, causing me to be laid up in bed for a week (true story), I would be very impressed, since it's not public knowledge.

Now it is ;).

No water accident here - unless you count various scrapes and similar stuff, but then the statement becomes completely trivial. "You used to breath air as a child ... oh wait, you still do!".

 

[zoobyshoe]

Multiple views from the same person count as different views - the view count is not updated continuously, so those quick checks will lead to a wrong answer.

Check out what Greg said here:
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/view-count.776090/

I would expect a bias in the opposite direction - those without accidents are less likely to post because nothing happened.

I think there's a big problem with all polls, which is that, whatever their opinion or experience, people may simply be disinterested in participating in the poll. If it's true that a statement applies to about 80% of all people, there has to be some other, very natural, way of finding that out.

I was talking to a girl once about the paranormal. She leaned toward belief due to the percentage of people who reported paranormal experiences. "What about ghost stories?" she said, "Who doesn't have a ghost story to tell?" In my experience, she was right. I had never been in a situation where the subject came up where everyone didn't have an incident to relate, even if it was their auntie's experience rather than their own.That's the kind of natural, informal poll you could build a Barnum statement on: "Im sensing that you...or maybe someone close to you...has already had a visit from someone who has passed over. Someone trying to communicate, to manifest in the physical plane by sound, sight, movement. You know who I mean (?)." However, her experience and my experience could easily be non-representative of "most" people. How can you really check if 80% of people have a ghost story to tell?

No water accident here - unless you count various scrapes and similar stuff, but then the statement becomes completely trivial. "You used to breath air as a child ... oh wait, you still do!".

To constitute a good Barnum statement most people would have to have had an accident involving water that was somehow memorable. Once it's suggested, 80% of people should be instantly sure what the 'psychic' is talking about. Otherwise, it's a risky direction for the psychic to take. I'm still not comfortable this particular Barnum statement has a 4 in 1 chance of succeeding.

 

[Monique]

First thing that comes to mind is a friend pushing me down under water, leading to distress. I also once cut my hand in the lake that led to an infection, or an inflatable boat that was punctured and it was sinking in the Amsterdam canal, but that doesn't stand out as clearly as the first event. I guess people could take it as far as seeing bedwetting as an accident involving water.

 

[fluidistic]

When I was about 5 years old I was in the shower with my younger brother and I think he increased the flow of hot water which burned me a little bit for a few seconds.
I can't find any other "accident" related to water in my whole life.

 

[Kerrie]

At the age of 8, I could not swim. I was pushed in the 'deep end' of a pool (6ft), and panicked. Thankfully I was near the edge and grabbed on. It wasn't long before I learned to tread water after that experience.

 

[Borg]

At the age of 8, I could not swim. I was pushed in the 'deep end' of a pool (6ft), and panicked. Thankfully I was near the edge and grabbed on. It wasn't long before I learned to tread water after that experience.

I had a very similar situation at 8 except that I wasn't pushed. I went down a slide that I didn't realize went in the deep end. Plus, it was an unattended hotel pool at night. I was lucky to get back to the side of the pool and also learned to swim after that. oo)

 

[Psinter]

Anyway, I would like to ask people to post reports of their accidents during childhood involving water. Just about everyone should have one.

Indeed. When 5 years old I just threw myself into a pool because it didn't seem deep. Fell straight to the floor and while struggling to breath and about to take the water in my uncle got into the pool and pulled me up. He laughed and said: "You are okay now." and I was okay. It never affected me, I mean, life continues.

EDIT: I was like meh.

 

[jz92wjaz]

I can't think of anything for myself. No near drownings, no gaping wounds, no burns, no damaged electronics. I've never even had a substantial injury on the ice or snow, in spite of all my antics.