The Mystery Investigators

Thank you very much for the interesting talk on Tuesday morning. Your efforts were very much appreciated by the girls and the staff as later discussions revealed. The water divining way to demonstrate a ‘double blind’ trial was excellent and made it very clear to the girls. And nothing beats a good dose of ‘magic’ spoons to get them hooked!

We hope you are still in business next year so you can come again to our next Year 10 group.

Thank you again,

Denise Foot
Assistant Head of Science Abbotsleigh
School for Girls

Archive February 2005

Next Issue of "The Mystery Investigator" BIGGEST Yet 22.Feb.2005

The Mystery Investigators are hard at work on a major upgrade to their free on-line magazine, 'The Mystery Investigator’. Until now, the magazine has been aimed more or less at students and confided to 4 pages. The next issue, due by April, will be over 20 pages and designed to be read on screen or printed out.

• Included will be;
• An interview with Dr. Phil Plait (the Bad Astronomer)
• Book reviews
• Reports on those who ‘Talk with the Dead’
• The ever popular Silly Stars
• Profiles
• Letters to the Editor

And much more……..

Mystery Investigators Live 22.Feb.2005

Richard & Alynda, the Mystery Investigators, once again hit the stage at Abbotsleigh School for Girls in Sydney to demonstrate how science can test claims of the paranormal.

Alynda & Richard during the Mystery Investigators show.	Alynda demonstrates the tricks of ‘Applied’ Kinesiology with the aid of a volunteer.

One of the highlights of the fun-packed show was a look into the tricks used by those who practice ‘Applied’ or ‘Holistic’ Kinesiology. Kinesiology is the real scientific study of the principles of mechanics and anatomy in relation to human movement. ‘Applied’ or ‘Holistic’ Kinesiology is pure quackery and fails when you know how to put it to the test. The girls at Abbotsleigh School now know how some of the tricks are done.

The Mystery Investigators are looking forward to their next show, open to the public, at the Canberra Bridge Club, Canberra ACT on Sunday, 13th of March. For more information, see
http://finch.customer.netspace.net.au/skeptics/

The Psychic with no Power 15.Feb.2005

One Sunday in February, mum came into my room asking me if I wanted to go to a ‘Mind Body Spirit’ type fair at Hornsby RSL club. Because I had nothing else to do, I said ‘yeah’, and so we set off.

We arrived at 12:30pm and after signing in were walking up the stairs. On the way up we passed a couple of ladies talking about someone they’d seen in the main show room where all the psychics and tarot card readers were. They were saying things along the lines of “Wow! She must have a lot of power to be able to see that…” Interesting, I thought to myself.

We had a good look around the place, seeing the same sort of stuff one normally sees; jewellery, Chinese spirit callers, various candles selling for very large prices. One amusing product I saw was aromatherapy for cats. After inspection we took our seats, ready for the arrival of “Sharina”, a legendary physic who goes on radio.

She came out and we watched her show for about half an hour. Although billed as a psychic, it was in fact all fairly predictable cold reading techniques that we saw. We would have watched for longer, except that there was a blackout and all the power went out. Unable to hear her, no microphones were working, or to continue with the fair, we set a course for home.

An interesting, if short experience. One thing I want to know, however, is why in a room full of psychics, not one of them predicted the power was going to go out? “Sharina” did her best to cover it though. “I come in here and caused the power to go out…” she told the audience.

Gillian Brown, is a high school student and Jr. Mystery Investigator

The biggest natural disaster in recent years occurred on Boxing Day last year when an earthquake in the Indian Ocean caused a Tsunami to hit parts of Asia, Sri Lanka and Africa. Villages were wiped out and hundreds of thousands of people were injured, lost their homes, their families or their lives.

It’s amazing how not one psychic predicted the event before it happened. Some have tried to claim hits in retrospect using all the benefit of 20/20 hindsight. One of these is "Clairvoyant' Sylvia Browne who has this first up on her website

SYLVIA'S PREDICTION VALIDATED

In October 2004 on the Montel Williams Show, Sylvia advised viewers to avoid travel to India due to safety concerns. On December 26th Sylvia's prediction was validated when a tsunami devastated India. Sylvia further warns that travel to the region will not be safe for another 6 months due to health issues (water purity, disease) created in the aftermath of the tsunami.

So how correct was she?

1. Well it wasn’t India that was devastated. The tsunami hit some of the southern tip of India but it was a long distance from any of the main tourist, business or agricultural areas
2. She made no mention of Banda Aceh which is where most of the devastation occurred.
3. She said “safety concerns”. This could mean anything from a tummy upset upwards
4. No mention of an earthquake
5. No mention of a tsunami

Margaret Birkin

Another parasite cashing in on the misery of many is Margaret Birkin. This particular vulture claims to channel a spirit called “Maitreya”. This is the text of a letter that appeared on her website at the beginning of this year.

1st Jan 2005

Message from Maitreya:

Many of you have written to me and asked me to comment on the Tsunami which hit Asia and in which so many souls came home to spirit.

First of all, each of these souls was ready and prepared for this on a subconscious level. The Earth plane is in a period of transition, a cleansing period. The Photon Belt energy has been creating the energy for this for many Earth years. Those in the illusion of the Earth plane can say "but why would God do this?" But I say to you, "God did not do this." This is part of evolution and is necessary for the change that is to occur.

The souls, who passed over, are at peace and very happy to be released of the Earth plane; they have completed their cycle of life. Those left behind are learning much from the situation. There will be other situations such as this, still to happen. These souls have not died, no, they have returned home, and are joyous at being freed from the Earth plane. Try to focus on that, rather than the sadness of souls not being on the Earth plane anymore.

Each one of you will die one day. These souls chose to die the way they did. It was very swift and nobody suffered - all left their body before impact. To humanity, what has happened seems so cruel, so devastating, but for us in spirit, we can now make the changes necessary for the new beginning in this area. Yes, it will take Earth time, and much work, but it will be changed. The souls who have passed over are very happy to have done so.

Maitreya.

(see it for yourself)

According to this disembodied voice that only she can hear, all of those people who died “chose to die the way they did”. Really?? Including all the babies and children who hadn’t yet had a chance to live? Do you think all those parents whose children are now orphans are “joyous at being freed from the Earth plane” and leaving their children to fend for themselves? Obviously Maitreya’s cosmic TV channel is tuning to different TV broadcasts to the ones that are available in Sydney. Otherwise there wouldn’t be the claim that “It was very swift and nobody suffered”.

This is the same Margaret Birkin who reduces her audiences to tears by using cold reading to seem to be able to talk with their dead family and friends. Amongst her cruellest of claims is the one that cot-death is due to a soul using up the left over years from a previous life that also ended early. Is that supposed to make grieving parents feel better? (Click here for a report on her show.)

At least amongst all the pseudo-metaphysical babble she managed to get the location right….but then…she was writing after the event wasn’t she.

It is interesting that “Maitreya” notes that “Those left behind are learning much from the situation.”. Perhaps this is true, although not the way the “Maitreya” intends I am sure.

One story that emerged from the rubble was of a 10 year old British school girl named Tilly Smith. Tilly was holidaying with her family on the Thai island of Phuket. She had learned in her geography class that the phenomenon of water suddenly receding was a symptom that a tsunami is about to strike. She alerted her mother and Maikhao beach and a neighbouring hotel were evacuated before the water swept in. No clairvoyance, psychic ability or shaking of chakras needed. Just elementary science and a wonderfully perceptive girl whose action saved hundreds of lives.

Alynda of Mystery Investigators

Another Humanitarian 01.Feb.2005

I like cricket. I enjoy watching it and I have spent many a pleasant weekend afternoon out by the Aussie barbie alternatively watching the game and jumping into the pool when it gets too hot. I think Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh were good captains who brought us a great deal of pleasure. But worthy recipients of Australian of the Year? Nah….as much as I admire them I don’t think so.

I believe that the Australian of the Year should be someone who has excelled in such a way that they have not only bettered themselves but made a difference to the live of others

So how good is this? This year the Australian of the Year is Dr Fiona Wood. She is Western Australia's only female plastic surgeon, a mother of six, Head of Royal Perth Hospital's Burns Unit and Director of the Western Australia Burns Service. She is also co-founder of Clinical Cell Culture, a private company recognised in medical circles for its world-leading research and breakthroughs in the treatment of burns.

Dr Wood shot to prominence after the Bali bombings when many patients suffering burns were taken to her hospital. You see, Dr Wood invented spray on skin. She discovered through her work with burns that scarring is significantly reduced if replacement skin can be used within 10 days. The spray on skin is a surgical technique that has reduced the time for culturing skin cells from 21 days to 5 days.

This is lady of vision. Her work has touched the lives of countless people. Real work, real science and real results.

Congratulations.

Alynda of Mystery Investigators

Media Manipulation 01.Feb.2005

The media is an ever-growing factor in Australian society. It seems that everywhere Australians turns, they are confronted with a magazine, a TV or a newspaper. Often this is useful, because the media are able to give us up-to-the-moment and in-depth news on what’s going on in the world. This is a very good thing. Unfortunately, however, when this news is presented, it’s often the case that only one opinion on every story is presented. Call me, what’s the word?… Skeptical… but if only one opinion on the matter is presented, how can we get the full picture on the story?

Ever since before Australia was part of a federation, the media has existed in order to provide Australians with details on what’s going on in Australia and other places in the world. In more recent times, ‘a current affair’ TV programs have been investigating problems in Australian society even further. Unfortunately the media have successfully mastered the skill of ignoring the evidence for both sides of events and problems with Australia except for the side that the producers of these shows want the general public to believe, the side they know more viewers want to see. Never forget that more viewers means more ratings which means more income for the TV station.

Many of the more Skeptical members of the community suffer from this sort of media manipulation. These TV shows have skilfully managed to show Skeptics as the ultimate ‘baddies’ of the world, and when they investigate paranormal claims, they’ll prejudice against the Skeptics in favour of the ultimate ‘goodies’: the ‘psychics’ who are oh so terribly misunderstood by the general public and ask for nothing more than a tiny shimmer of positive feedback.

I recall a time a year or so ago where I saw an report on an ‘a current affair’ program, where the show was going to host a ‘real’ scientific test, overseen by a ‘real’ scientist, to read the brainwaves of three ‘psychics’ to see if the brainwaves being shown could be directed towards a scientific phenomenon. The scientist overseeing the test? A bloke from an off-charter university currently investigating the science behind ‘psychics’. A real scientist? But of course, the title ‘scientist’ leads the public to believe that this is an actual scientific test. Another common trick used is the editing will show all the people siding with the ‘good’ side, and their comments, while perhaps only one person from the ‘bad’ side, and that person’s comments will perhaps have been edited, to make the evidence presented seem very dodgy.

And it’s not just matters of Skepticism such as that in which this media manipulation has been used. How often have the people of Australia felt terrible because the current living conditions and circumstances of people in communist China: having to work in disgusting sweat shops to make a living, and making the clothes we wear casually from day to day. The only way to be a good person in this world is to be nothing but 100% sympathetic towards these people, and do nothing but protest against their horrible working conditions. What fails to actually reach the public’s attention is that the levels of employment in these places has risen, the standards of living have actually gone up, and these sweat shops, disgusting conditions and all, have provided a lot of people with much needed money that they otherwise wouldn’t have. The media fails to show Australians that there are two sides to every story, two VALID sides to every story. This is how the media is manipulating the way Australians think.

I believe that some day this will change. If enough of the public grow aware of this media manipulation, something will be done about it. In the mean time, it’s up to the public to decide what they would rather believe: that all investigations are one-sided arguments presented to them by all forms of the media, or that every story has two sides that need to be rightly considered.

Gillian Brown, is a high school student and Jr. Mystery Investigator