# Calling all Psychics- Where are all the missing kids? Where's Bin Laden?! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 20, 2002, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749 "2002-08-20T15:28:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/1 "2002-08-20T15:28:08Z")
Helloooooooooooo…Sylvia, John, and the rest of the psychic community…can’t anybody help in this target rich enviroment? I mean, with all these abductions, and with all the ‘wanted’ Al Qaeda members, with Bin Laden at the top of the list, can’t any of you generate anything in terms of a lead? Hey, John Edwards, all those who have crossed over…none of them can tell you anything deeper than a story about a red baseball cap or a bruised knee? And, when it comes to tracking down abducted children, can’t your psychic powers come through even once?! How about SDMBers who believe in psychics? Can you shed some light on the whole situation? What is your opinion? None of this recent stuff is psychic-worthy… …or maybe you can’t play 20 questions with lost children and missing Al Qaeda members, so you can’t make a connection with a family member or friend they lost who had a chest pain and whose name sounds like Dawn…or a D word…like Debbie…or Diane…a D…like Delores…or Dot…or …the drove a car with a D word…or had a pet like a dog…or… ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/2 "2002-08-20T16:32:32Z")
The kids are all somewhere near water. Bin Laden is somewhere near rocks. The rest is hazy. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/3 "2002-08-20T16:41:26Z")
I noticed in one recent abduction case—the one where the girl’s parents were shot and she was taken—police noted that they had received calls from 20 or 30 “psychics.” Thankfully, the police didn’t say _they_ had called the psychics, and gave no indication that they intended to _listen_ to them. ---
**Author:** ![Kamandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@Kamandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamandi)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/4 "2002-08-20T16:57:24Z")
Ah, but y’see you can’t just call up dead folks on the phone. The medium just talks to whoever happens to be floating above the card table at the time. And all of Bin Laden’s dead guys are over in Afghanistan. Duh. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/5 "2002-08-20T18:15:05Z")
Mmmmmm, let’s see, could it be that they’re all bunch of f\*\*king frauds? Nah, the missing kids and OBL must be wearing tinfoil hats. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/6 "2002-08-20T18:30:52Z")
All those rods in the sky make psychic powers very limited right now. Yeah, between the rods, the tinfoil hats and the people stealing ‘energy’ - not to mention the contrails - psychic powers have limited abilities right now. ---
**Author:** ![partly\_warmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@partly\_warmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partly_warmer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/7 "2002-08-20T19:37:25Z")
Quite right, Philster. It’s too bad there isn’t a way to nationally, publicaly shame psychics, who are after all taking money under false pretenses. Even if there are psychic events (which there may be), it really points out the overall worth and reliability of the paranormal that when the chips are down, it contributes nothing tangible. There are plenty of good debunking sites on the IN (hmm, can one abbreviate Internet that way?); this book covers its topic quite thoroughly: “The Semiotics of Fortune-Telling”. Among the interesting points is that fortune tellers do not necessarily see themselves as frauds, but as informal therapists. The psychics had the good sense not to confuse the 9/11 situation, tho. Give 'em some credit. ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/8 "2002-08-20T20:23:34Z")
It is odd seeing a thread about entertainment so filled with hate without the mention of sports in it. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![partly\_warmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@partly\_warmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partly_warmer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/9 "2002-08-20T20:51:18Z")
Excuse me, please. I don’t hate psychics. I don’t hear other people hating psychics. I hear Dopers making fun of what are, in many cases, frauds. What do you mean by “sports”? Is this the “It’s okay I look at fortune cookies, because I really don’t believe what they say” argument? The old fallback for people who can’t defend their irrational position, and so present it as “fun”? ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/10 "2002-08-20T21:09:33Z")
partly\_warmer, I think that was a joke. As for 9/11, I bet there are some “psychics” out there who did take advantage of the situation, but the nationally prominent ones are smart enough to know it would backfire. I think I read that John Edward’s producers were considering having him “contact” victims, but wiser heads prevailed. ---
**Author:** ![ShanalaDee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/db5fbb/32.png) [@ShanalaDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShanalaDee)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/11 "2002-08-20T21:27:25Z")
Thank God that these frauds did stay away from the 9/11 event or we may have heard John Edward say “they are saying the one responsible was someone whose name began with an O, can you think of who that is? They say it sounds like your mama. Might even have a dress like hers”. Not to make light of it but had they had these “psychic nuts” out there, it would have turned into a circus. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/12 "2002-08-21T02:36:57Z")
> [@](#): > > police noted that they had received calls from 20 or 30 “psychics.” It seems it’s rather common apparently, when a crime makes the headlines. Over here, some years ago, a psychic had the misfortune to guess right about the location of a body. Instead of receiving the praises he possibly expected, he was of course subsequently detained by the police (it turned out he wasn’t involved in the crime). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/13 "2002-08-21T12:30:44Z")
Not an authentic poll. Moving this to the BBQ Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/14 "2002-08-21T12:51:58Z")
“Psychics” are great at predicting stuff after it happens. John Edwards should have stuck to dance instruction; I hope that prick finds out all about the afterlife, real soon. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/15 "2002-08-21T13:53:03Z")
I’ve got a Magic 8 Ball on my desl at home. Does that help? :wally ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/16 "2002-08-21T16:01:30Z")
All the psychics are too busy spending their lottery winnings to help. Regards, Shodan Cybersmacks to the first person to post “I _knew_ somebody was going to say that!” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/17 "2002-08-21T16:04:24Z")
Does using Preview make me a psychic? ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/18 "2002-08-21T16:07:45Z")
Make 'em illegal. People are arrested for defrauding people all the time why can’t these con artists get time for bilking boobs out of their money? ---
**Author:** ![SaxFace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SaxFace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaxFace)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/19 "2002-08-21T19:41:29Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s too bad there isn’t a way to nationally, publicaly shame psychics, who are after all taking money under false pretenses. The latest issue of US News and World Report has a sensational special section on hoxes and deception throughout the ages, including blurbs on Sylvia Brown, John Edward, and James Randi. It also includes info on skeptical magazines, websites and books. Check it out! ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749/20 "2002-08-21T19:48:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kingpengvin \* > \*\*Make 'em illegal. People are arrested for defrauding people all the time why can’t these con artists get time for bilking boobs out of their money? \*\* Somewhere, it always says in tiny print. “For entertainment purposes only.” I wish people would realize what that infers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-psychics-where-are-all-the-missing-kids-wheres-bin-laden/124749.md?page=2)