Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Archae

(46,312 posts)
Wed May 23, 2012, 08:15 PM May 2012

"The Learning Channel" no longer qualifies as that.

I saw this woman for about 10 minutes on the TLC program she has.

BTW, they are called "Mediums" because they never are rare and they never are well done.

She's a con artist. Nothng more, nothing less.

Long Island Medium is a television program on The (so-called) Learning Channel featuring Theresa Caputo doing readings as a psychic medium in the tradition of Sylvia Browne, James Van Praagh, John Edward, and thousands of other men and women claiming to get messages from dead people. What are the odds that Caputo is not deluded or a fraud? I'd say they're about the same as those for Gordon Smith or Allison DuBpois or Char Margolis or Noreen Renier or Sylvia Browne or Rosemary Althea or Lynn Ann Maker or Greta Alexander or Phil Jordan or James Van Praagh or John Edward or George Anderson or Dorothy Allison.

Theresa Caputo is just one of many unsinkable rubber duckies, as James Randi calls them. No matter how many of these characters skeptics expose, dozens more will pop up to replace or join them. Why? Not because they really get messages from the dead or have special powers, but because people want to believe in them, people are easily deceived, and most people don't understand subjective validation and how it works. For more on how subjective validation works see "Gary Schwartz's Subjective Validation of Mediums."

http://www.skepdic.com/longislandmedium.html

22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
"The Learning Channel" no longer qualifies as that. (Original Post) Archae May 2012 OP
+1000, ao many TV channels have sold out. I still love NOVA! n-t Logical May 2012 #1
Me too. Tonight it's about the Japanese mini-subs at Pearl Harbor. Archae May 2012 #3
How about the History channel? Cleita May 2012 #2
Yeah. randome May 2012 #4
Aliens? Yuugal May 2012 #5
Yes, they are and also the Bible studies channel at times. n/t Cleita May 2012 #7
Hey leave the aliens alone trixie May 2012 #13
I agree. Cleita May 2012 #20
All cable channels eventually degenerate to the lowest common denominator. Odin2005 May 2012 #6
It makes you smarter if you throw it away. So... randome May 2012 #10
Many of these cable networks have ditched what they were originally about RZM May 2012 #8
Remember when MTV played music videos ? n/t PoliticAverse May 2012 #11
Um... the so-called Learning Channel had a Sarah Palin show fascisthunter May 2012 #9
My sister told me in 1989 that my wife and I would have three sons. lumberjack_jeff May 2012 #12
And how many more of her "predictions" fell flat? Archae May 2012 #14
I don't care enough about what you think to feel motivated to prove it to you. lumberjack_jeff May 2012 #16
BFRO! Bigfoot Research Crock! rustydog May 2012 #15
What channel is the Violence Channel Woody Woodpecker May 2012 #17
Not exactly a news flash tabasco May 2012 #18
I loved TLC when it first started JitterbugPerfume May 2012 #19
I heard somewhere they don't like to be referred to as jp11 May 2012 #21
what crap does the "Arts and Entertainment" channel have on these days? provis99 May 2012 #22

Archae

(46,312 posts)
3. Me too. Tonight it's about the Japanese mini-subs at Pearl Harbor.
Wed May 23, 2012, 08:23 PM
May 2012

All have been accounted for now.

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
4. Yeah.
Wed May 23, 2012, 08:23 PM
May 2012

The History Channel is not about history.
MTV is not about music.
And AMC is full of crap.
Thank God for digital downloads!

Odin2005

(53,521 posts)
6. All cable channels eventually degenerate to the lowest common denominator.
Wed May 23, 2012, 08:27 PM
May 2012

More people are interested in woo-woo and "reality" shit than facts. Woo-woo gets more viewers and thus more ad money. TV never, ever makes you smarter.

 

RZM

(8,556 posts)
8. Many of these cable networks have ditched what they were originally about
Wed May 23, 2012, 08:29 PM
May 2012

In favor of cheaply-produced reality shows and paranormal/conspiracy nonsense. Seems to be a pretty common trend.

Too bad.

 

lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)
12. My sister told me in 1989 that my wife and I would have three sons.
Wed May 23, 2012, 08:35 PM
May 2012

The eldest is 22 now. I still have it on videotape.

I am a skeptic, generally, but she was extraordinarily insightful.

Archae

(46,312 posts)
14. And how many more of her "predictions" fell flat?
Wed May 23, 2012, 08:39 PM
May 2012

And was that her actual "prediction" or what you think she might have said?

Or what she claims to have said?

Without some actual evidence, the actual videotape that can be proven to be from that time, your testimonial is worthless.

 

lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)
16. I don't care enough about what you think to feel motivated to prove it to you.
Wed May 23, 2012, 09:28 PM
May 2012

I was there, she said it. It's on videotape.

Believe it or don't believe it. I don't feel like digitizing the vhs tape or the 8mm original. Your credence on this topic isn't important enough to me.

rustydog

(9,186 posts)
15. BFRO! Bigfoot Research Crock!
Wed May 23, 2012, 09:11 PM
May 2012

The name of the channels need to be changed to the Gullible Channel or The Goober Channel!

jp11

(2,104 posts)
21. I heard somewhere they don't like to be referred to as
Wed May 23, 2012, 10:22 PM
May 2012

"The Learning Channel" because they shunned their origins and want to be known as TLC cause they show such crap all the time.

 

provis99

(13,062 posts)
22. what crap does the "Arts and Entertainment" channel have on these days?
Wed May 23, 2012, 11:10 PM
May 2012

Are there any mysteries on the Mystery Channel? Are there any music videos on MTV anymore? does the Bravo channel have any high art, or is it all about the Kardashians now?

Come to think of it, why does MSNBC convert into the Prison Channel on the weekend?

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»"The Learning Channe...