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In a word: “no”.
And over the next few paranormal paragraphs we’ll be telling you
precisely why.
Of course, the
evidence is there for all to see from the outset. If these masters
and mistresses of supernatural powers really were able to see into
the future, and even have an influence over events, they would
probably all be living in multi-million pound mansions and featuring
prominently in the Paradise Papers as the lid’s blown off their offshore investment
strategies.
Just imagine if you
or I had the ability to predict the next number to come up on a
roulette wheel or the next sequence of cards in a game of blackjack.
Wouldn’t it be hard not to exploit this power for considerable
personal gain?
Of course, if you
were to challenge the average psychic and asked them if they’re
quite so good then why aren’t they joining the high rollers in Las
Vegas or Monte Carlo they’d probably come up with the stock answer
that they can “only use their powers for good”. Some might even
claim that these same powers would be lost if they started to use
them for personal gain – a clearly unsustainable argument given
that very few psychics will offer any of their services for free.
Random results
that speak for themselves
Roulette,
the ultimate game of chance
But the real truth
of the matter is that anyone with a claim to psychic powers knows
that any attempt to prove them in a casino environment is futile. All
they’ll be able to demonstrate is their complete inability to
either predict or influence the outcome of any casino game.
That’s because the
action is genuinely random, whether you’re playing in a real casino
or online, and no one can possibly have any knowledge of what’s
going to happen next. Yes, people have studied odds theory to help
them at least have an idea about probabilities and in blackjack
there’s something called the basic strategy that can guide a player
about whether it’s better to take an extra card in certain
situations. And yes, there’s counting cards, and knowing which way
a roulette table leans and therefore how likely certain numbers are
to come up – but these are still a long way from using psychic
powers to win.
Besides, it’s this anticipation of the unknown that gives casino
play that essential frisson of excitement that draws in the gamblers
time after time. Psychics everywhere struggle to beat online casinos;
they are often seen as tougher to read due to the intangible nature
of them. Online casinos leave the players unaware of the physical
location of the casino and the games use sophisticated computer
software. For example, visiting the live casino section of 888casino
might be suited to psychics more, they can read the body language of
the dealers and attempt to beat the various games through their
‘talent’, the live games are very similar to visiting a
land-based casino, leaving psychics with the opportunity to put their
skills to use and try to win some money on the impressive live rouletteand the other exciting live casino games.
Even when it’s
played online rather than in a land-based casino, a great deal of the
appeal is seeing that little white ball slowly circling the wheel
until it drops into a number and the lucky winners start to
celebrate. There’s no way on earth that any psychic could have a
vision of just where that ball will land or who will walk away a
winner.
Shaken, not
stirred
Sean
Connery as Bond
That’s not to say
that strange phenomena don’t sometimes occur at the roulette table
and one such incident features someone who would go on to be forever
associated with playing for high stakes in the world’s most famous
casinos – the ultimate James Bond, Sean Connery.
Was there any
psychic energy in the room that night guiding his counter-intuitive
actions? No one will ever know for sure – but it’s pretty
unlikely!.
High profile
no-shows
Uri Geller
fails to bend spoons on the Johnny Carson Show:
Getting back to the
subject of self-proclaimed ‘psychics’, the very fact that none
have tried to stage a major event in a casino to prove their powers
is also surely evidence enough that they could have no influence over
any casino games.
Let’s take the
examples of two of the highest profile self-proclaimed psychics of
the last few decades, Uri Geller and James Hydrick. Both had
reputations forged by making many TV appearances over the 1970s and
80s – and both tasted the bitter disappointments of being proven as
frauds.
If ever there was as
performer likely to try his skills in a casino it would have been
Geller but, perhaps sensing certain failure, he concentrated on
bending spoons instead – until presented with cutlery he hadn’t
had a chance to weaken first on the Johnny Carson show. It was a
disaster as the spoons remained unbent – and his career took a
nosedive.
Hydrick’s schtick
was being able to supposedly move objects by thought power alone –
possibly very handy when it came to directing a roulette ball to the
desired number. But the famous skeptic James Randi managed to prove that Hydrick was, in fact, just blowing on
objects to give the impression of telekinesis – thus blowing his
cover, too.
James
Randi exposes James Hydrick:
Just an illusion?
Famous
illusionist, Derren Brown
More recently,
illusionists Derren Brown and David Blaine have pulled off tricks
purporting to predict lottery numbers but, while no one can be 100%
sure exactly how they’ve managed it, many theories abound about the level of trickery involved, with no one
suggesting that a psychic influence had come into play.
All this has to be
good news for the rest of us “mere mortals” who want to go to the
casino confident that we have just as much chance of winning as the
next person. We can also be sure that there are no dark forces at
work as the industry is one of the most closely regulated there is.
So if anyone
approaches you with a tale about how their mystical powers can unlock
great fortunes for you at blackjack or roulette, poker or craps –
just let them down gently and send them on their way!
Summary
Psychics claim to be
able to predict events and even influence them, but could this really
work in a casino? Probably not, as all of the outcomes of games like
roulette and blackjack are completely unpredictable and impossible to
influence. Strange things have happened, like when 17 came up three
times in a row for Sean Connery when playing roulette. But the fact
that even the highest profile psychics have never won or tried to
take on a casino is fairly conclusive proof that it’s not possible.
Despite me claiming that I wouldn't review any more episodes of Ghost Chasers I am back with my review for episode 2, and the reasons why I am back will become apparent soon enough. So before we get going, I popped to see some of the girls who work in the BadPsychics offices, and waited for them to leave the room, I then riffled through their draws, as I usually do, and I found a suspiciously looking back massager, that had a crude drawing of Kay Nambier on it, no idea what that is all about, and why would a back massager smell all fishy, anyway I delved deeper and found some sticky blurbage, and here it is... "Supernatural scares with Kay Nambier. The team investigates paranormal activity in Hastings, where they attempt a midnight seance at a large abandoned seafront hotel."
So this cocky no hat Raggy Doll bloke called Paul Hobday reads my review of episode 1 of his show Ghost Chasers, and he has the nerve to tweet about me!
Did I say those words about the show in my episode 1 review? I can neither confirm or deny that, but one thing I will say is that I hate it when people think I am praising them, so I am back to rip this show to shreds, I will leave the lot of them lying in a pool of their own viscera by the time I have finished with them.
And with that the episode has now begun, and we are reminded that "This programme is for entertainment purposes only", I think I will be the judge of that.
Housewife's favourite Kay Nambier starts off with his creepy sounding voice over.
He is clearly loving the British weather.
Kay goes off to find Ian, Chris and Paul, and we then witness one of the greatest moments in the history of paranormal TV when Paul and Chris do the handshake/hug with Kay. A very American style move, made to look incredibly awkward. Ian however is smart, he has experience, he knows what he is doing, so he goes for a full on man hug thus saving awkwardness.
Truly is a wonderful moment.
Also nice to notice that everyone has kept in character coming from the previous episode, that being
Chris = Raggy Doll Hat / AKA. Raggy Hat
Paul = Raggy Doll No Hat / AKA. Raggy No Hat
Ian = 1950's Sherlock Holmes Character Kay = Annoying attractive all round decent bloke. It is chucking it down with rain and Paul refuses to break character and put his hood up.
We are told briefly about Aleister Crowley, an English occultist who died in Hastings, so guessing he might make an appearance later on.
Ian Lawman is still trying to claim he has had these magic powers since he was a child. I literally interviewed him about a decade or so ago, and all he claimed then was he was a "sensitive" yet now he is seeing all sorts. Come on Ian, at least keep your story consistent, that is all we ask.
Quick interview with Joel Griggs from The True Crime Museum, Joel comes across quite well which is rare when these types of shows bring on someone to interview.
He "sells" the Museum quite well, which is his job, and if I went to Hastings I would probably quite like to visit this place.
Ian Lawman is claiming to feel all manner of nonsense, which I will ignore.
Chris then has an EMF meter and seems interested that it goes up when he holds it up to some light thingy, erm, that is what is causing it.
And then that stupid skeptic Paul goes and ruins everything by explaining the science behind how high electromagnetic fields can affect people, make them feel paranoid, uncomfortable etc, and says that to Ian to explain why he has been feeling a tad dodgy. Ian then counters by saying that he believes the ghosties use the EMF as a way to communicate and make themselves felt by the living.
Stupid Paul with his no hat on. Skepticism this, skepticism that, blah blah blah, shut ya face.
I might have to start cheering on Ian at this rate, at least he talks proper bollocks that we can all get behind, and then moan at because he is talking bollocks.
Stupid Raggy Doll Paul just talks sense, and lets be honest, that is ruining it for everyone!
So far there has been a distinct lack of banter from Chris which is incredibly disappointed. I have heard from my Ghost Chasers Mole that Chris has earned some of the following nicknames over the years.
Chris "The Bantster" Howley
The King of Bants
The Bant Snatcher The Banteater The Flying Bantelope The Archbishop of Banterbury
The investigation proper has now started, and still no dodgy green filters or faked night vision, they are just filming with the ambient light present. Such an amazing idea.
Ian Lawman starts talking about a girl called Lucinda who is with him in spirit but was never found.
Ian starts to call out to Lucinda asking her for a sign, a noise, a visualisation, something. They hear some steps. And go to investigate. I happen to know what caused the noise, so just waiting to see what they claim caused it.
And yes they admit that it is one of the displays in the museum. Now they claim that all displays were turned off before they started. Ian asks Lucinda to now turn the display off, and after a few moments it does stop.
So my explanation for this is simple, the display was never turned off, and I assume it is activated either by a movement sensor or a timer. Either would explain why it came on. A spider for example could have crossed the sensor and that would set it off, or the timer simply activated it.
So although this scene is interesting, there is nothing here that would suggest paranormal activity. And to be fair to the Raggy Dolls, only Ian is really claiming any such thing, the others although interested are not claiming this as definitive proof of anything, so well done guys.
Kay is now feeling a bit heavy, but this could all be psychological.
Kay starts talking to the ghosts while Paul films it using his iPad and a thermal imaging attachment. I will admit that while I hate the use of EMF meters, I don't mind the use of the thermo cam attachment. It's simple, it is a good gimmick for the viewer at home to understand and see.
It might just be me, but I swear I can make out a ghost with some kind of mask on holding a woman's leg with a red shoe on stood right in front of Kay and Ian here.
Ian is "seeing" hooded ghosts now, but no one else can see them, and the thermo cam is not seeing anything either. So either Ian is lying, or we just proved that the Thermo cam is useless at detecting ghosts?
Ian is now claiming he can see Aleister Crowley, which we did expect would appear, just not on camera of course.
They leave the area and head back to this skull. Not at all creepy!
Suddenly Chris' phone starts talking, looking for a wifi connection. But surely everyone's phone was turned off, Chris confirms his phone was turned off.
So either he has accidentally pressed the power button on his phone, or the ghost of a rapist and triple murderer who was executed 100 years ago, has developed the ability and knowledge of how to turn an iPhone on. Hmmmm.
Worth noting that I am just 19 minutes in to a 45 minute episode, and a fair bit has happened, the episode has held by concentration and interest, which is incredibly rare for any kind of show in this genre.
The Raggy Dolls have now moved to the Palace Court Hotel, where Aleister Crowley apparently had stayed.
Joel Griggs starts telling us some stories of people who have died in the hotel. Stories which do seem to match what Ian is telling us. That would suggest that Ian has researched this location and already knows some stories.
In the world of the smartphone, he could just go to the toilet, use google on his phone to find out about the location, and get enough info that he could blag the rest. Unlike the old days of Most Haunted with Derek Acorah, things today are so much easier to research, which makes the input of psychics almost pointless in investigating such places, as there is no realistic way to control things to make cheating or researching impossible.
Every time I hear the name Crowley in this episode all I can think of is this Ozzy Osbourne song, and now it is stuck in my head, so why should I suffer alone?
They are now in the cellars of the hotel, and Ian is hearing some kind of ritual kind or chant.
I genuinely thought Chris was holding a banana here for a moment, which to be fair is as much us as an EMF meter in a paranormal investigation. They find a door that has been nailed shut, from the other side, and it is the other side of that door that Ian is sensing the most activity.
So Chris decides to kick down the door, which is criminal damage surely?
We now get to see "Kung Fu Chris" (Another nickname he has) do his best to kick the doors down. But he cant get it done, so they have a break, and Kay gets to do some more voice overs. It is now the middle of the night, and they are in an abandoned part of the hotel, and because Kay cant stop coughing he gets to put a mask on.
You would think the housewives would be pissed off that he is covering his face, but I hear they thought it was even more kinky. They head up to Room 308, and Ian is trying to contact the dead, and help a woman cross to the other side. The lack of green filters and fake night vision really does make this show stand out, and if anything makes it more creepy to watch. They hear some noises and go investigate, and they then found a second Room 308! That is spooky. They decide to split up with two people in each Room 308. They do quite well here to build up a sense of tension.
Kay claims to have seen something, but it is most likely just a shadow, but when they try to replicate the movements, he doesn't see anything. Kay does come across as very honest and I have no reason to not believe him, however his experience could definitely be put down to nerves, fear, and so on. They head down to a small room which has a walk in safe inside. Kay seems genuinely very scared, and I do wonder if the other 3 see him as a soft touch at times, after all he has not to my knowledge done these types of investigations before, he is a singer and a model. Chris and Kay are gonna be closed inside the safe with Paul and Ian outside. Chris loads that random word generator Echo Vox thingy on his phone. Worth noting here it is not really a random word generator, it records what people present say, and then replays that back in a random order. So if you are talking about ghosts, naming people who have died etc, that is all going into the app.
Love or hate this show, the shot above has to be one of the all time great shots in the history of this type of show. That really is a masterful shot, I am sure unintentional due to the space constraints of being in this safe, but damn that is a good shot, even if the app kinda looks a bit like KITT from Knightrider. A quarter of Kay's disembodied head in the top right is a genius shot, so well done guys. Kay says to the app. "My name is Kay can you please repeat that" then the app does indeed say "Kay". But like I said previously, the way this app works is by recording you and then playing back what you have said in a random manner. So purely by chance if you play with it long enough and ask enough questions that include the answer in the question you are asking, you are going to get some kind of interesting response, this is not the ghosts though, this is just the way the app has been written to work. Then the inevitable happens, they cant open the safe door to get them out, so we now get a great little scene of panic, people kicking the door and so on. All very funny and I am sure exaggerated for effect. For the record they are not claiming this was paranormal, so I really don't mind things like this, its all good fun and entertaining to watch, but Paul, dude, you cant smirk when doing those things, it gives the game away. After they have escaped they head off to a room, draw a giant hexagram on the floor, put down candles, tarot cards and basically made it as spooky looking as hell.
Like seriously dudes, this is some great looking spooky shit here! Where as I could not imagine anything worse than going on an investigation with the Most Haunted Muppets, I think I would actually quite enjoy going on an investigation with the Ghost Chaser Raggy Dolls. Although clearly if I did, I would have to accept my role as Sad Sack. Ian is now pretending to be annoyed that the guys have made this Hexagram, as it will draw in the most evil of spirits and energy etc. Ian reiterates that this is very serious and dangerous, and that by having a seance to try and bring forth the spirit of Crowley, that it is really risky. Ian even mentions Lucifer.
The three of them are stood in the Hexagram. Ian is spouting his spiritual nonsense. But nothing happens there, so they head off back to the Hotel's cellars and straight to the locked door that Chris couldn't kick open earlier.
Look at this for camera work, come on, this is another great shot. However this shot does expose one thing, right in front of us is Ian and Kay, and in the far background you can see Chris and Paul, so who the hell is holding the camera! Holy shit is can only be the spirit of Aleister Crowley. Ian is claiming he can see a mist between them and the others, Ian then claims that when you see mist it is the early stages of spirit manifestation. So next time you are driving along and there is a low laying mist in the air, know that you are really driving through thousands of ghosties! Kay thinks that something has touched his hand, and with that we close down the episode, Kay goes over the main happenings of the episode and credits then roll. This was a good episode, really good, at no point did I feel bored. The gulf between Most Haunted and Ghost Chasers is huge when it comes down to the level of intelligence of those taking part, the camera work, the build of tension and so on. Kay is great as the figurehead of the show, someone who is inexperienced, so very much is the person that the casual viewer can relate to, especially me, as I also have thick black hair and am incredibly good looking. Watching Kay is like looking in a mirror. You have Paul who is the annoying skeptic, who is doing his best to ruin me as a skeptical analyst on such programs, and then you have The King of Kung Fu. The Bant, in Bant & Dec. The Archbishop of Banterbury, The Bantersaurus Rex, in Chris Howley, a man who has never been seen in public without his hat on. And you have Ian. The resident psychic, and as much as I know he is not psychic, he does not talk to the dead, he has no magic powers, despite all of that, he does have a place in a show like this. He helps create the atmosphere when he starts talking about ghosts, and seeing apparitions and so on. And I would much rather have a psychic fannying about in the dark in an old building, than pretending to talk to your dead mother and then asking for money for the pleasure. So yeah even Ian has his place on this show. So where does that leave me. Another episode gone, nothing that I really needed to expose, other than the Echo Vox nonsense. There was no camera trickery, no dodgy edits, no throwing of stones, hell I don't believe I even had to capitalise the words "OFF CAMERA" once in the whole show. The only mystery that remains is, who is the 5th member of the crew? Paul, Chris and Kay are good people. Ian is an evil grief vulture of a psychic, but well he already knows that, and I am sure away from the nonsense he is a nice bloke too. Ghost Chasers is such a welcome change in the world of Paranormal TV investigations. And yes they will set up a couple of funny moments, or exaggerate something here and there, but it is never done in a way to con the viewer, only to entertain them, so I don't mind that. Where as Most Haunted is such a struggle to review, so much of an effort, a show I only watch because I do the review. Ghost Chasers is a show I would watch regardless of doing a review, I would just watch it because it is a damn good show. So if you have not seen it yet, give it a watch, I will watch it again, and if they try any funny business, I will rip them to shreds, but two episodes in and I am left like a child without his toy. I hate being nice about these things, it is killing my gimmick. Episode 2 I will give a strong 9/10
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Welcome back to my world famous Most Haunted review. For all my other Most Haunted Reviews pelase click on the Most Haunted tab on the menu or Click Here For series 20 I know there are reviews missing, that is due to UKTV shooting their load during Halloween, and airing 70% of the series in a week. So instead of just reviewing those episodes now, I thought I would carry on with the series till it finishes and go back to those episodes after it has to give me something to do, plus I cant be arsed to review 7 episodes one after the other just to catch up. So what does the Most Haunted team have in store for us this week, lets look deep into Yvette's lingerie draw, and right at the back there is a single used stocking, it is covered in some kind of mysterious congealed substance akin to ectoplasm, it can only be the blurbage for the episode! "Spook-searching with Yvette and co! At Keithley Bus Museum, the team notices vehicles moving on their own, strange footsteps and something which seems to take a disliking to them."
For a start, I am gonna guess that the thing that takes a disliking to them is the entire audience watching at home, except for pre-pubescent gullible children who bizarrely like to argue with me on twitter that the whole show is real.
Yvette starts the episode telling us we are in a Bus Depot.
And yes it does seem that we will be getting many of the obvious puns and references.
If only the ghost of Blakey could make an appearance.
Please note that the lights in the depot will be on the whole time, so there is no need for fake night vision filters.
No sign of Watson yet, as Yvette describes how people died in hot furnaces. And how a night watchman committed suicide by throwing himself in a giant vat of molten metal. Well that is one way to go I guess.
I think Glen might be a bit of a bus nerd, as he is clearly getting turned on by these old restored buses, so turned on in fact who goes for a cheeky grab, but just misses as Yvette gets distracted by something shiny.
For a fake skeptic, Glen is doing quite good in pointing out the inconsistencies in the various ghost stories of the place. And I would advise everyone out there to actually listen to Glen here as he makes a lot of sense for once.
Investigation proper has now started, and straight away they are getting taps, which is incredibly predictable and quite boring.
"Is there anybody there? Tap twice for yes, once for no" Always amuses me.
Amusing point where Karl whistles and asks the ghosts to whistle back, but instead of a ghost, a train in the distance blows its horn! Probably the first legit reaction in the history of the show.
Yvette is claiming that the bus they are on is moving, now instead of checking the hand break straight away, they start getting excited and just assume there are ghosts present.
Karl and Fred are off in a different location and getting things thrown already.
Karl whistles again and a faint whistle is heard back, could be anyone present.
Back to Yvette and she has now proudly declared that she is on a haunted bus. Still not checked the hand break.
Worth noting that Stuart is apparently not present.
I would say that this is the best that Yvette has looked in years, that pink top really does suit her, although I am not sure about Karl's new moustache.
Just kidding of course, that is a scene from On the Buses
Here is Yvette with her new specs on.
Fred has decided to start whistling to the ghosts, and is hearing whistles back and banging.
Fred is getting a whole scene to himself here, I wonder if he paid Antix a bit more money to get more air time.
Karl is on a bus now, and can hear steps above him, instead of investigating, he just films the ceiling for a few minutes and talks about it. He is also claiming the bus is moving, but like Yvette doesn't bother to check if the hand break is on.
If the hand break is not on, then the action of people moving within the bus would cause it to move ever so slightly.
Get used to this shot as you will be seeing it a lot in this episode.
Reminds me of back in the day when I was one of the cool kids who sat at the back of the bus on the way to school. Oh the japes we used to get up to back in the day. Making fun of Wolves fans as they got on, while singing Baggies songs.
27 minutes into the 45 minute episode, and nothing of note has happened.
I am sat here watching grown adults walk about buses talking to made up ghosts.
Who is sadder? Me or them? Answers on a post card to Most Haunted, Media City, Salford.
I genuinely think if you went to Youtube, searched for "On the Buses" and watched an episode of that, you would be far more entertained. Fred has now decided to call the ghost Jon, he now talks to the camera, to Jon. Hmmmm, almost like he is talking to me here. Very interesting.
We then get the obligatory argument between Yvette and Karl, we get it every episode, almost as if it is scripted because the fans have said they enjoy it when they start arguing. Glen has re-appeared. God knows what he has been up to. Karl tries to make a joke about Yvette always going to the back of the bus, but it goes completely over her head, like most things. The bus that Yvette and Karl is on is moving, and yes they have not checked the hand break.
Karl has snuck a cheeky finger up Yvette's bum. Well that was unexpected. This really is a terrible episode, plenty of knocks, whistles and so on, but the level of evidence is just non existent in this episode. A few things are thrown but as usual all are OFF CAMERA. All things considered the Bus Museum is not a great place to investigate, just to wide and open, no real sense of tension. As the episode is drawing to an end, we are getting a few things thrown OFF CAMERA, a bit of running about and that's it, All filler and no killer. This is easily the worst episode I have seen in years. Hardly any effort to fake anything. I have to give this episode a 0/10
Watch the first 10 minutes to listen to Glen, and then turn it off. You wont miss anything.
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