I am curious regarding your opinions regarding the work of psychics. I'm particularly referring to those who are overwhelmingly popular-Sylvia Browne, James Van Prague, John Edwards, etc... Obviously, there's an extremely large population who do believe since these people make a very lucrative living from what they do...or say they can do.

Personally, I think the likes of Sylvia Browne are not only frauds but dangerous - primarily, because she is regularly giving medical diagnoses to peoples' different ailments on the Montel Williams Show.

What's your take on these people?

I had an employee once who was a phone "psychic" in the evenings. I asked her what the job entailed. She said, "I get phone calls, I listen to them, and I tell them what they want to hear." She neither had nor claimed to have any particular power or insight. I believe the industry is a fraud.

I went to a psychic once in New Orleans and I got shivers from the experience. There were things he just knew, bizarre personal things that he couldn't have possibly known. If they're frauds, they're pretty good at it!

Well, I'm with you for sure. I'm just befuddled how anyone could believe these people, but, like I said, millions do..Montel Williams, for instance, is an educated, intelligent man who has said he believes Sylvia Browne and has her on every Wed. to prove it. I'm dying to hear from people who believe what she or any of the others say. There's gotta be some who do. I wish they'd respond. There's always two sides.

I was referring Gadget to clear up any confusion.

I've heard experiences such as this before. Definitely hard to explain away....

I think there are people who are incredibly intuitive and sensitive. I think the people on TV claiming to be psychics are just out to make money. I find accounts of ordinary people who have premonitions to be very interesting, wish I had more time to read up on it.

I have been burned by alot of people claiming to be psychics LOL ... But I do think some people may have a "gift" no matter how they got it ... But I just choose to leave the whole psychic activity alone. Because it's alot of liars and you can't weed out the truth ... they will having you beliving some awful things about yourself you get too deep into it...

I have been burned by alot of people claiming to be psychics LOL ... But I do think some people may have a "gift" no matter how they got it ... But I just choose to leave the whole psychic activity alone. Because it's alot of liars and you can't weed out the truth ... they will having you beliving some awful things about yourself you get too deep into it...

What amazes me is how much money people are willing to pay these popular "t.v. people". Of all of them, Sylvia Browne intrigues me the most so I've read quite a bit about her. She charges something like $700.00 per half hour for a reading OVER THE TELEPHONE! Now her son is on board with the readings (he apparently has the gift as well). I would assume it's because she got so busy. This woman's many, many books have been on the best seller's list numerous times. I just don't get it.

Yeah when I was into the whole psychic thing I looked her up and you are right it's about 700 bucks... which is so not worth it ... most of my readings I couldve saved my money ... cause they told me stuff that I already knew... one lady had me believing that I was such an awful person and that people really hated me and I needed to change my ways LOL ... I am a very soft spoken person and just total opposite if what she was trying to make me believe... than if you want you money back they threaten to curse you and all sorts of BS !! I have wasted over 2000 dollars in the crap ... I live life day by day now and just keep it moving it's not worth it ... then one lady I need would say "something is going to happen very very bad ... and if I gave her more money she would tell me ... than if I was broke she would make me stress for days and days ...LOL get the I even paid for a weight loss spell!!!! 400 dollars not one pound lost!!!!! LOL it's crazy my advice leave that sh!t ALONE!! It's so now worth the headache!!

Well, thanks for being so honest!!! I know there's lots and lots and lots! of folks who have been involved in this type of thing and it's so interesting to learn about it and what they've encountered, both positive and negative.

I've seen countless psychics but only a handful that really knew what they were talking about. I guess I'd have to get a reading directly from one of the famous ones to know though.

A fool and his money are easily parted, that's all I have to say on this topic.

I know for a fact that some people are *gifted* I have a couple of friends who are. But I have serious trouble believing in any of the famous ones for a couple of reasons.

One you just can't turn on the gift like a light switch. Some times it may be days/weeks/months in between experiences. So doing it for a living or making money from it is something I cannot believe in much.

Secondly the 2 people I know that have these unusual talents don't like to advertise that they have them.

Because of the large volume of negativity that people throw at them. They only tell close friends or family or someone that has a real *Need* to know and refuse to do silly parlor tricks for others amusement. Or just to earn a few bucks. One has taken money from people in the past because they offered it afterwards. But she refuses to charge anyone, she feels it would be a taint on her gift.

Its not consistent and doesn't always perform the same way so trying to make a living out of it by charging $$ would be rather pointless.

Personally, I think the likes of Sylvia Browne are not only frauds but dangerous - primarily, because she is regularly giving medical diagnoses to peoples' different ailments on the Montel Williams Show.

What's your take on these people?

That's not true. I have been watching Sylvia since I was in high school, so I am thinking over 10 years and I have never heard her give anyone a medical diagnosis.

What she does is tell me I am seeing problems in this area (i.e. heart) and I would get that checked. Or if someone is having problems figuring out what their illness is she'll say I would would your thyroid checked (ie).

Either way people have to use their own common sense. If Slyvia's a fake, she's one of the better tv psychics I have seen. I think that some people can have this gift, but I don't think anyone ulimately knows other than God.

This phone psychic services are just call centers. My cousin used to work for Ms. Cleo before she was shut down. They just had to keep the people on the phone after the free minutes were up.

I have done a palm reader for fun in Atlantic City, but it was just for fun. Not one thing she said came true, lol.

I have often wondered about the police investigators who say they use psychics to help solve crimes. It seems you hear more and more of them starting to use them. I often wonder how it works, because I am pretty skeptical of the whole thing myself.