Your Blogging With Dr P... search result is below this annoucement.
In April 2008 Blogging With Dr P... moved to Blog Bypass.
If you're using the Blog Studio Search Facility to find a link to a previous blog, then I've been very generous, and NOT included an automatic re-direct which would take you there.
So, what this means is you have to use this link: Blog Bypass to find more Blogging With Dr P....
Thank you to Blog Studio for all the help over years! :)
(Feb 2010 Update): Haloscan is no more. Therefore the comments on this blog are no more. Sad, but true. I'm not paying $12 a year for the occasional comment with Echo. Apologies to all those who have commented. I have saved them and may well stick them somewhere else at some point.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Happy New Year! - I know it's a little early, but we won't be here as of tomorrow until next Monday - 2nd Jan 2006. So, make sure you wrap up and keep warm wherever you are in the world and I'll see ya'll on the flip side :)
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Tuesday, December 27, 2005
SPOOKY TRUTH: TV'S MOST HAUNTED CON EXPOSED TVBy Matt Roper
THE TV show that has spooked millions with its footage of hauntings and poltergeists is today exposed as a fake - by one its own stars.
Resident parapsychologist Dr Ciaran O'Keeffe has sensationally lifted the lid on the ghosthunting series, Most Haunted ... and claims that the public are being deceived by "showmanship and dramatics."
He accuses the show's medium Derek Acorah of hoodwinking viewers by pretending to communicate with spirits and obtaining information about locations prior to filming.
The Mirror has also obtained unedited footage which appears to show presenter Yvette Fielding and her husband faking 'paranormal' occurrences such as ghostly bumps and knocks.
Most Haunted has quickly achieved cult status since it was launched in 2002 and is LivingTV's most successful programme.
Millions of viewers tune in regularly to watch Ex-Blue Peter girl Yvette and her team of ghost hunters spend the night in some of Britain's most haunted locations.
It has made Acorah - who claims to be guided by an Ethiopian spirit guide called Sam - into one of the country's best-known psychics.
Yvette Fielding has said of the show - which is made by her husband Karl Beattie's production company Antix Productions: "There is no acting in this programme, none whatsoever. Everything you see and you hear is real. It's not made up, it's not acted."
But our investigation reveals how the programme uses careful editing to mislead viewers and, on at least one occasion, has even lied about the location of filming.
Ciaran, a lecturer in the paranormal at Liverpool's Hope University, knows speaking out will probably put an end to his media career... but he believes viewers should know the truth.
He says: "I think it's time to open the dialogue about what I've experienced on Most Haunted. There have been many incidents with the medium that have been brushed under the carpet.
"I was put in the show to give a professional slant to it, to give it an element of credibility, but the sceptical argument is just swept away.
"In my opinion, we're not dealing with genuine mediumship."
He says he isn't the only member of the crew who feels viewers are being cheated.
"Other crew members have been irked by Derek and what's going on, because it turns what should be a serious investigation into a laughing matter."
And our exclusive footage shows other members of the team occasionally forget they are on camera.
One of our clips, later edited out, shows Karl push an unwitting sound man in the dark and pretend it was a poltergeist attack.
In the remaining footage he says (after surreptitiously hitting the soundman): "S**t, did you feel that?"
Yvette: Are you all right? What's happened?
Karl: I felt something touch me on my shoulder.
Soundman: I felt something hit me.
And in another edited clip with medium Ian Lawman, Yvette is seen on camera making a deep sigh. In the scene that eventually went to air, Ian (after Yvette sighs) says: "What's that noise?
Yvette: What noise? Like a moan?
Ian: Breathing or something.
Yvette: I heard like an 'arrggh'.
Ciaran, who joined Most Haunted in April 2004 became suspicious of Acorah's antics on a shoot at Castle Leslie, Co Monaghan in Ireland where a 17th Century four-poster bed has been claimed to levitate.
Ciaran recalls: "As we walked into the bedroom, Derek touched the bed and came out with extremely accurate information.
"He insisted he got all the information just from touching the bed. But it was the wrong bed."
Antix Productions claims the mediums have no idea where they will be filming or know any details about the history of the locations.
But Ciaran says: "Derek must have had prior knowledge of the locations."
He devised a plan to see if Derek was deliberately deceiving the public.
While on a shoot at Bodmin gaol he invented a long-dead South African jailer called Kreed Kafer - an anagram of Derek Faker.
"I wrote the name down and asked another member of the crew to mention it to Derek before filming.
"I honestly didn't think Derek would take the bait. But during the filming he actually got possessed by my fictional character!"
On the next shoot at Prideaux Place, Cornwall, Ciaran made up another fictional character, highwayman Rik Eedles - an anagram of Derek Lies. Sure enough, Derek made contact with the dead outlaw.
Ciaran says: "In my professional opinion we're not dealing with a genuine medium.
"When Derek is possessed he is doing it consciously - all we are seeing is showmanship and dramatics."
Ciaran went a step further at Craigievar Castle, near Aberdeen.
"I made up stories about Richard the Lionheart, a witch, and Richard's apparition appearing to walk through a wardrobe - the lion, the witch and the wardrobe!" True to form, Derek mentioned all Ciaran's stories - even though Richard I reigned 500 years BEFORE Craigievar Castle was built.
The final straw came last month when Most Haunted presented a three-night special from Manchester.
On the second evening, the show claimed to be broadcasting live from the site of Cheadle's Victorian asylum, a place where - according to presenter David Bull - thousands died in torment. In fact they were in the derelict remains of Barnes Convalescence Home - where nobody died in torment.
Ciaran remembers: "Derek was communicating with spirits that sounded as if they'd been in an asylum, but it was never an asylum."
Yesterday the Mirror confronted Derek Acorah with Ciaran's allegations. He told us: "I've worked with Ciaran for many shows and he's got every right to say what he says.
"However, it does shock and surprise me. Not only do I believe that I am a genuine medium - I live my work 24 hours a day. If I thought that I wasn't a true medium, I wouldn't work as one."
A spokesman for LivingTV said: "Ciaran O'Keeffe has worked as the programme's official sceptic for 18 months and during this time has not brought any of his concerns to our attention.
"LivingTV has not seen any of your filmed evidence, but will fully investigate your claims."
Daily Mirror October 2005
That would be really disappointing if it were true.... :(
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Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Southampton Germans?!It's true. The Hun have invaded the town centre shopping area of Southampton. Remarkable. And not a shot was fired.
The The German Christmas Market in Southampton is full of gorgeous smells of bratwursts sizzling on charcoal grills, mulled wine and warm beer bubbling in big pots - and the sound of KERCHING! as The Hun break the back of the local economy by fleecing them for every penny they have.
I know.
I was there today. I finished what I was doing, and took in the smells, sights and sounds of the recent German invasion. And I bought some German biscuits to take home. Unfortunately, there were no pretzels on sale :(
Anyway, according the news item linked above, there are also German Christmas markets in London, Edinburgh & Bristol. So, I'll see if I can find the London one......
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Saturday, December 17, 2005
Swollen Feet: Part TroisFor those of you following in the footsteps, as it were, of my swollen feet saga, my doctor advised me to go and get an X-ray on my right ankle, (the worst one), as he believes it may be arthritic!
Me - arthritic ankles!? Me - the man who has trekked up in the Andes Mountains to Machu Picchu, hitched hiked the highways and byways of Britian, hitched from the south of Spain to Belgium etc etc?! Arthritic ankles!?
I have to wait until the New Year to get the results.....ARSE!
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Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Carrying StuffI was reading a web forum thingy about What kind of mobile phone do you have? and someone replyed there that they don't carry a phone, in fact they don'y carry anything. And, if they could get away without carrying a wallet they would. He went as far as to say "....I don't even like the sound of coins jingling in my pocket".
And I thought it was just me who had this paranoia for not wanting to carry anything! Really, I absolutely cannot stand havging to carry stuff. I have a bag for work which contains "stuff".... I have two mobile phones, (one business, one personal),... a wallet... coins/keys. It annoys the hell out of me having to "load up" with this stuff every morning!.
I want a stay at home job, simply because I don't want to carry anything around :) Or, I'll have to see if I can get a Govt placement scheme for some little oink to carrry my stuff around for me ;)
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Sunday, December 11, 2005
What Shall We See Today?As the old Microsoft windows slogan used to say, I think. But what do we really look at?
In a report over at Net Imperative they say that the top 10 Internet categories with the strongest female or male broadband audience, according to Internet research firm Nielsen//Netratings are:
Female (% BB Female audience compared to Male):
1. Pets 65%
2. Holidays & Special Events (Special Occasions) 61%
3. Greeting Cards 57%
4. Multi-category Home & Fashion 56%
5. Family Resources 53%
6. Apparel/Beauty 53%
7. Events 52%
8. Religion & Spirituality 50%
9. Health, Fitness & Nutrition 50%
10. Destinations 48%
and....
Male (% BB male audience compared to Female)
1. Automotive Parts & Accessories 80%
2. Computer & Consumer Electronics News 77%
3. Adult 76%
4. Long Distance/Local Carrier (Telecommunications) 75%
5. Multi-category Automotive 72%
6. Automotive Manufacturer 72%
7. Online Trading (Finance) 71%
8. Hardware Manufacturers (Computer / Electronics) 70%
9. Multi-category Computers & Consumer Electronics 69%
10. Financial News & Information 68%
So, what conclusions can we draw from these interesting statistics?
A. If you want you know how to make your pet look good, get a greeting card for your dog - and find the correct religious instruction & fitness regime for it - go ask the wife.
B. Don't ask the husband anything because he'll be to busy surfing for porn, finding quicker and better ways to surf for porn, or fixing the car - so he can go to the store to get a faster PC so he can search for porn!
True or false? ;)
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Saturday, December 10, 2005
Santa is LithunianThere - I thought I'd get it in there early!
While traversing my way around Oxford St, one is often greeted by the sight of a makeshift "wooden crucifix" - the cross bar being at arm resting height, and above that a huge sign - being supported, (or it supporting someone!) - advertising "Half Price Tanning!" - and an arrow pointing off down some seedy sidestreet where ....only the ragged people go....
Yesterday there was a guy in a Santa outfit, (very seasonal!), with one of these signs advertising "Half Price Designer Sports Wear!". This time - he was taking a rest, and his sign was propped up on the pavement. He was taking a break - sitting at one of those concrete benches just outside Selfridges. And this is when I learnt something really interesting....
Santa is Lithunian! - as this Santa was talking to a comrade and they both sounded exactly like my Litunian taxi driver who delivers the Chinese takeaway to the flat! Remarkable! Perhaps I should dash off a letter to The Times?
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Thursday, December 08, 2005
Imagine...Fans will converge in Central Park just outside the Dakota apartment building on Thursday to remember John Lennon, who was killed by a fan, steps away from his home.
On the night of December 8, 1980, 40-year-old Lennon was returning from a midtown Manhattan recording studio at 22:50 local time with his wife, Yoko Ono.
Mark Chapman, carrying a five-shot Charter Arms .38-calibre revolver and a copy of J D Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye", opened fire on the former-Beatle, hitting him four times.
Police officers raced to the scene and put the wounded singer in the back of a squad car, but shortly after arriving at Roosevelt Hospital, Lennon died.
Although there is no official programme for Thursday's memorial, most of those paying tribute usually gather in the evening in Strawberry Fields, where they sing Lennon's songs and reminisce about his legacy.
A moment of silence is held at 22:50 (local time), the time he was shot, and again at 23:15 (local time), the time he is believed to have died. Despite protests, city officials plan to close the park at 01:00 (local time), as they have for several years.
Activist attorney Norman Siegel, who has argued the city should let the park remain open all night, appealed to Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York.
"Mayor we ask you to chill. We ask you to relax tomorrow and come and be with us and be part of the New York celebration, the people's celebration, for the 25th anniversary of the death of John Lennon. We would like you to be with us," he said.
Siegel said before the 01:00 curfew was enacted during Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's administration, Lennon supporters rarely stayed in the park past 02:30 am.
Yoko Ono's spokesperson, Elliot Mintz, said the widow would not make any public comment or appearances to mark the sad anniversary.
In previous years, she has traditionally spent the day sitting in the Dakota and meditating.
She and her son, Sean, who was five when his father died, also place candles on the windowsill of Ono's Dakota apartment as a message of support to the fans gathered in Strawberry Fields. (AP Report)
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Oxford StreetYesterday I spent most of it traversing my way up and down Oxford Street. No, not busking, going to & from different places of work.
Oxford Street is one of those "green" cards on the Lodnon Monopoly board. Sometimes having the whole green set is the only thing that saves you from bankruptacy as the little Dog, the Top Hat and the Racing Car speed their way around the board toards GO! But it's not so speedy at this time of year. For reasons quite beyond me, there are people who live in far away lands who save up all year just to come to London at Christmas time and get ripped off - amazing!
But it's not just their money that they bring with them. It's their unique dawdling skills which I think they should get an award for. I mean they are spilling their way around the pavements from Marble Arch to Tottenham Court Road at rate which could only be described as "grass growing" or "paint drying". Not very fast, if you get my drift.
I don't mind our friends from across the waters coming to see us - but if they could just keep the pace up a little, or only come out at night, or something - then that would be cool :)
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Sunday, December 04, 2005
The Charlotte Bronte BluesThe house does creak like an old oak tree
By the wind which rages like a storm at sea.
The clouds are gathering and the sky is grey
To set the scene for another Sunday.
Emily is quietly sobering up,
Last night she had too much to sup.
She's taking a walk across the heather,
But not for long - it's brass monkey weather!
I've set my mind to write a book.
But so far thereɓ not much luck.
It's difficult to know what to write.
I'll try for a novel by tonight.
The moors today are pretty bleak
- they're pretty bleak every week.
'A lifetime spent locked in a sewer
Is a Sunday spent living on a moor.'
Every week the usual thing,
Bible; dinner; Bible; sing.
At least for me, but not for her,
Emily's Sundays are just a blur.
My self I like to study my books,
And concentrate on my good looks.
I may stay in at night and freeze,
But at least I won't get liver disease.
It's nearly time for a good sing-song,
When all the neighbours come along.
They leave the place in such a mess,
Must be friends of Emily's, I guess.
I hope this poem will make you see
What Sundays are like for Emily and me.
The boredom is bad enough during the week,
On Sundays it just hits a peak.
Now, perhaps, you'll understand,
Don't buy a house on moorland.
Because when the weekend comes around,
You'll be mad as us, I'll be bound!
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Saturday, December 03, 2005
Very Inscrutable...I was walking through Chinatown in London early one morning this week, and I saw two workers outside a Chinese restaurant chattering away to each other in a language I didn't recgonise at all. They also looked quite tall for your average Chinese person, and a bit swathy skinned - so I guessed they could have been from Mongolia or somewhere. Anyway, as I got parallel to them on the other side of the road, I decided to lift the edges of my woollen hat off my ears, (which was protecting me from freezing to death!), to see if I could catch a bit more of their dialect.....
They were a couple of scousers from Liverpool! No wonder I couldn't understand them! ;)
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