Stupid psychic tricks are always good for a laugh. Three so-called psychics in Queens, NY were charged with accepting money for fortune telling.
According to the Queens district attorney's office, one of the psychics promised to rid one of the officers of evil spirits for the price of a mere $1,000.
"The defendants are charged with preying upon vulnerable individuals seeking advice for their problems to swindle money for their own benefit," District Attorney Richard Brown said.
According to state law, it is illegal to bill yourself as a fortune teller capable of using occult powers to answer questions, give advice or get rid of those pesky evil spirits. That is, unless it's stated that your services are for entertainment or amusement only.
Interesting that in New York State the authorities apparently don’t believe psychics are real. Wonders will never cease. Even more encouraging is that the cops in that state seem to know what is really going on at these “psychic” readings:
The defendant had the officer tie three knots on a string, which were allegedly gone when the psychic rolled the string up into a ball. If the knots disappeared, it meant that God's will wasn't present. But, the complaint said, the undercover saw the psychic switch the string.
That guy should be on Larry King. As guest host.
Anyway, it is obvious they weren’t real psychics – if these were real psychics they would have known their clients were undercover police officers.
I remembered a (bad) joke:
PSYCHIC: This is the Psychic Line, what can I do for you?
CALLER: Guess it.
I said it was bad.
Posted by: Pereque | June 30, 2006 at 06:38 PM
About that New York State law:
Doesn't that a law sound like something passed by fuddies to their anti-occult crusade? Hey, I love to see psychics imprisoned for their trickery, but I worry more about the enforcement of a theocratic-like law.Posted by: Babbler | June 30, 2006 at 07:35 PM
I saw a documentary where an American police sergeant said he had arrested a lot of fortune-tellers and supposed seers, and he said "Not one of them ever told me why I was there when I walked in."
Posted by: Big Al | July 03, 2006 at 01:21 AM
My test for the validity of a psychic's abilities: "OK, if you are really a psychic, tell me: what's my Visa card number?" Interestingly enough, this has never worked.
Posted by: Ray Trygstad | July 19, 2006 at 10:37 AM