Metatalk

July 30, 2006 5:31 PM

Metatalk: "Psychic Readings, Clairvoyant Readings, Graphology & Handwriting Analysis." An errant stab in the dark unearthed this amusing conflation. A site search reveled no doubles, so... what am i thinking?
posted by mwhybark (21 comments total)

I guess there will never be a shortage of bad people exploiting dumb people. Kinda sad, really.
posted by newfers at 5:35 PM on July 30, 2006

You're thinking...about a brick wall?

*KA-BOOM!*

*
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 5:38 PM on July 30, 2006

(don't mention Metafilter in this thread, or we'll have to take this to Meta)
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 5:43 PM on July 30, 2006

Metafilter
posted by caddis at 5:48 PM on July 30, 2006

psychic telephone
$
$
$


trademark infringement

.
.
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posted by caddis at 5:50 PM on July 30, 2006

Metafilter

I saw this post... BEFORE IT WAS POSTED.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 6:06 PM on July 30, 2006

what kind of name is sigmund for a woman?
posted by pyramid termite at 6:16 PM on July 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

That's a woman!?
posted by dhammond at 6:40 PM on July 30, 2006

It's about fucking time! Yay Matt! My long-dead sister wants words with you.
posted by persona non grata at 7:07 PM on July 30, 2006

MeatFilter
posted by ColdChef at 7:30 PM on July 30, 2006

According to the website: "© Metatalk is our registered trade name for metaphysical purposes. All rights reserved 1997-2010."

I doubt this is true.

The network solutions record shows the domain created on 1998-03-28. All three contact addresses are in the US, so I'm assuming they are US based.

But, a search of the USPTO records shows that "MetaTalk" was registered by a corporation called MetaLogic for "computer programs in the nature of computer language interpreters and compilers." The filing date was 1992-11-02; the registration date was 1995-07-04.

Perhaps they used the "Metaphysical Trademark Office" ?
posted by D.C. at 7:44 PM on July 30, 2006

Anyone who uses a copyright symbol to preface a trademark claim is ipso facto unclear on the concept.

But that's quibbling. What say everyone on this thread chip in a dollar or two so we can buy an email answer to a question?
posted by Creosote at 8:09 PM on July 30, 2006

MeTa.
posted by team lowkey at 8:17 PM on July 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

MetaTalk:

Let me be your coach and make the game of life your game !
posted by SassHat at 10:43 PM on July 30, 2006

um.. I'm sorry but WTF is a "DNA Healer" supposed to be?
posted by Parannoyed at 11:16 PM on July 30, 2006

I'm sorry but WTF is a "DNA Healer" supposed to be?
I don't know, but if one really existed, Douglas Adams would still be alive today.



.
posted by wendell at 11:51 PM on July 30, 2006 [1 favorite]

WTF is a "DNA Healer" supposed to be?

Does she think she can cure Down Syndrome?
posted by jellybelly at 4:31 AM on July 31, 2006

MetaTalk: Clairvoyant Readings

At least it's free here.
posted by prostyle at 7:22 AM on July 31, 2006

Hot lips has a website?
posted by Smedleyman at 1:18 PM on July 31, 2006

Google provides all the clairvoyance I require.
Did you mean...
posted by seanyboy at 1:59 PM on July 31, 2006

I actually know "Sigmund," although I haven't spoken to her for several years. It will shock no one that Sigmund is not her real name. She is in her late 50s or thereabouts and lives with her husband in the suburbs of the Bay Area. I first saw her site many years ago. I have never spoken with her about the site, although she has told me in the past about her work in this, well, field.

For what it's worth, Sigmund sincerely believes that she has psychic abilities, and that she can use those abilities to help others. She was actually "tested" as a child in one of those old Stanford ESP programs where they showed kids cards and had them guess what they contained, among other tests. I have no idea what those tests in fact showed (or purported to show), but Sigmund truly believes they confirmed that she is a psychic. She has been involved in this type of thing all her life, among other endeavors such as art and art therapy. I am sure she does not think she is exploiting people.

I won't share my own views as to whether Sigmund actually has the abilities she claims. I just wanted to address the comments suggesting that she may be a scam artist, which, insofar as they presume malicious intent, are not accurate, though understandable.
posted by brain_drain at 2:48 PM on July 31, 2006