I have been reading a fair bit about Mark Edward on his site themarkedward.com - he has a really interesting bio, plus his blogs at skepticblog keep me amused and entertained.
Mark's style of plain speaking would appear to be the perfect antidote to Anita's lengthy walloftextwafflewords.
When you read his bio it becomes obvious why Anita cannot manipulate Mark. Good job Mark is involved in the IIG.
I would have loved Mark to be in Jeff Wagg's place on the Rational Alchemy show when Anita was on, that's for sure!
Here are a few observations Mark has made about Anita:
1) http://skepticblog.org/2009/11/21/giving-a-big-thanks/#more-5163
"Gee, I wonder if John Edward, VanPraagh, Chip Coffey, Chris Moon, Lisa Williams or Sylvia Browne will be tuning in to watch Anita make her debut as the next media medical wonder? This is competition for you guys! If I were you, I would keep a close eye on this woman. Plus, if you pay attention, she might give you an new angle to exploit.
Unfortunately, I doubt any of the other nut-jobs responsible for giving out bad medical advice, causing needless pain and suffering or even death to the thousands who were desperate enough to listen to them will tune in to the CFI test. They are too busy cashing their paychecks and building up their bankrolls to bother."
And Anita's reply to this?
"So that’s why this man was watching me so closely at the test! I didn’t know who he was until after the test backstage again, at which I immediately asked him to demonstrate a magic trick with me, which he did, which fooled me at first but then I figured it out. Luckily, you will never see me becoming one of those psychics who dispense medical information. I have only shared my medical perceptions with skeptics and within my investigation of my experience. I was happy to have the test with the IIG, and I am grateful for everyone for all the work they put in. I worked hard to put it together also. Thank you Mark, and the IIG."
2) http://skepticblog.org/2009/12/05/girls-who-stare-at-kidneys/
"Other things I made note of intrigued me. It was very telling when at one point during the pre-show discussions of the protocol, at she wanted us to make sure to explain to the audience that if she felt she couldn’t get any results on one or any of the three tests, she would choose to bow out rather that just guess. Okay, that was fair enough and added some credibility to her claim, but then she went on to say that this was part of what she was “portraying” to us. I think perhaps “portraying” might have been a bad choice of words for her to use. If one has “an ability,” one doesn’t portray it – they just have it, they use it and that’s it. A sly little vixen this one."
Have a look at the comments that follow, I particularly like this little exchange:
1. tmac57says:
December 6, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Is it just me, or does Anita resemble the Alison DuBois character on Medium played by Patricia Arquette? Coincidence?
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1531091456/nm0000099
Reply
§ Anita Ikonensays:
January 31, 2010 at 7:46 pm
No, it is not just you. I’ve been told that before. Once a waitress became all excited because she really believed I was her, and it took a great deal to convince her that I wasn’t. I think my Swedish accent finally did it.
Reply
§ tmac57says:
January 31, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Thanks for the reply,Anita. I was going by the top photo only,which could have just been that particular angle.Interesting coincidence though.
Reply
§ Anita Ikonensays:
February 3, 2010 at 3:08 am
Next time you see Patricia Arquette, let her know that she looks like VFF.
3) http://skepticblog.org/2010/03/20/turning-the-boat-around/
Word is out that one-time $50,000 IIG claimant Anita Ikonen is also in the throes of a skeptical transformation. Those of us who have gotten to know Anita a little will reserve our judgements until more information is available, but in a conversation I had with her over lunch on the day the IIG tested Regan Traynor, she confessed that she was in the process of considering a recantation of her popular book about breatharianism and spilling the beans about what a bunch of nonsense that whole part of her life was (when she was known as “Alenara.&rdquo
We are all waiting on that one. Some stripes are harder to change than others.
No comment from Anita as yet.
4) http://skepticblog.org/2010/04/03/s...#more-7463
Mark wrote an article without mentioning names and got a ranting reply from Anita which is posted on one of the blogs here. This is part of Mark's comment on Anita's reply:
"Okay. It’s TIME TO RELEASE THE KRAKEN! Despite rants to the contrary, the original blog I wrote was not all about Anita Ikonen, It never has been. She’s free to fantasize that it was if it makes her feel better and pushes her closer to her stated goal of “falsifying herself.” She’s not the only gamer in town.
Just to focus on her for the sake of argument However, her last comment about being “dragged back into the woo” by the mean ol’ skeptics show she is obviously setting the table for the big reveal – and the excuse that SHE was used and taken advantage of by older men who understood her weaknesses, allure, etc."
**Snipped and bolding mine
I would rather have Mark Edward than Jeff Wagg in the meanie Internet Skeptics corner anyday!