Derren Brown's Control the Nation Show - Reaction

I was looking forward to watching the show and eagerly anticipating a ground-breaking television experience where Derren Brown promised to stick us to our chairs!

Watching the build up to the main event, as I thought, there was reference to the subliminal films of the 50's and 60's, then a couple of demonstrations of subjects being influenced by PWA (perception without awareness). This helped to build anticipation and set the scene.

Shortly before the film, there were a couple of flashed pictures that I could just make out to be someone sat in a chair, but I couldn't recognise the expression or posture very well. I think this was simply to add to the placebo effect that something was about to control me.

The phrases and words Derren Brown used before the film were probably the most important part of the whole programme. He flattered us by saying things like "If you are talented at ebing susceptible" and making out that it would work only on the 'special people'. I'm sure it was all about us wanting to believe and accepting his suggestions about our body parts becoming heavy and that the more we try the less energy we have.

I reckon the film had very little to do with the side-effects, apart from getting us to focus on one thing - sticking to the chair. I don't think there were any hidden images or messages played to us at all, instead, a white screen with parallel lines swirling around to get us to focus and believe that something was happening to us.

After the film, when he suggested that we should try to stand up, for a moment I didn't want to and almost pretended to myself that I couldn't move. When I put my mind to it and made the decision to stand up, I did. I felt a little let down, but at the same time understood it for what it was.

I was glued to the chair more before the commercial break as I wanted to get up and get my fiancee to come and join in, but I couldn't move for fear of missing the start!

I decided to watch the show again on Channel 4 + 1 to see if I sat more directly in front of the screen and really let myself go with the flow whether it would work. It didn't! What I did notice though on the second show was that Derren Brown said "After you've watched the film, I'll explain how I did it". Unfortunately, he didn't, hence the speculation like in this blog and on countless thousands around the globe and amongst the twitterati - great publicity, although for many people this is the second let-down in 2 shows. The next show about psychic spys portends to give us psychic powers - something that Derren Brown has always refuted. It'll be more suggestion, misdirection and illusion, but that's what is great about him!

I'd like to meet the people who did stick - and have some fun with them, suggesting things for them to do! I bet Derren Brown has a great lead bank of suggestible types from those 50,000 calls that were made for his next series.

6 Day Fat Loss Diet

In March 2009 (this year) I weighed in at almost 18st, within 6 days I lost 14lbs...

My personal trainer suggested I try a 6 day diet to try and get some fat off so I thought, 'OK, can't be too hard to stick to a diet for 6 days, let's give it a whirl'.

The diet is:

Breakfast - half a grapefruit, 6 egg whites scrambled, multivitamin tablet

10 o clock - black coffee, no sugar or milk

11 o clock - protein shake

1pm - half a roast chicken (no skin), 1/4 pepper, 1/4 onion, 1/4 cucumber, 2 mushrooms, 1 tomato, stick of celery

3pm - protein shake

6pm - salmon steak, 6 asparagus stalks (no sauce, grilled)

7pm - black coffee

(repeat for 6 days)

The only addition permitted is water, about 3 litres per day and as and when you want. Nothing to be removed.

You have to be disciplined with this, as the results from other people I know who tried it varied according to how much they cheated! Most who followed it, and had fat to lose in the first place, lost about a stone in 6 days.

Total Weight loss in 6 days = 6.5kg = 14.5lb

From 17st 7lb to 16st 6.5lb

Try it if you want to lose weight, I promise that you will if you stick to the plan....I'm now just over 15 stone as I've been losing weight ever since I kick-started it.

Here's me in December 2007:

And here in December 2009:

TESTIMONIALS

Ask them yourself how they managed and what they achieved!

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~Maryanne (@minmouse) said...

Great diet plan - it worked for me!! I'm 8lbs lighter than I was 6 days ago .. WOW! Thanks Graham

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@tattylashes123 said....

@Graham_Lay graham i got weighed this morning YIPPEEE, 10lbs lost, thankyou so much for this, it's brill...start again next week, (smiling)

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Usain Bolt - How low can he go?

The man is a phenomenon.

It's hard to say how long it will be before someone else with his talent, stature and power will come along and break his world records.

I remember thinking that nobody would ever beat Michael Johnson's 200m WR at the time, but they did...

How low can Usain Bolt go for 200m in the World Athletics Final? 18.99, 18.98......?

Baldy's Take On It:

18.99 has got to be the target, but is he ready to do that yet? No.

Will he get there next year? Depends on whether the recent success, fame and money affects his motivation to train - World Records don't just happen, they require total and utter dedication.

I'd like to say yes, but Baldy says no.

UPDATE - 19.68s to equal the Championship record...not as fast as he used to be in his younger days!

Serena Williams - Opinions?

Serena Williams lost in the Semi Final of the US Open after an outburst at an official following a foot fault call. Earlier in the match she had already had a code violation for smashing her racket at the end of the first set.

Ms Williams was shouting at the lineswoman and jabbing her racquet towards her. There is speculation about what she said to the lineswoman initially but microphones heard "I never said I would kill you, are you serious?"

Baldy's Take On It:

I'm glad she lost.

It may send out a message that this type of behaviour is unacceptable, not only in public, in the streets, but especially at such a high profile event that is televised and shown round the world. Ms Williams gets paid millions to play tennis, not make threats and behave like a spoilt teenager. It is one thing to be passionate about your sport, it is another to hurl abuse and make threats. Her lack of respect and loss of control was punished, and she lost the opportunity to play in the final. Will she did it again? Who knows...

Read more at the BBC
What do you think?

Marathon for the Blue Cross Animal Charity

This week I did a Full Marathon on the indoor rowing machine to help raise funds for the Blue Cross animal charity.

42,195m or 26.2 miles in 3 hours 8 minutes and 16 seconds. The last hour was very painful, and I was so glad to get over the finish line!

Here's a video clip from the end!

And a picture of me afterwards...















The sponsorship page is open until the 30th September if you would like to donate.

So far, over £528 has been raised for which I am most grateful. Thank You

First blog - Derren Brown

I already blog about the training I do on the Concept2 indoor rower so I thought I'd start a general blog for ramblings about this that and t'other as an when I feel the need.

Today's hot topic seems to be about Derren Brown and his Lottery Numbers' Prediction, not so much the prediction but the mass feeling of being 'cheated' that is being tweeted and blogged about everywhere.

When I say 'cheated', what I mean is that a lot of people seem to feel aggrieved that they tuned in to find out how he did it were still left feeling confused at the end.

Baldy's Take On it:

Derren Brown is out to promote himself and that's just what he's done. He generated the illusion of predicting the Lottery Numbers and along with it a million and one conspiracy theories and a corresponding number of internet blogs, tweets, posts, links, etc - job done!

I enjoyed the show. I stil don't know how he did it, but it looked impressive and that's what counts for me. I'm looking forward to the next show where he tells us that we won't be able to get up off our chairs - a challenge that people will want to try and test, especially those who feel aggrieved after last night!

Like him or not, he is a fantastic showman (which he happily admits to being).

When I manage to acquire a new laptop I intend to spend more time pondering t'is, t'at and t'other. In the meantime, thank you for visiting and feel free to follow my blog.

Oh, and those videos to the right are of me on the rowing machine at competitions if you want to see what it's all about!