Who knew? An old law shuts psychics(and they didn't "see" it coming. LOL)

Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | Apr. 27, 2007 | David O'Reilly and Michael Vitez

[kellynla]

Philadelphia's fortune-tellers didn't see it coming. Suddenly they're facing a very unhappy future.

Alerted to an obscure state law banning fortune-telling "for gain or lucre," the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections is closing storefront psychics, astrologers, phrenologists and tarot-card readers who charge money for their services.

Inspectors had closed 16 shops since Tuesday, Deputy L&I Commissioner Dominic E. Verdi said yesterday.

"We were not aware it was a crime," he said, "but the Police Department came to us a few days ago and showed us where the crime code prohibits psychic readings.

"We looked into it, and it's clearly illegal. I was surprised."

Fortune-telling for profit is a third-degree misdemeanor. The law has been on the books for more than 30 years.

Verdi said that he did not know how many shops operated in the city, but that he expected inspectors to close more in the days ahead.

Inspectors are not imposing fines, and police are not making arrests, Verdi said, "but they will if these people try to return to work."

Most so-called psychics, he said, "are not little old ladies with kerchiefs on their heads" but clever con artists capable of stealing large sums - even life savings - from grieving or otherwise vulnerable people.

[edcoil]

Course you could change the law and let people peacefully earn their money.

[SaveTheChief]

They probably weren’t paying their taxes.

[Red Badger]

I seeeeeee..............a striped suit ........in your future............

[MarineBrat]

Dionne Warwick will be upset over this!

[Red Badger]

Reminds me of the story of the fortune teller who put her crystal ball in the storefront window and the sun set the curtains on fire...........she obviously couldn’t tell her own future.........

[Artemis Webb]

Psychics are some of the worst kinds of criminals.

Show me a psychic, medium, palm reader, tarot reader or whatever, and I’ll show you either a nut job (in a few cases) or a liar and thief (in ALL the rest of the cases).

[Stark_GOP]

They should have seen that one coming.

[sgtbono2002]

All they have to do is get a sign saying for amusement only and post it at the door. That way they arent telling fortunes for mone they are providing an amusing interlude.

Thats pretty much what taro-cards and other things are good for anyway. Amusement. people who take such things seriously need to be committed.

[dangus]

>> Course you could change the law and let people peacefully earn their money. <<

Gee, that’s a great way to solve the mafia problem, too! Legalize executions! Did you miss this, or simply disregard it: >> Most so-called psychics, he said, “are not little old ladies with kerchiefs on their heads” but clever con artists capable of stealing large sums - even life savings - from grieving or otherwise vulnerable people. <<

Even the little old ladies with kerchiefs on their heads are swindlers.

[DBrow]

I bet this is being done to acquire specific storefronts. Someone in the area should pay attention to who moves into the vacant storefronts.

[dangus]

“Reminds me of the story of the fortune teller who put her crystal ball in the storefront window and the sun set the curtains on fire...........she obviously couldn’t tell her own future.........”

Or misinterpreted it:

I see a brilliantly sunny future, as this very crystal ball helps your struggling business catch fire!

Or maybe she got an insurance payment out of it; you did see “The Monkey’s Paw,” didn’t you?

[GovernmentShrinker]

Given the sky-high murder rate in Philly, it’s more than a little alarming that police think they have time to spend on this.

[dangus]

>> I bet this is being done to acquire specific storefronts. Someone in the area should pay attention to who moves into the vacant storefronts. <<

I doubt it. I very quickly adopted a very similar cynicism in Boston, so I’m not faulting you, but in this case it sounds like they are making a clean sweep.

[word_warrior_bob]

They’re all no better than 3 card monte dealers and SHOULD be shut down, just more con artists working out in the open.

[dangus]

>> Given the sky-high murder rate in Philly, it’s more than a little alarming that police think they have time to spend on this. <<

Not a student of the Giuliani School of Reducing Murder Rates are you? (Yes, the guy’s a liberal bum, and I’m not endorsing him, but he did do wonders for crime in NYC.) Such “broken-windows” law enforcement cut the murder rate by 70%.

[Joe 6-pack]

"I bet this is being done to acquire specific storefronts. Someone in the area "

I'm guessing somebody on City Council got duped.

[caver]

“Show me a psychic, medium, palm reader, tarot reader or whatever, and I’ll show you either a nut job (in a few cases) or a liar and thief (in ALL the rest of the cases).”

I’m not sure whether you were being sarcastic, but any fool that pays money to a psychic, medium, palm reader, tarot reader or whatever is also a nut job.

[edcoil]

You and I may believe that but many people do believe it and, its there own money - just like on-line gambling.

[reagan_fanatic]

Thats pretty much what taro-cards and other things are good for anyway. Amusement. people who take such things seriously need to be committed

That would be almost all of them. Most of the kooks who go in for 'readings' take what they are told very seriously, and pay handsomely for it.