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           The Amazing Randi on Pseudoscience in the New Millennium

Bunny and I attended Pseudoscience in the New Millennium [1], a lecture given
by James Randi [2].

[James Randi. Photograph by Bunny] [3]


His lecture started out with him walking up to the podium, microphone in
hand, and asking the audience to raise their hands if they considered
themselves a “skeptic.” And after the entire audience raised their hands, he
proceeded to tell us that we weren't very skeptical since he's already fooled
us. Twice. In less than two minutes. The microphone he was using? Not even
turned on; we just assumed he was using that because he had it (his actual
microphone was in his shirt). And second, the glasses he was wearing? They
too weren't real. The point of that was to show that just saying one is
“skeptical” isn't always enough.

And after that, he started his lecture, going into details about various
pseudoscientific quackery, like homeopathy [4], spritual healers [5] and
psychic surgery [6] (which didn't save Andy Kaufman [7]), during which he
performed a few magical tricks to keep us on our toes.

He also mentioned his $1,000,000 Paranormal Challenge [8], which no one has
won since it begain in 1964 [9]. This prompted one lady during the question-
and-answer session (she was the last “question” during the night) to offer
Randi “proof” that spirits exist (and with this, she brought forward a huge
carrying case with her “proof”), although she didn't really want his money (a
common response from many applicants, according to Randi; a few members of
the audience asked if she would donate the winnings to them). Randi humored
her and told her to apply for the prize [10].

I doubt she will. I also suspect Randi feels the same, but I can't prove it.

[Randi is my homeboy] [11]


[1] http://www.centerforinquiry.net/fortlauderdale/events/a/
[2] http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/about-james-randi.html
[3] gopher://gopher.conman.org/IPhlog:2008/11/13/JamesRandi.jpg
[4] http://www.randi.org/encyclopedia/homeopathy.html
[5] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7BQKu0YP8Y
[6] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3RC3M5VKAQ
[7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Kaufman#Death
[8] http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/1m-challenge.html
[9] http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/1m-challenge/challenge-faq.html
[10] http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/1m-challenge/challenge-application.html
[11] gopher://gopher.conman.org/IPhlog:2008/11/13/Randi-and-me.jpg

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