HAVE YOU MET JAMES RANDI YET? Hold on to your hat!

by Terry 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Terry

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• 

  The wanderer

  Dear Terry:

  I think James (The Amazing) Randi as he is
  referred to has been a major role player
  in debunking hoaxes throughout the years.

  He has been effective, in exposing faith
  healers spoon bending psychics and so
  forth.

  His favorite and main targets being Uri
  Geller and televangelist Peter Popoff.

  However, I draw the line when it comes
  to William Roll because I bear in mind
  "The Amazing" Randi is a magician and
  not a leading scientist regarding para-
  normal psychology.

  I also bear in mind this quote:

  "As a magician, I know two things—how to deceive
  people and how people deceive themselves"—Poltergeists
  Examining Mysteries OF The Paranormal pg.109 Michael Clarkson 2006

  Respectfully,

  Richard
• 

  Terry

  The service Randi has performed for rational thought is beyond evaluation.

  What is shocking to me is the irresponsible reporting of the press all too willing to print the fake stories and unwilling to print the debunking publicly in bold type so that these frauds can be exposed widely.

  For those of you who listen to Podcasts; I reccomend SKEPTICALITY.
• 

  Terry

  DATE: Tue, 10 Jul 2007
  SIZE: 44.7 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #056 - The Search for iPhones and Aliens Interviews: Rob Walch of Today in iPhone, Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay
  

  What's with all the media hype over the latest must-have electronic device,Âthe iPhone? This week on Skepticality, Derek and Swoopy talk toÂRob Walch, host of theÂTodayÂin iPhoneÂpodcast, about the cult of Apple's newest release and ask whether if itÂlives up to the hype. While it seems most humans on Earth are busy looking for iPhones, theÂNational Academy of Sciences has published a report that states we need toÂstart looking for alien life with novel biochemistries.ÂFraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay, hosts of the Astronomy Cast, help Derek andÂSwoopy interpret the new report "The Limits of Organic Life in Planetary Systems", andÂwhat it means for the search for life in the universe.

  DATE: Tue, 26 Jun 2007
  SIZE: 29.1 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #055 - Santa Fe Courthouse Ghost Interview: Benjamin Radford solves the case of the "ghost" caught on video.
  

  On the last episode of Skepticality, the "Skeptical Inquirer's"Âown Benjamin Radford discussed new Nessie sightings and other lake monsters from his comprehensive bookÂon the subject. This week, Ben is back to tackle a brand new paranormalÂmystery from his own back yard. Almost over night, a video of a glowing, orb-like apparition at the courthouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico has soared into the media spotlight, with widespread news coverage andÂnearly 100,000 views on YouTube. Was itÂthe spirit of an infamous murderer, the ghost of a construction workerÂwho met his demise, or a disturbed Indian burial ground? Derek and SwoopyÂdiscuss paranormal investigation in the age of viral video with authorÂBenjamin Radford, who examined the video tape and went to the site toÂinvestigate the mysterious Santa Fe Courthouse Ghost.

  DATE: Tue, 12 Jun 2007
  SIZE: 39.9 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #054 - Rock Ness! Interview: Benjamin Radford co-author of Lake Monster Mysteries
  

  Last week, new video surfaced of the elusive and famous Loch Ness monster and a Â1 million prize was offered for proof of the creature's existence. There were over 30 sightings reported in 24 hours by concert goers at the "Rock Ness" festival who were offered "Nessie Snapper" cameras to keep an eye on the water as they rocked out through the weekend. On this week's Skepticality Derek and Swoopy talk to the Center for Skeptical Inquiry's own Benjamin Radford about his definitive book that investigates sightings of Nessie as well as other prominent lake monsters, Lake Monster Mysteries: Investigating the World's Most Elusive Creatures, co-authored by fellow skeptical investigator Joe Nickell.

  DATE: Tue, 29 May 2007
  SIZE: 36.3 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #053 - Atheists Are People Too. Interviews: Lori Lipman Brown and the Rational Response Squad
  

  On our last episode, Skeptic publisher Dr. Michael Shermer shared his thoughts about a recently televised Nightline debate between evangelical ministers Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron and "Rational Response Squad" members Brian Sapient and Kelly. Brian and Kelly contacted Skepticality, and Swoopy had a chance to talk with them this week about the work of the Rational Response Squad, and about what went on behind the scenes of the Nightline debate. Most relevant to skeptics, the gang discusses Brian's recent involvement in a lawsuit against Uri Geller, who recently pressured online video host YouTube to remove a James Randi Nova expose regarding his spoon-bending psychic claims. Also, Skepticality's Washington DC correspondent former Nevada State SenatorÃÂLoriÃÂLipman Brown, theÃÂfederal lobbyist for the Secular Coalition for America updates Derek and Swoopy about legislative issues pertaining to nontheists.

  DATE: Tue, 15 May 2007
  SIZE: 45.8 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #052 - Help Me Figure This Out: Dr. Michael Shermer and Dr. Phil Plait
  

  Last week on ABC's Nightline, british journalist Martin Bashir was set to moderate a debate between members of The Rational Response Squad and Christian ministers Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron. Comfort and Cameron claimed that they could prove scientifically, without invoking the Bible or faith, that their god exists. Disappointingly the program that aired (after much editing) ran more like The Debate that Wasn't. Instead of letting the nonsense get to us, we called upon voices of reason and great debaters Dr. Michael Shermer and Dr. Phil Plait to cheer us up, and help make sense of it all.

  DATE: Tue, 01 May 2007
  SIZE: 24.4 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #051 - Interview: Lynne Kelly
  

  Why does Australia give the world so many great skeptics? This week on Skepticality, Derek has a great time chatting with author, educator and noted Australian skeptic Lynne Kelly to find out the answer. It's been over a year since Derek and Lynne last spoke, and they catch up on topics ranging from current science, Australia's drought, critical thinking in the classroom and her latest book "Crocodile: Evolution's Greatest Survivor."

  DATE: Tue, 17 Apr 2007
  SIZE: 26.0 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #050 - Interview: Scott Sigler
  

  This week on Skepticality, author and skeptic Scott Sigler talks to Derek and Swoopy about finding the skeptic movement, and the recent success of his newly released, science-informed horror novel Ancestor (an Amazon.com bestseller). Scott also tackles the future of traditional book publishing in the age of podiobooks. Before we let him go, Scott reveals the names of the folks who will be receiving autographed copies of his books Earthcore and Ancestor.ÃÂ

  DATE: Tue, 03 Apr 2007
  SIZE: 37.7 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #049 - Interview: Dr. Michael Shermer talks to Philip Zimbardo.
  

  Skepticality is pleased to bring our listeners another great interview conducted by the founder of the Skeptic's Society, Dr. Michael Shermer. In this nearly hour long meeting of the minds, Dr. Shermer talks to author and Stanford emeritus Professor Philip Zimbardo on the release of his new book, The Lucifer Effect which ponders the question, what causes some people to commit acts of evil while others become unexpected heroes.

  DATE: Mon, 19 Mar 2007
  SIZE: 3.75 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Ancestor by Scott Sigler (Full novel in PDF form)
  

  On a remote island in Lake Superior, scientists struggle to solve the problem of xenotransplatation - using animal tissue to replace failing human organs.

  DATE: Mon, 19 Mar 2007
  SIZE: 26.5 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #048 - Infidels and Free Books: Reginald Finley and Scott Sigler's Ancestor
  

  This week Derek and Swoopy talk to a legend in Skeptical broadcasting, Reginald Finley, known to his friends as The Infidel Guy and we take part in Monday Bloody Monday as we help launch the publication of author Scott Sigler's newest podiobook to print: Ancestor.

  DATE: Tue, 27 Feb 2007
  SIZE: 27.4 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #047 - More from TAM: Hal Bidlack, Kylie Sturgess and Michael McRae.
  

  This week, Skepticality nears the end of its Amazing Meeting 5ÃÂwrap-up. Derek & Swoopy are honored to sit down with retiredÃÂLieutenant Colonel Hal Bidlack PhD, who is one of the warmestÃÂpeople in skepticism. Hal discusses not only his Master ofÃÂCeremonies role at past and future Amazing Meetings, but also hisÃÂrole as an Alexander Hamilton scholar and his own future careerÃÂin politics. Then, Swoopy interviews Aussie educators Kylie Sturgess and Michael McRae about their work in bringing skepticism and critical thinking into their classrooms.

  DATE: Tue, 13 Feb 2007
  SIZE: 42.1 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #046 - TAM Audio: Adam Savage, Lori Lipman Brown and Benjamin Radford
  

  On this week's Skepticality, we continue our coverage of The Amazing Meeting 5. Derek and Swoopy talk with some of their favorite Real Skeptical Heroes including author and CSICOP spokesman Benjamin Radford, Mythbuster Adam Savage and the first Congressional lobbyist for non-theists and director of the Secular Coalition for America, Lori Lipman Brown.

  DATE: Tue, 30 Jan 2007
  SIZE: 32.5 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #045 - TAM Audio: James Randi, Tory Belleci, Julia Sweeney, Jill Sobule, Michael Shermer and God
  

  This week we'll begin sifting through four days of audio and video with some of the best candid moments from the four day brain expanding extravaganza of The Amazing Meeting 5, featuring a cast of familiar characters as well as some brave new voices in skepticism.

  DATE: Tue, 16 Jan 2007
  SIZE: 18.3 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #044 - Interview: Michael A. Stackpole
  

  This week Derek and Swoopy are practically out the door on the way to The Amazing Meeting 5, but before they go they talk with New York Times Best Selling author Michael A. Stackpole, chairman of the Phoenix Skeptics about the group's 2007 predictions list, and the accuracy of their 2006 predictions. Mr. Stackpole also discusses balancing skepticism in his daily life with his work as a science fiction author and role playing game designer, and gives his views on practical methods for teaching critical thinking.

  DATE: Tue, 02 Jan 2007
  SIZE: 15.3 MB
  DOWNLOAD EPISODE Skepticality #043 - Skeptic's Caltech Lecture Series: Sam Harris
  

  This week on Skepticality, we kick off the first show of 2007 with a recording of author and lecturer Dr. Sam Harris speaking at the Symposium on Science, Religion & Politics, part of the Skeptic sponsored Caltech lecture series. Dr. Harris is the author of the New York Times bestsellers, The End of Faith and Letter to a Christian Nation. Additionally, Dr. Harris makes regular appearances on television and radio to discuss the danger that religion now poses to modern societies.

  There are 57 more episodes in this feed. View All Episodes
• 

  Terry

  However, I draw the line when it comes
  to William Roll because I bear in mind
  "The Amazing" Randi is a magician and
  not a leading scientist regarding para-
  normal psychology.

  I'm not familiar with William Roll. I will check it out.

  I'm guessing when it comes to "paranormal psychology" it is your ox who is being gored?
• 

  Terry

  see William Roll reference below
• 

  lawrence

  Terry-

  Did a lot of research on Randi (Randall Zwingle). Loved the fact that he travelled with Alice Cooper on the 1974 tour (executioner and dentist).
• 

  MadTiger

  I have always admired Randi's work.
  
  His foundation puts up one million dollars as a prize for anyone proving paranormal power.
  http://www.randi.org/research/index.html
• 

  Terry

  BOOK REVIEW REVIEW

  A recent review in the Journal of Parapsychology by parapsychologist John Palmer of William Roll's new book ?Unleashed,? has come to my attention. I'm surprised to see that Dr. Palmer appears to accept the Tina Resch case as a genuine example of RSPK (Repeated Spontaneous Psychokinesis) despite the gaping holes in the account and the firmly demonstrated contradictions in the evidence. However, that is Dr. Palmer's choice, for whatever reason; our previous contacts, where we participated in investigations of certain psychic claims, had shown me a person of more cautious mien.

  I'm concerned with the 268 words there that deal with my involvement in the ?Columbus Poltergeist? case. A very attractive item appeared in the media back in 1984, when a girl in Columbus, Ohio, reported that genuine poltergeist phenomena were taking place in the presence of a fourteen-year-old girl named Tina Resch. The Columbus Dispatch newspaper followed the titillating story for a week, during which flying telephones, loud percussive noises, swinging and falling lamps, and other events were plentiful.

  Upon investigation, it was discovered that the girl was an adopted child who wanted to discover her true parents, and she was using the media attention to plead for that information. Every time the media assembled to interview her, she asked them to find that information for her. Then, a video camera from a visiting TV crew that was inadvertently left running, recorded Tina cheating by surreptitiously pulling over a table lamp while she thought she was not being observed. Other reported occurrences were shown to be outright inventions of the press or highly exaggerated descriptions of quite explainable events. Descriptions given by a parapsychologist, William Roll, who specialized in poltergeist investigations and had examined the situation in person, turned out to be of quite impossible sequences.

  In 1994 Tina Resch was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of her three-year-old daughter. It was the culmination of several disastrous marriages and serious psychological problems.

  Though the case of the Columbus Poltergeist faded away after a few months and is not now seriously discussed, Roll has now written a book about it. That book, ?Unleashed,? is the subject of Dr. Palmer's review, from which I quote:

  Additional spice was added by the appearance of CSICOP's erstwhile debunker of things that go bump in the night, James "The Amazing" Randi. Several days after the news conference, magician Randi held an impromptu press conference of his own in front of the Resch's home, waving the eternally unclaimed $10,000 check he offers to anyone who can show him a psychic event he considers genuine.

  As I've made very clear to Dr. Palmer and to others, I am not a debunker; I am an investigator. If my investigations, by their findings, result in a debunking – and that's usually the case, when sufficient evidence is presented to enable any proper examination – that's the natural outcome of such projects. I showed up at the Resch home at their invitation, straight from the airport, and was intercepted by the media waiting outside who were expecting me. I would not categorize that event as ?holding a press conference,? though Dr. Palmer was not there and obviously made an incorrect assumption. Also, I was not ?waving? any check, since I'd gone to Columbus directly from Tennessee following a lecture date there, and I was not traveling with the check. Furthermore, and again as Dr. Palmer well knows, any winner of my long-established prize – now at an improved $1,000,000 – need not ?show? me anything, nor does my opinion of their claim enter into the matter; that is all covered in the published rules. Dr. Palmer continues:

  He [Randi] asked to conduct his own investigation of the case, along with two scientists from a local university. Joan [Resch] was willing to let the scientists in, but Randi's usual abusive rhetoric dissuaded her from having him join them.

  Not true. I'd been invited there to investigate the matter, and I never met Joan Resch, Tina's adoptive mother, nor ever spoke to her. Later, I found out that William Roll himself was already in the house when I arrived on the scene, and he had personally denied me admission, telling the media that he ?simply didn't want Randi in there.? Seeing how ruthlessly Mr. Roll subsequently manipulated, misreported, and distorted the evidence on the Columbus Poltergeist case, that fear was understandable. Dr. Palmer continues:

  In fact, such behavior makes one wonder if Randi expected and wanted to be denied an invitation. As the affair actually played out, he was able to make his point and garner the desired publicity without running the risk of seeing something in the house that he might not be able to explain. The scientists declined to go in alone. This is not surprising either, as Randi considers scientists to be particularly poor observers, who might not be able to detect fraud if such occurred. The scientists obviously were brought along solely to add scientific credibility to the escapade.

  As I said, I already had the invitation, withdrawn by William Roll. Dr. Palmer's facetious suggestion that I feared to find a genuine phenomenon, doesn't fool anyone. However, Roll's fear that I would uncover the trick, was quite genuine. The scientists, well aware that they could be fooled, turned away when they saw that the event was being orchestrated by Roll. As for scientists being – in my quoted opinion, here – ?poor observers,? that only applies to scientists who are out of their field of expertise, as I've often said. A perfect example of one scientist who recognized that fact? After a demonstration by ?psychic? Uri Geller, a prominent physicist was asked how the trick was done, and he frankly stated, ?I don't know, but then, I'm not a magician, so I don't know how any of these things are done.? That physicist was Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman…

  I agree with Dr. Palmer that there was an ?escapade? involved here, but it was the Resch-and-Roll show… Palmer continues:

  Randi subsequently appeared on a panel devoted to the case at the 1984 Parapsychological Association Convention, and he later published his conclusions in Skeptical Inquirer (Randi, 1985). The latter was essentially a critique of Roll's investigation and Shannon's photographs. Roll and Storey devote several pages in the book to answering Randi's attack, accusing him of misrepresenting or ignoring facts that did not fit his interpretation.

  Dr. Palmer, just where was the evidence in the Columbus Parapsychologist case? It certainly was not in the testimony of Shannon, the photographer, who contradicted himself repeatedly, nor in other stories that were told, each discrediting the other, as we found later. It was in ?Roll's investigation and Shannon's photographs?! I think that's an excellent reason for me to have critiqued those areas, don't you think? I have not yet seen the Roll book, but I can fully understand why the authors would devote much text trying to escape the damning facts that I produced to show that Tina Resch lied, and that William Roll misrepresented the facts.

  A few words should be said here about William Roll's responsibility in the Tina Resch tragedy. Roll treated this 14-year-old child like royalty. He knew he was on to a hot item that would further his career as a parapsychologist with the media and with his colleagues, and he played that situation all the way. Tina got to travel, to be interviewed, featured in the media, and believed by millions of fans all over the world. This was a cause célèbre that promised to equal the previous advent of Uri Geller on the woo-woo horizon, though that promise was soon over. As a result of this fame, Tina Resch, I think, began to believe that she'd fooled just about everyone, and could continue to do so with impunity. When that bubble burst, she entered into a series of failed marriages, culminating in the murder of her own child, a crime that got her a life sentence. Had Roll not been there to cultivate the mess he'd fostered and encouraged, I do not think the tragedy would have reached the culmination it did…

  Is this the William Roll reference you were talking about?
• 

  poppers

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