Boring, A Matter of Education?, Trudeau Again, Nine Silly Rules, Krugel “Responds” – Sort Of, Sylvia In the Comics, Compounded Woo-Woo, Schoolboy Prank, Shudder…, Understandable, Good Decision, That Monster Again, No Argument Here, Correction, A Welcome Document, Definitions, Honest “Fakir,” and In Conclusion…
Last night, the highly-touted “Phenomenon show appeared on NBC-TV. It was right on time, but that’s about all that can be said for it.
Happily, Criss Angel maintained – as he’d told me he would – his decision to treat the matter logically, critically, and in a straightforward manner. It seemed as if Uri Geller didn’t have much to contribute except that tired old ESP-card audience-participation stunt that he’s pulled on TV all over the world, along with his presumptuous clenched-fist repeated shouting of “1, 2, 3!” like a desperate cheer-leader. Now, magicians have known for decades that when those five basic symbols – the circle, plus-sign, wavy lines, square, and star – are shown, particularly with the star in the second-from-left position, as Geller displayed them, the audience choice is heavily for the star. Geller certainly has always been aware of this, since every time he’s done this chestnut, he’s chosen the star as the one to “broadcast telepathically” to the audience… Duh… In any case, the star symbol barely won the day, scoring just one percent more than the runner-up, the circle symbol…
Toronto Star columnist Vinay Menon, writing in advance of last night’s show, asked the obvious question about Geller’s major claim to fame:
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BORINGLast night, the highly-touted “Phenomenon show appeared on NBC-TV. It was right on time, but that’s about all that can be said for it. Happily, Criss Angel maintained – as he’d told me he would – his decision to treat the matter logically, critically, and in a straightforward manner. It seemed as if Uri Geller didn’t have much to contribute except that tired old ESP-card audience-participation stunt that he’s pulled on TV all over the world, along with his presumptuous clenched-fist repeated shouting of “1, 2, 3!” like a desperate cheer-leader. Now, magicians have known for decades that when those five basic symbols – the circle, plus-sign, wavy lines, square, and star – are shown, particularly with the star in the second-from-left position, as Geller displayed them, the audience choice is heavily for the star. Geller certainly has always been aware of this, since every time he’s done this chestnut, he’s chosen the star as the one to “broadcast telepathically” to the audience… Duh… In any case, the star symbol barely won the day, scoring just one percent more than the runner-up, the circle symbol… Toronto Star columnist Vinay Menon, writing in advance of last night’s show, asked the obvious question about Geller’s major claim to fame: It’s a baffling question: Why bend a spoon? If you were blessed with telekinesis, wouldn’t this be a waste of time? He continued: You know what else is baffling? Why is Uri Geller about to appear on our television sets this evening? Shouldn’t this widely discredited "master of the paranormal" have vanished like a magician’s rabbit 30 years ago? Los Angeles Times reporter Richard Abowitz was also less than entertained. Under the headline: "Phenomenon" not phenomenal, Amazing Randi exposes Supernaturalists," he wrote: I got spam yesterday from a local performer (Gerry McCambridge) asking for my vote on a new NBC show. I did not vote. The contestant talent that NBC was able to find for this show, was just not effective. However, I note that they have Israeli Guy Bavli listed as one of their upcoming contestants, and I’ll venture that he’ll easily take the prize, knowing his skills as a mentalist. I wouldn’t want to compete against him, and no matter where he falls in this mix, I think he’ll carry it off… When all was said and done, Phenomenon received a rating of 2.9 out of 8. Miserable… However, a true natural phenomenon took place, even while this tedious confrontation was being broadcast. The comet designated “17P/Holmes” – normally at a magnitude of only 17 – did something absolutely wonderful, virtually overnight, and very rare, growing in brightness some 400,000 times to magnitude 3, thus becoming almost as bright as many of the other stars in the sky. Holmes is 150 million miles away from us – which means that it’s about 13 minutes away at the speed of light, a relatively cosmic neighbor. I’m much more excited at this phenomenon than what NBC-TV offered us… |
A MATTER OF EDUCATION?In regard to the current “Pear Cables” brouhaha, just how astute Stereophile’s Michael Fremer is regarding basic science, should be examined. Of course, the pertinent question is whether he’ll ever get around to actually doing the test, and from the long-winded fuss he’s been raising on line, that’s looking less and less likely, but let’s look at some basics. Says he: I never claimed plastic can hold a charge but carbon surely can and it is the carbon black that makes a record black and carbon black added to vinyl surely can and does hold a magnetic charge that can be demagnetized. First, what kind of “charge” does Fremer refer to carbon granules “holding”? If he means a magnetic charge – which is what this is all about – he’s 100% wrong, and thus performing at par. And no, Mr. Fremer, a magnetic charge is not the same thing as a static charge…! You are simply wrong, and any school child could correct you on this matter. Vinyl is well-known for holding static charges, and legitimate devices – ionizing radioactive metals, UV lamps, and conducting, grounded, brushes – have been sold to remove that electrostatic charge. But the woo-woo manufacturers, suddenly recognizing that they needed to have a reason for such devices as the US$1800 Furutech deMag LP Demagnetizer – have called attention to the presence of iron, nickel, and cobalt – the only ferromagnetic substances, along with a very few other rare earth elements,– in silk-screen inks and in labels! This is sometimes true, but these substances are present in such minute quantities as to be virtually undetectable, and they are certainly incapable of producing any effect on the product or on its performance. Consider: cobalt, iron, or nickel can be present as elements in blue and/or green inks, and the amount of ink used in printing a label, is rather small, as is any possible trace of iron as an impurity… The "magnetization" of such materials as carbon is a rare, esoteric, transient phenomenon that occurs under very specific conditions, is of very little strength - if even detectable - and is not about to take place in audio equipment so as to affect the performance in any way. This is a straw that the woo-woos have chosen to clutch at, and it will not support them. Since there’s limited interest in this speaker-cables matter among my regular readers, I’ll not stuff SWIFT with that material, though I’ll put up bulletins as soon as anything pertinent occurs. Also, my time is limited by the huge array of other subjects that require my attention, and I’ve only the same amount of time in the day that anyone else has. And only so much energy, as well… |
TRUDEAU AGAINReader Cameron Akers sends us a report in the Chicago Tribune that says the Federal Trade Commission is again looking at the shenanigans of Kevin Trudeau. Extracted from that article: Federal Trade Commission officials allege that Trudeau, 44, who grew his business from a base in Elk Grove Village, has violated a 2004 court order that bars him from using misleading infomercials to sell such books as "The Weight Loss Cure," which ranked ninth last week on Publisher Weekly’s list of best-selling non-fiction hardcover books. Andy, we all know that nothing will stop the homeopaths from promoting their zero-content, unproven, pseudoscientific nonsense, because their livelihood depends on the public investing in it. And the useless pills will continue to pass across the counters of pharmacies all over the world, into the medicine cabinets of the gullible and deceived… Asks Cameron: Maybe the FTC is finally going to try and be responsible? I can dream, right? A link to the full article can be found at: tinyurl.com/28uf3n. I’m not at all convinced that the FTC will actually get any action underway… But, as Cameron says, I can dream… |
NINE SILLY RULESJim Callahan, a “Paranormalist” at It is my sincere intent to make $1,000,00.00 off of James Randi and his foundation. Though the million dollars is not “on” me, as Jim seems to think, these are the “conditions” under which this genius says he’ll perform. Note that I’m not consulted, anywhere, so I’ll briefly comment on each of his “conditions” and set this man straight: (1) Test to take place in a public entertainment venue & may be televised live. Absolutely not. The JREF million-dollar challenge is not a circus, it’s a scientific test. The procedure may be recorded on video, and subsequently broadcast, but nothing will take place “live” on TV or with a public audience. Those two provisions would permit all sorts of feedback and communication, just what a mentalist would prefer… (2) Five examiners to control the area of testing. Okay. Those persons would be vetted and controlled, themselves. No problem here. (3) If Mr. Randi participates he may not speak with me directly for 12 hours prior to the test or while participating in it. I would not participate, so this is a moot point. (4) I [Jim Callahan] will submit to interviews with Mr. Randi or his representatives at any mutually convenient time prior to the test if it is deemed necessary No, you’ll submit to any and all inquiries we see necessary. (5) All verbal communications will be recorded. Sure. I’ll see to that. (6) Mr. Randi may speak directly to me as soon as test is complete. O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Oh, joy! I can’t wait! I’m all a-twitter! (7) Mr. Randi or his representative must bring a cashiers check for $1,000,000.00 or cash and will immediately hand over said sum in the event I am successful. Bullshit. Read the rules. (8) I will have the $5,000.00 in cash and it will be immediately surrendered if I am not successful. That will not be acceptable nor accepted. You don’t make the rules; I do. (9) Judgment to be rendered within 10 minutes of test completion. No, instantly, because no “judgment” is ever needed, according to the protocol. If a man says he can swallow a red-hot rivet without discomfort – for example – the results don’t take 10 minutes to be evident. No decision needs to be arrived at… In any case, this man has not made an application, so all this is just blather on his part. |
KRUGEL “RESPONDS” – SORT OFReader Rob Smith reports re last week’s item at tinyurl.com/25uwyb: I recently emailed Danie Krugel to ask if he planned to apply for the JREF challenge. To my surprise, he replied, writing:
This answer is sufficiently blithering for me to suspect he is trying to trap me into revealing how skeptical I am of his claims so he can justify (to himself) his refusal to answer my question. This is a tactic I occasionally come across. I was also bemused by the slightly grisly suggestion of using a “cancer tumor.” I thought a single hair was supposed to be sufficient to locate its previous owner’s body at a distance? What’s all this messing around with tumors? We’re not going to miss any sleep, waiting… |
SYLVIA IN THE COMICSReader Lorne Dmitruk sends us to cectic.com/063.html for the latest Sylvia Browne nightmare… |
COMPOUNDED WOO-WOOI’ve been sent an excellent example of the strange thinking processes used by the believers when a definitive investigation blows away one of their preferred fantasies. Here’s the letter: I’m writing to you about a very important matter to me and hopefully to you too. I watched the documentary movie about homeopathy and Dr. Zack [Jacques] Benveniste. I know you’ve participated in this documentary as well. As you were inspecting the experiment in Dr. Benveniste’s laboratory, you noticed that while the test tubes were labeled, the experiment succeeded. Here we see the firm assumption that the effect of human thought upon a simple molecule has already been proven, and that false assumption is offered to explain how the very well-designed protocol in the Horizon/BBC tests “failed” – from the woo-woo perspective. And, it’s obvious that this person has no notion of why the samples were re-labeled. Without that, the cheating could have gone right ahead… And, as I’ve pointed out before, that protocol was based on the design of Benveniste himself, with the close assistance of the homeopathic community – at a very high level. When it produced negative results, the excuse was that the homeopaths who were involved weren’t of sufficient caliber for that job… |
SCHOOLBOY PRANKI bring you the following tirade, which had to be corrected radically so that you’d be able to read it, at all. The sophomoric use of upper-case initials is preserved, though the text is condensed – intact – for clarity, and the punctuation is almost the same. What If You Discovered That the NASA That You Think You’ve Known. Has Been a Lie!? In "Dark Mission: the Secret History of NASA" the extent of NASA’s lies is finally, overwhelmingly revealed. Hmmm. This might change the history of “LA’s famed ‘Airport Hilton’” but not much more… |
SHUDDER…Reader Marius Myburg has been in touch with one Danie Joubert, who makes very strong claims for evidence of miraculous healing through faith. Marius shares with us this note he sent her: Hi Danie, Shortly after, Marius wrote to us: It looks like Danie has not only accepted my challenge to prove that faith healing works, but he also spoke to somebody else in his church who has also accepted my challenge, and they are now working to contact the parents and doctors involved to find supporting evidence for their claim. Danie mentioned that he is now trying to obtain before and after X-ray plates that demonstrate the ’miraculous healing’ of the boy I mentioned previously. |
UNDERSTANDABLEReader Lior Dagan is disappointed in Google… I am a father to a 1.5 months old baby, who is suffering from gas. Looking for help, I entered "baby gas relief" on Google and hit the "I’m feeling lucky" button. To my amazement and disappointment, it directed me to a site promoting a homeopathic "cure" at coliccalm.com/baby_infant_newborn_articles. Luckily for me, I have read about the efficacy of homeopathy in your site, among others. Maybe someone needs to have a chat with the Google guys. Lior, try to understand what Google does. Since there is widespread – and erroneous – belief in homeopathy, their system lists it – without making any value judgment on its merits… It’s the caveat emptor situation… |
GOOD DECISIONReader Bob Stacy, in Natick, Massachusetts, reports to us that European lawmakers, at a recent meeting in Strasbourg, France, approved, in a 48-25 vote, a report that criticizes Creationism advocates for potentially sacrificing children’s education "to impose religious dogma" and to promote "a radical return to the past." This was the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe [PACE] members. Their report said that Creationism, a belief that a supreme being created life and the universe, was "an almost exclusively American phenomenon" but that some of its tenets had migrated to Europe. This came as quite a surprise to me, I must admit. I’d no idea we were so far behind Europe. The PACE report said that denying pupils knowledge of various established theories – such as the actual age of the Earth – was "totally against children’s educational interests.” Creationism supporters, it said, endorse "a radical return to the past which could prove particularly harmful in the long term for all our societies.” The report also referred to the Muslim version of creationism, quoting a Turkish cleric’s work, "The Atlas of Creation," that was distributed to schools in Belgium, France, Spain and Switzerland. But we’re already accustomed to the ubiquitous presence of Bibles in hotel rooms, yet seem not to think that this book isn’t promoting a “radical return to the past.” It most certainly is … |
THAT MONSTER AGAINReader Jan Lewis just took an 11-day tour of Scotland. And she’s over-Nessied… The principal income generator of that country, after peddling jars of haggis to tourists, seems to be peddling stuffed Nessie toys to tourists. As our coach first approached the famous Loch, our guide started in on a gentle discussion of why he does not believe in Nessie... the number of members of the species you’d need to stay viable, the conditions of the Lochs and the water that make sightings so iffy, the amount of research that has been done that produces no sightings, etc. And also the story that the most famous image was confessed in a will to have been a hoax the whole time. Jan, it’s always refreshing to hear a rational approach to a popular subject, so yes, I’m smiling…! |
NO ARGUMENT HEREA reader sends us to www.thebigview.com/pastlife for amusement, with the suggestion that we check the disclaimer… |
CORRECTIONReader Robbert Folmer refers to a SWIFT item that brought me a lot of virulent denials and accusations. It’s at SWIFT October 5, 2007. I consider Mr. Folmer’s treatment far more constrained, and here it is: In a recent edition of Swift, a letter was published (Linda Reports) in which it was said that Ayaan Hirsi Ali had to flee from the Netherlands because of the movie Submission (a very accurate criticism on Islam), which she made together with Theo van Gogh. However, this was not the case. Although she did have to go into hiding, refusing to flee, it wasn’t until later that she had to leave the country. Not because of death threats, but because of something much less pressing, and to my mind, completely ridiculous. Thank you, Mr. Folmer… |
A WELCOME DOCUMENTReader Stafford Bryer sends us to a very important document, one that is carefully and thoughtfully prepared by the Parliamentary Assembly Council of Europe, to be seen at: Dangers of creationism in education. While I earnestly suggest that you read it, I can do no better a review than to quote the last item, #20: The Assembly welcomes the fact that 27 Academies of Science of Council of Europe member states signed, in June 2006, a declaration on the teaching of evolution and calls on academies of science that have not yet done so to sign the declaration. |
DEFINITIONSReader Sam Lewson writes: Here’s a good one for you. Apatheism. A theist believes in God. An atheist believes in no God. An agnostic doesn’t know. An apatheist just doesn’t care. |
HONEST “FAKIR”Wouter Bijdendijk, a Dutch magician working under the name Ramana has been levitating in Times Square and in front of the White House, as you’ll see. Though the TV commentators have managed – of course – to introduce woo-woo into his quite legitimate performance, inventing phrases such as, “leaning ever so slightly on a bamboo cane,” to lend a fact not shown or claimed in the stunt, the illusionist hovered several feet above the pavement, resting on a stick that he held with his left hand. "This is an art," he said, “requiring certain knowledge that you have to have. He also said that it involved “training” and “science,” inarguably true. “I hope I make people wonder," he added. A press release said that Ramana’s repertoire also includes "flying" up to 10 meters above the ground, “mind reading” and “other forms of Indian street trickery.” How refreshing. And if he were to bend a spoon, I’m sure he’d also dub it as a trick – unlike some spoonbenders we know… See this chap at work at tinyurl.com/2w5p2f |
IN CONCLUSION…It’s been a hectic week, with phone calls from all over, radio and other media interviews, requests for information – in short, what we do regularly. I won’t be here at the JREF for the end-of-month Open House, because I’m due in NYC for the opening of Jose Alvarez’ new show – The Visitors – at The Kitchen Gallery. All sorts of things for you next week, including fallout from the Phenomenon show… Until then… |