Top 10 Psychic Debunkings
Published on April 10, 2008 - 175 Comments
James Randi is a stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. In this list we see 10 of his best psychic debunking (and have a bonus clip of a lecture of his). These are all extremely damning to the practitioners of these magic arts and Randi makes no apologies for his tough approach; in fact he is offering a reward of $1 million to anyone who can demonstrate evidence of any paranormal, supernatural or occult power or event, under test conditions agreed to by both parties. As of this time, no one has claimed this prize.
According to Randi, a large number of European businesses uses graphology (the ability to determine a person’s traits by their handwriting) to help in their hiring process. In this clip, Randi tests a professional graphologist to determine whether they actually do have the ability to recognize certain traits, or whether their results are determined entirely by chance.
Astrology is the ability to forecast a person’s life based upon the positions of the stars and other heavenly bodies. In this clip we see a very prolific astrologer giving a reading for a selected person in the audience. The best part of this clip is the series of witty comments at the end made by Stephen Fry. Excuse the sound quality at the start - it does improve.
Psychometry is the ability to determine information about a person through their personal possessions. In the clip above, James Randi sets up a test for a woman claiming to have psychometry abilities. Unfortunately for her, the test did not go well.
Crystal power is the idea that certain crystals effect a person in a particular way. For this reason they are used for healing and psychic readings. In the test above, a professional crystal healer was tested. This is definitely one of the best clips. Despite the result, the “psychic” took it all very well.
Aura reading is the ability to see the aura (a field of color that radiates from an object) around people. In this clever test, James Randi has the reader see the auras of 5 people and then has them stand behind a thin wall. The reader then determines where each person is standing behind the wall based on their auras.
Telekenesis is when a person is able to move objects with the mind. In the 1980s, James Hydrick developed a cult like following due to his abilities. In this clip, we see James Randi debunk him on television. Some years later Hydrick was exposed as a criminal and he confessed his psychic fraud. He admitted that he learnt his trick whilst in jail. I am not sure what he spent time in jail for, but it may well have been crimes against fashion.
Clairvoyants claim to have the ability to communicate with the dead. In this clip we see a reading performed by Maureen Flynn which is analyzed and tested by James Randi. He exposes the various tricks used psychics of this variety.
Dowsing is the ability to locate water, oil, minerals, objects, locations, missing persons etc. using such objects as a metal rod, a pair of bent wires, a forked stick, a pendulum or the open hands.
In this clip, a special device is used to determine whether a person is receiving thoughts sent by a second person. The most interesting comment of the clip is when James asks the man responsible for the device whether he would consent to electricians looking inside he exclaims “I most certainly would not!” Pseudo-science at its best.
This clip demonstrates that psychic abilities and supposed gifts from God are often coupled with fraud and financial gain for the psychic. Peter Popoff, the evangelist seen here, should have done prison time for the web of lies and deceit he wove. At the height of his career (just prior to being exposed by James Randi, he was earning over 4 million dollars a year). After declaring bankruptcy, Popoff is back at work defrauding thousands of people. For more information, see the wikipedia article.
I realize that homeopathy is not related to psychic abilities (though it is about as credible) but this last video had to be included. In this clip, James Randi explains how homeopathic medicine works (or rather, how it doesn’t). An excellent lecture that any person considering using homeopathic medicine should hear.
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1. stevenh - April 10th, 2008 at 6:39 am
I KNEW you were going to do this list…
2. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 6:40 am
stevenh: haha how did you know?
3. otay - April 10th, 2008 at 6:41 am
Great list!
4. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 6:43 am
The homeopathy lecture blew me away. I can’t believe so many people fall for it!
5. otay - April 10th, 2008 at 6:45 am
Miss Cleo told me this list was coming by the way!
6. otay - April 10th, 2008 at 6:47 am
I suppose that “Homeopathic” doctors can be found everywhere in the world, we have more than our share in the USA.
7. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 6:48 am
hahaha how stupid am I? I only JUST got stevenh’s joke because of what otay said. Now I get it - har har!
8. otay - April 10th, 2008 at 6:54 am
Guess im slow this morning too….i didnt get it either, thought i was first to joke about it. My day is shot to hell now! lol
9. HexenBexen - April 10th, 2008 at 6:56 am
I admit, I’m a bit of an astrology buff. I don’t take it as gospel, but sometimes I can’t deny the accuracy.
I loved this list! Interesting stuff.
10. JLo - April 10th, 2008 at 6:59 am
BOB BARKER!!!!!!!!!! I love Bob Barker.
11. stevenh - April 10th, 2008 at 7:03 am
…that was fun…
12. warrrreagl - April 10th, 2008 at 7:03 am
Okay, how psychic is it that yesterday in my comments I mentioned The Amazing Randi, and today here he is as the subject of an entire list?
It must be MAGIC……
13. Moriarti - April 10th, 2008 at 7:04 am
I’m glad this is drawing attention to Randi, everyone who has ever believed in these types of things should take a look at this list. Good one JF
14. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 7:05 am
warrrreagl: You must have inadvertently used thought transference to get the idea in to my head! Spooky!
Moriati: I agree - Randi is great - not only is he smart, he is funny.
15. Randall - April 10th, 2008 at 7:10 am
jfrater:
Jamie… psssstt… I think you spelled “Transference” wrong there, buddy, in #2…. sssshhhh… promise I won’t tell anyone.
16. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 7:17 am
Randall: thanks - and thanks for your discretion - it is much appreciated
17. HandyMandy - April 10th, 2008 at 7:18 am
I really need to get some speakers. I would love to hear the lecture about homeopathy. Is there anywhere online I can look it up to read it?
18. funbutfunctional - April 10th, 2008 at 7:28 am
I love that I have an advert for a psychic named Jenna at the top of this list. I hope she gets plenty of extra business….
19. Iâran - April 10th, 2008 at 7:30 am
One of the best lists ever! This should be obligatory wieving in schools!
The lady “psychometrist” in clip 8 did not look very happy, though… She got busted, and she knew it!
20. Qlovelee - April 10th, 2008 at 7:32 am
Good List J.
21. Chris - April 10th, 2008 at 7:40 am
Video 1,2,3 didn’t work for me.
22. Cheeshygirl - April 10th, 2008 at 8:02 am
House, House, I saw House! Hugh Laurie is awesome. It’s kinda weird listening to him in his normal voice. I’ve gotten so used to him playing an American. Great list, by the way. I had seen the one with Mr. James “bowl-cut” Hydrick before and couldn’t stop laughing. It’s amazing what people will believe. Keep up the great work Jamie!
23. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Chris: try a refresh.
funbutfunctional: she must be doing okay to be paying for a full sized advert like that! Wow. Lots of money in lies I guess
Qlovelee: thanks - I really enjoyed putting this one together!
HandyMandy: if you search google you might something on his website - he has a foundation I believe.
Iâran: I totally agree - perhaps it would help to put an end to the foolishness once and for all!
24. dave4248 - April 10th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Popoff is a jerk, granted. But anyone who follows him now, after he was exposed, only DESERVES what they get. I hope they get jobbed out of their entire life savings.
25. sue - April 10th, 2008 at 8:24 am
Interesting…the comments r funny too
26. copperdragon - April 10th, 2008 at 8:31 am
The astrology test wasn’t very conclusive by Randi’s definition. Hugh Lawrie is an actor. Actors are usually extroverts, and I know Lawrie is a bit eccentric. I think Randi cheated a little by using/having two professional actors. Plus its very easy to have an astrologer say “my reading shows you are eccentric. is that true?” and for the subject to say “no”. Oh darn, you debunked me.
The best test of astrology is using twins. If astrology were accurate, twins would have the same personalities, as they were obviously born on the same month,day,year,time and place (the “markers” of astrological readings). Although some twins are very much alike, there are plenty of examples of twins being completely different, and sometimes opposite, in their personalities.
27. sue - April 10th, 2008 at 8:31 am
It’s 6.35pm where I am,so its good morning to u all,and good night as well!
28. CRE - April 10th, 2008 at 8:50 am
The only comment I will make is that dowsing is real, and I’ve watched it first hand. My father was a plumber and an excavator, and we used dowsing all the time to find water lines. It has to be done properly, and, if it is, the two rods that you hold will come together and cross. It’s a simple question of magnetics. I don’t profess to know all of the underlying principles, but it is very easy to do. As for finding non-magnetic things, I have never seen dowsing do that.
29. toolnut - April 10th, 2008 at 8:50 am
I can’t wait til I get home so I can watch these!! I love watching mystics get their asses handed to them.
30. kim - April 10th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Video 1-3 didnt work for me either. Pooh!
31. chris - April 10th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Nice list. lol @ anyone who seriously believes in any of this crap.
32. Eric - April 10th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Wow - James Hydrick got owned!
33. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Toolnut: you will definitely enjoy them - I guarantee it
Eric: yeah - that is one of the best clips
34. Randall - April 10th, 2008 at 9:32 am
CRE:
No no no. Explain to me how it is a “simple question of magnetics”—when dealing with WATER.
Look…. here’s the last world in debunking dowsing, or “wishing,” from the master Himself (I bow to Him)… CECIL ADAMS:
“Good Lord, dowsing? Next you’re going to tell me you got a great deal on a time-share condo. This is about the oldest dodge in the books.
You don’t describe what your “participation” consisted of, but let me guess: you watched some old geek with a divining rod (typically a forked stick held in a peculiar grip with both hands, but sometimes just an ordinary single stick) wander around the desert for a while with a look of concentration on his face.
By and by the stick began to quiver, and suddenly plunged sharply downward, whereupon he exclaimed something to the effect of, “Dig here, you’ll find water.” Then he said, “You try it, sonny, it’ll work for you, too.” And gosharoonie, he gave you the stick and showed you how to hold it and lo and behold, when you got to the spot where the stick had plunged down for the old coot, it did the same thing for you–just like some mysto force had grabbed onto it.
Naturally, since water in Arizona is typically found 175 to 200 feet below the surface, you didn’t actually dig a well to test the accuracy of the rod, but assumed that since it worked for you, it must be legit.
Congratulations, sucker. You’ve fallen victim to the classic Skeptical Young Guppy Becomes True Believer syndrome, described in great detail in a study of dowsing (as wishing is sometimes called) published by two University of Chicago researchers in 1959. “Wishing,” incidentally, is a corruption of “witching,” as in “water witching,” the most common American expression for dowsing, AKA rhabdomancy and divination.
Although divining has been around in various forms for millennia, the well-known forked stick method appears to have been devised in the mining districts of Germany (you can supposedly find minerals with a dowsing rod, too) in the late 15th or early 16th century. It was first formally described in an essay in 1556, and since then has been spread around the world by European colonists. In the past 400 years, more than a thousand essays, books, and pamphlets have been published on the subject.
Needless to say, dowsing is entirely a fraud, although often an unconscious one. Innumerable experiments, beginning in 1641–that’s right, 1641–have demonstrated that:
(a) The presence of water has no discernible effect on a rod held above it, whether the rod is made of wood, metal, or anything else.
(b) The success rate for diviners is about the same as that for people who use the hit-and-miss method when looking for water.
(c) Geologists trained to recognize telltale surface clues (certain kinds of rocks and plants, various topographical features) will invariably far outdo dowsers in predicting where water will be found, and at what depth.
Nevertheless, belief in dowsing has persisted, partly because most people secretly want to believe in magic, partly because water is fairly easy to find in most parts of the inhabitable world, and partly because the plunging-stick phenomenon seems so convincing to untutored observers.
It’s worth noting that in many parts of the eastern U.S. it is virtually impossible to dig a hole and not find water. Granted it’s tougher in the west, but I lived in Tucson for a spell and they had gotten well-digging down to such a science that the success rate approached 100 percent. Even over complex hydrological formations, the success rate by the hit-and-miss method is often as high as 75 percent.
The plunging-stick phenomenon is caused by a well-documented psychological effect known as “ideomotor action,” first described in the 1800s and clinically demonstrated in the 1930s. What happens is that conscious thought gives rise to involuntary, usually imperceptible muscle movements.
If I strapped you to a table in a lab and loaded you up with sensors and told you to just think about raising your arm–but not to actually do so–the sensors would probably detect some slight upward motion in that arm, which you’d be completely unconscious of. Ouija boards and several other seance-type tricks make use of this principle.
In forked-stick dowsing, the two ends of the stick are held in a rather uncomfortable grip in such a way that the stick is under considerable tension–coiled up like a spring, as it were. Any of four minor muscle movements will result in the stick taking a sudden lurch downward (you can try this in the backyard sometime).
An experienced dowser, who has often picked up a fair bit of practical geological knowledge, particularly if he has worked in the same geographical area for many years, often develops a good instinct for judging where water might be just by looking at the terrain. When he walks around doing his number with the stick his mind unconsciously transmits this knowledge to his arm muscles, with predictable results.
You, the young sap, don’t know anything about geology, but you do know where the stick pointed the first time, and unconsciously you want to duplicate that feat. If either you or the dowser is blindfolded, though, you won’t even get close to the spot twice.
Besides forked sticks you can use barbed wire, a fork and spoon, coat hangers, welding rods, even a bunch of keys hanging by a chain from a Bible. If you want more information on this ridiculous art, most libraries have lots of books on the subject–right next to the section on tarot cards.”
35. Ari-chan - April 10th, 2008 at 9:41 am
^-^ I practice Reiki and spiritual healing and such. One thing I Have noticed is that if you do not believe in any of it, it won’t work. It’s kind of like the placebo affect. As with all magic or anything of that nature.
Also, with aura readings I’m very skeptical about people who say they can. A true aura reader should not have to worry about walls or anything. It is energy, and as with all energy walls and such should not be hindrances.
Believe me, I’ve been tested by skeptics quite a few times and I usually refuse to take up their offer. Why? Because if you actively refuse to see something then it won’t be there. Therefore why try to convince someone who has already made up their mind that it will not work.
ANYWAY! Sorry, I went on a bit of a rant…Hopefully I won’t get flamed for any of this. I know I do at home
36. SoCalJeff - April 10th, 2008 at 9:46 am
good stuff on homeopathic medicine. i’m embarrassed. i have the calmes forte somewhere in my medicine cabinet. i didn’t even know i was buying something like this when i did.
37. nellerbear - April 10th, 2008 at 10:01 am
If you liked him, make sure to watch some Penn & Teller Bullshit! on Showtime, or rent the DVDs, he shows up on a few episodes helping to show how these people try and trick you.
38. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Randall: the ideomotor action is also probably the cause of ouija boards appearing to work. Unintentional pushing from well-wishing or hopeful participants.
SoCalJeff: I didn’t realize just how fraudulent it was until I saw that clip - I knew it was airy fairy - but not as bad as that.
39. Randall - April 10th, 2008 at 10:12 am
jfrater:
Precisely. Parker Brothers understood this crap long before we were born, in other words, and made mucho bux out of a huge time-waster, (Ouija) relying on the same silliness that explains dowsing.
All the good ideas are taken, dammit.
40. Blogball - April 10th, 2008 at 10:14 am
I will have to watch these clips when I get home. Lousy internet speed here at work.
I was thinking of putting a suggestion in the suggestion box at work to please get a higher speed connection so I can watch listverse clips but decided that probably wouldn’t be a good idea.
Any way does anybody remember that Uri Geller? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uri_Geller
It say’s in the article\he actually threatened legal action against some of his critics.
Good Luck Uri.
41. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Blogball: Uri Geller has been debunked by Randi many times. Unfortunately Randi made a false statement about him in a Japanese newspaper and Geller sued and won (though got no money).
42. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Randall: ah - not all the best ideas - they haven’t stolen the Listverse Game idea yet! (I do still need to invent it mind you)
43. Yogi Barrister - April 10th, 2008 at 10:22 am
I love guys like Randi. The rational universe is amazing enough as it is, you don’t need to gussy it up with bullshit.
BTW has anyone ever seen Randi and Rabdall together in the same room?
44. Yogi Barrister - April 10th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Rabdall? Can somebody tell me where to find the letter N on my keyboard?
45. Kraeg - April 10th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Ari-chan:
I have one question - if you actively admit that Reiki/Spiritual healing/ and their ilk are “kind of like the placebo affect”, why assign any reason to it other than the Placebo Effect? What do you see as the difference between what you do and the Placebo Effect?
I am very interested in the desire to believe in a mystical ability when you accept the Placebo effect and it’s role in the outcome of what you do. Can you elaborate?
46. the hound - April 10th, 2008 at 10:45 am
well fuck me in the beard. my mom’s been usuing homeopathy for almost a year and a half now. and its $133 for a little vial of pills that last a week!
47. Jmurf - April 10th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Yogi, it was there when you typed the capital N
I don’t know if its psychic but would having a pain in your leg or something like that before its going to rain or some other weather disturbance be psychic. I don’t have that but have heard it many times
48. Randall - April 10th, 2008 at 10:48 am
jfrater:
By such modest starts as these, financial empires are built.
“Opera singer Jamie Frater built his multimillion dollar business concerns on the back of a wildly popular board game based on a web site he created, where troubled weirdo loners would write in, arguing about things like Led Zeppelin and whether or not god exists.
‘I saw civilisation grinding to a halt,’ says Frater, ‘and took advantage of the crash. Worked out pretty well…. for me,’ he says, pleased with himself.”
If only, though, he’d published that list Randall wrote for him weeks ago… he MIGHT have made another million or two…. hmmmm….. (ha ha)
49. SlickWilly - April 10th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Randall: I beg your pardon, but I am not a troubled weirdo loner. I have lots of other troubled weirdos I hang out with.
50. Chris - April 10th, 2008 at 10:55 am
In the description of faith healing, it says that the man was making 4 million a month, but in the video, I think it says 4 million a year.
Doesn’t Popoff kind of remind you of Eli in There Will be Blood (excellent movie, I recommend it to everyone)? He sounds just as ridculous. “I am a false prophet and God is a superstition!” -Eli
51. DarkWolf - April 10th, 2008 at 10:57 am
This is probably my favorite list of all time. While I do believe in some of these things, I love seeing fakes and frauds called out and shamed.
52. CK - April 10th, 2008 at 11:01 am
“I am not sure what he spent time in jail for, but it may well have been crimes against fashion.”
Best line ever. Haha…
53. CK - April 10th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Jmurf - I think pain in the joints before rain has more to do with arthritis than psychic abilities. I heard somewhere (and don’t quote me on this) that arthritic people can feel rain coming because their joints soak up the moisture in the air brought in by the rain.
I’m not a scientist or believe in psychic abilities but I know my joints hurt when rain is coming. It doesn’t happen everytime but it happens often enough that when my wrist or elbow starts hurting, I wonder if rain will follow.
54. stevenh - April 10th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Randall:
I just sent my wife the link to the homeopathy video…
While I have always been a weirdo, I suspect that I may be a bit more in trouble and alone very soon now…so I suppose I qualify.
55. Miss Destiny - April 10th, 2008 at 11:18 am
I am a weirdo with the psychic stuff, I’m fascinated by it. I don’t put too much stock into it, if any at all after this list, but I do enjoy reading books and watching TV programs about it.
Speaking of TV programs, House is one of my very favorite shows, so Hugh Laurie was a nice treat!
56. Randall - April 10th, 2008 at 11:24 am
I totally cop to being weird, myself. Only mildly troubled… not so much a loner.
stevenh: yikes man…. sounds like something dark brewing on the horizon, eh?
57. Mom424 - April 10th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Ha ha ha “There is no spoon”
Seriously Homeopathy and charlatans like Popoff are dangerous. Credulous fools who believe the shtick and forgo conventional medicine. Isn’t fraud illegal?
58. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 11:41 am
CK: hehe thanks - I felt that line was inspired - even if I do say so myself!
59. mezzalyrica1184 - April 10th, 2008 at 11:46 am
boo to not being able to view youtube at work!
can’t wait to watch these later, should be really cool
60. troyfamu - April 10th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Mom424: The biggest problem with Popov and the like is that the people belive it is working even AFTER fraud is proven. Popov should never have had a willing audience after his sham was discovered. There are several other “evangelists” out there who come on t.v. and scream that God is telling you to send money to further His kingdom. All the while, said evangelist is enjoying life in 3 different vacation homes, with 10 cars and a jet. It makes me sick.
61. Csimmons - April 10th, 2008 at 11:55 am
troyfamu: Said evangelist is probably enjoying a few hookers as well.
62. troyfamu - April 10th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Csimmons: good point…you know the old saying, “what happens in the rectory, stays in the rectory”.
63. Csimmons - April 10th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
troyfamu: It’s more like what “what happens in the rectory, stays on the internet” Same goes for Vegas.
64. toolnut - April 10th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
CK: it is not just people with arthritis that experience this. Any kind of injury to the joint (such as dislocation) would cause the same experience. I’m not sure what it is about the joints but if you have any kind of sensitivity there you can tell when the weather’s gonna change
65. Memi - April 10th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
First: I LOVE Bob Barker!!
Second: What a bunch of nut jobs these people are!
Third: I have a new love for James Randi!
66. troyfamu - April 10th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Has Randi done anything with the guy from “Crossing Over”. I know it’s not real but the guy is talented. He could probably get the people in the audience to paint his house by the end of the show.
67. Mom424 - April 10th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
toolnut, ck; you can feel it in your joints because of the sudden drop in barometric pressure that happens before/during a change in weather.
68. Cedestra - April 10th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I think it’s nice to take people down a notch or two if they get full of themselves, but if someone is subscribing in to their notion, and it makes them happy, is it wrong? That is to say, the person above who mentioned their mother spending $133 a week on homeopathy- if it’s in her budget and seems to be working, whether it’s the placebo effect or not, is it necessary to debunk it to her?
I dabble with occult matters, as mentioned above, but I always take them with a grain of salt. In astrology, I fit “Pisces, Virgo rising, moon in Libra” fairly well. Not 100%, mind you, but pretty close. When someone tells me their sign, I keep it in mind, but don’t hold it against them or judge them.
Oh, and speaking of astrology, it was featured on The Universe a few weeks ago. Apparently, it’s not very accurate anyway, since ancient Greeks split the zodiac up into 12 neat months, whereas the actual zodiac constellations aren’t so methodical. Scorpio, for instance, is only around for a few weeks, whereas Virgo is for 44 days.
And there was also a 13th constellation: Ophiuchus, the serpent holder.
69. troyfamu - April 10th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Cedestra: In the movie “Bull Durham”, your point is made by the star saying, “…if you think you’re playing good because your getting laid or not getting laid…then you ARE…”
But I think alot of people who are being duped do not have the monetary capacity to keep it up. They are close to the end of their rope and will do anything to find an “answer”.
70. Kreachure - April 10th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Talking about what Ari-chan said, I prefer to think about it as ‘inverse Placebo effect’. So, there may be some strange methods in science and alternative medicine that MAY work, but if you don’t understand them or believe in them, then you might be blocking the chances of them working. Shouldn’t it work both ways?
I think it’s all in the power of the mind, and there’s still so much to learn about it by science.
Remember that science hasn’t proved or debunked all the mysteries in the world, and what we think is magic or nonsense today, may one day be explained by science as very real…
(But ‘magnificent bastards’ who take advantage of people’s faith and hope in order to make money and deceive millions with intentional fraud really make my blood boil.)
71. copperdragon - April 10th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Cedestra: you are my new best friend!!
I am an amateur astronomer and I love telling people how wrong astrology is. From the twins effect to earth’s precession to the 13th zodiac constellation, astrology has no basis in science, reality or fact.
Jfrater: how about the top 10 reasons Astrology is wrong!!
72. carpe_noctem - April 10th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Just because I have a lot of time on my hands and nothing to fill it with, i may as well give my opinion!
10. Handwriting can’t be linked to anything really; it’s used in criminal analysis as basis of background, but some of the most well-educated people on the planet have disgusting handwriting. It’s much more the content of the excerpt than the handwriting itself, like use of semicolons, correct usage of than and then etc. that indicates anything about education, and even then it’s a push. I do find it interesting that the only person he chose correctly was the artist, and she probably had the most artistic language use to begin with!
9. I’m Australian, so we’ve got lots of magazines circulating, none with very much to say. For work experience at one of these magazine companies, my at the time 15 year old sister’s job for the week was to write the horoscopes. I think that pretty much encompasses the subject.
8. That woman looked so pissed off. You could tell after about ten seconds that she knew she was screwed. Makes me wonder what shows like this do to these people’s careers. Something else i find amazing is that, even though statistics indicate that they should get 1/5 correct, or in the dowsing guy, find it on his 3rd or 4th attempt, there’s a relatively small statistical chance of every single one of these obeying statistics… Sorry if i said the word statistic 19 times just then…
7. Love the woman’s reaction! She tried to make excuses about the crystal’s power being dampened by the covering, but then she just thought fuck it, i’m already in trouble, i may as well turn it into a joke. And i immediately debunk any method of ‘psychic proof’ that involves one person pressing on another’s arm. Unless you’re accustomed to lifting people at arm’s length and have triceps the size of argentina, then someone pushing on your outstretched arm is going to push it down, no matter how many crystals you’re holding.
6. Haha, he tried to use their silhouettes to judge where they were. That certainly didn’t work out too well for him… I’m quite impressed he got two though, and by the looks of things, so was he.
5. Definitely my favourite! The fact that he started almost laughing when he re-attempted the page turn with styrofoam would’ve given it away to most people, but you have to love the way he approaches it from a distance and fails, walks away, and when he re-approaches from a closer distance it miraculously turns. And Randi just completely dismissing the pencil idea, love it! He doesn’t even try to make it look good, he just gets down and waves his hands and it’s off spinning. Also, you have to love the fact that Hydrick doesn’t even bother to offer to shake Randi’s hand at any stage, he has to be forced into it.
4. I’m not religious, sorry. Dead people are dead. If someone’s profession is talking to dead people, then not only are they mentally imbalanced on numerous levels, but they’re no better than the puppy-dog faced kid from The Sixth Sense, only they try to get money out of talking to random dead people, instead of running around in a sad-eyed frenzy of attempting to help the recently deceased.
3. I’ve always felt that dowsing was complete and utter fiction, so it’s nice to see someone (in this case Randall…) who agrees with what i’ve always felt to be true, people have a habit of involuntary movements if they feel that something should be happening. And water doesn’t exhibit a magnetic field. If your water is magnetic, then you have bigger problems to worry about than whether or not you’re psychic, you potentially have some kind of alien spacecraft in the vicinity, or a massive nuclear fallout messing with you. Either way your organs are probably going to be examined by someone in the near future, hopefully while you’re dead.
and the last three didn’t really work for me…
to anyone that lasted this far, it’s entirely probable you need to get a life.
73. carpe_noctem - April 10th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
and i’m a libra, i’m meant to be all balanced and that… if you had the pleasure to read what i just wrote, ask yourself one more time juuust how balanced everything is in me
74. Kraeg - April 10th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Kreachure -
I mostly agree with you about the magic of today is the science of tomorrow.
But it really pertains more to our understanding of the event witnessed and/or measured. So we may find that we do not yet have the understanding of what our data means, but we do have the data. For so-called phenomena that fall under the psychic or mystical heading, we are unable to collect any data.
The point of debunking these ideas, even at the expense of negating the Placebo Effect, is to eliminate the power of the asshole that preys upon human hope and gullibility.
You are correct that we haven’t nearly begun to unravel all the mysteries of the universe, but we have a pretty good idea about how to go about discovering the unknowns. Psychic phenomena neatly removes itself from even that category. Most tend to be completely ‘unreadable’ by any of the very, very sensitive measuring tools at our disposal.
75. Cedestra - April 10th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Hmmm, I’m going to amend my statement. There are points when people should be debunked; we are in an age of science and proof. However, if the result is mostly harmless, I still agree that perhaps it should be left alone.
76. kiwiboi - April 10th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
“The only comment I will make is that dowsing is real, and I’ve watched it first hand.”
CRE - as have I,twice (maybe 20 years ago, by guys working for our local water board in NZ). And they were successful both times.
However, I have since read some compelling studies that make me realise that there is virtually no basis for believing in dowsing.
I just read about Randi “debunking” dowsing in a controlled experiment in Australia (very politely, I have to add). I found his comments about dowsers interesting - he certainly doesn’t appear to think they set out to fool people :
“One thing must be made clear dowsers on the whole are very honest folk. They believe in what they do. Unfortunately their belief is poorly placed.”
Read the details here, if you are interested :
http://www.skeptics.com.au/articles/divining.htm
77. carpe_noctem - April 10th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Kreachure: You say that what’s magic today might be science tomorrow, and hey, that works for people who thought lightning was because they forgot to slaughter a goat to the she-goblins, and fire was hot because the demon who created it was angered by their presence, but the inverse is also true, what was science 50 years ago is laughable by today’s standards. Heroin was prescribed as baby paracetomol, i can just see the advertising campaign.
As for whether or not it’s worth eliminating the placebo effect just for the sake of reason overcoming belief, it’s a debate that’s been going on since the dawn of time. Is it better to believe something you want to with no proof than to have the truth forced upon you. I think Australia’s the greatest nation in the universe (don’t worry JFrater, New Zealand’s a close second), but if someone came along to tell me precisely why that wasn’t so, I can’t say I’d be too thrilled at him. Sometimes people are happy believing what they want to believe, and i say, since all this is an absolute load of bullshit to me, it’ll never work for me. I bet if you looked really hard in your own life in relation to: ‘Taurus - you will meet someone new that will change things for the better, and some monetary issues that may have been troubling you won’t seem so bad’ then you’ll find connections. In fact, I bet I could find some aspect of truth in every single one of the horoscopes. People can never be told what to believe.
78. copperdragon - April 10th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Top 8 reasons Astrology doesn’t work
Twin’s Effect
If astrology works, why don’t twins have the same personality as each other? They share all the “astrological markers” of date, time, and location of birth.
Constellation count
Why doesn’t astrology recognize the constellation Ophiuchus? The sun, moon and planets spend more time “in” this constellation than in Scorpius. And what about the other constellations that are sometimes visited, like Orion.
Earth’s Precession
If astrology works, it should work for all time periods, including when Thuban was the North Pole Star (about 26000 yrs ago), and the constellations were slightly shifted.
Distance is not a factor
One of astrologer’s main claims is that the solar system objects affect us because of their gravity or their “pull” on us. Pluto is treated with the same force as Mars, yet it is much farther away, and planets that orbit other stars get no mention.
Size matters?
Along the lines of distance, planetary size doesn’t seem to matter. The Sun, being largest, is used to indicate our main “sign”, yet Pluto (or Mercury) are given the same importance as Jupiter. If size doesn’t matter, what about the asteroids? What about other galaxies, which are much larger in size, despite their distance.
Visibility counts for alot
In the beginnings of astrology, only the visible planets were included (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn). When Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were discovered, astrologers were quick to include them and give them powers and abilities. Wouldn’t they have had these influences all along? What about planets around other stars that we can’t see?
You have a 1 in 12 chance of winning
There is no way that every human on the planet falls into one of only twelve general personalities.
Conjunction, junction, what’s your function
Once an astrologer has your date, place and time of birth, they create a flat “chart” showing where the planets were in the sky at that time. They then measure the angles between the objects to determine how they might affect each other. Triangles and squares are important. Also, if two or more planets are in the same constellation (conjunction) or on opposite sides of the chart (opposition), special note is taken.
The problem is that the sky is not flat. Two objects that seem in conjunction (say, Mercury and Jupiter) could be millions of miles away from each other in space. We just see them in line from our point of view. They have no affect on us or each other.
79. Anna - April 10th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Do a Michael Shermer list next!
80. Cedestra - April 10th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Although, copperdragon, it’s funny to see astrology applied to definate proofs. Someone recently applied astrology to the primaries and was correct. I mean, yes, that’s a 50/50 shot between Obama and Clinton… Actually, I’m unsure of the statistics. I’d be curious
Also interesting about astrology: when Pluto was stripped of it’s planetary title (we all should know by now that we’re back to 8 planets in our solar system), Astrologers went ape-shit about signs associated with Pluto being all out of whack. My husband is a Scorpio (maybe? perhaps? Possibly an Ophiuchus) and it spelled disaster for him. He’s in a stable job, happily married (?), with enough money, and good family, and good friends.
I should say my grains of salt might be more like cubes at times. I find occult practices facinating, but I’m not stupid.
81. Cedestra - April 10th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Another one to add to your list, copperdragon: Each of the planets was pretty subjectively named. They pointed to a planet and said “that’s Mercury, so it MUST be associated with intelligence and travel”. Well, what if they got the planets wrong? What if Mars should really be all about love and females? Boy, wouldn’t that screw up that book.
82. AmazingThor - April 10th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
First off, has anyone ever taken a look inside an e-reader and shown that it does nothing? I seem to recall a 20/20 (or similar show) do an expose on that crap.
Second, I’ve always known that dowsing (its called “diving” in my neck of the woods) was bogus, but when we called the water company to find our septic tank (we just bought the house) they sent out a guy with a dowsing rod! He found it real quick, I don’t know how. I guess there was a very limited area to guess from, but I still found it odd. You would think that the water company of all people would know that dowsing is BS.
83. deliciousdanger - April 10th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
… Well, I in the past have read auras myself, so I’m not ready to pass that off just yet.
There’s a lot about the world and our bodies that we don’t understand yet. Just saying.
84. copperdragon - April 10th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
cedestra: most amateur astronomers still consider Pluto a planet. It’s the professionals who are discounting it. I live in Flagstaff, Arizona, where Pluto was discovered, and believe me, no body here thinks its anything less.
Astrologers got mad because it messed up their computer software and readings. But wouldn’t it still have the same “weight” to them, even without the title?
85. AmazingThor - April 10th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Someone above mentioned Jonathan Edwards (from “Crossing Over”) They talked about him on Penn and Teller’s BS. He is waaay to smart to offer demonstrations when there is not a controlled environment. Everyone who watches his show must sign a confidentiality contract (don’t know the leagl term). Another great BSes who keeps popping up is Kevin Trudeau and his health secrets “they don’t want you to know.” Its all BS and he’s been in prison many times already. I don’t think its sad that people are so trusting, but its sad that so many will exploit that trait.
86. John - April 10th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Hugh Laurie = God!
House M. D. is my all time favorite show!
I think this was before he got big though.
Not sure.
87. copperdragon - April 10th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
also, our current planet names come from Roman mythology, based on the planets movement and appearance (Mercury fast, Mars blood-red, Venus beautiful, Jupiter largest), and applied to the properties of their gods that matched.
Astrologers take those properties as literal, and apply them to us.
88. Otter - April 10th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Why aren’t any of the videos working??
89. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Otter: restart your browser - they are all working but sometimes youtube goes screwey without a restart of the browser.
90. enric373 - April 10th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Awesome list! I love James Randi! I’m not sure if anyone has already pointed this out, but it is rather interesting that Hugh Laurie says he isn’t the type of person described, but DID go on to play someone on House, M.D. exactly like that! Maybe someone should check Dr. House’s date of birth!!! haha!!
91. Crimanon - April 10th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
5 was upsetting… no Commercials! “The trick is”…Busted!
And the rest of the vids are no longer available. Something is keeping me from learning the truth, Uri Geller Curse you and your “Powers”!
92. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Crimanon: restart your browser - all of the clips are still working as far as I can tell.
93. Crimanon - April 10th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
For those who enjoy Bob “Boob” Barker, RIP … http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/7505/
94. Kreachure - April 10th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Carpe Noctem, how did you know I’m a Taurus! PSYCHIC POWERS, I TELLS YA!
By the way, here’s a little quote from “The Big Bang Theory” that sums up Astrology:
PENNY: I’m a Sagittarius, which probably tells you waaay more than you need to know.
SHELDON: Yes, it tells us that you participate in the mass cultural delusion that the sun’s apparent position relative to arbitrarily defined constellations at the time of your birth somehow affects your personality.
PENNY: (Puzzled) Participate in my what?
95. Dana - April 10th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
James Randi is my hero
96. jfrater - April 10th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Kreachure: I think you win the best comment of the day competition
97. Csimmons - April 10th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
kreachure: LOL! I love that show!
98. skipps - April 10th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
I find it funny that there’s a rather big ad that says “Jenna your Personal Psychic: Test her Skills for Free! Find out why she’s so different!”, right under the title “Top 10 Psychic Debunkings”.
Jenna’s on the wrong page.
99. Camille - April 10th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
how come only some of the videos worked and some of them didn’t??…good list though i enjoyed it
100. Crimanon - April 10th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
4 is funny… I do this for free beer, HA!
I want to Know the operating thetan level of the guy in 2?
1: “Touch me again and you’ll meet your god”- Me at a Church adventure with an ex. Scared the man Shitless!
101. Mel - April 10th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
7 down arent working for me either.
102. Mel - April 10th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
ok, it appears to have been just a glitch. i tried them again and they are playing.
103. Cedestra - April 10th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
All the videos are working for me, so it’s just not a conspiracy involving Jamie. #3 was shaky, but worked.
104. CK - April 10th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
mom424 - interesting, thanks!
I suppose I should get it checked out with my doctor. I’m sure my husband is tired of hearing me complain about my aching joints!
105. otay - April 10th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Astrology? I don’t believe in stuff from uranus!
106. Csimmons - April 10th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
otay: Here’s a little quote from futurama…
Fry: Hey, just as long as you don’t make me smell Uranus. [laughs]
Leela: I don’t get it.
Professor Farnsworth: Sorry, Fry, but astronomers renamed Uranus in 2620 to end that stupid joke once and for all.
Fry: Oh. What’s it called now?
Professor Farnsworth: Urrectum.
107. Blogball - April 10th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
As silly as that joke was I have to say I did LOL.
Nice way to end the day. It’s 5:30 I’m going home now to watch these clips.
108. sdggrant - April 10th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
As much as I hate faith healing, and the scumbags who preach it, wouldn’t it be safe to say that it works for some people? I think sometimes it could work as an offshoot of the placebo effect and people could get better simple because they believe they are healed. But looking at it that way, it would be more of a mental thing, and less about “faith” I guess.
109. Kreachure - April 10th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Oh, thank you Mr. Frater! Just as my horoscope predicted!
“Keep up the optimism in your projects; you will see a breakthrough soon. You may receive a pleasant compliment or gift from a person you didn’t expect. But be wary of seemingly risky investments. Your lucky number for today: 4.”
110. Jackie - April 10th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Wow, quick question for number 1 the faith healing. How did Randi get a hold of what the dude’s wife was saying during that whole spectacle?
111. Pandy - April 10th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
jfrater: OBVIOUSLY through psychic powers
112. manditaaknfv - April 10th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
hey most of the videos are no longer available! please update list!
113. AhClem - April 10th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
CRE (and anyone else):
My introduction to James Randi was the book “Flim-Flam”. In it, he debunks several paranormal claims. He has a whole chapter on dowsing and includes an extensive explanation of his testing methodology.
You can, of course, believe anything you choose but I think you’d be hard pressed to not question your beliefs after reading this.
The book is available from Amazon. Do you dare?
114. Crimanon - April 10th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Pandy: Nah! Jamie doesn’t have powers, HE’S GOT MINIONS!!!!!!!!
What is thy bidding my master?
115. Csimmons - April 10th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Crimanon: I second that
What does thou want oh powerful overlord?
116. Cthulhu - April 10th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
This list should be titled “James Randi’s Greatest Debunkings”. With the current title, I at least expected that some credit would be given to Harry Houdini for his work debunking some high-profile psychics back in the 1920s.
117. TerranRich - April 10th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Holy CRAP! The reading in #9 for Hugh Laurie sounds like a reading for House, his character, not the actor himself! That’s insane though.
118. Your Mom - April 10th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
How about an honorable mention for Miss Cleo?
“Call fer yer free readin’ now!”
119. jasontimmer - April 10th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I’m quite a skeptic myself, especially of people who make money by questionable means like this. However, I have had a few powerfully intuitive, if not downright psychic, moments in my life. I bet most people have. I have noticed that I have no control whatsoever over these events, and actually are usually not very useful at all. Interestingly, this kind of “paranormal” activity seems to pick up quite a bit after several days or weeks of intense meditation. (I’m a Zen student.) Many Zen practitioners acknowledge the occurence of “psychic” happenings in relation to meditation, and usually it seems they have no control over it.
120. goof_ball - April 10th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
thas pretty kool
121. Crimanon - April 10th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
CSIMMONS: MY Faithful servant, Go forth and find Three lactating virgins. Two of every flavor of jelly belly(R) jelly beans. And to prove yourself once and for all, your Greatest challenge One Cup Of Argyle Socks…. Take This Enchanted UMBRELLA… it’s raining outside.
122. Phillies - April 10th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
I’m just glad he called BS on that thievin preacher in Number 1. It’s one thing when you’re doing it for entertainment, but when you are flat-out fooling people and taking their money in good faith…nope, not gonna tolerate it
Overall, an A list!
123. davo - April 10th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
what’s scary is that there needs to be someone to debunk these, and that people out actually believe in this rubbish!
124. Megan - April 10th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
WOW OH WOW!!! HUGH LAURIE IS ON #9!!! I love him so much!!! I knew it was him before his name came up!!!
125. Csimmons - April 10th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Crimanon: Only to Jamie, you are but a slave as well as me, what ever he wants, we get.
Oh, and I hate this talk
Btw: The lactating virgins were on their period so they kinda killed each other, sorry
126. Cedestra - April 10th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
110. Jackie
As he said over the video, they used equipment to hear what was being said over the specific channel they were using.
127. Crimanon - April 10th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
CSim: In light of the most unfortunate incident during this last cycle, we must make due. Bring me One gerbil rescued from the home of Richard Gere.
I’m running out of things for you to find and may soon end up quoting Airheads.
128. funbutfunctional - April 10th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Number 5 - I’ve been in china for a couple of years now, and have been to shaolin temple, but the only thing old chinese men have tried to teach me is to smoke or drink rice wine. Maybe I’m meeting the wrong men…
Number 4. Randi makes sense to me.
129. facekickin - April 10th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
great, great list. the telekinesis one: hilarious. that guy was a dupe. anyone with a routine like that couldn’t fool anyone. Randi doesn’t even give it any consideration. then he follows up with a four-hit combo to the ego. excellent.
130. sid - April 11th, 2008 at 12:24 am
I am damn impressed by Mr.Randi and this list, as i was going through the list i was thinking where is the one about homeopathy(which is the only item i had seen previously) and bingo!! right there it was as the bonus clip.
JF: I think you should do a list on top 10 “Mythbusters” episodes, i love the show and i am sure most of us do too.
131. jasontimmer - April 11th, 2008 at 12:59 am
With all these comments, I’m excited to actually watch the clips when I get home- these darn laptops at work won’t play anything.
132. jfrater - April 11th, 2008 at 2:12 am
Sid: that is a great idea! I will definitely do that in the future.
133. rubysp - April 11th, 2008 at 3:28 am
I definately loved the last one. Not only Randi was amazing but delivered his speech with great humor. As for the others I never really believed in all that. And if there is such things I think they’re keeping to their faith by not exposing it to the public. As those who do are usually in for fame and fortune.
Thanks for this list!! definately saving it.
134. jfrater - April 11th, 2008 at 4:26 am
Okay - as per everyone’s request, I have now re-enabled the links to user profiles in the comments. Click a nickname to see the user’s profile (if they have registered).
135. tokabul - April 11th, 2008 at 4:30 am
Great list. I am pretty familiar with most of the things on this list and have always been a skeptic. However i had not heard a great deal regarding homeopathy before i watched the bonus video. After viewing it twice i am still searching for any reason a person might have to believe this sort of nonsense.
136. tokabul - April 11th, 2008 at 4:38 am
ps. I love in the telekinesis video how james randi comes right out and moves the pencil in the exact same way that mr hydrick moved it in his demonstration.
137. Jackie - April 11th, 2008 at 5:16 am
Cedestra: Oh I must have missed that :-/ Thanks!
138. astraya - April 11th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Wow, I learn all sorts of things on this site, for example that I am troubled, weirdo loner. Thanks, Randall. My fiancee (T minus 22 days and counting) will be thrilled to know.
I haven’t looked closely at all of these yet. My attention was grabbed by #5 (telekinesis). I have a strong memory of seeing *Randi* performing the same trick with the telephone book, to the complete bafflement of Hydrick. The clip doesn’t show Randi with the telephone book, only the pencil.
From the wikipedia article about Hydrick:
(Re the That’s My Line performance)
“After an hour and a half of Hydrick staring at the pages (the show was edited for time) without any results, and indignantly claiming that his powers were real, he finally admitted being unable to complete the challenge.
“…
“The failed stunt … effectively ended Hydrick’s television career in exceptionally humiliating fashion (following Hydrick’s concession, Randi himself performed the same trick using the techniques that Hydrick perfected).
“In 1981, Hydrick’s psychic powers were definitively exposed as being fraudulent by investigative journalist Dan Korem. Hydrick confessed his fraud to Korem and admitted that he had developed his unique talent while he was in prison …”
The article doesn’t state exactly what Hydrick was in jail for, but there’s an external link to “Hydrick’s profile in the State of California Registered Sex Offender Database”.
BTW, did anyone see the look on Hydrick’s face at the end of clip #5, as Barker is saying goodbye to the judges?
A couple of general comments: These tricks work because people *want* to believe. As a professional magician, Randi uses the exact same tricks of suspension of disbelief, susceptibility and misdirection to pretty much the same end: to make money, though he puts it on the line by his offer of (now, but not much longer) $1m.
The human brain is capable of amazing things. I can’t, and I don’t think that anyone ever can, categorically state that psychic powers *don’t* exist. However, I agree that anyone claiming to have them ought to reproduce them under any circumstances. Compare the physical phenomenon of electricity: turning on a light switch works pretty much the same here in Korea as it did in Australia, and doesn’t depend on my “faith”. (It might if I was in a dangerous country like Iraq, Colombia or the USA (****tongue in cheek, don’t flame me!!!!****))
I have a book (currently packed in a cardboard box in my sister’s back shed) by someone of similar skepticism debunking a number of psychic and pseudoscientific claims.
Jenna the psychic has turned up at the top of my page only once in all the times I’ve been coming and going from this page today.
I read somewhere that the USA has more professional astrologers than professional astronomers.
139. DiscHuker - April 11th, 2008 at 5:38 am
more lists where frauds are exposed. this is fun to see these guys try to explain why their skills aren’t working.
lol, the static electricity of the foam is being raised by the heat of the lights. classic.
btw, is “gung fu” real or did he make that up also?
140. Randall - April 11th, 2008 at 5:51 am
copperdragon:
I had no idea you were an amateur astronomer (or have we had this conversation before?) I’m an astronomer myself–status lying somewhere between “professional” and “amateur” (I get paid to do it, on occasion) and work, after hours, at a local planetarium and observatory.
Anyway…. I think you’d best tell your buddies in Arizona to get used to Pluto’s diminished status. I don’t agree with it either (many pros I know don’t, but they’re resigned to it) though I do understand, of course, the reasoning behind it. At any rate, though, it looks as though the big institutions and big names are lining up behind the idea of Pluto as “dwarf planet,” demoted permanently to the company of Ceres, Sedna, and so on. I imagine once the New Horizons spacecraft reaches Pluto and the rest of the Kuiper Belt in 2015, the support for demoting Pluto will be even more shored up by the evidence.
Ah well. Scientifically it makes sense. But it deals a blow to one’s sense of rightness, I agree with that.
141. bucslim - April 11th, 2008 at 6:27 am
Randall - I thought you lived on Uranus.
142. Randall - April 11th, 2008 at 6:32 am
buc:
No morning coffee yet, buc? Or just delirious from the medication?
143. SlickWilly - April 11th, 2008 at 6:48 am
Disc: “Gung fu” has been around for thousands of years. It’s an ancient fighting style of the Chinese Shaolin monks, more populary known over here as…kung fu.
144. 494 - April 11th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Don’t you think this is a little closed-minded? Even if you don’t believe in it is it really so hard to accept that somebody else does?
TV magic may ensure that Randi’s point is put across every time, but that doesn’t neccessarily represent the entirety of the belief.
The homeopathy video alone had so many fallacies I lost count.
145. Randall - April 11th, 2008 at 7:42 am
494:
A) belief in these kinds of things may seem harmless–and maybe to some extent, some of them *are* harmless—but in aggregate this unscientific belief in unsupportable superstitions and bogus-science/pseudo-science brings us ALL down—the strong base of civilization is built on rationality and reason–and can only take so much of the fanciful and illogical.
B) How would you feel if you lost a job or were failed to be hired for a job because some crank had determined from your HANDWRITING that you were unreliable and unstable? How would you feel if a relative denied himself or herself needed medical treatment because they instead believed in faith healing? Or took incorrect and self-destructive or pointless, wasteful actions based on the advice of a psychic or an astrologer?
These frauds aren’t harmless, and civilized people who trust in the rational, the sane, and the reasonable need to speak out against them.
146. SlickWilly - April 11th, 2008 at 7:45 am
494: Well, no it’s not hard to believe that people believe in this stuff, because they do. It’s hard to believe people believe in this stuff when, 1) there is absolutely no scientific evidence to back up any of these claims, and 2) most of the “psychics” and “mediums” and what-have-you are con artists preying on the insecurities of grieving people to make money. As Randi has shown. My question is, if there are any actual true psychics out there, how come they have not taken Randi up on his $1 million offer to prove it?
It’s good to have an open mind, but not so open your brain falls right out of your head.
147. SlickWilly - April 11th, 2008 at 7:46 am
Randall beat me to the punch…again.
148. Kreachure - April 11th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Ooh, new blue clicky names…
And I just have to say it (since I missed it until today):
HUGH LAURIE ROCKS! Dr. House, woohoo!
149. jfrater - April 11th, 2008 at 8:03 am
494: can you tell us what some of the fallacies are in the clip about homeopathy?
150. Jackie - April 11th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Going on what Randall said about the belief in this stuff being harmful…I read an article that this guy wrote about tons of psychics contacting him about his missing daughter. “We know where she is” they said…and of course for the right price, they would tell.
Of course all the psychics told him different things, in the beginning when he hired one pyschic he truly believed she could help but of course his daughter would not be found. When more and more psychics wanted to help he realized what was happening…these psychics EXPLOIT people in their desperate times of need and grieving to get their money.
It’s terrible, these psychics are FRAUDS and LIARS.
I believe this guy now has a website or book or both where he speaks out against them…
And of course there is the horrible Sylvia Brown.
For anyone interested in debunkings..here is an awesome website debunking pretty much everything she says and does.
http://www.stopsylviabrowne.com/
151. carpe_noctem - April 11th, 2008 at 8:28 am
kreachure: blue clicky names are the greatest thing to have ever evre been created..
and i love in number 2, one of his supposed devices is a plasma ball… all those things do is glow pretty for about thirteen seconds until you get bored
152. R Brown - April 11th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Don’t laugh. I went to a farm where my son was staying the night with one of his friends. Theboy’s father comes out with a tree branch and shows how to hold it. I held it, closed my eyes had them spin me around and walked. I SWEAR to you, that stick started moving down when I walked towards the well they just had drilled. When I let og of the stick, it dove right down to the ground. I had seen Randi debunk this but I am not so sure. I did not intentionally move the stick, it twisted in my hands, it was VERY eerie.
153. Ari-chan - April 11th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Kraeg:
I liken what I do to the Placebo Effect because of the fact that if you don’t believe then it won’t happen. I am not saying that there is no merit, because I have seen those who do not believe be effected by energy work and such. But if a skeptic is looking to debunk something then they will be able to debunk it. It’s like those who find correlations between video games and violence; they were LOOKING for it so there it was.
Another thing, I’m extremely wary of those who activley tell the world about their abilities. Many of the people I know who practice keep their art to themselves and do not activley put themselves out there for the world to see. You do not brag about this practice. That is wrong.
Just to give you some background on myself, I’m majoring in clinical psychology and am very interested in the more analytical side of the mind. I believe I have a well rounded idea about both sides and yet still here I am practicing and working with energy.
I do not mind skeptics, they have always been there. But I do not appreciate a skeptic humiliating a fake in front of the whole world and then saying that there is no such thing. True workers do not need to prove their mettle…but having the world shun us for what we do? That gets a little annoying.
Anyway, I hope that explains a bit of what I was trying to say earlier. If it doesn’t I can explain more ^-^
154. Kreachure - April 11th, 2008 at 11:02 am
I agree Ari-chan, most of these chaps with snazzy clothes and flamboyant acts probably know what’s coming their way (especially if they’re dumb enough to sign up for Randi’s show), but it’s sad that because of these types many others much more humble and gifted are shunned.
My advice for anyone is this: keep an open mind, cause you don’t know what you may find.
And don’t give up, Ari-chan! I for one am impressed by the path you’re taking in life. Good luck!
155. Kreachure - April 11th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Whoa, where did the blue clicky names go?
Now my comment about them won’t make sense!
NO SENSE!
156. Egg - April 11th, 2008 at 11:32 am
I believe in ghosts still, but like random energy floating about. I don’t think they can’t think or talk to humans anymore than electricity can. I’m glad all this stuff was debunked, psychic and new age stuff bother me
157. ringtailroxy - April 11th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
i feel so ignorant… i never heard of James Randi before i read this! it’s a fine list… but it shows a key comparison of the Brits to the Americans…
1.) i am going to assume this show was on a regular (non-cable) channel at a reasonable time-slot
and
2.) that this show pre-dates the eighties…
a few years back (1999-2000ish), one could turn on a regular, day-time television channel and see the show “Crossing Over”, with John Edward cold-reading audience members about their deceased loved ones. I remember EVERYONE at work yammering away about this show, and I was the biggest skeptic.
lets see… over 20 years ago the Brits where debunking paranormal/psychic/mystical phenomena, and in the U.S., just a few years ago, our media was encouraging the belief in false communications with the dead and taking advantage of people in a very vulnerable time of their lives.
Good gravy. The U.S. is so back-ass-wards on evolution and the natural world… our media is actually encouraging Americans (of which a whopping 67% out of 1,010 people with only a high school education polled believe the Bible is the LITERAL WORD OF GOD) to continue believing in the paranormal and supernatural. and the Brits? maybe it’s the earlier isolation of being an island nation, or the fact you’ve been a nation longer than the U.S., but either way, I have to think your citizens are far more grounded in reality than Americans.
I especially despise that such “quality” cable/satellite channels, like History, National Geographic, and Sci-Fi channel have such shows as “UFO Hunters”, “Monster Quest” and “Ghost Hunters” . I mean… can we all say it together here… PSEUDO-SCIENCE?
there is a reason why Cryptozoology, Ufology, and Parapsychology are NOT accepted areas of scientific research and are often conducted in secrecy, due to relatively honored individuals with doctorate degrees being afraid of ridicule or a rebuttal they have now way of defending themselves against…because it is all speculation and based on allegorical evidence… never anything EVER concrete…
i mean it.. seriously… in today’s day and age, with everyone walking around with cell phones with cameras, there is still not a decent, undisputed photo of a ghost, no little alien bodies discovered by archaeologists, and noone has managed to find Bigfoot, using any number of motion-triggered cameras? it just seems like MORE things get made up… like the Florida Skunk Ape, El Chupacabra, and the Virgin Mary’s image in the side of a dirty building. http://revelation13.net/Mary.html
ring-a-ding-ding
ringtailroxy
158. ringtailroxy - April 11th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
oopss… just done a little research on Mr. Randi and found out that this show was not British! why did i think that? maybe because he seemed smarter than the average American? oh-that’s right… he’s Canadian by birth!
huh… either way, like i said, i had never heard of him before today… and i still think that the Brits and Aussies and Kiwi’s are far more intellectual, imaginative, and truly “more free” than Americans. and I’m American. I’m Patriotic without being pushy, atheistic without jamming my beliefs down your throat, intelligent by my own research (and college education), i prefer Magners over Michelob, i own American born Australian dogs…and I’m ethical without the moral indoctrinations of the Bible. I hate the war in Iraq but support the American soldiers that are stuck there… simply because the Army targets individuals in poverty-stricken, bible-thumping towns… i better stop now. I’m pissed and angry and my car is broke so I’m stuck here at home waiting for a “Tax Rebate” that the current presidential administration THINKS I will use to “support the economy”. Ha! I’m saving it, you guys! and not in a bank, either! saving it for the recession that is coming… by summer, gas will cost over 4$ a gallon and the state tuition increases by 15%…
do any of you Aussies have a room i can rent?
ringtailroxy
159. Randall - April 12th, 2008 at 8:01 am
ringtailroxy:
James Randi got his start as a magician back in the fifties, I believe… and his career began to expand into TV roles in the 70s. The shows Jamie has referenced here probably do *not* pre-date the 70s, however—Randi didn’t become a big name (on TV) until sometime in the late 80s.
And let’s back off cryptozoology a bit. I’m all about the science as anyone here knows, but I keep an open mind. Not all cryptozoologists are cranks and pseudo-scientists.
160. Ché - April 12th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
I did a bit of a James Randi binge on YouTube last week (I’d never heard of the guy)…
…isn’t that really wierd ??
/No.
161. kakazed - April 12th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
note to self do NOT accept any invitations to appear of JERRY SPRINGER SHOW or JAMES RANDI….it will not end well
162. Ari-chan - April 12th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Just a quick comment once more. As much as I am saddened by this post, if I were a lesser being I’d be offended, I am also very glad to see that people on this board have commented with class. When I first read this post I cringed, quite afraid that people would be bashing energy workers with a vengeance and that I would automatically feel less like a person for the path in life I have taken.
So a quick thank you to all you skeptics who still have the grace and the sense to keep from tearing apart a life style you do not live. It gives me a bit of faith in humanity once more.
163. AFarter - April 13th, 2008 at 2:46 am
Would be nice to see Uri and Randi in the same room again.
164. Tonny SS - April 14th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I’m surprised there isn’t a “Uri Geller” debunking in this list.
I would pay to see a movie about Randi’s crusade against pyschic.
165. jfrazer - April 14th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
ARGH! Number 5 is so excruiating! How the hell did the host keep his head together?
166. DiscHuker - April 15th, 2008 at 5:47 am
roxy: let’s see, you get your facts wrong, make way overstretched conclusions about the intelligence of americans as compared to brits and kiwis and then you go on a tirade about all the things you hate about america.
settle down a little bit. did some psychic piss in your cereal?
167. StarDust - April 15th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
This was GREAT, I haven’t gotten to see them all, but i’m interested now. The lady who practiced Psychometry, cracked me up, the whole time she looked constipated, like she’d been busted! I have a friend who subscribes to this so readily, it’s really sad! Great list… missed ya guys
168. ixora05 - May 1st, 2008 at 1:59 pm
James Hydrick DID NOT FOUND SHAOLIN GONG-FU.
bloody hell. as a Chinese Singaporean, I can GUARANTEE YOU that ShaoLin gong-fu was not founded by a Westerner. (and ShaoLin gongfu practitioners sure don’t dress like that either.) I’m so glad James Randi debunked him.
169. marianna_j88 - May 9th, 2008 at 3:00 am
I found the ‘Astrology’ reading very interesting. If you research the person whose horoscope has indeed been tested you will find that it is in fact the main character of a tv serious called ‘HOUSE’, Gregory House, M.D in fact. Is real name is Hugh Laurie. This reading was conducted in his younger years.
In this clip he denies that the characteristics prescribed to him are inaccurate however, anyone who watches the program would know that the traits given to him completely accurately describe his television personality which he is very famous for. I find this remarkable as this was done many years ago.
Although some may argue and state that this may not be his true personality, one should watch a few interviews with the man and soon we will find many of the same characteristics in particularly his wit and sense of humour which astronomer mentions in this clip.
Like the astrologist described, the tv character House is in fact ‘unusual’, has a very high amount of ‘confidence’ him his conduct (he is the main character of a tv serious), he best known for his very ‘zany’ ‘quick witted’ ‘sense of humour’ that to some can be very offensive making him a ‘controversial’ figure. Yet in this tv serious he is a specialist doctor who always is able to lead in a ‘extroverted’ sense in order to predict the correct diagnosis for patients. He often talks in riddles so that the medical team can guess what is going on and always seems to be one step in front of everyone else. Therefore, he portrayed as ‘philosophical’ and very ‘intellectual.” All these characteristics were stated by the astrologist. Knowing that Hugh Laurie is the sought of person likes to challenge things I would have expected him to talk back in a sceptical manner, which he DID further displays his wit and confidence and showing that the astrologist was in fact accurate in his description of his personality.
This clip DID NOT DEBUKE anything but with a little research in fact stunningly proved that a personal ASTROLOGY CHART CAN can in fact truly show the type of person you really are. WOW!!!!
170. 63jax - June 23rd, 2008 at 5:55 am
I work in the field of alternative medicine and indirect with homeopathy.I am glad that I don’t work directly with the patients ‘cuz I always knew that is something wrong with this business.I am just a sales manager and I can tell you that this business is getting bigger and bigger. It