James Randi.
[back] Health-fraud players
[CSICOP Debunker. Chief of the Pseudo-skeptics. Ie protecting the turf of Allopathy Inc and the CIA at al etheric shenanigans.]
See: Psychopathy
Web: James Randi Educational Foundation
Committee for the Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP)
False Memory Syndrome Foundation Most famous skeptic ever. Luminary of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), together with Paul Kurz, Ray Hyman (FMSF), Joe Nickell, Philip Klass, and Carl Sagan. CSICOP's magazine is the Skeptical Inquirer. Has been accused of continually manipulating the rules of his $1,000,000 reward for someone who can "prove" to him paranormal abilities exists. In other cases he has been accused of plainly refusing to investigate a case or simply not to accept what he saw as "paranormal", only as "unexplained". Has always been debunking his eternal enemy Uri Geller. February 11, 1996, Toronto Star: "What I had hesitated to mention is that the colorful Randi has been involved in a number of lawsuits. Part of the evidence brought against Randi was a tape of his telephone conversations, of explicit sexual content, with teenage boys. Randi has at different times claimed that the tape was a hoax made by his enemies to blackmail him, that he made the tape himself, and that the police asked him to make it. Whichever version is true, it's amazing indeed that such a person could be taken seriously as a scientific adviser in an organization dedicated to denying claims of child sexual abuse." This tape was played during a trial in which Randi was accused by Eldon Byrd, a good friend of Uri and a former Naval Surface Weapons Center researcher, of defamation by claiming he was known pedophile. True or not, during the trial Byrd and his team played a tape on which Randi was speaking to a small boy about sex and how much it would cost. Randi claimed it was all a setup by Byrd and the boys on the tape were prank callers. The judge wasn't so sure about that, especially because Randi voluntarily called back one of the boys after the latter told him his money was running out. It's a confusing story, but you wonder what he's doing at the FMSF.
Randi has put up a “reward” for many years for “proof” of the paranormal. It used to be a $10,000 reward. Apparently, debunking can be a lucrative career, and Randi has raised the reward to $1 million (apparently also with donations from supporters of his cause). Mr. Skeptic has worked with Randi, and apparently got Randi to extend his reward to Free Energy. I asked Dennis about it, and he said Randi’s reward was written so that Dennis could never collect it. Randi apparently wrote his "offer" with the skill of the cleverest lawyer, giving himself an "out." I would never stoop to going after Randi's money, and I doubt Dennis would have. His "The money was never safer" (Flim-Flam, p. 252) boast/joke clearly displays his mentality. Randi's "offer" is not made in the spirit of impartial investigation, but more as an arrogant boast that he is right, and dares the world to prove to him otherwise. I thought about Dennis' comment on Randi's offer, and wondered if Randi was hedging his bet a little. I studied Randi’s work over the years and he seemed honest, if perhaps narrow-minded. Recently I read something that made me wonder about Randi’s integrity. In Dennis Rawlins' account of a CSICOP scandal (they fudged their numbers, and it would be the last time CSICOP did any original research), he wrote unflattering things about Randi. Rawlins was and is a firm “skeptic” of paranormal phenomena, but he also professed to believe in doing honest research into the subject. Rawlins’ experience gave plenty of evidence for the political nature of CSICOP and its mission. Honest skeptics doing what they think is honest investigation is laudable, if limited by the investigator’s beliefs. Those who appear to be less than saints run CSICOP, as with virtually every other organization. Mr. Skeptic's indefensible libel piece on Dennis is one example of many. The Rawlins scandal evidenced the ugly power politics that plagues nearly every organization. Phil Klass wrote a rebuttal to Rawlins' account of the scandal. Rawlins too-cleverly titled his essay "sTARBABY." Rawlins should not be taken at his word about the scandal. Klass' rebuttal at least seemed to stick to the facts, but in Klass' inimitable style, he could not refrain from making many observations on Rawlins' character and integrity (none of them flattering), but the title Klass chose for his rebuttal was the typical class CSICOP is known for. Klass titled his article "Crybaby." Rawlins had intimate interaction with James Randi while the scandal began unfolding. Randi was apparently involved in doing damage control on Rawlins. According to Rawlins, Randi was part of an effort to keep Rawlins quiet and in line with the debunking program. Rawlins wrote that Randi spent considerable time with Rawlins, and threatened him to keep him silent. The scandal was brewing in 1978, and Randi apparently did his part in trying to keep the scandal from becoming public. According to Rawlins, Phil Klass was also one of those trying to keep the scandal quiet. Rawlins' account confirmed my experiences with the CSICOP crowd, but one thing surprised me. Back when Rawlins was with CSICOP, Randi’s “challenge” was only $10,000. During Randi’s long, soulful talks with Rawlins, Rawlins says Randi admitted that he planned on never paying out the $10,000 reward because, “I always have an out.” See Rawlins, sTARBABY, The Velikovskian, vol. II, no. 1, p. 39. Rawlins further states that Randi plays policeman, judge and jury for his “challenge” tests, and “thus has never supported my idea of neutral judgment of CSICOP tests.” Rawlins said that Randi’s motivation, as revealed in a confidential memo Randi wrote, was keeping the issue quiet so the “irrationalists” would have nothing to crow about, because CSICOP could “not afford to wash its dirty linen in public." If what Rawlins wrote was true, and I have little doubt it is not, and I heard Dennis say almost the same thing, then Randi may have to join company with Carl Sagan. Randi seemed a true believer in his cause, but having an “out” on his challenge shows that he may not be quite the true disbeliever he presents himself as. Randi may be one more debunker of questionable integrity, but one with the gall to put up a $1 million challenge he may plan on never paying, because he gives himself an "out." Dennis Lee, His Critics and the "Skeptics"
Most famous skeptic ever. Luminary of the Committee for the Scientific
Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), together with Paul Kurz, Ray
Hyman (FMSF), Joe Nickell, Philip Klass, and Carl Sagan. CSICOP's magazine is
the Skeptical Inquirer. Has been accused of continually manipulating the rules
of his $1,000,000 reward for someone who can "prove" to him paranormal abilities
exists. In other cases he has been accused of plainly refusing to investigate a
case or simply not to accept what he saw as "paranormal", only as "unexplained".
Has always been debunking his eternal enemy Uri Geller. February 11, 1996,
Toronto Star: "What I had hesitated to mention is that the colorful Randi
has been involved in a number of lawsuits. Part of the evidence brought against
Randi was a tape of his telephone conversations, of explicit sexual content,
with teenage boys. Randi has at different times claimed that the tape was a hoax
made by his enemies to blackmail him, that he made the tape himself, and that
the police asked him to make it. Whichever version is true, it's amazing indeed
that such a person could be taken seriously as a scientific adviser in an
organization dedicated to denying claims of child sexual abuse." This tape
was played during a trial in which Randi was accused by Eldon Byrd, a good
friend of Uri and a former Naval Surface Weapons Center researcher, of
defamation by claiming he was known pedophile. True or not, during the trial
Byrd and his team played a tape on which Randi was speaking to a small boy about
sex and how much it would cost. Randi claimed it was all a setup by Byrd and the
boys on the tape were prank callers. The judge wasn't so sure about that,
especially because Randi voluntarily called back one of the boys after the
latter told him his money was running out. It's a confusing story, but you
wonder what he's doing at the FMSF.
http://www.isgp.eu/dutroux/FMSF_freaks.htm
