james randi speech coverage

7/28/2019 James Randi Speech Coverage

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SEO: Society of Inquiry at UMD hosts James Randi

Skeptics host a skepticSociety of Inquiry hosts James Randi lecture

By Jewel Addy

The university organization, The Society of Inquiry, set a goal to provide accurate

information on interesting subjects to the universitys community.

The organization will host a lecture featuring James Randi at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct.

16 at the biology-psychology building.

Randi is a famous skeptic, magician, escapologist, pseudoscientist and

paranormal debunker.

For more information on James Randis career and foundation visit The James

Randi Educational Foundation: http://www.randi.org/site/. For more information on The

Society of Inquiry visit http://www.facebook.com/groups/51852664107/

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SEO: James Randi lectures UMD on debunking career

Paranormal debunker lectures universityFamous skeptic offers insight on psychics

By Jewel Addy

The universitys organization, The Society of Inquiry, hosted acclaimed magician,

escapologist, pseudoscientist, skeptic, author and paranormal debunker James Randi to

lecture on his 60-years-and-running career.

The Society of Inquiry is an on-campus

organization dedicated to providing accurate

information on subjects of interest. On Oct. 16,

Randi was the featured subject.

Randi founded the James Randi

Educational Foundation, which is dedicated to

defending people against paranormal claims. The foundation is famous for its $1 million

prize to anyone who proves his or her psychic ability. Randi explained the participant had

to beat odds of 1,000 to 1, but no one has ever passed the first stage.

Sylvia Browne, a famous psychic who claims to talk to dead people, fussed she

would win the $1 million challenge. Browne never participated in it on claims that she

couldnt contact Randi.

She said first of all that she didnt know how to reach me. She talks to dead

people! Randi said.

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Jewel Addy, Debunker, p. 2

Life with Carson and Gellar

Lecture mediator and skeptic Todd Robins acknowledged Randis 22 appearances

on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and said Johnny Carson was not a friendly

man, but he loved Randi.

One day, Carsons show hosted

Uri Gellar, a psychic who bended

spoons, as its guest, but called Randi in

to debunk. Randi explained he denied

the invitation because Gellar GPS

tracked Randi. In fear of his debunking,

Gellar often canceled a show if he

discovered Randi was not staying put at

his New Jersey home. Instead Randi offered instructions to the shows manager of

television-set props.

Randi told the prop man to tape the spoons down to a tray and lock them away.

When Gellars people arrived asking to see the spoons, the prop man waved them in their

faces and proceeded to lock them away again. That night Gellar quickly moved onto

another trick in place of spoon bending.

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Speech story, Jewel Addy, p. 3

A little lecture magic

At the lecture, Randi demonstrated his magic skills by guessing a word audience

member Regina Roberts chose from a New York brochure. Randi wrote afuiu on the

blackboard saying he was flustered about the mystery word. Roberts then shared that her

word was ninja and the audience chuckled in awe as they realized afuiu was ninja

spelled upside down and backward.

Randi revealed his magic trick was nothing more than an illusion as is every other

trick. Randi believes we can not deceive nature; we are just actors in a magicians show.

He did not share the secrets of that particular trick. Instead he used his example

as a crutch in his illustration of how easily one can fool the mind. Leaving the biology-

psychology building, Randi wanted his audience to walk away with a sense of curiosity

and lack of gullibility.

As the lectures take away, Randi said, They (people) should be thinking rather

than just accepting.

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SEO: James Randi lectures UMD on greedy media

Skeptic warns against mediaJames Randi tells audience beware the mediaBy Jewel Addy

To close his two-hour lecture, James Randi discloses his negative view of the

media for their irresponsible manipulation of news.

Beware the media who are not really interested in whether or not what they print

or that they represent on television is true. Theyre only interested in what attracts

attention, Randi said.

As a man who spent his career debunking paranormal fakes, Randis career was

not made any easier with reporters using him for a good story.

Randi shared a story of how he did a magic trick in front a reporter where Randi

used the three of diamonds from a deck of cards as a key to open his hotel room door.

The next day, an article was released informing the public that a three of diamonds

gained one access to hotel rooms. Sure enough, a group of adolescents showed up at the

hotel Randi stayed at with cards in hand.

Randi thinks the media is only interested in printing what will sell, but with an

experience like his three of diamonds one, who can blame him?

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james randi speech coverage

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