August 7th, 2012
On this date in 1928, the
Amazing James Randi was born in Canada.
James Randi has used his international reputation as a magician and
escape artist to investigate and expose claims of the paranormal. He
exposed both psychic "spoonbender" Uri Geller and "faith-healer" Peter
Popoff on the "Johnny Carson Show." His numerous awards and recognitions
include a "Genius" Fellowship from the John D. and Catherine T.
MacArthur Foundation in 1986. In 1993, PBS-TV's "NOVA" dedicated a
one-hour special to coverage of Randi's work, particularly his
investigations of Geller and various occult and healing claims being
made by scientists in Russia. His books include:
The Truth About Uri Geller, The Faith Healers, Flim-Flam!, and
An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural.
Randi is a founding fellow of CSICOP, the Committee for the Scientific
Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. He established the James
Randi Education Foundation in 1996. The Foundation offers a $1,000,000
standing prize for any psychic who can prove the veracity of their
claims, which has long remained unclaimed.
“We have fought long and hard to escape from medieval superstition. I, for one, do not wish to go back.”
—
Amazing James Randi, randi.org
Compiled by Annie Laurie Gaylor (FFRF)
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