"
A wonderful brain interprets something differently from what it actually is, but it doesn't mean it's made a mistake. It took the information it had and did it's best job." Those are but two tricks from
Jerry Andrus (1918-2007), self-taught magician and illusionist, and
one of great renown amongst
other magicians. But he was more than a slight-of-hand man: he was also
a poet, philosopher, inventor, humanist, agnostic, and skeptic. There are an impressive number of videos of him online, these are but a few to get you started down the rabbit hole:
Jerry Andrus is visual poetry (Google video /
YT, 28 minutes) ::
Jerry Andrus at the Magic Castle (G.vid, 49 min),
Jerry Andrus at 83 his Optical Illusions (G.vid, 41 min) ::
Jerry Andrus and Ray Hyman on Uri Geller (YT, 26 min) ::
James Randi on Jerry Andrus (YT, 5 min) ::
James Randi - who was Jerry Andrus? ::
James Randi describes Jerry Andrus. The last two clips are from
Rex Young, a young illusionist who has recreated many of Andrus' illusions on his
YouTube channel, and
made some of his own.
posted by filthy light thief
on Sep 12, 2011 -
25 comments
The credibility of
Skeptoid podcast creator, Brian Dunning, has come under fire from the Science Blog / Skeptic community after he posted a
questionable podcast regarding DDT. A comprehensive fact check in
two parts hit the web soon thereafter, followed by
other critiques - suggesting that Dunning's objectivity may be tainted by conservative / libertarian political leanings.
[more inside]
posted by jnnla
on Dec 22, 2010 -
37 comments
Well, here goes. I really resent the term, but I use it because it’s recognized and accepted.
I’m gay.
From some seventy years of personal experience, I can tell you that there’s not much “gay” about being homosexual. For the first twenty years of my life, I had to live in the shadows, in a culture that was — at least outwardly — totally hostile to any hint of that variation of life-style.
James Randi (
previously), at age 81, has come out. He discusses the announcement in more detail on the
JREF podcast
For Good Reason.
posted by Horace Rumpole
on Mar 21, 2010 -
144 comments
"A Helpful Hand" - Penn & Teller call
Bullshit! on the "bestselling book in the world," the Holy Bible.
(link is to entire episode approx 29mins - *language, flash)
posted by hypersloth
on Dec 14, 2005 -
120 comments
Expect a miracle? Freeman Dyson on Littlewood's Law of Miracles: "...the total number of events that happen to us is about thirty thousand per day, or about a million per month. ...The chance of a miracle is about one per million events. Therefore we should expect about one miracle to happen, on the average, every month." From his review of book debunking the paranormal (whose views he isn't entirely willing to accept).
Via
Marginal Revolution
posted by Jos Bleau
on Jul 14, 2004 -
33 comments
The Skeptic's Annotated Bible includes the entire text of the King James Version of the Bible, but without the pro-Bible propaganda. Instead, passages are highlighted that are an embarrassment to the Bible-believer, and the parts of the Bible that are never read in any Church, Bible study group, or Sunday School class are emphasized. For it is these passages that test the claims of the Bible-believer. The contradictions and false prophesies show that the Bible is not inerrant; the cruelties, injustices, and insults to women, that it is neither good nor just.
posted by oliver_crunk
on Jan 10, 2003 -
94 comments
