If There's One Part of Randi's life You wish was Part of Yours, which part would that

[figarot]

All said and done, we appreciate James!
Let us mention the luck/privilege/etc. he has had (through his illustrious life) that we would wish upon ourselves.

Personally, I would have loved to have had the chance to give Richard Feynman riddles to figure out. Even if he called me up in the early hours to go over the finer points of the riddle... Just to have known Feyman would have been everything...

I trust all here know enough about James Randi to say he's been many places we can only speculate about. Of all he's done, what he's seen, shown... Is there anything about him that you "envy?" That's probably the wrong word, what I mean is What do you wish you had the fortune of knowing in the vein of Randi. Personally, I would have loved to have known Richard. Even to imagine I could riddle him is a mental joy scarcely attained.

So, not to derail myself before I begin, what among the forum members, if anything, would they wish to have had experienced what Randi did? Having had his access to the opportunities?

ETA: man I made a huge mess of the title of this thread, any way to change it?

[Geek Goddess]

Good one.

I got to sit near him for a couple hours once, when he was describing many of the interesting people he's got to meet, interesting things he got to see up close and personal (like the moon rocks), and some of the books he owns!

[figarot]

He ever get to tell you about some of the things he's done you would love to have a go at? I would love to sit beside him sometime and hear what he has in his being, I feel it would inspire me even in this old (younger-than-you'd-give-me) age...

[Jeff Corey]

Pwn Popoff.

[figarot]

Pwn Popoff.

what does that mean? sorry for being ignorant.

[Marquis de Carabas]

Performing onstage with Alice Cooper.

[Jeff Corey]

what does that mean? sorry for being ignorant.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7BQKu0YP8Y Praisethelard for hot reading.

[figarot]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7BQKu0YP8Y Praisethelard for hot reading.

watched that which led me to so many other vids.
in that vid I love how Randi mentions the no smoking/drugs thing to keep himself real. that I'm a believer in, but a huge huge fan of his skeptitude.And as good as he is exposing Popoff and the other frauds I do not believe my words would suffice to make an impression on any mook. I do not know how to talk to a plonker. Less chance of convincing them (or the world/populace?) that it's a game. I do not have it in me to be as good as Randi exposing mooks. I think I might just have had a small riddle for Feynman however. I do wish I could have exposed religious frauds as Randi did but know I would really be useless even trying. Wish I knew and broke bread with some of the scientists Randi had the honour of knowing.

[rjh01]

Pwn Popoff.

what does that mean? sorry for being ignorant.

Just looked the word up.

Pwn
Pwn (below: Various pronunciations) is a leetspeak slang term derived from the verb "own",[1][2][3] as meaning to appropriate or to conquer to gain ownership. The term implies domination or humiliation of a rival,[4] used primarily in the Internet gaming culture to taunt an opponent who has just been soundly defeated (e.g., "You just got pwned!").[5] It was popular among Counter-Strike gamers before spreading through the more general Internet world.[6] The past tense and past participle, pwned, may also be spelled: pwnd, pwn'd, pwn3d, pwnt, poned, pawned, or powned

There are various on-line dictionaries you can use for any word you do not know the meaning of, otherwise just go to google, put in the word and definition and you will find the answer.

[figarot]

Performing onstage with Alice Cooper.

Was Randi ever on stage with Alice? Only song of Alice's that I've ever liked is "I am the coolest" or something to that effect, was a while ago

[figarot]

Just looked the word up.

Pwn


There are various on-line dictionaries you can use for any word you do not know the meaning of, otherwise just go to google, put in the word and definition and you will find the answer.

you're right. I should try 'em

[KarlG]

Was Randi ever on stage with Alice? Only song of Alice's that I've ever liked is "I am the coolest" or something to that effect, was a while ago


IIRC, there was some concert footage shown at TAM7 of Randi onstage with Alice.

[BobHaulk]

good god

[Geek Goddess]

He helped produce Alice Cooper's Million Dollar Baby tour special effects, and showed a clip of him as a character that ...tortured?...Cooper, operated a guillotine, etc.

[arthwollipot]

I would like to have learned magic at an early age.

I've recently tried learning some sleight of hand, and after hours and hours of practice, I've found that if I concentrate, and am very careful, I can just about do a convincing French drop.

[Jeff Corey]

French drop what?

[Jeff Corey]

IIRC, there was some concert footage shown at TAM7 of Randi onstage with Alice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zaldk_i4qnw
Check about 2:26

[rjh01]

French drop. See how to do it on youtube. In spoiler as all is revealed.

U9x6B1nC4T0

[arthwollipot]

It's one of the most basic vanish techniques. I can't even fool my kids with it. :p

[GrandMasterFox]

The Carlos sting operation...

That was just fantastic

[chuck4842]

I'd like to have a few of those hot chick groupies that follow him around.

[Naddig74]

I put a comment to this effect on the JREF YouTube channel, but here I go repeating myself :p

I watched Spotlight on James Randi and was almost immediately turned _completely green_ with jealousy by hearing about Randi's Truant Pass and the reasons he got it.

I was labelled 'Gifted' by teachers and child-psychologists...and 'Wierdo' by everyone else :P Apart from a monthly saturday meeting where we fiddled about vaguely with computers and played D&D, no extra provision was made.

The school system here does not allow for the cleverer-than-average to advance more quickly than others, or be released to educate themselves at their own pace. You just have to sit and listen to the dullards being taught stuff you understood years ago during lessons, and be victimised by them in breaktime which bred, in me at least, a contempt and apathy towards studying and academia.

I wish, oh how I wish, I'd been born and brought up in Toronto.

[Robert Oz]

I've recently tried learning some sleight of hand, and after hours and hours of practice, I've found that if I concentrate, and am very careful, I can just about do a convincing French drop.


There's a very small range of simple magic tricks I can do quite well, and I can certainly say I have mastered the French Drop after I don't know how much practice.

The best way to tell you've mastered a sleight-of-hand trick? I actually manage to misdirect myself in the mirror. When I do the French Drop, I find my eyes going off with the empty hand even though I feel the coin in the other hand. It's quite vexing.

[Ladewig]

Pwn Popoff.

seconded.

The only other thing I would add that hasn't been mentioned is coaching Johnny Carson on how to foil Uri Geller.

[Jeff Corey]

seconded.

The only other thing I would add that hasn't been mentioned is coaching Johnny Carson on how to foil Uri Geller.
Yes. I wish I had seen it back then. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNKmhv9uoiQ

[I Ratant]

Fawning close to idolatry, this.

[Jeff Corey]

How so? Not in any way people fluent in English use those words.

[Without Rights]

How so? Not in any way people fluent in English use those words.

How can you correct someone's English when you make an error yourself.

This chiming in thing is fun.

[Chris L]

I'd have to agree with that the Carlos episode is an excellent choice, though I personally have to pick the Geller incident. Geller (back in the day) was the biggest name in woo. He was everywhere and everyone wanted him on their show. Randi (with the help of Carson) took the wind out his sails for a bit. While there are still people who follow him, he isn't nearly as big as he was.