Month: April 2015

“No matter how smart or well-educated you are, you can be deceived,”  — James Randi

Woohoo! Finally, I’ve got to see James Randi’s An Honest Liar. A documentary of life and career of the world-famous magician (also known as The Amazing Randi) and skeptic of the “superstitious woo” such as psychic powers, psychic surgery, faith healing, paranormal, crystal healers, dowsing, fake channeling, aura reading, and more across the world.

They typically have one thing in common; they’re scammers. In other words, they are manipulative human beings who want money from gullible people. James Randi has been diligently exposing those elaborate hoaxes of these scammers on television for over many years; showing how people got duped with just a slide of hands and illusions.

Philippine: Psychic surgery

If you read Carl Sagan’s book – Demon haunted world. The “Physic surgery” that became famous in the Philippines was mentioned there. Yes, I saw this “psychic surgery” on the television when I was young. As a kid, I for one believe it, and was transfixed on how it was done. Imagine you can have a surgery without them cutting your skin, then pulling some “guts” with their bare hands. Many people have been a fallen prey– vulnerable and desperate people who wanted help to cure their diseases. They are willing to pay without questioning the real medical benefits from it.

Here’s the clip: 

Remember this classic, guys? hehe

The film also shows Randi’s life when he was a kid. Just like a typical kiddo, Randi was amazed by magic. It had his attention when a man made the woman float in the air. He joined the carnival and never went home.

“When I introduced myself as a magician “Good evening my name is the great Randal! I’m a liar, cheater and a charlatan. I will lie to you but for purposes of entertainment only, of course.”

For Randi, Houdini was an epitome of a great magician. I presumed every magician kind of treated him as their saving grace. Houdini started out as a magician, escape artist, and debunker, and dedicated his life to keeping people from being duped. And there was a scene in the film where Randi also did the stunts on what Houdini was famous for– being a great escape artist. A chapter in his life where he said  this “If the man can make it, I could break it”

And yep, this was James Randi, his sweet escape!

Not only did he want to be like him, but It also became his obsession to escape faster than Houdini.
Continue reading “Ladies And Gentlemen, James Randi Shows You The Evidence, You Make Up Your Own Mind” →