All that I was trying to do in this thread was supply some factual corrections, regarding a small number of points, where I thought such corrections might be helpful and in the spirit of the SDMB. I’m sorry if I inadvertently ruffled any feathers, which was never my intention.
Obviously, if someone attributes a view or a comment to me that doesn’t actually come from me, it’s okay for me to gently point this out, and I’ve tried to do so. Not in an argumentative spirit, but just by way of clarification.
Regarding my beliefs about psychic and paranormal claims, I personally have not yet experienced or heard of anything that I think requires the psychic hypothesis. The usual caveats apply: I could be wrong, I don’t know everything, I haven’t seen everything, new evidence could turn up tomorrow and my opinion doesn’t matter to anyone anyway. It’s not as if anyone is going to change their views based on anything I say or believe.
I am friends with Uri Geller, James Randi and some other people who are involved in psi research or mentalism. I have also worked with both Geller and Randi professionally on several occasions. I like both of them, and have enjoyed good times in their company. I have my differences of opinion with them both, but I believe friends can disagree and people who disagree can be friends.
Except you haven’t just supplied some factual corrections, you have asserted an opinion about Uri:
Up to you who your friends are, and what constitutes being “a really nice guy” is of course a highly subjective matter. Let me give you my own opinion on what is very much not being a very nice guy - ripping off the gullible public by spouting paranormal bullshit, by trading on one’s reputation as someone who can genuinely perform paranormal tricks, while knowing that those tricks are just illusions.
He’s a fraud, or a gullible fool who has (somewhat implausibly) actually managed to maintain a belief in the paranormal despite knowing he uses magic tricks to convince others of his paranormal abilities. I don’t for a moment believe the latter.
No doubt he has personal charm. Maybe that’s what you mean by “really nice”. I don’t think he’s “really nice” by any means. I think he’s a criminal.
Well, I’ll cheerfully admit I’m more interested in the truth (or falsehood) of Geller’s psychic claims than who his friends are, about which I care nothing.
If I may speculate, Peter is suggesting that Geller no longer makes (or no longer makes as many) claims of possessing paranormal abilities. I wouldn’t find this particularly notable, as Geller’s star has pretty much fallen since the mid-eighties. I guess it’s fair to say Geller is not currently a significant pro-paranormal figure, which is quite the contrast from his late-1970s persona.
A week or two back. Although what I watched was a clip of him from a number of years before that, on some Israeli show. In which he very clumsily moved a compass using a magnet poorly concealed in one of those false thumb things while spouting woo nonsense IIRC. But let’s say he now doesn’t make the psychic claims. I wonder if he has now denounced the claims made that are used to sell his Crystal Pendulum Dowsing Kit, or disclaims royalties from same? I’m guessing the answer is he has not, but I’m open to being told differently.
Oh, just checking.
I wanted to see if Princhester was one of those people who condemn a work without actually having seen it, as in protests against The Satanic Verses.
Or razncainearlier in the thread.
So, Princhester has actually seen the thing he condemns, unlike some people. Good for him.
If watching a youtube clip of Uri Geller acting in a manner more than reminiscent of a psychic is enough to condemn him, then razncain is as justified in his disapproval as Princhester.
Whether he does it on his show or not, he was selling dowsing kits at least as late as 2006. His website still says he uses dowsing to find coal and diamonds. And if he’s not still claiming to have such powers, he should probably write a letter to Nature magazine and inform them the “Geller Effect” think was a hoax.
Here is a blog post from his website dated 2012:
The whole post is all ley-lines and ancient Egyptians and UFOs. He may or may not have toned down the claims to super-powers in his act (where ironically, I don’t really have a problem with it) but he still claims to have magical powers to his fans.
Anyhoo. We’re coming somewhat adrift from the OP here. I don’t think anyone linked to this video yet. It’s James Randi showing a video of Geller performing the trick the OP describes. Randi freeze frames it at the end so you can see the trick, but even without that its pretty easy to catch. Geller rather blatantly peaks at the drawing while pretending to cover his eyes.
I consider it an established fact that Uri claims to have actual psychic powers. If you think otherwise, you’re more than welcome to link to something that supports the position that Uri does not claim actual psychic powers.