phonkee's WebLog

James Randi is a well known investigator and demystifier of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. Recently he was tricked (again) into appearing on some dumb television show to provide some substance as opposed to flummery. Why does he bother? Reading this on his website explains some of his motivations:

Folks, I was in Mexico City on the plaza outside the shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe when a young peasant father crawled by me along the rough pavement with an obviously dead infant in his arms, swaddled in a tiny white serape. There were twin tracks of blood behind him from his bleeding knees. He was seeking a miracle. Through the adjacent barred window in the basilica I could hear the coin-sorting machines packaging the money that was pouring into the offering boxes inside. I turned away and wept.

(...)

I've had my share of tears and sleepless nights, wondering what I might do to keep people from chasing this chimera. I had another chance in New York City on January 25th, 2005, and I tried.