J.B. Rhine history & legacy

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Diego
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J.B. Rhine history & legacy

Postby Diego » October 6th, 2022, 3:59 pm

Interesting if lengthy study of J.B. Rhine and his parapsychology studies.
J.B. Rhine did mentalists a tremendous service, by taking what they did, into a
more plausible scientific premise, and away from the mystical/occult it had
been stuck/stereotyped in.

https://boingboing.net/2022/10/04/__trashed-29.html


(The author has a different, more favorable take on Rhine and his work, than the skeptics/magicians, he sometimes dismisses in his article.

Tarotist
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Re: J.B. Rhine history & legacy

Postby Tarotist » October 6th, 2022, 10:28 pm

It is a very, very long article. I wish I had the time and inclination to read it all. However, I did click on this link in the article and found it was a pretty scathing review of Randi and his career.

https://boingboing.net/2020/10/26/the-m ... icism.html

Brad Henderson
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Re: J.B. Rhine history & legacy

Postby Brad Henderson » October 7th, 2022, 9:15 am

Randy was a self promoter - not a skeptic. He and his ilk have done more to harm the skeptical cause than the psychics themselves. It’s all an excuse to belittle and feel superior to those who are most vulnerable. And then there are all the stories about the kids.

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Re: J.B. Rhine history & legacy

Postby Tarotist » October 7th, 2022, 3:07 pm

In some ways I quite liked Randi. He was a showman and I rather like showmen. He also had a sense of humour which I wished he showed more of on television.

I met him only once. I was coming back from a psychic fair and had just got off the train at Union Station in Toronto. Suddenly I saw a little man scurrying about like a demented hen looking very irritated. I thought, "That looks like Randi! Can it possibly be him?" Since my psychic powers were somewhat depleted after a hard weekend's work I thought the best way to confirm the matter was to actually go up and ask him which I did. I said, "Excuse me, are you James Randi?" He glared at me and refused to answer scurrying away as if I had leprosy. Since I had good reason to believe that I did not have the disease in question and furthermore was annoyed at his rudeness I scampered after him and demanded more forcefully, "Are you James Randi?" whereupon he snarled at me saying, "Yes, I am James Randi! Who are you and what do you want?" I told him I was a local magician which didn't seem to impress him. I then realised I had nothing to lose and being in a mischevious mood revealed to him the awful truth thus, "I am actually a psychic too and in fact I have just returned from doing readings at a psychic fair"

Suddenly his mood changed! He brightened up considerably, laughed and then with eyes twinkling said in a low voice, "Sshh------we cannot be seen together!" He was in a much better mood when I told him I was one of the wicked people he debunks all the time. He then told me that the person who was supposed to meet him at the station didn't show up. It seems he was in town to do some filming.

Anyway I left him to his own devices and phoned Lisa Close who used to work psychic fairs with me. All the psychics on the psychic fair circuit knew her. I told her I had just met Randi at the train station and she got irritated with me for telling what she perceived as a tall story. I insisted to her that I really had spoken to him. I was calling her from a pay phone in the station and suddenly I saw him in the distance. I called him over and told him, "there is a big fan of yours on the phone" Of course Lisa wasn't a particular fan at all but I wanted to prove to her that I really had been speaking to him. He grumpily took the phone from me and they had a brief conversation where she asked him for his autograph. He grumpily asked how he could give it to her over the phone but I think he must have given it to me instead to give to her.

Anyway that is the story of my meeting with Randi. I can't say I disliked him .

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Barefoot Boy
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Re: J.B. Rhine history & legacy

Postby Barefoot Boy » October 11th, 2022, 10:01 pm

Why you would choose to call Lisa rather than myself always baffled me.
Outward sunshine; Inward joy,
Blessings on thee, Barefoot Boy.
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Tarotist
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Re: J.B. Rhine history & legacy

Postby Tarotist » October 11th, 2022, 10:35 pm

Barefoot Boy wrote:Why you would choose to call Lisa rather than myself always baffled me.


You weren't in the psychic fair business then but she was! And it was a long distance phone call from Union Station to Oakville! Anyway, that was a long time ago. I am now awaiting your response about my recently deceased friend. I travelled all over Ireland, the UK and Canada with her selling svengali decks. I am surprised I haven't heard a word from you. You know how distressed I am over it. She always said nice things about you.

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Re: J.B. Rhine history & legacy

Postby Tarotist » October 12th, 2022, 9:46 am

Barefoot Boy wrote:Why you would choose to call Lisa rather than myself always baffled me.


In all the years I have known you, not once do you answer your phone anyway! EVERYONE has to leave a message!


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