Right on the heels of being given the opportunity to open the James Randi Educational Foundation, a privilege that is still something I'm trying to get used to, this news just arrived....
The International Astronomical Union has agreed "in honor of unparalleled work," to give my name to an asteroid. The asteroid 3163 "Randi" had, up till now, the preliminary name "1981 QM". More details:
Period of orbit: 3.71 years (1354.5 days)
Perihelion distance: 1.60 AU (Astronomical Unit)
Aphelion distance: 3.19 AU
Today, its distance from Earth is 1.52341 AU (227,898,789 km = 141,609,742 miles). The asteroid would be visible in the constellation Pisces (morning sky) its magnitude is about 17. Now, that's a VERY faint "star" and I'm told it's about 12 km. in diameter. But dammit, it's MY star, and I'm busting with pride.
This news has been published in the last edition of the Minor Planet Circulars. My sincere thanks to Andreas and Jean Dill, who applied to the IAU for this recognition. I've always known what it's like to have good friends, and this is as heavy proof as I've ever received.
The official announcement by the International Astronomical Union, published in the Minor Planet Circular (MPC) of May 3, 1996, describes my asteroid as: (3163) Randi = 1981 QM. Discovered 28 August 1981 by C.T. Kowal at Mount Palomar Observatory, California.
Named in honor of the American magician James Randi (b. 1928; real name Randall James Hamilton Zwinge) for his continuing efforts in debunking the claims of the paranormal community and exposing the tricks that charlatans use. His use of scientific techniques in many disciplines has contributed to the refutation of suspicious and fraudulent claims of paranormal results. Name proposed by A. Dill and J. Meeus.
Andreas Dill tells me that my asteroid is in excellent company. He says: "In MPC 27127 we have (4923) Clarke, named for Arthur C. Clarke, and in MPC 27128 there is (5020) Asimov." Martin Gardner's rock is 2587 Gardner.
Andreas says he will look for some more information on my asteroid such as what kind of rock it's composed of, which classification it has among the other planetoids, etc.
There has been some concern among "scientists" as to the astrological effect my rock will have on the futures of persons born while it is present in the sky. Also, since it will soon be making a close approach to Earth, whether psychic forces will be able to bring it out of orbit and send it hurtling down to decimate life on this planet. I tell you, the responsibility that goes with this honor is daunting. On the other hand, the power it confers is very satisfying. I will now accept nominations for potential targets on Earth that might receive 3163 Randi. No frivolous suggestions, please.
(NOTE: AU = astronomical unit, mean distance of the earth from the sun, about 93 million miles or 149 million kilometer.)
We are closing shortly on the home office site for the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF), and will be moving in soon. Books for the library, and videotapes, are coming in every day. From Martin Gardner, I got a marvelously quacky 1923 book telling the world that vaccination will never work, that homeopathy will save the species, and that auto-suggestion can cure any ailment.... Sure.
As plans for the Foundation activity begin to form up, I recognize the enormous responsibility that has been thrust upon me, the reach that the Internet/WWW facility will provide us, and the work that lies ahead. It's daunting, but everything that I've ever hoped for.
It is my great pleasure to announce the creation of the James Randi Educational Foundation. This is a non-profit, tax-exempt, educational foundation under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code, incorporated in the State of Delaware. The Foundation is generously funded by a sponsor in Washington D.C. who wishes, at this point in time, to remain anonymous.
The Foundation will have its home office in Florida, where a 7,000-square-foot facility is presently in preparation, to house an extensive book- and video-library facility with reference and lending capacity, a sophisticated computer setup with a World Wide Web server and very high-speed 24-hour Internet access for researchers, students, and the media. We will be using state-of-the-art technology, and will be prepared to supply copies of photographic, video, audio and printed materials to persons who request those materials, at very little or no cost, via fax, telephone, Internet, mail or personal contact.
Most importantly, the Foundation will be prepared to conduct and/or finance original, basic, research in subjects of interest, ranging through many aspects of paranormal, occult, and supernatural claims. Working with competent scientists, technicians, and engineers who will design the experimental protocols for critically examining the claims, and will implement the experimental procedures either in-house or in their own facilities, we will also publicize the results of the inquiries.
We will conduct classes and seminars for students, teachers, the media, and the public. These meetings will deal with the goals of the Foundation.
In addition, the Foundation will be offering scholarships to students in the USA and abroad who are invited to compete by creating projects or writing essays dealing with subjects or claims generally classified as paranormal. This work will be evaluated by referees outside the Foundation on the quality of the preparation, implementation, and reporting of the results -- but not on the conclusions arrived at by the students.
We hope to interest competent academics in various fields, in joining in the work of the Foundation. In particular, we are looking for persons involved in parapsychology to co-operate and work with us. Several persons have already been approached and have expressed interest.
Within two years, we hope that the Foundation will have become self-supporting. That is, I believe, a realistic expectation. We will depend upon grants and other such funding to a large extent, since our purpose is to act as an information source available to all, at absolutely minimal cost to the client.
A Foundation newsletter seems inevitable, and should be expected by the end of this year. Whether that will develop into a journal, remains to be seen. In any case, a journal could be expected to take the form of an electronic data base, rather than a printed document.
I can assure you that the James Randi Educational Foundation will be designed and run in a manner that offers no impediment nor opposition to any of the splendid organizations already in existence around the world, that share our goals. Rather, we will seek the active involvement and co-operation of all these groups, and we will offer our full support to all of them. Our battle should be with pseudoscience, superstition, quackery, nonsense, and misinformation -- not with one another. I look forward to using this great opportunity which has been entrusted to me, for the purpose of not only educating the public, but reminding all of us that we can only succeed if we work together.
I will look forward to hearing from those of you who might wish to offer me your skills and your valued opinions in what I see as a great challenge, a fearsome responsibility -- and a glorious opportunity.
Technical assistance in a myriad of specialties will be welcome. If you have skills in computer programming, in graphics, layout, video, or in any other direction, and would like to assist us in getting off the ground, please contact me.
Those of you who might have material on hand (books, journals, articles, video/audio recordings, photographs, etc.) that could be integrated into the Foundation's data system, please contact me for information on whether we could accept such materials. The intention is to digitalize material and supply copies to clients.
We will be serving the Hispanic community as well, so that materials in Spanish -- as well as other languages -- will be welcome.
We would appreciate being placed on the mailing lists of any groups or individuals that might assist us in augmenting our data. The start-up library consists of 280 books on paranormal-and-related subjects at this point. Any contributions will be attributed to the proper sources.
When the James Randi Educational Foundation is in full operation, you will be notified by appropriate means. And of course you will be invited to visit the home office in person. The Foundation World Wide Web page is being prepared and should be available within two months.
I'm in Amsterdam, just finishing up a film shoot that involved France and Holland. While I've been here, my new staff back in Florida has been in touch with the sponsors of the JREF, and by the time I return (tomorrow) we should be moving furniture, books, videos, etc., into the Foundation office.
For the next few days we'll be setting up the computer system. I expect the JREF WWW page will be filling up soon.
The home office includes a completely self-contained guest apartment, to accomodate visiting lecturers. We will also be starting -- within 3 months -- conversion of one area into a 200-seat auditorium and lab.
We have parking for 21 vehicles, library seating for 15, and some 800 feet of bookshelves. And, we have another 800 feet for video stacks.
The address is now official:
The James Randi Educational FoundationJust before I head off to Japan, I must share with you this note from a teacher in that country. He writes:
I'm an English teacher in Osaka and the other day one of my students, a recent high school graduate, had strips of tape wrapped around her thumbs and last three fingers on each hand. I inquired and she explained that it was for slimming. (Why? Did she want thin fingers?) She said that wrapping the right thumb slims the right side of your face, the left thumb the left side of your face. Index finger was for thinning arms (apparently she thought her arms were thin enough), middle finger is for the belly, and the last two fingers are for legs. She said the tape has to stay on for a month. I asked where she got it and how much it cost. "Drugstore and very cheap", she said.
I asked her if it works. And, smiling, she answered, she didn't know. I could tell she didn't take this too seriously. (So why was she doing it at all?) The sad part is that this already slim 18 year old girl wants to be thinner and some quack is exploiting this fact.
I can't wait until this advanced therapy shows up here in the USA....
(NOTE: let the CS editor know if it shows up here.)
Copyright 1992-2005, The Association for Rational Thought