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[Merged] The Amazing Randi steps down

zooterkin

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zooterkin
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Announcement on the JREF site:

At 86 years of age, I feel that it’s now well time to officially retire, so I’m stepping down from my position with the JREF – the James Randi Educational Foundation.
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Message from the Board

We regretfully accept James Randi’s decision to retire from the foundation that bears his name. We will be good stewards as we make plans for the JREF’s future.

Randi has our thanks and gratitude for inspiring us and countless others to think more clearly, not just about the paranormal but about all matters of the universe we live in. May his ferocity, his wit, and his relentless demand for good evidence continue to make our world a better place!

This July 16-19, The Amaz!ng Meeting (TAM) will celebrate Randi’s long and productive career. Randi has enthusiastically agreed to be our featured guest. We hope you will join him and friends from around the world. The full schedule and the registration website are under development. In the meantime, please save those dates.

Rick Adams
Chip Denman
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He can't be 86! I've been following him since the weekly email newsletters in the late '90s, and remember when he just turned 70.

Oh.
 
Am sure I am just one of many who have been inspired to do skeptical stuff by Randi. My guess is that he is singlehandedly responsible for a great many doing the same, including many far more distinguished and effective than moi.

I hope that we will see tributes pour in for his long service to a great and vital cause.

Good on yer Mr Amazing!
 
Luckily, he'll be at TAM this year, as will I.

I suspect this is the end of the JREF. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if they merged it with the Skeptic Society. It's been discussed in the past.
 
The Central Scrutinizer said:
Luckily, he'll be at TAM this year, as will I.

I suspect this is the end of the JREF. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if they merged it with the Skeptic Society. It's been discussed in the past.
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Locknar said:
My thoughts exactly.
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I was thinking this yesterday after reading the latest post in the "What's up with the JREF site?" thread. No real news, no updates, no traffic, etc. I thought... hell, he should just semi-retire and take it a bit easier at this point.

86 and a monster run for skepticism... well done Randi. All the best.
 
Randi has nothing to do with the web site. It's currently difficult to get new material, I have repeatedly asked. I only run the website part-time and can not (and should not) provide a big portion of the content. If you would like to contribute... editor@randi.org

As you might imagine, this is a time of transition for the org. It's not the end of the JREF. This upcoming TAM will include a celebration of Mr. Randi and his extraordinary contributions. Planning that event is the current focus.
 
Will the name change? Or will it be something that has a name that has outlived its relevance?

Edit. James Randi has changed the way we think. Several scams would have gone on for years longer unchallenged but for him.
 
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Though I was still in my early teens back then, I can point to my reading Randi's book on Uri Geller (I think I found it in a used bookstore still with the old title The Magic of Uri Geller) as the seminal event that started me on my road to skepticism.

Thank you for everything, James Randi, and enjoy your well-deserved retirement.

I'm looking forward to thanking you in person at TAM 2015.
 
The Central Scrutinizer said:
Luckily, he'll be at TAM this year, as will I.

I suspect this is the end of the JREF. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if they merged it with the Skeptic Society. It's been discussed in the past.
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Yes, it wouldn't surprise me if the JREF (who's left as a figurehead? DJ Grothe? Adam Savage?) and TAM as we know it, will be essentially over now that Randi is retiring.

Let's hope that other skeptical organizations and events take their place, and hopefully eventually surpass them.

A merge with the Skeptic Society wouldn't surprise me either, and may be positive in the medium to long term, Shermer notwithstanding.
 
If I were a suspicious person, I would imagine contract arguments at the JREF, where Randi's salary had been dropping since it was based as a percentage of JREF's revenue which was also dropping. By leaving, Randi will be able to make more now that he can do appearances and presentations under his own purview and not under the JREF salary.

But that is probably a bit off the map. He certainly deserves a good retirement. And it sounds like the JREF plans to continue the challenge, along with a more educational direction.

I wish them all the best.
 
All events in the last few years point to a severe pruning and scaling down, not helped by internal conflicts and personnel "issues". However the new JREF website and disassociation from the forum, shows that too often it can be its own worst enemy.
I suspect when the inevitable happens for a mortal Randi some sort of educational legacy or award will be set up in his name. As for the Million Dollar prize and the future of TAM. who knows, though some sort of major conference type event will probably continue in some form (with or without mergers) as long as TAM makes a profit.
 
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At 86, the Amaz!ng one has certainly earned his retirement, and he's had a very interesting life to date. Now that this may well be the last TAM, though, I think I will have to make an effort to attend.

*starts planning*
 
A Fond Farewell

This is Mike Edwards, one of the two Project Alpha guys. I've had the privilege of calling Randi a personal friend for over 30 years now. It was his "Magic of Uri Geller" that got both Banachek and I interested in skepticism. And it ultimately led to us creating Project Alpha to show that parapsychologists could be easily fooled by using their pro-bias mindset against themselves.

After decades of entertaining and educating, what could be a better send off than traveling around the world, meeting your fans after they get to see your life story told in "An Honest Liar"? Very rewarding for a man who has made a large impact on a lot of people. Regardless of whether the JREF continues or not, the fact that Randi was able shape the skeptical discourse as he has for all these years is testament to a man who cares with all his heart.

Enjoy your retirement Randi, and THANK YOU my friend!
 
Thank you, Randi, for all the years of entertainment and enlightenment. Thinking back to 30 or 40 years ago, it is difficult to remember the prevalence of paranormal beliefs, the persistence of gullibility, and the lack of critical thinking. We have a long way to go, but you have taken us a long way down the path toward truth. If not for you, the MDC, and the JREF, I don’t believe I would think quite the same, or even be quite the same. It has been like a veil lifted to clearly and honestly see the world, and life.

Have a pleasant and rewarding, well-deserved retirement!
 
The Central Scrutinizer said:
Luckily, he'll be at TAM this year, as will I.

I suspect this is the end of the JREF. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if they merged it with the Skeptic Society. It's been discussed in the past.
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Has anyone managed to log into the TAM 2015 site as yet? Does it exist? Because I can't find it. Links from JREF and Swift link to the 2014 site. :(
 
Alpha1 said:
This is Mike Edwards, one of the two Project Alpha guys. I've had the privilege of calling Randi a personal friend for over 30 years now. It was his "Magic of Uri Geller" that got both Banachek and I interested in skepticism. And it ultimately led to us creating Project Alpha to show that parapsychologists could be easily fooled by using their pro-bias mindset against themselves.

After decades of entertaining and educating, what could be a better send off than traveling around the world, meeting your fans after they get to see your life story told in "An Honest Liar"? Very rewarding for a man who has made a large impact on a lot of people. Regardless of whether the JREF continues or not, the fact that Randi was able shape the skeptical discourse as he has for all these years is testament to a man who cares with all his heart.

Enjoy your retirement Randi, and THANK YOU my friend!
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Hear, hear! It was nice to see you and Banachek on stage with Randi a couple of years ago for the Project Alpha reunion. You guys had a huge effect on how science viewed psychic phenomena, and it certainly gave skepticism a big boost. Thanks for your efforts.
 
Gord_in_Toronto said:
Has anyone managed to log into the TAM 2015 site as yet? Does it exist? Because I can't find it. Links from JREF and Swift link to the 2014 site. :(
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Don't know what the timing is this year, but registration has historically opened later in the year. I'd be patient, especially since newbies are apparently running things this time. ;)
 
All thanks to Randi. Although I might have heard his name before and seen him briefly on TV prior, my first real exposure (where I was able to fully pay attention to what he was saying) was during an appearance on Larry King's show, where he was debating Sylvia Browne. I thought he presented himself well enough to look into JREF, and ultimately the forum. Since then, my attitude has changed... I'm better at recognizing B.S., know what arguments are valid and which are bunk, and overall I'm better for it.

I think we should take up a collection to have him frozen in carbonite so that future generations can benefit from him.
 
AdMan said:
Don't know what the timing is this year, but registration has historically opened later in the year. I'd be patient, especially since newbies are apparently running things this time. ;)
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Fair enough. But I was just confused (I know that does not take much to do) by the e-mail I got from Swift (with Randi's face and SIGNATURE :))
We hope you'll join us for The Amaz!ng Meeting 2015!
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directing me to: http://web.randi.org/events.html that directs me to: http://www.amazingmeeting.com/

I'll try and be patient. :cool:
 
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