Just because I love Cristina.

If you can, donate to your local Humanist Association.  I do!

If you’ve read what’s been happening Mississippi you can see why they are important.  On the other hand, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

On Swift and on DJ Grothe’s new podcast For Good Reason, Randi at last says publicly what until now only close friends and loved ones have known: that he is gay.

“I wasn’t hiding in the closet. I just found the closet door.”

Randi also mentions in the interview with DJ that the beard wasn’t an attempt to look more manly. It’s just his awesome magical style, okay?

I was thrilled when DJ was hired as president of the JREF, not only because he’s a talented, intelligent person but also because he’s openly gay. Just as I want to see more interaction between skeptics and feminists, I also love to see overlap between the gay and other civil rights groups with the skeptical community.

Though in the middle of his interview Randi makes clear that the JREF isn’t a “gay organization” now that the top two guys there are out homosexuals, I sincerely hope that this helps highlight the fact that the skeptical community is a diverse one. I also hope this helps a higher profile (than Skepchick, fer instance) organization tackles more gay/skeptic issues, which happily DJ goes into at the end of the interview. Randi agrees that the JREF will take on gay rights issues as they call for it. Awesome.

Congrats, Randi.

How To Say It? PDF Print E-mail
Swift
Written by James Randi
Sunday, 21 March 2010 12:37

Well, here goes. I really resent the term, but I use it because it’s recognized and accepted.

I’m gay.

From some seventy years of personal experience, I can tell you that there’s not much “gay” about being homosexual. For the first twenty years of my life, I had to live in the shadows, in a culture that was — at least outwardly — totally hostile to any hint of that variation of life-style. At no time did I choose to adopt any protective coloration, though; my cultivation of an abundant beard was not at all a deception, but part of my costume as a conjuror.

Gradually, the general attitude that I’d perceived around me began to change, and presently I find that there has emerged a distinctly healthy acceptance of different social styles of living — except, of course, in cultures that live in constant and abject fear of divine retribution for infractions found in the various Holy Books… In another two decades, I’m confident that young people will find themselves in a vastly improved atmosphere of acceptance.

Before publishing this statement, I chose to privately notify a number of my closest friends and colleagues — none of whom, I’m sure, have been at all surprised at this “coming out.” I’m prepared to receive the inevitable barrage of jeers and insults from the “grubbies” out there who will jump to their keyboards in glee to notify others of their kind about this statement, which to them will be yet further proof of the perfidy of the rationalist mode of life that I have chosen. Those titters of joy will be unheard over the murmur of acceptance that I confidently expect from my friends.

This declaration of mine was prompted just last week by seeing an excellent film — starring Sean Penn — that told the story of politician Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. I’m in excellent company: Barney Frank, Oscar Wilde, Stephen Fry, Ellen DeGeneres, Rachel Maddow, are just a few of those who were in my thoughts as I pressed the key that placed this on Swift and before the whole world…

I should apologize for having used Swift as the venue to publish this note, an item that is hardly the focus of what we promote and publish here, but I chose the single most public asset I have to make this statement. It’s from here that I have attacked irrationality, stupidity, and irresponsibility, and it is my broadest platform. Here is where I have chosen to stand and fight.

And I think that I have already won this battle by simply publishing this statement.

I make no bones about it. James Randi was the first one I ever read about that got my wheels turning on the magic side.

Randi is gay. And you know, it’s about the same as someone telling me they are straight. It just doesn’t matter.

On the other hand, I’m sure a large burden may be off his sholders.

It just doesn’t matter our bearded crony. We love you the way you’ve always been, and thank you for all your endeavors past and future.

I needed to leave home for a few days, and if one thing is sure on any trip over 24 hours…..I bring a book.

Why not get back to some Bro. Hamman for old times! Yay! Why not bring Classic Magic Of Jennings too!…..?…..****

I fucking hate this book. I’ll say it. I always want to go burn the damn thing, urinate on it, then put the ashes in a large bottle rocket and send it to the moon.

The magic is brilliant of course, but I’m convinced Mike Maxwell was smoking paint chips writing this tome. It’s a bit like having Beethoven symphonies transcribed by a 7-11 clerk that had an M-80 blow up next to his ear, while using a grey crayon, with a muscular spasm problem, itching his public lice, going off into a day dream.

When I think of this book, all I can do is flash back to the times I’m holding cards in my hand in some fashion needing to read 5 lines of why Max likes this move and it’s worth the effort to know…..or some other assorted rambling.

Tom Gagnon…..shit. You can figure that one out.

Oh well. For all of us that torture ourselves through this book, I salute you.

Be sure to study the details, and know this is the best move. Also keep in mind you should give this one a try, cause your going to love it. As I stated this is the one Larry uses. Spread over the top three cards, this leaves two underneath, a Jack and a queen, which is a total if five cards, which the right hand hides the thickness, though do not go over the border length, and be sure your spectators have knowlege your only using four cards. As stated you really have five as you state “oil and water don’t mix”, which is a classic line in magic, some say Marlo but it might have been a magician in the navy from World War II, from a platoon that used oil and water to make mint gravy.

Ummmmmm ummmmm, ahhhhhhhhhh, ahhhummmmm, awwwwwwwwww. uhhhhhhhhh. errrrrm.

Dear Nerd,

One trick for 90 minutes? Is this something to ponder and have thoughts on?

It’s REAL magic! With puppets?

What the fuck is this guy talking about?

Here’s some humble advice for the nerd and all my friends out there. Philosophy is a wonderful path to explore, but there is a fine line where your mentally jerking off too much and shooting blanks. These videos Alvin posts are living proof of a guy caught in a fantasy of being a real “thinker” to the point he can’t keep shit straight anymore.

Remember that scene in “The Aviator”? COME in with the? milk. Come in WITH the? milk. Come in with the? milk. Come in with the? MILK. OCD at it’s finest. There comes a time where some people really think they are accomplishing something through theory, but are in a vicious loop with no ending.

Granted, practice and theory has it’s place, but looking at real answers and adjusting is the heartbeat. If you could only do one trick and blahhhhh blahhhhh WHO FUCKING CARES.

Notes. Make things solid. Know your effects from top to bottom, relax, enjoy, have fun. Ask the questions that really matter, which is mostly feedback from others, and being realistic with yourself. Adjust to the mental aspects and the sleights alike to improve.

What is the sound of one card clapping? Wasted time.

I’ve had a strange fascination for “what chics dig” ever since I was a sexually awkward little kid going through puberty with my little sex kitten girlfriend at age 14.   To this day I still get curious about certain things like “So you like this 3 day beard look?  What’s your favorite cologne?  Do you think magicians are mostly lamers?”

I’ve learned a lot over the years and accumulating others opinions is interesting, and in the end important.  At long last many of the questions I’d hop up in casual conversation are now in a funny book.

Just as a side note. I think the worst by numbers in magic land is nasty spiked hair that shimmers with gel shit. Sorry Charlie….it’s a crappy look that no one is impressed by.

Second. Affliction shirts. Really! Nothing says chode like those ugly pieces of shit.

Irony. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Affliction%20shirts

Click to ENLARGE!