Science & Pseudoscience: (slamming PBS)

Swift ^ | 4/17/04 | James Randi

[Drango]

LOL...James Randi, the magician and debunker of paranormal hoaxes, observes on his website that

...(Currently, my local PBS-TV stations are featuring both Dr. Wayne Dyer and Dr. Gary Null in their pledging period, to take advantage of the public's taste for quackery. Both these men flaunt degrees, both deal in nonsense. Dyer makes incredibly naïve statements such as that if you just summon up enough determination, "anything is possible," and Null prescribes magnets and other medieval tools to prevent aging. He preaches eternal youth. Now, Null is less than 60 years old, but I recognize dyed hair and make-up, and he looks much older even than I, a man who has 15 years on him. How could that be? My guess is that PBS's most favored peddler of magic, King of Quacks Deepak Chopra, is busy elsewhere selling his nostrums and isn't available to PBS this season.) ...

[Drango]

It's pledge week at PBS...

[Drango]

PBS/NPR Ping thing.

To opt on or off my *NPR/PBS* Ping list please Freep mail me. Don't be shy!
This is a low to moderate activty list.

[Redcoat LI]

[Diogenesis]

The militants at PBS give us "pseudonews".

[Agnes Heep]

Speaking of aging, the History Channel ran a very nifty show about electrical linemen, and interviewed a number of older men who had been retired from the profession. One thing I noticed about these men was the fact that their complexions were uniformly beautiful and absolutely perfect, despite their age, and they all looked about ten to 20 years younger than I supposed they were.

[anonymous_user]

Could be from being outside and working hard for most of their lives.

Or maybe just heavy makup and bright lights for TV.

[anonymous_user]

makup = makeup

[Agnes Heep]

Or maybe just heavy makup and bright lights for TV.

Contrasting them to everyone else of that age I've seen interviewed for TV shows, I'm inclined to think not. Of course it could very well be that the type of individual suited to do this kind of work has physical qualities that lead to the retention of a youthful appearance. Kind of like very old war veterans.

[edwin hubble]

Yes,Dyer is well preserved (probably naturally so), but he extrapolates narrowly defined and nano-scale quantum mechanics phenomena into a universal, mystic, global destiny by slight of hand.

[RightWhale]

That makes sense. It is a physical job as well as mental. Got to stay healthy to do the work.

[Springman]

It's pledge month at PBS!!!!

I haven't seen McLaughlin in the past two or three weeks!!! If they want to get money from me,
JUST KEEP THE SHOWS I WATCH ON!!!

[VOA]

It's pledge week at PBS...

Heck, it seems like it's always pledge week.
On the rare times I get a free Saturday afternoon and hope to watch some of
decent shows (McLaughlin's One-On-One, etc.)...almost always there's some nutburger
psychologist or lady financial adviser yammering on and on and on...

[anonymous_user]

Yes, hard work and clean living -- as opposed to my hard living and clean work. :(

[templar]

Could be from being outside and working hard for most of their lives.

Living and working hard outdoors may keep you in good health, but it makes you look older (the term frequently used is 'weather beaten'), not younger.

[templar]

Could be from being outside and working hard for most of their lives.

Living and working hard outdoors may keep you in good health, but it makes you look older (the term frequently used is 'weather beaten'), not younger.

[templar]

Could be from being outside and working hard for most of their lives.

Living and working hard outdoors may keep you in good health, but it makes you look older (the term frequently used is 'weather beaten'), not younger.

[templar]

sorry about the multiple post, I have no idea how that happened.

[anonymous_user]

Living and working hard outdoors may keep you in good health, but it makes you look older

Yeah, you're right. I thought about that later too. But a leatherized old face looks better than a fat, pasty one. (Think Reagan vs. Clinton)

[dsmatuska]

I'm gonna call in and ask for some of my money back. :-D

[Bigg Red]

Very shrewd assessment on Randi's part.

Thanks for the flag.

Down with PBS!