From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!floyd!cmcl2!lanl-a!unm-ivax!nmtvax!gwynn
Newsgroups: net.misc
Title: re: Mystical Coat Hangers and Other Stuff
Article-I.D.: nmtvax.199
Posted: Mon Feb 21 22:25:41 1983
Received: Wed Feb 23 04:09:07 1983



	There is an excellent book by JAMES RANDI which was re-issued 
    in October in paperback by Random House.  The book is titled
    "FLIM-FLAM!" and is a very good (and humorous) debunking of 
    many of the current popular pseudo-sciences such as Sir Conan
    Doyle's Cottingley Fairies (which some people still actually
    believe in), the Bermuda triangle, the Maharishi Yoga's 
    levitation racket, psychic surgery, dowsing, Eric von Daniken, 
    and many more.  (The chapter on von Daniken is hilarious.  
    Randi debunks him so thoroughly you almost feel sorry for him.
    Almost.  Until you remember that he's making a fortune selling
    those silly books -- "Chariots of the Clods", et. al.).

    "FLIM-FLAM!" has an extensive bibliography of the other side
    of the pseudo-science publishing racket (the books that get 
    buried for trying to shed some light of reason (and evidence)
    on the kind of caca that certain supermarket tabloids (I'm sure
    everyone knows of several) put out to pander to and promote the
    general public's love of superstitious nonsense.  Isn't it fright-
    ening that all those "magazines" actually make enough money to
    stay in business!?!  Somebody's actually BUYING those things!).

	Another good bibliography (albeit older) can be found in Martin
    Gardner's "FADS AND FALLACIES".

    
    Kim Andersen
    !ucbvax!unmvax!nmtvax!gwynn