Here I go, quoting from other blogs again. Ron is a friend of mine, if that makes any difference. (Note the sly succubus reference in his post. Coincidence?)

Anyway, legendary crankypants James Randi has made his Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural available online. You know, for when the crackpots invade your living room.

Man, I remember James Randi from back when he’d show up regularly in DYNAMITE magazine with his longstanding offer of big winnings for anyone who could prove “scientifically” that any of that stuff was real. Back then, ten grand was at stake. I believe the kitty is up to a million now. What a funwrecker!

The tradition of the debunking magician is a long and esteemed one, popularized (if not started; my history on these things is a little rusty) by my main man Houdini. Penn & Teller keep the flame alive these days with their wonderfully provocative series BULLSHIT! (definitely worth watching). So, least you think I’m getting defensive, here… believe me, it’s all good. My quibbles with such folks are minor, and twofold. First of all, the… zeal, shall we say, of their pursuits can border on the freakish. Personally, I don’t think such behavior helps anybody’s case. Second, some of us are a little more spiritually minded than others. It’s not all about making a buck, and sometimes the skeptics can’t tell the difference. Oh, but wait — I’m just fooling myself because I accept the forces outside of me that I can’t explain as “real”, right? Well, they can call me deluded if they really have to — the cold hard fact is that my life is infinitely richer thanks to my spiritual side. Period.

(By the by, if anyone out there has old copies of DYNAMITE magazine that they wouldn’t mind parting with, leave a comment immediately. Not kidding.)