James Randi (1928-2020)

This past Tuesday, October 20, we lost one of the great defenders of the skeptical mind. James Randi, also known by his stage name The Amazing Randi, was a stage magician (amongst other things) who devoted much of his life to debunking pseudo-science including spoon-bending and the paranormal. He touched many lives and was an inspiration to many in the LGBTQ community when he came out in his 80s. I had the opportunity to meet him at the 2017 North Eastern Conference on Science and Skepticism. We spoke briefly about Hitchens, whom he greatly respected. For more on that event, see the posting I did at the time as well as his NYT Obituary and the 2014 documentary An Honest Liar.

Gulliver's Gate - a miniature world in Manhattan

If you are in New York City any time soon, put visiting Gulliver's Gate, on your list of sights to see. The designers have created an amazing miniature world spanning the entire globe. You will be impressed - not just with the buildings and landscapes, but also with the small details - the scenes that are going on, what the people are doing. Additionally, the moods are set with music and audio tracks and varied lighting (the scenes rotate from day to night time creating entirely different vibes). There are both interesting and humorous surprises, like the gang from Scooby Doo hanging out near a haunted house ("Scooby Doo, Where are You?"). Here are a few shots from the exhibit. Enjoy your visit!

(Photos: Tom Casesa)

The pulling down of the Berlin Wall, complete with cheering crowds

An Airport terminal at the newest exhibit which also features planes taking off and landing.

                                                        The Wailing Wall, Israel





                                The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace, London.

Nessie delights the crowd by making an appearance in Loch Ness in Scotland

                                                  Crowds at Stonehenge, UK


















                                  The Magnificent Arc de Triomphem Paris

                                A couple enjoying a gondola ride in magical Venice





                                        Doge's Palace in Piazza San Marco, Venezia

Keep an eye on this couple with the yellow and pink shirts kissing. They make another appearance on their awesome holiday.

                          

Greek Villas with The Acropolis in the background

Here's the couple from the gondola two photos up. Looks like they made their way to Greece. Pretty nice vacation.

                           Roma: The Colosseum with St. Peter's Dome in the background

New England, US and A (quoting Borat)

                                                     

                                                            New York, New York!

                                     The Whitney Museum, now in downtown

Grand Central Station 

People gather at the Guggenheim Museum

All You Need is......John Lennon

These are pretty good figurines of John Lennon, done in conjunction with the Lennon Estate and with Yoko Ono. Comes with multiple outfits. 1:6 scale, $299, from Molecule8.

There's probably only one of these

This is genuinely unique. It is a demonstration kit to teach Scouting skills. It was produced as an Eagle Project. I like the concept and the individual pieces, but also the look and scale of the whole unit.

Here is the description from the Ebay listing.

Early 20th Century Boy Scout Campfire Teaching Tool/Eagle Scout Project

Contains approximately 14 different handmade recreations of camp fire set up.
Has 2 drawers that contain examples of fire starters found in the wilderness.
1 drawer has flash cards used to study map keys, aerial keys, and the different badges.
Each campfire unit is approximately 4"x5" some are a little larger or smaller. 
The box dimensions are approximately 20.5" x 23.5" x 8.5"
Some pieces have come loose with age. Verify pictures for condition of item
Contact us for pickup or shipping arrangements.