Every year James Randi presents the Pigasus Awards to outrageous frauds who have been noted during the past year … yes, you read that correctly “Pigasus”. The term is a portmanteau pun combining the word pig with the mythological Pegasus, a reference to the expression “when pigs fly”, so what else should awards granted to charlatans, swindlers, psychics, pseudo-scientists, and faith healers, be called … its a good name.
To “Win”, you need to fall into one of these four categories … (as lifted directly from Randi’s book Flim-Flam)
- To the scientist who said or did the silliest thing relating to parapsychology in the preceding twelve months.
- To the funding organization that supports the most useless parapsychological study during the year.
- To the media outlet that reported as fact the most outrageous paranormal claim.
- To the “psychic” performer who fools the greatest number of people with the least effort in that twelve-month period.
Actually, this year we have a fifth category … Refusal to Face Reality.
So who won this year? Well who better to tell us than Randi himself …
The JREF also has lots more detail … here.
Do I hear you ask “Who are the JREF?” … well, the JFRE, or to give them the full name, the James Randi Educational Foundation, exposes charlatans and helps people defend themselves from paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. The JREF offers a still-unclaimed million-dollar reward for anyone who can produce evidence of paranormal abilities under controlled conditions. Through scholarships, workshops, and innovative resources for educators, the JREF works to inspire this investigative spirit in a new generation of critical thinkers. |
Their website is www.randi.org