Geller news and more.

Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
From: James Randi --- Wizard 
Message-ID: <27beqb$ql9@usenet.ins.cwru.edu>
Newsgroups: sci.skeptic

I'm told that Mr. Geller has put in an appeal against the court ruling
that he must pay just under $150,000 to CSICOP.  Who knows how long that
will take to be decided?  These legal matters go on forever, it seems.

My Encyclopedia has gone off to the publisher, all 100,000 words of it.

The court in Baltimore has ruled that the material of that blackmail
mailing that has been such a pain to me, is NOT "public domain."  There
were a couple of squirrels out there who were anxious to start mailing
more of that material out, but now it's a no-no to do so.  Sad folks,
indeed.  Either too rich or too stupid to get real lives.....

Thanks to those of you who knew who "the divine Hooker" was and who thus
appreciated the quote.  For those of you who asked, 1804-1857, Vermont. 
Only one recipient made the expected corny "hooker" reference, but he's
not terribly swift anyway.  I can get him on EVERYTHING.  Never fails to
fall for it.....

Lots of appearances to plug the NOVA show, due on PBS October 19th. 
Moves are on in the UK, I'm told, to have the BBC not broadcast it.  To
no avail, as you would expect.  The BBC is not easily intimidated.

Question:  do any of you folks know the year that Martin Johnson, the
retired Swedish parapsychologist who worked in Holland, was born?  Is he
still alive?  And, whatever happened to the Maharaj Ji, the tubby guru of
the Divine Light Missions?  After 1975, I don't find him written up
anywhere.....

My best to all.....                            JR

==============================================================
"In April 1975 the Lord of the Universe was removed as head of the
movement by his mother, Shri Mataji, for 'indulging and encouraging his
devotees to eat meat, get married, have sexual relations and drink'.  She
installed his eldest brother Bal Bhagwan Ji as leader of a rival group. 
Many disciples left and the membership is reported still to be falling
today.  Meanwhile Guru Maharaj Ji lives quietly with his wife and two
childern in a mansion overlooking the Pacific in Malibu, California, and
has only recently begun active campaigning again. ... 

"Pop fans at a festival at Glastonbury, England were amazed when their
concert was invaded by a white Rolls Royce.  It was driven by the Perfect
Master, making his first public appearance in England.  He preached for
five minutes to the bemused fans - before someone switched off the
microphone."
_A_Book_of_Beliefs_, by Allan, Butterworth, and Langley. 1981