In Germany, The Blind Truly Lead The Blind...

...Into Making Mega-Bucks From Scamming The Clueless...

PLEASE DEFINE “BLIND”

A blind woman, we’re told by the news services, has “baffled” scientists after “proving” on TV that she can distinguish between colors by touch. Now, this is obviously prime material for the JREF million-dollar prize, wouldn’t you think? Gabriele Simon, 48, from Wallenhorst, Germany, is said to have demonstrated her ability on her country's most popular TV show, “Wetten Dass.” Rough translation: “I’ll Bet’cha.”

Using only her fingertips, the audience was told, Gabrielle is able to recognize the different colors of various t-shirts and blouses. Wow! Said she:
It took me twenty years to master this skill. It is a combination of pure learning and concentration… This ability really gives me more independence, as I don't need to ask my mother about what to wear anymore.

What really got my attention about this claim, is that she was “tested” while blindfolded! Duh? Why would a blind person need to be blindfolded? Gee, you don’t suppose that the word “blind” needs more definition, do you? As I often do, I turned to Wikipedia [wikipedia.org] to find out more. In this USA, I found, the expression “legally blind” means visually impaired to a certain defined degree. Says Wikipedia:

Approximately ten percent of those deemed legally blind, by any measure, are fully sightless. The rest have some vision, from light perception alone to relatively good acuity. Those who are not legally blind, but nonetheless have serious visual impairments, possess “low vision.”
Perhaps the same definitions apply in Germany, as well? This woman may well be “legally blind,” but still be quite capable of seeing colors. Could the producers of this prestigious German TV show have been so careless – or purposefully accepting, for show ratings! – that they allowed this farce to be broadcast as a genuine example of a magical ability? I refer you to the illustration here, for consideration. On the left is a frame taken from the Wetten Dass TV show, on the right is one taken from another such performance, at www.randi.org/jr/022202.html. I leave my readers to draw appropriate conclusions….

A week ago, the “Wetten Dass” producers were sent this message from our office:
The James Randi Educational Foundation offers our million-dollar prize to Gabriele Simon, the woman from Wallenhorst who claims she can see colors with her fingertips. The test for the prize would take less than 30 minutes, and could be done by our representatives in Germany, GWUP, the Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften e.V.
We refer you to www.randi.org/research/index.html for information on the prize offer.
Since then, a Wetten Dass representative named Nicole Rupp has informed me that the offer has been forwarded to Frau Simon. We await her – or the TV producers’ – eager acceptance of the challenge.

(Yawn)

Randi's site has been updated...last week was a literal washout as they were forced to flee the approaching hurricane, and the above is just one of the delightful GOTCHA'S from the Amazing One.