[KellyM]

James Randi creates his tests not based on the claim of the psychic but based on what he and his community of skeptics claim a psychic SHOULD be able to do.

That is a common misunderstanding. For the Million Dollar Challenge offered by the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF), both the claimant psychic and JREF agree to all of the conditions of the test, including success criteria, before the test begins. These conditions are never changed once the test has begun.

He also says if he can reproduce their results with trickery than that must be how the psychic did it.

Another misunderstanding. While Randi and other skeptics often demonstrate how an individual could falsely appear to have paranormal powers, disproving the existence of such abilities is pretty much a futile effort. I believe that if a psychic has an ability, s/he should be able to demonstrate that ability without cheating. To date, no psychic has even come close to demonstrating his or her ability in the Million Dollar Challenge. That does not mean that these abilities do not exist, simply that every single time the test has been attempted, the claimant has failed.

I think Randi's challenge is bogus... a publicity stunt to feed his ego and a tool to attack his perceived enemies.

Wow, Randi really needs better PR. I see Randi as a deeply caring man who works on behalf of the sick, the grieving, and the vulnerable, who are exploited by charlatans.

His book, The Faith Healers, is dedicated to a small boy on crutches who was victimized by Peter Popoff, “…and to the many others who have suffered because the rest of us began caring too late.”

Since he controls the test, he can always prevent a winner.

Many psychics have claimed to have an easily testable ability. As Rob S mentioned, one possible test would be to have a medium give readings to 10 believers, then to have the clients select their reading out of the group. If say, 8 out of 10 can determine which reading is theirs, the claimant passes the test. How could Randi prevent a genuine medium from passing such a simple test?