Why has no one claimed the one million dollars?

[Ijin Kaion]

a reasearch facillity in california was blown up, it`s purpose was to make use of a dimensional rift that was hanging around on that spot.

when it got blown up together with a facillity in russia(wich was reasearching something i didn`t agree with) nothing was reported.

in fact the press was kept at a safe distance as they accumulated the research data that wasn`t lost.

together with this act of destruction a note was sent to the current president of the us of a, no action was taken.

only orders where issued to cover it up as quickly as possible.
and the official report stated that the explosion was due to a gas leak within the facillity.

yes don`t expect anyone to get it on the tv.
that`s how things work in a system.

but that is aside of skeptics, because the people that covered the explosion up are not interresed to prove anything, since it is allready proven to them.

i`m sure others will come up with some news clippings of psychic agents, or the idea of it.

that wich is known is due to curious people.
or ones that allready know but put on file.

this question was answered the moment it was posted, yet new questions emerge, due to others with different views and abillities.

this what i said can be ignored, and to prove a point is not my purpose.
but if you are psychic, then you allready know it`s there.

if there was a million dollar or not, it would never be claimed according to the challenge.
due to personal influence of the one that stated the challenge.

so it started unfair in the first place.
on the other hand if he is curious if it exists yes or no, then why would we tell him where to go, while he is affraid to walk such paths on his own?

i`m not proving anything.
it`s time they prove to us as i stated before, i allready know, they don`t, so let them search on their own.

[Yukio]

Visualize someone taking lessons and practing every day for more than ten years. Someone that archived near perfection on some art.

[keysersoze311]

What a load of BS. Psychic skills, if genuine, would be incredibly easy to prove. Also, all this malarky about subjective reality, "if you don't believe in it, it won't happen". Well why doesnt someone publicly perform supernatural stunts, then everyone would be forced to believe. This is a joke

[Calculusaurus]

Originally Posted by keysersoze311

What a load of BS. Psychic skills, if genuine, would be incredibly easy to prove. Also, all this malarky about subjective reality, "if you don't believe in it, it won't happen". Well why doesnt someone publicly perform supernatural stunts, then everyone would be forced to believe. This is a joke

Now, this is an incredibly long read (but somewhat of an addicting one if you're interested in it)....

Does Psi Exist ? Replicable Evidence for an Anomalous Process of Information Transfer

This article is on the existence of psi. One read through will show you the several problems faced in academic parapsychology. First, if psi does exist, it appears to be of such fuzzy nature that it's hard to agree on a set of conditions on which to conduct experiments. One labratory, for example, may show with complete reproducability that psi certainly exists. Whereas another labratory will use entirely different methods that don't produce clear results, which sets up several scientific weakpoints for skeptics to attack.

As a scientist, and someone who's been passionate about the art of science since the age of 10, I find it very frustrating to see people like James Randi go into parapsychology with a huge set of biases and agendas. I don't care how "enlightened" or "rational" you are, but doing science with the level of bias he has goes against everything history has taught us about the progression of science.

I have no doubt that if psi does exist, it will only be a matter of time until it is incorporated into mainstream scientific thought.

[Yukio]

Interesting article, maybe later I should read it more.

Into some areas people wanted a 6 Sigma. Even if someone (alone) can reach this level , it could not be considered "paranormal".After all, even nuclear reactions are considered a "natural" thing.

This and the fact that the energy transfer is much like the concept of a Black Body ( aka: the rumored Blue 'Light') .

[Ijin Kaion]

measuring, tools that make not understandable into understandable.
most post made on this topic has a lot of evidence, such as personal truths aswell as universal truths.
it`s hard for people to co-exist in the first place, so about abillities it`s no different.
one that cannot will kill the one that can.
but that`s my own oppinion.

if you want proof, the why not start looking with your own damn eyes.
others can guide you aswell as grind you to pieces on a psychic scale.

consider this, 3 closest related plains on wich you have influence.
even if someone could not harm you from a distance without a weapon of sorts on a physical scale, that same person could make your source of energy implode.

just because YOU cannot notice it or understand it, doesn`t mean it`s automatically not in existance.

by the way by imploding someone`s source of energy, you kill the person.
since it`s one factor on wich your physical body relies on to sustain life.

you might not believe it and you might be considering of provoking me to prove this.
but killing you off would be a bit of a shame now wouldn`t it?

ofcourse what i said is an example of the many techniques in existance.
there are many ways to die and many ways to live.

would you live in fear of that wich you cannot understand?

i don`t, so my offer is still standing.

[freedom]

Ok, my thoughts,
Psycic powers exist in a person that has a lot of virue, virtue is the white stuff that is produced when you burn off all the negative energy and karmic energy in your astral,etheric and light bodies.

Someone who is negative does not have enough virtue, to obtain psycic powers and has never been on the 'jeorney' so they dont really care enough about it,

they have let their negativity take over and so sink lower and lower, the more they focuss on it.

They love only the physical things that they can see, feel, smell and touch and since these things are what most desire they think that they can tempt someone who has improved their mind and their bodies to see past the delusion and the trappings of wealth and society.

for someone who has worked on their virtue, to desire wealth, would be to strip themselves of the very thing that they have worked so long and suffered for a long time to get.

Why if you purify something would you then desire to muddy it up again? it makes no sense.
Not for money nor the lack of it would I want to give up the chance to attain enlightenment.

[briancurry]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

I think Randi's challenge is bogus... a publicity stunt to feed his ego and a tool to attack his perceived enemies. Since he controls the test, he can always prevent a winner.

Wait a minute, Steve. Sorry to be so late to the table on this, but this is patently untrue. Randi doesn't "control" the test, and if you actually read the challenge, you'd know that.

[Natsu]

I do not have psychic powers (I wish, though), but I don't trust the Randi challenge to prove that they don't exist. My two cents about it.

First cent: If I had psychic powers, I would NOT go to the Randi challenge. If I was a telepath, I'd read Warren Buffet's mind and invest in the same things he does, and I'd get MORE than a million dollars without the unwanted attention. I would also send messages to politicians around the world saying I am God and I order them to stop wars, stop corruption, etc, etc.

If it was telekinesis, I'd win all lotteries and lots of money in casinos. And I'd kill corrupt politicians and dictators by stopping their hearts from beating, until they were less corrupt and called elections. If I had those powers, I can assure you that the LAST thing on earth I'd think about is the Randi challenge. I can imagine a bazillion ways of getting more money and doing better stuff than by going for the challenge.

Second cent: James Randi thinks dowsing is paranormal and doesn't exist. I don't know about gold dowsers, but water dowsing? Water dowsing paranormal? Huh? For goodness' sake, that's ridiculous. I am from Spain, which is a country that suffers severe droughts regularly. Here in Spain, there is a water dowser in most towns of the mid-south and south (they aren't needed in the greener north). And they work. In fact, they work so much that almost no one calls geologists to seek for water: everyone calls dowsers. In fact, it is studied at school (at state schools), that the scientific explanation for water dowsing powers is a high sensitivity to the magnetic forces caused by underground water currents.

I am not saying dowsing is paranormal, or that the paranormal exists. I am saying that dowsing is as normal as plumbing (well, possibly more specialized), that I have seen dowsers work, and that they really find water.

The water dowsing case is not like in, for example, psychic healers case. We all go for doctors and medicine and take vaccines and aspirines. And only, only when medicine can't help, do people go to a psychic to try his or her last chance. But in the case of dowsers, it's the opposite: only the ignorant about the country and how it works call a geologist with very expensive machines to find water. Everyone who knows about how things work calls a dowser.

The dowser in my village is an atheist man, very common, with his straw hat and his house in the village. He's as paranormal as a basket.

Yet James Randi claims that water dowsers are frauds, and claims he did an experiment in which he demonstrated that dowsers couldn't find water.

He did the experiment by using pipes. And frankly, I think that's cheating. Any real water dowser will tell you they cannot find small amounts of water. They detect currents or huge quantities. That's why people like to call them and not geologists: a geologist may find a little water source that wouldn't make a good well, and miss the huge spot where the well should go... and the dowser will get the best place for digging. But, as I say, no dowser here would accept doing an experiment in which he was told to find water in pipes, cans, or gallons of water. They just can't sense that little quantity. So what I don't understand is what kind of fraud accepted to participate in Randi's experiment about dowsing with pipes. No dowser that I know (and I've seen them work) would accept such a thing because they know where their limits are. And I repeat, dowsing is not paranormal, it's a relatively common ability where I live. With relatively common I mean there's one dowser in every agricultural town, and he does an extremely good job.

When I got to know about the dowsing experiment, I understood that Randi was a debunker... and a huge one about it. As I said, no real, serious dowser would accept a trial of finding water in pipes, because they can't do that. Whoever accepted that challenge was either deluded or a fraud. I don't think that says much about Randi's objectivity, really.

In fact, what makes me think Randi is not objective is the fact that he thinks dowsing paranormal. I find it ridiculous, considering it's something so everyday-life here. I have known of people, new to living in the country, who called both geologists and dowsers to seek for water in the same slot of land. The geologist always finds something. And the dowser always says "I will not say the geologist is wrong, since he's gone to university and all that, but this other place has more water and at a higher level". And it always happens just so: the geologist finds water, but the dowser finds the better place. That's why geologists are called to find petrol, mineral and the like, but dowsers are called for water. As I said before, where I live, dowsing is as paranormal as putting eggs in a basket. And that's what makes me distrust Randi as a debunker. If he calls dowsing paranormal, and hasn't been able to find a working dowser, he just doesn't want to find them and is not willing to let the million dollars go. I can find four or five good water dowsers in three days. But of course, Randi would ask them to find water in cans, pipes or other containers... and none of the dowsers would accept the conditions, because they only find huge currents.


Two cents sent.

[Savage]

Read one guy's experience of trying to apply for the Randi challenge:
PsiPog.net : Beware Pseudo-Skepticism by Peebrain

There are similar stories too. It seems to be nothing but a publicity tactic that Randi uses to get attention. Based on how sincere applicants are treated, it would appear that the offer isn't genuine.

[Natsu]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

Read one guy's experience of trying to apply for the Randi challenge:
PsiPog.net : Beware Pseudo-Skepticism by Peebrain

Oh, I know Peebrain and read that article. I started visiting Psipog.net after you put a link to it Thanks for the link, by the way, Psipog is a great site. To my disappointment, I haven't been able to develop any psychic power (not that I've tried hard... not exercising has the flaw of not providing results). But I very much like the way psipog talks and writes about it: they seem very down-to-earth and talk about their experiences in a very logical way. I didn't manage to get any results, so I don't know if there is psi, but those people really believe there is.

And I am going to use their psion's handbook in one of my works of fiction Because it's so well done and believable.

I read Peebrain's attempt to apply, and also the answers in Randi's forums, and I really got the impression that Randi does not have the million dollars, it seems that it's all in bonds whose value no one knows. As I wrote before, if I had psychic powers, the last thing that I would do is spend a lot of money in a transcontinental trip to try to reclaim a prize Randi doesn't even give to normal abilities like water dowsing, and which no one knows how much money is worth at this time.

The fact that he is retiring the challenge in two years (less now), is also suspicious.

I guess Randi is doing a good work by telling people about the scams of false psychics, and informing people about techniques such as cold reading, fishing, etc. But he is not a skeptic: he's a debunker. His intention is not discovering any paranormal power, but to debunk them.

[leilei]

Wow, what an interesting question (OP). As someone COMPLETELY new to even the study of the area of the psychic and paranormal, I'm giving an answer/opinion based on my impression of "skeptics" in general. I'd say the reason it is impossible, or extremely rare, to "prove" anything to a skeptic (in any area) is because the definition of proof is vastly different for the skeptic and believer.

The skeptic's idea of what will constitute proof involves his/her determination of what is acceptable; i.e., what he/she feels should happen, when it should happen and how often in a specified time-frame. In other words, no amount of proof will ever be the "right" type of proof.

[leilei]

I left out a word in my previous post, I should have written "...what is acceptable evidence..."

[leilei]

Natsu,

You wrote,

"James Randi thinks dowsing is paranormal and doesn't exist. I don't know about gold dowsers, but water dowsing? Water dowsing paranormal? Huh? For goodness' sake, that's ridiculous. I am from Spain, which is a country that suffers severe droughts regularly. Here in Spain, there is a water dowser in most towns of the mid-south and south (they aren't needed in the greener north). And they work. In fact, they work so much that almost no one calls geologists to seek for water: everyone calls dowsers. In fact, it is studied at school (at state schools), that the scientific explanation for water dowsing powers is a high sensitivity to the magnetic forces caused by underground water currents."

I'm not disputing anything you've written. This is a sincere question. But, during many of the "witch trials" wasn't water dowsing a prerequisite (may not be the best word) or a factor used to determine if someone was, in fact, a witch (if the person possessed this ability [power?])? This doesn't prove anything other than the fact that this is a superstition--but could this possibly be why some people feel that water dowsing is paranormal?

[leilei]

I apologize if my previous post was too far "off topic."

[Natsu]

Originally Posted by leilei

I'm not disputing anything you've written. This is a sincere question. But, during many of the "witch trials" wasn't water dowsing a prerequisite (may not be the best word) or a factor used to determine if someone was, in fact, a witch (if the person possessed this ability [power?])? This doesn't prove anything other than the fact that this is a superstition--but could this possibly be why some people feel that water dowsing is paranormal?

I guess some people think water dowsing is paranormal because it hasn't been studied properly: no one has got dowsers and put electrodes in their brains while dowsing to see to what stimuli they react when finding water.

About the witch trials, they were totally subjective and depended on where you were being judged. For example, in Scotland and Ireland where many people are redheads, red hair was considered average. But in Spain, where red hair was very rare, it was considered a demonic sign, and people from low class could get in real trouble for being red-haired. Thinking that way, I understand that in Spain, where water dowsing is a centuries-long tradition, dowsing for water successfully has never been a cause to be accused of witchcraft: it was seen as something normal, and we're talking of the country with the first Inquisition. Then there's also the fact that it's not a good idea to burn a zahorí (zahoríes is the plural, it's the Spanish word for water dowsers, notice that we have a specific word for them), in a country which is regularly suffering from drought.

So, maybe in witch trials in America they used dowsing as an accusation and that could be the reason why it is considered paranormal there. But I can assure you that in my country it wasn't a reason to accuse people of witchcraft. It has always been considered something relatively normal (relatively: there's only one or two dowsers per village, or per group of villages, and all of them in the countryside).

However, you raised up an interesting point. Maybe that's the source of Randi's opinion about dowsing. However, as I said, accusation during witch trials were so subjective that you couldn't really trust them... if the witch trial accusations were Randi's source to consider dowsing paranormal, he'd have to consider red hair and reading without moving your lips as paranormal activities too, and I bet he doesn't.

[leilei]

Originally Posted by Natsu

... if the witch trial accusations were Randi's source to consider dowsing paranormal, he'd have to consider red hair and reading without moving your lips as paranormal activities too, and I bet he doesn't.

So true.

[leilei]

Originally Posted by Natsu

... if the witch trial accusations were Randi's source to consider dowsing paranormal, he'd have to consider red hair and reading without moving your lips as paranormal activities too, and I bet he doesn't.

Wow, folks truly had some very strange ideas about what would be considered behavior (or abilities) of "witches."

[Acting Like Godot]

LOL, for goodness sakes, who would want to seek validation from someone like James Randi? He isn't a real scientist, he doesn't belong to any reputable research institute, he's never written anything that was published in a scientific journal. He seems like a skeptical quack to me.

Even if you wished to seek scientific proof of psychic abilities, surely it's better to consult someone who is a Nobel prize-winning physicists; who is a professor at a world-renowned university like Cambridge or Harvard and who has spent years of life researching such things.

You know - someone like Professor Brian Josephson.

[Natsu]

Thanks for the info, ActinglikeGodot! I really wanted to find someone serious who had investigated the subject deeply. I am really interested in this.

[JimmyJam87]

It is actually good in a way that someone like Randi is out there as he does have a point when it comes to charlatans that tarnish good mediums/psychics reputation.

What is wrong however is how he blatantly dismisses every one who claims to have psychic ability to be a charlatan.

I think if someone validly materialised a spirit of his mother infront of his eyes under a controlled setting he would still deny it to be genuine...

There are a few stories if you use the mighty Google of how pathetic he can be when people actually try and take his "challenge".

Also Randi says that he can replicate any "hocum" psychics produce. Oh can he now? YouTube - Don Lane and James Randi 1980 I will let you be the judge of that

[magic1]

Originally Posted by Rob S

Why has no one ever won the one million dollar prize from James Randi for successfully demonstrating a psychic ability? Apparently, this offer has been there for many years and not only has no one won, but very few make it past the preliminary test.

I am not attacking anyone, so please don't take this as criticism. I am posting this question here because the description for this forum category is the following:
"Psychic & Paranormal" :Psi skills, psychic energy, dreams, lucid dreaming, astral projection, paranormal phenomena, non-physical entities, extraterrestrials, channeling, mediumship, clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, claircognizance.

So obviously people who post here are believers and perhaps posses these skills. In Deepak Chopra's books he claims people in India can plant a seed, and through the power and concentration of their mind, make the plant grow instantly (within a few minutes). Can't these people use a million dollars?

Steve had a blog entry once on Telepathy Telepathy Can't Steve and Erin use the one million dollars?

This is not an attack on anyone. Especially Steve and Erin.

There has to be an explanation as to why no one is able to collect the money. I know some may say the tests to prove your abilities to win the money may be to difficult, but I believe if you have the skill you should be able to prove it regardless of the conditions (within limits). I have not seen anything on James Randi's site to indicate they make the tests impossible to pass.

So? Any ideas? Randi started this offer in 1964 and no one has taken a dime from him since.


See James Randi's website: James Randi Educational Foundation — Home Page

you can only see what you beleive....LOA so not everyone will ever be able to see it if they do not already beleive it...

ever heard of that saying, you'll see it when you believe it..well its true...

its natural laws operating...

[codenamesmiley]

Rob,

I am glad that you posted this, because I was not aware of any challenge. Of course, after reading thru the rules and guidelines..it is apparent that Steve and Erin know what they are talking about, and have valid opinion about it.

I do not feel that there would be a witch hunt, if you continue on the topic. All I ever knew about this Randi guy before, was that he was a thorn in Sylvia Browne's side. I knew nothing of his challenge and it was interesting to go thru and read about how it is expected to work.

I don't think that anyone has responded in anger toward you. It is natural for people with actual abilities to get a little frustrated when someone challenges them in a way that makes it impossible for them to prove what it is that they experience daily in their own life.

I am in here alot, trying to hone in on some abilities and test myself to see if I can do some of the things that are presented in the forums, for my own growth and evaluation. I would not be able to successfully get thru the application process on this guys site. (yet i see death in a person a month prior to their demise, i find lost items over the phone for absolutely everyone I know..and I was able to heal a surgical nightmare of a spine to something that didn't even need physical therapy after two years of waiting for my consult.(another story altogether). I see, hear and feel spirits. I am getting better and better at divination. It is a constant learning process, tho.

It has become obvious to me that I am a healer of a sort, and that I am an empath. I can find lost articles for people who I have already bonded with aurically. (if aurically is a word) and most of the people who know me consider me to be psychic. Of course, there are so many other forms of psychic, that is why there are so many out there claiming to be psychic. I think what this guy is looking for, is someone who possesses every single psychic ability ever known, discovered or questioned...in one person. That is going to be impossible to find! There are so many different forms of abilities...there has never been any one person that possesses them all...and most of us that do possess one or two of these abilities, cannot prove so, with scientific gadgetry. What we do is spiritual, etheric, otherworldly. Man made machines will not be able to accurately monitor or evaluate a person's abilities in this manner.

Nobody is going to witchhunt you down, just because this guy pretty much demands that you apply nude while base jumping with a midget strapped to your head and signing the application with a periwinkle finepoint gel pen, stolen from the secretary of state. (which is about how rediculous the application process seemed to me when I read about it.) I think that the posters in this thread are more concerned with what an ass this Randi guy appears to be..not you, for posting this. After all, your inquiry was a very valid one. If I had known about this test prior, I may have posted the same question.

All in all, I found this thread interesting to read, and I am glad it was posted. Also, I love to see posts where Steve AND Erin BOTH feel inclined to respond. This means that you posted something worth reading...

Thanks and blessings to you,
Rebecca

[Erin Pavlina]

This thread was started 2 years ago. We have a rule about reopening old threads. Please feel free to start a new thread if you want to keep talking about this. Many of the people who responded in this thread are long gone so you're wasting your breath, so to speak.