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From: James Randi --- Wizard To: broadcast-randi-hotline@ssr.com Subject: A response! Date: Thu, 22 Feb 1996 03:48:17 -0500 Folks, I just had to share this with you.... Here's a response I got from a person who wants to claim the $528,000 prize. I referred him to the official challenge, and here's how he answered: "Alright, first of all, I respect what you're doing. Skeptism can do wonders for the truth. It's been believers vs. unbelievers since the beginning of time. But I feel like it's us vs. the unknown, skeptics and believing counter-parts on the same side. However, a $500,000 prize makes for a nice motive, and that's the source of my motivation up front. I can say that because I'm not tryin' to trick anyone..I'm goin' for the cash. But that doesn't mean that I can't prove the 'existance of the supernatural'. Now I understand that there are different 'rules' for each claim according to the nature of that claim. That, for me, is the difficulty. It seems in my best interest to claim the least amount of 'supernaturaliblity' I can. I closer 'point spread'. Because, you see, my claim revolves around the idea that the information and ability to 'see' the supernatural phenomenons are present within each and they can be 'brought out' within each person with the correct application of information. That's what I do, giving 'supernatural' vision..and thus a $500,000 result. However, it does mean your skeptic days are over. And as for the rights to the 'information' for your purposes, I'd have to contest that. I think an agreement can be reached on a percentage level. Once you see this, you'll understand that the information is 'priceless', and the footage or whatever will make millions. I know this in advance, so I have to stake a claim in that end of it prior." Wow! I've had some dandy responses in my time, but this one is the winner for obfuscation and lack of any sense whatsoever. You see what I'm faced with? I had an interesting observation re my last "Quadro" posting. A reader says: Don't forget a third group, anyone whose rights were violated by law enforcement using this device as "probable cause" for a search. These are "real" victims, who didn't even have to subscribe to the nonsense. Very true. Also, I think, anyone accused -- let alone convicted -- as a result of the use of the Quadro toy, should have a dandy lawsuit, don't you think? And -- the WWW site for my Home Page (and the Challenge) has been changed. It now is: http://www.sincity.com/randi/randi.html Please make a note.... James Randi ************************************************** ** PROVIDED FOR YOUR REFERENCE BY THE MODERATOR ** ************************************************** Requests to be added to or deleted from the randi-hotline mailing list, must be sent to the service address: Internet: randi-hotline-request@ssr.com PLEASE BE PATIENT. All requests are processed before each new mailing to the list and these can be widely spaced. You *will* be added if your request was sent to the correct address. Mail to James Randi can be sent to: Internet: randi-hotline@ssr.com The Amazing One reads all mail and will generally respond eventually. This can change with growing volume, of course... Thanks to Anson Kennedy, back issues of the randi-hotline are now available on the World Wide Web: http://www.mindspring.com/~anson/randi-hotline/ Back issues of the randi-hotline are also available via anonymous FTP to: USA: ftp.netcom.com directory: /pub/an/anson/Mailing_Lists/geller-hotline ftp.ssr.com: directory: /Randi Please try netcom.com first, since ftp.ssr.com is very busy. EUROPE: mercurio.iet.unipi.it directory: /pub/Randi Our gratitude goes to Anson Kennedy and Massimo Macucci for providing the ftp sites at netcom and unipi.it, respectively.

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