Psychic Samurai applies for MDC...apparently...

[The Professor]

I'd like to thank those who have been helping me. Believe me, I am trying to prepare exactly what you'd like to hear, but more importantly what the JREF will accept. I'm so happy that the Moderators here let everyone say what they will but do not let me respond. Hope they do now.
I have been answering these questions but you refuse to accept them since you are being sidetracked about the discussion on theM Cafe' about the JREF MDC as being a swindle. Many there think it is and I am wasting my time trying to be tested.
I've stated that I've asked questions and received answers while seated on the Devil's Chair. These answers did NOT come from "Normal" means but Paranormal ones! (Unless Invisible entities are normal, and it sounds like some of you think they should be called that.)
I am your chance to prove the JREF MDC isn't a swindle! Test Me!!!!
1) We, the JREF and myself, will remove all possibility of trickery.
2) I will sit on the Devil's Chair on (10/31/2008) and ask questions (In more than one language) of Entities that are Paranormal (Invisible, not of THIS World) in nature.
3) Their intelligent responses will be recorded on the latest and most advanced technological devices available.
4) Their answers will be obvious and clearly understandable. No judgement or translation will be needed unless the answers are in languages other than English. Translators will be on hand.
5) All of this will be paid for by someone "Other" than the JREF.

I hope that answers your questions again.

I DO want to take the challenge! I am working on the protocol as best I can.
Is this closer?

Why am I being asked to change the date of my claim? It matters to me but why would you make me change it? It is actually the date Harry Houdini chose himself.
Also, why would I now have to change my claim to Telekinesis or something else? Thomas Edison is the one who said this may be possible?
I've already said that the jREF and I would remove all possibilities of trickery.
Why the changes?
I do totally agree with Jackelgirl!!!!

 

[steenkh]

I have been answering these questions but you refuse to accept them since you are being sidetracked about the discussion on theM Cafe' about the JREF MDC as being a swindle. Many there think it is and I am wasting my time trying to be tested.

We are are being side-tracked by your refusal to go into details with your claim. But it is true that the discussion on the M Café shows that you are only into the test for the publicity, and that you are aiming at a dismissal from the JREF which you will probably earn.

I've stated that I've asked questions and received answers while seated on the Devil's Chair.

That has not been clear to me at least. When you have several times been asked if you have tried this yourself, you have not addressed the question. Well, now we know that you have, but you still have not told what controls you used, and how you are going to demonstrate something paranormal.

These answers did NOT come from "Normal" means but Paranormal ones! (Unless Invisible entities are normal, and it sounds like some of you think they should be called that.)

OK. So you say, how are you going to demonstrate to others that the voices are not normal? Is this just a game of wits that you think you can hide a means of transmitting voices that the testers will not detect?

I am your chance to prove the JREF MDC isn't a swindle! Test Me!!!

The JREF does not need a chance to prove what has already been abundantly proved. What makes you different from all the others, apart from the fact that you want to make the test into a stage performance?

1) We, the JREF and myself, will remove all possibility of trickery.

Sounds good, but that is nowhere near the requirement for a decent protocol.

2) I will sit on the Devil's Chair on (10/31/2008) and ask questions (In more than one language) of Entities that are Paranormal (Invisible, not of THIS World) in nature.

Paranormal because they are not visible? In the modern day and age, few people will accept that just because they cannot see a loudspeaker, an unseen voice does not come from a loudspeaker!

You also do not go into detail exactly what questions you are going to ask, why the different languages, and what answers you will get back. If all you want to demonstrate is an unseen voice, you do not need any questions at all. Will there be anything in the questions and answers that will demonstrate something paranormal?

3) Their intelligent responses will be recorded on the latest and most advanced technological devices available.

What purpose will the latest technology have here? Quite old-fashioned technology can record voices.

4) Their answers will be obvious and clearly understandable. No judgement or translation will be needed unless the answers are in languages other than English. Translators will be on hand.

Yes, but what importance does this have for the test? So far you have just claimed that the voices are paranormal, is it crucial for the test that the voices are intelligible, or intelligent?

5) All of this will be paid for by someone "Other" than the JREF.

Good. That fulfils one of the requirements.

I DO want to take the challenge! I am working on the protocol as best I can.
Is this closer?

I think it is much the same that you have said before, and I would not have thought that it was any better. Is it because you are a stage performer that you have difficulty seeing that all this vagueness which might make sense for entertainment purposes, has no place in a test such as the MDC?

I have proposed that you demonstrate the paranormality of the voice by posing questions in a language that you do not know in advance. You have not made any comments as to whether this would be acceptable or not. You gave the impression that any language would do, but if you think that the Voice may have difficulty speaking Basque, please say so, or give a list of which languages the Voice may speak.

 

[Marcus]

Professor, could you please quote the questions people have asked you since your last poat, and then actually answer those questions? Simply giving us your proposed protocol again doesn't help, it doesn't answer the important questions.

You did answer my last question. You have self-tested, but not under controlled conditions. And you understand you are paying. So you are answering some questions.

 

[Piggy]

Why am I being asked to change the date of my claim? It matters to me but why would you make me change it? It is actually the date Harry Houdini chose himself.

We're not requesting that you do change the date from October 31 (tho this coming one seems unfeasible). We're wondering why the date is important.

Since you don't claim to know what the source of the voices is, why do you think it's necessary to do the test on that date?

There's very little possibility of having time to agree on a protocol and set anything up by this coming Halloween.

But if you want Halloween of any year, we have to ask why. If you have no good reason, it simply lends more weight to the appearance that this is a stunt, so it would work in your favor if you didn't demand a particular date.

But if you insist, well, why not? Still, folks are going to be curious why you want this date, if you can provide no good reason except dramatic purpose.

Also, why would I now have to change my claim to Telekinesis or something else? Thomas Edison is the one who said this may be possible?

No one is asking you to change your claim to telekinesis or something.

What we're trying to point out to you is that your current claim is not testable -- this has been pointed out to you by JREF officially.

If all you do is to continue to rephrase the same claim, that will not make it testable, so you have no chance of entering the challenge.

If you claim that you can show the existence of some entity which is paranormal (e.g. the spirit of a dead person) and not normal (e.g. a live person, a prerecording, a live radio transmission, yourself, etc.) then you will need to be clear about:

1. what makes that entity paranormal (simply labeling it a "paranormal entity" doesn't cut it);
2. why your particular demonstration clearly provides evidence that the entity exists and is paranormal.

But you haven't done this. What you have said is that you are going to give a performance in which you will ask questions and the answers to those questions will appear on a tape recording.

Even if you were to do this, you would be peforming a variation on a conjuring trick. It would require human judgment to claim that the sounds on the tape belonged to a "paranormal" entity and not a normal one.

That is why this performance, even if successful, would not produce a self-evident demonstration of the existence of anything paranormal. Therefore, it does not qualify for the challenge.

That is why you have to change your claim.

I've already said that the jREF and I would remove all possibilities of trickery.
Why the changes?

First of all, just saying that "all possibilities of trickery" would be removed is easy. But it doesn't get anything done.

Second, it doesn't matter because, as I said above, even if you did what you claim you can do, that would not provide a self-evident demonstration of the existence of anything paranormal.

Bottom line, Professor: The claim you're making has already been rejected because it not a testable paranormal claim. If you still want to be tested, you're going to have to change your claim substantively, not just re-word it.

 

[The Professor]

Seems like everyone here seems to ignore STEP NUMBER ONE and keep arguing as if it doesn't exist!
1) We, the JREF and myself, will remove all possibility of trickery.
I am working on phrasing the question in another way, but I don't believe that hearing/seeing ITC or EVP while ALL trickery is removed is not PARANORMAL.
It is!
If you ignore the first statement then everything you go on about means nothing.
The JREF and myself will remove all possibilities of deception. So saying I'm being deceptive because of my background in mental illusions isn't valid!
And of course I am vocal about my beliefs. I have nothing to hide. I was told the JREF would sqirm and come up with a reason not to test me.
So,
I'm Swimming with the Sharks. I knew there would be attacks. This thread was started by someone who personally email James Randi himself!( And was booted off the Magic Cafe) Of course you will attack a single swimmer by himself.
Bit I WILL NOT QUIT as you have suggested!

 

[RoboTimbo]

1. How about if the "most advanced technological devices" themselves were in individual small faraday cages separate from you? I understand that a faraday cage won't stop psychic energy (especially quantum psychic energy) but it will stop electromagnetic waves, thus eliminating one avenue of trickery.

2. You have yet to state WHY Oct 31 at the Devil's Chair is so important to the test. You're only lending credence to the appearance of this being a stunt and not a paranormal event. Please state YES or NO, could your self described "paranormal event" occur at another time and place?

 

[steenkh]

Seems like everyone here seems to ignore STEP NUMBER ONE and keep arguing as if it doesn't exist!
1) We, the JREF and myself, will remove all possibility of trickery.

Several posters have mentioned it, and I did so in my last post. These are just words, they are not a specification of how you propose to avoid trickery. The JREF will certainly have their own suggestions, but so far you have only suggested that the area should be searched by experts, and that you will accept being frisked. If this is your protocol, write it so.

You are setting everything up for a performance at a place and time of your own choosing, and like a real magician, you ask the audience to inspect the props that there is no trickery involved before the magic takes place. So far you do nothing to assuage suspicions that you just look at it as a battle of wits.

I am working on phrasing the question in another way, but I don't believe that hearing/seeing ITC or EVP while ALL trickery is removed is not PARANORMAL. It is!

So what is the claim? That you can produce a voice for which there is no natural explanation? Why don't you say so? Why all the stuff about languages, etc when it has no importance in your claim?

The JREF and myself will remove all possibilities of deception. So saying I'm being deceptive because of my background in mental illusions isn't valid!
And of course I am vocal about my beliefs. I have nothing to hide. I was told the JREF would sqirm and come up with a reason not to test me.

The JREF does not need to squirm as long as you are not proposing a workable protocol. Just repeating an unworkable protocol with nowhere near the details asked for, will get you nowhere.

But you can of course always have Jim Callahan produce a movie for you about the experience. This will probably fatten your wallet to the detriment of your reputation.

So, I'm Swimming with the Sharks. I knew there would be attacks. This thread was started by someone who personally email James Randi himself!( And was booted off the Magic Cafe) Of course you will attack a single swimmer by himself.

This thread is moderated to keep the sharks away, but you are still nowhere close to a working protocol. And time is running.

I have suggested a language test for paranormality that you have studiously avoided answering. Why is that so?

 

[Czarcasm]

So, I'm Swimming with the Sharks. I knew there would be attacks. This thread was started by someone who personally email James Randi himself!( And was booted off the Magic Cafe) Of course you will attack a single swimmer by himself.
Bit I WILL NOT QUIT as you have suggested!

It does not matter who started the thread-the same questions would have been brought forth regardless. You say that you will not quit, but until you put forth a proposal that follows all of the rules of the MDC and describes a paranormal occurance, in my humble opinion you haven't even started.
Given that the locals have disputed that anything of a supernatural nature has occured there, why do you insist that the test take place at this particular location? Do you have prior experience with paranormal events happening at this location? Is there a legitimate reason for having the test occur on Halloween(other than for public relations), and if so, what is it?

 

[Seanrmr]

Hey,
I was wondering as Professor I was reading your links to the ghost box set-ups you linked to as the electrical devices you wanted to use. Now from what I can understand there are two setups that were described in these links.
The ghost box from the radio set-up:
This system just steped through frequencies and demodulated this setup just gets read outs from radio frequencies I can't see this set-up ever being allowed as radio stations being picked up will get voices for you.
The next version of this by the same person was this with a white noise(well more white noise than the cheap radio already being used) then these two sounds are mixed together by recording the two with a microphone. Now this prerecorded white noise is another part that can be tampered with. I would suggest if the white noise is to be recorded it should be done using computer random number generator. Matlab has a decent one we use for simulating noise in my signal processing labs at uni. This should be done on a fresh install as to stop the accusation that the random number generator function has not been tampered with by anyone. In my uni course we have removed noise that makes voices inaudible from a signal become not clear but good enough that you know what they are saying.

Now I didn't know about EVP before this post and it is interesting all the different methods they have (I used a filter to remove a white noise from a signal for my thesis this year so anything that looks like signal processing interests me at the moment). So I went to wikipedia and that took me to (American Association of Electronic Voice Phenomena) can't link this is my first post here. Now they have the radio sweep method which is the one Professor that you have linked to as you want to use. And I quote "There is very little documented study of this technique offering evidence that EVP is actually formed using this technique. The possibility of attributing normally occurring sounds as paranormal (false positive) is so great that the AA-EVP has adopted the policy to encourage people new to EVP to first learn how to record EVP using the usual audio recorder as described in Basic Recording Techniques. Then after learning what EVP is and how it typically sounds, we encourage people to try new techniques, including radio sweep." This means the results from radio sweep is a technique that needs interpretation. This I understand is not allowed in a MDC challenge.

The method they suggest is just using the white noise so I ask if you want to record the EVP why not just use a brand new bought that day recorder to avoid pre test tampering by either side? Have the recorder not have a radio tuner so as not to say it is picking up radio signals and then play a white noise for you EVP pick up.

Sorry about the length of my first post. But just wanted to get these ideas out there would love to learn more about these different method of EVP even if it is just to point out flaws.

 

[IMST]

1. How about if the "most advanced technological devices" themselves were in individual small faraday cages separate from you? I understand that a faraday cage won't stop psychic energy (especially quantum psychic energy) but it will stop electromagnetic waves, thus eliminating one avenue of trickery.

Based on what I've seen, I just about guarantee the intention is to prerecord the answers and fill in the questions at the demonstration. I'd be much more impressed by previously unopened off the shelf recording devices than the most advanced technological devices.

 

[Don At Work]

Seems like everyone here seems to ignore STEP NUMBER ONE and keep arguing as if it doesn't exist!
1) We, the JREF and myself, will remove all possibility of trickery.

That is your peronal step one. Too bad the official rules say otherwise:

This is the primary and most important of these rules: Applicant must state clearly in advance, and applicant and JREF will agree upon, what powers and/or abilities will be demonstrated, the limits of the proposed demonstration (so far as time, location and other variables are concerned) and what will constitute both a positive and a negative result.

I was told the JREF would sqirm and come up with a reason not to test me.
So,
I'm Swimming with the Sharks. I knew there would be attacks. This thread was started by someone who personally email James Randi himself!( And was booted off the Magic Cafe) Of course you will attack a single swimmer by himself.
Bit I WILL NOT QUIT as you have suggested!

You were also asked by most people on this forum, and TOLD by the official JREF representative, to STATE YOUR CLAIM IN PLAIN ENGLISH.

What squirming has there been on the part of JREF? ALL the squirming has been on YOUR part so far.

 

[Piggy]

Seems like everyone here seems to ignore STEP NUMBER ONE and keep arguing as if it doesn't exist!
1) We, the JREF and myself, will remove all possibility of trickery.

I, for one, am not ignoring anything, and I'm not suggesting you quit.

You are completely ignoring the most glaring problem, which has been pointed out repeatedly:

Even if you succeed at what you propose, it will require subjective human judgment to decide that the voices on the tape are "paranormal" and not "normal".

It will not be self-evident.

The reason you are being turned down for the test is that you are proposing a magic trick rather than an objective, testable demonstration of anything paranormal.

It's that simple, Professor.

 

[yairhol]

We're not requesting that you do change the date from October 31 (tho this coming one seems unfeasible). We're wondering why the date is important.

Since you don't claim to know what the source of the voices is, why do you think it's necessary to do the test on that date?

There's very little possibility of having time to agree on a protocol and set anything up by this coming Halloween.

But if you want Halloween of any year, we have to ask why. If you have no good reason, it simply lends more weight to the appearance that this is a stunt, so it would work in your favor if you didn't demand a particular date.

But if you insist, well, why not? Still, folks are going to be curious why you want this date, if you can provide no good reason except dramatic purpose.

Irrelavant in my view. He does not need to give any reason why he chooses that specific date. The MDC does not want anything to do with explanations of the theory behind the claim, only that the person do what claims he can do according to the agreed protocol.

1) We, the JREF and myself, will remove all possibility of trickery.

Just saying so does not make it acceptable. How can you remove the possibility of radio tranmittance from someone who is a few miles from you? Are you suggesting of building a Faraday cage? maybe you are (I don't know) but if you are then state it out loud. If not by that method then how?
I'm not sure RoboTimbo's solution is good:

1. How about if the "most advanced technological devices" themselves were in individual small faraday cages separate from you? I understand that a faraday cage won't stop psychic energy (especially quantum psychic energy) but it will stop electromagnetic waves, thus eliminating one avenue of trickery.

The Professor's claim is that the message from whomever will be by radio transmittance. If that is so then no Faraday cage can be used because it will eliminate the said radio transmittance. And then we're back to square one. How can you, The Professor, remove the possibility of radio trickery by someone who is not paranormal (for example a friend of yours)?

 

[RoboTimbo]

Based on what I've seen, I just about guarantee the intention is to prerecord the answers and fill in the questions at the demonstration. I'd be much more impressed by previously unopened off the shelf recording devices than the most advanced technological devices.

I see so much of a stage magician's misdirection in what will loosely be termed his protocol.

1. It has to occur on Halloween at midnight in a place called the Devil's Chair.
2. The use of electronic devices to capture "paranormal" (so far undefined to anyone's satisfaction except The Professor's) voices.
3. The use of skilled translators in the event of a foreign language being recorded.

I'm sure The Professor will want to eliminate even the appearance of any sort of stage magic and focus on the paranormal phenom itself.

The Professor's claim is to make "paranormal" voices appear on recording media. All else is hand-waving.
Eliminate the requirement for Devil's Chair on Halloween at midnight.
Eliminate the foreign language nonsense.
Eliminate the "advanced technological devices" and just let the tester bring their own type of recorder with fresh media, unknown as to what type it is to The Professor beforehand.

 

[steenkh]

The Professor's claim is that the message from whomever will be by radio transmittance.

Actually, it is very unclear what The Professor claims is the paranormal part. He does specify EVP equipment that will pick up radio waves, like you say, but he also implies that the paranormal voice will be heard by human ears, and he hints at a possible visual phenomenon.

In my opnion he should make up his mind. It is easier for him to claim success if he has only one claim to demonstrate. If his demonstration depends on visual, aural and electromagnetic factors, it will be that much harder for him to achieve. I doubt that the JREF will be satisfied with either a recording or a voice heard by humans, or something visual. That would be much too loose.

 

[yairhol]

The Professor, can your said entity record its answers on a blank electronic media (will be checked before hand) without this media being connected to any electronic device? For example, if you bring a blank electronic media of your choice (will have to be agreed in advance) but this media will be sitting on a rock beside you. You will not be touching it and neither will anybody else. Then, after all your questions have been asked, this media will be played back by an electronic device. If somehow magically the media is full with clear contents that have answers to your questions in the correct order (the questions should be asked in a random order as to avoid more trickery possibilities such as somehow the media having been encoded with answers on beforehand) then you pass. If not then you didn't pass.

 

[Piggy]

Irrelevant in my view.

I agree. Like I said, if he insists, why not? I was trying to point out, though, that the questions regarding the date were not an insistence that he change the date, as he seemed to believe, but rather curiosity over why it is necessary. It certainly does add to the appearance of stage magic.

 

[RoboTimbo]

I agree. Like I said, if he insists, why not? I was trying to point out, though, that the questions regarding the date were not an insistence that he change the date, as he seemed to believe, but rather curiosity over why it is necessary. It certainly does add to the appearance of stage magic.

It's too early to talk about the final challenge, I know. But, if he is insisting on having October 31, 2008 at midnight as part of the protocol, and the same protocol is used for the final challenge, how will he make October 31, 2008 at midnight appear again for the final challenge (assuming he passes the preliminary)? That would definitely be paranormal.

If it would necessarily have to be a different date and time for the final challenge, then it couldn't have been germaine to the challenge to begin with. Except for it's stage magic stuntness.

However, I agree with you about not insisting he change the date. It's his claim, after all.

 

[Azrael 5]

I linked a thread from Magic Cafe on here somewhere,where The Professor states he has never undertaken any tests at that site,had until that moment never visted,and it is indeed illegal to enter at night and he was "run out of the area". This was in June this year.

 

[Moochie]

Seems like everyone here seems to ignore STEP NUMBER ONE and keep arguing as if it doesn't exist!
1) We, the JREF and myself, will remove all possibility of trickery.
I am working on phrasing the question in another way, but I don't believe that hearing/seeing ITC or EVP while ALL trickery is removed is not PARANORMAL.
It is!
If you ignore the first statement then everything you go on about means nothing.
The JREF and myself will remove all possibilities of deception. So saying I'm being deceptive because of my background in mental illusions isn't valid!
And of course I am vocal about my beliefs. I have nothing to hide. I was told the JREF would sqirm and come up with a reason not to test me.
So,
I'm Swimming with the Sharks. I knew there would be attacks. This thread was started by someone who personally email James Randi himself!( And was booted off the Magic Cafe) Of course you will attack a single swimmer by himself.
Bit I WILL NOT QUIT as you have suggested!

You're saying all this in spite of having been informed that you haven't made a testable claim as yet? What are you talking about? Until you have a testable claim this (your posting) is all just the Internet equivalent of chin-wagging.

Do you have a "paranormal" ability that can be tested as per the MDC rules? If not, why are you here?


M.