How does the current financial crisis affect the Challenge funds?

[RoboTimbo]

It seems that despite being informed here directly that the million dollars is safe, Mr Koenig is insisting on spreading his misinformation and lies where he won't get pulled up for them. This post was made by "tommy" on The Magic Cafe.

On 2008-10-14 21:25, tommy wrote:
I have wrote to Randi to see if I can take his test. Every time I throw a penny in the Wishing Well my wish comes true.

Mr Koenig's response follows.

On 2008-10-15 08:50, Psychic Samurai wrote:
Well, you'll have to put a microchip IN the coin to make sure that it is the exact coin that makes your wish come true, and not one of the other coins.

You'll have to prove that the coincidence plays NO PART and that the wish can not come true except by the coin wish itself.

One of Randi's boys or a hired expert will have to be down in the well to make sure the coin is not Switched Out. (You'll have to pay him since Randi covers NO expenses)

The wish must get plenty of media Coverage and you will have to have Academics testify that you can do this BEFORE you get a chance to do it.

HOWEVER ... Opus has a point, and the JREF would not consider it a valid claim since it can't be tested.

(Whatever is left of the Million is safe )

Some people never learn...

Chris

The Professor does foam at the mouth over the silliest things. Should be easy to come up with a protocol for that.

1. Wish for an elephant to appear in your living room.
2. Throw a penny in the well.

Why is The Professor gushing so much over that?

How about if the elephant DOES appear, the guy wins the million.
If it DOESN'T appear, The Professor pays him $1,000.

 

[Cuddles]

The Professor does foam at the mouth over the silliest things. Should be easy to come up with a protocol for that.

1. Wish for an elephant to appear in your living room.
2. Throw a penny in the well.

Why is The Professor gushing so much over that?

How about if the elephant DOES appear, the guy wins the million.
If it DOESN'T appear, The Professor pays him $1,000.

Plus, he'd have an elephant to sell.

Alternatively, if every wish you make comes true, why not just wish for a million dollars and not bother with the JREF at all?

 

[The Professor]

You guys are Funny, but where's the Money?

Where's the new bank statement?

I am so happy that you like to hunt down post by my alter ego Psychic Samurai.

I've joined a new forum and I'll let you know where that one is too.

Wish I had so much time on my hands

The International Seance Project is at hand. Beware

The protocol is almost completed!

Where's the new statement? All I see is the old one.

 

[chillzero]

Where's the new bank statement?

<snip>

Where's the new statement? All I see is the old one.

Did you email and ask for it?

 

[GzuzKryzt]

You guys are Funny, but where's the Money?

Where's the new bank statement?

I am so happy that you like to hunt down post by my alter ego Psychic Samurai.

Wish I had so much time on my hands

The International Seance Project is at hand. Beware

Where's the new statement? All I see is the old one.

Only the JREF Staff can answer that officially. Since they do not frequent the forum regularly I suggest contacting them directly via challenge@randi.org

I should point out that you very likely will receive the same information you already have received multiple times in this thread, namely that the JREF is legally obligated to pay the prize money - in the event of a success on part of the claimant - and that their current funds are sufficient to achieve that.

 

[MattC]

Where's the work you were supposed to have done to find any of this out?

Wait, you've done nothing?

~ Matt

 

[The Professor]

There are over 1000 people every day that are supposed to make their home payments but they are all going into foreclosure.

The only way to get the money is to sue them ... and the bottom line is that you can't get blood out of a tomato.

So having the option of legal action makes no sense.

If the JREF is broke then there is no incentive to pursue the MDC.

Because of the volatile situation with the Stock Market almost everyone I know has been sent updates as to their investments.

Why hasn't the JREF published theirs?

 

[GzuzKryzt]

There are over 1000 people every day that are supposed to make their home payments but they are all going into foreclosure.

The only way to get the money is to sue them ... and the bottom line is that you can't get blood out of a tomato.

So having the option of legal action makes no sense.

If the JREF is broke then there is no incentive to pursue the MDC.

Because of the volatile situation with the Stock Market almost everyone I know has been sent updates as to their investments.

Why hasn't the JREF published theirs?

They have, remember?

Again: Should you feel the need for information that can only be supplied by a JREF Staffer, contact the JREF directly via challenge@randi.org.
Do not hesitate to post the e-mail you sent so that the audience can follow.

 

[MattC]

There are over 1000 people every day that are supposed to make their home payments but they are all going into foreclosure.

The only way to get the money is to sue them ... and the bottom line is that you can't get blood out of a tomato.

So having the option of legal action makes no sense.

If the JREF is broke then there is no incentive to pursue the MDC.

Because of the volatile situation with the Stock Market almost everyone I know has been sent updates as to their investments.

Why hasn't the JREF published theirs?

Why haven't your friends published theirs?

We can keep bandying dumb arguments around until the end of time, but it won't get you any real information of value. If you truly desire this information, QUIT ASKING THE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE IT (i.e. we forum members) and take GzuzKryzt's advice, which I helpfully quote here:

Should you feel the need for information that can only be supplied by a JREF Staffer, contact the JREF directly via challenge@randi.org.
Do not hesitate to post the e-mail you sent so that the audience can follow.

~ Matt

(ps: for god's sake, by this point it's like you're trying to resist getting the information at all so you can continue to complain about not having it)
(pps: Consider the following:

Because of the volatile situation with the Stock Market almost everyone I know has been sent updates as to their investments.

The money is held in the form of immediately negotiable bonds held by Goldman Sachs, a highly respected investment firm.

I am helpfully bolding specific words I feel are of significance.)

 

[fromdownunder]

If the JREF is broke then there is no incentive to pursue the MDC.

TP, if you are seriously trying to suggest that providing unrefutable evidence that the paranormal exists (by winning the challenge) is utterly worthless outside of Randi's $1 Million, you must live on a different planet than I do.

You would be doing what nobody has ever done. Even Sylvia Browne would bow down before you. And Montel would have you on every show. It would be just the beginning. Then there's the books, the lecture circuit, the TV shows, the marketing for your live appearences...

Think outside the box. Or, you know, work on a protocol that is either finished, or not finished, depending on which thread you are posting.

Norm

 

[Crispy Duck]

You would be doing what nobody has ever done. Even Sylvia Browne would bow down before you. And Montel would have you on every show. It would be just the beginning. Then there's the books, the lecture circuit, the TV shows, the marketing for your live appearences...

On the other hand, there's always the risk that he'll be abducted by the CIA and kept locked in a basement for the rest of his life, remotely-viewing the movements of Osama bin Laden and calling on the spirit of Houdini to eavesdrop in the Kremlin.

 

[RoboTimbo]

There are over 1000 people every day that are supposed to make their home payments but they are all going into foreclosure.

The only way to get the money is to sue them ... and the bottom line is that you can't get blood out of a tomato.

So having the option of legal action makes no sense.

If the JREF is broke then there is no incentive to pursue the MDC.

Because of the volatile situation with the Stock Market almost everyone I know has been sent updates as to their investments.

Why hasn't the JREF published theirs?

Then don't. But quit the whining. Enough people have pointed out to you how to get the information and they've done it enough times. What is it, about once or twice a week that you come on here with the same whine?

Give it up, you're on the wrong forum for that to get traction. Stop being a pouty child about this. You really don't have any self-respect, do you? Certainly nobody here has any for you, because of your actions. Try to show a little pride in yourself, don't go all weepy about the challenge funds. Do what you need to do.

 

[Ocelot]

This Bible, the book that everybody's talking about. I don't think it exists. I went and stood somewhere near a library for hours. That building that's supposed to hold copies of lots of books? If you believe that sort of thing! Anyway no-one put a copy of the bible in my hand, let alone read it aloud to me!

Now I've caught a cold from standing outside and have a nasty itching senseation down below which I suspect was caused when nobody wiped my bottom after my last dump.

Despite telling my milkman all about it, no doctor has come to visit me which means I can't ask this purveyor of suposed medical miralces to change my milk order.

The situation is totally intollerable and so I expect that I should win a huge payout in the courts if only an injury lawyer would call me instead of forcing me to sit here incapacitated watching daytime TV commercials and polishing the keypad on my phone.

What is the entire world except for me doing wrong? It's almost as if no-one else has the sort of reliable psychic powers I claim to have despite not knowing how to test them.

 

[nathan]

Is 'The Professor' unable to distinguish between stock and bond markets?

 

[GzuzKryzt]

Is 'The Professor' unable to distinguish between stock and bond markets?

No.

 

[nathan]

No.

oh, so you think he is able to distinguish between them? If so, how do you account for his concern about the stock market?

 

[RoboTimbo]

oh, so you think he is able to distinguish between them? If so, how do you account for his concern about the stock market?

His lack of psychic ability?

 

[Dr H]

All documentation of assets of the JREF must be available to the general public as they are a Not For Profit group. Hiding money is illegal.
I would like to see this assertion backed up. I've done some looking in Wikipedia and at About.com, and can find no blanket disclosure requirement for non-profits, at either state or national levels.

I would like to see this assertion backed up. I've done some looking in Wikipedia and at About.com, and can find no blanket disclosure requirement for non-profits, at either state or national levels.

I don't see that this was directy answered, and I happened to be driving by, so I thought I'd jump in.

The public records requirement for non-profit corporations is specified in US Code Title 26, Subtitle F, Chapter 61, Subchapter B, § 6104(a)(1)(A), viz.:

If an organization described in section 501 (c) or (d) is exempt from taxation under section 501 (a) for any taxable year [...] the application filed by the organization with respect to which the Secretary made his determination that such organization was entitled to exemption [...] any letter or other document issued by the Internal Revenue Service with respect to such application or notice shall be open to public inspection...

And § 6104(b)

Inspection of annual information returns:
The information required to be furnished by sections 6033, 6034, and 6058, together with the names and addresses of such organizations and trusts, shall be made available to the public ...

§ 6003, 6034, and 6058 explicitly define the sorts of returns that need to be filed. "Return," and "return information" are defined in § 6103(b)(1) and § 6103(b)(2)(A), respectively, as follows:

The term “return” means any tax or information return, declaration of estimated tax, or claim for refund required by, or provided for or permitted under, the provisions of this title...

The term “return information” means—a taxpayer’s identity, the nature, source, or amount of his income, payments, receipts, deductions, exemptions, credits, assets, liabilities, net worth, tax liability, tax withheld, deficiencies, overassessments, or tax payments...

Which, I think, pretty much covers the public disclosure requirement for funding.

 

[GzuzKryzt]

oh, so you think he is able to distinguish between them? If so, how do you account for his concern about the stock market?

Potato salad.

 

[EHocking]

This Bible, the book that everybody's talking about. I don't think it exists. I went and stood somewhere near a library for hours. That building that's supposed to hold copies of lots of books? If you believe that sort of thing! Anyway no-one put a copy of the bible in my hand, let alone read it aloud to me!

Now I've caught a cold from standing outside and have a nasty itching senseation down below which I suspect was caused when nobody wiped my bottom after my last dump.

Despite telling my milkman all about it, no doctor has come to visit me which means I can't ask this purveyor of suposed medical miralces to change my milk order.

The situation is totally intollerable and so I expect that I should win a huge payout in the courts if only an injury lawyer would call me instead of forcing me to sit here incapacitated watching daytime TV commercials and polishing the keypad on my phone.

What is the entire world except for me doing wrong? It's almost as if no-one else has the sort of reliable psychic powers I claim to have despite not knowing how to test them.

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