Dr. Nguyen is the gentleman from Hawaii for whom Randi posted a request for investigative assistance on the JREF website.
This application and the accompanying initial claim letter (see below) came in sometime in early February of this year, just prior to my arrival here at JREF. I got to it a few weeks later.
The subsequent post in this thread will contain his second claim letter, and details on the preliminary test he eventually agreed to.
=============================================
I am going to start this introduction by telling you a little about myself, first I would just like to say that I'm not really a smart or intellectual person, I'm not a scientist or researcher. I'm just your average ordinary person, but what makes me qualified for this challenge is (and I state for a fact) that I possess and can prove to you that paranormal powers really do exist. The powers I possess are telepathy and another type of power which I'm not really sure of what it's called, and I will also be demonstrating on how I can increase the strength of my powers, but I also must add that I do not have total control over it, in other words their really isn't an on and off switch where I can turn it on and off.
The first demonstration I will be doing is "telepathy". First lets just say anything that I think or even read in my mind would be telepath out through my brain waves, or something in which I'm not sure about, how it actually dose work. To demonstrate this lets say you'll select a bunch of words or sentences, or create a paragraph on a sheet of paper, that you chose or create. You than will make copy's of that sheet of paper and give me a copy and you'll also give all the observers (witnesses) and yourself a copy.
From there I will read the sheet of paper in my mind and telepath out whatever it is that's on the sheet of paper, and you'll be able to hear it with out me using my mouth to say it aloud. (You may also cover my mouth however you chose to for reassurance) I can't really explain how its going to happen but you will just have to see it for yourself in person.
The second demonstration I will be doing is the other power I have told you about, which I'm not sure what it really is. To describe it, I'm going to have to say it's like a type of force that I believe is putted on your mind, maybe like an electrical shock wave or some sort of electrical current. I'm not too sure what it really is. To do this I will concentrate and try to produce the force on every ones mind. (I'll do this to every one, one by one to let them feel it for themselves) Sometimes this dose not always work rite away so I will third demonstrate how I can increase the strength of my powers. To do this I will put pressure on myself, to explain that more, it's like I'm going to wear myself out.
Wells let me explain how I'm going to put pressure on myself. I'm going to be doing push ups until I wear myself out a little and when I wear myself out for some odd reason I put pressure up in my head, I learned of this when I was working out (lifting weights) so maybe if you could arrange to have a set of weights at the testing that'll be very helpful to me, but if not the push ups should be able to do it, it just takes a little bit longer to build up the pressure.
From there I'll demonstrate the force on you and the observers , and if I'm correct the powers of my telepathy should have grown too, so in other words it'll be louder.
To summarize this, everything I'll be demonstrating can only be felt, seen, heard only from sources of the human body itself, so if you're going to be using machines and recorders to save and collect data for later research upon the test, I must warn you that I'm not to sure that it'll show up on your reading and recording instruments. If you have a better way or don't approve of my demonstrations and that you would rather create the tests yourself I would be more than glad and fully cooperate with any test or method that you'll come up with.
Thank you for your time and have a nice day.
=============================================
JREF accepted this claim but advised the applicant that only one claim would be tested. I then requested specifics regarding what the applicant proposed would constitute a successful test result. I also advised him to answer briefly, in two paragraphs, if possible.
Check the following post in this thread for his lengthy reply.
It proved impossible to locate a qualified investigator in Hawaii.
My numerous attempts to enlist the assistance of someone from the local universities went unanswered. During this time, Mr. Nguyen sent numerous emails in which he expressed grave concerns over the possibility that someone else would win the million dollars while he was waiting to be tested.
Finally, not too long after Randi posted a request on the JREF website for assistance with this claim, we received an email from a qualified investigator; a mainland volcano scientist making plans to visit Hawaii's evolving volcanic areas. The investigator stated that he would most likely be able to find the time to spend a few hours investigating this claim. The next step was to locate more observers, as a single investigator without a team of observers would hardly be a proper manner in which to impartially investigate this (or any) paranormal claim.
Mr. Nguyen's patience is running out, understandably, as only this morning he accuses me of "playing dumb" as regards the status of the preliminary testing of his claim:
==========================================
Im sorry if im mistakened but, it seems as if your playing dumb? It was posted by you on the JREF forums in the challenge section. Unless that wasnt a pre-test but only a demonstration or what so nots, please forgive me for being wrong.
For my pre-testing date, im sorry but it seems as if you guys dont keep yourselves updated on any of the tests you guys give out?? I sworn in the last email i sent you, I did tell you that Mr. Schuelter said that he wasnt sure whether or not if hes gonna be available with all of the erruptings of the volcanoes and what so nots and i did email him also and am waiting for a reply.
============================================
So, this reflects an all too common hardship JREF encounters when attempting to enlist qualified investigators to help with claims. Very often we can eventually locate someone we feel is qualified (in this particular case NOT an experienced paranormal phenomenon investigator but a scientist and critical thinker, which will do just fine), but then, once the investigator has conducted some correspondence with the applicant, his initial interest is lost in the presumption that the claim is not valid, and will provide nothing more than the loss of a chunk of time that can never be reclaimed. Sometimes people will offer to help, but then cannot seem to go the distance. This is unfortunate, but not entirely beyond the realm of human understanding.
We experience this a lot, and this most certainly leads many applicants to the conclusion that JREF is "jerking them around", forgetting that no JREF representative is involved in testing, and that tests are determined with Randi's approval, but without his direct involvement, in order to insure absolute impartiality in the testing procedure. JREF cannot guarantee the continued involvement of any third parties who volunteer their time (without any form of compensation) on behalf of The JREF Challenge.
If the world had more critical thinkers who were interested in such matters, each claim would be tested the moment an acceptable test protocol was determined. Would that we could all live in such a perfect world.
The NGUYEN correspondence is voluminous. I cannot post it all, but I will post what is relevant to the proceedings.
Since Mr. Nguyen stated that he would welcome any alternative protocol that we felt would best validate his claim, I offered him a standard double-blind test for "remote reading", which he anxiously accepted.
I will describe said protocol in the following post.
This application and the accompanying initial claim letter (see below) came in sometime in early February of this year, just prior to my arrival here at JREF. I got to it a few weeks later.
The subsequent post in this thread will contain his second claim letter, and details on the preliminary test he eventually agreed to.
=============================================
I am going to start this introduction by telling you a little about myself, first I would just like to say that I'm not really a smart or intellectual person, I'm not a scientist or researcher. I'm just your average ordinary person, but what makes me qualified for this challenge is (and I state for a fact) that I possess and can prove to you that paranormal powers really do exist. The powers I possess are telepathy and another type of power which I'm not really sure of what it's called, and I will also be demonstrating on how I can increase the strength of my powers, but I also must add that I do not have total control over it, in other words their really isn't an on and off switch where I can turn it on and off.
The first demonstration I will be doing is "telepathy". First lets just say anything that I think or even read in my mind would be telepath out through my brain waves, or something in which I'm not sure about, how it actually dose work. To demonstrate this lets say you'll select a bunch of words or sentences, or create a paragraph on a sheet of paper, that you chose or create. You than will make copy's of that sheet of paper and give me a copy and you'll also give all the observers (witnesses) and yourself a copy.
From there I will read the sheet of paper in my mind and telepath out whatever it is that's on the sheet of paper, and you'll be able to hear it with out me using my mouth to say it aloud. (You may also cover my mouth however you chose to for reassurance) I can't really explain how its going to happen but you will just have to see it for yourself in person.
The second demonstration I will be doing is the other power I have told you about, which I'm not sure what it really is. To describe it, I'm going to have to say it's like a type of force that I believe is putted on your mind, maybe like an electrical shock wave or some sort of electrical current. I'm not too sure what it really is. To do this I will concentrate and try to produce the force on every ones mind. (I'll do this to every one, one by one to let them feel it for themselves) Sometimes this dose not always work rite away so I will third demonstrate how I can increase the strength of my powers. To do this I will put pressure on myself, to explain that more, it's like I'm going to wear myself out.
Wells let me explain how I'm going to put pressure on myself. I'm going to be doing push ups until I wear myself out a little and when I wear myself out for some odd reason I put pressure up in my head, I learned of this when I was working out (lifting weights) so maybe if you could arrange to have a set of weights at the testing that'll be very helpful to me, but if not the push ups should be able to do it, it just takes a little bit longer to build up the pressure.
From there I'll demonstrate the force on you and the observers , and if I'm correct the powers of my telepathy should have grown too, so in other words it'll be louder.
To summarize this, everything I'll be demonstrating can only be felt, seen, heard only from sources of the human body itself, so if you're going to be using machines and recorders to save and collect data for later research upon the test, I must warn you that I'm not to sure that it'll show up on your reading and recording instruments. If you have a better way or don't approve of my demonstrations and that you would rather create the tests yourself I would be more than glad and fully cooperate with any test or method that you'll come up with.
Thank you for your time and have a nice day.
=============================================
JREF accepted this claim but advised the applicant that only one claim would be tested. I then requested specifics regarding what the applicant proposed would constitute a successful test result. I also advised him to answer briefly, in two paragraphs, if possible.
Check the following post in this thread for his lengthy reply.
It proved impossible to locate a qualified investigator in Hawaii.
My numerous attempts to enlist the assistance of someone from the local universities went unanswered. During this time, Mr. Nguyen sent numerous emails in which he expressed grave concerns over the possibility that someone else would win the million dollars while he was waiting to be tested.
Finally, not too long after Randi posted a request on the JREF website for assistance with this claim, we received an email from a qualified investigator; a mainland volcano scientist making plans to visit Hawaii's evolving volcanic areas. The investigator stated that he would most likely be able to find the time to spend a few hours investigating this claim. The next step was to locate more observers, as a single investigator without a team of observers would hardly be a proper manner in which to impartially investigate this (or any) paranormal claim.
Mr. Nguyen's patience is running out, understandably, as only this morning he accuses me of "playing dumb" as regards the status of the preliminary testing of his claim:
==========================================
Im sorry if im mistakened but, it seems as if your playing dumb? It was posted by you on the JREF forums in the challenge section. Unless that wasnt a pre-test but only a demonstration or what so nots, please forgive me for being wrong.
For my pre-testing date, im sorry but it seems as if you guys dont keep yourselves updated on any of the tests you guys give out?? I sworn in the last email i sent you, I did tell you that Mr. Schuelter said that he wasnt sure whether or not if hes gonna be available with all of the erruptings of the volcanoes and what so nots and i did email him also and am waiting for a reply.
============================================
So, this reflects an all too common hardship JREF encounters when attempting to enlist qualified investigators to help with claims. Very often we can eventually locate someone we feel is qualified (in this particular case NOT an experienced paranormal phenomenon investigator but a scientist and critical thinker, which will do just fine), but then, once the investigator has conducted some correspondence with the applicant, his initial interest is lost in the presumption that the claim is not valid, and will provide nothing more than the loss of a chunk of time that can never be reclaimed. Sometimes people will offer to help, but then cannot seem to go the distance. This is unfortunate, but not entirely beyond the realm of human understanding.
We experience this a lot, and this most certainly leads many applicants to the conclusion that JREF is "jerking them around", forgetting that no JREF representative is involved in testing, and that tests are determined with Randi's approval, but without his direct involvement, in order to insure absolute impartiality in the testing procedure. JREF cannot guarantee the continued involvement of any third parties who volunteer their time (without any form of compensation) on behalf of The JREF Challenge.
If the world had more critical thinkers who were interested in such matters, each claim would be tested the moment an acceptable test protocol was determined. Would that we could all live in such a perfect world.
The NGUYEN correspondence is voluminous. I cannot post it all, but I will post what is relevant to the proceedings.
Since Mr. Nguyen stated that he would welcome any alternative protocol that we felt would best validate his claim, I offered him a standard double-blind test for "remote reading", which he anxiously accepted.
I will describe said protocol in the following post.