This would-be applicant has been trying to get Randi to eliminate Challenge Rule #3. Many would-be applicants refuse to apply as a result of JREF's refusal to do so.
She is also trying to negotiate a test protocol prior to submitting her application, despite our advising her that we will not do so.
Time and again she has been told that we will not negotiate a protocol prior to receiving her duly executed Challenge application and accompanying claim letter, but she continues to ignore us. We won't bend the Challenge rules, as there is nothing unfair or unreasonable within them.
Some people just won't be satisfied until they get some satisfaction.
I am unsure as to whether or not we will ever receive an application from this person, but here is the latest version of the "claim" she is (perhaps) prepared to submit. I include it here to stimulate some debate.
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Claim to be demonstrated: Telekinesis
The applicants will demonstrate control of a candle flame by directing the heat of flame towards a specified target. The direction of the flame will be ascertained by placing a ring of wax centered above the flame and noting where the first significant melting occurs (i.e. a drop large enough to fall). The angle between the first melt and the target will be measured.
Applicants will show an ability to direct the heat of the flame by
comparing the mean difference of the angle between the target and the test trials to the mean difference of the angle between the target and control trials and showing that that difference in angles has a probability of less than 0.001 of occurring by chance alone. This probability will be computed for the results of each applicant individually and as a group using an ANOVA analysis for the difference in the mean of the targets and the controls. An adequate number of tests will be performed to determine either that telekinesis has occurred with a probability of 0.99975[1]
(corresponding to a p-value of the ANOVA of less than 0.00025) or that the effect of the attempted telekinesis is one of less than 10 degrees difference from the controls (failure).
[1] This correlates to an overall probability of 0.999 that telekinesis has occurred given that 4 different tests will be computed, one for each of the individuals and one for the group as a whole.
P.S. One other thing I like to mention to you informally now. This is not a demonstration that can be done in a single sitting. Multiple trials will be required. The exact number will depend on what assumptions regarding the distribution of the direction of the candle flame will be considered acceptable, but I would expect it to take anywhere from 6 to 30 tests (more if the assumption of a uniform distribution is made) with the different
tests scheduled no less than 48 hours apart and no more than 3 in a week. It turns out telekinesis - for even a minuscule effect - is quite exhausting and that participants will need time to recover from each test and prepare for the next.
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I hope she stops trying to circumvent the Challenge rules and sends an application.
She is also trying to negotiate a test protocol prior to submitting her application, despite our advising her that we will not do so.
Time and again she has been told that we will not negotiate a protocol prior to receiving her duly executed Challenge application and accompanying claim letter, but she continues to ignore us. We won't bend the Challenge rules, as there is nothing unfair or unreasonable within them.
Some people just won't be satisfied until they get some satisfaction.
I am unsure as to whether or not we will ever receive an application from this person, but here is the latest version of the "claim" she is (perhaps) prepared to submit. I include it here to stimulate some debate.
===========================================
Claim to be demonstrated: Telekinesis
The applicants will demonstrate control of a candle flame by directing the heat of flame towards a specified target. The direction of the flame will be ascertained by placing a ring of wax centered above the flame and noting where the first significant melting occurs (i.e. a drop large enough to fall). The angle between the first melt and the target will be measured.
Applicants will show an ability to direct the heat of the flame by
comparing the mean difference of the angle between the target and the test trials to the mean difference of the angle between the target and control trials and showing that that difference in angles has a probability of less than 0.001 of occurring by chance alone. This probability will be computed for the results of each applicant individually and as a group using an ANOVA analysis for the difference in the mean of the targets and the controls. An adequate number of tests will be performed to determine either that telekinesis has occurred with a probability of 0.99975[1]
(corresponding to a p-value of the ANOVA of less than 0.00025) or that the effect of the attempted telekinesis is one of less than 10 degrees difference from the controls (failure).
[1] This correlates to an overall probability of 0.999 that telekinesis has occurred given that 4 different tests will be computed, one for each of the individuals and one for the group as a whole.
P.S. One other thing I like to mention to you informally now. This is not a demonstration that can be done in a single sitting. Multiple trials will be required. The exact number will depend on what assumptions regarding the distribution of the direction of the candle flame will be considered acceptable, but I would expect it to take anywhere from 6 to 30 tests (more if the assumption of a uniform distribution is made) with the different
tests scheduled no less than 48 hours apart and no more than 3 in a week. It turns out telekinesis - for even a minuscule effect - is quite exhausting and that participants will need time to recover from each test and prepare for the next.
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I hope she stops trying to circumvent the Challenge rules and sends an application.