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The "New and Improved" Challenge - March 2010

Ririon

Cool cat
Ririon
Joined
Jan 26, 2005
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According to ex-president Dr. Phil Plait, the JREF Million Dollar Challenge (MDC) is not ending, but will be reorganized. The new version will be launched this spring. Shortly after this announcement, in August 2009, RemieV made the last update so far in the "Challenge Applications" section here. The last update to the separate (and small) Challenge Blog is from 2008. After Phil Plait's announcement there are still a few mentions of the challenge in the Swift blog (like this), but nothing about the coming changes. The new president D.J. Grothe, will probably have a couple of things to say about it, too.

We COULD wait patiently for an announcement, but I thought there should be a thread for:
  • People who wonder what is going on generally concerning the MDC
  • People who have some more information than the above about this
  • People who would like to speculate wildly
So, what have YOU heard? :)
 
That, if you claim telepathy, the money will be available...but you will have to read James Randi's mind to get the account number.
That, if you claim astral projection, the money will be available...in a bunker on the surface of Mars.
That, if you claim teleportation, the money will be available...encased in a totally sealed room with no exit or entrance.
That, if you claim to talk to ghosts, the money will be available...and the ghost of Houdini will tell you where it is buried.
 
Another official tease written by D.J. Grothe from Monday, 04 January 2010.

"In the coming months, The JREF Million Dollar Challenge, one of our chief means of raising awareness about the kinds of untested claims made by paranormalists and supernaturalists in our society, and also of raising consciousness about the duty of the public to be critical and skeptical of such claims, will not only continue but be revitalized. This is something I'm especially excited about, and I can't wait to announce our MDC plans in the coming weeks."

From this Swift blog entry.
 
Ririon said:
People who wonder what is going on generally concerning the MDC
Click to expand...

I often wonder that - he's an unusual charcter, to say the least. It seems that married life suits him.

Ririon said:
People who have some more information than the above about this
Click to expand...

This is the elevntieth "exciting change" to the challenge since 2005. I trust it will generate more excitement than the previous "exciting changes".

Ririon said:
People who would like to speculate wildly
Click to expand...

I speculate that the changes will amount to little more than a hill of beans, as has been the cases with the previous "exciting changes", but I'll wait to be unconvinced.
 
The Atheist said:
This is the elevntieth "exciting change" to the challenge since 2005. I trust it will generate more excitement than the previous "exciting changes".
Click to expand...
The fundamental problem with the "excitement" part is that hardly anybody ever thinks that somebody is likely to win the million dollars. (This is true for both skeptics and believers for different reasons.)

And you can't do much about that.

So how then make it more exciting? How do you make it something that everybody talks about? How do you make it glamorous and sexy? Dare I say it... HOT? :D

Do you add A-list celebrities? Sex? Violence? Scandals? Explosions? 3D? Accounting?

I just hope they will be able to continue the challenge in some meaningful way. If it actually turns out to be genuinely more exciting than it has been in the past, well GREAT! :)
 
The answer is Reality Television…. The MDC Show! A group of has been psychics arguing about protocols and testing… they could start every show with a quick fire psychic challenge and the winner could try for the Million…. then and get kicked off the show..
 
skip said:
The answer is Reality Television…. The MDC Show! A group of has been psychics arguing about protocols and testing… they could start every show with a quick fire psychic challenge and the winner could try for the Million…. then and get kicked off the show..
Click to expand...
Brilliant up to the point where nobody wins.. :o
 
skip said:
The answer is Reality Television…. The MDC Show! A group of has been psychics arguing about protocols and testing… they could start every show with a quick fire psychic challenge and the winner could try for the Million…. then and get kicked off the show..
Click to expand...

The idea of a TV shows had been put forward before. But as stated above, unless somebody wins a limited percentage of the time, the show won't be good TV.
 
Doubt said:
The idea of a TV shows had been put forward before. But as stated above, unless somebody wins a limited percentage of the time, the show won't be good TV.
Click to expand...

True. One option would be to call it "Truth or Fiction?" and allow all sorts of claims, only some of which would be paranormal. Have a panel of B-list celebrities along with a scientist and a charlatan/magician. Present the claim. Vote on whether it's a trick or real. Have the scientist or charlatan explain how it's done and possibly even demonstrate it. Use multiple cameras to expose sleight of hand. Have a second "controlled" test if needed to expose the truth.

I'd watch. I think maybe it would get some traction on TLC or Discovery, but it wouldn't be a hit like Mythbusters (no explosions). The principle is similar, though.
 
Only trouble is none of it would be real. It would always be a trick. The real question would be to explain how it was done. Or why it worked.

Have scientists come on and get them to do a few science tricks. Like put some cesium (otherwise known as caesium) into water, watch the reaction and ask what was put into the water and why did it react the way it did. The reaction is a violent explosion. I probably can find a youtube of this being done for real.
 
One change that would be interesting (though I don't know if it's tractable) would be to somehow get a potential challenger's fan base more involved. For example, the fan base could petition the JREF to test someone, and if the challenger does test and wins, the fan base wins something too (either individually, or some extra donation to some charity, etc). That could put more pressure on claimants to take the test, and in a way very visible to their fans.
 
rjh01 said:
Only trouble is none of it would be real. It would always be a trick. The real question would be to explain how it was done. Or why it worked.
Click to expand...
Don't be so narrow minded. Some things are a matter of skill or genetics, such as tasting or smelling things that others simply cannot detect or have not learned to distinguish. You could test claims of perfect pitch or how people can hear something once and be able to play it back flawlessly. In that you mix in the paranormal stuff and illusions.

It can't be just a show about debunking the paranormal. That doesn't sell. However, if you put together a show the mixes success with failure, that stands a chance. Of course, you'll run out of material after a season or two, so maybe you'll end up testing the ridiculous stuff like you see in Mythbusters.

Have scientists come on and get them to do a few science tricks. Like put some cesium (otherwise known as caesium) into water, watch the reaction and ask what was put into the water and why did it react the way it did. The reaction is a violent explosion. I probably can find a youtube of this being done for real.
Click to expand...
Brainiac.
 
Didn’t Randy have a show similar on BBC sometime ago? … He would have guests come on and test them for one thing or another.
 
UncaYimmy said:
Of course, you'll run out of material after a season or two, so maybe you'll end up testing the ridiculous stuff like you see in Mythbusters.
Click to expand...
.
Oh, c'mon: we have someone with at least three seasons worth of claims to test umm study ... challenge? None of them would ever be falsified, either -- not as long as she breathed....
.
 
TSR said:
.
Oh, c'mon: we have someone with at least three seasons worth of claims to test umm study ... challenge? None of them would ever be falsified, either -- not as long as she breathed....
.
Click to expand...

I stand corrected! :p
 
skip said:
Didn’t Randy have a show similar on BBC sometime ago? … He would have guests come on and test them for one thing or another.
Click to expand...
It would seem this has actually been done twice, but for some reason not in the USA.

From the James Randi Bio:

"A Granada TV series, James Randi: Psychic Investigator was shown in the UK in 1991. It dealt with testing of individuals who claim to have paranormal, supernatural or occult powers of various kinds. In 2003, a 14-episode TV series by Seoul Broadcasting Corp. with Mr. Randi as the host, was shown in South Korea offering his million-dollar prize."
 
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