OVO

Now appearing in the Volume 21, Number 1, November 7 2003 issue of Just Out…

As a skeptic, I read with interest your article on psychics Don Clarkson and Suzanne Deakins in the Oct. 17 issue of Just Out ["Color Me Read"].

Skeptics are by definition open to all sorts of ideas, provided they can move from the realm of what we want to be true to something that is true. Conversely, nonskeptics accept some things as true and others as false no matter what the evidence might show.

Right now the U.S. economy is in a slump, and I’m sure like most of us Clarkson and Deakins could use a bit of spare change. Fortunately for them, the James Randi Foundation is willing to give them $1 million if they can demonstrate, even once, their psychic powers (www.randi.org/research). Any and all paranormal, spiritual or miraculous claims are candidates for the prize. Every issue of Just Out has page after page of potential winners, from the orthodox to the alternative religions to the spiritual advisers to the natural healers to the psychic consultants, etc. The applicants for the prize are the ones who define the test, so Randi won’t be able to pull a fast one at the end if the supernatural event occurs.

One million dollars isn’t chicken feed. One could invest it, donate it to charity or throw a fine party. Surely if billions of people will spend trillions of dollars around the world on religion and superstition, there must be something to it. So I invite any believer in the miraculous or supernatural to benefit from this remarkable opportunity.