Saturday, September 06, 2003
Something for the people who believe in horoscopes, fortune tellers, clairvoyants and ,yes, even sai baba....
By now, most people should be aware of the James Randi Educational Foundation's Million Dollar Challenge. A tireless advocate of critical thinking and skepticism, James Randi offers the prize, which will go "to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event."
That should be easy, considering not just the money, but also the vast, positive impact on humanity. But, although this is a fantastic offer, nobody has yet won it. Some try, all fail, and for the same reason: They cannot do what they claim to do
but wait there's more!Lot's more!By the combined offers of skeptical organizations all over the world, it is possible to cash in no less than (click on the figures)
Strangely enough, some of these people, when offered money, turn it down for various reasons. One of them is that the money is "tainted", has "bad karma", and "negative waves". Another is that they are not interested in money themselves, so why should they take these challenges?why indeed?What can you do with a mere $2,326,500, in this day and age?Well, you can buy a Lamborghini, a really nice 2-bedroom co-op on the Upper East Side, Manhattan, or a few crates of caviar. You can go on a whopping shopping spree that would leave Ivana Trump positively green with envy. Or, you could...
- Feed 90,000 starving people with rice for one year.
- Keep 25 hospitals, each with 100 beds, operational for one year, saving countless of lives.
- Buy 145,406 pairs of crutches for people with their legs blown off by landmines.
- Buy 15,510 wheelchairs or artificial limbs for landmine victims.
- Buy 58,162,500 water purification tablets, capable of cleaning 581,625,000 liters.
This will provide clean water for at least 227,641 people for one year.
- Buy 46,530,000 packets of Oral Rehydration Salts to treat diarrhea, a leading cause of death among children.
- Buy 7,755 school-in-a-box kits, with educational supplies for up to 80 children each.
That's 620,400 children.
- Buy new clothing for 36,351 children who have lost almost everything.
- Provide 116,325 infants with formula or baby food for a week.
- Pay for the removal of between 2,326 and 7,755 landmines.
It is hard to believe the claims of those who say they have paranormal powers, that is true. But it is even harder to believe that not one psychic, clairvoyant, dowser, astrologer, tarot-reader, crystal-bowl reader or what-have-you "feels" like doing what they claim to be able to. Even if they could do so muchWhy, indeed?www.skepticreport.com
Never belive in horoscopes or fortune tellers(its just entertaintment), it has the potential to destroy your life.
Savant
at 9/06/2003 03:34:00 pm ;
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