ANGELA PATEL, UK Dowser of Lost Persons

[KRAMER]

This just in (2-08-2005) from foggy London town...

=============================================

Dear Mr. Randi,

I would like to apply for your paranormal challenge.

I can access full addresses of named persons deemed missing or in hiding and find people with the aid of a pendulum and an A-Z of England. They don't have to be missing. You may have lost their address or whereabouts. If you give me the name of the person to find, I can find them anywhere in England providing they are in the A-Z.

I will give:

1- The name or address of the block of flats, if there is one
2- the flat or house number/letter, if there is one
3- the road name
4- the town or city

I would like to point out that in your controlled experiments, I would not be accessing any information on anyone who is not aware of me accessing details on them. I will not find anyone who does not want to be found. I will only find out information with their agreement from them in advance. I would also like to point out that I will not access information on anyone that will harm national security or harm intelligence services in any way.

With this understanding between us in place I would like to apply for your challenge.

Sincerely, Miss Angela Patel

=============================================

Foggy, indeed. There is more confusing stuff in here than I've seen in a claim letter in quite some time. Hence, my response:

=============================================

Dear Miss Patel,

We are in receipt of your JREF ONE MILLION DOLLAR PARANORMAL CHALLENGE application. However, much of your accompanying claim letter was confusing, so your application cannot be processed at this time. We understand your claim is Dowsing, but there are many confusing details in your letter, and no indication of a test proposal.

For example, you state that, “I will not find anyone who does not wish to be found�. This is very confusing, as is the following statement; “I will only find out information from them with their agreement in advance.�

If these people are “missing or in hiding�, as your letter states, how will you gain their “permission� to find them, prior to testing? This makes no sense.

Also in your application you state that you “...can find them anywhere in England providing they are in the A-Z�.

Can’t anyone do this? And more importantly, is that really paranormal? We think not.

In order to process your application, we would need a clarification of your claim, along with a brief letter detailing the following:

A- What, SPECIFICALLY, you propose to do as a demonstration of your abilities…
B- Under what CIRCUMSTANCES…
C- With what degree of ACCURACY…(what do you propose will constitute a successful demonstration?)

Please understand that in order to win the prize, the applicant must demonstrate their claim under controlled conditions, leaving no room for interpretation either by JREF or by the applicant. In other words, the test must provide PROOF that your claim is valid, and it is up to you to propose a test that would validate your claim.

Also, if there is an email address through which we might reach you, it would certainly help to expedite matters. Please email your reply, if possible.

Sincerely,
M. Kramer, JREF Paranormal Claims Dept.

==============================================

I tell ya...the final lines in her claim letter (in which she refers to "national security or intelligence services") really sends up a bright red flag. Such references speak volumes about where this applicant is really coming from.

I await her reply.

[KRAMER]

hello M Kramer,

sorry for the delay in coming back to you regarding the challenge. i will hope to explain things a little better so it doesnt sound contradictory. the point in how i wrote it was not to embarrass anyone who wished to remain in hiding, in case you asked me to find someone who wished to stay hidden. it does, in hindsight sound contradictory now ive read it back. so i wish to make things a little simpler. if you gave me a name and an age/date of birth, of the person you wish me to locate, providing there is a valid address for them in the A-Z, i will try to locate them, and
hopefully give you the correct address you have for them too.
with any luck we will arrive at the same address!! i hope to provide you with the house/flat number/letter,name of the block of flats or house, if there is one, name of the road,and town/city.
please explain to me by what you mean 'under what circumstances'? are you intending to block me psychically/telepathically? i would appreciate if you could please explain.

kind regards, angie

===========================================

No, Ms. Patel, we are NOT "intending to block you
psychically/telepathically".

Frankly, I don't even know what that means.

Please contact our investigator in the UK to see if an acceptable test protocol can be determined:

The Association for Skeptical Enquiry (ASKE)
Contact:Tony Youens
PO Box 5994, RIPLEY DE5 3XL U.K.
ASKE Email: *****@aske.org.uk

Good Luck with your claim.

-Kramer, JREF Paranormal Claims Dept.

[KRAMER]

Our investigator in the UK, Mr. Tony Youens, has agreed to work with Ms. Patel on determining an acceptable test protocol, and has emailed her to that effect. If she responds (and is able to clarify precisely what it is she plans to offer as a demonstration ofher claim), things should move forward quickly.

[KRAMER]

hello tony,
i was asked to contact you,to determine an acceptable
protocal, regarding the paranormal challenge from the
james randi foundation.
please feel free to ask me any questions you wish,that
may help you.
many thanks
kind regards
ms angela patel

=========================================

Hi Angela,

I've seen a copy of an email you sent to Kramer at JREF (see below) and this is represents the full extent of my knowledge regarding your claim. The significant bit of the text seems to be,

"if you gave me a name and an age/date of birth, of the person you wish me to locate, providing there is a valid address for them in the A-Z, i will try to locate them, and hopefully give you the correct address you have for them too."

I can't work out from this what your paranormal claim actually is. It sounds like you just check with www.192.com and tell us the the answer. I would appreciate a more detailed description of what you can do.

I shall be away next week and therefore if you contact me after Sunday it may be a few days before I get back to you. You can contact me via this email or tony@tonyyouens.com.

Regards

Tony

===========================================

Hi Angela,

I'll just paraphrase what I think is your claim.

I provide you with a name and date of birth.
You use your pendulum and/or ouija board plus A-Z map and provide us with a correct address.

Assuming the above is correct then as well as the name and date of birth you will need to be told which A-Z to use, in which case we will have provided a least a small clue as to the address. Thus you actually require, name, age/date of birth and which A-Z to use. You can't for example just use a map of the UK and then narrow it down to the required A-Z? This limit on your power seems a little curious but never mind.

Obviously you would need to do this more than once? How about a run of 5?

Here's a draft protocol. More details are required yet so this is just a suggestion at the moment.

The test would have to be conducted in a room where you could be observed by whoever is running the test. An impartial observer could be included but they would be of our choosing (but mutually acceptable). You would not be allowed to make any contact outside the room during the test. Thus no mobile phones or similar equipment would be allowed in the room.
If you left the room during the test then the whole thing would be null and void. You would not be told the correct answers until all 5 tests had been completed. The room in which you are tested would be of our choosing.

As I say, this is just a suggestion at this stage. I need to know how much detail you are going to provide so that we can work out precisely whether you have been successful or not. For example if Fred Smith, date of birth 1st January 1947, lives at 37 Maple Road, Beeston, Nottingham, NG4 5FP how much of this information could you provide? What I couldn't accept is something on the lines of, "There's an 'A' in the address and he lives in a house with a red door, I can see the number 7." In addition telling me his address is somewhere on page 18 of The Nottingham A-Z, possibily around grid reference C4 or B5 is equally unacceptable.

So please confirm exactly what information you intend to supply. Do you think you would be able to supply all 5 addresses or would this be too difficult? How long do you think you would need to carry out this test? What would you do if (using the above example) there is more than one Fred Smith in Nottingham?

Please indicate if there are any requirements that you need in order to do this and similarly any conditions that you think would inhibit your ability. Would you also tell me where you live to see if something can be arranged near to you. You may have to pay for the A-Z maps if they need to be purchased.

I shall be away again this evening but I'll get back to you when I return.

Regards

Tony

============================================

hello tony,

its abit like that,yes, but a psychic version of 192
or 118118 as it is now known!! and i dont cost £1.50
per minute, its free.my spirit friends and i have a
great sense of humour.you need one in this job.
i use a pendulum,an a-z,and a spirit board.but it does
vary how the information comes in.it may not even come
in by the spirit board,but i will try to tap in and
locate the person using some of my tools of the
trade,including my brain, whats left of it!!!!
i do not have an a-z of the whole country,but if you
give me an idea of which location you wish me to find
someone,i will buy one for that area prior to the
challenge.

do you really need me to do it 5 times????? how about 3 times,i think that is ample,just like my charms!!! i understand about the a-z,but i'm an unemployed bird,i cant just buy up all the a-z's of england, can i? i still need to eat,i cant live off the food of
love. it is not a limit of what i can achieve,i'm being
practical with regards to money.i cant even afford a
loaf at the moment. even tesco saver beans are too
expensive!!

i have no problem with you choosing a room,providing i can cleanse it out and burn incense and light some candles,i need to get in the mood and so do my spirit mates.i also have no problem with you having somebody watch me,this will be a first as i usually work alone. providing i find their vibrational level acceptable.i will not leave the room or have a mobile,but i will
have my holy bible with me as i do not work without it. i will aim to provide the house number, name of the road and area,ie nottingham.NOT THE POSTCODE.i don't feel that is relevant.
its impossible to say how long, but give us a few hours to be on the safe side. if there was more than one fred smith in nottingham, which is possible,the fact that you have provided me with the date of birth should be enough to access the right freddy,providing his middle name isnt kruger!!!!
also i would like the room to be alittle darkened and use candle light as i don't like bright lights.before you ask,NO,i'm not a vampire.
kind regards
angel

[KRAMER]

Hi Angela,

Okay let's (provisionally) assume 3 goes will be enough and that you will provide the correct number of the house and the correct street name, which you will presumably identify using the A-Z. As this is a run of 3 I would expect you to be correct on all 3 attempts.

Regarding the cost of the test. As I don't expect any of the $1 million I won't be financing your attempt to win it, however I will try to minimise the cost for you as far as possible. I will try and provide any A-Z maps. If you only do 3 such tests then we won't need many (3 at most).

Before we go any further I need to know where you live to see if it will be possible to carry out the test in your area - thus keeping down the expense of travel. However if I have to run the test it will have to be in the Derby/Nottingham area.

Unfortunately we do not keep a database on the "vibrational level" of sceptics and we will not be able to line them up for you to accept or reject until you find someone you consider suitable. In fact if you can demonstrate that differing vibrational levels exist at all you could still get the $1 million.

You would need to specify what will be involved in the room cleansing and just how many candles you intend burning. The room may well be a problem as we don't have rooms dotted about the country for such a test. I was thinking of using a room at a university if possible but some may object to the candles on the grounds of fire risk (it may contravene the terms of their insurance), still we'll cross that particular bridge when we come to it.

Regards

Tony

[KRAMER]

hello tony,

thankyou for giving me the email address for the
channel 4 tv show,it sounds like a larf!!
regarding the test in nottingham,that should be ok,i
can borry mummy's car.the area i live in is south
norwood,which is in south london.nice area,if you dont
carry a handbag!!
i would only burn afew candles and light some incense.
i'll ask the spirits to be careful with the candles
and not to get over excited,as we dont want any
accidents.

kind regards, angel

=============================================

Hi Angela,

Our university won't let anyone light candles in a room. This rule
applies to staff students and everyone else so I'm afraid I won't be able to get hold of a university room. I'll see what I can come up with: it may be just as easy to find a room, and someone to run the test, who lives nearer to you.

Before we get to that though we need to be clear on the protocol and I will obviously need to see what names, addresses and dates of birth we can get hold of. I envisage getting as many as possible and then choosing 3 at random during the test. I'll also work on the A-Zs. Are you happy to accept anyone regardless of their "vibration level"? As I said before I can't produce loads of people just for you to take your pick. If this is likely to seriously jeopardise your ability then, if you still want to go ahead, you would be required to at least pay everyone's travel expenses. Similarly if any expenses are incurred with the room then you will be asked to pay. Obviously I am trying to avoid any prohibitive costs but equally I don't want you to think we are trying to find excuses to avoid testing you.

If you specify conditions that we can't provide without incurring costs then you will need to cover these expenses. I'll try to work on a room but in the meantime do you accept the following?

Two people, apart from yourself, will be present during the test. One as the tester on behalf of the JREF and one as an independent observer.

You will be given someone's name (do you require their full name? e.g. John Frederick Smith) and their date of birth. You will then be given the relevant A-Z. While this is going on you will not be able to leave the room. If you need to go to the toilet then this should take place between the 3 tests and you would be accompanied by either the tester or the observer, therefore one of these should be female. If you have any mobile phone it should be switched off and remain visible to all.

You will provide us with the full address, apart from the post code.
The addresses will be in sealed envelopes and chosen at random so that no one in the room is aware of the correct answer until all three tests are completed, at which time they will be opened and the results compared. The name of the relevant A-Z along with the name and dates of birth will be written on the outside of each envelope. Your answer will also be written on the outside of the relevant envelope. If you do not get all three then you will have failed the test.

We will need some definite time limit in which you complete the tests. We can't expect people to do this indefinitely. You mentioned previously it might take "hours" but we will need to keep this within reasonable limits so please specify how long you expecte to take.

We may want to video parts of the test and take photographs but they will only be used for verification purposes and not for publicity. Can you please confirm that you are happy with the above arrangements and answer the approapriate questions. When I have your full reply I'll start looking at the practicalities - this may take some time.

I am away for a few days so you may not get an immediate reply.

Regards, Tony

[KRAMER]

Hi Angela,

A contact in London, Nick Pullar, is trying to organise a room for your test. This will save on travel costs, however we will probably ask you to pay for the 3 A-Zs required for the test. Is this acceptable?

Nick will be running the test and we'll iron out the finer details when the room and cost of maps has been sorted out.

Regards, Tony

============================================

The following is Tony's email to Nick.

Nick,

This sounds like it might be fun. Will you be able to find a female to act as an impartial observer? When asking I would avoid asking them about their vibrational level!

I'll start giving some thought to the names. I'll confine myself to 3 A-Zs but if I can get more names then I will. This will allow you to choose three at random. Better still Ms Patel can dangle her crystal over them and make her own choice.

Cheers, Tony

[KRAMER]

hi tony,

i think i can just about scrap afew coins from the bottom of my handbag for the A~Z's. its amazing what you can find at the bottom of a woman's handbag!!!!! even the flies like my colour lipstick.the purple goes well with their blue backs. look forward to hearing from you, kind regards

angel

[KRAMER]

hi Nick,
im very sorry but the 17th May is fully booked as i have an evening event of readings to conduct.that will take up all evening upto around 12am. i am free 18th,19th,20th may,if that is convenient for you.
kind regards
angie

=============================================

Hi Angie

I have arranged with the venue for the date of the
test to be changed to Wednesday 18 May 2005. Shall we
commence at 1900?

Tony tells me that he has the addresses in hand, so he
will mail those to me in time for the test. I will
only open that envelope in your presence on the day of
the test.

I will prepare a document that I will need you to read
beforehand and sign on the day. This will detail the
test protocol that we have both agreed to follow. I
will email that to you on Friday.

The following people will be present at the test.
Yourself (obviously!), myself, a woman called Tessa
(who has agreed to be an observer) and, if you choose,
an observer of your choice. Any observers will not be
permitted to interefere in any way with the test -
they are there as witnesses only. It is also possible
that a student journalist might also be present, but
this will be with your consent only.

Are there any preperations you would like me to make
before the test? I will do my best to accomodate you.

You will also need to pay for the A to Z's that we
will be using. These will be brand new and will be
purchased immediately before the test. I will notify
you how much that will be as soon as Tony has told me
which ones I need to purchase. I would prefer it if
you rang me to organise this payment, although if you
have enough cash on you on the day, we can meet
shortly before the test for you to give me the money
(I will be able to provide change and a receipt).

Once again, best wishes and good luck!

I'm looking forward to meeting you.

Nick Pullar

[KRAMER]

hello nick

im very sorry that i have double booked for the 18th may 2005.could we possibly make it the 19th may 2005 instead.sorry to mess you around.i telephoned you and left a message on your mobile, i hope you received it.i hope this doesn't cause you too much inconvenience.apologise to tessa for me please as well. thankyou

kind regards,
angie

=========================================

Hi Angela,

As I explained to you on the phone, I cannot make the 18 May.

Please email me three dates (not Thursdays) that you are DEFINATELY free on.

I will organise with the venue and the other attendees for one of those dates.

Please do NOT book any other appointments on ANY of those dates until I have confirmed with you which one we will be using (I will do this as quickly as possible).

If you have a new problem with that new date which we will have agreed, I will not take any further part in the testing.

I'm looking forward to receiving your email.

Many thanks,
Nick Pullar

[KRAMER]

Hi Angela,

I have checked with the venue, and it is free from 10:00 until 12:00 on Saturday 28 May 2005.

As you have already stipulated that you are free on this date, I will now take this date as the final test date.

I will provide you with the address and detailed instructions about how to get there closer to the date.

I will formalise the protocol and send that to you after it has been approved by James Randi.

Please remember to bring money for the A to Z's and travel card money for myself and the observer.

Once again, I wish you good luck for your upcoming test.

Yours sincerely,

Nick Pullar

[KRAMER]

hello nic
i apologise once again to tessa and you. im free on
the 25th,27th and 28th may 2005. i hope we can find a
date to suit us all.
many thanks
angie

[KRAMER]

Hi James,

Here is the test protocol I intend to follow for the
Angela Patel test on Saturday 28 May 2005, in London.

Please make any comments or suggestions which I should
include and I will of course amend the document, to be
returned for your final approval.

When you are happy, I will email the protocol to
Angela Patel to be the document which will govern our
behaviour on the day.

To be honest, I'd be amazed if she gets even one piece
of information correct in the whole test! But, good
on her for having the courage of her convictions.

I'm looking forward to your reply.

Best wishes,
Nick Pullar

=============================================

Here is the Test Protocol:

Testing protocol for Ms Angela Patel, Applicant -

Ms Patel claims to be able to:

“Provide the house number, name of the road and area,ie Nottingham� of someone specified in advance of the test by the skeptics “providing they are in the A-Z�.

Again, with more specificity:

“I [will] provide you with the house/flat number/letter,name of the block of flats or house, if there is one, name of the road,and town/city�

Protocol:
1. Tony Youens (of ASKE) has prepared 10 addresses each of which can be found in either the Liverpool or the Nottingham A to Z.

a. These are all people who I do not know (and as far as we know, Ms Patel doesn’t know any of them either).

b. Therefore this test will be double-blind.

2. The addresses have been sealed in opaque envelopes with cardboard inside to render any writing on the inside unreadable from the outside.

3. These envelopes are numbered 1 to 10.

4. The name, date of birth and relevant A to Z is also printed on the outside of each envelope.

5. All the envelopes are sealed in the envelope Tony used to post them to Nick Pullar.

6. The venue has been selected and booked, but Ms Patel will not be told of the location of the venue until the evening before the test.

7. On arrival at the venue Ms Patel will be given the opportunity to “cleanse [the room] out and burn incense and light some candles� to ensure that there will be no extraneous “energy problems� which might affect her ability.

8. The A to Zs to be used in the test will be purchased from a small shop close to the venue which has ordered new ones specifically for me for the purpose of this test (although the shop keeper does not know the reason for the order). No-one else knows which shop this is.

9. The people present at the venue during the test will be:

a. Ms Angela Patel, the claimant.

b. Nick Pullar, the test administrator, representative of ASKE and JREF.

c. Tessa Kendall, observer, representative of ASKE.

d. Angel was given numerous opportunities to have an observer of her choice present but on each occasion she has elected to not accept this invitation. It remains open, however, and should Ms Patel decide to bring someone along, then I will accept that person as an observer.

i. Any observer representing Ms Patel will be under strict instructions about behaviour. S/he must remain absolutely quiet (including refraining from non-verbal communication) and not interfere in any way whatsoever with the running of the test or of the ability of any representative of ASKE or JREF to do their job. Failure to comply with requests of the Test Administrator will result in exclusion from the test venue.

10. Once Ms Patel is happy with the “vibrational energy� of the room, the envelope will be opened and the envelopes arrayed before her.

11. Ms Patel will be required to select any of the envelopes (using whichever method she selects) which will form the basis of the first test.

12. Ms Patel will have half an hour to determine the following information about the test envelope:

a. The house number specified (including flat information, if necessary).

b. The street.

c. The town or city.

13. Ms Patel will not be permitted to use a telephone (or any other well known or widely used communication device) including having any ear-piece or ear covering or leave the room for any reason (including to go to the toilet or similar) once a test has commenced.

14. During the test everyone other than Ms Patel must remain quiet and still so as not to disturb the claimant. However, the Test Administrator and Observer will be able to move to any location to ensure they have an excellent view of the process. It will be permissible to take an occasional photograph or video to record the process. The Observer will be entitled to bring any suspicious activity or behaviour to the notice of the Test Administrator at any time.

15. Once Ms Patel has the required information, it will be recorded in pen on the outside of the test envelope by Nick Pullar, and signed and dated by Ms Patel and Nick Pullar.

16. No envelopes will be opened and scored until all the test runs have been completed.

17. Ms Patel will not be permitted to change her mind about any of her answers once they are recorded on the outside of the envelope.

18. Ms Patel will then perform steps 11 to 17 a second and third time to conclude the test as a whole.

19. At the conclusion of the three test runs, each of the envelopes used will be opened in turn and the address of the subject will be compared to the address written on the envelope and agreed to by Ms Patel.

a. The test will count as a pass if and only if all the information recorded on the inside and the outside are the same.

b. Any other result will represent a failure.

20. For the test as a whole to be a success, Ms Patel will need to score a pass for each of the three test runs.

21. Any envelopes not selected for testing will be retained by Nick Pullar and will be destroyed unopened after the test.

==============================================

Randi approved this protocol proposal so the test will go forward and the Million bucks is ready to go.

[KRAMER]

Hi Angela,

Here is the test protocol which we will follow for your test on Saturday.

This protocol is the culmination of the discussions we have had and formally sets out the conduct of the test that we have both agreed on. (Although in more detail than previously.) This protocol has today been approved by James Randi personally.

Once the test begins, I will not vary the agreed protocol in any detail, so if you have any areas of concern, you will need to contact me as soon as possible; any changes made to this document will need to be approved by James Randi himself (and before the test day, obviously). However, I do not think that you will need to contact me about any changes, as we have already informally agreed the parameters contained within the protocol document.

Since the protocol has been approved by James Randi, the test on Saturday will represent your official preliminary test for the JREF $1,000,000 prize.

I will contact you on Friday evening (around 2000) to let you know the location of the test venue, so please keep your mobile fully charged and on for that evening. The test venue is located in London, and is convenient to both Underground and mainline services.

In addition, you will need to bring the money for the A to Z's.

I will do my best to have exact pricing for you for the call on Friday evening.

If there's anything else I can help you with, please let me know.

I'm looking forward to seeing you on Saturday morning, around 0900.

Good luck and best wishes!

Nick Pullar

[KRAMER]

Hi Angela,

Would you please confirm that you are ready for the
test on Saturday.

The following preperations are now all confirmed:

The venue is booked and ready.
The A to Z's are ready for purchase (they cost £9.70
together, also they are the fold out variety, not a
book - is this OK?)
I am ready to attend.
Tessa is ready to attend.
The protocol is approved by James Randi, which makes
your test an official preliminary to the $1,000,000
prize!

So, everything is in place!

I'm really looking forward to meeting you.

Best wishes,

Nick Pullar

[KRAMER]

hello nick,

thankyou for the a-z,but i need the book variety,sorry. im ready for the test on saturday. i look forward to meeting you and tessa then.

kind regards, angela

===========================================

Hi Angela,

I will source these for you.

Are there any other requirements that you have? For example spiral bound or perfect bound? Hardback or softback?

Please get back to me as soon as possible so I can source exactly what you require.

Many thanks,
Nick

[KRAMER]

This report is from NICK PULLAR, our associate in the UK who was generous enough to donate his time to the testing of ANGELA PATEL, the first JREF Paranormal Challenge applicant to actually be tested in almost a year. Kudos to Nick, and high honors to Angela for doing what so few other applicants have done: showing up for the test, and going through with it.

==============================================

Report on Angela Patel test held on 28 May 2005.

Angela Patel is a woman who believes that she is able to use her crystal and psychic gift to divine the location of a person in an A to Z having been given only that person's name, date of birth and which A to Z their address is located in.

Angela contacted the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) in an attempt to win their $1,000,000 prize. To become a claimant for the prize, an applicant must first pass a preliminary test that
shows whether they have the capability to succeed under stringent conditions. Since Angela lives in the United Kingdom, the JREF asked Tony Youens to organise a test.

In his own words, Tony began the task thusly:

"The first task was to get the applicant to state clearly what she could do and under what conditions. The next step was to find a mutually acceptable protocol and in fairness to Angela this was relatively straightforward. In brief I needed to obtain the details of a number of people, specifically; name, date of birth and full address (although the post code was deemed unnecessary) and which A - Z they could be found in. Angela was to select 3 of these from however many were supplied."

Angela lives in London and to make arrangements easier for her, Tony contacted me to run the test itself. I made contact with Angela, and we both agreed what was going to happen and roughly when. The test date was set for 18 May, but Angela discovered that she was double booked on that date, so I asked Angela to provide a set of three dates where she was definitely
free and I would arrange the test on one of those dates. It turned out that Saturday 28 May was the best time for everybody.

The protocol of the test that was agreed is posted on the JREF forum thread referring to the Angela Patel application.

Angela arrived a little late for the test, but there was no doubt she was going to show - she had rung to apologise for running behind schedule.

After she appeared and we had made the introductions, the protocol was given to her to sign, which she duly did.

I then opened the envelope containing the envelopes with the names and addresses for the test. Tony had selected them in this way:

"In choosing the names I considered the most important thing to guard against was deliberate cheating and so I did not choose the names of any members of the Association for Skeptical Enquiry (ASKE), members of my family or close friends. I also wanted to avoid having everyone come from the same area.

"The two locations chosen were Nottingham and Liverpool. Nottingham because I work there and could get the names easily and Liverpool because ASKE member, and Liverpool resident, Dave Rogers offered to help.

"The Nottingham list (6 names) came from two separate sources and Dave supplied the remaining 4 from Liverpool. In Nottingham I simply asked two people who I work with to supply the required information (3 names each). Most, if not all, on the list were
unaware that their details had been put forward but none would have objected to being 'found'. I did not use the names of the two work colleagues for the reasons stated above.

"The details of each person's address was written on a piece of card and folded over (to make them opaque) and placed inside a small numbered envelope. This envelope was then placed inside a second, larger envelope which I again numbered, adding the person's name, date of birth and which A to Z they were to be
found in. Having assembled a list of ten I quickly sent them to Nick (the date originally set didn't leave time for checking details before posting).

"I later checked the details myself. First using BT's (UK telephone company) online directory enquiries (some names were ex-directory) and secondly the electoral register on www.192.com. I also checked that all the names appeared in the relevant A-Zs. As it turned out there was a question mark over envelope #3 which was on some maps but not others. I also later discovered an error in the details I had been given regarding envelope #3 so Nick and I agreed to remove this envelope leaving Angela with a choice of 9."

Angela made herself feel comfortable at a table she selected where she made a small prayer. She arranged her Ouija board, her crystal and her "Holy Bible" and was ready. I arrayed the nine envelopes before her, and invited her to choose one. She chose envelope number four. I put the others away and then opened the envelope, which revealed aperson whose address is
in Liverpool.

Angela offered another prayer, and then went to work. Hardly referring to the envelope, which surprised me, she started on the little pendulum, and moved onto the larger one. After a few minutes, she had opened the Liverpool A to Z to a specific page, and then went to work narrowing the search down.

It did not appear that she was using any *search* method, once she made a choice, either of a page, or a particular area, she stuck to it. She never changed her mind once she'd made a decision - which is different from how one conducts a search, where you expect to go down blind alleys or make mistakes. The
method consisted of first selecting the page, then moving to an area on that page and finally (although this is only a surmise) finding the house number once the street had been chosen. She wrote the address she received onto a piece of paper and when she was happy she told me she had finished. I wrote her address
onto the envelope, invited her to check it was correct, and initial the envelope, as did Tessa, the observer from Skeptics in the Pub and myself. Although she was allocated thirty minutes for each of
the three tests, she didn't take longer than sixteen minutes, and the other two tests were much shorter (around tweleve minutes).

The same procedure was repeated for envelope ten and envelope five (Liverpool and Nottingham addresses respectively).

There were some minor difficulties in the testing. During the first test, she has mistakenly written "Nottingham" instead of "Liverpool", which I didn't notice until I had written out the address on the envelope. This seemed a genuine mistake, and I asked her if she had made a mistake. She quickly acknowledged that she had, and I crossed out "Nottingham" and wrote "Liverpool" instead.

On the second trial, she indicated the gentleman lived in a block of flats, but she did not give the flat number. I advised her that she needed to give a flat number if one was present. She said she didn't think she had needed to, but I referred her to her own claim at the beginning of the protocol where she said she was able to "provide you with the house/flat number/letter, name of the block of flats or house, if there is one, name of the road, and town/city". I explained that we were testing her claim, and she said she'd be able to do just that.

When the time then came to reveal the results there will be no surprises when I say that Angela scored zero out of three. She was keen to see if the real addresses were close to what she had discovered, but she remarked with disappointment, "they weren't even on the same page!"

I asked her if she had any idea why she failed. Her response was to claim that she might have been being blocked with psychic powers from elsewhere; although she stated several times that Tessa and I were not the people blocking her abilities. She did not entertain the thought that her powers did not exist. She "knew" she was psychic because of "things I have experienced and done".

In an email to me after the test, thanking me for my efforts on her behalf, she wrote, "it certainly hasnt changed my views on psychic phenomena, but it was a shame i couldnt change yours. good luck in the future, by the way did i tell you i can see the future!"

I asked her how she had discovered that she thought she had the ability to find lost people on maps. She told me a story where she felt she needed to find someone very much indeed, and had successfully used this technique - although it wasn't clear to me from the story how she had validated that the technique had found the person or if other factors might have come into play.

Prior to taking the test she seemed very confident and she was said she was amazed that no-one had previously won the prize - she seemed to believe that there is a large group of genuine psychics in the world who can win the prize at any time of their choosing. After the test, I suggested that no-one had won the test because paranormal powers aren't real. She did not believe that suggestion and reiterated her idea that James Randi is a very powerful psychic.

All in all, Angela Patel was an ideal applicant. She was fair and honest in her dealings with me. She was open about what was possible, and what was difficult. If she made an agreement, then she stuck to it (in which I include the double-booking incident which I regard as a genuine mistake on her part). She attempted the test in good faith and using her best efforts and agreed, several times, that everything was done as fairly as possible. It was very disappointing however that after her dismal efforts in the test that she will continue to see her clients and presumably
want to make a living as a psychic.

I very much enjoyed the test, and I'm looking forward to working with the next applicant (which may be Angela, who said she'd reapply after the year's wait).

[KRAMER]

Greetings Angela!!!

Although your file has been closed as a result of your failure to demonstrate your claim at testing (on Saturday May 28, 2005), we want to commend you for doing what so few other applicants have done: You appeared at the test location as promised, and you submitted your claim to the agreed upon test. This is extraordinarily rare.

You should know that you are one of only two or three applicants to submit their claim to a test in the last 12 months. Despite your failure, you still rank high in our Challenge files.

We look forward to receiving your next application, which you are free to submit on May 28, 2006. The test may occur more expeditiously if the same protocol is used. We believe it to have been a fair protocol, and we are curious if you feel the same way at this point in time, after you have had a few days to reflect upon your experience.

All Best,
Kramer, JREF Paranormal Claims Dept.