Peter Castillo


E-mail exchange with Peter Castillo

Peter Castillo phoned and said he wanted to make a go for the prize. He followed up with an e-mail.

Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge 2
FROM: Peter Castillo

TO: skeptic75287@yahoo.com
Friday, October 24, 2008 12:05 PM

Hello John,

Thanks for returning my call the other day. This endevor is a bit strange for me, as I'm sure it will be for you. But, if you accept me as a challenger, this might also turn out to be kind of fun. The enclosed attachments include my challenge inquiry and a copy of my military discharge.

If you accept me as a challenger, then I will only have one request. My ability will not need a lot of space, time, or equipment, and it would be troublesome for me to travel back and forth from Chicago to Texas for a demonstration and then a actual test. So, if it will be within the rules of the challenge, will it be possible to conduct the demonstration and actual test on the same day?

I hope this will be to your satisfaction.

Sincerely,

Peter Castillo

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: John Blanton TO: Peter Castillo

Friday, October 24, 2008 3:28 PM

We will not be able to do the demonstration and the test on the same day. I will view the demonstration and report to the other underwriters if there is any need for them to get involved.

Come to Dallas for the demonstration. If there is a formal test I will come to Chicago for that.

Take a little time right now and let me know what you propose to demonstrate. That will get us started.

Best regards,

John Blanton
Skeptical Web Master
http://www.ntskeptics.org

Peter Castillo responded with attachments.

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge 1
FROM: Peter Castillo

TO: skeptic75287@yahoo.com
Monday, October 27, 2008 5:02 PM

Hello John,

The enlcosed attachment is my proposal for my demonstration. Look it over and let me know what you think. I'll be willing to work with you on any changes.

Thanks,
Peter Castillo

Here is the proposal from Peter Castillo.

The Challenge underwriters reviewed Peter Castillo's proposal, and I responded.

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: John Blanton
TO: Peter Castillo

Tuesday, October 28, 2008 4:57 AM

Peter,

I have distributed your document to the other Challenge underwriters. We will make some minor modifications to your plan (don't need the radios, for example).

When can you give us a demonstration?

John Blanton
Skeptical Web Master
http://www.ntskeptics.org

Peter responded.

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: Peter Castillo

TO: skeptic75287@yahoo.com
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 11:32 AM

Hello John,

I'll need your location and what time that you would need me there and I could try to shoot for this coming Monday, November 3, 2008.

Thanks,
Peter Castillo

I responded to Peter Castillo.

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: John Blanton
TO: Peter Castillo

Tuesday, October 28, 2008 4:35 PM

Peter,

We are in Dallas. You would need to fly into DFW Airport.

If you want to meet on Monday it needs to be after 5 p.m. We need to take a little time to set up the demo before you come. You will likely just be meeting me. Nobody else will be involved in the demo.

I will send more details later today.

John Blanton

Skeptical Web Master
http://www.ntskeptics.org

Peter Castillo responded, and we began to make plans for his visit to Dallas.

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: Peter Castillo

TO: skeptic75287@yahoo.com
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 5:36 PM

Hello John,

I could agree with this. If Monday will not work, I can plan any part of next week. But, I'll need enough time to purchase my travel plans.Just email me exactly what you'll require of me for the demo, where it will take place, and how long it will take. If I could plan accordingly to take the red eye back to Chicago on that same evening, that would be best. If you'd like, maybe we could set something up right there in the airport. We could sit accross from each other, or we could be on opposite sides of the airport. Let me know what you would prefer.

Thanks,
Peter Castillo

My response to Peter Castillo

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: John Blanton
TO: Peter Castillo

Tuesday, October 28, 2008 8:46 PM

Peter,

It will have to be a weekend, then. It cannot be 8 and 9 November. I have house guests.

If you come on the 15th of November you can meet the NTS members and maybe some other Challenge underwriters.

We will meet on Saturday, 15 November, at 2 p.m.
2900 Live Oak Street
Dallas, TX

Live Oak Street runs east from downtown Dallas. The building is at the corner of Live Oak and Liberty streets (southeast corner). It most likely says Center for Nonprofit Management on the side of the building. The facility has a free parking lot (enter the parking lot from Liberty Street).

I don't think you have to bring anything. The 20-sided die seems superfluous. I can bring some cards. They don't have to be new and unopened.

There is no way we can guarantee the impartiality of the subject. In fact, the subject is likely to be disinterested in your success and can later be claimed as a cause for failure of the test. Maybe you can devise a different way to test your abilities.

Here is my interpretation of your claimed abilities:

You claim to be able to impress your thoughts on another disinterested party. That is the weakness of your claim. I have a better suggestion.

The subject should be an interested party. This should be someone who wants you to succeed. Can you arrange this?

Barring this, do you think you could be the subject? You would be the receiver of the the thoughts of somebody else.

You can phone me at 214-335-9248 if you need directions when you get to Dallas.

John Blanton
Skeptical Web Master
http://www.ntskeptics.org

Peter Castillo responded.

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: Peter Castillo

TO: skeptic75287@yahoo.com
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 12:59 PM

Hello John,

I could see your point about the subject's impartiality, but if you will remember, in my original email I stated that I cannot receive thoughts. I also will not be able to bring my own subject with me. You would probably cast doubt on someone that I would bring in. So, there would be doubt on either yours or my subject.

So, the only fair way that I could come up with is if you and your committe become the subjects. The North Texas Skeptics is about debunking any so-called non-scientific explanations. So, I guess if you and your committee were to experience my ability first hand, maybe I would have a worth-while challenge for you.

Let me know if this will be satisfactory.

Thanks,
Peter Castillo

I responded.

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: John Blanton
TO: Peter Castillo

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 4:27 PM

Peter,

Either I will be the subject, or one of the members present at the meeting on 15 November will do it for me.

John Blanton

Skeptical Web Master
http://www.ntskeptics.org

As usual, there is something we often forget to mention.

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: John Blanton
TO: Peter Castillo

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 4:30 PM

Peter,

I forgot to mention this, and I always do give this advice: Make sure you try this at home before you make a long trip here for a demonstration. Get somebody to work with you and go through the whole routine. If you are not successful at home, then you should wait until you are sure you will be successful before you come.

John Blanton

Skeptical Web Master
http://www.ntskeptics.org

Peter Castillo responded.

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: Peter Castillo

TO: skeptic75287@yahoo.com
Thursday, October 30, 2008 11:46 AM

Hello John,

I think I've practiced my ability enough to say that you can make this email official. I will see you on November 15th for a demonstration.

Thanks,
Peter Castillo

Peter followed up with another e-mail.

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: Peter Castillo

TO: skeptic75287@yahoo.com
Thursday, October 30, 2008 12:26 PM

Hello John,

I was wondering if you could change the meeting to an earlier time. The best flight that I found would get me into Dallas at 11:10 A.M. with a return flight at 4:31 P.M. that same day. I will be taking a cab from the airport, and if I'm not mistaken you're only a little over ten miles from there. So figuring in the travel time, what could be a better time.

Thanks,
Peter Castillo

We could not accommodate Peter Castillo's request for a time change.

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: John Blanton
TO: Peter Castillo

Thursday, October 30, 2008 4:30 PM

Peter,

We can't change the meeting time. If you are serious about doing this you should consider investing in an overnight stay in Dallas. After all, you expect to get $12,000, and you are 100% sure you will succeed.

Before you do this, here is something you should consider. We have had a number of applicants for the prize, and nobody has ever provided a successful demonstration. Since you propose to do the impossible, I am very sure 1) you will not succeed, 2) you will not be granted a formal test, and 3) you will not receive the prize. I tell you this so I will not bear any responsibility for wasting your time and money.

Best regards,

John Blanton
Skeptical Web Master
http://www.ntskeptics.org

Peter Castillo changed his schedule and responded.

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: Peter Castillo

TO: skeptic75287@yahoo.com
Thursday, October 30, 2008 7:09 PM

Hello John,

I found a later flight in the evening. I will be able to keep the scheduled appointment. I would just like to know how long would you require for my demonstration to be.

Thanks,
Peter Castillo

I firmed up details for the demonstration on Saturday, 15 November 2008.

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: John Blanton
TO: Peter Castillo

Friday, October 31, 2008 7:29 AM

Peter,

We should take no more than an hour for your demonstration.

At the meeting in November Kristine Danowski will be giving a talk on vegetarianism. I need to discuss with her how much of the meeting time she will allow me to use. We have reserved the meeting room until 4:30 p.m. If we run over that time we would have to move the demonstration to some other location. In that case you need to plan for staying in Dallas overnight or else finding a very late flight out.

The next meeting after November 15 is in December. I will not attend that meeting (out of town). The January meeting is free form. We would have not problem using as much time as we need.

Before you make any arrangements to come at any date, allow me to ensure at least one of the other underwriters will be available. We will need one person in addition to the two of us. I am going to contact the others and see if they will be available.

Best regards,

John Blanton

Skeptical Web Master
http://www.ntskeptics.org

Another note from Peter Castillo

Re: Challenger for your Paranormal Challenge
FROM: Peter Castillo

TO: skeptic75287@yahoo.com
Monday, November 3, 2008 3:30 PM

Hello John,

I scheduled a late 10:30 P.M. flight back so I could have ample time for my demonstration. I thought of some things that I could do for the demonstration, and I could get that out to you if you like. I'll be open to suggestions, and I hope my demonstration will make your approval for a green light to a formal challenge.

Thanks,
Peter Castillo

I firmed up the details of the demonstration.

Paranormal Challenge
FROM: John Blanton
TO: Peter Castillo

Monday, November 3, 2008 7:55 PM

Peter,

Here is the demonstration process:

1. You say you can project thoughts. You cannot receive them.

2. I will have you project to me the face value of a card, as described in your note.

3. We will not use the 20-sided die. We will use underwriter X to assist.

4. I will get at least two decks of cards and some "safety" envelopes. X will draw a random card from a deck and give it to you. X will inform me the session has started.

5. You will stare at the card and project it to me. I will be in another room or otherwise concealed from you.

6. I will determine which card you are projecting, and I will select that card from my supply of cards. I will place my card in a safety envelope. X will get your card and place that into a safety envelope.

7. X will pick up my envelope and place it into another (larger) envelope along with the envelope from you. X will close the envelope containing the two safety envelopes and set it aside.

8. We will repeat this process until we have 40 envelopes in the box.

9. We will all gather around and examine the contents of the envelopes. We will open a large envelope and take out the two safety envelopes. We will open each safety envelope and examine the cards. If the cards match, that will score as a hit by you. If they do not match, that will score as a miss by you.

10. You have to obtain hits significantly greater than chance to produce a satisfactory demonstration.

11. You have specified use of a single suit of cards. We can go along with that. Only the card that you project needs to be of that suit. We can give the other suits to me to place in my envelopes.

12. As your supply of cards diminishes, your selection of which card to project becomes less random. If we don't have enough cards for X to choose from, then the card selection will get channeled. We need to avoid this. I will purchase enough decks of cards to help prevent this.

13. Your note described the number of hits that will define a successful demonstration. I will require more actual hits while keeping the proportion of hits to misses the same as in your note.

I am going to send you a copy of the demonstration agreement. You will need to sign this and bring it to the meeting. You will agree to the above procedure. You will agree that you will not receive compensation of any kind for your participation in this demonstration. You will agree that I will be the sole arbiter of whether the demonstration is successful.

John Blanton
Skeptical Web Master
http://www.ntskeptics.org

Response from Peter Castillo

Re: Paranormal Challenge 1
FROM: Peter Castillo

TO: skeptic75287@yahoo.com
Tuesday, November 4, 2008 2:26 PM

Hello John,

I will agree with these terms, and wait for the demonstration agreement. Just to let you know, since the underwriter will be standing near me, he or she may mentally pick up what I transmit to you.

On another note, I was wondering if you would agree to invite the local media to the demonstration. I took the liberty of writing a press release, but I would not send it out if you will not agree to it. The enclosed attachment is the release.

Thanks,
Peter Castillo

A note from me to Peter Castillo

Paranormal Challenge
FROM: John Blanton
TO: Peter Castillo

Tuesday, November 4, 2008 6:38 PM

Peter,

As the Challenge statement says on our Web site, both parties have the right to publish all details concerning the demonstration and any subsequent formal test.

We state that we will publish all correspondence related to the paranormal challenge, and I intend to do that.

John Blanton

Skeptical Web Master
http://www.ntskeptics.org

Here is a copy of the agreement I sent to Peter Castillo.

Demonstration Agreement (NTS Paranormal Challenge)
FROM: John Blanton
TO: Peter Castillo

Saturday, November 8, 2008 8:27 AM

Peter,

Attached is the agreement you must sign prior to your demonstration next Saturday. Print out a copy, sign the copy in the place provided, and bring the signed copy with you.

Alternatively, you may sign the agreement when you arrive for the demonstration next Saturday (15 November 2008).

You must do this:

Return this Word document file to me as an e-mail attachment. Do not make any changes to the Word document file. In the text of your e-mail state that you agree with the terms of the agreement. I will not arrange a demonstration, and it will not be necessary for you to come to Dallas unless you do this.

Best regards,

John Blanton
The North Texas Skeptical Paranormal Challenge

Peter returned the document as an attachment along with his agreement to the terms.

I agree with the terms of the agreement 1
FROM: Peter Castillo

TO: skeptic75287@yahoo.com
Sunday, November 9, 2008 3:20 PM

Hello John,

The enclosed attachment is our agreement as per your instructions. I'll see you on the 15th. As far as the press release, I just wanted to let you know ahead of time, to show that I'm being on the level. I'm going to send it out to a couple of local Dallas media outlets, whether they pick up the story or not wiil be up to them.

Thanks,
Peter Castillo

All right. Things were finally shaping up.

Re: I agree with the terms of the agreement
FROM: John Blanton
TO: Peter Castillo

Sunday, November 9, 2008 3:50 PM

Peter,

Thanks. We will see you on Saturday. I plan to arrive at least 30 minutes early.

The meeting is 2 p.m.
2900 Live Oak Street in Dallas
Center for Nonprofit Management

Corner of Live Oak Street and Liberty Street
About seven blocks east of Central Expressway
East of downtown Dallas

Central Expressway is an elevated highway on the east side of the Dallas business district. There is on-going construction at the ground level. This construction may render GPS routing information obsolete. The GPS will advise you to turn, but the street may be closed. When coming from downtown Dallas I have found it convenient to get onto Ross Avenue and go east many blocks until I come to a street that will take me south to Live Oak Street, where I can double back west to 2900 Live Oak. There is a large park on Live Oak Street that blocks many north-south streets in the region.

Phone 214-335-9248 (my cell phone) if you need directions once you get to Dallas.

John Blanton

Skeptical Web Master
http://www.ntskeptics.org

Peter Castillo attended the NTS meeting on 15 November, and we ran a series of trials for his demonstration. He scored exactly what would be expected by chance alone. Please see the write-up in our newsletter.

http://www.ntskeptics.org/2008/2008december/december2008.htm#pit