Confirming Random numbers?

[Tyler Durden]

OK, I -think- this is obvious, but I'm not 100% certain.

Is it possible to verify that a remote random number generator is actually 
random?

Consider this scenario:
A group wishes to meet at a location chosen randomly from a list of possible 
locations.

They don't want anyone, in the group or out, to know for certain where the 
meeting will be held.

Now of course they could simply gather together in one location and roll a 
die (for instance) and go to that location.

BUt what if they could roll the die on the internet, say. Any announcement r 
ostensible video could be faked. BUT, are there protocols that allow remote 
viewers/users of the random process to be sure (or reasonably sure) that a 
remote process is actually random?

Actually, this may not be imppossible, particularly with TOR, but rather 
than take a stab in the dark I'm interested in seeing what's already known 
about this.

Not, of course, that I'm planning any meetings in tthe near future. Call it 
purely an academic interest.

-TD

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