IS Forum
Forum Index Register Members List Events Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Help

Go Back   International Skeptics Forum » Welcome to ISF » Other Skeptical Organizations » JREF
 


Welcome to the International Skeptics Forum, where we discuss skepticism, critical thinking, the paranormal and science in a friendly but lively way. You are currently viewing the forum as a guest, which means you are missing out on discussing matters that are of interest to you. Please consider registering so you can gain full use of the forum features and interact with other Members. Registration is simple, fast and free! Click here to register today.
Tags D.J. Grothe , jref

Reply
Old 1st September 2014, 01:56 PM   #1
hardindr
Thinker
 
hardindr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 169
LA JREF office closes, D.J. Grothe no longer with the JREF

I was very surprised to hear this. Not sure what to make of it all...

http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/...ce-closed.html
__________________
"I have often said, and oftener think, that this world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel – a solution of why Democritus laughed and Heraclitus wept." - Horace Walpole
hardindr is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 02:05 PM   #2
rjh01
Gentleman of leisure
Tagger
 
rjh01's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Flying around in the sky
Posts: 28,090
Just read that on Facebook. I note this page has been updated. Only James Randi is on it. http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/staff.html. The financial position must be pretty bad if Randi is the only staff member. There used to be five names on that list. That is apart from Sharon Hill who is still not mentioned on the page I linked.
__________________
This signature is for rent.
rjh01 is online now   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 02:17 PM   #3
Ztarr
New Blood
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 1
Thumbs down

Do not like.

DJ has done an incredible job. He really made TAM a great event, actively including diverse speakers and injecting fresh new programming.

This news makes me worry about his work being undone. And I was already a little worried about Savage being added to the board—only for his friendship with Skepchicks and seeming obliviousness to the problematic/poisonous SJW faction of skepticism.

Will Skepchicks return to TAM, now?

Hopefully not. But I imagine they and FTB are already writing their celebratory drama blog posts...
Ztarr is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 02:48 PM   #4
shuttlt
Penultimate Amazing
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 10,096
Wow! I hope the last person out of the foundation remembers to turn the lights off.
shuttlt is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 02:52 PM   #5
The Central Scrutinizer
Penultimate Amazing
 
The Central Scrutinizer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 53,084
Originally Posted by Ztarr View Post
DJ has done an incredible job. He really made TAM a great event, actively including diverse speakers and injecting fresh new programming.
TAM was a great event before DJ and hopefully will continue to be in the future.
__________________
If I see somebody with a gun on a plane? I'll kill him.

Lupus is Lupus tor central scrutineezer
The Central Scrutinizer is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 02:53 PM   #6
Doubt
Philosopher
 
Doubt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 8,066
Originally Posted by Ztarr View Post
Do not like.

DJ has done an incredible job. He really made TAM a great event, actively including diverse speakers and injecting fresh new programming.
When DJ took over the entire JREF staff was gone within a year. Those that replaced them did not stick around long. That should tell you something.
__________________
45 es un titere
Doubt is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 03:07 PM   #7
polyonymous
New Blood
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2
I hope this is good news. I would like nothing more than to resume my admiration of James Randi that DJ Grothe destroyed so completely. Maybe attending a TAM again might be kind of fun, too! I missed both.
polyonymous is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 03:24 PM   #8
d4m10n
Penultimate Amazing
 
d4m10n's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Mounts Farm
Posts: 11,901
Originally Posted by Ztarr View Post
Will Skepchicks return to TAM, now?

Hopefully not. But I imagine they and FTB are already writing their celebratory drama blog posts...
Sara, is that you?

But seriously, though, you can almost hear the social justice legions clamouring with joy and trying to figure out whom to target next.
__________________
“Knowledge is Power; France is Bacon.”

Last edited by d4m10n; 1st September 2014 at 03:28 PM. Reason: more words
d4m10n is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 03:28 PM   #9
TubbaBlubba
Knave of the Dudes
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 12,936
Hmmm. I hope this is for the better. Not much else I can say for now.
__________________
"The president’s voracious sexual appetite is the elephant that the president rides around on each and every day while pretending that it doesn’t exist." - Bill O'Reilly et al., Killing Kennedy
TubbaBlubba is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 04:39 PM   #10
Cleon
King of the Pod People
 
Cleon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 25,628
Originally Posted by Ztarr View Post
Do not like.

DJ has done an incredible job. He really made TAM a great event, actively including diverse speakers and injecting fresh new programming.
TAM was a great event before DJ was ever involved with the JREF. Whether it will continue to be one is up to the JREF.

Quote:
This news makes me worry about his work being undone. And I was already a little worried about Savage being added to the board—only for his friendship with Skepchicks and seeming obliviousness to the problematic/poisonous SJW faction of skepticism.

Will Skepchicks return to TAM, now?

Hopefully not. But I imagine they and FTB are already writing their celebratory drama blog posts...
I find it amusing that the only thing you really care about is the opinions of people you don't like.
__________________
"People like me are what stand between us and Auschwitz." - Newt Gingrich
Cleon is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 04:56 PM   #11
The Central Scrutinizer
Penultimate Amazing
 
The Central Scrutinizer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 53,084
Originally Posted by Ztarr View Post
DJ has done an incredible job. He really made TAM a great event, actively including diverse speakers and injecting fresh new programming.
Originally Posted by The Central Scrutinizer View Post
TAM was a great event before DJ and hopefully will continue to be in the future.
I should clarify that TAM was great before DJ and continued to be while he was there. In fact, TAM XII (2014) was among the best.
__________________
If I see somebody with a gun on a plane? I'll kill him.

Lupus is Lupus tor central scrutineezer
The Central Scrutinizer is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 06:15 PM   #12
Denver
Penultimate Amazing
 
Denver's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 10,015
Originally Posted by rjh01 View Post
Just read that on Facebook. I note this page has been updated. Only James Randi is on it. http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/staff.html. The financial position must be pretty bad if Randi is the only staff member. There used to be five names on that list. That is apart from Sharon Hill who is still not mentioned on the page I linked.
IIRC, recent financials have been under 1M each year, and dropping. Randi's salary was around 250K per year, and DJ's was around 100K.

With the change in direction (whatever that is), I suspect they decided that 100K can be used much better elsewhere.
__________________
Dreams inevitably lead to hideous implosions -- Invader Zim
Denver is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 06:20 PM   #13
Olowkow
Philosopher
 
Olowkow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,230
Nice article on Randi published yesterday in the Miami Herald, and featured on JREF home page. I wonder why the lengthy piece by Glenn Garvin contains no mention of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF).

http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/08/3...VNNfU0.twitter
Olowkow is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 06:21 PM   #14
Eos of the Eons
Mad Scientist
 
Eos of the Eons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 13,749
I hope everything is okay, and the JREF continues on in a great way.
__________________
Motion affecting a measuring device does not affect what is actually being measured, except to inaccurately measure it.
the immaterial world doesn't matter, cause it ain't matter-Jeff Corey
my karma ran over my dogma-vbloke
The Lateral Truth: An Apostate's Bible Stories by Rebecca Bradley, read it!
Eos of the Eons is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 07:40 PM   #15
TsarBomba
One Damn Dirty Ape
 
TsarBomba's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 808
Here's my prediction on TAM: the JREF will make a deal with Michael Schermer. Schermer will organize TAM next year "for" the JREF and take half of any money raised for the Skeptics Society. Eventually it will be a joint event and when the inevitable happens with The Amazing One TAM will become a 100% Skeptics Society event.
__________________
Signature line? I don't need no stinking signature line!
TsarBomba is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 07:43 PM   #16
Eos of the Eons
Mad Scientist
 
Eos of the Eons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 13,749
No.
__________________
Motion affecting a measuring device does not affect what is actually being measured, except to inaccurately measure it.
the immaterial world doesn't matter, cause it ain't matter-Jeff Corey
my karma ran over my dogma-vbloke
The Lateral Truth: An Apostate's Bible Stories by Rebecca Bradley, read it!
Eos of the Eons is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 07:51 PM   #17
Wolfman
Chief Solipsistic
Autosycophant
 
Wolfman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 13,414
Certainly, I hope the best for the JREF...but it really seems that things are going downhill. Staff changes have been too frequent, which will severely disrupt long-term planning and organization. And I think that some recent policies, as well as reactions of senior members of the JREF to certain situations, have served to damage the organization's reputation, and isolate it somewhat from other individuals and organizations within the skeptical community.

I'm speaking as an outsider, and am not privy to everything that's going on there...but certainly, at least from the outside perspective, things seem to have been on a rather consistent downward trend.
__________________
Please check out my business, The Language of Culture
Wolfman is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 07:52 PM   #18
TsarBomba
One Damn Dirty Ape
 
TsarBomba's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 808
And what does it say that in almost six hours there have only been 17 and (now 18)
posts on what is maybe the most important JREF related post in years? The lack of interest is palpable.
__________________
Signature line? I don't need no stinking signature line!
TsarBomba is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 07:57 PM   #19
Slowvehicle
Membership Drive
Co-Ordinator,
Russell's Antinomy
 
Slowvehicle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: ...1888 miles from home by the shortest route without tolls...
Posts: 17,348
Originally Posted by TsarBomba View Post
And what does it say that in almost six hours there have only been 17 and (now 18)
posts on what is maybe the most important JREF related post in years? The lack of interest is palpable.
Given that the Forum-that-used-to-be-the-"JREF-Forum" has been booted to the curb by the selfsame JREF, in what way is the soap opera of internal tsuris "important"?
__________________
"They want to make their molehills equal to the mountains by cutting the mountains down." -turingtest
"The universe did not come from nothing, it came from 'We don't know'." -Dancing David
"Cry, booga, booga, booga! and let slip the Hamsters of Silly!" -JFDHintze
Slowvehicle is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 08:01 PM   #20
TsarBomba
One Damn Dirty Ape
 
TsarBomba's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 808
Originally Posted by Slowvehicle View Post
Given that the Forum-that-used-to-be-the-"JREF-Forum" has been booted to the curb by the selfsame JREF, in what way is the soap opera of internal tsuris "important"?
I believe you have made my point for me.
__________________
Signature line? I don't need no stinking signature line!
TsarBomba is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 08:12 PM   #21
kookbreaker
Evil Fokker
 
kookbreaker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 14,806
Originally Posted by TsarBomba View Post
And what does it say that in almost six hours there have only been 17 and (now 18)
posts on what is maybe the most important JREF related post in years? The lack of interest is palpable.
In all fairness, this is one of the smaller subforums and a lot of people may not read it as it updates infrequently.
__________________
www.spectrum-scientifics.com <-
kookbreaker is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 08:12 PM   #22
Slowvehicle
Membership Drive
Co-Ordinator,
Russell's Antinomy
 
Slowvehicle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: ...1888 miles from home by the shortest route without tolls...
Posts: 17,348
Originally Posted by TsarBomba View Post
I believe you have made my point for me.
Thank you for that cogent, lucid, and fruitful explanation as to why I should be interested in the thrashings of an organization of which I am not a part, and which has no interest in me.

No, seriously. Thanks.
__________________
"They want to make their molehills equal to the mountains by cutting the mountains down." -turingtest
"The universe did not come from nothing, it came from 'We don't know'." -Dancing David
"Cry, booga, booga, booga! and let slip the Hamsters of Silly!" -JFDHintze
Slowvehicle is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 08:21 PM   #23
The Central Scrutinizer
Penultimate Amazing
 
The Central Scrutinizer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 53,084
Originally Posted by TsarBomba View Post
Here's my prediction on TAM: the JREF will make a deal with Michael Schermer. Schermer will organize TAM next year "for" the JREF and take half of any money raised for the Skeptics Society. Eventually it will be a joint event and when the inevitable happens with The Amazing One TAM will become a 100% Skeptics Society event.
Is that a bad thing? I went to a Shermer conference in 2004 at CalTech. It was well run, although only one day, IIRC.
__________________
If I see somebody with a gun on a plane? I'll kill him.

Lupus is Lupus tor central scrutineezer
The Central Scrutinizer is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 08:26 PM   #24
RecoveringYuppy
Penultimate Amazing
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 14,185
Originally Posted by TsarBomba View Post
Here's my prediction on TAM: the JREF will make a deal with Michael Schermer. Schermer will organize TAM next year "for" the JREF and take half of any money raised for the Skeptics Society. Eventually it will be a joint event and when the inevitable happens with The Amazing One TAM will become a 100% Skeptics Society event.
Safe prediction. It's already a joint event co-sponsored by Shermer's Skeptic Society the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, since 2010.

Last edited by RecoveringYuppy; 1st September 2014 at 08:28 PM.
RecoveringYuppy is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 08:35 PM   #25
RemieV
Philosopher
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,292
Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy View Post
Safe prediction. It's already a joint event co-sponsored by Shermer's Skeptic Society the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, since 2010.
Where are you seeing that?
RemieV is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 08:37 PM   #26
RecoveringYuppy
Penultimate Amazing
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 14,185
Originally Posted by RemieV View Post
Where are you seeing that?
My source was the The Amaz!ng Meeting article at Wikipedia. They cite:

http://www.csicop.org/specialarticle...mazing_meeting

Not correct?

ETA: And the horses mouth: http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/...sor-tam8-.html

Last edited by RecoveringYuppy; 1st September 2014 at 08:39 PM.
RecoveringYuppy is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 08:42 PM   #27
RemieV
Philosopher
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,292
Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy View Post
My source was the The Amaz!ng Meeting article at Wikipedia. They cite:

http://www.csicop.org/specialarticle...mazing_meeting

Not correct?
Oh - yeah, that doesn't mean it was a joint event. They were just sponsors. Was I even still there in 2010? I don't recall. But no, to my knowledge, TAM has never been a joint event with anyone, and nothing on the TAM site indicates that's changed.
RemieV is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 08:47 PM   #28
Bob001
Penultimate Amazing
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: US of A
Posts: 16,613
Originally Posted by Denver View Post
IIRC, recent financials have been under 1M each year, and dropping. Randi's salary was around 250K per year, and DJ's was around 100K.

With the change in direction (whatever that is), I suspect they decided that 100K can be used much better elsewhere.
These are the JREF's (publicly available) federal tax forms for the last three years. Could someone with some tax and accounting experience assess what they say about the state of the JREF's finances? It looks like it holds assets in the neighborhood of $2 million (not a bad neighborhood for a small non-profit), takes in revenue of more than $1 million a year (spending most of it), and has few liabilities.
http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990...201312_990.pdf
http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990...201212_990.pdf
http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990...201112_990.pdf
http://990finder.foundationcenter.or...y=&action=Find
Bob001 is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 08:48 PM   #29
The Central Scrutinizer
Penultimate Amazing
 
The Central Scrutinizer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 53,084
From talking to various people involved, I was led to believe that the Skeptic Society was a little more than a "sponsor". Although I (or the people who told me that) could be mistaken.
__________________
If I see somebody with a gun on a plane? I'll kill him.

Lupus is Lupus tor central scrutineezer
The Central Scrutinizer is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 08:48 PM   #30
RecoveringYuppy
Penultimate Amazing
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 14,185
Originally Posted by RemieV View Post
Oh - yeah, that doesn't mean it was a joint event. They were just sponsors.
OK. Is that an important distinction? Seems to me that providing money, promotion and speakers is pretty close to joint. If the distinction is that JREF had final say in the program, then I wouldn't think that's too relevant to how current changes might affect the near future of TAM. Seems to me those two other organizations have enough inside knowledge of TAM to be capable of taking it over or bigger role, even if they aren't currently "joint", whatever that means.

I should point out that I don't necessarily see TAM falling apart due to any changes. The latest TAMs don't seem to be falling apart (not that I've gotten to see them firsthand).

Last edited by RecoveringYuppy; 1st September 2014 at 08:50 PM.
RecoveringYuppy is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 09:04 PM   #31
RemieV
Philosopher
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,292
Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy View Post
OK. Is that an important distinction? Seems to me that providing money, promotion and speakers is pretty close to joint. If the distinction is that JREF had final say in the program, then I wouldn't think that's too relevant to how current changes might affect the near future of TAM. Seems to me those two other organizations have enough inside knowledge of TAM to be capable of taking it over or bigger role, even if they aren't currently "joint", whatever that means.

I should point out that I don't necessarily see TAM falling apart due to any changes. The latest TAMs don't seem to be falling apart (not that I've gotten to see them firsthand).
Well, again, I don't know if the JREF has something special going on with them (though really, they don't appear to from the TAM site), but I do work in the trade show/expo/conference industry still, and sponsoring (at its most basic level) just means paying to have your logo on something. Like pens that are given out in gift bags. Or on the tote bags themselves. Anyone who is exhibiting can sponsor, and it doesn't indicate a special relationship other than you paid the organization money to slap your logo on something.

Speaking at an event doesn't really indicate a special relationship, either. "Providing speakers" is the wrong term. People WANT to speak at events. And when/if they do, of course they'll promote the event too. Like... let's see, who all was it... I think it was just me and Jeff and Randi all presented at DragonCon for a couple of years. The JREF wasn't "providing" speakers. We all wanted to speak at DragonCon, and filled out applications, and were approved through their process. If the JREF had sponsored DragonCon, it would've just meant cutting them a check to have a banner hanging somewhere or whatever.
RemieV is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 09:28 PM   #32
RecoveringYuppy
Penultimate Amazing
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 14,185
I don't know if you saw my edit with the post from the Swift log. That post described the situation as TAM being sponsored by the three main US Skeptic organizations with JREF being one of them. Made it sound like they were on somewhat equal footing. But I see the original announcement in the Swift log, issue by JREF staff, described the two other organizations, not the JREF, as being sponsors. I suppose the later Swift post was a misinterpretation.
RecoveringYuppy is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 09:54 PM   #33
theprestige
Penultimate Amazing
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: The Antimemetics Division
Posts: 69,914
So is it now obvious that the JREF is in dire straits and is looking to get rid of the Forum as soon as possible?

TAM is either a going concern in its own right, or it isn't.

It's obvious the MDC served its purpose decades ago. Keeping $1mm in a bespoke account just to debunk VFF? Really? The Challenge has long since outlived its purpose.

The Forum never really had a purpose; or if it did, that purpose died in infancy.
theprestige is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 10:02 PM   #34
RecoveringYuppy
Penultimate Amazing
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 14,185
Originally Posted by theprestige View Post
So is it now obvious that the JREF is in dire straits and is looking to get rid of the Forum as soon as possible?

TAM is either a going concern in its own right, or it isn't.
Not sure I've seen any evidence that has to be interpreted as "dire straits". Financials are posted a few posts back and they don't sound bad to me.

Getting rid of the forum could be just getting rid of a nuisance.

And despite the talk about who could take TAM over there is, as yet, no reason to think it is to be taken over. That's speculation at this point.
RecoveringYuppy is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 10:31 PM   #35
RemieV
Philosopher
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,292
I'm pretty sure the only reason there was an office in LA at all was because that's where DJ is. "Closing the office" just follows from him leaving. So... Yeah, I don't think it necessarily indicates the JREF is disappearing.
RemieV is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 10:32 PM   #36
RemieV
Philosopher
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,292
Originally Posted by theprestige View Post
Nuisance to whom? James Randi doesn't understand it and doesn't care. Who else is left at the JREF who might know enough about the Forum to be annoyed by it, except as a drain on finances?
It was a nuisance because it HAD to be updated and was going to cost and no one gives a crap about its existence.
RemieV is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 11:26 PM   #37
Foolmewunz
Grammar Resistance Leader
TLA Dictator
 
Foolmewunz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Pattaya, Thailand
Posts: 41,468
Originally Posted by RemieV View Post
It was a nuisance because it HAD to be updated and was going to cost and no one gives a crap about its existence.
Oh, the costs were going to be minimal, as we've seen. They just saved ten or twelve fold that on DJ's salary. The forums were a nuisance, like a prehensile tail would be to someone who wears button down suits all day. They just couldn't see the utility of the damned thing or what use to put it to. If I found that I was growing a prehensile tail, one option would be to have it surgically removed. The other might be to ask a spider monkey for a few tips.
__________________
Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele

It's not that liberals have become less tolerant. It's that conservatives have become more intolerable.
Foolmewunz is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 11:46 PM   #38
zooterkin
Nitpicking dilettante
Administrator
 
zooterkin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Berkshire, mostly
Posts: 57,667
While not privy to any inside information, there's been enough rumblings for it not to be a complete surprise that DJ and the JREF have parted company. What is surprising is the wording of the announcement. Not a word of thanks for the years of service from the outgoing President? How classless can you get?

Quote:
Written by JREFAdmin
In order to achieve cost-savings and greater efficiency, the Los Angeles office of the JREF has closed effective September 1, 2014. All operations have been moved to Falls Church, Virginia.

DJ Grothe is no longer with the JREF. James Randi has taken over as acting President.

This restructuring is part of an enhanced educational agenda aimed at inspiring an investigative spirit in a new generation of critical thinkers by engaging children and their parents, as well as educators and the general public, in how to think about the many extraordinary claims we hear every day.

Contact the JREF at:
James Randi Educational Foundation
2941 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 105
Falls Church, VA 22042
JREF@Randi.Org
__________________
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.Bertrand Russell
Zooterkin is correct Darat
Nerd! Hokulele
Join the JREF Folders ! Team 13232
Ezekiel 23:20
zooterkin is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 1st September 2014, 11:51 PM   #39
Aepervius
Non credunt, semper verificare
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Sigil, the city of doors
Posts: 14,571
Originally Posted by Slowvehicle View Post
Given that the Forum-that-used-to-be-the-"JREF-Forum" has been booted to the curb by the selfsame JREF, in what way is the soap opera of internal tsuris "important"?
As an artist it prefers to be named the "The forum Formerly Known as JREF" .
Aepervius is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Old 2nd September 2014, 12:50 AM   #40
arthwollipot
Observer of Phenomena
Pronouns: he/him
 
arthwollipot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Ngunnawal Country
Posts: 87,212
Originally Posted by Foolmewunz View Post
Oh, the costs were going to be minimal, as we've seen. They just saved ten or twelve fold that on DJ's salary. The forums were a nuisance, like a prehensile tail would be to someone who wears button down suits all day. They just couldn't see the utility of the damned thing or what use to put it to. If I found that I was growing a prehensile tail, one option would be to have it surgically removed. The other might be to ask a spider monkey for a few tips.
Man, I'd love to have a prehensile tail. That would be so cool!
__________________
So take that quantum equation and recalculate the wave by a factor of hoopty doo! The answer is not my problem, it's yours.

Three Word Story Wisdom
arthwollipot is offline   Quote this post in a PM   Nominate this post for this month's language award Copy a direct link to this post Reply With Quote Back to Top
Reply

International Skeptics Forum » Welcome to ISF » Other Skeptical Organizations » JREF

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:33 PM.
Powered by vBulletin. Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

This forum began as part of the James Randi Education Foundation (JREF). However, the forum now exists as
an independent entity with no affiliation with or endorsement by the JREF, including the section in reference to "JREF" topics.

Disclaimer: Messages posted in the Forum are solely the opinion of their authors.