We have a fantastic announcement to make:

Last year, we announced that the MDC would end in March 2010 due to the strains on time and effort of the JREF staff. However, after much discussion, we have decided not to  terminate the Challenge. Instead, we are in the process of examining how it can be improved, streamlined, and made more efficient so that we can continue to use it to test claims of the paranormal.

However, we haven't made any final decisions about it yet; we're taking our time and making sure we do this right. When next March comes around we will roll out the new and improved Million Dollar Challenge. So never fear! We will continue to test the claims and examine the evidence, and we will always strive to ensure that reality - as it usually tends to do - wins out.

There are hints that John Travolta may be reconsidering his relationship with the Church of Scientology after his son's death.

The boy was taken off his seizure medication because it was no longer working. Standard practice would be to try a different medication or a combination of medications, but apparently this was not done. Instead, he was treated with saunas, food supplements, Vitamin B and vegetable oils. He died of a seizure.

Well, the final tally is in, and the TAM 7 vaccine drive to benefit the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) has been an outstanding success.

Our original concept had been to simply collect donations in association with TAM registration, and to present the SNHD with those proceeds at TAM 7.  The relatively late conception of the project combined with working to ensure that donated funds would be used to their optimal effect meant that it was an understated affair with relatively little publicity.  When combined with the current economy and the fact that attending TAM has never been a cheap affair, we had no idea what kind of response the project would receive.

We need not have worried.

Before we get started, I have to say once again... the JREF is not an atheist organization. Our staff and membership are composed of both believers and non-believers, and the question of whether there's a "god" is not addressed by the JREF directly. However, the following affects us all, and demonstrates a clear lack of critical thinking on behalf of the management at the American diner chain known as "Denny's."

I found myself in Euless, TX this morning, and decided to have breakfast at Denny's with my Macbook Pro. As I approached, I saw the attached flyer affixed to the door (click for larger image).

I was a bit taken aback, as I knew there had been controversies about this practice in the past, and I had naively thought such promotions were a matter of history. But this was even worse... not only were folks who attended church given a 10% discount, their church received a donation as well.

I considered leaving right then, but decided to have my meal as planned and then discuss the matter with the manager on the way out. At no time was I concerned about the discount for myself: 10% off a $10 meal isn't much of a motivator. This was a matter of principle, so I decided to confront the manager directly. Though this isn't something I'm terribly comfortable with, it was necessary.