We really are counting on your support right now.

Hundreds of dedicated skeptics and science advocates like you have stood with the JREF during our year-end fundraising campaign, the "Season of Reason." And I'm sincerely moved by their generosity — helping to ensure that we will have the resources we need to wage our ongoing battle against the forces of unreason in the coming year. But we're not quite there yet and we need you to join us while there's still time before the deadline.

With hours left to go in 2012, we are still over $30,000 short of our funding goal.

Please make a year-end donation now. Without it we may have to scale back our important work.

And you should know that today's contributions will go twice as far towards meeting our goal thanks to a generous JREF member who is matching donations right now dollar-for-dollar. Please help us take advantage of this wonderful and generous offer for the JREF. Every dollar counts.

I have been fighting the fakers for decades and with your help right now I and my Foundation will continue on far into the future. This is my life's work — won't you join me in it?

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Thank you for supporting skepticism, and for supporting my work and the work of the JREF,

Randi.

It was the traditional slow holiday week in news. Not much happened, but there were a few stories that were interesting that you may have missed.

Here is a rundown of the top stories in pseudoscience, paranormal and general stuff you should be doubtful about from the past week courtesy of Doubtful News.

Last week, we linked to a story about how vaccination workers in Pakistan were in danger, with several killed and injured.  This week, they are back on the job.

Here is a recap of the stories that appeared last week at Science-Based Medicine, a multi-author skeptical blog that separates the science from the woo in medicine.  

Another blow to the anti-vaccine movement as legislation change forces a name change (Rachael Dunlop) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/another-blow-to-the-anti-vaccine-movement-as-legislation-change-forces-a-name-change/ The Australian Vaccine Network is an anti-vaccine organization. The government revoked their fundraising license and issued a public warning; they sued the government and won, but their short-term victory had unforeseen long-term consequences. The NSW government changed the law to prohibit “a name that is likely to mislead the public” and the AVN was ordered to change its name or be closed down.  

Anti-psychiatry and anti-vaccine activists shamelessly taking advantage of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings (David Gorski) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/nti-psychiatry-and-anti-vaccine/ Natural News claims we need medication control instead of gun control. They demonize mental illness and psychiatry and blame Lanza’s rampage on Big Pharma even though we don’t yet know whether he was on any medication. They are taking advantage of a tragedy to advance their personal agenda.