James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) Closes LA Office, President Leaves.

Mick West

Administrator
Staff member
A surprise announcement from JREF:

http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/jref-news/2392-los-angeles-office-closed.html

Los Angeles Office Closed



Written by JREFAdmin
Monday, 01 September 2014 14:13
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.
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Besides James Randi himself, JREF is best known for the Million Dollar Challenge (where people get a million dollars if they can scientifically demonstrate something paranormal, The Amazing Meeting (TAM, a skeptical conference in Las Vegas), and (to my mind) the very busy JREF Forum (which JREF recently announced they were transferring ownership of to a third party).

This seems like it is the end of an era for JREF, and it will be interesting to see what comes of it. DJ Grothe seemed much more the public face of JREF than Randi, so this almost seems tantamount to shutting down the organization and starting a new one. I may have to find a new skeptical conference to attend.
 
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.
Content from External Source
sounds good to me.
I may have to find a new skeptical conference to attend.
good. maybe they'll stop having it in Los Vegas!
 
I know where Falls Church, VA is (since I used to live in the vicinity). Never knew that JREF had an LA office. AFAIK Mr. Randi resides in Florida. Curious.

A rift, perhaps?
 
I know where Falls Church, VA is (since I used to live in the vicinity). Never knew that JREF had an LA office. AFAIK Mr. Randi resides in Florida. Curious.

A rift, perhaps?

Falls Church is where semi-billionaire Rick Adams is. Adams partly financed JREF for several years.
 
Falls Church is where semi-billionaire Rick Adams is. Adams partly financed JREF for several years.

THAT is some very interesting info, thanks. I realize that Mr. Randi is getting up there in age. Perhaps he's in the planning stages of "handing over the reins". He's a smart guy.
 
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