probably seems like were ganging up on you, but i feel that splash pages should and will eventually go the way of flash intros - sidelined, generally shunned and removed from the best sites.
Ive yet to see a site where the splash page adds anything and all it really does is add an extra click to enter the site proper - and many of those extra clicks will be closing the window, i know i do that.
Of course the alternative is to make it automatically jump to the site after 3-5 seconds, but again its just unnecessary extra flaff for the user to deal with.
I guess you could put 'NEW' items or contents like a magazine, but that should be on the main site in a good design anyway and the web ISNT a magazine.
sorry to sound so negative jnicklo, but that splash really spoils what for me is otherwise a good site - its just a personal niggle.