CFI Forums

CFI LA - 05.18.08 The Supernatural & The Movies

2008-05-11T19:25:17-05:00

CFI-LA’s FEED YOUR BRAIN Lecture Series
presents

The Supernatural and the Movies

11:00 AM, Sunday, May 18, 2008

How did the horror genre in movies arise and become so popular?

Plotting its emergence first in literature, and later in movies, David Richards traces the development of cinema as a successful outlet for horror material, discusses the transition from rational to supernatural antagonists, and evaluates the impact of horror and the supernatural on society.

After Richards presents an overview with movie clips, a panel discussion with special guests having expertise in the genre will follow.

David Richards, who works for a manufacturer of equipment for the film exhibition industry , is a member of the Independent Investigations Group of the Center and the coordinator of CFI’s Orange County Community.

WHEN: 11:00 a.m., Sunday, May 18, 2008.
COST: $6

The Center for Inquiry-Los Angeles
4773 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90027

Call (323) 666-9797 for more information.

May 10 MD: Global Warming & Climate Change Update + Observations on Current Politics

2008-05-04T12:53:17-05:00

(image credit epa.gov)

Saturday May 10 2 - 4 pm
FREE Public Talk

Stuart Jordan, Ph.D.
Emeritus senior staff scientist,
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD
Near Bethesda metro

Sponsored by the National Capital Area Skeptics

Details at ncas.org

World Science Festival in NYC May 28-June 1

2008-05-04T07:49:38-05:00

http://www.worldsciencefestival.com/2008-festival/events/all-events-by-date

I hope the Celtics are on the road from May 28 - June 1 (I am a season ticket holder). This looks like fun.

Science of Morality

2008-05-01T13:39:38-05:00

HERE is a NYC event that I thought would be particularly interesting to members of this forum.
We have discussed this topic and these folks many times.

Patricia Churchland, Antonio Damasio, Daniel Dennett, Marc Hauser at 92nd Street Y on May 29th.

Ian McEwan + Steven Pinker

2008-05-03T09:13:35-05:00

Sorry for the last minute heads-up. But it’s today, May 3, at 2PM…

Ian McEwan & Steven Pinker discuss writing and the mind.

The Morgan Library & Museum
225 Madison Ave (at 36th St)
New York, NY
212-685-0008

Los Angeles - 04.26.08 Festival of Recovery - Secular Addiction Help

2008-04-19T17:17:42-05:00

Free All-Day “Festival of Recovery” Event
to Provide Help with Addictions and Mental Health Issues
Free Exhibits ● Free Workshops ● Free Presentations

WHEN: Saturday, April 26, 2008 — 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM
WHERE: Steve Allen Theater—4773 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90027
COST: FREE

Hollywood, CA: Famed Steve Allen Theater and the Center for Inquiry-Los Angeles, 4773 Hollywood Blvd., 90027, will be open to the public all day (9:30 am – 4:30pm), Saturday, April 26, for the First Annual Festival of Recovery. The Center has its own lot with plenty of free parking. Food and soft drinks will be provided throughout the day at a nominal cost. The event is sponsored by SOS (Secular Organizations for Sobriety/Save Our Selves), SHARE! (Self Help and Recovery Exchange), and Project Return Peer Support Network.

Over 30 self help support group meetings, workshops and exhibits providing information from numerous addiction recovery and mental health organizations and agencies will be available throughout the day. The Festival of Recovery will also feature authors’ book signings and special speaker presentations in the Center’s Steve Allen Theater.

Presenters will include Barry Solof, M.D., Regional Chief of Addiction Medicine, Kaiser Permanente, Fellow, American Society of Addiction Medicine; Randolph J. Atkins, Jr., Ph.D.,sharing the results of his landmark survey, funded by a grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse and recently published in “Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment”; Valerie Banarie, Certified Hypnotherapist, R.N., specializing in using hypnosis for addiction recovery. There will be a special presentation by peak performance strategist, Jairek, with a brief taped introduction by his father, legendary motivational speaker, Anthony Robbins.

Jim Christopher, CAS, FAPA, founder of SOS, will present the 9th annual “Funeral for the Unknown Smoker.” Christopher will co-host the all-day “Festival of Recovery” along with SHARE! founder, Ruth Hollman.

Contact for more information: Jim Christopher (323) 666-4295 sos at cfiwest dot org

Evergreen State College Welcomes Neil deGrasse Tyson

2008-04-18T22:02:52-05:00

Location: Olympia, WA USA
April 29, 7:30 p.m

The Evergreen State College welcomes Neil deGrasse Tyson, one of today’s premiere leaders in science, astronomy, and education to Olympia for a presentation and question and answer session on April 29, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. at Evergreen’s College Recreation Center (CRC). Renowned astrophysicist, director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, and host of PBS’s Nova ScienceNow, Dr. Tyson is a leading voice in astronomy who has appeared alongside Johnny Carson, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. The presentation is being offered in cooperation with KCTS9 Television and the Pacific Science Center in Seattle.

Tickets for the April 29 presentation are on sale now. The public can purchase tickets by phone at (360) 867-6833, online at http://www.buyolympia.com/events, or in person at The Evergreen State College book store, Rainy Day Records in Olympia, or the Communications Building Box Office at The Evergreen State College. The latter is open from noon to 3 p.m. on weekdays. Advance tickets are $20 for reserved section seating (not available at the door), $10 for adult general admission ($13 at the door) and $5 for student general admission ($8 at the door). Student prices apply to youth under age 16 or anyone with valid student ID (e.g. high school or college students). KCTS9 members receive a discount when they purchase online at http://www.buyolympia.com/events.

http://www.evergreen.edu/news/archive/2008/03/neildegrassetyson.htm

Anybody here on this forum going to this event?

Carol Tavris lecture and book signing in NYC

2008-04-17T12:18:36-05:00

NYC Skeptics Meet the Author Series presents Carol Tavris, co-author of

Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts

Where: SLC Conference Center (352 7th Ave 16th Fl. NYC 10001 - map)

When: Monday, May 5 @ 7:00PM

Why is it often so hard to admit mistakes, change our minds, or give up a wrong belief? What blocks us from even being aware that we are wrong and might need to change? Our cognitive biases and blind spots help us sleep at night, but they can also have disastrous consequences: for professionals clinging to outdated methods, for scientists unable to discard faulty hypotheses, for politicians determined to “stay the course” even as it leads into quicksand, for those who weave selfjustifying narratives to explain their cruelties, for any of us who defend our way as the only right way...in short, for all of us on this shrinking planet.

CAROL TAVRIS is a social psychologist, lecturer, and writer. Her books include Anger: The Misunderstood Emotion and The Mismeasure of Woman, and she has written articles and book reviews for many publications. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science, a member of the editorial board of Psychological Science in the Public Interest, and a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.

California Freethought Family Campout - June 27-29, 2008

2008-04-01T09:49:14-05:00

Important Note – In order to avoid any conflicts with the dates for Camp Quest West (a summer camp for freethought children and families), the California Freethought Family Campout dates have been changed to June 27-29, 2008.

Are you a nature lover and concerned about ecological issues? Do you get a sense of “spirituality” from being out in nature? Are you skeptical of the claims of organized religion? Would you like to meet and socialize with others of similar mentality in a relaxing setting?

You are invited to attend the first Freethought Family Campout for California on the dates of June 27-29, 2008, at Lake Isabella in Kern County in California. The Campout will be open to freethinker adults and families, including humanists, atheists, agnostics, ignostics, skeptics, naturalists, naturalistic pantheists, etc.

You can come just to relax and socialize with other nature oriented folks, or participate in some of the volunteer run activities such as hikes, crafts for kids and adults, drum circle, geocaching, and astronomy. There is a local Audubon Society sanctuary close to Lake Isabella for birdwatching and wildlife viewing and multiple forms of camping and lodging options in the area.

This is a no-cost event other than your own self-arrangements for food and lodging.

My wife and I will be bringing our kids who are elementary school age so we especially would like to invite other families. My wife will help with some craft activities for the kids. My wife is also the
local Earth Scout leader for the Tehachapi area if you would like to learn more about that program which is an alternative co-ed scouting program open to participation by freethought children and families.

I also want to encourage those who would like to attend to share any skills or interests that others may find of interest. Please distribute this information to your like-minded friends and among other freethought organizations.

Those who are interested in attending and participating in the Campout can contact me at davesalyers at yahoo dot com

Through our e-mail I can give you all necessary information.

Dallas, Fort Worth Area

2008-04-09T12:09:30-05:00

Is there anybody on this forum besides me in the Dallas Forth Worth Area. I would like to get together with CFI people in the area and discuss ow we could partner up. There is a North Texas Skeptics Meeting this weekend and I’m speaking there. I just joined CFI. I also just started a student club which I plan to make a CFI Club at UT Dallas.

So Dallas/Fort Worth, anybody out there?

Maybe North Texas CFI could be born?