CFI Tampa - Events

“Darwinmas” CFI Skeptics in the Pub-BRANDON

Starts: February 12^th at 7:00 pm
Ends: February 12^th at 9:00 pm

Mark your calendar for our Feb. 12 Darwin Day Darwinmas CFI Skeptics in the Pub meetup to celebrate the evolution of knowledge through sharing. Show up to support and enjoy your freethinking friends as we celebrate Darwin's genius, the Theory of Evolution, discuss why ignorance is being scrubbed away by Science, and enjoy stimulating conversation. See you Sunday!

RSVP before noon, Sunday, Feb. 12 to Carl at factsguyfl[AT]gmail.com.

CFI Skeptics/Humanists in the Pub–DUNEDIN

Starts: February 13^th at 6:00 pm
Ends: February 13^th at 9:00 pm

Our monthly Dunedin gathering is a congenial affair, with CFI members and other friends alike sharing far-ranging discussions and good humor. Join us!

Voted "Best Restaurant on the Pinellas Trail 2009" by Tampa Bay Magazine, Al Fresco is a quaint bistro on Main Street, in the hub of downtown Dunedin. Featuring "home cooking", the food is indeed quite good and affordable. Map, menu, etc.: http://www.cafealfrescoonline.com/

RSVP is required if you are coming so we can reserve enough space. Seating is limited! Click here before noon, February 12 (Sunday).

ACLU Monthly Meeting-Hillsborough County

Starts: February 13^th at 6:45 pm
Ends: February 13^th at 8:00 pm

The Greater Tampa Chapter of the ACLU of Florida would like to invite all ACLU members and supporters to the following meetings.

The following Greater Tampa ACLU Board Meetings have been scheduled.

The next Board of Directors Meeting of the Greater Tampa Chapter of the ACLU of Florida has been scheduled to be held on Monday, 13 February 2012 beginning at 6:45 pm at Mid Florida Regional Offices (MFRO) of the ACLU of Florida at 3507 E Frontage Rd #115, Concourse Center IV, Tampa, FL 33607-1776 with phone (813) 286-3439. Introductions and information begins at approximately 6:45PM. The formal meeting begins at 7PM.

This Greater Tampa Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida (Tampa ACLU) Board of Directors Meeting has the following partial agenda.

A partial agenda of the meeting includes the following.
1) Review of civil liberties issues and actions including ACLU litigation in the Greater Tampa Chapter Area.
2) Presentations from ACLU leadership related to past activities, current priorities and long-term plans.
3) Discussion of the priorities of the organization.
4) Planning civil liberties action, events, coordination, public education and communication.

The Greater Tampa ACLU will be tabling at the following event(s).
(Most events are now posted at the Greater Tampa ACLU Yahoo Group http://groups.Yahoo.com/group/ACLUTampa/cal/.
We also use the ACLU of Florida calendar to post events (http://www.ACLUFL.org/news_events/calendar/index.cfm.
Tampa Chapter of the ACLU of Florida Board Communications Committee contact information includes ACLUFL_Tampa@Yahoo.com.).

Thank for your support of the ACLU! Information Updated: Wednesday, 11 January 2012

Steve Phillippy, Chairperson, Greater Tampa Chapter of the ACLU of Florida (Steve_Phillippy@Yahoo.com)
Communications Committee: ACLUFL_Tampa@Yahoo.com

CFI German Beer Night—New Tampa/USF

Starts: February 15^th at 6:00 pm
Ends: February 15^th at 9:00 pm

Mr. Dunderbak's German Beer Garden

Come and enjoy German food and a wide variety of beers with your fellow freethinkers. If you like Red cabbage, potato pancakes and ???, this is for you.

Usually, every 3rd Wednesday is our German Beer night.
Map: http://tinyurl.com/3cy7ctb
Menu: http://dunderbaks.com/menu.html

RSVP required: “reply” by Monday 5 PM, Feb. 14 so we can reserve space. Late RSVP? Ask for the Skeptics.

CFI Craft Beer Night-ST PETE

Starts: February 16^th at 6:30 pm
Ends: February 16^th at 9:00 pm

On Thursday, February 16 at 6:30 P.M., CFI Skeptics & Humanists in the Pub comes to central St. Petersburg! Stop by Midtown Sundries for an evening of good friends and stimulating discussion. Midtown features affordable pub grub in a casual atmosphere, and is locally famous for their awesome Barbalo wing sauce. As a bonus, Thursday night is their weekly craft beer night.

If this location and time are satisfactory to the St. Pete folks, Eric may make the 3rd Thursday our St. Pete night.

An RSVP is required so we can reserve room--deadline is 6 P.M. Wednesday, Feb. 15. There are only about 16 seats available.

Midtown is located on the SW corner of First Ave S and 2nd St S, downtown St. Pete. Most convenient access north or south-bound 275 is the 175 exit just south of the Tropicana. In event of hectic traffic, try the nearest exit and east to 4th St, then head downtown to First Ave S.

Street parking is plentiful on weeknights and free after 6 P.M., otherwise the garage just above Midtown is also free with validation from the establishment.

Restaurant telephone: (727) 502-0222

Website: www.midtownsundries.com

Lecture: Government Faith-Based Programs & Church/State Realities!

Starts: February 18^th at 11:00 am
Ends: February 18^th at 1:30 pm

Government Faith-Based Programs & Church/State Realities!

This is a joint meeting of CFI-Tampa Bay and Tampa Humanist Association. You will be able to join either or both associations at the meeting, and get all the benefits.

Saturday, February 18, 2012, 11:00 PM
Jimmie B. Keele Library
2902 W. Bearss Avenue, Wesley Chapel, FL 33618-1828 (map)
in the Main Conference Room (813) 273-3652 () (813) 264-3834 (Fax)
Note that the entrance is on the south side of Bearss, and is easy to miss.‎

An Address by Toni Van Pelt on Government Faith-Based Programs & Church/State Realities Just as important to this question is the Florida legislative 2012 ballot initiative: Florida Religious Freedom, Amendment 7. Find out what you can do to help educate Floridians on the dangers of this amendment to our civil society.

Toni Van Pelt is the Policy Director of the Institute for Science and Human Values. As former vice president of public policy for the Center for Inquiry and as a congressional lobbyist, she organized and directed one of the first public policy offices of the secular movement in Washington, DC, focusing on the importance of science, separation of church and state, women’s and LGBT rights. She also serves on the board of the National Organization for Women as the Southeast Regional Director.

Obama's Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships marked its first anniversary last week. Unfortunately there has been little change from the Bush created program, "Faith-based and Community Initiatives". Join Toni Van Pelt for an update on the current state of the current administration’s programs. Lack of accountability, job discrimination, tax dollars flowing to religious groups, proselytizing ... it’s enough to make one question if we truly do live in secular, democratic society.

For paid-up members of CFI or THA, a lunch will follow in a local restaurant.

Humanists of the Suncoast social

Starts: February 19^th at 5:00 pm
Ends: February 19^th at 7:00 pm

The monthly social dinner of Humanists of the Suncoast Association will be at 5 PM, February 19th, at the Ivory Mandarin, 2192 Main St. (S.R.580), Dunedin, FL 34698 (in Coastal Plaza, 1/4 miles West of Countryside Mall). Phone: (727) 734-3998 Featuring a wide variety of choices, prices begin at $8.

RSVP is required: Please contact Glenn Paul at 727-595-3347 or email kpaul29@tampabay.rr.com for reservations by Saturday February 18th.

Tampa Bay Thinkers Pot Luck & Discussion-CARROLLWOOD

Starts: February 20^th at 6:00 pm
Ends: February 20^th at 8:00 pm

Looking Around for Where We Will Be When No One is Left

For our February through April meetups we will be getting a little more serious as our great pal Bob Muir returns from his Oregon time and grandchild watch to lead three sessions. The first will be on the notion of Transhumanism and related considerations of what might happen once we ain’t hear anymore. The possibilities are endless and here is a brief introduction that Bob would like you to muse on.

TRANSHUMANISM--WHO (OR WHAT) ARE THOSE BEYOND MAN? -- It is reasonable to assume that humankind will soon be faced with machines and forms of humanoid life that will call in question our fundamental values and the very meaning of "humanity." Computers will act in ways indistinguishable from humans', a point called "technological singularity." Beyond that, machine intelligence will exceed that of current humans. On the biological side, genetics will make it possible to change the intelligence, strength and the very physical structure of human beings, making possible "super men," "sub men" and even "non men" derived from human genetic material. Nanobots will enter the human body to control and augment its processes. Science and technology will raise the questions. How will we deal with them? In such a world, who is human--entitled to exist and be protected from others? Should people be constrained from making these trans-humans? Can they be constrained? What is "good," if there are multiple forms of moral agency? Who should decide such questions and for whom should such decisions be made?

One guesses that our leadership confabulation will winnow this down to the most pithy possible given the time for consideration and this will be updated following our groupthink meeting in late January. Who knows what will come from that meeting of the minds other than picking a co-producer.

Just sign up and wait in anticipation for your mind to be stretched a bit since in theory we will be considering some things we will really never actually have an opportunity to consider.

Pot Luck coordination: Anna at annakrupitsky [AT] gmail.com

Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Road, Tampa, FL (map)

Joint Meeting with UUC Humanists-CLEARWATER

Starts: February 25^th at 11:00 am
Ends: February 25^th at 12:30 pm

In a joint humanist organizations lecture hosted by the new UUC Humanists group, all are invited to hear about the state of freethought on a national level. The speaker will be Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Ass'n. Roy is a national figure in the secular movement. All interested people are invited to attend. Enjoy the company of humanists from all over the Bay area. No RSVP is needed.

Map and information about UUC: http://www.uuclearwater.org/

Secular Celebrant training & certification in Florida 2012

Starts: March 1^st at 9:00 am
Ends: March 1^st at 5:00 pm

Secular Celebrants officiate at marriage and commitment ceremonies, funerals, memorials, baby namings, and other celebrations of life's milestones. See "Why a CFI Secular Celebrant Program?"

How can I become a CFI Secular Celebrant?
You can become a certified CFI Secular Celebrant by attending a training session and meeting other requirements. Read the complete list of requirements at "CFI Secular Celebrant Certification."

When is the next training session?
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Hyatt Regency
Orlando International Airport
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Workshop Fee: $75.00 per person (does not include meals)(Pay when registering)
Certification Fee: $49.00 per year (to be paid later)

Take advantage of special lodging rates!
This CFI Secular Celebrant training session is in the same hotel and on the same day as the opening reception (7:00-9:00 p.m.) of the "Moving Secularism Forward" conference sponsored by the Council for Secular Humanism and Center for Inquiry.

Whether or not they are attending the conference, celebrant training participants may take advantage of the deeply discounted conference room rates by making room reservations online here or by calling 1-888-421-1442. (Single/Double: $149, tax not included) Be sure to use the pass phrase C F S H 3-1-12 to receive the discounted conference rate.

This CFI Secular Celebrant training session will be limited to 25 participants. Registration deadline is February 16.
Register online early. Don't be left out.

Click here to Register.