Weird Science Day: A CFI London event (in conjunction with South Place Ethical Society)

Saturday, 17th January 2009. 10.45am-4pm

Venue:
Conway Hall
25 Red Lion Square
London
WC1R 4RL

11am-12am
Prof. RICHARD WISEMAN
Investigating the impossible: A skeptical approach

For over 20 years, psychologist Richard Wiseman has delved deep into  the mysterious world of the paranormal, carrying out high profile,  and often controversial, investigations into the impossible. In this  talk, Wiseman describes some of his more colourful adventures,  presenting a scientific look at a range of seemingly paranormal  phenomenon, including fire-walking, ghostly encounters, and ESP.  Discover whether such phenomena really exist, what the future holds  for parapsychology, and why we are all attracted by the lure of  strange stuff. Free packet of peanuts for the best question.

Psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman started  his working life as a professional magician and currently holds  Britain’s only Professorship in the Public Understanding of  Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. He frequently appears  on the media, and has written over 60 academic articles and several  books, including The Luck Factor and Quirkology.

12am-1pm
Prof. CHRIS FRENCH
Eight Years of Weird Science at Goldsmiths

The Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit (APRU) was set up by  Professor Chris French in 2000 in the Department of Psychology at  Goldsmiths (for full details, visit www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/apru).  Anomalistic psychology may be defined as the study of extraordinary  phenomena of behaviour and experience, including (but not restricted  to) those that are often labeled “paranormal”. Over the last eight  years, members of the APRU have investigated a wide range of weird  and wonderful topics, including alien contact experiences, sleep  paralysis, haunted houses, dowsing, and telepathy. Many paranormal  claims have been scientifically tested under properly controlled  conditions along the way. This overview will present the results of  such investigations — and also reveal why Uri Geller cannot stand  Richard Wiseman!

Chris French is a Professor of Psychology and  Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology  Department at Goldsmiths. He has published over 100 articles and  chapters covering a wide range of topics within psychology. His main  current area of research is the psychology of paranormal beliefs and  anomalous experiences. He frequently appears on radio and television  casting a sceptical eye over paranormal claims. He is the editor of  The Skeptic magazine (UK version; www.skeptic.org.uk).

2pm-3pm
Dr STEPHEN LAW
Is creationism scientific?

Polls consistently indicate about 100 million Americans believe the  entire universe is six thousand years old and that all species were  created as described by Genesis. Even more amazingly, many of these  people also believe that this theory is consistent with the  scientific evidence. Indeed, there are multi-million dollar research  centres in the U.S., run by PhD-qualified staff, that aim to defend  young-Earth creationism. How have so many people become so deluded  about what is, and isn’t, good science? What are the basic  confusions? Stephen Law illustrates with his own pet theory – that  dogs are spies from the planet Venus.

Stephen Law is senior lecturer in philosophy at  Heythrop College, University of London, editor of THINK: Philosophy  for Everyone (Royal Institute of Philosophy), and Provost of CFI  London. He is the author of many philosophy books, including The  Philosophy Files (for children 12+) and The Philosophy Gym (which  contains such dialogues as “The Strange Case of The Rational  Dentist” and “What’s Wrong With Gay Sex?”)

3pm-4pm
Dr BEN GOLDACRE
Listen up flakes: science is seriously so much more interesting than  anything you can make up with your woolly new age claptrap.

Ben Goldacre is a writer, broadcaster and medical  doctor from the UK who is best known for his ‘Bad Science’ column in  The Guardian newspaper, examining the claims of scaremongering  journalists, quack health products, pseudoscientific cosmetics  adverts, and evil multinational pharmaceutical corporations, as well  as wider themes such as the medicalisation of everyday life and the  psychology of irrational beliefs. He has a background in medicine and  academia, trained in Oxford and London, works full time for the NHS,  appears regularly on radio and TV, and has written for publications  as diverse as Time Out, the British Medical Journal, New Statesman  and The Lancet, as well as writing and presenting ‘The Rise Of The  Lifestyle Nutritionists’ and ‘The Power of Placebo’ in 2008 on BBC  Radio 4.

To book tickets call on 020 7387 5706.

The Albany 240 Great Portland Street W1 5QU (Great Portland St tube)

Tickets Go On Sale on Monday 13th October @ 9am

Buy from Ticket Zone

Buy from Ticketmaster

Doors — 6:30 PM

Tickets — £25-£30

Last year, Robin Ince made the mistake of appearing on ITV’s London Talking to debate “Is Britain becoming more secular?” By the time he got to the studio, the subject had changed to “Who is taking the Christ out of Christmas?”
Suffice to say, he got quite cross during the barrage of lies from radio shock jocks and misinformed fundamentalists. Robin tried to make it clear that, as an atheist, he wasn’t against Christmas as a time for gluttony and reflection; he was just against the journalists and manipulated fundamentalists shouting about winterval and other myths. This was beyond Stephen Green of Christian Voice’s comprehension, so he kept muttering, “I don’t think he does want Christmas blah blah blah”.

Well, to prove that he does enjoy this season of laziness, alcoholism and regret, he is presenting a rational celebration of the Christmas season in the guise of Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People. Rather than talking of Jesus’s birth, acclaimed science author Simon Singh will talk about the birth of the universe. Instead of talking about Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, Bad Science Columnist Ben Goldacre will talk of alternative medicine and charlatans, while Josie Long will talk about the wonder of the stars.

So far the confirmed speakers are Stewart Lee, Mark Thomas, Ricky Gervais, Dara O’ Briain, Tim Minchin, Justin Edwards, Chris Addison, Ben Goldacre, Simon Singh, Josie Long, Jo Neary and Richard Dawkins.

Music will be provided by the fabulous Martin White Orchestra (22 piece), Malcolm Middleton (ex of Arab Strap and creator of 4 remarkable LPs or albums if you wish), Jarvis Cocker, Luke Haines, Gavin Osborn, Phil Jeays, Mark Thomas may well be bringing his harmonium, Darren Hayman.

The evening will also include projections of classic archive footage of Carl Sagan and Richard Feynman.

Robin Ince will host the night.

It’s not just for agnostics and atheists, hopefully it will be a night celebrating the wonder of the universe so as long as you’re not a crazed fundamentalist you can enjoy it. If you are a crazed fundamentalist, then please come and hold a placard up outside and shout like a halfwit.

Please check the New Humanist website on the 24th October for more details of confirmed acts.

More info nicked from here: http://www.rickygervais.com/thissideofthetruth.php

I have already told you about an event coming up at the Dana Centre on November 25 considering the nature of out-of-body experiences. The chair for the evening will be Narender Ramnani and the speakers will be as follows:

Chris French: Introduction to OBEs
Henrik Ehrsson: OBE, Illusions of Body Ownership and the Brain
Ray Tallis: Philisophy, Implications and Interpretations

The organisers are keen, however, to hear from someone who has actually had a vivid OBE and would be willing to stand up in the audience and give a brief description of what it felt like. If you would be willing to do so, please let me know (c.french[at]gold.ac.uk). They only want one person to do this (although others are free to talk about their own experiences if asking a question, of course), so I’ll put the first person who fits the bill in touch with the organisers.

Also, I want to thank all those people who got in touch to tell me about their sleep paralysis experiences. I will reply to you all individually once things calm down a bit but term has just started and things are a bit hectic!

Best wishes,

Chris French

This is your final reminder that Susan Blackmore is kicking off the APRU’s Invited Speaker Series today at 6.10 pm in Room 256, Richard Hoggart Building, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, London SE14 6NW (for maps, directions, etc., visit the College web site: www.goldsmiths.ac.uk NB: if you do not know your way around Goldsmiths, allow enough time to find the room. Note that it is NOT the room we used last year!)

All talks are open to everyone.

Attendance is free and there is no need to book in advance. For further information, visit http://www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/apru/speakers.php

The title of Susan’s talk is “Is God a Dangerous Meme?” and here is her abstract:

God is certainly a meme; an idea (or set of loosely related ideas) that is copied from person to person, and shows a fascinating variety of survival tricks. Not only does the God meme satisfy minds that were not evolved to accurately assess the origins of the universe or the likelihood of life after death, but wraps itself up in religious memeplexes that use threats and promises to ensure their own propagation. But is it dangerous? Taking a memetic perspective we can ask how religious memes manage to infect so many people and how this infection affects individuals, societies, or indeed the whole planet.

Biography
Sue Blackmore is a freelance writer, lecturer and broadcaster, and a Visiting Lecturer at the University of the West of England, Bristol. She has a degree in psychology and physiology from Oxford University (1973) and a PhD in parapsychology from the University of Surrey (1980). Her research interests include memes, evolutionary theory, consciousness, and meditation. She practices Zen and campaigns for drug legalization. Sue Blackmore no longer works on the paranormal

Best wishes,

Chris French

“Ever find that your life seems to mirror perfectly the geopolitical zeitgeist? Caught between Christian friends and her Muslim family, Iszi Lawrence shows how a die hard sceptic can still join in. Living with creationists, arguing over teddy bears and confused by anything supernatural, Matter of Tact is packed with silly stories and theories, trying to make sense of an age old problem.”

- Comedy Pick London Lite
– Time Out Recommended

For only £10 (£8.50 for members) you not only get a sceptical giggle with iszi but also support from the infamous Tom Greeves.

Tom Greeves is one of Oxford’s finest comedians and also was Boris Johnson’s speech writer during the recent election. Tom Greeves combines serial killer good looks with an extraordinary mind, which delights and occasionally disturbs audiences. Alas, he wont be doing a Tory speech but you’re guaranteed to laugh anyway.

Get tickets here:
http://www.etceteratheatre.com/

At the Etcetera Theatre, 265 Camden High Street (above the Oxford Arms) on Sunday Oct 5th.
By Phone
Box Office: 020 7482 4857

at Conway Hall

Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain presents its first international conference:
Political Islam, Sharia Law, and Civil Society

Friday 10 October 2008
International day against the Death Penalty
10am-6pm
(Registration begins at 9am)

Speakers: Mina Ahadi, Mahin Alipour, Roy Brown, Andrew Copson, Richard Dawkins, Giles Enders, AC Grayling, Johann Hari, Ehsan Jami, Houzan Mahmoud, Rony Miah, Maryam Namazie,Taslima Nasreen, Fariborz Pooya, Terry Sanderson, Joan Smith, Bahram Soroush, Hanne Stinson, Hamid Taqvaee, Ibn Warraq, Keith Porteous Wood and Zia Zaffar. Event includes a comedy act by Nick Doody, Fitna Remade by Reza Moradi and Breaking the Taboo by Patty Debonitas.

£40 statutory organisations/businesses; £20 voluntary sector; £10 individuals. Donations are welcome.

For a booking form, please contact:
Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, BM Box 1919, London WC1N 3XX, UK
Tel: 07719166731, E-mail: exmuslimcouncil[@]gmail.com or download it from http://www.ex-muslim.org.uk/indexEvents.html.

Date: Friday, October 10, 2008

Time: 10:00 AM

Location:
Conway Hall
25 Red Lion Square
London, UK WC1R 4RL

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/sharialawuk/

Standing tickets available. Call 020 7388 8822 to book.

[ Try Another…Nine Lessons and Carols @ Hammersmith Apollo]

Another…Nine Lessons and Carols…

A Rational Celebration of Christmas
18th December, 2008 at The Bloomsbury theatre

Due to extraordinary demand, a second Godless Christmas show has been added.

So far the acts who are currently confirmed are Richard Dawkins, Josie Long, Richard Herring, Ben Goldacre, Natalie Haynes, Stewart Lee, Simon Singh, Jo Neary, Darren Hayman, Ricky Gervais, Colin Watson (aka Waen Shepherd), the Martin White mini fax machine orchestra, Tim Minchin, Peter Buckley Hill, Luke Haines and more TBC

Robin Ince will host the night.

It’s not just for agnostics and atheists, hopefully it will be a night celebrating the wonder of the universe so as long as you’re not a crazed fundamentalist you can enjoy it. If you are a crazed fundamentalist, then please come and hold a placard up outside and shout like a halfwit.

Bloomsbury Theatre
18th December
Doors 7pm/show7.30pm

All profits to The Mustard Seed School in Uganda, a secular school.

Produced in association with The Rationalist Association (publishers of New Humanist)

Philip Escoffey

Written by Neil Denny

Friday, 18 July 2008 00:00

Philip Escoffey AKA The Grey Man, is one of the UK’s top psychic illusionist/mind readers. A Psychology graduate, Philip has been earning a living as a mentalist for the last 10 years. A confirmed skeptic, Philip is dismissive of spiritualists, mediums and astrologers. However, he has a deep academic interest in the reasons why people need to believe and is an expert in how techniques like cold-reading are employed by psychics the world over. To this end, Philip was recently seen adding a little balance to five’s Britain’s Psychic Challenge. Philip is currently previewing his stage show “Six Impossible Things Before Dinner” in London, before embarking on a month long residency at the Pleasance Theatre Edinburgh. http://littleatoms.com iTunes subscribe

]]> http://skeptic.org.uk/news/2008/1195/feed 0 http://skeptic.org.uk/news/2008/1171 http://skeptic.org.uk/news/2008/1171#comments Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:34:57 +0000 Sid http://skeptic.org.uk/news/?p=1171

Nature Network, in collaboration with the Royal Institution, is pleased to announce its inaugural science blogging conference:

Science Blogging 2008 conference is a one-day conference which will be held on 30 August at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, 21 Albemarle Street, London, W1S 4BS.

The science blogging community is growing rapidly and reaching larger audiences. At Science Blogging 2008, science bloggers from around the world will have the opportunity to meet and discuss the pressing issues in science, science communication, publishing and education. What can science bloggers do to maximise their impact? Can blogging contribute to scientific research and careers? How can blogs be used to help educate the public about science? What other emerging online tools will play a role in science? Readers and writers of science blogs, those who follow trends in online scientific communication and anyone else interested in learning more about science blogging will benefit from the discussions.

The complete conference programme has been posted on the Science Blogging 2008 group on Nature Network. A conference website is now available, and offers help with securing accommodations, transportation suggestions, and activities planned for the days before the conference. We have posted a list of the attendees, including links to Nature Network profiles and websites/blogs, to this site.

Looking forward to seeing you in London.

Sincerely,

The Nature Network team

Registered attendees

Warning! This months SitP is now on a Monday.

This months speaker is Terry Sanderson, the President of the National Secular Society and will be giving us a talk on news of a world religious revival.
There will be a skeptical nuddie calendar for the best question at Q&As — I have both male and female nuddies from skepchick.org, in case you were wondering. I’m feeling generous this month. Full details are under under the fold….right at the bottom.

If you have any photos of past Skeptics in the Pub meetings, feel free to share them on the group Flickr site or on our Facebook group.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/skeptics/

*London*

Dr Caroline Watt will be giving a talk at Kensington Central Library this Thursday, 6:35 pm:
Psychic experimenters and psychic healers: Research at the KPU
http://www.spr.ac.uk/expcms/index.php?section=4

If you missed it the other week, mind magician Philip Escoffey will be doing his excellent and mind-boggling stuff again at the Soho Theatre on Thursday 24th July — very good.
Tickets are £10. http://www.6impossiblethings.co.uk/

And just in case I forget and it sells out again next month, Robin Ince will be having a short run at the Camden Fringe in August with his “School for Gifted Children”, featuring more people being enthused about stuff they’ve found out about — science, comedy, music, serial killers; and is very good too.
http://camdenfringe.org/index.php?id=2&disp=details&acts_id=177

*York*
If you’ve got friends in the North East that would like to join in on the fun, John Jackson and Graham Lappin from UK Skeptics have organised a social at The Punch Bowl in York. Details can be found here: http://ukskeptics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2689

*Leicester*

Simon Perry has another instalment of SitP Leicester. http://leicester.skepticsinthepub.org

The few of you subscribers who are on the WRONG side of the pond, Mike Feldman has managed to coerce a van load of people at TAM to start their own skeptics meetups around the US. You’d be a fool to miss out on one near you.
http://drinkingskeptically.org/

I think that’s it!

Please feel free to forward this email onto anyone you’d think would be interested in coming to any of these events, or even subscribing to this mailing list.

See you soon and toodle pip!

Sid Rodrigues

———————

Monday, July 21, 2008@7:00pm

Terry Sanderson — A World Religious Revival: Fact or Fiction?
There are repeated claims that there is some kind of massive religious revival going on around the world – but is it true? Terry Sanderson takes a skeptical look at the figures and finds that all is not as it seems.

Terry Sanderson is the President of the National Secular Society. He is also a freelance journalist and his column in GT magazine is the longest-running feature in any gay paper in the world – 25 years and still going strong.
He has also been an agony aunt on Woman’s Own under the tutelage of Claire Rayner.

The NSS wesbite is http://www.secularism.org.uk.

The Penderel’s Oak
283–288 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7HP

Tel: 020 7242 5669

–

http://www.skeptic.org.uk/pub

Nearest stations are London Bridge and Borough. It is just off
Borough High Street, a map is here: http://tinyurl. com/y7yoh2

Talks start at 8.00pm

£2.50 / £1.50 concessions.

Website: www.selfs.org. uk
Contact: Scott Wood scott@selfs. org.uk

We’re all over the web:
Facebook
Flickr
Yahoo Groups
____________ _________ _________ _
Future SELFS talks & events
____________ _________ _________ _

The Horseman’s Word Ghost Tour
8.20pm
Saturday 14th June
The Sun & Doves, 61–63 Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell to
The Dark Horse, 16 Grove Lane, Camberwell
(approx 30mins)

Camberwell’s haunted histories uncovered on a journey between The Sun
and Doves & The Dark Horse. Take this opportunity to join a free walk
around the ghosts and legends of Camberwell, taking in drunken gods,
a lost saint and the folklore of the Horseman’s Word, a secret
society who made The Dark Horse their home.

This walk is in conjunction with The Horseman’s Word & Lottie Leedham

This is part of the ‘Pub Crawl’ event for Camberwell Arts Festival.
Website: http://www.camberwe llarts.org. uk/pub-crawl

Interesting events include:
Pub Crawl
Camberwell Arts Festival
Saturday 14th June, 2008, 7pm – 2am
• 1. A Pub Quiz by Yara El-Sherbini @ The Sun & Doves, 61–63
Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell, SE5 9NS, quizzes starting at 7pm &
8.30pm
• 2. The Horseman’s Word by Lottie Leedham @ The Dark Horse, 16
Grove Lane, Camberwell, SE5 8SY, ongoing installation 7pm – 11pm
• 3. The Dulwich Ukulele Club @ The Castle, 65 Camberwell
Church Street, Camberwell, SE5 8TR, playing between 8pm – 10pm
• 4. Duckie Camberwell Cabaret @ The Royal Vauxhall Tavern,
372, Kennington Lane, Vauxhall, SE11, 10.30pm – 2am

Camberwell Wildlife
Local historian Eleanor Margolies leads
a walk as part of Camberwell Green
Sunday 15 June, 2pm (walk approx. 2 hours)
Starting from Camberwell Green

Discover a lake and a walled garden hidden in a park the size of St
James’s and Green Park combined. Along the way, spot a children’s
guide to birdlife, the sculptural transformation of a derelict
building and the location of Goldfrapp’s latest video as Eleanor
Margolies guides you through some of the intriguing green spaces of
Camberwell.

Chutney II – The Rot Sets In
North East corner of Camberwell Green, SE5
Sunday 22 June, 2pm–sundown
Free

A damned collection of muddy egos, bog artists, clear sighted seers,
witches, clipped poets and wrestlers of the dark imagination.

____________ _________ _________ _
Two London Bridge Walks
July 12th
Hays Galleria. London SE1. London Bridge

11am Scott Wood will take a short tour around London Bridge which
will feature ghostly, monstrous and magical sites.

1pm Chris Roberts will take a short circular stroll from the Galleria
over Tower Bridge and back south over London. Different beasts and
ghosts, tons of bridge folklore and how London itself is shaped by
the Thames crossings.

Scott Wood takes a short tour around London Bridge which will feature
ghostly, monstrous and magical sites. See the sites of a magical
battle with a ghost, the legend of Mary Overy, a wife’s ghostly
onslaught, the wizard-artist’ s studio and much more..

Chris Roberts will take a short circular stroll from the Galleria
over Tower Bridge and back south over London. Different beasts and
ghosts, tons of bridge folklore and how London itself is shaped by
the Thames crossings.

This is part of London Magtastic: The event for those who love London
and those who love reading about it. There are millions of stories in
this well dressed city and this is the place to find some of the best.

Details at:
http://www.fandmpub lications. co.uk/pages/ londonmagtastic. htm
____________ _________ _________ _
There will then be an intermission until September.
____________ _________ _________ _
More things for your June Eyes
____________ _________ _________ _
Solstice: Hilly Fields Stone Circle, sunrise and sunset.
____________ _________ _________ _

Want to help make a cob oven?

SPIKE, a permaculture arts centre in Peckham, are having their open
day on the 15th June. There will be workshops all day and a party
during the evening.

“We are trying to impress the councillors because Spike is getting
evicted. The permaculture garden is looking stunning. On the day we
will be sculpturing the new cob oven. Lovely food for volunteers”

Interested folk should contact: merlynpeter@ talktalk. net

Spike website: http://www.spikesur plus.org/ index.html
____________ _________ _________ _
This is ganked straight out of Transpontine. Thanks Neil:

http://transpont. blogspot. com/2008/ 06/bloomsday– at-montague. html

The 16th June is Bloomsday, celebrated in Ireland and elsewhere to
commemorate James Joyce and in particular his novel Ulysses. The
novel, whose main character is Leopold Bloom, is set on 16th June
1904.

The event has also been celebrated in Hungary for some years, in the
town of Szombathely, where the fictional Leopold Bloom’s Jewish
family is said to have come from.

For some reason I have yet to fathom this year’s Hungarian
DadaBloomsday is being celebreated in South East London, starting off
on with a pre-Bloomsday afternooon on Sunday 15 June at 5 pm at the
Ivy House (40 Stuart Road, SE15). The main event is on Monday 16 June
at the Montague Arms (289 Queens Road, SE15 — 8 pm start)– with
Trombone Poetry, Foul Geese and Hungarian artists.

Bloomsday: http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Bloomsday
____________ _________ _________ _
It’s Refugee week this week. Go to the Celebrating Sanctuary Festival:

[It gets a bit quote-y and marketing from here-on-in.]

http://www.refugeew eek.org.uk/ InYourArea/ London/

Celebrating Sanctuary London

Sunday 15th June, Bernie Spain Gardens, Upper Ground, South Bank, SE1

FREE

Celebrating Sanctuary is a day long festival which gathers together
established and emerging refugee musicians, dancers and artists to
celebrate the positive cultural contribution of refugees to the UK.
This year’s headliners are Noisettes — an exciting 3 piece whose mesh
of punk, funk and the blues has gained them a reputation as one of
Britain’s rowdiest live bands, and included in Rolling Stones’ 10
Artists to Watch list

Other acts confirmed include Angelina and The Gypsy Punks, Muka
(featuring Eddie Noiman), Los Desterrados and loads more to be
confirmed. Check this page in the coming weeks for a full line up!
The festival will also introduce the Spoken Word stage in partnership
with Book Slam, where we will be providing a platform for some of
London’s most exciting new writing.

For more information about Celebrating Sanctuary please call 020 7346
6752 or visit www.myspace. com/celebratings anctuary

Two messages of potential interest to pass on to you today. The first, from Sid Rodrigues, focuses on two events this month at London Skeptics in the Pub but also mentions a couple of other interesting events including shows by Philip Escoffey (highly recommended!). The second is a message from Simon Perry regarding the next event organised by Leicester Skeptics in the Pub — none other than Nick Puller, who ran the London branch of SitP for 5 years in his own inimitable style!

Best wishes,
Chris French

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Orbital Manga — 4c Orion House, Upper St Martins Lane,
London WC2H 9NY
Website: www.orbitalcomics.com

Jason has been entertaining HEROES fans from his initial
ground-breaking Sylar comic, “Road Kill” to the
season finale, “The Death of Hana Gitelman”. His
work has continued through season 2 and he currently works
with the writers to set the ground work for season 3 with
the online webcomics at www.nbc.com/Heroes/novels.

At 12pm he will be talking about what it takes to be a
HEROES graphic novel artist and doing portfolio reviews.

At 12.30pm he will be signing the HEROES hardcover,
sketchbooks and doing sketches.

One lucky attendee will be drawn into an upcoming HEROES
comic in a raffle drawn at 2pm.

You can see more of Jason’s work at
jasonbadower.blogspot.com

SIGNING @ Orbital Comics: American Artist CHET ZAR , 14th June 2008, 3-5pm

Orbital Comics: 148 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0LB
Website: www.orbitalcomics.com

This will be a rare chance to meet makeup effects artist, sculptor, painter, digital effects artist and creature designer in the niche field of Special Makeup Effects Chet Zar in London, at Orbital Comics.

He’ll be signing and giving away a limited number of
Catalogues, and there will also be a limited edition
catalogue for sale on the day which features 13 all new
pieces of art as well as a few older pieces and includes a
forward written by Adam Jones. Bring down your portfolio
and he’ll give you advice on starting a career in art and
design.

Chet Zar is most widely known for his work with Tool’s
music and live videos but he has also applied his talent
for creating monsters, and other characters, to a career in
movie special effects, creating sculptural prosthetic make
up and effects for films like
FANTASTIC 4 — sculpting and painting for ‘The
Thing’
HELLBOY– Hellboy arm design, sculpture and painting
PLANET OF THE APES — ape design, sculpture and painting.
X Men 3 — creature design.

Mind reading. It’s just not possible, is it?

Maverick showman PHILIP ESCOFFEY will challenge what you believe to be true – live. Although he has never met you, can this stranger really know you better than you know yourself?

“F**ck me!” – Jeremy Clarkson
“F**CK ME!!” – Gordon Ramsay

What interests Philip is not whether people can read minds or not (as luck would have it, it seems he can!), nor even how they do it, but what the rational – perhaps even cynical — mind does in the face of an irrefutable demonstration… and why some minds don’t even seem to need that!

SIX IMPOSSIBLE THINGS BEFORE DINNER has been especially created to make the audience challenge one huge thing: what they fundamentally believe is possible. Philip has spent the last eight years travelling the world, leaving the rich and the royal intrigued (and occasionally embarrassingly clingy) and now, for the first time ever, presents live on stage his unique, exuberant and astonishing findings. Don’t miss this opportunity to let mind reading’s enfant terrible change your life.

Mind-boggling, baffling — and utterly compelling.

Tickets for preview shows at Theatre 503 and the Pleasance only £5

http://jeremymeadow.com/jml/current.asp?showid=37

On Facebook Events

Details of the next protest on Saturday 14th June can be found here.

More WBM & Magoo details to follow…

It will be held at The Penderel’s Oak, 283–288 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7HP. The phone number there is 020 7242 5669. I hope to see more of you left-side-of-the-road drivers there!

http://www.badastronomy.com/bablog/2008/04/18/uk-skeptics-in-the-pub/

This is a long one as there’s lots on in April…

Firstly, we’re all happy to announce that we’ve had successful year so far. SitP has had an article in both Nature and the Londonist’s websites and have also been awarded “Top 50 best London websites” and “Top 10 best London communities” by Time Out magazine. Thanks to everyone who has helped us over the last 9 years, 100 Skeptics in the Pubs and have lent support by coming each month to make us one of the best communities in all Ye Olde London towne.

On the 15th April, our resident lawyer and skeptic, David Green, will be giving us the lowdown on how the law handles the issues of belief and non-belief through the courts. It will range from The repeal of The Fraudulent Mediums Act to blasphemy. Full details below.

Date: 15th April
Time: 7.00pm
Location: The Penderels Oak (Cellar Bar), Holborn
Title:
The Skeptic in the Courtroom

This talk will address, in an objective and balanced manner, how the law deals with certain controversial issues of belief and non-belief. Prompted by recent developments, the talk wil explore whether the courtroom is really the appropriate forum for settling disputes that relate to controversial issues of belief and non-belief.

For example, the Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951, the last remnant of the old witchcraft legislation, is to be repealed in April 2008. Mediums and psychics will now be under a new and modern legal regime in respect of any unfair commercial practices. But how will these new sanctions work in practice? Will mediums and psychics who adopt questionable practices be more or less likely to face legal action?

The ancient common law offence of blasphemy may also soon be abolished. A recent High Court decision has effectively narrowed its scope in any case. There is the new offence of incitement to religious hatred. But can the legal process really deal with what can be questions of religious dispute?

Other examples of where the law grapples with issues of belief and non-belief include the “Evolution” trials in United States, the Holocaust denial trials, and when religious groups seek to incorporate aspects of religious law into more general legal systems.

The talk will describe and assess these and other legal developments, using practical examples. It will also offer practical suggestions for both skeptics and non-skeptics on how legal regimes may affect them.

David is a solicitor in London with wide experience of the communications, media and public sector fields. He is the author of the chapters on the restrictions that criminal law places on free speech in the current edition of Law and the Media.

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As I mentioned at our April Fools’ special, James Randi will be giving a lecture at Conway Hall on the 19th April.

Guest Speakers will include:

Simon Singh

Ben Goldacre

Chris French

Susan Blackmore

Richard Wiseman

Details and tickets can be booked from here: http://skeptic.org.uk/randi/

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Last, but not least; TAM regular, Phil Plait — otherwise know as the “Bad Astronomer” — will be having a get together in London while he’s over here filming about the particle accelerator at CERN (LHC) with Prof. Brian Cox of the University of Manchester. When I get details of the meeting place I’ll post them on The Skeptic Magazine News page.

Please feel free to forward this email on to anyone who would be interested in coming to any of these events.
You can always subscribe and unsubscribe from our website: http://www.skeptic.org.uk/pub

See you all soon.

Sid Rodrigues

Science and the Media — Can we trust TV?

Hi All,

We hope everyone enjoyed Andy Lewis and David Colquhoun’s two excellent presentations on quackery and the lively Q&A session last week.

We have a 100th SitP special on the 1st of April.
Science author and documentary maker, Simon Singh will be giving us a whistle-stop tour of science documentaries, the good, the bad and the ugly.

After nine years it will be our 100th meeting, there will be some cake to celebrate (and Simon will be dressed in a jesters out-fit too).

Hope to see you there…fool!

Sid

All other events of interest will be on The Skeptic Magazine News page.

Please feel free to forward this mail to anyone you think would be interested in coming along.

Time: 7.00pm

Location:
The Penderel’s Oak
283–288 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7HP

Maps: Streetmap Gmap

Tel: 020 8943 7540
http://www.skeptic.org.uk/pub