I probably can’t make it but I hope you’ll join the folks who’ve RSVP’d on Facebook and Meetup and say hello to our new organizer Bill C. He’s keeping DS alive on those sites as Laura and I are no longer able to (hence the lack of updates here) and that makes him AWESOME! Thanks Bill!

So here are the deets:

Where: The Bar, 2132 East Carson Street
When: 7:30pm-11ish? Friday, November 20th. [3rd Friday of the month!]

And here’s a Google map that shows where The Bar is and where we typically find parking, that should help you if you need directions.

Oh oh… Check out the message board at the Facebook group linked above — There’ve been some great suggestions for possible outings and fun holiday things to do for next month’s gathering. It’s a great way to be in contact with the folks you meet at DS.

Happy Thanksgiving!

You should come out, especially if you’re interested in taking over this much neglected site, as several of our regulars are making long-distance moves, and have taken on new challenges like grad school and better jobs that require more of our time.

Last month we had an awesome turnout and met lots of new friends getting ready to start the new academic year. That’s very Pittsburgh, isn’t it? People coming and going — almost an annual refresh. Sure, it happens elsewhere but it’s just so noticeable here. And I like it. And, I’ll drink to that. (Tomorrow, around 7:30ish. Maybe with you.)

So. See you Friday? Starts at 7:30. You can RSVP here or on our Facebook invite, if you’re a Facebooker, or on Meetup by clicking on the badge in the sidebar.

Oh! And check out these photos David sent in from the CFI picnic last Saturday:

CFI Pittsburgh Canoe Trip 2009

Join us in celebrating our anniversary this Friday!

It’s our anniversary! Not just of Drinking Skeptically, but also of Steel City Skeptics! Come out and party with us at The Bar (2132 E. Carson) this Friday at 7:30pm!

We’re going to try something wild and crazy this time. We’re not moving tables. When a table fills up, people will just have to split up and seed a new table with the newest arrivals. This is a pub night, not a formal dinner, right? The long meeting-hall style dining is not welcoming to new folks and it’s less than fun for anyone stuck in a place that requires seven or eight people moving just to get another drink.

It all started a year ago with a bunch of strangers saying “hello!” and introducing themselves. Don’t be shy! Remember, we’re all geeks here!

You can RSVP here, or on Facebook or Meetup.

See you there!

“Grill the ID Scientist”

Tuesday, June 9
7 PM, University of Pittsburgh Campus (room TBA)

A network of scientists known as the Intelligent Design (ID) community continues to question basic tenets of Darwinism and origin-of-life scenarios. Not only are their views controversial in scientific circles — many in the evangelical world, who might be expected to embrace ID, are also not sold on the value of the ID program.

This event brings together a panel of scientists associated with the ID movement. After a short presentation, the bulk of the evening will be given to questions from the audience. This event is aimed primarily at researchers, graduate students and advanced undergrad students in the sciences. It is open to anyone, but participants must register in advance by sending email to snoke @pitt.edu. In the event of limited seating, preference will be given to grad students and researchers in the life sciences.

Panel:

– Doug Axe, Biologic Institute (formerly of Cambridge University)
– Michael Behe, Lehigh University
– Ann Gauger, Biologic Institute
– David Keller, University of New Mexico
– John Sanford, Cornell University

+ others TBA

moderated by David Snoke, University of Pittsburgh

This is tomorrow night, and is sadly not an actual BBQ. If you want to go, it seems like you’ll need to contact Dr. Snoke.

I’d love to hear some reports from those who attend!

[Hat-tip to DF for the info.]

We are thrilled to announce a fabulous new change to our favorite monthly social gathering! We’re moving to The Bar at 2132. (That’s E. Carson St. — A Pittsburgh phrase meaning “where the bars live.”)

The owner has not only graciously let us reserve the front section of this posh place on a Friday night, but has offered to make us the official beverage of savvy skeptics the world over: Buzzed Aldrins. How awesome is that? “So awesome” is correct.

Look how sweet this place is:

See that? That’s room to mingle! And it’s all ours! We even have our own section of the bar so you can order your own drinks and maintain your own tabs. Plus, there’s food. Booze and food and space to move! This just might be the greatest Pittsburgh Drinking Skeptically yet!

Well, that is if you will be there! See you May 15th around 7:30!

RSVP here or at Meetup or Facebook.

]]> http://www.steelcityskeptics.net/2009/05/05/new-digs-for-drinking-skeptically/feed/ 1 http://www.steelcityskeptics.net/2009/05/03/rob-sherman-talk-this-tuesday/ http://www.steelcityskeptics.net/2009/05/03/rob-sherman-talk-this-tuesday/#comments Sun, 03 May 2009 20:55:02 +0000 Eliza http://www.steelcityskeptics.net/?p=499 This month’s Center for Inquiry discussion group offers a talk and Q&A with journalist and atheist activist, Rob Sherman.

You remember Mr. Sherman — Illinois Representative Monique Davis interrupted him while he testified before the Springfield House State Government Administration Committee to spectacularly flip her shit:

I don’t know what you have against God, but some of us don’t have much against him. We look forward to him and his blessings… I’m trying to understand the philosophy that you want to spread in the state of Illinois… This is the land of Lincoln where people believe in God… What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous… It’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists… Get out of that seat! You have no right to be here! We believe in something. You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what this state was built upon.

This is just a sample of Mr. Sherman’s experiences. Come out and join the discussion this Tuesday!

When: Tuesday, May 5th 2009, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Where: Quaker Meeting House, 4836 Ellsworth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (Oakland/Shadyside)

Orbs, dust, April showers, or have you just been Drinking Skeptically?

Come and join us at Claddagh’s Irish Pub, for an evening of drink and merriment. The Facebook invite is here, or you can find us on Meetup. (Or you can comment here. We’re flexible!)

Hope to see you there!

Oh hey! This Friday our friend Hemant Mehta¹, The Friendly Atheist, will be speaking at Carnegie Mellon, hosted by CMU’s AHA group. Pasta will be served!

More deets at the AHA’s Facebook invite and also at Hemant’s site.

Oh hey Part Two: Internet podcast talk show host The Infidel Guy interviewed local “paranormal investigator” John Lewis² who appears to have a physical aversion to questions. He apparently came down with the flu in the middle of the interview and his wife came on the line, apologized, and hung up on the call.

Here are links to IG’s show notes and to the archived show.

It’s official, folks. Miller Auditorium is haunted. But the good news is, they’re friendly ghosts.

“Almost everyone on our team had personal experience,” Mr. Lewis, owner of Titusville-based Baelfire Paranormal Investigation, said yesterday at a news conference in the theater lobby. “I pretty much feel this place is haunted.”

On Feb. 28, he and his 11-member crew spent the night in the auditorium looking for evidence of paranormal activity. Free of charge, they set up infrared video cameras and had digital and 35mm still cameras and digital, analog and micro-cassette audio recorders.

Eleven hours of audio and video and 758 photographs later, they believe to be true what professors and students have suspected for years.

In addition to personal experiences, investigators captured inexplicable digital images of a thick, neon green mist in that same backstage area — the scene shop — and heard voices.

You got that folks? Inexplicable digital images. Not only does that mean it must be ghosts, it is clearly the truth because it says so in the Post-Gazette.

An "inexplicable digital image" taken from Baelfire Paranormal Investigation site. Figured out what causes this, yet? Take a stab in the comments. Bonus points if you recreate the effect yourself and send it in.

Forget science, friends! We’ve been wasting our lives. It only takes some people who know how to take bad photos and a lazy reporter to prove it.

“Inexplicable digital images“, writes L.A. Johnson. Did you ask anyone other than the folks who took them?

Oh, and my previous post about this nonsense has conjured head honcho of the spooky squad himself, Mr. John Lewis, right here to Steel City Skeptics. His comments offer up some new insight into the story, where I am no longer comfortable making light of the potentially mentally ill.

My original post was more about shoddy journalism reporting on unscientific poppycock and adding credibility to professional swindlers, like psychics and ghost hunters, anyway. These folks are free to believe that they’re doing something meaningful, but society at large does not have to humor them. It is irresponsible and dishonest of the local news outlets to do so.

So, I’m going to stick with knocking bad journalism. L.A. Johnson, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette? I’m looking at you.

A few believers in a theater reinforcing each other’s beliefs does not equal “investigation” — it’s a sleepover party. It sounds like these folks had a fun time and that’s great, but it’s not news.