• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

Shermer at Philly party Fri Oct 13

EverLastingGodStopper

probably lurking
E
Joined
Aug 17, 2005
Messages
185
Hello JREF, I hope it's ok for me to take a break from lurking in order to post an invite to Michael Shermer's Philadelphia book-signing on Friday October 13, followed by a huge party.

In addition to lurking here and being involved with several online and real-life secular groups, I'm on the Board of Directors of the FSGP (the group hosting the party) and I'm the FSGP's Rep on the Board of Directors for the Atheist Alliance International, and this party is one of FSGP's most popular gigs. But keep in mind that it's more of a party than an activism event.

Here's the details, thanks for letting me post:

The Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia is inviting one and all to come to one of our biggest and most popular events, the Anti-Superstition Party, on Friday October 13, 2006 in Philadelphia.

I have details available in a pdf, but here is the basic information (reprinted with permission, contact me for phone and email info):

An Invitation to Attend FSGP’s
Anti-Superstition Party and Opening of the
Friggatriskaidekaphobia Treatment Center
Ethical Society Building


1906 South Rittenhouse Square
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103

Friday, October 13, 2006 at 8:00 PM
Free and Open To The Public!


Only one thing can be predicted for this Friday the thirteenth, it will be an anxiety-filled day for the superstitious and gullible. Friggatriskaidekaphobes—those afflicted souls who possess an overwhelming fear of Friday the thirteenth— will surely step out the door in trepidation, wondering what the "dark" day will have in store.

Astrology, belief in alien abductions, and faith in “alternative” medicine are all evidence that superstition is still a powerful force in America. You need only look at the million-dollar-a-year economic impact that plane and train reservation cancellations, absenteeism, and reduced commerce has on the American economy to see that the influence of superstition is far from harmless. Indeed, merely the personal anxiety and inconvenience of these ancient superstitions can ruin this day for millions of Americans.

This Friday the thirteenth, Margaret Downey (President of the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia) wants you to limbo under a ladder, step on a crack, trash your zodiac sign, dance inside with an open umbrella, and break a mirror. Dressed as The Friggatriskaidekaphobia Treatment Nurse, she and the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia will provide more anti-superstition entertainment on Friday, October 13, 2006 by inviting attendees to
poke fun at various superstitious beliefs through games, costumed hosts, exhibits of silly superstitions, and free educational literature. Anti-superstition music will make your party experience even more enjoyable. BYOB!

The special guest for the event is Michael Shermer, Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine and Director of the Skeptic Society. He will be signing his new book Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design. For more information on this free and open-to-the-public extravaganza, visit the following websites and/or contact:


Margaret Downey
Click to expand...
This event is a blast. The focus is on friends and fun. BYOB! Costumes will be available, or wear your own. Contact me if you'd like to volunteer for the party committee.

But wait, there's more!
Prior to the party, Michael Shermer is speaking (same location) at 7pm.
Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia
P.O. Box 242, Pocopson, PA 19366-0242 Phone: (610) 793-2737 Fax: (610) 793-2569
E-mail: fsgp @ freethought.org
Press Release ~ For Immediate Publication
Famous Religious Skeptic in Philadelphia on East Coast Book Tour

Dr. Michael Shermer

Lecture, Discussion and Book Signing on Friday, October 13, 2006

Philadelphia Ethical Society Building
1906 South Rittenhouse Square
Philadelphia, PA 19103

The Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia (FSGP) and the Philadelphia Association of Critical Thinking (PhACT) are hosting a lecture, discussion and book signing event for Dr. Michael Shermer, Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine and Director of the Skeptic Society. He will be discussing his new book, Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design, on Friday, October 13, 2006. The free and open-to-the-public lecture and discussion takes place at 7:00 PM in the Philadelphia Ethical Society Building (1906 South Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103) preceding FSGP’s Friday the Thirteenth Anti-Superstition Party.

In Why Darwin Matters, historian of science and best-selling author Dr. Shermer states the facts, that evolution happened and the theory of describing it is one of the most well-founded in all of science. Why then, do half of all Americans reject it? Dr. Shermer examines what evolution really is, how we know it happened, and how to test it.

Dr. Shermer was once an evangelical Christian and a creationist. He is now one of the best-known public intellectuals defending evolutionary theory. In Why Darwin Matters readers are provided with an insiders’ guide to the evolution-creation debate. Dr. Shermer shows why creationism and Intelligent Design are not only bad science, but they are also bad theology. Science, Dr. Shermer contends should be embraced by people of all beliefs.

Shermer will also be the special guest at the FSGP Anti-Superstition Party and will continue signing his books throughout the evening.

The Anti-Superstition Party, which is also free and open to the public, starts at 8:00 PM. Lecture audience members are invited to attend.

FSGP wants you to limbo under a ladder, step on a crack, trash your zodiac sign, dance inside with an open umbrella, and break a mirror. Anti-superstition music will make your party experience even more exciting and entertaining. The FSGP Anti-Superstition Party takes place on the second floor of the Ethical Society Building.

For more information on this free and open-to-the-public lecture-discussion and party, contact event organizers:

Margaret Downey
FSGP Event Coordinator
<send PM to ELGS for phone and email>

Eric Krieg
PhACT Event Coordinator
<send PM to ELGS for phone and email>
Click to expand...
The FSGP website has some details, I haven't been active on JREF long enough to provide the link.

People from FSGP will be joined by people from the New Jersey Humanist Network and the Internet Infidels Discussion Board, as well as the Atheists Meetup.

If anyone from JREF comes to the party, please come introduce yourselves to me! I'm a big brunette and I'll probably be in a devil costume.

Thanks guys!
 
Mercutio said:
Are you the one who spoke at TAM3?
Click to expand...
Oh, no, that must have been FSGP's Margaret Downey, who has now been elected the President of the Atheist Alliance Int'l. I'm Janice Rael. I would love just to attend a TAM event, not to mention speak at one.

Margaret is much more beautiful than I am, but I have more tattoos than she does, and she can't do vB tags. ;)
 
Awesome!! I'm already looking forward to going to the talk (and maybe hang around a bit for the party). Thanks for letting us Philly folks know!!
 
canadarocks said:
Awesome!! I'm already looking forward to going to the talk (and maybe hang around a bit for the party). Thanks for letting us Philly folks know!!
Click to expand...
And thank you for not banning me for spam! ;)

Looking forward to meeting you. Just remember that Shermer's lecture begins at 7pm and he's staying for the party that begins at 8pm. Oh, and BYOB.
 
There's also a 'skeptic event' category in the forum Links section, if you want to add it there it'll appear on the front page. I can delete after the event for you.
 
SkepticScott said:
I'm flying down for the party. I was there for FSGP's Friday the 13th party a few years ago.
Click to expand...
Maybe you saw me in 2004? I was the one who had too much wine. :blush: I'm looking forward to re-meeting you!
tkingdoll said:
There's also a 'skeptic event' category in the forum Links section, if you want to add it there it'll appear on the front page. I can delete after the event for you.
Click to expand...
Ooh tkingdolll, thank you, that's wonderful, is this something I should do? If so, can you walk me through it via PM (or I can come to #JREF)? Or is this something you would do?
KingMerv00 said:
A skeptic in the northeast?!? That never happens!

8 blocks away from me no less. Gee, I think I'll go.
Click to expand...
KingMerv, as long as I have been lurking here at JREF, I have always wanted to meet you! This will be so cool.

I'm a tall, big brunette with a pierced nose and some tattoos, please come up and say hi to me! Don't forget that this is a BYOB event, so, enjoy!

-Janice
 
I was searching for hotel info for someone from InfidelGuy's forum, so I thought I'd cross-post here, in case some JREFers might want to come in from out of town to see Shermer and party with me and the FSGP.
Well, I asked around, and your (our?) best bet is to search Expedia.com or Hotels.com.

I tried Hotels.com, but the search results are unique to my search, so I can't provide a link.

I narrowed the search by "Landmark" then "Rittenhouse." I'll give you my Hotels.com results and you can google the details.

FSGP's Margaret Downey recommended The Latham, 135 S 17th St. $139

The Club Quarters, 1628 Chestnut St, is two blocks away. $129

Comfort Inn Penns Landing, 100 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, is $109 but you'd have to walk a few blocks, or take a cab.

If you stay near the airport, the cheapest place is Microtel Inn, 8840 Tinicum Blvd, $70, but you definitely need a cab into the city, so it might not be worth it (unless you're driving).

There are plenty of other expensive hotels near Rittenhouse Square, just search based on your preferences.
Click to expand...
Hope to see you there, let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
 
EverLastingGodStopper said:
Maybe you saw me in 2004? I was the one who had too much wine. :blush: I'm looking forward to re-meeting you!
Click to expand...
I don't remember anyone acting like she had too much wine, but I'm looking forward to re-meeting you too.[/QUOTE]


EverLastingGodStopper said:
I was searching for hotel info for someone from InfidelGuy's forum
Click to expand...
I'm staying at the Quality Inn by the airport. I'll arrive at 1745 Friday, take a cab to the party, beg a ride to the hotel, and fly home at 1255 Saturday.
 
Ooh, cool. When I searched for hotels, all the cheap ones were at the airport. I have no idea how much the taxi is from airport to Rittenhouse Square, I hope it's not too bad.

I got a cheap styrofoam cooler so I can bring some beer this time, it goes down much more slowly than the wine does. ;)
 
>I met Godstopper as well but I didn't know what you looked like so I couldn't
>find you.

I was the guy in costume by the "Trash Your Horoscope" table, dressed more like Goodgulf than Gandalf.

>Did you see Shermer limboing under the ladder?

I must have missed that. It must have been a hoot. :)
 
I got to meet both KingMerv00 and Godstopper. It was the first-time I had actually met anyone from the forum (KingMerv was doing his best to get me out to TAM, though). Sorry I missed you SkepticScott (did you enjoy the party?)
 
The "King" and I were not in costume. I had a great time, especially listening to Shermer talk. Did you make it for the talk? I saw your flight was supposed to arrive in PHL at almost 6PM, which wouldn't have given you much time to make the 7PM talk. Anyway, I'll keep trying to figure a way to go to TAM....
 
I missed this by one frigging day, would have loved to go. Keep posting these kinds of events.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom