Archive for January, 2014

For our fifth consecutive year the Merseyside Skeptics Society will be marching in support of pride in the Liverpool Pride March.

Come and join us at William Brown St (outside the word museum) for a march through Liverpool, ending at St George's Hall. The march sets off from St George's Plateau at noon, so please arrive in plenty of time before this. Look out for the Merseyside Skeptics banner!

The theme this year is "International Love". Fancy dress, funny/supportive banners and things that make a lot of noise are most welcome!

Let us know if you're coming.

We all know that people with maths, science, and technology skills are experienced at problem-solving; but how useful are those skills in the real world? Mathematician and speaker Katie Steckles will show you some mathematical, logical and geometrical tricks to solve some of everyday life's minor challenges - from tying your shoelace to changing a duvet cover, and plenty of others. You'll never fold a t-shirt the same way again!

Dr Katie Steckles is a mathematician based in Manchester, who gives talks and workshops on different areas of maths. She finished her PhD in 2011, and since then has talked about maths in schools, at science festivals, on BBC radio, at music festivals, as part of theatre shows and on the internet. She enjoys doing puzzles, solving the Rubik's cube and baking things shaped like maths.

Our speaker events have wheelchair access, via a portable ramp which can be installed on-demand. If possible, please let us know you’re coming through contact@merseysideskeptics.org.uk so we can make sure the ramp is ready.

Tamasin Cave will talk about the UK's £2bn lobbying industry and the tactics they use to bend government to their will: how lobbyists build relationships with government; their manipulation of the media; the way that they use academics, scientists, think-tanks, front groups and others to spread their messages; and their attacks on opposition groups. She will talk about how the private healthcare industry has lobbied to open up the NHS to more private operators - and how schools are going the same way; how energy companies have hired a small army of lobbyists to persuade government and local communities to support fracking; how the 'revolving door' works to support the arms industry; and more.

Tamasin is a writer, campaigner and commentator. Her new book, A Quiet Word: Lobbying, Crony Capitalism and Broken Politics in Britain, co-authored by Andy Rowell, shines a light into one of the darkest and least-understood corners of our political culture: the UK's £2 billion commercial lobbying industry. She is a director of Spinwatch, which investigates corporate PR and lobbying, as well as government spin. Since 2007, she has also led the campaign for transparency regulations for lobbyists.

Our speaker events have wheelchair access, via a portable ramp which can be installed on-demand. If possible, please let us know you’re coming through contact@merseysideskeptics.org.uk so we can make sure the ramp is ready.

Celebrate Christmas Skeptically -- by partying with your friends! Merseyside Skeptics are having their annual Christmas Party at the Wahaca Rooftop Bar on Hanover Street in Liverpool (don't worry, it's indoors!)

There will be canapes so please register your attendance so we have an idea of numbers for the catering.

SECRET SANTA!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, following the success of last year's Secret Santa, we've decided to run it again, so the rules are:

1) If you want to get involved bring one wrapped gift, preferably a gag gift such as an old book you no longer want, a present you got last year and don't know what to do with or, if you're really stuck, a tin of sardines. Don't bring something fancy because chances are, you'll get something naff in return.
2) Hand over your lovingly selected and beautifully wrapped gift over to Kat Ford, who will give you a raffle ticket in exchange.
3) Towards the end of the night Kat will call out ticket numbers and hand you a gift. (She has a system to make sure you won't end up with your own gift, it doesn't involve tumble dryers or an infinite number of photocopiers, but it does work. Don't worry about it).
4) Unwrap and enjoy your wonderful gift which you will undoubtedly treasure forever, or five minutes, or not at all. Whatever. It's the thought that counts.