Dave Knows Portland

Stumptown Stores: Hindu and Chinese Mythology (6-March-2012)

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Stumptown Stores: Hindu and Chinese MythologyStumptown Stories, an event geared to everyone who loves this city we live in, takes place most Tuesdays at Jack London bar (basement of the Rialto, SW 4th and Alder). Free to get in, but must be 21 or over – there’s a full bar!

The topic of the installment this Tuesday, March 6, 2012 is Hindu and Chinese Mythology:

Kate Bruner will be speaking on various Asian mythologies, including Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Shinto, and other stories and beliefs. She will discuss, among other ideas, the Hindu Trimurta, what an omphalos is, what orientation really means, where we get the word “thug”, what Indiana Jones has to do with the death goddess Kali, the differences between Eastern and Western dragons, goddess worship in India, China, and Japan, why the Chinese have a woman in the moon and who she is and how she got there, Chinese alchemy, ancient beliefs about jade, the Chinese kitchen god, the Feast of Hungry Ghosts, avatars, and the Indus Valley civilizations of Harrapa and Mohenjo Jara (sic).

Doors open at 5pm for this free event (21 and over only). Presentation begins at 7:30pm.

OMSI Science Pub (5-March-2012)

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Omsi Science PubFood Fray: Inside the Controversy over Genetically Modified Food is the topic of the next Portland OMSI Science Pub on Monday, March 5, 2012 at the Bagdad Theater (3702 SE Hawthorne):

Americans have been eating genetically modified foods for more than a decade, yet the controversy surrounding them continues, both here and abroad. From Oregon ballot measures to World Trade Organization battles to issues of hunger and food security in developing countries, the topic of GM food has raised scientific and ethical questions and concerns. The approval of several new GM crops such as sugar beets and alfalfa in 2011, as well as the pending approval of GM salmon, continues to capture consumer attention. At this Science Pub, we’ll talk about the real-life experiences and wide-ranging perspectives of the scientists, farmers, policy­makers, and grassroots activists on the front lines of this fierce debate, going beyond the hype to address the current questions and answers surrounding genetically modified foods.

The presenter is Dr. Lisa H. Weasel, associate professor of biology at Portland State University, and author of Food Fray: Inside the Controversy Over Genetically Modified Food, which will be available for purchase at the pub.

The science begins at 7pm but arrive early (5pm doors open) to secure your beer, grub, and a seat! There’s a $5.00 suggested donation/cover charge. Minors with adults are welcome, otherwise this event is 21 and over.

OMSI Science Pub: Scientific and Humanitarian Lessons from the Haiti and Japan Earthquakes (22-February-2012)

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Omsi Science PubScientific and Humanitarian Lessons from the Haiti and Japan Earthquakes is the topic of of the next Portland OMSI Science Pub on Wednesday, February 22, 2012:

The January 2010 earthquake in Haiti was not particularly large. Magnitude 7 events happen dozens of times a year around the world. But this one killed a near-record number of people. What did scientists and the public know or not know about earthquake hazards in Haiti? Scientists knew that the area was likely to experience an earthquake of this size, but because such earthquakes had not occurred in Haiti for the past 240 years, public awareness was negligible. Building codes were non-existent, resulting in huge losses of life. On the other hand, the massive earthquake in Japan in March 2011 resulted in fewer deaths, while its tsunami wreaked widespread devastation.

The people and government of Haiti were overwhelmed by the size of the disaster, and the world community rushed to provide assistance in unimaginably difficult conditions. Civilian, military, and non-governmental organizations from around the world were involved in a relief operation of a magnitude larger than that ever previously staged in peacetime activities. Their cooperation, in situations that made communication and coordination almost impossible, provides a fascinating story that continues today, as reconstruction of the damaged country continues.

At this Science Pub, learn about the scientific aspects of both the Haiti and Japan earthquakes, including ongoing and future risks and implications for the USA, and an overview of the relief and reconstruction efforts in Haiti.

Presenter Dr. Wayne D. Pennington is a geophysicist at Michigan Technological University, where he is also the Chair of the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences.

This science pub takes place at the Mission Theater (1624 NW Glisan) from 7pm until 9pm, but arrive early (5pm doors open) to secure your beer, grub, and a seat! There’s a $5.00 suggested donation/cover charge. Minors with adults are welcome, otherwise this event is 21 and over.

James Randi Lecture (16-February-2012)

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James RandiThe Center for Inquiry presents a James Randi Lecture on Thursday, February 16, 2012 at Portland’s First Unitarian Church (1101 SW 13th Ave).

James Randi exposes popularly-accepted fakery by discussing with his audience everything from ESP to dowsing, from academic frauds to faith healers. Randi reveals what really took place in the last three decades in the labs of various prestigious “think tanks” that verified a series of simple magicians tricks as genuine miracles, thus launching a world-wide plague of misinformation, the repercussions of which can still be felt today.

Admission is only $10 (tickets can be purchased online or at the door), and Friends of the Center get in free (arrive at 6:15 to grab your VIP seat). Lecture begins at 6:30pm.