When I write, I plan to direct them to this link (http://darwinday.org/events/) and note that countless events are planned all across North America.Contact anyone you feel comfortable, but here are some suggestions: 1. NPR's Talk of the Nation Science Friday - fill out suggestion form at http://www.sciencefriday.com/about/contact/ 2. NPR's Fresh Air - fill out suggestion form at http://help.npr.org/npr/includes/customer/npr/custforms/contactus.aspx?sid=3 3. NPR's The Diane Rehm Show - contact via drshow@wamu.org 4. MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show - contact via Rachel@msnbc.com 5. MSNBC's The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell - contact via thelastword@msnbc.com 6. Fox News's Fox & Friends - contact via friends@foxnews.com 7. Fox News's The O'Reilly Factor - contact via oreilly@foxnews.com Take this simple step and make a difference -- a difference that can have a lasting effect on our understanding of both religion and science as well as on the very nature of science education for years to come.
Darwin Week
If any of our readers or contributors are taking part in Darwin Week activities, I'd like to invite them to announce those activities here. The International Darwin Day Foundation lists the better part of 100 activities here, most but not all between February 9 and 12. But if anyone has any pet activities to publicize, please go at it in the comments.
I will start: One of my colleagues tells me that the Iowa City event on February 11 and 12 will feature two talks by Frans de Waal, one technical, and one general. The general talk is entitled "Morality before Religion: Empathy, Reciprocity and Fairness in our Fellow Primates." You may find the entire schedule and location at the link directly above.
The Secular Students and Skeptics Society at the University of Colorado is sponsoring a weeklong event, February 7-11. On Wednesday, February 9, I will discuss my contention that our sense of morality is an evolved trait; by a not entirely surprising coincidence, de Waal's work figures into my talk. The no doubt sassy students will also show the movie "Creation" on Monday, February 7, followed by a discussion led by philosophy professor Carol Cleland. Again, you may find the entire schedule and locations at the link.
All I have so far. I invite anyone else who wants to publicize a specific event to do so in the comments.
Update, January 26: Please see below the fold for an update by Michael Zimmerman of the Huffington Post.
You will have to get through certain amount of boilerplate, but Michael Zimmerman has an article on the Huffington Post here, in which he suggests writing to various media outlets and asking them to cover Evolution Sunday. Here is his list:
31 Comments
Karen S. · 24 January 2011
I hope everyone will consider recording and posting any Darwin Week events they are participating in.
(Wonder what mischief the Dishonesty Inst. has planned?)
drdave · 25 January 2011
The Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix is having a "Fish Dinner on Darwin Day" 12 February at 4:30 PM at the new Humanist Community Center.
Chris Lindsay · 26 January 2011
The Michigan Skeptics Association will have a meet-up in Canton, Michigan (time/location can be found on the Calendar on our website - www.miskeptics.org)
We're looking at showing a 60-minute movie on Dover Trial, and have some games. Would love to have a speaker, if anyone reads this, and would be interested.
Email me at cwlindsay@miskeptics.org
John Kwok · 26 January 2011
New York City Skeptics and the Center for Inquiry New York are presenting a program on Saturday, February 13th at 3 PM entitled the "Science and Philosophy of Consciousness" that will be held at NYU's Tischman Auditorium. It will delve into these questions:
"What does science tell us about consciousness? What light is new scientific research shedding on our understanding of the human ability to feel and experience? And how has philosophy helped us make sense of the scientific findings about our capacity for mental awareness?"
NYU philosopher Ned Block and Columbia University neuroscientist Jacqueline Gottlieb will make individual presentations and then have a conversation with CUNY philosopher and evolutionary biologist Massimo Pigliccui, who is probably best known for his Rational Speaking blog.
For more details look here:
http://nycskeptics.org/news/join-us-for-darwin-day-2011.html
John Kwok · 26 January 2011
John Kwok · 26 January 2011
The Darwin Day website also has a listing of all public events being held either on, shortly before, or shortly after, February 12th around the globe:
http://www.darwinday.org/events/
Matt Young · 26 January 2011
Matt Young · 26 January 2011
Silly me! Prof. Zimmerman has just pointed out to me that the Darwin Day website lists around 80 events, whereas the Clergy Letter Project lists 560 events.
Tex · 26 January 2011
Joe Felsenstein · 26 January 2011
Marion Delgado · 27 January 2011
Mark Farmer · 27 January 2011
At the University of Georgia we will be hosting our third annual Darwin Day at UGA.
http://www.darwinday.uga.edu/
John Kwok · 27 January 2011
Matt Young · 27 January 2011
Odd, that is the address Prof. Zimmerman gave me, and I corrected an earlier error at noon MDT today. Please use Mr. Kwok's link, while I find out about the evolutionweekend.org link. Click on Evolution Weekend 2011 on the left and don't mind that the URL says 2009.
Gaythia · 27 January 2011
Many local newspapers have small sections where readers can submit items. I recommend trying these with Darwin week events.
Gaythia · 27 January 2011
Better yet, since I am considering sending in something to local conservative venues, would anyone out there care to post a statement honoring Darwin and announcing Darwin's week that people like I could use to submit to local newspapers without necessarily inviting anyone to any specific event?
James Downard · 27 January 2011
Our local Eastern Washington University is doing its annual talk at the college (this year on teaching evolution in the schools) and under the umbrella of our Spokane Secular Society I'll be giving a talk on "Charles Darwin: A Life and Legacy" at Aunties Bookstore downtown (1 pm, hour long with Q@A)
Henry J · 27 January 2011
Wonder if the Northern Territory of Australia will do anything for Darwin Day? :p
Gaythia · 28 January 2011
mrg · 28 January 2011
Matt Young · 28 January 2011
Laura Elizabeth Shiley, a student at the University of Colorado, tells us that the University of Northern Iowa plans a weeklong event from February 7 through 10. Hector Avalos of Iowa State University will speak on Tuesday, February 8, but the title is not given.
Joe Felsenstein · 28 January 2011
mrg · 28 January 2011
Joe Felsenstein · 29 January 2011
Robert Sacerich · 30 January 2011
The Humanists of Greater Sacramento are holding a Darwin Day even on February 13, 2011. Info can be found here http://sacdarwinday.blogspot.com/
James Downard · 30 January 2011
Hopefully we'll get some good Q @ A at the Aunties talk (both from evolution friendly visitors and any creationists who show up). All questions should be an opportunity for level-headed fair response, and I hope to have a lot of fun there. As for regional demographics, I suspect the Pacific Northwest is no better or worse than anywhere for an evolution/creation divide. As exasperating as the "teach the controversy"/"strengths and weaknesses" brigade can be, there seems no sign that ID is getting any traction at all at the base level of the scientists actually doing the work. People who are attracted to ID thinking require very little impetus and will do so regardless of whatever contrary information may be knocking around (a manifestation of the "tortucan" mindset I have talked/written on elsewhere) but unless they can hijack public education so thoroughly that the whole thing collapses I think the world of science progress is pretty safe.
RBH · 30 January 2011
Transcript of Jim Downard's Tortucan mindset talk on PT.
SaskSkeptic · 31 January 2011
Third Annual Darwin Day-Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Saturday Feb. 12, 1:00PM to 5:30PM
Schedule
Theater
1:00 pm Film-What Darwin Never Knew (partial)
2:30 pm Birthday Cake & Coffee
3:00 pm Talk-Prof. Larry Stewart
4:15 pm Talk-Prof. Angela Lieverse
Band Room
1:30-4:00 Family Activities
Guardians required
Location
Centennial Collegiate, 160 Nelson Road, Saskatoon, SK
For more information email saskatoondd@gmail.com
Website http://www.saskatoonskeptics.com/darwin-day
The provincial Ministry of Educational is going to recognize Feb. 12 as Darwin Day in Saskatchewan.
Sponsored by the Saskatoon Skeptics, CFI Saskatchewan, and the Saskatoon Secular Family Network.
Russ · 10 February 2011
"In theory, there is nothing more exciting for the academic than to find that her work has actually been read by someone and even, gasp, cited! It is less exciting, however, to discover it being mustered in the cause of intelligent design."
http://www.berfrois.com/2011/02/ive-been-used/
Lawrence Wood · 11 February 2011
Great article on the world of Evolution
Neil Taylor · 12 February 2011
I was wondering if there is a one stop place for getting resources for doing a Darwin Day talk.
I'm a keen amateur and could imagine myself doing a Darwin day talk at the local freethinkers society, but to do that would involve alot of searching around to gather the pictures and info together - with all the copyright issues etc that involves.
It would be great if a pro-science organization laid on a "Talk Pack" or similar with all the information in one place.
I'd want lots of pictures of fossils and phylogenies to show how the fossil record does show evolution in action, and how the molecular data fits with this.
Is there anywhere on the web which has a resource like this with materials arranged in such away they can be easily integrated into a talk?
Thanks for any help that can be offered.