Come to the Center for Inquiry, 216 Beverley Street at College, just south of the University of Toronto, in the heart of downtown.
In honour of Barry Beyerstein (1947-2007), author, Professor of Psychology at Simon Frasier University, Chair of the Society of B.C. Skeptics and Fellow of the CFI Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (formerly CSICOP).
- FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER DINNER $5 (FREE for Friends of the Centre) Thurs, July 12, 7pm
Featuring screening & debunking of the paranormal-plugging What the Bleep do We Know? with physics PhD candidate Edward Ackad. - SUPERSTITION BASH, Friday, July 13
Featuring a full day of activities, including a presentation by world famous skeptical investigator Joe Nickell at 6pm and a haunted walk at 8:30pm
$5 (Joe Nickell talk), $15 (Full Day, with haunted walk) - $10 full day for Friends of the Centre.
FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER DINNER–Thurs, July 12
Come have all the spaghetti and salad you can eat in honor of his noodly goodness. Afterwards we will be showing some great films and documentaries that will be bound to spark a great conversation.Film: What the Bleep do we Know??
SUMMARY (from what the bleep.com):WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW?! is a new type of film. It is part documentary, part story, and part elaborate and inspiring visual effects and animations. The protagonist, Amanda, played by Marlee Matlin, finds herself in a fantastic Alice in Wonderland experience when her daily, uninspired life literally begins to unravel, revealing the uncertain world of the quantum field hidden behind what we consider to be our normal, waking reality…The chorus members act as hosts who live outside of the story, and from this Olympian view, comment on the actions of the characters below. They are also there to introduce the Great Questions framed by both science and religion, which divides the film into a series of acts. Through the course of the film, the distinction between science and religion becomes increasingly blurred, since we realize that, in essence, both science and religion describe the same phenomena.THE FRIDAY, JULY 13TH SUPERSTITION BASH
- Featuring our "in house" physics Ph.D candidate Eddie Ackad to critically examine the documentary.
A day long event, featuring 3 components
- The morning (9:00am - 12:30pm), with a Superstition obstacle course and related activities designed for children aged 7-9.
- The afternoon (2:00pm - 5:00pm), with similar interactive activities designed for an older audience.
- The evening (5:00pm - 9:30pm), with presentations and a haunted walk!
- 9:00am: Introductions
- 9:15 – 10:15: Superstition Obstacle Course - 13 stations with interactive activities and educational information
- 10:15am – 10:45am: Jeopardy-style trivia game
- 10:45 – 11:00 minutes “Failed prediction listing” and snack
- 11:00 – 11:30: Fake séance (sceptics)
- 11:30 – 12:00: "Magic for sceptics", with Jennie Fiddes (see info below on this program)
- 12:00: Concluding Mirror smash, featuring Joe Nickell
Similar activities as above, but with the following additional activities:
- "Misfortune" telling
- Homeopathic beer chugging contest
- Voodoo Doll activity
- Open mike setting for people to tell their own superstitions and ghost stories and for debunking opportunities
- Evening Presentations and Events (5:00pm - 9:30pm)
- 5:00pm - 6:00pm: "Superstitions: A Critical Look" - presentation by Justin Trottier
- 6:00pm - 7:30pm: "Investigating Paranormal Claims" with Joe Nickell (see info below)
- 8:30pm: University of Toronto haunted walk, with Muddy York Walking Tours, the longest running haunted walk group in Toronto
Cost
The cost for participating in the July 13 Superstition Bash, which includes all activities, is $15. The cost for Dr. Nickell's talk only is $5. Friends of the Centre get in to all activities for $10
SPECIAL OFFER: Join now as a CFI Friend of the Centre and get into all two day Summer Skeptics Bash activities entirely free of charge!
Contact Information: Email: justin.trottier@gmail.com Phone: 416-971-5676
"Magic for Skeptics", with Jennie Fiddes
Jennie Fiddes is a recent graduate of U of T, earning a BA in Anthropology and Archaeology. She is currently employed as a field archaeologist in the GTA and is an amateur close-up magician. She recently completed an undergraduate thesis project on magic and magician culture in Toronto and is interested in all things magic related.
Jennie will be discussing why magic appeals to people and how this can be both entertaining and dangerous. By demonstrating a few tricks, she will take you through different styles of magic and show the effects they can have on the average thinker and how people can be readily fooled and the impact this can have on their emotions.
"Investigating Paranormal Claims", with Joe Nickell
As a highlight of the event, we are proud to present the world famous Dr. Joe Nickell. Joe Nickell, Ph.D., is Senior Research Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and investigative columnist for Skeptical Inquirer magazine. A former professional stage magician and private investigator for a world-famous detective agency, Dr. Nickell utilizes his varied background as an investigator of myths and mysteries, frauds, forgeries, and hoaxes. He has been called "the modern Sherlock Holmes," "the original ghost buster," and "the real-life Scully”. He has investigated scores of haunted-house cases, including the Amityville Horror and the Mackenzie House in Toronto, Canada.The Obstacle Course
Dr. Nickell will be discussing his long history of skeptical inquiry including investigating superstitious claims, alien encounters, haunting, and the like. Dr. Nickell stories always entertain.
Thirteen interactive superstition stations will be setup for your enjoyment and educational enrichment:
- Station 1: The Ladder
- Station 2: Lucky Charms
- Station 3: Mirrors
- Station 4: Horseshoes
- Station 5: Black Cats
- Station 6: Cracks
- Station 7: Touch Wood
- Station 8: Four-Leaf Clover
- Station 9: Split Milk
- Station 10: The Salt Bowl
- Station 11: Pennies
- Station 12: Umbrellas
- Station 13: Hats
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