Nerd Nite No. 25, May 15, 2013
Yo Nerds!
Fast on the heels of the Philadelphia Science Festival, we bring you an eclectic mix of nerdosity. Be prepared to hear about the following hot topics: 1) earwax (for realz), 2) an ancient and defunct Philly landmark, and 3) Mr. T.
Sadly, this Nerd Nite is the last one for Nerd Nite boss Matt Young. Lucky us though, because he’s agreed to play guitar and sing some songs – he’s a boss on guitar too. Please come out and wish him well before he moves down south!
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
doors at 7:00, show at 7:30 sharp
Frankford Hall at Frankford and Girard
$5 cover gets you nerdiness and food and drink specials
We pity the fool that doesn’t attend this Nerd Nite.
Earwax isn’t something that most people think about on a daily basis; in fact most people do their best to get rid of it. Did you know that earwax exists in two genetically determined types: wet (sticky, yellow-colored), and dry (flaky, white)? Interestingly, earwax actually plays an important role in protecting your inner ear canal from physical damage and infection. Although earwax and body odor generally get a bad rap, both are necessary to your overall well-being. In this talk you’ll learn about the origin of human body odor and the role your genes play in earwax and body odor production.
Bio: Kate is a postdoctoral researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. She recently obtained her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Johns Hopkins University in 2012. Her current research focuses on human body odors. Kate applies organic-analytical chemistry techniques along with molecular genetics and sensory evaluation methodologies to examine human odor production.
The “Indian Pole” was an ancient Philly landmark, once located at 4th and Vine, that no longer exists. Learn about this 85 foot high pole that was capped by a 9 foot tall Native American figure, holding a bow and quiver with one arm outstretched. More importantly, what happened to this crazy (though once revered) thing? Maybe you can help shed some light on this mystery, which the speaker has been investigating–in vain–for years.
Bio: A historian and writer about Philadelphia, Harry Kyriakodis has collected what is likely the largest private collection of books about the City of Brotherly Love—more than 2500 titles, new and old. Harry is the author of Philadelphia’s Lost Waterfront andNorthern Liberties: The Story of a Philadelphia River Ward, both published by The History Press. In addition, he gives walking tours and presentations on unique yet unappreciated parts of the city.
“Mr. T: Three Decades of Fool-Pitying Merchandise” by Ben Leach
If you grew up in the 1980s, Mr. T was a ubiquitous presence who preached wholesome values to kids while making a career out of punching and throwing people. All these years later, Mr. T has remained relevant in popular culture thanks in large part to serving as a spokesman for a wide variety of companies. Why do companies still seek out an action star who hit his career peak before the 1980s were even halfway over? It’s thanks in large part to Mr. T’s role as an unassuming merchandising mogul. In this presentation, you will be taken through Mr. T’s career as told entirely through merchandise, artifacts, readings, and clips related to the “man with the gold” from the 1980s until the present day from all over the world. From his own cereal and motivational tapes to some interesting choices in roles in the 1990s to selling out to shill your product, the influence of Mr. T on your life is practically inescapable.
Bio: Ben Leach is a New Jersey-based science and medical writer. However, he is also a collector of the eclectic and unusual, especially if it’s something that relates to his childhood from the 1980s and 1990s. He has been a published author on collectibles since he was 19, with work appearing in Lee’s Toy Review, Toyfare, and about.com. Currently, he operates a website dedicated to antiques and collectibles with his family called The Collector Gene (www.collectorgene.com) and is launching another website, Retro Play Time (www.retroplaytime.com), later this year.
And music by Matt Young!
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Nerd Nite No. 24, April 24, 2013 – The Philadelphia Science Festival!
Guys!
We are thrilled to be a part of the Philadelphia Science Festival again! This year, it’s time to put your Sherlock Holmes hat on, grab a pipe, or rather, a pint, and join us in the big outdoor beer garden at Frankford Hall for a treatise on forensics. We’ll be hearing about how to solve crimes when the trail goes cold, how forensic toxicologists detect designer drugs, and how forensic anthropologists can find out what really happened at crime scenes from history. Plus, we’ll have Prohibition-era jazz to turn Frankford Hall into a speakeasy. It’s Nerd Nite: CSI.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
doors at 7:00, show at 7:30
Frankford Hall at Frankford and Girard in the beer garden
$5 cover gets you nerdiness and food and drink specials
Tickets can be purchased in advance here, but we will also be selling them at the door.
Let the crime-solving commence:
“The Vidocq Society: warm people solving cold cases.” by William Fleisher
Bio: William L. Fleisher is the Director of Keystone Intelligence Network, Inc., a Philadelphia private investigation firm and the co-founder and first Commissioner of the Vidocq Society, an organization of forensic experts that assists law enforcement and victims’ families in solving unsolved homicides. He retired from the U.S. Customs Service in 1996 as Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia office. Mr. Fleisher is a former special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and rose to the rank of corporal with the Philadelphia Police Department. He is an internationally recognized expert in the field of lie detection and behavior analysis. Mr. Fleisher is the recipient of the Customs Service Distinguished Service Medal and Award for his efforts in developing interviewing techniques for customs inspectors. Mr. Fleisher is a father and grandfather and resides in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, with his wife Michelle.
“Forensic Toxicology – A “higher” level of thinking . . .” by Jill Yeakel
Forensic Toxicology involves the investigation of drugs and poisons in biological matrices. The evolution of forensic toxicology as it relates to human performance has rapidly changed in recent years as a wide variety of chemical analogs advertised as legal highs comparable to marijuana have become available in smoke shops and over the internet. These chemical analogs are commonly referred to as synthetic cannabinoids and their danger and prevalence across the country is apparent as seen in the increase in poison control center calls since 2009. This presentation will discuss the effects of the synthetic cannabinoids and the challenges their detection in blood and urine pose to forensic toxicologists.
Bio: Jill Yeakel achieved her Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from Lock Haven University. She then attended Arcadia University where she earned a Master of Science in Forensic Science. She is currently the program director at the Center for Forensic Science and Education where she organizes and operates the G. John DiGregorio Summer Science Program along with being the Course Director for the Research Methods in Forensic Science, Pattern Evidence Analysis, Forensic Toxicology II and Forensic Science Symposium courses for the Arcadia University’s Master of Forensic Science Program and completes research in herbal incense products and designer drugs.
“Hemlock, Cholera and Marijuana: Getting it all Wrong in Forensic Anthropology.” by Janet Monge
Case studies of prehistoric, historic and modern errors in the reconstruction of events surrounding death of 11 people. From the ancient Middle East to the suburbs of Philadelphia, history has painted a very different picture of the very real events of human violence against other humans. Forensic anthropologists get it right (and wrong sometimes) telling the stories from the very real bones left behind.
Bio: Janet Monge has done fieldwork in many locations in Europe, Kenya and Australia. Her primary interest is in the development of methodologies to preserve and broadcast datasets to the physical anthropology community using Computed Tomography, traditional radiology, and human dental micro-anatomy as well as in the distribution of the highest quality castings of human fossils to Universities and Museums all over the world. She teaches courses in Forensic Anthropology and has been engaged in many forensic case studies involving skeletal, burned, mutilated and mummified human remains.
And, featuring jazz from Philly’s own The Cornbread Five.
BE THERE AND BE SQUARE!
Nerd Nite Takes on the Philadelphia Science Festival April 18-28
You nerdy kids know that the Philadelphia Science Festival is right around the corner, but did you know about this trio of events that your nerdy co-bosses have worked so hard to organize? Check them out and tell all your friends!
We have the following scholarly offerings:
Nerd Nite: Crime Science Investigation
Our second Nerd Nite of the month, Wednesday, April 24 at 7:30PM, brings you some Prohibition Era jazz by the local Cornbread Five to prepare you for a night looking into the world of forensics. Every shred of evidence tells a story, and the evening will be chock full of info on how those stories are put together to make a case. Our presenters include Penn Museum skull specialist Janet Monge, Toxicology expert Jill Yeakel, and Vidocq Society member Bill Fleisher. Also, we’ll have live music from renowned crime scene investigators LL Cool J and Ice-T. Just kidding. So come out to Frankford Hall, put on your windbreaker, grab a bunch of little sandwich bags for evidence, and learn how to really figure out who stole the cookie from the cookie jar.
Hallucinogenic Health: What a Long Strange Trip It’s Been…
Join Nerd Nite’s very own Matt Young on Sunday, April 21 at 4:00PM for a trip into the past of psychedelic research in America, learn how labs across the world are reviving that research, and explore the field’s prospects for future development. Stop by Frankford Hall, 1210 Frankford Avenue, but don’t drink too many of the German beers, because there’s much more Festival fun to come.
On Tuesday April 23, at 6:30PM at the Iron Gate Theater, 3700 Chestnut Street, Former National Science Foundation Director (and incoming Carnegie Mellon U Prez for all you old Tartans) Subra Suresh will join leading faculty from the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University to talk about some of their greatest hits in the lab. These are the rockstars of nerdy research university world, folks. We have Penn Medicine’s Garrett Fitzgerald, Drexel Engineer and co-Director of the ExCITe Center Adam Fontecchio, Penn Engineering postdoctoral fellow Jordan Miller, and Penn Vet professor Chris Hunter. And a few more possibly waiting in the shadows.
Tickets for this event are $12 ($10 for educators) but proceeds go toward putting on this bang up show at the historic Iron Gate Theater.
Nerd Nite No. 23, April 3, 2013
NERDS!
Spring is nearly here! We are going to get you guys revved up with some talk about seeds! And toilets?! Yes! And secret assassin societies! And some great tunes! Hooray spring!
THE DETAILS:
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
doors at 6:30, show at 7:30
Frankford Hall at Frankford and Girard
$5 cover
wherein you will hear the following:
“Seeds, Seed Exchanges and Solifuges” by Aimee Hill
What do solifuges and free, fancy and available “heirloom/organic” seeds that grow well in Philly have in common? Wait, what’s a solifuge? What’s a seed? As inhabitants of a post-industrial city, what do we have to do with maintaining and developing an ever-changing, resilient and delicious and living bank of edible plants? (mmm, edible plant bank) Learn the answers to all these questions and more…Got a problem? Seeds can fix that.
Bio: Aimee helps maintain the Philly Seed Exchange and is a Farmer and Teacher with a fascination for all things regarding bacterial domination of the world. She has recently moved from Philly to NJ (embarrassing, I know) for farm reasons, but returns to Philly often for seeds, gardens, and the City itself.
“Hold that flush! Towards sustainable equity when doing our business” by Christiaan (yes two aas) Morssink
A lighthearted yet demanding discourse on the wickedness of using tapwater for toilets, the absolute abhorrent global inequities in terms of access to facilities and the need for nerds worldwide to apply their nerdiness towards solutions that are sustainable, improve health and quality of life, while underscoring the dignity of each and all. In other words, bs-ing about excrement.
Bio: Christiaan is a public health policy professional, exe dir of the United Nations Association of Greater Philadelphia, president of the Project for Nuclear Awareness, founding member of the Philadelphia Global Water Initiative as well as the Global Philadelphia Association. His interests are social determinants of health, and the amelioration of the lives of the poor while they buckle under the onslaught of the world’s feral capitalism. His interest in water is due to his Dutch origin and the realization that all breweries everywhere need clean water.
“Assassins, Creeds, and Crusaders (for reals)” by Paul Cobb
Is a secret society of sexy time-traveling murderers-for-hire too good to be true? Sadly, yes. But the reality is pretty nifty anyway. Thanks to various popular media, in particular the wildly successful video-game series ASSASSIN’S CREED, many people (or at least males between the age of 12 and 25) have heard of the medieval Order of Assassins. In this talk, I will take you behind all these fictions to the real, historical sect that inspired them, a medieval Muslim community that beat all the odds of history and is flourishing–quite peacefully–today.
Nerd Nite No. 22, March 6, 2013
Dear Nerds,
This month we are bringing you a smorgasbord of Nerdery starting with cheese, moving onto pain (sorry!) and then finishing up with hip hop. With jazz in between. Details:
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
doors at 6:30, show at 7:30
Frankford Hall at Frankford and Girard
$5 cover
What’s up:
Every cheese lover has looked at a furry Brie and wondered: should I really eat that? In this quick romp through surface molds, Fishtown-based cheese blogger Madame Fromage explains how to judge a cheese by its rind (yes, they’re like book covers). You’ll also learn a few professional terms that cheesemongers use, in case you ever want to work with “brainy” rinds.
Bio: Tenaya Darlington is the digital dairy courtesan Madame Fromage (MadameFromageBlog.com; @MmeFromage). She writes for Grid, Table Matters, Culture Magazine, and has served as cheese correspondent for The New York Times’Thanksgiving hotline. Her new book, Di Bruno Bros. House of Cheese: A Guide to Wedges, Recipes, and Pairings, debuts in May.
“What Your Doctor Never Knew About Pain: How Your Fascia Holds You Together or Knocks You Down” by Stephanie Lee Jackson
This talk unravels the mysteries of fascia, the one vital organ that goes virtually unmentioned in medical school. You’ll learn how to fall off a ladder with grace and aplomb, and why the exact causes of back pain go undiscovered in 85% of cases. You’ll also get some tips on how to deal with ‘mystery pain’ that thwarts your ambitions and leaves you sulking on the couch.
Bio: Stephanie Lee Jackson founded Practical Bodywork in Philadelphia after moving here from Brooklyn, NY in 2010. She was a ballet dancer for twelve years and a fine artist for twenty, moving from her birthplace of Fort Worth, Texas to San Francisco, Mexico, France and New York City. She became briefly notorious in the last decade as the art blogger and provocateur, Pretty Lady, before the birth of her daughter Olivia inspired her to become a responsible citizen.
“’You Know How Many I Own?’ Black masculinity in Watch the Throne and in the Shifting Landscape of Hip Hop” by Anthony Pratcher
The career-long efforts of Jay-Z and Kanye West to challenge common conceptions of black masculinity in commercial culture climax with their 2011 joint-album Watch the Throne. In their album, their exploration of physical and ideological spaces deemed non-normative for black men within commercially popular hip-hop articulate a revised aesthetic for racial authenticity. This re-articulation has privileged younger artists—like Drake, Kid Cudi, and J. Cole—with the freedom to explore and express identity in ways which were previously taboo in commercially popular hip-hop. However, despite some changes, continuities abound—most glaringly concerning the objectification of women—and capitalist accumulation remains central to their definition of manhood. So how much have things changed? How much have they stayed the same? In this talk, history student Anthony Pratcher II utilizes the lyrical content ofWatch the Throne to provide a foundation for further exploration into the relationship between authenticity, black masculinity, and capitalist misogyny in contemporary hip-hop.
Bio: Anthony Pratcher II is a third-year Ph. D. student from Arizona in the department of History at the University of Pennsylvania. He also enjoys basketball, reading, and playing guitar. He has spent the past twenty-four years engaging in a case study on black masculinity in contemporary American society.
Bio: I’ve been fortunate enough to work at the Monell Center for the past 14 years studying the psychology of the sense of smell while also pursuing an active musical career around the Philadalphia area and teaching psychology courses in the Music Education department at the University of the Arts. I’ll be entertaining everybody with my solo 6-string bass stylings via jazz standards, Beatles medleys, and some funky jams!
Nerd Nite No. 21! February 6, 2013
Guys: Philly Nerd Nite is turning 21 in February! We are celebrating with three nerdacious talks and one phenomenal juggler.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
doors at 6:30, show at 7:30
Frankford Hall at Frankford and Girard
$5 cover
For our twenty-first Nerd Nite, and the first one of 2013, we present for you:
“What’s Love Got to Do With It? – An inside look at avian amore!” by Carrie Ashley
Did you ever wonder how a penguin proposes or why a cowbird prefers to hit it and quit it? If so, you may want to get a hobby, but we also have the answers for you! Come explore the flamboyant, deadly, and neurotic world of bird love.
Bio: Carrie Ashley, Education Manager for PA Audubon, has spent her adult life contemplating the birds and the bees and decided to cut her losses and just focus on the birds. PA Audubon’s mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity in Pennsylvania.
“NextGen: Humans, Automation, and the Future of Air Traffic Control” by Kenneth Allendorfer
Advances in information, communication, and navigation technology are driving major changes to the air transportation system in the US and around the world. These changes are intended to improve safety and efficiency, to reduce delays caused by bad weather and congestion, and to reduce the impact of aviation on the environment. The talk will discuss research examining at how these changes affect the humans in the system–the pilots and air traffic controllers–and how to create technological systems that improve rather than interfere with their performance.
Bio: Kenneth Allendoerfer is an engineering research psychologist with the Federal Aviation Administration, located at the William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City. He studies air traffic control, expertise and decision making, human error, and the design of technology for safety-critical domains.
“Dispatches from the Planet Enz” by Chris Cummins
In this talk, pop culture writer Chris Cummins will take you inside the weird and wonderful world of movie novelizations. From discussing the strange extraterrestrial origins of Gremlins featured in that film’s tie-in book to presenting readings from a few of the craziest film spin-off books, Cummins will open up your eyes to the bizarre literary offshoots of some of your favorite movies.
Bio: Chris Cummins is a Philadelphia-based writer who regularly contributes to Geekadelphia and Topless Robot. He also runs the blogs Hibernation Sickness, What’s Dave Kendall Wearing? and Songs of 1992, and co-hosts a monthly quizzo night at The Dive. When not writing about pop culture, he can usually be found obsessing over everything from Star Wars figures to forgotten shoegaze bands. You can follow him on Twitter at @bionicbigfoot.
And: Juggling by David Darwin!
Be there, be square and buy us a shot.
Nerd Nite No. 20! November 7, 2012
Nerds:
It’s going to get seriously cosmic in here. For our *twentieth* Philly Nerd Nite, we bring you the universe *and* a grammar maven. Don’t you dare split infinitives while pondering the infinite.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
doors at 6:30, show at 7:30
Frankford Hall at Frankford and Girard
$5 cover
The lectures at hand:
Derrick Pitts on Astronomy
Bio: Derrick Pitts is the Chief Astronomer at the Franklin Institute. Helping audiences all over the world better understand the mysteries of the universe since 1978, Pitts is a nationally recognized media commentator on issues in astronomy and space science. He is a NASA Solar System Ambassador and in 2010, he was one of the lead astronomers at the first-ever star party on the White House lawn.
“The Big Bang With Big Beers” by Sara Stanchfield
Cosmologists study the origin, evolution, and ultimate fate of our Universe. In order to do this we make use of an arsenal of tools that allow us to study the Universe from its very infancy through today, and even allow us to make predictions about the future. This presentation will explore some of these tools and the leading cosmological theories we aim to test, such as the Big Bang theory and the existence of dark energy.
Bio: Sara Stanchfield is a PhD student in physics at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research is in observational cosmology, where she is especially interested in the Cosmic Microwave Background and trying every beer Philadelphia has to offer at least once before she finishes her thesis.
“Words, Grammar Nerds, and the Riotous Joy of Language Evolution” by Sarah Grey
Grammar nerds all over the English-speaking world have read and loved Lynne Truss’s bestselling punctuation rant Eats Shoots & Leaves. But is there more to being a grammar nerd than just snottily correcting apostrophes at the grocery store? Freelance editor Sarah Grey, who punctuates for a living, thinks there is. She’ll take you on a whirlwind tour of the evolution of language from “me Tarzan” to LOLcats, celebrating the sheer sexy joy and the liberatory power of humanity’s greatest invention.
Bio: Sarah Grey is a freelance writer and editor with a small business, Grey Editing LLC (www.greyediting.com), where she applies her red pen to everything from history to erotica to Marxist theory. She lives in Fishtown with her husband Joe and almost-three-year-old daughter Lucia.
And featuring: Christopher Davis-Shannon playing blues and ragtime guitar. Dance music for the old at heart.
Be there and be square!
Nerd Nite No. 19, October 10, 2012
Guys,
What could be nerdier than hackers, donkeys and 3D printing all in one night? Only you holding a beer and listening to talks about these things. Just kidding. (Ok, not.)
The details:
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
doors at 6:30, show at 7:30
Frankford Hall
$5 cover
For your edification and amusement, we present:
“Join the Hackerspace Revolution.” by Georgia Guthrie
News flash: the hacker uniform is no longer limited to snarky black t-shirts, shorts, and mid-calf socks. Anyone can be a hacker today, and at The Hacktory we think everyone should be a hacker. In this presentation, we’ll talk about our definition of “hacking” (no, it doesn’t include stealing credit card numbers), the roots of the hackerspace movement, what we hack at The Hacktory, and why you might want to get involved. We will have a brief demo of a project we’re currently working on with Carbon Dance Theatre and the Immersive Kinematics lab at UPenn, and details about the most amazing Halloween party ever that we’re hosting this October.
Bio: Georgia Guthrie is the Director of The Hacktory, Philly’s first hackerspace and a Designer at the Action Mill. For the past three years she has worked to expand people’s notion of hacking by creating new partnerships that explore the intersection of art and technology with the likes of Design Philadelphia, the Fleisher Art Memorial, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, NextFab Studio, Breadboard, Public Workshop, and others. This year, under her direction, The Hacktory was awarded a Knight Arts Challenge grant to create a tech-arts apprenticeship program, and she was named Hacker of the Year by Geekadelphia.
“The Kunga: Solving the Riddle of this Royal Steed” by Jill Weber
Ancient authors wrote about the Kunga – a prized animal that pulled the chariots of kings and gods – in the 3rd millenium BC. But, was this donkey x wild half-ass hybrid real, or just propaganda for the State? Here, I recount my pusuit of this animal across the Syrian wilderness and through the maze of academic intrigue.
Bio: Jill Weber received her PhD in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006. This has allowed her to continue her travels to Syria, Turkey and Armenia – making many other stops and drinking lots of wine along the way. She opened Jet Wine Bar in Philadelphia in November of 2010, and continues to drink lots of wine!
“Modern Fabrication Techniques: Laser Cutters, Milling Machines + 3D Printers” by Adolphe Alexander
In this age of computing labor intensive processes of fabrication are being handed over to machines. Compared to traditional machining, computer-aided manufacturing increases productivity, precision and safety of the human-operator. This presentation will explore the current capabilities and the future potential of various automated manufacturing processes.
Bio: Adolphe Alexander is a researcher, designer and engineer who specializes in fabrication of electronic and mechanical devices. He has a decade of experience developing test-equipment for civilian, military and commercial research facilities including CERN, JPL and Seagate. His current set of interests focus on radio-frequency amplification, aquaponics and geological illumination.
And featuring music by The Missing Keys
Drawing on an eclectic collection of influences, The Missing Keys have combined elements of Rock, Blues, Jazz and Psychedelia(!) into a sound that stands tall on even the most eclectic shows.
BE THERE AND BE SQUARE.
Nerd Nite No. 18, September 19, 2012
Hey guys!
Oktoberfest is here! We at Nerd Nite are amped up to celebrate it with you in as nerdy a way as possible.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
doors at 7:00, show at 7:30
Frankford Hall at Frankford & Girard
$5 cover
On tap:
Bio: Zach Langley is a Ph. D. candidate in American Studies at Penn State Harrisburg, focusing on Folk Life and American History. He is a emerging expert on Pennsylvania Dutch culture and Pennsylvania History. His pending dissertation is focused on the effects of the rise of industrialized culture and modern class structures during the Victorian Era on Pennsylvania Dutch identity. He is also the Director of Education for The Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation in Media, Pennsylvania.
“How Dolley Madison Helped Bring German Beer to America… Connecting historic beer technology with other facets of American food history.” by Trevor McElroy
Pennsylvania has the country’s oldest brewery and ice cream company, but have you ever wondered how people were able to enjoy ice cream or a cold lager before refrigerators? Or did you know cider, olive oil, and wine were produced using pretty similar methods throughout colonial America? This talk will discuss the connections between historic American beer, cider, and food technologies and how you can see the remains now.
Bio: Trevor McElroy is a Philly tour guide and “free lance historian”. He gives all types of tours in and around Philly, and has been a guide at Bartram’s Garden for a several years. He is also an Association of Phila. Tour Guides (APT) certified guide and board member.
“Water in America: What we can do to save our freshwater and what Great Lakes Brewing Co does to help.” by Mark Weinmann
Bio: Mark Weinman is the regional sales manager for Great Lakes Brewery. People appreciate him for his love of beer and soccer but resent him for graduating from St. Joes. He lives in Philly with his wife and daughter, and he knows a lot about water and isn’t afraid to admit it.
Don Bitterlich began playing the accordion at age seven and has hooked ever since. During his college years Don balanced his love of accordion and playing on Temple University’s soccer and football teams. He went on to play professionally for the Seattle Seahawks before returning to the Philadelphia region, performing accordion sets as often as he can.
Nerd Nite No. 17, August 8, 2012
Dear Nerds,
Join us for the August edition of Nerd Nite. It will be creepy, crawly, delicious and magical!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
doors at 7:00, show at 7:30
Frankford Hall at Frankford & Girard
$5 cover
On tap for you:
Worrying about bed bugs? Not sure how to find them or what damage they cause? Have them and need to get rid of them? Come to Dina’s talk to get informed. Get all the bed bug basics that can fit into a 20 minute talk, plus learn about a new bed bug detection tool.
Bio: Dina Richman has been with FMC Professional Solutions R&D in Philadelphia for almost 10 years where she is the pest segment product development manager. Dina has been involved with a variety of research projects, ranging from ant control to wasp control to bed bug detection. Before FMC, Dina completed a Masters degree in entomology focusing on flea control and a Ph.D. focusing on using building construction to control subterranean termite infestations. Both degrees were earned from the University of Florida. While at FMC, Dina also completed an MBA program, earning that degree from Drexel University. Oh, and she loves bugs. She presently lives in Kensington with her three big dogs.
“Grow. Cook. Teach.” by Danny Gerber
Danny has been teaching nutrition in Philadelphia for the past 18 years and he’ll be sharing some of some of the hands-on, interactive food systems lessons developed at the Urban Nutrition Initiative over this time. Along with some stories from the field, this workshop will provide an overall picture of what’s wrong with our food system and how you can get involved in the movement to transform it. Time permitting there will be an awesome hands-on food prep demonstration with opportunities for audience participation!
“How the $%@# Did You Do That? (Why Magic Tricks Work Best on Smart People)” by Francis Menotti
We always ask how magic tricks work. Perhaps a more pertinent question is why they do. Grab a drink, watch some magic, then learn a bit about psychology of misdirection and deception that magicians use to fool your senses. Maybe even learn a trick or two in the process!
Francis Menotti does the impossible. OK… he creates the illusion thereof. A full-time magician based out of Philadelphia, Menotti also writes, creates and directs magic for other magicians, theatre, film and television. Steve Martin calls his work “very clever,” and Teller has referred to him as “the future of magic,” but what do they know?
And featuring: magic by Francis Menotti and music by Carol Cleveland Sings