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Nerd Nite 24: (What’s so Nerdy about) Sex, Love, and Understanding

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Nerd Nite 24 will take place on February 12th, just in time to talk about Valentine’s Day topics. We are also pairing with Read Across Lawrence for our first presentation.

On February 12th at Pachamama’s Alton Ballroom (doors at 7 pm, presentations at 8 pm) the topics will be:

Stephanie Scurto
“The Myth of White Picket Fences: The American dream confronted in Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson.”

Bio and description coming soon!

Gina L. Egan, PhD
“No Means No: Shining light on violence against women and how hope and healing persevere.”

One Billion Women on this planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime! That is 1 in 3 women! This statistic is alarming and the fact that it is true is not acceptable. Violence against women is not a “women’s issue”; it is a HUMAN issue. It affects women and men, girls and boys. It is time to end it, but what can we possibly do? V-Day is a global movement dedicated to ending violence against women and girls locally and globally. Gina will explore this issue and show what V-Day is doing in the effort to end this violence.

Gina is a new activist and feminist (still trying to be ok with this label) but has jumped in with both feet in the past year or so. Her passion comes from a newly-nurtured but deep-rooted belief that everything and everyone on this planet is connected and should be valued. It is from this place that she finds incentive to be a new board member of the United Nations Association of Greater Kansas City, a co-chair of the Women’s affinity group of the UNA-GKC, producer of the annual V-Day event and its auxiliary event One Billion Rising at JCCC, co-organizer of the one day conference at JCCC “Local Peacebuilding: Lessons from Uganda,” and speaker on the issue of violence against women and the V-Day movement. And now for something completely different: Gina is an Assistant Professor of Science at Johnson County Community College, and she earned her PhD in chemistry from The Pennsylvania State University in 2001. She also was a forensic chemist for the FBI Laboratory Division in Quantico, VA, but that just feels like a past life now.

Mike Anderson
“Idioms, currencies, and fantasies: An exploration into the tenants of relational satisfaction”

The world is full of popular myths about what makes romantic relationships work. The goal of this presentation is to help seperate fact from fiction in the realm of relational satisfaction. Citing both quantitative and qualitative studies, this presentation will provide the listener with the most up-to date research on how to increase both relational and sexual satisfaction in their romantic relationships. While there is no magic pill or equation to a successful relationship, research has shown several commonalities that seperate the successful relationships from the unsuccessful. With topics ranging from nicknames to sexual fantasies, every listener will go home with several ideas on how to better enhance and maintain their current or future romantic relationships.

Mike Anderson received both his Masters and Ph.D. from the University of Kansas in the Communication Studies department. Mike’s emphasis was on sexual communication and taboo topics in romantic relationships. Mike’s dissertation focused on the role of sexual fantasies in the realm of both relational and sexual satisfaction in romantic couples. He obtained 500 sexual fantasies for this project. Mike’s work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, academic books, and peer-reviewed journals. His most recent work on the communication of past sexual experiences in romantic relationships was published in the Journal of Sex Research. At KU Mike taught classes in public speaking, persuasive speaking, problem solving in teams and groups, behavioral research methods, and relational communication. Currently, Mike is the host of the Not So Late Show, a late night talk show on WOW’s Channel 6. The show has received several awards, and in 2012 Mike was named “The Most Interesting Character in Small Town America” by Readers Digest.

Nerd Nite 23: Cracking Cultural Codes

We’re back! A new year brings lots of new knowledge from fellow nerds!

Join us for our first event of 2014 on January 15th at Pachamama’s Alton Ballroom. As always doors open at 7 pm and presentations start at 8 pm.

At NN 23: Cracking Cultural Codes we will explore myths surrounding dieting, video game culture, and solving the Soma puzzle! Our presenters this month are:

Josh Feldman:
“Power-ups and ammo crates, or how I saved the World today: the allure of modern video games and how this fringe cultural phenomenon turned into a titan of the entertainment industry”

To the average person, video games fall somewhere between D&D and Sudoku on the cultural spectrum; at best, they are seen as entertaining diversions, and at worst they are viewed with scorn and fear as the progenitors of violence and moral depravity. The purpose of this talk is to shed some light on how gamers view themselves and their culture, and show non-gamers how video games have changed since Mario, and explore how these changes have made games such a cultural powerhouse.

Josh through he’d basically grown out of video game addiction in college, but as it turns out he was wrong. He now spends his days managing a geology lab at KU and his nights trying to be as productive as he can before succumbing to the siren call of his favorite game.

Kate Lambourne:

“Dieting Myths and Big Fat Lies”

Description and bio coming soon.

John Brewer:
“From Heisenberg to Parker Brothers: Cracking the Soma Treasure Map”

How a seven piece cube ate my life. A puzzle nerd comes out of the closet to reveal 35 years of research into his favorite obsession.

John Brewer has been writing computer manuals, composing music, folding paper, and cooking for his family for the last 38 years. He also loves long-distance walking, teaching himself Italian, and drinking box wine.

End of the Year Survey!

There’s been a lot going on at Nerd Nite this year… Lots of wonderful presentations, Pachamama’s awesome event space, live action performances, and three new co-bosses! We want to keep Nerd Nite great for 2014 so we are asking for your help in filling out this short survey about Nerd Nite. You can find the survey here

Thanks for your help and for a great year!

Nerd Nite 22: Ready to Rumble

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For this month’s Nerd Nite on November 13th we will have two presentations about fake fighting and one about the real fight to save the Prairie Chicken. So jump into the ring at the Alton Ballroom at Pachamamas Restaurant and Star Bar!

Doors at 7:00, presentations at 8:00. $1 cover.

Presentations include:

Handlers, Heels, and Ham-and-Eggers: The Supporting Characters of Wrestling Kayfabe
by Peter Lyrene

“Handlers, Heels, & Ham-and-Eggers” is a presentation on the ring-side supporting characters of professional wrestling’s golden age, as well as an exploration of wrestling kayfabe– the portrayal of written rivalries and staged events as absolute truth– and the extreme lengths to which these outlandish figures will go to avoid breaking character… no matter how ridiculous the “character” may be.

Peter Lyrene is a freelance writer and stand-up comic. He hosts Comedy Freakout at Frank’s North Star Tavern, and has contributed to Lawrence.com, The Not So Late Show, and KJHK. He was raised by comic books and television.

The Quest to Rescue the King of the Plains: How to Really Save the Prairie Chicken
by Paul Dietz

Paul Dietz is a polynerd energy economist who craves the great outdoors, liberal arts, science, and math. He’s happiest when he experiences all of them simultaneously while engaging in activities like helping to save the prairie chicken. A Lawrencian by choice, Paul doesn’t think social intercourse is a dirty as it sounds and enjoys being a shameless flaneur.

Dagorhir: From Serf to Iron Chancellor
by Elwood Schaad

Dagorhir is a nationally organized full-contact Medieval combat sport, using safely padded weapons to simulate a variety of fighting styles. Elwood has been participating for a year and a half. He is currently Administrator for the Realm of Emberfeld, Lawrence’s regional chapter.

Elwood is a nerd about many things, but professionally he is a nerd about food, having worked in fine dining for over a decade. In his free time he plays any kind of game and enjoys every type of movie.

want to be the (co)boss?

Nerd Nite – Lawrence is on the hunt for a new co-boss.

the co-boss will recruit speakers, help speakers craft their presentations, and organize the monthly events along with others.

you must be
– committed to educating and entertaining the public consistent with the Nerd Nite global mission (http://nerdnite.com)
– eager to do the detailed planning work that make the nites work smoothly (sometimes smoothly!) and
– be comfortable presenting in front of crowds of adoring, local nerds

email travis at nerdnite.com if you’re interested!

Nerd Nite 21: Nerds to Know (And Who You Likely Don’t)

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At this month’s Nerd Nite we will take a look at some famous nerds in the art and literature world that it is very likely many people have never heard of.

Wednesday, October 9.

Pachamama’s Alton Ballroom

Doors at 7 pm, presentations at 8 pm

NEW THIS MONTH: $1 cover.

 

Rob Schulte: “This Family Is Cursed: a look into the familial plays of Sam Shepard.”

Once Sam Shepard evolved past his experimental plays, he dove directly into the home of the American f

amily. Using the idea of the downfall of the American Dream for the better part of 20 years, this is arguably the most intricate part of his career. Rob Schulte is a
graduate of KU with a degree in Theatre Arts. Shepard’s work clicked with Schulte once he was cast in the role as “The Old Man” in Fool For Love, and since then he has directed The God of Hell and The Tooth Of Crime (both Shepard plays) at non-traditional venues. Currently Schulte is working on directing Curse Of The Starving Class… if there’s a venue that will have him.

 

Meredith Moore: “William Morris: the unwitting forefather of hobbits, socialists and modern hipsters, not excluding Meredith”

Meredith Moore is a Kansas native, owner of the Wonder Fair Gallery in downtown Lawrence, KS, and is not affiliated with any book clubs. Other cabalistic nerd subcultures to which Meredith has belonged include Graduate School and the Secret Order of the Black Diamond. Most recently, Meredith has gleefully abandoned her formal Art History studies at KU in order to pursue

and promote alternative approaches to socially-minded arts organizing.

 

Jon Kaleugher: “The Zenith of Lounging: the story of Ray and Charles Eames”

“Ray is my wife, not my brother.” Charles once said.
They never delegated understanding in their decades of continuous work.
He was an architect who never got his license and she was a painter who never lost her eye.
The rest is history.

Nerd Nite 20: The Nerdy Dirty Thirties

 

After taking August off, we’re back in September, and this month, we’re part of Read Across Lawrence! The presentations will relate to the Dust Bowl (aka The Dirty Thirties), the subject of this year’s Read Across Lawrence book, Timothy Egan’s The Worst Hard Time.

NN20-flyerWe will be selling our special Nerd Nite pint glasses. Buy a glass and use it for any beer or cocktails from the bar!

Also, we’re going to have a raffle! because, RAFFLES! details soon!

Wednesday, Sept 11
Doors at 7PM, Presentations at 8PM
The Alton Ballroom at Pachamama’s (8th and New Hampshire)

featuring:

From one-ways to listers: The agricultural equipment that helped usher in the Dust Bowl by Beth Beavers

Considering her fascination with early American history (her dog’s name is Thomas Jefferson) and stern criticism of everything ever, it really shouldn’t have come as a surprise when Beth started her career fresh out of journalism school as a magazine editor who deals with history. The big surprise was that a girl from the suburbs fully embraced rural America by jumping head first into her position at Farm Collector and Gas Engine Magazine, magazines for collectors of antique farm equipment. (A segment of the population she wasn’t aware existed.) Three years later, she can happily jabber on about everything from 3-point hitches, the difference between swathers and combines, and farm practices of yesteryear that kept the world fed.

You Need a Continent Against Your Feet:’ The Dust Bowl and Eroded America by Kate Meyer

In the second half of the 1930s, the eroded landscape emerged as a subject that artists, writers, and scientists utilized to convey their anxieties about the current problems and uncertain future of America during the Depression. The loss of soil and the exodus of Dust Bowl migrants described in imagery and rhetoric from the period reveal the extent to which America was rooted in its imperiled Heartland. Kate will explore these themes, drawing upon her cred as an art historian and Kansas native, and promises to divulge just what the Dust Bowl has to do with Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz.

The Politics of Hard Times: American Populism and its Kansas Roots by Luke Wuhlford

Throughout American history, severe economic downturns have drawn out a strain of political thought that merely simmers below the surface during periods of prosperity. Indeed, populist movements have enjoyed their greatest success in American politics during the hardest of economic times. Although populism is an amorphous label that can be affixed to movements on both the right and left side of the political spectrum, the term populism is defined generally as a political movement that champions the common person against an elite and unfairly privileged ruling class. Despite its current conservative bent, Kansas can fairly be viewed as the cradle for some of the most progressive populist reform movements in American history. This presentation will provide a brief history of Kansas’ contribution to these movements, spanning from the Kansas Populists of the 1890’s to recent populist reform movements.

Luke Wohlford was born and raised in Kansas and he has lived in Lawrence for much of the last 12 years. He received his undergraduate degree in political science and his law degree from KU. Luke practices law in Topeka, and he spends his free time following KU sports, going to concerts, and consuming movies, literature and politics.

To RSVP on Facebook, click here.

Nerd Nite 19: Summer Shorts

it’s the heat of summer and we could all use a little break. So, on July 10, we’re trying something a little different. We’re ditching our normal format. Instead, we’ll have fifteen two minute presentations. Topics will range from famous authors to famous generals to famous librarians to some non-famous things too. This should be fun.

and, wear your shorts!

July 10. Alton Ballroom at Pachamama’s (8th and NH).
Doors at 7:00, Presentations at 8:00

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Nerd Nite 18: garbage, boobs and hot sauce

Nerd Nite 18 will be messy, spicy and leave you needing a napkin.

Wednesday, June 12 at the Alton Ballroom (8th and NH)

Doors at 7, Presentations at 8.

RSVP on Facebook

featuring:

Garbage 101: Everything you never knew about your own stinking garbage by Shelly McNerney

discussing the archaeology of garbage

Shelly’s flirted with the idea of being a nerd for years- whether working as a house painter (just an excuse to listen to NPR all day), teaching high school English (really just a blatant way to get paid for finding tricky symbolism in classic novels), or biding her time in various degree programs (she just likes hanging out in coffee shops).  It wasn’t until she began working as a high school librarian three years ago that she finally found a job that truly appreciates her big, beautiful, nerdy brain.  Regarding hers presentation, Shelly acknowledges that she isn’t a “classically” trained garbologist, but she’ll be making up for this deficiency with her abilities to read and take careful notes (and she may even bust out notecards!  Look for them!)

Oggles and Goggles: Viewing KU Boobs Through Feminism’s Many Lenses by Rachel Smalter Hall

On February 25, 2012, a mysterious twitter photo surfaced tagged #kuboobs. More than a year later, the KU Boobs trend has swept colleges and universities nationwide in an astonishing trend that has been labelled both anti- and pro-feminist. From the Huffington Post to Feministing.com to Italy’s La Stampa, journalists are asking: is KU Boobs a tacit endorsement of rape culture? Or is it an empowering expression of 21st century Choice Feminism? Join one third wave feminist as she seeks to make sense of what KU Boobs means for feminism and why strong, smart, powerful women are broadcasting PG-13 selfies of their breasts in support of college basketball.

Rachel Smalter Hall is a public librarian and web developer whose feminist consciousness was first awakened as a tween when she snuck into her older sister’s secret stash of Cosmo magazines. These days she is a full grown third wave feminist, thanks in part to the small liberal arts college in St. Paul, MN, that fostered her feminist ideals under the guise of Hitchcock studies and gender theory. After living in Iowa, Minnesota, Vermont, and Rome, Rachel now lives in Lawrence Fucking Kansas where she’s a web content developer at nearby Johnson County Library and a regular contributor at BookRiot.com. When she’s not fulfilling her duties as a librarian, she can be found drinking PBR and spewing drunken edicts about third wave feminism with her co-ed book club. (She blames her curious affiliation with KU Boobs on local culture junket The Larryville Chronicles. It’s all Chip’s fault.)

Tabasco is for wimps. Welcome to the world of extreme hot sauce by Kevin Freese

Tabasco is a nice and cute, but this popular sauce is nothing compared to the hottest and nastiest sauces out there. This presentation will highlight those extreme sauces, how they came to be and how hot they can really be.

Kevin gave one of the most popular Nerd Nite presentations ever, clear back at Nerd Nite 2, on Scotch Whisky. He is a banker by day, and a hot sauce and scotch connoisseur by night, and also day.

Nerd Nite 16: Cults, Clubs & Secret Signals

This month we are going off the grid to clue you in to secret stuff happening all around you.
Wednesday, April 10. Doors at 7PM. Presentations at 8PM.
Alton Ballroom, Pachamama’s (8th and New Hampshire)

RSVP here on Facebook

featuring:

“Deprogramming America: Bob Dole and the Anti-Cult Movement of the 1970s” by Audrey Coleman

Although you could argue that politics is similarly dogmatic, Bob Dole – former presidential candidate, Senate Republican Leader, war veteran, and native Kansan – isn’t typically associated with cult activity. Yet in the 1970s, the Senator found it necessary to address the “cult phenomenon” at the highest levels of government. We’ll explore his activities – and those of infamous cults of the day – using archival collections found in the Dole Archives and Spencer Research Library.

Audrey Coleman, the Senior Archivist at the Dole Institute of Politics, loves Kansas and Kansans (and other places and people too – but they have to try harder). A newly-minted mom of two, this represents one of her first attempts to think on an adult level for an extended period of time.

“No comprende! It’s a riddle: The mysterious sounds of numbers stations” by Courtney Shipley

For over 40 years shortwave radio listeners have been reporting ghostly, unclaimed radio stations.Unacknowledged by any official agency, these strangely melodious number sequences have been delivering coded messages via radio wave for anyone to hear.

Courtney is a native Lawrencian who holds a degree in Slavic Languages and Literatures from the University of Kansas. She and her handsome husband have recently adopted two charming children from Russia. Although she’s seen more movies than human health should reasonably withstand, and in spite of her LEGENDARY collection of Garbage Pail Kids, this charter member of the celebrated PBR Bookclub will not consider herself a respectable nerd until she has presented at Lawrence Nerd Nite.

“The Not-So-Secret Society of the Hash House Harriers” by Chad ‘PoFo’ O’Bryhim

Hashing! It’s the underground society that mixes athleticism and sociability with hedonism and hard work. Since its humble hungover 1938 beginnings, worldwide growth and word-of-mouth gossip has made it the world’s largest running club. In that time, its use of symbols, language and song have given hashing a dynamic coded culture all its own. Come have a drink and learn why they prefer their trails shitty, their dresses red and their bush shiggy.

PoFo lacks any reputable certification to qualify himself as an expert on this topic or any other. He has, however, hashed across the continent, successfully founded new hash kennels, and generally talked his way out of bigger pickles. His enthusiasm and detailed passion for all things nerdy, secret, and debaucherous are qualifications enough.

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