June, 1997

SPRING COOKOUT
Hosted by Grace and Chip Denman

As the final get together for the 1996-97 season, Chip and Grace Denman invites NCAS to hold an afternoon cookout at their home in Silver Spring. Meet fellow skeptics for an enjoyable afternoon talking about skeptical, credulous, or other relevant or irrelevant topics.

NCAS will provide burgers and hotdogs (and the heat) for cooking. Bring beverages, snacks, salads or desserts to share.

Everyone should RSVP by June 18 in order to get a count of who's coming.

Saturday, June 21, 1997, 2:00pm -- ???
Near downtown Silver Spring, Maryland
Call the Skeptics Line at 301-587-3827 to let the Denmans know you are coming and to get directions.

Everyone Welcome -- Members and Non-members No admission charge

Call the NCAS Skeptic Line at 301-587-3827 for further info.

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE SUMMER

June 21st is our last meeting of this spring. NCAS takes the summer off (Not in being vigilant against the rise of pseudoscience in our culture, but in holding formal meetings!) and we will return in September for our next meeting.

1997--1998 SCHEDULE

Our meeting schedule has been organized for the next year. Meetings will take place in one of two Montgomery County Library locations:

-- Bethesda Branch, 7400 Arlington Road, a short walk from the Bethesda Metro station. (We try to schedule meetings here, but are not always successful.)

-- Davis Branch, 6400 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda. Unfortunately this is not near a Metro station.

The schedule is as follows:
September 20, 1997 Davis Branch February 21, 1998 Bethesda Branch
October 18, 1997 Bethesda Branch March 21, 1998 Davis Branch
November 15, 1997 Bethesda Branch April 18, 1998 Bethesda Branch
December 20, 1997 Bethesda Branch May 16, 1998 Bethesda Branch
January 17, 1998 Bethesda Branch June 20, 1998 Bethesda Branch

SKEPTICAL (?) TV

The following TV shows may be of interest:
June 19, 10pm -- Prophets of Doom, A&E cable network.
June 30, time ? -- "50 Years of Roswell Special" hosted by Star Trek's Jonathon Frakes, Sci-Fi cable network.

KIDS' SCIENCE THEORIES (continued from last issue)

The beguiling ideas about science quoted here were gleaned from essays, exams, and classroom discussions. Most were from 5th and 6th graders. They illustrate Mark Twain's contention that the "most interesting information comes from children, for they tell all they know and then stop."

There is a tremendous weight pushing down on the center of the Earth because of so much population stomping around up there these days.

Genetics explain why you look like your father and if you don't why you should.

We say the cause of perfume disappearing is evaporation. Evaporation get blamed for a lot of things people forget to put the top on.

Water vapor gets together in a cloud. When it is big enough to be called a drop, it does.

Humidity is the experience of looking for air and finding water.

Rain is often known as soft water, oppositely known as hail.

Rain is saved up in cloud banks.

In some rocks you can find the fossil footprints of fishes.

Cyanide is so poisonous that one drop of it on a dogs tongue will kill the strongest man.

A monsoon is a French gentleman.

Isotherms and isobars are even more important than their names sound.

It is so hot in some places that the people there have to live in other places.

Last Change: June 23, 1997