September, 1996
EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED
Chip Denman, University of Maryland Statistician
Ever have a weird coincidence that seemed so unlikely that you were
tempted to call it psychic? University of Maryland statistician Chip Denman
will discuss the way we perceive and misperceive chance events, and the
role of mathematical thinking in the scientific process.
Saturday, September 21, 1996, 2:00pm -- 3:30pm
Bethesda Library,
7400 Arlington Road,
Bethesda, Maryland
Free Admission; All Welcome - Members and Nonmembers
Call the NCAS Skeptic
Line at 301-587-3827 for further info.
NCAS Movie Night
Friday, September 20, 8 p. m. -- Chip and Grace Denman again
invite NCAS members and their guests to join them for movies that skeptics
can laugh at. They will supply the popcorn and sodas; bring anything else
you would like to share. Some suitable flick of aliens or other beings
from the '50s or '60s will be on the agenda.
Space is limited, so be sure to call the NCAS line by
Wednesday, September 18 to reserve a spot and to obtain directions.
Free Email Accounts
If your computer runs Windows 3.1 or 95 and you have
a modem (9600 or better), you can now get a
totally FREE INTERNET EMAIL account for sending and receiving
unlimited email using a local, toll-free telephone number. Of course, we
hope you will use it to subscribe to the NCAS email list, which
carries ADVANCE editions of the monthly "Shadow of a Doubt" and
other information of timely interest to members. What's the catch?
This is an advertisment-based service. The program puts unobtrusive and
teasers on the screen (not in your sent or received email), which you are
free to read or ignore, without interfering in any way with your use of
the program. Also, during registration you will be asked "consumer profile"
questions. If you'd like to try it, with no obligation, send a request
to Gary Stone, NCAS VP; ATTN: EMAIL DISKS, PO Box 3217, Laurel, MD 20709-3127.
Please indicate that you are an NCAS member and enclose $1 for a
virus-free copy of the registration disk and postage. You may freely copy
and share the disk, but our mail offer is for NCAS members only. NCAS is
not in any way affiliated with nor compensated
by the company JUNO, which is marketing this service.
NCAS BOARD -- 1996-1997
Grace Denman, President
Gary Stone, Vice President
Herb Federhen, Treasurer
Marv Zelkowitz, Secretary
Chip Denman, Spokesman
Carol Krol, Skeptical Eye Editor
Board
Alfred Baer
Michael Epstein
Tom Hartnett
Joe Himes
Paul Jaffa
Patti Maslinoff
Pamela O'Neill
Sean O'Neill
Eugene Ossa
Walter Rowe
Jamy Ian Swiss
NCAS 1996-97 SCHEDULE
Our 1996-97 programs will take place at the Bethesda Branch of the
Montgomery County Library, 7400 Arlington Road, a short walk from the
Bethesda Metro ststion. Meetings begin at 2 pm and last about one and a half
hours:
September 21, 1996
October 19, 1996
November 16, 1996
December 21, 1996
January 18, 1997
Febrary 15, 1997
March 22, 1997
April 19, 1997
May 17, 1997
June 21, 1997
All dates are Saturday.
WIRE UP YOUR SCHOOL
Please consider lending an hour or so of your time on the weekend of
September 27-29 to help your neighborhood public school get wired to the
INTERNET. The State of Maryland is sponsoring "Maryland Net Weekend"
to organize volunteers willing to help string wire, etc. at schools all
across the state to help hook them up the the INTERNET.
** No technical experience is required, as was demonstrated in recent
newspaper photos showing Maryland Governor Glendening pulling wires through
the ceiling of public school.
** If this project interests you, PLEASE CALL 1-888 828-2468 ASAP to
register so the County coordinator can contact you in about 1 week to
schedule your time to help with INTERNET installation at whatever
public school you specify. While you are at the school, whether or
not you have children in school, ask how you can join the PTA (usually
about $10/year), as a way of learning how else you
might contribute to quality education, the bulwark of a rational society.
Last Change: September 7, 1996