I finally made it to one of the Science Pub lectures last night! Wow, it was a packed house; apparently they had gotten some recent publicity from OPB and the Oregonian, which led to a standing-room-only crowd. Thankfully, I arrived early enough to snag an empty seat at the bar where I could drink cider and fold dollar bills into plumerias and sea turtles until the lecture began.
A side note: Why does every bar in the area look at me funny when I order a hard apple cider? Hellew, WA State is just across the river, home to most excellent apples! You would think hard cider should be a regular drink in these parts, but instead I seem to be the only one quaffing. What’s up with that?
I was amused at the preamble of announcements before the lecture began. It included a brief sequence like, “blah, blah, blah… and if you’re interested in tonight’s topic, you might want to visit our website and check out our podcast, which includes a Q&A on the same subject. Looking forward in our calendar, the next Science Pub is Monday, February 26 and the topic is, “Will the iPod generation soon be deaf?”” I tell ya, it’s hard to be a satirist in today’s world.
The lecture last night was on stem cell research. The speaker was both a professor of biology as well as a lawyer, and so had some fascinating insights to offer. Most of the info was fairly introductory; on the science front all I picked up was some more precise definitions and terms, but the basic principles I already got. Of all things, what really interested me was a deeper discussion about the various objections to this research. Which is not to say I agree with those objections, but at least I understand them a little better.
And as always, I came away with an even greater awareness for the messed up contradictions in our own government policies. Sigh.
Still, it was a good time! I’ll definitely be trying to make the next one.
I thought I got there early enough to order a beer and a cup of soup, but it was packed by the time I arrived… they were turning people away’
Hard cider is yummy. One of my former coworkers makes cider as a side business.
I’m so glad you got to go! I missed this one.
I knew it! You’re avoiding me! 😉
i love cider – and whenever i can find woodpecker, i get it. a local bar (san jose area) used to carry it, but i don’t go there anymore, and i think they said they got it at bevmo anyhow, and bevmo doesn’t carry it. 🙁 otherwise i go for blackthorne or whatever they have on hand (except wyder’s, blech). the sweeter the better for me!
Sounds like it was worth the trip. Always good to get out and try new things.
Cider is good. I do feel like a girl when I order it, though.