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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20190227T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20190227T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144659
CREATED:20190203T181835Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190203T232928Z
UID:5-1551295800-1551303000@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Mr Green And Mr Grey Cannot Visit Us Today
DESCRIPTION:Given the bewildering variety of life on Earth – all stemming from one self-replicating molecule – can we really predict what life on other worlds is like? Maybe not. But we can imagine what it isn’t like. \nStevyn Colgan has been involved with aliens for three decades. He’s held Jabba the Hutt’s face\, helped sculpt creatures for Bruce Willis to shoot at\, and had a script accepted for Doctor Who in the 1980s. In this entertaining talk\, you’ll hear about feuding gangs of scientists\, film directors with less imagination than children\, and the perils of concrete poo. You’ll also come to realise that if we really are intelligently designed\, the designer had no bloody idea what they were doing. \nStevyn Colgan is an author\, artist\, speaker and oddly-spelled Cornishman.
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/mr-green-and-mr-grey-cannot-visit-us-today/
LOCATION:Market House\, 30 Earl Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1PS\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20190115T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20190115T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144659
CREATED:20190203T192117Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190207T172000Z
UID:44-1547580600-1547587800@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:I'm A Joke And So Are You
DESCRIPTION:What better way to understand ourselves than through the eyes of comedians – those who professionally examine our quirks on stage daily? In this touching and witty book\, award-winning presenter and comic Robin Ince uses the life of the stand-up as a way of exploring some of the biggest questions we all face. Where does anxiety come from? How do we overcome imposter syndrome? What is the key to creativity? How can we deal with grief? \nInformed by personal insights from Robin as well as interviews with some of the world’s top comedians\, neuroscientists and psychologists\, this is a hilarious and often moving primer to the mind. But it is also a powerful call to embrace the full breadth of our inner experience – no matter how strange we worry it may be! \nRobin Ince is co-presenter of the award-winning BBC Radio 4 show\, The Infinite Monkey Cage. He has won the Time Out Outstanding Achievement in Comedy\, was nominated for a British Comedy Award for Best Live show and has won three Chortle Awards. He has toured his stand up across the world from Oslo to LA to Sydney\, both solo and with his radio double act partner\, Professor Brian Cox. He is the radio critic for the Big Issue and appears regularly on both television and radio. He has two top-ten iTunes podcast series to his name.
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/im-a-joke-and-so-are-you/
LOCATION:Market House\, 30 Earl Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1PS\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20181212T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20181212T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144659
CREATED:20190203T231244Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190203T233010Z
UID:52-1544643000-1544650200@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:How to be a Psychic Conman
DESCRIPTION:“Leicester’s answer to Derren Brown” – BBC Radio\n“The skills incorporated into the show [are] breath-taking … a highly impressive performance” – Bunbury Magazine \nRoll up! Roll up! Roll up! Gather ye round the traveling caravan\, as Snake Oil Salesman Ash Pryce demonstrates the miraculous curative abilities of psychic surgery\, taught to your humble trickster by a wise man in the Philippines (or a magicians tool book\, whichever sounds more wondrous). See with amazement the telekinetic forces at work as you learn how to move objects with your mind\, psychically manipulate your finest silverware and read the minds of your peers. Or maybe\, it’s all just a trick? \nThe show will involve demonstrations and explanations of telekinesis tricks\, metal bending\, psychic surgery and remote viewing as well as look at government funded research into psychic phenomena\, and the shoddy protocols that allowed “psychics” to beat the legendary Zener card experiments in the 1930s. \nAnd if that wasn’t enough\, interspersed throughout the show will be numerous on stage demonstrations of mentalism to add an extra layer of entertainment to the proceedings. \nStagetime Promotions Magician of the Year 2017\, and Edinburgh Horror Festival Sell out performer 2016\, 2017 and 2018. \nFind Ash on most social media as “Psychic Conman” and check out his website at \nwww.psychicconman.co.uk/ \nWarning to those on the front row… there will be blood! \n£5 on the night or in advance at: https://www.psychicconman.co.uk/product-page/how-to-be-a-psychic-conman-maidstone \n*Please note that this event will be held at Heart of Kent Hospice\, 15A King Street\, Maidstone\, next to the Heart of Flavour Hospice.* \n*Tea and Coffee will be provided\, other than that its byob*
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/how-to-be-a-psychic-conman/
LOCATION:Heart of Kent Hospice\, 15a\, King Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1BA
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20181122T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20181122T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144659
CREATED:20190203T234046Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190207T172025Z
UID:59-1542915000-1542922200@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Weird Science: An Introduction To Anomalistic Psychology
DESCRIPTION:Ever since records began\, in every known society\, a substantial proportion of the population has reported unusual experiences many of which we would today label as “paranormal”. Opinion polls show that the majority of the general public accepts that paranormal phenomena do occur. Such widespread experience of and belief in the paranormal can only mean one of two things. Either the paranormal is real\, in which case this should be accepted by the wider scientific community which currently rejects such claims; or else belief in and experience of ostensibly paranormal phenomena can be fully explained in terms of psychological factors. This presentation will provide an introduction to the sub-discipline of anomalistic psychology\, which may be defined as the study of extraordinary phenomena of behaviour and experience\, in an attempt to provide non-paranormal explanations in terms of known psychological and physical factors. This approach will be illustrated with examples relating to a range of ostensibly paranormal phenomena. \nBiog: Professor Chris French is the Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology Department at Goldsmiths\, University of London. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry\, as well as being a Patron of the British Humanist Association and a member of the Scientific and Professional Advisory Board of the British False Memory Society. He has published over 130 articles and chapters covering a wide range of topics within psychology. His main area of research is the psychology of paranormal beliefs and anomalous experiences. He frequently appears on radio and television casting a skeptical eye over paranormal claims\, as well as writing for the Guardian and The Skeptic magazine which\, for more than a decade\, he also edited. His most recent books are Why Statues Weep\, co-edited with Wendy Grossman\, Anomalistic Psychology\, co-authored with Nicola Holt\, Christine Simmonds-Moore\, and David Luke\, and Anomalistic Psychology: Exploring Paranormal Belief and Experience co-authored with Anna Stone.
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/weird-science-an-introduction-to-anomalistic-psychology/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20181029T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20181029T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144659
CREATED:20190207T164443Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190207T164532Z
UID:81-1540841400-1540848600@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Circular Reasoning: The Rise Of The Flat Earth Belief
DESCRIPTION:In 2013\, when Michael Marshall first interviewed the Vice President of the Flat Earth society for his show Be Reasonable\, people could scarcely believe that anyone could genuinely think the Earth was flat. Five years later\, Flat Earth belief has gone mainstream\, spawning thousands of hours of YouTube videos\, gaining widespread international media coverage\, and attracting countless followers. How did we get here? \nIn this talk\, Marshall will talk through his experiences of the Flat Earth movement\, take a look at the leaders and some of their reasoning\, and report back from the weekend he spent at the UK’s first ever Flat Earth convention. \nMichael Marshall is the Project Director of the Good Thinking Society and the Vice President of the Merseyside Skeptics Society. He regularly speaks with proponents of pseudoscience for the Be Reasonable podcast. His work has seen him organising international homeopathy protests\, going undercover to expose psychics and quack medics\, and co-founding the popular QED conference. He has written for the Guardian\, The Times and New Statesman. \n£6 on the door with extra raised after costs going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/circular-reasoning-the-rise-of-the-flat-earth-belief/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20180903T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20180903T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144659
CREATED:20190208T210440Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190208T210440Z
UID:109-1536003000-1536010200@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Separating Fact and Fiction In Hypnosis
DESCRIPTION:Hypnosis is a valuable method for studying different facets of conscious awareness yet it continues to be one of the most misrepresented and misunderstood phenomenon in psychology. Here I will dispel widespread myths and misconceptions about hypnosis and describe what psychologists\, neuroscientists\, and clinicians have learned about this fascinating phenomenon. \nDevin Terhune is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Goldsmiths\, University of London where he studies conscious awareness and its top-down regulation. His primary interests concern the neurocognitive basis of time perception and individual differences in hypnotic suggestibility. \n£5 on the night to cover costs with extra raised going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/separating-fact-and-fiction-in-hypnosis/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20180809T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20180809T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144659
CREATED:20190208T210556Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190208T210556Z
UID:110-1533843000-1533850200@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:People vs Tech: How The Internet Is Killing Democracy (and how we can save it)
DESCRIPTION:Jamie will talk about his new book ‘The People Vs Tech’\, which argues there is a looming war between democracy and digital technology. He will explain what Cambridge Analytica did during the Trump election – and whether it made a difference – and suggest that democracies are being slowly undermined by the internet. Jamie will also set out what needs to be done to avoid the drift into techno-authoritarianism. \nCopies of Jamie’s latest book will be available for purchase at the event and he will be happy to sign copies upon request. \nJamie Bartlett is the Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at the think-tank Demos\, where he specialises in online social movements and the impact of technology on society. He is also author of the best selling book The Dark Net and a regular commentator on national and international media outlets. \n£5 on the door with extra raised going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/people-vs-tech-how-the-internet-is-killing-democracy-and-how-we-can-save-it/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20180723T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20180723T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144659
CREATED:20190208T210707Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190208T210707Z
UID:111-1532374200-1532381400@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Politalks 1- Is Anti Semitism A Problem In The Labour Party
DESCRIPTION:A few people wanted to delve into politics\, so bit of a break from the usual sciencey subjects. Going forward we’re going to get as many people from\nacross the political spectrum as possible to discuss local\, national and historical issues. No speaker\, just a group discussion. \nFirst requested topic was Anti Semitism in Labour. \n£3 on the night to cover costs with any extra going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/politalks-1-is-anti-semitism-a-problem-in-the-labour-party/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20180709T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20180709T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144659
CREATED:20190208T211147Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190208T211147Z
UID:112-1531164600-1531171800@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:The Psychology of Vaccine Acceptance\, Hesitancy\, and Denial
DESCRIPTION:Recent data from the World Health Organisation has indicated a fourfold increase in cases of measles in 2017 compared to previous year (from 5273 to 21 315 cases) across the European region (www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre/sections/press- releases/2018/europe-observes- a-4- fold- increase-in- measles-cases- in-2017- compared-to- previous-year). These cases subsequently lead to hundreds of hospitalisations\, and 35 recorded deaths. While some of these cases were in those too young to be vaccinated\, or those that had other health concerns that made vaccination inadvisable\, the majority of the cases were in people who had actively made a choice to avoid immunisation. \nThe reasons why an individual may refuse a vaccine backed by extremely strong safety and efficacy evidence are wide ranging and complex. In this talk\, Richard will introduce you to the concept of Vaccine Hesitancy and explain how\, risk perception\, uncertainty\, social influence and above all trust plays a role in vaccine delay\, selection and refusal. \nSpeaker: Richard Clarke is a health psychologist and 3rd year PhD candidate with The Vaccine Confidence Project (www.vaccineconfidence.org/) based at The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The academic field of vaccination is very wide\, Richard’s area of expertise focuses on the social science related to vaccine delivery. For all things vaccine science please visit The Vaccine Knowledge Project at vk.ovg.ox.ac.uk/ \n£5 on the door to cover costs with any extra raised going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/the-psychology-of-vaccine-acceptance-hesitancy-and-denial/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20180604T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20180604T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190208T211420Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190208T211420Z
UID:113-1528140600-1528147800@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:How To Be Reasonable: By Someone Who Tried Everything Else
DESCRIPTION:Most of us weren’t born reasonable. We were born into a superstitious culture with only our ramshackle primate brains to try and figure out what’s going on. Reason\, an appreciation for evidence and critical thinking skills are virtues that most of us had to fight for and that we have to work hard to keep up in difficult situations. \nRebecca is no exception\, she grew up believing many strange things and has had to train herself to think critically. Instead of being embarrassed by our former beliefs Rebecca thinks it is important to have compassion for and interest in what we used to believe and why we believed it. Instead of feeling shame for having been wrong\, we should be proud that we had the courage to overturn beliefs that proved to be wrong. \nIn this talk Rebecca will discuss who she was before\, and after she “became reasonable” and overturn the myth that there is such a thing as “perfectly reasonable” we are all\, after all\, a work in progress. \nRebecca is passionate about skeptical education because she has found the tools of skepticism to be profoundly empowering. Learning to think clearly has made her safer\, more confident and happier. Drawing on her experience as a skeptical educator and comic book artist she will present some ideas that will help you improve your critical thinking skills and the way you think about how you think. \nHere’s a link to Rebecca’s website: http://rebeccaonpaper.com/ \n£5 on the door to cover costs with any extra raised going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/how-to-be-reasonable-by-someone-who-tried-everything-else/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20180514T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20180514T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190208T211932Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190208T211932Z
UID:114-1526326200-1526333400@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Philosophy\, Schools and British Values
DESCRIPTION:Alex Farrow is a philosophy teacher and stand-up comedian who will be exploring what he learnt from teaching philosophy in a 6th form college to Muslim and Christian teenagers in East London \nWhat place do philosophy and skepticism have in the school classroom? \nWhat is the “British values agenda” and are British values under attack? \nWhat is the role of the teacher in creating\, challenging and shaping the ethical and social opinions of young people? \nAlex has been invited to perform stand-up comedy about philosophy everywhere from Mervyn Stutter’s pick of the Edinburgh Fringe\, the National Museum of Scotland\, music festivals\, comedy clubs around the UK and the Oxford University Teaching Awards. He was also Farmington Fellow at Harris Manchester College\, Oxford in 2015 researching Philosophy in Schools \nHe is the host of Jericho Comedy Oxford. Jericho Comedy raised £8\,700 for the mental health charity Oxfordshire Mind last year for more information about them visit http://www.jerichocomedy.com/ \n“witty\, positive and talented” – DailyInfo Oxford “An engaging and entertaining pairing of learning and good humour!” – **** The Latest\, Brighton \n£5 on the door to cover costs with any extra raised going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/philosophy-schools-and-british-values/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20180130T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20180130T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190209T124618Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190209T124618Z
UID:115-1517340600-1517347800@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:January Meetup
DESCRIPTION:The idea of having a social night was brought up\, so to have a bit of a break in routine I thought it would be good to meet and chat and see what topics people might want to have talks on in the future. \nFree to attend so just come as you are 🙂
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/january-meetup/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20171127T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20171127T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190209T171734Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190209T171734Z
UID:116-1511811000-1511818200@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:We Do Things Differently
DESCRIPTION:Our systems are failing. Old models – for education\, healthcare and government\, food production\, energy supply – are creaking under the weight of modern challenges. As the world’s population heads towards 10 billion\, it’s clear we need new approaches. Futurologist Mark Stevenson sets out to find them\, across four continents.\nFrom Brazilian favelas to high tech Boston\, from rural India to a shed inventor in England’s home counties\, We Do Things Differently travels the world to find the advance guard re-imagining our future. At each stop\, he meets innovators who have already succeeded in challenging the status quo\, pioneering new ways to make our world more sustainable\, equitable and humane. \nMark has also written for The Times\, The Wall Street Journal\, The Guardian\, Intelligent Life\, The Irish Times\, The Irish Independent\, The Daily Telegraph\, and The New Statesman. His key skill is an ability to take complex or abstract concepts and make them understandable by non-specialists without trivialising the subject matter. \nMark is also an occasional comedy writer. His work has been performed on Radio 4 and his play (co-written with Jack Milner) Octopus Soup comes to London in January 2018. \n£5 on the door to cover costs with any extra going to the Against Malaria Foundation
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/we-do-things-differently/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20171005T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20171005T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190209T171429Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190209T171547Z
UID:118-1507231800-1507239000@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Are Discovering New Antibiotics Fast Enough?
DESCRIPTION:John Broughall\, (pronounced as in a pub “brawl”)\, will discuss the issue of why the antibiotic development pipeline has dried up: what are the problems and why the pharmaceutical industry is not investing in research and development to produce new compounds. Multi-drug antibiotic resistance has been recognised as a global threat to health yet the solutions to this issue are not obvious\, the current commercially driven pharmaceutical process does not appear fit for purpose. The potential implications for health care in the future could be devastating and unfortunately antibiotic resistant bacteria do not recognize national boundaries. \nJohn is a PhD microbiologist who has spent most of his career in the diagnostics industry including the development of rapid and automated methods for use in microbiology laboratories. Latterly he has worked in the medical departments of two major pharmaceutical companies focusing on both antibiotics and also new oncology compounds\, he now runs his own consultancy business and gives talks on the issue of antibiotic resistance. \n£5 on the door to cover costs\, with extra raised going to The Against Malaria Foundation\, where 100% of the money raised goes towards insecticidal nets\, and who are the top rated charity at Givewell\, The Life You Can Save\, and Giving What You Can.
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/are-discovering-new-antibiotics-fast-enough/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20170704T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20170704T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190209T171247Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190209T171247Z
UID:119-1499196600-1499203800@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Effective Altruism- Giving with Reason
DESCRIPTION:Effective Altruism is the idea behind a growing movement of philosophy\, science and evidence minded individuals with a passion to doing as much good as they possible can. Effective Altruism involves using a combination of the head (reason\, logic and evidence) and the heart (empathy/compassion) to systematically fight towards making the world a better place for all that live in it. As skeptics we apply critical thinking to a wide range of topics in our everyday lives however our charity and altruistic behaviours often gets a free pass. In this talk we will explore why this is the case and how a few small choices in your life can have life changing positive impact on someone else’s. \nRichard Clarke is a health psychologist and skeptic currently conducting a PhD in the area of information seeking and vaccine hesitancy with the Vaccine Confidence Project (http://www.vaccineconfidence.org/about/#team) based at The London School of Hygiene and Tropical medicine and due to the reasoning behind Effective Altruism in 2014 he decided to pledge 10% of his income over the course of his life time to charities that are likely to have the most impact in the world. \n£5 on the door to cover costs with the rest going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/effective-altruism-giving-with-reason/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20170606T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20170606T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190209T171109Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190209T171109Z
UID:120-1496777400-1496784600@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Neuro Myths In Education
DESCRIPTION:One of the most persistent edumyths is learning styles – the idea that there are a number of styles of learning\, such as visual\, aural or kinaesthetic – and that certain children respond better if teaching is directed towards their preferred learning style. Another used to be “brain gym” – the idea that rubbing key parts of your body could wake your brain up or drinking water gives you energy. \nLots of other edumyths abound – but why do people believe them? Why have we rejected Father Christmas but cling on to the idea that we only use 10% of our brains? In this talk we begin to explore what we believe\, why we believe and how sometimes even direct evidence isn’t enough. \nJames Williams graduated in Geology and trained as a science teacher at the University of London. He then taught science in London and Surrey. He is now a lecturer in education at the University of Sussex. \nIn 2006 he filmed a six-part TV history/reality series for Channel 4 called ‘That’ll teach ’em’\, taking the role of the deputy head and housemaster in the fictional Charles Darwin school teaching 30 teenagers 1950s style. \nHis research interests currently revolve around teachers and their knowledge and understanding of the nature of science’ and the scientific method. This leads to work on a better understanding of the ‘Working Scientifically’ approach in the new National Curriculum and public examinations. He also researches the teaching of evolution and the issues surrounding creationism in schools. \n£5 on the door to cover expenses with any extra going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/neuro-myths-in-education/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20170516T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20170516T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190209T170853Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190209T170853Z
UID:121-1494963000-1494970200@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:The Dark Net
DESCRIPTION:THIS TALK WILL NOW BE ON THE 16TH OF MAY The dark net is an underworld that stretches from popular social media sites to the most secretive corners of the encrypted web. It is a world that frequently appears in newspaper headlines but one that is little understood\, and rarely explored. \nFor his book The Dark Net Jamie Bartlett spent two years immersed in some of the internet’s most shocking and secretive sub-cultures: spending time in secretive ‘trolling’ forums\, interviewing illegal pornographers\, buying drugs from the notorious ‘Silk Road’\, following bitcoin enthusiasts\, attending live internet sex shows\, and hanging out with neo-Nazis. \nIn his talk\, Jamie will suggest they are not as they seem. They are shocking and disturbing\, but often extremely innovative. He will discuss the truth of how these internet subcultures work\, who is part of them\, and what we can learn from them. He will also discuss the problems of meeting and writing about some of the internet’s most hated people. \nJamie is Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at the think-tank Demos. His primary research interests are: new political movements and social media research and analysis\, internet cultures and security and privacy online. The Dark Net was shortlisted for The Political Award and longlisted for The Orwell Prize. His next book Radicals (Random House) about new radical social and political movements will be released in Spring 2017. \n£5 on the door to cover costs with any extra going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/the-dark-net/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20170404T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20170404T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190209T170747Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190209T170747Z
UID:122-1491334200-1491341400@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Socionics
DESCRIPTION:Socionics was formed in the 1970’s and 80’s by Lithuanian psychologist\, Ausra Augustinaviciute and developed from the work of Carl Jung. It is a theory of personality type that focuses on the concept of information metabolism\, i.e. that people finitely vary in terms of how they process different kinds of information. It details 16 different ‘types of information metabolism’ which contribute to our strengths and weaknesses\, as well as values and motivations. These different types can interact with each other\, producing a range of relationships from harmonised to conflicting.Jack Oliver Aaron is a UK-based socionist and founder of the World Socionics Society\, a group dedicated to education and forming communities of interest in the theory\, as well as running regular meetup groups in London. He has an MSc in Occupational Psychology and is a member of the British Psychological Society. Jack is trying to introduce Socionics to western practitioners as a valuable alternative to popular theories of personality type\, such as the MBTI\, while looking at how such theories can be used more responsibly and made more falsifiable. \nIn this talk\, Jack will be providing an introduction to the theory of Socionics\, looking at how it is constructed from basic dichotomies\, while exploring its place in a wider range of theories on personality. The potential merits of the theory will be assessed\, as well as the current limitations that exist on theories in the absence of empirical testing \n£5 on the door to cover costs with extra raised going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/socionics/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20170306T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20170306T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190209T170647Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190209T170647Z
UID:123-1488828600-1488835800@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:How Do Our Genes Work
DESCRIPTION:The language of genes has become common in the media. We know they make your eyes blue\, your hair curly or your nose straight. We’re told that genes control the risk of cancer\, heart disease\, alcoholism or Alzheimer’s. The cost of DNA sequencing has plummeted from billions of pounds to a few hundred\, and gene-based advances in medicine hold huge promise. \nThere are 2.2 metres of DNA inside every one of your cells\, encoding roughly 20\,000 genes. These are the ‘recipes’ that tell our cells how to make the building blocks of life\, along with all the control switches ensuring they’re turned on and off at the right time and in the right place. But rather than a static string of genetic code\, this is a dynamic\, writhing biological library. With the help of cats with thumbs\, fish with hips and wobbly worms\, Kat will unpack some of the mysteries in our DNA and explain the latest thinking about how our genes work. \nDr Kat Arney is a science communicator and award-winning blogger for Cancer Research UK\, as well as a freelance science writer and broadcaster whose work has featured on BBC Radio 4\, the Naked Scientists and more. She has just published her first book\, Herding Hemingway’s Cats\, about how our genes work. \n£5 on the door to cover costs with any extra going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/how-do-our-genes-work/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20170206T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20170206T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190209T170542Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190209T170542Z
UID:124-1486409400-1486416600@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Porn Panic: The New Lefts War On Free Expression And How Liberalism Ate Itself
DESCRIPTION:The 90s was a particularly liberal era in terms of personal freedom. But soon after the turn of the new century\, new morality groups began to pop up in the UK. Perhaps the first to notice this trend were strippers in East London\, who found pickets outside their workplaces\, and lobbyists trying to close the clubs down. These new moralists were not of the old\, Christian\, Tory kind: these groups were young\, left-wing\, and feminist. They were funded by social justice organisations and supported by the Guardian. Social conservatism\, having faded on the right\, was being reborn on the left.\nBeginning with campaigns against strip clubs\, pornography\, “sexualised” music videos\, and other forms of sexual expression\, the pro-censorship movement grew\, and broadened its scope. The old feminism and anti-racism messages of the left subtly turned into pro-censorship movements. Restrictions on “hate speech” morphed into suppression of speech that merely offended people. This new\, quasi-fascist movement of the left took aim at fundamental liberal values of free speech\, equality and reason. \nJerry Barnett is a technologist\, entrepreneur and veteran activist. As an operator of adult entertainment sites for many years\, he watched the rise of the porn panic\, and saw much of the political left collapse into conservatism. Realising that the attacks on sexual expression were precursor to far broader attacks on free speech\, he founded the Sex &amp Censorship campaign in 2013. His book Porn Panic!\, was published by Zero Books in 2016 and can be found here. \n£5 on the door to cover costs with any extra going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/porn-panic-the-new-lefts-war-on-free-expression-and-how-liberalism-ate-itself/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20170124T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20170124T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190209T170349Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190209T170349Z
UID:125-1485286200-1485293400@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:The Rule Of Law
DESCRIPTION:Our world would be one of anarchy without the “Rule of Law”. Our interactions with others and with the state depend on the rules of contract law\, consumer law\, land law\, employment law\, financial law\, the law of nuisance and negligence\, family law\, criminal law\, and of course\, public and constitutional law. These are just some of the main areas of law there are many other branches of law. As responsible citizens we observe the law on a daily basis\, but ironically most of the time this is subliminal we are not fully aware that this is what we are doing our relationship with the law is almost automatic. Given the pervasive nature of law\, it is somewhat surprising that we are expected to know the law. It is almost as if we are assumed to have an inherent understanding of the rules we must abide by. How very strange! \nAs a lecturer in law\, it always surprises me how very little my students know about the subject I teach\, and about the law in general. Even more interesting is the fact that many people have misconceptions about the law and erroneous notions of what it involves. A sociologist (aka sceptic!) would have various explanations for why this is. Whatever the reason\, it is a fact that we are often unaware of the nature of the law that governs our lives. \nSo how much do you know about the law? This session will identify some common legal misconceptions and will then focus on one particular area of law. You will be asked to decide on the truth and falsity of some legal propositions\, so bring a pen! \nCarol is a non-practising barrister and Principal Lecturer in Law at a London University. She has been lecturing in law for 20 years and has taught many subjects\, from Construction Law to Negligence and the Law of Evidence. \n£3 on the door with all proceeds going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/the-rule-of-law/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20161107T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20161107T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190209T124500Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190209T124500Z
UID:126-1478547000-1478554200@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:How Much Surveillance Is Acceptable In Democracy
DESCRIPTION:Jim Killock is the executive director of the Open Rights Group. Since joining Open Rights Group in January 2009\, Jim has led campaigns against three strikes and the Digital Economy Act\, the company Phorm and its plans to snoop on UK users\, and against pervasive government Internet surveillance. He is working on data protection and privacy issues\, as well as helping ORG to grow in size and breadth. He was named as one of the 50 most influential people on IP issues by Managing IP in 2012. In the same year ORG won Liberty’s Human Rights Campaigner of Year award alongside 38 Degrees\, for work on issues from copyright to the Snooper’s Charter. \nSince 2009\, ORG has doubled its supporter base\, budget and workload\, and held its first two activist Conferences\, ORGCon. \nJim is a trustee of FreeUKGen\, the volunteer project to digitise genealogical records\, and sits on the Governance Board of CREATe\, the UK’s research centre for copyright and new business models in the creative economy. He is on the Advisory Council of the Foundation of Information Policy Research. \nBefore joining ORG\, Jim worked as External Communications Co-ordinator of the Green Party. At the Green Party\, he promoted campaigns on open source\, intellectual property\, digital rights and campaigned against the arms and espionage technologist Lockheed Martin’s bid for the UK Census. Lockheed Martin have since been prevented from handling UK Census data as part of their contract. He was also a leading figure in the campaign to elect their first party leader\, Caroline Lucas MP. He has a blog at http://jim.killock.org.uk/ \n£5 to cover costs with any extra going to charity.
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/how-much-surveillance-is-acceptable-in-democracy/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20161003T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20161003T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190209T124208Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190209T124223Z
UID:127-1475523000-1475530200@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:How Experience Shapes The Brain
DESCRIPTION:CHANGED FROM THE 1ST OF AUGUST TO THE 3RD OF OCTOBER. The brain is the most complicated computational device humans have access to. It is a network of 86 billion neurons\, each with 1000 connections\, allowing communication inside our minds\, but also with the rest of our body. The workings of the brain are better understood now than ever before\, however there are still questions we are nowhere near answering. \nIn this talk we will look at the basic makeup of the brain and how it communicates\, before taking a more detailed look at what happens when this communication is altered through learning. We will see inside the brain and look at how experiences change the brain and how this relates to diseases like schizophrenia \nPeter Bloomfield is a neuroscientist at University College London. His current work is investigating changes in the brain during skill acquisition/learning. He has a research focus on the “glial cells” of the brain\, he has a core interest in how laboratory research relates to human experience and how disorders of cognition and perception occur \n£5 to cover costs with any extra raised going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/how-experience-shapes-the-brain/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20160906T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20160906T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190209T124019Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190209T124019Z
UID:128-1473190200-1473197400@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Why Eating Bugs Will Soon Become The New Normal
DESCRIPTION:By 2050 the global population will reach 9 billion and this will put ever increasing pressure on food and environmental resources. How can we ensure global food security without further damaging the environment with intensified farming practices? \nOne UN backed solution is to focus on alternative sources of protein\, such as insects for food and animal feed. About 2 billion of us already include insects in our diets\, though it is still a growing trend in the west. \nInsects are described as having a variety of different flavours\, from mushroomy to pistachio or pork crackling. They are comparable to beef in protein and contain beneficial nutrients like iron and calcium. Their environmental impact is also minimal\, requiring far less water and feed than cattle\, and releasing fewer emissions. \nDuring this talk\, Jenny will explain how insects might replace some of the meat in our diets and also give some tips on how to cook them. \n— \nJenny Josephs is the founder of The Bug Shack\, a company aiming to promote edible insects as a sustainable source of protein. She has spoken at the Winchester Science Festival and TEDx Southampton Uni \n£5 to cover costs with any extra going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/why-eating-bugs-will-soon-become-the-new-normal/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20160830T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20160830T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190208T210150Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190208T210150Z
UID:130-1472585400-1472592600@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:COMPare: what happened when we tried to correct the record on 58 misreported trials
DESCRIPTION:For 6 weeks in late 2015\, the COMPare team monitored every clinical trial published in the top 5 medical journals for “outcome switching”: when trialists report something different from what they originally said they would report. Of 67 trials assessed\, 58 (87%) were found to contain discrepancies between pre-specified and reported outcomes. \nOutcome switching is already known to be extremely common\, even in top medical journals. But COMPare went one step further: they wrote a letter to the journal for all 58 trials found to contain discrepancies to correct the record on the individual trials\, and to test the “self-correcting” properties of science. \nThe responses to these letters from journal editors and trial authors were unprecedented\, and shed light on the reasons why this problem persists. The aim of COMPare was to fix outcome switching\, through correction letters and open discussion. They never expected the levels of misunderstanding and bias at the heart of the issue. \nBased at the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine\, COMPare is made up of three senior researchers\, 5 graduate-entry medical students\, and a programmer. The project was born when one medical student came to the department in search of a project. The idea of monitoring the outcomes in clinical trials was made possible by 4 more medical students\, who were recruited to make the vast amount of analysis possible. All assessments are reviewed by senior colleagues\, and decisions made at weekly team meetings. There is no specific funding for COMPare: all the students work for free\, driven by the desire and opportunity to fix a broken system. \nVisit the COMPare website (COMPare-trials.org) for more details about their team\, methods\, results and blog. \nHenry Drysdale and Aaron Dale are from St Anne’s College\, University of Oxford and their work has been featured in The Economist and Nature \n£5 on the door to cover costs\, with any extra going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/compare-what-happened-when-we-tried-to-correct-the-record-on-58-misreported-trials/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20160704T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20160704T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190208T205704Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190208T205704Z
UID:131-1467660600-1467667800@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:The Wow and the Woo of Quantum Physics
DESCRIPTION:There is no doubt that quantum physics embodies mind-blowing concepts that force us to question the very nature of reality. And if there’s a contender for our current best “theory of everything” then quantum mechanics wins hands down. \nBut\, far too often\, the word “quantum” signals the worst type of vacuous pseudoscientific gobbledegook. It’s exploited by those who are entirely clueless about the underlying physics — or\, worse\, should know better — to evoke a misplaced mysticism about the “holistic” nature of the universe. Moreover\, when consciousness and quantum collide\, the nonsense factor goes through the roof! \nPhilip Moriarty will aim to tease out the science from the mysticism and show that while quantum physics certainly has its weird and wacky aspects\, it’s at heart a theory of waves. That means we can very often easily interpret what’s happening at the quantum level in terms of the everyday world around us – he’ll take a look at what coffee cups\, drums\, and a SlinkyTM can tell us about the broader nature of the universe (and Deepak Chopra’s place in it). \nPhilip Moriarty is a professor of physics at the University of Nottingham. \n£5 to cover costs with any extra going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/the-wow-and-the-woo-of-quantum-physics/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20160606T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20160606T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190208T205303Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190208T205838Z
UID:132-1465241400-1465248600@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Superforecasting and Geopolitical Intellegence
DESCRIPTION:Since 2011\, a team of 200 civilians has been predicting the future more accurately than US intelligence agencies. Formed five years ago under the auspices of IARPA (the US Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity\, informally known as ‘DARPA for spies’)\, the Good Judgement Project’s ‘Superforecaster’ teams have been forecasting the specifics of North Korean missile programmes\, the movement of Russian troops and the longevity of Robert Mugabe\, achieving a 50% lower error rate than the previous state of the art. \nThis talk will cover who makes these forecasts\, how they are doing it\, and some techniques shown to make nearly anyone more accurate when predicting the future. \nMichael Story is a policy researcher and Superforecaster with the Good Judgement Project. Find out more at michaelwstory.com
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/superforecasting-and-geopolitical-intellegence/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20160510T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20160510T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190208T205204Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190208T205204Z
UID:133-1462908600-1462915800@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Adventures With Cosmonauts- An Unofficial History Of The Russian Space Program
DESCRIPTION:When Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon in 1969 – the Americans entered history as the winners of the Space Race. This isn’t their story. \nMicky Lachmann is going to talk about their competitors the Soviets\, and how they managed to beat the Americans to almost every milestone in Space. \nIt’s a story we don’t know very well – the Soviets operated under a shroud of almost total secrecy. But some of the early cosmonauts are still alive and have incredible and often terrifying stories to tell. So this is also an account of going to Russia and trying to find these amazing – and mostly bad tempered – men and women. \nMicky studied Natural Sciences and then dropped out of a PhD in tropical fish behaviour to work in science journalism. Over 15 years at the BBC he has worked on – among other things – Walking with Beasts\, many Horizon’s and is partly responsible for bringing Brian Cox to our screens – for which he is very sorry. \n£5 to cover costs with any extra going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/adventures-with-cosmonauts-an-unofficial-history-of-the-russian-space-program/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20160405T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20160405T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190208T205042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190208T205042Z
UID:134-1459884600-1459891800@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Inside AA
DESCRIPTION:Inside AA: Can A Non-Existent God Cure Alcoholism? \nAlcoholics Anonymous offers a commonly accepted and media endorsed “spiritual” programme of recovery. Yet while AA’s social worth is rarely challenged\, its efficacy rate appears comparable to that of spontaneous remission. \nWe’re all affected by alcoholism and addiction in some way. Can a non-existent Higher Power really offer meaningful solutions to this debilitating and potentially fatal condition? If so\, how can we help all the skeptics with drinking problems? \nAA’s famous 12 Step programme evolved from the tenets of a now forgotten evangelical Christian mass movement. First published in 1939\, it remains entirely unchanged since then. \nHow did AA become the go-to treatment modality for one of the great social health scourges of our time? Is spiritually-based health care even ethical? It’s the twenty first century\, is this really the best we can do? \nThis wide ranging talk draws on the work of philosopher Dan Dennett and evolutionary psychologist Andy Thomson (Trustee of the Richard Dawkins Foundation) to show how sacred texts and faith-based belief systems can be undermined in the new age of internet transparency. \nJon Stewart was co-founder\, guitarist and co-songwriter for platinum-selling Britpop band Sleeper. He currently lectures in popular culture at a local HE Institution\, and is a PhD researcher at University of Southampton. \nA grateful sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 15 years\, Jon also campaigns for more up-to-date evidence-based secular treatment options via his blog at http://jonsleeper.wordpress.com/ \n“I can thoroughly recommend Jon’s brilliant talk on this subject.”\n(David Warden\, Chair\, Dorset Humanists) \n“Hats off to Jon Stewart – what a great talk. Informative\, humorous and to the point … this was one of [our] best events ever!”\n(Adrian Rox\, London Atheist Activist Group) \n£5 to cover costs with any extra going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/inside-aa/
LOCATION:The Style and Winch\, 72 Union Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1ED\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20160301T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20160301T213000
DTSTAMP:20260525T144700
CREATED:20190208T204655Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20190208T204655Z
UID:135-1456860600-1456867800@maidstoneskeptics.co.uk
SUMMARY:Why These Former Law Enforcement Officers Say End The War On Drugs
DESCRIPTION:If law enforcement said we need to legalise all drugs\, would you ask them why? \nLaw Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) are a global and domestic organisation of police\, intelligence personnel\, judges\, undercover drug detectives and military who have all seen the failures of current drug policy from their up-close and personal perspective. \nThe global illicit drug trade is worth around $320billion a year\, with enforcement costs around $100billion\, are our children really protected\, are we a healthier society for the criminalisation of drug users\, does the war on drugs work or does it simply serve to make drugs a more lucrative trade at the cost of communities? \nWhen those on the front-line say we should reform drug laws then it’s time we looked at the alternatives. Maidstone Skeptics in the Pub exclusively host: \n– Neill Franklin\, LEAP’s global Executive Director and a 34 year veteran in the U.S police force retiring as a Major. \n– Annie Machon\, a former MI5 Officer turned international commentator with specialist interest in counter-terrorism and security. \n– Neil Woods was an undercover drugs detective for over a decade in his 26 years in the police. \n– Diane Goldstein retired as a Lieutenant Commander and has over 20 years of experience in the U.S police service.\nCome along and join the frank debate on how we should best form a drug policy: Should drugs be based on morals or evidence? \nTo find out more\, visit www.ukleap.org and www.leap.cc \n£5 to cover costs with the rest going to charity
URL:http://maidstoneskeptics.co.uk/event/why-these-former-law-enforcement-officers-say-end-the-war-on-drugs/
LOCATION:Pizza Express\, 32 Earl Street\, Maidstone\, Kent\, ME14 1PF\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR