SHIFT Happens

Every Sunday at 1:00pm! By the Pool Tables in the Student Union. And as this is the first Sunday Meeting of Spring Semester, there will be pizza and awesome company! Please join us, and bring everyone you know.

Event Report

I am pleased to report that "The Many Faces of Charles Darwin" lecture was a great success. Held on Friday, December 11, 2009 and hosted by SHIFT, The College of Science, and The Department of Biology of The University of Utah, Daniel Fairbanks' lecture was engaging and informative.

This event brought in the highest number of attendees to a SHIFT event held during the Fall 2009 semester - 22 persons total - and also brought in $45, donated by those who attended, to contribute toward our first Lecture Event of 2010! We are working on bringing in Austin Dacey, former Center for Inquiry Representative to the United Nations, on Febuary 27 at 4:00.

If you are able to contribute to the Austin Dacey event, please contact Elaine Ball at elaineballfr@gmail.com. If you would like more information about Austin Dacey or how you might be able to help with this event, please contact Jason Cooperrider at jason.cooperrider@hsc.utah.edu.

The Many Faces of Charles Darwin

SHIFT - Secular Humanism, Inquiry and Freethought - is pleased to Co-Sponsor this Lecture with The College of Science and The Department of Biology at the University of Utah:

Daniel J. Fairbanks, Associate Dean of Science and Health at Utah Valley University, will be presenting his lecture, "The Many Faces of Charles Darwin" in Room 161 of the University of Utah A. Ray Olpin Student Union at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 11, 2009.

Please come early, at 10:30 a.m. for light refreshments, and to make sure everyone is seated in time for the lecture to begin!

This event is completely free and open to the public.

Donations will gratefully be accepted at the door to help bring in our first lecturer of Spring Semester, Dr. Austin Dacey, former Center For Inquiry Representative to the United Nations.

The God Who Wasn't There

The God Who Wasn't There is a documentary that sounds spectacular - this Thursday, December 3, let's all join the Atheists of Utah to see what it's all about! 7:00pm at the Downtown Salt Lake Public Library - 210 E. 400 S.

Ray Comfort

If you see people on campus handing out copies of Ray Comfort's version of On The Origin of Species, PLEASE TAKE ONE. Take multiple copies, if they will give you more than one, telling them you'd like to give some copies to friends. Please bring them to the next SHIFT meeting. The more copies we can get out of their hands, preventing them (peacefully) from being further distributed on campus, the better.

Whatever Happened to Civility in Politics?

This Thursday, November 12, at 7:30pm join the Humanists of Utah in Eliot Hall of First Unitarian Church (600 S. 1300 E.) for a lecture by Alan Coombs entitled "Whatever Happened to Civility in Politics?" The lecture will be followed by a question-and-answer session and light refreshments. This lecture is free of charge and open to the public - please encourage fellow free-thinkers or interested parties to attend!

Carl Sagan Day

When you make the finding yourself - even if you're the last person on Earth to see the light - you'll never forget it. - Carl Sagan

This Saturday, November 7, 2009 we will be joining other Center For Inquiry affiliates in celebrating the 1st annual Carl Sagan Day - commemorating the time of his birth (Nov. 9) 75 years ago.

Carl Sagan (1934-1996) was a renowned Astronomer and Secular Humanist.

Please join us this Saturday in the Union Theatre at 12:00pm to begin our celebration!

12:00pm - Lunch Buffet

12:15pm - Contact

2:45pm - Research Assistant Professor John Belz

First Secular Monday (FSM) in November

Have YOU Been Touched By His Noodly Appendage?

Whether you answer "Yes!" or "No?" join us for the first-ever F S M - First Secular Monday - This November 2, 2009 in the Union Theatre.

You will be enlightened on many fascinating topics such as Pastafarianism, The Church of The Flying Spaghetti Monster, and Talk Like a Pirate Day.

If you would like to do a bit of Homework before the event, read this:

http://www.venganza.org/about/open-letter/

Or, just come curious! Delectable refreshments will be provided.

The purpose of First Secular Monday is to come together as a group for entertaining discussions and planning. We hope to hold these in Coffee Shops next semester, possibly with proceeds benefiting our group or other worthy local causes.

In addition to our discussion honoring First Secular Monday's acronym's namesake, The Flying Spaghetti Monster, we will be beginning preparations for Festivus, The Holiday For The Rest Of Us!

Check out this website to come ready with your preferences on how to celebrate Festivus:

http://www.festivusbook.com/

Or, again, just come curious!

Third-Thursday Discussion Group

Please join us THIS THURSDAY at 7:00pm in the Student Union, Room 319 for a week-day discussion group for those for whom Sundays aren't so convenient ... I know this is our Fall Break, but please take the opportunity to come to campus this Thursday evening for some great snacks and discussion with like-minded peers!

Humanists of Utah Thomas Paine Day Celebration

Thursday, October 8th marks the second annual Thomas Paine Day celebration, as held by the Humanists of Utah. In addition to free food, the event will feature Professor Bruce Dain from the University of Utah History Department, in his address of the issue of how historians see Paine's place in the intellectual history of the Age of Revolution and of American political thought. Also, the winner of the Humanists of Utah essay contest will read the winning essay (The Importance of Secularism in a Truly Democratic Society) and be awarded the first prize of $250. The event will occur in Elliot Hall (southwest door) of the First Unitarian Church at 7:30p. All of the public is invited to attend for free.