Dead Poe may return to Baltimore, at least in spirit

Baltimore's Poe House and Museum will attempt to contact author Edgar Allan Poe March 3 and 4. That presents a bit of a challenge since Poe died in 1849, but it seems as though the Baltimore group of Poe enthusiasts will be up to the challenge, and poor Poe will not be able to sleep undisturbed in his grave in the Westminister Hall graveyard for at least those two days.

Beyond Nevermore announces: "The An Investigation Into The Beyond! Is 2012 The Year We Make Contact?"

According to the events page, the evenings will feature:

Controlled Experiments by a carefully selected group of the leading Physics, Mediums Paranormal Investigators, and “Ghost Hunters” practicing today, in an attempt to contact Edgar Allan Poe!

Oooh, a "carefully selected group" of the "leading" psychics, mediums, paranormal investigators and ghost hunters. Well then, I guess the odds are pretty darn good that Poe will be coming back, at least in spirit.
 

According to The Baltimore Sun, Mark Redfield, "a local actor and fan magazine publisher," whose part in the event isn't clear from the article or event site, says, "The idea really is to contact Poe. We're keeping an open mind about it, and hoping to have some fun." Redfield, who the Sun describes as "determinedly open-minded," is quoted as saying, "We want to give [the psychics] enough time to do the experiments. We're going to give them a chance."

I know all you skeptics are going to want to attend, even if at the end of the evening, you will be forced to admit that you've been wrong all this time, and spirits and life-after-death do exist.

However; if you are thinking of going, you might want to note the following warning to potential attendees on the event page:

RESTRICTIONS AND WARNINGS REGARDING ‘BEYOND NEVERMORE’

Although the Poe House and Museum is taking every precaution possible, and will have a nurse stationed in the Hall at all times, for the physical and mental safety of the audience we are requesting the audience to remain seated and quiet while the paranormal experiments are being performed.

We require audience members who might experience a paranormal episode during these experiments to refrain from attempting to leave the Hall during the darkness. We strongly suggest that those patrons who suffer from heart conditions think twice about attending.

Edgar Allan Poe, scaring people to death, even more than 160 years after his own.

Boobquake: Shaking those who oppress women by trying to shake the earth

In support of science, skepticism, silliness, and sassiness--as well as (the non-alliterative) rationality--and to strike a blow against superstition, misogyny, and the oppression of women, I am, as previously announced, participating in the bold Boobquake experiment today. 

It took a while for me to decide what to wear, trying to find the line between immodesty that will "lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society" leading to an increase in earthquakes and not being completely inappropriate when I do my grocery shopping.

I contemplated which top or dress would balance the necessary sexiness without being too slutty. I hope I made a good choice.

As to concerns I've heard expressed, "What if there is a major earthquake on Boobquake day? Isn't there a risk that you might end up confirming the claim that women dressing in ways that make men go wild leads to earthquakes?" my son's girlfriend, who is also participating in Boobquake today, has a wonderful answer: "Then men ought to really fear us. We women are truly powerful."

Boobquake: A call to cleavage

On her Blag Hag blog, Jen McCreight describes herself as a "liberal, geeky, nerdy, scientific, perverted atheist feminist," so I can't help but like her. And I'm joining her and thousands of other women for Boobquake on Monday, April 26.

Jen's call to cleavage came after a leading Iranian Muslim cleric, Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi, was quoted as saying, "Many women who do not dress modestly ... lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes." 

In response to this yet another misogynistic claim, added to the others made by religious leaders and their followers for eons, that temptresses (which poor, poor, weak and utterly helpless men are powerless to resist) are the cause of the world's ills, from natural disasters such as earthquakes to the exile from Eden, Jen wrote:

On Monday, April 26th, I will wear the most cleavage-showing shirt I own. Yes, the one usually reserved for a night on the town. I encourage other female skeptics to join me and embrace the supposed supernatural power of their breasts. Or short shorts, if that's your preferred form of immodesty. With the power of our scandalous bodies combined, we should surely produce an earthquake.

As a skeptic, feminist, and all-around ornery woman, I say to Sedighi and others of his women-fearing and women-blaming ilk: Pfffffftttt!

So, I intend to participate in Boobquake with great glee and my sass set in extreme mode.

1. Because I enjoy being silly and sassy and having the pearl clutchers wonder, "What's she up to now?!" And then worry, "And what will she do next?!"

2. Because I love mocking the eminently mockable, and ridiculing the ridiculous.

3. Because when someone tells me that I shouldn't do something (such as dress in a way they consider "immodestly"), I rather enjoy doing it.

4. Because all women should be able to wear what they want, not what others think they should wear, whether what they "ought" to wear is a burka, prairie dress, or thong.

Yeah, I've got the power of my boobs, and I'm going to wield that awesome power fiercely on Monday. I want to make the earth rock on Boobquake Day.

More community college woo

The Community College of Baltimore County's Continuing Education program offers a wide range of excellent,  beneficial classes to its adult and child students such as GED prep, vocational training,  technology skills, and recreational activities.

So, what the hell, CCBC, with also offering a goodly number of classes teaching people woo, quackery, and pseudoscience?!

Not classes teaching about these subjects. Not classes warning people of the dangers of medical quackery and health scams. Not critical thinking classes teaching healthy skepticism about the paranormal and non-science based healing techniques. Not classes debunking beliefs in the paranormal, supernatural, and pseudoscience. Those types of classes would be perfectly fine, valuable to CCBC students and the community. Teaching those types of classes would be laudable.

No, what CCBC is offering are classes that present pseudoscience, health and wellness quackery, and frauds and hoaxes involving the supernatural and paranormal as true and factual, subjects worthy of being taught by a respected community college.

In addition to some of the same classes I wrote about in yesterday's post: Kundalini Reiki I; Dreams--Self Healing through Dream Analysis; and Understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine, CCBC is offering the following Continuing Education courses for its spring session:

Ghost Studies: Identify the different types of ghosts, spirits, and entities among us. If you've ever felt that you are not alone, learn how to find and investigate suspected haunted areas and sightings. You will apply what you learn and undertake a special investigation.

Advanced Studies in Reflexology: Gain additional tools and skills to use as a reflexologist. Practice ear  reflexology and energy balancing techniques. Unlock personality and health cues with foot analysis. Utilize referral and helper areas. Learn to synthesize technique to create a cohesive treatment plan.

Egyptian Reflexology: [Me: Ooooh, Egyptian reflexology. The exotic Egyptians built those magical, mystical, power-emitting/absorbing pyramids. So this must be more potent and effective than the other type of reflexology. Unless there's a class in, perhaps, ancient Indian reflexology.] Discover how to unlock your body's own natural ability to heal itself through Egyptian reflexology. Learn through touch and pressure techniques how to alleviate mental and emotional stress and tension painlessly. Experience the benefits of improved breathing, balance, and relaxation.

Awaken Your Purpose through Numerology: Discover the world of modern numerology, spiritual awareness, and universal and personal life energy patterns. Understand life's lessons and your inner desires and learn how to fulfill them physically, mentally, emotionally and intuitively.

Healing with Gemstones and Crystals: Discover the benefits of gemstones and crystals for first aid, emotional healing, mediation, space clearing and psychic protection. Learn ways to program, cleanse, charge and intuitively select personal healing stones. Topics include a hands-on introduction to over 20 different gemstones and crystals and their function based on mineral composition and structure.

CCBC, are you so hard up for cash that you are willing to sell your educational integrity to teach these scams, frauds, and hoaxes?

Is no one at CCBC embarrassed that their school is offering instruction in pseudoscience and the paranormal?  Is no one at CCBC concerned that courses are being offered that aren't based in reality and on rationality?

These are not beneficial classes; they are of no value. They are scams, flim-flams, preying on the gullible. By taking the money of students who take these courses, CCBC is complicit in an educational scam. Instead of teaching students to be rational thinkers, instead of offering its students reality-based information, instead of offering courses that benefit its students and the community, CCBC is harming its students and the community by teaching misinformation, magical thinking, and educational garbage. This is a scandal that needs to be stopped. Now!