Special Interest Group (SIG) – Tuesday August 5, 2014: COSMOS & Camaraderie – RSVP Requested

Cosmology, History, Science Comments Off on Special Interest Group (SIG) – Tuesday August 5, 2014: COSMOS & Camaraderie – RSVP Requested

August 5 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

NOTE: This group does NOT replace our regularly scheduled 2nd and 4th Wednesday presentation meetings. For more information on SIGs, please check out the SIG link at the top of this page.

This SIG is FREE for all Pre-Paid LES Members!!!  Others are invited to attend for $5 per meeting to help cover the cost of food and drink. All are welcome!  (Pizza is on the menu for the first meeting.)

“The cosmos is all that is, or ever was, or ever will be…” It’s been several decades since Carl Sagan spoke those insightful words in his groundbreaking series, COSMOS. Viewers of all ages learned about the mystery and beauty of the cosmos. We also learned about the people, many of them forgotten by history, on whose shoulders modern humanity stands – the  people  who made it possible for us to progress from the hunters and gatherers who stared with wonder at those magical lights in the night sky. Today, we  launch satellites and space telescopes to learn about the stars. We know more about the stars than our predecessors, but those magical lights in the night sky still fill us with wonder – and that wonder connects us to our distant past.

In this informal SIG we’ll journey thru time and space to watch the recent re-make of Dr. Sagan’s famous series, hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson. The series includes the latest science and scientific theories about the cosmos and is filled with wonderful stories of the people, some of whom you’ve probably never heard, whose lives and work enabled humanity to take that giant leap towards the stars. The series is beautifully filmed with incredible special effects. It’s difficult to watch without feeling a deep connection to the cosmos, for as Dr. Sagan said “…we are all star stuffand on a journey to go back to our origin...”

Because each episode stands on its own with different subject matter, it’s not necessary to see all the episodes to follow the series. But, each episode is packed with information and all episodes are beautifully done and entertaining, so attend all if you can. The first meeting will be Tuesday, August 5th…the 2nd will be two weeks later, Aug. 19. There’ll be food and drink (water, coffee and soda will be provided – but, you’re welcome to bring other beverages). Please RSVP, using the “Contact Us” tab at the top of the page, so we can plan to have enough refreshments on hand.

Note:  The final three COSMOS SIG meetings will take place on Wed., October 1; Wed., October 15; and Wed., October 29 from 6:00 – 8:30 PM.

There will be a greeter at the front door till 6:05. After that, late entrants may call the phone number posted on the door for admittance. Hope to see you there!!

Click here for our NEW LOCATION (map and directions)

A calendar of upcoming meeting topics can be found here.

July 23, 2014 (Wednesday) – Propaganda

Social Paradigm, Sovereignty Comments Off on July 23, 2014 (Wednesday) – Propaganda

NOTE: LES regular meetings are now held the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month.

Join the Louisville Esoteric Society on Wednesday, July 23, 2014 at 6:30 PM for our next meeting:   Propaganda“ presented by Logan McCulloch.

The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. 
We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society.
Our invisible governors are, in many cases, unaware of the identity of their fellow members in the inner cabinet.” 

Edward Bernays

These are the opening paragraphs of the 1928 book entitled Propaganda written by the man considered to be the father of modern Public Relations.  Mr. Bernays, nephew to Sigmund Freud, began his career in earnest working for the Woodrow Wilson administration to manufacture public consent for the U.S. entry into WW I (violating the foremost pledge Wilson promised during his re-election campaign).

Join us for an interactive discussion concerning the various ways in which this widespread practice affects our lives.  We’ll watch a couple of very thought provoking videos, including a segment of a relatively new documentary of the same name.  It promises to be a stimulating and enlightening evening as we examine our perceptions of ourselves and our world in light of the information we’re presented on a daily basis.

All sincere seekers are welcome.  $10 for pay-as-you-go attendees; No charge for LES pre-pay Members.

[Pre-pay memberships are offered at discounted rates. Pick up a brochure at LES HQ for more information about the rates and benefits of becoming a pre-pay LES Member.]

 

Click here for our NEW LOCATION (map and directions)

A calendar of upcoming meeting topics can be found here.

July 9, 2014 (Wednesday) – The Incredible 2,000 Year-Old Greek Computer: Antikythera Mechanism

Ancient Engineering, Ancient History Comments Off on July 9, 2014 (Wednesday) – The Incredible 2,000 Year-Old Greek Computer: Antikythera Mechanism

NOTE: Effective June 2014 with our new location, we’re going to move our meetings to the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month.

Join the Louisville Esoteric Society on Wednesday, July 9, 2014 at 6:30 PM for our next meeting:   The Incredible 2,000 Year-Old Greek Computer: Antikythera Mechanism“ presented by Jim Patterson.

In 1900 a Greek sponge diving crew discovered the remains of a Roman shipwreck on the floor of the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of the tiny Greek island of Antikythera. Among the treasures brought up by these divers were the most exquisite examples of ancient Greek marble and bronze statues ever discovered. These now grace the halls of the National Museum of Archaeology in Athens. Based on artifacts retrieved it is believed that the shipwreck is from about 100-80 BC (2,000 years ago).

Also discovered and retrieved were lumps of corroded bronze and wood that didn’t appear to be anything of importance. Not until the 1950s did someone notice these chunks of crud stored away in the backroom of the museum were some sort of complex geared mechanism. This was a shock! A mechanism of this sort shouldn’t have existed in the Greek and Roman era.

Since the 1950’s this mechanism has been thoroughly studied using increasingly advanced technologies in attempts to ascertain: Who could have created it? Where was it built – and when? How many gears did it have? What did all the gears do? What was its purpose? Why was it on this Roman ship? How could anyone in ancient Greece or Rome design and actually build such a device? All evidence points to an extremely complex astronomical clock, small enough to hold on your lap! In the modern era, historians believed that early astronomical clocks weren’t even starting to be developed until the 14th century (early Renaissance). Yet here we have a very complex astronomically geared device discovered in an ancient Roman shipwreck of about 80 BC. It shouldn’t be there! It was a treasure to surpass all treasures!

We’ll watch two high quality videos showing the discovery, research, theories of its origins, an amazing hand-built working model, and most incredibly… the superb technologies used in the most recent analysis in 2012 to discover elements of the mechanism never before known. After the videos we’ll share some exciting details about what’s coming up in September of this year to potentially increase the breadth of discoveries of this shipwreck and device. Join us and discover how one unbelievable mechanism is rewriting history.

All sincere seekers are welcome.  $10 for pay-as-you-go attendees; No charge for LES pre-pay Members.

[Pre-pay memberships are offered at discounted rates. Pick up a brochure at LES HQ for more information about the rates and benefits of becoming a pre-pay LES Member.]

 

Click here for our NEW LOCATION (map and directions)

A calendar of upcoming meeting topics can be found here.