MON 7/26: Film, Skeptics, Nerds, Acoustics

Yeah, tonight's list is mainly quiet stuff in Cambridge. As I told a 4-year-old who was giving a the "why, why, why" treatment, that's just the way it is.

--------------------------------------------------------------

MON 7/26

6pm
"The Perfect Storm"
at Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

Based on Sebastian Junger's book, the first part is Hollywood version of fishermen's life in Gloucester before getting pummeled by the convergence of 3 storms. I remember liking it and thinking most of the cast didn't sound embarrassing.I wonder if effects from 2000 will seem quaint by today's standard.

MON 7/26

7pm to 10pm
Boston Skeptics in the Pub: "Skeptical Activism" w/ Travis Roy
at Tommy Doyle's (upstairs), 96 Winthrop St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

Every month, people get together for some drinks and skeptical conversation that usually includes a presentation from a guest speaker hosted by Liz Gaston. You may be skeptical, but the food isn't bad here.

Travis Roy from Granite State Skeptics will talk about "what you can do every day to promote critical thinking." (I think he's also a motivational speaker.)

(FYI: If you start reading and see "TAM" or "TAM8", it's this confab.)

MON 7/26

8pm
NerdNite: "Illusions and Video Games"
at Middlesex Lounge, 315 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$5 / 21+

There's no need to stop thinking while drinking because it's summertime. Both topics won't tax the noodle too much while you're destroying brain cells.

Hearing about videogames and optical illusions could already be bar topics in your repertoire, so here's a chance to listen to a couple people who know what they're talking about.

Talk 1:

"Joystick Soldiers: Fifty Years of Videogames and War"
By Nina Huntemann

Talk 2:

"Crazy Vision: The Science Behind Popular Optical Illusions"
By Brandon Moore

Get your "nerd on" with tunes courtesy of DJ Claude Money.

MON 7/26

10pm
Ponies in the Surf, Milo Jones
at ZuZu!, 474 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE

Take a listen to some acoustic music that land on opposite sides of the brightness scale.

Ponies in the Surf are a brother-sister team that seem to specialize in gentle, dreamy confections. They made the top 5 on PopMatters' list of "Best Indie Pop of 2008", so that's kinda cool.

I like Milo Jones' deep, rough voice as he usually spins dark tales that offer plenty to listen to -- good pessimism in the background for a drinking session.