This week:
- Women’s issues in the secular movement,
- Ireland’s ‘pro-life’ laws kill,
- Rogue Planet found, and
- Killer Energy Drinks – is Caffeine toxic?
Download the episode here!
Women’s issues in the secular movement
We have special guest Free Thinker, Stephanie Van Dyk from UBC’s Freethinker’s club talk about the club and the impact the ‘women’ and ‘skepticism’ debate has had on our local club .
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Ireland’s ‘pro-life’ laws kill
Over 20 years ago the Irish Supreme Court made abortion, under curtain conditions, available to women in Ireland and yet the Irish government has not altered any of its laws. This purposeful neglect result recently in the death of a women who died because she was refused a abortion on a miscarried pregnancy. She was told “this is a catholic country” and we don’t do abortions here. We discuss the history, politics and ethics of the Irish position on abortion.
Find out more:
- Woman ‘denied a termination’ dies in hospital
- Irish Constitution
- European Court of Human Rights
- It’s time to abort the Catholic Church
- Thousands protest in Ireland to liberalize abortion laws
- Ireland forms expert panel to investigate death of Indian woman denied abortion
Rogue Planet found
Scientist have discovered a rogue planet…that’s cool and we talk about the science and wonder of the news.
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Killer Energy Drinks – is Caffeine toxic?
There has been much reporting in the news about how teenagers have been dropping like flies..why? They drank energy drinks. We talk about the real risks behind caffeine poisoning, the hype over energy drinks and the need to better education to ensure people now how to mix caffeine, alcohol and recreational drugs.
Find out more:
- Opinion on Caffeine, Taurine and D-Glucurono – g -Lactone as constituents of so-called “energy” drinks
- Voluntary and Mandatory Reports on 5-Hour Energy, Monster Energy, and Rockstar Energy Drink
- FDA looks into potential energy drink-related deaths
- Deaths tied to energy shots investigated in U.S.
- Health effects of caffeine – Toxicity and intoxication
- 5 – hour Energy health facts
- Nutrition and healthy eating
- Taurine – Toxicity
- Energy “Drinks” and Supplements: Investigations of Adverse Event Reports
- Dehydration – Signs and symptoms
- Dehydration and heart attack
- Health Canada Reminds Canadians Not to Mix Caffeinated Energy Drinks with Alcohol
- 5-Hour Energy statement
- Taurine + Energy Drinks: Meant to Be or Doomed?
- The 5 hour Energy drink that is delicious enough to kill you? Is someone hiding something?
- List of energy drinks and caffeine content
- Coffee – Caffeine content
Skeptical Highlights:
NerdFest: A Night of Medieval Fantasy
This event will be a fun filled night of medieval fantasy with some of the best Vancouver has to offer. A variety show consisting of stage performers, live music, magic, sword fighting, short films, and even a costume contest.
Highlights include live music by local folk-metal band Scythia, belly dancing by Mahsafoun, burlesque by Precious Metal, fire dancing by Vespor Sephony, weapon-arts demonstration by Western martial-arts school Academie Duello and Vancouver Traditional Martial Arts Academy.
Vendors of all types will be setting up booths selling their goods and services that will bring out the nerd in us all. This is an annual event and something not to be missed!
Date: Friday, Nov 23, 2012, 6:00 pm
Location: Biltmore Cabaret – 2755 Prince Edward, Vancouver
Admission: $15
End of Life Care – Assisted Suicide
Assisted suicide is a sensitive issue being challenged in the Canadian courts on multiple levels. Is it moral to assist in the death of another person, or is there neither a time nor a place for such things? If it is conditionally moral, then what are those conditions?
The UBC Freethinkers are hosting a night devoted to the topic with an opportunity for discussion and Q&A. We are very excited to have three guest speakers for the night coming from a diverse background to aid in the discussion.
Date: Wednesday, Nov 21, 2012, 5 pm
Location: 221 West Mall Swing Space - UBC – 2175 West Mall
Admission: by donation
Moderator:
Russel Ogden – Sociology and Criminology — Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Will Johnston, MD – Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
Dr. Scott Anderson – Department of Philosophy — UBC
Science of Harm Reduction Drug Policy by Dr. Thomas Kerr
Friday, November 30, 2012
7:00pm
Room A102 of Buchanan Building, Block A, 1866 Main Mall, Vancouver
Dr. Thomas Kerr is Co-Director of the Urban Health Research Initiative at the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE), and an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of AIDS at the University of British Columbia.
Harm reduction drug policy has become a politically polarizing issue, which often leaves the science behind the rhetoric. With recent court challenges over Vancouver’s safe injection site, Insite; society must become scientifically informed on what strategies are effective in treating addiction and improving public health.
This talk will take place in room A102 of Buchanan building block A at UBC. There is a suggested donation of $5 to $10.
