Bruin Alliance of Skeptics and Secularists

BASS Goes to the Veritas Forum

Tommy — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:35:16 +0000

You might remember the Veritas Forum from last year, and it’s happening again! This year, the forum will be structured more like a conversation, focused on the topic of patient death from the point of view of two oncologists, a Christian and an agnostic. Of course we know the point of view held by the organizers, but even if the perspective is skewed, the conversation is still interesting. BASS will be given the opportunity to ask a question, so let us know if you have any ideas. Here’s more information on the forum and the speakers: http://www.veritas.org/ucla/

New here? Check out our Facebook group.

Tommy — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 03:18:02 +0000

While we try to keep this page up to date, our facebook group is where things really happen. Join our group to be informed about weekly meetings, room changes, cancellations, and special events, and to keep up on the conversation.

BASS’s Facebook page

BASS Week 8 Meeting: NDEs

Tommy — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 04:14:22 +0000

This week at BASS, we’ll be having a discussion/presentation (by me, Tommy) of near death experiences. Can people having heart attacks really fly around and spy on you, or is there some other explanation for the stories of people who come back to life? Find out this week!

RSVP here

BASS Field Trip

Tommy — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:36:37 +0000

Next week, instead of our regular meeting, BASS is going to an event hosted by Southern California’s skeptical mecca, CFI West! CFI is hosting a debate featuring Louise Antony vs. Doug Geivett on the topic “does god exist?” There will also be a pre-debate lecture by Eddie Tabash, “Debating Religion in Public.” Sure, we know who’s going to win the debate, but it’s always fun to watch it go down.

Tickets are only $5 for students, and although tickets will be available at the door, we want to be sure everyone gets in. Here’s the link for tickets: http://action.centerforinquiry.net/site/Calendar?id=102081&view=Detail

Jenny and I can both drive, if necessary, so we have 8 seats to give people rides. If anyone else can offer a ride, post it on facebook on this event’s wall.

RSVP on our facebook page!

BASS Week 5 Meeting: Professor Newman speaks about climate change!

Tommy — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:03:46 +0000

This week, our club’s faculty advisor will be speaking to BASS! Professor Newman is a professor in the department of Physics & Astronomy, and worked with Carl Sagan. Climate change and climate change denialism are major concerns of his, so he’s coming to share his knowledge on the subject with us!

Be sure to come if you want to be in the club’s yearbook photo. I will be bringing our super cool new banner, so this picture will probably be even better than last week’s. Maybe I will even smile!

All weekly meetings are Fridays from 5-7 in Kerckhoff 133.

RSVP if you want at: http://www.facebook.com/events/245073592239595/

BASS Week 1 Meeting!

Tommy — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 02:35:17 +0000

We’re excited to announce BASS’s first meeting of the year, and we hope you’ll come, whether you’re an established BASStard, an old member who’s been busy, or if you’re just interested in starting something new.

This week, like every week, we’ll begin with a fun introduction question, announcements, fact or fiction, and science news, and then move on to the main topic of the meeting. This week we’ll have a discussion on how to handle believers. Whether it’s a chiropractor, a professor, or your mom, we’ve all encountered people who believe things that we know aren’t true. When do you speak up, and when do you stay silent? What’s the best way to talk some sense into them without putting them on the defensive? Bring your thoughts!

If anyone would like to volunteer to be the newsperson for this meeting or beyond (bring 3-4 short science/skeptical news stories to tell us about), let us know; we’d be thankful.

Please RSVP on the event page on facebook; and while you’re at it, join our group. It’s the best way to keep up with BASS.

While I was away…

Tristan Miller — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 06:02:02 +0000

In 2010, I graduated from UCLA and stepped down as president of BASS. But I was still interested in how BASS did in the past year. I was secretly hoping that BASS was in decline, proving that I wasn’t so terrible a president as I thought. But if BASS was thriving, I’d settle for that too!

So I decided to gather evidence… by stalking BASS on Facebook.

BASS had a UFOlogist come over to speak, AND they made a bunch of cool hand-drawn posters, AND they made alien-head-shaped cookies for the event.

They counter-protested the Westboro Baptist Church (the “God Hates Fags” people), who in addition to picketing funerals, also picket at the Golden Globes every year.

They had Rebecca Watson give a talk: “The Religious Right vs Every Woman on Earth”.

They went to a Hammer Museum exhibit called Demon Hill, which was based on those “gravitational mystery spots”.

I also became aware of the existence of Bruin Atheists, a new spinoff group with some overlapping membership. I consider this a positive development. BASS has always been forced to serve as the campus’ single atheist and single skeptical group. These goals, which, while not in competition with each other, were hard to do all at once. Bruin Atheists helps pick up some of the slack.

In addition to Facebook, I also happened to be in town for the Rapture Party. There were a lot of people I had never met before, but we hit it off. I was happy to see more women participating than in the past. A few of them were officers; I hope more become officers next year! However, the Rapture itself was a flop–there weren’t any earthquakes or left-behind clothes or anything!

BASS did much more, but I think that’s sufficient evidence to tentatively conclude: Damn, Tommy and Jenny knew what they were doing better than I did.

BASS Movie Night: Jesus Camp

Tommy — Tue, 17 May 2011 02:51:41 +0000

This Friday we will have a special showing of Jesus Camp. Jesus Camp follows several young children as they attend an evangelical summer camp and allows the audience a look at some of the shocking things that occur there.

Please RSVP on our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=205567502815908#!/event.php?eid=205567502815908

You can find out more about Jesus Camp here

Amateur Scientist Podcast LIVE!

Tommy — Fri, 13 May 2011 04:06:30 +0000

Brian Thompson of the Amateur Scientist Podcast will be taping an episode live at UCLA!

Brian’s podcast is a hilarious mixture of science, boob jokes, and terrible impressions, something no one should be missing. And better yet, this time he’ll be live at UCLA, within tomato-throwing distance!

This episode will feature Devin Faraci, editor of the great entertainment site Badass Digest and commentator on G4’s Attack of the Show, who will be joining Brian to discuss the scientific method for making a hit Hollywood film like Transform3rs or Tran2formers or Look Who’s Talking 4: The New Batch.

Also, games.

Sure it’s finals week, but how much do you really like studying anyway?

More info on Brian’s adventures at www.amateurscientist.org

Click here for more info from the Amateur Scientist himself.

RSVP on our facebook event page!

Rebecca Watson at UCLA!

Tommy — Fri, 13 May 2011 03:41:01 +0000

Hello everyone,

Tomorrow, May 13th (Friday the 13th no less!), Rebecca Watson will be visiting our campus! Rebecca Watson is the founder of Skepchick.org and co-hosts The Skeptics Guide to the Universe. The title of her presentation is “The Religious Right vs. Every Woman on Earth”.

This special event has been made possible through the joint efforts of Bruin Atheists and the Bruin Alliance of Skeptics and Secularists.

Please RSVP on the facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=193868633988159

Thanks, looking forward to seeing you there!