Leonardo and Steve:
The Young Genius Who Beat
Apple to Market by 800 Years

Dr. Keith Devlin

January 20, 2013

Dr. Keith Devlin
Dr. Keith Devlin

The first personal computing revolution took place not in Silicon Valley in the 1980s but in Pisa in the 13th Century. The medieval counterpart to Steve Jobs was a young Italian called Leonardo, better known today by the nickname Fibonacci. Thanks to a recently discovered manuscript in a library in Florence, the story of how this little known genius came to launch the modern commercial world can now be told. Dr. Keith Devlin (Executive Director, H-STAR Institute, Stanford University) will present this talk which will be based on his latest book The Man of Numbers: Fibonacci’s Arithmetical Revolution (Walker & Co, July 2011), and his co-published companion e-book Leonardo and Steve: The Young Genius Who Beat Apple to Market by 800 Years.

Slides from this presentation are available here.

Dr. Keith Devlin,  also presented the Forum “Which Flawed Voting System Do You Support?” in 2012.

 

Humanist Community Forum (2013-01-20) – Leonardo and Steve: The Young Genius Who Beat Apple to Market by 800 Years from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

 

Brother Sam in Silicon Valley

Brother Sam

Sam Singleton, Atheist Evangelist

(Roger Scott Jackson)

January 13, 2013

Brother Sam
Brother Sam

Sam Singleton, Atheist Evangelist:  Writer-actor Roger Scott Jackson’s satiric  Sam Singleton is a comedic character, not a comedian. His shows are best  described as one-person theater pieces with audience participation. The 2012  premiere of Cats, Sheep and Goats: The Taxonomy of Atheists, Believers and  Preachers marks his fifth work in as many years.

Those with strong views on the existence or nonexistence of God may see what  Brother Sam does as activism, though he insists that his aim is simply to get  some stuff off his chest. He says, “Somebody else, who had to deal with snake- handling tongues-speakers as a child, might become a  homicidal maniac or a teacher at a Bible College. I talk to the world’s most  astute ticket-buyers.”

For more information check the web site:

http://www.samsingleton.com/About.html.

Unfaithful Men in History
(Men who abuse their spouses,
or Men who cheat)

Ken Abraham

January 6, 2013

Ken Abraham
Ken Abraham

 

Exploration of various characters in history and fiction who feel guiltless in their treatment of women including the English King Henry VIII, the actor Errol Flynn and Ovid, a Roman poet who glorified the abuse of women.  The talk was followed by many and varied comments from the Humanist Community.   The only common theme seemed to be that women, and in fact all of us, would benefit from a better balance between women and men of both economic and social power.

 
 

Humanist Community Forum (2013-01-06): Unfaithful Men in History (Ken Abraham) from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

 

HumanLight & Potluck

December 23, 2012

The Humanist Community in Silicon Valley will celebrate our umpteenth Holiday Potluck. The theme will be ‘HumanLight’, a secular holiday celebrated since 2001 by secular folk. Ever since hominids figured out at the Solstice that the sun ceases to withdraw its light and warmth from the earth and every day is brighter, its return and promise of better days has been celebrated. This is a Holiday Potluck at the usual time and place of the Sunday Forums.  Come early to help decorate.

Everyone is encouraged to share pleasant memories or elements meaningful to them from their own traditions or those of “The Old Country”.

There will be a Raffle, a Silent Auction of Hand Knitted Sweaters, an Early Buffet Potluck Lunch with music afterward for those who care to stay.  There will be a piano for Classical Pieces and to accompany Carol Singing. Song Books are available with Solstice Carols.

Bring your memories, items from your traditions, and a festive potluck dish if possible.
Drinks and pizza will be provided.

Please contact Sena Havasy at senahav@gmail.com, Arthur Jackson, Chris Lindstrom or Sandy Smith with ideas, suggestions, encouragement, etc.  You may also call the office for information at 650-964-7576.

Please bring an item or memory from your past holidays to share with the others present.

For more information on HumanLight see the web site.  There is also an excellent article on the site by Patrick Colucci.