Upcoming Events Listing

There are a bunch of events I’ve been meaning to post about, but just haven’t gotten around to it yet. So, here they are:

June 12-13, 2006
Uncle Orson’s Writing Class 2006
Southern Virginia University
Buena Vista, Va.
Orson Scott Card teaches this annual seminar for novice and experienced writers alike. Participants take part in two days of discussions, lectures, and idea sessions, along with participants in the Literary Boot Camp (which is filled and lasts until the 17th). Although Card is known for his science fiction work, the class is for writers of any kind of fiction, even for screenwriters and playwrights. For more information: www.hatrack.com/bootcamp.shtml.

June 16-18, 2006
RoboGames
Fort Mason
San Francisco, Calif.
Robots from 20 countries will descend on San Francisco to show off the latest in technology and flex their robo-muscles in the International Robot Olympics. The third annual RoboGames will feature more than 50 events and a wide array of robot technology. Combat robots, walking androids, human exo-skeletons, soccer and hockey bots, fire-breathing behemoths, and others will amaze you with their skills. "The humanoid soccer is going to be stellar," said David Calkins, founder of the event and robotics teacher at San Francisco State University. "When most people think of androids, they think of actors in costumes. But these metal guys can really run!&quot Last year, the event was in Sportscenter‘s Top Ten and Wired magazine called RoboGames one of "The Best Ten North American Geek Fests." Participants hail from Singapore, Brazil, Japan, Britain, Switzerland, Russia, Columbia and more. For more information: robogames.net

Various Dates
Finding the Genome: Fact & Fantasy
Durham County Library
Durham, N.C.
This series of films and discussions explores the moral questions, dilemmas and controversies that accompany scientific advances in the field of genetics. Each event features a film and is followed by a discussion led by experts in genetics and ethics.

• June 10: X-Men (2000) starring Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen and Hugh Jackman.
• July 8: Minority Report (2002) starring Tom Cruise.
• August 12: Motherland: A Genetic Journey (2003), a documentary about African Americans using DNA searches to find their African ancestry.
• September 9: Gattaca (1997) starring Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman.
• September 16: Special lecture and discussion with Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute.

For more information: www.durhamcountylibrary.org/pr/program.html#genome and genomics.unc.edu/cgf.